HTC Shift First Look Review

We finally got our hands on the HTC Shift. This tiny tablet is quite the power house. I had no problems surfing the Internet with it or navigating through applications. It sports a Intel A110 800MHz processor and has a 40GB hard drive. The touchscreen was practically flawless and I enjoyed using my finger more then the pen. Although, the pen was helpful for more intricate navigating.

HTC Shift specifications: (price: $1,499)

• Intel Processor A110, 800MHz
• Windows Vista Business OS
• 1GB DDR2 microDIMM RAM
• 1.8" 40GB or 60GB hard drive
• 7-inch (800 x 400) TFT-LCD display with adjustable touch-sensitive screen
• Network: HSDPA/UMTS, HSDPA, GSM/GPRS/EDGE available
• Slide out QWERTY keyboard
• Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11b/g
• 1x USB
• 1x VGA out
• 1x 3.5mm stereo out with microphone
• Card slots: 1.8/3V USIM/SIM card slot, SDIO slot with hotswap functionality
• Fingerprint sensor and Webcam
• Battery: 2700 mAh rechargeable Lithium-ion polymer battery, up to 2 hours
• Dimensions: 207 mm (L) X 129 mm (W) X 25 mm (D)
• Weight: 2.4 lbs.

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Design and Build

The HTC Shift has a solid design. In fact it is actually kind of heavy. You can tell the chassis is sturdy and that this thing could take a few bumps and bruises from everyday commuting. It is a gunmetal color and the slide out keyboard is black. It hides fingerprints very well. Nothing about the Shift feels cheap.

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Being so small the Shift can travel anywhere with you. It is perfect for checking email or surfing the Web while on-the-go. It comes with a nice leather portfolio to keep the Shift safe and secure. It feels like a little book. Although the Shift feels heavy, it only weighs in at 2.4lbs, which isn't that much.

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The keyboard is small and hard to type on, but you get used to it after using it a few times. It is similar to the Eee PC, so if you like to do the "peck style" typing you would have no problems. The pen is small and silver and reminds me of a stylus for a PDA. It works just fine and is perfect for jotting down notes or opening and closing windows.

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The Shift will have heads turning where ever you take it, those business meetings or the classroom. I mean, it looks like your standard slate tablet until you slide the keyboard out and tilt up the screen. It's easy to use, but the screen sticks and takes more force then you would expect to pull up.

Display

The 7-inch (800 x 400) touchscreen display is nice. It is very responsive and accurate. It is easy to navigate with your finger or pen. I like that is responds so quickly and doesn't take much force to open applications. You don't have to hit the icon two or three times.

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The colors are bright and vivid and the viewing angles are fine. Even in slate mode the Shift is easy to read. The screen doesn't give off much of a glare. As I mentioned before the touch-sensitive screen is very accurate and fun to use.

Ports

The Shift doesn't come packed full of features, but does have one USB port, one VGA-out, a microphone/headphone port, and SDIO slot with hotswap functionality. It also comes with a nice USB hub giving you three more USB ports. The packaging is very nice, but I don't think that makes up for the steep price tag.

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Back side. (view large image)

Performance

The Shift isn't meant to be some high performance gaming machine. It is meant to be that portable device great for email and office work on-the-go. It is a companion to your other notebooks. The processor didn't really show any signs of lag and to my surprise the Shift didn't get hot, not even warm, when running benchmarks and surfing the Web. Most form factors like this don't disperse heat well, but the Shift does.

Battery life seemed good enough for the time I have spent with it, but a optional slice battery would be the perfect option for power users who are away from the office all day. Something for HTC to keep in mind. The wireless options are great. I was surprised when I got home and the Shift was picking up signals from everywhere including my own Wi-Fi and my neighbors.

Comparison Results for PCMark05

PCMark05 measures the systems performance as a whole.

First Impressions

Overall, I am impressed by the Shift's capabilities. It works hard, while staying cool and quiet. It is the perfect size for traveling and has unique business features like the always on access to important information with HTC SnapVUE. This screen gives you instant access to your emails with Microsoft Direct Push technology, access to local weather, calendar and your contacts.

The SnapVUE screen is a convenient feature and can be switched back an forth from it and Vista (the Internet) with a push of a button. The speakers sound decent, remember this is a small tablet. The benchmarks were better then I expected and I expect it to have similar Super Pi and wPrime scores as Fujitsu's U810. I will have more testing and benchmark results in the full review to come next week. There will be a nice video to show off the design and features as well, so stay tuned.