I’ve been an Android fan for years now, but the latest crop of Android smartphones released this fall had left me feeling decidedly underwhelmed. It seemed as though every single big-name Android device to get released over the past couple of months has had some serious flaw that has kept me from taking the plunge. Motorola’s Droid RAZR M looks like a terrific device, but I really have my heart set on having a quad-core processor and the RAZR M only has a dual-core. The Nexus 4 seemed like it would be the clear choice until I discovered that it lacked LTE connectivity. As for Samsung’s (005930) Galaxy Note II, well, it’s just too big. I know, lots of people like phablets, but they just aren’t for me.
But with HTC’s (2498) new DROID DNA, and it looks like I may have finally found a phone that, Goldilocks-style, does everything juuuuust right. Keep in mind it will be impossible for me to make a definitive judgement on the device until I actually use it myself, but BGR’s hands-on preview of the phone made me very optimistic. Why, you ask? A few reasons:
- It has LTE. If I were a T-Mobile or an AT&T (T) subscriber, I could probably live with the Nexus 4’s lack of LTE connectivity because I’d at least have access to those carriers’ acceptably fast HSPA+ networks. But I’m a Verizon (VZ) subscriber and since the Nexus 4 also lacks compatibility with Verizon’s CDMA-based 3G network, there’s no way I could use it without switching carriers. The DROID DNA solves this problem pretty easily for me since it not only has LTE connectivity but is a Verizon exclusive.
- The specs are terrific. Yes, I know that specs aren’t everything and that user experience is ultimately what makes a great smartphone. That said: The specs here still look fantastic. We’re talking a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 2GB of RAM and NFC connectivity. Oh, and it comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to boot so I won’t have to wait around for months on end trying to figure out when I’ll have access to Google Now.
- HTC needs some love. No, taking pity on a company is never a good reason to buy one of their products. But HTC really doesn’t deserve the pummeling in the markets that it’s received over the past year. The company’s One series devices were very good and I will always have a soft spot for the company that released the first-ever Android smartphone.
As I said before, I won’t know for certain if the DROID DNA is right for me until I try it out for myself. But all the early indications are that this device could finally give me the satisfaction that countless other Android phones released this fall have failed to deliver.
