Good performance
Very unusually for a non-Apple smartphone at this level, there's no option to expand the 16GB storage using memory cards.
The browser is guaranteed a fast connection over 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi or HSDPA 3G, and rotates to landscape mode when you turn it on its side. Bizarrely though, navigation options only seemed to be available in portrait mode. You can display multiple pages and search for key words, but it lacks the scope of options you'll find on Android handsets.
Stands up well against the competition
To sync the smartphone you use Microsoft's Zune software, which takes a bit of getting used to but integrates neatly with Windows, linking up automatically with your pictures and music folders as well as Outlook.
I could list a number of WinPho failings, but don't forget that this is version 1.0 and it's a platform that will evolve and grow. Microsoft has already promised an update early next year that will bring on board the absent cut'n'paste facility, and hopefully it's learned enough from Apple to know that punters want regular, free updates.
For a phone with so much connectivity, a fast CPU and a big screen, the HD7's battery life held up fairly well, delivering a little over a day of fairly intense use. I had no complaints about call quality and the HD7's ability to pick up and keep a signal
Verdict
The HTC HD7 with Windows Phone 7 - available in the UK exclusively on O2 - may not be the game changer that its creators would have hoped for, but it's a powerful, capable device with an OS that stands up well against the competition, and offers a strong range of multimedia capabilities. ®
More HTC Smartphone Reviews |
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HTC HD7
COMMENTS
Complain to Microsoft
It's MS who have ruled out external memory.
Looks like they've decided to remove every feature not found on an iPhone so they've ended up with something that's like an iPhone but not as good.
Is this a review or a sales pitch?
"I could list a number of WinPho failings, but don't forget that this is version 1.0 and it's a platform that will evolve and grow"
It doesn't matter if it's version 1.0 or not, I wanted to read a review of the phone as it stands now and whether it's worthy of my money right here and now. So, as a reviewer, you should be listing all of it's failings, whether MS have claimed they will patch them or not. MS are late to the game and will expect the OS to be compared to IOS and Android. If it's not up to scratch, tell us. That's why I read multiple reviews before I buy most things.
80% ??
For a 2007 featureset?
No memory cards
No multi-tasking
No Copy and paste
No user ringtones
Something overlooked in many comments
Tony Smith reviews the iPhone4 for reghardware - 75% SIM-free: £499 (16GB), £599 (32GB).
And this phone, which can apparently make calls without wearing a condom, gets 80% and costs £370 sim free.
For version 1.0, that ain't bad.
