eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Smartphone maker HTC and network operator T-Mobile USA announced the creation of a “comprehensive mobile entertainment experience” for the upcoming HTC HD2, available exclusively in the U.S. from T-Mobile this spring. During a press conference at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, the companies said the HD2, a touch screen phone, would come ready with access to millions of eBooks, movies, television programs and more.
The handset features a 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, a 1GHz Snapdragon by Qualcomm processor and support for T-Mobile’s 3G network. It is also the first Windows phone with HTC’s Sense user interface (UI). Consumers will have access to an entertainment package consisting of pre-loaded content and new pre-installed applications. In addition to the device’s array of built-in multimedia applications, the HD2’s entertainment features include the Barnes & Noble eReader application, with access to more than a million eBooks, newspapers and magazines and Blockbuster on Demand, Blockbuster’s first-ever video download application on a smartphone, which allows consumers to buy a movie on one device and watch on another connected device through Blockbuster’s library.
Other entertainment applications include MobiTV, which offers consumers access to live and on-demand TV on their phone, including news, sports and entertainment from channels like MTV, NBC, Comedy Central, ESPN and other. As a promotion, when HTC HD2 consumers subscribe to MobiTV their first 30 days of service are free. Paramount Pictures’ incomprehensible summer blockbusters “Transformers” and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” come pre-loaded on the device’s memory card, and Gogo Inflight Internet service offers consumers who purchase the handset up to six months of free in-flight Wi-Fi access on their device, with Internet access on 2,500 daily flights in the continental U.S.
“Windows phones offer flexibility for people who want to get the most out of life–work and play–with no compromises,” said Andy Lees, senior vice president of Microsoft’s mobile communication business. “The HTC HD2 is an ideal phone for people who are always on the go as it gives access to the things they care about most. Whether it’s music, TV, Internet or e-mail, they have what they want, when they want it.”
In addition to the entertainment features of the device, the HD2 delivers phone features including a Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, GPS functionality with access to turn-by-turn navigation from TeleNav GPS Navigator, a Web browser, a pre-installed 16 GB microSD card, and a 5-megapixel auto focus camera with dual LED flash for capturing images in dim conditions.
“With an ultrafast 1GHz processor, crisp, vivid 4.3-inch screen and the hallmark HTC Sense user experience, the HTC HD2 represents the ultimate fusion of power and usability,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. “By building on this highly capable platform with a wide range of mobile entertainment options, HTC is helping deliver a multimedia powerhouse to people looking to enhance their on-the-go lifestyle.”
Earlier during the conference, photos and specifications of three other HTC smartphones, the Touch HD Mini, Desire and Legend were leaked online. All three phones are expected to be announced during a public unveiling at MWC this week.