I spent time recently with the HTC Desire, reviewing it not just as a product but as something that affects how we live and communicate.
The Digitall Review (me)
As I held it for the first time, it felt like an iPhone clone. Not because Apple invented the touch screen, but because the iPhone canonised the ‘laws of touchscreen’ – the gestures, the feel, the response. Any touch screen phone now has to either be the same or awkwardly different.
The HTC Desire chose awkwardly different in places – five physical buttons on a touch screen phone confused me. And what I totally lacked was a support network to get into the phone. No online videos. No obvious tutorials beyond a basic intro. The product is not enough. We need warmth as well as light.
The Digicool Review (my friend Anya)
Anya really liked it. What she didn’t like was how long it takes to learn. After over a week she still wasn’t comfortable with it.
If you need a manual or guidance, the product won’t last in today’s market. Trial and error is not a UX strategy.
Both of us loved the Google integration – contacts, calendar, email, all synced with one email and password. Beautiful. A shame the rest of the phone didn’t employ the same ease of use.
The biggest clincher for Anya was the price. Very competitive against the iPhone. If HTC wins, it’s on price and Google integration.