Todays & Tomorrows Technology

Specs

T-Mobile's myTouch has a 600Mhz TI processor, and 288MB RAM.

Keyboard

myTouch 3G's software keyboard is easy to get used to. The downside to it is that the "keys" are set too close together, making you more prone to typing errors, and generally make typing quite difficult.

Home Screen

This T-Mobile 3G smartphone, which features the Android OS 1.5 update, also has widgets on its homescreen. However, myTouch 3G has media-player, calendar, analog-clock, search and picture-frame widgets. You can even pull up the full menu from the home screen.

Multitasking

myTouch 3G, uses pop up notifications to alert you to app updates, IM, etc. All you have to do is simply tap and pull down these notifications menu.

Calendar

T-Mobile's 3G smartphone naturally supports Google Calendare and allows you to set up reminders that pop up on your status bar through the notification system.

T-Mobile have thrown open the doors to pre-orders for their second Android device, the upcoming myTouch 3G. Priced at $199.99 with a new two-year contract, and set to hit shelves on August 5th, existing T-Mobile USA customers are able to preorder the device – also known as the HTC Magic - from today, with deliveries expected to arrive prior to the official launch.

T-Mobile are concentrating heavily on customization of the myTouch 3G, and will be offering a variety of pre-designed shell patterns. Buyers will also be able to create their own shell from a photo, graphic or text, send off the design and have it made into a unique custom-printed shell.

Otherwise, the myTouch 3G has the same 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, virtual keyboard, Google Maps and Street View, and all the other usual Google Android software as the HTC Magic available through Vodafone Europe. Pre-orders will be accepted between today and July 28th; however not everybody will be eligible for the $199.99 price.

HTC have confirmed that they are looking to develop an upgrade package to deliver HTC Sense, their latest UI as demonstrated on the new Hero smartphone, to earlier Android models. However, due to licensing issues, devices which are “with Google” branded – such as the T-Mobile G1 and Vodafone Magic – will not get the upgrade.

The limitation comes as part of Google’s three-tiers of Android deployment, and their insistence that anything branded with their name should deliver the full, unmodified Android experience. That insistence has meant that other HTC developments, such as Exchange support on the Magic, have not made it to Android devices officially on sale in the US and Europe. The upcoming T-Mobile myTouch 3G will also be a Google-branded phone, and as such not get Sense.

According to HTC, there are potential logistical and R&D cost issues that might scupper a more limited Sense roll-out to non “with Google” existing devices, however, so an upgrade is by no means definite. It may be that cracked ROMs are the only way for existing owners to beautify their Android device.

T-Mobile USA have officially announced the myTouch 3G, the carriers second Android-based smartphone and the follow-up to the T-Mobile G1. Based on the HTC Magic, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G features a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, UMTS/HSPA and WiFi b/g, as well as a 3.2-megapixel camera.

All of the usual Android applications are present, including Google Maps with Latitude and Street View, a messaging app supporting POP, IMAP and Exchange accounts, a media player supporting MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, OGG and RM files, and stereo Bluetooth A2DP. T-Mobile will also load the Sherpa app, featuring GENIE (Geodelic ENgine for Interest Evaluation), onto the myTouch 3G, which promises to recognize patterns of use and offer suggestions based on past behaviours.

The T-Mobile myTouch 3G is expected to go up for pre-order on July 8th, though initially only for existing subscribers to the carrier. National availability is expected in early August, with the handset priced at $199.99 with a new two-year agreement. Three color options will be release: black, white and merlot.

It’s not just the Dash 3G that T-Mobile USA are talking about today. The carrier’s usual PR preamble to the HTC Snap-rebrand announcement included confirmation that T-Mobile would “share more details about its next Android-powered phone” next week. That device is expected to be the myTouch 3G, also known as the HTC Magic.

“Next week, T-Mobile will share more details about its next Android-powered phone, the follow-on device to the T-Mobile G1 with Google. More details on additional T-Mobile smartphones for this summer will follow.”

The myTouch 3G is set to be just the first of T-Mobile’s new smartphone range, seemingly, with more models promised after its announcement. According to the PR-speak, while we may only be seeing a debut, not a launch, of the next Android smartphone next week, it’s set to arrive sometime over the summer.

The phone is expected to be little different from the HTC Magic already on sale in Europe, though obviously with the necessary T-Mobile USA 3G band support.