Snapdragon 1GHz processor, Android 2.0, large display.....in Q4, allegedly
http://theunlockr.com/2009/10/25/mystery-htc-android-handset-has-a-name-and-a-carrier/
Who's on board????
Let's see how many pages we can get this too before we actually hear anything official about it lol. I still think this is too good to be true. With the Hero/Desire being released soon why would HTC put out another device that tops it?
I have been following the omnia 2 thread but have just discovered info on the Passion. How does this phone stack up with O2 and what would be the pros and cons. Do we have specs on this phone or is it all speculation.
PROS: Everything is better
Omnia 2 is sooo last month
Homeskewld wrote: Let's see how many pages we can get this too before we actually hear anything official about it lol. I still think this is too good to be true. With the Hero/Desire being released soon why would HTC put out another device that tops it?
Expect the Desire to be more compact and lower priced. I'm gonna guess $149 because Verizon has been coming in under the competition, ie. the Tp2 pricing. The Passion will be a keyboardless option to the Droid and won't be as compact in hand. Besides, the Desire and Droid are due out in less than 2 weeks. The Passion sounds like it would be more of a December release, Thanksgiving at the earliest. Guess we'll know more about Verizon and Android in general on Wed when they have the Droid press announcement.
Oh how I hope you are right. At this point I just want to see something else besides the Droid and S2. I need a phone and at this rate I will never end up with one since there will always be some "next big thing" right around the corner that I'll end up wanting to wait for. I don't like this game
This looks like the phone I've been hoping Verizon would carry sooner or later, but never thought they would. Hello Verizon version of HTC HD2!!!
Anyone have any new news on this? I see there looks to be a quite a debate as to whether or not this is GSM or CDMA. I know the 3G and Signal bars myth has been debunked since the Droid and Droid Eris both sport the 3G symbol instead of EV-DO or at least they did in earlier pictures. I just need something good to look forward to since the O2 is taking forever, the Droid is ugly, and the Droid Eris is lacking. I need something good, I'm loosing it! Help me Tom Cruise, Help me!
http://www.droiddog.com/android-blog/2009/10/htc-passion-also-known-as-dragon-is-a-gsm-device/
Homeskewld wrote: Anyone have any new news on this? I see there looks to be a quite a debate as to whether or not this is GSM or CDMA. I know the 3G and Signal bars myth has been debunked since the Droid and Droid Eris both sport the 3G symbol instead of EV-DO or at least they did in earlier pictures. I just need something good to look forward to since the O2 is taking forever, the Droid is ugly, and the Droid Eris is lacking. I need something good, I'm loosing it! Help me Tom Cruise, Help me! http://www.droiddog.com/android-blog/2009/10/htc-passion-also-known-as-dragon-is-a-gsm-device/
Sorry, Homeskewld. Been kinda quiet with all the Droid fuss. Hopefully there will be some more leaks in the coming weeks, but I'm guessing this would be more of a Thanksgiving phone at best, maybe early December. I figure they're going to give the Droid and Eris a cushion of sales time. Phonedog tried to point out the Passion was not a CDMA phone but they did half their homework and fell flat on their face. That site sucks, plainly and simply. On another front, if you're a fan of Sense, I think we might see the HTC Passion as another Verizon first, an HTC phone sporting Android 2.0 with Sense out of the box. Word is coming down that the int'l Hero will be upgraded eventually from 1.5 straight to 2.0 (skipping 1.6) which makes me think HTC has been working on Sense for the newest version of Android. I have to say, I'm somewhat hung up on the design of the Droid. Otherwise, I like everything else about it, though I have yet to hear if it's multi-touch capable. I think the Passion is the phone for me, provided it is coming to Verizon soon. I can't wait much longer. Ugh. The Eris seems a little too hardware deficient, especially the small screen, but $99 on contract...whoa.
BTW, noting your location, are you a Beaver?
I agree with you on the design of the droid. I think it's pretty ugly honestly and that's probably the biggest reason why I wouldn't get it at this point, that and I've heard that sense is a huge addition to the android platform and I would really like to have it but the eris is like you said hardware deficient.
P.S. Yes I am a beaver. Go beavs!
So phonedog's comments relating to the Passion have been debunked but how about this?
http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Dragon-039-s-CPU-to-Be-OMAP-124086.shtml
On the good side of this article the HTC Passion/Dragon may be shipped with an even better processor then the already great processor it was supposed to have. The bad news is here it's rumored to be ONLY in china.
Here's another article:
http://nexus404.com/Blog/2009/10/05/htc-dragon-android-smartphone-surfaces-htc-dragon-loses-cover-in-firmware-build-features-1ghz-cpu/
Now here we have the phone rumored as potentially coming to Verizon again because of the TV Browser but if we go back to the idea that VZW brands everything I would think this would be marked as VCAST Mobile TV. For that matter ATT has mobile TV as well but I would think the same goes for them... It would be marked. China Mobile does offer mobile TV as well as far as I can tell. Don't know anything about them or their branding policies. Too bad theunlockr didn't give any details as how they came to such conclusion that this phone would be heading to VZW outside of they "did some research".
Of course this is all just speculation on my part so please do add your 2 cents whoever may be reading this.
Does verizon even allow unlocked CDMA phones on their network?
Assuming we're talking about a phone approved for sale in the US (not imported), I'd imagine it would be circulated through the carriers to ensure full compatibility prior to marketing and selling the device. Outside of that, Verizon would not need to support or subsidize it and they'd still get your $70+ per month like any other phone. Why wouldn't they?
2 things about whether it will be supported or not. By law all carriers have to support any phone that works on their network. Inotherwords if it is CDMA Verizon by law has to allow it to be used on their network. They don't however have to allow all features of it. Like you could use a hero on verizon but they don't have to let you connect to the data or whatever. It gets weird but there was a law passed about it. So yes unlocked phones will work but might not have full support. Second thing is If verizon is really committed to this new open network thing like they say then they absolutely will support unlocked phones. ANd as was mentioned they don't have to subsidize them so boom.
WOW!!!! and with a 4.3" screen from what I've found out from Google searches on this.....I was getting ready to run out and get the Droid....but if this sexy beast comes out this year with everything the Droid has...PLUS it's good looks and larger screen....I may just have to hold out and see if the Passion really pans out for Verizon before the end of the year!!!!
Rumors are Rumors but there is a Rumor that there is going to be a massive unleashing of killer smartphones beginning the second with Droid and ending shortly before Christmas with some ridiculous phones. That is why they are dumping everything they have right now for nothing. Bogos and cheap prices on all kinds of phones lately. It is soon about to explode. There are vague rumors that the passion and the Calgary will be out by then as well if all goes well with the Droid launch. Sounds like my plan of buying on or around black friday is a good good idea. Since my deal runs out November 21 my timing couldn't be much better. Though some of the best ones will be mid December and I don't think I want to wait that long. But I also need some good Black Friday deals so it may be the DROID with a BOGO I am hoping. Cause my wife and I both plaid with Heros (basically the same as the Eris) and neither of us could use the virtual keypad except in horizontal. So I will be watching the sales and the releases for the best deals I can get on the best phones I can get. I doubt any new releases will be bogo'ed maybe not the Droid but if the new phones and a phone based on Snapdragon processor comes out around that time then it might be.
If this has any truth to it would be great news for those of us waiting to see what else may come besides the Motorola Droid and the cheaper HTC Eris.
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/11/02/verizon-to-aim-for-the-smartphone-crown/
Urabus wrote: If this has any truth to it would be great news for those of us waiting to see what else may come besides the Motorola Droid and the cheaper HTC Eris. http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/11/02/verizon-to-aim-for-the-smartphone-crown/
Has this one even passed FCC testing yet? I highly doubt we'll see the Droid Passion until sometime 2q 2010. People sure like to hype things up don't they? -Just look at the past/present Omnia 2 rumor mill.
I think a lot has to due with the success of the Droid launch. If things go better then expected, Verizon might want to continue the momentum with a release of a more powerful droid... http://www.droidforums.net/forum/htc-droid-eris/45-verizon-htc-droid-anroid-1-5-528mhz-cpu.html
n0yxl wrote: Urabus wrote: If this has any truth to it would be great news for those of us waiting to see what else may come besides the Motorola Droid and the cheaper HTC Eris. http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/11/02/verizon-to-aim-for-the-smartphone-crown/ Has this one even passed FCC testing yet? I highly doubt we'll see the Droid Passion until sometime 2q 2010. People sure like to hype things up don't they? -Just look at the past/present Omnia 2 rumor mill.
Omnia 2 is a terrible example. That phone reportedly has been way too buggy. It had to be FCC tested a second time. The Tour was FCC approved about 14 days before being released. The Droid was FCC approved at the end of September and it's ready to go. The Passion could be approved in the next week or two and still be ready to go for Black Friday, or mid-December.
techspert wrote: n0yxl wrote: Urabus wrote: If this has any truth to it would be great news for those of us waiting to see what else may come besides the Motorola Droid and the cheaper HTC Eris. http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/11/02/verizon-to-aim-for-the-smartphone-crown/ Has this one even passed FCC testing yet? I highly doubt we'll see the Droid Passion until sometime 2q 2010. People sure like to hype things up don't they? -Just look at the past/present Omnia 2 rumor mill. Omnia 2 is a terrible example. That phone reportedly has been way too buggy. It had to be FCC tested a second time. The Tour was FCC approved about 14 days before being released. The Droid was FCC approved at the end of September and it's ready to go. The Passion could be approved in the next week or two and still be ready to go for Black Friday, or mid-December.
"Omnia 2 is a terrible example. That phone reportedly has been way too buggy." -How do you know that the "Passion" WONT be the same scenerio?
"The Tour was FCC approved about 14 days before being released." - Uh, yeah... tell me; how RIM was able to mass produce the Tour in hundreds of thousands, in just 14 days!? And I know that they wouldn't mass produce a product that wasn't already approved by the FCC.
"The Passion could be approved in the next week or two..." -This may be the case, but we still won't see the phone until after the Holiday's.
Translation of a Chinese article from yesterday reveals that HTC's orders for Android devices have increased, and those orders include a large number of the HTC Desire (Droid Eris) and HTC Passion.
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.funddj.com%2FKMDJ%2FNews%2FNewsViewer.aspx%3Fa%3D8b8e9732-7c42-4722-8c65-cb433eb25597&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&history_state0=
techspert wrote: Translation of a Chinese article from yesterday reveals that HTC's orders for Android devices have increased, and those orders include a large number of the HTC Desire (Droid Eris) and HTC Passion. http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.funddj.com%2FKMDJ%2FNews%2FNewsViewer.aspx%3Fa%3D8b8e9732-7c42-4722-8c65-cb433eb25597&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&history_state0=
I wish the translation was in better english. It's hard to tell if they are talking about the Passion in 2010 or what.
hopin it is released before the end of the year.
i really like my girls mytouch phone and this looks the same but seems the passion will have better software and other specs.
black friday would be great.
I was wondering if anyone knows anything yet too?? I've been looking all over the internet and can't find anything new. It makes me think that it won't be a mid December release and will probably be pretty far into Janurary of 2010 if at all...
Not sure I if I should wait for this guy to maybe come or get one of the ones out now...
rdub wrote: I was wondering if anyone knows anything yet too?? I've been looking all over the internet and can't find anything new. It makes me think that it won't be a mid December release and will probably be pretty far into Janurary of 2010 if at all... Not sure I if I should wait for this guy to maybe come or get one of the ones out now...
Some posts over the last 24 hours have not given much of a clue. The Koreans are saying it not due out until Q1 2010 but they also said a month ago that a bunch had been shipped out of HTC factories. A couple credible sources here seem to know more about it and said its planned before the end of this year. I have to wonder if the HD2 camera problem will have an impact on any Passion/Dragon release??
Well, I just talked to a VZW rep and he informed me that all the lastest and greatest phones that have officially been announced for the end of Q4 are done. So any new phones will not be debuted for another 3 months of so. Not sure if this is just part of their "keep you lips sealed" protocol, but if it is true, then we won't see the Passion until January or so ...I'm still going to hold out some hope and see if anything changes
^ Yeah, we all know how knowledgable and helpfull the reps are!!!!!!!
They know what's coming when it plops in their hands 10 minutes before releasing to customers.
Just don't worry about what's coming out, "buy this droid. or have you seen the latest blackberries we have?"
The folks at androidforums.com are saying that the HTCPassion.com site is likely a fraud.
im hopin its true, im holdin out for this phone either way, i just hope its sooner than later.
I hate reading the "I've got got a friend who works for Verizon who says..." posts so I was skeptical about feeding the fire, but after getting some information from, yes, a good friend who works for VZW, I thought you guys might want to read this. I made the following post on the Omnia 2 thread this past weekend:
I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on the O2 in-store, but I still have my doubts about making a purchase so soon. I have a friend who is a business rep for VZW and when I inquired via text message about the Passion/Dragon his reply was that he and his manager checked their database and saw an HTC phone with the snapdragon processor and 6.5 being released early 2010. I'll believe him before any random internet rumor website. I'm willing to bet that if 4G is actually coming anywhere near the Spring 2010 timeframe a phone this advanced should be 4G capable, and I don't want to risk the 30 day return policy expiring before the new snapdragon HTC is released. I know there have been as many "I have a friend who says...." posts as there are stars in the sky so I don't expect anyone to take this post seriously. Besides, noone ever responded to any of my other comments/questions in this thread but I'd love to hear the thoughts of some of the board members that have some seniority and expertise. Will any of you wait on the O2 just in case there's a timely announcement about the remainder of the 23-odd phones being released by VZW in the near future?
And after some discussion/replies I responded with:
I can tell you he's not speculating. It is, according to him, listed in the database he checked as being an HTC phone with a snapdragon processor running 6.5 coming in early 2010. He and his manager looked it up together and this guy has never given me any reason to doubt his truthfulness. I find this new information frustrating because I wanted to get the O2 soon after its release made some reviews and a hands-on demo in the store possible, but now I'm thinking I should wait till I hear some confirmation of this new HTC release.
So this information gves me much more reason for optimism that the Passion/Dragon is to be expected in the near future. My contact's credibility is without question and if you run a whois search on the htcpassion.com website you'll get a physical address that, according to Google, reeks of clickfraud/scam. My contact's information is good enough to expect the Passion/Dragon by Velentine's Day at the latest.
Its really disheartening that its a day before December and other than a mysterious phone photo, a fuzzy screen shot and a bogus web site all that somehow have been linked to the Passion/Dragon, there is really not much else. Yet, why is HTC running TV ads, and allot of them?? I could see the reason being for name recognition, but for what??...so people can run out and buy Hero's and Eris's...or cuz the 'next best thing to slice bread' is about to drop with HTC written all over it??
Interesting insight, however, I thought the Dragon/Passion was suppose to be equipped with an Android OS. If it comes with WinMo 6.5, that is a deal breaker for me. I'm waiting for this phone but I do not want another WinMo device. Might have to get an Eris or Droid instead.
Ed, I thought the same thing but my (very credible) source says otherwise. I suppose it's entirely possible we could see a snapdragon-packing device in each flavor, though, couldn't we?
That's not exactly true ed1979...but if a phone does have a slide out QWERTY, it needs to be properly designed...
Some good examples of a properly designed keyboard: HTC TouchPro2, Samsung Armani (or Samsung Omnia PRO \ Louvre), LG Expo,
A proper slide out QWERTY keyboard (in my opinion) should have 4 or 5 rows.
Keys should be big, not small like the droids, and some kind of backlighting is nice (maybe tie it into the light sensor).
The space bar key needs to be in the center (not on the right like the Nokia N97 and N900) and be at least twice the width of the normal keys.
If it's a slide out QWERTY, then I think the screen should be tiltable (like the tilt, n97, touch pro 2, and samsung armani).
And the most important thing of all -- do NOT PUT a directional pad or any kind of other buttons on a slide out QWERTY.
That, combined with the small keys, along with a non-tilting screen -- is what makes the droid fail.
If the droid didn't have that stupid d-pad, the QWERTY would have come out great.
A tilt screen would have beeneven better...
I think the best keyboard on a phone I've ever used is the touch pro 2, but that sucker is giant (it's a 5 row keyboard).
The HTC Passion will NOT be out this year. The proof is in the FCC certification documentation for this phone, or lack thereof. All phones sold in the US must pass FCC tests to ensure they're in compliance with wireless technology standards, and nobody (including myself) has been able to find any documents on the FCC's website that pertain to this phone. I still believe it's coming, but if it hasn't passed the FCC yet, it will not be out before the end of the year.
Also, just to clarify, HTC has released the HD2 in Europe, which is a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone with a Snapdragon processor. It appears that the phone might be coming to T-Mobile in the US, but no word on it for any other US carrier as of yet. The Dragon is NOT a Windows Mobile phone. Not much about it is known, other than that it is supposed to be the first HTC Android phone with a Snapdragon processor, and will most likely be running Android 2.0 or possibly even 2.1, now that a beta build of Android 2.1 with Sense UI has been supposedly spotted for the Hero/Droid Eris.
That's what I figured -- it doesn't make sense for them to release it so close to the droid's release...even though one has a keyboard and the other doesn't, they are still too much alike...I imagine most people would prefer the Passion anyways, if they had the choice (I know I would). It would still be nice to have as a christmas present -- but oh well. Hello Omnia 2 tomorrow!
Can't wait!!
any good news lately? my friends roommate works as a verizon tech and said that the passion is coming to verizon but doesnt knowwhen. hope its true. all these rumors of it goin to TM gettin me frustrated.
still gonna hold out a while and suffer with my horrible phone i have.
The latest news on the Passion is that it's going to be delayed for further software changes.
http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/HTC-Passion-to-hit-Verizon-in-early-2010-with-3.5-OLED-display-article-a_8208.html
I was hoping the Passion would be released before the end of this year. I just don't like the Moto Droid. Sense UI on Android 2.1 with Snapdragon on a big touch screen would be awesome.
Wow,
This board's gone quiet. With all the news of the Bravo/Passion I would have thought this place would be bumping. Way I look at it, this is the Omnia 2 with the great AMOLED screen and a beefier processor and memory, working off Android so the WINMO won't bog this phone down. Hopefully it gets better should Google announce that ANDROID will allow apps to be put on the SD card. As far as I see, that one change to ANDROID could take most of the wind out of WINMO's sails.
Anyone know if this one will be able to be upgraded to 4G with its high end hardware? I am weary to dump any money into a contract which gives me yesterdays technology for 2 years. If it does not get the faster data transfer rate that 4G offers, that would be ashamed. This might affect if I use my NE2 or just get a 1YR and cough up the $100.
Agree completely, NotAgain...
Just posted over on the smartphone side of the forum about this. The hope for the HD2/Passion/GPhone or whatever kept me from buying a Droid, but now it looks like the HD2 is going to the competition. Really weird that Verizon keeps passing on these truly awesome phones.
I could be mistaken but the Nexus One does look like the original pics that were thought to be the passion, but the HTC bravo which holds similar specs is actually a different looking device. Maybe Verizon is getting a decent phone. I just hope we don't get any more Moto Droid like devices. The thing is trash. Get me something Amolled on android with memory and a nice processesor and please no keyboard.
http://thenextweb.com/2009/12/22/video-unboxing-pics-google-branding-nexus/
Here's a link to pics and video of the unboxing of what we all thought was going to be our beloved HTC Passion...now officially (according to the box it comes in now that we finally get to see here) the Google Nexus One.....
Oh if only Verizon could get something this awesome and sexy! ha ha
sorry but if u read the it will be going to t-mobile http://androidcommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/GoogleNexusOne.jpg thats a pic and heres a areticle http://www.mobilitysite.com/2009/12/htc-passion-real-running-android-2-1-and-t-mobile-bound/ also crazy more info about ANDROID OS at www.androidcommunity.com there is like 6 articles on the nexus one and proof that it is going to tmobile (( i is sad
omg, sorry once again but the site "www.htcpassion.com" was a fake.... it was created by the owner of phandroid heres the scoop http://androidandme.com/2009/12/phones/no-htc-passion-for-verizon-this-christmas/ its going to t-mobile
jrez2193 wrote: sorry but if u read the it will be going to t-mobile http://androidcommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/GoogleNexusOne.jpg thats a pic and heres a areticle http://www.mobilitysite.com/2009/12/htc-passion-real-running-android-2-1-and-t-mobile-bound/ also crazy more info about ANDROID OS at www.androidcommunity.com there is like 6 articles on the nexus one and proof that it is going to tmobile (( i is sad
BRAVO is not necessarily the NEXUS one. It does not even look like the nexus one. Check the buttons on the bottom of the pic in the HTC sheet vs the nexus one pix.
BUMP
Any news on this actually hitting V?
I'm waffling between Droid Eris and TP2. This would put thie decision aside.
As a side note, what the heck is so great about T-Mob? Why does their mom and pop operation premier all the good stuff?!?
