HTC's 'Magic' Touch: Google Android Phone No. 2
Unlike the G1 Android phone that U.S. customers have gotten used to, the HTC Magic will operate without a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, instead relying on a 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch screen with 320 x 480 HVGA resolution. The trackball that G1 users are used to, however, will still remain.
An internal GPS antenna helps ensure that the device is location-aware and connectivity is handled through the usual means. Bluetooth 2.0 with enhanced data rate is build into the HTC Magic, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g provides a quick and reliable connection to the Web.
A 3.2-megapixel camera without a flash is also standard for the new Google-operated device, although some users may lament the fact that there is no flash to accompany the camera. The HTC Magic supports MP4 and 3GP video types.
A microSD memory card expansion slot enhances the 192 MB of RAM and 512 MB of ROM memory on the Magic.
Like the G1, the HTC Magic comes prepared to support the full range of Google applications, including Google search, Gmail, Google Talk and Google Maps.
There is no word yet on when the HTC Magic with Android operating system will be available in Europe.