It has been a while since I have properly used a Windows phone, as I use Android as my main daily driver. I first used the OS on the HTC 7 Mozart, and back with the original WP7 it wasn't that good: I found it to be missing critical features, the Mozart itself crashed frequently and the camera on the device was really bad. Needless to say my initial impression was pretty poor.

Today I'm reviewing the HTC Radar, kindly provided by MobiCity, which is the second generation of Windows Phones with upgraded specs, Mango preloaded and with it a whole lot of extra features. I was expecting to think poorly still of another HTC/Microsoft combination, but instead everything I originally thought about the OS and its devices was thrown out the window in a refreshing and surprising way.

Specifications

Essentially the HTC Radar is a step up from the HTC 7 Trophy, with upgraded processor, front-facing camera and a slightly different design. Below are the full specifications.

Screaming at me is one fault right here: no microSD expansion and only 8 GB of onboard storage, of which just 6.5 GB is useable. This will be a problem for people like me which enjoy having a lot of music and videos on their device at any one time.

Also, having no removable battery means that if you desire swapping batteries when they get low or using an extended battery, this is simply not possible. This may not be an issue for some people, and the battery life is pretty good (check out more on that in the battery life section), but for extreme power users this could be a disappointment about the Radar.

Review Index

This review is pretty lengthy, so if you only want to find out about certain features skip to the appropriate section below, or simply watch the video overview on the next page.

1. Introduction and Specifications
2. Video Overview
3. Design
4. Software
5. Performance
6. Camera
7. Media Playback & Call Quality
8. Battery Life and Conclusion