The HTC Mondrian smart phone is more than just an upcoming WP7 handset, it is also the first handset to be announced that will have a CPU running over 1GHz, the QSD8650-A Snapdragon processor that will be used in the Mondrian is clocked at a speed of 1.3 GHz –this hardware will prove to be useful specially when it comes to the gaming capabilities of the mobile platform. It has already been shown that the new OS will have 3D games. Microsoft’s XNA technology will allow for full 3D games to be playable even on a mobile phone.

Other details of the device include a 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen display and a camera with video and image recording capabilities. Of course, usual smart phone features such as Bluetooth, GPS, media playback, 2G/3G support and more are present in the Mondrian.

This device is definitely remarkable because of its high speed CPU. Though there are also rumors that a dual core Snapdragon may be in the works, the real focus is on technology that already exists.

In other HTC related news, the Taiwanese company is suing Apple for 5 patents that have been used in Apple’s touch screen devices. With Apple previously filing a similar case against HTC (which included 20 patents for hardware and software technologies), it makes perfect sense that they will now file their countersuit. The company has recently teamed up with Microsoft –presumably to arrange a deal for using MS patents. Many believe that with this move, HTC has secured its position against the larger Cupertino based operating system.