HTC Dream, or just some reference design, shown off on video

An all-too-brief, all-too-fuzzy video of a device alleging to be none other than HTC's Dream has surfaced on YouTube, showing a white smartphone of healthy size running Android and sliding horizontally to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. From what little we can make out, we've got to say that it's not the sexiest thing we've ever seen -- and the Dream has been so built up in our minds at this point that we're expecting to have our socks knocked off hard by the time it's officially unveiled. The silver lining here might be that the phone in the video bears an uncanny resemblance to a "reference design" made by "a partner" of Google's that was demonstrated by none other than Google's own Andy Rubin back in February of this year. Of course, that reference design could be getting refined and retooled to end up becoming the HTC's inaugural Android effort anyway, but we're hoping and guessing that the real Dream's going to be at least a little more dreamy than this.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

[Imran @ Aug 10th 2008 2:37PM]

Demonstrated by Darth Vader nonetheless.

[grull27 @ Aug 10th 2008 3:13PM]

LOL he was breathing because he was excited. Lol

[Patriks7 @ Aug 10th 2008 4:55PM]

you have to come to the dark side to own it!

[OneLove @ Aug 10th 2008 10:31PM]

dont stroke the meat will making video

[superted @ Aug 10th 2008 2:45PM]

why can't people operate video cameras?!

[The Dude @ Aug 10th 2008 8:00PM]

Srsly. Apparently setting the camera on a stack of books, putting it in focus, and sitting down at a desk is too hard.

[L @ Aug 10th 2008 2:46PM]

Another pic...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7363248@N08/2747114565/

Well...not really breathtaking. Quite a bit ugly, even.

[Crooky @ Aug 10th 2008 4:10PM]

Sounded pretty breathtaking.

[MattNL @ Aug 10th 2008 4:52PM]

I see you already tested its killing abilities...

[BluesK1d @ Aug 11th 2008 10:05AM]

It's just a reference design. Appears to be a white version of this device: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2llGxzWXudw

[richard @ Aug 10th 2008 2:49PM]

I don't like how only the screen slides up for the qwerty keyboard. Its unsymmetrical that way,

[Phoenix @ Aug 10th 2008 3:04PM]

agreed, plus it'll make thumb typing fucking annoying. It'll get in the way of your right hand

[Dopefish @ Aug 11th 2008 2:50PM]

its Asymmetrical

dont butcher the language please...

[richard @ Aug 10th 2008 3:11PM]

exactly

however, I can't imagine this being the actual HTC dream. After HTC making a phone as nice looking as the diamond how could they stoop this low?

[richard @ Aug 10th 2008 3:12PM]

Dopefish,

Unsymmetrical is a word...... and it fit the context I used it in.

[rehs @ Aug 10th 2008 3:13PM]

it reminds me of this phone:

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/photos/ntt-docomos-mobile-world-congress-2008-booth-tour/638743/

the only difference is the dream has a touchscreen and slides the screen in the left side to reveal a qwerty keyboard, not a dialpad

[HOOPER @ Aug 10th 2008 4:33PM]

@ Dopefish

You mean "It's asymmetrical"?

Don't butcher the language, please.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Aug 10th 2008 11:21PM]

It appears that they're throwing ergonomics out the window. It seems like it would be rather difficult to do any typing with the right hand or it's weight will be unbalanced. Maybe it just gives that appearance, but it is a rather unusual assymetrical slider with a QWERTY keyboard.

[thedesolate1 @ Aug 11th 2008 9:23PM]

Its so that you can still use the scroll wheel/ball or whatever it is while you are using the keyboard. Very convenient for web browsing. Kind of like having a keyboard with the whole thing slides up.

[rehs @ Aug 10th 2008 2:48PM]

wow...it looks like a sidekick...if tmobile does get this...would they brand it as sidekick dream or sidekick android lol :) doubt it becaus its made by HTC...but they could get some average joe and jane attention if its branded sidekick because most average people dont know android

[Karn Eggie @ Aug 10th 2008 8:20PM]

yea this looks like its an evolution of the diamond/touchpro so hopefully itll perform as well if not better than those, who knows they may have plans to announce after they can get their orders together for the touch pro and finally release the sucker!

[grull27 @ Aug 10th 2008 3:03PM]

I hope that's a mock-up because if not, that phone is fugly.

[Evangelion @ Aug 10th 2008 3:16PM]

Needs more cowbell.

[Velcrocore @ Aug 10th 2008 3:16PM]

Does that look like a current build of Android to anyone? I don't see any icons that look like the Gmail icon. There are two icons that almost look like Internet explorer. I'd say the curve at the top looks more like the Centro too.

[TareX @ Aug 10th 2008 4:09PM]

Yeah the huge lower portion is a miss... and the thick phone edges make it look aged and needlessly big. But nothing that warrants a "fugly"....

I was reading the comments here before the video has loaded. Now that I've seen it, I like the screen, the slider and the qwerty keyboard.

The white color makes it look amazing as well.
It's not as thick as I feared, and the interface is as snappy as the one shown at the Google I/O.

Sure the edges could have been less thick and apparent (A flush screen would have looked brilliant... But I like how it looks... Very efficient.

[peestandingup @ Aug 10th 2008 5:41PM]

Behold! The only white colored turd known to be in existence!!

Seriously, if this is it, then its pathetically average looking. Not to mention huge & clunky. And that big lower piece with the buttons on it is a fail. This thing looks like the all purpose generic Android phone instead of what we were all expecting.

How can the same company that made the sexy as hell Touch Pro make this monstrosity?

[jackmcintyre86 @ Aug 10th 2008 7:19PM]

That video was uploaded 11 months ago?

[jackmcintyre86 @ Aug 10th 2008 7:22PM]

ignore that, my bad ;)

[OneLove @ Aug 10th 2008 10:32PM]

blurry cam

[john @ Aug 10th 2008 10:44PM]

Hm. I don't mind the way the device looks.

"pathetically average" -- what's wrong with average? Sorry, not everyone cares about having the latest paris designs to wear, nor the latest flashy trend looking device to hold up to their face for talking. Some of us care more about the device's functionality and usability than whether or not some hipster would carry it.

asymmetric -- I doubt you'll notice. That right/bottom edge will likely fit nicely into the gap between the very base of your thumb, and the nearest reach your thumb can comfortably make without being too tightly curled. The only complaint, I think will be that there isn't one on the left/top. Further, it's not very different from having the side rails/shoulders on a sidekick.

If it works well as a smartphone, if it does T-Mobile-USA 3G, if it can do tethering (pref. via wifi instead of bluetooth), if it has a decent RSS reader, if it has a decent web browser and email client (for those who use something in addition to gmail), if it has decent productivity apps, and if it can do OpenSSH and VNC, then I'd be happy with what they're showing.

[Richy @ Aug 11th 2008 4:17AM]

Hmm, no-one seems to like the phone too much, which is a shame, as it's the Google G1. Yup, that's right, the first Android phone. I doubt the iPhone is quaking in its (Tod's) boots.

[BluesK1d @ Aug 11th 2008 10:04AM]

Riiiight...

[Richy @ Aug 11th 2008 11:45AM]

Bookmark this page, and come back in October. Then we'll see who's right!

[R Herrera @ Aug 11th 2008 8:56PM]

Looks like you were right! What else do you know?

[TareX @ Aug 11th 2008 6:40AM]

This is most probably the white version of the prototype used at the Google I/O. I don't think this looks like any final product HTC would produce... not after being "2 years in development".

[riggs @ Aug 11th 2008 9:29AM]

it looks good to me, i dont know wtf everyone's talking about fugly

[Cool8man @ Aug 11th 2008 3:32PM]

Seems to combine the best elements of the Sidekick and the iPhone, but with an open OS. This could be the best hardware yet to come from HTC.

It's got a nice keyboard like the Sidekick, but it doesn't look fat and heavy like the HTC Touch Pro.