14 DAY TRIAL // A new mobile phone from HTC Corporation is set to arrive in the United States during this month, the HTC Aria, and Android-based device set for a June 20 launch over at AT&T. According to the wireless carrier, the phone will be exclusively available for purchase on its airwaves, running under Google's Android 2.1 platform and featuring a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen display.
The new HTC Aria is set to deliver to AT&T's customers a nice range of appealing features, including a 5-megapixel photo snapper, support for the carrier's 3G network, an optical joystick, or Wi-Fi connectivity options. The phone can connect both to AT&T Wi-Fi, as well as to the company's 3G airwaves, based on the High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 Mbps technology.
“HTC Aria is the first of several smartphones in our Android portfolio to run the 2.1 platform,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “When you combine the nation’s fastest 3G network, and access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network, HTC Aria will be one of the best Android smartphones available.”
The new HTC Aria comes to the market with the handset vendor's HTC Sense user experience, which has been designed so as to deliver all the necessary info on the handset's homescreen. Those AT&T users who will choose the HTC Aria will be able to easily connect with their friends via the Friend Stream solution, which provides updates from Facebook, Twitter and Flickr in a single view.
“Its unique combination of compact size and beautiful design instantly separates HTC Aria from the pack of ‘me-too’ smartphones,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. “But what really differentiates HTC Aria from other smartphones is the acclaimed HTC Sense experience, which we are pleased to be bringing to AT&T customers. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC Aria organizes all of your communications in the most human way possible – by person.”
Other features of the new device include support for popular Google services, including Google search, Google Maps, Google Navigation, Gmail, or YouTube, as well as access to a wide range of applications via the Android Market. HTC Aria weighs in at 4.05 ounces and is only 4 inches long, the carrier added. The new mobile phone is set to become available for $129.99 upon the signing of a two-year contract agreement with the carrier and after a $100 mail-in rebate. The handset will be put on sale on June 20 both via AT&T's website and in AT&T retail locations nationwide.
