HTC have just announced the latest addition to their range – the Tom Cruise. Sorry.. HTC Touch Cruise. It’s that HTC Polaris we saw some time back and it looks set to replace the HTC Artemis (T-Mobile MDA Compact III etc).
It comes complete with the enhanced finger-poking HTC TouchFLO technology plus the funky new HTC Album and keyboard additions we saw on the HTC Touch Dual. You also get the HTC Home system with real-time weather, large clock, quick app launcher and access into ringtone settings. Oh, and let’s not forget that this comes with a new-style wheel system and built-in GPS functionality and software to get you from A to B quickly and easily.
The Qualcomm MSM7200 CPU drives Windows Mobile 6 Pro at 400MHz and there’s 256MB ROM/ 128MB RAM. Quad-band 3G / HSPDA connectivity, Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11 b/g WiFi will keep you online.
Now, as you may have spotted before, we managed to get one of these devices a few weeks back. Read on for exclusive pictures, press release and a hands-on video of the HTC Touch Cruise ! We’ll have a full review up soon, so keep it locked!
Links – HTC Touch Cruise Specs – Video – Buy one for £374.99 @ devicewire.co.uk
Here’s our exclusive hands-on video of the HTC Touch Cruise. I love the new album system, and it works brilliantly with the video!
Here’s some teaser shots from our upcoming review! Notice how the “Start” menu is bigger here. This can be turned off, however HTC have done this to make “finger poking” easier.
The new onscreen keyboard is included too, making data-entry on this keyboard-less device easier..
I’ve also got you some comparison shots with the HTC Artemis, which we reviewed as the T-Mobile MDA Compact III…
Oh, and here’s another shot from the review just to tease you a bit more! 🙂
Press Release…
LONDON — November 12 2007 — HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; “HTC”), the world’s leading provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile® smart devices, today launched the HTC Touch Cruise™, the third member of the HTC Touch product family and the first to feature in-built GPS for personal navigation. Building on the popularity of the HTC Touch™ and the HTC Touch Dual™, the HTC Touch Cruise also includes 3G-HSDPA wireless connectivity.
Users on the move will easily be able to interact with the HTC Touch Cruise’s navigation functionality and can take advantage of HTC’s TouchFLO technology, which enhances finger touch scrolling and browsing of Web pages, documents, messages and contact lists, controlled by simply sweeping a finger across the screen. TouchFLO also offers the ability to view photos and photo slideshows using on-screen controls and to zoom and rotate images with only one hand.
Stylish and sleek in design, the HTC Touch Cruise is a further illustration of HTC’s commitment to innovation and to building a suite of touchscreen devices that cater to a variety of customer needs and styles. The HTC Home screen will provide one-touch access to emails, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world. Users then simply sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprising three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications. The interface can be spun by swiping a finger right or left across the display, providing efficient access to the features consumers use most.
The new Touch Cruise boasts super fast HSDPA/3.5G connectivity plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making it a highly connected device for consumers on the move. Its 2.8” screen is great for enjoying mobile multimedia and because it runs on Windows Mobile 6, the built-in Windows Media Player is ideal for music and movies.
Florian Seiche, VP of HTC Europe, commented, “The original HTC Touch has already been a phenomenal success, and the HTC Touch Cruise™ with fully integrated GPS adds another dimension to our leading touchscreen device family. We firmly believe in the importance of choice – one device does not fit everyone’s needs – and we’re proud to have been able to launch three HTC Touch devices since June.”
The HTC Touch Cruise utilizes mapping and navigation solutions from TomTom. This navigation software comes complete with a taster city map or the option of full maps of Western Europe. Other key features include a three megapixel auto focus camera, FM radio and Micro SD memory card slot for adding to the 128MB RAM. The device will be available form both retailers and SIM free from HTC from this month.
Launched in June 2007, the HTC Touch was the first member of the HTC Touch family and has proven to be a massive hit since it launched. The HTC Touch Dual, which features HSDPA connectivity and a sliding keypad, was launched in October 2007.