The HTC Mozart is a slick and stylish smartphone that runs Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 operating system. This handset packs in a speedy processor that makes the UI feel zippy! It also has an 8-megapixel camera that can shoot 720p HD video. This phone could be a winner if you’re looking for a phone that is strong on email and you’re willing to wait a few months for Mango (the next Windows Phone 7 update which should increase functionality significantly and add features like multitasking).
If you want a quick run down on this phone, its got a great Screen, fast processor, good-looking design and Windows Phone provides a slick user experience. However, the camera could be better in low light, it currently lacks multitasking and cut and paste and its got no no microSD card slot.
The Mozart has a 3.7″ multi-touch display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, which is pretty standard and its got an LCD display rather than OLED. The handset itself has a dark grey metallic finish and has a three part approach to the back panel of the phone, where the middle is made of metal with plastic cutaways at the top and bottom edges for the battery cover and camera reside. The screen is excellent and clarity is top-notch, viewing angles are good and colours are vibrant.
HTC has used a speedy 1GHz Snapdragon QSD8250 processor with 576MB of RAM. This allows for good graphics in 3D games like Glyder and Need For Speed Undercover. If you’re playing online you’ll have the option to connect through Wi-Fi and the HSDPA offers speeds of up to 7.2Mbps. The hefty processor and large screen do take their toll on battery life, however. For heavy usage, you’ll need to recharge it every day, but those who don’t make so much use of 3G web browsing or the GPS chip will get around two days.
The Windows Phone interface is a step away from what we’re seeing with competitors like Android and Apple, but it’s a pleasant surprise as it offers a clean navigation experience and its zippy! There are event some great graphic transitions between menus a bounce at the end of any screen to let you know you’ve hit the end. The operating system is new so its obviously missing some key features like cut and paste and multitasking. When you have to wait for things to load you’ll understand why this is an issue. It’s not the hardware holding them back, its straight up software, so we can’t wait till they update this fail. The apps are also lacking and they’ve got a ways to go before they catch up with the iPhone.
Another issue that may be a problem for some is that the handset has only 8GB of storage built-in and unlike some competing Window Phone 7 models it doesn’t have a microSD card slot, so you can’t add extra storage space. While 8GB isn’t exactly a tiny amount of storage, if you want to keep movies and music on your phone or start to download alot of apps and you’ll quickly discover that 8GB isn’t a substantial amount and the option for expansion should have been added.
In regards to music HTC has added its sound enhancer app to the phone, which offers both Dolby Mobile and SRS Enhancement modes as well as more straightforward equaliser presets. Of these, the SRS Enhancement is probably the best as it adds a deeper feel to bass and creates extra width to the stereo image without managing to sound overly processed.
Overall I would recommend this phone because it comes in at a very competitive price point on Amazon for $299.99 and its got a great Screen, fast processor, good-looking design and Windows Phone provides a slick user experience. However, the camera could be better in low light, it currently lacks multitasking and cut and paste and its got no no microSD card slot. Mango, the next update for Windows Phone 7, is coming in September, so we won’t have long to wait for a significant update to the OS.
If you want to check out our unboxing its here we’ve got our walk through below to give you an idea of what the day to day experience of the Mozart will be like.
