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A solid smartphone alternative to the iPhone for business users
- 3G, EDGE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatibility
- Microsoft Mobile Office Suite included
- Tilting touch screen
- Full QWERTY keyboard
- Camera quality
- Short battery life using AT&T's 3G network
- Multimedia support
While the Apple iPhone 3G has better work-oriented abilities than its predecessor, experts say that business users on the AT&T network will likely be better served by the AT&T Tilt. Its most distinctive feature is a large 2.8-inch touchscreen display that tilts at a 40-degree angle. The Tilt also has onboard 3G connectivity, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Telenav GPS navigator and BlackBerry Connect software support. This quad-band (850/900/1800/1900) GSM phone can be used in most locations worldwide. However, it falls well behind the iPhone 3G in the fun factor, and doesn't approach that phone in terms of delivering the Internet.
The AT&T Tilt is a popular smartphone, and we found lots of credible reviews. The best of these is CNET's, which is comprehensive and technical without being too difficult for the average reader to understand. Consumer Reports, a reliable source for product testing results, offers some useful (but less detailed) information regarding their recommended smartphones. Helpful smartphone roundups can also be found at financial publications Money Magazine and Kiplinger's magazine. Thorough single-product reviews are available from editors at MobileTechReview.com and InfoSync.
Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET calls the AT&T Tilt a powerful smartphone for business users. Pluses include a wide range of wireless connectivity options and great messaging capabilities. The included Microsoft Mobile Office Suite lets users create view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, which is another plus.
Review: AT&T Tilt Review, Bonnie Cha, Oct. 3, 2007
2. ConsumerReports.org
The AT&T Tilt is among the smartphones evaluated in the latest update here. The report is unbiased and testing is appropriate, but discussion of each smartphone is brief.
Review: Cell Phones and Smart Phones, Editors of Consumer Reports, Updated Sept. 2008
Money Magazine's Kate Ashford rates five smartphones on criteria such as messaging and web, music and video, and ease of use. The AT&T Tilt receives a "B+" grade; Ashford says that the Tilt has plenty of features and is fairly easy to use, but other similarly priced smartphones offer a better multimedia experience.
Review: Genius Phones, Kate Ashford, Feb. 2008
The iPhone's huge success and admiring reviews have spawned more smartphone challengers, says contributing writer Jeff Bertloucci. In this round-up, the Tilt is referred to as "clever but quirky," and Bertloucci says it's no match for the original iPhone when it comes to usability.
Review: The iPhone Challengers, Jeff Bertloucci, Jan. 2008
This review rates the AT&T Tilt in a number of categories, including design, call quality, multimedia, Internet and more. The review says that while multimedia is a letdown, "There is plenty on this device to recommend it to a serious power user."
Review: Review: AT&T Tilt business smartphone, Philip Berne, Nov. 8, 2007
The reviews here are exceptionally well detailed and include lots of photos. Smartphones are rated on a five-point scale, and the AT&T Tilt receives a favorable four-star score, primarily for its feature lineup and price.
Review: AT&T Tilt Review, Lisa Gade, Oct. 4, 2007
