Windows Mobile Louisville

There’s good news for people in the United States who are eager to get their hands on the HTC Touch Pro: a version  this upcoming Windows Mobile smartphone has received FCC approval.

This device will have a great deal in common with the recently-released HTC Touch Diamond, but the Touch Pro will have more of a focus on business users.

The version that’s just been approved is for CDMA carriers, which is in-line with an earlier unconfirmed report that this device will be coming to Sprint. But there’s nothing in the FCC filing that specifies this carrier over the other CDMA-based carriers, like Verizon.

Today’s development doesn’t give any solid information on when the debut is going to happen. A wireless device can’t be released in the U.S. without FCC approval, but it can happen any time thereafter.  Sprint hasn’t said anything official about this model, but the earlier leak said this carrier will release the HTC Touch Pro in September.

A confidentiality request filed with the FCC paperwork asks that no internal details on this device be revealed to the public until October 19.  A version of this smartphone for GSM carriers is also expected to be available later this year.

An Overview of the HTC Touch Pro

• This Windows Mobile 6.1 device will have a 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen and TouchFLO 3D, HTC’s new alternate user interface that makes Windows Mobile devices easier to use with a fingertip.
• The GSM version will have support for HSPA, including HSDPA (7.2 Mbps) and HSUPA, while the CDMA one will support EV-DO. One or more of these will add Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on top of that.
• The Touch Pro will also include GPS, a microSD/SDHC card slot, and a 3.2 MP camera.

SOURCE: Brighthand

The official Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM update for Sprint’s Mogul and Touch has been leaked out early.  Yes, this is the official ROM that will soon be available on both HTC and Sprint’s sites.  I have installed the update for my Mogul and it went very smoothly.  I’m going to post details in the forum about the links, how it went and how I restored my data.

Read this post from back in April to refresh your memory on features of Windows Mobile 6.1.

Today I was reading through a special program book for the U.S. Open Championship which is taking place this weekend at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.  As I was flipping through the pages, something familiar caught my eye - an HTC device featured in a section called Easy Viewing.  I snapped a picture of the page so I could post it here quickly (not near a scanner at the moment). 

Here is the text of the article:

Handheld Devices at the Open
LOCATED ONLY on site at the championship, this year we will offer fans both a handheld TV device (WiseDV) as well as a handheld scoring device (myLeaderboard).  All you need to be is an American Express cardholder and one of the first to visit the U.S. Open Experience, to the right of the first hole on the South Course, to claim your handheld device for the day…

They’re either taking advantage of a wireless carrier’s data plan, or using WiFi throughout the course - I don’t know - but either way, it is very cool to see the USGA utilizing a Windows Mobile device to leverage technology for the event!

Verizon’s version of the HTC Touch (the XV6900) is coming out sooner than originally expected.  On April 16th, the device will be available online, and will hit brick-and-mortar stores by the end of the month.

The price seems a little steep (but aren’t a lot of things on Verizon?) - $349.99 with contract…  yowza!

The XV6900 is pearl white with chrome accents.  I guess they wanted to distinguish themselves from the Sprint version.  It has Windows Mobile 6, a 2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, 256MB of ROM, 128MB of RAM, Bluetooth, and HTC’s TouchFLO interface.

In partnership with Microsoft and key mobile operator partners, HTC will continue to extend the functionality of many current HTC devices both in the United States and abroad by providing Windows Mobile 6.1 updates. Windows Mobile 6.1, an update to Windows Mobile 6, provides new timesaving features, easier phone navigation and management, stronger security safeguards, and support for Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008. Some of HTC’s most popular smartphones including the Touch by HTC and Mogul by HTC from Sprint, AT&T Tilt, Alltel Wireless’ HTC Touch and PPC6800, and the HTC TyTN II, will be among the first of many devices available for a Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade.

Supporting existing customers and enhancing their experiences continues to be a focus for HTC; Sprint and HTC recently provided an update for the popular Mogul by HTC, making it the industry’s first EV-DO Rev. A-capable handset while also enabling additional GPS functionality.

“Windows Mobile enhances people’s lives by providing them with an experience that keeps them close to what’s important to them — anywhere, anytime,” said John O’Rourke, general manager of the Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. “HTC has a history of providing a great selection of popular Windows Mobile phones, and we are pleased to bring the latest in software to a range of its products around the world.”

It looks like HTC is finally admitting, and addressing, the poor video drivers in devices such as the Tilt, the Touch and the Mogul.  They say that the video acceleration will be supported in the future, and will be included in software upgrades for current devices.  Could this be the reason for the delay of the updated ROM for the Mogul?!

No timeframe has been given for this supposed update.  Here is a quote from HTC: (more…)