HTC One M8 Beats Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5S in Drop Test
What’s the sturdiest smartphone on the market today? Among the most popular flagships, it appears to be the HTC One M8, which survived drops that proved catastrophic to its contemporaries, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5S. The gang at TechSmartt did a thorough test, dropping all three phones from waist height, head height and even over-the-head height to see who would survive. First to die was the iPhone 5S. Apple’s phones did very well in previous drop tests (probably aided by the relatively small screen), but it landed on its face in this one, cracking the screen from only head height. Going over the head, the Galaxy S5 was next to go, suffering a fatal screen crack while the HTC One kept on ticking. Only when the HTC fell from an unlikely 10-foot drop did it, too, get smashed. Does this mean the HTC One M8 gets bragging rights as the hardiest device you can buy? Not necessarily — after all, as the tester notes, there was no way to ensure the phones all fell the same way. But the One, with its solid metal casing may have a slight advantage over its rivals. In any case, these tests are fun to watch. HTC One M8 Review One Is the Safest Number The new HTC One may be a little larger and more refined than the previous version, but the experience is fundamentally the same. It’s still an excellent Android phone, though, with a killer camera. It’s available on all major U.S. carriers. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Versus the Old One The new HTC One has a 5-inch screen to the old version’s 4.7-inch display. The design sports more metal, with softer edges, and even louder front-facing speakers. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker BlinkFeed Gets Color BlinkFeed — the homescreen that’s filled with a feed of “snackable” data — gets an upgrade with more sources and an SDK for developers. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker BlinkFeed Settings You can also add specific topics to your feed. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker App Screen You can customize your app screen with three or four columns. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Dot View Case The optional Dot view case works with the screen to convey basic information. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Colors The M8 comes in silver, gun metal or gold. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Left Side The left side has the microSD card slot. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Right Side The right side has the SIM card slot and the volume buttons. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Top View The top of the phone has the power button, which doubles as an infrared blaster for controlling a TV. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Bottom View The bottom has the microUSB port and headphone jack. Moving Parts The headphone jack jumps from the top to the bottom for the new One. Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker Duo Camera The new HTC One has a Duo Camera and a dual-LED flash. The second camera captures depth information, enabling focus […]