Gadgetory

so the same thing always happens when a new device launches the media gets review units ahead of the official launch and we get to use them while we write our review then the press embargo lifts every outlet posts their reviews and videos at the same time writers and commenters go back and forth and it's a huge frenzy of opinion and buzz for about a day and then it all goes away I'm sure there's some follow-up coverage but after that initial blast almost no one revisits the device to see how well it's aged because we're all on to the next big thing already so let's do something about it let's take another pass at one of the most universally acclaimed smart phones ever I'm Michael Fisher this is PocketNow this is the HTC One and this is episode 21 of after the buzz the HTC One isn't just another well-made smartphone it's the comeback hit from a brand that desperately needed one to survive and hit is an understatement the one was lauded by many as the most beautiful Android phone ever when it launched and it received some of the highest scores we've ever given a smartphone in pocket now's initial review period but that was almost five months ago with America's largest carrier Verizon Wireless just now preparing to release its own version of HTC's comeback hit the question is it still worth buying is an important one but let's see how our unit a sprint version none extended loan from HTC has held up over time one of the big concerns we had after first taking the one out of its box was in how the unit would deal with the rough and tumble life of a modern smartphone longtime viewers will know that we're not the biggest fans of phone cases at PocketNow and with a phone like this that's doubly true with its zero gap aluminum and polycarbonate construction machine to speaker holes and tasteful chamfered edges the one is begging to be seen not covered up with some ugly silicone shell but does that mean scrapes and dings are unavoidable the short answer is yes but they don't look as bad as you think our HTC One has seen its share of drops onto carpets car floor mats and E one nasty run-in with hard kitchen tile that kitchen impact was even enough to jar the sim tray loose from the side of the phone but the scar it left behind is actually pretty small the beveled edges are susceptible to Nicks and dings and so is the aluminum backplate surface but you need to get pretty close to see them in everyday use the ones backside actually looks pretty good after five months and the Gorilla Glass 2 on the front is holding up well also we're not saying you should take the one naked to the construction site or carry it around in a pocket full of keys and coins just that the phone holds up better than you might expect given its jewel-like appearance still if you're the unlucky type who's looking for maximum protection or if you're worried about staining the polycarbonate side rails with your grubby paws you might want to consider a case the one isn't just notable for its build quality the new version of HTC's third party Android UI since five remains one of the most significant so-called skins of modern smartphone history that's not just because it enhances the ones usefulness though it does more importantly it works with the design of the phone aesthetically and it doesn't slow down the Android experience at all and that's as true today as it was five months ago the ones software runs like a well-oiled machine now that's also the case with its Google Play edition counterpart running stock Android but there is a difference here while we're normally relieved to return to stock Android after spending some time with a manufacturer skin the reverse is true of the one we actually prefer Sense 5 because of how well it plays with the ones look and even the social streaming blinkfeed has its uses from time to time sense definitely slows down the Android update process though we're still running 4.1.2 on our sprint unit and we wish HTC would build in some no-brainer enhancements like system toggles in the notification tray that said the one is a solid example of what happens when you put enough time and effort into building great software and as such we're more willing to wait for improvements on sense than we would be with other third-party you is a relationships with phones are a lot like relationships with people as time goes on the annoyances stack as quickly as the upsides on the HTC one the biggest irritations in normal usage come primarily in terms of battery life and heat now under normal conditions the one does not have poor endurance at all but start putting a load on the phone and it's staying power plummets that's the case with most smartphones of course but with the aluminum one you really feel the heat the Snapdragon 600 is pumping out as it spools up to keep pace it's almost like you can feel the power seeping out of the metal and it's a frustrating reminder that you can't swap out the battery our original advice stands carry a power pack with this phone if you're a heavy user we just wish the solution to the fixed memory capacity was as simple we've used about half are available 32 gigs of storage at this point so you'll probably need to use a cloud solution of some kind if you take a lot of photos and videos and you opt for anything less than the 64 gig edition of the one the last few years have seen the importance of smartphone camera performance skyrocket and 2013 is no exception since the HTC One S release Samsung's Galaxy s4 powerhouse has debuted with a very customizable 13 megapixel shooter nokia has brought its PureView technology to the masses with the 41 megapixel Lumia 1020 and LG has announced an optically stabilized 13 megapixel camera in its forthcoming G to standing next to these the 4 megapixel shooter in the HTC one isn't quite as impressive as it once was ultra pixels or no that's not just because of the resolution megapixels aren't everything after all but because of the ridiculous pace at which other smartphone cameras are improving if you can get past the spec sheet and the low resolution though you'll find a camera that still performs quite well in normal lighting and it even beats out most of its competition in low-light shots thanks to its own helping of Hardware stabilization there's no shortage of options for honing your video and photo performance in the viewfinder and HTC's Zoe feature is still one of the coolest ways to capture and share photos we've ever used we miss it a lot when we carry phones other than the one and it more than makes up for the cameras downsides another thing we miss when we use other phones boomsound some newer smartphones give the one a run for its money in sheer amplitude but it's not all about volume the front placement of the speakers and the wide space between them makes listening to music movies anything better because it's clearer and it's more dynamic we have been able to get the speakers to crackle once or twice on maximum volume watching a movie with a lot of explosions so they're not perfect but that's not enough to change the fact that if you don't always want to be confined to earbuds the one is the best smartphone for media consumption from an audio standpoint when the HTC one drops on Verizon Wireless on August 22nd it'll be almost half a year old that's about half a decade in smartphone years the point of after the buzz is to see how well a device ages in this ridiculously accelerated time scape and the HTC One is doing so more gracefully than almost any other it's basically the George Clooney of smartphones we're still looking forward to seeing how HTC builds on the success of the one with its next models and we're always hopeful the company can improve on its software update promptness but as of today we have no hesitation in continuing to recommend the one it's a great Android experience running on stunningly beautiful hardware and it's still one of our favorite smartphones ever and that's gonna do it for this episode of after the buzz folks don't forget there are 20 more here on our youtube channel page and the initial reviews on all those devices as well at pocketnow.com but before you go anywhere please do drop us a like if you enjoyed the video leave a comment down below if you have something to say we do enjoy reading those and make sure and subscribe here on youtube if you don't want to miss future videos from PocketNow until next time this has been michael fisher thank you for watching we'll see you soon