Reviews

HTC Wildfire review: First look

What does HTC's latest Android-based device have to offer users? We try to find out in this first look review.

21 May 2010

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HTC is one company that doesn't shy away from reaching all parts of the smartphone market, whether high, mid, or low-end and the Taiwanese manufacturer has excelled again it seems, with the launch of the HTC Wildfire.

The HTC Wildfire is a lower-range device, but it features all the bells and whistles of a much higher-range, higher-priced handset.

Although prices are yet to be announced, it's designed to sit next to the HTC Tattoo in the company's Android line up, despite its features being closer to the Desire's spec list.

The Wildfire even looks like a sleeker version of the Desire. At 106.8x60.4x12mm, it's slightly smaller than the Desire, which is also reflected in the screen size.

Below the display, most of the keys have been removed, with only the massively successful optical trackpad taking up space on the slight lip.

This also doubles as a selection button. Simply slide your finger over to navigate around the phone without using the touch screen,

There are the usual contextual search, back, menu and homescreen keys on the Wildfire, but these are almost hidden in a shiny panel that forms a continuation of the Wildfire's screen.

Like on all Android 2.1 devices, the search button searches the whole of the HTC Wildfire and if it can't find any results on the phone, it'll perform an internet search.

The Wildfire's display sits at 3.2in, while the Desire's is a more spacious 3.7in. The Wildfire's screen is also lower resolution and there's no AMOLED technology here you'll have to put up with TFT.