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If you're on a plan or wanting to be on a plan with a Touch Pro2, HTC Imagio, or Motorola Droid on Verizon Wireless, you may want to think again about switching to a different carrier. The nation's largest carrier will be raising its early termination fee (ETF) beginning November 15 for "Advance Devices," making it more costly to terminate your contract.

The move can be seen as being pre-emptive to prevent users from scamming the carrier as smartphones get a large subsidy. Some users may find it profitable to open a second line, get a new device subsidized, then cancel the contract and pay the older, cheaper ETF charges and sell the device for a profit. Under the new scheme, it may not be profitable or less profitable to do that.

(via: BGR)

If you just can’t get enough of the HTC HD2 and want to know more about it, other than what’s usually seen in quick overview videos, the user manual and quick start guide are now available from HTC. Combined, there are over 350 pages of detailed information (with colored images), so get a hot cup of coffee and start reading.

For those in the States, this probably won’t hold you over until early next year; but at least you’ll be thoroughly prepared!

(via: XDA-developers)

Samsung and AT&T have been hard at work to bring the Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard upgrade to the Samsung Jack, which operates on Microsoft's non-touchscreen operating system. The Samsung Jack for AT&T is said to now include the following new features:

Windows Marketplace for Mobile: Discover apps that unlock the power of your Windows Phone, shop securely with confidence, and download instantly to your phone.

-Internet Explorer Mobile: Internet Explorer Mobile 6 delivers the same high quality browsing and media viewing experience that you’ve come to expect on your desktop computer. If you can see it in Internet Explorer on your PC, you’ll be able to see it just as well on your Windows Pphone, whether the content you want is on YouTube, a game using Flash animation, or on a social site like Facebook or MySpace.

-AT&T WiFi: Automatic access to over 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide is available on the Samsung Jack and is included in select smartphone data plans. This allows for fast and easy downloads of your favorite music, streaming videos, games, and more.

-Vlingo for Windows Phone: Instantly send a text or email message, call a friend, search the Web, open native applications and more, all by speaking into your Samsung Jack Windows Phone.

I am traveling through the end of this week. We'll give you a video tour of the Jack with Windows Mobile 6.5 next week. For now, if you do own a Jack and want to hop in on the updated OS, you can check out Samsung's upgrade portal.

With the candybar QWERTY making the news and the Jack recently getting Windows Mobile 6.5, it seems that Research in Motion doesn't want to lose out on making the headlines. The company recently lifted its embargo for the Bold 9700, successor the flagship QWERTY candybar design that brings an optical trackpad instead of the traditional trackball. Although the device lacks a touchscreen, it will closely be able to compete against device's like the Windows Mobile Samsung Epix with touchscreen and trackpad, the Sprint Samsung Intrepid with a touchscreen, and the touchscreen-less Samsung Jack.

Early reviews seem positive with the Bold 9700, which is now more narrow and thin than the original Bold released on AT&T. The new device has a smaller keyboard than the original, but the keyboard is still getting good reviews from some of the blogging sites out there. The screen is a tad smaller, but carries the same resolution, meaning that it will have a higher pixel density. Additionally, the faux leather lives on and the device sports a similar styling to the BlackBerry Tour on Verizon Wireless and Sprint. The Bold 9700 will be available in the US on AT&T and T-Mobile for $200 on contract (and after a mail in rebate on AT&T) later this month in time for the holiday shopping season.

(via: CrackBerry)

For some users who may not need voice access, a data-only smartphone plan may be the way to go. On November 6, with the launch of the Android 2.0 Motorola Droid flagship phone, the largest US carrier will be unveiling three plans--a $30 basic internet plan, a $45 plan that includes Exchange and browsing, and finally a $50 plan for all the data plus Exchange email support and no voice plan. The first two plans require the addition of a voice plan while the $50 plan can let a smartphone user fly solo without the baggage of a voice plan.

Update: According to Stephen Skarlatos on Twitter, the $45 plan is for business accounts. You can still use the $30 personal data plan with an Exchange account. Details for the clarification can be found at Gearlog.

For Windows Mobile owners of the Touch Pro2 and HTC Imagio, would you want a data-only smartphone plan for $50?

Perhaps for some business customers who may require two devices--one for voice and one for data--this may make sense as Verizon Wireless' CDMA network (and Sprint's as well) does not support simultaneous voice and data over 3G. This would allow an enterprise customer to be on one cell phone having a conference call and be on a Touch Pro2 sans voice access on the web to do some basic research while mobile.

It's also rumored that tethering will come at a later point in time for the Droid.

(via: IntoMobile)

HTC formally announced that the wildly popular HTC HD2 will see a US release beginning of 2010. A carrier launch is in the works for the Stateside release, although none has been announced at this time of the HTC press release. The device is already shipping in Europe.

The HD2 will be the first Windows Mobile 6.5 device to sport a capacitive touchscreen, a feature that HTC is innovating upon as it is not natively supported by the operating system. It also features a fast 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and HTC enhancements such as TouchFLO 3D.

T-Mobile USA has been the rumored carrier for the US launch of the device early next year.

Press release after the break.

HTC HD2TM SHIPS IN EUROPE AND ASIA COMING TO THE US IN EARLY 2010

HD2 demonstrates the tight integration between Microsoft and HTC

TAOYUAN, Taiwan – November 4, 2009 – Today, HTC Corporation chief executive officer, Peter Chou, joined Microsoft Corp. chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer and Harvey Chang, chief executive officer of Taiwan Mobile to announce the availability of the highly anticipated HD2 in Europe and Taiwan. HTC and Microsoft also announced that the HD2 would be available in the United States with a major US carrier in early 2010.

“The HD2’s amazing customer experience is a testament to the close partnership between HTC and Microsoft and we’re excited to be bringing the HD2 to Taiwan and the United States,” said Chou. “The HD2 is the first Windows® phone with HTC SenseTM, an HTC user experience focused on making the phone more simple and natural to use and by enabling people to personalise their mobile experience in their own unique way.”

“Working with HTC, we’ve delivered great phones that help customers connect to the people and information they care about, wherever they are,” said Ballmer. “The HTC HD2 shows what’s possible through our close partnership with HTC and it breaks new ground for Windows phones by delivering a beautiful multi-touch screen that people will love.”

The HD2 is the first Windows phone with HTC Sense, a customer experience focused on putting people at the centre by making their phones work in a more simple, natural and personal way. With its industry leading, high-resolution, 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, the ultra thin HTC HD2 delivers more visible content in a sharper, brighter and richer way.

The HD2 uses the first capacitive touch display on a Windows phone to make viewing, zooming and resizing websites, Microsoft Office files, PDF documents and pictures easier with just a pinch of your fingers. The large display also enables faster, more efficient and accurate typing using the onscreen keyboard. Utilizing Qualcomm’s new 1Ghz Snapdragon mobile processor, the HTC HD2 offers enhanced performance that improves the speed of applications, videos, games and more.
Developed with a passion for enhancing people’s lives through innovation, design and ease of use, HTC Sense is rooted in three fundamental principles of Make it Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected.

Make It Mine
The HD2 continues HTC’s drive for personalization by reflecting not only what you want on your phone, but also where you are. Using its large 4.3-inch window-like display, HTC has brought a new dimension to weather with a localized, animated weather experience that utilizes HD2’s entire display without being invasive to your important content and information. The HD2 can also be further enhanced to reflect your needs and style by downloading a wealth of applications at the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Stay Close
The HD2 helps you stay close to the important friends and colleagues in your life with HTC’s people-centric communication approach that provides a single contact view that displays individual communication snapshots of your conversations with the people in your life regardless of whether a call, text, Facebook status update or email were used. While in the midst of email exchange with someone you can easily transition to a call by pressing the call button. HTC has also included a new Windows-based version of its Twitter application, HTC Peep. The pictures you take with the 5MP camera can also be quickly shared via Facebook or Twitter.

Discover the Unexpected
With the HTC Sense experience, the HTC HD2 includes a variety of enhancements that expand and improve the overall phone experience. The HD2 includes a variety of sensors including a proximity sensor that is used to prevent false screen touches when the phone is picked up to answer or make a call. A light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the display. Leveraging its 3G broadband connectivity, the HTC HD2 also offers personal Wi-Fi anywhere for your computer or other devices.

Also available for the HTC HD2 is the optional car kit that automatically transforms HD2’s user interface into a finger friendly in-car navigation experience for driving.

Windows phone
As a new Windows phone, the HTC HD2 showcases the powerful messaging, browsing and productivity capabilities delivered by Windows Mobile 6.5. Offering a best in class e-mail experience complete with the ability to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange, you have the ability to check and manage multiple email accounts. Microsoft’s new My Phone service enables you to automatically back up and synch photos, music, contacts and text messages for free from the HD2 to the web.

Availability
Already shipping in Europe, the HTC HD2 is available around the middle of November with Taiwan Mobile and will be available throughout Asia in the coming month. The HD2 will be available with a major carrier in the US in early 2010.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com

There has been a bit of buzz since it was reported that HTC will be giving Hero owners an upgrade to Android 2.0. The Hero was released with Android 1.5, and a lot of users were wondering if HTC will upgrade the Hero match the Droid's 2.0 OS, to which HTC responded:

“Yes, we are working on an Eclair update for the HTC Hero. Because Eclair is a significantly enhanced release, it will require some time to update Sense for this new version of the Android OS. Please be patient while we work to provide you with a tightly integrated experience like the one you are already enjoying on your Hero.”

However, HTC's Hero 2.0 upgrade may not happen for everyone and carriers will still need to work with HTC and Google to make sure that 2.0 will be a viable option for their ecosystem.

Read on for more information.

SlashGear was reporting that "the update will be available for both the original European GSM version of the Hero, and the CDMA Sprint version on sale in the US," which is only partially true. While HTC will be releasing a Hero update for the unlocked GSM edition, the CDMA editions still have to run by carriers, like Sprint and Cellular South.

According to HTC, "some people have assumed that if we are working on GSM and CDMA versions, that we are implying Sprint, but since we sell the CDMA Hero to other customers (like Cellular South), just saying CDMA does not necessarily mean that there is any committment as to whether or when it might come to the Sprint variant." This further corroborates the story that we've heard from Sprint earlier this afternoon: "We are currently working through the options with the manufacturing partners."

It looks like while HTC is working on upgrades for all versions of the Hero, if you are running a carrier version your upgrade hasn't been committed yet.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3, which has since been re-named and re-badged to the XPERIA X10, has a stunning multimedia user interface that hides traces of Android operating system particularly well.

Gizmodo seems to think that the XPERIA X10 borrows a page or two from Microsoft's Zune HD's playbook.

The XPERIA X10 joins Sony Ericsson's XPERIA lineup, which began with the Windows Mobile XPERIA X1. The X2, which so far hasn't seen a US released, also a Windows Mobile handset, was shown off recently by Microsoft running Windows Mobile 6.5 at CTIA.

(via: Gizmodo, photo from Engadget Mobile)

T-Mobile UK is gearing up to launch one of the hottest Windows Mobile phones come this November 9. The HTC HD2 will be making some lucky Brits from across the pond very happy. However, aside from the advertisement on T-Mobile's product page being incorrect, Mr. High Definition from Twitter informs us that the screen size is also listed incorrectly as being 3.8 inches rather than the huge 4.3 capacitive touch display.

The formal announcement for the HTC HD2 will come on November 4 from HTC.

(via: WMPowerUser)

The Motorola Droid's release on Verizon Wireless is definitely a milestone for Motorola, a company that has been struggling since the iPhone. The company is definitely celebrating its mark of success. A GSM version of the CDMA Verizon Wireless handset will be launching on carrier O2 in Germany for $600 unsubsidized.

The Droid's design with its angular feature, metal shell, and glass screen is reminiscent of the glory days of the MOTO RAZR.

(via: BGR)

A video from Solopalmari has been published which shows the browser speed between the HTC HD2 with server-side compression technology on the Opera Mobile 9.7 browser, the Acer neoTouch S200 with Internet Explorer Mobile, and the iPhone 3GS with Safari. With server side compression technology, the HTC HD2 beat out its competitors, with IE Mobile on the Acer coming in last.

How good is the Snapdragon processor you may ask? Well, as far as screen rotation speeds, it seems that the Snapdragon handsets are pretty zippy.

(via: WMPowerUser)

HTC will be holding a press event on November 4th to officially unveil the HTC HD2. HTC is touting the device as the "first Windows phone with HTC Sense", which basically means that the numerous TouchFLO 3D 2.5 features we've shown you will be now refereed to as Sense.

We don't expect any surprises on November 4, but confirmation on what we knew already: the HD2 will be awesome, and it will be up for sale by November 11.

Sprint, the nation's third largest carrier, has made some public comments about its future roadmap and its relationship with Windows Mobile. The carrier has stated that it wants Windows Mobile 7, but that's dependent upon Microsoft's timeline. However, when pressed further, it seems that Sprint's Vice President confessed that the carrier's 2010 roadmap from HTC will be Android dependent:

I can’t talk about our 2010 roadmap specifically but I can tell you Sprint has a robust 2010 roadmap with HTC. The roadmap will lead the industry in a host of capabilities and will be on the android platform

Regarding Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrades for current Sprint devices, the carrier is saying that the ETA will be early 2010 for those Sprint Touch Pro2s.

(via: Mobile Tech World)

HTC's Peter Chou has spoken and he says that Windows Mobile, while not garnering as much consumer hype, is still an important business segment for the Taiwanese OEM. For that reason, Chou states that he will make the capacitive-based WVGA touchscreen HTC HD2 only available for Windows Mobile. That's a lot of love from Microsoft's largest OEM to keep interest of this highly sought after handset exclusively as a Windows phone.

In other news, Chou states that HTC will be focusing on making fewer phone models, meaning you'll get less variety on the marketplace, and will try to sell fewer of those models: "Now we’re putting more effort into seeing how we can sell more volume per model."

The company is also trying to improve its brand image as a top tier brand. That effort has already gone underway with their recent you ad campaign.

(via: WMPowerUser)

Verizon Wireless had sent us the Motorola Droid this morning. Check out the hardware tour video below.

We will be covering Android 2.0 on the Droid with the new Google Maps Navigation--currently available only on Android 2.0 and in beta--in the forthcoming software tour.