Top 5 HTC Phones: Android vs. Windows

HTC has caused a bit of a stir in the mobile phone world lately with a slew of new releases including a whopping three at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

So if you’ve developed a bit of an interest in the Taiwanese manufacturer like the rest of the world seems to have, which phone should you go for?

HTC has released a number of handsets aimed at different markets, though there are a few mobile phone deals to be had.

We’ve taken a look at what HTC have to offer and whittled it down to a top five. Let’s see what took top awards and why.

Number 5. HTC HD2

This may be a controversial choice to include in our line-up, with an OS that’s already a bit behind the times, but we think that if you want a phone that makes you stand out like an individual when you pull it out of your pocket, the HD2 is the handset for you.

The HD2 is all about the screen- it’s big, bright and, let’s face it, beautiful. A massive 4.3-inches pixel-packed display will keep you watching movies on this thing for hours.

The phone itself is thinner than Victoria Beckham and will be picked up by an intrigued onlooker when you place it on the table in the pub.

It’s also the Taiwanese company’s first Windows phone to embody HTC Sense, which means half the time, you don’t even realize you’re using a WinMo platform.

When I say Windows, I do mean version 6.5, which is old news with the new Windows Phone 7 hitting the market, and unfortunately handsets on any Windows 6.x platforms won’t be able to upgrade.

Under the bonnet is a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 448MB RAM. There is a microSD slot however, so don’t despair about not packing your music collection into this phone.

The HD2 looks sexy and has enough on the inside to not even make this a question of beauty over brains- there is a lot of functionality, but it’s just not the latest thing.

Number 4. HTC Tattoo

HTC’s affordable Android handset has been a winner from the start, packing the best of Google’s OS into an accessible phone.

Not only can more people get their hands on a usually rather hexy Android, the Tattoo even packs the newer version Android 1.6, which provides an excellent interface for Google’s Android store, organising apps into a rather Apple Store-esque: Top Paid, Top Free and Just In.

Spec-wise, the Tattoo is cheaper for a reason, with a 2.8 inch resistive touch screen, compared to the Hero’s 3.2 inch capacitive screen. IF your not sure what that really means, take a look at our attempt to explain.

You also get a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which may not sound newsworthy, but seeing as the HTC Magic didn’t have a headphone socket at all (hence NOT featuring in our top line-up) we felt this was worth mentioning.

What is also a nice touch is the range of skins you can choose from to customise your phone. This is on top of choosing from a range of widgets for your home page.

Just because it’s a cheaper Android phone, that doesn’t mean that there’s no cool features included, which is why we’ve given the Tattoo the thumbs up.

Number 3. HTC Desire

It may not be as sexy as the HTC Legend, but under the bonnet the Desire comes into its own with a 1GHz processor as opposed to the 600MHz. HTC Desire reviews have been largely positive and it’s easy to see why.

The phone runs the latest Android 2.1, and boasts a 3.7-inch screen, making it basically the Nexus Two. What sets it apart from Google’s Nexus One is HTC’s own Sense user interface in the Desire, which is a joy to use.

HTC’s Desire also differentiates itself from the Nexus One by upgrading the trackball with a navigation pad, which isn’t as tactile but means less moving parts. This is good news for handset longevity, which is music to anyone on a two-year contract.

A 5 megapixel camera with LED flash on the back of the phone keeps the Desire in line with today’s mainstream phone camera specs, and it also features autofocus and digital zoom.

The Desire goes one up on Google’s first handset, and the integration of the Sense UI kept us entertained with this Android phone.

Number 2. HTC Legend

While most phones have a front and back that clip together like a clam, the Legend is out of a single block of aluminium. That made you kind of swoon, didn’t it?

The Legend lives up to its name with a with 3.2-inch AMOLED capacitive touch-screen, with a 320 X 480 resolution display that makes for clear viewing.

This handset is about keeping it personal, with a wider choice of widgets which you can expand even more through an online widget library, so no matter what you’re interested in, you should be able to find something to keep you occupied for awhile.

The HTC Legend also has Friend Stream, which consolidates your various social networking personas into the one place for you to easily keep track of who updated their wall and what was last tweeted. Friend Stream also lets you be a bit lazy by updating both your Facebook and Twitter statuses in the one go.

HTC has gone for the human touch with this phone, with features including “the ringer that knows when it has been heard.” When you pick up the phone, the ringer lowers in volume, and silences completely if you turn the handset upside-down.

We like the legendary features you get with this handset, and all in a sleek, sexy package.

Number 1. HTC Hero

Number one in our HTC count-down of awsomeness is the only handset produced by the Taiwanese manufacturer that could actually go all the way and challenge the iPhone.

The HTC Hero has access to a range of apps and superb web browsing capabilities, all in a stylish interface. Sounds rather Apple-esque, no?

The Hero is the perfect example of what an Android phone should be, with HSDPA connection speeds offering 7.2Mbps downloads and 2Mbps uploads. The online

There is also a GPS receiver providing accurate time and weather readings, amongst other purposes like, say, navigation.

The phone takes the idea of mobile web navigation to its full potential with all Google services such as Gmail, Google Talk and Maps specifically designed with a smaller screen in mind.

With HTC’s Sense UI, you have access to seven customisable home screens. There is also a new Scenes profile feature which lets you switch your phone over from the functions you need during the work week, to a fun phone on the weekend.

There is again the human touch on this phone, with the ability to dial your mates just by typing in the first few letters of their name; as the banks say, no one is just a number anymore.

The Hero also comes to the rescue when you need to find something, with a dedicated Search button that combs through Twitter tweets, your contact list, emails, calendar appointments and would probably find your lost car keys as well if it could.

HTC’s Hero got top billing with its combination of class both on the outside and inside, and with the Android market picking up in number of apps, Apple may just need to look twice at this handset in its rear mirror.

What’s your top HTC handset? Leave us a comment and let us know.

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