The HTC Radar is one of the first HTC devices to run the new Windows Phone 7.5 (aka Mango) operating system. In this article I will take a closer look at the key features of the handset, so you can decide if it is the right smartphone for you.

The HTC Radar is quite a good looking handset, and is available in white and silver colour schemes. It measures up at 120.5x 61.5x 10.9mm, so it is pretty average in terms of its size, but rather slim. The front is dominated by a 3.8 inch S-LCD capacitive touchscreen, which offers a decent resolution of 480x 800. The screen does a good job of producing bright and clear images, with up to 16 million displayable colours, making the a good choice for those who enjoy multimedia use on their smartphone. The screen is made from Gorilla glass, which is proven to be more durable than standard smartphone screens, meaning it can withstand the occasional drop onto a hard surface.

The spec list of the HTC Radar reads largely as one would expect from any newly released smartphone; it has 8 GB of internal storage, fast internet browsing by virtue of Wi-Fi and 3G, and a 5 megapixels camera. The camera comes with an LED flash and shoots video in 720p HD. Also, a 1 GHz processor is provided, and although many other new smartphones are including dual-core processors in their handsets, they are not supported by Windows Phone handsets currently (as the extra battery use does not outweigh its performance benefits, according to Microsoft). The 1 GHz chip is powerful enough to provide great performance though, in terms of touchscreen responsiveness, and multitasking even demanding applications.

The new version of Windows Phone, version 7.5 aka Mango is the operating system of choice. It sets the HTC Radar apart from the many iOS and Android operated devices which are currently flooding the market. The OS itself is easy to use, and well presented; two rows of tiles provide the shortcuts for the most used applications (these are customisable), with all available apps viewable simply by swiping your finger across the screen.

The HTC Radar is likely to appeal to those looking for a stylish and functional alternative to the mainstream handsets which are currently proving so popular. With the added bonus of a solid operating system which is gaining in popularity, you can expect to see a lot more of the HTC Radar in the near future.