Switched On: Moving forward with leaning back

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> <em>Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.</em></div><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="DNP Switched On Moving forward with leaning back" data-src-height="412" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/02/htconehandson2-1361297526-1361568248.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> Just a few months have passed between the introduction of the Droid DNA and the new HTC One, but it seems that HTC has been turned upside down in that time. While the Droid DNA was introduced in conjunction with Verizon and can't be a wholly representative picture of how HTC might have introduced the device otherwise, it was a spec- and design-driven product -- a 5-inch, 1080p display with a 440-ppi density that appeared to spill over onto sides that included a microperforation.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> In contrast, little was said about the HTC One hardware itself until later in the device's introduction, surprising because the HTC One is not only the most attractive handset the company has ever built, but also certainly one of the most attractive on the market. While it is an Android device, the casing builds upon the tapered, Windows Phone-inspired 8X, substituting aluminum for polycarbonate. That said, there is also the spillover glass effect found on the Droid DNA. The HTC One retains the 1080p display found in the Droid DNA. However, since the screen is smaller, the pixel density is even higher (468 ppi) than in that record-breaking device.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> Key specs continue to influence the HTC One, sometimes in surprising ways. Many companies have declared the megapixel wars over through the years, but few have actually stood behind that claim by reducing resolution as HTC has with its 4-megapixel "UltraPixel" camera. Other hardware choices such as the integrated stereo speakers and dual microphones also enabled key functionality and differentiation.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> However, what provides direction for that functionality -- indeed, what HTC devoted the first half of its introduction to -- is the software experience. A theme that ran through the features was the way the One will take what is often a lean-in, 1-foot experience and imbue it with elements of a bigger-screen, lean-back experience. Examples of this included:</div><h3 dir="ltr" id="title0" style="text-align: left;"> BlinkFeed</h3><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> While HTC Sense has previously sought to be a bubble-up experience across a wide range of activities, those have now been concentrated into a Flipboard-like scrolling mélange of social- and media-driven updates. As with other content aggregators, it takes some time to set up, but once it's in place, it's time to feed at the content trough.</div><h3 dir="ltr" id="title1" style="text-align: left;"> BoomSound</h3><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> Applying amplification and Beats processing to those stereo speakers enables the One to rise above the tinny monophone of most cellphone speakers to create a tiny theater experience. You'll still probably want headphones for most listening, but there's no work to be done here. Just lean (slightly) back and enjoy.</div><h3 dir="ltr" id="title2" style="text-align: left;"> Sense TV</h3><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> Adding an infrared emitter and TV program guide to a mobile device is the kind of thing you might expect from TV vendors such as Sony and Samsung. Indeed, both have put such a port on their tablets and paired it with guides. But for HTC this is a step forward beyond the Media Link it introduced with the first One.</div><h3 dir="ltr" id="title3" style="text-align: left;"> Zoe</h3><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> "Shall I take a picture or video?" So much to think about. Not anymore. Taking advantage of the One's bigger pixels and fast processor for automatic HDR, Zoe (inspired by the "zoetrope") is a nifty photo / video combination that includes capabilities seen in Microsoft Photosynth as well as from Scalado. HTC's new photo and video experience can even automatically create highlight videos, a process that takes an extra step on the iPhone or BlackBerry Z10.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> Speaking of BlackBerry, rumors have recently swirled that Lenovo has been interested in acquiring the smartphone pioneer. The kind of personal and professional productivity optimizer that the former RIM has targeted is very much in line with Lenovo's resonant slogan, "For those who do." The HTC One, on the other hand, seems designed "for those who would rather not" -- rather not dig through separate feed apps, rather not strain to hear a music video, rather not even pick up a separate remote control. And that's OK. It can require a great deal of overachievement to enable underachievement.</div></div>

Switched On: Moving forward with leaning back

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Just a few months have passed between the introduction ...

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HTC One imaging in depth: UltraPixel camera and Zoe Share

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/02/htconehandsonlead01.jpg" width="640" /> </div><div class="separator" dir="ltr" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Saying that the HTC One has piqued our interest is an understatement. The handset, which was announced today in London and New York, combines ultra-refined design with a uniquely tweaked Android experience, something we've covered in our hardware and software posts. Still, it's the UltraPixel camera that's raising the most eyebrows. We briefly played with the shooter and witnessed the new Zoe functionality first hand. It's clear that HTC is making a bold move with the imaging technology used on this phone, but what does it really mean in terms of specs and performance? Let's dive into the nitty gritty after the break.  </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> HTC picked the word UltraPixel to brand its latest camera, just like Nokia coined the term PureView for its devices last year. The idea behind UltraPixels is to combine a physically large sensor with big pixels capable of gathering more light. With the HTC One, the company chose a 1/3-inch BSI sensor with 2µm pixels which absorb 330% more photons than the 1.1µm pixels typically found in modern handsets. This is combined with a fast 28mm f/2.0 autofocus lens similar to what's available on the One X, but slightly recessed for protection. Better yet, this shooter features optical image stabilization (OIS) just like the Lumia 920 -- it's able to compensate for motion in 2 axes (pitch and yaw) up to 2,000 times per second. With big 2µm pixels (that's Fujifilm X10 territory), a fast f/2.0 lens (vs. f/2.4 on the iPhone 5 and f/2.6 on the Galaxy S III) and OIS, the HTC One is poised to excel at low-light photography. A single LED flash is provided for those extremely dark circumstances.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> We're pretty sure you've noticed the giant elephant in the room by now -- the lack of any mention of pixel count. That large sensor packs just four megapixels (!) and while anyone who knows digital photography understands that's plenty, it's still a daring move in a market driven by the megapixel myth. We'll take four million 2µm pixels over eight million 1.1µm pixels any day, but we think it's going be an uphill battle for HTC to educate the average consumer. The HTC One packs a new image signal processor (ISP) called ImageChip 2, which enables continuous autofocus in less than 200ms, and provides real-time lens compensation plus noise reduction. It also supports 1080p HDR video recording at near 30fps and 720p at 60fps with a dynamic range of about 84dB. The ISP implements a buffered capture cycle with pre- and post-shutter recording, for functionality similar to Scalado's Rewind / Remove, Nokia's Smart Shot, Samsung's Best Face and BlackBerry's Time Shift.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> All this camera technology culminates with one particularly cool feature: Zoe. Named after the Greek word "life" and hinting at old zoetropes, this feature captures a 3-second 1080p 30fps H.264 video clip along with a 16:9 2688x1520 JPEG picture each time the shutter button is pressed. In burst mode, the HTC One is capable of taking 4-5 full-size stills per second while recording 1080p video. The resulting 3-second clips become animated thumbnails for your photos in the gallery. When you're ready to share your memories, smart content editing, cutting and sequencing software is used to create and upload a Zoe -- a professional-like highlight reel with images, clips, effects and music that remixes your content on the fly, complete with theme and music track synchronization. There are six themes and six music tracks to choose from, and you're given the option to deselect photos or videos. Once uploaded, the result can be shared via Zoe Share, which generates a standard URL that's valid for 30 days -- think of it as Vine on steroids, but less permanent.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> In addition the the main shooter, the HTC One comes equipped with a 2.1 megapixel front-facing module with f/2.0 wide-angle (88-degree) optics that supports 1080p video capture. Dual HDR microphones provide distortion-free stereo audio recording in a wide variety of conditions, including loud venues. Unfortunately, our time with the UltraPixel camera was too short to formulate a solid opinion, but based on our experience so far, HTC's latest shooter is poised to delight both shutterbugs and casual users alike. On thing's for sure: we can't wait to take the company's latest imaging flagship for a spin.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>

HTC One imaging in depth: UltraPixel camera and Zoe Share

  Saying that the HTC One has piqued our interest is an understatement. The handset, which was announced today in London and New York, combi...

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