HTC shows off BlackBerry and iPAQ killers

HTC is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with when it comes to smartphones and now PDAs.

The Taiwanese manufacturer's new range of devices includes two smartphones, the small format HTC S310 and the BlackBerry-sized HTC S620, and two combined PDA phones, the TomTom assisted HTC P3300 and the HSDPA-ready HTC P3600. 

The HTC S620 is aimed at heavy email users in the business and consumer market and is targetting RIM's BlackBerry devices. HTC claims that the device matches the traditional BlackBerry on screen, keyboard and email functionality. 

The S620 uses the direct push functionality available with Windows Mobile 5.0 for email, and features a 2.4in landscape-format colour screen and fully integrated Qwerty keyboard. 

It is the first device to feature HTC's JOGGR touch-sensitive navigation bar, which gives the user one-button access to the mobile versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe's PDF viewer.

The S620 bundles a comprehensive range of connectivity options, including quad-band GPRS/Edge, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, in a device just 12.8mm thin and weighing 130g with battery. It will be available across Europe from October.

The HTC P3300 is the vendor's first dedicated satellite navigation PDA with built-in GPS, and features the latest version of TomTom's Navigator.

The device displays 2D and 3D maps which are easy to install and view using HTC's RollR (trackball and track wheel) and optimised 2.8in colour screen.

The HTC P3300 will be available with a "taster pack" of regional maps or a full version pre-loaded with a complete set of maps for western Europe. It is scheduled to be available in October when it should give HP's iPAQ hw6900 a run for its money.

The P3600 is HTC's "internet connectivity on steroids" PDA, allowing users to surf the net and send and receive emails at up to 1.8Mbps.

The Windows Mobile 5.0 device also has a 2-megapixel camera for messaging, pictures or video. The P3600 will be available across Europe from September.

Finally, the HTC S310 is a small "candy bar-style" messaging device which uses Windows Mobile 5.0 and has some high-specification multimedia functionality plus quad-band connections. It will be on the shelves from September.

All devices will be available under the HTC brand as well as in customised versions for operator partners.

The P3300 will initially be an exclusive to T-Mobile which will launch the device as the T-Mobile MDA Compact III in October.

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