Mobile Phone Reviews

In 2010 HTC will be launching a total of 8 devices, 3 of which will feature Windows Mobile 6.5 and the remaining 5 will run Android.  The Windows Mobile 6.5 devices will include the Tera, Trophy and Photon while the Android devices include the Legend, Salsa, Bravo, Tide and Buzz.  All of this information was presented October 2009 in Vienna where HTC had a global meeting about the manufacturer’s device portfolio for 2010.  Below we will break down all 8 devices and put many rumors about upcoming launches to rest.

Windows Mobile 6 .5 Devices

We’ll begin by starting with the Windows Mobile 6.5 portion of HTC’s 2010 devices.  The first of which is the HTC Tera.  The Tera is positioned in HTC’s Productivity category and very close to the existing HTC Touch Pro2.  It features the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3.2-megapixel camera, 256MB RAM, 1300 mAh battery and is expected to launch April 2010.

Next up is the HTC Trophy, a candybar-style handset with fully exposed QWERTY keypad featured in HTC’s Productivity category.  This device features a 3.0-inch VGA resolution screen, 5-megapixel camera, 1400mAh battery and is expected to launch May 2010.

The last in the HTC Windows Mobile 6.5 lineup is the HTC Photon which is also part of the Productivity Category.  Think of the Photon as a lower-end version of the HTC Leo.  The Photon features a 3.2-inch HVGA resolution screen, 256MB RAM, 5-megapixel camera and Snapdragon MSM7227 600MHz cpu.  It will be available starting in April 2010.

Android-powered Devices

Before we get into the 5 Android devices we must make a major correction in the way we’ve been referring to the HTC Dragon/Passion the past few weeks.  While the Android 2.1 ROM references both names, the actual name of the device coming to T-mobile USA and Verizon Wireless will be the HTC Bravo.  From now on we’ll be referencing the device by the correct name as the HTC literature supports.

The first Android-powered device coming from HTC in 2010 will be the HTC Legend.  The Legend is part of the Design and Lifestyle category recently introduce by HTC in their revised product segments.  The Legend follows the path of the HTC Magic and Hero in both style and design thanks to a slim 11.4mm thickness.  The trackball has been replaced by an optical mouse for easier navigation, very similar to the latest BlackBerry lineup.  The HTC Legend will be available in March 2010.

Next up is the second Android device in the Design and Lifestyle category, the HTC Salsa.  The Salsa measures in at an astonishing 8.6mm thickness, features a full QWERTY keypad and fully supports all well known social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  The device also features robust Instant Messaging capabilities and a Flickr client is pre-installed.  The Salsa will be released in June 2010.

The HTC Bravo (formerly the HTC Passion/Dragon) is the real flagship device in HTC’s 2010 Android lineup.  The Bravo will follow the same recipe that has made the HTC HD2 the talk of the web by using the Snapdragon QSD 8250 1GHz CPU, HD 720p video capture, 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 512 MB RAM, a 16GB microSD card pre-installed and 1400mAh battery.  The Bravo will feature HTC’s Sense UI and will released in April 2010 to compete directly against the Sony Ericsson Rachael (Xperia X10).  As you probably guessed, the HTC Bravo is the lone device in HTC’s Performance category and truly the future of Android devices.

The HTC Tide is part of HTC’s Social category with a touchscreen, trackball and traditional keypad wrapped in a candy-bar design.  The Tide incorporates native clients for Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Flickr and will be released in April 2010.

The last Android-powered device from HTC in 2010 will also be part of the Social category, the HTC Buzz.  The Buzz looks like an ancesort of the HTC Tattoo, thanks to removable covers for unique styling and really delivers in the spec department.  Thanks to a 3.2-inch screen, 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash and sexy design, the Buzz will have social media lovers satisfied in May 2010.

Final Thoughts

All of the information above is part of exclusive coverage by XDA-Developers’ member B3ler3fonte.  Many times websites fail to give credit where credit is due and thanks to his hardwork over the weekend we are pleased to bring you all of the exclusive content above.  If you have additional questions or comments about any of these devices we highly recommend taking the discussion over to xda-developers and supporting their site by becoming a forum member.  2010 will be a huge year for HTC, possibly the biggest to date and knowing all the devices in advance just helps our excitement build.

[via xda-developers]