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GSMA 2009 was clearly a snoozer, in terms of Google Android news, but with the CTIA Spring 2009 just a couple of weeks away, there's hope for some announcements at the show. While we can't say for sure, here's something that might interest you.

According to HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou, the smartphone manufacturer plans to release at least three Android devices in 2009. Keep in mind, this number includes the HTC Magic, which was announced at GSMA for the European market, so we're looking at a minimum of two more.

This information came to light … Read more

Finnish manufacturer Nokia shipped the most smartphones in 2008, but its worldwide market share continues to decrease as rivals roll out popular, high-profile handsets, according to Gartner. It also said Apple and Research In Motion commanded some of the biggest year-over-year gains at Nokia's expense, with HTC showing a healthy increase as well.

According to the research firm, Nokia sold 60.9 million smartphones last year for a total market share of 43.7 percent. That's more than double the market share of its closest competitor, Research In Motion, which commanded 16.6 percent.

But even as Nokia continues to claim the biggest piece of cell phone pie, its outlook is mixed. From 2007, Nokia's smartphone sales grew by just 0.8 percent, and its market share dropped from 49.4 percent. While Gartner predicts that the company's low-end smartphones will continue to remain competitive, its higher-end N series handsets are facing stiff competition.

Thanks to devices like the BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Storm, RIM's market share went from 9.6 percent in 2007 to 16.6 percent in 2008. It also boosted overall sales by 96.7 percent. … Read more

Google has issued an update for the unlocked version of the Android phone, which is specifically made for developers.

The company on Monday said owners of the Android Developer Phone 1 (ADP1) will now be able to get the 1.1 version of the Android software. Google already issued the 1.1 update for retail devices a few weeks ago. The update contains several bug fixes for issues that involve the alarm clock, device sleep, POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) e-mail, and e-mail notification. The update also adds new features such as the ability to save MMS (multimedia messaging … Read more

Mobile developers who purchased an unlocked HTC G1 phone from Google discovered this week that they can't run paid applications from the Android Market.

Google is denying those developers access to copy-protected applications sold in the Android Market because developers have a higher level of access to the G1 phone than regular users, and could potentially break the copy protection on those applications, according to IDG News Service. "We aren't distributing copy-protected applications to these phones in order to minimize unauthorized copy of the applications," a Google representative said in a statement sent to CNET.

Developers … Read more

According to HTC's Twitter feed, the Touch Pro2 is officially coming to North America. We had every indication that it would, but this confirms it.

What's interesting isn't that the phone's headed our way, but that HTC used Twitter to announce it. Twitter is becoming a useful way for companies to reach out to journalists and fans alike.

The feed also says that while there's no specific date, it will "start to roll out late Q2" this year. That means those of you who are waiting for the Pro2 hotness only have to … Read more

I'm sure I'm just setting myself up for disappointment one of these days, but I've come to expect big things from HTC at trade shows, whether it be CTIA or Mobile World Congress. The company has consistently delivered some of the hottest product announcements at these events, so can you blame a girl for thinking such thoughts?

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 (well, maybe a little, but I'll get to that in a bit) as HTC debuted several new handsets. The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer kicked off the show by debuting the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the HTC Touch Pro2, which replace the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro.

I stopped by HTC's booth on Wednesday to have a look at both smartphones, and I was impressed with the design improvements and enhanced technologies. The Touch Diamond2 probably wowed me more than the Pro2 because of its extremely thin and solid design. The device doesn't feel as plasticky with its brushed metal face and sides. Also, I can't tell if it's the sleeker design, but the screen pops out that much more and grabs your attention.

HTC has also worked on the user interface, providing a new Start screen where you can easily access your applications. It's also customizable and features more user-friendly icons. The touch-sensitive toolbar is a cool little feature. I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference but it definitely makes it easier to zoom in and out on Web pages and e-mails.

The Touch Pro2 is a monster, and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. It's bigger than the Touch Pro (4.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick versus 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.7 inch thick) but again solidly built. The navigation buttons along the bottom are smaller than I like, but that's a relatively minor complaint.… Read more

BARCELONA--After waiting and waiting for an Android phone to appear at the Mobile World Congress, Vodafone on Tuesday unveiled the HTC Magic, the successor to the T-Mobile G1 (formerly known as the HTC Dream). Our friends over at Crave UK were lucky enough to get their hands on a prototype.

The Magic does away with the bulky physical keyboard of the G1 in favor of a touch screen. It's also much skinnier and lighter, but HTC still chooses to deny us a handy 3.5mm headphone jack. Why, oh why, must you torment us so?

Check out some of … Read more

To our disappointment, there hasn't been a ton of Google Android news to come out of GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 so far. Huawei announced on Monday that it plans to start selling Android devices later this year, but other than that we didn't see a T-Mobile G2, and Samsung already said it would not show its Android phone at the show as it has been delayed until the second half of 2009.

However, we did get one device announcement. The bad news is that it's not for the U.S. market. On Tuesday, Vodafone said it … Read more

It's pretty safe to say that GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 isn't lacking in action or excitement. Already, a number of handset manufacturers have revealed details of upcoming product launches, including Sony Ericsson and Garmin-Asus, and now you can add HTC to the mix.

With the show officially underway, HTC added two new models to its Touch series of smartphones: the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the HTC Touch Pro2. While the names lack imagination, the handsets get some spiffy makeovers and incorporate new features that bring a "people-centric approach to mobile communication."

The two smartphones share … Read more