Introduction
When it comes to eagerly anticipated handset releasses, they don't come much bigger than this. For me personally, the HTC Kaiser is the culmination of many years of Pocket PC development by HTC. Over the past few years HTC has been pushing the envelope of Pocket PC designs and features. The introduction of 2.8" screens, integrated GPS, QWERTY sliding keyboards, 3G, HSDPA, Dual Cameras... all innovations by HTC over the years, many of which we've come to take to granted.
Up until now, compromise has been the order of the day. Want GPS? Then you can't have QWERTY. Want a compact form factor? Then you can't have a QWERTY either, unless you give up 3G. There have been some great devices (HTC Trinity, HTC Herald)... but the device we all really want hasn't quite existed.
Enter the HTC Kaiser.
You can imagine the design brief for the HTC engineers. "Let's take the HTC Herald / Atlas slim QWERTY form factor, and stuff in as much as we can. Let's not leave anything out. Let's include a fast (new generation) processor, tons of ROM and RAM, 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA, GPS, thumbwheel, lots of hardware buttons, a 3 Megapixel camera to set new benchmarks in the Windows Mobile world, a sprung QWERTY keyboard and - what the heck - let's dream up a cool new party piece too."
So well have they executed their brief? I'm lucky enough to have a HTC Kaiser handset sitting with me right now, and i'm going to take you through it and give you my verdict. Enjoy
One final point before we get started - HTC have NOT finalised the ROM for this device. Anything software related in this review is subject to change, and it's not inconceivable there could be very minor hardware variations in operator versions (as we say with the Hermes HERM100 / 200 / 300). Primarily though, this is what you'll be buying in the shops around August time!
In the box
My Kaiser arrived in the typical 'HTC pre-production unit' white box. The box contained the standard fare...
- HTC Kaiser handset
- Mains charger
- USB sync cable
- ExtUSB headset
I understand that for the HTC unit at least, this (with the addition of a soft case) is what is expected to be in the retail package, together with the normal documentation and software bundle of course.
Hardware - overview
Holding the Kaiser in your hand, you'll notice that it feels weighty, and yet is compact in size. Indeed, my unit tips the scales at around 190g - no lightweight, but for me at least - acceptable.
The claimed specs...
- Windows Mobile 6 Professional
- Qualcomm MSM7200 Chipset @ 400MHz
- 256MB ROM
- 128MB RAM
- 2.8" QVGA screen
- GPRS + EDGE + UMTS + HSDPA + HSUPA
- WiFi
- Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
- USB 2.0
- 3 Megapixel primary camera
- VGA secondary camera
- 1350mAh battery
- Thumbwheel
- ExtUSB
- microSD expansion
- Spring assisted QWERTY keyboard with tilt
As you can see, you're not left wanting for much. The only real omissions are a VGA screen, which is starting to appear on some of it's competitors and a radio (for both FM stations and TMC traffic information). IR is of course missing, but this is in line with recent HTC devices and their stated plans to discontinue IR support.
Hardware - around the device
Let me walk you around the device, starting with the front face.
Most of the front is dominated by the dark grey 'brushed aluminium' effect, which is framed by shiny black plastic previously seen on 'Trinity' devices such as the HTC P3600 and the SPV M700. At the top left sits the forward facing video camera (VGA resolution), next to the speaker which itself has a notification LED on each side. The top right of the device will be home to the branding, at least on the HTC units. Below the speaker sits the 2.8" screen, which is bevelled into the device slightly in order to provide it with a degree of protection. This also denotes that the Kaiser will not be a 'Touch' equipped device, as such devices have a flush screen covered with reinforced plastic. Next we come to the front hardware buttons and directional pad which, as regular readers will know, are SO important to me! Thankfully, everything is top drawer here. An excellent directional pad is flanked by soft keys, dedicated PIE and mail keys, red and green call keys and the all important Start / OK buttons. So far, top marks.
Flipping the device over to view the back, the shiny black coating remains and simplicity is the order of the day. At the top left is a plastic cover behind which lie connections for attaching external GPS or GSM antennas. Below right of this is the camera (3 Megapixels autofocus with no flash) and the speaker. The back of the device is something of a fingerprint magnet, but looks smart when clean and shiny!
The bottom of the device has a lanyard loop, the extUSB connector, a reset pin, the microphone hole, and on the top sliding section - the microSD slot with a rubber cover.
The left of the device has a voice dial / memo key, the thumbwheel and the accompanying 'OK' button.
The right of the device has the power button, a two stage camera button (focus / take shot) and the stylus silo. The stylus is of the full length (non telescopic) type. Hurrah!
The top of the device has no buttons
The whole device has a magician-esque (althought to a lesser extent) 'ribbed' plastic effect around the side, which aids holding the device with a firm grip.
When the device is opened (with the satisfying spring assisted mechanism previously seen on the HTC P4350 / T-Mobile Wing and also the HTC Vox based Smartphones), the excellent rubberised keyboard is revealed. As is standard fare now, Cap and FN indicator lights are present, which are a very useful addition, Due to the tilt mechanism, the screen slides slightly further upwards compared to other devices with spring assisted keyboards, which actually makes tapping the 'soft key' mapped hardware buttons easier. When the device is open, flipping it over reveals the SIM slot, built into the back of the screen.
We mentioned previously the Kaiser's party piece, and it is the tilting screen. After sliding the screen open, it can be tilted upwards - perfect for when you have the device sitting next to you on a desk, or if you're using the device on a table.
Software
I mentioned in the introduction to this review that the ROM has not been finalised as yet for the Kaiser, and for that reason I am not going to go into detail on the software side - I will update this section later. I will however give you an overview of significant developments on the device.
Firstly it's worth noting that even though this is a preproduction ROM which will still receive a number of revisions before launch, it is extremely fast and stable. I switch to the Kaiser from a T-Mobile Wing (200MHz OMAP) and of course it is way, way faster. Even compared to the Trinity, which has a 400MHz processor, it feels snappy.
The Kaiser runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional of course, which is fantastically well suited to the device. The QWERTY keyboard means you can make the most of the new smart filtering in Outlook Mobile, and Windows Mobile 6 is easier than ever to use without needing to touch the screen thanks to the plethora of hardware buttons on the device and sharpened up UI.
Each operator will of course be customising the software to varying degrees. The HTC branded device will be a fairly base build, featuring all the standard Windows Mobile 6 offerings plus the usual HTC customisations (additional homescreen plugins, task manager, camera application etc). The camera application is slightly improved and updated for the Kaiser. HTC have also partnered with 'Hubdog', and their content application will be included on the Kaiser out of the box. I have also had brief sight of the AT&T Kaiser prototype, which had the usual suite of additional applications such as MusicID, Video, Music etc. The only other firmly rumoured Kaiser-launching operator is T-Mobile, who will likely make only slight tweaks to the interface for their 'Web n Walk' branding.
In use
So far so good, but now the acid test... what's it like to use?
You hold the attractive yet functionally designed device in your hand, and marvel at the solid build, and the weight! After tapping the power button on the right hand side of the device, it sparks into life... and boots up quickly! It's not feature-phone quick, but you can tell there's considerable horsepower under the bonnet of this baby. It bodes well
Up comes the usual Windows Mobile 6 setup wizard, which you step through. Again, snappy. The ExtROM customisations are applied, and finally you're ready to play. So... what first?
"Well, i'm an Exchange user, so the first thing I need to do is to get my GPRS connections setup etc. If you have a HTC branded device, a wizard pops up to do it for you. If you have an operator branded device, then no problem, it's all done for you already. That's easy enough, so I click the Start Menu and run Activesync. Wow, it is responsive!
I now need to enter my credentials, so it's time to get the keyboard out. Rotate the device clockwise, slide the screen upwards with that oh-so-satisfying click and the OS rotates to landscape quickly and smoothly (this action also turns the device on if it's off). A rather annoying 'keyboard open sound' is played at this point - mental note, 'must turn that off'. 
Time for a cup of tea while that syncs up, so I sit the device on the desk and tilt the screen up at an angle - that new Kaiser feature. Oh, this is sweet. The tilt mechanism doesn't click into place and feels 'soft' compared to the positive action of opening the keyboard, but this in turn allows you to choose any screen angle that suits you. Excellent.
The sync is now done, and it's time to have a play. I install my favourite apps - some to the internal memory, some to the storage card. With 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM, you don't need to be anywhere near as prudent with on device installs as with previous devices. Now for some fun.... I open PIE, CamerAware, my massive Exchange mailbox, my blogging client and then, just for fun, TomTom - waiting for it to fall over with a lack of memory. It doesn't! I close that, launch iGo... same deal. It starts. Now this is the way Pocket PC was always SUPPOSED to work. Ah ha - I know what'll kill it! Opening the Camera! But nope, you guessed it, it just loads right up."
Honestly, that's a fairly accurate representation of my first 20 minutes with the Kaiser. For the record, I was seriously impressed.
Since then, I've obviously used the device a lot more, and still my experiences are good. Let's look at the things people always seem to care most about. The camera is surprisingly good for a HTC device! I've posted some pics below that i've taken with the phone, a few general shots and a few closeups. For a phone camera, this will do be just fine. The battery life, although i'm reluctant to comment too much as the device is preproduction and i've been hammering the hell out of it, seems to be on par if not better than on my Trinity - i'd expect this to improve before release too. The build quality is solid, with no great amount of flex or movement in any direction. The thumbwheel IS a real thumbwheel (i.e. it goes round and round and round)
I know a lot of people will be very interested in the GPS functionality, but at this time, the Radio ROM that provides GPS functionality isn't complete, so operation is flakey. For that reason, i'll cover this too at a later date.
In conclusion
So there you have it. I've been waiting a long time for my dream machine to come along, and I thought the Kaiser was it. And it seems I was right. As ever, i'll reserve final judgement until I have the final device... i'm pretty comfortable saying that the Kaiser is going to blow everyone away when it hits the shelves. I wonder how the competition and even HTC themselves are going to better it (although of course they will), and take my hat of to HTC for their achievement.
It's quite simply awesome. Don't use your upgrade yet, start saving the pennies, forget the iPhone (and the Touch) and put your preorder in for THIS device. You won't be disappointed.
Paul's HTC P4550 Kaiser Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Massive specification
- Great keyboard
- Great camera
- Attractive yet functional and innovative design
- Buckets of RAM and ROM show Pocket PC in it's best ever implementation
Cons:
- Quite heavy
- Not VGA
- No FM radio or TMC
Paul O'Brien - Microsoft MVP, Mobile Devices, MoDaCo.network Founder
Thursday, September 20, 2007
HTC TyTN 2 review
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
HTC TyTN review
What is it: A Pocket PC with a substantial range of connectivity options and a slide-out Qwerty keypad
What we think: We like the impressive range of connectivity options, Direct Push email and the ability to synchronise with our Windows PC, but it is a little too chunky
HTC, the company behind O2's XDA range, Orange's SPV range and T-Mobile's MDA range, has now launched the HTC TyTN (pronounced titan). This is one of the first HTC-branded phones, and is the first Windows Mobile device with HSDPA (Super 3G) connectivity.
You can use this phone to synchronise with your Windows PC, receive emails instantly via Direct Push email or browse the Web over a Wi-Fi, 3G and HSDPA connection. It looks similar to the O2 XDA mini S but has more features and power than even the almighty O2 XDA exec.
HTC has said this device should be available by the end of July this year. The company will still provide network-branded devices in addition to HTC ones, so you may also be able to buy the TyTN under a different name with a UK network. According to HTC, the device will start retailing at around £549 without contract.
Strengths
The HTC TyTN runs Windows Mobile, which means you can access and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, browse the Web using Internet Explorer, and even play music and video on the mini Windows Media Player. Windows Mobile also gives you the ability to use MSN Messenger and Hotmail, check your personal email via Direct Push Technology and Exchange 2003 SP2, and even access your calendar, contacts, tasks and inbox over the air. The TyTN is all about communication, and features tri-band UMTS, quad-Band EDGE, infrared, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so you won't be lacking in ways to keep in touch.
Although the TyTN bears some resemblance to the O2 XDA mini S, it is powered by a 400MHz Samsung stacked CPU with 128MB ROM and 64MB SDRAM. This is a significant improvement on the mini S, which only has a 200MHz processor, and it's the fastest processor to date. This makes accessing applications faster and means that unlike previous HTC models this device can handle Skype without any problem.
Navigating through the phone is made easier and faster by the TyTN's scroll wheel on the left side of the handset. There's also a cleverly hidden Qwerty keypad that slides out from underneath the TyTN. When in use, it automatically puts the screen into landscape mode and lights up if it's dark. The TyTN's screen measures 45mm wide by 60mm tall, which is large enough to view Web pages and documents without needing to squint.
The screen is good to take photos with, and fortunately the TyTN comes with a 2-megapixel camera that can be put in landscape and macro mode. There's also a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) camera at the front of the device so you can make video calls. We like the OK button on the left-hand side that takes you straight back to the home page, and the easy-to-access microSD card slot.
Finally, we're impressed with the battery life that lasted for the quoted 200 hours on standby and around 4 hours of talk time. This is without using the Wi-Fi adaptor however, which would decrease battery life significantly.
Weaknesses
Our main problem with Windows Mobile devices is that they are less straightforward to use than other mobile phones. If you're not used to Windows Mobile then buying this device as your first mobile phone would not be advisable. Making calls with the TyTN on the Windows Mobile interface can be testing at times too, as you have to use the touch screen or slide-out Qwerty keypad to dial numbers.
The TyTN isn't small either. Measuring 58 by 112 by 22mm, it may have difficulty fitting into your pocket and, if you can make it fit, the 180g is likely to weigh down your suit jacket pocket or pair of jeans.
The addition of a 2-megapixel camera, however, might prove a disadvantage for business use, given that some companies don't allow camera phones in their buildings. Another problem some people might find with the TyTN is that most digital cameras use SD cards and not microSD ones, so you won't be able to view your photos on the device until you've transferred them over to your computer.
Conclusion
The TyTN is one of HTC's best devices to date and we're glad to see it is branching out and branding its own devices as well as still providing network-branded ones. With the slide-out Qwerty keypad, HSDPA capabilities and a plethora of other connectivity options, this is definitely a Pocket PC to be reckoned with. It's rather chunky though, and we'd like to see smaller Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the future.
Edited by Mary Lojkine
Additional editing by Kate Macefield
By CNET UK
Saturday, September 8, 2007
HTC Touch
Design
has been an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for a range of distributors, including HP, Compaq, Dell, Dopod, O2 and i-mate. Following HTC's HTC has been manufacturing Windows Mobile-based PDAs (or Pocket PCs as they were known) since the original Compaq iPAQ in 2000, but until recentlyacquisition of Dopod last year, the Touch is the first HTC-branded device available Down Under -- no more Dopods will be released locally. The Touch has most of the bells and whistles that consumers and corporate users will need in a smartphone, while remaining reasonably priced.
We can't help but notice a couple similarities between the Touch and Apple's iPhone, in particular its large screen and its touch-based navigation, dubbed TouchFLO. The Touch, however, has a lower resolution screen (240 by 320 pixels) than the iPhone, and the selection key has a thin bezel that functions as a four-way navigation pad. Two camouflaged shortcut buttons for the Today screen and phone are also below the screen.
The Touch is encased in matte black which, in addition to the display, manages to attract smudge marks -- although probably less-so than a glossy finish. A thin silver rim on the side hides the power button, volume rocker, lanyard loop, stylus, SIM card slot, microSD slot and USB port -- used for charging, synchronising with a PC or with the supplied headset. The back of the device features a 2-megapixel camera.
The overall design of the HTC is smart, clean and suitable for home or corporate use. The finish, however, looks cheap and doesn't feel as solid or polished as some other PDAs we've come across such as the BlackBerry Curve or Nokia's E61i. Removing the SIM card or SD card (located under a plastic flap on one side) is particularly fiddly and requires a sharp object, such as the stylus, to insert and remove the spring-loaded cards.
Weighing 112g and measuring a compact 100 by 58 by 14mm make the Touch reasonably light and thin enough to easily slip into a pocket or bag. The supplied pouch adds some bulk -- you'll struggle to squeeze the protected Touch into your skinny jeans.
Features
The Touch is the first device to include HTC's TouchFLO (and where the Touch gets its moniker from). To use it, HTC says users "sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprising three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications". Sweeping your finger across the display horizontally rotates the three screens.
The Touch is also one of the first Windows Mobile 6 device we've come across, which adds some subtle, although useful, additions to the OS. It's been given a facelift to match Windows Vista, includes Microsoft's Direct Push technology to keep your e-mails synchronised with Exchange Server an instant messaging client Live Messenger.
While the Touch is a touch on the slim side, the exclusion of a QWERTY keyboard, either below the screen like the Palm Treo 750 or underneath (a la i-mate's Jasjar) means text entry via the screen is slow and tedious. Seeing as you're likely to be using this as your phone, you may get frustrated if you're an SMS or e-mail addict.
Unfortunately the tri-band (900/1800/1900MHz) Touch only works on GSM, GPRS and EDGE networks. If you were hoping for a 3G or HSDPA-capable handset, you'll have to look elsewhere.
On the connectivity side, the Touch includes 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infra-red (which is only useful as a TV remote these days) and USB. It also comes bundled with a decently sized 1GB microSD card.
Performance
We found we could occasionally push the Touch to its limits but by and large, it had enough grunt to run multiple apps at the same time. As with many Windows-mobile devices there's a occasional pause between issuing a command and waiting for the device to execute, which can be frustrating.
It may take some users a while to get accustomed to TouchFLO, which requires slow movements with reasonable pressure, for it to recognise a command. While kudos should be given to HTC for attempting to add finger-based touch functionality to a PDA, the limited functions that can be performed with a finger means that you'll have to switch to the stylus for practically every application, once you've selected it. As the Touch is HTC's first device to feature TouchFLO, we'd expect refinements in future devices. We hope this will be the case, making TouchFLO a more useful, well-thought out tool rather than what feels like a last-minute addition (and an attempt to steal the iPhone's thunder). We'd also like to see multi-touch support added to Windows-mobile based devices in the future.
HTC claims a standby time of 200 hours and talk time of 5 hours. With fairly heavy use, we found the device lasted about two and a half days. The phone can be charged via a PC, or with the supplied AC adaptor using the supplied USB cable.
The Touch, while hardly an iPhone killer, is great value for money at AU$699. If you can do without 3G support, a high-res camera or in-built GPS, then the Touch will offer many features you'd require from a smartphone. If not, perhaps you should consider a 3G or HSDPA (3.5G) handset, or wait for the iPhone's Down Under debut in March.
The good:
- Lightweight and thin
- Windows Mobile 6
- Good battery life
- TouchFLO provides quick access to common tasks
- 1GB micro SD card included
- Represents good value
The bad:
- TouchFLO only suitable for limited functions
- No 3G support
- No headphone jack
The bottomline:
While not a iPhone killer, the HTC Touch represents good value for money. If you can do without 3G support or a high-res camera, then the Touch will offer most features you'd require from a smartphone.
By CNET