The smartphone… as a phone
HSDPA, 1GHz processor, WVGA screen, 5MP camera, QWERTY keyboard… These are just some of the specifications manufacturers like to highlight when selling new smartphones, but rarely do you read about the voice performance of these do-it-all devices
HSDPA, 1GHz processor, WVGA screen, 5MP camera, QWERTY keyboard… These are just some of the specifications manufacturers like to highlight when selling new smartphones, but rarely do you read about the voice performance of these do-it-all devices.
The fact that these devices are primarily phones seems to be missed by the general public as well and some of us are no doubt guilty of purchasing an expensive smartphone and not even considering how well it will perform for voice calls.
You need to consider how much you need voice when purchasing a smartphone and also in what situations you are most likely to use it. It is true to say that most smartphones now offer acceptable voice quality, but some still suffer in terms of how clear the sound is and how well they project sound from the external speaker.
Voice calls will always be important, whether you realise it or not, and considering this when making a purchase could make all the difference to how you perceive your phone.
So, how do four recent top models perform?
BlackBerry Curve 8520
The BlackBerry Curve 8520 offers smartphone features for a feature phone price and is the ideal phone for those looking to tread lightly into the world of BlackBerry. As a phone it performs well in most areas and offers a surprisingly crisp and deep voice quality when used next to the ear.
The speakerphone distorts slightly at higher volumes, but again compares well to the competition. It is a 2G phone and so reception is difficult to judge in a country with almost blanket 2G coverage, but we had no issues at any time and the signal meter was at maximum consistently. 3G can help voice quality, but it is not an issue here.
Ringer volume is very, very loud and you need to make sure you set it to a medium level before you start using it so as not to scare anyone near to you! It is comfortable to hold and overall offers better than average voice performance for a very fair price.
Voice quality *****
Speakerphone ****
Reception ****
Overall ****
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