HTC 10 Ice View case and Hi-Res earphones review

HTC took the wraps off of their latest flagship offering last week, with the company hoping for the HTC 10 to once again return the glory they once enjoyed. If you’ve already taken a look at our comprehensive review, you will know that we do think very highly of HTC’s latest effort, and while it may not be the perfect 10 the company is hoping it to be, it certainly comes close.

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The HTC 10 is now up for pre-order and will be making its way to consumers in the early days of May. If you have decided to pick up the HTC 10, you may also be interested in a couple of accessories that are on offer as well, to help you get the best experience the device has to offer. Here is the review of the Ice View case and the Hi-Res earphones!

HTC 10 Ice View case

As good as the unibody metal construction of the HTC 10 looks, the metal does prove to be quite slippery, and an extra layer of protection from accidental bumps and drops may be necessary. That is where the HTC Ice View case comes into the picture, which is a variation, or rather, an evolution of the Dot View case that was available with the HTC One M8 and One M9.

Installing the case is as simple as ever, and all you have to do is slip the phone into the main part of the flip cover, and the case will be available in different options, to maintain the color of the device. Granted, you are going to be covering up the beautiful design of the phone, but the protection that you get for the back, front, and sides, means that you will at least be able to keep the device in pristine condition.

As far as the handling experience in concerned, the case does add a little bit of girth the already somewhat wide smartphone, making it slightly difficult to use with one hand. The front face that protects the display is easy to flip open, but to get a good ergonomic feel will probably require you to either fold it all the way back, or tuck it under one of your fingers. This case isn’t particularly thick, but, as mentioned, the 10 is wider than what you may be used to, and adding the case might just exacerbate the handling experience.

As expected, the case comes with the appropriate and precise cuts for access to the the charging port and headphone jack at the bottom and top respectively, and the front-facing speaker above the display is also exposed, allowing for its use even when the flip face is closed. Speaking of having the front face closed, the device still allows for some limited usability in this case. Double tapping on the front when holding up the phone brings up a lock screen of sorts, providing you with information such as the time, weather updates, and notifications. Swiping up on the notification icon will also give you more information related to it as well.

You will also have access to music player controls, but the most interesting addition this time around is the ability to access the camera application with the front face closed. You basically get to use the regular motion gesture on the case to launch the camera and you get to see everything through the semi-transparent face quite well. Granted, in broad daylight situations, the glare will be enough that you won’t be able to see the viewfinder, but in most other circumstances, it may come in handy.

The main problem is that the cover does tend to blur the entire viewfinder, so accessing the granular controls available in the Pro mode will be quite difficult. However, if you just want to take a shot quickly, you can do so without opening the flip cover. The other issue is that you will have to open the front face to take selfies, which is disappointing, and a cutout for the front-facing camera would have been useful.

All said and done, the design and features of the Ice View case does allow for a very unique perspective for what is a smart cover for the HTC 10. The Ice View case can be bought directly from the HTC website for $49.99.

Buy the Ice View case now

Hi-Res earphones

One of the marquee features of the HTC 10 is the audio experience that this device provides, and to take best advantage of it, HTC also has its own Hi-Res earphones on offer. They do have the look of high-end earbuds or an in-ear monitor, starting with the silicone tips that sit very comfortably in the ear. Other sizes of the tips are included in the box as well, so you won’t have a problem finding something that best fits your needs. A single button is found on the right earbud, that also houses a microphone for taking calls. Answering calls using these earphones has been a pretty good experience, with their being no complaints with regards to clarity or volume from either end of the call.

Of course, the real fun begins when using these earphones to watch videos, and even more so when listening to music. The BoomSound enhancement settings will require you to answer a few questions initially to set up your audio profile, and you are then ready to go. Listening to pretty much any music makes for an enjoyable experience, and this pair is leaps and bounds better than any bundled earphones you may have got with your previous smartphones.

It is in the low-end that these earphones do a great job. The mids are pretty good, and the highs could use a touch more clarity, but when using these earphones at the highest volumes, you really will feel like you are standing in a club, and does so without muddying the lower-end. You certainly be hearing much distortion, and at high volumes, BoomSound really does earn its name. Of course, if you already own a pair of high-end headphones, earphones, or in-ear monitors, you will be able to enjoy a fantastic experience as well, but it is great to see a first-party accessory being made to take advantage of what has been one of the best audio experiences we’ve had on a smartphone so far.

Specifications:

• Driver Unit: 13mm, Dynamic
• Diaphragm: PEEK
• Frequency Response: 10-40kHz
• Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
• Impedance: 35Ω (at 1kHz)
• Cord Type: OFC, Y-type
• Power Handing Capacity: 100 mW

Features:

• Hi-Res audio certified
• Large 13mm dynamic driver for stronger bass and richer treble
• Aerospace-grade ultra thin (8μm) PEEK diaphragm delivers more powerful sound
• Ergonomically designed to fit your ear comfortably
• Double the sound range (10Hz-40kHz)

Pricing information for the Hi-Res earphones haven’t been released as yet, and while very select markets will have a pair of these earphones available in the box when picking up the phone, the US isn’t included in that list. If you don’t already have a great set of headphones available, you should definitely consider these made by HTC that really enhance the audio experience available with the HTC 10.

What do you think of the HTC 10 and is it the smartphone for you? Would you buy any of these accessories? Check out our full HTC 10 review and let us know your thoughts on the phone and the cases in the comments below!

Next: HTC 10 pricing and availability

LG G5 se briefly appears online in Russia

The LG G5 se has been rumored before, with some saying that it would be a smaller version of the LG G5. After appearing online in Russia, it doesn’t appear as though the size rumors played out to be true, but it does have downgraded internals. It won’t have the Snapdragon 820 processor, and instead will sport the Snapdragon 652. Another notable difference is that it is said to be a 3G phone, even though the processor has an integrated LTE modem.

From PhoneArena:

Officially announced in Russia, the LG G5 se (H845) is nothing more and nothing less than a slight hardware downgrade of the original meant to bring the handset’s price down for more sensitive markets like Russia, Latin America, and possibly other countries. The only differences between it and the regular LG G5 are the processor (lower-spec’d Snapdragon 652 rather than the premium-tier Snapdragon 820), the amount of RAM memory (3GB vs 4GB), and curiously enough – LTE support.

Aside from the internals, the G5 se has the same Quad-HD display, support for the ‘Friends’ modules, and other features that are included on the regular G5. It is not clear as to where the LG G5 se will be available, we will have to wait for official word from LG on that.

Micromax Canvas Spark 2 Plus offers Marshmallow for just ₹3,999

Micromax, India’s leading handset brand, has announced the latest addition to its Canvas Spark series of affordable smartphones. The Canvas Spark 2 Plus is the first smartphone from the vendor to run Marshmallow out of the box, and it’s available for just ₹3,999.

Micromax has sold more than 1.5 million units in the Canvas Spark series over the last 12 months with the Canvas Spark 1, Canvas Spark 2, and Canvas Spark 3. Today’s offering is the company’s most affordable device in the lineup thus far, and is aimed at first time smartphone users.

Commenting on the new launch, Shubhajit Sen, Chief Marketing Officer, Micromax, said:

A large number of consumers are still using feature phones or a second hand phones, which provide immense scope and potential for them to upgrade to affordable smartphones. With the launch of the Canvas Spark 2 Plus, we are offering first time users, with a smooth transition at a wallet-friendly price. Our objective is to convert feature phone users into smartphone users, and synthesize technology and affordability in for this device.

Micromax Canvas Spark 2 Plus Specifications

The Canvas Spark 2 Plus includes Indus, which supports 10 regional languages allowing users to type, chat or change the menu of their phone in their preferred language. One can swipe right to translate or left to transliterate their messages in the language they want to communicate in.

Priced at ₹3,999 ($60) and available in three colors — metallic grey, copper grey, and champagne gold — the Canvas Spark 2 Plus will go on sale on Snapdeal starting tomorrow, April 22.

Verizon reports $32.2 billion in revenue, nets 640,000 postpaid additions in Q1 2016

Verizon has announced its Q1 2016 earnings with $32.2 billion in total operating revenue coming in, of which $22 billion came from the wireless end of the business. The carrier was also able to add 640,000 postpaid net additions, which is a low-volume quarter for them. Customer retention remained solid at Verizon, with its retail postpaid churn as low as 0.96%, a huge improvement year over year.

The carrier notes some of the other wireless highlights as:

• The percentage of phone activations on installment plans grew to 68 percent in first-quarter 2016, compared with 67 percent in fourth-quarter 2015. The company expects this percentage to grow to 70 percent in second-quarter 2016. About 48 percent of postpaid phone customers are on an unsubsidized pricing plan, and service revenue declines are expected to flatten when this base exceeds 50 percent. Verizon expects the decline in service revenues to slow throughout the year and ultimately turn positive by the end of 2017.
• The composition of the 640,000 retail postpaid net adds was strong: Verizon added 452,000 4G smartphones to its postpaid base in first-quarter 2016. Due to declines in 3G and basic phones, postpaid phone net adds were a negative 8,000. Tablet net adds totaled 507,000 in the quarter.
• Verizon ended first-quarter 2016 with a total of 73.8 million smartphones. This is 85 percent of the total phone base, with 4G devices more than 81 percent of the retail postpaid connections base.
• Growth in 4G device adoption is driving increased data and video usage. Approximately 92 percent of Verizon’s total data traffic is on the LTE network. Overall data traffic on LTE has increased by approximately 50 percent year over year.

Overall it seems as though it was a solid quarter for the carrier as it posted $1.06 in earnings per share, which is up from the same quarter last year.

Lenovo’s ZUK 2 Pro offers Snapdragon 820, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage for $420

Lenovo’s mobile-only sub-brand ZUK hasn’t garnered much attention, but that’s about to change with its latest offering, the ZUK 2 Pro. Unveiled in China earlier today, the phone features a 2.15GHz Snapdragon 820 SoC, 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 128GB UFS 2.0 storage, USB Type-C (3.1), Bluetooth 4.2, and a 3100mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

The spec madness continues with the 13MP ISOCELL camera with an f/1.8 lens, PDAF, OIS, dual-tone LED flash and a pixel size of 1.34um, and a front 8MP camera with larger 1.4um pixels. There’s a heart rate sensor at the back, which can also measure oxygen saturation. The 5.2-inch Super AMOLED Full HD display sounds mundane compared to the rest of the specs on offer, but it does go up to 500 nits, and down all the way to 1 nit, allowing you to read in the night. It also sports 100 percent NTSC and sRGB color gamut. When it comes to the software, you get Marshmallow out of the box with ZUK’s custom UI.

You also get a fingerprint sensor at the front, and the phone features a shock-absorbing layer between the glass back and the metallic frame that’s designed to protect the device when it takes the inevitable tumble. The only thing that’s missing from the phone is NFC.

The price, you ask? The variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is set to retail for ¥2,699, which comes out to $420. No mention if the phone will be available in global markets, although a spokesperson revealed to Engadget that sales will continue in the Middle East and European markets.

Amazon expands its Fire tablet lineup with new colors and storage options

Amazon has updated its line of low-cost Fire tablets, adding three new colors and a new storage option. The company is also expanding its line of kid-friendly tablets, the Fire Kids Edition, with one new color and storage option.

The standard Fire tablet now comes in blue, magenta, and tangerine colors, with a 16GB storage option. You can grab the 16GB Fire in any of its new colors for $69.99. The new colors are also available in the Fire’s 8GB configuration for $49.99. The Fire Kids Edition now comes with a green kid-proof case, with the new 16GB version priced at $119.99.

You can find the newer versions of both products at Amazon right now.

• See Fire at Amazon
• See Fire Kids Edition at Amazon

Eve: Valkyrie will support cross-platform play on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR

Eve: Valkyrie, a space combat simulator and one of the more prominent launch titles for the Oculus Rift, has been previously revealed to also be coming to the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. Now, developer CCP has revealed that the game will feature cross-platform play. This means that you’ll be able to fly through space with those that own either of the other two.

From Polygon:

“What we haven’t said before, and will for the first time here on stage is cross-platform play.” Eve: Valkyrie executive producer Owen O’Brien told the cheering crowd at Fanfest in Reykjavik, Iceland.

“Valkyrie from the outset was made as a VR game, and we want people irrespective of the platform they’re playing on to be able to flight together and die together.” he said. “So that’s a big important thing for us. That everyone can play together and we break down the barriers.”

CCP hasn’t announced when cross-platform support will arrive for the game, but it’s good to known that no matter which headset you prefer, or are able to get your hands on, there will be plenty of people flying alongside you.

Don’t be fooled by Canada’s latest push into ‘unlimited’ data

Don’t be fooled by the word “unlimited”.

This week, Canadian operator Rogers’ flanker brand chatr introduced a new promotional plan that purportedly offers unlimited data, along with Canada-wide talk and text, for a meagre $40 per month. In a market where it’s not unheard of to spend upwards of $100 for a couple of gigabytes of data, such a deal is worth taking a closer look at.

This so-called unlimited deal is full of caveats

But this so-called unlimited deal is full of caveats in its terms and conditions, which are admittedly bared plain on the company’s website. First, like many other chatr initiatives, it is limited to artificially carved-out “zones” that outline many of Canada’s largest cities — in this case the Greater Toronto Area, Edmonton and Calgary. When chatr began, its mandate was to compete with new entrants, Mobilicity and Wind Mobile, mimicking their real-world infrastructure limitations. Subsequently, Mobilicity was purchased by chatr’s parent company, Rogers, and Wind Mobile was snapped up last year by Shaw Communications.

These zones are not egregious since they hew to a business model the company has established for years. Instead, chatr’s new plan baffles by imposing a 1-gigabyte bandwidth limit on an unlimited plan, which is explained in the terms and conditions thusly:

If your in-zone data usage in a month exceeds your 3G data allotment in accordance with your plan, your data usage remains unlimited but data speeds will be reduced from up to 3 Mbps to up to 64 kilobits per second (for both download and upload) until your Anniversary Date. Many applications that do not require high bandwidth (such as email and web browsing) should not be affected by this speed reduction. Applications that will likely be affected by this speed reduction are those that demand higher bandwidths (for example video streaming).

Not only is the unlimited data limited to just 1 gigabyte at 3G speeds, but those so-called “premium” speeds are capped at just 3Mbps, dropping to a measly 64kbps after exceeding the allotted bandwidth. This way, chatr gets away with claiming its plan has unlimited data without skirting the rather myopic view of the Wireless Code of Conduct.

Such a move wouldn’t ordinarily be construed as dishonest but for one important factor: chatr runs on Rogers’ network, which is technically capable of 3G speeds upwards of 42Mbps. That its limited 3G speeds are constrained to just 3Mbps is for one reason: to mimic Wind Mobile’s real network constraints.

This is a race that Rogers doesn’t want to win; it just wants to maintain the status quo.

One could argue there is nothing wrong with Rogers’ practice of crippling its own network so as better compete with a company most Canadians wouldn’t even consider for its mediocre infrastructure. And that chatr, even at a paltry 3Mbps, has considerably better network coverage than Wind given its more mature network, is a cause for celebration. But this is evidently a race that Rogers doesn’t want to win; it just wants to maintain the status quo.

Such a practice could also set a precedent in the Canadian wireless market, justifying the use of speed-based caps in addition to the monthly bandwidth limits we are already used to.

The good news is that for customers with low-bandwidth smartphone needs in the three qualifying cities, this is actually a pretty good deal. But behind the veneer is a punitive practice from a company that has no reason to do so. By artificially limiting its network speed, Rogers raises — or lowers, depending on how you look at it — the bar for discount carriers throughout the country.

Why an HTC Nexus phone in 2016 makes perfect sense

New Nexus phones would be a natural fit for HTC as it looks to secure the future of its smartphone business.

Google’s Nexus phones don’t have the instant recognition of a Samsung or LG handset, but they do play an important role in the Android ecosystem. As such, they draw a special kind of attention from Android enthusiasts. Each year sees a fresh cycle of rumors, speculation and leaks as a new generation of Android device, showcasing the latest the OS has to offer, comes into focus.

This year, many of the most credible rumors surrounding the 2016 Nexus phone (or phones) points to HTC being the manufacturer of choice. And aside from just how likely these individual reports are, there are plenty of logical business reasons why HTC might want to hop onboard the Nexus train. Let’s take a look at why it almost makes too much sense to not happen.

HTC is becoming ever more partner-focused. For VR, it’s Valve. For fitness, it’s UA. And for phones, it’s Google.

Firstly, HTC has been moving towards a partner-centric approach across all its business areas — in effect, returning to its roots as an ODM (original device manufacturer), but with much more input into the end product, and a more visible consumer-facing brand. Vive, HTC’s VR endeavor, sees it partnering with PC gaming giant Valve. In connected devices, it’s Under Armour. And in phones, increasingly, it’s Google. It’s a natural response to the company’s precarious financial position.

This new, closer partnership with Google began with the HTC One A9, and was more visible than ever in the recently announced HTC 10. At a meeting ahead of that phone’s launch, HTC’s Head of Global Product Marketing, Darren Sng, told Android Central that the company’s close relationship with Google was “non-exclusive,” implying that it wasn’t getting any special treatment. Nevertheless, the Google partnership has been a major pillar of the last two big HTC releases. That’s not something you could say about a Samsung, LG or Huawei.

And in contrast to those major players in the Android world, there’s far more highly visible Google stuff on HTC’s recent phones. HTC Sense now looks and feels more like Google’s OS than ever before. And the company leans more and more on Google’s app and service ecosystems, with HTC’s own apps being gradually phased out.

A Nexus collaboration would be a natural extension of this partnership, bringing the full Google software experience to an HTC-made phone, and strengthening that relationship for a possible “HTC 11” and beyond.

Unlike an HTC-branded phone, getting involved with the Nexus program would allow HTC to piggyback on Google’s marketing machinery, and potentially have a large, influential partner backing them in any carrier negotiations. Sure, the Nexus series’ success within the global carrier system is mixed, especially within the United States. But consider that HTC’s flagship for the 2016 will be available on just two of the big four UK operators, and just one carrier in Canada. Meanwhile the HTC 10 will miss out on valuable AT&T shelf space in the U.S. There’s only one way to read that: carriers are losing confidence in HTC.

Nexus is a niche brand, but increasingly so is HTC.

Nexus is admittedly a niche brand. But at this point that statement increasingly applies to HTC as well. Google could help it break out of this rut in a couple of ways. Firstly, by building brand value for HTC through its logo appearing alongside one of the world’s most valuable brands in Google-funded advertisements. And secondly, simply by getting HTC-made phones on store shelves, particularly outside the U.S. There’s an undeniable halo effect involved with Nexus for a manufacturer wanting to grow (or in HTC’s case, re-grow) its phone business.

Nexus phones tend to be more affordable (and thus less profitable) than the average Android flagship. But we’re past the point where these were shipped online-only at bargain bin prices. Take the Nexus 6P, which sold for $499 in the U.S. and £449 in the UK. It’s not iPhone money, but nor is it a trivial amount of cash — there’s money to be made there.

Google also has good reason to prop up HTC in its time of need.

What about Google, then? Why might this mobile giant want to partner with a phone maker that has certainly seen better days? Well, Google benefits by keeping HTC in the game, and by the diversity it continues to bring to the Android ecosystem. With HTC around and competing — even in a small way — it’s just a bit harder for the likes of Samsung grow too big to handle.

What’s more, the current partnership for HTC 10 by its nature gives Google valuable control over the services and apps used by HTC customers. Why wouldn’t Google want to strengthen the maker of products over which it has such influence? Awarding this year’s Nexus to HTC means Google can help prop up the company, so it can continue making its own phones where Google apps and services take center stage.

As for one of the wackier rumors going around — that HTC has secured exclusive rights to make Nexus phones for the next three years — it would certainly be unprecedented, and contrary to how the Nexus bidding process has worked in years past. It’s unlikely, but not impossible, especially if Google cares about the longterm viability of HTC’s phone business.

Time will tell whether HTC’s new, closer relationship with Google will spawn the rumored duo of Nexus phones later in the year. Many Android enthusiasts have fond memories of the original HTC Nexus One, and an updated Nexus phone from the Taiwanese firm could be something for fans to get excited about — as well as making business sense for HTC and Google.

Would you buy an HTC-built Nexus phone? What would do you want to see from the next Google-branded handsets? Shout out in the comments and let us know!

New Amazon Fire tablet options added, 16GB for just £60

Amazon is expanding its line-up of super cheap tablets with new versions of its entry level device being added from 28 April.

The Amazon Fire tablet impressed us greatly ahead of Christmas last year as it offers a lot of bang for your buck. At just £50 it is great value for money considering the mid-range specifications.

The tablet comes with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 2-megapixel rear camera and up to seven hours of battery life.

Now Amazon is introducing a version with more storage for £60. You can still buy the existing tablet, which comes with 8GB of on-board storage, but the enhanced edition comes with 16GB for just a tenner more.

Both come with a microSD card slot to expand that by up to a further 128GB.

READ: Amazon Fire tablet review: Who needs Hudl when there’s this for £50?

In addition, Amazon is launching new colours. The original was only available in black, but you will soon be able to buy one in orange (tangerine), blue or pink (magenta) too.

Pre-orders for the new colours and increased storage options are available on Amazon.co.uk now.

Amazon has also improved its Fire Kids Edition tablet. That now comes with 16GB of storage as standard. It retails for £99 and is accompanied by Amazon’s worry-free returns guarantee. If your child breaks it in its first two years, it will be replaced with no questions asked.

It also comes with a one-year subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited, which provides unlimited access to kids content, including apps with no extra purchases required, eBooks and kids videos on Amazon Video.