HTC Raphael to show up in Europe as T-Mobile MDA Vario IV, specs listed

Without much ado, the HTC Raphael, now called the T-Mobile MDA Vario IV in Europe, will hit streets sometime in Q2 2008. As for specs, we're looking at 158 grams, 300 minutes of talk time, 480x640 pixel screen, tri-band GSM, a 528MHz processor, 256MB on-board RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, FM radio, and a 3.2MP camera. Don't expect a stateside release -- at least in this incarnation -- given the tri-band action, so we'll continue to hold out for the Sprint version.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[fred @ May 28th 2008 10:24AM]

Stand by for attack in 3...2...

[Mark @ May 28th 2008 11:11AM]

Stupid small screen.

[holycow @ May 28th 2008 10:26AM]

Whats this "Bluetoorh" you speak of ?

[Christian Walters @ May 28th 2008 10:31AM]

heh, I just lol'ed!

[twoboxen @ May 28th 2008 10:29AM]

I wonder when the "official" specs will be out now.

[Nick @ May 28th 2008 12:22PM]

Seems as though no one know any official specs, but most likely will be the same as the Diamond, http://htcsource.com thinks it'll be that way. I hope they will up the battery though.

[Abhishek @ May 28th 2008 10:29AM]

Daymmmm!! That fone is hella nice!! got decent specs too. Hopefully it shows up to the US untouched. Sprint has a way of blanding their phones.

Heck, hopefully it shows up soon, if at all. Why does Europe get all the good phones...and we're left with dumass razor wannabe's and low-grade camshell phones!?

[Dale @ May 28th 2008 11:04AM]

They launched the HTC Touch untouched (pardon pun).

[frauhottelmann @ May 28th 2008 11:23AM]

But when?? Not quite after the launch.

[Low Ranked @ May 28th 2008 12:46PM]

If you've ever owned a slide-out QWERTY keyboard phone before you'll notice that the way they laid out the numbers across the top is horrible. Especially because there is only one function button at the bottom left; you then would have to reach your right thumb across the keypad to press 1,2,3,4 etc.

The Kaiser/Tilt got it right by mimicking a little number pad in a cluster to the right side of the keyboard, this should be standard in any phone that utilizes this type of keyboard.

[Phoenix @ May 28th 2008 1:38PM]

You don't have to press the function button to input numbers...

[Reid @ May 28th 2008 1:49PM]

Really clean looking phone, it does look cool.

[Nick @ May 28th 2008 10:30AM]

No 3G?
No Thanks.

[Nick @ May 28th 2008 10:31AM]

"The device has, just like the Compact IV, HSDPA support for speeds up to 7.2 Mbit/s. Video telephony, an expanded video and musicplayer, a 3.2 megapixel camera and a built-in GPS receiver can be see as the "key features" of the device besides the mobile internet access."

I stand corrected.

[Itsuru @ May 28th 2008 10:32AM]

3G is basically a standard, look at the front camera.

[roflercopterer @ May 28th 2008 5:17PM]

Tell that to apple

[APK @ May 28th 2008 11:22PM]

.....will hit streets sometime in Q2 2008.

So by the end of June it will be out?

[TareX @ May 28th 2008 10:30AM]

So it's official:

Panels + Widescreen vs TouchFLO 3D + 480X640

I'm getting one of those two in Q2. (If the HTC Dream disappoints)

[twoboxen @ May 28th 2008 10:42AM]

Well if you're getting one in Q2, it won't be the X1... that's coming
in september (Q3)

[TareX @ May 28th 2008 1:02PM]

oh sorry I meant H2 2008...

..and I guess it's going to be the "Panels + Widescreen" mix for me...
..not to mention the battery life.

If TouchFLO 3D was iphone-fast, I would have grabbed this beauty instantly. INSTANTLY. As in call-my-friend-in-Germany instant.

But it's not iphone-fast, not even close to it.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 28th 2008 10:43AM]

Wowza, that IS nice.

What about the battery? Is it pathetic like the Diamond's?

[Surur @ May 28th 2008 11:40AM]

They quote the same talk and standby time as the HTC Touch Diamond, so it may very well have the same 900 mAh battery.

On the other hand Coolsmartphones did a real world battery test yesterday on a Diamond,and while it had poorer battery life than a Tilt, it still finished the day with 20% battery life left (vs around 50% foor the Tilt).
http://www.coolsmartphone.com/news4065.html

Me,I have charges in my at home, in my car and at my desk. I could live with that kind of battery life.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 28th 2008 11:45AM]

But the thing is, with my N95 8GB's 1200mAh battery, I can kill it (from fully charged) in about 3 hours of hardcore, flash enabled WiFi browsing... Considering that these new HTC devices also have much faster processors, I think the battery life could turn out to be terrible.

[haX0r @ May 28th 2008 4:15PM]

@ Surur

Two words for you: "Car Charger".

I am so sick of ppl complaining about battery time. If you are traveling, charge your shizzle before you go. If you are waiting at an airport, plug in. If you are on Vacation, plug in before you go out for the day. Bring your Car Charger with you too.

If all else fails, get a battery package charger you can take along with recharglable batteries.

Please ppl, get a "Car Charger" and stop whinning!

[richair @ May 28th 2008 11:04AM]

Any word on the vertical slider version of the Diamond (the Titanium or Dual Touch Pro)?

[Phoenix @ May 28th 2008 1:41PM]

Not Dual Touch Pro, either Touch Diamond Dual or Touch Dual Pro.

[Marty @ May 28th 2008 11:00AM]

T-mobile hasn't had any new smartphones since the T-mo Shadow last Sept/Oct, and the Blackberry Curve.

The Xperia and Blackberry Bold will most likely hit T-mo eventually, but knowing how that works, maybe not until 2009 so that AT&T can have their exclusivity for a few months first.

So now... another interesting smartphone, one that is available w/ Euro T-mo, and even that's not coming here.

What the hell is wrong w/ T-mobile not getting any decent phones? While Verizon and Sprint scamble to get that one 'iphone killer', T-mo has nothing to even compete.

I like T-mo, I like the coverage and customer service, but the lack of good phones really makes me wanna quit them.

[Mike W @ May 28th 2008 11:00AM]

I'm not sure how this isn't a breaking story since this is the picture many of us have been waiting for since hearing about Diamond/Raphael. This is beautiful... except for them moving the numbers back to the top (ala PPC-6700 instead of Mogul) I like the additional row on the QWERTY... I am curious to see how easy it will be to use (since with phones like the PPC-6700 you had to press the function button as well). I'm liking it though... it looks like it slides out further in terms of proportions and has the beauty of the Diamond on the exterior.

Now I'd just like to hear about the battery and if they are changing their mind and giving us internal memory like the Diamond instead (please?). Either way, this may be the one thing keeping me on Sprint... because the 3G iPhone is sounding more and more tempting especially if they introduce haptic feedback, and that's coming from a Microsoft enthusiast. Go HTC!

[Phoenix @ May 28th 2008 1:40PM]

Why do you want 4GB internal memory rather than up to 32GB (so far) on a card?

[bigdoggie @ May 28th 2008 1:45PM]

It would cost us more, plus not all of us are going to use up all 4Gb.

[Abuzar @ May 28th 2008 3:10PM]

Yup, dedicated number keys= Win!

I was considering the diamond, but this is just too good.

[Fletch7 @ May 28th 2008 11:03AM]

No mention of a microSD card slot. 4 gigs of dynamic memory is o.k., but I've gotten used to my 8 gig card.

[twoboxen @ May 28th 2008 11:27AM]

RTFA
http://www.gsmhelpdesk.nl/en/specs.php?id=2522

Expandable memory:
Micro SD (Secure Digital)
Trans Flash

[Kaiser-Machead @ May 28th 2008 11:16AM]

@fred,

::Inserts iPhone reference here::

@Marty,

I've given up on T-Mobile. If I want to get a good phone, likely a new SE to replace my dying T-160, I'll have to get it elsewhere.

@Fletch,

HTC generally does not pile on the gigabytes as standard, so likely they'll be sticking to the SD card slot for the foreseeable future.

[BluesK1d @ May 28th 2008 11:18AM]

What's with the schlong function key on the left arrow button?

[Bob S. @ May 28th 2008 11:19AM]

Looks like the first phone that might sway me from the Sidekick LX -- this keyboard isn't as good, and the ergonomics aren't as good either (the center of gravity should be in the keyboard, not the screen), but this has a lot going for it otherwise and maybe I could learn to live with those compromises.

[Bob S. @ May 28th 2008 11:21AM]

Incidentally, why would tri-band keep T-Mo from bringing this stateside? The Sidekicks are tri-band.

[PEZ @ May 28th 2008 11:49AM]

Could be the wrong 3 bands, lacking the 850, and only giving us the 1900. Also, Tmo USA needs to focus on smart phones that can supoprt their 3G needs, which this one clearly does not, according to the specs (we need 1700 for tmo)

[Bob S. @ May 28th 2008 12:14PM]

Ah, thanks. I had a feeling the answer was "it's the wrong three," but figured someone would actually know. I s'pose if any of the carriers do bring it over, they can rejigger it to use the right three. (Heh. I'm such an optimist.)

[Meccalangelo @ May 28th 2008 12:44PM]

Sidekicks ARE quadband. Check your spec sheet.

[PEZ @ May 28th 2008 11:49AM]

Oh my Gody. It has a DEDICATED NUMBER ROW! Most important. So far so good.


Its like a Touch Diamond without the diamond, and a real usable KB. Holy cribbage.

[Septimus @ May 28th 2008 11:31AM]

Weird why T-Mobile US is so useless. T-Mobile EU/UK are very good.

[oliver hart @ May 28th 2008 11:36AM]

Finally HTC slips in a new full slide out qwerty device. Those Touches were garbage. Hopefully this will hit the US sometime. Its like a Tmobile shadow w/qwerty, or a Tmo Wing killer at least.

[substance90 @ May 28th 2008 11:56AM]

Very likely my next phone

[CP @ May 28th 2008 11:57AM]

i hope that's a pound sign function on the W key - because with the mogul right now you need to go into a menu to type a $ sign

[e-dub @ May 28th 2008 12:35PM]

i bet if you press "s", then function, then space, you can get a $ sign.

eric b

[HalfJoey @ May 28th 2008 11:59AM]

What are the chances of this phone come to the US with Verizon? :(

[Jason @ May 28th 2008 2:55PM]

Our only hope is that VZW will have their new 'any device' blah blah blah thing in action so we can pick up the Spring CDMA version and somehow get it activated on VZW. Hopefully.


Otherwise VZW will get it in September. 2011.

[chefgon_ign @ May 28th 2008 12:04PM]

I don't know a whole lot about Cell Phone wireless technologies and carriers, but are they saying that it is flat out impossible for a US T-Mobile version? I would like to get something a little more modern to replace my T-Mobile Dash, but my wife is unwilling to give up her Sidekick so I'm kind of stuck. This phone would be great if it came to T-Mobile in the US.

[fredbranson @ May 28th 2008 12:07PM]

Is that like a scroll ball sort of like on a blackberry or just a design in the plastic that makes it look rounded?