It's been a long time coming, and it looks like HTC's finally gearing up to drop another portrait QWERTY device -- a dominant smartphone form factor that HTC has historically given surprisingly little love. Following the
Excalibur (T-Mobile types know this one better as the
Dash) and the 3G-capable
Cavalier,
CNET's Deutschland outpost has learned a bit about
"Maple," and what the device lacks in beauty, it looks to make up in pure, raw, unadulterated productivity. You can't rightfully anoint it until you get your hands on it, but from a distance, this thing looks like it has one of the more usable portrait keyboards ever created, a trackball, and a cool new feature HTC is called "Inner Circle," which seems to aggregate communication with people you care about depending on the time of day and day of week. HTC had really been keen on what it's calling "people-centric communication" at
MWC, so Inner Circle would certainly fall right into that -- and if you can get over the frumpy exterior, this sucker looks like a solid WinMo-based choice for the suits out there. No word on a release just yet.
[Thanks, Phil]
posted Mar 2nd 2009 1:46PM
As a previous Dash user (now using a Nokia E71) I really like the design refinements of this phone. My old Dash felt good in the hand and was fairly easy to type on. Navigation with a roller ball sounds promising...
Who you callin' "frumpy"? I think the design looks great! Clean and attractive, definitely; in fact, I wouldn't disagree with someone who called it "sexy".
Device looks really clean and very functional.
T-Mobile needs a solid WinMo 3G device. I'd buy it if they launched it.
Heck if this thing has 3G and HotSpot/UMA calling, they'd have a winner!
T-Mobile, please get this. And please don't make the price higher than $149.99.
For one handed op, WM6.1 Standard is hard to beat. Glad to see a new phone with it still. This guy is like a cross between the Samsung Epix and Mot Q9h. Only complaint: screen should have used all the space to the edges like EPIX. 320x320.
Reminds me of the Android reference design that never made it to production.
I agree http://www.engadget.com/media/2008/04/4-22-08android_tmobg.jpg
Did anyone notice what looks like & HTC Touch HD 2 one the left of this picture ?
http://www.cnet.de/digital-lifestyle/galerie/41000527/page/9/mwc+htc+stellt+business_handy+maple+vor.htm#g
O_o
is that a blackberry trackball?
it looks like a blackberry. like a second cousin to the 8330 or something. i like the trackball its the one from the G1