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Might my HTC-design vitriol have to be retired? Not only have pictures of their new PPC-6800 smartphone for Sprint emerged, with a noticeable improvement in aesthetics, but thanks to a SlashGear reader we’ve had a hands-on report of it and it’s all starting to sound quite tempting.
Check out our exclusive first-play report after the cut…
Finding themselves in the company of a PPC-6800 for about an hour, first-impressions from our tipster were good. Gone is the stub aerial of its 6700 predecessor, as is 50-percent of the weight. At 30-percent thinner it feels better in the hand, too, with only a very thin and potentially easily-broken back plate to slightly mar it.
A possible disappointment to some, the screen remains QVGA; nonetheless it’s super-bright and very readable, and orientation changes from portrait to landscape are far more responsive than the 6700. While the exact under-the-hood specs weren’t available, we do know that it comes as standard with 256MB of internal memory and a microSD slot on the base of the handset for expansion. All that memory will be handy for storing photos taken with the 2-megapixel camera, reported as producing shots that “look beautiful”. A physical scroll-wheel should go some way to appeasing BlackBerry fanatics.
Sources tell us that while the device will launch on Sprint with the Windows Mobile 5 OS, that will be upgradeable to WM6 in 3rd Quarter 2007; at the same time, Sprint’s awesome Ev-Do Rev.A will be enabled for some serious mobile browsing.
Our lucky tipster gives the PPC-6800 a tentative four out of five stars; personally, for the first time I’m actually showing some interest in an HTC handset!
Image via Engadget Mobile
Great stuff. Any idea when it will finally go on sale?
all we know is “soon”. I know that’s not a lot of info, but we take we can get :).
I’ve been calling Sprint stores in NYC and two weeks ago they said they were out of stock of the PPC 6700, this week they’re saying the PPC 6700 is discontinued. All of the non-Sprint stores are still carrying the PPC 6700 though, as is Sprint.com and online retailers. Some online retailers are offering the PPC 6700 for free instead of $250 with activation, so hopefully it’s on its last legs and the 6800 is coming around.
You all are extremely late. The 6700 has been discontinued and the 6800 is due to release 5/14 for a sale price of around 399.99, or 549.99 full price.
Hi,
What is your source on this. This is the first I have seen of such a definite date, and I’ve looked all over!
Thanks very much!
Dave, our source also revealed a similar date for the release.
Thanks for the info!
My Sprint rep has reserved me a 6800, which is officially coming out the second quarter of May. The reception of the 6800 will be much stronger than the reception of any other ppc or palm or blackberry type phone, which is a plus for me. For years I have been going back and forth between pocket pc, blackberry, palm and then back to a regular phone, becaue I cannot stand the reception.
So I patiently wait for mid may to get the new upgraded model. Also, picture mail is guaranteed to work, which anyone who owns a ppc6700, knows they got screwed.
If you want one of these, reserve it now, or you will be on a very long waiting list.
Tom
I work for a university in the college of arts & sciences (IT) and our sprint rep just informed my manager that the launch date has been pushed back to 6/1(hard date).
I too was told about the 5/14 release date, however, today I was told it was pushed back to the end of May. My source is a knowledgeable Authorized Sprint Dealer.
I was informed today that it will be pushed back until october by a sprint store rep. this morning. I saw that the 755p was released on sprint’s website, so i called the store and they said that it would be october until it is released. i also heard from another source that they pushed it back to install windows mobile 6 and EV-DO Rev. A
Thanks Q - the 6800 was pushed back for reasons I can’t go into. However, I will say that I’m proud of Sprint for making this decision. It will make sense when the 6800 hit the shelves.
I talked to a Sprint rep on Monday and he stated that on Friday the PPC 6800 along with the released Treo 755P was on some list of upcoming handsets and that on Monday it was gone but the 755 came out as expected. Apparently they get some renewed list every Friday. I also asked if the 755 was going to come out in a windows version but he stated that a WX version was not listed.
I gave up and kept my Cingular account, also gave up my 8125 and got an 8525(GSM TyTN Hermes) instead.
It came Tuesday with very old software and a radio package that really sucked! The stereo headset is a modified USB not a 2.5 and the mic is absolutely in the wrong place . . . So much for my expensive Shure headset . . .
Anyway, the HTC/Cingular upgrade works great and the phone’s use experience is a tremendous improvement from the 8125. Thumbwheel with OK and Menu buttons are a very big help. There appears to be some adapter cables for the mic and there are several rumors about a factory upgrade to Mobile 6 upgrade. There is already one expected on the Europe HTC site and now on XDA-developers.com.
So for additional upgrades besides the phone:
No case
Need 2.5 or 3.5 headset adapter for Mp3 or wired voice ($15 ish)
New micro SD (only goes to 2 mg) ($35 ish)
No built in GPS unlike Sprint
No cradle like in Sprint and Canada pic’s ($50 ish)
I have just heard of a new release date from a few sources… this is of course unconfirmed, but the new “supposed” release date is June 18th. I really hope this is correct, and accurate cuz i really want this damn phone. Windows 6 and rev. A are still in the air whether or not they will be on it, but i just hope we won’t have to wait until october
Give up!
Give up! Give up!
The phone when/if released- is already outdated by leaps and bounds, Incredible ? At this rate of Sprints Service it will not be upgraded for 2 years…DO NOT SUPPORT THIS.
Refuse to buy it period…first it is all screwey, no headphone jack,stylus at bottom,screen protector?,wm5/6 who knows,no GPS, wm6 is half in the bag anyway, look it’s a $600 phone
screen outdated,battery outdated,memory outdated,2mpix outdated release
outdated wm5 os,
outdated screen,
outdated processor
Outdated accessories at store,
outdated TV service,
And its just late.
IT MISSED THE BOAT
It is a Titanic.
And that ship sank.
Hurry buy your tickets now folks gonna love this luxury liner..Suckers!
It is sunk already!
I just took a look at the sprint website, and the 6700 is not listed anymore… anyone have any insight on that????
This phone will be availabe towards the end of June 2007 and it will have WM6. This has been confirmed
The PPC-6800 is Sprint’s first device featuring the Windows MobileTM
6.0 operating system. Expected launch date 6/18
If you’re looking into purchasing a Mogul (PPC-6800) or already have one, this site might be useful.
http://www.SprintMogul.net
WHEN PPL SEND ME PICTURES IT JUS COMES AS AN X ANY WAY TO FIG OUT THIS PROBLEM WIT MY 6800