HTC Raphael to show up in Europe as T-Mobile MDA Vario IV, specs listed
By Joshua Fruhlinger 
posted May 28th 2008 10:22AM
posted May 28th 2008 10:22AM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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Stand by for attack in 3...2...
Stupid small screen.
Whats this "Bluetoorh" you speak of ?
heh, I just lol'ed!
I wonder when the "official" specs will be out now.
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.
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!?
They launched the HTC Touch untouched (pardon pun).
But when?? Not quite after the launch.
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.
You don't have to press the function button to input numbers...
Really clean looking phone, it does look cool.
No 3G?
No Thanks.
"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.
3G is basically a standard, look at the front camera.
Tell that to apple
.....will hit streets sometime in Q2 2008.
So by the end of June it will be out?
So it's official:
Panels + Widescreen vs TouchFLO 3D + 480X640
I'm getting one of those two in Q2. (If the HTC Dream disappoints)
Well if you're getting one in Q2, it won't be the X1... that's coming
in september (Q3)
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.
Wowza, that IS nice.
What about the battery? Is it pathetic like the Diamond's?
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.
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.
@ 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!
Any word on the vertical slider version of the Diamond (the Titanium or Dual Touch Pro)?
Not Dual Touch Pro, either Touch Diamond Dual or Touch Dual Pro.
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.
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!
Why do you want 4GB internal memory rather than up to 32GB (so far) on a card?
It would cost us more, plus not all of us are going to use up all 4Gb.
Yup, dedicated number keys= Win!
I was considering the diamond, but this is just too good.
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.
RTFA
http://www.gsmhelpdesk.nl/en/specs.php?id=2522
Expandable memory:
Micro SD (Secure Digital)
Trans Flash
@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.
What's with the schlong function key on the left arrow button?
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.
Incidentally, why would tri-band keep T-Mo from bringing this stateside? The Sidekicks are tri-band.
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)
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.)
Sidekicks ARE quadband. Check your spec sheet.
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.
Weird why T-Mobile US is so useless. T-Mobile EU/UK are very good.
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.
Very likely my next phone
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
i bet if you press "s", then function, then space, you can get a $ sign.
eric b
What are the chances of this phone come to the US with Verizon? :(
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.
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.
Is that like a scroll ball sort of like on a blackberry or just a design in the plastic that makes it look rounded?
It's a round D-Pad with a "zoom wheel" on the outside
yep when my contract ends this september, this will be the next phone i get with t-mobile.
wow europe gets some gadgets first for once! thanks HTC!
*cries*
Me want!
Us poor T-Mo US users.
Does anyone know how much thickness the keyboard adds?
The linked t-mobile spec page states it's 18mm.
DECISIONS!
I really really want the X1 now, seeing that its basically the same phone with autofocus and 160 more pixels, and its keyboard looks more comfortable, and not to mention that its screen is centered vs being upward/to the right of the keyboard.
BUT, the X1 doesnt appear to have a flushed screen! That leads me to believe its the old htc autoscrath plastic! This screen is flushed and ready to be touched! (although i dont like the idea of the sweat patterns my face will leave on it)
I'm with sprint now, but im willing to switch to a 3g tmo, but not at&t or verizon, i hear they have crappy internet plans and im reserving hope for tmo..... I have a feeling that the x1 is going straight to at&t and verizon and raphael is coming to sprint and of course tmo
I can't believe it my contract is up in July and hopefully this will be available but may wait to see when the X1 comes out to make my choice. But I very much doubt that T-Mobile will get the X1 as Vodafone and O2 in the UK always get the nice Sony Ericssons as usual and thats where T-mobile fails for me.
But I might go with the MDA Vario IV as I might be able to get a good package as it a T-mobile phone (basically) because you can get the diamond for free compared to other phones with less specs.
this HAS autofocus.
Sprints gettin this in the U.S first right after the Touch Diamond. So Verizon lovers chances of getting this are slim. And even so...Sprint gets it in Late September/ Early October which means Verizon gets theirs.....
March Sometime.....
LOVING the dedicated capslock key and extra length on the left shift and enter! Dual shift AND a control key too!
Looks like a worthy upgrade from my Mogul. I think it will end up being a toss up between this and the Dream depending on specs and how well the new Google OS works. This looks like they upped the RAM and CPU while polishing the phone and keeping the great things about the Mogul (keyboard, gps, etc). When this rolls out on Sprint I will definitely be giving it a look.
The keyboard looks quite cumbersome compared to the Moguls. Also the Sony Ericsson Xperia XP1 last I checked has a 3" 800x480 screen which beats the Raphael's 2.8" 640x480 screen by a long shot. I don't get it, if HTC makes the Xperia why not throw a 3" 800x480 screen in the Raphael and call it a day?
Yikes this will definitely be a toss between this phone, the X1, and the Dream, all depending on which carriers get which phones when my contract expires. at&t will get the X1, Sprint, Alltel, and probably Verizon will get this phone and the diamond, but if Google's OS is spectacular, i might just jump the WinMo ship once and for all. Apple OS phone is out of the question.
I'd like to get one. unless at&t shafts me a third time and removes the front camera. I've already had a castrated 8525 and Tilt.
Cool device.
Just two things:
1) What happened to eGPS, one of the cooles features that were rumoured before launch
2) When will I be able to buy one of these in Germany without Contract or branding?