HTC Legend vs. HTC Desire vs. Your Mother
So lately, I’ve been meaning to buy a smartphone. I don’t think I need to explain why an iPhone is out of the question. As far as Windows Phone 7 Series goes, since it’s iPhone OS on Silverlight, I can’t say I’m interested in that either. If I didn’t have any sense of style left, I’d get a Blackberry. So the obvious choice here is Android—hands down.
Now, since the Hero surfaced, I’ve been convinced that HTC makes the best Android devices. I’m sure Motorola’s lineup is more than adequate as well, but it’s a no-brainer for me: I want an HTC phone. The way I see it, and pretty much all of the gadget blogs too, there are three main choices right now: the Nexus One, the Desire, and the Legend. Even if the Nexus One were coming out around these parts any time soon, I’d still prefer the Desire, so let’s leave the former out of the equation. Consequently, my choice is between these two beasts:
| HTC Legend | HTC Desire | |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
| OS | Android 2.1 (Éclair) with HTC Sense | |
| Display | 320×480 3.2″ AMOLED | 480×800 3.7″ AMOLED |
| CPU | 600 MHz | 1 GHz Snapdragon |
| Battery | 1,300 mAh | 1,400 mAh |
| Memory | 384 MB RAM 512 MB ROM |
576 MB RAM 512 MB flash |
| Memory Card | 2 GB microSD | 4 GB microSD |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, quad-band GSM, HSPA, GPS | |
| Camera | 5 megapixel with autofocus and flash | |
| FM Radio | Yes | |
| Dimensions | 112×56.3×11.5 mm | 119×60×11.9 mm |
| Weight | 116 g | 135 g |
| Design | Hawt | Nawt |
| Price | €429 | €469 |
Put simply, the Desire is a kickass phone. In fact, I’m convinced it’s the best smartphone out there. Moreover, considering what you’re getting for the price, it’s a bargain. Part of that is Android itself—with its multitasking goodness and sans the fascist app store—, but HTC really takes the OS to the next level with excellent specs alongside the gorgeous Sense UI. I’m sure the Desire’s glorious screen, for one, does it serious justice.
However, the Desire also looks like it was designed in 1998. The curves are horrible and the brown simply adds nothing. I mean, I’m still glad it doesn’t have iPhone-esque chrome, but that’s about it.
As you can tell by now, my mind’s pretty much made up. I totally have my heart set on the Legend. The question is, though, will it stand the test of time? Will the HVGA screen still be satisfactory in a year or so? Will the device’s modest specs still manage to please me? Since I’ve been using a plain old Samsung E870 dumbphone for years, frankly, I’m not expecting many issues at first. But you know how it is with gadgets.
Anyway, I suppose—nay, I hope—I’ll be posting a review of either phone soon. Of course, in an ideal world, you’d have a fundraiser and have both delivered to my doorstep. Bunch of ingrates.