Hasta La Gadget!

Last week we heard word that an improved version of the HTC One X was heading to T-Mobile USA, returning to the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 chip and pairing it with Jelly Bean. Now word comes from Stuff.tv that HTC is planning something similar with the international version of the device, with the updated model codenamed “Endeavour C2.” The HTC One X originally carried the Endeavour codename, with details of this new device suggesting it will be a small refresh of the popular handset.

The improved version of the HTC One X is expected to retain its NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, but it will receive a bump in clock speed to 1.7Ghz. The battery will also be improved – we’re assuming HTC will increase the capacity – and a new color option will be on offer, which should please those looking for something other than white or grey.

The handset will be bundled with Beats headphones just like the HTC One X and other HTC phones, with Stuff also hearing word that current HTC accessories will continue to work without any trouble with the refreshed model, suggesting that the design of the handset won’t be radically different. Meanwhile, HTC will add ClearVoice to “improve call quality”, which sounds similar to HD Voice offered on certain carriers’ handsets.

Finally, HTC Watch 2, an improved version of the company’s video streaming service, will be bundled with the new handset. Pricing hasn’t been finalized, but Stuff believes UK carriers will offer the refreshed model on tariffs £5 more expensive than the current HTC One X. The handset is expected to be released around October 1st, just in time to go toe-to-toe with the Galaxy Note II and the next iPhone.

HTC Endeavour C2 points to potential One X refresh is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

HTC’s 2012 smartphones have been met with favorable reviews, but it looks like the numbers aren’t reflecting the quality of the handsets. HTC has reported its July 2012 revenues, with the company amassing ~$835 million. That’s down 45% compared to July 2011, with the company also dropping ~$168 million compared to May of this year. HTC’s share prices fell by 7% after the news was released, with the company’s stocks sitting at their lowest since November 2008, according to Reuters.

The cause of HTC’s woes? Samsung. One analyst states that while the HTC One X is a strong product, customers are turning towards Samsung’s Galaxy branding instead, snapping up the recently released Galaxy S III. Samsung launched its latest flagship smartphone in the United States across several carriers last month, as well in Europe a month prior to that.

Things aren’t looking so good for the company going forward either, with Michael On, managing director of Beyond Asset Management, claiming that HTC may post a loss in the fourth quarter. The news comes after HTC closed its offices in South Korea late last month, as well as shutting down its operations in Brazil not long before that. HTC’s Q2 results were also disappointing, with profits down 57% compared to the same period in 2011.

HTC recently ran into trouble with Apple regarding patent infringement. Shortly after the launch of the HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE, a ban from the ITC went into effect that prevented that handsets from being imported into the United States, a win secured by Apple back in December 2011. Apple detailed how HTC infringed on a context menu that appeared when selecting certain actions, something which the company promptly removed. The ban may have been brief, but it delayed stock from reaching stores across the country, ultimately causing a knock-on effect for sales of the two handsets.

[via Android Central]

HTC faces bleak future as July revenues drop 45% is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sprint’s LTE signal is well and truly out there, but it looks like roll-out is going smoother than the Now Network had predicted, appearing (though, not “officially launched”) ahead of schedule in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tipsters have told Android Police that they’ve already managed to connect to the 4G network around both Palo Alto and Mountain View, reaching speeds of over 13MBps down and 8MBps up. Coverage doesn’t yet extend across the whole of San Francisco, but bodes well for a swift roll-out — and for Sprint fulfilling its promise of voice over LTE by the end of next year.

Filed under: Cellphones

Sprint LTE makes early appearance in Bay Area originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 05:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Engadget’s back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn’t nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we’re tapping away on our brand-new smartphones — and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back — at the end of August we’ll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides — you can hit up the hub page right here!

It’s a good time to be a student. Last year, there were some solid picks, but it was still very clear that those willing to scrimp and save a little longer had a much better experience. This year, it’s a people’s revolution. Thanks to cutthroat competition, there are some exceptional phones out there, even for those of you hoping to avoid eating ramen noodles for a month. Software has taken a leap forward too, with many phones now offering a vital way to remember when that term paper is due… or to procrastinate at the pub. We have nine choices of phones in our shortlist, spread out across three categories to serve everyone from the I-just-need-a-phone freshman to the overloaded doctoral candidate. While you’re eying the selection, don’t forget to enter our giveaway and potentially ease the burden — who knows, you may get a phone you want rather than the one dictated by your student loan.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: smartphones

Filed under: Cellphones

Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We do know that HTC is not on a hot streak at the moment, with the company’s range of products being unable to have it maintain a high position in the overall market where smartphones are concerned, but does that mean the Taiwan-based company has given up altogether and thrown in the towel? Not quite, as we have word that there is an upcoming entry level handset in the market – the HTC Proto which was leaked, and it is rumored to be slightly more powerful than the HTC One V, slotting in nicely right behind the HTC One S.

Rumored specifications as reported by The Verge pointed to the HTC Proto carrying a dual-core 1 GHz Qualcomm MSM8225 processor, having 512MB RAM which is accompanied by a 4-inch Super LCD display that has WVGA resolution. Apart from that, there is also 4GB of internal memory alongside a 5-megapixel camera right at the back. Like many of the more recent smartphones from HTC, the HTC Proto will boast of Beats Audio support to boot. The expected launch date for the HTC Proto? We are looking at most probably a fall rendezvous.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: HTC has 5-inch smartphone coming in September or October, HTC Sense 4.1 for the international One X leaked,