O2 launches HTC Advantage as Xda Flint, curiously aims at education sector

How do you make a niche handheld that's been out for over a year relevant again? Why, aim it at the unsuspecting education market, of course! The Xda Flint, which we first saw emerge back in early December, is officially being introduced to the world today by O2. If the device looks at all familiar, it's because it is -- we're looking at a re-branded Advantage X7510, with 16GB of internal storage, a 5-inch VGA display, quad-band connectivity, WiFi, HSDPA, a 3 megapixel camera and Windows Mobile 6.1 running the show. The odd thing here isn't that the Advantage is getting a new life, it's that O2 is targeting youngsters with a yearning to learn; it's suggesting that this device is perfect for reading eBooks, taking electronic notes and accessing knowledge portals. Of course, we'd argue a netbook with a non-mobile OS would be far more suitable, but what do we know?

[Gordon @ Jan 14th 2009 4:13PM]

It's nice to see a new generation of young children can experience a keyboard that's Timex Sinclaire-esque. :)

[drewdoog @ Jan 14th 2009 10:03PM]

Thats the first thing I noticed. Why would anyone subject themselves to the typing horror thats ensured to follow?

[msav @ Jan 15th 2009 3:14AM]

After using it for a while I can say that the keyboard on 2nd gen Advantage is excellent, it has vibro-feedback.

[Mert @ Jan 14th 2009 4:16PM]

Totally wrong move given the netbooks are way more affordable and useful in comparison to this device. Considering you get a full-bloom operating system with a netbook alone is great enough to skip this option.

[Eldiablo @ Jan 14th 2009 7:07PM]

I agree, I am planning on replacing my original X7500 with a netbook and a smaller phone like the Touch HD. The Advantage is a great tech demonstrator, and still makes people go ooh wow, but real life usage can sometimes be a pain in the butt, and I cant see many kids ending up with these in their school bags.

[Verythrax @ Jan 14th 2009 4:18PM]

Interesting design, but it's clear that lots of mistakes occurred.

Maybe if they made it more aggressive to be a premium device, in the Vaio P vein, it could be a lot better.

[ILoveApple @ Jan 14th 2009 4:22PM]

Because this is the UK O2. 'Youngsters' don't settle for shitty RAZRs and Sidekicks over here.

[M. @ Jan 14th 2009 4:35PM]

Don't they have something bigger called the HTC Shift, I wonder how that thing will run Win 7.

[luke liu @ Jan 14th 2009 4:44PM]

fail marketing is fail

[Richard Lai @ Jan 14th 2009 4:55PM]

I doubt there is still a market for this device, considering all the more-afforable 3G-netbook bundles available in the UK.

[Alex @ Jan 15th 2009 10:03AM]

I've been trying to get one for a while, since I want a PDA that's also a phone, and I've not seen a netbook that'll do that yet.

[HighTeckRedNeck @ Jan 14th 2009 5:09PM]

The perfect student laptop for taking notes, reading ebooks is anything with a full keyboard and readable screen. A used Latitude X300 is fabulous, or a large netbook (like the 10" models) would work.

If I could toss this in a jacket pocket, connect to a bluetooth headset, and make phone calls (making it a smartphone with a huge screen/keyboard), I'd buy it right now.

[Phoenix @ Jan 14th 2009 5:59PM]

You can.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 14th 2009 6:08PM]

@ HighTeckRedNek

I have got news for you: You can surely do all the things you say, you can use it as a phone with a BT headset or even without (if you aren't afraid to look a bit silly) and if you have pokets large enough to hold a couple CDs they can also hold the Shift or the Advantage.
I have had this thing until I bought a netbook (last july) and it would fit perfectly in the inside, large pocket on the right side of Burberry's raincoats; the inside pocket of the classic Loro Piana cashemere coat , can also easily fit the shift, but unfortunately not my new Vaio TT.

[Fanfoot @ Jan 14th 2009 6:48PM]

Cuz there's no way that thing is going to tip over backwards...

Seriously, you make the KEYBOARD so thin that there's no room for the keys to be pushed down, but the SCREEN really thick so that... um why again?

[bjay @ Jan 14th 2009 7:02PM]

The only reason to me that makes sense is the battery life it offers, otherwise a 32 bit operating systems is a big point selling point for a netbook over this o2's offering

[Jason @ Jan 14th 2009 7:50PM]

Okay, wait..Mobile OS? Is this a phone? IF YES THEN there is a market for this but it needs to not be ugly. IF NO, then why the hell would you even speak up about this nasty looking thing?

[Charles Knight @ Jan 14th 2009 8:56PM]

O2 are completely off their rocker if they think a sector about to undercut massive cuts is going to pay out £447 for that device.

Delusional doesn't really cover it...

[Richard @ Jan 14th 2009 9:38PM]

What would be nice is if O2 UK stopped wasting their time with this and if they insisted on going this way either got the HTC Shift, or just got proper Netbooks.

I on the other hand would much rather see them bring out the HTC Touch HD although I read somewhere Orange have in on exlusive until the end of January '09. That said though....do you think the grasp of Apple at O2's throat would allow them to release a competitor device like the Touch HD....it has copy and paste after all.

[Osiris @ Jan 15th 2009 5:08AM]

I can see this being used to access infromation and take notes, I owned the original version for some time. That being said you are paying a high price for its one advantage and thats battery life. Average netbook has a cpl hours of battery life, this thing is instant on/persistent state and lasts the day.

If O2 wanted to absorb HTC's left-over stock (which is virtually what this is given we've seen the Athena 2 is coming this year) they would have done better to buy up and customise the shift. Maybe even build a cpl Win7 drivers to maek use of the better battery life.

[keithwwalker @ Jan 15th 2009 3:00PM]

I have a 7501 and it is a great device that is a power pda and business trip laptop replacement, and it is a phone too so instead of 2-3 devices, you just carry this.
This is no permanent laptop replacement though. Edu-ma-cation requires a laptop.
Also, I don't know why HTC perseveres with the stupid keyboard, lack of the joystick as on the 7500/7501. It also needs a 64+GB HDD or SSD.

As for the pro's of this device, instant on, HSDPA speeds, big screen compared to 'smart phones', great battery life compared laptops - true convergence device. Just wish the Athena2 will have wimax...