There’s been a lot of talk and ruminating in the technology industry about what segments might prove to be “recession-proof” during the current economic downturn. Initial speculation centered on the video game market as consumers were seen to be “cocooning” at home rather than opting for more expensive forms of recreation and diversion. But it looks like the smart money may have been on the smartphone market: according to research firm IDC, worldwide shipments of smartphones actually grew 4.2 percent during the third quarter of 2009 to a total of 43.3 million units.
Tag Archive: HTC
HTC Droid Eris Review
Introduction
If the Motorola Droid is too much and too expensive an Android phone for you, Verizon now offers an entry level Android phone, the HTC Droid Eris, for half the price ($99 with contract and post-rebate). Even though oddly named for the Greek god of strife, Eris provides anything but. Essentially a slightly spruced-up version of the HTC Hero from Sprint, Eris is a quick powerhouse packed with a 5 MP camera, WiFi and visual voicemail, and offers seven home screens, four more than the more expensive Droid.
Features and Design
HTC Imagio Review
Summary
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Apple had better be blushing at the sight of the HTC Imagio. Running Windows Mobile 6.5, this Verizon Wireless mobile handset not only looks like an iPhone on the outside, but feels like one too thanks to the new icon-based version of the Windows Mobile operating system. But is it a business class touchscreen smartphone or should it be relegated to coach instead? Read on to find out.
Features and Design
Sprint Launches First Android Phone, the HTC Hero
Although retailer Best Buy jumped the gun a little bit, Sprint has formally launched its first Android device in the form of the HTC Hero, a highly-customizable smartphone with a 5 megapixel camera, 3.2-inch touchscreen display, a virtual QWERTY keyboard, and support for up to 32 GB of removable storage—and, of course, it’s running Android, which means it comes with built-in access to Google services (like Google Maps, Gmail, and YouTube) plus access to the growing Android market to feed user’s need for applications.
Microsoft Places its Smartphone Bet on Windows Mobile 6.5
Software giant Microsoft has formally launched Windows Mobile 6.5, the latest version of its mobile operating system that it hopes will be able to compete with offerings from the likes of Palm, RIM, Google, Nokia, and Apple. And while Microsoft also showcased Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets—now dubbed Windows phones—from makers like HTC and Samsung, Microsoft made clear that part of the appeal of Windows Mobile is that the platform will offer a wide range of device options form a number of carriers, rather than locking consumers into a handful of devices from a restricted list of operators.
HTC Hero Review
Summary
If you’re a Sprint customer tired of listening to your rapturous iPhone-owning buds rave about the device while waiting for a decent smartphone alternative to arrive on the network, rejoice – your wait is over. Sprint’s Android-powered Hero, made by HTC, isn’t perfect – in fact, the cellular handset’s often really sluggish – but it does offer several compelling reasons to buy. Think multi-touch pinch in/out resizing of photos and Web pages, plus Outlook sync – just like the iPhone. In addition, the device actually improves on Apple’s offering in several noteworthy ways, including a sharper 5MP camera, haptic feedback on its QWERTY keyboard and a microSD slot for expandable storage.
HTC Touch Pro2 Review Video
The first Touch Pro was a bit of a flop, but HTC’s new Touch Pro2 fixes many of the original’s shortcomings and improves upon the features we already liked. With a faster interface, bigger screen and the same top notch build quality we think the Touch Pro2 is one of the finest Windows Mobile phones around.
HTC Makes Its Mark on Android with Customizable Tattoo Phone
Taiwan’s HTC has taken the wraps off the Tattoo, a new handset based on Google’s Android mobile operating system. While the Tattoo is HTC’s fourth Android-based handset—the first was the T-Mobile G1—it is only the second to feature HTC Sense, a customizable user interface that enables users to create their own home screens for their phones with just the information and utilities they want. Always want your friends’ Facebook updates front and center? No problem. Are you a Twitter fiend? Put tweets right on your home screen. HTC Sense enables users to set up individual screens for different roles (such as work, friends, and family).
