Droid Incredible 2 review

Justin Cauchon May 17, 2011 0

The Droid Incredible 2, the successor to the Droid Incredible, was released on April 28 on the Verizon Wireless network. Manufactured by HTC, the Droid Incredible 2 has a larger display, a front-facing camera, improved speed and capacity, and a newer version of Android than the original Droid Incredible. We have been playing with the Droid Incredible 2 for 0ver two weeks now and are ready to give you our thoughts on it. Hit the jump to check out our full review.

Hardware:


The Droid Incredible 2 is designed with the Droid Incredible in mind. We really like the size of the Incredible 2, the specs are looking like 4.76″ x 2.52″ x 0.48″.  Not only that, but it weighs in at 4.77 oz, slightly heavier than its predecessor. These specs make it very easy to keep in the pocket without adding too much bulk.

The Droid Incredible 2’s screen has been expanded to 4-inches, from 3.7-inch display the first one had. The display is now Super LCD, lacking the AMOLED display that most phones are coming out with now. Regardless, the screen is still very bright and crisp to the naked eye.

Internally, the Droid Incredible 2 is packing a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that will allow for a fast user experience. It comes with 1.1GB of internal user storage where you can keep pictures, songs, etc. However, check your microSD slot for a pre-packages 16GB memory card for even more storage. It is also worth noting that this is a 3G-compatible device and will not work with Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

The front of the phone is rather plain and stealth-like. There is the 4-inch display with touch sensitive buttons on the bottom which allow you to go home, use menus, go back, and search. Right above the screen is your typical Verizon branding with a small 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera next to it. Then right above that, speaker and an LED to let you know you have a notification.

Flip the phone over and you see the terrain-like backing that is reminiscent of the original Droid Incredible. There is an 8-megapixel camera on the top left with a dual-LED flash for low light situations. To the right of the LED flash is a speaker. You will also notice the HTC and “with Google” branding you often see on these types of phones.

The top of the phone has the 3.5mm headphone jack, the power/standby button, and what looks to be a microphone. The right side has the volume toggle and microUSB port. Moving to the bottom of the phone, there is another microphone and a small crease to take the battery cover off.

Software:

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 runs on Google’s Android 2.2.1 Froyo operating system. HTC has added its usual Sense user interface to make it pretty and add some extra features that wouldn’t normally be on Android phones. HTC Sense will add things like Friend Stream (a way to view all your social networks in one widget), Music, Footprints, Stocks, and much more. We are generally a fan of this user interface as it adds some functionality and makes Android easier to navigate.

There are seven home screens that are preloaded with widgets and shortcuts. All of the seven home screens can be customized with different widgets, apps, and folders. HTC has added an interesting new feature called “Scenes,” which allows for pre-customized displays for different needs. These scenes are: Verizon, HTC, Social, Work, Play, and Travel. As an example, the Social scene has the FriendStream widget on the home screen and the other home screens are also customized for social needs.

Verizon is infamous for preloading a bunch of apps on its Android phones that can not be removed. As expected, these are also on the Droid Incredible 2. Some are pretty useful, like Mobile Hotspot and Skype, but others may not be as useful. Here is what we have for preloaded apps: 3G Mobile Hotspot, Adobe Reader, Backup Assistant, Blockbuster, City ID, Flashlight, FM Radio, Amazon Kindle, Let’s Golf 2, Mobile IM, My Verizon Mobile, NFL Mobile, Need for Speed Shift, Quickoffice, Skype Mobile, Slacker Radio, an assortment of VCAST apps, and VZ Navigator.

Camera:


The HTC Droid Incredible 2 has a 8-megapixel back facing camera with a dual-LED flash. This camera will also take HD 720p video. We found the quality of both to be pretty impressive for a mobile phone. The Droid Incredible 2 also has a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for self-shots or video calling. The quality on this was okay as expected.

Battery:

The battery on the Droid Incredible 2 is good for a smartphone, as it should be. As a 3G smartphone, the battery is not going to suck up a lot of the power like the 4G HTC Thunderbolt did. It has a 1450 mAh battery that should likely last you throughout the day with moderate use.

Conclusion:

Overall, the HTC Droid Incredible 2 is a good choice for a smartphone. It is lacking 4G, which will be the future of wireless soon, but you save yourself the trouble of battery issues by going 3G. The phone itself is good quality and small enough for new smartphone users to enjoy. In a world where oversized smartphones are taking over the marketplace, the Droid Incredible 2 is the perfect size for those looking for a smaller phone. As your typical Android smartphone with HTC Sense UI over it, the Droid Incredible 2 doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Those looking for the latest and greatest may want to look toward phones with AMOLED displays and dual-core processors. However, for the price and size, this is a great smartphone.

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