I said I’d write this up eventually, well after using the device for a while about my experience with it. I could do it in two words, but that would be a short post, “Really Great!”. To put it simply this is the best Windows Mobile I’ve ever used, better than the Hermes – and that’s saying something!
Lets start with the form factor of the device. It’s a slider, like lots of other mobiles these days, and that’s probably one of the reasons it’s such a good phone. Now I’m using Slide Actions it really works like a slide phone. If I slide up the screen it will unlock s2u2, if I slide down it locks the screen with s2u2. If it’s ringing and I slide it up, which I actually do much more than use the answer button, it answers the call. Similarly if I slide it closed when in a call it hangs up. I find I actually never use the call and end buttons. The next fantastic thing about the form factor is the “proper” phone key-pad, by proper I mean it’s a 12 key keyboard just like most phones. Why are these two things the most important thing about this phone for me? Because I can now use this just like a phone, like everyone else. It’s also great because it’s slick and thin and soft and rubbery in the hand.
Next, it’s the interface. T-Mobile, who I’m still really impressed with, haven’t over customised the interface. It’s fast and responsive and the touch cube is a great replacement for most of the physical buttons. I find it works best if I just use the small area over the T-Mobile logo to start it. I also find the D-Pad really nice to use, just like the keyboard it’s fast and responsive.
With all the mod’s I’ve made I don’t have to use the stylus all that much, but that again is a good little tool, it’s nice and solid and feels nice to hold too.
The camera suffers from the normal rubbish lens, but it’s a convenient little snapper and the newer software, version 5 of camera, is really good. Out of the box the finger friendly Camera Album is really cool too – often makes people I show it to go “ooooh”.
All in all, this is really the best phone I’ve had for about 3 years now.