Customer Reviews

HTC A8181 Desire Unlocked Quad-Band GSM Phone with Android OS, HTC Sense UI, 5 MP Camera, Wi-Fi and gps navigation--International Version with Warranty (Brown)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have had my unlocked HTC Desire for a little over two weeks. At first, I was thrilled with it because it has such a nice display and Android 2.1 runs so smoothly. In the last couple of days, though, it has developed an annoying issue and I think all potential buyers should be warned. Occasionally when placing a call, the screen will go blank and there is no way to end the call or get the display back. HTC delivered at least my Desire with this flaw - and there are some hits on Google about this. All you have to do is Google "HTC Desire screen goes blank" to see what I mean. Apparently, the proximity sensor used by HTC does not work correctly all of the time. What it should do is turn off the screen and disable the buttons when you place the phone to your ear. The faulty sensor does not turn the screen back on and enable the buttons when you pull the phone away from your ear. I am hoping the Android 2.2 update will fix this problem, otherwise I am going to return my phone before the 30-day return period expires.

** Edited to add **

Two things have eliminated this problem today - and I do not know which helped the most. First, Android 2.2 was offered on the Desire today and I updated it. Second, one internet post indicated that a clear scratch protector may be causing the problem. I removed the scratch protector from the screen and the problem has gone away. I am not comfortable using it with no scratch protector - but I am much happier with the phone.

I ordered this phone to replace my iPhone 4 on the ATT network and use while traveling with overseas SIM cards. Additionally, I am trying to migrate away from Mobile Me and this looked like a great option. I really like the phone and the HTC Sense interface is quite nice. However, this phone does not operate on the correct frequency for the ATT's 3G data network, so all data is transfered via the EDGE network which has slow data speeds. Unfortunately, I returned the phone.

If you want 3G speeds on ATT, make sure the phone operates on 850/1900 3G frequencies for data. Even tough this phone operates on 850/900/1800/1900 GSM frequencies the data frequencies are 900/2100 which ATT does not support.

I've been using the HTC Desire for about a month now, and I'm very, very satisfied with it. Purchased in the US to be used in Brasil, it is working wonders with a local service provider SIM.

First off, the phone's design is not as groundbreaking as the iPhone - to me the iPhone 4 is the best looking phone so far - but it's not without its qualities. It has a clean and discreet design, and I like it that way.

The Android OS with the Sense UI runs very smoothly with the 1 GHz processor built on this phone. The applications run slick, and no problems in multitasking. The screen is very sharp and very bright, the touch control is fast and accurate, pleasant browsing experience and lots of apps to boost your phone from the Android market.

Call quality hasnt been an issue yet, no dropped calls so far. Signal reception is good, and call sound is... well, ok for a phone. The music player is very good, although it lacks an equalizer (I dont really miss it though, because music playback quality is good enough without EQ when using a better pair of headphones than the standard - I'm using the Klipsch Image S4).

I highly recommend this phone to anyone who wants to steer clear of the control freaks at Apple, without any sacrifices (look for the reviews around the web, some sites rate the HTC Desire higher than the iPhone 4, and that means something).

I you're looking for a review I'm guessing you want the direct points with no fluff in betwee, so here goes:

PROS:
Feels like it has great built quality and can take a few bumps
Screen is bright and looks as good as any phone I've ever seen
It is very fast, even with all 7 screens filled, it never acts like it cannot keep up
It can play Flash via the stock browser which is awesome
Call quality is clear
Speaker on the back is pretty loud for playing music, to be a phone that is
Buttons are push and not just optical
Built in GPS is awesome and always up to date and has no extra monthly fees
FM tuner using the included headphones
HTC Sense is the best UI in the business, and this phone shows it well

CONS:
Battery life, I get about a day with wifi and sync turned on, make sure you have a car charger ready just in case
Camera is ok in good lighting but indoors its not the best
No 3G with AT&T as far as I know, just 2G which still works but is kinda slow but will work for things like email, Facebook, etc

Bottom line, if the battery lasted longer and AT&T would offer support (or the other way around) this phone would not have one bad mark against it

It does cost a lot, but having the freedom of not having a contract to be sucked into makes it worth it in my opinion.

I have used this phone for over a month now and it is one of the best gsm phone out there on android platform. Also, love android platform and all the applications it comes with!

Phone is responsive and easy to use - one thing it could do better is set APNs when you travel around the world and want to use local sim cards - preconfigured APN settings are missing

I got the international unlocked GSM model with waranty to use it all over the world!

Now I set down in Brazil with a phone that freezes after 5 mins. of use. Have don all the suggestions HTS-support give about the freezing problems, but still keeps freezing!

Tried to talk to HTC-support US they told me to contact HTC-Support in Brazil and Brazil told me to contact FRANCE!!!!...the biggest joke in the world!!!!!

If you google the Desire you will find that there is a lot of people with the same problem and it looks like HTC don't have a solution to the problem!!!

Therefor my recommendation for now: DON'T BUY THE HTC DESIRE PHONE at this moment 01.05.2011!!!!!

My HTC repair ticket number from the US 10USCW52ENA001558 (if anybody from HTC read this!!!)

The HTC Desire is a great phone, when it works. I ordered this phone from FGS Trading so that I could have it as i travel overseas (I was recently deployed to Middle East with the military). The only thing is, I am one of the hundreds of folks who got an HTC Desire with the bad motherboard that makes the phone do random reboots (Google it for HTC Desire). If I talk on the phone for more than a few minutes, "reboot". If I use the internet for more than a few minutes, "reboot". If I use the GPS even for one second, "reboot".

Of course, I tried factory resets. I tried anything I could try using the HTC Forums. I discovered that there were many others like me who were experiencing the random reboots, and the ugliest part of the problem is that the phone doesn't reboot once and start back up... it continues in an endless reboot cycle until I'd have to open up the phone a take the battery out. While I was in the Middle East, I couldn't readily take it in for a repair. I had to wait to get back to the States. In December, I tried contacting FGS for help, and I got this response by email:

****************
I am sorry to hear this. This is the first i hear about the random reboot problem, but HTC would be the best bet to support the device at this point. If it's a motherboard problem, a warranty replacement would be best (if it was a software issue, a firmware upgrade would help, but it sounds like all the other people you checked with point to the motherboard).

Please let us know if HTC was able to assist

Happy holidays, and stay safe!
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Yeah, Happy Holidays... Well, HTC said that they couldn't help me, and not being able to do much from my deployed location, I got my sister to send me a Nexus S (which I love). Now that I'm back in the U.S., I have been trying to get HTC, FGS, and anyone else to help me, but to no avail. Here's what I get from FGS:

***************
Hello
There is not much we can do at this point, since we are not the end user. HTC does not offer warranty support for resellers, they usually ask resellers to accept returns during the first 14 days, and then after that end users are asked to contact them directly

Emma
***************

I tried calling HTC in the UK and Germany, and from them, I found out the the phone's IMEI is from Vodafone. So now I've been calling Europe to Vodafone Customer Service, and I keep getting passed off to different folks who give me the runaround. I'm at the end of my rope. I'm now going to have to send it to a friend in London who can try to take it to a Vodafone store for me and see if I can get some help. Now, after paying over $450 for a phone, is that the customer support I am entitled to?

If you think that you may want service for your phone, do not buy from FGS Trading. You will be out of your hard earned money with no support.

Feature-wise, this phone is good.

Good web browser, good screen, acceptable music playback, excellent mail and calendar with Google sync, Facebook and Twitter integration, and a bunch of apps to make it do pretty much anything.

But I get about 8 hours out of a single charge, so I often run out of battery by 3pm.

Compared to my old Nokia E71, which had nearly as many features, but would easily last 24 hours, the HTC Desire is a huge let down.

And there are a bunch of poor design decisions: phone must be left on for alarm to work, can't check if phone is on/off without turning it on, can only have 4 browser tabs, need to have cellular coverage to use maps, etc, etc.

I'll be jumping on the first Android device with good battery life, but this phone leaves me wanting.

So.... after much deliberation i decide on the HTC 8181 Desire........ And for the week it worked it was a fantastic handset.

However after just 7 days the speaker in the handset stopped working..... just like that. Phone never fell, never got wet, nothing. The speaker-phone and head phones worked fine but the normal handset speaker... not so much.


So after being a Nokia owner for almost 20 years I regret having switched to HTC... and for US $400. I hope Amazon/HTC provides me with a FULL refund as i am not sure i want another HTC phone.

Excelente Telefono, no tiene nada que envidiarle a un iphone, gran cantidad de aplicaciones en Android Market, muy rapido, interface intuitiva, hasta ahora todas las aplicaciones se ejecutan muy bien, lo he probado con sim cards de los 3 operadores telefónicos en Venezuela y funciono adecuadamente, el único inconveniente que se debe tener en cuenta es lo poco que dura la bateria , opte por comprar un cargador de automovil ,en definitiva excelente inversión.