First let me give you a swift overview of some of the reviews we’ve had not only today, but over the past week or so. Wouldn’t want you to miss a flagship!
Nintendo 3DS [Nintendo]
HTC Desire S [Android]
Bose Bluetooth Headset [Smartphones with Bluetooth]
Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY [Android]
HTC Arrive [Windows Phone 7]
T-Mobile Nokia C7 [Symbian]

Then there’s pure Android with Android Community!
SPB Shell 3D Home Screen Replacement
Tango Video Chat for ThunderBolt
Samsung Galaxy S 4G
Dell Venue
Guerilla Bob on Motorola XOOM
Weatherbug for Honeycomb
Vendetta Online MMORPG

Next I’ve just got to tell you all about our new Android Community logo – it’s so mad, you cannot possibly resist. So much so that we just had to have a free embroidered polo shirt giveaway contest. Check out all the info on the logo [right here.]

Then it’s time to go to SCHOOL, fool! Two lessons in Android you’re NEVER gonna forget: first you’ve got to read our Android 101 on what brands have to do to get approval from Google for Android. Then take a trip down breakdown lane with Android Remains Open, Android Remains Powerful. And while we’re here, take a peek at our EXCLUSIVE LEAK of the Kyocera Katsura gaming tablet.

Next it’s time for some personalization. Columns from the top minds in this streetwise field of electronics and mobile electronics:
For a gadget reviewer, I’m rubbish at advice – Chris Davies
Cutting the Cords – Philip Berne
Smartphone Screens: How Big is Too Big? – Avi Greengart
How Apple Can Become the Next Gaming Giant – Don Reisinger
Want to Hear a Great Story? – Ben Bajarin

Continue down the path into dreamland with Ben as he explores BlueStacks: Android for Windows followed by The Disruptive Potential of the Amazon App Store and his Two Concerns for Android.

Then lemme throw three curveballs your way: SG Comics Presents: Google & CNN Face Recognition Interview and a big fat invitation ticket to two events:
HTC April 12th [Pyramid? Honeycomb?]
and
BlackBerry April 14th [PlayBook!]

10. April Fools Tech Roundup

9. Google vs. CNN on Facial Recognition App
Google Working on Facial Recognition App [UPDATE: False!]
Google’s Facial Recognition App Found Falsified by CNN [Update: CNN statement]
Face-Recognition app lights firestorm between Google and CNN [Updated]

8. Google +1 Button
Google +1 embeds recommendations into search [Video]
Google +1: So Simple These Babies Get It

7. HTC April 12 Event: Pyramid or Honeycomb tablets?

6. HTC Arrive
HTC Arrive Review

5. HTC Desire S
HTC Desire S Review

4. iPad 2: The Skeptic’s Review

3. Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play Review
Sony Ericsson confirms XPERIA Play shipping delay; will miss April 1 release on some carriers
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play on sale now: Are you buying?

2. ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Official Launch, Price and Date
ASUS Eee Pad First Impressions and Video
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Walk-Through Video
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer At Best Buy Soon For $400

1. Google Pushing For Anti-Fragmentation Of Android Platform
Google Android Anti-Fragmentation Push is Vital
Google puts Android on lock-down: Non-fragmentation contracts, standardized ARM chips, more

Hardware

The original Desire was HTC’s own-brand version of the Nexus One, the first Google Phone; since then, Google has partnered with Samsung on the Nexus S, leaving HTC to follow its own path with the Desire S. Smaller than the Desire, at 115 x 59.8 x 11.63 mm, and 5g lighter at 130g, the Desire S borrows the unibody stylings of the HTC Legend, with a wraparound fascia/backplate inset with soft-touch matte plastic camera and battery sections.

Up front is a 3.7-inch Super LCD display running at WVGA resolution, the same number of pixels as the Desire but not AMOLED like the original. Underneath are the usual home, menu, back and search keys, now touch-sensitive rather than physical buttons, but thankfully still in the same order as on the Desire. No optical trackpad, however, with precise cursor control taken care of with the on-screen magnifier. Above the screen there’s an LED indicator light, along with a front-facing VGA-resolution camera for video calls.

On the left edge there’s an easily pressed volume bar, together with a microUSB port for charging, while the top edge has the power/lock button and a 3.5mm headphone jack. As well as the camera, there’s a speaker on the upper back panel; the lower panel pulls off to reveal the SIM slot and microSD card slot, along with the easily-accessed 1,450 mAh battery.

It’s a very successful design, hitting the aesthetic points with the matte finish and discrete splashes of chrome, along with satisfying usability. The slight “HTC chin” makes it easier to pull the Desire S from a pocket, while the lens for the 5-megapixel autofocus camera (paired with a single LED flash) is ever so slightly recessed so as to avoid scratching when placed on a table. In the hand it feels solid and creak-free, more premium than the plastic-backed Desire. It’s hard not to imagine that this could have been the design for the second Nexus, had Google stuck with HTC as a hardware partner.

Inside, there’s Qualcomm’s single-core 1GHz MSM8255 processor, the same “Scorpion” chipset as powers the Desire HD and Incredible S. As with both those phones, the Desire S gets 768MB of RAM (along with 1.1GB of internal storage), 50-percent more than you’d find in the Desire. Connectivity includes dualband HSPA/WCDMA along with quadband GSM/EDGE, together with WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1. There’s also GPS, a g-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor.

Software

Unlike the Incredible S, the HTC Desire S will hit the market running Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread, the first of HTC’s phones to launch with the latest iteration of the platform. On top is HTC Sense, the company’s combination UI, widget suite, app platform and online cloud system, and a newer version to what you’ll find on the Incredible S.

Without looking at the system info page it’s hard to spot the transition to Gingerbread, so thorough is HTC’s reskin. As for Sense, you still get seven homescreens and various eye-catching widgets to fill them with, but now the menu draw is paginated into grids rather than free-scrolling. The Car Panel (a finger-stab scaled UI for using the Desire S while driving), Connected Media controller, Flashlight, FriendStream (for pulling in Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates), HTC Hub, Locations, Peep (HTC’s own Twitter client), the Teeter game, Weather app and WiFi Hotspot app are all preloaded as normal, but now you also get a Mirror app which basically turns on the front-facing camera and turns your smartphone into a replacement for a pocket mirror. Still, we know plenty of people who check their hair and makeup using the shiny, reflective surfaces on their phones, so perhaps HTC is onto something.

HTC Desire S demo:

The pull-down Android status bar keeps the useful list of recently-used apps running along the top, but adds a new tab at the bottom of the notifications section for Quick Settings. That has checkboxes for WiFi, Bluetooth WiFi Hotspot, GPS and Mobile Network power, along with a shortcut to the full settings menu. It’s a great use of the space, and saves the homescreen from being cluttered with power widgets. In the call options you can have the Desire S automatically reduce the ringtone volume when you pick up the handset, automatically set it louder when the phone is in a pocket or bag, and automatically switch on the speakerphone when the phone is flipped over.

Flash Player 10.2 is supported, which means in-browser video streaming, animations and games. As with the Incredible S, the Desire S struggled with 720p HD video playback, warning that the video had not been optimized for mobile viewing and dropping frames (over a fast WiFi connection, not 3G) throughout the clip. However, the end result was still watchable, with no audio glitches.

There’s no TV or film streaming, nor OnLive gaming service, as will debut on the Flyer tablet. While HTC has said other devices will get those services in time, it’s yet to confirm which models exactly. No telling, either, whether the Desire S’ processor will be capable enough to run them (HTC has used a single-core 1.5GHz chip for the Flyer). Therein lies the flipside of the processor argument: a single-core 1GHz is sufficient today, but it’s harder to judge whether it might be up to scratch twelve months into the average two-year agreement, when the next OS update and batch of chipset-intensive apps are out.

Also missing is the HTC video call app shown alongside the Desire S’ launch at MWC 2011 last month. In fact, out of the box there’s no video calling functionality; instead you’ll have to look to Skype or another third-party app in order to take advantage of the front-facing camera. Still, thanks to HTC’s Hub – which includes a download store for the company’s own apps – we imagine video calling can be added in later when it gets its official release.

Camera

Having been impressed with the 8-megapixel camera on the Incredible S, we had similarly high hopes for the Desire S’ camera. Unfortunately it’s not quite the same all-rounder. Stills are noticeably grainier, though still fair for a 5-megapixel unit, but macro shots are poor. While the Desire S shares the same touch-to-focus as the Incredible S, it simply couldn’t lock onto close-up subjects in the same way. Images generally can be blotchy and fuzzy, lacking detail in wider scenes, though mid-range subjects look good. The VGA front camera produces, unsurprisingly, rubbish stills.

Video fares better, with 720p HD on the Desire S coming through reasonably jerk-free, and as long as your pans are slow’n'smooth there’s only minimal tearing. The same touch-to-focus system can be used during video recording, automatically adjusting exposure and contrast as well, though there’s the same slight lens jump as the Incredible S displayed.

HTC Desire S 720p HD video sample:

Incidentally, while there’s no shortage of sharing options, HTC’s gallery shows one odd frustration by lacking a share button when you’re actually viewing a photo. The menu key pulls up slideshow, media streaming, “show on map”, photo details and options to set the image as wallpaper or something else, but if you want to send it as an email attachment or some other route, you need to back out and long-press on the thumbnail to get the “Share” command.

HTC would do well to consider adding a dedicated camera button, and there’ll be those who wish the Desire S had an HDMI output. Instead you get DLNA streaming support. In short, it’s the same passable camera that the original Desire had, good enough for casual, everyday use but not – unlike the better smartphone optics we’re seeing – something you’d want to replace your dedicated camera with.

Phone and Performance

As a phone, the Desire S proved capable; callers had no issues with audio performance, and we were able to hear them loud and clear through the earpiece. The speaker could do with being a little louder, mind. Reception was a step up from the last-gen hardware; compared to a Nexus One on the same network, the Desire S managed to cling more tenaciously to a signal in a known poor coverage area.

While having two cores in your smartphone is likely to be the fashionable push in 2011, the Desire S is ample evidence that a good balance of hardware and software can deliver a polished user-experience without demanding the fastest (and most energy-guzzling) chip around. Interestingly, despite having the same chipset/RAM as the Incredible S, the Desire S only scored 1147 in Quadrant benchmarking; the Incredible S managed 1559. Nonetheless, the 1GHz Snapdragon proved enough to keep the smartphone moving on at a fair lick, with apps loading with little in the way of delay.

Battery

HTC quotes up to 435 minutes of WCDMA talktime (up to 590 minutes GSM) or up to 455 hours of WCDMA standby (430 hours GSM) from a full charge of the 1,450 mAh battery. In practice, with push Gmail turned on, and a mixture of browsing, messaging, some photography and a couple of short calls, the Desire S ran for a full day. Less intensive use and you could probably extend that into a second day, though if you’re a fan of streaming media then you’ll likely discover that has a particularly large impact on battery life. Still, the smaller display than the Incredible S and Desire HD pays dividends.

Wrap-Up

Back when we reviewed the HTC Desire, almost twelve months to the day, the smartphone was at the cutting edge of Android devices. Tagging on the coat-tails of the Nexus One, it closely followed Google’s example of a sizable screen, fast processor and up-to-date software, shaping up as a solid all-rounder.

The Desire S launches into a very different market, one where 4-inch screens and larger are common, where dual-core processors are appearing among the high-end devices, and where expectations of Android are greater than ever. In that line-up, the Desire S is no longer the HTC flagship but its solid, mid-range phone: the handset for the everyman (or indeed everywoman) rather than an aspirational phone for bleeding-edge early adopters.

To meet that brief it has to be even more consistent, even more complete, something that all users can get to grips with. On that front HTC’s mixture of preloaded apps hits most of the key areas, video calling aside. The Sense UI is easy to navigate and, with these latest tweaks, not lacking in functionality, while the online suite of location-tracking, sync and remote access services flesh out the Android experience in a way neither Google nor any other OEM producing Android phones delivers.

The lingering question is “what’s next?” and with dual-core devices already on the market (though not, yet, from HTC itself) the Desire S goes up against faster, more future-proofed smartphones. Those cautious early adopters may do better waiting for the HTC Pyramid, expected to not only double the cores but throw a higher-resolution, qHD display into the mixture as well.

Still, the Pyramid will be expensive, and the good thing about the Desire S is that its midrange focus should mean a reasonably affordable price tag. At the beginning we asked if the “S” in HTC Desire S stood for “sequel” or “surpassed”, but in fact it’s more likely for “solid” – reliable hardware, well-crafted software, and on track to be another HTC best-seller.

The Desire S taked the basics of its predecessor, the HTC Desire, and adds in an updated OS and front-facing camera for video calls, along with a change to HTC’s unibody styling. More details – and video – in our hands-on HTC Desire S report.

[via Android Community]

The HTC Incredible S, is perhaps their least appealing device with an” inside-out” industrial style. Performance and features are similar to the previous Incredible , but notable differences include an added front-facing webcam that supports HTC’s new video call app as well as Mirror app. And the device now is GSM compatible. Check here for hands-on video and images.

The HTC Wildfire S is the company’s cheapest phone but the new model seems to be a huge improvement over its predecessor. It has found its own identity now sporting a more angular chassis and also stepped up to an HVGA display from its original QVGA display. However, it lacks a front-facing webcam and therefore cannot utilize HTC’s new video call app. Check here for hands-on details and images.

The HTC Desire S is their bestselling smartphone and has a chassis milled from a single piece of aluminum. The new model’s responsiveness is similar to its predecessor, the Desire, as it still uses 1GHz single-core Snapdragon, but now has added a front-facing webcam that supports the HTC’s new video call app and Mirror app. The production model will be running Android 2.4 Gingerbread. Check here for a hands-on video and images.

The HTC ChaCha and Salsa are the two new smartphones that deeply integrate with Facebook. Of the two, the ChaCha has the better hardware. The Salsa has the bigger screen but feels like a lesser build. It’s difficult to judge the software at this point because the demo units did not seem to have final software loaded. However, they did demonstrate that the integrated Facebook buttons light up when viewing something on screen that can be shared online. Actual production units with final software won’t be available until Q2 2011. Check here for hands-on video and images.

The HTC Flyer tablet introduces the use of stylus in addition to multi-touch with more focus on note-taking and content creation. The 7-inch tablet has a slick aluminum unibody with a matte-finish plastic. The build feels more solid than the Galaxy Tab, and also feels easier to hold. The Flyer features a newly updated HTC Sense on top of Android 2.4 Gingerbread resulting in an enhanced user interface. Check here for hands-on video and images.

Other announcements:

HTC announced that they intend to partner with Qualcomm to develop multi-core devices. However, no timeline or any specifics were presented on upcoming multi-core plans.

The HTC Video Chat app made for Android was demoed as loaded on the HTC Desire S and the HTC Incredible S. The app can be used with the front-facing VGA webcams on the HTC smartphones or on the 1.3MP camera on the HTC Flyer tablet. The app features a simple interface but it is unclear for now whether it is limited to devices within its own ecosystem like how Apple limits Face Time to its own devices, or if there is more flexibility.

HTC also demonstrated their new integration with OnLive cloud gaming on the HTC Flyer.

And, an updated version of the HTC Sense was announced that supports portrait and landscape orientations as well as high-resolution displays like the 1024×600 display of the HTC Flyer.

Responsiveness is the same as the Desire too, since it’s still a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon. Qualcomm and HTC did confirm at the press conference that the two companies were working together on multi-core models, though there’s no timescale attached.

HTC Desire S hands-on

The front-facing webcam is only VGA quality, but it does what you’d expect; there’s a video chat app together with a new Mirror app that shows you exactly what the camera can can see. While the production Desire S will be running Android 2.4 Gingerbread, these demo units use Android 2.3.2; the only difference, HTC told us, between 2.3.2 and 2.4 are a few bug fixes and some application tweaks so that single-core Gingerbread phones will play nicely with apps written for multi-core chipsets.

HTC itself is describing the Desire S as evolutionary, not revolutionary, and to be fair that’s all the market needs right now. The original Desire is still selling well, and this new model will only improve that.

As we’ve seen on other video chat apps, the UI is simple: a preview display of your own video feed in the lower left hand corner, a full-screen view of the person you’re calling, and then basic controls for managing the call. There’s a dedicated End Call button, audio control and the option to shut off the video.

What we’re still waiting to hear is which devices you can intercommunicate between, whether you’ll need to be talking to another HTC device owner (like Apple currently limits Face Time inside its own ecosystem) or if there’ll be broader flexibility. We’ll be finding more later on in our hands-on with the new phones.

There’s also a new, front-facing camera for video calls, and HTC has updated its Sense interface and widget suite with a new app called “Mirror” that, as the name suggests, allows you to quickly turn the Desire S into a mirror replacement. What you don’t get is NFC; while Google is pushing for the short-range wireless technology’s adoption by Android OEMs, HTC told SlashGear that it felt the extra bulk an NFC module would introduce wasn’t worth it given the limited availability of NFC services.

There’s 1.1GB of phone storage and 768MB of RAM, together with a microSD card slot. Pricing and specific availability are yet to be announced, but we do know that Vodafone in the UK will be offering the HTC Desire S.

Press Release:

HTC LAUNCHES THREE NEW SMARTPHONES WITH HTC SENSE

HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S deliver premium style, power and speed

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled three new versions of its most popular and advanced smartphones – HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S. The new smartphones continue HTC’s commitment to expanding the market for advanced smartphones while providing distinct choices in design, power and value. Each phone also includes HTC Sense, HTC’s unique customer-focused user experience that puts people at the center by making phones work in a more simple and natural way.
“HTC developed the HTC Sense experience to bring cutting-edge innovation to our customers in simple and natural ways that just make sense – this is what HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S represent best,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “These new phones offer an exhilarating mix of style, innovation and features that extend people’s mobile experience in ways that feel personal and completely original.”

HTC Desire S
As a successor to the popular and award-winning HTC Desire, the new HTC Desire S blends stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend™ smartphone’s aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is sculpted out of a single block of aluminum making it feel solid and natural in your hand. With Qualcomm’s new 1GHz 8255 Snapdragon™ processor, the HTC Desire S offers snappy performance and power. It offers dual front and back cameras, High-Definition video recording and the 3.7-inch WVGA display presents multimedia content brilliantly.

HTC Wildfire S
Building on the popularity of the HTC Wildfire™ smartphone, the HTC Wildfire S smartphone is an affordable, compact and playful device that packs a powerful smartphone experience. It enables people to maintain and build connections and friendships through popular sites like Facebook®, as well as through voice and text messaging. You can instantly tag your friends in photos before posting them on Facebook, or share your latest discoveries from the Android™ Market at the touch of a button.

HTC Wildfire S is one of HTC’s smallest phones ever – measuring just 10.13cm long and 5.94cm wide – and boasts a distinctive 3.2 inch, HVGA display.

Celebrate your individuality and choose from a wide variety of colors including black, purple and white. The phone’s home screen is fully customizable with your favorite apps, widgets and content, while a 5-megapixel color camera with auto focus, expandable microSD™ memory and support for a variety of audio and video formats make a great all-around multimedia device that slips easily into any pocket.

HTC Incredible S
The alluring HTC Incredible S smartphone combines cutting-edge design with a premium mobile experience for those who dare to be different. Showing what can be achieved when engineers and designers work together to raise the bar for mobile phone design, the HTC Incredible S smartphone features a stunning, contoured body that highlights the internal hardware components of the device. Capturing and viewing video in crystal clear High-Definition has never been so easy and a bright 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display and stereo surround sound bring a vibrant cinematic experience to the palm of your hand.

HTC Incredible S also takes high quality pictures with its 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and it easily enables videos, photos and music to be shared from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA® technology. Thanks to the HTC Incredible S’s front facing camera and video call functionality, users will constantly be able to chat with their friends face-to-face.

Availability
The HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S smartphones, will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets during Q2 2011.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.