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Phones HTC Hima Flagship Device Rumored to Sport Snapdragon 810, 5-Inch FHD Display, 20.7M
- Thread starter jamezr
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I got the device yesterday evening. I used it today the whole day and have following impressions. I will begin with the positive stuff:
Now the things I didn't find good:
Overall I am not sure what to think of the M9. It is a very good phone but has some really basic issues that HTC must take care of asap. I am not sure how long I will keep the M9. Currently it cannot replace my iPhone 6 Plus. The M8 at least made me want to use it all the time. This feeling is missing currently when using the M9...
- Design: it is a small refinement of the M8, but the device feels better in the hand and looks really nice
- speakers: As always great. I am not sure if there is any difference to the M8
- Sense 7: I like the customization options. Apart from that there is not a lot to say.
- Display: It looks better to me because of the cooler color temperature. Apart from that nothing changed..
Now the things I didn't find good:
- Battery life: After 13 hours of usage (3,5 hours screen on time, 40 minutes for GPS), the batter was at 5%..The M8 has better battery life
- Warm: The device gets warm really fast. It's still ok, but there is a noticeable difference to the M8
- The Camera: Especially in low light situations, the standard settings do not work well. if you are prepared to go on manual mode then you will be able to get good results. In good lighting conditions the camera is good.
- Auto brightness: It seems to be really conservative, especially in low light situations. I prefered the way the M8 handled that..
Overall I am not sure what to think of the M9. It is a very good phone but has some really basic issues that HTC must take care of asap. I am not sure how long I will keep the M9. Currently it cannot replace my iPhone 6 Plus. The M8 at least made me want to use it all the time. This feeling is missing currently when using the M9...
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Maybe because it feels like you're using more or less the same device as last year when it should feel new and improved. :T
Similar to every review so far, the M9 is a minor step up from the M8. Maybe something there feels incongruous when it's a year later and a generation later, yet still the same device, both in design and in its shortcomings (camera, namely).
Just a guess.
The M9 is a disappointment for most folks who will be honest with themselves. My friend runs the website HTCsource.com and he's even down on it as he's as big of an HTC fanboy as they come. They put in a 20MP camera that is just ok, battery life isn't great and the screen is the same. By today's standards it's also just too big and bulky. No wireless charging, no quick charge, no real reason to upgrade from an M9. No Thanks, I'll Pass!
I was thinking of picking up another M8 later this summer and see if I can get Sense 7 on it. Sense has always been the best Android skin.
Yeah, in the past I always picked the HTC flagship over Samsung's (One X>GS3, One M7>GS4, One M8>GS5), but this year I ordered the GS6 over the M9, it really just didn't seem like an upgrade at all over my M8. Feel bad for HTC, I hope they can come back and wow me next year.
Yeah, I just got my warrantee replacement for my M8, and it's very refreshing seeing sense again, I converted to a GPE after the L announcement.
Also, did HTC make a revision to the M8? The finish on my replacement is much better than the one I got at launch last year, it feels like the silver version even though it's the gun metal version.Everything just seems slightly better built than my original.
I am my sure if they changed anything as far as fit and finish. But it would be nice it they added something from the M9.
so...has anyone pre ordered an M9? Anyone have any plans to get one?
I loved my M8 except for the camera. Was hoping someone would say the camera was not as bad as some reviews have said it was. Anyone getting this phone this week?
I loved my M8 except for the camera. Was hoping someone would say the camera was not as bad as some reviews have said it was. Anyone getting this phone this week?
Yup I should be getting one in a couple of days time.
The speakers are a major plus point for me and the non-ugly UI pushes it above the S6. I hear the camera is mediocre but I'll be the judge of that (supposedly the issues are software based anyway so will hopefully be fixed soon).
The speakers are a major plus point for me and the non-ugly UI pushes it above the S6. I hear the camera is mediocre but I'll be the judge of that (supposedly the issues are software based anyway so will hopefully be fixed soon).
Awesome! Please post back and let us know your thoughts. Post some pictures taken with the M9 if you don't mind!
Wow...some pictures taken with the M9.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/one-m9/general/pictures-m9-t3044267/page43
http://forum.xda-developers.com/one-m9/general/pictures-m9-t3044267/page43
Three very well lit shots of statuc subjects. Sorry but this tells us nothing. Any flagship camera can take a good shot with the right circimstances. The parameters used here are pretty forgiving.
Actually they are over exposed. First image the sky is completely over-exposed. And a touch of it creeps into the macro shot with elements in distance over exposed.
I have read that if you use the manual controls on the M9 you can take stunning well balanced shots, but over exposure on automatic mode is common.
I have read that if you use the manual controls on the M9 you can take stunning well balanced shots, but over exposure on automatic mode is common.
I suggest you all have a look here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=59821245&postcount=274
I have changed the camera settings on my M9 and the results are very good. The camera doesn't suck, HTC's software though does!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=59821245&postcount=274
I have changed the camera settings on my M9 and the results are very good. The camera doesn't suck, HTC's software though does!
Each visit to Best Buy and the M9 gets about 5 minutes before I move on and I don't care about the camera.
A camera is not just a sensor and lens.
If the software is poor pulling it together then it doesn't matter how good the lens or sensor is.
It's the software that tells the lens and sensor how to process the image, coupled with post processing, compression and artefacts - bad software makes taking a picture as much a lottery as anything else.
Wow that's news to me. I just assumed as long as the sensor is top notch then its fine.
I guess this is why iPhone has only 8MP and gets very nice images.
Just overall bad for HTC, they went from getting criticized for the 4MP "Ultra Pixel" to then upgrading to a 20MP but messing up the software behind it.
Wow that's news to me. I just assumed as long as the sensor is top notch then its fine.
I guess this is why iPhone has only 8MP and gets very nice images.
Just overall bad for HTC, they went from getting criticized for the 4MP "Ultra Pixel" to then upgrading to a 20MP but messing up the software behind it.
On the bright side though, software is at least fixable. Hardware isn't.
Given the criticism I wouldn't be surprised if they are working on camera software update - even Motorola regularly release updates for its camera software on the Moto x 2014.
I actually have no doubt in the right hands the M9 could take a good picture, I manage to get great shots from some of the most criticised devices past couple of years. However the majority of users just like to point and shoot automatically and in that instance a decent camera lens alongside great software is what users really benefit from.
No Plus in North America and Europe?
To HTC, take gun from holster and aim at foot. Fire when ready.
To HTC, take gun from holster and aim at foot. Fire when ready.
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It's an ugly thang, anyway.
But ya, I feel like HTC is all over the map. Ugh.
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Personally, HTC has lost my trust. This was their last chance to get the camera right after two years of falling short on Ultrapixel hype and promises. This was the year. And they still couldn't bring it up to snuff. At best, it's a bit better than the M8 camera. At worse, it's actually worse than the M8 camera. That just doesn't inject any confidence to an educated buyer who knows the HTC One's history when it comes to cameras.
And then to have to rely once again on software updates to hopefully improve things just won't cut it, in my opinion. The faith is lost.
And c'mon MRU, you live in a crazy beautiful landscape. A lot of your shots are gorgeous, but that's more the setting and the sun than the camera.
Like you said, the average user wants a reliable point and click that can snap them a good, clear, quality picture in one quick try. The iPhone, the Note 4, and presumably the S6/Edge seem to get this right. And for those who want to dive deeper, there are "Pro" modes. This is a losing battle if HTC has to issue a software to its camera before the device is even out of the gate.