HTC Surround Review: A Pocket Boombox
by Brian Klug on November 13, 2010 2:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Windows Phone 7
- HTC Surround
- Mobile
To shoot video on WP7, you tap the video switcher in the top left after launching the camera application. Unfortunately, if you’re always firing up the camera app to shoot video, you’re going to have to tap this every time, as the setting isn’t saved. Frustratingly, the resolution of videos you shoot in the camera app also isn’t saved - you need to explicitly demand 720P each time if you want it, otherwise you’ll just get VGA.
HD 720P videos recorded on the HTC Surround (and I’m assuming the same applies to the other WP7 devices) are shot in 24 FPS MPEG-4 with stereo AAC audio. I recorded 34 seconds of 720P video 34.8 MB in size, for an average bitrate of around 8 megabits/s.
Video quality itself is decent, but what I noticed across two HTC Surrounds was that the camera runs the autofocus routine very frequently during the video, resulting in a pretty apparent zoom in, zoom out effect that can be very distracting. If you’ve used an autofocus smartphone camera, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It runs it sporadically.
The other problem is that the audio track recorded on the Surround sounds like it’s underwater - literally. There’s something very strange about it, and it sounds this way regardless of what audio recording setting the Surround was set to (Stereo, Normal, or Noise Reduction).
I’m left with pretty mixed feelings about the Surround (and WP7) camera application. Settings should be preserved when quitting the application and coming back, icons don’t rotate or give visual feedback that shooting in portrait is supported, and the default of not shooting in the highest quality video mode has continually resulted in me cursing under my breath when I realize later that video I shot is VGA, not 720P. Then we have the strange underwater audio recording on the Surround itself. Hopefully these are things that are actively being worked on and will get fixed in a patch.
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KayDat - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
Would have been interesting if HTC could implement a keyboard/speaker combo. Slide one way for speaker, other way for keyboard. That way, you wouldn't add thickness just for speakers.bpt8056 - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
I like your idea about the speaker/keyboard combo. In addition to that, better landscape support would make this phone a much more competing product.vol7ron - Sunday, November 14, 2010 - link
I love the fact that speakers/sound quality are now being considered by manufacturers. I wish the kickstand was on it, so the screen was higher.I'm curious how big the speakers are - I also would not be too sure that the part would be durable enough to withstand a slide out keyboard/speaker combo.
Randomblame - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
if only it ran windows mobile 6.5 and that slide out was a keyboard. That would be the updated rhodium aka touch pro 3 I would buy.Snotling - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
come on now... win mobile? What else Windows XP forever? Do you Miss Pentium CPUs? Still playing Starcraft 1?aebiv - Monday, November 15, 2010 - link
No, some of us aren't wow'd by the fact with WP7 you LOSE functionality vs WM6.5.Quit being a tool.
Nataku - Monday, November 15, 2010 - link
well... legacy is a blessing and a curse, thats all that can be said for winmo6.5...im actually glad win phone 7 gets a fresh start, at least nothing to drag it's feet
a12e - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
only has 8 GB of integrated NAND, I believe, not 16.softdrinkviking - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
i can't find that mistake. on pg 2, it says 512MB of integrated NAND, and a 16GB microSD card.a12e - Saturday, November 13, 2010 - link
In the spec comparison table at the bottom of the first page for the Samsung Focus.I wish it had 16GB... then I'd have an extra 8GB right now. :)