Xiaomi Redmi 4 is now live in India; prices start at ₹6,999

The Redmi 4 is Xiaomi’s latest entry-level phone in India.

At an event in New Delhi, Xiaomi launched the Redmi 4 in the Indian market. The phone will be sold exclusively on Amazon India, with the base variant selling for ₹6,999.

There’s a lot to like in the handset, which will succeed the Redmi 3S in India. Xiaomi sold over 4 million units of the Redmi 3S over the last six months, and it is looking to build on that momentum with the Redmi 4. Here’s a look at the specs on offer:

Operating System	MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Display	5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) IPS LCD panel 296ppi pixel density
SoC	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 Eight Cortex A53 cores up to 1.4GHz
GPU	Adreno 505
RAM	2GB/3GB/4GB LPDDR3 RAM
Storage	16GB/32GB/64GB storage microSD slot up to 128GB
Rear camera	13MP with f/2.0 lens LED flash 1080p video recording
Front shooter	5MP with f/2.2 lens
Connectivity	WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 (A2DP), LTE with VoLTE micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack
Battery	4100mAh battery
Fingerprint	Rear fingerprint sensor
Dimensions	139.3 x 69.9 x 8.65 mm
Weight	150g

The base model of the Redmi 4 will feature 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage for ₹6,999. The variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage will set you back ₹8,999, and the version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage will retail for ₹10,999.

Xiaomi obviously understands the Indian market better than most vendors, and the pricing reflects that. Like the Redmi 3S before it, Xiaomi is going to have a tough time ensuring it has adequate stock of the Redmi 4.

Alongside the Redmi 4, Xiaomi also launched the Mi Router 3C — a Wi-Fi N-class router with a maximum bandwidth of 300Mbit — in the country. As is the case with most Xiaomi products sold in India, the Router 3C is aimed at the budget segment, and will be sold for ₹1,199.

HTC U11 official, pressure-sensitive sides, noise cancellation and Alexa

After months of speculation and leaks, HTC has finally announced its new flagship smartphone: the HTC U11.

Originally codenamed Ocean and often referred to simply as HTC U, the phone was launched in Taipei today.

It comes in a unibody design, with aluminium back and fused front glass, to give it a sleek, smart look. It is also IP67 rated, meaning it is water and dustproof.

There’s an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 running the show.

The HTC U11’s main feature, that strikes it apart from rivals, is Edge Sense: the ability to be interacted with through a squeeze. Applications and the camera can be started through applying pressure to the sides.

The rear camera has a 12-megapixel UltraPixel sensor and five-axis optical image stabilisation is of benefit to still and video capture. It can record clips in 4K with 24-bit audio recording.

A 16-megapixel snapper is on the front, much like the version on the HTC U Ultra.

• Watch the official HTC U11 launch event here, live

Different levels of pressure on the sides can be used for different functions, using the camera and other features.

Pictures can be taken by squeezing the sides of the phone, for example. Alternatively, you can use it in combination with a voice command.

The HTC U11 has both Google Assistant and Alexa support for the US, UK and Germany, which both work with the Edge Sense functionality.

HTC BoomSound – Hi-Fi Edition audio is on board, to improve the stereo performance of the phone, plus active noise cancellation for when you use headphones. An on-board microphone reads ambient noise and sends counteracting signals to the included ear-buds so you get a more immersive, isolation sound.

The buds connect via USB-C as there’s no headphone port on the phone. An adapter is included in the box for those who want to use their existing headset.

It comes in five colours: amazing silver, sapphire blue, brilliant black, ice white and solar red.

Price is yet to be revealed, but it has been confirmed that availability in some regions will start next week. A full rollout will happen in June.

HTC U11: What can you do with a squeezable phone?

The new HTC U11 introduces a new method for interaction with your device: squeezing.

While most smartphone manufacturers are copying and reproducing features we’ve often seen elsewhere, HTC’s new method of interaction is all the more unique. At last, something new to get excited about!

But is this new Edge Sense just a gimmick to make it stand out from its rivals? Here’s the low-down on what HTC’s new squeeze action will do.

How does Edge Sense squeeze work?

Let’s start here: squeezing is exactly as it sounds. The HTC U11 has pressure-sensitive areas around the sides of the handset meaning you can squeeze the phone when you’re holding it and the phone will detect that action. HTC is calling the whole thing Edge Sense. 

When you squeeze the phone, it will be acknowledged with a haptic buzz, so you know it’s working and then the phone will react and do what you’ve set that action to do. 

You can have long squeezes or short squeezes and they are customisable. All you have to do is give the phone a squeeze – it’s really simple. 

Does the HTC U11 still have buttons?

Yes. HTC hasn’t removed the buttons, so you still have a power button and a volume rocker on the phone, as well as a fingerprint sensor on the front. In that regard, it’s a normal phone and all the buttons do all the things you expect them to do.

The squeezing is an additional option. You don’t have to use it, but it’s something you can do without changing your grip or moving your hands around.

Won’t the squeeze be detected whenever I grip my phone?

Yes and no. You can change the level of squeeze you need to result in it counting as a squeeze and normal gripping won’t trigger the action. If you were clinging onto your phone while someone was trying to steal it out of your hand, then we suspect it would be triggered.

When you setup the phone you’ll be asked to squeeze the phone to set the level needed. We can’t see that you’ll have many accidental triggers because it’s a fairly distinct action. 

What can you do with a squeeze?

HTC is offering a load of customisation, so you’ll be able to trigger a whole range of action through squeezing. That might be something you do all the time – like launching the camera – or might be something you want to reserve as a special action for the squeeze, like opening the Wi-Fi hotspot.

By default, the squeeze will do different things in different places. Here are some examples. 

A squeeze from the lock screen will launch the camera. A squeeze will then focus and take a photo. When the camera is open a long squeeze will switch from front to back camera.

When the keyboard is open, i.e, you’re entering text, a squeeze can switch to voice entry instead.

A long squeeze will launch Google Assistant, so you can avoid using the hotword 

Basically, squeezing can be used to launch or trigger an action. HTC will let you change the default actions to launch and app of your choice, take a screenshot, turn on the torch/flashlight, launch voice recording, launch HTC Sense Companion, turn the hotspot on or off.

Will HTC support third-party apps with squeeze?

Yes it will, but you’ll have to wait for an app to be made available to control Edge Sense, which is due in July 2017. 

This new app can then be used to support any app on your phone. That means you’d be able to use a squeeze to take particular actions in apps that you like. We’re not sure if that means you’ll be able to squeeze to order an Uber home or throw a Poke Ball, but we can’t wait to find out. 

What phones support the squeezable Edge Sense?

Only the HTC U11 will offer this function. It will be available from 18 May, rolling out globally.

• HTC U11 preview: Easy squeezy, liquid surface pleasy

HTC U11 preview: Easy squeezy, liquid surface pleasy

It seems like an age since we had an HTC flagship, the HTC 10, as the company chose to wait so that it could include the Snapdragon 835, the latest generation of Qualcomm chipset in its new device.

HTC is once again leaving nothing to chance, taking the concept launched with the previous U handsets – U Play and U Ultra – and producing a third, the flagship, aiming to hit the ball out of the park.

If we had a dollar for every time we said that HTC needed a hit, we’d have more cash than the beleaguered smartphone manufacturer. So is the HTC U11 that phone?

HTC U11 design

• Liquid surface design in striking colours
• Gorilla Glass 5 front and back
• Conventional display aspect
• IP67 waterproofing 

The HTC U11 might look familiar to HTC fans, because it follows the path laid by the HTC U Ultra and Play announced earlier in 2017. That sees a switch from HTC’s metal unibody design, to a design that uses glass front and back.

That’s quite the switch, but in a market now dominated by metal phones, it’s no bad thing. No one can deny that the HTC U11 is unique. The colours created by HTC’s use of glass are inimitable, layered with depth, the sort of finish you might find on a custom car paint job. This isn’t a flat grey that looks the same from all directions, it’s a shifting shimmer, a dynamic finish that looks wonderful.

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Take the Amazing Silver pictured here. We’d normally baulk from such a name, but even in the short time we had with this new phone, you can’t help but notice how many colours come out of it. Sometimes it’s a cold blue, sometimes it’s lavender, sometimes it’s like a mirror, reflecting your image back. Boring it is not. 

But a fingerprint magnet it is. Metal has the advantage of mostly not showing oily fingerprint marks, which is really what lead the market to be filled with metal phones (that and the strength). The HTC U11 wipes clean easily enough, but you might find that the lighter finishes keep their looks better than the darker. Still, cleaning isn’t a problem and fingerprints just wipe off, unless you’re smearing your hands with Norwegian Formula six times a day.

The construction itself is rather like the Samsung Galaxy S models, pairing glass front and back with a metal core that makes up the edges. Everything is beautifully sculpted with a high quality finish and you get IP67 water resistance, meaning that HTC is keeping up with the likes of Apple and Samsung in this handset.

Unlike Samsung, this is a regular aspect device with a 16:9 display, that means there’s some space above and below the display, the front housing the fingerprint scanner. Although we didn’t test this, if it performs like that of the HTC 10, we’ll be perfectly happy. Some may even say that sticking to the conventional gives the HTC U11 appeal that Samsung’s radical design change in the Galaxy S8 loses. 

HTC U11: Hardware and display

• 5.5-inch SLCD3 2560 x 1440 pixel display, 534ppi
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 4 or 6GB RAM
• Dual SIM or microSD, 64 or 128GB storage
• 3000mAh battery 

Sticking to a 16:9 display leaves the HTC U11 in familiar territory. It measures 5.5-inches on the diagonal with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution for 534ppi. It’s topped with Gorilla Glass 5 to keep it free of scratches, and there’s the neat 2.5D curve at the edges like the HTC 10.

Also familiar is the Super LCD 5 panel. Rather than using AMOLED which is gaining favour in smartphones, HTC is using LCD. The HTC 10 was also Super LCD 5 and we had no problems with it. It might not have quite the vigour of Samsung’s displays (both in terms of vibrancy of colour and brightness), but first impressions are good from the time we’ve spent with it.

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There’s no mention of anything like HDR on this display: where Samsung and LG have both pushed HDR capabilities in mobile displays on the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8, presumably to support the TV HDR ecosystem they offer, HTC doesn’t appear to be heading down that route.

HTC confirmed that the timing of the U11 launch was related to the availability of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. This is Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, moving to a 10nm architecture and promising efficiencies along the way. Expect it to be faster and make better use of the 3000mAh battery than previous generation devices. 

It’s difficult to judge how the HTC U11 will perform in the real world, but we’d expect it to be perfectly slick, not only because it’s loaded with powerful hardware, but because of HTC’s long experience in optimising software.

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Perhaps strange is that while everyone gets the same chipset (unlike Samsung), there are two different RAM versions. The standard phone gets 4GB RAM paired with 64GB storage, sitting alongside a boosted device with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. Both have a multi-purpose slot that’s either dual SIM, or accepting microSD.

Exactly why there’s two different loadouts and exactly which phone you’ll be able to get where, we’re not quite sure. However, we expect that the 6GB version will be aimed toward regions like China. How the performance will vary, again we don’t know, but if HTC is going head-to-head on the spec sheet, this will certainly help it compete.

HTC U11: The big squeeze

• Squeeze gesture customisable
• Edge Sense

The biggest talking point about the HTC U11 is likely to be its support for a new interaction, squeezing. HTC pitched squeeze as a natural “intimate” gesture, something that we all know how to do. Before we slam it for being a gimmick, let’s just say it is a very natural thing to do and it works surprisingly well.

Backed by haptics, there’s a gentle acknowledgement of your squeeze, so you know you’ve done it. You can customise the action – both long and short squeezes – so that you can launch an app or execute a particular action. That might be a squeeze of the locked phone to launch the camera and a further squeeze to focus and take the shot. A long squeeze in the camera will switch from front to back camera. Simple.

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Bundled together under the banner of Edge Sense, the new squeeze gesture will be supported by lots of native apps on the phone. For example, squeezing when the keyboard is open will launch voice entry so that you can speak your message. In many ways, Edge Sense is designed to make things easier.

HTC will also be supporting every other Android app in Google Play, which is a big commitment. To do so, there will be an app to download that will essentially let you say what you want squeeze to do in other third-party apps. This controller app won’t be available at launch, but should be available from July 2017.

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Those concerned that simply gripping the phone will be mistaken for a squeeze gesture shouldn’t: when you setup the phone you can specify how hard squeezes will be and you can easily change this level. That will mean that holding the phone isn’t mistaken for a gesture. 

Of course we’ve not had the time to fully test this in the real world: living with the phone for longer will reveal whether squeeze becomes a useful addition, or if this point of differentiation gets forgotten – after all, the phone still operates as every other phone does if you choose not to use squeeze.

• HTC U11: What can you do with a squeezable phone?

HTC U11: Software and Sense

• Google Assistant
• Amazon Alexa
• Android with HTC Sense
• Sense Companion 

HTC’s recent devices have been peeling away features in Sense and offering stock Android apps as the default. This is exactly what you get in the HTC U11, an Android Nougat device with HTC’s light Sense layered over the top. 

For anyone running the HTC 10 with the latest Nougat update, you very much know what the U11 looks like. In many ways, the closer proximity to Android means there’s less bloat and no duplication of apps, but with HTC still bringing its launcher and a few tweaks across the UI.

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Set alongside the Google Pixel, however, HTC Sense now seems to offer few advantages and we could go as far as saying that Google’s tweaks in the Pixel make it a little more interesting. Both stand in stark contrast to Samsung’s complete overhaul in TouchWiz; while the Galaxy S8 has been widely praised on the software front, we’re not sure people will be getting so exciting about the HTC U11 as it all feels a little too familiar.

• Samsung Galaxy S8+ review: The best Android phone, bar none

The standard arrangement of having BlinkFeed ready to feed you content feels a little dated now, especially when it’s so easy to get to content from all those source’s native apps in a flash. There’s power in this phone and our first impression is that the software flies. 

Sense Companion is in place once again, aiming to guide and advise as it did on the HTC U Ultra, but we still think we’re waiting for Companion to realise its potential, with HTC confirming that there will be updates in June, bringing smart alarms and more details on phone usage.

Elsewhere you have Google Assistant – able to be launched with a long squeeze from the home page – as well as Amazon’s Alexa. HTC isn’t being picky, it wants to offer you the choice of assistant so you can do whatever you like. However, again, Alexa won’t be on the phone at launch, it will be enabled in the July update – and support US and UK English, as well as German.

HTC U11: BoomSound Hi-Fi gets better 

• USonic headphones
• BoomSound Hi-Fi
• Active noise cancellation

BoomSound is one of HTC’s greatest offerings. Although we don’t now have the big front-firing speakers, HTC has recreated the BoomSound magic in Hi-Fi edition by using the ear speaker and the second speaker to bring the noise. On the HTC 10 it worked and we’d still rank HTC as offering some of the best quality and highest volumes from a smartphone. 

On the HTC U11, this is tweaked slightly, using the entire phone as a resonating chamber according to the company. We’ve not had a chance to fully test it, but it sure sounded sweet in the short clips we’ve heard.

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But HTC is also marching on relentless with improving the headphone experience of the HTC U11. Some will be sad to hear that there’s no 3.5mm headphone socket, but the bundled USonic headphones are better than your average bundled headphones, so that’s not a great loss. 

They also offer a number of advantages. As before, HTC uses its USonic feature to tune the headphones to your ears and the environment around. This tuning from HTC is a little more detailed than the equivalent service that you get on Samsung’s phones – and it’s more overt too, as it will prompt you to tune the headset when you connect it.

New on the HTC U11 is active noise cancellation. We’ve not had the chance to fully test this, but we suspect it works in the same way as Sony has in the past, i.e., that you have to use the HTC headphones with HTC’s phone to get it to work.

For those who do want to use existing 3.5mm headphones, HTC is bundling the adapter in the box, meaning you can hook right up. You also don’t miss out on some of the goodness, as the adapter contains a DAC – digital-analogue converter – that promises to make your music sound even better. This is universal, so could be used with other USB Type-C devices too, but that does mean it’s a little larger than you might want it to be.

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HTC U11: The return of the UltraPixel camera

• 16-megapixel front camera, f/2.0, 150 degree wide angle
• 12-megapixel rear camera, 0.3 second AF, OIS, 1.4µm pixels, f/1.7

The HTC 10 offered a reasonable camera experience, as did the HTC U Ultra, so the HTC U11 is starting in a good place. There’s a 12-megapxiel rear camera, with 1.4µm pixels, which are nice and large to capture more light. There’s a maximum aperture of f/1.7 and optical image stabilisation. Basically, HTC is hitting all the hardware points you’d want it to, with HTC calling it UltraPixel 3. 

The camera promises to be fast, with 0.3 second autofocusing, but also using its power to give you constant, lag-free automatic HDR, to make your photos look better. The ability to squeeze the phone to launch the camera, and then squeeze to take a photo also looks like a benefit and first impressions are good. 

The camera app looks a lot like previous versions of the HTC camera and we haven’t had the chance to fully test it yet. 

The front camera is now a 16-megapixel sensor, offering a 150-degree wide angle to get everything in it, as well as an f/2.0 aperture. Again, we’ll need more time with it before we can draw any conclusions about its performance. 

On the video front, the big change here is 3D audio, captured using the four mics around the phone’s body. These will now zoom with the camera, so that the music fits what you’re looking at.

First Impressions

The HTC U11 takes a few steps to make itself different to everything else. The colour schemes and finish are unique to the rear, even if the front of the phone looks a lot like it did last year. Sure, some will say the colour doesn’t matter because you’ll need a cover on it anyway, but the HTC U11 really is spectacular with its liquid surface finish.

The addition of waterproofing is a long time overdue and it’s great to see HTC keeping up with the Joneses; the addition of active noise cancellation on top to the excellent USonic experience will likely see the HTC U11 as one of the best sounding phones around, if you’re happy to use HTC’s headphones.

Then you have squeezing, which no one else offers, but is perhaps the easiest thing to dismiss as a gimmick. But it works from what we’ve seen, providing another route to interaction with your device. We’ve still a lot to learn, but we’re encouraged by what we see. The HTC U11 looks like it offers enough to take the fight to its rivals, even if it puts the gloss on the rear of the body, rather than into the display.

The HTC U11 will be available from 18 May in some territories, and we’d expect the 64GB version to cost around £649 in the UK.

HTC U11: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

HTC started 2017 with the launch of the HTC U Ultra and the HTC U Play, new phones that introduced a new look, as well as paving the way for the new HTC U11, it’s true flagship.

The HTC U11 is HTC flagship for 2017, taking the U name of it’s liquid surface playmates launched earlier in 2017 and clicking up incrementally over the 2016 HTC 10. 

Here’s everything you need to know about HTC’s new squeezy phone.

• HTC U Ultra review: Premium phablet packed with power
• HTC U Play preview: Mid-range specs, but plenty bling

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HTC U11: Edge navigation and a new UI

• Pressure sensitive frame
• Edge Sense

The HTC U11 first leaked under the codename “Ocean” and the thing that made it different was a new method of interaction that let you use the body of the phone, rather than just the buttons and display. That’s now evolved into a reality, with the HTC U11 offering Edge Sense.

Edge Sense relies on the body of the phone being sensitive to pressure, meaning you can squeeze the phone to elicit a response. You’ll be able to squeeze the phone to launch the camera or take a photo, as well as being able to instantly access Google Assistant without needing to use the hotword.

HTC will support a full range of native apps and services at launch, with full customisation options for the long or short presses offered. From July, HTC will release an app that will let you use Edge Sense with any app on your phone.

You can customise the pressure of a squeeze so that you don’t trigger it through normal gripping. HTC says that squeezing is a natural interaction, meaning there’s nothing to learn when you want to use this new method of interaction.

• HTC U11: What can you do with a squeezable phone?

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HTC U11: Design

• IP67 waterproofing
• Unique Liquid surface finish
• 16:9 aspect display
• Front fingerprint scanner

The HTC U11 makes a shift in design for HTC flagships. We’ve seen a run of unibody metal phones from the HTC One M7 through four generations. The HTC U11 is glass front and back with a metal core.

The glass rear is what HTC is calling “liquid surface” where it looks like liquid, changing in the light thanks to the depth of the glass and the reflective properties of the metal elements used in forming the glass. The colours shimmer and change, looking different from every angle, for a totally unique look. Yes, it will attract fingerprints, but there’s nothing like it. 

The metal core runs through to make up the edges of the phone, fusing the glass front and back together. HTC has stuck to a conventional 16:9 display, so this is a “normal” shaped phone, unlike the taller Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG G6 handsets.

Making a timely introduction is waterproofing, with an IP67 rating for this handset. As this handset supports squeezing too, HTC has said that this is a great thing for when the phone is wet, because touchscreens don’t work so well when wet.

There’s also a front fingerprint scanner, sitting in the same location as the HTC 10.

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HTC U11: Hardware and specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
• 64GB storage + microSD
• USB Type-C and no 3.5mm headphone socket
• 3000mAh battery

The HTC U11 launches a little later in the year than the HTC 10, because the company wanted to wait for the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. So equipped, it comes with either 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, or 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It’s not clear which territories will have the option to buy which model, or if everyone will have the choice. 

There’s support for microSD expansion of the storage, with the option for dual SIM if you use a separate SIM rather than microSD.

There’s no 3.5mm headphone socket on the HTC U11, using the USB Type-C instead. There is an adapter bundled in the box, however, and the adapter has a DAC, meaning that your old 3.5mm headphones will sound better. HTC also bundled its high-res USonic headphones, which offer active noise cancellation and will automatically tune themselves to your ears and the world around you.

The USB Type-C support Quick Charge 3.0 to power up the 3000mAh battery.

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HTC U11: Display

• 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 pixels
• Gorilla Glass 5
• Super LCD 5

HTC opted for a 5.2-inch 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution on the HTC 10, but now steps up to larger size, sitting at 5.5-inches, with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, for 534ppi. 

HTC is sticking to using its favoured Super LCD 5 panel, rather than OLED. This panel performed well in the HTC 10, but doesn’t have the vibrancy and punch of the AMOLED displays you’ll find elsewhere. There’s also no mention of HDR, something that been targeted by rivals. Not so with HTC.

The display is finished with 2.5D curves to the edge and is Gorilla Glass 5 for protection.

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HTC U11: Software

• Android Nougat with HTC Sense 
• Google Assistant
• Amazon Alexa
• HTC Sense Companion
• Edge Sense

We’ve already mentioned that HTC will be supporting the U11 with the new Edge Sense features. This is one of the more noticeable changes from the existing version of the software you’ll find running on the updated HTC 10. 

HTC Sense sits over Android Nougat on the U11, but doesn’t bring a huge number of changes. There’s tweaks throughout, but HTC isn’t duplicating and bundling in extra apps, so it’s fairly clean. BlinkFeed, HTC Connect, USonic and BoomSound are all in place to keep you connected and entertained. 

HTC is also offering Google Assistant on the HTC U11, in addition to Amazon Alexa. This will give you a choice of hotwords to launch the assistant you want. Google Assistant will be available from launch, but Alexa will be coming in an update in July. The advantage that Alexa offers, is that if you’re already setup with an Echo, then Alexa already knows the sort of things you might want to do, like turn off the lights.

• What is Google Assistant, how does it work, and when can you use it?

HTC is also pushing Sense Companion as an assistant to help manage your phone. There will be additions for smart alarms and more detail on your phone usage coming in June.

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HTC U11: Cameras

• 12-megapixel rear camera, 1.4µm pixels, f/1.7, OIS
• 16-megapixel front camera, f/2.0, 150-degree wide angle
• HDR Boost 

The HTC 10 camera was pretty good, but HTC has changed gear on the front camera, packing in a 16-megapixel sensor for your selfies. That was the same as the HTC U Ultra, here offering a 150-degree wide angle, so you can get all your friends in too.

The rear cameras remains at 12-megapixels. There’s no dual lens or anything else, with HTC keeping it simple and to the point. The point here is that you’re getting a f/1.7 aperture sensor with 1.4µm pixels and optical image stabilisation. 

HTC’s really talking up the speed of autofocus and the HDR Boost function, meaning you get the benefit of zero-lag HDR, so you should get great photos instantly with no messing around. HTC has also boasted a DxO score of 90, the highest for any smartphone ever.

HTC U11: Release date and price

The HTC U11 was announced officially on 16 May 2017 and will be on sale from 18 May in some regions, although we’re awaiting details of the exact availability in the UK, it’s likely to be in early June.

The HTC U11 is expected to cost £649 in the UK for the 64GB version.

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: What’s the difference?

HTC has announced its flagship for 2017, the HTC U11. The new handset follows the movement started by the HTC U Ultra and U Play earlier in 2017, but brings with it flagship spec, looking to outshine its rivals.

So here’s how the HTC U11 compares to the 2016 flagship HTC 10 that it replaces. Is this a handset that will see you begging to upgrade, or is this a little more incremental? You can also read how it compares to the Samsung Galaxy S8, if you’re after the big rival showdown.

• HTC U11 preview: Easy squeezy, liquid surface pleasy

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: Design

• HTC U11: 153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm, 169g, IP67 water resistant
• HTC 10: 145.9 x 71.9 x 3-9mm, 161g
• HTC U11 offers pressure-sensitive frame
• 3.5mm headphone jack on HTC 10, not on HTC U11

The HTC U11 moves away from the metal unibody signature of HTC to offer the “liquid surface” finish instead. This gives you a glossy glass finish that’s rich with colour and totally unique, shimmering with different hues depending on how the light catches it. It’s available in blue, black, red, silver and white.

It comes with a pressure-sensitive squeezable frame, called Edge Sense, that enables a new method of interaction, meaning you can squeeze the phone to take a photo, for example. There’s no 3.5mm headphone socket, but there is waterproofing.

The HTC 10 features a metal unibody measuring 145.9 x 71.9mm with a curved rear between 3mm and 9mm and a weight of 161g. There is a chamfered edge on the rear and a physical capacitive button on the front with a built-in fingerprint sensor.

At the top of the device, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, along with USB Type-C. The HTC 10 comes in three colours including gold, silver and carbon grey. The HTC 10 is entirely conventional, whereas the HTC U11 is different thanks to that new glass finish.

• HTC 10 review

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: Display

• HTC U11: 5.5-inch Super LCD 5, 2560 x 1440 pixels, 534ppi 
• HTC 10: 5.2-inch Super LCD 5, 2560 x 1440 pixels, 564ppi

The HTC 10 comes with a 5.2-inch Super LCD 5 display with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution for a pixel density of 564ppi. It is a flat screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass with a curved 2.5D edge, offering a seamless finish.

The HTC U11 comes with a slightly larger 5.5-inch display, using the same type of panel as the HTC 10 and the same resolution, meaning a slight drop to 534 ppi. Again it’s topped with Gorilla Glass, with 2.5D edges.

There’s very little difference, apart from the size.

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: Cameras

• HTC U11: 12MP, f/1.7, 1.4µm, OIS; 16MP front camera, f/2.0
• HTC 10: 12MP, f/1.8, 1.55µm, OIS; 5MP front camera, f/1.8, 1.34µm

The HTC U11 sticks to the same resolution as the HTC 10, but now comes with f/1.7 aperture and 1.4µm pixels as well as optical image stabilisation. There’s more power in this new camera, with the whole sensor being able to detect faces, fast 0.3 second autofocus and zero-lag HDR, which HTC is calling HDR Boost.

The HTC 10 features a 12-megapixel rear camera with 1.55µm pixels, optical image stabilisation, laser autofocus and an aperture of f/1.8. There is a dual-tone LED flash on board and a number of features including Auto-HDR, face detection and 4K video recording.

The front facing camera of the HTC 10 has a 5-megapixel sensor with 1.34µm pixels, an aperture of f/1.8 and optical image stabilisation. On the HTC U11, this camera steps up to 16-megapixels, f/2.0, with a wide-angle to capture more.

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: Hardware

• HTC U11: Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage + microSD
• HTC 10: Snapdragon 820, 4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage +microSD

The HTC U11 comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, as well as microSD support. There will also be a version with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The battery is 3000mAh. The U11 should be more powerful and more battery efficient than the HTC 10.

The HTC 10 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, supported by 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. There is microSD on board for further storage expansion.

A 3000mAh battery capacity is charged via USB Type-C, with both offering Quick Charge 3. We’d expect the HTC U11 to have the power to run rings around the HTC 10.

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: BoomSound showdown

• HTC U11: USB Type-C, BoomSound Hi-Fi, Hi-Res, USonic headphones with active noise cancellation, 4 mics
• HTC 10: 3.5mm, Boomsound Hi-Fi, Hi-Res, USonic headphones, 3 mics

HTC is all about music and wants to be the best music phone out there. The HTC 10 put in an impressive showing with the introduction of the self-tuning USonic headphones – also some of the best headphones you’ll find bundled with a smartphone, with Hi-Res certification. That was paired with BoomSound Hi-Fi, using the phone’s two speakers to deliver impressive audio. 

HTC U11 takes this up a step. In terms of BoomSound it now uses the whole phone body as a resonation chamber to bring more volume and clarity, but it also bumps up the headphones, bringing active noise cancellation to the party. The headphones are still the USonic headset we’ve seen before, but now USB Type-C equipped. 

The downside of the U11 is no 3.5mm headphone socket, but there is a DAC-equipped dongle in the box, so your old cans will sound great.

If you’re into video recording, there’s a jump to 4 mics, with zooming audio to match the video.

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: Software

• HTC U11: Android Nougat with HTC Sense, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, HTC Sense Companion
• HTC 10: Android Nougat with HTC Sense, Google Assistant

The HTC 10 launched on Android Marshmallow with a simplified version of HTC Sense that stripped back a lot of the bloatware for a more refined Android experience. This has since been updated to Nougat, along with an update that brings Google Assistant. 

The HTC U11 offers a similar software experience to the HTC 10, but with a couple of additional features. There’s Edge Sense as we’ve mentioned above, along with HTC Sense Companion. This app made its debut on the HTC U Ultra and U Play and aims to manage your device better.

The kicker is that the U11 is also getting Amazon Alexa as an additional AI service, meaning you’ll be able to talk to Alexa from your phone too. Of course this is only software and there’s nothing to stop HTC updating the HTC 10 to offer the same software experience as the HTC U11 – in which case only Edge Sense will be unique.

• HTC Sense tips and tricks

HTC U11 vs HTC 10: Conclusions

The HTC U11 looks to take the experience of the HTC 10 and layer on new features. The biggest is the addition of Edge Sense, something that other devices won’t offer, because it’s dependant on the pressure-sensitive body. In terms of software, the addition of Amazon Alexa brings more skills, but there’s nothing to stop that coming to the HTC 10 too.

The U11 offering something totally unique through those deep glass colours. There’s the waterproofing on top of that, but in many ways, while the materials change, from the front the HTC U11 sticks to the same design language as the HTC 10 and it’s clear they are from the same family. 

More screen space, more power and more storage keep the HTC flagship moving forward, but it’s not a radical rethinking. The HTC U11 is expected to be available from 18 May, priced at £649.

• HTC U11 preview: Easy squeezy, liquid surface pleasy

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: What’s the difference?

HTC delayed the launch of its 2017 flagship, the HTC U11, so that it could power it with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. That’s the same hardware that’s in some Samsung Galaxy S8 phones, offering a processor that aims to be more powerful and less power hungry.

The HTC U11 marks a change in design for HTC, dropping the metal unibody of the past 4 years, for a glass back. You know which other phone has a glass back? That’s right, the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Here’s how the two flagship giants compare.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 review

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Design

• Galaxy S8: 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm and weighs 155g
• HTC U11: 153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm and weighs 169g
• Both have metal and glass design, waterproofing

The Samsung Galaxy S8 features a slim design and the front is almost all display, with very slim bezels thanks to the curved edges. A button for launching the Bixby voice assistant is situated on the left-hand side, while USB Type-C and the 3.5mm headphone jack are both present at the bottom of the device. The Galaxy S8 is IP68 water and dust resistant.

The HTC U11 comes with a squeezable frame, supporting a feature called Edge Sense, but also offers a metal and glass design. HTC’s colours are totally unique, however, offering depth that Samsung doesn’t, so it’s much more distinctive. The 3.5mm headphone socket is gone on the U11, with USB Type-C providing all the connections. It has an IP67 water and dust rating. 

HTC’s front fingerprint scanner is better placed than Samsung’s rear scanner, but Samsung’s 18.5:9 aspect display eats up the whole front, leaving the HTC U11 looking like it has a rather large forehead and chin. Samsung looks more like the future, but HTC’s unique glass finishes look more like a piece of art.

However, look at the dimensions: the S8 has a larger display, but a smaller body.

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Display

• Galaxy S8: 5.8-inch 18.5:9 Super AMOLED, dual curved, 2960 x 1440 pixels, 570ppi, HDR capable
• HTC U11: 5.5-inch 16:9 Super LCD 5, 2560 x 1440, 534ppi

The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch curved display with a 2960 x 1440 resolution, which delivers a pixel density of 570ppi. The device is all about its display, though despite its larger size, the overall size hasn’t grown thanks to the 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Samsung opts for Super AMOLED and there’s plenty of wow factor. It also offers Mobile HDR Premium, meaning the Galaxy S8 is ready to shine when more HDR content becomes available on the likes of Amazon Video and Netflix.

The HTC U11 offers a 5.5-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, pixel density at 534ppi. HTC has stuck to Super LCD 5 and a more conventional 16:9 aspect. The display is flat, apart from the 2.5D edges. It’s bright, vibrant and realistic in its delivery, but it doesn’t have the wow factor of the Samsung display.

• Mobile HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10 and Mobile HDR Premium explained 

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Cameras

• Galaxy S8: 12MP rear, f/1.7, OIS, 1.4µm pixels; 8MP front, f/1.7, 1.22µm pixels
• HTC U11: 12MP rear, f/1.7, OIS, 1.4µm pixels; 16MP front, f/2.0

The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 12-megapixel Dual Pixel rear camera with a f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilisation. The front-facing snapper has an 8-megapixel sensor with autofocus and an aperture of f/1.7. It offers excellent camera performance overall.

The HTC U11 also has a 12-megapixel rear camera with the same specs as the Samsung. On the front HTC chooses resolution over aperture, opting for a 16-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 lens. HTC is promising HDR Boost, a zero-lag HDR system and fast autofocusing from its camera. The proof of whether it can compete with Samsung will come when we review the phone fully – at the moment it’s too early to tell.

• HTC U11 preview: Easy squeezy, liquid surface pleasy 

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Hardware

• Galaxy S8: Exynos 8895 or Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, microSD
• HTC U11: Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, microSD
• S8 gets iris scanner

The Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with the Exynos 8895 chip, or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, depending on the region. There is 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal memory and you’ll also find microSD support for storage expansion. A special 6GB version is also available in some regions. There’s a 3000mAh battery.

The HTC U11 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, with microSD. Again, there will be a version with 6GB RAM (and 128GB storage in some regions). There’s also a 3000mAh battery.

The Galaxy S8 gets an iris scanner as well as the fingerprint scanner, although HTC’s front positioning of the fingerprint scanner means you’d probably never need to use and iris scanner.

We’d expect the performance to be closely matched due to the similar hardware, but performance differences may come down to software optimisation. In theory, the battery life should be close, but again it’s to soon to just which phone will have better endurance.

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Audio

• Samsung: Hi-Res capable, Dual Bluetooth, mono speaker, 3.5mm
• HTC U11: BoomSound HI-Fi, Hi-Res headphones, no 3.5mm

HTC wants to be the best at audio and it is not giving up. Using the two speakers on the handset and the whole body as a resonating chamber, BoomSound Hi-Fi is impressive both in terms of volume and performance when playing music out loud. 

That’s backed up with Hi-Res headphones, that offer active noise cancellation and automatic USonic tuning to suit your ears. There’s no 3.5mm headphone socket, but it does come with an adapter equipped with a DAC for those who want to use them.

When it comes to convenience Samsung has the edge with a traditional 3.5mm headphone socket, although we’d say that HTC’s bundled headphones are better quality than the AKG headphones from Samsung. Samsung offers individual tuning for headphones, but it’s manual, so a poor cousin to HTC’s offering. If you want to use two pairs of Bluetooth headphones simultaneously, however, you can.

When it comes to speaker quality, this is probably the weakest aspect of the Galaxy S8’s game, an easy area for HTC to dominate.

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Software

• Samsung Galaxy S8: Android Nougat with TouchWiz, Google Assistant, Bixby
• HTC U11: Android Nougat with HTC Sense, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa

The Samsung Galaxy S8 runs on Android Nougat with Samsung’s TouchWiz software over the top. It offers Google Assistant, along with Samsung’s new AI system, Bixby and the overall software experience is excellent. It’s slick, smooth and refined, despite being a long way from stock Android. There are connectivity features and personalisation functions throughout and a maturity and character that’s now well defined.

The HTC U11 comes with Android Nougat with HTC Sense. In recent years HTC has reduced the impact of its skin, removing bulk and duplication and moving closer to Android again. In some ways that’s good, but there’s less character in the UI; it neither offers the advantage of a raw Pixel experience, nor the depth of changes that Samsung offers.

One thing that HTC does bring is the new Edge Sense function. This will allow you squeeze the handset to launch apps, take photos and trigger other actions. It’s distinctly different and unique and something that no one else offers.

Both offers Google Assistant, with Samsung offering the half-formed Bixby. HTC isn’t reinventing the wheel, it’s offering Amazon’s Alexa (via a July update). Personal preference will determine how you feel about each, but the Galaxy S8 feels like it offers more features – but squeezing your phone is unique.

• HTC U11: What can you do with a squeezable phone?

HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: Price and conclusion

• Samsung Galaxy S8: £689 (64GB)
• HTC U11: £649 (64GB)

Samsung has made its mark with an impressive new flagship in the Galaxy S8 (and S8+). The real breakthrough is in removing the bezels to create a device that’s all about the luscious display, with those curves. There’s power, loads of features and a pair of cameras that really work. The downside is the fingerprint scanner’s location. 

The HTC U11 isn’t quite as dramatic a rethinking. Sticking to the 16:9 display means that from the front the phone looks very much as it did in 2016. Flip it over and you’re holding something much more exciting with a finish you won’t get elsewhere. Give it a squeeze and you’ll be able to get it to react. 

Both offer power, refinement and a close set of specifications. The question is whether you’re lusting display, or whether a squeeze will sate your desires. Oh, and the HTC is £40 cheaper.

Sony Alpha A99 II review: Proving that translucent can triumph

Holy moly, what a specification the Sony A99 II offers: a 42.4-million-pixel BSI (back illuminated) full-frame CMOS sensor, a 399-point hybrid autofocus system, 12-frames per second shooting with continuous tracking autofocus, 4K movie capture, and 5-axis image stabilisation.

The company’s flagship Single Lens Translucent (SLT) interchangeable lens camera represents a huge step-up in technology from its four-year-old predecessor, the original Alpha 99. It’s got the muscle to lay down a challenge for the likes of other high-end offerings, too, such as Canon’s EOS 1D X II and EOS-5D Mk IV, Nikon’s D5 and D810, and the Pentax K-1.

Retailing at £3,000 body-only, however, the A99 Mark II is far from cheap – although considering the specification it’s arguably rather good value. Spec is one thing, of course, but how it handles in the real world is what we care about. Indeed, can the Sony A99 II up the SLT ante and deliver a flawless high-end shooting experience?

Sony Alpha A99 II review: Design

• Single Lens Translucent (SLT) technology
• Multi-controller with click/smooth control
• Customisable function buttons
• 104.2 x 142.6 76.1mm; 849g

The SLT concept is an interesting one. By using a translucent mirror the A99 II removes the necessity for this mechanism to move in order to get light to the sensor when taking a shot. This means continuous autofocus while burst shooting is possible without interruption, as mechanical movement is restricted to the shutter only. In short: it’s fast, super fast.

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That doesn’t really change the A99 II’s style, however, which is fashioned much the same as a DSLR camera. However, viewfinder is less pronounced than a DSLR equivalent, which means Sony’s camera sits slightly shorter. The reason for this is because there’s no need for a pentaprism unit for the electronic viewfinder (it’s not optical).

When the (fractionally bigger) original A99 was released four years ago, it was the smallest full-frame digital camera going on account of this unique design (Sony is the only manufacturer actively developing SLT). But a lot has changed in four years, not least of which is Sony’s own Alpha 7 range of compact system cameras – which are significantly smaller again. So if size is your key concern for a full-frame camera then the Alpha 99 II does not holds the reigns.

Plus we’d anticipate most users to pair the A99 II with decent (and heavy) glass, such as the Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA lens – which was the main lens used for this test; we also had the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZA lens – adding to the scale and weight overall.

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In the hand the A99 II feels much like a DSLR. A pronounced hand grip enables a firm hold and many key controls are within reach. Some controls can be found easily even without looking away from the viewfinder, such as exposure compensation and ISO sensitivity.

Central to the navigation of the menu systems and AF point selection is a joystick (although the front and rear dials also perform some of these functions). We found the joystick too easily moved in the Alpha 99, but in our Alpha 99 II test model the joystick was almost too sticky, especially the downwards motion.

Once in the revamped menu system, there is almost an overwhelming number of pages to navigate – testament to what the Sony Alpha 99 II offers. The new menu is an improvement from before – being colour coded and the five multi-page sections can now be skipped through, but it’s still a lot to take in.

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Button customisation is well worth the time in order to assign frequently used controls to the physical function buttons on the camera body. Furthermore there’s a multi controller dial to the side of the lens which can be assigned to any one of a number of functions, including AF areas and aperture. This dial can be switched between clicked and smooth rotation, clearly with videographers in mind, just as it was in the original A99.

Sony Alpha 99 II review: Screen and finder

• 3-inch, vari-angle LCD screen (1,228k-dots resolution)
• 0.5-inch electronic OLED viewfinder (2,359k-dots resolution)

Sony has opted for the same tilt-angle LCD screen as found in the Alpha 99. The theory is great – an articulated screen positioned away from the body on a tilt mechanism – but in practice there are times when the screen is actually a little fiddly.

For instance, when positioned low to the ground and tilting the screen upwards – like we did shooting bluebells in the woods – the eyecup gets in the way of tilting, especially in landscape format. Ultimately, in such situations the screen can feel counter-intuitive. That being said, most cameras at this level feature fixed screens that offer no tilt or articulation at all.

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Above: ISO 100

The LCD screen is not touch-sensitive, which is a shame. There are other high-end cameras now with touchscreens – it’s not a gimmick reserved for consumer friendly cameras and smartphones.

We won’t go into a whole electronic (EVF) versus optical viewfinder (OVF) debate here, but suffice to say the EVF in the Alpha 99 II is very good as far as EVFs go. The magnification is improved over its predecessor which is welcome, although the resolution remains at 2.36-million-dots.

Sony Alpha 99 II review: New autofocus system

• Hybrid phase-detection autofocus system
• 399-point focal-plane AF sensor plus dedicated 79-point sensor

The A99’s hybrid AF system – which consists a revamped 79-point AF sensor and a 399-point focal plane AF sensor which covers the majority of the frame – is key to the SLT design as constant exposure to the AF sensor allows full-time autofocus.

Pocket-lint

Above: ISO 5,000

When using this in combination with the Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA lens for this review, the A99 II quickly locks on to focus, even in low light conditions. The Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZA lens we also used does not focus quite as quickly, so what you’ll get from the camera is very much lens dependent (just as it would be in any camera).

Moving the camera’s active AF point over subjects near and far sees the A99 II respond quickly. When making portraits, face detection and eye recognition AF ensures for the majority of the time that focusing is spot on, with eyes pinpoint sharp. Kudos to Sony for that.

We tested the responsiveness of tracking AF when shooting pictures of people (and the occasional dog or duck) running in the late evening sun. In the continuous high 8fps mode, the hit rate of sharp shots is impressive. The camera lagged a fraction in the continuous high+ 12fps mode, however, with the hit rate compromised.

Pocket-lint

Above: ISO 100

There were also slight variances in performance depending on the AF area selected – flexible spot taken from the centre of the frame was up there with the most effective AF area options, with the outer edges not performing as strongly, likely related to the dual AF sensors.

Sony Alpha 99 II review: Performance and battery

• 5-axis image stabilisation
• 12-frames-per second with continuous autofocus
• 50 shots per burst (approx)
• 500 shots per charge (approx)

Like the Pentax K-1 and Sony’s own Alpha 7 range, the Alpha 99 II features built-in image stabilisation – called SteadyShot. It’s a key selling point that few others can offer – to date, no Nikon or Canon full-frame cameras offer this.

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Taking handheld photos when using the Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA lens at its wide and telephoto settings, we judge that SteadyShot offers around 2.5 stops (EV) of effective stabilisation.

For the best part, with a steady hand, you could expect a sharp picture at 70mm with a shutter speed as slow as 1/15sec. Increasing a camera’s light intake, especially in low contrast light, helps to improve image quality.

Then there’s speed. Given the huge 42MP resolution the A99 II’s 12fps with continuous AF is massively impressive. When using a UHS-I SDXC U3 card (which is the fastest card available for the camera), a burst would end after approximately 50 images – covering four seconds. The buffer then takes around 30 seconds to fully clear, during which time it’s possible to shoot more but not possible to access the menus.

For those who like to shoot long exposures, it is well worth deactivating the long exposure noise reduction. If not, noise reduction application takes the equivalent of the shutter speed time of the image just recorded. That means a 30-second wait to use the camera again after a single 30-second exposure!

Pocket-lint

Battery life is respectable, but at this level it’s near the bottom of the pile. Using the same FM500H battery as found in the Alpha 99, the Alpha 99 II is capable of approximately 500 shots from a full charge. This number of shots is almost twice that of the Alpha 7R II, but less than half that of similar cameras such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. It’s not a surprise given the electronic viewfinder approach, but something to be aware – and you might want to consider buying the optional handgrip and extra batteries which can fill it.

Sony Alpha 99 II review: Image quality

• 42.4-million-pixel BSI CMOS full-frame sensor (7952 x 5304 output)
• ISO 100 – 25,600 (50 – 102,400 extended)

After using the A99 II in a variety of scenarios and lighting conditions, we checked the raw and JPEG files to see how they compare. The JPEG quality is so impressive that, for most situations, raw capture is an unnecessary luxury. Of course, raw capture enables more tonal detail to be recovered when the exposure is incorrect, but if exposure is spot on, then JPEGs are the business.

Pocket-lint

Above: ISO 640, with fill-in flash

Looking at highlight and shadow areas, the amount of detail retained in JPEGs is particularly impressive. For example, in bright skies the detail in white clouds is maintained without blown-out highlights. The dynamic range of the Alpha 99 II is clearly impressive.

With Auto White Balance (AWB) in play, colours can be a tad off. We’ve seen generally warm shots with lots of saturation. Of course, manual adjustments can be made to the Creative Style and to AWB colour reproduction as needed.

Viewing the same scenes taken at all of the available ISO sensitivities, we would not hesitate to use ISO 100 to ISO 1600. Luminance and chroma noise is not apparent one bit, even in low-light conditions. Image noise becomes apparent with faint detail smudging at ISO 3200 and ISO 6400, and then image quality begins to suffer at ISO 12,800 and above.

However, as the files are 42-megapixels they’re huge enough to often hide the presence of image noise if the output size isn’t too large. You’ll need to look in detail at 100 per cent to get the fuller picture.

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Above: ISO 51,200

A final note for those with an eye for detail – yes, you landscape photographers – the translucent mirror of the Sony Alpha 99 II is fixed. During exposure there is no mirror movement, which in DSLRs can introduce camera shake. So with SteadyShot turned off and the camera mounted to a tripod, the images are pin sharp. Ideal if you’re looking to make large prints.

Sony Alpha 99 II review: 4K video

• 4K at 100Mbps, 8-bit 4:2:2
• 1080p and slow-motion also available
• 3.5mm headphones out and mic in ports
• HDMI out (clean output for off-camera recording)
• Dual SD card slots

We can’t review the Alpha 99 II without commenting on its video recording capability – because it’s excellent.

Offering 4K capture at 100Mbps, plus with built-in stabilisation and hybrid AF, the Alpha 99 II is well capable of serving videographers.

In addition to 4K, the A99 II can shoot in an APS-C ‘Super 35mm’ crop mode (downsampling 5k footage to 4k). Plus slow-motion Full HD videos is possible at 100fps.

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However, there is a severe exposure mode limitation when using autofocus for video. With autofocus, the camera is set to Program Auto (P) shooting mode and automatically selects an aperture of f/3.5. If autofocus is necessary, then the P shooting mode works really well, with smooth and quick focus transitions. If exposure control is necessary, then manual focus it is, with a full choice of exposure modes.

The Alpha 99 II records images onto SD memory card and has dual slots, one of which is also micro SD compatible. Given the 4K video recording and high-speed drive modes, it is somewhat surprising that the card compatibility is limited to UHS-I, not the latest UHS-II.

Verdict

On paper, the Sony Alpha 99 II sounds massively impressive. So is it good enough to cater for both professionals who want to print big and those who want to never miss a shot from its speed-focused setup?

Well, the answer is an almost, but not quite.

When it comes to landscape and portrait photography, the Sony Alpha 99 II shines. With massive file sizes, excellent colour rendition and sharp lenses available, viewing pictures on screen is almost as satisfying as going out in the landscapes to create them. Image stabilisation and no moving mirror work well for the high resolution pictures where softness caused by movement would otherwise be all the more obvious.

As for action photography, the Alpha 99 II is generally slower than those cameras designed for such a purpose – despite what the impressive figures suggest. The processor performance for buffering images and slight autofocus limitations in continuous high+ mode are where the Alpha 99 II can’t quite match the best in our experience.

Overall the Alpha 99 II is a marked improvement over its predecessor and a brilliant all-rounder. And when it comes to 4K video capture, well, there are few that can compete at this level.

The A99 II is a triumph for translucent.

Alternatives to consider…

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Pentax K-1

• £1,600 (body-only)

The Pentax K-1 isn’t a patch on the Sony for video, but if you’re looking for full-frame photography and built-in image stabilisation at a cut of the price then it’s a clear contender to consider.

Read the full article: Pentax K-1 review

Pocket-lint

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

• £3,630 (body only)

The daddy of do-it-all, the 5D MkIV is hard to beat. A deft balance between resolution and ability, this Canon might be expensive and lack the vari-angle LCD screen, but it makes up for that in knock-out image quality.

Read the full article: Canon 5D MkIV review

Watch the official HTC U11 event again here, find out what was launched

HTC hosted a media event on 16 May 2017, starting at 7am UK time (2pm in Taipei, 2am in New York) so you can be forgiven for missing it.

Thankfully though, you can watch the entire HTC U11 launch event, as broadcast live, here:

Alternatively, you can check out Pocket-lint’s extensive coverage of the HTC U11, where we go hands-on with the phone and look at some of the specifications and features of the new handset:

• HTC U11 preview: Easy squeezy, liquid surface pleasy
• HTC U11 official, pressure-sensitive sides, noise cancellation and Alexa
• HTC U11: What can you do with a squeezable phone?
• HTC U11: Release date, specs and everything you need to know

We also compare it with other flagship phones out there, including the HTC model it replaces:

• HTC U11 vs Samsung Galaxy S8: What’s the difference?
• HTC U11 vs HTC 10: What’s the difference?

Finally, HTC itself has posted a few videos of some of the different aspects of the HTC U11 which you can view below. There concentrate on the design, camera and, of course, the Edge Sense, pressure-sensitive sides of the device. You can see it in action in these clips.

The HTC U11 will be available from “next week” in some regions and will rollout globally from June.

US utility offers clients cheap Tesla batteries for grid backup

For the first time, a power utility has teamed up with Tesla to use its battery packs for extra grid power during peak usage times. Vermont’s Green Mountain Power (GMP) is not only installing Tesla’s industrial Powerpacks on utility land, it’s also subsidizing home Powerwall 2s for up to 2,000 customers. Rather than firing up polluting diesel generators, the utility can use them to provide electricity around the state. At night, when power usage is low, they’re charged back up again.

Green Mountain Power said the idea started after a power outage knocked out over 15,000 homes. “Three customers who had Powerwalls never lost power, so it carried their home through,” GMP CEO Mary Powell told WCAX-TV. “And unlike a generator, they didn’t have to worry about hooking it up, they didn’t have to worry about whether it was fueled.”

Once in operation, the Powerwalls will stay charged in your home. During times of peak electricity usage when its normal power sources (hydro, nuclear, wind, etc.) max out, GMP will draw from its Powerpacks and the consumer-installed Powerwalls. At night, when demand is low, the batteries are recharged.

A Tesla Powerpack installed at a California utility.

Tesla says GMP is the first utility to do such a large-scale “grid-smoothing” installation. “There hasn’t been any really successful large-scale trial, so that’s why this is so exciting,” said Tesla CTO J.B. Straubel. “It’s been in development at Tesla for quite some time, but this is our first real deployment.”

GMP is offering 7kW Powerwalls for $15 a month or a flat fee of $1,500. That’s quite a bargain compared to the regular $3,000 price, but again, it’s only available for 2,000 homes. That’s presumably enough, however, to provide peak power backup in conjunction with the company’s industrial Powerpacks.

GMP thinks the Tesla batteries are not only less polluting than regular generators, but more economical too. “[Backup generators] are some of the dirtiest and … costliest forms of generation,” says Powell. “So when we can produce 10 megawatts of energy, that is an alternative to that peaking generation, that has tremendous economic value.”

Via: WCAX

Source: Green Mountain Power