Hands on: HTC Radar
updated 03:20 am EDT, Wed October 12, 2011
Small Windows Phone 7 handset
HTC brought its range of new handsets to CTIA, showing the diversity of different models running Android and Windows Phone. The appropriately-named Titan marks one end of the spectrum, as the largest Windows Phone on the market, while the Radar attempts to accomodate users who want a compact device. In our hands-on preview, we take a look at how the Radar fits into the Windows Phone market and HTC's portfolio.
The Radar is based on a 3.8-inch screen, nearly an inch smaller than the Titan's enormous 4.7-inch panel. Despite the smaller screen size, both handsets share the same 480x800 resolution. We did not have any problem reading small text on the smaller device, however.
The compact design features matte aluminum frame, with a white bezel around the display and a white panel along the bottom of the back. The combination of silver and white tones is aesthetically pleasing and definitely unique for a Windows Phone device.
When navigating through the interface and using apps, the Radar seems to keep up with most of its WP7 brethren. The hardware is not quite as fast as the Titan and several other high-end Windows Phone alternatives, as the Radar's Snapdragon processor runs at 1GHz.
The Radar appears to be a great device for anyone who finds something like the Titan to be much too large, though the size choice comes down to personal preference. The phone is scheduled to ship in October in European and Asian markets, though its US release on T-Mobile only has a generic "fall" release window.
