Review: HTC Rezound for Verizon Wireless
The HTC Rezound carries forward design language that HTC and Verizon have used on previous devices, with a matte black finish and red accents. The front face is a bit on the staid side and the device is slightly thicker than I'd like a phone to be, but the overall look of the phone is pleasing and not altogether boring.
It feels great in the hand, thanks to the soft-touch battery cover and well-rounded edges. The quality of the materials (plastic and glass) is excellent, and the fit and finish of the manufacturing is very good. The pieces fit well and everything about the Rezound feels tight. I expect nothing less from a high-end HTC handset. It'll fit into your pocket, but those with tight jeans may have trouble with it. Also, the matte/soft-touch battery cover tends to get caught on the fabric if your pocket, making it difficult to retrieve without showing off your Hoover Flags.
The face of the Rezound stands apart from most other Android phones thanks to some very subtle design cues. First, the earpiece speaker grate is a thin red sliver of material at the very top of the phone. It's hard to see, but flashes out at you every so often when it catches some light. Second, the capacitive Android controls at the bottom of the screen are red, not white. OK, ok, not the biggest deal in the world, but a nice touch just the same.
The micro-USB port is on the bottom of the left side of the phone. It can be used with a normal microUSB cable for charging and data transfer, as well as be used with an MHL HDMI cable for connecting to HDTVs. I like that HTC used the MHL standard to roll them into one port, instead of two.
The volume toggle is on the right side of the Rezound, and it has to be the absolute worst button ever produced by HTC. It's too flush with the edge, making it almost impossible to find. Worse, it has the mushiest travel and feedback of any button I've ever pressed. It truly is terrible. Ditto for the all-important power/screen lock button on the top of the Rezound. I am actually shocked at how poorly these two buttons function. The 3.5mm headset jack is where HTC typically puts it, on the top surface.
The battery cover takes some work to pry off, but you'll be rewarded once it is removed with a neat-o transparent inner surface that is colored red. I like that HTC does this. Sure, you won't see it 99% of the time you use the phone, but its cool that HTC sometimes pays attention to little details like this that give phones a bit more personality.
The bad news is that the memory card can't be removed lest you first remove the battery. Boo, HTC; you guys know better than that.
HTC Rezound Brings Beats Audio to Verizon Wireless
HTC Rezound
