A Legacy

The HTC Desire HD has quite a legacy to live up to. As mentioned earlier, the original Desire was a highly successful device and the Desire HD hopes to build on this success. This also means that it has some big shoes to fill as consumer will be expecting a lot from a device that bears the same name as the legendary HTC Desire.

Fortunately, the HTC Desire HD is able to live up to these high expectations. It possesses all the cutting edge features one would expect from a Smartphone of this calibre. This includes 3G HSDPA compatibility, EDGE & GPRS connectivity, and of course, Wi-Fi.

The device even comes with an amazing 8-Megapixel camera that captures excellent quality photos. As expected, this Smartphone still sports the famed Google Android mobile OS and its version 2.2 or Froyo that’s equipped on this Smartphone. To back up the operating system is an equally powerful 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood.

High Definition

As its name implies, the HTC Desire HD’s claim to fame is its ability to deliver high definition image outputs. The venue of this feature is the mobile’s gigantic 4.3” screen which shrinks even the biggest of screens in the Smartphone scene today.
The resolution is at an astonishing 480 x 800 pixels and it can display up to 16 million colours. The display also features an AMOLED capacitive touch screen which guarantees flawless touch responsiveness.

The device that has most recently been low on availability is the HTC Desire. While the product is not completely absent from the shelves, it has been reported that HTC still needs to make more of the impressive Android device.

The Desire comes with a 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen display which provides users with 480 x 800 pixels of resolution. It shows images and videos clearly, a great choice for users who are picky about the visual quality of the handset. It also has a 5 mega pixel camera that can take great quality images and videos. Running it all would Qualcomm’s Snapdragon CPU at 1GHz, this processor provides enough speed and power to handle even the most resource intensive of applications without much problems.

In other HTC news, the Taiwan based company is keeping quiet in regards to the Apple emergency conference held a couple of weeks ago. A spokesperson for HTC did defend the antenna technology used by the company. With HTC’s impressive track record with all of their devices –and the fact that no HTC handset requires a casing to be used properly, it is pretty safe to say that whatever accusations that Apple had are most definitely unfounded.

HTC is also currently preparing new handsets for the upcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system, it has been rumored earlier that the Mondrian and the Mozart will be among the first HTC made WP7 smart phones.

Specs wise the smart phone will still have the same basic figures. The 1GHz CPU will keep the handset up and running, and it will use an 8 mega pixel camera. Also, it will have a larger 4.3 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen display.

In terms of physical design, the Evo looks a lot like the Desire HD. The sizes of the two points however, is quite the difference since the Evo’s touch screen display is a lot larger than the 3.7 inch AMOLED touch screen display.

So far, HTC has not made a comment on whether the Evo launch is actually true or not, but it is certainly about time that the device made it to UK shores.

In other HTC news, the company is rumored to have plenty of upcoming Android devices. Aside from the Evo/Desire HD, several other smart phones are also coming to the UK. Among these phones are the HTC Vision and the HTC Ace.

The Vision is getting plenty of interest thanks to having a slide out QWERTY keyboard. This is the first HTC device that uses the Android OS which comes with a physical keyboard which makes it a very important device.

Other upcoming devices from the Taiwan based phone maker are the HTC Mondrian and the HTC Mozart. The Mondrian is expected to have a high speed CPU that would enable it to run Windows Phone 7.

Signs of Microsoft powered HTC smart phones were found on the XML data which comes with current company specifications. Specifically, there are two mobile devices which are rumored to run the Windows Phone 7 operating system. The first model is called “Mozart” and the second is named “Mondrian”.

What gave the surprise away is the fact that these two mobile phone lines were found to sport the Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile 7 which is packed in with the Windows Phone 7 OS. If so, then the duo is likely to have quite a capable hardware setup.

Speaking of hardware, the actual specs are still a mystery for now, though there are speculations as to a few of the items included in the Mondrian and Mozart’s spec list. Apparently, there will be no QWERTY keyboard included with the mobile phones and it will be restricted to touch input only. Both will most probably be Bluetooth ready, so file transfers and headset connections are easy to setup.

Reports say that the Mondrian is quite a powerhouse. It is said to carry a 1.3 GHz Qualcomm processor and a spacious 4.3 inch touch screen. Would be film makers would also enjoy using the HD recording capabilities of the device.

HTC’s goal is quite clear. They look to be after dominating the whole holiday season with both of these Windows Phone 7 devices as well as the HTC Gold model coming in November.

Not surprising, despite news of legal issues being thrown back and forth between HTC and Apple, the smart phone manufacturer has been able to establish itself as an industry leader in the development of the Android smart phone. For one thing, their HTC Desire, Hero end Legend trio are continuously reigning on top of the Android charts –only giving a slight way to the Motorola Milestone when it came out during the holiday season.

Of course, HTC’s strong Android presence is also backed by the fact that they have been part of the development of the OS since the very beginning. HTC is among the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance and has been the manufacturer behind many Android smart phones –including the G1 and even the Google Nexus One.

More than just an Android leader, HTC has also been a prominent figure for Microsoft’s mobile platforms. The HTC HD2 is the best selling Windows Mobile handset and the company is now working on the recently leaked HTC Gold (formerly the Mondrian), a high end WP7 smart phone that is expected to come out later this year.

Speaking of the Gold, the handset has been leaked along with two other HTC devices, the Ace and the Vision. While little is known about the Ace at this point, the HTC Vision will be taking a page out of Motorola’s book by introducing the very first HTC Android that comes with a slide out QWERTY keyboard.

HTC isn’t exactly a household name in the UK just yet. However, with the likes of the new

Mobile Phone Features

The HTC Desire is definitely a feature-packed device. As a mobile, it has everything you’d need and more. It is a dual band device over the 3G network and is compatible with four different networks for 2G. HSDPA, EDGE, GPRS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity options are all on board which means that the device offers excellent alternatives for both voice and data connectivity.

Other prominent features include a 5-Megapixel camera, a GPS receiver, an FM stereo, and a long-lasting battery which will give you up to 360 hours on stand-by and approximately 6 and a half hours of talk time. All in all, this is an extremely impressive array of features, considering the great HTC Desire deals available.

Eye Candy

The HTC Desire is one of the coolest looking Smartphones we’ve encountered in a while. Sure, it also has the same candy bar form factor, but somehow, the device is able to stand out. Perhaps it’s because of its larger than usual 3.7” AMOLED capacitive touch screen display. At an amazing 480 x 800 pixels, it can display up to 16 million different, vivid colours. If not, then maybe it’s due to the fact that it comes in three different colour schemes (black, silver, and brown) which all possess a subtle elegance.

If that’s still not it then maybe it’s because of the compact design of the Desire which only weighs 135 grams and has the dimensions of only 119 x 60 x 11.9 mm.

Soft Touch

To top things off, the HTC Desire has a very impressive software list. Not only does it sport the highly regarded Android mobile OS (version 2.1 or Eclair), but it also comes with HTC’s famed Sense UI. The 576 MB of internal memory teams up with the Desire’s super powerful 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor to deliver unrivalled clock speeds and virtually limitless multitasking options. Plus, there are even pre-installed social networking apps which automatically connect to Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr – a definite treat for all social butterflies.

Even though HTC has pushed the update to take place well before the end of this month, it just seems unrealistic, all things considered. All three mobile phone network operators have given word that upgrades to their units will come at a much later date. On the other hand, HTC Hero owners with unlocked units should be able to get their upgrade without a problem, much to the envy of network subscribers.

As it is with any major update, mobile phone operators would need some lead time to conduct tests to ensure network stability. At the very least this is to nip possible problems in the bud if ever unforeseen issues arise.

The most vocal of them all, Three has stated that their update is set to be released around mid to late July. Customers should not get their hopes up too high though because the patch is more likely to go live later as opposed to an early date.

On the other hand, Orange has released a statement that their upgrade will get released in the “very near future”. If this means an end of the month release date, the network operator may be the first of the three to make the switch.

Lastly, T-Mobile UK asked their G2 (HTC Hero variant for the mobile network operator) subscribers to stay tuned for further announcements. No hint of a date was given but hopefully subscribers will get some news before the month ends.

Considering the fact that Google has already released version 2.2. of the ‘Droid, this looks to be a big disappointment for paid subscribers of the three networks.

Sporting the HTC Sense user interface, this Android handset is easy and fun to use. The home screen provides practical daily information and the menus are easy to navigate. The use of integrated apps for accessing sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and more makes the task easier as opposed to having to rely on the browser.

With Android 2.1 Éclair, the phone also brings plenty of Google feature goodies such as Gmail, Google Chat, Google Voice, Google Buzz, Picasa, Google Maps, Google Earth, Google Street View, the Goggles augmented reality app and more.

As a handset, the device is pretty much a typical mid range smart phone. The 3.2 inch TFT capacitive touch screen provides clear and crisp images and the touch controls are accurate and responsive. The 5 mega pixel camera is great for taking images with its autofocus and LED flash and will also allow users to geo tag images. The device also records videos but users are best advised to have a microSD card for storing all media content.

The phone’s Qualcomm MSM7225 528MHz CPU provides the handset with a pretty good performance when it comes to running apps and basic phone functions.

Overall, the HTC Wildfire is a reliable, social networking handset that is sure to make going online a whole lot more easier for many Android smart phone users. Vodafone has announced that the handset is already available from their stores.

For those wondering, yes, the Touch Pro2 is technically an old smart phone from early last year. However, the handset never really made it to UK store shelves as it was originally released as a Verizon exclusive in the UK. Unlike the Motorola DROID which was brought over locally in a matter of weeks, the HTC WinMo smart phone was basically forgotten for more than year. Still, it makes for an excellent option for those who find the high end HTC HD2 a tad too excessive.

In terms of features, the Touch Pro2 was pretty much top of the line when it was first announced. But compared to the newer smart phones of today, it makes for a very well rounded mid range business handset.

At first look, this device looks like a typical smart phone with a large 3.6 inch touch screen, but slide out the physical QWERTY keyboard and tilt the screen and the device reveals its second form: it works like a mini netbook –allowing users to type fast and easily, provided they find a place to sit down and a table to work on.

This makes the Touch Pro2 pretty handy to have when you need to make the most of your time while outside the office. It allows you to work on documents and emails with the speed and efficiency of being in front of a desktop computer (well, not exactly, but it comes pretty close).

While no specific date has been given, estimates place the launch around or right before the June 23 –which is the announced launch of the Android 2.2 Froyo update for the HTC Desire.

Speaking of the Desire, the high end Android smart phone is actually included in the list of HTC handsets that will be receiving the update. So far, the list contains four smart phones: the HTC Hero, HTC Legend, HTC Desire and the HTC EVO 4G. So far, it has not been confirmed if the HTC Wildfire will be compatible with the software update, but since it already runs version 2.1, it may not need the patch at all.

With version 2.2 already out for the Nexus One and coming soon for the Desire, the move to release version 2.1 on these handsets may seem a little unnecessary, as it would have made more sense to just release a patch for the latest version of the OS instead. With all the new features and capabilities of Android Froyo, many HTC users will certainly feel that they have been left out of the new update.

In many ways, this is one of the main reasons why Google’s Android has yet to beat the iPhone OS. While they are providing Apple with plenty of competition, the compatibility issues and the fact that not all Android phones are running the same version of the OS is a serious issue that Google has to cope with if they are to compete with the iPhone and Windows Phone 7’s performance.