Following hot on the heels of the G1, HTC are ready to launch the next Android powered device, the HTC Magic. Launching exclusively on the Vodafone network (available to pre order now with a stock release date of the 5th May 09). The HTC Magic is a high powered smartphone device, sleek in design and with a large touchscreen. We’re going to take a look at this device in a bit more detail, and see if it has what it takes to run with the big boys in the smartphone market. Google integration is a big part of the Android operating system, and this internet focussed device runs all the major Google applications flawlessly. With easy access to services such as Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search and YouTube, the HTC Magic makes web access a breeze.
The simplicity of use is enhanced with the large touchscreen, which measures in at a very user friendly 3.2 inches. With a pixel count of 320 x 480, images, videos and websites present clearly and brightly. This is a major bonus for any handset that has a multimedia focus, too often manufacturers try to get away with small size screens that just dampen the end user experience. The huge screen dominates the front of the phone, and the body casing is very minimalistic in style. There is a built-in accelerometer for auto screen rotation, and all data entry is via the touchscreen, there is no hard keypad on this handset.
Despite the large screen, the device itself is not too big, measuring only 13.7mm thick, and weighing in at a very acceptable 118g. Aside from on screen icon selection, menu navigation is dealt with using a trackball, as with the previous G1 product. Under the shell, the specification of the HTC Magic is pretty impressive, sporting 192MB of internal memory, which can be enhanced with the addition of a Micro SD memory card; the Magic can easily accommodate memory of up to 16GB, offering ample space for your music collection, recorded video clips and captured images.
The HTC Magic has an onboard 3.2 megapixel camera, equipped with autofocus. Initially the spec seems pretty poor when compared with other media devices, but unless you plan on blowing the pictures up to full size and printing them off, then 3.2 megapixels should offer good enough results for uploading to the web and sharing with friends. That said, the lack of a built in flash is a bit of a let down.
For any handset to have ideas of being a mobile internet device, a good range of data connections is important, and in this regard the HTC Magic doesn’t disappoint. As well as supporting HSDPA at up to 7.2Mbps, which Vodafone is very good at offering on their network, the device also supports HSUPA at up to 2Mbps for high speed uploads, allowing you to share content with friends quickly and easily. The high speed mobile broadband access is ably backed up with the inclusion of WiFi, plus more modest data connection options with the inclusion of GPRS, EDGE and HSCSD. Bluetooth is also included, so you can easily connect with other compatible devices wirelessly, and there is a USB port for connecting to a PC.
Messaging options are well covered here also, with a full email client on the phone, plus support for IM and picture messaging. SMS are automatically threaded in the message box, to allow text conversations to read more like an instant chat, and is the logical way to display messages sent and received. When receiving email, certain attachments can be viewed on the device thanks to the document viewer, which is compatible with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and .pdf documents.
An important yet often overlooked requirement on any high powered device is a high powered battery to power it all. Here the HTC Magic delivers, with an estimated talk time of up to seven and a half hours, and standby of up to 420 hours from a single charge.
There are many positive aspects about this eagerly awaited handset; good integration with online services, tight and stable user interface, whilst not overly complicated in use. Despite lacking in some areas, the HTC Magic is sure to be a popular device.
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