Despite the East Coast being completely shut down by Hurricane Sandy, Microsoft is going full steam ahead with their Windows Phone 8 announcement today in San Francisco. One of the phones that we’re finally allowed to show off, and the Windows Phone 8 device I’m most excited about, is the HTC Windows Phone 8X. Check out the video above to see my quick look at the phone.
We’re still waiting to hear about pricing and availability, so we’ll be updating this post later today if those are announced at the Microsoft event.
Lighter, thinner, sleeker, and softer than the Nokia Lumia 920, this is the Windows Phone I’m declaring the early winner in the race between manufacturers to bring out exciting new phones this holiday season. I’ve gotten a couple of chances to play with the phone now, first at the the AT&T Unveiled event last month and, last week, in-person and hands-on with Mario. For my thoughts, be sure to check out the video above.
UPDATE: 2:03 PM EDT:
Steve Ballmer is on stage now in San Francisco hyping up the Windows Phone 8X. Pricing and availability are not being announced at this time, but this phone will be available in November.
[This] is a remarkable phone. HTC’s designers saw our Live Tiles and were inspired to build Windows Phones from the ground up… Both the Windows Phone 8X and its little brother the 8S have killer sound thanks to beats audio and built in amps… Movies and music really sound incredible on these phones
– Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer
In the meantime, the AT&T Press Release has some of the tech specs for this phone:
The stunning Windows Phone 8X boasts an iconic design, immersive studio-quality sound and incredible camera capabilities. The first-ever Windows Phone 8 device with built-in Beats Audio™ technology, Windows Phone 8X offers authentic, studio-quality sound that delivers the spirit of the original recording. The 4.3-inch 720p HD (1280 x 720) display comes to life in the phone’s slim, sculpted design and improvements to the rear-facing camera let you capture great photos and record video in 1080p HD.