Vodafone unveils HTC Desire Z pricing
- — 09 March, 2011 15:31
HTC's Desire Z Android phone is a Vodafone exclusive in Australia
Vodafone has announced pricing for its latest Android smartphone, the HTC Desire Z.
Read our comprehensive HTC Desire Z review and check out our round-up of other top HTC phones.
Available from today exclusively through Vodafone in Australia, the HTC Desire Z Android phone is basically a smaller version of the Desire HD. It offers a slide-out, QWERTY keyboard as well as a touchscreen SLCD display which, at 3.7in, is the same size as the original HTC Desire.
HTC describes the Desire Z as having a "pop hinge", which the company says allows for a more comfortable typing position. The Desire Z is powered by an 800MHz processor, which is slightly slower than the Desire HD's, and has a 5-megapixel camera with single-LED flash and 720p HD video recording. The phone has 1.5GB of on-board memory, along with a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 32GB in size.
The HTC Desire Z runs the 2.2 "Froyo" version of Android, which adds full Flash support, built-in wireless tethering, and the ability to store third-party apps on your SD card, in addition to a range of other improvements. HTC has confirmed the Desire Z will be upgradeable to the latest 2.3 "Gingerbread" version of Android in the coming months. Gingerbread offers a revamped on-screen keyboard, better copy and paste, improved power management, and a slicker user interface as improvements over previous versions of the Android platform.
The Desire Z is also one of the first smartphones to benefit from HTC's new Sense software. Enhancements include a shorter boot-up time (10 seconds), faster rendering of maps (along with a digital compass built into the map), and DLNA support for connection to compatible televisions. The Desire Z also works with HTCSense.com, a set of desktop-based services that largely centre on backup and security. You can locate your phone on a map if it's stolen, remotely lock or wipe the handset, and archive contacts, text messages and call history.
The HTC Desire Z is available for $0 upfront on Vodafone's $49 cap over 24 months, or $0 upfront on the telco's $65 'Infinite' plan, which includes unlimited calls, unlimited text and unlimited access to social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace and Foursquare.
The Desire Z is the second high-end Android smartphone to launch exclusively on Vodafone this month — the telco also exclusively sells the Google Nexus S Android phone. For more pricing details, visit the Vodafone Web site.
