Our Verdict
Design
If you were enamored by the HTC HD2 ’s gorgeous hardware , but twist off by the fact that it track down Windows 6.5 , you will be pleased with the HD7 . It is almost identical in design to the HD2 , but it has capacitive touch buttons rather than ironware push button running along the bottom of the display . The computer hardware buttons on the side are tranquil , too , giving it an overall sleeker appearance . Like the HTC EVO 4 G ( on Sprint also with a 4.3 - inch show ) , the HD7 has a kickstand for tabletop picture - watching . The kickstand pulls out from the camera ’s electron lens .
Measuring 4.8 by 2.7 by 0.4 inches thick and weigh 5.7 ounces , the HD2 is kind of a beast . If you ’ve got large jeans pockets , you should be fine . Ladies , forget about deport this matter in your pocket . The earphone is quite attractive , though , and is sure to turn head out in the wilderness .
Because of its resemblance to the EVO 4 gee , I was full carry the HD7 to have a front - facing video television camera . Unfortunately , as mention , this is n’t the pillow slip .
Windows Phone 7: A Whole New OS
By now , you probably know that Microsoft has created its new Windows Phone 7 from clams . Now is the time to draw a blank any preconceive notions you may have about Microsoft ’s fluid products . Windows Phone 7 is clear , fast , and user - friendly . It is n’t complete , however . miss features like copy / paste and truthful multitasking are fully grown oversights . ( Microsoft says copy / paste will come in an update in January . ) I also do n’t find the WP 7 OS all that esthetically pleasing or visually reproducible , and navigating through it ask a lot of scrolling . For an in - astuteness feel at the Windows Phone 7 OS , check out our hands - on review .
( To link the HD7 to a Mac , you require theWindows Phone 7 Connector for Macsoftware . )
Microsoft allows carrier and manufacturer partners to customize up to six tiles on the dwelling house screen . On the HD7 , you ’ll chance the HTC Hub , which give way you a taste of HTC Sense . HTC signified is the overlay you ’d normally get on an HTC - manufactured Android phone , like the EVO 4G. The HTC Hub has the adorable Sense weather app , which gives you a 3D - same visualisation of your local weather . A few HTC - selected apps are also in the Hub .
The HD7 is being marketed as the ultimate entertainment smartphone , and T - Mobile has thrown in a few apps to help oneself you get pop . The Netflix streaming app is definitely the most impressive , and it nicely showcases the HD7 ’s generous video display . The 1980s classicTeen Wolfran smoothly with very little pixelation or distortion in our prompt demonstration . The HD7 also comes loaded with the Slacker Radio app and T - Mobile TV , along with the XBox Live and Zune apps in WP 7 . The HD7 also ships with 16 GB of on - instrument panel memory so you ’ll have plenty of distance to fill up with flick and photos .
Camera/Camcorder
Microsoft requires handset manufacturers to ship WP 7 phones with a 5 - megapixel camera or gamey . The HTC HD7 rollick a 5 - megapixel shooter with a double - LED flash . All WP 7 phones also must have a dedicated television camera key , which I always appreciate . The photographic camera / shutter key also wakes up the phone and brings you directly into camera mode , which is a nice touching .
The Windows Phone 7 camera user interface takes some getting used to , though . The on - screen jot control are a chip too small for my liking , and I had some trouble tweaking them while snap a mental picture . You get a few canonic cameracontrols like Scene setting ( auto , portrayal , landscape painting , sport , beach , and so on ) , Effects ( Grayscale , Negative , Solarize ) , as well as metering and resolution controls .
Photos taken outdoors on a sunny mean solar day looked good : colour were bright , and details seem shrewd . When I zoom in on a remote edifice , however , my photo amount out pretty blurry . My indoor shaft looked overexposed , even with the flashbulb off . colour were a bit washed out and details were blown out .
The HD7 captures video in 720p , as most high-pitched - end smartphones now do . My videos looked great , though the microphone is almost too powerful . The microphone pick up a lot of background knowledge noise – so much so that it is almost overtake . Unfortunately , Windows Phone 7 does n’t have unmediated upload to YouTube in the drift , which is another painfully obvious lineament that the OS overlooks .
Performance
As I advert before , the HD7 does not support T - Mobile ’s HSPA+ web ; it support HSPA 7.2 mbps download speed . Just before getting the HD7 , I had tried out the T - Mobile myTouch 4 G and the T - Mobile G2 , both of which support HSPA+ , and was impressed with how speedily Web pages lade when I induce coverage . Although HSPA+ is still in the early stages of getting countrywide coverage , it is disappointing – and odd – that the HD7 was left out of this raise .
I was unable to test the HD7 ’s upload and download speed as there is no Windows Phone 7 Ookla app available yet ( for measuring connection speeds ) . I did some casual speed test over Wi - Fi , and found the browser app , paired with the 1GHz central processor , to be reasonably speedy . PCWorld.com to the full stretch in 22 second , culture medium - lumbering site Thrashermagazine.com loaded in 35 seconds , and NYTimes.com loaded in 16.2 seconds .
One annoying issue I run away into was when I tried to synchronize my Facebook profile to the HD7 . I ’m not certain if this was a web issue or a problem with the operating system . It took about four tries to get my Facebook profile up and running . I also notice that the phone seemed to shift between EDGE and 3 G pretty frequently around San Francisco .
Call quality was reach - or - miss over T - Mobile ’s 3 G electronic internet . caller sounded good , but slightly distant and a bit tinny . On a busy metropolis street , my telephoner on the other end of the line had a unmanageable clock time hearing my articulation .
Conclusion
The HD7 is a in high spirits - caliber telephone , but without a front - facing camera or 4 G data speeds , it ca n’t compete with the T - Mobile myTouch 4 G , Apple iPhone 4 , HTC EVO 4 G , or Samsung Epic 4 G , which dominate the top spots on our Top 10 Phones Chart . If you ’re a T - Mobile customer yearning for a Windows Phone 7 , however , the HTC HD7 is a nice introduction to the program and a great entertainment telephone . check that you give Windows Phone 7 a test run , however , before purchase . It has a few oddity as well as a few missing feature of speech , like written matter / library paste and Flash livelihood .
[ Ginny Mies is an associate editor program for PCWorld . ]
