The new Wildfire handset from the popular manufacturer HTC is an impressive smartphone aimed at the mid range market. The phone benefits from a stylish design which is accompanied by the excellent Android 2.1 operating system.
If we start by taking a look at the design of the phone, it is clear to see that the Wildfire is a very neat device, benefiting from a modern looking plastic and metallic combination. The metallic parts include a strip which runs across the back of the phone. The physical buttons on the handset benefit from a rubber, soft touch finish which feels pleasant when in use and the speakers at the front are cut away to reveal expensive looking bare metal. Little touches such as this really do make the Wildfire look a much more premium handset than it actually is. The phone measures 106.8 x 60.4 x 12mm, which is never going to win any awards for compactness, however it is fairly standard dimensions for a phone of this specification. One advantage the device does hold over its competitors is that it features an optical trackpad. This is located at the bottom of the fascia and acts like a traditional computer mouse, offering a nice alternative to the capacitive touchscreen. The screen itself measures 3.2 inches and gives a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. Despite the relatively low resolution, images still look great, thanks in part to the Wildfires capability of handling up to 6 million colours. The usual array of sensors are present on the phone, including an accelerometer to perform auto rotate functions and a proximity sensor.
The HTC Wildfire is the perfect handset for keeping up to date whilst on the move thanks to an impressive set of connectivity options. Most importantly the phone supports 3G data networks, meaning you can take advantage of the fastest data speeds possible whilst on the move. Even when 3G is not achievable, the phone is well backed up thanks to EDGE and GPRS support. Obviously you are not always on the move, so when at home or indeed anywhere with access to a WiFi network, the handset can connect via Wireless LAN for the most satisfying online experience. The HTC Wildfire features a 5 mega pixel digital still camera which offer users the opportunity to take a good quality of photograph, with the added bonus of an LED flash, autofocus, smile detection and geo tagging facilities. Storage should not be a problem thanks to the micro SD card slot, meaning a memory card can be added in sizes up to a massive 32GB.
The HTC Wildfire seems to be the perfect handset for anybody venturing into the smartphone market for the first time. The choice of colours will appeal to consumers swayed by styling, whereas the more technical consumer will appreciate the excellent operating system and specification that is on offer.
