THE AUDIO PODCAST RETURNS! LATEST TALK ON IPHONE RELEASE & MORE
I have finally gotten around to getting back to my audio podcasting. I'd like to know from you, my great CZ Blog gang, whether or not you would like to see more audio podcasts like this posted to the site to fill up all the dead space between my fantastic blog posts.
I tend to write in streaks, and then disappear into the land of being "too busy". But as much of a talker that I am, it's very easy for me to post audio content to the site as opposed to writing the super fabulous techno nerd content that you've enjoyed for so long.
Post your thoughts in the comments section on what you think of more frequent audio podcasts. You can even suggest topics for discussion, ask questions, or even request a song selection for me to sing. I'll leave that up to you.
But in today's podcast, we'll talk about the release of the new iPhone 5S and 5C, and what surprising twist has popped up in terms of sales for Apple. Also, has the iPhone 5C influenced Samsung in some special way? Find out how in the podcast!
Looking forward to hearing back from you, and here's your audio podcast. Just click the podcast image or the link below and it will open up your mobile device media player:
SAMSUNG SMARTPHONES OR HTC? WHICH IS SUPERIOR, AND WHY?
Okay all you smartphone geeks. Let's start a fight. In this round, we will pit the Samsung Galaxy S4 against the HTC One. Of course you know, I own a Galaxy S4. But this post is not about me. I want to hear from you.
Samsung smarpthones are said to be cheap, light-weight cheap devices with way too many useless gadgety features that muck up the user experience. But others claim Samsung makes the best device on the planet with far superior features.
HTC smartphones are said to be heavy, clunky, and breakable, with a horrible after-market interface (HTC Sense). But they are also said to be the devices with a high quality build, superior features, and devoid of all the junk packed in to Samsung smartphones.
Do you own a Samsung Galaxy S4? Or do you pack an HTC One in your front pocket? PhoneRocket gives the edge to Samsung. But I want to hear why you believe (or don't believe) that your device is better than the competition.
I won't interject my opinion in this post. But I will respond to your comments and tell you what I think. Make your point strong, and show me why your device can lay the smackdown on the competition.
Ding ding ding! Let the fight begin, and slug it out!
ONE OR ONE X? MY PICK FOR HTC'S BEST WILL SURPRISE YOU!
It's about time that someone wrote about the glaring differences between the recently released flagship HTC One and the previously released HTC One X.
I don't quite understand why HTC would develop two devices so similar yet so different. One is CLEARLY the superior overall device, in my opinion.
One of these smartphones I fell in love with immediately. The other one rubbed me the wrong way the minute I took it out of the box.
So which of these two HTC juggernauts is the one that captured my heart? I don't think you would guess right if I didn't tell you...
It was the One X!
As far as technical specificcations, the phones are not very far apart. Of course the HTC One has a bit more under the hood than the One X, because it is the newer phone. But not by much. The only spec that the One soars over the One X with would be screen resolution. But everything else is a close match.
That said, the reason that I love the One X is the form factor. This is a smooth, sleek, thin phone that feels incredible in the palm of your hands. It was most wonderfully crafted, with no hard edges and a screen that flows into the rounded sides like a work of art. It is also fairly light in weight compared to older HTC smartphones.
But the HTC One is a monstrously heavy device with some rather annoying design elements. First of all, it has sharp edges that do not feel comfortable in the hand. Plus it has a rounded back. Try to touch type on this thing while it's sitting on a flat surface, and you will be playing a game of see-saw with the device. Very annoying.
The most frustrating thing about the HTC One for me was the way they designed the power button and the volume buttons to be flush with the edge of the device. You have to visually search for the buttons to activate them. There's no raised dot, or any portrusion that allowsyou to "feel" your way to properly depressing the buttons. Humongous annoyance.
I have no earthly idea what HTC was thinking when they finalized the form factor of the One. I also don't understand what it is with the people who are giving this device rave reviews for its design aesthetics. I guess it's all preference.
But one thing is solidly clear to me... the One X is a fantastic phone that I would gladly purchase with slightly lower specifications over the HTC One, all due to the form factor and design materials.
What is your opinion of these two devices? Do you agree with me on my opinion about the HTC One X? Or do you believe the HTC One is the clear winner with its new design? Sound off in the Disqus comments section!
Check out the Amazon Wireless store where you can get the HTC One and HTC One X as low as $79.99 with a 2-year contract! Click the link or pictures below to jump to Amazon.com and get your hands on your favorite HTC smartphone today!
HTC One VX 4G Android smartphone AT&T from $0.01 with 2-year contract or $499.99 without contract!
HTC One Glacial Silver Android smartphone AT&T from $129.99 with 2-year contract or $649.99 without contract!
HTC One X White Android smartphone AT&T - click the image to check on current pricing from Amazon Wireless!
STOCK ANDROID BROWSER WITH HTC ONE GREAT FOR AVID READERS
You read my bipolar initial review of the HTC One (AT&T) where I covered a variety of items. But today's continuing review will only focus on one thing: text reflow
The new flagship HTC device gives us something that I consider significant that you don't get on the iPhone 5 or the Samsung Galaxy S3, and that is the ability to reflow text when zooming in on articles.
The lack of text reflow on the iPhone 4 was the final straw that broke the camel's back, motivating me to make the switch to Android. But after buying my Samgung Galaxy S2, I discovered that not all Android devices come with text reflow in the stock browser.
Personally, I can't figure out why any smartphone manufacturer would not have this feature programmed into their phones. It makes for a maddening, frustrating experience when using your mobile device to read a lot of content on blogs and news sites (which I constantly do) but you have to pan sideways to read sentences that fly off the right side of the screen.
To my surprise, the HTC One does have text reflow built in to the native Android browser. This is a HUGE plus for geeky blog readers like myself who like to zoom in making the text bigger, but reflowing and cascading the text vertically downward thus allowing you to only scroll vertically to read an entire article.
If you are a big fan of HTC hardware AND you are an avid reader who prefers using a smartphone to consume content on the web, the HTC One will get the job done for you with its crisp, brilliant display and text reflow capability.
Special thanks to AT&T St. Louis for the test device!
For the best prices on smartphones with contract agreements, head on over the Amazon Wireless and pick up an HTC One from your carrier of choice as low as $129 with a 2-year agreement and help to support the CarltonZone Blog!
HTC ONE REVIEW - THE STRAIGHT STORY, MY IMMEDIATE REACTION
This will be a two-part review. It won't be like anything you've ever read before in a review. First off, I'm going to tell you exactly what my reaction was to opening and handling an HTC One (AT&T) Android smartphone right of the box. I won't hold back.
Next, I'll tell you what I expect others to think of the things I mentioned in my initial review, and who I believe would be best matched for this HTC flagship smartphone. So buckle your seatbelts, and get ready for my raw, unedited review and most honest straight-forward comments!
UNBOXING THE HTC ONE - FIRST THOUGHTS
The minute I pulled the HTC One out of the box, the first thought that popped into my mind was "this is heavy, thick, and bulky". I already knew it was going to take a lot of positives to get over the first bad impression.
The feeling of the device in my hands was not comfortable. I didn't like the sharp edges formed by the metal (or metal-like) back. It's definitely not the form factor of the One X that I thoroughly enjoyed. It almost reminded me of "retro electronics" devices. Just a bit too industrial for my taste.
After failing my initial hand grip test, I went to search for the power button. This was a solid "strike two". The button is flush with the top of the device, and not exactly easy to depress. I am so used to the portruding iPhone power button and the portruding side-mounted power button on my Samsung Galaxy S II that I wasn't really ready for this big of a switch.
The next awkward moment was figuring out how to unlock the screen. Again, after years of the "swipe to unlock" that is plain and simple enough for even someone with a lobotomy to understand, this was not easy. I don't quite like the unlock action on the Galaxy S2, but that has been improved with eh S3 and S4. But the HTC unlock, being a vertical pull, was odd.
Once in to the operating system, I was lost. Strike 3. Maybe this isn't the fault of HTC. It's probably due to my iPhone and Samsung experience. The HTC Sense operating system is different enough that I can't get manuevering around in it right off. It isn't intuitive. I had a hard enough time finding the "settings" pane. But I was totally confused with the HTC symbol sitting in the middle of the bottom of the screen where a home button should be. That's a total fail.
With only two navigational buttons, I still haven't found a way to get around with ease. I also haven't gotten used to the vertically-listed apps. I guess that's just something HTC does. And the five buttons in the home row is enough to give me a headache too. This again is due to my Apple and Samsung brainwashing.
I'm out of strikes, but strike 4 would definitely be the volume button. This is the most least desirable feature of the phone thus far. The volume rocker is flush with the side of the device. It's pretty, with its brushed metal look, but it doesn't work well. I found myself constantly smooshing the bottom edge of the case, and not hitting on the volume buttons. It is so smooth and flush with the case that you almost have to look at the phone to properly depress the up and down buttons. That's a solid fail.
The display on the HTC One is brilliant, crisp, and very high-def looking. But it doesn't go to the edges of the device like the Galaxy S4. Plus it's a couple tenths of an inch smaller. Maybe it's just in my head, but it is noticeable.
The one shining feature that I noticed within the first 10 minutes of using the device were the speakers that bear the "Beats by Dr. Dre" branding. They have incredible range, and carry such thick bass that I am in awe of how they physically made this possible.
But overall, my out-of-the-box thoughts after setting up the phone and giving it a whirl were really negative. This phone is definitely not for me. It's clunky, heavy, boxy, has hard edges, doesn't feel good in my hands, and is tough to navigate. I wouldn't even consider this smartphone versus the Galaxy S4. I'm a bit disappointed after enjoying the HTC One X as much as I did.
That said, let's move to part 2... the stuff that would make people want to purchase this phone above all the competitors!
HTC ONE - THE POSITIVES THAT VIRTUALLY GUARANTEE ITS SUCCESS
Here's another point of view that you won't believe could be coming from me, after reading the previous portion of this crazy review. But at the risk of sounding crazy, I'm gonna flip the record over and give you the "other side of the story".
The type of person who is going to totally appreciate this phone would be those who require a high build quality in their smartphones. The HTC One is the most solidly-built phone the company has broken out of the mold to date. I would say that it is on the level of an iPhone with a metal backplate.
Not only is the phone built like a solid jeweler's piece, it is just as beautiful. The combination of brushed metal, polished metal, shiny white polycarbonate, thick solid-feeling front glass, and crisp edges in its form factor make it a work of art. There's no doubts about quality when you first lay your eyes on the HTC One.
With the incorporation of Dr. Dre's "Beats Audio" in the front-facing speakers with this device, nothing will come close to the audio quality when playing music without the aid of headphones. They have worked a miracle in reporducing rich, robust sound for maximizing music enjoyment.
As for the form factor and the buttons, aesthetics were definitely kept as a high priority with the HTC One as nearly nothing portrudes from the edge lines of the device. If you run your hands around the edges of the phone, you hardly feel the volume buttons, power button, headphone jack, or micro USB jack. It is very elegantly laid out.
It goes without saying that the screen is aboslutely breathtaking with the vibrance and color reporduction that HTC has built in to their latest HD technology. There will be absolutely no complaints for this device's ability to show off multimedia content.
But the biggest advantage to the HTC One as it relates to the display is the soft keyboard. The only device that even comes close to what HTC has done when it comes to ease of typing is the Nokia Lumia 920. But HTC has perfected the ease and accuracy of the soft keyboard on its device.
And unlike any other manufacturer or device, the HTC One gives a "click" sound when your finger releases from the screen (after selecting something) that almost makes you feel as if there was a super thin button membrane popping back out. Totally amazing!
The spacing of the letters on the keyboard layout are just about perfect, and the haptics gives the most comfortable balanced feeling for feedback that isn't "too much" or "too little". It's hard to describe it, but the designers definitely kept the tradition of HTC's superior soft keyboard feel.
So... overall, for people who are current HTC fans, and for those that are iPhone users switching to Android, this will be a solidly satisfying device that should make record sales for HTC. If this device has caught your eye and has done well with a test drive in your hands, you really can't go wrong.
And that my friend is the long and short of it. If I have sparked your brain into the urge of sharing an opinion, please sound off in the Disqus comments section and let me know what YOU think of the HTC One! Or anything else you'd like to yap about!
Big thanks to AT&T (the only real carrier) St. Louis for the opportunity to test and review this great device! More details to come, and a full report at the end of my test period. Meanwhile, check out the Youtube video review below, and get more specifics on Amazon.com!
For the best prices on smartphones with contract agreements, head on over the Amazon Wireless and pick up an HTC One from your carrier of choice as low as $129 with a 2-year agreement and help to support the CarltonZone Blog!
Today we're going to take a look at the top two Android smartphones on the market. The Samsung Galaxy S IV and the HTC One. This is a close call, but I have a clear recommendation!
Many people have asked my opinion on which one of these smartphones to pick up in May of 2013. You can't go wrong with either one of these super handsets, but I'll point out a few differences and tell you why my choice edges out its chief competitor.
CPU
First, let's look at the processor. The Samsung takes a slight edge in this category with a faster core speed for the quad core processor. The average user won't notice much of a difference, so this isn't a deciding factor. If speed is critical, Samsung takes the checkered flag. For CPU speeds, they are as follows:
Galaxy S IV CPU - 1.9GHz quad core
HTC One - 1.7GHz quad core
DISPLAY
Next, let's take a look at the displays. The Galaxy S IV has a slightly larger display than the HTC One, but they are both very vivid and boast brilliant color reproduction. As the current trend with Android smartphones, bigger is better, and both are excellent choices for watching multimedia content. Here are the specs on each display:
Galaxy S IV - 5" 1920 x 1080 HD display
HTC One - 4.7" 1920 x 1080 HD display
CAMERAS
The cameras on both of these units are outstanding. One has a much higher megapixel camera, but don't let that fool you. The HTC One may only have 1/4th of the megapixel rating as the Galaxy S IV, but it takes pictures that are just as vivid and brilliant. I have heard reports that the Galaxy S IV camera is incredibly fast, however. I'm not sure what the thinking behind such a small rear camera on the HTC One, but I don't think it will dissapoint. The only advantage here is that the Galaxy S IV can capture images with both cameras at the same time for an interesting effect. Both have great front-facing cameras. The specs are as follows:
Galaxy S IV - 13Mp rear camera, 2.0Mp front facing camera
HTC One - 4Mp rear camera, 2.1Mp front facing camera
FORM FACTOR
The Galaxy S IV is a smaller, thinner, lighter handset than the HTC One. But some people prefer the heavier, more solid build of the HTC One. Others prefer the lighter composite plastic build of the Galaxy S IV. For clumsy people like me, I would rather drop a Galaxy S IV. I don't think the HTC One will survive a similar drop to a hard surface, but it is still built in a way that it won't be nearly as fragile as an iPhone. Here are the specs on size & weight:
Galaxy S IV - 8mm thick, 130 grams
HTC One - 9mm thick, 143 grams
BATTERY
This is a category where the Galaxy S IV is the clear winner. This aspect alone gives me reason to pick the Samsung product. The batteries on both are very capable, but the Galaxy S IV packs a bit more juice. But the deal breaker for me is that the HTC One does not have a removable battery. I love the option of having the capability of popping in a spare battery with the Galaxy S IV. Here's the battery comparison:
Galaxy S IV - 2,600 mA·h, removable
HTC One - 2,300 mA·h, non-removable
OTHER SIMILAR FEATURES
Both of these incredible smartphones come with 32Gb of internal memory plus 2Gb of RAM. Both units are built to run on the 4G LTE networks of all major carriers that have coverage. Android Jellybean operating system is the standard for both, and each comes with its own version of a UI overlay. As of recent, HTC has added similar features that allow eye scrolling and smart pause for watchin videos. So there's no clear winner with any of these general categories.
One comment I have heard from Leo Laporte was that the HTC One has a slightly less durable front glass. He reported that he scratched the display while testing the HTC One, and really wasn't being haphazard with handling the unit. A screen protector could help to avoid this, but if you are one who doesn't like to mask your screen, this could be an issue.
What it boils down to is personal preference. If you are the type of person who conserves the juice in your phone, you'll do fine either way. For heavy users as myself, the lack of a removable battery will be a significant issue.
I prefer the lighter, thinner design of the Samsung Galaxy S IV because I am accident prone. Others might like the stronger, "heavier" build that gives the impression of better quality. But the heavier they come, the harder they fall. Add to that the issue with the battery removal, and I give the slight edge to the Samsung Galaxy S IV.
But again, you can't go wrong with either of these smartphones. The HTC One is still a beautiful, well-built phone with several superior capabilities than most other Android phones. So I give them both a green light. You'll just see me packing a Galaxy S IV with two spare batteries if you catch me out on the streets.
What is your opinion of these smartphones? If you are due for an upgrade, or if you've just bought one of the two of these smartphones, I'd love to hear why you chose one over the other. Share your thoughts in the Disqus comments section!
Hit the link above to check out the Samsung Galaxy S IV and the HTC One on all major carriers in the Amazon Wireless Store! You'll get the best pricing on both of these units with a new 2-year contract with super fast shipping
I have finally gotten around to getting back to my audio podcasting. I'd like to know from you, my great CZ Blog gang, whether or not you would like to see more audio podcasts like this posted to the site to fill up all the dead space between my fantastic blog posts.
