Looks like that T-Mobile HD2 (US version, slated for March 24th) just keeps getting better and better.

Not only does it come with a memory boost (or rather, has memory allocated differently) which seems to shape it up for a Seven upgrade in October (that's what we're hearing too), but it looks to also feature Swype.

To refresh, Swype is that new soft-keyboard that first appeared on the Verizon Omnia II. It was then quickly ripped and ported to other devices (to the chagrin of the developers), due to its overwhelming popularity. The company has also recently secured a nice source of funding, meaning we can expect more form them in the future.

Fast forward to today and we find the latest T-Mo HD2 ROM dump features a unique file: 

PACKAGE_LEO_1_5_IME_Swype

And to the right you'll see a screenshot of that very file in action. We're also told that this new build is "...slightly more accurate and looks much more polished than the original". What can we say other than we approve of this addition greatly? Nice move HTC and T-Mobile!

[Thanks, Tek818, for the info and screenshot!]

We've been throwing around a March launch date for the T-Mobile HD2 for a while now. And if this slide, purportedly from an internal T-Mobile presentation, is correct, it seems we're on the money. It shows the HD2 being released on March 24, along with a slew of other current and future devices. Not much to say other than that, until we see it confirmed by other sources. [PPC Geeks via TMoNews]

Behold, the HD2 that we'll see on T-Mobile. HTC's product page for the device is now live, and we learn that it's getting a memory boost over its European brother. ROM capacity will be 1GB (up from 512MB); and RAM is up from 448MB to 576MB.

An easy answer for the change could be that's what T-Mobile ordered. But that's no fun, is it? A better guess is that in testing Windows Mobile 7 on it -- remember that we're all assuming it's getting WM7 -- a need for more memory was discovered. Either way, it's not a huge bump up, but we're not the types to turn down free RAM. (Thanks to everyone who sent this in!)

If you ever need more confirmation that the HTC HD2 was going to get an update to Windows Mobile 7, we'll point you to the facts that (A) The original tweet saying an upgrade was coming was quickly deleted and (B) the above non-denial-denial recently posted by HTC. OK, we get it. That the HD2 might be upgraded to Windows Mobile 7 is "unconfirmed." Sure thing, guys. (Thanks to everyone who sent this in!)

Update: The Tweet you see above has been deleted. Validation!?!?! (Good eye, Mxx!)

We're really not fans of seeing "official" sources break news on Twitter, but so be it. Here you see a translation of a Tweet from @HTC_Ru, HTC's Russian Twitter account. And it clearly says that of the Windows phones currently available, only the HD2 is slated to get an upgrade to Windows Mobile 7. That's something we've been quietly expecting for a while now, especially given the supposed WM7 chassis specs. The HD2 has the 1GHz Snapdragon processor. It's got a capacitive screen. And it's hulking size means I wouldn't want to tell it it'd be stuck with Windows Mobile 6.5 forever.

As for other devices getting an upgrade to Windows Mobile 7? We'll go ahead and say that the bunch we saw recently in that HTC leak are a pretty good bet, assuming they're not actually launched with Windows Mobile 7.

Twitter via Pocketnow

It's pretty well known that the HTC HD2 (Leo) had a wee camera problem with some odd colors showing up in the center.

That has been addressed via a patch, which is available now.

Of course, what would be the fun of having a patch for one device and not trying it out on another?  Not very much.

Turns out if you apply the .cab'd version to the Verizon Imagio (see review) it greatly speeds up the auto-focus -- as in cuts the time in half as well as just general quickness of the camera app. Image quality is said to be the same and no one is reporting any negatives, so if you've done a fresh backup give it a go.

And for the record, we did try this on our Sprint Touch Pro 2 and saw no difference ;-)

Download the .cab here.

And you thought our review of the iPhone was good? Check out what happened when CrackBerry Kevin (the self-professed BlackBerry addict) spent some time with the HTC HD2 and Touch Pro 2. Let's just say his description of the HD2 is one for the ages. Check out Kevin's review here, and get ready for Week 3 of the Smartphone Round Robin.

One of the more anticipated Windows phones of the past year has been the HTC HD2. Unlike it's predecessor, the Touch HD, which never made it to the U.S. market, the HD2 is scheduled for release on an as-yet-unannounced U.S. carrier in early 2010, and T-Mobile appears to be the leading candidate.

We've done a hands-on video of the HD2, now here comes the full review of the non-U.S. version. While it's possible the U.S. version of the HD2 won't be much different than the overseas model, we can't rule out that carriers or HTC won't tweak it a little. Keep in mind the version we're reviewing here won't work on U.S. 3G bands.

Read the rest of this entry »

We brought you the first news of the HTC HD2 headed for T-Mobile. We brought you the first look at the new Sense 2.5 documents tab. Now here's a look at the ROM actually on an HD2, courtesy of hdblog.it. As you can see, multitouch is enabled, at least in the documents tab. Peep the video after the break.

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We're calling it folks: we now believe T-Mobile is the U.S. destination for the famous HTC HD2 (watch our hands-on here).  Sorry to the other carriers, thanks for playing. We're also hearing a tentative release window of March.

How do we know?  One of our trusty ninjas hooked us up with the still-in-testing ROM files for said device.

Having dumped the .nbh file ourselves, we can verify that indeed this sucker is a T-Mobile HD2 ROM (see below screen shot).  And no, we will not share this, so don't bother askin'.

Here are some stats:

• Leo ROM 2.01 (big jump from v1.61 leak)
• WM6.5 build 21869
• Opera 9.7.0.35627
• OzIM_US_1.0.5.1.139
• Teeter 2.0 (ooh, a new version)
• TMOUS_Manila_Core 2.5.1921401

Of course that's just a drop in the bucket from the External Packages folder, but you get the drift.

So T-Mobilers, a huge congrats.  And to AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, as far as we know, curses to you.