HTC Athena (X7500)

[Guest nedge2k]

[teaser]

No, it's not one of those new fangled UMPCs that everyone seems to be drooling over these days, it is instead the latest "high spec" Pocket PC offering from HTC.

Is this the Universal II? Well, word around the camp fire still suggests that the successor to the Universal is still the Omni. However, little or nothing has been leaked about the Omni so the Universal II could indeed be the Athena. Specs for the Athena are as follows (there's a lot!):[/teaser]

Preliminary specifications:

• Platform
  • Mobile Power Pad with detachable & thin QWERTY keyboard
    
  • Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition
    
    
  • Dimension
    • 133.1x97x20 mm (4mm for KB)
      
    • Less than 350g with battery
      
      
    • Processor/Chipset
      • Qualcomm MSM 6275
        
      • Intel Bulverde 520 / 624 MHz
        
      • ATi Graphic Chip 2282
        
        
      • Memory
        • ROM: 128 / 256 MB
          
        • RAM: 64 /128 MB SDRAM
          
        • HDD: 8~10 GB with G sensor
          
          
        • LCD Module
          • 5” 480x640 VGA resolution
            
          • 262K-color TFT LCD with LED backlight
            
          • Sensitive Touch Screen
            
            
          • UMTS/HSDPA/GSM/EDGE Function
            • Internal antenna
              
            • HSDPA/UMTS Tri-mode (2100MHz for Europe and 850/1900MHz for USA) and GSM/GPRS/EDGE quad band (850/900/1800/1900)
              
            • HSDPA/UMTS
              • 850: 824-849, 869-894MHz
                
              • 1900: 1850-1910MHz, 1930-1990MHz
                
              • 2100: 1920-1980MHz, 2110-2170MHz
                
                
              • GSM / GPRS/EDGE
                • 850: 824-849, 869-894MHz
                  
                • 900: 880-915, 925-960MHz
                  
                • 1800: 1710-1785, 1805-1880MHz
                  
                • 1900: 1850-1910, 1930-1990MHz
                  
                  
                • HSDPA / UMTS
                  
                • UMTS: 3GPP Release 99 compliant
                  
                • HSDPA: 3GPP Release 5 compliant UE category 12, QPSK, 1.8Mbps peak rate DL up to 1.8Mbps and UL up to 384Kbps
                  
                  
                • PS RAB on HSDPA channel and CS data call (VT call) simultaneously will be supported
                  
                • Global roaming
                  
                • Auto band switching
                  
                • Handover and cell selection between GSM/EDGE and UMTS
                  
                • Generic Services
                  • Call Holding, Waiting, Forwarding
                    
                  • Call Barring
                    
                  • CLI (Calling Line Identity)
                    
                  • SMS (Short Message Service)
                    • SMSMT, SMSMO, SM Reply, SM Replace, SM Acknowledgement, 8 Bits SMS Data
                      
                    • Concatenated messages, up to 640 characters
                      
                      
                    • Display own number, telephone number storage capability in terminal and SIM card
                      
                    • Network selection
                      
                    • Cell broadcast
                      
                    • Multi-party conference capability
                      
                    • Phase 2 Unstructured Supplementary Service Data
                      
                    • Audio Codec: AMR/EFR/FR/HR
                      
                    • Network Lock
                      
                    • CPHS
                      
                      
                    • E-GPRS Function
                      • EGPRS class B
                        
                      • Multi-slot standard class 10
                        
                      • MO/MT SMS over GPRS
                        
                      • PBCCH
                        
                        
                      • USIM/SIM
                        
                      • 1.8 / 3V of UICC
                        • MegaSIM
                          
                        • USIM Application at least according to 3GPP TS 31.102
                          
                        • SIM Application Tool Kit release 96, 98 class 3 and 99
                          
                        • Over the Air (OTA) programming
                          
                        • Fixed Dialing Number (FDN)
                          
                        • Abbreviation Dial Number (ADN)
                          
                        • Security Pin 1 & 2 control
                          
                          
                        • Standalone GPS [MFG. Option]
                          • Internal GPS antenna for UMTS & EDGE
                            
                          • Support NMEA 0183 version 3.0 or above
                            
                          • 12 parallel channel GPS receiver
                            
                          • Acquisition time
                            • Hot start: 8 seconds, typical TTFF
                              
                            • Warm start: 35 seconds, typical TTFF
                              
                            • Cold start: 45 seconds, typical TTFF
                              
                              
                            • Update rate: user configurable once/1sec, once/10sec and once/30sec continuous
                              
                            • GPS Accuracy
                              • Position:
                              • Velocity: 0.05 meter/sec steady state
                                
                                
                                
                              • Digital Camera (Manufacture Option)
                                • Main Camera
                                  • Color CMOS 2 Mega pixel with fixed lenses
                                    
                                    
                                  • 2nd camera
                                    • Color CMOS VGA camera
                                      
                                      
                                    • High Power LED for camera flash
                                      
                                      
                                    • Keyboard/Button/Switch
                                      • POWER button (Side)
                                        
                                      • Short Press: Power On/Off
                                        
                                      • Long Press: Turn off system power totally
                                        
                                      • Comm. Manager / Voice Recorder
                                        
                                      • Camera capture button (Side)
                                        
                                      • Volume Up / Down control (Side)
                                        
                                      • 5-way Navigation button (Left front in landscape)– key orientation shall be adjusted after view changed
                                        
                                      • Send & Hands-free button
                                        
                                      • End Key
                                        
                                      • Video Telephony Key
                                        
                                      • Portal Key / G control Key
                                        
                                      • Short Press: Launch IE control keys)
                                        
                                      • RESET switch (Back)
                                        
                                        
                                      • Notification
                                        • 1st lens - one-color (amber) LED for new message and notification
                                          
                                        • 2nd lens - bi-color (green and blue) LED for WiFi and bluetooth notification
                                          
                                        • 3rd lens –bi-color (green and red) LED for 3G & 2G network status
                                          
                                        • 4th lens – bi-color (green and red) LED for charging status & low power indicator
                                          
                                        • Notification by Sound, and Message on the display
                                          

                                        [*]Audio

                                        [*]Built-in Microphone

                                        [*]Dual speakers with 3D surround sound

                                        [*]Loud speaker for Hands-Free supported

                                        [*]Audio sampling rate

                                        [*]16-bits with 8KHz, 11KHz, 22KHz, 44.1KHz AMR/AAC/WAV/WMA/MP3 codec

                                        [*]Connectivity & Interface

                                        [*]Bluetooth

                                        [*]Compliant with v2.0 without EDR

                                        [*]Class 2 transmit power

                                        [*]Supported profiles:

                                        [*]GAP (generic access profile)

                                        [*]SPP (serial port profile)

                                        [*]OPP (object push profile)

                                        [*]DUN (dial-up networking profile)

                                        [*]GOEP (generic object exchange profile)

                                        [*]ActiveSync (legacy application via SPP)

                                        [*]HSP (headset profile)

                                        [*]HFP (handsfree profile)

                                        [*]A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution profile)

                                        [*]AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote control Profile)

                                        [*]Service Discovery Application Profile

                                        [*]SIM Access Profile

                                        [*]HID (Human interface device profile)

                                        [*]Co-exist with WiFi

                                        [*]WiFi (manufacture option)

                                        [*]IEEE 802.11b/g compliant

                                        [*]Internal WLAN antenna

                                        [*]11, 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps per channel, auto fallback for extended range ELP mode

                                        [*]Security 802.11i and AES (OS not supported yet)

                                        [*]WPA authentication – WEP, WPA, PSK, EAPTLS, PEAP, LEAP,

                                        [*]Signaling interfaces between the terminal device and the servers: mutually authenticated and encrypted utilizing TLS (RFC 2246) with RC4 encryption with SGA1 used as the message integrity check

                                        [*]QoS

                                        [*]802.11 WME QoS

                                        [*]802.11e

                                        [*]Fast AP to AP handover

                                        [*]11-pin mini-USB / audio jack in one

                                        [*]USB 2.0 client

                                        [*]USB charging

                                        [*]mini SD card slot with hotswap feature

                                        [*]External Antenna (UMTS/GSM/CDMA) Connector

                                        [*]1.8 / 3 V USIM/SIM card slot

                                        [*]HTC Proprietary 16 Pin Port

                                        [*]USB 1.1 host (Support USB low power)

                                        [*]Thumb Memory

                                        [*]Card Reader

                                        [*]Keyboard

                                        [*]Mouse

                                        [*]VGA Out – VGA

                                        [*]TV Out – Composite & S-Video (4 pin)

                                        [*]3.5 mm stereo audio jack with mic

                                        [*]Power

                                        [*]Battery

                                        [*]Removable and chargeable Lithium ion polymer battery, 2100mAh

                                        [*]Charging time: less than 4 hours

                                        [*]Battery life

                                        [*]Playing WMV: 8 hours

                                        [*]Playing WMA: 12 hours

                                        [*]Talk time: > 360 minutes for GSM

                                        [*]Talk time: > 180 minutes for UMTS

                                        [*]Video Talk time: >120 min

                                        [*]Standby time: 300+ hours for GSM

                                        [*]Standby time: 300 hours for UMTS

                                        [*]Stylus

                                        [*]Lock Type in the main unit

                                        [*]Accessories

                                        [*]AC adapter w/ mini-USB power plug

                                        [*]Carrying Case

                                        [*]Sync. Cable (mini-USB/USB)

                                        [*]Battery (rechargeable and replaceable)

                                        [*]Stereo wired headset with microphone (button for voice command) for 3.5 mm

                                        [*]HTC Proprietary 16 pin cable (one to many ports)

                                        [*]USB Standard A female port

                                        [*]VGA (15pin) port

                                        [*]Composite Video Out

                                        [*]S-Video (4 pin) Out

                                        [*]User manual, Quick start guide, & Sync. software CD

                                        [*]Cradle

                                        [*]VGA (15pin) port

                                        [*]Video Out port

                                        [*]S-Video (4 pin) port

                                        [*]3.5 mm Audio jack (for External Speakers & Headset)

                                        [*]One miniUSB port for power charging

                                        [*]One miniUSB port for synchronization

                                        [*]2 x USB Standard A female port (USB Host)

                                        [*]2nd Battery charging slot

                                        [*]3 LEDs Indicators – 2nd Battery, Power & Sync

                                        [*]Mono Bluetooth headset with microphone [optional]

                                        [*]Stereo bluetooth headset with microphone [optional]

                                        [*]Car Adapter [optional]

                                        [*]Car Holder [optional]

                                        [*]Car Kit with car stereo mute function [optional]

                                        [*]TTY adaptor for USA market [optional]

                                        [*]Value Added Applications

                                        [*]Ringtone

                                        [*]MIDI

                                        [*]40 polyphonic & Standard MIDI format 0 and 1

                                        [*](SMF) / SP MIDI

                                        [*]MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ WMA, WAV and AMRNB/

                                        [*]WB

                                        [*]DirectShow Filters for WMP - Audio

                                        [*]Audio Playback format: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3,

                                        [*]WMA, WAV, AMR-NB/WB

                                        [*]DirectShow Filters for WMP - Video

                                        [*]Video Playback format: H.263, MPEG4, WMV&Motion JPEG (AVI)

                                        [*]Min. 30 fps @ VGA decoding for H.263 & MPEG4

                                        [*]Combined Bit Rate: 64Kbps (playback)

                                        [*]Video scaling up to full VGA display

                                        [*]Picture Enhancement for Pictures & Videos

                                        [*]Graphics: JPEG, GIF87a, GIF89a, PNG, WBMP

                                        [*]Video Thumbnail Preview: H.263, MPEG4, Motion

                                        [*]JPEG (AVI), WMV

                                        [*]3G-324M Video Telephony

                                        [*]ZIP

                                        [*]Smart Dialing

                                        [*]Support of QWERTY Keyboard Input

                                        [*]Sub-display UI when keyboard is attached to LCD

                                        [*]VGA / TV Out Setting

                                        [*]MMS Client

                                        [*]Compliant to MMS 1.2

                                        [*]Java virtual machine

                                        [*]Voice Dial & Command

                                        [*]Speaker Dependent or Independent

                                        [*]Support on both wired and bluetooth headset

                                        [*]Document Viewer - PDF

                                        [*]DRM Engine: For all types of files (Pictures, audio, application etc.), and also all types of delivery method (MMS, email etc.)

                                        [*]OMA 1.0 / 2.0 when available

                                        [*]Multi-DRM support : Microsoft DRM & OMA DRM

                                        [*]3D Sound Effect - SRS

                                        [*]WorldMate

                                        [*]World Clock

                                        [*]Weather Forecast

                                        [*]Currency Converter

                                        [*]Unit Conversion

                                        [*]SIM Manager

                                        [*]Comm. Manager

                                        [*]STK

                                        [*]Photo / Document Printing via BT

                                        [*]PictBridge

                                        [*]TTY for US Market

                                        [*]FOTA (Firmware OTA)

                                        [*]GPS Navigation SW

                                        [*]Backup Tool

                                        [*]Motion control of G-Sensor

                                        [*]Symbol Table

                                        [*]VoIP on WLAN (with echo cancellation)

                                        [*]Wireless Modem

                                        Got that? Good, time for some more pics...

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        I don't know about the rest of you but i'm sold! Wifi, GPS, HSDPA, 5" VGA screen, detachable QWERTY, ATI graphics, 8GB HDD - need I say more!? :)

                                        Mobile-Review have a nice article on the Athena HERE. Check it out!

[Guest The Doctor]

Imagine making a phone call with it tho :)

The universal was big but this is something else!

Phil

[Guest Exodia]

133.1x97x20 mm (4mm for KB)

"Pocket" PC? Thats a little too big for my pockets. :)

[Guest Dumdidum]

Definitly too big for me...

I can live with the Universal, but that's just too big...

[Guest Confucious]

I want one! NOW!

[Guest richard_d]

Well I did spend a few months lugging an IBM z50 around so I'm used to carrying a large Mobile Windows device but I'd need a separate phone with something that big.

[Guest nedge2k]

or a BT headset :)

[Guest richard_d]

or a BT headset :)

No - I've watched Doctor Who and that's how the Cybermen get you :D

[Guest Confucious]

No - I've watched Doctor Who and that's how the Cybermen get you :)

I'm still waiting to be upgraded....

[Guest AlanJC]

This thing is only a couple of mm thicker and taller, but about 11 wider I think.

So about 1cm wider in your hand, for that you get a better camera, EIGHT GB STORAGE!!!!!, HSDPA, and something that can be used on the desk without the screen flopping back if you tap it too hard.

I don't use my Uni as a phone anyway, just data, but on the odd occasions I did, I used a headset, as I have done with all my PPC phones since my XDA2 (used the wired one on the XDA :)).

I don't think this is that much bigger than the Uni, and lets face it, if you have one, you're already used to having a large device with you (had to be careful then).

Apart from the price, I think this is the device for me!

As for whether it will be the successor to the Uni, I doubt it, but I think it's the upgrade from it certainly. The specs that people have touted around for the Omni just sound like a refresh, not really much improvement. Like Wizard to Hermes didn't impress me one bit other than HSDPA. But with the cost of data in the UK (unless you're on Web & Walk), I'm only really going to be using push mail/IM, and all my surfing will be done when I have WiFi coverage.

I'll probably hang onto my Wizard and Universal for a while until the price of the Athena drops enough for me to afford it. But it shall be mine. Oh yes, it SHALL be MINE!

[Guest Confucious]

Alan - you mean you're NOT on W'n'W? Why on earth not? The universal is great on W'n'W and this looks beter - I want and I want NOW!

[Guest AlanJC]

Alan - you mean you're NOT on W'n'W? Why on earth not? The universal is great on W'n'W and this looks beter - I want and I want NOW!

Because I am already with Orange, and use my K800i as my phone.

£40 a month which gives me 500 anytime xnet mins, and unlimited texts, plus 8mb unlimited ADSL at home.

To get W&W I would need a t-mob contract as well, plus pay for an ISP account.

Considering I only use push mail really, I tend to use an Orange PAYG SIM in the Uni, the £4 for 4mb usually lasts me about a week to 10 days, so for that usage, it's costing me £16 a month or less.

Yes, if I used the Uni as my main phone it would be worth it, but I hate PPC devices as phones. Never been able to go longer than a week before I go back to a normal phone.

[Guest Confucious]

Can't you get a data only SIM from T for your Universal? Cost you less than £16 for unlimited 3G data and you wouldn't have to use it as a phone.