HTC/Qtek Shift

Description

 The HTC Shift is very much in the smartphone tradition though with a touch-sensitive 7" panel, integrated GSM, EDGE, UMTS and HSDPA data, Bluetooth and WiFi. It's not a large device compared to a laptop - HTC say that it is about the same size as two DVD cases, so approximately 190 x 130 x 30 mm. That's much smaller than a laptop, but significantly larger than even the largest current mobile phone that we know of. The operating system is Microsoft Vista Business, so it's a fully fledged OS and HTC's publicity shots seem to show it running the Aero interface, which is surprising in such a small device. The exact technical specifications of the HTC Shift are not known, but we do know that it has a 30GB hard disk and a USB connection so an external optical media device can be connected. As with a few other HTC devices, the Shift features tri-band UMTS with HSDPA, so it can be used in the US as well as the rest of the world. Quad-band GSM with GPRS and EDGE mean that the Shift should usually be able to get some sort of wireless connectivity when roaming, and of course there's the option of WiFi. Even if the HTC Shift can make voice calls, although it may be possible to make calls through the Shift with a Bluetooth headset, and there is also the possibility of VOIP services such as Skype, in reality you would want a more normal mobile phone to go with the Shift. Of course the Shift requires its own SIM card to operate and this is a device that would suit a dedicated data tarriff. The Shift includes tablet extensions for writing on the screen with the included stylus. To place the Shift into Laptop mode, slide the screen back and tilt it up to a 75-degree angle. The Shift's keyboard is much improved. The keys are small and tight, but with actual travel: when you push a key, you push it down and it springs back like on a real keyboard, not a thumb-board. HTC released a few more, but not all, of the specs for the Shift. It dons a 7-inch, 800x480 touchscreen, 1GB of RAM, 30GB hard drive, Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11g, tri-band HSDPA and EDGE for cellular connectivity. Along with the touchscreen, you can navigate with a tiny Synaptics touchpad on the right-hand side of the screen; there's a fingerprint reader just below that for security. A small, 1.2-megapixel webcam sits on the upper left hand corner of the device. HTC wouldn't comment on the processor or graphics chipset, but told us that the device supports Windows Vista's Aero user interface graphics. However, the Shift doesn't come without its shortcomings. There are only a few ports: a VGA out, SD card slot, and one USB port. A dock or port replicator might be available when it launches, HTC said.