HTC Inspire 4G Review

Now that AT&T has lost its exclusive grip on the Apple iPhone in the US, the company is looking to attract new customers by jumping on the Android bandwagon. The wireless carrier has landed two of the most anticipated Android devices of early 2011 - the Motorola Atrix 4G and the HTC Inspire 4G. While labeling these devices “4G” is a bit of stretch, both are high-powered smartphones that will fuel AT&T’s Android mission.

The HTC Inspire 4G combines the best qualities of my two favorite HTC devices from 2010, the HTC EVO 4G and the Google Nexus One. The design is also very similar to the new HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon. However, the distinguishing factor of the Inspire is that it costs a lot less than all of its high-powered Android cousins, all of which retailed for $200 or more at launch. AT&T is launching the Inspire at $99 in order to win over more Android fans to its network.

Here’s my look at how the Inspire measures up.

Specifications

• Carrier: AT&T Wireless
• OS: Android 2.2 (Froyo), and HTC Sense UI
• Processor: 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon (QSD8255)
• RAM: 768MB
• Storage: 4GB internal, 8GB microSD (expandable up to 32GB)
• Display: 4.3-inch WVGA with 800×480 resolution
• Battery: Lithium-ion with 1230 mAh capacity
• Ports: micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack
• Weight: 5.78 ounces
• Dimensions: 4.8 x 2.7 x 0.46 inches
• Camera: 8MP with auto-focus, dual LED flash, and HD video capture
• Sensors: Accelerometer, A-GPS, digital compass, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor
• Keyboard: Virtual QWERTY
• Networks: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, HSPA+ 850/1900 MHz
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1
• Tethering: USB + mobile Wi-Fi hotspot
• Price: $99 (with 2-year contract)