14:10
Regular readers may remember an ongoing dispute between Nokia and HTC that we recently reported on regarding the flagship HTC One. It looked as though there may be future delays ahead for the HTC One following Nokia’s win of a preliminary injunction involving the microphones on the HTC One. HTC has now stated that it will use a new supplier for improved mics and that this should not affect future supplies of the phone.
The mics under dispute are made by ST Microelectronics and an Amsterdam court judge recently granted the preliminary injunction against the supply of the mics to anyone but Nokia. HTC expressed disappointment and said it would look for alternative solutions and has now confirmed that the injunction filed by Nokia was not actually against HTC but rather against ST Microelectronics.
HTC has issued a press release regarding the injunction and stated that Nokia has failed in its bid to also gain a recall of those microphones already supplied to the company. This was because HTC could not have had previous knowledge of the exclusive agreement between ST Microelectronics and Nokia. The ruling therefore stated that any of the HDR (high-dynamic range) microphones involved that HTC already had in its inventory could continue to be used.
However HTC says it will now work on an improved microphone for the HTC One and will be sourcing another mic producer for when its current stock runs out. We certainly hope that HTC is correct in its assertion that this situation will not impact on future supplies of the HTC One and it will be interesting to see how this pans out. What are your thoughts on HTC’s clarification on this matter.
The HTC One is one of the hottest Android smartphones available with high-end specs and a beautifully stylish design. The phone comes in three different color options, black, silver or red although not all carriers will carry all of these. However if you’re in the US and want the black version of the HTC One we can tell you that it is now available on Sprint.
The HTC One in the silver option was already on sale through Sprint but those who have been waiting to get their hands on the black model should be pleased to hear of its availability now. While there is no difference at all to the specs of the HTC One in black from the silver version it’s good to know that it is available in both choices now. Sprint has beaten AT&T to the starting line with the HTC One in black, another smartphone able to use its 4G LTE network.
The HTC One in black at Sprint is the 32GB model. However if you want the 64GB variant of the HTC One in black you’ll still have to wait for it to arrive at AT&T as the carrier has an exclusive for that, at least initially. The 32GB model though is a good price at Sprint at $99 on the usual contract for new customers. You can check out the details or order it at this Sprint page.
If you want a reminder of HTC One specs then it has a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display, UltraPixel rear camera, Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2, 2GB of RAM and much more to delight. If you want to see more on this then why not check out our earlier HTC One vs. Galaxy S4 comparison.
There is no doubting that the HTC One is an excellent smartphone that will be giving the competition in 2013 a run for their money, and that includes anything that Apple or Samsung brings to the table. Now a new version of the HTC One with Dual SIM and MicroSD support has had its release date set.
The HTC One has been widely praised by consumers that already have the device in their hands, while some users have been seeing a software update to improve the camera even further. Now a new version has been officially announced after leaking earlier this month that has dual SIM and microSD support.
Unfortunately this version is only going to be available in China and on all major carriers in the country, and is set to be available directly from HTC on April 26th. The rear cover comes off the device to reveal the slots for the various cards but it doesn’t seem that the battery is removable by the user.
At the time of writing no pricing has been set for the device but having microSD support will be welcome news for some potential purchasers of the handset. Having no option of extending the internal memory further is arguably the only criticism that can be levelled at the HTC One, and it’s not known if this version will have different microphone technology after the recent injunction Nokia won against the smartphone.
14:05
The Android platform has some pretty tasty high-end smartphones becoming available at the moment, and today we are comparing the HTC One vs. Sony Xperia Z vs. Galaxy S4 in an Android shootout.
We have run comparisons on these handsets before but not with all three together at the same time that are currently the must have devices in the top end of the Android market, with each of them having their own merits in being regarded as the best smartphone available to consumers.
Display
The HTC One has the smallest of the three displays with a 4.7-inch Full HD touchscreen display that offers users an impressive 469ppi pixel density, while the Sony Xperia Z is using a 5-inch Full HD display with a pixel density of 441ppi. The Samsung Galaxy S4 also has a 5-inch Full HD display with 441ppi.
Processor and Power
Under the hood of the Sony Xperia Z is a Qualcomm quad core Krait processor clocked at 1.5GHz along with 2GB of RAM, while the HTC One has the quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor clocked at 1.7GHz with 2GB of RAM. The Samsung Galaxy S4 comes in two versions depending on the region with one getting the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa processor running at 1.6GHz, or the quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 at 1.9GHz with both versions having 2GB of RAM.
Storage
The HTC One will be available with either 32GB or 64GB storage options that can’t be expanded further, while the Sony only has 16GB on board but this can be expanded by a further 32GB via microSD card. Samsung has always been good for storage options on its smartphones with the device coming in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB options while each of them can be expanded by a further 64GB via a microSD card.
Cameras
Sony has fitted a 13.1-megapixel unit on the back with autofocus and LED flash, which is capable of Full HD video capture at 30fps and on the front is a 2.2-megapixel camera that also supports 1080p video capture. The HTC One has an UltraPixel unit with a 4-megapixel sensor that is capable if 1080p video recording, while around the front you will find a 2.1-megapixel shooter. Samsung has provided a 13-megapixel unit on the back that is 1080p along with the 2-megapixel front facer that is also capable of 1080p video capture at 30fps, and users will be able to use both cameras at once along with a whole host of new features Samsung has bundled on the device.
Dimensions
The Samsung measures in at 136.6mm x 69.8mm x 7.9mm weighing 130grams, while the Sony Xperia Z comes in at 139mm x 71mm x 7.9mm at 146grams. The HTC One on the other hand measures 137.4mm x 68.2mm x 9.3mm weighing 143grams.
Operating System
The Galaxy S4 will be released this week running the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS straight out of the box, while the HTC One is currently on Android 4.1.2 but will obviously see an update to the later version of Jelly Bean at some point, which is the same situation for the Sony Xperia Z.
Each of these handsets are well worth a look with each of them having features that the other doesn’t such as the aluminium frame of the HTC One, or the water and dust proofing of the Sony Xperia Z, and the Samsung has some software features that the other two devices don’t offer.
As we reported a couple of days ago the HTC One smartphone on T-Mobile will be released to the masses on April 24th, and the company has now started to take pre-orders for the device and at the time of writing giving customers a free car dock for every handset purchased.
The company is offering the silver version of the HTC One for a $99 upfront fee along with two years of monthly instalments of $20, or you can purchase the smartphone for a cool $579.99 which will work out the same as the monthly route, but not everyone can layout that sort of cash in one go.
By the time the handset is available from the carrier’s stores though on April 24th this offer would have ended, so if you fancy a free car dock you need to get clicking here now. The handset marks a comeback for HTC that used to dominate the Android platform before taking its eye off the ball and letting rival Samsung steel a march on it.The stylish looking handset has been gaining some great early reviews from those lucky enough to already have the device, and is certainly worth considering if you want a new Android smartphone this year.
14:00
There have been some amazing new smartphone releases lately and we’re not even half way through the year. Two that are gathering attention are the HTC One and LG Optimus G Pro and both rack up some impressive specs. Today we are looking at the HTC One vs. LG Optimus G Pro in a quad-core beauties battle.
The HTC One has now released in many regions worldwide on multiple carriers. On the other hand the LG Optimus G Pro has released in Japan and Korea and as we informed earlier today, is also just about to launch in the US. Both are Android handsets so we’ll first highlight some of the major specs to show what they each have to offer and how they compare.
Processor
The HTC One has a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor with Adreno 320 graphics while the LG Optimus G Pro sports an identical CPU and graphics so there’s no splitting them here.
Display
A 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with resolution of 1920 x 1080 and whopping 469ppi features on the HTC One. Meanwhile the LG Optimus G Pro steps up to a larger phablet style IPS Plus LCD display at 5.5-inches with the same full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 and this time a pixel density of 401 ppi.
RAM and Storage
The HTC One has 2GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of internal storage options. However there is no microSD expansion opportunity. On the other hand the LG Optimus G Pro has the same 2GB of RAM and comes with internal storage of 32GB but this time this is expandable via microSD to 64GB.
Camera Set-Up
There’s an UltraPixel 4-megapixel rear camera for the HTC One with autofocus, LED flash, simultaneous HD voice and image recording, optical image stabilization and 1080p video capture plus a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. In case you think 4-megapixels is rather low we should point out that this is an UltraPixel camera with each pixel said to harness 300% more light than standard sensors, especially beneficial in low-light conditions. The LG Optimus G Pro has a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, image stabilization, HDR, panorama and video capture of 1080p. It also has a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera with dual-video recording and HDR.
Operating System
Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 with an upgrade to 4.2.2 in the offing runs the HTC One. This is skinned with HTC’s Sense v5 user interface. The LG Optimus G Pro also launches running Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2.
Battery
There’s a non-removable 2300 mAh battery with the HTC One while the LG Optimus G Pro steps up to a 3140 mAh battery but remember it does have a larger display to power.
Dimensions and Colors
The HTC One measures 137.4mm x 68.2mm x 9.3mm, weighs 143g and has black, silver or red color options. The LG Optimus G Pro is obviously going to be larger due to its bigger display and measures 150.2mm x 76.1mm x 9.4mm, weighs 172g and comes in black or white.
Both the HTC One and LG Optimus G Pro have Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and LTE connectivity where applicable. Obviously we cannot detail every single specification and feature of both phones here but as you can see they are notable Android handset that should delight many users.
The look of the phone may be a deciding factor for some and the HTC One has also received huge praise for its design and build and from the looks of it the LG Optimus G Pro is also no slouch in that department. Please note in the image here the LG Optimus G Pro is on the left with the HTC One to the right. If you prefer a larger display then the Optimus G Pro could be your choice as long as you don’t mind the extra weight although the HTC One screen has a higher pixel density.It’s extremely hard to choose an outright winner from the two, especially when there are so many spec similarities and ultimately we think either handset would be an extremely good option. We’d like to know what you think though.
13:55
The HTC One smartphone is one of the most notable releases so far this year and a true competitor for the Samsung Galaxy S4 that is due to start releasing worldwide in a few days. The HTC One has just arrive stateside after an earlier release in other regions such as the UK and Canada and today we have details of a RadioShack deal for the phone that could snag you a Google Play $50 freebie.
A few days ago we told how T-Mobile was offering a free car dock with purchases of the HTC One but the phone is also available through other outlets than the major carriers. RadioShack has now posted details of its HTC One price on AT&T or Sprint. If you purchase the device on either of those carriers from RadioShack by June 1, you’ll receive a $50 Google Play credit so that you have plenty of content to start you off with such as new apps, music, books etc.
To qualify for that offer you’ll need to pay $199.99 at RadioShack locations with a qualifying two-year contract and RadioShack also offers 24/7 Mobile Product Support free of charge. That $199.99 price is for the 32GB model with Google Play freebie. There’s also a Trade and Save program whereby trading in can get you as much as $300 credit towards a new device and accessories.
As a quick reminder we’ll tell you that the HTC One is powered by a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, has a 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with resolution of 1920 x 1080, 2GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of internal storage, non-expandable. It also has a 4-megapixel UltraPixel camera and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera and runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradable to 4.2.2.
PhanDroid has received a promotional flyer from RadioShack that shows the price of the upcoming HTC One for $199.99. The interesting part about the flyer is that RadioShack offers a $50 Google Play gift card with the purchase of an HTC One on a 2-year contract. The flyer doesn’t give any word on a release date, but the HTC One is expected to launch sometime in April.
T-Mobile on the other hand offers a deal of its own: Order the HTC One online and receive a free car kit. The kit allows you put your phone on your car’s windshield or dashboard to use as a GPS. T-Mobile offers the HTC One for $99 down plus an extra $20 a month.
RadioShack has confirmed it will be stocking the new flagship phone from HTC, in an e-mail to Electronista. The HTC One, a 4.7-inch Android device with a 468ppi pixel density, a quad-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, and options for 32GB and 64GB of fixed storage, will be available from the retailer from its US launch date, which will be sometime in March. A price has still not been confirmed for the smartphone, which will be revealed closer to its street date.
The Wi-Fi version of the Samsung Galaxy Camera has been sighted at the FCC, having undergone certification. The camera, spotted by Engadget in an FCC filing, will lose the 4G connectivity from the original, but will retain dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity, the 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 21x zoom, support for ISO 100 to 3200, GPSm GLONASS, and Bluetooth 4.0.
13:48
News today of yet another new smartphone arrival, the HTC Desire L. This has just been announced in Taiwan and is a solid smartphone, very much in the usual HTC design mold. It’s a low to mid-range smartphone, so nothing to get too excited about but if you want to know more then read on.
The HTC Desire L is powered by a 1Ghz dual-core processor, has a 4.3-inch WVGA Super LCD2 display with resolution of 800 x 480, 1GB of RAM and 4B of internal storage (expandable via microSD). There’s also a 5-megapixel rear camera with wide f/2.0 aperture and 720p HD video capture capability and it has a 1800 mAh battery and Beats Audio.
As far as operating system is concerned we only know so far that it’s Android but the version has not been specified. It looks likely to be Jelly Bean though and will be skinned with HTC’s Sense UI. Dimensions of the Desire L are 128mm x 66.9mm x 8.9mm so it has a slim profile and it weighs only 118 grams so might suit those who specifically want something lightweight and not too bulky.
For those who like something a little different the handset comes in pink as well as black or white color options. Although it has been made official now for Asia there’s no news on if it will come to other regions and the price has not yet been announced although it’s expected to be competitive.
Despite all of HTC's talk about unified branding in the West, the company's model names are still diverse when looked at from a planet-wide perspective. This newest phone, the Desire L, appears to be a Taiwan-destined version of China's One SU, with the same low-end specs -- including a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 SLCD2 display, dual-core 1GHz processor and 5MP camera but a distinctly pre-One moniker. It's different strokes for different folks, just as with the Butterfly and Droid DNA though only a chosen few can boast the added distinction of coming in pink.
The Desire L has a 4.3-inch 480×800 touchscreen, a 5 MP rear camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording, no front camera, a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of built-in storage space, a microSD card slot for expansion, HSPA, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Beats Audio, and a 1,800 mAh battery. It runs a yet unknown version of Android, but it’s either 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or 4.1 Jelly Bean.
So the Desire L is basically a slightly larger version of the Desire X, with a bit more RAM thrown in for good measure. It’s unclear whether this device will ever make it to places other than Asia. For now though, it’s one more Android smartphone from HTC – the company that keeps promising it will focus on just a few models per year, but keeps breaking that promise by releasing many different near-identical handsets.
13:43
The plastic Samsung Galaxy S4 releases to the public at the end of this month, but we believe a metal Samsung Galaxy S5 will release at some point this year and hopefully before Christmas. Samsung really do need to release a new metal Galaxy S phone to compete with the likes of the HTC One.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 will do very well when it comes to sales and the closet rival has to be the HTC One, and we have had so much response on our social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ saying the HTC One has a metal casing and that Samsung should have followed suit.
After thinking about the above we found that Trusted Reviews are on the same wave-length as us, just they got to publish their idea first and fair play to them, so all credit goes to them. They mention in their article that Samsung has lost its zeitgeist to the HTC One and this is all down to the One being made from sleek aluminium and the Galaxy S4 is plastic.Is this really a debate or just personal preference. Do you like a metal phone or a plastic one.
Some are saying that the HTC One feels much better than the Galaxy S4, but it was the S4 that was more practical thanks to the cover on the back can be removed easily and that it comes with a built-in microSD card slot.
Does making a phone case using plastic make the phone feel cheap.We cannot count Samsung out for releasing a new metal phone; it could either be the Samsung Galaxy S5 or the Galaxy Note 3.
The HTC One Developer Edition. The handset was previously available to pre-order but for some days it was then listed as unavailable. However purchasers can now place a pre-order once more with additional stock due to become available from April 23.
The Developer Edition of the HTC One comes with an unlocked bootloader and SIM and was first available to pre-order on April 5 in limited numbers, in fact they were so limited that pre-orders stopped being taken so it’s good to see HTC has stepped up supplies.
Today the phone is available to order again and you have two options available. Either you can order the HTC One 32GB option SIM-unlocked for $574.99 or alternatively the HTC One 64GB Developer Edition is available to pre-order for $649.99, a great option for those who want to customize their device.
Head to this HTC page for the 32GB SIM-unlocked HTC One where you’ll see a new message that now reads “additional stock arriving April 23rd.” Otherwise head to HTC here for the 64GB Developer edition SIM-unlocked, with unlocked bootloader and the same April 23 message. Other specs for the HTC One include a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, UltraPixel rear camera and features such as BlinkFeed, Zoe, Sense Voice, BoomSound and more.
13:37
There are many consumers eagerly awaiting the arrival of the HTC One in the US with the device only days away from being available, but now news reaches us that there has been some HTC One early US release sales for the device.
It seems that some AT&T stores in the US have got confused with the launch of the HTC First device that was due to be released officially yesterday, as there has been a number of reports from customers saying they managed to pick up the HTC One instead.
As it is being reported by the Android Community a number of the carriers stores were offering the handset freely to customers with some laying down the cash for the handset and walking out with a shiny new HTC One in their hands.
It seems that it is mainly customers that have already pre-ordered the device but it wasn’t expected to be released until next week, April 19th. The reports state that there was more than a few units of the HTC One available, and it may be a way to counter the offer from Sprint that is offering the smartphone at a discount for customers moving across from rival carriers.
The device is proving to be extremely popular and rightly so as for the first time in a while HTC looks to have a winning device on their hands, which should possibly return the company to its former glories on the Android platform.The company has officially announced the HTC One will be available to consumers in India by the end of the month and priced at around Rs. 42,900, and now in readiness for the handsets availability the company has reduced the price of the HTC One X and One X+.
The 16GB version of the HTC One X has seen a price cut from RS. 32,000 down to RS. 25990, which for your money will provide a handset sporting a 4.7-inch HD touchscreen display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 and 312ppi. This is powered by the Nvidia quad core Tegra 3 power plant running at 1.5GHz with 1GB of RAM.
There is also an 8-megapixel rear facing camera that is capable of Full HD video capture coupled with a 1.3-megapixel unit on the front, which is capable of 720p video recording and now runs the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system with a 1,850 mAh battery.
HTC has also dropped the price of the 64GB One X+ to Rs. 29,500 from Rs. 38,550 that also uses the same 4.7-inch touchscreen display but its Tegra 3 processor is clocked at 1.7GHz with 1GB of RAM. This also has an 8-megapixel rear facing camera but has a 1.6-megapixel unit on the front and you will also find a bigger battery pack as well at 2,100 mAh.
13:34
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One are two of the most awaited smartphones of the year so far and in the US both have yet to be released. These Android devices both offer top-notch specs and features and it could be difficult to choose between them. Although not all of the US release details are done and dusted yet we thought it would be interesting to look in our crystal ball and see what forecasts we can make regarding the US launch of these two phones.
We have already given you a lot of the details we know about pricing and releases for the Galaxy S4 and HTC One here and if you want a specs comparison check out our post here. Now that these two handsets have been officially announced we know virtually all there is to know but one thing we’ve learned over the years is that we can also pretty much guess a few things that will happen after both of these phones finally hit shelves in the US.
The HTC One should be the first of these two phones to arrive stateside, due around April 19th on AT&T and Sprint and probably T-Mobile. Meanwhile for the Samsung Galaxy S4 T-Mobile has announced a release date in the US of May 1 and AT&T and US Cellular are both taking pre-orders for the phone but have not yet supplied a release date.
The first glance in our crystal ball then refers to Verizon and our forecast is that Big Red will be the last of all of the major US carriers to offer both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. So far Verizon Wireless has been very quiet regarding both of these phones but it’s not unusual to see Verizon as the last to climb on board. It has been widely rumored that Verizon will carry the HTC One, or possibly its own variant of the phone but as nothing has been announced yet we’d be surprised if Verizon isn’t the last again.
Another thing that seems pretty safe to forecast from our crystal ball is that there will be price cuts for the Galaxy S4 and HTC One early on, possibly inside the first week of release. The first discounts are likely to come early from third-party retailers such as Wirefly and Amazon with the latter likely to cut the price by around $30 to $50. It may be quite some time though before we see carriers cut the price of either device.
Another crystal ball spot tell us that neither device is likely to sell out. Samsung should be in a good position to make sure that there are plenty of supplies to meet demand for the Galaxy S4. The company already knows that there will a massive demand for this handset and will also want to avoid some production snags that hit the release of the Galaxy S3 so Samsung is likely to be on top of the huge production of units that will be necessary. The HTC One has already hit problems regarding component shortages which delayed its initial launch in some regions. This might indicate further supply problems but it seems more likely that HTC has now got on top of this situation and units will hopefully be readily available.
Finally our last forecast is one that we’re pretty sure of as we feel many consumers will be annoyed about Verizon branding on both handsets. When Verizon got its hands on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 last year many purchasers were aghast to see the unseemly branding on the home button, which they felt completely spoiled the look of the phone. It seems unlikely that the Galaxy S4 and HTC One will manage to avoid the same sort of unsightly branding and so this forecast seems pretty obvious.
We’re done with our crystal ball for now but it will certainly be interesting to look at the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One post-US launch to see if these predictions are fulfilled. Are you eagerly waiting for the release of one of these devices.
13:28
The HTC One is undoubtedly one of the most talked about phones right now and although it has already reached buyers in the UK those in Canada and the US should see the release later this month. We now have news for those who want to purchase the HTC One in Canada with pre-order details and pricing through TELUS.
TELUS has now announced that its pre-orders for the HTC One are now open for the phone’s shipping on April 18. The cost on a three-year contract with a $50 monthly spend before tax seems pretty reasonable at $149 or for those who’d rather purchase the HTC One outright the price is $659. This is a hotly-awaited phone as not only is the design superb but it also has a top raft of specs and features so we imagine pre-orders with TELUS will be pretty busy.
TELUS says to allow 2-3 business days for delivery once shipping begins and we’ll give you a quick reminder on specs so that you can see what the HTC One has to offer. It’s powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, has a 4.7-inch 1080p display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, non-expandable. There’s also HTC’s new UltraPixel rear camera with 1080p video capture, a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera, 2300 mAh battery and LTE connectivity (where applicable).
The HTC One launches with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, which will be upgradable to 4.2.2 Jelly Bean at some point. Dimensions are 137.4mm x 68.9mm x 9.3mm and it weighs 140g. As there still appear to be shortages of the HTC One because of a well-documented component shortage and some pre-orders on other carriers have already sold out, then it may be worth getting in your pre-order with Telus quickly if this is your next smartphone choice.
The smartphone market is extremely competitive with a number of worthy handsets becoming available all the time, but while Samsung has been the dominate force more recently on the Android platform, it looks like HTC are making a timely comeback as unlocked versions of the HTC One have sold out in the US.
HTC’s handset is certainly gaining some positive plaudits from owners and reviewers alike, and the handset will be giving rival offerings something to think about this year. We recently revealed that stock had run out on carrier T-Mobile, but now both the 64GB Developer Edition and the 32GB unlocked version are at the time of writing showing out of stock on the HTC website.
Some of this could be down to the fact there wasn’t much stock to begin with as the company admitted themselves there were issues sourcing enough components for the camera module, but it is certainly promising signs for the company that recently reported falling profits.
At the moment there is only the option of ordering the device on either AT&T or Sprint in the country, and this comes at a time where other regions have been promised the handset by the end of the month to further provide consumers access to the stunning looking smartphone.
13:25
With more and more of us using our mobile devices for our everyday camera use the camera technology of smartphones is developing all the time. The HTC One and Nokia Lumia 920 are two smartphones that feature OIS (optical image stabilization) and they have now been subjected to a video stabilization challenge so see which one comes out best. The winner was quite clear and so read on and watch the videos below to find out which one came out on top.
The test was carried out both in daytime and at night by AnandTech and involved the two smartphones being mounted on a bracket and carried manually as smoothly as possible. The first of the videos below this story shows the results of the HTC One and Lumia 920 side by side when filming in daylight and there definitely appears to be less juddering and shaking with the camera of the Nokia Lumia 920.The win for Nokia is clear here but maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised. The Android HTC One handset has 2-axis stabilization and an unbranded lens whereas the Windows Phone Nokia Lumia 920 has 3-axis stabilization and Carl Zeiss optics.
The same test was then carried out in low-light conditions and you can see this in the second video below this story. Again the Lumia 920 showed far more stabilization than the HTC One. However the HTC One showed a lighter video image due to its ‘Ultra’ pixels although the amount of light is maybe a little unrealistic. The second half of this video also shows the HTC One up against the iPhone 5.
We’ve been doing the Nokia Lumia 920 vs the flagships series, and you could have seen the Nokia Lumia 920 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 comparison earlier. This time, it’s the Nokia Lumia 920 vs HTC One X. The HTC One X launched at the Mobile World Congress 2012 and was heralded as one of the most beautifully designed smartphones ever, while the Nokia Lumia 920, known for its own design too, was launched recently at Nokia World on the 5th of September.
First up, we talk about the design, build quality and the ergonomics of both these devices. The HTC One X has a striking design and was one of the first phone to be a major departure from HTC’s previously bland design philosophy. The One X brought some curves back to the smartphone game and was widely regarded as one of the best designed smartphone devices ever made. The Nokia Lumia 920 on the other hand is based on the Nokia fabula design that was launched with the Nokia N9 and resembles more of the Nokia Lumia 800. Both the phones are made of single piece unibody polycarbonate, machined to accommodate the screen and the other components. Both the One X and the Lumia 920 are well built and well designed, but the differences arise only when we consider the ergonomics.
The One X comes at 8.9 mm thickness and weighs 130g while the Nokia Lumia 920 comes at 10.7mm thickness and weighs a whopping 185g. There is some justification to the weight as the phone packs a lot of technology, but feel wise, it’s not as sleek as the HTC One X and hence, even with a design flaw of the power button at the top of the device, the One X wins our favor in terms of design, build and more importantly ergonomics.
The display is an integral part of any smartphone and these two are no doubt among the best smartphone displays to have ever landed in the market. The One X has a 4.7 inch 16:9 1280×720 SLCD2 screen and was widely regarded as the best displays around the time it launched. The display is closely laminated to the screen and the striking colours and deep blacks are a great advantage to the One X’s interface. Likewise, the Lumia 920 has a 4.5 inch 16:10 15:9 1280×768 LCD screen with a ClearBlack polariser coating and a laminated screen. The colours are very rich and the pixel density a bit higher than the One X.
The blacks are very deep and gel with the interface very well, making it impossible to differentiate with the black bezel. The display also packs a lot more features, like the PureMotion HD+ with 60Hz refresh rate that removes motion blur from the display, the software level sharpening along with CBD for outdoor visibility, the high sensitivity for usage with gloves and the new v2 oleo-phobic coating that massively reduces finger prints. There is just too many relevant features on the Lumia 920′s display that make the other displays look devoid of features. That way, the Lumia 920 easily wins out, for having one of the most versatile screens on any smartphone.
13:19
If you are currently in the market for a new high-end smartphone there is certainly some great hardware to be had, with two of the most sought after devices being the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, and today we are looking at some of the pricing and availability of both handsets in the UK and US.
We will start off with the HTC One as this has already become available to some users in the UK, and can be had with no upfront cost on contracts costing from £34 a month from carrier Three. Orange will let you have the device from £29.99 on monthly plans that start at £41 per month, while Expansys will let you have the device SIM free for £529.99 but you will have to wait until April 27th to get it.
In the US the HTC One has gone up for pre-order and has already sold out on T-Mobile, while Sprint will charge you $199.99 for the device with a monthly plan costing $79.99 per month with shipping expected on April 18th. AT&T are also asking $199.99 for the device with shipping due on 16th of April, or you can get the device unlocked directly from HTC for $574.99 or the Developer Edition is priced at $649.99 with shipping for both on April 18th.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 meanwhile has yet to be released but pre-orders for the device have already started and Amazon will sell the device to UK customers for £579.95 unlocked. If you want to go down the subsidized route with a carrier Three has one of the best deals on offer with a free handset on a contract costing £35 a month with unlimited data and a delivery date of April 26th.
Vodafone will also let you have the Galaxy S4 for nothing on a two year contract costing £38 per month, and this is also expected to arrive on April 26th. T-Mobile will only charge to £19.99 for the handset but this is on a contract costing £61 per month, or if you stump up £109.99 the monthly charge goes down to £36.
In the US things are still a little bit up in the air regarding the Galaxy S4 but AT&T have already shown their hand by announcing pre-orders will kick off on April 16th with the 16GB version priced at $199.99, and the 32GB priced at $249.99.
T-Mobile will provide the device under its new Simple Choice plans with the handset costing $99 with a monthly payment of $20 on top of your monthly subscription over two years, and is expected to arrive by May 1st.T-Mobile will provide the device under its new Simple Choice plans with the handset costing $99 with a monthly payment of $20 on top of your monthly subscription over two years, and is expected to arrive by May 1st.
US Cellular has announced that pre-orders will begin on April 16th but currently there is no pricing information given on its website, and it can be expected that the other major carriers in the country will soon be announcing their plans for the Galaxy S4.
13:16
The HTC One smartphone is very much the smartphone of the moment and in many regions it’s hitting the shelves before the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The One is already available in the UK and heading to the US for launches on various carriers from this month but although it was originally thought to be receiving an official launch in India in April, indications now are that it is likely to launch in May instead.
We’ve already reported on some delays for the HTC One because of component supplies but that only appears to have meant limited delays so far so hopefully it won’t be too much longer before the HTC One becomes officially available in India too. We have a large readership in India and so like to keep people informed about smartphone launches and when you can hope to get your hands on some of the top phones around. There has been a lot of frustration about the delay of the Nexus 4 in India so we are hoping the same saga doesn’t happen in India for the HTC One as well.
On March 20th we informed readers in India that Rediff was selling the HTC One with 32GB of internal storage in the silver finish for Rs. 49,990. However a 30-business day shipping time was quoted and we had some doubts about whether this would be fulfilled. A look at Rediff today shows the phone listed as out of stock, still with a delivery time of 30 working days quoted but of course we cannot verify this.
Now it does look as though the arrival of the HTC One is getting closer though as we hear that retail stores Saholic and Infibeam are now showing the HTC One on their databases with a ‘coming soon’ message. What’s more, Saholic also says that the HTC One (M7) will be available by May 7th so it does look increasingly likely that early May is a good time to expect the One.
We should point out though that Saholic release dates are not always reliable but we would expect that early May will now be the very earliest that the HTC One will go on sale in India. When we start to see accessories arriving that is also a good sign that a smartphone release is coming soon and so it’s also a positive sign that Saholic now has HTC One Screen Protectors for sale while eBay India also has a list of accessories for this phone.
Based on everything we know, we expect the HTC M4 to be named the HTC One Mini when it launches later this quarter. The device is rumored to feature a descent array of specs which would allow it to easily trounce the rumored Samsung Galaxy S 4 Mini. Add to that a metal chassis design (which looks a lot like the HTC One) and we have a lust worthy mid-range phone which should capture the attention of consumers who aren’t really interested in purchasing a large device with all the latest and greatest specs.
But is the HTC M4 really small enough to be called the HTC One Mini? While we don’t have any information regarding the phone’s size, it is expected to feature a 4.3-inch display. With a little math and Photoshop work, we’ve been able to re-size the leaked image of the HTC M4 and align it with the HTC One. Our work may not be perfect, but the two images in this post should accurately depict the true size of the HTC M4 when paired up with the HTC One.
13:13
A few months ago leading up to the official announcement of the HTC One flagship smartphone there were a couple of other handsets being touted with other codenames, and one of these was the HTC M4 that has again surfaced and is being tipped to release with an Ultrapixel camera.
We last heard about the HTC M4 back in February and while the company has been busy getting the HTC One and the Facebook First device ready, it seems there are other products being readied for release.According to sources the HTC M4 is to be more of a mid-range offering from the company featuring a 4.3-inch touchscreen display with 720p HD resolution, and powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8930 processor running at 1.2GHz.
This will be paired with 1GB of RAM and will support Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and Glonass connectivity, and the device will only come with 16GB of on board storage. Camera wise it will feature the Ultrapixel unit that has been causing the HTC One release issues, while around the front will be a 1.6-megapixel shooter.The handset is being tipped to come running the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS along with the HTC Sense 5.0 overlay. If the company gets the pricing for the handset set at the correct level they could have another hit on their hands.
In the start of 2013 year HTC has plans to lunch two smartphones in 2013 , we see HTC launch the superb and stylish HTC One in February after the release of HTC One every one just forgot the second terminal of HTC . HTC One before launch has a code name which is HTC M7 . we see reports saying that HTC will launch HTC M7 and HTC M4 in 2013 . HTC M7 is launched and now we are waiting for HTC M4 to see the light of the day .
We also have some reports saying that HTC M4 will be the low end ,mid range , budget friendly smartphone from HTC . We see that Samsung launches a high end smartphone and after that samsung launches the mini version of the same smartphone for those who want low end device and smaller display . So HTC is also planing to launch HTC One mini version with low hardware specifications.
It’s a good step from HTC to fight his rival on same grounds , launch a high end smartphone and later on launch a mini version of the same high end smartphone .Catcher Technology a Taiwan-based company that is manufacturing aluminium and magnesium alloy cases for smartphones, tablets, and laptops is the one that is supplying the cases for the HTC One. Anonymous sources say that Catcher will be the exclusive supplier for the cases of the upcoming HTC M4.
13:09
The HTC One is beginning to become available in various markets around the world in the next few weeks, and the handset certainly looks to be putting the company back on the Android map, and now we can tell you that the HTC One Developer Edition pre-orders will be kicking off later today.
Last month we told you that the device will becoming available at some point but could only be available in limited quantities, and now it has been confirmed that pre-orders will begin at 10am EDT following a tweet by the company.The device with its unlocked bootloader and SIM will offer owners the some great customization choices, and will be available for a price of $649. This gets you 64GB of on board storage and considering there is no microSD card support many owners will be needing all of that memory.
It is expected to be delivered around the 19th of this month which is around the same time the device is expected to arrive on AT&T and Sprint, and is a credit to the company making the Developer Edition available at the same time as the carrier versions start arriving.The HTC One Developer Edition will run on the 2G/3G/4G/LTE bands of AT&T. HSPA+ support is available for 850/1900/2100 MHz which leaves out the 1700MHz used at T-Mobile for such signals. The carrier has changed some of its markets to 1900MHz so there could be some support in these regions.
The HTC One smartphone is about to release in some regions and a short while later for others and is a brilliantly impressive device. We’ve been pretty wowed by this phone and have already posted many articles about it but something we hadn’t paid much attention to so far are the color options. A look at a recent video though has convinced us that this is something you might want to consider if you’re about to order an HTC One, as it looks at the choice between black or white and why it matters.
Although the HTC One was announced coming in three color options, black, white or red, we’re not sure yet if the red option is going to be widely available although it certainly looks as though the white and black versions will be. Also we should point out that although we are referring to the white HTC One it’s really more of a silver aluminum finish than white but we’ll continue to refer to it for now as white as the video also does.
The design of the HTC One is extremely sleek and classy and should appeal to many consumers and with top-notch specs as well this phone should be a big hit. So why put so much thought into whether you should choose black or white. Quite simply your choice may depend on how fussy you are or how clumsy you are, according to the video that we have embedded for you below this story.
The Pocketnow YouTube video is just over 7-minutes long and gives viewers a really good close-up look at the HTC One in black or white. We’re shown all sides of the HTC One in both color options along with the front and rear of the device and this really is a good-looking phone in either color. It is noted however that the rear of the black HTC One gets covered in fingerprints very readily that are both hard to get off and also noticeable. On the silvery-white version though the fingerprints on the rear hardly show at all. A nice plus point is that the video points out that less fingerprints are gathered on the front glass of the HTC One than other smartphones so that’s good to hear.
13:04
Well here’s an interesting story that we can imagine might divide opinion. We’ve made our enthusiasm for the HTC One quite clear and we can’t wait to find out how our readers feel about this snippet of news. If you purchase the HTC One in the UK on O2 then you will not automatically receive a free charger with it. We can already imagine half of you yelling “No” and see the other half nodding their hands on about a right-on environmentally friendly move.
O2 has a plan that we’ve discussed previously with readers here at Phones Review. It’s called O2’s Chargers out of the Box initiative whereby the company plans to stop including chargers altogether by 2015. O2 claims that many of the chargers sold now with smartphones are unnecessary considering that most people will already have one that will fit the bill and so will not include one with the HTC One.
When you think about it, as most phones now have the same micro-USB charger connection O2 has a point. Most of us have an untold amount of chargers knocking around from previous phones and other devices and just because they’re not shiny and brand-new it doesn’t mean they won’t do the job perfectly well. The same micro-USB charger connection is now widely used for Android phones, Windows Phone handsets, Kindles and many other devices so many of us have at least one.
In case you’re still dubious O2 will still provide a USB-to-microUSB cable with its HTC One so users can alternatively charge their smartphones via connection to a computer. O2 hasn’t just jumped right into this idea without thinking and have been conducting research by giving customers a choice, the results of which may surprise you. O2 has completed a trial run involving customers who have bought other HTC devices over the past six months. These customers were given the choice of having a charger with their phone or not but a staggering 82% chose not to.
That figure surprised us initially but certainly showed us that as a society we’re much closer to ditching unnecessary chargers than we originally expected. In fact O2 reckons that there are around 100 million chargers in existence that nobody uses. It certainly shows what can be done when companies cooperate with standardization instead of going down the proprietary route, like Apple.
On the face of it this initiative does sound like a good idea then although we can imagine some will be saying they sold their last phone with its charger. The answer to that of course is not to have included the charger but to have kept it as your buyer probably already had one anyway. Others might say that this is just another way for manufacturers and networks to make money from sales of chargers that used to be included free.
13:02
The Nexus range of Android hardware has always been popular among purists of the platform, but last year even more users got a taste of the benefits of owning devices such as the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. There have been a number of rumours that other manufacturers may be designing devices for the range, and this HTC Nexus 5 looks amazing.
This image that you can see on this page is another Nexus 5 concept that seems to be growing in numbers as only a few days ago we had another impressive looking design for you. Today’s HTC Nexus 5 concept we have for you is by designer Suman Chatterjee courtesy of Concept Phones.
The idea of a new HTC Nexus 5 smartphone brings a design that features a 4.9-inch Full HD touchscreen display with almost no bezels surrounding it. Specifications come in using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core processor that is running at 2.3GHz, and this is paired with 3GB of RAM.Other features include either 32GB or 64GB of built in storage, 16-megapixel rear facing camera with autofocus, and a 3-megapixel front facer.
There is a 2,800 Li-Polymer battery that is also removable and the physical buttons have been replaced by virtual ones.There has been talk that LG could be responsible for the next Nexus smartphone and there is a good chance that we may hear some official news next month at the Google I/O event.
It seems like an eternity ago, but some of you should still remember HTC‘s first Android-powered device, released in October 2008. It was a collaborative project between Google and HTC that was called the T-Mobile G1 in the States and the HTC Dream elsewhere. For all intents and purposes, the G1 was the first Android. Google and HTC worked closely together and released a smartphone running the “pure Android experience”. Today devices like that go by the “Nexus” name. Fast-forward to January 2010 and the duo did it again, this time releasing the Nexus One which served as a reference platform to which other manufacturers could look to and model their hardware.
The relationship between Google and HTC seemed to split after that. The “next Nexus” smartphone was made by Samsung, followed by another. More recently LG got in the game with the Nexus 4. During this time HTC has continued to crank out Android-powered phones.
HTC has learned from their mistakes and are starting to make differentiated devices. They’re breaking the mold and coming up with some impressive new hardware. Of course there’s new “guts” inside powering the HTC One, but it looks different, and it looks good! The HTC brand is rising from the ashes and we’re beginning to see what they are really capable of. Now it’s just a matter of time.
12:59
While the company may have had issues sourcing enough components for the camera on the device the HTC One is beginning to reach more markets, and today we have the pricing and availability for consumers in Australia looking to pick up the new smartphone.
A number of carriers in the country have now revealed their plans for the device along with some of the pricing, and pre-orders kick off tomorrow with a release expected to be on April 23rd. If you are a customer of Telstra a registration page is already live and with a $10 monthly handset payment you can have the device on a two year contract costing $60.
If you pre-register for the device before April 23rd you will also get a free set of Beats Solo headphones, and if you want the HTC One SIM free it will set you back $768. Vodafone is also offering the same headphones free for early adopters to the HTC One, and they are slightly cheaper than Telstra as there is only a $3 monthly handset fee with the $60 per month two year contract.
Virgin Mobile are also only charging a $3 fee for their monthly handset payment and their two year contract is priced at $59 per month, which is the same for Optus except the monthly contract is priced at $60 each month.
The HTC One brings a couple of distinctive features to the table, including a redesigned user interface that echoes Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 design, though on a phone that runs Google’s Android operating system.
HTC calls its new skin “Blinkfeed,” an interface that highlights updates from various apps in a grid-like layout. Global partners at launch include Facebook, AOL, Twitter and Flickr.
The company is also putting a 4.7-inch screen on the phone as well as a camera sensor that’s supposed to have excellent performance in low light. In a move that could be disappointing to Android fans, however, the HTC One will run Android 4.1.2, rather than the company’s latest version, 4.2.2.
HTC is in need of a good hit. The company said last year that it would put more effort into streamlining its product releases, as it lost ground to Samsung as the Android phone manufacturer of choice.The Taiwanese firm was the fourth-place smartphone vendor of 2012, falling behind Samsung, Apple and Nokia, but didn’t even merit a place in the top five vendors for the 2012 holiday quarter.
HTC said last month that it would focus on mid-range phones, which should have broad appeal in emerging smartphone markets such as China.The pricing and availability details for the HTC One have not yet been released, but the phone will be coming to three U.S. networks: AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.
12:56
There’s great news today if you’re an AT&T customer waiting for availability of the HTC One in the US. AT&T has now announced a release date of April 19 along with pricing and pre-order details. This news should please a lot of potential customers who because of some production delays may have worried they would have to wait longer. Since we began this article we now also have a press release from Sprint with its own release, price and pre-ordering details.
The HTC One has just arrived in the UK after some minor delays and we knew that it should release in the US by the end of April. It’s good to hear this confirmed today though by AT&T and Sprint and April 19 isn’t too much longer to wait for those who can’t wait to get their hands on this extremely impressive handset. The price for the 32GB model on AT&T will be $199.99 on a new two-year contract or for the 64GB option it will be a whopping $299.99 with a new two-year contract.
There may be plenty of readers considering purchasing the 64GB option though as there is no expandable storage on the HTC One. Only yesterday we told how AT&T had made it clear on a promo video that the 64GB HTC One would be exclusively available to them in the US (at least initially). We have already received some angry comments about this from Sprint and T-Mobile customers who had wanted this version of the HTC One so we do wonder if HTC made the right move with this as none of the readers who commented said they would jump ship to AT&T just to get it.
Still, for all of you AT&T customers you won’t have to ponder that point and pre-orders for the HTC One open on Thursday, April 4, with AT&T for that April 19 release. A plus for those customers who pre-order the HTC One through AT&T is that they will receive a free HTC Media Link HD wireless HDMI adaptor, around $90 worth of free gift. If you want to pre-order on Thursday check out this AT&T page where both black and silver options will be on offer from 1pm CDT.
Onto Sprint then which has just come up with its own announcement regarding the HTC One. Sprint will also release the HTC One on April 19 but pre-orders open one day later on Friday, April 5. As we’ve just said, only the 32GB option will be on sale at Sprint and that will also be at the same price as AT&T’s 32GB model, $199.99 with a new two-year contract. Head to this Sprint page for HTC One pre-orders when they begin but no details this time on any freebies.
This is the news that many readers have been waiting for, as the HTC One will be one of the hottest smartphone releases of the year. If you want to guarantee yourself the variant of your choice ready for release day then you may want to get your pre-orders in nice and quickly.
12:45
The HTC One is one of the most notable smartphones of the year so far although it will come up with some tough competition when the Samsung Galaxy S4 releases in regions worldwide from late April. We’ve been hugely impressed with the HTC One, both the design and top-end specs and although it has now just become available in the UK it is still to appear in the US. We have now learned though that when it releases in the US later in April that the 64GB internal storage option will only be available on AT&T.
We already know that the HTC One will be carried by AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint in the US and could come to Verizon too at some point. The specs are high-end and it comes in 32 or 64GB internal storage options. However this cannot be expanded via microSD and because of this many people might have already decided to opt for the 64GB version. Unfortunately it seems that won’t be a choice open to you if you want to purchase the HTC One through T-Mobile or Sprint.
AT&T recently uploaded a promotional video to its YouTube channel in which it claims that the 64GB HTC One will be an AT&T exclusive. There’s no date for release yet or pricing although we learn that the 32GB option will also be available through AT&T. You can see the 5-minute video that we’ve embedded for you below this story that gives you a comprehensive look at the HTC One and where storage options are discussed next to the 64GB a message clearly reads (AT&T exclusive).
We think this could lead to a lot of disappointed customers as although a 32GB option is nothing to be sniffed at many of us don’t want to worry about storage when we purchase a brand new smartphone, although of course cloud solutions are something to consider. As T-Mobile and Sprint will only be stocking the 32GB option we wonder if these carriers will lose many sales because of this.
HtC one had full HD displays are awesome for playing games, watching video, and reading books since text stays crisp, even when it’s tiny. And the quad-core processors on both phones ensure smooth playback and high framerates. With all else being equal, the media battle comes down to audio quality.
Even though Samsung has a history of producing excellent media players, the company hasn’t made audio a priority in the Galaxy line the way HTC has with their phones. Every time you play a song, a game, or a video on the HTC One, Beats Audio kicks in to enhance the audio quality and the result is impressive. The S4′s audio isn’t bad, it just pales in comparison to the One. HTC also gets props for placing two stereo speakers on the front of the phone. Sharing video and music with friends is far better when everyone can hear the audio, even in a noisy environment.
12:41
We have already seen a couple of mid-range smartphones that came with a dedicated Facebook button, but there have long been rumours that a more integrated handset will eventually become available. Now a HTC Facebook phone release possibility is growing with some invites the company has sent out for an event early next month.
Back in February some specs were leaked for a handset going under the name of HTC Myst, and then earlier this month some more details about the handset came to light and what is thought to be a Facebook smartphone. Now Facebook has sent out some invites for a press event taking place at the company’s HQ on April 4th, which is inviting us to “Come See Our New Home On Android”.
Sources have told TechCrunch that a device believed to be manufactured by HTC will come with a heavily modified version of Android, but with deep Facebook integration will be making an appearance at the event.There have been rumours going on for a number of years now suggesting that the social networking giant will offer such a device, and this handset will according to sources will have lots of Facebook functionality built into the Android operating system.
Facebook has recently been expanding the features on its Messenger application that now allows users to make calls from within the app via an Internet connection to other users, which also works across platforms. If these rumours are accurate it would allow Facebook to have greater control on apps as well as the overall user experience of the handset.
Previously though CEO Mark Zuckerberg has denied getting into the mobile phone business, but this deeper control would allow the company to collect far more information on how its users act, which in turn may allow them to further target users with specific ads and features.
While some doubt the viability of a Facebook phone, the social network says that more than 650 million people now access Facebook through a mobile device. It makes sense that Facebook wants itself at the front and center of people’s mobile experience to drive additional advertising revenue; recent updates to the Facebook News Feed were specifically aimed to make the Web experience more consistent with mobile. A full-on Facebook phone seems to be the next logical step.According to TechCrunch, Facebook’s experimentation with open-source VoIP in Canada could allow for users to place calls over a Skype-like program. It could then use normal cell connections to reach phones not connected with Facebook.
“Imagine if the regular Facebook app mutated an extra ‘home screen’ limb,” wrote Android Police, which claims to have a leaked ROM of the software intended for Facebook employees. According to the article, the app can turn off the phone’s lock screen, spawn new windows, boot-up Facebook when the phone starts, see what other apps are currently running, control Wi-Fi settings and change system settings. All pretty unremarkable stuff.
12:37
The HTC One smartphone is one of the most eagerly awaited devices of the year so far although there are some issues with release delays at the moment. It should soon be hitting shelves in regions across the globe soon though and we have been bringing you plenty of news and developments. Now we hear that a future update for the HTC One will enable OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics and we also have a video demonstration of this for you.
The HTC One uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and is one of the first smartphones to do so. The official specs of the HTC One also list the Adreno 320 GPU and according to Qualcomm the Snapdragon 600 with Adreno 320 graphics supports OpenGL ES 3.0. It’s good to know then that HTC has now said that this will be enabled on the One with a future software update.
Qualcomm’s OpenGL has been demonstrated running on a patched HTC One so we know it can be enabled although HTC hasn’t yet said when the software update will arrive. You can see a video of the OpenGL demonstration on the HTC One below this story and it gives a clear idea of the enhanced graphics effects, great news for those who intend to use their HTC One for plenty of gaming.
Hopefully the HTC One will be arriving widely soon with one of the first regions to receive it being the UK. Although we have no confirmed news on when the above software update will arrive for the phone at least HTC has confirmed that it is coming.
The HTC One is the best looking and best built Android smartphone in recent memory. It feels as solid as the Droid RAZR MAXX HD, but the Razr MAXX HD can’t compete with HTC’s all-metal design. The HTC One design is much nicer than the countless plastic Android smartphones.
HTC cuts the back of the HTC One out of a single block of aluminum, filling in the gaps with a soft-touch plastic that adds a little grip to the sides of the device and highlights the aluminum back. Rather than squaring off the corners like the iPhone 5, HTC keeps the HTC One a little bulkier, but uses that bulk to deliver a curved back that feels natural to hold.
Though the HTC One’s larger display makes doe a larger device than the iPhone, the difference is not as large as the Galaxy Note 2 vs. the iPhone 5. The image above shows the HTC One vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. iPhone 5 sizes.The HTC One features a small notification LED in the top speaker grill for alerts and charging status. The LED is not as obnoxiously loud as many Android phones. A headphone jack and power button are on top of the HTC One with a Micro USB charging port on the bottom and a volume rocker on the right side. A SIM card slot sits on the left side. The power button hides an IR sensor that allows the device to control a TV, cable box and home theater system.
The HTC One features a 4.7-inch 1080P HD display. That’s the same resolution as most HDTVs. The HTC One screen looks fabulous thanks to all these pixels packed into such a small display. The HTC One display delivers a great viewing experience from photos and HD video watching to playing graphically rich games like Real Racing 3. Users who plan to read or surf the web a lot on the HTC One will also enjoy very crisp text.
12:33
There is no doubt that in many people’s eyes the HTC One is the must have smartphone due to its specifications and apparent build quality. Now though we have some not so good news about the HTC One UK release date, as it slips a little and can be quite a wait for some looking to pick up the handset unlocked.
There was a time that the HTC One was due to release in the country on March 14th, but the company has had issues sourcing enough components to keep up with demand. Now if you were looking to pick the device up unlocked via online retailer Clove you have a bit longer to wait for your device.
The company has revealed that those that are looking to pick up the silver HTC One will now have to wait until April 3rd, or if it’s the black model your after its a week longer on April 10th. This is for customers that have got their orders in on or before yesterday, March 26th, and if you have yet to order the handset you will likely have to wait until the end of next month to see your handset delivered to your door.
This is of course for unlocked versions of the handset via Clove, as carriers are still expected to start pushing out deliveries this week, and it is not known how much stock the retailer will be given so some purchasers of the handset may have to wait even longer.
The Android market has changed radically in the past couple of years. Where we once had a spec war, with manufacturers racing to release ever-more powerful smartphones as quickly as possible, now it’s turning into a marketing battle — and Samsung is winning by a mile. HTC, by comparison, isn’t doing so well. The company has learned some important lessons about not flooding the market with iterative designs, and the culmination of that is the aptly-named HTC One. It’s HTC’s flagship, the one device it’s putting all its weight behind.
It might seem a little reductive to only consider the HTC One in comparison to Samsung’s as-yet unseen Galaxy S 4, but the truth is that the HTC One can only succeed if it can steal back some of the marketshare it lost last year when the One X, which we found superior to the Galaxy S III in many ways, failed to compete with Samsung’s device.
The playbook this year looks surprisingly similar. The HTC One has top-notch hardware design and specs that are as good or better than anything else on the market today. But that’s long been the case with HTC, and it hasn’t been enough. So instead the company is making two gigantic bets: a surprising camera that rethinks how you take photos, and custom software that reimagines the home screen. Both features are likely to be polarizing, but the real question is whether the buzzwords, features, and HTC’s technical “innovation” add up to enough to convince consumers to give the phone a chance.
12:30
Smartphone manufacturer HTC are currently busy getting their flagship smartphone out of door and available to consumers around the world, but it seems the company is looking to expand its lower range of handsets as the HTC Desire P and Desire Q appear with specs and price pointers.
We first heard of these two handsets earlier this month but at the time not much was known about them, but now both handsets have appeared online with images, specifications and early pricing. The HTC Xperia P looks along the lines of the Desire SV that appeared last year and uses a 4.3-inch touchscreen display at WVGA resolution.
Other features include a dual core processor clocked at 1GHz along with an 8-Megapixel camera, as well as a front facer for video conferencing. There is also microSD card support and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean running on board, and the handset is expected to become available in China first priced at around $365.
Meanwhile less is known about the HTC Desire Q except it will have a slightly smaller 4-inch touchscreen display along with Beats Audio enhancements costing around $235, and available in white, black, and red colour options.
It is not known if these handsets will hit western markets or when they will become available, but they may appeal to smartphone fans that want something a little easier on the pocket.
HTC has announced the Desire P, a new Android smartphone in Taiwan. It has a 4.3-inch (800 x 480 pixels) capacitive touch screen Super LCD2 display and is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor. No details about the Android version, but it is likely to run on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). It has a 8MP auto focus camera at the back with LED Flash, BSI sensor for better low-light imaging and comes with Beats audio support. HTC unveiled the Desire U, a budget Android smartphone in Taiwan earlier this year.
HTC Desire P Specifications.
4.3-inch (800 x 480 pixels) capacitive touch screen Super LCD2 display.
1 GHz dual-core processor.
Android with HTC Sense 4.0.
10.7 mm thick and weighs 136 grams.
8MP auto focus camera with LED Flash and BSI sensor
768 MB RAM, 4GB internal, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD.
3.5 mm audio jack.
3G, WiFi 820.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, GPS and GLONASS.
1620 mAh battery.
The HTC Desire P would retail for 10900 New Taiwan Dollar (~US$ 365). It would also be available on contract from Chunghwa Telecom. No details whether HTC plans to release the phone in other markets worldwide.
12:25
The HTC One smartphone is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year and although HTC has announced some slight delays for the launch in some regions that doesn’t seem to have dampened consumer enthusiasm for the device. One of the big talking points for the HTC One is its 4-megapixel UltraPixel rear camera and now we have heard that the HTC One that customers will start to receive very shortly will arrive out of the box with a firmware update that has made some significant camera improvements.
HTC has dared to veer from the norm with the camera on the One as other new smartphones are coming out with 13-megapixel cameras now, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4. However we have said many times that megapixels aren’t everything and HTC’s UltraPixel camera is said to harness 300% more light per pixel than other smartphone cameras, which should allow particularly good results in low-light conditions. This is because the pixels are up to three times larger than ‘standard’ megapixels.
Now it appears that two different review samples of the HTC One were supplied to Hardware Zone in Singapore who noticed some significant differences to the photo quality from one unit over the other. The second unit supplied had apparently received a firmware update that had made some improvements to the camera and in the image above you can quite clearly see how much better the image on the right is that was taken with the second unit.
The photos taken with the HTC One that had received the firmware update were all of superior quality and much sharper although the one exception to this was at ISO 800, the reason for which is unknown at the moment. The good news is that HTC has said that the HTC One’s that will shortly be being delivered all across the globe already have the firmware update for a better camera performance.
As a brief reminder of the rest of the camera set-up we can tell you that the HTC One has the 4-megapixel UltraPixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, face and smile detection. It also has 1080p video capture @30fps, HDR, stereo sound recording, and video stabilization, all topped off with a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera with HDR and 1080p@30fps.
At a media meeting this morning, mobile handsets manufacturer HTC announced the UAE launch of its new flagship smartphone, the HTC One.The manufacturer did not reveal the pricing of the handset, which would be launched exclusively with du, but John French, Vice President, HTC MEA, told Emirates 24|7 on the sidelines of the launch event that the device will be priced “between Dh2,300 and Dh2,700” in the UAE. The device is expected to be on the shelves by end-March, French told this website.
That price-point pits it in direct competition with the iPhone 5 (starting at Dh2,599), BlackBerry Z10 (Dh2,599) and Sony Xperia Z (Dh2,499), while making it more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy S3 (starting Dh1,899).
“HTC America is a leading manufacturer of smartphones and tablets using the Android, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone operating systems. The company’s motto is “quietly brilliant.” But based on an FTC lawsuit challenging the company’s security practices, customers might be surprised to find out that their devices have also been “quietly vulnerable.” To settle the case — the FTC’s first against a device manufacturer — HTC has agreed to a far-reaching settlement that imposes a first-of-its-kind remedy: patching vulnerabilities on millions of mobile devices.
