Review: O2 Xda Guide

O2’s Xdas have a long history, and the range is broad enough to offer something for most types of smartphone user. The Xda Guide has its emphasis firmly on the GPS side of things, though it does not stint on other aspects too with a 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, and HSDPA all in the mix.

Specs & info
Price: contract
Operating system: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7225 528MHz
Memory: 512MB ROM, 256MB RAM
Dimensions: 102mm x 53.5mm x 14.5mm
Weight: 103g
Display size: 2.8 diagonal inches
Display resolution: 320 x 240
Expansion slot: 1 x microSD

The Xda Guide is a small and neat device for the hand and pocket. It weighs just a shade over 100g, which is a good effort for a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional device. The main screen is perhaps a little small by today’s standards at just 2.8 inches, and its 320 x 240 pixels is definitely sub par, but it is clear enough to read.

Beneath it the d-pad has a little surprise in the fact that its direction button can be rotated. It can be used for scrolling up and down menus, moving through Web pages, and zooming in and out of photos, for example. We found it very intuitive to use.

The GPS features include a bundled copy of the CoPilot navigation software. O2 has long had a relationship with CoPilot and it is good to see it continuing. Working in conjunction with the device’s GPS hardware you have a complete door-to-door navigation system here.

And CoPilot is supplied on a roomy 16GB microSD card that has plenty of space left for additional storage of your own applications and documents.

You get a car power adaptor and vehicle mount for the Xda Guide in the box so you really are all set for door to door navigation.

And there is another GPS related aspect to the Xda Guide and that is Footprints. You access Footprints with a button beneath the screen which enables you to geotag a photo. Pinpoint accuracy is provided if the GPS can get a fix. If not, for example if you are indoors, then cell triangulation is used instead.

The photos are saved as Footprints records. When you choose the Footprints option on HTC’s TouchFLO menu or from the main applications menu the photos pop up in a carousel. Choose one and you can see information relating to it. You can add phone numbers, a written note, or even a voice note.

Footprints could be a great way of remembering things like good places to eat, where you saw that thing you want to buy, or other locations. You can link into Google maps or CoPilot to see the precise location of your Footprint.

We were initially miffed at the mini USB slot doubling as a headset connector as well as mains power jack, but there is good news in that there are music playback controls on the headset and just past them you’ll find a 3.5mm socket.

The 3.2 megapixel main camera is not the Xda Guide’s best feature. The Guide is made by HTC, and HTC is not known for the quality of their cameras, so the flashless shooter on offer here is not particularly surprising in its lack of fancy features. It is adequate, but not outstanding.

HTC’s TouchFLO does a good job of masking Windows Mobile 6.1 as much as it can, and gives you access to the device’s mobile music, contacts, messaging and other aspects of the device.

The user experience is further enhanced by the inclusion of the Opera browser to supplement Internet Explorer. If we have a complaint about usability it is that there is no accelerometer.

Without this the screen doesn’t flip automatically, and that can be a real boon when you are Web browsing or viewing images.

And while we are on the topic of complaints, battery life was a bit of a let-down too. It was decent enough for ordinary use, but switch on Wi-Fi or the GPS and it was run down more quickly than we’d have liked.

Essential Verdict
Performance: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Overall score: 8/10

Written by Sandra Vogel. Originally published in Smartphone Essentials.

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