HTC One mini

HTC unveils the One mini - can it echo its big brother's success?

Given that Samsung has produced a 4.3-inch Mini adaptation of its flagship 5-inch Galaxy S4 smartphone, it's no abruptness to see HTC chase clothing with the HTC One mini, which the aggregation clearly appear on Thursday. Like Samsung, HTC is aiming to action the majority of its flagship-phone acquaintance in a scaled-down, added affordable package.

Not so continued ago, we were anecdotic 4.3-inch smartphones like Samsung's Galaxy S II and HTC's Desire HD as accepting a "large" screen. The aforementioned admeasurement awning now adorns these vendors' "mini" ranges.

In the case of the HTC One mini, it's a 720p HD affectation with a resolution of 720 by 1,280 pixels (342ppi). For those who acquisition 4.7-inch and 5-inch screens adamantine to use one-handed, the One mini's abate anatomy agency is acceptable to be a acceptable development. The new handset runs Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). In best respects, the One Mini's architecture is affectionate to its big brother: it uses the aforementioned full-metal "zero-gap" architecture with front-mounted BoomSound speakers, an "ultrapixel" rear camera with HTC's accompanying multi-still/video Zoe functionality, and the BlinkFeed alive home screen.

The new handset measures 63.2mm advanced by 132mm aerial by 9.25mm abysmal and weighs 122g (by contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini's basic statistics are 61.3mm x 124.6mm x 8.94mm and 107g). As for the innards, the One Mini is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and 16GB of centralized storage. It supports quad-band GSM/GPRS, tri-band HSPA at up to 42Mbps download and LTE in the 800/1800/2600MHz bands (in EMEA).

Dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth (4.0) are present, forth with DLNA and HTC Connect alive media support. The front-facing camera is a 1.6-megapixel assemblage that supports 720p HD video, while the capital UltraPixel camera at the rear supports full-HD 1080p video recording.

The One mini introduces a abuse to the Zoe still and video abduction affection by acceleration the cardinal of music capacity accessible for the automated highlights video, and adds the adeptness to accept your own soundtrack.

What's missing from the One mini compared to its above affinity is the bittersweet alien ascendancy feature, Sense TV, and NFC abutment — basically for amplitude reasons. GPS is present (with GLONASS support), forth with a ambit and gyro, accelerometer, adjacency and ambient ablaze sensors.

The One mini has an 1,800mAh Li-polymer array for which HTC claims up to 20.72 hours GSM allocution time and 500 hours on standby. Comparable claimed abstracts for the One with its 2,300mAh array are 27 hours allocution and 479 hours standby.

The rollout of the HTC One mini, which will be accessible in argent or black, starts in August, with Germany and the UK in the aboriginal beachcomber of countries to get the device. HTC wouldn't allocution prices at the columnist examination above adage that, compared to abettor tariffs for the HTC One, the One mini would be "two amount credibility below".

To acquisition out whether it delivers as acceptable an acquaintance as its big brother, delay for our abounding review. Aboriginal impressions, however, are good.

T-Mobile US Nokia Lumia 925

First impressions of the T-Mobile US Nokia Lumia 925 (Gallery)

T-Mobile flagships: Nokia Lumia 925 and HTC One

This anniversary we saw the availability to acquirement and pre-order two new Nokia Lumia devices, the 925 on T-Mobile and the 1020 on AT&T. Given that I already own a Nokia 808 PureView, no best accept an AT&T account, and am a 10-year+ T-Mobile chump I went to a bounded T-Mobile abundance in New York and absolved out with a new Nokia Lumia 925.

Initial accouterments thoughts

I accept alone spent a day with the 925 so far and will absorb abundant added time with it as I assignment on a abounding analysis to column in a anniversary or two. I captivated the 925 at CTIA for a few annual and now that I accept my own in duke I am actual afflicted with the hardware. I would put it on the aforementioned aerial akin as the absurd HTC One, in agreement of accouterments design.

Like the HTC One, the in-hand feel is awesome. I like the metal anatomy with bendable white artificial back. Windows Phones accept consistently tended to accept rather low accouterments buttons that can be boxy to press, but Nokia anchored that with concrete buttons that are accessible to press.

The microSIM, microUSB, and headphone jack are all begin at the top while the basal and larboard ancillary are empty. The camera, power, and aggregate buttons are all on the appropriate side. The camera sticks out a bit on the back, but I don't see that as an affair back there is a bit of an bend aloft the camera lens cover.

The affectation looks abundant and I was able to analysis it in absolute 95+ amount sunlight in New York to see it was arresting and accessible in that condition. Nokia excels at accouterments and the 925 is one of their best absorbing accessories to date.

Initial software thoughts

The Lumia 925 launches with the Amber update, which brings some affair I adulation from MeeGo and Symbian. These Amber appearance accommodate an consistently present alarm back the awning is off, bifold tap to about-face on, cast to silence, abstracts faculty (helps you administer your abstracts limits),

The Nokia Smart Camera app is glossy and one of the things I can't delay to try more. I do attending advanced to the Pro Camera annual begin on the 1020 as well. There are added Nokia Lumia software elements like camera lenses, the HERE apartment of apps, and more.

There are a few T-Mobile apps loaded out of the box, but bethink with Windows Buzz you can consistently abolish them and not be ashore with them like you are on Android smartphones. I like the My Annual utility, but removed the NameID and T-Mobile TV apps appropriate away. It is additionally abundant to see WiFi Calling accurate on the Lumia 925.

Comparison to 920 and 928

The aftermost Lumia I endemic was the 920 and with the 925 you get bigger accouterments design, IMHO, a camera with an added lens, the Amber update, and a flagship Lumia on T-Mobile. I like the 928 accouterments bigger than the 920 too and while the 928 has a Xenon beam (I didn't see that abundant advantage with it on that device) the 925 has the added lens and Amber update.

The Amber amend is advancing to the 920 and 928 so all three are abundant choices on your adopted carrier. I alone acquisition the Lumia 925 accouterments to be the best of these three, with the barring of the 16GB centralized storage.

Can the Lumia 925 be my primary device?

I accept acquaint Tweets afresh advertence that a WP8 accessory couldn't be my primary device, mostly due to abridgement of connectivity with accessories like the Jawbone UP and Pebble. However, these are not absolutely aliment so I took my HTC One and iPhone 5 and compared all the apps and casework I use on them to what I accept installed on the Lumia 925.

While I do lose a exceptional Google acquaintance (Gmail, Hangouts, Google+) with the 925, the alone app I use frequently that I anticipate I will absolutely absence is the USAA coffer app. USAA was one of the aboriginal to abutment Windows Phone, but has back alone abutment so I can no best booty photos of checks and drop them. I can analysis my annual and do best things through Internet Explorer so analysis deposits will aloof accept to delay for my iPad.

The HTC One does action some abundant conveniences that are not on the Lumia 925, including an IR for alien control, adeptness to hire and watch movies, adeptness to adapt videos to share, and analysis out brawl amateur with MLB At Bat.

I biking absolutely a bit on Alaska Airlines and use my buzz to present my boarding pass. The Alaska Airlines association were quick to acknowledge to my Tweets that their adaptable website supports all the app functionality so I activated it out on a acknowledgment flight bygone and that aperture is now acquainted too.

Email, calendar, amusing arrangement apps, photo apps, utilities, and alike amateur that I use frequently are all accessible for the 925 so it looks like the 925 can be my primary accessory if I accord up Pebble connectivity. There is a rumor that an amend from Nokia will accredit Bluetooth LE abutment so I could possibly afresh affix my Pebble and Fitbit One and afresh be acceptable to go. I plan to accumulate my SIM in the 925 alone and see how it goes with Windows Phone.

Why didn't I accomplish the jump to the 1020?

I adulation what I see in the Nokia Lumia 1020, but candidly I rarely alike use my 808 PureView and am not abundant of a photo enthusiast to pay the exceptional amount and add an AT&T annual afresh ($85/month for a account I rarely acclimated before). I accept been annoyed with the HTC One so with the 925 alms added megapixels I am abiding it will serve me aloof fine.

If the 1020 had launched on T-Mobile I acceptable would accept purchased it. However, the 925 accouterments absolutely is appealing amazing and the antecedent amount of $50 is boxy to beat. BTW, I active up for the new T-Mobile JUMP! plan to see for myself if it is account accepting back I advancement my phones absolutely often. Given that it is alone a brace dollars added than allowance it additionally gives me accord of mind.

To be evaluated

I took a few photos and as I abundant in an beforehand column the Lumia 925 Nokia Smart Camera app is actual capable. So far I absolutely acquisition it a bit added automatic than the HTC One software that requires you to aboriginal abduction a Zoe and afresh go into the editor to add the effects. However, it doesn't attending to accept as abounding alteration options either. I plan to absorb a lot added time comparing these two flagship camera phones that are accessible to T-Mobile barter so break acquainted for added on the camera.

I am actual aghast in the 16GB centralized accumulator strategy, although I do accept that a antecedent amount of $50 is acutely attractive. My primary affair is capturing my daughter's basketball amateur and it may do abundant for one bold afore I upload the videos, but it won't be able to handle a tourney with assorted games.

5 best iPad mini keyboards

5 best keyboards for the iPad mini

The baby admeasurement of the iPad mini isn't decidedly ill-fitted for use with keyboards, abnormally those that anatomy cases for the tablet. The amplitude of the book agency keyboards charge be absolutely undersized, consistent in such attenuated keyboards that acceptable typists should be frustrated.

Several accent makers accept appear up with different designs that accommodate decidedly acceptable adventures for blow typists. These use about full-sized keys on baby keyboards that fit the iPad mini nicely.

This accumulating of 5 keyboard cases for the iPad mini are the best choices accessible at the time of this writing. The biographer has acclimated all but one of them to blazon tens of bags of words after problems. The aftermost keyboard in this alternative has not been acclimated alone but was recommended by abundant readers and appropriately is included here.

Battery Life for Android Phones

10 tips for bigger array activity for Android phones

How to get added array activity out of Android phones (and tablets)

In the aboriginal canicule of Android it was a absolute assignment to ability the end of a active day with array activity left. That's bigger over time but it can still sometimes be difficult to get through a active day after active the array dry. Frequent business travelers in accurate apperceive how important it is to amplitude the battery, as traveling can be adamantine on ability usage. The tips in this accumulating can go a continued way to advice get through those canicule and cautiously aback to the buzz charger.

Many of these tips are artlessly accepted sense, but they are account advertence aloof in case. Plus, if they aren't mentioned some will admiration why they were overlooked.

In after versions of Android there is a nice ability acceptance blueprint as apparent aloft that is attainable via settings. It can advice analyze culprits that are clarification the array badly should you apprehension the actual array seems too low.

These tips are accurately for Android phones, but best added phones acceptable accept agnate settings that can be tweaked for agnate array gain.

Big affair in Smartphones

The abutting big affair in smartphones is... you acquaint us

Few customer cyberbanking categories accept avant-garde in the aftermost few years like the smartphone space. The smartphone has become a handheld computer that is built-in in the lives of abounding owners. There are several able platforms that run phones that accept become as attenuate as can be. There are smartphones in assorted sizes from the aboriginal that fit calmly in the duke to the garishly ample ones that almost fit in a shirt pocket.

Phone makers accept apprenticed addition to the point that it's not accessible to adumbrate what the abutting big technology ability be in the smartphone space. Phones accept gotten about as attenuate and ablaze as they can while still acceptance OEMs to charge lots of technology inside. We've got phones with crazily high-resolution cameras that battling committed point-and-shoots. There are phones currently on the bazaar that clasp high-resolution displays in a amalgamation aloof a few inches long.

Passionate adaptable enthusiasts are absolutely cerebration what ability be advancing abutting as it's not bright what OEMs ability be planning to booty the technology to the abutting level. Abounding ZDNet readers are both actual acute and adeptness about the technology that ability appulse smartphones of the future. Those are acceptable affidavit to accept a focussed altercation about what we ability see in smartphones to come.

This altercation should not be about which belvedere is bigger (or ability be in the future), it should be about which accouterments components, architecture innovations, features, or new software you anticipate will jump-start the abutting bearing of smartphones.

There is little agnosticism that some accept their accepted BlackBerry/Windows Phone/Android/iPhone is already perfect. If so, accumulate that to yourself as this isn't the abode for a belvedere war. Accumulate your comments to the affair at duke which is what do smartphones currently abridgement that you anticipate will accomplish the cool smartphone bottomward the road.

Maybe you're cerebration of a retina scanner to alleviate your smartphone in the future. Perhaps you anticipate a adjustable affectation advance from your buzz to accomplish a big screen. Your account may be aloof what OEMs are attractive for, so allotment them here. Some bodies in the industry apprehend this amplitude so who knows, maybe you'll kick-start the abutting big affair in smartphones.

This has the abeyant to be a actual aerial akin altercation so let's do it. Allotment your thoughts/longings about what could be bigger in the smartphone of today to booty us into the future.

Android invades desktop

Android invades the desktop

Microsoft has spent a lot of time and accomplishment aggravating to get Windows assimilate smartphones and tablets--so far afterwards a accomplished lot to appearance for it. Now several PC companies are aggravating the adverse approach, demography the Android operating arrangement and porting it to PCs.

HP-Slate21

The latest archetype is HP’s Slate 21, which looks like a accepted all-in-one PC with a 21.5-inch (1920x1080) IPS touchscreen, but has the specs of a book including Nvidia’s Tegra 4 quad-core processor and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. HP says it has included several appearance to accomplish Android assignment bigger on the desktop including abutment for up to bristles Google profiles, drivers for USB peripherals and a software arranged that includes Splashtop for active Windows apps and a abundance apartment (Kingsoft Office). The Slate 21 has alone 8GB of storage, but there is an SD agenda aperture for amplification and HP says USB beam drives and alien adamantine drives will additionally work. It will be accessible starting in September for $400. (My colleague, Sean Portnoy, covered the Slate 21 advertisement here.)

Acer is already affairs a agnate product, additionally with a 21.5-inch 1920x1080 touchscreen, but they are business it added as a adviser that additionally happens to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The DA220HQL has a Texas Instruments’ OMAP 4430 dual-core processor, 1GB of memory, 8GB of storage, congenital Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and micro-HDMI, micro-USB, and a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Last anniversary Samsung appear the ATIV Q, a convertible with several abnormal features. First, it has a 13.3-inch affectation with a QHD resolution (3,200 by 1,800 pixels). Second, it runs both Windows 8 and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Finally, with its sliding articulation you can use the ATIV Q as book or ultraportable laptop, or cast the awning over to use it in a angle approach like a agenda photo anatomy or carriageable DVD player. (Samsung is additionally casting a “float” approach area the affectation hovers aloft the abject and keyboard—much like the Acer Aspire R7 with its “ezel” hinge—but I’m not abiding this approach will be actual practical.) One absorbing affection lets you pin Android apps assimilate the Windows 8 Start awning so that you can bound barrage them. The ATIV Q will appear with a fourth-generation Core-i5 (Haswell) processor, 4GB of anamnesis and a 128GB SSD, but Samsung hasn’t appear availability or appraisement yet.

At Computex, Asus appear the Transformer Book Trio, which as the name implies is meant to assignment as tablet, laptop and desktop. On its own the 11.6-inch (1920x1080) slate has a 2.0GHz Atom Z2580 processor (Clover Trail+), 2GB of memory, and 64GB of accumulator and runs Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Back it is affiliated to the PC Abject keyboard dock, it functions as a laptop that can run either Windows 8 or Android. Finally the PC Station, which has a fourth-generation Core i7 (Haswell) processor and 750GB of storage, can be absorbed up to an alien affectation to use as a Windows 8 desktop. The Transformer Book Trio will be accessible in the third division but Asus has not appear pricing.

Asus already sells a Transformer AiO (All-in-One) that combines an 18.4-inch Full HD book that runs Android 4.1 Jellybean with a PC advancing abject that runs Windows 8. The book is able with a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 2GB of anamnesis and 32GB of storage. The PC Abject has a Core i5-3350P processor (Ivy Bridge), 4GB of anamnesis and a 1TB adamantine drive (expandable to 2TB). You can additionally attach an alien adviser to the abject station. Back the book is in the PC Abject you can about-face aback and alternating amid Android and Windows by hitting a dejected button on the appropriate ancillary of the tablet. Back you abstract the tablet, the PC Abject can wirelessly beck Windows 8 to the book application the Splashtop alien admission software. CNET’s Rich Brown advised the Transformer AiO, which starts at about $1,300.

The abstraction of an Android all-in-one or amalgam PC sounds a bit aberrant at first, abnormally back you accede that Google has a abstracted Chrome OS advised accurately for computers. But it makes some faculty in assertive situations. There was a time back x86 Windows affinity was all that mattered, but the adaptable anarchy has addled that on its head—at atomic for consumers. Users now demand the aforementioned Android or iOS apps and amateur on all their devices. And the billow makes it accessible to admission your files and agreeable from any device. Microsoft’s plan, of course, is to bout this ecosystem in Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. But that’s not the case today.

I’m not assertive that an Android-only all-in-one or desktop makes abundant sense. And if you artlessly demand a additional accessory for admission to Google services, a $199 Chromebook will do the job absolutely nicely. But a amalgam Windows 8 arrangement that doubles as a ample Android tablet, which you can backpack about the abode to break in blow online, watch movies or comedy games, isn’t such a crazy abstraction afterwards all.