HTC Wildfire S

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Following hot on the heels of the excellent Desire S, the Wildfire S is HTC’s attempt to win the hearts and minds of mid-range smartphone buyers after the popular but flawed original.

Although last year’s Wildfire model was a pleasingly compact challenger with a price tag that made it agreeable to mobile misers the world over, its awkward screen resolution prevented it from being compatible with many apps and games, resulting in something of a wasted opportunity.
HTC's making no such mistakes with this sequel, although it’s worth bearing in mind that its aspirations are a little more modest than those of the dual-core superphones currently hitting the market. Modest mobile

For starters, you’ll only find a 600MHz CPU inside that tiny frame – an improvement over the 528MHz variant seen in the original, but a long way away from the quad-core Tegra 3 that's rumoured to be powering the next Nexus device.

The screen size remains unchanged at 3.2 inches, but it’s showcasing a higher resolution that makes it more inviting for the host of excellent apps and games that now populate the densely packed Android Market. To top it off, the inclusion of Android 2.3 – also known as Gingerbread - aids overall compatibility.

However, despite the fact that the Wildfire S is running the latest editions of Google’s OS and HTC’s much-loved Sense UI, some features made possible by 2.3 are missing.

There’s no video calling, as the Wildfire S lacks that all-important front-facing camera, and the absence of a Near-Field Communication chip removes the chance to use your handset for contactless payments (when they eventually become commonplace in the UK, that is).

The tech that the Wildfire S does have is packed into a diminutive frame, making this one of the smallest Android phones we’ve seen since the bite-sized T-Mobile Pulse Mini.

As a gaming platform, the Wildfire S is respectable rather than mind-blowing. The phone’s last-gen processor counts against it, and complicated 3D games either run slowly or refuse to run at all.

Even 2D classics such as Angry Birds and Doodle Jump are subject to jerky performance, although they’re still perfectly enjoyable.

Ultimately, though, the Wildfire S is aimed squarely at those who don’t want cutting-edge technology but rather a device which is a cut above the bargain basement PAYG offerings that clutter the lower end of the mobile spectrum.

The inclusion of HTC Sense and the upgraded screen resolution help make this phone a real joy to use, and this goodwill does much to smooth over the cracks made by the occasionally uneven performance and stutters that occur between app transitions.

Should you find yourself saddled with smartphone envy but don't possess the bottomless pockets required to join the ranks of the Android aristocracy, then this mid-range marvel may just fit the bill – as long as you can forgive its shortcomings.