Extremely Capable at Price Point August 14, 2011

Reviewer:  Dane Carbaugh  (Oregon) -

The HTC Inspire is a great phone at only $100 in many places, well worth the price with the exception of a few negligible details and quirks. I'd recommend purchasing it.

--

Use
The Android Market is easy to use and once you have your applications organized it's fairly simple. One of the most enjoyable features is the search function, which is one of the four main buttons on the front of the phone (the others being 'Home' 'Menu' and 'Back'). In almost every application or setting you can hit the search button to immediately query the phone or program for an item or function you're looking to do. Very handy.

If I had one large complaint about the HTC Inspire 4G it would be the keyboard function. When trying to place a cursor between areas of text to select or copy, the magnify function -- that makes it so you can place the cursor directly, much like an iPhone or myriad other smart phones -- often ends up magnifying the text downwards instead of upwards. This means that it appears under your finger and you cannot see what you're trying to get at. It's very awkward and clumsy to use at times. What it really does is slow you down and make you try to type texts and social media updates correctly the first time lest you have to go back and fix them.

The phone also comes with a few select built-in applications that are all but worthless, including a few games and services that require ongoing fees should you choose to subscribe to them. I've yet to find a way to delete some of them without coming across some kind of error message. It's easy to live with every day. It fits into my front pocket without making me look too silly since it's so enormous. I'm not hiding it from anyone, but it's not like having a brick in your pocket.

Battery
Battery life is acceptable: After a night of charging, being unplugged from 8AM to 10PM each day, with heavy usage for three-to-four hours a day, the battery will start to die sometime around 9PM. It's not going to blow you away with its reliability but it won't leave you in the dark either. I'm a heavy user and I wear it out just about every day, which is what I'd expect considering it has such a giant screen.

Camera
The camera function leaves much to be desired. In comparison to an iPhone 3GS, the HTC Inspire does quite poorly in low-light or even a well-lit incandescent setting. You must be in either a well-lit, outdoor setting or use the flash. Having said that, it does try to compensate by having white balance features and some very Instagram-ish artsy settings that create finished-looking photos. The camera does produce incredibly high quality photos. Unless you're going to be taking a lot of moon-phase portraits, I wouldn't worry about the lack of low light performance.

Customization
Settings for colors and sounds are plenty and won't leave new users wanting. You can specify just about anything you need on the phone including sounds, colors, views, themes and skins.

Screen
It has a nice, crisp, large screen that has a great array of colors and blacks. Customization is fairly easy and the animations between screens is up-to-date. The touch screen is responsive without seeming overly deadened or sensitive.

Applications
The Android Market is stocked with everything you need. If you're an iPhone user looking to make the move but aren't sure about applications available, don't worry. As a former iPhone user I promise you the Android Market has everything you've come to expect from Apple. I also enjoy some of the built-in applications, including the Friend Stream function, which lets you administer your social network with a middling amount of depth.

--

Overall, the HTC Inspire is a very comparable phone to the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4. If you're making the switch from Apple you may find the menus for each item less than standardized, with some applications requiring additional clicks of the 'Menu' button or otherwise. The text-magnify function is a little odd, but it just makes you type slower and with more care so you don't have to use it. At $100, the phone is an absolute steal. If you're looking for a cheap smartphone that is of high quality, the HTC Inspire is the best choice.

Pros:
-Large screen
-Easy to use
-Largely customizable
-High definition camera
-Good applications

Cons:
-Middling battery life
-Poor camera performance in low light settings
-Infuriating type-magnifying function

Great looking device. Case Accessories and Battery issue stop from giving it full Star Rating June 2, 2011

Reviewer:  Paracelsus  (Jersey City, New Jersey) -

I recently purchased the Inspire 4G - and its a beauty to behold. This is a powerful phone with great pre-loaded applications. The phone itself is extremely lightweight and feels robust at the same time.
The massive 4.3 inch screen satisfies and it has excellent outer covering aesthetics.

The phone gives support for replacing batteries (just pop open a removal hatch at the back, replace your batter and you're good to go!). This is a huge step up from the stuck-with-one-battery with the iphone.

However, there are a few annoyances that stop from giving a terrific rating.
The single biggest issue is with the battery. The battery performance is quite poor - forcing you to recharge every other day. I use the phone leniently - yet the battery discharges extremely quickly - even with bluetooth, GPS , Wifi switched off!!

Another difficulty I faced is with finding appropriate accessories!! The biggest problem is finding a carrying belt pouch - that conforms to the phone design. If you're like me- and like to keep the phone protected by covering it with a silica gel or plastic covering - good luck in trying to find a suitable belt case that will accommodate the casing!! Iphone cases and pouches have no issues accommodating "covered" iphones!!
Another troubling thing is - none of the cases I see have a slot for the earphone jack. The only option is for you to find a belt pouch that has an open top so you can insert the phone upside down just to get access to the jack!!!

Other than these few gripes - the phone itself is a marvel!!!

Simply HTCmazing May 6, 2011

Reviewer:  mark 

i been an htc user ever since 8125 came out. i got the 8125 2 years after it came out and it lasted me 5 years or more. what can i say its my fault that i broke that phone. but i couldve kept it alive if i were to take better care of it. now this phone THE HTC INSPIRE. just like bruno mars song just the way you are. INSPIRE IS AMAZING JUST THE WAY IT IS. I call this the iPhone killer simply coz i hate iphones every since then. the iPhone4 was ok but not too thrilled about it. i had the htc tilt 2 on sight until i found this phone for a good price. instead of buying the tilt 2 which is more for business ppl i was like, i dont need that this fits me and its HTC the best smartphone pda cellphone maker out there.

pro's: everything from features to camera to apps and all that other good stuff.

con's: battery life is ok but not the best. No front camera as ppl complain. wifi sometimes kinda short ranged.

Wonderful Phone! March 8, 2011

Reviewer:  ayeelkay 

I got the HTC Inspire a few days ago and I am beyond happy with it! The touch screen actually works great and the screen is huge and very clear. The battery life could be better, but with moderate usage, it will still last all day for me, if I just charge it overnight. This phone is quick and has so many different options. It's great, the first phone I have been completely happy with!

Terribly Designed Device August 21, 2011

Reviewer:  xcwanxasdf 

I've had this phone for about 5 months and sure it may work for the first 30 days, but afterwards it's not a reliable device.
Firstly the phone has terrible battery life on a basic usage it only lasts about 5-6 hrs.
Secondly, the phone gets no reception and as I browsed through various ATT forums on the issue apparently I'm not the only one having this trouble.

My story is as follows: I live in Baltimore, MD and a few days ago my phone no longer functions as a phone. Its has become an over glorified iPod touch. Basically no matter how many bars show on the phone I get no calls, no texts, I can make no calls and no texts.
And I've taken pretty good care of my phone. Dropped it once 3 months ago and nothing was wrong.
I've lived here for the past 4 years and I've had ATT in this location and an iPhone before this device. Then I upgraded to this phone and few months later nothing. It's a dead phone useless and I'm stuck with a phone that cannot make calls or receive calls.
And I've taken pretty good care of my phone. Dropped it once 3 months ago and nothing was wrong.

When buying your phone think about how it'll work out 6 months from now before you get into a 2 year contract you can't get out of.

HTC Inspire 4G bad for talking or hearing August 14, 2011

Reviewer:  bevsart 

I got an Inspire and after 2 weeks had trouble hearing on it or people hearing me. Garbled, and could hear every other word only. Sounded like people where on a tractor and they said they were in their office. They worked with it 5 times and finally said it was defective on the speaker. They sent me another Inspire 4G refurbished as that is what ATT warranty does. Thought these phones were too new to be refurbished?? Now I have this one and it has been to the ATT store 3 times and checked and same problem, but ATT (warranty dept -) will do nothing.. I paid good money for this and like it for text or email, but what good is it if you cannot talk on it all the time, sometimes you can but mostly no.
I would say stay away from this phone until they fix the sound problems in speaking on it.. Two other people were in the ATT office and they had the same problem and returning theirs.. now I don't know what to get. ATT says Motorola Aria but it has bad reviews also., they won't replace mine with another type pone just the same one, so it would be as bad...
I don't have a home phone - so this makes it bad not be able to talk and get constatnly cut off and broken up no matter where I am... it happened in the ATT Store at Rockwall Texas. So I have Magic Jack on my computer to use to talk if I am home - otherwise leave a message.

BEST ANDRIOD PHONE April 1, 2011

Reviewer:  01BULLITT 

THIS PHONE IS AWESOME PERIOD....BUT IF YOUR GONNA BUY IT GO TO COSTCO ITS ONLY $19.99 UPGRADE INSTEAD OF $70 OR $99 AND IT COMES WITH A LEATHER CASE/POUCH,HEADPHONES AND CAR CHARGER

First Android Phone March 17, 2011

Reviewer:  Chris Sislow "dragoneye850"  (Warner Robins, GA USA) -

So I write this as I upgraded from my old school Motorola Razor to the HTC Inspire 4G. I have had the phone since it released on 13 Feb 2011. Not too much I am not happy about. As this is my first smartphone and Android phone, it's hard not to like it all. Overall, I am very happy with the phone itself.

Pros:
-Gorgeous large screen
-Fast processor
-Camera takes really good pictures, however, I noted in a large room the flash is kind of slow and you may get some blurred images. But up close or outdoors the pictures are impeccable.
-Android. I love the apps and the ability to multi-task (something my wifes iphone doesn't seem to do so well)
-I find the android interface and the interfunction of the menu to be much better than that of the iphone 4

Cons:
-I have had some problems with the micro SD card. The phone will randomly lose it's connection with the SD card. For instance, I was listening to music and in the middle of a song the phone told me that there was no SD card installed. I had to reboot the phone (no change), remove and reinstall the SD card for the phone to recognize it. This has happened multiple times. This is the 8GB SD card that came with the phone.
-On day two of owning the phone, I had the aforementioned SD card problem. When I removed the cover, the compartment cover where the SD card and SIM card reside, snapped in half. Fortunately, I was able to get a replacement cover from the AT&T store about a week later from a return. BE VERY CAREFUL REMOVING THIS COVER.
-Battery life is short. It will last the day in standby....But if you use it for anything else frequently, such as a game app, you will be charging it all the time.
-Battery cover is difficult to remove, but I believe will get easier as I do it more.

Neutral
-Noticed signal strength in home is less than it was on my razor, but doesn't seem to affect call/messaging performance.

Hope this helps.

Quite possibly, the worst phone I have ever used November 29, 2012

Reviewer:  disgruntledinLA 

Battery life: nil. And that's after changing it 3 times. If I have a full charge before leaving the house at 8:00 AM, the phone is dead by 1:00 PM.

Reception: Never more than 3 bars anywhere and I live in LA, not Wichita. I miss calls and it doesn't show who called, just that I have voicemail. I miss one of every 3 texts people send me, or I get them hours later.

Operating system: Slow, glitchy. Apps disappear or shut down mid-use.

Display: illegible in sunlight.

Camera: garbage.

If it weren't bad for the environment I would throw this GD POS into the ocean.

DO NOT BUY. THE WORST PURCHASE I HAVE EVER MADE.

phone shuts off on its own and constantly freezes August 19, 2012

Reviewer:  pnr 56 

When I first purchased this phone I was so please, 7 months later the phone would randomly shut off and sometimes restart. Also it freezes and I can only get it going again if I restart the phone and at times it won't let me so I have to pull out the battery to reset. Not even a year and the phone is a mess!

wonderful! May 19, 2012

Reviewer:  Aubs 

To begin, I have owned this phone REFURBISHED since last September. I have had no problems except for things I have done to make the phone freeze. I never turn it off to let it "rest" either. I have dropped this phone multiple times (and they were pretty hefty drops) but it has never failed to be perfectly fine when I check it out afterwards. It is very fast and loads everything up very quickly unless I don't have good wifi or service. I have adored this phone and when it's time for a new one I might just stick with the same phone. Also keep in mind that I am a teen girl who gets over things quickly. AND I do a lot on this phone. The battery life isn't fabulous but then again if you're on it all the time the battery isn't going to last you all day. Actually I put it on airplane mode throughout the school day when I am not using it so that the battery doesn't die with my phone searching for service. (I don't get service in my school.) One, the single one and only problem that I've ever had with this phone is that on the keyboard (which is touch) when I try and push a certain button sometimes it'll be like the button isn't there. Which isn't a big deal because the few times that it does happen I can turn the phone sideways and use the keyboard fine like that.

id give a 5 but...... May 17, 2012

Reviewer:  Krystal 

I love this phone but, no front facing camera, low battery life and mine freezes sometimes and no one can hear me when I have speaker phone on. Those r my only complaints, I don't mind the weight of the phone. Its functionality is good. Easy to navigate the software on it.

Much better than iphone 4 May 7, 2012

Reviewer:  Rubyreddy 

Its been 10 months i bought this phone and I am really enjoying this. Its a pleasure to browse internet in this phone. Its super fast and very easy to use. Though the battery dies fast, I always carry the charger with me so its not a problem to me. I love the GPS feature too. You can use GPS though there is no at&t signal. Its little bulky but if you talk a lot on phone, then its a problem. The only thing which I am dissatisfied is the speaker phone volume. The speakerphone is little low and not very clear to the person on the other side. The volume of the media is also not v. good. When i try to listen to songs in my car using the phone connecting it to the AV, i need to put full volume in the car. But the volume is not bad if you listen songs using earphones. I love the camera. The photos quality is too good ! Infact i printed them too..

If you want to use this phone, to check mails, to answer calls, take photos and videos.. this is THE BEST PHONE ! My husband has an iphone 4 but he likes to use my phone to browse.

very good May 7, 2012

Reviewer:  htc inspire 

I love this phone . I like this phone better. I can browse, talk and check for music us so good.

Fast, Powerful, Easy-to-Use October 12, 2011

Reviewer:  S. A. Taylor "Bike Geek, Student, Homemaker"  (Louisville, ky) -

After a reasonable amount of deliberation, my fiance Denis and I decided on the HTC Inspire when it came time to replace my old phone. Our decision was based on three major criteria: operating system, functionality, and reviews. I expected a pretty good product, but have been pleasantly surprised - HTC's Inspire is an excellent phone.

Here's why I love it:

1. Android OS - OS preference (Android vs. iOS vs. Windows Mobile) is really a matter of personal preference. I like Android because it's robust and efficient and because it doesn't tie one to any specific purveyor of apps. Countless free and inexpensive apps add nigh-unlimited functionality.

2. Functionality - three important features carried this phone to the top of the list of contenders.

First, it works with ATT's 'FamilyMap,' a service that allows Denis to locate my phone (and thus me) from his (and vice-versa). As the fiance of a cyclist who often puts in 50+ solo miles per day, it does a lot for Denis' peace of mind. He feels better knowing that if I ever get stranded somewhere or am hurt in an accident, he can find me easily.

Second, it doubles as a mobile hot-spot, allowing me to connect my laptop or tablet PC to the internet anywhere I have signal. As a highly-mobile college student, I appreciate having the ability to keep in touch with my professors and peers and submit assignments from almost anywhere on earth.

Third, the built-in GPS allows me to map and track my rides easily - very handy for my training plan as a competitive cyclist - and to use GPS-based cue sheets on long solo rides or brevets. Mounted on the stem of my bike in its iArmbands holder, it doubles as speedometer, navigation system, and training tracker. Brilliant.

I was hesitant to adopt a fully touch-screen-driven phone, since I'm a textaholic and I've had some bad (if hilarious) results with other touch-screen phones (especially Denis' Blackberry Storm). The Inspire's touch screen has allayed my fears. No need to worry about my texts suggesting that I'm both illiterate and inebriated - big 'keys' track touch extremely well.

Perhaps the best surprise, though, has been the excellent 8MP camera. I was expecting crisp high-resolution pictures, but not the array of real-camera features packed into this pocket-sizes phone: auto- or manual focus, auto-or manual ISO, and a great deal more. It also offers fun effects (I especially like the sepia-tone and black-and-white options).

Battery life is better than expected, even with GPS turned on. How long it lasts, of course, depends on usage -- some of my favorite games are huge drains, but riding around in my pocket or on my bike, sending the occasional text, and so forth, it's good for at least a full day-and-a-half without a recharge.

Oh, the sound quality is also good. On the rare occasion that I actually used it as a *phone,* my old phone made it ridiculously hard to hear whoever was on the other end. On the Inspire, callers come through loud and clear.

Bravo, HTC!

Maybe the best free phone. Still not very good. August 22, 2011

Reviewer:  J. Bradley Hicks  (St Louis, MO USA) -

I ordered this phone by accident (clicked on the wrong line when ordering, two similarly-named similar-looking Android phones right next to each other, thanks Amazon), and got this phone free with a 2 year contract. After living with it for two months, I'm glad I didn't pay money for it; it's not worth it.

The good: it's cheap, and it's reasonably fast.

The bad: First, it weighs a ton. Apparently what lots of reviewers mean when they say "sturdy" is "can be used in place of a brickbat as a melee weapon." The screen is almost impossible to read in anything resembling daylight. And, and here's the most serious problem, the battery life is awful -- 4 hours talk time my foot, I'm doing good to get through a 1 hour phone call on a battery charge. It's also only barely good for maybe an hour, hour and a half running any navigation app; as soon as the GPS antenna icon lights up, I can watch the battery gauge visibly drop. It was even worse before the Gingerbread update. I ended up spending the money to get two spare batteries, because three full batteries are just barely enough to get me through the day.

If I could send it back and get something with an AMOLED display, like the [[ASIN:B00505S2RI Samsung Infuse 4G Android Phone (AT&T)]] I *thought* I'd ordered, I'd do so in a heartbeat.

good phone August 11, 2011

Reviewer:  AJ 

great android phone, everything works excellent - no draw backs, slowdowns or freezing up.
the only thing that bothers me is that it is on heavy/bulky side - but that's what makes that screen big and crisp.
my battery life is ok.

Clumsy phone August 10, 2011

Reviewer:  Ermaho2 "Ermaho2"  (CA) -

Skip this one. Sure the screen is big and has lots of apps, but the call quality is very bad. The advertised "stereo speakers" is a joke. Worst sound ever, validated at an ATT store by a rep who had the same probs. Forget about good picture quality from the supposed 8MB camera.

Fast Phone, Works Almost-Perfectly August 10, 2011

Reviewer:  Adam Wood  (Runnells, IA) -

I absolutely love this phone.

Pros:
-Calls are clear. I often make calls outside and when it was windy, callers couldn't hear me on my old phone; this one has no problems and I can be heard as if I'm in a quiet room.
-Tethering. Easy to do, uses wi-fi.
-Apps easy to download.
-Big clock that easily shows on stand-by.
-Difficult to unlock in a case/pocket.
-Very bright flashlight.
-Customization easy.
-Internet is fast almost anywhere.

In the Middle:
-I tried to download every app that was on my iPod Touch on this phone and found 80% of them in the Android market.

Cons:
-A little heavy.
-Gets warm, but not so warm it shuts off.
-Takes about 45-60 secs. to turn off and another 2-3 minutes to turn on.
-If tethering, sucks down the battery life really quick.
-4 GB data limits. Easy to go over if you don't have any other internet source, I easily use 1 GB or more a week.
-Answering calls requires you to swipe a finger, similar to the iPhone/iPod Touch. I would prefer a button.
-Requires a little more signal strength than other devices. I previously got great service in my basement but now must be by the window or upstairs.

Worth the investment and 2 year contract. As a computer science major I highly recommend this phone.

awesome! May 29, 2011

Reviewer:  BlackKnight  (Austin, TX) -

I've had this phone for two months now, and for the most part it's pretty dang good. I rooted and upgraded the ROM the first day I got it, so this review might be a little skewed. Also, I'm kinda picky, so while I have more cons and pros, the cons are small things that don't detract from how good this phone is.

Cons:
-I almost broke the damn battery cover trying to open it. Trick is to peel the plastic at the volume rockers, not where the indent is. You'll only do this once, so it doesn't really matter.
-The screen really takes up the entire front of the phone. I have long fingers, so I keep accidentally pressing things depending on how I hold it. Also, buy a screen protector, you'll probably need it
-The voice quality didn't seem to be as HTC Tilt I upgraded from.
-WiFi randomly disconnects occasionally. However, it seemed to pick up better WiFi signal than a MacBook, so....yeah
-The back of the phone is slippery! Get a good case so it doesn't slide everywhere.
-Battery life? It lasts about as long as all other smartphones out there...I can get through an entire day of heavy use. Just charge it every night. New ROM that gets rid of bloatware helps battery life.

Pros:
-Large, bright screen. The screen can be seen under bright sunlight, though you might have to get a little closer.
-Unbrickable phone, since it's based on Android. I thought I bricked it trying to get a new ROM on it (stuck on black screen), but after half an hour of research I was able to fix it.
-With ROM upgrade, HTC Sense 3.0 and Gingerbread keyboard....so much better than default. There's also certain ROMs out there that can overclock the phone to almost 2Ghz....so the customizability of it is really up to you.
-Fast, but there's sometimes tiny lag when scrolling.