HTC

HTC's Dream comes true for T-Mobile USA

Jason Ankeny — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:34:31 -0400

T-Mobile USA will debut the first mobile handset based on Google's Android operating system, The New York Times reports. Citing unnamed sources briefed on the operator's plans, the NYT says T-Mobile will launch the so-called HTC Dream in the fourth quarter, perhaps as early as October--the device, which will run on 850/1700/1900 MHz spectrum bands and have WiFi connectivity as well as an iPhone-like touchscreen and slide-out keyboard, is the subject of a much-screened YouTube video, and according to the report, a person who has seen the Dream up-close confirmed it is indeed the same phone depicted in the video.

On Monday, the Dream device (a.k.a. the DREA100--see these blueprints) received FCC approval, effectively enabling execs from T-Mobile, Google and HTC to officially announce its release in September in an effort to cash in on the lucrative holiday season. The Dream is expected to be the sole Android-based device commercially available in the U.S. during the remainder of 2008.

For more on T-Mobile USA's HTC Dream release:
- read this New York Times article

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Video: HTC Dream - Android based phone

Mike Dolan — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:17:08 -0400

See this YouTube video of the HTC Dream--an Android based phone.

HTC denies Android delay nightmare

Jason Ankeny — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:00:16 -0400

Handset maker HTC officially denied a report claiming it will be forced to delay its forthcoming handset based on Google's Android mobile OS. Last week Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research said that HTC was struggling to incorporate the Android feature set and the first Android phone--originally slated to debut in the fourth quarter--would not make its debut until after the first of the year. But HTC reiterates that it remains on schedule--moreover, a new video posted to YouTube purports to demonstrate the company's Android-based Dream device, which boasts a fold-out QWERTY keyboard as well as an orientation sensor that automatically flips the screen layout in tandem with the user's movements.

For more on the HTC rebuttal:
- read this Heise Online article

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Touchscreen Technology

Wed, 28 May 2008 16:31:34 -0400

by Brian Dolan

Apple's iPhone has served as a stake in the ground for a number of growing trends that are creeping up in advanced feature phones, but more than any other, the handset may one day be remembered for single-handedly killing off the stylus.

Phones that require a stylus to enable their touch capabilities make use of resistive touchscreen technology, which require pressure. Resistive touchscreens have two layers with a gap in between them-when a user presses down on the top screen with a stylus the lower layer indicates the location.

The iPhone, Prada Phone and nearly all of their touch contemporaries make use of a touch technology called capacitive sensing technology, which makes use of the conductive qualities of human fingers. They require users to touch but not press the screen. The screens have three key parts: a clear capacitive touch screen placed over a high-quality LCD and a final layer of a plastic lens that protects it from wear and tear.

"We are at a cusp of the touchscreen trend," said Sy Choudhury, open operating system product manager, of Qualcomm CDMA Technology. "Two things are happening that are driving the spread of touchscreen phones: The realization that bigger LCD screens are becoming affordable thanks to cost efficiencies and the ability to better integrate user interfaces to capacitive screens than to resistive screens."

Apple's iPhone and Prada's iPhone both make use of Synaptic's capacitive technology. The company's ClearPad solution enables users to perform a number of gestures that the phone can recognize as different commands: single-finger tap, double tap, tap and hold or tap and slide, press, flick and two-finger pinch are among the options.

Choudhury said Neonode, Apple and HTC are credited with pioneering capacitive touchscreen phones with the N1, iPhone and Touch, respectively. The key to these phones success will be how well the capacitive screen is integrated with the phones' UI.

Qualcomm is busy integrating capacitive touchscreen capabilities to Windows Mobile phones, Android-powered handsets as well as BREW-powered phones.

While the industry is on the verge of widespread availability of various touchscreen handsets, Choudhury said the next wave for these advanced handsets is haptics, or tactile feedback and vibrations that contribute greater control of the touch capabilities of a phone.

Immersion's VibeTonz System is arguably the leading one in the budding space thanks to its ability to tie a phone's vibration actuator to tactile cues in response to touchscreen presses. The company claims that haptics can help users to navigate their phones without having to look at the screen as much or hear key sounds, leading to improved execution time and decreased error rates.

The adoption of touchscreen phones has long been hindered because users have had to pick up a stylus, Choudhury said. "Trying to hit that little ‘x' with the stylus was absolutely annoying."

Touchscreen as we knew it is now over. Long live the new paradigm of touch.

AT&T Game Development Contest launches

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

AT&T, Microsoft, HTC and I-play announced the AT&T Game Development Contest for Windows Mobile, a competition bringing together all four major segments of the mobile gaming ecosystem in an effort to discover the next breakthrough game title. All entries submitted prior to the July 31 deadline will be reviewed and judged based on game-play value and quality, game uniqueness and creativity, and marketplace potential. The grand-prize winner will receive a mobile game developer contract with I-play, prime placement on the AT&T MEdia Mall game portal and a cash prize of $25,000--three finalists and 10 semi-finalists will also receive prizes, with the winner announced at this Fall's CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2008 event in San Francisco. According to AT&T, Windows Mobile games represent the fastest-growing segment of its gaming business--in total, the operator now offers subscribers more than 2,300 on-deck games.

For more on the AT&T Game Development Contest for Windows Mobile:
-read this release

T-Mobile's 2008 device schedule leaks

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

T-Mobile USA's 2008 device rollout schedule includes the return of Sony Ericsson handsets to the operator's portfolio. Citing an anonymous tipster with a copy of a recent T-Mobile executive meeting agenda, The Boy Genius Report says the carrier will introduce two new Sony Ericsson handsets by Q4: The Bella, a 2 megapixel flip device with aGPS and 3G support, and the W760, a 3.2 megapixel slider with 3G and aGPS support of its own. Motorola will contribute the Z6w (reportedly a WiFi-enabled device) and the ROKR E8--the handset maker will also relaunch its W490 in a series of new color schemes. An "incredible" camera phone and a Windows Mobile 6.1-based device are rumored from HTC.

For more on T-Mobile's device outlook:
-read this Boy Genius Report article

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QUICKLINKS: Openwave debuts contextual mobile merchandising; Sony Ericsson and Quickoffice extend smartphone agreement; and muc

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:55 -0500

> Openwave debuts contextual mobile merchandising. FierceMobileContent

> Sony Ericsson and Quickoffice extend smartphone agreement. Release

> Sybase to support Google's Android. Release

> Vivendi acquiring Activision. FierceMobileContent

> Blogger discovers integrated GPS in HTC Shift. Article

QUICKLINKS: Garmin makes $3.32 billion bid for Tele Atlas; iPhone backlash ramps up;

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:59:55 -0500

> Garmin makes $3.32 billion bid for Tele Atlas. FierceWireless

> How new BlackBerry server software will help RIM enter new markets. Article

> iPhone backlash ramps up. Article

> HTC inks distro deal with Brightpoint. FierceWireless

> MyScreen Mobile completes application development and testing for smartphones. Release

QUICKLINKS: Garmin makes $3.32 billion bid for Tele Atlas; iPhone backlash ramps up;

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:59:55 -0500

> Garmin makes $3.32 billion bid for Tele Atlas. FierceWireless

> How new BlackBerry server software will help RIM enter new markets. Article

> iPhone backlash ramps up. Article

> HTC inks distro deal with Brightpoint. FierceWireless

> MyScreen Mobile completes application development and testing for smartphones. Release

The Shadow lurks in T-Mobile's future

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:59:57 -0400

T-Mobile USA announced the imminent arrival of the T-Mobile Shadow, a handset produced and designed by HTC that T-Mobile said is the first in a planned franchise of devices marketed under the Shadow brand. According to the operator, the Shadow was designed to significantly reduce the complexity so common among feature-rich devices, with enhanced myFaves functionality enabling users to call, send email, text or IM, and share multimedia content by pushing a button from the myFaves home screen. Powered by an enhanced user-interface integrated with Windows Mobile 6, the Shadow promises a 65K 2.6-inch display--one of the largest screens yet to grace a T-Mobile phone--along with a 2-megapixel camera with video capture, WiFi and EDGE connectivity for Internet access and voice-activated calling.

For more on the T-Mobile Shadow:
- read this release

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