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HTC not done with non-touchscreens yet, brings S743 to US market


We'd never pegged the S740 as the kind of phone HTC would be looking to bring to the New World; it's an oddball by modern Windows Mobile standards, shucking the touchy, feely trend for a traditional numeric keypad that reminds us of a simpler, more innocent time. Miracles can and do happen from time to time, though -- and on that note we give you the S743, a dead ringer for the S740 that's had its Euro-friendly 3G gutted and replaced with HSDPA 850 / 1900 for North American use. It's got WinMo 6.1 Standard, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, and faceted styling inspired by the Touch Diamond, but the S743's real claim to fame is its slide-out QWERTY keyboard for those moments when triple-tapping and predictive text just aren't going to cut it. Look for this sucker to invade US retailers some time this quarter.

HTC S740 lands on Orange's Business Services site


Well, whaddaya know, HTC's S740 arrived at the Orange Business site today after a quick cameo in Orange's in-store magazine last week. We've no clue when this set's going to be boxed and ready to ship out as Orange's not giving up much more than the fact it's pretty and hopefully just around the corner. Of course we'll be watching out for more news on date and pricing, but if we miss it and you don't, please share.

HTC S740 hands-on


You certainly wouldn't know it from the deluge of Windows Mobile Professional devices in every segment of the market these days, but believe it or not, Microsoft's still trudging along with the Standard edition for the handful of us who still favor the smallest package possible (and a physical numeric keypad, for that matter) to a touchscreen. HTC -- which has always had a penchant for packaging WinMo in as many form factors as it possibly can -- has distilled Standard into what can only be described as its ultimate execution in the S740, a bangin' little candybar that carries over the Touch Diamond's distinctive styling elements to a decidedly slimmer package.

We had a chance to put our hands on an S740 recently, and let's just put it this way: if there's a phone that could convince us Windows Mobile Standard was the way to roll, this would be it, no questions asked. It's stunningly beautiful, has one of the best displays we've ever seen on a device of this size and form factor, and you're still packing a full QWERTY keyboard should the need arise. We're told that the matte keypad will be replaced with a glossy one on the final production device, which is only going to bump the chic look yet another notch. Strong work, HTC -- now just cut us an American version to sell unlocked through Best Buy, and we'll call it a day.

The HTC S740 gets handled


HTC is keeping the S740 under wraps at IFA, but the crafty folks at newmobile managed to score some time with the new QWERTY slider, and it looks pretty decent. Thinner than the Touch Pro, the keyboard is basically the same, with the same sort of stealth-look backplate as the Diamond. No motion sensor, so the display only rotates when the slide is open, but that's really all we know -- the unit wasn't running a production-ready version of Windows Mobile, so impressions are a little up in the air. Hit the read link for more shots.

[Via Coolsmartphone]

HTC announces S740: because two keypads are better than one


Looking for the Touch Pro in a slightly less conspicuous package? HTC (who else?) thinks it has the answer in the S740, the first thorough revamp of the S710 of old. The basic concept is the same -- wrap Windows Mobile Standard into a candybar package with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard -- but the S740 takes design cues from the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro for a thoroughly 2008-ish look. The feature list has naturally been refreshed, too, with 7.2Mbps HSDPA on the 900 and 2100MHz bands (read: screw you, North Americans), quadband EDGE, a 3.2-megapixel fixed focus cam, WiFi, GPS, and a 2.4-inch QVGA display. And, you know, if all that isn't enough to impress your snobby friends, just slide open that keyboard, say "boom," and watch the jaws drop. Look for it to filter across Europe starting next month.




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