Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 21 April 2008 12:43
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 2
The long awaited HTC shift, a 7-inch ultra-portable Windows Vista
Business computer, merged with a Windows Mobile style device, has
finally landed in Australia, but it isn’t cheap!
HTC’s Shift is a bold new move for HTC, currently a maker of Windows Mobile smartphones, including the iPhone-esque HTC Touch and HTC Touch Dual.
Previewed for at least the last couple of years, the HTC Shift combines a small size, Windows Vista Business Edition and ‘SnapVUE’ – a Windows Mobile-style of interface that is “always on” and gives “instant access to emails, calendar, SMS messages and contacts, without the need to fully boot up the device which helps conserve power and extend battery life.”
The screen, while much larger at 7-inches than found on the HTC TyTN, nevertheless operates in the same way – using ‘Slide-‘n-Tilt’ to reveal the keyboard, while also being a touchscreen for Tablet PC functionality.
Although HTC says the Shift gives “users the optimal blend of portability and design without compromising functionality”, some reviews I’ve read have wished the Shift had more speed and power, although without having tried one myself, it’s hard to say how accurate that is.
To that end, I’ve contacted HTC’s Australian PR company on receipt of this latest release to secure a review model which will arrive in the next couple of days, whereupon I will shift everything out of the way to give the Shift a proper review.
There’ll be no short shrifting the Shift, it looks like it will surely be the first of many UMPCs (ultra mobile PCs) from HTC, a company that was once only a mobile phone maker, but is now moving more firmly into true mobile computing than ever before.
It comes with a built-in webcam, Wi-Fi and HSDPA connectivity for almost ‘anywhere’ high speed internet access, which HTC’s release says will allow “users to stay connected to what’s important to them while on the go.”
Please read onto page 2 for more features and the end of my pre-review preview.
