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HTC is testing ads in its BlinkFeed app
HTC opened up its BlinkFeed stream of info to more apps and to other Android devices last year. Now, it's getting a new form of content: ads. In a blog post, the company announced that it's testing "a limited number of promotions" to folks "in a limited number of markets." Specifically, users in the US, UK, Germany, Taiwan and China can expect to see the trial advertisements appear in the feed. Rather than a pop-up window or banner, the ads are displayed natively in a BlinkFeed post (see the example after the break). If that's sounds super annoying, don't worry, HTC will offer a way for you to opt out. But, of course, the company recommends that you leverage the promotions as a way to find new apps, goods and services.
HTC One M9 store images hint at an evolutionary phone design
HTC's plans for March 1st might just be out in the open. MobileGeeks has spotted German store listings for a new One phone whose images bear an uncanny resemblance to the One M9 spy photos from last month, complete with an oversized camera space and a flashy silver-and-gold color scheme for one model. The claimed 2GHz Snapdragon 810 chip, 20-megapixel rear camera and 4-megapixel front shooter will all sound familiar if you've been following rumors, but there are a few new twists here. The BlinkFeed news stream is different enough to suggest new software, and the body is a tad thicker than its predecessor -- possibly to offer space for the new camera, a bigger battery (supposedly 2,900mAh) or both. It's hard to say for sure that this is what you'll see in a week's time given contrasting reports, but it's at least plausible.
BlinkFeed coming to non-HTC Android devices 'soon'
It was easy to miss in the fine print of yesterday's HTC One press release, but it appears that BlinkFeed will be coming to the Play Store for non-HTC devices. We knew that a number of Sense apps were being broken free of their firmware chains, in particular Zoe, but it wasn't clear just how fare the company was going to take that initiative. Now we know that the company plans to offer its own branded experience to any Android user. And it's even putting BlinkFeed, which is arguably the centerpiece of Sense, up in the app store for use on devices running TouchWiz or even vanilla Android. For now it's only listed as being compatible with the M8, but press materials state that: Following its popularity with HTC users, HTC will now make HTC BlinkFeed available to other Android devices, launching on the Google Play store soon. While we've never been huge fans of companies messing with the pure Android experience around here, we're certainly in favor of more consumer options. With the Google Now Launcher in the app store and BlinkFeed coming soon it might not be long before you can buy whatever high-end handset your little heart desires then slap the launcher of your choice on top of it -- be it HTC, Google, Samsung or Sony.
HTC opens up BlinkFeed, allows apps like Foursquare and Fitbit to push data to your homescreen
Love it or hate it, Sense is growing up. BlinkFeed, the beating tiled heart of the HTC experience is now being opened up to developers through an SDK. That means that third parties will be able to push information to the stream of data that makes up your feed. For example, Fitbit will be able to keep you abreast of how many steps you've taken without you having to go into the app. Oh, and the Fitbit app does harvest movement data from the phone's internal sensors, just like it does on the iPhone 5S, so you don't really need that separate band. HTC announced one other launch partner for the BlinkFeed SDK -- Foursquare. The location-based social network will pop up suggestions for lunch spots while you're out and about. Of course, the company will have to convince other big names to hop on the bandwagon if BlinkFeed is going to really take off.
Here's a possible sneak peek at the homescreen for HTC's next flagship
The online rumor mill's been working overtime where HTC's upcoming M8 flagship is concerned, with some even going so far as to conjure fake mock-ups of the device. Leave it to @evleaks then to give us our first alleged glimpse of the handset, albeit via the device's homescreen. From what we can see in the image above, it looks as though HTC's given Blinkfeed, its Flipboard-like service, a slight makeover. There's also the presence of onscreen virtual navigation buttons, which gives some weight to the recent gossip we've heard about the M8's build. Beyond that though, it's hard to tell just how much HTC's evolved its Sense UI for the device. But with Mobile World Congress just a few weeks away, we should know the full monty soon enough -- that is unless HTC's cooking up a separate event of its own.
HTC Desire 500 launched in Taiwan, packs Sense 5 but ditches BoomSound
Just when you thought HTC's going all the way with its BoomSound feature, the company stopped short with its Desire 500, a mid-range model that's just been announced for the younger Taiwanese audience (think: university students). As you can see above, the new device takes design cues from the One S for its front side (but with plastic instead of metal), and from the One SV on the back. Despite the lack of front stereo speakers, this phone still packs the same 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 SoC featured on the Desire 600 range. Similarly, you'll still find NFC, microSD expansion (on top of just 4GB of built-in storage) plus Sense 5 UI with BlinkFeed and Video Highlights here -- the latter works alongside the same pair of cameras: an 8-megapixel f/2.0 main camera, plus a 1.6-megapixel front imager. What's slightly disappointing, perhaps, is the low 800 x 480 resolution on the 4.3-inch display, and we're even more baffled by the relatively high suggested retail price of NT$11,900 or about US$400. Hopefully it's just a way to persuade more people to get the subsidized Desire 500 from Taiwan Mobile, HTC's exclusive local partner for this phone come August 1st. Stay tuned while our colleagues in Taiwan grab some hands-on photos. Update: Our brethren over at Engadget Chinese has just posted their hands-on. Enjoy!
HTC One review (2013)
One. In literal terms, it's a number. To HTC, however, it's a branding strategy -- the foundation upon which the entire company is now based. Just take one look at the One lineup and you'll easily understand this is the manufacturer's pride and joy. There's a very good reason for that: in a crowded smartphone market, HTC is the underdog to titans like Samsung and Apple. The company needs to stand out if it even wants the chance to prove itself to consumers. Last year's One X marked a solid start, and while it didn't pick up the momentum CEO Peter Chou would've liked, the follow-up model -- simply called the One -- takes HTC's design and imaging chops to the next level, bringing a new UltraPixel camera sensor, among other top-shelf specs. But will it catch the eye of potential smartphone buyers, in light of another key product announcement? We'd say it's got more than a fighting chance. Update: HTC has since come out with a refreshed version of the One, the M8. Read our review here. %Gallery-181218%
HTC One event roundup
For a company whose launch event revolved around a singular device, HTC had a lot on its plate when unveiling the One. After all, the occasion was as much to showcase software as it was hardware. Not to fret -- we've bundled all the relevant stories in one place so you can relive the event proper, what it's like to use the One and our conversation with HTC chief Peter Chou. Hop past the break and you'll have a primer on what to expect on store shelves in roughly a month's time.
HTC One software hands-on: Sense 5, BlinkFeed, Sense TV and new Sync Manager
Now that you're done drooling over the HTC One's shiny body, let's take a look at the phone's generous bundle of software features. Sense 5 on Android 4.1.2 is quite possibly the boldest step HTC's ever taken in terms of Android interface, in the hopes of offering a radically simple experience out of the box. First off, the phone comes with just two soft keys: Back and Home. You can still access the app-switching page by double-tapping the Home key, but instead of the old 3D interface with dozens of app cards, you'll now only get a grid of nine app cards to keep things simple. And like before, simply flick the cards up to dismiss the corresponding apps. Read on for more and our hands-on video.