HTC One max officially announced, arriving in the Philippines on November 15

The long-rumored HTC One max has been finally unveiled this week. Essentially a bigger ‘One’, the One max features a large 5.9-inch of full HD 1080 display, the infamous Ultrapixel camera which HTC says is a good-performer in low light conditions, the BoomSound speakers on the front (sans the Beats Audio integration this time), and a juicy 3300mAh battery.

Not wanting to get left behind (no pun intended!), HTC also added a fingerprint sensor on the back of One max. It can be used to unlock the screen as well as for launching up to three apps directly using different fingers. It also runs on the new Sense 5.5 UI on top of Android Jelly Bean, providing improved user experience across the board. BlinkFeed has been updated to include Google+ and RSS support, and there is now a Dual Shot feature where you can take photos using both front and back cameras at the same time. The HTC Scribble feature lets you draw on photos — though it doesn’t come with a pen — and Photo Editor lets you create GIFs.

Aside from those, not much else is new, unfortunately. There is a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage — though with microSD card slot this time — and 4G LTE support.

HTC One max Specifications and Features
5.9-inch Super LCD 3 full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display
1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad=core processor
2GB RAM
16GB storage
microSD card slot up to 64GB
4G LTE - 900/1800/2100/2600Mhz
4-megapixel 'Ultrapixel' camera
2.1-megapixel front-facing camera
1080p full HD recording
Dual Shot
3300mAh battery
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS

HTC says the One max is coming to retail stores in the Philippines on November 15, which is less than a month away, for P37,790. It is also slated to launch across all carriers in the country — Smart, Globe, and Sun Cellular.

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Review: HTC Butterfly S — a better fraternal twin of the One

I called the HTC One the ‘best Android phone yet’ — it has a pretty good hardware, one of the best I’ve seen on an Android phone, a gorgeous display, and a well-performing loudspeakers. But it was not without any shortcomings. One of those was the small screen size (for some), the non-removable battery, and the lack of an microSD slot for expansion of the internal storage.

And then the HTC Butterfly S arrived. It has the looks of the last-year’s Butterfly and the brains of the One with a few improvements — which are bigger screen, longer battery life, microSD slot, and improved support for LTE networks. In this review, we’ll focus on the said improvements and see if they’re worth the upgrade, either if you’re coming from the HTC One or the Butterfly.

To start off, the Butterfly S sports an identical look as the Butterfly from 2012 with some minor differences. It’s a little fatter due to the larger battery inside, there’s an added loudspeaker on the bottom, and it’s lost the water-resistant ability I found on its predecessor.

Display

The display of the HTC Butterfly S doesn’t stray too far from its roots. It’s actually a mix of the ones found on the One and the Butterfly. On one part, it is a bright, vivid, and crisp Super LCD 3 display which, again, is one of the best displays among the Android army (only to be matched or topped by the G2). On the other, it is now a 5-inch screen which is slightly bigger than the 4.7-inch on the One. As such, this is a little more perfect for playing games, watching movies, and similar chores than the smaller screen.

As with the Butterfly, the bigger display does not mean that it is uncomfortably hard to hold in your hand. In fact, I can still type with single-handedly with my not-quite-so-big hands. It’s definitely not huge like the Galaxy Notes out there.

Battery Life

When it comes to the battery life, the Butterfly S beats most of the Android smartphones in its class. It has a 3200mAh battery, so far the most in an HTC phone. The battery is so huge that you’ll really notice the ‘thickness’ and the heft of the body.

On an average usage cycle, I can easily last more than a day, heck even two days, on the Butterfly S. That includes using apps like the browser, Twitter, Facebook, playing games like Plants vs. Zombies 2 for hours (and I really mean houuurs!!!) and streaming 3 movies from ClickPlay using Wi-Fi, the rest are standby times. Network setting is set to automatically switch between 3G/LTE.

Storage

The internal storage on the Butterfly S is only 16GB, compared to 32GB on the One. The main kicker here is that they have included a microSD card slot so you can just tuck in a 64GB card and place all your movies, photos, music, and whatnot in there.

Moreover, you can also connect a USB drive using an OTG cable — that’s if you have one lying around.

I really wish HTC would make 16 or 32GB of storage AND a microSD card slot a standard on their devices, either because people do really want a microSD slot on their phones or just for the hell of it. That will probably make them buy an HTC again, yes?

LTE, not just on Globe

Smart LTE users should find this a relief should they want to get a Butterfly S. As you may know (or not), the HTC One only had LTE on bands 3 (1800MHz), 7 (2600MHz), and 20 (800MHz). Just for your information, those are the most widely-used LTE frequencies in Asia and Europe. Globe, for instance, operates its LTE network on 1800MHz. But for an odd reason, Smart decided to use band 1 (2100MHz) for their LTE network.

That’s where the problem arises. Much of the 2012 and some of 2013 smartphones — the HTC One is, well, one of them — do not normally come with 2100MHz LTE, unless they are destined for Japan or South Korea.

Well thank God HTC finally included that particular band on their latest devices like the One mini and the Butterfly S. I was able to try and use Smart LTE on this phone. On average, I get around 4Mbps down and 10Mbps up in our place. Your results may vary, of course, but it just goes to show that you can really use it on both Smart and Globe now.

Performance

Overall, the Butterfly S performed and worked pretty well, as expected, in my time with it. That’s due to the zippy Snapdragon 600 CPU which is clocked at 1.9GHz (vs. 1.7GHz on the One) and 2GB of RAM. The UI and apps are very fluid and I barely encountered any slowdowns.

Its camera still has the Ultrapixel tech found on the One, though it doesn’t have OIS. Camera performance is about the same as the One.

Verdict

So, let’s go back to my original question, is the HTC Butterfly S worth it as an upgrade from the Butterfly and even from the One? Well, if money isn’t a problem, I’ll say yes. If you want a phone that’s not as big as the other 2013 flagships while still having a long battery life, the flexibility of having a microSD card slot, and improved LTE compatibility with local networks, then you may take a look at the Butterfly S.

The only problem that I see here is that you can get other smartphones with better hardware at the almost the same or even lower price.

The HTC Butterfly S retails for P37,590.

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HTC One mini arriving this October in the Philippines for P25,390

The HTC One mini — the miniature version of the HTC One — is set to hit the shelves in the Philippines this mid-October, according to the local arm of the Taiwanese company.

Packing the same aluminum body found on its bigger brother, the HTC One mini features a smaller 4.3-inch 720p HD display in a smaller footprint, a pair of BoomSound stereo speakers on the front, the Ultrapixel camera with incredible low-light capability and live gallery with Zoe, and the HTC BlinkFeed homescreen, which pulls all the content from the sources you pick in one place.

It sports a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and a 1800mAh battery. It is also capable of operating on the local carriers’ 4G LTE networks. The One mini runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box and there’s no word yet if it’ll get an update to 4.3 or 4.4 KitKat, though there’s no reason it shouldn’t.

The HTC One mini will retail for P25,390, a price that’s not so ‘mini’. The company did not state if it will be offered on Globe and Smart.

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HTC Butterfly S arrives in the Philippines for… wait for it… P37,590!

Been waiting for HTC Butterfly S, a better alternative for the HTC One, to come here in the Philippines? Well, your wait is officially over. Without much fanfare, HTC Philippines has finally released the Butterfly S in the country. It is arriving with a hefty price tag of P37,590, or around $850. This makes the Butterfly S the most expensive smartphone in the country right now, correct me if I’m wrong. Why so expensive? Me thinks it’s because HTC doesn’t want the Butterfly S to cannibalize the sales of the HTC One, their flagship smartphone right now.

Announced back in June, the HTC Butterfly S sports a 5-inch 1080p Super LCD 3 screen, a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage with microSD support, 4G LTE support, the same UltraPixel camera, IR blaster, and a ginormous 3200mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the HTC Sense 5.

Also released alongside the Butterfly S is the HTC Desire 600. It features a 4.5-inch qHD screen, a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage with a microSD card slot, 8 megapixel camera, and a 1860mAh battery. It also features the BoomSound speakers found on the higher-end HTC devices. It retails for P18,990.

Source: HTC

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Android 4.2.2 with Sense 5 arrives on the HTC One X+

HTC has a good news to share for HTC One X+ owners! The Taiwanese phone manufacturer just announced that the roll-out of the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Sense 5 is now starting in Taiwan.

Firmware version 2.17.709.2 brings BlinkFeed, lock screen widgets, AF and AE lock on the camera, and quick settings on the notification panel among other new features.

The update is now rolling out starting today, August 8. You can install the update by going to Settings > About > Software updates.

Full changelog for HTC One X+ Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean Update (2.17.709.2)
System improvements
HTC Sense 5 and Android 4.2.2 upgrade
New HTC BlinkFeed Home
New lock screen style: electronic gadgets
Power improvements
Added display the battery meter in the status bar options
New sleep mode switch
Notifications panel improvements
Quick Settings panel: use two-finger gestures with 12 sliding open the Notifications panel fast setting
Photo Gallery / Camera improvements
AE / AF lock: Long tap the screen shot on the screen to start the exposure / focus lock function
Video Highlights living micro film: With 12 kinds of styles of music theme, automatically edited into a stunning 30 seconds video
Music improvements
Music Channel: You can view the lyrics and music visualization screen * (* support content based on actual lyrics database shall prevail)
HTC Sense Input
Support more Chinese words

Source: HTC

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How to switch to stock Android app switcher on HTC Sense 5

If you are using an HTC device on Sense 5, chances are you’ve already noticed that the stock HTC app switcher has a 9 apps limit. It’s not that of a big deal, but if you’re a power user, you’re most probably bothered by this.

It turns out that it only takes changing two lines of code in a file on the system folder to use the stock Android app switcher instead, which is much much better. So here’s what I did:

Open the default.xml file on system/customize/ACC directory and find these two lines using a text editor:

<item type="boolean" name="isHtcStyleRecentApp">true</item>
<item type="boolean" name="support_HtcStyleRecentApp">true</item>

Now you just need to change the true value to false. Save and reboot. Enjoy your stock Android app switcher!

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HTC Butterfly S to come with LTE support after all (Bonus: Press photo of the dual-SIM version)

The recently-announced HTC Butterfly S was initially reported to not have an LTE support, which was disappointing considering that it packs quite a punch.

That turns out not to be true at all. Jason Mackenzie, President of Global Sales at HTC, has confirmed this to us. In some Asian (and perhaps European) markets like Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Singapore, the HTC Butterfly S will come with LTE with support for bands 1 (2100MHz), 3 (1800MHz), and 7 (2600MHz). Globe and Smart’s LTE networks operate on 1800MHz and 2100Mhz respectively.

Announced in June, the HTC Butterfly S sports a 5-inch 1080p Super LCD 3 screen, a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor (the HTC One has the same chip clocked at 1.7GHz), 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage with microSD support, the same UltraPixel camera, IR blaster, and a ginormous 3200mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the HTC Sense 5.

With that in mind, I’m thinking that the HTC Butterfly easily beats most smartphones out there today in many aspects like battery. Now it’s time to pick one: the very stunning HTC One or the HTC Butterfly S with slightly better specs?

And, the bonus… Dual-SIM HTC Butterfly S for China. Looks like it’s set to be announced on July 18th. Perhaps along with the HTC One Mini?

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HTC Butterfly receives Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update with Sense 5

Owners of the HTC Butterfly should start seeing a pretty big update on their devices starting today as HTC has just started to roll out the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean along with the new Sense 5 user interface.

The update, which is a hefty 551.69MB download, is now available starting in Taiwan. It also brings HTC BlinkFeed, lock screen widgets, and the quick settings panel in the notification center, a really handy addition especially that Sense doesn’t have that for ages. It also adds the Video Highlights feature found on the HTC One, but Zoe was left out.

To get the update, simply go to Settings > About > Software updates on your device. Take note that you will have to download a small 1.39MB patch before you are able to get the full update. The full changelog is listed below.

Full HTC Butterfly 2.28.709.2 Update Changelog
-Android 4.2.2 and Sense 5 update
-HTC BlinkFeed integration
-New lock screen style: Widget
-Show battery level in status bar
-Add sleep mode option in Power settings
-Quick settings panel: 12 default settings by new touch gesture
-AE/AF lock feature: Lock Exposure/Focus at viewfinder screen
-Video Highlights: 30 seconds show in 12 different themes
Music channel: Virtualization with live lyrics
Chinese dictionary update (for some models)

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Review: HTC One — easily the best Android phone yet

It’s got a very incredible design, a supreme performance which can go neck and neck with the other flagship Androids, and a marvelous screen which has always been lauded on their devices. The HTC One is here.

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HTC Butterfly S officially announced: 5-inch 1080p, 3200mAh battery, no LTE

HTC has just announced the HTC Butterfly S, a refreshed version of the last year’s model.

Design-wise, the Butterfly S looks almost identical as the previous-generation Butterfly, sans for the additional loudspeaker on the front. It packs a 5-inch 1080p Super LCD 3 screen, a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor (the HTC One has the same chip clocked at 1.7GHz), 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage with microSD support, the same UltraPixel camera, IR blaster, and a ginormous 3200mAh battery. Unlike the HTC One, it does not come with LTE connectivity. It runs on Android Jelly Bean with the HTC Sense 5 coating on top.

HTC Butterfly S Specifications and Features
5-inch 1080p Super Clear LCD 3 display at 440ppi
4 UltraPixel camera with f/2.0 lens
1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor
2GB RAM
16GB storage, with microSD card slot up to 64GB
3,200mAh battery
3G / HSPA+ - 850/900/1900/2100MHz
HTC Zoe
IR Blaster with Sense TV
Android Jelly Bean OS

HTC says the Butterfly S will be available in select markets in Asia starting in July. The company is not yet sure if the device will reach Europe, Middle East, Africa, and other markets but they have confirmed that it will not be coming to North America as no carriers has decided to carry it — not surprising since it doesn’t have LTE. It will be available in red, white, black, and grey flavors.

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Globe adds the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Nokia Lumia 820, HTC One SV, and more to its LTE lineup, now offers 9 in total

Do you want to join the LTE bandwagon but are not sure of which device to get and where? Well, it looks like Globe has the answer to that question.

A press release from Globe took us by surprise which states that they currently have the most number of available LTE smartphones in the Philippines as of yet. The recent additions to that lineup includes the HTC One, which by the way I’m currently reviewing (watch out for that!), the Nokia Lumia 820, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and the HTC One SV.

Android users are guaranteed of the most number of devices from Globe with its most affordable offer for the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE at P1,599 monthly under Plan 999 with P600 monthly cashout.

Globe also sealed an exclusivity deal to be the lone carrier of the new HTC One, touted as one of the best Android smartphones in the world, available at P1,699 monthly under Plan 999 with a monthly cashout of P700.

The HTC One SV and Nokia Lumia 820 are being offered at the higher Plan 1799 monthly without cashout. Oddly enough, the Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE, another Globe-exclusive device, is available at P2,199 monthly under Plan 1799 with a P400 monthly cashout.

The HTC One SV sports a  1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, supports lightning-fast LTE speeds, along with an all-day battery life, amazing camera, Beats Audio, and an ultra-sleek design that complements its breathtaking speed.

Dubbed as the most versatile Lumia, the Nokia Lumia 820 boasts of an 8.7 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, 4.3-inch ClearBlack display, and removable wireless charging shells and matching headsets in vibrant colors.

The Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE features a 5.5-inch large HD display, 1.6GHz Exynos quad-core processor, and 2GB RAM.

That brings the total number of LTE smartphones being offered by Globe to 9 — seven of which are exclusive to them. This advantage should be attributed to their decision to go for the 1800MHz LTE frequency which is widely used across many countries in Europe and Asia and the fact that more device manufacturers support the said LTE frequency.

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HTC One with LTE and 32GB memory also coming exclusively to Globe

Executives of HTC Philippines mentioned on the launch of the HTC One that it will be also available on Globe aside from being sold in retail stores unlocked and contract-free. Now, finally acknowledging HTC’s statement, Globe Telecom finally announces that the HTC One will be available exclusively to them.

The HTC One features the newest HTC Sense 5 user interface on top of Android 4.1.2. The latest iteration of the company’s own skin has three main features: BlinkFeed, BoomSound, and the Ultrapixel Camera. The aluminum-clad smartphone also packs 4G LTE connectivity, a 32GB on-board storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 2,300mAh battery.

The HTC One will be available on Globe for only P1,699 per month (P999 MSF + P700 cash-out) on Globe’s MySuperPlan 999. It comes with unlimited LTE data, and a P101 consumable which you can convert to 101 SMS & 5 minutes of calls to all networks. If you want to have more texts, calls, and consumables, you can opt to get it at Plan 1,799 with P200 monthly cash-out (total of P2,000 per month). The Plan 1,799 will yield you unlimited LTE data and P1,100 consumable amount (PV) which you can convert to combos, as stated here.

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HTC One now available in retail stores for P32,990

It has been plagued by supply and inventory problems. It faced quite a number of delays. But finally, the HTC One is here. Earlier this week, executives from HTC Philippines shared how important it is for them to keep their devices current and able to cope with what the users need.

“With HTC’s continued effort to put the consumer at the center of our innovation, we have reimagined mobile experience to cater to their needs with the creation of the HTC One,” said HTC Philippines Country Manager Richard Javier at the launch event on Tuesday.

Encased in a zero-gap aluminium unibody and boasting a vibrant 4.7-inch full HD 1080p Super LCD 3 screen, the HTC One runs the latest Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system and supports LTE networks to offer blazingly-fast browsing and downloads in a package that combines premium design with breakthrough build quality.

The sleek and tapered profile of the HTC One makes it very comfortable in your hand, add to that the slightly cold feeling the aluminum body has. HTC says there’s nothing to worry about the metal design. Thanks to their unique antenna design, you should get strong and clear signal no matter how you hold the HTC One.

The HTC One, which runs the latest HTC Sense 5 user interface, has three major features that the company says sets it apart from the other smartphones, namely the HTC BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe, and the Ultrapixel Camera.

The HTC BlinkFeed combines the latest content from the sources that you subscribe to, and displays it right at your homescreen without the need to download and open multiple news applications and web sites. To date, HTC has partnered with more than 1,400 media sources globally like ESPN, MTV, Vice Media, CoolHunting, Reuters and many others. Aside from news, you can also post and the latest updates happening around on your social media accounts like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook on BlinkFeed.

For the first time on a phone, HTC BoomSound introduces front-facing dual stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier that plunges people in music, videos, games and other media contents they like. Beats™ Audio integration is enabled across the software for rich, authentic sound whether you’re listening to your favorite music, watching a video or playing a game.

Lastly, there's the Ultrapixel Camera. HTC developed a custom camera that includes an f/2.0 aperture lens and a sensor with larger pixel size that gather 300% more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors.

HTC also added more features on the software-side of the camera. HTC Zoe gives people the ability to shoot high-res photos in three-second snippets. These are then displayed in a way that brings the gallery to life and transforms the traditional photo gallery of still images into a moving gallery of memories.

Zoe also automatically creates feature films from each event set to music with professionally designed cuts, transitions and effects. These feature videos can be remixed or set to different themes, and can be shared on your social networks and other services.

There are so much more to discover on the HTC One and a one-time hands-on is not enough to try them all out. I’m hoping to get a review unit from HTC so I can put the One thru paces.

The HTC One is available now at HTC Concept Stores, and other distributors and retailers in the country. It bears a price tag of P32,990. But wait, there’s more!

Someone from the media asked whether the HTC One will be available on postpaid plans, to which HTC answered that it indeed will be! The HTC One will be available on Globe Postpaid starting on Plan 1,799 (I suppose with a P4,800 cash-out) and for free at Plan 2,499.

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HTC Butterfly Sense 5 and Android 4.2.2 OTA update leaks out

Owners of older HTC smartphones like the Butterfly, Droid DNA, and One X may have been feeling a little bit left out since all of HTC’s attention is now aimed at their new flagship, the HTC One.

Apparently, that isn’t entirely true. Today, we have managed to snag a copy of the pre-release update that will bring Sense 5 and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean goodies to the HTC Butterfly. The update brings the refashioned interface which now looks flatter and more easy to the eye.

The HTC BlinkFeed, one of the features the manufacturer are heavily promoting, is also present here. Now I remember when the HTC One reviews came, most of the reviewers said that the BlinkFeed cannot be disabled in its entirety. In this Sense 5 build, it looks like they added an option to switch to the traditional home screen style which only displays widgets and shortcuts alike. I am not sure if the reviewers just missed that option as it is buried deep inside the Settings app. Either way, this is a good news particularly for those who don’t use BlinkFeed at all.

Another major feature, but from Android 4.2.2 this time, that comes with the update is the quick shortcuts and toggles in the notification center. This feature in specific is really hand as it allows the users to activate some settings and actions without the need to leave the app or screen they are on. As opposed to stock Android, tapping on a toggle on Sense 5 will activate that said, well, toggle, whereas on stock Android it will only take you to the page of that toggle in the Settings app. Quick shortcuts and toggles can be accessed by swiping your two fingers down from the top edge of the screen or by tapping the icon in the notification center.

Unfortunately, the HTC Zoe seems to be not coming to other devices aside from the One, as the feature is nowhere to be found in this build. It could be that or HTC hasn’t just really added Zoe in this pre-release version. I hope it’s the latter.

The overall smoothness and performance of this update is really good, with some minor quirks like the crashing of the Sense 5 launcher. But other than that, it seems that the update is almost ready for release. Insiders say HTC will release it this Month.

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HTC One arriving in the Philippines on May 13 for P32,990 with LTE and 32GB memory (update)

UPDATED, May 10, 2013: HTC Philippines has now opened the reservation for the HTC One. As announced, it will have a price tag of P32,990. Those who pre-order can claim their units on Monday, May 13. Yup, that’s on the day of elections.

If you happen to hate plastic smartphones but carry an affection to beautiful-looking and nicely-build ones, then you probably already know, or should know at the very least, the HTC One.

If you cannot recall anything about the HTC One, then allow me to share that this baby packs a 4.7-inch Super Clear LCD display with a 1080p full HD resolution, which makes the pixel density stand at 441ppi. It sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB memory, and an Ultrapixel camera which HTC says can capture 300% more light than others, supports LTE right out of the gate, and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Sense 5.

The good news is that the waiting game for the HTC One is now over. Online retailer CMK Cellphones announced today that the HTC One will have a price of P30,990, which makes it more appealing than the 16GB Galaxy S 4 which sells at the same price. The retailer says the official stocks are arriving soon.

UPDATE: Apparently, the actual SRP of the HTC One is P32,990 as announced by HTC. It is still worth pointing out that the units being sold by CMK Cellphones always have the official local warranty.

Source: CMK Cellphones

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Asphalt 7: Heat debuts on Windows Phone

Gameloft announced that the Asphalt 7: Heat is the newest title from the company that will hit Windows Phone. The game offers over 60 different car models to race with, like Lamborghini and Aston Martin, on 15 tracks based in real cities such as Paris, London, among others. What’s more is that it is the first game on Windows Phone to take advantage of real-time multiplayer experience using Xbox that promises to connect gamers worldwide.

Asphalt 7: Heat is now available at the Windows Phone Store for $0.99. The game compatible with the Nokia Lumia 920, 820, 822, HTC 8X, and Samsung Ativ Odyssey. The game will be also made available for the Lumia 620, 720, 520, HTC 8S, and Huawei Ascend W1 subsequently. Strangely enough, an unannounced Nokia Lumia 928 was mentioned as one of the compatible devices.

The company also announced more titles due to launch within the coming weeks.

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Review: HTC Butterfly

HTC’s last hooray in 2012, the HTC Butterfly, gives us a peek of what’s to come this 2013 — flagship phones with big screens with pixel-packed 1080p full HD resolution. I was a little bit skeptical at first, do we really need 1080p smartphones? Join me as I find out in this review.

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Hands-on with the HTC Butterfly

The HTC Butterfly, the global version of the Droid DNA from Verizon, was announced last December and this week, I finally got the chance to get a hands-on time with it. If you don’t remember, this is their first smartphone to have a full HD 1080p display.

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HTC One officially announced, will be available globally beginning in March

In an event earlier today, HTC has finally announced their flagship Android smartphone for 2013, the HTC One.

The HTC One embodies a gorgeous design with diamond-cut precision edges and an all-aluminum unibody. They also decided to go the 4.7-inch route for the display size, despite the other manufacturers opting for 5-inch displays. It’s a full HD 1080p display which equates to 468ppi, which is like the sharpest display I’ve heard of in terms of pixel density.

HTC also introduced three new features which will come on the HTC One. They are HTC BlinkFeed, a stream of updates right on your homescreen, HTC Zoe, which is like Vine for your gallery app because it compiles photo stills and videos in an album (from what I understand as of now), and HTC BoomSound, which is composed of the front-facing stereo speakers with integrated amplifier.

They also dubbed of their new Ultrapixel creation. HTC developed a custom image sensor that allows more light to be taken in by using lesser but larger pixels. HTC says that up to 300% more light can be seen by the sensor that will help in low-light situations.

That should be it for now. I’ll share more opinions when I get the chance to try it.

HTC One Specifications and Features
4.7-inch display with full HD (1920x1080) resolution at 468ppi
1.7GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 quad-core processor
2GB of RAM
32GB / 64GB internal storage
HTC Ultrapixel camera (4 Megapixels) with LED flash
- BSI sensor
- 2.0 μm pixel size
- 1/3' sensor size
- f2.0 aperture
- 28mm lens
- Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
- HDR Video
- HTZ Zoe
- 2.1 Megapixels front-facing camera
2,300mAh battery capacity
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n
DLNA
MHL
GSM - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
HSPA+ - 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
LTE - 1800/2600 MHz
Size: 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm/4mm (max/min)
Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS

HTC states that the HTC One will be available starting in March at more than 85 countries and over 185 network operators globally. Sadly, the Philippines is not yet on that lengthy list. We’ll keep you posted on that.

INTRODUCING THE NEW HTC ONE®, A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON SMARTPHONES
HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™ Deliver HTC One’s Unprecedented New Smartphone Experience

London and New York City, February 19, 2013 — HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced its new flagship smartphone, the new HTC One. Crafted with a distinct zero-gap aluminium unibody, the new HTC One introduces HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™, key new HTC Sense® innovations that reinvent the mobile experience and set a new standard for smartphones.

“People today immerse themselves in a constant stream of updates, news and information. Although smartphones are one of the main ways we stay in touch with the people and information we care about, conventional designs have failed to keep pace with how people are actually using them,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “A new, exciting approach to the smartphone is needed and with the new HTC One, we have re-imagined the mobile experience from the ground up to reflect this new reality.”

HTC BlinkFeed: A personal live stream right on the home screen
At the centre of the new HTC One experience is HTC BlinkFeed. HTC BlinkFeed is a bold new experience that transforms the home screen into a single live stream of personally relevant information such as social updates, entertainment and lifestyle updates, news and photos with immersive images so that people no longer need to go to separate applications to find out what’s happening. HTC BlinkFeed aggregates the freshest content from the most relevant and interesting sources, giving it to people at a glance, all in one place, without the need to jump between multiple applications and web sites.

To enable this new dynamic approach to the smartphone, HTC will provide both local and global content from more than 1,400 media sources with more than 10,000 articles per day from some of the most innovative media companies, such as the AOL family of media properties, ESPN, MTV, Vice Media, CoolHunting, Reuters and many others. For more information on HTC BlinkFeed’s content partners, visit the HTC Blog.

HTC UltraPixel Camera with HTC Zoe
The breakthrough HTC UltraPixel Camera redefines how people capture, relive and share their most precious moments. HTC Zoe gives people the ability to shoot high-res photos that come to life in three-second snippets. These Zoes, photos and videos are then displayed in a unique way that brings the gallery to life and transforms the traditional photo gallery of still images into a motion gallery of memories. It also automatically creates integrated highlight films from each event comprised of Zoes, photos and videos set to music with professionally designed cuts, transitions and effects. These highlight videos can be remixed or set to different themes, and can be easily shared on social networks, email and other services.

To enable this innovative camera experience, HTC developed a custom camera that includes a best-in-class f/2.0 aperture lens and a breakthrough sensor with UltraPixels that gather 300 percent more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors. This new approach also delivers astounding low-light performance and a variety of other improvements to photos and videos. In addition, the perfect self-portrait or video is just a tap away with an ultra-wide angle front-facing camera which supports 1080p video capture. Multi-axis optical image stabilisation for both the front and rear cameras also helps ensure video footage smoother whether stationary or on the move. HTC UltraPixel camera adds many other features and effects such as enhanced 360' panorama, time sequencing and object removal.

HTC BoomSound
The new HTC One offers the best audio experience of any mobile phone available today. HTC BoomSound introduces for the first time on a phone, front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier and an amazing full HD display that immerses people in music, videos, games and the YouTube™ clips they love. Beats™ Audio integration is enabled across the entire experience for rich, authentic sound whether you’re listening to your favorite music, watching a YouTube video or playing a game.

HDR recording uses advanced dual microphones and audio processing to capture clean, rich sound that is worthy of high-definition video footage. Phone calls sound great on HTC One thanks to the addition of HTC Sense Voice™, which boosts the call volume and quality in noisy environments so that conversations come through loud and clear.

HTC Sense TV™
HTC Sense TV transforms the new HTC One into an interactive program guide and remote control for most TVs, set-top boxes and receivers. Tapping the power of the cloud, Sense TV makes it simple and intuitive to see what’s on and find that favourite show.

Metal Unibody Design
Wrapped in a zero-gap aluminium unibody and sporting a brilliant 4.7”, Full HD (1080p) screen, the new HTC One features the latest Android Jelly Bean operating system and LTE network technology to offer blazingly-fast browsing in a package that combines premium design with breakthrough build quality.
Available in stunning silver and beautiful black, the sleek and crafted aluminium unibody sits comfortably in the hand and showcases HTC’s unique antenna technology, which helps people achieve a crystal clear signal. The display also resists scratches and reduces glare, whilst offering incredible 468ppi resolution and rich, natural colours.

Global Availability
The new HTC One will be available globally through more than 185 mobile operators and major retailers in more than 80 regions and countries beginning in March. For more information and to pre-register for the new HTC One, visit www.htc.com.

Europe, Middle East and Africa: 1&1 Germany, A1 Telekom Austria, AB Poland, Allo Ukraine, AMC (Cosmote) Albania, Avea Turkey, Beeline Kazakhstan, Belcompany Netherlands, BH Telecom Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bite Latvia, Bite Lithuania, Bouygues Telecom France, Carphone Warehouse UK, Cell C RSA, Citrus Ukraine, Cosmote Greece, Cosmote Romania & Global Bulgaria, Cyta, DT Mobile(TS) Latvia, Du UAE, Dustin Sweden, Eagle Mobile Albania, EE UK, Elisa Estonia, Elisa Finland, El-Giganten Denmark, El-Giganten Sweden, Elkjöb Norway, EMT (TS) Estonia, E-Plus Germany, ERC Ukraine, Euroset Russia, Gigantii Finland, Go Malta, H3G Austria, H3G Denmark, H3G Italy, H3G Sweden, H3G UK, HT Eronet Bosnia & Herzegovina, K-Cell Kazakhstan, KPN Belgium, KPN Netherlands, Life Belarus, LuxGSM Luxembourg, Megafon Russia, Melita Malta, Meteor Ireland, Mobilezone Switzerland, Mobilochka Ukraine, Mobily KSA, MSH Belgium, MSH Germany, M-Tel Montenegro, M-Tel Bosnia & Herzegovina, MTI Ukraine, MTN Cyprus, MTS Belarus, MTS Russia, Netcom Norway,
(Telefónica) O2 Czech, (Telefónica) O2 Germany, (Telefónica) O2 Ireland, (Telefónica) O2 UK, Omnitel Lithuania, One Macedonia, Optimus Portugal, Orange France, Orange Maldova, Orange Poland, Orange Romania, Orange Slovakia, Orange Spain, Orange Switzerland, Partner Communications Israel, PhoneHouse France, PhoneHouse Germany, PhoneHouse Netherlands, PhoneHouse Sweden, Phones4U UK, Play Poland, Plus Communication Albania, Polkomtel Poland, Proximus Belgium, SFR France, SiMobil Slovenia, STC KSA, Sunrise Switzerland, Svyaznoy Russia, Swisscom Switzerland, TDC Denmark, Tele2 Croatia, Tele 2 Estonia, Tele2 Latvia, Tele2 Lithuania, Tele2 Russia, Telia Denmark, Telia Sweden, Telekom Slovenija, Telenet Belgium, Telenor Denmark, Telenor Norway, Telenor Sweden, Telenor Hungary, Telenor Serbia, Telkom Serbia, TIM Italy, TMN Portugal, T-Mobile Austria, T-Mobile Croatia, T-Mobile Czech Republic, T-Mobile Germany, T-Mobile Hungary, T-Mobile Macedonia, T-Mobile Montenegro, T-Mobile Netherlands, T-Mobile Poland, T-Mobile Slovakia, Turkcell Turkey, Tus Mobil Slovenia, Velcom (TAG) Belarus, VIP Operator Macedonia, VIP Mobile Serbia, Vipnet Croatia, Vivacom Bulgaria, Vodacom RSA, Vodafone Albania, Vodafone Czech Republic, Vodafone Egypt, Vodafone Germany, Vodafone Greece, Vodafone Hungary, Vodafone Ireland, Vodafone Italy, Vodafone Malta, Vodafone Netherlands, Vodafone Portugal, Vodafone Romania, Vodafone Spain, Vodafone Turkey, Vodafone UK, Wind Greece, Wind Italy, Yoigo Spain, Yug Contract Ukraine, Zain KSA.

Asia-Pacific: China Mobile Hong Kong Company Ltd., ChungHwa Telecom, 3HK, CSL, Fareastone, M1, Mobifone, Optus, PCCW mobile, Reliance Communications, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., SmarTone, StarHub, Taiwan Mobile, Telecom New Zealand, Telstra, Vodafone Australia, Vodafone New Zealand.

China: China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom

North America: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cincinnati Bell and Best Buy in the United States and in Canada with Rogers Communications, Bell Mobility, TELUS and Virgin Mobile Canada.

Latin America: Claro Argentina (América Movil), Telecom Personal Argentina, Entel Chile, Iusacell México, Telcel México (América Movil), Claro Perú (América Movil), Claro Puerto Rico (América Movil), Movistar Venezuela (Telefonica)

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HTC Butterfly goes on sale January 21 for P32,190

Are you looking to buy the HTC Butterfly? Well, you may now be able to do so as it will be flying to the shelves as soon as this Monday. We have learned that HTC Philippines will be releasing the 1080p smartphone here in the country this coming Monday, January 21.

The HTC Butterfly is their first 1080p smartphone to officially reach the Philippine shores. It packs a 5-inch 1920x1080 Super LCD 3 screen, 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 8 Megapixels camera, 16GB of storage, 2,020mAh battery, and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The HTC Butterfly is the international variant of the Droid DNA that is exclusively available on Verizon in the US.

HTC Butterfly X920D Specifications and Features
5-inch Super LCD 3 display with 1920x1080 full HD resolution
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2
8 Megapixels autofocus camera with LED flash, and BSI sensor
F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens
2.1 megapixel front camera
16GB internal memory, expandable up to 32GB using microSD card
2 GB RAM
1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 Pro quad-core CPU
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
3G/HSPA+ (850, 2100 MHz)
Beats Audio™
2,020mAh battery capacity
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS

The HTC Butterfly will retail for P32,190 at HTC Concept Stores in the country.

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