Anandtech's HTC One Review is up!

[vi edit]

Never, will I ever use a case on a phone. I "try" to keep my left pocket free of dirt, sand, keys, coins or "anything at all". I like my phone the same way I like my women: naked. So they get a scar here and there, no big deal. The eBay/Craigslist buyer who gets my loved phone will not care either. I do however, use a transparent screen protector.

I like a thin TPU case if for no other reason than a little extra grip. I've got a Galaxy Note 2 and it's kind of a slippery ah heck when "naked". If I have gloves on it's even more slick to hold. A thin TPU case can add some textured edges for more grip and it also gives it a rubberery bottom to stop it from sliding when it's propped up at a table or on a sloped surface. It also adds a very thin lip around the outside edge so that when you set it face down the screen isn't actually sitting on the whatever it's laying on.

Interestingly enough, I can't stand screen protectors and never use them.

 

[WelshBloke]

I'd never buy your used phone. Not unless you'd drop $100 from your asking price because of the dings and scratches.

Thats OK, I never sell them. :biggrin:

 

[s44]

Cases are only incidentally about preventing pocket scratches; they're mostly about keeping the screen from cracking/shattering.

On the subways, I see three types of phones:
(1) In cases. By far the most common. iPhone owners often have huge cases for some reason.
(2) Naked, cracked. Less common.
(3) Naked, not cracked. Amazingly, even less common than (2).

 

[Red Storm]

I normally never use cases or screen protectors. I do have the flip cover for my Note 2 but it's in my random stuff drawer at home. I like my phones just the way they are.

 

[Imported]

Sweet. AT&T version has a locked bootloader.

 

[ChronoReverse]

For my HTC One X, every single model around the world can be unlocked via HTCdev EXCEPT the ATT version.

 

[Baked]

Looks like I'll be upgrading to this sweet piece of tech when my contract is up for upgrade. I still like my Droid RAZR, but sometimes it lags like crazy.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

For my HTC One X, every single model around the world can be unlocked via HTCdev EXCEPT the ATT version.

This is the issue. People think HTC is somehow BAD because the AT&T phones are bootloader locked. They are unlocked everywhere else in the world, and while HTC came out and said they will bootloader unlock phones since the Incredible S (2011?), they at least didn't do it like Moto where their crap is still locked as hell and only unlockable when carrier allows it.

If anything, HTC's past phones and devices have been easier to develop for than Exynos devices. The only reason you have decently working ROMs on Samsung's side is due to the shear # of people who have them and thus makes it relatively easy to develop for.

 

[ChronoReverse]

If anything, HTC's past phones and devices have been easier to develop for than Exynos devices. The only reason you have decently working ROMs on Samsung's side is due to the shear # of people who have them and thus makes it relatively easy to develop for.

On the other hand, the US versions are often Snapdragons which make everything easy.

 

[sze5003]

HTC did offer earlier this year or maybe before that a tool to s off but not fully. So you could put in custom skins and apps. Too bad though because t mobile sucks in my area and I don't feel like going to att and lose my unlimited data.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I think the CM team does a really good job. And considering the fact that the Nexus 4 shares so much hardware with these other flagship phones (same GPU), I would think some of that Nexus development can be leveraged into these flagship phones offered with subsidy. The Galaxy S1 benefitted from being close in hardware to the Nexus S.

there's other hardware at stake as well as drivers and stuff. it's not just sharing an SoC. The SGS1 was practically identical to the Nexus S. You can flash modems sometimes interchangeably. The Nexus 7 using nVidia helped HTC One X development to an extent, but it's still a struggle for them to get item by item working. It's not like a Nexus device where CM hits the ground and the next day you get a fully working ROM already.

 

[lothar]

This is the issue. People think HTC is somehow BAD because the AT&T phones are bootloader locked. They are unlocked everywhere else in the world, and while HTC came out and said they will bootloader unlock phones since the Incredible S (2011?), they at least didn't do it like Moto where their crap is still locked as hell and only unlockable when carrier allows it.

If anything, HTC's past phones and devices have been easier to develop for than Exynos devices. The only reason you have decently working ROMs on Samsung's side is due to the shear # of people who have them and thus makes it relatively easy to develop for.

My understanding is that ALL HTC phones(including the "international" unlocked models) still have to deal with the S-ON/S-OFF crap. S-ON/S-OFF is a separate issue from having a locked bootloader.
The HTC One has been out for almost a month now in Europe. Based on a quick check on XDA, there still is no S-OFF for it yet.

The other problem with HTC is to unlock your phone, you have to fill out some stupid form on the HTCdev website, which they have the potential to reject all future warranty claims on your phone because they have your name on a list somewhere as unlocking the bootloader of your phone.

With Nexus devices and Samsung phones, just unlock, or flash with Odin.
No need to fill out stupid forms from Samsung or Google that could potentially reject all future warranty claims, see unnecessary blackbox warnings, or deal with S-ON/S-OFF crap.

HTC's bootloader is still subject to the whim of the carriers, make no mistake about it.
If it wasn't then clearly AT&T won't have been able to request the bootloader to be locked.

 

[poofyhairguy]

there's other hardware at stake as well as drivers and stuff. it's not just sharing an SoC. The SGS1 was practically identical to the Nexus S. You can flash modems sometimes interchangeably. The Nexus 7 using nVidia helped HTC One X development to an extent, but it's still a struggle for them to get item by item working. It's not like a Nexus device where CM hits the ground and the next day you get a fully working ROM already.

You are right that sometimes its the little things like cameras and GPSes that are a pain.

Heck when I first saw the SGS4 specs with temperature sensors or even the IR sensor I thought to myself "might as well ignore those because they will never work in CM."

The little things do matter like manufacturer support, which is why if we are talking about unsubsidized phones then Sony's current flagship is the best bet. Apparently it is the developer dream phone outside the Nexus.

But for subsized phones in the US in 2013 I am guessing that the SGS4 might have one of the best versions of CM. They sell so many of these things that by shear numbers there are way more people who can contribute.

I am going to hold out at least a little bit and make sure there isn't some major part of the hardware that is a development nightmare. If it looks like CM will be a trainwreck I will hold out for the next Nexus.

 

[ChronoReverse]

My understanding is that ALL HTC phones(including the "international" unlocked models) still have to deal with the S-ON/S-OFF crap. S-ON/S-OFF is a separate issue from having a locked bootloader.
The HTC One has been out for almost a month now in Europe. Based on a quick check on XDA, there still is no S-OFF for it yet.

Yup. My HTC One X (ATT version) took a year before someone found an s-off exploit.

The International One X still doesn't have s-off.

 

[Imported]

I don't really need s-off or an unlocked bootloader. Would just like to root the phone.

Anyways, HTC One pre-ordered. If I don't like it, I'll return it for the SGS4.

 

[Rifter]

The phone you're looking for is the Galaxy S4.

I have come to the same conclusion, either the S4 or Note 2.

 

[sze5003]

I don't really need s-off or an unlocked bootloader. Would just like to root the phone.

Anyways, HTC One pre-ordered. If I don't like it, I'll return it for the SGS4.

I'd like to see your review of it if you could post when you get it.

I'd like one too but I'm stuck in Verizon.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I don't really need s-off or an unlocked bootloader. Would just like to root the phone.

Anyways, HTC One pre-ordered. If I don't like it, I'll return it for the SGS4.

Well, you can't even root the One X (ATT) right now if you're on the official jellybean update. If you're elsewhere, you can unlock the bootloader through HTCdev and get root from there but there's no exploit available right now to do it for ATT.

That's right, you can't even root your HTC One X.

 

[Thegonagle]

Verizon users, be patient. (I know, I know-We're sick and tired of being patient...)

Rumor has it that the One (or a similar if not identical model with "Droid" branding) will make it to Verizon's network about two months after the other carriers get it.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/04/01/verizon-htc-one-features-rumored/

 

[sze5003]

Verizon users, be patient. (I know, I know-We're sick and tired of being patient...)

Rumor has it that the One (or a similar if not identical model with "Droid" branding) will make it to Verizon's network about two months after the other carriers get it.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/04/01/verizon-htc-one-features-rumored/

This will probably be the new droid DNA with some changes. I'm patient as can be because I have to buy the phone outright no contract so I don't loose my unlimited data

 

[grkM3]

This will probably be the new droid DNA with some changes. I'm patient as can be because I have to buy the phone outright no contract so I don't loose my unlimited data

There are ways to keep unlimited data and use an upgrade on Verizon.

I have done it 3 times already.we have 4 smart phones on our family plan and 3 are on unlimited and one is capped.what I do is transfer upgrades to the capped line and just restart that 2 year capped plan and then just swap out the sim to an unlimited line.

3 of my friends have done this also

 

[sze5003]

Yeah but if you only have one line and don't want any more not much you can do. My bill is already 90 a month just for one phone so it kind of would suck to add another line then go from there. I'll have to figure something out.

 

[grkM3]

Yeah but if you only have one line and don't want any more not much you can do. My bill is already 90 a month just for one phone so it kind of would suck to add another line then go from there. I'll have to figure something out.

you could add a line and pay 40 a month more but it will be a 2 year capped line,with that new line get the htc one and then transfer your upgrade and buy a gs4 and sell one of the phones craigslist.

that's what everyone does and we have 2 upgrades that will be used to get a few gs4s

 

[dlock13]

I played with the One last night, and I have to say, that phone is amazingly well built. I've been using Sense 5 for the past 3 weeks so there was no surprise to me there, but the fact is that phone is great overall. If I'm getting a full day of battery out of my DNA (and I consider myself a heavy user), I think people shouldn't worry at all about the One.

 

[zerogear]

HTC released their source code for One and Droid DNA

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/10/htc-one-source-code/