HTC Desire Review

Introduction:

It all began with the Motorola DROID back in 2009, but things got quickly out of hand with all the fuss and excitement surrounding the operating system that escalated when Google announced the Nexus One (a device manufactured by HTC) at the beginning of 2010. This added fuel to the fire for HTC fans, who began to dream about a similar device, equipped with the famous HTC Sense interface instead (preferred by many). Said device was not to be introduced until MWC 2010, where we finally found out it would be called the HTC Desire. So, this is how eager high-tech buffs started counting the days...

But enough history. The important thing is the HTC Desire, the most powerful Android cell phone of the manufacturer to date has finally arrived and we got our hands on it. There is no way we fail to compare its specifications to the Nexus One and not notice the differences are... minor. The major distinction between them is the HTC Desire features extra 64MB of RAM, i.e. 576MB instead of 512MB.

There is nothing really groundbreaking or innovative into the box of the HTC Desire – just a wall charger, USB cable, headphones and 4GB microSD card. The latter is welcome indeed, since it provides ample space for your multimedia files. Unlike the Nexus One, the Desire doesn't come with a pouch, so you will have to find your own way of protecting the precious from dirt and scratches.


Design:

Now we're talking! We have recently had the pleasure to review the HTC Legend and this is how we chose to summarize everything about its design:

„All told, the HTC Legend is certainly among the best Android handsets today in terms of design. We can even go so far as to say that the Legend is one of the top three smartphones ever.”

The HTC Desire also belongs to the same category of "the best-made Android handsets to date", although it's not as spectacular as the Legend. Its body is not made from a single chunk of aluminum and therefore, it just doesn't provide the same feeling of a sturdy, reliable item. The only metal part of its body is the metal framing around the screen – the back is entirely plastic, unlike the Google Nexus One. The battery cover is coated with a soft, rubberized material that provides perfunctory cohesion between your hand and the phone body. By the way, the panel is relatively hard to remove, because it bends easily and gives off rather disturbing sounds in the process. Moreover, you will have to take out the battery in order to reach the SIM and microSD card slots underneath, which is somewhat inconvenient.

The only metal part of its body is the framing around the screen
The HTC Desire belongs to the category of the best-made Android handsets to date

"It's huge!", "No, it's not!"... one of the arguments that split our otherwise solidly united office when the Desire arrived. We felt we had to resort and, therefore, invent an innovative visual comparison system (take a look at the results below). It turned out the cell phone has totally acceptable overall dimensions for its class... and screen. The iPhone is more compact, even if marginally, but its display is smaller. Actually, the major reason that provoked the unrest was the particular way the HTC Desire feels in your hand. Because of its overall weight or perhaps, the lack of proper balance (the upper part is slightly heftier, just like in the case of the Nexus One), the Desire feels enormous in to hold in your hand. Its thin profile, however, guarantees the device will certainly not make your pocket overly bulging.

From left to right - HTC HD mini, HTC HD2, HTC Desire

You can compare the HTC Desire with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The reason behind the bulky size is, of course, the 3.7-inch display that utilizes AMOLED technology. Images are unbelievably vivid indoors and their colors are very saturated and pleasing. Unfortunately, it gets rather hard to use in direct sunlight, even with the brightness set to its maximum value. We suspect that, similarly to the Nexus One, the Desire integrates the PenTile RGBG technology or, in other words, does not really offer true WVGA resolution - rather, 392x653 pixels stretched to 480x800. Alongside of the Motorola MILESTONE/DROID, you will certainly notice that texts (say in the browser) are not as crisp and detailed. It's a good thing you need to peer into the screen really hard to spot such particularities. All told, the display of the HTC Desire is quite good indeed, features proper touch-sensitivity and supports multitouch. It would have been great if it came with oleophobic coating, because it can get dirty quite easily.

The standard set of buttons typical of Android handsets is located below the screen and you have home screen, menu, step back and search keys. The HTC has opted for an optical pad instead of trackball, but either way, this is not an overused hardware feature really. As a whole, we didn't encounter any issues pressing the buttons and they all have proper travel. The bad thing is that, when you hold the handset in such a way so as to use the entire display with one hand, the keys are too far away from your thumb (at the bottom) and you will have to keep adjusting your grip or, alternatively, use your other hand. This affects the usability of all massive displays and there is nothing you can do about it.

The HTC Desire is charged via standard microUSB port and there is a 3.5mm headphone jack located on the top side. The power on/off button is one of the most pleasing we have ever touched.

Samsung Wave S8500 Review

Introduction:

Samsung's first bada phone - the Samsung Wave S8500 - is finally here. A few months ago we reviewed a prototype unit, which left us with rather high expectations for the final product. Now that it's here, we are ready to see what Samsung's latest and greatest creation has to offer. Being a full-featured mobile platform however, bada will inevitably face some pretty strong competition in the form of BlackBerry, webOS, Android and iPhone OS. Or will it? According to Samsung, bada is the easy to use type of OS, which will combine the greatness of having rich 3rd-party apps with a user-friendly interface that would appeal to every average Joe out there. So bada is not that much of an opponent to BlackBerry and Windows Phone, than it is to the iPhone, webOS and Android. Congrats, Samsung, you just painted some really tough future for yourself.

The manufacturer's vision is well-represented by its slogan "smartphone for everyone". Well, a bada smartphone for everyone is no doubt what every Samsung executive envisions, but as of now this is surely more of a dream than it is a reality. The question is if, eventually, some day, the bada-based smartphones would really become a part of the general customer's life, similarly to the iPhone now.


Design:

In terms of design, the Samsung Wave S8500 is a great achievement of technology (and of Samsung's design team). It is definitely a good looker, sports a pretty solid metal chassis and is really thin at just 0.43 inches (10.9mm). The in-hand feel of the smartphone is top-notch, thanks to the high-quality materials used and its significant weight.

The Samsung Wave S8500 sports a pretty solid metal chassis and is really thin

The Samsung Wave looks similar to the Nexus One and has almost the same dimensions, but there's one important difference - the capacitive screen measures 3.3 inches, while the Nexus One has a 3.7-inch one. Except for that one issue, we are perfectly happy with the Wave's display. Like every AMOLED, it delivers great contrast, blacks are really pitch black, and colors are incredibly vivid. However, Samsung has utilized a new “Super AMOLED” technology, which is said to provide even better image quality and less reflection. The manufacturer has achieved this by removing the panel for the touch sensor and the air gap between the AMOLED and the touch sensor. This should also allow for better visibility under bright sunlight, which is something not very common for AMOLEDs. We compared the Wave's screen with the one of the iPhone 3G and it was better in almost every respect. When indoors, the Super AMOLED provides a lot more clarity and saturation, while its viewing angle is incomparably wider. The Wave is indeed quite usable when outdoors, but still the iPhone 3G demonstrated its supremacy here.

Samsung Wave S8500 (Left) and Apple iPhone 3G (Right)

The resolution is 480x800 pixels - very good for this screen size, although things do not appear crystal clear.. For example, texts have an obvious pixelization to them, and you might also experience some not very accurate color representation.

The resolution is 480x800 pixels, which is very good for this screen size

Samsung has covered the display with tempered glass, which is really firm, and has even applied an oleophobic (from the Greek “oleo” – oil) coating so it doesn’t get the annoying fingerprint smudges. The end result is near perfect.

You can compare the Samsung Wave S8500 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Below the screen we get nicely designed send and end keys, as well as a menu key, which is also used to bring up the multitasking menu. On the left side is simply the volume rocker, on the right are the lock key and camera shutter, and on the top you'll find the loudspeaker, 3.5mm jack and microUSB port. On the back are the 5MP camera with 720p video recording capabilities and LED flash. We didn't really like the batter door, which is again made of metal, but uses a different shade of the color, making it look less uniform. Once you remove that, you get access to the 1500mAh battery. Once you remove that... you can then use the SIM and microSD card slots.

HTC EVO 4G Review

Introduction:

This is how it was supposed to go. Back in November of 2007 Google announced their Android operating system and the game was supposed to change. A year later T-Mobile and HTC released the platform’s first handset, the G1. We had high hopes, to say the least, but the impact was not immediate. The revolution grew slowly, but now it is coming to a head. HTC brought their Sense UI to Android with the Hero, but the first major blow across Apple’s bow was the Motorola DROID, followed by the and most recently the HTC DROID Incredible. All this was a prelude to what’s next: say hello to the HTC EVO 4G.

The EVO 4G has specs that are unmatched by any phone before it: 4G connectivity, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, HDMI out, HD video capture, dual cameras including an 8 megapixel main sensor, 4.3” display, mobile hotspot, YouTube HD, kickstand…the list goes on. All of this is backed by Sprint’s growing 4G network which gives users up to 10x the speed of 3G. This, finally, is a phone that can go toe-to-toe with the iPhone and beat it. Handily. It's fast, it's personal, it's glorious. Included with the EVO 4G you’ll get an AC adapter and data cable, as well as an 8GB microSD card.


Design:

The HTC EVO 4G is very similar in design to the HD2, but when you have a 4.3” screen there isn’t much else you can do with the phone. Instead of physical buttons as on the HD2, the HTC EVO 4G has four flush capacitive buttons: Home, Menu, Back and Search. These buttons work flawlessly, unlike the Nexus One which gave us problems and had to be touched just so. At the top is the silver earpiece grill, and to the right of that is the small front-facing 1.3MP camera. The rest of the phone is equally simplistic: a volume rocker resides on the right side, the top houses the 3.5mm headphone jack and power button and the bottom features the microUSB and HDMI ports. The side buttons all offer good travel, and while the volume rocker raises more prominently from the housing both it and the power button are easy to operate on feel alone.

The HTC EVO 4G has a 4.3-inch screen	A volume rocker resides on the right side	3.5mm jack and power button on the top

You can compare the HTC EVO 4G with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The back of the HTC EVO 4G houses its 8 megapixel camera near the top, with the dual LED flash to the camera’s left and the phone’s single speaker to the right. Near the bottom is the aluminum kickstand. The spring-assisted hinge is very smooth and solid, and we don’t foresee any issues with it loosening up as time goes by. The microSD slot is placed under the battery and has a unique latch mechanism that makes it pretty difficult to remove, but with an 8GB card most users won't be taking it out and the ones who do probably will do so only once. Unlike the HD2, the battery door covers the entire back housing and is coated in soft touch paint. Underneath is Ferrari-red, but this only slips out around the camera and when the kickstand is deployed. Earlier prototypes had a red earpiece grill, but unfortunately this has been replaced with silver- likely because the DROID Incredible features a red grill. In any case the EVO 4G is a good looking device; it blends the sheer masculinity of the DROID with the graceful lines of the iPhone to create a look all its own.
Then there is the 4.3” capacitive display, which absolutely takes over the HTC EVO 4G. It is bright and crisp and reading text on the EVO 4G is a dream. While it has received some flack for not being AMOLED we didn’t notice a real difference from the Nexus One, and the EVO’s TFT display was more usable in direct sunlight. Our complaint is that HTC continues to only use 65K color displays. With devices like the iPhone, Pre and DROID sporting 16M colors we don’t think that at least 262K is too much to ask for. You won’t look at the HTC EVO 4G and lament the display, but we’d bet if shoppers put it side-by-side with the Pre the difference would be noticeable to a discerning eye.

At 6 ounces the EVO 4G is undoubtedly on the heavy side, but feels surprisingly good in the hand. The weight is well distributed and it feels more solid than the Nexus One did when holding it one-handed, though the EVO feels most comfortable when held two-handed. The size will obviously be a drawback for those with petite hands, but the phone didn’t overwhelm our medium-sized mitts. It is thinner than Sprint’s Hero and feels surprisingly similar in the pocket. The build quality is top notch, and with no moving parts the EVO 4G is definitely one of the most well put-together phones we’ve ever reviewed. There is no brushed aluminum or unibody, but the EVO is without a doubt a premium device.

At 6 ounces the HTC EVO 4G is undoubtedly on the heavy side, but feels surprisingly good in the hand

To sum it up in a word the HTC EVO 4G is stunning. It will be noticed, and it will be lusted after. Until now we’ve always given the title of best hardware to the iPhone 3GS, but there is a new undisputed heavyweight champion in town. And that’s before you even turn it on.

Samsung GALAXY S I9000 Review

Introduction:

Samsung must have been pretty confident in the GALAXY S's virtues to designate it for a simultaneous launch in 110 countries. Therefore it's not surprising that the South Korean manufacturer has a wow factor built-in from the start. The Samsung GALAXY S comes with a huge 4” Super AMOLED display, significantly larger than the only other such screen on the market – the 3.3” one of the Samsung Wave. This gorgeous window to the phone's soul is hinged to another novelty from Samsung – the 1GHz Hummingbird heart of the device. It is Samsung's answer to the Snapdragon cores found in the current cream-of-the-crop handsets.

Working in tandem with the newest edition of the TouchWiz UI, these unique features of the Samsung GALAXY S should ring in what the company names Smart Life into your existence – a sophisticated companion from dusk till dawn. Will the phone live up to the hype, or will it be just another victim of stretched marketing imagination? Now the only smart thing left to do on our part, is to review the GALAXY S where the rubber meets the road...

Box content:

• Samsung GALAXY S handset
• Li-Ion battery 1500mAh
• Headset with microphone
• User manual
• Get to know booklet
• Travel adapter
• microUSB cable
• Screen protector

Design:

The Samsung GALAXY S I9000 is a typical rectangular representative of the big touchscreen phone designs these days. The screen is recessed just a tad below the rim of the casing, which protects it from direct contact with hard surfaces when placed face-down. As can be expected from a 4” display, it occupies most of the frontal space, but room is spared above and below it for the earpiece and navigational buttons.

The Samsung Galaxy S is a typical rectangular representative of the big touchscreen phone designs these days

You can compare the Samsung Galaxy S I9000 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

There are three keys right below it – touch home, physical menu and touch back. Long pressing the context menu key fires up the smart search function, so we actually have all four standard Android keys present. The other front elements are above the screen - the earpiece slit, a front facing VGA cam, and the dot sensors for proximity and ambient light. The Samsung branding is visible right above the screen, as well as on the lower section of the battery cover.

The 4” display	The three keys below the screen	Earpiece and front facing cam

The back hosts the 5MP camera lens in the upper left corner, and the speaker grill on the right. Below them is the ubiquitous “with Google” branding, which hints this is a full-featured Android device, with the whole set of Google services preinstalled. The dotted back cover makes one think the phone has measles rather than bring the alleged carbon fiber-esque look, but that's our take.

	The back has a nice curved hump at the very bottom	5MP camera lens and speaker

On the upper left side is the volume rocker, which is a whole piece with a decent travel click, and on the right is the power/lock key. It is welcome that Samsung has provided a physical lock key to the GALAXY S. You can't accidentally dial on a capacitive screen in your pocket, but it's the quick pressing of the lock key before you slip it in, that completely takes the worries out.

Apple iPhone 4 Review

Introduction:

Plenty of things can change over the course of three years in the mobile world as technology seems to leap new heights constantly when devices are being packed with intricate hardware and an accompanying platform experience to make it gratifying. The smartphone landscape changed heavily when the original iPhone first came to fruition back in 2007 to a wide audience that was initially skeptical in how an unknown figure in the mobile community could change the game. The events that unfolded over the last few years tell the true telling of how the iPhone substantially affected the industry with its ground breaking performance. However, we've seen the handset don two additional makeovers, the iPhone 3G and 3GS, that some still argue to not necessarily accompany that reinvention that came along with the original's release. It's summer and Apple's tradition of releasing a new version of the iPhone each year continues as the world has been well informed regarding the highly prized product which received plenty of attention in the last few months leading up to its release due to a bevy of leaks. It's here! Now and in the flesh! But will it be enough to withstand the onslaught of competition that's currently catching up, consistently evolving, and closing the gap?

The package contains:
• Apple iPhone 4
• USB Cable
• User Guide
• Stereo headphones
• Wall Charger


Design:

Quickly gazing at the smartphone for the very first time, it tastefully can be seen that Apple decided to go back to the drawing board this time around as it sheds the previous look of the iPhone 3GS with a totally new one. Clearly it looks like an iPhone from afar, but upon closer inspection, you can meticulously feel the love that went into building and crafting this device together. Essentially the handset is encased by two pieces of strong glass which are held together by the brushed stainless steel band – used also to help aid the handset in receiving better cellular radio connections. The smooth glass found in the back replaces the glossy plastic one that's been in use with the previous two iterations and essentially make it flat – even the lens on the camera follows the flush pattern. As much as we adore the strength of the material and radiance it offers, it's a prone for all the nasty baddies out there that take away from its shiny luster. Additionally, when holding it for the first time after being accustomed to the curved backing of the iPhone 3GS, it doesn't hug your hand as good as we'd like it to – still, it didn't take too long before we got used to it. Clearly it's one of the thinnest smartphones (it's actually said to be the thinnest) we've seen to date. It's also narrower than the previous versions of the product. Following suit, the iPhone 4's construction feels solid throughout every nook and cranny as there is no denying that it can repel the wear and tear of age. Flaunting an almost identical weight to its older sibling found with the iPhone 3GS, it's evenly balanced and makes the phone feel even more durable, however, we'd be appalled to think about the consequences of dropping it. Overall, the fresh look of the iPhone 4 has a somewhat nostalgic tone as it makes us harken back to the 80s when Sony's beta-max units were all the rage with their metallic exterior and knobs jutting out prominently. Its industrial design provides a modern update which tastefully exemplifies an old time favorite look that will surely keep gazers close-by.

The construction of the Apple iPhone 4 feels solid throughout every nook and cranny

You can compare the Apple iPhone 4 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Apple iPhone 4 (right, down) and the Apple iPhone 3GS (left, up)

When you quickly look at the landscape of high-end smartphones currently on the market, they all mostly sport WVGA displays and utilize a range of technologies – such as LCD, AMOLED, or Super AMOLED. As we tend to see Apple stick with something very unique for their handset, they decided to employ an LED back-lit IPS LCD display packing a monster crunching 640x960 pixels resolution which quickly became more known as the “Retina Display.” At the same time, Apple opted to keep its screen size at 3.5” which naturally increases its pixel density immensely – making it THE most detailed screen we've seen to date. Compared to the WVGA displays in use with some of its competitors, the “Retina Display” on the iPhone 4 pack a wallop by making even the tiniest of text look detailed upon closer inspection. Honestly, we were able to clearly see the difference between the iPhone 3GS and 4 when looking at the display from a distance of a foot – text on the iPhone 4 was much smoother and didn't look fuzzy like on the 3GS. Colors continue to shine as it boasts support for the same 16 million colors we were first introduced to back with the original. And just like all of the previous models, the capacitive display was responsive to the touch which made navigating around the interface a breeze. Still being one of the few handsets to utilize an oleophobic coating on the touchscreen, we're always glad to see it looking so fresh and pristine every time we take it out of our pockets. Generally using any handset outdoors in direct sunlight can become a nightmare – making some look quite unviewable even when brightness is set to its max. Thankfully, it steers ahead of the pack as it manages to shine brightly in almost any lighting conditions – even in direct sunlight. In addition, the utilized IPS technology comes along with some pretty wide viewing angles. However, we still feel strongly that Super AMOLED displays provide for richer looking colors, which can even fool some out there to believe that the display is turned off when the color black is present.

Apple iPhone 4		Apple iPhone 3GS	iPhone 4 (L), 3GS (R)
Text on the iPhone 4 was much smoother and didn't look fuzzy like on the 3GS

This time around, Apple decided to make the single home button feel more springy than what we experienced previously. In fact, this actually applies to all of the physical hardware buttons found on the phone as every single one of them has that solid tactile feel. The left part of the phone houses the all too standard vibrate switch and volume rocker – the latter being two distinct and separate circular sized buttons. Jumping to the top, we have the 3.5mm headset jack and dedicated power button while on the right side you'll find the micro SIM card slot. On the bottom of the phone, you'll notice the speakers and Apple's proprietary connection port. Flipping it over to its rear, the only thing you'll find is the 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with flash and the usual mirror looking Apple logo that elegantly brands the smartphone. Finally, in the front and next to the main speaker is the 0.3-megapixel front facing camera.