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HTC MWC 2011 Event - Everything You Need to Know
Daniel Carey
MWC has been pumping out new tablets and smartphones since Monday, and although the announcements have been really exciting, very few things we’ve seen so far have “wow’d” us. The new HTC devices don’t look very different from their current line-up, but the new Facebook phones look interesting — More after the break!
Flyer
Specifications
- 7” 1024 x 600 display
- 1.5 GHz processor
- 32 GB internal storage
- 1 GB RAM
- 4000 mAh battery
- 5 megapixel AF camera
- 1.3 megapixel front camera
It’s like an HTC smartphone only larger. HTC’s recently unveiled foray into the Android tablet market has continued to turn heads at the Mobile World Congress. Unlike manufacturers opting to use Google’s tablet optimised Android 3.0 aka Honeycomb, HTC’s chosen to optimise a hybrid build of Gingerbread via their Sense UI. According to the company a device running on Android 3.0 would have been preferable, but with it being a new OS HTC didn’t have enough time to optimise it for both their custom UI and hardware. As a result, they went with (what’s being called) Android 2.4 instead.
I’ll say whole heartedly that I support HTC’s decision to make their Flyer 7-inches, most tablets announced at MWC have been of the larger ‘10-inch variety.’ And while the larger size is certainly favoured by some, the smaller 7-inch size offers far more in ways of portability. It’s large enough to be a tablet, yet small enough to slip in a decent pocket; such a feat is next to impossible on larger Honeycomb slates / the iPad.
The Flyer certainly has portability going for it, but as an extra bonus HTC has included a capactive stylus for inking. Current tablet offerings have continually missed the mark in this department, perhaps due to most preferring finger based gestures over styli based ones? Nevertheless, as early convertible Windows slates have taught us, inking is an invaluable tool for the mobile professional. And as such, HTC is once again attempting to reinvigorate a part of the market most had all but forgotten.
Inking on a large 1024 x 600 display is certainly joyous for those maintaining the practice, however, as James Kendrick of ZDNet points out, the Flyer does little in ways of palm rejection. As most of the populace write, a common practice due to its comfort, is to rest your palm on what you’re writing. Imagine this if you will: writing on a piece of paper without being able to put your hand down. Instead, only the pen is allowed to touch said paper; that exact same scenario is transferable to tablets. But since the entire digitiser picks up input, placing your palm on the display leaves you with nothing more than an ink-blot reminiscent of old school psychiatry.
So, is inking a hindrance? Well, for the moment it appears to be, despite HTC’s fancy note taking application that’s plugged directly into a consumer’s Evernote account. To be honest it’s a real shame, HTC’s Flyer was one of the more innovative tablets shown off in Barcelona, and its certainly one device I’d be willing to play with.
Incredible S
Specifications
- 4” 480 x 800 display
- 1 GHz processor
- 1.1 GB of internal storage
- 768 MB of RAM
- 8 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, 720p video recording
- 1.3 megapixel front camera
- 1450 mAh battery
The HTC Incredible on Verizon’s network has proven to be one of the best Android based handsets produced by the company. Even today, 10+ months after its release, it has still managed to prove itself as one of the most capable Android handsets available in Northern America. As a follow up then, HTC’s announced the Incredible S. In terms of upgradability it’s certainly standard. The most notable improvement is its large 4-inch display, although the display resolution has remained the same (800 x 480). While the device is still running the same version of Android 2.2 aka Froyo with Sense (with an upgrade promise in the near future), the Incredible S certainly looks like it’ll be around for a little while longer, especially now that you can video chat on it.
It may be HTC’s current top tier Android phone, but considering what we’ve seen thus far at Mobile World Congress, it’s time to stop regurgitating best sellers and start producing a leader of the pack.
Desire S
Specifications
- 3.7” 480 x 800 display
- 1 GHz processor
- 1.1 GB of internal storage
- 768 MB of RAM
- 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, 720p video recording
- 1450 mAh battery
The original Desire started off its life as a Nexus One for the rest of the world, and while most consumers found HTC’s Sense infused Desire a reasonable competitor at the time, almost a year has passed since said phone was launched. By any definition of the word, that’s old tech. Wishing to recapture consumers in love with a Sense baked Nexus One, HTC has unveiled the Desire S. Essentially it’s the same phone, although there are several tweaks, most notably: a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera, Android 2.4 Gingerbread, 768MB of RAM and 1.1GB internal memory.
If you’re a fan of the original Desire you’ll more than love its counter-part the Desire S.
Wildfire S
Specifications
- 3.2” 320 x 480 display
- 600 MHz processor
- 512 MB of RAM
- 512 MB of ROM
- 5 megapixel AF camera
- 1230 mAh battery
3.2-inch display, 600MHz processor; the Wildfire S is the baby of the bunch. Don’t think that means its underpowered though. As was the original Wildfire intended for new Android / smartphone users, the Wildfire S attempts to attack the same market segment head on. Bumping its display up from QVGA to HVGA, the Wildfire is as said a decent first offering for those edging into the proverbial pool of smartphones.
Like its larger brother the Desire S, the Wildfire will ship with Android 2.4 aka Gingerbread.With components shrinking in physical mass we’re likely to see an assortment of lowly powered (yet still fast), smallish Android smartphones. It is as Nokia intended, produce phones the entire
“Facebook” Phones - Written by Brandon Davenport
Salsa
Specifications
- 3.4” 480 x 320 display
- 600 MHz processor
- 512 MB of RAM
- 512 MB of ROM
- 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash
- VGA front camera
- 1520 mAh battery
The Salsa still looks pretty much like a generic HTC smartphone except for the fact that it’s a “Facebook Phone”. The fact that it’s branded that way means it’s a no-brainer these phones are going to penetrate the mainstream market in no time at all.
There’s really not much to say about these phones — they are pretty generic, use old hardware and look like any other HTC phone, but they still have that Facebook name… It’ll be interesting.
ChaCha
Specifications
- 2.6” 480 x 320 display
- 600 MHz processor
- 512 MB of RAM
- 512 MB of ROM
- 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash
- VGA front camera
- 1250 mAh
You know what? It’s nice to see that Palm treo formfactor again with a non-cramped keyboard and a great screen. The ChaCha maintains the Facebook branding, and the mediocre specs of the Salsa, but it looks to be a great contender for texting and Facebook chat.
I can’t imagine chatting with friends on Facebook at light-speed on a virtual keyboard, so the ChaCha seems to have the ideal formfactor for a Facebook Phone.
Written by Daniel Carey and Brandon Davenport, Research by Jason Tsay
