HTC’s new flagship Windows Phone—the 8X—is not just impressive because it packs a 1.5 GHz, dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset and 4.3-inch 1280×720 display good for a PPI of 342. But it also manages to make a phone that, already checking in at a svelte 0.39-inches, feel even thinner than it is. Nokia Lumia 920, you have some competition. More »
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.
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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One thing’s for sure: HTC’s not playing it safe with the Windows Phone 8X. The flagship line, officially announced at its event in New York today, arrives emboldened not only by an array of lively hues, but also with the mark of the mighty Microsoft, itself. Yes, you need only glance at the handset’s name to know this tapered, polycarbonate affair bears an intrinsic connection to the UI it aims to bolster; a symbiotic bond made all too apparent by the hard-edged, modern hull housing the equally modern, live-tiled WP8 OS. But a focus on fresh, eye-catching industrial design isn’t the only tale being told by the OEM. There are specs to talk about — compelling ones.
Departing drastically from the Mango forbears that attempted to blaze a path, the 8X boasts internals that position it competitively with other contemporary smartphones, ushering WP 8 into the tech industry’s here and now. In keeping with its high-end ilk, the device sports a 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display (341ppi) powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core S4 and complemented by 1GB RAM, NFC, 16GB of storage, as well as an integrated 1,800mAh battery. It should be clear from that rundown alone that this is not your Windows Phone device of yore. So, follow along as we wrap our fingers ’round its California Blue body and report back with some first impressions.
Gallery: Windows Phone 8X hands-on
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Windows Phone 8X by HTC hands-on: Microsoft’s modern mobile OS personified in polycarbonate 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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The Windows Phone 8 era is swinging into full effect. Nokia’s big launch event was only a few short weeks ago, now HTC is enjoying its time in the spotlight with two handsets of its own. The Windows Phone 8S makes no mystery of its platform choice and, like the One S, indicates its midrange status with a simple alphabetic suffix. This four-inch phone will be shipping with HSPA on board. Unfortunately there’s no word on an LTE edition of this rather handsome device. Spec-wise, the WVGA screen leaves us a little wanting, but we appreciate the combination of Super LCD and Gorilla Glass, which should make for a contrasty and scratch resistant panel. Under the hood is a dual-core S4 clocked at 1GHz, which is hardly a speed demon by todays standards, but should be enough to keep Microsoft’s streamlined OS humming along nicely. The CPU is augmented by 512MB of RAM, which isn’t any beefier than most Mango phones prepping for retirement.
A paltry 4GB of storage is baked in, but thankfully HTC saw fit to include a microSD slot for expansion. Those rather modest internals should help the handset make the most of the 1,700 mAh battery at least. Sadly, the Taiwanese manufacturer decided to skip a front-facing cam on its entry level device and the sensor around back is only 5MP and limited to 720p video capture. At 10.28mm thick the 8S isn’t the sleekest handset, but the tapered edges make look quite a bit thinner than that measurement would indicate. There’s no denying the appeal of the two-tone polycarbonate bodies, regardless of comparative girth, which feature soft touch finishes in veritable rainbow of options. Pricing has yet to be announced, but you can expect the 8S to hit shelves in early November on a number of carriers. Full PR awaits after the break.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
HTC announces Windows Phone 8S: a mid-range Microsoft handset for the fashion conscious 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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HTC introduced us to not one, but two Windows Phone 8 devices today. Sure, we’ve poked and prodded them but, before you get your chance to grope the 8S and 8X, we figured a proper introduction is order. So, meet the whole family in all their brightly colored glory!
Gallery: Windows Phone 8S family portrait
Gallery: Windows Phone 8X family portrait
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
HTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S family portraits 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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It’s a fine autumn day in NYC. The air is cool, it’s a little breezy and a certain Taiwanese manufacturer has invited us over to check out some cool new gadgets. What exactly does HTC have in store? Well, that’s anyone’s guess, but suspicions are focused on Windows Phone 8 and a certain leaked handset with the codename Accord. Check back in at the time below to get all the news as it happens live.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Live from HTC’s NYC press event! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sure, Nokia’s recently announced Lumia 920 runs Windows Phone 8, but its banner feature is actually the PureView camera, which in some ways seems more capable than that of its 808 sibling. Company reps were on hand at the Carl Zeiss booth at Photokina demonstrating this latest handset’s low-light abilities — which are quite striking. Just as impressive, however, is the device’s heralded stabilization feature, which captures an impressively smooth clip even with exaggerated hand shake. Considering the degree to which the Nokia rep was shaking, users with steadier hands shouldn’t have any issue capturing excellent quality video. We were unable to view the clip on a computer, so our impressions are only based on what we saw on the LCD, but the feature was impressive nonetheless. We’ll of course need to reserve formal judgement until we can conduct our own tests, but this PureView preview was certainly convincing, and quite encouraging — especially the side-by-side clip comparing the 920 to a “US-based manufacturer’s” smartphone. Catch it in full in the hands-on video after the break.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile
Nokia Lumia 920 makes PureView appearance at Photokina with anti-shake video demo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Welcome to Tuesday evening, folks. Tomorrow morning, HTC will hold its long-awaited Windows Phone 8 event, and unsurprisingly, we received a fair bit of HTC news to report on today. HTC started things off today by teasing a new Windows Phone 8 handset for tomorrow’s event, keeping the details short and sweet. Looks like we’ll just have wait until tomorrow to find out more. The HTC Windows Phone 8X – also known as the HTC Accord – suffered another leak today, shortly before the phone is expected to be revealed in New York tomorrow.
Samsung today denied rumors that its Galaxy S IV will be launching in February 2013, and we found out that the LG Optimus G will be launching in the US by November. Speaking of the Optimus G, we went hands-on with its QSlide picture-in-picture feature today, and the iPad Mini was spotted in some leaked images today, suggesting that a launch may be coming up soon. Motorola announced the new RAZR i today, and we were right there to go hands-on with it, so be sure to have a look at that.
Apple’s new EarPods were the subject of a new iFixit teardown today, and the sales ban on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will stay in place for the time being, despite Samsung’s requests to have it lifted. AT&T has some new net neutrality worries today over its 3G FaceTime restrictions, and Twitter got a pretty big UI update on iPad today as well. Even though Nintendo won’t be offering standalone Wii U GamePads at launch, it assured prospective buyers that they can get replacements if their GamePad breaks (for a fee, naturally).
With iPhone 5 hype as high as its ever been, Apple’s stock price rose above $700 for the first time today, and McLaren unveiled its ultra-sleek P1 Supercar (if you buy one, can we take a ride?). ioSafe needs your help bringing its N2 fire and waterproof NAS to market, while RIM and Microsoft shook on a licensing deal that will give RIM access to Microsoft’s exFAT system. ZTE started teasing a new Windows Phone 8 handset and a Windows 8/Windows RT tablet in a rather strange way today, and 20th Century Fox struck a deal that will see 600 of its movies up on the Google Play Store. Finally tonight, we have a couple of interesting space and science stories for you: scientists are saying that warp drive may not be as unrealistic as it once seemed, and the Dark Energy Camera has returned its first images of deep space – prepare yourself, because they are amazing.
That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up! Enjoy the rest of your night, folks!
SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: September 18, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
A lot of manufacturers are excited to get in on the Windows Phone 8 action, and it seems that ZTE has decided it wants a slice of that pie. The company is teasing a new Windows Phone 8 handset through some rather unconventional means, with ZTE marketing strategy manager Dennis Lui sharing a very blurry image of three different devices on his Sina Wiebo account (as reported by Winp.cn). Have a look at the picture below.
The device on the right is the only one that see clearly (or at least semi-clearly in this case), and it’s easy to see why: it looks an awful lot like a ZTE Tania, and even though it appears to be running Windows Phone 8, in reality it’s probably running the Windows Phone 8 simulator app that’s available on the Marketplace. The other phones are a little harder to place thanks to the liberal use of blurring, but the one on the left could be legitimately running Windows Phone 8, with the one in the middle running some version of Windows Phone 7.
This suggests that not only does ZTE have a Windows Phone 8 device in the works, but that it will also continue to offer Windows Phone 7.x handsets – the device in the image is presumably a Windows Phone 7.8 device – after the launch of WP8. Things get even more interesting though, as Lui also shared an image of a tablet running Windows RT or Windows 8, so it looks like ZTE has a lot in store for the future.
ZTE traditionally makes budget devices, and with many of the big companies eager to show us their snazzy new Windows 8 tablets, laptops, and smartphones, ZTE may be able to squeeze in there and bring Windows Phone 8 and Windows RT to the budget-minded consumer. ZTE obviously sees an opportunity there, and this strange marketing strategy sure has garnered some attention. Stay tuned for more details, as it probably won’t be much longer before ZTE clarifies a few things (pun was definitely intended there).
[via WMPoweruser]
ZTE teases Windows Phone 8 handset in very blurry photo is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
When HTC sent out invites for their event set to take place in NYC tomorrow, September 19th, they were extremely light on details and didn’t reveal any sort of teaser — save for the odd design on the bottom of the invites. Today however they’ve just piqued our interest with a quick photo on their Facebook page.
Many were hoping for an unveil of their hotly rumored and leaked 5-inch 1080p phablet but we might be seeing purely a Windows Phone 8 day instead. The HTC 8X (aka HTC Accord) has leaked more than a few times and is now looking to be the star of the show tomorrow now that HTC’s revealed that teaser image above.
When beautiful hardware meets stunning software.”
The teaser from HTC was rather light, just like their announcement, and simply states what you see above. HTC’s always had beautiful hardware and it looks like they’re about to combine the awesome WP8 into their goods. This morning we saw leaks confirming the HTC 8X (Accord) with Verizon 4G LTE so we’ll be expecting to see that and more tomorrow. Looking at the image, could it possibly be a tablet?
For a refresh, the Accord specs include a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch display, and an 8-megapixel camera. Leaks also state the front and rear camera are both capable of full 1080p video too, so you can be doing some video chat in true HD. We could see some Android smartphones at the event, but most likely this will be all about HTC’s Windows Phone 8 attack.
HTC teases Windows Phone 8 device for tomorrow’s event is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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