Pantech Reveal – casting AT&T.Net Mobile browser
For:
Good multimedia features; AT&T.Net Mobile browser based on Opera, 3G support, QWERTY keyboard with alphanumeric keypad.
Against:
The small screen does not give much benefit of the Web browser. The QWERTY keyboard is cramped.
The Whiz Kid Speaks:
The Pantech Reveal is based on WCDMA (UMTS) 850/1900 + EGSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz. It supports 3G, HSUPA, EDGE, GPRS, and UMTS. It has 64MB internal memory and micro-SD card slot that accepts up to 16GB.
2.2 inches display of the Pantech Reveal has 320×240 pixels resolution that supports 262,000 colors. 1.3-megapixel camera capture still pictures in four resolutions: 320×240, 640×480, 1024×768, and 1280×1024. The video recording resolution options are: 320×240, and 176×44.
The connector set includes 1×2.5mm headset jack, and 1×mini-USB. The Reveal has lithium ion battery that has a life of 180 minutes talk time and 240 hours of standby time. Pantech provides one year limited warranty with the Reveal handset. Accessories included inside the box are power charger, wired headset, user manual, and battery.
Razzle Dazzle:
The Pantech Reveal is 2.36 inches wide, 3.9 inches tall, and 0.59 inch deep and weighs 4.66 ounces. It has solid construction and curved corners. The handset gives good feeling while holding in hand. The black body has smooth steel finish. The sliding mechanism is sturdy and needs a firm press.
Inside Dope:
The Pantech is the well known manufacturer to introduce the dual-slider handset. Its Helio Ocean is a pioneer in this design type that reveals QWERTY keyboard and a numeric keypad too. Not only in this one phone, but the dual sliding design was also repeated with the Pantech Matrix, the Matrix Pro, the Pantech Duo and the Helio Ocean2. Now, the company has changed its tone with new single sliding phone – the Pantech Reveal for AT&T. It has alphanumeric keypad on the front and slides down to reveal QWERTY keyboard. It is the first cell phone to offer AT&T.Net Mobile browser, which is based on the Opera. The Reveal also offers music player, 3G support, GPS, and 1.3-megapixel camera. It costs $79 with two-year AT&T contract. However, the small screen does not give much benefit of the Web browser and the QWERTY keyboard is cramped. If you need a good messaging phone with dual keyboard and can work without touch-screen, then the Pantech Reveal for AT&T is a good option.
Design
The volume rocker and charger/headset jack are located on the left side, while micro-SD card slot and camera key are on the right side. The camera lens and speakers sits on the back.
Display
2.2 inches display of the Pantech Reveal has 320×240 pixels resolution that supports 262,000 colors. It is enough bright to exhibit sharp text and colorful images. You can change the menu type, the color theme, the font style, the backlight time, and the brightness. Need more – the Reveal allows the customization of home screen with greeting text and clock formats.
Navigation Array and Keypad
The navigation array sits underneath the display and includes two soft keys, and round toggle with center OK button. The alphanumeric keypad sits below the array. You will find the messaging shortcut and Talk key on its left; while the Back button and Power/End key is on the right side. The middle Ok key launches Web browser in stand by mode, whereas the Clear key also works as a calendar shortcut. The alphanumeric keypad is spacious and curved upward. You can dial and text using this pad even when the phone is closed.
QWERTY Keyboard
The QWERTY keyboard has small keys, but they are raised above the surface. Both the keypad and the keyboard remain active, so you can quickly type both alphabets and numbers. We are disappointed that the keyboard is little cramped and letters are tiny.
Phonebook and PIM features
The Pantech Reveal can store 1000 contacts in its phonebook. Each entry can save five phone numbers, two email addresses, a memo, a Web URL, and a street address. You can organize the contacts into caller groups and pair them with a caller ID, alert tone, ring-tone and a photo for caller ID.
The basic feature set includes a speakerphone, a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messages, voice command, a tip calculator, a notepad, a calendar, a calculator, a timer, a stopwatch, a unit converter, a world time clock, eight alert-tones, eight polyphonic ring-tones, and an alarm clock.
The additional highlights are GPS support with AT&T Navigator for turn-by-turn directions, stereo Bluetooth, AT&T.Net Mobile browser, instant messengers, and Mobile Email. The mobile email allows working with POP3/IMAP4 accounts as well as includes Hotmail and Yahoo Mail.
AT&T.Net Mobile Web browser
There are three welcome screens that appear on starting up the AT&T.Net browser. One is for Internet bookmarks, Yahoo search box, and URL field. Second is for local information such as news headlines, local weather, local movie shows, local traffic, local shops and restaurants. The third is a Popular screen that lists shopping sites, Entertainment, News & Finance, Sports, Travel, and so forth.
AT&T Services
AT&T also added its broadband services to the Pantech Reveal, which includes AT&T Cellular Video – for streaming video content via CNN & CBN; AT&T Video Share – stream one-way video calls to another compatible phone; and AT&T Mobile Music – that contains music applications such as music community, XM Radio Mobile, and a Song ID service. You can buy and download songs via eMusic and Napster for $1.99 per track with free PC version.
Music Player
The music player interface of the Pantech Reveal is simple and clean. You can arrange the songs by genres, albums, and the artists. The player features album art, playback controls, shuffle & repeat modes, and play-lists. It supports Real Audio, AAC+V2, eAAC+, AAC+, AAC, and MP3 audio formats. The video player supports H.264 and MPEG4 video formats.
Camera
1.3-megapixel camera of the Pantech Reveal features self-timer, and video-recording. The still capture options are shutter sound toggle, timer sound, brightness, four color effects, four white balance presets, three quality settings, and four resolutions. You can record the videos for MMS and longer in normal mode. You can share the pictures and videos via MMS and Video Share feature. The video recording options are with/without audio, three resolutions, and other similar to the still capture. We captured some still photographs and recorded clips. The overall photo quality was average; while the video quality was mediocre with blur and pixelation.
Games and Personalization
The Pantech Reveal has four preloaded games: Diner Dash 2, Ms. Pac Man, Uno, and The Slims 3. The preinstalled applications are: Notifier, Mobile Banking, WikiMobile, My-Cast Weather, and MobiTV. The Reveal can be personalized with available sounds and graphics. More options can be downloaded through AT&T MediaMall store.
Call Quality
We made few calls through the Pantech Reveal via AT&T Wireless for testing. The overall call quality was mixed. We received clear and loud sound at our end without any crackle and static. The callers received mumbled sound with some background noise and crackle. They also missed to hear some words.
The speakerphone call quality was good. We received loud, but harsh sound at our end. The callers received machinelike sound with echo at their end.
Music Quality
The speakers provided loud sound, but could not provide good music quality. We heard tinny and harsh songs without good bass. However, the headset provided a nice experience.
Web Browsing Experience
We loaded some Web sites in the browser. The GSMcellulars.com and CDMAcellulars.com loaded in 10 and 15 seconds. A 2MB song was downloaded in 60 seconds and there was no buffering time for streaming video. However, the video looked pixelated and jerky.
Battery Life
The battery life of the Pantech Reveal is 4.5 hours of talk time. The idle standby time is 11 days. Its digital SAR rating is 1.04 watts per kg in accordance with FCC radiation tests.
Verdict:
The Reveal is a good and affordable messaging phone with full HTML Web browser, but it has some design issues including cramped keyboard and small display.
If you need a budget friendly messaging phone and can work with above design drawbacks, then purchase – the Pantech Reveal for AT&T.
