Rocco Augusto
02-06-2009, 03:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.expansys-usa.com/d.aspx?i=177808&se=1465&partner=sthoughts' target='_blank'>http://www.expansys-usa.com/d.aspx?...rtner=sthoughts</a><br /><br /></div><h6><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/spt/auto/1233876029.usr1.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></h6><h6></h6><h6><strong>Product Category:</strong> Windows Mobile Standard<strong></strong></h6><h6><strong>Manufacturer:</strong> HTC</h6><h6><strong>Where to Buy:</strong> <a href="http://www.expansys-usa.com/d.aspx?i=177808&se=1465&partner=sthoughts" target="_blank">eXpansys USA</a> [Affiliate]</h6><h6><strong>Price: </strong>$474.99 USD</h6><h6><strong>System Requirements: </strong>Compatible system or service for syncing</h6><h6><strong>Specifications: </strong>Windows Mobile 6.1, QWERTY keyboard, 528MHz processor, 2.4in QVGA display, 256MB ROM/RAM, Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 900/2100 MHz HSDPA, 801.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, 3.2MP camera</h6><h6></h6><h6>Pros:</h6><ul><li>Small form factor</li><li>Great keyboard with a lot of keys, functions, and shortcuts</li><li>Quick and responsive</li></ul><h6>Cons:</h6><ul><li>Small screen makes it horrid for web browsing</li><li>Navigation keys are poorly designed</li><li>The device is really thick</li></ul><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Off the bat I want to thank eXpansys for loaning us the HTC S740 that I have been using for the past few weeks to put together this review. I will start off by saying the time I have spent with this device has been really enjoyable and it was really nice to carry around a Windows Mobile device again for a bit. In the interest of full disclosure though I would like to state that I unfortunately could not use the HTC S740 continuously throughout the time I had the device as my only handset since due to the nature of a project I was working on for work. I had to switch back to my Google Android device for several hour stretches every few days. Now that we have that out of the way, onto the review!<MORE /></p><h1>What's In The Box</h1><p>Inside this nice compact box we have an assortment of accessories as well as the handset itself. There is a very fashionable travel/home charger that is designed to match the phone, a pair of headphones with a micro-USB adapter, micro-USB cable for charging and syncing, as well as the phone itself and a couple of pamphlets.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343482.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 1: The freshly opened HTC S740 box contents.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343475.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 2: From left to right: software CD, user manual, battery, travel/home charger, data cable, headphones.</em></p><h1>Initial Impressions</h1><p>For starters, I was very surprised at how thick this device was. As you can see from some of the comparison shots below, the HTC S740 is as thick as Google's flagship phone the T-Mobile G1. If you have not seen the T-Mobile G1 in person then I will be the first to tell you it's a pretty beefy phone. To have a Windows Mobile Standard device be equally as thick was a little off-putting at first but eventually I got used to it. Also since the device is awkwardly shaped I found it pretty uncomfortable to carry around in my pants pocket. Luckily it's winter and I was always wearing a coat or jacket of some kind with plenty of pocket room. Another thing you'll notice is the reflective mirror-like surface on the front of the device. While it's esthetically pleasing to the eye, it unfortunately is a huge smudge magnet.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343290.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 3: T-Mobile G1 and HTC S740 side by side.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343308.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 4: HTC S740 and T-Mobile G1 side profile shot.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343321.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 5: HTC S740 and Samsung Blackjack side by side.</em></p><p>Upon powering up the device I ran across something else that gave me a bit of a startle. Either my eyes were going bad or this phone came with one of the most sub-par screens I have seen on an HTC device in years. From the looks of the homescreen as well as browsing through the Start Menu, the screen on this device appeared to be a bit washed out. Not one to just throw in the towel right away I sat down with the phone and started poking and prodding through all of the settings and pre-installed applications and quickly discovered while looking at the pre-loaded images on the phone that there was nothing wrong with the screen. In fact the screen was downright gorgeous and incredibly vivid. The problem with the device was the operating system. It was like hooking up a computer running Windows 98 to a HD monitor. A lot of the graphics in the OS, as well as the icons, just look washed out, jagged, and well past their prime.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232344220.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 6: A glance at the aging Windows Mobile interface.</em></p><p><PAGE /></p><h1>The Hardware</h1><p>The hardware on this handset is pretty impressive. The slider function of the device is not as polished as the T-Mobile G1, and there is a weird rattling when the device is open and you shake it around a bit due to some switch-like mechanism on the back of the screen of the device but it is still pretty rock solid, if not a tad bit annoying. The keyboard, however, is a thing of beauty. At first I was not very fond of it as it is a little small and cramped, but after an hour of playing around with it I found myself typing out emails that were several paragraphs long without accidentally hitting the wrong key. I was also tickled pink to find the keyboard came equipped with page up and page down keys as well as a variety of shortcuts to quickly access applications like Messaging, the Internet, and so on. The softkeys are my only real complaint about the keyboard as they are placed too close to the top portion of the phone making them awkward to press. As far as the keypad goes I have to say to say I was not a fan at all. The numbers are easy enough to hit but the "answer" and "hang-up" keys were just ridiculously placed on this device. HTC could have easily made the buttons a little easier to hit and why they did not do this I have no idea but it did make for many frustrating attempts to lock the device by holding now the hang-up key only to find out that you're also pressing the back key so nothing is happening.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343411.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 7: The HTC S740 keypad.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343460.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 8: The HTC S740 display.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343448.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 9: When you pull the keyboard out you are presented with this nice animation of this screen appearing on the device.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343442.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 10: The keyboard. I really love the PGUP and PGDN keys.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232344357.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 11: The back of the device. It has the save "diamond cut" back plating as the HTC Touch Diamond.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232344374.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 12: microSD and SIM card access slot. When you open this up the device shuts off.</em></p><p><PAGE /></p><h1>Pre-Installed Applications</h1><p>HTC added an incredible amount of extras into this device, as they do with all of their devices, which in turn make up in a lot of ways for some of Windows Mobile's failings. As I spend more time travelling for work I have learned one very important fact about myself and that is that I have a pretty short attention span which usually ends up in me getting lost. One of my favorite applications that comes installed on this device is Google Maps, which is slowly starting to become my favorite application on any mobile platform as I find myself using it more and more to make sure I get to my destination on time with as little sidetracking as possible. For those of you who use your Windows Mobile device as your portable music player you will be pleasantly surprised to know that HTC has added a program entitled Audio Manager. The best way I can describe this application is Windows Media Player designed correctly. Audio Manager is a slick way to organize and play the music you have stored on your microSD card and has enabled me to happily dump Windows Mobile Player without the need to buy a separate application or download one phone the Internet.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232342972.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /> <img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232342979.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 13: Audio Manager screen shots. A lot more pleasant to use than Windows Media Player.</em></p><p>Besides Google Maps and Audio Manager, HTC was kind enough to include some of the following applications: an RSS reader, FM radio player, Adobe Reader, HTC's Comm Manager, a rtsp:// protocol streaming media player and even an equalizer called Audio Booster that you can use when you plug in the included ear buds. HTC really outdid themselves with all of the extras that are included in this device which is something that cannot be said for a lot of Windows Mobile OEMs. You can tell the good folks at HTC really put a lot of themselves into this device.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232342990.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /> <img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232342968.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 14: A list of recently accessed programs and the Comm Manager, which is also another attractive add-on from HTC.</em></p><h1>Internet and Wi-Fi</h1><p>I was not doing a lot of web browsing on this phone partly due to not having the patience to load web pages via an incredibly slow EDGE connection. When I was in my house I was able to utilize the Internet while using my Wi-Fi connection, which enabled me to do things like stream recorded TV shows through services like Orb. My only real complaint when it comes to using this handset as an Internet device is the same complaint I have had with Windows Mobile Standard for years - a QVGA screen is just too small to be useful for browsing web content. Sure I'm able to do it, but I'm also able to squeeze lemons in my eyes or stick my hand in a garbage disposal. Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should and browsing the web on a screen so tiny is a special kind of torture. Hopefully with the next release of Windows Mobile, Microsoft will show the Standard users a little bit of love and upgrade our default screen resolutions to something a little larger.</p><h1>Battery Life</h1><p>While we are on the subject of Wi-Fi it just feels right to touch base on battery life. Even though I did not do a lot of browsing on this device, I did do a whole lot of emailing and since a lot of it was in my office or residence almost all of that messaging was done using a Wi-Fi connection. Surprisingly though, I got fantastic battery life with this device! On days when I did an average amount of emailing and talking to clients I was able to go a good day and a half between charges. Currently with my T-Mobile G1, I'm lucky to get through the day without charging it at least twice. However, I'm sure if I was able to grab a HSDPA signal with this device the battery life would have been a lot worse, like it is with every 3G device I own.<PAGE /></p><h1>Camera</h1><p>For years we have been knocking on HTC for their classic orange tinted cameras but the camera on this device was just awesome. Pictures came out crisp and clear as you can see from the shots below which were taken from my balcony. I also really like what HTC did here with the camera application. The onscreen controls are intuitive and easy to use making sure you never have to see the Windows Mobile interface while taking a picture. The video recorder was as good as any Windows Mobile video recorder. The videos were a little jumpy and if you record a long enough video the audio will get out of sync with the video. However, it is a handy feature to have and you never know when you're going to need a video camera.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343158.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 15: A picture of some trees right outside my back porch.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343151.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 16: Some newly built houses directly off my back porch.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1232343145.usr8.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /><em></em></p><p><em>Figure 17: A bright red building down the street from me. I like this picture since few camera phones come close to capturing the red of the building.</em></p><h1>Conclusion</h1><p>While HTC has made some questionable design decisions regarding the hardware on the device, the amount of work they put into the operating system and tweaking it to perform better than the competing Windows Mobile Standard devices on the market more than makes up for it. I was pretty sad to have to send the device back, but without being able to use it on T-Mobile's 3G network it would have been pointless for me to keep it around. I am, however, seriously considering picking up the HTC S743 when it is released here in the United States later this year. If you are in the market for a new Windows Mobile Smartphone I would definitely look into picking up the HTC S740, especially if you live across the pond where you can utilize all of the hardware included in this phone. HTC has really outdone themselves with the device and they should be proud. Good job guys!</p><p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> eXpansys has sold out of all of their HTC S740 devices. Fear not though because you can pre-order the North American HSDPA/UMTS band device right <a href="http://www.expansys-usa.com/d.aspx?i=177808&se=1465&partner=sthoughts" target="_blank">here</a>!</p><p><em>Rocco Augusto is the Managing Editor of <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com" target="_self">Smartphone Thoughts</a> and owns and operates <a href="http://www.skimbee.com" target="_blank">Skimbee Studios</a> – a small Web Development studio based out of Portland, OR. When Rocco is not up to his elbows in gadgets and technology, you can usually find him trying to keep up with his incredibly peppy and energetic daughter or wasting hours away on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/therocco" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//ppct/auto/1240336793.usr1.gif" /></p><p><strong>Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the <a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/reviewteam.php" target="_blank">Thoughts Media Review Team</a>! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? <a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/reviewteam.php" target="_blank">Then click here for more information.</a></strong></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//ppct/auto/1240336793.usr1.gif" /></p>