Posts by Ben Austin
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My network in the UK tried to get me to accept a LCD version of my new phone, but I was a little wary of that and demanded the original type. It probably doesn't make a hell of a difference except in open sun light
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David,
I've had my HTC Desire for about 10 days, so it is early days yet. One observation though is that you will need to have a very generous data plan or wifi in the places you expect to use the phone (this would go for any good smartphone though). The basic data allowance in the UK seems to be settling at 500mb as part of a 30 pound p/m plan, but if NZ is still the way it was several years ago I suspect you might have trouble getting a comparable cheap and useful data plan. I think, based on my analysis of data use so far (there is an app for that) I'll be hitting about 1gb a month (luckily I have a 3gb plan).
Here are the points that immediately come to mind about the phone:
1. Browsing with the default app is pretty smooth, to the extent that it is almost easier to use it while commuting than pulling a magazine or book out. If the screen was a little bigger (size of the HTC Evo or the Droid X) then it would almost take over from the laptop at home.
2. HTC's integration with Google account information is very smooth and easy to set up. So (perhaps late to the boat) I now am almost in the situation where the Cloud makes sense, in that my mail, calendar, address book, talk and even maps are are all linked in and can be accessed on the phone or pc.
3. Streaming media via apps like Last.fm has become so smooth that it appears to be a substitute for regular radio.
4. Podcast integration into the phone is also very easy too. It only takes a couple of steps to subscribe and load podcasts from any competent provider. Again, it is now almost easier than radio
5. Augmented reality apps like Layar appear to be pretty useful in London, as a lot of people appear to develop useful layers that people would actually use
6. The HTC Sense UI is also very smooth. This is the interface that HTC have put on their Android (and other OS) phones to aid in navigation and general use. This allows me to run a bunch of windows/screens that have themed apps (so a music/radio/podcast screen; a news feed screen; a mail/messaging screen; contacts etc) that are slightly easier to use than pecking through a large app menu or remembering short cut keys.
7. The battery life is not great, but after 10 days of use it seems to be settling in at about 16 hours of normal use. The battery does struggle if there is a lot of use of GPS, or apps like Layar.
8. Lastly the phone just feels like it all works. This is the first phone I've had in a long time where there are no immediately obvious silly flaws or bugs that I have to deal with or get used to as part of the user experience. It just feels well made. I had been reading reviews and such for sometime and I decided it was better to go with the Desire rather than wait for the next wave of slightly better 'specced but untried phones that are starting to become available.
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It isn't quite the same, but Google has a voice search app for Android phones that works reasonably well on the go. I actually use it quite often and for doing a quick search on the move it seems to get intended search terms /result about 75% of the time. It is far more convenient even on a smartphone with a nice touch screen interface
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Google has done some interesting integration with its Maps programme and things like Google Buzz. As a reader it is pretty neat and sometimes useful but it certainly does seem entirely too easy to reveal all sorts of things that one probably shouldn't.
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It certainly was a hard lesson for me to learn that not everyone enjoys ceramic tiles
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We pilgrims find that queues enhance the experience
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I'm mildly embarrassed to admit that I hadn't heard of Hundertwasser until I was wandering around Vienna. I shall make up for this shame by making a pilgrimage to the toilets
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All credit should go to my new phone's predictive text system and a crowded commuter train that went into a tunnel immediately after that post.
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I have developed a feud with an elderly neighbour, quite by accident. There has been received angry notes and many dark looks on her part. However she also appears to have more important and longer lasting feuds with other neighbours so mine rather Palestine by comparison. I feel rather inadequate compared to the author's experiences
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I still rather like the feel of a magazine or newspaper in my hands, as such I do not consider an app of the same to be a substitute good.
That being said though, as a recent owner of smartphone (HTC Desire) I suspect that some of my media consumption habits may change.