HTC Arrive Windows Phone 7 Review – A Totally Amazing Little Piece of Technology!

“Only Windows Phone has a People Hub with one-touch access to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, so you’ll always be in the loop. Skim the latest posts and pictures from your friends. Dial, text, or IM your contacts, one at a time or in groups. Or use the Me card to post your status, see who’s writing on your Wall, or change your profile pictures, right from your phone.”

If you’re a daily reader here, then you know I pretty much live online. Between posting here, checking emails and managing our team of writers, I feel like I need to be online 24/7. That’s not always possible since I can’t just take my desktop computer with me wherever I go though! I am trying to talk The Man into buying me a laptop for Christmas though. He said he will, but I won’t be excited until it’s physically in my hands! Thankfully, I have the next best thing!

I recently got my hands on a HTC Arrive Windows Phone 7. I was ecstatic the day it arrived and I opened up that little package right away. It felt like my birthday! So after I opened up the package and started checking the phone out, I was in awe and quite impressed. It just happened to have everything that I wanted in a phone, such as a touch screen AND keyboard, one click access to email and Facebook and for the kids {ok sometimes me too!} Xbox LIVE! The Man was quite jealous and insisted it would be his and I could have his phone. Or so he thought! Here’s a little information about it:

Say hello to the first Windows Phone 7 from Sprint, the HTC Arrive?. With access to Zune, Xbox LIVE and Netflix, the Arrive blends everything you like to do seamlessly in one snazzy little phone.

Highlights

I am completely in love with this phone. I can do everything that I need to do on it, including emails, Facebook, scheduling and even updating my blog. I actually did a quick post from it last week when I was in New York! When the screen is flipped, it actually sits elevated a bit, making it so much easier to type; almost like a mini laptop!

There are so many features that I like about the HTC Arrive, but right now I would like to focus on the camera. I had a bit of an issue when I arrived in New York last Monday.

The batteries I had just bought did not give my camera enough juice. I felt like crying. I was there for a blogging event. I had to take pictures! During the event, my camera stayed in my purse because it was useless, but I did pull out my phone. All day during the event and during the car ride to the airport {since there wasn’t time for site-seeing and photo opps}, I took pictures with my phone. Taking pictures was so easy, because I didn’t even have to keep opening up the phone. There’s a button right on the side of the phone, so I could just snap away! I was amazed at the detail and clarity of the photos. They turned out great!

Here’s a shot of one of the buildings, taken from the car while we were moving. It’s so clear, even through the window, in motion!

Another shot of a billboard with Brad Pitt on it, taken from the freeway at high speeds! I was very surprised that you are able to read everything in it, simply amazing!

There’s also a Photo Enhancing app that can do amazing things right from your phone. I took the shot on the left and uploaded without enhancing, the shot on the right was enhanced with Sepia, but there’s also and Auto enhance, Cinnamon and Vintage along with many others! It amazes me that all of these things can be done right from my phone!

Here’s some more wonderful things that you can do with the HTC Arrive:

Customization: With a Windows Phone, it’s easy to customize your Start Screen to fit your life. Quickly pin and unpin your favorite people, apps, even directions to after school activities to your Start Screen so you have your most important information front and center.

Overcoming carpool madness: Between tracking schedules for yourself, your spouse and your kids, parents give the word multitasking a whole new meaning. Windows Phones help you manage it all with tools that let you view multiple calendars in one place so you can easily spot color-coded scheduling conflicts and tap on clickable addresses for directions to where you?re going.

Office Mobile: Thanks to Microsoft OneNote, Windows Phone also helps you get everything on your to do list done ? whether it’s purchasing the new it backpack for your teen or keeping track of what you need for dinner tonight. OneNote is the ultimate note taking tool on your phone that syncs to your PC. It lets you attach pictures and even voice notes, so you never miss a beat. Then, pin important notes to your Start Screen for easy on-the-go access. 

I received samples for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.