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HP Veer

What it Does

The HP Veer is one of the smallest smartphones on the market. It is roughly the size of a credit card and has a thickness less than a deck of cards. It has an 800 MHz processor and fast RAM and the latest WebOS software to provide an intuitive interface that is both fast and responsive. The 5 megapixel camera provides camera-quality audio and video. Scratch resistant gorilla glass can handle the use and abuse of an avid phone user and keeps you from having to worry about scratching the screen when using it or when it’s stuck in your pocket.

The HP Veer has a full Qwerty keyboard with domed keys to ensure error-free typing. They are spaced well apart so you don’t have to worry about mashing the keypad and facing difficult typing. It has HTML5 Flash which means you’re getting a true browsing experience. Connect to the Internet using a Wi-Fi connection at no cost or use the HP Veer as Mobile Hotspot and connect up to five other devices to the Internet using it as a wireless router. The Veer is also capable of accessing both the 3G and 4G mobile broadband networks, which gives you a plethora of options in terms of browsing online.

The interface of the HP Veer is what sets it apart from its competitors. If you want to search for something online or on your phone, don’t bother opening up an app or browser. Instead, just start typing and the phone will look for apps and contacts that match what you’ve typed. You can also use this feature to search the web, your bookmarks, history and e-mails. All without launching an app. Take it an even more ridiculous step further and start typing to search YouTube, Bing, Google, Google Maps, Wikipedia, Twitter, or use it to create a new event. All you have to do is go to your preferences and tell it what you want it to search whenever you type something. The HP Veer is integrated with Facebook, Google, Yahoo!, AIM, Microsoft Exchange, LinkedIn, and Skype (Skype only if you have Verizon as your service provider).

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The other part of the interface that is revolutionary is how gestures navigate through content. You can quickly switch between multiple open apps and notifications using gestures, cards and stacks. It is essentially a graphically intriguing and efficient way to multitask. Swipe to go up a level, swipe the other way to go down a level. Pinch to zoom and pinch again to zoom back out. Flick to scroll. All of these help you manage your content and switch between different open apps quickly and easily.

Don’t be intimidated by all the innovations of the HP Veer, getting started is easy and the interface is very intuitive. HP also gives you 90 days of free access to the Setup Help Line so you can get started quickly and ask any questions you might have. To get started, just slip in a SIM card, turn it on, and go. Create a profile to set up the phone how you want it. If the phone gets stolen, you can do a remote wipe to prevent them from accessing any personal information. If you get a new one, just pull up your profile and all your information and preferences will be automatically set up.

Accessories

There are some very interesting accessories for the HP Veer that are spins on conventional accessories. The Touchstone Charging Dock is an inductive charging unit which means there are no cords. Instead, just place the phone on the dock and it will immediately begin charging. Another interesting feature of the Touchstone Charging Dock is that if the HP Veer is charging and you receive a phone call, it will automatically play through the speaker phone. If you pick the phone up off the charger during a call, it will turn the speaker phone off. Another interesting feature available while using the Touchstone Charging Dock is a suite of Exhibition apps. These apps basically make the HP Veer into a digital frame. Display images, a clock or your Facebook photos. New Exhibition apps are always being made, so the options will continue to become more diverse.

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The HP Veer has a Voice Dial feature which expands on the usual calling contacts in your contact list. Hold down the volume button and say a name or number and it will call them. Say “Redial” to redial a number, “Voicemail” to access your voicemail, “Repeat” to repeat the last command, “Back” to go back on the menu, “Start Over” to go to the home page, and “Cancel” to end an operation.

Cost

Very affordable at $100, though prices will differ depending on if you purchase it under contract or just purchase the phone outright.

Please follow me on Twitter @mattschirano to receive updates whenever I publish new technology reviews!

Sources:

http://www.hpwebos.com/error/notfound.html

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/13/hp-veer-4g-review/