First impressions: Dell Venue Pro
updated 01:10 am EDT, Tue October 12, 2010
Dell's Windows Phone 7 portrait slider
Electronista has taken a look at Dell's Windows Phone 7 flagship device, the Venue Pro. The handset is the only WP7 device currently built with a portrait QWERTY slider, rather than the landscape slider of the LG Quantum. We like the AMOLED display, which brings a high contrast ratio for darker blacks and vibrant colors.
We had difficulty distinguishing the edge of the screen from the black housing while the Windows Phone 7 interface presented bright tiles on a dark background. Most of the WP7 handsets are built with comparable internal hardware, but the AMOLED display is one of the features that seemed to place the Venue and Samsung Focus ahead of the pack. The display also measures 4.1-inches, just slightly smaller than HTC's HD7.
Although the Venue integrates a portrait slider, narrow compared to landscape designs, the keyboard layout seems easy to use. The portrait keyboard is perfect for typing with one hand, a method that is also aided by a grippy housing. BlackBerry users will quickly acquaint themselves to the new design, which is similar to the Kin One and Droid Pro.
The Venue Pro is headed to T-Mobile, however the carrier has yet to disclose pricing information. The handset will probably cost as much as the other high-end WP7 offerings, but it clearly offers a top-notch display and a unique keyboard that should be effective for most users.
