HTC Magic Android Google 2 Unlocked SmartPhone--International Version with NoU.S. Warranty (Black)

by HTC

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B002IC16O2
• Item model number: A6161EUBK
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,844 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)

Product Description

The HTC Magic is an Android-powered mobile designed to turn heads with its chic design, and command attention with its advanced list of capabilities. Ready to always keep you in the know… it provides the Google suite of services like Mail, Search and Maps geared up for use in the palm of your hand. Further enhanced with video capture and support for tunes via Bluetooth wireless headsets, the HTC Magic is a true entertainment and media powerhouse.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars T-Mobile myTouch 3G -- Very Nice, September 13, 2009

By 

Jon M. Nelson (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HTC Magic Android Google 2 Unlocked SmartPhone--International Version with NoU.S. Warranty (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I'm an Apple guy. Always have been. I'm writing this on a MacBook Pro connected to an AirPort. I have an iPod, an Apple coffee mug, t-shirts from the various Macworld Expos I've attended, and even an Apple sticker on my car. So when it came time for me to join the 21st century and get my first "smart" phone, naturally I chose ... an HTC myTouch for T-Mobile.

Come again?

Okay, I've had iPhone envy for years now and have been spending my recent lunch hours playing with the new iPhone 3GS at the Apple Store in the mall connected to my office. I really like it, but I've been a happy T-Mobile customer for years now, since they were VoiceStream, and was reluctant to change carriers, especially with all the bad press about AT&T's coverage. (Apparently, there are so many iPhone users using their iPhones so much that the system can't handle the traffic, resulting in slow or no 3G connections and poor or non-existent call quality.) So the other day I stopped in at my local Radio Shack and found that they had the myTouch. None of them were "live," so the saleswoman let me pop my sim card into a brand new black one and play with it for a while. After she told me I could return the phone, without penalty, within 30 days if I didn't like it, I figured, why not? So I left the store with that new black myTouch in my pocket.

First impressions? It's a beautiful little phone. The screen is bright and colorful and I get a good connection to the internet and my e-mail. Calls are clear and strong, as always, and there are lots of free apps from the Android Market. The myTouch works seamlessly with my .Mac account, as well as my Gmail account, and everything is automatically synched between the phone and my Google calendar and contacts. I was a little concerned about no iTunes access, but there's a great free program called Double Twist that allows me to easily copy all of my content -- songs, photos, video, and more -- from my computer to the phone, so it's like having iTunes on the phone. Overall, it's a lot like an iPhone, only the T-Mobile service is cheaper than AT&T, and from all the complaints I've heard and read about, it's also more reliable.

Other reviewers have complained about the speed of e-mail, but my e-mails -- Gmail and my .Mac mail -- are very fast. I have the phone set to check every 5 minutes and have no lag at all. As for the keyboard, it's not that bad, but you can download the free HTC keyboard or buy the Better Keyboard or TouchPal, all of which work better -- problem solved.

So, at the end of 30 days, what am I going to do? The Apple-loving side of me would still like an iPhone, but there really isn't any need for one, given that the myTouch does just about everything the iPhone does, and it does it for less, and more reliably to boot. The iPhone undoubtedly has more available apps, but the Android Market already has thousands, most of which I couldn't care less about. Many more are sure to come. As much of an Apple fan as I am, I'm having a hard time justifying the extra cost of the AT&T service, particularly given all of the problems they're having. (I have lots of friends with iPhones and they all love it, but concede that it drops calls all the time, and that the call quality isn't that great. Call me old-fashioned, but I think a phone -- "smart" or not -- should be able to handle calls first and foremost.) And because the myTouch is still new, there aren't that many floating around yet, whereas the iPhone is now ubiquitous; even my 10 year old daughter's friend has one!

So, while I've only had it a couple weeks, I'm very impressed with the myTouch and think I'll be keeping it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mostly love it, but a few drawbacks, October 13, 2009

By 

Amy "epiamy" (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: HTC Magic Android Google 2 Unlocked SmartPhone--International Version with NoU.S. Warranty (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I've had my MyTouch (HTC Magic) for a month and a half. Overall, I love the phone, but I found it has a few things that drive me a bit crazy.

Pros:
-There are a ton of apps.
-The cost of the T-mobile service is much cheaper than the AT&T rates.
-Where I live, T-Mobile coverage is very good.
-Fast networking speeds.
-Easy to search and download apps. Marketplace is even easier than the iPhone store.
-Sound is pretty decent, both via the headset and voice.
-Google voice search is included, and available right off the main screen.
-Enabled GPS makes for fantastic, easy searching, and works well with my running apps. It's able to map and track my position and speed.
-Can use a wireless connection instead of the 3G network - very easy to set-up.
-If you don't clear your text logs, the texts will continue to be stored under the person's name who sent them. This is easier to navigate than having texts from unrelated people.
-Mobile uploads of pictures and video has worked well, and quickly.
-Can easily set up multiple alarms. Can even make them sound like the ring on your phone in order to scoot out of a date that is going poorly.
-Syncs well with Gmail calendars. (I haven't tried syncing with other ones).
-Portable, fits well in pockets or pocketbooks (even when I'm carrying a small clutch).
-Screen resolution is good; very easy to read e-books or PDFs.

Cons:
-I was new to the virtual keyboard world. It took me about an hour or two to really be able to type with any accuracy when the phone was in the portrait position. There are different keyboard apps that actually work better (imho) than the one that is included the with phone.
-The battery life is pretty abysmal.
-Leaving wireless connections up seems to drain the battery faster.
-Bluetooth functioning is different from any other phone that I've used. There is a setting where you can turn on bluetooth, set your phone to be discoverable, and pair the phoe with a bluetooth earpiece. After pairing, my other phones always "knew" when I had the bluetooth headset on, and automatically switched to use that when I turned on the bluetooth. With the MyTouch, you have to either keep the bluetooth setting on, or manually turn it on when you want to use the headset. For me, I leave it off, because it seems like having the bluetooth functionality drains the battery.
-There is a delay when using bluetooth; it takes 1 or 2 seconds after the call has been answered before the bluetooth headset "activates" for listening and talking.
-Camera does not have a flash. The camera takes terrible pictures under non-bright conditions (i.e. indoors).
-One of the biggest complaints I have is over the stupid design of the headset/earphone connection. There is not a plug for a typical headset or earphone jack; instead, the mini-USB port has a connector that is needed for a standard telephone headset/earphone. This means I have to keep a second adapter around for when I want to use my phone to listen to music and/or connect a headset to talk.
-I haven't found a way to delete e-mails I've read off the server, which means that when I refresh, the previously read e-mails show up as unread again. This may be a user error (if so, I'd love feedback about how to do that).

I have a pretty old Hotmail account that I set up, which had to be done "long hand" because the account was old. However, there were instructions to follow, so that was no problem. I was able to easily set up my gmail and Yahoo! accounts. I haven't experienced any long delays from creation to sending as other reviewers have reported.

Overall, I love the convenience of my MyTouch smartphone. I like being able to browse online while waiting in line or on the bus. I'd give it 5 stars if the battery life was longer; if the bluetooth connected seamlessly, and if they had a separate jack for headphones/earphones-microphone combo.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars HTC Magic Review, October 31, 2009

By 

Ernesto Gonzalez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: HTC Magic Android Google 2 Unlocked SmartPhone--International Version with NoU.S. Warranty (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

It's a great looking phone and the touch screen works smooth. I have already dropped it a few times, and it still works great.
BUT! what really iritates, and upsets me is that it does not come with "market" so I can't download ANY applications, so I'm just stuck with what the phone came with. The only way I can get market on this phone is if I had Windows XP (I have Vista) from what I've read and already tried to do.