HTC means business, unveils HTC Snap and "Inner Circle"

Fresh from CTIA day 1 in Las Vegas, HTC is about to unveil its latest Windows Mobile handset that sets its sites on the likes of BlackBerrys and the Nokia E71. Slim and sleek, the HTC Snap sports a sexy 12mm-thick case and a smooth QWERTY keyboard. At first glance the Snap may seem a bit behind the times as far as specs go — the 2 megapixel camera is pretty underwhelming and Windows Mobile 6.1 standard is soooo 2008, but let’s put things in perspective. Consider the handset’s competition: The BlackBerry Bold has a 2 megapixel camera and the Nokia E71 has a slightly beefier 3.2 megapixel shooter, though we’ve seen sun prints that come out clearer than E71 pictures. Beyond that, neither handset wields what we would call an up-to-date OS. Instead, they rely on tried and true platforms known for stability and functionality over sex appeal and zip — just like Windows Mobile 6.1.

The HTC Snap is a messaging handset for people whose first priority in terms of handsets is communications. In that vein, the Snap will be HTC’s first handset to feature its new “Inner Circle” email prioritization system. It’s pretty clever, actually — Inner Circle allows users to define a group of high priority contacts. When inboxes start to get a bit out of control, a simple tap on the dedicated Inner Circle button will automatically place any emails from high priority contacts at the top of the inbox. Simple yet pretty smart, we’d say. Add to that the fact that email/PIM is without question one of Windows Mobile’s strong points and you’ve got yourself one hell of a work horse. As far as the US is concerned, expect an unlocked version dubbed the HTC S522 (with AT&T-compatible 3G) to drop this Summer. Hit the jump for the full specs, a bunch of additional images and the full release.