Orange launches SPV M5000 (HTC Universal) in UK, France, and Switzerland

Our lust-affair with the not-available-in-the-US HTC Universal is no secret. Now our friends in the UK, France, and Switzerland can get their sweaty anticipatory hands on it with Orange's official launch of the SPV M5000 - you know, that UMTS (3G) brick packing Windows Mobile 5.0, WiFi (now confirmed although curiously not listed on the Orange website), Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel camera, QWERTY keyboard, 640x480 touch screen, 520MHz processor, 128MB of ROM, and an SD memory card slot. It will sell for about £400 (€600) and begin shipping in the UK, France and Switzerland in October - available to the network's other territories by the end of this year.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

why must you tease me engadget? why?!?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

See, THIS is the kind of thing that might be worth spending a few hundred bucks on.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I work for Orange and I managed to get my hands on our demo model yesterday.
Yes, its bloody hot - but its a tad on the massive side. Especially as I have the M500, it just seems *too* big :/

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

It's also available in Europe as the I-Mate JASJAR for the cute little sum of 1015 EUR / 665 UKP.

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=119353

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Will the tri-band (Tri-Band 900/ 1800/ 1900 MHz, + WCDMA(UMTS) (2100MHz) model selling on expansys work in the States?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Is it �400 sim free, pay as you go or on a contract?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Anyone that went to the Microsoft PDC conference was eligible to purchase the Universal for $150 along with a bluetooth headset for $10. It was all sold out before the openning keynote by Bill ended. I'm kicking myself for not picking one up. Anyone lucky enough to get it could activate it with T-Mobile.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Will this phone work on sprints network?

If not what phone should I get or wait for?

The ppc7000?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I had a look at one at an Orange shop in London yesterday... it is lovely, really well built and solid too... I think it is 3G too

mmmm the first M$ product I have ever wanted!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I was lucky enough to get one of these at the PDC and have been using it for over a week. Great for SMS texting, but not a great phone. As #3 says, its pretty darn big and feels very wierd holding up to your head when making calls...

Also there is no preview window on the back of the display so you can't see who is calling without opening it up, which is a major pain.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

is it true orange uk will disable the wifi?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Orange u.k. sucks.