Our friend Drita at Engadget Spanish was lucky enough to spend some extended moments with HTC's just announced HD2 -- also known as the Leo. It's got exactly the same specs we just heard about: a 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive display, a 1GHz MSM8250 Snapdragon processor, integrated FM radio, a 5-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. They found this Windows Mobile 6.5 baby to be elegant and light feeling in the hand, the touchscreen to be responsive and quick, and HTC's Sense UI beautiful. The phone's also quite snappy, and we have to say we can't wait to get our hands on one ourselves. As far as availability goes -- well, we know it's going to run €649 and it will be available in November on Vodaphone in Spain (we've also heard it's headed to T-Mobile UK), with additional carriers following after December. Check out the gallery, and head over to Engadget Spanish for a fuller hands-on experience.
If ATT was smart(which they are not) they would pick this up immediately. This needs to be an option for Americans. What a damn shame if we can not use this on a 3G network here in the States.
The N97 was dead to me after I saw the n900 but this is some impressive hardware as well!
With the less than stellar WinMo 6.5 reviews, I would feel (slightly) hesitant to jump back, but hopefully WinMo7 will live up to its billing and this gets the upgrade...
It seems like the iPhone OS (have used), and Android (which I use) are both just got for screwing around with your phone and wasting time, neither can do anything really productive. Not saying thats a bad thing, a large consumer base really doesn't do productive things with their phones. WM is good if you actually want to do some productive things I found when I had mine, then I realized I don't want to be able to be more productive I'd rather have a way to kill time then make use of it. Stupid WM trying to make me be productive.
Mmmmm the first true iphone killer in specs. This phone will be awesome, and hopefully change the game. But It'll be fighting an uphill battle to ever catch the iphone in popularity. Being that the only other phone I've seen enough hype over to topple Apple (Palm Pre) was stillborn. It started its decline the day it was launched. My wife has a Pre and I gotta say it just doesnt feel like it has good build quality. I considered the Pixi for a second, realized I could deal with the lack of wifi to have a fixed keyboard touchscreen phone with webos. But I cant get over the name and I couldnt seriously tell people on the jobsite that I have a Pixi. So Palm fails again. Palm must be trying to go bankrupt. Either way, heres to hoping that HTC owns Apple in the long run with their Winmo and Android assaults. With this kind of competition Apple will be forced to innovate again instead of sitting idle enjoying their popularity.
Also being able to multitask with an app named backgrounder once you jailbreak your iphone is a poor alternative to a true smartphone os that has multitasking ability bred into it.
Go to settings, and its the same ol WinMo. Only this time, you better hope the 4.3" screen helps with you targeting some elements since theres no stylus on this capacitive screen.
People blasting 6.5 have never used the thing. I am running it now on a few devices - including one on a 2.8" screen. Unless you have serious motor skill problems, the UI elements are all big enough to use just your fingers (and that's MS' UI - not TF3D).
bjsguess is right. WM 6.5 works well even on a QVGA 2.8" screen. That being said, I'd probably use the HTC UI, since it's an evolution of TouchFLO, which IMHO is the best phone UI I've ever used.
"Most importantly, it is our first Windows phone to embody HTC Sense™ - a holistic experience that focuses on making phones work in the most intuitive way. HTC Sense is based on three core principles – make it mine, stay close, and discover the unexpected."
Sense is the name for HTC custom shells, look at the Hero press conference. They never stated that Sense is the name for the android shell. This specific version is (used to be) called TouchFlo indeed, the Hero shell is internally called Rosie.
I would switch carriers and pay any termination fee I need to for this phone. Finally, a phone with a decent size screen and powerful processor. Any plans for this coming to the US?
The Diamond 2(Pure) just came out and the Tilt 2 is coming out in a few weeks, so i don't think they'll want to replace two new HTC devices so quickly ):
should i get a Tilt 2 or wait it out, is this ever coming?
"Perhaps best of all, HTC CEO Peter Chou has confirmed that HTC will be offering a US 3G version of the HD2 in Q1 2010." Slashgear just confirmed it's headed to the US but carrier is unconfirmed http://www.slashgear.com/htc-hd2-gets-official-hands-on-video-0659275/ *collective sigh of relief*
Check the gallery man, the back of the phone has "WITH HTC SENSE" engraved on it. PLus HTC said something about sense going to be their new UI over all their phones in some shape or form.
Ignore the android fanbois they are hellbent on calling everything sense..
In addition this is NOT sense UI being shown sense UI is DIFFERENT from touchflo .. the beauty shots definately have TOUCHFLO (as seen by the leo roms that are out and about for a while now) so either the "with htc sense" means nothing, or the press shots and roms are wrong..
But sense UI and touchflo are 2 very different beasts
Actually Oxyrt is right, this IS HTC Sense, according to HTC. When talking about the Sense UI on the Hero they had this to say...
"The company calls the new software HTC Sense, and it will be introduced in HTC’s entire portfolio of mobile phones starting with the HTC Hero. The company is the world’s largest maker of Microsoft Windows Mobile smartphones, and handsets running that software will also run HTC Sense in the future." From: http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=1255
I'd say that if it performs like Sense, says Sense, and Sense is HTC's UI strategy going forward, then this definitely Sense, Android fanboyism aside.
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posted October 6th 2009 10:00AM
Is this likely to be AT&T 3G compatible.
Now the Nokia N97 is dead to me, i need something new to lust after...
Likely not. Giz is reporting that it's not headed stateside. Sprint will probably pick it up eventually, but you know they'll ugly it up.
If ATT was smart(which they are not) they would pick this up immediately. This needs to be an option for Americans. What a damn shame if we can not use this on a 3G network here in the States.
Well yeah, having a 4.3" high res screen phone of any kind over here would be a leap forward.
AT&T can barely support the iPhone, and having another popular data-centric phone on their hands would cripple them.
@ Ike Turner
That is some seriously good news!!!
Hopefully on ATT. Selfish reasons of course. I won't have to switch carriers and I like SIM swapping. TMO's 3G coverage still kind of sucks.
The N97 was dead to me after I saw the n900 but this is some impressive hardware as well!
With the less than stellar WinMo 6.5 reviews, I would feel (slightly) hesitant to jump back, but hopefully WinMo7 will live up to its billing and this gets the upgrade...
booo put the movie back on
this thing is going to be available in The Netherlands around November 13th
Camera video still looks choppy. Damn I hate that "low" light conditions crap... when are they gonna fix that.
Also coming to UK O2.... Why no Voda love???
Its sad, Vodaphone Business.. truly the only phone tech support dept I know where the employees actually know stuff!
That's pretty hot, if it had iphone os it would be a beast
No no no, why hold it back with an OS that can't multitask? :P
I prefer HTC's UI, but thanks.
if it had the app store it would be beast
It seems like the iPhone OS (have used), and Android (which I use) are both just got for screwing around with your phone and wasting time, neither can do anything really productive. Not saying thats a bad thing, a large consumer base really doesn't do productive things with their phones. WM is good if you actually want to do some productive things I found when I had mine, then I realized I don't want to be able to be more productive I'd rather have a way to kill time then make use of it. Stupid WM trying to make me be productive.
Uhm, the iphone os can multitask fine, just get backgrounder.
Mmmmm the first true iphone killer in specs. This phone will be awesome, and hopefully change the game. But It'll be fighting an uphill battle to ever catch the iphone in popularity. Being that the only other phone I've seen enough hype over to topple Apple (Palm Pre) was stillborn. It started its decline the day it was launched. My wife has a Pre and I gotta say it just doesnt feel like it has good build quality. I considered the Pixi for a second, realized I could deal with the lack of wifi to have a fixed keyboard touchscreen phone with webos. But I cant get over the name and I couldnt seriously tell people on the jobsite that I have a Pixi. So Palm fails again. Palm must be trying to go bankrupt. Either way, heres to hoping that HTC owns Apple in the long run with their Winmo and Android assaults. With this kind of competition Apple will be forced to innovate again instead of sitting idle enjoying their popularity.
Also being able to multitask with an app named backgrounder once you jailbreak your iphone is a poor alternative to a true smartphone os that has multitasking ability bred into it.
After the early takes on WM6.5, the very little interest I did have in this thing is completely gone.
Come on, Sholes!
It's not standard WinNo 6.5, from early reports HTC's own Sense UI is pretty sweet.
LOL! Comment fail, that would be touchflo 3D... either way it's not the standard WM6.5.
It is standard WinMo.
With better menu's and the TouchFlo skin.
Go to settings, and its the same ol WinMo. Only this time, you better hope the 4.3" screen helps with you targeting some elements since theres no stylus on this capacitive screen.
Actually,HTC managed to integrate most of the settings into TouchFlo so that you never have to see the hideous interface of WinMo
People blasting 6.5 have never used the thing. I am running it now on a few devices - including one on a 2.8" screen. Unless you have serious motor skill problems, the UI elements are all big enough to use just your fingers (and that's MS' UI - not TF3D).
bjsguess is right. WM 6.5 works well even on a QVGA 2.8" screen. That being said, I'd probably use the HTC UI, since it's an evolution of TouchFLO, which IMHO is the best phone UI I've ever used.
It's TouchFlo3D, not Sense UI. Sense UI is for HTC's Android phones.
wow it's now called HTC SENSE, look on the back of the freakin' phone!
Yes, even HTC's website says "sense." http://www.htc.com/europe/product/hd2/specification.html
"Most importantly, it is our first Windows phone to embody HTC Sense™ - a holistic experience that focuses on making phones work in the most intuitive way. HTC Sense is based on three core principles – make it mine, stay close, and discover the unexpected."
Sense is the name for HTC custom shells, look at the Hero press conference. They never stated that Sense is the name for the android shell. This specific version is (used to be) called TouchFlo indeed, the Hero shell is internally called Rosie.
I would kill for a Zune HD designed by HTC.
Imagine the mix of that big screen OLED and great build quality of HTC hardware.
/me keeps dreaming
... have you even looked at a Zune HD and a Diamond 2 side by side?
LEO, please come to the US!
I have the old ATT tilt. I was going to the Touch Pro 2, but I'll wait for you!!!
I would switch carriers and pay any termination fee I need to for this phone. Finally, a phone with a decent size screen and powerful processor. Any plans for this coming to the US?
Ho-HO! Pappa LIKE!
Don't get me wrong, I've got my i910 Omnia in the sweet spot right now, but I'mt not beyond keeping an eye to the horizon!
NICE!
I'd love to see how you talk with women
If AT&T doesn't get this, I will choke a midget.
Is that what you call it?
No one's getting it, as it's not coming to AMerica.
HTC hates the USA.
^^^^ WELL PLAYED, Barry
made my morning :-)
@jon.athan
I might be getting this, it looks gorgeous. There's more to the world than just AMerica you know.
I know I was just bitter :(
But it is coming to America after all though! Woohoo!
Awwww ... cmon, where's the big screen high res CDMA Android handset, HTC?
Where is Drita from? Is she Albanian, because it is a very common name here?
is there any chance AT&T will get this?
The Diamond 2(Pure) just came out and the Tilt 2 is coming out in a few weeks, so i don't think they'll want to replace two new HTC devices so quickly ):
should i get a Tilt 2 or wait it out, is this ever coming?
"Perhaps best of all, HTC CEO Peter Chou has confirmed that HTC will be offering a US 3G version of the HD2 in Q1 2010."
Slashgear just confirmed it's headed to the US but carrier is unconfirmed
http://www.slashgear.com/htc-hd2-gets-official-hands-on-video-0659275/
*collective sigh of relief*
No android love :(
http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/05/htc-touch-hd2-to-be-an-android-set/
Check the gallery man, the back of the phone has "WITH HTC SENSE" engraved on it. PLus HTC said something about sense going to be their new UI over all their phones in some shape or form.
Ignore the android fanbois they are hellbent on calling everything sense..
In addition this is NOT sense UI being shown sense UI is DIFFERENT from touchflo .. the beauty shots definately have TOUCHFLO (as seen by the leo roms that are out and about for a while now) so either the "with htc sense" means nothing, or the press shots and roms are wrong..
But sense UI and touchflo are 2 very different beasts
Actually Oxyrt is right, this IS HTC Sense, according to HTC. When talking about the Sense UI on the Hero they had this to say...
"The company calls the new software HTC Sense, and it will be introduced in HTC’s entire portfolio of mobile phones starting with the HTC Hero. The company is the world’s largest maker of Microsoft Windows Mobile smartphones, and handsets running that software will also run HTC Sense in the future."
From:
http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=1255
I'd say that if it performs like Sense, says Sense, and Sense is HTC's UI strategy going forward, then this definitely Sense, Android fanboyism aside.
I'd like mine in Android flavor please!