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T-Mobile myTouch 4G
Encyclopedia
The T-Mobile myTouch 4G is a smartphone designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation for T-Mobile USA
. HTC's name for the device during development was "Glacier". This is T-Mobile's second "4G" phone, after the T-Mobile G2, and the third smartphone by T-Mobile that runs Android 2.2 Froyo software. The phone was released in both black, red, and white colors.
CyanogenMod
is available for the myTouch 4G.
2.1 user interface on top of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and with the genius key replaced with search functionality. The HTC Panache 4G is available for $299.99 CA on the Mobilicity web site.
, 3G UMTS and HSPA+, EDGE, and GPRS networks. The myTouch 4G is supported by T-Mobile 4G. The myTouch 4G also supports Wi-Fi Calling.
CyanogenMod
is available on the myTouch 4G.
display that brings along Sony
's VSPEC III technology providing an 800:1 contrast ratio and a viewing angle of up to 160 degrees.
Some models of the phone have been shipped with a screen manufactured by Sharp
that has a lower contrast ratio and a poorer viewing angle. Figuring out what model LCD has been used on your phone, Sony's LCD-SO-C2 or Sharp's LCD-SH-C2, is very simple. Simply download and install a Terminal emulator, then restart the phone. As soon as the phone is started, start the terminal emulator and type in "dmesg" and press enter. A lot of information will appear, so you will have to scroll back up to the top, and look down approximately 15 lines. If it says "<7>[ 0.0000000] tag_panel_parsing: panel type: 1" then the LCD is the lower quality model from Sharp, whereas if it says "<7>[ 0.0000000] tag_panel_parsing: panel type: 2", it is the higher quality Sony LCD.
and AT&T
network as "a haggard pair of piggybacking fellows" and the myTouch 4G as model Carly Foulkes
.
. http://www.tmonews.com/2011/07/t-mobile-updates-mytouch-4g-gingerbread-update-support-document-allows-in-store-updates-on-august-5th/ http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1818
However, to date, many customers have never received the update, and T-Mobile support representatives on Twitter suggested in October 2011 that the OTA update is no longer available as T-Mobile is working on further improvements before making the update available again. http://twitter.com/TMobileHelp/status/131126486894772224 No clarification is ever given on the exact reasons why the update is no longer available, or why it was pulled out, or what further improvements are required to be completed before it would be available again. Moreover, there is no option within the interface that allows you to check for updates.
Although the update is offered in some T-Mobile retail stores through an in-store microSD card update, such procedure represents a significant inconvenience to the customers, as it requires planning an hour-long visit to the store, and having a fully charged battery prior to the visit.
As such, T-Mobile users still don't have any means to perform a supported and official update from 2.2 to 2.3 at their convenience at home.
T-Mobile USA
T-Mobile USA, Inc. is an American mobile-network operator, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, that provides wireless voice, messaging and data services in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. market with 33.73...
. HTC's name for the device during development was "Glacier". This is T-Mobile's second "4G" phone, after the T-Mobile G2, and the third smartphone by T-Mobile that runs Android 2.2 Froyo software. The phone was released in both black, red, and white colors.
CyanogenMod
CyanogenMod
CyanogenMod is an after-market replacement for the firmware of over sixty cell phones and Internet tablets. Based on the Android mobile computer operating system, it offers features and options not found in the official firmware distributed by vendors of these devices.Features supported by...
is available for the myTouch 4G.
International release
The T-Mobile myTouch 4G was released in Canada on the Mobilicity network as the "HTC Panache 4G" with the original, unmodified HTC SenseHTC Sense
HTC Sense is a graphical user interface developed by HTC Corporation for mobile devices running Android, Brew and Windows Mobile.Based on the TouchFLO 3D design, HTC has referred to HTC Sense as both a user interface in itself and also as a user experience layer on top of TouchFLO 3D.Announced June...
2.1 user interface on top of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and with the genius key replaced with search functionality. The HTC Panache 4G is available for $299.99 CA on the Mobilicity web site.
Features
The myTouch 4G supports Wi-FiWi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
, 3G UMTS and HSPA+, EDGE, and GPRS networks. The myTouch 4G is supported by T-Mobile 4G. The myTouch 4G also supports Wi-Fi Calling.
CyanogenMod
CyanogenMod
CyanogenMod is an after-market replacement for the firmware of over sixty cell phones and Internet tablets. Based on the Android mobile computer operating system, it offers features and options not found in the official firmware distributed by vendors of these devices.Features supported by...
is available on the myTouch 4G.
Hardware
The T-Mobile myTouch 4G runs on a 1Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 768MB of RAM. It has a 5.0MP camera with auto-focus and flash that also captures 720p HD-quality video. It sports a front-facing video camera for video chat and video calls, has a wireless card supporting a/b/g/n connections, and a bluetooth 2.1+EDR chip. The myTouch 4G has a lithium-ion battery that is capable of up to 10 hours of talk time and 18 days of standby time.Screen
The myTouch 4G has a 3.8" Super LCDSuper LCD
slcd is a display technology used in modern smartphones such as later revisions of the Droid incredible and Droid Incredible 2....
display that brings along Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's VSPEC III technology providing an 800:1 contrast ratio and a viewing angle of up to 160 degrees.
Some models of the phone have been shipped with a screen manufactured by Sharp
Sharp
Sharp or SHARP may refer to:*Sharp *Sharp , a flour made from hard wheat*Sharp , Canadian magazine*Sharp Daily, a free newspaper published in Taiwan and Hong Kong*Sharp...
that has a lower contrast ratio and a poorer viewing angle. Figuring out what model LCD has been used on your phone, Sony's LCD-SO-C2 or Sharp's LCD-SH-C2, is very simple. Simply download and install a Terminal emulator, then restart the phone. As soon as the phone is started, start the terminal emulator and type in "dmesg" and press enter. A lot of information will appear, so you will have to scroll back up to the top, and look down approximately 15 lines. If it says "<7>[ 0.0000000] tag_panel_parsing: panel type: 1" then the LCD is the lower quality model from Sharp, whereas if it says "<7>[ 0.0000000] tag_panel_parsing: panel type: 2", it is the higher quality Sony LCD.
Package contents
The T-Mobile myTouch 4G comes bundled with a pair of headphones, USB cable and documentation, all inside a unique carrying case that also serves as the retail box. The phone itself also has a 8GB SanDisk Class 2 microSD Card (SDHC) inside and is expandable up to 32GB.Commercials
In November 2010, T-Mobile began airing a series of popular television commercials mocking Apple's Mac vs. PC commercials by portraying the iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
network as "a haggard pair of piggybacking fellows" and the myTouch 4G as model Carly Foulkes
Carly Foulkes
Carly Foulkes , also known colloquially as The T-Mobile Girl, The T-Mobile 4G Girl, or The T-Mobile myTouch Girl, is a Canadian-born model and actress best known for appearing in a series of 2010 and 2011 T-Mobile myTouch 4G television commercials, in which she often wears pink/magenta and white...
.
Controversy
As with many other Android phones, the official software updates for the phone remain controversial. T-Mobile has officially stated that an update to Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" would be made. In July 2011, it was revealed that an official update was finished and would be available onwards from 20 July 2011, via the means of the over-the-air programmingOver-the-air programming
Over-the-air programming refers to various methods of distributing new software updates or configuration settings to devices like cellphones and set-top boxes...
. http://www.tmonews.com/2011/07/t-mobile-updates-mytouch-4g-gingerbread-update-support-document-allows-in-store-updates-on-august-5th/ http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1818
However, to date, many customers have never received the update, and T-Mobile support representatives on Twitter suggested in October 2011 that the OTA update is no longer available as T-Mobile is working on further improvements before making the update available again. http://twitter.com/TMobileHelp/status/131126486894772224 No clarification is ever given on the exact reasons why the update is no longer available, or why it was pulled out, or what further improvements are required to be completed before it would be available again. Moreover, there is no option within the interface that allows you to check for updates.
Although the update is offered in some T-Mobile retail stores through an in-store microSD card update, such procedure represents a significant inconvenience to the customers, as it requires planning an hour-long visit to the store, and having a fully charged battery prior to the visit.
As such, T-Mobile users still don't have any means to perform a supported and official update from 2.2 to 2.3 at their convenience at home.
See also
- List of Android devices
- Android (operating system)
- T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide
- HTC EVO 4GHTC Evo 4GThe HTC Evo 4G is a smartphone developed by HTC Corporation and marketed as Sprint's flagship Android smartphone, running on its WiMAX network...
- Samsung Epic