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Samsung Galaxy S III vs. rival flagships: iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Lumia 900
Oh yes, it's a good time to go shopping for a smartphone, particularly if you've acquired a taste for an abundance of pixels and silicon cores. But which phones ought to be considered flagships worthy of comparison with the shiny new GS III? Yes, we're including the Lumia 900 in this context, for the sake of platform neutrality and also in recognition of the fact that raw specs don't count for everything -- but we can't overlook that this handset is sorely lacking in terms of ppi and some other areas. The next two choices are more obvious: the eternal (or infernal) iPhone 4S and AT&T's version of the HTC One X. So here it is: one table to rule them all, right after the break.
HTC pats itself on the back for the One X's battery life, has plenty of help
If you're a smartphone fan (of course you are, if you're not then you're almost certainly in the wrong place, can we ask how you even got here?) then you've almost certainly been bitten by the bug of a battery that just doesn't last long enough, the normal side effect of a data hungry lifestyle. HTC says it feels your pain however, and thinks it's done quite a bit to lick the issue with its latest flagship phone, the HTC One X. In reports consistent with our experience with the dual-core AT&T iteration, a blog post on the company's site notes several others that have tested it out and come away impressed with the battery life it shows. While our tests with the quad-core global version left something to be desired HTC says the One bests the old Sensation by as much as 147 percent when it comes to talk time, and 39 percent in video playback, while Anandtech had glowing recommendations for both versions. So, are you as impressed with HTC's engineering, or are you still pining for a larger RAZR Maxx-style battery bump?
HTC One X for AT&T review
... More Info HTC One X review HTC One X exclusive to AT&T in the US, brings LTE, Beats, ICS and Sense 4 to Ma Bell AT&T HTC One X hands-on After last year's scattered lineup of products, HTC's been going through a bit of a renaissance lately thanks to the One X, One S and One V -- a beautifully focused trio of phones that run the company's new, lightweight Sense 4 skin on top of Ice Cream Sandwich. Hot on the heels of T-Mobile's One S comes AT&T's One X, which is launching May 6 for $199 on contract. The reworked device gains LTE and drops NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 chip for a dual-core Snapdragon S4. So, does this brain transplant make it a better or worse proposition than the global One X? Hit the break to find out.
Cyanogenmod 9 struts its stuff on HTC's One X
So you've procured yourself HTC's new super slim, 4.7-inch halo phone: the One X. By now, you probably have the device set up just the way you like it: applications configured, widgets in place and Adele ringtone set. But there's just something else left to do, isn't there? If (like some of us) you're a smartphone user who just can't leave well enough alone, you'll be excited to learn that a build of Cyanogenmod 9 for the Uno Equis has been made available via the MoDaCo forums. The ROM will deliver that stock Android experience, and all those CM9 accoutrements, to those that don't fancy the panache of Sense 4.0. The forum post does caution that the One's camera, and hotspot functionality, aren't currently working, so interested parties best proceed with caution. If all that doesn't phase you, grab a cup of coffee, get the Android SDK all warmed up and take this ROM for a spin!
Leaked T-Mobile roadmap outlines Ice Cream Sandwich updates, new myTouch devices
Looks like our friends over at TMoNews have unearthed a roadmap with some tasty morsels of info about what's coming down the pipe from T-Mobile USA in the next few months. Of course, none of this is set in stone or even confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt. Most interesting is a pair of dates for Ice Cream sandwich updates, with Magenta's Galaxy S II slated to receive Android 4.0 on May 14th, followed by the Sensation 4G and Amaze 4G getting ICS (with Sense 3.6, presumably) on June 16th. A bunch of device launches from Samsung and Huawei round up the list of dates, with no sign of HTC's One X, Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S III, or T-Mobile's rumored Galaxy Note variant. Sadness. Check out the entire bounty below. May 9th: Huawei Astor (low-end phone for 7-Eleven) July 11th: Huawei Buddy and Phoenix (myTouch QWERTY and slate, respectively) July 11th: Samsung Gravity TXT (new color) Aug 1st: Samsung T159 Cacao (low-end handset) Aug 15th: Samsung Apex Q (mystery device)
HTC predicts 55 percent revenue jump, could hint at strong One sales
HTC's results for Q1 2012 were a long way short of spectacular, but they came too early to see any impact from sales of its latest wares -- particularly the flagship One X and the ambitious mid-range One S. According to Reuters, the Taiwanese manufacturer now predicts that its revenue will leap by 55 percent in Q2, compared to that bad last quarter. That kind of growth equates to around $3.56 billion, which isn't so impressive when you compare it to the same quarter last year, when turnover broke records and was around 20 percent higher, but it's still an encouraging sign that this company could reap what it sowed at MWC.
HTC One X sold early at AT&T, spotted in the wild
HTC's hotly anticipated One X isn't supposed to ship to AT&T customers until May 6th, but there's a reason we're emphasizing the whole "supposed" thing. One lucky reader has managed to convince one particular store to sell them a handset early, with $199 (and a new two-year agreement) being all it took to grab hold of what'll undoubtedly be one of 2012's strongest Android phones. There's a gallery of shots below as proof, and if you'd like to try your luck at a local outfit, we certainly won't step up to stop you. (But look, you'll probably be waiting a few more weeks -- just sayin'.) [Thanks, Anonymous]
HTC One X gets teardown, battery unsurprisingly dominates
While some might deem the One X's combination of svelte unibody profile, quad-core power and 720p display to be downright witchcraft, we knew differently. Fortunately, there's now scientific proof to back us up, courtesy of PCOnline, which has performed a delicate autopsy on the Chinese variant of HTC's new flagship. To explore that polycarbonate shell, a narrow plastic tool to is eased in behind the screen and around the face of the device, with the majority of the phone's tightly packed innards -- including the Tegra 3 processor -- attached to the display half. Some contacts, however, were left on the inside of the unibody, including the NFC chip. Most of the quad-core thinking parts were clustered around the 8-megapixel sensor, while the battery dominated the center of HTC's big hitter. Anyone who gets their kicks from the gentle undoing of all that engineering hard work can watch it unravel in grisly detail at the source below.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 16th, 2012
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!
Hands-on with HTC's colorful One X cases
We just got our hands on a couple of new cases that HTC's making specifically for its One X flagship. The colorful accessories -- which the company showcased at its Frequencies media event in Seattle -- are made of a flexible PTFE-like (polytetrafluoroethylene) material and are designed to both protect and enhance the appearance of the device. Different designs will be available, but we only got to see the one. Sadly, we have no info on pricing or availability at this time. Take a look at our gallery below.
HTC One X available today on Rogers for $170 with a three-year contract
We know Yanks using AT&T's network will be getting their own flavor of the HTC One X early next month, thus it's only appropriate for the neighbors up north to get a taste of the same smartphone medicine. Thanks to Rogers, those of you in Canada will be able to get your hands on this Sense 4, ICS-filled handset as soon as today. Rogers says HTC's One kin is coming as an exclusive to its shop, currently listing it for $169.99 on "select" three-year deals or $624.99 without any attachments. Keep in mind, this specific model's loaded with the Snapdragon S4 chip, which is slightly different than the One we reviewed a few weeks back. However, if all those cores don't make a difference to you, then all that's left to do is head to the source below and pull the trigger. [Thanks, Sean]
AT&T confirms HTC One X to land May 6th for $199 (update)
If you were waiting for confirmation as to when you might be able to get your hands on the HTC One X in the US, circle May the 6th on your calendar. AT&T has just confirmed that this is when the flagship handset will launch, at a price of $199 (with a two year commitment.) It's the dual-core LTE version, of course, and is also the first phone to launch with Ice Cream Sandwich on the network. If you want a slice, pre-orders will be open from April 22nd, or head on down to the source link for more info. Update: Looks like it'll go for just $149.99 if you pre-order from Radio Shack between May 6th and 12th. Proof's in the shot just after the break. [Thanks, Marko]
HTC One X gets software update, minor fixes reported
HTC One X owners, remember this number: 1.28.401.9. All right, you don't actually have to memorize the thing, you just have to go into the Software Updates section of your phone's settings to grab the decimal-happy upgrade for your beloved new smartphone. According to Android Central, the Android 4.0.3-based upgrade brings some "minor changes" to the smartphone, addressing some menu key and brightness issues among others. A battery life fix is also supposedly on-board for the upgrade. Let us know what other fixes you're seeing, should you take the upgrade plunge.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 9th, 2012
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 April 9th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen clues to suggest the Galaxy Nexus will arrive at Sprint in a matter of days, and leaked materials suggest Rogers will have the HTC One X in stock by April 20th. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 9th, 2012.
HTC One X gets unofficial power management fix, boosts battery life 10 to 20 percent
Somewhere along mike1986's development of Android Revolution HD, a custom ROM for the HTC One X, he found that something amiss with the smartphone's stock system -- its Tegra 3 power management software didn't function properly. According to the developer, an app known as NvCPLSvc.apk was misplaced in the /system/bin folder, rather than its proper destination of /system/app. Along with the custom ROM, mike1986 has released the fix as a separate bundle, which is detailed in the source below. To apply the patch, users must push the new APK to their handset via ADB, and then alter the file's permissions. Unless you're seriously hindered by your phone's battery life, however, it seems safe to wait for an official update from HTC. On the upside, users report an battery life increase in the neighborhood of 10 to 20 percent once with the fix in place, and we can only hope that all users will soon benefit from similar gains.[Thanks, Nitin]
That's right, folks: Instagram now supports HTC One X
Upon it's debut, one notable smartphone was curiously absent from Instagram's list of supported devices: the HTC One X. Thankfully, all of that worry is now behind filter lovers, as the latest update for this Android app has added support for HTC's premiere superphone and its stellar camera. In addition, the refresh is said to deliver better support for all devices based on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 platform, provide better support for tablet users and squash a nasty bug that'd caused Instagram photos to not appear in the gallery. With this issue behind us, we can now resume living our lives without worry or fear.
HTC's unaudited Q1 2012 financials: revenue down by 35 percent
HTC's unaudited financials have just hit the wires and it looks like the negative trends from last year are continuing. For the first quarter of 2012, revenues are down nearly 35 percent year-on-year, with revenues of 67,790 million Taiwanese dollars (around $2.3 billion) for the period. Operating income was 5,099 million Taiwanese dollars (roughly $173 million) and profits after tax 4,464 million Taiwanese dollars ($151 million). The company must be hoping that this represents the end of the nasty hangover from its previous scatter-gun approach to phone production. Now that it's gone with the sleek and slender One series lineup, we'll see how well the company's about-turn does in the next two quarters.
Caption Contest: HTC's down-to-earth photo shoot
With the Android handset market as jam-packed as it is, it can be tough to distinguish your device from the maddening crowd. We've seen some bizarre and sublime attempts to do so over the years, but few have reached the terminal velocity of HTC's skydiving fashion photoshoot aimed at promoting its new One line of phones. Has the company hit the bullseye here, or is it and its accompanying light-headed skydivers destined to splatter all over the advertising landscape? It just might take a caption contest to find out for certain. Zach Honig: "If I make this reverse overhead shot do you promise to attach a parachute to my string?" Sean Buckley: "Drop test #3 will commence in 3.. 2.." Christopher Trout: "Who needs a facelift when you have wind effects like these?" Darren Murph: [Yelling, to combat the wind] "WHY DO WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE TO PROMOTE THE ONE LINE?" Brian Heater: "Another dropped call from AT&T." Myriam: "Looks like we fixed that bug in the accelerometer! It's working just fine right now..." Tim: "Hang on, trying to decide which Instagram filter to apply... so many choices..." Michael: "Well, whaddya know, Face Unlock works while free-falling at 10,000 feet!" Zach Lutz: Despite the fabulous view, Guy couldn't resist his overwhelming urge to check for available software updates. Sharif Sakr: As if throwing Dr Dre and his Beats Audio out of a plane wasn't enough, they had to shoot him in the back with an arrow. Richard Lawler: What do you mean there aren't any FourSquare badges for this? Jose Andrade: "Don't move. I'm almost done with this DrawSomething drawing" Billy Steele: "You just hold the phone and I promise I'll pull the 'chute. Maybe."
HTC One X vs. One S: which phone is The One for you?
HTC One X review HTC One S review HTC Sense 4 reviewJet Li starred in a 2001 movie called "The One." In it, his character traveled to parallel universes and grew stronger as he killed alternate versions of himself. This continued on until there was only one other copy left, with the movie culminating in an epic battle between the two. We won't spoil the ending, but we were reminded of this movie when thinking about the One X and the One S: both are incredibly powerful phones that we'd be proud to use as our daily drivers, but the vast majority of us are only able to choose one One. (The One V is also a possible option but for the purposes of this feature we're laser-focused on HTC's two higher-end models.)How can we make a sound decision? The two phones are considered premium devices with top-notch components and relatively few flaws. The major difference, however, is going to be the price. Naturally, the cost will vary depending on where you live and which carrier you choose, but make no mistake: the S is going to be less expensive. Is it worth spending the extra money to go with the top-shelf model, or will the little guy be plenty? Now that the two devices are officially on sale in Europe, it's time to pick a side. We can't decide for you, but our goal is to present each phone's pros and cons, going round by round. Which one is right for you? Read on to find out.