T-Mobile Pulse Mini

One of the biggest stories in the world of mobile phones this year is unquestionably Android’s massive spurt in popularity.

Google’s OS has leapfrogged Apple’s iPhone to claim second place behind the incumbent BlackBerry and it’s achieved this thanks to a combination of savvy software features and gorgeous, cutting-edge handsets.

However, to truly become the mobile format of choice Android also needs to reach out to the masses and become a more affordable proposition.

We’ve seen precious few 'budget' Android phones thus far – largely due to the fact that costly hardware coupled with an 'always on' net connection usually means you have to take out an expensive contract – but there have been notable attempts.

T-Mobile’s Pulse handset – which is actually manufactured by far eastern company Huawei – was the first Android device to hit PAYG territory and managed to turn a few heads in the process. Now its successor is with us, sporting a smaller frame and the latest Android 2.1 operating system.

Although it shares the same cheap-and-cheerful build quality of its predecessor, the Pulse Mini looks a lot like HTC’s Tattoo. In fact at a distance it’s almost impossible to tell the two phones apart.

In terms of physical presence the Pulse Mini isn’t likely to make Nexus One owners jealous: the 2.8-inch resistive screen is pretty poor and doesn’t really allow Android 2.1 to shine.

Typing using the on-screen keyboard is problematic, although the addition of a stylus – cannily docked on the back of the phone – does mitigate this issue slightly.

At first glance the Pulse Mini appears to be using a stock version of Android 2.1, but closer inspection reveals that T-Mobile has made some subtle changes. The home screen count has been bolstered from the Nexus One’s five screens to nine (the same number boasted by the original Pulse) and a whole raft of exclusive widgets have been included.

While many of the interesting new 2.1 features are present – including animated 'Live' wallpapers and turn-by-turn Google Navigation – the Pulse Mini’s slow CPU struggles to do them justice.

With a bit of careful planning and savvy app management it’s possible to overcome this problem but it’s impossible to shake the feeling that the demands of Android 2.1 are a little too much for anything less than a 1GHz processor.

Having said that, the fact that the Pulse Mini has 2.1 is something to be applauded – especially when you consider that many other leading Android phones are still stuck on 1.6 or worse. Being able to jump in with the latest software for under £100 is undeniably impressive.

For pocket gamers, the Pulse Mini suffers from the age-old issues that have plagued Android devices since day one. The lack of multi-touch support means that complex titles are impossible, although tilt-control games are perfectly playable. The number of games available on the Android Market increases with each day and the quality is slowly but surely creeping upwards.

While it’s hard to dismiss the notion that Android phones aren’t really suitable for the PAYG market due to the need for powerful and expensive hardware, the fact that products like the Pulse Mini exist is encouraging – regardless of its myriad shortcomings.

It’s not going to challenge phones like the HTC Legend or Motorola Droid, but it does offer Android to a wider audience, and that is something that should be commended as the format continues to assert its dominance.