HTC Desire deals & review

In a word or two

The HTC Desire has a large touchscreen and a powerful interior complemented by the Sense UI and multiple features.

The Design

Virtually the same size as the Google Nexus One, the HTC Desire is a little heavier and sports the newest Sense user interface. The screen and processor (1GHz Snapdragon) are the same as those found on the HTC-manufactured-for-Google Nexus One which makes this phone enjoyable to use as well as swift.

The 3.7 inch AMOLED screen displays images in a rich colour and depth, supporting 16 million colours and multi-touch function for zooming in on pictures with a pinch of the screen. Like the trackball on the Nexus One, the HTC Desire has an optical trackball which looks good and enhances the navigation process. Unlike the Nexus One, there are physical keys on either side of the trackball for direct access to the home screen, menu, search and back.

Interacting on the screen is effortless thanks to its size, high resolution and inbuilt accelerometer which automatically changes the view between portrait and landscape according to which is most suitable.

Specifications

The HTC Desire runs on the Android 2.1 OS and comes with a whole host of Google apps like Google Talk for instant messaging, Gmail for email and YouTube for sharing videos and music. There is access to the Android Marketplace for apps too, so you can browse and download further apps and games onto the handset – and there is capacity for up to 32GB via a memory card so space should be no issue.

The Sense UI is as fun as it always has been, and the latest version on the HTC Desire has some new additions including Friend Stream and Leap. Friend Stream is similar to Motorola’s Motoblur UI seen on the DEXT as it merges all your social networking accounts into one. All the details from Twitter, Facebook and Flickr are gathered into one place, and you can even filter by status updates, photos, or links. And your contacts can be grouped beyond the previous “favourite” range, to include any that you like such as work colleagues, family, best friends, etc. The Leap function is equally friendly, letting you view all 7 home screens on the one with a quick pinch of the screen, for quick access to the one you’re looking for. This means you don’t need to scroll through all 7 screens to find the one you want, you simply pinch and press.

There is a media player onboard the HTC Desire too for your visual and aural pleasure – supported by apps like YouTube and an included 3.5mm audio jack and FM radio. You can take high quality photos on the phone’s 5-megapixel camera which features an LED flash together with autofocus and an impressive video ability.

Considerations

The SIM and microSD card slots are located behind the battery, which means the phone looks neat but it can be a little tricky when you need to swap cards over.

Verdict

For a super rich screen, capacitive touch-sensitive ability, and a friendly interface, the HTC Desire should offer you all this and more. A full review is coming soon.