AT&T Tilt Phone Review
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Earlier this week, we did a First Look at AT&T’s Tilt and shortly after publishing our quick thoughts, it arrived on our doorstep for a full, detailed analysis. As mentioned, AT&T’s Tilt is a mini notebook, and we are not just saying that because of the features it packs. The size is a key differentiating factor between Tilt and other smartphones. From Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry to Palm’s Treo and Samsung’s BlackJack, AT&T could’ve done a better job at “sleekifying” the device. Gone are the days of bulky smartphones, and AT&T needs to get its groove on. To give you a perspective on its size, let’s just say people will notice your bulging pockets, and it’s going to be a handful, literally.
Once you get past the initial shock of its sheer size, then you start awkwardly gauzing at the phone to find hints of notebook-like functionalities and design. And there are plenty. On the front is a bright, crisp display that supports a 2.8-inch display with 65k colors at 240×320 resolution. Thanks to its tilting display, the screen was viewable in a variety of lighting conditions, and of course, just like every smartphone (at least the ones with Windows Mobile 6 Professional), you have the option to update the Today screen and a host of basic features to better fit your lifestyle. Below the display are the Talk and End buttons, a 5-way navigation button, an OK key, two soft keys, and shortcuts to Internet Explorer Mobile, the Start Menu, and e-mail. Needless to say, there are plenty of things going on before you even slide out the keyboard. Whew!
Continuing on… on the left spine, you will find a scroll wheel, an OK button and a push-to-talk button. The right edge has the power button, the camera activation key and stylus. MicroSD expansion slot and mini USB port is integrated on the bottom. All of the buttons were readily accessible and made working with them a breeze. Again, notice the healthy list of options on the Tilt, and we haven’t even gotten to onboard features yet.
Unfortunately, there is no 3.5mm headphones jack, a self-portrait mirror and flash for the camera. The camera is located on the backside with the speaker, an external GPS jack and the SIM card holder. It’s interesting to note that the SIM card holder is on the back of the front cover, rather than behind the battery compartment, which, by the way, was difficult to open, thanks to the Tilt’s lack of an opening latch.
Now that we are done with the exterior (that took a long time), let’s slide open the display to reveal the full QWERTY keyboard with amazingly soft keys and decent tactile feedback. Unlike RIM’s BlackBerry, the keys are large enough to comfortably type long messages without straining yourself. Once you slide open the keyboard, the display automatically switches from landscape to portrait, albeit with a lag. That was a letdown. Considering our need for instant gratification and possibly ridiculously high expectations, the obvious lag during the switch left us cranky. We recovered later after typing a few messages on the keyboard, however. Everything is pretty standard with the Tilt, but the two soft keys were squeezed, it seemed, just beneath the hinges, which made them difficult to access and press. They are still not a deal breaker, though, and companies tell us we have high standards. Whatever.
In essence, despite its bulky size and overweight characteristics, AT&T’s Tilt is well polished with round edges, a professional color scheme and a boatload of options.
This article has been republished with the kind permission of our friends at CoolTechZone. For more news about the gadgets that make the world go ’round, go give ‘em a look or Subscribe to CoolTechZone’s RSS Feed!
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- AT&T Tilt Phone
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[tags]at&t tilt, smart phone, mini notebook[/tags]
4 Comments
ocee
December 23rd, 2007
at 5:52pm
best phone ever way better than the iphone
WAP-junkie
February 27th, 2008
at 11:17pm
Yes, it is bulky and heavy on the hand, but what power and features. Best of all you do not have to send the phone back to the manufacturer to cahnge the battery.
NoMoreTilt
December 15th, 2008
at 1:43pm
I bought a tilt, and the screen cracked within the first week. I had the insurance, and still had to shell out $100 to get it fixed. Two weeks later and the new screen is cracked again. The phone is unusable, and AT&T’s customer service has been deplorable on the matter. Stay away from the Tilt, and from AT&T for good measure.
Fred
January 10th, 2009
at 4:24pm
I’d recommended staying away as well. AT&T customer service is terrible to say the least. I have now gotten my 3rd replacement phone in two months. Had to replace it day 2, wouldn’t send or receive calls, replaced it at the store I bought it from. Tech sppt said it was a defective phone. 3 weeks later it stopped sending/receiving email & text. Rep at store said he’d seen that on another the week before. Had to take it to warranty to have them replace it. they couldn’t “reminstall the software” as the store said they would do. that phone then started locking up the following week, had to do hard reboots with customer sppt. evidently I could have changed phones in 1st 30 days, but couldn’t do it because the store had already replaced it; remember - the original phone that never worked counted as my phone change per the warranty people. They said they’d consider replacing it with a different phone if it kept acting up. It did, and the screen (under layer) started cracking where the “ok” button is that you have to push. took to the local warranty place, and they wouldn’t replace it because the screen had a crack in it, which they called abuse. I’d had that phone less than 2 weeks! Called in for service warranty, explained situation, including that the screen had started to crack. Told them I wanted it repaced with a different phone, they said they would note my request, and if I had problems with this time they would “consider” my request. Sent me replacement body, and I returned phone #3. They just sent me a bill from them for $450, saying I’d abused the phone. They don’t listen or check the records. If I wasn’t required to use AT&T (corporate account) I wouldn’t. Getting ready to do battle.
FYI - the rep at local store told me get it’s replacement for the tilt. said it was a much better phone. when it works it’s been a good phone, but I wouldn’t recommend it.