Torn between Apple's iPhone 4 and HTC's Android-based Desire? Steve and Laurence discuss the hottest new smartphones on the block.
How we test
Our in-house tester, Scott O’Keefe, and testers from the Kondinin Group’s Farming Ahead magazine rate the following aspects of each phone:
Ergonomics They assess the keypad, touchscreen and keyboard, as well as general handling and menu controls when using the phone.
Call sound quality is tested by a panel receiving one call made from a landline to each mobile handset, and another made from each mobile handset to a landline desk phone. The sound they hear in each case is the same wave file recording of the tester reading from a document into a high-quality microphone recording to a wave file on a computer.
SMS use is examined by writing and receiving an SMS and checking the suitability of the display for texting.
Email Our testers see how easy it is to set up an email account as well as send, retrieve and read emails.
Web browser performance is scored on how easy it is to start the browser, navigate to sites, enter addresses and use favourites and bookmarks. We also note models with WiFi connectivity.
Daily use Scott conducts a series of everyday tasks with each handset, including accepting a call, saving a call as a contact, bringing up the address book, adjusting the volume level and diverting an incoming call to the message bank.
Durability is tested by conducting a heat test (fully charged and in standby mode) with models placed in a hot environment at 60°C for three hours, followed by a drop test, wherein each handset is dropped onto a hard surface from a height of 80cm, four times on each of their six faces with calls made after the 12th and 24th drops.
Sensitivity Range testing is conducted at Oxley Downs in NSW, which is chosen for its flat topography surrounding a Next G phone tower and lack of interference from any other nearby towers. No other mobile network reception is available in this area. The testers travel away from the tower at set distance increments (using GPS) and place two-way calls with the various handsets. At the limit of reception, some back-tracking is necessary to pinpoint the exact point at which a particular handset fails.
Battery life is calculated based on the number of 20-minute calls made every hour that could be made with a fully charged battery.
Music quality Scott measures how easy it is to access the music player application.
Removable storage Phones are scored lower if you need to take the cover off or remove the battery to access the memory card.
Models tested
- Apple iPhone 4
- Blackberry Torch
- HTC Desire S
- HTC HD7
- HTC Wildfire S
- Motorola Atrix
- Motorola Defy
- Nokia 6120 Classic
- Nokia C5-00
- Nokia E7
- Nokia N8-00
- Samsung Galaxy Ace
- Samsung Galaxy S
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
- Telstra EasyCall2
- Telstra Explorer T165+
- Telstra Tough 2
