HTC Rhyme Android phone

Name: HTC Rhyme Android phone
Item: HTC Rhyme Android phone
Rating: 4.00
Author: Ross Catanzariti

HTC Rhyme review: The HTC Rhyme may be targeting women, but this stylish and user friendly smartphone should appeal to a broader market

Ross Catanzariti

PC World

31/10/11

Expert Rating

4.00 / 5

Pros

Excellent design and build quality
Sense software is slick and user-friendly
Wealth of included accessories

Cons

Non-removable battery
Charm accessory is limited and not for everyone
Performance is sometimes sluggish

Bottom Line

The HTC Rhyme Android phone might have intended to target females, but this sleek and stylish Android phone is good enough to appeal to a broader gender base. Excellent build quality, slick software and a generous amount of included accessories -- the best being the docking station – make the Rhyme an excellent smartphone for anyone, though we do wish it was a tad faster.

Would you buy this?

Price
TBA (AUD)

HTC Rhyme: Accessories

Australian models of the HTC Rhyme appealingly include four accessories in the box. The best of these is undoubtedly the docking station with built-in speakers. In addition to charging the phone when it is plugged into power, the HTC Rhyme automatically goes into dock mode as soon as it is placed into the dock. The dock mode displays the time and weather on a large widget and displays shortcuts to play your music and access your phone and calendar — these two shortcuts to be edited if you wish. The built-in speakers won't blow you away in terms of quality, but they are loud enough to fill a small room with sound and the dock also makes for a perfect bedside alarm clock. There is a slight delay when using the on-screen music controls when the phone is docked, and the dock won't synchronising the Rhyme with a PC when it is plugged into the USB port on a computer: it will only charge the phone.

The HTC Rhyme also includes a "Rhyme charm" that attaches to the phone and is designed to dangle out of a handbag, emitting a soft glow when you receive a call or text message. It works well enough, though it only glows on calls and text messages and not e-mails. As it plugs into the Rhyme's headphone jack, you can't use the charm and headphones simultaneously. Other accessories in the box are a pair of "virtually tangle-free" headphones with a flat cord and a leather-style pouch to store the phone in. The headphones are a clear upgrade over regular ones often bundled with smartphones and include in line volume and playback controls.

HTC Rhyme: Battery life and availability

The HTC Rhyme has a 1600mAh battery and that should be enough to ensure it lasts a full day. During our tests, the Rhyme generally lasted a full day provided we didn't excessively use YouTube. Like most Android phones, how long the battery lasts will depend entirely on your usage pattern.

The HTC Rhyme is available exclusively through Optus in Australia. It will be sold for $0 on Optus' $59 cap plan over 24 months. The plan includes $750 worth of calls, unlimited SMS and MMS, 2GB of data and unlimited access to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, eBay and Foursquare services within Australia.