The
HTC One is a phone whose consumer-friendly version of
Android is a key differentiator. Based on HTC Sense, the company's Android skin, the One boasts features no other Android phone has, including BlinkFeed, a
Flipboard-like news feed that serves as the phone's default home screen. Some of those features are
even useful.
It's a bit strange, then, that the
HTC One Google Play edition ($599 unlocked, available today) even exists. The Google edition of any phone is a special version that purges the phone of the manufacturer's software, replacing it with a stock (read: Google-centered) Android experience. While that sounds like an great idea for most Android phones (even earlier HTC models), for the most part, it's a downgrade on the One.
Android skins got a bad name over the years as every manufacturer felt the need to create customized software to differentiate their products from others on the market. Some, like Samsung's
TouchWiz, have evolved over time with useful features that don't slow things down, while others, like
Motoblur, ended up in the trash bin for adding
little value — often at the cost of performance.
Clear Skin?
HTC Sense was arguably more skin than enhancement up until the HTC One. But the One introduced a Sense-powered feature package that includes the aforementioned BlinkFeed, TV remote control abilities, and my favorite feature of the HTC One: Zoe. An add-on the Gallery app, Zoe creates 30-second slideshows from the pics and clips you shoot around an event. It's also totally automatic, so you don't have to do anything to create them. And it actually does a good job.
Zoe is missing from the Google Play version of the HTC One, leaving a 30-second hole in my heart. The Gallery app is neater, I'll give it that, but in addition to deleting
Zoe, it doesn't have a way to view photos from sources other than Google services. On the original One you could browse pics from
Facebook,
Dropbox and
Flickr, among other services.
The absence of BlinkFeed doesn't hurt as much. BlinkFeed is a decent idea in theory, and I even found myself tapping on a few updates now and then. But its functionality is limited when compared with Flipboard, which you can get as a widget on the Google Play One. The widget doesn't encourage "snacking" on updates as much, but more often than not I just want to get to my app-filled home screen anyway.
Although I miss Zoe, the camera on the Google One has a nice bonus:
photo spheres. This feature, introduced in Android 4.2, is similar to panorama, although it results in sharper photos that span a complete 360 degrees. They're easy to take and fairly addictive once you start doing them. Photo spheres are a standard mode on the Google Play One, and its 4.3
"UltraPixel" camera (same as the regular model's) is well suited for them.
Search Me
It's a little weird that there's no clear way to search the content on the phone once you get to the apps screen. The original One has a search field you can access by pulling down, but there's no equivalent on the Google One. Sure there's the
Google Now widget on the home screen (which is undeletable, natch), but it makes more sense to have easy search access when you've just been presented with a daunting array of apps. Not a huge deal, but it's ironic that search is actually better handled on the
non-Google phone.
I was also bummed that there's no default remote control app. The HTC One is equipped with an infrared blaster, so it's completely ready to act as your TV remote, and the original version provides a pre-installed remote app. To
That doesn't sound like a huge burden, but I couldn't find a remote control app that worked with the IR blaster. There are a host of remote apps, of course, but most appear
to work with an accessory or control your devices via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Others, such as
MyURemote, are expensive paid apps. And HTC's TV app is hard-wired into HTC Sense, so that's not available at all.
For what it's worth, the Google Play edition of the HTC One doesn't seem
Pleasing to the Eyes
So is there anything to recommend the HTC One Google Play Edition? I have to admit, any better at pairing with
Google Glass. Both versions are buggy (or is it Glass that's buggy?).admit,
I prefer the aesthetics of stock Android to HTC Sense
I prefer the aesthetics of stock Android to HTC Sense. For starters, it makes better use of space: The all-apps screen shows 20 apps per page instead of 12. The icons along the top are smaller and a little more clear. The Google look has functional improvements, too. Looking at the weekly view in the calendar on both phones, more information was visible on the Google Play edition One. On the original, calendar events are highlighted with big blocks of color, whereas the Google One shows the names of events wherever it can.
Finally, I love how the background image works on the Google One. Instead of a static background that stays the same as you swipe through your five home screens, the image is actually spread across all five. But it's done in a way that simply shifts the image slightly as you swipe — a noticeable but subtle effect that lets you know how far, and in which direction, you are from the center-position home screen. Very hot.
In the end, though, a somewhat prettier experience isn't enough for me to recommend the Google Play edition HTC One. If this phone were available in a vacuum, and there was no original version, it would be a great choice. But with One proper right there next to it — complete with remote software, better search and Zoe — the HTC One Google Play edition is an Android with no soul.
The Lowdown
What's Good- Excellent UI
- Photo spheres are extremely cool
- Winning hardware
What's Bad- Throws out good HTC features with bad
- So-so search experience
- No built-in remote app
Now, the handset has been spotted in logs of Bluetooth SIG (
Bluetooth Special Interest Group) running the latest operating system, Android 4.3.
The Bluetooth SIG is the body that manages Bluetooth standards in the handsets and gives licenses for the usage of Bluetooth technologies to handset manufacturers.
HTC had announced the Google Play edition of HTC One running 'stock' Android 4.2 instead of Sense 5 UI and other customisations that come in the regular HTC One. Samsung had earlier announced a similar
Galaxy S4 minus the customisations and its own TouchWiz UI on top of Android 4.2
Google is yet to announce the roll out of its next generation Android operating system. However, speculation is rife that Google could unveil the next version of Android as well as a possible facelift of the Google Nexus 7 tablet by end of July.
We've seen various Android 4.3 related leaks in the past, with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition spotted running a
camera app that's supposed to ship with Google's next Android update.
Earlier, HTC rolled out the
Android 4.2.2 update for its flagship model, HTC One, for some European countries. With the update, the handset is expected to get new features like the Daydream screensaver, picture frame mode, quick settings toggles and lock screen widgets and is also expected to get a revamped Sense 5, HTC's user interface layer on top of the Android OS. However, there is no confirmation about the update to reach HTC One phones in India.f you were one of the eager souls who pre-ordered a Google Play edition of either the
Samsung Galaxy S4 or the
HTC One, you might like to know that orders are beginning to ship today. Tracking numbers are going out and trucks are being loaded up, so be sure to check your account and your inbox for the latest information on your order to see when, exactly, it will arrive.
Overnight and two-day orders should definitely arrive before the end of the week, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that things go off without an issue and that we won’t be facing another
Nexus 4 debacle (although, at the price these things are being offered, I’d be surprised if they sold out quite as fast as that phone did).
Key Features 
Pros: Slick interface aids multitasking; BlackBerry Hub combines email messaging and social networking; Superior touch keyboard learns as you type; Smart integration of calendar contacts and messaging; BBM supports video chat and screen sharingCons: Performance lags at times; Some apps feel watered down compared to iOS and Android; Camera struggles in low lightThe Verdict: The BlackBerry Z10 offers a slick, multitasking-friendly interface, killer keyboard and one-stop shop for messaging and social networking, but BlackBerry needs to work out some kinks.
BlackBerry is taking on a new avatar by saying goodbye to its QWERTY keypad and bringing an all-new touch experience to users. The BlackBerry Z10 is the first of the brand’s new range of phones running on the BlackBerry 10 operating system that offers fast and compelling user experience. The 1.5 GHz Dual Core processor with 2 GB RAM offers impressive support that ensures there are no lags and that the phone runs smoothly. But what you really have to love is the 4.2 inch touchscreen that doesn’t miss a beat. The WXGA capacitive touchscreen supports 1280 x 768 pixel resolution and gives you great display and gesture support delivers satisfying navigation.
Connectivity and Features
Might wanna take this one with a grain of salt, but if this latest rumor pans out, we could be looking at 4 different models of the upcoming 
NEW DELHI: Canvas HD was a game changer in Indian smartphone market. It brought a quad-core processor and a decent 720p screen at a price point below Rs 15,000. Given this background, we expected 
TC One score over 20,000 points in this benchmark. But given its price, Canvas 4's score looks decent.
