The HTC S710 looks like a friendlier version of the Samsung SCH-i760, which was announced a month ago at CES 2007. We were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the Vox back in January, but HTC kept us mum on the phone, probably holding out until the official launch of Windows Mobile 6. The S710 is the first phone in HTC's lineup to feature the new OS, which will bring a tasty new interface and better Office document editing, among other enhancements, to smartphones that lack a touchscreen.
The HTC S710 is among the increasingly popular side-sliding QWERTY phones, though it doubles as a candy bar with a full numeric keypad on the face. The manufacturer also produces side-sliding phones for U.S. carriers, notably the Cingular 8525. Like the i760, the S710 will browse WLANs using 802.11g, but ups the ante on that phone with a 2-megapixel camera sensor, instead of 1.3-megapixels. Also, we believe the SCH-i760 will be a Verizon Wireless release, based on its model number, while the S710 will be a GSM phone, and EDGE-only, without 3G UMTS support. It's quad-band radio works with the 850 band ubiquitous in the U.S., but the first carrier to release the phone will be Europe's Orange, which will begin selling the phone in the first half of this year.
To be honest, in our closed-door meeting back in January we were so intrigued by the HTC Advantage that we hardly paid attention to the smaller Vox, but the Vox supports Windows Mobile 6, while the Advantage is still, officially at least, stuck on WM5. If and when this phone comes to the U.S., we expect to see a rebranded model, but there has been no official word on pricing or availability outside of Orange's network.
Price & availability
Available in the U.S. in May 2007, the HTC S710 is priced at $500 .
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