Daniel Shen, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES [Wednesday 30 January 2008]
High Tech Computer (HTC) on January 29 officially launched its HTC Shift UMPC (ultra mobile PC) in Taiwan, with the device to be available in the local market, as well as in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, at the end of February.
HTC will initially promote the HTC Shift in Taiwan in cooperation with Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) and the 3C channel operator Tsann Kuen Enterprise. However, the company does not rule out the possibility of cooperating with other telecom carriers in Taiwan to push sales of the mobile computing device, according to sources at HTC.
Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), a long-time partner of HTC, has decided to test the water for the UMPC or MID (mobile Internet device) segment by teaming up with Asustek Computer to push sales of Asustek’s Eee PC, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
The HTC Shift will be available at NT$39,900 (US$1,235) in a package deal from FET, with the suggested retail price likely to go up to NT$45,990 in the channels, the paper indicated.
HTC plans to launch a 5-inch mobile computing device designed to replace the HTC Advantage in 2008, said company sources at HTC.
