HTC Shift - another UMPC for my collection!
This week I was lucky enough to receive a HTC Shift on loan. When I first got a chance to play with the HTC Shift at Microsoft Tech-Ed in 2007 I was wowed by the ability of running Windows Mobile and Vista on the one device with an in-built HSDPA Modem (even 12 months ago HSDPA modems were rare)
Once the Shift was officially released and the initial shine wore off, there were complaints about the battery life and the fact that it didn't sport a full Windows Mobile 6 OS, but a cut down version HTC names SanpVUE. Although SnapVUE allowed you to check the weather, manage email, calendar, contacts it didn't allow you to browse the web - you had to boot back into Vista for that. This obviously put a lot of users off, but the guys over at xda-dev and modaco didn't take long kbefore they were able to 'modify' SnapVUE to brig back some of the WM6 shell. They have been able to enable installation of applications, therefore restoring Office Mobile, Internet Explorer, Notes, Windows Media player and anything else you care to install :)
After 4 days with the HTC Shift I have been very happy with the performance in Vista and pretty happy with the SnapVUE performance (it just seems sluggish sometimes). I left it in the original state for 3 days before performing modifying SnapVUE thanks to Paul @ Modaco. Since then I have resorted IE Mobile, Office Mobile and added Evernote and Skype 2.2 for Windows Mobile. Now I can work mostly out of the WM side instead of booting into Vista.
Vista runs really well on this device, I was actually a shocked to see it running so well. I have been using an OQOe2 with a 32GB solid state drive (SSD) and 1.5 Ghz CPU for the last 8 months and the Shift is only just behind the OQOe2 in performance. The device does take around 2mins 20secs to boot up, but resumes quickly from sleep and hibernate which is workable. The battery life has been good and I've been able to squeeze around 2hrs 15mins each time with some power saving settings (ie screen @ 80-85% brightness)
I'll be using the Shift as my main computer for the next week, apart fro my Work PC because I need access to the corporate network, and will blog some more thoughts as the week goes.
Links:
Blue Zone Pty Ltd - UMPC/Tablet PC Reseller
Press Digital - UMPC/Tablet PC Reseller
