First impressions of the AT&T Tilt
The HTC Kaiser/TyTN II might be one of the most anticipated Windows Mobile devices in the last couple of years with early reviews coming out in August and rumors of an U.S. AT&T release. AT&T and HTC just announced the availability of the AT&T Tilt (aka HTC TyTN II/Kaiser) on their U.S. 3.5G wireless data network and I have been lucky enough to have had 5 days with the device. The following are my thoughts after using the device for a few days and I'm sure you will see some more in-depth reviews as some reviewers have had the device for a couple of weeks now. My AT&T account was actually set to get cancelled earlier today, but after receiving an evaluation unit of the Tilt and using it for a couple of days I called up and made sure my AT&T service would continue. The Tilt is so good that I may actually decide to stay with AT&T so I can pick one up for myself.
| Image Gallery: Check out unboxing photos and product photos of the AT&T Tilt. |  | |||||
Specs: The AT&T Tilt is a Windows Mobile 6 Professional device that packs in a 400 MHz Qualcomm 7200 processor, 256 MB ROM, 128 MB RAM, 2.8 inch 240x320 touch screen display, integrated Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support, integrated 802.11 b/g WiFi, integrated GPS receiver, 3 megapixel camera (no flash), Push to Talk functionality, track wheel, and integrated QWERTY keyboard. It reminds me of the excellent T-Mobile Wing with the rubberized body, great new HTC keyboard, and smooth slider display, but takes it to the next level with the 3.5G radio, faster processor, and GPS.
Design:Probably the most obvious and talked about feature of the Tilt is the tilting display. The display slides to the left and then lets you rotate it up about 45 to 50 degrees (max) to turn it into a mini-laptop mode. The tilt hinge is tight and seems quite durable. The hinge holds the display at an angle and it will be interesting to see how it holds up after a few months. The keyboard is that great new HTC design with the FN and Cap lights, directional arrows, numbers in a keypad configuration (with a white background contrasting the black keys), and good backlighting. I would like to have a slightly larger space bar, but I can see myself getting quite fast with this keyboard. The display slides up smoothly and locks into place when opened.
Box contents: The AT&T retail box comes with the AT&T Tilt, 1350 mAh li-ion polymer battery, AC charger, mini-USB sync cable, extra stylus, Getting Started Guide and CD. I am used to buying unlocked devices so was a bit surprised with all the AT&T utilities/applications loaded on the device, including AT&T Mall (includes ringtones, games, graphics, multimedia, and applications), AT&T Music, MEdia Net Home, Cellular Video, OZ Instant Messaging, and several game trials. FYI, be aware that the Instant Messaging client uses your SMS account for each outgoing and incoming message so you may want to download and install another instant messaging client to use your unlimited data plan instead. Strangely, there was no headset included with the device and no adapter of any type for a standard headset like I have seen with other HTC devices.
Initial feel in your hand: My first impression of the Tilt is that it is quite heavy and feels dense in your hand. It has that great rubberized covering on the back to help grip the device and make it comfortable in your hand. The device is quite professional looking with the black and silver color scheme. The front buttons are shiny silver that may be made of light metal, but the configuration may not be the best with the send and end keys actually extending over the top of the left and right soft keys. I kept hitting the send and end keys instead of the left and right soft keys due to their placement just under the display. The directional pad is large and the center action button is easy to press.
Hardware: I do like having the rocker/thumb wheel on the left side as it makes reading ebooks a real pleasure. I definitely would have to get used to it though since there is not many devices that use this feature and I think it could be used in many application. I have no desire for Push to Talk and wish there was a way to reconfigure that button to something like the Communications Manager. There is no 2.5mm or 3.5mm headset jack and again the Tilt uses the now standard HTC mini-USB port for syncing, charging, and headset connections.
The camera button is well placed and pressing halfway down focuses the picture. There is no flash, which I don't think is a big deal since the flashes on camera phones is pretty much worthless anyways. The camera takes decent pictures, but I haven't found a device to compare with the N95. You can also record video to a microSD card you insert in the bottom of the device.
Many rumors talked about TouchFLO on the device, but the Tilt does not have this functionality. While the TouchFLO interface is only a layer built on Windows Mobile, I found it to be quite handy for quick navigation of common tasks and wish it was included as well.
Software: TeleNav 5.2 can be downloaded directly on the device and I personally like the service and integration. TeleNav costs US$10/month, but this gives you regular map updates and software that is always up-to-date. The GPS receiver seemed to work quite well with TeleNav. I did try to use the GPS with Windows Live Search, Google Maps, and Virtual Earth Mobile and there was a bit of configuration of the COM ports to get it working as the automatic feature didn't seem to work with every software application. However, once connected it seemed to work quite well.
I ran SlingPlayer Mobile and that ran like a champ with the 400 MHz processor, especially in the laptop mode. Opera Mobile 8.65 works much better than Internet Explorer Mobile and I recommend you give this browser a try. There is a Java client so you can use the Gmail application on the device. Voice Speed Dial is included for making calls with voice controls.
Phone functionality: I found the RF reception to be very good and was in a 3G zone most of the time. Phone calls sounded fine on both ends and the Jawbone works well with the Tilt. I listened to some tunes via Bluetooth A2DP and playback sounded good on the Tilt. There is a single speaker on the back for the speakerphone, but it is loud enough to function as a speakerphone in your car (with the windows closed).
Final first impressions: I think I am more productive with the HTC Advantage and its large VGA display, but the Tilt is an amazing Windows Mobile 6 Professional device that has a smaller form factor for those who make lots of calls and don't want to carry something as large as the Advantage around. I like the Tilt's display design and it looks like a great business device with specs to support just about everything you want to do on the road. I hope to have more time to play with the Tilt and recommend you swing by your AT&T store and check one out soon. The AT&T Tilt will be available for a promotional price as low as US$299.99 beginning Oct. 5, which is a great deal for a fully packed device like this. However, if I do go for this device, I think I'll look for the unlocked version that doesn't come loaded with tons of AT&T crapware (similar to buying an HP laptop).