Review: HTC Google Ion

The newest device to flaunt Google's Android operating system is the Ion, a lightly customized version of the HTC Magic. Loaded with a newer version of the seminal OS, the phone is faster, sleeker and smarter than the previous Android model, the G1. But the hardware is also improved. The phone ditches the G1's awkward keyboard and replaces it with a full touchscreen. It's a great step forward Android handsets but not quite robust enough to knock the iPhone off its throne as "King of Touchscreens."

We received a test unit at Google I/O developer's conference last week, albeit one that is not configured or fully vetted for consumer use. But the system is mature enough to put through the paces of daily use. And it's unlocked, too.

The hardware is HTC's new HT-03A, the same phone being offered by NTT DoCoMo in this summer's lineup. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, microSD card slot, Bluetooth and GPS. Unlike the first Google phone, there's no physical keyboard, just a 3.2-inch touchscreen.

OK, so it's a thoroughly modern smartphone with a touchscreen. Which makes it impossible to avoid comparing it to the iPhone. And, sadly, HTC's hardware can't match Apple's. The Google phone is a little smaller than an iPhone, though a tiny bit thicker, so it feels about the same in your pocket. But within just a few minutes of navigating the menus, we were already missing both the tactile feel and the sensitivity of iPhone's glass screen. Typing out tweets on the HTC's screen made our thumbs feel like fat Italian sausages. The extra thickness makes it harder to grip comfortably while typing, a problem made worse by the fact the screen is smaller, smudges more easily and offers much more friction than the iPhone's. It will take some getting used to.

The hardware does have some wins. Photos taken with the camera are sharp and bright, and the battery life is excellent. After only one full charge, we've been running GPS traces, making calls, surfing the web with both Wi-fi and 3G, Twittering and listening to MP3s for about six hours, and the battery still has one third of its juice left.

Google's developer device is loaded up with Android version 1.5. This build is much improved over the G1's software. Configuring things like ringtones, wallpapers, alarms and behaviors is a breeze, and direct access to the Android Marketplace makes installing apps a no-brainer. The notification system – a bar you pull down from the top of the screen – makes it easy to switch between active applications without having to go back to the main screen. Want to fill it up with MP3s?

Plug in the USB cable, then drag and drop. Then there's the pure joy of just plugging in your Gmail credentials and having your entire life synced to the phone instantly. Calendars, contacts, your inbox, all at your fingertips with almost zero configuration.

There are some drawbacks, like Android's web browser, which isn't nearly as refined as Mobile Safari. The "Zoom in" and "Zoom out" controls feel so three years ago, and the browser has problems finding the main content well on a lot of websites – it frequently zooms in on ads or page headers instead. Vertical scrolling is rather clunky and jittery throughout all of the apps. Animations like screen fades and visual notifications are also more sluggish than we'd expect, given the snappiness of the iPhone's OS. These are the types of problems we'd expect to be ironed out before the OS is released to consumers.

All in all, the newest Android OS is a big improvement over previous versions, and, taken as a whole, the phone is definitely the most advanced, easy to use touchscreen device we've seen – except one.

A release date for the phone has not yet been announced. The FCC did approve a T-Mobile branded version of the Magic equipped with T-Mobile USA's 3G frequency bands on March 26 of this year. But if you are rabid for the Dream, you can score one on eBay to the tune of about $500.

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