htc

The Open Handset Alliance, which promotes the use of Google's Android mobile operating system, added 14 new members this week, including Vodafone, the world's largest mobile operator.

In addition to Vodafone, new members of the alliance are AKM Semiconductor, ARM, ASUSTek Computer, Atheros Communications, Borqs, Ericsson, Garmin International, Huawei Technologies, Omron Software, Softbank Mobile, Sony Ericsson, Teleca, and Toshiba.

Members in the alliance are expected to either "deploy compatible Android devices, contribute significant code to the Android Open Source Project, or support the ecosystem through products and services that will accelerate the availability of Android-based devices," … Read more

On Monday, HTC, the manufacturer of many of today's popular smartphones, announced its acquisition of San Francisco-based design firm One & Company Design, Inc (One & Co). A design company? Weird, right? Actually, not really.

If you've followed HTC over the years, you may have noticed its smartphones taking on a new look recently. The company has gone from the traditional Pocket PC-phone form factor of the HTC Mogul and the smaller but still bulky HTC SMT5800 to the sleeker HTC Touch Diamond and sexier HTC Touch Pro, and this is in large part due to One & … Read more

On Monday, T-Mobile set free the white version of the T-Mobile G1, joining the previously released black and bronze models. The white G1 will cost the same as the others at $179.99 with a two-year contract and is available online and in stores.

According to Silicon Alley Insider and DigiTimes, HTC, the manufacturer of the first Google Android smartphone, expects to ship 1 million G1s by the end of 2008, which is 67 percent more than its original estimate of 600,000. It's unclear how the sales break down in terms of region and demographics, but it's … Read more

Without much fanfare, the HTC Touch Pro popped up on the Verizon Wireless Web site on Monday, complete with specs and pricing. The Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone is available for purchase online and through telephone sales now and in stores on December 1 for a pricey $349.99 with a two-year contract and after a mail-in rebate.

Verizon's version of the Touch Pro costs about $50 more than the Sprint model and AT&T's HTC Fuze, but offers many of the same features including a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a 3.2-megapixel … Read more

Alltel customers need no longer envy their Sprint brethren--the HTC Touch Diamond is now available for Alltel customers as well. It's the same as the Sprint version, of course--you get Windows Mobile 6.1, EV-DO Rev. A, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a whole host of other goodies. The Touch Diamond for Alltel is available now for $249.99 after a two-year contract with Alltel.

With the HTC Touch Pro/HTC Fuze now at Sprint and AT&T, only two major carriers remain to get the Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone: Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile. For Verizon, that day might be November 24.

According to Engadget Mobile, the smartphone will be available for purchase via phone sales on November 24, while in-store availability will begin December 1. Verizon's Touch Pro is said to be priced at $349.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates and discounts, and though it's hard to tell from the blurry image, the feature set looks comparable … Read more

Ever since Sprint got its HTC Touch Pro in early November, the rest of the cell phone community (non-Sprint users) has been getting a little antsy to find out when they might be able to get their hands on the Windows Mobile smartphone. Well, for AT&T subscribers, that day is today.

On Tuesday, the carrier officially took the wraps off the HTC Fuze, which is now on sale for $299.99 with a two-year contract and after a mail-in rebate. The Windows Mobile 6.1 device has many of the same great features as its CDMA cousin, but … Read more

While Sprint customers are just pleased as punch now that they finally have their HTC Touch Pro, AT&T subscribers are wondering when they'll get the same privilege. Well, if the rumors are to believed, it could be as early as November 11.

The Boy Genius Report got its hands on some internal AT&T documents stating that the carrier's version of the Touch Pro, dubbed the AT&T HTC Fuze, would go on sale November 11 for $299.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate. BGR also posted some photos … Read more

I'm a month-to-month T-Mobile customer with a Nokia 6133 that is on its lest leg. I want to get a phone with a full Internet browser and I'm deciding between the iPhone and the T-Mobile G1. I'd also like access for my Yahoo mail, but I don't need my work e-mail. Which do you recommend? Also, I don't own an iPod or use iTunes (I usually use Amazon to purchase music), so I'm concerned about moving to an all-iTunes environment. - EJ

That's a a very good question, EJ, and the answer depends on your individual needs and desires. Though the iPhone is the better overall device (at least right now) a person in your situation should seriously consider the G1. Here is why.

I always tell people who are considering purchasing an iPhone 3G that there are three reasons to buy one. Forget the slick design and the flashy and user-friendly interface; I recommend buying the iPhone for its Web browser, its media player, and (to a somewhat lesser extent) its support for third-party applications. These three areas are where the iPhone performs very well, so I advise basing your decision on a comparison of those points. Sure, the design and interface are important, but I'd treat them and the e-mail integration as secondary motivators. And of course, I wouldn't base my decision on call quality alone, as the iPhone 3G still suffers in that area.

When boiled down to those three points, the G1 offers a compelling alternative to the iPhone. It also has a Web browser and media player and it supports third-party apps. While those apps are limited for now, more will come in the future. And as Bonnie Cha and Nicole Lee reported in their G1 review, the media player and browser offered satisfying performance. Sure, they may not be as good as on the iPhone, but they may be good enough for you. And here's another advantage for you: the G1's integration with the Amazon MP3 store means you wouldn't have to switch over to iTunes. And on a similar note, the G1 would enable you to stay with T-Mobile if you're happy with its service. … Read more