HTC Desire Z: First Look
Side sliders with QWERTY are not at all a new venture for HTC. One can say that the Taiwanese have been among those who continue presenting new products using the form factor even when other companies choose not to do so or have their respective lineups significantly limited. However, going the Android way, the company has concentrated on touch-sensitive slate phones, their only "robot" with a hardware keyboard being their first Android device, the test HTC Dream, also known as the HTC G1.
One and a half years after the release of the HTC Dream, the company unveils the HTC Desire Z, its second QWERTY-enabled Android device. According to my initial impressions, it is one of those models that can reach the customers despite their high price and a number of controversial features (which unfortunately tend to become more and more popular among the manufacturers).
Platform
The device is based on the Qualcomm MSM 7230 platform with an 800 MHz processor, which is less horsepower than the Desire has to offer, but shouldn't be a problem for everyday tasks. You also get 512 MB of RAM and 1.5 GB of inbuilt memory for data storage. The wireless suite is standard for a contemporary Android smartphone – i.e. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.
There is hardly any sense to talk about the working speed or video playback capabilities until the final version arrives.
Impressions
Now let's add some subjectivity. Before I got my hands on the HTC Desire Z I thought that the QWERTY slider was an extinct species. I came to that conclusion after the Google Nexus and HTC Desire, where the on-screen keyboard turned out to be so handy (that is especially true for the proprietary keyboard in the Desire) that I could no longer see any reason for a hardware QWERTY solution. Even the on-screen keyboard in HTC HD2, a not-so-handy and responsive one, was close enough to the ideal. And when the HTC Desire came out, I finally realized that a software keyboard can be as comfortable to type on as a hardware one. And it is that very truth that I was trying to convey to people through my reviews and in various debates. My immediate reply to anyone asking about a QWERTY-enabled smartphone was "Why? Take a look at the on-screen keyboard in the HTC Desire. It's really handy!"
And suddenly HTC makes a new QWERTY slider, which I like and even find better than another new smartphone, the flagship model. I am not here to judge the company's motives, its positioning of the HTC Desire Z with the technologically superior Desire HD having almost the same price. Indeed, the Desire Z will be expensive at the beginning (the anticipated price is RUR 26,000, or approximately EUR 640, but will it actually be so?), although not as expensive as, say, the HTC Touch Pro 2 was.
The final conclusion is as follows. From the technical perspective, the HTC Desire Z is closer to the original Desire and is even somewhat simpler than the predecessor; yet in terms of design, I find the smartphone to be one of the best solutions the company has to offer, one that brings together quality materials and style. It is true that the Z, as any other HTC's latest breed, has only sensor keys, no hardware call buttons, and a weak 1300 mAh battery that will last for just one day. Still, I believe that the HTC Desire Z is worth more attention than the original Desire or even the Desire HD. And that is because you can see the adult HTC in it, the company that can make not only "wow" products with cutting-edge features but also devices that are beautiful in their balance of qualities, that can catch one's eye and yet be practical enough.
Description:
One and a half years after the release of the HTC Dream, the company unveils the HTC Desire Z, its second QWERTY-enabled Android device. According to my initial impressions, it is one of those models that can reach the customers despite their high price and a number of controversial features (which unfortunately tend to become more and more popular among the manufacturers).
Platform
The device is based on the Qualcomm MSM 7230 platform with an 800 MHz processor, which is less horsepower than the Desire has to offer, but shouldn't be a problem for everyday tasks. You also get 512 MB of RAM and 1.5 GB of inbuilt memory for data storage. The wireless suite is standard for a contemporary Android smartphone – i.e. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.
There is hardly any sense to talk about the working speed or video playback capabilities until the final version arrives.
Impressions
Now let's add some subjectivity. Before I got my hands on the HTC Desire Z I thought that the QWERTY slider was an extinct species. I came to that conclusion after the Google Nexus and HTC Desire, where the on-screen keyboard turned out to be so handy (that is especially true for the proprietary keyboard in the Desire) that I could no longer see any reason for a hardware QWERTY solution. Even the on-screen keyboard in HTC HD2, a not-so-handy and responsive one, was close enough to the ideal. And when the HTC Desire came out, I finally realized that a software keyboard can be as comfortable to type on as a hardware one. And it is that very truth that I was trying to convey to people through my reviews and in various debates. My immediate reply to anyone asking about a QWERTY-enabled smartphone was "Why? Take a look at the on-screen keyboard in the HTC Desire. It's really handy!"
And suddenly HTC makes a new QWERTY slider, which I like and even find better than another new smartphone, the flagship model. I am not here to judge the company's motives, its positioning of the HTC Desire Z with the technologically superior Desire HD having almost the same price. Indeed, the Desire Z will be expensive at the beginning (the anticipated price is RUR 26,000, or approximately EUR 640, but will it actually be so?), although not as expensive as, say, the HTC Touch Pro 2 was.
The final conclusion is as follows. From the technical perspective, the HTC Desire Z is closer to the original Desire and is even somewhat simpler than the predecessor; yet in terms of design, I find the smartphone to be one of the best solutions the company has to offer, one that brings together quality materials and style. It is true that the Z, as any other HTC's latest breed, has only sensor keys, no hardware call buttons, and a weak 1300 mAh battery that will last for just one day. Still, I believe that the HTC Desire Z is worth more attention than the original Desire or even the Desire HD. And that is because you can see the adult HTC in it, the company that can make not only "wow" products with cutting-edge features but also devices that are beautiful in their balance of qualities, that can catch one's eye and yet be practical enough.
Description:
- Form factor: side slider with QWERTY;
- Operating system: Android 2.2 + HTC Sense;
- Cellular connectivity: GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA;
- Processor: 800 MHz, Qualcomm MSM 7230 platform;
- RAM: 512 MB;
- User memory: 1.5 GB + microSD memory card slot;
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, micro-USB, 3.5 mm audio jack;
- Display: capacitive, 3.7” S-LCD with resolution of 840×480 pixels (WVGA);
- Camera: 5 MP with autofocus and flash, 720p video recording;
- Navigation: GPS;
- Additional features: FM radio, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, digital compass;
- Battery: 1300 mAh Li-Ion;
- Dimensions: 119 x 60.4 x 14.1 mm.