With the explosion of tablets within the past year from the likes of Motorola, ASUS, Acer, Toshiba, Apple, HP and others, the industry has been focusing its eyes on the tablet segment to be the next big cash pot. One highly capable company who has kept quiet through this entire ordeal has been HTC. The Taiwanese company who shot the top of the success ladder by releasing such devices as the Touch and Touch Pro, and following up its act with the Touch Pro 2, HD, HD2 and most recently the HTC Desire HD, Desire Z and HD7, has for the most part been mull about its intentions to enter the tablet segment.
However, thanks to a trademark filing today, rumors have begun to flutter about a possible HTC tablet dubbed the “Sensation.” According to speculation, HTC which plans to release three tablets within the first half of this year will use the name “Sensation” for its HTC Sense version for laptops.
According to the trademark filing, “Sensation” applies to the following: “user interface software; computer hardware and software for user interfacing, telecommunications and telecommunications services; computer hardware and software for transmitting and receiving voice, image, data, audio, video and multimedia content.”
The board of HTC however, has the description of “HTC Sensation” as a software interface for computer hardware and software for the use of voice calls, video calls and more. This had led to speculation that it could be used for accessories and maybe even marketing materials as well.
So far HTC has not said anything out of the normal so we’ll have to wait until MWC in a few days for an announcement, if any, to be released by HTC. If there is any event that the company would use to launch such a software experience, it would be MWC.
Via: Android Community
Posts Tagged ‘HTC’
HTC Sensation Trademark
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011HTC Wildfire Updated, SWYPE for Android and Nexus One Gingerbread
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
We have got a triple Android update today and here’s the quick rundown of how things are.
First off, owners of the Google branded Nexus One smart phone will be happy to know that the Gingerbread update for the handset is about to arrive. As expected, the made-for-developers handset is getting the update well ahead of all other Android smart phones –most likely because of the fact that this is a Google device and as such, the folks at Mountain view are already familiar with the architecture. In any case, expect to see the 2.3 update to the OS to arrive sometime around the next couple of weeks (though there have been some hints that we might have to wait until next year).
The Android OS itself is getting a quick update from none other than Swype. The folks behind the massively popular touch screen typing aid are bringing out the best part about touch screen keyboards: intuitive typing. While physical QWERTY keyboard have long lorded over their virtual, onscreen counterparts, the new Swype is an innovation that can only be pulled off by a touch screen. Expect to be churning out replies and status updates faster than ever with this little add-on. The Swype add-on for the Android OS already available so for those of you who have yet to try it out, now is the perfect time to get it.
Finally, the HTC Wildfire social networking smart phone has been confirmed as getting an update to the Android 2.2 Froyo. Users under Vodafone UK and T-Mobile are getting the update pretty soon. According to reports, the Froyo update is expected to become available before the end of this week. Users of the impressively small HTC Android smart phone under other networks will have to wait a while longer –it has been estimated that all networks will be covered by February of the coming year
Consumer Choices and Smart Phones
Friday, December 17th, 2010
HTC’s CEO seems to have the beat of the smart phone market: give people choices. This is the one thing that some successful companies that Apple fails to recognize, and in many ways, influence how people see a certain brand or company.
Take the Apple iPhone; it has always been a matter of having only one choice for Apple’s fans. Whether cut and paste is present or not, whether it has a camera or not, all these little things are decided by Apple and users who want an iPhone will not have a choice.
But by providing consumers with variety, choices and options, the market starts to flourish. Of course, the argument does sound a lot weaker considering that despite the stiff structure that Apple has provided consumers in terms of products; it is the Apple devices that have been able to sell the most in the fewest days –easily setting several sales records.
But make no mistake, the future is still about choice and that is something that various phone makers are now starting to provide for their consumers.
According to the big man himself, “HTC will let the consumer decide.” Thus goes the words of CEO Peter Chou, and seeing the first leaks of the upcoming HTC products, it is easily seen that the man does back his words.
The tablet industry is going to see a very solid range of devices from the Taiwan phone maker. Already we know that they will be working on Android and WP7 devices, but it has also been hinted that there will be variety in terms of screen size and other hardware issues.
HTC’s Scorpion handset, aimed to be released in 2011 is the current high end option for Android devices that HTC is offering, So far, no WP7 equivalent has been shown though we can also expect that a similar device will be in the works.
Mobile News: Today’s Top Highlights
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
Skype has announced that it will be updated for the Android mobile platform –and the Samsung Galaxy S will finally be compatible with the VOIP service. This little bit of good news comes as another reason to go for Samsung’s already impressive Android handset. The Skype app is often hard to get for many users as not a lot of phones can support the feature –and the fact that local networks are not too happy about it either. In any case, the app is now officially available on the Android market.
Vodafone UK is certain that the Froyo update for the HTC Magic is certainly the way to go. The announcement yesterday was that the update will be selective and will not provide the ancient Android with all the new features of version 2.2, but will still be delivering an impressive array of new features that diehard fans of the older phone will certainly appreciate.
HTC has confirmed that they have several devices fully equipped with both NFC, dual core CPUs and 4G technology already in the works. LTE or long term evolution hardware changes standards a lot, and HTC wants to keep on top of the trends. HTC CEO Peter Chou also confirmed that he wants to pursue the use 4G technology.
3 UK, a local virtual network operator, has been confirmed that the unlimited browsing scheme is now back. Despite previous complaints by other network operators about the heavy consumption of bandwidth slowing down services to many users, 3 UK is offering the service to anyone subscribed to the 35 Pound monthly tariff –which is certainly quite tempting to many folks who consider the 500MB limit a little too low. Should we expect to see the returns of unlimited browsing on other networks as well? –that possibility is quite unlikely as 3 UK is a specialized 3G network.
HTC Magic Update for Froyo Coming, Nokia E7 is Delayed
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010
Sad news for those waiting for Nokia’s upcoming E7 handset; the touch screen smart phone with a slide out QWERTY keyboard was originally due for release early next year. However, due to some unconfirmed reasons, the device has been indefinitely delayed.
Still, many are hopeful (even within Nokia’s camp) that whatever issue is holding the handset back will be fixed pretty soon.
This Symbian^3 powered handset is not the first of its type to be delayed –the Nokia N8 also suffered from the same problem. In fact, Nokia spent most of its time last year announcing further delays to the N-series device that was supposed to have launched last April. Eventually, the phone came out around October to November, which is probably one of the worst delays to have ever affected a smart phone’s launch.
The Nokia E7 delay is such a big shame since the handset is actually pretty impressive. In fact, one might even say that it is more well rounded that the N-series N8. The E7 is packed with an 8 mega pixel camera with 720p HD video recording, a 680MHz CPU with a 3D graphics accelerator, a 4 inch touch screen display and gorilla glass protection.
Moving on to good news, the HTC Magic will be getting an unexpected update: to Android 2.2 Froyo. The original generation 1 Android handset (next to the HTC Dream) is confirmed to be getting a special version of the new Froyo update for the open source mobile platform. So far, it has not been determined as to when the actual Vodafone exclusive (for now) update will arrive, but it is expected to be available by the end of the year.
As some might expect, not all features are supported –especially those that are resource draining such as Flash playback. But other details such as USB tethering and app support in micro SD cards are much welcome add-ons to the now-ancient smart phone.
Mobile News: Today’s Highlights
Friday, December 10th, 2010
The Bada operating system has just celebrated its first year in the smart phone industry. With now well over a million devices sold and plenty more expected, the Samsung made mobile platform is certainly carving out its own niche. Admittedly, the system still has to go a long way (and it is a pretty small niche), but considering how new the system is and that this is Samsung’s first proprietary system, the performance of the Bada is quite impressive.
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 owners will finally get to try out the Android 2.3 Gingerbread mobile platform. However, this will not be through an officially released update. The features will be running straight from a ROM emulator. While this provides little practical use, it does prove that the X10 does have the hardware needed to run the new OS.
HTC has announced that the Wildfire smart phone will also be getting an update to Google’s Android 2.2 Froyo. The announcement just came in right after they officially stated that the HTC Legend will be updated just a day ago. The big announcement is certainly great news for the owners of the communication based Wildfire handset.
Huawei’s Ideos smart phone is now officially available in local stores. According to sources, the new budget Android will be priced at a nice 150 Pound price tag. Those who have been hoping to start switching to the Android might find this device as a great fit since it is also available for free when under a contract. Mobile retailer eXpansys currently has the device in stock.
Samsung is making people enticed to by the Galaxy Tab touch screen tablet. According to reports, buying a Tab now will net users with 200 GBP worth of media content. The limited offer deal will be running from this December until the first week of February and provides users with over 50 tracks from eMusic, 15 films from the Samsung online store, 7 Gameloft titles and 5 eBooks -pretty sweet deal for a holiday tablet.
Latest Mobile Tech: 3D, SLCD, and QLED
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
If there are two categories of electronics that are receiving constant upgrades and innovations in terms of technological advancements, it is hard to think of better examples than the computer and mobile phone industries. While computer parts have been getting better at a constant rate, it is hard to deny the fact that the growth of mobile phone technology is far more accelerated.
HTC is pushing their luck with the first Android 3D handset to be launched. While certainly interesting, it is hard to fathom how 3D could be a truly significant contribution to the smart phone industry. Unlike the use of 4G networks, HD video recording and flexible touch screens, 3D is one aspect of entertainment that simply does not fit with portable technology.
This mostly centers on providing users with parallax screen technology, but in the long run, who would actually bother appreciating 3D images on a such as small display and on a device meant to be used when you are outside the house?
Korean phone maker Samsung is working on a more practical display technology: LCDs. The appearance of AMOLED touch screens has certainly put a wide gap between LCDs and LEDs, but in the end, it is the LCDs that are proving that it is easier to manufacture. In fact, even HTC is slowly replacing the AMOLED phones with Super LCD screens. According to reports, Samsung’s new tech is being named as the Super PLS LCD –which is far superior to the already impressive IPS LCD screens we see today.
LG is not too keen on turning away from LED technology just yet however. In a recent report, it has been announced that LG’s latest developed technology is the Quantum Dot LED screen, or simply put, the QLED. They say that this new display will provide the same quality of images as AMOLED screens do, but this time, with even less power consumption.
In Focus: HTC
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
HTC is back in the headlines again this week as they have confirmed that the HTC Gratia is indeed heading to the UK but the original November launch will no longer push through. This latest development may come as a bit of a disappointment for some who were looking forward to the device, but according to the Taiwan based phone maker, the Gratia will be launching here pretty soon.
The device is a well made, mid range handset. From the 3.2 inch TFT touch screen to the 5 mega pixel camera, everything about this phone speaks of smart phone practicality. The Gratia will have a slight edge over the original Aria as the new handset will come packed with the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system.
HTC is currently known for being a heavy supporter for both the Google Android and the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 OS. However, there have been a few reports that the manufacturer might also start working on its own mobile platform. Given the market success and acceptance of the HTC Sense user interface, it might not be such a bad idea at all –even Samsung’s Bada is currently doing great as the Korean phone maker balances all three mobile platforms.
Speaking of the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform, the HTC HD7 is currently considered as HTC’s flagship WP7 device. However, recent news indicates that the device is not entirely as good as it seems.
It appears that the device’s antenna is located in the bottom of the device. While this is not as bad as the design flaw on the iPhone 4, it is still something that users should be mindful about. As with the antennagate, it is feared that touching the exposed area is likely to block out the device’s signal and might result in dropped calls.
Mobile News Highlights
Monday, November 29th, 2010
HTC is currently leading the industry with a combined lineup of great Windows Phone 7 and Android smart phones. Of course, the Apple iPhone 4’s large media hype and branding has helped it garner so many sales that it is hard to catch up with even after having been launched so many months back, but it is hard to deny that the current market interest and demand for Android phones is staggeringly high. Currently HTC devices have the highest number of searches online –even more than the iPhone.
If this demand starts translating to actual sales, Apple will have some serious competition. HTC may not have been all that well known several years back, but since the rise of the Google Android smart phone, the Taiwan based phone maker has been able to shake off its former reputation as Microsoft’s Pocket PC partner and instead, HTC has risen up to become one of Google’s most trusted industry partners.
In other news, a new Nokia device has been spotted in images. Designated as the Nokia X7-00, the device looks like it has been made specifically to promote the Nokia Ovi Store. Gaming and apps are two key features that are being shown off, as well as media playback. The specs are the same as the Nokia N8 handset, except that the X7-00 has a slightly lower spec camera and has four speakers up front.
The prices for RIM’s BlackBerry Playbook touch screen tablet have been confirmed with the version with the lowest internal memory getting a price tag of below 200 GBP. More than reasonable for any who simply want to browse online or read. At 400 GBP, there is plenty of storage space for media as well. With the promising new QNX OS and a good price rating, expect the Playbook to do well in terms of sales when it finally comes out.
Mobile News: HTC OS, WP7 Push and More
Thursday, November 25th, 2010Rumors about a new mobile platform are spreading around. According to various reports, the new OS is going to be developed by none other than Taiwan based phone maker HTC. Considering the state of the mobile phone industry, this is not going to be a surprising move. In fact, if HTC pushes through with this plan, it will certainly not be the first.
Korean phone maker Samsung has proven to the world that it is possible to support other mobile platforms while developing one’s own proprietary system. Samsung’s Omnia series concentrates on the Windows Phone 7 OS while the Galaxy series are comprised of Android smart phones. Their Bada OS is used in the Samsung Wave series. All together, these three series make up the main lineup of Samsung’s smart phone offerings.
HTC can do the same if they decide to come out with an operating system of their own. With the HTC Sense proving that the company can design a great user interface, coming up with a good platform to run it on (outside of the Android) is pretty much within their capabilities.
In other news, Microsoft is going to go all out with the promotion of the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform. It has been announced that the Bing search engine and the Xbox Live network will be used extensively in order to promote the new OS to everyone. Microsoft currently has to take charge and control as much of the gaming industry market as they could before Sony can produce the rumored PSP Phone –something that could literally take the WP7’s XBL market and bring them over to the Android.
Also, Opera has announced that the latest version of their mobile browser, version 10.1, is now available for Symbian devices. They have finished testing the beta version and the currently available browser download would provide users with the final product.