Unboxing: Windows Phone 8S by HTC

We go hands-on for the first time with the mid-range Windows Phone 8S by HTC, in our first unboxing of 2013; we happened to get a black and white model, and we also shot this on a brand new camera

It's getting well into 2013 now, and so the steady flow of devices to review has begun once again. While we're still waiting on a Samsung ATIV S to arrive, the third flagship Windows Phone 8 device in direct competition with the HTC 8X and Nokia Luima 920, we've managed to snag a Windows Phone 8S by HTC - their lower-end model designed for those who want a cheaper, more portable smartphone running Windows Phone.

You can check out an unboxing of the HTC Windows Phone 8S in the video above, including some initial hands-on impressions of the device. After using the device for around 15 minutes while setting it up, the quality HTC construction including fantastic textured polycarbonate becomes immediately clear, while the standard S-LCD display at 800 x 480 is noticeably of a lower quality compared to the HTC 8X's 720p Super LCD 2.

I'll have more solid opinions of the HTC 8S later on in a full review, and for some anecdotal stuff as I go through writing my review you can always follow me on Twitter.