MadMax⁸³

Well I have now been using my new phone for exactly 1 month, and what do I think of it? I Love It!

I have been a Windows Mobile user for many years now (Way before iPhone and Android entered the scene) I used to love the fact that there were tons of apps out there for it, and you could do anything you wanted with it, even though it wasn't made easy, it could all be done. Unfortunately, when the iPhone and Android systems were released, there were a lot better, and Microsoft just didn't keep up, something which they are now trying to rectify with Windows 7 for mobile.

So anyway, I had wanted to move to Andorid for some time, I had just been waiting for the right handset to come along. I had seen the Nexus One and really liked it, though as it was only available in the US I didn't want to have to pay £500 for it.

Then when I saw the HTC Desire was being released in the UK, I jumped at the opportunity to get it, ringing up to pre order my device as soon as I could (seen as I was due an upgrade anyway) . This was a bit of a leap of faith for me, as before I buy anything, I like to have read 101 reviews on it, though because the phone hadn't been released, there were no reviews, so I decided to just take the plunge and get one.

After a week of waiting my new phone arrived on the 29th of March, and from the moment I opened the box I knew I was going to get on well with this phone. It has an amazing looking screen (even when the device is off, as weird as that sounds), The feel of the phone as well, its very tactile with a smooth brown (well, they call it brown, I think it looks purple) rim around the screen, and a rubberised back with HTC stamped into it in silver letters. It just feels good when you pick it up, its heavy enough so it feels like a quality bit of kit, but not so heavy that it weighs your pocket down, and its also very thin!

From when I first turned it on, I knew I was going to enjoy using this phone, though you cant really judge a phone from what you use it for when you first get it, as your just messing about and seeing what it does, which is why I have waited a month before writing this little review on it.

So I now have my email setup, all my contacts synced from GMail, the phone is fully setup to how I use it, and what do I think of it in day to day use? Simply Amazing. It just works, my email arrives instantly, I can do a quick reply so simply thanks to the fact the touch screen works so well, helped by HTC's keyboard which gives suggestions on what it thinks you wanted to say, instead of what you did say, so you can pretty much mash the keypad, and it still works out the right work, its fantastic.

The calendar app is also brilliant, this is more thanks to Google though I think, on my phone I have my personal calendar, and shared calendars, so I can see as soon as someone adds something onto the calendar, which means I don't have to keep checking my computer, though as its all done though Google calendars, I can check it on my computer if I want to.

The phone (as in the software to make and receive calls using the device) also works brilliantly, your contacts are synced with Facebook, so when they call you can see there Facebook photo, its easy to find people you want to call, and the call quality is fantastic, even though its missing the second microphone the Nexus One has which is used for noise cancellation.

There is then the Firend Stream, which combines your Facebook, Twitter and Flickr friend updates into one place, so instead of checking 3 different apps to see what your friends are up to, everything is listed in one place, and you can then post your status updates directly from there as well, which is a great little feature.

So that's the main features of the device covered, the bread and butter of what you expect one of these to do, be able to communicate with other people and the outside world, but what about the other things we use all the time, Apps. This is one thing that lets Android devices down in general, first, the App store isnt as big as Apples, though it is growing all the time. Though my main issue is that you cant install apps to the SD card, only onto the phones internal memory, and as the phone doesn't have that much internal memory, it fills up pretty quick. Though on the plus side, if you root the device (the details on how to do this were released yesterday) you can then install to the SD card, which would resolve this issue.

I an going to try and do a blog soon about my Top Apps which I would recommend everybody get, though until then, if you want a game to play, get Cestos, its so simple yet so addictive, and its multi player over the internet, and the best part is, its Free!

That about comes to the end of my little review, I cant recommend this phone enough, it just does everything you want it to, and more, and it does it well, im so pleased with this phone, and anyone looking to upgrade or get a new handset at the moment, this is one you should seriously consider.

One more thing, the image on this Blog was taking on the Desire, then uploaded to Twitter using the built in client, which is so easy to use, its unbelievable.

Posted on Tuesday 1st Jun 2010 by Gav