HTC Magic
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"Great, 'Very Smart'-Phone" on by scuudz
Pros: Great build and call quality, Android works very well, video capture
Cons: lack of 3.5mm jack, small internal memory
Summary: This is my first smartphone. I did a lot of research before buying this product. Considered waiting for the iPhone 3G S, Palm Pre or the rumoured BlackBerry Storm 2.
I used several cell phones that my friends owned including the Iphone and various Blackberrys. I decided on the Magic because of its sleek, stylish hardware and simple but powerful OS. The picture quality is better than the iPhone especially the older versions. And viode capture was a big plus for me. I also loved the functionality that the trackball brought to the phone, allowing you to operate the phone without touching the screen if you didnt want to.
The Android Market is nowhere near the size of the App Store but it is safe to assume that the market will grow by leaps and bounds in the coming months and even now, there is no shortage of first-class apps in the Android market.
The soft-keyboard works astonishingly well. I have big thumbs but am able to type with very few errors and good speed. The text auto-correct feature is very efficient and I also love the little vibration feedback you get when you tap a character.
A feature that sets this phone apart from any other is the notifications system. It is re-assuring to know that you will be alerted anytime anyone anywhere makes contact with you. A simple swipe down of the notifications screen and a tap will take you right into that particular app and you could be replying to a text, email etc. within milliseconds.
Multi-tasking is extremely simple with this phone. I havent had any complaints whatsoever with the browser either.
If, like me, you use a lot of Google apps online (Gmail, Gtalk, Gmaps), then this is definitely the phone for you.
It is saddening that such a great phone doesnt come with a 3.5mm jack. However, that is a small inconveniece imo. The small internal memory is also bewildering and was the main reason of my little hesitation in getting the phone. -
"This IS the 'droid we're looking for." on by C_Mason_S
Pros: Customization. Can't say it enough.
Excellent UI.
Copy and paste.
Above average media capabilities.
Android Market.
More sex-appeal than previous Android handsets.
Many incremental improvements to the Android OS in v. 1.5.Cons: Battery life an issue.
No 3.5mm headphone jack built-in.
Middle of the road camera with no flash.
Below-average video recording.
Lack of multi-touch.
Could use more flash memory on-board for application storage.Summary: Having followed Android for a long time, I must say I am thrilled by the Ion/Magic's capabilities as a smart-phone and the huge step forward it is, both in comparison with the and in the smart-phone arena in general.
Let me start with the OS. Android 1.5 is, in many respects, the most advanced smart-phone OS to date. It borrows heavily from the good things started by the iPhone (capacitive touch, pervasive gesture control, menu scrolling with inertia etc.) It is an extremely easy to pick up and use, icon driven interface. I have two brothers-in-law, one 8 and one 12, parents (coming up on their 50s), and others who have never used a smart-phone before that I was able to just hand my phone to and let them go. They were able to access the bulk of the phone's features without so much as a prompt from me. The icons are big, well-labeled, and very responsive to your touch. Scrolling through menus and web-pages is a dream and a flick of the finger applies just the right amount of inertia. Nothing could feel more natural.
Yes, the UI is great, but better still is the vast extendability and customization options offered by the underlying, Open Source, Android OS. The Android market, though perhaps still lacking in quantity compared to the App Store, offers something iPhone users may never see; a completely open experience, including apps that replace wholesale, the core functions of the phone, right down to the home-screen UI. Don't like the way the phone handles messaging? Grab a new application that will handle all of your messaging needs. Don't like the browser experience (mentioned in CNET's review)? Go grab a new browser (Steel and Opera Mini offer great alternatives). Don't like having just three home-screen panels? Grab an app that replaces your home-screen entirely and get more customization, including skins, icon packs, and more! (Thank you BetterHome!) And all of this complete customization right from the Android Market and requiring no form of "jail-breaking."
Of course, there are some obvious flaws which the review, and my cons, address, but if you can get past these niggling tid-bits, then you are in for the smart-phone experience everyone truly deserves, and one that is sure to just keep getting better and better. -
"Good but i expected more" on by arash3d
Pros: good shape , fast , good sound quality ,pretty simple - every thing you need in each page is there ,it's backed by very intelligent relational database inside cellphone and outside in internet , little battery consumption , very accurate GPS reciver
Cons: browser hang after some times , no hand writing detection ,
as a Developer i've not yet been able to write a hello word software ,no flash support in browser , NO COPY-PASTE ! ,single text font not persian and other right to left scripts ,Summary: i think google has a very good advantage that i chosed Android after 7 years of .Net and that is a very strong database engine so that can back all the visual programs that presents the data
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"Good but lacking important functions" on by MaxxyM
Pros: Sleek, cool looks, good call quality, Android Market
Cons: Can't initiate voice dial from Bluetooth headset,
can't install apps to the card,
mediocre camera, no flashSummary: I was impressed by the phone right away. The display is quite bright and clear, the call quality is pretty good too. Access to all phone features is very intuitive.
For example the mute and speakerphone functions are one click away during the call.
You can find lots of apps on the Android Market that would improve your experience. The Market is not as big as the App Store but I'm sure it'll catch up very soon.
Now to the bad things.
My biggest pet peeve is inability to initiate a call from the Bluetooth headset. BEWARE: For places that enforce hands-free while driving this phone (actually any Android phone so far) is not acceptable.
It's a pity that there is no flash on the camera. It would greatly improve pictures quality.
Some people are complaining about the absence of the 3.5mm jack. For me personally this is not a big deal but I can understand those that need it.
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