According to Engadget, AT&T looks set to tap into the Android action through the release of the HTC Lancaster. As of now, the only mobile operator in the United States to offer an Android handset is T-Mobile. AT&T will have a vast repertoire of handsets running almost all major mobile OSs, including Palm"s webOS when the Palm Eos handset gets released within the second half of the year.
According to the slide obtained by Engadget, its date of availability is expected to be the third of August, which is a little more than two months from now. However, since AT&T is requesting an "AT&T Standard UI", the schedule is "in question". It would be exclusive to AT&T for 6 months.
Specs and features:
- Bands/Modes:
- 850, 1900 HSDPA
- 850, 1800, 1900 EDGE/GPRS Class 10
- Weight: 110g
- Dimension: 109 X 54 X 17.1 mm
- Display: 2.8" QVGA 240 x 320 Pixels
- Battery: 1350 mAh
- Camera: 3 MP with fixed focus
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0
- Video playback: MPEG4, h.263, h.264
- Expandable memory
Complete slide detailing Lancaster"s features obtained by Engadget
The device takes its design cues from the T-Mobile G1/ HTC Dream. However, it features a Touch Pro style slide out QWERTY keypad, probably because of the negative feedback on the design used in the G1/Dream, resulting in a cramped keypad and an uncomfortable typing experience for many users. Many would probably be disappointed by the relatively low resolution screen used in the Lancaster (240 x 320) as compared to the one used on the G1/Dream (320 x 480). The device also loses the trackball that HTC implemented on previous Android devices (the G1/Dream and the Magic).
There has been no word on the pricing of the HTC Lancaster.