Sprint’s launch plans for the HTC EVO 4G LTE were ruined last week when shipments of their shiny new Android handset were held up by United States Customs, but we’re hearing that they may been hitting doorsteps and store shelves sooner than expected.
According to Sprint, the devices are now currently sitting safely in Sprint’s warehouses and are expected to start trickling out into the world “on or around May 24.” → Read More
Here’s hoping that you already managed to get your hands on an HTC One X, because it may be a while before they appear on store shelves again.
According to a release put out by HTC last night, U.S. Customs has blocked shipments of AT&T’s HTC One X and Sprint’s Evo 4G LTE thanks to an ITC ruling handed down last year.
The news may come as an especially large bummer for Sprint customers looking to upgrade to the new EVO, as a new report from the Wall Street Journal indicates that device will miss its original May 18 launch date. Sprint has since scrubbed their website of references to the device’s forthcoming launch, and there’s still no word on a revised launch window. → Read More
I’ve been spending some quality time with HTC’s Titan II, and I would never call it a bad phone. But that’s not the question — good, bad, fast, slow, ugly, beautiful… they don’t matter unless I feel that I’d put down money and live my life with this device. And even though I expected this to be one of my favorites, I walk away from my review certain that I wouldn’t exchange cash for this handset.
HTC is great at building quality hardware and Microsoft’s new mobile platform is fresh, different, and intuitive. But the way that the duo comes together leaves me unimpressed and disappointed, namely in the camera and the display. Past that, the thickness of the device paired with poor battery life does nothing to make up for these more minor disappointments. In essence, it’s simply not good enough.
Let’s talk about why. → Read More
When we first took a look at the HTC One S, we felt that it was just another Android phone, despite the quality hardware. With today’s introduction of the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE, the same sentiment rings true.
All the specs you’d expect are present and accounted for, including Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC’s Sense 4 overlay, but I have yet to find a really stand-out feature on this third-generation device. → Read More
HTC won over some hearts a while back when it released its bootloader unlock tool for a good number of devices. It basically allows owners of Android phones to load custom ROMs onto their phones in exchange for any warranty rights they may have been enjoying.
It’s a fair trade considering a solid percentage of Android power users prefer Android based mostly on the fact that they have this option, but without solid hardware the ability to load different versions of Androids becomes less and less appealing.
And so is the case with the HTC One X. It’s an excellent handset, and possibly the best HTC has ever made. But unfortunately, the company won’t be offering the bootloader unlock tool for this particular handset. → Read More
The HTC Titan II has already gone through the Fly or Die ringer, but the real determining factor for these phones is the level of competition surrounding them. In the case of the Titan II, the HTC/Microsoft partnership is most threatened by more HTC and Windows-powered phones, namely the Lumia 900 and the HTC One X.
So what do these phones have that the Titan lacks? How does the Titan wipe up the floor with them?
Well, that’s why I’m here, and why we’ve made this lovely graphic for you.
→ Read More
The HTC Titan II is a symbol for an excellent partnership. I love HTC hardware and I love Windows Phone. It should be a match made in heaven, but unfortunately it’s not.
John and I sat down in the studio yesterday with the giant 4.7-inch hunk of glass and plastic, and we came away with pretty negative sentiments toward the device. → Read More
Despite the fact that there’s no real wow factor here, it would be entirely unfair to say that HTC’s One S isn’t a great phone. It is. The hardware is some of the best I’ve seen in a long time, Sense 4 is quite nice albeit a touch heavy for my taste, and the specs are right in line with what we’re seeing on the market today.
Truth be told, anyone at T-Mobile would be lucky to have one. S. (Lawl.) → Read More
Once upon a time Michael Arrington broke the news that Facebook was developing its own phone. That was in 2010. However in a followup interview with TechCrunch, Mark Zuckerberg killed the notion, saying they’re pursuing a horizontal strategy that will put a social layer on top of existing platforms. “We’re not trying to compete with Apple or the Droid or any other hardware manufacturer for that matter,” he said.
But now, two years later, that strategy may have changed.
A new report hit today stating that Facebook and HTC are co-developing a customized Android smartphone. This phone, said to be developed exclusively for Facebook, would integrate all of the social network’s functions into the mobile platform. Per unnamed industry sources, the device would launch at the earliest in the third quarter of 2012. → Read More
The One S is the middle child in HTC’s new line of hero devices, not quite as badass as the One X, but a bit bigger than baby brother One V. As is the case with any middle child, it’s a bit easy to overlook.
But John and I decided to give it some attention anyway, and like usual, we didn’t find much common ground. → Read More
It’s been spotted in leaked press renders and blurry photos before, but Verizon has just recently (and perhaps inadvertently) made the new Droid Incredible nice and official. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE just popped up on Verizon’s Droid Does promotional site, and while you can’t have one just yet, it’s comforting to know that it’ll see the light of say sooner rather than later.
In addition to a mildly unnerving robo-lady talking up the device’s LTE radio and HTC’s Sense UI, the site also confirms most of the specs that have been previously reported.
→ Read More
I’ve been fiddling around with the HTC One S for a few days now, and I have to say it’s stolen a little piece of my heart. The hardware is just about perfect, with a 4.3-inch qHD display and a slender aluminum unibody shell, and software like HTC’s Sense 4 overlay and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich only sweeten the deal.
But, as per usual, there’s plenty to consider out there. The wide world of mobile only grows wider by the second, with hot new phones launching left and right. Just today, Sprint’s Galaxy Nexus and the LG Viper landed on store shelves, and lest we forget that the iPhone 4S and HTC’s mamma jamma One X are also ready and waiting for new owners.
So many options.
To help, we’ve put the One S up against it’s greatest competitors, the HTC One X and the iPhone 4S, in a spec showdown. Who will come out on top? Well, my dear readers, that ball is in your court. → Read More
Touchscreens killed the keypad star. HTC is reportedly done with physical keypads and will instead focus on better on-screen keypad technology.
The word comes from HTC creative director Claude Zellweger speaking at a Seattle press event. “As a company the QWERTY keyboard we’re moving away from in general.” This likely doesn’t mean HTC won’t release another QWERTY phone in the near future but rather the company is shifting development focus away from physical keys. → Read More
It’s only been a few short hours since AT&T announced the availability of HTC’s mamma-jamma One X smartphone, but there may be a few more tricks coming out of HTC’s sleeve before the day is done. For example, T-Mobile just sent over a bit of news regarding the One S, namely that it will launch on April 25 for $199.99 on-contract after a $50 mail-in-rebate.
We first spotted the One S back at MWC in Barcelona, and generally speaking we found it to be a pretty sweet device.
This time around, I walk away feeling the same sentiments. I’m all about the design, specs are adequate, and Sense is an entirely tolerable custom overlay.
Let’s delve deeper, yes? → Read More
Well, there you have it. After turning plenty of heads at this year’s Mobile World Congress, HTC’s latest and greatest handset now has an official release date for the United States.
AT&T has just announced that the HTC One X will hit store shelves on May 6 with a $199 price tag (2-year contract included, of course), and that pre-orders for the hotly anticipated handset will begin on April 22. → Read More
HTC’s high-end efforts have garnered plenty of love lately (and rightfully so, I think), but devices like the once-mysterious HTC Golf prove that the company isn’t through churning out lower-tier handsets.
The Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Golf’s existence was first revealed a few months ago when a not-terribly-great picture taken with its five-megapixel rear camera started making the rounds, but no one had any idea what the actual device would look like. Naturally, Team PocketNow did their thing and managed to get their hands on what they claim is the first press image of the device. → Read More
HTC released their unaudited Q1 2012 earnings earlier this morning, and the results aren’t pretty [PDF]. The Taiwanese company managed to pull down NT$67.8 billion ($2.3 billion) this past quarter, a nearly 35% dip year-over-year.
What’s more, HTC took an even bigger hit when it came to net income after taxes — in Q1, they only raked in NT$4.4 billion ($149 million), compared to the NT$14.8 billion ($501 million) in profits earned this time last year.
Ouch. Just… ouch. → Read More
It’s hardly a surprise anymore (as is usually the case) but here it is anyway — Sprint CEO Dan Hesse and HTC President Jason Mackenzie have just taken the stage at their collaboration event in New York, and just officially unveiled the new EVO 4G LTE.
For all my moaning about design (more on that later), my mother always taught me that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and that’s where the EVO shines. → Read More
Well, I suppose it was bound to happen. Just one day before HTC and Sprint kick off their so-called collaboration event in New York City, the team at PocketNow has gotten their hands on what they claim is the first press shot of the device to be unveiled: the EVO One.
The device’s supposed internals sure seem to be a treat, at least according to a tip that Android Central received a few days ago. The ICS-powered EVO One is expected to sport a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED display (which The Verge rightly notes is a slight letdown compared to the One X’s Super LCD 2 panel), an LTE radio, 16GB of onboard storage, and Beats Audio support. → Read More
Good night, sweet prince. Whether you knew about it or not (my money being on the latter), HTC’s HTCSense.com has provided users with online backup and device location services since October 2010. In an effort to “improve” their customers’ experience though, HTC has recently announced that they will officially shutter the HTCSense.com backup service so they can focus on revamping their cloud offerings.
Worry not, you HTC loyalists, you’ll be able to download all of your digital effluvia (contacts, messages, and the like) in a handy .zip file before April 30. But this whole thing raises a hefty question — what is HTC planning to do next? → Read More
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