Just finished to watch Hugo Ortega's video presenting HTC Shift and I must admit I like the HTC idea of bringing to us an UMPC (Ultra-mobile computer) which has 2 processors and 2 operating systems working independently on board.

Is the UMPC form factor market ready to take-off soon ?
Is the double O/S option chosen by HTC the winning one ?

A recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• The UMD worldwide forecast is for more than 8 million units in 2011.
• 2008-2010 will be key years for the development of a market inflection point of anytime/anywhere wireless connectivity that is necessary for widespread adoption of the UMD paradigm.

Some specifications: 

• Size: 19 x 13.5 x 3cm
• Weight: 0.9 kg 0.791 kg
• 7 inches display
• Resolution : 800×480 - 1024×600
• Operating Systems : Windows Mobile 6 & Windows Vista Business
• CPU's : Qualcomm 400 MHz for WM6 & Dual Core 800 MHz Intel A110 for Vista
• 7 days battery capacity running on WM6 only. 3 hours on Windows Vista
• Ram Memory : 1 GB
• Hard Drive : 40 GB
• Communication : WiFi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0,
• Phone data : Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE - Tri-Band UMTS/HSPDA
• 1.3 MB built-in camera
• 1 USB 2.0 port, 1 VGA port
• 1 Finger print reader
• 1 SD Card reader
• Slide out Tilt display
• Price tag : 1200 euros (?)
• Availability : Q3 2007

The very interesting concept is the possibility to switch from one environment (e.g WM6) to the second one (Vista Business) and back in just the press of a button. Input can be done either using the QWERTY keyboard or the hand-witting recognition system.

Streaming video is available on Gottatobemobile.com or there is a 250 MB video available for download here.

Shift on HTC website  

Tags: 2007, 2008, 24, 802.11, arc, ATT, availability, blog, camera, capacity, card, card reader, ces, communication, computer, connectivity, development, forecast, gsm, htc, HTC shift, ia, im, IT World, keyboard, King, lan, memory, MIT, mobile, Mobile Communications, nomadcom.net, nyt, pda, phone, press, reader, resolution, search, shift, space, Telecommunications, ultra-mobile, UMPC, usb, video, vista, web, website, wifi, windows, windows mobile 6, windows vista, wireless, WM6, world, worldwide, wp, www

Another multi protocol Instant Messaging (IM) application for mobile device (Symbian and Windows Mobile) is Fring (still a Beta). This free mobile VoIP software gives the possibility to communicate with Skype, MSN, Google Talk, Twitter.

Fring also supports SkypeOut as well as SIP-based services such as GizmoProject, VoIPStunt, among many others. Real-Time contact presence is also taken into consideration. 

Once connected using packet switching network (Wi-Fi, GPRS, EDGE, etc..) you can then select which communication option you want to use to establish a voice communication: Fring, SkypeOut, SIP or simply the GSM network.

Unlike Agile Messenger, Fring doesn't propose file or photo transfer and Yahoo protocol has not been taken on board.

To install the software on a supported device, once the installation page filled up, a SMS is sent with the link to your terminal. Your phone number will be used as User-ID. 

While doing some text and voice test using my HTC S620 (Dopod C720) I have very few points that require, on my point of view, some improvements:

• Different services cannot be managed individually
• Switch OFF external speaker while on voice call
• Add File, photo, video transfer

  test continues..

Source: SmartphoneMag

Tags: 2007, agile, air, art, blog, C720, Cavalier, ces, communication, dopod, free, fring, google, google talk, gsm, HP, htc, ia, im, install, instant messenger, lan, LED, list, live, messenger, mobile, Mobile Communications, msn, network, nomadcom.net, phone, photo, presence, project, S620, services, skype, smartphone, sms, space, symbian, term, twit, Twitter, user, video, windows, WM5, WM6, wp, www, yahoo

While HTC Europe concentrate all its marketing on HTC-Touch, in Asia, HTC under its Dopod brand name has released earlier last month the Dopod C730 also known as HTC Cavalier successor of Dopod 720w (HTC S620).

At first look there are not many differences between both models. the C730 is slightly thicker (0.7mm) but also lighter 120g (-10g) than its predecessor.

Price tag in Singapore : 790 SGD (513.- USD)

Main differences are the following :

• MicroSD slot is now accessible from outside. Easier to swap cards
• Operating System is Windows Mobile 6 which integrates more services (Office files edition, Live Search, MSN, etc..)
• Camera 2 mega pixels.
• Better battery capacity (1050 mAh)
• Samsung 400 MHz CPU, 64MB of RAM and 128MB of flash ROM
• Quad band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) + 3G and HSDPA connectivity

Some points are still missing or require improvements

• Touch-sensitive strip on the edge of the phone is still hard to tame (usually I just use it to adjust volume during calls).
• Only a 2 megapixel camera when Nokia proposes 5 mega ones.
• No LED flash and front-facing camera for 3G video calls.
• No standard audio jack but a multi-purpose mini-USB connector instead.

Full Specification available on Dopod Singapore site

Sources : CNet Asia, Dopod Singapore

Tags: 2007, access, api, arc, art, asia, ATT, blog, C720, C720w, C730, camera, capacity, card, Cavalier, ces, connectivity, dopod, europe, flash, gap, global, gsm, htc, ia, im, iphone, lan, LED, light, live, mobile, Mobile Communications, models, msn, nokia, nomadcom.net, phone, phones, release, review, S620, samsung, search, services, smartphone, space, sun, Telecommunications, touch, touchflo, usb, video, windows, windows mobile 6, wp, www