HTC's 3G Touch Dual slider with HSDPA (but no WiFi) arrives in Europe

You've already seen it in Japan for months, now HTC has officially launched their HTC Touch Dual (as they now call it) for Europe. Once only known as the Nike, the Touch Dual now measures in at 107 x 55 x 15.8-mm / 120-grams (slightly different than its Japanese sib) and packs WCDMA/HSDPA 2100MHz and GSM/EDGE 900/1800/1900MHz radios. Of course, it brings the TouchFLO interface riding atop Windows Mobile 6 Professional and 2.6-inch QVGA touch-screen as you'd expect. Inside you'll find a 400MHz Qualcomm MSM7200 processor; 256MB flash, 128MB RAM and microSD expansion; Bluetooth 2.0+EDR; 802.11b/g WiFi; HTC ExtUSB (HTC's mini USB 2.0 jack with support for data and audio); and enough juice to power WCDMA talk for up to 240 minutes or up to 360 minutes on GSM frequencies. Available this month on Orange in select European countries. Pricing? Yeah, we'd like to know that too.

Update: Whoa Nelly, what's this? No WiFi? Although we're fairly certain we saw it (wishful thinking?), a second look at the specs reveals the lack of WiFi on this HTC device. Oh my.

Update 2: We just received confirmation direct from HTC: no WiFi unlike its Japanese twin. Yes, we're also surprised.

Gallery: HTC's 3G Touch Dual slider with HSDPA arrives in Europe

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[Thanks, Rob]

[pkpowerhouse @ Oct 1st 2007 7:22AM]

Can someone please clarify: Does the name Touch Dual refer to the fact that it has two touch screens? That seems unlikely, I'm guessings its just the name.

[nxtiak @ Oct 1st 2007 7:38AM]

two touch screens huh? why do you think it has?
It's called HTC Touch because of the new "touch" program it has.

[Gadgetchic @ Dec 15th 2007 5:08PM]

No the name Dual means the phone has a dual slide mechanism. It slides like the side-kick to reveal a qwerty keyboard for typing and sending email.It also slides like a samsung to reveal a regular number pad for the using it as a phone

[John @ Oct 1st 2007 7:38AM]

I wonder if this one also has [unadvertised] 850 support like the original touch...

[newmiyamoto @ Oct 1st 2007 7:49AM]

It's just the name and i assume it refers to it having two input methods (touch screen and a regular numberpad)

[GeeEmm @ Oct 1st 2007 8:00AM]

So is there to be two models:
the Touch Slide with SureType-like keyboard: http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/28/htc-touch-slide-pictured-ahead-of-october-1-announcement/

and the one shown here:
the Touch Dual with a more phone-like keypad?

If so which would you prefer?

[apeguero @ Oct 1st 2007 9:07AM]

I don't know which one I like better, to have a true, dedicated dialpad like this one or a tiny little querty keypad like on the other one you mention. I lean more towards the dedicated dialpad since I can always type using the soft keypad.

[ZSX @ Oct 1st 2007 9:52AM]

That is a real shame, because I'm on Orange and would have much preferred the SureType keyboard as well.

As for the Touch interface, it looks like they have added a photo viewing/editing element to it. You can see it in action on the HTC Touch Dual website.

www.htctouch.com

[Dias @ Oct 1st 2007 8:00AM]

Sorry for the dumb question, but can I use this cell both in EU and Japan? What frequency Japan use?

[Rich @ Oct 1st 2007 8:16AM]

NTT DoCoMo uses W-CDMA on 2100Mhz (same as Europe). They don't have a GSM network though.

[Andrew @ Oct 2nd 2007 1:53AM]

The EU is *not* synonmous with Europe. The EU is a selection of nations out of 47. Some European nations actually want to stay out of the EU because we value our freedom!

There's no reason to ask what the EU is getting unless you mean to limit your query.

[ZSX @ Oct 1st 2007 8:02AM]

For what it's worth, Modaco have been live blogging the press announcement in London.

http://www.modaco.com/01-10-07-HTC-launch-event-t259874.html

What is most interesting is that the HTC Touch Dual has a conventional T9 keypad (9 keys), whereas the HTC Touch Slide we saw a few days ago has a SureType keypad (20 keys). It will be interesting to see which one will make it to Orange U.K.

[Smiley @ Oct 1st 2007 8:46AM]

From what I have seen, the Orange one will have the standard T9 keypad (bummer).
Also the TouchFLO UI seems somewhat toned down.

[Tony C @ Oct 1st 2007 8:22AM]

Wow, that's some sweet visuals! Has HTC mastered 3D displays so well that it looks like the graphics pop out of the LCD's boundaries like that? =D

[apeguero @ Oct 1st 2007 9:05AM]

That's true :)

I hate it when these companies do that where they put a slab of glass (or plastic) to cover the LCD that's way bigger than the actual display area.

[doctorSpoc @ Oct 1st 2007 10:34AM]

yeah... that's kinda cool eh? ;) wonder if it's some kind of new fangled holographic display or if the screen's bezel is itself a display?

But seriously, who ever did the Photoshop needs to find another job or go back to school to learn the basic physical laws of our universe.

[Rob @ Oct 1st 2007 8:26AM]

No WiFi on this device, unless HTC website is not to be trusted...

http://www.europe.htc.com/z/pdf/products/HTC_Touch_Dual_CH_EN_300907.pdf

[richair @ Oct 1st 2007 9:07AM]

Where is GPS? Both the s730 and this one don't seem to have one. The horror!

[Ike Turner @ Oct 1st 2007 11:18AM]

People that were present at the event are reporting that is has WiFi. huumm

[Ike Turner @ Oct 1st 2007 11:20AM]

Check here :

http://www.modaco.com/01-10-07-HTC-launch-event-t259874.html&st=40

"All the devices today had wifi built in!"
"Yes, the Touch Dual did appear to have WiFi."

[xraycat @ Oct 1st 2007 11:46AM]

There needs to be some clarification; the HTC Touch Dual on Engadget is shown with a regular dial-pad while the product on HTC's site called the Touch Dual has a QWERTY pad. Are there two models with different keyboards available or what?

[Thomas Ricker @ Oct 1st 2007 11:54AM]

@xraycat,

It has both depending upon market in which it will launch:

"The HTC Touch Dual%u2122 will be available to customers across Europe later this month. The HTC Touch Dual%u2122 will launch with either a 16 or 20-key keypad across Europe, depending on country and operator choice."

http://www.europe.htc.com/z/pdf/press/EMEA_HTC_Touch_Dual_EN.pdf

Thomas

[Josh @ Oct 1st 2007 12:51PM]

I think it's great that they did not copy the terrible terrible keypad of the Pearl. (yes, I think the QWERTY pad found on the Blackberry Pearl and the Sony m600i are just terrible.

Although I guess if they want to do a North American version, they gotta throw in the 850 band and do a Pearl-like keypad for all the people here who don't know how to text.

[jilie @ Oct 1st 2007 12:58PM]

this is not by apple.. you can plugin a wifi card in the memory slot.. oh my,,

[afiorillo @ Oct 1st 2007 1:24PM]

I'm a bit confused between "Dual" and "Slide" things. Photos shown here are about a "Slide", the article is about a "Dual", the keyboard layout between some photos is inconsistent...
Please Engadget folks, what's going on with this Nike? :-D

[Thomas Ricker @ Oct 1st 2007 2:18PM]

See my response to xraycat above: one phone, two keypad option depending upon carrier/country.

Thomas

[Martijn van der Maas @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:59PM]

Today I could experience the Touch Dual. Indeed it has no WiFi, operators do not like that ;-). It looks promising. I posted a small (no sound) hands-on:
http://www.portablegear.nl/fotovideo/HTC_Touch-Dual.htm?Video=1

[Daniel Orum @ Oct 3rd 2007 6:35AM]

WOW!!

Nice post Martijn. I am simply DYING to try the new Touch Dual. I was "."

[Daniel Orum @ Oct 3rd 2007 6:41AM]

WOW!!

Nice post Martijn. I am simply DYING to try the new Touch Dual. I was "."

[Rock @ Oct 16th 2007 12:58AM]

I read about the specification of HTC Touch Dual. And I was suprised and disappointed because there is no Wifi in HTC Touch Dual. Is it true??? It is a pity that a high tech product like HTC Touch Dual does not have Wifi.

[destijlart @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:51AM]

Very cool! well i hope they can include the wifi feature...