I really like large screen phones. I really really do. My BlackBerry Storm has the largest (3.25”) BlackBerry screen. My HTC Advantage has a 5” screen, though it’s really is more of a MID than a phone. Despite all of the iPhone 3G’s limitations and lock downs, I’m still impressed by its 3.5” screen.
I was very disappointed when the HTC Touch HD, sporting a 3.8” screen, lacked support for US 3G frequencies, and HTC indicated there would not be a US model. However, there is hope. The recently released HTC 2009 roadmap indicates an HD-like device in the US some time this year.
Now there may be an alternative. Toshiba has announced the TG01. It has a 4.1” 800 x 480 WVGA screen 
It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that clocks at 1GHz with built-in battery management logic It has a cool striped interface that runs on … Windows Mobile 6.1 
Huh? Why not Windows Mobile 6.5, which is right around the corner? Or Android, as hinted at CES?
Why may be rather than is an alternative? Because it’s unknown whether the TG01 will support US 3G frequencies either. Also unknown, but less of a deal breaker, is whether its screen will be resistive or capacitive. My guess is resistive since it’s a WinMo device, but I hope I’m wrong. I like capacitive screens. Of course, not everyone does.
We’ll find out more information soon. Toshiba will be presenting the TG01 at the Mobile World Congress on February 16-19 in Barcelona. In the meantime, here are some pictures and an official Toshiba video.
You can be sure I will keep my eye on this device, and will be posting updates here.
Update(02/08/2009)
Per No Toshiba TG01 for USA (the source for the picture), the TG01, like the HTC Touch HD, will not feature US 3G The article relies on the “Global Certification Forum entry, which only confirms HSDPA on the European and Asian 2100 Mhz (UTRA FFD I) spectrum, vs the 850 Mhz AT&T band (UTRA FFD IV).”
There remains a ray of hope. The article notes “this does not exclude a separate model being made for the US market.”
Back to reality, the article attributes the lack of 3G on the TG01 as well as the HTC Touch HD to “the pernicious influence of the iPhone on the availability of great smartphones to the American public on GSM.” Of course, that wouldn’t exclude a CDMA model. As a recent Verizon customer …
pssst…. I think you’re talking about the TG01.
From what slashgear & engadget say, it looks to be resistive, sadly.
http://www.slashgear.com/toshiba-tg01-video-demos-gui-gaming-video-playback-0332879/
Good catch on the Slashgear article. I’m a bit disappointed that the screen is resistive, but since it’s a WinMo device, I’m not at all surprised.
[...] 3GSM frequencies, and HTC indicated there would not be a US model. I recently wrote about the Toshiba TG01 and its 4.1” screen. However, I updated that post with information that it too may not support [...]
[...] 3GSM frequencies, and HTC indicated there would not be a US model. I recently wrote about the Toshiba TG01 and its 4.1” screen. However, I updated that post with information that it too may not support [...]
[...] been limited by underpowered hardware. Consequently, the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor in the Toshiba TG01 was welcome news. Now Texas Instruments (TI) is joining the party with its new Zoom OMAP34x-II [...]
[...] its 3.8” WVGA screen. Alas, it did not support US 3G. As unfortunately often these days (e.g. Toshiba TG01), Our European brethren got all the WinMo large screen [...]