Tag Archives: HTC

DreamFly : How To Get This VR Game For FREE!

DreamFly – a VR flight simulator game – is FREE for a limited time!

Find out how to get DreamFly for FREE, and make sure you tell your friends!

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DreamFly

DreamFly is a game that simulates flights in your dreams. Immerse into the atmosphere of traveling through the world of dreams. But before you start your adventure, you will need to, well, learn how to fly.

At first, it will seem to be impossible to take off. But don’t worry! After some practice you will fly with almost no effort, enjoy the process, and, maybe, even master some aerobatics!

Playing this game requires physical activity. So you can treat it as fitness!

The game basically has no explicit controls. You have a pair of wings attached to your hands (motion controllers). The rest depend on you movements and physics (especially aerodynamics).

If you want to take off try flapping your wings (have you noticed how the birds do it 🤔?). If you want to change direction, think how to position your wings, so the airflow turns you into desired direction.

Hint: after reaching a certain speed, you can simply glide with no effort!
Hint: a quick way to gain speed is to fly up, and then dive, until you reach the desired speed.

Note: DreamFly requires VR head mounted display and motion controllers. It supports Oculus Rift + Touch and HTC Vive. Other VR platforms have not been tested.

This game is in early access. It includes one level with sandbox gameplay.

WARNING!

For the new players, It is advisable to have someone to insure against falling during the game. Otherwise, if there is a risk of falling, it is better to play sitting.

If you begin to feel motion sickness, it is recommended to interrupt the gaming session. It is advisable to begin the game with the short sessions.

Controls: X – exit. Y – screenshot.

 

DreamFly : How To Get It For Free!

Follow these steps to get DreamFly for FREE :

  1. Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
  2. Click on this link – this is an important step.
  3. When asked if you want to allow this page to open Steam, select Allow.

That’s it! You now have DreamFly in your Steam account!

Note : Please let us know if this stops working! Thank you!

 

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Interkosmos – Get This VR Game FREE For A Limited Time!

Interkosmos – an arcady astronaut VR adventure game – is FREE for a limited time!

Add it to your Steam account now, and SHARE this news with your friends!

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Interkosmos

Enter Zvezda, a fully interactive re-entry capsule heavily inspired by 1970’s space technology where every switch, gauge, and mechanical bit could be relevant to your survival.

Guide your capsule to a safe landing with assistance from NASA and Roscosmos, and pray nothing unexpected happens to your highly experimental Soviet spacecraft – now the centerpiece of a Cold War conflict rapidly escalating towards catastrophy.

Ultimately it’s you who must adapt on the fly, execute the right sequences and procedures, manage your power and life support systems, stay on course, and land in one piece; or discover all the interesting ways to die during re-entry.

Good luck pilot!

  • Accessible, fun & challenging gameplay. Interkosmos is unlike any other VR game to date.
  • A fully interactive and sort-of-realistic-looking space capsule that reacts to your every interaction. It’s time to become the astronaut you always wanted to be!
  • A heavy emphasis on story and humor.
  • A unique aesthetic inspired by 1970s space technology and the Cold War theme.
  • Replayability; Each successful playthrough offers about 30 minutes of gameplay, but how many ways can you find to die during re-entry?
  • A branching storyline; the fate of the world is in your hands!
  • Great sound effects, super satisfyingly clicky buttons, professional voice acting, & binaural sound design.
  • Interkosmos is made with Unreal Engine 4.

 

Interkosmos : How To Get It FREE!

Follow these steps to get Interkosmos for FREE, but make sure you do this before 25 May at 3:00 PM :

  1. Log into your existing Steam account, or create a new account.
  2. Go to the Interkosmos page.
  3. Click on the Add to Account button to add it to your Steam account.
    You can choose to install it now, or postpone the installation.

That’s it! Interkosmos has now been added to your Steam account!

 

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HTC VIVE Cosmos – How To Get Your VR Fix This October!

The HTC VIVE Cosmos is coming soon, offering improved performance and a modular faceplate design that accepts mods for expanded capabilities.

Find out how to get your HTC VIVE Cosmos with some great FREEBIES this October!

 

The HTC VIVE Cosmos

HTC promises that the VIVE Cosmos (US | UK | MY) will offer a premium VR experience, with a number of upgrades and improvements.

  • A new VIVE tracking system with a simplified setup, and six camera sensors for wide and accurate inside-out tracking,
  • Increased display resolution of 1440 x 1700 pixels per eye,
  • New RGB LCD panels that minimise the screen-door effect
  • A flip-up design that lets you switch between reality and VR in seconds
  • A modular faceplate design that lets you expand its capabilities with mods
  • Integrated on-ear headphones for immersive audio
  • Optional Vive Wireless Adapter for those who don’t like being tethered
Specifications HTC VIVE Cosmos
Display Dual 3.4-inch Displays
– 1440 x 1700 pixels per eye
– 90 Hz refresh rate
– 110 degrees field of view
Audio Stereo on-ear headphones
Integrated microphones
Headset Sensors G-Sensor
Gyroscope
IPD Sensor
Controller Sensors G-Sensor
Gyroscope
Hall Sensor
Touch Sensor
Ergonomics Flip-Up Visor
Adjustable IPD
Adjustable Headstrap
Connections USB 3.0 Type C
DisplayPort 1.2
Modular Connections Proprietary
Space Requirements Standing / Seated : None
Room Scale : 2 m x 1.5 m minimum

 

HTC VIVE Cosmos External Tracking Mod

HTC also announced the first mod to support its modular faceplate – the VIVE Cosmos External Tracking Mod.

This mod lets existing VIVE users reuse their Lighthouse base stations for tracking, but using the new VIVE Cosmos instead.

It will support other VIVE peripherals like the VIVE Tracker, and will be available in Q1 2020.

 

FREE HTC VIVE Cosmos Content

HTC is bundling the VIVE Cosmos (US | UK | MY) with a 12-month VIVEport Infinity subscription, if you pre-order it before 2 October 2019.

This gives you unlimited access to hundreds of VR apps, games and videos like A Fisherman’s Tale, Fujii and Ninja Legends.

HTC also announced the introduction of new titles like Doctor Who: The Edge of Time by Maze Theory, Playstack, and BBC; Eleven Eleven by Syfy; Battlewake by Survios; Gloomy Eyes by Atlas V and 3dar; and Swords of Gargantua by Yomuneco and Gumi; and MLB Home Run Derby by MLB.

 

HTC VIVE Cosmos Price + Availability

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The HTC VIVE Cosmos is available for pre-order RIGHT NOW at these places :

Every pre-order will come with a FREE 12-month VIVEport Infinity subscription, as well as a FREE copy of the game AEON.

Retail sale of the HTC VIVE Cosmos will start on 3 October 2019 in the United States, and 4 October 2019 in Asia.

 

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The HTC U12+ Smartphone with Edge Sense 2 Revealed!

On 23 May, 2018, HTC unveiled the HTC U12+ smartphone, which boasts a 6” widescreen display with 18:9 aspect ratio, and Edge Sense 2 for intuitive one-handed interactions. Let’s look at the key features of the new HTC U12+!

 

HTC U12+ Smartphone with Edge Sense 2

HTC calls the HTC U12+ their biggest and boldest flagship smartphone ever. Let’s take a look at its key features, and see if it lives up to that claim!

Edge Sense 2

The new Edge Sense 2 knows which hand you are using, giving you one-handed freedom to double tap to navigate the device, hold to lock the screen orientation, or squeeze the sides for taking photos and videos, zooming in on maps, and virtually any interaction.

Dual Camera On Both Sides

The HTC U12+ features two cameras on the front and back, with a slew of features to help you deliver beautiful photos with DSLR-like bokeh.

UltraSpeed Autofocus 2 uses full sensor phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and new laser autofocus to ensure you never miss your shot, while HDR Boost 2 lets you take photos in any lighting condition.

The main camera’s 2X optical zoom and 10X digital zoom for photos means you are always ready for a close-up, while video with Sonic Zoom lets you “zoom in” on a sound or voice so you are truly the director of the scene.

And with one-touch auto zoom, it’s almost like you have Hollywood in your pocket. It’s so good, the U12+ received a DxOMark score of 103 – the highest rated camera in the industry for a dual camera smartphone.

High-Fidelity Audio

The HTC U12+ features louder BoomSound speakers and USonic earbuds featuring Active Noise Cancellation to keep out unwanted distractions. It also supports Qualcomm aptX HD for high resolution 24-bit Bluetooth audio.

Liquid Surface Design

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The HTC U12+ features thin screen borders and new pressure-sensitive buttons encased in vibrant colours. The Translucent Blue colour lets you admire its beauty both inside and out, while Ceramic Black offers a sophisticated look and Flame Red offers colour-shifting hues.

Flagship Power + Performance

The HTC U12+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform, with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and up to 128 GB of storage. The U12+ is also VR-ready for the Vive Focus (coming soon) with phone call and notification sync, plus mirror mode to turn your smartphone into your own personal VR theater.

 

HTC U12+ Specifications

SpecificationsHTC U12+
Display6" Super LCD 6 display
- 1440 x 2880 pixels (537 ppi, 18:9 aspect ratio)
- Corning Gorilla Glass protection
Operating SystemAndroid Oren 8.0 with HTC Sense
System PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 845
Processor4 x Kyro 385 cores (2.8 GHz)
4 x Kyro 385 cores (1.8 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorQualcomm Adreno 630
Memory6 GB LPDDR4x memory (1866 MHz)
Storage64 GB / 128 GB internal flash storage (UFS 2.1)
microSD card slot (up to 2 TB)
Front CameraDual 8 MP cameras with f/2.0 lens
- 1080p video recording
Rear CameraDual Camera System
- 12 MP wide-angle camera with f/1.75 lens
- 16 MP telephoto camera with f/2.6 lens
- optical image stabilisation (OIS) with electronic image stabilisation (EIS)
- 4K @ 60 fps video recording
Network2G : GSM / GPRS / EDGE
3G : HSDPA 42, HSUPA 5.76
4G : LTE Cat18 (1.2 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL)
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
SIM CapabilityDual SIM, Dual LTE
GPS SupportGPS, AGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou
NFC SupportYes
Fingerprint SensorYes, Rear Mounted
Edge SensorYes
Other SensorsAmbient Light, Proximity, Motion, Compass, Gyro, Magnetic, Sensor Hub
Dust & Water ResistanceIP68
Audio SupportHTC USonic with Active Noise Cancellation
HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition
Hi-Res Audio Certified
Qualcomm aptX HD
Battery3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery
- fast charging support
Dimensions73.9 mm wide
156.6 mm tall
9.7 mm thick
Weight188 g
Available ColoursTranslucent Blue / Ceramic Black / Flame Red

 

HTC U12+ Price + Availability

The U12+ will be available in Translucent Blue from end of June onwards in Malaysia. Those in the US can purchase the U12+ with immediate effect at these links.

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The HTC U11 Features, Price & Availability

2 June 2017 – Inspired by the power of touch and the Brilliant U, HTC Malaysia unveiled locally the HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada), the world’s first smartphone with revolutionary new squeeze interaction.

 

The HTC U11 Smartphone

Made for “U” with design, materials and experiences that reflect your inner drive, passion, creativity and individuality, HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) offers the most advanced features ever in a smartphone, including:

  • HTC Edge Sense, the next dimension in touch interaction with your smartphone.
  • Liquid Surface, a stunning, unique design that reflects you.
  • HTC USonic, our most advanced headset ever built for personal audio, now including Active Noise Cancellation
  • Amazing cameras with the highest independent rating ever awarded to a smartphone camera.
  • HTC Sense Companion, Google Assistant, for a smarter, more helpful smartphone.

 

U touch

  • Few things are as natural and intuitive as the sense of touch. HTC Edge Sense transforms this fundamental sense into a completely new and revolutionary interaction with your smartphone. With a simple squeeze, HTC Edge Sense lets you easily engage with your smartphone in an unprecedented yet intuitive way, helping you more naturally enjoy the things you love like taking photos, opening Facebook, or launching any of your favorite apps.
  • For example, with HTC Edge Sense, launching your camera has never been easier. No more fumbling for buttons or awkward hand positions. No more worrying about dropping your smartphone while you pose. Just lift, squeeze, smile and snap.
  • You can also send texts faster and easier than before. Texting can be impossible when you are on the move, but using HTC Edge Sense for Voice to Text, you can speak your text messages without having to slow down. Lightly squeeze, speak your message and send your texts on the go.
  • You can even customize the squeeze gesture: open email with just a squeeze. Or launch your favorite game (or any other app). Or pick any one of a host of options. Want even more touch control? HTC Edge Sense gives you the ability to activate advanced touch and use a “short squeeze” as well as a “squeeze and hold” for even more functionality at your fingertips.
  • And because HTC Edge Sense is based on actual pressure applied to the side of the device, it can be used in nearly any condition – including while wearing gloves or in weather such as snow or rain that would normally be a challenge with capacitive buttons.

 

Reflects U

  • HTC U11’s liquid glass surface is crafted to impress using Optical Spectrum Hybrid Deposition. By layering highly-refractive precious minerals across the smartphone’s back cover, we’ve created vivid new colors that transforms light with every movement you make.[adrotate group=”4″]
  • The new seamless, curved look of HTC U11 is achieved with 3D glass on both front and back. Heating and then bending the glass using extreme pressure results in unique, 3-axis symmetry for a smartphone that is slim no matter which way you hold it.
  • HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) has a 5.5” Quad HD 3D glass screen designed for vivid, crisp images and text in any light – even direct sunlight. With our best display and true-to-life color reproduction, we provide you a purer full-framed viewing experience. Our display avoids the cropped pictures or distorted colors at the edge that are the results you can expect from a curved screen.
  • Plus, HTC U11 is water-resistant, so no need to worry about splashes, spills, or dunks.

 Next Page > More HTC U11 Features, Price & Availability

 

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Tuned to U

  • HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) introduces the latest version of HTC USonic, which now combines Active Noise Cancellation with the ability to tune audio to your unique hearing. By leveraging built-in microphones on the headset and USB-C data connectivity, USonic earbuds map your inner ear with an advanced sonar-like technology and then adapt the sound profile to your unique biology. This creates an incredibly personal and optimized listening experience with vibrant audio shaped specifically for you.
  • USonic now incorporates Active Noise Cancellation, which reduces disruptions and distractions around you, so you can stay focused on your music. Active Noise Cancellation continuously monitors environmental sound levels and quickly adjusts to any new noises or disturbances. You’re free to stay focused on your music, videos, or games.
  • HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers got an upgrade, too. We have improved the speaker design to deliver more loudness and better Dynamic Range Audio. On top, the tweeter now offers an acoustic chamber that allows the highs and mids to sound richer. While below, the woofer sports a new speaker and improved magnetic circuit design for louder, clearer and deeper bass tones. You really have to hear it to believe the power of BoomSound.
  • We did not forget to upgrade the microphones, either, using four optimally positioned omni-directional microphones together with our new Acoustic Focus technology, HTC brings you our best 3D audio recording quality yet. HTC U11’s microphones work together to record audio from all directions and when shooting video with Acoustic Focus, you can visually zoom in to target your subject and amplify their specific sounds.
  • Out of the box, we will also ship an HTC USB-C to 3.5mm adapter with a built-in DAC that offers great audio performance and wide compatibility with all other devices and earphones.

 

 

Pictures that move U

  • HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) has achieved the highest ever rating for a smartphone camera for both photo and video by independent metric DxOMark. Our multi-axis optical stabilization system and super-fast autofocus in all lighting conditions make the camera quick, your pictures sharp, and videos smooth. We improved our camera and video for a more dynamic exposure range with HDR Boost without the lag, new white balance enhancement, a major reduction in noise and excellent detail preservation.
  • HTC U11 introduces Auto HDR Boost to give you all the benefits of HDR without the lag. HDR Boost offers clearer, more balanced pictures by taking multiple shots that measure the darkest shadows and brightest highlights without any slowdown. HTC U11 enhances textures and colors, increases visible detail and brings out the best in every shot. When shooting video, Temporal Noise Reduction automatically uses information from the previous and next frames to remove unwanted noise and deliver the clearest video.
  • Great news for serious photographers: HTC U11 incorporates the new UltraSpeed AutoFocus with same full sensor auto-focus technology that’s found in top DSLR cameras, so you can enjoy significantly faster focus speeds, with snappy and delightful performance. In addition, HTC U11’s exceptional optical and electronic stabilization system will keep your photos and video steady and crisp even when your hand is shaking.
  • The new front camera now combines high-resolution 16MP detail and our UltraPixel light sensitivity for brilliant selfies day or night. It also utilizes the same powerful HDR Boost and noise reduction as the main camera.

 

The smarter digital companion for U

  • Three brains are better than one, so inside HTC U11 you can find three intelligent companions devoted to you: HTC Sense Companion and Google Assistant.
  • We have made HTC Sense Companion smarter than ever: it will get to know you and your daily patterns over time in order to offer you more convenience every day. For example, HTC Sense Companion is smart enough to notice if you have any late appointments that day and will remind you to recharge while you have time or bring a power bank. It will make sure your smartphone is running at its optimum speed by suggesting to clear junk files and unused apps for more free space. It will let you know if you need to dress for inclement weather conditions, track your fitness progress relative to your goals, recommend great nearby restaurants at mealtime, and much more.
  • HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) runs the latest version of Android, so it also includes Google Assistant, the helpful personal assistant powered by Google se arch and services for finding directions, getting answers, managing your tasks, planning your day and entertainment.

 

Powerful U

  • HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) is the first smartphone to be commercially released worldwide that is exclusively powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform. So no matter what region of the world you live in, you get an octa-core processor with breakthrough speeds, jaw-dropping graphics, impressively smooth performance and outstanding battery life. Every HTC U11 also includes UFS 2.1 for the fastest processor paired with the fastest memory performance. Experience Gigabit Class LTE (up to 1Gbps) with the integrated Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, which is designed to deliver fiber optic speeds on the go for lightning-fast music and video downloads and to get almost instant access to the web, social media sites or your content in the cloud. You get 25% faster graphics than the HTC 10, with 35% or 3 hours more video playback, 30% or 8 hours more music playback and 43% or 3.5 hours longer web browsing time via a LTE network.
  • A blazing fast processor with amazing camera and incredible HTC USonic sound means you’ll want a lot of storage for apps, games, photos, music and entertainment: The HTC U11 is available in the 6GB RAM/128GB variant.
  • HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) also offers a fingerprint reader for enhanced privacy and security. Requiring just a few minutes to set up, the fingerprint reader will unlock your smartphone with the press of your finger – making it faster and easier to jot the note, capture the photo, or do anything you want with your smartphone on a moment’s notice.

 

The HTC U11 Price & Availability

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The HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) is priced at RM3,099.00 (inclusive of 6% GST) / ~US$ 729, and is currently available in Amazing Silver, Sapphire Blue and Brilliant Black. The HTC U11 will be available for purchase from late June 2017 at all authorized HTC retailers.

In conjunction with the launch of HTC U11, Maxis will be the first telco partner to offer exclusive smartphone plans starting late June.

Additionally, the HTC U11 (Amazon | Lazada) will be available for pre-order on Lazada Malaysia, 11Street Malaysia and HTC Malaysia’s Facebook page this month. Early buyers who pre-order the HTC U11 through Lazada Malaysia, 11Street Malaysia, Maxis and HTC Malaysia’s Facebook page will be eligible to receive exclusive U11timate box sets which include limited edition HTC merchandises, while stocks last.

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The HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition Is Now Available!

5th May 2017 – HTC Malaysia is launching in the Malaysian market the special edition variant of the recently launched HTC U Ultra: the HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition 128GB.

With all of the innovative and personalized features making a return in the new edition, the HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition comes packed with a durable yet stunning sapphire glass screen alongside a conveniently large 128 GB of internal storage, making this the definitive HTC U smartphone that is built for the Brilliant U.

 

The HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition

Built to be personalised to the needs of the individual, the HTC U series of smartphones embodies its slogan “It’s all about U”, which puts the user first and is truly built for the Brilliant U.

The HTC U Ultra Sapphire Edition 128GB comes complete with features such as the beautiful liquid surface design, the revolutionary HTC Sense Companion, a 12MP UltraPixel 2.0 camera and the unique Dual Display which reflects, learns, puts U on top, listens, captures the very best of U, and is set to take personalisation to another level.

 

Sapphire Screen That Is Built to Last

Known to be twice as hard as standard glass and nearly as hard as diamond, the 5.7” sapphire glass screen found exclusively on the front of the HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition 128GB is engineered to not only provide a polished finish to the smartphone but also protects it from nearly all scratches, ensuring that the smartphone’s lustrous shine will last for longer.

The sapphire glass screen is also durable and resistant to pressure to give customers the peace of mind even when they are constantly on-the-go.

 

Store Anything Without Worry

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More is better with the HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition 128GB as the smartphone also comes with double the amount of storage found in the HTC U Ultra with a capacious 128 GB of internal storage.

So, whether it’s going for a long vacation with lots of photo-taking or even downloading the latest games and apps, customers can rest assured that their smartphone companion will be ready to store whatever is needed without needing to manage their storage.

 

The HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Price & Availability

The HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition 128GB is now officially available for sale at all official HTC retail stores in Malaysia as well as selected online stores, and comes in the iconic Sapphire Blue colour for the attractive price of RM 2,999.00 / ~US$ 669.

 

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HTC U Ultra And HTC U Play Launched

16th February 2017 – In the pursuit of brilliance, leading innovator in mobile technology, HTC, today launched the all-new HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play in the Malaysian market; combining an all new design with futuristic technology in a smart device which embraces individuality and diversity.

Built to be personalised to the needs of the individual, the HTC U series of smartphones embodies its slogan “It’s all about U”, which puts the user first and is truly built for the Brilliant U. The HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play come complete with features which reflects, learns, puts U on top, listens, captures the very best of U and is set to take personalisation to another level.

A Reflection of U

The HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play introduce a new, beautiful 3D contoured liquid surface design that’s designed to reflect the best U. The curved glass construction reflects light beautifully in a unique way, ensuring that it creates a distinct look under any lighting. Colours from vapoured minerals are also layered in to add depth and brilliance, creating an additional shimmer resembling the surface of water. The back of the device is also polished with the glass screen to create seamless and smooth edges, allowing it to nestle perfectly into any hand.

Learning from U

The HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play truly capture the spirit of individuality with the introduction of HTC’s revolutionary system called HTC Sense Companion, a personal AI companion that is always learning from you through the power of machine learning. It has the ability to provide smart suggestions based on a user’s lifestyle and external information, redefining what it means to own a “smart” phone. It can recommend what you should wear for the day based on the weather or remind you to charge your device at optimal times to help you last the day and even recommend the perfect restaurant. Best of all, the HTC Sense Companion is made to evolve with more interactions and will eventually come to know you just as a friend would.

Responds to U

Using its voice recognition system, the HTC U series is able to listen to your every command and allows the user to interact in the most natural way using their voice.

Just say the word and you can unlock your smart device, take or reject incoming calls, snooze or dismiss an alarm, send messages and even begin hands-free navigation.

Putting U on Top

Get updated, not interrupted. The HTC U Ultra features an exclusive always-on second screen at the top of the device, ready to give you the latest updates right at your fingertips. The large 5.7” phablet-sized screen on this device is great for regular day to day activity; while the new second screen is perfect for fast, convenient access to the things you use the most – like your top contacts, app shortcuts, event notifications and more, because what’s important to you should always be right on top.

Listening to U

Every person’s inner ear is uniquely different like a fingerprint and experiences sound differently. HTC’s all-new HTC USonic earphones adapt to your hearing pattern by analysing your inner ears with a sonic pulse to optimise the headset for you, giving your music the perfect clarity and impact. Similar to having a sound engineer in your device; now with the HTC USonic, you can hear the finer details you were missing before in your favourite tunes.

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Capturing the Best of U

Being built for U also means putting you in the best light. With both devices, you can take brilliant selfies anytime anywhere by easily switching your front camera between the unparalleled UltraPixelTM mode with 4X light sensitivity for perfect night shots and the 16MP camera mode for greater detail. As for the main camera, the HTC U Ultra’s 12MP UltraPixel and HTC U Play’s 16MP rear camera with super-fast laser focus enable you to capture every moment with greater precision and accuracy, not missing a single moment.

Availability of HTC U Ultra & HTC U Play

Both the HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play will come in a range of stunning color combinations. The HTC U Ultra comes in Brilliant Black, Cosmetic Pink, and Sapphire Blue while the HTC U Play comes in Black Oil and Iceberg White. The HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play will officially be available at all official retail outlets and partnered online stores from early March onwards for the price of RM2,999 and RM1,899 respectively.

 

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HTC Desire 10 pro Arrives In Malaysia!

Kuala Lumpur, 21 December 2016HTC Corporation is proud to announce the arrival of the latest HTC Desire 10 pro in Malaysia this holiday season. This latest addition brings stunning design and flagship-level features to HTC’s widely praised Desire family of smartphones.

The Desire 10 pro delivers amazing high-resolution cameras on both front and back, including a brand new Selfie Panorama mode that captures extreme wide-angle pictures, and top-of-the-line features such as an ultra-fast fingerprint sensor.

Inspired by the Art Deco movement in art and design, the HTC Desire 10 captures the spirit of luxury and modernism: bold, precise, geometric metallic lines – influenced by the same contours as the world-renowned HTC 10 – framed by elegant colors and sophisticated materials in a smartphone that inspires with alluring looks on the outside and powerful technology on the inside. Just as Art Deco evolved the art world’s expectations of elegance and sophistication, the HTC Desire 10 evolves what you can expect from an HTC Desire.

Bold and iconic new metallic contours

The HTC Desire 10 pro features an all-new stunning look, made to shine with a high-contrast metallic gold contour design that elegantly outlines and defines the smartphone’s soft warm matte finish. This bold, polished outline distinctively wraps the edges of the device, encasing the HTC Desire 10 pro’s 5.5” Full HD (1080p) display, and contrasting with the eye-catching body in one of four distinct color themes: Stone Black, Polar White, Royal Blue and Valentine Lux.

Sitting on the back of the Desire 10 pro is an ultra-fast fingerprint sensor that brings convenience to your fingertips: the fingerprint sensor helps secure your device, but quickly unlocks at just the touch of your finger. The sensor recognizes your fingerprint from almost every angle and position, and even lets you take selfies with it – simply put your finger on the fingerprint sensor to quickly capture a selfie or start recording a selfie video.

Amazing imaging experience

The HTC Desire 10 pro promises one of the best camera experiences around by delivering features normally reserved for flagship phones. Starting with a 20MP main camera, the Desire 10 pro provides extraordinary detail in every shot. Pro-like features are included, with DSLR-like control over your photos and handy preset options such as sport mode and night mode that let you quickly re-adjust the camera settings on the go.

Advanced functions such as intelligent Electronic Image Stabilization provide smooth videos even with shaky hands, and Auto HDR on both the front and rear camera combines multiple images into a single, clear photo that looks amazing even when taken in low light or shadows. And finally to keep with life’s quickest moments, the laser autofocus makes taking clear, focused pictures a breeze and you never miss your shot.

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See your selfies in new ways

Desire 10 pro has been designed to give you the best possible selfie experience. Snap your best selfies with the 13MP selfie camera, and if you need to capture even more in one single view, Desire 10 pro features a brand new Selfie Panorama mode. With Selfie Panorama, you’ll capture more scenery and more friends and family in single big, beautiful, printable photo. HTC Desire 10 pro’s super-wide, 150° Selfie Panorama mode is enough to fit a whole football team with room to spare. A built-in screen flash is also available, which can automatically help you take brighter selfies in challenging light conditions day or night, indoors or outside.

As unique as you

The HTC Desire 10 pro also shares the same unparalleled personalization as seen in the HTC 10. Built upon the latest version of HTC Sense, both HTC Desire 10 models are fully customizable to your unique personality. HTC Freestyle Layout frees you from an onscreen grid and lets you get creative. Drag icons, stickers and widgets anywhere. Layer them, overlap them, group them and more. You can even link stickers to apps, and get rid of onscreen icons entirely. The home screen is yours – use it your way.

Express yourself further with HTC Themes, giving you access to thousands of professional looking themes, each with its own icons, background, sounds and more. From pets, wildlife and architecture to sports, travel, and so much more, HTC Themes lets your HTC Desire 10 pro represent your personality and interests so it’s truly one-of-a-kind – just like you.

Performance matters

The HTC Desire 10 pro gives you more space for the things that are important with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space so you can load up on photos, videos, movies, games and more. And if that’s still not enough, the HTC Desire 10 pro also offers SD card support for up to 2TB of expandable memory.

Powering all these photos, games, and more is a blazing octa-core processor in the HTC Desire 10 pro, keeping everything running smoothly. Even at these speeds, battery is never an issue either, with a 3,000mAh battery to keep you snapping photos, surfing the web, and having many hours of fun between charges.

 

HTC Desire 10 Pro Pricing & Availability

The HTC Desire 10 Pro will be available beginning on 26 December 2016 in Malaysia, priced at RM 1,699 / ~US$ 379.

 

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The HTC One A9s Arrives In Malaysia!

21 December 2016HTC Corporation just launched the latest smartphone in the award-winning HTC One family, the HTC One A9s to the Malaysian market. Drawing on HTC’s iconic design pedigree and world-renowned technological innovation, the One A9s is created to inspire a new generation of phones that offers impeccable precision craftsmanship and quality at remarkably affordable value.

The HTC One family has won numerous industry awards for its iconic designs and incredible features, and the HTC One A9s continues in this tradition. The HTC One A9s is encased in a nature-inspired, dual-finish metal body that perfectly glistens with light from its frame. Its polished edges comfortably fit a 5” screen in your hand, and its diamond-like cut buttons and power button grooves demonstrate attention to every detail.

More than just beautiful, it’s also durable, crafted to withstand hundreds of drop and scratch tests in addition to hundreds of hours of extreme weather testing for long-lasting reliability.

Instant access at your fingertips

The HTC One A9s protects your valuable data but opens at a simple tap. An ultra-fast fingerprint sensor sits directly below the HD display, easily recognizing your fingerprint from almost every angle and position. Your fingerprint can also be the key to easily unlock protected apps locked with HTC Boost+, a powerful suite of tools to maximize your smartphone’s security, privacy, and performance.

Giving you more control and freedom

HTC Boost+ keeps your phone in tip-top condition by dynamically allocating resources as needed, making switching between apps smoother while reducing the unnecessary power consumption of background apps. Boost+ also de-clutters your phone by clearing up temporary files and giving you reminders about apps you haven’t used in a while. It’s the single best way to keep your HTC One A9s running like new long after you purchase it.

You don’t just want our phone to run like new, however, you also want it to run like you. The HTC One A9s lets you personalize your phone as unique as you are. HTC Freestyle Layout frees you from an on-screen grid and lets you get creative. Drag icons, stickers and widgets anywhere. Layer them, overlap them, group them and more. You can even link stickers to apps, and get rid of on-screen icons entirely. The home screen is yours – use it your way.

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Capture memories that come to life

Few things on a smartphone are as important as the quality of its cameras – they will capture your memories, life’s joys, and special moments to share and keep forever. For this reason, the HTC One A9s features an outstanding 13MP main camera with autofocus for sharp, clear photos. You’ll capture low light details with its BSI Sensor and get enhanced editing control with RAW capture in Pro mode.

The 5MP front camera of the HTC One A9s makes brilliant selfies simple. Take hands-free selfies with Voice Selfie, or use Auto Selfie and take your own shots with just a smile. You can even smooth out your skin tone and beautify yourself before you shoot with Live Makeup.

A great camera is only as good as its ability to forever save, find, and share your memories, and the HTC One A9s offers unlimited free storage with Google Photos1. You won’t have to worry about running out of storage space on your phone since all your photos and videos are stored in the cloud for easy access. Plus, you can find any photo fast and easy with the Search function, and locate photos by face, location, objects and themes, or manually search for photos with keywords.

 

HTC One A9s Pricing & Availability

The HTC One A9s will be available beginning 26th December 2016 in Malaysia for the price of RM 1,159 / ~US$ 259.

 

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The HTC 10 Smartphone Review – Power Of 10 Revealed!

The HTC 10 is one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2016. With the tagline “Power of 10“, the HTC 10 was designed to be the best smartphone HTC ever made. A smartphone that is truly a perfect 10/10 in their eyes. Let’s find out how true that really is!

Let’s start by checking out the full specifications.

SpecificationsHTC 10
Display5.2" Super LCD 5 display
- 1440 x 2560 resolution (564 ppi)
- curved-edge Gorilla Glass 3 protection
Operating SystemAndroid 6 with HTC Sense
System PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 820
Processor4 x Qualcomm Kyro cores (2.2 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorQualcomm Adreno 530 GPU
Memory4 GB LPDDR4 memory
Storage32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot, supports card capacities up to 2 TB
Front Camera5 MP BSI sensor (1.34 µm pixel)
- f/1.8 aperture, 23 mm focal length
- Optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- 1080p video recording
Rear Camera12 MP HTC UltraPixel 2 sensor (1.55 µm pixel)
- f/1.8 aperture, 26 mm focal length
- Optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- Dual-tone LED flash
- 4K video recording with Hi-Res Audio
AudioHTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition with Dolby Audio 4
- Hi-Res Audio certified with Hi-Red Audio earphones
- Three microphones with noise cancellation
Network2G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G LTE : FDD Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 32; TDD Band 38, 40, 31
- Supports Cat 9 LTE : 450 / 50 Mbps
SIM CapabilitySingle nano SIM slot
Fingerprint SensorYes, integrated with Home button
Other SensorsAmbient light, proximity, motion, compass, gyro, magnetic
GPSGPS + GLONASS + Beidou (Europe & Asia)
ConnectivityWiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : Bluetooth 4.2
USB : USB 3.1 Type C
Earphone : 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
Others : NFC, DisplayPort, DLNA, Miracast, Google Cast, AirPlay, HTC Connect
Battery3,000 mAh lithium ion battery
- Talk time on 3G/4G : Up to 27 hours
- Standby time on 3G/4G : Up to 19 days
- Quick Charge 3.0 allows up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
Size71.9 mm wide
145.9 mm tall
3.0 to 9.0 mm thick
Weight161 grams
Available ColoursCarbon Grey / Topaz Gold

The HTC 10 comes in two colour options – Carbon Grey or Topaz Gold. Our review sample is the Carbon Grey version. Let’s check it out!

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Unboxing The HTC 10

The HTC 10 smartphone comes in a unique flat white box with rounded corners. It comes shrink-wrapped with a security sticker on one side. Let’s check out what’s inside!

Inside, you will find the following items :
  • One HTC 10 smartphone
  • One set of HTC Hi-Res Audio-certified earphones, with two sets of replacement earbuds
  • One 15 W HTC quick charger with one Type C USB cable
  • One set of nano SIM guide, warranty & user licence agreement, safety & regulatory guide
  • One set of four labels
  • One HTC SIM card slot extractor

Next Page > The HTC 10 Smartphone, Cameras, Fingerprint Sensor

 

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The HTC 10 Smartphone

The HTC 10 has a large 5.2″ Super LCD 5 display with a resolution of 1440 x 2560. The display is protected by a 2.5D curved-edge Gorilla Glass 3 cover. This is a peculiar choice since similar premium-grade smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge use the much tougher and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 4.

The full metal chassis is a beauty to behold. Its chamfered edges give it a really futuristic look that feels great in the hand. The matte finish looks great and is easy to maintain, since it’s highly resistant to fingerprint smudges. Take a look for yourself in this hands-on video :

Eschewing the dual SIM, dual standby trend, HTC chose to support only a single nano SIM card. You will find the nano SIM card slot on the right side, just above the Volume control and power button. The card slot on the left is for the microSD slot, that supports microSD cards of up to 2 TB in capacity.

Despite its slim profile, the HTC 10 is actually 9 mm at its thickest. That’s perfectly fine with us since it makes for better handling, and the placement of the earphone port at the top. It also allowed for the inclusion of a large 3,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery.

We are very glad to note that the HTC 10 supports the new Type C USB 3.1 connector. That is not only bidirectional, it allows for faster data transfers. We also like the HTC BoomSound HiFi Edition speakers used in the HTC 10, that uses a separate tweeter and woofer design.

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Cameras

The HTC 10 has a 5 MP front camera with f/1.8 lens. It uses a BSI sensor with large 1.34 µm pixels, and is capable of 1080p video recording. To top it off, it even supports optical image stabilisation (OIS)!

For more serious photography, the HTC 10 boasts a 12 MP HTC UltraPixel 2 camera with f/1.8 lens at the back. It uses a BSI sensor with even larger 1.55 µm pixels, supported by a dual-tone LED flash. It also supports optical image stabilisation (OIS), and is capable of 4K video recording with Hi-Res Audio.

We will take a look at its photographic and video recording capabilities later in the review!

 

Fingerprint Sensor

The HTC 10 smartphone comes with fingerprint sensor discreetly integrated into the Home button. It takes 16 presses to register a fingerprint, but once registered, it is very fast and accurate in detecting the fingerprint, irrespective of the aspect.

The HTC 10 fingerprint sensor also serves as a quick login method. Just touch it with a registered finger to instantly unlock the smartphone. This is unlike the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which requires you to press the Home or Power button before the fingerprint sensor is activated.

Next Page > Setting Up The HTC 10, It’s Alive!, Available Memory & Storage

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Setting Up The HTC 10 Smartphone

Amazingly, it took the HTC 10 almost 5 minutes to boot up for the first time. It took more than a minute to start-up and then it started optimising its pre-loaded apps for almost 4 minutes. Even at the end of the setup process, it took another 14 seconds to actually finish the process.

Overall, this is probably the longest setup process we have ever encountered in an Android device. In fact, it took longer to setup than the Wise Pad W7 Windows 10 phablet we reviewed recently. Overall, you will need about 15 minutes to setup the HTC 10 smartphone.

 

It’s Alive!

You will forget about the long setup time once it starts up. The Super LCD 5 display is super sharp and bright. It is not as vivid as the Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, but this is only apparent if you compare them side-by-side. The shadow effect at the top and bottom of the Home screen is partly to blame, making the display look less bright.

The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, with a 2.5D curved edge. Thanks to the oleophobic coating on its Gorilla Glass 3 cover, and the matte finish on the metal chassis, the HTC 10 is almost smudge-proof and is therefore very easy to maintain.

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Available Memory & Storage

The HTC 10 comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory. That may seem like overkill, but the Android 6.0.1 operating system and HTC pre-loaded apps take up about 1.3 GB of memory. This leaves you with about 2.4 GB of free memory to use.

The HTC 10 also comes with 32 GB of internal flash storage. This is expandable via a microSD card (up to 2 TB). Fresh out of the box, the HTC 10 has 23.11 GB of free space for you to use, excluding 8.89 GB used by the system files and apps.

Next Page > Camera Performance – Photos & Video Recording

 

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Camera Performance – Photos

The HTC 10‘s UltraPixel 2 camera has a fast f/1.8 lens, which allows it to take good photos in low-light conditions. The photos have a maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 in the 4:3 format. The photos are about 4 MB in size.

The HTC UltraPixel 2 camera produces photos with good detail resolution and low noise. You can see that detail resolution most noticeably in the texture of the grapefruits and winter melon. Its low noise capability is also very evident in the shadows and the picture of the signs that were taken in low-light.

The only problem we noted was the over-exposure of bright areas. You can see that in the pictures of the elevator and the apples. HTC needs to work on the control of the UltraPixel 2’s exposure.

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Camera Performance – Video Recording

The HTC 10 smartphone is capable of recording 4K UHD videos, as well as 1080p videos. Other than the resolution difference, the HTC 10 supports optical image stabilisation (OIS) and Hi-Res Audio recording in both modes. However, the HTC 10 does not support electronic image stabilisation (EIS).

To test and compare the image and audio quality of the 4K and 1080p videos recorded by the HTC 10 smartphone, we took two examples of two scenes – the street market, and Mr. Yang I-Deun’s piano performances. Check them out!

The HTC 10‘s image quality in both 1080p and 4K resolution was very good, and the image stabilisation was decent. We noted the same overexposure problem with bright areas, like the lit floor underneath Mr. Yang I-Deun’s piano.

What impressed us the most though was the richness of the Hi-Res Audio recording. It literally made the recorded videos much better than even those recorded by the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. If you purchase the HTC 10, you must definitely enable the Hi-Res Audio option when you record videos.

The only possible downside with the HTC 10‘s videos is that they packed it as a MKV (Matroska Multimedia Container) file. That is not a problem for most users, but it is a big problem for Mac users. You will need a third-party player like VLC player to play it… and a third-party video editor to edit it, because QuickTime Player and iMovie simply won’t read them.

Next Page > Work Performance, Battery Life & Recharging Performance

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Work Performance – PCMark

We tested the HTC 10‘s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.

HTC 10 Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro honor 5C Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
Work Performance Score
(Average)
6105 5785 5357 4892
Web Browsing 5782 5132 5643 6908
Video Playback 3321 4138 4487 3218
Writing 7463 6286 5944 4629
Photo Editing 9694 8388 5469 5563

The HTC 10 really hit the ball out of the park in work performance. It was the fastest smartphone in this comparison, beating the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro, and the honor 5C. It was especially good at the Writing and Photo Editing tests, but did rather poorly in Video Playback.

 

Battery Life – PCMark

We then tested the HTC 10’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.

Sadly, all that performance sucks up a lot of juice, and it shows. The HTC 10 packs a 3,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, but it barely lasts more than 5.5 hours. That is half the battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and honor 5C smartphones, and less than half that of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro, with its 5,000 mAh battery.

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Battery Recharging Performance

The good news is the HTC 10 features the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 capability, courtesy of its Snapdragon 820 SoC. When used with a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 compatible charger or power bank, it allows the HTC 10 to recharge up to 50% of its battery in just 30 minutes. We check that out with its 15 W quick charger.

Our test showed that the HTC 10 will recharge from 20% to 100% in just 81.5 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes and 34 seconds)! That is an amazing performance, especially since the battery temperature only peaked at 42°C.

Next Page > Overall & Gaming Performance, Our Verdict & Award

 

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Overall Performance

AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.

HTC 10 Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro honor 5C Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
TOTAL SCORE 113813 68184 53417 131246
3D SCORE 50700 18360 9842 40824
– 3D (Marooned) 34778 10739 5795 23336
– 3D (Garden) 15922 7621 4047 17488
UX SCORE 30890 23464 19297 42765
– UX Data Secure 6319 5356 5577 8169
– UX Data Process 3379 3235 2706 5966
– UX Strategy Games 5433 5601 4109 10745
– UX Image Process 9521 6240 3144 13878
– UX I/O Performance 6238 3022 3761 4007
CPU SCORE 21915 19872 19254 37882
– CPU Mathematics 8494 5953 4198 11831
– CPU Common Use 5931 4830 5947 10875
– CPU Multi-Core 7490 9089 9109 15176
RAM 10308 6488 5024 9775

The HTC 10 did well in AnTuTu, coming in only 13.3% slower than the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, and is roughly twice as fast as the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro and honor 5C smartphones.

It was particularly strong in the 3D test, particularly the Marooned test, in which it best the Galaxy S7 edge by 50%, and was 3X faster than the Galaxy A9 Pro, and an astounding 6X faster than the honor 5C.

 

Gaming Performance – 3DMark

We tested the HTC 10’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.

HTC 10 Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro honor 5C Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
Gaming Score 23171 16989 11560 28650
Graphics 27514 21800 11067 33685
Physics 14925 9585 13698 18810
Graphics Test 1 136.6 fps 120.7 fps 63.4 fps 162.9 fps
Graphics Test 2 106.4 fps 78.0 fps 38.8 fps 133.1 fps
Physics Test 47.4 fps 30.4 fps 43.5 fps 59.7 fps

The HTC 10 is fast in 3DMark, thanks to the fast Qualcomm Adreno 530 GPU. It was just 19% slower than the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which features the faster ARM Mali-T880 GPU. The HTC 10 will definitely have no trouble handling any 3D game in the market, even at the full screen resolution of 1440 x 2560.

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Our Verdict & Award

The HTC 10 may not be quite the perfect 10 smartphone that HTC hoped it would be, but it comes pretty darn close. It has a really bright and sharp 5.2″ display, with a sleek full-metal chassis. All that is powered by the really fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 with 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory and 32 GB of internal flash memory.

It can handle anything and everything you throw at it and then some. Our benchmarks show that it is the fastest smartphone in our arsenal for work applications, and second-best to the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge in 3D games.

The HTC 10 smartphone also boasts a really good 12 MP UltraPixel 2 main camera. It’s called UltraPixel for a good reason – it uses a sensor with really large pixels. The results are quite impressive – high detail resolution and low noise. The only downside – it has trouble controlling overexposure.

The overexposure problem extended to its video recording performance. But we have to point out that this is one of the few smartphones to record 4K videos without any time limit. What will really blow you away though is the richness of the audio recorded by its video. Thanks to its support of Hi-Res Audio, the recorded audio is truly a head above the competition.

If there is a major flaw with the HTC 10, it would be its relatively short battery life. If you are an avid Pokemon hunter, or take a lot of videos, you would do well to pack a power bank. The good news though is that the HTC 10 recharges extremely fast. You can recharge it from 20% to 100% in just over 81 minutes!

Overall, this is a great come-back effort by HTC, and one worthy of our Reviewer’s Choice Award. Congratulations, HTC!

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HTC Signature Smartphones Price Update Announced

Kuala Lumpur, 10 August 2016 – Driven to continue giving customers more out of a smartphone, HTC Malaysia has recently updated the prices for several of the company’s signature smartphones to offer greater value for all customers.

The changes to prices across HTC’s full range of smartphones is aimed at offering a diverse range of smartphones that meets the different pricing needs of today’s customers while continuing to provide solid features that make HTC smartphones one of a kind.

The changes to the prices will take place from August 1 onwards across all authorised HTC dealers in the country.

 

HTC Signature Smartphones Price Updated

HTC 10


This latest addition to the HTC phone family features best-in-class features that customers have come to expect from a flagship phone like world class camera with gold standard audio, bold new metal unibody design and unparalleled performance, to create a smartphone that is truly a perfect 10/10.

Price: RM 2,799.00 / US$ 699

 

 

 

 

HTC One X9

Driven by the belief that design should be inspired by ones surroundings, personal and cultural influences, the newest member of the award-winning HTC One family – the HTC One X9 – pulls through the look and feel of high end silk, creating a softer, warmer and more luxurious finish to the phone.

Price: RM 1,399.00 (~US$ 349), down from RM 1,499.00 (~US$ 375)

 

 

HTC Desire 830

The HTC Desire 830 combines vibrant, high-contrast colour with a HD display that encases the speedy octa-core processor, and HTC’s award-winning BoomSound audio profile to deliver a complete package that is as stylish as it is entertaining.

Price: RM 999.00 (~US$ 249), down from RM 1,099.00 (~US$ 275)

 

 

 

 

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HTC Desire 828

With anti-shake clarity from advanced Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) technology and powerful one-touch editing tools, the HTC Desire 828 dual sim features an imaging experience usually reserved for flagship smartphones, making it the photo lover’s new best friend.

Price: RM 949.00 (~US$ 237), down from RM 999.00 (~US$ 249)

 

 

 

HTC Desire 628


Breaking the mould, the HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM goes dual colour in style with vibrant, high-contrast colour combinations and a full, 5-inch glass front that blends seamlessly into the side frame for a cleaner look.

Price: RM 799.00 (~US$ 199)

 

 

 

 

HTC Desire 626


The HTC Desire 626 gives everything you want and more, with a best-in-class 13MP main camera that captures life’s moments in high-resolution, a powerful processor and capability keeps you ahead, and a large 5” HD display all in a slim, stylish frame.

Price: RM 599.00 (~US$ 149), down from RM 699.00 (~US$ 175)

 

 

HTC Desire 526G+


The HTC Desire 526G+ is built around simplicity but provides more than just the basics with an impressive pair of cameras for great shots from both sides, with quick video and photo editing tools, all on a vibrant 4.7” qHD display.

Price: RM 399.00 (~US$ 99), down from RM 499.00 (~US$ 125)

 

 

 

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HTC Vive Development & Training Program Available Now

Taipei, 5 August 2016 – HTC, creator of the HTC Vive, the most advanced virtual reality system on the market, today announced that it will begin working with third party developers and hardware makers to expand the accessories and peripherals ecosystem for the HTC Vive.

HTC will hold in-person training courses in Asia to complement the courses being provided in the US by Valve and Synapse. These training courses will provide development resources, software for developing tracked accessories and peripherals, technical support for integration, and go-to-market resources when their products are ready. The program is expected to facilitate rapid development of innovative hardware solutions to create new ways for people to interact with their virtual world.

At this early stage in the development of the VR ecosystem, the whole industry must work together to overcome the barriers to ubiquitous adoption of VR. By enabling third party developers to create accessories and peripherals, HTC is allowing the industry to create high quality products much faster. And because of HTC Vive’s position as market leader in the VR space, hardware partners will have access to a large installed base of existing customers, channels and content.

“We are extremely excited about the potential mid- to long-term impact of our decision with our partner Valve to simultaneously open up our respective technologies in order to accelerate growth in the VR industry,” said Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO of HTC. “The new wave of innovation this program will enable is going to be amazing to watch, the biggest winners will be the consumers and business customers around the world.”

Alan Yates, Valve Engineer, said “Making this OpenVR tracking technology available to more partners is an extremely important step in the evolution of virtual reality and 3D tracking. We are very confident that doing so will result in new and innovative experiences for all VR customers.”

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HTC Viveport Store For VR Content Now Available

Los Angeles, 5 August 2016 – Today at VRLA, the world’s largest virtual reality expo, the team at Vive announced VIVEPORT, the destination for VR content and experiences. The Viveport store will be available to customers later this fall and will launch a developer beta soon.

Building on the fast growth and success of great VR games, the Viveport store features immersive experiences across additional categories and introduces an update to Vive Home, a personal and customisable virtual environment. Viveport will soon invite both the creator community and customers to discover, create, connect, watch, and shop for the things they love and need in life.

“Our mission is to unleash human imagination from the limitations of reality, and Viveport will be an important cornerstone in democratising access to the world’s most diverse selection of immersive experiences,” said Cher Wang, CEO of HTC.

The Viveport store will feature a wide range of VR experiences across education, design, art, social, video, music, sports, health, fashion, travel, news, shopping, creativity tools, and more. The Viveport store will be available in HTC Vive headsets, web browsers, and as a PC and mobile app. Together with the global community of content creators and developers, Viveport will provide all customers with a unique and fast-growing selection of apps and experiences.

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“We believe equal access to virtual reality experiences will make the world a better place; enhancing our daily lives and the way we connect with everything. An important goal for the Viveport team is to enable developers to reach a global audience and grow their business,” said Rikard Steiber, Senior Vice President of Viveport.

The Viveport store is built to be responsive to content creators and developers, empowering them to drive long-term engagement and monetisation. Viveport will feature pay-to-download, in-app-purchases, subscriptions, and more revenue generating opportunities. In addition, Viveport will continue to roll out new platform features supporting content creation, distribution, and customer engagement.

 

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HTC 10 Smartphone Hands-On Preview

HTC Malaysia just launched the HTC 10 smartphone, promising that perfection in their latest creation. They will certainly be counting on the HTC 10 to overcome incredible challenges from the multitude of Chinese smartphone brands. Let’s take a closer look…

 

HTC 10 Hands-On Preview

During the launch of the HTC 10 smartphone, we had some hands-on time with the HTC 10. Check it out!

Here is a summary of the HTC 10’s key features :
  • 5.2″ Super LCD 5 display with a resolution of 1440 x 2560
  • Curved-edge Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection for the display
  • Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC with Adreno 530 GPU
  • 4 GB memory + 32 GB internal flash storage + microSD upgrade (up to 2 TB)
  • Runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
  • Supports Cat 9 LTE, with download speeds of up to 450 Mbps, upload speeds of up to 50 Mbps
  • World’s first front camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS)
  • Front camera has 5 MP sensor with f/1.8 lens and OIS
  • Rear camera has 12 MP sensor with f/1.8 lens, OIS, dual-tone LED flash and laser auto-focus
  • Records 4K video with stereo 24-bit Hi-Res audio recording
  • Certified for Hi-Res Audio with built-in headphone amplifier and BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers
  • Comes with Hi-Res Audio earphones bundled
  • Fast fingerprint sensor that unlocks in 0.2 seconds
  • Supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 – charge 50% in 30 minutes
  • Comes with the new USB 3.1 Type C connector
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HTC 10 Smartphone Specifications

SpecificationsHTC 10
Display5.2" Super LCD 5 display
- 1440 x 2560 resolution (564 ppi)
- curved-edge Gorilla Glass 3 protection
Operating SystemAndroid 6 with HTC Sense
System PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 820
Processor4 x Qualcomm Kyro cores (2.2 GHz)
Graphics ProcessorQualcomm Adreno 530 GPU
Memory4 GB LPDDR4 memory
Storage32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot, supports card capacities up to 2 TB
Front Camera5 MP BSI sensor (1.34 µm pixel)
- f/1.8 aperture, 23 mm focal length
- Optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- 1080p video recording
Rear Camera12 MP HTC UltraPixel 2 sensor (1.55 µm pixel)
- f/1.8 aperture, 26 mm focal length
- Optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- Dual-tone LED flash
- 4K video recording with Hi-Res Audio
AudioHTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition with Dolby Audio 4
- Hi-Res Audio certified with Hi-Red Audio earphones
- Three microphones with noise cancellation
Network2G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G LTE : FDD Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 32; TDD Band 38, 40, 31
- Supports Cat 9 LTE : 450 / 50 Mbps
SIM CapabilitySingle nano SIM slot
Fingerprint SensorYes, integrated with Home button
Other SensorsAmbient light, proximity, motion, compass, gyro, magnetic
GPSGPS + GLONASS + Beidou (Europe & Asia)
ConnectivityWiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : Bluetooth 4.2
USB : USB 3.1 Type C
Earphone : 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
Others : NFC, DisplayPort, DLNA, Miracast, Google Cast, AirPlay, HTC Connect
Battery3,000 mAh lithium ion battery
- Talk time on 3G/4G : Up to 27 hours
- Standby time on 3G/4G : Up to 19 days
- Quick Charge 3.0 allows up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
Size71.9 mm wide
145.9 mm tall
3.0 to 9.0 mm thick
Weight161 grams
Available ColoursCarbon Grey / Topaz Gold

 

HTC 10 Lowest Prices (Amazon)


 

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Power Of 10 – The HTC 10 Smartphone Revealed

Yesterday, HTC Malaysia officially launched the HTC 10 smartphone. With the tagline “Power of 10“, the HTC 10 was designed to be the best smartphone HTC ever made, a smartphone that is truly a perfect 10/10 in their eyes.

In this video, Aaron Lim, Senior Field Technical Lead / Enginer, HTC Malaysia reveals the HTC 10 smartphone’s key features. Check it out :

Now, let’s take a look at HTC’s press release…

 

Designed To Perfection

Inspired by light and sculpted to perfection, the HTC 10 smartphone employs a new approach to design where bold contours are carved out of solid metal. Capturing the light beautifully, the chamfered edges boast a slimmer, more slender look with its full glass front merging seamlessly into the metal body.

Passionate about the small details, it’s not just the materials that come under scrutiny when creating a new handset. With the HTC 10 smartphone, its design team worked tirelessly to build a phone where the power button has been beautifully crafted, where the speakers deliver a sleeker look and better sound quality and where the fingerprint sensor recognizes your finger from almost any angle.

It is also important that its built is absolutely right. Mercilessly engineered to handle everyday knocks, bumps and scratches, the HTC 10 smartphone was subjected to over 168 hours of extreme temperature tests, ranging from a freezing -20’C to a scorching 60’C, plus over 10,000 drop, bend, scratch and corrosion tests.

 

World-Class Camera

Seeing as how frequently one uses their smartphone cameras today, HTC has packed the HTC 10 smartphone with the best smartphone camera available on the market today to give Malaysians more opportunities to capture brilliant moments.

With the world’s first optically stabilized, larger aperture f/1.8 lenses on both the front and rear cameras, new larger sensors, 12 million of HTC’s new generation UltraPixels (1.55um per pixel), faster laser autofocus powering the main camera and a wide angle lens and screen flash on the front UltraSelfie camera, the HTC 10 delivers brilliantly sharp, low light and high-resolution photos whether behind or in front of the lens.

With the camera designed to launch in as little as 0.6 seconds, and a 2nd generation laser autofocus that gives you focused shots faster, it’s quick enough to even work in burst mode. All the settings are also conveniently located at your fingertips with Pro Mode still offering advanced options for more experienced photographers, including RAW format functionality.

Boasting a DxOMark score of 88, this is one of the highest camera quality scores of any smartphone to date and is the result of tens of thousands of hours spent fine tuning each element to deliver world-class photos and videos.

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Best In Sight, Best In Sound

But it’s not just the imaging that puts the HTC 10 smartphone at the top of its game – the HTC 10 combines vivid 4K video with the world’s first stereo 24-bit Hi-Res audio recording, capturing 256 times more detail than standard recordings, across twice the frequency range and enabling you to bring to life your recorded content as if you were actually there in person.

Built for audiophiles, the HTC 10 smartphone is certified for Hi-Res audio and has been designed to make music sound the way that the artist intended. A headphone amp that delivers two times the power of a conventional headphone amp, the ability to upscale from 16-bit to 24-bit audio and high performance digital to analogue conversion combine beautifully to produce ten times lower distortion than other devices on the market, delivering an all-round audio performance that cannot be beaten.

Everyone hears things differently, which is why the HTC 10’s all-new Personal Audio Profile system enhances your audio experience even further. By creating a unique profile that is tuned to your individual hearing, it dynamically adjusts specific sound frequencies to each ear, allowing you to hear music the way that the artist intended. Re-engineered HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition speakers feature the same separated tweeter and woofer design as leading acoustic systems and combine with a dedicated amplifier on each speaker, adding to the experience and delivering sound clarity unprecedented on a smartphone.

Great audio deserves great earphones and HTC made sure that the flagship phone comes with the best Hi-Res audio certified inbox earphones yet. Featuring an 8µm thin aerospace polymer diaphragm and 70% oversized drivers, the listener is treated to richer sound and twice the frequency range, enabling you to enjoy the best audio experience right from the get go.

Next Page > Performance, Control, Accessories, Price & Availability

 

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Performance At Its Best

Whilst the HTC 10 smartphone nails it on the hardware, HTC focuses on getting the right fundamentals for delivering the best in class software. With apps that launch twice as fast and that perform to the highest standard and a next generation quad HD display that is 30% more colourful, creating a true cinematic feel, and that is 50% more responsive to touch than its predecessor, even the smallest and fastest of finger movements track perfectly.

This attention to detail doesn’t stop there! With security high on people’s agendas, the HTC 10 smartphone comes with a fingerprint scanner, which unlocks in a lightning fast 0.2 seconds and which has been algorithmically designed to recognise you faster and more accurately over time.

Engineered from the inside out to last longer, the HTC 10 boasts the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with enhanced 4G LTE. Each device also comes with Boost+ which is designed to make your phone faster, to consume less power and to provide effective security and applications management features. This includes smart boost, which automatically optimises your memory, a game battery booster, which uses less battery during gameplay, and a new PowerBotics system, which auto detects and shuts down apps that use excessive power, improving battery life by 30% and delivering up to two days charge.

Not only does Boost+ optimize performance, making it easier to launch apps, but its App Lock function also adds a new layer of security by enabling you to lock any app you choose, whilst App Manager provides an instant fix for when an app isn’t behaving. The HTC 10 also includes the latest in-box quick charge 3.0 Rapid Charger with improved thermal management, so the battery can be charged by up to 50% in just 30 minutes – ideal for people who find their phone running low on juice before the end of the working day.

 

Controlled By You

By reducing the number of duplicative and pre-loaded apps and bloatware, and integrating the best of both HTC and Google, a more streamlined phone was created that enables you to decide what you want on your handset.

With HTC’s specially created new Freestyle Layout, you no longer have an on-screen grid that dictates the layout. Instead you can get creative by dragging icons, stickers and widgets anywhere you like. Layer them, group them, link stickers to apps or get rid of screen icons altogether, the choice is yours.

The latest version of HTC Themes also provides you with access to thousands of professional looking themes that each come with their own icons, backgrounds and sounds so you can customize your phone based on your own personal style.

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Accessories

To further streamline your experience, the HTC 10 smartphone offers an all-new HTC Ice View case with a semi-transparent and highly versatile single front-cover case. So when that next call or message comes in, or when you need to skip a track, or snap that perfect shot, you can do it with ease without opening your HTC 10’s case – Simplicity without sacrificing protection.

Color availability for the HTC Ice View case is Obsidian Black and will be retailing at RM159.00 / ~US$39 in all HTC retail stores.

 

HTC 10 Smartphone Price & Availability

the HTC 10 smartphone is available at all official retailers throughout the country and at 11street in two stunning color combinations: Carbon Grey and Topaz Gold, only for the price of RM2,799.00 / ~US$699. For those who want to buy from Amazon, you can check out the lowest price here.

 

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HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM Smartphone Announced

Kuala Lumpur, 5 July 2016HTC today announced the HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM; combining vibrant, high-contrast colour and good looks with powerful specs, in a phone that truly stands out from the crowd. Striking colour combinations and a HD display encase a speedy octa-core processor, and HTC’s award-winning BoomSound audio profile to deliver a complete package that isas stylish asitis entertaining.

“Individuality has always been inour minds when creating a world class phone. This was indeed expressed with the dual tone color design of the HTC Desire 830 Dual Sim. We like to call this Stylish Individuality”, said Mr. Faisal Siddiqui, President, HTC South Asia. “Combining stylish features, the new phone is also able to capture life’s memories, deliver pulse-pounding music, watch vivid HD videos, anddo all of the things expectedof a modern smartphone. The HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM delivers both – balancing beauty with brains and unique and fashionable looks with incredible performance underneath.”

 

Style Leader

Breaking the mould, the HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM goes dual colour in style with vibrant, high-contrast colour combinations and a full, 5.5-inch glass front that blends seamlessly into the side frame for a cleaner look. Available in three colors, Cobalt White, Sunset Blue and Black Gold, the phone boasts two finishes, a soft matte that gives off a beautiful soft-touch feel and a glossy finish that gives it a sparkling and elegant look. At the same time, it is lighter and more slender than other phones in its class – weight at just 156 grams; it features specs that deliver astounding performance.

Not only the exterior of the HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM that is stylish and unique; with HTC Themes you can customise everything from wallpapers, icons, fonts and ringtones to suit your personality or mood. There are hundreds of professional looking themes from HTC Themes which you can choose, plus you can create your own themes based on your favourite photos.

With HTC Themes, your phone’s style goes more than just skin deep. Capture unshakably clear images The HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM features an advanced 13MP camera with Optical Image Stabilization technology, which detects hand movements within 0.125 milliseconds, and compensates by adjusting the lens in real time. The ƒ2.0 front camera with its wider lens lets you capture more scenery, or friends, in your selfies.

The Ultrapixel front camera takes Voice Selfies and features Live Makeup, allowing you tolook sensational almost anywhere. Next-Level Sound QualityPress play while you’re wearing your favourite earphones and you’ll hear how the HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM’s BoomSound audio profile enhances every sound, taking your music, films and games to the next level with clear vocals, deep bass and fine audio detail. The multimedia experience is enhanced even further with a 5.5-inch HD display that lets you see more detail, more drama and more action.

 

HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM Availabiliy & Pricing

All-Day Power and PerformanceA great phone is only as good as the processor, memory, and battery that keep it running smoothly. The HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM packs a 64-bit, octa-core 1.5GHz processor with 3GB of RAM. 32GB of built-in storage that can be augmented with MicroSD expansion to a whopping 2TB, while the whole package is powered with fast 5V/1.5A charging to get you up, running, and outof the door inno time.

The HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM willbe available in three exquisite colour combinations, Cobalt White, Sunset Blue and Black Gold. HTC Desire 830 Dual SIM is retailing at RM1,099 / ~US$275 in all key retailers and HTC stores from July onwards.

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HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM Announced

Kuala Lumpur, 14 June 2016HTC today announced the HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM, combining vibrant, high-contrast colour and good looks with powerful specs, in a phone that truly stands out from the crowd. Striking colour combinations and a HD display encase a speedy octa-core processor, super-fast front and back cameras, and HTC’s award-winning BoomSound™ audio profile to deliver a complete package that is as stylish as it is entertaining.

“People want more in a phone than just a black or white slab of plastic and glass – they want stylish individuality,” said Mr. Faisal Siddiqui, President, HTC South Asia. “At the same time, they want to be able to capture life’s memories, listen to pulse-pounding music, watch vivid HD videos, and do all of the things expected of a modern smartphone. The HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM balances both beauty and functionality, where unique and fashionable looks mixes with incredible performance underneath.”

 

Style Leader

Breaking the mould, the HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM goes dual colour in style with vibrant, high-contrast colour combinations and a full, 5-inch glass front that blends seamlessly into the side frame for a cleaner look. Available in two colors, Cobalt White and Sunset Blue, the phone boasts two finishes, a soft matte that gives off a beautiful soft-touch feel and a glossy finish that gives it a sparkling and elegant look. At the same time, it’s also lighter and more slender than other phones in its class – just 142g and 70.9mm thin – even while featuring specs that deliver astounding performance.

It’s not only the exterior of the HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM that is stylish and unique: With HTC Themes you can customise everything from wallpapers, icons, fonts and ringtones to suit your personality or mood. There are hundreds of professional looking themes from which to choose, plus you can create your own themes based on your favourite photos. With HTC Themes, your phone’s style is more than just skin deep.

 

Epic Photos Front and Back

When it comes to capturing those magic moments, the HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM has you covered front and back. The 13 megapixel main camera captures high-resolution photos and detailed 1080p video at up to 30 frames per second, and even takes great pictures in low light with its f/2.0 aperture and BSI sensor.

Plus, you’ll never miss that special photo opportunity with the main camera’s 0.4-second shutter speed. Meanwhile, the 5 megapixel front camera takes Voice Selfies and features Live Makeup, allowing you to look sensational almost anywhere.

 

Next-Level Sound Quality

Press play while you’re wearing your favourite earphones and you’ll hear how the HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM’s BoomSound audio profile enhances every sound, taking your music, films and games to the next level with clear vocals, deep bass and fine audio detail. The multimedia experience is enhanced even further with a 5-inch HD display that lets you see more detail, more drama and more action.

 

All-Day Power and Performance

A great phone is only as good as the processor, memory, and battery that keeps it running smoothly. The HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM packs a 64-bit, octa-core 1.3GHz processor with 3 GB of RAM. 32 GB of built-in storage that can be augmented with MicroSD expansion to a whopping 2 TB, while the whole package is powered with fast 5V/1.5A charging to get you up, running, and out of the door in no time.

 

HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM Pricing & Availability

The HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM will be available two exquisite colour combinations, Cobalt White and Sunset Blue for RM 799 (~US$ 199) at key retailers from today onwards.

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Alienware 13 OLED & More @ Computex 2016

After Dell launched the world’s largest 2-in-1 laptop, the Dell Inspiron 17 7000, we had the opportunity to check out some of their latest Alienware products. Some of them, we have seen earlier. Some of them are brand new. We didn’t have much time, but we recorded three videos for you to check out.

 

Alienware 13 OLED

The Alienware 13 OLED is the world’s first gaming notebook to feature an OLED display panel. This not only gives you a much higher contrast ratio of 100,000:1, it also gives you a wider colour gamut – 104% of sRGB. But gamers will probably be more interested in its much faster response time of just 1-2 ms.

Despite its petite size, the Alienware 13 OLED is powered by the 6th Generation Intel Core i7 processor with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics processor. The OLED display has a resolution of 2560 x 1440, lower than the non-OLED resolution of 3200 x 1800 in the previous Alienware 13.

 

Alienware X51 R3

This is the third revision of the Alienware X51. Reengineered with the 6th Generation Intel Core processors and a new selection of AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards, the Alienware X51 R3 comes with a liquid cooling option, and Oculus Rift-ready configurations.

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Alienware Area 51 R2 With HTC Vive

There is nothing new with the Alienware Area 51 at Computex 2016. In fact, this is the second revision from 2015, running on the 5th Generation Intel Core K processors. However, it was being used to power a HTC Vive headset, and since they opened it up for viewing, we thought – what the heck, let’s just record a video!

 

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The HTC 10 Smartphone Launched With Two OIS Cameras

London – 12 April 2016 – HTC has today unveiled what it has been working on behind closed doors for the last 12 months, with the launch of its latest smartphone. With customer feedback an integral part of the development process, combined with an obsessive attention to detail, the HTC 10 smartphone delivers everything that you would want from a flagship device.

Playing to the Power of 10 – symbolizing greatness and independence but also that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts – this newest addition to the HTC phone family combines a world class camera with gold standard audio, bold new metal unibody design and unparalleled performance.

 

HTC 10 Smartphone – Designed to Perfection

Inspired by light and sculpted to perfection, the HTC 10 smartphone employs a new approach to design where bold contours are carved out of solid metal. Capturing the light beautifully, the chamfered edges boast a slimmer, more slender look with its full glass front merging seamlessly into the metal body.

Passionate about the small details, it’s not just the materials that come under scrutiny when we create a new handset. With the HTC 10, our design teams worked tirelessly to build a phone where the power button has been beautifully crafted, where the speakers deliver a sleeker look and better sound quality and where the fingerprint sensor recognizes your finger from almost any angle.

It is also important that we got the build absolutely right. Mercilessly engineered to handle everyday knocks, bumps and scratches, the HTC 10 was subjected to over 168 hours of extreme temperature tests, ranging from a freezing -20’C to a scorching 60’C, plus over 10,000 drop, bend, scratch and corrosion tests.

 

World-class camera!

With HTC 10 smartphone, HTC has delivered what they believe to be the best smartphone camera available on the market today. With the world’s first optically stabilized, larger aperture f/1.8 lenses on both the front and rear cameras, new larger sensors, 12 million of our new generation UltraPixels (1.55um per pixel), faster laser autofocus powering the main camera and a wide angle lens and screen flash on the front UltraSelfie camera, this smartphone delivers brilliantly sharp, low light and high-resolution photos whether behind or in front of the lens.

With the camera designed to launch in as little as 0.6 seconds, and a 2nd generation laser autofocus that gives you focused shots faster, it’s quick enough to even work in burst mode. All the settings are also conveniently located at your fingertips with Pro Mode still offering advanced options for more experienced photographers, including RAW format functionality.

Boasting a DxOMark score of 88*, this is one of the highest camera quality scores of any smartphone to date and is the result of tens of thousands of hours spent fine tuning each element to deliver world-class photos and videos.

 

Best in sight, best in sound

But it’s not just the imaging that puts this smartphone at the top of its game – the HTC 10 smartphone combines vivid 4K video with the world’s first stereo 24-bit Hi-Res audio recording, capturing 256 times more detail than standard recordings, across twice the frequency range and enabling you to bring to life your recorded content as if you were actually there in person.

Built for audiophiles, the HTC 10 smartphone is certified for Hi-Res audio and has been designed to make music sound the way that the artist intended. A headphone amp that delivers two times the power of a conventional headphone amp, the ability to upscale from 16-bit to 24-bit audio and high performance digital to analogue conversion combine beautifully to produce ten times lower distortion than other devices on the market, delivering an all round audio performance that cannot be beaten.

Everyone hears things differently, which is why the HTC 10’s all-new Personal Audio Profile system enhances your audio experience even further. By creating a unique profile that is tuned to your individual hearing, it dynamically adjusts specific sound frequencies to each ear, allowing you to hear music the way that the artist intended. Re-engineered HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition speakers feature the same separated tweeter and woofer design as leading acoustic systems and combine with a dedicated amplifier on each speaker, adding to the experience and delivering sound clarity unprecedented on a smartphone.

Great audio deserves great earphones so we have made sure that our flagship phone comes with the best Hi-Res audio certified inbox earphones yet. Featuring an 8µm thin aerospace polymer diaphragm and 70% oversized drivers, the listener is treated to richer sound and twice the frequency range, enabling you to enjoy the best audio experience right from the get go.

[adrotate banner=”5″]

 

Performance at its Best

Whilst the HTC 10 smartphone nails it on the hardware, HTC has also delivered what they believe to be best in class software by focusing on getting the fundamentals right. With apps that launch twice as fast and that perform to the highest standard and a next generation quad HD display that is 30% more colourful, creating a true cinematic feel, and that is 50% more responsive to touch than its predecessor, even the smallest and fastest of finger movements track perfectly.

This attention to detail doesn’t stop there! With security high on people’s agendas, they created a fingerprint scanner, which unlocks in a lightening fast 0.2 seconds and which has been algorithmically designed to recognise you faster and more accurately over time.

Engineered from the inside out to last longer, the HTC 10 smartphone boasts the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with enhanced 4G LTE. Each device also comes with Boost+ which is designed to make your phone faster, to consume less power and to provide effective security and applications management features. This includes smart boost, which automatically optimises your memory, a game battery booster, which uses less battery during gameplay, and a new PowerBotics system, which auto detects and shuts down apps that use excessive power, improving battery life by 30% and delivering up to two days charge.

Not only does Boost+ optimize performance, making it easier to launch apps, but its App Lock function also adds a new layer of security by enabling you to lock any app you choose, whilst App Manager provides an instant fix for when an app isn’t behaving.

The HTC 10 also includes the latest in-box quick charge 3.0 Rapid Charger with improved thermal management, so the battery can be charged by up to 50% in just 30 minutes – ideal for people who find their phone running low on juice before the end of the working day.

 

Controlled by You!

By reducing the number of duplicative and pre-loaded apps and bloatware, and integrating the best of both HTC and Google, we have created a more streamlined phone that enables you to decide what you want on your handset.

With HTC’s specially created new Freestyle Layout, you no longer have an on-screen grid that dictates the layout. Instead you can get creative by dragging icons, stickers and widgets anywhere you like. Layer them, group them, link stickers to apps or get rid of screen icons altogether, the choice is yours.

The latest version of HTC Themes also provides you with access to thousands of professional looking themes that each come with their own icons, backgrounds and sounds so you can customize your phone based on your own personal style.

 

HTC 10 Accessories and Availability

To further streamline your experience, the HTC 10 smartphone offers an all-new Ice View case with a semi-transparent and highly versatile single front-cover case. So when that next call or message comes in, or when you need to skip a track, or snap that perfect shot, you can do it without even opening your smartphone’s case. It’s simplicity, without sacrificing protection.

The HTC 10 smartphone will come in two variants with different Qualcomm Snapdragon processors to cater for different market needs. They will both offer the same design, audio, camera and display, with a similar software experience and battery life.

The HTC 10 smartphone will be available from April 2016 in four stunning color combinations: Carbon Grey, Glacier Silver, Topaz Gold and Camellia Red.

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HTC 10 Smartphone Specifications

SIZE: 145.9 x 71.9 x 3.0 – 9.0mm
WEIGHT: 161 g
DISPLAY: 5.2 inch, Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels, 564 pixels per inch) Super LCD with curved-edge Gorilla Glass

PLATFORM

  • Android 6 with HTC Sense

PROCESSOR

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
  • Quad-core, 64-bit, up to 2.2Ghz

MEMORY

  • Total storage: 32GB or 64GB (available capacity varies)
  • RAM: 4GB
  • Expandable: microSD expansion supports additional memory cards up to 2TB with Flex Storage (optional cards not included)

CAMERA
Main Camera

  • 12MP HTC UltraPixel 2 (1.55 µm pixel size)
  • Laser autofocus
  • BSI sensor
  • Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
  •  f/1.8 aperture, 26mm focal length
  • Dual tone LED flash
  • 4K video recording with Hi-Res Audio
  • Slow motion video recording at 720p, 120fps
  • Modes include Auto-HDR, Panorama, Pro mode with manual control and 12-bit RAW format support, Hyperlapse, Zoe capture, Video Pic, and continuous shooting up to 8fps

Front Camera

  • 5MP (1.34 µm pixel size)
  • Autofocus
  • BSI sensor
  • Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
  • f/1.8 aperture, 23 mm focal length
  • Full HD 1080p video recording
  • Modes include Auto-HDR, Auto Selfie, Voice Selfie, and Live Make-Up

SOUND

  • HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition
  • Dolby Audio 4
  • Personal Audio Profile
  • Hi-Res Audio certified
  • Hi-Res Audio earphones
  • Hi-Res Audio stereo recording
  • Three microphones with noise cancelation

NETWORK
2G/2.5G GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

  • 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • 800/850/1800/1900 MHz (Japan)

3G UMTS
Varies by region

  • 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
  • 850/AWS/900/2100 MHz (America)

CDMA

  • 800/1900 with EvDO Rev. A (America)

4G LTE (up to 450Mbps)
Varies by region

  • Asia/Europe: FDD B1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 32; TDD B38, 40, 41
  • America: FDD B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 29, 30
  • Japan: FDD: B1, 3, 5, 7, 13, 17, 19, 21, 26; TDD B38, 41
  • Support Cat 9 LTE: downloads up to 450Mbps, uploads up to 50Mbps

SIM

  • Nano SIM

SENSORS

  • Ambient light sensor
  • Proximity sensor
  • Motion G-sensor
  • Compass sensor
  • Gyro sensor
  • Magnetic sensor
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • Sensor Hub for activity tracking

LOCATION
Varies by region

  • GPS + GLONASS + Beidou (Europe and Asia)
  • GPS + GLONASS (America and Japan)

CONNECTIVITY

  • USB 3.1 Gen1, Type-C
  • 3.5mm stereo audio jack
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5GHz)
  • NFC
  • DisplayPort
  • DNLA
  • Miracast
  • Google Cast
  • AirPlay
  • HTC Connect for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to compatible multi-room audio systems, TVs, portable speakers and home entertainment systems

BATTERY

  • Capacity: 3000mAh
  • Talk time on 3G/4G: up to 27 hours
  • Standby time on 3G/4G: up to 19 days
  • Power saving mode
  • Extreme power saving mode
  • Quick Charge 3.0 with cool charge: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

  • Display color personalization
  • Ice View case
  • Motion Launch
  • Quiet ring on pick-up
  • Pocket mode

 

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IKEA VR Experience For HTC Vive Launched

April 5th 2016 – For the last couple of years IKEA has explored new technology as a way to improve the offer and empower customers. In this context, IKEA has tried different digital tools and identified virtual reality as one of the ways to move forward. The launch of IKEA VR Experience is one of the steps taken within this field. It is a virtual kitchen made to appear to the user in real world size.

“Virtual reality is developing fast and in five to ten years it will be an integrated part of people’s lives. We see that virtual reality will play a major role in the future of our customers, for instance it could be used to enable customers to try out a variety of home furnishing solutions before buying them,” says Jesper Brodin, managing director at IKEA of Sweden and Range & Supply Manager at IKEA Group.

One of the features of IKEA VR Experience is the possibility to change the color of cabinets and drawers with a click. Another feature is the ability to shrink yourself and move around the kitchen in the size of a 3.3 foot (100 cm) tall child. You can also enlarge yourself and experience it as 6.4 feet (195 cm) tall. These features will be useful from a safety perspective, since walking around the room in someone else’s shoes enables you to discover hidden dangers.

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“We also see IKEA VR Experience as an opportunity to co-create with people all around the world. We hope that users will contribute to our virtual reality development, by submitting ideas on how to use virtual reality and how to improve the virtual kitchen,” says Martin Enthed, IT Manager for IKEA Communications, the in-house communication agency at IKEA of Sweden.

The app has been made in collaboration with developers at the French company Allegorithmic, using Unreal Engine 4 from Epic Games, and has been developed for HTC Vive – a first of its kind, award winning, virtual reality system created by HTC and Valve.

IKEA VR Experience will be continuously updated until August when this particular pilot test ends.

 

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HTC Vive Demonstration & Pre-Order At Harrods

London, April 5th 2016 – HTC Corporation today announced that its virtual reality system, HTC Vive is heading to world-renowned department store, Harrods. From today, there will be hands-on Vive demonstration and pre-orders in the Harrods Technology department, on the Third Floor of the prestigious department store on Brompton Road.

The 20,000 sqft space offers a premium selection of consumer technology categories including home computing, audio-visual, photographic and mobile communication and strives to deliver the most innovative technologies. Vive will be the first complete VR system on offer for such purposes in-store.

The HTC pop-up will spotlight a Vive demonstration area, open to Harrods’ customers for individual sessions to experience a host of virtual reality content supported by the platform. Customers will be able to pre-order Vive directly from the store following an in-store demonstration.

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Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO, HTC:

“Since the announcement of Vive in March last year, we’ve seen unprecedented levels of interest and excitement across the globe. Vive offers a level of immersion and presence that is so different to anything else out there, giving you the ability to move around a virtual world you can truly see, breathe and feel.”

“Harrods is known for only selling the best of the best, so we’re delighted to be working with them to give its customers the chance to try Vive at a globally recognised luxury retailer.”

“Vive will change the way you look at entertainment experiences forever. However as the saying goes, seeing is believing, and there is no real way to convey the incredible experience of Vive without trying it yourself – which is why giving customers the opportunity for a hands-on experience at Harrods is so important.”

 

Stewart Mancey, Head of Technology, Harrods:

“At Harrods, our discerning customers are looking for pieces which create a unique experience. Whether that’s in the sound and vision department with speaker systems
or smart furniture which moulds itself around modern technology, or creating a full virtual reality experience as with Vive.”

“We are committed to offering our customers the most exciting and innovative technology currently available, and Vive fits perfectly with this.”

 

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SteamVR Performance Tool Released

The weekend’s tech news has been all about the HTC Vive : we have heard about its $799 price tag, and that pre-orders will start on 2/29. Valve has released the very first VR Performance Test that gives end users a way to figure out: is my system ready for SteamVR?

 

SteamVR Performance Tool

This app features high quality VR content from the Aperture Science Robot Repair demo, designed specifically for the HTC Vive, though it can be run on any PC and does not require a headset to be connected to the system. It’s available for anyone to download and test their system.

In short: the test employs a technique called dynamic fidelity, which automatically adjusts image quality as required to avoid dropped frames that can break the sense of presence critical to VR experiences. CPU and GPU hardware is then assigned one of three categories (VR Recommended, VR Capable, or VR Not Ready) based on the average fidelity level attained.

 

Recommended For VR

We’re very pleased to let you know that all our Radeon R9 390 series and Fury series products, including the R9 Nano can achieve the highest attainable status: ‘Recommended for VR’. This performance is a validation of the work AMD has done with Valve and other technology partners to deliver the best VR experiences with our products through the LiquidVR initiative.

Below is a small chart summarizing the results by GPUs with system configuration details, should you need a reference point in running the benchmark yourself.

As you can see and verify for yourself, Radeon R9 products are perfectly positioned to deliver superior VR experiences for the HTC Vive headset– whether you choose the R9 390 or opt for a true enthusiast product like the R9 Fury, AMD Radeons are in a position to deliver a better VR experience than their direct competitors for this headset

[adrotate banner=”4″]We’re especially proud of the Radeon R9 Nano’s performance in this VR test that is unmatched at its mini-ITX form factor. There’s also a wider selection of Radeons currently available that are capable of attaining the ‘Recommended for VR’ status than the competition’s offerings.

What’s more, we’ve worked very closely with Valve to implement one of AMD LiquidVR’s premier features called Affinity multi-GPU into the Aperture Science Robot Repair demo, which this tool is based on . Think of this as CrossFire technology for VR, where the application lets one GPU render for the left eye, and the other for the right eye. Though the work implementing Affinity mGPU into this application is not finished, it’s already showing significant performance uplift over a single GPU.

We’re very excited about the HTC Vive and SteamVR experience. We’re also thrilled to bring exceptional VR capability not only to millions of Radeon users who can rest assured that their GPUs are ready to drive the HTC Vive headset, but also to those thinking about buying one of the above-mentioned cards to power a premium VR-Ready experience.

 

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HTC Vive Consumer Edition VR Headset Unveiled

Barcelona, Mobile World Congress, February 21, 2016 – HTC, in partnership with Valve, today unveiled the consumer edition of its Vive virtual reality system. Continuing to build upon the Vive’s exhaustive list of features, this complete Vive system, powered by SteamVR, introduces yet another new technological innovation – Vive Phone Services – once again setting a new standard in virtual reality.

Enabling you to stay connected to the real world, without exiting the virtual world, Vive Phone Services demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either. By allowing you to receive and respond to both incoming and missed calls, get text messages and send quick replies and check upcoming calendar invites directly through the headset, it creates a hybrid reality opening up a whole new world of possibilities for both consumers and businesses.

Taking Vive one step further, with refreshed branding and an updated headstrap, the HTC Vive Consumer Edition builds upon the innovative features that were introduced into the Vive Pre. These include updated wireless controllers with haptic feedback and dual stage triggers, a front facing camera that blends physical elements into the virtual world, a redesigned headstrap that offers greater stability and balance and an improved visual system with brighter displays to give a deeper sense of immersion.

Priced at US$799, for a limited time the consumer edition will also ship with two fully-fledged VR experiences to get you started in the VR world:

  • [adrotate banner=”4″]Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives, by Owlchemy Labs: In a firmly tongue-in-cheek world where robots have replaced all human jobs, step into the ‘Job Simulator’ to learn what it was like ‘to job’.
  • Fantastic Contraption, by Northway Games in collaboration with Radial Games: Imagine walking around a grassy island floating in the sky, building a machine the size of a horse with your own hands, and then watching it roll out into the world.

But it’s not just about gaming. In addition to these launch titles, HTC is working with developers to foster the creation of content that spans multiple sectors including entertainment, retail, education, design, healthcare and automotive.

“From the beginning, Vive has been at the forefront of virtual reality, with HTC pioneering several ground breaking technologies,” comments Cher Wang, chairwoman and CEO, HTC. “Since announcing Vive this time last year, we have worked tirelessly with Valve to deliver the best VR experience on the market, winning multiple awards and receiving critical acclaim from media, consumers and the industry. With the Vive consumer edition we are now able to realize our ultimate vision; bringing Vive into homes around the globe so that people can experience immersive virtual reality in a away that fires the imagination and truly changes the world.”

 

Vive Consumer Edition Pricing and Availability

The HTC Vive Consumer Edition will be available to pre-order from 29th February, with pre-order fulfilment and full commercial availability starting in early April.

Priced at US$799, the Vive Consumer Edition is the first complete VR solution, including two wireless VR controllers, room scale movement sensors, and an HMD featuring a built in camera and phone, plus the two VR titles. The integration of SteamVR into the bundle ensures that all Vive equipment is kept up-to-date with the latest features.

 

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HTC Desire 530, 630, 825 Smartphones Launched

Barcelona, Mobile World Congress, February 21, 2016 – With the ambition of creating one-of-a-kind devices, HTC today lifted the lid on its latest smartphones. Inspired by urban streetwear, the design of the three newest editions to the Desire range – the HTC Desire 530, 630 and 825 – bridge the gap between fashion and consumer electronics. Using a specially created micro splash effect on the polycarbonate shell, every single phone is both personal and unique.

 

Standing out – From Fashion to Phones

Playing to people’s personal tastes, their desire to be different and the fact that smartphones are now as much of a fashion accessory as they are a personal hub, HTC’s design team employed a paint process that treats each phone as a canvas. Utilizing specially designed spray nozzles and different settings of pressure and paint viscosity, they were able create an object that not only looks different, but that looks like nothing else on the market.

Coming in a choice of colors – Stratus White Remix with duo color micro splash and Graphite Gray Remix with gold micro splash for the Desire 630 and 825, and Graphite Grey and Solid Stratus White block colors for the Desire 530, these phones deliver something personal for everyone.

Knowing that people like to customize their style and stay ahead of the trends, our design experts also created two-tone snap on cases that split into parts, a lanyard inspired by hand straps on bags and over 25,000 themes that enable you to change your device’s color scheme and background based on your favorite photos.

“HTC has built its reputation on pairing industry-leading design with smart features”, said Chialin Chang, President of Sales, HTC. “But with customers also seeking personalization, and individuality in addition to treating their phones as fashion accessories, we have needed to create something different. So today we’re launching the most unique Desire devices yet.”

 

Sound as it should be heard

But it’s not just about design. Sound is also incredibly important and, whilst music choice is incredibly personal, the demand for high quality audio is shared. Both the Desire 630 and 825 are Hi-Res Audio certified and feature HTC’s revolutionary BoomSound with Dolby Audio™ technology.

Combined with audio playback, that is four times more detailed than CD quality, you are guaranteed a richer and more dynamic music experience. In select regions, the Desire 630 and Desire 825 will also come bundled with a Hi-Res headset that delivers higher fidelity music straight out of the box.

 

Getting the perfect shot

With young people predicted to take up to 25,000 selfies in their lifetime , imaging quality also needs to hit the mark and so these phones have been specifically designed with a 5MP front facing camera and Auto Selfie and Voice Selfie Modes, that allow you to snap away without pressing a button. The integration of Live Make-Up on the Desire 630 and 825 ensures that you can touch up your face so that it always looks as good as your phone.

Precision engineering continues with an 8MP rear camera on the HTC Desire 530, a 13MP on the Desire 630 and Desire 825 and built-in BSI sensors that increase the amount of light captured, giving you great images whatever time of day. Additional features like burst shot and sweep panorama allow you to freeze movement and create professional looking landscape photos, with Google Photos providing an ideal storage facility for your pictures and videos.

 

Feeling and looking good

[adrotate banner=”4″]With a phone that makes you stand out from the crowd, you want to feel as good as you look. Integrated into the Desire 825, is HTC Sensor Hub – a feature that lets you keep tabs on your wellbeing. Always on, HTC Sensor Hub records your activity, gestures and dynamic movement, providing real-time stats that can be automatically linked to some of the most popular fitness tracking applications, including Runtastic Running & Fitness, Runkeeper, Endomondo Running and Walking, and Google Fit.

 

HTC Desire 530, 630 & 825 Availability

The HTC Desire 530, 630 and 825 will begin rolling out both at retailers and at htc.com, from March 2016. Individual market dates will be released at a later date in 2016.

 

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HTC One X9 Smartphone Launched @ MWC 2016

Barcelona, Mobile World Congress, February 21, 2016 – Following the trend that HTC set for all-metal smartphones when it launched the HTC One M7, its design team has, once again, raised the bar when it comes to creating beautifully crafted devices.

Driven by the belief that design should be inspired by both your surroundings and personal and cultural influences, such as fashion and art, the newest member of the award-winning HTC One family – the HTC One X9 – pulls through the look and feel of high end silk, creating a softer, warmer and more luxurious finish to the phone.

Taking cues from the company’s metalmorphics philosophy, which draws on the natural beauty around us, by using rich, striking colors and unique finishes, the HTC One X9 uses a new technique to give it its fine texture. Tapping into the fashion world’s obsession with silver and gold, it comes in four colors – Carbon Grey, Opal Silver, Topaz Gold and Cooper Rose – making it the perfect accessory.

At just 75.9mm, its glass curved front and finely honed corners make it one of the most slender handsets in its class. A 5.5-inch full HD screen with personalized color mode and rich display not only delivers the optimal multimedia experience, but also means that it is a phone you are proud to show off and carry around.

The hugely popular HTC Dot View II case adds the final design touch to the HTC One X9, fully enabling the beauty of this phone to shine through.

“Elegant, stylish and ergonomic smartphone design is an essential element for consumers today”, said Chialin Chang, President of Sales, HTC. “At the same time, they don’t want to sacrifice performance or screen size, so striking the right balance between style and size was key for this new addition to the HTC One family. The HTC One X9 draws on rich colors and unique finishes, combining them with a lightweight, slender metal design and larger screen for those who want a premium smartphone experience.”

 

Capturing beauty from both behind and in front of the lens

Working tirelessly to deliver an unparalleled experience, the camera quality on the HTC One X9 is one of the best in its class. By precision engineering two cameras, one front and one back, and a selection of image-enhancing features, the HTC One X9 enables you to capture breathtaking shots every time and from every angle.

[adrotate banner=”4″]Combining the 13MP rear camera with its second-generation Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Real-time anti-shake functionality, and the front facing 5MP camera, with integrated Auto Selfie, Voice Selfie and Live Make Up, you can shoot clear, sharp, smooth images of the highest quality regardless of who is behind the lens.

RAW format’s one button enhancement feature automatically brightens colors and sharpens edges with one push, and other imaging tools commonly used by professional photographers such as Pro Mode and an advance manual control, add the finishing touches what is already one of the best cameras in its class.

And if photography is not your thing, video buffs will have their inner film director inspired by 4K video resolution and Hyperlapse mode which allows you to create dramatic time-lapse effects.

 

Sound good to you?

Never compromising on audio, and with the knowledge that most people listen to music on their smartphone, the HTC One X9 creates larger than life audio, delivered by HTC BoomSound with Dolby Surround. Integrated amplifiers bring out the best of your music and provide an even more dynamic range of sound.

 

Software to stand out: Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Premium smartphone hardware demands the best software to support performance and the HTC One X9 uses the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow features for the best user experience. Google Now on Tap intuitively provides information about whatever is on your screen by holding the home button. Google Backup for Apps automatically backs up app data it to all capable Android-powered devices.

 

HTC One X9 Availability

The HTC One X9 will begin rolling out in North Asia and EMEA at retailers and on htc.com, later in 2016.

 

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HTC One A9 & Four Other Smartphones Revealed

Last night, HTC invited us to an exclusive Chinese New Year dinner, which also doubled as an official launch event. Their tagline for the event was “Ready to bring your A_ game?“.

They also cheekily presented marshmallows for those of us who are still licking our lollipops… No guesses for what operating system the new HTC smartphone will be running! 😀

Of course, anyone who has kept up on tech rumours would have known that HTC was going to launch the HTC One A9 smartphone. What we didn’t know was that they would also reveal another four HTC smartphones at the event as well!

Neither did we expect such fantastic entertainment from our fellow members of the media. Be sure to catch the video we took of our friends with hidden talents!

 

HTC One A9 & Four Other Smartphones Revealed

Just after the tossing of the yee sang for luck in the new year, the star of the event was “served” to us on a silver platter. Presenting the new HTC One A9!

Manu Seth, Senior Director, Head of Marketing for South Asia, then took the stage to talk about the HTC One A9, before revealing the details of the other four new HTC smartphones – the HTC One ME, HTC Desire 828, HTC Desire 728 and the HTC Desire 626.

Before we could get our hands on the new HTC smartphones, it was time for some fun and games. Check out this video we took of some talented members of the media in a dance-off contest!

Seriously, our friends have hidden talents! Who would have expected them to dance so well? 😀

Okay, entertainment is over. Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty details of the five new HTC smartphones!

Next Page > The 2 New HTC One Smartphones

HTC One A9

The HTC One A9 will come in Carbon Gray and Topaz Gold colours. They will have a recommended retail price of RM 2,299 (~US$539).

SpecificationsHTC One A9
Size70.8 mm wide
145.75 mm tall
7.26 mm thick
Display5.0" full HD (1080 x 1920) display
Corning Gorilla Glass protection
Operating SystemAndroid 6.0 with HTC Sense
PlatformQualcomm Snapdragon 617
Processor4 x ARM Cortex A53 cores @ 1.5 GHz
4 x ARM Cortex A53 cores @ 1.2 GHz
GPUQualcomm Adreno 405
RAM3 GB
Storage32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (upgradable to 2 TB)
Main Camera13 MP BSI sensor
Sapphire covered lens
f/2.0 aperture, auto-focus
OIS (Optical image stabilization)
1080p video recording
Front CameraHTC UltraPixel
f/2.0 aperture, fixed focus
1080p video recording
Network Capabilities4G LTE : FDD Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28
4G LTE : TDD Bands 38, 40, 41
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
2 G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
ConnectivityBluetooth 4.1
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
micro USB 2.0 port
SensorsFingerprint sensor
Ambient light, proximity, motion, compass, gyro, magnetic sensors
LocationGPS + GLONASS
AudioDolby Audio
Hi-Res Audio
Battery2150 mAh lithium ion battery
Quick Charge 2.0 support

 

HTC One ME

The HTC One ME will come in Classic Rose Gold and Meteor Gray colours. They will have a recommended retail price of RM 1,599 (~US$379).

SpecificationsHTC One ME
Size71.99 mm wide
150.99 mm tall
9.75 mm thick
Display5.2" WQHD (1440 x 2560) display
Operating SystemAndroid 5.1 with HTC Sense
PlatformMediaTek helio X10
Processor8 x ARM Cortex A53 cores @ 2.2 GHz
GPUPowerVR G6200
RAM3 GB
Storage32 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (upgradable to 2 TB)
Main Camera20 MP BSI sensor
f/2.2 aperture, auto-focus
4K video recording
Front CameraHTC UltraPixel
f/2.0 aperture, fixed focus
1080p video recording
Network Capabilities4G LTE : FDD Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8
4G LTE : TDD Bands 38, 39, 40, 41
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
2 G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
ConnectivityBluetooth 4.1
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
NFC
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
micro USB 2.0 port
LocationGPS + GLONASS
AudioHTC Boomsound with Dolby Audio
Battery2840 mAh lithium ion battery

Next Page > The 3 New HTC Desire Smartphones

HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM

The HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM will come in Dark Gray and Pearl White colours.

SpecificationsHTC Desire 828 Dual SIM
Size78.9 mm wide
157.7 mm tall
7.9 mm thick
Display5.5" FHD (1080 x 1920) display
Operating SystemAndroid 5.1 with HTC Sense
PlatformMediaTek MT6753T
Processor8 x ARM Cortex A53 cores @ 1.5 GHz
GPUARM Mali-T720
RAM2 GB
Storage16 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (upgradable to 2 TB)
Main Camera13 MP BSI sensor
f/2.0 aperture, auto-focus
OIS (Optical image stabilization)
1080p video recording
Front CameraHTC UltraPixel
f/2.0 aperture, fixed focus
1080p video recording
Network Capabilities4G LTE : FDD Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8
4G LTE : TDD Bands 38, 39, 40, 41
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
2 G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
ConnectivityBluetooth 4.1
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
micro USB 2.0 port
LocationGPS + GLONASS
AudioHTC Boomsound with Dolby Audio
Battery2800 mAh lithium ion battery

 

HTC Desire 728 Dual SIM

The HTC Desire 728 Dual SIM will come in Purple Myst and White Luxury colours.

SpecificationsHTC Desire 728 Dual SIM
Size77.8 mm wide
157.9 mm tall
7.87 mm thick
Display5.5" HD (720 x 1280) display
Operating SystemAndroid 5.1 with HTC Sense
PlatformMediaTek MT6753
Processor8 x ARM Cortex A53 cores @ 1.3 GHz
GPUARM Mali-T720
RAM2 GB
Storage16 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (upgradable to 2 TB)
Main Camera13 MP BSI sensor
f/2.2 aperture, auto-focus
1080p video recording
Front Camera5 MP BSI sensor
1080p video recording
Network Capabilities4G LTE : FDD Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8
4G LTE : TDD Bands 38, 39, 40, 41
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
2 G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
ConnectivityBluetooth 4.1
802.11 b/g/n WiFi (2.4 GHz)
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
micro USB 2.0 port
LocationGPS + GLONASS
AudioHTC Boomsound with Dolby Audio
Battery2800 mAh lithium ion battery

 

HTC Desire 626 Dual SIM

The HTC Desire 626 Dual SIM will come in Blue Lagoon and White Birch colours.

SpecificationsHTC Desire 626 Dual SIM
Size70.9 mm wide
146.9 mm tall
8.19 mm thick
Display5.0" HD (720 x 1280) display
Operating SystemAndroid 5.1 with HTC Sense
PlatformMediaTek MT6752
Processor8 x ARM Cortex A53 cores @ 1.7 GHz
GPUARM Mali-T760
RAM2 GB
Storage16 GB internal flash memory
microSD slot (upgradable to 2 TB)
Main Camera13 MP BSI sensor
f/2.2 aperture, auto-focus
1080p video recording
Front Camera5 MP BSI sensor
1080p video recording
Network Capabilities4G LTE : FDD Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8
4G LTE : TDD Bands 38, 39, 40, 41
3G : 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
2 G : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
ConnectivityBluetooth 4.1
802.11 b/g/n WiFi (2.4 GHz)
3.5 mm stereo audio jack
micro USB 2.0 port
LocationGPS + GLONASS
Battery2000 mAh lithium ion battery

 

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HTC Vive Pre Second-Generation VR System Unveiled

January 6, 2016 – HTC, a pioneer in innovative smart technologies, today announced new developments to the Vive VR system that represent the next step in bringing virtual reality to a mass-market. With Vive Pre, HTC is fulfilling the promise of creating fully immersive experiences that change how we communicate, how we are entertained, and how we learn and train.

Each and every component has been redesigned from the ground up to provide better comfort, ergonomics, and performance. With milestone improvements in both visuals and versatility, Vive Pre creates a world without limits.

“When we first announced Vive ten months ago we had an ambitious goal of fundamentally changing the way people communicate and interact with the world – forever” comments Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO, HTC. “Since then Vive has received a phenomenally positive reception from media, industry commentators, consumers, and the hundreds of partners and brands we’ve been working with to deliver inspiring and dynamic VR content. For too long, the promise of virtual reality has been little more than a promise. Today we stand on the precipice of a new era. Vive is creating a world where the only limit is human imagination.”

 

Become immersed with the new Vive Headset

The refreshed design of the Vive headset has been refined to offer greater comfort to the wearer, increasing the sense of immersion in the virtual worlds it creates. The headset is now more compact and features an updated strap design that provides greater stability and balance. An improved visual system with brighter displays and image refinements leads to increased clarity, and an even deeper sense of presence.

On the inside, interchangeable foam inserts and nose gaskets mean the Vive Pre fits comfortably and securely to the user. Vive Pre can also be easily adjusted to suit a variety of facial shapes while remaining compatible with a variety of eyeglasses.

 

Integrated front facing camera merges the physical and virtual

Vive Pre brings elements of the real world into the VR realm. A newly developed front facing camera allows you to do more both inside and outside your Virtual world by blending physical elements into the virtual space. Being able to take a seat, find your drink, and carry on conversations without removing your headset is only the beginning of what’s possible.

 

Greater Control

[adrotate banner=”4″]Completing the VR experience, the Vive’s controllers have been overhauled and enhanced with updated ergonomics and softer edges, greater balance, new textured buttons, and grip pads for a more comfortable feel in the hand.

The new dual stage trigger makes interaction with objects smoother, and haptic feedback delivers vital feedback about your interactions with the virtual world. For power, the controllers now feature integrated rechargeable lithium polymer batteries with micro-USB charging that provides over 4 hours of runtime on a single charge.

The Vive base stations have also been redesigned to be more compact, quieter, and provide improved tracking.

 

Complete Solution

The HTC Vive will be the first VR hardware to support SteamVR. Created by Valve, Steam VR tracking and the Chaperone system are optimized for use with Steam, one of the largest online platforms for PC, Linux and Mac games and software.

 

Shaping the Virtual Reality Industry

Since announcing Vive, HTC and Valve have worked with thousands of developers and partners to create VR content across a wide spectrum of sectors; from gaming and entertainment to health, automotive, retail and education. HTC and over 15 Vive partners will be showcasing VR applications at CES 2016, demonstrating the potential of a world without limits on imagination. Leading automotive manufacturer Audi has created a luxury retail experience where consumers can explore virtual car models, including the Audi R8, and Dassault will showcase how the company is developing the future of 3D product design in VR. HTC is also showcasing a new brand for Vive at CES 2016.

 

HTC Vive Pre Availability

While Vive is scheduled for commercial launch in April 2016, HTC and Valve will be starting the new year by making an additional 7,000 units available to developers.

 

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HTC & Under Armour Unveil UA HealthBox

January 5, 2016 – Today, HTC and Under Armour unveiled UA HealthBox™, the world’s first connected fitness system that measures, monitors, and manages the most important drivers of health and fitness – sleep, fitness, activity and nutrition.

Designed and manufactured by HTC and powered by UA Record™, UA HealthBox includes a fitness band, heart rate monitor and a smart scale that all connect seamlessly with UA Record to provide insights that empower individuals to improve their health and fitness. The new UA Record is available for download from the Google Play store and App Store.

With a HTC smartphone, or other Android or iOS smartphone, UA Record serves as the dashboard for daily activities that dictate how you feel. Following the same philosophy HTC takes when designing smartphones, UA HealthBox removes the barriers and complexity of technology with a simple to set up and easy to use system.

“This system contains everything a consumer needs to better manage their health and fitness,” said Wolfgang Muller, Executive Director – Connected Products, HTC. “Whether you are a high performance athlete or simply committed to improving your health, UA HealthBox is the only system that delivers the complete picture and provides the information and motivation needed to achieve your goals.”

 

The UA HealthBox

UA BandTM is designed to be worn all-day, every day. It tracks daily activity, workouts and sleep. All day activity capture allows you to set a daily goal and track progress on the band. UA Band utilizes a seamless exterior shell with a display that is discreetly hidden under an outer layer allowing the technology to disappear when it is not in use. Designed with athletes in mind, the band offers an advanced workout mode with a display that stays on during the workout, as well as an LED that indicates heart rate zone when paired with UA Heart Rate. UA Band comes in black with a red textured underside to allow moisture wicking.

UA Heart RateTM is a compact heart rate monitor with an innovative micro snap technology designed to make it undetectable during workouts. The chest strap and removable sensor helps individuals monitor intensity and train smarter. The UA Heart Rate was created to provide an accurate calculation of calories burned. Combined with the UA Record app, UA Heart Rate allows you to customize your heart rate zones.

UA ScaleTM is a beautifully crafted, Wi-Fi enabled scale with an iconic circular design. The scale utilizes a sheet of glass with advanced conductive paint technology that enables weight and body fat percentage readings. The hidden LED display behind the glass makes technology invisible when not in use. The scale can support up to eight users and syncs with the UA Record app for individuals to view trends with weight as part of their overall dashboard. UA Scale comes in black with a red textured underside.

“There are several options for consumers today when it comes to monitoring their daily activity, but no option when it comes to capturing and presenting information in a meaningful way. Most of us know more about the health of our car than we do about our own bodies,” said Robin Thurston, Chief Digital Officer, Under Armour. “Under Armour and HTC sets out to change that by going far beyond the automation of data tracking. UA HealthBox provides custom health and fitness experiences designed to guide you towards your goals.”

[adrotate banner=”4″]Because of its unique approach, UA HealthBox is intended to be an integral part of an individual’s daily life, and as such the importance design was paramount. UA HealthBox has been designed to unify the portfolio of products and the experience of using them.

“At HTC, design is an uncompromising part of our culture. It is our DNA and we have an obsessive focus on delivering beautiful design not just on the outside but on the inside too,” said Muller. “UA HealthBox is beautifully designed with no detail overlooked or thought through, but it was also designed to be a comprehensive connected system that is easy to use throughout the day and every day. This is what sets it apart from anything on the market today.”

 

UA HealthBox Availability

UA HealthBox will be available on January 22 in the U.S. with pre-orders beginning today on the HTC and Under Armour websites and at Under Armour Brand House locations. UA HealthBox (including UA Band, UA Heart Rate and UA Scale) will cost US$400. UA HealthBox will roll out to additional US retailers in the first quarter and internationally throughout 2016.

 

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Oculus CV1 & HTC Vive Virtual Reality Test Drive

Earlier this month, we attended an exclusive NVIDIA event in Singapore. The event started with a briefing on how NVIDIA was going to deliver near real-time ray tracing to the masses, with a demo of that capability on an NVIDIA Shield tablet.

As a bonus, we were also given the opportunity to try out not only the Oculus CV1, but also the HTC Vive, virtual reality headsets. As the software being demonstrated was still under embargo, we could not take any pictures of the display. But we still managed to take videos and pictures of the experience. Check them out!

 

The Oculus CV1

This is likely the same Oculus CV1 + Xbox 360 controller setup they used at E3. We had a few minutes to try out some of the titles they prepared – Edge of Nowhere, EVE Valkyrie, AirMech VR, etc.

1 / 7

The experience was amazing although we can see that virtual reality is still not ready for prime time. The Oculus CV1 still did not have sufficiently high resolution to be really immersive. The headset itself, while reasonably light, was still cumbersome and it can get a little steamy inside. Although the cable was not noticeable once you start playing, we like the freedom that a wireless solution like the Samsung Gear VR offers.

The biggest problem was the controller. The Xbox 360 controller was, perhaps, not the best controller for these games. Or maybe I’m just too used to PC gaming. During the test drive, we needed “outside” help to realign our orientation. Perhaps a dedicated button on the headset to realign orientation would be useful.

 

The HTC Vive

NVIDIA set up two rather large HTC Vive booths, each with a HTC Vive headset and a lighthouse system inside. We got to experience a slew of virtual reality experiences and apps over 20 minutes. We also got to try out the Chaperone safety system, which warned us whenever we come close to the wall.

The HTC Vive was amazing. Although it looks heavy, the headset was quite comfortable. It was immersive and fun to use. The controllers were quite intuitive to use although they obviously do not allow for precise control. The Chaperone system also worked very well, warning us when we approached a wall.

However, we were a little frustrated by the cumbersome cabling. Even if you don’t actually trip over the cables, you “feel” them get in the way when you walk all over the room. That kind of disrupted the experience.

Evolution Of Google Nexus : Huawei’s Transcendence

Google opened up the smartphone market with their introduction of the Android operating system. From a small handful of smartphone manufacturers, there is now a plethora of small to large manufacturers. That has led to the creation of thousands of smartphone models, with their own blend of design, features and price point.

For the purist though, there is nothing better than a true Google smartphone with a clean, pure Android operating system. No bloatware to waste memory and clog up the system. Google finally catered to the demand when they created the Google Nexus series of pure Android smartphones.

Wary of entering the market as a competitor, Google threaded carefully by creating the Nexus smartphones with various smartphone partners. They even made sure they switched partners over the years to “give everyone a chance”.

Let’s take a look at the evolution of Google’s Nexus project and how it led to the new Huawei Nexus 6P smartphone.

 

Google Nexus One

Google chose to work HTC on the first Nexus smartphone, dubbed Nexus One. Launched in January 2010, the Google Nexus One ran Android 2.1 Eclair on a single-core Qualcomm processor with 512 MB of RAM and 512 MB of internal storage. It also came with 5 MP camera.

The Nexus One was notable for its performance and its 3.7″ AMOLED display, although that was eventually replaced with a Super LCD display. HTC eventually released their HTC Desire, which is very similar in specifications to the Nexus One.

 

Google Nexus S

Google then worked with Samsung to create and manufacture the second-generation Nexus smartphone – the Google Nexus S.

The Nexus S shipped with a 4″ Super AMOLED display, a Samsung Exynos processor, 512 MB of RAM and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It was notable for being the first Android smartphone to feature NFC.

 

Google Galaxy Nexus

Google continued with Samsung for their third Android smartphone – the Galaxy Nexus. Launched in October 2011, it was the first smartphone to feature the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

The Galaxy Nexus continued to use a Super AMOLED display but upgrades the other aspects – a dual-core ARM Cortex processor, 1 GB of memory and support for MHL output as well as Google Wallet.

 

Google Nexus 4

For their fourth Nexus smartphone, Google decided to work with LG Electronics. Launched in November 2012, the Google Nexus 4 featured a quad-core ARM Krait processor, 2 GB of RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

The Nexus 4 was notable for its Qi wireless charging capability, as well as its front and rear glass construction with a holographic design on the back. It also came with a higher resolution 8 MP rear camera, and a 1.3 MP front camera.

 

Google Nexus 5

Google continued to work with LG Electronics on the Google Nexus 5 smartphone. Revealed on October 31st, 2013, it featured a more subdued (and tougher) polycarbonate design.

The Nexus 5 was notable for offering a great deal of hardware for the price. Launched with Android 4.4 KitKat, it featured a quad-core ARM Krait 400 processor, a 4.95″ full HD (1080p) IPS display, and support for LTE.

 

Google Nexus 6

Google then switched to Motorola for the Nexus 6 smartphone. It was the first Google Nexus device to feature a 6″ Quad HD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display and Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Google Nexus 6 was also notable for its sleek design, which belies its large form factor. It also features a large 3220 mAh battery with fast charging capability, as well as a high-resolution 13 MP main camera with optical image stabilization.

 

Google Nexus 5X

The Google Nexus 5X is an evolution of the Nexus 5, both manufactured by LG. It is the first Android device to feature the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor, and the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system.

The Nexus 5X is notable for the introduction of the Android Sensor Hub, a low-power processor designed to take over the handling of the Nexus 5X’s sensors. This reduces the amount of power consumed by its 6-core ARM processor.

 

Google Nexus 6P

Alongside the Nexus 5X, Google also launched the Google Nexus 6P, which was co-designed with and manufactured by Huawei. As the flagship model of the two Nexus devices designed for the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system, the Huawei-made Nexus 6P is equipped with hardware to kill for.

 

Like the LG-made Nexus 5X, the Huawei-made Nexus 6P also features the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor and the Android Sensor Hub. But that’s where the similarities end.

[adrotate banner=”4″]The Nexus 6P is powered by an octa-core ARM processor, and comes with 3 GB of LPDDR4 memory and up to 128 GB of internal storage. The Nexus 6P eschewed wireless charging capability for a high-capacity 3,450 mAh battery that fast-charges through a USB Type-C connector.

It also features a 5.7″ WQHD AMOLED display (2560 x 1440) with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection and dual-ported speakers. Instead of a glass or polycarbonate case, the Nexus 6P is the first Nexus smartphone to feature an all-metal chassis.

In the photography department, it sports a 12.3 MP main camera that is capable of recording 4K videos, and comes with laser autofocus. Its front camera has a 8 MP sensor that records HD videos.

This is definitely the Android smartphone to beat this year!