Paul (P)Reviews the HTC S710 'Vox'

[Guest Dster]

...it is not a true smartphone.

I'm a little confused as to why this point keeps coming up.

M$ has two distinct versions of their mobile operating systems, one with touchscreen, one without. The latter was officially named, until WM6, the "smartphone" edition. Another significant difference is the dependence of the smartphone version OS on the two soft keys.

This phone has no touchscreen, and runs the smartphone version ("standard" in WM6-speak). That's how I define smartphone. Is there some other, subjective definition out there? Also, when slid closed, it looks like a phone. That is, incidentally, a big selling point. I don't want to be in the club and pull something out that looks like some sort of nerdy device.

Anyways, thanks Paul for the review, it's made me even more excited for the arrival of my Vox -- current ETA last week of April.

Edited April 2, 2007 by Dster

[Guest Griff_FFOC]

Nice review.

If the device s keypad locked (which i'm presuming it has) will opening the keyboard unlock it?

(you mention it wakes it up, but not anything about unlocking) ;)

Cheers.

[Guest nuttyphilt]

Does the Vox have coloured LEDs to indicated missed calls, or messages? One of the annoying things about the C600 is you have to look at the screen to see if you've got any alerts....

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

A treo @178 grams is also not to heavy for some people. But the idea of a smartphone is to have a normal phone that is smart.............either with windows5/6 or symbiam included. Most normal phones (without windows5/6 or symbiam) are now quite light and the smartphones should reflect this. As the c600 etc. has done.

Just because some people are happy to carry a 140 gram plus phone should not detract from the 'what constitutes a smartphone' debate. What market is the Vox aimed at? Many members here state that they will wait for the 'Wings', because it is lighter, but not as light as first thought. 120 grams not 110. If they made a not qwerty keypad version at least that would be something. A review should reflect this and if marks were given then some should be deducted from the Vox score because it is not a true smartphone.

A Treo is a Pocket PC because, er, it runs Pocket PC OS.

If people here are waiting for the wings, I strongly suspect that's due to 3G / GPS etc. rather than being 20g lighter!

The Vox IS a true Smartphone, it runs the Smartphone OS!

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Nice review.

If the device s keypad locked (which i'm presuming it has) will opening the keyboard unlock it?

(you mention it wakes it up, but not anything about unlocking) ;)

Cheers.

I had to return the device today pending arrival of a full production device, so I can tell you that when I get the new one!

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Does the Vox have coloured LEDs to indicated missed calls, or messages? One of the annoying things about the C600 is you have to look at the screen to see if you've got any alerts....

There are 2 notification LEDs, not sure on whether they are used to alert to messages etc., will check when I get my production device.

P

[Guest looeee]

I think I'm glad I got an o2 graphite which is 3/4 of the weight, has 3g and a decent camera and no gimmicky keyboard nonsense

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Yeah, the Graphite is nice and has good specs, with the exception of the fact the screen isn't a patch on the Vox's, and it's WM5 rather than 6.

My Graphite review is underway ;)

P

[Guest RSkillz]

I actually like the "extUSB" port on my P4350 and I think I will like it just as much on the HTC VoX.

Why? Because it's a rocksolid connection and causes no pops and cracks when playing music.

I also have a 8310 with the 2.5 audio connection and well...it sucks!

whenever I connect my adapter cable and start moving the cable I hear interference in the music

currently playing... with the extUSB port this problem has been fixed.

I do agree a "industry standard" 3.5 connection would be very very nice to have embedded in the device.

Also, Paul, have you tried TCPMP on the VoX? I'm really curious about playing a full screen movie on the VoX

and the switch the screen to landscape. This is something I use ALOT with my P4350 and TCPMP can't handle it,

so I switched to the newer Coreplayer, but it's much slower.

(I did read that the slowness issue will be resolved on the next update tho)

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Not tried it i'm afraid... will let you know when my replacement unit arrives!

P

[Guest _Nemo_]

Thank you for the review, I think this looks like a really nice bit of kit.

Just two quick questions:

1) Does the Vox work syncing content with Windows Media Player? (One of the biggest annoyances with my C550 is that this doesn't work)

2) What are the wireless security protocols the device supports for WiFi use?

Thanks.

Edited April 5, 2007 by _Nemo_

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

1) Yes, the C550 shoudl too tho?

2) Everything you should need I suspect... I don't have the full list to hand. However WM5 AKU3 + added WPA2 etc.

P

[Guest _Nemo_]

1) Yes, the C550 shoudl too tho?

It's a known issue with the c550 as far as I'm aware. Anyway, I like to listen to a lot of music/podcasts on my phone, and it's more than slightly annoying having to manually navigate folders every time to copy files over, so it's important to me that the Vox can do that.

Thanks again.

[Guest dm.wood]

A Treo is a Pocket PC because, er, it runs Pocket PC OS.

If people here are waiting for the wings, I strongly suspect that's due to 3G / GPS etc. rather than being 20g lighter!

The Vox IS a true Smartphone, it runs the Smartphone OS!

P

I have no desire to start flaming here but hey Moonshot .. Pauls review is Pauls review..nothing more .. I tend to agree with his thoughts on the phone and that the wings version is something that people may hold out for.

That being said rather than slate another persons review why not get off your arse and do one yourself.... instead of trying to pull someone elses to pieces?

If you have this phone then post a review if not then you are hardly in a position to critcise another persons opinion..especially if you are basing your views purely on what you have read! ;)

Rant over..please release the wings version soon :D

[Guest datasamm]

Thanks for the review Paul, very useful. I was looking to upgrade. I am currently using SPV C550 and it’s a great phone indeed!

I use it mainly for navigation (tomtom) and watching movies (tcpmp player).

What I like about the HTC S710 is that it got Windows Mobile 6, WIFI (at least I can put my router into more use) and most importantly the extUSB port. As the C550 gives me cracking noise if I move around when listening or watching movies, so that problem will be out of the way. Off course a 3.5 would be less of a headache (wouldn't need that extra cable). But not complaining.

I will wait to get this one, after I get a confirmation of tomtom and the tcpmp player off course (at the moment movies are saved in 320x240, so wondering how that would appear as the C550 plays very well).

I know a lot of people are complaining about the weight. For me the weight is fine, I remember my first phone. It was a brick the Nokia 1610.

But if HTC offered the same phone:

1. With Qwerty Keyboard

2. Without the Qwerty Keyboard.

For me, I would go with option 2, without the Qwerty Keyboard as I don't need it, and I don't like the fact of extra buttons stuck in between the phone and also the springs. Sign of more problems personally. But on the other hand, other people would like it.

So anyway.

I think I will wait for this phone, hopefully it will be a good upgrade too and you never know option 1 might be available.

;)

SaMm

Nokia 1610, 8210, 8850.

SPV E100, C550.

[Guest Monolithix (MVP)]

Yeah that is one thing to say about the S710, if HTC can make a handset so compact with a gorgeous screen like that you have to wonder what they're capable of doing without a keyboard, would certainly drop upto maybe 5mm from the thickness.

As for TCPMP playback the screen is larger but still has the same resolution, so you'll find they'll play just as well on the S710 as your C550!

[Guest Samsonite]

so is there an official launch date for this handset then?

Expansys are saying stock for the 2nd of May now and Inkino are giving the 25th April but are the more expensive of the two.

Do these dates mean that the official Orange handset is a June/July launch? is there any news on T-Mob picking it up either...

I really want to hang on for this but my phone has one foot in the grave and the other on a bar of soap - i can see myself getting the Graphite if i'm not careful...

[Guest Monolithix (MVP)]

http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?partner=modaco&i=145682

22nd April according to that page! Also the E650 was in this months Orange mag as coming soon... hopefully we should see it by May (seeing as Expansys and O are both rubbish for slipping launch dates!)

[Guest Samsonite]

aha! the page i was looking at that gave the 2nd May was a bundle page with screen protectors et al...

so whats the best guess based on experience then? early or late May?

[Guest Monolithix (MVP)]

Well despite their history of late releases, half the phones in the coming soon section of the O mag are actually available now. They also managed the N95 in a fairly timely manner, so hopefully the E650 shouldn't be too far off (i'd still hedge my bets on it being available by the first week of May though). No way to tell for sure of course though ;)

[Guest Griff_FFOC]

Well despite their history of late releases, half the phones in the coming soon section of the O mag are actually available now. They also managed the N95 in a fairly timely manner, so hopefully the E650 shouldn't be too far off (i'd still hedge my bets on it being available by the first week of May though). No way to tell for sure of course though ;)

I asked a guy in an Orange shop today about the E650 and he replied "the what?" <_<

He looked on his computer for a while, then went out back to speak to someone, and he replied the only info they currently had was "April". So hopefully it'll be in the next couple of weeks.

[Guest Griff_FFOC]

It's getting closer.

Its now on Orange's coming soon list ;)

http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handset...spv_e650/detail

[Guest Monolithix (MVP)]

7 days standby, yeah right they wish. Someone should do something about rediculous battery life stats claimed by phone manufacturers.

[Guest moonshot]

Even Orange seem to embarrassed to admit the correct weight ;)

http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handset...v_e650/features

[Guest Michael Pearson]

Does it support microSDHC? I want more than 2 gb of space! Plus, the promise of 8 gb cards coming up is nice too.