Here’s the i730 next to the new i760. It’s sort of like putting a boxy old 1950s car up beside a sleek new model. The i730 just looks "old."

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Having the number keys on the outside is surprisingly functional. To dial on the i730, you have to either use the software keypad on the screen or slide out the bottom keyboard. I always opted for the software keys, but with the i760, I think I’ll be using the handy little number pad.

In the photo above, you can’t really tell much difference in size, except of course for the absence of that little stubby antenna that was always getting in the way, getting hung on things in my pocket, etc. The screen sizes are the same (and even though the number pad is convenient, I’d have gladly given it up to have a little more screen real estate).

Here’s where the big difference shows up, when you view them from the end with the extended batteries installed:

 
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The extended battery on the i730 is a whopper, and sticks way out beyond the back of the phone. The extended battery on the i760 is only a tiny fraction of an inch thicker than the standard battery, so you can comfortably carry it with the bigger battery without even noticing.

You’ll also note that there’s a cover over the charger port on the i760, whereas the i730 just left it open to the elements (and dust, lint, etc.). You might think the cover would get in the way or break off easily, but it swivels around nicely, and it seems strong – at the Verizon store, the rep demonstrated by holding the phone by the little cover tab only.

A big, big improvement is in the ergonomics of the thing. Hardware buttons are placed in locations where you can actually reach them while holding the phone in one hand, and with the OK button, you no longer have to hit the onscreen X to close or minimize programs (one thing that didn’t change from Windows Mobile 2003 to WM6 is that by default, the X only minimizes programs and you have to go into Settings | Memory to close them down. But there’s third party software for both operating systems that will change the behavior of the X).

Here’s what they both look like with the keyboards open:

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It’s about ten times easier to type on the wide i760 keyboard in landscape mode than on the cramped little keyboard of the i730.

I won’t go into all the software differences here; I’ll save that for another day and a more extensive review. Meanwhile, even if it ran the same OS, the i760 would almost be worth the price for the hardware differences alone.

 

deb@shinder.net