Tag: One M8

Rapid Fire Thoughts on the New HTC One (M8)

Both Tim and I have had the HTC One (M8) in our possession for 24 hours now. We have taken the phone through an unboxing and quick tour, showed off the Dot View Flip Cover, and are deep diving into preparations for a full review. But before we get there, all sorts of initial thoughts have run through my mind about this 2014 flagship from the Taiwanese manufacturer that I wanted to share. Some good, some bad.

Below, since this is by no means a full assessment of the phone, I’ve put together a bunch of quick hitters that touch on things like the randomness of HTC using “(M8)” in the name, how much I love on-screen buttons, and how confusing it is that HTC and Google want you to pay $699 for the Google Play Edition.

We’ll have more later, but here are some initial thoughts. (more…)

March 26, 2014
Thank You, HTC, for Finally Figuring Out That Changing Wallpapers Shouldn’t be the Most Painful Process on Earth

I almost can’t believe it, but my eyes do not deceive me. HTC, in Sense 6 on the new One (M8), has finally realized that changing the wallpaper on your phone, shouldn’t make you want to stab your eye out. I know this probably seems like such a non-story to many, but if you have ever used an HTC product for more than a couple of minutes at a time, you’ll know what I mean. (more…)

March 26, 2014
HTC BlinkFeed Will be Available to Non-HTC Devices Soon

Tucked away in the HTC One (M8) press release yesterday, the company announced that BlinkFeed would seen not be a Sense UI exclusive. Thanks to the “popularity” of BlinkFeed, the service will be pushed to Google Play for other Android devices to use it, not just the lineup of One devices. As you know, the press release is a little late – HTC put BlinkFeed on Google Play the night before the One (M8) was announced. (more…)

March 26, 2014
HTC One (M8) Developer and Unlocked Editions Available for $649, Ship in 1-2 Weeks

During its official unveiling of the HTC One (M8) yesterday, HTC made tinkerers and carrier jumpers happy by announcing that unlocked and developer editions of the device would be available as well. The unlocked version is open to switching between carriers, likely T-Mobile and AT&T in the States. The developer edition carries essentially the same unlocked phone freedom, but also comes with an unlockable bootloader. (more…)

March 26, 2014
iFixit Tears Down the HTC One (M8), Good Luck Repairing by Yourself

HTC may have made the most luxurious feeling handset on the planet in the One (M8), but should you need to do any sort of repairs on the phone, you’ll likely end up replacing the whole thing. iFixit, the king of fix-it-yourself tutorials for gadgets, ran through its typical “teardown” of the new HTC flagship and found that it was slightly easier to repair than the original One, though it’s still nearly impossible. (more…)

March 26, 2014
HTC Posts 10 Video Tutorials and Feature Highlights for the One (M8)

Didn’t find our unboxing and tour of the HTC One (M8) or Dot View flip cover overview useful? Don’t worry, HTC has you covered with 10 individual videos that highlight everything from the phone’s camera to its accessories.

Each video is short and to the point, so if you want to see how Zoes work or how you can apply effects that utilize the depth sensor in the Duo Camera, these are right up your alley. The videos also include tutorials on using gestures with the screen off, what info is shown through a Dot View cover, and the point of BlinkFeed.

For users new to HTC’s Sense skin or who missed out on last year’s One but are picking up this year’s, these are probably worth a quick watch. (more…)

March 25, 2014
HTC and Gary Oldman Tell You to “Ask the Internet,” Rather Than Sell You on the One (M8)

What do you do if you are HTC, are barely hanging on for dear life in the mobile race, have zero marketing budget, and just released your latest phone that needs to be a winner in order for you to survive? Apparently, you hire Gary Oldman and have him say nothing related to your product other than “Blah blah blah” and “Ask the internet” about it.

I wouldn’t say that the spot is worse than those embarrassing Robert Downey, Jr. “Hipster Troll Carwash” commercials, but it’s not giving us much. I know that HTC needs to do something different while spending wisely, but talking about your product might help, you know, sell it. Maybe a feature mention or two? At least take it out off the dark and actually show it off? (more…)

March 25, 2014
HTC One (M8) Unboxing and Tour

And here she (apologies for the delay, it has been that kind of day). The HTC One (M8) is in house (and also in NYC with Tim), unboxed, and on film with thoughts to share. After seeing the phone leak more than any phone in history, you are probably surprised that we actually have any new thoughts, but trust me, we do. (more…)

March 25, 2014