(Click here for a larger view of HTC's Snap)

HTC is, of course, known for its proprietary TouchFLO software, found on the company's touchscreen Windows phones. The Snap is a non-touchscreen device, based on the Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard operating system, but here again, the company has found a way to provide something different. HTC says the Snap's "Inner Circle" feature, triggered by a dedicated key on the keyboard's lower right, automatically brings messages from a preselected set of correspondents to the top of a user's inbox.

The Snap has a 2.4-inch display with QVGA (320 x 240) resolution, an integral "jog dial," and a QWERTY keyboard featuring "extra-large domed keys and responsive tactile feedback," plus dedicated hot keys for messaging and email. The phone also includes a two megapixel camera that supports video capture, says HTC.

The Snap runs a Qualcomm MSM7225 processor, with 192MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, and a microSD expansion slot. Wireless functionality, meanwhile, includes GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth. HTC says the device will be available in Europe with quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM/GPRS/EDGE wide area connectivity, and in the U.S. with dual-band (850/1900MHz) HSPA (high speed packet access).

Features and specifications listed by HTC for the Snap include the following:

• Processor -- Qualcomm MSM7225 clocked at 528MHz
  
• Memory -- 192MB of RAM and 256MB of flash
  
• Display -- 2.4-inch, 320 x 240 pixel LCD
  
• Keys -- QWERTY keyboard with dedicated "Inner Circle" key
  
• Camera -- 2 megapixel
  
• Wireless:
  • WAN -- Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM/GPRS/EDGE or dual-band (850/1900MHz) WCDMA/HSPA (800/1900 MHz)
    
  • LAN -- 802.11b/g
    
  • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
    
  • GPS
• Other I/O -- HTC ExtUSB port (combines mini-USB and audio jack)
• Expansion -- microSD slot
  
• Battery type/life:
  1500mAh battery
  
  • Talk time -- Up to 300 minutes for WCDMA, 510 minutes for GSM
    
  • Standby time -- Up to 480 hours for WCDMA, 380 hours for GSM
• Dimensions -- 4.59 X 2.42 X 0.47 inches (116.5 X 61.5 X 12.0mm)
  
• Weight -- 120 grams (4.23 ounces)

Availability

According to HTC, the Snap will be available in markets around the world in its GSM version during the second half of 2009. Meanwhile, an unlocked HSPA version will be sold in the U.S. this summer under the name HTC S522, the company says. Pricing was not disclosed.

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