Dubai: Ever since dual-core phones became the cynosure of the techie, all vendors are jumping onto that bandwagon.
HTC has brought out a phone that ticks all the boxes by integrating an 8MP camera, 1080p video recording, a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm chipset and a qHD resolution 4.3-inch screen.
The HTC Sensation is a little bit larger than its rivals at 11.3 millimetres thick with a qHD (540x960) resolution and Super LCD Gorilla Glass display.
The phone itself, encased in toughened plastic and aluminium, weighs 148 grams.
Running Android 2.3.3, the Sensation is up-to-date with the latest Google's OS, and the new Sense 3.0 is the next step forward for a user interface.
The main thing you will notice is the new 3D scrolling — flicking through the many home screens will now see each one rotating around a virtual cylinder, rather than bouncing left and right in a linear fashion.
Another winning feature is the ability to share web pages with a variety of sources. If you're on a page that you think your on-line friends will like then you can head onto the ‘Share Page' option and lob the link out via Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, SMS and Bluetooth.
Another plus is the implementation of copy and paste. It's a little Apple-esque.
The camera on the HTC Sensation is an 8MP effort with dual-LED flash and autofocus.
I was upset that there's only 1GB of internal memory and 768 MB RAM, but it can be expanded all the way up to an additional 32GB, although it pales compared to the 16GB/32GB internal memory on other brands. The Micro SD is accessible without removing the battery from its silo, though the SIM card slot is not.
The Sensation's MicroSD slot comes filled with a default 8GB unit.
The only omission is an HDMI socket. The phone features HTC's new video store, Watch, a competitor to Apple's iTunes. It doesn't include music, but offers movies and TV shows, but you have to pay.
The battery lasts just over one day with several widgets constantly updating and with Wi-Fi turned on. It is priced at Dh2,599.
Pros
- Premium build
- Fast processor
- Accurate keyboard
- Slick 3D animations
- Beautiful selection of widgets
- Amazing screen resolution
Cons
- Weak battery lifen Screen's weak outdoor performancen No dedicated camera buttonn It's a bit heavyn Poor internal storagen Poor viewing angle after 45-degrees
