HTC said the new One would help swing a profit, and it did

Though HTC lost money last quarter, it had just launched its One M8 flagship to great reviews, and promised the new handset would put a halt to the red ink. The (unaudited) numbers are now in and back up that boast. The company scored a NT$2.8 billion profit ($92 million) on NT$65 billion ($2.2 billion) in revenue, nearly matching sales from last year and turning around a streak of losses. That’s a far cry from the Samsungs of the world, but still a shot of good news for the beleaguered company. To cash in on the new One’s success, HTC recently launched a plastic-bodied version called the One M8 Ace and a cut-down One Mini. Whether those will help it keep up the momentum next quarter remains to be seen — it often gets the post-flagship blues.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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Source: HTC (PDF)

HTC update roadmap for Android 4.4.4 leaked

For those set on keeping up with the latest firmware but found often frustrated with the pace at which OEM’s release their updates can get an idea of how quickly they can expect to receive Android 4.4.4 for their HTC handsets.

Including devices such as the HTC One M7 and HTC One M8, the leaked schedule shows when such devices can expect to get Android 4.4.4.

The roadmap shows some devices will be kept up to date, whilst others are forgotten as we have so become used to in the Android world of recent years.

Any surprises in there for you?

Source: XDA

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Here’s what our readers are saying about the new HTC One

The HTC One (M8) has been a hit with critics: Our own Brad Molen calls it “a great smartphone that does a lot of fantastic things,” while Laptop Magazine goes so far as to say it’s “the best Android phone on the market.” But now that the M8 has hit all four major carriers in the US and has had a chance to stretch its legs out in the wild, how has it fared in long-term, day-to-day usage? To find out, we turn to user reviews, written by erudite Engadget readers like yourself, and they certainly haven’t held anything back.

The M8 scored top marks in the design department, with Mokaky saying he was “amazed by the elegant design and the superior construction of the device,” while jaredvillhelm tells us that “people double take when they see the phone in my hand.” However, though many users called the handset “beautiful,” a few also brought up the M8′s slippery nature. Indeed, MaroonR says, “Yes, the phone looks fantastic. However, if you’re trying to use it with one hand in the car, you’re probably going to drop it. The sides are really skinny, and the back doesn’t do much to help you grip it.”

MaroonR was pleased with the Sense UI, though, telling us, “The Sense gestures on this are really great — the phone is tall, so some might have trouble reaching the power button; a double tap turns the screen on. Great!” AhmadAAziz calls it “snappy, intuitive and very simple to use.” The camera also got quite a workout from our users, with JonSilver admitting, “I was nervous about the camera, but for posting/sharing to social media/text/email, the camera is great. The software effects (UFocus, etc.) are nice too.” And jaredvillhelm concurs, telling us, “If I wanted ultra clear camera shots, I’d buy a fancy Nikon; for my everyday quick pictures, I’m more than satisfied with this camera.”

While professional reviewers do their best to gauge battery life on a phone, the real measure of how well it performs only comes after months of regular use, and jpspiderman says, “The battery on the phone has been lasting me about 36 to 30 hours with moderate use (moderate meaning movies, musics, phone calls and gaming). It’s living up to the hype of long battery life without the constant worrying of the phone dying in the middle of the day.” Mokaky agrees, saying, “it completes the day with me… no need to carry the charger again.”

The best part of reading user reviews is seeing how a product affects the lives of everyday users. AhmadAAziz finds it useful at work, saying, “Sometimes I have to make a phone call from a factory’s production yard, with all machinery running, and the in-call sound clarity is awesome.” Others have had trouble keeping their phones out of the hands of others, with MaroonR noting that, “People will want to touch it, so be prepared to wipe it clean now and again,” while phlogiston says, “I like my wife’s iPhone, but it says something about the HTC One when she keeps trying to trade phones with me (I am not making that up).”

So it looks like users love the HTC One (M8) as much as, if not more than, the critics did. If you’d like to tell us how you feel about the M8, it’s as simple as clicking the “write a review” button on the page, where you’ll be taken to a simple review form.

Don’t have an Engadget account? Sign up here. Don’t have the M8? Well, that’s okay, because we have thousands of products in our product database that you can review. Just search, add the product to your “have” or “had” list and you’re ready to tell us what you think about products like the Galaxy S5 or the Surface Pro 3.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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HTC Desire 610 rumored to be headed to AT&T

HTC has always had a pretty solid grasp on the midrange market, particularly with their Desire line. With decent specifications, low price, and solid build quality, it’s sometimes extremely hard to not think about picking one up. HTC is set out to make that decision a little bit more difficult, now, with the rumor of the Desire 610 making its way to AT&T.

Earlier this morning, popular leaker, @evleaks, outed a picture of the Desire 610. We don’t have any details as to when it will officially launch, but rest assured, it should be here sometime in 2014. In case you forgot, the 610 offers up a 4.7-inch, 960×540 display, Snapdragon 400 processor, 8GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, and an 8MP rear-facing camera.

It’s great to see a phone that will do well in emerging markets make its way to a giant US carrier. What do you all think? Would you pick one of these up if the price is right?

Source: @evleaks

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