Tag: HTC

HTC Brings Out the Colourful Desire 820 and Desire 820Q Dual-SIM in India

HTC has launched its new offerings Desire 820 and Desire 820Q Dual SIM in India, which the company showcased at the IFA Berlin 2014. HTC has been one of the front runners in the smartphone game with its One M8 and the Desire line-up, which have been a favourite amongst Android lovers.

The smartphones have been given an amazing look and feel. They come with a bold two-tone color scheme that makes the devices standout. Even the HTC logo on the back gets a different color treatment for each phone color option. The devices are made in a unibody, polycarbonate casing that HTC defines as its “double shot color technology.”

With the Colors and powerful front camera makes it a youth friendly device. — The Colors and powerful front camera makes it a youth friendly device.

Same as its predecessor Desire 816, new desire 820 comes with a 5.5 inch 720p HD screen. The new handset is one of the first phones to come with a 64 bit Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 615 chipset. The processor runs on two quad-core chips of 1.5GHz and 1.0GHz with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage.

On the imaging side, the main camera on the device is a 13 MP shooter with f/2.2 aperture and the front camera packs an 8 MP which is one of the main highlight of the handset. The device is powered through a 2600 mAh battery. On the software front, it runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat wrapped under Sense UI. The Desire 820 comes with latest Category 4 LTE.

The HTC Desire 820Q is essentially the mini version of Desire 820. It comes with a 64 bit Snapdragon 410 1.2 GHz quad core processor and 1GB of RAM. The handset borrows rest of the specs from its bigger brother. Both smartphones will have DLNA to stream wireless on TV.

Back in IFA, HTC said that the phones will be updated with Android L when it comes out which makes it one of the first companies to promise the Android L upgrades. They come with HTC’s Dual Boomsound front facing speakers and also its own version of the dot view case. Both devices will be shipped in early November, however, the pricing is not revealed yet, the company said that they will announce the pricing near the release date.

Specs	HTC Desire 820	HTC Desire 820Q Dual-SIM
Display	5.5 inch, 720×1280 pixels, ~267ppi	5.5 inch, 720×1280 pixels, ~267ppi
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 1.5 GHz octa-core (64 bit)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 1.2 GHz octa-core (64 bit)
RAM	2GB	1GB
Storage	16GB expandable upto 128GB	16GB expandable upto 128GB
Battery capacity (mAh)	2600, non-removable	2600, non-removable
Camera	Rear camera 13-megapixel Front camera 8-megapixel	Rear camera 13-megapixel Front camera 8-megapixel
Operating System	Android 4.4	Android 4.4

September 23, 2014

HTC to Return to Tablets With a New Nexus Device

Rumours about HTC-made Nexus tablet has been around since past few months. However, details about this new device were scarce until now. Recently, NVIDIA inadvertently leaked that the Taiwanese company is linking up with Google to launch the Nexus 9.

And now, Wall Street Journal has added more credibility to the report. According to the report, HTC engineers have been flying to the Googleplex in Mountain View in recent months to work on the project. The reports added that Google has choose HTC over more experienced tablet makers like Samsung to make its upcoming 9-inch Nexus tablet to avoid one single manufacturer gaining monopoly.

However, it is also pointed out that HTC has a bad tablet track-record and focuses almost exclusively on smartphones. The company have not come up with any tablet since 2011 when they launched Flyer tablet which failed miserably in the market.

Google and HTC both declined to comment on this matter, however, Google said, “Android is a vibrant ecosystem, and many of the industry players are doing very well. There’s room for many partners to do well and to innovate with Android.”

As for HTC, the Taiwanese company has been eager to gain a footing in new sectors as it loses ground in the smartphone market. The company’s executives have promised this year that they are working on fresh areas such as wearable devices. HTC had made Google’s first Nexus smartphone, the Nexus One, in 2010, but hasn’t made a device for the line since.

September 23, 2014
The Windows Phone Everyone Wanted : HTC One M8 for Windows Out

Talk about an unfortunate day for companies who wanted to keep their products a surprise till the release date. After Samsung had a major boo boo with the AnTuTu specs leaks, its HTC’s time to face some leak music. The worst part of the HTC leak is that it was done not through some leakster sitting in his bedroom but by telecom giant Verizon.

The HTC One M8 for Windows was officially supposed to release at a function later today in New York but its just too hard for some folks to wait that long. It seems like one of the posters for the One M8 which was supposed to be put up after the release, went up at one Verizon store, where the internet got hold of it.

The Poster that spoilt everything

The poster has a huge photo of the One M8 exteriors along with the Windows 8.1 tiles view on the UI. It uses the tagline “built to inspire envy” has one important line that blows up the entire surprise that HTC had in store for its fans. The bottom half of the poster says available in Android and Windows.

What was really a good move on the part of HTC is not bring the phone under the name HTC One W8 as was previously speculated. Keeping the name common keeps the focus on the features of the phone instead of the user interface used to access those features.

On the specifications front, there aren’t going to be a lot many changes in the two variants. The HTC One M8 for Windows Phone version will hold the dual camera setup with a 4-UltraPixel rear camera with a depth-sensing camera, apart from a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It’s processing might is expected to come from a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. It is expected to retain the 2600mAh battery along with its a 5-inch full-HD display.

It seems like with this release HTC wants to compete on both the two prominent, non iOS operating systems. It is also beneficial for Windows to have the support of a recognized, premium product running their OS, thereby making their OS more visible. For the consumers, it gives a real alternative for folks who want a Windows device from a prominent brand. This release seems like a win-win for all.

August 19, 2014
HTC to Launch Butterfly 2 in India Soon

HTC Butterfly 2, which was launched in Japan as J Butterfly, is going to launch in India and some other Asian countries soon. Taiwan-based smartphone maker has just announced that the high-end plastic phone will go on sale in Taiwan on September 2nd which will be followed by the launch in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand soon after.

It is available in 3 colour variants – blue, white and red. Anyhow, the company haven’t commented on the pricing details of the device. The single-SIM HTC Butterfly 2 smartphone is the successor to the HTC Butterfly which was launched last year at Rs. 49,990 in India.

The Butterfly 2 sports a 5-inch, full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) display. It is powered by a powerful quad-core Snapdragon 801 SoC that clocks at 2.5GHz and coupled with 2GB of RAM. In storage front, Butterfly 2 comes with 16GB and 32GB of inbuilt storage options, with expandable storage via microSD card (up to 128GB).

Also, same as the HTC One (M8), it sports a duo-camera setup with 13 megapixel main sensor, f/2.0, 28mm lens and support for 1080p video recording and a 5-megapixel front shooter with BSI sensor, 1080p full HD video recording too.

HTC Butterfly 2 also comes with a IPX5 / IPX7 for dust and water resistance and Infrared LED for remote control. The device features a Dual front-facing stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers which HTC has been using in all its handsets. It is powered by a 2700 mAh battery. HTC has tied up with HARMAN for JBL LiveStage Signal Processing Technology for better audio output. It comes bundled with exclusively designed JBL in-ear headphones in Japan.

August 19, 2014
More Details About the Android L Powered Nexus 8 Revealed

Google is rumored to be working with HTC for the Nexus 8 project. The release date of this device is most likely approaching with newly leaked out information suggesting that the powerful Android L tablet was recently certified.

Since last month, numerous reports cited that the new Google Nexus device, which is believed to be HTC Volantis, will be released around October or November time. The release date may help the company to hit the sales periods when more people are going to look for tech gadgets.

The device certification took place in South Korea, according to G4Games, which added on its report that HTC is building the stock Android tablet and it goes by the internal name ‘Volantis’ or ‘Flounder’. Also in the latest information, the device model number 0P8210000 emerged, which G4Games noted first came into tech consciousness back in June and courtesy of well-known gadget leaker @evleaks.

Though, the supposed South Korean certification lacked most the important specifications and other features. Another leaker by the name of @UpLeaks claimed that the Nexus 8 is a beastly rival for Apple’s iPad Air and Mini.

HTC T1(a.k.a Flounder/Volantis) 64Bit Tegra processor, MDM9x25 modem(for cellular model), 4GB RAM(Elpida 2GB*2), NFC, GPS, Android L

— @upleaks (@upleaks) August 8, 2014

The new Android L tablet is said to slate NVIDIA’s latest 64-bit Tegra processing chip that is paired with 4GB of RAM. This combo will fire up the Nexus 8’s very able 8MP rear cam shooter that will work with a 1.6MP front facing camera. Also, according to PhoneArena, there will be a metal chassis surrounding the 8.9-inch screen that many users are opting for to add more protection to the devices.

Despite there being no confirmation, many reports claim that HTC will unveil the new Google Nexus device this month. It is mainly due to the fact that the Nexus 7 has reduced in price on the Google Play Store. It is common for companies to reduce the price of devices when a newer one is about to be released in an attempt to get rid of old stock before the newer one comes

August 12, 2014

HTC Desire 816 Vs 616 : Which One Is More Desirable?

HTC has come up with two amazing phones recently; Desire 816 and 616. Though, these two devices belong in different price brackets, they are actually very similar in terms of of design and other specifications. The Desire 816 came out some time back, priced at Rs 25,000, where as the Desire 616 is awaited and is priced at Rs. 17,000.

The Innards

The Desire 816 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core chipset which runs on at 1.6 GHz. Where as the Desire 616 runs a Mediatek MT6592 processor which is on Octa-core at 1.4 GHz. Now, whether you consider Snapdragon stronger or not, we personally feel that Octa-core chipset is slightly more powerful at 1.4 Ghz than the 1.6 GHz Snapdragon 400 in Desire 816. That means Desire 616 will give a slightly better performance than the Desire 816.

Display

The 5.5 inch Desire 816 has a 1280X720 pixel resolution which is same as the Desire 616 which fashions a 5-inch screen. This means, the 5.0 inch 616 has a better resolution and higher pixel per inch ratio, thereby giving it a better display in comparison to the Desire 816.

Operating System

Now, this is the category where Desire 816 easily wins. The 816 sports Android 4.4 out of the box, also the device has HTC sense as well as HTC BlinkFeed, which come fully loaded to the device. Although, you do get BlinkFeed and HTC Sense 5.5 with the 616, but it is not a full version and the device runs on Android 4.3 JellyBean. So, the 616 doesn’t possess latest version softwares and there is no schedule for any update either.

Camera

As far as the imaging is concerned the Desire 816 wins with its 13 MP camera at the rear and a 5 MP on the front. Both the rear and the front camera are capable of shooting 1080p videos. It fashions an f/2.2 aperture lens with various additional features for the HTC Sense camera. Whereas in the 616 only the 8MP rear camera supports 1080p video capturing, the 2MP front camera shoots at 720p only and also you don’t get those fancy camera features.

Battery

Desire 816 sports a pretty impressive battery at 2,600 mAh where as the 616 gets a 2000 mAh battery. We have experienced that 816 has a phenomenal battery life while 616 lags behind in this segment.

Memory and RAM

Desire 816 holds a much larger internal storage than 616 i.e. 8 gigabytes against 616’s 4 gigabytes. Both devices support microSD cards with 616 supporting expansion of only 32 GB while the 816 being capable of expanding to 128 GB of additional memory. Also Desire 816 gets 1.5 GB of RAM whereas you get only 1 GB RAM with Desire 616.

Design

In terms of design, Desire 816 looks impressive with its matte plus gloss finished body, which looks amazing. Overall the device feels sturdy . You don’t get a removable back panel which some people may not like, but the aesthetics as well as the shiny steel barrel around the camera steals the show.

The Desire 616 is slightly thicker and has an overall plastic shell (even the buttons are plastic). It’s back panel is removable. The plastic body makes it look less impressive when compared to the 816. But still the 616 is a really good looking device, in fact one of the best looking ones in it’s price bracket.

Summary

Overall, both the devices are the hottest selling commodities in their respective categories and there is good reason for that. They are fantastic in terms of build quality, software and obviously the support you get from the HTC. 616 gives you an octa-core processor at the price in which other devices provide you with dual core where as 816 brings out a large screen and fantastic built quality t0 the Rs. 25,000 segment. You do have several good alternatives in both these categories such Nexus 5 and also LG G2in 25k price bracket while you can get various handsets from the likes of Gionee, Micromax and others in the 17k segment. But with this purchase, you get amazing customer support from HTC. The company has proved that they have well built phones and have great service and support in India, which very crucial in today’s market place.

Phone	HTC Desire 816	HTC Desire 616
Display	5.5 inches720x1280 pixels	5.0 inches720x1280 pixels
Memory	8GB	4GB
Ram	1.5GB	1GB
Camera	13MP rear5MP front	8MP rear2MP front
OS	Andriod 4.4 KitKat	Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
Processor	1.6 Ghz Quad-coreQualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset	1.4 GHz Octa-coreMediatek MT6592 processor
Battery	2,600 mAh Non-removable	2000 mAh removable
Price	Rs. 25,000(approx)	Rs. 17,000(approx)

July 22, 2014

What the iPhone 6 Needs to Take on The HTC One M8

Ever since its release, the HTC One M8 has been one of the most admired flagships. With its aluminum unibody metallic design, the phone announces its distinguished class. Now HTC has decided that it will be giving LTE support to the One M8, making the phone future proof and a serious contender for a good while.

Now we see what the next version of the Apple iPhone needs to have to take on the HTC One M8.

Display:

The HTC One comes with a spectacular 441 ppi display

The HTC One M8 comes with a 441 ppi dense 1080p HD screen, with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. In comparison, the iPhone, with its bigger sized display is speculated to come with a Sapphire Glass, which is one of the toughest glass out there. The glass is literally capable of surviving not just key chain scratches, but a full on knife assault.

Design:

Now here’s an impressive update for you. Apple has won a patent to make a casing of the Sapphire Glass. This might just be for the next iPhone outing. Unlike the glass design on the iPhone 4S, this one will be an unbreakable version and will prevent your precious iPhone and your emotional stability from shattering. According to the abstract on the patent document, the design might have multiple glass pieces fused together for overall protection of internal components.

The next Iphone might be entirely made of Sapphire glass casing.

In comparison, HTC’s Aluminum casing is one of its most appreciated features. Apple will own the flagship casing fight if they integrate Sapphire Glass casing, but that will raise the price of the device significantly.

HTC has also evolved their dual speaker Boomsound feature quite efficiently on the HTC One M8. Also special mention should go the Dot Cover as its visually appealing.

Camera:

With its dual camera feature, HTC has pioneered selective focus ability in the smartphone space. The phone also gives a brilliant software support to its camera system. Though some of the features are a bit gimmicky, but the average user will be able to add some incredible effects on their photos.

With the iOS 8 update the iPhone will get new composition tools, easy adjustment features, new filters and editing tools, and the best of all is a Time-lapse feature. After the slow-motion update in the previous generation, time lapse seems like the next logical step for the iPhone to take.

Software:

Inter connectivity with OSX is the cornerstone of iOS 8

HTC has announced that the HTC One M8 will be one of the first devices, along with some more from the HTC family, to get the Android L update. The L comes with significant visual overhaul along with many functional changes making the system a lot more user friendly.

Apple, on the other hand, has packed the iOS 8 with some visionary features. The revamped notification center would make your life easier as you can access to all your important updates at one place. The interconnectivity features between the iOS and OSX devices are pioneering, and we saw Google showcasing something similar between the Android phones and Chromebooks.

Battery:

As the HTC One M8 will be one of the first devices don the Android L apparel, it will be the beneficiary of project Volta. With this new feature developers will be able to extend the life of the battery considerably. The 2600 mAh battery on the One M8, gives a day’s worth of charge but the web browsing coupled with the giant screen drains out the battery real fast.

iPhones batteries have always faced criticism for their dispiriting performance. Recently Samsung took a shot at iPhone users and called them “wall huggers.” Apple conceded and agreed that some of its phones faced reduced battery life. Now it’s to see if Apple makes the correction in the latest version, or the wall huggers will again be on their quest to find the charging sockets.

Conclusion:

Overall, with increased screen size and hopefully better battery backup, the iPhone 6 will be capable of taking on the HTC One M8. HTC might hit back with a better user interface using the new Android L. On the software front though both OS are competitive with Apple getting the advantage for its better interconnectivity feature with the OSX. Even if you don’t have a Mac OSX device, the iOS would be suitable as a standalone device too. HTC should definitely gear up for the upcoming war.

July 16, 2014
Another Moto G Competitor Launched, Meet The HTC Desire 516
The new HTC Desire 516 Dual Sim secretly went online in eBay for Rs 13,302. Now, the Taiwanese vendor has officially launched the phone in the country for Rs 14,200. Well, availability of this device will certainly spice up the already crowded segment.

The HTC Desire 516 is equipped with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean skinned with HTC Sense UI v5.1 and is a Dual Sim Smartphone that will give though competition to the Moto G. The handset that is already available in China, runs on Snapdragon 200 SoC with quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 processor and a Adreno 302 GPU with 1 GB of RAM.

Desire 516 sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and backside-illuminated sensor (BSI), while it also houses a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The HTC Desire 516 packs a 1950mAh battery that is rated to deliver up to 9 hours of talk time with no word on standby time.

The smartphone will be available in Black and White colour variants only. It comes with dimensions 140x72x9.7mm and weighs 160 grams. The Desire 516 is currently on sale at eBay and was first spotted by Maktech blog.

The company had also launched Desire 816 in May through Flipkart in India at Rs. 24,450. Well, the new device has a direct competition with Moto G. Moto G is priced at INR 12,499, and is equipped with 4.5 inches HD Display, 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor. 1 GB RAM, 8 GB or 16 GB Internal Storage, 5MP rear and 1.3MP front camera and runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Key Features of HTC Desire 516 –
- 5-inch Capacitive Touchscreen Display (540 x 960 pixels)
- Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
- 1.2 GHz, Quad core, Qualcomm QSC6270
- Adreno 302
- 1 GB RAM, 4GB Internal Memory (expandable upto 32GB via microSD card)
- 5 MP Primary Camera with LED Flash, 2 MP Secondary Camera
- Dual SIM, GSM+GSM
- GPRS, EDGE, 3G, HSDPA, Wi-Fi 802.11, b/g/n, Bluetooth, A-GPS, GPS, USB Connectivity
- 1950 mAH Battery
[poll id=”11″]
June 26, 2014
HTC Desire 816 Review
The HTC Desire 816 is the newest entrant from HTC in their so called Mid Range product lineup of Android based Smartphone devices. The Desire 816 has Dual Sim Capabilities and supports CDMA networks alongside the GSM networks.

The HTC Desire is a good mix of looks, brain and brawn, but does it tackle a market well versed with hardware at a price point of a Nexus smartphone. Lets find out!

Overview

The HTC Desire 816 is the prettiest looking Desire we have seen yet, and it manages to do that in a an ironic rugged fashion. The phone musters up the strength to take on the likes of great phones like the Nexus 5, Moto X and Sony Xperia T2 in this price segment offering something extra.

Design, Hardware and Build

HTC has managed to hit the nail on the head when it comes to design in the past couple of years, with the One series of phones coming out stunning, one after the other. The Desire 816 is one phone that is completely inspired by the One M8 however keeping costs low, it brings a new material to the users. The design is very unique, blending a matte plastic edge with a glossy plastic back gives the phone two independent looks. The Front keeps the plastic chin and the head at a minimal, the front mostly has glass.

As far as hardware goes the Desire 816 also has a great mix of that. Running the insides is a Qualcomm MSM8928 Snapdragon 400 at 1.6 GHz on Quad Cores along with an Adreno 305 GPU. For memory we have 8 GB of Storage, 1.5 GB RAM and expandability of upto 128 GB via microSD card. Optics shave enhanced quite a lot and you will see impressive results from the 13 MP main camera and 5 MP front camera both capable of impressive 1080p, impressive because its quite accurate with respect to color and white balance.

Powering it all is a 2600 mAh battery pack, the front has a 5.5 inch Super LCD 2 display with a 1280 x 720 p resolution and 267 pip. However the display is actually better than it sounds on paper. All of this works in tandem with Android 4.4.2 kitkat OTB with HTC Sense 6.0, which has some new unique things to offer up. Finally the Desire 816 in India is a Dual Sim device with One 3G Sim card slot and one GSM aka no data slot.

Make no mistake the phone is “unapologetically plastic”, however the build quality is superb and does not feel cheap or flimsy at all. In fact, the “slab-ish” feel that you get from the moment you pick up the phone is pleasantly reassuring. The phone is presently available in three colors – Grey , White and Orange.

Display and Multimedia.

The HTC Desire 816 has a brilliant display, that looks great from the moment you first hold the device in your hand. The 5.5 inch Super LCD 2 display offers excellent brightness and great wide viewing angles. Almost every time you turn on the display you get a slight smirk on your face as to how beautifully HTC manages color and how good this screen looks. For the geek squad the 720p screen may not be a let down, it’s actually better than almost every other 720p display we have seen.

Movies and videos play perfectly on the Desire 816, with no lag whatsoever, even while high bitrate movies are difficult to view, they work exceptionally well on the 816. Multimedia playback is a good mix of visuals and audio experience, the Boomsound speakers contribute to the latter. The new speaks have large cavities and the sound almost competes with the likes of the new M8, which by itself says a lot. Their new audio engine also does an equally good job as the beats engine did, when the company still made phones with Beats audio.

Camera

The cameras on the HTC Desire 816 are not far from impressive, with excellent color reproduction, no banding in images, and excellent video capture. Both cameras capture video at Full HD 1080p resolution and the video is smooth and jitter free.

The camera works well in all kinds of lighting, although in extreme dark environments the Desire 816’s flash may not hold up to the mark. The camera is fast at focusing, and delivers mostly sharp results.

While taking a different approach from their One series of phones HTC has actually added a big sensor in this one , a 13 MP snapper will satiate the most needs.

The new Camera features in Sense 6.0 including ZOE is available on the HTC Desire 816, however you won’t see the UFocus option from the HTC One M8 because its hardware dependent. Although HTC could have gone the Sony and Samsung Route and used “Selective Focus” softwares.

Phone and Battery

While the Desire 816 uses 2 SIM cards, like most lower end phones it has only one slot for a 3G sim card. Both sim cards need to be Nano Sims to fit in this bad boy, which might have been a movement decision vs a design or need decision on such a large device.

The Phone call network strength is very good, and data connectivity is strong funnily in places where phones usually end up in “E” (edge) mode, the Desire 816 hangs on to the one last bar of “H” (3G/HSDPA), which by all means to us is very impressive. The Desire 816 also supports CDMA which is a fantastic thing, and makes the Desire 816 the best dual sim CDMA phone in this price bracket.

Battery life is phenomenal, you will easily bump one day of use and go into the next without worries. This is probably the only phone we have seen in the past that offers up this kind of battery life. However this is respective of usage, and may vary.

Talk Time : 6-7 Hours

Music and Multimedia : 9-10 hours

Internet : 7-8 Hours

Android and UI

Android KitKat along-with Sense 6.0 is a fantastic combination, just as we saw on the HTC One M8. HTC is now also promising quick updates to their handsets and we have seen updates roll out and almost all of their handsets released in the past few years are running KitKat. This means that we can rest easy when hoping for updates to the latest version of Android.

The Blinkfeed UI has become more and more acceptable and according to HTC over 79% of HTC owners are actively using Blinkfeed. The new Blinkfeed interface lets you add custom lists and sources as per your needs.

The Interface is infact, very customizable and intuitive and HTC offers a lot of sounds and wallpapers etc, to keep you busy for a very long time (incase you choose to use them.)

Performance and Gaming

The Desire 816 is a crack performer, no lag whatsoever, even when storage runs out. RAM is managed exceptionally well and fluidity of the ecosystem is constant. Muti-tasking works just the way it was designed, and while you could be easily switching b/w apps, they are actually put in a hibernate mode allowing the continued smooth performance.

All games are compatible and work well, the storage remains a limitation, and most games cannot be transferred to the SD card, which is slightly disappointing. You get approx 4+ GB free and although move to SD works in most cases, some games like GTA SA cannot be transferred and end up using 2.5 GB /4 available.

Conclusion

Honestly, HTC had us at the first look of the phone back then at MWC, but now with that gorgeous display, impressive build, fluid UI and impressive optics and multimedia, the Desire 816 is becoming more and more worthy of the “best title”, already winning the Best Dual Sim phone with CDMA in the under 30,000 category.

The HTC Desire 816 may be a tad large for some but it fits comfortably, and is an excellent phone with solid network strength. What you get for the price is a well rounded phone, with many features that will satisfy mostly all demographics.

If you are in the market for a phone that does CDMA as well, the 816 becomes the obvious choice, however despite there being many phones in this price bracket. The Desire 816 offers possibly the most satisfying experience.

Best Price

[tw-column width=”one-half”]

GOOD THINGS
- Well Built and Snappy
- Well Responsive
- Excellent Design and Looks
- Great Cameras
- Android KitKat and Updates
- Sense 6.0
- CDMA and 3G GSM Capable
[/tw-column]

[tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

BAD THINGS
- Internal Memory Low
- Nano SIM Slot could have been Micro
- None, really!
[/tw-column]
June 4, 2014
Details About The HTC One M8 Prime Leaked

Specification of a future HTC smartphone, referred as the M8 Prime have been leaked recently. If the information is accurate, it’s shaping up to be a real powerhouse. Over the past few weeks there has been a buzz about the upcoming phone, today got the first look at the rumored device. Top smartphone leaker @evleaks, has been on a roll about leaking details on the HTC One M8 Prime. On Tuesday he posted a full 3D render of the actual device, which apparently HTC had created for the press kits of the device.

Touted to release this summer, this new phone looks a lot like the HTC One M8 – the only difference is that its camera protrudes slightly on the back of the device, which isn’t present on HTC’s earlier phones. The reason for this might be because the One M8 Prime will have a camera which fairs better than One M8’s underwhelming camera. Though, it clearly seems to have come at the cost of having a smooth rear shell.

Based on multiple rumors, most of which were revealed by @evleaks, it should have a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad HD display, and the latest 2.5 GHx quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor with 3GB of RAM. Also, a casing of liquid-metal or a new composite of aluminum and liquid silicon blend into one. This will make it lightweight and durable, yet handle thermals better, amongst other things.

It might also be water-resistant and have the new Cat 6 radio technology to deliver some of the fastest 4G LTE and WiFi speeds on a mobile device.

The HTC One M8 Prime is said to feature one of the best displays available, the fastest quad-core processor, tons of RAM and storage, and what could be one of the best cameras on any Android smartphone. It sounds too good to be true, but thankfully, this leakster has an excellent track record of being right.

May 21, 2014
HTC Launches the HTC One M8

HTC today at an event held in New York has launched the new HTC One aka the M8, keeping the name the same, the company has made major improvements to design hardware and software.

Design

The HTC One (m8) features a new wrap around design that vs the previous generation wrap all the way around to the front, giving the new M8 a completely new look and a brilliant new feel. HTC claims that the body of the new HTC One is 90% metal vs the 70% metal seen on the HTC One last year.

HTC has maintained the BoomSound design and claims a better sound from the device, which at first go on the M8 sounds much deeper and louder than the original One. The redesigned speaker chambers provide unto 25% more audio output and the new multi-band amplifier ensures better sound.

Hardware and Specs

The HTC One M8 features the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.5 GHz Quad Core Cpu for Asian market and a 2.3GHz Quad Core Cpu for the US market. The Front of the HTC One M8 features a 5inch 1920 x 1080p display which to some will seem like a loss considering many now offer a 2k display, the front is also covered with Gorilla Glass 3. On the inside is 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB storage options. You get 50 GB of Google Drive and 128 GB Expandability via microSD.

The Duo camera design features an Ultrapixel camera along with a depth capture camera which is detailed below. The main camera has a BSI sensor, a pixel size of 2.0 um, a sensor size of 1/3”, and an aperture of ƒ/2.0 with a 28mm lens. The Front camera has a 5MP BSI sensor, an aperture of ƒ/2.0 wide angle lens with HDR capability and 1080p Full HD video recording.

The HTC One M8 supports the following 4G/LTE bands :

EMEA: 800/900/1800/2600 MHz

Asia: 700/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz

AT&T: 700/850/AWS/1800/1900/2600 MHz

Sprint: FDD 800/1900 MHz , TDD 2600 MHz

Verizon: 700/AWS/1800/2600 MHz

Tmus: 700/AWS MHz

The battery on the M8 is a 2600 mAh LiPo battery and a new power saving mode promises an additional 30 hours with just 10% battery remaining.

OS and UI

This is what makes the HTC One M8 really special. A lot of focus has been spent in making this device feel like its running a custom OS. The HTC One M8 comes with Android 4.4.2 out of the box, but whats interesting is that the new HTC Sense 6 really makes the device look and feel different.

The HTC Sense 6 is sort of a mix of the previous gen Blinkfeed and a Windows Phone approach to tiles. With larger more rectangular updates in a vertical grid.

HTC has also made many interesting changes to the usability of the OS, from launching apps to tapping to unlock the device (not new) . The new Image Match tool lets you search by image and create an album featuring similar content. The new timeline view allows you to View your photos in Timeline view according to when they were taken.

New Apps from HTC including the new HTC Sense TV have been redesigned to allow more functionality and added features like showing you the social feed of the show you are watching.

The HTC One M8 has also not left out on the Fitness aspect of things thanks to the new pre loaded Fitbit app that uses the hardware within the phone to monitor your fitness. When you go for a run drop the phone and use the fitbit band and then later sync with your phone to get a comprehensive result at the end of the day.

HTC One M8 Duo Camera

The HTC One (M8) camera utilizes a dual lens and sensor configuration coupled with new processing hardware to mimic the stereoscopic vision capabilities of the human eye –two independent lenses allow it to detect and calculate the relative distance of subjects in the image. The imaging system then assigns properties to each individual pixel, which allows them to be re-purposed and reprocessed to maximize image quality.

HTC Claims that the camera can now accurately emulate the look of high-end lenses and dedicated professional camera systems. It enables “pro look” images with finite shallow depth-of-field control and captivating ‘bokeh’ and focus fall-off, which is particularly effective in portraits.

The HTC One M8 also bundles in effects into the camera library with the use of the enhanced camera hardware and the new UI traits of the new Sense 6.0 , the end resultant images can come out quite brilliantly, especially the seasons effect and the diminutional change effect, samples below.

Dimension Plus Effect

Selective Focus

Season Effect

Accessories

HTC is launching the HTC One M8 with a bunch of accessories as well, the most interesting perhaps is the dot view case. The cover has a fun dot matrix display that will give you updates on whats happening on your device like alarms, calendar notifications, messages, emails and missed calls. The funky colorful display will also show the weather information battery status and time.

The HTC One (M8) will be available globally today in Gunmetal Gray, Glacial Silver and will be rolled out in the South Asia region including India in the coming weeks Stay tuned for our hands on followup. Leave any questions below.

March 25, 2014
New HTC One Sold on Ebay for $500

The revision to the HTC One aka the new HTC One or the HTC M8 was purchased by a lucky bidder on popular bidding website eBay for a meager price of $500 box packed in Verizon packaging.

Considering a number of leaks of the handset in the past, the box gives more details than required of the handset all set to launch on the 25th of March.

According to the box, the handset features a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset, a 5-inch 1080p display, microSD slot for expandable memory and 32GB internal storage, a 5MP front-facing camera, UltraPixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, a Nano-SIM slot and 2GB of RAM.

The Ultrapixel camera in question is bound to be an 8 MP variant with 4k video recording as per sources. The phone will run Android 4.4 out of the box with the latest iteration of Sense UX.

March 13, 2014
Goophone Clones The New HTC One Even Before It’s Launched!

Remember Goophone? The company that cloned the Samsung Galaxy S5 within 2 days of its launch? Well, they’ve bettered themselves by launching their version of the all new HTC One, even before it’s been announced!

Goophone hasn’t shied away from using the purported codename of the real All New HTC One, M8. HTC is due to announce its 2014 flagship on March 25th whereas the clone has already been listed and can be ordered by anyone willing to purchase it. In a sense its Goophone’s own successor, as it cloned the HTC One last year as well.

As can be expected with all the other Goophone clones this latest clone only resembles the HTC M8 in physical appearance but its internal hardware is quite different. At first glance you might be fooled into thinking that it is the real deal from the front view as it appears to have a similar design as the original device. The back part of the device bears the Goophone brand which announces that it isn’t an HTC device.

Of course the Goophone wasn’t able to pull off the rear dual cameras that are widely expected of the upcoming flagship HTC device. Also for a price of $229 we are certainly not expecting high quality metal to be covering up all the parts that are under the hood of the phone.

Specs-wise, the GooPhone M8 is similar to the GooPhone S5, as it comes with an eight-core MediaTek processor clocked at 1.7 GHz, mated to only 1 GB RAM. Other specs include a 5-inch, 1080p display, a 13-megapixel non-Ultrapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, 16 GB expandable storage, a 2,800 mAh battery, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box.

March 7, 2014
HTC M8 Leaks In Video, Company Cautions Uploader

A young YouTuber by the name of Roshan Jamkatel has posted a 12-minute review of a developer edition HTC M8, the codename for the new HTC One.

The 12-minute video shows off both an AT&T HTC M8’s hardware and software, giving us a glimpse at its dual rear cameras, on-screen buttons and refreshed camera UI. We’re also shown the M8?s microSD card slot, which is housed directly above the device’s volume rocker. There are a number of comparisons to the original HTC One in the video as well, giving us a good idea of just how HTC’s 2014 flagship compares to its predecessor.

The body appears to sport more rounded corners and rear, while the metal chassis remains and navigation keys are moved on screen – all things which fall in line with previous rumours.

The video was taken down from Roshan Jamkatel’s account, after a very threatening exchange with HTC Senior Global Online Communications Manager, Jeff Gordon.

Jeff Gordon supposedly tweeted: “it’s not going to be a good week for you, my friend,” followed by “we have the IMEI and all other info. We’ll be in touch,” but the posts have since been removed.

March 3, 2014
What to Expect From the Mobile World Congress 2014

The GSMA Mobile World Congress is a combination of the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry and a conference featuring companies representing device manufacturers, technology providers and more from across the world. The GSMA Mobile World Congress will start from 24th February at the Fira Gran Via venue in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Companies like, Sony, Samsung, HTC, Nokia, LG, Huawei etc. plan to showcase their next generation technology. To name few of them:

Acer:

Acer plans to officially launch two new smartphones, Liquid Z4 and Liquid E3. The Acer Liquid E3 has a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels. The device is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Sporting a 13 MP primary camera with LED flash and a 2 MP secondary camera.

On the other hand, the Acer Liquid Z4 has a 4 inch display. It is powered by a 1.3 GHz Dual-Core processor and runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Sporting a 5 MP primary camera(f2.4 lens), LED flash and a VGA secondary camera. We will share more details, which should be available soon.

HTC:

HTC will introduce a mid range device, the Desire 8, sporting a 5.5 inch display and a 13 MP camera on the back and a 5 MP front shooter. HTC is also rumored to launch its first wearable device at the MWC, alongside the rumors of the M8. However, it is believed that HTC will not launch the M8 at the MWC 2014.

Huawei:

Huawei will launch the MediaPad X1 along with a new wearable device TalkBand B1. The MediaPad X1 is priced at $399, while the wearable device is priced at $99. We will bring you more information soon.

LG:

LG has teased their upcoming mini smartphone, the LG G2 Mini. LG G2 Mini will feature a 4.7 inch qHD display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, which is considerably low than what we have seen on the LG G2. The LG G2 Mini is powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and Snapdragon 400 or Nvidia Tegra 4i chipsets, depending on what variant you choose(LTE/3G). Furthermore, the G2 Mini will feature 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage which will be expandable via MicroSD card. Stay tuned for out hands-on with this device.

Nokia:

Nokia is rumored to launch its first ever Android smartphone, named Nokia X. Rumoured specifications of the alleged Nokia X include a 4-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 854 FWVGA pixels; a 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor; 5 MP shooter and the device is believed to run on Android 4.4 KitKat.

Sony:

Sony is rumored to unveil a new Xperia flagship codenamed Sirius or the Z2. No confirmation for the specifications yer, but it is rumored to sport a bigger display, dual speakers, 4K video recording, a 20 MP rear camera and a microSD slot. Alongside, the new flagship device, we have also seen leaks of the new tablet, the Xperia Z2 Tablet. We will have to see what Sony brings to the table, stay tuned for more.

Samsung:

Samsung is expected to launch the newest member to its Galaxy S series, the Galaxy S5 at the MWC 2014 today. The device is rumored to come up with a 2K display, fingerprint scanner and run on Android 4.4 KitKat. Alongside all these features, Samsung might also launch a revamped UI. Samsung will also launch the Galaxy Gear 2 and the Galaxy Gear 2 Neo, more information coming soon.

ZTE:

ZTE has confirmed the launch of two new devices the 6 inch Grand Memo II LTE and the Firefox Operating System based Open C. However, the company has not shared more details yet, but you can expect it very soon. Stay tuned for out hands-on!

While these are some of major launches to take place at the Mobile World Congress starting today, we also have other companies who might take over the show with other products. Companies like Jolla, Tizen, Mozilla, Panasonic and Facebook have alot to share and talk about.

The MWC starts today, and we will keep you updated with all the latest happenings of the event.

February 24, 2014