AT&T HTC Titan - Review

While I was impressed with the Samsung Focus S, Dan kept telling me "wait until you become your hands on the Titan." I expected to see a quality Windows Phone in the HTC Titan simply was very skeptical of the 4.7" big screen. The Focus S was large plenty with the 4.3" screen only would a iv.7" screen be too big?

Short answer... No.

HTC engineers have done a fantastic task of balancing a large screened device on a sparse platform to minimize the majority. The Titan feels comfortable in the mitt, thanks to more askew or curved sides and the 4.7" screen actually shines. Add an 8mp camera with all the bells and whistles, a 1.5ghz processor, 16gb of storage, and a 1650mah battery and the Titan becomes a very strong performer.

Don't become me incorrect, the Samsung Focus Due south is too a quality, large screen Windows Telephone merely the Titan has just as strong (some may say stronger) of an appeal. While the Titan may have an lengthy model designation (HTC PI39100) it's a solid Windows Telephone. To read more on the AT&T HTC Titan, hit the break.

Design

As much every bit been said about the sheer size of the Titan, when I outset cracked the seal on the box my kickoff thoughts were, "Well that'southward non also big." and after using the Titan for a few days my initial impression has held true. Sure, the Titan has a 4.vii" screen and dwarfs other Windows Phones such as the Samsung Focus Flash simply HTC has done a commendable job of designing a frame effectually this massive screen to essentially reduce the overall size of the telephone. While the Titan is a large phone, it lacks the bulk one would expect from a iv.7" screened device.

Measuring five.14 x two.78 x .39 inches the Titan is just over a quarter inch larger than the HTC HD7S (4.viii 10 2.68 x .44 inches). Surprisingly, the Titan weighs in at 5.6 ounces which is lighter than the HD7S (5.71 ounces). HTC trimmed a lot of the bulk off the Titan by curving the sides of the phone more and designing the battery cover to fit more closely to the dorsum of the phone. Compared to the other big screen, second generation Windows Phone the Titan is .18" taller than the Samsung Focus S (4.96 x 2.63 x .33 inches) simply 1.8 ounces heavier.

The Titan has some heft to information technology when compared to the Focus S only it isn't a cumbersome weight. The balance between the large screen, sparse class factor and weight is and so that the Titan feels comfortable in the hand.

Quick item of note with regards to the color of the AT&T Titan, where the International version is black the AT&T version is gun metallic grey with blackness accents around the screen and buttons. Information technology's not too calorie-free or also dark of a shade of grayness simply does distinguish it from other Windows Phones. I would have liked a piffling texture on the back of the Titan but volition admit the cold, smoothen aluminum does feel skillful in the manus.

Moving around the Titan, your iii.5mm headphone jack and power button rests at the top of the phone.  Along the right side you will find the volume rocker and photographic camera button and along the left side of the Titan is the micro-USB port.

Downwardly below is the microphone and battery cover latch with the three traditional capacitive touch buttons are on the Titan'south face up.  An 8mp camera is to the rear of the phone while a i.3mp camera is on the upper correct corner of the phone's confront.

Buttons manipulated, for the near office, with ease and they are big plenty to utilise without having to contort your fingers. I would have liked to have seen the buttons be a pilus wider and the power button raised but slightly to be a little more accessible, just as is they do just fine.

The battery cover is a sturdy, light weight piece of aluminum. The torso of the Titan slides into the battery encompass creating a uni-body design. The battery cover is basically a shell that encompasses the Titan's working trunk. At that place is a hard rubber rim that runs along the edges of the Titan'south screen that raises up simply slightly to give the screen a bumper of sorts.

The only reservation I have with respect to the design of the Titan is with the micro-USB port's location.  The micro-USB port rests on the lower left side of the Titan and is likely placed in that location to accommodate the horizontal placement in the HTC Desktop Cradle. The problem in placing the micro-USB port on the side of the phone is that if y'all use the Titan with a car mountain/cradle, the arm clamps may cover upwardly the port. If you need to plug in a car charger, the port may not be accessible. This by no means is a deal breaker but something to consider.

All in all, the Titan is a solidly congenital, nicely designed, large Windows Phone. The merely drawback, and this is more of a subjective measure, is that some may see the Titan every bit being also big.  Nonetheless, I wouldn't judge the Titan on the specs alone.  You really need to get your hands on the Titan to effigy out if it'due south too large for your tastes.  You might be surprised at how comfortable the design is.

Screen

The Titan's centerpiece clearly rests with its massive 4.7" WVGA, 480x800 screen. Rumor has it that the screen is protected by Gorilla Drinking glass (which would exist an added bonus) but regardless the screen is a solid piece of work. The Titan's screen quality definitely volition hold its own upward against the Super AMOLED screens and is of better quality than the Super LCD screen of the HD7S. There seems to be a bear upon more dissimilarity, brightness and color saturation with the Titan's screen when compared to other HTC Windows Phones which helps the Titan'southward performance indoors and outdoors.

With regards to responsiveness, the Titan screen performed very well. I didn't experience the "ghosting" that is present with other HTC Windows Phones and everything performed as it should.

Video playback is nice on the Titan only at that place is an occasional graphics skip with some games. It's more noticeable on the more graphically intense games such equally Fruit Ninja or Let's Golf 2. I'd depict it as a stutter or break betwixt graphics transitions such as going from the developer logo to the master menu (come across the overview video). It's not a bargain breaker and hopefully this is something that can be addressed with a software fix.

The big screen definitely has its benefits in every aspect of using your Windows Phone. From more elbow room to type to large print size to read to larger gaming images the Titan's screen is impressive.

Under the Hood

The HTC Titan is fitted with a single core, ane.5ghz processor that moves things along rather nicely. You have 512mb of RAM and 16gb of storage with the Titan. There is no memory expansion slot.

Of the 16gb of storage, out of the box with everything pre-loaded y'all will accept only shy of 13gb of storage available. AT&T was fairly gently on the pre-loaded software with the AT&T suite of apps and YPMobile. All of which can be uninstalled to complimentary up additional storage room.

The HTC Titan has all the bells and whistles to brand the most of Windows Telephone seven.5 such equally the gyroscope and digital compass. There are a few unique settings with the Titan that include a hearing assist setting that will boost your in-phone call volume and the HTC Sound Enhancer is now incorporated into the OS as a permanent setting. You lot also have the Internet Sharing (requires a specific information programme to activate) pick and SIM Applications settings that we've seen on other AT&T Windows Phones.

Everything is powered by a 1650mah battery that is a welcomed sight (or is it site?). The battery easily lasts a full mean solar day under moderate to heavy utilize. I'm ending an boilerplate day with approximately xl% of battery life remaining.

Camera

The HTC Titan is fitted with two cameras. An 8mp f2.2 photographic camera with dual LED lights is to the rear of the camera while a 1.3mp camera rests in the upper right corner of the Titan's face. The rear camera is a 28mm, broad bending lens that is dainty for landscapes and group shots.

The Titan also is fitted with a BSI imaging sensor, but similar the HTC Radar, that is designed for low lite situation. The BSI sensor is a back-illuminated sensor uses a novel arrangement of the imaging elements to increase the corporeality of light captured and thereby improve low-lite performance. Combine the BSI sensor and f2.ii lens and the Titan is well suited for indoor, low light conditions. It'due south not going to lite up the room but it may mean you'll only have to turn on ane lamp instead of two for those indoor shots.

Software driving the camera is your typical Windows Phone app with two settings that should be recognized. Along with ISO, Metering, Film Modes, etc. y'all volition find a Panoramic Setting and Burst Fashion (aforementioned as with what's on the HTC Radar). The Panoramic Setting allows you to run up or combine multiple landscape shots to create a larger, panoramic image. The Outburst Mode volition creepo off 5 frames in about two seconds to capture action scenes rather nicely. Why these two settings are non standard with all Windows Phones is a mystery.

Quick annotation on the Panoramic Setting is that it will have 3 photos and stitch them together.  A horizontal line will appear in the middle of your screen to guide you in between shots.  Once you lot take your start shot you movement along this line to have the second and third shots (washed automatically once you accomplish a designated point on the line).  It is important that you follow this line carefully.  If yous deviate from this line the stitching will non be smooth.  Look at the corner of the house and towards the right corner i of the vertical lines didn't friction match up exact.  It'southward more axiomatic with the power lines.  Still, non a bad picture and when yous proceed things straight, the Panoramic Setting is great.

As far as prototype quality is concerned, the Titan is a very good performer with respect to still images and video captures. Still images were abrupt and I am impressed with the Titan'southward macro (shut upwards) abilities. Colour saturation could be better but what tin't be adjusted in the settings tin can be adjusted for with post-processing software.

The video sample below includes ii bits of footage.  One captured on a grayness, cloudy mean solar day and the other on a sunny twenty-four hour period.  Video quality was practiced under both lighting weather condition.

All in all, I was pleased with the photographic camera performance on the HTC Titan. I'1000 still not set to give up my DSLR but I would be comfortable using the Titan for more than casual or spontaneous events.

Phone Quality

No complaints whatsoever with regards to the Titan'southward performance equally a phone. Earpiece volume was loud, the microphone picked up my phonation nicely and the speakerphone was adept. Even the vibrate characteristic was noticeably stronger than other Windows Phones on the market. The vibration was easily felt through a belt example or when carried in a jacket pocket.

We have heard that the volume fluctuated in the earpiece and came beyond as tinny only in the short time I've been using the Titan, I didn't feel any issues with the volume. If annihilation the volume was loud enough that I had to punch it back a footling.  I besides experienced good results listening to music through headphones.

All in all, the AT&T HTC Titan is a solid performer equally a telephone with actually no complaints, concerns or reservations to annotation.

So, which is better?

Now that the Titan has been released, the twenty-dollar question is, "Which is better, the Samsung Focus S or the HTC Titan?".

For the well-nigh part, these two Windows Phones are neck and neck every bit to which is meliorate. I would say it all boils down to your tastes in thickness and weight except for two quirks with each phone; the machine-brightness setting on the Focus S and the graphics lag with the Titan.

For those not familiar, the auto-brightness setting on the Focus S dims the screen about a notch lower than other Windows Phones. It also seems to fluctuate more. I had gotten used to things until I started using the Titan, who's motorcar-brightness works like a charm, and the quirkiness of the Focus S really stood out. I'm too forming the opinion that this quirkiness is effecting battery functioning.

On the Titan side of the coin, in that location is the graphics lag but information technology doesn't occur every bit constant as the car-brightness quirk does on the Focus S. While I meet the lag with Fruit Ninja, I don't see it with Trine'due south Hangman or Angry Birds. The dimness of the screen on the Focus S isn't equally isolated.

Then which is meliorate? I don't think y'all can go incorrect with either in that both phones are well built, take great looking screens (fifty-fifty though i is dimmer), 16gb of storage, respectable cameras, expert call quality and feels comfortable in the hand.  However, taking everything into consideration, I have to give the border to the Titan.  While in that location is the graphics lag it's non as consistently present every bit the auto-effulgence quirk.  If Samsung and HTC tin set up these quirks, the choice becomes more hard. Likely returning to existence a choice based solely on your preference of weight and thickness.

Summary

The AT&T HTC Titan is following adapt with the other second generation Windows Phones by offering customers another quality Windows Telephone. It may not meet everyone's needs or taste but it gives usa another quality phone to consider.  The Titan besides gives AT&T a solid Windows Phone line-up.

On paper, the Titan may be confused with a Windows tablet instead of a Windows Telephone. But don't let the specs discourage you lot from considering the Titan as your next Windows Telephone. HTC did a actually good job by combining the iv.7" screen with a frame that doesn't experience bulky. You really need to handle the Titan before writing it off as too big. I was leaning that style until I picked the Titan upwardly and realized how comfortable it was in the hand.

While I can understand the appeal of a smaller device for pocketability, the 4.seven" screen has merits of its ain. The screen quality is upwardly at that place with the Super AMOLED screens and the screen size makes games/videos a little more enjoyable. Pictures seem to have more "pop" with the larger brandish, text is easier to read, and you have more existent manor to view webpages. To rest the larger screen and avoid the Titan from coming across equally bulky, HTC lightened things upwards and made the frame a scrap more contoured.

While the Titan is an impressive phone, it's not without faults. Y'all accept the graphics lag that occurs on occasion and the power button tin can be tricky to get to at times. Over the past few days, I've gotten used to the ability push button and hopefully a software fix volition resolve the graphics lag. Luckily, none of the short comings on the Titan are detrimental and the Titan remains a strong performer.

Cost wise, AT&T is offering the Titan at $199.99 with contract and $549 out of contract. Deals are already cropping upwardly for the Holiday Season to lower these prices such as the penny deal going on at Amazon Wireless. The biggest challenge in purchasing the Titan may be merely finding one. While the Titan launched on Sunday, November 20th, many stores did not receive their inventory due to shipping delays until several days later. And what was delivered was very low in number.

Overall, information technology's really hard to find anything terribly critical on the Titan. From build quality to camera performance to battery life the Titan is a solid performer.  Whether or not the Titan is the Windows Phone for you lot probably boils down to personal tastes.

The Titan will offer you a solidly built Windows Telephone with ample storage space, a fantastic screen, a very overnice camera and adept telephone call quality. While non everyone will like the larger size of the Titan, for those who practice find it highly-seasoned, you'll find yourself with a very good Windows Telephone. Arguably, the best out in that location.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/att-htc-titan-review

Posted by: walshculdrought78.blogspot.com

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