Mobile Phone Helpdesk meet the MDA Vario IV (HTC Raphael)
The Mobile Phone Helpdesk have managed to get some hands on time with the new T-Mobile MDA Vario IV which is the latest HTC handset the HTC Raphael. This phone has the same feature set as the imminent HTC Diamond with the addition of a slide out QWERTY keyboard and expandable memory.
The T-Mobile MDA Vario IV is almost the same as the T-Mobile MDA Compact IV, it is not that strange that they are a lot alike on the area of appearance. One difference between the two brothers that cannot be avoirded is the thickness. The T-Mobile MDA Compact IV (without keyboard) is 12 millimeters thick, the T-Mobile MDA Vario IV has received a six millimeters extra. However, this is where you get a full keyboard in return. The quick keys at the left side of the T-Mobile MDA Vario IV are the only quick keys that are to be found on the slider. These adjust the sound volume of the slider.
At first sight, the keys at the front look like touch-sensitive keys. At a second look they turned out to be regular keys. The navigation key is also a regular key and is placed a little deeper in the device. Due to this, a nice effect rises around this key at which it looks like it is floating in the water. When the device is standby a small light flash circles the edge around the navigation key every once in a while, this gives a nice and playful effect. However, there’s more behind this little innovative circle: When you make little circles on the edge of the navigation key with your finger it will change into a touch-sensitive scroll wheel, perfect for navigation in menus and, of course, on the web.
The T-Mobile MDA Vario IV is not really made for the die-hard businessman. The 3D User Interface looks a little like Android and Apple, you can browe through it with your fingers or use the scroll wheel and checking out your photos or music is made in a way that you can browse through it just like in a real album. Because the symbols are quite large it is also possible to use the tip of your finger here.
The T-Mobile MDA Vario IV is full of multimedia. The internal memory of 256 MB RAM and 512 MB ROM is expandable with MicroSD and MicroSD HC (High Capacity) memory cards, this means that you can expand the memory up to 32 gigabyte. An enormous amount that most music lovers can’t even fill! This offers unknown possibilities for the real die-hard multimedia fan.
The device, as is a 3.2 megapixel camera. This camera is placed at the back and offers several functions, such as autofocus, night mode and a selftimer. We cannot say anything decent about the quality of the photos yet because we have only met a prototype device of which the software wasn’t entirely finished. Something else we aren’t sure about is the small eye besides the camera, will this be a flash or a sensor for, for example.
The T-Mobile MDA Vario IV is going to be a bestseller, due to the unlimited amount of memory, shining appearance, the expanded functionality and the dynamic 3D menu, the device will reach the shops round October.
Read the full preview at The Mobile Phone Heldesk
Pictures via The Mobile Phone Helpdesk
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