The Matrix comes with HSDPA support, meaning it has access to AT&T#38;'s array of 3G services. These include AT&T's Cellular Video, which lets you stream video from content partners such as CNN and NBC, and AT&T Mobile Music, which lets you stream and download music from Napster and eMusic. As part of the AT&T Mobile Music service, you'll also get access to music services like MusicID, which helps you to identify songs by holding the music source up to the phone, XM radio, and streaming music videos. The Matrix also supports AT&T Video Share, live video-sharing service that lets you stream video to someone on the other line, as long as that someone is also using a Video Share-compatible phone.
Also under the AT&T Music umbrella is the Matrix's built-in music player. It supports MP3, MIDI, iMelody, MMF, WAV, SMAF, and AAC+ file formats, with a pretty generic interface. You can play, pause, and skip tracks like usual, as well as set tracks on repeat or shuffle. There are also six preset equalizer settings. The Matrix comes with 45 MB of internal memory, but you can always add more storage via a microSD card.
The 1.3-megapixel camera on the Matrix can take pictures in four different resolutions (1,280x960, 1,024x768, 640x480, and 320x240), four white-balance settings, four color effects, and three quality settings. Other camera settings include a self-timer and a shutter-sound toggle. Photo quality was very good--bright, vibrant, and sharp. There's also a built-in camcorder, which can record in three resolutions (96x64, 128x96, and 176x144) in either MMS mode or for whichever amount of storage is available.
You can personalize the Pantech Matrix with a variety of graphics and sounds for wallpaper, alert tones, and more. If you want more options, you can download them via AT&T's Media Mall store. The Matrix comes with the games Tetris, Bubble Bash demo version, and Ms. Pac-Man, and you can download more games as well.
Performance
We tested the quad-band GSM and dual-band UMTS/HSDPA Pantech Matrix with AT&T in San Francisco. Call quality was decent. Though there was the occasional static, we could still hear each other loud and clear. Voices did sound rather robotic and not very natural, however. Speakerphone calls did not fare so well--callers could hear us just fine, but we thought they sounded rather tinny. That's pretty normal for speakerphones, though.
HSDPA speeds on the Matrix were quite impressive--we managed to download a game in about 40 seconds, while we had no problems streaming video.
The Pantech Matrix has a rated battery life of 3 hours and 10 days standby time. It has a tested talk time of 3 hours and 18 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the Matrix has a digital SAR rating of 1.52 watts per kilogram.
What You'll Pay
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