The Dell Venue Pro was an instant standout during the initial Windows Phone 7 launch last year. It's unique form factor, extra large display and portrait slider QWERTY really separated it from the bunch. Does the actual handset live up to the positive knee-jerk expectations, though?
Physically, it’s one solid piece of hardware with a sturdy build and really premium touches. The extra-large size (4.8 inches tall and half an inch thick!) can automatically eliminate it as an option for some, though. Display is a 4.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen (480 x 800 resolution) with rich colors, excellent brightness and plenty of sharpness. Viewing from a variety of angles is no trouble, although it washes out just a bit under sunlight (still plenty usable, though).
The slide-out mechanism for the keyboard is sturdy, so it remains firm even when you're using the keys and holding the phone upright (no awkwardness, unlike I originally imagined). Because of the portrait layout, there isn’t much spacing between the keys, but it's still easy to use.
As a phone, the Dell Venue Pro makes for good calls. Audio isn't as rich as some of the better ones we've used, but voices sounded clear and there was little distortion. Those on the other end reported an even better calling experience. Expect 6 to 7 hours of talk time before the battery conks out.
Since there isn't much customizations available for manufacturers on Windows Phone 7, your can just read our WP7 Review to find out how the platform works. Do note that with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor at the helm, the handset responded snappily to everything we used the software for.
The Dell Venue Pro is a quad-band world phone, with plenty of calling options, as well as a whole host of basic and advanced messaging capabilities . It's also got all the standard smartphone connectivity -- WiFi, Bluetooth, aGPS and3G. Do note there were issues earlier when connecting via WiFi to secure networks, so make sure it's fixed on your unit if you get one.
Media playback is solid, especially for movies with the large and gorgeous AMOLED display. It also comes preloaded with T-Mobile's bloatware (errr… "services"), although you can remove them, unlike with other platforms. The 5.0 megapixel camera takes sharp images with good colors -- getting steady shots feels more challenging than usual, though, so expect plenty of blurry captures.
Overall, the Dell Venue Pro is an excellent WP7 phone. That is, if you can live with the bulky size. We love the price, too, which is currently $99.99 (8GB) and $149.99 (16GB) on a two-year agreement with T-Mobile.
