Orange San Diego review

Is the future bright with this one?

Orange San Diego review
Intel is inside its first European handset, but is it any good?

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Now Intel has made big claims about the internet capabilities of Orange San Diego, saying that it's enhanced the browsing experience to give a faster speeds.

Orange San Diego review

The San Diego offers up fast 3G connectivity with speeds of up to 21.1Mbps supported through HSPA+ where network coverage permits, as well as Wi-Fi b/g/n.

Even though the Orange San Diego packs a single-core CPU, Intel reckons the way it's integrated the processor and other handset features has provided a top-notch result.

And to be fair, Intel's not wrong. The San Diego uses the stock Android browser, which is a decent affair, and it managed to load the famous TechRadar.com in under five seconds, including our fancy banner ads.

The impressive Intel processor makes mince-meat of the majority of websites, giving you a smooth scrolling and seamless rendering experience as you zoom through the levels.

The 4.03-inch display shows texts and images clearly, with edges sharply defined, although colours do look a little washed out.

Orange San Diego review

Double tap the screen when zoomed in and the San Diego will swiftly re-size and re-flow the text to make it fit the screen, a handy feature we wish was implemented on every phone, so we're glad it's present here.

The San Diego comes pre-installed with Adobe Flash player, which means you can jump straight into Flash-rich websites straight out of the box, enabling you to get your fill of BBC iPlayer or check out the opening times for the Waffle House.

Prod the bookmarks icon next to the URL bar and you'll be met with the familiar thumbnail Android layout, which makes for easy navigation to your top sites.

If you're not a fan of the stock browser then you can always head over to Google Play, where a number of free and paid-for alternatives await you. And when Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich lands you'll be able to install Google Chrome too for a next-gen browsing feel.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.