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HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging

by Paul Miller posted Jan 22nd 2009 @ 9:18AM

HTC's got an all-new version of its GPS-centric Touch Cruise handset, with a thinner, slicker design and a new HTC Footprints app for integrating that location data with photos and notes. Of course, the phone doubles as a traditional in-car navigation system, cradle included, with GPS and a-GPS, but there's plenty else to love here, including quad band GSM, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a microSD slot and a 3.2 megapixel camera. The 2.8-inch QVGA screen betrays this phone's consumer-bent, but the truly notable functionality here is actually in the software: HTC Footprints takes geotagging a step further, allowing to to take notes and audio clips and embed them in a "postcard" of sorts, all still tied to that GPS location data -- the cards are even auto-named by their location. Footprints also works outdoors and indoors, which isn't quite explained, but we're guessing it just remembers where you were when you lost a signal. There's a world-friendly WCDMA / HSPA 900 / 2100MHz version, of course, but us North Americans will be getting the 850 / 1900MHz flavor as a unlocked handset for $500 to $600 in Q2. Check out the read links below for the full PR and some early hands-ons, and there's video after the break.

Gallery: HTC's new Touch Cruise

[Via Phone Scoop; thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - HTC PR
Read - Touch Cruise hands-on (in Russian)
Read - Touch Cruise hands-on (in English)

Continue reading HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging

FCC approves an HTC Touch Cruise with North American 3G -- but why?

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 29th 2008 @ 12:18PM

With the dull roar of frenzied anticipation (okay, that might be over the top, but you know what we mean) surrounding the launch of the Touch Diamond in all its variants around the globe, why would HTC take a step back in time to get one of its older models approved in a new flavor? Don't get us wrong -- for its day, the Touch Cruise was one of the hottest Windows Mobile devices going -- but the Touch Diamond has seriously muted an overwhelming majority of the WinMo kit out there, including much of HTC's older lineup. Put head to head, the VGA display and TouchFLO 3D alone are enough to make sure the newer handset spanks the Polaris, but for whatever reason, Mr. Chou and his gang saw fit to repurpose it with HSDPA 850 / 1900 and send it through an FCC lab. We're not sure whether this will end up on a carrier anywhere, but with the front-facing cam, we'd probably rule out AT&T off the bat.

Update: Touche, there's a Touch Cruise already in circulation with 850 / 1900 3G -- but the question remains, why was this just approved? Thanks, everybody!

Touch Cruise latest HTC device to fall to Android

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 30th 2008 @ 10:47PM

With all these HTC models getting their brains rearranged to run Android, we're starting to wonder: just how necessary is the Dream? Don't get us wrong, we're pretty amped to see what kind of amazing hardware HTC's crafting to officially debut the consumer-ready cut of Android to the world, but there are plenty of very capable handsets already in the field -- and the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro should both be more than willing to donate their bodies in the name of science when the time comes, too. The latest model to get an Android port is the Polaris, also known as the Touch Cruise in production trim. At this point, the ports are still pretty raw and the level of functionality or spit and polish probably isn't what you're used to with the native WinMo installation, but they're getting there -- and considering that Android itself still has plenty of work remaining, it's an impressive feat and a promising sign of things to come for owners of older devices. Let us know how it goes if you're brave enough to give it a shot, y'hear?

[Thanks, smith]

HTC Touch Cruise becoming "Touch Find" for Movistar?

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 30th 2008 @ 8:30PM

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in one of those meetings once in a while where product names get hammered out. Seriously, what possessed Movistar to latch on to "Touch Find" for this one? Was HTC's own name, Touch Cruise, not good enough for 'em? Or heck, how about the Xda Orbit 2 (pictured) moniker used by Movistar's own O2 subsidiary? Alas, yeah, the latest rumor here is that the Touch Cruise will be christened Touch Find for Movistar's networks, featuring 3.6Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, GPS, and a 3 megapixel cam. We don't know for certain whether the Touch Find will adopt the O2's same pebble-esque case or the Touch Cruise's harder lines, but it certainly seems like it'd make more sense to be consistent within the company ranks and go Xda Orbit 2-style. Then again, the name change itself doesn't seem to make much sense, so who knows?

[Via Unwired View]

HTC spy shot reveals handful of new phones

by Joshua Topolsky posted Apr 20th 2008 @ 2:02PM

Apparently, HTC is having a little trouble keeping people with cameras out of its offices, as evidenced by this totally great spy shot of a what appears to be a bunch of (or two) new phones. We're familiar with quite of few of these devices, like the TyTn II, Touch Cruise, and Touch you see in the upper row, but things get a little stickier down below. Save for that P3470 that's second from left, we have no clue what those slick looking square numbers are. The far left model and the far right might be the same device, but its hard to tell. It also looks like all the devices in this picture are using Windows Mobile, but we're holding out hope that maybe the model on the far right boots Android... and soon.

[Via IntoMobile]

Update: So we figure that one of the two on the right is likely the MDA compact IV for T-Mobile, although that still doesn't explain the generous QWERTY board depicted over there on the left. Can't you just feel the excitement building? Thanks, Marios!

Come get your Touch Cruise: Xda Orbit 2 now available from O2

by Chris Ziegler posted Feb 1st 2008 @ 11:14AM

It's bad enough that we're getting teased with the HTC Touch Cruise from afar, but to hardened customers in the US, the fact that O2's offering the Xda Orbit 2 for as little as £0 is just icing on the hate cake. The phone looks arguably even better in O2's very customized trim, too, sporting a glossy black case in which to stuff its 3 megapixel camera, GPS, 256MB of ROM, and WiFi. Were it not for the 2100MHz-only HSDPA, we'd be liable to smuggle a few across the pond, we reckon.

[Via CoolSmartPhone]

Driver trouble makes angry mobile owners rush castle HTC with burning torches

by Sean Cooper posted Jan 19th 2008 @ 6:43PM

We're seeing a serious flow of tips from people upset with supposed performance issues on a good pile of HTC's newest sets. Handsets like the HTC TyTN II, Touch Dual, Touch Cruise, Wings, Titan, Vogue, Libra, and Iris are all apparently affected by underperforming video drivers which in turn slow the device significantly. The list -- and length -- of threads covering this is snow-balling at the well known XDA-Developers forum pages, as is talk of class-action suits. A site has now been set up called HTCClassAction to help people sort through all the buzz and get the nitty gritty details, so hit the read link if you're inspired to learn more. Of course we'll hopefully hear something official from HTC on this in the near term and will be sure to fill you in as we do.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

HTC's Touch Cruise caught on video

by Joshua Topolsky posted Nov 12th 2007 @ 9:47AM

Hot on the heels of the official announcement of HTC's Touch Cruise -- the company's new, touch-sensitive, GPS equipped wonder-device -- come these "in the wild" pictures and video from CoolSmartPhone. As you can see, the Touch Cruise is sporting the now-familiar HTC TouchFLO interface, though apparently the handset-maker has updated the picture and video album UI. The site also hosts some shots of the GPS navigation in action, and examples of the updated onscreen keyboard. Check the video after the break, then point your browser towards the read link and see all the shots.

HTC's Touch Cruise with GPS gets official

by Thomas Ricker posted Nov 12th 2007 @ 7:44AM

HTC just went live with their Touch Cruise. "Touch" as in that TouchFLO interface, "Cruise" as in GPS-enabled. The third addition to HTC's Touch lineup packs HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 3 megapixel camera, microSD expansion, and a 2.8-inch touch-screen lying on top of a Windows Mobile 6 foundation. Oh, and it's loaded with TomTom Navigator 6 software to make the most of that GPS receiver. Yup, everything ~~mostly~~ ~~what~~ we thought it would be. Available this month from European retailers or SIM-free direct from HTC.

Update: We're still digging but HTC was a bit unkind by not providing specific country launch information or supported radio bands. At the moment, this looks like Europe-only.

Update 2: Good news, specs are now posted and it's quad-band GSM like we originally heard with HSDPA/UMTS riding 2100MHz for Europe and 850/1900MHz for the ol' US. Hoozah!

Gallery: HTC's Touch Cruise with GPS gets official

[Via Pocket-lint]

Read -- Press Release [warning: PDF]

O2 announces O2 Xda orbit 2, aka HTC Polaris and HTC Touch Cruise

by Sean Cooper posted Nov 7th 2007 @ 11:17AM

The O2 Xda orbit 2 enters officialdom and adds yet another name to an already confused HTC device. The TouchFLO-enabled replacement for the 2006-ish Xda orbit brings a pile of new niceties to the line and a pretty slick new look to boot. Featuring 128 MB / 256 MB of RAM and ROM, a 400 MHz Qualcomm CPU, GPS, quad-band GSM, HSDPA (we've heard tri-band and also only 2100), and a 3 megapixel camera with typical Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity thrown in for good measure. Availability is slated for early December from a rock bottom €99 (roughly $140) on contract. If you're in the know and can provide frequency clarity for us, please do.

[Via the::unwired]