Telstra gets in early with HTC Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 05:21

IT Industry - Strategy

Telstra has launched a Windows Mobile 6.5 based smartphone from HTC within hours of Microsoft announcing release of the new version of its smartphone operating system.

Telstra Product Management executive director, Ross Fielding, described the new phone, the HTC Touch Diamond2, as "a portable office, supporting mobile email as well as a new generation of productivity applications from Microsoft including mobile Word, Excel and PowerPoint that our business customers value."

He added: "It also features Microsoft Mobile Enterprise Solution compatibility, meaning even the smallest business can access email on this phone instantly through an all-in-one push email and data plan solution." Microsoft Mobile Enterprise combines an Activesync push email service, a mobile web browsing data allowance and helpdesk support at a monthly fixed price starting from $39.95 per month, per service.

Consumer customers, Fielding said, would appreciate "the HTC Touch Diamond2's stunning high-resolution touch screen, the range of designer themes available to personalise each device and the integrated Windows Instant Messenger application that lets users stay connected with friends on the go."

Windows Mobile 6.5, announced today by Microsoft, features a new Internet Explorer Mobile browser that supports flash-based video content and animation and "PC-like Internet browsing." Microsoft has also introduced a new application, My Phone (also available for Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 ) that provides automatic back up of phone files, enables sharing of photos with popular social networking sites. Online access to contacts, text messages et online and the ability to locate a lost phone.

The HTC Touch Diamond2 is available for $0 upfront to Telstra Business and Consumer customers on a $100, or higher, Telstra phone plan and for $0 upfront to Telstra Enterprise & Government customers on an Enterprise Fleet Plan100, or higher

It features a 5megapixel camera, support for a wide range of sound and video file formats, a microSD 2.0 compatible slot, FM radio and a claimed 500 hours standby on 3G networks and 300 minutes talk time.