HTC unveils Windows phones for T-Mobile and unlocked use

At CES today, HTC is announcing another mobile phone for T-Mobile's US wireless network. Unlike HTC's G1, the new phone isn't Android-based.

HTC, however, is continuing to work toward a second Android device, a spokesperson told Betanews yesterday evening.

The manufacturer is using CES 2009 as the forum for unveiling a new version of its Shadow phone for T-Mobile's wireless network, this one adding a mobile hotspot. At the same time, the Taiwanese manufacturer is rolling out the HTC S743, its first unlocked phone for North America.

Both of the new smartphones run Windows Mobile, and HTC has recently been forming a close relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, for example, recently visited both HTC and Samsung in Korea.

Earlier this year, HTC increased its visibility in North America by becoming the first supplier to provide a phone based on Google's Android, and the G1 is also being sold by T-Mobile. Yet while the new T-Mobile Shadow with Hotspot doesn't run Android, HTC is still working on another Android phone, anyway, an HTC spokesperson told Betanews at CES. "We haven't announced [a second Android phone] yet, though," she added.

Aside from HotSpot-enabled UMA, the latest edition of the T-Mobile Shadow also sports more memory than its predecessor, amounting to 256 MB of ROM and 128 MB or RAM. Other key features include a T1 Neptune 260 MHz processor; 802.11 b/g; a compact QWERTY keyboard, navigation wheel, 2 megapixel camera, and an SDHC-capable microSD device.

The new HTC S743 unlocked GSM phone, on the other hand, is distinguished by its Qualcomm MSM7225 processor (528 MHz); 3.2 megapixel camera and GPS support.