2009 - The HTC Magic - The Wait is Nearly Over

The latest Android-powered mobile phone to become widely available in the UK has arrived on the Vodafone network - which may mean it's a great time to see what it has to offer.

In February this year, Vodafone announced a partnership with the HTC Corporation that would bring the HTC Magic smartphone to its customers in the UK and across Europe.


Exclusive to Vodafone in Britain, Spain, Germany and France, the handset is now available to pre-order and will be fully available across the nation from May 5th - so far it will be the second device on general release in the UK that runs on Google's Android operating system (OS) - the first being the T Mobile G1.

However, it is not just the innovative OS the HTC Magic has to offer. The gadget is equipped with a host of features that will make it a real contender for rivals like the BlackBerry Storm and Apple iPhone 3G, as well as its G1 predecessor which was also manufactured by HTC.

The Magic offers 3G, HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity as well as GPS navigation and quadband technology. Also onboard the model is a 3.2-megapixel camera and a host of multimedia features including an audio and video player - all accessible, of course, through the unit's 3.2-inch QVGA touchscreen with built-in user interface.

Patrick Chomet, global director of terminals at the Vodafone Group, said the reason the network looked to get this latest Google Android device in its collection was based on its commitment to getting the best available technology to its customers.

"Following our joining of the Open Handset Alliance, we have worked very closely with HTC to bring this cool new phone to the market. Our customers want to access a wide range of the most attractive mobile devices to help them make the most of their time - the HTC Magic helps meet that need," he added.

Peter Chou, president and chief executive of the HTC Corporation, said the partnership with Vodafone was something the company was proud to have embarked on and would serve the company well in getting its mobile phones out to users in Europe. Also noted was the synchronicity of the Magic with the Android OS.

"The HTC Magic embodies the compact style and sophistication for which HTC has come to be known, with the powerful and intuitive internet experience for which the Android platform was designed," he concluded.

Since then, Vodafone has also now announced the details of what tariffs the HTC Magic will feature on when it is released in May. The firm revealed on April 20th that it would make the device free on two-year contracts priced at £35 per month and for this, buyers could expect unlimited mobile internet, as well as 600 free calling minutes and unlimited texts. In addition, the phone would come with a 2GB memory card for storing music, photos and other data files.

The cool white design of the device is likely to evoke memories of the Apple iPhone 3G or even the T Mobile G1 in some - and with new additions coming to the market such as LG's latest - the Arena KM900 - as well as the upcoming Nokia N97, it is clear the HTC Magic will have its work cut out.

Ahead of the phones release next month, some reviewers have had the chance to get a bit of a hands-on with the HTC Magic and have offered their thoughts on how it compares to the above mobile phones - in particular, the G1.

In an article for Techradar, Gareth Beavis said half an hour spent with the phone recently gave him the chance to put the device through its paces and the first thing he noticed was the lightweight and thin design of the device - which he suggests may have been possible thanks to HTC's decision not to equip the phone with a full qwerty keypad.

In comparison to its predecessor, the piece said the touchscreen itself was also something that had undergone some positive changes, stating it had more in common with the sensitivity one might see on an Apple handset or even the new Palm Pre.

"The interface, which uses the latest Cupcake version of Android, is clearly better," Mr Beavis added. "With little tweaks like being able to mark messages in Gmail and then assign them to a label or delete them making the whole experience a little bit nicer."

A little irritation with the handset's screen configuration when using the mobile web was noted, but with Google features and the Android Market integrated with the same level of care as they were in the G1, the reviewer added it was well equipped to hold its own against Apple and its online App Store.

Another point raised was the omission of the qwerty keyboard which, although making the unit as a whole more "svelte", does mean you have to rely on an onscreen keyboard that is not as simple to operate as HTC would like you to believe.

"The keyboard covers a lot of the screen, not leaving you a lot to text into, and if you're working on something that you need to see as you type, this isn't the best," it was advised. However, Mr Beavis concluded that all in all the HTC Magic is "certainly a step up over the G1 and is probably going to be the best Android mobile phone out there for a while".

When IT Pro's Maggie Holland was given the opportunity to test out the device, its good looks were once again highlighted, as was its "very lightweight and slim" body. The user interface was noted as "excellent" and the touch sensitivity of the screen was praised at being set to just the right level of sensitivity.

Although rumours are abound that manufacturers including Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson have a slew of Google Android-powered handsets on the way, the HTC Magic is here and now - it might be time to check it out.
courtesy from http://ezinearticles.com/