 |
| LG Optimus 2X |
 |
| Apple iPhone 4 |
The smartphone universe became ripe again for camera comparisons, especially with the introduction of handsets, capable of recording Full HD 1080p video. That is why we took a few of the most popular high-end smartphones that are on the shelves, and staged a shootout.
We got the Samsung Galaxy S II, the LG Optimus 2X, the Nokia N8, and the Apple iPhone 4. Two of those are capable of Full HD 1080p video recording, so we are only pitting them against each other in that department. In all fairness, these are still cell phone cameras, so, with maybe the exception of the big sensor on the Nokia N8, we didn't expect wonders from the snaps.
We've reached the stage, however, where you can leave your point-and-shoot at home for casual photos with a piece of mind, and just use your high-end smartphone, which you are lugging around anyway. So let's try to determine which of these cameras does what well. All phones were on Auto settings, no HDR was used, we only switched on the Macro mode for close-ups, where we had it.
 |
| Nokia N8 |
 |
| Samsung Galaxy S II |
Detail
Each of the phones captures plenty of detail in the frame, and it's hard to pick, since none of the cameras missed any major bit. At first look, the Samsung Galaxy S II has the upper hand, producing sharp photos with distinctive details out of the box.
The Nokia N8, however, captures the same extensive amount of detail, but since it bets on unaltered looks by default, the image appears slightly softer than on the Samsung Galaxy S II. The iPhone 4 also showed very good, almost equal results, and, alternatively, the LG Optimus 2X captures plenty of detail, but the lack of contrast makes the picture appear washed out.
1. Samsung Galaxy S II and Nokia N8
2. Apple iPhone 4
3. LG Optimus 2X
Color reproduction
Colors from the Nokia N8 came out being the most natural-looking. We have more saturation from the Samsung Galaxy S II, which makes its photos more appealing at first look, but unfortunately, looking at it closer, it becomes clear they are slightly colder than in reality. The ones with the LG Optimus 2X are both quite cold, and on the bland, undersaturated side. Finally, the iPhone 4 flips to the other side, producing contrasty, jolly, highly saturated images, which can be good and bad, depending on the situation.
We'd pick here the Nokia N8 for its natural looks, and the Samsung Galaxy S II, whose pictures, while slightly colder than reality, are a close enough shot.
1. Nokia N8
2. Samsung Galaxy S II and Apple iPhone 4
3. LG Optimus 2X
Exposure and dynamic range
Nokia N8 gets it right most of the time when there is a bright distraction in the frame, or a lot of sky. It also doesn't over- or underexpose, and you can clearly see the close gradients in the cloud and sky coloring. The Samsung Galaxy S II also does pretty well with exposure measurements and dynamic range.
The iPhone 4 sometimes overexposes bright objects, depending on where you focus at, so you have to be careful which spot to touch on the screen if there is such area in the frame. The LG Optimus 2X performs decently, with no drastic misexposed spots. We didn't turn on the HDR function on the iPhone 4, in order to keep the playing field leveled.
1. Nokia N8
2. Samsung Galaxy S II
3. LG Optimus 2X
4. Apple iPhone 4
Indoor shots
In low-light situations the large 1/1.8” sensor on the Nokia N8 with its big pixels played a role to capture the most light, bringing noise down to a minimum. Nokia’s pride is the king of indoor shots with its Xenon flash, and didn’t hesitate to fire it up every time the lights dimmed even for a bit. The Samsung Galaxy S II indoor shots seem quite crisp and detailed too, although in well-lit to medium lighting colors came out too warm, and the flash came a bit weak.
Indoors with incandescent bulbs the Apple iPhone 4 sometimes produces too warm, yellowish colors in low- to medium lighting, and inserts a fair amount of noise in the picture. The LG Optimus 2X exhibited less noise, fairly sharp photos, and the LED flash did a decent job illuminating the scene.
1. Nokia N8
2. Samsung Galaxy S II and LG Optimus 2X
3. Apple iPhone 4
Night shots
The most pleasing night shot results we obtained from the Nokia N8 and the Samsung Galaxy S II. Their shots were sharpest and the most noise-free of all four phones. The Nokia N8 fared well in night shots around town, largely due to its big sensor. There wasn't excessive noise or haloed lights in its photos. The Samsung Galaxy S II night shots also came out fairly clear, with no overblown light sources.
Despite its backlit sensor, however, the iPhone 4 produced quite noisy night shots, with blown-up highlights like neon signs, and halos around light sources. The LG Optimus 2X fared better with clearer night shots, but it had trouble with brighter objects like the lit-up shop sign below.
1. Nokia N8
2. Samsung Galaxy S II
3. LG Optimus 2X
4. Apple iPhone 4
Macro
All phones managed to focus well in close-up shots, blurring everything further than the object at hand.
Despite that the iPhone 4 doesn't have a dedicated macro mode, it automatically focuses on close-ups, thus saving you some extra fiddling in the interface.
The Samsung Galaxy S II produced very good close-up shots, clear, and with distinctive details on the nearest object. The close-ups with the iPhone 4 come out very good for its point-and-shoot concept – it manages to focus strictly on the near object, and with large amount of detail, too, with the only downside being a tad noisy shot.
The LG Optimus 2X also performed very well, capturing plenty of small details in a clear image. The macro mode of the Nokia N8 captures a bit more of the background scene than the rest from the same distance, since it has a wider field of view, and its macro shots are clear, with a good amount of detail.
1. Samsung Galaxy S II and Apple iPhone 4
2. LG Optimus 2X
3. Nokia N8
Ease of use and speed
The phones have very snappy shot-to-shot times, if you turn the preview function off, with only the LG Optimus 2X being behind the pack in that respect. As for ease of use, that goes to the iPhone 4, where you don't have to fiddle with anything - just point and snap, takes a split second. We’d have called it a draw here, since the Nokia N8 has a dedicated two-stage shutter button, but we still appreciate more the utter simplicity of the iPhone 4’s camera operation for casual snaps. Besides, the camera interface on the Nokia N8 is a bit cumbersome, and the least touch-friendly of all.
1. Apple iPhone 4
2. Nokia N8
3. Samsung Galaxy S II
4. LG Optimus 2X
Video
Besides sharpness, color or contrast, we have other characteristics to look for in videos, like frame rate and compression. 1080p video from the Samsung Galaxy S II came out bright, with good contrast, a lot of detail and fluid 30fps. The Apple iPhone 4 produces jolly, fluid 30fps videos, with bright, overly saturated colors and nice detail too. In night videos, though, it blows up highlights like illuminated signs or car bulbs a bit too much.
There's no doubt that the Nokia N8 has great sensor and lens, and it does produce natural-looking videos with good contrast and detail, but if you have to shoot sports or some other fast action, 25fps sometimes doesn't cut it.
We just appreciated the fluid 30fps that the Galaxy S II and the iPhone 4 capture with, adding continuous autofocus or touch-to-focus in the mix, too. Nokia's phone records pretty good stereo sound with the video, though, thanks to the nice noise-canceling mics. The LG Optimus 2X records in the .3GP format, compressing the files a bit too much, and skimming on quality. Moreover, its videos need quite a bit more contrast, similar to the stills taken with the phone.
1. Samsung Galaxy S II
2. Apple iPhone 4
3. Nokia N8
4. LG Optimus 2X
Conclusion:
So, which phone should you take on vacation with you? It depends on the functionality you desire from your convergence device, and we wouldn't scoff at any of them, except maybe the LG Optimus 2X as the worst performer.
If you can't be bothered, but just want to point, shoot and obtain flashy colors, get the iPhone 4. However, if you want to be able to shoot fluid video with extraordinary amount of detail, plus excellent, but slightly off-color stills, take the 1080p-capable Samsung Galaxy S II.
Finally, if you are somewhat of a shutterbug, and your foremost demand is realism and well-lit indoor shots - the large sensor, 12MP resolution, and Xenon flash on the Nokia N8 undoubtedly have your best interest at heart.
The LG Optimus One has become the Galaxy S of mid-range smartphones. It's on pretty much every U.S. carrier, all versions being pretty much exactly the same, and it's one of the best phones in its category. The LG Phoenix doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but it does maintain the same high level of performance as its other Optimus One brethren. I've been consistently impressed by how well these mid-range smartphones perform and, of course, did not expect anything different from this one. Some consumers may be slightly miffed by the spec sheet, but don't let that fool you. If all you need a reliable smartphone that won't give you problems but that you don't have to break the bank to buy, these Optimus One phones, including the LG Phoenix, are currently your best option.
Design & Features
If you've seen one Optimus One phone, you've seen them all. The Phoenix looks pretty much identical to the other versions. It has the same rounded design, the same silver trim that slowly tapers to a thin border around the top side of the phone, and the same matte finish, this model coming only in blue. You're not going to mistake it for a high-end phone; you'll know that you only paid $49.99 for the phone while you're holding it. Still, the design is simple, comfortable, and fulfills its job of not making the phone look completely boring.
You can guess from the 3.2-inch display that this is a smallish phone. It measures 4.47-inches tall, 2.32-inches wide, and .53-inches thick. That 3.2-inch display has a resolution of 320x480 - pretty low, but again this is not going to compete with the iPhone. Text is slightly pixelated, but it's still bright and I never felt like it was a major drawback.
Interestingly, this version of the Optimus One does not contain a dedicated camera button even though I'm pretty sure all of the other ones do. I personally miss having a camera shutter button since it seems to make focusing and taking a picture so much easier. This won't bother everyone though. Without the camera button, the right spine of phone contains only the volume rocker keys. The left spine is empty, the top of the phone contains the 3.5mm headphone jack and Power/Screen Lock button, and the microUSB port is on the bottom. The phone does have a microSD card slot but it's underneath the battery cover. It ships with a 2GB card and supports up to 32 GB of additional memory.
Usability & Performance
The Phoenix's 600 MHz processor delivered impressive speeds with little to no lag. Transitions were smooth and there was little delay when opening an app. Granted, there will be times when the delay is longer and pinch-to-zoom wasn't seamless, but it performed well above my expectations.
LG has included their custom UI on top of Android 2.2. As of the writing of this review, we have no word on if or when the Phoenix will receive 2.3. LG's UI is one of the more mellow User Interfaces out there and adds little more than a simple dock, a categorized app drawer, and a few toggle options in the notification bar. The phone does ship with a few custom LG widgets and LG's keyboard, but you don't have to use them if you choose not to. I found that the stock Android keyboard performed much better than LG's custom keyboard. By way of custom apps, AT&T has included FamilyMap, Code Scanner, Hot Spots, myWireless, Navigator, Radio, and Live TV, an app that can be used to, you guessed it, watch live TV through your U-verse subscription.
As with all of the Optimus One phones, the Phoenix ships with a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera. Picture quality was decent, but the exclusion of a dedicated camera button takes away from the camera's overall performance. With a camera button, you can manually focus and then take a picture. If the camera does not focus properly, you simply release the button and retry it. Without that luxury, the only choice you have is to press the shutter button on the screen and hope that it focuses properly. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. There were times when I had to take a picture several times before the focus was right. With a dedicated camera button, I wouldn't have to do that. The camera also captures video, though the quality was pretty terrible. VGA resolution doesn't promise much to begin with, but it certainly didn't over-perform. Videos were grainy and the sound was awful.
The Phoenix is a 3G device and I've found AT&T's network to offer decent speeds. I'm averaging 600-900 kbps for downloads and 200-300 kbps for uploads. Call quality was also decent, though AT&T's network is at times choppy, at least in the Dallas area where I tested it. Battery life was impressive. I was able to make it through a full day with the Phoenix's 1500 mAh battery. I did have to charge it every night, but it at least lasted the entire day with normal use and with a few widgets running in the background and notifications turned on.
Conclusion
Based on my previous experience with other Optimus One phones, I had high expectations for the LG Phoenix and it did not let me down. The processor kept up with most everyday tasks and made everything smooth with little to no lag. This may not be a high-end phone, but it is definitely a viable option for budget-concious consumers and is well worth the low price you'll pay for it.
What's Good: Smooth performance with little to no lag; LG's custom UI adds nice design details but isn't too heavy; good battery life; live TV through AT&T U-verse.
What's Bad: Somewhat boring physical design; no dedicated camera button.
The Verdict: Who says that budget phones have to be disappointing? With a solid feature set, this phone proves them wrong.
Introduction:
With a flurry of Android handsets released in the past year, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between them. That said, QWERTY devices are thinner on the ground and for this reason, when the Samsung Galaxy Pro landed on our desk, we were hopeful. With a BlackBerry-esque form factor, 3MP autofocus camera and 2.8" capacitive screen as well as a host of connectivity options, the Galaxy Pro also packs a 4 tiered QWERTY keyboard.
Design:
The Samsung Galaxy Pro looks rather rectangular and rigid, so while similar in form factor to BlackBerrys of late, it lacks the curvaceous styling. Below the 2.8" capacitive screen, a 4 tiered QWERTY keyboard can be found. The phone is entirely plastic, though feels sturdy.
The Samsung Galaxy Pro looks rather rectangular and rigid, and is similar in form factor to BlackBerrys of late
 | ||
| You can compare the Samsung Galaxy Pro with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool. |
A 2.8" screen is pretty small for an Android handset, though as there's a QWERTY rather than an on-screen keyboard on the Galaxy Pro, the screen size itself isn't a major issue. Unfortunately, its low resolution of 320x240 pixels is. Add to that the lack of multi-touch and the Samsung Galaxy Pro display begins to lose appeal. Viewing angles are also pretty poor, as is outdoor visibility, making the display's one redeeming factor being its responsiveness.
Fortunately the design of the phone helps make up for the screen's shortcomings, with a pleasing aesthetic and overall solid feel finished off with a good keyboard experience. Directly below the screen are four physical keys offering access to options, home, back and search. Below this is the QWERTY keyboard, occupied by raised keys that are easily identifiable. We were very pleased to find out that the keyboard is nicely sized (for a portrait QWERTY, that is), and the keys themselves have a pretty decent travel that leaves you without hesitation as to whether or not you've pressed it right.
To the right of the phone is a volume rocker and to the left a power button. Up top you can find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB port which has a cool sliding cover, while on the reverse of the handset is the battery cover complete with a textured finish, 3MP camera and loud speaker.
Introduction:
With a flurry of Android handsets released in the past year, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between them. That said, QWERTY devices are thinner on the ground and for this reason, when the Samsung Galaxy Pro landed on our desk, we were hopeful. With a BlackBerry-esque form factor, 3MP autofocus camera and 2.8" capacitive screen as well as a host of connectivity options, the Galaxy Pro also packs a 4 tiered QWERTY keyboard.
Design:
The Samsung Galaxy Pro looks rather rectangular and rigid, so while similar in form factor to BlackBerrys of late, it lacks the curvaceous styling. Below the 2.8" capacitive screen, a 4 tiered QWERTY keyboard can be found. The phone is entirely plastic, though feels sturdy.
The Samsung Galaxy Pro looks rather rectangular and rigid, and is similar in form factor to BlackBerrys of late
| ||
| You can compare the Samsung Galaxy Pro with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool. |
A 2.8" screen is pretty small for an Android handset, though as there's a QWERTY rather than an on-screen keyboard on the Galaxy Pro, the screen size itself isn't a major issue. Unfortunately, its low resolution of 320x240 pixels is. Add to that the lack of multi-touch and the Samsung Galaxy Pro display begins to lose appeal. Viewing angles are also pretty poor, as is outdoor visibility, making the display's one redeeming factor being its responsiveness.
Fortunately the design of the phone helps make up for the screen's shortcomings, with a pleasing aesthetic and overall solid feel finished off with a good keyboard experience. Directly below the screen are four physical keys offering access to options, home, back and search. Below this is the QWERTY keyboard, occupied by raised keys that are easily identifiable. We were very pleased to find out that the keyboard is nicely sized (for a portrait QWERTY, that is), and the keys themselves have a pretty decent travel that leaves you without hesitation as to whether or not you've pressed it right.
To the right of the phone is a volume rocker and to the left a power button. Up top you can find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB port which has a cool sliding cover, while on the reverse of the handset is the battery cover complete with a textured finish, 3MP camera and loud speaker.
Introduction:
With a flurry of Android handsets released in the past year, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between them. That said, QWERTY devices are thinner on the ground and for this reason, when the Samsung Galaxy Pro landed on our desk, we were hopeful. With a BlackBerry-esque form factor, 3MP autofocus camera and 2.8" capacitive screen as well as a host of connectivity options, the Galaxy Pro also packs a 4 tiered QWERTY keyboard.
Design:
The Samsung Galaxy Pro looks rather rectangular and rigid, so while similar in form factor to BlackBerrys of late, it lacks the curvaceous styling. Below the 2.8" capacitive screen, a 4 tiered QWERTY keyboard can be found. The phone is entirely plastic, though feels sturdy.
The Samsung Galaxy Pro looks rather rectangular and rigid, and is similar in form factor to BlackBerrys of late
| ||
| You can compare the Samsung Galaxy Pro with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool. |
A 2.8" screen is pretty small for an Android handset, though as there's a QWERTY rather than an on-screen keyboard on the Galaxy Pro, the screen size itself isn't a major issue. Unfortunately, its low resolution of 320x240 pixels is. Add to that the lack of multi-touch and the Samsung Galaxy Pro display begins to lose appeal. Viewing angles are also pretty poor, as is outdoor visibility, making the display's one redeeming factor being its responsiveness.
Fortunately the design of the phone helps make up for the screen's shortcomings, with a pleasing aesthetic and overall solid feel finished off with a good keyboard experience. Directly below the screen are four physical keys offering access to options, home, back and search. Below this is the QWERTY keyboard, occupied by raised keys that are easily identifiable. We were very pleased to find out that the keyboard is nicely sized (for a portrait QWERTY, that is), and the keys themselves have a pretty decent travel that leaves you without hesitation as to whether or not you've pressed it right.
To the right of the phone is a volume rocker and to the left a power button. Up top you can find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB port which has a cool sliding cover, while on the reverse of the handset is the battery cover complete with a textured finish, 3MP camera and loud speaker.
Introduction:
Building on the mystique of the “pure Google” Nexus One, the Nexus S made its debut back in December bringing Gingerbread to the market. Whereas the HTC Nexus One had a mystique to it and differentiated itself from the market with hardware, the Nexus S was basically a slightly redesigned Samsung Galaxy S without the TouchWiz UI. Although the Nexus S might not sport all the latest goodies found on some of the most recent Android phones, it undoubtedly still has some more life left in it. What comes to prove this is that Sprint has now decided to release the Google Nexus S, but improving it by bringing a 4G compatible version to market, the aptly-named Nexus S 4G. Specs remain otherwise unchanged, so in this day of dual core phones let’s see how the Nexus S 4G stacks up.
Included with the Nexus S 4G you’ll get stereo headphones, a microUSB cable and AC adapter along with the standard users manuals and quick start guides.
Design:
Design-wise, the Google Nexus S 4G remains unchanged from the Nexus S, and since there is no carrier branding on either, you cannot distinguish the two without removing the battery cover. The phone is similar in feel to any of the original Galaxy S phones, such as the Fascinate or Vibrant. That means that the phone is light and thin, thanks to extensive use of plastic by Samsung. It does not have the heft of the quality feel that the Nexus One had, but that is not to say that the Nexus S is poorly constructed. It slips nicely into your pocket and is thin enough that you forget it’s there. The contour of the phone makes it comfortable both to hold and have it against your face. The front face has a contoured curve to it, which enhances its aesthetics and comfort. That said, the 4” Super AMOLED display is amazingly bright and vibrant. It can be read in almost all lighting conditions and from almost all angles.
There is one main gripe we have with the design of the Google Nexus S 4G. It is related to the navigation button placement: Back, Menu, Search, Home. While we’ve seen some variation between devices, the Nexus S deviates greatly and it takes a while to get used to it.
Interface and Software:
Again, nothing here has changed from the original Nexus S. The Nexus S 4G runs an unadulterated version of Gingerbread 2.3.4 which includes the net Google Talk video chat. The service works well enough. Though the concept may be similar to offerings from Tango, Skype and Fring, Google of course pulls it off nearly seamlessly and intuitively. Video quality could be better, but it was more than acceptable and was better than the other services we’ve used. In addition, the Sprint Nexus 4G is the first Google Voice integrated handset, as part of the carrier's recent initiative to offer Google Voice on most of its phones. What this gives you is access to plenty of smart features, related to calling and messaging. The beauty of it is that you can seamlessly set your Sprint number to be your Google Voice number, without the need of porting. And since you can link many lines to your single Google Voice account, this allows you to give just this single GV number to your contacts, and have calls redirected to either your personal phone, or office one, etc.
There is no third party software loaded on the Nexus S 4G, including carrier apps such as Sprint TV or Sprint Football Live. Texting NASCAR or NFL to 7777, the usual way to download these Sprint apps, got us a response and website, but when we tried to download the items weren’t actually there. For those looking for the Sprint services look elsewhere.Perhaps because of this lack of UI customizations, the Nexus S 4G was blindingly fast. When we signed into our account, all 58 apps we have on our EVO restored to the Nexus (ahh, the beauty of ASOP) but we did not notice a speed difference at all. The Nexus S 4G flies through everything we’ve thrown at it, then asks for more.
Internet and Connectivity:
With the addition of 4G data speeds the Nexus S seemingly gets better, but we actually encountered issues. Despite getting normal upload speeds of about 1Mbps, our download speeds were only running about 650-700kbps. We verified this with another Nexus S 4G unit to make sure we did not have a defective phone and go the same results. Speed tests over 3G were actually about 50% faster on the down link, getting around 1Mbps and Wi-Fi speed results were normal as well. For comparison, we ran tests with our EVO concurrently and regularly achieved down speeds of 6.5-8.5Mbps, ruling out any network issues. Still, the stock browser is smooth and fluid, and there are many other options in the Market if it doesn't suit you for some reason.
Of course the Nexus S 4G is CDMA device, so it lacks the worldwide roaming capabilities of the GSM Nexus S, and being a Sprint device 4G runs over their WiMAX network. The phone also has Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and like the Nexus S the 4G has a NFC chip incorporated into the battery door.
Camera and Multimedia:
Our images made with the Google Nexus S 4G turned out well for the most part. We even liked them more than what we got out of the Nexus S, but we guess the better weather conditions were responsible for this. Pictures turned out with plenty of detail and accurate color reproduction (although slightly oversaturated), though the flash performance was pretty weak. Videos can still only be recorded at 720x480 (DVD quality) which is quite strange for a phone with an otherwise stellar spec sheet.
Google Nexus S 4G Sample Video:
Multimedia on the Nexus S 4G runs through the stock players which work quite well, but for those looking for more file support, a different UI or just something different there are of course many options available in the market. Google’s new Music Beta service will help out with the lack of expandable memory on the Nexus S 4G.
Performance and Conclusion:
Call quality was quite good on the Nexus S 4G. Callers rated it an 8/10, saying that we sounded slightly distant but not finding much to complain about. On our end it was plenty loud with a good voice reproduction even as the other party was driving through the back country of Kentucky. The phone did get much warmer on our ear than we’re used to, but that’s not a major issue. Battery life was above average for a high end Android handset. The battery is rated for 6 hours of talk time, and with light usage we were able to go three days of use on Wi-Fi. 4G drained the battery faster, but not as noticeably as it does on our EVO 4G.
Overall, the Google Nexus S 4G is a very good phone, if not a little late. If it were any other device we’d probably chide Sprint more for taking so long to pick it up, but it’s more about what the Nexus S 4G represents than the actual handset itself. Having a second carrier offer a pure Google phone is only a good thing for consumers and for the Android platform. The smartphone itself is still pretty capable though. Although it relies on a single-core processor, it's still very speedy, while it also doesn't miss on any other crucial feature, except for HD video capture.
A pretty good Android alternative, which adds a physical QWERTY keyboard and comes at $50 less is the Samsung Epic 4G. Another pretty decent option is the WP7-sporting HTC Arrive, if you feel adventurous. Ultimately, the Google Nexus S 4G is a phone for the purists, like the next Nexus will be, and hopefully Sprint will play a bigger part in that phone’s launch.
HP's Jon Rubenstein told us that his company wanted to veer in a new direction, and veer it surely did -- the HP Veer 4G will arguably be the smallest fully-functional smartphone on the market when it goes on sale May 15th. In a nutshell, it's a Palm Pixi Plus in the guise of a Pre, only in a delightfully downsized package with webOS 2.1 and thoroughly modern functionality. What does it feel like to Just Type on its tiny keyboard or throw app cards across its itsy-bitsy 2.6-inch screen? How is it as a pocketable HSPA+ hotspot, and will that extra G decimate its miniscule 910mAh battery? These are the questions that drove us when playing with the Veer 4G this week, and you'll find the answers shortly after the break.
Design
When first we saw the HP Veer, it was a miniature Pre 2 in most every appreciable way -- deep black coatings, soft-touch plastics and buttons in all the same places. AT&T's new white version, however, looks and feels like a jumbo chicken egg. It's still cute as a button and that hinge still slides shut with a superbly satisfying snap, but the ultra thin, lightly textured white plastic shell is a little bit creaky and cheap. (Note: the soft-touch black model will also be available.) We found it a little uncomfortable to hold flat against our palms for this very reason, actually, but the fingertip grip is risky too -- like the aforementioned egg, the Veer is relatively easy to drop, and we don't suspect that Humpty will take kindly to many falls. At the same time, we're not at all worried about the screen -- it's covered with a nice big piece of curved Gorilla Glass, and it takes a substantial, weighty press between thumb and forefinger to make any kind of impression on the liquid crystals underneath. There's a little speaker on top, and Palm's gesture area (with LED landing strip indicator) on the bottom.
Circling the phone's edge clockwise, you'll find the volume lock and power button flanking the top right corner -- both solid, metallic, and easy to find and actuate by touch alone, and three-quarters of the way up the right edge, there is Palm's proprietary magnetic charge / sync port. This requires a special USB cable to use, unfortunately, though you do get that fancy MagSafe effect, and the port does double duty by hosting the included headphone adapter -- because there's no dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack. It's a chore to carry around an easily misplaced little nicknack like the adapter, but it does work here, and the magnets are strong enough to hold up the Veer by your headphone cables (not that we recommend anything of the sort). It's also a little annoying the way the software pauses your music whenever you connect or disconnect the adapter since it seems wholly arbitrary -- when you attach it, the phone rapidly transfers from speaker to headphones, then puts a sudden halt to the tune three seconds later. There's nothing on the phone's bottom edge, but you'll find a well-built silvery volume rocker on the left side, a lanyard loop at the upper-left-hand corner, and a five megapixel EDoF camera and speaker around back.
Slide open that slick little hinge with your thumb and it'll snap into place before long, revealing a tiny backlit QWERTY keyboard with roots buried deep in the genealogy of Palm. The Treo 600 all but finalized the layout in 2003, the curved rows arrived with the Treo 650 in 2004, and 2007's Palm Centro ushered in the transparent, jelly-like buttons that the Pre and Pixi are now famous for. In short, you'll be right at home here if you're a Palm junkie, but if not, learning could be a chore. The keys are small and set quite close together, which makes it easy to press more than one at once, and unlike the portrait keyboards on most BlackBerrys, there's barely room for two thumbs. That said, the small size and low weight makes the Veer fairly well suited for single-handed text entry, and it makes sense if your missives are short -- flick open the phone, respond and deftly flick it closed, all with a single thumb. The challenge is keeping a firm grip on the keyboard end of the tiny device while doing so, to avoid flicking it onto the floor.
Small definitely has its advantages, though. There's something to be said for dropping a phone in a pants pocket and barely feeling a bulge.
Display / audio / connectivity
The miniature design is hit and miss, and we could say the same about other hardware characteristics too -- the Veer's screen, for instance, gets bright enough to occasionally use outdoors, but the colors wash out a tad when angled, and while apps and UI elements designed to run natively at the Pixi-matching 320 x 400 resolution looked crisp, zoomed-out websites, card stacks and a few games (particularly Angry Birds) showed loads of jagged edges. The actual capacitive digitizer is responsive to a fault, which makes tossing around cards a breeze, but we found that we could accidentally trigger a variety of actions with stray fingertips, if we didn't make sure to grip the tiny device well away from the screen.
The Veer's speaker is as small as you'd expect, at least judging from the grille around back, but we were actually pleasantly surprised with its capabilities. It's not suited for serious listening or a portable party, but it handles the occasional tune quite nicely -- you can fit a little over 6GB of them here -- and it's plenty loud, just the opposite of the Palm Pixi. Good stuff.
Call quality and reception were fairly average for AT&T in San Francisco, with a few interesting quirks -- despite its size, the Veer has a pair of mics for active noise cancellation, and they work moderately well, drowning out light car engine noise, and a variety of background disturbances. Likely because of its size, however, those mics don't drown out one important distraction when the Veer is closed: since the speaker and mic are so close together when the keyboard isn't extended, we found the person on the other end of the line could sometimes hear themselves. Data speeds were fairly reasonable though -- we averaged around 2Mbps downloads and 1Mbps uploads with three bars of service, and topped out at 5Mbps down in a particularly generous (and rare) five-bar coverage zone. We wouldn't be terribly comfortable calling those 4G, but they are in line with what we've seen from the Atrix and Infuse in the same zones, and whether on our handset or a laptop (via the Veer's mobile hotspot) it made for quick page loads. We also didn't have much trouble getting a GPS lock.
Camera
We've said our piece on EDoF (Extended Depth of Field) smartphone cameras, and the 5 megapixel imager in the Veer is definitely one of them -- in short, everything's in focus, everything looks practically flat as a pancake, and you can't take macro shots, just like with the Pre and Pre 2. Not only that, the sensor isn't terribly good -- it snaps passable pictures in daylight, though the exposure compensation is pretty aggressive and makes it difficult to take well-lit shots, and in darker environs, well... it's grainy as all get-out.
We kind of wish the Veer had a nice hardware camera button for single-handed photos of opportunity -- responsiveness aside, it's one of the few things we liked about the similarly-sized Kin One -- as the software button and keyboard shortcuts aren't terribly convenient for a single hand, and can jar the camera when you press down. But who are we kidding here? There's no excuse for a social phone without a good camera to begin with. Why not trade a couple of those megapixels for a better sensor, HP? The Sidekick 4G retails for the same $100 price on contract, but comes with a wonderful little 3 megapixel autofocus module.
Of course, the Veer is more than just a tiny phone -- it represents the first real push for webOS 2.0. We dedicated over 2,000 words last year to how intuitive and functional the operating system is, and we won't repeat all of them here, but suffice it to say that the Veer blazes because everything you can do is simply a swipe or two away.
f you're unfamiliar with webOS, it works a little something like this: every app and settings page is represented by a virtual playing card, and your phone is the deck. Swipe open the app drawer and select an app, and it will launch in a little card-shaped window. Swipe down to make it appear full screen, swipe up to minimize again. Add another, and the second will appear as another card next to it -- instant, intuitive multitasking. Repeat as many times as you'd like (we had 48 cards open at once and apps still worked fine, though they took additional time to load), then swipe them all the way up to the top of the screen, one by one, to deal them into the ether and free up system resources.
Say you've got related tasks -- perhaps you're planning a date? Stack your Yelp restaurant recommendation card, Google Maps location card, and your date's contact information card in a miniature "hand" -- and when your date texts you that they'll be late, you can swipe up the unobtrusive notification that appears in the lower-right-hand corner to view it, swipe it aside to dismiss it (or tap to reply) and continue with your plans. Slide out that keyboard on the homescreen and press a single key, and Palm's Just Type universal search engine will compare your entry against your contacts, email and a host of custom search engines quite rapidly, and slide further down the screen and you'll find buttons to immediately make your text input into a new memo, email, task, SMS, calendar event or social network status. Oh, and copy / paste shortcuts don't require any long presses here, just one finger on the gesture area and a tap of the appropriate letter.
What's astounding is that -- except for some occasional hiccups and apps that take a moment to load -- all of this happens as quickly as your finger moves. That's how seamless this UI is, and it makes the mini Veer look mighty powerful. Truth be told, there is some potent silicon underneath -- the same 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM7230 you'll find in the likes of the T-Mobile G2 -- and 512MB of RAM, but we've used "faster" Android devices that didn't feel nearly this fluid.
In fact, we almost wonder if the MSM7230 might be overkill here, at least without some additional throttling when it's not under load -- we enjoyed its power in a variety of apps, but it can suck down battery juice. You'll want to charge the battery nightly just as you would for most larger smartphones.
Source: Engadget