HTC has just updated their Facebook to announce its ICS rollout plan. ICS or Ice Cream Sandwich is the most anticipated Android update since android Froyo. it brings a whole host of changes to the table, and it will be interesting to see how HTC updates their Sense UI to add to ICS. According to HTC’s announcement the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE will be the first to get the updates followed by HTC EVO 3D, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD
HTC has been working hard to get its Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades ready, and we’re excited to announce that our first round of ICS upgrades will roll out by the end of March for the HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE, followed soon thereafter by the HTC Sensation XL.
In addition, we can confirm Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades will be coming later this year to the HTC EVO 3D, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD. Stay tuned for more updates on Ice Cream Sandwich releases in the coming weeks
FOr those in the US HTC has announced ICS updates for the Rezound, Vivid, Amaze 4G and EVO Design 4G. The US devices will get updates by the end of 2012.
Skype announced that its Android client now supports cross platform video calls, so desktop users can now see mobile users and vice versa. At the moment, this functionality is limited to only four Android handsets, the Desire S, Xperia Neo and Pro and the Nexus S. If you have one of these phones, you can now make video calls to your friends over WiFi and 3G both.
Video Calls between android devices have been possible for a while now, but the option to make video calls to desktops/laptops has been limited. Most Android users won’t be affected by this update although Skype promises to add other handsets “soon”.
The new Skype client can switch between front and rear facing cameras, so you can show people your face as well as what you are seeing. It can connect to all Skype clients including the iPhone as well as many Skype enabled TV’s.
the Desire S, Xperia Neo and Pro and (of course) the Nexus S
The question haunts every smartphone buyer, “should i instead buy a tablet?”. In the past few weeks we have got over a hundred emails asking us this question.
Tablet season is here and its going to stay. When tablets were launched globally starting with the 1st iPad in the United Stated, analysts speculated that the market in India would not adapt to a tablet lifestyle. Today more than 25% of India’s mobile internet traffic is from iPads alone, another 10% from other tablets. Analyst have been proven wrong yet again, but the question still remains a Tablet or a souped up Smartphone?
We shall try and resolve this predicament for you.
A smartphone today has come a long way from what it was when the term was invented. Smart phones started off as basic day to day mobile phones that did a little bit more. A color screen, an mp3 player and customizable ringtones, a WAP browser and VGA cameras with infrared photo sharing. People were happy with these features and were shelling out Rs. 25-35 thousand for devices that were just smart.
Today you can’t be happy with what you pay for, A dual core phone, WiFi – N, Bluetooth 3.0, GBs of Ram, Multiple GBs of storage, touchscreens, slim designs, gorilla glass, unibody constructions and a whole host of Apps that do everything else. But its still not enough, we need higher spec’d displays LCD, SLCD, Amoled, Super Amoled, Super Amoled Plus and now Super Amoled Plus HD. Why is there a constant need for upgraded technology? Socially a man buying a phone always has the need to be on top of technology (This is directly proportional to the size of his, since this is a public page lets say “car”) The newer and more expensive the tech, the more a man feels like a man. Why shouldn’t we? we have a right to everything that makes us happy, and a right to get what we pay for and sometimes more than what we pay for.
A Smartphone today is the ultimate tool for a man ( student through Business men) from lectures, to calculations , wind speeds, weather info, document editing, printing , presentations, video editing, photo editing, emails, messaging everything can be achieved on a smartphone. So why should we not get one.
APPS ON THE DEVICES OF TODAY
Tablets in the market today are essentially blown up versions of the devices we carry in our pockets, the iPad 1 matched the specs of the iPhone 4 , (infact the phone had more ram) and the iPad 2 will be dwarfed by the iPhone 5s specs. Similarly Android phones dwarf the tablets, Galaxy S2 and Sensation are far more powerful than any Android tablet in the market today.
So is a larger screen a better option?
No one can really answer that question for you, it all comes down to what you do with the device you buy. I personally hate carrying my tablet and only like to carry my phone. A tablet is useful while traveling its a multimedia powerhouse- gaming , movies, videos even basic editing work can be done easily on a tablet. I also have met and often bump into folks who like carrying a tablet everywhere even to the GYM ( seriously what are they thinking?). Upon a little investigation you find out that they spent their budget on a tablet with phone call abilities and don’t own a phone anymore.
PADFONE
In an ideal world a product like the Asus Padfone would be perfect. A smartphone which converts into a tablet when you need it to be one, what else could one ask for? Devices like the Padfone are going to be the ultimate tool of a technology lover, but they still have time to arrive.
Till then our recommendation is:
If you really want to, then get a tablet and fulfill your dreams. But keep in mind that a tablet will never replace a phone and you should always have a phone handy, whether a Smartphone or a standard phone is what your budget will answer (even your day to day requirements). Carrying a tablet around as a phone will not only make you look, well how should we put it, like a “doofus”. Unless you are totally business oriented and your work calls for it. But then if you are a business man then you probably already own a smartphone, right?
According to us, tablets today are not yet there, not ready to beat a good phone. Invest in a good phone, you will get more done. A tablet is only eye candy, a large touchscreen that has been a part of Sci-Fi movies for a long time and today when the opportunity is here, everyone wants to grab it. Get one only as a secondary device, something between your phone and your notebook, as a notebook replacement even, if you don’t have much work except document editing than a tablet will fulfill your notebook requirements and look good doing it. Plus there is always the benefit of Angry Birds on a large screen.
One of the Mighty phones from HTC’s stable the HTC Desire needed a real makeover to take on the market. With a big mass audience to please and some really big shoes to fill, does the Desire S really actually replace the original HTC Desire? Our Review looks into the mass appeal Desire S and tells you what it brings to the table.
BUILD QUALITY AND HARDWARE
The HTC Desire S is the best form factor of smart-phone from HTC with a perfect size and quality styling and brilliant form factor. The device fits easily in all hand sizes and is convenient to pocket around. This is by far the best representation of form factor from HTC. That being said the paint or the exterior finish was not up to standards, we saw the paint fade from several places with just regular use, within a week. We are not too happy with this fact and are unsure whether or not people can claim warranty on such units.
In terms of specs we have the following
Frequency
Quad Band
Phone Style
Touchscreen
OS
Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Thickness
11.63mm
Length
115mm
Width
59.8mm
Weight
130g
Built-in Memory
1.1GB
Additional Memory
MicroSD support (up to 32GB)
High-speed Data
GPRS, HSDPA,Wi-Fi,
Connectivity
Bluetooth, USB
Screen Size
3.7-inch touch screen with 480 x 800 resolution
Camera Resolution
5 megapixels
Flash
power LED flash
Battery
1450 mAh
We are calling it the Lightweight Champion because of the simple fact that it bring most high end features at a much reasonable price than one would expect from an HTC Phone
PHONE AND MESSAGING
The phone dialer is as great as any other HTC phone we have tested in the past, the earpiece and mic make us wonder if anyone can become any better with the voice quality. Network connections are smooth, we did face the “Death grip” issues in some case where the network dropped significantly when the device was held too tight.
Messaging is simple and easy with the HTC keyboard and even better with keyboard replacements from the Marketplace, the touch screen is accurate and responsive hence there is no problem with the accuracy of the keyboard.
we simple love the fact that HTC devotes a huge chunk of its time in fixing the phone inside the Smartphone, to make it work seamlessly. As is the case with every thing man-made problems are there in devices, But we have seen a huge uptrend where HTC and constantly improved their products over-time, focusing on past issues.
SCREEN AND MULTIMEDIA
We don’t see how this is an improvement over the past Desire, we were actually lucky enough to get the original Desire with an AMOLED screen, which basically trumped all other screens including the sLCD offered by HTC these days, the resolution is also somewhat similar at 480×800 pixels and the screen size is small compared to competition. Although touchscreen technology has improved significantly we can see that the device is more responsive and accurate at receiving inputs. Which makes the overall experience worthwhile.
Video playback quality is simply great on this device, we tested a huge array of video files, buffer sizes and audio syncs they all played great and the device just scored a ten in our books in terms of multimedia. The screen is still great and watching videos on it is still a lot of fun. Speakerphone on the device is actually the only thing we can complain about, because it is poor for a device that is so great. Low volumes make utilization of this device in public places a horrid experience.
CAMERAS
The device has 2 cameras a rear 5 MP snapper which can also take 720p video and a front facing VGA cam that not only looks far better than any other VGA cam that we have tested but records great video.
The rear 5 MP sensor has great color depth and a large view field, we also saw that the camera was much snappier at taking pictures and the rest of the HTC devices tested by US. Pictures were clear and crisp and low light performance was quite surprisingly good. Video is the standard 720p Lossless format, with little or no jitter. We love the added picture and video effects, makes the camera app a much more complete app, and you wont find yourself searching for a marketplace camera app replacement.
The front camera is great for portrait pictures and even great for video logging, without needed the mention of Video calling over skype fring etc which works natively and brilliantly.
CONCLUSION
The device packs a lot of features at a price bracket of 22,000/- to 24,000/- Indian Rupees. Possibly the best device in the market at that price, Comes with Android 2.3 right out the box, a front and rear camera and simply great form and construction. You cant beat that at a price of 22K . The fact that you can add a couple of thousand and get the Incredible S, makes us kinda jiggly on our own decision, Incredible S gives a Better Performance CPU-GPU, an sLCD, an 8 Mega Pixel camera and Better sound output.
[xrr rating=4/5 label=”We Rate The Desire S” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
We finally got our unit of the HTC Desire S and boy is this device a looker. Smooth lines and a nice curvaceous body, display looks absolutely stunning.
Check out the pics below and wait for the full unboxing and physical features video, which should be up shortly.
WOOT! We just got info from HTC that the Desire S has been officially launched in India. We already have a unit on the way so expect the full sense treatment.
The device is priced at INR 25,490/-
Technical Specs
Camera & Display
Camera – 5.0 Mega Pixels Camera, Resolution 2592×1944 Pixels, Video, Geo-tagging, Autofocus, Image Stabilization, Touch Focus, LED Flash, VGA Secondary Camera
Color – S-LCD Capacitive TouchScreen with 16M colors
Special Features
Accelerometer sensor(UI auto-rotate)
Proximity sensor (Auto turn-off)
Touch-sensitive controls
HTC Sense v3.0 UI, SNS integration
Digital compass, Document viewer
Dedicated search key, Organizer
Voice memo, dial & commands
Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, G-Talk, Picasa integration
Audio, Video Recorder & Playback
MP3, MP4 Player
MP3, WAV Ring tones, Vibration
Stereo FM Radio with RDS
3.5 mm Headphone jack
Loudspeaker, Games
Message Support
SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email
Instant Messaging
Predictive Text Input
Connectivity
Connectivity Options – Bluetooth v2.1, Micro USB v2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS
Data Modes – 3G, GPRS 114 Kbps, EDGE 560 Kbps, HTML Internet Browsing
Memory
Internal Memory – 768 MB RAM, 1.1 GB ROM
Expandable Memory- 32 GB Micro/SD card slot
Phone Book – Unlimited Contacts, Photo call
Call Records – Unlimited
Battery Power
1500 mAh Li-Ion Standard Battery
Battery Life – N/A
Battery Talk Time – N/A
Mobile Size and Looks
Size – 115 x 59.8 x 11.6 mm
Weight – 130 grams
Body Colors – Black
FULL Press Release
New Delhi – April 07, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced the launch of the latest HTC Desire S in the Indian market. The Android-powered HTC Desire S, equipped with the latest HTC Sense experience, perfectly combines a sleek unibody design with powerful features, and is a worthy successor to the much-acclaimed HTC Desire.
“HTC developed the HTC Sense experience to bring cutting-edge innovation to our customers in simple and natural ways that just make sense – this is what the HTC Desire S represents best,” said Ajay Sharma, Country Head, HTC India. “The new phone offers an exhilarating mix of style, innovation and features that extends people’s mobile experience in ways that feel personal and completely original. The HTC Desire was extremely well received in India and met with immense success and we are positive that the new HTC Desire S will prove to be a worthy successor”, he added.
HTC Desire S
As a successor to the popular and award-winning HTC Desire, the new HTC Desire S blends stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend™ smartphone’s aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is sculpted out of a single block of aluminum making it feel solid and natural in your hand. With Qualcomm’s new 1GHz Snapdragon™ MSM8255 processor, the HTC Desire S offers snappy performance and power. It offers dual front and back cameras, High-Definition video recording and the 3.7-inch WVGA display presents multimedia content brilliantly.
HTC Sense
The new HTC Sense experience offers a variety of enhancements that improve how people capture, create, share and access multimedia content. With a newly created camera experience, people can record HD videos or capture and edit images with a variety of fun camera effects. With HTC Locations, a new differentiated online mapping experience, people have instant, on-demand mapping without download delays or incurring mobile roaming charges.
HTC Sense also includes a new integrated online e-reading experience utilizing a new e-book store powered by Koboä and a new, mobile-optimized e-reader that offers the ability to highlight, annotate and quickly search for definitions or translate unfamiliar terms.
Pricing & Availability
The HTC Desire S will be available at a Market Operating Price of Rs. 25,490* at all authorized HTC resellers across the country.
* Price may vary according to the local applicable taxes
About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative devices that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.
HTC has just announced 3 new phones at the MWC right after the Flyer Tablet.
The first is the Incredible S, With:
1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 b
768MB of RAM
720p HD video
8 megapixel camera
Dual-LED flash and autofocus
1.3 megapixel front-facing camera
1450mAh battery
Resolution is 800 x 480.
Not too far Behind is the Desire S with
3.7-inch
HTC Desire inside a new aluminum unibody shell
5 megapixel Camera
MSM8255 chipset
front-facing camera (1.3MP)
768MB of RAM
1450mAh battery
Gingerbread (2.4)
And Finally the all new Wildfire S which is essentially the original Wildfire but with HVGA resolution and Android 2.3 Gingerbread preloaded.
All three devices to be available in the next quarter
Read the Full Press Release
HTC LAUNCHES THREE NEW SMARTPHONES WITH HTC SENSE™
HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S™ and HTC Incredible S™ deliver premium style, power and speed
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled three new versions of its most popular and advanced smartphones – HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S. The new smartphones continue HTC’s commitment to expanding the market for advanced smartphones while providing distinct choices in design, power and value. Each phone also includes HTC Sense, HTC’s unique customer-focused user experience that puts people at the center by making phones work in a more simple and natural way.
“HTC developed the HTC Sense experience to bring cutting-edge innovation to our customers in simple and natural ways that just make sense – this is what HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S represent best,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “These new phones offer an exhilarating mix of style, innovation and features that extend people’s mobile experience in ways that feel personal and completely original.”
HTC Desire S
As a successor to the popular and award-winning HTC Desire, the new HTC Desire S blends stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend™ smartphone’s aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is sculpted out of a single block of aluminum making it feel solid and natural in your hand. With Qualcomm’s new 1GHz Snapdragon™ MSM8255 processor, the HTC Desire S offers snappy performance and power. It offers dual front and back cameras, High-Definition video recording and the 3.7-inch WVGA display presents multimedia content brilliantly.
HTC Wildfire S
Building on the popularity of the HTC Wildfire™ smartphone, the HTC Wildfire S smartphone is an affordable, compact and playful device that packs a powerful smartphone experience. It enables people to maintain and build connections and friendships through popular sites like Facebook®, as well as through voice and text messaging. You can instantly tag your friends in photos before posting them on Facebook, or share your latest discoveries from the Android™ Market at the touch of a button.
HTC Wildfire S is one of HTC’s smallest phones ever – measuring just 10.13cm long and 5.94cm wide – and boasts a distinctive 3.2 inch, HVGA display.
Celebrate your individuality and choose from a wide variety of colors including black, purple and white. The phone’s home screen is fully customizable with your favorite apps, widgets and content, while a 5-megapixel color camera with auto focus, expandable microSD™ memory and support for a variety of audio and video formats make a great all-around multimedia device that slips easily into any pocket.
HTC Incredible S
The alluring HTC Incredible S smartphone combines cutting-edge design with a premium mobile experience for those who dare to be different. Showing what can be achieved when engineers and designers work together to raise the bar for mobile phone design, the HTC Incredible S smartphone features a stunning, contoured body that highlights the internal hardware components of the device. Capturing and viewing video in crystal clear High-Definition has never been so easy and a bright 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display and stereo surround sound bring a vibrant cinematic experience to the palm of your hand.
HTC Incredible S also takes high quality pictures with its 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and it easily enables videos, photos and music to be shared from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA® technology. Thanks to the HTC Incredible S’s front facing camera and video call functionality, users will constantly be able to chat with their friends face-to-face.
Availability
The HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S smartphones, will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets during Q2 2011.
