AT&T to get Kaiser as 8925?
by Chris Ziegler 
posted Jul 18th 2007 at 1:08PM
Makes sense, right? By smartphone standards, the 8525 is getting a bit long in the tooth (its unbranded cousin, the TyTn, is even longer) -- so we've gotta believe AT&T has something in the pipe to grab another several hundred dollars out of owners' wallets (or purses, or money clips, or however it is folks stow cash money these days). Known internally to HTC as the Kaiser, the supposed 8925 is a dream come true for lovers of the Windows Mobile slide-out QWERTY form factor thanks to its nifty flip-up display, spring loaded slide, HSUPA support (though it could be a while before AT&T subscribers get a crack at it), and out-of-the-box Windows Mobile 6. If this is legit, look for it to allegedly go down some time in August.[Via Boy Genius Report]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark @ Jul 18th 2007 1:33PM
Remember when the 8525 was going to be released and it kept getting pushed back until it came out last November? You will see the same with the Kaiser.
Alex @ Jul 18th 2007 1:37PM
No T-Mo love? :(
Not that it matters, with no 3G network...
thrillho @ Jul 18th 2007 1:48PM
was GPS on this model ever confirmed?
3waygeek @ Jul 18th 2007 2:48PM
GPS on the Kaiser has been confirmed -- I've seen more than one video demo of it on YouTube. It appears to be a real GPS, or at least real enough for TomTom to work with it.
3waygeek @ Jul 18th 2007 1:45PM
Note that the 8925 may not be exactly the same as the HTC Kaiser. The 8925 is rumored to lack the front-facing camera and GPS modules featured on the Kaiser.
wako @ Jul 18th 2007 1:47PM
I have lost all hope with Tmobile. It is like they dont want to stay competitive in their variety of phones...
Kyle Carter @ Jul 18th 2007 1:49PM
WHY does AT&T continue to rip the GPS module out of the phones?!?!?!? its freaking ridiculous. Sprint has been USING the GPS for years. they have had location based apps for years. AT&T needs to get in the game. still can't believe the iPhone didn't have GPS.
Will @ Jul 18th 2007 1:57PM
they have to have features to add to the iPhone (and other phones too), or else customers would have no reason to upgrade....there will never be a phone on the market that is sold by the carriers that has everything you would ever want
Christopher Cox @ Aug 30th 2007 1:48PM
AT&T phones haven't been neutered. The 8800 has full GPS, and so do several other phones. I think you are confusing them with Verizon, who neuters just about every phone.
Jeff @ Jul 18th 2007 2:52PM
Yeah, I've been playing the waiting game as well on T-Mo 3g devices and service. At&t/Verizon/Sprint are definitely kickin T-Mo's ass when it comes to 3g offerings.
CodeSmoke @ Jul 18th 2007 3:20PM
Spoke to T-Mobile yesterday to ask when there 1700 band was going to be up and running and they still couldn't tell me when. I was debating waiting to see if the Kaiser would come out with a model to include the 1700 band for 3G on T-Mobile. I have a TyTN with the screen alignment problem and would really like the built in GPS instead of the bluetooth option I am currently using now so I will still buy the Kiaser (not AT&T branded) and if a USA T-Mobile version comes out I wil buy that one and ebay the other.
I considered swithcing to AT&T but after looking at their prices and then hearing about their 1 way video sharing and the rip of price of it I will stick to T-Mobile. While I would love the 3G speed, when I really look at how I use the internet on my phone 90% of it is email and Windows Live Messenger which wouldn't make any difference. Of course if I had the extra speed I may use my Media Center and WebGuide more to stream live TV/Movies/music to my phone more when I was bored.
Jeff @ Jul 18th 2007 3:38PM
Code Smoke have you tried looking through the forums at xda-developers.com to resolve the screen alignment issue? A lot of really good info/help/hacks and upgrades there. I'm using an unlocked 8525 on T-Mo and would love to know for sure if it will be compatible with T-Mo's upcoming 3g service. This will decide what route I will go in regards to getting a new device. Guess I better start saving my money now >:)
Dustin @ Jul 18th 2007 3:22PM
If AT&T nukes the GPS on the Kaiser, there wouldn't be any problems other than a price jump to get an HTC branded one for the GPS would there?
Mark @ Jul 18th 2007 3:36PM
3waygeek:
The 8525 actually DOES have the front camera but the front housing plate covers it up, most likely because of the lack of 3G video here. I am sure you are right and they will cover this one up too.
PeterF @ Jul 18th 2007 3:40PM
Actually it does not, it has the space for one and the connector on the motherboard for it, but the actual camera does not exist. You can find the camera for cheap and install it but then you will also have to order a new faceplate with a hole for it and then flash it to a different firmware.
Zmedic05 @ Aug 28th 2007 2:11PM
Where might I find these "add-ons"?
Mark @ Jul 18th 2007 3:40PM
I know a few people with the Kaiser and actually a few of them are having issues with the GPS not working. Keep in mind they all have pre-production units.
Martin @ Jul 18th 2007 3:55PM
Don't call my phone long in the tooth! It's a good little phone!
Anyways, I'm so excited about this phone because this really IS pretty much everything you could possibly want in a phone (with the exception of the iPhone interface). And just another great reason why I continue to stick with AT&T.
ATTingular @ Jul 18th 2007 7:21PM
I've played with a AT&T bound Kaiser roughly two months ago. It wasn't branded, but it didn't have the forward camera either. The HTC reps, who were the ones letting me mess with it (actually they gave it to my store manager, but they let me check it out as well) gave a fall time frame. I forget which month, but definitely not August.
And yes, it did have GPS and the reps bragged about it, so I would assume they were expecting it to make it to the final edition.
ATTingular @ Jul 18th 2007 7:58PM
As an addendum, the unit I played with was unbranded. The final product will certainly be branded up and out the wazoo with globes, a's, t's and ampersands.
farooq @ Jul 18th 2007 8:16PM
Forget this phone, I personally cant wait for the htc shift. Said to be retailed at 2500CDN already found pre-order for it at just under 2grand.about 1 more month.
Christopher Cox @ Aug 30th 2007 1:47PM
Your joking right? The HTC Shift is a UMPC and not a phone. It is also way bigger than the 8925. I could see taking the 8925 AND the UMPC because they are both completely different devices. SURE they both run the same OS, but they are not even in the same class of devices. No WAY would I carry a shift with me 100% of the time. Talk about holding a laptop up against your face to talk ... can the shift even do voice?
Richard @ Jul 19th 2007 6:36AM
I just read August 22 in another forum.
I really like my 8525 - since Sony Ericsson clearly no-longer will show the USA any UIQ love - and I am due for a new phone in October!
Yes!
V.I. @ Jul 19th 2007 1:44AM
$3!T!! I was gonna grab it, but the lack of GPS and front cam and me having wack T-Mobile is killing me. I don't know what I will do now, I might just wait for the rumored 8gb Nokia N95 or grab the HTC VOX. I'm pissed!
Big Sam @ Jul 19th 2007 1:45AM
I'm all over it as long as they leave the GPS in. I don't care about a front camera. I love my 8525 (newly flashed with WM6), but... a shiny new toy! I wants it!
My precious....
momo @ Jul 19th 2007 2:26AM
I've tried Kaiser several days. And I can said the GPS and Camera function is the best I've ever used in HTC's product. The GPS is even better than HTC Artemis. But Kaiser just use qualcomm's GPS solution, not Sirf III. Amazing. But since it's embedded in qualcomm's chip, it guess there's a way to enable it even AT&T disable it.
Crutnacker @ Jul 22nd 2007 11:54AM
I was going to get the 8525, but I'll wait for this one, assuming it has the GPS. I can't imagine AT&T NOT putting GPS on it, as that would be the application that would make people with the 8525 jump to it.
Of course, nothing AT&T does makes sense to me, so.....
Crutnacker @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:26PM
There's a banner ad here for the 8525, so maybe it will be awhile before they dump them and bring on the 8925. Anyone know how/when we'll hear that it is actually coming?
I considered an iPhone until I saw this one.
jim @ Jul 23rd 2007 6:16PM
i hope to hell that at&t does NOT disable the GPS nor the additional camera.
jim @ Jul 27th 2007 7:39AM
Recent AT&T 8925 information...
http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/07/26/htc.kaiser.at.fcc/
Buddy @ Aug 10th 2007 12:21AM
Hi, just gathering info on this phone deciding whether to purchase this or the iPhone. Enjoy reading all the inputs. It really helps in making me decide. Just waiting it out for now.
Ignacio Rodrguez @ Sep 30th 2007 5:22AM
Hi, I live in a third-world contry (with US-compatible 3.5G nevertheless) and will be travelling to NYC in mid october. I would like to but an HTC TyTN II and bring it back home. This will mean of course either buying it unlocked or unlocking it afterwards.
My questions are quite straightforward:
If I buy the non-contract version from an AT&T store, is this a completely unlocked phone that can be used with any SIM and GSM carrier, or is it just available for AT&T prepaid service?
If not -or if for any other reason it's a better idea- can anybody recommend an over-the counter store in NYC where I can get an unloocked OEM? It would be specially nice to have the option of the front camera.
It seems it does not have a standard 3.5mm headphone plug, but uses a mini-USB RAZR-style connection. Does it include an adapter? If not, any suggestion for getting one? Will the ones for the RAZR v3i be compatible?
I use Mac OS X, but I refuse to get an iPhone with the current state of Apple/AT&T imposed restrictions. So any Mac-centric tips regarding connectivity and activeSync workarounds would also be greatly appreciated.
Thank You very much for your help and sorry if some of my questions are very newbie-ish.
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i.