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Exclusive: HTC Holiday for AT&T in the wild -- 4G LTE, 1.2GHz, 4.5-inch qHD display
Looks like AT&T's fall lineup will include at least one slab of irresistible. The so-called HTC Holiday is indeed real, and it'll soon be gracing Ma Bell's airwaves -- and not just the HSPA+ ones, either. We've confirmed that the Holiday will be amongst the first handsets to launch in AT&T's LTE markets, bringing with it a rather gargantuan frame, a 4.5-inch qHD touchpanel, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of memory, an 8 megapixel rear camera (with flash), 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and a foursome of capacitive touch buttons below the panel. Software wise, it'll ship with Android 2.3.4 and HTC Sense 3.0, and while we haven't been able to nail it down with 100 percent certainty, there's a better-than-average chance it'll go by "Waikiki" upon launch -- if "Holiday" doesn't work out, that is. We'll be bringing you more as it arrives; for now, cut loose in the gallery below! %Gallery-131849%
HTC Sense 3.5 beta screenshots leak, bring tears of joy to weather widget lovers
Now that you've seen high-quality images of the HTC Bliss with the screen turned off, are you curious to see what it looks like when it's on? The same folks at XDA.cn who got hands-on time with the Bliss have now come forth with possible screenshots showing the phone is indeed running on a beta version of Sense UI 3.5. What's new here? Even though the lock screen uses the same ring-style unlocking feature as its predecessor, it appears that the new UI will feature two dedicated buttons at the bottom of the home panel -- for the app tray on the left and phone on the right -- and refreshed widgets (including a larger weather panel), among other minor changes. Word also has it that HTC is removing hardware requirements that restricted version 3.0 to the company's highest-end devices, which gives hope to millions of Sense users still on an older, more streamlined UI. More screenshots can be found at the source link.
Exclusive: HTC Puccini in the wild, AT&T LTE support confirmed!
Have a gander. Take as long as you need. That, friends, is the AT&T-bound HTC Puccini, and it'll be the first tablet to hit Ma Bell with inbuilt LTE support. According to our sources, the Android-based slate is currently in testing, and should be hitting the markets in the not-too-distant future. 'Course, AT&T just started shipping its first two LTE devices, but having something other than a WWAN modem would certainly be appreciated. As for specs? We've confirmed that a 1.5GHz dual-core processor is onboard, alongside 1GB of RAM, Honeycomb, 16GB of storage, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 10.1-inch WXGA touchpanel. We're digging for more as we speak, and will be updating accordingly. Meanwhile, feel free to peruse the gallery below -- oh, and that "smaller" device? That's the WiFi-only Flyer that we saw soar through the FCC in April. That'll be let loose on US shores next month, and we're sniffing around for a price as we speak. Update: We've now received a gallery's worth of screenshots from within the device. It's clearly running Android 3.1 with "HTC Sense 1.1 for Tablet." The shots also clarify that Bluetooth 3.0 is included, with a WiFi module capable of handling 802.11a/b/g/n waves. Mmm! [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-131520% %Gallery-131726%
BlackBerry sucks at making fan videos
Wow! BlackBerry just released, and subsequently pulled, an awesome new video (which can be seen in full after the break) showing off its new Torch running BB 7 OS and sporting... an Android home button?! Man, that new Torch looks so awesome, particularly 15 and 27 seconds in, it hardly even looks like a BlackBerry at all.
HTC Vigor with 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and Beats sighted in Dutch online store (update: it's a fake)
Not much is known about the HTC Vigor, but if the above image is accurate, we have more than a wagonload to look forward to. A supposed render and spec list of the new superphone showed up on The Phone House, a Dutch online retailer, and was quietly taken off the site at a later time. According to the site, the Vigor will have a 4.3-inch HD display with 1280 x 720 resolution; it'll also offer a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, Android 2.3.4, and integrated Beats Technology -- which would make the Vigor the first labor of HTC's latest purchasing decision. There's no word on if the device will have LTE inside, though Verizon docs indicated previously that it's geared up to be the Thunderbolt's replacement sometime this fall. This time, let's get that battery life figured out, okay? Update: The marketing manager of The Phone House came out in response to the screenshot, declaring it to be a fake and explaining why the image is wrong. Feel free to check out the More Coverage link to get the full scoop. Otherwise, let's move along -- nothing to see here.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 8, 2011
Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 8, 2011: A Toshiba TG01 running Windows Phone 7 was put on private sale. Sadly, the camera doesn't work and its resistive screen won't support multitouch, but otherwise seems to work fine. Offers are being accepted. [via MobileTechWorld] More leaked pictures of the LG Flip II surfaced, showing a couple more angles of the slider phone that has a secondary touch screen set right in between both sides of a split keyboard. Definitely not your average phone. [via LandofDroid] Tired of hearing about the Droid Bionic? Skip this blurb. Someone who said they were a tester of the Bionic claimed the new LTE device will, as hoped, have an improved battery life; in fact, the tester was able to get 15 hours of full use out it. [via AndroidCentral] Need your dumbphone fix? Verizon and LG announced the arrival of the LG Revere this week, a simple clamshell phone that, if you're not careful, could easily transport you back to 2005. It's packing a 1.3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth. That's about all there is to it. [via PRNewsWire] Google Movies, the video app that reached most Honeycomb devices over the summer, is now available for any Android device that has Froyo or better. The app gives you access to plenty of movie rentals and even gives you a spot to store your own personal collection. [via AndroidCentral] Samsung is rumored to be following the lead of Nokia and changing the naming scheme of its phones. Essentially, its Galaxy lineup would be grouped into four separate categories, each defined by its own letter: R would be top-of-the-line, W for high-tier, M for midrange, and Y for entry-level. A similar naming system would be set up for Sammy's Bada devices. Check the via for the full breakdown. [via UnwiredView] The HTC Bliss -- aka "the girl phone," as many seem to be calling it these days -- may be coming to Verizon as an exclusive before heading to Europe. It will come in three different color choices, has an 800MHz CPU with Adreno 205 GPU, and should be preloaded with Android 2.3.4 and HTC Sense 3.5. (thx Eugen) [via HTCInside(translated)] The Motorola Fire, Europe's version of the Droid Pro, is now up for presale in the UK. Online retailer Clove reports that the Fire, in addition to the specs we've already heard about, has a user interface named "Switch." We're curious to see if this is the official name of Blur's replacement. [via Phandroid] We've seen the HTC Merge hit US Cellular, but now it's available for Cellular South customers as well. It's all yours for $100 and a two-year commitment. [via AndroidCentral]
T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review
Not too long ago, things were pretty simple in T-Mobile's Android land. For us (the nerds, geeks, power users, early adopters, and other misbegotten social deviants) there was the G series of phones with plain Android, culminating recently with LG's delightful G2x. If you wanted to buy your mom an Android smartphone, you'd point her at the myTouch series of handsets with custom HTC Sense-based skins, like last winter's myTouch 4G. Life got a bit more complicated with the introduction of LG's Optimus T, Samsung's Galaxy S 4G, and other devices that don't neatly fit into the carrier's grand branding scheme. Well, fear not! T-Mobile and HTC went ahead and refreshed last summer's lovely myTouch 3G Slide with a dash of dual-core tech lifted right from HTC's Sensation flagship and a bespoke 8 megapixel shooter said to be "the most advanced camera of any smartphone". Those are fighting words... so does the myTouch 4G Slide (as it's called) beat the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S II, Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc, and Nokia's N8 in terms of imaging performance? Is the sliding keyboard as pleasant to use as its predecessor? And most importantly, is this your mom's next phone? Read on for our full review. %Gallery-129747%
HTC Puccini tablet shots leak out with AT&T branding, may sport stylus functionality
Is this the fabled HTC Puccini tab we recently saw fly through the FCC's embrace? Only time will tell for sure, but BGR has some leaked shots that show the purported tab cozying up to a Flyer-like stylus, in addition to its AT&T branding. A glimpse of this Honeycomb-based 10-incher's backside also reveals an 8 megapixel rear-mounted camera accompanied by what looks like a dual-LED flash. There's also that dual speaker set-up we peeped in the tablet's prior filing. Of course, what lies beneath this LTE slate is still up for speculation, but a rumored dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 1280 x 800 display aren't beyond the realm of today's future specs. Hit the source for an extra shot.
HTC Status review
For many smartphone users, a quality keyboard is the only feature that truly matters. These passionate devotees will proudly live and die with their thumbs blazing, and for of all RIM's recent troubles, it's currently floating on a life preserver: a compelling handset with a portrait QWERTY keyboard doesn't exist for Android. The HTC Status ($50 on contract) attempts to succeed where others have failed, and -- if it's any good -- could entice many BlackBerry-toting teens that want a new handheld fixation. They rarely bother with email, as text messages and Facebook reign supreme for communication. To that end, the Status promotes itself as the perfect phone for Facebook users, but is the integration truly useful, or simply a chintzy add-on? More so, can HTC successfully marry Gingerbread with an upright keyboard? Join us after the break to learn whether we "Like" the HTC Status. %Gallery-128742%
T-Mobile makes HTC Wildfire S official, available August 3rd for $80
True to earlier reports, the HTC Wildfire S finally has a home at T-Mobile. The carrier-phone relationship was formalized today as the magenta-colored mobile provider announced its availability on August 3rd. The device -- code-named Marvel -- will be $80 with two-year commitment and after $50 mail-in rebate. It has all the amenities we expected, including Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), a 3.2-inch HVGA display, 512MB RAM, a Qualcomm MSM7227 600MHz CPU, and a 5 megapixel shooter. You'll be able to get the phone in white or black; the only other differences in the new version appear to be the Swype keyboard and the inclusion of AWS bands. If you desire a handset that'll ease the pain on the thin wallet in your pocket, you have only a week to wait.
HTC Status now available on AT&T: 'update' your phone for $50
You've seen the images and the hands-on, and now it's sitting on shelves, tempting you with that blue button with the mysterious glow. We're referring to the HTC ChaCha -- er, the Status, as it's known when Rethinking Possible -- which is now available for purchase on AT&T for $50 on contract. This "Facebook phone that's not a Facebook Phone" is the very first Gingerbread-packing handset on the carrier's lineup. So don't be shy, socialites -- if this is the phone you're destined to be in a relationship with, now's the time to make the move.
HTC Status for AT&T announced on Facebook, risks being tagged in embarrassing pics
The HTC Status (formerly known as the ChaChaCha, the ChaCha, and "the Facebook phone that's not a Facebook phone") is inching ever closer to its AT&T debut. It's already been pictured, sashayed its way through the FCC, and now it's been revealed for all the world to see, appropriately enough, on Facebook. As we were already aware this social networking-focused, QWERTY candybar has had its CPU bumped up to 800MHz, but otherwise it's the same Sense and Gingerbread packing device we saw back in February. Unfortunately, all we can tell you is that the Status will land on AT&T shelves at some point -- price and availability are still as much of a mystery as ever. There's some refresher PR after the break.
HTC ChaCha boots up for Telus, release date remains a mystery
HTC's Facebook-loving ChaCha may not have sparked the buzz the company's other recent hits have, but if you're rocking a Canadian accent, carry a Jansport, and your day involves mandatory gym class -- we have an inkling this post's for you. Based on the image here from MobileSyrup, the portrait QWERTY with a glowing blue blemish seems to have been caught with its Telus showing. That's right over-sharing neighbors to the north, your Android-running, Sense-wearing 2.6 inch touchscreen dreams are closer to reality -- we're just not sure when. While you're waiting, make sure to double-check the handset's moniker doesn't run afoul of any local pejoratives.
HTC EVO 3D landing in Europe next month, two-stage shutter button and all (video)
Up till now, the ranks of 3D-capable smartphones were neatly organized by territory: Japan had the Sharp Aquos SH-12C, the US had the HTC EVO 3D, and Europe had the LG Optimus 3D. Now it's all getting a tiny bit messier (and more competitive!) with HTC's announcement that the EVO 3D has boarded a transatlantic liner and is en route to the green shores of Europa. Available "broadly" across the old continent, this Android 2.3 handset touts a 4.3-inch display with qHD (540 x 960) resolution and an added parallax barrier layer that allows it to deliver a glasses-free 3D effect. We call it an effect because real 3D it ain't, but at least it'll allow you to review the three-dimensional pics you snap with the included pair of 5 megapixel autofocus cameras. There's also a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon purring within for the performance obsessives and a generous 1730mAh battery -- perhaps the biggest advantage that we can see for this phone over the similarly specced (but 3D-less) Sensation. Jump past the break for the full spec sheet and PR or hit up our review to learn just how awesome the EVO 3D's shutter button really is. Update: Tony wrote in to let us know the phone has popped up on Vodafone's page as "Coming Soon" with a promotional video, which you can see after the break -- featuring a phone that doesn't appear to have Sense.
Telstra will scrap Sense UI to make room for Gingerbread on the HTC Desire
What's this we spy in the dusty depths of a Telstra software update page? A little sentence that displays some crowd-pleasing logic in bringing Android 2.3 to the hoary old Desire. HTC originally told us the handset had insufficient memory to run Gingerbread, and so would be excluded from the update. Then it did a 180-flip and said the Desire would be getting Gingerbread after all, but with the sacrifice of some memory-hogging apps. But now Aussie Telstra has opted for arguably the smartest alternative: prepare a special update that kicks HTC's Sense UI out of the pub instead, freeing up plenty of room for Gingerbread while also pleasing punters who like to drink their Android neat. If it can work Down Under in August, other operators around the world ought to be able to make it work too. And if they don't, there's always the option of a spicy home-brewed beverage instead. [Thanks, Alejandro]
Thunderbolt gets Sense 3.0 through the back door
Before HTC announced that the Thunderbolt wouldn't receive Sense 3.0, perhaps it should have consulted the dev community. That's because a determined group of modders have successfully massaged HTC's latest skin onto the popular Das BAMF Gingerbread ROM. The current iteration has some bugs, including a glitchy front-facing camera (that you can remedy by switching from widescreen to 4:3 capture), but it's now at release candidate status and awaiting a final coat of gloss. If you've got to have it now -- and have no interest in HTC's upcoming Android 2.3.4 build -- you'll need a rooted phone, S-Off status, and Clockwork Recovery to load the flashable ROM, along with the MR2 radio (preferably). Love what you see? Consider donating to the devs so they can show their neglected significant others a night on the town -- after cranking out the final version, of course. [Thanks, AJFTL]
HTC EVO 4G+ official, but is it destined for Sprint?
Well, what do we have here? Hard to say for sure, but it looks like this just might be the rumored Kingdom (or more likely its doublemint twin, the Rider, which showed up in stills this morning) that recently visited the FCC -- basically a CDMA and WiMAX-capable Sensation. Considering that the leaked video is titled "HTC EVO 4G+ preview," and that the handset pictured is cosmetically identical to the EVO 3D except for the camera pod, we're inclined to believe that this might just be destined for Sprint -- although that WiBRO setting means this particular unit is meant for the Korean market. The twin 5 megapixel cameras have been replaced with a single 8 megapixel shooter housed in a similar sized pod, and the 2D / 3D mode slider next to the shutter key now switches between photos and video. Let's just hope we're not dealing with a discarded prototype or an Asia-only model, and that the phone's guts are just as juicy and delicious as its 3D sibling -- complete with qHD display and dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor. Update: And just like that, it's official! HTC has just thrown down an official landing page for the EVO 4G+, and according to it, it's a phone that's "everything you can imagine." Bold. Thanks, Christian! [Thanks, Edwin]
HTC EVO 3D review
The first time we saw the rumored Supersonic we were blown away. HTC and Google had just wowed us with the Nexus One, and here we were looking at something even better -- a 4.3-inch phone with WiMAX wrapped in a white body. This prototype was buggy and had abysmal battery life, but it was real. Four months later it landed in our hands at Google I/O. We're of course talking about the EVO 4G which went on to become a runaway hit for HTC and Sprint as the first ever 4G smartphone in the US. And here we are a year later with the HTC EVO 3D, the legitimate heir to Sprint's mobile kingdom -- at least until the Motorola Photon 4G comes along. When we first played with the 3D-capable handset at CTIA we were suitably impressed, but we left with a lot of unanswered questions. How do the 1.2GHz dual core processor and qHD display affect battery life? Is 3D a compelling feature or just a gimmick? What is 2D camera performance like with the lower specced camera? Is the EVO 3D a worthy replacement for the EVO 4G? Find out in our review after the break. %Gallery-126409%
HTC announces OpenSense SDK and HTCdev, offers paradise inside its walled garden
Peter Chou is sharing HTC's graces at Uplinq 2011 with the announcement of OpenSense SDK, where the company hopes to recruit developers willing to create apps specifically for Sense 3.0. With help from the HTCdev community, software designers will receive tools to create a seamless experience between their applications and HTC's user environment (while also rendering their apps incompatible with non-HTC handsets). Beneath the skin, developers will be provided access to proprietary APIs that support 3D displays and tablet pens -- which could make quite the gaming session. There's currently no release date for the SDK, but the company is already taking names for a summer launch. So, if you're comfortable helping HTC build this barrier around Android's "open" mantra, we imagine there's some rather slick apps waiting to be given life. Jump the break for the accompanying PR. [Thanks, Jonny and Eric]
HTC Doubleshot slides through the FCC
Rumor has it that the HTC Doubleshot, aka the MyTouch 4G Slide, will be popping up in T-Mo shops across the country on July 6th. But, before consumers can turn in that paper they've been stackin' for one, the handset has to make it by The Man. Well, the FCC just cleared an HTC phone with a QWERTY keypad and a 1700MHz radio inside, and there's a good chance it just so happens to be that Sensed-up, dual-core Gingerbread slider we've been waiting for. Sadly, regulators don't have any teardown pics for you to ogle but, hey, we've got an FCC tag -- that's gotta count for something... right?
