HTC have just announced this phone, called “The Trilogy”. It’s due to appear on the VIrgin mobile network in th UK at some point. This is a Smartphone running on Windows Mobile 5.0 with push-email technology and all the usual fancy gubbins. However, what’s really cool is that it can receive Digital TV on it via DAB-IP. What’s that ? Well, y’know those whizzy new DAB radios that are sold in electrical stores? Well, they’re just receiving audio streams like you do on the internet when you listen to streaming radio stations. It’s just a 128k or 192k audio stream.. so why not stream TV and other data? Well, that’s what they plan to do here – digital radio plus you’ll be able to get TV pictures from Sky and Channel Four (E4 / More4 etc) too.
The phone itself has a MicroSD slot and a 1.3 Megapixel camera. This is the world’s first DAB-IP enabled Smartphone and it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on. Check out more shots here at Stuff Magazine or below.
Links – Stuff Magazine (Pictures / Info) – HTC Press Release
Thanks – Eden Dwek
UPDATE – We’ve now got some chocca-big pictures of this device. Although the device screens are obviously super-imposed it’s great to see that this is a real device and not just a computer mock-up. Get the big pictures here, here and here!
UPDATE 2 – More pictures of this device in action here at Phonescoop.com
HTC product portfolio supports Microsoft Direct Push email
and teams up with BT and Virgin Mobile to offer Mobile TV
Barcelona, 14 February, 2006: Today, HTC, the global leader in Microsoft® Windows Mobile-based devices, announced in 3GSM World Congress that its new Smartphone and PDA portfolio will include Microsoft’s® latest Direct Push email capabilities. HTC also announce the world’s first DAB-IP enabled Smartphone cooperating with BT and Virgin Mobile.
HTC predicted that the introduction of push email on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0 platform with Direct Push Email lead to significant growth of the market for wireless email and drive further demand for Smartphone and PDA devices.
Regarding the Mobile TV, HTC said, “Live mobile TV is set to become a reality. BT and Virgin Mobile will be the first mobile operator in Europe to sign up to broadcast digital TV and radio service for mobile phones leveraging HTC’s latest device.
Virgin Mobile will offer the broadcast service on a limited exclusive basis to its customers later this year giving its customers access to a wide range of digital TV content and more than 350 DAB digital radio stations nationwide broadcasting twenty-four hours a day.
The announcement of the deal coincided with the unveiling of HTC’s new handset which will screen the new TV service. The Trilogy – the world’s first DAB-IP enabled Smartphone – was unveiled at the 3GSM World Congress 2006.
“Our partners demand products for Direct Push Email and Mobile TV that give them the best competitive advantage to serve their customers. We believe that Microsoft’s Direct Push e-mail solution is a very compelling proposition for large as well as small and medium business customers. The Mobile TV will provide our customers and end user brand new service and bring new innovation for user experience and business development”, says Peter Chou, President of HTC.