HTC Debuts New 3G Smart Devices

Taiwanese mobile phone manufacturer HTC has unveiled two smart device models, including one that runs a full copy of the Windows Vista operating system.

HTC's Shift features a 7-inch widescreen touch display and 30GB hard drive, as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA, and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE.

The device runs on Windows Vista Business, and includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality. The company said that it plans to offer the Shift through Amazon.com and other retailers beginning this summer.

"The HTC Shift is combining the power of Windows Vista with advanced connectivity in a sleek mobile computer design," Microsoft Windows Mobile Platforms vice president Bill Mitchell said in a statement.

Slightly smaller, the HTC Advantage runs Windows Mobile 6 and includes a 5-inch touch display and 8GB hard drive, along with 256MB of ROM and 128MB of RAM. Like the Shift, it would also include tri-band UMTS/HSDPA, and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE.

Built in GPS compatibility, as well as Microsoft Office Mobile and Outlook Mobile will also be included. The Shift is expected to become available in the third quarter of this year in both the US and in Europe.

Reaction to the devices from the analyst community has been positive, with some saying HTC is doing the right thing by offering consumers a broader choice.

"If you look at HTC across the board, they're bringing a whole range of mobile devices to market that hit a different set of needs for different users," JupiterResearch analyst Michael Gartenberg said. "There is no one correct device for everyone and it's interesting to see this strategy of overlapping devices and functions to hit different market segments."