So you thought the HTC Magic would launch in the UK first while the rest of Europe suffered through a TBD status… not so fast! Just 16 hours ago a tweet from UnAndroide indicated that a big surprise was coming in days and not hours. And hours later a it was revealed (translated) that the HTC Magic was launching on Vodafone Spain! Now the following graphic adorns Vodafone Spain’s website:
The UK Magic was made available for Pre-Order but according to my limited translating capabilities via Google Translate it seems that in Spain the HTC Magic will launch for purchase TODAY, potentially beating the UK version to market. Hopefully some Spanish speaking Phandroid readers can verify (or un-verify) this in the comments. Pop the text from that Vodafone Spain HTC Magic graphic into Google Translate and here is what you get:
Vodafone HTC Magic with Google.
Feel the magic in your hands.
Watch the countdown to launch will occur in (countdown timer)
Want to be among the first to have a HTC Magic?
Launching exclusively on the Vodafone Online Store.
Features that go beyond what common:
- S.O. Google Android
- Google Applications
- Touchscreen 3.2 “3.5G Coverage
- WiFly Bluetooth 2.0
- Card MicroSD 8G
Learn all the secrets of our blog on Android
Vodafone Spain not only has an Android Blog but they’ve also provided Twitter and “Share On Facebook” links. Here is the translated version of their blog announcement although again, readability (and understandification) are limited. I’ll append details we learn (via reader comments) to the bottom of this post:
Surprise! HTC today launched the Magic!
Say, who hopes, despairs, and that is how we have to wait for any official notification from Vodafone on the launch and pricing plan that will have the HTC Magic and finally the wait ends with the same importance and hope that the day had announced that Vodafone Spain to bring the second terminal with Android, the HTC Magic, now officially announced the launch of the HTC Magic with plans to price it can get.
Recently announced the availability of the HTC Magic from United Kingdom for the day May 5 and seen this ad some envy at seeing our neighbors could apply for their British and Magic HTC, Vodafone Spain has but as reward our faithfulness and patience officially announcing the launch and availability of the HTC Magic today.
The Magic HTC will be available next to the flat rate unlimited Internet on your phone “Vodafone is only a cost of € 12 per month which will enjoy all the services and that includes the fantastic Android Market which will allow us to at all times download and install applications on our devices.
Plans and price points program will be offered throughout the morning. The countdown can see here. The last will be first!
[Thanks Carlos & yOtA!]
The 12€/month may be misleading. I’m not sure yet if they’re going to use the same plan as Movistar does with the iphone (which btw is more expensive) where it says “unlimited” but after 1GB of downloads they limit the speed into a snail trail.
Translation is perfect, apparently later today we’ll know the full details and pricing.
(gonna get me an android oh yeah)
yOtA
What about Vodafone in Australia? If and when?hen?Australia
yOtA, are you in Spain? Well, 12€ data plan comes with unlimited music download as far as I’m concerned. Anyways, I’m in the office right now and the Vodafone site is blocked here, however I did manage to translate the blog entry into English (which may or may not be more understandable than the Google translation, I know my English is not that good so feel free to change anything that sounds funny) :
Surprise! HTC Magic launches today!
It is said that those who wait, wait in despair, and that is exactly how we have been waiting for any official Vodafone notification related to the launch and pricing plans that the HTC Magic will have, and finally that wait is over. With the same thrill and excitement Vodafone announced that they would bring the second Android termial, the HTC Magic, they now announce the launch and pricing plans for the HTC Magic.
It was recently announced that the HTC Magic would be available May 5th in the UK, and we saw this announcement with some sort of envy as our british neighbors could already pre-order their HTC Magic, but Vodafone Spain is awarding our fidelity and patience by officially announcing the launch and availability of the HTC Magic TODAY!
The HTC Magic will be available with the Vodafone data plan “Internet en el móvil” which costs only 12€ a month and will let us enjoy all the services that it includes as well as the fantastic Android Market, which will let us download and install applications in our devices.
Pricing plans and price points program will be offered throughout the morning. The countdown can be seen here (link). The last will be first!
It’s not 12 a month, it goes up to 14 with taxes ;P
(Además, Movistar cobra hasta 2100€ por el HTC G1 entre mínimo de voz + mínimo datos, hasta que no vea la oferta completa yo no me alegraría demasiado)
yOtA: Both Vodafone and Movistar have a speed limit after you exceed their limit… one limited you to 384kbps and the other to 96kbps, but I can’t remember who’s who right now.
No suprise: Spain are still the most expensive and ripoff mobile market in Europe. Full pricing plans are now available:
http://www.unandroideenvodafone.com/noticia.php?id_post=19
Compare that to UK where the handset is free on the 35GBP a month contract.
Info from Xataka.com:
A partir de hoy mismo, el HTC Magic podrá adquirirse a través de la Tienda Online de Vodafone, mientras que habrá que esperar a la semana que viene para tenerlo en puntos de venta físicos. Como ya anunciaron, el precio será de 199 euros o inferior, eso sí, siempre que hagamos una portabilidad.
From today, HTC Magic can be bought through the Vodafone’s Online Shop, while you will have to wait until next week to have it in a physical shop. As they announced, the price will be 199€ or less, that is, if we are doing a portability.
Habrá disponibles diversos consumos mínimos, que marcarán el precio final del teléfono, todos ellos asociados además a una tarifa plana de datos, algo con lo que el terminal cobra todo su sentido. Esta tarifa plana tiene un coste de 12 euros, a los que hay que sumar el consumo mínimo de voz.
There will be different minimum consumption (?), that will mark the phone’s final price, all of them associated with a flat data plan, something with which the terminal gains all it’s meaning. This data plan has a cost of 12€ (16% taxes not included), to which you have to add voice minimum consumption.
Con un consumo mínimo de 9 euros el precio del terminal será de 199 euros, reduciéndose a 129 euros con un consumo de 25 euros y a 19 euros con un consumo de 50 euros mensuales. En caso de no hacer portabilidad, los precios serán de 339 euros, 299 y 299 euros respectivamente, con esos mismos consumos mínimos.
With a minimum of 9€ the price of the terminal will be 199€, falling down to 129€ with a 25€ consumption and 19€ with 50€ per month. If it is not a portability, the prices will be 339, 299 and 299€ respectively (there is probably an error there, i bet that the last 299 is actually much less), with the same minimum prices.
Todas estas opciones tienen una permanencia de 18 meses y, además de para nuevas altas, el terminal estará disponible en el programa de puntos de Vodafone.
All those options have an 18 months permanency and the terminal will also be available in Vodafone’s “programa de puntos”.
What is the “Navegador” icon for?Does it come with a built in turn by turn navigation app?
@thadude… navegador is browser…
Any word on when the HTC Magic will be released in Australia?
Thanks