HTC Delivers Premium Windows Phone 7 Device
|Engadget today popped another exclusive for us. HTC has a premium device which at first glance appears to be nothing more than a nice looking black slab. Clearly we are wrong. HTC has introduced a seldom used but cool feature of having a slide out speaker plus added a kickstand on the back. The second image is of the HTC Evo 4G which is the most recent highly visible example of a kickstand in action. Another example is the HTC Imagio. Please allow me to suggest what this means and why you should care.
Unobstructed front facing speaker + Kickstand = Multimedia Experienced Right!
Below are several scenarios this works out great:
- Gaming- you now get the opportunity to hear the sound effects unmuffled by your hands.
- Watching a video at your desk or on any table you can just pop out the kickstand and enjoy whatever video you’re watching without cranking your head down. It will be sure to impressed casual onlookers. My Touch Pro 2 tilt screen does every time.
- Using the kickstand and slide-out speaker to do a speakerphone call. Sound should be very much improved over handsets that have the speaker on the sides or the back of the phone.
People frowned upon HTC’s first leaked the device which clearly is meant to target the medium price point and broad market and thought HTC just didn’t care and was half-arsing its way with Windows Phone 7. This leak shows us that they do care and that if given the chance will actually really impress with a multimedia and business device.
Nice HTC, nice!
Source: Engadget
Note: The 2nd picture is of the HTC EVO’s kickstand. Used solely as a representation of the kickstand feature.
@stefymarty:
why? because most of them are iPhone fans. They’d bash anything not made by Apple. On the other hand, I’d bash anything made by apple.
@sm0k3ydaband1t: I also plan on using my phone as a speakerphone and as I provide counseling to people at all times of the day I often get called while in the middle of doing something else. The speakers and kickstand will be a huge help.
I also putting all my iPhone carrier friends to shame by laughing at how they have to hold their phone for everything. Lame!
I was going to go with the Cetus or Schubert but now this is the one i’ll be getting.
sign me up!!!! I’ve found my new love interest!!!!
alot of posters on engadget were bashing the slide out speaker, but i think it is awesome! perfect for music in the shower, around a campfire etc.
@stefymarty please tell me your not one of those people that brings the phone in the bathroom when they shower and then wonders why thier phone has water damage… on another note, this phone looks amazing, and the slide out speaker is so awesome, for someone who actually plans to use the phone for multimedia, or even as a decent speakerphone, this is awesome, engadget can bash it all they want, i want one!
@sm0k3ydaband1t -. i don’t own an MP3 player so i definitely bring the phone in the bathroom while i shower, but i have never had water damage. I really hope this baby comes out soon though, and is everything we hope it to be and then some.
What’s up with the picture of the Evo next to it though? lol. That could be a little misleading… 🙂
@Skyau:
“Now if HTC could convince Microsoft to accept the radio signal from the Xbox 360 controllers for gaming…”
Fixed.
Microsoft is very secretive with their wireless technology, and rarely let 3rd parties use it.
Could be nice.
I still think I want the lightning. I heard the idea of a slide down keyboard/slide up speaker combo, and thought that might be cool.
But as it stands, Dell still has the strongest showing.
I already have hundreds of television shows I bought on Xbox Live so this is a step in the right direction for me.
Now if Microsoft could convince HTC to accept the radio signal from the Xbox 360 controllers for gaming…
I find it ironic I’ll be able to use a PS3 controller via bluetooth on the device to play Xbox 360 arcade games. 😮
@Max: I was not aware of that.
Hmm. All these lockdowns are really putting a damper on my portable gaming dreams. After thinking about it there’s nothing to say the PS3 controller would work either.
Pokey-swipey games with a touchscreen are not for me. I’ll be watching to see what manufacturer (if any *sadface* ) can appreciate my minority.
@Skyau: Forgot a significant point;
If Games for Windows – Live can be an indication of what microsoft is thinking then there may be hope yet. One of the best ideas was for Live games on the PC to utilize the Xbox 360 controller without any setup or frustration. Plug it in and everything is set up just like on the 360 console. I think they would be missing a big opportunity not to incorporate that into at least one handset, especially if they’re trying to bring gaming to phones.
I still have my eye on that Sony android phone though… just in case.
So, this isn’t the shubert/mozart?