New Technology Reviews!.: Desire

HTC Desire HD receives a Beats Audio-enabled Rom, beats Sensation XE to the punch

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<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="242" mce_src="http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/4584/desirebeats540x403.jpg" src="http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/4584/desirebeats540x403.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Desire beats" width="324" />We all know that HTC acquired Beats Audio with the intentions of bringing better audio fidelity to HTC Android phones. We have heard tons of news regarding this the past few weeks, and just this morning HTC announced the HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio. Apparently those smart developers have beat HTC to the punch and have developed a Desire HD rom with Beats Audio integration, details below</div>
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What we have here is a full Android 2.3 Gingerbread ROM, along with HTC Sense UI 3.5 that also includes some fancy stuff from the HTC Runnymede. We first heard about the Runnymede a while back and along with it came a leaked RUU build. Apparently the developers have been digging through that and made a full ROM for the Desire HD using the Runnymede build. Included was the Beats Audio integration and they’ve nicely put everything together for us in one ROM. Being based off the Runnymede you can be sure the Beats Audio integration is authentic although any hardware changes that HTC and Beats may be making is not included, but most likely the main sound improvements come from software changes and music tweaks. This ROM is still a work in progress and they are currently working out a few bugs but many users are reporting the sound improvements alone make this worth a try. If you dare give this a run let us know in the comments below how everything works and sounds. [via GSMArena] )</div>
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HTC Desire HD receives a Beats Audio-enabled Rom, beats Sensation XE to the punch

We all know that HTC acquired Beats Audio with the intentions of bringing better audio fidelity to HTC Android phones. We have heard ton...

Vodafone opens up HTC Desire S pre-orders

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/HTC/HTC%20Desire%20S/pr/image3-200-200.jpg"> Vodafone has announced that it is offering the HTC Desire S for pre-order, ahead of the hotly-anticpated phone arriving on its UK release date of 8 April. The HTC Desire S will be available for no additional cost on the company's £30, two-year plan which includes 600 minutes, unlimited texts and half a gig of mobile data. According to TechRadar's HTC Desire S review, the phone is worthy of consideration, picking up four stars and earning praise for its slick UI and great call quality. But... However, the review did suggest alternatives, adding: "we can't help but have our gaze drawn to the HTC Incredible S and the Samsung Galaxy S2." Vodafone has also announced that it will be offering the Samsung-built Google Nexus S in either its original black chassis or an exclusive white version. That phone will be available for no extra cost on the £35 a month, two-year plan with 900 minutes, unlimited texts and 750MB of mobile data. Lastly the network announced that the <a href="">HTC Wildfire S</A> – likely to be a popular handset – will be available in three different colours, including exclusive grey and purple versions, although a release date and pricing is not yet available. <img border="0" height="1" src="http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/9809/s/13c4a153/mf.gif" width="1"> <DIV class=mf-related><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/R3s6MP8pjV4/story01.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Article</A></DIV>

Vodafone opens up HTC Desire S pre-orders

Vodafone has announced that it is offering the HTC Desire S for pre-order, ahead of the hotly-anticpated phone arriving on its UK release da...

Early View: Google Nexus S vs HTC Desire HD vs iPhone 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Google/Nexus_S4x3-200-200.jpg"> The Google Nexus S has been announced and has a UK release date of 20 December. We've pitched the key specs of the Samsung-built handset against the key smartphone rival Apple's iPhone 4 as well as Samsung's own Galaxy S (which, as you'll see, is strikingly similar in spec). It's time to see how your next phone stacks up. OS The Google Nexus S breaks new ground for Android, running Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box. <UL> <LI><a href="">Android 2.3: what you need to know</A></LI></UL> Both the HTC Desire HD and the Samsung Galaxy S run Android, of course. The Galaxy S runs the Eclair 2.1 version of Android out of the box (depending on network updates), while the Desire HD runs Froyo 2.2 Android with HTC's Sense interface on top. The iPhone 4, of course, runs Apple's own iOS 4. Processor The Desire HD features the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdgragon 8255 processor - matched in clockspeed by the 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 chip in the Samsung Galaxy S and Google Nexus S. The Apple iPhone 4 uses Apple's own A4 chip, which is also based on a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 core but is underclocked. Touchscreen The HTC Desire HD has a 4.3-inch SLCD 480 x 800 pixel screen. That's larger than the identical 4-inch Super AMOLED screen found on the Galaxy S and Nexus S – albeit with the same resolution. However, the Nexus S does introduce one trump card – the screen is curved supposedly to match the curve of your face. The iPhone 4 has Apple's new Retina Display with an impressive 940 x 640 res. Storage While iPhone 4 is available in 16GB and 32GB capacities, the Galaxy S comes with either 16GB or 8GB and the Desire HD with 1.5GB (not great, is it?). The latter two handsets do come with Micro SD slots, though - up to 32GB can be stowed on cards slotted into those. The Google Nexus S has 16GB of storage. Memory The Desire HD goes a step further than its rivals, with 768MB of internal memory for running programs. The Samsung Galaxy S has 568MB on the other hand, the same as the iPhone 4. Surprisingly it seems the Galaxy S is limited to 512MB. Interestingly, that's twice the RAM you'll find in the iPad. <img alt="Google nexus s" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Google/nexus_s_white-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Camera The iPhone 4, Google Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy S have 5MP cameras, but these are trumped by the HTC Desire HD's 8MP unit. All these handsets now shoot 720p HD video and feature geotagging and LED flashes. Connectivity All four handsets are quad-band phones with 3G/HSDPA. You'll also get Wi-Fi (up to 802.11n) and Bluetooth 2.1 whichever you choose with A2DP. The Desire HD, Nexus S and Galaxy S all have Micro USB connections while the iPhone 4 naturally uses the standard Apple 32-pin dock connector. The Google Nexus S also adds NFC, or Near Field Communication support, meaning it could be used as an Oyster or Barclaycard OnePulse-type touch payments. Anything else? All the handsets have 3.5mm audio jacks as you'd expect. The Desire HD and Galaxy S both have FM radios. The iPhone 4 does not, nor does the Nexus S. All the handsets also have GPS, proximity sensor, compass, accelerometer and ambient light sensor. The Desire HD also boasts the Dolby Mobile audio enhancement tech and DLNA compliance. All can be tethered, but Android 2.2 means the Desire HD can act as a Wi-Fi hotspot (as can the 2.3-toting Google Nexus S). <img alt="Google nexus s" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Google/nexus_s_non4x3/nexus_s_3-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Dimensions and weight The Samsung Galaxy S has a footprint of 122 x 64mm - comparable to the 123 x 68mm Desire HD. The Nexus S has a slightly narrower and thicker 124 x 63mm footprint. The Galaxy S also has a thickness of 1cm, 0.7mm thicker than the iPhone but thinner than the 11.8mm thick Desire HD. The Nexus S has a depth of 11mm in comparison. Both the HTC and Samsung handsets are bigger than the 115 x 59mm iPhone 4. The Galaxy S is the lightest - it weighs in at 119g compared to the 164g Desire HD, 137g iPhone 4 and 129g Google Nexus S. Talk and standby times <UL> <LI>The HTC Desire HD boasts talk time up to 320 mins and standby up to 490 hours. </LI> <LI>The iPhone has a talk time up to 420 mins and standby up to 300 hours. </LI> <LI>The Samsung Galaxy S has a talk time up to 390 mins and standby up to 576 hours. </LI> <LI>The Google Nexus S has a talk time up to 360 mins and standby up to 428 hours.</LI></UL> All these times are for 3G and are from the spec sheets rather than real-world tests. So. which to go for? The striking thing about these handsets is how similar they all are. Even though the iPhone stands alone in terms of its OS and other features, its core hardware is strikingly similar to the Android handsets. The HTC Desire HD does stand out for its larger screen and better camera, but the pixel count isn't any higher than either of the Samsung-built models, while it also lacks the supreme OLED screen that those two models have. While all of these handsets are pitched at the top end of the market, It will be interesting to see how the Nexus S stacks up against the Galaxy S - aside from the curved screen and NFC, they are very similar under the skin.

Early View: Google Nexus S vs HTC Desire HD vs iPhone 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S

The Google Nexus S has been announced and has a UK release date of 20 December. We've pitched the key specs of the Samsung-built handse...

HTC Desire HD stocks running out in the UK?

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/HTC/htc_desire_hd_shortages-200-200.jpg"> The <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-desire-hd-717295/review">HTC Desire HD</A> stocks may be running a little low at the moment, with most networks showing limited offerings. Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile are all showing 'Out of Stock' or 'Limited Stock' updates on their websites, hinting that there's either a shortage or people are just buying a lot of them. We've spoken to HTC to get to the bottom of it, but the manufacturer hasn't got any comment at this time, so no joy there. Where's a volcano to blame when you need one? Usually we'd go down the route of a shortage of something, or an international event to explain a shortage - but the Desire HD doesn't use an OLED screen, and no volcanoes have erupted recently. There's always snow of course... that ruins everything. Except snowball fights. Three isn't claiming such a thing, so perhaps you can head over there to pick up your gargantuan device.

HTC Desire HD stocks running out in the UK?

The HTC Desire HD stocks may be running a little low at the moment, with most networks showing limited offerings. Vodafone, Orange and T-Mo...

Vodafone adds HTC Desire Z and Nokia C7 to range

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/HTC/Desire%20Z_Open-200-200.jpg"> Vodafone has announced it's next up to stock the much-vaunted <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-desire-z-717296/review">HTC Desire Z </A>and sort-of-well-a-bit-vaunted <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-c7-905015/review">Nokia C7</A>. The HTC Desire Z is the surprise package of the two, coming in at £35 per month on a two-year deal, making it the same as the high-end <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-desire-hd-717295/review">Desire HD</A>. Admittedly the Desire Z comes with a full slide-out keyboard, but it was expected to be a shade cheaper. Follow it up with a Nokia The Nokia C7 is more in line with expectations, coming in at a more palatable £25 per month with a free phone or £20 per month if you want to pay £100 for the phone. The C7 also makes use of the new Symbian^3 OS used in the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-n8-692448/review">Nokia N8</A>, which is a slight upgrade over the ageing S60 operating system the Finns have been using for years and years. Both are available now, so sprint down to your nearest Vodafone store to get your hands on one - or save some energy and do it online. It's actually cheaper that way too.

Vodafone adds HTC Desire Z and Nokia C7 to range

Vodafone has announced it's next up to stock the much-vaunted HTC Desire Z and sort-of-well-a-bit-vaunted Nokia C7 . The HTC Desire Z is...

Exclusive: HTCSense.com coming to the HTC Desire?

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///classifications/gadgets/phones/mobile-phones/HTC/HTC-Desire2-200-200.jpg"> HTC has hinted that its cloud-based HTCSense.com service may be made available to older handsets in the near future, with the original HTC Desire looking likely to get the functionality. A TechRadar reader kindly gave us a tip-off that HTC had contacted him about the HTCSense.com service. While the phone company couldn't confirm if the HTC Desire was compatible with HTCSense.com, it did reveal that more details should arrive 'by the end of the year'. While we knew <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htcs-new-sense-ui-might-not-come-to-desire-716696">HTC was looking</A> at porting the service to other compatible devices, it's the first time we have heard of any sort of timeframe. Makes Sense HTCSense.com was announced back in September and it is currently only available on the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-desire-hd-717295/review">HTC Desire HD</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-desire-z-717296/review">HTC Desire Z</A> handsets. If you have these phones then you can log on to HTC.com to lock your handset if you have lost it, track its location and even take it off mute so you can hear its ringtone. The service is completely free and also allows you other synching options. The rather cryptic message our reader got from HTC was as follows: "At this time we are unable to confirm when the Desire will be compatible with HTCSense.com. "We hope to make this available before the end of the year." We have contacted HTC to see if there is any official information/confirmation on this.

Exclusive: HTCSense.com coming to the HTC Desire?

HTC has hinted that its cloud-based HTCSense.com service may be made available to older handsets in the near future, with the original HTC D...

Virgin Mobile HTC Desire Android 2.2 update arrives

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/gadgets/phones/mobile-phones/HTC/HTC-Desire4-200-200.jpg"> Virgin Mobile has announced to its customers that an Android 2.2 update to the HTC Desire is now available. In a <a href="http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Mobile/HTC-Desire-Android-2-2-Froyo-Released-11-11-10/td-p/173627">statement released</A> to the Virgin community forums, it was revealed that those who have Virgin specific firmware (1.23.351.1) can get the update right now. Those who are on the handset's original firmware (1.15.405.4) will have to wait a few days for another update to become available. Back it up As with previous Froyo updates, this is an OTA (over-the-air) update so you are best to hack into a Wi-Fi signal and it's always best to back up your data. The Android 2.2 update includes – like you don't know already – the ability to save applications to the SD card, you can use the device as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot and compatibility with more Android Market Place apps. If you are a Virgin Mobile user with an HTC Desire, then you can go to Menu > Settings > About Phone > System Software Updates > Check Now for the update.

Virgin Mobile HTC Desire Android 2.2 update arrives

Virgin Mobile has announced to its customers that an Android 2.2 update to the HTC Desire is now available. In a statement released to the ...