Don’t call it a UMPC: HTC Advantage is coming to the States

Frankly, I’m not even sure what to call the HTC Advantage. I mean, this gadget is really in a league of its own. It’s not an ultramobile PC per se (and HTC doesn’t want to identify the Advantage as a UMPC anyway), and categorizing it as a smart phone would do it injustice. Maybe a smart phone on some serious steroids? While the nomenclature is up for debate, we do know a couple of things: it’s tricked out with some sick features and it’s actually coming to the States. Yes, we’re actually going to get one of those Crave-worthy gadgets that are typically reserved for our tech-forward European and Asian counterparts.

Today, at CTIA 2007, HTC announced it will start shipping the HTC Advantage this summer through Amazon.com and other U.S. retailers, and though they didn’t release details on pricing or the exact release date, the company did reveal a number of specs to keep us preoccupied for the time being. Check out the stats on this bad boy:

• An 8GB hard drive with 256MB ROM/128MB RAM and a miniSD card slot
• Runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition
• All the wireless options you could want: quadband (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS/EDGE); 3G (UMTS/HSDPA), Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, and GPS
• A 5-inch VGA touch screen
• A magnetically connected full QWERTY keyboard
• A 3.5mm headphones jack and …
• Essentially small enough to put in a jacket pocket (albeit a larger jacket pocket) or purse

HTC’s idea for the Advantage is that it frees the mobile professional from always having to carry his or her laptop. It’s not meant to be a laptop replacement–although the company is hoping to break into that market too with its brand-new HTC Shift; check out Dan Ackerman’s blog on that announcement–but rather, something they can use on one- to two-day business trips or when they’re simply out of the office. Now, I asked you guys a question several months ago when the European version of the Advantage (aka HTC Athena) was unveiled: will this type of device fly in the States? And now that it is coming, I’d like to get your opinion again. Will you buy the HTC Advantage when it’s released later this summer?

Top 5 Pocket PC Handheld Computers

 Dell Axim X51v 

     The Dell Axim X51v was the first PDA with Windows Mobile 2005. Features includes a 624MHz processor, 64 MB RAM, and both 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless

HP iPaq rx3715

With a 400MHz processor and 152 MB RAM, the rx3715 is presented as a multimedia device and does a great job. Comes with a built-in 1.2 MP camera. 

Asus MyPal A730W

The feature rich A730 comes with a VGA screen, a 520 MHz processor,Both Bluetooth and 802.11b wireless, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and Windows Mobile 2003 SE. 

HP iPAQ hx4705

The hx4705 is geared towards the business user. Comes with Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 SE and a fast 624 MHz processor. Also includes 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless. 

Garmin iQue M5

The Garmin iQue M5 was the first Pocket PC PDA with built-in GPS. Runs Windows Mobile 2003 SE and functions great as both a PDA and a GPS device.