HTC s710

I have had my sparkly new HTC s710 for just about a month, and I might just be a little in love with it. I am not Stephen Fry by any means, and typically only get a new phone every 2 years, when my contract is renewed. I am also rather stingy, and will not pay outright for a phone, so I generally select the highest end phone that is available for free on my contract.

My last phone was a Nokia 6670, which was a really cute, entry level smart phone that allowed me to send email, sync my calendar and sometimes, browse the internet. Oh, and I could receive calls.

 

I have grown tired of Nokia, and wanted to try a different brand. When I started looking for a new phone, I decided that the next phone had to be a Windows Mobile phone. I am a techie, afterall, and I could see the benefits of going Windows Mobile, since it would allow me to load a couple of tools onto my phone, meaning I could, if i wanted to, manage my devices remotely.

 

The good of the s710:

• The interface is easy to use and intuitive. I no longer spend ages looking for things, because the locations of apps and files are where I expect them to be.
  
• Wireless baby! I am no longer restricted to using Bluetooth and GPRS, because I can connect my phone to any wireless network, and use network and internet services without running up my phone bill.
  
• The camera takes lovely pictures
  
• Call quality is fantastic
  
• Media Player!!!
  
• Office compatibility
  
• Did I mention wireless?
  
• QWERTY keyboard. I was worried aout the slidey-outy keyboard, but it is sturdy and strong, and will be able to survive me for the 2 years that I will have this phone.
  
• Internet explorer! and MSN!
  
• Lightweight
  
• Good screen size

The bad and the ugly:

• There doesn't seem to be an automatic picture download function. This is a bit of a bother, especially since my Nokia had this.
  
• I haven't been able to figure out how to exit most applications, so I frequently close my apps by using task manager
  
• Amazingly, one can only sync with one Exchange/MAPI profile. I was hoping ot be able to sync with both my home and work calendars, but this seems impossible.
  
• Setting custom ring tones are confusing, to say the least.

My requirements for a handset is simple: I want to make calls, receive calls, take pictures, listen to music, send email and have internet access. This phone meets those requirements, and has so much more to offer that will take me a fair while to discover. It feels like the logical step to take if one upgrades from an entry level non-Windows smart phone, rather than going to something bulky like the TYTN.