HTC Desire – Initial Thoughts

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I’ve got a new phone, and it runs Google’s Android OS which is a first for me. It’s an HTC Desire, and I’ve had it less than 24 hours. So these are just some intital thoughts.
I previously used the company’s Nexus One phone, and essentially this is the same phone as Google’s own phone. There are some subtle hardware differences in that the Desire has an FM Radio (no RDS), while the Nexus has a noise cancelling microphone. The Desire has improved camera software with face recognition. The Desire also has the HTC Sense UI sitting on top of it.
Synchronisation with my Gmail account is a breeze, and with links to Facebook, Flickr and Twitter, most of my social media life quickly gets hooked up. Like INQ phones, the phone grabs Facebook imagery for my contacts.
One thing I do know about these phones is that my days of getting five days on a single charge are numbered for a bit. I’ve not tried a complete 24 hour period without any kind of charging, but the combination of WiFi (at home and at work), GPS and 3G obviously takes its toll on the battery.
The phone feels lovely, and the keyboard responded better to me once I’d been through the callibration tool as someone online suggested.
I’ve obviously gone mad downloading lots of recommended apps, but I’ll thin what I use later. I still think Google Sky is the coolest app around, although Layar is also great.
Because the phone is linked to my Google account, that also means Google Checkout, which could be dangerous over the long run!
I’m on Orange and they’re an operator who can never help fiddling with a phone before letting it go, and there lies my only gripe so far. Yes the phone has an Orange logo on the back of it – but I don’t really care about that. And yes, they install some of their own applications on the phone including an alternative “App Shop” to the default Android Market (which is so rubbish that when I launched it in a WiFi zone, it gave an error message because it only works over 3G, and promptly crashed completely requiring the removal of the battery to fully kill the application). But you can quickly move these icons around and hide them from the main screen.
There are some game demos that seemingly can’t be uninstalled which is a bit annoying. But the most annoying thing is that Orange has seemingly removed Google Talk.
A bit of Googling around Android and smartphone websites reveals the fact that Orange has done this before. I remember that previously when using an Orange Windows Mobile device, they removed the Messenger application.
More recently, Orange removed Gmail, YouTube and Google Talk from their version of the HTC Tattoo.
This time around, they’ve included the Gmail and YouTube applications, but Google Talk seems to be missing (I say “seems” because it could be there somewhere, but I’m not sure where). The thing is that Google Talk is there somewhere in the background. If I go to Settings > Applications > Running Services, the phone tells me that GTalkService is running in the background and starts up when the phone starts up.
Somewhere in the depths of the internet, I found the Google Talk apk for the Tattoo, but while that installs it fails to run. I guess I need to wait until I find a similar version extracted from a Desire ROM.
Is this all a deal-breaker? Not really. I know that in due course, should I want to, I’ll be able to download a generic HTC Desire ROM from somewhere and fully expunge Orange’s additions. But I’ll leave that for now. Why Orange does this, I really don’t know. They have their own IM application, but it doesn’t work with Gmail, so I’m not interested.
It does annoy me, and if you happen to know how I can restore Google Talk please do let me know below.
But I won’t let that small gripe detract from what seems to be a really nice device. The camera takes pretty decent quality pictures (see above for an example), and I was also pretty impressed with the video capabilities. The sound’s poor on this sample movie, but I was impressed by the way it handled the changes in contrast.

Make sure that 480p is selected for best quality.
I’ll write in more detail once I’ve used it more in the real world.


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24 responses to “HTC Desire – Initial Thoughts”

  1. Arno avatar
    Arno

    Have you tried to start a chat from another gMail account to check if gTalk works?

  2. Adam Bowie avatar

    Hi Arno,
    Yes I tried chatting from another Gmail account to see if there were any gTalk notifications coming through, without success.
    I believe the gTalk process is a built into the fabric of Android and so not removable by Orange. However it seems that they have removed the gTalk application that sits on top of it.
    I did read a suggestion that the reason is that they prefer to push users to their own Windows Live powered IM service which is separately chargeable. I can’t find confirmation of this, but I’m not the only user to notice that gTalk is missing from the Orange version of the phone.

  3. Greg avatar
    Greg

    Hi Arno,
    Orange have crippled gtalk on their branded version of the HTC Desire. They have replaced it with their own branded MSN messenger. The main problem is that gtalk is a key part of the o/s – so when you click to IM someone on maps, email, contacts etc it just doesn’t work on the Orange branded version. They have not done this on previous android devices, so I’m not sure why they have started now, it seems ill thought through. Gtalk and MSN messenger use different accounts so you cannot use your google credentials on MSN messenger. MSN messenger is not integrated to the OS (as gtalk is) so a lot of functionality breaks on the phone.
    The good news is you can return the Orange branded versions and get a desire from a retailer like CPW or Phones4U – they give unbranded and fully functional devices..
    Poor thinking from Orange.

  4. Arno avatar
    Arno

    Thanks for your replies ;o)

  5. Leon avatar
    Leon

    Greg
    What do you mean exactly about getting the Orange branded Desire replaced with a none branded version at CPW or Phones4U?
    Is it just a case of asking them?

  6. Conns avatar
    Conns

    I just got my amazing HTC Desire yesterday and I am absolutely angry about this! I dont like the added applications, but I can live with them….. but I do not agree to Orange removing the GTalk, specially is it is important to get the max out of the phone.
    Is there anyway to fix this? I am even willing to return the phone and get a different company.

  7. Adam Bowie avatar

    To those who asked about why you might get the Desire at CPW or similar, it’s because they often get their stock direct from the supplier rather than the network operator. That’s also why they sometimes offer different deals.
    I’ve actually had to have my phone replaced via Orange due to a faulty micro SD card slot – the card was coming loose, or there was a bad contact as the phone wouldn’t see the card on average once a day without me taking the back off and the battery and card out. Frustrating to say the least.
    So I’ll be sticking with the Orange branded phone. The inability to remove Orange’s demos is less important to me than the ability to get Google Talk on.
    At the moment I haven’t managed it, but I’m certain that I will as either ROMs are released, or an APK of the file is “made available.” I believe similar things happened with the Orange version of the Tattoo (also Android). It’s a pain, and I’ve made my feelings known to Orange – without response. But we’ll see.
    If I learn anything more, I’ll make sure to post it here.

  8. Mike Rogers avatar

    I recently purchased an HTC desire on the Orange network and I regret ever getting it now.
    Firstly the crap they added onto the phone (uninstallable game demos and clear copies of android apps) made the phones experience awful!
    Secondly, I’ve noticed that if I use the phone for longer than 30 minutes it gets very hot. After a little Google I found this is a common problem which to me suggests the device is faulty by design.
    Thirdly, they appear to have bocked rooting (for now) of the device making flashing the device and putting a normal HTC desire or nexus one ROM onto it a tad on the hard side.
    So I’m either going to return this Orange branded load of crap, or I will root it and remove the Orange rubbish.

  9. Steve avatar
    Steve

    Hmmm tough one, really want this phone and Orange do seem to offer some of the best deals but not sure I like the idea of a phone that’s had some fundamental stuff disabled. That’s the whole point of Android I thought, it’s tailor made for Google not Microsoft!
    Seems a bit dodgy on legal grounds too, Microsoft had their knuckles rapped for just making IE the default windows browser – it’s not like they disabled the use of other browsers so this kind of thing seems like more of a crime.
    May have to get it on T-mobile instead, just not completely convinced about their coverage. Vodafone & O2 just don’t seem anywhere near as competitive for this phone…

  10. Andy avatar
    Andy

    I too have been hanging on to see what this phone is like (my 5 year old Pebl is on it’s last legs) and to see what Orange were offering.
    I agree with Steve that Orange seem to have missed the usp of Android and are treating thier phones as OS neutral – can understand them trying to maximize revenue from data usage but the Market has moved on. If it wasn’t for the fact I get a good deal on my plan and good coverage I probably wouldn’t be concidering getting the phone from them.
    For me not having gtalk or gmail is not a deal breaker as they aren’t features that are on my must have list – Google Maps is though, have they left that on there alongside Orangemaps or have they removed that as well?

  11. Adam Bowie avatar

    Gmail is there, and works well. And I’m happy to say that Google Maps is there alongside Orange’s own mapping program (which I haven’t even opened).
    I suspect that Google Talk will find its way on in due course by hook or by crook.
    Right… need to find a battery powered charger…

  12. Mike Rogers avatar

    Just a quick update:
    I recently flashed the ROM on my Orange HTC Desire – So it’s now running the “normal” OS. It lead to a 30% increase in performance and it removed all the orange rubbish.
    However, the fix for it to the rooted (so I can run the apps from the SD card instead of the memory) is still in the making.

  13. Conns avatar
    Conns

    Nice Mike!
    Where can I find info about how to do that? Did you recovered the Google Talk? Are there any downside or risk of do what you did?
    I have never done this before, but I am an Electronics Engineer. I understand more about hardware than software, but should be able to do this…

  14. Conns avatar
    Conns

    Nice Mike!
    Where can I find info about how to do that? Did you recovered the Google Talk? Are there any downsides or risk of do what you did?
    I have never done this before, but I am an Electronics Engineer. I understand more about hardware than software, but should be able to do this…

  15. Mike Rogers avatar

    I found the article here: http://android.modaco.com/content/htc-desire-desire-modaco-com/305746/updating-to-1-15-405-4-genericifying-your-t-mo-handset/
    Creating the goldcard can be a little tricky, but if you follow the instructions carefully you should be ok.
    After you update the ROM you do recover Google Talk + it removes the crap orange puts on.
    Downside wise, I think it can void you warranty however I’m sure if you restored an Orange ROM before you sent it back you should be ok.

  16. Greg avatar
    Greg

    Thanks Mike.
    Hi Leon, the store manager told me on the phone he’d return it so I can get an unrestricted desire from CPW.. however when I went in (the next day) – he’d left (so not sure if he promised it knowing it wouldn’t be his problem!). The new manager refused to return the handset.
    A lot of their marketing material states it runs Android 2.1 and has access to unrestricted tools and apps. This is obviously not true and is in breach of a couple of Acts (trade description and goods and services) – I’ve written to them so will see where this gets me…

  17. Greg avatar
    Greg

    Thanks Mike.
    Hi Leon, the store manager told me on the phone he’d return it so I can get an unrestricted desire from CPW.. however when I went in (the next day) – he’d left (so not sure if he promised it knowing it wouldn’t be his problem!). The new manager refused to return the handset.
    A lot of their marketing material states it runs Android 2.1 and has access to unrestricted tools and apps. This is obviously not true and is in breach of a couple of Acts (trade description and goods and services) – I’ve written to them so will see where this gets me…

  18. Davin Basi avatar
    Davin Basi

    I have the just taken delivery of the HTC Desire from Orange, and want to use GTalk and remove the Orange crap.
    Can I simply download an unbranded HTC Desire ROM image and overwrite the one that comes on the phone? If so where can I download the lastest vanilla HTC Rom.
    If I cannot do the above can someone point me at a set of instructions for how to purge all things orange from my handset.
    Cheers
    DB

  19. Mike Rogers avatar

    Take a look at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=653490 – It shows you how to unbrand your HTC desire.

  20. jumax avatar
    jumax

    If you want a simpler solution then you can use a jabber client like Beem to access Gtalk

  21. Basil avatar
    Basil

    This blog posting describes exactly how I feel about my Orange branded HTC Desire. I twittered @OrangePartner linking to this blog and got a reply saying that they’d pass my comments on.
    If anyone else is having the same issues, it might be worth you doing the same.

  22. Basil avatar
    Basil

    Tweet this guy with your thoughts: http://twitter.com/conorfromorange

  23. Davin Basi avatar
    Davin Basi

    The link
    http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=653490
    is broken. Anyone have any other info on debranding. Would like to install 2.2 now that it is out rather than the forthcoming orangised version.
    DB

  24. Matt avatar

    the desire has to be one of my favorite tablets