Log in

View Full Version : Business Week on HTC: The Hottest Tech Outfit You Never Heard Of


Kris Kumar
04-15-2006, 06:10 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/apr2006/gb20060413_802732.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/apr2006/gb20060413_802732.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Bill Gates has a secret weapon -- a little-known Taiwanese company with the bland name of High Tech Computer Corp. Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) has long wanted to extend Windows territory to include smartphones, those souped-up handsets that can duplicate many of a desktop's functions. But Microsoft needs partners to make the gadgets, and a key one is HTC. Microsoft collects a royalty on every Windows-operated smartphone and PDA phone HTC sells to cellular operators like Cingular, T-Mobile, and Vodafone, who in turn slap their own brands on its devices. The collaboration between Microsoft and HTC is intense. "There's shared DNA across both companies,'' says Scott Horn, general manager of Microsoft's Mobile &amp; Embedded Div."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/businessweek.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />This article provides a very good insight into how the company operates, its relationship with Microsoft and its boss Peter Chou's passion for quality. Did you know that the HTC Star Trek design that has now hit the streets is the fourth generation design? 8O What I find impressive is that HTC is able to produce Smartphones at a rapid pace, have a new model out almost every six months to a year, when other Smartphone manufacturers are struggling. Way to go HTC!

Jerry Raia
04-16-2006, 01:34 AM
Aside from a few small things. I really like both my HTC devices.

Mike Temporale
04-16-2006, 01:55 AM
Did anyone else notice this line:

In January, Cingular Wireless announced plans to offer a version of the Star Trek phone.

I didn't realize that Cingular will be selling a version of this. That's an interesting development. :D

As for HTC and quality, I think we all know that things are not as this article makes it sound. How many people have had dust issues? These have been around since the start. While they might be keen on getting the design right, there is still a lot of work to do under the hood.

Jerry Raia
04-16-2006, 02:51 AM
It would be nice to have a clamshell Smartphone again. :)

Rocco Augusto
04-16-2006, 04:11 AM
It would be nice to have a clamshell Smartphone again. :)

if you wanted one REALLY bad im sure you can ask our good friends at Motorola to hook you up with an MPx220 ;) :lol:

on a side note i think i figured out how it got the model number 220... thats how many times it has to go back to XBM before you get a good one :)

Jerry Raia
04-16-2006, 05:02 AM
if you wanted one REALLY bad im sure you can ask our good friends at Motorola to hook you up with an MPx220 ;) :lol:


Already been through 3 of them....I'll pass. :lol:

rdecker
04-16-2006, 05:20 AM
if you wanted one REALLY bad im sure you can ask our good friends at Motorola to hook you up with an MPx220 ;) :lol:

Already been through 3 of them....I'll pass. :lol:
Didn't HTC make the 220 also??

Mike Temporale
04-16-2006, 12:32 PM
Didn't HTC make the 220 also??

No, it was either Compal or Chei Mei. Can't recall which one. Right after that disaster, Moto canceled all future developments with them and decided to do it all in house.

Kris Kumar
04-16-2006, 12:35 PM
Did anyone else notice this line:

In January, Cingular Wireless announced plans to offer a version of the Star Trek phone.

Did notice that. Wish they had mentioned when. In January weren't their some leaks regarding Cingular's Smartphone/Pocket PC launch plans. Will have to dig that up.

As for HTC and quality, I think we all know that things are not as this article makes it sound. How many people have had dust issues? These have been around since the start. While they might be keen on getting the design right, there is still a lot of work to do under the hood.

Forgot about the dust probem. I guess I have had two HTC Smartphones and none of them have had dust problems. So forgot about it.

Kris Kumar
04-16-2006, 12:38 PM
Didn't HTC make the 220 also??

No, it was either Compal or Chei Mei. Can't recall which one. Right after that disaster, Moto canceled all future developments with them and decided to do it all in house.

It is Chei Mei. I used to think it was Compal. But someone recently corrected me.

Mike Temporale
04-16-2006, 12:40 PM
Forgot about the dust probem. I guess I have had two HTC Smartphones and none of them have had dust problems. So forgot about it.

I have never had serious dust problems - except for my iPAQ 3650, but that was a long time ago. My Smartphones have had a little dust, but nothing major. I think we're lucky. There have been a lot of reports about dust in devices for a while. I hope the StarTrek will have a nicely sealed screen. And it looks like they have done that. There are no openings on the top of the device. The only opening is the single connector on the bottom. Hopefully that will make for a dust free expereince. :?

rdecker
04-16-2006, 02:51 PM
Didn't HTC make the 220 also??

No, it was either Compal or Chei Mei. Can't recall which one. Right after that disaster, Moto canceled all future developments with them and decided to do it all in house.

It is Chei Mei. I used to think it was Compal. But someone recently corrected me.

AH ..OK....I still have my 220; I never really had all the problems. I used non-standard firmware and - except for the dust problem - it works well. I will probably keep it until Cingular puts out a smart phone that works on their 3G system.

Kris Kumar
04-16-2006, 03:03 PM
The problem with the MPx220 is the first impression. The speaker volume, coupled with all the software issues, especially Bluetooth connectivity problems. All of that the launch time. I exchanged my phone twice or thrice in the span of 2-3 months. The customer support was really bad. No one knew anything. The patch came out late.

All this from a big name company that was putting out its second (not the first) Smartphone. Not to forget the number of other phones they have put out.

rdecker
04-16-2006, 04:58 PM
Understand. I was a 'late adopter' of the MPx 220; I bought the audio vox 5600 first and went through that pain for about 8 months before I got rid of it.

Kris Kumar
04-17-2006, 02:16 AM
I finally got my copy of BW in mail. This HTC article takes up two pages with a nice quarter page photo of the HTC's boss. I think it is a pretty impressive feat for a company to get featured exclusively and in a positive manner in the Business Week.

gambit
04-17-2006, 11:09 PM
i want to be a 'software magician'.

owwwh. one day....


riki