Review: HTC Rhyme for Verizon Wireless
The Rhyme's lavender color is really nice, but I don't see too many dudes going for it. Color aside, the Rhyme has a somewhat vanilla design as far as HTC devices are concerned. It is plain looking, with conservative lines. Even so, it feels great in the hand, and the materials and quality of construction is top notch as always.
The battery cover has a soft-touch finish, and it feels really nice in the hand. I like that the edges are rounded in shape. I find it to be just the right weight. It's not heavy, but not so insubstantial as to feel cheap.
The display is large without being obnoxious. There are four capacitive buttons along the bottom of the screen. These four buttons offer the faintest haptic feedback imaginable. I liked it.
The left edge has only the microUSB port tucked close to the bottom. It's covered with absolutely the most annoying hatch I've ever encountered. First, it's difficult to pry open. Second, the plastic tether that keeps the hatch connected to the phone slides upward, effectively covering the port itself. You have to bend the hatch backward at a crazy angle in order to get the microUSB cable in. Further, the cable does not fit securely in the port. It became disconnected easily, which makes using the phone while charging a nightmare. (Other reviewers have noted no problems with the port on their review units, so it's possible Phone Scoop got a bum unit.)
The volume toggle is on the right side. It presents just enough of a profile so that your fingers can find it. The action was acceptable.
A physical camera key on the side would be nice, but HTC declined to include one. Along the top, HTC has positioned the 3.5mm headset jack for stereo headphones and a power/lock key. The power key is just about perfect. It's large enough to find it easily, and travel and feedback were spot on.
Once the battery cover is removed, users can access the memory card slot next to the battery. Want to pull the battery? You're out of luck. It is sealed into the phone, and cannot be removed. That's a major design no-no as far as I am concerned. Forget about carrying a second battery for watching movies on that long flight, or replacing the battery in a year and half when it can't hold a charge as well.
HTC Rhyme for Verizon Focuses On Usability and Reason
HTC Rhyme
