drmsriram: TECH SPECIAL..REVIEW TOP DOGS ....Android flagship handsets from HTC, Sony and LG

TECH REVIEW TOP DOGS

Android flagship handsets from HTC, Sony and LG

HTC Butterfly
Look & Feel: HTC makes good-looking Android phones, and the Butterfly is no different. The handset’s unibody shell, fabricated out of tough plastic, is coated with soft rubber, giving the device a premium finish. Another highlight is the addition of a notification LED near the front camera that lights up to inform users of any new message, email, or social network post.
Interface: The phone uses HTC’s proprietary Sense user interface which is defined by colourful icons, elaborate animations and fancy widgets. Still, we prefer stock Android’s clean, straight lines, which look sharper and modern. The Sense UI just seems bloated.
Screen: Its FullHD display is one of the best we’ve seen. It is bright, displays vibrant colours and text looks crisp. Indeed, it’s a screen made for videos.
Camera: The 8MP primary camera shoots photos that are detailed and have accurate colours. In low-light conditions, Butterfly shoots images that are better than what most smartphones manage. Still, white balance seems a bit off, and images are not as sharp as we’ve seen in other premium handsets
like the iPhone 5 or Galaxy S III.
Performance: The top-notch hardware purring under its hood makes Butterfly a very fast phone. Apps install in seconds, web browsing is spiffy, and demanding games like Beach Buggy run smoothly. Scrolling and gestures like pinch-to-zoom work without a hitch. Butterfly is a capable multimedia device and can play FullHD videos in popular formats like MP4 with ease.
Music: The music player in Butterfly integrates TuneIn Radio and SoundHound, an app that can identify a song based on its tune. It also features HTC’s Beats audio technology, but this does not augment sound quality; it just increases the volume.
GPS & Maps:
GPS is fast and accurate. It locks on to satellite signals within seconds and maintains the connection. Google Navigation and Maps experience is fantastic on the phone. This also holds true for Google Now, a virtual assistant that uses geo-location data to push information to users.
Battery: With typical smartphone usage, the battery lasts little over 10 hours, which is poor. The phone comes with a battery saver mode. When we used the phone in this mode, the battery lasted for a little over 12 hours.
Price: Butterfly has the (dubious) distinction of being an Android phone that is more expensive than iPhone 5 in India. In simple words, it is overpriced for what it does.
Verdict: HTC Butterfly is a fantastic smartphone and easily one of the best we have ever used. If you care for premium feel, design and a fantastic screen, this is it. It is a delight to use and will not disappoint you. But the Butterfly does not offer the best value for money in India’s existing smartphone market.

Price: Rs.45,900

LG Optimus G
Look & Feel: The Optimus G is a beautiful handset, sporting a unibody design with curved edges and a glass back. Its build quality makes it feel premium. On the down side, the phone has a tendency to heat up at the slightest of tasks; it was most noticeable during long phone conversations, where we could feel the heat against our ear. It’s not a deal-breaker, but still irksome.
Camera: Low-light photos are plagued with noise, and images don’t have great detail in daylight either. Still, the Optimus G has a few neat tricks like the ‘CheeseShutter’ which takes a photo when you say cheese; but what’s the point if the photo itself isn’t of great quality? In fact, it works better for recording video, especially with its clear audio capture.
Interface: LG has introduced quite a few custom elements to Android Jelly Bean that enhance the interface. The QuickMemo, for instance, turns any screen into a screenshot on which you can quickly take notes. On the other hand, LG has enforced restrictions on users; something we have never seen before. For example, once the phone reaches a certain temperature – or when the battery is low – you can’t increase the screen’s brightness. While this is great for those new to smartphones, it’s very limiting in actual usage.
Screen: The high-def display is defined by bright colours and sharp images. But spend some time with it, and issues start cropping up: Sunlight legibility is a big issue, and since brightness can’t be increased, it only becomes worse. Also, there is noticeable banding – a lack of smooth gradation in colour.
Performance: The Optimus G works like a charm, whether it was playing high-def games, multi-tasking between several apps, or even watching FullHD movies.
Music: It has very good audio output with a deep, thumping bass. Part of the credit should go to the superb packaged headphones – apart from their sound quality, they sport a nice design with a rubber cable that seems like it will last for a long time.
GPS & Maps: There’s nothing great, nor bad when it comes to the Optimus G’s GPS and mapping solutions. It uses Google Maps and just works.
Battery: The Optimus G includes two power-saving options: Power Saver (which turns off Wi-Fi, lowers screen brightness, turns off vibrate, etc) and Eco Mode (which optimises CPU for efficiency). And these are needed, considering the phone lasts just 14 hours on average use. A little disappointing for its price tag.
Price: While the MRP is 34,500, the phone is available in the market for under 32,000 – a much fairer price for what it offers. But with the screen’s sunlight problems and the heating issues of the handset, we don’t think it’s worth more than competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S III.
Verdict: The LG Optimus G has a lovely design, feels premium, and there is absolutely nothing you can fault with its performance. The camera is a little weak, but captures video really well. But the screen’s sunlight legibility problems, the phone’s heat issues and the lacklustre battery life make it a tad substandard. In fact, we feel the older Optimus 4X HD ( 27,000 approx) is better value for money at the moment.

Price Rs.34,500

Sony Xperia Z
Look & Feel: The Xperia Z sports a minimalistic candybar design that’s defined by clean, straight lines. It is built out of plastic, but is covered with scratch-resistant glass, which makes it slippery to hold and a fingerprint magnet. Still, the Z looks distinctive and classy. Those looking for a tough device might want to consider this handset, especially since it’s waterproof and dustproof. During our review, we dipped the handset in some water, and we’re happy (and relieved) to report that it passed the test.

Interface: The device uses a custom UI called Experience Flow, and comes with a few proprietary mini apps such as voice recorder, calculator and a notepad. So if you’re working on a document and need to do some calculations, just hit the multitasking key, open the calculator mini-app, and do your math; all without getting out of your office suite. Screen: The Xperia Z sports a FullHD screen that’s capable of sharp photos and crisp fonts. Still, all is not well with this display: viewing angles are poor and colours lack contrast when compared to other high-end devices in this price bracket.

Performance: Internet browsing is spiffy, the user interface is lag-free, all sensors work well, FullHD videos play smoothly, and games run without any compromise. But all this performance comes at a cost. Xperia Z runs hot. Even half an hour of web browsing can make it uncomfortable to hold.
GPS & Maps: Google Navigation, which displays traffic information and routes, and Maps and Google Now, which are part of Android, are fantastic services. On Xperia Z, they work well in tandem with the device’s GPS chip that locks onto satellite signals quickly and accurately.
Music: The handset comes with Sony’s Walkman app that has a gorgeous user interface and even plays 24-bit .flac files. The sound output through speakers is nothing special but if you use its headphones, the audio is crisp, rich and detailed.
Camera: Its 13MP primary shooter clicks decent photos, but its output is not quite in the league of what other high-end phones produce. Pictures don’t look very sharp, and the camera struggles with dynamic range. In low or artificial light, the images are prone to noise and loss of colour.
Battery: The Xperia Z battery life is middling at 14 hours when used with 3G – just about enough for a work day.
Price: Despite it large screen, and dust- and water-proof exterior, we feel that the Xperia Z is a bit overpriced at 38,990. A few thousands lesser would make it a competitive proposition when compared to the best-selling Samsung Galaxy Note II phablet.
Verdict: The Xperia Z is a fast and good-looking handset, which is also dust-resistant and waterproof. But an average screen and middling camera prevents us from giving it an outright recommendation. Pick it up if you want a rugged, big-screen smartphone that can handle demanding games and weather.

Price Rs.38, 990

— Javed Anwer and Mihir Patkar TL30324

drmsriram

Saturday, April 13, 2013

TECH SPECIAL..REVIEW TOP DOGS ....Android flagship handsets from HTC, Sony and LG

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