• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, quad-core, 1.7 Ghz
• Memory: 2 GB DDR2 RAM
• Storage: 32 GB/64 GB
• Network:
  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • CDMA: 800/1900 MHz (Sprint device)
  • LTE: 700/850/AWS/1900 MHz (AT&T), 700/AWS MHz (T-Mobile), 1900 MHz (Sprint)
• Sensors:
  • Gyroscope
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
  • GPS + GLONASS
  • Digital compass
• Connectivity:
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack,
  • NFC,
  • Bluetooth 4.0 w/ aptX,
  • 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n Wi-Fi,
  • DLNA,
  • Consumer IR,
  • Micro-USB with MHL for HDMI and USB connectivity
• Camera:
  • BSI Sensor
  • HTC Image Chip 2
  • F2.0 aperture and 28 mm lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • HTC Zoe technologies
  • 1080p HD recording for front and rear camera
• Battery:
  • 2300 mAh Li-polymer battery, non removable

Source: HTC Pressroom

The new HTC flagship is packing the latest specs. A 1080p, 4.7 inch display graces the front of the device while 2 GB of RAM, and a 1.7 ghz quad-core Snapdragon processor definitely feel like enough power to push the pixel dense display. Making sure you’ll be able to take full advantage of the brawny hardware is Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 5 enhancements. HTC promises an even cleaner and more refined experience and given the shots of the homescreen, appears to be headed in that direction at least from a visual perspective.

LTE is of course, a given on HTC One, but you”ll find support for the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards as well. As far as storage goes, most countries will be able to get 32 GB models. Select Asia-Pacific markets will see a 2nd variant with 64 GB of storage as well.

So far it may seem like “just another spec bump” but the big news with this release is the camera and music experience. HTC One has what HTC is dubbing the “UltraPixel” camera. A 8 MP rear facing shooter, the UltraPixel camera system has a unique image sensor designed for optimizing low-light performance as well as optical image stablization for both rear and front facing cameras.

On the music front, HTC BoomSound tech promises to shake up smartphone audio. Consisting of two front facing speakers, Beats Audio enhancements, and HDR recording for your videos, it certainly sounds capable enough.

As one would expect from a high-end HTC release, seemingly all the carriers are on board for HTC One. In the US, expect the usual suspects with Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T at the ready with the device. Like the HTC One X, you’ll notice a name curiously absent. Verizon. Across the pond, the One will be available on all the major UK carriers. The handset should arrive mid March with your choice of White or Black exterior color options.

The thing is, will this 2nd generation HTC One be the one to stop the financial bleeding? After all, the original One X/XL and One X+ were also aimed at providing great camera and music experiences but buyers continued to look elsewhere.

Sounds like only time will tell.

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/19/4003728/htc-one-launch-announcement

HTCM7b

It feels like just yesterday that evleaks showed off a high quality photo of the HTC M7, the high-end HTC rumored to fill the current HTC One’s footsteps. Oh wait…it practically was. Now there’s great news for those who prefer a more muted color to their handset. Unwired View received a press shot from evleaks of the M7 in black and honestly it looks quite fetching, also showing off HTC Sense 5. Interestingly, it appears to have chamfered edges that were brought in vogue by the iPhone 5.

The official unveiling of the M7 is said to be the 19th and we’ll be sure to bring you all the news.

Source: Unwired View via Engadget

Nothing like a bit of mobile mystery to kick off the weekend. WMPowerUser managed to catch a glimpse of what appears to be a Nokia Lumia handset that, thus far, is unlike anything released from Espoo’s finest through an ad for carrier KPM.

Is it the rumored “real” PureView Windows Phone? A low end budget handset? Who knows.

Source: KPM (YouTube) via WMPoweruser

We’ll be sure to cover HTC’s latest wares later this February on the 19th.

Source: Evleaks via Android Central

Surface Pro is now available, lets see what several esteemed tech publications thought about Microsoft’s latest attempt at a tablet.

AnandTech: “Surface Pro is about as well executed as Microsoft could have made it given the currently available hardware. Its performance is outstanding for a tablet – it’s truly in a class of its own. If I sit down and use Surface Pro as I would an iPad or Android tablet, it delivers an appreciably quicker user experience.”

“Surface Pro is probably the best foot forward towards converging those two [Laptop and Tablet] usage models, but it’s not perfect for everyone yet.

I still believe Microsoft has the right idea here. It just needs some more iterations.”

AnandTech liked the power that the Surface Pro’s processor provided: it felt faster than most ARM or Atom based competitors in day to day tasks, including Microsoft’s very own Surface RT. They also enjoyed the high quality materials and fit and finish of the tablet and thought that the Wacom pen was a novel idea. However, the non adjustable kickstand (which apparently makes lap usage a chore) prompted some jeers, along with the poor image and video quality of the cameras on the Surface Pro. Finally, battery life was deemed short for a tablet + the price fairly steep considering the tablet doesn’t come with a keyboard.

Ars Technica:  ”Microsoft thinks we can have the best of both worlds. I want to see that happen and Windows 8 is a transitional step towards that goal. The goal is realistic—but not with Surface, not with Windows 8 as it stands right now.”

“Maybe other people can make use of the form factor better than I can. I’m sure the same markets that have used Windows tablets for the last decade will leap at Surface Pro—if they haven’t already gone for the iPad. I’m sure some people will find it “good enough” as a laptop-like device, and for them it may be a viable purchase. But it’s not for me.

Ars Technica didn’t find much to like about the Surface Pro. The solid feeling hardware elicited praise, ditto the bright and crisp screen. They weren’t fans of the Surface Pro’s fan noise or heat output when the device was pushed hard. A lack of proper DPI scaling on the desktop side of Windows 8 proved frustrating and they were un impressed by the magnetic connector used for pen storage, battery life, as well as the lack of GPS.

Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite: “Ultimately, I must of course leave it to you to decide whether the tradeoffs presented by this device constitute an acceptable compromise. For me, the Surface Pro is a far better solution than its predecessor, and while I’m not happy with the battery life or screen/resolution issues, I intend to continue using this as my only PC for the foreseeable future. And as I’ve noted in the past, that isn’t just the ultimate compliment I can bestow on a product. It’s also the ultimate endorsement.”

Paul Thurrott liked the Surface Pro overall. Like other reviewers, the build quality of the device impressed, as well as the unique to Surface Pro AC Adapter that includes a USB port for peripheral charging like phones and MP3 players. Perimeter Venting, the feature that allows Surface Pro to run the fans as minimally and quietly as possible also was praised.The lack of an easy way to adjust screen DPI for desktop mode usability was a disappointment along with the battery life issues. He also wished that the tablet itself included more than just one USB port. Finally, he too, had small reservations about the device pricing.

PC Magazine: “The Microsoft Surface Windows 8 Pro is the Windows 8 slate tablet to beat when you need the performance and convenience of a PC in a compact tablet form factor.”

 

PC Magazine appears to have one of the more positive reviews. From the kickstand to the quality and capability of the display, PC Mag liked the Surface Pro’s hardware. They found the desktop easy to navigate, unlike the others, and liked the Wacom pen. The biggest benefit they enjoyed was the fact that Surface Pro runs Windows 8 Pro as opposed to Windows RT.

One of the benefits of the Android platform is how many different devices the consumer gets to choose from. Some manufacturers, such as Samsung, have established themselves well into this sector and offers a handset for every type of customers out there. Want a large screen? There’s the Galaxy Note II. Maybe perhaps something reasonably smaller without compromising user experience? There’s the Galaxy S III.

Although there’s many commendable handsets for the high end market, the low end market never had a solid handset when it comes to keeping it under $400 without a contract. The arrival of the LG Nexus 4 certainly made waves in the smartphone market, where originally it was only feasible to spend at least $500 for a high performance smartphone. In fact, the low starting price of $300 for the Nexus 4 is practically unmatched even til today, but other manufacturers are trying to dip their feet in this budget range as well.

BLU is one of the more discreet handset manufacturers, and are better known for their somewhat generic handset that while are quite affordable, sacrifices features and performance. For 2013, the company has announced their new Quattro 4.5 HD handset, an Android device sporting a 4.5″ 720p IPS display with a Tegra 3 processor keeping things churning. Pricing it at $350, it appears BLU is trying to make a leap into the higher end tier. But is a high resolution screen and quad core processor enough to sway consumers away from the Nexus 4?

Hardware

BLU has definitely upped the ante with the materials for the Quattro 4.5 HD, which sports a powder coated aluminum frame that surrounds a relatively firm black plastic casing. The back of the handset is made of softer plastic, finished in a glossy black that looks sleek but does attract fingerprints. The power and volume buttons are made of aluminum as well, and has a nice firm feedback when press without sounding cheap or suffer from rattling when fiddled with.

For the internals, the Quattro 4.5 HD is powered by nVidia’s aging Tegra 3 T30 processor, operating at 1.4 GHz in multithreading mode and 1.5 GHz in single threaded applications. Furthermore, 1 GB of RAM supports the processor while 16 GB of internal NAND storage provides 11 GB of user storage and 2 GB for OS applications. Unfortunately as with the majority of  $350 or less off contract devices, the handset makes do without LTE data connectivity and supports HSPA+ 21 Mbps solely, exchanging data transmission speed for compatibility with its pentaband UMTS radio that supports all GSM carriers. Interestingly the Quattro 4.5 HD’s packaging and even the screen protector advertises a MicroSD card slot, although it does not have one. Perhaps an oversight by packaging?

Look and Feel

The Quattro 4.5 HD’s aluminum frame gives it a nice weighed feel, but there are some minor oversights that indicates this is still a lower price budget device. While the frame is painted to give it a nice, uniform look, BLU left the Quattro’s volume rocker button’s finish alone. This makes the volume button stick out a bit from device, and in this instance detracts from the overall luxurious look the company tries to shoot for as unfinished aluminum tends to have pits and other small imperfections on the surface.

In general, the Quattro 4.5 HD appears unassuming and probably isn’t for those that prefers eye catching devices as it really looks too discreet for anyone passing by to take notice. The phone’s contour is well suited for long term handling, and the aluminum frame rounds off the corners nicely to make the device pleasant to hold in landscape or portrait position.

In an attempt to further make the handset really pop out when it comes to value, BLU has included a silicon case with the phone, which wraps around the casing perfectly and does not intrude into the screen. While it does hide the frame and take away from the look, the case will preserve the frame’s finish and prevent any premature abrasions or scratches on the surface.

Display:

One of the biggest strengths for the Quattro 4.5 HD is the screen. While it may not be up to par with the recent trends for 1080p resolution panels, the IPS panel offers great viewing angles and crisp, sharp text. Colors are vibrant and white balance is spot-on, allowing pictures to look natural but not washed out at the same time. In most cases, it is on par with the HTC One X and LG Optimus G.

Audio:

Similar to the Apple iPhone 4, the Quattro 4.5 HD utilizes a pair of symmetrically positioned speaker grilles that actually houses the mono speaker on the left bottom of the handset and the primary microphone sits on the right side. Unfortunately for the Quattro, the speaker sounds tinny and the volume is average at best. At higher volume, music and prolonged audio sessions can come off as coarse and the speaker seemed strained at reproducing the audio. Audio from the 3.5 millimeter headphone port sounds clear enough for the average music listener, but like the speaker, lacks volume.

Software:

Hardware is a big selling point for the BLU Quattro 4.5 HD, but as with any computerized electronic device, software and hardware must work together to develop a comprehensive experience. In the Quattro 4.5 HD’s case, the software fell well short of what its hardware should be capable of. Right out of the gate, the 2013 handset runs Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, a solid but aging operating system that is going on two years old. In general, BLU took the high road with customizing the OS and kept the operating system relatively simple, choosing to have GO Launcher as the main sole launcher. This launcher, while offering a great magnitude of customization options and theme choices, may have not been the ideal choice as the BLU theme used by the Quattro is strangely not updated for its 720p display, making the icons throughout the theme appear blurry as it was originally for WVGA and qHD resolutions. Furthermore, BLU’s amateur level of utilizing the Android OS shows throughout; there are some minor grammatical errors throughout the dialogue and menu messages (See above), and all built-in apps such as Messaging, Calendar, Phone,etc. has stayed relatively untouched with minor color or graphical changes.

Strangely enough, BLU neglects to include a dedicated video player for the Quattro 4.5 HD. Fortunately a suitable app such as MX Player can be installed to overcome this omission, but being a device marketed towards the general retail market, it is a glaring oversight.

Performance:

The BLU Quattro 4.5 HD comes with the Tegra 3 T30 processor, the very same one that powers the international HTC One X and LG Optimus 4X HD, giving both handsets plenty of muscle to power through any situation its owners throws at them. Unfortunately for the Quattro 4.5 HD, the Tegra 3 could not save the device from its oft-laggy user experience, which compounds to the question as to how the device can perform so poorly on top of a relatively untouched Android 4.0.4 firmware. A possible culprit may have been the obsolete build of GO Launcher , which has been replaced with a EX iteration that offers higher resolution themes and optimizations. Unfortunately even with other proven, well optimized launchers such as Nova and ADW, the handset continues to exhibit lag even when simply transiting between different application drawer pages. Fortunately, the Tegra 3 SoC performs on par with other Tegra 3 devices when it comes to gaming, so in this aspect, it is not a driver issue. Unfortunately, the Quattro 4.5 HD clearly shows BLU has a long way to go as far as software optimization is concerned.

Camera:

Front Facing Camera

Rear Camera

BLU keeps the Quattro 4.5 HD up to par with the industry by including a 8 megapixel camera in the rear, and a 1.3 megapixel unit up front. Unfortunately neither cameras can keep up with the industry leaders such as the Galaxy S III, iPhone 5 or the Lumia 920 when it comes to the actual picture quality. The front facing camera is passable for casual video conferencing or self portraits, but colors appear to be washed out and the lack of auto-focus means the end user will have to do some positioning around to get a somewhat usable image or video.

The rear camera suffers from a log shutter response, taking nearly three to five seconds to actually snap the photo after pressing the on-screen shutter button. In addition, occasionally the camera will perform last-second focusing and ISO adjustment, causing the original view that was focused to become deteriorated and undesirable when the sensor actually takes the picture. Some patience and additional attempts may be required for an acceptable photograph. 1080p videos from this camera suffers from compression processing as well, often appearing to have visible artifacts and motion video seems jittery at times.

Battery Life:

A non-removable 1800 MaH battery keeps the Quattro 4.5 HD in action. In this regard, omitting the LTE radio may have paid off when it comes to the handset’s battery endurance, and it dearly needs it, because the Tegra 3 encased within draws considerable amount of power even when not in use. An average work day with an hour of  on-screen time, synchronizing two push email accounts and half an hour of phone call got this phone from a full charge to a little over 60% of life remaining within four hours. BLU has built in a power saving feature that allows the user to switch the power profile of the device from Battery Saver, Balanced and Performance, but neither extremities made negligible difference to the device’s endurance. Light use with the Quattro 4.5 HD may get one through an eight hour work day, but moderate or heavy power users will need to carry a Micro USB cable on hand to make it through a day.

Call Quality:

The Quattro 4.5 HD offers average call quality on either ends. Callers noticed that while there is no noticeable background noise, the audio does sound muffle at times even though the reception signal is well above average. Audio coming through the Quattro’s ear piece is acceptable, but as with the loud speaker, lacks volume and sounds somewhat tinny.

Conclusions

BLU has certainly made some stride in improving the hardware aspect with the introduction of the Quattro 4.5 HD. It may not draw much attention and has some minor downsides with the finishing touches, but the biggest pitfall of the Quattro is clearly the software. For one, it is practically inexcusable to include an operating system from 2011 in a 2013 year device; even the budget Android handsets priced below the BLU handset now comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. If the LG Nexus 4 did not exist, this may have been a passable device to recommend, but even then, a used last generation Android handset would still be a compelling choice. For its price range however, the BLU Quattro 4.5 HD goes up against the Nexus 4, and in short, there is absolutely no good reason why this would be, or should be, recommended over a Nexus 4.

CNET: The bottom line: Though it’s not quite enough to draw committed iPhone or Android owners, the BlackBerry Z10′s modern design and features give BlackBerry fans what they’ve hungered for.

CNET liked the Z10′s ergonomics, deeming the handset to be more comfortable to hold than the iPhone 5. The clarity and brightness of the display, along with the solid call quality appeared to please them as well. However they weren’t pleased with the build quality of the device, the limited camera options aside from Time Shift, and poor maps implementation.

The Verge: “And that’s where I end up. The Z10 is a fine device, well made, reasonably priced, backed by a company with a long track record. But it’s not the only device of its kind, and it’s swimming against a massive wave of entrenched players with really, really good products. Products they figured out how to make years ago. Products that are mature. The smartphone industry doesn’t need saving.”

The Z10′s hardware garnered praise from The Verge for its minimalist design. Also noteworthy was the praise for the BlackBerry 10 virtual keyboard and the overall snappy performance of the Z10 in general. BlackBerry 10, however, proved to be a mixed bag with criticism being handed out for the poor experience they’ve had with apps that use BlackBerry’s Android emulator, some missteps with BlackBerry Hub, and poor battery life.

Crackberry: “With the BlackBerry Z10, I can finally start walking around with just one device in my pocket without feeling like I’m missing out.” … “The BlackBerry Z10 had to come out of the gates as a solid first device, and it is. It’s the BlackBerry experience we love, taken to a whole new level. Is it perfect? Not yet. But BlackBerry 10 in a not-quite-yet-perfect state is still light years ahead of the BlackBerry devices we have been using and loving for years.”

Crackberry, in contrast, loved Blackberry Hub. They also enjoyed the build quality and design of the phone, as well as the touchscreen keyboard’s functionality and response. The fact that BlackBerry 10 is entirely navigated via gestures was also applauded. The visual design though, was not….they wish BlackBerry had gone further in that regard. Being power users, they missed the granular control over settings that prior versions of BlackBerry OS had.

Engadget: “BlackBerry’s BlackBerry Z10 is genuinely a pretty nice phone.” ”Nothing in the Z10 stands out as class-leading”…”The BlackBerry faithful who’ve been waiting patiently for something more modern will flock to this (and its QWERTY-having cousin) in droves, but there simply isn’t enough here to woo those consumers who have already made investments in Android or iOS. Too little? Maybe. Too late? Sadly.”

Engadget enjoyed the secure feel of the phone, thanks to its soft-touch plastic back, but felt that the device was bland and not high-end feeling. They also had grievances regarding the Z10′s call and speakerphone quality and was unimpressed by BlackBerry App World’s selection, price, and app quality. Performance was deemed ok but boot time was unacceptably slow.

SlashGear: “Unfortunately – and you just knew there’d be an “unfortunately” – a huge step isn’t enough to make BlackBerry 10 a must-have. Yes, BlackBerry has itself a good OS, but the mobile industry has more than its fair share of “promising but dead” platforms, each with clever ways of addressing smartphone complexity, and yet each failing along the way.”…”Thorsten Heins & Co. have done an admirable job dragging BlackBerry out of its bad old habits, but BlackBerry 10 still has a long way to go before it’s anything more than a reasonable alternative to Windows Phone in the smartphone little leagues.”

Last but not least in our roundup, SlashGear took a look at the Z10 as well. While they happy with the Z10′s ability to keep a signal,. TimeShift and Storymaker editing apps, and the on-screen keyboard, they were less than enthralled with the BlackBerry Hub and Peek usage paradigms. The Z10′s battery life also proved problematic and they too wished for a more expressive external design.

Now that RIM’s shown off it’s Blackberry 10 operating system and devices to the world, you’re probably wondering where to get your hands on one.

Internationally, the Blackberry Z10 and Q10 will be available in the UK first, right now in fact. Beyond being available at Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U, Three, Orange, Vodaphone, O2, and EE also have committed to selling the device on contract.

Blackberry’s home turf comes next with a February 5th release on Rodgers, Bell, Telus, Koodo and Virgin Mobile. Many of these carriers already have preorder pages at the ready for interested customers so be sure to check them out.

The UAE will be able to grab the Z10 as well on February 10th.

What about the US, you ask? Well, like most releases on a new platform, we’re delayed a bit…March 5th to be exact. US Blackberry fans will be able to get their hands on Blackberry 10 phones across all of the 4 major carriers. Interestingly enough, some have seemingly elected to carry either the Z10 (T-Mobile) or Q10 (Sprint). All the carriers have at least information pages up where you can sign up for more info.

While PlayBook is set to receive a upgrade to Blackberry 10, it’s unknown when this will happen or when you’ll start seeing devices preloaded with 10 in stores.

Source: Engadget, Crackberry

• Size (L x W x D): 119.6mm x 66.8mm x 10.35mm
  Weight: 139 g
• Display: 3.1”, SuperAMOLED display, 720 x 720 resolution at 330ppi
• Keyboard: 35-key physical QWERTY keyboard with backlight (language specific keyboards
  such AZERTY and QWERTZ also available in local markets)
• Software: BlackBerry 10 OS
• Memory: 2 GB RAM, 16 GB Flash
  Hot Swappable microSD slot (up to 64 GB)
• Processor: Dual Core 1.5 GHz
• Camera: 8 MP rear facing camera, Auto Focus, 5x digital zoom
  1080p HD video recording, LED flash
  2MP front facing camera, 3x digital zoom
  720p HD video recording
• GPS: Assisted, Autonomous, and Simultaneous GPS
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy
• NFC: NFC-enabled to support mobile payments and file exchange
• HDMI: microHDMI out port
• Advanced Sensors: Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Proximity, Gyroscope
  Ambient light sensor
• Wi-Fi: Dual Band 802.11 a/b/g/n, Mobile Hotspot
• Network Connectivity: 4G LTE or HSPA+, support for global roaming

Source: Blackberry