They don’t call it the Incredible for nothing. With its sleek styling, touch screen navigation and user-friendly design, the HTC Incredible blows other Android smartphones out of the water. The HTC Incredible, which is Verizon Wireless’ latest innovation in smartphones, quickly sold out at many retailers on its April 29, 2010 debut. The HTC retails for $199.99 with a two-year service contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate.
The HTC Incredible uses the Android platform and doesn’t disappoint when it comes to applications (apps). It comes preloaded with a myriad of free apps, offering everything from productivity to maps and multimedia. At 2.3 inches wide and 0.47 inches thick, the Droid Incredible is thinner and more lightweight than its Android counterparts. Although often compared to the Sprint HTC Evo 4G, the Incredible surpasses it by leaps and bounds. It boasts a breathtaking display touch screen and has a sharper resolution (480×800) of any other Droid on the market.
Counted as one of its redeeming features, the HTC Incredible comes equipped with an extremely sensitive touch screen that responds to the slightest amount of pressure. Some find this a bit of a nuisance, as merely brushing the screen can cause the unit to dial unexpectedly or unnecessarily start an application. The Droid features a built-in accelerometer which flips the screen from portrait to landscape orientation seamlessly.
Those that enjoy the use of a physical keyboard may be somewhat disappointed in the HTC’s completely on-screen keyboard. The HTC doesn’t use the standard Android keyboard, rather it depends on its own unique styling. The on-screen keys are slightly larger and allow for more efficient typing. Even purists who are used to physical keyboards can appreciate the user-friendly keyboard after a little practice.
If there is one thing the HTC lacks, it is physical buttons. In place of the traditional trackball, the Incredible comes equipped with an optical joystick. It’s a bit tricky to use at first, (this one is best suited for those of us with smaller, more nimble fingers) but once mastered, the use of the joystick is a welcome change to previous models.
In addition to its physical impressiveness, the HTC Incredible offers an endless list of features including, speakerphone, voice dialing, integrated Wi-Fi, multimedia messaging and GPS navigation. In addition to the standard applications (apps) like Google, Gmail and YouTube, it offers social networking connectivity to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. More apps can be added in the Android market, of course, but with all of the free apps that come pre-loaded, you may not need to purchase anything else.
Banking on the reliability of Verizon’s 3G network, coverage is excellent and provides for lightning fast loading of websites and apps. Music files play seamlessly and auto-pause for incoming calls.
Overall, the HTC Incredible is a phenomenal smartphone which delivers in every area of functionality. Tons of apps, crystal clear sound, and an impressive display makes this Android wonder well worth its price tag.
