By The overwhelming majority of Android enthusiasts assume that the global announcement by HTC on June 24th will be to announce the often rumored HTC Hero – we would be excited for that alone. But the Economic Daily News is reporting that HTC will announce TWO phones at that event: the HTC Hero and the HTC Lancaster:
The HTC Hero will be available in two versions, with and without a QWERTY keyboard. The model with a keyboard will be named HTC Memphis, or HTC Lancaster for sale by AT&T exclusively in the US for six months starting the third quarter, the paper indicated.
So there you have it – the HTC Hero could be one phone with two different versions – a touchscreen only and a touchscreen with slideout QWERTY keyboard. We’ve seen leaked pictures of each, so shall we put them side by side and see how that rumor might add up?
Eh… they appear to be different enough to be completely different phones. The shape is different, the button schema is different the D-Pad is different… they look somewhat similar in that they are classic HTC but still – very different. I’m sure the AT&T customers out there are thinking, “Who cares – we’re getting Android!”
Also interesting to note is that the HTC Hero won’t come with the typical Android UI but will instead be equipped with HTC’s handcrafted TouchFLO 3D UI:
While running on the Android-based platform, the HTC Hero will also be equipped with HTC’s in-house developed TouchFLO 3D user interface, EDN noted.
You’ve seen pictures of HTC Rosie UI and videos of the HTC Hero ROM and it wouldn’t be any surprise if June 24th brings this brand new smoking hot UI to fruition. I mean cmon, you’ve seen the big old rose laying on the guy’s chest on the event promo flyer!
Nonetheless we hope the basic jist of the rumor – that HTC will announce both the Hero AND Lancaster – will hold up. While we will be perfectly happy (to put it lightly) with the announcement of ONE new phone, there will be no complaining if HTC unveils two (or more) Android devices along with treats like TouchFLO 3D on Android.
What do YOU think we’ll see on June 24th?
MAn 6 months… I like a keyboard … and I can’t wait for Sprint to get a phone like the Lancaster. I can’t believe they let AT&T grab it before them. Sprint is slacking with Android
Please upgrade the resolution please please please. The Memphis looks so sweet but it’s the QVGA resolution that’s killing it for me.
The way that reads to me is that AT&T is only getting the model ‘with a keyboard’. So who gets the Hero? Should I continue to hold out hope for Sprint or should I just start to look for another carrier. Contract is up in September, so it seems that I may have quite a few phones to choose from at that time if Sprint doesn’t get off their ass.
While it’s great that more Android units are coming out I am not ready to jump for these two. I am still waiting for the Samsung unboxing event and hope there’s another ‘droid flavour in that. Other than that it’s the i1750 for me.
I’d love to see someone test these with market apps, or convince Google to release their testing notes. Its all intended to be cross hardware compatible and “just work” ™ … but we all know how that turns out sometimes. I just want to know that when I get one of these so I can have 3g on AT&T that I’ll still be able to use smspopup, smsbackup, etc.
Im using the haykuro hero build on my G1 atm and it is pretty flippin sweet. Needless to say, I’ll be extreemly jealous if t-mo doesnt get a new droid… From htc preferably.
i really like the lancaster – i think it *looks* just SO hot
but, if you look at the specs and actually measure out its size.. ? omg! its *tiny*!!
the i1750 is *very* close in measurements to my current 755p – which i like very much (and i WANT a more “hefty” kinda phone – i don’t want these delicate light-weight little “girly phones”)
so.. as much as i “think” i want a physical kybd, i may just spring for the i1750 – IF it ever comes to the US!!!
haha!
Alright… It’s August 1st.. I hope to be reading something (anything) about this phone soon.. The leak of the AT&T information sheet aside, they apparently are damn good at keeping quiet.
its passed august 3rd and still no lancaster. does anyone kno why it hasnt come out yet? i cant wait to get my hands on one. android is really cool
I called AT&T about the Lancaster and they said late August for its release.
whatever came of these phones??
i don’t think they ever actually arrived…