I've recently been reviewing several new Android based smartphones for Verizon Wireless. The most recent smartphone I have reviewed is the Droid Incredible, manufactured by HTC. I have to say, this is really one incredible smartphone, and there is absolutely no pun intended!
The Droid Incredible or HTC Incredible (depending on where you see the name, it may be referred to by either name) is one of the fastest and lightest smartphones I have ever used. In fact, I liked this phone so much, that I have switched to it as my full time smartphone. It really is incredible.
Let's start with the hardware. The phone is very light and nicely formed. It has rounded edges and is very comfortable to hold, whether reading e-mail or talking on the phone. It looks very similar to the iPhone and is probably the closest head to head competitor to the iPhone in terms of the complete package. In side is one of the fastest smartphone processors on the market, a healthy amount of RAM and a whopping 8 megapixel camera. The phone is very smooth and fast. I have not encountered any issues related to hardware performance. And, I have to say, the camera is the best I've seen yet, for a smartphone. The still and video quality are excellent and I no longer carry around a small dedicated camera as a result.
In terms of the user interface, HTC adds what they call the Sense overlay to the standard Android interface. While I wasn't sure early on, I have come to really like Sense. It's adds some intuitive and very functional elements to the stock operating system that make it even more enjoyable to use. As silly as this may sound, I love the weather gadget on the home screen. It cracks me up that wipers come across the screen when it's raining and I have not seen any negative impact on the battery as a result. Mostly, I like how it keeps the phone application front and center at the bottom of the screen. While I used to user LauncherPro on my Motorola Droid, I'm perfectly happy with the Sense interface on the Droid Incredible. I also like the myriad of utility widgets that HTC provides for easy access to wireless, bluetooth and other settings.
Another very efficient overaly is the messaging interface. HTC does a phenomenal job bringing together text and visual voice mail in one single and efficient interface that is extremely intuitive to work with. Another nice feature of Sense is the seven home screens you can customize. It makes the phone very functional.
In terms of user experience, size, weight, features, speed, memory and more, you just can't beat this device. It really is the best smartphone I have seen to date and the fact that it has been on a 2+ week backorder since it's lauch speaks volumes.
I definitely recommend a screen protector for this device and I use the Seidio Innocase and holster along with the extended battery they offer in the standard size format, so I have two batteries, just in case. However, to date, I have yet to exhaust the battery in a single days use. I'm thoroughly impressed by that, because I use my Droid Incredible all day long!
If you are looking for a new smartphone or due for an upgrade, I strongly recommend the Droid Incredible. You will not be disappointed.
