Foreword

How to do’s,’s is wrong: the introduction of Windows phone 7 (WP 7) is a good example of the truth of this wisdom. Because while the majority of potential buyers and the press due to the fundamental revision of the Microsoft operating system against the background of Windows Mobile 6.5.x aufatmeten, a small group shouted formally.

The reason for this outcry was quite essential: in essence, the underlying argument that Microsoft have developed its mobile operating system with Windows phone 7 from a reputable business platform for the mainstream to the “Klicki Bunti”-Spielerei said.

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HTC 7 Pro front

The Pro and contra arguments, which are taken for or against this statement in the field, were sufficiently often back and forth rolled. Is much more interesting these days, that with the HTC 7 Pro recently a WP-7 Smartphone is available, in particular due to the built-up full keyboard as a real business device.

Is the following to be clarified in this context, to what extent the first symbiosis of WP is able to convince 7 and real hardware keyboard.

Specifications

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Pro overview

Optics & processing

In terms of form factor and weight Pro falls on in the first minutes of viewing of HTC 7, having to do it here with a classic phone with business-focused, because the device meets the so relevant criteria without further ADO: so it is a device of the type “Slider”, which is expected to trigger a “brick in the Pocket” feeling in sensitive contemporaries.

Particularly striking are the height and weight. The former is 15.5 mm, the latter when rich 185 grams including battery. The other mass – 117.5 mm in length and 59 mm in width – fall out, however, conventionally.

However you have to say that both aspects directly or necessarily negative notice. While you can tolerate the amount due to the slider property (eventually also the full keyboard needs a space), the high weight gives almost a high quality the device, as long as it is solid in the hand and not heavy in the trouser or jacket pocket. Yet the weight for many potential users can of course a “K.O.”Criterion be.

The value is moving, but also away from them at a high level, because despite the height and weight the Pro does not clunky. The front itself with a sober and elegant design the business demands adjusts: the display is enclosed by a piano-black rectangle with rounded corners, where the finish is provided by the raised silver-grey side panel. Below you will find the usual discreet WP-7-soft-touch button series that is white illuminated during use. Some getting used to you are very well visible, solid cut-outs for speakers and microphone on the top and bottom of the front.

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HTC 7 Pro back

Also, the back can convince in terms of “Optics and processing”. Here, a silver grey brushed aluminum body, behind the battery, SIM, and micro-SD card slot hide emblazoned in the Center. It is somewhat cumbersome, you can only remove this valuable coverage when the device is extended.

“Extended” is also the word for the this section only criticism that is really worth mentioning regarding the Pro: the new, advertised as innovative slider mechanism makes despite advance cherished hopes no one hundred percent solid impression. On the one hand, the unfolded part only the “on line” with the base must be brought before the Pro you can push together. (This is due, that the display at the departing not by hand is folded up but of alone “molested” – a nice gimmick, but leading to the just mentioned somewhat cumbersome collapses on the other hand the effect.) On the other hand this process this is performed not only somewhat rough, but is also still not be completely solid, so that when holder always a slightly queasy feeling the health of the mechanism ‘ concerning feels.

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Slider: innovative, but convincing not to 100%

These concerns are quickly forgotten in the well-worn State. Here is the full, very solid, five-row keyboard of Pro, which is concentric with a well-thought-out layout. In addition, that from this perspective – at least in theory, see next section – easily worked by touch and thus keyboard and display when combined are can – in this respect the slider mechanism provides no reason therefore for struggling. Slightly tarnished is the very good impression at this point, but by a light, stemming from the slightly protruding camera on the back of the device tilting effect – too bad that the Pro is not absolutely flush rests.

Despite this Kippelns, and despite the reservations to the slider mechanism should be noted at this point explicitly: this is critique at a high level, so that the Pro as a whole makes a very good impression in terms of “Optics & processing”.

Operation & surface

The HTC operated mainly on the 3.6-inch, 480 x 800 represents pixels TFT LCD 7 Pro. In spite of the standard display type can convince the appearance thanks to bright colors and a sizeable sharpness at any time.

The same applies to the operating speed, fails nearly judder free. This is firstly due to the apparently good quality of the display, that wonderfully fluid responds to inputs; on the other hand the sound equipment with a 1-GHz processor from the House of Qualcomm and 576 MB is noticeable memory at this point.

Authors can look forward also the full QWERTY keyboard, which is a very good impression and is to count with to the best, which is currently offered in this regard. Distributed on five rows, the user here Gets a well-designed layout, that invites to longer entries as notes to the varied and extensive use with large buttons (7 x 5 mm) and a good pressure point of E-Mails and short messages. This also enter special characters by a FN key is sensibly solved.

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The QWERTY layout at a glance

Has the first attempt to create a symbiosis of Windows phone succeeded 7 and a full keyboard, so? Unfortunately, not very, because the hardware very good impression is diluted significantly by certain features of the operating system.

In this respect, the specific problem is that WP 7 many dialogs not yet in the landscape format – talk: can represent in the landscape. This is not about very special sub menus, but very essential areas such as the settings, the social network applications, and in particular the main menu, which means a significant limitation at least in the usability.

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The display changes in each menu in the landscape

As a constraint, the constraint must be noticed but that the appearance of course liquid changes in almost all areas in which the keyboard can be used productively in the landscape. Is this so much a content, as to a Visual usability problem, which once again underlines that the Microsoft operating system is still in the initial stages of development. Even if it is, that this problem short- or at least in the medium term will be solved, it is this currently still is a significant constraint that must be included in the consideration of the programme.

With a view to the surface, there is noted by the way no new features. Here comes Windows phone 7 classic way as it breathes and lives, used.

A system of rectangles, of which two side by side placed form the homescreen in a vertical row serves it accordingly remains as a fundamental paradigm in the operation. Otherwise as, for example, when Android one executes 7 wiping gestures thus not primarily to the page, but most commonly down Windows phone. The length of this central screens determines the user itself by adding favorite tiles, contacts or applications or removed but rarely needed.

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Typical WP-7 menu

By finger pulse to the right is also in a more view alternate, in which – again in vertical arrangement – all available applications, as well as access to the settings are listed. To get on such a distribution you must used initially, because instead of free registers, multiple home screens in Windows phone 7 just is “only” a homescreen and an application overview available; This is however not an objectively worse or better, but to a different operating principle, which has the potential according to individual preferences, look over the big competition.

Multimedia & apps

Fototechnisch, the HTC 7 Pro offers no surprises: the 5-megapixel camera shoots in good light conditions good photos rarely extending beyond a snapshot level compared to “real” cameras but also in this case. The visited despite an integrated LED Flash, however, does not have a rudimentary level reaches out in worse lighting conditions (see samples below).

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HTC 7 Pro Photo quality: in good light conditions (above) handsome, otherwise rather mau

For most of potential users these quality criteria should be sufficient but always especially videos in can be included up to 720 p and performance even at maximum quality at a fraction of a second ensures satisfaction. The following recorded in 720 p, short sample video provides a small impression on the quality of moving images. Note: WP-7-typically the Pro has about no microSD card slot, so that one with the 8 GB memory (effectively available: 7 GB) must get along.

The Pro is certainly not be called classic multimedia smartphone, basic needs are served but quite. Thanks to the solid representations and a good codec support the device can be properly use, even if the 3, 6-inch display for this purpose, especially after prolonged use could be good and like to slightly larger for mobile playback of videos. Also friends of mobile audio enjoyment will get their money and can carry at all times own high-end peripherals thanks to 3, 5 mm Jack – the sound of the built-in speaker should better not too often are sought not only out of love for the fellow man this disgusted.

In terms of browser nothing has happened since the launch of WP 7. Web surfing is still surprisingly much fun on the mobile version of the desktop IE 7. It looks from some display issues, we can welcome Pro on the HTC 7 of liquid pure zoom by pinch-to-zoom, a good visualization and fast load times: the mobi version of computer base is loaded on the device in nimble two seconds. Marred the good impression still by the fact that neither Flash nor HTML5 are currently supported – here is to be expected but probably in the first half with changes.

One of the great strengths of WP 7 – and this is one in particular for the business-oriented Pro relevant – continue to the powerful Office suite, with the OneNote-, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents both open and edit can. This is all the more harder weigh as soon as Microsoft early March has distributed the first big update for WP 7, which will probably include the eagerly awaited “copy & paste” function.

App facilities include the common applications for Facebook and Twitter, the successful integration of Hotmail, as well as the integration of the console Xbox Live platform. Of course, also the basis of applications on the Pro can be extended at any time of the growing range of Windows phone market place.

Synchronizing media files as usual compelling but smoothly via the Microsoft software Zune. The synchronisation of contacts and the calendar an Exchange-enabled is required for email account or Windows Live / gmail.

Communication

In communication technology, HTC delivers from a State-of-the-art device, with the Pro. Thanks to Wi-Fi to “Draft-n” are possible in the wireless network, for example, theoretically up to 300 megabits per second. However, this presupposes a suitably compatible infrastructure. When it comes to Bluetooth comes the common version 2.1 with A2DP for wireless transmission of stereo signals used.

The facilities is complemented by UMTS including HSDPA and HSUPA, so that also mobile theoretically with up to 7.2 MB / s in the down and 2 MB / s in the upload can be worked.

Transit times

Transit times moves the test candidate in the upper midfield, which explains why HTC talk time especially utopian six hours and more promises. It is actually that the 1,500 mAh battery with a moderate use well and like to the last three days, what some of the current competitors look old can be established but. But again: get off the power users are probably not on a working day ground.

Conclusion

The key question of this test was whether the integration of a full keyboard with the current state of development of Windows phone 7 is compatible. From a production perspective, the answer is: “Yes”.

Who writes much of his phone and here puts focus on email, short messages and Office applications, will be extremely satisfied with the hardware very solid keyboard. This positive impression however by the fact that WP 7 in many dialogs support (yet) no landscape is something tarnished. This is primarily a cosmetic and not productive, but just an annoying problem that will hopefully soon be fixed.

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Can see themselves: the keyboard of the HTC 7 Pro

One sees from this core aspect, so can be said, that HTC delivers a very interesting Smartphone with a business focus with the Pro in the sum. Smaller concerns relating to the quality of the slider mechanism ‘ will be compensated for by a quality look and feel, an excellent performance and a good presentation.

In summary therefore: who looks for a slider-business device, can bear the weight and is not afraid of the new experience with Windows phone 7, check out necessarily closer the pros despite the higher price.

Availability & prices

The HTC is distributed since late January 7 Pro exclusively on o2. Prices start at 160 euro – a more detailed review to the costs varying depending on the contract, see accordingly on the website of the provider. In the free version must be expected with prices starting at about 500 euros (current price).