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(More customer reviews)(POTENTIAL W7Phone buyer...this is a great phone...but, read complete review and read the end for an important issue associated with hooking up to your Outlook account at work...)
Okay - so, I've been jonesing for a new phone for work. Have Blackberry Tour(because old company is a Blackberry company). Come to new company where they're "more lenient" on the technology you can have. So - started trying phones (I love Verizon's 30 day satisfaction guarantee). First one: iPhone - sexy in an Anna Kournikova way (no one can debate that Apple has top-notch industrial design) - but, ultimately, an iPhone isn't for a business guy. Cool apps (and alot of them)...but, seriously - most companies use Outlook Exchange and MS Office...and there's the problem: Apple doesn't like to play in the same sandbox. Stable platform, tons of apps, pretty to look at...but won't win Wimbledon - because the integration between business programs (Office, Outlook, etc) isn't there. Scheduling a multiple-person-invite calendar event? Holy... Droid: depending on the review - possibly stable platform...but, seriously - the app integration is all over the place - depends on the platform (verizon, sprint, t-Mobile, etc), the manufacturer, and the app itself. Tons of apps...but, it, too, isn't MS. Blackberry? The only reason it's still alive is because of the Blackberry Enterprise Server which allows monster Enterprise companies to remote-zap the blackberry if you leave the company with Blackberry in hand, and sensitive e-mails/contact information in said Blackberry...but, they are so behind on apps and touchscreen integration it's scary. But, if you want e-mail and calendar and that's it...It's the phone for you. If you want more, and have friend iPhone envy or droid envy...just wait, my friend...just wait...
...for the HTC Trophy W7 Phone!!! Just got it, have played with it for two days now. I can only say...WOW. From a "user friendly" standpoint - it's as close as MS is gonna get to an iPhone without pissing off Steve Jobs. It uses tile icons much like the iPhone and Droid which can be moved around, pinned to the Start screen, deleted from the start screen. But, what is different is that some of the tiles (not all) are what Microsoft calls "Live Tiles", and they give you a real-time data feed as to what's going on behind the tile (in the app itself). The Live Tiles (so far) are "Phone" (missed calls/voicemails), "Outlook", "Hotmail" (not sure about Yahoo or Google mail), "Messaging" (texting). So - if you have four e-mails that have popped into Outlook...the Outlook tile will have a number "4" on it. Once you tap the tile...the app launches...you do your thing (read, delete, respond, stare at the e-mail in shocked amazement as to the off-color joke your boss just sent to the company-wide distribution list) and when you close it, the tile resets to zero again. This way you can see at a glance what's going on in your business and personal and communication life.
The tiles are also "contextual" in nature...and this is where the phone really starts to depart from the iPhone and the Droid offerings.
Tap a tile (let's say, People) - it allows you to see, pull, edit, etc. ANY person that you deal with - it pulls your contacts from Outlook. It pulls your friends from Facebook. It pulls your contacts from Windows Live/Hotmail. If you tap Outlook - and pull up an e-mail that someone (in your contact list...or in facebook, or in Windows Live) sent you...you tap on their name...and BAM - their contact information pulls up (see "People tile" above)...whatever you've loaded in on whatever platform you are using...it assumes, at this point, that you now want to contact this person in some fashion (contextual link) - which is why it does this. So, if a friend sends you an e-mail...you can reply to the email or tap their name and CALL them. Same with Music/Video, Pictures...if you have it, anywhere, on any MS system that you use (on phone, in Windows Live, in Zune, on Facebook)...you can access it on the phone. It assumes that, if you want to see "pictures" - that you want to have access to ALL pictures. If you want to search for People...you want to search for ANY person you have dealt with on any platform you have their information on. But, where it gets really cool is the ability to launch into different, linked contextual apps because of what it assumes you want to do. If you search for a People in your phone (tap the People tile, tap the Search magnifying glass icon and enter their name) - once you find that person, you can then call, facebook, or send an e-mail.
...which brings us to the next cool Contextual link: When you tap their e-mail address...it opens a new window giving you a choice to send an e-mail from ANY e-mail app that you've got running on the phone: Outlook, Hotmail/Live, Google, Yahoo.
...someone sends you a contact .vcf card via e-mail. You can open that card, save it...and it prompts you: Save it to Windows Live or Outlook...at which point it then pushes that information to Outlook or Live/Hotmail.
Seriously. This is some pretty cool integration. Again, contextual. It has been designed to shift gears based off the direction you are heading.
And, the contextual function is also geared around the way the "search" function has been designed.If you are in People...you search for People...all people...everywhere, on any platform that synchronizes to the phone. If you are in E-mail..you are searching for any word/person/subject in the e-mails that the phone has access to. If you are in the Marketplace, searching for some apps...you search for any app you wish. The Magnifying glass icon on the front of the phone changes, depending on the context of what you're searching for
Takes a little while to get used to...but, when you do...you start realizing the possibilities.
One of the "cool things that MS actually considered"I (and most people) have multiple places where I have contacts. I have "friends" on Hotmail/Windows Live. I have business contacts in Outlook. I have friends, also, on Facebook...and some of those friends are both Outlook Contacts and/OR Live/Hotmail contacts. So, the same person may exist in three distinct contact platforms. If you are like me, and have segmented your work/play life (I DO NOT want to lose all of my "friends" if I'm ever fired or leave the company that is providing me with Outlook) so that personal friends are on a "non-office" platform (Hotmail, in my case), and work contacts or work associates exist on an "office" platform (Outlook)...when you see the contact information in the People Tile - you will see three (or more) contacts: one from Facebook, Live, and Outlook. Once you have one of them pulled up, you can then LINK them together in the People tile so that they show up as ONE contact in the phone on ONE card - with all of their information from each platform showing up under ONE uniform contact. And, if it is an MS platform that the information is housed on (Outlook/Live)...if you edit the information on the phone...it will synchronize and edit the same information across platforms. Whoa. Haven't tested Yahoo and Google since I don't have e-mail accounts with either...so, could not advise as to whether you can SYNCHRONIZE with those other platforms...but, I do know that you can link the information from those platforms. Whoa.
With the exception of a couple of MS "headscratcher" software "gaps" that you may have heard about (no cut-and-paste on the original W7 phone rollout a year ago? Seriously?)...most of those gaps have been fixed (cut-and-paste IS on the HTC trophy)...and the rest that I haven't identified yet (so may not be all that important) should probably get cleared up on their Mango update that is coming out sometime in October. (UPDATE: Mango did not fix one major gaff: if the person's e-mail is NOT in the phone...you cannot send a calendar invite via e-mail to that person. Their e-mail information MUST be in the phone under one of the platforms that is integrated (facebook, Live/Hotmail, Outlook, Yahoo/Google)...otherwise...you CANNOT send an e-mail to that person. Weird.
This is a kick-rear phone. If you don't want an iPhone...or had one like me and ultimately realized it wasn't going to work as you wanted it to...and don't want a droid...and are tired of the limitations that Blackberry puts on you... you will like...and probably love the phone. I do. I had a blackberry...tired of the limitations. I had an iPhone...loved the phone, but not as a business guy. Had a droid X...and, honestly...yechhh. Good phone overall, good hardware...but, dang...clunky to work from a software standpoint (bad user interface, overall...not like the iphone at all). I've owned them, and tried them all...and I've found my phone that I'm going to keep for a long while. The iPhone is a beautiful phone...and no one can argue that Cupertino's industrial design is second to none...and is really, really FUN. But, not built for business. The Blackberry? All business and ZERO fun (sales are WAY down for Blackberry products across the board because of the pitifully weak app offering, slow processor speeds, and lack of overall "coolness" that has started some significant iPhone and Droid envy among the Blackberry-carrying people). The Droid? Probably a good middle-of-the-road choice for those who aren't Applites or those who still wear their "Hate Gates" jammies.
But, if you want the ability to work with Office and Outlook the way you are right now with your Blackberry, and the way you wish you could with your Droid and iPhone...and want a really, really interesting and neat UI that meshes everything together...this may be a good...Read more›
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HTC Trophy Windows Phone (Verizon Wireless)Keep yourself entertained with Xbox LIVE gaming and Zune-powered music and videos, yet stay productive on the go with the 3G-enabled HTC Trophy for Verizon Wireless, which runs the Windows Phone 7 operating system (learn more below). It's powered by a blazing-fast 1 GHz Snapdragon processor for a satisfyingly quick and nimble mobile data experience, and it features a 3.8-inch touchscreen that's complemented by stereo speakers with SRS WOW HD surround sound.
The HTC Trophy is ready to roam the globe with compatibility with wireless voice service and data coverage in more than 200 countries--with more than 125 offering 3G data speeds. It also sports a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and HD 720p video recording, 16 GB of memory, Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, an FM radio, and up to 4.9 hours of talk time.
More Music, More Movies, More Games
Buy a Zune Pass subscription and instantly stream or download your choice of millions of songs. Stream movies with Netflix or music with Slacker Internet Radio for everything from classic rock to Spanish Pop. You'll also have access to over 15,000 apps and games in Windows Phone Marketplace through the Marketplace Hub.
Keep gaming when you're on the go with the Gamers Hub featuring Xbox LIVE, which provides mobile to access your avatar, profile, and gamer scores to keep track of your wins. Play solo, or take on friends in turn-based games.
Vital Statistics
The HTC Trophy weighs 4.9 ounces and measures 4.67 x 2.42 x 0.47 inches. Its 1300 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.9 hours (294 minutes) of talk time, and up to 286 hours (11+ days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as EV-DO, Rev A 3G frequencies. It also offers quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) frequencies and 3G networks (850/1900/2100 MHz) in foreign countries.
What's in the Box
HTC Trophy handset, rechargeable battery, charger, USB cable, SIM card (for global GSM network access), quick start guide
The Power of Windows Phone 7
The Windows Phone 7 operating system has been designed to help you do more in less steps, and keep you updated on the things that are most important to you.
You can customize the Live Tiles on your Start Screen with what you care about--from people to web sites--and they'll continuously scan the web to keep you updated about your world at a glance.
Windows Phone 7 also brings together the things you use most on your phone in six Hubs: People, Pictures, Office, Games, Music + Video, and Marketplace. Grouping them in Hubs like this lets you get to what you need, quicker, because you don't have to jump from apps to the web to contact lists.
People Hub: Less Out-of-Touch, More In-the-Know. From calls to texting to social networks, receive updates instantly with the latest photos posted, comments made, and messages received with just one glance. Post and share comments instantly after receiving live updates from social networks.
Games Hub: Just Be Yourself... Or, Someone Else. Download new games, test them before you buy and play friends while on the go with built-in Xbox LIVE features. Use your avatar and gamer profile to track scores and wins, challenge friends to play on the go, and become a better gamer with Windows Phone 7's "Spotlight" tips, tricks, and advice.
Music and Video Hub: Your Music, Video, and Radio... All in One Place. Easily find, access, and stream your favorite music, radio, TV, and videos while on the go. Purchase music by the song or get unlimited music downloads for one monthly price with Zune Pass. Wirelessly sync your favorite music and videos to a PC.
Pictures Hub: Snap It, Share It, Say It. Share, add captions, and post pictures to Facebook or Windows Live without needing an extra application. Receive instant updates about friends' and family's latest photos from social networks.
Office Hub: View and Update Office Documents from Your Phone Windows Phone 7 has mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint on hand for reviewing or editing on the go. Notes in OneNote Mobile--grocery lists, meeting memos, spontaneous musings--can sync wirelessly to the web and include voice clips and pictures. SharePoint Workspace Mobile makes it easier to collaborate with your coworkers when you're out and about.
Marketplace: Find Something New Everyday Personalizing your phone just got quicker, more convenient with the Marketplace Hub, where you can discover and download apps, games, music, videos, and more. You'll find popular titles in all the categories you care about, with hundreds of new apps available every week. There are apps with Live Tiles that automatically update on the Start Screen, such as current weather with Weatherbug and breaking news from the Associated Press app.
Verizon Wireless Services Reliable 3G Network
With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon Wireless multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps.
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