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HTC's big, budget-minded Desire 816 phone reaches the US on August 12th
If you've been intrigued by HTC's big-yet-affordable Desire 816, you no longer have to go through an importer to get one in the US. The 5.5-inch Android smartphone will be available through Virgin Mobile on August 12th for $299 contract-free. Nothing has changed apart from the support for Virgin's network, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- while we're not fans of the cameras, the 816 is a good deal if you want a large display at a low price (and haven't scored a OnePlus One invitation). Don't despair if you want something smaller or cheaper, either. AT&T recently launched the 4.7-inch Desire 610 for $200 on prepaid GoPhone service (free on a regular contract), so you have at least one other option for a modern HTC phone if the One and One Remix are too rich for your blood.
Engadget Daily: HTC Desire 816 review, the perks of being verified and more!
Today, we investigate the perks of being verified on social media, review the HTC Desire 816, look at Distiller's new social network for whiskey lovers and learn about the NFL's next-gen stat technology. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
HTC Desire 816 review: A mid-range M8 let down by sluggish cameras
HTC may have some problems behind closed doors, but outside, it's still widely regarded as one of the world's top phone makers. We already gave this year's One M8 flagship a rather jolly review, and now it's time to see if the same qualities are preserved in its mid-range counterpart, the Desire 816. Indeed, back at Mobile World Congress, HTC called this $390 LTE phablet the "flagship mid-range" to emphasize its competitiveness. But has it lived up to its name? Or is it too little, too late in a world full of affordable options? Let's find out.
HTC's 'flagship mid-range' Desire 816 packs a large display, decent cameras and LTE (hands-on)
That HTC "Desire 8" you've been seeing lately? It's finally unveiled as the Desire 816, a "flagship mid-range" phone that promises to be competitively priced, while also offering LTE (for EMEA and Asia) and HSPA+ (up to 42 Mbps). This pretty phablet comes with a large 5.5-inch 720p display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 SoC, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (capacity may vary), microSD expansion of up to a staggering 128GB and a fixed 2,600mAh battery. You'll get a decent multimedia experience courtesy of the BoomSound frontal stereo speakers (with dedicated amplifiers), along with the 13-megapixel f/2.2 main camera (with Zoe mode in HTC Sense 5.5 UI) plus the 5-megapixel f/2.8 selfie camera. These are all tucked inside a 7.99mm-thick, 165g body, which is pretty good for the size. Interestingly, this will be the first HTC phone to take a nano-SIM, which may be able to lure a few iPhone 5c users. Ultimately, it's all about the price, and we should know very soon given the China launch next month (likely March 18th), followed by a global launch in April. Update: We now have some hands-on photos. Enjoy!
