HTC Desire launches today
Filed under: Android, gadgets and gizmos, HTC, lifestyle, mobile internet, mobile phone, smart phones, Telstra Desire
Hi everyone,
Just letting you know that we have accelerated the launch of HTC Desire by about a week – with the new smartphone available from select T[life] stores as of today.
We brought the launch forward to meet really strong consumer interest.
The early launch actually means Australians will be the first in Asia-Pacific to experience this breakthrough smartphone – which is great news for our customers.
Telstra’s flagship T[life] stores in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth will be the first to stock the new smartphone
Telstra stores and dealers across Australia will receive deliveries of the HTC Desire progressively through the week with most stores expected to have stock by Friday ahead of the long weekend.
Customers can also immediately purchase the smartphone online at Telstra.com and have the smartphone delivered direct.
The other piece of news is that we have extended our agreement with HTC to offer HTC Desire exclusively in Australia. It will now be available exclusively to our customers for six months (up from three months).
Looking forward to hearing from people as they get their hands on our first Android and put it through its paces.
Regards,
Richard Fink
Pricing & Availability
or initially from three T[life] stores:
- T[life] Sydney – 400 George Street Sydney, NSW, 2000.
- T[life] Melbourne – 246 Bourke Street (Cnr Swanston & Bourke) Melbourne, VIC, 3000.
- T[life] Perth – 667-669 Hay Street Mall, Perth, WA, 6000.
Update 1 May: GPS software on HTC Desire
On Friday evening HTC and Telstra released software that enables GPS functionality on the HTC Desire smartphone. The software update also introduces a new feature to the HTC Desire – voice search. For details see: HTC Desire GPS software released, Voice Search added
Update 27 April: HTC and Telstra have been made aware of an issue relating to the GPS function on the HTC Desire smartphone in Australia.
After investigating customer reports we have found that the software for this feature was set up incorrectly. The device’s GPS hardware is not affected and will operate once a software update is made.
We are working as quickly as possible to finalise the software update and to make it available to customers. We expect to release the update this week. Telstra and HTC apologise for any inconvenience or frustration this may have caused.
Very Nice phone.. Like it very much. But a Trifle expensive.. For Basic $85 pm + , i would have expected a much bigger data allocation. Instead, i would have to add a $59 1gig data pack to it. Even the $110 plan only has 150mb data..
If money is no Object, then fine, go for it, but for the masses, be prepared for some pain.
Does anyone know how to sign up for this on a Business $65 plan ? I’ve tried by phone but keep getting shuffled back and forth between business and personal
Hello Drew. Sorry you were shuffled about today on the phone. I have a couple of leads for you. You can submit your enquiry via the Telstra Business Support form
or you can LiveChat with a business consultant online: http://www.telstra.com/business/chat (between 9am-5pm EST)
I hope this helps you
Brendan
Drew
Just call 13 2000 and order it over the phone. I did so this morning with ETA Friday. Not quite as convenient as ordering online but painless enough and you get the phone on a business plan with (a little) data included.
K
I’ve been hanging for this phone since the spec’s were leaked a while back. I’m extremely disappointed that Telstra is exclusively releasing a smart phone of this caliber with such a low data cap. I am now unfortunately going to have to wait until October before any competitors have a chance to sell it with in a decent package.
Can you use the phone on any network if you buy it outright? or is it locked?
Thanks Brendan,
The guys in Melbourne are looking after it now, it seems I’m on the “wrong” billing system and need to get my account moved then they’ll be able to sort me out.
Hi Drew. Glad to hear you have been looked after. Have a great long weekend.
Brendan
Shmayyn, Yes if you don’t want to use the high speed internet access feature. I asked that today and was very disappointed. The phone is lock to the NextG frequency and therefore they have blocked the 900Mhz frequency on the phone.
I’m dissapointed that I will now have to wait 6 months instead of 3 to get this awesome phone with a decent priced plan with a decent data package. 150mb is a joke.
I would have be happy to buy it outright if it didnt come preloaded with all the Telstra apps (foxtel etc) that cant be removed from the phone (only the home screen).
I’m sure this is going to convince a lot more people to import the phone from overseas.
Like many, I have been wanting to get my hands on one since I read the release notice from MWC 2010. Well today I saw one and played with it at the Melbourne CBD T-Life store. However, I am gutted to learn tonight that the exclusive period has been extended to 6 months. Although the NextG network might by slightly better than the Optus and Vodafone networks and better coverage, why would I pay a 40% price premium for an inferior unlimited plan plus have to put the 3rd worst customer service in Australia (after Three and another even smaller telco). Sorry Telstra, as it will take a much better deal that your current offers to get me back to Telsta for a 3rd time. I’ll just wait for Optus or Vodafone to get it
Its a pitty that the staff in my local t life store think the release is the 28th and then they say it doesnt really matter when its released as they have no stock and dont know when they will. Great launch
Hi Tom, Thanks for the feedback. Would you mind telling me what T [life] store you are referring to so I can follow this up.
Cheers, Brendan
anything involves Telstra products is going to cost you an arm and a leg.
I picked up my HTC Desire on last Wednesday and had a bit of a time to play around with it over the long weekend.
This is a fabulous smartphone and the best I have ever seen. It beats iPhone in so many ways…
HTC Desire is a perfect marriage between mobile and web..
I would like to congratulate Telstra for bringing this phone to Australia as a superphone like this is well matched for superoir network like Next G.
My experience will be ‘complele’ once Telstra start supporting Microsoft Exchange Active Sync for this phone so that I can get my work emails etc on this great phone.
I bought it last Wednesday, now trying to source a case with a belt clip, pity the accessories were not available on the release date, a number of accessory stores have told me it will be available next week. I know I can order it on line but I want to see it before I buy so I know it meets my requirement. Great phone however.
Got one from the T Life store in CBD on Tuesday. Has been a while since I have purchased a new phone, having been still using a GSM phone old Nokia.
Well, I must say I am blown away on all levels. Number one, the staff and service at the T Life store was fantastic, I was made to feel very comfortable, not rushed, and every detail was explained to me explicitly.
I love this phone, its’ features, the speed surfing the NET thanks to Next G, and even just browsing and using the phones own applications is amazing. Well done Telstra ! and Great work HTC on a fantastic phone and the Android team for an amazing operating system.
Any update on when the GPS software bug will be fixed on HTC Desire?
Just reading a few of the comments and agree its a great phone. I have heard that Telstra are changing their plans so i have decided to wait until the 11th to reveiw whats is available then.
One comment that concererned me is that Telstra does not support Active Sync or MS exchange. Many of my collegues at work are on the Telsta Network and they get their emails. How are they doing it. I am currently on a BLKberry and emails is a must.
Can someone confirm that i will be able to get me work emails.
Hi John, I Have an answer for you from products team. “The HTC Desire supports Microsoft Exchange so it makes for a solid business phone too.” Cheers, Brendan
Yes a nice phone,but when you download wallpaper .where does it go.I have dowloaded 6 time and no one can help me.or tell me where i can find it.
.
I have now been able to connect to my work e-mail/contacts and Calendar via Exchange Active Sync and it’s working well…
First you need to setup the APN and then get server details, domain name from your IT guys to be able to connect to your work Exchange server
I am very happy announce that my HTC Desire is all I need for work and play…
I don’t get why HTC would want to limit sales of this phone by exclusively allowing only Telstra to sell it for the first 6 months???? surely given most peoples disgust with Telstra they are shooting themselves in the foot?? Get the damn phone out there on all networks and let the people choose what Telco they want. (BTW I am aware that you can buy it outright and from O/S, but I don’t want the Telstra branding and I want a p
Now this is annoying. I either wait another 3 months to get it unlocked, or buy an iPhone 4 instead. Or maybe a Nokia N900.
I have a Android Developer Phone 2 (Google Ion = HTC Magic). I purchased the version with 850MHz radio so it could theoretically work on the NextG network. CSIRO is investigating mobile telephone based sensor networking. Unfortunately, I cannot figure out how to get the phone to allow the 850MHz radio be used for 3G data communications. I was wondering if Richard Fink could put me in touch with somebody in his department who can advise us?
The HTC Desire is great, the only thing frustrating me is a lack of 2.2. Surely this must be ready for release soon for an OTA update?
Way to go Telstra for ruining a great phone for everyone by ensuring it has a monopoly on the sale of it. Telstra can not be competitive with the other telcos so instead they rail road people into buying their products wth these ‘exclusivity’ deals with manufacturers. Telstra if you had competively priced mobile plans you would not need to do this. There’s only one way for Telstra’s share price and it ain’t up! But good luck!
I just picked up a Desire on a $49 cap, porting my number over from 3. When you consider how much better their network coverage is (the reason I left 3 halfway through a contract) I fail to see how Telstra isn’t being competitive with their pricing now-a-days, especially with the half-price data offer currently on with a few of their smartphone offerings?
I have just been traveling around Malaysia with my Telstra HTC Desire. I used a Celcom Sim with and unlimitted data package. Best ever idea as google maps saved my bacon several times with the local taxi drivers taking us for an extended ride
Please Telstra can you advise when the 2.2 Froyo update will be relesed – it is so much better and has heaps of new features. Please don’t keep us in the dark about this update. Cheers Shane
I’m with you Shane.. I find it utterly infuriating that Telstra are flat out ignoring peoples requests for updates on Froyo. I find it amazing that phones such as the HD2 (a windows mobile phone!) are able to run Froyo before the actual phones it was designed for!! Its been rolled out almost everywhere else in the world, how hard can it be for you jokers to cram your pointless bloatware shortcuts into the rom and roll it out.
I really wanted to have faith that they would come through but I guess it really isn’t a great shock they’ve let customers down.. again. Worse still I highly doubt anyone from Telstra will even read this much less give a sh*t.
Oh well.. off to flash Froyo for myself I guess.
Richard, Surely as Director Device Management & Operations you are able to fill us in on when or maybe if Android 2.2 (Froyo) will be released for the HTC Desire.
I have become increasingly frustrated trying to find out this information from Telstra.
The only clue found anywhere was on Andrew Volards Exchange blog on 15th September: “I can confirm that we’re set to introduce Android 2.2 (aka FroYo) within the next four weeks”.
4 weeks is up!
Please let us know what is happening.
I think i’ll just pay out my contract, sell the desire and go on contract with vodafone or whoever else gets the desire HD.. I’m over Telstra not giving a damn about their customers
Android 2.2 Group release… Telstra has indicated/hinted imminent release for HTC Desire. Any update on status? I do not intend to bypass Telstra release but wearing of delay!
This may be a stupid quesiton, but does telstra allow phones to be unlocked for a fee?