A Touch of Magic from HTC
Make: HTC
Model: Magic
By Charlie Brown
HTC’s Magic is the company’s second mobile that utilises the Android O/S, but to be honest, the operating system of a phone doesn’t really bother me. I’m more interested in its functionality and what it can do. It may seem like a contradiction in terms, because its operating system is integral to how it runs. But there isn’t enough of a difference, in my opinion, to make me care one way or another, as long as it does what I want it to do, and so far, both Windows and Android fit the bill.
Out of the box it looks like most similar phones on the block. It has a reasonably sleek design and fits nicely in the hand. It is slimmer than its HTC Dream cousin, probably due to the Magic not having a full Qwerty keyboard. However, it’s touchscreen keyboard is of the Qwerty variety, which works in either portrait and landscape mode. I have one minor critique, in that in portrait mode it really needs a stylus for clunky people like me.
The thing I was most impressed with was the interface and how easy it was to use. Some touch phones are cumbersome, and when typing on the screen, is always throwing up the wrong letter into the sentence. With some other mobiles, I have found you have to brush your finger or thumb across the face of the screen a couple of times before it moves the map or internet page in the required direction. Fortunately its predictive text is outstanding, and so this phone was pretty much perfect in this area. For a Touch phone, when you get this right, the rest of the experience is usually on track.
It’s three megapixel camera takes decent enough shots, and it’s built-in camcorder also doesn’t do a bad job, although due to resolution I wouldn’t put anything you shoot in for Academy Award consideration just yet. But, it functions well.
There are a tonne of applications available – some 3500, which might not be as many as some app stores offer, but more than enough to keep me happy and they are very easy to download to the phone. I was using the Vodafone network.
Some would complain about its lack of 3.5mm headphone jack, but I found the hands-free kit that it comes with more than adequate to meet my needs when listening to music. It also comes with a USB cord.
Extras include hands-free kit and USB connector.
I would say that this is a very functional touch phone in the Android camp.
3.5 Shacks out of 5
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