Technobuffalo claims the One is the best smartphone yet

[badb0y]

I don't envy your battery life in a year after hundreds of discharges

I've always tended to replace the battery after a year with a new OEM one as battery life is noticeably worse than new.

I have a release iPhone 4 still in service and has good battery life. If you have battery problems after 1 year that's not supposed to happen.

 

[Aganazer]

As a test, I replaced the battery in my two year old HTC sensation to see how much my battery degraded. My battery life didn't improve. I'm fine with the non-removable battery.

There seems to be lots of camera comparisons, and that is good, but I'd like to see some audio quality comparisons. I know that the speakers on the One are the best we've seen, but I'd also like to know about the headphone jack quality. I have a few sets of AudioEngine A2's around the house and would like a phone with the highest quality output possible. Its really difficult to find information about the audio jack.

 

[dguy6789]

Wow, the camera *is* pretty good. But HTC already announced the One won't be on Verizon, so...

I really hate our phone market here sometimes.

It has been confirmed that the One is coming to VZW just later than the other carriers.

 

[Insomniator]

Any idea on how much this will cost? We talking $400 or $900?

Also does a locked boot loader mean no custom roms? I needs that free tether!

 

[VashHT]

Any idea on how much this will cost? We talking $400 or $900?

Also does a locked boot loader mean no custom roms? I needs that free tether!

The dev version is $650 for the 64gb version. I have a question for anyone who's familiar with HTC here, what's the difference between S on and off? I've heard people complain that the dev version is unlocked but still S on but they never say why it's a problem.

 

[s44]

I'd also like to know about the headphone jack quality. I have a few sets of AudioEngine A2's around the house and would like a phone with the highest quality output possible. Its really difficult to find information about the audio jack.

Brian's review will almost certainly have tests... if he ever finishes/publishes one.

Given that both the One and the S600 S4 seem to use the stock Qualcomm DAC, I very much doubt either displaces the Note 2 from the top of the current major-Android audio heap. Maybe the Exynos S4, but who knows where/when/with what LTE this will appear.

The dev version is $650 for the 64gb version. I have a question for anyone who's familiar with HTC here, what's the difference between S on and off? I've heard people complain that the dev version is unlocked but still S on but they never say why it's a problem.

S ON = /system lock

 

[you2]

?? The note 2 has a good dac/audio ?

Brian's review will almost certainly have tests... if he ever finishes/publishes one.

Given that both the One and the S600 S4 seem to use the stock Qualcomm DAC, I very much doubt either displaces the Note 2 from the top of the current major-Android audio heap. Maybe the Exynos S4, but who knows where/when/with what LTE this will appear.

 

[shortylickens]

who cares, they will release another "best" smartphone within 6 months and drop support for existing one. fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..

Yeah I've only had my Note 2 for three months and already the S4 is the next Best phone from Samsung.

 

[s44]

?? The note 2 has a good dac/audio ?

It has an excellent Wolfson DAC. You have to flash a custom kernel (Perseus is best) for the best audio experience though.

 

[QueBert]

Yeah I've only had my Note 2 for three months and already the S4 is the next Best phone from Samsung.

Which after 4 months will be dethroned when Samsung announces the Note III. Android's one big e-peen contest for which company can get out a newer phone with slightly enhanced specs.

 

[scaramoosh]

I'd pick one over the GS4 but are the UK ones from Three 3G only or will they support 4G when Three roll that out later this year? I don't want to get an international 3G only model...

That said I'm probably going to wait for a new Nokia as I have an 808 atm and I like what I've used of the 920 but the specs are a bit dated in terms of the Adreno 225 so I'll wait for the 930 or whatever they call it. Also interested to see if they do a 41mp WP...

 

[you2]

Sorry for the off topic; I have the note 2 and noticed that sound on it with high quality IEM was >> the droid razr just didn't know why. None of the reviews I read mentioned the audio.
-
Btw on the surface I think the HTC-one is likely to be a better phone than the S4 as a total package IFF the battery is ok. I really think HTC is missing out by not including larger batteries - ala razr max series.

It has an excellent Wolfson DAC. You have to flash a custom kernel (Perseus is best) for the best audio experience though.

 

[ponyo]

GSMArena battery test shows very impressive results for HTC One. I don't know what Voodoo magic HTC is using but I'm impressed. Hopefully it's not the same crap multitasking trick they used with One X to improve the battery life.

That's really impressive web browsing time. And not bad for video playback. The battery life result is pretty similar to iPhone 5.

Here's Note 2 battery result in comparison.

I still don't like the idea of One's enclosed battery but I could live with that battery life.

 

[Zaap]

Which after 4 months will be dethroned when Samsung announces the Note III. Android's one big e-peen contest for which company can get out a newer phone with slightly enhanced specs.

Yeah heaven forbid technology actually move forward at a realistic pace, rather than doled out by a single money-grubbing company so everyone's two year old dinosaur is still the 'new' phone.

 

[QueBert]

Yeah heaven forbid technology actually move forward at a realistic pace, rather than doled out by a single money-grubbing company so everyone's two year old dinosaur is still the 'new' phone.

My 4s feels all around quicker than my Roomates uber Note 2. I'll take performance over specs, but hay that's just me.


*shrug*

 

[Zaap]

My 4s feels all around quicker than my Roomates uber Note 2. I'll take performance over specs, but hay that's just me.
*shrug*

Bully for you. There's nothing wrong with preferring an iPhone, it's just the annoying attitude of some that Apple is always the greatest, and everything else should follow the same dull pattern. Yeah sure, Samsung should still be pushing the SGS3 and Note 1 and forget releasing newer models, because boo hoo the owners of the old models will feel shamed that they don't have the latest anymore.

I actually see Apple fans get all butthurt that Apple releases an update to a product, like they were personally promised by Apple not to progress until the fan has had sufficient time to bask in "Mine's still the newest!" nerd-glory. That's an INSANE business model, and thank goodness everyone else doesn't follow it.

If the whole industry was that way and the 4S really was still the top of the heap (it isn't, not by a long shot, but by all means keep telling yourself that it is) and Samsung was afraid to release newer/better/faster for fear of stoking nerd rage- I'd be so bored with tech my eyes would glaze over and I'd probably take up pottery or something instead. But thankfully, it isn't that way. Tech evolves, and whatever anyone buys today will quickly become 'the old' vs. whatever is 'the new'. Great! That's how it should be. Keeps things interesting.

 

[cliftonite]

Which after 4 months will be dethroned when Samsung announces the Note III. Android's one big e-peen contest for which company can get out a newer phone with slightly enhanced specs.

Who cares if a new phone is out? My note 2 will still work fine.

 

[Red Storm]

Which after 4 months will be dethroned when Samsung announces the Note III. Android's one big e-peen contest for which company can get out a newer phone with slightly enhanced specs.

I guess this kind of logic makes sense coming from iOS, but Samsung has two different flagships, the Galaxy series and the Note series, and we all know you know that.

 

[QueBert]

Who cares if a new phone is out? My note 2 will still work fine.

I bought a Note 1 at launch and less than a year later in the US, what was it 9 months? The Note 2 was out. And realistically the Note 1 could have had the same specs as the 2. It wasn't a huge leap in technology, it was a meh upgrade to make money. Samsung and HTC tend to do this often it seems. The day the Note 2 was announced and had the specs my Note 1 should have had, I sold it.

Apple caught all sorts of hell for releasing the iPad 4 so soon after the 3, which they damn well should have. Fuck any company that squeeze people for money with pathetic upgrades way too fast.

I do like the fact I'm running the latest iOS on my 2+ year old phone, I'm not sure what Samsung's done, but I'm sure if I had kept my Note 1 I wouldn't be on the latest version of Android, or even close to it. Heaven forbid a just barely 1 year old phone get updates...

 

[cliftonite]

I bought a Note 1 at launch and less than a year later in the US, what was it 9 months? The Note 2 was out. And realistically the Note 1 could have had the same specs as the 2. It wasn't a huge leap in technology, it was a meh upgrade to make money. Samsung and HTC tend to do this often it seems. The day the Note 2 was announced and had the specs my Note 1 should have had, I sold it.

Apple caught all sorts of hell for releasing the iPad 4 so soon after the 3, which they damn well should have. Fuck any company that squeeze people for money with pathetic upgrades way too fast.

I do like the fact I'm running the latest iOS on my 2+ year old phone, I'm not sure what Samsung's done, but I'm sure if I had kept my Note 1 I wouldn't be on the latest version of Android, or even close to it. Heaven forbid a just barely 1 year old phone get updates...

So what if they release new phones every year? Are they forcing you to upgrade?

 

[QueBert]

So what if they release new phones every year? Are they forcing you to upgrade?

If you want to run the latest version of Android, yes. Is it unreasonable for me to expect timely OS updates on a phone for a fucking year? I don't think so. Hell 2 years even seems reasonable seeing that's how long my contract's for. They release new devices? fine, but don't shit on the owners of 1 generation back devices by not supporting us due to you having a new product out.

 

[Skurge]

If you want to run the latest version of Android, yes. Is it unreasonable for me to expect timely OS updates on a phone for a fucking year? I don't think so. Hell 2 years even seems reasonable seeing that's how long my contract's for. They release new devices? fine, but don't shit on the owners of 1 generation back devices by not supporting us due to you having a new product out.

SGS2 has 4.1 and will get 4.2. Same with the Note. The other thing people seem to not grasp about android is even if you are on an older version you still get 99% of the benefits of the newest version. All the google apps are updated and are the same versions for ICS vs JB for example.

The version number doesn't matter all that much when you get the same features. Yes, the iPhone 3GS might have iOS6, but what exactly are you gaining? Apple maps? Siri (only 4S and 5)

Samsung does a much better job at keeping their phones and tablets updated and supported, although the carriers don't make it easy over there in the states.

I'd much preffer a SGS2 running JB than an iPhone 4 running iOS6 thats for sure. but that just my opinion.

 

[Red Storm]

SGS2 has 4.1 and will get 4.2. Same with the Note. The other thing people seem to not grasp about android is even if you are on an older version you still get 99% of the benefits of the newest version. All the google apps are updated and are the same versions for ICS vs JB for example.

The version number doesn't matter all that much when you get the same features. Yes, the iPhone 3GS might have iOS6, but what exactly are you gaining? Apple maps? Siri (only 4S and 5)

Samsung does a much better job at keeping their phones and tablets updated and supported, although the carriers don't make it easy over there in the states.

I'd much preffer a SGS2 running JB than an iPhone 4 running iOS6 thats for sure. but that just my opinion.

Very true, unfortunately some people think of Android from an iOS perspective and don't realize they are not at all the same in this regard. iOS core app updates = waiting for annual update. On Android each core app can be updated whenever Google wants to release them, you don't have wait for the annual OS update.

 

[ChronoReverse]

The interesting thing is that Google deliberately decoupled the GApps from the Android version because the carriers and manufacturers tended to delays updates.

This is a good thing in that we still get the latest versions of the apps but I wonder if that has reduced the pressure on the manufacturers and carriers to release the OS updates.

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

Very true, unfortunately some people think of Android from an iOS perspective and don't realize they are not at all the same in this regard. iOS core app updates = waiting for annual update. On Android each core app can be updated whenever Google wants to release them, you don't have wait for the annual OS update.

Not strictly true, lots of apps target later versions of Android APIs. My Desire HD on 2.3.5 would refuse to install so much stuff near the end of its life.