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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Telstra HTC Mozart Review 20101207 (12th Day)

Software –
I have had some ‘stuttering’ in the tiles, which appears to have gone away, maybe a problem with an update that has now been fixed?
Like all new ‘toys’ you would get used to the HTC Mozart, I find sometimes that until I’ve got some down time, I don’t fiddle and fiddling is where you learn.
Overall I haven’t had too many software crashes, although I did promise that if anyone could crash it – it would be me. I may have been the first, but I wasn’t the most prolific.
Another issue when playing games (Bejewelled) that if you put the phone to sleep, and then wake it up - it loads back to Bejewelled - not an issue, BUT if you want to make a call, you have to attempt to go back to the menu TWICE, to complete the task. Bejewelled tries to force a continuance!
Crashes - when I first got the phone, I had several problems with software crashing, but seems to be okay now. So not sure if issues will continue.

Reception –
Pretty much the same as Optus, no matter where, 40km from CBD no voice or data on Telstra, but voice and data with Optus. Always intermittent with both services.
In the middle of the Toolangi State Forest, no Telstra reception in some areas, but Optus worked and allowed data to be sent.
In the middle of Marysville, no Telstra reception, but had Optus (which is the same as the day after the fires) Only phone not destroyed and working was a Nokia N70.
So for me reception is pretty important, and the quality of the reception for Telstra wasn’t as good as I thought it would be, although would appear to be more stable than Optus, coverage with Optus was better in more places for where I live and travel. Optus being better in that having SMS capability in an emergency is sometimes all you can get.
As I’m writing this, I can only make emergency calls (40km from Melb CBD)

Hardware
The volume button is so big that you constantly find yourself pressing it inadvertently
The off/on/sleep button gets in my way constantly, simply I think due to the fact I am left-handed.
The phone itself, feels lovely in the hand, not cheap and it is well balanced. Which is always a consideration when I’m choosing a new handset.
I do worry about scratching the screen and if I was that way inclined I’d get a case for it, but that is just another piece of stuff getting in my way.
The screen is fantastic, the Nokia (when I’ve had to use it) is clunky and feels old-fashioned
The battery life (or lack of it) is another HUGE issue for me, if I can’t last 12-18
hours on one battery, then the phone won’t work me.

Things that gave me that oh-ah feeling
The Tom Cruise moment from Minority Report, where I discovered the pinched zoom WOW
Screensaver and picking the bit you want shown, rather than Nokia that just squishes the photo

Telstra Exchange

13th Day Review

“I have been given a HTC Mozart with Windows 7 Phone by Telstra free of charge to review. The comments expressed by me reflect my own user experience and personal opinion and are not made on behalf of Telstra.”

8 comments:

  1. I am surprised at the lack of Telstra coverage given the excellent coverage I get, and I'm 80km from Sydney CBD. But then, Optus would be the worst coverage in NSW while historically I've heard it's generally been better in Vic.

    Strongly suspect, though, that this is more a problem with the hardware. For example a Blackberry Bold 9700 or a Pearl 3G may well perform much better in your location. Antenna quality is a big deal.

    ReplyDelete
  2. so was I - I don;t know about Optus V telstra Mobile reception - I've been with Optus that long, but even people with telstra coverage, when they come up, are equals with me. Any other network is a total write-off at home. Coverage HAS improved in the last 10yrs,but still leaves a LOT to be desired from BOTH major carriers. I have a police report to prove it!
    Thanks for commenting Matt

    PS - regarding handset/aerial - you could very well be right - I prefer bigger/heavier handsets, in preference to smaller lighter ones, and perhaps their recpetiom is inheriantly better?

    Don't know

    ReplyDelete
  3. there's a temporary fix for the battery life.
    something about the telstra.wap not connecting and constantly pinging.
    all that needs to be done is a new apn added called telstra.iph

    its a temporary fix while telstra and htc find a more permanent one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anon - the battery fix was applied on Thursday or Friday - so should be okay now

    Thanks for the heads up - I did mention the .iph fix in an early post!

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  5. The back button is a proper back button. It works as it should. The resume to game is by design as well.

    You can always just press the home button.

    Did you happen to test the voice commands? I haven't had much luck.

    ReplyDelete
  6. yes yes and yes - agree - but when you have been using a Nokia handset for 10+ years -it can confuse you something stupid!

    The voice commands, now there is something tricky - you haveto annunciate the words absolutely 100% the same each and every time and if there is background noise, it can interefer with the with voice commands.
    (it's the same with the Nokia handsets)
    For example if you have the name Robert, you have to announce it correctly to the handset, RoBert, rather than RoberT.
    you have to say the name exactly the same way EACH and EVERY time (That's my experiences)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, Just like to add my comment re: Mozart reception. I upgraded from HTC HD and at my home address reception went from good on the HD to mostly zip on the Mozart. Fix required Mr or Mrs HTC!! Unacceptable.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anon - I agree - I did a test between a Nokia N97 on Optus and the HTC Mozart on Telstra. Test was in the bush. I tweeted from the Optus handset, and no reception on the Telstra handset, being the Mozart.
    I'll admit (and never denied) I am a Nokia person, my final post tells you exactly WHY I couldn;t use the HTC Mozart and why I would NEVER consider using it.
    Thanks for the comments

    ReplyDelete