Acer neoTouch P400

Acer has quite a suite of smartphones to its name and it is currently deploying both the Windows Mobile and Android operating systems. The neoTouch P400 runs the former operating system and uses Windows Mobile 6.5.3 in a vanilla, unskinned, version.

Size and weight:

The handset isn't ugly, but we question whether the face makes the best use of the space available. Measuring 115 x 59 x 12mm, it is an average sized smartphone. And at 125g there's a pleasing weight to holding it.

Network and connectivity:

The Acer neoTouch P400 comes complete with GSM Quad-band phone capable of global roaming (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and UMTS tri-band global 3G (2100/1900/850 MHz). In terms of connectivity, the Acer neoTouch P400 offers you HSDPA, Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth 2.1. This is joined by the GPS to cover the important hardware you'd expect in a smartphone.

Memory and Display:

The LCD display is large enough at 81mm (3.2 inches), with a decent resolution of 320x480 pixels, but crucially the touchscreen is of the resistive kind, rather than capacitive. This means you'll have to actually apply a little pressure to the screen to register your touch. The Acer neoTouch P400 feature comes complete with 256 MB of RAM and 512 MB of ROM memory that can also be expanded with microSD card slot up to 32 GB. The phonebook can store unlimited entries and fields, Photocall in the phone and it can also store unlimited call details.

Camera and Video:

Moving on to the camera, you get a slightly weedy 3.2-megapixel sensor. Megapixels aren't the be all and end all though, and the camera takes photos and shoots video of a reasonable quality. It won't replace your digital camera, but it's better than most mobile phone snappers and will get the job done if all you need is a quick and dirty shot. There's no flash though, and the camera software is hidden away in the menus, so you might miss your photo opportunity while you're hunting through them. The video camera offers 320 x 240 max resolution at a low 10fps, so isn't really up to standard in this world of YouTube HD. In short, if snapping and sharing pictures is something you are interested in, then this device is unlikely to be for you. Sharing is limited to email or messaging, although you can send out photos and videos using different applications.

Entertainment Features:

The Acer set is also incorporated with Internet Explorer 6 Mobile having Flash support. The neoTouch P400 set works with Qualcomm 7227 processor. The Flash support in the IE 6 Mobile application helps the users to perform various activities like to toggle between column and full screen formats and to log in to secure sites for useful information. Making purchases online is also easy through this add-on. It is is equipped with polyphonic ringtones as well as MP3, WAV ringtones that are also downloadable. With the inbuilt MP3 player every music buff can enjoy music and video playback enhances the musical experience. It comes complete with speakerphones with 3.5mm audio jack that gives quality sound. The handset is also equipped with alert options like vibration, downloadable polyphonic, MP3 and WAV ringtones. The media player supports MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+ , MP4/WMV/H.264/H.263. The Acer neoTouch P400 comes inbuilt with games that would keep it's users entertained. The speakerphone volume is on the quiet side, but there's a 3.5mm socket for listening to music using the built-in music player. The headphones you'll find in the box feature a call-answer button and microphone built into the cable, which is handy for taking calls without fishing the P400 out of your pocket.

The Acer neoTouch P400 arrives with an operating system that is accelerating towards obsolescence. It is relatively affordable, so may be the choice for bulk purchase for business, but is unlikely to appeal to consumers wanting the latest all-singing all-dancing smartphone.