If this is the device Census Bureau workers end up getting to use come 2010, we've gotta say, we're a little jealous. The aptly-named "Census" from HTC crossed the FCC's wires several months ago, and a fresh visit reveals that pictures of the device and a user's manual are now available. Sticking with the Bureau's claim that their device would be strictly used for data collection, the Windows Mobile Pocket PC-powered Census dispenses with calling functionality, instead loading up with a variety of options for transmitting collected data back to home base: 1xRTT / EV-DO, WiFi, and a phone jack (oh, my!) are all on board. Though we're not certain, we're guessing the jack is an analog modem, ensuring that even the most rural Census visits -- places where even CDMA may not penetrate -- won't go unreported in short order. The device also includes a fingerprint reader, which gives us some sense of security (however false it may be) that the intimate details we share with those workers are safe. A screen shot in the user's manual reveals Sprint as a possible carrier, but if this is in fact the Census device we've all been hearing about, it's uncertain whether it'll ever be made available outside the feds' bureaucratic hands.

[Via phoneArena]