December 18, 2012 at 20:23HTC One X + - evolution in action
The original One X, presented at MWC almost a year ago, became the flagship device of the One series and earned a fair amount of positive reviews. In the slim and stylish case, one could find many interesting solutions, and the device itself was made relatively compact, despite the impressive diagonal of 4.7 inches.
To date, the happy owners of One X probably managed to please the update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but what can surprise us the direct heir to an interesting and outstanding model? At first glance, the external differences can be counted on the fingers, but One X + is easy to recognize by barely picking it in the palm of your hand.
Covering the back wall has acquired a practical texture that is characteristic of all the new products of the company, and it will be very difficult to drop the device from your hands. Despite the fact that the smartphone is equipped with a 4.7-inch touch screen made using Super LCD 2 technology, it can hardly be called a “shovel”: the edges of the device are beveled and the frames on all sides of the screen have a minimum acceptable size.
The display coating is scratch-resistant and has shown excellent results during the daily operation of Corning Gorilla Glass 2, and the traditional IPS matrix, selected for a 1280x720 pixel HD screen, will definitely delight all connoisseurs of plausible and natural colors.
The dimensions of the smartphone are 134.4 x 69.9 mm with a thickness of only 8.9 mm and weighs One X + 135 grams. The battery, as in the predecessor, is non-removable, and its capacity has increased to 2100 mAh. We’ll talk about autonomy a little later, but for now we’ll carefully examine the device from all sides.
Next to the proprietary mesh speaker is a 1.6-megapixel front camera that records video in 720p resolution. The beloved indicator light, which signals incoming messages and missed notifications, has not disappeared anywhere - it is just hidden in one of the speaker's cells, and if necessary, you will definitely find it.
The controls traditionally consist of a power button located on the upper end with a clear course and a distinct response to pressing, a side “rocker” for volume control and standard touch buttons located below the screen. The device’s upgrade was reflected in the color scheme used, so that the button illumination is red, and complements its large logo of the Beats Audio sound enhancement algorithm and the rim of the main camera, which stand out against the general background.
So what's inside? The current nVidia Tegra 3 chipset with an increased operating frequency up to 1.7 GHz, 1 gigabyte of RAM and as much as 64 GB of internal memory. In benchmarks, the device shows its best side, and the experience of real use only confirms the remarkable computing capabilities of the device.
One must think that the indicated volume is enough for everyone, and most importantly - this array is a single unit and is not divided into conditional 2 GB for applications and any gigabytes for user data, as is usually the case with many models equipped with built-in memory. It remains only to decide what to store in this vast space. However, in the creation of content, it is entirely possible to count on the potential of the smartphone.
Before turning on the device, you should insert a microSIM-card using a stylish complete clip, and you will see the initial setup screen. We think that the procedure will not be surprising, but NTS still saved one surprise. The fact is that One X + can be configured remotely using a desktop computer and saving time on adding email accounts and other accounts.
Just go to start.htc.com , select your phone model (only One X + is supported so far), and you can proceed. At your service is the quick addition of Dropbox, LIVE and email services to any existing domain, and the next step is to personalize the device.
Of course, all these operations can also be done from the phone, but if possible, it is definitely more convenient. The list is not limited to adding a background image and choosing a lock screen, even a list of bookmarks and a layout of widgets on the initial screens of your device are configured.
To transfer the work done to the smaller screen, you only need an HTC Sense service account (yes, it can still come in handy!). A useful addition, right?
After making sure that the smartphone is turned on and working, let us walk through the distinguishing features of the interface of the new model. The device "out of the box" comes with Android 4.1.1. Jelly Bean and the proprietary Sense 4+ interface, which contains a number of improvements and improvements compared to numerous predecessors.
Firstly, there is the availability of useful and high-quality third-party applications. A client of the proprietary streaming service Google Music, an excellent Google Chrome browser - all this is already included in the firmware and can be tested immediately. There is even an analogue of TeamViewer QuickSupport - a program for organizing remote access to the LogMeIn Rescue device.
NTS branded services familiar from previous models have not gone away. At your service are watches that have become a symbol of the brand, many other full-screen widgets, as well as a set of utilities designed to make life easier, and many users can be freed from the torment associated with finding the “same” ideal program to perform certain functions.
To begin with, Notes can be easily combined with your account in the popular Evernote service, it is not even necessary to install a client. Weather, promotions, contact management and the Gallery of media files - all this is traditionally implemented for the NTS at the highest level and deserves all praise.
Due to the fact that not all applications have switched to using the on-screen button “Menu”, the settings provide for the possibility of assigning an honorable duty to call contextual functions to the “Recent Apps” button, and by ordinary or long pressing this will happen - it depends only from you.
The Sense proprietary shell, which, by analogy with the device, received a plus sign in the version number, boasts an updated energy distribution screen between running applications, which allows you to quickly complete programs that are currently unnecessary. In turn, in the main sections of the settings there was a configuration option Media Link HD - set-top boxes for the TV, which allows you to broadcast content literally with a flick of the finger.
The device is equipped with NFC support, which allows you to quickly transfer various information, just by touching the compatible device with your device. As the appropriate infrastructure develops, you can not limit yourself to viewing the remaining trips by subway, but pay for purchases from your mobile phone account and allow yourself many other actions in the name of saving time and increasing efficiency.
In addition to NFC, there are all kinds of interfaces and sensors, befitting a smartphone of the 2012 model. It is important that the Bluetooth protocol version 4.0 is equipped with support for the aptX code, which allows you to bring the quality of sound transmitted wirelessly to the speaker system to a level comparable to a wired connection. The standard microUSB connector is equipped with MHL support, so you can transfer content to a high-definition TV using a special cable. If your choice is life without wires, then support for the DLNA standard for streaming images and video will help.
Having connected complete or any other earphones, do not forget to try the Beats Audio sound enhancement technology, and the standard music player for NTS smartphones should appeal to most users. The collection is sorted according to standard criteria, and a couple of clicks are enough to update album covers.
Along with music files, an important part of the media library is also photos from the video, and here the NTS One X + camera will not disappoint. A high-speed sensor with a resolution of 8 megapixels, an f / 2.0 aperture, a focal length of 28 mm and a backlight matrix is complemented by a processor for image processing HTC ImageChip.
As in other models of the One series, you can take pictures right in the process of creating a video. Burst mode allows you to take up to 99 pictures in one click and then choose the best one, removing numerous duplicates.
The camera is ready to work instantly, and it does not take a second to get a frame. The “smart flash” will automatically select from five gradations the necessary pulse power to illuminate the photographed object, and the image stabilizer will minimize “shake” when shooting with hands. There is also a slow motion mode at a speed of 120 frames per second.
You can familiarize with examples of photos below. To evaluate the operation of the HDR mode, we offer you a couple of comparative shots. In addition, we did not miss the opportunity to take a small panorama of the surroundings.
A sample video in 1080p is available here .
The camera interface is designed in the style of the One series, but here there are certain improvements compared to previous models. The main shooting scenarios are grouped into a separate pop-up menu, and panorama, group portrait and HDR modes are available in one click. The built-in and flexibly customizable effects have not disappeared anywhere, and the shutter button has become larger than the activation of the video mode, because we still take pictures on the phone more often than record videos.
When switching to panoramic shooting, a virtual horizon will appear on the screen, and the correct “bonding” of the components of the picture is guaranteed by a convenient indication.
The taken pictures and recorded videos, as expected, can be viewed in the Gallery, but take your time to go to the local storage. On the application’s start screen, you will be greeted by large icons of network services, so that after entering the appropriate credentials, a single application will become a real guide to the world of content scattered across various “clouds”.
Thumbnail generation is very fast, thanks to the powerful hardware, but the built-in player cannot yet boast of “omnivorousness”. As before, to play files in the MKV container, you need a third-party player, but the native video player without any problems lost videos in the MPEG4 (MP4, M4V) format with a resolution of up to 1920 × 1080 pixels, not to mention the standard DVD-quality files in the AVI and WMV formats.
The keyboard for entering text has become more convenient, and if desired, the settings activate text input with a stroke, becoming more and more popular and traveling from one third-party solution to another. In this case, you do not need to install anything, all the necessary functionality is present initially, the only question is the formation of your personal dictionary.
Traditionally, for the NTS there is a large selection of personalization tools, not limited to branded widgets and wallpapers. There are themes and whole images suitable for various scenarios of using the device.
It would be a sin not to use such a powerful device as a navigator, and the special “In the Car” mode will help to improve safety and comfort. When activated, the display will show basic information about the time and weather, and large labels of the necessary programs will be placed in the corners.
It is also important that both the dialer and the music player are fundamentally redesigned, which is important when connecting the phone to car speakers. However, when driving, do not ignore the headset or the hands-free system.
When a free minute is issued (or the traffic jam seems especially impenetrable), the entire range of exclusive games presented for the Tegra chipset is at your service.
The Tegra Zone app will help you make the choice, and the level of graphic performance and the excitement of mobile entertainment will definitely not disappoint. As an example, we can take screenshots from the games Horn and Dark Meadow: The Pact.
And now for the sore - battery life. Due to the increased battery capacity, you can safely rely on the phone to function during the day with automatic brightness control and background synchronization of several accounts.
To prolong life in a difficult moment, the activation of the energy saving mode will help, reducing the brightness of the screen and turning off data transfer in the background.
The increased frequency of the CPU does not significantly affect the performance, because most of the time the device works at a modest 500-700 MHz. Heavy games can land the battery quickly enough, but it is unlikely to spend hours behind them, because the pace of modern life does not tolerate idleness.
To summarize. Smartphone HTC One X + deserves the title of “flagship, and its characteristics should please all lovers of quality technology. The device works smartly and without the slightest “brakes”, and the interface did not reboot even after launching demanding applications. The phone is always ready to make calls and perform the basic functions expected of a communication tool, but it is also able to entertain you and help you work. If you are looking for a powerful filling, dressed in a really beautiful case - pay attention to One X +, it is worth it.
To date, the happy owners of One X probably managed to please the update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but what can surprise us the direct heir to an interesting and outstanding model? At first glance, the external differences can be counted on the fingers, but One X + is easy to recognize by barely picking it in the palm of your hand.
Covering the back wall has acquired a practical texture that is characteristic of all the new products of the company, and it will be very difficult to drop the device from your hands. Despite the fact that the smartphone is equipped with a 4.7-inch touch screen made using Super LCD 2 technology, it can hardly be called a “shovel”: the edges of the device are beveled and the frames on all sides of the screen have a minimum acceptable size.
The display coating is scratch-resistant and has shown excellent results during the daily operation of Corning Gorilla Glass 2, and the traditional IPS matrix, selected for a 1280x720 pixel HD screen, will definitely delight all connoisseurs of plausible and natural colors.
The dimensions of the smartphone are 134.4 x 69.9 mm with a thickness of only 8.9 mm and weighs One X + 135 grams. The battery, as in the predecessor, is non-removable, and its capacity has increased to 2100 mAh. We’ll talk about autonomy a little later, but for now we’ll carefully examine the device from all sides.
Next to the proprietary mesh speaker is a 1.6-megapixel front camera that records video in 720p resolution. The beloved indicator light, which signals incoming messages and missed notifications, has not disappeared anywhere - it is just hidden in one of the speaker's cells, and if necessary, you will definitely find it.
The controls traditionally consist of a power button located on the upper end with a clear course and a distinct response to pressing, a side “rocker” for volume control and standard touch buttons located below the screen. The device’s upgrade was reflected in the color scheme used, so that the button illumination is red, and complements its large logo of the Beats Audio sound enhancement algorithm and the rim of the main camera, which stand out against the general background.
So what's inside? The current nVidia Tegra 3 chipset with an increased operating frequency up to 1.7 GHz, 1 gigabyte of RAM and as much as 64 GB of internal memory. In benchmarks, the device shows its best side, and the experience of real use only confirms the remarkable computing capabilities of the device.
One must think that the indicated volume is enough for everyone, and most importantly - this array is a single unit and is not divided into conditional 2 GB for applications and any gigabytes for user data, as is usually the case with many models equipped with built-in memory. It remains only to decide what to store in this vast space. However, in the creation of content, it is entirely possible to count on the potential of the smartphone.
Before turning on the device, you should insert a microSIM-card using a stylish complete clip, and you will see the initial setup screen. We think that the procedure will not be surprising, but NTS still saved one surprise. The fact is that One X + can be configured remotely using a desktop computer and saving time on adding email accounts and other accounts.
Just go to start.htc.com , select your phone model (only One X + is supported so far), and you can proceed. At your service is the quick addition of Dropbox, LIVE and email services to any existing domain, and the next step is to personalize the device.
Of course, all these operations can also be done from the phone, but if possible, it is definitely more convenient. The list is not limited to adding a background image and choosing a lock screen, even a list of bookmarks and a layout of widgets on the initial screens of your device are configured.
To transfer the work done to the smaller screen, you only need an HTC Sense service account (yes, it can still come in handy!). A useful addition, right?
After making sure that the smartphone is turned on and working, let us walk through the distinguishing features of the interface of the new model. The device "out of the box" comes with Android 4.1.1. Jelly Bean and the proprietary Sense 4+ interface, which contains a number of improvements and improvements compared to numerous predecessors.
Firstly, there is the availability of useful and high-quality third-party applications. A client of the proprietary streaming service Google Music, an excellent Google Chrome browser - all this is already included in the firmware and can be tested immediately. There is even an analogue of TeamViewer QuickSupport - a program for organizing remote access to the LogMeIn Rescue device.
NTS branded services familiar from previous models have not gone away. At your service are watches that have become a symbol of the brand, many other full-screen widgets, as well as a set of utilities designed to make life easier, and many users can be freed from the torment associated with finding the “same” ideal program to perform certain functions.
To begin with, Notes can be easily combined with your account in the popular Evernote service, it is not even necessary to install a client. Weather, promotions, contact management and the Gallery of media files - all this is traditionally implemented for the NTS at the highest level and deserves all praise.
Due to the fact that not all applications have switched to using the on-screen button “Menu”, the settings provide for the possibility of assigning an honorable duty to call contextual functions to the “Recent Apps” button, and by ordinary or long pressing this will happen - it depends only from you.
The Sense proprietary shell, which, by analogy with the device, received a plus sign in the version number, boasts an updated energy distribution screen between running applications, which allows you to quickly complete programs that are currently unnecessary. In turn, in the main sections of the settings there was a configuration option Media Link HD - set-top boxes for the TV, which allows you to broadcast content literally with a flick of the finger.
The device is equipped with NFC support, which allows you to quickly transfer various information, just by touching the compatible device with your device. As the appropriate infrastructure develops, you can not limit yourself to viewing the remaining trips by subway, but pay for purchases from your mobile phone account and allow yourself many other actions in the name of saving time and increasing efficiency.
In addition to NFC, there are all kinds of interfaces and sensors, befitting a smartphone of the 2012 model. It is important that the Bluetooth protocol version 4.0 is equipped with support for the aptX code, which allows you to bring the quality of sound transmitted wirelessly to the speaker system to a level comparable to a wired connection. The standard microUSB connector is equipped with MHL support, so you can transfer content to a high-definition TV using a special cable. If your choice is life without wires, then support for the DLNA standard for streaming images and video will help.
Having connected complete or any other earphones, do not forget to try the Beats Audio sound enhancement technology, and the standard music player for NTS smartphones should appeal to most users. The collection is sorted according to standard criteria, and a couple of clicks are enough to update album covers.
Along with music files, an important part of the media library is also photos from the video, and here the NTS One X + camera will not disappoint. A high-speed sensor with a resolution of 8 megapixels, an f / 2.0 aperture, a focal length of 28 mm and a backlight matrix is complemented by a processor for image processing HTC ImageChip.
As in other models of the One series, you can take pictures right in the process of creating a video. Burst mode allows you to take up to 99 pictures in one click and then choose the best one, removing numerous duplicates.
The camera is ready to work instantly, and it does not take a second to get a frame. The “smart flash” will automatically select from five gradations the necessary pulse power to illuminate the photographed object, and the image stabilizer will minimize “shake” when shooting with hands. There is also a slow motion mode at a speed of 120 frames per second.
You can familiarize with examples of photos below. To evaluate the operation of the HDR mode, we offer you a couple of comparative shots. In addition, we did not miss the opportunity to take a small panorama of the surroundings.
A sample video in 1080p is available here .
The camera interface is designed in the style of the One series, but here there are certain improvements compared to previous models. The main shooting scenarios are grouped into a separate pop-up menu, and panorama, group portrait and HDR modes are available in one click. The built-in and flexibly customizable effects have not disappeared anywhere, and the shutter button has become larger than the activation of the video mode, because we still take pictures on the phone more often than record videos.
When switching to panoramic shooting, a virtual horizon will appear on the screen, and the correct “bonding” of the components of the picture is guaranteed by a convenient indication.
The taken pictures and recorded videos, as expected, can be viewed in the Gallery, but take your time to go to the local storage. On the application’s start screen, you will be greeted by large icons of network services, so that after entering the appropriate credentials, a single application will become a real guide to the world of content scattered across various “clouds”.
Thumbnail generation is very fast, thanks to the powerful hardware, but the built-in player cannot yet boast of “omnivorousness”. As before, to play files in the MKV container, you need a third-party player, but the native video player without any problems lost videos in the MPEG4 (MP4, M4V) format with a resolution of up to 1920 × 1080 pixels, not to mention the standard DVD-quality files in the AVI and WMV formats.
The keyboard for entering text has become more convenient, and if desired, the settings activate text input with a stroke, becoming more and more popular and traveling from one third-party solution to another. In this case, you do not need to install anything, all the necessary functionality is present initially, the only question is the formation of your personal dictionary.
Traditionally, for the NTS there is a large selection of personalization tools, not limited to branded widgets and wallpapers. There are themes and whole images suitable for various scenarios of using the device.
It would be a sin not to use such a powerful device as a navigator, and the special “In the Car” mode will help to improve safety and comfort. When activated, the display will show basic information about the time and weather, and large labels of the necessary programs will be placed in the corners.
It is also important that both the dialer and the music player are fundamentally redesigned, which is important when connecting the phone to car speakers. However, when driving, do not ignore the headset or the hands-free system.
When a free minute is issued (or the traffic jam seems especially impenetrable), the entire range of exclusive games presented for the Tegra chipset is at your service.
The Tegra Zone app will help you make the choice, and the level of graphic performance and the excitement of mobile entertainment will definitely not disappoint. As an example, we can take screenshots from the games Horn and Dark Meadow: The Pact.
And now for the sore - battery life. Due to the increased battery capacity, you can safely rely on the phone to function during the day with automatic brightness control and background synchronization of several accounts.
To prolong life in a difficult moment, the activation of the energy saving mode will help, reducing the brightness of the screen and turning off data transfer in the background.
The increased frequency of the CPU does not significantly affect the performance, because most of the time the device works at a modest 500-700 MHz. Heavy games can land the battery quickly enough, but it is unlikely to spend hours behind them, because the pace of modern life does not tolerate idleness.
To summarize. Smartphone HTC One X + deserves the title of “flagship, and its characteristics should please all lovers of quality technology. The device works smartly and without the slightest “brakes”, and the interface did not reboot even after launching demanding applications. The phone is always ready to make calls and perform the basic functions expected of a communication tool, but it is also able to entertain you and help you work. If you are looking for a powerful filling, dressed in a really beautiful case - pay attention to One X +, it is worth it.