I love technology, but it has been a while since I have gotten excited about anything new. Finally, I have something new to look forward to. A new phone is rumored to be headed to Verizon soon... no, it's not the Motorola Droid, which was recently released with a million dollar ad campaign. It has been dubbed the HTC Dragon, aka HTC Passion, and it is exactly what I have been waiting for!
I have never been a fan of Blackberries (it's a personal preference), and I can't get an iPhone because AT&T coverage is terrible where I live. That has left me with a Windows Mobile phone - I currently have the VX6900 (the HTC Touch). I like it, but Windows is eons behind the rest of the smartphone world!
I am currently due for an upgrade on my Verizon phone and I almost rushed out to get the Motorola Droid. I was impressed with the nifty "iDon't" ad campaign (below).
But... the Droid had some spotty reviews. Despite the fact that Motorola phone supports multi-touch (think pinch-to-zoom), and so does the Android 2.0 operating system, the Verizon Droid phone doesn't use it. I have also heard that people are not very happy with the slide-out QUERTY keyboard. Apparently, it is so slim that the keys don't have much travel and it doesn't really give you a good tactile experience. Personally, my HTC Touch doesn't have a slide-out keyboard and I don't miss it. I'd rather just have a good virtual keyboard (ala the iPhone).
Although the Droid got all the press, Verizon released another Android phone recently - the HTC Droid Eris. It uses HTC Sense user interface, which many seem to prefer over the Droid's UI. Unfortunately, it is based on Android 1.5, rather than the newest 2.0 operating system. It is rumored that an upgrade will soon be available, but it's still not quite what I want.
So... I began searching for my dream phone. Because I generally like HTC products, I started there. What I found got me pretty excited - the HTC HD2! But, it runs Windows Mobile 6.5 (bummer). Windows Mobile still hasn't fully adopted a finger-friendly operating system - they love that sylus... I don't. Windows Mobile 7 will most likely take care of that issue, but when that will actually get released is anyone's guess.
Can you believe the size of that screen? It is 4.3", but thanks to its razor thin bezel, it is still a good size for a phone. If you are wondering how that screen size compares, the iPhone's screen is 3.5" and the Droid's is 3.7".
I find that I now use my phone more for e-mail and browsing than I do for making phone calls. The larger screen means that I can see more and the virtual keyboard is large enough to be finger-friendly. Not to mention, opening attachments would be very nice on a screen that large. I have to zoom in so far on my HTC Touch, that it is hardly worth the bother to open .pdf attachments.
Another great feature... the HTC HD2 can also serve as a wireless access point! That means that if its in your pocket, you can use the phone to provide wireless access for your laptop. How cool is that?
I'm not aware of any U.S. carriers that yet offer the HTC HD2, and because it runs Windows Mobile 6.5, I wouldn't really be rushing out to buy it anyway. But, I thought to myself... If they put Android 2.0 on this thing - I'd be signing a new contract to get one! This is where the rumors come in - supposedly, Verizon will be getting this one!
Of course this is only a rumor at this point, but the HTC Passion website gives one hope! It sports a Verizon "check mark" and the tag-line "coming holidays 2009." Some speculate that the site is a spoof, and it could be. You would have to wonder why Verizon would launch a new Android phone so soon after the Droid. With their 30-day return policy, they would be inundated with people returning the Droid to upgrade to the new, best Android phone. This could be why the latest news (rumors) indicate that the release will be pushed into early 2010.
Every since the iPhone came out, rumors have been flying about the "iPhone killer," but so far nothing has come close. As I mentioned, AT&T service around here is so bad, that I don't even consider the iPhone an option. Many who have iPhones dread the AT&T service, but they put up with it to have such an awesome phone. Until Android, I don't think anyone could hope to displace the iPhone. But, from what I hear, the Google Apps for Android pose a real threat, especially if they can get it on the Verizon network. The HTC Dragon/Passion (whatever they call it) could be the one.
If this is just a big hoax, the execs at Verizon should be scrambling to make it a reality. I haven't seen anything generate so much excitement in the smartphone world since the iPhone. Verizon is often crucified on forums for their pitiful phones. They have the best network, which is why so many (including myself) put up with the limited phones they offer. If it isn't bad enough that they let the iPhone go to AT&T, they even strip phones of some of their capabilities leaving many of us wondering why. For example, they have been known to disable the GPS chips, so you have to buy their "turn-by-turn" navigation service. Why they would not opt to take advantage of the Droid's multi-touch capabilities is anyone's guess.
But, if these rumors are true... maybe Verizon is learning. Imagine what they could do if they married a state-of-the-art phone, like the HTC HD2, with Android and the best coverage area in the industry!
I'm not making any new phone purchase until I see where this phone ends up. If Verizon doesn't get it, I might have to check out other carriers.
Robert A. Franco
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