HTC Titan II Review

While all the attending has been focused on the Nokia Lumia 900, some other Windows Phone has slipped on to the AT&T shop shelves. The HTC Titan II joined AT&T'south Windows Phone lineup on Apr 8, 2022 and it is bound to plough some heads now that information technology's out of the shadows.

The HTC Titan II sports a 4.7" Super LCD screen, 16gb of storage, a 1.5GHz processor and a sleek uni-body design. While the large screen could easily be the center piece feature of the Titan 2, the 16mp rear photographic camera will likely stand out more on the Titan II spec sheet.

While the Nokia Lumia 900 is a fantastic addition to the AT&T Windows Phone lineup, the HTC Titan II is no slouch. In one case customers have the opportunity to handle the Titan II in AT&T stores, the pick of which new Windows Phone will get a niggling harder to brand.

HTC Titan II Design

In many respects, the HTC Titan II is what the original Titan should accept been.  But you alive and learn.  HTC has done an excellent job in refining the blueprint of the large screen Windows Phone from adding a textured surface to the volume and camera buttons to leveling off the 3.5mm jack to adapt a better connexion.

The HTC Titan II comes in measuring 5.ii ten 2.7 x .4 inches and weighs merely 5.18 ounces. The original Titan measures in at 5.14 x 2.78 x .39 and weighs 5.half dozen ounces. The merely place y'all'll notice the extra length is if you use a belt example. The extra .06" may not sound like much but it makes the Titan II fit a niggling snug in cases that would accommodate the original Titan.

The button layout of the Titan II is identical to the Titan. Up tiptop you have the power push and three.5mm jack; down the correct side is the volume and photographic camera buttons; and downwards the left y'all will find the micro-usb port. To the rear is the camera and speaker with the microphone resting at the bottom of the Windows Phone.

While the backside of the Titan was along the lines of a uni-torso vanquish that housed the body of the Windows Phone, the Titan II is a truer uni-torso design with no battery cover (and no removable battery). You exercise take a slide-off panel on the back of the Titan Ii that will expose the SIM card slot. There are copper contacts that will disconnect the ability to the Titan II when you remove the comprehend (much like we encounter on the HTC Radar). Should your Titan 2 lock upwards and you demand to perform a battery pull, removing the SIM card cover will yield the aforementioned results.

The face of the Titan 2 is dominated by the 4.vii" Super LCD screen. Compared to the original Titan, the Titan II's screen seems a little brighter. Colors are vibrant and the screen nicely responsive to the touch on. We believe the Titan II uses Gorilla Glass which will add together a level of immovability to what feels like a very durable Windows Telephone.

Another overnice blueprint improvement with the Titan II is that the bottom portion of the Windows Phone face curves out. But as the screen reaches the capacitive buttons it slopes always so slightly. I'm not sure why HTC choose this pattern but information technology helps distinguish the screen from the capacitive buttons and gives the Titan II a handle of sorts.

Overall, the Titan 2 feels really good in the paw. While the Windows Phone is slightly longer and thicker than the original Titan, information technology doesn't feel beefier. If annihilation it feels slimmer. While the Titan II has a large screen, it just doesn't feel similar a huge Windows Phone.

The bankroll on the Titan II appears to be more contoured along the sides which lets the Windows Telephone slip comfortably in your hand. The rubbery surface is a dainty bear on likewise and gives the Titan II a more grippable surface. The downside to the prophylactic surface is that you lose the cold metal feel the Titan has which was kinda dainty in its own right.

HTC Titan II'due south Screen

The HTC Titan 2 sports the same four.7" Super LCD screen it's older blood brother, the Titan. Simply for whatever reason, the Titan Ii's screen appears brighter. It's not blindingly brighter or a bad thing, just enough to make look twice when comparing the two Windows Phones.

The screen on the Titan II is slightly recessed to create a bumper of sorts to protect the face up of the Windows Phone from coming into contact with surfaces when the Titan II is laid face down.  As far every bit impact responsiveness, the Titan II screen won't disappoint. You don't see any ghosting or lag time when scrolling around the screen.

Call up the graphics lag the Titan experienced when you turned on the SRS video enhancement? It'south nonetheless there just isn't as axiomatic as it was with the Titan.  The solution on the original Titan was to plow off the SRS enhancements but that doesn't have the same effect with the Titan Two.  On or off, the SRS Enhancements really has no impact on the graphics lag.  On a long shot, I looked at the same apps running on the Nokia Lumia 900 and the brief lag was nowadays on the 900 as well.  Non sure what'due south going on here only seeing the results were the same on other devices, HTC may have tackled this trouble. At least from the SRS bending.

Screen performance outdoors is skilful. I didn't accept any issues with reading the screen outdoors. The Titan Two performed on par with other Windows Phones under a bright and sunny sky, if not better.

While in that location are many who will see the AMOLED screens every bit the only game in town, the Super LCD screen of the Titan II can agree its ain. I like the AMOLED screens merely find the Super LCD screen of the Titan II to have a piddling more natural and brighter color tones.  This tends to make the Super LCD a trivial more viewable outdoors.  I wouldn't disbelieve the Titan II at all for not having an AMOLED screen and think anyone will exist pleased with the Titan Ii'southward screen advent and functioning.

Under the hood of the HTC Titan II

The HTC Titan Two is running Windows Phone seven.5 version 7.10.8112.7 which is also referred to as the Mango Commercial Release ii (CR2 for brusque). Information technology is the latest version of Windows Phone with fixes in place for the vanishing keyboard and Gmail Sync bug.

Along with Windows Phone, the Titan II is loaded with the customary AT&T software suite, YPMobile and the HTC Hub and Photo Enhancer. As with any other Windows Phone, yous can delete whatever of the AT&T apps that you won't need to costless upward storage space. At that place are more HTC apps available through the HTC Apps section of the Marketplace such as Locations, Compass, and Tango.

The Titan II is loaded with all the Windows Phone goodies such equally the Role Hub (Word, Powerpoint, Excel and OneNote), the Pictures Hub, Xbox Gaming Hub and your Contacts Hub with Facebook and Twitter integration.

Speaking of storage, the Titan II has 16gb of storage and 512mb of RAM. Out of the box, the Titan 2 has xiii.61GB of total storage (storage subsequently Windows Telephone is installed) and 13.09GB of available storage (storage afterward all the AT&T apps are loaded).

Everything is run by a 1.5GHz processor that moves things along rather nicely. Apps loaded without delay and app switching was smooth. There for a 2d, information technology felt as if the boot upwardly fourth dimension was a little longer with the Titan 2 but in timing things out, it booted upward on par with other Windows Phones (nearly 22 seconds). Both my original Titan and Lumia 900 took about the same time loading.

The Titan 2 is powered by a 1730mAh battery which is slightly larger than the 1650mAh bombardment of the original Titan. Battery life was better with the Titan II, every bit expected with a larger bombardment, lasting hands through the day and into the evening. Using WP Bench, we stressed the battery at a abiding 100% CPU usage and the bombardment went kaput later 3 hours, xx half-dozen minutes and forty-vi seconds. As a comparative measure, the Nokia Lumia 900 lasted three hours and forty-1 minutes. A difference you would expect to run across with the Lumia 900 having a slightly larger battery.

Other items of note nether the Titan II'due south hood includes the typical Windows Phone gadgets such as GPS, Bluetooth, Wifi, Compass, Gyroscope, accelerometer, and proximity sensors. The Titan Ii is an AT&T 4G LTE Windows Phone and I'll have to defer to Dan'south observations with the Lumia 900 on how 4G LTE performs. The Birmingham market is due to go 4G LTE but at the present, the best I can exercise is the pseudo 4G.

All in all, I was very pleased with the software and operation of the HTC Titan II. Apps loaded and ran smoothly, battery life was respectful, and while an microSD expansion slot would exist nice the 16GB (well... 13GB) of storage is enough for nearly Windows Phone users.

HTC Titan 2's Photographic camera

If the tipping bespeak in selecting your Windows Phone rests with the camera, the HTC Titan 2 is a must have purchase. HTC has done a fantastic task of improving the camera functioning and software. The 16mp, 28mm f2.6 rear camera actually shines and the software improvements merely adds to the experience.

The secret to the camera's success is the larger resolution and the BSI Sensor. The BSI sensor is a back-illuminated sensor that uses an arrangement of the imaging elements to increment the amount of lite captured and in the process ameliorate low-lite performance. Combine the BSI sensor and f2.6, 28mm lens and the Titan 2 is hard to beat indoors and shines really nicely outdoors.

Software improvements include prototype stabilization and an Intelligent Car setting that takes your camera settings, lighting and other variables to determine what scene setting volition piece of work the best. There are eighteen scenes and they range from portrait to landscape to nutrient.  In using Intelligent Auto, I found information technology to do a pretty skillful job of choosing the right scene selection. Y'all nonetheless have the Panorama and Burst Modes equally well every bit settings to adjust exposure variables such equally metering, effulgence, contrast, saturation, etc.  The sample images below were only edited with respect to epitome size for publication.  Merely click on the thumbnail to view the full size image.

From brilliant sunny days to indoors to subjects in the shade, nevertheless image quality is extremely good. I did run into a few overexposed areas but null that yous wouldn't see with any other camera.  Direct from the photographic camera images were sized (at the 16mp resolution) at 3840x4640 pixels at 72dpi.  Increasing the dpi to 280 (for prints) will yield yous a squeamish 16x12ish impress.

Video quality was merely as prissy from both the forepart and rear facing cameras. The microphone does a good job of it even on a windy solar day.  And no, I didn't break the front facing camera while shooting the video sample....

Overall, HTC has done a very good job of improving camera performance on the Titan Two. From the physical photographic camera to the software behind it, the Titan II's camera actually shines. I don't run into the Titan Two replacing my DSLR merely it may replace my smaller point and shoot camera on those fourth dimension when I need a camera only don't want to lug around my larger DSLR and lenses.

Other observations on the HTC Titan II

• Call quality is very good. Earpiece volume is solid and the microphone picked up my voice nicely.  The back speaker isn't the all-time but will do in a jam.
• I'thou a stickler on the vibration warning. I spend likewise much time in Courtrooms and other situations where I can't beget to forget to decline my ringer book. A solid vibration alert makes my life easier and means I miss fewer calls. The Titan Ii's vibration alert is respectable only a little on the weak side when compared to the original.
• The Titan Ii comes with a settings selection typical for an HTC Windows Phone that include SRS Enhancement, Internet Sharing (requires an boosted service from AT&T), Circumspect Phone settings and SIM applications (not that nosotros accept SIM applications).
• The Titan II is compatible with the various docking stations (HTC, Mobi, etc.) and cases for the original Titan can be used.  They are merely a lilliputian on the snug side merely subsequently a 24-hour interval or then of wearable loosen upward.
• The Titan II does support AT&T's Visual Vocalisation Postal service system.  I haven't tinkered with yet merely to enable Visual Phonation Mail, brand certain you lot have an 4G LTE programme on your business relationship and then setup your voicemail by calling it. Just follow the prompts and when y'all hang up, the device will setup your Visual Voicemail for you lot. The service gives yous the option to directly heed to your voicemail without dialing in, delete the message, think the contact or view their data if the caller is in your People Hub.

Overall Impression of the HTC Titan Two

Two new Windows Phones hit the AT&T shelves on April 8th, the HTC Titan II and the Nokia Lumia 900. While the Lumia 900 seemed to get the biggest fan fare, the Titan II quietly came to marketplace.  They say you have to watch out for the tranquillity ones and Titan II is definitely a Windows Phone worth watching. The Titan II can easily hold its own confronting the contest and will brand the choice of your side by side (or start) Windows Telephone all the more difficult.

HTC has taken the framework of the original Titan and improved upon it. The 4.7" is the focal bespeak of the Titan II and information technology shines both in paradigm quality and touch sensitivity. There is withal the nagging graphics lag present but it's really a non-upshot in that it only is axiomatic in the title screens of a few games.  The lag is likewise not limited to the Titan Two in that I had like results with the Lumia 900.

While the large screen of the Titan II is the focal point, you tin't ignore the 16mp camera. The BSI Sensor helps the photographic camera perform nicely in low calorie-free situations and the 16mp resolution produces some very prissy still images. On the video side of things, the Titan Ii performs as every bit nice.  If all else is equal and yous're looking for the Windows Phone with the best camera, the Titan 2 will definitely top the short list.

Someone commented in another post saying equating a 4.7" screen to a brick. Such a reference does not agree truthful with the Titan II with the fit and feel being hard to trounce. In that location's no argument that the Titan II is a large Windows Telephone simply with the curved uni-body, the Titan II conceals its big stature very well.

So, which is better? The Titan Two or Nokia Lumia 900. Nosotros'll accept a closer comparison betwixt these ii Windows Phones presently only the Reader's Assimilate version is that these ii Windows Phones are cervix and neck. Some may say information technology's a dead tie every bit to which is best. I think two features will be the deciding gene for most betwixt these ii Windows Phones; the photographic camera and the screen. It may boil downwardly to a money toss as to which is best just ane matter is for certain, AT&T has 2 of the all-time Windows Phones available in their line upwardly.

The HTC Titan II is running $199.99 with contractual discounts through AT&T but await for ameliorate pricing through third party retailers such as Wal-Mart and Amazon.com. For those interested, off-contract pricing will run y'all about $550. I don't call up y'all tin can go wrong with the Titan Ii. It'due south an improvement over the original and that's the underlying goal of any sequel.

Equally with the Nokia Lumia 900, nosotros'll easily give the HTC Titan 2 solid thumbs up.  Maybe even throw in the other thumb for good measure.

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

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