HTC’s giant mid-range phone, the HTC Desire 816, is slowly rolling out to European countries following its release in Asia in March.
The HTC Desire 816 is now available in Romania for 1,299 RON, or about $405. The 5.5-inch phone will presumably make its way to other European countries sometime in the near future. The Romanian version of the phone has dual SIM support, though not all models will support two SIM cards.
While the HTC Desire 816 looks similar to the HTC One (M8), and has a larger display, it is more of a mid-range phone meant for those who can’t afford the premium flagship phone. The Desire 816 has a 720p display, a quad-core 1.6 GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, a 2600 mAh battery, and 8GB of storage that’s expandable via a microSD card. The phone does have a higher-resolution camera than the One (M8), however, with a 13MP rear-facing camera, and a 5MP front-facing camera.
The HTC Desire 816 will make it to the U.S. eventually, though it’s not clear when or what carrier it will be one. Assuming it comes in at the same price it will compete on price with phones like the Nexus 5, Moto X, and the OnePlus One (assuming you can get an invite to buy that phone).
Would you consider buying the HTC Desire 816 when it comes to the U.S.? Or is the price too much for a mid-range phone given the competition?
The Samsung Galaxy S3 is certainly no longer what we’d call a bleeding-edge device, but even after nearly two years, its still a reasonably solid handset and is more than capable of providing a decent Android experience. Today the handset is getting even better for those on Sprint’s network, as Android 4.4 KitKat is making its way over to the Galaxy S3.
So what’s new here? While we don’t have a full change-log just yet, from the sounds of it the only truly noticeable change is KitKat and all the new goodies that come with it. Just like the GS4 and Note 3 KitKat updates, you can also expect some minor Samsung and carrier-specific changes such as bug fixes and performance improvements.
Overall, don’t expect tons of new features here, but this is still very much a welcome update, especially considering the fact that the Galaxy S3 has been on the market for a while now. If you have yet to receive a notification prompting you to download the update, you can check manually for the update by going to Settings>About phone>Software update.
If you have received the updated, did you notice any major changes outside of Kitkat that are worth mentioning? If so, tell us about it in the comments below.
If you’ve been holding out for a new pair of headphones and aren’t looking to spend too much money, today’s your lucky day. Whether you’re looking for headphones in wired or wireless varieties, we’ve got you covered, and they’re up to 70% off.
If you’re looking for an excellent pair of headphones and you don’t mind a cable, check out the Sennheiser HD–360 PRO. What they lack in bells and whistles — you won’t find Bluetooth or even a removeable cable here — they make up for in great sound. Though they normally retail for $149.95, right now they’re available on Amazon for 70% off at just $45.00. Usually these headphones don’t even go that cheap used.
What if you don’t want to have to deal with the hassle of wires? In that case, the Photive BTH3 might be more up your alley. These cans feature Bluetooth 4.0, 40mm drivers, 12 hours of battery life and even come with an included hard shell case. Keep an eye out for a review of these coming soon on Sound Guys — but the Amazon users reviews suggest that they’re definitely worth the asking price. Even better, they’re currently going for 58% off on Amazon at just $49.95.
Are you planning to pick either pair of headphones up while they’re on sale?
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and Verizon is kicking off the celebration early with a big promotion that gives its customers $100 off on several of your favorite flagship devices from the likes of Samsung and HTC.
In order for a phone to qualify for the $100 price reduction, it needs to be priced at $199 and above. This means handsets such as the HTC One (M8) and Galaxy S5 can be yours for just $99 with contract, while the Note 3 is now just $199.
That said, it’s important to note that this offer does not apply to those interested in buying off-contract. If you don’t mind signing a contract, this is some of the best pricing you’ll find, regardless of what carrier or retailer you look for them at.
As for how long this promotion will last? You have from now until Mother Day’s (May 12th) to make your move. If you are interested but not sure what handset to pick up, be sure to check out our hands-on coverage to get a better look at what to expect from HTC and Samsung’s latest devices:
The Xperia Z2 is a great deal in its own, but Sony wants to make it even better.
If you’re in one of the countries where Sony already sells its flagship, make sure to check the collection of free apps and subscriptions that Sony throws in with every Xperia Z series purchase.
The offer is worth, according to Sony, $350, and does not include other freebies that Sony announced in the past, such as six free movies, 10 games, and Michael Jackson’s new album XSCAPE. Highlights include 50GB of storage on Box for life, and full licenses for OfficeSuite Full Pro and Garmin. Here’s the full list:
These apps and subscriptions are available to users of the Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, and Xperia Z2, depending on market availability. To get them, you will need to log into Sony’s Xperia Lounge app and redeem your offer. Overall, Sony put together a nice little digital gift bag, even if you won’t necessarily need or appreciate all the apps and media inside. More details here.
In related news, there might be hope after all for Sony fans in the US. The company announced it will sell the Xperia Z2 unlocked from its store starting this summer, but there’s a slim chance Verizon will carry it, if this shot published on Sony’s Xperia Google Plus page is an indication.
So far, Sony collaborated mostly with T-Mobile to sell its Xperias in the US, and made no secret that it’s not interested in the North American market. The presence of Verizon’s logo on that Xperia Z2 is no guarantee that the carrier will ever put the device on offer, but hey, a man can dream, right?
Snapchat, the app that lets you send self-destructing pics, is getting a big update today, with the inclusion of text and video chat potentially turning it into a strong generalist messaging service.
Until now, Snapchat let you do one thing – send images and videos that self-deleted after a preset time. That functionality, which made Snapchat a hit with teenagers and not only, remains front and center in the latest update. But swiping right from the app’s main screen (camera) now opens a list of your contacts and conversations, and with another swipe to the right, you can initiate a text chat.
Text chat is pretty vanilla in the new Snapchat. You get all your emoji and the ability to send pics or short videos from your gallery. Leaving the conversation (or exiting the app) deletes your messages forever, in a way mimicking the image ephemerality feature Snapchat is known for. However, you can take a screenshot or simply tap a message to make it sticky, which is useful for saving info like a phone number or an address.
But what’s really cool about the new Snapchat is the video call system. When both you and your contact are viewing the conversation, a pulsing blue button shows that you can tap on to start a video conversation. Tap it and hold it to send your video feed to your contact. Move the video thumbnail around the screen to switch between front and rear camera. This works both ways, so your contact can send their feed or simply watch yours. As this only happens when both of you are viewing the conversation, video calls establish instantly and there’s no missed calls. As The Verge’s Ellis Hamburger puts it, it’s a kind of walkie-talkie with video.
The new functionality may help turn Snapchat into a true competitor to the big players in messaging, from Facebook Messenger, to WhatsApp, to Google Hangouts, to Apple Facetime. All while keeping that twist that made the app so popular in its early days.
The new Snapchat version should start rolling out today, though at the time of this writing it’s not available in the Play Store yet.
Following an update to Search and the release of new Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps in the Play Store, Google is now pushing out a small update to Play Music.
The seemingly only change in the update is the ability to change the name and description of a playlist, as well as to share your playlist with friends, straight from the device. Previously, these features were only available in the web interface of Google Play Music. To access these new features, just click on the Menu button and pick them from the overflow menu.
Play Music version 5.5.1509O should be heading your way right now, though you can check for yourself from the My Apps section of the Play Store. Or, if you’re new to it, check the Play Music app in the Play Store.
As high-end Android phones go, the Moto X is not the most powerful, but it sure is one of the best optimized, and it still has some features that you don’t see on other devices. Add a very attractive price and the ability to customize its appearance and you get the perfect gift for someone special in your life.
Today only, Motorola is selling the Moto X starting from $299 unlocked. That’s the price for the 16GB model, while the 32GB model and the Developer Edition will set you back $324. All models can be customized through Moto Maker, giving you the option to order a phone in, say, your Mom’s favorite color combination. The wood and bamboo options cost an additional $25, however.
This early Mother’s Day sale goes on until tonight at 11:59pm ET. In the past, nice sales such as this one caused Motorola’s servers to jam, so the company opted for a coupon system in the previous Moto X promo. But this time, Moto is back to the regular, first come-first serve model.
As a refresher, the Moto X packs a 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED display, a custom SoC based on the dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, and 2GB of RAM. Some of the phone’s unique features include QuickCapture, which lets you open up the camera with a flick of your wrist, the Active Display notification system, and a series of useful voice commands.
If you’re interested in a cheap Moto X, head over here to order yours.
