Foreword

The disappointment was quite noticeable: while many manufacturers in mid-February used the prominent platform of Mobile World Congress 2011 (MWC) this new, present on dual-core processors and Smartphones company 3D displays, the floating currently on a wave of success company HTC with three presented two rudimentary “social network” revised old acquaintances,-phones and a first tablet a lineup that knew to shine more with quantity with quality.

Added: the company had already added in the Christmas season and, for example, the desire HD (computer base test) started – at the time of MWC would have a small smartphone highlight like the but well done recently presented sensation of perceived void.

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Desire S: of last Scion of the HTC family

But where stemmed this feeling really? One of the reasons can be assumed in the fact that so is the “S” device – the revised expenditure of wildfire, incredible and desire – “only” to update of only devices, even if it must be said against that came the European customers with the incredible, designed for the US market, usually not in contact. In addition, that the aforementioned updates through the Bank off moderate fail, what strengthens the latent “know one already”-Reflex only in addition.

Is the following to be clarified in this context, as is with the desire S of one of the revised in a good one and a half week trial period has beaten. This is where the device within the HTC portfolio and when looking at the competition is to position and for which target group, the offer can be ultimately relevant exposed also.

The test device was kindly provided by notebooksbilliger.de available.

Specifications

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Desire S overview

Optics & processing

Taste is a very individual thing as we all know – still identify most viewers are likely to follow that the desire visually makes a step S compared to its direct predecessor (computer base test) to the front. However it is in the guise of the new edition limited a real review; rather, you have to do it with a variant of desire HD correspondingly shrunken in a package.

Completely plagiarized but was of course not. The desire S has somewhat abgerundetere corners as the big brother, what the classic, very suitable for the HD bars look somewhat skillfully breaks down. Still laudable in our view is that the questionable worked, for HTC smartphones so long time typical slight kink at height of Sprechmuschel at the desire of S extremely minimal fails.

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Desire S: great design without crease

Also convincingly fails the haptics. HTC desire successor missed a good form factor that will be ideal with masses of 115 x 60 x 12 mm and a weight of 130 grams for many smartphone users. The good impression is reinforced by the choice of materials: the display is protected by a real glass and as case a clean machined aluminum unibody is again used.

The front is taken up to most parts of the 3.7-inch display. Not only the mandatory earpiece, but – a new addition to the desire – a VGA front camera is placed at the top. The classic series of button operated via soft-touch is positioned below the display. At this point, HTC follows so the HD concept; the first desire had, however, mechanical buttons.

The middle of the back is taken entirely from the aforementioned aluminum unibody, with protected openings are placed at the top and bottom with non-slip plastic. On the former, the 5-megapixel camera with LED flash; is found next to the loudspeaker the latter may be deferred with both thumbs, so that battery tray as well as SIM and microSD card slot come to light.

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Protruding camera lens: who seeks, finds

The distribution of interface used discreetly fails: on the top power button and 3, 5 mm jack; can be found on the left side the – Unfortunately unprotected – USB interface, as well as the volume rocker bearing the slightly spongy single point. The rest of the pages remain untouched.

All in all makes the desire S in terms of “Optics & processing” a very good impression. Who feverishly after vindication, but also this case smaller spots can: the camera’s lens protrudes, due what always ensures for not quite clean documents smaller concerns at the drop of the device the flat construction, a little out, and also the gaps at the back between the unibody and plastic could a be slightly narrower – criticism at a high level, which is worth actually hardly mentioning.

Operation & surface

The desire of S operated primarily via the 3.7-inch Super clear LCD, which is in good but no longer groundbreaking 480 x 800 pixels. Worth mentioning is in the process that the desire family in compressed form includes the discussions and bottlenecks to the ratio of S-LCD and AMOLED: while the first desire first had the latter display technology, was still in the wedding of desire on the former changed, which is about the desire HD to date to the desire of S used.

About the pros and cons you can argue as splendidly, although may qualify as agreed, that AMOLED has the better black levels. The appearance of desire S white but with a proper, to convince the pixels ratios on 3,7 inch owed sharpness, as well as brightly coloured nevertheless without compromising.

The same applies to the fundamental operation. Although the desire has S memory “only” a single-CPU with 1 GHz and conventional 786 MB, but such a configuration still loose to enough, to investigate all major applications on a Smartphone in a fluid way. Whether this medium and long term are valid with a view to applications optimized for dual-core processors, such as games, remains to be seen although – according to today’s State, the desire is potent enough S for more extensive use by far.

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Desire S: soft-touch-button series

Complements the operation course, in this case on the obligatory button series, is where HTC sets again to soft touch instead of mechanical buttons. About the pros and cons of these two concepts, there are also within the editors ‘ choice – as ever, and different views; at this point, the position is represented, that outweigh the benefits of soft touch, enabling a seamless and thus smoother operation provided the keys – as in the case of S – desire not hypersensitive react.

The potent combination of Android in the currently most recent version 2.3, as well as the HTC’s own sense UI to use, which currently is the HTC Android standard and thus highly solid food is once again in terms of operating system and interface.

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Desire S: revised app overview

As usual can be has accordingly also in this case a total of seven freely customizable desktops, can very be customized through the use of the Android marketplace and the available there (free in large part) range. And the old HTC standard apps are installed again. This includes, for example, the still not groundbreaking, but comfortable for this “friend stream”-App, which allows you to summarize information from different social networks, so that the inclined user ideally must use only this app. Among them the now common app sharing feature, the app tips to offer in the Android marketplace may be communicated to other users is also available.

An explicit mention is worth the sense UI, which brings quite a few small new features with version 2.1, with HTC again encourages the feeling to have also a revised sense in petto to each new version of Android. The aforementioned new features including a Facebook status field on the main screen is one by new sort buttons structured app overview, which can now be more comfortable durchscrollt via separate sections and more direct access to the settings on the status bar – small changes that contribute to that HTC phones also before the introduction of sense 3.0 continues to have one of the best UIs at all.

Multimedia

The photo quality deserves the bottom line once again a “satisfactory”. In good to very good light conditions, the 5-megapixel camera provides still acceptable results which are expected to largely satisfy basic demands. As soon as the conditions but less well fail (for example, when moving objects or not at all ideal lit environments), the quality can be significantly to what is reflected in fuzzy, sometimes slightly red stitch-pictures. If you explicitly looking for a powerful camera phone, should find a criterion for exclusion herein.

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Desire S – sample images to the photo quality

For most of potential users these quality criteria should be sufficient but always especially videos in can be included up to 720 p and performance even at maximum quality at a fraction of a second ensures satisfaction. The following recorded in 720 p, short sample video provides a small impression on the quality of moving images.

Who makes common demands on a Smartphone in video and music, will have something to suspend S at any time on the desire. A neat representation that is reduced for real enthusiasts only through the average screen size of 3.7-inch joins to the mandatory, good codec support. This has also the advantage that the device can easily be transported in all possible trousers and pockets. Friends of portable music can connect their own headphones by 3, 5 mm stereo plug, if the average quality of the enclosed periphery is not sufficient. It is very commendable that the quality of the integrated speaker has been improved significantly, so that now higher volume level without tinny sound are possible.

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Computer base mobi on the desire of S

While surfing on the Web the ordinary browser is reflected also in this case again, which not only boasts a good operation but quickly building speeds of three seconds for Web pages such as the mobi Edition of computer base. Also when looking at the Office and navigation options you get the usual fare: about the pre-installed Quickoffice can Word and Excel files viewed and edited and viewed PowerPoint files; Applications like Google maps places on about 10 metres exactly.

Communication

At the communications equipment getting delivered a common facilities with the desire of S as expected. Thanks to UMTS (HSPA) works to mobile with theoretically up to 14.4 Mbit / s download and 5.76 Mbit / s in the upload. Further facilities include 2.1 with A2DP support the fast WLAN (802.11 b / g / n), as well as Bluetooth.

Transit times

In terms of maturities, HTC for the desire S promises a talk time of approximately 500 minutes and standby times are in the field of 400 hours. Also in this case, it appears little sense to want sympathy these values effectively. Instead, it can be said that the desire of S with a 1,450-mAh battery meets the current standard and thus neither positive nor negative stands out. Saying: who regularly on the Web SURFs, writes emails and calls must hang not later than one hour to the network the device after one and a half working days for good.

Conclusion

You can certify no groundbreaking character the desire S finally with the best will, as to the overall package fails then yet too conventionally. Attitudes, which expect a similar milestone character of the device at the time of the first desire, be so disappointed.

Corresponding expectations are however also not appropriate. Rather the desire should be considered S – as well as the other S devices from HTC – as a mere revision, which ensures that time-honored portfolio representatives also in spring of 2011 continue to broadcast a certain attractiveness.

From a technical point of view, succeeded in this quite S with the desire: the device boasts a well equipped and offers Android and sense 2.1 with a solid quality, an attractive design and the potent combination of the latest also all’ those benefits, based on which the current success of HTC – aspects, which can be loosely in the background are once again moderate quality of the camera.

Everything wonderfully so? Well, not quite. On the one hand every potential buyer must clarify explicitly for themselves, whether that these days still good facilities even tomorrow will be enough. This applies in particular in the light of price considerations: for the price of desire S – currently over 400 euros for the free version – is in spheres, for which one already can get a dual-core configuration by other manufacturers (just think of the LG Optimus speed at which we will publish a test in the near future).

A price performance hit is not the S desire so. For this reason, following limited recommendation comes at the end: all those who actually need a new smartphone in the present and for the above benefits of HTC would pay a little more, or who have flirted with the desire family has always been would be with the desire S to create a high-quality, suitable representative from the hotel.

Availability & prices

The HTC desire S has been available since early April and can be purchased at different providers in different contracts appropriately to varying prices. In the free version will be currently with prices starting at around 400 euros (current price).