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When it comes to using the device to actually make phone calls and other forms of communication, the news is good. The Conquer was tested in New York City, where voice quality was more than acceptable for both parties. Audio was clear with no background noise. Not once was a called dropped either, and given the wide coverage that Sprint has across the board, at least when it comes to voice, the same should be expected in most areas.
The only real issue came when trying to use speakerphone. The aforementioned speaker grill on the back just isn't up to the task. The other person sounded muffled and impossible to make out. The device has Bluetooth, so if one wishes not to make calls the traditional way, there is at least one other option that works.
The dialer itself, along with the call log, contacts, and favorites, is all stock Gingerbread. Nothing exciting to report, but nothing obtrusive either. And texting is exactly how it is on most other Gingerbread devices. But again, the small screen will make it a tad bit tricky to type as fast and as fluid as you normally might. This is where one's Swype's skills might be best used, though mistakes will still pop up.
Surfing the web with the stock browser is where the phone's 4G connectivity really shines. Pages load and render lighting fast, to a supremely impressive degree, given the cost and the size of the package. It's hard to say how its WiMAX speeds compare with other Sprint Android devices using the much newer (and superior) LTE standards, but one has to assume that it's not a deal killing difference (at least to most casual users looking to save a few dollars).
But the Gingerbread underpinning is mostly felt by the choice of browsers that the Conquer has, or lack therefore. The stock browser works just fine, but many will no doubt wish to have Chrome, especially since the mobile version is so tightly integrated with the desktop client. But alas, it is not available for the device, which will be a major disappointment to some.
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