Hasta La Gadget!

Consider this Microsoft’s ultimate blessing, or merely a way to guarantee household name recognition. Whatever the case, the company’s next-gen Apollo OS is not only powering HTC’s newest mobile movement, it’s also the headliner. That’s right, as clunky as it may initially seem, Windows Phone 8X is the official moniker of the OEM’s brightly hued flagship series, an alphabetical denomination that puts it on premium standing with the One X line. And thanks to the loosened spec restraints made possible by WP8, this modern-minded, unibodied beaut reps a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 Super LCD 2 display with Gorilla Glass 2 coating, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor buffered by 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, WiFi a/b/g/n, NFC and an integrated 1,800mAh Li-ion battery. There’s also quadband radio support for GSM/GPRS/EDGE, HSPA/WCDMA (850, 900, 1900, 2100MHz) and, of course, LTE for stateside carriers.

Though the 8X may share the same boldly colored, polycarbonate construction of its live-tiled Lumia frenemies, it also stands apart with the inclusion of two HTC-specific features: Beats Audio, replete with a built-in amplifier, and ImageChip for continuous shooting. And speaking of optics, this device’s dual camera setup packs the combined punch of a 2.1-megapixel front-facer with 88-degree ultra-wide-angle lens and an 8-megapixel rear module with an f/2.0 lens accompanied by a single LED flash — both capable of 1080p video capture.

While the veil of mystery surrounding this latest tech industry collaboration may have just lifted, you’ll still have to wait a bit before it heads to retail. After all, Microsoft’s planning its own WP8 coming out party for late October — a reveal that should finally give us a full look at the smartphone UI formerly known as Metro. With a ship date set for sometime this November, the 8X will be available in four distinct colors – California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow — on over 150 carriers worldwide. No word on final pricing as of yet. So, until then, sate yourself with this first taste. Official PR after the break.

Continue reading Windows Phone 8X by HTC: 4.3-inch 720p display, LTE, dual-core S4, available this November

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Windows Phone 8X by HTC: 4.3-inch 720p display, LTE, dual-core S4, available this November originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Both arriving in a fanfare of primary colors and big screens, we’ve already taken a look at the spec sheet breakdown, but how does the Lumia 920 compare to its predecessor in the looks department? In a battle of polycarbonate matte and gloss, we put them both into an Engadget editor’s outstretched hands and let the photography do the talking.

Ben Gilbert contributed to this report.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Nokia Lumia 920 vs. Lumia 900… fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That oft-rumored successor to the Sony Xperia S smartphone, the Xperia SL? Sony’s now officially listing the 4.3-inch GSM device as “coming soon” on its website, along with full details and specs. As it turns out, the initial leaks were correct — the SL is a slight refresh of the S, differentiating itself with an additional duo of color choices (silver and pink), a faster dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S3 CPU and Android Ice Cream Sandwich (up from a 1.5Ghz processor and Gingerbread). Aside from all that, it’s the same media-focused phone, loaded with the same 720p display and 12.1-megapixel shooter, that we reviewed in March. We can’t say we’re overly excited, but you’ll find more info from Sony at the source link below if you’re interested.

[Thanks, Olmar]

Filed under: Cellphones

Sony quietly outs Xperia SL: dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S3, four hues originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 23:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If this is the “advanced gaming smartphone” that ZTE teased a few days ago, then we can’t help but feel a little miffed. It’d be fairer to describe the Grand X as the most advanced phone in ZTE’s growing budget line-up, and if you look at it from that perspective then it’s rather more impressive. For £190 PAYG with Virgin Mobile in the UK, you’re getting a 4.3-inch qHD LCD touchscreen, dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor (no Nexus 7 guts here unfortunately), microSD expandable storage (plus 4GB built-in and 512MB RAM), 5-megapixel rear camera and VGA front-facer, sub-10mm thickness and — ta-da! — stock Ice Cream Sandwich, albeit accompanied by legacy Gingerbread navigation buttons. We’d have liked to see the proper, up-to-date Android 4.0 button layout, but in any case the absence of ZTE’s Kanzi skin or indeed any other customization is a welcome change, because Google juice tastes fine served neat.

Now, we already did an early hands-on with this phone in June (not to mention its previous incarnation, the Mimosa X) and noted its fluid operation, solid build quality and capable display, and all of those things remain true in the retail-ready handset we’ve seen in the UK. The budget scene has certainly come a long way since last year, but do we expect the Grand X to have an easy ride on the market? Probably not — at least not when a phone like the Orange San Diego are offering a more modern processor, more RAM and better pixel density for just £10 more. That said, if a pure and uncluttered version of the OS is a priority, and if you can get this phone on a great deal when it arrives at Phones4U and Virgin Media stores at the beginning of August, then the Grand X is certainly worth a look.

Continue reading ZTE Grand X coming to UK for £190 pay-as-you-go: 4.3-inch qHD, microSD, stock Android 4.0

Filed under: Cellphones

ZTE Grand X coming to UK for £190 pay-as-you-go: 4.3-inch qHD, microSD, stock Android 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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