HTC intros MAX 4G with WiMAX

HTC on Wednesday rounded out the last of its major touchscreen phone introductions with its highest-performing device yet. The MAX 4G is the production version of the T8290 and shares the 3.8-inch, 800x480 screen of the Touch HD but adds a WiMAX connection for 4G-level Internet access in the multi-megabit range. A GSM connection is still built in to make conventional phone calls.

The MAX 4G otherwise carries the best features of HTC's Touch line and brings a five-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi. Unlike the HD, though, the MAX switches from removable storage to a built-in 8GB of storage.

HTC positions the Windows Mobile handset as a one-off device for Russian carrier Scartel and its Yota WiMAX service, and gives the device special features to take advantage of its extra bandwidth, including VoIP calls between Yota members and on-demand downloads of music and videos. No plans exist for versions elsewhere, though it supports the 2.5GHz WiMAX frequencies of Sprint's Xohm network. It first ships on November 26th.