EE Harrier review

Key features

Whilst the core specifications are far from disappointing, there's no single "wow" factor that sets the EE Harrier apart.

The speaker is lacklustre, there are no special camera functions to note comparable to the laser focus found on the LG G3, and you aren't treated to novel features such as the fingerprint scanning found on many top smartphones including the Apple iPhone 6.

Call quality was good, and the inclusion of 4G connectivity up to 150mb/s alongside the standard 3G and HSDPA options is a welcome addition.

EE also includes Wi-Fi calling capability, meaning you can receive calls even if you're on the Underground, in a basement or simply out of range of conventional signal range. Whilst it's a neat feature, Three's own Three in Touch app provides exactly the same functionality on almost any Android phone.

Another feature worth noting is NFC capability, meaning the Harrier is compatible with smart tags and future NFC-based payment systems that may be introduced.

Interface

It's really pleasing to see that EE haven't unnecessarily fiddled with the Android 5.0 Lollipop experience.

Apart from a couple of additional wallpapers, EE's own account-checking app and a couple of pre-installed Amazon apps, the experience is about as close to that which you would find on one of Google's own devices such as the Nexus 6.

This up-to-date OS means you get the full Google experience, and compatibility with any of the newer features such as Android Wear, Google Fit and any of their other official applications.

Applications can be accessed easily from the app drawer, which opens and closes with a pleasing animation, while notifications and settings can be accessed by swiping down once or twice from the top of the screen.

There doesn't seem to be any limit to the number of home screens you can have on the Harrier: I added widgets to 11 home screens and still didn't notice any slow-down.

As mentioned before, there are a couple of pre-installed apps, and while you can't remove any of the Amazon versions, you can disable them – should you wish. Deezer, Lookout security, a games app and the handy Mailwize app are also installed and can't be disabled, but there's nothing too offensive and the app drawer doesn't feel overly crowded.

Other handy apps worth noting are the FM radio and a voice recorder. EE's own app allows you to check billing and other account details, and would be a necessary addition for any EE customer.