One Year Later, Droid Incredible Gets a Minor Upgrade
Posted in: Android, droid, Phones, smartphone, Today's Chili
HTC’s latest Android phone, the Droid Incredible 2, becomes available on April 28. Photo courtesy of Verizon Wireless
Almost a year to the day after HTC launched its Droid Incredible smartphone, a successor to the throne arises.
On Tuesday morning, HTC and Verizon announced the debut of the Droid Incredible 2 on Verizon’s network. The phone will hit the shelves on April 28.
The Incredible 2 isn’t straying too far from its predecessor in features: It will have a similar 1-GHz Snapdragon processor (though with a second-generation core), the same 8-megapixel camera shooting 720p HD video, and will run on the same Android version 2.2 (Froyo) as the first Incredible. 3G mobile hotspot connectivity supports a data connection for up to five devices at once.
To be fair, there are a few new hardware perks the Incredible 2 offers that the first generation doesn’t have. DLNA compatibility on the camera means you can stream videos wirelessly to compatible devices, which is always nice. The front-facing 1.3-megapixel video camera allows for video chat, and the new display is bigger, at 4 inches instead of the former phone’s 3.7 inches. And instead of the 512 MB of ram in the first generation phone, the Incredible 2 comes with 768 MB.
There’s one strong selling point for potential buyers who travel internationally: The Incredible 2 is global ready. Verizon claims the phone will run in over 200 countries.
HTC’s original Droid Incredible garnered considerable praise (including ours) upon its release in April of 2010. Critics lauded the phone’s 1-GHz processor, which was at the top of its class in power at the time. But coming out with the sequel a year later with much of the same hardware, it’s difficult to see why new smartphone buyers wouldn’t choose a recent, more powerful dual-core processor release. And with HTC’s Thunderbolt able to access Verizon’s super-speedy 4G network, the Incredible 2’s 3G radio is looking somewhat pale in comparison.
The phone will be available beginning April 28 for $200 with a two-year Verizon contract.
Post a Comment