HTC One: To buy or not to buy?

Spring is in the air, my friends -- and for those of us tempted by technology, that means it's time to start looking at the latest lust-worthy devices to see which wins our heart.

The most recent entry to the Android cathouse is the HTC One -- a sleek and stylish phone from the folks who brought us last year's outstanding One X and One S devices. HTC may not have the same brand recognition or advertising savvy as Samsung, but don't let corporate marketing shape your opinions: Just like the One X in 2012, the HTC One promises to be one of this year's most impressive smartphones -- whether mainstream shoppers realize it or not.

As I'm wont to do with newly released devices, I opened my arms to the One and embraced it, using it in place of my own personal phone and getting to know it intimately for several days. (And yeah -- you'd better believe there was some heavy petting involved.)

You can read my in-depth review for the full scope of my experiences and a detailed look at the phone's pros and cons. Here, I want to focus on some comparisons and think about how the HTC One fits into the broader Android ecosystem.

I've seen a lot of lazy superlatives used in evaluations of the One. Various sites have said it's "hands down the best Android phone around," "the most beautiful Android phone ever made," "the Android that could crush the iPhone," and -- yes -- even "the smartphone that changes everything" (seriously, guys?!).

I'm not going to insult you with those sorts of hollow and sensational statements. The truth is that the One is an extremely well-made phone with a lot of positive qualities. But as anyone who actually uses Android knows, the platform has an evolving array of first-class devices -- a group I like to call the Android elite -- and while it may not jibe with those who strive to write sexy-sounding headlines, there's rarely any single device that's categorically "the best" for everyone.

(Don't worry: Here in a few weeks, we'll be bombarded with stories telling us the Galaxy S4 is the only phone anyone should ever consider, too. These cycles get pretty predictable after a while.)

So let's look at this from a more nuanced and realistic perspective, shall we? The One is without question one of the best Android phones available today. It's beautifully constructed, with a striking aluminum build that looks and feels like a million bucks. It has a stellar display along with awesome speakers, top-notch performance and a camera that -- while certainly not perfect -- takes great-looking everyday shots and excels at low-light performance.

The One also, however, has a dated and problematic button configuration -- something that may sound trivial but plays a significant role in the user experience. Similarly, HTC falls into the common trap of trying to change the Android interface simply for the sake of change; the result, as generally happens in that scenario, is a UI that's messy and convoluted at times -- and a serious step down from Google's stock software.

In the big picture, of course, it's a balancing act -- and what really matters is what's important to you in a phone. So how do you know if the One is the one? I'd make the following suggestions:

• Think about the build style -- the look and feel of a phone -- that you prefer. The One's aluminum build has a very high-end and premium vibe to it; frankly, it makes a plasticky device like Samsung's Galaxy S4 (which I'll be reviewing soon) look a little cheap in comparison.
  The One's metal casing is also considerably less fragile than glass-centric phones like the LG-made Nexus 4, which -- while high-end and premium in design -- are more prone to scratches and cracks due to the nature of their material.

• Give some thought to the battery. The One's battery is not removable -- a factor that won't matter to most folks but is important to a subset of users.
  If you're concerned about the possibility of running out of power, other devices do have advantages: A phone like the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx, for instance, has a massive battery that's damn near impossible to kill in a day. And a phone like the Galaxy S4, by virtue of its aforementioned plastic construction, allows you to easily peel off a back panel to swap out the battery for a spare.
  Of course, you could also just get a portable power pack to keep around as a backup. Such packs are available from a variety of manufacturers --Motorola, Mophie, and others -- and are a pretty simple Plan B that'll work with any device.

• Mull over the notion of storage. The HTC One comes with either 32GB or 64GB of internal space and no SD card slot. For most users, that's going to be more than enough -- but some people do like having more space. Other devices, like the GS4 and Razr Maxx, offer SD card slots for external expansion.

• Consider how much software means to you and what sort of experience you prefer. I maintain that Google's Nexus 4 provides the best overall user experience of any device on the market today, thanks to its pure Google Android software and guaranteed rapid upgrades to future Android versions(like the major release expected to be announced at Google's I/O developers' conference next month).
  If having the latest and greatest software is important to you -- and, like most users, you aren't the type of person who's going to root a phone and install a custom-made ROM on your own -- Google's Nexus phones may be the path for you. Other devices have their own advantages, but fast and frequent upgrades aren't typically among them.

Lots to think about -- I know. But as I've said many a-time, having too many attractive choices is a fantastic kind of problem to face.

Ultimately, the best way to decide if a device is right for you is to get a feel for what it's actually like to use -- and that's where I can help. Living with a phone for several days tells you a lot.

A Mature Android Smartphone - The Sony Xperia Z Review

Sony Xperia Z 

Sony’s latest Android handset, announced at CES 2013 and reaching a number of markets during February this year, is an impressive continuation of Sony’s Android line of smartphones. While it is not the Android device to rule over all other Android devices, it shows a steady progression from Sony’s first Android handsets last year. The Japanese company know how to build up all the elements of a solid smartphone. While I might lack a spark that makes it special, it’s capable and dependable handset that I can recommend.

Naturally the recently announced Samsung Galaxy S4 sneaks ahead in the spec stakes, but that’s about the only phone that does. Compared to the other flagship handsets around the smartphone the world, the Xperia Z is in the top class with a 1.5 GHz Quad Core CPW, an Adreno 320 GPU, and 2 GB of Ram. Perhaps the sole memory option (at 16 GB) is a bit weak, but microSD cards are supported for extra storage.

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At 5 inches on the diagonal the screen is a delight. Powered once more by Sony’s ‘Bravia Engine 2′ it is a sharp 1080p display that smashes through Apple’s definition of a retina screen with 440 pixels per inch. One sacrifice for that density might be in the viewing angle, with colours starting to fade at a relatively small amount of angle, although information does remain readable. It’s more than enough for one person to cope with on a jostling train or jogging down the street, but with the 5 inch HD screen you would expect to be sharing videos at some point in time.

The battery is sealed into the handset, and while it has a high capacity (2,400 mAh), the screen along with the 4G LTE radios will place a lot of demand on the power source. Thankfully Sony has worked on the software so that the handset can easily get through the day. This comes down to the ‘Stamina’ mode, which in essence is a strict guardian of power. If the phone’s screen is off, then background tasks are going to be suspended, data transmissions limited, and the phone will try to draw as little power as possible, on the assumption you’re not actually doing anything with the phone. Apps can be white-listed to ignore Stamina mode if required.

While it does nothing for the geekerati who tinkers every moment with their smartphone, the regular user is going to see a much longer ‘stand-by’ time on this handset. Android is still power hungry in use, but most of the time the Xperia Z will sit in a pocket, as still as a ninja. That’s how you get through a working day and a night of entertainment on one charge – more power used when active, less power used when dark.

Sony has carried on with a minimalistic style for their third post-SonyEricsson design. It’s nice to see that there is a certain language to a Sony Android device – they are very angular, straight edges, and as minimal as possible in terms of external hardware.

This is helped by Android’s switch to soft keys for the main Android interface buttons, which are now shown on the screen rather than as physical keys. There is a very subdued volume control on the side, but the only real break in the look is the power button – and Sony has stated that this almost ‘wristwatch-like’ button as the iconic identifying mark that will run through the line.

It also has the advantage that it sticks out just enough so that when you pick up the handset you immediately know which way the handset is orientated in your hand. That’s a very important physical clue, because the handset is literally sandwiched between two sheets of tempered glass taking up all of the front and the rear of the handset, which leads to me thinking the back of the screen is a second touchscreen, or at least a touchpad in the same way as the PS Vita has. Part of me wonders if Sony could squeeze a second screen on the back of the device if they ever decide to do a gee-whizz handset?

Not that there isn’t any gee-whizz on this handset. If you’ve seen the commercials, you’ll know that this is the ‘water resistant’ handset that can be dunked in water, dropped in a pint, be splashed over, and still work. Assuming that all the flaps on the device are closed securely. There’s handy warning to do this when you lift open a flap (say to put the micro USB charger cable in) but I’ll be honest, even with a review handset I’ve not felt brave enough to deliberately try this out. I trust Sony that it works, but I’m not ready to test that until there’s an accident. But I do make sure the covers are closed as much as possible.