Archive for 2006

HTC MTeoR Review

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I used to be a big Smartphone fan. In fact I have had almost every type of Smartphone device released over the last six years. However, once Orange released the SPV M1000 (HTC Himalaya) I have been a PocketPC device fan through and through. Sure I still have some Smartphone devices that I play with but I use them more for software testing than for day-to-day use. I find that PocketPC mobile devices work much better for me with the touch screen and, more recently, the advent of slide-out keyboards.

The HTC MTeoR is one of the few Smartphone format devices that I have seen for a while that has really grabbed my attention. Lately my HTC TyTN has started to feel a bit big in my pocket so I have been considering a ‘Candybar’ Smartphone.

Smartphones have progressed a lot recently with the advent of push-email and now 3G connectivity they are becoming a more realistic alternative to PocketPC mobile devices.

So can the MTeoR win me over and turn me back in to a Smartphone user?

As I mentioned before the HTC MTeoR incorporates 3G which makes it the worlds first 3G Windows Mobile Smartphone, what’s more, the MTeoR is a slim, pocket-friendly size make it a highly desirable device.

Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 technology with Direct Push, gives you instant access to your emails, this coupled with 3G connectivity make this device a pleasure to use.

There is a back-mounted camera and this shoots stills at up to 1.3-megapixels, but has no flash or self portrait mirror. The picture quality is nothing special and is much the same as any other 1.3mp phone camera.

On the front you’ll find a 5-way joystick style navigation control. What’s quite nice about this is that it has a rubberised middle which makes it easier to use.

The Smartphone menu has recently undergone some changes (since I last had a smartphone anyway). You don’t have to click ‘more’ to see the next screen of options, you can simply scroll down.

‘Jog Wheels’ have been recently added to several devices and the MTeoR has its own version. This isn’t a wheel as such but more of a self centering rocker on the left hand side of the device. This works well when scrolling through emails or webpages.

The overall dimensions are 112.4 x 49 x 14.8 mm. The MTeoR weighs in at just 120g and feels nice in the hand. I like the

One thing ‘missing’ from the MTeoR is WiFi. It seems that people have come to expect WiFi to be included with every device now. I must say that WiFi isn’t something that I miss, I seldom use it on my TyTN and don’t know of any hotspots that I might use other than the WiFi at home where I would use a PC anyway.

The HTC MTeoR accepts microSD cards which seem to be the HTC standard now. The memory card slot is situated on the left side of the device. There is a rubber cover over the microSD card slot which I liked. I have dropped other devices from time to time and this almost always resulted in the memory card ending up on the floor. When this happens with a microSD card it can be pretty hard to find!

Like the other HTC devices coming through at the moment, the MTeoR has a combined USB/Headphone socket. As a result you can only use the woefully inadequate headphones that come with the device unless you want to modify them and use your own. Either way, until HTC release the splitter that has been on pre-order with Expansys you’ll not be able to Sync/Charge the device at the same time as listening to music. This is something that bothers people wanting to use these devices in their car.

Having switched to the MTeoR from the TyTN I find myself trying to press the screen on quite a regular basis. Not having a touch screen is taking some getting used to and is probably the thing I miss most compared to PPC. I would love to see a device of smartphone format with a touchscreen.

The other thing it takes a while to get use to again is using T9 as the text input method. I used to be quick quick at tapping out a message and could do it without looking. It took me a few days to get used to it again and after that I was away. What helped out here was the fact that the keys on the MTeoR are really positive and not too small.

So has the MTeoR turned me in to a Smartphone user? Well, no BUT I have to say that the HTC MTeoR is quite possible the best Smartphone I have ever used. If you are a Smartphone user thats looking to upgrade, you are going to love this phone!

HTC MTeoR Specification

Matt

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