UTStarcom reveals HTC 6800; Wizard followup will be Herald

Let's face it, the Apache (aka PPC-6700 / XV6700) and Wizard (aka MDA / 8125) are getting a little long in the tooth. We all know HTC's working on a followup for these devices, but it was seriously on the DL that we discovered the UTStarcom 6800, pictured above (and after the break). Ok, so it wasn't totally hidden or whatever, they actually had this thing right on a big banner on the booth, but UTStarcom refused to comment on the device, its launch, or any other details. They were just satisfied putting it up for thousands of industry people to see, and nothing else. For reference, it seems to look like an Artemis up in the face, but slides open like you know what, but now also features caps and function lock LEDs. Oh, we also learned -- not from UTStarcom, mind you -- that HTC's got a Wizard followup in the wings called the Herald (a name we've heard before), which gave us the warm n' fuzzies. Oh, and click on for another shot of the 6800.

[PPC @ Sep 13th 2006 7:45PM]

need to replace my 6700, its too damn sqaured.

[Christopher @ Sep 13th 2006 8:09PM]

Aaah, a TyTn with a D-Pad and the Alpine's call and hang-up buttons. Great.

[rufus @ Sep 13th 2006 8:13PM]

come on HTC. all i need is VGA resolution on a 2.8 screen and give us that hdspa goodness. and im a buyer... oh and come on give up on the TI processors already. 400mhz + plzzzzz

http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/04/sharps-w-zero3es-ws007sh-winmo-5-pocket-pc-hotness-redef/ Gimme GIMME

[Eric @ Sep 13th 2006 8:14PM]

I dunno, I love my 6700's looks. then again, I also like the dell axim 30. Hopefully the specs are impressive, otherwise I'll stay with the 6700.

[Mark Kornak @ Sep 13th 2006 9:38PM]

I love the older 6600 and am looking forward to a new phone with the same form factor as the 6600 but with Windows Moble 5, Wi-Fi, GPS and all the other new features missing. Hopefully they will ship with 2Gb memory standard as well.

The 6700 is a joke with a smaller screen and slower processor.

[Pavidus @ Sep 13th 2006 9:43PM]

This one looks like the HTC Hermes. If so then it comes with HSPDA but not VGA screen.

Specs here

http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Hermes

[boe @ Sep 14th 2006 3:04AM]

Wahoo - a new BRICK from HTC - same size, same crappy BT - BUT it has a NEW paintjob- oooohhh - ahhhhhh.

[flamer's grill @ Sep 14th 2006 12:16AM]

Does 6800 imply CDMA? I would think so, as the 6700 was a CDMA device and the GSM devices had a different naming scheme altogether. This hopefully compares to the Libra as far as functionality - namely EVDO Rev. A.

Hmm, who is upgrading their network to EVDO Rev A starting before the end of this year? This would get Sprint right back on track in my eyes. I love my 6700 but yearn for even FASTER speeds. Launch this thing on the faster network and I will buy it!

[boe @ Sep 14th 2006 3:09AM]

Things they should be able to fix for the 6800
1. Fix the F'N BT - not sure why they can't figure it out - tiny cheap/free phones have better BT than the $500 HTC phones

2 MAKE IT THINNER - OTHER FULL WM5 phones are now 13.5mm - NO HTC phones should be ANY THICKER THAN 15mm. (I'm not talking about smartphones like the Q - there are now 13.5 mm FULL PPC WM5 phones http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=139977)

3 Fix the DSOD - not asking for a miracle - just the don't regress - the 6600 didn't suffer this issue. You could just create a kludge - specify the darkest the screen should ever be when the screen is turned on - so if it thinks I'm trying to save power - have it go to that darkness - make it easier for me to go to a higher brightness.

4. Make a seperate Volume control for just the ringer - not the speaker in general but just the ringer - that way it could be set for loudest even when you don't need a loud speaker for conversation.

5 Decent plastic - the crappy paint job looks like a primer but chips easier than most primers.

6 move the headphone jack to the top - wouldn't matter as much if they had a decent BT unit.

7 Put a lock on the battery door - comes off too easily

8 Should be AKU3

9 Double the memory 256/128

10 Include the car charger - it is a MOBILE phone.

11 Make the speaker louder -fine for conversation - sucks even with the loudest custom ringer.

12 If you are going to make the thing thicker by putting on a keyboard - put a slash in both directions.

13 Make the flash LED brighter - The camera sucks/is useless but the LED is great as a flashlight - they've improved brightness over 30% in the last year on LEDs.

14 Include a decent case - stop selling them with fanny packs - its bad enough to look like a nerd but it I'm not thrilled about cases that broadcast you are a little TOO in touch with your feminine side. Take a hint from the Piel Frama cases.

Fix those and I'd consider upgrading

Things I'd like for the 6800
1. VGA screen - can't really browse the web with anything less than VGA - Samsung or LG came out with ultra thin touch vga screens for mobile devices about 1 year ago - use less batter too!

2. LONGER BATTERY LIFE

3 No antenna - not sure if it can be done and keep good signal - but it would be nice.

4. Throw in the GPS unit - would be nice - rather have that than a useless camera for the same space - wouldn't want it if it made the unit any thicker!

5. Make a unit with and without the keyborad for those who want even thinner. E.g. 15mm with keyboard, 11mm for the non keyboard edition.

6 Faster processor

[the fan @ Sep 14th 2006 3:49AM]

looks like tytn for me!

[Matt Coddinggton @ Sep 14th 2006 8:12AM]

I never switched over to the XV6700 from the 6600 because I just could not get over how thick the device was AND how much screen I was going to lose.

I have been longing for a device that would resemble the 6600 in form factor but would have WM5 and the sideways-sliding keyboard. Now, (at least it appears) the 6800 might be the one! VERY excited... anticipation....!

[D @ Sep 20th 2006 2:41PM]

Looks like a refined 6600... With the 6700 keyboard. With the 6600 I always felt like I was holding a calculator to my face...but it did seem to get better reception than my 6700 does.

[doggoneit @ Sep 14th 2006 3:02PM]

The 6800 would have to have the following for me to consider moving up (these three are a must):

1. VGA
2. double or triple memory.
3. faster processor

Nice to have.
1. Thinner
2. thinner with larger screen
3. no antenna
4. longer battery life without having to use a bulky extra capacity battery to make it thru the day.

[luis carlton @ Sep 17th 2006 3:38PM]

i have a question and i hope you can answer. will htc be coming out with a new version of the htc universal anytime soon, or period?
regards luis

[davidmbourdon @ Sep 23rd 2006 1:18PM]

Hey Engadget people...

When will this thing hit Verizon/Sprint? Are we talking weeks...months...or into 2007? Any buzz on this news.

I've had a 6600 for two years and REALLY want to upgrade to WM5 and WiFi. Trying to decide if I stick it out with CDMA or move over to GSM where the hardware possiblities seem endless and can go with Cingular.

[Chris @ Oct 24th 2006 6:08PM]

I agree with D..

I'd like the device, don't get me wrong, but I'm not in any hurry to move up from my 6700.

If it's quite a bit thinner, I'd give it due consideration though.

Chris