时间：2022-06-17 11:08:59
The second child of the HTC One family, the One S, neatly bridges the gap between the One V and the eldest One X.
The One S is among the best looking Android smartphones around—and gives a new meaning to “beauty with brains”. It has a modern unibody design in a sleek 7.8mm body. The responsive 4.3-inch touch display has an important role in giving the One S a comfortable grip. Honestly, switching to the One S from the One X was a pleasure.
The One S has been designed for the Android IceCream Sandwich operating system. But what we liked is the HTC’s Sense 4 interface that gives it a break from the stock Android UI. The main menu is divided into all apps, frequent and downloads.
This smartphone is powered by a 1.7GHz dualcore processor that is helped along by its 1GB RAM. The improved performance is visible while browsing the web, watching YouTube video and even while downloading apps from the PlayStore. We also enjoyed playing heavy graphic games.
Along with the powerful beast, it is a multimedia monster as well. The snappier 8MP camera with zero shutter lag does a superb job. We could also record full HD video resolutions. It has also got Beats Audio for music, but is not accompanied by Beats Audio headphones.
The One S comes with 16GB internal memory and doesn’t support a memory card slot. The battery backup was impressive as it gave us a day of juice on a single charge.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
A great piece of hardware, gives tough competition to the One X.
HTC ONE X
Price:`33,560
Specs: Android 4.0; 4.3-inch AMOLED display; 1.7GHz dual core processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB internal memory; Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3G; 8 MP camera; 119.5 gm; 1650mAh.
JUST ANOTHER ANDROID
With straight lines and a transparent strip at the bottom, the Xperia U looks very similar to Sony’s flagship Xperia S. It has a 3.5 inch capacitive touch display that feels small as a lot of space has been wasted at the bottom for the‘Xperia’ branding.
Just below the display are the touch keys—back, home and options. Below these is the transparent strip that illuminates in white, pink, green, red and so on depending on the theme. Interestingly, the colour of the strip changes automatically when browsing through the gallery or listening to music. A dedicated camera key has been added to power on the 5MP camera that takes some time to get used to. The images captured during daylight were crisp, but there was a lot of noise in low-light photos. The 720p video capture was also about average. The audio playback was good though.
Surprisingly, it is one of the most affordable smartphones to be powered by a 1Ghz dual-core processor. The overall performance is decent. Browsing was smooth as was switching between apps. The Xperia U still runs on Android v2.3 and Sony has not been able to roll in the Ice Cream Sandwich update. The biggest drawback of this phone is the 8GB onboard memory of which only 4GB is accessible. There isn’t any expandable memory card slot either. The battery backup was about average with a day of usage.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
The HTC One V with a single-core processor and ICS is a better bet.
SONY XPERIA U
Price:`17,999
Specs: Android v2.3; 3.5-inch capacitive dis-play; 1GHz dual core processor; 8GB onboard memory; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 5MP camera; 111 gm; 1290 mAh battery.
LACKING DEPTH
3D is all the buzz now and LG is one company that has got the technology right. Last year, the company came up with the stunning Optimus 3D that captured as well as played 3D content. The new 3D Max is the successor with some revamped innards.
The Optimus 3D Max has a solid plastic build with a 4.3-inch touch slab dominating the front and display and a 5MP stereoscopic camera. The dedicated 3D key on the right panel launches the 3D zone comprising camera, converter, gallery, games and apps, guide, space and some preloaded content. We enjoyed watching glass-free 3D content on this phone, but only for a few minutes, after which our eyes start smarting.
While the phone supports a 5MP rear camera, 3D images are captured at 3MP resolution only. Similarly, while 2D video can be captured at 1920 x1280 resolutions, the maximum resolution for 3D video capture is 1280x 720p. Looking at the improved cam- era optics in most new smartphones, the Optimus 3D Max looks outdated. Although this smartphone packs a dual core processor and 1GB RAM, the older Android v2.3 spoils the show. Even the battery backup is about average as it doesn’t even last a day.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Not really worth it.
LG OPTIMUS 3D MAX
Price:`30,500
Specs: Android 2.3; 4.3-inch display; 1.2GHz dual core processor; 1GB RAM; 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS; 5MP camera; 148 gm; 1520 mAh battery.
CLIP IT UP
As wlays, Jabra has tried to be different with its Clipper Blueetoth headset. Like Jabra’s pendant unit, the clipper is a small piece of Bluetooth hardware in the shape of a clip.
Made of rubberised material, there are volume controls on the top with a mic and an LED indicator. The 3.5mm jack on the side plugs in the wired headset added in the box. The clipper can be clipped anywhere on the shirt while the headphone with the ear-buds makes it way to the ears. The compact Clipper is a light weight accessory that is really very comfortable to carry around. But the design isn’t revolutionary as there are others who do the same.
The Clipper was quick in pairing up. This stereo headset did a decent job while answering calls and listening to music. It is equipped with a noise filter for enhancing the in-coming sound, but we could not make out any difference in the audio quality. During windy days, it did not work at all.
Surprisingly, the music playback experience was impressive. It cannot replace a traditional headset, but still has great bass. One can also plug in a different headset if they wish.
This headset is available in different colours—white, tangerine tango, turquoise and pink.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
A headset that looks different from others and is comfortable on the ears.
PLANTRONICS BACKBEAT GO
Price:`4,490
JABRA CLIPPER
Price:`2,899
FLAT NOTE
Plantronics latest offering, the BackBeat Go, is aimed at music lovers and has stunning looks.
The connecting wire between the left and the right ear buds has a small control module. Along with the volume controls, there is a small key for calling. Paired easily with most smartphones, this headset is easy to operate.
While playing music, the headphones offered a decent experience, but the bass was lacking. Shockingly, the voice wasn’t clear while talking over the headset. Many complained that our voice was not audible and it felt as if we are talking over a speakerphone, not a headphone.
Comfortable to wear over long durations, the BackBeat Go comes with two pairs of ear buds that can be changed anytime. The sharing time is around two and half hours. It stays alive for close to four hours.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?
Looks good, sounds bad.