Category: HTC

HTC Brings Out an Upgraded Desire 816G with Octa-Core Processor and 16GB Memory

HTC launched the refreshed version of Desire 816G with an upgraded processor and more internal storage space. The phone will now sport a 1.7GHz octa-core processor and 16 GB of internal memory, it was earlier restricted to 1.3GHz quad-core MT6582 processor and 8 GB internal memory. The remodeled device will cost you Rs. 19,990, which is a 1000 Rupees more than the last year’s offering.

The Vice President and Country Head of HTC India, Faisal Siddiqui, commented at the event:

The new offering under the HTC Desire series is our next step towards a power-packed combination of beautiful design and flagship performance all backed by a powerful 1.7GHz octa-core processor. The HTC Desire 816G is the best buy amongst big screen devices, packing a powerful performance and innovative design perfectly at a great price.

Keeping all the other specifications same, the Desire 816G touts a display of 5.5 inches and has 1 GB of RAM. It runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat with HTC Sense UI on top. As mentioned above, the internal memory storage has been doubled to 16 GB, which can be further expanded up to 32 GB via a MicroSD card. Sporting a rear camera of 13 MP and a 5MP front snapper, the camera quality is superior. The battery, also unaltered, stands at 2,600mAh.

With improved processor and memory, the HTC Desire 816G can compete with Huawei Honor 3X that falls in same price bracket.

January 31, 2015
Here’s What Android Lollipop Looks Like on HTC One M8

HTC One (M8) owners can now rejoice as the Lollipop version of HTC’s Sense is rolling out. The roll out began today (28th January) and is likely to hit the majority of One (M8) users in the following days. We were lucky enough to get the update on our HTC device.

Weighing in at the hefty 780MB, the update will probably hit your device in the following hours. Among its more notable new features is the revamped notification drawer/quick toggle settings and the recent tasks switcher, which have been inspired by the Material Design guidelines

The majority of improvements make the UI more fluid and snappier than ever before. We are listing top changes in UI of HTC One (M8) with the Lollipop update.

1. Lock screen

First and foremost, your lockscreen is going to look more sleeker and polished with the Material Design-inspired UI. Just like in stock Android, swiping dismisses the notification and double-tapping it opens the corresponding app. Apart from the slightly dimmed lock screen wallpaper at the bottom, you are also treated to an estimate of how long it will approximately take before your phone’s battery gets drained. The lock screen shortcuts at the bottom are untouched.

2. New Camera Features and Weather app

The new update adds some camera features such as the Auto Selfie mode, along with some Zoey features as well. The HTC weather app has been removed and replaced with the AccuWeather app.

3. Notification drawer

The Lollipop update of Sense 6.0 has adopted a revamped stock Android notification centre. The One (M8) drops the separate side-by-side screens (one for your notifications and the other one housing your quick toggles) and now comes with a slightly revamped Lollipop drawer. A single swipe brings down your notifications, while an additional one reveals the quick toggles shade, which has got a prominent Material Design makeover.

4. Recent App Switcher and Menu

The app switcher has undergone the most drastic change. Instead of the more classic, Sense UI-like grid menu with your recent apps, you will get the carousel-like menu inspired by the Material Design guidelines.

5. Settings and Battery Menu

The setting menu is untouched but with one very important addition – a search button in the upper right corner of Sense UI’s Settings. This probably may go unnoticed but adds the ease to search things in the Settings menu. Another noteworthy improvement can be found in the battery consumption menu of the Lollipop-based Sense UI. It’s pretty similar to the one in stock Android. It now provides you with a more in-depth breakdown of your battery usage. Apart from this, the Running Apps menu hidden in Settings has also been improved. It now displays a much more user-friendly breakdown of the current state of your 2GB of RAM, separating the system from the user-installed apps.

January 29, 2015
Android Lollipop Now Available for Indian HTC One M8 Users

Few days ago, it was announced that HTC One M8 users of Europe had received the Lollipop update. Now, without any further delay, the company has started rolling out the same for Indian users as well.

The update will automatically pop up if you are connected to Wi-Fi. But if you’re not on a Wi-Fi connection, you can still do it manually. Go on to Settings > About Phone > System Update.

With the news of Android 5.0 Lollipop coming for European users, Indians were anticipating it to come out within a span of days. The users can now enjoy the added fluidity, improved natural touch screen interactions, Material Design and lot many other features.

January 29, 2015
HTC Rolls Out Lollipop for One M8 Users in Europe

Good news has arrived for HTC owners; the company has started rolling out Android 5.0 Lollipop for its M8 users. The confirmation has come from many reliable sources including HTC Senior Communications Manager Jeff Gordon and prominent ROM Developer LlabTooFer, who took to Twitter stating –

HTC One (M8) owners in Europe, have a sweet tooth this morning? Check your software updates!

— Jeff Gordon (@urbanstrata) January 28, 2015

Users can check for the same on their devices. Finding the update is very easy. Just go to Settings > About Phone > System Update and download the update.

Lollipop is the latest operating system released by Google. It offers added fluidity through a new user interface (UI) and users will experience improved natural touch screen interactions. The Material Design adds bold colours to the screen. Along with that, the new Android update lets you have a look at the notifications on the lock screen itself and facilitates dismissing them without unlocking it. In all, it offers users a pure, bloatware-free and seamless Android experience.

Lollipop was released in November last year. We hope that India, as well as other nations, get the soon.

January 29, 2015

HTC Brings Out Two Affordable Variants of Desire 526G+ in India

At a time when major smartphone companies are showing off new devices every day, HTC had been missing from the picture. Getting back in the game, Taiwanese manufacturer has today introduced a budget device called Desire 526G+ in India. The phone is available in two variants – 8 GB and 16 GB.

Both the variants hold a similar set of specs and differ only in internal memory storage. The 8 GB variant is available on the e-commerce website Snapdeal and comes at a price of Rs. 10,400. The 16 GB, on the other hand, is available offline at a price of Rs. 11,400.

With a 4.7-inch QHD 960×540p display, the Desire 526G+ is powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core processor paired with 1 GB RAM. The device runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with HTC Sense UI skin on top. The 8MP rear camera and 2MP secondary snapper click quite good pictures.

The HTC Desire 526G+ will lock horns with other high-end phones like Yu Yureka and Redmi Note. Check out the specs battle below:

Specs	HTC Desire 526G+	Yu Yureka	Xiaomi Redmi Note
Display	4.7-inch qHD	5.5-inch HD	5.5-inch IPS LCD
Processor	1.7 GHz octa-core	64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core	1.7 GHz MediaTek octa-core processor
RAM	1 GB	2 GB	2 GB
Storage	8 GB/16 GB expandable	16 GB expandable	8 GB expandable
Camera	8 MP rear /2 MP front	13 MP rear/5 MP front	13 MP rear/5 MP front
Battery	2,000mAh	2,500mAh	3,100mAh
OS	4.4 KitKat	Cyanogen OS 11	4.2 Jelly Bean
Price	Rs. 10,400/11,400	Rs. 8,999	Rs. 9,999

With budget phones flooding the market, it would be unfair to say that HTC will knock down other devices. But you never know.

January 28, 2015

HTC Will Reportedly Bring Out a Plus Variant of One M9 With a Fingerprint Scanner

Mobile World Conference (MWC) is fast approaching with the promise of new and exciting flagships. Rumour mill is working fast to give us all the hints we want about the devices we are excited about. Just recently we saw some images of alleged the upcoming HTC One (M9) flagship.

Now, another variant of HTC’s popular flagship has surfaced on the internet. Leakster Leaksfly claims that the the device will be named HTC One M9 Plus and will feature a slightly different design as well as come with a few extra features than the regular HTC One M9 flagship.

HTC M9 plus, 5.5inch 2k display+snapdragon810+3GB RAM+dual rear camera+fingerprint scanner. pic.twitter.com/j5RBPygaxz

— leaksfly (@leaksfly) January 22, 2015

The alleged M9 Plus has slightly different design than what we expect from HTC’s flagship. The most evident change is the new physical home button replacing the usual speaker at the bottom. The inclusion of physical bottom is strongly hinting the presence of fingerprint scanner but nothing can be confirmed as yet.

The speakers at the bottom will be replaced by a fingerprint scanner

The front camera sensor looks bigger than the usual, which may hint at a 13MP camera sensor like the HTC Desire Eye. But the overall design seems similar to the previous flagships. Talking about specifications it is said that the Plus variant may come with a 5.5-inch 2K display with the latest Snapdragon 810 under the hood. It will have 3GB RAM and will support 4G LTE networks. Detailed camera and connectivity specs have not yet been leaked.

January 23, 2015
HTC’s Next Flagship is All Set to Take Centre Stage at the MWC

Leading the race, HTC has sent out the invitation for its big event at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, announcing March 1st as the day on which we’ll see “what’s next” from the Taiwanese company. As per usual, the invite doesn’t reveal much, just that HTC will be unveiling something new.

The invite also shows a bright star in the background with the tagline “Utopia in Progress”, the first ambiguous hint at what to expect. MWC is shaping up to be a particularly big show and HTC is the first amongst major Android phone makers to set a date and time for its next big launch.

The current flagship device from HTC, the One M8, launched in March last year and marked a big change for the company. The expected HTC One M9, which also refered as ‘Hima’ is said to feature a 1440X2560 QHD screen, 3GB of RAM and an Octa-core Snapdragon 810 CPU.

It has also been reported that HTC might enter the wearable industry this year. We won’t be surprised if HTC decides to debuts the wearable device it’s been reportedly working on for sometime now.

January 17, 2015
Beats Co-Founders Sued By Monster for Fraud

Dr.Dre, Jimmy Lovine celebrated publicly on the acquisition of their audio company, Beats by Apple for a sum of $3 Billion. Beats has grown strong since its inception and with massive celebrity endorsements, these expensive (some may consider overpriced) headphones have been selling like hot cakes. Beats now commands over half of US headphone market worth $1 Billion. But now the company has run into legal troubles with Monster, which originally created the technology behind the Beats headphones.

Monster has been in the audio business since Noel Lee, an engineer and self professed audiophile founded the company in 1979. Since then it has grown to become a respectable audio brand. In 2008, Noel’s son Kevin Lee met Jimmy Lovine as he was looking for partners for a new line of prototype headphones. Jimmy brought Dr.Dre along on the deal and hence Beats audio came into existence. During the signing of the agreement, Monster gave permanent ownership rights to everything under the Beats brand name to Jimmy and Dr.Dre. This meant that even though the technology and designs were created by Monster, it was the Beats team who would reap the profits.

In 2011, HTC bought 51% stake in Beats which fetched Dr. Dre and Jimmy Lovine about $100 million each. Beats and Monster parted ways in 2012, the reason cited internally was ‘financial disagreement’. Now Monster is alleging that the team at Beats is actively trying to erase the contribution of Monster in the making of the successful brand.

Beats has fast grown to become the preferred audio brand for about half of the US market.

In the complaint filed at Superior Court in San Mateo County, Califorinia, Monster alleges that Beats basically robbed Mr. Lee out of his invention. During the HTC deal a change-of-ownership clause was added which meant that all intellectual property such as technology and designs were to be transferred to Beats brand. After the deal Monster CEO Noel Lee’s stake in Beats was reduced from 5% to 1.25%.

Monster has also called the HTC deal a sham, orchestrated by Dre and Lovine to cease control of the company. It is asserted in the complaint that Beats repurchased 25.5% of its own shares from HTC less than a month after the deal closed. HTC also sold back the shares of Beats in 2013 which made the complaint sound genuine but we’d rather the judge decide on the verdict.

Beats most major gain came when last year Apple acquired it for $3 Billion. It’s major focus is on the Beats music service as it tries to take on new generation competitors such as Pandora and Spotify. Apple hasn’t been named as a defendant in the case. It is alleged though that during the deal, the role of Monster in creation of the Beats brand was concealed. It is said that months before the Apple deal Mr.Lee was misled to sell his shares as he was told that there was no “liquidity event” on the horizon for the next year or two.

This case, if for anything shows the fierce nature of the technology industry. Here knowledge is power, but legal clauses are more powerful as they might make you compete against your own creation, as Monster has to now compete with Beats products. So it is important to not just be a good innovator, but also a good businessman!

January 7, 2015
CES 2015: HTC Announces the Selfie-Centric Desire 826 and Budget-Friendly Desire 320

The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC knows the right way to disclose cards in a game. Post the announcement to Desire 320 a day before, the company today refreshed its Desire lineup by adding two new devices. HTC, at the event, unveiled the selfie-friendly smartphone Desire 826 along with Desire 320, a device that will not be brutal on the buyer’s pocket.

HTC Desire 826 with a 5.5-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and 2 GB RAM

Talking about the specs of Desire 826, the handset sports a 5.5-inch display with 1080p resolution. The device is powered by a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and packs 2GB of RAM along with 16 GB of internal memory storage. A 13MP rear camera and 4-UltraPixel upfront snapper are embedded onto the phone. Running on the latest OS from Google, Android 5.0 Lollipop, the company hasn’t forgotten to include its signature BoomSound speaker which supports Dolby audio enhancement.

The price of the same is still under wraps. The company declared that the handset will be available in limited stock and Asian countries will be the first to see the same.

HTC Desire 320 with 4.5-inch LCD display and 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor.

Another revelation by the company is the entry-level Desire 320. The device has a 4.5-inch LCD display and runs on 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor. The back of the phone boasts a good 5 MP rear camera, while the 0.3MP shooter at the front is just not appealing. The Desire 320 comes with two storage capacity options – 4 GB and 8 GB, which can be expanded up to 32 GB. Running on Android 4.4 KitKat, the phone is powered by a 2,100mAh battery.

However, nothing has been said about its price, the expected to be affordably priced. For now, it will be available in the U.K. and Germany, but other markets will get it soon.

Both the offerings are good, however not exceptional. Well, it will be good to see how these phones perform in the crowded and competitive smartphone market.

January 6, 2015
What To Expect From HTC One M9

Just like every year, the start of new tech quarter brings the release of some highly anticipated devices, including the HTC One M9, allegedly called “Hima.” HTC is getting ready to release the newest version of the HTC One smartphone and there is great excitement to see what the new flagship from HTC packs.

Considering the predecessor handsets, the HTC One M9 should have an excellent feature set. Recent leaks suggest that the company will be launching ‘Hima’ in March, after the Mobile World Congress 2015, same as the HTC One M8.

A recent leak revealed that HTC will hold a separate press launch for the smartphone like what the company did last year when it released the M8. According to the rumours, the flagship handset will be released alongside two other smartphones – Hima “Ace” and its Chinese variant Hima “Ultra”. The “Ace” variant will sport a plastic body and not the signature metal casing of HTC smartphones.

More importantly, these smartphones will be powered by MediaTek processors and not Qualcomm’s Snapdragon SoC. HTC already packed MediaTek processors in its previous smartphones – Desire 310, Desire 516 and Desire 820.

The leak also suggested that people may be in for some excellent features in the new HTC One M9. Among these are the next generation Snapdragon 810 SoC, new Sense 7 plus 3GB RAM. The camera, however, remains debatable as some people believe it to be around 16 MP while others expect a 20.7 MP resolution from Sony.

Along with this, another leak noted that the new HTC One M9 or Hima will come in several colour variants: gold, gunmetal gold, silver and grey. The leak included that the announcement may come around January, but the expected official commercial release is around March 2015.

As of now the new flagship is referred as Hima or One M9, has no solid leak regarding the name. Until HTC comes forward to confirm these rumours, it is a toss up and should be taken with a grain of salt.

December 29, 2014
16 MP Handheld HTC RE Camera Rolls Out in India via Snapdeal

Earlier in October, we disclosed that HTC’s RE camera will be coming in India for Rs. 9,990 and now the device has finally arrived in the country via Snapdeal. These handheld cameras are amazing gadgets to click pictures on the go.

The HTC RE features a 16MP sensor with a 146-degree wide-angle lens and is capable of recording full HD videos, 120 fps slow-motion videos, time-lapse videos as well as Zoes. It comes with an inbuilt HD microphone and speaker. The 820mAh battery can record Full HD videos for 1 hour 40 minutes. An 8GB storage card is preloaded in the camera, while it supports a storage capacity of up to 128 GB.

There are just two buttons at the device: click button and the slow-mo button that don’t let you fumble between modes. The RE camera works with both Android and iPhone devices and has connectivity options like Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. Coming at a price of just Rs. 9,990, this camera is a must-buy. Check out our review of the HTC RE camera here.

December 9, 2014
HTC Desire Eye, Nokia Lumia 830 and LG G Watch R Arrive on 7th November in the US

Post Samsung Galaxy Note Edge announcement, AT&T revealed a long list of devices which will be available in the US starting from 7th November.

AT&T is going huge with HTC offerings including the Desire Eye ($150 on-contract, $550 off-contract), One (M8) for Windows and RE camera ($199 contract-free). Along with these devices, the previously promised Lumia 830 will also be available around the same time, costing you $100 on-contract and $450 upfront; you’ll get a free Fitbit Flex activity tracker with the Windows Phone, if you are one of the lucky buyers.

The One (M8) for Windows will be available online and in AT&T retail stores starting 7th November. It will cost $200 with a two-year contract or free upfront with a Next plan – $27.92 a month for Next 18 and $33.60 for Next 12. If you don’t want commitment to AT&T, the off-contract price is $670.

The Lumia 830 is exclusive to AT&T and will also go on sale on 7th of this month. It is priced at $100 with a two-year contract or $18.75 with Next 18 and $22.50 with Next 12. The no-commitment price is $450.

Along with this, the retail giants will also offer Moto 360 and LG G Watch R for respective prices of $299 and $249.

November 4, 2014
HTC Finally Brings Desire 820 and 820q to Indian Shores Along with the Budget-Friendly 516C

Having unveiled the new Desire 820 and 820q in India last month, Taiwanese tech giant HTC has now released them for the market. This is part of a mass release by HTC, who also brought the recently launched Eye series to India. The phones are competitively priced and will find a lot of takers in the market.

HTC Desire 820

The HTC Desire 820 comes with an Octa-Core processor (4 x 1.5 GHz + 4 x 1.0 GHz,) which will give it a good boost in performance. The RAM on the device is 2GB. It has 16 GB of internal storage that is expandable up to 128 GB. Add this with a 5.5 inch 720p HD display and HTC’s Boomsound, this device becomes a multimedia delight.

The main camera on the Desire 820 is a 13 MP shooter with a F/2.2 iris. The selfie camera on the front is a good 8 megapixels. The device is juiced up by a 2600 mAh battery.

The phones multicolor design option makes it look youthful and as it is priced at Rs. 24,990.

The dual tone color options will entice a lot of people to buy the 820’s.

HTC Desire 820q

HTC Desire 820q comes with pretty much the same features as the Desire 820, but with some miniscule tweaks. The device is powered by a `1.2 GHz, quad-core processor along with 1 GB RAM. That’s about the difference between the two models.

The Desire 820q is priced at Rs. 22,500. Both Desire variants run Android KitKat 4.4 out of the box and will get a Lollipop update soon.

HTC Desire 516C

The last offering by HTC is going to play in the category of the Moto G and Xiaomi Mi3. The HTC Desire 516C is a budget offering from the company.

It comes with a 5-inch qHD display. It processing capabilities are overseen by a 1.2 GHz, Quad-Core Snapdragon 200 processor. It has 1 GB RAM and has an internal storage of 4 GB that is expandable up to 32 GB.

The 516C has a 5 MP main camera and has a measly 0.3 MP selfie camera. It is powered by a 1950 mAh battery. It will be available exclusively on Snapdeal.com for Rs. 12,990. For what it offers, this price is extortion. HTC should reconsider the price of this device.

Overall, the Desire 820 and 820q seem like great devices to own, and their funky exteriors make them extremely ‘desire’-able.

Do check out our hands-on of the devices:

October 18, 2014
Nexus 9 Listed on Google Play Store in India for Rs. 28,900

Google on Wednesday announced three new devices, all attempting to enter a space which competitior Apple has enjoyed monopoly over the past years. Now, Google’s Nexus 9, the HTC-made tablet is “coming soon” to India.

The tablet has been listed on Google India’s Play store. It is not yet available but once it does, it will cost Rs.28,900 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and Rs. 44,900 for the 3G version with 32GB memory. Three official origami-inspired leather covers for the tablet have also been listed. They will be available in three color variants, Black, Mint Intiqo and Lime stone.

Google describes Nexus 9 as a tablet that “is for work and play, with its just-right 8.9-inch screen and front-facing stereo speakers”. Now according to insider sources, the company will be bringing the Nexus 9 to India by the 2nd week of December, which come in line with this listing.

Nexus 9 is a slim, sleek and sexy looking tablet. Its processing might is taken care by a 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 Dual Denver processor clocked at 2.3GHz. It comes with 2GB RAM and is available in 16GB and 32GB storage variants. The device has an 8.9 inch IPS LCD display with 4:3 aspect ratio. It has a resolution of 2048×1536 and is covered in Gorrila Glass 3.

The camera at the rear will not do 4K video because it is just an 8 MP snapper, but its a wide lens and a great module. The aperture is f 2.4 and the sensor is a BSI sensor. For power you get a 6700 mAh battery, that should last you through the day and then some.

It weighs only 425 gm for the Wifi only and 436gm for the LTE variant, keeping it light and extremely portable. The tablet is easily held with one hand and the back panel feels great as well. The device is one of the first devices to run the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS along with the Nexus 6.

October 18, 2014
HTC Launched the RE Camera for Rs. 9,990 in India

Along with One (M8 Eye), Desire Eye, the Desire 516c, Desire 820 and Desire 820Q smartphones, HTC on Friday launched the Re Camera in the Indian market. We spent a whole day testing out this new camera, read more about it here.

“HTC has continually set the standards in mobile technology since 1997, and once more, we are redefining the concept of imaging forever,” said Chia-Lin Chang, President of Global Sales and Chief Financial Officer, HTC. “As a company we are devoted to innovation, as we endeavor to combine the best experiences with the best hardware design as possible. Today HTC has taken a bold step to introduce a new product category, with a remarkable little camera called, RE. A product that you once pick up, you will not want to put it down. RE, will allow our users to get out from behind the lens and live and experience moments.”

HTC Re is essentially a small handheld camera, which features a 16MP sensor with a 146-degree wide-angle lens. Packed in a waterproof shell, HTC RE camera is capable of recording full HD videos, 120 fps slow-motion videos, time-lapse videos as well as Zoes.

Inbuilt is an HD microphone and speaker along with rating for durability – IP57 Dust & Water Resistant IPx7 (body), IPx8 (with cap). The camera houses a 820 mAh battery which is rated for 1,200 16MP photos; 1 hour 40 min of continuous FHD video recording. It comes with an 8GB card loaded and supports upto 128 GB cards offering good storage capacities.

The camera works over Bluetooth 4.0 and Wifi. RE Camera supports iOS 7 and along with all KitKat equipped Android phones. HTC is hoping that RE camera will help the users in stepping out from behind the camera and enjoying the life as it happens. The camera includes just two buttons, one for image/video capture and other for slow motion video. There is not even a power button present on the device and it utilizes the integrated grip sensor to detect whether someone is holding and it switches itself on.

RE will be available exclusively on Snapdeal.com in India at an introductory promotional offer for a limited period, Rs. 9990/-

October 18, 2014