Category Archives: HTC

Nexus 9 with Android M Video Review

For the second time, I am reviewing the Nexus 9. I reviewed the LTE model when it first came out. It was pretty bad. I had heard that the Wi-Fi only model was better. Now, I’ve finally got my hands on a Wi-Fi only Nexus 9.

Of course, I installed Android M Developer Preview on it. That was pretty bad. The actual review of the Nexus 9 running Android M will be at the bottom. First, I’ll add three walk through videos of Android M, which all used a Nexus 9. The first was about new features. The second was about performance improvements where I actually had two Nexus 9s, one with Lollipop and one with Android M. The third video is with Android M Developer Preview 2.

And finally, the fourth video will be the Nexus 9 with Android M review. The first three videos are there for a bit of backstory, but this is really about the actual Nexus 9 with Android M review. The final video is a little long, but I think it’s totally worth your time.

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All Smart Phones with Snapdragon 810 use v2.1

Well, this is an interesting turn of events. All year, we were talking about the LG G Flex 2 and the HTC One M9 and the fact that they overheat, due to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor.

Then came OnePlus to save the day. For their OnePlus 2 smart phone they would be using the Snapdragon 810 v2.1, a variant of the Snapdragon 810 where the heat given off by the chipset is actually converted through a special mechanism into rainbows and unicorns.

As it turns out, everyone uses the Snapdragon 810 v2.1, even the HTC One M9 and most likely the LG G Flex 2, according to Qualcomm. Well, according to HTC’s senior online global communications manager Jeff Gordon (not the race car driver).

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Nexus 9 Unboxing and Second Impressions

By Rich W Woods

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I reviewed the HTC Nexus 9. Unfortunately, it was terrible. I went with the LTE model, as I love my LTE tablets. I really wanted it to be good, as I loved the idea of an Android tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

Time has gone by and I’ve been wondering if the Nexus 9 is in better shape. HTC was kind enough to send me one. Here’s the unboxing and second impressions.

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HTC One M9 Video Review: A Lovable Phone

By Rich W Woods

I’m doing a thing. It’s new. After writing a full review of a device, I’m doing a video review as well. It’s a way of wrapping up my thoughts on a device. There are certain things that work better when you say them out loud, certain emotions that you can convey.

I thought the HTC One M9 is a great phone. I think that anyone that buys it will be happy with it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look good when you compare it to its competitors.

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HTC One M9 Review: An Awesome Phone that Doesn’t Measure Up

By Rich W Woods

My time with the HTC One M9 is coming to a close and I’m finding that it is a phone that I will miss. I’ve found the HTC One M9 to be a delightful device; however, I find the general feedback around the device to be very discouraging.

After the HTC One M9 was announced at Mobile World Congress, I went down to the HTC booth to see what HTC had for their next generation flagship. They proudly demoed the new features for me, showing off themes, easy Miracast screen sharing, and of course, “the box”. I asked her why they hadn’t physically redesigned the phone and she told me, “Just like it says on our web site. Why fix it if it’s not broken.”

I left the HTC booth excited. After all, she was right. The HTC One M7 and M8 won awards for their beautiful aluminum design. Why would they change that? I would soon find out.

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HTC One M9 vs iPhone 6 Comparison

By Rich W Woods

This should be an interesting comparison. I have been using the HTC One M9 for almost two weeks now and my time with it is almost up. I have to say, I’m incredibly impressed with it. It is a beautiful, powerful device.

Of course, when you speak of beautiful metal phones, it’s hard not to mention the iPhone, specifically the iPhone 6. The iPhone is the most coveted phone in the world and for good reason. Let’s take a deeper look at the devices.

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HTC One M9 vs HTC One M8 Comparison

By Rich W Woods

Since receiving the HTC One M9 to review, this is the comparison that I’ve been most looking forward to doing. I’ve had the HTC One M8 for a year now and it’s still a great phone.

Now, the HTC One M9 has taken the HTC One M8 and overhauled any faults it had, including a higher resolution camera, more RAM, a powerful 64 bit Snapdragon 810 processor, they moved the ultrapixel to the front, and more.

The design of the HTC One has been revered almost universally since its inception with the HTC One M7; however, many are finding the HTC One M9 to be too minor of an upgrade for the sole reason that there wasn’t a physical redesign. It’s sad, but that’s how people look at things. Personally, I think the minor changes that they did make in design is perfect.

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HTC One M9 vs LG G Flex 2 Comparison

By Rich W Woods

The HTC One M9 and the LG G Flex 2 were the first two phones announced to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. This made both devices very exciting to me.

I’ve had the HTC One M8 since it came out last year. I still have it and love it. It does have its shortcomings, mainly in the camera. The HTC One M9 was a complete overhaul from the HTC One M8. They replaced the 4 MP ultrapixel camera with a 20 MP camera and moved the ultrapixels to the front, which is just brilliant. The battery is bigger and it uses a much more powerful 64 bit processor. Unfortunately, they didn’t physically redesign the body so people think it’s a minor upgrade.

When the LG G Flex 2 was announced, my first impression was “They’re still doing this?” The curved screen always felt like a gimmick to me, until I used it. Now that I’ve had a few days to spend with it, the curved AMOLED is not only beautiful, but the more you use the LG G Flex 2, the more you realize that the device is very practical.

It’s a very exciting time to be interested in smart phones, because we’re seeing great innovation from both companies.

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HTC One M9 vs OnePlus One Comparison

By Rich W Woods

The HTC One M8 and the OnePlus One were two of the hottest phones of 2014. The OnePlus One became popular for numerous reasons. There was the notorious invite system that made consumers actually work for the device, creating a form of brand loyalty among users. The stock ROM was CyanogenMod, something that drew in Android fanatics. Oh, and did I mention that it has the flagshipiest of flagship specs and for half the price of competitors?

Of course, we’ve compared the OnePlus One with the HTC One M8 before. That’s not big news. The HTC One M8 has now been refreshed. Now it’s time to see how the OnePlus One holds up to the HTC One M9.

The HTC One M9 has been overhauled in every way, with the exception of a physical redesign. The 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 801 has been replaced by a powerful 64 bit Snapdragon 810, the 2 GB of RAM has been replaced by 3 GB, and the ultrapixel camera on the rear has been moved to the front and replaced by a 20 MP rear camera.

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