Category Archives: Smartphones

The HTC One M8 harman/kardon for Sprint: Amazing Photographs & Incredible Sound!

May 15, 2014Brand Ambassador, Gadgets, Smartphones, Technology#SprintMom, Harman/Kardon, HTC One M8, mom central, Sprint AmbassadorAlicia

Perhaps the most exciting new Android smartphone on the market right now is the HTC One M8. It is truly something special and is available through all the major wireless carriers in the United States. However, the recently released Sprint edition, the HTC One M8 harman/kardon, offers users an even better overall experience. It delivers even better audio quality than the regular version making it not just a great smartphone but an awesome media device.

If you have kids, you know what I mean when I suggest that your smartphone is a media device. You know how your smartphone transforms into a gaming console with the switch from adult to child’s hands? Or a karaoke machine, a DJ, a mini movie theatre, and in our case, a bedtime story reader when I’m sick and can’t read to my daughter at night.**

HTC One M8 Size & Sound

The HTC One M8 harman/kardon is slightly taller than last year’s version and slightly larger at 71 millimeters wide. The screen is a full five inches with an HD display resolution of 1980 by 1080 pixels. Battery life is good with the 2600 mAh battery and should get most parents through a busy day. Of course, you have access to plenty of apps courtesy of Google Play whether you are looking for entertainment, finance, games, social networking and so much more. The Harman/Kardon Sprint HTC One M8 includes a special technology called Clari-Fi. It makes all types of digital music compressed to fit on your phone have a more natural sound when you are listening to music through headphones. This is what makes it unique to the general version of the smartphone that are available worldwide. The sound quality is amazing. I’m not kidding when I tell you this; I was laying in my daughter’s bed a few nights ago and we were watching and listening to one of the SAG Foundation stories being read by James Earl Jones. There was a point during the 7 minute video that I looked around my daughter’s room because I heard music coming from the left side of me and swore an iPod or her radio came on and I was going to have to get up to turn it off. In reality, it was the music from the story we were watching, transcending into a space I didn’t think sound from a phone could go. It was as if she had surround sound speakers in her room. It was really wild actually.

I can’t even compare the sound quality of the HTC One M8 harman/kardon and the iPhone 5s. The sound quality is that different. Like I said earlier, it’s like you’re holding a mini movie theatre in your hands or you’re at a live concert without the parking hassle and crowd. The sound is really that good. So, if you listen to music while you’re working, exercising, cleaning, cooking, putting the kids to bed (Enya is great for bedtime!), or enjoying a romantic dinner with your significant other, the HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon will immerse you in the music like never before. Really. I’m not exaggerating. Go to your Sprint store and check it out for yourself!

Take Professional Looking Photos With UltraPixels

If you are a busy mom or dad you will find that the HTC One M8 harman/kardon is the ultimate smartphone for you. It is made with a gorgeous all metal build that is highly durable and will be able to withstand a good deal of punishment, even when your kids get their hands on it. Like the original HTC One from last year, the camera of the M8 is 4 megapixels, or rather UltraPixels as HTC has dubbed them. The UltraPixels are meant to capture as much light as possible in your shots when you are in low-light situations.

One of my favorite ways to test a camera is by taking macro or close-up shots. Here are a few photographs I took with the HTC One M8 harman/kardon.

However, unlike the original HTC One, the One M8 has dual rear-facing cameras. The purpose of this is to offer more depth in your photos, which is great when you are chasing your kids around to snap the best possible pictures. There is also a feature called UFocus that allows you to capture a photo and then go back to it to edit it when you are ready. Blurring the background will make your images look even better as it more effectively emphasizes the object or person of your focus.

As a parent, I enjoy the Zoe feature, which is the ability to capture video clips that are three seconds long and made up of 20 still shots. The HTC One M8 captures this each time you snap a photo. Later, you can choose individual frames that you would like to use to make up a quick video for memorizing those special moments.

Keep Up With Your Social Media With BlinkFeed!

One of the biggest features of the phone is BlinkFeed. This appeared on last year’s HTC One and offers a refreshing look to your home screen that stands out in comparison to other Android smartphones. You can choose among news and social network feeds you want to appear on your home screen so that you do not have to go digging for it. It is a great way to keep up with current events and with family and friends with whom you are connected on Facebook or Twitter.

Is It Easy To Transition From Other Phone and/or OS?

Overall, the HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon has definitely replaced my iPhone. I have been anxious for a larger iPhone to be released and while it looks like that may happen sometime, I am very happy with the HTC One M8, even being the Apple girl I am. HTC makes the transition from an iPhone, or any phone for that matter, to an HTC easy with the HTC Sync Manager. I had my iTunes music on the HTC One M8 in no time and to top it off, I get to listen to the music from the phone OR from the amazing Harman Kardon Onyx Studio which connects to my HTC One M8 via Bluetooth and produces the most amazingly full and crisp sound. The Harman Kardon Onyz Studio is a definite addition to our vacations this summer as we love to listen to music wherever we are and it is so portable, there’s no reason not to bring it along.

Sprint Sound Sessions / Spotify 20 Million Songs = Super Fun Summer Road Trips!

As a part of Sprint’s new Sprint Sound Sessions, Sprint is giving customers access to Spotify’s catalogue of more than 20 million songs. I listen to music while I work, exercise, clean, and in the car. I have music on 80% of my waking hours. Sometimes even while I shower and definitely when my daughter bathes. Talk about belting out a song in the shower!

Spotify on the HTC One M8 allows users to play music on demand, create playlists, discover new music, share tracks with their friends, listen to songs offline, and listen to music without ads across multiple devices. Access to Spotify allows you to listen to millions of songs on the go. It has been really nice to be able to listen to songs I didn’t already have in my music library, from my HTC One M8 via Spotify. Think about how much easier your upcoming summer road trips will be with a service like Spotify on your phone. Sprint is offering Sprint Framily Members Spotify for FREE for 6 months with the purchase of a HTC One M8 Harman/Kardon, for a limited time. When is a better time to take advantage of a deal like that than right before summer road trips?

I hope this review helps you, especially if you’re wondering if the boost in sound quality and the transition from another smartphone operating system is easy or not. It is!

Stay tuned (sign up for my daily rss/email updates in the box at the top of the right column) for more reviews of devices offered through Sprint as I enjoy being a #SprintMom Sprint Ambassador during which I will test various Sprint devices and service options over the course of the year.

Enjoy!

Alicia

If you haven’t checked out SAG Foundation’s storybook website, bookmark it today and next time you lose your voice and can’t read bedtime stories to your kids, go to the website and choose from one of the many books for your child’s bedtime story. Actors including Annette Bening, Elijah Wood, and Betty White, read wonderful stories in a video so kids get that sense of being read to and get to see and experience the book as if it were in their hands. The HTC One M8 harman/kardon sound really helps the books come to life!

Capturing Exceptional Photos of Special Life Moments with your Phone | #HTCOne #TroopOneX

February 15, 2013Electronics, Gadgets, Smartphonesandroid photos, HTC OneX+, phonography, smartphoneAlicia

I’ve been using the HTC One X+ Android phone for a few weeks. As I mentioned in a previous post, I thought the transition from iOS to Android would be a bit painful as I have used an iPhone for 4 years. I was mistaken. You can read more about my transition from iOS to Android here.

I didn’t think that there could possibly be a phone or operating system that I’dlike better than iOS. I quickly learned that I was wrong. Within the first few days of having the HTC OneX+ I felt confident that I could make the switch from iOS to android and that’s just what I did.

The incredible 8MP camera on the HTC OneX+ helped make the decision to switch easy.

In just the few short weeks that I’ve been using the HTC One X+, I have captured some of my favorite photos of my daughter like the one below where she’s swinging with a tutu on. My HTC one X+ has been with me to capture wonderful photos during some exciting moments of ours. Check out some of my favorite photos from these experiences below.

Swinging in her tutu in 30 degree weather!

She lost another tooth!

Art project

Delicious desert!

All of the photos above were taken with this phone!

Those are just four of my favorite photos I’ve taken with the HTC OneX+. I love love love the HTC OneX+ 8MP camera. I used continuos shooting mode while my daughter was swinging and got the most amazing shots. The italian ice photo above was taken using the Macro setting. Look at the detail on the raspberries!

Anxious to learn more about the HTC OneX+ for AT&T? I understand!! Learn more about the HTC OneX+ here and follow @HTC on Twitter.

My Dream Vacation and Must-Have Travel Gadgets | #HTCOne #TroopOneX

February 12, 2013Smartphones, Travelgadgets, HTC One X+, smartphone, Travel, TroopOneXAlicia

If I am without my smartphone for just an hour I get a little anxious. Don’t you? I suppose that’s considered an addiction but I could be addicted to far worse things than my favorite gadgets. That being said, I make sure that I have all of my gadget gear including my phone on my “tech packing list” well before packing for a trip.

What’s on my tech packing list?

1. HTC OneX+
2. External battery charger
3. A/C Charger
4. Regular length USB Cable
5. 10 foot USB Cable (like this one, for times when an outlet is not close)
6. Earphones
7. iPad – for watching movies on flight
8. MacBook
9. Charging Station

Before a trip, especially a blogger trip, I make sure that I move my most frequently used travel related apps to my HTC One X+ homescreen. Some of my most used apps during travel are Delta for checking flight status, Foursquare for checking in, Pandora for music, Yelp for local restaurant reviews, Hootsuite for Twitter & Facebook updates, Instagram for fun photos, Google Maps for directions, Camera for taking photos, Skype for video chatting with family, and WordPress for blogging.

I mostly use my phone as my camera when I’m on trips. I take a camera but chances are I’m going to snap the best and most candid photos with my smartphone, not my camera, because my phone is easier to get to. And, it’s easy to share photos I’ve taken with my HTC One X+ with friends and family, and my social networks, in a snap!

On to my dream vacation

I stayed at Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa in San Diego California a couple of years ago for a media trip with Honda and have wanted to go back, with my husband, since. While I have a few favorite places right here in Georgia that we travel to often for vacation, I would love for my husband and I to go on a vacation.. sans kids, sometime. In the 14 years that we’ve been married, we have been on one (mini) vacation without the kids and that was a media trip for a cruise line about 5 years ago. Hardly a vacation.

If I plan an amazing vacation my husband can’t say no, right? Did you know that you can plan a vacation right from your smartphone? There are tons of Android apps that will help you plan your dream vacation from flights, to hotels, to restaurants, and playgrounds!

The 2 top apps I used to plan my dream vacation

First, I checked the Delta app on my phone to see how much a flight to San Diego would cost.

Delta Android App

Then I searched for Estancia La Jolla using Expedia, Yelp, Kayak, and YP apps where I read reviews and got details about the hotel & spa and even checked room availability. I was very happy to find that Estancia La Jolla gets rave reviews!

Estancia La Jolla

It looks amazing, doesn’t it?

I don’t think my husband will argue about my dream vacation destination. I would love for the 4 of us to travel overseas to Italy, France, and Ireland but I can’t imagine finding the time anytime soon. I’ll keep you updated if that changes.

You can plan your dream vacation from just about any smartphone but I used my HTC OneX+ to plan mine. Learn more about the HTC OneX+ and follow @HTC on Twitter.

Share your thoughts..

What is your dream vacation? What are your must-have travel gadgets? Do you use your phone or camera to take photos while on vacation? Share with us in the comments below.

I Love These Fun and Unique HTC One X and One X+ Cases I Found on Etsy!

February 6, 2013Etsy, Gadgets, Smartphonesetsy, HTC OneX+, Phone Cases, smartphone, Unique GiftAlicia

I searched online for cases for my HTC OneX this morning and not being thrilled with the standard, run of the mill cases, I turned to sites like Etsy to find unique, fun phone cases. Now I am struggling to choose just one case for my phone! I pinned a lot of HTC One X+ cases to a board on Pinterest. Take a look here.

Some of the cases in the image below are not the specific case for the HTC OneX as the artists doesn’t have an image but in all cases the artist states that they make the same case for the HTC OneX+ as what you see below. That can change at anytime.

Here are a few of my favorites. (Pin the image below to share with your Pinterest friends!)

HTC OneX phone cases

1 – Tortoise and Hare – $19.50

2 – Vincent Van Gogh Almond Blossoms – $15

3 – Leather case and wallet – $69

4 – Smartphone Wristlet – Pretty Penney Clutch – Posies on Turquoise – $30

5 – Cover sleeve handmade with magnetic closure, colorful fish – $15

6 – Andre – a giraffe – $19.50

Where can you find more cool cases like these?

Take a look at my HTC OneX Cases board on Pinterest to see a lot more fun cases for this phone!

Which case if your favorite?

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, HTC.

I received an HTC OneX+ as part of being a member of the TroopOneX review team. All opinions in this post are 100% my own.

A Peek into my Life through my Playlists. What’s in your Playlist?

February 5, 2013Gadgets, New posts, SmartphonesHTC OneX+, MusicAlicia

I never sang out loud to a song in front of other people, in a car for example, until I met my husband. Our first ‘date’ was us driving his sister home from an Alanis Morisette concert. We were listening to a Madonna CD and my husband and his sister started singing.. out loud. I didn’t know what to think because I never really heard anyone sing out loud except in church or at a performance.

Fast forward to almost 15 years years later.

Now I sing in the shower, in the car, while I’m on the treadmill, and when I’m working. I have music on 80% of my waking hours. Whether the music is played from the stereo or through my phone, I am one who finds it easier to concentrate if I have music on in the background. When I travel I usually fall asleep listening to music on my phone.

HTC OneX+ Music hub Lately I’ve been listening to music on my HTC OneX+ smartphone that comes with Beats Audio. Beats Audio delivers studio-quality sound, the way the artist intended for listeners to hear their music, with or without headphones. The music just sounds authentic. It’s really quite amazing. You have to hear it to believe it.

Through my HTC Music hub as pictured to the right, I have access to my music as well as Internet Radio options including Pandora and TuneIn Radio. If your car has an auxiliary port, you can plug-in the HTC Stereo Clip and launch the HTC Car App to listen to music at the tap of a button. TuneIn Radio will find stations that are currently playing your favorite song, local radio stations, or you can browse trending stations.

So.. what’s on my playlist you ask?

Well between music I’ve downloaded/synced to my HTC OneX+ and Pandora, I have several playlists. Here’s a peek at what you’ll find in my playlists.

HTC OneX Music Playlist

Cooking & Cleaning Playlists

I have a cooking playlist which includes music from The Killers, Taylor Swift (the kids help me cook), and some old Prince (I know you sing along to Little Red Corvette every time it comes on the radio – it’s ok). Here’s one more.. if you are around my age you know this song; Here I Go Again by Whitesnake. You CAN NOT listen to this song without singing. Perfect cooking music or when you want to embarrass your kids while in the car with the windows down.

Driving Playlists

On to my driving playlist. My driving playlist includes lots of KidzBop and Disney songs. You know what’s funny? I didn’t know half the songs on KidzBop 17 were real songs until I heard one of them on the radio. It just didn’t sound the same when an adult man was signing it. For those rare times when the kids are not in the car with me I listen to Siouxsie and the Banshees, Coldplay, The Cure, and Tori Amos.

Exercise & Wake-up Music

My exercise playlist which I plan on using very soon is made up of Chemical Brothers, Linkin Park (warning – not child friendly), and 80’s and 90’s music.

Sleep & Relaxation Playlists

My bedtime and relaxing playlist is made up of Cocteau Twins, Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, This Mortal Coil, and Enya.

While I’m Working

I listen to a variety of music while blogging and working in general. If it’s a relaxing work day then I listen to lyrical music. On stressful, fast paced days I listen to more soothing artists like Enya and Cocteau Twins.