Here are two popular smartphones that are similar in appearance. So what are the similarities and differences between these two releases from the HTC stable, the HTC Desire HD and the HTC Desire S?

The HTC Desire HD is the bigger of the two smartphones, measuring 123x68x11.8mm compared with the HTC Desire S’s measurements of 115×59.8×11.63mm. The Desire HD also has a larger screen (4.3 inches compared with 3.7 inches) but is also a littler heavier – 164g to the HTC Desire S’s 130g.

Though the Desire HD’s screen is bigger it’s not hugely better. The Desire S has a capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 480×800 pixels, the same as that of the HTC Desire HD. One difference is that the HD has an LCD touchscreen, which can help improve battery life.

In terms of form factor again both the phones are very similar, slim and sleek looking, though the Desire HD is marginally thicker.

Both the phones run on Android operating systems – Android 2.2 (Froyo) for the HD while the S uses the later Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) release. They also both have the HTC Sense UI, and here at least for now the Desire S is definitely the forerunner because the Gingerbread system has been tweaked and improved. The HTC Desire HD will be upgraded to Gingerbread at a later date.

For both the Desire HD and the Desire S there are thousands of apps available from the Android marketplace, with the ability to customise your phone so it works exactly the way you want it.

There isn’t really anything to choose between in terms of processor power and RAM. Both the Desire S and Desire HD feature 768MB of RAM and use the same 1Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255 processor, meaning they are both powerful handsets.

In terms of internal storage, however, the HTC Desire HD just edges it, with 1.5GB of internal storage space compared with the HTC Desire S’s 1.1GB. Both the smartphones have a microSD card expansion slot.

Another area in which the HTC Desire HD excels is the camera. It features an 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and autofocus. It also includes some options you’d expect in a digital camera, including face recognition and built-in visual effects.

The Desire S has a decent 5 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus, minus some of the jazzier features of its sibling. Both the Desire S and Desire HD have the capacity to capture HD video at 720p.

When it comes to battery life, the HTC Desire S is the better performer. The Desire S features a 1450 mAh battery with a talk time of up to 490 minutes using 3G, while the HTC Desire HD comes with a 1230mAh battery and a talk time of up to 320 minutes using 3G. The stronger battery of the Desire S also means it performs better for mobile gaming or using other power-intensive apps.

Both of these are excellent HTC smartphones and it’s hard to pick between them. The HTC Desire HD is currently in stock at Clove, priced at £345 (£414 inc. VAT). The HTC Desire S is due to be in stock on Friday 1st April, priced at £319 (382.80 inc.VAT)

Imagine having to pick between your two best friends. Not an easy choice to make, is it? And it’s a similar case with these two popular HTC smartphones, the HTC Desire S and HTC Incredible S. Let’s see what each phone features…

The HTC Desire S and Incredible S share a similar form factor and both feature a capacitive touchscreen. Size wise, the Incredible is slightly larger and marginally heavier – 120x64x11.7mm and 135.5g compared with 115×59.8×11.6mm and 130g from the Desire S – but there really isn’t much difference in the physical appearance of the two phones.

Of course we all know size isn’t everything, but in terms of smartphone screens many people like to go large. The Incredible S has a slightly larger screen, measuring 4 inches compared to 3.7 inches on the HTC Desire S. They both have the same screen resolution – 480×800 – and both are LCD capacitive touchscreens using the HTC Sense 3.0 user interface.

Both phones feature the same processor – a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM 8255, which means both are excellent at handling even the most demanding of apps. It also makes multi-tasking a breeze, as you would expect from any Android phone.

Again when it comes to memory, both the HTC Desire S and HTC Incredible S are the same. They both have 1.1GB of ROM and 768MB of RAM and support Micro SD cards, making them upgradable to 32GB.

In terms of operating system, the Desire S features Android 2.3 Gingerbread, while the Incredible S is currently still on Android 2.2 Froyo, although it will soon be upgradable to 2.4. That means currently the Desire S is able to make use of more apps from the Android marketplace, although that will change soon. Both are capable of multitasking and being organised the way you want them.

One area of notable difference between these two very similar smartphones is the camera. The HTC Incredible S comes into its own here. It has an 8 megapixel camera that captures at 3264×2448 and has such features as image stabilisation, autofocus and an LED flash.

The Desire S also has these features but sports just a 5 megapixel camera – decent enough in itself but not as good as the Incredible’s. Both cameras can capture video at 720p. The Incredible S also has a better front-facing camera at 1.3 megapixels.

So, how to make a decision between these two HTC smartphones? It’s a very difficult choice as they are so very similar in so many ways. Both are very powerful and will stand up to the demands of the modern smartphone user.

Ultimately, then, the choice will come down to personal preference. If you prefer a slightly larger screen and a more powerful camera, the Incredible S is for you. You may also be interested in the contoured design of the Incredible S that appears to ‘hug’ the hardware features on the back. However, if you prefer a more pocketable handset, the Desire S should be your weapon of choice.

Both handsets are due to be in stock at Clove Technology on Friday 1st April.