Live from HTC’s London Press Event!
Alright, people! We’ve touched down in London and we’re starting to head to HTC’s special press event. We’ll update this shortly from the venue.
11:16 AM: We’re still waiting…
11:20 AM: Only a small amount of people here…not including the 100 HTC employees, of course.
11:30 AM: Still waiting…looks like there is a delay.
11:39 AM: A lot more press peeps just showed up — not our kind — the traditional media folks.
11:45 AM: Looks like it’s the HTC Touch Diamond. No surprises here. The goodie bags all say "HTC Touch Diamond".
11:49 AM: Finally they are letting press in!
11:50 AM: We’ve pretty much confirmed Android will not be making an appearance here. Mmm.
11:52 AM: We’re seated. Cheesy music playing.
12:01 PM: HTC CEO Peter Chou is on stage.
12:02 PM: He’s introducing some VP’s.
12:03 PM: "More than 3 million HTC Touchs sold."
12:04 PM" "Phones are difficult to use. You sometimes have to press 20 buttons."
12:07 PM: HTC Touch Diamond. 4GB internal memory.
12:09 PM: It has a 3D animated touchscreen experience
12:10 PM: "More emotion."
12:11 PM: "Breakthrough in innovation." The HTC Touch Diamond has HSDPA/HSDPU
12:13 PM: It’s a "perfect form factor. Not too big, not too small."
12:15 PM: He just said the design is museum-worthy. We’ll be the judge of that, fella.
12:16 PM: Showing off the phone’s interface now.
12:17 PM: Looks like HTC heavily customized the interface.
12:18 PM: This is actually pretty cool. We’re getting excited.
12:20 PM: Well, there’s definitely an accelorometer in here!
12:22 PM: Here’s what we’ve been waiting for — the internet browsing…
12:23 PM: This definitely doesn’t look like Pocket Internet Explorer. You can touch content in the browser and it comes up in almost a text editor for easier reading.
12:24 PM: Sort of like Mobile Safari, in a way.
12:24 PM: Web browser also rotates when device is tilted.
12:25 PM: HTC worked with Google to deveop a "killer YouTube experience." One touch YouTube access. Scroll through videos like the iPhone with elastic scrolling. Nice, it has VGA display and YouTube looks awesome.
12:26 PM: Marketing spin: "HTC Touch Diamond is Just Like Your Life." What, sad and lonely?
12:28 PM: Vice President of HTC Europe speaking now. The phone will be available through all key operating partners. All 5 main networks in the U.K. — wow.
12:29 PM: Available in Europe and Asia in June. Rest of the world is later this year. What. In. The. Hell?
12:30 PM: "Operator-specific versions will be coming and will have key services and features from each specific partner." They’re talking about the ability to work with they’re partners, etc.
12:31 PM: "Unique Orange Flavor." Executive VP of Orange taking the stage now. He just said "a truely cool and exciting device."
12:34 PM: Orange TV with 61 channels will be available on Touch Diamond. This is getting really boring.
12:36 PM: Peter Chou is back on stage.
12: 37 PM: Peter just said HTC screws up sometimes but they work hard to try and improve.
12:40 PM: HTC Touch Diamond is the first device to launch with Windows Mobile 6.1
12:42 PM: The new head of Microsoft Mobile Communications, Andy Lee, is on stage.
12:43 PM: 11 million Windows Mobile devices sold last year, blah blah.
12:44 PM: Oh my god. We came all the way here for one phone. Where is my slide-out keyboard, damn it!
12:45 PM: Peter Chou – "I believe the HTC Touch Diamond will change how people interact with their phone."
12:46 PM: Think they are wrapping it up now. Nope. Question time!
12:47 PM: Someone just asked the Microsoft dude why Opera was used as the browser on the Touch Diamond. He said because Windows Mobile browser 6 is coming soon and isn’t done yet. "It will be the richest mobile browser experience." Yeah, whatevz dude!
12:50 PM: People are asking about iPhone comparisons and texting and the keyboard. Touchscreen keyboard! Come on, guys! No 3.5mm headset jack. It still used the USB jack. Wack.
12:53 PM: An "8-21% improvement in battery life with Windows Mobile 6.1." Uh, what kind of range is that, people?
12:54 PM: Aaaaand the lights went out. Think it’s over.
12:55 PM: Wow a 900mAh battery. That will last a good 6 minutes.
12:56 PM: Price point? Too early to tell…based on operator.
1:00 PM: That’s it! On to the demo.
Yep HTC must be partnering with T-Mob US because they are definitely letting the new stuff just trickle out to the masses with this “big announcement” one phone release. Like T-Mo’s big one city 3G announcement after like 3 years of us waiting.
“12:44 PM: Oh my god. We came all the way here for one phone. Where is my slide-out keyboard, damn it!”
priceless
Thanks for the excellent coverage, BGR. I really hope you cover all future events that same way. I was sitting at work and already feeling like I was it the event. Sorry you had to go for one phone. It really sucks.
Looks like my Shadow. Same terrible battery life, horrible Windows mobile…but has touchscreen. Noooooo Thanks! Next…
“On May 6, 2008 @ 8:37 am, Dayne Said:
1 phone that we knew about already, same gay usb headdphone jack,”
At least it’s not STRAIGHT!
thank you for the you tube link. i think it looks pretty awesome. it kind of sucks that bgr flew over for one phone, but i would like to say to bgr from me, thanks because you covered the conference very well for the htc fans. i really like the user interface!!!
Well, chalk up one more for the “not an iPhone killer” catagory.
The question is… does it have some fucking video driver?
Else is shelf stuff
A sad, over-hyped, and way, way anti-climatic announcement.
I’ve been waiting for this May 6th event for a while along with many, hoping for something to knock my socks off. While the Diamond has decent specs (except for that battery), my socks are still on my feet.
grr.
“my socks are still on my feet.”
but d00d, it’s teh museum-worthy!
ridiculous… alll this hype and even a plane flight out to London for a lot of people, for ONE phone?!?!! what a waste… and it’s not even that exciting, the only thing exciting about it is the new TouchFlo 3D software… and the fact that they’re using real processors now… wow… what a waste, no QWERTY, tri-band GSM and dual band 3G… they should have made this event worth while…