HTC Magic review

The second Google Android handset is finally among us after what seems like an extended wait, and was it worth it? Yes indeed – the HTC Magic is better in just about every way to its predecessor, the G1, unless you really need a slide-out Qwerty keyboard or you hate Vodafone.

It's exclusively available on the red network for now, and has managed the trick of keeping virtually all that was good about its predecessor, while making some significant improvements.

First, it's a lot slimmer and more pocket-friendly than the G1 at 113x55x14mm and 119g. It still has that odd little chin at the bottom though, which doesn't serve any practical purpose, but HTC feels it helps with brand definition. It's not so pronounced and ugly-looking as before, but we're still not convinced it's necessary at all.

The slimmer profile is mainly due to the loss of that slide-out Qwerty keyboard which has been usurped by an onscreen version courtesy of the latest 'Cupcake' iteration of the Google Android operating system. The onscreen keyboard looks perilously cramped at first (in portrait mode anyway – it stretches out a bit when you turn the phone on its side) but fortunately the touch screen is sensitive enough to make wrong presses very much the exception rather than the rule, though you'll be unlikely to set any records for speed typing on it.

The HTC Magic's screen is the same 3.2in 320x480-pixel number we saw last time, but it seems to be a bit more responsive this time around, responding intelligently to light brushes across its surface to guide us through menus, or a slightly harder press to access the applications. Just as well really, since there's no way to adjust the screen's sensitivity.

Email proved to be easy to set up – it'll push you towards a Google account, but you can set up virtually any other client you may have. Web browsing is easy and intuitive too. The onboard accelerometer automatically switches the resolution to landscape when you turn it on its side and you can zoom in or out with a tap on the screen. There's also a sort of magnifying frame that you can move around busy web pages until you find the bit you want to zoom in on.

Web access is nice and quick too via HSDPA 3G or, even better, full broadband using the Wi-Fi connection. It's also quad-band, so globe-trotting with the HTC Magic won't be a problem.

The 3.2-megapixel camera, as usual, is the weakest link on this HTC phone. There's an unacceptable amount of lag on the viewfinder when you move it around and pics never really seem to get sharp or properly reflect bright colour tones.

Video has even less to recommend it, blurring all too easily when there's movement involved. Streaming video looked impressive though, or at least it did once we'd discovered the 'watch in high quality' button in the menu. Incidentally, the Youtube app on board allows you to navigate the open video site easily, and also offers a fast upload route for your own vids. There's plenty of room to store them on the phone too, since Vodafone has helpfully provided a 2GB microSD.

The music player is fine, though it's a shame the supplied headphones plug into the USB 2.0 charging/syncing slot – if you want to upgrade (and you really should) you'll need an adaptor, or a wireless pair to take advantage of the stereo Bluetooth link. A graphic equaliser would have been welcome too. We couldn't find one on the Android Market app store but, then again, there could be one by the time you read this.

Market is looking very healthy these days, with hundreds of free and paid-for apps of varying quality and usefulness – it's lagging well behind Apple's App Store, but it's growing fast.

GPS is on board too, backed up by Google Maps and lots of free apps from the Market (Latitude, Qype and Wikitude to name a few). There's also a digital compass, which opens the door for a neat trick in Google Maps' Streetview – instead of brushing your finger across the screen to view the scene at 360 degrees, you just have to turn the phone around.

It's a high-spec phone, and as you might expect, the battery won't get you very far. HTC quotes standby as up to 660 hours standby (450mins talk time) but we had to recharge half-way through the second day of use.

It's a great little smartphone, and a worthy challenger to the iPhone – it's just as easy and intuitive to use, easier to fit in your pocket and is steadily catching up on the app front. And for now, you can also cut and paste, send MMS and take pictures, though these advantages are all likely to disappear if rumours about the next gen iPhone for the summer prove to be true.