HTC Desire Z Mobile Phone Review - A Well Equipped Smartphone That's Packed With Features
The HTC Desire Z is the latest in Desire themed mobiles. Ever since the first of its kind, designers have been seeking to improve it as best they can. Is this mobile vibrant and unique enough to stand out from its predecessors, however?
Appearance-wise, the most noticeable thing about the HTC Desire Z is its amazing QWERTY keyboard. Unlike most phones, it swings out smoothly, with a small barrier of plastic between it and the bottom of the phone. This results in the keyboard swiveling out smoothly. The buttons are also well defined and well designed, making it perfect for even large fingers to type out fast messages. Our only real downside is that the plastic barrier may attract dirt and grime. At 180g, the keyboard certainly makes the phone feel very heavy and solid. However, it doesn't feel as comfortably sturdy as other phones.
Its 3.7 inch capacitive screen is enormous and incredibly colourful. Combine an Android 2.2 with the HTC Sense interface and you have an incredible phone for navigation. New users may find it takes some getting used to, but those used to HTC mobiles will find it a breeze to use.
That aside, its five megapixel camera is also quite impressive, featuring a strong LED flash with autofocus, geo tagging, face detection, and 720p HD video recording. While a Xenon flash would have been even stronger, we found its flash was able to illuminate everything from gloomy to dark settings. Pictures and videos come out crisp, vivid, and sharp and its geotagging allows you to show where they are before you upload them directly to Flickr or Twitter.
Its internet related features are incredible as well. Featuring wi-fi, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G, HDSPA, EDGE, USB, and much more, this phone is dedicated to keeping you online. As you can imagine, its lovely QWERTY keyboard is great for tapping out messages and writing emails. Viewing movies on its large and lovely screen is also a treat. Having Android also means there are Google features to enjoy, including Google Talk, Gmail, Google Maps, and much more. Its Friend Stream widget integrates all of your social networking sites into one easy spot, and there are dozens of apps and widgets to enjoy from the Android Market.
We also enjoyed its music related features, which include a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a capable music player. This allows you to use your own headphones instead of the set that comes with the box. Sound quality remains crisp and clear as well.
When it comes to memory and talk time, you get a bundle. With 1.5G of internal memory, plus a microSD card, you have more than enough room to store your favourite tunes, photos, videos, texts, and more. 400 minutes of talk time and 430 hours of standby means its battery life isn't quite as good as other phones, but you won't be charging constantly either.
All in all, the HTC Desire Z is an amazing little phone. However, if its fragile body or odd keyboard isn't to your liking, there are plenty of others to consider. For the most part, this one is definitely worth checking out.
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