HTC One Max branding is tiny

There has been a lot of conjecture about the HTC One Max, a larger phablet-sized version of the popular HTC One flagship. This is going to be a mighty phone with the display rumored to be 5.9-inches. Therefore it seems ironic that the HTC One Max branding is tiny.

Not too long ago we showed a leaked image that purported to show the HTC One Max alongside the HTC One and HTC One Mini. The image depicted what could be a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the device, something the other two in the family don’t have.

Just a few days ago we also heard a leak that the HTC One Max will be available on Sprint, and AT&T was also previously rumored to be a carrier for the device. Now the same very reliable source of that leak has tweeted a leaked image of the branding for the HTC One Max.

The leaked image courtesy of Evleaks and shown below shows the words “HTC One” in uniform size followed by the word “max” in very much smaller print. This seems pretty funny considering, as we might well have imagined the “Max” would instead be in much larger text. Instead it appears to follow the branding pattern of the One Mini where “Mini” was also in much smaller letters.

This is only a snippet of news about the HTC One Max, but we thought we’d share it with readers as we found it rather odd. The Max branding might be small but the phone itself looks likely to impress, with rumors of a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 5.9-inch Full HD Super LCD3 display, and UltraPixel camera.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this leaked HTC One Max branding. Does this logo strike you as a little amusing, considering the size of the upcoming handset? Why not send us your comments

Sony Xperia Z1 review

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Product Sony Xperia Z1

Website Sony Mobile

Specifications 5in 1080×1920 441ppi multi-touch Reality display, quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8974 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage with microSD expansion up to 64GB, 20.7MP rear camera, 2.2MP front camera, GSM/3G/4G, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, DLNA, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean mobile operating system, IP57 certified water and dust resistant, 144x74x8.5mm, 169g

Price TBC, around £580 SIM-free

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LAUNCHED AT IFA 2013 in Berlin just last week, the Sony Xperia Z1 is arguably the firm’s most impressively specified smartphone to date, featuring a 5in full HD 1080p touchscreen, a quad-core 2.2GHz processor and Google’s Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean mobile operating system.

Like its predecessor the Xperia Z – which was launched not too long ago at CES in January – Sony’s latest smartphone is also water resistant, meaning it can be dunked in up to 1.5 metres of water for up to 30 minutes.

The Xperia Z1′s standout feature is perhaps its 20.7MP rear-facing camera, although unlike the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and despite rumours saying otherwise, it is not capable of shooting Ultra HD 4K video. However, Sony has got one up on its rivals with the unveiling of two snap-on lenses, the QX10 and the QX100, transforming the handset – and other smartphones – into a full-on camera device.

Design
The Xperia Z1 looks similar to its predecessor, the Xperia Z, echoing the design of Sony’s high-end TV sets. Like the Xperia Z, we’d have to say that the Xperia Z1 one of the most stylish looking smartphones on the market today. Its glossy glass-coated casing, although prone to picking up fingerprint smudges and especially scratches, looks and feels to be of premium quality, thanks to its casing that’s constructed from a single piece of aluminium with a gunmetal finish. The resulting design looks smooth, elegant and robust.

Working our way around the Xperia Z1 clockwise from the top right corner, there’s a microSIM slot, a power button, a camera shutter button, a speaker, a MicroSD card slot, a microUSB charge port and a headphone jack.

Although it will be available in black, white and purple when it launches, our Xperia Z1 review model, although it was standard black, still revealed a unique design, especially when compared to the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4, which probably would fail to turn heads in the street – unlike the Xperia Z1. Have a look at our hands-on video to see the Xperia Z1 close up.

Although it looks good, the Sony Xperia Z1 isn’t particularly comfortable to hold. Boasting measurements of 144x74x8.5mm, it’s not a huge device, but we found that its angular casing made it hard to grip and also made it hard to reach certain icons on the screen when selecting options from the bottom to the top. This is due to the Xperia Z1′s width, which means that your thumb has to extend further to select on-screen prompts at the top or bottom of the display.

The Xperia Z1 is also IP57 certified. Unlike many of its rivals in the market, the Xperia Z1 is resistant against dust and water. Sony claims that this certification also means that the Xperia Z1 is scratch-proof. However, we can’t say that this is the case. From just being in our pockets for a short while, taking it in and out, the device had acquired a few surface scratches. For those who buy the Xperia Z1, we’d suggest applying the protective screen covers, which are included, as soon as possible.

Next: Build, display and performance.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHWnQeM4kpySdnOnkV7tOyaAlwYUw&url=http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/2293595/sony-xperia-z1-review

HTC One gold color prospect leaked

The HTC One is an extremely popular flagship device and as seems to be happening more often lately, HTC has added more color varieties since its release. Now there’s the prospect of an HTC One in a gold color option being launched, following a recent spot.

When the HTC One first appeared on the scene it was available in just black or silver. A red color was added some time later, and very recently we saw a metallic blue option made official (colors may vary by carriers).

The possibility of a gold HTC One has now been raised by some leaked images that purport to show the display and front casing of the device. We’re showing you a couple of the images here, and as you can see, they definitely appear to show a champagne gold version, but this could be something achieved with clever lighting.

It’s always difficult to know if these kind of leaked images are the real deal or not, and we have to remember this is not a finished HTC One. However, it does look plausible and after the red and blue HTC One’s have emerged it could be the case that HTC is extending the range further.

What are your thoughts on these leaked images that appear to show a gold HTC One? Do you think this looks credible? If this is genuine, would you be interested in purchasing an HTC One in gold? Let us know with your comments.

Source: New Cell Phones (Google Translated)

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 demand following iPhone 5S

The latest Samsung and Apple flagships have now both been officially introduced. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Apple iPhone 5S were both unveiled in a blaze of glory. The Galaxy Note 3 event was first, and this smartphone has attracted a lot of attention, but it will be interesting to see Galaxy Note 3 demand following full details of the iPhone 5S now being confirmed.

To a certain extent these are very different smartphones with the Note 3 being a phablet size against the much smaller iPhone 5S. The different operating platforms are also significant as the Note 3 is an Android device white the iPhone 5S runs Apple’s iOS. That aside though and concentrating solely on the quality of the phones, it will be interesting to see which device people find most desirable.

Huge sales of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 already seem assured, given the popularity of previous Galaxy Notes, but of course this also applies to the iPhone 5S. It’s intriguing to ponder over whether the announcement of the iPhone 5S will now threaten sales of the Galaxy Note 3.

If you’re firmly in either the Android or iOS stable then you probably wont’ be persuaded to switch operating platforms so your decision is already made. However for those who are open to the idea of either operating platform you might want to compare the key specs.

The Galaxy Note 3 has either a 1.9GHz Exynos Octa processor or a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor (regions vary), a 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display with 386 ppi , 3GB of RAM, and 32 or 64GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD. It also totes a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 3200 mAh battery, NFC and will launch on the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system. It comes in black, white or pink color options.

On the other hand the iPhone 5S has a 1.7GHz 64-bit Apple A7 dual-core processor, a 4-inch display with resolution of 1136 x 649 and 326 ppi, unspecified RAM, and 16, 32 or 64GB of internal storage (non-expandable). It has an 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, 1570 mAh battery, and runs iOS 7, but doesn’t have NFC. It comes in gray, silver or gold colors.

We must point out that this is not intended to be a full comparison of specs and features. Both phones have a proliferation of varying features and both have a immense amount to offer to smartphone users. For example the cameras on the iPhone 5S and Galaxy Note 3 both have a vast amount of features and we cannot list them all here. We should note though that the Galaxy Note 3 also offers the use of the S Pen stylus.

On the surface we can see that these are very notable smartphones. The Galaxy Note 3 will release from September 25 worldwide, although in Japan and the US the phone won’t launch until October. The iPhone 5S beats the Note 3 to the starting line though, with a release set for September 20 in various countries including the UK and US.

It would be really good to hear from readers about these two impressive devices. Have you already got a preference for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 over the Apple iPhone 5S or vice versa? Were the operating systems a major factor in your decision or something else entirely, such as the display sizes? Do you think that demand for the Note 3 will be affected by the arrival of the iPhone 5S? We’re interested to have your comments on this.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEkNmctV7iSNYEtqHAtjSkw6U2RLA&url=http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2013/09/12/samsung-galaxy-note-3-demand-following-iphone-5s/

HTC One vs iPhone 5s comparison review: We compare both smartphone’s specs

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