HTC Sensation XL review
The HTC Sensation XL pushes out 4.7-inches of glorious display to fill with your Android ambitions. It’s the latest flagship phone to launch from HTC, much rumoured and leaked, and now unleashed upon the world. It picks up much of what the HTC Titan set out on Windows Phone 7 and effectively gives you the Android equivalent, but with a few treats thrown in.
But does this phone bite off more than it can chew? Is it big and clever? We got the chance to spend some time with the phone prior to launch to bring you our first impressions.
Design and build
Let’s start with the design. HTC have stuck to their tried and tested approach of a machined aluminium back, with a bottom section finished in rubberised plastic to ensure plenty of reception. Like the HTC Sensation, the entire back comes away from the front, so effectively all the innards are attached to the back of that massive screen.
It feels solid in the hand. There are no plastic sections to creak as you manipulate it, there are no odd panels or coloured sections. It’s just big, clean and white. But it isn’t as attractive in design as the regular Sensation which by comparison looks more sophisticated with it’s speaker cutout and contoured screen edges.
The flat front of the screen gives you four touch controls across the bottom, home, menu, back and search. On the top you have the normal standby button and 3.5mm headphone jack, with volume controls on the side. A single Micro-USB is on the bottom edge – there is no HDMI out, as you might find on rival devices. Read more 
HTC Sensation XL vs Samsung Galaxy S II
The HTC Sensation XL now makes that three flagship Android handsets from the Taiwanese mobile makers. Peter Chou and his team have also once again team up with Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine to bring Beats Audio software and headphones to an HTC smartphone and that gives this package one hell of an extra shine, but is it quite shiny enough?
Lurking in the wings, as ever, is the current King of the Androids in the shape of the Samsung Galaxy S II begging the big question for any wouldbe buyer – just which one is the better phone? So, we’ve lined up these two smartphones’ spec sheets and worked it out on paper at least. It’s the HTC Sensation XL vs Samsung Galaxy S II.
Form Factor
- TIE: GALAXY S2 : 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm, 117g
- TIE: SENSATION XL :132.5 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm, 163g
In terms of pure measurements, it’s the first round to the Samsung Galaxy S II. As ever, it’s all about how thin and how light a mobile phone is when it comes to something that’s going to be sitting in your pocket, weighing you down and interrupting the carefully tailored lines of your clothing. The SGS2 is a touch thinner and considerably lighter. The other possible disadvantage to the Sensation XL is that it’s physically bigger on the other dimensions as well, but that has its plus points later on, as we’ll see.
However, that said, we’re going to call the round a tie because, as far physical design goes, it’ll be the machined aluminium block of the Sensation XL that has the edge over the more plastic look and feel of the Galaxy S II for aesthetics and ergonomic pleasure. To be fair to the Samsung, though, that doesn’t mean that it comes across as low rent. It’s still a nice piece of kit to own. Just not as satisfying as all-metal handsets. Read more
HTC Explorer confirmed as entry-level Android handset
HTC has expanded its offering of entry level Android smartphones with the HTC Explorer being officially unveiled as a 3.2-inch device utilising the company’s hugely popular Sense UI.
Targeting the first-time smartphone adopter, the HTC Explorer is to be made available in a selection of colour schemes with the low-end specced handset bringing social networking and internet access to the fore in order to appeal to its target market.
“HTC Explorer is an easy-to-use smartphone that puts the customer in control, providing quick access to their most important content and information,” said Jason Mackenzie, president of global sales and marketing, HTC Corporation.
HTC Explorer Specs
Playing host to a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen display the HTC Explorer boasts a 3-megapixel rear-mounted camera and will hit retailers in Metallic Black, Active Black and Metallic Navy colourschemes.
Arcing back to the days of the Nokia faceplates and fascias Explorer users will also be able to customise their handsets with Metallic Blue, Metallic Orange, Metallic White and Metallic Purple transferable back covers.
HTC Explorer Release Date and Price
Whilst HTC has yet to officially announce the HTC Explorer release date and pricing information the Taiwanese handset manufacturer has confirmed the handset will touch down in the UK during Q4 of 2011. Networks and retailers are expected to announce prices and tariffs shortly. Stay tuned to T3.com for all the latest.
via HTC Explorer confirmed as entry-level Android handset | T3.
Hands-on with HTC’s Amaze 4G for T-Mobile
So how does HTC’s Amaze 4G stack up to its European counterpart, the Sensation XE? Pretty well actually. The 4.3-inch qHD smartphone also features Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, but bumps the RAM from 768MB to 1GB. It’s also HTC’s first NFC toting device and joins T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II as the other 42Mbps HSPA+ -capable handset on Magenta’s network. More noteworthy is its trick eight megapixel shooter, which features the same backside-illuminated sensor, f2.2 wide-angle optics and 1080p video recording capability as the myTouch 4G Slide. Similarly, the Amaze 4G hangs on to quite a bit of that phone’s camera software, including a new composite mode that automagically creates one stellar image out of five less than fabulous snapshots. We also liked the addition of two physical camera buttons, one for stills and the other for video. First impressions of the Sense-laden, Gingerbread smartphone? It’s very much like a Sensation on steroids, with a definite T-Mobile flavor. Take a look at our gallery and hit the break for our hands-on video from Mobilize 2011.
via Hands-on with HTC’s Amaze 4G for T-Mobile (video) — Engadget.
HTC Sensation XL: Launch name for the HTC Runnymede?
The HTC Runnymede will hit the shops as the HTC Sensation XL and not the HTC Bass, as had been rumoured, according to reports.
The name would make sense as, like the recently announced HTC Sensation XE, the Runnymede will be packing integrated Beats Audio. There will be two options on offer apparently: one an in-ear buds bundle and one an over the ear job.
The Android 2.3.4 phone is said to have a 1.5GHz processor, 768MB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 1.3-megapixel one on the front. Its big talking point, literally, is the display at a mammoth 4.7 inches and a 960×540 qHD resolution. Storage is said to be 16GB or 32GB.
The HTC Sensation XL/Bass/Runnymede has also been caught in action. A YouTube video is doing the rounds, although the footage is continually being pulled. It shows an almost-ghost like phone running on the Vodafone network in the UK.
There’s no official word from HTC or any carriers yet though – chances are this could just be an unlocked tester model.
via HTC Sensation XL: Launch name for the HTC Runnymede? – Pocket-lint.
HTC Titan and Radar WP7 Mango phones revealed
HTC just threw two new Windows Phone handsets down on the table and politely requested that we be impressed. The high-end Titan (previously leaked as the ‘Eternity’) is indeed an awe-inspiring brute, wielding a 4.7-inch SLCD display, 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front-facing snapper to take full advantage of Mango’s newfangled Skype integration. Its over-sized guts include a single-core 1.5GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and up to 16GB of fixed flash storage. Meanwhile, the Radar (which also recently leaked out as the ‘Omega’) comes significantly less pumped in order to meet a lower price point and — we suppose — the expectations of a more mainstream audience. It can be seen as an updated Trophy, with similar weight and dimensions, plus the same 3.8-inch LCD, 1GHz processor clock speed, 5MP rear camera resolution, RAM and maximum 8GB fixed storage. The key upgrades involve the cameras: HTC says it has an improved 28mm wide-angle lens on the rear, plus of course there’s the front-facer, which is unfortunately only VGA. Although HTC intends to update its existing WP7 range to Mango starting in mid September, the Titan and Radar will be the company’s first innately Mango-fied devices when they arrive in early October. What do we make of them? By all means, click past the break to find out.
via HTC Titan and Radar WP7 Mango phones revealed, we go hands-on — Engadget.
HTC My Touch 4G Slide hands-on (Camera edition)
HTC has been honing its camera skills for some time. We’ve had the HTC Sensation that brought a number of “image effects” to Android, while the EVO 3D has given us three-dimensional shooting and filming.
What if you want a camera phone that really does attempt to replace your point and shoot camera? HTC’s latest attempt at that answer is the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide that not only has the effects found on other HTC Android handsets, but a number of camera like features to impress as well.
via HTC My Touch 4G Slide hands-on (Camera edition) – Pocket-lint.
Apple now the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, Samsung checks in at number two
We make our own truth. That’s how IDC can come up with roughly the same numbers as fellow research firm Canalys and crown Apple the king, when its rival called Android top dog — it’s all about how you slice it. See, where as Canalys bundled all Android handset makers together, IDC has broken them up, which leads to a rather interesting twist — the largest smartphone maker in the world is now Apple. Cupertino’s growth of 141.7-percent in shipments year over year was enough to push it past Nokia (which slipped to number three) and Samsung (which climbed two spots to take the silver medal), while RIM and HTC rounded out the top five. That being said, no one is running away with the lead here, and Sammy’s continued stratospheric rise should keep Apple on guard. Check out the full report after the break.
via Apple now the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, Samsung checks in at number two — Engadget.
HTC Omega: HTC’s first Windows Phone 7 Mango device?
Could the HTC Omega be the Mango-flavoured follow up to the HTC 7 Mozart?
It looks that way as detailed specs of the supposed Windows Phone 7.5 device have leaked online, with a spec sheet that hints at a refreshed Mozart.
Sadly, there are no pictures to back up the details (just a picture of a case that gives nothing away) but the spec sheet lists a HTC device with a bit more oomph than its previous Windows Phone 7 devices thanks to a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 Processor.
At 3.8-inches, its S-LCD display is a tincy bit bigger than the Mozart, but it still has the same 800×480 WVGA resolution, with 16 million colours.
Back to hardware and there’s reportedly 16GB of on board storage and an 8-megapixel camera capable of shooting 720p video.
Nothing official on the HTC Omega (which is possibly a codename) yet, we’ll keep you posted on its official status.
via HTC Omega: HTC’s first Windows Phone 7 Mango device? – Pocket-lint.
Motorola DROID 3 vs HTC ThunderBolt
In a battle for the good fight, Verizon’s lineup is stacked to the brim with some quality Android smartphones that encompass every bit of the spectrum – so whether it’s data speed or processing power that you’re concerned about most, they have you fully covered. Naturally, the HTC ThunderBolt has been riding the wave of success as being the carrier’s very first 4G LTE enabled smartphone, but with anything technology related, its top tiered status will naturally dissipate over time. With that knowledge, the Motorola DROID 3 is coming from out of the shadows to take back the spotlight and shine it on the beloved original DROID line once again. So who’s going to come out on top with this one? Read more
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