Review

Apr 8 2012

HTC Sensation XL Review

HTC has gained a reputation of releasing high quality handsets with impressive tech specs and good build quality. With the majority of their Android based devices being fronted by the consumer friendly Sense interface, they have found a strong market place. In this review we are going to take a look at one of last years flagship devices from HTC, the Sensation XL from Three.

The look and feel of the phone.

The first thing that you notice when pick up the HTC Sensation XL is the sheer size of it’s 4.7 inch screen.

If you are used to a smart phone with a more traditional sized screen, eg the 3.5 inch screen of the iPhone 4s, the screen will look huge, and this means that that this is one of the biggest handsets on the market. That said HTC have done a great job of keeping the overall handset size down to a minimum as the screen almost fills the entire of the front of the phone, but many will struggle using the handset with one hand and have to resort to almost tablet like double-handed use.
The HTC Sensation runs at a resolution of 480×800 which is significantly less then the iPhone 4′s Retina display and when looking at photographs the large screen exaggerates the lack of sharpness, however the screen does look better then that of the LG Optimus 3G, and the screen size does bring significant benefits. For those of you into Social Media, the Android versions of Twitter and Facebook look great on the HTC Sensation XL; text is well spaced out and very readable on the large screen, and the web browser renders text excellently, automatically resizing to the most appropriate magnification as you pinch to zoom around the web page.
The large screen on the HTC Sensation is even large enough to make Touch Enabled games on the OnLive service easily playable, allowing top class AAA games titles to be played on the mobile device, the OnLive service is a fantastic facility for smartphones and I’m surprised that mobile networks haven’t started pushing this yet as a selling point.

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Dirt 3 by CodeMasters running on the On Live Games Service on the HTC Sensation XL

The HTC Sensation XL runs Android 2.3.5 with HTC Sense version 3.5 and whilst many may be surprised by the phone only having a single core processor, Android runs fairly well on the handset flipping between screens smoothly and quickly, although occasionally lag starts to creep in when you rapidly scroll through graphically intensive pages. The phone has 16gb of storage and this provides plenty of space for your applications, pictures and music, so you shouldn’t get any of the out of memory error messages which seem to plague other Android devices.

The HTC Sensation XL comes with Beats Audio technology and a set of Beats headphones, which given the standalone price of Beats headphones is a nice addition, although the Beats technology only works through the standard audio player so anyone looking to use a downloaded music playing App won’t be able to use Beats. Here’s our review of Beats Audio

Some authority Web sites have questioned why HTC continue to skin Android with Sense but for non-technical users Sense makes Android straight forward to use and provides easy access to Android’s functionality, it also provides a consistant approach to all of HTC’s phones, and in Androids fragmented market this is welcome.
Android has improved significantly since the original HTC Dream (G1), and while iOS may be more polished there are some areas where Android has an advantage. For me the most important of these are Widgets. Widgets are small applications which sit on the Android desktops and are used to present information instantly to the user, for example, the time, the weather, social media updates, or a view of your calendar. If iOS had Androids\Senses AgendaWidget I for one would be much more organised.

Mobile Data Functionality

The HTC Sensation XL supports 802.11b/g/n wifi networks, and switchover between mobile data networks (eg 3G) and known WiFi networks is automated, transparent and seamless. Some Android phones don’t handle this switch very well, but so far I’ve found the Sensation XL to cope very well with network switching

The Three  network has come a long way in recent years, and wherever we tested the phone we got fast HSPDA data speeds, emails were transmitted quickly. Video quality was good on Youtube, without significant buffering, and Synchronisation between the device and Google Accounts were almost real time.

On Three’s One Plan Internet usage is unlimited, and this is when Smart Phones come into their own. If you find yourself away from your home Wifi network you can send pictures, large emails, and upload videos quickly and without having to worry about extra data costs or data caps.

The Camera

The 8 mega pixel camera on the HTC Sensation XL is a mixed bag, it excels at some images and seems to struggle at others, it also has some very interesting features which are worth exploring. I’ll start with camera’s strong points.

I’ve been able to take stunning landscape shots with the HTC Sensation XL which match those taken on the iPhone 4s. There is a nice exaggeration of some hues, as shown in the pictures below. The picture taken on the iPhone is a more realistic representation of the real scene, but on the HTC Sensation XL the slight lightening of the picture and strengthening of the pink colour in the sky makes for a truly beautiful photograph, although possibly not one appreciated by a camera purest.

HTC Sensation XL Example Photo - Click to enlarge

You can clearly see the differences in the 2 shots, taken on the different phones.

iPhone 4S Example Photo - Click to enlarge

Panoramic Photography

One of the most impressive photography features on the HTC Sensation XL is the ability to take Panoramic photos as standard through the default camera app, by stitching together upto 3 consecutive photographs and the results are very good.
When in Panoramic mode you are given on screen markers indicating how far to move the camera between each shot and the software does the rest. The Panoramic mode doesn’t work that well in scenes that lack detail, eg pictures of the sea and sky, but in pictures where there are clear structures the software does a good job of stitching a seamless image.

HTC Sensation XL Panoramic Photo - Click to Enlarge

The above image shows how well the HTC Sensation XL can produce Panoramic Photos. This functionality is missing from iOS devices unless a separate app is purchased, and it really is a nice addition, and along side it is the Action Burst mode.

Action Burst Photography

With Action Burst mode selected when you press the camera shoot button the HTC Sensation XL takes 5 pictures straight after each other, which is useful for capturing action sequences, as shown in the sequence below which shows an owl flying, the results can be impressive, but can also highlight one of the weaknesses of the phones camera.

HTC Sensation XL Action Burst Photo's - Click to Enlarge

The camera on the HTC captures still and distant objects very well, but frequently struggles with fine detail or fast moving shots, as shown in the image below, the ground is captured clearly but the moving squirrel is a little blurred

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The Camera on the HTC struggles to capture moving objects - click to enlarge

Video Capture
Video Capture and upload is becoming increasingly more important on mobile phones and the HTC Sensation XL records reasonable quality and sharp videos, however on the highest resolution the captured video is slight jerky, certainly when compared to video recorded on the iPhone 4S. This is probably due to the single core processor in the Sensation XL but it is only really noticeable when you compare it directly with other video. However, if you capture lots of videos, and this is a part of your mobile life, then you might need to look at a different handset.

 

Final thoughts:
There is no doubt that the HTC Sensation XL is a very good phone, and shows a true return to form by HTC. the large screen and easily readable text make this an ideal phone for those into Social Media and web browsing. HTC Sense makes the phone easy to use and an ideal consumer phone, and with the release of the HTC One series of phones you can pick up the Sensation XL for a very reasonable price.
My only concerns about the phone is for those who really enjoy photography, as I don’t think that the camera or screen are of high enough quality to meet their needs.

Useful Links

 

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By Gadget Phil • Android, Hardware • 0 • Tags: , , ,

Feb 26 2012

LG Optimus 3D Review

Every now and again a new form of technology comes onto the market which adds a completely new twist onto an existing concept. This is certainly true of the LG Optimus 3D from Three which taps into the current trend for 3D and adds it onto the familiar Android Operating system, but is it just a gimmick or does it add a genuine benefit to the user?

The Look and Feel of the phone

The LG Optimus 3D has a huge 4.3″ screen which means that this is a large phone, longer and wider than the iPhone, which might make it difficult to hold for those with small hands. The phone is also heavier than most but the slightly curved back makes it more comfortable to hold than you might imagine.

Despite the large screen The Optimus runs at a resolution of 480 x 800, this is considerably lower then the iPhone 4S’s resolution, which means that the image quality isn’t as crisp on the LG. In reality the large screen on the LG Optimus 3D makes it very easy to read text and view web pages, although when images are compared side by side with those on an iPhone’s screen they don’t look as sharp and videos are noticeably jagged around the edges. This however, is a good phone for those with poor eyesight, who want to easily read text on their device.

The LG Optimus 3 is powered by a Dual core 1ghz processor, which might be slower than the latest handsets but it still provides enough power to keep everything snappy and record High Definition Video whilst in normal 2D mode although, in 3D mode the interface can be a bit laggy. The other hardware specs of the phone look considerably mid range with 8gb of memory storage and only 512mb RAM, however, this is fine for the majority of users, and storage space can be expanded with a Micro SD card. I was pleased to see that there is plenty of internal storage, so the memory issues which plague other Android handsets (HTC Wildfire S I’m looking at you!) shouldn’t be an issue here.

The phone runs Android version 2.3 which has been lightly skinned, and whilst the phone has 3D functionality the vast majority of system remains in traditional 2D, with the 3D environment remaining isolated to a single app so anyone who is familiar with Android will be right at home with the Optimus 3D

Like the majority of Android devices 4 hardware buttons are used to navigate around the system, they are illuminated to touch which is visually appealing but until you get used to the phone you might find yourself pressing the wrong button.

The LG Optimus 3D’s Camera

The LG Optimus 3D comes with supplied with Dual 5 MP rear facing camera’s, and whilst the cameras on LG phones are often criticised, in reality the image quality isn’t terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but you do need to remember that this isn’t a high specification camera phone. To examine the quality of the camera which took comparison shots against our baseline device on the Apple iPhone 4S, the first image is a close up shot of a flower growing through grass, this image was used to show image quality on fine detail. The second image was of a family of Guinea Pigs, taken from about 3 feet away with no artificial lighting.

To the human eye under normal viewing conditions both phones produced good pictures. The images on the Optimus 3D are darker and when you magnify the image the quality is significantly better on the iPhone, this is especially true when looking at background detail in the shots.

For everyday use and for sharing pictures through Social Media sites the LG Optimus provides acceptable photos, but if you require better quality still images then you would need to look for a device with a higher spec camera.

 

LG Optimus 3D Example Photos - click to enlarge

 

iPhone 4S Example Photos - click to enlarge

The biggest problem for the LG optimus 3D is that due to the lower resolution on the Phones screen, when viewed on the phone the images look significantly poorer then they really are, you you need to have faith that when viewed on a PC they will look better. In testing I was frequently surprised at how much better the images taken on the LG looked on my laptop and on my iPhone then on the original device.

The 3D Functionality of the LG Optimus 3D

The biggest selling point of the LG Optimus 3D is its 3D imaging and display capabilities.

There’s an APP provided entitled 3D Space which provides a gateway to the phones 3D capability, when activated the Phones display flips into 3D mode, it can take a while for your eyes to adjust to the extra depth on the screen but with a little practice you soon learn how to make the switch between looking at a 2D and 3D image. Several 3D apps and games are provided with the phone to show off the capabilities of the device,  the games show the potential of 3D devices but make use of the in game ability to turn down the 3D effect or else you will get eyestrain and a headache quickly.

The 3D Youtube portal is interesting, it provides a gateway to the 3D videos that are stored on the site, instantly providing access to a large repository of 3D content, some of which works very well on the LG Optimus 3D some of which doesn’t. The higher the resolution of  the 3D video the worse it looks on the device. It’s worth noting that the best looking 3D video is that which has been captured on the device itself.

Its dual rear facing cameras provide the ability to take still 3D images and 3D videos, a flick of an onscreen switch within the camera app flips between 2D and 3D modes, and capturing images & movies works in  exactly the same way in both modes. When capturing 3D you can change how much depth and image pop out is applied to the captured footage, you need to experiment with these settings but you soon get an idea of what works well.

The ability to upload 3D footage to YouTube is a very useful addition. Youtube identifies 3D footage and provides a number of different ways of displaying it, so it does all the hardwork of sharing for you.

Without using Youtube sharing options are limited, we are currently investigating ways  of 3D footage distribution and we’ll post an article on this later.

With the LG Optimus 3D you aren’t going to produce 3D footage to match that found in the cinema but the results are surprisingly effective, and if you are looking for a cost effective way of capturing and sharing 3D footage then this device is for you.

Mobile Data Functionality

The LG Optimus 3D supports Mobile Data speeds up to the HSPDA standard, and WiFi standards B, G & N. Like most smart phones mobile data connectivity really improves the overall usefulness of the phone, it means that you can stay in touch where ever you are. Data speeds  are increasing all the time and with the LG Optimus 3D and it’s Android OS Mobile Multimedia capabilities are impressive.

Listening to Radio, providing a WiFi hotspot, watching TV, video calling & interacting with Youtube are all examples of how mobile data can really open up the capabilities of your phone.

On Three’s One Plan Internet usage is unlimited, and this is when Smart Phones come into their own, if you find yourself away from your home Wifi network, you can send pictures, large emails, and upload videos quickly and without having to worry about extra data costs or data caps.

Final Thoughts

The LG Optimus 3D has come under heavy criticism in some reviews, and some of the issues raised are genuine; the phone is large and heavy, and the screen is relativity low resolution but the phone has some advantages, after all the Optimus 3D is a very capable Android phone in its own right. Text is very readable on the phones big screen, if you have poor eyesight then this phone may provide a solution, and of course the phones big selling point is its 3D capabilities, if you are a hobbyist into video production and are looking at dabbling with 3D footage then this is a great device to get you started.

Useful Links

How to Listen to Internet Radio on Android Phones

How to use your Android Phone as a WiFi Hotspot

How to Watch Live TV on Android

 

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By Gadget Phil • Android, Hardware • 0 • Tags: , , , ,

Jan 20 2012

Nokia Lumia 800 Review

Always keen to see the latest in technological developments, we were eager to get to grips with Nokia’s new Flagship Mobile SmartPhone, the Windows Phone powered Lumia 800, and fortunately we have the opportunity to put it through its paces on the Three mobile phone network for our Nokia Lumia 800 Review.

The Look and Feel of the phone
Nokia make nice looking hardware, it’s been their software that have been letting them down in recent years, and the Lumia 800 is a great looking device. Stylish sleek square edges with a rounded back makes the device feel comfortable in the hand and gives it the feel of a much smaller phone.

The Nokia Lumia has an 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen which runs at a resolution on 480 by 800 pixels. Whilst the resolution of the screen doesn’t match that of the iPhone’s retina display, the large screen is nice to look at and text is ready to read. The AMOLED display produces bright and vivid colours which help to bring out the best in photos and videos.

The lack of a dual core processor may lead some of you to expect the Lumia to run a little slowly but the complete opposite is true, as Windows Phone doesn’t have the processing overhead of Android and the Lumia 800 is quick, nimble and without any lag whatsoever. Apps load and operate very quickly, and media is handled well.

The Phone comes with 512 mb (The Windows Phone standard) and 16gb of on board storage space, unfortunately there is no way to add any additional storage space so if you take lots of Photos or record long videos then you will need to manage your storage space wisely, online Storage facilities like Microsoft’s SkyDrive may provide an solution.

Mobile Data Functionality

The Lumia 800 support 802.11b/g/n networks, and switchover between mobile data networks  (eg 3G) and known WiFi networks is automated, transparent and seamless, a feature which doesn’t always work very well on some Android devices.

The Three network has come a long way in recent years, and wherever we tested the phone we got fast HSPDA data speeds, emails were transmitted quickly, video quality was good on Youtube;  without significant buffering and  Synchronisation between the device and Google Accounts were almost real time.

On Three’s One Plan Internet usage is unlimited, and this is when Smart Phones come into their own, if you find yourself away from your home Wifi network, you can send pictures, large emails, and upload videos quickly and without having to worry about extra data costs or data caps.

The Nokia’s Lumia 800 Camera

Nokia have become well known for the quality of the cameras on their Smart Phones, indeed they are probably considered to be the market leader for phone photography, and so the Lumia 800 has a great Legacy to live up to, and whilst it may not quite meet the ultra high standards of the Nokia N9, the Lumia 800 holds it’s own against most of the market.

The camera’s specifications would indicate that it’s a high end device featuring an 8 mega pixel sensor with Carl Zeiss optics and a dual LED flash to provide light in dark scenes, and the Lumia puts the hardware to good use.

To put the camera through it’s paces, we took several photographs in different lighting environments on the Nokia Lumia 800 and also took near identical photos on the Apple iPhone 4s, which has the reputation of having a good camera, to act as a base line.

The first set of example photographs that were taken were of a plastic plant in a tropical fish tank. The scene had strong over head lighting and because the photos were taken through glass it meant that a Flash could not be used.

Both Cameras took good Photographs. As you would expect, foreground detail was clear in both and neither showed any obvious signs of Blur. The photo taken on the iPhone perhaps shows a higher level of detail in background objects, but the colours are certainly brighter and more vivid on the Lumia. Which level of colour you prefer is up to you!

The second set of example photographs that were taken were of a planted tree at night with no light source – this put a real dependency on the flash. This is where the Nokia Lumia really produced a better image, whilst not a perfect image it’s still a good picture, and the flash did a good job of producing the right amount of light to the scene to enable good colour in the image. Whereas the photo taken by the iPhone was very washed out producing a very poor picture

Nokia Lumia 800 Example Photos - click to enlarge

iPhone 4s Example Photos - click to enlarge

The Lumia 800 is also able to record High Definition video, and although only at 720p resolution this means that you can capture reasonably good quality video whilst on the move. Certainly the quality of video is more then good enough for sharing on Youtube or burning to a DVD

Final Thoughts

The Nokia is a very nice smartphone, and with Windows Phone its ideal for the majority of Smart Phone users who want to communicate and Social Network but don’t need the additional features that a Power User requires.

The Lumia 800 represents a massive change of direction of Nokia, moving away from it’s traditional Symbian Operating system and it’s existing albeit shrinking user base, and over all it’s a very positive move. There are a few small hardware tweaks that could be made to appease  power users, and Windows Phone is still a little way off maturity but for simple and integrated communication all packaged together in a great piece of hardware the Nokia 800 is difficult to beat.

Useful Links

Our Look at Windows Phone

Nokia Lumia 800 on Three 

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By Gadget Phil • Hardware, Windows Phone • 0 • Tags: , , , ,