Toshiba TG01 with 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen: a world's first Snapdragon

Finally, an honest to goodness Qualcomm Snapdragon device is about to land in the form of the Toshiba TG01. The 9.9-mm thin handset will feature a 4.1-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) touchscreen display, HSDPA data, GPS, WiFi, a microSD slot, and custom Tosh 3D GUI to hide the Windows Mobile 6.1 uglies within. Most notable is that 1GHz Snapdragon chip that Toshiba claims makes the TG01 considerably faster than any device currently on the market with the promise to "revolutionize the mobile entertainment world." Perhaps that's where the DivX support comes in? We'll see when the TG01 is unveiled at Mobile World Congress in less than two weeks followed by an expected summery launch. One more picture after the break.

Update: Oh man, the hands-on photo galleries from the London launch are coming up over at Pocket-Lint and Electricpig, the latter with head-to-head pics of the TG01 against the 12.3-mm iPhone 3G chubster and BlackBerry Bold. She's definitely a slim-lined beauty but we have our doubts about that stripey UI. Hey Tosh, where's the Android OS we saw running on Snapdragon at CES?

[Via Pocket-Lint and Stuff.TV]

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2009 9:14AM]

I have the feeling that the same day that this thing will be available you'll find my tiouch HD and MY Omnia on Craigslist

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2009 9:46AM]

I like it!
9.9mm?
Now that's awesome! (But then again, it's pretty easy to slim down a battery if you make it wider and longer...)
Though the size is a bit worrying...
I've just seen the comparisons with the iPhone and I'm not sure weither it's such a good idea to make it that big.
Sure I like big screens and all, but if the device get's this big because of it, I think I can handle a little less...
(But maybe I just have to see it in real life, I mean, I thought the iPhone was overkill aswell at first)

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2009 10:46AM]

There's a hands-on video of the Toshiba TG01 at Mobile Computer: http://www.mobilecomputermag.co.uk/200902031272/hands-on-with-the-toshiba-tg01-windows-mobile-smartphone.html

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2009 11:39AM]

I'm all for thin phones, but where will we draw the line? For my personal use, 9.9-mm is just too thin for a phone.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 4th 2009 11:07AM]

Phone looks amazing, finally a big screen for Windows phones. I just hope Verizon will carry
the phone. It slim factor is not a selling point for me I rather have the sliding qwerty key-board

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 4th 2009 10:10PM]

Owning a HTC Diamond myself, I can tell you that the slim factor makes a huge difference, even if it's only millimetres. Sure the Diamond is quite small to start with, but a I had a device of similar size but around 6 mm thicker before-hand and the "in-pocket" experience is completely different. Honestly, there are times I need to physically check my pocket to make sure the Diamond is still in there because it's just so thin.

Take a few millimetres off and I think the effect will be even more impressive, even though the size (height & width) of the TG01 is much greater, I'm sure you'll be checking your pockets too... provided it's not too heavy.

As for a QWERTY keyboard - get with the program man. QWERTY = fat all the time. Big screen = QWERTY when you want it, thin & light all the time. The only reason research on previous generation smartphones shows that QWERTY was popular is that screen size & resolution was so rubbish, the keyboard was cramped and tiny so you couldn't see what you were pressing and one finger took up four virtual keys, or you couldn't see what you had just typed because the virtual keyboard was in the way. I think the sums are simple - iPhone has sold more units than you can poke a stick at. Take that form-factor, give it a flexible OS (i.e. Android or WM), and I reckon you've got yourself a winner.

Well done Toshiba. Let's just hope your release model does better than WM 6.1... and you give the GUI colour-scheme a good overhaul (I mean, test-screen colours??? Yeesh...).

[Mattg Posted Feb 9th 2009 12:45AM]

Hmm, I'm not so sure it's a phone that ad is supporting.
'Easy one-handed touch operation'
'Smooth transition between applications'
'Customizable with quick access to favorites'
All with a 3D 'touch' UI...
Looks like someone's going to snap their dragon, amirite?