A Dock for your Desire…

The Desire is a great smartphone, but it needs great content on it in order for you to really enjoy it and get the most out of it. You can transfer all your photo’s, music and video’s to it using the cable that it came with the phone, but let’s face it, a USB cable doesn’t do much to show off your fancy new phone.

If you want everyone in the office to see your new toy as they walk past, or just be able to disconnect your phone quickly and easily without fiddling around with cables, you’re going to need a Desire Dock or Desire Desktop chargers.

There are a few available, so I thought I’d take a look at some of our most popular ones to see how they compare.

1. HTC Desire Desktop Charging Cradle

This is a quick and easy way to charge your phone while keeping it up to date with your latest music downloads, TV Shows and Photo’s. It connects to a spare USB port on your PC or laptop and can be used with a USB Mains adapter to turn it into a stand alone charging dock. It has a blue LED indicator that lights up when your phone is charging.

2. HTC Desire Dual Desktop Charging Cradle

This is essentially the same as the dock shown above, but with the addition of a built in battery charger. This makes it the perfect choice for anyone who has a spare battery for their Desire as it means you can charge both batteries at the same time, instead of having to charge one, remove it from the phone, replace it with the dead one and then start the charge cycle all over again.

3. Deluxe HTC Desire Desktop Charging Cradle

The Deluxe Charging Cradle is the most popular style of cradle . It looks excellent and has a hi-gloss finish. Behind the phone is a lift up cover that houses an additional battery charger so that you can charge a spare battery at the same time.

4. Smart Stand – HTC Desire

While the Smart Stand won’t charge or sync your Desire, it’s still a great way to watch videos or flick through your photo’s while you’re at your desk and is the only custom stand for the HTC Desire that will hold your phone in landscape mode. If you want to sync content to your phone, you’ll need to use a Micro USB cable. The Smart Stand has a sprung clip at the top that holds your phone securely in place and a weighted base that stops it from falling over.

5. Desk Genie Non-Slip Charging Desk Stand

The Desk Genie is a great all round Desk Stand, but has received a mixed response in the office when it comes to the Desire. The coating on the Desire doesn’t stick all that well to the Desk Genie, so unless you’ve got a case or cover fitted to your  Desire, you might struggle to keep it in place. On the bright side though,  the Desk Genie includes a charging cable for your phone and also doubles up as a memory card reader.

There are a number of other HTC Desire Desktop chargers available, but these are the the most popular ones at the moment. Head over to the main site to check out the full range of HTC Desire Docks.

More Desire Docks are due in the coming weeks and I’ll update this post as and when they become available.

How to protect the screen of your HTC Desire

The most important part of any phone is the screen, damage it or break it and it renders your phone pretty much useless – especially if it’s a touch screen handset like the HTC Desire.

There are a number of ways to protect your phone – Cases for the Desire will give your phone more bounce if you drop it and will help preserve the finish of the phone, but not all of them look after the screen as well as they could. For that reason a Screen Protector is an essential accessory for the HTC Desire, but not all Screen Protectors are the same. To give you an idea on the differences between them, and to help you decide on the right one, here’s a quick guide to HTC Desire Screen Protectors.

HTC Desire Screen Protector

These high quality screen protectors are made by HTC for the Desire, so as you’d expect they fit the phone perfectly. They are probably the best fit to the screen of your phone and don’t interfere with the operation of the capacitive touch screen. You get two included in the pack, although they last a long time and you may not need the second one for several months.

InvisibleSHIELD Screen Protector – HTC Desire

InvisibleSHIELD have often featured in my recommended accessories for phones as they offer exceptional protection for such a thin film. With the HTC Desire you’ve got two choices, you can either opt for a screen protector, or a fully body phone protector. As the names suggest, the screen protector just covers the screen, where as the full body protector covers the whole of the phone.

The film is less than 1mm thin and protects your phone against scratches and scrapes. It can be removed easily and leaves no sticky marks on your phone.

Martin Fields Screen Protector for the HTC Desire

Martin Fields are the market leaders in high quality screen protectors. They’re slightly thicker than those from HTC or MFX and do an excellent job of protecting your screen. They don’t interfere with the use of the screen and it doesn’t distort colours. Martin Fields Screen Protectors are available individually or in a twin pack.

MFX 12 in 1 Screen Protector Pack

Unlike the other protectors listed here, the MFX 12 in 1 pack isn’t designed specifically for the HTC Desire. Instead, it consists of 12 different sized sheets that you can cut to size and use on numerous devices – everything from Sat Navs to MP3 players to your mobile phone. The reason that I chose to include this in with the Desire ones, is that it has a couple of different protectors in there too – namely a mirrored screen protector and a privacy screen protector.

The Mirrored screen protector turns the screen of your phone into a mirror when the display is off, and the privacy screen protector restricts the viewing angle of the screen so that only those looking straight at the screen can see it – anyone trying to read the screen of your phone over your shoulder won’t be able to see anything.

If you want to see the what difference a screen protector will make to how clear your screen is to read, then take a look at my guide to choosing the best screen protector.

More screen protectors should be arriving over the course of the next few weeks and I’ll add more to this post as and when they arrive. Once you’ve sorted the screen protector for your Desire you’ll want to sort yourself out with a HTC Desire case. Not sure what you want? Read our blog post on the top 10 Desire Cases.

Review: Ten of the Best HTC Desire Cases

The HTC Desire is an awesome phone. It’s fast, responsive, has a great screen and it looks gorgeous. It’s so good in fact that I’m tempted to switch to the Desire from my iPhone 3G.

The Desire looks great – our test handset was the black/grey version and has a soft touch finish, but I doubt it will stay looking this good for long. The finish looks like it will scratch quite easily, so you’re going to need a case for it. As the Desire is almost identical to the Nexus One, most Nexus One Cases will fit, but a couple of subtle changes to the keypad and bottom of the screen mean that not all of them will fit.

The HTC Desire Cases listed below have all been tried and tested with a working phone and we’ve found them to do a great job of protecting your phone.

1. Noreve Tradition A Leather Case for HTC Desire

A luxury phone deserves a luxury case, and you don’t get much more luxurious than a Noreve Case. What I love about them the most is the way that they hold your Desire securely without having to slide it into a stitched pocket that interferes with the light sensors and blocks the edges of the screen. The Noreve case looks excellent, is made from high quality leather and is surprisingly slim once it’s on your phone.

2. FlexiShield Skin For The HTC Desire

If you want to keep your Desire safe, without adding any extra bulk to your phone then this is the kind of case you need. Flexishield skins are thin, flexible gel cases that cover the back, side and corners of your phone and protect it against scratches and scrapes. They leave all the vital parts of your Desire (such as the camera, headphone port, charging port) fully accessible and can be removed quickly and easily if needed. They don’t cover the screen though, so you’ll need to invest in a HTC Desire Screen Protector.

3. HTC Desire Carry Pouch

If you prefer to put your phone away somewhere safe when it’s not in use, then a carry pouch will suit you down to the ground. This case is made specifically for the HTC Desire & Nexus one and holds your phone securely when it’s not in use. It has a soft lining that helps to keep your screen free from fingerprints and will protect your phone well in the event that you drop it. The case has a stitched in belt loop on the back that you can use to attach the case securely to your belt or bag.

It’s still early days for cases for the HTC Desire and more cases should be arriving daily. As they do I’ll update this page with any cases that I think work really well with the HTC Desire. Head over to the main Mobile Fun site to see the full range of HTC Desire Cases and HTC Desire Covers.

[UPDATE: 22/04/2010]
Since writing this post Mobile Fun have had a number of other cases arrive that all deserve a mention, so here are a few more recommended cases for the HTC Desire.

4. Flip Case – HTC Desire

Simple and effective, the flip case protects your Desire against knocks and scrapes. A built in belt clip lets you secure it to your bag or belt, and an open top means you can use your headphones while the case is closed.

5. HTC PO S491 Desire Standard Leather Pouch – White

Depending on which retailer you got your phone from, you may have got a case in the box with your phone. If you didn’t, or you’ve lost it, this is the original HTC Desire leather pouch that’s included as standard. It’s a simple slip pouch that protects your Desire against minor knocks and bumps.

6. HTC PO S491 Desire Standard Leather Pouch – Black

This case is the same as the one above, only in black leather rather than white. You can use your headphones with your phone in the case as the top is open.

7. Tuff-Luv Napa Leather Case For HTC Desire

Another Flip Case, but this time from Tuff-Luv. Unlike the flip case at the top of the list, your Desire isn’t held in place using a stitched pocket. Instead, two padded runners hold your phone securely, while leaving your screen and keypad fully accessible. The flip is hinged at the top of the phone and has a cut out that allows you to use the headphones while the phone is in the case.

8. HTC Desire Pull Case – PO S520

If you like the idea of a pouch for your Desire but don’t want to wrestle with your phone every time you want to take it out of the case, then this is what you need. It’s a slim case that has a built in strap that, when pulled, gently raises your phone out of the case making it much easier to get to your phone when it rings.

9. Sena Ultra Slim Pouch For HTC Desire

The Sena Ultra Slim Pouch is a form fitting case for your Desire. It doesn’t feature a pull tab like the HTC case, but is made from a soft leather that folds easily, allowing you to push the bottom of the case upwards to remove your phone.

10. PDair Vertical Leather Pouch Case For HTC Desire

PDair are one of the most popular brands of case Mobile Fun sell. They’re made from a high quality leather and are lightly padded to give your Desire as much protection as possible. Each PDair vertical pouch has finger cut outs on the sides for easy removal of your phone, and a sprung belt clip on the back.

Top 10 HTC Desire Accessories

The HTC Desire is a truly awesome phone. It’s fast, responsive, has a great screen and it looks gorgeous. It makes my iPhone 3G look and feel dated and is extremely tempting.

To really make the most of your HTC Desire you’ll want to invest in a few accessories, but with so many Desire Cases, Desire Covers, Bluetooth Headphones and Car Kits to choose from, finding the best ones isn’t always easy.

This post runs through ten of our most popular HTC Desire Accessories, most of them are available now with some due in the coming weeks. Demand for all HTC Desire accessories is extremely high at the moment, so if the accessory you want isn’t available at the moment, I’d strongly recommend placing your order anyway – this way you’ll get priority on the stock.

On to the accessories then.

1. HTC Desire Screen Protector SP P360 – Twin Pack

The last thing that you’re going to want to do to the fantastic screen on the Desire is scratch it. These screen protectors from HTC are a great way to keep your screen looking like new. They’re precision cut to size and are quick and easy to install.

2. DAGi Smartphone Slim Line Capacitive Stylus

Not everyone likes using their finger to control their phone – especially those of you who are used to using a stylus on a previous phone. As you may have already noticed, traditional stylus’s don’t work on the HTC Desire as it has a capacitive touch screen – however, there is a solution – the Dagi Capacitive Stylus.

There are 3 Dagi Capacitive Styluses to choose from as well as a HTC branded one for the HTC Desire. What makes these different to a regular stylus is that instead of having a point to press your screen, they have a flat circular disc at the end that works in a similar way to how your finger would.

3. Noreve Tradition A Leather Case for HTC Desire

The HTC Desire is one of the best looking smartphones available, so if you’re going to invest in a case it needs to be just as stylish. Noreve Flip Cases for the Desire hold your phone securely, but without having to slide the phone into a stitched pocket that interferes with the light sensors or blocks the edges of the screen. It uses a tension system to hold your phone securely in place leaving the screen and keypad fully accessible. The Noreve case looks excellent, is made from high quality leather and is surprisingly slim once it’s on your phone.

4. HTC Stereo Headset with Music Controls RC E150

Depending on where you purchased your phone, you may not get any headphones in the box with the HTC Desire. If you don’t then you’ll be needing these – they have a built in microphone so you can use them for handsfree calling as well as an in-line remote control that lets you answer and end calls as well as play, pause, skip and rewind your music.

5. Seidio Innocell Extended Life Battery – HTC Desire

If you need more power for your Desire, you can either carry around a spare battery and swap them over when one dies, or you can get a more powerful battery – and that’s exactly what this is. The standard Desire battery is 1400mAh where as the Seidio Extended Battery is 1600mAh. It may not seem like a big increase, but it’s enough to ensure that your phone makes it through the day on a single charge.

6. HTC Desire Desktop Charging Cradle

Straight forward and simple, just drop your Desire into the charging cradle and it will charge and sync with your PC. It connects to a spare USB port on any PC or laptop and will allow you to sync your phone with your computer while it charges.

7. SanDisk MicroSDHC Card

Despite the Desire being a great Multimedia handset, it only has a limited amount of internal storage. Some will come with a memory card to get you started, but in most cases these tend to be the smaller 2GB or 4GB cards. As a result, one of the first purchases you will need to make is a bigger memory card. This 16GB memory card can store upto 14000 high quality photos, 3000 songs and 18 hours of video. Using a SanDisk 16GB Memory Card with the Desire will allow you to store more music, games, photos and videos on your phone. Images and video taken using the camera will take up space, so more memory is a must. A 16GB memory card will let you store over 6000 high quality photos, 3000 songs or around 80 hours of standard definition video. A 16GB card is the largest memory card that is currently available, although a32GB Micro SD HC memory card is due for release in the next couple of weeks.

8. HTC CC C200 Micro USB Car Charger

The HTC Desire is a power hungry beast and you’ll soon notice that as you start emailing, going online or watching videos or using your phone for sat nav, your battery will start to drain quite quickly. For this reason a car charger is a worthwhile investment. As with all current HTC phones, the Desire uses the standard MicroUSB charging connection. This genuine HTC Desire charger will work in both 12v and 24v vehicles (Cars, Lorries and Trucks) and can be used to charge any device that has a micro USB charging port.

9. Jabra Cruiser Bluetooth Speakerphone

If you want to listen to music from your Desire in your car but don’t have a 3.5mm line in port on your stereo, don’t panic there is another way to do it – and what’s more, you won’t need to have wires trailing everywhere to do it – all you need is the Jabra Cruiser.

The Jabra Cruiser is a small, slim portable car kit that combines an FM transmitter with a Bluetooth Car Kit. The Jabra Cruiser simply clips to the sun visor of your car and pairs to your Desire, using Bluetooth. The Cruiser supports both the A2DP and AVRCP profiles which means that you can stream your music to it over Bluetooth and control your music using the controls on the Cruiser instead of your phone. The Jabra Cruiser lets you choose whether to play your music back through the built in speaker or through your car stereo using it’s built in FM Transmitter. It ’s currently the only car kit to have dual microphones for improved noise reduction. If you spend a lot of time in the car taking calls and are bored of listening to the radio then the Jabra Cruiser is a must have item. If you don’t want/need the music controls then take a look at the Jabra SP700. It does the same job, just doesn’t have music controls or noise cancellation.

10. Parrot MKi9100 Bluetooth Car Kit

Of all the car kits available, the best kit you can get for calling, music playback and sat nav is one of the Parrot MKi Car Kits. Parrot only make Bluetooth accessories and because of that they make sure that every phone works brilliantly with their car kits. There are three kits in the MKi range, but the Parrot MKi9100 is your best bet for the Desire, mainly because the 3.7? screen on the phone means that you a full colour screen isn’t essential, but it’s nice to be able to see who’s calling and what you’re listening to even if the phone is still in your pocket.

You can play music from your phone through the MKi9100 either by connecting the 3.5mm headphone jack or you can stream your music to it using Bluetooth. The Mki9100 will synchronise with your phone book, and supports voice dialling. There is also a small remote that you can attach to your dash or steering wheel to control your music (Play/Pause, track skip & volume). When you use Sat Nav on your phone, voice instructions come through your car stereo clearly, and if music is playing at the same time, it briefly mutes out the music so that you don’t miss any directions.

If you’ve not seen the accessory here that’s right for you, take a look at our full range of HTC Desire Accessories or let us know what you’re looking for using the comments below.