The first thing you notice about the HTC 7 Trophy is the size of the 3.8inch screen. With a height of 118.5mm and width of 61.5mm the Trophy is hardly petite, but it allows for easy visibility when checking emails and browsing the web. The colour quality of the Trophy is impressive and the overall style of the handset gives it a similar look to the iPhone 3GS.
The Trophy comes packed with the full range of features you would expect to find on a smartphone,: Microsoft Windows, multi touch input, 5 megapixel camera, photocall, 3G and Wi-Fi technology, and HTML internet browser among others. The touchscreen is also responsive and easy to use, and built-in applications are fast to load, and features like its Facebook integration are a doddle.
For business users the Trophy comes with the full set of integrated Microsoft Office programmes, including OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint Workspace, which allows the user to edit and send files on the go. While it may be tricky to work for a prolonged amount of time on such a small screen, on testing we found the applications straightforward and user friendly.
For email synchronisation the Trophy works well. Microsoft Exchange, Gmail and Hotmail can all be synchronised and interfaced easily.
The Trophy is available for free on contracts between £17.29 to £35 per month (depending on the tariff) at the time of writing. When we checked Vodaphone had a range of contract deals featuring the Trophy, which came in significantly cheaper than those featuring its smartphone rivals.
While the store of Trophy apps can’t yet compete with the iPhone, its libraries of free apps are growing steadily. It also offers some unique apps which differentiate it from other smartphones, such as its HTC hub, which has imitated the clock and weather functions of Android phones.
On the downside, at a hefty 140 grams you would expect the battery life to be longer – the phone needs a charge daily if used frequently. The 8GB internal memory is also a little disappointing when compared to other smartphones. However, on the whole the Trophy is a pleasure to use and feels satisfyingly hardy, making it a strong contender to the iPhone and other smartphone competitors.