HTC Wildfire: Unboxing And Review

HTC continues to pump out new Android phones, and its latest release can accurately be described as the baby sister to the Desire, the HTC Wildfire.

Already on sale in the UK, the Wildfire was released September 7 on the Telstra network in Australia. It’s unlikely to ever go on sale in the United States, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to import one.

The standout feature of the HTC Wildfire (as mentioned) is its size: in an age where phone manufacturers seem to be delivering larger and larger phones, HTC has gone in the opposite direction, with a smaller phone sporting a smaller, 3.2 inch screen.

Hardware/ Software
The HTC Wildfire (Australian version) comes with Android 2.1 with the HTC Sense overlay. We’ve heard reports of HTC phones in Europe receiving updates to Froyo (Android 2.2) so an update might not be far off. A HTC representative couldn’t confirm when the Australian Froyo upgrade will be ready, only that a Telstra customized version is currently in development.

The Wildfire runs on a 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7225 processor, has 3.2-inch 320 x 240 capacitive LCD touchscreen, offers 384MB RAM and a 5-megapixel camera with flash.

The Wildfire is also sports a choice of two colors: white or grey.

Unboxing

If you’ve ever wanted to know what you get with a HTC phone, here it is. Not exactly the worlds most exciting video, but we’ve hopefully covered it all

Initial thoughts

If you want a small phone, the form factor of the HTC Wildfire is ideal. It’s a cute little phone that is ideal for a handbag or pocket. The design aesthetics are pleasing, and highlight how HTC continues to improve in industrial design.

Setup/ OS is standard Android with the HTC Desire layer, simple to follow and use and reviewed previously on other phone reviews, so we won’t go there.

However, there’s an issue with this phone that will immediately stop some people buying it: the screen. HTC went with an LCD screen instead of OLED, and the resolution is immediately noticeable from the moment you turn the phone on. The screen simply isn’t crisp at all, and while it’s fine for applications, it’s not great at all for pictures or higher end mobile gaming.

The screen resolution also makes taking pictures and video slightly difficult: what you see on screen isn’t what you get.

That aside, this is a nice little phone, and it fits the bill as a decent entry level Android phone. If you’re looking for a cheap smart phone that looks nice and you’re not a high end user, the HTC Wildfire should be on your radar.

It went on sale yesterday on Telstra for AU$349 pre-paid, or $0 on a $49 plan. Similar deals are available for the phone in the United Kingdom.

I intend on using this phone as my primary phone for a week or two, so a more detailed hands on review later this month.

Good: size, price, battery life
Bad: low res screen, underpowered for video playback