Accomplished smartphone manufacturer HTC are set to produce Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), planning at least one such unit for release this year in a collaboration with platform designer Intel.  According to sources in Taiwan’s handset industry, the HTC MID will feature both internet browsing and traditional handset features, adding voice functionality while undercutting current prices (that usually fall into the $599-799 range.

There will be significant competition with both ARM-powered smartphone handsets, such as the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, and Microsoft’s UMPC sub-Tablet platform, although Michael Chen, director of Intel’s Embedded Sales Group in the Asia Pacific region believes MIDs powered by his company’s processors will run faster than the ARM equivalents.  Being based on x86 architecture also has a beneficial side-effect in terms of software compatibility with the desktop.

Intel are planning to unveil the second-generation MID platform in 2009.  HTC have not confirmed their involvement, nor suggested any model details.