Microsoft and its partners released the latest line of Windows-based smartphones last week, a much-anticipated development in the highly competitive wireless market.
While Windows is the dominant operating system for desktop computers, Windows Mobile lags far behind leaders such as Nokia’s Symbian and Google’s Android in wireless devices, garnering less than 3 percent of the worldwide market share, according to research firm Gartner.
The new phones feature Windows Phone 7, the successor to Windows Mobile, and are currently compatible only with AT&T and T-Mobile service in the U.S.
Also attached to the phones is a catchy marketing campaign that shows users glued to their cellphones, ending with the tagline: “It’s time for a phone to save us from our phones.”
Does it deliver?
Here’s a review of the HTC Surround, one of three Windows 7 devices available from AT&T ($200 with two-year contract; $500 without one).
Hardware:
The 3.8-inch screen is smaller than that of the Motorola Droid X and HTC Evo, but the difference isn’t significant for most features, including Web browsing in landscape mode. At 5.8 ounces, it is heavier than other popular smartphones such as the iPhone 4. The rubbery backing is similar to the Droid X, giving the phone a solid feel.
Software:
The Windows Phone 7 operating system is indeed simple, featuring attractive tiles on the homescreen as shortcuts. It runs smoothly from program to program. The “People” shortcut is a nice feature, showing updates from Facebook and recent calls. The trade-off for simplicity is that the phone is not as customizable as Android-based devices. The biggest drawback, however, is the number of available apps. The Windows Marketplace reportedly has about 2,000 apps, which includes a basic Twitter program. That compares with more than 200,000 in the Apple App store.
Top features:
Slide-out speakers offer stereo surround sound with Dolby Mobile technology. The sound is loud and crisp, far better than on any phone I’ve used. The Surround has a physical button for its 5.0-megapixel camera and a kickstand for viewing videos in landscape mode. Battery life blows away the Droid X and Evo, perhaps because there aren’t as many battery-draining programs available.
Bottom line
A vast improvement over previous generations of Windows-based phones but not quite on the same level as other major releases this year, such as the Droid X and the Evo, in large part because of the lack of apps.
