HTC's new Touch Cruise gets Footprints geotagging application

HTC introduced an updated version of its Touch Cruise handset, the new model is slimmer and has a more attractive design than the old Cruise model. The HTC Touch Cruise uses Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, it has a 2.8" QVGA LCD touchscreen, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, HSDPA/WCDMA, 3.2 megapixel digicam, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, GPS/A-GPS, microSD memory card slot, Qualcomm MSM7225 528 MHz processor, 512MB flash ROM and 256MB RAM.

This is the first phone with HTC's footprints geotagging software, which enables you to create digital postcards with embedded GPS coordinates.

The new HTC Touch Cruise is the first mobile phone to offer HTC Footprints, an application experience that enables people to permanently chronicle their special moments by capturing a digital postcard on their phone. Once captured, Footprints provides the ability to take notes and an audio clip of that favourite restaurant or special place while identifying its specific geographical location. In addition to identifying each postcard with its specific GPS co-ordinates, Footprints also auto-names each postcard with its general location or area.

Flipping back through their photos, HTC Touch Cruise users will be able to retrace their steps to that exact location in just a few touches. Unlike other devices with geo-tagging functionality, HTC Footprints works effectively outdoors and indoors, offering a more accurate record of location for future reference and navigation.

“Just as we have seen GPS technology transform how people navigate to new places, we are now seeing location-based applications like HTC Footprints changing how we interact and carry our memories,” said Peter Chou, President and CEO, HTC Corporation.

The HTC Touch Cruise is also an advanced in-car navigation system. When placed into its accompanying car cradle, the HTC Touch Cruise automatically transforms its user interface into an easy-to-use, one-touch interface that provides seamless turn-by-turn directions.

Boasting a compact and sleek design with a 2.8 inch QVGA display, the HTC Touch Cruise is a further demonstration of HTC’s continued commitment to innovation, providing consumers with a variety of devices designed to meet their individual needs. Using HTC’s TouchFLO technology, the HTC Touch Cruise provides fingertip access to phone, contacts, email, messaging, calendar and GPS applications, making it a strong all-around device.

The new HTC Touch Cruise is expected to be available in all major global markets in Spring 2009. In Europe the Touch Cruise will be available for around 499EUR. Full specs at HTC.