HTC Launches Its First WP7-Laden Handset (Review - HTC Mozart)

The HTC Mozart is the first handset in the country to carry Microsoft's latest windows phone 7 operating system (OS). It is sleek and is comfortable to hold. On the front, Microsoft's customary logo doubles up as a touch sensitive home key which is placed at the centre under the 3.7 inch 480x800 resolution touchscreen. The display features a proximity sensor and multi-touch. It is scratch resistant to quite an extent, but also smudges a fair bit. You have to be content with the 8gb internal storage since there's no MicroSD card slot.

Features
The user interface is relatively smooth and lag-free, thanks to the Qualcomm 1 GHz processor. The WP7 OS is colourful and extremely easy to navigate. The home screen is essentially a tile system that can be customised. Most apps, websites, contacts and the like can be pinned to the homepage. Onenote is similar to Nokia's Active Notes that lets you add media like voice recording or images to simple note.

Media
The media UI is similar to Microsoft iPod-equivalent Zune. Unlike iTunes, Zune reads almost all video formats. The only hitch - it takes too long to convert and transfer files to phone. Xbox games will find the game hub quite handy.

Connectivity and apps
The Mozart is 3-G compatible and sports Wi-Fi too.Bluetooth A2DP is supported, but you cant transfer files between phones. You will be disappointed if you are looking to get apps off Microsoft Market place. Facebook integration is seamless. Setting up email accounts is not much of chore either.There were no preloaded chat applications for MSN Messenger, skype, or gtalk. Images can be shared by either uploading them on Facebook, or sending them via MMS or your email account. You can also upload the file's to Microsoft's Skydrive and access it from anywhere. The resident search engine is, of course, Bing. A voice option like that on Google, is incorporated and may not be as good as the Android version but is definitely a very close second. Mozart also comes with built-in GPS to be used with Bing maps.

Camera
The 8-megapixel auto-focus camera features scene and metering modes. Video take a little while to focus after starting up. The camera starts up in about two seconds and images get processed almost instantaneously, which is great

What We Like

* Fast and fluid UI
* Excellent audio quality
* Comfortable design

What We don't like
* Bluetooth is restricted
* No access to app market
* No memory expansion

Verdict
The battery life leaves a lot to be desired. Even with minimal usage, it will only see you through a day. With a price tag of 26,490 rupees, the Mozart is moderately priced. But we would not recommend it. For now, there are too many features missing. The UI has tremendous potential and we see the Windows Phone 7 O.S. give other a serious run for their money.