More details on HTC's Touch Diamond / Touch Pro for Verizon and Sprint

There's no doubt that both of HTC's forthcoming handsets (yeah, the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro) are coming to Sprint and Verizon. What we're still curious about, however, are the respective launch dates and the eventual names. phoneArena has it that the Touch Diamond will go by HTC Victor on Sprint and HTC Diamond on Verizon, with the former packing a slightly speedier CPU, an aluminum frame, accelerometer, 4GB of internal memory and EV-DO Rev. A support. As for Verizon's, expect it to boast half the RAM (128MB), a wimpier CPU, microSD expansion slot and a stainless steel frame. Moving on, we're told that the Touch Pro will be rechristined HTC Herman for Sprint and HTC Raphael (nice to re-meet you!) for The Network. Finally, we're clued in on a September 2nd release date for Sprint's Victor, while the Herman is expected a month later. As for Verizon? It'll probably be 30 or so days behind in both instances thanks to a presumed exclusivity agreement with its nemesis. Get all that?

[Derek @ Aug 5th 2008 10:28AM]

Awesome.

[Poke4Christ @ Aug 5th 2008 11:49AM]

The touch pro would be awesome if it just had a 3.5 inch touchscreen instead of a 2.8. I want that added size.

[Unknown @ Aug 5th 2008 11:56AM]

@ Poke4Christ

that's what she said...

[Techie @ Aug 5th 2008 12:15PM]

I already have the HTC Touch Diamond and so far it's pretty good but there are times when it does run pretty slow. I hope their new firmware will fix it though. I love the weather app =D

[Veraxus @ Aug 5th 2008 12:45PM]

The REAL question is, will Sprint let you use Herman (*lol*) with existing Sero plans? My guess is no - they'll try to force you into a ridiculous Everything plan like they did with the Instink. Still, I'm going to keep an eye on this.

[Derek @ Aug 5th 2008 12:49PM]

You stole my name! And my feelings! CURSE YOU DEREK!!!!!

[dryder @ Aug 5th 2008 5:25PM]

definantly is coming in august to radioshacks we got that email last week

[dryder @ Aug 5th 2008 5:29PM]

i work at radioshack we received an email sprint is releasing it to some stores in late august

the email referred to it at htc diamond

[pekosROB @ Aug 5th 2008 10:29AM]

why can't we get this phone at AT&T?!?!?! Grrrrrr I want the Touch Pro sooooooo bad!!!! It's the only device I would leave BlackBerry for!

[zephxiii @ Aug 5th 2008 10:42AM]

Who says they aren't?

[Clasifyd @ Aug 5th 2008 10:47AM]

This seems very odd to me, because listed on HTC's Touch Pro spec page, the Euro/Asia versions do indeed have GSM, etc. Come on, AT&T, you gave us the 8125! Keep it going!

[John Doe @ Aug 5th 2008 11:25AM]

Clasifyd:

what year are you in 2005? AT&T has given 8525 and Tilt after 8125
and i dont think they will launch the diamond pro with at&t to rival their own tilt

[I.E @ Aug 5th 2008 11:39AM]

The tilt has been out since last year. HTC can easily release this with At&T and the price of the tilt will drop while they phase out the 8125 if that's still being sold. Saying they wouldn't want to rival the tilt is like saying HTC shouldn't have released the tilt because AT&T already had the 8125.

[Clasifyd @ Aug 5th 2008 11:52AM]

:( I love my 8125. Yeah, I know it's an old phone. I wasn't impressed with the differences in the 8525, so I never bothered upgrading, and the Tilt was even bigger in size than my 8125, so I skipped that too. At any rate, I maintain my position that HTC could easily release this on AT&T, given their history.

[cory quinn @ Aug 5th 2008 8:40PM]

because you have the iphone, idiot

[Aaron @ Aug 5th 2008 10:32AM]

Woohoo Victor! I'd say first but I'm sure somebody will have beaten me to it by now.

What makes me happy is that the Victor is going to nearly match the specs of the Pro save for the keyboard, since the Pro was always slated to get more memory. And of course, I'm glad Sprint's version is better than Verizon's, though I expect it may be at the expense of a few millimeters of thickness. Still, I'll be getting one of these babies as close to launch as possible.

[Al @ Aug 5th 2008 1:55PM]

Well if you think about it this way the Sprint version gets more ram while the Verizon version get the option of having more space that 4gb.

[Anthony @ Aug 5th 2008 10:34AM]

Nothing inspires confidence more than the name Herman.

Seriously- You're gonna dump "Touch Pro" for Herman? That's like The Beatles changing their name to... Herman. Why screw up a good thing?

[Herman @ Aug 5th 2008 12:47PM]

What's wrong with the name Herman? Why u bashing on ppl with name Herman?

[John @ Aug 5th 2008 4:15PM]

Just to add a pinch of salt in the name 'Herman.' This might very well be HTC's codename for the different styled Raphael, like how the name 'Victor' is the codename for the different styled Diamond. Both the 'Victor' and the 'Herman' have the same curved edges and softtouch back. Also notice how both names are people's names... Heck they also are probably using them in this document to differentiate from Verizon's lineup.

My guess is that this is a codename internal document only and the 'official Sprint names' might not be used here. Here's to hoping they stick with the Touch Pro and Diamond names.

And to all you who doubt this because 'how would Sprint know what Verizon's phones are going to be?' Well Sprint has a 1 month exclusivity on the device, and that might include HTC disclosing to Sprint the models they are using and vice versa. I feel so bad for you Verizon folk.. unfortunately for me im moving to another state that has no Sprint EVDO service and only verizon EVDO. I dont care, im still getting a Sprint non-gimped version.

[DonatoM3 @ Aug 5th 2008 4:23PM]

Nothing is wrong with Herman for a person or a Munster, but for a phone? I can't wait till people ask "me what phone are you carrying?" "Oh the HTC Herman". Hopefully the name Herman is not etched anywhere on the front of the phone.

[Anthony @ Aug 5th 2008 7:21PM]

@Herman- Sorry dude. Your name's lame.

Believe me, Anthony's not winning any sexy guy awards either so don't get all crazy on me.

[Eric @ Aug 5th 2008 10:36AM]

Yeah...and Verizon will probably lock out the GPS so I can't use Garmin Mobile XT.

[Cycomachead @ Aug 5th 2008 11:51AM]

Verizon won't do anything for us. That's why XDA exists.

Anyway I'm VERY surprised to hear that verizon is using the HTC branding as they haven't done that in the past. Usually they go by the (incredibly memorable) XV#### series. I'd expect the XV7800 and 7900 or maybe 7000 and 7100.

Also I wouldn't expect them on Vzw for a few months after sprint. There was a *6* month gap between the mogul and the xv6800.

[Cycomachead @ Aug 5th 2008 11:55AM]

However, Engadgets numbers don't make sense. The Diamond as reported by HTC will have 192MB of RAM. Half would not be 128MB. If sprints does really include 256MB it would be awesome, but no keyboard.
The touch pro is supposed to have 256MB of RAM.

[Juggernaut @ Aug 5th 2008 12:36PM]

I can't believe they're going to give VZW a lesser version. Maybe I don't read enough cell phone news, but why not just have the same specs? This phone was going to keep me with VZW; now I might as well just jump ship next year for a Tilt after my contract expires. Ridiculous.

[OziD @ Aug 5th 2008 1:32PM]

Juggernaut: Because Sprint payed more.

[OneLove @ Aug 5th 2008 10:38AM]

The 8800 GT will be renamed 9800 GT for everyone. (you will get nothing and like it!)

HTC Herman starting at $1000 without 3 year slavery and $100 a month plan.

[Unknown @ Aug 5th 2008 10:40AM]

This may be a stupid question...but why are the specs different? Why not make the Verizon phone just as powerful as the Sprint phone?

[projekt84 @ Aug 5th 2008 10:46AM]

they muck up the specs of the phone so they can buy them from HTC for a cheaper price.. thus making more profit when they unleash the phone on the unsuspecting public, where the majority can't tell the difference from 400mHz and 528mHz.

they profit, they win, you lose.

[Unknown @ Aug 5th 2008 10:51AM]

I was considering getting one for Verizon, but not if I'm going to have an inferiority complex regarding the Sprint phone. Lame. I was so excited for the HTC Touch (or Herman or Raphael or whatever uninspiring name they give it) but now I'll either have to switch carriers or go with the blackberry...*sigh*

[ipubs bastard child @ Aug 5th 2008 10:58AM]

400 mhz isnt that bad, if thats the true value. Also, what you lose in CPU you tend to gain in battery life and in the HTC touch's case, this can only be a good thing as it's shit.

For the price though, you'd kinda hope for a micro / mini / anything SD card slot

[nizzy1115 @ Aug 5th 2008 11:03AM]

I have the htc 6800 (mogul) right now. It has a 400mhz and 64mb ram. You can overclock the processor with software to either 520 mhz or 624 mhz. The device does not get hotter or have any noticeable affect on battery either when over clocked.

That said, there is a really noticeable difference between 400mhz and 520 mhz. So those saying that the average joe wont notice, put them side by side and its much much snappier.

The only reason i would switch to a new phone from my 6800 (mogul) is the amount of ram in it. That seems to be the weakness of this phone. Having 128mb or more will really help. With only 64mb i constantly have to close down programs if i have too much running.

[OneLove @ Aug 5th 2008 11:05AM]

I might consider renewing my 2 year slavery for a cheap Herman .

[hayley @ Aug 5th 2008 11:53AM]

@ipubs bastard child

The article says the Verizon one does have a microSD slot. I'm thinking they lowered the other specs to fit that in? I think it's a good move

[PhilR8 @ Aug 5th 2008 2:20PM]

@nizzy: What program do you use to overclock your Mogul? I think you're mistaken: the Mogul, as far as anyone on ppcgeeks and xda-devs can tell, cannot be overclocked at the moment. The Apache (6700) can.

But if you somehow found a way to overclock the Mogul, how do you do it? I'd like to do it, too.

[horizontaleight @ Aug 5th 2008 10:41AM]

Can someone please explain to me Verizon's train of thought? I've been with Verizon for about 5 years and I will never understand their complete lack of effort to get a full featured phone. I wrote it off as them being a CDMA carrier and all of the higher end phones going to the GSM market, but there is simply no excuse for this garbage. As for HTC, I think they have some serious marketing issues that they need to address. Giving your phones 50 different names across carriers does not create brand name recognition - it only confuses consumers.

[Jason @ Aug 5th 2008 10:50AM]

C'mon dude, everybody knows what the big V is ALL about.....

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

By crippling phones they:

Force you to use their proprietary software/features and pay for them (when the phone has them uncrippled for free)
By offering a crappier version of the Diamond (and I BET you, even with those specs, it will be priced the same.... if not MORE than Sprint), they force you to upgrade sooner cause you're just that much closer to obsolecence with your phone.


Now the software crippling I can deal with. Annoying as fuck but that's what the amazing folks over at xda developers are for.

Crippling the hardware? Fuck you VZW.

[pekosROB @ Aug 5th 2008 10:52AM]

Wow I totally agree! I think the Touch Pro is a suitable name. Why give them names like they're pets or humans?? I understand the "development" codename but when it hits the market it should be called the same thing.

It's not like the Moto Razr kept changing names on different networks when it first came out! Personally I don't like "human names" used as the official names for cell phones... that's for me to decide what to call my baby! haha

[crow610 @ Aug 5th 2008 11:55AM]

Can you cripple me now?


Good!

[MichaelB @ Aug 5th 2008 12:53PM]

Verizon ain't the greatest carrier despite their ads, but both Sprint and Verizon have full featured phones! I have carried a Sprint phone for the past 5 years and a Verizon phone through work for the past 4. I have yet to find a GSM phone that does anything my CDMA phones won't. My Mogul has wi-fi, blue tooth, infrared, voicedialing, GPS, Word, Excel, Sprint TV, and Powerpoint. It connects to my slingbox with no problem whatsoever. I've got everything. Even Nokia's communicators don't have as much. I'm stumped as to what you think a full featured phone would have because both Verizon and Sprint carry a fair assortment.

[zephxiii @ Aug 5th 2008 10:42AM]

Wow, verizon blows, molester of phones.

[david.m.carroll @ Aug 5th 2008 10:56AM]

God Verizon sucks. And I'm a customer.

[fieldcar @ Aug 5th 2008 11:11AM]

But an interface circa 1993 is good for everyone!

[thegreatino @ Aug 5th 2008 1:51PM]

these will have WinMo 6.1 so why is everyone bitching about the vzw interface? null argument here.

[prauch @ Aug 5th 2008 10:43AM]

I find it funny that Sprint somehow knows what versions of the phones verizon is going to have.. Anyone else think that smells fishy?

[retro77 @ Aug 5th 2008 10:46AM]

Wow, I might actually switch carriers based on Verizon's crippling the phone so bad. I was hoping to run WinMo until Android went mainstream. But I don't think I would be able to on the Verizon version of the Touch Pro.

[Xenoterranos @ Aug 5th 2008 10:47AM]

HA! Dyson could learn a few things about sucking fro verizon. I never thought i'd say it, but I sure am glad that I'm on sprint.

But seriously, Herman?! How could the phone replacing the "Mogul" be called the "Herman" ?! These have to be code names. If not, I promptly plan to de-brand this phone as soon as sprint lets me get my hands on it.

[Ray @ Aug 5th 2008 10:58AM]

Agreed, what will i tell my friends when i show off my new phone?

"Hay, what kinda phone is that?"

"Its the Sprint Herman."

"Oh... I feel sad for you."

[Fire_lord_Ozai @ Aug 5th 2008 10:52AM]

ええ赤ん坊、私は第1!である!!