4
Oct
2010
The HTC Desire Z – Sprouting QWERTY for the Desire
Following the common trend to come out with QWERTY slider variants of its popular monolithic touchscreens, Taiwan’s leading smartphone maker HTC has unveiled its HTC Desire Z. Looking more like the earlier Desire than the upcoming Desire HD, the new smartphone is only the second Android from HTC to have a sliding QWERTY keyboard after its Dream released in June 2009.
Exquisite Screen
Sharing the same 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen with 16 million colors and WVGA (800 x 480) resolution, the HTC Desire Z takes off from HTC’s move to use Super LCD from Sony rather than suffer anew the inability of Samsung to supply the AMOLED displays used in the early Desire.
It’s interesting to note that the Desire Androids now use S-LCD while its first few production batches had AMOLED screens. But no matter, if Engadget is right in its comparison, the two screen technologies offer about the same picture quality with AMOLED being more power efficient.
General Features
With a smorgasbord of connectivity features on both radio (quad band GSM on 2G and dual band UMTS on 3G) and data (class 32 GPRS/EDGE on 2G and HSDA 14.4 Mbps and HSUPA 7.6 Mbps on 3G), the HTC Desire Z is up to the telephony task like any flagship smartphone.
It also has WiFi 802.11 b/g/n with DLNA and while its 5 megapixel autofocus geo tagging and face detecting camera with LED flash is nothing to brag about, it does offer 720p video recording. Other features include:
• Qualcomm MSM 7230 at 800 MHz running Android v2.2 Froyo;
• Facebook, Twitter, Picasa, YouTube and Google talk integration;
• Multitouch Input, proximity and accelerometer sensors
• FM stereo with RDS and 3.5mm headphone jack;
• Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP and microUSB v2.0;
• 1.5 GB onboard memory with 512 MB RAM, up to 32GB microSD support;
• 1300 mAh Li-ion battery for up to 9.8 hours on 2G, 6.6 hours on 3G with 430 hours standby.
2
Jul
2010
Three Reasons Why You Should Get an HTC Desire
The HTC Desire is currently one of the most highly-rated Smartphone in the market. In fact, if you browse through a number of mobile phone reviews about the Desire online, you’re unlikely to find one that has anything bad to say about this wonderful device. Well, if you’re still searching for a negative review then you ought to look elsewhere as this particular article is all about why you should stop scouring the web and head straight for one of the HTC Desire deals, instead.
The Features
To put it simply, the HTC Desire is one of the most impressive Smartphones we’ve seen in a while. It packs in features such as a 5-Megapixel camera, full voice and data connectivity options, and an excellent software + hardware combo. With its 1 GHz monster of a processor, the Desire is also one of the fastest and most responsive Smartphones around.
The Operating System
The HTC Desire has been gifted with Google’s Andoroid operating system. This OS is very impressive and some critics are saying that it has topped the likes of the iPhone’s or the Blackberry’s proprietary operating systems. We can’t disagree. With all that awesome Google apps on board, combined with a very user-friendly and high performance OS, the Android is definitely currently the one to beat.
The Price
Right now, the iPhone 3GS is the most popular Smarpthone in the market (though the newly released iPhone 4 is likely to change that). However, if you’ve been paying attention to what we’ve been saying then you’ve probably realize that the HTC Desire is a much better mobile than the 3GS. Even better is that it’s much cheaper. For only around £400 you can get your hands on your own desire. That’s around £140 cheaper than the famed iPhone 3GS.
1
Jul
2010
What is New with Android Froyo?
So it is the latest Android OS version, but with so much hype about the new Froyo, it is getting hard to figure exactly what is so special about the new version. We already know that the Os update has been released for the Google Nexus One. In the meanwhile, the Desire, Wildfire and Legend (which is HTC’s killer Android trio for this season) and several other handsets such as the Motorola Milestone and the Samsung Galaxy S might have to wait a little while longer for a compatible patch to be released.
With the launch of Adobe’s Flash Player for the Android 2.2 Froyo pre-empting the actual OS itself, many are wondering when the new era of Flash on smart phones will actually start. The players are all in place and all the industry needs now is a massive multi phone update to the new Android version.
Of course, the new OS is going to be bringing users more than just Flash support. In fact, the new Froyo updates have so much to offer that Flash support ends up becoming an extra feature.
The most obvious difference in the new OS is that the interface now has a cute mascot telling you what to do. And unlike Microsoft Office’s annoying paperclip, the Android Robot (a term that would make science fiction fans cringe) actually offers useful advice.
One of our favorite improvements is in the camera user interface. When taking photos, users can now easily adjust the settings, add effects and basically control every element of the shot in order to provide the best image possible (of course, users might want to brush up on the basic theories of shutter speed and aperture to figure out what exposure settings are best under certain light conditions). At the very least, the new UI lets users add in cool effects to photos too.
15
Jun
2010
Legal Drama: ITC Investigates Apple on HTC Claims
The International Trade Commission has announced that investigations on Apple are currently underway following a recent complaint by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC.
Last May, after signing an agreement with Microsoft regarding the use of MS patents, HTC launched a formal patent infringement lawsuit against Cupertino based Apple regarding patents for 5 various technologies that are being infringed by the makers of the iPhone and the iPad.
The news came as to no surprise as everyone already expected HTC to file a counter lawsuit against Apple. Earlier this year, Apple had filed a lawsuit against HTC regarding 20 software and hardware patents. The lawsuit itself did not make mention of Google or the Android operating system, but it was confirmed that the mobile phones concerned were mostly Android devices (and a couple of WinMo phones as well).
Many saw Apple’s lawsuit as an attack on their rival Google. As many already know, Google and HTC go way back as partners in the development of the Android operating system. By crippling HTC, Apple stood to gain plenty by cutting off one of the largest manufacturers of Google Android handsets.
On the other hand, no one was really surprised by Apple’s hard edged approach when it came to using their legal capabilities. The company has already locked horns last year with Nokia in a lawsuit-counter-lawsuit legal dispute. Also, they used their influence to have the home of tech blogger Jason Chen raided by REACT operatives in the hunt for the prototype iPhone 4 which was left in a bar.
Despite Apple’s reputation as a legal bully, tables have been turned a little this year with most companies now filing cases against Apple. Elan Microelectronics, HTC and Nokia are all confirmed to have filed their own individual patent infringement lawsuits against the Cupertino based electronics manufacturer.
4
Jun
2010
Quick List of Upcoming Androids
Google’s Android operating system is currently the most talked about mobile platform. With the announcement of version 2.2 Froyo at the recent Google I/O conference, we got to see the amazing new features, speed improvements and even Flash compatibility on this open source OS.
The only thing now is actually buying an Android smart phone that tickles our fancy, and with the current choices available from HTC, Sony and more, there is certainly a lot to be happy about. But if none of these existing devices excite you, then you might want to read about upcoming Android smart phones and see if on suits your tastes.
The first big name on the list is the Dell Streak. It is already coming out at the end of the week so for any upcoming phone listings, this entry offers the least amount of waiting. Still, there is much more to the Streak than just an early release date, it runs on a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, has a 5 mega pixel camera and a whopping 5 inch capacitive touch screen display.
But if going big is not your thing, then you might want to size down with Sony Ericsson’s X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro. Both of these smart phones come with a neat little 2.55 inch TFT touch screen display and a decent 600MHz CPU. The Pro comes with an extra treat: a slide out QWERTY keyboard perfect for those who love typing on their phones.
Speaking of Sony Ericsson, the Japanese Swedish joint venture has let it known that they have another Android smart phone coming soon and the next one will be using their impressive Walkman technology. We’re expecting a device that is about the size of the X10 Minis, but with a little more hardware power under the hood.
17
May
2010
HTC Wildfire Announced
HTC has today announced a budget version of its hugely successful Desire. It will be called the HTC Wildfire and will offer a lot of the HTC Desire’s functionality but for a lot lower price. It makes sense when you think about it, HTC has already developed a lot of the technology that goes into the wildfire, so why not try to increase market share by offering a lower spec device to increase market penetration. We are seeing the Android platform starting to exert some dominance and we believe that this will be the year for Android. Whereas Apple is a premium brand, with its handsets costing upwards of £400, you can pick up an Android handset from as little as £100. This will ultimately mean a larger marketplace for APP developers and therefore more choice for the consumer. We have been impressed with the improvement of HTC handsets through 2009 and 2010 and we expect big things from the plucky Taiwanese firm over the coming few years. Do you like the look of the HTC Wildfire? Let us know in the comments section.
1
Apr
2010
Apple Gets Slapped With New Lawsuit from Taiwan
Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Elan Microelectronics has struck at a very bad time for Apple. With only a few days away from the launch of the Apple iPad and the fact that Apple has just bought off the iPad name from Fujitsu (who surprisingly owned the name in the first place), it looks like the touch screen tablet and Apple’s other multi touch capable devices might get caught up in a holding order.
The lawsuit is strong and clear with the demands of Elan: “Apple is violating Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, by importing its iPhone, iPod Touch, MacBook and Magic Mouse products into the United States, that infringe Elan’s U.S. Patent No. 5,825,352. (the “352 patent”). Elan also alleges that the importation of Apple’s iPad products, which Apple has indicated will be available to consumers on April 3, violates section 337. Elan is requesting that the ITC issue a permanent exclusion order barring the importation of those products into the United States, as well as a cease and desist order barring Apple from selling any of these products in the United States that it has already imported.”
While it is unlikely that Apple would be letting this go without a long expensive fight in court, a holding order by the ITC would force the Apple to settle as soon as possible. Elan’s long term strategy still remains to be seen, but so far, it looks like the Taiwanese manufacturer has painted Apple into a corner.
Some believe that Apple deserves to get into this mess; after the company has filed a lawsuit regarding the infringement of 20 patents on HTC as an indirect attack at Google –earning the ire of many critics.
Get to know more about the lawsuit against Apple from Elan Microelectronics at PC World.
22
Mar
2010
HTC Takes a Stand Against Apple Lawsuit
The Apple lawsuit against HTC is pretty outstanding, with 20 patent infringement cases covering both hardware and software innovations. Affected devices include almost all HTC Android smart phones and a few Windows Mobile phones.
It does not take much to realize that this lawsuit is more than Apple playing bully with its patents; it is a tactical strike against their competitor Google.
If this was Google that Apple is taking to court, Google would be able to play their game and maybe even match their lawsuit spending budget. HTC however, does not have the same resources. HTC is a Taiwan based company with offices in the United States, and while they are small, they have been in the mobile industry for a very long time.
This is the point that HTC CEO Peter Chou is pressing with his latest statement:
“HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible.”
“From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”
Google has also taken a stand against Apple as they have declared their support for HTC. While not statements has been given as to how Google intends to support their partner, as it is also within their interests to help HTC.
Read more about the HTC defense against Apple at PC Mag.
20
Mar
2010
Peter Chou: “HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions”
HTC has been around the mobile device industry much longer than Apple. Despite Apple being the larger company, their lawsuit against HTC has not only surprised many, but is described by some as a patent hoarding attack against the Taiwanese based manufacturer in order to affect the production of Android devices.
It has already been established that Apple and Google are the two biggest giants of the industry and that the Google Nexus One was indeed manufactured by HTC (who shares a very long history with both Microsoft and Google). Some are already considering this to be a form of legal bullying with Apple filing the case in the US where a smaller foreign country is at a bigger disadvantage. While Apple is obviously prepared to take the case head on, it has taken a while for HTC to make an official statement.
A couple of weeks back, it was confirmed that HTC would indeed be defending itself by showcasing their own patents. Google has also stated that they stand behind the Android partner regarding this matter. With most of the devices being Android smart phones, many already see the possible motives behind Apple’s lawsuit.
HTC CEO Peter Chou states “HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible. From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”
Get to know more about the lawsuit at Tech Radar.
5
Mar
2010
Apple Takes on Google, Starts with HTC
Critics have been heavy on Apple for the past few days, after all, the major electronics manufacturer and software developer has filed a lawsuit against HTC in an indirect attack to Google.
Taiwan based HTC is considered to be one of the biggest manufacturers of today. Their new smart phones are much anticipated and their devices set many of the industry standards that we have today. Despite not being as large as Nokia or Motorola, HTC still managed to create a very powerful name brand for itself –a feat in the harsh mobile industry.
HTC has spent the past few years as part of the Open Handset Alliance it helped establish along with Google. This gave rise to the Android operating system and many HTC devices that featured the mobile platform. HTC would later play a bigger role as the manufacturer of the G-branded Nexus One Android smart phone.
Despite the Nexus One’s weak sales and the continuous dominance of the iPhone in the mobile market, Apple still considers the Android as its toughest competitor in the industry. And while the iPhone 4G will be arriving later this year, it will be facing stiff competition from no less than the best Android devices that HTC can offer.
The infringement lawsuit specifies twenty software and hardware patents owned by Apple. Should this lawsuit give Apple a favorable verdict, they would be able to deal a crippling blow to one of Google’s major partners. In the end, it is fair game; no matter how ruthless the action Apple has taken, people will still continue to support their devices.
HTC has responded by stating that it will defend their innovations and would be presenting patents of their own. Google has also stated that they will be backing up HTC every step of the way.
Get to know more about the lawsuit on Tech Radar.
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