Coolsmartphone News

Wot no iPhone? Can the Touch Diamond steal the show?

Sat, 10 May 2008 16:41:37 GMT

For the geeky amongst us, you may be interested to know that the HTC Touch Diamond has now popped up at the FCC. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a US agency charged with regulating communications in or originating in the USA. This document shows that the US launch is obviously on track.

However, we've spotted quite a few stories about the iPhone of late. Many have compared the new Touch Diamond with the iPhone and now supplies of the Apple device are vanishing across the UK and USA. It's showing as "currently unavailable" on the Apple store in America and across the o2 and Carphone Warehouse here in the UK. There's no 8Gb version and no 16Gb version available. The 3G version is obviously just around the corner, and we can only presume that it'll be available just on o2. With this happening, other networks - such as T-Mobile and Orange, may use the all-new HTC Touch Diamond as a competitor - possibly promoting it heavily to stop customers moving away from their networks.

We now have 50 images from the Diamond launch event online. You can see the new on-screen keyboard, volume control and me browsing a rather excellent website on it. We've also been tweaking the design of coolsmartphone.com today to make things simpler and more readable. A new font has been introduced and a lot of the duplicated menu items have been removed.

Links - FCC.gov - HTC Touch Diamond Images

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Windows Mobile 6.1 Update coming to the Orange TyTN II

Sat, 10 May 2008 10:48:33 GMT

We're hearing more news on Windows Mobile 6.1 for existing devices. According to some emails we've received, Orange will be rolling out a 6.1 update for the HTC TyTN II mid-May, so we should see it pop up sometime next week.

Keep checking the TyTN II support section at Orange, and if we don't spot it ourselves, please do let us know if you see it!

Link - TyTN II @ orange.co.uk

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HTC Diamond - Full Orange press release

Fri, 09 May 2008 15:49:51 GMT

We've just received the Orange press release for the HTC Touch Diamond. Like the T-Mobile variant, it'll be arriving in July, so it's looking like HTC will be selling these in June - a few weeks before the networks. The Orange branding has been carefully weaved into the handset and many Orange services will be added into the Diamond. Orange TV, Downloads, Music and Photo applications will be available to give you access to games, ringtones, wallpapers, tunes and HDTV... for a price.

We'll be keeping an eye on the suggested plans for the Orange version, and will let you know if Orange have anything up their slieve to let people browse the net without worrying about the measly 30Mb data cap on the "Anytime Browsing" tariffs.

Read on for the full press release and larger image.

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Broadcasting live - from your phone

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:43:38 GMT

Earlier in the week you may have seen our live coverage of the HTC event in London. During the day I posted live pictures, details and bullet-points from my Windows mobile phone. I wanted to cover the day without having stacks of extra equipment, so I used my mobile to be truly ...err.. mobile.

For the live pictures, I used flickr.com. You can upload pictures to an on-line gallery via email, so I simply used my MMS client to send to an email address specified by flickr. Here's how it's done - just follow the article and you'll be uploading shots in no time. To get these images displayed here on coolsmartphone.com, I used the flickr badge creator to display the latest photos here on the site. This is in use on my blog, so you can see it in action.

Text updates were done via twitter.com, which is a similar setup. After signing up I clicked on "Settings"->"Devices" and added my phone as an "authorised" update device. I've taken a screenshot of this below, it was then just a matter of sending a text message and updates would show in a box on this site. Again you can see this in use on my blog page, which grabs the feed direct from twitter. This is simple to add in, you just click "Put your updates on your site" from the main twitter.com page.

The live video was, I must confess, done with the aid of a laptop, however I could have put my phone nearer to the stage and used the excellent WebCamera Plus to turn the phone camera into a PC webcam. I used mogulus.com to show the feed and add the cool video effects and logos you saw during the launch.

Links - twitter.com - flickr.com - mogulus.com - WebCamera Plus

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HTC Event video, plus o2 XDA Diamond coming soon

Thu, 08 May 2008 22:46:56 GMT

OK, I'll keep this quick because I know you've probably got "Diamond Overload" by now :). If you didn't catch our live video feed from the event, HTC have now added a full video of the event so you can see and hear exactly how the phone was announced.

As expected the o2 variant has popped up, currently on o2 Germany as the "XDA Diamond". It should be appearing on o2 UK very soon too - perhaps now is a good time, especially as the iPhone is no longer available on o2.

Now, if any of you know whether I can get out of my Orange contract, let me know - I've still got about 12 months left to run! :(

Links - o2 Germany - HTC Touch Diamond Event Video

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PointUI Home GUI version 1.51a now available

Thu, 08 May 2008 16:09:13 GMT

We've followed the slick "PointUI Home" application since it's launch on January 1st. Now version v1.51a is available, with a new look, bug fixes and extra customizable options.

It looks like there may be a "paid for" version in the pipe-line as the product screen shows a couple of features crossed out, however you can still download it for absolutely nothing here at pointui.com.

Link - pointui.com.
Credit - Steve Irving

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T-Mobile MDA Compact IV - Official Press Release

Thu, 08 May 2008 11:41:57 GMT

Yes, yes, we know you're probably sick of hearing about the HTC Touch Diamond by now, but we've at last managed to get the official T-Mobile press release about launch dates, pricing and more.

The device has a "GPU" (graphics processing unit) to help it achieve the slick screen effects and interaction we showed in our hands-on video, and it'll get 64Mb more memory than the test unit we filmed. The specs are pretty amazing for such a thin, phone-like device - a Qualcomm MSM7201A CPU running at 528 MHz, tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA, GPS, WiFi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, FM radio, a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus plus a VGA CMOS camera up front.

It'll be the first handset to launch with Windows Mobile 6.1 on-board, plus you get an FM radio and YouTube videos to entertain you. There's 4Gb of internal storage for your MP3's, Word Documents (let's not forget it's a good 'ole Pocket PC too) and other files, plus there's a host of cool "tweaks" which you'll be finding out on a daily basis.

T-Mobile claim that this is a "Slim and sleek exclusive design", indeed they're right - the phone call / drop keys have swapped places with the home and back keys, which are on the top row for the HTC Touch Diamond. T-Mo have also added their rather healthy data packages into the mix for this launch, plus they're adding a free 7-day CoPilot trial and, best of all, it'll be available for absolutely nothing on the Flext 50 tariff when it becomes available in July.

Read on for the full press release, but do also check out our photos of the device and videos here and here.

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Remember spotting the HTC Touch Diamond two months ago?

Wed, 07 May 2008 22:54:54 GMT

There's a helluva lot of news floating around right now about the "all-new" T-Mobile MDA Compact IV. It is, of course, the HTC Touch Diamond we've been covering the last few days. Despite our best efforts we've been unable to find a mention of it on the T-Mobile website, however it's apparently confirmed and will arrive in July, a little after the official start of sales direct from HTC.

We actually saw the T-Mobile MDA Compact IV handset over two months ago. Yes, the real HTC Touch Diamond was actually on show at Cebit back in early March by T-Mobile with the exact specs we saw in the press conference. Err....Whoops..

Orange also confirmed that it would be announced on their network during the launch yesterday, however when I asked whether Orange had plans to alter their fairly restrictive data allowances, I was told that the animal packages had recently received a "refresh" and that mobile data was important - shown through devices like "mobile USB dongles". Umm.. yeah, but that doesn't make up for the hilarious 30Mb-per-month cap on their "Anytime browsing" packages, does it?

We can also confirm that yes - o2, Voda and Three will also be carrying the HTC Touch Diamond too. Expect news from those guys soon.

Update - Thanks for all your questions by email guys. To answer a couple of quick ones - no, there's no expansion slot - you get 4Gb, end of. Reason? There wasn't any more physical room - this is a very slim phone. Also, there's no camera button, but getting to the camera app is really easy.

Links - HTC Touch Diamond Press Release - Earlier T-Mobile MDA Compact IV Story

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Video and Photo Special - HTC Touch Diamond Up-Close

Wed, 07 May 2008 11:45:12 GMT

I'm still down here in London squeezing all the information possible out of HTC. The HTC Touch Diamond has lots of extra features which perhaps weren't seen earlier. The internet browser, Opera 9.5, has a "reflow" system to make paragraphs automatically fit into the window after zooming. There's also more to that navigation wheel - it'll pulse if you've missed a call or received a text, plus you can flip the phone over to silence an incoming call.

We've managed to get stacks more videos and pictures for you to feast on. Here we look at that navigation wheel and the "soft glow", whilst this video shows off the fast screen-orientation switching. The TouchFLO 3D interface gets a demo, plus there's a quick look at the image navigation. Check out the newer photos on our flickr page which includes screen shots and close-up views of the phone.

Read on to view the vids! I love the second video down - check out the weather animation and the rain-drops.

Update - Yes, it will have 192Mb of RAM as reported in the official details. The shots you see here are from a prototype running less memory.

Links - Photo Special - HTC Touch Diamond - Official HTC Diamond Page

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Full video of HTC Touch Diamond in action

Tue, 06 May 2008 15:23:45 GMT

We managed to get a hands-on with the HTC Touch Diamond this afternoon. One thing you probably will be needing for this handset is a wipe-clean cloth! :) You can see even more pictures on my flickr page. However, if you haven't already seen the official videos of the phone, you should definitely check our video out. The HTC guys demonstrated the handset for us below...

Update - If you click on this YouTube link hit the link to watch the video in hi-res :)

Link - HTC Touch Diamond in action

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The HTC Touch Diamond arrives

Tue, 06 May 2008 13:53:29 GMT

Today HTC launched just one handset. Many people expected perhaps more, but this is one handset that HTC have put a huge amount of work into. The device looks sexy and it'll be launched on five networks in Europe. A launch date of June has been given for Europe and Asia with America coming later in the year. It promises "true mobile internet" and appears, from what we've seen, to deliver in spades. It's the result of an immense challenge laid down by HTC top-brass to their design team - make the mobile internet easy and design a handset that will look good in a modern art gallery. This is the Diamond - the iPhone challenger.

Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, took to the stage to announce their new baby. He stated that 2008 and 2009 was no longer just about Touch technology. It was now about TouchFLO 3D - full, usable internet and web-based applications which were easy to use - this had to be done and the HTC Touch Diamond was the phone to do it. The video screen showed a fluid, interactive interface which was smoother and more intuitive than the existing system. It is, according to HTC, the worlds most advanced phone in one of the worlds smallest phone factors. Equipped with an orientation sensor for rotating the screen whilst browsing or viewing images it also has an integrated YouTube viewer, FM Radio, and a much simpler interface into all the frequently used settings and programs you use on a daily basis. Take, for example, changing your ringtone. With the HTC Touch Diamond it's easy, simple and quick - plus you never see any nasty Windows Mobile settings screens - it's all done on a new HTC layer.

There's 4Gb on-board memory but, alas, no external memory can be added. The battery life may still be open to question but, from what I've seen, this looks set to be a fantastic addition to the HTC range.

More to come shortly, but do check out the live pictures in my flickr gallery..

Links - HTC Touch Diamond @ Devicewire.co.uk - More pictures

Update - Watch the official videos here on YouTube - we've posted a selection below..

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Live video from the HTC Event

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:56:03 GMT

We're here at the Soho Hotel in London for what looks to be a rather massive launch. Watch our live video feed below..

Live from the HTC Event in London

Press down on the update ticker above for all the latest details we've just posted - this is all LIVE as of 12.30 PM on Tuesday May 6th

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HTC Event - Live coverage starts here

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:23:52 GMT

Today is a massive day for HTC. They've come a long way in the last few years, now producing some of the best Windows Mobile handsets on the market under their own brand. Today will no doubt be a rather huge announcement for the company and, if the leaks are anything to go by, we should be seeing the start of something pretty massive in the next few hours.

I'm about to board a train for London, where we'll bring premier coverage of the event. You can keep bang up-to-date with this Twitter window on the right. I'll be posting updates at every stage, plus we may have a live video feed if facilities allow.

Live pics from my phone during the run-up to the event will be posted on my blogs page and on flickr.com.

Links - Twitter.com Updates - Photo Updates

Live from the HTC Event in London

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HTC Diamond - iPhone Killer - More images and detail

Sun, 04 May 2008 10:40:41 GMT

On Tuesday I will be bringing you total coverage of a massive announcement by HTC. HTC, as many of you know by now, make the majority of the Windows Mobile phones on sale. Leaks about a possible new handset - the HTC Diamond - have been flying around for the past few days, however newsmobile.it appear to have grabbed the official shots shown on the right here.

One image reveals 4Gb internal storage plus there's also an orientation sensor, which makes us think that this could be the fabled "iPhone Killer" we've been waiting for. Running Windows Mobile 6.1 (Pro) and packed with a Qualcomm MSM7201A CPU running at 528Mhz it's also got some tasty diamond designs next to the 3.2 auto-focus megapixel camera on the back. Other specs include quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 3G, HSDPA and HSUPA plus WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and EDR. There's also a front-facing camera for video calls, microSD slot and, if all that's not enough for you, then the 640x480 VGA screen and eGPS plus FM radio should definitely have you banging down the door of your local HTC retailer.

Don't forget to tune in at 11.30 AM on Tuesday for all the latest news, live from the HTC Event in London.

Link - newsmobile.it

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HTC Diamond images leaked along with more detail

Sun, 04 May 2008 10:40:41 GMT

On Tuesday be bringing you total coverage of a massive announcement by HTC. HTC, as many of you know by now, make the majority of the Windows Mobile phones on sale. Leaks about a possible new handset - the HTC Diamond - have been flying around for the past few days, however newsmobile.it appear to have grabbed the official shots shown on the right here.

One image reveals 4Gb internal storage plus there's also an orientation sensor, which makes us think that this could be the fabled "iPhone Killer" we've been waiting for. Running Windows Mobile 6.1 (Pro) and packed with a Qualcomm MSM7201A CPU running at 528Mhz it's also got some tasty diamond designs next to the 3.2 auto-focus megapixel camera on the back. Other specs include quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 3G, HSDPA and HSUPA plus WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and EDR. There's also a front-facing camera for video calls, microSD slot and, if all that's not enough for you, then the 640x480 VGA screen and eGPS plus FM radio should definitely have you banging down the door of your local HTC retailer.

Don't forget to tune in at 11.30 AM on Tuesday for all the latest news, live from the HTC Event in London.

Link - newsmobile.it

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Orange attempt to lose more customers

Sat, 03 May 2008 14:51:10 GMT

Data usage is a hot topic at the moment. Most networks have started to get wise to the fact that - if you want to sell a "mobile internet" handset you've got to give users a decent allowance. If you don't, people will simply be too cautious and not use it at all. Recently Vodafone announced that all of their plans were to include a 500Mb browsing allowance, T-Mobile have a very generous 1Gb "fair usage" policy and o2 recently dropped their limits after launching the iPhone. Other networks, like Three, target data users and want to get them on board.

Orange however don't seem to want to play. Personal customers signing up to their network get a "fair usage" cap of 30Mb - around 1Mb a day. We've posted story after story about this and Orange show no sign of changing it. They've also made themselves less popular by announcing a £999 price tag on the HTC Shift - a device that sells for £873.99 without a contract! Two years ago they also took the decision to remove the popular MSN / Windows Live Messenger from the SPV range of handsets. Again, nobody could understand why - Messenger used data minutes, so it was beneficial for the network. At the time a product called "Orange Messenger" was queued up to replace "MSN Messenger" but it never materialised, until now. Today, in a move which will no doubt haemorrhage more customers, Orange have finally announced their Orange Messenger software. It's a branded version of Windows Messenger by the looks of it, and it's free.... err.. at least until June 1st.

After June 1st things get messy. Orange state that you can "use Orange Messenger as much as you like for £4 a month or £1 a day with our Unlimited bundles". Or, if you're not a regular user you can sign up to use it for 5p per message. Yes, 5p per message!!

Sorry Orange, but we're going to have to post an editorial comment here - this is quite simply insane. If you actually want to lose as many of your high-value customers as possible, you're doing exactly the right things. Charging extra for the privilege of having a 30Mb data caps when other networks offer at least 500Mb for nothing? Charging even more on top to use Messenger?!? Customers are more afraid now then ever to use the internet or email on their Orange handsets! What’s happened to Orange recently? They seem to be viewing their customers as nothing but cash-cows, and I’m one of them!

Update - Links now working.

Link - Orange Messenger by Windows Live - Pricing
Via - MoDaCo.com

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Free delivery on everything - this weekend only

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:47:14 GMT

Here in the UK it's a Bank Holiday weekend. This usually means that shops are besieged with bargain-hungry customers trying to get a good deal on the latest gear. UK customers shopping at devicewire.co.uk can benefit from free delivery on all orders placed between 4pm today (Friday May 2nd) and 8am on Tuesday (May 6th), so head on over if you're lusting after an unlocked handset.

Link - devicewire.co.uk

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o2 coverage finally meets 3G licence obligation

Fri, 02 May 2008 09:46:20 GMT

UK network o2 have finally reached their 3G licence condition of 80% population coverage. It's the last network to meet it's obligation, with the other four UK networks reaching and breaching the figure last year. Regulator Ofcom gave the network until June to increase their coverage, otherwise they would reduce their licence term and threatened a £40 million fine - the network paid just over £4,030 million in 2000 for the licence.

In February, two months after the original deadline, o2 had only got a 75.69 % rollout for 3G. We also spotted very patchy 3G coverage when we reviewed o2 kit early last year. Let's hope o2 continue to push forward with their 3G rollout and increase their coverage still further.

Link - Ofcom.org.uk

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T-Mobile and Vodafone announce new price plans

Thu, 01 May 2008 12:56:41 GMT

Are you a Vodafone UK customer? Are ya? Well, there's some great news if you are. Vodafone have just announced that pay monthly customers will no longer need to buy an additional internet bundle for £7.50. Plans will now automatically include internet access with a 500Mb-per-month cap. Price plans start at £25 and customers who select a £40 or higher price plan will also for the first time have the choice of unlimited texts, unlimited landline calls or unlimited Vodafone to Vodafone calls.

Meanwhile, T-Mobile have announced two new price plans called "Solo" and "Combi". Solo will appeal to the SIM-only market with 1,400 minutes and 500 texts for £30 per month, whilst Combi adds further choices subject to an 18 month contract.

Meanwhile, for Orange users like myself, I'm still paying extra for my tiny 30Mb data cap. :(

Links - Vodafone Press Release - T-Mobile Press Release

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Cheap Samsung i600 on offer

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:57:51 GMT

Windows Mobile phones built by Samsung have always impressed me, so I love the fact that the Samsung i600 is now available for £99.95 from expansys.com. It's unlocked so you can use it on any network. The phone runs Windows Mobile 5.0 and only has a 1.3 megapixel camera, but you do get 3G, WiFi and video calling.

The i600 is a classic Smartphone, so there's no touch screen. It does have a thumb-wheel and QWERTY keyboard though, plus you can pay with PayPal if you've got some eBay profits knocking around.

Be quick if you're interested - last time we mentioned a cheap phone on expansys.com it ran out of stock within hours!

Update - You may be able to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6 using this link. Although it does advise against upgrade on Orange branded handsets like this, I reckon this is purely a warning because it'll remove the Orange tweaks and network settings.

Link - Samsung i600 @ expansys.com
Via - Jason Langridges' Blog

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Ultimate Launch - Tabbed finger-poking app launcher

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:24:40 GMT

Here's another cool interface for your touch-screen phone. It's called "Ultimate Launch and you can buy it for £7.95 or download a trial. It's a very powerful plugin for your "Today" screen and you can add as many tabs as you like. Switch between the tabs using a finger slide - you'll get one of several animated transitions to switch you through. Icons can be sized to your liking, and you can display clocks or battery status or scroll through additional programs by going up and down.

The software has stacks of settings and doesn't use much memory either. It's already receiving quite a number of positive posts over at xda-developers.com and you can try it out for as long as you like - provided you don't mind the on-screen text notice asking you to buy :)

Links - UltimateLaunch.de - Buy (UK - £7.95) - Buy (US - $14.95)
Credit - Derrell Winowich

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Do you call whilst on the loo?

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:09:14 GMT

If you read my blog you may have spotted this blog post from yesterday. I blogged about a guy who answered his mobile whilst in a toilet cubicle and started chatting to a colleague. I was a bit puzzled why someone would want to do this, however I seem to have sprung open a whole can of worms. I've received emails saying, "If it was his wife and important then maybe, but you don't call someone you work with while you're half naked. I mean, that's weird!"

Other emails state, "Texting is OK though, no-one can hear the sound effects can they?" Whilst in the forum "hotphil" replied...

"That is plain wrong! I'd never take a call whilst on the loo.
But browsing the net is acceptable of course (only in our Trap 4 though where the WiFI is strongest) :)"

Ahh - I think we've stumbled upon a whole new topic. Whilst it may not be socially acceptable to answer or make a call whilst your "engaged" on the toilet, it would appear that browsing the net and texting is. Now, normally I wouldn't really think that this was front page material, but my curiosity has got the better of me. So tell me, what are your opinions on what is and isn't acceptable in this scenario ? Do you choose certain cubicles just to get better WiFi access ? Do you text or call whilst in a public toilet ?

Link - Blog post

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GSmart Announce finger-friendly UI

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:44:31 GMT

We've mentioned it many times and, thankfully, the phone manufacturers are well aware of it - the standard Windows Mobile homescreen and interface is getting a bit long in the tooth now. Another phone manufacturer - GSmart has now announced "Smart Touch" (hmm..sounds familiar) - a new intuitive, informative and flexible interface for finger navigation.

Available "in April" (we're guessing that means today then) on GSmart phones, there's a customisable interface with frequently used apps available as shortcuts and you can change these simply by dragging a new application into place. There's two different types of clock which are easily changed with a screen wipe. The Smart Touch technology will also be introduced to European market after May.

Link - gigabytecm.com

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iSwish brings iPhone navigation to Windows Mobile

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:44:31 GMT

I bump into far too many people using the standard Microsoft "Today" screen on their devices, so it's great to see yet another GUI in development to replace the tired home screen. iSwish, currently under development by Flick Software, brings that iPhone control experience to touch-screen Windows Mobile handsets.

This video, which can also be seen below, shows the software in action - it's incredibly smooth and responsive on a range of different handsets. You can drag icons around easily and there's a simulated multi-touch function within the iZoom software which lets you shrink and grow the image with your fingers.

This looks utterly fantastic, but as yet there's no download available. You can however sign up for the beta testing, which should be along soon. We'll be keeping a very close eye on this one!

Links - iSwish - iZoom - See it in action
Credit - Wayne Brewis

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Taipei Times seems to confirm existence of HTC Diamond

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:59:50 GMT

The Taipei Times has just posted a story on HTC, makers of most of the Windows Mobile phones on the market. It seems to confirm the HTC "Diamond" and it's referred to within the article, although not by HTC staff.

HTC Financial Executive Cheng Hui-ming is quoted as saying...

"This is the most important product for HTC this year. With this phone, we’re confident of landing orders from most major operators.”

The article states that the phone has yet to pass the necessary certification requirements, but Europe is an important territory to cover due to the high sales generated.

Link - Taipei Times
Credit - Matthew Pearson

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