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T-Mobile Android Pulse vs iPhone – or why Apple will soon have its hands full

Tmobilepulse

The folks from T-Mobile just sent me a T-Mobile Pulse to play with for a couple of days, and I’m kinda in love. It’s a Google Android powered handset, remarkable not only for its top rank specification – we’re talking HSDPA, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3.2 mp camera (no flash though), massive 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen, trackball, microSD memory card slot (max 16GB) and 2.5 inch headset socket – but primarily for an impressively low PAYG price of just £179.99. That’s right, not on contract, but pay as you go!

Pulse1

The thing is made by Huawei (its real name is the Huawei U8220) and from my brief play I must say it comes across as one gorgeous handset. The build quality it superb (it really feels solid and substantially crafted), the screen is incredible and the new Android interface is a model of usability. The phone I received was a pre-release model so there were a number of things not working properly such as SIM contacts access, but from my general adventures with the interface, SMS texting, WiFi browsing and calls I can say it’s a fabulous phone to use.

There’s none of that interface quirkiness of a Symbian S60 phone, operation is really snappy (German video) and the touchscreen blows away anything Nokia has on offer (although the iPhone is probably still the screen to beat). Basically I enjoyed using it muchly, which is more than I can say for a lot of the newer touchscreen handsets from various manufacturers. I also enjoy the Google centric interface, maybe because I use Google for so many things in general it’s a natural thing for me to transfer that to a mobile device.

Pulse6

I soon got the hang of the super easy interface – the simple menu button, v useful trackball and the handy home/back key make it a snap to navigate around the thing without having to think too hard. Which is nice. But the kicker is the price. It may not be an iPhone killer in the sense that it doesn’t have that upmarket brand appeal, but if I’m standing in a phone store and the guy demos this handset next to an iPhone and gives me the price difference, I know which one I’d take in an instant. Put it this way, I want one.

I’m including the shots I took with my Samsung i8510 8mp phone camera so you can get a feel for the difference between the Pulse and an iPhone 3G. Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.

Pulse2Pulse3

 

Pulse7Pulse8

 

4 Comments

  • Thanks for the info, I have a G1 and love the aps so far. Can't wait for this one to hit the market. When is the expected release for the US? Is the charger the mini USB or the adapted version of the mini USB (has one straight side instead of both sides slanted/curved- I think it is for the Audio connections). One of the things most G1 owners didn't like is the adapter for the headphone plug, good to hear they included the seperate plug. Finally, is it stereo bluetooth? G1 isn't.
    Thanks again for you updates on this site- Great stuff.

  • I'm pretty sure G1 got stereo bluetooth in 1.5 update. Might want to check on that.

  • You cant compare the two the pulse is just a disgrace, You will soon find out why cheers :)

  • how do you put music on the bloody thing

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