HTC Titan II Review: Come for Windows Phone 7.5 With 4G, Stay for the Camera

 Overview

Although Nokia has been receiving its fair share of attention for its recent Windows Phone devices, including the Lumia 710, 800, and 900, HTC has added its own respectable contribution to the mix: the Titan II.

Featuring a gray, contoured body and a 4.7-inch display, the Titan II sports an excellent 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and is available on AT&T’s 4G LTE network. Priced at $200 with a two-year contract, the Titan II isn’t quite as good as a deal as the Lumia 900, but it’s still a solid option for those looking to experience Windows Phone 7.5 Mango on a 4G connection.

Build & Design

The Titan II takes more of a conventional approach with its design than the other recent major Windows Phone release, the Nokia Lumia 900, which was somewhat polarizing thanks to its unorthodox combination of rounded edges and sharp corners. With the HTC model, users will find the design to be much more familiar, thanks to its rounded corners, flat edges, and slightly rounded back.

One thing that that the Titan II does have in common with the Lumia 900, however, is that it’s gigantic. Depending on your preference -- and hand size -- this may or may not be good news for you. When I previewed the phone earlier this year at CES, I bemoaned its large form factor, but some of you may prefer it, as it afforded HTC the opportunity to fit the device with a sizable screen. But no matter your preference, you’ll always know when it’s in your pocket; measuring 5.12 x 2.76 x 0.39 inches and weighing in at 6 ounces, this is no small device. They weren't kidding when they put "Titan" in the name.

A unique aspect of its design that I did appreciate is how the bottom edge of the phone is gently curved upwards, putting it closer to the user’s mouth when held up to the ear. Unlike the Galaxy Nexus phones, the entire phone isn’t curved, only the bottom edge is, so when it’s viewed from the side the handset has a sled-like shape. I enjoyed this design choice, as it was subtle and felt comfortable against both the face and when reaching for the capacitive navigation buttons below the display.

 Display

The 4.7-inch, 480 x 800 WVGA Super LCD display of the Titan II is, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. Compared to the low reflectivity and deep blacks of the Lumia 900’s display -- due in no small part to Nokia’s ClearBlack technology -- the screen of the Titan II was okay at best. Aside from the blacks not being as deep, colors did not pop nearly as much, and even on the highest settings, the screen was far from the brightest I’ve ever seen (which also caused some issues with visibility in direct sunlight).

Also, the screen has a pixel density of 199 ppi, which doesn’t look great on the phone’s massive 4.7-inch display. I was surprised at how easily I could see individual pixels without even having to look all that closely. A display this large deserves a better pixel density to go with it, because otherwise it’s kind of pointless to have a huge, generally poor display.

Other Buttons and Ports

The button and port placement is generally standard fare, with the volume rocker and dedicated camera button located on the right side of the device, the power/standby button and 3.5mm microphone jack on the top edge, and the micro USB (charging) port on the left side. A 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera can be found in the upper right-hand corner above the display, and a large, 16-megapixel rear-facing camera is positioned toward the top of the backside of the device (with a speaker and dual-LED flashes located on either side of it).

Unfortunately, like the Lumia 900, the 1730 mAh battery of the HTC Titan II is not removable. A small panel located on the bottom fifth of the backside of the device can be slid off to access the SIM card slot, but that’s it.

Performance

Everything there is to say about Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) -- the OS that the HTC Titan II runs -- has already been said in our previous reviews, but rest assured that it’s a comfortable user experience, at least to this reviewer. I’m well aware of the fact that it’s not for everybody, especially given the animosity toward the Metro UI, but it’s efficient (especially with battery usage), fast, and easy to navigate.

Under the hood, the Titan II packs a powerful 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but unfortunately Microsoft’s OS does not currently support multi-core chips, so it’s only a single-core processor. Nevertheless, it’s more than enough to power the device capably, and I tested out a number of graphics-intensive games without ever encountering any stuttering or hiccups. The only minor issue was that the back of the device would get a little warm during some of the more intense processes, though it was nothing too serious.

It’s a drastic improvement over last generation’s WP7 devices, including my personal HTC Trophy, which runs on a 1 GHz single-core processor. For instance, simple tasks like pulling up my Xbox Live page on my Trophy can result in some seriously sluggish framerates when my avatar begins performing animations, but no such lag occurred on the Titan II. The disparity between the processing power of the two devices was quite apparent.

For those wondering, the Titan II comes with 16 GB of storage. As usual, per Microsoft’s Windows Phone specifications, the device does not have expandable storage.

And as for AT&T’s 4G LTE network, I was perfectly content with its speeds, even if I didn’t get to enjoy things like Flash video, which is unsupported on Windows Phone. Service was reliable, even if I did notice a dip in the number of bars I had in certain areas (where I would have the maximum number of bars on my Verizon handset).

Software

The apps on the Titan II are standard fare for a Windows Phone, with AT&T and HTC both pitching in their respective contributions. Like with the rest of its WP7 handsets, AT&T preloads its Code Scanner, myWireless (provides details about your wireless account), Navigator, Radio, Maps, U-Verse Mobile apps. HTC, meanwhile, provides its HTC Hub, which is nothing more than a glorified weather/stock/news app with links to other free apps in the Marketplace.

But as is always the case with Windows Phones, the operating system has baked-in software for both productivity and entertainment. Easy syncing to Outlook/Microsoft Exchange accounts is great for work, as is the inclusion of the Microsoft Office suite (featuring Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote, as well as a handful of cloud/syncing options like Sharepoint or SkyDrive).  The phone also comes preloaded with Tango for making video calls with the phone’s front-facing, 1.3-megapixel camera.

Of course, there is also integration with Xbox Live and Zune, which is great for gamers and music lovers. And ever since the Mango update to WP7, users also have access to updated Bing search features and Local Scout (for providing nearby restaurants or shops).

  

Camera

The Titan II comes equipped with a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera with a dual-LED flash and a BSI sensor for low-light shooting. I was happy to see that the white balance issues that plagued the Lumia 900’s camera were not present here. In fact, the quality of the photos I snapped with the smartphone was actually quite impressive, with images coming out clear and crisp.

I was also impressed with how the camera could achieve a shallow depth of field, albeit when the subject in question was extremely close to the lens. Meanwhile, the BSI sensor helped quite a bit with low-light shooting; as you can see in the sample image here, I shot a photo in the shadows beneath my desk, yet there really isn’t much noise at all. In fact, it looks more like I took the picture out in the open underneath the lights. I had to shoot in some very poorly-lit areas before I ran into any noticeable graininess.

The camera’s 720p video was decent, but nothing too special as it tended to suffer from motion blur pretty easily. Still, much like the photos, the picture was sharp and colors were well-saturated.

Battery

The battery life of the Titan II was excellent, especially for a 4G device. Given the size and capacity of the battery, I tried giving it a real push by keeping email push on, as well as Wi-Fi, location (GPS), and brightness on the maximum setting. Despite my best efforts to drain the battery as fast as I could, I still managed to get three full days out of it with legitimate usage for other activities like browsing, gaming, and finding directions (admittedly, I only made one 15-minute phone call during that period).

And after my intensive stress test of the battery, I tried seeing how long it could last with the same settings on, but much less usage in terms of web browsing and other activities. Truth be told, that didn’t help me squeeze too much more out of a single charge; I managed to get roughly another 16 hours of usage out of it.

Conclusion

With all the attention and recent marketing that the Nokia Lumia 900 has been receiving lately, it’s easy for people to overlook the HTC Titan II, or perhaps not even hear about it at all. But while I personally did not find it to be quite on the same remarkably high level as the Lumia 900, I still thought that the Titan II was a great Windows Phone offering from HTC.

It has a disappointing display and it’s too big and bulky for my tastes, but at least the latter issue was somewhat mitigated by its contoured design. Aside from that, it’s mostly pros with the Titan II, including an outstanding camera, a powerful processor, and 4G connectivity. It will run you a bit more than the Lumia 900, but if you’re not fond of Nokia’s unorthodox design choices or you’re looking for a better-quality camera, then the Titan II might just be what you’re looking for.

A little bird told me

World's first Twitter-only mobile device now available in the United States for $99

Never has a brand been so popular that it makes us proud to represent bird sounds; that and lazily accepting being called a ‘twit'.

I'm on Twitter too but I wouldn't say I'm addicted (yet). When forced to justify my penchant for tweeting, I focus on its benefits - it makes collaboration a whole lot easier and is a great way to find out the latest news and trends, which is useful when in the media industry.

But when I heard there was a Twitter-only device available in the States (on Twitter no less!), my initial reaction was well...not really something I can type out here.

When you have enough smartphones around to give you the required measure of virtual adrenaline, why would you want to spend nearly $200 for one that's restricted just one social media service? Even one for just Facebook is ludicrous...but there must be a market out there because the TwitterPeek is listed on Amazon, proudly proclaiming that it's the "world's first Twitter mobile device."

TwitterPeek comes with 6 months of service for $99.95 but for a hundred Ds more you can get it with a lifetime service, though the device itself only comes with a one-year warranty. And a chirpy Aqua colour. Tweet it loud.

Digital Cameras: The Top 10 Things You Need to Know

1) Resolution is less important than you think

 There is a popular misconception that more megapixels lead to better pictures. This is not the case.

 Sure, higher resolution gives you the ability to crop more aggressively or print large pictures, but only a fraction of digital photographers will benefit from this ability. If you're a casual shooter who won't be printing pictures larger than 8x10" or doing extensive computer editing, then a camera with 5- or 6-megapixel resolution will be sufficient.

 More advanced photographers will likely appreciate the flexibility of higher resolution, but a 10+ megapixel camera is by no means necessary to create stunning pictures. Choose a camera you can understand and afford, and don't be fooled by glitzy high-resolution specs.

2) Zoom is more important than you think

Whether you're shooting distant wildlife or close-up portraits, you can never have too much zoom. The majority of digital cameras have 3-, or 4x optical zoom, but you will never regret choosing a model with more telephoto power.

Fortunately the extended zoom camera category is growing rapidly, and there is a great selection of models with 8-, 10-, or even 12x optical zoom. For the ultimate in zoom control and quality, look for an extended-zoom camera with image stabilization, which will ensure that shots taken at full telephoto will be tack-sharp, even without a tripod.

3) Travelers should use cameras with AA Batteries

Digital cameras come in two varieties: those that use AA-size batteries and those that are powered by proprietary lithium-ion batteries. If you are a traveler, particularly someone who enjoys remote or rustic locations, choose a camera with AA batteries.

When a camera that uses proprietary batteries runs out of power, you have no choice but to plug the battery into a power outlet to recharge it. This requires an available outlet, a battery charger, and, if you're in a foreign country, a power converter. If access to an outlet is ever in doubt, or if you don't want the hassle of carrying cords and chargers, then the limitations of this system are obvious.

When a camera that uses AA-size batteries runs out of power on a trip, you can simply throw out the old batteries and drop in a new set of high-performance AAs like the Energizer E2 Lithium line. Two or three sets of such batteries can usually take you through a 10-day trip. If you're out of high-performance batteries, you also have the option of using standard alkaline batteries, which are available anywhere in the world, and make a cheap and convenient source of backup power (though they only offer a fraction of the life of high performance batteries).

Recent trips to Asia and Africa have borne this theory out—after my companions' cameras had been sidelined by dead batteries, I was still happily shooting away with my AA-powered Canon PowerShot.

4) Small cameras get shots that big cameras don't

Sure, that big, black SLR with the long lens may look fancy, but it won't do you any good if you're not carrying it. Never underestimate the importance of having a camera that is small enough to fit into your pocket—you'll be amazed at the spontaneous pictures you'll have the opportunity to take. While the photo quality produced by an ultra-compact does not equal that of a large SLR, the ability to whip it out and snap a shot while others are fumbling for their bulky cameras more than outweighs this drawback.

5) Canon makes great cameras

Canon digital cameras receive consistently great reviews, and for good reason: Over the last 2+ years, Canon has time and again proven itself capable of producing well-designed cameras that produce impressive results. From the EOS line of digital SLRs to the diminutive PowerShot ELPHs, Canon invests substantial time in the design process, and the results pay off—photographers of all abilities rave about their Canon cameras.

There have been some mistakes along the way—the Canon A70 was built with a design flaw that produces crippling error messages and black lines on the LCD, but newer models seem to be free of this problem. If you're looking for a great combination of features, price, and performance, Canon will almost always deliver. (NOTE: Digital Camera HQ is in no way affiliated with Canon, nor do we derive any benefit from recommending one brand over another).

6) Kodak makes great, easy-to-use cameras

When I bought my mother her first digital camera, I chose a Kodak, having read countless reviews that raved about their user-friendly controls. The reviews were right—Kodak's EasyShare digital cameras are remarkably easy to use: the menus are simple, the LCD text large and clear, and the controls largely self-explanatory. The results are just as impressive, with attractive, saturated colors and crisp definition. Don't be fooled into thinking that Kodak digital cameras are just for beginners, however—their simplicity aside, many of the high-end EasyShare models offer a full suite of manual controls for ambitious photographers.

7) Digital cameras can and will break

Whether it's due to accidental damage or simple wear and tear, digital cameras are not as durable as their film counterparts. Many photographers have film cameras that are ten or twenty years old—don't expect this kind of longevity from your new digital toy. Some cameras suffer from design flaws (like black lines on the LCD screen of the Canon A70), while others fall victim to the kind of mechanical breakdowns that effect every kind of electronic gear.

Does this mean that you shouldn't buy a digital camera? Absolutely not. A digital camera will so fundamentally change the way you think about photography that you will wonder how you ever got along without one. You must, however, be comfortable with the fact that one day your camera will cease to work.

For some, this knowledge may keep them from spending top dollar on a fancy camera; others simply accept it as the sole downside of working with digital. The most important thing is to do your homework before you buy—any fundamental design flaws will be quickly apparent in user reviews.

8) Don't put all your pictures on one card

After returning from a trip to Asia, I eagerly inserted one of my memory cards into a card reader to download my new pictures. For still unexplained reasons (likely a static electricity discharge), a card that should have held over 200 pictures was suddenly rendered blank. Two weeks and $250 later (thanks to www.drivesavers.com), I had recovered about 90% of my pictures, but the rest were lost permanently.

The moral of the story? Like any other technology, flash memory is not flawless. It is very rare to lose images, but it does happen, and the fact that I had spread my pictures between 5 memory cards protected me from the possibility of losing two weeks' worth of irreplaceable vacation memories. Given the choice between choosing a single 1GB memory card, or four 256MB cards, I will always choose multiple cards.

9) Find & use a simple photo editing program

Most digital photographers will never take the time to master expensive and powerful photo editing programs like Adobe Photoshop or Jasc Paint Shop Pro—these programs are too complex and time-consuming for all but the most dedicated photographers. Fortunately there are a variety of easy-to-use editing programs that even novice photographers can use to edit, improve, and organize their digital photos.

My favorite program is Picasa, and it is absolutely free at www.picasa.com. With Picasa you can perform all the basic editing tasks like sharpening, contrast correction, cropping, and straightening—most with just the touch of a button. Spend a few minutes on your best photographs and you will be amazed at the results. Picasa also make it incredibly easy to organize your best shots so you don't have to sift through hundreds of unwanted pictures to find your prizewinners.

10) Print and display your pictures

Far too many people take great digital images, only to have them languish in obscurity on their hard drive, never to be enjoyed by others. Don't let this happen to you.

Online image hosting and printing companies like Snapfish or Kodak Gallery can turn your digital images into high-quality prints of any size. You can simply upload your pictures onto the website. From there you can order prints of every size as well as photo mouse pads, calendars, t-shirts and other gifts. You can also send a link to friends so that they can view your pictures online and order their own copies.

If you want to see more of your own pictures, nothing beats using them as a screen saver on your computer. Simply right-click on your desktop, choose Properties/Screen Saver/Settings, and you can direct your computer to the pictures you wish to use. Set the screensaver to change images every 10 seconds and you'll have an instant slide show every time your computer is idle.