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Huawei's flagship Mate 8 phone goes global, we go hands-on
Huawei earned a new legion of fans after crafting the surprisingly good Nexus 6P, but its new flagship — the Mate 8 — is a drastically different beast. The company announced at its CES press conference that the Mate 8 will get a global launch, but I've been fiddling with the phone for a few days already. I plan to put it through the wringer by using it all the way through the nightmare that is CES, but one thing is clear even after a few days: Huawei knows how to craft a lovely phone. Now, if only its software chops were as good.
The 10 phones that fueled the big-screen revolution
It's safe to say that Steve Jobs was off the mark when he declared that no one would buy big smartphones -- they've become popular enough that Apple itself is now making large iPhones. But how did these supersized devices escape their niche status to become the must-haves they are today? The transformation didn't happen overnight. It took a succession of ever-bigger phones to spark the public imagination and prove that huge screens were here to stay. We've rounded up 10 of the most important examples -- head on over to our gallery to see how enormous became the new normal.
Huawei Ascend Mate 2 snapped with its predecessor, said to keep 720p panel
While there's been no reason to doubt whispers of a follow-up to Huawei's Ascend Mate, pictures of the super-sized device have so far been unflattering. Today, however, a Mate 2-toting source has sent some snaps to our friends at Engadget Chinese, including a few family photos with the original Mate. Barring a few aesthetic changes and a slightly thinner profile, the Mate 2 bears a similar square form factor to its older brother. Aside from learning of its 13-megapixel main camera, the source reiterates specs we've heard already: a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 16GB of internal storage, 2 gigs of RAM and Android 4.2.2 with a coating of Emotion UI. It is claimed, however, that the next-gen Mate's display has not been upgraded as previously thought, so we're in for the same 6.1-inch 720p panel as before. That could make for an anticlimactic first impression, and if Huawei's going to make its Mate family announcements a CES tradition, then disappointment is just around the corner.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 26th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought convincing signs that BlackBerry users are moving away from physical keyboards, along with a new budget Android smartphone for MetroPCS and a stumbling block that's holding up AT&T's acquisition of Alltel. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 26th, 2013.
Huawei Ascend Mate to reach Vodafone UK in July
Britons with extra-large pockets will have more phones to choose from this summer than the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3: Vodafone UK has committed to carrying the Huawei Ascend Mate before the end of July. The carrier hasn't yet discussed pricing, although the Ascend Mate's modest specs (6.1-inch screen aside) should keep costs in check. We were impressed with the gigantic handset's battery life during our testing, so Vodafone customers with an aversion to wall outlets may want to give it a closer look.
Editor's Letter: One more Xbox
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. Can you believe we've had the Xbox 360 since 2005? As a child of the two- or three-year console cycle, a system still going strong after eight seems inconceivable. Finally, it's being put out to pasture -- somewhat unceremoniously. The Xbox One is its successor and, with no backwards compatibility for disc-based or downloaded games, those looking to make the leap to the next generation in the fall will already want to start weaning themselves from Microsoft's current wunderconsole. It'll make it easier for both of you when it comes time to unplug it. And you probably will want to unplug it and make the upgrade, though to be fair there's plenty to be cynical about with the Xbox One. So, I'll get that out of the way first, starting with the name. Microsoft is trying to send the message that the new Xbox is the only device you'll need to control your living room. That may be, but One? HTC, of course, called its latest flagship the One, but that was a case of a company distancing itself from previous, complicated naming schemes and going with something simpler. Here, there have been only two previous generations of the Xbox. Calling the third one the "One" is simply confusing. Still, it beats "Xbox Foo," which is what Microsoft's initial press release mentioned. Someone, it seems, got the memo on the official name a little too late.
Huawei Ascend Mate review: a supersized phone with supreme battery life
When Huawei revealed the Ascend Mate at CES this year, it felt like smartphones had reached an end point -- they surely couldn't get any larger. We've since been proven wrong by Samsung's Galaxy Mega 6.3, but the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate has gone on sale first, and it's every bit as intimidating as it was in January. The question is whether or not Huawei has more than just size on its side. Is this nearly tablet-sized device worth putting in our pockets, and can it fend off the suddenly tiny-looking Galaxy Note II and Optimus G Pro? Read on past the break, and you'll find out.%Gallery-189060%
Huawei's 6.1-inch Ascend Mate priced in China, turns Yu into part-time model
Huawei is once again showing its aggressive side in the consumer space, this time by way of its 6.1-inch Ascend Mate which debuted at CES (with a little help from Huawei Device chairman Richard Yu, pictured above). What's new is that earlier today the company announced a price for this Android 4.1 tabletphone in China: ¥2,688 (about $430) unsubsidized, which is pretty competitive given the specs. Need a quick recap? The Mate comes with a 1.5GHz quad-core HiSilicon K3V2, 2GB of RAM, IPS display (but only with 720p resolution) with Gorilla Glass 2 and glove-friendly "Magic Touch" technology, up to 64GB of microSD expansion (on top of the native 4GB available space), 8-megapixel camera and a 4,050mAh battery. Better yet, this particular model comes with WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 pentaband radio, so it'll work nicely for frequent travelers. Interested buyers can hit the order button on Huawei's Vmall online store on the 26th next week.
Benchmarking CES 2013's flagship smartphones
As you might've noticed, CES 2013 didn't turn out much in they way of smartphone reveals. Most of the mobile industry's big guns held back their reserves (Sony aside), prepping behind-the-scenes for Barcelona's world stage and ceding this Vegas showcase to lesser known Chinese OEMs. So before we bid adieu to these vast convention halls and tuck in for the impending reviews, we've decided to roundup the show's only flagships -- ZTE's Grand S, Huawei's Ascend Mate and D2 and Sony's Xperia Z / ZL -- and pit them head-to-head in preliminary performance testing. Follow along after the break to find out which handset earns the top spot in this benchmark battle.
Huawei Ascend Mate hands-on at CES 2013 (updated with video!)
We've been handling Huawei's new 6.1-inch smartphone -- and there's a lot of screen there. The Ascend Mate feels good, it certainly doesn't feel as middling as other Huawei products we've seen in the past, with a slim profile that remains pretty solid as we browsed the new features. Fingers are crossed that its 4,050mAh battery will prove enough for that imposing 720p display, but at least there's a lot of oomph to start with. Visit our hands-on video and impressions right after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Huawei launches 6.1-inch Ascend Mate
Huawei launched an absolutely massive set today during its press event: the 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate. This Android 4.1 handset boasts a 720p display, an 8.1 megapixel and Huawei's own Hi-Silicon 1.5 GHz quad-core CPU but fortunately, that gigantic display (which is low temperature polysilicon) has been paired with a 4,050mAh battery -- the Galaxy Note II runs with a 3,100mAh cell -- and we're hoping this means the pocket-straining slab will go the distance in daily use. WiFi will apparently see a speed boost to 150Mbps thanks to dual WiFi receivers and in the stage demo a 1GB file took a mere 60 seconds to download. Huawei claims the Ascend Mate will see you chatting for 22 hours, surfing the Web for 14, or watching 10 hours of video. Fully 73% of that handset's face is display which features Huawei's new "Magic Touch" tech, the new moniker means you can use the phone with normal gloved hands. A few app highlights include a camera and navigation combination dubbed "Guiding Wizard," an easy way to isolate text in words for lookup called "Smart Reading" and finally "Easy Panel" for quick access to Notes, Messages and the like. The Ascend Mate ships for an unknown price to China in February 2013 and other countries -- sadly no mention which -- in March. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Huawei D2, Mate and W1 reportedly pose for press images
Huawei has already left little doubt as to what we'll see from its smartphone line at CES. If official teasers aren't enough, however, well-known phone tipster @evleaks has given Unwired View what's purported to be press images for the three key introductions. The Ascend W1 Windows Phone (at left) looks much like we've seen from live shots, just with newer black and pink hues; the Ascend D2 (right) isn't quite so rainbow-like, but supports what's been claimed of the 5-inch phone's aesthetic and custom interface. A shot for the Ascend Mate (after the break), despite representing the company's stand-out device, is the least surprising given that executive Richard Yu showed customers the real thing just days ago. We'd still give these images a long look -- while there's chances for inaccuracies or surprises, they may be the best glimpses of Huawei's early 2013 lineup before we see it first-hand.
Huawei's 6.1-inch 1080p Ascend Mate flaunted by exec, leaves little surprise for CES (update: 720p only)
How big is too big? Well, that's clearly not Huawei's concern, as it's about to introduce a 6.1-inch 1080p Android phone at CES. But even two weeks (before the company's CES press day) is too much for the impatient Richard Yu, who went ahead and whipped out his beastly device in front of fans at a Huawei store in Guangzhou yesterday -- there's a video of the intimate moment after the break. According to earlier rumors, the Ascend Mate will feature a 1.8GHz HiSilicon K3V3 quad-core chip, along with a massive 4,000mAh battery, 9.9mm thickness and a price tag of just under ¥3,000 (about $480). Yu wrote on Sina Weibo saying the final specs may differ slightly, but the 43-year-old executive did add that the 361ppi display is of LTPS (low temperature polysilicon) nature. As with the Ascend W1 and the Ascend D2, all will be unveiled at CES. Update: Now that the Ascend Mate has been announced, we can confirm that its 6.1-inch display only has a 720p resolution. [Image credit: fengse (Sina Weibo)]
