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HTC One: Review from a user

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HTC ONE GOLD
The new Gold HTC One (Image courtesy of HTC.com)

 

So I thinking about what to write about this week and while I have finally got my hands on a Pebble Smart Watch, I am going to wait until I try it out to give the verdict!

This led me to the HTC One. Now while I’m hardly going to break ground here, I am writing this as I realised this is still my favourite phone on the market since its launch last year and the one I still recommend above all others. Plus it’s just being launched in gold…so it is practically new! The following is my evaluation of life with the HTC One.

First of all is the build quality. Apple, Sony and HTC have all gone the route of their flagship models sporting solid builds (ie non removable batteries). While the sleek aluminium shell is a little slippy to use with one hand and easy to dent (two problems easily overcome by using my Otterbox Commuter case), the overall result is a premium feeling handset. The few buttons on the handset feel solid, including the IR blaster power button.

The One’s hardware allows the handset to run very smoothly while performing multiple tasks. While the internal 32GB memory cannot be expanded, the One’s Wifi adaptor is most impressive, regularly getting top speed on my UPC connection. This means you can make full use of the 50GB Dropbox space that comes with your purchase of the handset, offsetting certain anxieties of possessing a fixed memory handset.

The on-board camera was one of the main points HTC highlighted when launching the handset to set themselves aside from the competition. The 4 Ultra Pixel camera was claimed to be on par, if not better, than the 13MP camera seen within the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3. While I do love the camera on the handset and was blown away by the low light video quality, I do believe the S4 and Note 3 win the battle of the cameras.

This does not mean I am leaning towards the flagship Samsung handsets in this heavyweight battle- quite the contrary. The HTC One boasts incredible audio. In the box you will be pleasantly surprised to find Monster headphones, which are greatly complimented by the Beats Audio software installed on the handset (a partnership which unfortunately looks almost certainly have come to an end with the new HTC M8). One is left wondering why all handsets do not shift their speakers to the front, as the combination of audio and fantastic screen make watching Netflix or listening to music at a house party a breeze for the HTC One.

Now, that’s all the HTC One “press-pack-esque” stuff out of the way here is my own personal opinion.

You need to get a case and really it has to be something hardwearing. The phone’s shell is gorgeous but may as well be made from butter. However, for me, this is really the only drawback. The battery in the HTC One is simply stunning. Here you can see why I think so.

2014-01-15 03.26.49

Okay, so those of you who remember forgetting where the last place you had your charger plugged in due to your amazing Nokia 2 week battery, may not be blown away by this image. For me, knowing how much I use my phone, this was amazing. Sure I charge my phone every night, but it comfortably gets me through a day without having to be constantly afraid of being phoneless.

Initially, Blinkfeed was a massive let-down. This feature was a new approach to the home screen, which brings all your social media and news needs into one easy to access place.Very restricted feeds, heavily focussed upon the US market. While the latter hasn’t changed, it now allows fully customisable feeds. You can log in to your Facebook and Twitter accounts while also drawing from your favourite RSS feeds, ensuring all your news and feeds are never missed.

Finally, the greatest gimmick of them all has become my favourite feature. In my apartment I only have Saorview, built into the TV, which means no fancy SKY Guides. Thank god for the TV Remote feature. First of all it offers control over the TV, such as input, volume, channels etc. It also provides a full visual guide of what is on TV over the coming week. You set your favourites and get reminders for your show and future similar shows, with the app automatically changing TV channels accordingly. It also works for SKY and UPC, meaning everyone can find a use for it.

The too long didn’t read version.

The HTC One offers the build quality of an iPhone, the brains and freedom of Android while throwing some genuinely unique approaches to how a handset should operate. While initially daunting, the HTC One is easily the most fun and interesting phone on the market to date and as mentioned earlier, the one I still recommend above other handsets. You get well above average battery life, with enough “WOW” factor to keep everyone else jealous.

Check back soon for my review of the Pebble Smart Watch and reports on the launch of the HTC M8, expected March 24th.

Galaxy S5: The best bits

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Samsung Galaxy S5
The Electric Blue Samsung Galaxy S5 (image courtesy of gsmarena.com)

I have been a fan of Samsung for many years, with the Note 3 being the only handset to make me question my choice of the HTC One. So it was great excitement I watched the Samsung Unpacked event which would bring with it the official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S5. Here is a quick look at the best bits of the Galaxy S5.

Camera

Initially, socks will remain firmly in place with the announcement of a 16MP camera, as we now live in a world where the figures 20.7MP and 41MP are bandied around. Ignoring the usual figures, the S5 boasts two really nice features on its new camera which I believe deserve a firm pat on the back.

1. 0.3 second Auto-focus

Few things irk me more than missing a moment or having a group ask ‘what is taking so long’ as my HTC One screen simulates the opening of ones eyes after a hard night on hard spirits. The S5 eradicates this problem with a very impressive 0.3 second auto-focus, meaning as soon as you click you will get a clear shot

2. Selective focus

Think of this as being professional Instagram. Selective focus allows the user to blur the background surrounding the subject of a photograph. Sure it sounds simple; because it is. However, the result is gorgeous and professional looking photographs.

Battery

Samsung can throw figures at us all day long, but I won’t pay any attention until I get hands on experience with the handset. Or at least this is what I said until the launch shifted focus towards “Ultra Power Saving Mode”. Again, I am reluctant to pay heed to manufacturers figures, when anyone says that 10% battery life can result in 24 hours standby, my ears will prick up. This is achieved through throttling the phone to GSM only features, turning down the display and limiting the screen to only black and white. Samsung have also stated the handset should achieve 10 hours web browsing on a LTE connection.

Biometrics

To mimic or not to mimic…that is the question. As Apple introduced the thumb print scanner, everyone was immediately wondering if Samsung would follow suit. Praise the mobile lords (Nokia 3310 and Sony Ericsson k750) that the rumours of retina scan technology have proven unfounded. Samsung have followed Apple’s (and in my opinion improved upon) thumb print scanner. The subtle difference is a swipe instead of a stationary placing. The real achievement here is the teaming up with PayPal. Hopefully, this paves the way for biometric security allowing us to access online banking, social media and emails, as we venture towards a world with no passwords. Also unless the handset is unlocked with a thumb print, pictures and documents remain secure, bringing piece of mind to those many hundreds of Irish people who have lost there phones (in Coppers alone).

So, while hardly ground breaking, the S5 would appear to be a worthy progression in the S range. Samsung stated at the launch that “We only succeed when customers choose us”, and so many of the developments have been geared towards the desire of the customer. While there have been a certain number of heads upon nails hit, I believe some swings have landed shy of their marks. Overall, the S5 will be a very interesting venture for SIII customers, but a smaller step for those holding an S4 today. Samsung have set the bar so high that the S5 may seem underwhelming, but it really is a fantastic piece of kit.