Hasta La Gadget!

Attention, Orange and the random supplier who’s manufacturing these ripoffs: the world has moved on from the original HTC Touch’s design language. Hell, we’ve actually moved on twice now; once to the Touch Diamond, and once to the Touch Diamond2. On that note, we’re not sure what’s possessing a Western European carrier to release a cheesy rip of a such a well-known late model phone — whose manufacturer Orange has a great relationship with, no less — other than the fact that they’re looking to give entry-level customers a really inexpensive way to get into the touchscreen game. Indeed, the prepaid device will apparently run just £48.50 (about $71) when it launches, but in return, you’re only getting a 1.3 megapixel camera, presumably EDGE data, and the mocking of everyone you’ve ever known — including your own mother, who we understand uses an actual HTC Touch.

[Via mobile-review]

Update: If T-Mobile UK is more your style, turns out they’re offering the very same device as the Vairy Touch. Thanks, everyone!

Filed under: Cellphones

Keepin’ it real fake, part CCI: dirty Vegas plays Orange UK originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We don’t know why T-Mobile isn’t trumpeting this, but Deutsche Telekom’s Q1 results are out, and the multinational carrier says that over one million G1s have been sold in the US, making up a majority of the 1.5 million 3G devices currently active on T-Mo’s network. That’s quite an accomplishment in just six months, considering the Android handset launched without nationwide 3G coverage — it’s better now, but we’re talking just 21 cities back in October. Of course, a million’s just a drop in the bucked compared to the number of Blackberrys, iPhones, and Windows Mobile devices out there, but we’ve got enough of a soft spot for Android to overlook it — now let’s get some more devices out the door and really boost that marketshare number, shall we?

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Cellphones

T-Mobile sells a million G1s in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While the jury’s still out on its US name or release date, the HTC Magic is gearing up for its European debut by way of Vodafone. The pre-order page is now live with an irresistible price of zilch, provided you agree to a monthly plan of £30 or more. The company says it plans to ship out the Cupcake-powered phone by May 5th.

[Via Phandroid; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Magic up for pre-order from Vodafone: due out May 5th, free with monthly plan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, here’s one rumor that’s looking destined to pan out: the S522, which we’d heard was being readied for availability on T-Mobile, just hit the FCC as the MAPL100 (that’s “Maple” for short, the device’s codename) bearing 3G on the AWS band. That would make it fully compatible with T-Mobile’s HSPA network — but what we still don’t know is whether the device’s new Inner Circle service will be stripped from the retail unit like we’ve been hearing. Either way, this is interesting in light of the fact that HTC has said an unbranded S522 would be made available in the States this summer, so it looks like T-Mob won’t have much — if any — North American exclusivity on this one.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

T-Mobile-bound HTC S522 throws open FCC’s oaken double doors, flexes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know from countless encounters with our dear, dear friends at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group that their certifications aren’t as… shall we say, “detailed” as their counterparts at the FCC; frequently, we don’t even bother with them because there’s simply nothing there to talk about. Android phones are still pretty difficult to come by, though, so whenever we see the platform mentioned in a certification of any kind, we’re bound to sit up and take notice — particularly when said certification comes via HTC. Tipster Jeff came across a filing for an HTC “Fiesta” in the SIG this time around, descriptively noted as “an Android phone” that’ll be available in Asia, Europe, and North America. Other than that, we can count on it having Bluetooth (would be funny if it didn’t, wouldn’t it?), but that’s about it; the G1 / Dream was the Kila, the Magic was the Sapphire, so what’s this gonna be?

[Thanks, Jeff]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

HTC Fiesta is “an Android phone,” so says Bluetooth SIG originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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