HTC's Shift will be available soon in the U.S., and will come packed with a cellular radio to ride Sprint's EV-DO network.
| HTC Shift |
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 The HTC Shift takes a few good ideas and clubs them over the head with some serious design and performance flaws. The device's leather sleeve, the wonky slide mechanism and the tiny keys all detract from what should have been a great idea, an extra-large version of the AT&T Tilt. With a thinner shell and a more touch-friendly interface, this device might have solved some of the nagging issues with the UMPC form factor, but instead it simply creates new problems. The integrated 3G networking is a great touch, but it's easy enough to add WAN capabilties to a better UMPC, so this feature doesn't help us forgive the Shift its shortcomings. Finally, the SnapVUE interface, which should have made the device more convenient, sits in marked contract to HTC's TouchFLO overlay, which does the same thing and looks much better . . . on a cell phone, no less. Release: March 2008. Price: $1500.
Pros: Cool design idea. We like the 3G networking on Sprint's EV-DO.
Cons: Design contradicts portability and convenience. Input methods are still difficult to use. Long time waking from sleep. Poor performance. Battery life to short.
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