Gingerbread coming to ThunderBolt and EVO 4G

HTC has been previously reported to have promised the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update for their Desire family of phones. Since this included the Desire HD, people wondered if this included other phones similar to the Desire HD. In an email that a HTC spokesperson sent to an enquirer about Gingerbread arriving on the ThunderBolt and EVO 4G, this has been clarified. The ThunderBolt and EVO 4G will be getting the Gingerbread update. While the same time frame has been given (beginning of April to end of June), it is basically the same Q2 2011 window as promised for the HTC Desire family. Gingerbread has been out for awhile now, and it's about time we see some devices other than the flagship Googlephones running the latest version of Android.

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Leaked HTC Droid Incredible 2 Documents Confirm World Phone Status

Verizon is definitely continuing the trend of offering a selection of their high-end smartphones with world-roaming capabilities. Though it apparently won’t get the “Global” tag we saw with the Droid 2, new documents are confirming that the HTC Droid Incredible 2 will indeed be a world phone. The combo GSM and CDMA radios will allow voice and data access around the globe.

Other items confirmed in the leak are a 1.3MP front-facing camera to compliment rear 8MP camera, a 16GB microSD card installed out of the box, and a new Sync & Connect email system. That service won’t launch until April 12th, providing us only with the hint that the Droid Incredible 2 won’t launch until after then. Current rumors place this handset’s launch sometime during the final two weeks of April.

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Leaked Skype app brings another video calling option to the HTC Thunderbolt

Looking to get in on some video call action with your new HTC Thunderbolt? The official Skype application with video calling is still MIA but you can now download a leaked version of the app and install it manually. The leaked Skype Video application looks a lot like the one you can currently download from the Android Market, but users will notice the addition of a "video" button at the bottom of the screen when you are on a contact page.

Video calling works on Wi-Fi, 4G, and 3G, but you might want to stick to Skype voice calls if 3G is your only option. Video calls on 3G are very low quality and it's very hard to actually see who you're talking to. If you've on Wi-Fi or Verizon's LTE network, the audio andvideo quality is pretty decent and looks just as good as what you would get on a netbook with a built-in webcam.

Since the Skype Video all is built specifically for the HTC Thunderbolt, don't even both trying to install it on another phone. We whipped out a half dozen devices and the only once it would successfully install on was the Thunderbolt. Hopefully Skype is already working to add compatibility with other HTC handsets since the majority of the new devices have all launched with a decent front-facing camera.

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HTC ThunderBolt 4G Android Verizon Phone Specs and Price

HTC ThunderBolt 4G Android Verizon smartphones, combined with Verizon Wireless Network takes advantage of the fastest wireless connection. It's powered by a lightning-quick 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and offers a vibrantly colorful 4.3-inch Super LCD multi-touch display. Capture photos clearly and HD 720p video with the 8-megapixel camera, and enjoy video call capabilities with the front-facing camera. With Android 2.2 OS (Froyo) support for Adobe Flash 10.1, enjoy the experience the full Internet. HTC Thunderbolt 4G, a slim smartphone with dimensions 4.6 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches.

Because of its 4G label, the matter is Verizon 4G network. The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network provides speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless' 3G network. With 4G LTE, you'll enjoy simultaneous voice and data capabilities with blazt fast connection.

HTC ThunderBolt 4G Android Verizon Phone Specs and Features

Connectivity
* Ultra-fast 4G LTE connectivity
* Easy access to social networking
* Onboard GPS for navigation and location services
* Integrated Google Maps
* Ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n)
* 4G Mobile Hotspot capability
* Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1)

OS & Software
* Android 2.2 operating system (Froyo)
* ROCK BAND Mobile
* DLNA capabilities

Camera
* 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera
* 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash
* HD 720p video capture capabilities (1280 x 720 pixels)

Design and Hardware
* 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
* 4.3-inch Super LCD display
* Onscreen QWERTY keyboard
* Dual microphones and noise canceling technology

More Features
* 3.5mm headphone jack
* Micro USB 2.0 port with mass storage capabilities.
* Speakerphone for hands-free communication.
* Hearing Aid Compatibility: M3 and T3

HTC ThunderBolt 4G Android Verizon Phone Price
Amazon.com is selling the HTC Thunderbolt for just $174.99 with free two-day shipping. This price includes free two-day shipping and most buyers won’t have to pay tax up front. The HTC Thunderbolt has an MSRP of $599.99, but you’ll only need to pay that if you’re not eligible for an upgrade or you want to be free of a Verizon contract. Signing on with Verizon for two years drops the price down to $249.99 if you buy direct from Verizon.

The $174.99 price is not being promoted by Amazon. You’ll need to add the HTC Thunderbolt to your cart and begin the checkout process to see the discounted price. This is likely because the $174.99 price falls below the minimum advertised price (MAP) for the device. (via Gottabemobile)

What customer said about HTC ThunderBolt 4G? Mostly they really satisfied with speed,it blazt fast on Verizon Network 4G coverage. The issue is short life battery.

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HTC Droid Incredible 2 struts its stuff in leaked press shots? (Updated)

If you had any doubts about HTC's Incredible S making it to our shores, they're probably dissipating as we speak - not only has the phone obtained Verizon's shiny red checkmark, it's now got the robotic eye of Sauron staring at us with ferocious intensity. PocketNow obtained these pictures of the likely Droid Incredible 2 without naming so much as an anonymous source, and we wouldn't be surprised if it's Verizon's way of reminding us that the handset is rapidly on its way to market. You'll find two more pictures at our source link.

Update: Android Central got hold of some new shots of the actual phone itself, which shows off its model number ADR6350 and firmware 2.2.1. Thanks, Bla1ze.

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HTC Incredible S | Full phone specifications & Review

 At first glance, the HTC Incredible S looks pretty plain, largely due to the fact that the controls beneath the display aren't visible when the phone is turned off or in standby mode. It may not be very striking, but there's also a beauty in its clean and minimalistic look. Plus, that's not to say that the Incredible S is completely boring. If you flip the phone over, you'll see that the back features a topographic design, much like the HTC Droid Incredible. It's purely a cosmetic touch that may or may not appeal to your personal tastes, but as long as it doesn't interfere with using the phone--and it doesn't--then we're OK with it.

The Incredible S measures 4.72 inches tall by 2.52 inches wide by 0.46 inch thick and weighs 4.78 ounces. It's slightly bigger than the Droid Incredible but remains pretty sleek, thanks to the tapered edges. A nice soft-touch finish coats the back and sides of the handset.

Screen size: 101.6 mm (4")

Gracing the front of the phone is a 4-inch, 480x800-pixel Super LCD touch screen. It's an upgrade in size and quality from the Droid Incredible, as the Super LCD technology offers better contrast and wider viewing angles than regular LCDs. We definitely noticed the difference, as text and images looked sharper and more vibrant on the brilliant screen, and it holds its own against the iPhone 4's retina display and Samsung's Super AMOLED touch screens. That said, the screen does wash out in bright sunlight.

The multitouch screen has a built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor and felt very responsive during our testing; launching applications, scrolling through menus or home screens, and using the pinch-to-zoom gesture posed no problems. Easing phone navigation is HTC's Sense user interface, which brings a host of helpful interface tools and customization options. You can read more about HTC Sense in our full review of the HTC Inspire 4G. We have to say that HTC's virtual keyboard doesn't feel quite as fast as some of its competitors, but the layout is roomy and we found it easy to use.

Below the display, you get the usual Android shortcuts--home, menu, back, and search. However, HTC has added a cool touch: when you rotate the phone to landscape mode, the icons also rotate. Is it an earth-shattering feature? No, but we appreciate the attention to such fine details.

On the left side of the phone, there's a volume rocker and a Micro-USB port. The right spine is devoid of any controls, but we would have loved a dedicated camera button. The top of the device houses the 3.5mm headphone jack and power button, and sitting on the upper right side, just above the display, is the 1.3-megapixel front camera. On the back you'll find an 8-megapixel camera and dual LED flash.

Features
The HTC Incredible S runs Android 2.2.1, which is a bit disappointing, but the smartphone is due to get the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update during the second quarter of this year. Gingerbread brings such additions and improvements as better power management, NFC support, and Internet calling via SIP. For now, you'll have to make do with Froyo, which really will take care of the major things, such as contact and calendar management, social networking integration, and a full Web browser.

In addition, there are core apps on the device to get you started, as well as some extras, including the Quickoffice suite, a Reader for Android app for e-books, HTC's Peep Twitter client, an FM radio, and an alarm clock. As of this writing, the Android Market has more than 150,000 apps in its catalog, so if there's something you need, there's a good chance you'll find it there. You can save apps to the phone's internal memory (1.1GB) or to a microSD card.

• Weight
• 135.5 grams (4.78 ounces) with battery
• Display

• 4-inch touch screen with 480 x 800 resolution

 

Detailed specifications

CPU speed

1 GHz

Memory¹

Internal phone storage: 1.1 GB
RAM: 768 MB

(The actual available internal phone storage may differ depending on the software configuration of your phone.)

Expansion slot:

• microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)

Connectors

• 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
• Standard micro-USB (5-pin micro-USB 2.0)

Battery²

Battery type: Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Capacity: 1450 mAh

Talk time:

• WCDMA: Up to 380 minutes
• GSM: Up to 580 minutes

Standby time³:

• WCDMA: Up to 370 hours
• GSM: Up to 290 hours

Network⁴

HSPA/WCDMA:

• Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

• 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Platform

Android™ with HTC Sense™

Camera

• 8 megapixel color camera with auto focus and dual LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• 1.3 megapixel front camera

Sensors

• G-Sensor
• Digital compass
• Proximity sensor
• Ambient light sensor

Multimedia

Audio supported formats:

• Playback:.aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9)
• Recording:.amr

Video supported formats:

• Playback:.3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9)
• Recording:.3gp

Internet⁵

3G:

• Up to 14.4 Mbps download speed
• Up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed

GPRS:

• Up to 114 kbps downloading

EDGE:

• Up to 560 kbps downloading

Wi-Fi®:

• IEEE 802.11b/g/n

Bluetooth®

• Bluetooth® 2.1 with FTP/OPP for file transfer
• A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
• PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit

GPS

• Internal GPS antenna

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HTC Incredible S, Desire S Head to Australia

Mobilicity is now offering two of HTC’s newest smartphones in Australia.The HTC Desire S can be had unlocked for AUD$700. It’ll run Android 2.3 Gingerbread once you pick it up, too, so you’ll be on the latest and greatest for a while to come. The Incredible S will also make an appearance at Mobilicity, but as with versions of the phone for other regions, it won’t be getting Gingerbread at launch, but expect an upgrade sometime down the line. For those of you who’d rather get it on contract, Telstra should be offering both of these devices sometime soon.

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Verizon's HTC Incredible 2 Gets Its Release RUU Leaked

The folks at 911 Sniper have just leaked the RUU and PG32IMG for the HTC Vivo for Verizon – otherwise known as the HTC Droid Incredible 2. (Name not confirmed.) They mention that it’s the version of the ROM that’s supposed to ship on the phone so it means this thing is just about ready for retail. We’ll have our fingers crossed for an April release, but we won’t be holding a second’s worth of breath. We’ll be downloading it to see what we can dig up.

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Press Photos of HTC Incredible 2 for Verizon Leaked

It is very likely that the unveiling of HTC's Incredible 2 on Verizon will be sooner than we think. Press photos of the smartphone have appeared on PocketNow, saying that it will be shipped on April 28.

The HTC Incredible 2 is seen with the Droid “red eye” commonly featured in Motorola's Android handsets, fueling speculations that it could be named “Verizon Droid Incredible 2.”

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HTC Inspire 4G Android Phone (AT&T Network)

If you want super fast internet, HTC Android Phone Inspire 4G is one of your choice. HTC Inspire provides super-fast internet using 4G internet broadband 4x faster than ordinary mobile broadband. You can download up to 6Mbps. Powered with Android 2.2 operating system (Froyo) with a faster overall Android experience as well as greater multitasking capabilities and large 4.3 inch LCD touchscreen. With 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, you can open application, games, and play video quickly. 

HTC Inspire 4G gives the next generation HTC Sense user interface experience, faster startup times from hibernation mode as well as a consolidated view of your favorite social networking sites. 8 MP camera with dual LED flash plus auto focus, face detection, and geo-tagging, capture your great moment with your friends.

These are application built in HTC Inspire

1. Android 2.2 operating system (Froyo) with over-the-air upgrade capability for future OS releases
2. eReader app with access to over 2 million book titles
3. BLOCKBUSTER app enables you to discover and download the latest movie rentals on the go.
4. DLNA capabilities enables you to share your photo albums, videos and movies wirelessly with a compatible HDTV or other DLNA device

Specifications:

1. 4G internet mobile broadband
2. Android 2.2 (froyo)
3. 4.3-inch multitouch Super LCD display
4. Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (with optional Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot and tethering capabilities)
5. GPS for navigation and location services
6. 8-MP camera
7. HD 720p camcorder
8. Bluetooth stereo music
9. microSD memory expansion
10. HTML web browser, corporate and personal e-mail
11. Up to 6 hours of talk time, up to 372 hours (15.5 days) of standby time

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Verizon Wireless' HTC Incredible 2 spotted

Big Red's new smartphone from HTC, the Incredible 2, has been spotted in the wild intact – and at first glance, it does seem to be similar to the HTC Incredible S, ranging from the rounded corners to its slightly protruding battery cover. Of course, this one sports the Verizon branding, so if it were the same as the Incredible S, then we are talking about an 8-megapixel camera at the back with dual LED flash, as well as the lovely quartet of touch-sensitive Android buttons (Home, Menu, Back and Search) which can orient themselves depending on whether you are looking at the content in landscape or portrait modes. Of course, expect Android 2.2 Froyo to ship with this, and we are quite sure that a Gingerbread update will be on its way. Of course, the battery life is expected to be better than that of the HTC Thunderbolt since this does 3G only.

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HTC zips past Nokia in market capitalization

Nokia's suits must be running around in a frenzy, as we now have word that HTC has just overtaken Nokia's market capitalization – this coming off a recent “victory” where they also soared past Research in Motion (the company that makes BlackBerrys). It seems that HTC's market cap is worth around $33.8 billion, a cool $2 billion more than Nokia's ($32.84 billion) and definitely far beyond the immediate reach of RIM and their $28.5 billion. This is over 30 times of what it was half a decade ago – and we can attribute this success to their dedication in the mobile device business, courting different operating systems even until now, although we would say that Android is their bread and butter at the moment. The momentum isn't expected to stop anytime soon either, and with HTC working on 3D tablets and smartphones, the sky's the limit.

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HTC Desire S now in stock at Three

The latest revamp of the winning HTC Android range can now be had direct via Three UK, with the network now taking orders for the brand new 3.7″ Android 2.3 phone.

On contracts, the cheapest “free” deal will give you the Desire S in return for a £30 per month tariff that comes with 1GB of mobile data, 500 calling minutes and 1000 text messages…

…or you can buy it outright on PAYG for £359.99. A price starting with a “3″ isn't bad for the very latest HTC phone, is it?

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HTC Arrive review

Though it was teased late last year -- on the same day that HTC announced its very first Windows Phone 7 devices, in fact -- the company's QWERTY-packing 7 Pro has taken its sweet time to make it to American airwaves; in the process, it's gone through a name change and picked up the first big platform update from Microsoft. The phone we now know as the Arrive is finally available from Sprint, becoming the first Windows Phone 7 device available on a CDMA network. These days, it's pretty unusual for an HTC handset -- or a handset on any American carrier, really, regardless of manufacturer -- to take this long to make it to subscribers' hands after announcement, but in this case, Sprint's hands were tied: Microsoft simply didn't support CDMA initially, which explains why both AT&T and T-Mobile have been enjoying a selection of models from Samsung, LG, Dell, and HTC alike while Sprint and Verizon have been patiently twiddling their thumbs.

The CDMA dry spell's over, though; the Arrive marks just the first of what should be several Redmond-powered phones over the course of 2011. Is it a fitting first effort? And how does it fare against the GSM models that beat it to market? Read on.

Hardware

The Arrive comes boxed in very standard, ordinary Sprint packaging -- nothing special here. Carriers generally seem to be saving the stand-out package designs for flagship models, which should give you an idea of how Sprint's viewing and positioning this model (had they been able to sell it five months ago alongside the first round of GSM devices, we suspect it could've been a different story). In the box you'll find a glossy black USB wall charger (the same one we've seen bundled with most recent HTCs), micro-USB cable, black stereo earbuds, and the usual bag of literature. Our review unit came with the battery already installed, but your mileage may vary.

Pulling the phone out for the first time is a refreshing experience, in a way, especially if you've handled any HTCs in the past year or so. Why? Well, in a word, it's... different. Sure, it shares many design elements with a variety of 2010 HTC models, but we get the vague sense that this one was designed by a team with a little bit of creative freedom. The most obvious example of that is the slide-tilt mechanism, which is totally unique in the company's hardware portfolio (more on it in a bit), despite the fact that it was likely designed and engineered around the same time as the Desire Z / G2 -- which has another utterly unique slide mechanism all its own. If anything, we suppose the Arrive's nearest design cousin might be the Surround, which makes sense -- we could imagine that HTC might be looking to visually differentiate its WP7 models from its Android ones.

Unlike some other QWERTY smartphones on the market, the Arrive feels solid whether it's closed or open. One complaint owners of the G2 have lodged is that the screen flops around a bit when the keyboard is stowed, but you won't have any of that here -- until you get to the end of the slide, the screen stays flat and tight in its track without any wiggle or slop (the G2's issues are partly due to the fact that you're working with a complex hinge mechanism -- there's actually no slide involved at all). The phone's heavy -- as QWERTY sliders tend to be -- but not annoyingly so; really, it's just heavy enough to unmistakably convey that all-important "substantial" feel.

The keyboard itself is really well-designed (and at this point, HTC's garnered enough experience with this form factor so that they don't have much excuse to put out a stinker). Compared to LG's Quantum -- the only other landscape QWERTY Windows Phone 7 slider currently offered in the US -- we definitely prefer the Arrive. Button size and clickiness ranges from "good" to "great" on both devices, but the Arrive takes the trophy for two big reasons: one, it lacks the Quantum's bizarre shift and function key placement; and two, it's a five-row setup (compared to the Quantum's four) with a dedicated numeric row. The keyboard's ventilated (though almost certainly non-functional) surround looks awesome, too -- it's a style we've really liked going all the way back to Verizon's Imagio.

Going back to the slide mechanism, it's very tight -- almost to the point of feeling like it could use a squirt of WD-40 -- and lacks any sort of spring loading to "pop" it open (which the Quantum has, by the way). When you extend the slide to the very end of its range, though, a spring-loaded swivel takes over, tilting the display about 30 degrees upwards -- perfect for typing, but perhaps a little shallow for watching videos. We're not complaining -- we wouldn't want it to tilt any further automatically -- but a second user-selectable detent might be nice. Interestingly, we found that you can reliably extend the slide just shy of the swivel point and leave it there because the slide's tight enough to keep the screen fixed in its position; this lets you use the keyboard with the screen flat like a traditional QWERTY slider. It's unclear if HTC intended to do this, but regardless, it works well.

The left edge of the phone features a thick, curved volume rocker that looks good and works well (a stark contrast to the dodgy one on HTC's Thunderbolt) -- it's easy to find without hunting or looking for it. Similarly, the position, shape, and tactile response of the power button on top (next to the 3.5mm headphone jack) are all near perfect. Around back, you've got a real brushed-metal battery cover -- a nice, premium touch -- but you might be stymied at first trying to get it open. Turns out the notch you can use for leverage in prying it off is only accessible when the screen is fully deployed and tilted, which causes a hinged bar along the right edge of the phone to swivel upwards (the notch is underneath). Of course, it's a little awkward to pry the cover off with the screen tilted like this, but you really shouldn't need to get in there too often; like most other Windows Phone 7 devices, the microSD card isn't user-accessible, and it's not a global phone so there's no SIM to worry about. In fact, the one and only thing in there is the 1500mAh battery.

Speaking of the battery, the Arrive seems to do a commendable job of holding up through a normal day. From 100 percent to the critical warning, we got 21 hours and 8 minutes of usage including a 40-minute voice call, two hours of I Love Katamari, and one hour of Slacker at full loudspeaker volume. Unlike some smartphones we've tested recently, we think we'd be comfortable leaving the house and working a long, hard day with the Arrive in our pocket and no access to a charger or a spare battery. For some road warriors, that alone could be a deciding factor.

One area while the Arrive falls short is the display: at 3.6 inches, it's a little cramped. It's not a problem, per se -- but when you put it alongside a Samsung Focus or an HTC HD7, the difference becomes noticeable. What bugged us more than the size, though, is the quality; in an age when IPS, SLCD, and Super AMOLED displays are dominating the mid- and high-end smartphone market, the Arrive's run-of-the-mill TFT LCD falls short. Contrast is noticeably worse than most 2011-spec handsets, and the colors immediately wash out when you tilt it to the side. It's on par with the Surround, HD7, and EVO 4G in this regard -- fine by last year's standards, not so fine this year, particularly considering that HTC's been using SLCD in almost everything lately from the Desire up through the Thunderbolt.

We had basically zero issues with the Arrive's sound quality, though we did have a rather unusual problem: it's pretty much the first phone we've ever used where there were situations we couldn't turn the earpiece volume low enough. We'd say it ranges from "normal" to "extremely loud" and bypasses "soft" altogether -- not a huge deal, but an interesting situation nonetheless. The loudspeaker -- located on the same metal bar around back as the camera lens -- performs admirably, though it does tend to muffle quite a bit when the phone is sat back-down on a surface because that metal bar is the furthest-protruding surface. Many phones make small design allowances for this -- either with a protrusion to get the speaker holes off the surface (as with the Galaxy S series) or by placing the holes along the edge or the front -- and we're actually a little surprised that HTC would've overlooked this in a business-oriented device where a quality speakerphone tends to be a higher priority. It's still totally usable, but it sounds a tad funny on occasion.

Camera

The camera on the HTC Arrive is disappointing. It exhibits a lot of the same flaws as its WP7 sibling, the HTC Surround: over-exposure and over-sharpening in bright scenes, random blurry spots that look like severe compression artifacts, plus lack of detail and excessive noise in low light. We know from using other phones like the Nexus One, G2, and myTouch 4G that HTC can produce a decent 5 megapixel shooter. Since it's unlikely HTC is using more than a couple different 5 megapixel camera modules across multiple devices, we think this is a software / firmware issue. The Arrive captures reasonably smooth HD video (720p), although the audio sounds a bit muffled. But what's really exciting about video recording is that it supports continuous autofocus (!), just like the Surround. The camera interface provides the same minimalistic experience we've come to enjoy with Windows Phone, along with the same limitations: the flash setting is reset to automatic and the video resolution is switched back to VGA each time the camera is restarted. Like all other WP7 devices, the Arrive features a dedicated two-stage camera key, something we'd like to see on all phones. Overall, the shooter on the Arrive feels half-baked, and we hope HTC / Microsoft can address imaging performance in a future update.
HTC Arrive camera samples


Software


There's not a lot to say about the software on the Arrive. And really, that's exactly how Microsoft wants it -- they've locked down the experience on Windows Phone 7 so comprehensively that you can seamlessly move between devices without skipping a beat. No skins, no garbage. There's something to be said for that.

There are, however, a couple notables worth mentioning. First up, Sprint includes a branded application, Sprint Zone, that's little more than a stylized RSS feed; clicking on news items and tips sends you out to the browser rather than keeping you inside the hub. The carrier's also got a curated list of recommended apps here that will send you straight to the Marketplace. The app's tile comes placed on the home screen by default, but like pretty much everything else in Windows Phone 7 -- thank you, Microsoft! -- it can be removed at the user's discretion. Secondly, as we've pointed out before, the Arrive is launching with Windows Phone 7's so-called NoDo update -- the platform's first with actual feature changes -- and that means that users now have access to copy and paste:


If you're coming from another platform, the way Microsoft has implemented the clipboard here isn't immediately intuitive, but you'll pick it up in no time. Long term, we think they'd be well advised to add some sort of mechanism for selecting individual characters -- the current system only works with entire words -- but it's a start.

Wrap-up

After having used the Arrive for a few days, we think you could make a convincing argument that it's the best Windows Phone 7 device currently available. Problem is, that's still not saying much when you look at what's currently out there. Really, the landscape really hasn't changed much at all since the platform's retail introduction last year -- and HTC's upcoming HD7S could steal that title back by correcting one of the original HD7's biggest shortcomings, the weak display (a problem that afflicts the Arrive, too). That said, we'd argue that Sprint certainly picked one of the best manufacturer / form factor combos to launch Windows Phone 7 on its network -- and with the updates Microsoft's got in the pipeline, this one could be a player for many months to come.

Additional reporting by Myriam Joire

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HTC Salsa Facebook Smartphone with Android Gingerbread

HTC Salsa is also smartphone with one touch facebook button features. This useful if you want share or update your facebook with just one click. HTC Salsa features with big 3.4 touch screen display with resolution 480×320 pixels and 600-megahertz Qualcomm processor. For memory, this smartphone equipped with 512 megabytes onboard memory and MicroSD expansion slot support up to 32 gigabytes. Like HTC ChaCha, this smartphone using OS android 2.3.

All features of the HTC Salsa smartphone is similar to the features found on HTC ChaCha. This phone will available in the market on second quarter of 2011 with price 389 €.

HTC Salsa Facebook Smartphone Specification

Size (HWD)	109.1mm (4.3″)  x 58.9mm (2.32″) x 12.3mm (0.48″)
Weight	120 grams with battery
Display	3.4-inch touch screen with 480 x 320 resolution
CPU	600-megahertz Qualcomm processor
Operating System	Android 2.3 gingerbread with HTC Sense
Memory	Internal phone storage: 512 MB RAM: 512 MB Expansion slot: microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
Connectors	3.5 mm stereo audio jack Standard micro-USB (5-pin micro-USB 2.0)
Battery Life time	Talk time: WCDMA: Up to 474 minutes GSM: Up to 540 minutes Standby time: WCDMA: Up to 530 hours GSM: Up to 445 hours
Battery	Battery type: Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1520 mAh
Network	HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Camera	5 megapixel color rear camera with auto focus and flash VGA front camera
Sensors	G-Sensor Digital compass Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor
Audio supported formats	Playback: aac,  amr,  ogg,  m4a,  mid,  mp3,  wav,  wma (Windows Media Audio 9) Recording: amr
Video supported formats	Playback: 3gp, 3g2, mp4, wmv (Windows Media Video 9), avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3) Recording: 3gp
Internet	3G: Up to 7.2 Mbps download speed Up to 384 kbps upload speed GPRS: Up to 114 kbps downloading EDGE: Up to 560 kbps downloading Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 3.0 with FTP/OPP for file transfer A2DP for wireless stereo headsets PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit

[electronic-gadgets.info]

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