tech news

Tuesday 25 March 2014

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: which phone should you buy?

20:28 By Unknown

HTC’s new flagship, the One M8 comes boasting some nice improvements, like a new camera companion, updated Sense software and top of the line internals. But if you’re already rocking the five star HTC One, should you start saving those pennies for an upgrade? We put the two devices head to head to see what’s changed.

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: Size and Build

First up the design, and it looks pretty similar, with an aluminium unibody design, glass front and overall whiff of design flair. At first glance, little has changed, not that we are complaining. One change though is the weight - it is in fact heaver than its predecessor at 160g compared to 143g, though it keeps the same thickness, just 9.3mm.
The new model is also a tad curvier and features a more polished chassis, helping it nestle comfortably in your palm.
The ports have had a revamp with the HTC One M8 adding a handy micro SD card slot (bung a 128GB Micro SD in this baby and you’ve got a serious media machine) and the headphone jack is now on the bottom – an addition that, while small, is something we really appreciate.
The latest iteration also comes with a new finish; a metal grey that has a brushed-metal back. There’s also a very ‘of the moment’ gold colour option, following in the footsteps of both Apple and Samsung.
While the original One used two capacitive buttons, the One M8 now moves them on-screen and goes with the regular three button Android layout. A move for the good, if we say so ourselves.

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: Screen

The screen is larger, now 5-inches instead of 4.7-inches, but keeps the same resolution of 1920 x 1080. As the screen has got bigger, the PPI has dropped slightly, from 469 to 441. Do not despair though, as this drop is minimal and the screen should still look excellent.

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: Processor

Powering the new HTC One M8 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chip, while this is still dual-core, the same as the One; it is now clocked at 2.3GHz, instead of 1.7GHz.
The RAM is unchanged, still sticking at 2GB, but the 32GB starting internal storage options we saw last year has been slashed to 16GB. Though, with the addition of the micro SD slot, this isn’t much of an issue.

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: Camera

It's the camera that's the biggest difference between the HTC One and the M8. The ultra pixels are the same, at four in total on the rear-facing camera, but it's had a complete UI overhaul making it much simpler to use.
HTC has also added the second depth-sensor on the back, so you can take multi focus images and add parallax effects to snaps. The camera on the original was a bit hit and miss, so we really hope there are better things to come from the M8.
The secondary camera has had a huge spec bump, up from 2.1-megapixels to five and both shoot 1080p video, making this the ultimate device for selfies.

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: Features and Operating System

The Sense Android overlay has been spruced up for the new device, now labelled 6.0, it features improvements to Blinkfeed that let you alter colours and make it much more personal. There’s also a whole host of new gestures integrated into the device, making navigation much easier.
There's no Beats Audio, though the awesome BoomSound front facing speaker has been improved to offer a wider frequency of audio, giving your tunes even more depth and punch.
Internally, the battery has jumped to 2600mAh from 2300mAh on the HTC One, a nice little upgrade, but due to the increased screen size we’d guess that battery life should probably be about the same.

HTC One M8 vs HTC One: Overall

While the changes may not jump out at you, the slightly altered case, improved internals and larger screen really do build on what was our favourite phone of 2013. Plus, the unique new ‘dual’ camera is something we’re really excited, and a little intrigued by.
If you’re ready for a new phone, but can’t decide between some of the new big hitters, check out our HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Apple iPhone 5S features.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Which is the best?

20:24 By Unknown

To get the full picture of just how good the HTC One M8 really is, we've put it head to head with its main rival and fellow Android 4.4 Kit Kat-toting behemoth, the Samsung Galaxy S5
Also, make sure you check out our HTC One M8 review.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Size and Build

The HTC One was a real looker, we’ve said it many times and there’s few who would disagree with it. With its aluminium clad unibody build, precise edges and machined finish, it is probably the only device that can match Apple and the iPhone 5S when it comes to industrial design.
So, it’s no surprise that the HTC One M8 is triumphant again when it comes to looks, leaving the dimpled 80’s faux-leather of the Samsung Galaxy S5 trailing in its mix of metal and glass.
If you were familiar with the HTC One’s design then you’ll feel right at home with the M8, as it sticks pretty close to the design blueprints of its predecessor. The aluminium unibody design is now even more machined than before, giving it a better feel in the hand and it’s ever so slightly more curved.
Put the devices next to each other and it’s clear which is the more premium, the glossy plastic, faux-materials and pesky charging cap on the S5 just can’t measure up to the brushed metal of the HTC One M8
Size-wise the S5 is thinner and lighter at 8.1mm and 145g, though the M8 is definitely no porker, coming in at 160g and 9.3mm thin.
As you’d expect, with the HTC One M8 packing a 5-inch and the S5 a 5.1-inch display, they are hardly compact and take up sizable pocket space.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Screen

On to the screen and they're almost identical in size with the S5 just narrowly beating the M8 with point one of an inch at 5.1-inches in size but HTC's offering has it when it comes to ppi's beating the S5's 432 with 441.
Really though, these differences are minimal and with both beaming full HD 1080p images into your retinas, you’re bound to be in for a visual treat.
We’ll have to get both devices in for a full test at T3 HQ before we can say definitively which one packs the better display.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Processor

Samsung has again crammed a lot of tech into powering its latest flagship, including 2GB of RAM (surprisingly less than the 3GB in both the Galaxy Note 3 and Sony’s Xperia Z2) and a quad-core Krait 2.5GHz chip, but is it better than what HTC has given us?
Actually, they are pretty much the same, with the HTC One M8 also going with 2GB RAM and the top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3GHz.
As we said about the displays, both these phones are packing some serious power and we can only at this point assume they will be a pleasure to use.However, unlike the Apple iPhone 5s, which features a 64-bit processor, both the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 are 32-bit. While this won’t cause any day to day issues, it does raise some questions about future support once 64-bit processors are common place amongst Android devices.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Camera

The camera was where people had their hopes on the S5 and it didn't fail to deliver. It landed with a 16-megapixel sensor on the back that the South Korean company claims offers the fastest auto-focus of any smartphone on the market with it taking a mere 0.3 seconds to lock on to target.
The S5 also has a new HDR mode that should provide more realistic looking skin tones and Selective Focus, which allows you to achieve snaps with a shallow depth of feel effect, similar to those captured on pricey DSLRs.
While the Samsung Galaxy S5 wins out in the megapixel wars, the HTC One M8 instead goes with innovative new features.
The Ultrapixel camera from the 2013 model is still here, with the same four ultrapixel sensor, but it has now been joined by a second lens, placed above the main snapper, which acts as a depth sensor.
We’ve seen the mysterious second cam in plenty of leaked images, but now finally we now why it’s been included.
First off, it’ll let you refocus your shots after you’ve taken them (similarly to the Lytro camera, Nokia’s app for WP8 and the S5) so you can distinguish between the background and foreground when editing. Secondly you can now add a parallax effect to your photos, giving further depth. Apple did a similar thing for the homescreen on iOS7.
On to video and although the M8 copes well in lowlight, the S5 beats it with sheer specs with the ability to shoot UHD.
The front facing cameras are a world apart with Samsung offering just 2-megapixels, compared to the M8's five. Could the days of blurred selfies finally be at an end?

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Features and Operating System

Now, this is where it gets interesting. Both these high-end, high-specced and high-priced devices come boasting some really interesting features, features that set the phones apart.
Both come running the latest form of Android – 4.4 Kit Kat, though each has its own special skin with added features. The HTC One M8 comes with Sense 6.0, an update to last year’s version that now features a more customisable Blinkfeed news and social media aggregator.
Icons have been jazzed up and on-screen buttons replace the capacitive versions of old.
Beats Audio is no longer around, but the fantastic BoomSound front facing speakers gladly are, providing punchy audio and thanks to a new internal digital signal processing chip, you’ll now get a wider frequency of sound.
Our favourite feature though isn’t actually on the phone; instead it’s an added accessory that adds bundles of retro charm. The Dot Matrix flip case lets you glance upon vital info in 8-bit style. Cases could be cool again.
Unlike the S5, the HTC One M8 doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner or any sort of waterproofing. Samsung’s device is IP67 certified so it’s dustproof and waterproof in depths of up to 1m (or your mug of tea) for a limited about of time.
Winning top billing on Samsung’s new superphone is an array of health features, collectively labelled S-Health 3.0. Tools in this package include a pedometer, personal fitness tracker and a new way to keep up to date with your diet, but the most innovative clearly seems to be the built-in heart rate monitor. Positioned just below the camera sensor on the back, this lets you touch your thumb against it and instantly be notified of your heart rate. Clever.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Battery

HTC’s One M8 comes fitted with a fixed 2600mAH battery, which is slightly lower than the 2800mAH removable and replaceable version that Samsung has packed inside the S5. Both should be good for a day’s data, talk and text – pretty normal for a phone these days.
We’ll have to put both devices through their paces more thoroughly, though we can imagine you’ll still need to plug it in every night.
One nifty addition on the S5 though is the ultra low power mode, which turns your device into a sort of throwback 90’s black and white device to eek out the juice even more.

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Connectivity

As you’d expect for 2014, both these flagship devices come equipped with LTE functionality for super speedy 4G data and Bluetooth 4.0. Both also support fifth generation WiFi 802.11ac for snappy home browsing (If you’ve got a compatible router).

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5: Overall

These two phone behemoths both have lots going for them, whether it be the innovative health features on the S5, or the camera tech and retro flip-case on the HTC One M8.

Samsung having production issues with the Galaxy S5

20:12 By Unknown

There have been some rumors about production issues with Samsung's Galaxy S5. First, one of their factories caught fire, damaging some of their stock and production equipment.
Now, there are reports indicating that Samsung is having difficulty with properly centering the optics in the S5's 16MP ISOCELL camera sensor.

On top of this, Samsung is facing stability issues with the coating process for the S5's lens module. Although they are making good progress in fixing these errors, the Korean tech-giant has definitely taken a hit as a result.
Because of the setbacks, Samsung will only have 4-5 million S5 units available at launch, as opposed to the 5-7 million devices they originally anticipated.
Anyone who is looking forward to the S5, are you a little anxious as to whether or not they'll be able to get the phone at launch? Or do you have doubts that the phone will hit its target date? Let us know in the comments!
Source | Via

Apple reaches 500 million iPhone sales

20:12 By Unknown

Apple's 500 millionth iPhone was just sold, marking a huge milestone for the Cupertino-based tech giant.
It's funny to think that Edward Snyder, an analyst at Charter Equity Research, said that there was no way Apple would sell 10 million iPhones in its first year. He was proven wrong, however, when Apple went on to sell 12.8 million of their iconic smartphones in 2008.

The rest is history, with sales making exponential increases throughout the years. Many analysts believe that the 600 million mark will be reached before the end of 2014. If reports of 5c price cuts are to be believed, then Apple should have no problem reaching that number.
Anyone think that Apple's momentum will continue?
Source | Via

HTC One (M8) goes official with Duo Camera, 5-inch screen

20:11 By Unknown

The HTC One (M8) is now official and most of the rumors we've seen so far came out true. The smartphone sports a unibody made of 90% metal as opposed to 70% for its predecessor giving it an even sleeker look.

The One (M8) screen has been bumped from a 4.7" unit to a 5", while retaining the 1080p resolution. Side bezels have been slimmed down and hardware keys have been replaced by on-screen ones so the difference in size compared to the original One is minial.
The front-facing BoomSound stereo speakers that we so enjoyed on the original One are back for another round with the M8. This year's HTC flagship is said to be 25% louder, too.
As far as processing power goes, the HTC One (M8) offers a Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.3 GHz Krait 400 processor for the US, Europe, Middle East and Africa and a higher-clocked 2.5 GHz Krait 400 CPU for Asia, Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. The storage options are 16 GB and 32 GB but the M8 will allow expansion by up to 128 GB through the microSD card slot.

HTC One (M8)
The Android version is 4.4 KitKat with Sense 6 on top. One of the coolest new features brought by the updated package is Motion Launch, which lets you quickly open the camera or unlock the phone while the screen is off. Picking up the One (M8) in landscape mode and pressing the volume button will launch the camera. There's double tap or slide up from the bottom to wake the phone. While locked you can pick up the phone in portrait mode and swipe left on its screen to launch the widget panel or right for BlinkFeed.
A newly introduced extreme Power Saving Mode promises to give you up to 30 hours of running by using just 10% of the One (M8)'s 2,600 mAh battery. Zoe has also been updated and can take 20 full-res stills coupled with video in just three seconds. The Sense 6 launcher itself has been moved to the Play Store in an attempt to streamline the update process.
The camera department of the HTC One (M8) features a 4MP camera with 1/3" sensor, 2 micron-sized pixels and f/2.0 aperture plus a second camera located above it meant to gather depth information. HTC calls this Duo Camera. It mimics the stereoscopic abilities of the human eye - two independent lenses able to calculate the relative distance of the subjects in an image. HTC's dual camera setup enables cool effects such as selective focus (shallow depth of field) and post-shot refocusing.
The front-facing camera is a wide-angle 5 MP unit making it a huge jump from last year's 2.1 MP.
Unfortunately, the optical image stabilization of the original One is now gone, and the One (M8) will rely solely on digital stabilization to do its magic. Similarly to Apple, HTC has improved the flash of the smartphone by using a two toned one - one cold and one warm LED, which can help the smartphone produce more accurate color tones in low-light conditions.
Finally there's faster focus. HTC claims the One (M8) can focus in just 0.3s.
The HTC One comes with a variety of accessories like the Flip Case, Double Dip case (each in three colors), Dot View case (showing you alarms, events, calls, battery, weather and more in a colorful dotted way) and more.
Coming in Gunmetal Gray, Glacial Silver and Amber Gold the HTC One (M8) will be available in select markets starting today. It will roll out across 230 carriers in Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, China, Africa and the Middle East.

Here are all the details about the One (M8) UK availability

20:08 By Unknown

The HTC One (M8) is available at select Phones4u stores in London starting today with the rest of the retailer's stores opening stock tomorrow. The retailer has the One (M8) available in Glacial Silver and Gunmetal Gray from today with the Amber Gold version to be available in the coming weeks.
EE will have the smartphone from its online and telesales channels starting tomorrow with retail stores following suit on March 27.

CarphoneWarehouse also has the device in select London stores and will have the Amber Gold variant on April 7.
As for pricing, Phones4u offers the device SIM free for £529.95 (16 GB) while CarphoneWarehouse has it listed for £549.95 (we're guessing 32 GB). The device will cost you nothing on a two-year contract from Phones4u and CarphoneWarehouse starting at £42 a month.
Phones4u offers the device with a promotional BoomBass speaker (otherwise worth £79.95), 25 pounds for Google Play purchases and a free folio case for the One (M8) if you get it from the retailer before April 30.
The Everything Everywhere joint venture will give you a double data allowance if you purchase the One (M8) with a £37.99 contract (a £29.99 upfront cost) and will even throw in a free return flight ticket on 12 European destinations until April 10.
Source 1 | Source 2

Verizon now sells One (M8) at retail, AT&T and Sprint online

20:07 By Unknown

The HTC One (M8) is now official and is said to be rolling out starting today. But in the US the device will hit retail shelves on Verizon first, starting today at 1:00 PM local time.
At the same time AT&T and Sprint will make the device available from their online stores. Retail availability for those carriers will follow on April 11.

T-Mobile won't have the One (M8) available for online order until next month, contrary to earlier rumors.
The price of the One (M8) will be either $199 or $249 on a two year deal, depending on the carrier and storage. The off-contract price will be $649 for the regular and Developer Edition One (M8) while the Google Play Edition will cost $699.

HTC One (M8) gets Developer and Google Play editions

20:06 By Unknown

The new HTC One (M8) comes with a Google Play Edition out of the gate – Holo UI fans can enjoy stock Android 4.4.2 KitKat. Devs who need unrestricted access to the phone will also enjoy a Developer edition.
The Developer edition will be unlocked and will set you back $649, the same price as the consumer device.

The Google Play Edition is more expensive - $699 – which is strange since the bootloader should be unlocked and flashing a GPE ROM should be easy. $50 is certainly a good motivation to learn how that's done.
Anyway, the Dev and GPE versions of the HTC One (M8) are identical to the base model in terms of hardware, the only differences are in the software.
The Google Play Edition will be available for pre-order from the US Google Play Store starting today. There's no info when and where the Developer edition will be available.
Source | Via

Watch the HTC One (M8) launch event live here

20:03 By Unknown

The launch event of the HTC One (M8) is almost upon us. At 4PM GMT, the HTC will be announcing its latest flagship and will be streaming it live, so you can catch it without leaving your favorite website.
The smartphone will be unveiled on two parallel events in London, UK and New York, USA.
HTC One (M8) has leaked numerous times before and we probably know everything there is to know about the device. It should bring a 5" 1080p display, Snapdragon 801 chipset, dual rear UltraPixel cameras and Android 4.4 KitKat. It will look very similar to its predecessor, but this time around it will have even more metal on its body and will offer expandable storage.
You can also watch the stream directly from HTC's portal right here.

Sony Xperia Z2 pips HTC One (M8) to benchmark crown

20:02 By Unknown

The Nokia Lumia 1520 was crowned "Best gaming device" at the beginning of the month but yesterday the HTC One (M8) stole that title and an even bigger one – it reached top place on Basemark OS II, which is an overall benchmark.
That didn’t last too long though, as less than 24 hours later the Sony Xperia Z2 displaced the One (M8) at the Basemark OS II bench. The two scored identical in the CPU and GPU test, but faster memory performance helped the Sony smartphone reach the top spot.
The Xperia Z2 is currently third in the gaming benchmark, but an update could push it forward – after all the M8 and Z2 use the same chipset and display resolution.

Web browsing also might see an improvement, since the Xperia Z2 is currently 7th, behind the Xperia Z1 at 6th place. The Sony flagship isn't officially available yet so such improvements are normal as the software reaches completion. Also, Basemark OS II, X and BrowserMark 2 are separate apps and a result in one doesn’t update the others.
Anyway, how long with Xperia Z2 last? The Samsung Galaxy S5, which has faster CPU is the likely phone to top it, though the Sony's 3GB RAM might be enough to keep the Z2 in front.
Source

Watch the Samsung Galaxy S5 go under a meter of water

06:18 By Unknown Galaxy S5 Active , S5 , Samsung Galaxy S5 No comments

The Samsung Galaxy S5 has an IP67 certification, which officially means “dust tight” and surviving up to 30 minutes at 1m underwater. That seems a little abstract, it’s much better to see the device actually make the dive.

Here’s a video of the Galaxy S5 being submerged to a meter underwater and even starts ringing with an incoming call.
It doesn’t stay the full half hour, but it comes out completely unscathed. The incoming call can be seen at 8:30, at 10:50 you can even see a Galaxy Gear still connected to the Galaxy S5.

You can also check out other successful and unsuccessful dives performed by phones.
Source | Via

Samsung SM-G870 Galaxy S5 Active surfaces

06:15 By Unknown Samsung , Samsung Galaxy S5 , SM-G870 Galaxy S5 Active No comments

The trustworthy @evleaks tipster has delivered yet another interesting rumor. Apparently Samsung is working on a SM-G870 model, which should be released as Galaxy S5 Active.
The Galaxy S5 flagship was announced at the MWC in Barcelona last month. It features a top-notch hardware and is dust and water proof, so lots of people decided the Active version is probably retired.

Well, if @evleaks is right, then we are getting an Active version of the flagship after all. We are not sure if Samsung will just upgrade the water resistance, but it may as well add some military certifications such as impact resistance or MIL-STD-810G certification - that's salt, dust, humidity, rain, vibration, solar radiation, transport and thermal shock resistance.
Evleaks suggest the phone will launch on AT&T and Sprint among other carriers later this year.
Source

HTC One 2014 goes on sale before the announcement

06:13 By Unknown

HTC is going to unveil the HTC One 2014 (M8) today in simultaneous events in New York and London. And while Carphone Warehouse in the UK and a couple of carriers in the US have announced they will get the first batch of HTC One 2014 units minutes after the smartphone goes official, an online US retailer has them beat. Welectronics already has the HTC One (M8) in stock and ready for shipping.

The cost for getting the smartphone early is rather high though - $999.99. The store has an unboxing video to prove that it has actual units. A close inspection of the video suggest the retailer actually has the Verizon HTC One 2014 model, which might not work everywhere around the world.
About two weeks ago a similar Verizon unit hit eBay for $499.99 and quickly found its lucky owner. It seems Verizon is the one to blame for quite a few of the recent leaks of the device and it should have handled the whole situation better.
Anyway, HTC One 2014 will be official in a few hours. We'll cover everything as it unfolds, so you might want to keep an eye on hour homepage.
Source

OnePlus One launch date set for April 23

06:12 By Unknown

Startup phonemaker OnePlus has announced on its official forum that it will unveil the OnePlus One smartphone on April 23. The company has been quite eager to build up hype for its first smartphone revealing a large portion of its specifications already.

Just yesterday, the company unveiled that it has decided to update the chipset of the OnePlus One. According to the original plans, the phone would have a Snapdragon 800 chipset, but now it has been confirmed to boast the newer Snapdragon 801.
Additionally, the OnePlus confirms the One will feature replaceable back covers, 3100mAh battery and a 6 piece 13 megapixel Sony Exmor camera with f/2.0 aperture. Further rumors tip the OnePlus One to come out with an aluminum unibody design and is expected to cost less than $400, but the latter isn't backed by official confirmation just yet.
The company hasn't detailed where the event would take place, but our guess would be Shenzhen, China, where the company is based. We'll give you further details as soon as they arrive.
Source | Via

6.44" ZTE Nubia X6 phablet launches with Snapdragon 801

06:11 By Unknown

The ZTE Nubia X6 officially launched at an event in Beijing and it proved to be a more exiting device that the latest rumors described. It's a 6.44" phablet with a Snapdragon 801 chipset and dual-SIM support plus LTE connectivity.

The Nubia X6 phablet has a 7.9mm thin metal body with relatively narrow bezels. The 6.44" LCD screen has 1080p resolution (no QHD despite rumors) with 344ppi pixel density.
The phablet will initially be powered by a Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB chipset (4x Krait 400 at 2.3GHz), but there will be a second version with 8974AC (same CPU at 2.5GHz). The chipset is paired with 3GB RAM but it's unclear what Android version the device will be running.
The camera features an optically stabilized 13MP sensor and 5-element lens with bright f/2.0 aperture. By the sound of it, the front-facing camera will also have a 13MP sensor (this one BSI) with a 5-element lens and f/2.2 aperture (but no OIS).
On the connectivity side, the ZTE Nubia X6 has two SIM cards, 3G and LTE, including China-specific varieties, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and USB 3.0 with OTG. The phablet has three mics for noise cancellation.

ZTE Nubia X6
Two last specs to consider – a 4,250mAh battery and built-in storage. The base X6 will have 32GB storage and will cost CNY 3,000 ($485), but there's a 64GB option at CNY 3,500 ($565) and a whopping 128GB option at CNY 4,000 ($645). There doesn't seem to a microSD card for memory expansion.
All that's left to find out now is a launch date and if (fingers crossed) it will be available outside of China. It will offer the Sony Xperia Z Ultra stiff competition.
Thanks to Andi for the tip!
Source (in Chinese) | Via

HTC One 2014 and HTC One (M7) video comparison pops up

06:09 By Unknown

The HTC One (2014) just can't catch a break hours before the company officially pulls its wraps off. Just yesterday, HTC's newest flagship was featured in a lengthy 14-minute hands-on video (now taken off), and today a YouTube tech channel TechSmartt·boasts a lenghty comparison between the original HTC One (M7) and the new HTC One 2014 (M8).

The video doesn't mention something that we don't know already. It gives a very detailed look at the upcoming phone and compares it in detail to its older brother.
The specs of the HTC One M8 are well known at this point. Its 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 with Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM proved the be quite the powerful combination as we saw yesterday in the Rightware benchmarking tools.
The video also mentions the pricing and availability of the All New HTC One. Indeed, the phone is going to be a Verizon-exclusive for a couple of weeks with other US carriers to offer it in different colors including space grey, black, silver and gold. The gold version is going to be exclusively sold at Best Buy.
Check out the full comparison video below.
Source | Via

Google Now available for your computer starting today

01:31 By Unknown

If you have an Android phone, you’ve been able to use Google Now for quite some time.

Well now anyone with chrome installed on their computer can enjoy Google Now, as big G just rolled it out for Chrome.
For those who are not familiar with Google Now, it’s the tech-giant’s card-centric algorithm that anticipates things you may be searching for or want to do. For example: a pop-up indicating how long it will take you to get home or a frequently visited destination, sports game scores, weather, the delivery status of packages you’ve ordered, flight times, etc.
You won’t have to install Now onto your computer, it should pop up in your Google chrome browser while you’re logged into your Google account.
Anyone excited to try out Google Now on their commputer?
Source | Via

Motorola Moto 360 to feature sapphire glass and wireless charging

01:28 By Unknown

The Motorola Moto 360 smartwatch will come with a sapphire glass screen and feature wireless charging. That is according to a report by G for Games.
Motorola had hinted that it had left some details up its sleeve following the announcement on last week.
The company has said that it will be using premium materials for its upcoming smartwatch. From what we’ve seen of the Moto 360 so far, it’s by far the most attractive looking smartwatch so far.
In addition to claiming that the display will be covered by sapphire glass and that the watch itself featuring wireless charging, the report said the watch will come with an OLED display.
Motorola has so far declined to comment on the rumours, saying more details will be announced soon.

Hints, hints and more hints

Wireless charging isn’t all that surprising. Motorola had previously hinted that it would use a different form of charging to cables. Jim Wicks, the Motorola executive in charge of the Moto 360, had previously said that watch wouldn’t feature a USB port.
He also said that power management was important for the company. As such, the use of a OLED screen wouldn’t be that big a stretch of the imagination – especially in what is likely to be a high-end device.

LG G2 and G Flex to receive Knock Code in April

01:25 By Unknown

LG plans to bring its latest (and rather cool) unlock feature called Knock Code to the G2 and G Flex. It made its debut on the LG G Pro 2 at this year's Mobile World Congress and brought a breath of fresh air to the Android lockscreen.

The update will hit the LG G2 and G Flex as a part of a software update. Since the LG G Flex is yet to receive Android 4.4.2 KitKat, we guess that the company is planning to incorporate the Knock Code feature there. The update is also rumored to bring 4K video recording to the curved smartphone.
Since the G2 has already been updated to Android 4.4.2 KitKat, there the Knock Code feature is probably going to be delivered on its own and not as a part of an Android version update.
However, LG isn't keeping Knock Code exclusive to its premium device line-up. The LG L90 already has the feature, as do the recently unveiled G2 Mini, F90, F70, L70 and L40
For those of you that don't know what Knock Code is, it's a proprietary feature by LG, which allows you to unlock the device with a predefined knock pattern. It's more like tap code as you don't really need to knock anywhere for it to work. You just tap on any of the designated four areas of the screen in a succession of your choice and the smartphone gets unlocked without even waking up the display beforehand.
LG says there are 86,367 possible knock patterns (including 2-8 taps on the four available sections of the screen) so you KnockCode should be as secure as a password.
Source

OnePlus One gets a Snapdragon 801 upgrade

01:23 By Unknown

OnePlus, a startup phone manufacturer composed by former Oppo employees, has been trying its best to bring the spotlight on its upcoming One flagship smartphone. The latest teaser from the company reveals some of the hardware specs of the OnePlus One.

The OnePlus One is officially confirmed to sport a 5.5-inch 1080p JDI display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC. The handset was tipped to have a Snapdragon 800 processor, but as it turns out, it will be powered by the newer Snapdragon chipset. It has already appeared on AnTuTu and managed to pass the test with flying colors.
OnePlus One will also feature a 6 piece 13 megapixel Sony Exmor camera with f/2.0 apeture. The teaser also reveals that the device will have swappable back cover and 3,100mAh battery underneath it.
The OnePlus One is rumored to come out with an aluminium unibody design and is expected to cost less than $400. However, there is no official confirmation and we will know more about the device when it goes official.