38 replies to this topic

[Monolithix]

Unfortunately we have now had independent verification that no HTC Touch Duals will be wifi enabled, in Europe at least.

I'm not sure if pre-production devices or early software builds were on display at the product launch (or if both Paul and I imagined it?), however the Duals you guys get will definately be wifi free, apparently due to the 3G capabilities.

This raises an interesting point, why?  There are rumours there was not enough space, well the Excalibur managed it, as did the original Touch, and the Dual is certainly a bit chunkier than its sister device.  I'm all for using 3G and HSDPA over wifi but not everyone has reasonable data tarrifs, indeed while they are becoming more common across Europe, they certainly aren't the norm yet.  There is also the issue of poor signal quality, plane usage, hospitals and all the other areas mobile phone usage is not allowed.

Come on HTC, you've done such a great job of listening to your customers in the design and the rest of the feature set, how have you managed to take a backward step in such a basic area of functionality?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There seems to be a common misconception moving around the forum today!

I can 100% confirm that the Touch Dual devices on display at the HTC product launch today DID have wireless connectivity built in. I'm hoping Pauls pics will confirm this and I'm working on getting confirmation from HTC too...

As I've said, it is possible for carriers to disable this (As we've seen in the past), but as far as I can remember this has never occured in a PocketPC/Professional device!

Hope this clears things up

[Metoo]

Monolithix (MVP), on Oct 1 2007, 22:46, said:

As I've said, it is possible for carriers to disable this (As we've seen in the past), but as far as I can remember this has never occured in a PocketPC/Professional device!

One example is the T-Mobile version of the Artemis with comes sans WiFi hardware.

Edited by Metoo, 01 October 2007 - 10:27 PM.

[Monolithix]

Metoo, on Oct 1 2007, 23:25, said:

One example is the T-Mobile version of the Artemis with comes sans WiFi hardware

I had a feeling there might have been one but couldn't think which it could be!  Either way hopefully we'll get a definitive answer in the next day or two...

[HerpezP]

Monolithix (MVP), on Oct 2 2007, 01:21, said:

Either way hopefully we'll get a definitive answer in the next day or two...

I sure hope too. Engadget seems to have confirmation from HTC that it doesn't have WiFi?

I have no doubt when you say that the devices on show had WiFi. It just doesn't make me sure that the production units will have it

[jblue]

O2 Germany will announce today the HTC Touch Slide as O2 Xda star WITHOUT Wifi! So they will be the second operator who change the hardware... Also they will have the keyboard with qwertz...

Edited by jblue, 02 October 2007 - 06:57 AM.

[Monolithix]

*Sigh* so it looks like the operators strike again?

[yoda6]

Would you credit it? Now HTC are saying it DOES come with WiFi, according to their product sheets.

I think they're trying to lay the blame firmly at the feet of the operators if this thing ships with WiFi disabled.

http://www.europe.ht..._Eng_250907.pdf

Rob.

[Jonne70]

yoda6, on Oct 2 2007, 10:12, said:

Would you credit it? Now HTC are saying it DOES come with WiFi, according to their product sheets.
I think they're trying to lay the blame firmly at the feet of the operators if this thing ships with WiFi disabled.
http://www.europe.ht..._Eng_250907.pdf
Rob.

That product sheet is not to be found if you navigate directly to europe.htc.com and go to the broschures for Touch Dual. The current spec sheet have no mention of wi-fi, and are dated about a week later. So it seems HTC removed wi-fi the the last minute. Such a shame, otherwise I would have bought this phone immediately, but with no wi-fi then absolutely not.  I find it very odd that HTC make their phones worse, not better.

Edited by Jonne70, 02 October 2007 - 10:52 AM.

[paholman]

Jonne70, on Oct 2 2007, 11:51, said:

That product sheet is not to be found if you navigate directly to europe.htc.com and go to the broschures for Touch Dual. The current spec sheet have no mention of wi-fi, and are dated about a week later. So it seems HTC removed wi-fi the the last minute. Such a shame, otherwise I would have bought this phone immediately, but with no wi-fi then absolutely not.  I find it very odd that HTC make their phones worse, not better.

I have to agree, if it's true and no Wifi, this really does remove itself from my wish list.

[yoda6]

Jonne70, on Oct 2 2007, 11:51, said:

That product sheet is not to be found if you navigate directly to europe.htc.com and go to the broschures for Touch Dual. The current spec sheet have no mention of wi-fi, and are dated about a week later. So it seems HTC removed wi-fi the the last minute. Such a shame, otherwise I would have bought this phone immediately, but with no wi-fi then absolutely not.  I find it very odd that HTC make their phones worse, not better.

You're right, my mistake. I had that link in my browser history from yesterday so I assumed it was still valid.

[HerpezP]

Review: http://www.smape.com...h_Dual-rev.html

It says that is hasn't got WiFi:

Quote

Sadly enough some drawbacks took place as well - for instance, the lack of Wi-Fi and a price higher than the original Touch.

Monolithix, I'm afraid the original HTC version will also lack WiFi. Why would they do this?

[Monolithix]

We're still awaiting our own verification, whatever the deal was on Monday though, its looking increasingly likely that the production unit will be wifi-less!

I'd guess they assume Wifi is unnecessary when HSDPA is built in, unless you're on a plane, or roaming, in a tunnel, weak signal area......

[HerpezP]

Quote

The handset design differs depending on the country. For instance, the Japanese version comes with a regular numeric keyboard similar to most types of phones. Some of the countries will receive shipments of a particular version of the device that supports Wi-Fi. Quite surprisingly, The hardware part of the gadget is closer to that of TyTN II rather than of Touch. Here come the same chipset, the same RAM and ROM specifications and so forth... In the image and likeness of Trinity, Touch II includes a GPS module, however it’s not going to be activated unlike what we saw with the precursor model, most likely due to some other solutions expected to expand the Touch series in an alternate direction.

Also from http://www.smape.com...h_Dual-rev.html

From the reviews I've read on Smape it sounds like they know what they are talking about. It would be weird to have the HTC-branded solution differ from country to country, though? The GPS is curious though - could be enabled by some tweaking?

[HerpezP]

Quote

Furthermore HTC confirmed, that neither the original HTC Touch Dual nor any operator versions will sport WiFi as you might have seen rumored on the web. The explanation is simple: there was no space for WiFi or GPS so it's not an option which carriers can deselect but it's physically not built-in

Source: http://www.theunwire...bile-smartphone

"There was no space for WiFi or GPS" *cough* bull *cough*.

Did anyone say LG KS20?

[nitramk]

HerpezP, on Oct 2 2007, 16:04, said:

Source: http://www.theunwire...bile-smartphone

"There was no space for WiFi or GPS" *cough* bull *cough*.

Did anyone say LG KS20?

Yea, seems very strange to me...

Maybe HTC is about to do one of their biggest mistakes ever here! First going out in public saying that they are listening to customer demands (no WiFi: ???), and then not include WiFi in a WinMo phone (when people clearly wants it), which for many I believe is one of the better things with Windows Mobile.

The space is obviously there, the chipset too, so why HTC, WHY leave out WiFi?!?! We want GOOD reasons here!

[edit]
All the pre-production devices seen on or before the launch, seems to have WiFi? A last minute decision?

Edited by nitramk, 02 October 2007 - 04:21 PM.

[Metoo]

HerpezP, on Oct 2 2007, 15:04, said:

Source: http://www.theunwire...bile-smartphone

"There was no space for WiFi or GPS" *cough* bull *cough*.

Did anyone say LG KS20?

Hardly fair - the LG doesn't have to accomodate a keyboard. Though it does sound like Arne's made that one up (or didn't mean it literally).

Edited by Metoo, 02 October 2007 - 04:30 PM.

[nitramk]

Metoo, on Oct 2 2007, 18:26, said:

Hardly fair - the LG doesn't have to accomodate a keyboard. Though it does sound like Arne's made that one up (or didn't mean it literally).

Yepp, that's true...
But still I've a hard time understanding why to leave it out. Apparently (Paul & Mono) the device at display DID have WiFi! And so do the device mentioned on superiorgadgets' blog...

[Metoo]

nitramk, on Oct 2 2007, 17:19, said:

The space is obviously there, the chipset too, so why HTC, WHY leave out WiFi?!?! We want GOOD reasons here!

Simply because HTC marketing dept ensure that there is always something missing to make you want to upgrade to the next model. And running two variants to satisfy the network operators (like the Artemis) adds to production and support costs (and hence dents profits). So I suspect the range got rationalised at the last minute when the operators started to sign up.
Personally, I don't think the lack of WiFi is such a big deal on a device such as this. Since I had 3G/HSDPA on a flat rate contract, I can't remember the last time I had to search out an access point and mess about with finding keys etc., then make sure I stay within 30ft of the damn thing. Wherever I am, my phone just downloads whatever it needs OTA, period.

Edited by Metoo, 02 October 2007 - 04:47 PM.

[paholman]

Metoo, on Oct 2 2007, 17:44, said:

Simply because HTC marketing dept ensure that there is always something missing to make you want to upgrade to the next model. And running two variants to satisfy the network operators (like the Artemis) adds to production and support costs (and hence dents profits). So I suspect the range got rationalised at the last minute when the operators started to sign up.
Personally, I don't think the lack of WiFi is such a big deal on a device such as this. Since I had 3G/HSDPA on a flat rate contract, I can't remember the last time I had to search out an access point and mess about with finding keys etc., then make sure I stay within 30ft of the damn thing. Wherever I am, my phone just downloads whatever it needs OTA, period.

Some users are not on flat rate contracts, and don't need to be if Wifi is available.

[nitramk]

paholman, on Oct 2 2007, 19:17, said:

Some users are not on flat rate contracts, and don't need to be if Wifi is available.

Exactly! (like me )

But, hopefully there are more than just keypad differences in the two variants of the Touch Duo. Maybe there is one with WiFi and one without?

And btw; the HTC marketing dept thing, isn't a GOOD explanation in my eyes. Still they are talking against themselves...