Having been disappointed with a number of Windows Mobile devices since my first HP clamshell (ran on WindowsCE back then) in 1999, I took the plunge anyway and picked up an Android-powered HTC Desire to see what the fuss was all about. I mean, with 160,000 Android phones being activated everyday, it can’t be that bad, right?!

While the HTC Desire does not have the tank-like build quality and long battery life of my trusty Nokia E71, it has a host of impressive features like built-in sensors and a large AMOLED screen. Google’s Android operating system is also way sleeker and more advanced than the Nokia’s aging Symbian OS.

Here’s what I love about the HTC Desire after 1 month of playing with it:
+ slim and sleek.
+ fast and responsive.
+ sharp, vibrant 3.7″ AMOLED screen.
+ built-in sensors for auto-rotation and gaming.
+ cool features like decreasing ring volume when you pick up the phone.
+ HTC’s Sense UI with 7 home screens.
+ widgets!!!
+ “finally usable” Internet browsing.
+ tight integration with Google services like Maps, Gmail and Calendar.
+ People (i.e. contacts) integrates with Facebook, e.g. adds your Friends photos.
+ apps are mostly free (ad-driven) or cheap (under $3).
+ unlike Windows, apps and tasks automatically close/suspend in Android.

What sucks:
- limited apps Market availability in Asia.
- battery lasts 1-1.5 days at most with moderate usage.
- no way to turn off your Friends’ Facebook updates in People.
- can only install apps to the (already little) main memory.

However, you can “root” (kinda like jailbreaking the iPhone) the HTC Desire to unlock more features like installing apps in the microSD card, although, doing that will void your warranty. You can find a guide on rooting your HTC Desire from Modaco - do it at your own risk …I’m not responsible if you brick your phone.

The one weird thing about the HTC Desire, which has been widely discussed on the Internet, is the need to “condition” the battery - it took me nearly 5 days of conditioning before I achieved full capacity on my unit.

There are many, many apps for Android and they’re usually ad-supported, i.e. there’s a little bar that shows an ad which is location-targeted, using the built-in GPS or mobile network information - this was probably Google’s reason for buying AdMob last year. Although you could download and install individual .apk files, you’re likely to use Market for downloading/installing/updating because it’s far more convenient.

Two great places to browse for Anroid apps and reviews are AppBrain and AndroidTapp.

Top 5 apps/widgets that came with the HTC Desire:
a) People - integrates with Google Contacts and Facebook.
b) Calendar -syncs with Google Calendar.
c) News -downloads RSS feeds.
d) Stocks -customizable stock market data.
e) Weather - pretty weather app.

Top 10 apps I can’t live without:
a) Dolphin Browser - much better than built-in browser.
b) Maps - great for finding places, reviews, etc.
c) NubiNews - strips down webpages and supports offline reading.
d) WaveSecure - lock, track, backup and wipe out your phone remotely.
e) Dropbox - syncs files between my devices.
f) KeePass Droid - for keeping passwords; works great with Dropbox.
g) ShapeWriter - no more typing out words - just swipe.
h) ColorDict - good offline dictionary.
i) Unit Converter - very comprehensive tool for unit conversions.
j) Task Manager - widget-based to-do list.

Top 10 apps worth mentioning:
a) Shazam - “listens” to a song and tells you the title, album, artiste, etc.
b) ShopSavvy - scans barcodes and QR codes with the built-in camera.
c) YouTube
d) IMDB - mobile version of the website.
e) Billboard100 - free streaming of the top 100 songs.
f) AndFTP - FTP manager that works on your mobile.
g) WiFinder - scans for wireless networks.
h) Fring - all your IM in one place.
i) GPS Tracker - customizable automatic GPS tracking.
j) Car Locator - tells you where you parked your car.

If you’re looking for a more in-depth review of the HTC Desire, here’s a list:
- HTC Desire Review by Engadget
- HTC Desire Review: An Even More Desireable Nexus One by Gizmodo
- HTC Desire Android Smartphone Review - A Nexus One with HTC Sense by MobileBurn
- HTC Desire Review by Phone Arena
- HTC Desire Review - A Desire Come True by GSM Arena

And finally, if you need support, here are two HTC Desire forums worth checking out:
- HTC Desire at Android Forums
- HTC Desire at XDA Developers Forum

One thing to note is that since the HTC Desire is a relatively new model, hence it’ll be difficult to find accessories like casings and screen protectors. That said, I did manage to buy a China-made resin case and matte screen protector from Sim Lim Square at S$25.

> Drive more traffic to your website and increase your sales leads with Google Adwords.