Oh, there's no need to act like you're surprised, fellow Brits. As promised, HTC's going to dish out its latest budget Froyo Android and WP7 slider to the UK next month. Just a quick recap: the "pearl white" Gratia -- which is the international version of the Aria -- sports a humble 600MHz processor, along with a 3.2-inch 480 x 320 LCD and a VGA camera. As for the 7 Pro, it packs the bog standard WP7 specs (1GHz Snapdragon, 8GB storage, and 5 megapixel camera with 720p recording), as well as a slide-and-tilt 3.6-inch 800 x 480 display that reveals a landscape QWERTY keyboard underneath -- the tilting part still a first for WP7. Sadly, it doesn't look like any carriers have picked up either handset yet, nor has HTC shed light on their standalone costs, but hey, patience is priceless.
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HTC 7 PRO AND HTC GRATIA TO COME TO THE UK IN FEBRUARY
LONDON, UK – January 20, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today announces the launch of HTC 7 Pro and HTC Gratia in the UK from February 2011.
"We are proud to be able to add two new phones to our already diverse UK product portfolio," said Jon French, executive director, HTC UK, Ireland and South Africa. "Both phones offer the stand-out design and innovation for which HTC has become renowned. With the fresh and exciting mobile experience of the Windows Phone 7 platform, HTC 7 Pro is for users who want to combine the ultimate in business efficiency with the ability to take full advantage of their leisure time. The elegant HTC Gratia is designed for those people looking for a compact yet powerful Android smartphone."
HTC 7 Pro
HTC 7 Pro combines powerful business features with multimedia performance and flexibility that make it the ideal phone both during and outside of work hours. The screen slides open and tilts to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard for fast, comfortable typing, while productivity features such as the ability to sort, scan and manage Outlook email, open and edit the latest Office documents and keep track of the markets with HTC's stocks application, offer new ways to get more out of the business day.
With a tilting 3.6" screen, the power of a 1Ghz processor and cutting edge technology such as Dolby MobileTM and SRS WOW HDTM, the HTC 7 Pro delivers a rich multimedia experience. The integratration of many popular Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, Windows Live, Bing and Zune makes this handset the ideal companion for business users who want to take their entertainment with them wherever they go.
The unique Hub and Tile interface of Windows Phone 7 makes information quick and easy to access by grouping it into Hubs such as People, Pictures, Games, Music & Video, Office and Marketplace content and displaying the most up-to-date information on the homescreen Tile. Users will also be able to access exclusive applications and utilities through the HTC Hub. These include a weather and stocks application and a photo enhancer that enables special effects to be applied before sharing photos with friends.
HTC Gratia
Available in Pearl White, the HTC Gratia is sleek and lightweight – measuring just over four inches in length, weighing 4.06 ounces and featuring a seamless, rubberised and beveled back cover that opens to show a vibrant yellow inner chassis.
This user-friendly and powerful smartphone runs Android 2.2 and the acclaimed HTC SenseTM - offering an experience that makes your phone work in a more personal and natural way. HTC Sense offers a number of unexpected features designed to bring a smile to your face, such as making the phone ring louder if it is in your bag or your pocket, but automatically decreasing the ringer volume when you pick it up to answer a call.
HTC Gratia also comes with Friend Stream – an application that helps you keep in touch with friends and family by bringing all of your Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates into one single, organised flow of updates.
Availability
From February 2011 the HTC 7 Pro will be available in the UK through HTC's distribution partner Brightpoint GB and Brightstar with HTC Gratia available through Brightstar only.
