Windows Mobile 6.5

Original review source: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lg-gm750-667464/review

LG's GM750 is an entry-level touchscreen smartphone, boasting a decent specification and both Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system and LG's S-Class interface.

Hardware buttons are limited, with most functions carried out via the 3-inch touchscreen display. There's also a small optical pad, which works well and lets you swipe a finger to navigate the interface.

Original review source: http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/hands-on-sony-ericsson-xperia-x2-review-650180

Sony Ericsson has brought out another version of its Xperia line up, the Xperia X2, and hopes to capture the interest of those looking for a phone that crosses the line between business and leisure. The new phone echoes the design of the original X1, but improves in nearly every area, with Sony Ericsson taking the lead on construction for the new X2.

The new phone is a compact device with a slide out QWERTY keyboard, and the panels system developed for the original X1 also remains.

The build quality of the X2 is actually pretty high – it feels plasticky but not in a cheap way, and the design is such that it fits nicely in the hand for one finger use, but slides out with a pleasant action to reveal the full QWERTY keyboard.

There's an 8.1MP camera on the back with single LED flash, although it's more a high-end bit of hardware bolted onto a business phone, as it doesn't carry the full CyberShot branding or anything (although that doesn't mean it's a poor effort).

It’s interesting to watch the scrap currently taking place on the smartphone table at the moment, especially those smartphones further down the table under the Apple iPhone. Some, like the Blackberry, allow their QWERTY-based set up to lead their offerings, but the Samsung Omnia 2 is sticking to its touchscreen guns.

The screen has grown by half an inch, now measuring 3.7 inches, and now uses more power efficient and brighter OLED technology instead of the old Omnia’s TFT technology. Not only is the screen easier to read but the battery should last longer – we weren’t able to test this ourselves but Samsung claims it has an extra two hours talk time, when compared to the old Omnia, when connected to a 3G network, and an extra 90 minutes on a 2G network.

The Omnia 2 comes with Windows Mobile 6.5 which a definite improvement on older versions of Microsoft’s mobile OS. Compatibility with Microsoft Exchange and a powerful version of Microsoft Office brought together in a handset that can connect virtually anywhere – HSDPA, HSUPA, plus EDGE and quad-band GSM and WI-FI – all makes this a neat bundle. The 800MHz processor isn’t as impressive as we would have liked though, meaning it isn’t a particularly fast phone and causes the interface to suffer from frequent lag.

The HTC HD2 is, quite frankly, the business when it comes to Windows Mobile phones. We loved the customised user interface and the huge 109mm (4.3 inch) screen makes the usually tiny icons a delight to use. Despite its huge screen it doesn’t feel bulky since the bezel around the screen is so small. At 67×121x11mm it’s more than possible to carry the HD2 in your pocket.

The larger touchscreen makes surfing the Web or watching videos a breeze. But what really distinguishes it from the competition is that it makes using Windows Mobile truly user-friendly. We all know that, despite improvements in the latest version of the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, it was originally designed to work with tiny icons and a stylus. As our consumer tastes move away from using clumsy (and easily lost) tools such as the stylus in favour of using our fingers, we want big, finger-friendly icons. HTC have delivered exactly that by making the HD2’s huge screen finger-tapping-friendly with a responsive touchscreen so you don’t have to apply pressure to make it work.