Htc one m9 review cnet portable#
Htc one m9 review cnet android#
Htc one m9 review cnet software#
Htc one m9 review cnet plus#

If you're familiar with popular news aggregators such as Flipboard and Pulse, then you get the idea. The first is something HTC calls the BlinkFeed, a main home screen consisting of dynamic tiles that display content from a wide variety of news outlets, blogs, and Web sites (including CNET). As is typical of this sort of added interface, the latest version of Sense offers more enhancements you may or may not find useful.

Htc one m9 review cnet android#

Layered on top of Android is yet another version of HTC's Sense UI.

Htc one m9 review cnet plus#

These include Gmail, Google+ social networking, Google Talk, Google Drive, and so on, plus access to over 700,000 apps for download through the Google Play store.

Htc one m9 review cnet software#

It may not be the freshest Jelly Bean flavor available, currently 4.2, but you do get all the tight integration with Google's wide range of software and services that modern Android phones enjoy. The HTC One has all the power of modern Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean at its disposal. Around back is the 4MP main camera with LED flash, which also uses HTC's UltraPixel sensor. On the bottom edge sits the phone's Micro-USB port. A volume rocker is placed on the right side, and a SIM card slot holds court on the left. What's really interesting is how the power button also doubles as an IR blaster to control home theater equipment. Below are just two capacitive Android buttons, while a headphone jack and volume button are up top. While nowhere near as loud as, say, a Jawbone Jambox or Jabra Solemate, the phone provides enough audio oomph for small groups in quiet rooms.Ībove the display sit a 2.1MP front-facing camera and a notification light.

Htc one m9 review cnet portable#

In fact I found that I could rely on the One's speakers in a pinch when my portable Bluetooth speakers weren't handy. The phone's audio system has wide stereo separation as well, plus a surprising amount of volume. That said, the One's speakers do pack a hefty punch, producing rich audio with a satisfying helping of bass. It reminds me of the kind of cheesy trademark Philips used to plaster all over its old boom boxes. Paired with an onboard amplifier and Beats technology, HTC has given the system the rather unfortunate name BoomSound. In another interesting twist, dual speakers (one on each side of the screen) act in unison to deliver a livelier audio experience for watching movies or listening to music. I recommend stuffing the One into large, or at least secure, pockets to tote around town. Tipping the scales at 5.04 ounces, it's by no means lightweight either. Measuring 5.4 inches tall by 2.7 inches wide by 0.37 inch thick, the HTC One is certainly a handful. But I can easily say the HTC One is the fastest, most beautiful phone I've ever used, and it will sway anyone looking for a worthy alternative to the Samsung GS4. Yes, it's a game of inches between both of those big-screen Android superphones (read our story to see how they stack up, feature for feature). Quibbles aside, though, the HTC One should be at or near the top of the list for anyone looking for a phone on Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon - where it's going head-to-head with the Galaxy S4. Android purists may not love HTC's Sense UI skin, and the One's nonremovable BlinkFeed news reader isn't particularly welcome. The camera isn't quite as revolutionary as advertised. Like all other smartphones though, the One isn't perfect - it lacks an SD card slot for extra storage expansion as well as a removable battery. HTC definitely brought its A game, and it needs to to defeat its archrival, the Samsung Galaxy S4. In addition to being state-of-the-art, the successor to 2012's HTC One X is lovingly crafted from premium metals, leaving no doubt that the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer has put a considerable amount of blood, sweat, and tears into this handset. As HTC's new flagship smartphone, the HTC One is packed to the rafters with top-notch components and technologies including some of the latest processing gear from Qualcomm.