HTC Desire Review Thread

angel01 · 10-05-2010 5:32pm

I have a HD2 but am unsure if to stick with it. What is the screen like? at the moment with my HD2, I am cutting off calls cos the touch screen is really sensitive?

I am highly considering a desire as WinMo keeps cutting the phone off for me and driving me insane

Venom · 10-05-2010 6:33pm

GDM wrote: »

Decided to try the remote from my old nokia 5800 and a pair of panasonic earbud headphones as an alternative to the standard desire set, just hope each part works with the others.....damn htc and their awkward earpieces......or my small ears.

I tried my 5800 remote and no joy sadly.

EdgarAllenPoo · 10-05-2010 7:51pm

Venom wrote: »

I tried my 5800 remote and no joy sadly.

Ah $#!t€. Can you at least change the tracks while listening to music?

Venom · 10-05-2010 8:13pm

GDM wrote: »

Ah $#!t€. Can you at least change the tracks while listening to music?

Nope

Its likes having just a set of earphones as in sound but no functions.

Anyone know if there is a good radio app for the Desire as the lack of proper resets on the offical one sucks

cormie · 10-05-2010 8:32pm

Does anyone know of a PC application that will allow you to send a text (not through webtext) from your phone (so it will either cost you money or come out of your bundle)? On my SE G900 I'd use Myphoneexplorer if there were network issues with o2/vodafone etc rather than type it out on the phone. Is there anything like this for the Desire?

partyatmygaff · 10-05-2010 8:35pm

cormie wrote: »

Does anyone know of a PC application that will allow you to send a text (not through webtext) from your phone (so it will either cost you money or come out of your bundle)? On my SE G900 I'd use Myphoneexplorer if there were network issues with o2/vodafone etc rather than type it out on the phone. Is there anything like this for the Desire?

http://de.codeplex.com/

DroidExplorer does that and more.

Only for Rooted devices with a working build of busybox installed (You've got all of that cormie so you can go ahead).

cormie · 10-05-2010 8:41pm

Thanks a lot PAMG, I'll check that out

Hmmm, I emailed the text I'd typed out on the pc to my address I can check on the desire so I could copy it all and paste it to an sms and now that's not sending either

Generic network issue or something it says. Anyone else having trouble with Vodafone?

cormie · 10-05-2010 8:45pm

Actually it seems that since I copied the text from an email, it's now trying to send as an MMS which may be what's causing the error. How can I just paste it to an SMS instead

And how can I go into the message and stop it from "retrying" so many times

Argh, just tried a different method pasting it to a note and then using the "send sms" function in the note but when I click that, a popup comes up saying converting to MMS, then when I try send it I get a generic network failure message?

EdgarAllenPoo · 10-05-2010 10:11pm

Bit of an odd question to ask since I've had the phone for nearly two weeks but does the handset have a built in mic?

cormie · 10-05-2010 10:25pm

Do you mean a mic so people you're on the phone to can hear you?

Keith186 · 10-05-2010 10:36pm

GDM wrote: »

Bit of an odd question to ask since I've had the phone for nearly two weeks but does the handset have a built in mic?

You'll have to type louder I didn't get that

EdgarAllenPoo · 10-05-2010 11:09pm

The reason I ask is that I just took a call while listening to music on the phone using an ordinary pair of head phones and despite the actual phone being down near the other end of the bed (yeah I know I'm lazy) the other person could hear me loud and clear.

Zapp Brannigan · 10-05-2010 11:19pm

I would suspect the headphones that come with the phone have a mic on them, no?

EdgarAllenPoo · 10-05-2010 11:22pm

Wasn't using the ones that came with the phone just ordinary ones for an mp3 player.

cormie · 11-05-2010 2:12am

Sometimes the left ear bud also acts as a mic on a lot of earphones I think. I guess you took the earphones out while speaking? Or did you keep them in? If you kept them in and there wasn't any other noises then it shouldn't have been too hard for them to hear you anyway

robinph · 11-05-2010 8:49am

The phone most likely knew that the headphones did not also have a mic built in and just left the handset mic on the same as if you were using it handsfree.

FastFullBack · 11-05-2010 9:01am

Originally Posted by thegoth
I would not consider using a phone like this on meteor because of the 3G issues.

tm2204 wrote: »

Could you elaborate on these 3G problems as I was going to get a Desire on one of Meteor's new tariffs; €30 a month for 1GB plus calls & texts.

Anyone provide more info about the meteor 3G issues? I'm on meteor and was thinking of upgrading my N95 8GB to this.

angel01 · 11-05-2010 10:09am

FastFullBack wrote: »

Anyone provide more info about the meteor 3G issues? I'm on meteor and was thinking of upgrading my N95 8GB to this.

Seems the phone locks out when you go from 2g to 3g..

http://forums.meteor.ie/index.php?showtopic=530

cormie · 11-05-2010 8:51pm

Received one of the two skins I bought today, I think it's the cheaper one and I must say it fits the Desire like a glove! Has the right holes in all the right places and it even has "the chin". It's a good thickness for protection and doesn't cover over the screen at all. Even though there are silicone buttons for home, menu etc, I didn't have to get used to it. I kinda forgot the skin was on and was just pressing them as normal and didn't even think it felt any different which is a good thing!

Will probably get the other one in the next day or two, PAMG, you can have whichever one I don't keep for your troubles

5starpool · 11-05-2010 10:54pm

I just got mine today, and apart from making a mess of applying the screen protector (which means I have to get another really) I love it.

adrian522 · 11-05-2010 11:45pm

angel01 wrote: »

Seems the phone locks out when you go from 2g to 3g..

http://forums.meteor.ie/index.php?showtopic=530

That thread is about the hero,

I haven't had any such issues with the Desire and I've had it almost 1 month.

conor.hogan.2 · 14-05-2010 4:28pm

Hi.

Thinking of buying this from fonezonline.ie.

What are the negative aspects of the phone - cheers.

partyatmygaff · 14-05-2010 5:03pm

5starpool wrote: »

I just got mine today, and apart from making a mess of applying the screen protector (which means I have to get another really) I love it.

What do you mean made a mess of it? If you got dust over it you can just attach a bit of sellotape on the protector and peel it off. Then get another large bit of sellotape and place it over the sticky end, when you lift off the sellotape off the sticky side it will get rid of all the dust.

I had to reinstall it about ten times before I got it dust free

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Hi.

Thinking of buying this from fonezonline.ie.

What are the negative aspects of the phone - cheers.

Nothing

Venom · 14-05-2010 5:07pm

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Hi.

Thinking of buying this from fonezonline.ie.

What are the negative aspects of the phone - cheers.

App store could be more streamlined and allow purchases from Ireland.

partyatmygaff · 14-05-2010 5:08pm

Venom wrote: »

App store could be more streamlined and allow purchases from Ireland.

Just to add that that you can purchase apps if you root the phone.

conor.hogan.2 · 14-05-2010 6:01pm

Cool.

- Is anyone using it on 3pay? (best pay as you go internet add-ons). Working fine on the other networks too?

- How is the screen in daylight? What is the worst you have gotten from the battery and what is the best?

- How are the stores on the rooted roms? Equal number of apps? Prices?

- Is there any sort of proper password lock screen apps? In either the android market or rooted?

- Is there an app to make notes on pdfs or word docs?

- Can you type a message or an email or in the notes app using portrait and landscape?

- Can you delete home screens or set it so there are only three?

- Can you turn off HTC sense?

I just found out 2.1 is called ''Flan'' - no questions here - just thought I would mention what a ridiculous name and I life eclair and froyo so much.

Cheers.

Professey Chin · 14-05-2010 6:44pm

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Cool.

Is anyone using it on 3pay? (best pay as you go internet add-ons). Working fine on the other networks too?
Working perfectly on O2.I used Android on 3 baefore and had no problems so I assume its still the same.

How is the screen in daylight? What is the worst you have gotten from the battery and what is the best?
Not the best in bright daylight.
Worst ive gotten is about 8 hours but I only got it sunday so ive been tinkering a lot.

How are the stores on the rooted roms? Equal number of apps? Prices?
Still the same store, just you can use a few more apps.Not a massive amount of note though.Never used other markets like SlideIT.
Prives vary all over but you need to be rooted/have a UK sim to access paid apps in the regular market.

Is there any sort of proper password lock screen apps? In either the android market or rooted?
Not sure about actual password.There is the pattern lock screen in Android that can be turned on.Never went looking for another lock screen.

Is there an app to make notes on pdfs or word docs?
Theres Documents to Go for editing things like word and gDocs syncs with your Google Docs.

Can you type a message or an email or in the notes app using portrait and landscape?
Yes

Can you delete home screens or set it so there are only three?
Not that I can see.

Can you turn off HTC sense?
If you clear launcher defaults in Application management you can select the standard launcher instead.

I just found out 2.1 is called ''Flan'' - no questions here - just thought I would mention what a ridiculous name and I life eclair and froyo so much.
No it wasnt.2.1 is still Eclair and 2.2 is FroYo (personally would have preferred Froghurt)

Cheers.

^^

conor.hogan.2 · 14-05-2010 7:04pm

cool thanks for your responses.

- Is there a pdf editor of sorts tho that can be used offline to make notes etc to a pdf or a doc?

- If you root the device and use whatever to say you are in the uk - could you also use this to trick bbc iplayer or less likely Hulu?

- Also does anyone have anymore input on deleting or limiting the number of homescreens?

Thanks, very helpful forum. Dont want to spend 460 euro on nothing.

partyatmygaff · 14-05-2010 8:13pm

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

cool thanks for your responses.

- Is there a pdf editor of sorts tho that can be used offline to make notes etc to a pdf or a doc?

- If you root the device and use whatever to say you are in the uk - could you also use this to trick bbc iplayer or less likely Hulu?

- Also does anyone have anymore input on deleting or limiting the number of homescreens?

Thanks, very helpful forum. Dont want to spend 460 euro on nothing.

I haven't seen any PDF editors but there are plenty of very capable office apps capable of editing .doc

Both are possible, the only problem is you would need to use a proxy. Most free proxies are extremely slow and aren't even usable for text webpages let alone video.

Not possible on the stock HTC Sense. You can install a different launcher such as FreedHome and it will let you set it to three homescreens. Bear in mind that HTC Sense will still run in the background taking up memory.

robinph · 14-05-2010 8:57pm

partyatmygaff wrote: »

I haven't seen any PDF editors but there are plenty of very capable office apps capable of editing .doc

Are there any free ones other than GDocs? Been playing with that a bit so far, but not sure if I like it's method or not yet, I'd probably forget to sync the docs back the other way.

conor.hogan.2 · 14-05-2010 10:49pm

Can sense be disabled or do I have to kill it everytime?

boc121 · 14-05-2010 11:03pm

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Can sense be disabled or do I have to kill it everytime?

Here you go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2Amcaot1Us

conor.hogan.2 · 15-05-2010 12:26am

Nice one.

partyatmygaff · 15-05-2010 12:58am

boc121 wrote: »

Here you go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2Amcaot1Us

That method doesn't work. It only worked on prerelease builds of sense.

boc121 · 15-05-2010 8:40am

partyatmygaff wrote: »

That method doesn't work. It only worked on prerelease builds of sense.

Sorry bout that conor, didnt try it.Cheers partyatmygaff.

conor.hogan.2 · 15-05-2010 9:24pm

Ah cool - im sure there is a way around it somehow.

Sure i might root it anyway.

ooter · 16-05-2010 7:02pm

does anyone know if there are any apps out there i can get for using skype and for sending my meteor webtexts on my desire?
i've only 200 texts in my monthly allowance and that's nowhere near enough..

Professey Chin · 16-05-2010 7:03pm

ooter wrote: »

does anyone know if there are any apps out there i can get for using skype and for sending my meteor webtexts on my desire?
i've only 200 texts in my monthly allowance and that's nowhere near enough..

Fring has Skype in it
Cabbage can send your Meteor webtexts

kesey · 16-05-2010 7:17pm

ooter wrote: »

does anyone know if there are any apps out there i can get for using skype and for sending my meteor webtexts on my desire?
i've only 200 texts in my monthly allowance and that's nowhere near enough..

I use Fring with the www.freespeech.ie voip service. It works very well. You could also look at using Fring with www.voipstunt.com for your SMS as well as your voice requirements.

ooter · 16-05-2010 7:31pm

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Fring has Skype in it
Cabbage can send your Meteor webtexts

thanks a million,i will download both of them.brand new to android,only got my desire last thursday.it's an amazing phone.
i was showing somebody my phone earlier and i don't know what they did but the clock and the weather thingy have now gone off my home screen.is there any way i can get it back?
it's not majorly important,it's just that the screen looks very bare now without it..

rhonin · 16-05-2010 9:17pm

ooter wrote: »

thanks a million,i will download both of them.brand new to android,only got my desire last thursday.it's an amazing phone.
i was showing somebody my phone earlier and i don't know what they did but the clock and the weather thingy have now gone off my home screen.is there any way i can get it back?
it's not majorly important,it's just that the screen looks very bare now without it..

On your home screen press the add button (+). Select widget and then Clock HTC. Scroll to the right and its the third clock. Press Select.

kesey · 16-05-2010 9:18pm

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Fring has Skype in it
Cabbage can send your Meteor webtexts

From what I've read online (Skype forums etc), I gather that what is available for Android is Skype-Lite, not the full Skype program. Could someone experienced in using Skype-Lite please explain the difference between that and the full version of Skype as used on mobiles?

regards,

kesey

Blazer · 17-05-2010 7:44pm

Was hoping to get teh HTC Evo when they launched it here but HTC have said no launch in Europe

I'll hold tough till the new iphone and decide then between that or the desire.
Had the G1 before and was very happy with..however there's always something newer and I'm a sucker for new gadgets

Vanbis · 17-05-2010 7:54pm

I installed the app Meridian for video/music. I coppied a avi file into the video folder but it doesnt show up. Anyone any ideas?

SteM · 17-05-2010 8:29pm

Spoke to someone in Three customer services today and he reckoned that they would have it for sale the first or second week in June. He said it would only be available on an 18 month contract with them.

cormie · 17-05-2010 8:46pm

I'm getting a "phone memory space low" warning message pop up, I think I've about 11mb free. I don't even have too much stuff on the phone

Are apps installed to the SD card or where do they go? I got the warning after I installed a 5mb app anyway. There's a LOT of stuff in the "manage applications" view, most of the stuff I don't have a clue what it does. DCS Service, Dialer etc..

SteM · 17-05-2010 8:53pm

cormie wrote: »

I'm getting a "phone memory space low" warning message pop up, I think I've about 11mb free. I don't even have too much stuff on the phone Are apps installed to the SD card or where do they go? I got the warning after I installed a 5mb app anyway. There's a LOT of stuff in the "manage applications" view, most of the stuff I don't have a clue what it does. DCS Service, Dialer etc..

The current version of Android only allows apps to be installed on the phones internal memory - not on the SD card. I've read that you will be allowed to install them to the SD card in the next version of Android.

Keith186 · 17-05-2010 9:05pm

cormie wrote: »

I'm getting a "phone memory space low" warning message pop up, I think I've about 11mb free. I don't even have too much stuff on the phone Are apps installed to the SD card or where do they go? I got the warning after I installed a 5mb app anyway. There's a LOT of stuff in the "manage applications" view, most of the stuff I don't have a clue what it does. DCS Service, Dialer etc..

I'd delete some of the bigger ones your never gonna use. I'd a few I went through yesterday and cleared up early 20mb.

Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for android 2.2

cormie · 17-05-2010 9:24pm

Well I don't really have any I don't use. But I'm just wondering did rooting it install a load of stuff on it, or is there a load of stuff on it already that I don't use I wonder?

Also, does anyone know how I could put a "If found please contact 08612345678" notice on the lock screen at all, or replace the startup HTC screen with it?

conor.hogan.2 · 17-05-2010 9:49pm

Android 2.2 if I am not mistaken lets you set a different wallpaper for the lockscreen - which you could just add a pic with that wrote on it as that backround.

Wait to see if others say tho.

http://androidforums.com/htc-hero/9393-lock-screen-wallpaper.html - this forum talks about it, you could check through it.

2.2 should come at io tomorrow or the next day I would imagine as they have discussed it and it would make sense to take it further at this event will be a while till it is pushed out tho.

HTC Desire Review Thread

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