HTC DROID DNA hands-on

Holy smokes people! Just when we all thought it couldn't get any better, it just did. By now, you're all probably aware about HTC and Verizon's big news today, but more importantly, we managed to check it out in person! Making the competition sweat, the recently announced HTC DROID DNA is one monster of an Android smartphones. Armed with a long listing of impressive specs, it's sure to become one of the most highly prized smartphones this coming holiday season.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty regarding the handset, we got to commend both HTC and Verizon for quickly bringing this handset to market. Between now and its release, which is penned for November 21st, there's barely any wait to have it in the hands of consumers. On top of that, it's brimming from the seams with plenty of drool worthy specs to keep other phablets, like the Samsung Galaxy Note II, shaking in its tracks.

For starters, it's featuring an impressive 5-inch Super LCD 3 display with 1080p (1080 x 1920) resolution and Gorilla Glass. Secondly, it's a powerhouse thanks to its quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB of RAM. And finally it's running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with the HTC SEnse 4.0+ software to complement its hardware prowess. Needless to say, the competition will really need to watch out for this one!

HTC DROID DNA hands-on

1. Such a large and detailed display

Without a doubt the biggest thing to stand out with the HTC DROID DNA is its amazing looking 5-inch 1080p Super LCD 3 display. Delivering a mind blowing pixel density of 440 ppi, it's undeniably sharp looking with everything. Of course, we could've settled for a 720p display, but regardless, it's nice to know that HTC is pushing the limits with this one. Beyond the detail, it's absolutely a joy to look at, since it has a strong brightness output and wide viewing angles to make it an attractive offering.

2. Quality design that's solid, yet super slim

Looking at a rendered image is one thing, but actually holding it in your hand is a different story. Another obvious standout of the HTC DROID DNA is its solid industrial design. Even better, though, is the fact that it's one svelte and lightweight smartphone - deceptively thin at 0.38-inches and 4.87 oz in weight. Donning a soft touch coated body, it maintains one clean appearance that's further complemented by the distinct red accents littered all around.

3. F2.0 lens with its cameras

Naturally, rear cameras get all the love, but with this, HTC is kind enough to bless both its front and rear ones with F2.0 lenses - essentially making them ideal for low lighting situations. With the rear auto-focus camera, it's 8-megapixels in size, but more importantly, the front-facing one is a higher than normal 2.1-megapixel one. Both have offer 1080p video recording, but it's the front one that features a 88-degree wide angle lens, similar to what's offered by the HTC 8X, to allow plenty of faces to fit in those self-portrait shots.

4. Has Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box, but new Sense needs some more depth

In this day and age, it's still quite rare to see handsets launching with the most up-to-date version of the platform. Luckily, it's comforting to see that this one is running Jelly Bean out of the box - with Sense 4.0+ to complement the experience. Although there are some minor improvements to it that are found in the gallery and camera interface, it's still lacking that serious depth of functionality that other rival custom Android experiences offer. Still, it's a slow progression towards the correct direction - and hey, it's Jelly Bean!

5. Quick release and killer pricing

Even before the announcement, we thought that the HTC DROID DNA would find itself in the same price point as the recently available Samsung Galaxy Note II. Instead, we were thoroughly surprised to find out that his super spec'd smartphone will be sporting that golden price point of $199.99 with a 2-year contract - as opposed to the $300 associated with the Note II. However, the best part about it all is the fact that is launching in a week - November 21st to be exact.