In this video, we are taking a close look at the software on the one of the newest 4G LTE devices from AT&T, the HTC Vivid.

Even with the usual HTC Sense 3.0 overlaid on Gingerbread Android, the HTC Vivid is still an admirable performer. If not for it’s bulky exterior and hardware design, one would be very pleased with the results. Even the data speeds without the 4G LTE service (not available in my primary service area) are outstanding, especially compared to my daily driver from Sprint. There is the typical bloatware installed on the device, some of which can be removed, while others can’t, with no discernable reason between them. Of course, a custom ROM could easily fix those issues, and probably the HTC Vivid into a real powerhouse.

Occasionally, we experienced what seems to be a Sense crash or restart, where the device will flash the HTC logo on the screen but not fully reboot. Thankfully, these blips (outside of the loss of service at one point) did not affect the day-to-day use of the device in any meaningful way other than to annoy the user.

Compared to other devices on the ATT network, the HTC Vivid is still a top contender. But in comparison to the huge range of phones on the market today, the sheer bulk of the hardware still leaves much to be desired.

Stay tuned for our final review of the HTC Vivid!

The HTC Vivid is available for $199 on a 2-year contract from ATT.