Verizon's Touch Pro caught on video

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 7th 2008 at 8:16AM

Any festering belief that Verizon's version of the HTC Touch Pro is nothing more than a figment of our collective imagination can probably be put to bed now that we have it strutting its stuff on video, yeah? It looks pretty much like what you'd expect it to, sporting an interface every bit as crimson as we've come to expect from a carrier lovingly (or not so lovingly) nicknamed "Big Red." It'll have 512MB of ROM, TV-out, microSD support up to a purely theoretical 32GB, and an integrated business card scanner to put the 3.2-megapixel autofocus cam to work -- enough to make the Windows Mobile faithful on Verizon drool and give pause before setting their sights on the Omnia, we figure. It's not clear exactly when it'll hit retail, but November 14 is sounding like a possible date for deliveries to begin; in the meanwhile, follow the break for the full video!

[Thanks, lwright84]

Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Verizon Wireless, Windows Mobile, EV-DO, CDMA

Tags: htc, raphael, touch pro, TouchPro, verizon, verizon wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw, windows mobile, windows mobile 6.1, WindowsMobile, WindowsMobile6.1, winmo, wm6.1

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

Eric @ Nov 7th 2008 8:33AM

It looks like they've added the touchFLO interface to landscape mode which I believe was a complaint on the unlocked version. Too bad they dumbed it down and locked it up to Verizon's services. I wouldn't touch VZW with somebody else's finger.

Neutral

gino.daddario @ Nov 7th 2008 9:01AM

as long as the hardware inside remains the same (which I'm not sure of, havent compared anything yet), who cares about the software it comes with? with places like ppcgeeks.com you'll have whatever you want.

Neutral

pji @ Nov 7th 2008 5:41PM

Honestly, have any of you ever OWNED a Verizon phone, let alone one with WinMo on it?

I've had 3 different models and NOTHING has been disabled or locked out. Their biggest offense was that the gps on the xv6800 was turned off by default. Not that they should have, their navigation software doesn't even run on windows mobile.

Stop applying what they do to there little shit dumb phones to the smartphones!

Lowest Ranked

50 @ Nov 7th 2008 9:20AM

another pos from htc. no matter what device they see form them they almost ALL come back to be returned for slowness locking up doa whatever, there is at least a 50 percent return rate on these devices. I will say one thing is that they are not as bad as palm though(not the centro) I he seen this device side by side to the new omnia by samsung and there is NO comparison!

Highest Ranked

gareth @ Nov 7th 2008 10:07AM

Reading your comment is giving me a headache.

Neutral

bit1 @ Nov 7th 2008 9:01AM

not to bad, will this also be locked into that data plan requirement?

is there any way to get out of that? pressure them that you will leave Verizon maybe?

Neutral

gino.daddario @ Nov 7th 2008 9:19AM

my guess is it'll be required within the system. I finally got one of the reps who came to my office to admit that IT makes restrictions within the system, i.e., why I'm forced to pay $45 for data on my 6700 when someone with a 6800 pays $30.

chances are, all their PPC's are going to be that way from now on.... and let's be honest, it's verizon, they're just going to laugh at you if you threaten to leave.

Neutral

tra la la @ Nov 7th 2008 1:30PM

@ bit: yes, a data plan will be required for ALL pda/smartphones starting Nov 16. this will be no exception. the only exception is if you have a pda/smartphone NOW and don't have a data plan... kind of a "grandfathered in" scenario. the reason for this is because these devices are just as I've said twice now - pda/smartphones. people get them because they're "cute" or "I just like xxx function". well, guess what?! they are designed as a pda FIRST, and the phone second. if you want a fancy phone, then get a Dare or Voyager or something like that which doesn't REQUIRE a data plan. chances are, if you have a pda device, then you will, at some point, either use email or internet. and what happens when you do that without a data plan??? you get charged, get pissed, and call in.

@ gino: actually, it has nothing to do with IT, per se. it's the way that the programming is set in the system based on the capabilities of the phone. why does the Centro get the cheaper plan but the 700/755p don't? aren't they essentially the same OS? what about Moto Q's, but not the xv6800 - aren't they Windows Mobile? the answer to just those 2 questions is YES... but maybe they just don't have the same capability as the others. it's a difficult question to answer, to be sure, and having a rep say "oh, our IT department determines which you can and can't" is just plain ludicrous and your statement about it is misleading.

-- by the way, when was the last time ANYBODY called a company to stop services and got laughed at? Verizon wouldn't either. you don't become the #2 highest customer base in domestic cellular (soon to be #1 again with Alltel going thru) because you tell people "we've got America's most reliable and largest 3g network. we set the rules and you just have to deal with it."

Neutral

peil @ Nov 7th 2008 9:07AM

Yes!!!! more competition It will make the price go down!!!

Neutral

gareth @ Nov 7th 2008 9:18AM

I don't suppose the video could have caught the processor speed? The mystery continues. Will Vz under clock or wont they?

In any case, The phone looks good, I cant wait to play with it myself.

Highly Ranked

badqat @ Nov 7th 2008 9:45AM

That's what she said!

Low Ranked

Sandra @ Nov 7th 2008 9:28AM

Seriously, learn the correct damn termonology engadget, ROM = READ ON MEMORY, the touch pro, fuze, etc does not have 512mb of ROM, it has 512mb of internal storage, huge difference there and every phone is reported wrong on that.

Neutral

50 @ Nov 7th 2008 9:39AM

Ithink that they just copied and pasted, I dont believe thats its their 2 cents but yes pls get it right.

Highest Ranked

derX @ Nov 7th 2008 12:56PM

Ahhh, copy and paste....

...now we know what phone they don't use.

Highest Ranked

john @ Nov 7th 2008 3:18PM

Yes, learn the correct terminology! ROM = Read ONLY Memory, not Read "On" Memory.

Neutral

Tim @ Nov 7th 2008 9:42AM

I wish we knew when this was going to be released...I need to get rid of my Q9m!!!

Neutral

VZWStan @ Nov 7th 2008 10:28AM

does anybody have a clue when this will be released? im shocked theres no much new info on vzws version yet and atts fuze is scheduled for release sometime really soon

Neutral

lwright84 @ Nov 7th 2008 11:45AM

The rep told me I'd be getting mine on Nov 14th.

Neutral

Riley Freeman @ Nov 7th 2008 10:18AM

umm maybe i missed something. but nowhere does it show thats a verizon one. that easily could have been hacked and slapped with the fugly red on it.

second who the hell cares if they say 512 of rom. HTC THEMSELVES SAY IT

Neutral

Blank @ Nov 7th 2008 11:21AM

Look at the video again you can see the silver/chrome verizon logo directly beneath the screen (on the hardware)

Neutral

fan_of_fanboys @ Nov 7th 2008 10:41AM

I work at a VZW call center and I activated two of these about a week or two ago. It was an HTC company acct and guy called in. Both popped up test device so I asked. He said both were Touch Pro (Ralphael.) There were approx. 30 lines on acct and all were test devices. A few even had active SIM cards. Take that for what its worth. I asked him how he liked the phone and he said it was nice and that was nearly ready for release.

Neutral

Jason @ Nov 7th 2008 11:44AM

C'mon VZW..... just don't mess with the hardware....

Neutral

B @ Nov 7th 2008 11:56AM

Same processor as the Sprint version. Not sure where that rumor came from a few months ago. Same specs.

Neutral

Matt G @ Nov 7th 2008 12:17PM

Woot.

My friend took the video, sent it to me before he sent it in to Engadget.

I kinda don't like the changes to TouchFlo for VZW :-/

Neutral

lexluthor @ Nov 7th 2008 2:06PM

B, I don't see any confirmation that it's the same processor / memory as the Sprint version. Whered you get confirmation of that from?

Neutral

hayley @ Nov 7th 2008 5:17PM

why is the touch pro coming out before the diamond touch on verizon?

Neutral

Riley Freeman @ Nov 7th 2008 6:15PM

did this guy say he works for a verizon call centre then go and say a few had active SIM CARDS.

anyone not notice this

Neutral

Fan_of_Fanboys @ Nov 8th 2008 9:37AM

I am surprised no one responded to my comment as well. Kind of saddends me :( Would rather argue whether or not its processor is under-clocked or whatever (I personally have no idea)

Neutral

N.Rosario @ Nov 7th 2008 10:51PM

he means there were also global phones active on that acct that were HTC test devices

Neutral

AceXMachine @ Nov 8th 2008 1:45AM

Same processor (7500a @ 528Mhz). I can personally confirm this.

Neutral

lexluthor @ Nov 8th 2008 7:58AM

AceXMachine,

Doesn't the Sprint use the 7501a @ 528Mhz though? So that isn't the same processor, is it? What's the difference?

Neutral

lexluthor @ Nov 8th 2008 8:26AM

AceXMachine,

Also, what about memory? How much RAM does the VZW Touch Pro have?

Neutral

AceXMachine @ Nov 8th 2008 10:28PM

I know about the 7501a in the sprint version even though i cannot confirm it. All i know is that the device reports as having the 7500a. Sometimes windows will only show the main family of a chipset, in this case for example, it reads as a 7500a "series" and may never actually read 7501a or 7502a etc etc. I would only be able to confirm this by seeing what is reported on the sprint version. Also, i was only able to check out the "about" systems app to see the chipset and not an actual info app (forget the name). As for memory, it has 192MB, I think the sprint version has 256MB....not a deal breaker for me but still not crazy about it

Neutral

Suicycle @ Nov 9th 2008 5:36PM

As of right now, VZW phone reps do not even have this phone on their training schedules. Of course, the two that I talked to had not even heard of the phone. Sometimes I find it interesting how much information about VZW's equipment plans is available on the web -- much of which must be leaked by their very own employees. Knowing that so much is being said, VZW should, at least, alert their front line staff. They don't need to provide specific release dates, but simply acknowledging that a phone is planned does not seem like asking for too much.

Neutral

fan_of_fanboys @ Nov 10th 2008 11:24AM

I agree. As a VZW rep it amazes me how many of my co-workers have such little knowledge of upcoming devices. I understand not all people are as techy as I am and some plan migrate into diff. aspects of VZW (HR, etc) but at least know the names of upcoming devices. Call me though and I will give you all the info avail. In our systems there are places to look to see all the phones coming out (prices and dates not avail. but all upcoming phones. Amazing what is in there)

Neutral

Drew @ Nov 10th 2008 12:21PM

can the video be anymore nauseating? Did he even try to make this video? I almost feel as though he was using a camcorder and forgot to turn it off after what he was doing elsewhere.