HTC's Shift UMPC set to finally go on sale

Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC will apparently start selling its Ultra-Mobile PC within a few weeks in Britain, and has apparently also signed a distribution deal with Orange.

HTC first announced the Shift back in March 2007, and had originally targeted a November launch. However, for unknown reasons, the device's debut was delayed until now. The UMPC device will first appear at online retailer Expansys for £885 ($1,720 USD) on February 19.

British bloggers Tracy and Matt separately are claiming that a catalog aimed at Orange's retail partners indicate that the carrier plans to introduce its own branded version of the Shift next month.

What makes the Shift different from HTC's previous smart devices is its capability to either run Windows Mobile 6 or Windows Vista. But there are some big tradeoffs, as the device cannot apparently make voice calls.

In addition to the dual operating systems, the Shift also includes 3G data, a built in VGA camera, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a 7-inch touch screen display. A full QWERTY keyboard and mouse is also included.

Orange was not immediately available to confirm the reports.