HTC Mozart WinPho 7 smartphone
Fugal offering
Review Of the three models from HTC for the launch of Windows Phone 7, the Mozart is the one with the 8Mp camera – a step up from the 5Mp snappers embedded in its brethren.
Smartphone sonata: HTC's Mozart
The casing is largely aluminium, with a couple of matt plastic sections on the back for receivers/transmitters, so you don’t get those pesky Apple iPhone 4 reception issues. It feels solid and well built though perhaps not as warm as the HTC Trophy, which has a plastic casing, but feels no less robust because of it.
At first glance its dimensions look much the same as the Trophy too, but it’s actually a sliver narrower and lighter at 119 x 60 x 12mm and 130g and has a slightly smaller 3.7in multi-touch screen.
The usual WinPho 7 factors are on board: 1GHz processor, GPS, accelerometer, Wi-Fi, 8GB memory (but no memory expansion) and as we’ve come to expect, there’s little difference in the user interface, with Microsoft tightly controlling any changes manufacturers might care to make to the operating system.
Slim with minimal controls
The HTC Hub offers a few apps you won’t find on other handsets, notably the Sound Enhancer equaliser, which also offers audio enhancements such as Dolby Mobile and SRS surround sound (as it does on the Trophy) but it’s an area that needs to grow if it’s to become distinctive.
Next page: The sound remains the same
COMMENTS
I'm guessimg
the same reason as the overinflated Kinect love.
the $1bn advertising budget (AKA bung budget) that Microsoft set aside to win the press over on WinMo7 and Kinect.
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/microsoft-to-spend-over-1-billion-on-kinect-and-phone-7-marketing-901769
8GB for a music phone?
8GB non-expandable for a "high end" music phone? Which also has a GPS and takes snaps at 8MP?
With this "limitation" an 80% rating?
Are you sure that was Splenda that sweetened the morning espresso to make it feel like "freedom in a cup"?
8GB?
I got the 16GB Mozart back in October (T-Mobile branded). It looks like the memory size is down to the carrier.
On the T-Mobile Mozart, I got the Navigon Select (the same that T-Mobile/Deutsche Telekom have been offering with the iPhone since the 3G came out).
I haven't seen any tearing, but it does sometimes stutters when playing the new mail tone, when in stand-by mode.
The sound quality is well above that of my iPhone 3GS and I much prefer using the htc 7 Mozart to my iPhone - the iPhone with iOS 4 is a pig, WP7 reminds me of what attracted me to the iPhone in the first place. I find the tile interface refreshing and easy to use.
It is very sensitive to poor signal. When I am in the cellar, it eats the battery at about twice the rate of the iPhone, but if I leave them in the kitchen, they both decrease at about the same rate - I usually get about a day and a half out of the batteries on both devices, unless I play a lot of games.
I tried a few Android devices, including the Desire, but they never really appealed to me.
WinMo7 isn't dead
I see Windows Mobile 7 as being viable after an update or two. The initial release is simply so behind other platforms that it should be avoided like the plague. Once it gets those updates and when MS rolls out it's tablet strategy etc. it might be a more attractive proposition.
Even so, I think I would always be averse to it simply because MS are following in Apple's footprints. Thick client for syncing, tight control of 3rd party apps, limited choice of phone models. Every indication is that they want a walled garden / golden cage and I see no reason I should step into that world. Why should I when Android is here, more mature and more widespread.
The problem with differentiation is especially bad. Android phones come in all shapes and sizes - mini ones, ones with keyboards, el cheapo resistive models, high spec ones etc. Phones to suit all tastes and pockets. By contrast Windows Mobile phones are all pretty much the same size, the same form factor, the same end experience - the uniformity and lack of imagination so far is pretty depressing.
Screen Tearing
I'm curious, did you notice any screen tearing on this handset? The same screen tearing issue seems to be affecting most (if not all) HTC WP7 handsets. I'm about to take receipt of my third HD7 from HTC today. The first was repaired twice and the second exhibits the issue straight out of the box. They're promising the third will be issue-free.
HTC can't decide whether this is hardware of software at fault. Some people at HTC suggest a MS-provided software fix will be released soon (separate from the OS update); whilst others suggest it's a loose chip on the PCB. I've been to a few phone shops locally and almost all show the issue, some more than others.
A quick Google will show many users of different HTC WP7 handsets reporting this issue, with some YouTube videos too.
It's easy to make this issue stand out by changing the theme to purple with a black background. The tearing can be noticed on the home page tiles (they turn blue on the top and bottom edges when scrolling). Over time, this becomes much worse until the display completely refuses to render properly.
