Android and Me » t-mobile mytouch

Rumor: Huawei to manufacture upcoming T-Mobile myTouch devices, bound to gain popularity

Edgar Cervantes — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:47:38 +0000

The latest rumors around the interwebs claim that the next myTouch devices are in the works and are being manufactured by Huawei. The manufacturer is currently mostly known for its low- to mid-end affordable smartphones. But this is something Huawei is trying to change, and surely, this will be a great opportunity to clean its name.

The company is currently trying to become a player in the high-end Android device market. Without much hype, Huawei is releasing devices like the Huawei Ascend D Quad and the Huawei Ascend P1, among others, which compete with the best smartphones in the market. But the lack of advertising is slowing down the company’s climb.

Becoming part of a successful, popular myTouch line will surely give the manufacturer a boost. (These devices include the U8680 and the U8730). It is also rumored that both devices are exactly the same, except one comes with a slide-out physical keyboard.

As for specs, we don’t know much, other than that the phones run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and have a WVGA (480×800) resolution. Let’s hope they have some good surprises, though, as the myTouch legacy has included some awesome devices in their time.

Surely, the devices will reap the fame and popularity the other manufacturers have sown. At the same time, Huawei will have to live up to certain expectations. We’ll have to wait and see what comes out of this, but based on aesthetics, these phones don’t look exactly like your dream device.

While the build quality looks rather solid, the screen looks smaller than 4 inches. Many users would be disappointed to see a WVGA, non-Android 4.0 device released. The devices are rumored to launch in late Spring. By then, the world will be filled with Ice Cream Sandwich goodness.

As always, we’re interested in knowing what our readers are getting out of this. What specs and features do you believe Huawei needs to incorporate in order to make these devices successful? Would you get a myTouch device built by Huawei?

New myTouch devices outed straight from T-Mobile (Update)

Edgar Cervantes — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:56:13 +0000

The myTouch family is growing. T-Mobile has put up the “Coming Soon” pages for two new myTouch devices on the official website (ahead of announcement). And boy, do these look good.

These bad boys are the T-Mobile myTouch (Black) and the T-Mobile myTouch Q (by LG). Sadly, not much is known about the specs for these devices, and much of what is reveled seems doubtful. As of now, devices coming out with the specs listed on T-Mobile’s “Coming Soon” pages are very rare, and our friends from TmoNews entertain the idea that much of the information could just be a placeholder.

For starters, the listed specs do not mention a front-facing camera on the myTouch (Black), but there seems to be one in the image. It’s also suspicious that these devices claim to support enhanced 4G data speeds of up to 42 Mbps, since TmoNews’ latest leaked roadmap shows that these devices will be 3G only.

T-Mobile’s website claims these devices are identical. The only difference is that one of them has a physical slide-out keyboard (myTouch Q), while the other is touch only. However, although both devices are said to have a “Genius Button,” only the myTouch Q seems to have one in the images.

If these specs (or some of them) prove to be real, these devices will come with a 1 GHz processor (quantity of cores not specified), a 5 MP rear-facing camera and a 1500 mAh battery. Of course, the myTouch Q also has that nice slide-out keyboard for all the typing monsters out there.

We know much is left unsaid. Trust us, we want to know more, too. Sadly, this is all we have. But an announcement should be right around the corner. Hopefully we’ll see more detailed specs then and find out if this info was just a placeholder.

Take a look at the images posted below. If you want more information, go to T-Mobile’s pages for the myTouch and the myTouch Q. How many myTouch fans do we have here? Is anyone waiting to get one of these? Keyboard or touch only?

Gallery

Update

So, it seems like releasing these pages was indeed a mistake, and T-Mobile has now removed the phones from the site. Also, as our reader dethduck mentions, the T-Mobile myTouch (Black) does actually have a “Genius Button.” The only difference is that it is an actual app icon in the UI’s dock, as opposed to being a hardware button on the device.

A closer look at T-Mobile’s latest phone in the myTouch family

Taylor Wimberly — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:53:12 +0000

Last week at CTIA I bumped into our friends from T-Mobile and I was surprised to find they had a new myTouch lying around. I was told it was a dummy unit, but I still asked to play with it so I could film a quick hands-on video.

The first thing I did was remove the back cover and discovered this was actually a working unit that had the clear plastic sheet under the battery to prevent it from turning on. Being a blogger looking for a scoop, I removed the plastic sheet and powered the device on. I saw the myTouch animation and was waiting for the phone to boot up when a T-Mobile rep saw what I was doing and kindly asked me for the battery.

The myTouch family compared.

The software wasn’t quite ready to show off so I couldn’t film it, but I was impressed with the design and overall build quality. The new myTouch is roughly the same size as the Nexus One, but it has some much needed upgrades like the front-facing camera and second-generation Snapdragon processor.

Thanks to a leaked spec sheet, we also learned that the myTouch will be the first Android phone to debut a new application called T-Mobile TV. The service offers on-demand videos plus “always-free programming” from ABC News Now, Fox Sports, PBS Kids, Disney, Univision, and family holiday favorites. Pre-loaded games will include Rock Band, Asphalt HD, and Monopoly.

Overall it looks like the myTouch is shaping up to be T-Mobile’s best offering this holiday season. Some hardcore users might be turned off by HTC’s Sense UI, but you always have the G2 if you prefer stock Android.

If you want to be the first to know when the T-Mobile myTouch is available, make sure you head over to the official site and register for updates.

Does the new myTouch offer enough to make you jump or will you wait till next year and hope for a dual-core phone?

T-Mobile announces the new myTouch

Nick Gray — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:08:48 +0000

Early this morning, T-Mobile announced the new myTouch. The new T-Mobile myTouch features Qualcomm’s second-gen 1GHz MSM8255 Snapdragon processor, a 3.8 inch WVGA capacitive display, 5MP camera capable of 720p video recording, front-facing camera for video calling (through Qik and yahoo Messenger), and the Genius button. Just like HTC’s recently announced Desire HD and Desire Z, the new T-Mobile myTouch will feature Screen Share software for sharing pictures, music, and video over DLNA. And of course, the T-Mobile myTouch will feature support for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. The phone will be running on Android 2.2 and we’re assuming that it will also feature the Espresso build of HTC Sense.

Pricing and availability for the T-Mobile myTouch are still unknown, but the press release does mention that the handset will be available in time for the holidays. We’d suggest you start saving your money now since we wouldn’t expect the T-Mobile myTouch to sell for less than $199 with a new two year agreement.

Gallery

Show Press Release

New T-Mobile myTouch Delivers High-Definition Video Connections and Lightning Fast 4G Speeds

New myTouch to Take Advantage of T-Mobile’s New Super-Fast HSPA+ Network Now Reaching More Than 65 Markets

BELLEVUE, Wash. – October 4, 2010 – T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced a new addition to its exclusive line of Android™-powered T-Mobile® myTouch® smartphones and the continued expansion of its new super-fast HSPA+ mobile broadband network. Built with families in mind, the newest T-Mobile myTouch helps solve the challenges of staying physically and emotionally connected by sharing photos and video with the HD Camcorder, spontaneous face-to-face conversations through Video Chat and the ability to reach 4G speeds on T-Mobile’s new network, which is now available in more cities across the country.1

Unlike other video-calling solutions on the market that only work through Wi-Fi, Video Chat on the new myTouch enables customers to connect with loved ones spontaneously from practically anywhere through T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi. With the myTouch’s front-facing camera paired with Video Chat, customers can hold video conversations with friends and family who have a new T-Mobile myTouch, other compatible mobile device or capable PC. Customers can even see who is available to chat through presence information integrated into the myTouch’s address book.

“Taking advantage of the 4G speeds on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network, the new myTouch delivers a faster and more compelling experience than most competing smartphones on the market,” said Andrew Sherrard, vice president, product development, T-Mobile USA. “Our continued focus to build innovative new features and personalized services truly makes myTouch unique.”

Designed specifically to deliver 4G speeds on T-Mobile’s rapidly expanding HSPA+ network, the new myTouch will offer customers blazing fast access to websites, applications, videos, downloads and more. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network is the most pervasive mobile broadband network in the country, offering 4G speeds in more than 65 major metropolitan areas.

With its latest expansion, T-Mobile’s HSPA+ footprint now includes Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss.; Denver, Colo.; Huntsville, Ala.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Norfolk, Va.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento, Calif.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. T-Mobile expects to reach 100 major metropolitan areas and 200 million people in 2010.

Families also can share moments in high-definition (HD) with the myTouch’s high-quality HD Camcorder with Screen Share, which allows customers to share or broadcast HD video and pictures they’ve captured. With a few touches of the screen, customers can share their photo albums, videos and movies wirelessly with a compatible HDTV or other DLNA device. The new phone also includes three exclusive myTouch features: Genius Button™, powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance, which lets customers call, text, e-mail or access the internet with a simple voice command; Faves Gallery™ , which offers shortcuts to one’s most-contacted family and friends; and myModes, which creates customized home screens for work and home.

Designed by HTC exclusively for T-Mobile, the new myTouch features a brilliant 3.8-inch WVGA touch-screen display with virtual keyboard and Swype® for easy text input. The thin and sleek device also comes with a blazing fast second-generation Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 1GHz MSM8255 processor optimized for speed and graphic performance, a 5-megapixel camera, a preinstalled 8 GB microSD memory card, and an integrated media player that brings together favorite music, video and internet radio under one set of controls.

Powered by Android 2.2, the myTouch offers a rich mobile Web experience and access to more than 80,000 applications on Android Market™ from games to location-based social networks to on-the-go shopping and more. The new device also features preloaded HD games, including “Rock Band,” “Asphalt 5″ and “Monopoly.”

The new T-Mobile myTouch is expected to be available in time for the holidays, exclusively from

T-Mobile USA in four colors – white, black, plum or red. Customers can visit http://mytouch.t-mobile.com for more information.

T-Mobile now offers 4G speeds on the new myTouch and the T-Mobile G2™, as well as the webConnect Rocket™ 2.0 and Rocket laptop sticks. In addition, customers located in new HSPA+ locations can benefit from faster speeds on their existing 3G smartphones – including popular devices, such as the myTouch 3G Slide.2

# # #

1 Based on 4G speeds currently available to mobile device users in the U.S. Device has theoretical capability of 14.4 Mbps. HSPA+ coverage is rapidly expanding, but it is not currently available everywhere. For more details on where T-Mobile network coverage is available, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage.

2 Improved speeds vary, due in part to device capabilities.

T-Mobile and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. stick together and myTouch are registered trademarks, and Genius Button, Faves Gallery, G2 and webConnect Rocket are trademarks of T-Mobile USA. Google, Android, and Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc. Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Inc. Snapdragon is a trademark of Qualcomm Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the second quarter of 2010, approximately 130 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group – 33.6 million by T-Mobile USA – all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world’s most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile USA’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of Deutsche Telekom management with respect to future events. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project” and “should” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place too much reliance on them. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond Deutsche Telekom’s control, including, without limitation, those factors set forth in “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” contained in Deutsche Telekom’s annual report. If these or other risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, Deutsche Telekom’s actual results may be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Deutsche Telekom does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

T-Mobile myTouch 3G with 3.5mm jack coming 2/10

Taylor Wimberly — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:18:32 +0000

New internal T-Mobile documents confirm the myTouch 3G with 3.5mm jack (aka myTouch 1.2) will be available in limited quantities starting February 10. This device is a clone of the T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition minus the Fender. New additions to the phone include a 3.5 mm headset jack and 288 MB of RAM (vs 192 MB of the original MT3G). The new refresh of the myTouch 3G will replace the original MT3G black and white models.

The original myTouch 3G is still going for $149 (with 2 year agreement) and we expect a similar price for the refresh. The myTouch 3G with 3.5mm headset jack will ship with Android 1.6 and we expect T-Mobile will upgrade it to Android 2.1 in Q2 2010.

If you are a current T-Mobile looking to upgrade your phone, we suggest you wait a couple weeks and see what gets announced at the Mobile World Congress show. We expect HTC, Motorola, and Samsung will unveil new Android phones.

Internal T-Mobile memo.

Root a T-Mobile myTouch 3G or G1 in 6 minutes and flash Cyanogen’s rom with Donut crumbs

Clark Wimberly — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:01:26 +0000

I spent the last week hacking, rooting, flashing, and unrooting my T-Mobile G1 to try and see if I could break my phone. I have been able to freely jump between any version of Android I want and never been at a point I couldn’t revert the changes. With that being said, rooting your phone should not be taken lightly. It is super easy to format your phone and erase everything, so always backup your data before attempting any hacks.

I updated one of our older root guides to show the differences between the two popular hacking methods. The older method required you to downgrade, types numerous commands, and reflash your radio and SPL updates. I would guess it took about 1hr for the average person on their first attempt.

The new hack was developed by ZenThought and uses a known exploit in the current version of Android. It simplifies the root process by replacing your recovery image with a single click. This allows you to load Cyanogen’s recovery image and flash a custom version of Android.

To demonstrate the ease of this hack, we captured the entire process on video. I was able to execute the recovery hack, wipe the phone, and install Cyanogen’s latest experiment Android build in about 6 minutes.

For more information on rooting your Android phone see our article on the cons and pros of rooting and then read our updated root guide. G1 owners will probably want to flash a new SPL file to free up more system space, but be warned it erases everything. Make sure you always read the full instructions and ask questions when you don’t understand what you are doing.

I recommend Cyanogen roms because he releases the most updates, adds new features (some from Donut), and has optimizations for speed. He maintains stable and experimental builds of his roms. Do not flash an experimental rom on your phone if you need to use it every day. The experimental builds are for testing purposes only. The current stable build is 3.6.8.1 but he is expected to release stable version 4.0 later this week.