Author Topic: HTC Desire(s) (Read 2248 times)

zpyder · **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2011, 07:56:19 AM

Re: HTC Desire(s)

Reply #15 on: March 02, 2011, 07:56:19 AM

I was pondering not posting this for the abuse I'll no doubt get, but I've been using an iPhone 4 since Thursday, and figured an initial review might be good, given the fact I spent the last 12 months using an HTC Desire.

Sadly my initial encounter wasn't that great due to having next to no time at all on Thursday before having to head out for the weekend. However I had enough time to just about start the registration process on iTunes. Not sure if it went through as I had issues with passwords and all sorts, but everything is working now. For ease of set-up, the Desire won hands down. However, I get the feeling the set up of the iPhone might make things easier in the future in terms of syncing and support.

My next issue was activation of the phone, which took a while, but again was due to lack of time on my part so I hadn't read the steps required. However again it's a case of "other phones don't need this" so Desire wins again. Making a Sim smaller for no real reason other than trying to keep you using the product is pretty poor too.

Now we're onto the more debateable stuff. It took me a while to realise that the settings were all in one place. Initially I thought it was Apple trying to be different for the sake of it, but I do kind of like it, rather than having to go into each app to change its own settings.

The app store is maybe a little easier and quicker to use, though being prompted for a password each time I buy an app is a bit annoying.

Build quality seems solid, so did the Desire, with the exception of the battery cover which seemed a bit flimsy.

I'm liking the default location awareness settings too.

All in all I can see why the iPhones are popular now, their default settings and functionality are set just the way most people would customise an Android device for (me included) and they require less micromanagement. About the only thing I'm missing now is the desires additional buttons, but this isn't much of a biggy at all.

XEntity · **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2011, 11:38:57 AM

Re: HTC Desire(s)

Reply #16 on: March 02, 2011, 11:38:57 AM

I agree, the inital setup on the iPhone is a little more intensive, although there are reasons for this, at the registration step, basically what it does is downloads your operator settings, including the APNs etc, and how the operator wants you to use the phone.

However say you break your iphone, you the receive a replacement, hook it up to itunes and everything is back how you had it setup before, which is very good, I think on other devices you can do similar, but not quite as well, and as apple kind of force you in to this process, it ensures a good experience if it was to happen.

I'm using the desire at the moment and have been for months (My iPhone has a little incident with water and haven't got round to sorting it out), and much prefer the absence of the buttons on the iPhone, especially the track pad which I keep accidently hitting while sending messages.

The other thing is more or less every app on the iPhone functions in the same way, so even using new apps aren't a new learning curve really. The settings thing you mention is typical Apple the same setup is used in their OSs as well.

talking about location, I find that the iPhone GPS is far quicker than the Desire, I sometimes have real issues getting it to actually work.

And for app purchases, I think they should only ask for the password if the app is chargable, or have that option at least, but in some cases this is used by businesses to stop employees adding their own stuff and running up bills, also it will keep the login active for a time so if you are purchasing lots of apps at one time you only need to enter your password once.

At the end of the day I think developing apps for the iPhone is probably a lot easier as you have very limited hardware differences, as where the Android devices have a far wider range of specs to cater for and no single layout.

I much prefer the iPhone to the HTC, and no I'm not a fan boy, I don't own anything else apple, I just like how the device works and the apps that are available, also the keyboard seems a lot easier to use on the iphone and suggestions seem to be more accurate.

Leon · **Reply #17 on:** March 02, 2011, 20:40:27 PM

Re: HTC Desire(s)

Reply #17 on: March 02, 2011, 20:40:27 PM

I got the HD Desire but rooted and running Cyanogen 7 RC1 (which is basically a stripped out and tweaked Android 2.3 stock) instead of the HTC Sense. Love the phone and glad I went for it instead of the iPhone 4 (which I used for a month).

News: