T-Mobile HTC HD2 in NYC Party (Recap)

In case y'all missed our live coverage of the T-Mobile HD2 launch outcome in New York City the other night, we figured we'd recap what we know and what nosotros found out while there, getting our nerdy groove on.

Ane matter is for sure: the HD2 for T-Mobile U.S. is one heck of a multimedia powerhouse and you get a lot of bang for your buck. Still, with Windows Telephone 7 Series around the corner, is the HD2 already falling behind? We think not and we'll explain why equally we cover all the glorious media features on board.

Read on for all the details!

Major Specifications

Release appointment: March 24, 2022

Price: $199 2-year contract/$449 without

OS: WM6.5 (no six.five.3 on board this time)

Processor: Snapdragon 1Ghz

Included Expansion Retentivity: 16GB

ROM/RAM: ane GB/576 MB

The HD2 for T-Mobile comes loaded with a whopping 1GB of internal storage, a mighty 16GB microSD carte du jour and plenty of RAM to go around, making this version of the HD2 trump its Euro brother (the U.S. version doubled internal memory and boosted RAM).

All of that memory is needed for the huge amount of multimedia services loaded on board, which tend to consume more infinite. The 16GB expansion slot is really for anything you desire, only in particular, T-Mobile is hoping you download some rented movies from the new Blockbuster movie application. More on that below.

Multimedia, Multimedia, Multimedia (Services)

The master attendees on Tuesday were Blockbuster Video, Barnes and Noble, MobiTV and GoGo In-flight entertainment, all demonstrating what their software could practise on the HD2.

Blockbuster Video

Allowing rentals or purchases and operating via straight download to the 16GB storage carte, the Blockbuster video programme was quite squeamish. Prices range from a few dollars to $four for rentals to $xviii-24 range for purchases.

While expensive, the service does work with Blockbuster'south other video streaming services found on their Blockbuster OnDemand. In fact, when logged in if you play a movie on your HD2 and pause it, Blockbuster OnDemand tin can pick up and keep the movie right where y'all left off on your TV or reckoner.

The program likewise nicely integrates with GPS during searches. If a moving-picture show is not found in their digital library, y'all can utilise GPS to locate the nearest Blockbuster video shop to rent a physical copy to pick upwards later.

Video quality was great, taking reward of the 800x480 resolution. Movies have 15-20 minutes to download over WiFi (no 3G back up). Overall, the Blockbuster video app is quite killer, though perchance besides little too late for the fading company.

Barnes and Noble

Featuring their new eReader service, B&Due north also did a swell job with their application for the HD2. The program allows you to admission your account, buy and download new books and of grade read them. "Lending" is immune to the device but non from the device, at least not in this current version (those familiar with the Nook should understand what that means).

The eReader itself was quite impressive. Graphically information technology looked quite good, resembling existent page turns. The reader picks up where you left off in your book, allows jumping to chapters and overall simply works. Books average at well-nigh $9.99 for new releases.

MobiTV

For those who adopt streaming of their media, you have MobiTV. Offering a bunch of live stations, like MSNBC and Fox New, information technology acts like the poor homo's Sling Player. Just information technology's more than that as it also has some Video On Demand like full episodes of NBC'southward "Community".

Working over 3G (and T-Mobile's network, where available, rocks at those speeds), the quality was pretty good and quite watchable. The UI was also much better than previous incarnations.

The service will toll $nine.99 a month.

Gogo In Flight Service

This is a service us non-frequent-fliers are familiar with, only evidently those who travel a lot already know all about it.

Patently Gogo allows y'all to connect to the internet while flying to check electronic mail, Twitter, etc. which we could understand is a valuable commodity when traveling a lot.

The program itself is free for half-dozen-months on the HD2.

And so, is the HD2 Already Outdated?

Absolutely not.

Certain, Windows Phone 7 series is getting all the press now and we know the HD2 won't be getting that upgrade, officially at to the lowest degree. But the T-Mobile HD2 is hither now and could speedily compete with any contenders for all-time smarphone of the yr.

With information technology's giant 4.3 capacitive screen, super fast processor and ample memory all around, the HD2 was rockin'. Sense two.5 was shine as butter and featured that new Documents tab.

For $199 and T-Mobiles new low cost services, we think information technology'southward quite the bargain, peculiarly when compared to what is on AT&T. Throw in the included Swype and Slacker Radio and it's a powerhouse. Granted, T-Mobile'southward 3G is non as robust as competitors, just where it works, it seems to work well.

The only down side to all of the in a higher place mentioned digital services is cost. In order to really take advantage of all of those things, you need to beat out quite a bit of money per month: $nine.99 for MobitTV, $9.99 for new eBooks, $3-4 for a movie rental--all for your phone and it adds upwardly. And then take that into consideration.

Overall though, we were left quite impressed with the T-Mobile HD2. If yous're hesitant almost WP7S and its electric current limitations, then take a serious hard look at this guy first.

Await for our full review in the coming weeks!

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