HTC Wildfire versus Best of the Rest
We take three different smartphone users to see how they thought the HTC Wildfire measured up against a BlackBerry 9700, HTC Hero and iPhone 3G
The HTC Wildfire is HTC's latest foray into the budget market, and it has brought with it a whole host of high-end features.
The only places where it is not so premium is the screen and processor, but how do our BlackBerry, HTC and iPhone users think it stacks up against their phones?
Richard Goodwin, HTC Hero user
It doesn’t seem that long ago since the HTC Hero first hit the UK – in fact, it was about 9 months ago now – and while it may have been the best Android phone to date at that point in time, it really had the odds stacked against it – the processor was small, it had a physical trackball instead of an optical one and a seemingly un-upgradeable OS.
None of this, of course, bothered me at my time of purchase as I was sucked into the hype – a lot of publications called it “the best Android device yet” – surrounding the device and signed-up for one as soon as my previous contract had run its course.
In hindsight, this was a mistake. And after reviewing the HTC Wildfire, which is considered a “budget smartphone,” this mistake was even clearer. For starters, the HTC Wildfire has Android 2.1 – the Hero doesn’t – and the same power 528 MHz processor, but it’s loads cheaper than the Hero.
When you consider that the Hero is meant to be a high-end device and compare it to, say, the HTC Desire or Motorola Milestone, there really is no competition. In short, the HTC Hero is done and, to make matters worse, it’s now upstaged in practically every department by a mid-range budget smartphone, which is certainly annoying – especially so, when you consider than many users may have 18 months left on their Hero contracts.
My Hero issues began quite early on, first there was the touchscreen, which broke after a month or two, then the never-ending waiting for Android 2.1, then another screen fail, followed by the UI getting slower and slower and slower until, well, it was basically redundant.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, apps stopped working, connecting to the web became nigh on impossible and the phone became more of a hindrance than a help.
Possibly the only thing the HTC Hero has going for it is its screen, which is leagues ahead of the one you find on the Wildfire. But would I switch to a rubbish screen for Android 2.1 and a phone that actually works? Yes, after eight months of Hero hell, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
On paper, the HTC Wildfire has very similar specs to the HTC Hero, but the Wildfire has more onboard memory, a significantly better camera, Android 2.1 and is a lot snappier than the Hero. So, why oh why, should anyone buy a Hero when they can get the HTC Wildfire for cheaper?
Well, the simple answer is they shouldn’t, the Wildfire is far superior device and, so long as you can get over its crappy screen, you’ll be highly pleased with your decision to go budget.
Maggie Holland, iPhone 3G user
Before we begin, time for full disclosure. I’m not the monogamous type when it comes to mobile phones, having wielded both an iPhone and an array of partner devices for a number of years. One is used primarily for work (Apple’s shiny one) and the other for pretty much everything else.
Other Apple-esque devices have come and gone, grabbed my attention, failed to make an impact and just generally been unable to sway my love for the iPhone. So does the Wildfire change all that?
Looking at the two devices side by side (I currently use an iPhone 3GS) there’s not much in it. The Apple handset is a little longer but both are more or less the same when it comes to vital statistics of weight, width and depth. The iPhone gains a tiny edge when it comes to screen size, but we’re talking small numbers here.
Despite looking identical on paper, the Wildfire feels chunkier, heavier and just doesn’t rest as easy in the hand as the iPhone. Some may argue this is due to habit, but, conversely, you shouldn’t have to learn a new way to hold a phone each time you change or upgrade should you?
When it comes to UI, the Wildfire’s home screen is less cluttered than the iPhone, thanks largely to the fact you scroll along to get additional home screens and shortcuts. You can move app icons around on both devices, but the iPhone still places them in uniform rows, while the Wildfire pretty much lets you put them anyway. The former is neater and easier on the eye. The iPhone also lets you have four key apps as pride of place at the bottom of the screen so you can gain access to the ones you use most quickly and easily. It’s a time saver that enhances the user experience.
The Sense UI on the Wildfire does offer you the ability to view the menu in a variety of ways, unlike the iPhone, but whether this is an advantage or just unnecessary will be down to personal preference. It’s the same with hardware buttons, with just one central button in the iPhone, instead of separate home, menu, back and search buttons - albeit virtual touch screen ones - on the Wildfire. Again, it depends on what you prefer.
Web browser and email support is good on both devices, but the iPhone does it better and faster and the new iPhone iOS4 certainly helps the interface gain an even bigger edge when it comes to multi-tasking, folder management and other useful features.
My favourite little touch on the Wildfire, which the iPhone lacks, is the ability to pull down notifications – a bit like a blind – such as Wi-Fi and missed calls. It’s quirky and I like it. But not enough to overlook the things I don’t like.
When it comes to app markets, both offer one touch access to the App Store and Android Market respectively. It’s on entry to the app worlds that you see the differences and Apple still wins out here.
The camera is better on the Wildfire and it boasts an SD card slot, but we’re willing to live with a less than perfect snapper and lack of extra storage for all the other benefits the iPhone gives us.
I’m a fan of Android, but the shell it comes in on the desire and added bells and whistles just aren’t enough to tempt me away from the iPhone just yet. But watch this space.
Clare Hopping, BlackBerry Bold 9700 user
I was taken with BlackBerry about a year ago - first opting for the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and most recently upgrading to the Bold 9700.
BlackBerry appeals to me because it works perfectly as a phone and is great for emails - displaying all conversations with perfect precision.
Then I was given the HTC Wildfire to test out.
I've never been a fan of touchscreens, hence why I chose a non-touchscreen BlackBerry over the Storm, but the HTC Wildfire's touchscreen is pretty good, albeit too small for my liking.
If I was forced to choose a touchscreen phone, it'd probably be the HTC HD2 because typing is a breeze on its massive screen.
As you can probably assume from my phone of choice, typing is important to me, hence why the Bold 9700 was a great option - the keys are textured and easy to type on.
The HTC Wildfire does address some preconceptions I had about touchscreen keyboards - there's ample feedback with each stroke and the auto correct isn't particularly over zealous.
Widgets are also really handy on touchscreen and this is no different on the Wildfire. Being able to customise a homescreen so much does have a massive advantage - mostly that you can access all of your most used applications quickly.
The Wildfire also storms ahead with its App Store. After using App World since its intoduction, I've always found it massively overpriced and not as intuitive as Android Market.
Pretty often, I download the trial versions of BlackBerry apps because they're so pricey and it's guaranteed that I'd only use an app once or twice.
The freebies on BlackBerry App World are few and far between, but Android offers most for free, although it's not as wide a selection as on the iPhone's App Store.
I've come to love the BlackBerry's camera and although it may not reproduce the best photos, at the highest resolution, I prefer its simple zoom function. I never do anything with my phone pictures except upload them to Twitter, which is simple on both devices.
Although I have nothing against the HTC Wildfire - it's a fantastic handset - it just doesn't suit my lifestyle. Add on a hardware Qwerty keyboard and I'm taken, because the Android OS is much more comfortable to use than BlackBerry.
HTC Hero | Apple iPhone 3G | BlackBerry Bold 9700
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