HTC Shift
The HTC Shift goes beyond the traditional smartphone – way beyond. This is more like a pocket sized computer than a phone, hence the dubbing UMPC (Ultra Mobile Personal Computer). Just to show off this phone’s power, it runs Microsoft Windows Vista Business as its operating system, like many home computers. However, because the HTC Shift is more of a computer than a phone, it is a monster in size and weight - clearly not something you can carry around in your pocket all day long.
The HTC Shift is a quad-band GSM phone, so it can be used anywhere in the world simply by swapping out its SIM card. It also has the ability to take advantage of the 3G HSDPA network for 3.6 Mbit/s data transfer. 3G support is also available all over the world thanks to its tri-band UMTS support.
Measuring in at approximately eight inches by five inches by one inch and weighing 800 grams, the HTC Shift is a monster. However, considering that this phone packs nearly laptop power in something not much larger than the average smartphone, the size shouldn’t really make a difference. Nevertheless, the size is a concern, as it cannot be carried in a pants’ pocket.
Gracing the front of the HTC Shift is a large, seven-inch touch screen that is capable of displaying 800 by 480 pixels. Though the screen is not of the absolute highest quality, it does allow for handwriting recognition as well as other touch sensitive features.
There is a camera built into the HTC Shift, though it is of very poor quality. It only allows for 0.3 megapixels, a barrier that even the lowest cost phones have crossed.
Multimedia is fully supported thanks to the Windows Vista operating system, though extra codecs will need to be downloaded for a number of video formats. There is a built in 60GB hard drive, though you should expect about 10GB of that to be taken up by the operating system itself. The HTC Shift also supports expanded memory via SD cards.
Other features found in the HTC Shift include a full QWERTY keyboard, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi support, USB 2.0 support, a large phone book, an alarm, a calendar, a notepad, a to-do list, a calculator, a number of voice commands, email support, and GPS support.
Pros
- Tons, tons and tons of features
- More like a computer than a phone
- Large, easy to use keyboard
Cons
- Terrible camera
- Runs Windows Vista
- Screen resolution too small for some
Overall
The HTC Shift is a unique device, as there still aren’t too many UMPCs floating around in the market. This is the perfect device for the business traveler who essentially wants a very small laptop or the tech junkie who needs to have every gadget and gizmo out there. Everyone else need not apply.
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