HTC Desire Z Android review

[rpm]

HTC Desire Z review

The HTC Desire Z is the spiritual successor to the HTC Dream, but packs hardware more akin to that of the Desire and Desire HD. What sets it apart from the flood of Android smartphones hitting our shores?

 

[mr_Dude]

I waited for months in anticipation for this phone and finally Vodacom got stock last week. Picked it up in Sandton and it seems a common trend for all the branches to say they have their last one left but i am sure it is just a marketing strategy.
Anyway, great phone in all aspects. I really wanted a smartphone with a slide out keyboard but the on-screen keyboard works so well that i barely ever use the slide out one.
Android OS is superb, lots of apps available and the hardware and OS compliment each other. Pity we cant download the pay-apps in South Africa.
The battery is decent, not the greatest i will admit but hey, a small price to pay for a magnificent phone.

One thing to take note of is that you will need a data bundle with this phone unless you have access to Wifi 24/7 as it is quite bandwidth intensive with the apps.

Well done HTC, ver very well done!!!

 

[jmak]

I was set on this phone, but the one thing that bothered me, the hinge, is forcing me to rethink. "mr_Dude", in your opinion, will the phone still be "solid" after 4 or 5 falls, or do you think the screen hinge might become loosened or may even broke? Have you looked at Samsung and do you have any feedback on their build quailty compared to HTC's?

My trusty HTC Hero has been serving me well, with a "fall-a-week", and still nicely intact and 99% working. Just somewhere along the line the capacitive screen got a minor chip and I believe this is causing missed taps to specific area on screen. I take responsibility for this and will definitely like to support HTC again.

 

[kingrob]

I was set on this phone, but the one thing that bothered me, the hinge, is forcing me to rethink. "mr_Dude", in your opinion, will the phone still be "solid" after 4 or 5 falls, or do you think the screen hinge might become loosened or may even broke? Have you looked at Samsung and do you have any feedback on their build quailty compared to HTC's?

My trusty HTC Hero has been serving me well, with a "fall-a-week", and still nicely intact and 99% working. Just somewhere along the line the capacitive screen got a minor chip and I believe this is causing missed taps to specific area on screen. I take responsibility for this and will definitely like to support HTC again.

Do you make a habit of letting things drop on the floor?

How about dropping your watch on the floor every week and see if the screen is still ok after two attempts.

I really would suggest a holder that you hang round your neck and then put your phone in it.

 

[HawkiesZA]

I was set on this phone, but the one thing that bothered me, the hinge, is forcing me to rethink. "mr_Dude", in your opinion, will the phone still be "solid" after 4 or 5 falls, or do you think the screen hinge might become loosened or may even broke? Have you looked at Samsung and do you have any feedback on their build quailty compared to HTC's?

You may want to look into a protective case for your phone. Smartphones are generally not designed to be dropped.

As for Samsung vs HTC: IMO, HTC phones have better build quality. Samsung likes to use thin, flimsy-feeling plastics. HTC also uses plastic but they manage to make it not feel like it's going to break if I look at it wrong. They also spruce it up a bit with aluminium (like on the Z).

 

[SlyFly]

They might make good phones but damm they are useless at naming them... Due for an upgrade on a MTN 500 contract so you can get any phone you want basically (Maybe ad R50 a month or so) and all these HTC phones just confuse me because it seems like all of them are named Desire...

 

[HawkiesZA]

They might make good phones but damm they are useless at naming them... Due for an upgrade on a MTN 500 contract so you can get any phone you want basically (Maybe ad R50 a month or so) and all these HTC phones just confuse me because it seems like all of them are named Desire...

Well, you can refer to them by their internal codenames if you'd prefer. HTC Desire = HTC Bravo, HTC Desire HD = HTC Ace and HTC Desire Z stays the same.

The consumer names are more descriptive IMO. The Desire HD is like the original Desire, but with a gigantic screen (and some internal tweaks); the Desire Z is like the original Desire, but with a Z hinge for the keyboard (and some internal tweaks).

 

[Silvatyrant]

Do you make a habit of letting things drop on the floor?

How about dropping your watch on the floor every week and see if the screen is still ok after two attempts.

I really would suggest a holder that you hang round your neck and then put your phone in it.

+1

...and a bib and a helmet just to be safe!

I waited for months in anticipation for this phone and finally Vodacom got stock last week. Picked it up in Sandton and it seems a common trend for all the branches to say they have their last one left but i am sure it is just a marketing strategy.
Anyway, great phone in all aspects. I really wanted a smartphone with a slide out keyboard but the on-screen keyboard works so well that i barely ever use the slide out one.
Android OS is superb, lots of apps available and the hardware and OS compliment each other. Pity we cant download the pay-apps in South Africa.
The battery is decent, not the greatest i will admit but hey, a small price to pay for a magnificent phone.

One thing to take note of is that you will need a data bundle with this phone unless you have access to Wifi 24/7 as it is quite bandwidth intensive with the apps.

Well done HTC, ver very well done!!!

As for paid apps in SA...root your device. It's quite simple. I think unrev0ked works with the Desire Z and then install an application called Market Enabler. It allows you to spoof your service provider (say T-Mobile USA or whatever). This way you'll have access to the US Market. Just make sure you're willing to give Google Checkout your credit card details.

 

[Maddmatt]

You may want to look into a protective case for your phone. Smartphones are generally not designed to be dropped.

As for Samsung vs HTC: IMO, HTC phones have better build quality. Samsung likes to use thin, flimsy-feeling plastics. HTC also uses plastic but they manage to make it not feel like it's going to break if I look at it wrong. They also spruce it up a bit with aluminium (like on the Z).

I drop my Galaxy S all the time, still perfect
So far no falls have been more than pocket-height though... but they have been onto hard surfaces like the bathroom tiles (right next to the toilet ).

 

[jmak]

Do you make a habit of letting things drop on the floor?

Nope, just my phone. The other things that drop are glasses, but thats thanks to two retrievers and their wonderful height and strength of their tails...

How about dropping your watch on the floor every week and see if the screen is still ok after two attempts.

Done much worse to my Casio, and have never broken the glass, only the wristbands to due playing a little bit rough.

I really would suggest a holder that you hang round your neck and then put your phone in it.

Thanks for suggestion, but that will result in more damage to the phone, medical bills for therapist due to irritation and will most probably loose the phone quite quickly due to constantly having to take it off.

And yes, I know my handling of my phone is asking a lot from it, but my point was that the phone took it quite well so far which impressed me. I would not have expected the same durability say for example from the iPhone. Even Nokias tended to crack corners and screens after 1 or 2 bad falls onto tiles from what I saw from other peoples phones.

 

[dillydog]

HTC Desire Z

I can't comment on dropping the phone as I havent dropped mine yet, however I can tell you the following.

This is a fantastic phone, the hardware is great and the software is great. Regarding the loose hinge, as far as I am concerned the phone works the way it was designed, when I first got my phone I thought ah !@#$ loose hinge problem, but I waited and used the phone and it is great, the phone almost never opens unless i tell it to.

Great phone, best phone I ever had, I get about 2 days with moderate use, 1 day if I play lots!

Hope that helps

 

[Axen]

I am still deciding between HTC, IPhone and Blackberry. In each case i am considering the latest models. This has shed some light on HTC for me, as phones with Keyboards are more appealing as i currently have the N97. There were however some other newer HTC models i was interested in - if only there were some reviews on those.

 

[HawkiesZA]

I am still deciding between HTC, IPhone and Blackberry. In each case i am considering the latest models. This has shed some light on HTC for me, as phones with Keyboards are more appealing as i currently have the N97. There were however some other newer HTC models i was interested in - if only there were some reviews on those.

You mean the Desire S/Incredible S/Wildfire S? Those aren't available yet (in April maybe). The latest available Android devices by HTC would be the Desire Z and Desire HD. For WP7 we have the Mozart, Trophy and 7 Pro, but I would not recommend the 7 Pro (review on MyBB).

 

[MyDraadloos]

You mean the Desire S/Incredible S/Wildfire S? Those aren't available yet (in April maybe). The latest available Android devices by HTC would be the Desire Z and Desire HD. For WP7 we have the Mozart, Trophy and 7 Pro, but I would not recommend the 7 Pro (review on MyBB).

Is that the date you think the Desire S will be available in SA ? Might wait a few more weeks then.

 

[HawkiesZA]

That's the date that they're rumoured to be released in Europe - there's no telling when we'll get them.

Sent from my Nexus S using MyBroadband Android App

 

[viishrugged]

It sure is pretty. My only gripe with HTC is that they only really have low or high range devices. None that really fit in the mid range area.