Early this morning HTC announced their newest Windows Mobile standard device. The naming, HTC S740, seems to tell it’s the further development of the HTC S730. Design wise, there are also huge visible influences of the HTC Touch Diamond.
But let’s have a closer look. The most striking difference is the numeric keypad on the front of the device. If the device is slide-ed open, a 4-row full QWERTY keyboard shows its face. With this approach the text input is very versatile and flexible depending on your own personal usage scenario. The formfactor is probably closest to a candybar design (like to good old Nokia 6310i). But let’s have a look at the specifications:
Specifications:
- Processor: Qualcomm® MSM7225™, 528MHz
- Platform: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard
- Memory: ROM: 256MB / RAM: 256MB SDRAM
- Dimensions: 116.3 mm (L) X 43.4 mm (W) X 16.3 mm (T)
- Weight: 140g with battery
- Display: 2.4 inch TFT-LCD with backlight LEDs and QVGA resolution
- Network: HSDPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz for Europe (Up to 384 kbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps download speeds), GSM/GPRS/EDGE: Quad-band 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz. (The device will operate on frequencies available from the cellular network.)
- GPS: Standalone GPS / AGPS
- Connectivity: Bluetooth® 2.0 / Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g / HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
- Camera: 3.2 megapixel color camera with fixed focus
- Audio: Built-in microphone and speaker, Ring tone supported formats: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, QCP, MP3, WMA, and WAV.
- Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-ion polymer battery, Capacity: 1000 mAh
- AC Adapter: AC input: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz , DC output: 5V and 1A
Although the specification list sums up some impressive technologies, I do have some first thoughts about this device and it’s probable positioning.
- Design wise there are strong influences of the HTC Touch Diamond, however the supreme VGA screen isn’t included on this device.
- Furthermore HTC has chosen again for a slider mechanism. If HTC would have chosen for a clamshell design and put a larger screen inside, this device would have been a killer for the Asus M930, the Nokia E90 and the Toshiba G910 devices.
- Another option could be leaving out the QWERTY keyboard and make the device much thinner. Having a really nice and thin mobile device (if messaging is not in top of your usage scenario’s).
- The device has a similar form factor to the popular business phones Nokia E50 and E51, while there is a full QWERTY keyboard embedded.
Overall it seems to be a promising device, which I’m really excited about.
UPDATE:
There are some really nice early reviews, with lots of high resolution photo’s available through the newly added links !!
Reference list:
- HTC: HTC S740 product page
- THEUNWIRED: HTC unveils the HTC S740 Windows Mobile Standard Smartphone
- SMARTPHONETHOUGHTS: HTC S740: HTC Hasn’t Given Up on Windows Mobile Standard After All!
- 4WINMOBILE: New HTC S740 Smartphone coming soon
- HTC Press Release HTC S740
- CE4YOU: HTC S740 Review *NEW*
- NEWMOBILE: IFA 2008: Real life pictures of the HTC S740 *NEW*
- ENGADGET: HTC wars: Touch Pro, Touch Diamond and S740 go head to head *NEW*