Feb 19

The Daily Roundup for 02.19.2013

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DNP The Daily RoundUp

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

HTC One unveiled

HTC One: 4.7-inch 1080p display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, UltraPixel camera, Android 4.1.2 with Sense 5.

HTC One hands-on: design and hardware

The HTC One made quite an entrance in London and New York today with a slick-looking design and re-imagined Android user experience.

Ubuntu for tablets revealed with split screen multi-tasking

Here it is: the fourth and final piece of the Ubuntu puzzle. We’ve seen the OS on smartphones, on TVs and of course on desktops, but the tablet version has spent a little longer in its dressing room.

Rumors claim Google will launch its own retail stores

On Friday, a report surfaced on 9to5Google that Google was making serious plans to open permanent retail locations, and it’s been followed up today by the Wall Street Journal indicating the same thing.

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Feb 19

HTC One event roundup

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HTC One event roundup

For a company whose launch event revolved around a singular device, HTC had a lot on its plate when unveiling the One. After all, the occasion was as much to showcase software as it was hardware. Not to fret — we’ve bundled all the relevant stories in one place so you can relive the event proper, what it’s like to use the One and our conversation with HTC chief Peter Chou. Hop past the break and you’ll have a primer on what to expect on store shelves in roughly a month’s time.

Hands-on posts, interview and the liveblog:

Hardware and availability:

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Feb 19

Verizon won’t carry the HTC One, Droid DNA will have to do for now

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Verizon won't carry the HTC One, points to the Droid DNA for now

You may have noticed a conspicuous absence in the US carrier plans for the HTC One. Your eyes didn’t deceive: once again, Verizon is sitting out the primary launch of an HTC flagship. Just why isn’t clear. When asked, Big Red told us it doesn’t comment on its device strategy; an HTC spokesperson pointed to the Droid DNA, saying that there was nothing more to announce at present. As such, it’s tough to know whether or not Verizon will have another specially-built phone as a consolation prize. While it’s hard to complain too vociferously when the carrier already has a 1080p HTC smartphone, those who want the device maker’s latest will have to turn to one of the three other major networks in the near future.

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Feb 19

HTC One coming to Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T in the US, arriving in UK on EE, Vodafone and O2

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Stub HTC One carrier pricing revealed

Now that the HTC One is out in the open, you might be wondering where to get one, right? Fortunately, a number of carriers have stepped up: if you’re in the UK, you’ll find it with LTE on EE “mid-March” for £70 on a 2-year, £41 1GB data plan and at O2 and Vodafone on March 15th, with pricing for the latter two still to come. If you’d prefer an off-contract buy, Clove is selling the 32GB model in black or silver for £425 (plus VAT); pre-orders are open now, with first shipments expected on March 15th.

Stateside, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile will also offer 4G versions of the fresh handset — but none have mentioned pricing or availability, yet. Meanwhile, Canadians will see the One on Bell, Rogers and Telus, and HTC said that that its new flagship would launch in “80 countries over 185 mobile retailers and operators,” making it “the largest rollout ever” for the company. Naturally, we’ll keep you up-to-date with all those dates and prices the instant we lay eyes on them.

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HTC One with superfast 4G – only on EE

19 February 2013. London. EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today announced it will exclusively launch the new HTC One smartphone with superfast 4G.

The HTC One will be available on EE’s superfast 4G service via the EE online shop, EE telesales and EE retail stores from mid-March. It will be available across a range of 4GEE price plans, and is just £69.99 on a £41 per month 24 month package, with users receiving 1GB of mobile data, as well as unlimited UK calls and texts.

Paul Jevons, Director of Products and Devices, EE, said: “We’re delighted to be the only operator to offer the HTC One enabled with 4G from launch. This handset delivers an incredible mobile experience when matched with EE’s superfast 4G network – allowing customers to
make the most out of their HTC One when on the move.”

In addition to superfast speeds and EE services, customers with an HTC One smartphone on a 4GEE price plan will also benefit from:

· EE Film – the UK film service that features 2-for-1 on cinema tickets

· A discount on EE superfast fibre broadband – so they can get blistering download speeds at home and on the move

· Fast track customer service by dialling ’33’ from their handset

The HTC One will also be available on the UK’s largest 3G network from Orange and T-Mobile across a range of plans including £69.99 on a £36 per month, 24 month plan.

Further information on the HTC One, including full details of EE’s price plans and pre-order* will be made available in due course on www.ee.co.uk/shop.

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Source: Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Clove UK

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Feb 19

HTC One imaging in depth: UltraPixel camera and Zoe Share

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HTC One imaging in depth UltraPixel camera and Zoe Share

Saying that the HTC One has piqued our interest is an understatement. The handset, which was announced today in London and New York, combines ultra-refined design with a uniquely tweaked Android experience, something we’ve covered in our hardware and software posts. Still, it’s the UltraPixel camera that’s raising the most eyebrows. We briefly played with the shooter and witnessed the new Zoe functionality first hand. It’s clear that HTC is making a bold move with the imaging technology used on this phone, but what does it really mean in terms of specs and performance? Let’s dive into the nitty gritty after the break.

Gallery: HTC One software hands-on

HTC picked the word UltraPixel to brand its latest camera, just like Nokia coined the term PureView for its devices last year. The idea behind UltraPixels is to combine a physically large sensor with big pixels capable of gathering more light. With the HTC One, the company chose a 1/3-inch BSI sensor with 2µm pixels which absorb 330 percent more photons than the 1.1µm pixels typically found in modern handsets. This is combined with a fast 28mm f/2.0 autofocus lens similar to what’s available on the One X, but slightly recessed for protection. Better yet, this shooter features optical image stabilization (OIS) just like the Lumia 920 — it’s able to compensate for motion in 2 axes (pitch and yaw) up to 2,000 times per second. With big 2µm pixels (that’s Fujifilm X10 territory), a fast f/2.0 lens (vs. f/2.4 on the iPhone 5 and f/2.6 on the Galaxy S III) and OIS, the HTC One is poised to excel at low-light photography. A single LED flash is provided for those extremely dark circumstances.

We’re pretty sure you’ve noticed the giant elephant in the room by now — the lack of any mention of pixel count. That large sensor packs just four megapixels (!) and while anyone who knows digital photography understands that’s plenty, it’s still a daring move in a market driven by the megapixel myth. We’ll take four million 2µm pixels over eight million 1.1µm pixels any day, but we think it’s going be an uphill battle for HTC to educate the average consumer. The HTC One packs a new image signal processor (ISP) called ImageChip 2, which enables continuous autofocus in less than 200ms, and provides real-time lens compensation plus noise reduction. It also supports 1080p HDR video recording at near 30fps and 720p at 60fps with a dynamic range of about 84dB. The ISP implements a buffered capture cycle with pre- and post-shutter recording, for functionality similar to Scalado’s Rewind / Remove, Nokia’s Smart Shot, Samsung’s Best Face and BlackBerry’s Time Shift.

All this camera technology culminates with one particularly cool feature: Zoe. Named after the Greek word “life” and hinting at old zoetropes, this feature captures a 3-second 1080p 30fps H.264 video clip along with a 16:9 2688×1520 JPEG picture each time the shutter button is pressed. In burst mode, the HTC One is capable of taking 4-5 full-size stills per second while recording 1080p video. The resulting 3-second clips become animated thumbnails for your photos in the gallery. When you’re ready to share your memories, smart content editing, cutting and sequencing software is used to create and upload a Zoe — a professional-like highlight reel with images, clips, effects and music that remixes your content on the fly, complete with theme and music track synchronization. There are six themes and six music tracks to choose from, and you’re given the option to deselect photos or videos. Once uploaded, the result can be shared via Zoe Share, which generates a standard URL that’s valid for 30 days — think of it as Vine on steroids, but less permanent.

In addition the the main shooter, the HTC One comes equipped with a 2.1 megapixel front-facing module with f/2.0 wide-angle (88-degree) optics that supports 1080p video capture. Dual HDR microphones provide distortion-free stereo audio recording in a wide variety of conditions, including loud venues. Unfortunately, our time with the UltraPixel camera was too short to formulate a solid opinion, but based on our experience so far, HTC’s latest shooter is poised to delight both shutterbugs and casual users alike. On thing’s for sure: we can’t wait to take the company’s latest imaging flagship for a spin.

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Feb 19

HTC One software hands-on: Sense 5, BlinkFeed, Sense TV and new Sync Manager

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HTC One software handson Sense 5, BlinkFeed, Sense TV and new Sync Manager

Now that you’re done drooling over the HTC One‘s shiny body, let’s take a look at the phone’s generous bundle of software features. Sense 5 on Android 4.1.2 is quite possibly the boldest step HTC’s ever taken in terms of Android interface, in the hopes of offering a radically simple experience out of the box. First off, the phone comes with just two soft keys: Back and Home. You can still access the app-switching page by double-tapping the Home key, but instead of the old 3D interface with dozens of app cards, you’ll now only get a grid of nine app cards to keep things simple. And like before, simply flick the cards up to dismiss the corresponding apps. Read on for more and our hands-on video.

Gallery: HTC One software hands-on

By default, there will only be two home screen panels out of the box: a “BlinkFeed” page and a classic Android home screen on the right. Yes, just two panels, as HTC found out that 80 percent of users have three panels or less, and surprisingly, 35 percent of the same group use just one panel! But fret not, as power users can always add more. Similarly, the app tray is set to a leaner 3 x 4 grid by default (which we found to be rather pleasing to the eye), but you can also switch back to the usual 4 x 5 version for nostalgia’s sake.

Now, BlinkFeed. This is simply a Flipboard-like tile interface that sits permanently on the main home page. Created in collaboration with Mobiles Republic, this tool pulls in content from various publications and social networks (Twitter, Plurk, LinkedIn, Flickr, Zoe Share and more), as well as your calendar and TV shows from the TV app (more on that later). You won’t be seeing emails here, as HTC positions BlinkFeed as a place for more ambient info rather than critical updates. Regardless, the feed can be customized to suit your needs, though the first version won’t let you add custom RSS feeds just yet. On a related note, an SDK will be provided for developers to let their apps publish to the BlinkFeed. As you’d expect, fresh content automatically comes in from the top, and it does so every two hours over mobile data, but more frequently over WiFi. Either way, HTC’s conducted many tests and is pretty confident that battery life won’t be a big issue here. The good news is that should you eventually find this feature slightly stale, you can disable BlinkFeed altogether and just have the plain old Android home screens.

Visually, Sense 5 benefits from a new choice of font — Roboto, in a specific weight — along with a simpler keyboard with little gap between keys (but performance unaffected, of course) and cleaner widgets (though the classic HTC flip clock widget is still available). Likewise, the new music player has received an interface redesign, as well as a visualizer and automatic lyrics scroller. Here’s hoping that HTC will eventually add a vocal suppressing feature to satisfy the karaoke freak inside you.

HTC One software handson Sense 5, BlinkFeed, Sense TV and new Sync Manager

Continuing the multimedia theme we have the Sense TV app on the HTC One, which is actually a Peel-powered universal remote software that combines a good-looking electronic program guide with the IR blaster embedded within the phone’s power button. At launch, the app will support all major US cable services along with Hulu integration, whereas the UK will get some love from the likes of Virgin Media, Sky, Freesat and Freeview. We’ve heard that other regions will provide similar EPG support for the One’s Sense TV app, so keep an eye out for your local announcements. Alas, there’s no Netflix support at launch, but we assume HTC is still working on that end.

The TV app’s interface needs little explanation, and it’ll come with a huge library of remote control IR codes to ensure maximum compatibility with your TV or set-top box. Once the app is activated, you can access the basic controls and recent channels in the notification tray, and you can even use the controls on the lock screen. The best part of this is that you can set to have upcoming episodes of your favorite TV shows to show up in BlinkFeed as a reminder. Pretty neat for couch potatoes, huh?

Now, here are a couple of software features that help new owners set up their HTC devices. The first one is HTC Get Started which, if you haven’t seen it work with the One X+ already, lets you set up your phone from the web on your desktop. After all, it’s probably easier to type out your credentials for your various email and social network accounts using the desktop keyboard and display. Additionally, the service also lets you configure your feeds, apps, sounds (including an MP3 ringtone trimmer), bookmarks, wallpapers and lock screens; so this is quite a nice improvement from the existing version of Get Started.

The second feature to support new users is a beefed up version of the HTC Sync Manager. Where previously you could only transfer iOS contacts to an HTC device over Bluetooth, now you can use the new Sync Manager to grab your various types of iOS content: contacts, calendar, pictures, DRM-free videos and DRM-free music. The trick? This is actually done via iTunes, so you’ll need to make sure it has the latest backup of your iOS device before you start the migration. Sadly, there’s no way to sync text messages and matching apps across the two rival platforms just yet, but it’s probably just a matter of time.

Things are more straightforward with Android-to-Android migration: with phones as old as HTC devices carrying Sense 3.6, you can directly transfer the same set of data plus text messages, bookmarks and a bunch of Android settings directly from one to another, all done without going through the Sync Manager; whereas older Android devices can still only transfer contacts over Bluetooth like the good old days.

Once you get the ball rolling, you can use the cloud backup feature in Sense 5 to dump an encrypted backup on either Dropbox or Sina Vdisk (in China, where Dropbox is blocked), and these are tied to either a Facebook account or a Sina account (since Facebook is also blocked in China), so in the future you can restore by simply logging in using either credentials. Here’s what you can back up: BlinkFeed, TV, home screen layout (including folders), accounts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, Exchange and Hotmail), user dictionary, alarm clocks, widgets, apps (sans data) and over 150 system settings. Pictures and videos aren’t included, as HTC believes that many users already use other methods to back them up, which is fair enough.

To summarize, this is certainly a generous and much improved package HTC is offering with the One, but in case you missed it, do also check out Zoe in our HTC One camera post. That’s the real wow factor of the show.

Mat Smith contributed to this report.

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Feb 19

HTC One hands-on: design and hardware

Posted in: Today's Chili

HTC One handson design and hardware

The HTC One made quite an entrance in London and New York today with a slick-looking design and re-imagined Android user experience. It’s a significant departure from last year’s One X — our favorite handset of 2012 — and represents the company’s most important product to date. The HTC One is positioned to become a true global flagship, a phone that’s available unmolested on all carriers worldwide, a device that really competes with the Galaxies and iPhones of the world. We spent some time with the HTC One to understand the direction the company is taking with this handset. Join us after the break for our hands-on video and detailed hardware impressions, then go read our software and camera posts as well.

Gallery: HTC One hardware hands-on

Gallery: HTC One software hands-on

There’s no doubt about it — the HTC One is a fine piece of kit. It’s particularly beautiful when viewed from the back and sides, with a semi-pyramidal shape reminiscent of HTC’s own J Butterfly and phones like the Xperia Ion. The front is more staid and channels the BlackBerry Z10. Look a little closer and the attention to detail is staggering — this is a product that stands shoulder to shoulder with the iPhone 5 in terms of materials and build quality.

The unibody polycarbonate design of the One X gives way to a machined aluminum shell that seamlessly incorporates polycarbonate accents. Basically the aluminum is etched to create channels into which the polycarbonate is inset using zero-gap injection molding. It takes 200 minutes to machine one shell, and the result is absolutely stunning — a solid block of anodized aluminum, white polycarbonate and glass with chamfered, polished edges. HTC even sourced custom-grade aluminum that’s harder than what’s found on the iPhone 5. The polycarbonate forms a ring around the edge of the device, covers the top and bottom ends and bisects the back with two lines, one of which flows around the camera lens below — it reminds us of circuit-board traces. Since aluminum can be anodized in different colors and polycarbonate comes in many hues, we’ll leave you to imagine the combinations possible beyond the silver and white handset we played with.

HTC One handson design and hardware

In front are two aluminum bands (top and bottom) separated by a vast sheet of Gorilla Glass 2 covering a gorgeous 4.7-inch 1080p (468 dpi) Super LCD 3 display. This layout is similar to the Z10 and the chamfered, polished edges remind us of the iPhone 5. Both of these bands feature a matching set of perforations that conceal a speaker (and likely a mic in the bottom piece) — that’s right, the HTC One boast stereo speakers, each with a dedicated proprietary amp design that minimizes distortion and maximizes volume. The top piece also incorporates the proximity / light sensors, a notification LED and a 2.1 megapixel with f/2.0 wide-angle (88-degree) front-facing camera capable of recording 1080p video. You’ll find HTC’s brand under the glass just below the screen, flanked by two — yes, just two — capacitive buttons: back on the left and home on the right. How does this work? Holding the home button brings up Google Now and double-tapping shows the recent apps. There’s no menu option.

Other than the aforementioned polycarbonate accents and prominent HTC and Beats logos, the back of the device is home to the main UltraPixel camera and a single LED flash (to the left of the lens). Basically you’re looking at a 1/3-inch 4 megapixel BSI sensor with large 2µm pixels capable of gathering 330 percent more light than the 1.1µm pixels usually found in phones. This sensor is mated with a 28mm f/2.0 autofocus lens which is slightly recessed for protection and equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS), just like Nokia’s Lumia 920. HTC’s ImageChip 2 handles image processing and enables a bunch of new tricks like 1080p, 60fps and HDR video capture plus an interesting new feature called Zoe Share. Our very limited time with the camera confirms that performance is top-notch — after all, photography isn’t just about megapixels, and the HTC One checks all the important boxes.

HTC One handson design and hardware

Along the edges of the HTC One you’ll find a power / lock key (left) and standard headphone jack (right) at the top, a machined aluminum volume rocker on the right side, a micro-USB / MHL port on at the bottom (right) and the micro-SIM holder and matching pin hole on the left side (near the top). The power / lock key is black and doubles as a bidirectional IR blaster for the handset’s TV remote software (powered by Peel). Just like with the One X, the battery (rated at 2300mAh) is sealed and there’s no microSD card slot. At 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm and 143g, the new phone is slightly taller, thicker and heavier than its predecessor — it feels solid yet comfortable in hand and just exudes quality. This, combined with the premium looks, make for a very desirable product indeed.

HTC One handson design and hardware

The HTC One is powered by Qualcomm’s newly minted quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 paired with 2GB of LP-DDR2 RAM and 32 or 64GB of built-in storage (depending on the version). Wireless functionality includes WiFi a/ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, GPS / aGPS, NFC and DLNA — sadly there’s no wireless charging support. Two devices will be available, a U model which includes GSM and WCDMA radios (HSDPA 42Mbps / HSUPA 5.67Mbps) and a UL model which adds LTE (100Mbps download and 50Mbps upload). It’s still unclear exactly which bands are supported for which regions — we know it’s coming to most carriers in the US (and indeed, the world), except Verizon. The handset incorporates the Droid DNA‘s delightfully loud and clear 2.55V headphone amp (it operates with or without Beats audio enabled, but we much prefer it without). HTC’s also outfitted the device with HDR microphones which can handle wide range of sound levels without clipping.

HTC One handson design and hardware

In the end, we walked away tremendously impressed with what the HTC One has to offer, especially in terms of hardware. Be sure to take a look at our software and camera posts (spoiler: Sense 5 runs on top of Android 4.1.2). With this phone, HTC’s crafted something truly special — it’s now critical that the company follow through with strong marketing and prevent the carriers from fragmenting its vision. Will this be the one? We sure hope so.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Feb 19

HTC One unveiled: 4.7-inch 1080p display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, UltraPixel camera, Android 4.1.2 with Sense 5

Posted in: Today's Chili

DNP HTC One unveiled 47inch 1080p display, 17GHz quadcore Snapdragon 600, Ultrapixels rear camera, Android 412 with Sense 5

Despite the abundant fanfare and critical acclaim, HTC’s One X just couldn’t quite mark the spot in 2012. No wonder, then, that the company’s lopped off that extraneous letter in favor of a fresher start and renewed brand focus for its latest flagship: the One.

Gone by the wayside are those pure polycarbonate hulls — HTC’s Sense 5-laden Android Jelly Bean (4.1.2) handset comes crafted with an all-around premium look and feel, housing its 4.7-inch 1080p Super LCD 3 display (boasting 468 dpi and protected by Gorilla Glass 2) in a machined aluminum unibody. And, in a bid for the top spot on the mobile totem pole, the One also bears the distinction of being (one of) the first smartphones to feature Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 600, clocked here at 1.7GHz and paired with 2GB RAM.

Gallery: HTC One

Pssst, our full hands-on can be found here.

For all its premium, metallic construction, the One cuts a relatively light figure, weighing in at 143 grams and measuring 5.4 (137.4mm) x 2.7 (68.2mm) x 0.37 (9.3mm) inches — a thickness that puts it on par with the BlackBerry Z10. Take note, that slim silhouette accommodates for the integrated 2,300mAh Li-polymer battery, radios for WiFi a/ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and 32GB or 64GB of storage (sorry, there’s no slot for microSD expansion).

Looking at the load of innovations HTC’s crammed into the One, it’s clear this is a handset for the social oversharing set. Even its front face alone tells that story. From the dual stereo speakers (featuring dedicated amps) surrounding the screen to the 2.1-megapixel camera with 88-degree wide-angle lens capable of 1080p video, to the simplified soft keys (one for back, one for home), to the IR blaster (integrated in the power button), to the default BlinkFeed homescreen (a Flipboard-like social feed); it’s safe to say, the One’s aggressively embracing the role of smartphone as multimedia powerhouse. And that’s just what it offers head-on.

HTC’s taking a risk with the One. Flip the handset around and you’ll find an unassuming rear shooter in the midst of that clean aluminum body. Or, as the company calls it, the UltraPixel camera. Tackling the “myth of the megapixel,” HTC’s outfitted the One with a 4-megapixel BSI sensor and f/2.0 lens, such that each pixel is meant to gather 300 percent more light than the current crop of smartphone sensors. The camera unit also features optical image stabilization and HTC’s ImageChip 2 for HDR, 1080p and 60fps video. But that’s not the end of HTC’s imaging focus. It’s also introducing a new feature / service dubbed Zoe, which allows users to capture and share short videos, much like Vine, via HTC’s dedicated site.

Whether or not HTC will finally strike gold with the One, only time will tell. But it’s certainly not for lack of effort. This is a smartphone at the top of its class (for now, anyway); a zeitgeist-y take that should please both power and social users alike. Look for it to rollout globally this March in both HSPA and LTE models.

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INTRODUCING THE NEW HTC ONE(R), A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON SMARTPHONES

HTC BlinkFeed[TM], HTC Zoe[TM] and HTC BoomSound[TM] Deliver HTC One’s Unprecedented New Smartphone Experience

London and New York City, February 19, 2013 –

HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced its new flagship smartphone, the new HTC One. Crafted with a distinct zero-gap aluminium unibody, the new HTC One introduces HTC BlinkFeed[TM], HTC Zoe[TM] and HTC BoomSound[TM], key new HTC Sense(R) innovations that reinvent the mobile experience and set a new standard for smartphones.

“People today immerse themselves in a constant stream of updates, news and information. Although smartphones are one of the main ways we stay in touch with the people and information we care about, conventional designs have failed to keep pace with how people are actually using them,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “A new, exciting approach to the smartphone is needed and with the new HTC One, we have re-imagined the mobile experience from the ground up to reflect this new reality.”

HTC BlinkFeed: A personal live stream right on the home screen At the centre of the new HTC One experience is HTC BlinkFeed. HTC BlinkFeed is a bold new experience that transforms the home screen into a single live stream of personally relevant information such as social updates, entertainment and lifestyle updates, news and photos with immersive images so that people no longer need to go to separate applications to find out what’s happening. HTC BlinkFeed aggregates the freshest content from the most relevant and interesting sources, giving it to people at a glance, all in one place, without the need to jump between multiple applications and web sites.

To enable this new dynamic approach to the smartphone, HTC will provide both local and global content from more than 1,400 media sources with more than 10,000 articles per day from some of the most innovative media companies, such as the AOL family of media properties, ESPN, MTV, Vice Media, CoolHunting, Reuters and many others. For more information on HTC BlinkFeed’s content partners, visit the HTC Blog.

HTC UltraPixel Camera with HTC Zoe
The breakthrough HTC UltraPixel Camera redefines how people capture, relive and share their most precious moments. HTC Zoe gives people the ability to shoot high-res photos that come to life in three-second snippets. These Zoes, photos and videos are then displayed in a unique way that brings the gallery to life and transforms the traditional photo gallery of still images into a motion gallery of memories. It also automatically creates integrated highlight films from each event comprised of Zoes, photos and videos set to music with professionally designed cuts, transitions and effects. These highlight videos can be remixed or set to different themes, and can be easily shared on social networks, email and other services.

To enable this innovative camera experience, HTC developed a custom camera that includes a best-in-class f/2.0 aperture lens and a breakthrough sensor with UltraPixels that gather 300 percent more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors. This new approach also delivers astounding low-light performance and a variety of other improvements to photos and videos. In addition, the perfect self-portrait or video is just a tap away with an ultra-wide angle front-facing camera which supports 1080p video capture. Multi-axis optical image stabilisation for both the front and rear cameras also helps ensure video footage smoother whether stationary or on the move. HTC UltraPixel camera adds many other features and effects such as enhanced 360′ panorama, time sequencing and object removal.

HTC BoomSound
The new HTC One offers the best audio experience of any mobile phone available today. HTC BoomSound introduces for the first time on a phone, front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier and an amazing full HD display that immerses people in music, videos, games and the YouTube[TM] clips they love. Beats[TM] Audio integration is enabled across the entire experience for rich, authentic sound whether you’re listening to your favorite music, watching a YouTube video or playing a game.

HDR recording uses advanced dual microphones and audio processing to capture clean, rich sound that is worthy of high-definition video footage. Phone calls sound great on HTC One thanks to the addition of HTC Sense Voice[TM], which boosts the call volume and quality in noisy environments so that conversations come through loud and clear.

HTC Sense TV[TM]
HTC Sense TV transforms the new HTC One into an interactive program guide and remote control for most TVs, set-top boxes and receivers. Tapping the power of the cloud, Sense TV makes it simple and intuitive to see what’s on and find that favourite show.

Metal Unibody Design
Wrapped in a zero-gap aluminium unibody and sporting a brilliant 4.7″, Full HD (1080p) screen, the new HTC One features the latest Android Jelly Bean operating system and LTE network technology to offer blazingly-fast browsing in a package that combines premium design with breakthrough build quality.

Available in stunning silver and beautiful black, the sleek and crafted aluminium unibody sits comfortably in the hand and showcases HTC’s unique antenna technology, which helps people achieve a crystal clear signal. The display also resists scratches and reduces glare, whilst offering incredible 468ppi resolution and rich, natural colours.

Global Availability

The new HTC One will be available globally through more than 185 mobile operators and major retailers in more than 80 regions and countries beginning in March. For more information and to pre-register for the new HTC One, visit www.htc.com.

Europe, Middle East and Africa: 1&1 Germany, A1 Telekom Austria, AB Poland, Allo Ukraine, AMC (Cosmote) Albania, Avea Turkey, Beeline Kazakhstan, Belcompany Netherlands, BH Telecom Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bite Latvia, Bite Lithuania, Bouygues Telecom France, Carphone Warehouse UK, Cell C RSA, Citrus Ukraine, Cosmote Greece, Cosmote Romania & Global Bulgaria, Cyta, DT Mobile(TS) Latvia, Du UAE, Dustin Sweden, Eagle Mobile Albania, EE UK, Elisa Estonia, Elisa Finland, El-Giganten Denmark, El-Giganten Sweden, Elkjöb Norway, EMT (TS) Estonia, E-Plus Germany, ERC Ukraine, Euroset Russia, Gigantii Finland, Go Malta, H3G Austria, H3G Denmark, H3G Italy, H3G Sweden, H3G UK, HT Eronet Bosnia & Herzegovina, K-Cell Kazakhstan, KPN Belgium, KPN Netherlands, Life Belarus, LuxGSM Luxembourg, Megafon Russia, Melita Malta, Meteor Ireland, Mobilezone Switzerland, Mobilochka Ukraine, Mobily KSA, MSH Belgium, MSH Germany, M-Tel Montenegro, M-Tel Bosnia & Herzegovina, MTI Ukraine, MTN Cyprus, MTS Belarus, MTS Russia, Netcom Norway,
(Telefónica) O2 Czech, (Telefónica) O2 Germany, (Telefónica) O2 Ireland, (Telefónica) O2 UK, Omnitel Lithuania, One Macedonia, Optimus Portugal, Orange France, Orange Maldova, Orange Poland, Orange Romania, Orange Slovakia, Orange Spain, Orange Switzerland, Partner Communications Israel, PhoneHouse France, PhoneHouse Germany, PhoneHouse Netherlands, PhoneHouse Sweden, Phones4U UK, Play Poland, Plus Communication Albania, Polkomtel Poland, Proximus Belgium, SFR France, SiMobil Slovenia, STC KSA, Sunrise Switzerland, Svyaznoy Russia, Swisscom Switzerland, TDC Denmark, Tele2 Croatia, Tele 2 Estonia, Tele2 Latvia, Tele2 Lithuania, Tele2 Russia, Telia Denmark, Telia Sweden, Telekom Slovenija, Telenet Belgium, Telenor Denmark, Telenor Norway, Telenor Sweden, Telenor Hungary, Telenor Serbia, Telkom Serbia, TIM Italy, TMN Portugal, T-Mobile Austria, T-Mobile Croatia, T-Mobile Czech Republic, T-Mobile Germany, T-Mobile Hungary, T-Mobile Macedonia, T-Mobile Montenegro, T-Mobile Netherlands, T-Mobile Poland, T-Mobile Slovakia, Turkcell Turkey, Tus Mobil Slovenia, Velcom (TAG) Belarus, VIP Operator Macedonia, VIP Mobile Serbia, Vipnet Croatia, Vivacom Bulgaria, Vodacom RSA, Vodafone Albania, Vodafone Czech Republic, Vodafone Egypt, Vodafone Germany, Vodafone Greece, Vodafone Hungary, Vodafone Ireland, Vodafone Italy, Vodafone Malta, Vodafone Netherlands, Vodafone Portugal, Vodafone Romania, Vodafone Spain, Vodafone Turkey, Vodafone UK, Wind Greece, Wind Italy, Yoigo Spain, Yug Contract Ukraine, Zain KSA.

Asia-Pacific: China Mobile Hong Kong Company Ltd., ChungHwa Telecom, 3HK, CSL, Fareastone, M1, Mobifone, Optus, PCCW mobile, Reliance Communications, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., SmarTone, StarHub, Taiwan Mobile, Telecom New Zealand, Telstra, Vodafone Australia, Vodafone New Zealand.

China: China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom

North America: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cincinnati Bell and Best Buy in the United States and in Canada with Rogers Communications, Bell Mobility, TELUS and Virgin Mobile Canada.

Latin America: Claro Argentina (América Movil), Telecom Personal Argentina, Entel Chile, Iusacell México, Telcel México (América Movil), Claro Perú (América Movil), Claro Puerto Rico (América Movil), Movistar Venezuela (Telefonica)

Sprint Brings Truly Unlimited 4G LTE to the New HTC One; Sprint’s Latest International Smartphone for Music Lovers, Photo Bugs and Social Media Masters Alike

NEW YORK & OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), February 19, 2013 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced plans to carry the new HTC One(R) smartphone later this year. The new HTC One introduces HTC Sense(R) innovations that reinvent the mobile experience, including a personal live stream right on the home screen, photos that come to life and an audio experience that features dual front-facing stereo speakers.

The smartphone will benefit from Truly Unlimited? 4G LTE data, text and calling to any mobile with no metering, no throttling, and no overages, all while on the Sprint network. Additional details, including pricing, will be shared closer to availability. Customers can get more information about the new HTC One smartphone from Sprint by visiting www.sprint.com/htcone.

“In a world where technology is constantly evolving, Sprint is really excited to bring our customers the latest in smartphone innovation from HTC,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “We feel that combining the advanced features of the new HTC One with Sprint’s Truly Unlimited 4G LTE data plans allows our customers to really take advantage of the data capabilities of the smartphone without having to worry about data caps or throttling making it a big win all around.”

Innovative New Experiences

At the center of the new HTC One experience is HTC BlinkFeed[TM], a bold new experience that transforms the home screen into a single live stream of personally relevant information, such as social updates, entertainment and lifestyle updates, and news and photos with immersive images so the user no longer needs separate applications to find out what’s happening. HTC BlinkFeed aggregates the newest content from the most relevant and interesting sources, giving it to users at a glance, all in one place, without the need to jump between multiple applications and websites.

Photo bugs who loved the camera features of HTC EVO 3D and EVO 4G LTE will take delight in HTC UltraPixel Camera with HTC Zoe[TM] – a new feature bringing photos to life showing more personality and emotion than a still photo ever could. HTC Zoe gives users the ability to shoot high-resolution photos that come to life in three-second snippets. Zoe images, photos and videos are then displayed in a unique way in the new gallery, transforming the traditional photo gallery of still images into a motion gallery of memories.

Additionally, the new HTC One features a superior sound capability. Customers who love the Beats By Dr. Dre[TM] Audio features on HTC EVO[TM] 4G LTE will now enjoy an even better experience with HTC BoomSound[TM]. BoomSound introduces front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier and an amazing full high-definition display that brings users closer to their music, videos, games and YouTube[TM]. Beats Audio integration is enabled across the entire experience for rich, authentic sound. HDR recording uses advanced dual microphones and audio processing to capture clean, rich sound that is worthy of HD video footage.

Crafted with a distinct zero-gap aluminum unibody, the new HTC One also boasts brilliant technical features, including international capabilities, 4.7-inch, full-HD 1080p display, 1.7GHz quad-core processor and Near Field Communications (NFC).

A Truly Unlimited 4G LTE Experience

Sprint offers Truly Unlimited data for smartphones while on the Sprint Network, with no metering, throttling or overages. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM starts at just $79.99 per month for smartphones – a savings of $20 per month versus Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web (excludes taxes and surcharges).

Sprint introduced its all-new 4G LTE network in July 2012 and now offers service in 58 markets[i]. For the most up-to-date details on the Sprint 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE. For detailed 4G LTE maps, providing coverage information right down to the address, please visit www.sprint.com/coverage. Customers are encouraged to check back often, as the maps will be updated when coverage in these markets is enhanced.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

T-Mobile to Offer New HTC One

Bellevue, Wash. – Feb. 19, 2013

T-Mobile is excited to partner with HTC to bring our customers the new HTC One(R), a T-Mobile 4G LTE smartphone. The new HTC One introduces HTC BlinkFeed[TM], HTC Zoe[TM] and HTC BoomSound[TM], key HTC Sense(R) innovations that reinvent the mobile experience.

The new HTC One is T-Mobile’s first Android smartphone featuring the new HTC Sense experience with HTC BlinkFeed at its center. HTC BlinkFeed transforms the home screen into a single live stream of personally relevant information such as social updates, news and photos giving people fresh content at a glance without the need to switch between applications. Wrapped in a zero-gap aluminum unibody, the brilliant 4.7-inch full 1080p HD screen is the perfect display for the new breakthrough camera experience of HTC Ultrapixel Camera with Zoe which gives people the ability to shoot high-res photos that come to life in three-second snippets.

When combined with T-Mobile’s industry-first Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan with no annual contract, the new HTC One provides amazing 4G experiences at a superior value – without limitations – that only T-Mobile can deliver. Information about the HTC One can be found at T-Mobile.com. Additional details, including device availability and pricing, will be shared at a later date.

Break the Mold: The New HTC One from AT&T Brings Your Mobile World to Life

Dallas, Texas, February 19, 2013

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Today, AT&T* announced its plans to carry HTC’s global flagship smartphone, the new HTC One(R). The HTC One offers a new perspective on smartphones with HTC Sense innovations that allow you to use your smartphone in ways you never could before – bringing your memories, experiences and interactions to life.

The HTC One is 4G LTE enabled, allowing customers to take advantage of the latest wireless technology to achieve ultra-fast speeds. AT&T has the nation’s largest 4G network covering 288 million people.** At launch, AT&T will offer the HTC One in silver and black, and customers will have the option to choose between 32GB or 64GB memory variants.

“As our lives become increasingly mobile, our smartphones play the vital role of keeping us connected to the things we value most in life,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president-Devices, AT&T. “The HTC One’s revolutionary way of tapping into your day-to-day activities and creating a truly personalized experience, combined with AT&T’s lightning fast 4G LTE network, make sure you have access to the information you want, when you need it.”

Real-Time Connections

While a typical app may pique your interest, HTC BlinkFeed[TM] engrosses you in customized content and real-time updates streamed live on your home screen. HTC BlinkFeed aggregates your content from a variety of media sources, serving up fresh content all in one place, without the need to jump between multiple applications and web sites.

A Living Photo Gallery

Anyone can take a photo, but HTC Zoe[TM] on the HTC One lets you grab the entire moment and bring it to life in three-second snippets. Special moments like birthdays and sporting events can be captured in Zoes, photos and videos then uniquely displayed in a living gallery that you can set to music and special effects. AT&T Locker helps you hold onto those memories no matter where you are. You can automatically store photos, videos and documents securely in the cloud, so you can access and share from your smartphone or computer. The HTC UltraPixel Camera with a breakthrough sensor gathers 300 percent more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors and delivers outstanding low-light performance.

Raw Power, Beauty and Fine Detail Sound Quality

Boasting a powerful 1.7 GHz quad-core processor, and zero-gap aluminum unibody with a 4.7-inch full HD (1080p) screen, the HTC One helps you run games and other applications easily. Dual front-facing speakers and a built-in amplifier bring music, movies and games alive in a way unrivaled by other smartphones. Since the speakers are on the front of the device, you no longer have to worry about muffled sound when setting your phone down. HTC BoomSound[TM] on the HTC One provides richer, clearer sound with less distortion, as well as the authentic sound experience you expect from built-in Beats by Dr. Dre Audio.

Entertainment World at Your Fingertips

Not only does HTC One let you take your favorite music, movies and TV shows with you anywhere, but it also serves as your interactive TV Guide and remote control. HTC SenseTV[TM] can be set up in a few simple steps and gives you the ability to access electronic program guides and control a set-top box, including AT&T U-verse(R), and home theatre right from your phone’s screen. Not sure what you want to watch? With SenseTV, you can search for content by categories including movies, TV shows, sports, social media and more.

The HTC One features AT&T DriveMode(R), an app that helps curb texting and driving. The app can be set-up to automatically send a customizable reply to incoming messages once a vehicle starts moving 25 mph. The auto-reply message is similar to an “out-of-office alert” and can reply to texts, emails and wireless callers letting your friends know that you are driving and unable to respond.***

Setting up your new HTC One is a snap with AT&T Ready2Go, a free service that helps you to easily set up and personalize your device in minutes from the comfort of your personal computer. With Ready2Go, it’s easy to set up your email accounts, import your contacts, connect to your social networks and more.

For more information or to sign up for updates on availability, visit www.att.com/htcone.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**4G speeds not available everywhere. Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Learn more at att.com/network.

***Data and text messaging charges may apply for download and app usage. Standard messaging rates apply to auto-reply messages. AT&T DriveMode is free to AT&T customers only. Compatible device required.

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Feb 19

HTC One early hands-on!

Posted in: Today's Chili

The HTC One launch event has just begun, but we’ve already got our first hands-on! Not a lot of details at this point, as the phone is still being announced on-stage, but a kindly gentlemen sitting in the audience who had a handset let us try his out for a few moments. Early impressions are that the phone feels great in the hand, very thin and very well made. The UI customizations, meanwhile, are another story entirely. Very Windows Phone-like, we’re not sure traditional Android fans are going to love it. Enjoy the pics for now, we’ll be back with more details soon!

Gallery: HTC One early hands-on

Update: Here’s our full, formal hands-on!

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Feb 19

Live from HTC’s 2013 launch event!

Posted in: Today's Chili

Live from HTC's 2013 launch event!

It’s been less than a month since HTC sent out our invite — but you’re still a little early. The company’s gone for the surprise attack, ahead of Barcelona’s huge phone show, MWC. However, we’re sure HTC will have plenty of interesting tidbits to show us, just one year since the One X set our hearts a-flutter. The event kicks off at 10am ET.

February 19, 2013 10:00 AM EST

And we’re in our seats in NY!

This one’s going to be a bit of a complicated liveblog, as we have teams both in London and in New York City providing you with live updates from the event.

The NY venue is a small place on the west side of New York City. The London event is definitely the big show, which is why we’ll have most of the liveblog updates coming from there when that gets rolling.

As of now we’re about 15 minutes away from the event beginning.

While we’re waiting for the team to get going, do you have any predicts? You can tweet them my way. I’m @Tim_Stevens. I’ll share the most interesting ones here.

@Gez_Morgan says “Great specs but small battery which will hold it back like all HTC phones. :(” — That was indeed the problem with the DNA. Hopefully this new guy is improved!

@Vyga says “amazing camera and speakers on the way!” — I think that’s a safe bet!

In fact, if you didn’t see it earlier, an HTC rep was out taking photos with his One in line. They’re obviously not being coy about the phone’s existence! http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-wild/

Whoa there! London’s event has finally started letting us in. At least it wasn’t too cold out there…

@abhishayupasham says “the htc button in the middle will be a camera button for the ultra pixels.” — Indeed, that’s one of the more interesting features we’re hearing about the One.

@smcolbert: “I’m betting they announce the HTC Deuce, Deuce X, and Deuce X+” — Perhaps with a Beach Boys license?

@jailpod: “some like Pureview on the Lumia 920, but with more megapixels.” — These days it’s all about the gigapixels.

@DavidCipollone: “I’m predicting a new series of One phones. At least two. Successors to the One X and One S.” — Two new phones today? Interesting, we’re only expecting one — but always happy for surprises.

@Pjklondon: “I predict it will have retractable wings so I can avoid congestion. Fingers crossed.” — Retro rockets also a must.

@RaySnoke: “The HTC logo at the bottom will turn it into Optimus Prime, who makes you a sandwich.” — Sure, we could see that, but what kind of sandwich?

@ajdomanico: “i’m seriously hoping the rumors of an HTC Ubuntu Tab prove true.” — That’d be quite a surprise for sure, but certainly a welcome one.

@RyanBoysen asks “I wonder if we are in for any surprises besides obvious upgrades.. Infrared Capability? Wireless Charging?” — It’s hard to imagine anything too shocking, but we’re certainly seeing some weirdness when it comes to button placement…

I’m certainly hoping for everything we saw on the US/Asian Droid DNA/Butterfly phones — and more.

We should be getting going shortly. @thatmatsmith will be your guide from the London event, which is the primary one. I’ll continue to drop in some occasional updates from the NYC event.

… and witty rejoinders. Naturally.

And the great @peterrojas is joining us for the liveblog as well! He and I are in NY together.

Any more questions about HTC? Looks like we have a few more minutes to go. Send them to @thatmatsmith!

Yes, that’s Peter and I. What a couple, eh?

From @LmtdSlip: “Any word on One S replacement for those who prefer smaller screen?” Hmm, well the rumors point to a screen not far off the HTC One X that’s 4.7 inches of screen. Maybe HTC will have more to show us later this year.

From @sinosiarvin: “I’m looking at a hands on now and the HTC One looks like an iPhone with Windows like Android OS. God it’s so thin!” — Best of breed, then? Or freakish mutant?

Two gentlemen sitting next to us are using the HTC One. Again, HTC is not being coy about it.

@haveWWW: “Is HTC not so worried about the resemblance of it’s new phones with iphone because they made a deal with Apple?” Heh, interesting one. Where’s our legal beagle Michael Gorman when you need him. From the limited glimpses we’ve seen so far it looks plenty different to the iPhone…

It’s getting pretty crowded on the London side.

The bass is still pumping, and the London event still isn’t *quite* full just yet. There’s people queueing and moving all around us.

And they’re not even doing it to the beat.

As @TheBassmonkey has pointed out, the HTC website is still counting down from 49 minutes… we’re pretty sure we’ll be starting before then.

A voice from above with an update: “We’re slightly delayed waiting for people to come in.”

It’s been a while since I’ve been to an HTC event that’s started on time.

The London stage setup is looking a lot like the NY one. We’ve got @richardlai manning the images.

Tim just convinced one of the guys sitting next to us to “lend” him his One for a few minutes…

Send it to London, Tim?

There’s a rich tapestry of British innuendo jokes we could mention with HTC’s new phone. We’ll try to avoid them.

Lots of tiles on the wall. Hmm…

The music dimmed for a second…

Ah, it’s back. False alarm.

We’re spotting the British contingent from the likes of Wired and SlashGear, plus a whole load of people talking German, French and Spanish.

Oh wait, that’s just our Engadget Espanol colleague Elena Henriquez sat right next to us. It’s a real international team here.

The London event hasn’t begun yet, curiously enough.

What’s that? Our US guys have started. Back to NY for now!

We’re rolling here in NYC, though, getting the briefing on the phone itself.

Jason McKenzie is telling us about the new version of Sense, which is built on a “feed model.”

It’s called BlinkFeed. “Instead of apps and widgets, Blink Feed will transform your home screen into the information that’s important to you.”

1,400 content providers will be pushing content right to the home screen. “BlinkFeed delivers with the coolest and biggest brands around the world.”

Brands like… Engadget! We’ll be featured!

ESPN is also one of the partners.

Ed Erhart from ESPN is up on stage now talking about the partnership.

“We try to serve sports fans wherever they watch, consume, listen, read or swipe sport content.”

“The relationship we’ve developed with HTC speaks to that in many ways.”

“The world of media, which we live in, technology tends to be a disruptor… We love that sports fans can use technology to make their experience better.”

Breaking: HTC CEO Peter Chou has arrived on the London stage!

“Last year, we saw us give people beautiful phones.”

And we’re shown the One X, the 8X and the HTC Butterfly.

From NY, ESPN is stepping off the stage. “We look forward to seeing The Brand and HTC work together in the future.” Jason from HTC is back up on stage.

“People are snacking on a constant stream of information.”

HTC is seeing a huge opportunity in new smartphone behaviour like this.

“A new approach.”

“…reinvigorating the whole smartphone experience.”

He’s working up to something…

In NY, we’re getting more information on Blink Feed now, showing off all the different types of content. We see Flickr, AP, tumblr, CBS News, the AFP… Once you pick your favorites, it pulls in content you like. It sounds an awful lot like Flipboard, but baked into the OS.

And here’s the HTC One. (again!)

A lot of focus on the build materials, the camera lens and a brand new newsfeed.

Form NY: We’re hearing about “Boom Sound” — dual front-facing speakers with true stereo sound, amplified with Beats audio.

Mr. Chou’s now got the phone out on the stage. Man, the screen’s so bright you can see it from here — the back row.

HTC CEO: “It will change the way you think about photos forever.”

He reckons the main point is understanding people’s behavior. And that means a new HTC Sense UI.

Of course!

A new clean, redesign. “Modern.”

“…with big immersive images.”

From NY: There are also dual microphones with “HDR sound” to produce “clear, undistorted audio.” We’ve been invited to take the phone to a concert, where we’re told we’ll get great audio — and maybe get kicked out of the show when we get caught recording.

And the basis is us — the users. “They live on a constant flow of content.”

More than a trillion pieces of content shared in the last year, apparently.

And there’s Engadget. It’s our fault. Sorry.

And we’re on to Blinkfeed now. Peter Chou’s touring us through a Blinkfeed-esque stream of images.

From NY: We’re also hearing about the integrated IR control, called Sense TV. You can control your TV. You can even search for TV shows, tap the graphic of the show and the phone will tune your TV right there.

It includes social network content, photos, news, and more. There appears to be a playable video contained within Blinkfeed.

CBS, ESPN and us are part of thousands of content providers that will be plugged into the feed.

AOL CEO Tim Armstrong in the house!

Our boss.

Tim Armstrong is talking about the phone fulfilling the consumers’ need for content.

He’s detailing HuffPo content (and even video wares) in the future. And namechecked us and our colleagues at TechCrunch.

“We will continue to innovate with HTC in the future. HTC has made one of the best phones on the planet.”

From NY: We’re learning about the camera now, which has larger pixels than your typical camera sensor. This results in better low-light performance, we’re told, and we’re seeing some sample photos that show that off.

Peter’s back again. And we’re taking a closer look at Sense, with HTC’s VP of Design, Scott Croyle.

“Blinkfeed is based on that snacking mentality in mind.”

“In the elevator, on the bus.”

From NY: We’re now hearing about HTC Zoe, which captures photos and video at the same time. “Simply focus on the moment, and your HTC One does the rest…. Zoe brings your gallery to life.”

“Blink pulls down the latest updates when it’s onscreen.”

Moving between items can be done by swiping from left to right. No need to back out to the feed.

“But Blink is just the start.”

From NY: We’re watching a video of Zoe. Very interesting. It has a combination Instagram / Vine feel to it, almost. Short videos called “highlight movies” with automatic music added.

Scott’s mentioned Beats Audio (it’s here) and he’s talking about poor audio recording.

The HTC One has BoomSound. Two front-facing speakers for stereo.

So why put them at the front? “It just makes sense.” Was that a pun?

We’re now looking at the music player app, with scrolling lyrics and visualizer. Those words will move in time with the music.

From NY: “The one thing we haven’t talked about yet is the actual design of the phone… When it comes to design, HTC has always been bold… The new One is simply the most beautiful phone ever made.”

Possible karaoke phone?

The HTC One has dual mics, with dual membranes, capable of recording a broader spectrum of sound, and with less distortion.

From NY: The antenna is integrated into the chassis, using something called “Zero-gap construction” to create a device with no internal gaps — or fewer than usual, anyway. We’re watching a video now talking about the engineering.

“Noise cancellation isn’t enough.”

HTC’s new phone will monitor the ambient noise and adjust the earpiece’s output during calls.

“An unprecedented audio experience.”

NY: We’re getting footage of the machining of the device, even showing off the chamfering around the edge — which will sound a little familiar if you tuned in for the iPhone 5 launch.

The One also includes an IR blaster that can connect to your TV. You’ll have the ability to switch channels and make other adjustments from there.

NY: “The new HTC One is the definitive smartphone for 2013.” Again, more strong words!

NY: HTC America president Mike Woodward is up on stage now.

NY: “The new HTC One isn’t just the latest and greatest Android smartphone. This is the best smartphone ever made.”

We’re on cameras. With a wide-angle front-facing camera on the front and a new interface to switch between that and the rear-facer with just a swipe.

NY: The phone is launching in 80 countries on 185 mobile retailers and operators. “This is our largest rollout ever.”

So what’s the main shooter like?

NY: It ships in “late march” — a bit later than folks here wanted, by the sounds. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Best Buy will be distributing the phone. Rogers, Bell and Telus in Canada — no Verizon!

HTC’s VP of design talks about avoiding a focus on megapixels.

NY: Two colors will be available: silver and black with either 32 or 64GB of memory.

Not pixel count, but pixel size. And we’re back into a quick explanatory video.

NY: If you trade in a current phone via an online pre-registration, you can get up to $100 off the phone when it ships next month.

And we’re done here in NY! We’ll leave you in Mat’s capable hands for the rest of the London event!

“The megapixel race… it just became a sales metric.”

And the HTC One was the product that will bring in this new imaging idea.

It’s called the UltraPixel camera.

300 percent more light capture. HDR and HDR video capture,

We’ve got a comparison with some un-named competitors. The HTC One wins by this test. Less noise, more light areas.

Scott’s getting deep: “Memory is fleeting.”

And that’s where a new feature, HTC Zoe, comes in.

You have to respect HTC’s aspirations here, they are focused 100% on creating a great phone and the result is something that looks very impressive. It’ll be interesting to see whether they can deliver on those aspirations — and whether consumers will respond.

Zoe captures a video (and stills) and you can pluck what you like at your leisure.

He calls it: “a living gallery.”

Galleries are created automatically.

And we’re getting a look at some highlight reels — with the ability to add soundtracks and effects. It’s looking pretty cool on stage. We’ll have to test that one out!

Sharable to Facebook, YouTube or through email.

And they’ve made a Zoe clip of the last two hours! That’s us in the queue!

Some nice Instagram effects on show and a gentle guitar soundtrack.

If you thought HTC’s image chip was new — welcome to the UltraPixel.

HTC’s Design chief is describing the phone — which is looking a beauty.

“Just pure clean lines and surfaces.”

“Phones must have areas of non-metal for signal. We’ve now integrated the antenna into the material.”

The shell has a ‘zero-gap’ structure. And there’s a video to explain that.

An electro-chemical etching process is used to craft the aluminum shell, with more machine process adding the fine detail.

A diamond cutter adds that reflective edge around the HTC One.

Scott’s back.

The phone tapers to a mere 4mm thickness.

And yes, that’s a matte aluminum finish.

“The HTC One defines a new approach for our industry, based on how people use their phones.”

He’s going over the points we’ve seen so far.

We’re covering launch details now, but you’ve probably heard it already. Available from over 180 operators and retailers, globally.

A special surprise for London people: they can see the phone starting today in Phones 4U. Get down there!

And we’re watching a queue of excitable punters waiting to get into the shop.

But We’ve already had a play with the phone…

Our hands-on of the phone:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-hands-on-design-and-hardware/

And a close up on the software additions: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-software-hands-on-sense-5-blinkfeed-sense-tv-and-new/

And that’s a wrap. Thanks for watching! We’re off to play!

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