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Harman adds the Infinity One to its wireless speaker fold, partners with Linkin Park to get one step closer
The hordes of wireless speakers are guaranteed to be on display at CES. Harman's Infinity brand has its first entry in to the group with the One. Announced today, the unit claims portable hi-fi sound with the aforementioned wireless capability and rechargeable battery that touts up to 10 hours of run time before needing a power outlet. There's no word on pricing or availability at this point, but the gadget's press release did reveal another bit of info: The company has signed on Linkin Park as brand ambassadors for Infinity. For the next five years, the band's involvement will extend beyond advertising to collaboration in production design. In the end, the newly formed team should have some co-branded audio wares to show as they've got plenty of time to crank 'em out.
This case turns your iPhone into a night vision camera
Thermal cameras are expensive, which is why they're mostly used by firefighters, contractors and psychotic aliens. Fortunately, that's all about to change thanks to the FLIR One, which is an iPhone case with a tiny thermal camera stuck on the back. All you have to do is strap your iPhone 5 or 5s into the dock and, once you've downloaded the app, you're ready to go. Using multi-spectral dynamic imaging, it can create hybrid images, adding extra detail to the thermal pictures, or plain-ol' thermal pictures in the dark. When you point it at a subject, the FLIR will also give you a temperature reading of what you're pointing the device at.
Nokia wins German injunction banning HTC Android devices
Nokia is clearly on a roll in the courtroom as of late -- following lawsuit wins in the Netherlands, the US and the UK, the company has landed a German injunction banning all of HTC's Android-based devices. The ruling lets Nokia provisionally block the sale of the One and other Google-powered hardware that allegedly infringes on a patent for peer-to-peer sharing over Bluetooth and NFC. HTC is expected to appeal the decision; Google is trying to invalidate the patent, but its move won't come in time to avoid or delay the ban. There won't be much else the two firms can do in the meantime. As with a similar defeat in March, HTC will have to either change features or strip them out to keep doing business.
The best cellphone deals of the week: 12.29.13
With Engadget's new tools, you can track price drops on thousands of devices every day, and once a week we feature some of the best deals right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. The holiday shopping rush may be winding down, but there's still some great deals for the taking. Best Buy is currently offering stellar pricing on both the iPhone 5c and the HTC One -- so long as you're willing to opt for a two-year contract. Be sure to visit our product database to monitor prices on these gadgets and more as they move around. Join us and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list; every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
UK court relaxes ban on HTC One mini despite Nokia patent win
Nokia's recent legal victory over HTC, which imposed a sales ban on the latter's One mini in the UK, has ended up being quite short-lived. We've just learned from HTC that the Court of Appeals has suspended the injunction against the stunted smartphone, which also allows the firm to resume imports of the rest of the One family. The case is far from being closed, however, as HTC intends to "aggressively appeal the [patent] validity decision" that led to the One mini ban, and could yet impact its bigger brethren. Furthermore, to avoid future courtroom dates, HTC says it'll be engaging with its "chip suppliers on alternative solutions." It's almost certainly not the last we'll hear from this ongoing skirmish, but however many haymakers Nokia throws, HTC just keeps bouncing back. Full statement from HTC after the break.
Microsoft adds £5 to the price of exclusive digital Xbox One games in the UK
All that turmoil deciding whose next-gen colors you were going to wear might have come down to one thing: which one has the launch titles, or exclusives you want. Imagine, then, that the very thing that won you over, came back to bite you. For early adopting Xbox One fans in the UK, that's exactly what's happening. Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5 and Ryse are all listed on Xbox Live for a fiver more than they cost at launch (£49.99, up from £44.99). At time of writing, it's not all titles that will see you short of a deep sea diver, but Microsoft has confirmed to VG247 that pricing for "select digital content" has changed since launch, gently reminding us that price and promotions can vary by region. Evidently so.
HTC One developer and unlocked models start receiving Android 4.4 KitKat in the US
If you were bold enough to buy a Developer Edition HTC One or its unlocked sibling, today is your lucky day. HTC's US division has announced that it's rolling out an Android 4.4 KitKat upgrade to both One variants, weeks ahead of the expected update for carrier-locked models. Sense 5.5 should also be a part of the package. While the KitKat upgrade isn't reaching these units as quickly as it did for the Google Play Edition, it's safe to say that many One owners will have another reason to celebrate this Thanksgiving weekend.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition scores Android 4.4 KitKat update
If you own a Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition, you can now put down your pitchfork and stop dripping with envy. Apparently, Android KitKat is also gracing not only the Sense-less version of HTC's One today, but also the non-TouchWiz device. When the phone getting Android 4.4 in its purest form, you can look forward to all the features the updated platform promises, including a better camera app and longer battery life. The update should soon be available for download via Settings -- if it's yet to arrive, that is -- those who own a version of the Galaxy S4 with all of Samsung's software tweaks will have to sit tight a while longer.
HTC One Google Edition handsets now getting official Android 4.4 KitKat updates
Earlier today, HTC posted the Android 4.4 KitKat kernel source and framework files for the HTC One Google Play Edition, which usually means an official OTA update is imminent. Sure enough, a user on XDA Developers has now reported that he's received the update the safe way, over-the-air. That means you'll soon see the more streamlined interface if you're rocking the Sense-less device, though some waiting may be required if the rollout is staggered. Other benefits you'll notice will be a better camera app with its own shortcut, improved battery life and more speed overall. Meanwhile, owners of the regular HTC One should get KitKat skinned with Sense in January, at least in the US and UK. If you went for the Google Play Edition, you can check your settings for the update or, if you're feeling brave, download it at the "More Coverage" link after the break. Update: Voice activated search using "OK, Google" from the homescreen is only available on the Nexus 5 with the Google Experience launcher. The post has been updated to reflect that.
HTC One to receive KitKat upgrade in North America and UK by late January
HTC promised that One owners would get Android 4.4 KitKat within 90 days of the OS' announcement, and it's now detailing when specific countries will get their turn. The company's North American and UK branches both say that they will start upgrading Ones to KitKat by late January, or right at the tail end of the 90-day window. There isn't any word regarding the upgrade schedules in other large countries. However, Droid DNA fans won't be left out -- HTC says they should get KitKat by the end of first quarter, or no later than March.
These £999 stereo speaker horns will go nicely with your gold HTC One
We've come across all kinds of electronics-free acoustic amplifiers in the iPhone accessories market, but stereo horns for a non-Apple device? That's a double-first for us. For the debut act of HTC's "Here's To Creativity" campaign to support young artists in the UK, the phone maker commissioned designer Justin Wolter to come up with an HTC One edition of his mono Gramohorn, which was originally made for -- you guessed it -- the iPhone. The result is the Gramohorn II, a large 3D-printed stereo speaker dock that loudens the One's BoomSound front speakers by 50 percent, as well as adding some bass to the music. Oh, and it can be hand-painted in any color you desire. The damage? A hefty £999 (about $1,610) which is also, by the way, just £580 shy of the price of a 24-carat gold HTC One. But if you're feeling generous and aren't fond of the plaster resin build, there's also a milled stainless steel limited edition going for £4999 or about $8,030. Here's to crazy! Update: We've just been told that the cradle is interchangeable, so you can also fit a One Mini or a One Max.
Alleged HTC One successor leaked, may pack fingerprint reader above camera
HTC seems to be having a hard time keeping its 2014 flagships tucked behind the curtain: first the Butterfly 2, and now this. If the leakster from Baidu Tieba forum is to be believed, we're apparently looking at a blue chassis of the HTC "M8" which, according to @evleaks, will be the first device to feature HTC's upcoming Sense 6.0 interface. Combining this and the fact that the HTC One is codenamed M7, chances are the similar-looking M8 will replace said flagship device next year. While the spy shots are of low resolution, you can still spot a couple of physical changes on the M8. Most notably, there's a mysterious hole above the camera, and the leakster -- who denies being an insider -- suggests it could be for a second camera. Our money's on a fingerprint reader à la One Max, except for the adjusted position to accommodate our index finger while holding the smaller phone. The chassis' metal also extends to around the edges, thus eliminating the need of "zero gap injection" that increased production difficulty for the current HTC One. Besides, it looks rather nice in the photos. Lastly, the same person also shared a photo (posted after the break) of a gold-colored HTC One chassis, which supports an earlier leak from September. Seems like HTC's keeping this one for the holidays, but of course, the real gold version is already available if you have extra cash to burn.
HTC One Max review
The debate around giant smartphones is over. Manufacturers like Samsung, Sony and LG have amply demonstrated that it's possible to build a pocketable, phone-like device with a screen bigger than five inches. Now it's HTC's turn. But instead of re-imagining the much-praised One for this new category of device, HTC's designers have mostly just cloned it, while adding a drop of Miracle-Gro to produce a 1080p panel that measures 5.9 inches diagonally, versus the One's 4.7 inches. The result is the One Max, a product that carries over some good things from the One while also finding room for a few notable extras like a fingerprint scanner and expandable storage. At the same time, it also introduces some major snags -- not least of which are the its intimidating size and weight. The job ahead of us is to somehow find the upper body strength to weigh it all up.
HTC launches One Max with huge 5.9-inch display and fingerprint scanner
The bigger the phone, the harder it is to hide. After a slew of detailed leaks, HTC is finally ready to announce the HTC One Max: an enlarged version of the original One that boosts the size of the 1080p LCD panel up to 5.9 inches while attempting to keep the One's classy aluminum look and feel. This attempt is made regardless of the impact on general portability -- the One Max weighs 217 grams and is over 16 centimeters long and 10.3mm thick, thanks in part to the front-facing BoomSound speakers. And the phablet only gets phatter if you squeeze it into something like HTC's $90 power case, which contains a bendy 1,200mAh battery to add to the capacity of the built-in (and non-removable) 3,300mAh battery. Aside from its size, the One Max brings other big changes, including a fingerprint scanner on its rear side. We've had the chance to use the scanner and, while it isn't as neat as the iPhone 5s's, it does the basic job of letting you log in with a swipe of your fingertip. We'd have happily swapped it out for optical stabilization on the UltraPixel camera, however. The back cover is now removable, letting you expand the 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage with up to 64GB more via microSD -- a feature that was missing on the One and on the One X before that. The One Max sticks with a Snapdragon 600 (with 2GB of RAM) for processing, rather than the superior Snapdragon 800 used in rival devices like the Sony Xperia Z Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The supported bands suggest healthy support for LTE networks in Europe and Asia, and as well as for Verizon and Sprint in the US, and HTC says global availability will start rolling out as early as this week. On the software side, we're looking at a significantly revised version of HTC's Android skin, Sense 5.5, which runs on top of Android 4.3 and provides a new level of customization for the BlinkFeed news-glancing widget, as well as a list of other features that are summarized in the press release and spec sheet below. Check out the gallery below too, and standby for our review coming very shortly.
Refresh Roundup: week of October 7th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Mobile Miscellany: week of October 7th, 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 a sneak peek of HTC Sense 5.5, along with an exclusive HTC One in Vivid Blue to Carphone Warehouse and the beta release of Nokia Glance Background for Lumia smartphones. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of October 7th, 2013.
HTC One Max offers up a spec list, gains Chinese approval
Another downside of the Washington brouhaha is that the FCC is shut down, sending us scouring its foreign equivalents for tidbits about new hardware. The latest concerns HTC's worst-kept secret, the HTC One Max, which has just passed through China's TENAA. The filing reveals that the 6-inch smartphone has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 and will measure in at 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm (6.4 x 3.2 x 0.4 in). Oh, and the images do seem to confirm, once and for all, that there is a fingerprint scanner nestled beneath the camera. October 15th can't come fast enough.
HTC to offer five genuine gold One smartphones for £2,750 apiece
A gold iPhone 5s can't be had for love or money right now and Samsung's gold Galaxy S 4 was just announced. Still, HTC has just announced a new model that'll put their scarcity to shame: an 18 carat gold HTC One priced at £2,750 (about $4,400). Only five copies will be made to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the MOBO awards, which honors black artists and urban music in the UK. It's the "most exclusive and expensive smartphone every produced by HTC," according to MOBO, and features a MOBO 18 logo laser etched on the back. It should be noted that this is unrelated to a gold-colored HTC One that leaked earlier, which may arrive as a considerably less pricy product. There's no sign yet of how to get the 18 carat model, but given the extremely limited run, you'll likely have to settle for something more conventional -- or head even more upmarket -- if gold is your thing.
HTC One Max leaks out with Verizon badge front-and-center
When HTC launched the HTC Mini+, everyone wondered when the company would release a phone large enough to justify buying a companion device. These images, from Android Central's forums, makes the arrival of the 6-inch HTC One Max that much more of a foregone conclusion. The anonymous Verizon employee who took the pics also says that the large smartphone does indeed carry a fingerprint scanner and a removable back. Still, if we're at the point where conspicuously carrier-branded devices are leaking out already, it can't be long before an official release, right? [Image Credits: Jeremy Kessous] [Thanks, Johnny]
Refresh Roundup: week of September 30th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
