Rogers Wireless today became the first North American carrier to pick up the HTC Shift, the company's first crossover ultra-mobile PC. The 7-inch touchscreen system is a close match to its reference design and is notable for carrying Windows Vista but behaving more like a smartphone, including access to "push" e-mail as well as a 3G cellular connection over HSPA that supplies high-speed Internet when not within range of Wi-Fi. A front camera provides video chats (though not on Rogers' VISION service) while a 40GB hard drive handles storage.
The device also includes GPS, though the Canadian provider cautions that the mapping feature isn't yet available. A software patch due in approximately three months will both enable the GPS feature and give users the option of accessing its navigation features through TeleNav's subscription mapping service.
As a data-only device, the Shift is given an unusual pricing strategy at Rogers. It will sell for as little as $1,600 when paired with a three-year Flex Rate data plan worth $50 per month or more; the device can also be had on a month-to-month basis from Rogers for $2,000 and is also being sold independent of any service for $2,100. Some retail stores should have HTC's mini-computer as of today.
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