REVIEW: HTC Desire
FEATURE-wise, the HTC Desire is a strong contender in the smartphone market, writes EDWIN KEE. THE HTC Desire has been around for a couple of months and, with a price tag of above RM2,000, it´s a smartphone on the higher end of the chain. While we wait for the iPhone 4 to hit the market here, will HTC and its partner carriers be able to ensure that Android gains a stronger foothold in the market? It is interesting to note that the HTC Desire will ship with the Android 2.1 (Eclair) operating system, despite the UK version already having received the Android 2.2 (Froyo) update recently. You can try to update the Desire yourself to Froyo, but doing so might just void your warranty and there is no guarantee that all the functions will be retained - if you trawl through forums and message boards by those who have taken such a route. So far, there is still no official word from our telcos as to when Froyo will be released (if ever) for the HTC Desire, so we´ll just have to keep our fingers crossed. Design The HTC Desire could well be a cousin to the Google Nexus One, except for the presence of an optical trackpad sandwiched by four buttons on either side. The local version ships with an Amoled display instead of LCD that is found in the recently released US version. Measuring at 9.3cm, it is large enough for daily use but some might prefer something larger such as 10.9cm multi-touch gesture support, letting you pinch-and-zoom, and there is a quartet of buttons located right below the display - a signature of Android handsets. Volume buttons are on the left side, while the mini USB port is placed at the bottom with the power button on the opposite end, accompanied by a headphone jack. It is pleasant enough to look at, and the matte surface offers an understated elegance which should work well for both business and casual users. Context Everyone uses a phone differently, so before I proceed, I will need to furnish you with details on how the Desire is used for context. My Facebook account, Microsoft Exchange account and Gmail have been set up on an always-on connection which will definitely use the battery life. Push email was slightly slower than expected compared with receiving emails on my computer directly, but it´s nothing to complain about unless a 10-second gap is important to you. I also use the Desire for around 10-15 minutes a day when it comes to phone calls, with the occasional Wi-Fi connection whenever 3G fails in a particular location. Battery life In the context described earlier, I managed to get a day´s worth of battery life - we´re talking about 24 hours or so. Of course, this included shooting off some 10 emails or so on average, with Live Wallpaper turned on. It is advisable to download any Task Killer/Manager from the Android Market if you want to maximise the Desire´ battery life. After all, that software will zap any other application no longer needed and yet is still running in the background. Of course, expect the Desire´s battery to last longer than a day by turning off your always-on data connection while using Wi-Fi sparingly. It is on par with most other smartphones, but will probably outlast the iPhone 3GS in this aspect as the latter is famous for running out of juice way often. Interface HTC decided to skin the Android operating system with its own Sense UI, where it offers a different experience from the vanilla Android UI. The weather widget is pretty handy as it will visually represent what it is like out there for the day without having you to read words - thunderstorms will see lighting flash across the screen with a wiper wiping away raindrops on your screen. Unfortunately, if you happen to have plenty of applications installed, scrolling through a list of items will be laggy, unlike Apple´ iOS. It will also take some time for you to get used to the virtual keyboard if you have been an avid physical keyboard enthusiast all these years. Being in Malaysia, you will probably have to enter all your commonly used Manglish terms, short forms and abbreviations into the dictionary on-the-fly before gaining speed when typing emails and text messages. GPS Google Maps is accurate enough to get you to common places around town, but when it comes to obscure areas, then you´re out of luck. There is no voice navigation or Street View provided, so if you´re hoping for the HTC Desire to be a GPS navigation device, then you might want to buy software from a third party. I recommend you stick to a dedicated GPS unit. Camera The five-megapixel camera comes with autofocus and a flash. This sounds good on paper, but its actual performance will not replace your compact digital camera as yet. It works great when your subject is still, but if your hands shake when you capture a shot (or if your kid decides to move), you will be disappointed with the results. It seems to be more of a landscape-only camera than a multi-purpose shooter. At least, HTC threw in creative filters that will help enhance photos in certain conditions, and the flash is bright enough to turn any low light condition into a photo opportunity. Multimedia I only listen to MP3s and watch YouTube videos on the Desire, and the display worked well enough for the latter. Reading subtitles on a 9.3cm screen might not be advisable for those who have poor eyesight, as I myself have some trouble doing so already (must be age catching up!). This is a decent enough portable media player, and the 3.5mm headphone jack should let it work with most stock headsets out there without a problem. You might want to watch out for the length of entertainment you do on this, since it can zap battery life pretty quickly. As for games, you can go for classics like Paper Toss with Robo Defence (a Tower Defence style game). Games like the latter depletes the battery before you know it, so it would be best to invest in a portable console like the PSP or DSi if you want quality portable gaming. Sad to say, the Android platform isn´t even close to the iOS when it comes to gaming on a phone, due to the lack of quality titles. Android market It is a pity that we´re in Malaysia, which means we can´t buy full games from the Android Market. Most of the stuff in there are basic without adding any real value to the handset (except for several must haves including the Task Killer, App Manager and perhaps a Note Taker). The games you download are only trial versions. To get the full game, chances are you will need to download the installation file from another site which poses another problem altogether - your computer might be infected with a virus from an unscrupulous wares site in the process, and there is no guarantee the installation file is legit or not. Conclusion So, is the HTC Desire worth getting? If you want an Android-powered smartphone that is able to duke it out with the best of the rest, then the Desire might be considered. Of course, if you want the latest and greatest, then the Samsung Galaxy S will fare better since it has newer hardware. The Desire is good enough to introduce you to the world of Android if you are curious, and it should have enough firepower going for it to last for a couple more years before you look for another phone - assuming that Android 2.2 (Froyo) is released for it between now and then. by EDWIN KEE Published Date : 06 September 2010 Source : New Straits Times | |||||||
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