AT&T Tilt Smart Phone
Date Published: 2/12/08The AT&T Tilt is a hotly anticipated device for good reason. The most noticeable feature, and the origin of the moniker, is the screen that slides out and tilts to a 40-degree angle. This makes typing akin to an agreeable session of personal computing, as the full QWERTY keyboard is spacious and tactile. Additionally, music enthusiasts and other downloaders will definitely appreciate the high-speed HSDPA network, while business users get use of the Windows Mobile 6 OS. The screen is sizeable at 2.8 inches diagonally, but it only supports 64K colors, so pictures and web pages won't have the crispness that you find on other phones.
Given its laptop quality, the Tilt is not the smallest phone on the market. But its size does make typing on a flat surface a more solid affair. The phone is somewhat thinner than you'd think, while the display is touch sensitive and navigating the menus is very intuitive. You can access, edit, and create documents in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Internal memory is sizeable at 256MB, but it's the MicroSD slot that can hold an impressive 4GB card.
Most people buying this device will be e-mail and text messaging hounds, and the Tilt definitely does not disappoint here. The phone has Direct Push, so you receive e-mails in real time. And you have the option of sending missives through the very swift HSDPA network, through Bluetooth 2.0, or through open Wi-Fi networks. The phone also has a GPS Navigator, so if you subscribe to a special service you can receive color maps or turn-by-turn directions to where you're going.
Because it has such swift network access, watching streaming video is a pleasure, and downloading songs to the music player is a breeze. Unfortunately, listening to songs on the speakerphone is disappointing as the sound quality is rather thin. This improves when using Bluetooth headphones.
When most consumers hear that a camera offers 3-megapixel pictures, they assume snapshots will be great. But megapixel count is only one component to picture quality. As a case in point, the crispness of the Tilt's photos is unexceptional and the color accuracy is not very good either. Videos taken with the camera fared better.
Given the focus on applications, it comes as a surprise that call quality is superb. Connections were crystal clear from both ends. But for the same reason, it is less of a surprise that battery life is up to four hours when utilizing the multimedia features. Standby time, however, is around right days. Other features include: Push-to-Talk (subscription required), an address book limited only by your MicroSD card's space, and voice dialing. Overall, this is a powerhouse of a phone, offering many multimedia features, most of which perform exceptionally well.
Pros: Spacious QWERTY keyboard, innovative design, HSDPA network, Wi-Fi
Cons: Unexceptional camera
Warranty
1 year


