• HTC Wildfire (Updated: Video Review)

    HTC Wildfire (Updated: Video Review)

    Rohan Naravane, Sep 17, 2010 1315 hrs IST

    A 'Desire' for the regular joe?

    Compact design, HTC Sense UI improves default Android 2.1 UI functionality vastly, good social media integration, good connectivity (3.5G, Wi-fi, GPS)

    Low resolution screen makes text and pictures look a little blurry, low video recording quality, pricier than competitors, lags at times

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Update: Click here to view the Video Review 


The first Android phones were sold for the upmarket audience (i.e. people who spent about Rs. 30,000 on a phone). To give the Google OS's power in the hands of the common man, many low-end phones followed shortly. One such phone was the HTC Tattoo. Although a wallet-friendly phone of that time, there was a big distinction between its user experience and phones priced almost double of that; thanks to the smaller resistive screen that wasn't as responsive as the capacitive one. The lower QVGA resolution back then was also a hindrance, as some apps wouldn't work. The camera was also nothing to boast about. 

Cut to today, these "high-end" features are observed in phones that sell for as low as Rs. 15,000. This 10-15k price bracket is warming up with at least one phone from each manufacturer that waves the Android flag. We asked people which phone they'd pick in this range a while back, and the HTC Wildfire won this poll by a fair margin. It seems that it is not just us who's been smitten with the beautiful and functional Sense UI customization they've got on each of their Android phone. However, everyone seems skeptical about this one black speck in this otherwise fair feature-list; the QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) resolution on a 3.2-inch display. So how bad is it really? Read on to find out.





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Discussion Board
(57) Comments
sanoob
,calicut, on Dec 09, 2011 11:32 PM
i want diffrent colores htc wildfire battery cell cover
yogesh
,chennai, on Oct 22, 2011 03:24 PM
hey frnds i planning to get htc wildfire mobile wil it b worth fa its cost,need yor feed back so tat i can get tat mobile now price at poorvika is 12k, is tat fine,
rakesh
,hyderabad, on Jul 28, 2011 08:58 AM
hey ppl ..i m also planning to buy it...could u tell me should i go for it or is there a good substtute in s ericson , nokia, amsung... hey Shikha how much it cost u?
Kartheek
,Hyderabad, on Jun 28, 2011 06:33 PM
Rohan, Can you do a review of wildfire s. I'm hearing good things about it but want to confirm from a trusted source
Ismail Mohammed
,Bangalore, on Jun 11, 2011 02:21 PM
Don't go for HTC products, their customer service is pathetic, I bought HTC wildfire on 1st May and within a week my receiver was not working so I have to switch on the speaker phone and let others also know what I am talking about. Earphones were also not working, as voice is feeble. After I registered a compliant they wanted me to visit their service centre and I did so. They did not have stock to replace the receiver, I insisted that they should replace my phone as it was a brand new phone and they asked me to visit their regional managers office. I am planning to file a consumer case against HTC, if anybody has come across similar problems please let me know, my email id is ismail.ops.5@gmail.com
Ankush
,Mumbai, on Dec 28, 2010 02:00 AM
Hi rohan! Firstly let me tell you that this was a really really good review! Your doing a Great job!! I am very much looking for the HTC Phone. The last i saw it, it was priced at 12.5k approx. I need to exchange my present phone with this, that could allow me to get it for "9.5k". Is there any other phone that i can look at, is what i would like to ask you. My need is that, it should 'primarily' give a business appeal. Blackberry seems to be preety good one though a little too common & HTC here sounds much unique in the segment plus carrying the name! No games or may be very few of them but would be keen on social networking applications which i see this phone to have it very user friendly as well unlike my old phone. Whats your take, Any other phones that can fall in line within a budget of 12k to 13k. Would be indeed nice to hear from you !! Cheers!! Keep it going!! Ankush.
ANKUSH
,coimbatore, on May 15, 2011 11:58 AM
Hi, can u tel me how good this handset as a camera phone? has it a software for photo and movie editing like in sony-erickson? can one save web pages and record music from FM?
akhilesh
,noida, on Apr 24, 2011 09:53 AM
hey @ manish- dude..is ur problem solved??? if yes do help ..i m also facing the same problem.I am using vodafone.
Manish
,Delhi, on Feb 01, 2011 06:31 PM
hi, I bought HTC Wildfire 1 week back. I am unable to use its gmail,friendstrem,twitter like apps. I have airtel connection and just able to internet surfing. Please let me know how can use and configure those apps and also download android apps to enhance Wildfire capability and features. Thanks in advance
venu
,Hyderabad, on Mar 11, 2011 04:44 PM
Hi manish first of all activate a GPRS connection from your network operator then after u get a settings like mobileoffice. After activating ur net connectivity then goto the android market and simply to download the applications, games from ur android market. then enable ur mobileoffice connection in ur mobile. then goto the application once add user in that account.
anu sharma
,mumbai, on Apr 14, 2011 11:35 AM
you need to use internet connection of airtel not the wap service ....
aman
,gurgaon, on Apr 09, 2011 07:26 PM
hey guys..i m really confused??? plz tell me which phone is better.... HTC wildfire or LG optimus P500.....
prakash
,pune, on Mar 13, 2011 10:15 PM
i brought HTC wildfire one month back...i am using airtel operator,but i still not get faster speed of internet as per given....so please help for that.....thank u in advance
Sagar
,Pune, on Mar 15, 2011 03:30 PM
For how much did you bought HTC wildfire ? Is it a good android phone over others ?
shikha
,jodhpur, on Mar 02, 2011 09:08 PM
hi friends! i got my htc wildfire bt i cant make out hw to play videos stored in sd card.......can any one plz help!
sid
,pune, on Mar 08, 2011 10:31 PM
hey ppl ..i m also planning to buy it...could u tell me should i go for it or is there a good substtute in s ericson , nokia, amsung... hey Shikha how much it cost u?
Ravi
,Cochin, on Sep 17, 2010 01:39 PM
Please review HTC Desire.
Rohan
,TechTree, on Sep 17, 2010 02:06 PM
On its way, sire!
Vaibhav
,bangalore, on Jan 31, 2011 01:33 PM
hi frens i'm using dis fon from d past 1month and i'm lovin it..each and every feature of dis fon is worth byin.,. only 2 prob 1..screen resolution its quite less as compared to other competitors. buts HTC worth it 2.d battery back up is very less. only 1 day wen u use it roughly.. but u can buy it.. amaxin fon worth byin..;)
Abhishek
,Bangalore, on Dec 24, 2010 07:11 PM
I intend to sell my 5 months old, black Nokia E71. The device is in perfectly sane condition, without any scratches and the only reason to sell, is that I am very much keen on getting an Android handset. E71 needs no introduction, it has been awarded quite a few accolades (refer wikipedia page) and is considered among the most successful business fones, this side of BB stable. Highlights: Nokia email client, lets you configure upto 10 e-mail accounts in simple 3 or 4 steps. GPS with navigation. Youtube app. Pre installed, along with lot others. The device sure looks class, with its 10mm profile and metal battery cover. Details as follows: DOP: 4th July, 2010 Purchase price: INR 12,800 Current price: a shade under that, maybe a few hundreds less. Box pack with all OEM accessories (charger, leather sling, cover, CD ROM, manual, etc) available along with original bill. Selling price: INR 10,500 (Not negotiable) 9880691326
Arinmun
,Kolkata, on Jan 18, 2011 02:43 PM
After a phone is bought and on the reseller market it is half the price.Go sell your papa.
Prince
,MUMBAI, on Jan 16, 2011 04:37 PM
HTC wildfire is a awesome mobile phone. Now it has got the android 2.2 update also. The mobile just cost 13.5 K ... Thats not too much for the specs... Also ; you can overclock the processor to 650 MHz... If you see the review, 4m the beginning their is a bad impression of the phone... One more thing, HTC does justice to the ANDROID OS by deploying it properly on their mobile
dhruv manan
,dehradun, on Nov 16, 2010 05:26 PM
hey ppl bought the wildfire a few days back..although i havent got a chance to use it to its full potential...coz of my subscriber..vodafone..vodafone live does not support android apps like market, gmail, etc etc...u can only surf the web thru the default browser...so my advise...anyone having a vodafone connection dont buy an android phone!!! if any one of u has a solution to my problem..pls lemme know...cant wait to use all apps on the wildfire..friendstream etc etc...
jignesh shah
,mumbai, on Jan 16, 2011 10:24 AM
dear dhruv as number portability is here try changing from vodaphone to any other co like airtel.
J::2
,Nagpur, on Dec 24, 2010 11:17 PM
I want to buy this Phone however I am not able to get Brown color piece in Nagpur. I went to 8-10 dealers and they called other dealers but no success.Only white and black color pieces are there. I also read somewhere that the phone was launched only in black in India. Can any one confirm about brown color piece availability in India?
Amit
,delhi, on Dec 03, 2010 08:05 PM
Dear rohan, any info about when wildfire is getting froyo update ?
Iverma
,bangalooru, on Nov 05, 2010 01:59 PM
Htc makes beautiful phones wish Galaxy 3 was better looking , its just ugly looking phone, looks very outdated.I would go with galaxy 3 if it wasnt that ugly looking.Think they need to learn a few from HTC and Sony ericsson.
Claus
,Mumbai, on Sep 17, 2010 01:55 PM
I am currently using this handset... trust me it worth every penny spent... the applications and the touch is as awesome.. getting features like this at a reasonable rate its definitely a great buy and HTC plans on providing an Android 2.2 update in December.. wad more can u ask for @ this price??
htc_wildfire_us
,hyd, on Sep 19, 2010 12:14 AM
online to say - value for money
Rishabh
,bangalore, on Oct 22, 2010 08:33 AM
besides,samsung is known r their monotonic design (ugly),fragile phones....so no compromise watsoeva even if they sold galaxy 3 fr 10k..Wildfire hs surprisingly sturdy build and way too many features !!!
Gaurav
,pune, on Oct 31, 2010 09:43 AM
hey..hi i m goin to buy this one in next week...but bit hasitating when i read the above review esp. that resolution stuff....is it that a big problem....so just tell me what abt its text and image blurring part.. :) n yes what are other options for android based cell phones under 16k.....
Awdhesh
,Bangalore, on Oct 14, 2010 07:14 PM
Does HTC Wildfire play all the flash content of web or can the adobe flash player 10 be installed in it ?
vipul mewada
,baroda, on Oct 07, 2010 01:22 PM
whats a latest price of htc wildfire
Ghanshyam
,hyd, on Sep 25, 2010 10:13 PM
Review of galaxy 3
Claus
,Mumbai, on Sep 20, 2010 12:28 PM
I need help.. I have lost my charger while travelling.. does anyone know where I can get one in Mumbai??
Abhi
,New Delhi, on Sep 18, 2010 08:40 PM
I've been using Wildfire for past 1 month and i just love it. It looks beautiful in hands, really sleek and nice to hold. Though u cant compare the screen to AMOLED, its not that big a problem as it is quite bright and clear... What I love about this phone is its social networking capabilities and the way it integrates facebook and twitter with the phonebook. HTC Sense UI and some of the native widgets like weather, messages, clock, friend stream are fun... Its worth the money HTC is charging given that such interface is not available on any of the competing phones in this price bracket
Karan
,Bangalore, on Sep 18, 2010 01:29 PM
Whats the point of discussing this phone!! Go for Samsung wave......!! Definitely The best phone in this range...!! i have used both the phones and believe me... wave is much much ahead of this not so wild extinguished fire... :p be it the Video recording quality, the high resolution screen, touch sensitivity, processor speed, screen resolution.... or just anything!! Samsung wave rocks!! about the OS, BADA is new but it has all the applications that a normal man uses.. just because android boasts off millions of applications, don't take a wrong decision!!
Manivas
,Kakinada, on Sep 18, 2010 02:39 PM
Specs of Samsung Wave are very good, but very common apps like google maps and opera arent avaliable for BADA OS
dude
,kochi, on Sep 18, 2010 04:00 PM
I beg to differ, guy. Opera Mini runs just fine on the Wave. And as for Google Maps... *sigh* Don't put down the Bada OS just like that. 14 million downloads in a year isn't bad at all- that speaks of the support the customers are giving for the platform. I know I would go for the Wave if I had the dough instead of putting down money on any of these half-a$$ed androids of the mid range.
Manivas
,Kakinada, on Sep 18, 2010 05:04 PM
What is the use of a luxurious car (1 Ghz Processor for wave) if its fuel is not available ( no compt. for Bada OS) ? For GPS application Google Maps is the best
dude
,kochi, on Sep 18, 2010 06:21 PM
hmm... i don't really use Google Maps much or any of the gps services in phones... But, there's still a Route 66 nav software in the Wave, right? So, technically, you can't say that this 'car' is without 'fuel'- there's some fuel left, all right. But, not everybody likes Route 66. Still, it's a small blemish in an otherwise flawless package. I believe it's only a matter of time before Gmaps get ported on to Bada- infact, there are some rumors that it's being done.
Karan
,New Delhi, India, on Sep 18, 2010 01:10 PM
And when exactly do we see a Galaxy 3 review? Come on Techtree, there might be people who trust your word on this. You can't have people waiting for reviews more than 2 weeks after a phone's launched to make purchases. Think Film Reviews. Get my point?
Manivas
,Kakinada, on Sep 18, 2010 10:16 AM
This phone is good but the display resolution is very bad (QVGA), i am waiting for Sony Xperia X8, can anyone tell me the release date of Xperia X8
Binga
,Meerut, on Sep 17, 2010 06:25 PM
Hi, Rohan. How do you rate it against SE X10 mini pro?
Rohan
,TechTree, on Sep 18, 2010 09:54 AM
Although of different form factors, they're equal in most of the specs. If you're going to be reading a lot, then I'd prefer the Wildfire simply because of its larger display size over the X10 Mini Pro (despite both sporting the same low QVGA res). If typing (chatting, e-mail) is of prime importance, then the X10 Mini Pro's real keyboard would be a little easier than the HTC's on-screen one. Plus, the camera quality of the Mini Pro is a little better, and you get good pair of earphones in the bundle. The choice is yours
NTH
,New Delhi, on Sep 17, 2010 06:32 PM
for the people who are facing lag, ensure that you dont hav too many applications running at the same time. Wildfire has a 500+ mhz processor with 384mb of ram, so cant support too many applications at the same time. For example: I was using the applications: say my name and call confirm. Everytime a call was received, the phone slowed down as it struggled to provide the call display, picture of the caller, play the ringtone, and speak the name of the caller. ever since i disabled the saymyname app., its been working well. same while calling people, call confirm is used to provide a interface before the number is dialed. It has the option of showing the name and picture of the person you are calling. Ever since i removed the picture and name, the application has been working with any hitch. Another reason for lag is that the htc home screen does take a lot of memory. I switched to a app called launcher pro (free version), wildfire has been with no lag since. Try it. Cheers.
Rohan
,TechTree, on Sep 17, 2010 02:46 PM
If you want to check whether a certain application is compatible on the QVGA display, reply with the name of the app to this comment, and I will check it out and reply back. Do this soon before the Wildfire eventually leaves us.
Claus
,Mumbai, on Sep 17, 2010 05:12 PM
Can you recommend some good applications that you have already tested.. it will be of great help to all of us.. thanks..
Karthi
,Chennai, on Sep 17, 2010 01:37 PM
The Wildfire Qualcomm MSM 7225 528 MHz processor but the Samsung I5800 Galaxy 3 has a 667 MHz processor(God knows based on what architecture). So comparing absolute frequency numbers is kidish unless we certainly know what processor Samsung is using. Its like saying the PhenomII X4 965BE(3.4GHz) is faster than the Core i-7 950(3.06GHz) coz the Phenom has higher clock.
Abhijit
,Pune, on Sep 17, 2010 05:07 PM
Rohan plz post ur views on LGs recent Android based Optimus series of phones.
Anonymous
,bangalore, on Sep 17, 2010 04:53 PM
it would be good if you compare both galaxy 3 and htc wildfire on basis of -price(value for money) -usability -smoothness in operations -battery life and declare a clear winner !!
Amit
,Mumbai, on Sep 17, 2010 04:45 PM
good article keep me posted
dude
,kochi, on Sep 17, 2010 04:20 PM
Pretty sharp review there.. Nicely done indeed. About the size of these new phones, you got a point. The Desire feels far too large to be used comfortably. But these ones in the sub 15K range are just too lukewarm for a power user. Keeping my fingers crossed for the PSP gaming phone in Nov! (Hope it's not vaporware...)
Kidrock
,Mumbai, on Sep 17, 2010 02:46 PM
Hey Rohan just to point out Samsung always messes up with the rams with their phones so the performance is not on par with HTC Wildfire. Just processor is not good enough especially on Eclair. Galaxy 3 has 256mb Ram HTC has 384mb Ram
Rohan
,TechTree, on Sep 17, 2010 03:42 PM
Good point. But we'll have to see with our eyes how good or bad the performance of the Samsung Galaxy 3 is. We hold our comments till then
kshitiz
,bhopal, on Sep 17, 2010 02:15 PM
it would be very nice if you could submit a review of samsung galaxy 3!!!
Rohan
,TechTree, on Sep 17, 2010 02:43 PM
Coming up soon. We're expectedly getting the device any time now.

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