Htc Shift: The Dream Machine!?

[ZDevil]

... despite the price (rumored to be priced at somewhere below USD$2,000 ...)

    * 7-inch widescreen display
    * 30-gigabyte hard drive
    * QWERTY keyboard
    * Microsoft Vista Business OS
    * Windows Media Player 11
    * Tri-Band UMTS/HSDPA
    * Quad-Band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
    * WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0

http://www.htc.com/product/03-product_HTC_Shift.htm

But i have just happily boarded another "sinking ship" (C3200)  

[Capn_Fish]

The way I see it, Zs aren't a "sinking ship," they're the standard that all of the other devices try to measure up to, much like I would guess many people see the relationship between iPods and other MP3 players.

I also see Zaurii as being the new HP200LXs in that they'll be used for a long time yet...long after their "expiration date."

[craigtyson]

Seen its bigger brother?

The HTC Advantage X7501

[gr8ful]

Here's a YouTube video of Steve Ballmer demoing the HTC Shift and talking about the UMPC market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIaH0RuWG7M

The more I see this device the more I am diggin' the 7 inch screen.  The Shift is not much bigger than the Fujitsu clamshell UMPC that is referenced in another thread.  That has a 5.6 inch screen and this a 7 inch and the full range of wireless connection options including Bluetooth, which the Fujitsu left out.

I know some don't like the fact that it is not pocketable and that the screen is exposed.  I rarely have my C1000 in my pocket since I carry it in a case along with my camera, wifi card, BT card, extra memory cards, and spare battery.  I would happily carry the Shift around in a case and forego pocketing the device to gain the features this device has.

I also like the prospect of seeing the new Redflag Midinux running on this device.  Midinux should be very responsive on this device, given the specs, and the 7 inch screen will be nice when using the on-screen finger gestures in Midinux.

It should also have no problem running a full desktop Linux distro and another thread mentions the Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded project which should produce its first release sometime before the end of the year.  This is the perfect device for such a project.

There is even the outside possibility that some conscientious hacker will figure out how to get Mac OS X running on this device.  I know, a very remote possibility, but what a beautiful mini MacTablet this would make.  I'm really considering this device and will likely buy it if it is any where near the $1100 USD mark.

HTC Shift ... the more I see of it the more I like it!

[dhns]

There is even the outside possibility that some conscientious hacker will figure out how to get Mac OS X running on this device.  I know, a very remote possibility, but what a beautiful mini MacTablet this would make.

GNUstep + Linux will also work...

-- hns

[Dromede]

...

waaay too much power for mobile computing needs IMHO...

[gr8ful]

Check out the Hugo Ortega pre-release review of the Shift.  Very nice implementation of 2 operating systems each running on their own processors.  I want this device!!!!!

http://www.gottabemobile.com/TheHTCShift.aspx

[ZDevil]

Don't forget to check out this fantastic video review:
http://cache.libsyn.com/gottabemobile/The_..._Ortega_GBM.wmv

The guy in the video looks really high.  

[T3_slider]

That is one beautiful machine. Really. Too bad it runs Vista instead of Linux (I could live with the Windows Mobile part for instant-on to check things like my calendar etc., but using Windows Vista every day would start to tick me off). Is native Linux a possibility (ie not embedded)?

[Da_Blitz]

it seems there is a PDA and a PC on the same board, so porting would be a 2 prong effort (or just use the PC part and make the pda part a firewall with SSH)

i am betting that most A110  based designs will work out of the box with linux considering the amount of intel parts and how many new designs are based on it

[nilch]

The concept of having a instant-on PDA and a PC feature on the same machine is indeed novel (never heard of it before).

While it does look too big, but as a PC replacement (or rather laptop replacement) it will suffice and also to have a instant on PDA on the same device is gratifying.

The point is with Linux on it (if ever) wil the touch screen functionality also work as well ?

I really liked the featuire set - they seems to have put in everything that usres want - a replaceble battery, Wifi, Bluetooth, expandibility and then some more.
The only thing is I still do not see the need for it as yet - in terms of the PC functionality. Without that - it makes no sence to carry this huge device only for its PDA functions.

Also, doesn't Pocket PC suck as a PDA OS ? Why did they pick that ?

[gr8ful]

I would not be surprised to see this device being one of the target devices for Ubuntu Mobile Linux that is due out later this year.  The Ubuntu Mobile is native Linux, not embedded, but it will be tailored to run on and take advantage of the feature set found in the UMPC/MID devices.

[Da_Blitz]

i would bet on a usb based touchscreen, less work in interfacing to the PC.

the pocket PC OS is fine until you add apps, as you add apps, even if they are not running the stability goes down for reasons i have never discovered. out of the box you wouldnt need that much more anyway as the basic PIM suite is quite good (esp with htc's enhancements)

[kahm]

A significant difference between the Fujitsu's 5.6 inch screen and the Shift's 7 inch screen - the Fujitsu runs at 1024x600 native res, the Shift is 800x480 native res (1024x600 mode will be interpolated)

The Kohjinsha mkI has the same sort of 7" screen ash the shift - 800x480 native, and 1024x600 interpolated. 800x480 is irksome under windows, and the 1024x600 interpolated looks good, considering,  but I wouldn't want to be reading off of it.