We don’t usually do reviews but we feel like we have an angle to share – the experience of a small-palmed reviewer. This super-sized smartphone is an upgrade from HTC One, which by the way has been dubbed the best mobile phone in the world by Tech Radar, so that should give you a scope of what the One Max is like.
Since every user experience is different, let us share with you ours through four main aspects. We won’t harp on the tech specs here, because it is One Max’s ability to fit well into our lifestyle (for one week anyway) was what drove us to write this review. So these are some of the things that we liked and disliked about HTC’s latest phone.
The Big Screen
5.9 inches to be exact. This made the phone quite a handful for our small-palmed managing editor Gracie, but the curved back makes the grip comfortable. As we are big phone-droppers, the Gorilla Glass screen and its scratch-resistant durability is good news to us. We didn’t get to try this out though, because we were super careful not to drop it.
Its high definition display, coupled with real-time hardware colour enhancer and optical lamination makes going under the sun a tad bit easier. We no longer have to provide a shade to see what’s displayed on the screen, allowing us to be on-the-go without much hassle.
The Fingerprint Scan
This was a useful addition to keep pesky, kaypo hands away. This additional layer of security uses fingerprint scanning to unlock the phone and open apps. You can add up to three fingerprints – the people you trust most we assume. Though it is a good function with good thought, it presents a problem for tiny hands.
The phone is so big that Gracie keeps missing the scanner. Flipping the phone back and forth means wasting time, or in Gracie’s terms – not unlocking it fast enough to take a picture. Despite this, Gracie believes the extra layer of security will come in handy if you have confidential information in your phone.
The HTC Zoe
During sporting events or crazy dance parties where everyone is moving too fast for you to capture a still picture, HTC Zoe will be your bestfriend. It captures 3 second videos from which you can choose the frame that most tickle your fancy.
Gracie finds this especially useful when she goes to media events – you get every second of an exciting moment. The process is simple and effective, removing the need to choose between taking a video or a photo. The image resolution is also clear enough to replace your digicam, if you’re not a serious photographer that is.
The video editor allows you to choose photo and videos, add your preferred soundtrack, and select the timeframe you want. Having a simplified video editor is fun, especially if you are too lazy to go on your laptop. The GIF Creator is possibly our most favourite addition, increasing our desire to contribute to the world of 4Chan. You pick part of the clip you want, speed it up, or slow it down. Again, this was super easy to do.
The HTC Blinkfeed
Gracie’s favourite feature of HTC One Max is the Blinkfeed, an enhanced home screen display which uses likes and dislikes from social networks to recommend a personal feed based on your preference. You choose the topic and Blinkfeed will search the World Wide Web and keep you updated. Sort of like your own personal assistant.
Gracie chose topics like surfing, skateboarding, and photography. While photography content is widely available, Gracie feels niche topics like surfing and skateboarding might be difficult to locate. Yet, she was not disappointed with the updates she received and feels this ‘makes your phone even more personal’. With Blinkfeed, it feels like HTC One Max is truly tailored to suit your interest.
We hope this review has been useful! The HTC One Max in Glacial Silver is available at M1, SingTel, and StarHub, as well as selected authorised resellers. The Stealth Black will be available at a later date.
