Best Phone Blog

If the HTC Desire looks and seems like a Smarpthone you’ve already seen before, it’s because it actually is. The newest Smartphone from HTC is actually a revamped model of the HTC Google Nexus One which saw its release in January of this year. The only difference between the two is that the Desire has been blessed with the immaculate Sense user interface. In this regard, the Desire definitely makes more sense than its Nexus counterpart. Forgive the play on words. We just couldn’t resist it.

Mirror Image

One of the reasons why the Nexus One was so impressive was because of its sizable high resolution touch screen display. At 3.7” and with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, it remains to be one of the baddest in the business. The same holds true for the HTC Desire which has the exact same AMOLED capacitive touch screen. The dimensions of the two are almost exactly the same as is their weight – a virtual mirror image.

More of the Same

In terms of their features, it’s more of the same for the HTC Desire and the Nexus One. Voice and data connectivity options are similar and so are their built-in cameras which are both at 5-Megapixels. An expandable external memory of 32GB, a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and an A-GPS-capable GPS receiver are some of the other prominent features shared by these two Smartphones, and they’re definitely impressive features, especially considering how reasonable the HTC Desire deals are.

Sensing a Difference

While both handsets have the famed Android OS on board (both have the Eclair), what allows the HTC Desire to stand out is its Sense UI. The proprietary HTC user interface enhances the already impressive Google mobile OS as it integrates a lot of new features on the Desire. One of the shortcomings of the Nexus One was its lack of widget and application power. With the Desire, all these criticism can be thrown out of the window.

The newest Android handset from HTC is heading straight to the UK via Vodafone. This new Android smart phone has spent its development under the radar only to later surprise the tech community with its impressive features and practical hardware setup. With this announcement, at least four network operators will be offering the Android handset (T-Mobile, 3 UK and Virgin Mobile). With this level of competition we should be able to enjoy some pretty nice HTC Wildfire deals upon release.

Going in a different direction than the HTC Desire, the Wildfire is practically a low to mid range smart phone that still brings plenty of useful features on the table. While users cannot expect the same speed and performance that is normally found in other of the recently launched Android handsets, we can at least expect the Wildfire to be significantly cheaper than its Snapdragon bearing predecessors. Social networking is a major feature on this Android handset as it has integrated features for Facebook and Twitter.

The device also comes with a 3.2 capacitive touch screen with an accelerometer and multi touch, a 5 mega pixel camera (with flash and autofocus), a 3.5 mm audio jack and of course, support for WiFi, Bluetooth, AGPS, microSD cards and more. Hopefully, when the Android 2.2 Froyo update for the HTC Desire comes out this coming June 23, an update for the Wildfire will also be released (version 2.2 of the Android OS brings native support for Adobe Flash and AIR as well as tethering and other useful features).

Vodafone has already released the new plan details for this handset. According to Vodafone’s official website, the Wildfire is free with the two year 15 GPB monthly tariff which gives users 300 minutes of talk time and free texts -but no internet data allowance. While so many networks have already confirmed the device (and the price as well), it appears that nobody can still give a definitive release date for the Android smart phone.

The all new HTC Wildfire is for those people who want great personalisation from the Android platform, but who’s budget doesn’t quite stretch to the £400+ that is required to get hold of a Desire. Yes the HTC Wildfire offers a more reasonably priced option and should be available for free on a contract priced between £15 and £20 per month. This is where we believe that HTC and Google can steal a march on their rivals, Apple. Apple has the premium marketplace all but sewn up, but we reckon that it is the budget handsets where the battle will be won and lost. You see there are an awful lot more users who can afford £100 on a handset that can afford £400+ and the more users that an operating system has, the more developers want to develop apps for it. I’m sure you can see where we are going with this, let’s just say that whoever wins the budget battle for OS supremacy, will win the overall APP battle and our reckoning is that Android may just take it in 2010.

While Apple may be the older company, HTC has been in the mobile industry longer. Before the iPhone, HTC had already made a name for itself with its smart devices and Pocket PCs. They even attracted the attention of Microsoft who turned HTC into a partner in developing Windows Pocket PC.

When HTC grew, they ventured into the mobile phone industry where they became a partner for Google’s Android OS. They made the HTC Dream –the first Android smart phone, and the Nexus One –the first Google branded Android device. It is because of these that the recently claimed lawsuit from Apple accusing HTC of patent infringement comes as an insult to HTC’s long history in the industry.

A few days ago, Peter Chou stated that “HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible.”

The HTC CEO also said “From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”

The lawsuit covers 20 patents for hardware and software, focusing on HTC mobile phones that use the Android OS. Google has also reacted by stating that they will stand behind and support HTC in this case. Despite not being directly involved, Google recognizes the lawsuit as Apple’s own tactics against the Android OS.

For more information about HTC’s defense against Apple, go to ZD Net.

The new HTC Legend mobile device has definitely caused quite a stir in the industry, and it has been one of the most keenly-awaited devices to make its while its eventual release a little later this year cannot come soon enough for some. Insiders have speculated that the Legend may well step into the shoes of one of its forebears, the HTC Hero, which many believed to be an excellent phone in its own right. It must be said also that the Legend also compares very favourably indeed to another of HTC’s new releases, the Desire – another big head-turner at Geneva’s mobile phone conference.

In terms of basic aesthetics the Legend does certainly beat the Desire in the fashion and style stakes, with its Apple Mac-like manufacture from one single block of aluminium. On the Macbook this was referred to as a unibody design and it also serves the HTC Legend very well indeed.  The Legend’s overall finish is also pleasing to both the eye and the hand as was the Macbook’s, and this elevates it even further ahead of the Desire in terms of fashionable desirability.

According to HTC’s marketing gurus the design concept behind the Legend is ‘hidden power’, which aims to produce a device that can combine both design and function in one handset. Certainly the unibody design goes a long way to fulfilling this vision as it does away with the need for separate frames and covers. This is not only a good thing stylistically but also with regards to the phone’s functions and features as it affords that much more room and space for components is available for the phone itself. For this reason the Legend can pull further away still from the Hero as it is able to incorporate an extremely vibrant 3,2-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen that is truly wonderful to behold, although it is still a little smaller that the larger screen seen on the Desire.

The Legend has made further enhancements over its predecessors as well, including a much better and more functionally designed keypad. There is also a navigation button rather than a trackball, which is very much in keeping with the new industry norm as trackballs are really fading from fashion due to their propensity to break. It may well be, however, that users will not even ever need to use the navigation button due to the fact that the touchscreen is so wonderfully responsive.

Two more excellent features of the Legend are its Android 2.1 operating system and the overlaid HTC Sense UI which appears somewhat similar to the Sense first seen on the Hero. It has, however, been significantly enhanced on the Legend with a whole raft of new features. One of the central new features is the Leap view, which allows the user to see every open operating screen and easily navigate between them with just a pinch of the finger.

The Legend also runs the useful Friend Stream which combines such oft-used social networking sites as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr in one single stream. Due to this you now no longer need to follow your contacts over several different platforms, although you can still receive separate feeds-it’s just that you can receive them in one place – very useful for the internet socially inclined.

The back of the Legend houses the almost ubiquitous 5-megapixel camera with its integral LED flash – great for snaps in a wide range of lighting conditions. The connectivity of the Legend is also very good, and wireless connectivity is also afforded through HSDPA, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. For those interested in getting one of their own the Legend should grace store shelves with is presence this April, so be sure to be the first in line to get your hands on it yourself if you want to latest in HTC’s subtle yet stylish power.

The HTC Photon was one of the mobile devices revealed last year when the HTC 2010 roadmap was leaked. Included in the document are the HTC Bravo and HTC Legend; two of today’s much awaited upcoming Android smart phones. There were three more Android devices in the roadmap as well as three Windows Mobile smart phones. The HTC Salsa, Tide and Buzz are various mid range Android phones while the HTC Photon, Trophy and Tera are business-centric Windows Mobile devices.

It is surprising to know that HTC has already resumed work on the Photon. Originally, the Photon was meant to be using the old Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system to be coupled with the HTC TouchFlo user interface which would make the OS compatible with the touch screen display. Now, it has been reported that the Photon would be using the newly unveiled WinMo 6.5.3 Maldives operating system.

What sets 6.5.3 Maldives apart is that it has been made to be used with capacitive touch screen displays with its finger-friendly user interface. So far, it has not been announced if HTC will continue to use the TouchFlo UI skinning.

The HTC Photon is reported to be running the Qualcomm MSM7227 CPU clocked at the speed of 600 MHz. It will also have a 5 mega pixel camera, a 3.2 inch capacitive touch screen and a new name: HD Mini. While the Photon is already confirmed, it has yet to be announced if the other two WinMo phones, the Trophy and the Tera will also be released this year.

Oddly enough, the Photon is pretty much a mini version of the HD2. The HTC HD2 is one of the most successful WinMo 6.5 devices (though it got pulled out of Vodafone’s 2010 lineup).

Read more about the HTC Photon aka, HD Mini, at Mobile Choice UK.

The HTC Smart phone is one the handset manufactures newest offerings. It will be different from most of the mobile phones manufactured by HTC. For one, this phone won’t be a typical smartphone.  Instead, it will run on the Qualcomm’s Brew Mobile Platform. The features and specs also won’t be as impressive as many of the other HTC phones.  There has been some talk that the Smart handset is being designed for a newer user who will hopefully upgrade to one of the company’s more expensive phones after they become acquainted with the Smart, which is a akin to a introductory phone.

The Smart has 256MB of RAM and ROM memory. Individuals can add more via the phone’s microSD card slot.  It has a pretty small display at 2.8 inches which comes with a resistance screen. The phone has a 3.0 megapixel camera, which isn’t bad.  There are handsets on the market with less impressive megapixels.  The processor on the phone is about average at 300 MHz.

The HTC Smart is scheduled to be released in Europe and in Asia sometime during the Spring of this year (2010) which is just a few short months away.  No price has been reported for the phone or any hint of what HTC Smart contracts might be on offer. However, that information should be forthcoming and will probably be announced or leaked just prior to the phone’s release.

Overall, the HTC Smart is a pretty decent phone. It is not as good as some of the other HTC mobiles like the HD2, but it also won’t be as expensive.  Individuals will be able to purchase the Smart during the first or second quarter of 2010. The company has announced that it will launch in Europe and Asia first. There has been no word regarding whether or not it will be released elsewhere and when that might occur. Until such information is given, the only thing known for sure is that the phone will be available on those continents.

The HTC HD2 is out and its making waves with fans of the Winmo operating system. As a device that runs Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional on a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, the HD2 stands as one of the best WinMo phones available on the market. The best feature of the HTC HD2 however, is the 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen display with an impressive resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. The whole packages makes the HD2 a sought after device. Originally announced as the HTC Leo, then later as Touch 2, and now as the HD2, this device has been changing its names a lot but not its features.

HTC HD2 for O2

Some might be speculating if O2 will carry the HTC HD2; and the wait, is over. Right now, O2 is offering the HTC HD2 for free on plan.  At 40 Euro per month, it’s a great deal and you only need to sign up for one contract. If O2 is not your thing, Vodafone also offers the HTC HD2 for similar rates. For everyone else, there’s always the option to turn to retail.

HD2 Hardware Specifications

The HTC HD2’s biggest asset is its 4.3 inch screen. The display resolution of 480 x 800 pixels is stunningly crisp and clear, and the actual screen brightness delivers visual joy. The Snapdragon processor has 1 GHz of power, more than enough to run the Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional operating system and the HTC Sense (HTC Sense is an improved version of the HTC TouchFlo interface). The 1230 mAh battery provides excellent battery life for both talk times (up to 6 hours) and stand-by (over 400 hours).

Overall, the whole phone weighs in at 157 grams. Slightly noticeable, but it will hardly put a strain on you. All in all, the HTC HD2 is an excellent mobile phone that combines an OS with good features with an excellent proprietary interface; and it has an amazing screen too.

If you have been looking forward to getting the HTC Click and cannot seem to find any new updates for it, it is because this HTC Android 1.6 Donut smart phone has been renamed to Tattoo. Do not worry though, aside from the name change, nothing else has been altered in the mobile phone. For the rest of you wondering what is so special about this HTC Android (HTC has been pretty prolific with creating Android smart phones), the Tattoo is more of a mid-tier mobile phone that provides great features, standard hardware and a really reasonable price. Reasonable, but still not cheap, you be able to find a good contract or deal for an unlimited internet access subscription.

Consolidation of Contacts

Contact information in your mobile phone can be consolidated with you internet profiles. The HTC Tattoo will support Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and several other social networking websites through web integrated applications in the Tattoo giving you quick access of updates, uploaded media, tweets, everything. If you have a favorite contact who keeps you constantly amused with their funny uploads, you can easily track all their shared media with the Tattoo. HTC takes the integration one step further by adding hotkeys on the device allowing you to instantly access these web integrated features. If you want to go check Twitter or make a Tweet of your own, a single touch of the Tweet button will bring you to the page you need.

Why Go for a Contract

As you may have expected, web access will give you the best features of this mobile phone. The Tattoo makes full utilization of both its web integrated applications and the many Google Mobile Web applications such as Google Maps, Google Mail and Google Talk. The best contracts for the HTC Tattoo are those that give you unlimited internet access.

If you are the kind of person who likes to work on the go and needs a mobile phone that can serve as a mini-desktop office, then the HTC Touch 2 is the perfect mobile phone for you. There are plenty of other mobile phones out there that cater specifically to messaging and typing applications, but office needs require more than that. This is where the hardware of HTC and the features of Windows Mobile provide you with all the features that you will need. Office based purchasers should consider looking up some HTC Touch 2 contracts for their companies if you plan on providing this mobile phone to your employees; and we certainly recommend that you do.

Windows Mobile Office on the Go

The most important feature of Windows Mobile, no matter what version is the Pocket Office. This gives you access and creation capabilities for Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. These three file formats are the cornerstone of many office papers and presentations. Aside from Pocket Office, there is also Outlook for sending and receiving emails. New in version 6.5 of Windows Mobile Professional is the Windows Marketplace, an application store that allows users to get new applications for their mobile phones. This will increase the capabilities of your HTC Touch 2.

The Touch 2’s Overall Score

If you check other Touch 2 reviews, you will find that many other people have found that this mobile phone is best fitting for a specific purpose instead of being a multi usage device. Overall, it’s a great mobile phone with a decent OS and solid hardware capabilities. The only thing missing are additional web integrated applications but that should be fixed with the inclusion of the application store. Others might say that this device will be facing competition from the XPERIA X2, but the Touch 2 has a niche of its own.