(Click here for a larger view of T-Mobile's MDA Compact V and MDA Vario V)T-Mobile has a long-running relationship with HTC, and though no official mention was made of the fact, the carrier's new phones appear to be versions of recently announced HTC devices. Specifically, the MDA Vario V appears to be identical to the new
HTC Touch Pro2, while the MDA Compact V, billed as an "exclusive" design, is rumored to be the same under the skin as the
HTC Touch Diamond2.
Like these new HTC devices, the MDA Compact V and MDA Vario V likely include an improved version of HTC's
TouchFlo 3D, though this was not mentioned by T-Mobile. The carrier does confirm that its new phones offer a customized version of the
Opera Mobile 9.5 web browser, tweaked for easier finger operation.
MDA Compact VT-Mobile's MDA Compact V has a 3.2-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution. Below this, there are four keys, including one bearing a Windows logo. The latter, designed to open the Windows start menu, is said to be a required design element for phones that will run
Windows Mobile 6.5, but the MDA Compact V will first be available with Windows Mobile 6.1, T-Mobile says.
According to T-Mobile, the MDA Compact V features quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM, and offers HDPA (high speed packet access) downloads up to 7.2Mbps. The device also includes GPS, Bluetooth, and WiFi, the company says.
Like HTC's Touch Diamond2, the MDA Compact V uses a Qualcomm MDM7200A chipset clocked at 528MHz, teaming it with 288MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage. The phone also features a five megapixel camera with autofocus, though T-Mobile doesn't specify the secondary VGA-resolution camera found on the Touch Diamond2.
Features and specifications listed by T-Mobile for the MDA Compact V include:
- Processor -- Qualcomm MDM7200A clocked at 528MHz
- Memory -- 288MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage
- Display -- 3.2-inch screen with WVGA resolution (800 x 480 pixels)
- Cameras -- 5 megapixel main camera
- Wireless:
- WAN -- Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM
- LAN -- 802.11b/g wireless
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
- GPS
- Other I/O:
- HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB connector, also providing headphone output)
- Expansion -- microSD slot
- Battery type/life -- n/s
- Dimensions -- 4.32 x 2.06 x 0.55 inches (109.9 x 52.4 x 14.2mm)
- Weight -- 4.16 ounces (118g)
MDA Vario VT-Mobile's MDA Vario V includes most of the same hardware as the MDA Compact V, but its WVGA screen is 3.6 inches, while its camera offers a lower 3.2 megapixel resolution. The device includes a QWERTY keyboard that slides out at an angle via what T-Mobile calls a "kick tail" mechanism, making the phone resemble a miniature laptop computer.
The MDA Vario V looks identical to the HTC TouchPro2, pictured above
(Click to enlarge)Features and specifications listed by T-Mobile for the MDA Vario V include:
- Processor -- Qualcomm MDM7200A clocked at 528MHz
- Memory -- 288MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage
- Display -- 3.6-inch screen with WVGA resolution (800 x 480 pixels)
- Cameras -- 3.2 megapixel main camera (HTC TouchPro2 has VGA-resolution secondary camera, but this is not specified by T-Mobile
- Wireless:
- WAN -- Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM
- LAN -- 802.11b/g wireless
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
- GPS
- Other I/O:
- HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB connector, also providing headphone output)
- Expansion -- microSD slot
- Battery life (size n/s):
- Talk time -- 270 minutes
- Standby time -- 350 hours
- Dimensions -- 4.57 x 2.33 x 0.68 inches (116 x 59.2 x 17.25mm)
- Weight -- 6.63 ounces (188g)
Further informationT-Mobile says the MDA Compact V and MDA Vario V will be available to customers in European markets starting in June, though pricing was not addressed.
Meanwhile, a separate announcement by HTC confirms that the company's Touch Pro2 will be available in the U.S. While some sought-after HTC devices never make it to North America officially, the TouchPro2 will be "broadly available in all major markets," according to a "tweet" this week on
HTC's Twitter feed.
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