I have a confession to make. I’m waiting for the Toshiba K01 to be released to buy one. Yap, I want a Windows Mobile phone. There are few reasons for that:
- I like connecting my Bluetooth keyboard to the phone. HID profile which is required for connecting such input devices is not supported in Android.
- I want a device with large screen that actually makes sense connecting an external keyboard – Toshiba K01 rocks a 4.1-inch WVGA display.
- I also want a side-sliding keyboard for those moments when I’m standing and there’s no room for a separate keyboard – so the HTC HD2 is out.
- We lack a dedicated WinMo person on IntoMobile and Will wants me to be one.
So I’m not sure what’s stopping Toshiba from finally launching the device? We’ve seen it back in February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and then afterwards it got the FCC approval and was announced for Japan (I think it’s selling now).
To be fair, Toshiba said the K01 is coming in the second half of the year and I’m hoping they don’t plan to miss “back to school” sales. Not for their sake, but for my own selfish reasons – I can’t wait anymore. 🙂
On a similar note, I really don’t dig other handset makers. High-end users who end up as brand evangelists want a phone that packs both large screen and QWERTY keyboard. After the iPhone was launched, many companies “forgot” to add keyboards on phones with such displays. The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S Pro is more of an exception than rule…
But I digress. So I ask Toshiba publicly – when will the K01 be released? Don’t hesitate to put me on a trial list folks. I’ll love you for that. 🙂