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ZTE Orbit Hands-on Review

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Feb 28, 2012, 11:15 AM

Windows Hands-on

ZTE Orbit is the second phone announced after the Nokia 610 that will carry Windows Phone Tango out of the box, and we spent some time with the runner-up at the MWC showfloor.

With the Orbit our main goal was to check whether Window Phone Tango runs as smooth as Mango does. Well, rest assured we didn't see any difference while moving those Live Tiles around on the bright 4" WVGA LCD display.

At the same time there were new features like the ability to manage your data connectivity while roaming and attach several items to your outgoing multimedia messages.

Designwise the ZTE Orbit is a pleasant to hold handset, with rounded corners and a soapy shape. The back offers a nice firm grip, and there is a rim around the sides that imitates metal, but isn't.

The plastic actually doesn't feel cheap and the whole phone looks a tad more sophisticated than a mere entry level device.

We were delighted to witness this, since the ZTE Orbit will probably start from free on contract when it lands April-June, and it offers a 5MP camera on the back that does 720p video plus a 1GHz processor - all basic requirements for a Windows Phone handset are covered.

To wrap it up we'd say that that the ZTE Orbit is rather well-built basic Windows Phone handset that is sure to entice many budgets and expand Microsoft's mobile OS footprint in emerging markets, or maybe not only there.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.