Tech News Updates

We’re approaching the end of an era — the legacy of Windows Mobile handsets getting spotted running some open sourced OS or another shortly after their release. With Windows Phone 7 on the horizon the HD2 will surely be one of the last, but you can extend that grand tradition just a bit longer by installing your choice of Ubuntu Karmic Koala or Android 2.1. Those builds we reported on earlier have been made available for general consumption and, while installing them certainly doesn’t seem to be entirely risk free, neither of them touch the phone’s internal flash, so you’re never more than a reset away from the comforts of WinMo. If you’re feeling adventurous this weekend, both downloads are on the other end of the source link below. HTC HD2 Android and Ubuntu builds now available for mass consumption originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

The great thing about the HD2 is that it remains one of the most gorgeous pieces of smartphone hardware ever released — but as long as it’s saddled with the dead OS walking known as Windows Mobile 6.5 , its stature in the power user community is perpetually stuck in first gear, no matter how pretty HTC has managed to make it. To that end, some of those very same power users have been working tirelessly to salvage the beast and shoehorn Android on there, but they’ve been tripped up by some errors involving the phone’s Snapdragon core and the so-called HaRET tool used to boot Linux from Windows CE-based devices that have made a proper port seem all but impossible. Those hurdles have been overcome in the past couple days, though, which means a marginally consumer-friendly Android build might finally be within reach — and considering that there’s no proper EVO 4G equivalent from HTC in Europe yet, this project could have an awful lot of value. [Thanks, Aaron H.] Android port for HTC HD2 overcomes big hurdle, finally getting close originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

In news apt to surprise absolutely no one, HTC CEO Peter Chou told Forbes this week that his company would make a Windows Phone 7 Series handset by the end of the year. For the sake of argument, we suppose there are a couple reasons he wouldn’t want to. Historically, HTC has pledged loyalty to Microsoft time and again, even making the premium HD2 a Windows Mobile exclusive , but conspiracy theorists might suggest Microsoft returned the favor by denying the HD2 entry to Windows Phone 7 Series. Also, HTC has been rocking the bejeezus out of Android as of late — the news that the company’s planning a WP7S phone comes alongside HTC’s claim that the Nexus One was a success. Regardless, we never questioned if HTC would build a WP7S handset, only when; there’s no way they’re going to let a lucrative new smartphone market get mopped up by the likes of Samsung and LG . Shocker: HTC plans Windows Phone 7 Series device by year’s end originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 06:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

We’ve been rumoring a WiMAX ” HTC Supersonic ” for a while now, and Sprint just dropped the hard news: the phone will be dubbed the HTC EVO 4G, will be released this Summer and it’s easily the best specced phone we’ve ever witnessed. The hardware is of quite obvious HD2 descent, but with Android onboard and some nice aesthetic tweaks, the EVO 4G takes on a life of its own. The handset is centered around a 480 x 800 4.3-inch TFT LCD, with a Snapdragon QSD8650 1GHz processor under the hood (the CDMA version of the QSD8250 in the HD2 and Nexus One), and even a helpful 1GB of built-in memory and 512MB of RAM — hello app storage! Even the battery is bigger than the HD2, and the camera is an 8 megapixel monstrosity with flash, that’s capable of 720p video, and is augmented by a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for good measure. The phone features HDMI out (though you’ll need an adapter for turning it into a TV-familiar HDMI plug), 802.11b/g WiFi, and an 8GB microSD card. There’s that still-rare Android 2.1 underneath an updated version of HTC’s Sense UI. But… despite all these wild features, what actually sets the EVO 4G apart is the fact that it’s Sprint’s first 4G phone. The handset runs a combo of EV-DO Rev. A and WiMAX, with calls still being made over CDMA and the EV-DO / WiMAX options for data. Interestingly, it sounds like concurrent data and voice use might be possible for the first time on CDMA carrier in this way (killing AT&T’s well-advertised differentiator), though Sprint says that’s still in the testing phase. One other new feature is the Sprint hotspot app, another MiFi-style connection sharing number, which is obviously aided greatly by the WiMAX on board and can support up to eight concurrent users. Follow after the break for our hands-on impressions and videos of the phone in action, including an up-close-and-personal test of the touchscreen keyboard. Below you’ll find galleries of the phone by its lonesome and up against the Nexus One and iPhone 3G. Gallery: HTC EVO 4G press shots Gallery: HTC EVO 4G hands-on Gallery: HTC EVO 4G vs. iPhone vs. Nexus One Continue reading HTC EVO 4G is Sprint’s Android-powered knight in superphone armor, we go hands-on HTC EVO 4G is Sprint’s Android-powered knight in superphone armor, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

We’ve heard it all before , but it’s always nice to get a modicum of legitimacy from a primary source. T-Mobile has now officially announced the release details for the HTC HD2 — you know, that phone whose cool factor has dropped a few Mega Fonzies since we confirmed once and for all it wasn’t getting a Windows Phone 7 upgrade . Look for it next Wednesday, March 24th, for just a penny under $200 on a two-year contract (and $450 without). Hey, at least this one’s definitely got copy and paste , right? T-Mobile goes official with HTC HD2 launch details: March 24th for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Well, we’d already had a pretty clear indication that the HTC HD2 would be launching on T-Mobile on March 24th (or possibly the 23rd), and Laptop Magazine is now reporting that a ” very close T-Mobile source” has confirmed that the 24th is indeed the date, and that the phone will run $199 on a two-year contract (or $449 off-contract). The March 23rd date that recently cropped up is apparently just the day the MobiTV software will go live. Just as notably, Laptop also says that it has confirmed that the phone won’t be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7 Series — although, at this point, we’ll have to hear that first-hand to truly put an end to the speculation. Thankfully, that should happen in just a few days . HTC HD2 said to be launching March 24th for $199, no Windows Phone 7 support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like the wait for OnLive is finally coming to an end: the service is now officially slated to launch on June 17 in the 48 contiguous states. The game streaming service will run users $14.95 a month, though buying or renting games is an additional cost (it’s unclear exactly what that cost might be). Luckily there will be lower prices available for multi-month buys, and the first 25,000 people to sign up will get their first three months free. Service includes free instant-play demos, multiplayer and an “instant video-based social network,” whatever that means. At the outset the service will run on Mac and PC as a browser plugin, but the MicroConsole TV adapter will be released later this year, with other devices to be added “over time.” Initially the service will run at 720p, but 1080p / 60 fps will be added once the bandwidth becomes available. Out of the gate there will be somewhere between 12 and 25 titles available, including Mass Effect 2 , Borderlands , Assassin’s Creed II , Dragon Age Origins , and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands . There are five different data centers set up to serve up the games, strategically placed to reduce lag… let’s hope they work ! OnLive Game Service to launch on June 17 in the US for $15 a month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

The fate of the mighty HTC HD2 seems to be getting murkier by the minute: Microsoft UK VP Alex Reeve said last week that an upgrade to Windows Phone 7 Series might be left up to hardware partners , but now Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft’s Asia Pacific Mobile Communications Business says the 1GHz handset “doesn’t qualify because it doesn’t have the three buttons” required by WP7. Making matters even less clear, we asked Microsoft’s Director of Consumer Experiences Aaron Woodman about the HD2 directly on The Engadget Show , and he said he wasn’t “going to tell” us about the device’s upgradability, and that WP7’s final required specs would be revealed at MIX ‘10. We’ll be honest: we’re taking all this confusion to mean that Microsoft hasn’t quite figured out how to say the HD2 is at a dead end just before it launches on T-Mobile US , but hey — maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised at MIX. Microsoft sending mixed signals on Windows Phone 7 Series upgrades, HTC HD2 still in limbo originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

During Deutsche Telekom’s press conference this morning at MWC, Cole Brodman — T-Mobile USA’s CTO — went on record with the news that it’ll be launching its first 21Mbps HSPA+ USB modem next month across the country, the webConnect Rocket. Of course, there isn’t a lot of live 21Mbps footprint in T-Mobile’s network right now — in fact, only Philly is fully operational — but there should be plenty more cities from coast to coast where you can enjoy DSL-shaming wireless speeds later this year . That might not be the most exciting news, though: Brodman also finally fessed up to the HD2 (unbranded version pictured above), which will be exclusive to T-Mobile in the US. It’s arguably pretty bad timing in light of the Windows Phone 7 Series announcement yesterday, but a huge win nonetheless — the phone is a legitimate beast. Like the webConnect Rocket, it’ll be hitting in March, though exact dates and prices for either have yet to be revealed. Update: T-Mobile had previously hinted that there’s be some surprised in store for the US release of the HD2, and indeed, there are; it’s got Blockbuster On Demand integrated for downloading movies directly to the device, a Barnes & Noble eReader app for enjoying the Nook’s digital library right on the phone, and — for some reason we don’t fully appreciate — Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen bundled on the included microSD. Full PR after the break. Continue reading T-Mobile launching 21Mbps webConnect Rocket, HTC HD2 next month T-Mobile launching 21Mbps webConnect Rocket, HTC HD2 next month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

From a pure specification standpoint, it’s hard to knock HTC’s HD2 . Scratch that — it’s impossible to knock the HD2. A 1GHz Snapdragon CPU is just the tip of the iceberg, with the icing on the cake being the 800 x 480 resolution display, 5 megapixel camera, GPS and a downright stunning overall design. Unfortunately, phones are made or broken by the software that’s loaded on, and Windows Mobile 6.5 isn’t exactly the most nimble mobile OS on the market right now. That said, we’re confident that more than a few of you have unloaded your savings accounts in order to posses one of the sexiest cellular telephones this world has ever seen, and now that the deed is done, we’re eager to hear your opinions on how the phone really stacks up. Are you happy with the performance? Did you expect it to be snappier given the monstrous CPU? Would you have held out for WinMo 7 if Sir Patience would’ve allowed you? No need to go easy on anything — tell it like it is in comments below. How would you change HTC’s HD2? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink