Excalibur - Exclusive First Picture of HTC's New QWERTY Smartphone

[Mike Temporale]

Last week we told you about a <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=75475">rumored new HTC Smartphone</a> that has a QWERTY keyboard like the Motorola Q or the Samsung i320. This morning, I was very surprised to find a pre-production picture of this device sitting in my inbox. This new device is being developed under the codename of <i>Excalibur</i>. While the picture appears to make this device look big, I'm told it's only a couple millimeters thicker than Samsung's i320 and 2 millimeters shorter. Interested yet? Well, what if I told you that Excalibur will not only be a Quad-band device, but it will also be Wifi enabled - Have I peaked your interest yet? No? Then you'll be happy to know that there's more. It also has an innovative touch jog strip. You can clearly see this strip on the right side of the screen. Sliding your finger down on this, and it scrolls down, slide up and it scrolls up. Touch the top to activate the Start menu, or the bottom to go back.<img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Temporale-20060731-HTC-Excalibur.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> HTC appears to have done a great job with this device. I'm really interested in seeing what HTC can do with this device. Clearly, Motorola and Samsung have some serious competition coming their way. :mrgreen:

[kiwi]

nice..

a touch screen yeah? wifi - yeah? Hopefully BT as well.

[Stinger]

Nice to see wifi on there but my god that's another very ugly HTC phone! Was this designed by the same guy who did the Meteor?

[Pete Paxton]

Where the screen starts - it needs to go straight down and not wider at the bottom. It makes it look like it has "big hips". Otherwise - bring it on!

[Mike Temporale]

a touch screen yeah?

No, no... A touch "jog wheel" but without the wheel. Look at the silver strip down the right side of the screen. ;)

[ricoks]

Where the screen starts - it needs to go straight down and not wider at the bottom. It makes it look like it has "big hips". Otherwise - bring it on!

WOW, the first thing I thought when i saw this was - "Oh look, a PlaySkool made smartphone................" :roll:

Even tho the actual device doesn't curve out, it sure 'looks' like it does. reminds me of the Nokia 3660 (http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/3660/0,2803,,00.html)!!! 8O

What I REALLY like about the i320 is it's seemingly small, compact size when compared to the Q - I love that there seems to be NO unused space on the front. the screen goes to the edge, and the keypad goes to the edge and bottom - small and user-friendly. Good looking too! (if it only had wi-fi......) I would guess they used the silver frame to accent the touch strip (kool idea, tho hopefully not as 'kool' as the touchpad on the hx4700) while making the device seem slimmer at the top. *shrugs*

Ricoks

[Jerry Raia]

Is there no end to how many Smartphones I have to buy? 8O

[Rocco Augusto]

i like this smartphone, it looks a lot better than the samsung i320. in fact it looks very blackberryish which will be great in stealing users away from the blackberry, which is why i am sure it was created.

only downside? that little jog strip makes this a right handed device! HTC, you're leaving us lefties out in the cold! :(

[saru7755]

Wow, VERY nice.. but i wonder how big is the screen &amp; what r the specs!!

one more thing, with all these new wide screen smartphones r all the softwares compatible? if not then how will it work when u install one :?:

[Foo Fighter]

*groan* You had me right up to.."It runs Windows Mobile Smartphone".

[Rocco Augusto]

*groan* You had me right up to.."It runs Windows Mobile Smartphone".

You do realize you're on a Windows Mobile Smartphone related site, right? If not, then i hate to tell you this but all the phones we feature will run Windows Mobile for Smartphone :roll: :wink: :lol:

(in case anyone didn't pick up on that, it was 120% sarcasm ;))

[Mike Temporale]

with all these new wide screen smartphones r all the softwares compatible? if not then how will it work when u install one :?:

The developers have to update their applications to support the wide screen. Otherwise, the application will run, it just won't look very nice. :)

[Mike Temporale]

*groan* You had me right up to.."It runs Windows Mobile Smartphone".

That's the best part. ;) Sorry Foo, but you're going to have to wait for that TechFaith Wireless one. Hopefully they can actually get that thing released. If they do, it will be the coolest PPCPE I've ever seen.

[Foo Fighter]

You do realize you're on a Windows Mobile Smartphone related site, right? If not, then i hate to tell you this but all the phones we feature will run Windows Mobile for Smartphone :roll: :wink: :lol:


I meant that I would rather HTC chose Windows Mobile Pocket PC phone edition rather than Smartphone. And by the way...this site does not simply cover Windows Mobile for Smartphone. Unless I was hallucinating all those times I've read articles here about HTC Wizards and such. ;)

[Foo Fighter]

That's the best part. ;) Sorry Foo, but you're going to have to wait for that TechFaith Wireless one. Hopefully they can actually get that thing released. If they do, it will be the coolest PPCPE I've ever seen.

I think they'll get it released, it just won't ever find its way to North America. Which is typical.

Another PPC phone I half fancy is this Asus device, which too probably will never make its way this side of the pacific. :cry:

http://www.itechnews.net/2006/03/26/asus-p525-2mp-auto-focus-smartphone/

[Pete Paxton]

I'm exactly the opposite of Foo Fighter. Having WM5 for Smartphone here on Smartphonethoughts.com is exactly what is attracting me to this phone. As far as I know, this will be the first WM5 smartphone with a qwerty keyboard AND wifi. I can't wait. This will probably be my next phone :D

[Foo Fighter]

As far as I know, this will be the first WM5 smartphone with a qwerty keyboard AND wifi.

Sadly, yes. The fact that Moto chose to leave WiFi out of the Q broke my heart. Such a stunning phone, but no WiFi = no sale for me.

[Rocco Augusto]

And by the way...this site does not simply cover Windows Mobile for Smartphone. Unless I was hallucinating all those times I've read articles here about HTC Wizards and such. ;)

i have nooooooooo idea what you're talking about ;) :lilangel:

[Rocco Augusto]

i wonder if it will have a camera?

[Sp00k]

The 'Excalibur', eh? AKA "My First Smartphone" perhaps?

Do I detect the design-handywork of Toys-R-Us, Chad Valley or the earlier Nokia school of thought? Or have they just recruited a new batch of kids fresh out of art-college, anxious to make a name for themselves?

Maybe designers with a degree in english may have been a wiser choice, at least they would have grasped the meaning of aesthetics!

Gawd, this is one ugly mother...... Bring back the C500 team!

Sp00k...

[Jerry Raia]

Gawd, this is one ugly mother......

It's kind of growing on me actually. 8)

[Pete Paxton]

Actually I thought a lot of phones were ugly until I saw them in person. Pics just don't do justice. The Q was like this for me. I think I'll like the Excalibur much better in MY hand :lol: My b-day is in Oct and of course Christmas is coming (in 5 months) - hope it will be out by then! And please keep it under $400.

[edgar]

you're leaving us lefties out in the cold! :(

This is starting to explain a lot ..... :lol: I bet the nuns left some dents in that hand!

It is a bit playskool looking. the KB also looks not to have much separation either by a chamfered edge or other airspace, clumsy typers will hate that.

Do we have any kind of timeline?

[ricoks]

i like this smartphone, it looks a lot better than the samsung i320. in fact it looks very blackberryish which will be great in stealing users away from the blackberry, which is why i am sure it was created.
WOW, I'm on the opposite side. I like how the i320 is all black, and very subltle in its styling for a more commercial, business look. but, to each their own, i guess. I was never a fan of the blackberry look.

Ricoks

[Foo Fighter]

One thing you should all keep in mind is that this photo is likely a prototype, not a finalized designed. The actual shipping product will likely have a different color scheme.

[Kris Kumar]

If this unit hits the market by Christmas then it will be a Christmas to remember. Moto Q's GSM will be ready by then, hopefully Samsung will have its QWERTY successor ready. Makes me wonder how will the carriers decide which one to carry, :? I don't think they will carry all of them. :cry:

[Kris Kumar]

Did you guys notice that the icons don't have the usual application name. And also there are more icons on the screen. :? 8)

Regarding the touch strip - if I tap on it will it register as a click? You need the push to click action that the scroll wheel offers. :wink:

[Kris Kumar]

Oh, and I like that it has a dedicated delete or back key on the keyboard. Moto Q skipped this key and everytime I make a mistake, I have to drag my thumb away from the keyboard to make the correction and thus slowing me down.

[sojourner753]

One thing you should all keep in mind is that this photo is likely a prototype, not a finalized designed. The actual shipping product will likely have a different color scheme.

The way HTC does things I may have 3 or 4 different color schemes.

[subzerohf]

I like the keyboard...I sure hope it works as good as the one on the BB 8) Also, the playskool look is actually quite refreshing.

[Rocco Augusto]

I like the keyboard...I sure hope it works as good as the one on the BB 8) Also, the playskool look is actually quite refreshing.

my thoughts exactly. i would like it more if it came in different colors like green, silver or mauve (for jerry ;))

[Sp00k]

>snip&lt; ... i would like it more if it came in different colors like green, silver or mauve (for jerry ;))
Ah, well, yes... Of course I hadn't factored into my previously-expressed non-too-complimentary discourse on here, the difference that an attractive color-scheme would make.

Perhaps sky-blue pink, with purple and yellow spots on it? A tasteful tartan plaid effect maybe? Puce, with ermine trimming? or for the terminally Bling-blighted, a gold-plated version, studded with diamonds?

Everything has its buyers but not wanting to be seen wielding an object that looks like a toy phone but may possibly be a kiddies pencil-case, I won't be one of them! ;)

All IMHO of course!

Sp00k...

[ricksfiona]

Yes, I too like the Playskool like look. The keys look VERY useable, unlike MANY other devices that have keyboards built-in. It's why I stay away from keyboard devices. The Treo has good keys, but it's too thick and doesn't work with T-Mobile.

If this puppy is thin enough, I'll consider it.