While everyone’s been BANGING ON AND ON about the minor diversion that is Windows Phone 7 today, the newest HTC Android phone has arrived for order on its first UK network, with T-Mobile now accepting orders for the HTC Desire HD.
And it’s expensive – if you want a “free” Desire HD you’ll have to agree to pay at least £40 per month on a 24 month contract. You don’t have to open up your PC’s calculator to know that 24 x £40 is a lot of money.
There’s a HUGE range of alternate tariff options on T-Mobile’s site, ranging from a £10 contract that comes with a £320 upfront cost for the phone, up to a top-range £45 per month if you want the Desire HD for “free” on a shorter 18 month contract.
Thanks to readers Paul and Oliver for the tip.
It’s smooth to use, the 1080p display is sharp, clear and bright, the device is extremely light and thin and therefore very pocketable and portable — much more so than other 5-inch phones we’ve used. And yet… we’re a bit unimpressed by the overall package…
A relatively high-spec smartphone, with a 4.5″ display running at 480 x 854 resolution and powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, plus the Ascend G510 arrives running Android 4.1.1 — albeit potentially hindered by Huawei only sticking 512MB of RAM inside it..
The Panasonic Eluga marks the company’s return to the European mobile phone scene years after several years of absence, and it’s come back to us with a moderately high-spec Android model that features a rather stylish, slim case.
Sony returns with an all-new mobile design for 2012, pairing a dual-core processor with a 720p display. It’s a lovely phone, but is it enough to end our Samsung and HTC obsession?
LG’s updated Prada phone comes with an absolutely crazy black & white theme, but is it just for fashionable suit wearers who want to make themselves look a bit more interesting?
Mart
/ October 11, 2010When this phone is out and about on all networks, wait 6 months and the prices might be quite different and a bit more realistic to afford!!!
Jarel
/ October 12, 2010Ive seen the price and plans and it’s quite expensive. However, i think its worth buying it. Ive done a bit of research and i think it is really a great phone. Based on its specs and people who got it already, it’s a great satisfaction. It is really up to you guys but for me i’ll get one.
Simon
/ October 12, 2010Why do we Aussies, and Europeans have to pay more than pple in US and Canada?
The TMobile G2 is for 499USD, the Canadian telco Bell, is selling Desire Z is for 499USD (http://androidcommunity.com/htc-desire-z-coming-to-bell-for-499-20101011/)
Mobicity.com.au selling both the Desire Z and Desire HD for $869.00 AUD!!
The AUD is doing well against USD, and shipping wont cost much!
androidphil
/ October 12, 2010This is crap, its not out on T-mobiles site to order at all. Someone has been creative with photoshop and eurodroid.com have been lazy and not checked their sources!!
Better luck next time…
Oliver
/ October 12, 2010If you click on the ‘T-Mobile now accepting orders’ in the article it takes you straight to the phone order page.
The phone has been disappearing and reappearing on the site over the last 12 hours or so, but that link has always been true.
Gary C
/ October 12, 2010I took that screen capture myself last night, and saw the tariff details with MY OWN EYES.
It’s still all there for me now. I can get through to the checkout page.
androidphil
/ October 12, 2010How then if you follow that link, and then try to re-find it by going to Shop > Pay Monthly Phones > HTC filter is there still only 4 phones listed? Go ahead and buy it, see how far you get…
I would have thought that if they had released it for order though it would be a bit more widely available and people would at least be able to find it when going to their website of their own volition. Maybe its crazy talk but I think its a fake link.
Gary C
/ October 12, 2010Here’s what my eyes see:
http://www.eurodroid.com/paymonthly.jpg
androidphil
/ October 12, 2010http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/pay-monthly/mobile-phones/
So that link doesn’t go through to their shop showing just the 4 HTC devices?!
Amazing, I think you may have a different version of the internet to everyone else, tell no-one that your from the future, get back in your delorian and go back home
Surfer
/ October 12, 2010There’s 5 devices… you need to clean your cookies Mr!!
Anonymous
/ October 12, 2010I’ve just rang customer services and its not out on the website and they are officially releasing it on the 18th. ITS FAKE! cookies, tssk, never heard anything as daft…
Oliver
/ October 12, 2010I can still see it, I’ve checked on 5 different devices too.
£40 a month is still too rich for me though.
Gary C
/ October 12, 2010That link goes through to a page showing FIVE devices for me. As in the screen capture. You’re obviously getting served an older/cached version of the page.
It’s not fake. Don’t be so ridiculous.
BobbyPhoenix
/ October 13, 2010Well I never clicked on the link before, and I manually typed in “t-mobile.co.uk” and then selected “pay monthly phones” and then “HTC” and BOOM there it is. I was able to order it with no problems.
TurboHobbit
/ October 12, 2010If you can buy the phone sim free from Amazon for about £490, why would you want to give T-Mob £960 for the priviledge of being locked in for 2 years, by which time the phone may well be lagging woefully behind in all aspects of the technology?
RP
/ October 12, 2010And how much is two years of usage going to cost you on top of that £490?
TurboHobbit
/ October 12, 2010The Desire HD is offered free on the £40 a month plan which gives you 1200 minutes, 500 texts, and unlimited internet but you’re locked in for 24 months. So that’s a sunk cost of £960.
To get the equivalent on a sim-only deal, you’d be looking at £25 a month, but you’re only locked in for 12 months. So that’s £490 for the phone, plus £300 for the 12 month contract, totalling £790. You save £120 and get to walk away after a yesr if yo don’t like T Mobile. Of couse, if you’re happy to stick with them for 24 months then locking in on a term contract is going to be cheaper but then you’re stuck with the phone too. That’s the price of freedom, I guess.
Surfer
/ October 12, 2010Interesting that they get a version with 4GB when HTC says it comes with 1.5GB…
WinstonSmith
/ October 12, 2010I spoke to T Mobile (UK) today, as an existing customer I hoped to put in my order. I was told that they received an email today that simply states that the phone will now be released at the end on October (earliest) and this is the same for all operators, and sim free variants – due to a software problem.
In the meantime, perhaps HTC will be able to come up with a better answer to this question “does the desire HD have an LCD or SLCD screen” – their helpdesk reply: “Thank you for your enquiry regarding Desire HD
No Im sorry, as of yet, we dont have any details about the two new models”. WTF, if they don’t know, who does?
Sophie
/ October 13, 2010It looks like its just the normal LCD …thanks but no thanks