HTC announced recently, at the 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress, the first availability of the HTC Shift. Combining the power of Windows Vista and Microsoft Origami Experience 2.0 with always-connected 3G/HSDPA connectivity that features true push email with up to 3 days of battery life, HTC Shift provides an improved and a real mobile computer experience.

The HTC Shift provides all the power, functionality and connectivity the busy professional needs in a sleek design that is half the size and a fraction of the weight of standard notebooks. The HTC Shift is the first device to feature HTC's innovative new SnapVUE technology. SnapVUE provides instant access to emails, calendar, SMS messages and contacts, without the need to fully boot up the device helping conserve power and extend battery life.

Microsoft Origami Experience 2.0 enables improved access and consumption of content through the addition of a new finger-friendly browser, RSS Reader and media player. It also includes Origami Now which gives users one-touch access to the information that's important to them, including e-mail, calendar, weather and to-do lists on one screen that changes according to the time, the day and even their current location.

Weighing just 800g and equipped with a 7" touch sensitive 'slide-n-tilt' screen, the HTC Shift is similar in size to a couple of DVD cases and comes with the Windows Vista Business edition and a 40GB hard drive (or 60GB depending on the manufacturer's option). Packed with advanced connectivity, the HTC Shift features standalone GPS, high-speed global connectivity with Tri-Band UMTS/HSDPA and, Quad-Band GSM/GPRS/EDGE as well as Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi. Also a multimedia powerhouse, the HTC Shift utilizes Windows Media Player 11 to provide easy access to music, videos and photos.

The HTC Shift is first available through Telefonica in Spain, Orange in the UK and will soon be available through TIM in Italy and in specialized retailers across Europe for EUR 1,199.

More in-depth info about its specs can be found here.