The HTC Mozart 7 is one of a range of phones operating Microsoft?s Windows 7 operating system and finds itself competing in the busy smartphone market. It?s also thought to be the most successful of the range of phones, but is there any truth in this? The camera is one of the big draws. Whereas the other HTC/Windows offerings come with 5 megapixels and LED flash, this one comes with 8 megapixels and Xenon flash. Despite this, the results are a little disappointing and come out a little soft.

The HTC Mozart 7 has some good apps, including the Hub, which is an offering from Microsoft?s launch partners HTC. It?s an interesting app but is a bit limited, although there are some other good offerings on the phone. These include the Photo Enhancer, which is good for applying different filters to pictures. The basic apps such as Notes, Converter and Stocks all work well, too. You can also get apps specific to your network, but early reviews suggest these have been released too early.

The hardware of the phone itself is one of the main points in its favor. The main qualm is that the side edges are really sharp, which is uncomfortable and distracting if you?re using the phone for any length of time. Generally, though, the phone is really attractive and boasts 8GB of storage capacity. There?s a shiny grill that forms the earpiece, along with an LED indicator, which are both good feature. The volume, power and camera buttons built into the casing are also good.

Another couple of little hardware issues include the positioning of the volume rocker, which isn?t good for left-handed people. Also, the camera lens is prone to trapping lint. While it has been designed to sit below the rubber rim to avoid damaging the glass, this is still a problem. However, the back of the phone is attractive and stylish and the battery life of around 7 to 8 hours with heavy usage is standard for smartphones, so this works in favor of the Mozart 7.

In conclusion, while the HTC Mozart 7 is the most stylish of the phones in its range, there are a few issues with it. These include the disappointing earphones and camera that should be good but fails to deliver. However, it benefits from excellent build quality, which is great for durability. Also, both HTC?s apps and Microsoft?s operating system run well on the device, which is another positive for the phone. Whereas the HD7 has a 4.3 inch screen, the Mozart?s is 3.7 inches, which is much more user friendly.

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It was inevitable, as smartphones become more and more popular, that sooner or later Google would get in on the act. They?ve recently released the Google Nexus, but how does it stand up against the competition? Well, it?s built by HTC who are known for their good quality, so that?s a plus. The phone also looks lovely and boasts a 3.7inch display. It?s also streamline and light, meaning it easily holds its own in that department against the iPhone and others.

The display is also stunning and the touchscreen is widely seen as being as good as or better than other phones with similar capabilities. It has a high resolution (480 x 800), although given the size of the screen, you would expect this to be slightly higher. This isn?t a big issue but you do notice the difference on some apps such as Gmail, where it has a slight detrimental effect. The main issue with the display, though, is that some of the colors are massively oversaturated.

The camera tends to be an area of weakness on smartphones, but the Google Nexus? camera is surprisingly good. It has a 5 megapixel lens, a good flash, and Google have worked to increase the speed of the camera app (although this could still be improved). The camera takes good, detailed pictures and most of the issues associated with other HTC models have been eradicated. The lens focuses really quickly and generally the pictures come out as you hope they will.

In terms of the call capabilities of the phone, the earpiece is pretty much standard when compared with other phones. It?s reasonably clear and loud when you?re speaking to someone, but it could be more even. The quality of the loudspeaker could definitely be better as it currently sounds quite tinny, so don?t go planning any conference calls with it. The Nexus seems to have similar connectivity issues as the iPhone, meaning that the signal drops out where other phones continue working.

The software on the Google Nexus is similar to that on most other Droid operated phones, but it benefits from some upgrades. The biggest upgrade is the simplification of homescreen navigation, which is a massive improvement on previous versions of Android phones. It also comes with good graphics and a great gallery option that?s fantastic for storing photos. The keyboard, however, is quite clumsy and while this is overall a good phone, there are some issues that will hopefully be sorted out for the next model.

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The smart phone market is increasingly saturated with offerings from all the big technology giants, including Apple, Blackberry and various Android devices. Microsoft has recently got in on the act too, releasing 10 new phones, all of which run the Windows Phone 7 operating system, and they?re manufactured by a variety of companies. There are offerings from LG, Samsung and Dell, plus 5 by Android specialists HTC. We take you through some of the best Windows phones, their advantages, disadvantages and key features.

One of the most eagerly anticipated Windows Phone 7 phones is the HTC HD7. This phone is generally very good. It has a decent sized screen of 4.3inches, and it?s also a touchscreen. There are good apps available, including Photo Enhancer and Notes. It also has up to 16GB storage capacity, a 5 megapixel camera and HD video recording capabilities. A couple of flaws include the below par display quality and comparatively low number of pixels, plus a slightly low build quality.

The HTC Mozart is thought to be the most successful of the Microsoft phones and it certainly has the spec to suggest that this is the case: it boasts an 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash and generally excellent picture quality. The apps are as good as they are on other HTC phones and the appearance of the phone, plus the 8GB storage capacity, are also attractive. The 3.7inch touchscreen makes it a good pocket phone and the build quality is definitely excellent.

The Omnia 7 is the Windows phone produced by Samsung. The best feature of this is the brilliant high contrast AMOLED screen, which is easily better than any other LCD offerings. It has a good 5 megapixel camera, although the focusing capabilities could be improved. It has a good loudspeaker that streams sound with only minimal distortion. One area where it?s lacking is in the number of apps available from Samsung. Also, the power button is in an odd place but overall the layout and phone appearance are good.

LG have also produced a Windows Phone 7 phone known as the Optimus 7Q. Overall, it?s a good phone that has good connectivity and 8GB storage capacity. The 3.5inch screen and 480 x 800 pixel resolution, plus the 5 megapixel camera are all excellent. It?s also currently the only Windows Phone 7 phone to come with both a touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard. Largely, the keyboard is a good thing but it?s a little uncomfortable to use and also adds considerable bulk to the phone, which weighs it down.

Now Try - Windows Phone 7

August 2010 saw the release of the long awaited Blackberry Torch. Upon its initial release, Blackberry called it the best ever Blackberry, a moniker handed down from the previous 9700 series; but with such a bold claim made by the 5th largest mobile phone company in the world; is it really justifiable? Plus, how does their best ever compare to the likes of the massively popular iPhone 4G?

In terms of its specifications, the Torch can quite easily say it is the best ever Blackberry, as it offers many more features than all previous models. The Torch comes with 4 gigabytes internal storage capacity with a 4 gigabyte MicroSD included in the box, a 3.2 inch LCD touchscreen display, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 5 megapixel camera and WiFi capability; all engineered to work on the brand new 6th generation Blackberry OS.

The Torch is meant to demonstrate a new direction for Research in Motion, with the target audience being the average consumer. Though with competition from the likes of the Galaxy S and iPhone 4G, it is a tough market. It is fair to say that the Torch is a great Blackberry, possibly not the best relative to technological advances, but certainly great. The slide function reveals a full QWERTY keyboard that most have said is the best available on the market today; it may not be as big as on previous Blackberries, but then they were not slide phones. The new operating system is unfortunately not a completely revamped system; more of a majorly updated 5th generation OS, but that does not mean it is not good. In fact, the new OS is probably the best improvement on the handset, as for the old target consumers, multitasking was one of the most important functions, and the Torch can do this better than most.

Although the Torch has the features, and the 6th Gen OS is better, it is simply not as good as the competition at most other functions. The processor that is used in the Torch is strangely the same unit from the 9700 model, but modified slightly; meaning that its 600Mhz clock speed is way down on the competition and can seem sluggish compared to the Google Nexus One and Apple iPhone.

The Blackberry Torch will always be a hit with certain die hard fans, even with its shortcomings; though the market has now become quite competitive and although there are some phones that can do more, they can not necessarily do it better. With the Apple iPhone being the benchmark of the last few years, and the 4G model only solidifying that fact, it is going to be a difficult task for RIM to wrench the trophy from Apple’s grasp. Unfortunately, although the Torch is a decent phone, and certainly the best Blackberry, it can not get near the reigning champion.

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HTC is a brand pseudonymous with advanced technology and innovating design with as much as 30% of its total workforce dedicated to research and development. Going by this fact, it is not hard to see that the HTC HD7, the Taiwanese corporations latest handset, is a force to be reckoned with in the smartphone sector. What makes it particularly special is that because of the collaborations between Microsoft and HTC, the new HD7 will preview the latest Windows Phone 7 operating system.

The main features of the HD7 are quite obvious; the first being the operating system, and the second being the 4.3 LCD display. The HD7 carries much of the same internal hardware as the HTC HD2, which was released in 2009, though at that time, those particular specifications were exceptionally advanced; today it is about the same level as the competition. Along with the massive display is a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, a 5 megapixel camera, and internal storage that amounts to a non-expandable 16 gigabytes.

What makes the HD7 a great phone is the combination of it abilities. It has a super fast processor, a screen that is very large, and subsequently, easy to read, an easily navigable platform and a fantastic base for which to begin the Windows Phone 7 operating systems journey. Rather than go into details about the OS, it will suffice to say that WP7 brings the most out of the internal specifications of the HD7, making applications run super smooth and very quick.

A lot of marketing hype has been surrounding the HD7 for its ability to record 720p video and make playback a joy with its horizontal kickstand and twin speakers. Unfortunately the kickstand feels a little weak and the speakers are of poor quality. The rear casing is also quite thin and seems to offer very little protection, with the metal strip that surrounds the device and the glass screen providing the majority of the units strength. It simply does not feel expensive enough.

The combination of the technological capabilities that HTC offer in the HD7, plus with the brand new Microsoft Windows Phone 7 operating system, make this handset a great smartphone, with silky smooth applications and features that put many other phones to shame. The screen is big, but not overly so, and as such, it does not feel too bulky or heavy. In summary, the HD7 is more than the sum of its parts, but if you are stuck for choice, then you really need to look at the operating systems of the big manufacturers; do you want Android, iPhone, Symbian, Palm, Blackberry, MeeGo or Windows Phone 7? If you answer is the latter, then the HTC HD7 is the best option for you.

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Microsoft has made an impressive effort to become the dominant smartphone operating system with its introduction of the Windows Phone 7 OS, which replaces the beaten and battered Windows Mobile, which has been effectively removed from the smartphone market. Several other operating systems have taken the limelight from Microsoft in this very competitive market. Several high quality smartphones now employ Windows Phone 7, making this operating system very desirable. Three smartphones that run Windows Phone 7 are discussed below.

HTC HD7 - HTC introduced this model to replace the HD2, which ran the Windows Mobile operating system. The HTC HD7 utilizes a 4.3 inch LCD screen with a cool little kick-stand built in for easy viewing of movies at a table or desk. The battery is a 3.7V 1,230 mAh, which is only rated for 6.5 hours of talk time; less time than many in its class. There is 16 GB of built in storage on this unit, and the camera is a 5 mega-pixel auto-focus camera designed for either still pictures or 720p HD video.

Samsung Omnia 7 - The Omnia 7 was introduced by Samsung as their Windows Phone 7 offering. This unit boasts a 4 inch AMOLED touch-screen display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution, which is a standard on all of the Windows Phone 7 units. This phone has the good solid feel of a substantial piece of smartphone hardware due to its metallic body and solid design. A 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8250 chipset runs this phone and its connectivity options include GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This phone also has a popular FM radio and its autofocus camera is of the 5 mega-pixel persuasion.

LG Optimus 7 - The LG Optimus 7 comes with all of the standard Windows Phone 7 features such as GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and a 5 mega-pixel autofocus camera. The phone runs a 1 GHz Snapdragon chipset just like the Samsung Omnia 7. The AMOLED screen is a bit smaller however at 3.8 inches. This phone body is not entirely of metal like the Omnia 7 however, as only the back plate is metallic. This still gives the phone a good feel in the hand and the slim design is great for pockets.

Since Windows Phone 7 smartphones are required to have certain features as standard, manufacturers will have a difficult time differentiating themselves and will have to rely heavily on aesthetics and design to win customers. With so many great smartphones available to run Windows Phone 7, it should not take long for Microsoft to become one of the strongest operating systems on the market.

Now Try - Windows Phone 7 Deals