AT&T Tilt Cell Phone Review - Value & Comparisons
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Mark Brezinski Published on October 25, 2007 Comment on this |
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Value (7.5)
The Tilt costs $549.99 without a contract and $299.99 with a two-year contract, after $100 of mail-in rebates. Given the calibre of software, the contract price is appropriate. The price is comparable to other business devices with similar features, such as the BlackBerry 8320 or the HTC Mogul. Unlike these two phones, however, the Tilt has GPS. While none of the Tilt's features are in and of themselves impressive, it does pack quite a bit of functionality into a $300 price tag (quite a bit of lag too, unfortunately). Without the contract it's obviously less of a deal, but compared to the perpetually contract-less lineup from Nokia, which tend to exceed $700, the Tilt is a good deal.
Comparisons
Nokia E90 - The Nokia E90 is a Series 60 Symbian phone that's roughly the size of a brick. It has some very impressive software, and one of the most impressive sets of displays we've come across. Its keyboard isn't as good as the Tilt's, however, and it doesn't have a touch screen. There are two main factors that will resolve whether you should choose the E90 or the Tilt. The first is the operating system. Series 60 and Windows Mobile devices control very differently, both in terms of each one's interface, but also in responsiveness; obviously, the Tilt isn't as quick as the E90. The second, and most likely the most important issue, is the price. The E90 costs more than $1,000 (depending on what importer you choose), more than double what the unlocked Tilt costs. If you want a business device that you can say costs a grand, then the E90 is just the status symbol you need. In all other cases, you should choose the Tilt.
BlackBerry Curve 8320 - The Curve runs the BlackBerry OS, which means that some users will have the choice made for them; many companies only support BlackBerries with their corporate mail servers. The 8320 is actually quite a powerful device, but the Tilt has a few features it doesn't have, such as the ability to capture video and GPS. The Curve is incredibly responsive, and its operating system is easier to learn. It's also $50 cheaper, and you can find the original Curve (8300) for free with a contract. If you're bargain hunting for business devices, the Curve is a better pick. If you need a responsive OS, the Curve wins again. If you want a more fully-featured phone, the Tilt is a great deal.
HTC Mogul - The Tilt and the Mogul have many, many similarities. They look similar and are Windows Mobile phones made by HTC. Their hardware is similar, their software is similar, and they cost exactly the same. The Mogul is a bit more responsive than the Tilt, but the Tilt has more extras, such as GPS, AT&T's Push-to-Talk network, the music player plug-in, and DUN capabilities. It honestly comes down to how much the extra lag will annoy you and how much the new features are worth to you. Honestly, we think the additional features warrant the extra waiting around for menus to load.
Palm Treo 750 - This is another decision that relies heavily on the operating system. Palm OS is ancient, and in dire need of an overhaul, but still manages to outpace the Tilt in terms of responsiveness. The Tilt runs Windows Mobile, but does so a bit slower that we'd like. In terms of functionality, they're about on par, the same with price. We believe, however, the Tilt has more features, such as Wi-Fi, that set it a few notches above the Treo.
Apple iPhone - Anyone who's considering purchasing a higher-end phone now automatically considers the iPhone. It's one of the better all-in-one devices out there, and has an innovative interface. But The Tilt offers two things the iPhone doesn't: comprehensive business software and a professional appearance. Regardless of how nice the Tilt's home screen music plug-in is, it can't compete with the iPhone in terms of media. The iPhone can't, however, offer the calibre of organizational software that's on the Tilt. In addition, the Tilt is far more extensible. This decision really comes down to whether you're a media maven or a business user; if you lean toward the former category, the choice is eas; go with the iPhone. But business users will feel lost in the Apple world, while they will be at home with the Tilt.
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