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HTC S710
Price: free to around £300, depending on contract/supplier

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Andy Shaw

This review updated: 04/08/2007
Featured in magazine:
Issue 165
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: Microsoft/HTC
Tel: www.europe.htc.com
Web Address: www.microsoft.com/uk


The idea behind Windows Mobile is that being away from your computer doesn't have to mean that you can't access your data, your communications or the web. The latest version has a range of new features to give you more control on the go, and it's well matched with HTC's latest pocket marvel, which packs a sliding QWERTY keyboard into a package small enough to ensure your pockets won't burst at the seams.

Features
The basic features of Windows Mobile are nothing new: by linking more powerful software with a phone's basic features, you can integrate services like email and web surfing with more familiar operations like texting and making calls. Windows Mobile does this very well, and now also integrates Windows Live services such as Hotmail and Live Messenger.

As before, any POP3 email address can be configured in the device but in order to collect mail you'll have to do a 'send and receive' as this won't push emails to your phone (like BlackBerry does) unless you're in a corporate setting. Office Mobile suite has also been introduced, which lets you manage and review documents sent to you by email.

One of the handy things about the HTC phone is that it offers a Wi-Fi connection as well as the more traditional mobile data services. This means that if you're within sniffing distance of a Wi-Fi network, you can spare your mobile bandwidth limit and get a significant speed boost.

Performance
Windows Mobile has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of what phones can do. While this is good for getting mobile-phone manufacturers to keep up, the software often feels sluggish in responding to your whims, especially when performing tasks such as switching from numberpad to keyboard, which requires the screen to flip 90 degrees. It also takes an age to start up.

The Live integration is handy but less than perfect – we found that logging into Live Messenger left contacts appearing offline, even though they were at that moment definitely online. The Office suite was also disappointing – you can edit files that you save to the device (such as email attachments) but you can't create a new document from scratch.

Ease of use
Typing on the pop-out screen is easy – in fact, it's almost too easy. It's logically laid out like a QWERTY keyboard but fast typers may find themselves running ahead of the device's capabilities, as only one key can be pressed at a time and any overlap is not accommodated for. Although the keyboard is great for emails and text messages, it would be nice to have the option of a touch-screen, especially when using functions like the calendar. The software is easy to find your way around and the keyboard's cursor keys or the thumbpad on the numberpad are sufficient, if not ideal, for navigating around it.

Value for money
If you're ready for a new phone or network, it's worth looking around for a company that can do you a deal on a contract and phone in partnership. For this set-up, Orange (www.orange.co.uk) is currently looking like the best bet, with its re-badged SPV E650. It's available for free if the monthly basic contract is high enough, but even on a £20 per month offer, the phone only rises to £30. If you're going to buy it sim-free from HTC you're looking at a significantly steeper price – we shopped around and found offers between £250 and £300.

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