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touchhd posts

Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXVII: HTO HD satisfactorily apes MAX 4G

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 24th 2009 at 10:29AM

We tell ya, these KIRFs are getting good. Real good. If we didn't know any better, we'd assume the HTO HD was a bona fide original, and even though we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this thing is a direct rip of HTC's MAX 4G, we're still itching to hold one. In fact, the lucky crew over at Engadget Chinese were able to do just that, and they've hosted up a hands-on gallery to prove it. Specs wise, the handset features a 4-inch WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera (with AutoFocus), 8GB of internal storage, an SDHC expansion slot, digital TV tuner, GPS / FM radio modules, Bluetooth, WiFi and a standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Availability is still unknown (big shock there, right?), though it'll reportedly be priced around 3,000 Chinese yuan, or $439 in greenbacks. In other words, this really might be the most expensive, high quality knockoff we've seen to date. Hit the read link and decide for yourself.

Editorial: All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Dec 24th 2008 at 6:00PM

This year, all I really wanted for the holidays was the perfect smartphone. Not too much to ask for, right? You'd think, but all I ended up with was constant swapping between 3 (or more) devices, hoping to find some balance of features that worked for me. Instead of one "go to" phone, I juggled the iPhone 3G, T-Mobile G1, and BlackBerry Bold for the last few months, desperately wishing I could merge them into one perfect device. I shall now break down my hopes for the upcoming year, with a prayer in my little old heart that manufacturers are listening.

Continue reading Editorial: All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever

HTC Touch HD review roundup

by Donald Melanson, posted Nov 13th 2008 at 3:19PM

The HTC Touch HD may be somewhat hard to come by 'round these parts, but it certainly hasn't been making itself shy overseas, where it has been unboxed, examined, and given the early review treatment. Now that it's readily available in the UK, there's even more reviews of the phone cropping up, which seem to mostly agree that while it's not a phone for everyone, it definitely impresses. Among those completely blowing things out is Phone Arena, which, as you might expect, was especially impressed by the phone's screen, and describe it as "the phone for document viewing." Pocket Now was equally impressed by that "HD" display, as well as its overall performance and battery life, which they were pleased to find was about on par with the HD-less Touch Pro. CNET was even more effusive in its praise, saying that, despite its drawbacks, it is "HTC's best Windows Mobile phone yet." Windows Mobile, and HTC's GUI, proved to be a point of contention for the folks at Slash Gear, however, who say the phone would be even better running a next-gen version of the OS, or possibly even Android (a sentiment also echoed by Phone Arena). Other drawbacks include the phone's sheer size, some poor performance from TouchFLO 3D (despite an update) and, of course, it's lack of US 3G bands, which presents a bit of a problem for folks considering importing one. Still undecided? Then dive into the links below and watch the time slip away.

Read - Phone Arena
Read - Pocket Now
Read - CNET
Read - Slash Gear

HTC's Touch HD now available for �514.99

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 5th 2008 at 1:00PM

It's not apt to ever go on sale in America (okay, so maybe there's a sliver of a sliver of a chance), but HTC's Touch HD is now on sale for fortunate Britons with a fair amount of poundage to spare. The drop-dead gorgeous WinMo 6.1 handset can be procured right now for £514.99 ($821) sans contract, but if you're a North American mulling an import, you should obviously tack on a few more bills to that. You're still mulling, aren't you?

[Via MoDaCo]

HTC goes Asia-Pacific; G1 in China by July?

by Tim Stevens, posted Nov 4th 2008 at 9:23AM

While the iPhone has an on-again off-again relationship with the Chinese market, seemingly unable to commit to that most populous of nations, unlocked HTC G1s are said to be selling like gangbusters there, a tidbit that surely didn't escape HTC's notice. By the sound of it the company is ready to make its feelings official, pledging its undying love (and Android handsets) to arrive in Asia-Pac markets in the first half of 2009. Additionally, the Touch 3G should be on sale in Taiwan as of now, with the Touch HD hitting there before the end of the year. While China isn't specifically mentioned in the report, it's certainly the major market in that region. If HTC could beat Apple to the streets of Shanghai that would be a coup of epic proportions, setting the stage for a global battle of smartphone dominance. Place your bets, folks.

HTC not bringing Touch HD to the States

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 7th 2008 at 12:32PM

This shouldn't be surprising at all to anyone even remotely familiar with HTC's tendencies, but the Touch HD is officially not ever shipping to America (unless you import, obviously). The news was dropped via a Tweet (of all things), but evidently, the outcry over what we figured was common knowledge has caused some windows to be rattled in the penthouse offices. Another official Tweet followed to thank everyone for "expressing their desire for the HD," with the author noting that "US management now knows there's a grassroots demand for high-end HTCs here." Really, HTC? You needed a flood of angry Twitter comments to understand that Americans would give their second born for a phone like the Touch HD?

[Via WMExperts, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: We've received official word from HTC that they've been really overwhelmed by the "strong" demand for the HD in the States and other markets where no launch has been planned (with that insane display, it seemed like a no-brainer to us!). Sadly, due to the engineering time required to get a North American 3G version in the pipeline, they say they're better off just waiting until the next round of products launches -- hopefully with some extra bands in the radio this time, eh?

Read - Touch HD not coming to the US
Read - Thanks for the concern

HTC's Touch HD gets very early review, called an iPhone killer in German

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 6th 2008 at 9:30AM

Not even a fortnight after HTC's Touch HD went official in Germany, out pops a review from Deutschland calling it the best thing since sliced bread. Okay, so maybe our translation skills are a bit off, but one thing's for sure -- it was hailed as the first "iPhone killer to deserve that name." Right off the bat, reviewers praised the TouchFLO 3D interface for masking Windows Mobile, and of course, the expansive display was drooled upon numerous times. Additionally, critics praised the Opera browser while scolding Internet Explorer, and while it's hard to say for certain whether the battery life was remarkable, it definitely seemed to get their vote of approval. Of note, the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack was also loved, making us weep while thinking of what could have been with the T-Mobile G1. At any rate, it seems pretty clear that the Touch HD is going to rock some socks off, but we're trying to push it out of our minds until it becomes available on this side of the drink. Too bad that approach isn't working at all.

[Via WMPowerUser]

Read - Early Touch HD review
Read - Video showing off Stocks tab

HTC's Touch HD, Diamond and Pro get together for photo shoot

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 22nd 2008 at 2:22AM

You've seen HTC's Touch Diamond, Touch Pro and Touch HD handled in separate instances, but CNET Asia took the opportunity to get all three of the handsets together for a little get-together. Atypical for most sibling relationships, these three seemed to get along fairly well, though we did overhear the Touch Diamond calling the Touch Pro "a fatso." Hit the read link for a few more looks.

[Via SlashPhone]

HTC's Touch HD makes its video debut

by Paul Miller, posted Sep 18th 2008 at 10:02AM

We've already heard the good word about the HTC Touch HD's performance and general excellence, but if you're like us you want something more. Specifically, something on YouTube narrated in French. That's just how we roll. Nothing in this video (embedded after the break) we haven't heard before, but make sure to tap that "high quality" button to really taste the magic.

[Thanks, Ghengis]

Continue reading HTC's Touch HD makes its video debut

HTC Touch HD handled, pre-release style

by Chris Ziegler, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 7:37PM

Okay, so this "review" of HTC's beastly new Touch HD isn't much of a review, but it offers up a few important snippets of insight -- and perhaps more importantly for the visual stimulation-starved among us, a plethora of photography. The reviewer notes that the 800 x 480 display is positively gorgeous, the cam is decent (though autofocus is a tad on the slow side), the latest iteration of TouchFLO 3D running here chugs along with virtually no slowdown, and despite the display and the heavy-duty spec sheet, the darned thing is essentially the same size as an iPhone 3G. Oh, and there's also a true 3.5mm headphone jack lurking on here, too, which we dare you to find on that HTC in your pocket right now. Makes it all that much harder to hear that it's launching in the fourth quarter without global HSDPA, doesn't it?

[Thanks, Steph]

HTC's Touch HD unveiled in very much official glory

by Paul Miller, posted Sep 15th 2008 at 9:23AM

We're still sans a press release, but a friendly tipster found this quite official page at HTC's very own site, depicting the sexy Touch HD from every angle, with every spec exposed. The rumors were naturally spot on, but that doesn't mean we're any less enthused about the 3.8-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, and 3.5mm audio jack. Connectivity-wise we've got Europe-friendly HSDPA, GPS / A-GPS, 802.11g WiFi (we weren't clear on that one before), Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR and a microSD slot. On the software side there's TouchFLO 3D on top of Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro. There's also a front-facing VGA camera for video calls, 512MB of ROM and 288MB of RAM. HTC expects the 1350 mAh battery to score you 390 minutes of 3G talk and 450 ours of 3G standby, with 120 minute video calls just for kicks. The phone measures 12mm thick. Still no word on availability, price, or how you're ever going to stop us from cramming Android onto this thing.

[Thanks, Jeff L.]

Gallery: HTC's Touch HD unveiled in very much official glory

HTC's Touch HD gets even more dreamy

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 11th 2008 at 5:11AM

While that 480 x 800 pixel display has everybody in a feverish pant, MoDaCo has released even more unconfirmed specs on the rumored HTC Touch HD guaranted to pound a lustful wave of disruption into your handset purchasing plans. To start with, it's listed at 115 x 62.8 x 12-mm making it almost exactly the same size as the svelt 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3-mm iPhone 3G. That's a good start. Now slip GPS, HSDPA data, a 5 megapixel camera (no flash), stylus, microSD slot, 3.5-mm headphone jack, and 1350mAH battery into the mix and you've got the stuff of serious, WinMo fantasy. We'll know if it's all legit soon enough as MoDaCo claims a retail date by Christmas. Yes, really. Only thing missing is WiFi... and Android.

HTC Touch HD takes 480 x 800 pixels fullscreen

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 10th 2008 at 9:18AM

Whoa, looks like HTC is going full-device touchscreen in a hurry. We don't know much more than what we can scrape off the screen, but this BlackBerry Thunder(storm)-like handset looks to be running TouchFLO 3D atop WinMo 6.1 and a Qualcomm 7201a processor kicking 528MHz. But that display, WVGA, please HTC we want to believe. One more after the break, plenty beyond the read link.

Continue reading HTC Touch HD takes 480 x 800 pixels fullscreen