HTC Touch gets Dual buddy

Along with the launch of the HTC Shift Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) , HTC also announced the Touch Dual mobile phone at its London press event today.

The HTC Touch Dual builds on the success of the HTC Touch, and features both a touchscreen as well as a sliding keypad for those not as quick using a touchscreen. Two versions will be available with either a 12 or 20-inch keypad.

The Touch Dual features HTC's TouchFLO gesture-recognition technology and added functionalities. You can view photo slideshows using on-screen controls, and zoom and rotate images using just one hand. The technology lets you scroll through web pages and documents as well.

HTC also announced an arctic white version of the original HTC Touch (with more colours coming next week, apparently), plus a free, full-screen virtual keypad download for the HTC Touch.

The HTC Touch Dual will initially be available through Orange in Europe, from free on a £35 per month contract. It should hit the shops later this month.

HTC Touch Dual - key specifications:

• Connectivity: WCDMA/HSDPA: 2100MHz; GSM/EDGE: 900/1800/1900MHz Operating system: Windows Mobile 6 Professional
• Display: 2.6-inch QVGA flat touch screen
• Camera: 2-megapixel, plus front-facing camera for video calling
• Internal memory: 256MB flash, 128MB RAM
• Removable memory: microSD slot
• Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
• Interface: HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 full-speed)
• Battery: 1100mAh
• Talk time: WCDMA: up to 240 minutes, GSM: up to 360 minutes
• Standby time: WCDMA: up to 250 hours, GSM: up to 150 hours
• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM7200, 400MHz Size: 107 x 55 x 15.8mm
• Weight: 120 g