Update On Lustworthy Smartphones

Yeah, I'm drooling; and it's good that I am too poor right now to actively pursue any of these PDA/Smartphone devices...it gives me time to keep a cool head and make an informed, practical decision later.

Before I get to the latest suddenly-announced HTC touchscreen Smartphone, let me update the two that I discussed in a previous entry. First, there's now confirmation on the HTC Touch Pro for U.S. Carriers. It's going to be released next month by Sprint, (see Sprint-branded photo at left) and you can read about it at Gizmodo. It's also coming to AT&T as the HTC Touch Fuze, though no release date has been confirmed. Engadget has the latest info on that.


Also in my earlier post, I lusted after the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, which is certainly a more physically attractive option for the Windows Mobile side-sliding QWERTY-keyboard form factor. Releases will first hit Europe, Asia, and most other countries BESIDES the U.S. (no surprise there), starting on Sept. 30. Then there's the marketing for the Xperia X1, and it's already becoming viral. In addition to a webcast on Monday, Sept 15, Sony Ericsson will pitch this delicious gadget with a series of Fictional Adventure/Thriller Webisodes about a character named Johnny X. Gizmodo (again...hey, I love Giz) is where I spotted that juicy tidbit.
By the way, to give you an idea of those "Johnny X" webisodes, here's an exciting trailer from YouTube:





Now, for that latest "out of the blue" announcement. Seems HTC was able to keep this a secret for a while. They've come up with what appears to be the most relevant competitor to the iPhone to date. Its unofficial moniker is HTC Touch HD (check the "spy photo" to the left that I found...uhhh, somewhere), and it's pretty much all touchscreen (reported at 4"). Its physical dimensions are very similar to the iPhone, including a minimalistic physical button set. Since it's supposed to run Windows Mobile OS, this will make it a consideration for those who want an iPhone type device that has actual, practical productivity capabilities...not just workarounds. For more detailed info, Head over to Boy Genius Report. For me, the decision on this will be whether I want a physical keyboard or an onscreen one.

That's about it for now (like that's not enough). Of course, I'll keep you posted so you, too, can be infected with the "ME WANT" disease.

Coming Soon: I'm No Fanboy...I Just Use What Works, What The Heck is Mojave? and Should I Be Using YouMail?

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Lookin' for PDA Phone Love

So, Here's the thing: The cell phone I have right now, a Sanyo Katana 2 on Sprint, has served me well so far. The basic features of good call quality and web browser adequate for checking emails or doing a location search were enough. Until now. What's changed is the need for a device that does more, and that takes me into the heavenly realm of the current smartphone and PDA Phone market. I've spent a lot of time looking at reviews on lots of sites and blogs for my idea of a perfect PDA phone. LOTS of time. There have been days when I had to leave the computer and take a walk to look at the nature outside because I feared I would go blind.
My filters are simple. Obviously, the call quality needs to be pretty darn good, first of all. Messaging, especially email and IM are important to me...and I only need them to be reliable and user-friendly. Also, because I plan to take advantage of the office applications (especially word processing) common to smartphones and PDA phones, I'm looking for a comfortable keyboard experience. In other words, FUNCTION over all. The wow factor is nice, but we all know that it wears off, and if it's the only deciding factor, the end of the romance is ugly.
I'll spare you numerous other smartphone/PDA devices I've pretty much ruled out for various reasons, and get to the sweet stuff.
These are the two most likely contenders. According to the rumors flying around, they could both end up at AT&T. That'll be my new carrier of choice for the lucky unit, because AT&T Wireless' plan modules suit my needs better than anything I could get from my current carrier, Sprint. I'm hoping to avoid the unlocked route, since I know that leads to a potentially difficult education for an intermediate personal tech user like me.

HTC Touch Pro
According to the info I've read, this is the next generation of the HTC 8925, a.k.a. TyTn 2, AT&T Tilt, Sprint Mogul, etc. It features a left-sliding QWERTY keyboard, touch screen, HTC's "Touch Flo" interface for initial access to main functions. It runs Windows Mobile, including the mobile version of Microsoft Office. The build quality looks pretty good, though I've seen several reviews pointedly mentioning it's resemblance to a brick...and sure, that's noticeable, but not of huge importance to me. There are numerous reviews of this badboy out there. I've watched a fair few "hands-on" and "unboxing" videos on YouTube, and checked out many review articles. For a start, check this one out at Gizmodo.
As of this post, The latest rumor I've seen about Carrier Branding here in the U.S. is that it will be branded by AT&T as the "Fuze." It's only a rumor at this point, and as far as I know, the point of origin is a blurb at WMExperts. And that doesn't mean other U.S. carriers won't pick it up as well. The general chatter is that this may appear in the U.S. sometime in September or October.


Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
According to Sony, this is the "flagship" of the Xperia line of devices. I gotta admit, it's a pretty sexy launch unit. This, too, sports a touch screen with a distinctive user interface they simply refer to as "panels." The sliding QWERTY keyboard has an oh-so-slight concave arch to it, being both artistic and slightly more comfortable in the hand (I'm guessing). The Xperia X1 also runs Windows Mobile. Its construction is pretty impressive, too. Besides just looking solid, it has stainless steel elements in the outer shell. There isn't nearly as much information available (as far as reviews and chatter) on this one yet. I'm thinking that might be because it's being talked about for a November-ish release. There may not be many reviews, but I have a great one for you. Head on over to The Boy Genius Report to find out much more about this delicious phone.

In all my swimming through reviews of these two tasty devices (and all the others I've cut from the running), I've gotten a bit of an education about expectations versus reality. Generally, the official release shows off the device's potential. Then, when it's picked up by a carrier, it gets loaded with the carrier's branding software (so often referred to as "bloatware"). Many times, this reduces or removes some of the features that make a device so attractive. So, as much as I am in love with both of these honeys, common sense tells me to calm down a bit and watch what happens. As far as it goes, I'm leaning toward the HTC Touch Pro, just because it's supposed to be coming sooner.

Upcoming: Open Office rocks, and More on Firefox v. IE

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