T-Mobile have announced the launch of their third Android handset in the form of this, the T-Mobile Pulse. It’s a device we saw rendered just a week ago and has a 3.2 megapixel auto-focus cam, WiFi, GPS and a big 3.5″ HVGA touchscreen whilst still maintaining slim 160 x 62.5 x 13.5mm dimensions. In the box you’ll find a 2GB microSD and a 2.5mm headset (the 3.5mm hole was just too big for the handset).
The device will sell for £179.99 on Pay As You Go making this the first Pay As You Go Android phone.. and pretty cheap too! T-Mobile have added a “Canvas” system letting you add custom homepages six widget / shortcut-filled pages as default and the ability to add loads more.
Oh, and T-Mobile are also keen to point out that they will not be selling the iPhone in the UK.
Update – Press release and big picture below. Get “real” shots over at zdnet.co.uk. There’s a hands-on too.
Links – pocket-lint.com – reuters.com
Introducing the exclusive T-Mobile Pulse
LONDON, 3 September 2009: T-Mobile today unveiled the T-Mobile Pulse – the world’s first affordable Android-based smartphone available on pay-as-you-go. The new handset, which is exclusive to T-Mobile, is set to bring Android handsets which have previously been targeted at the high-end of the market, to a wider set of customers.
The third Android handset from T-Mobile, the T-Mobile Pulse offers a great value way for mobile users to stay in touch with friends and family and access the Internet on their phone. The Pulse provides one-touch access to the web, and comes pre-installed with some of the most popular services from Google. Plus there’s an ever-expanding range of applications available to download from the Android Marketplace.™ There’s also enhanced social networking and community features designed by T-Mobile which makes staying in touch with friends easier.
The black polished chrome smartphone, manufactured in partnership with Huawei and powered by Qualcomm’s MSM7200A™ chipset, weighs just 130g. It features a trackball and a full touch-screen 3.5” HVGA display – the largest on an Android handset – which auto-rotates making it simple to navigate to your favourite websites or download new applications. And when it comes to finding your way from A to B, there’s built-in GPS, plus T-Mobile is offering a free one month TeleNav SatNav trial.
The T-Mobile Pulse also features a 3.2 mega pixel, auto-focus camera for great quality photos which can be uploaded straight to the Internet, plus a 2GB internal memory and a micro SD card slot for storing images and other media. The handset also offers access to corporate email through the Road sync client, giving users seamless access to work emails on the move.
Commenting on the launch, Nicola Shenton, Acting Head of Handset and Device Marketing at T-Mobile UK said: “The T-Mobile Pulse represents another Android milestone from T-Mobile. We introduced the first Android handset, the T-Mobile G1, to the UK back in October 2008, launched our second handset the G2 Touch earlier this year and now we’re opening up Android-based smartphones to a whole new type of mobile user with the first handset on pay-as-you-go. It really is a significant development in the Android story.”
Nicola continued: “We predicted back in June that we expected that one in five T-Mobile mobile Internet users will have Android-powered devices by the end of the year and the launch of the T-Mobile Pulse is a major step in making this a reality.”
Glory Chueng, spokesperson for Huawei Device, adds: “Huawei again proves its commitment to operators’ needs through this collaboration with T-Mobile. We are making the mobile Internet experience more accessible to consumers by launching our first customized Android-powered handset. I am excited to launch the Pulse with T-Mobile today and look forward to strengthening our partnership in the future.”
The T-Mobile Pulse will be launched in October 2009 and will cost £179.99 on a pay-as-you-go contract. Internet on your phone is available for pay-as-you-go users for just £5 a month or £1 per day with a T-Mobile Internet Booster. Pay monthly contract pricing will be confirmed in due course.
T-Mobile Pulse Vital Statistics
– 3.5” HVGA display
– 160mm x 62.5mm x 13.5mm
– 130g in weight
– Powered by a Qualcomm MSM 7200A chipset
– HSDPA / HSUPA
– Bluetooth
– WiFi
– GPS with TeleNav
– 300 hours standby / 210 minutes talktime
– Android 1.5 operating software pre-installed
– Trackball
– PC Suite software
– USB cable
– 3.2 mega pixel camera with auto focus