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HTC Magic Video

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HTC Magic
Created: 02/18/2009
Video description: The second phone to run Google's Android operating system debuts at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. CNET U.K.'s Andrew Lim takes it for a spin.

HTC Magic Video Transcript

>> So here we are with the HTC Magic. We've been really lucky to get a go with it behind the scenes. As you can see it runs on Android and the interface is similar -- about exactly the same as the G1 except that on the -- as you'll notice unlike the T-Mobile G1, the HTC Magic doesn't have a mechanical keypad. Instead, you use this onscreen keypad to type out all your messages, which we found it's okay to use, but it's a little bit fiddly and annoyingly it won't work in landscape, right, so you can't do that thing where -- that you can do in the iPhone where you tilt it around and the keypad automatically switch to its landscape mode. On the back, you've got a 3.2-megapixel camera and then at the bottom there's a USB port. Unfortunately, there's no 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, which is really annoying because it means that you can't plug-in your headphone straight into it. In terms of the touchscreen, it's really responsive. We found that it kind of -- it's similar version as of the G1, but because obviously you use it for everything, there's no keypad. It was really important that HTC make sure this touch screen really works really well and the web browser is the same as on the G1. It's all from free WebKit and yeah overall we found it really very nice to use.

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HTC Magic Review

Editors' rating

The good: The Google Ion (aka the HTC Magic) has a sleek, attractive design with a gorgeous display, tactile controls, and an easy-to-use interface. Features include stereo Bluetooth, seamless integration with Google apps, Wi-Fi, quick access to music and application downloads, and a broad degree of customization. Call quality is excellent and the 3G speeds are zippy.

The bad: The Google Ion lacks full Outlook-syncing support and a standard 3.5-millimeter headset jack. Video quality is uneven and the HTML browser interface could be refined. Camera-editing and personal-organizer options are slim, and the landscape keyboard isn't available in all applications.

The bottom line: The Google Ion is the Android device for which we've been waiting. A few complaints remain, but its eye-catching design and interface, improved features, and satisfying performance make us excited about Android's full potential.

Read full review

HTC Magic Specs

Manufacturer: HTC
Part number: A6161EUWT

Product Basic Spec
  • Product Basic Spec

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