CINGULAR 8525 Review..Finally
Ok, so I 've had the phone for 5 days now. 1 hard reset, Many apps been and gone. Here it goes:
Design:
A lot thinner than all of the other 320*240 PPC's I've seen. Skinnier and a little thinner too. The keyboard is spaced out well, I've gotten used to it, coming from a treo it took me a few days. I'm not crazy about all of the buttons, the ones by the earpiece specifically. Everytime I would talk on the phone I would hit the PIE button with my face. That button now has no assignment! The buttons around the D-Pad are a bit cramped, yes, but you get used to them too. The OK button on the side I have found more useful than the bottom one anyway. I really like the fact that ONLY the power button wakes the phone up, this button is not easily pressed and limits accidental wakeups to next-to-nothing. I really really miss the external keyboard, because of my navigation style, but the scroll wheel is really helping me navigate. I'd rather have the keyboard, of course, and it is probably the biggest thing I miss from the 700wx. OK, definitely the biggest. But the scroll wheel makes it bearable, and much easier to navigate menus and web pages than the apache IMO.
Hardware:
WIFI- works well, lower signal strength and range than laptops but that can be expected I guess. Works great though, even w/talking on the phone.
BT- 2.0, sounds clear and loud, no problems yet to report. Never even tried voice command, I used sddialer built-in, so no need for me.
UMTS- Well, since I received the phone all I have done is complain about 3g not being available in my neighborhood. I drive into manhattan yesterday and STILL only edge. Not good. I come to read online yesterday that the SIM card is different for 3G. Interesting. So I go to my nearby Cingular store and ask for a 3G SIM card. Sure enough, I was originally given the wrong card and he gave me a 3G card. No charge either, and I didn't buy the phone there. NOTE: It is a blue SIM with 3G written on the FRONT AND BACK. I go home, sit at my computer, look at my phone, and BAM: A big fat U on top of my phone! I go to dslreports and do a speed test: 625 KB/Sec!!! Awesome! I leave my house, travel 2 blocks, and lose it. Oh well, at least I have it at home! I'm confident it will be all over my area soon anyway.
PTT- Glad to see it here, can't wait to try it next year.
Camera- 2.0MP, looks great, and I love the camera app. Looks like an updated version of the Apache's
Phone- Call quality has been excellent, I thought I would find GSM a chore and inferior to CDMA, but I have been gladly mistaken. Voices on the other side sound crystal clear, and even in Lake Ariel, PA I had good service. Very happy with cingular right now, I just wish there data plans were more REALISTIC.
No need to review the software. As most of you know we overwrite, delete, and bypass most installed apps anyway. I will say the Wireless manager is great (just like Apache- 1 button to control PUSH mail, nice addition that the treo did not have). It came with trials of telenav and mobitv, but I have tomtom and sling so I never tried them.
All in all, those who love the Treo for its form factor will continue to do so. This phone is for those who care about hardware. Those who want WIFI, a 2MP camera, BT 2.0, and those who REALLY hate the square screen. As far as vs the treo this phone is definitely faster. Not incredibly faster, but noticeable nonetheless. Web browsing is great with the large screen, so much more natural looking than the square screen. I find my fingers touching the screen moe than I did on the treo, since the keyboard is slider, but I have no problems with that. SMS was a bit tedious when I first got the phone, but once you get used to sliding the phone it becomes automatic. And typing is easier with the large keys too.
I probably forgot to mention some things, but overall the phone is fantastic. I must reiterate, there are still going to be those who prefer the form factor of the treo, so that will not change for now. But if you want a full-featured phone that works, this is the phone to get! HTC made major changes to the UI with the hardware, and it is very appreciated! BY FAR the best slider phone on the market, and if I had my choice of this and the treo right now, I would choose this device. Once you get used to it its a breeze!
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