Not knowing a clue about Android beforehand, we step into deep waters to bring you this review. The HTC Magic turned out to look much better than we had expected. It managed to pull off an appealing look thanks to its white color finish and the shines it exudes. The distinctive Android ‘chin’ is subdued on this phone; although why the chin is a signature design of Android devices is open to anyone’s guess.
In term of display size, the Magic retains the 3.2-inch measurement, with the same HVGA resolution of 320 x 480. The main buttons present, includes the Home, Menu and Back buttons with the Call/End buttons just below. A Search Button sits snugly at the right side of the front panel. As the name implies, this brings you to the Google search widget, or to do a localized search within specific functions such as the Android Market or your Contacts.
The biggest oddity that we noticed was the absence of dedicated camera button. Once we activated the camera feature, we were prompted to use the trackballs as the camera button. The miniUSB on the Magic is left wide open. On one hand, it makes it easier for us to plug in our data cable or earphones without a plastic cap dangling around like what you get with the Dream. Conversely speaking, this leaves the USB port exposed and subject to dust and dirt. Care has to be taken here.
Widgets are one of the more commonly used functions amongst most devices out there to further enhance the user experience. It’s the same with the Android OS. You get a Clock, a Google Search, as well as a music player and a calendar to boot, too. The Magic comes with QuickOffice and PDF support, opening up document viewing possibilities on the Android platform.
One of the major improvements on the Magic stems not from Google but from HTC’s own initiative in the form of a Microsoft Exchange Activesync option added within. This bodes well for Microsoft Outlook users who are stuck with the Office suite for email and contact synchronization. And to HTC’s credit, this does make sense to the myriad of Windows Mobile users who are using Microsoft Activesync to get their email, schedules and contacts synchronized seamlessly with their mobile device. In essence, this provides a perfect bridge for Windows Mobile users to transit from the Microsoft platform (Windows Mobile) to the Google platform (Android).
True to its name, the HTC Magic is the embodiment of a few things magical, such as the slew of updated features that came with the Cupcake firmware upgrade for the Android operating system.
HTC Magic Specifications :
Network Support : HSDPA/UMTS, GPRS/EDGE/GSM Quad-band (850,900,1800,1900MHz)
Processor : Qualcomm MSM7200A, 528 MHz
Display : 3.2” TFT LCD 320 x 480 HVGA, touch screen
Connectivity : Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets /Wi-Fi : Wireless-B/G /HTC ExtUSB, GPS
Camera : 3.2MP image sensor with AutoFocus
Memory : ROM : 512MB, RAM : 288MB
Dimensions : 113 x 55.56 x 13.65 mm
Weight : 116g with battery
Standby Time / Talk Time : 420 hours / 7.5 hours
Popularity: 4% [?]
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