HTC are so good they build phones for the competition. HTC are so mean they have no issues competing with their own clients. And is it us or are the clients ultimately left with a rather disturbing question: do HTC work for us or do we work for them? Go ask Sony Ericsson and Google.
HTC ‘Desire’ series of Android powered devices is the new release in the HTC family. The update to the original HTC Desire model, the one that got the ball rolling so to speak, the Desire S version is set to thrill customers with a sleeker look and all the goodies that come with Android’s Gingerbread version. And, if you've seen the Google Nexus One, you've seen the HTC Desire.
Ok, lets see the Difference Between HTC Desire And Desire S. In short, only the design varies from the original mode. Here are some of the key points between them.
- It is 4mm smaller in height but still retains the 3.7-inch multi-touch display (800 x 480 pixels, S-LCD panel).
- It is 5 grams lighter at 130g and just 0.3mm thinner.
- The optical track ball and physical keys have also been replaced by touch-sensitive keys.
- Desire S wont change orientation with the display.
- The ever so slight ‘chin’ at the bottom, slick black aluminum casing and a few chromed highlights (around the speaker, camera and buttons) make the Desire S look user funky.
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The Desire S is fitted with a Gorilla Glass, as fate would have it, the handset had a couple of nasty spills and left the display, with quite a few nicks.
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The display, as brilliantly as it rendered colors and black levels.
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HTC’s Sense UI runs seamlessly on Android 2.3.3 aka Gingerbread that the Desire S comes loaded up with.
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The Processor is the same as its predecessors’ i.e. 1 GHz Scorpion processor, Adreno 205 GPU.
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Where it proves to be a bit more versatile is in the ROM section – the Desire S comes with 1.1GB while the Desire was equipped with 512MB. With this much space it’s a comfortable setting to load up on apps.
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HTC’s Transfer app allows you to transfer personal data from most handsets to the Desire S via Bluetooth, very similar to Nokia’s Bluetooth Sync function.
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It doesn’t however work with all mobile makes and models. A list is provided.
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Overall functionality from touch sensitivity to ease of use with the keypad in both landscape and portrait was smooth.
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HTC keypad that allows you to access special characters by simply pressing and holding assigned keys designated with the symbols and characters.
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The way Sense UI works with Android is what makes HTC such a popular brand. Social networking integration is almost an automated process for syncing your Google, FB and Twitter accounts.
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The system automatically locates similar contacts for paring and will keep at if you’re on auto-sync just to make sure.
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It also stores your log IDs and automatically adds email address suffixes like gmail.com, the moment you get an email filed and start typing or reach the ‘@’ option respectively.
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Simply it is a Smartphone.
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It has a superb audio player which is perfectly paired up with the equally well designed.
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Comfortable to use, high-end hands free kit, EQ presets and an SRS enhancement option, YouTube video location for tracks, an FM radio with decent reception.
Great dimensions for comfort of use
The Desire S comes fully loaded with connectivity capabilities. From 3G to EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with DLNA compliance for wireless streaming and the ability to use the device for tethering and as a Hotspot, Bluetooth with A2DP +EDR and USB 2.0, quite covered.
The native Android browser (Adobe Flash 10.3 supported) and email functionality is quick and easy to use. Preloaded social networking apps included Face book for HTC Sense and Twitter. HTC’s Fried Stream Widget allows us to integrate both of those networks into a single screen for easy viewing.
The HTC Hub ties into our Sense.com account to back up our data and also allows us to remotely locate handset if need be.
It’s also a space that allows us to download apps and add-ons to enhance your HTC Sense UI experience with additional Scenes, Skins, tones, Wallpapers and widgets.
HTC Likes somewhat of an Android Market enhanced for HTC users with a funky interface. Other Social Networking apps include Peep for Twitter and Plurk.
For GPS functions HTC’s Footprints app and corresponding widget has been integrated into an app called Locations that’s extremely well designed and offers details on all things in area from banks to hospitals, local attractions, parking etc.
Footprints allow us to geo tag images and store their locations into different sections. A History tab in the same applications is also saved previously in their locations.
The best part about the Desire S’ GPS prowess is the Route 66 mapping application that’s preloaded. It’s a very intuitive app that integrates Footprints, 3D mapping and all of it into what’s called a Car Panel that’s designed to be easy to use while driving, A built-in compass that can be used with Google Maps is also provided and can be quite handy for the outdoorsy kind.
The Desire S is loaded up with quite a few handy applications like a Flash light (uses camera’s LED) with adjustable brightness levels, a Mirror app that simply activates the front facing camera (great for the vain) and a very well designed EBooks reader.
The basic features like the Calendar (syncs with FB and Google), Alarm, separate weather and news updates as well as a joint app, a Stock Market app, Quick Office with reading, creating and editing features and a Quick Look Up app that ties in to Wikipedia, Google Search, YouTube, Google Translate and an on Google Dictionary are also provided.
Desire S is equipped with a 5 megapixel autofocus/touch focus camera with an LED flash. It features quite a few settings that include a large variety of fun to use styles, White Balance, ISO adjustment ranging up to 800, Geo tagging, face detection and HD video recording up to 720p with touch focus.
Color reproduction was quite good though and the touch focus worked like a charm. Macro shots came out quite well. Then again for those who simply like posting pictures on Face book or twitter and blog.
