Mobile Phone Blog – Mobile phone reviews and news

While Orange, Three and T-Mobile UK subscribers with HTC Hero units are still recoiling from the ‘Droid update delay, Nexus One owners have something to feel good about. Google has given word that the Android 2.2 update is scheduled to go live this week. All mobile phone users with a Nexus One should get an update message on the mobile phone’s notification bar located at the top of the display.

Nicknamed “Froyo”, Android 2.2 allows Nexus One users to save apps to an SD card as well as perform app updates simultaneously.

With a bit of luck, everyone with a Nexus One will have their hands on the update before Monday. Well, unless they have rooted to unofficially install version 2.2 in advance.

No word has been given regarding any required data transfers or standard procedures to prepare the unit for an upgrade. But just to be sure, it would be a good idea to back up your important files. Also, if you do not currently have an abundant data plan, it may be a good idea to download the patch over Wi-Fi.

HTC seems to be lagging in terms of Google upgrades. First, it was the HTC Hero getting the short end of the stick from its mobile network operators. Now, reports say that HTC Sense owners will have to deal with a slight delay in getting their 2.2 update. This is HTC’s official statement on the matter:

“We are working hard with our partners to update the HTC Sense experience on Froyo and distribute it to our customers as fast as possible. We expect to release updates for several of our 2010 models including Desire, Legend and Wildfire beginning in Q3.”

Looks like ‘Droid owners will just have to wait a while longer for their updates. At least there are plenty of fresh Android apps to keep them busy for the time being.

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Thanks to the iPhone, the world of mobile phones will never be the same again. Today, the Apple iPhone 3GS is regarded by many as the best Smartphone in the industry in more ways than one. However, slowly creeping its way to the top is a relatively unknown brand hailing all the way from Taiwan. HTC has definitely made its mark in the business and what they have in the HTC Desire is a potential contender as the real iPhone killer.

Appearance

Let us give credit where credit is due. The iPhone can be held responsible for standardizing the candy bar form factor that we see in most Smartphones of today. Therefore, had it not been for the iPhone, the HTC Desire probably wouldn’t look the way it does now. However, it is also true that the Desire offers a different, more casual kind of vibe that may catch the eye of those who have grown tired of the iPhone’s all too familiar appeal. Certainly it looks seriously stylish, especially considering the HTC Desire deals that can put one in your pocket at a bargain price.

Features

In terms of features though, it can be said that the HTC Desire is able to outclass the iPhone 3GS. The Desire’s touch screen display, built-in camera, data connectivity speeds, and processor are all able to outshine those of the iPhone. Plus, the following of the Android operating system (version 2.1 or Eclair is what’s on the Desire) has become so big that a lot of consumers and critics alike have been claiming its superiority over the iPhone’s proprietary OS.

But then again, let’s not forget that the Desire was launched a good nine months after the 3GS which was released way back in June of 2009.

Overall

All in all, we’d have to say that the HTC Desire is a more impressive device than the iPhone 3GS. Once you go beyond all the pomp and pageantry that surrounds the iPhone, you’re going to realize that the Desire is simply a notch above the 3GS. With regard to the newly released iPhone 4G though, we choose to remain tight-lipped on that matter for the time being.

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When it comes to smart phones, nothing beats being on top of the food chain. And while Apple is enjoying the biggest market sales, it is HTC that is currently holding the new ground in terms of the best hardware. And by saying hardware, we are certainly referring to the new Snapdragon processor on the upcoming HTC Mondrian smart phone.

Yes, Snapdragon. The same old QSD CPU from Qualcomm; but this one is the QSD8650-A and it is clocked at a speed of over the standard Snapdragon chips –it goes all the way up to 1.3GHz. Outside of over clocking, this makes the Mondrian the fastest smart phone to be announced. It will be a while before this phone actually store shelves and it is possible that it will not be the first device to use the new chip to get stocked on shelves. The same thing happened to Sony Ericsson –they were the first to announce that they were working on an Android smart phone with a 1GHz CPU; the Nexus One beat them to retail availability for several months.

Back to the Mondrian, this impressive phone comes complete with a yet to specified internal camera, a 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen (many are willing to bet that it will be an AMOLED display) and of course, the upcoming Windows Phone 7 mobile platform. This officially makes the Mondrian the second WP7 phone to have a name (the first being LG’s Panther which features a slide out QWERTY keyboard). HTC has yet to release images of the Mondrian, though it has been stated in earlier reports that the device will be a standard touch screen handset (type-1 chassis).

HTC and Microsoft have recently made an agreement for the Taiwanese company to use MS patents –it is reported that Microsoft would have a percentage of sales for every Android smart phone that HTC sells.

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There is another Android handset joining the Mobile party today and it will be known as the HTC Wildfire. The HTC Wildfire is a smaller, slimmer, cheaper version of the hugely popular HTC Desire and promises to bring Android functionality to the masses. With the Wildfire you get all the great APP’s associated with Google’s platform, without the high costs that you get from the likes of Apple. We think it’s great and if you get even half of the stuff that is on the Desire then it’s a good thing. There is no firm release date as yet, but word on the street is that it will be available by the end of June 2010. As soon as we get a concrete date we will be sure to let you guys know. We had a good play with it today and we have to say that we were very impressed with all that it was able to do. Prices will be between £100 and £200 for this baby, so reserve one quickly as it is expected to sell fast… very fast.

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A few weeks ago, Apple filed a patent infringement lawsuit against HTC. The lawsuit covered 20 different patents for software and hardware innovations, phones affected by this case include most of HTC’s Android devices and several Windows Mobile handsets.

Many viewed Apple’s lawsuit as an indirect way to affect the distribution of Google’s Android smart phones. HTC has proven to be a key figure in the development of the Google mobile platform and by suing HTC instead of Google, Apple is able to choose its fights.

HTC has not taken the defensive. They announced a few weeks back that they would be defending their works and innovations and they also have their own patents. Even more, HTC has been a leading pioneer in the mobile device industry with their many contributions, to say that they are infringing on filed patents is an insult to their legacy.

HTC’s Peter Chou finally speaks out, “HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible.”

“From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”

At this point, it is hard to see how this lawsuit will turn out. While HTC can only defend itself, Apple will surely be pushing for various sanctions against the manufacturer.

Get to know more about HTC’s statement in the original AP article at Google News.

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While infringement lawsuits are pretty commonplace in the tech industry, very few lawsuits are as extensive and massive as the one that Apple has laid upon Taiwanese manufacturer HTC: 20 software and patent infringements that put into question technologies that are being used in many HTC devices –mostly Android smart phones and a few WinMo devices.

Peter Chou, CEO of HTC has been quoted as saying: “HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible. From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”

The lawsuit has been regarded as an attack on Google by Apple. While Apple could not afford to take on Google directly, filing a case against HTC may cause problems for the Android developer.

HTC US vice president Jason Mackenzie has also expressed his faith in the innovative directions that the company has taken. “HTC has always taken a partnership-oriented, collaborative approach to business. This has led to long-standing strategic partnerships with the top software, Internet and wireless technology companies in the industry as well as the top U.S., European and Asian mobile operators. It is through these relationships that we have been able to deliver the world’s most diverse series of smartphones to an even more diverse group of people around the world, recognizing that customers have very different needs.”

Get the rest of the information about the Apple lawsuit against HTC at Softpedia.

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Google has recently stated that they will be supporting HTC and their co developers for the Android operating system as a response to the infringement lawsuit being filed by Apple against the Taiwanese manufacturing company.

While the lawsuit does not directly affect the Android operating system, it does cover 20 various patents for hardware and software innovations. Apple has been pretty thorough with the lawsuit considering the large amount of patents that it is bringing to the table.

HTC on the other hand has patents of its own and according to reports, the company will be defending their products and innovations. Looks like the International Trade Commission will be going through a lot of filed patents in order to sort out this mess.

In the meanwhile, neither of the two companies has gained the upper hand. Many believe that Apple is hoping that the case would help cripple HTC since the manufacturer is a major partner of Apple’s competitor Google. Should HTC’s manufacturing or shipping processes get complicated, it would mean serious trouble for the Android operating system.

The manufacturer currently has a large lineup of Android devices coming this year starting with a couple of March releases: the HTC Desire and the HTC Legend.

HTC’s Scorpion smart phone is going to be available later this year –posing as a potential threat to the upcoming iPhone 4G. With the Scorpion being considered to be a high end smart phone with a dual core processor, it makes sense that Apple would want to be dealing with less when their new device comes out.

The Apple machine is indeed a scary thing, but Google and HTC are standing their ground. With patent infringement lawsuits being a common occurrence in the mobile industry this will be a standoff amongst pros.

Get more info about the lawsuit from Tech Radar.

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Well, looks like rumors about Windows Phone 7 series have been spreading and this time, it is about existing mobile devices that are capable of running the new operating system. The HTC HD2 is considered to be the most likely Windows Mobile smart phone that would be compatible with an update to the new OS.

First off, here’s a quick summary of the new WP7 platform. It requires a large capacitive touch screen and plenty of processing power. This is because the layout of WP7 is heavily reliant on touch screen input and gestures. It also has plenty of animations and other dynamic content.

The HD2 on the other hand comes with a large capacitive touch screen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and of course, it runs the old Windows OS. Of course, people tend to forget that the device also uses the HTC Sense UI.

We do know that the new WP7 is not compatible with skinning and old apps for previous versions of the OS. This will leave HD2 owners having to start from zero with their phones if they wish to update to the latest version. Well, it is still unlikely that HD2 will ever get an update to a newer version. At most, it will get some of the ongoing updates for 6.5 (such as the newer Maldives update that popped up a couple of weeks back).

Right now, it is still too early to listen closely to speculations such as these. While the HD2 does have some hardware that fits the minimum needs of WP7, there is no guarantee that the new OS will indeed run smoothly even on a Snapdragon. Looks like we will have to wait and see until later this year when the new OS finally comes out.

Get to read more about the HD2 getting a WP7 update at Stuff TV.

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HTC HD Mini

HTC have recently unveiled a new range of mobile devices of which their new HD Mini is one. It is a Sense-based Windows device and it aims at delivering the improved specifications of the previously very popular HD2 in a much sleeker and compact device. According to Peter Chou, HTC’s Chief Executive Officer, the original HD2 ended up richly exceeding any and all expectations for its demand, which is what led the company to expand and improve upon both its functions and design in the Mini.

Mr Chou stated that ‘the new HD Mini is designed to deliver all of the experience and capabilities of the original HD2 to customers, only in a much improved and more sleek and compact design’ and he hopes that, in this way, the device can fully satisfy customers in terms of both design and function. He also ventured that the integration of HTC Sense and Windows Phone on the HD Mini would give customers much more choice ‘in an advanced Windows phone that is sleek and user-friendly’.

HTC HD Mini

There is little question that the HTC HD Mini has been painstakingly designed, and a lot of attention has clearly been focussed on delivering a user-friendly device. The originality and strength of the design is fully encapsulated and is clearly evident should wish ever remove the battery holder and look under the cover as doing so will reveal a striking yellow interior. Clearly, no design feature has been overlooked in striving for originality.

Much in the vein of all of HTC’s newly-released devices the HD Mini also runs the HTC Sense system which is also extremely user friendly – as Mr Chou stated, ‘with its aim of putting the user at the very heart of their mobile experience.’ Sense is great to use for virtually all users and it affords the user easy navigation between any of the currently open and running screens by means of pinching and tapping via the Leap or ‘Helicopter View’, operating in much the same way as Expose works on the Mac.

HTC HD Mini

The dedication to putting the user at the very heart of things is continued by the user of Outlook integration, which affords the user the opportunity to see multiple shots in one view – be they text messages, photos, e-mails or status updates from social networking sites. The device also comes complete with an application called HTC Peep which is the company’s Windows-based Twitter application, allowing the user to ‘Tweet’ and follow their Twitter stream. There is also a capacitive touchscreen which allows the user to not only view websites and documents but also to zoom in and out and also re-size – a great feature, especially as files and documents such as PDFs and various Microsoft Office files and pictures can also be affected this way for easier viewing.

Connectivity wise there is also complete 3G broadband connectivity as well as Wi-Fi which allows for easy wireless data transfer to and from similarly enabled devices within range. The Mini comes complete also with a fully rechargeable lithium ion or ion polymer battery that allows a talk time of 400 minutes when fully charged, and the device’s integral 5 MP camera also takes good still shots and packs some useful additional features such as an ambient light sensor, an autofocus facility and a widescreen photo capture ability to help fully capture and appreciate images.

The fully integrated media player also plays back a full range of file formats giving around eight hours of playback, and a range of video formats will give around 12 hours of playback time. Given the interest in the new Mini many people are quite excited to get their hands on one, and if you’re looking for one of your own the HD Mini is slated for release in the second quarter of this year.

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It is already November 2009 and this 1 GHz monster of a mobile phone is already out on the market. Go to Vodafone UK if you are looking for some tight HD2 deals, or if you do not like being on a contract, try for the retail version. This 4.3 inch screened HD mobile phone from HTC is worth every Pound. Of course, that is if you prefer to have Windows over other operating systems, Android fans should wait for the HTC Hero instead.

The HD2 got quite a lot of attention when it was first announced; boasting an impressive processor and large high resolution screen, people knew this phone had the right stuff. With the device now available, it can definitely be said that HTC can deliver.

Hardware Specifications

The HTC HD2 has a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen display. It looks beautifully bright, displaying image clarity not usually found in most mobile devices. The touch screen itself is very responsive to touch commands and tracks movements and gestures accurately. The response time however, can be attributed more to the 1 GHz Snapdragon processor rather than the touch screen. For good reason too, Windows Mobile 6.5 has been known to run smoothly on slower 528 MHz processors; HD2 reviews are not detailed on how the WinMo OS fully utilizes the processor.

The device is slightly larger than the average touch screen phone; mostly due to the extra space needed for the display. At 4.74 x 2.64 x 0.43 inches, the HD2 is both wide and slim, providing an excellent balance in size.

Overall

HTC’s official press release states that this mobile phone is the first time they incorporated the HTC Sense interface on a different operating system –being Windows Mobile. HTC has successfully done this and the result is that the HD2 has an amazing interface for accessing all the useful features of Windows Mobile.

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