HTC HD7 review

As many will attest, the HTC HD2 was a fantastic handset let down by its Windows Mobile operating system. Largely thanks to its crystal-clear, sizeable display, it was a pleasure to use, but we always secretly wished it would get the Android treatment or anything better, really.

Then out of the blue our wish finally came true. HTC announced the HTC HD7, its Windows Phone 7 smartphone that sits perfectly within casing that is certainly reminiscent of the much-loved HD2. It features that perfectly sized 4.3-inch screen that brings whatever you are viewing to life, a 5-megapixel camera with a flashlight for video recording at a 720p level, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and of course, Microsoft's slick new operating system.

First impressions from users suggest many are not used to phones of this size, unless they own a Dell Streak, in which case they will struggle to see it. We can’t deny it isn’t, but its lightweight casing and thin profile help alleviate the feeling.

Not that we mind. For the sacrifice we have to make in not wearing trousers with comically small pockets, we can enjoy a larger keyboard for typing ease, websites that display nicely and the closest thing to mobile gaming display perfection. We also get a screen that is incredibly sensitive, responding to, literally, the slightest touch. Unless you really desire a small phone, don't dismiss the HD7 on its dimensions, it is such a joy to use.

In fact, don't dismiss it on aesthetics, either. The front of the handset houses the screen, and three buttons (standardised practice on any Windows Phone 7 phone). The left touch button deals with stepping back, the middle shoots you to the home screen and the right is for search.

The back features the camera, flashlight, and a black, plastic back that is not as nice to the touch as on the HTC Mozart 7, but it doesn't feel cheap. If the Windows Phone 7 launch mobiles walked down the catwalk, the HD7 would be the least graceful, and certainly not a size zero, but you would still give it a cheeky second look.

Looks are only skin-deep, though, so let’s look at performance. Powering the HD7 and all other Windows Phone 7 launch handsets is a 1GHz Quallcomm SnapDragon processor that can easily handle whatever it is assigned to do.

Whether it's the Internet explorer, creating an Excel spreadsheet or running Rocket Riot, it seemingly poses no challenge for its processing skills. It is clear Microsoft’s strict hardware stipulations have ensured performance is optimal; knowing that if this was not the case the experience would be ruined.

It is also for this reason why the memory is capped at either 8GB or 16GB, and there is no microSD card slot to give you the option of increasing it, Microsoft doesn’t want slow microSD cards ruining the show. This may annoy you if carrying around a large music library is just 'how you roll', but we didn't mind too much. The Zune desktop software makes adding and removing multimedia content incredibly easy, and for picture content, a lot of your photos (if you have any) come from Windows Phone 7, providing you add a Facebook account. This, again, lowers the need for masses of storage.

As the HD7 is focused on video recording and playback, hence the flashlight opted for over a camera flash, you would expect it has a few more tricks up its sleeve other than a fold out stand so you can prop the device up in a landscape fashion, which we rather like, we must say.

Another requirement of the Windows Phone 7 platform is the camera must go from idle or locked to a picture taken in under five seconds, which it does happily. How does it look, though? Well, the video recorder is a doddle to use and the results are high in detail and the colours look 'real', as they should. Movement does create blurring but the HD7 works fast to rectify the focus, making videos look great unless you are very shakey.

It is possible to select 720p (oddly, it is not the default), and two other resolutions, as well as effects like Greyscale, Negative, Sepia and Solarize if any of those float your boat. To turn on the flashlight you simple press the bulb button, and the bulb below with the line through to turn it off - a simple and intuitive process.

Other thoughtful features include the ability to pinch and zoom when recording video or taking photos, as this shows you the last picture or video recorded. You can even swipe along a reel of photos or video whilst the camera sits idly, waiting for you to initiate record. Apart from the quite hard press needed to do just that, the HD7 performs fantastically, especially when you consider uploading is again one press away. It really is a joy to use, and lives up to its video recording focus.

There’s more. A picture editor is included, for minor adjustments like adding effects and other useful tools. It will not compete with Photoshop, but for on the fly adjustments it does the trick.

Music playback is obviously another major feature for many users. You will be glad to know Dolby obile and SRS Surround really enhances the sound quality in films. Though, Dolby sounded flat at times with certain music, and the various equaliser settings were not always much better, SRS Surround pushed the highs and mids through with clarity and precision. Even the bass was excellent. It was as if two miniature mules had galloped into our ears and were kicking our eardrums.

We hasten to add the supplied headphones are not great, even though they do include a handy volume control. They are not terrible performers, but like the included white ones you get with the iPhone, you should really upgrade to take advantage of the HD7’s playback internals. If on a budget, we would recommend the Sennheiser CX 300-IIs we used alongside the stock set.

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