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"Solid phone with a great OS"
on by CharlesNNCPros 1). Mango is a very fluid, very smooth UI
2). Build quality is excellent, it feels nice and solid
3). Bing integration works well
4). Call quality is good
5). WiFi works very well and has really great DL and upload speedsCons 1). App Market is still small
Summary Been playing around with my new phone all day, and I have to say WP7 is pretty much all it's cracked up to be. Some of the specs on the HTC Radar aren't all that impressive, but it delivers on everything it promised. Storage is where it lags the most, only 8GB, with 6 and change usable, but I've loaded a pile of music and apps today, and there's still plenty of room to spare, so I'm not going to ***** too hard about that. It holds enough music to keep me happy, enough movies to keep the kid entertained (and with the Netflix app, that's even less of an issue) and enough games and widgets to keep me entertained too.
Speaking of games, this is something the WP7 phones have a leg up on the iPhone and any of the Android units I've played around with (wife has a iPhone 4, friends have androids), Microsoft has really thrown some coolness into their platform in this department. So far, I've only played a few titles, but it's a much smoother experience than what I've seen on other phones. Add in the fact that that it hooks into my Xbox Live account and I'm a happy gamer. Score one for WP7.
Interface-wise, everything is very intuitive, the learning curve has been almost non-existent, which cuts both ways. On the one hand, it is very VERY nice to have a piece of technology that pretty much does everything it's supposed to right out of the box and doesn't need ten hours of configuring to make the email work. On the other, a tad more customization might be nice, but I would be hard pressed to point to anything but the background picture (that is, the lack of one, black or white are your two choices here) that I missed even a little bit. Mango is a very fluid, very smooth UI, the lack of horsepower (only a 1GHz single core Snapdragon) only shows up on the spec sheet, the experience is seamless.
One day in, I have to say this is the best phone I've ever owned, and I'd put it up against my wife's iPhone any day. The screen is bigger and on par with the Apple display, the interface is fresh and uncluttered, and the 7.5 OS really delivers on its promises. If the Metro layout and system works as well on tablets and laptops, it's going to be a huge development in technology in general. The fact that your apps will run on your phone, laptop, tablet and xbox seamlessly is something that is going to give users a massive boost in their bang-for-your-buck levels.
On the HTC end of things, the build quality is excellent, it feels nice and solid, striking a perfect balance between being light enough to hold comfortably while still hefty enough to feel like it's not a cheap piece of nothing. Lack of access to the battery is kind of part and parcel with the unibody construction, so there's a trade-off you have to decide whether you're ok with or not. Personally, it's not a big deal, but ymmv. My one complaint is that my provider only carries the white version, but there's something to be said for looking different from the rest; it's not another black featureless candy bar, so that might be a selling point for you.
Final marks: 95% would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cool new alternative to their BlackBerry, Android or iPhone.
P.S. Before you're will buy the HTC Radar 4G, I suggest you have to check for best deal before you decide at: ***************.info/htc-radar-4g/
Hope this review is helpful. -
"Easiest Windows Phone to use so far.."
on by cygnus9thPros - Mango
- Dual Camera
- Camera Features (Panoramic stitching)
- Internet Sharing
- Microsoft Office, Xbox Live
- Size
- Price
- ResponsivenessCons - Internal battery
- Feels slippery without a case
- Virtual KeyboardSummary I have had the Radar 4G for about 2 weeks now, and I really love this phone. It is fast, responsive, and feeds me information quickly so I don't spend all my time playing with the phone.
Coming from an HD7, this phone feels right, as the HD7 was a little big for my tastes. Also the battery life is better as I can go a full day before charging the phone.
It has all the features of Mango (which you can read about in many articles), but the Radar allows internet sharing. Not too sure about the different 4G speeds, but here in Virginia Beach I was downloading files on my computer using the 4G connection about an average for 160 - 210 Kb/sec. Not too shabby in the least bit.
I was worried about coming from 16GB onboard storage to 8GB, but really haven't noticed that as an inconvenience. Also with 25GB free with your Skydrive, I don't think it will be an issue. I use MS Office (a lot!) and being able to access my office files with Skydrive is great.
The camera is great considering that this is a phone and not a camera (like my Nikkon D51 ). That being said, the panoramic stitching is probably the best implementation I have seen ever. Take your first shot, then follow the horizontal guidelines and center on the following circle. Repeat and done. SIMPLE.
I have never been a fan of the Virtual Keyboard on any phone. It's responsive, but I keep missing the letters. But I'll chalk that one up on me.
To sum up, the Radar has been a great phone so far. Feels durable and is just the right size. At the time I was writing this, Tmobile has an offer that you can get this phone for free (requires new 2 year contract and trade in of your old phone). I would recommend giving it a look. -
"The best smartphone choice on T-Mobile"
on by Brian_M_SFOPros Fast 4G connection
Outstanding battery life
Gorgeous, rugged aluminum design
Crisp, clear screen
Front-facing camera
Windows Phone 7.5 OS -- smooth and fun
Microsoft Exchange integrationCons No removable battery
8 GB storage built inSummary This is T-Mobile's best smartphone. While not having the hardware "bragging rights" of fancier, costlier Android phones, it hardly needs them -- it flies along with the elegant WP Mango interface that's far smoother than on those expensive dual-core 'droids. It has great battery life and a thin, light, pocketable design that I think looks fantastic. And while the storage is a tad anemic at only 8 GB, Microsoft's Skydrive coupled with T-Mobile's fast 4G network delivers 25 GB of cloud-based storage without a hitch. Highly recommended.
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"Solid, sleek product but falls shorts in certain areas"
on by voraciousinkPros Windows Phone UI is beautiful: rich UI experience.
Responsive screen
Slim, light, stylish and solid build
Relatively good battery life for something with WI-FI, BT & GPS always running
Plays visual voicemail through BT headsetCons Voice recognition not as well executed as Android or Siri
Voice guided navigation not completely hands-free
Apps start at high price point
Lack of apps (particularly free ones of quality)
Learning curve
Needs widget and Swype equivalentSummary I was excited to learn that Microsoft was holding a challenge whereby you could nab a Windows Mango phone for free. I've played with the phones in store but never had a chance to spend some real time with one until now. I was able to score the HTC Radar and spend some quality time with it.
I wish there was one-touch functionality for basic tasks. Android has widgets that allow you turn your GPS, BT, & WI-FI on & off in one step. Microsoft should create "quicktiles" to do this. There is a dev app, but it's just a shortcut to the settings. Voice guided-navigation is not continuous and requires that you touch the screen to have directions fed to you: not hands-free or ideal if you're solo.
I should start by saying my first smartphone was a WinMo HTC Typhoon which I hacked all the way to WinMO 6.5. I've since been on Android and looking for a possible return to Windows Phones. First, I have to say, Windows Phone 7.5 offers what I consider the richest UI experience of any smartphone out there. The devs really spent some time getting the look and feel down and I am impressed. It needs to be pushed a bit further though. The winning combo that Android and Apple employ is one of simplicity. There is a bit of a learning curve what it comes to getting use to Window's symbols and settings layouts. What the interface could benefit from is a few extra screens for Live tiles akin to the 5-7 homescreen format found on Androids or iPhones. What I was hoping to see in 7.5 is the ability set any song as a ringtone. I use to make this a sticking point for friends trying to convince me to switch to iPhone. Why should I pay for ringtones of music I already own? Android allows for this so that gave me another argument in the Android pocket. In WinPho 7.5, you are limited to a 1MB file that can't exceed 40 seconds. That, to me is a blunder. Microsoft: make things easier to do. I don't want to spend time editing a song to make it a ringtone.
(to be continued)
Updated on Apr 3, 2012
Zune integration works well but appears to be the only way to update firmware; which is unfortunate because it's slow. You are limited to 8 GBs and that is taken up quickly.
What is normally $.99 for an Android or iPhone user starts at $2.99 on Windows. Android is the winner here as there are better apps for free across Google's Play Market, the Amazon App Store and GetJar gold.
The keyboard is cramped but works well: having something akin to Swype would make it that much better. Voice recognition also doesn't take expletives or the words "poop" and "fart". This made me kinda sad. -
"...Love this phone!!"
on by leistritz4588Pros Windows Mango is very user friendly. Fast speeds, great build quality, great UI.....good price. Outlook connectivity is awesome.
Cons Marketplace lacks apps....but who cares since I don't download a bunch of games and such. Call quality could be better but not bad overall.
Summary Overall, Microsoft has done a great job. I gave up my LG G2X for this and I'm glad. I've always been a PC person who likes Microsoft products. I'm not a big fan of IOS. If Microsoft wants to be a player in the smartphone industry, they have certainly taken a step forward but will need to keep upgrading the OS to compete.
HTC Radar 4G user reviews (T-Mobile)
Results 1-5 of 15
Results 1-5 of 15
Quick Specifications
- Release date11/2/11
- Service provider T-Mobile
- Cellular technology WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
- Weight 4.8 oz
- Sensor resolution 5 megapixels
- Diagonal screen size 3.8 in
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