Cingular 8525 (HTC Hermes) renderings leaked?

If you're familiar with the Hermes and you know that it's coming to Cingular 'fore too long, these supposed renderings of Cingular's variant (henceforth known as the 8525) should come with no surprises -- except one, that is. Note that the Hermes' front-facing cam is conspicuously missing here, allegedly removed at Cingular's request since their video calling infrastructure isn't quite ready for prime time. Of course, we would've preferred that they leave the cam in, disable it, and cut a new firmware down the road to re-enable it when video calling is live rather than ask HTC to cripple their hardware, but we're sure the corporate suits had their reasons.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

[kids @ Aug 20th 2006 7:43PM]

I am curious how much it will cost.

[GTgadget @ Aug 20th 2006 7:46PM]

I hope not. I'm hoping Cingular would keep/evolve the style/shape of the 8125 (more rectangular, less-rounded corners). The "softened" look is one of the things I detest about the T-Mobile MDA (along with the MDA's much crappier keyboard).

[ryantv @ Aug 20th 2006 7:54PM]

holy crap that thing is fat... dont think i have room for that in my pocket.

[Jared C. @ Aug 20th 2006 8:00PM]

Does anyone know the dimensions on this?
How does it compare to the 8125?

[Zach @ Aug 20th 2006 8:33PM]

I have this already: the HTC TyTN. This device is incrdedible. It looks fat, but it sits well in the hand and really doesn't seem that big.

[adam @ Aug 20th 2006 8:33PM]

the hermes is .9" thick and the wizard is .93" thick

overall, they are very similar in dimensions. i just hope it comes out in the next month, as i've been waiting around for this for a while, and i really want a wm5 phone as my next mobile.

[Perry @ Aug 20th 2006 8:41PM]

is it UMTS?

[adam @ Aug 20th 2006 8:48PM]

hermes is even better, its hsdpa

[I.B @ Aug 20th 2006 9:06PM]

Perhaps its just me but a lot of these HTC phones look very much alike.

[thomas_h @ Aug 20th 2006 9:12PM]

A fat, ugly smart phone.

great.

[Roy @ Aug 20th 2006 9:33PM]

wow... that thing is hella fat, even tho its great, i don't want a huge fat thing sticking out of my pocket... a fake iphone looks way better...

[scwtte @ Aug 20th 2006 10:19PM]

I have an 8125 and the thickness is my only real gripe with it. It's an extremely capable device, both as a phone and a PDA, but I do find it much easier to transport in cargo pants.

[jim @ Aug 20th 2006 10:23PM]

Yep, HTC comes out with yet another FAT phone. At least samsung and motorola are putting their phones on a diet. Not sure why they can't make WM5 phone that is slimmer. Get rid of the internal keyboard if necessary - at least give us a choice between at 1" thick full WM5 phone and a 1/2" thick full WM5 phone. The Q and the Samsung do a nice job of making spartphones but how about a full WM5 phone that is as slim as one of those bad boys. I have the 6700 and rareley need the keyboard - I'd give it up if my phone was half as thick.

Again I'm not proposing they do away with the keyboard on all models but if it gives back a significanly amount of thickness make a classic htc and a "diet" htc - but none of that crippled smartphone crap that can't run any apps. Same thing with the camera I never use (although I do use the light) If it would make the unit any smaller - I would gladly give up the camera. I know some people who want cameras but I know far more who have never used their camera as they only take crappy pictures - pretty sure that is why they still sell cameras in stores that carry only camera phones. Just offer the diet model without a useless camera. If I can afford a $500 phone, chances are I could afford a better camera than the one that comes in ANY phone made today for about $100.

[Anchit Panchal @ Aug 20th 2006 11:32PM]

OMG my friend was showing me the "latest phones" in india/asia, and one of the phones was called the "O2". the latest model looks EXACTLY like that! wow...i should go and tell him!

[5ftassassin @ Aug 21st 2006 1:15AM]

I'm going to guess it’s a fake. If the LCD was slid forward to expose the keyboard, the screen should reposition to horizontal orientation shouldn’t it? I would think that is something you'd want to show off in a render, that’s just my guess. Then again, why would some one go and Photoshop something like a smart phone? Maybe the guy who put this together just wasn't thinking clearly

[DD @ Aug 21st 2006 1:29AM]

http://forum.xda-developers.com/files/8525.jpg

Better pic.

[Truth @ Aug 21st 2006 1:33AM]

Two words people "Convergence Device". It looks like most of HTCs' devices are trying to bridge the gap for PDA "power users" (like myself) by just adding phone capability to the device. When a smartphone just won't do the job.

[Big Sam @ Aug 21st 2006 2:51AM]

Is this supposed to have Bluetooth 2.0 as well?

[tuig @ Aug 21st 2006 4:32AM]

I've got a Hermes/HTC TyTN here on Vodafone in Europe. Works pretty nicely with push e-mail and the keyboard is better and more useful than any PDA/Smartphone I've used before.

And yes, it's thick, but unless you walk for miles it's not that bad to have it in your pant pocket. It's actually not worse than a Sony Ericsson P910 or Nokia N93. If you want to look fashionable when going out, just get a tiny slim phone from Samsung or whatever and use that with your dual SIM card.

[hesh @ Aug 21st 2006 8:46AM]

Anyone know the differences between the Hermes and the TyTN?

[hesh @ Aug 21st 2006 9:02AM]

Forget my last comment. I'm an idiot.

[Bryan @ Aug 21st 2006 9:35AM]

5ftassassin,
The advertising for the 8125 was the same way. The fact the screen doesn't rotate doesn't mean much.

[John Laur @ Aug 21st 2006 10:49AM]

DD:

The "Better Pic" -- well it's obvious that it's a 3d rendering, not a photograph, but on the high-res version you can actually see that the front camera is actually 'shopped out as well. The faint outline of text is visible underneath the clone-stamping in both front views (and is slightly different in both)...

Clearly a very last-minute decision; shame.

[Remy @ Aug 21st 2006 10:55AM]

Of course it's a photoshop job! The question is, was it photoshopped by Cingular's marketing people, or by some hack looking for a byline.

O2 did release a Hermes variant (the 8525 is a Hermes variant) not long ago.

Do a search for Hermes on engadget. You'll be surprised how much information about these is already out.

Yes, the Hermes and Tytn are the same phone. 'cept overseas they've discovered there are two design variants. One with the rounded edges and buttons, and one with a squarer, flatter look. For some odd reason, Engadget hasn't picked up on this yet. Check modaco.com's review of the Hermes (by far the best review of this phone as yet).

Oh, and Jim, check the full product line (including what's coming out soon). I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Yes, it has BT2, with A2DP! :-D

[jim @ Aug 21st 2006 1:00PM]

Remy - thanks for the tip - can you tell me where I can find the full product line? I'm looking for something that runs the FULL WM5 (not just smartphone) that is less than 18mm. I am responsible for many it departments including a very large university. That seems to the thickness tolerance for most people. The Q seems to be much more popular although it is all about push technology. I'd still like to offer the full WM5 but have the clients happy with the thickness of the phone.

[J. Jackson @ Aug 22nd 2006 2:35PM]

I know some you will take this with a grain of salt but here goes... I was in a Cingular store today (8/22) and I was talking to one of the guys in the store about this phone. The guy was talking the phone phone up as if it were the Messiah. He said a rep was in the store last week testing it out. He said this phone had everything (except the VGA camera of course) and PTT is indeed included. The only bad thing though is that I know a bunch of us were expecting September/October launch (I even heard a September 17th on the net) but this guy says not to expect this phone until December. I have no need to sit here and make up a lie. I'm just telling you what I was told.

[ElectroGeek @ Aug 28th 2006 11:54AM]

I haven't had the chance to review the features of the 8525 yet but I can see by looking at the dimensions I do have to agree with one of the previous comments. This sucker is about as thick as the 8125 that I currently use. If there was one feature I would like to see improved on the HTC units it would be form factor. If they could design a device that had all of the great functionality as the Cingular 8125 (HTC Wizard) and put it in a package the size of a razr, WOW! that would be a hot phone. I imagine in order to do that they would have to eliminate the sliding keyboard or else it would have to be paper thin. I am extremely pleased with the performance and features of the 8125 but it needs to go on a serious diet. Anyone agree?

[Brian Cameron @ Aug 30th 2006 6:55PM]

I don't think the Wizard (8125) is that bad. Yes it is bigger then other phones, but what other phones can do what the 8125 does. NONE. The sliding keyboard is the whole reason I bought the 8125. I use it for email between my clients and it has been the best thing I have bought in a long time. I am awating the 8525 and will pick one up as soon as it releases. As for the release date on Cingular....get ready to wait. If it is anything like the release of the 8125 it will not be here till spring of 07. The 8125 was supposed to release Oct. 2005 and it actually released Feb. 2006 and by the time it was actually avail to the masses it was late March early April.