The best way we can think of to summarize the Desire S is by comparing it to its nearest and dearest. Set alongside the original Desire, it's head, shoulders and elbows above its elder, thanks to a massive improvement in battery life, a far more rugged construction, better ergonomics and the natural evolution of better specs and software. Up against the Incredible S, things are a little less clear-cut, as the bigger brother packs a significantly better camera sensor and a larger screen. Still, the Desire S is priced a few floors below the Incredible S' penthouse ambitions, which makes it our choice of the two. Ultimately, the Desire S is a very well executed refinement on a formula HTC knows well, which deprives it both of any glaring faults and of any standout features. It's not novel, it's not surprising, it's just very, very good.

The biggest change being the aluminium body which by the way is not only good looking and great in your hand but also make the Desire S about as robust as they come.

The one thing that continues to frustrate me about HTC is how poor their cameras continue to be. Whilst I'm not a big user of cameras built in to phones, taking only the odd candid snap I'd really hoped for more from HTC here. I hope that they could address some of the camera issues through firmware as if a decent camera is important to you when selecting a new phone the HTC Desire S will sadly only disappoint.

In all other areas the device does well. Great for web browsing and social networking, light enough while still maintaining that balance between feeling light and feeling robust and not toy-like.

Yep. Same CPU, GPU, RAM.

this should be slighlty cheaper than IS.  Given the same spec, only that IS have larger and bigger mp for camera.

But DS come with gingerbread.

Engadget says Desire S and Incredible S uses Gorilla glass.
edit: oh just noticed theres the detail up there

Gorilla glass cannot break?