Orange UK To Carry HTC Shift

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blogs.msdn.com/jasonlan/archive/2008/02/19/orange-announce-the-htc-shift.aspx' target='_blank'>http://blogs.msdn.com/jasonlan/arch...-htc-shift.aspx</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This has been rumored for some time but Orange officially announced that they will range the HTC Shift device. The HTC Shift combines both Vista with a Mobile interface giving you a combined device in a single form factor. It has a 30GB drive integrated and will support 3G+ as well as Bluetooth and WiFi."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/hisham-20080222-langridge_htc_shift_image_thumb.png" /><br /><br />After frequent delays, to the point where most in the UMPC community &amp; blogosphere have moved their gadget lust elswhere, the HTC Shift will finally be launched in Europe and by <a href="http://pressoffice.orange.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=758&NewsAreaID=2">a carrier</a> no less! Personally, while the Shift is a great design and just about the ultimate in convergence (with all the compromises that implies), a couple of things are putting me off - the 2hr battery life with standard battery, and the price. GBP999 <i>with</i> contract is a little too steep even given all that this device offers.

[wshwe]

Latest reports claim that no one in Spain can find a Shift for sale.

[griph]

a couple of things are putting me off - the 2hr battery life with standard battery, and the price. GBP999 with contract is a little too steep even given all that this device offers.
Jeez - 8O
That really is ridiculous! I thought the iPhone a little 'overpriced' but that takes the biscuit!!! Who in their right mind is going to take that on!?!

[virain]

I agree, HTC made a name for themself manufacturing someone else's products. Now, that they have their own brand, they got little too over confident and greedy. That's why u see more and more complains about their own brand products.

[wiz]

Bear in mind that the HTC Shift cannot and should not be compared to other PDA's, but rather to other UMPC's such as the OQO e2, Samsung Q1 or Asus R2E. All those devices do not last any longer on their batteries than the HTC Shift.

Battery life in this case should be put into the perespective of a regular Laptop computer rather than a PDA. Of course, a 2h autonomy is not very impressive, but with Intel's new Menlow chips around the corner, I think the UMPC platform actually does start to look promising (even though it will probably remain somewhat of a niche market). The HTC Shift in fact for HTC is quite a promising start in this arena given the fact it;s the only one to carry a decent keyboard and the only one that carries a second operating system, Windows mobile.

[DaleReeck]

Wiz is right, you aren't spending 1000 on a PDA phone, you are spending 1000 on a laptop with built in cellular data.

[griph]

Wiz is right, you aren't spending 1000 on a PDA phone, you are spending 1000 on a laptop with built in cellular data.

By no means is this a laptop! 7" 800 X 480 screen, 800Mhz processor, 1GB RAM - Vista is gonna love that, as would MS Office 2007! Coverging a laptop and a PDA into one makes little sense, and with a 2 hour battery life even less!

You can get this from Dell for £999!

Dell XPS M1530
Core 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.20 GHz)
Vista Premium
2.0 mega pixel Camera
15.4" WXGA TFT Display
Biometric Fingerprint Reader
4096MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
250GB SATA Hard Drive
NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT 256MB
Internal 8x DVD+/-RW Slim Slot Load drive
Primary 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery
Dell Wireless 3G/HSDPA.
Intel 802.11a/b/g + Bluetooth
Dell™ Travel Remote Control

Personally I'd prefer a proper laptop and a PDA - like my M1530 + Touch Dual.

[DaleReeck]

Wiz is right, you aren't spending 1000 on a PDA phone, you are spending 1000 on a laptop with built in cellular data.

By no means is this a laptop!

I didn't say it was a GOOD laptop ;)

[virain]

I didn't say it was a GOOD laptop ;)

SHIfT is offered by Expansives at $1,664.95, cheapest I've seen was $1549.99 at xda-developers store, but all of that are just pre-release prices, just an estimate. For that much money, you can buy dissent 12' screen tablet PC HP Pavilion tx2000z customized to your own specs from HP on line store. Unless small size of SHIfT is what you really want, HP is a much better option. But than again, Fujitsu U810/U1010 has 5'6" screen with BETTER resolution than SHIfT, same processor, 40GB hard drive, 4-5 hour of battery life, and for wireless you can use either EV-DO or HSDPA CF card, still, it comes out cheaper and better then SHIfT. The CrapVue? I think it's useless unless you can unlock full potential of WM in it and access files on your hard drive. My take on it: Vista already has build in low power consumption option for laptops called Slide Show. Origami 2.0 offers better "Snap view" for e-mail, weather, calendar, plus RSS feeds, and more. So the right way for HTC would be to put those in use for low power use, and not to "reinvent a wheel" stripping down WM OS, creating more speculations, upset consumers, etc. Usually the right decision is the simple one 0X

***long quote trimmed by mod JD***

[DaleReeck]

For that much money, you can buy dissent 12' screen tablet PC HP Pavilion tx2000z customized to your own specs from HP on line store.

I did just that :D I got a TX1000Z tablet model, 2.0GHZ dual core, 4gb memory, 250gb hard drive, dual layer DVD RW with lightscribe, wifi abgn, bluetooth 2.0/EDR, webcam, media remote control for about $900. Since the tx2000's came out, they were blowing out the tx1000 models.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Bear in mind that the HTC Shift cannot and should not be compared to other PDA's, but rather to other UMPC's such as the OQO e2, Samsung Q1 or Asus R2E. All those devices do not last any longer on their batteries than the HTC Shift.

Actually, those have slightly better battery life and are a lot cheaper. I still don't know whether HTC are going to offer an extended battery - that's a must for these types of devices.

The HTC Shift in fact for HTC is quite a promising start in this arena given the fact it;s the only one to carry a decent keyboard and the only one that carries a second operating system, Windows mobile.

The U810/U1010 also has a keyboard (though not quite as good). For your second point, HTC has made it clear that it is not Windows Mobile, but a very much cut down version. Whether SnapVUE can be hacked to use other WM software is an open question right now.

But than again, Fujitsu U810/U1010 has 5'6" screen with BETTER resolution than SHIfT, same processor, 40GB hard drive, 4-5 hour of battery life, and for wireless you can use either EV-DO or HSDPA CF card, still, it comes out cheaper and better then SHIfT.

The latest version of the Fuji with integrated HSDPA is available now in Japan, and it still comes out cheaper. In case anyone missed it, the Orange Shift will be at GBP999, not US$999 - at the current spot exchange rate (not taking into account exchange spreads), GBP999 comes out to US$1965. Without contract that's a hard one to swallow, with contract I think this is DOA.

[griph]

Deader than Dead Jack McDead from Deadsville! :|

[virain]

Deader than Dead Jack McDead from Deadsville! :|
Well, don't be so harsh :) Some will buy 'cos it's a "cool thing" to have, some in hope to hack WM to full extend, others... You know the saying - " There's a sucker born every minute somewhere" :roll:

[Nurhisham Hussein]

The latest version of the Fuji with integrated HSDPA is available now in Japan, and it still comes out cheaper.

Strike that - I just saw it here in Malaysia @ MYR5,300 which translates roughly to US$1650. The original non-HSDPA U1010 is now retailing at MYR3,999 = US$1250.

[virain]

Strike that - I just saw it here in Malaysia @ MYR5,300 which translates roughly to US$1650. The original non-HSDPA U1010 is now retailing at MYR3,999 = US$1250.
None HSDPA U810 goes for $999 if you look at Fujitsu USA online store. Vista business 1099. HSUPA version should be available in a few months in USA according to this video<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AnZDyxJyhh8&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AnZDyxJyhh8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>