HTC?

[Crackle]

I'd seriously consider the Pre but no proper turn by turn navigation system available for it and no card slot are two serious drawbacks but the OS looks brilliant and the phone is beautiful.

 

[martint235]

All HTC phones are skinned too, although I actually really like the functionality the 'Sense UI' adds.

You can easily remove such skins anyway. IIRC correctly, you can just uninstall it.

You can't uninstall Rosie (the tech name for Sense UI) but you can disable it and use the stock Android home screen. Or you can add a homescreen setup from the Market, I currently use Launcher Pro but Helix is also good.

Sorry I didn't mean to suggest that HTC batteries are particularly bad, as Jezston says all data heavy phones have this problem. You do get used to just plugging them in before you go to bed or just topping them up from your PC at work if you're lucky (unlucky?) enough to have a desk job.

 

[martint235]

I've got a HTC Desire, and the calendar with the Sense UI is brilliant. It syncs all of your Google calendars and I love it.

Battery life is an issue (as it is with all data heavy phones). If you leave the data connection always on, to take advantage of push email and seamless syncing, then you will need to charge it every night.

But if you leave that function off, you'll easily get 2 days out of it.

If you think the calendar that comes with Sense UI is brilliant then are you in for a treat if (when) some of the big developers start turning their attention towards Android!!!

 

[Panter]

Quick update, some Months on...

Turned out I was still commited to the iPhone contract until November.
So, my shiney new Desire HD turned up yesterday

Can't report too much about it, it's just too new, but I'm loving what I've seen so far