Camera Phones Plaza

The second device that resulted from the partnership between HTC and Google (two big companies) - HTC Magic G2, is suggesting that the new mobile operating system (Android) have a large potential on the smartphones market. Updated to the latest firmware, including Cupcake 1.5, HTC Magic is now overshadowed only by his recently brother, HTC Hero, which includes a new GUI Sense developed by the Taiwanese manufacturer. However, the Magic smartphone users will be happy to know that HTC has officially announced that owners of these devices will be able to update these devices with the new Sense interface. Unfortunately, this upgrade will not be available for those who have purchased the devices through operators such as T-Mobile and Vodafone.

Announced in February 2009, HTC Magic G2 became available on the market three months later, in May 2009. The device is available in two classic colors: black and white. I suggest buying the unlocked version, so you can enjoy the new graphical interface that was included with the Hero model.

If you feel that Magic looks more like the first HTC smartphone that included the Android operating system, HTC Dream (G1), think again. It seems that lately HTC released devices that have a new look every time, which does not look too much like the previous models. This was not true with two or three years ago, but recently HTC has made us positive surprises in terms of design. HTC Magic looks more elegant than its older brother, HTC G1. There are certainly some similarities between the two phones, but it is almost negligible. Only the small, curved and white trackball was integrated in the new G2, which make it look like G1. The rest is completely new. Even if the material used is a glossy plastic, which attracts fingerprints, you will not be too bothered by this, since the front of the phone is occupied by an impressive touchscreen. The only thing that I was really upset about was the amount of fat left on the screen after each call or use of the screen. The phone is surrounded by a strip of silver plastic, which, in my opinion, it will peel after a while.

Under the 3.2 inch screen, there are four square keys with different functions: Home, Menu, Back and Search. Of course, the keys Accept and Reject calls were included, under the keys that I just mentioned. The trackball, that makes the menu so easy to navigate, was placed in the middle of these keys and is working perfectly. There are no other external keys placed on the sides of the smarpthone, except a long, thin volume key. There is also a miniUSB port (placed at the bottom of the device) that can be used for the headphones, for cable synchronization or to charge the battery of the phone. The case from the back of the phone is glossy, and beneath it are the SIM and the microSD slots. Unfortunately, we feel that the glossy plastic shell will mat in a relatively short time. However, this should take fingerprints away, so there is a positive side.

The 3.2 megapixel photo / video camera on the back of the phone was placed inside (just a little) the cover and surrounded by a thin metal band, for a better protection. There are no other improvements around it, such as the flash or the self-portrait mirror. The back cover can be easily removed if users wish to add a microSD memory card or simply change the SIM card.

The shape of the smartphone is one of the few similarities of HTC Magic G2 with his older brother G1. It can also be seen in the pictures, the curve from the bottom of the device, where the keys were placed. Almost like HTC G1, but the Magic's forms are more attractive. HTC Magic measures 113 x 55 x 13.7 mm and weighs just 118.5 g (including the battery), with almost 40 g lighter and 4 mm thinner than its predecessor HTC G1. Overall, HTC Magic is certainly a good-looking smartphone, even for the most demanding users.

HTC Magic benefits from a capacitive TFT touchscreen of 3.2 inches, that supports 65K colors and a resolution of 320x480 pixels. It seems that this display is the same that equipped the G1 model.  However, I noticed that the screen is not visible in strong sunlight, so you will control the device a little more difficult. Otherwise, due to the embedded technology, it eliminates the need for a stylus and transforms the finger into the only way to control the smartphone. Since the screen was covered with a special material (indium tin oxide), which is able to lead a continuous electrical current across the sensor, the sensor and the body (the finger) are able to achieve the necessary capacitance and are good conductors of electricity. Knowing that the capacitive sensors work based on the proximity and do not need to be directly touched to be triggered, we can understand now why it is so easy to control a device that benefits from this technology.

Unfortunately, HTC Magic G2, like its predecessor (G1), is not able to recognize the multi-touch gestures. The same thing is true for the accelerometer, which was included, although it is limited to some applications. However, the quality of the image is superb, and switching from portrait to landscape mode is very easy. Everything you do on the screen looks very natural, whether the touchscreen is used for touch, pull or move. This proves again that the technology behind those screens (capacitive touch) is superior to what is behind the resistive screens.

The 3.2 megapixel photo / video camera lacks the flash, which eliminates the possibility of taking pictures at night, instead, users will benefit from the auto-focus function. Comparing images taken with HTC G1 and HTC Magic G2, there is certainly an improvement. HTC Magic takes pictures that are more than decent (for a 3 megapixel camera). The maximum resolution that you can use is 2048x1536 pixels. The interface of the camera is a bit more complex than that of G1 and it now benefits from a wider range of settings and options. Users can change the settings like Effect, Contrast, Sharpness, and White Balance.

Because this smartphone lacks a dedicated camera key, you have to use the trackball to take pictures. The saving process takes no more than two to three seconds. The maximum resolution that can be used for recording video clips is 352x288 pixels QVGA at 15fps. The videos can be encoded as H.263 or MPEG4 file types. Unfortunately, the results were below our expectations, which means that HTC will still need to work on this issue.

HTC Magic G2 has a better battery than the G1 - 1340 mAh Li-Ion, which can keep the phone “alive” for 420 hours in standby mode and about 7 hours and 30 minutes in conversation mode. Basically, you will need a daily charging if all the phone functions are used frequently, or four to five charges a week to average use. The autonomy is only acceptable for average use, but for those who use the phone frequently you will need to carry the charger or an extra battery every day.

The box contains:

HTC Magic G2 smartphone;
2GB microSD card;
Li-Ion 1340 mAh;
Charger;
USB cable;
Protective pouch.