T-Mobile MDA Vario II

Available August 2006 (Germany)
8th August 2006

The T-Mobile MDA Vario II is T-Mobile's version of the HTC TyTN, and it represents the first HSDPA (3.5G) handset to be launched in Germany, indeed one of the first HSDPA handsets to be launched anywhere in Europe.

Although there are a few cosmetic differences, and the T-Mobile MDA Vario II will come with customised software, this handset shares the same advanced features as the TyTN. The Vario II's high-speed HSDPA data gives a maximum download rate of 1.8 Mbps, and it also has UMTS, GPRS and EDGE data plus 802.11b and 802.11g wireless ethernet. Of course, the MDA Vario II is a phone as well, and it supports quad-band GSM for use worldwide.

The screen is fairly standard for this type of device, with a 240x320 pixel resolution in 65,000 colours. It's touch-sensitive, and like the earlier Vario, the Vario II has a slide out keyboard. There's also a microSD memory slot, Bluetooth and the MDA Vario II supports video calling with a secondary camera.

It's a Windows Mobile 5.0 device, so that means that the T-Mobile MDA Vario II can work with Microsoft Office documents, it comes with pocket versions of Outlook and Internet Explorer and it also packs in the capable Windows Media player for multimedia playback.

If you know what's in the HTC TyTN, then the T-Mobile MDA Vario II offers no surprises. If you don't know what's in the TyTN, then in brief, the T-Mobile MDA Vario II is one of the most advanced handsets we've seen.

T-Mobile say that the MDA Vario II will be available from 14th August 2006 in Germany, with no word on the availability in other countries. T-Mobile's sample cost for the MDA Vario II is €359.59 on the €28/month Relax 100 contract.

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