| T-Mobile's Touch Diamond clone does HSUPA |
Jul. 18, 2008
 T-Mobile is now shipping a Windows Mobile 6.1-based phone that provides HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) and HSUPA (high-speed uplink packet access) data modes. The MDA Compact IV has a 2.8-inch VGA-resolution touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS, FM radio, and 4GB of storage, says T-Mobile.
(Click here for a larger view of T-Mobile's MDA Compact IV)
T-Mobile is a longtime collaborator with HTC, and the MDA Compact IV appears to be a restyled version of the latter company's Touch Diamond. But in addition to a "3D" version of HTC's TouchFLO user interface, the Windows Mobile 6.1-based MDA Compact IV also apparently sports a variant of the "My Faves" interface (below), previously created for T-Mobile by Microsoft.
The MDA Compact IV sports T-Mobile's "My Faves" and HTC's "TouchFLO" user interfaces
T-Mobile provided no further information on the software, nor about whether the device includes the customized version of the Opera Mobile 9.5 web browser, shipped by HTC with its Touch Diamond. We look forward to a review of what the MDA Compact IV's software bundle is like to use.
Meanwhile, the company emphasizes its "web'n'walk" Internet service, which provides the tri-band (900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz) MDA Compact IV with HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) and HSUPA (high-speed uplink packet access) data modes. Via the company's upgraded HSUPA network, the device is said to upload data at up to 1.4Mbps and download it at up to 7.2MBps.
Other wireless interfaces include not only GPS and FM radio receivers, but also Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g local area networking. The MDA Compact IV sports a 2.8-inch touchscreen with VGA (640 x 480) resolution, capable of switching automatically from portrait to landscape orientations when prompted by a built-in accelerometer. It also has a five-way controller that doubles as a scroll wheel.
The MDA Compact IV uses a Qualcomm MSM7201A processor clocked at 528MHz. It includes 192MB of RAM, plus a relatively generous 4GB of flash storage.
Like the HTC Touch Diamond before it, the MDA Compact IV also offers a 3.2 megapixel main camera with auto-focus. A secondary camera, intended for videoconferencing, provides VGA resolution.
The MDA Compact IV retains the Touch Diamond's 900 mAh battery. However, T-Mobile cites a talk time of 120 minutes, and a standby time of 200 hours -- significantly more pessimistic than the 330-minute talk time and 396-hour standby time specified by HTC for the Touch Diamond.
Features and specifications listed by T-Mobile for the MDA Compact IV include:- Processor -- Qualcomm MDM7201A clocked at 528MHz
- Memory -- 192MB of RAM and 4GB of flash storage
- Display -- 2.8-inch screen with VGA resolution
- Cameras -- 3.2 megapixel main camera, and VGA-resolution secondary camera
- Wireless:
- WAN -- three-band (900/1800, 1900MHz), with HSDPA and HSUPA data modes
- LAN -- 802.11b/g wireless
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
- GPS
- FM radio
- Other I/O -- HTC ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
- Battery type/life:
- 900 mAh lithium-ion battery
- Talk time up to 120 minutes
- Standby time up to 200 hours
- Dimensions -- 4 x 2 x 0.5 inches (101 x 52 x 12mm)
- Weight -- 3.45 ounces (98g)
Florian Seiche, vice president of HTC Europe, said T-Mobile's "MDA compact IV is the result of our close cooperation. We have worked hard to integrate T-Mobile services and features, to deliver the best possible experience."
Further information
T-Mobile's MDA Compact IV appears to be shipping now in countries that include Germany and the U.K. More information on pricing and relevant data plans may be available from T-Mobile Germany, here, and T-Mobile U.K., here.
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