Meet Maple: HTC's Cavalier successor caught in the wild
It's been a long time coming, and it looks like HTC's finally gearing up to drop another portrait QWERTY device -- a dominant smartphone form factor that HTC has historically given surprisingly little love. Following the Excalibur (T-Mobile types know this one better as the Dash) and the 3G-capable Cavalier, CNET's Deutschland outpost has learned a bit about "Maple," and what the device lacks in beauty, it looks to make up in pure, raw, unadulterated productivity. You can't rightfully anoint it until you get your hands on it, but from a distance, this thing looks like it has one of the more usable portrait keyboards ever created, a trackball, and a cool new feature HTC is called "Inner Circle," which seems to aggregate communication with people you care about depending on the time of day and day of week. HTC had really been keen on what it's calling "people-centric communication" at MWC, so Inner Circle would certainly fall right into that -- and if you can get over the frumpy exterior, this sucker looks like a solid WinMo-based choice for the suits out there. No word on a release just yet.
[Thanks, Phil]
[Thanks, Phil]















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RVin @ Mar 2nd 2009 2:02PM
As a previous Dash user (now using a Nokia E71) I really like the design refinements of this phone. My old Dash felt good in the hand and was fairly easy to type on. Navigation with a roller ball sounds promising...
Rich @ Mar 2nd 2009 2:07PM
Who you callin' "frumpy"? I think the design looks great! Clean and attractive, definitely; in fact, I wouldn't disagree with someone who called it "sexy".
Danny @ Mar 2nd 2009 2:14PM
Device looks really clean and very functional.
T-Mobile needs a solid WinMo 3G device. I'd buy it if they launched it.
carcomptoy @ Mar 2nd 2009 2:27PM
Heck if this thing has 3G and HotSpot/UMA calling, they'd have a winner!
Alex @ Mar 2nd 2009 2:55PM
T-Mobile, please get this. And please don't make the price higher than $149.99.
gunner23 @ Mar 2nd 2009 4:44PM
For one handed op, WM6.1 Standard is hard to beat. Glad to see a new phone with it still. This guy is like a cross between the Samsung Epix and Mot Q9h. Only complaint: screen should have used all the space to the edges like EPIX. 320x320.
pheer6224 @ Mar 2nd 2009 5:09PM
Reminds me of the Android reference design that never made it to production.
Restoration @ Mar 2nd 2009 5:58PM
I agree http://www.engadget.com/media/2008/04/4-22-08android_tmobg.jpg
Le Sage @ Mar 3rd 2009 3:00AM
Did anyone notice what looks like & HTC Touch HD 2 one the left of this picture ?
http://www.cnet.de/digital-lifestyle/galerie/41000527/page/9/mwc+htc+stellt+business_handy+maple+vor.htm#g
O_o
Matt S @ Mar 3rd 2009 10:12AM
is that a blackberry trackball?
arrynyo @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:14PM
it looks like a blackberry. like a second cousin to the 8330 or something. i like the trackball its the one from the G1