TMCnet News

Sleek, selfie phone [New Straits Time (Malaysia)]
[April 20, 2014]

Sleek, selfie phone [New Straits Time (Malaysia)]


(New Straits Time (Malaysia) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) IT'S a gadget that will bring out the social media skills in you, writes Izwan Ismail.

Smartphones provide a level of social connection far beyond what we would have imagined a few years ago. Some of the newer smartphones in the market are equipped with features such as sleek design, specialised camera and a host of apps to optimise the social media experience. We test the latest smartphone from HTC's stable, HTC One (M8), to see how it stacks up against the competition.



DESIGN Looks is normally a deciding factor when buying a phone and the HTC One (M8) can be categorised as one of the better-looking phones.

The brushed aluminium unibody finish at the back with curved edges and the right weight makes it feel premium. However, I find this 5-inch phone quite slippery to hold without a casing attached.


The screen features a full HD 1080p resolution, which delivers razer-sharp colour images. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 2.

IMAGE QUALITY The HTC One (M8) features a five-megapixel front camera which is huge, when compared to normal 1-2MP front cameras in most phones.

This gives a much detailed and clearer result, especially for selfie shots. By pressing the camera icon, users will be led to six camera functions, including one dedicated to selfie enthusiasts.

The selfie function has a sub menu to give more oomph to the shots, such as the ability to adjust exposure, white balance and picture effects.

There is also a timer function which can be adjusted up to 10 seconds should you decide to use the increasingly popular monopod to take your selfie shots. Simply tap on the screen and the countdown begins, enough for you to compose the frame.

In the main camera department, HTC has decided to use a four- megapixel duo camera technology. There are two cameras at the back to give better image quality.

While the first back camera takes the photo, the second captures the depth of field information which can be used later for editing purposes.

The photo editing feature allows you to change the focus point of the image: Blur the background or foreground to generate interesting effects, or apply effects to particular parts of an image using the Foregrounder tool. You can also drop animation into your photo based on the four seasons: Falling leaves, snowflakes, dandelion seeds and so on. There are also filters to make the pictures more interesting.

The result is pretty amazing with dSLR-like bokeh effect, which makes a subject more outstanding.

If you like taking panoramic pictures, there is a 360-degree panorama function. Dual-shot mode is also available should you want a photo with both front and rear views included.

In the video dept, this phone captures fullHD 1080p video.

IMPRESSIVE AUDIO In the previous model, sound was one of HTC One's killer features. The front-facing stereo in M8 is said to be 25 per cent better. And I totally agree.

The audio quality is very solid, one of the best I've come across in a smartphone. The sound is crisp and well-controlled, even when you crank up the volume to the max. It's enough to fill a small room with clear music.

POWER HOUSE The HTC One (M8) is powered by Qualcomm's quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 with 2GB RAM.

It's responsive enough in terms of running applications. If you feel the 16GB built-in storage is not enough, there's an external storage slot which allows you to increase capacity to up to 128GB.

HTC has introduced HTC Sense 6.0 user interface which offers better Blinkfeed capability. It allows users to see all their social media notifications on one page.

CONCLUSION Based on its features and build, the HTC One (M8) is one of the best offerings in the Android market. There is no price point yet at Press time, but it is certain to be placed in the premium class category.

The HTC One (M8) Product: HTC One (M8) Make: HTC Corporation Inquiries: www.htc.com/sea Price: None at Press time Our verdict: **** Performance: **** Design: ***** Features: ***** Value for money: **** Specifications: OS: Android 4.4 Screen: Five inch LCD Camera 4 megapixel duo camera with 5MP front camera Storage: 16GB, with external storage slot RAM: 2GB Weight: 160g (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]