T-Mobile Adds myTouch As Second HSPA+ HandsetT-Mobile Adds myTouch As Second HSPA+ Handset

HTC myTouch

T-Mobile has once again chosen HTC to supply it with a leading-edge handset. The new myTouch improves upon the original in almost every capacity, and should be a good seller for T-Mobile USA.

The new myTouch comes with HSPA+ wireless data features, which gives the device "4G speeds" ranging up to a theoretical max of 14.4Mbps. The HTC G2 was the first HSPA+ handset for T-Mobile.

The myTouch is the first T-Mobile handset to have pre-loaded video chat software. According to T-Mobile, the Video Chat feature, which makes use of a user-facing camera, will work over Wi-Fi or HSPA+. T-Mobile is sure to call out the iPhone 4's inability to offer FaceTime chats over 3G. It can be used to chat with other mobile devices, or PC-based chat programs.

Though the overall appearance to the original is similar, the new myTouch increases the size of the display from 3.2 inches to 3.8. It also improves resolution from 320 x 480 up to 480 x 800. That's quite an upgrade. The myTouch also has Swype software on board to make for easier message composition.

Under the hood, the myTouch almost doubles its processing power to 1GHz with a SnapDragon chipset. It comes with the same 5 megapixel camera, but ups the video capturing power to 720p HD.

The myTouch will run Android 2.2 Froyo, and as T-Mobile puts it, the stock "Google Experience." That means no user interface adjustments from HTC or T-Mobile.

The myTouch is also the first Android device from T-Mobile to gain a Wi-Fi-based UMA client, which allows it to make voice calls via both 3G and Wi-Fi. It will be pre-loaded with 8GB of storage, but also supports microSD cards up to 32GB.

In addition to the handset, T-Mobile announced 16 brand new HSPA+ markets in which the myTouch will have fast mobile data. They include: 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 didn't announced exact pricing and availability for the myTouch, but noted that it will street in time for the holiday