HTC Explorer review

Leaving a lot to be imagined, the battery life of the HTC Explorer does not capitalise on the handset's relatively limited selection of juice-sapping features and hardware inclusions, instead keeping you on edge during a second day's use if you dare risk not charging the device through the night.

With a 1230mAH Li-Ion battery, the HTC Explorer's compact size means a more substantial life support system can't fit into the device. Although the HTC Explorer's battery surpasses the often problematic one day hump that sees many high-end handset users cursing their device's battery-sapping array of features, the touted 445 hour 3G standby time is highly ambitious, with the handset in reality running well below this projected high.

Left largely to its own devices, the HTC Explorer chews through its limited battery life at a rapid rate, running to half a full charge in less than two days on standby, a mark that then quickly shoots down once, having bridged the half charge market.

Not particularly speedy to recharge once connected to a mains outlet, the phone is troublesome even when left alone to charge, becoming rather hot while refuelling, almost to the point of being uncomfortable if held.

Able to connect to a PC via the micro USB connection port and the boxed USB cable, the HTC Explorer's connectivity options run the standard route of 3G and Wi-Fi being further enhanced by Bluetooth 3.0 and A-GPS availability.

With file transfers handled with ease thanks to a simple drag and drop system, the HTC Explorer bolsters its connectivity abilities with HTC's now standard portable Wi-Fi hotspot app enabling you to transform the handset's 3G signal into a local Wi-Fi service.