HTC announced and started shipping the Legend in Europe earlier this year. Well, it’s finally arrived on North American shores and we have been putting it through the paces to see how it stacks up. The HTC Legend is current available in Canada from Bell and Virgin Mobile. While there’s no official word from HTC, it’ is expected that a US carrier will be adding the Legend to their line up. Bell and Virgin are selling the exact same phone – there are no external carrier markings on the device and the specs are identical. The only difference you will find between these two carriers is the price of the phone. Bell is asking $399 for the device without a contract, while Virgin (a discount carrier owned by Bell) is asking $349. I found the choice pretty easy to make and saved myself $50.

When it comes to hardware specifications, the HTC Legend is not considered one of these super-spec’ed devices that are currently hitting the market. However, the Legend has it where it counts, especially when you think about the price point of the device.

• Processor – 600MHz Qualcomm 7227
• Operating System – Android 2.1
• Memory – ROM: 512MB / RAM: 384MB
• Display – 3.2 inch AMOLED touch screen / 320×480 HVGA
• Network – HSPA/WCDMA / 850, 1900 MHz / Quad-band GSM, GPRS, Edge
• GPS – Internal Antenna
• Camera – 5 megapixel camera with auto focus and flash
• Bluetooth – 2.1
• Wi-Fi – 802.11 b/g
• Battery Capacity – 1300 mAh
• Dimensions – 112 x 56.3 x 11.5 mm (4.41 x 2.22 x 0.45 inches)
• Weight – 126 grams (4.44 ounces) with battery

If you’re looking at those specs and think they sound familiar, you would be right. The Legend is almost exactly the same as the HTC Hero. There are 3 differences when you run down the specifications page – 1) Processor, 2) Memory, and 3) Android version.

The processor on the Hero is a little slower at 528 MHz, but I don’t think it’s enough that you will notice it. I found the Hero had more than enough power to do everything I wanted, and the Legend is no different. For memory, the Hero has the same size of ROM memory – 512MB. The amount of RAM has gone from 288MB on the Hero to 384MB on the Legend. Again, not a big difference. Google has been pushing hard on Android, and this difference is a significant one; the version of Android on the Hero is 1.6 – on the Legend it’s 2.1.  There has been a number of improvements between these versions. All things being equal, you’re better off with 2.1 over 1.6.  In this case, things aren’t even close to equal as the Hero is older, has a slower processor with less memory and it costs more.  So the choice is simple – Legend!

Sometimes the specs doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about a device. The Legend may appear to be very similar to the Hero, but there is a number of differences outside of that spec sheet, so enough with the spec sheet.

When you look at the Legend you can’t help but notice the beautiful screen filling the front of this device. It’s an AMOLED screen offering brilliant color while using less power. I’ve been using the HTC HD2 for months and I was under the impression that the HD2’s screen was amazing. It is, until you see the screen on the Legend. I just wish the Legend had a 4.3 inch screen like the HD2.

The picture above shows the HTC Legend (Left) beside the HTC HD2 (Right). Both devices are set to max brightness and have the same image loaded as the wallpaper. The difference between the colors on these devices is crazy.

The Legend has a body unlike any other device I’ve used. It’s made from 1 solid chunk of aluminum, so the front, back and sides are all connected in a solid body. To change the battery, insert your SIM, or MicroSD card, you need to remove the bottom black plastic cap. Once removed, you need to lift the clear plastic guard that holds the battery in place in order to gain access. Despite the small opening, everything fits nicely and is easy to insert and remove.

There is no trackball or 4/5-way navigation button on the front of the Legend. At least not the typical navigation controls that we would normally find. The Legend has a neat optical sensor to handle all your navigation needs. In much the same way as the optical sensor on your mouse can sense which direction and at what speed you are moving the mouse, the optical sensor on the front of the Legend will sense your finger sliding over it and react accordingly. It works a lot better than the touch pad style sensor used in some older devices.

I was expecting better battery life out of a device with a AMOLED screen, but it just wasn’t meant to be. It seems like all manufacturers are looking to do is give enough power for the average user to make it through a day. For me, the battery on the Legend is no where near as good as the HD2, or even the Hero. There are lots of different factors between these devices – processor speed, network speed, number of push email accounts, operating system and version. Even with all the differences I was able to easily get a full day out of the HD2 and the Hero. That’s not the case with the Legend – it’s usually on critical by the time the day is over. To be fair, I’m pushing the device pretty hard on a daily basis, but that’s no different than how I used other devices. For the average user, the Legend battery would make it through the day without a problem.

The all aluminum body on the Legend had me concerned about cellular reception and if it could be as good as the Hero or other HTC devices. Overall, I’m finding the reception to be pretty good. However, spots where I would normally have 1 bar I’m finding that I have none. Occasionally I will find that I don’t have a data connection at all. HTC’s other devices like HD2 and Hero didn’t have these blackout spots. But don’t confuse this with poor or slow connections.  I’ve had some great speeds on upload/downloads – far better than I’ve seen on other devices. It just appears that the low end of cellular reception isn’t where other devices have been.

All things considered, the HTC Legend is a great device – from the AMOLED screen, to the super fast HSPA network speeds, from Android 2.1 to HTC Sense, from a solid aluminum body to a 5 mega-pixel camera with LED flash. There’s lots of goodness in the Legend and you simply can’t beat the price – $350 Canadian (~$339.45 USD).

Late last week Virgin Mobile was the first to announce availability of the HTC Legend to Canadians. Now Bell has added the Legend to their list of devices. Of course, that’s not much of a surprise, as Bell is the parent company of Virgin Mobile. What is odd is the price difference between the two related companies. Bell is offering the Legend at an off contract price of $399 while Virgin has a price of $349.

The Bell/Virgin version of the HTC Legend is the first version of the device that supports North American cellular networks. The Legend supports Quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge on 850/900/1800/1900 and for HSPA it uses 850/1900 with speeds up to 2 Mbps for uploaded and 7.2 Mbps for download. It’s powered by Google’s Android v2.1 on a Qualcomm 7227 processor at 600MHz. The body on the Legend is cut from a solid piece of aluminum and includes other features like 3.2 inch AMOLED screen with 320×480 HVGA, 512MB ROM / 384MB RAM, 5 megapixel camera with flash, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi 802.11 b/g, a 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, a 1300 mAh battery. All of this is cramped into a footprint of 112 x 56.3 x 11.5 mm (4.41 x 2.22 x 0.45 inches).

The Legend is feature packed and at a price to move! The full press release for Virgin Mobile can be found after the jump.

MONTREAL (QUEBEC) June 11, 2010 – Wanna try out a phone that’s truly legendary?  In a North American first, today Virgin Mobile added the new HTC Legend phone to its stellar line-up. Accelerating onto a speedy network that’s sure to rev your engine, the HTC Legend is the first Virgin Mobile phone powered by the open-source Android platform.

In true Virgin style, Virgin Group Chairman Sir Richard Branson launched the HTC Legend phone with a “Legends Go-Kart Race”, burning some rubber against racing legend Alex Tagliani and hockey legend Vincent Lecavalier.  Following a photo finish, Virgin Mobile unveiled the HTC Legend phone. To celebrate the launch, HTC Corporation (“HTC”) donated $50,000 to Virgin Unite’s RE*Generation Movement – a movement that’s racing to end youth homelessness in Canada – in the name of Alex Tagliani, winner of today’s go-kart challenge.

“I’m thrilled to be here today not only to race against some of Canada’s top legends, but also to unveil another Legend – the new Android smartphone from HTC,” said Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group.  “With our first Android powered phone, Virgin Mobile Canada is racing past the competition, offering Canadians even more reasons to move to the mobile company that they love with Canada’s biggest super-speedy network^[1].” 

As the checkered flag was waved, Branson also issued a challenge to all Canadians to bring their HSPA phones over to Virgin Mobile.  “I welcome any Canadian with the need for speed who’s looking for more from their mobile company to come over to us and become a Virgin Mobile Member,” Branson continued.  “In fact, for the rest of June, Canadians who bring their HSPA 3G + phone over to our network can go to a Virgin Mobile store or The Source and they’ll get their SIM card from us for free and we’ll cover the activation charge!”

To find out if their phone is compatible to bring over to Virgin Mobile and take advantage of the offer, Canadians can check www.virginmobile.ca for more details.

“Earlier this year, we promised to deliver more phones, more benefits and more services to our Members,” said Robert Blumenthal, President, Virgin Mobile Canada.  “With everything from access to the hottest events to plans that fit your needs and now our first Android phone, we’re keeping our promise. We’re very excited to be the first in North America to offer the new HTC Legend and look forward to adding even more of the latest phones to our lineup throughout the year.” 

A North American First

The HTC Legend uses the Android 2.1 platform with the HTC Sense™ experience that intuitively organizes all of your communication by friends, family and colleagues, putting people rather than technology at the centre.  It comes packed with a 5.0 megapixel camera with flash, an easy-to-use touchscreen and supports a wide range of widgets and apps so that you can customize your phone to fit your needs. 

“Today, we’re not only unveiling the latest HTC phone but we’re also starting a new partnership adding Virgin Mobile as a carrier,” said Francois Gravel, Managing Director for HTC in Canada. “The HTC Legend smartphone is perfect for Virgin Mobile’s Members – letting them connect to their friends wherever they are and however they want.  Plus, its sleek design, machined from a solid block of aluminum, is made for mobile users who see their phone as an accessory as much as a necessity.”

While the HTC Legend phone made its pit stop in Montreal today, the new smartphone is now available across Canada for $79.99 with a three-year plan from Virgin Mobile retail locations, The Source, T-Booth, Wireless Wave and online at www.virginmobile.ca.

About Virgin Mobile Canada

The Virgin Mobile group of companies has attracted more than 15 million customers worldwide. As the No.1 mobile youth network, Virgin Mobile Canada’s mission is to be Canada’s most loved mobile company with the hottest phones and plans on the hottest network. Its plans with “extra for no extra” make it easy for Members to find the perfect plan for them to connect to e-mail, social networks, texting and GPS navigation with the smartest phones and mobile Internet products. Virgin Mobile Members also get access to the hottest events, global roaming and the best customer service. J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Canadian Wireless Customer Satisfaction Study has awarded Virgin Mobile “Highest in Customer Satisfaction With Prepaid Wireless Service, Five Years in a Row”^[2] and it has ranked Virgin Mobile “Highest in Customer Satisfaction With Postpaid Wireless Service”^[3]. 91% of customers would also recommend Virgin Mobile to a friend. 

Virgin Mobile phones are available at more than 4,000 locations nationally including The Source, Virgin Mobile retail locations and additional retail partners. Virgin Mobile products can also be purchased online at www.virginmobile.ca or by calling 1-888-999-2321. Get personal with Virgin Mobile Canada on Facebook at facebook.com/virginmobilecan and Twitter at twitter.com/virginmobilecan.

About HTC

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the centre of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

Mobility Minded has posted an extremely detailed review of the new HTC Legend. As a past user of the Hero, the Legend continues with all the greatness that the Hero offered and adds some extra goodies like the aluminum body and smaller, lighter footprint.

Check out Mobility Minded’s review and let us know what you think. Is there a Legend in your future?