HTC Desire HD announced!

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#395780 26-Oct-2010 13:52

I ordered mid-September. When talking to Clove two weeks ago they said they had a LOT of pre-orders & had three shipments arriving - one in October, two more first weeks of November.

My phone cost $870 landed - all up, including shipping by Royal Mail.

It's charging at the moment but first impressions are great. It came with a Samsung 8GB MicroSD HC. I swapped this out for my Transcend 8GB Class 6.

With the Desire you have to remove the back cover and putting a MicroSD card in or SIM card is next to impossible to do without removing the battery. With the Desire HD the battery compartment and card compartment are separate - you just flick out a small cover on either one. HTC have also been smart with this one - they make sure people press the MicroSD card in to activate the pop-out. People don't always do this and it can kill MicroSD cards.

So, thats the first thing I like about the DHD - keeping the back on & just accessing small compartments makes life easier. I'll write up a full review in a couple of days, once I've had a really good play.

heavenlywild

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#395783 26-Oct-2010 13:53

Look forward to the review and congrats :D

I have read that there is a problem with the casing at the back where you put the sim card in. It apparently doesn't close/shut properly. Please let us know if you have this issue or not :)

teihoata

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#395840 26-Oct-2010 15:33

Rushed home to dig into it. First Impressions - it's epic, screen seems a lot more washed out than the nexus ones amoled, speakers aren't as bad as I thought they would be, a bit more quieter than the iphone 4 I would say. The build quality is second to none however I am a bit weary of a small gap between the metal and the bottom cover which situates the simcard. It's also really quick, puts the old desire to shame.
GPS is fast to lock on and I love that new zealand is called aotearoa in the locations app (nice touch).
Installing the system update now

Elpie

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#395961 26-Oct-2010 19:30

teihoata: Rushed home to dig into it. First Impressions - it's epic, screen seems a lot more washed out than the nexus ones amoled, speakers aren't as bad as I thought they would be, a bit more quieter than the iphone 4 I would say. The build quality is second to none however I am a bit weary of a small gap between the metal and the bottom cover which situates the simcard. It's also really quick, puts the old desire to shame.
GPS is fast to lock on and I love that new zealand is called aotearoa in the locations app (nice touch).

My first impressions...

I prefer the AMOLED screen of the original Desire BUT putting them both side-by-side I can't see any difference in colour or vibrancy when indoors or out of bright sunlight. In the sun there is a difference - not a lot, but enough to notice.

The camera is awesome. I took a few test shots inside and out in bright sun & its doing a better job than my 5 year old Canon.

When I first put the cover back on the SIM/ MicroSD card compartment I had a very small (2 x hair width) gap. I found that kind of worrying because I don't want to get dirt inside (not such an issue once more cases are available) but taking the cover off and putting it back on again has eliminated that gap. I guess I was being too timid when I replaced it the first time ;)

Both the battery compartment and card compartment covers fit perfectly. I haven't experienced any issue with the proximity sensor but most people who had those problems said it didn't start for a few days so I'll see how that goes.

I agree with teihoata - the speakers are quieter than the iPhone 4. Ringtones at maximum seem to be a little louder than the original Desire. Sound with the headphones on is great.

I'm still in two minds about htcsense.com, the HTC Hub. I was able to use it ok but it wasn't picking up my location despite the phone settings being set with this on. It's early days yet (both for that service & the phone) but at this point in time I wouldn't rely on HTC Hub to trace a stolen phone. I like the way they offer apps but its sure no replacement for the marketplace.

Speed on the DHD is AWESOME! And, OMG, some of the videos on YouTube look amazing on it.
Most of the time I hit buffering slowdowns when viewing YouTube videos on my PC. Using the same WiFi, I had a 100% Pure New Zealand video start playing within 3 seconds after clicking on it. It played seamlessly, with no slowdowns, jitters, buffering or any other annoyance. I recommend watching one of those 100% Pure ads when you get your DHD.

I'm a Grafitti lover from way back and until this year I had stuck with phones that required the use of a stylus. When I got my HTC Desire I found adjusting to a touch keyboard slowed me down considerably. Getting those keys right in the corner was a PITA, but right from the first minute of using the Desire HD that's become history. I didn't think I would like the change to touch buttons and since I used the trackpad I thought I would miss it. So far, neither of these changes phase me at all.

HTC have also released a capacitive touch screen stylus - its not cheap though.

One thing that would concern me a bit, if I was a guy, is the weight. The difference in size and weight to the original Desire is noticeable & will probably be more noticeable once a case is put on. For me, this isn't an issue as I usually drop my phone in a bag. If you usually have your phone in a shirt pocket the weight will pull the pocket down. Phone + case might be too big for trouser pockets.

TheUngeek

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#395990 26-Oct-2010 20:36

Size and weight are the excuses I am using for not being jealous and craving an HD over my Desire :p

jords12

144 posts

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#396002 26-Oct-2010 21:15

Phone too big for trousers? The obvious solution is to get bigger trousers! :)

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Damager

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#396048 26-Oct-2010 22:59

Elpie:
teihoata: Rushed home to dig into it. First Impressions - it's epic, screen seems a lot more washed out than the nexus ones amoled, speakers aren't as bad as I thought they would be, a bit more quieter than the iphone 4 I would say. The build quality is second to none however I am a bit weary of a small gap between the metal and the bottom cover which situates the simcard. It's also really quick, puts the old desire to shame.
GPS is fast to lock on and I love that new zealand is called aotearoa in the locations app (nice touch).

My first impressions...

I prefer the AMOLED screen of the original Desire BUT putting them both side-by-side I can't see any difference in colour or vibrancy when indoors or out of bright sunlight. In the sun there is a difference - not a lot, but enough to notice.

The camera is awesome. I took a few test shots inside and out in bright sun & its doing a better job than my 5 year old Canon.

When I first put the cover back on the SIM/ MicroSD card compartment I had a very small (2 x hair width) gap. I found that kind of worrying because I don't want to get dirt inside (not such an issue once more cases are available) but taking the cover off and putting it back on again has eliminated that gap. I guess I was being too timid when I replaced it the first time ;)

Both the battery compartment and card compartment covers fit perfectly. I haven't experienced any issue with the proximity sensor but most people who had those problems said it didn't start for a few days so I'll see how that goes.

I agree with teihoata - the speakers are quieter than the iPhone 4. Ringtones at maximum seem to be a little louder than the original Desire. Sound with the headphones on is great.

I'm still in two minds about htcsense.com, the HTC Hub. I was able to use it ok but it wasn't picking up my location despite the phone settings being set with this on. It's early days yet (both for that service & the phone) but at this point in time I wouldn't rely on HTC Hub to trace a stolen phone. I like the way they offer apps but its sure no replacement for the marketplace.

Speed on the DHD is AWESOME! And, OMG, some of the videos on YouTube look amazing on it.
Most of the time I hit buffering slowdowns when viewing YouTube videos on my PC. Using the same WiFi, I had a 100% Pure New Zealand video start playing within 3 seconds after clicking on it. It played seamlessly, with no slowdowns, jitters, buffering or any other annoyance. I recommend watching one of those 100% Pure ads when you get your DHD.

I'm a Grafitti lover from way back and until this year I had stuck with phones that required the use of a stylus. When I got my HTC Desire I found adjusting to a touch keyboard slowed me down considerably. Getting those keys right in the corner was a PITA, but right from the first minute of using the Desire HD that's become history. I didn't think I would like the change to touch buttons and since I used the trackpad I thought I would miss it. So far, neither of these changes phase me at all.

HTC have also released a capacitive touch screen stylus - its not cheap though.

One thing that would concern me a bit, if I was a guy, is the weight. The difference in size and weight to the original Desire is noticeable & will probably be more noticeable once a case is put on. For me, this isn't an issue as I usually drop my phone in a bag. If you usually have your phone in a shirt pocket the weight will pull the pocket down. Phone + case might be too big for trouser pockets.

Great first impressions! One thing i have noticed from various samples of video, is the brightness/white balance seems to vary consideraby in dodgy light. Let us know how your HD videos go please if possible! I currently have a Touch Pro2. Probably one of the heaviest handsets out at the moment.. I think the HD would almost be heaven compared to the last year.

- Telstra HTC Touch Pro2 - Energy ROM WM6.5.5 20 Oct/Cyanogen Mod Froyo 2.2 - R.I.P
- AT&T Galaxy S Captivate 16GB on XT (now with brother)
- Samsung Galaxy S2 on XT- Runs ICS 4.0.3 Resurrection Remix 9.2
- Business Hours - Work In The Electricity Industry, After Hours - DJ/Turntablist - Will Scratch Vinyl For Free'
- What's next??? S3?

Elpie

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#396068 26-Oct-2010 23:46

Damager:

Great first impressions! One thing i have noticed from various samples of video, is the brightness/white balance seems to vary consideraby in dodgy light. Let us know how your HD videos go please if possible!

I noticed this with my test photos this afternoon. I haven't read anything yet about taking photos/video with the DHD so I'm only guessing at the reasons for now. I noticed that the focus and light are auto-adjusting (at least, I am pretty sure thats happening). When I walked outside into bright light and immediately took a photo the quality was poor. I also had very dodgy balance when I went back inside & took a photo of someone standing inside with a large bright window behind him (deliberate test). However, when I went from a dim room into bright sunlight, waited a minute or two, then took a photo of the same rose bush the photo was fantastic. The photo was taken from the same spot, in the same light, with the only difference being between an immediate shot and one that waited a short time for the camera to adjust.

I'm going to be doing a lot of testing with the camera & video over the next week or two as I am considering leaving my Canon at home & just using the phone for a trip overseas soon. I won't do this unless I feel confident about the results.

I deleted the test shots from this afternoon but will keep all my tests from now on & throw them up somewhere so you can see them.

jords12

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#396089 27-Oct-2010 07:15

Ok... issues like that are good in a way, seems like the software could be improved but the hardware is good. Things like that probably explain the wide variation in how happy people have been with the camera.

Dingbatt

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#396115 27-Oct-2010 09:02

Thank you Elpie for some 'real world' first impressions. I have been waiting for some practical reviews to assess whether it is worth getting a DHD to replace my Hero. In sunlight you said there was a noticeable difference to the Desire, can you say how (ie which is better, why). Is your Desire AMOLED or SLCD?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Elpie

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#396229 27-Oct-2010 12:47

Dingbatt: Thank you Elpie for some 'real world' first impressions. I have been waiting for some practical reviews to assess whether it is worth getting a DHD to replace my Hero. In sunlight you said there was a noticeable difference to the Desire, can you say how (ie which is better, why). Is your Desire AMOLED or SLCD?

My Desire is AMOLED. The Desire HD is LCD.

In bright sunlight when I was only using the camera, the AMOLED screen was better. Colours appeared noticeably less vibrant on the Desire HD, which also has reduced viewing angles compared to the Desire. This meant some of the pics were difficult to take because the combination of screen reflection and reduced vibrancy meant I wasn't seeing everything I was trying to capture. I was, however, putting the phone to a pretty extreme test - even my digital cameras have problems in the kind of light I was taking pics in.

It was bright sunlight again this morning so I tried the Desire HD outside. This time I just viewed text, a web page, and tweets on the official Twitter app. That horrible washed-out blue of the Twitter client was clear. Text appears to be a lot sharper with the DHD.

I really loved the AMOLED screen on my Desire but for sharpness and clarity I think I am going to prefer the LCD on the Desire HD. Also, although lining up the pic was easier with the AMOLED due to it not looking a bit washed out in bright sunlight, the colours you see are not the same as what is captured when the photo is taken. The photographs taken with the Desire HD appear to be a truer colour - they certainly look the same on the phone to the way they look on my PC.

I'm not sure that helps you. Let me know if you would like me to do any specific tests & post results. I haven't taken any comparison shots of the differences between the two screens as viewing through a monitor can't give an accurate representation.

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Elpie

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#396246 27-Oct-2010 13:07

First impressions - battery.

My phone has hit the 40% battery level. It's had uptime of 22 hours, awake time of just over 6 1/2 hours. This is since first charge when I took it out of its box. Looking good so far.

Caveat - of that 22 hours only 2 hours of it was used when I was out & about. So, usage has been approx 20 hours on WiFi, 2 hours just on cell. In this time I have done the upgrade that is notified as soon as you switch on (to 1.32.405.3 - 23.83Mb), installed & setup apps, personalised the phone, played with HTC Hub, watched YouTube videos, taken photos, and generally done a lot of things I wouldn't do on an average day.

I'd been worried about battery usage but, so far, this has reassured me.

V99

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Wannabe Geek

#396311 27-Oct-2010 14:34

I'd been worried about battery usage but, so far, this has reassured me.

Very informative info!

Let us know how that last 40% lasted you - as battery duration is concerning me too.

Can you also tell us a little bit of how big the phone is?
Does it feel heavy and massive in your hand? Or does it sit there quite nicely?

Can you text with one hand etc?

TheUngeek

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#396343 27-Oct-2010 16:04

20 hours on WiFi?? Thats pretty impressive!

kyhwana2

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#396365 27-Oct-2010 16:45

TheUngeek: 20 hours on WiFi?? Thats pretty impressive!

I can do 20 hours with wifi always on on my Desire with a few hours of wifi usage, etc.

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