HTC Mozart 7 review

I have finally managed to get my hands on a Windows Phone 7, and boy it is cool! OK, so that sentence is hardly an in-depth review, which is something I am very keen to do. So, rather than write a 1500 word review about the software and hardware, I thought it would make sense to break it up into two installments. This first chapter will focus on the particular hardware device I have purchased, a HTC Mozart 7 from Telstra. The second chapter, one that will follow in a week or two, will examine the software stack, Windows Phone 7. I think this is an important distinction to make, since the OS itself is the more revolutionary aspect here. That, and the fact that any review of Windows Phone 7 does need to, on some level at least, be divorced from the hardware, given how many different devices this OS will be running on by Christmas. I also want to have a bit more time to play around with the software side of things, since that has no much packed into it that any review I did now, a mere 3 days after first getting my hands on the device, would be shallow at best. So, without further adieu, let's get the HTC Mozart 7 hardware review going!

The first thing that really strikes you about the Mozart 7 is the sheer lightness of the device. It feels so light that at first you assume there isn't a battery installed, until you press the Power button at the top and it comes to life. Only then do you realise that, yes, this phone really is as light as it feels. This lack of weight makes it a nice phone to hold, and combined with the thin profile of the device, it fits ever so comfortably in your hand. It feels nice as well, given the majority of the device is made out of a single piece of aluminium (thanks, Apple, for starting this unibody craze!). Aside from two rubberised areas (one for the antenna, another for the battery cover), the entire aluminum feel of the device is really rather nice. With gently curved and rounded edges and corners, the only worry I think I will have with this device is that it could be quite easy to drop. The aluminium body is accented by a few chrome buttons - a Power button at the top (next to the 3.5mm headphone jack - about time someone finally put that thing on top!), a dedicated Camera button (yay!), and a Volume rocker (which feels ever so slightly flimsy).

The front of the device is all glass, with a set of capacitive buttons at the bottom for the Back, Start, and Search features of Windows Phone 7. I have to say, I am not a huge fan of capactitive buttons on my phone, as I do prefer dedicated physical hardware buttons. The problem with capacitive buttons is that they are far too easy to accidentally tap, and I've lost count of how many times I've launched Bing Search by mistake, or been in the middle of a game and suddenly dropped back to the Start screen. This is probably the biggest flaw on the device, really. HTC should have gone with three real buttons. Thankfully, the S-LCD screen on the phone just about balances out this minor negative. It's quite simply the best looking mobile phone display I've yet had, and while I suspect it isn't as good as the SAMOLED screen on the Samsung Omnia 7, it's got excellent viewing angles and great colour reproduction. Certainly, it's a heck of a lot better than the screen I had on my HTC HD2. At 3.7" it's a bit tiny for my liking, but given how pint-sized the device is anyway, the screen feels about right. This size also helps with pixel density as well.

The phone itself comes with an 8 megapixel camera, which so far seems to take fairly decent shots. The autofocus is quite nice, although I do think the flash is a bit over-eager to offer its services. Even in decent daylight, it still occasionally comes on. Hopefully a software update in 2011 will allow one to adjust things in a more granular way there, or maybe HTC can patch the phone to make the thing less sensitive. The built-in speaker on the device is satisfactory, with only minor peak distortion on offer at the highest levels. Non-existent bass is always a problem on these speakers, and so while you will hardly be using it to play your music, it serves well for the occasional phone call and talk-based podcast. The actual design on the back of the phone is quite pleasing, with a strange pattern etched into the aluminium backing. As you can see from the above picture, it almost looks like an homage to the old HTC logo. Either way, HTC manages to continue its tradition of designing attractive-looking handsets which offer exceptional build quality, although on that point I do want to raise a few minor issues I've noticed with my handset.

Give Apple their due, but they certainly know how to design good hardware. The "all in one" design of the iPhone is something that I find interesting, although not particularly to my taste. Having said that, at least it does mean there are very few joins in the iPhone, and very little chance of bits of the device working their way loose over time. The Mozart 7, or at least mine, seems a bit weak in the two non-aluminium areas of the phone, the top antenna area and the lower battery cover area. There is some definite give in both sections, and I am slightly concerned at this. Am sure in the grand scheme of things it won't be a problem, but it would be nice to have purchased a premium product and not have some gaps and give in the device so early on in the game. Let's just hope its more to do with the rubberised material used for these sections, and not indicative of a broader issue with the build quality of the device, which as I said above, is usually more than excellent on any and every HTC device I've ever owned, or indeed owned by anyone I know.

Overall, I am very happy with the hardware side of my new Windows Phone 7. The HTC Mozart 7 is an excellent device, although in conclusion I should point that that this really is the hardware version of the HTC Google Nexus One that came out back in January. The comparisons are there for all to see, but this isn't a problem for me. Right now, the 9 Windows Phone 7 devices planned for release between now and the end of the year are essentially the WP7 versions of each company's respective Google Android phones, so that isn't too surprising. Thankfully, in this device HTC have produced an excellent phone with a great set of features. Supported by the excellent Windows Phone 7 OS (more on that next week!), it's clear that the first device to launch in Australia with WP7 loaded is a winner right out of the gate. Well recommended if you are looking for a new smartphone, and want to try something different to the iPhone.

The epic failure of the Aussie WP7 launch

Source: Microsoft

So on Monday Microsoft released Windows Phone 7 to the Australian public. It was originally meant to be a massive launch, with 5 handsets launching on the same day across the 3 major providers of Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone. Microsoft were even shipping in the Old Spice Guy from YouTube Land to help launch Windows Phone 7 on the Telstra network. It should have been a launch to rival that of any Android handset, and possibly even nip at the heels of Apple's various iPhone launches of recent years.

So what on Earth went wrong? Why did it become a major cock-up? Let's see if we can look at some of the problems, and what it meant for the end user.

The biggest problem the launch had here in the country was quite simple - there simply wasn't any devices available on launch day. There were massive supply issues in this last week. Optus and Vodafone have not released any devices at all at the time of writing, while Telstra have only managed to get 1 handset out to about a dozen stores nationwide. All of which are located in the major capital cities, no less. So forget about it if, like me, you live in a regional city. You haven't got a chance at getting a handset for at least another week or two.

I knew there were problems emerging when, last weekend, Vodafone still did not have any information up on their web site about the planned launch for Monday. Despite numerous customers asking on their web site, as well as forums such as Whirlpool, it became clear that Vodafone would not be attending the party, as it were, on Monday. Optus weren't much better off, with nothing more than a single information page up on their site, which had been placed there earlier this month when the official launch occurred for WP7. A quick call to my local Vodafone store at lunch break on Monday resulted in a strange conversation, which signalled yet more alarm bells for me - the sales assistant I spoke with had zero idea what I was talking about, assuming I was talking about Windows 7, not the new phone OS. It wasn't until she looked at the Vodafone web site herself, that she even realised they were meant to be selling it on that day.

So, quite clearly, they weren't. Since she hadn't even heard about it. And still haven't heard about it to this day. I suspect I will be making the switch to Telstra next month, leaving behind a decade-long association with Vodafone, if I cannot get my hands on one of these new phones soon.

Now, you might be thinking that I am over-reacting - that surely it's just a mobile phone, and that this isn't a big issue, and that I should be patient? Well, that's certainly a valid statement to make - but the other side of the equation is that Microsoft are already well behind in the smartphone race, and cannot afford any more stuff-ups or delays in launching new hardware and software. They have a real image problem at present, Xbox 360 & Windows 7 aside, and need to have a few home runs in a row to get consumers back on their side. This needed to be an Apple-esque flawless launch, but instead it's stuttered out of the gate like a wounded animal.

Hardly the most reassuring message to be sending to potential customers who are already using a slick and modern device like the iPhone, is it? Let's just hope that Microsoft can get it together with their partners, and have things running smoothly in time for the US launch on November 8.

Windows 7 - One Year On

Source: Wikipedia

In just 2 days time, Microsoft will be celebrating the 12 month anniversary of Windows 7, the latest (and some might say greatest) version of the Windows operating system platform. It's hard to believe, in retrospect, just how much skin Microsoft had in this particular game. Back in October 2009, things were not looking good for the Windows brand, and as such there was a lot riding on the success of Windows 7. Thankfully, all reports are that Windows 7 has become the best-selling version of Windows in recent history, outselling both Windows XP and Windows Vista within equal time frames. Microsoft were being completely outgunned at the time by Apple, who were still running their highly successful (even if they were chock full of lies) "Mac vs. PC" ad campaign, the reputation of Windows Vista was in the pits (most of the accusations made against it were completely false and/or unfair), and while Windows 7 wasn't a return to the heady days of Windows 95 (complete with its midnight releases and massive queues to purchase), it's still been a huge success, and now's a chance to reflect on the reasons why.

Of course, one of the biggest reasons for Windows 7's success was quite simply the poor reception that Windows Vista received. As someone who used Vista solidly for 3 years (I purchased a brand new PC the week it was released, and ran it as my primary OS until August of this year), I can safely say that almost all of the criticisms levelled at it - slow performance, incompatible hardware and/or software, security issues et al) were almost always completely false. It seems that most people's perceptions of Windows Vista were based on 2nd and 3rd hand reports, because I know anyone who did use it found it quite an enjoyable experience. The amazing thing is, however, is that a lot of the features that people love about Windows 7 - the Aero interface, system-wide search, the more advanced underpinnings of the OS) were all features originally found in Vista. While it might be unfair to say that Windows 7 is nothing more than "Windows Vista given a spit and polish", in a lot of ways that is very true. The coding team somehow managed to take what was a diamond in the rough, and polish the thing up until it really did shine brightly.

Any discussion of the place of Windows 7 in the marketplace has to include more than a passing mention of Apple, whose extremely negative "Mac vs. PC" ad campaign contributed a lot to the woes of Windows Vista between 2007 and 2009. Microsoft did the honourable thing in that time, and refused to sling mud back. Which was a mistake - it allowed the iCabal's opinions on Vista to take hold in the mainstream, but thankfully the increased performance and UI refinements found in Windows 7 really did make people sit up and take notice. If there is one single piece of evidence that confirms the success of Windows 7 in turning the tide, it's this - Apple shut down their "Mac vs. PC" ad campaign earlier this year, since I guess it was becoming more and more difficult to put Windows down when so many people were discovering just how nice Windows 7 was. Sure, Mac OS X is a good operating system (even if it isn't my cup of tea), but it's hardly the shining light of sheer advancement over Windows that Apple has tried to claim it is. Seems even the customers realised, even if it was a little bit too late for Vista's fortunes.

Microsoft also used the release of Windows 7 to respond to something that they missed out on forseeing with the release of Windows Vista in late 2006. That is, of course, the netbook revolution. These pint-sized underpowered mini laptops are now all the rage, and I myself see more netbooks around the place than I do either desktop PCs or full-sized laptops. Windows Vista was the final Windows release to adhere to the old Microsoft adage that if you can just get it to run, then Moore's Law will take care of speed and performance issues. As soon as a new category emerges, and one that places more emphasis on size over performance, then Vista didn't stand a chance. So Microsoft had some serious catching up to do, and thankfully they did manage to pull it off with Windows 7. It completely displaced Linux as the preferred OS for netbooks, and while we did see a brief reprieve for Windows XP, the fact is there are now more Windows 7 netbooks selling than there are with any other OS at all. Which is good, since the thing really does run well on an Atom-powered netbook. Just a shame battery life isn't better. Ho hum.

I even remember the hype that surrounded the release of Windows 7 last October, with the idea of people around the globe hosting "house parties" to celebrate the release of Windows 7. I myself managed to score one of the party packs, and threw quite a successful Windows 7 House Party for several friends here in Hervey Bay. Scoring a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate (complete with Steve Ballmer's autograph!), along with a host of other goodies in the box, was all very exciting. It was all part of the wonderful feelings surrounding this much anticipated release. Sure, it might not have reached Apple levels of hype (one just has to look at any iPhone launch for proof of that sort of hype), but it was still fun to be a part of something like that. Let's hope Microsoft do it again in 2012 for the release of Windows 8. Well, it would be nice to score a new party pack.

A Windows 7 House Party Pack

So, here's to Windows 7, and another excellent 12 months. While it was clearly a response to Windows Vista, Microsoft need to not become complacent. Windows 8 needs to ensure it is yet another evolutionary step, in much the same way that Windows 7 was over Vista, and Vista was over XP. Once again, Microsoft have missed another tech cycle with Windows - this time, it's tablets and not netbooks that they need to respond to with the next shipping version of Windows. Sure, I have a Windows 7 tablet here, but I've also used an iPad, and I can totally see why that thing is selling so well. Microsoft still have a lot of work to do if they wish to ensure that Windows stays relevant for all people, not just corporate types (who take forever to update their OS' anyway!). Windows 7 has proven to be an excellent platform of success to build from, and so long as Microsoft can deliver Windows 8 on time in 2012, then things should continue to chug along quite nicely. For now, however, let's finish off by looking at one of the more adoreable ads that Microsoft was using 12 months ago when plugging Windows 7 to the masses. Enjoy.

Windows Phone 7 lands!

Source: Microsoft

Yes, that's right folks. Nearly 9 months after it was first unveiled at the Mobile World Congress conference, Microsoft's latest attempt at developing a mobile operating system has been publicly unveiled in New York. Windows Phone 7 is surely set to revolutionise what one expects of a Windows Phone, which isn't hard really, given how lacklustre the various Windows Mobile 6.x iterations have been since 2007. This time around, the team appear to have gone for broke - they've broken with the past, and seemingly started all over again. A brand new codebase. A brand new user interface. A whole slew of on-line services directly linked into the phone, meaning that in so many ways WP7 offers the user the chance to really stay connected wherever they are. All of this was most welcome news at Monday's press conference in New York, given that WM6.x was technically a smartphone platform, but never really seemed to be modern in any real sense. Sure, it had great Exchange ActiveSync support, but that was only really important in isolation 4-5 years ago, before the iPhone came out, and changed the entire game. Microsoft was well behind.

Steve Ballmer and Joe Belfiore were the two who took to the stage on Monday, to show off the core elements which they hope will make WP7 a competitive answer to Apple's iOS platform, and Google's Android platform. The catchphrase of the day seemed to be "always delightful, wonderfully mine". While that is clearly a nice piece of marketing sloganism, at its core what they are attempting to sell is the notion that the user experience (UX) will consistently elicit a feeling of delight from the user, even if that is something as simple as a stark 2D transition animation between screens, or the deep personalisation that occurs when you can seamlessly link your Facebook and Windows Live accounts to the device. This deep level of integration is something I am very keen to play around with later this year when I get my hands on a WP7 device. Paul Thurrott, of the Supersite for Windows fame, has frequently commented on the notion of how lovely it is to switch on a brand new WP7 device, input a single user name and password for your Windows Live account, and have the device flood with your contacts, Facebook photos and updates etc. Lovely.

The links with other Microsoft-owned products is also a major selling point for the new Windows Phone 7, and is not something Apple can really lay claim to, even if they have tried to respond with their insipid Game Centre feature. WP7 will offer the world's first fully portable XBox Live experience, complete with on-device avatar manipulation, Achievements, multi-player turn-based game options, as well as a whole host of high-quality games available from launch day. Furthermore, the phone will have heavy links into the Zune Marketplace for music, videos, and podcasts, which will finally present us with the first proper rival on a mobile platform to Apple's iTunes Music Store. Additionally, the phone will have deep integration with the Bing online service, (for both on-device searching, as well as extensive web-based and map-based searches), as well as making those corporate users happy by offering Microsoft Office 2010 linked directly into the phone. Exchange support will also be present, and really it's just wonderful to see Microsoft finally realising that they have so many disparate elements that need to be combined to make something fantastic.

At this stage, it's hard to say what kind of a reception or impact Windows Phone 7 will have on what is a pretty crowded market. While the smartphone market is still very much in its infancy, I think Microsoft might be taking the best approach here. By adopting Apple's strategy of closely managing the hardware specs and software updates, but coupled with Android's diverse set of hardware partners and form factors, we could end up with the best of both worlds. No need to be locked into a single "one size fits all device" like the Apple approach, but similarly no obvious level of fragmentation such as what the Android platform is currently experiencing. I guess sometimes it does pay to hold back and wait a year or two to see what the rest of the industry does, then choose the best path for you. All the major phone players, such as HTC, Samsung, LG, and Dell, are getting in on the WP7 act, and I look forward to seeing what comes of the worldwide launch next month. I'm gagging for an iOS-esque phone experience, but not in the Apple ecosystem. Windows Phone 7 might just be what I need, and so far all the signs are looking really rather good.

For more details on Windows Phone 7, I really suggest you check out Paul Thurrott's excellent Windows Phone Secrets blog.

The ongoing NBN debate...

Source: ABC News

If there is one defining topic to have emerged out of the post-election waiting game, it's the significance the ALP-backed National Broadband Network (NBN). In all of the deliberations of the key Independents, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor kept referring to the significance of the NBN in swaying their decision to ultimately back a Gillard Labor Government. Since this is one of the key planks which ultimately undid Tony Abbott's attempts at becoming Prime Minister, surely since the August 21 election he would be a lot more positive and open towards the creation of the NBN? Surely? If it meant he got a step closer towards forming a Government at some point in the near future, wouldn't it make sense for him to realise the error of his ways, and become a backer of the NBN?

Of course not - that could in some way be seen as a logical step to take. What isn't logical is to appoint Malcolm Turnbull as your Shadow Communications Minister, and give him the express order to "demolish" the NBN.

Yes, it makes sense to me as well - about as much sense, as the TV show Red Dwarf once famously stated, "as jumping off a cliff".

So while I have no problem with an Opposition holding the Government of the day to account, coming out and being so blatantly negative towards a key piece of legislation that got your competitors over the line just seems like a really dumb move, especially if you are running around Canberra claiming that you have a good chance of changing the minds of the Independents and having them back you instead. The fact as I see it, this move by Abbott and Turnbull will not achieve such an aim, and Tony Windsor himself has said as much. These Independents have committed themselves to giving this ALP Government the best chance it has of running for a full 3 years, and that would not include switching at the first chance you get and backing a Coalition Government.

And yes, while it is true Turnbull does come with good economic credentials, and was involved in the formation of OzEmail back in the day, that doesn't automatically mean he knows what he is talking about when it comes to 21st Century broadband infrastructure in Australia. Particularly if he is in any way trying to claim that the Opposition plan is in some way superior to the ALP plan of fibre nationwide. As has been proven by several people much cleverer than me on this topic, a national fibre network will serve our needs - known and unknown - a lot further into the future than a wireless network based on 2010 technology.

Of the two main articles I want to present today, the first comes from long-time new media exponent Mark Pesce, in which he details his recent struggle with getting a stable Internet connection configured at his new residence. Of particular note is his experience with using a 3G wireless service whilst waiting for his fixed line connection to be connected and installed:

While I've been awaiting the installers, I've used the wireless broadband service provided by my mobile. The 'tethering' option allows me to connect my mobile to my laptop, effectively turning it into a high-speed modem. That hasn't been pleasant. The service is great when I get up in the morning, but slows gradually, throughout the day, until, at around 4:00pm, it falls off a cliff. Nothing works anymore, no data sent or received, and there it stays until the next morning, when it's all fine again.

Why is this happening? Simply put, there are too many people going after too few bits. I'm sharing that wireless broadband with everyone else in my suburb, and as people come home and log on, using their own wireless broadband (those cute little 'dongles' that the carriers are so happy to sell you), the network overloads. Carriers have built their wireless networks to handle a certain amount of traffic - when you go over that, everything falls down. And if your carrier hasn't made the big investment needed to handle skyrocketing mobile broadband usage (mine apparently has not) then you're well and truly cut off.

This is such a good point, and is basically the fatal flaw of the wireless broadband option. Right now, the whole notion of "peak speed" is a massive limiting factor, especially when you consider the difference between what one can achieve with a dedicated 100mpbs up/down line as opposed to an a line that is a lot slower up than it is down. You can do true HD video conferencing or e-health on the former, but certainly not on the latter. And certainly not all at the same time on the one connection in a house, which is what the reality will be in several years time. Furthermore, while Mark is clearly a backer of a wireless Internet service running this country, he makes the following very salient point:

Mobile broadband isn't the answer. Wireless broadband isn't the answer. There is only one answer: 'Do it once. Do it right. Do it with fibre.' Everything else has a place, but nothing else can replace the aging and overloaded foundation of copper wiring.

I haven't enjoyed this state of semi-connectivity. I have work that's backed up: websites I should be visiting, videos I should be watching, Skype calls that should be happening, but aren't, because I don't have enough bandwidth. It feels as though I'm being subjected to a slow strangulation: I snatch a few breaths every morning, then gradually turn blue over the rest of the day. Broadband is the oxygen of the 21st century. We should demand great big ducts to keep the ventilation flowing through our lives, not tiny straws that can be pinched off, leaving us with nothing but stale air.

Well said, Mark. What I would add is that in a few years from now, we'll be wanting to do all of the above at the same time. Dad will be wanting to stream the latest news, while Mum chats with Grandma on a HD Skype call, while the kids are upstairs streaming a HD movie and engaging in real-time chat with their friends. All of this, on the same connection, at the same time. Suddenly, 100mbps sounds like the minimum speed we'll need.

The second article I want to look at is by regular blogger Stilgherrian, who writes a fascinating article examining the myths behind the NBN opponents. While the entire article is well worth reading, the following extract will give you a good idea why:

[Economist Peter J.] Cox believes that when we all have broadband speeds of 1Gb/s or, as will be possible soon enough, 10 times that, or a hundred, or a thousand, that no new services will be made possible, and that there will be no significant changes to society. That today, a mere 15 years after the beginnings of the commercial internet, this is as good as it gets.

Imagine Coxworld in 1830. That's 18 years after the first commercially-successful steam locomotive, Matthew Murray's Salamanca of 1812. We'd have looked at the newly-opened Liverpool and Manchester Railway as seen in this painting and declared that nothing more would change our work, or cities or our lives.

Stopped laughing yet?

I've not, even if the laugh is a worrying one because this kind of view seems all too familar. Go on and read the full article, it's a great read.

I cannot see this NBN debate going away anytime soon. I think the big factor to figure in here is that as times marches on, more of the NBN will roll out. And as more of it rolls out, and more and more people sign up for it, I am hopeful that word of mouth will start to turn the general public towards the necessity that the NBN will soon become in our daily lives.

Only then will people like the Coalition look like the morons that they are pretending to be right now...