Today HTC announced two devices. The one that was thrust into my hands more was the HTC Desire Z. It’s what a lot of people have been waiting for – a HTC QWERTY running Android. When I first picked it up I was surprised at how light the keyboard / screen mechanism was. You do have to give the screen a gentle push to get things started but, once it’s “up”, the movement is smooth and light. There’s just four “legs” doing the movement and they’re pretty thin. HTC reassured me though, stating that they’d heavily tested the device and it had held up very well.
Using Android 2.2 this is a device packing the all-new HTC Sense interface which hooks into the htcsense.com website, which will be the online gateway to your phone. You’ll be able to control, backup and restore your handset from here after logging in with a HTC account. The phone is remarkably thin but extremely strong thanks to the aluminium construction that HTC have continued to develop since the HTC Legend appeared earlier this year.
The Desire Z uses programmable keys on it’s pop-out keypad, which can be a great time-saver when entering data or trying to insert commonly used characters or words etc. The camera is 5 megapixel with flash and yes, HTC have worked hard on their cameras over the years. This time there’s real-time camera effects and editing, 720p HD video recording and clear shots. HTC have also introduced “HTC Location”. This works in a similar way to the existing Google Maps, but there’s the possibility to download map data before you head off somewhere – a life-save when you’re in an area without reception or abroad where data usage is expensive.
The Desire Z is fully integrated with social media too. Contacts will no only have their numbers and address but they’ll also have Twitter and Facebook updates integrated into the Sense UI. Specs-wise you’ll have Android 2.2, a 3.7″ SLCD screen (so no supply issues from AMOLED screens this time) and a 800Mhz CPU. That CPU, by the way, was definitely quick enough for us.
It looks like Vodafone will pretty much get an exclusive on this one here in Europe as they’re the only network operator said to be retailing this today. Oh and yes, this is the European version of the T-Mobile G2 available soon in the USA.
Jump into our live galleries for shots of the Desire Z alongside the Desire HD.
Link – HTC Event Live Gallery (Slideshow)
htc UNVEILS HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z with NEW HTC sense and HTCSENSE.COM
HTC Sense integrates a variety of multimedia and location-based enhancements and introduces HTCSense.com, a series of new connected HTC services
LONDON, UK – September 15, 2010 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today unveiled a new HTC Sense experience with the new HTC Desire HDTM and HTC Desire ZTM Android-based smartphones. The new HTC Sense experience continues HTC’s strong focus on the customer, placing people at the center by simply making its phones work in a more personal and natural way. HTC Sense introduces a number of key innovations including a series of connected services called HTCSense.com that enhance people’s mobile experience on HTC phones.
“We’re excited to be taking the HTC Sense experience beyond the phone to a whole new level with a series of connected HTC services we call HTCSense.com,� said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “Our customers will value the holistic approach we’re taking to enhance their mobile experience. This customer-first philosophy has resonated with people buying HTC phones and this drives us to continue introducing new innovative smartphones like the HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z.�
“As a key Android partner and smartphone brand, HTC continues to bring new innovation to the platform,” said Andy Rubin, VP engineering at Google. “Android is about choice and the new HTC smartphones continue to provide customers with powerful choices and flexibility.”
HTC Sense
The new HTC Sense experience offers a variety of enhancements that improve how people capture, create, share and access multimedia content. With a newly created camera experience, people can record HD videos or capture and edit images with a variety of fun camera effects. With HTC Locations, a new differentiated online mapping experience, people have instant, on-demand mapping without download delays or incurring mobile roaming charges.
HTC Sense also includes a new integrated online e-reading experience utilizing a new e-book store powered by Koboä and a new, mobile-optimized e-reader that includes the ability to highlight, annotate and quickly search for definitions or translate unfamiliar terms.
HTCSense.com
With the new HTCSense.com service, people can simply manage their mobile phone experience from their HTC phone or personal computer. For example, people can easily locate a missing phone by triggering the handset to ring loudly, even if it is set to silent, or to flag its location on a map. If the phone’s been lost or stolen, users can remotely lock the phone, forward calls and texts to another phone, send a message to the phone to arrange its return or even remotely wipe all personal data from it. HTCSense.com makes it easy to setup a new HTC phone or access archived mobile content such as contacts, text messages and call history from a PC browser. People can also customize their phones with exclusive HTC content like wallpapers, HTC scenes, sounds or plug-ins.
HTC Desire HD
HTC Desire HD showcases outstanding multimedia content with its bright 4.3� LCD display and Dolby Mobile and SRS virtual sound and is the first to be powered by the new 1GHz Qualcomm 8255 Snapdragon processor. The HTC Desire HD enables 720p HD video recording and includes an 8-megapixel camera with dual-flash. Building on the unibody heritage of the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire HD is sculpted from a block of solid aluminum and exudes the air of quality and strength that HTC has come to be known for. It also includes the new HTC Fast Boot that enables people to quickly make a call or check emails by shortening the time taken to complete the power-up sequence.
HTC Desire Z
For people constantly on the go, HTC Desire Z makes it quick and easy to stay connected with friends on Facebook and Twitter or with colleagues and customers at work. HTC Desire Z features a unique ‘pop hinge’ that opens to reveal a QWERTY keyboard for fast, convenient typing. HTC Desire Z’s keyboard also includes a variety of keyboard shortcuts and two customizable keys for providing instant access to common functions without the need to open menus. HTC Desire Z also includes 720p HD video recording and a 5-megapixel camera with automatic flash. It is the first phone to utilize the new 800MHz Qualcomm 7230 processor for improved performance and battery life and also includes HTC Fast Boot.
Availability
The new HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z will be broadly available through mobile operators and retailers across major European and Asian markets from October 2010 with the HTC Desire Z shipping in North America later this year.
About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.