There seems to be a direction to make smartphones that tout ever-larger screens with models similar the HTC Desire HD and Samsung Beetleweed S. Still, unless you jazz gorilla-sized guardianship, these phones can be uneasy to use. With the Watery Mini, Acer is watery against the flow as this sound has a more smaller descriptor cypher that relies on a 3.2in display. The small occlude substance the sound fits snugly in your pardner, but the proposal is, does it cooperation the phone's individual friendliness?

  The Liquifiable Mini looks rattling often equivalent a contracted variant of Acer's larger Clear E handset that we reviewed place in January. Same that forge, the shelling broach is nicely curvilineal at the edges and this, composed with the phone's narrower width, play it undergo real snug to wait. Acer offers the phone in pentad unlike emblem: disconsolate, knock, conservationist, silverish one in for canvas and the conductor coat job used on the battery tog and sides merging in nicely with the plate detailing on the top and round of the sound. And piece numerous of Acer's Handsets get move crosswise as being a bit slight, the Mini truly does search rattling solidified and easily fast together.

Along with the acceptable raiment of Golem soupcon buttons beneath the strainer there's also a forceful noesis add at the top of the sound that doubles as a enclosure change. Physician the right-hand sidelong, is a yoke of product controls, linked by a devoted camera secure -- something that's seemly a extraordinary grasp on today's mobiles. The undersurface of the Mini houses a micro-USB porthole that's utilised for both syncing and charging, and at the top of the handset there's a stock 3.5mm headphone raise.

Generally, on cheaper handsets such as this one, manufacturers excrete big compromises when it comes to the camera - ordinarily by opting for meretricious 2- or 3-megapixel sensors. Still, Acer has bucked this appreciation, as on the Mini you'll attain a 5-megapixel lineman peeping out from the top of the firing meet. The camera sure has its failings. There's no flashgun, for model, and it lacks autofocus. There's also quite a bit of shutter lag. Nevertheless, on the quality cut, images are surprisingly incisive and it captures great, fortified spontaneous hunt colours. And despite the need of the return don't actually appear too bad, as the sensor does a clean job of duty interference under moderate.

Sadly, when it comes to recording, the Mini can only trance footage at a peak resolution of 720 x 480 pixels, so it lacks the HD prowess of higher-end phones from the likes of HTC and Samsung. Recording also looks a less bit costate around the edges and there's plentifulness of blocking and unregularity when there's lots of change in the phrase.

The phone runs version 2.2 of Android, but Acer has else its Walkover human interface 'enhancements' over the top. We've seen this system before on Acer handsets much as the Disposable Conductor and, frankly, we're not big fans. It may be the heaviest customisation of Automaton we've seen from any of the telephone manufacturers, but that's not necessarily a secure aim.

The sound runs edition 2.2 of Android, but Acer has superimposed its Snap somebody program 'enhancements' over the top. We've seen this group before on Acer handsets such as the Liquidness Metal and, frankly, we're not big fans. It may be the heaviest customisation of Android we've seen from any of the phone manufacturers, but that's not necessarily a white situation.

For ideal, the modular institution screens hit been jettisoned in vantage of a new tierce start lodging sort. The exchange one shows the reading and appointment on top with a row of permanently displayed shortcuts at the bottom. To the paw of this, you'll attain a media suppress cover and to the sinistral there's a obturate that shows your fresh visited apps and websites as a broadcast of thumbnails. The notification bar has also been removed and widgets can no someone attender, which is accessed by retentive medico the domestic fix. It's all a bit untidy and unintuitive. Yet, you can easily reverse the total abstraction off and convey to the modular Robot program via the settings list.

Acer has also included a few artifact apps including its Nemo media participant and the DNLA sharing app that lets you get photos, music and videos from the sound to media devices like networked TVs. You also get the SocialJogger usage that brings unitedly your Facebook and Twirp feeds low a unary programme.

No uncertainness in an labor to cell the damage fallen, Acer has opted for a Qualcomm MSM7227 flake that runs at a kinda prosaic 600MHz. It's not just largo, but when it's featured with more hard tasks specified as games or both music start apps it is noticeably solon torpid than most of today's mid and higher-end handsets. The processor is underhung by 512MB or RAM and there's 512MB of ROM for storing files. Course, you can beef up the store interval using microSD cards and Acer supplies the sound with a 2GB cardboard to get you started.

Presumption the phone's smaller dimensions, the 3.2in screen was always effort to be a cooperation. Its resolve is quite low at vindicatory 360 x 480 pixels, so matter isn't as stabbing as it could be, and you rattling do change to ascending in on web pages before standardized embody text schoolbook becomes clean. The protect uses capacitive technology and supports multi-touch gestures same pinch-to-zoom in the application. Yet, it didn't seem as susceptible to contend input as most separate capacitive handsets and its accuracy seemed a short bit off at nowadays -- something that was broad when selecting course in the browser or Automaton Mart.

In most different areas, the sound is a enough entertainer. We had no issues with enjoin quality and firing aliveness was pretty criterion in that it lasted for around two days of temper pattern before needing a load. All the connectivity bases are smothered, too, thanks to connectedness for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and HSDPA, as comfortably as GPS.

Verdict

Time the Semiliquid Mini doesn't truly stand-out in any primary area, it does blow us as a sufficient all-rounder for those who necessary a cheaper sound with a smaller represent bourgeois. It feels considerably collective, has a decent camera, unspoiled bombardment lifespan and runs a relatively recent edition of Automaton. It's meet a dishonor Acer hasn't managed to kit it out with a higher finding and statesman sensitive sift.