HTC Incredible S

“The HTC Incredible S has all the ingredients of a great smartphone. A large screen with great image quality, powerful hardware under the hood and a decent camera with HD video recording sounds like a great formula for success. It also provides a solid user experience so all seems fine, right?Well, not quite so. See the thing is, while the Incredible S hardware is perfectly adequate for the moment, it’s far from future-proofed. The first dual-core droids just hit the shelves and there’s a whole bunch more to come.Developers will soon start to make use of the extra processing power and make their apps and games more demanding, which will render them incompatible with the Incredible S. And you wouldn’t want your new high-end smartphone to look underpowered in six-months time, do you?Plus the Incredible S lacks any unique differentiating features. You know, something like dedicated gaming keys (the XPERIA Play), or a Super AMOLED screen that can seal a deal by itself.All that coupled with a high asking price like this makes the Incredible S a device that’s pretty hard to recommend. Of course, if your carrier offers it at a bargain price you may disregard this argument and get the handset – the solid smartphone experience is guaranteed.”

“For all the high-end hardware accompanying the HTC Incredible S, its arrival is somewhat late to the market and doesn’t quite seem impressive versus other newer Android smartphones. Although it proves to be one well-rounded handset, which is evident by its wonderful platform experience, there are devices out there that simply have stronger presence right now since they’re priced similarly – such as the Motorola ATRIX 4G and LG Optimus 2X. Specifically, it seems to be already behind the new standard set by those two devices since it doesn’t feature things like a dual-core chipset, HDMI out port, or higher resolution display. In the end, the HTC Incredible S would have been a tough handset to beat if it were released a few months ago, but instead, it’s being overlooked by the current crop of competition. Then again, it’s still a decent smartphone in its own regard.”

“Android, an operating system that has heretofore been characterized by constantly striving forward and pushing boundaries -- whether in terms of hardware specifications or the introduction of features wholly new to mobile devices -- has finally settled down and given rise to a truly mature product. Froyo has been with us for a good while, but that hasn't really tarnished its enduring excellence and HTC looks to have spent the time well in tightening up and optimizing its user experience. What's resulted is one of the most thoroughly refined Android handsets to date, whose case is enhanced by some dashing good looks, rock solid build quality, and a camera to be proud of. The Incredible S serves as a sterling exhibit of what can be achieved when devs and designers are given the time to polish up their work instead of having to reinvent the wheel with each and every new iteration. Of course, the flipside of that coin is that familiarity will inevitably breed some level of contempt, and this handset offers a compendium of good ideas from HTC's past rather than any revolutionary innovations of its own. Still, for those who disregard novelty in favor of a very well thought-out and produced device, the Incredible S delivers.”

“On paper, the specs of the Incredible S processor are nothing special, lacking the dual-core prowess of the latest handsets, but in use it’s fast and effective, rarely if ever leaving you waiting. And while many big-screened smartphones, including some by HTC, have been dogged by poor battery life, the Incredible S can keep going all day without a top-up. Overall, the Incredible S is a highly usable, enjoyable handset.”