Facebook Home Is Now Available For Download From Google Play

Facebook Home, the new launcher for Android based phone which put the main focus on the social network and its services such as messaging, photo and other services by putting it on the centre of a user’s mobile devices. The Facebook Home is now available for download for Google Official Apps store the Google Play with one bad news though, this app is only available for a limited number of Android devices(HTC One X, HTC One X+, Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung Galaxy Note II). This come just after Facebook rollout update to its Facebook Messenger Android app which bring Chat Heads functionality plus basic Android app with Facebook Home support. 

Facebook announced ‘Home’ earlier this month with the confirmation that the apps would be available in Google Play from April 12^th onwards. Home is also coming straight out-of-the-box on the HTC First which has been available for pre-order since April 4 on AT&T. The HTC First will also be hitting France and UK market this summer and could follow suit to other markets such as Malaysia and India.

You can see full specification of the HTC First here

Home is Facebook’s biggest shot at mobile and clearly show the company’s ambition to be the main platform for all of your communications, ever present, no matter where and what you are doing. CEO of Facebook call it “the next version of Facebook “. Other moves also point toward that this may extend beyond just Android too. It just remain to be seen. 

This clearly mean that even though Home is still limited in how many people can use it now – just the HTC First ,along with four other devices including two model from the world’s biggest smartphone maker, Samsung -  and with limited functionality, but if all the things go according to plan for Facebook, this could be just the beginning. 

Facebook also look likely to place an announcements on streams to signal the availability, perhaps targeting users of those four devices specifically or even targeting all of its Android users. Facebook’s own Mobile page has some 6.1 million likes. 

Source : TechCrunch

Android Based Facebook Phone To Be Announced This Week

Over the years, there has been numerous rumors of possible “Facebook phone” and nothing had been materialized and yes, we had one that came with a special Facebook button under the name HTC Cha Cha and that all about it and soon after that Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg went on to announce that they company wasn’t really keen on entering the hardware business. So to speak its look like the rumors will stay as a rumours forever. Most of tech expert might have leave out the idea of a Facebook Phone until they saw the press release for a special Facebook/Android event happening on April 4^th.

Although the invitation can be bean anything or perhaps even deeper integration for Facebook within Android devices. However, most tech site report that they are absolutely confident that an HTC device running in a ‘modified’ version of Android will be announced this week at the event held in 1 Hacker Way.

9to5Google‘s Mark Gurman also agree on this matter. He went on to say this “The social network is again hooking up with HTC which will design the hardware.” With Facebook already held its annual main event a few week back, Its unlikely that the company would held a major media event like this unless something that new and exciting will  be announced – An Android running HTC phone with a custom Facebook skin/bloat ware.

Design wise, it is expected to look almost similar like the Apple iPhone that come with a rounded home button plus unlike Apple’s smartphone, ‘Facebook phone’ expected to come with a two capacitive buttons on either side of the phone and it would be major surprise if it was a high end device because if the phone is targeted to Facebook addicts, we are looking at socially driven youth that still relying on parents and for sure they won’t cough up hundreds of dollars on a high end Facebook device. A 4.3-inch device is the same group as the Galaxy S3 Mini or HTC 8S look more likely.  the device is expected to be available in US although availability in other market such as Malaysia is still unknown

HTC One Ultrapixel Camera's To Be Used In Mid-Range Models

HTC is expected to further increase the usage of its latest and impressive ultrapixel camera technology to its midrange mobile phones after the technology was used in the latest HTC’s flagship the HTC One.  One is the first device in the HTC line up to fully utilised this ground-breaking new imaging technology, whereby it allow more light to be captured via the camera’s 4MP sensor.

HTC further explained that instead of increasing their phones camera resolution, HTC decide to use a modest 4MP cameras that include a sensor of ⅓ inches which in turn allow each of the individual pixel captured to be larger thus enable far better light capture as well. This technology combined with built in optical image stabilisers that allow the device to capture better photo in low light conditions even without using flash. This technology was similar to the one in the Nokia Windows Phone flagship, the Lumia 920’s Pureview.

By eliminating the need for a flash it allow more natural colours to seep through which normally would be reduced by the flash plus it also alter the ambient light and vivid colour moods that the photographer try to expressed.

For the Price of HTC Butterfly in Malaysia Clickhere

Many analyst predict that the HTC One is the Taiwanese company last ever chance to establish as one of giants in the smartphone industry that are dominated by the likes of Samsung and Apple. Analyst are predicting this as even the launch of much hyped HTC Butterfly failed to increase the market share in the world smartphone market. 

HTC recent financial result show how far they have back tracked - which is almost to the level before HTC decide to use Android as an operating system and were still relying completely on Windows Phone.  

Source

HTC failed to launch

The highly anticipated HTC One release date is said to fall on March 15^th, however the Taiwan brand smartphone was scheduled to launch today the 4^th of March in their home market, and it is unfortunate to announce that the launch had to be postponed until the 7^th. No one knows why the launch was delayed.

The GSMA and TechCrunch have both decided that the HTC One is the best technology showed off at this year Mobile World Congress. The HTC One which beat the Sony Xperia Z comes with a brand new “Ultra Pixel” technology, and a 4.7 inch Gorilla Glass 3- covered 1080 Super LCD 3 display.

HTC unveiled that the One would be available in 32GB and 64GB configurations. Though The One that’s meant for Taiwan will only have 16GB of on-board storage.  The HTC One will run on Android 4,1,2 Jelly Bean and powered by a 1.7 GHzquad-core Snapdragon 600, with 2GB of RAM DDR2.

The HTC will probably reach respective countries around April or even May. For the impatient bunch, you can import one from sites like Expansys, and then you could have yours by the end of March.

I highly recommend that people who plan to pre-order should just wait until the 14^th to see what Samsung does with the Galaxy S4 before planning to purchase the One. So by then, you will be able to make a fair comparison between the two most renowned smartphones of the first half of the year. 

Source

HTC One is Truly The One and Only Flagship of HTC in 2013

HTC is currently in the process of streamlining its usual approach to smartphone this year. The Taiwanese based tech giant is expected to stick with the new HTC One as its one and only flagship handset for this year. 

Phil Robertson, HTC’s executive director for U.K and Ireland revealed that the HTC One will be stick to its true name, whereby the Taiwanese firm putting its high hope on the sleek and sexy iPhone-like Android handset. 

"We just said, 'Let's just create one flagship device this year,'" Roberson told Omio. "This is The One."

This move is completely different from what HTC do last year where they opted to release a wide range of HTC one devices including the One X, One X+, One V and One S. 

Reinforcing its latest generation flagship brand to a one solitary device could pay off handsomely for HTC as the multiple model approach can quickly confuse the potential customers on which feature belong with which handset.

What we can assure you is that there is no any sort of confusion about the new HTC One though, it come with a 4.7-inch full HD display (similar to HTC Butterfly), 1.7GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of DDR2 RAM.

HTC One also come with Beats Audio-powered BoomSound coupled with a front-facing speaker and amplifier along with BlinkFeed technology for a constant stream of news and photos from you preferred store and not to forget the social networks. 

The camera which only a 4MP is still a great camera as it’s utilizes a feature that HTC call the UltraPixels where the basic idea is that larger pixel make for better images mainly to the image that in low light conditions, than more pixel. The camera also come with HTC Zoe, which turn the photos into a mini-movies.

Importantly, just because HTC declared the One as the only flagship device on the market for the whole year, it doesn’t mean that the door is closed to other HTC handsets under the One brand.

After HTC One took the MWC best in show award, we find it hard to argue with the latest decision of HTC’s new flagship strategy. 

Source

HTC One: Pre-order now available in the UK.

With the wraps on HTC’s flagship smartphone of 2013 taken off at a simultaneous event in New York and London, the smartphone is now available for pre-order in the United Kingdom. Maybe sources have confirmed that the device would start retailing from the 15^th of March. Several rumours before the launch suggested that the device would be available in the U.K. from March 8, but we suppose the Taiwanese manufacturer decided to delay the availability date by a week.

As for the price, Clove Mobile has shared the unlocked price for the HTC One. In addition, many technology sites are speculating that an unlocked HTC One would cost somewhere between 400-500 pounds – the same price an unlocked HTC One X was going for a year ago.

The HTC One boasts a 4.7-inch Full HD 1080p display, 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor along with 2GB of RAM. In terms of connectivity, the HTC One features WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC and Infrared. Other than that, the One will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a brand new revamped version of HTC Sense on top of it.

HTC has ditched the conventional and went with a rather interesting UltraPixel camera – at least that’s what they call it. There’s been a lot of buzz circulating regarding the 4-megapixel camera, but HTC said that it’ll produce images large enough to be used as posters and would be four times better in terms of quality when compared with conventional smartphone cameras. Other than the camera, there will be a 2,300mAh battery at the back and a 2.1-megapixel conventional camera on the front.

HTC One will be available in the 32GB and 64GB variants. However, there will be no expandable storage present on the device. We highly suggest you take this into consideration when buying the device once it becomes available.

Source

Sexy HTC One doom to fail?

It is no doubt that the HTC One looks great, but Blackberry users are a little familiar with the new smartphone design and see it has just a mere copy of the recently release Blackberry z10 on January 30th.

      

Though both phones do not differ much in design, the HTC One carries some more advance features. Here are some of the comparisons.

Other than facing Blackberry critics, HTC faces more draconian matters. HTC's design and software teams did a great job creating an attractive and premium-feeling phone, following Apple's love for metal construction and taking it to the next logical progression.

HTC received similar praises last year, but failed to reverse its flagging revenue and profits. HTC has had a history of newsworthy products, but recently the company has shown a troubling habit of getting ignored in the marketplace.

The smartphone industry is definitely a competitive business, HTC lacks marketing firepower that larger rivals like Apple and Samsung posses. "HTC is going up against two of the biggest spenders in the world with intensely loyal followings," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis.

HTC  have to start stepping up its game and start being more proactive with its own marketing. It's something the company has always half-heartedly done in the past, but it will have to work harder to develop both the One brand and the HTC name.

HTC is reaching out to BestBuy. BestBuy plans to jointly run some commercials featuring the HTC One, according to AliStair Jones, head of marketing of the big-box retail chain's connectivity business group. He also added that this has been the most resources BestBuy has put behind HTC since the pass 18 months.


Source