Log in

View Full Version : A Q&A Interview with HTC on the HTC Str Trk


Jason Dunn
08-18-2006, 05:15 PM
After <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,11375">getting my hands on an early HTC Str Trk Smartphone</a>, I was impressed, but left wondering about certain decisions made regarding the phone. Jeremy Setliff, Product Specialist, HTC Americas, was kind enough to answer my questions below.<br /><br /><i><b>SPT:</b> The design of the HTC Str Trk is impressive - it's the first Windows Mobile phone I've seen that I feel is comparable to the best designs that companies such as Motorola and Samsung have to offer. What were the design goals with the HTC Str Trk? What kind of thinking went into the size, the shape, and the materials used?</i><br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> The biggest goal for the SK—which is it’s official HTC product name--- was to make it as thin as possible without losing any of the computing power of our previous smart phone models. Besides thinness, we wanted to really create a ‘sexy’ device that would fit in at a gallery opening as it would a board room, to show that smart devices need not sacrifice form for function. We’ve really got to tip our hat to the engineers working on this as the fact that they’ve been able to jam pack such power into such a thin form factor—technologically this was a pretty big leap. Material and color can always change so that took a backseat to the actual form factor design.<!><br /><br /><b>SPT:</b> The new connector that the HTC Str Trk uses, the "flat" USB connector - what is the proper name for it? Why was it used on the Str Trk instead of the industry-standard miniUSB connector, and will we see future HTC device using it instead of miniUSB?<br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> It was a decision made by the restraints of creating to fit this form factor. The new connector type was designed to help keep the device thin. This connector may be used on future HTC products if we are trying to achieve the same thinness or are restricted by space.<br /><br /><i><b>SPT:</b> Is that connector something that HTC invented, and if so, is it an open standard or one that third-parties will have to pay royalties on? For instance, if a company such as Pocket PC Techs wanted to make a retractable cable for charging and synchronizing, would they have to pay a royalty to HTC?</i><br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> As smart devices are technologically complex machines, we’ve got a robust R&amp;D department who are continuously tinkering with all aspects of the device environment. A by-product of this technological curiosity are refinements to accessories, connectors, etc. So, yes, HTC invented the new connector type. If companies wish to develop accessories that utilize the proprietary connector type, they can get the specifications from HTC. We would not charge them royalties; rather we would encourage the development of after market accessories.<br /><br /><i><b>SPT:</b> Why is there only one port on the phone for charging, synchronizing, and headphones? I can't use my favourite set of headphones, which would seem to be a barrier for a music-oriented phone, nor can I charge the phone and listen to music on it at the same time.</i><br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> Solving for thinness, we had to make some difficult decisions. It comes down to saving space. To keep the SK size and thinness down, we combined the headset and charging/synchronizing port to keep the device as thin as possible.<br /><br /><i><b>SPT:</b> Are there any plans to create an adaptor that would allow a 3.5 mm headphone jack to connect to the flatUSB connector on the phone? Is it technically possible to do?</i><br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> We will possibly include an adaptor for a 2.5 mm headphone jack with the SK. Like I said above, we’ve got a terrific R&amp;D team so we’ve definitely got the brainpower to invent many different kinds of adaptors using our new connector specifications. If the marketplace wants it we’ll consider it…<br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><b>SPT:</b> There's always controversy when a new memory card format is chosen; many people don't want to have to go out and buy new memory cards. I've read speculation that the size of the microSD memory card reader is the same size as a miniSD reader - can you confirm or refute that? Why was microSD chosen instead of miniSD? And why was it placed under the SIM instead of an external slot? <br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> The microSD card reader is the same size as a miniSD card reader. MicroSD was chosen for the same reason we decided to develop a smaller connector; to keep the size down. Obviously microSD was cards were designed to be smaller than competing card formats so it helped us to keep the overall phone size down. It was placed under the SIM to keep it close to the main board to save space and also so that users do not inadvertently loose the card due to its small size. We also felt that it was likely that since more powerful yet slimmer phones are gaining popularity, microSD cards were a like industry trend. In other words, HTC feels that this will be a common format for manufacturers to use in the next couple of years.<br /><br /><i><b>SPT:</b> One of the main criticisms I pointed out in my review was that because of the placement of the microSD card, removing the card to load up music or videos regularly isn't realistic. That means users will load up the memory card via ActiveSync - which is exactly what I did with my Qtek 8500 and a 1 GB Sandisk microSD card, and it took a very long time over USB 1.1. Why doesn't the phone support USB 2.0, which would make the process much faster?</i><br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> The users we were targeting with this device are looking for a powerful smart phone with a sexy form factor. Our market research led us to believe that potential users of this device were looking for style and design rather than advanced features and spec. A faster USB specification was not a priority because as day to day usage didn’t necessitate it.<br /><br /><i><b>SPT:</b> The lack of WiFi really turned some people off this phone. Was it a matter of not being able to fit the chips into the phone because of the thiness, or were there other reasons to not include WiFi?</i><br /><br /><b>HTC:</b> Size, price and target market were the main reasons for not including WiFi. Adding the necessary hardware--in particular the antenna--would obviously increase the size and thickness of the phone which was not our goal. Adding WiFi would also raise the price of the device. While the device has great computing power, it’s a device more likely to appeal to regular users and not power users who typically see WiFi as a necessary feature. Since it was not a critical feature, it was cut to save space and price.<br /><br /><i>Jason Dunn owns and operates <a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com">Thoughts Media Inc.</a>, a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys mobile devices, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog. He's currently a mostly-happy Qtek 8500 user.</i>

PantherShade
08-18-2006, 05:30 PM
You forgot the most important question: 8O

Why is the device named "Star Trek" when it doesn't actually have the look of the Star Trek communicator (or anything else Star Trek)?
:twisted:


Okay, so that's really number two on the list. Number one on the list is when can I get my USA approved edition? :roll:

Jason Dunn
08-18-2006, 06:09 PM
Why is the device named "Star Trek" when it doesn't actually have the look of the Star Trek communicator (or anything else Star Trek)?

It was just a code name - people read too much into it and somehow expectation grew that it would be Star Trek-related. I do think it has a communicator-vibe to it though. ;-)

hylton
08-18-2006, 06:32 PM
any chance you asked about the 'missed call' issue that plagues the Qtek 8500, or what could be done about the low available memory for installing apps to the phone...those are a couple of major things that the folks that have purchased these already are complaining about.

any info from them indicating they would be addressing these two issues w/ a ROM update in the near future?

Chris

Jason Dunn
08-18-2006, 06:42 PM
any chance you asked about the 'missed call' issue that plagues the Qtek 8500, or what could be done about the low available memory for installing apps to the phone...those are a couple of major things that the folks that have purchased these already are complaining about. any info from them indicating they would be addressing these two issues w/ a ROM update in the near future?

Unfortunetaly, these questions were submitted over a month ago, before I was aware of any of those issues. I haven't seen the missed call issue myself, though I know there are others complaining about it. The low memory issue is an interesting one, I didn't run into it when I was reviewing the phone, but when I bought one for myself and starting installing apps, I was shocked at the low memory. I need to hard reset it and investigate a bit further.

PantherShade
08-18-2006, 06:57 PM
any info from them indicating they would be addressing these two issues w/ a ROM update in the near future?

I'm half expecting that the release of the phone as the Cingular 3125 will come with an updated ROM. Or, is that being too optimistic? :?

encece
08-19-2006, 01:20 AM
I'm just about to take the plunge and hard reset my phone as well to figure out what is causing the memory issue. I am currently using the imate ROM on my QTEK 8500...

Thank goodness for Oxios Hibernate....I run it every chance I can to keep as much memory clear at all times. I wish it had an option to clear the IE Temp files automatically as well.

Mike Temporale
08-21-2006, 02:29 PM
It's interesting to hear what they were thinking and planning on this device. I still disagree with the lack os USB2. It's not even showing up in their other non-slim models. I think HTC doesn't fully understand how much we need faster communication with our phones. Sync'ing has become too painful and especially when you try to transfer music. :(

hylton
08-21-2006, 06:49 PM
any info from them indicating they would be addressing these two issues w/ a ROM update in the near future?

I'm half expecting that the release of the phone as the Cingular 3125 will come with an updated ROM. Or, is that being too optimistic? :?

No, you are right, Cingular will definitely have a new ROM on this when it comes out, just to be able to have the Cingular branding built into the ROM...but whether or not that ROM has fixes to the missed call issue or whether or not they trim down the stock apps to free up memory, both are an unknown at this point.

The 3125 is rumored to be in field testing right now, so hopefully the more serious issue of missed calls has been identified (since it predominantly seems to occur on the Cingular network here in the US). The solution is available, b/c the Imate and Dopod don't have this problem, it's just a question of whether HTC finds the issue and can implement similar code in the ROM for Cingular before it's released.

Anyway, the low memory issue, probably not gonna find that a hard reset does much, a couple of folks report only 5mb available after a hard reset. At that level, the phone is pretty much useless as a WM5 device, it just becomes a phone w/ some PIM functionality...unless you put everything on the storage card, which in most cases would work fine.

Both of these are gonna have to be worked out before I'm buying any flavor of this device.

Chris

hylton
08-21-2006, 06:53 PM
It's interesting to hear what they were thinking and planning on this device. I still disagree with the lack os USB2. It's not even showing up in their other non-slim models. I think HTC doesn't fully understand how much we need faster communication with our phones. Sync'ing has become too painful and especially when you try to transfer music. :(

You said it there, I can't believe the lack of foresight on this one w/ HTC...even if no USB 2, they should have at least done BT 2.0...

A music phone that takes an hour to sync over a couple hundred songs is going to be painful, and since you can't pop the card out easily, that makes using something like a SD usb adapter a non-option.

Chris