T-Mobile Makes HTC G2 With HSPA+ OfficialT-Mobile Makes HTC G2 With HSPA+ Official

HTC G2

T-Mobile has been teasing everyone about its forthcoming HSPA+ smartphone since July, and finally made good on the taunts. T-Mobile calls the HTC G2 a successor to the HTC G1, which was the first Android phone to hit the market. Its biggest feature is compatibility with T-Mobile's HSPA+ data network, which can hit download speeds up to 21Mbps.

The G2 is a sideways slider, which has a trick, Z-style hinge to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard for typing. The G2 will also have Swype's predictive text entry software for use with the virtual keyboard on the screen. Other hardware features include an 800MHz Snapdragon processor (which HTC has been heavily optimized for better battery life), support for 32GB microSD cards, 3.5mm headset jack, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.

The G2 will run Android 2.2 Froyo and sees a greater level of Google services integration. For example, the device is the first smartphone to offer integrated access to Google Voice, allowing customers to create a new account right from the home screen of the device using their current mobile number.

The G2 also integrates the new Voice Actions feature of Google Search, which allows users to control their phone with their voice for calling contacts and businesses, sending messages, browsing the Web, listening to music and completing common tasks. It also has the typical Google amenities such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps with Places and Navigation, YouTube, Google Talk, and Google Earth.

It has a 3.7-inch display, which T-Mobile says surprisingly little about. Is it an LCD, AMOLED, Super LCD, Super AMOLED? What about the resolution? This is one detail that needs more clarification.

Beyond the display, the G2 has a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus. The camera module can shoot video in 720p HD resolution, and then upload content directly to YouTube.

T-Mobile hasn't announced pricing yet, but it's fair to estimate that it will cost between $199 and $249. The HSPA+ radio is probably worth a premium to HTC and T-Mobile.

Similar to how T-Mobile kicked off sales of the G1, it is offering the G2 for pre-sale to existing customers first. They will have access to it by the end of September. T-Mobile said more details will become available in the intervening weeks.