Good news,
Android fans! HTC's
Aria -- arguably the first Google-fied phone on AT&T worth caring about -- is seemingly slipping onto carrier floors a few days early. As the story goes, the Sense-equipped, Android 2.1-powered handset was supposed to go on sale this Sunday, but based on these unboxing shots from a giddy tipster, it's clearly ready to be procured early in some locations. Still unsure if it's worth your $129.99 on contract? Have a peek at
our review right here.
Update: We're also hearing through the grapevine that these are in stock in certain Best Buy Mobile locations.
[Thanks, Travis]
posted June 18th 2010 1:04PM
It ain't gonna be slippin' into my pocket any time soon, that's for sure.
@Jake Root
The iPhone 4 is already in my hands (theoretically speaking), No other HTC phone will change my mind.
Though to be fair, I was going to get the Evo 4G, but it isnt (and probably wont in a while) available in CANADA.
@uckApple Exactly what I meant.
@Jake Root
I'm sure it won't, but to the uninformed teenager/tech savvy person that wants something that they think can compete with the iPhone at a slightly lower price will jump at this opportunity (sadly enough).
@uckApple
Not even a WHITE evo?
@Jake Root
I honestly do not like carrier exclusivity in the USA. If anything it should be like six months or something. But to each his own. I personally would not buy a smartphone on at&t. I used to love them but now they seem only geared towards iPhone. I love iPhone but i want more choices. I have a dumphone with at&t until something better comes out for another carrier. This makes me sad because I have been a customer since the rokr came out (remember that back in 2006, that was my first phone).
@Mike Vick
If you aren't tied to AT&T, then you go where? T-Mobile? Moot point until LTE is everwhere for voice and data. Tie me to AT&T for now and I don't care as I have no where else to go.
@Mike Vick
I know what you mean ATT been too iPhone centric for my liking. I was this close to switching this weekend but the samsung captivate just save there butts. the only reason I'm staying with ATT is because i have a family plan that's no more expensive than other carriers and love the ability the swap phones out. Otherwise i would have left for sprint when the EVO dropped.
And the garbage conveyor just keeps on a-churnin' 'em out...
@ddddd
Best phone that you've never owned and probably never used in person.
Yeah, right.
@Jake Root.... sup man i was singing the same song untill i stubled upon this video. check it out and then tell me what you think. aria bested the evo4g droid and nexus one in 3d benchmarking. and the aria runs at 60 fps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKJhpioh51k
@Alexandertron
They're all running much higher resolutions than the Aria which only wins in two of the tests within the margin of error, plus the Evo's 30fps cap. It's no slouch though.
Good advice
@Physicsguy89 Yes but with Voice to Text you don't really need to look at your screen as much. Makes life much easier.
"Still unsure if it's worth your $129.99 on contract? Have a peek at our review right here. "
Spoiler alert: it's not.
@Araman Well, if you were to not like Apple that much and absolutely love Google, it's only $30 more than an iPhone 3GS 8gb. I'd prefer this over that personally.
@Jake Root If you hate Apple and love Google/Android, then you really shouldn't be looking at AT&T as your network of choice in the U.S., with the other 3 having much better offerings in the Android camp.
@Araman
Some of us are stuck on AT&T due to family plans or corporate discount plans.
@jroff Then get a Nexus One! :)
@Araman
It's not subsidized, many of us are not willing to shell out 500+ for a phone.
@Araman
Nexus One is Edge only on AT&T. No 3G is brutal. Had to use the Pre Mobile Hotspot to make the Nexus One useful on AT&T. There are no options fo Droid on AT&T until later this year.
@Araman Why is it if you get something else you "hate" Apple? I've had a variety of smart phones, ranging from Symbian, to Windows Mobile, and (current) iPhone. I don't hate Symbian or Microsoft because I currently have an iPhone, and if I get something else to replace my 3g, that doesn't mean that I hate Apple. There are too many charged words floating around, though, sadly, it seems many people are this emotional about their consumer electronics. It's a phone FFS, and Apple is a large corporation that sells you stuff, not a religion, political party, or sports team.
@mineral Then you should have bought the Nexus One with AT&T 3G bands.
@mineral
"Nexus One is Edge only on AT&T"
No it's not... where do you get that from? Google makes a T-Mobile and AT&T version for 3G on either network.
@jroff
Like me on both counts.
@dan828 Uhh dan, your hatred is misplaced towards me, I was replying to someone else who was claiming android in place of apple if you don't like apple's phone. Sheesh, hostile much?
@Araman I'm sticking with Ma Bell because I've been with them for 15 years. I'm paying $150 a month for two iPhone 3GSs with unlimited text, talk, data, the whole nine yards. Yes, unlimited data-they let me keep it because I'm "loyal".
@2gooder It comes from when initially the Nexus was for sale, it it only had t-mobile bands, but you could get it to run on AT&T without 3G. The AT&T 3G version came out later, he's just behind the times.
@jroff Did you know that AT&T gives THE worst corp discounts of any carrier? Sprint giving the most, Verizon second then AT&T. AT&T rips people off on the corp discounts, not only to they give a lower percent than other providers..they take the discount only on the base price of the plan and none of the features. Sprint & Verizon takes it off the everything. AT&T corp discounts are a ripoff, period
@parabol46
You do realize that is incorrect. They take it off all features on the main line such as family texting and any feature 30 or more. It is the exact same discounting programming verizon runs. Just like they have the exact same pricing to a T. Go look it up if you do not believe it.
Well its a start for AT&T, Nexus one is still a better option IMO
Loving my EVO and true data plan though.
I hope Sprint gets HTC to make them a handset like this on Virgin Mobile to put At&t to shame.
Thanks for that tip on texting and driving, AT&T, but based on your service I don't think we'd be able to pull that off anyway.
For you buys/gals with the negative opinion about this phone: Is it the phone, or is it because of AT&T?
@crob It's AT&T's crippling of the software. The phone itself is boss.
@crob - Gotta agree with Darren here. The phone itself, like most of HTC's masterpieces, is really quite nice. What AT&T does with Android phones (in terms of locking out app side-loading and pricing) is the issue here.
I meant GUYS NOT BUYS jeez.
TXTING & DRIVING... IT CAN WAIT ?? Shouldn't it say - txting and driving - don't do it LOL
Anyways, this phone is totally underwhelming for mid-2010. I'm holding out for the 4.4" 1280x720 Gingerbread Motorola-made Nexus Two coming out in 6 months or so.
@Yankee
Yah really, it sounds like "take your time setting up this phone, you can get behind the wheel later - THEN text with abandon!"
AT&T is (once again) making it very clear that they have absolutely zero interest in Android... thank goodness for the (more reliable) US carriers who recognize the platform's excellence.
Maybe it's time for Google/Android to reciprocate the sentiment rather than risk tarnishing the brand with these half-arsed efforts?
@DaHarder More like HTC couldn't care less about this phone as long as AT&T pays them.
@pika2000
Clearly, because HTC owns the operating system, right?
@jroff Does AT&T make the phone? Does AT&T make the Android OS? If Android phones sux on AT&T, blame it on the manufactures that are bending over letting AT&T screw things up.
At&t just doesn't care at this point haha
Too bad... I guess this was what was going to be the rumored HD Mini for AT&T (yes... I still cling to WinMo).
But even if it was... Jobs has successfully hypnotized me after 4 years of trying. It's that PDE inside of me he sold to.
Bets on over/under for 720p screened mobile phone?
Does AT&T get charged by the letter for those texting/driving sheets?
Nice looking phone !
like the Sprint Hero SHOULD have looked if the IDIOTS at Sprint
hadn't HOSED it
Well, I was able to get Full Flash going on the Aria and it is working great. By far the snappiest Android device that I've used. As far as crippling goes, you can't install non-market apps OTA, but if you read engadget I am sure you know how to side load it through a pc or Mac.
@kirbo20
Hey, since you have one, can you do us all a favor and check if there is any way you can actually get live wallpapers working? I heard it doesn't come with any pre-loaded, but what happens when you download one from the app market?
@jroff It's not preloaded. I will see what I can find out over at XDA.