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Posts Tagged ‘HTC’
Wednesday, April 13th, 2011
All those looking to pick up the HTC Flyer will be glad to know that the company has made the official release date known to the public. Those looking to pick up HTC’s stylus sporting tablet will be glad to know that come the 9th of May, they will be able to do so. Granted you will have to wait a bit longer before you get Honeycomb on the device as it will be sporting Gingerbread at launch, but you do get some cool specs.
A 1.5GHz processor comes standard along with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of Flash storage. The display is 1024 x 600 and it carries a version of the Sense UI that is optimized for tablets. In case you’re wondering, yes there will be a 1.3 megapixel camera up front and it will be perfect for capturing vain images of yourself or chatting with your buddies across the room or across the sea and of course everything in-between.
Now if only we could get a price and an official date for when the Honeycomb update will arrive.
Source: TechRadar
Tags: google-android, HTC, HTC-Flyer, tablets
Posted in HTC Phones | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
Launching an Android tablet in today’s market without Honeycomb 3.0 running the show has been considered a no-no. However, if HTC is thinking right, the 7-inch HTC Flyer tablet might be the exception. The Android tablet is running version 2.4 Gingerbread underneath version 3.0 of HTC’s Sense UI which has been considered one of the most polished Android skins in the industry.
The device packs a 1.5GHz single-core CPU along with 1GB of RAM plus 32GB, not 16GB, of flash memory all packed into a beautiful aluminum housing that sports a resolution of 1024 x 600 on a screen. There is a 4000mAh battery that will power the device for 4 hours of continual video playback on a charge, pretty weak if you ask us but besides that you also get memory expandability via a microSD slot that should support cards up to 32GB.
The Flyer is said to be shipping the second quarter of this year. According to the company, the reason why they opted for Android 2.4 and not 3.0 of Android is because the company did not have enough time to sit down and tweak the Android code to make Sense compatible. The company does claim that the latest version of Sense will be released on the tablet and will be the underlining experience as to why the tablet is so great. Not only that, but it seems that HTC is pushing Sense as it’s answer to most if not all of Androids shortcomings.
The device does carry a 5 megapixel autofocus camera as well as a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for video conferencing. Other sensors include ambient light, G-Sensor and a Digital Compass. For those times when you do get lost, you can rest assured that the included internal GPS antenna will help you find your way home.
Source: HTC
Tags: Android-2.3-gingerbread, HTC, HTC-Flyer, tablets
Posted in HTC Phones | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
 The HTC Wildfire handset is getting the Froyo update. Users under Vodafone and T-Mobile will be getting the update a little earlier with the expected update to launch by the end of this week. For those Wildfire users under other networks, the wait might take as long as until February of next year. Version 2.2 Froyo brings Flash support, better performance and of course, is a step closer to the Gingerbread OS.
Speaking of the Gingerbread, the Google branded Nexus One smart phone will be receiving the update in a matter of weeks, though it has yet to be confirmed when the exact release date would be. As the first Google branded device (and the one that Google has handed directly to developers), the Nexus One is one of the first Androids that we should expect to receive standalone updates first.
Android smart phone owners will be happy to know that the touch screen typing aid Swype is finally coming. The tool that makes typing on the virtual keyboard a lot easier and more intuitive is finally here; this allows users to send messages and updates faster than ever, without the need for a slide out QWERTY keyboard.
Location based service app Foursquare has now updated their servers to take on not only the light load of user login details, but also for longer comments and more importantly, images. Users of the app can now choose to upload images of the locations of various Foursquare locations.
Lastly, Microsoft is enjoying a quiet success with the Windows Phone 7. While the overall public reaction seems lukewarm, the sales show a different scenario with over 1.5 million devices sold in a span of six weeks. While this does place the new OS only slightly over the Samsung Bada, it is still a good start –and only time will tell if the platform can live up to Andy Rubin’s earlier visions for it.
Tags: Google, Google-Nexus-One, HTC, HTC-Wildfire, Swype, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in Google Phones, HTC Phones, Microsoft Phones | No Comments »
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
 The Samsung made, Google branded Nexus S is not due to arrive in the UK until later this December (many are already marking the 20th on their calendars). In any case, the phone is going to definitely arrive and it is making plenty of news each day. Just a while back, several Nexus S smart phones have been strapped into special protective containers and launched up to 30,000 feet into the atmosphere –which is actually pretty high.
The devices were then released where their fall had been broken by a specially made parachute. The move was done as part of an experiment to prove that the handset could survive a vacuum –which it did.
Speaking of the Nexus S and the Android OS, the Gingerbread version has specialized voice recognition that has been designed specifically for the system to be able to learn the audio pattern of a specific user. This is very important as it allows the Android to be able to recognize specific words and intonations –thereby making other voice command features more efficient.
Nokia and HTC have both confirmed that their game plan for the coming 2011 is to include a good array of touch screen tablets on their lineup. While this is a good plan for HTC which has both the Android and the Windows Phone 7 platforms to use. Nokia still has yet to prove that either the Symbian or the MeeGo platforms are good enough for a large touch screen device like a tablet.
With LTE technology right now being focused on 4G communications, there is no surprise that many companies are looking into developing phones fully equipped with the hardware that is projected to be future necessities. While the average life of a phone is about 2 years, there are many who opt to trade in for new unit a lot earlier –which makes the point of buying phones for the LTE features somewhat moot.
Tags: Google-Nexus-S, HTC, Nokia, samsung
Posted in HTC Phones, Nokia Phones, Samsung Phones | No Comments »
Friday, December 10th, 2010
 If you still have not been able to buy a smart phone, there is no longer any excuse for not going to the closest mobile store. According to reports, Phones4U has finally opened their 500th store and that provides the UK with more than enough phone stores to shop and choose from. It has also been stated that by next year, four more stores will be added to the list.
HTC has confirmed that they will be working closely with Carphone Warehouse in terms of distribution of their newer handsets. So far, no exact details have emerged, but it is quite possible that we will be seeing some exclusive deals in terms of special color themes or even special prices for HTC’s smart phones.
A study has shown that the Android smart phone users are the heaviest users of the internet. The study reveals that the largest amount of data used by a mobile browser happens when the platform is the Android operating system. While the iOS may offer more paying customers, the Android market has a much higher download rate.
Best Buy is letting people try out the Apple iPhone 3G for free for a single day. While this may seem like an interesting promotion, this is nothing more than an extended phone promotion. Had they chosen to apply this to a newer piece of technology, then we could expect plenty of gear heads doing barrel-rolls of delight.
Samsung’s P1000 Galaxy Tab smart phone is now out and if you get one before February 28 of next year, then you will enjoy about 200 Pounds worth of free media from Samsung’s associates. Over 50 songs, 15 movies, 3 eBooks and 7 games (users will get to choose which content) await those who are going to go for the touch screen tablet this holiday season.
Tags: Apple, Apple-iPhone-3G, HTC, samsung, Samsung-Galaxy-Tab
Posted in Apple Phones, HTC Phones, Samsung Phones | No Comments »
Thursday, December 9th, 2010
 HTC has got a massive triple update for the tech industry. First up are two devices launching in the US –which is normally not our concern, but as proven since time and time again, US carrier exclusives are hardly just that. In fact, many devices there are originally mean to be exclusive still ended up in local store shelves in the UK –the only difference being the fact that the name of the handset has been changed a bit.
The third bit of news concerns the launch of the HTC Legend Froyo update. Of course, those under Vodafone UK and Orange Mobile are not really concerned at all about this –considering the fact that their updates have been out for quite some time now. This new update for Froyo is available for PAYG, SIM-free and other HTC Legend users.
LG has just acquired VMware and from the looks of it, they have a pretty solid game plan in mind. The Korean phone maker seems set on creating a new office phone –one that combines the leisure of a personal device, and one with security protocols for business users. This is achieved through the use of a virtual machine which creates a secondary system on the device –one that can be controlled by an IT department.
Speaking of LG, their newly launched P500 Optimus One smart phone will not be updated to beyond 2.2 Froyo (which means that the Gingerbread is out of the question). As for the reason why, nobody truly knows; the Facebook page for the LG phone states that it does not have a 1GHz CPU –which is in no way a requirement for the latest Android version. Hopefully, LG will be clearing up this matter.
Lastly, ZTE’s UK sales performance has just been released, showing a massive jump from 1.5 million to 4 million in terms of sales from last year to this year.
Tags: Android-2.2-Froyo, HTC, HTC-Legend, LG, LG-Optimus-One, ZTE
Posted in HTC Phones, LG Phones | No Comments »
Monday, December 6th, 2010
 There is no such thing as the perfect handset. Simply put, everything has its own design and manufacturing flaws. While Apple’s iPhone 4 may have suffered such issues (and indignities) worst of today’s new devices, going all out and pointing fingers is never a good idea.
Many of you may recall the whole antennagate issue that had Apple naming names and dropping brands like the entire mobile industry had a problem –and they did specifically state that outright. They even made videos to show their point. But one quick look and everyone can easily tell, the real antenna issue is not when a phone loses signal bars because it was being held in a funny way (upside down, flipped around, held with two hand cupping most parts, etc). It is when a phone completely loses signal strength because a pinky or ring finger is located where it should normally be when using the device.
All phones have antennas, and covering up the parts near the antennas will certainly affect performance –which is the same issue with the HTC HD7. While the phone does not suffer from the iPhone 4 syndrome, it does lose more bar than the typical smart phone.
HTC is aware of the issue and has stated that the problem is not that big of deal –and they are absolutely right. The most one can take off a good coverage is about two to three signal bars, completely losing connection would require going to an area with weak signal strength and holding the phone in a silly way using two hands. Seriously, that is not something to complain about.
The most interesting thing here is that HTC chose not to bring up Apple –the mere omission shows a level of professionalism that is so rarely displayed by the Cupertino based company. Steve Jobs ought to start jotting down notes on his iPad about this.
Tags: antenna, HTC, HTC-HD7, Windows-Phone-7
Posted in HTC Phones | No Comments »
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
 The arrival of the touch screen lead to one very important factor: larger screens. Where the older use of keypads meant that older handsets had to sacrifice the space in the face of the device for control and display; the touch screen combined both. Now, just a couple of years down the line, the smart phone industry is booming thanks to touch screens, and here is a quick look at the latest developments with mobile phone display technology.
HTC is going in a completely different direction than they previously had when it comes to innovations. This time, the Taiwan based phone maker has announced that it will go for a novelty act with the launch of the first Android smart phone with a 3D display. While this makes for an interesting first, the applied use of parallax display technology outside of gaming is not that impressive.
To begin with, even Nintendo’s 3DS is raising eyebrows when it comes to actual usefulness. With smart phones –meant to be used on the go and when one is busy, there simply is the question of “does anyone have the time to appreciate 3D on a small screen while you are mobile?”
Korean phone makers Samsung and LG are working on more practical display technologies with the use of LED and LCD technology. Just several months back, Samsung has made plenty of progress promoting the AMOLED and Super AMOLED touch screen displays, with the later variant even matching Apple’s Retina display technology.
However, Samsung has stated that AMOLED technology is too expensive to produce and has since turned to the Super LCD instead. Their newer version of the tech, named as the Super PLS LCD, boasts of very impressive visual quality. LG’s new LED based technology takes the conservative approach as they push for the Quantum Dot LED (QLED) that provides the same quality of images as an AMOLED screen, but at a very power efficient setting.
Tags: 3D-phones, AMOLED, displays, HTC, LG, samsung, Super-AMOLED
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
 An interesting study has come up recently. According to a survey from GfK, many people tend to be loyal to a specific mobile platform or operating system. As for manufacturer however, the choice is not that big a deal.
Of course, the study does get a bit skewed since those loyal to the Apple iOS and the RIM BlackBerry OS would be forced to stick to Apple’s iPhone devices and RIM’s smart phones –the operating systems are proprietary after all. But looking at the Google Android –which is currently the fastest growing OS in terms of the number of users, there are plenty of choices in brands.
Sure, HTC and Samsung are among the top favorites, but Android phones made by Motorola, Asus, Acer, LG, and other phone makers are also selling well. This is due to the fact that people only care about the operating system of the smart phone and not the actual phone itself (with specific devices being chosen for specs and not for their brands). With the Windows Phone 7 OS already out, expect to see a similar situation for Microsoft’s new mobile platform.
So the question now is: does it matter which brand we choose? The only real consideration on the per-brand selection is the fact that each phone maker has their own custom user interface (Samsung TouchWiz, HTC Sense, etc). Aside from that, there is very little to think about.
Another study has announced that the average UK household has been hoarding over 700 Pounds worth of old mobile phones. These can often be resold too –which is a great help for the coming holidays. A quick look at older phones often reveals a vast diversity in the choices of brands.
Tags: Apple, BlackBerry, Brand-loyalty, HTC, operating-systems, samsung
Posted in Android Mobile Phones, Apple Phones | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
 Nokia has announced that they are focused working on the power failure issues that are affecting the Nokia N8 Symbian^3 smart phone. Following a recent new update from retailers that have held off from selling the device (due to high return rates), it appears that a major issue concerning the device’s hardware has been spotted. So far, it has not been confirmed if a software-based fix would suffice or if this issue can only be repaired by actually fixing the hardware itself.
Korean phone maker Samsung has announced that it will have a pretty large lineup of Windows Phone 7 devices. In fact more than half the device they produce will be made of WP7 phones while the remaining 40% goes to Galaxy Android devices and the remainder will be Bada based handsets. For those not familiar, the Bada OS is a proprietary open source mobile platform developed by Samsung for its mobile handsets. So far, over a million Bada devices has been sold.
Another HTC phone is being rumored to be launching in the US first –with no confirmation of a possible UK release date: the HTC Knight. So far, initial details on the device show that it will be a 4G capable smart phone. Once again, here is to hoping that the device will be getting a name change then gets shipped locally to the UK.
Cupertino based Apple has announced that they will not continue with the development of the embedded SIM card. This is after many local network operators have stated that if Apple pushes through with the plan to create embedded SIM cards on their devices, they would start boycotting all of Apple’s devices –including the iPhone 4.
Originally, Gemalto was supposed to develop and manufacture the sim cards. Apple has had a very outstanding relationship with operators and unlike with other phone makers and developers, Apple cannot afford to antagonize the local networks.
Tags: Apple, HTC, HTC-Knight, Nokia, Nokia-N8, samsung, Samsung-Bada
Posted in Apple Phones, HTC Phones, Nokia Phones, Samsung Phones | No Comments »
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