Toshiba TG01 Review (indept)

[Guest oalex]

Hey guys, just found the first indepth review of the Toshiba TG01.

13 pages in all.

Summary:

We liked

Once you get past the problems of Windows Mobile 6.1 (and that takes a while) the power of the phone is great. Internet connectivity is fast, the phone runs smoothly in most cases, and the whole thing can re-orientate itself to work in landscape mode.

The 8GB card in the box is a nice present from Orange, and the TG01 is very, very pocket friendly given its size (we constantly had to check we actually still had it with us, which we didn't expect).

It's not the ugliest device we've ever seen either, and for a different phone with business functionality, there are worse.

We disliked

But the problems far outweigh the positives. Speaking to a couple of people playing with the device, they feel the same way - the Windows Mobile 6.1 interface ruins the TG01.

People can talk until they are blue in the face about the power of the OS, but at the end of the day when you have to poke a small tickbox to do something crucial on the phone five times, you're going to want to throw the phone out of the window.

The little things really mount up as well, with elements like having to wait two seconds to start video recording and Internet Explorer Mobile not being able to zoom in enough to read text.

We could go on and on about the things we don't like in the phone, and it's just such a shame as we had such high hopes for the fastest, thinnest and most grandly-screened smartphone on the market. But at the end of the day the decision to use Windows Mobile 6.1 (which CAN be executed well, just ask HTC) has hampered the phone far too much.

TechRadar verdict

As you'll have noted, the OS is the thing that we dislike the most in this phone - and if a 1GHz processor can't iron out the problems, nothing can.

We'll be happy to revisit the Toshiba TG01 in a few months time when it comes with Windows Mobile 6.5, but right now we're just very disappointed with a missed opportunity.

Like we said, you soon learn the tricks to get around the phone where necessary, but there's no excuse for the ridiculously hard to use internet browser, the sheer amount of menus you have to plough through to do the simplest things (such as write a message) or watching a video.

We'd like to believe that the next iteration of WinMo will fix most of the problems with its finger-friendly interface, but in all honesty we're not that hopeful.

[Guest SinSilla]

Thx for posting this. 

I´m somehow glad that the majority of problems that are existing are only related to Windows Mobile.

One can get rid of these problems in less than 5 Minutes with Opera Mobile and SPB Mobile Shell. 

[Guest jamjamjam]

Completely agree with you SinSilla.

Its ridiculous to review a windows mobile phone and go on about all the little quirks of the OS (that everyone has known about for years) when they are so easily fixed i.e.

Interface > Winterface, SPB Mobile etc

Browser > Opera

They should understand that most people who buy a phone like this and choose this operating system, will undoubtedly customise it straight away.

Also, comparing the camera to a standalone camera on a phone where this is not a selling point at all, is stupid.

Rubbish review in my opinion.

[Guest ZenithUK]

I'd be installing the TouchFlo3D cab in a heartbeat, then Tomtom, then Opera.

The point of WinMo is that you can customise it to the hilt.

That said, the new HTC Sense UI looks nice on Android (HTC Hero) so if they migrated a version of that to WinMo, I'm sure more people would consider it. 2secs to start recording is something I take for granted now. ;)

[Guest thebigshazbowski]

Actually - I think the review was right. Basically because it's aimed at the general user. Us here are probably 10% of those users - whom happen to be internet and mobile savvy enough to demand more from our device and find the means to do so.

I know enough people here, especially at work who are given a smartphone and don't really use it for anything else other than calls and texts...and that is the general population. They buy devices like these to show off more than anything I reckon.

In any case - my niggly bits I had with my TG01 was the incall volume was so low and jumpy, and WMP couldn't see my storage card. Both easily fixable by searching here or on the xda devs site.

So currently - Core Player + SPB Mobile Shell 3 + Skyfire +Sony Bluetooth headset BT2AA = mobile bliss for me.

Surprisingly I found the Microsoft Myphone service quite useful for backing up contacts - yay!

Oh and if you use Skyfire - watch your data tariff - Orange are absolutely stingy with their paltry 500mb data limit that I can't wait for an unlocker to come by so I can use my Voda Sim and their 3gb limit.

Things I need sorting out when I can be bothered are just the usual tweaks like using mp3s as ringtone and system sounds from storage card, decent GPS sw, ram boost (if one exists similar to the android one), and I can get the shake control to work either. Suggestion welcome...

[Guest Dogmann55]

Hi all,

Well personally i don't agree with much of that review at all and I'm a new user coming back to WM the last WM devcie i tried was the SE Xperia X1 and it didn't even last two days. I agree with SinSilla as did exactly what he did i added SPB Mobile Shell 3.0 and Opera Mobile and that was it no more nasty WM interface to deal with or difficult Web browsing either and achieving both was easy and took very little effort or time. I'm seriously enjoying this device with the great 4.1" screen and CorePlayer is excellent for both my Muisc and Videos. Unfortunately mine stopped changing from Portrait to Landscape late last night so am awaiting a new replacement early tonight. I have alreday started my hands on review and once i get and set up my new device should complete it ready for posting.

@thebigshazbowski

Go into Toshiba Tools and in there you will find the settings for Shake control, Double Tap to bring up Task Manager, and a few other behaviour settings although it seems some are only for when you are using the Toshiba Stripes UI.

Marc