The HTC Shift is a device best described as an ultra-small laptop with an integrated HSDPA network connection, enabling the user to keep in contact from virtually anywhere. However, the small size of the device has led to compromises in battery life and performance.

Available from mobile operator Orange since February, the Shift is a remarkable example of miniaturisation. For anyone that must have a laptop running Microsoft Office, but who does not want a large and cumbersome system, the Shift is about as small as you can go before you get into the territory of ultra-mobile PCs such as the OQO Model e2. It is about the size of an old VHS cassette tape and weighs 800g.

Key points for business users are that the Shift comes with Office Professional 2007 ready installed, and the device’s SnapVue mode allows users to send and receive email and SMS messages even when Windows is not running. On the down side, users are unlikely to get more than two hours use while on batteries, and the system is probably only powerful enough for basic productivity work, at least with Windows Vista.

We found the Shift poorly suited for running Windows Vista, and performance would probably be better if Windows XP had been chosen instead. The device is slow to boot up, and we found its performance extremely sluggish until we disabled several programs that launch at startup.

We would recommend that users also disable automatic updates, as Vista otherwise attempts to download multi-megabyte patches even when the mobile network is the only available connection.

Out of the box, the Shift looks like a small slate-style Tablet PC with a 7in wide-screen display. A stylus stored in a slot in the base allows it to be used this way. Most users, however, will slide back the screen to reveal the Shift’s full qwerty keyboard. The screen also tilts up to a comfortable viewing position, in which configuration the Shift resembles a miniature laptop.

We were pleasantly surprised by the Shift’s 7in display, which does not feel cramped despite its low native resolution of 800x480 pixels. However, the keyboard is too small for easy typing. Because of its small size, the Shift has its touchpad for controlling the Windows pointer located to the right of the screen, while left and right mouse buttons are positioned to the left. We found this touchpad position tiring on the thumb after a while, but the stylus or even a fingertip can be used to select objects on the touch-sensitive screen.

The Shift is also two devices in one. It has a second environment called SnapVue that can be accessed at any time by pressing a button to the bottom left of the screen. SnapVue is a highly customised version of Windows Mobile that provides access to email, calendar and contact information via the mobile network, even when the rest of the system is powered down. It also lets the user send and receive SMS text messages, but does not support voice calls.

SnapVue has its plus and minus points. Its instant-on capability allows the user to check email quickly, but it also means that the HTC Shift is never truly “off”, so the batteries can become discharged even when you are not using Windows. We therefore recommend users do not travel anywhere without the mains adapter, which fortunately is also small and light.

SnapVue is also independent of the main operating system, so its email client must be configured separately from Outlook 2007, even if the two accounts point to the same email server. SnapVue supports push email from Exchange servers, but also POP3 and Imap accounts.

The Shift has Bluetooth and 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi as well as its HSDPA connection, and each can be turned on or off individually from the Shift Control Center, accessed via another button next to the screen. We found browsing somewhat slow over the Orange network when compared with Wi-Fi, even when HSDPA was available.

A VGA connector, audio jack socket, a single USB port and an SD Card slot complete the Shift’s I/O ports. An extender supplied with the system plugs into the USB port and provides three further USB ports, plus an Ethernet port for connecting to a wired LAN.

The device’s specifications include an 800MHz Intel A110 processor, 1GB memory and 40GB 1.8in hard drive. It also has a fingerprint swipe scanner for secure logins, and a camera for videoconferencing.

The Shift has a rated battery life of two hours from its 2700mAh lithium-ion battery, and this is very close to what we found in practice. Even when turned off, the battery will only last for a day or two, unless all wireless interfaces including the mobile network are disabled.