HTC Hermes "HSDPA-Ready" But Will Require "Future" Software Update

[Raphael Salgado]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://pdanews-de.blogspot.com/2006/03/cebit-2006-hermes-castrated-vodafone.html' target='_blank'>http://pdanews-de.blogspot.com/2006...d-vodafone.html</a><br /><br /></div>Reliable source MarcTGFG has just posted some good news and some really bad news on his blog regarding the upcoming HTC Hermes. According to a written response from a Vodafone senior product manager, <i>"...the device will be 'HSDPA ready', meaning that the hardware is already prepared for HSDPA, but the ability to use it will be accomplished only sometime later through a software update."</i><br /><br />The "sometime later" phrase is the "insult to injury" for HTC Hermes fans who were hoping to utilize all of the device's capabilities right out of the box. For now, the Hermes' HSDPA hardware will feel like that ominous I/O port on your PVR marked "reserved for future use." The upside to this story is the fact that T-Mobile will not have exclusivity to the Hermes' initial release, as Vodafone expects a "June or July" timeframe for their branded Hermes, known as the Vodafone VPA Compact III. Also, one can only dream that this looming "software update" might allow support for the 1900MHz band that Cingular is using for their future HSDPA rollout in the United States.

[nutzareus]

Every HTC device was promised future upgrades or updates, but never delivered. Let's see, my Wallaby never got WM2003SE, my Blue Angel never got WM5, and my Wizard and Universal aren't getting A2DP. Is there a pattern here??? UNLESS IT'S READY OUT-OF-THE-BOX, DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING!

[inteller]

The jury is still out on the Wizard getting A2DP (not that I care) The apache didnt.....but hey its the Apache.

Coming from the EV-DO ready PPC-6600 debacle I can say yes it pays to be wary on future upgrades. That said I think only early adopters will get burned. If someone buys an unlocked imate crap and wants it to work on Cingular then yeah there might be a problem. However, I think Cingular will come out with a 8225 that will have UMTS support. It just might not be as quick as everyone would like.