mobil phone: Acer NeoTouch check

The NeoTouch Acer is the third smartphone we've seen in the company since the acquisition of phone manufacturer E-Ten last year and the first to be equipped with Windows Mobile 6.5 OS.

The front of the camera is dominated by the 3.8 inch, with a glass coating that offers a robust quality feel. With a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, it is a Sharp screen and color reproduction is very impressive.

Most of the phone functions are performed using the touch screen with a stylus stored in the upper right corner.

The Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system is better than older versions of Windows Mobile, with larger, finger-friendly icons and intuitive menus, but go further and you'll find many more options when you have tiny need small fingers or using the stylus.

It also lacks the pollution and the aesthetic appeal of rivals such as Android operating system from Google, although at least 1 GHz processor in the phone device is quick and responsive.

The screen keyboard is fine for short text messages, but it lacks the excellent software correction of text found on its competitors like the iPhone, Magic HTC and HTC Touch Diamond 2. As such, you'll have to prod very precise and small buttons on the screen, otherwise mistakes are painfully easy to do.

Triple connections

Wireless connectivity is impressive, with 3G/HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all built in as standard. They let you surf the Internet on the move and also connect to home networks and office.

The software is preinstalled Google Maps, and with Assisted GPS included, you'll also be able to use the device as NeoTouch satellite navigation. Other pre-installed software includes Office Mobile with mobile versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint - you can become familiar with working applications on the go.

Acer has stuck with Internet Explorer browser from Microsoft website, rather than the excellent Opera browser found on other smartphones. However, the large screen makes it easier to surf the web wherever you are.

The 5 megapixel camera has a shutter button on the side dedicated, automatically switching the phone in landscape mode for shooting. Picture quality is disappointing, however, with colors and sounds lacking dynamism present in dark conditions. However, there is an LED flash light, helping a little with the night shots.


A limited memory

The 256 MB of user memory is limited, but there is also a microSD card to add extra storage space. These additional memory cards to store their music collection will be pleased to find the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack regularly - which makes it easy to use your own headphones.

Battery life is disappointing average, including only a few days between charges with moderate use.

Overall, the S200 NeoTouch is not a bad phone. It is well done and offers a large screen, but few stand-out features, it is difficult to recommend the best in class.