The Atom V is a tall and thin Windows Mobile device, and one of our first impressions on the ergonomics front is that it feels a bit too tall for its own good. This view is upheld when you pick the Atom V up. Unless you have larger hands it is going to feel a bit oversized.
The plus side of this is that there is plenty of room on the front fascia. The 2.8-inch screen is on the large side for a Windows Mobile device, but it manages to look a little lost thanks to the huge expanse beneath it, which is occupied by buttons.
The navigation pad has an unconventional look, as its central select button is vast while the surrounding frame, which you tap to make up, down left and right movements, is thin. This doesn't seem to affect the Atom V's ease of use though.
The black and silver design is nothing new, although the MWG logo, which sits proudly in between the screen and keyboard, is distinctive in silver against the black background.
MWG Atom V - Getting there
Integrated GPS seems to be becoming more popular with Windows Mobile smartphones, and the Atom V has an antenna built in. There is a utility on board that can be used to track your movements, delivering information on distance covered and current speed. This could be used, for example, by strapping the Atom V to your bike when cycling to find out how far you've travelled. In fact, there are walking, driving and cycling modes. There is no point-to-point navigation built in, but you can add that on easily enough.
MWG Atom V - Multimedia matters
There is a fair bit of software aimed at multimedia fans, including an FM radio, sound recorder and streaming player. You can use the two-megapixel camera's flash as a torch, and although the application is buried away in a folder, you can assign a button to it if you want it to be more easily available.
The Wi-Fi and 3G with HSDPA are great for those who like web browsing, though sadly there is no front-facing camera for two-way video calling.
If you are the kind of person who wants their smartphone to help get things done, then the Atom V's mobile email and Office Mobile with its Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile are ideal. You can edit documents in the first two applications, and view them with PowerPoint Mobile.
MWG Atom V - Verdict
The MWG Atom V has plenty going on, despite its long and thin design. The GPS tracker is a neat utility for anyone who wants to monitor their progress whether it be on the cycle to work or a weekend ramble. Overall, this smartphone has real appeal. Look and Feel
The MWG Atom V is unusually tall for a Windows Mobile smartphone, which makes it feel somewhat unwieldy in the hand.
Ease of Use
There is plenty of room for the buttons below the screen, which are consequently all easy to find and hit accurately.
Features
We like the HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and think that the tracking application, which complements the built-in GPS antenna, is potentially a real winner.
Performance
A speedy processor ensures this smartphone rips along at a good speed.
Battery Life
The device gives warnings when you turn on battery-sapping features like the GPS or torch, which should help conserve battery power. Specifications
Type of phone: Smartphone
Style: N/A
Size: 116 x 59 x 15mm
Weight: 133g
Display: 65,000 colours
Resolution: 240x320
Camera: Two-megapixels
Special Camera features: N/A
Video recording: Yes
Video playback: Yes
Video calling: No
Video streaming: Yes
Music formats played: WMA, AAC, MP3
3.5mm jack port: N/A
Ringtones: Polyphonic
Radio: Yes
Operating system: Windows Mobile
Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, Wi-Fi
Internal memory: 256MB ROM, 64MB RAM
Memory Card Slot: microSD
Messaging: SMS, MMS
Internet Browser: WAP, HTML
E-mail client: IMAP4, POP3
GPS: GPS
Java: Yes
Games: Bubble Breaker, Solitaire
Data speed: HSDPA
Frequency: Quad-band
Talktime: 210 minutes
Standby: 150 hours
Display size: 2.8-inches
Keypad: N/A
