HTC Says "Bring It" to Apple With Their Touch Dual

Apple may have sold a million iPhones in 3 months, but HTC sold 800,000 of its competing Touch devices during the same timeframe in Europe and Asia. The Touch runs the Windows Mobile OS, but unlike prior WM devices, it uses a unique Touch-Flo user interface that has some similarities to the iPhones interface. Now a few months after the introduction of the Touch, HTC is announcing an upgraded model, the Touch Dual... which ironically is happening at the same time that Apple has sparked off two big public relations issues with the iPhone. First Apple cut the iPhone's price significantly, and now they are intentionally bricking phones that loaded unauthorized software during their first software update. These have put a little dent in the armor of the media's PDAPhone sweetheart.

HTC has announced four new devices for their 4Q 2007 lineup... the Touch Dual, Shift, S730, and P6500. The HTC Touch Dual is building on the success of the Touch, by adding high speed 3G/HSDPA connectivity and a slide out keypad into a thin and narrow device. The Touch Dual runs on Windows Mobile 6 Professional and has similar hardware specs to the Touch.

In addition to the Touch Dual, HTC also announced the following devices:

• HTC Shift — the HTC Shift ushers in a new era in mobile computing as one of the first mobile computers globally to offer Microsoft Windows Vista and push email. Combining the power of Windows Vista with always-connected 3G/HSDPA connectivity, the HTC Shift delivers unparalleled functionality in a sleek, compact design. The HTC Shift is the first device to feature HTC's innovative new SnapVUE™ technology. SnapVUE provides instant access to emails, calendar, SMS messages and contacts, without the need to fully boot up the device which helps conserve power and extend battery life. Weighing just 800g and equipped with a 7" touch sensitive 'slide-n-tilt' screen, the HTC Shift is the new way to work effectively on the move.

• HTC S730 — An enhanced version of the successful HTC S710 handset that launched earlier this year, the HTC S730 adds 3G/HSDPA and a 400MHz Processor for those consumers and business professionals who want high speed connectivity. It's is a stylish and compact phone which features an auto-sliding QWERTY keyboard making it an ideal choice for the mobile professional who needs easy access to email, messaging and the internet while out of the office. The HTC S730 comes equipped with Windows Mobile 6 and 256MB Flash memory wrapped in a sleek gun-metal grey casing.

• HTC P6500 — Designed for the enterprise market, the HTC P6500 is ideal for use in a range of vertical sectors, from logistics companies to hospitals and police forces. Incorporating a 3.5" screen, 3 mega pixel camera with auto focus and barcode and fingerprint scanning capabilities, it offers the ideal features to be overlaid with programmes tailored to meet the specific needs of each enterprise. The HTC P6500 is equipped with 256MB internal memory with the option to add up to 1GB in addition to two external SD card slots. This powerful specification set is supported by 3G/HSDPA connectivity as well as a GPS ensuring that the P6500 is a fully future-proofed and versatile mobile platform.