Its name indicates, the HD7 HTC is the version on Windows phone 7 smartphone (very) large screen HD Desire. With its stand, he wants to even play the role of the video player. But with this model, the Builder, expert in the design of original surcouches seems to be back in the ranks, limited by the choice of Microsoft.
More : Size screen, high fluidity and display video playback quality, very good sound of the Walkman, Web navigation and management of multipoint, HTC Hub.
Less : Images of the AFN and average quality camcorder, storage limited (and non-expandable), lack of automatic failover of the display in some applications, radio FM reception.
Very large screen smartphones carry a label in HTC: HD. Indeed, the penultimate apparatus of this type is the HTC Desire HD, which also belongs to the Android family.
The last, presented a few weeks later, in October, at the same time than for other Windows phones 7, is the HTC HD7 (see our ownership in images). Both display the same screen “4.3 diagonal, which would put the iPhone for a small terminal.
Then which of these giants choose if you love the brand? Of course, the choice depends on a priori of the operating system. Android with the wind, one could look for Desire HD. Unless we seek original, equipped with a navigation and a developed graphic interface.
But before arriving there, to estimate if the HD under Windows Phone 7 interface is a success, we note some differences between the HD Desire and the HD7.
Position cinema
The HTC HD 7 is slightly thinner than the HD Desire. And account button (physical) more: one who launches the AFN and fires the shot. The other two are responsible of the volume and the extinction of the apparatus. The design of the HD7 is also sober.
The front, top and bottom of the screen, a slit passes the sound. And at the rear, it is a small metal crutch at the blunt end to mark the difference with the Desire. Unfolded, the mini-pied, original on a smartphone, offers interesting use: the Walkman video that can look on the shelf of a train, a plane, or on a coffee table, for example.
By removing the back cover, there is the apparent absence of micro SD card reader: no Windows phone 7 so far would adding additional memory. The HD7 total storage is limited to 8 GB (16 GB in Asia).
In this case, this may seem insufficient for an apparatus, as this HTC, the “entertainment”, multimedia leisure, and viewing of videos in particular. Another difference between the two HD: the Desire has a 8 megapixel sensor, 5 to 7 HD. It is certainly not this will begrudge us, so it is already rare to see smartphones to 5 megapixels deliver good photos.
AFN and performing camcorder
Recently, we much appreciated performance photo and video of smartphones iPhone 4 and Nokia N8.
We will not say the same thing in the HD7. The comparison is really unsustainable. Indeed, Interior, photos of HTC are very average. The HD7 has barely manage a noise which is clearly visible.
The use of flash, composed of two LEDs, greatly improves the situation: the images become even then pricked. In video mode (720 p anyway), the result is almost bad for a high range apparatus.
We are in fact really very far from the production of two other pré-cités. Here, one has the impression that the video becomes distorted, like a leaf in the wind. This is not the first time that we see, HTC has still much progress to make in the production of his images.
High level audio video player
But, fortunately, the display of videos is superb on the large LCD definition 4.3 inch 800 x 480 pixels. The images move with fluidity. We did the test with including a video HD 720, remarkably reproduced.
The transfer from the computer failed however to be through the Zune, the equivalent Microsoft iTunes software. Audio Walkman mode also revealed the sound return carefully. Out of taking jack, the sound is dynamic, with a respectable place left to the lower. They are however lacking when the loudspeaker is activated. In short, the lover of entertainment should not be disappointed the HD7.
Mobile Internet users should much appreciate this smartphone also. With its size, obviously comfortable, browse the Web is pleasant. The width of pages automatically adjusts to the screen in a dual tape finger.
And we can say so, and it is rare, the fluidity of the zoom with the two fingers is measured to the iPhone, the reference in this area. Good, of course, tested browser (Internet Explorer) does still not Flash and is less consistent with the standards of the web than its competitors (see our benchmark Safari vs Chrome Lite VS Internet Explorer Mobile)
HTC limited?
Apart from technical performance, we had trouble seeing the paw of HTC. There are many HTC Hub. The latter includes some applications home, including the famous weather, representing the signs of the times by 3D animations.
But out of the hub, the user is mainly concentrated in the Windows Phone 7 interface. Then certainly it, from our point of view, is very beautiful, original, uncluttered, graphic, but it is still perfectible.
For example, when the device, in Walkman mode, is in a horizontal position, the display does not follow, titles, or package of the disk, or the playback controls (which are aligned vertically). The habitués of the HTC smartphones will be perhaps astonished or disappointed.
HTC, for years, has developed its own wrapper on its touch phones. First on Windows mobile (“ancestor” of the Windows phone), then on Android. HTC seems on this HD7 limited in its capabilities of interface development.
The job must be enhanced by Microsoft (such as the integration of the copy/paste or multitasking), or future versions of Windows Phone will open or give more margin to manufacturers.
The advantage, if all this development work is supported primarily by Microsoft and if manufacturers are prohibited from surcouches, the updates of the various Windows phones will more easily than with Android. In short, therefore expect the next Windows Phone or the HD8 system.
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