This is the Moto E box, its a simple box and a modern style of minimal packaging. Following along the lines of the Moto G, the box and the in box accessories are good quality, barring the earphones. Inside the box you will get the following:
The Moto E
Handsfree Kit
English + Hindi Documentation
USB Wall Charger
The Moto E is surprisingly well built and costs really less for that price, it runs Android 4.4.2 Kitkat out of the Box and has a decent set of specifications.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 Chipset
Dual Core CPU
1 GB of RAM
4 GB of Storage
4.3 inch 960 x 540px Display
Gorilla Glass 3
Smudge proof coating
1980 mAh Battery
5 MP Camera
The new Motorola Moto E is sold via online ECommerce website Flipkart and they are the only place you will be able to buy this handset. Flipkart is also responsible for support and warranties on this new handset. The Moto E may single handedly be the reason to switch from a feature phone to a smartphone. Check out our Unboxing above and Hands on below. You can also Buy the Moto E starting today using the link below.
Motorola broke the Indian mobile market yesterday when they launched a dual sim smartphone that runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out the box for a competition mind numbing price of Rs 6999. But a lot of people are still struggling with why and if they should but the newly launched Moto E.
While reasons can be many, iGyaan Breaks it down to the top 5.
Reason Number 1 : It’s Cheap
The most logical explanation is the fact that the Moto E is super cheap. Everyone was hoping for a price under the Rs. 10000 mark, but we got something that is way lower. For Rs. 6999, roughly US $ 120 and Euro 89 you get an impressive device that is carrier unlocked and has excellent build quality and display.
Reason Number 2 : Specs and Front Speakers
The Moto E has the best specifications in this price bracket, A dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 chipset, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB Storage and 32 GB expandability, a 4.3 inch display with qhd resolution and a 5 MP camera at back, it has all the makings of a powerful budget device including a 1980 mAh battery. The Moto E also has front facing speakers a first after the HTC Boomsound and Xperia Z2, a first for any budget phone. It makes sense doesn’t it?
Reason Number 3: Build
Possible the best built phone you can get for this price (smartphone at least), the Moto E has super rugged shells and Gorilla Glass 3 in the front, it also has a IP coating that makes it splash proof and sort of water resistant. The front also has a smudge free coating on the gorilla glass, and the back panels just like the Moto X and G are soft to touch, very durable and scratch and fingerprint resistant.
Reason Number 4 : Dual Sim
Sure you get lots of dual sim devices in this price, well in India and other such markets, the Moto E is the best in this price to offer the said feature. Comparing it to similar phones from companies like the Galaxy Trend, the Moto E just stands out on top in various occasions.
Reason Number 5 : Kitkat and More
The Moto E runs Android 4.4.2 out of the box and Motorola is promising updates, heck they are guaranteeing updates to the next version of Android, the next supported version at least.
Bonus reason : Did we mention its cheap?
The Moto E is horrendously cheap, not to touch, not to look at but in price. You should get one even if you don’t need it. Its a great carry along phone and will work wonders as a spare device. Will work as a backup phone incase your battery runs out, and for the outdoorsy people, its just a phone that will withstand the elements incase you are worried about damaging your fancy flagship. The Moto E also offers a replaceable “shell” back so change the colours and match your style. If you are using a feature phone, this might be the easiest phone to switch to, and you should switch if you are on a feature phone. (Some Blackberry phones included)
The budget smartphone market is ready to be disrupted, Motorola in collaboration with Flipkart in India has launched the new Moto E, a smaller brother to the Moto G smartphone from the company. The Moto E has been priced at Rs. 6999 and it may as be responsible for bringing a real smartphone to the masses.
Next to Moto G
The Moto E goes on sale at Midnight tonight (13th May 2014), for Rs. 6999 with same day delivery in some cities. Specs wise the Moto E is quite impressive too the front has a 4.3 inch display that has a resolution of 540 x 960 qHD resolution and a pixel density of 256 ppi. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and also is splash proof. A 1980 mAh battery is inbuilt and is non removable, the Moto E comes with Android KitKat 4.4 out of the box and promises “Guaranteed updates” to the next version of Android.
Powering it is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 A7 processor that is clocked at 1.2 GHz and is supported by 1 GB of RAM. On the back is a 5 MP camera that captures FVWGA video and the Moto E can playback 720p video.
The build quality is actually comparable to the Moto X and Moto G so the three devices are quite identical only to be disturbed by difference in specs. The back panel is exceptionally well built and the buttons seem very tactile to use. The device mostly feels much more premium in the hand and performs better than one can expect.
The Moto E makes a lot of sense for a market like India, and where major manufacturers have been reluctant to bring their devices in this price bracket Motorola has been brave enough to deliver a device with a promise of instant updates along with features and customizability that most fail to offer.
We saw leaked images of Apple’s next jesus phone appear a couple of days back, but they failed to show us the front and the back of the device. This time around Inner Exile a China based case manufacturer shows off how the phone will look from the front as well as the back. The power button has a new location and it resides next to the sim card tray on the right of the new iPhone 6, or so claim the images.
Apple will kick of WWDC 2014 in June and will possibly announce the new version of iOS aka iOS 8, with the expected launch of the iPhone 6 somewhere at the end of August.
Several Chinese companies have made mock dummies of the iPhone 6 based on the leaked schematics. Heck you can buy a dummy of your own and make your own rumors. But if anything is to be confirmed, till we do see an actual iPhone running the new iOS that looks like this, we will have to take each story with a pinch of salt and lime. Honestly these images look far from what Apple could possibly have in stock for us.
Sony has just launched the new Sony Xperia Z2 in the Indian Market for a price of Rs. 49900, which is along the lines of major flagship smartphones available in the market, including the S5 and the HTC One M8.
The Xperia Z2 is a revision to the Xperia Z1 launched last year and sports mostly the same design elements and aesthetics. On the Inside is where all the magic is with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset which enables the large 20.7 MP sensor to capture 4K video.
Phone
Sony Xperia Z2
Dimensions
142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm
Weight
163 g
Display
1920 x 1080 pixels, 5.2 inches (~424 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD
Memory
16 GB , microSD up to 128 GB
Ram
3 GB Ram
Camera
20.7 MP Camera, front 2.2 megapixels
OS
Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Processor
Snapdragon 801, 2.3 GHz Quad Core, Adreno 330
Battery
Non-removable Li-Ion 3200 mAh battery
Build Quality
Glass and Metal Frame without removable back
Ruggedness
IP58 certified – dust proof and water resistant over 1 meter and 30 minutes
Price
Rs. 50,000
The build quality is more or less identical to the previous generation of Xperia devices. The Xperia Z2 is IP55/58 certified to make it extremely resistant to dust and water.
The Box is pretty bare bones especially considering that we were given the demo box. The phone has Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box and comes with a fast and responsive UI, along with a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080p display that is a huge improvement over the Xperia Z1. Check out the unboxing up top and stay tuned for more.
If you are interested in getting the action of the Xperia Z2 launch happening today, then you are at the right place. We saw the Xperia Z2 back at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new variant of the Z series comes with a IP58 Rating making it dust tight and water resistant just like its predecessor, so as long as the doors are all closed.
The new Z2 is expected to hit the Indian market for a price of around 50 thousand, so check out the live feed up top for more info. The event will start at about 1 PM IST.
If you were waiting to get your eyes on the new Apple iPhone 6 before its launch, this is your best bet right now on what its going to look like. This latest leak comes courtesy Macitynet.it, who showed off photos of a phone that resembles the 1st generation iPhone, but is actually bigger and slimmer than the iPhone 5s.
Previous rumors have always mentioned a 4.7 inch iPhone 6 from Apple, along side other upgrades like a faster processor and NFC capabilities. Till now we have mostly seen mockups of the alleged iPhone 6 (see top), which have sort of been confined to a slightly bigger size and lesser bezel.
Reports also mention a 5.5 inch Apple Phablet headed for launch somewhere in the latter part of the year, which some how seems unlikely.
Apple’s strong change in design is expected as the company changes the appearance every second year since the launch of the iPhone 3G. Whether this will or won’t be the next iPhone is surely unknown at the moment, and Apple is hell bent on keeping it that way especially since the iPhone 5s’ Touch ID sensor was heavily leaked prior to launch.
Apple has also closed down their leaks from accessory manufacturers, that we have seen in the past years, hinting towards a more secretive launch than we have seen in the past. However the next iPhone aka the iPhone 6 is a few months from being launched and we might have a lot happen in this time frame.
LG continues to bring handsets to the Indian market quicker than before, and the recently released LG G Pro 2 is next on the list. Priced at a whopping Rs. 51,500 the LG G Pro still houses the dated Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset, while many now use the 801.
The front has a large 5.9 inch 1920 x 1080p IPS display along with the usual knocking capabilities. The front design follows up on the G2 and has a 3.3 mm narrow bezel, making it very close to edge-to-edge in appearance.
The 13 Mp camera at the back is capable of 4K video and has inbuilt Optical Image Stabilization carried again from younger brother the G2. While others are using many ways to promote selfies, the G Pro 2 has a flash for selfie mode, often seen on phones a couple of years back, also a prevalent Mac feature when using photo booth.
Funnily enough the phone will not sport 4G capabilities and will only have 3G/HSPA+ Network capability. Other specs include
Bluetooth Smart Ready (BT4.0) USB, Wi-Fi, NFC and SlimPort
Android 4.4 KitKat OS
157.9×81.9×8.3 mm Size
White and Titan Black colours available
A microSD Slot expandable upto 64GB
LG had announced the G Pro 2 at the MWC 2014 held in Barcelona earlier this year, the handset meant to be a bigger brother of the G2, has added a few features like 4K video capture Android 4.4. KitKat out of the box and more.
The Human Media Lab at Canada’s Queen’s University has designed a prototype of a smartphone, that can not only fold, but transform from one form factor to another. The future of unified devices may simply lie in a design like this. The “Paperfold” uses three snap – E-Ink displays to create one large display.
The Human media lab claims that the inspiration came from paper, and that the device will have a lot of possible future uses. The hinges also act as buttons allowing you to switch between modes and tasks depending on your usage and application.
Although we are notoriously far from the project reaching commercial availability, it seems that the next logical step in transformation of devices could and may as well be devices like the Paperfold. Watch the video below for more.
OnePlus plans to “kill the flagship” market with their new One smartphone. The handset is a top tier flagship with high end specs, and a price that will compete with midrange products.
Specs feature the all new Snapdragon 801 Processor, a big 5.5” 1080p Display and a 3100mAh battery.
By paying attention to the smallest details, taking a holistic approach to product design, and working with the best partners such as Cyanogen Inc. and Qualcomm Technologies, we have been able to create the greatest day to day user experience in a smartphone without compromise. : Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus.
Debuting with the One is the all new CyanogenMod 11S, a special release designed specifically to work with the hardware of the new handset. Android 4.4 KitKat comes out of the box, along with 4k video capture.
A Sony Exmor IMX214 13 megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual LED flash with 6 physical lenses and a 5 Megapixel – Distortion free for the front.
Oneplus say they will replace Invites for a pre-order system by this October
The handset will be available in two variants, 16GB Silk White for $299/€269 and in 64GB Sandstone Black for $349/€299.
OnePlus One Specifications
Color
Silk White/Sandstone Black
Dimensions
152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm
Weight
5.71 ounces (162g)
Operating System
CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4
CPU
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-core CPUs
GPU
Adreno 330, 578MHz
RAM
3 GB LP-DDR3 @1866MHz
Storage
16/64 GB eMMC 5.0, available capacity varies
Sensors
Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity and Ambient Light
Battery Capacity
Embedded rechargeable 3100 mAh LiPo battery
Display
Size
5.5 inch JDI
Resolution
1080p Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 401 PPI
Type
LTPS IPS with TOL
Protection
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Cameras
Sensor
13 Megapixel – Sony Exmor IMX 214
Lenses
6 lenses to avoid distortion and color aberration
Flash
Dual-LED
Aperture
f/2.0
Front Camera
5 Megapixel – Distortion free
Video
4K resolution video with stereo recordingSlow Motion: 720p video at 120fps
Every week the Technology world shows us the reason why we love tech so much. In this ever changing tech world , its almost impossible to stay on top of things. However here is the tech thats worth notice this week.
1. Lytro Illum
When Lytro first introduced their light field camera, it looked and worked like a toy.This time around the company has taken a more serious approach to design and optics, also adding better materials and larger sensors. New software and a new way to click pictures lets users think of Lytro Illum as a more usable camera. Or so the company claims anyway. The Illum is currently on Pre-Order for US $ 1599.
2. The HTC One M8
The HTC One M8 has been launched in India, at a price of Rs. 49,900, an impressive price for an impressive handset. The Qualcom Snapdragon 801 powered HTC One M8is not only snappy on the inside its beautiful on the outside. The HTC One M8 brings Lytro’s tech seen in the camera above into a more usable day to day scenario. The HTC One M8 has a dual camera setup that lets users refocus images, after the fact. Read our review here.
3. The GL 63 AMG
As far as vehicles go the new GL 63 AMG takes the centre stage. Announced to be made available in India for a whopping Rs. 1.66 Crore as the starting price, the new GL 63 5.5-litre V8 BITURBO engine, which develops a peak output of 410 kW along with a torque of 760 Nm. Pure Power Anyone?
4. The LG Curved TV 55EA9800
Its a massive 55 inch TV with an OLED display that is not only curved but also bendable. Costs are upwards of 6 Lakh, but for those looking to set a trend this might just fit in beautifully in your manor. The 1920 x 1080p display is Fully 3D compliant and comes with a Motion eye camera, an Air Mouse capable Remote and 4 3D Glasses. Check out our hands on Unboxing here.
5. Budget : Micromax Canvas Doodle 3
The last spot in this series is taken by Micromax’s new budget entrant. A dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) “phablet” (for lack of a better call sign), the Canvas Doodle 3 is powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572) processor alongside 512MB of RAM. Runs on Android 4.2 and features a 5 Mp + VGA camera setup. What makes it really exciting is the 6 inch 480×854 pixel display and a price tag of Rs. 8200.
LG’s new Curved OLED TV 55EA9800 is the world’s first curved TV, but it does not just stop there, it also is very flexible and durable. The design of the TV is out of the future, it is very slim, the profile is just exquisite and the curve may as well accentuate the actual viewing experience, but only if you sit dead centre.
Check out the Video above and the detailed specifications below.
Motorola has finally made its way back into the Indian market and boy has it arrived. After the superbly successful launch of the Moto G in the Indian Market, the company has made available the new Moto X. Does the Moto X have the capability of surviving the Indian market, a market so powerfully taken over by brands in the lower tier and predominantly by companies like Samsung and now Sony. Lets find out!
Overview
The Moto X is the best return a company like Motorola can make. With an massive evolution on design strategies and understanding the importance of a form factor, Motorola showed that they are ready to give the people what they need. The Moto X is built on a Google experience, a pure Android Experience, almost Nexus like, but better. The custom addition and hands free operations only add to the usage capabilities and experience, and while this may be one of the best handsets in the market, has it come at the right time in India, is what one must really ask.
Build, Design and Hardware
Motorola is known for their build quality, with their US specific DROID line up or even with their Moto Defy series of phones, the company has made a mark for their robust hardware. The Moto X is no less, the handset is well built with a great mix of good material and protective design. The bezel raises slightly above the glass on the front to give the front glass protection from direct scratching.
The Moto X is another one of those phones, that even though available in India, does not give us the custom experience it offers users in markets like the US. No you cannot choose between wood finishes and color options, and no you cannot sign your signature and give it a name. The motomaker tool is only for the US and its a pity that the experience could not be brought to India. The Moto X available in 6 color options along with a wood option but no customization.
Hardware wise the Moto X is held up with a Qualcomm MSM8960Pro Snapdragon chipset with a dual core 1.7 GHz CPU, you will also get an Adreno 320 GPU. On the inside is 16 GB storage with a higher price 32 Gb variant and 2GB of RAM as standard. The battery is a 2200 mAh unit and the cameras are 10 MP rear and 2 MP front, both with 1080p video capture.
The front has a 4.7 inch 1280 x 720p AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass, the handset will only accept a single sim card and does not have a removable back panel or micro SD expandability.
Display, Multimedia and Performance
The Moto X is laden with a 4.7 inch AMOLED display, it has great outdoor visibility and good levels of brightness. The display can proudly boast excellent viewing angles and contrast output. The display however does have the blueish tint that we have seen in the past on AMOLED displays.
The X can handle all forms of media, taking into consideration a lower end of the specs spectrum. This will playback full 1080p videos without lag or stutter. The speakerphone is not the best but its pretty loud, and in most cases you will not need additional speakers. The audio output from the 3.5 mm jack is also refined and loud.
The Moto X is designed to run Android, and you will get a device that does exactly that. Even though hardware wise the Moto X is limited to a dual core processor, an average user will not feel the grunt of this. However if you are looking for a peak performer the Moto X will not be the handset you may be looking for.
Most games will work out of the box and almost all will run lag free, over a period of time if you have a lot of applications running you will see a slow down in performance while gaming, and the only way to fix this is to reboot.
Thanks to Android 4.4.2 KitKat, the Moto X has a much lighter version of the Android OS, one that is not very resource hungry, therefore ensuring good stability and smooth usability of the handset.
Camera
The fact that the Moto X has a better than average camera is well known, but its also one of the most accurate to capture color and exposure value. The camera is very snappy, and comes with very little shutter lag. The 10 MP camera will live up to its name in most situations and deliver promising results. The LED flash is not very loud and does not disrupt the color of the image, and may only help in low light conditions and not complete utter darkness.
Video is shot in Full HD at 30fps with stereo sound and HDR capabilities. Video capture is impressive with stable lag free video along with precise color monitoring and audio capture.
HandsFree Operation
In India, the training phrase is “Ok Google Now” and it allows you to do almost all imaginable things that a phone should do, from executing searches to calling people and answering phones. Its a feature that allows you to wake up the phone without needing to press any button or physically touch the handset. See our Review video for a full demo.
Essentially its a version of Google Now that’s listening for you to say “Okay Google Now!” so that you can avoid tapping the mic icon.
It also is not the perfect companion, for e.g. you can’t ask for navigations to “a concert” but only to specific addresses. Although the feature can come in handy, we have found many keep it off, purely to save battery and accidental phone calls.
Phone and Battery
Phone networks are stable, and like most phones in this price range the Moto X lacks LTE, not that we need it yet. Audio quality in phone calls is impressive too with crisp sound coming in and going out, with little or no network loss while in conversation.
Battery life is impressive with one day’s use easily available to the owner. Talk time can be rated around 6 hours thanks to the lower end chipset and relatively low power consuming dual core setup.
Conclusion
The Moto X is a beautiful product, delivering an Android experience the way it was designed to be delivered. However, with a recent launch in India, the Moto X is slightly underpowered, over priced and lacks customization, so its really not the same experience as it is for a US Moto X owner.
The phone is however a stable handset and would work as a wonderful gift, to a person who is not a very high end user of a smartphone, or as a first phone to those looking for a “perfect Android experience.” The minute you try and exploit the Moto X for extreme use, you will start to see its incompetencies. It will handle almost anything and everything you can throw at it as long as it does not include the kitchen sink.
Gionee announced the ELife S5.5 at MWC 2014 and launched it in India early April. For a price of Rs. 22900/- the handset also takes on the moniker of the “Slimmest Phone in the World”. But, does this handset compromise on performance and capability because its slim? Lets find out in our Review !
Overview
The Gionee ELife S5.5 comes only a year after the company started operations in India. With claims to become Top 5 vendor in less than 5 years the company seems to be headed in the right direction. The few handsets in the past have shown us that the company not only focuses on bringing handsets into the market but also ensures that the user experience is good. With previous handsets like the E6 and E7 winning us over the S5.5 shows a great mix of design and performance at a good price.
Build, Design and Hardware
The build quality on the new Elife S5.5 is superb, a perfect mix of Gorilla Glass laden exteriors mixed with a structure based on a hardened aluminum alloy. The buttons are also made from metal, and have a premium and tactile feel. At first it seems that the bezel is flush with the glass but is actually slightly, almost not noticeably, raised, giving the S5.5’s glass design some protection from flat drops.
The frame itself has been designed to release shock and therefore drops should not easily shatter the glass. The phone can take quite some damage and almost show no signs of wear and tear, the frame is metal so expect it to scratch easy.
Design wise the S5.5 is very very good looking, especially in the Gold and White variant. The company has ensured that everyone gets a version they like and the colors should help in that. The phone has a very premium design and the finish on the handset is very rich.
Hardware wise the Gionee Elife S5.5 somehow seems to find a good balance. A Mediatek 6592 chipset with 8 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz a Mali450 MP4 variant GPU, 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB storage capacities. The main camera sensor is 13 MP and the front camera sensor is 5 MP both with 1080p capture. Battery is on the low side with just 2300 mAh under the hood, however with the slimness of this device in consideration, its a pretty high value.
UI, Performance and Gaming
The Elife S5.5 comes with Android 4.2.2 out the box with no official word on updates to Android 4.4 aka KitKat. However the highlight of this is the new Amigo 2.0 UI which has been put right on top of Android. Now, unlike skins, it is a rebuild of Android, similar to the likes of Cyanogen and MIUI. The newer Amigo is much faster and more responsive than previous builds. The improvement also translates into installed applications, which include “power booster and performance booster” the two of the most significantly useful preloaded apps till date. The performance booster allows you to ban apps that forcefully startup on powering the handset, therefore considerably improving the free ram and performance of the phone.
The handset is stable and powerful enough to handle daily tasks and also the extremities you might want to expose it to. Heat management is also much more controlled than the competition, possibly because of the lack of a turbo variant of the MT6592 chipset.
Gaming is impressive and lag free in most cases, most games are compatible out of the box and run smooth. Audio could have been louder and we have expressed this in the past. The screen is beautiful and the dimples on top and bottom somehow not only make it look good but also provide adequate grip for holding the device in landscape.
Dimple for grip?
Camera
The big disappointment is that there is no 4k video capture, especially when most companies are moving forward with the same trend. The chipset is very capable, the module of the camera is very capable, the hardware is very capable, the only problem seems to be extra large video files, and the lack of SD card slot may be the biggest reason to blame for the lack of 4K capture.
For the camera, the colors and saturation is near perfect, with no problems with exposure or white balance. Images are crisp and autofocus works really well, even up close. Video is also good with no lag in video capture, it is also worth stressing that the onboard microphone for video is exceptionally good.
The front camera is equally good with 5 MP on the badge, pictures are clear and it works well in low light conditions. If you are a selfie fiend, then this might just be right up your alley.
Phone and Battery
The Gionee Elife S5.5 comes with a globally unlocked 3G capability, so this single sim device will come in handy for the global traveller. However the lack of 4G is really worth a notice, especially considering we are not far away from launch of said services in India (Or so we are made to believe).
The networks are solid and the phone holds its connections mostly throughout the range of the conversation. The inbuilt noise cancellation is good but not comparable to the likes of flagships from Apple and Samsung. Audio coming in and going out is crisp, loud and clear and honestly we really have nothing to complain about in the phone department and thats saying a lot.
Battery life is the most we could expect from this handset, and honestly with the kind of hardware inside, and the lack of a bigger battery we were expecting much less. You will still get a days use of the phone even if you talk upto 5 hours on this and then use it some.
Conclusion
The Gionee Elife S5.5 shows that new players can have great phones, where many Indian counterparts have let us down. Gionee tries to deliver a complete package, a custom UI, a great built device, a good set of hardware along with impressive performance and battery life. All this at a fairly low price when compared to the market value of flagships. However it does let us imagine why things like a microSD card slot are left out, features like 4K video capture and 4G networks are ignored for markets like India. Even if as a higher price option, consumers deserve an option to choose a handset which is more capable. And what about those KitKat updates?, why can we not simply get a handset that runs Android 4.4. out of the box.
The Elife S5.5 impressed us, now if the company can roll out a KitKat update consider us sold. The color options, the impressive build quality, and great hardware are just the beginning, the UI is good and so is the overall experience. There are other options in the market, the Moto X delivers faster updates handsets from Samsung and Sony also now belong in this category. Honestly the Elife S5.5 deserves a chance because it sort of sits above the rest, sort of!
HTC’s latest One the M8 has caused a stir and then some in the smartphone market, but does it really have what it needs to make the cut for a flagship smartphone. Lets find out in our review!
Overview
HTC has done some great things with a revision of their flagship phone, the original one, which was also voted and won “the phone of the year” award many a times last year and at MWC 2014 this year. Holding up to that mark may have been difficult but it looks like HTC might have a real winner here.
Build Quality
Three words ; 90 percent metal, thats all it takes to describe the new HTC One M8. Versus the outgoing One, which had 70% metal and then some polycarbonate. The One M8 has a 90 percent metal single shell thats not only strong, but uses the most extreme machining processes to make it curve to front of the handset in the most beautiful manner. The build is much more solid than the previous version and actually holds up pretty well against drops.
The HTC One M8 is also splash proof, why no one talks about it is because they don’t want you splashing water on your phone. If you do accidentally spill coffee or milk (if thats your thing) the phone should survive. The front has a Gorilla Glass 3, which means that it has better visibility, strength and scratch resistance than the M7, which held up pretty well in all of the three aspects.
Hardware
HTC has stuffed in the best of the hardware into the new HTC One M8 barring a few things, including a larger mega pixel camera and 4 k capture.
Are you ready for BoomSound? This phone is loud, louder than you can expect, much more than you can imagine those tiny speakers to be. Seldom would you ask for additional speakers if you alone use this phone. The sound quality is crisp and not tinny at all, mids are clearly balanced and highs are placed well, larger sound cavities (25% larger) ensure better bass.
The display is impressive too, most would ask for a 2k or a 4k display in a 2014 flagship, but honestly one can’t complain. The HTC One M8 has a gorgeous 5 inch 1920 x 1080p LCD 3 (441ppi = 100 more than the eye can see) display with excellent brightness, accurate and vivid color and impeccable viewing angles. The display is great indoors and out with a extra sensitive touch which will work through most gloves (even though HTC doesn’t say it will).
If you plan to watch movies on this device, you will thoroughly enjoy that activity. the perfect mix of great viewing angles and excellent sound make the HTC One M8 a brilliant consumption device.
Software and UI
The HTC One comes with Sense 6.0 and Android 4.4.2 out of the box. The new version of Sense is a highly refined version of Sense 5.0, the interface is clean and more minimal. The icons are free looking and more defined and modern, while the Blinkfeed UI is bolder and more aligned with the vertical flow.
The new Blinkfeed is highly customizable, with the ability to select your own feeds and inputs the new feed allows you to sort and stream from sources and topics of interest. The fact that you can search for “cat whiskers” and add it as a feed so that whenever anyone in the world talks about them you will see an update in your feed.
It is one of the most mature UI updates we have seen in a while.
HTC has mostly kept it simple with the software customizations to ensure the smoothness of the operational usage. It is one of the most mature UI updates we have seen in a while. Not that it is completely stripped, you still get a customizable notification panel, HTC keyboard, themes and color options and a whole flurry of wallpapers and sounds. You can still change the grid size of the app drawer and sort it as per your own needs. You also get features like the car mode, and this brilliant ultra power saving mode that will run the device for up to another 20 hours on very low battery power.
Camera
What HTC has here is possibly the future of smartphone camera technology. While smartphones are getting compacter and thinner by the day the need of a high end camera in a phone is going up. With almost everyone using their smartphones as their primary camera manufacturers are struggling to find the right balance.
The camera on the HTC One M8 could be an answer to a more deeper problem in the industry. The combination of the two sensors, a primary 4 “Ultrapixel” sensor and a secondary 4 “ultrapixel” depth sensor work together to make you believe that the image you clicked is actually higher end than it is.
Hokum, thats what it is!
Hokum, thats what it is! But at that very level of picture taking capability, it gives users that extra oomph in the image before they basically crush it and post it on Instagram. Yes it works and it looks decently good.
HTC has however gone one step further and made the API of the camera available to debs who might be able to give you applications that HTC could not, what the capability lacks is truly good software to work with the hardware to enable great pictures, maybe even oversampling to get larger images ? who knows?
Phone and Battery
We would like to assume that HTC will stick to their word and launch a 4G/LTE enabled handsets in India. This would make this the first flagship to feature LTE connectivity, also almost all bands will be unlocked making this a world LTE phone, a boon for travelers. HTC will also launch a dual sim version, in fact the company designed the phone to be a dual sim phone, as it clearly shows in the sim tray.
Phone call quality is very impressive, especially considering its a 90% metal phone. Audio is crisp and clear with no problems even when there is a tower switch : Impressive!
Battery life is exceptional, and HTC has managed to ensure that the phone does not dissipate heat, in fact in weeks of usage we have not noticed the device get hot at all.
Talk Time 3G : 5 Hours
Talk Time 2G : 5.5 hours
Standby : 2 days
Recharge Required : Once daily
Ultra Power Saving Mode : adds 20 hours to 20 % battery life
Accessories
A worth mention here is the new DOT case, which shows how involved HTC has become in developing good accessories for their handsets. The HTC One has a simple flip case, which matured into a battery flip for the HTC One Max, and now this beautiful Dot Case, that is not only meant for design , but is actually very functional.
One Max power case
Conclusion
HTC has done what nobody expected, while everyone was hoping for a major change in handset design , HTC has improved on their last years winning design. They have also managed to not only make the phone better but also resolve the supply issues they faced with the original One. The first phone in a long time to be launched and made available at the same time is also the phone which has impressed out from out of the box to the usage place.
In the time we have used it, we honestly have nothing to complain about, except possibly the lack of a better simple camera. The dual focus mode is a lot of fun and easy to use, it becomes a daily driver. A better quality camera would have made this experience better and we might see it in the M9 ( not to be confused with a Leica M9, even though that has a marvelous picture taking capability).
HTC has made a mature decision, and made a phone that not only handles everything you throw at it, it looks good doing it. The phone balances perfectly in form, design and performance and will satiate almost every who buys this. HTC has already pushed the handset out with 4.4.2 and promises almost instant UI updates. The new Blinkfeed interface is a great improvement and the overall handset seems very well refined.
NOTE : The HTC One has been launched in India for Rs. 49,900 and will be a available for purchase 8th May. This review was revised to reflect the new price.
