Apple fanboys have enjoyed bragging rights for what seems like ages! But the recent launch of the HTC One has more than boosted fervour in the Android base camp. And with good reason too. Here’s a look at more than a couple of reasons why the HTC One can hush up the Apple fanboys for now.

One for Zoe

Before the smartphone’s official launch, it was rumoured that ‘Zoe’ is what the new handset would be called. Every time I heard it, I was reminded of a friend’s cute Beagle by the same name. Thankfully it was not the handset but just one aspect of its clicking capabilities that was christened Zoe. Simply put, Zoe makes your still images move! Yes, you read that right. Anyone who’s familiar with the Harry Potter-esque description of picture in newspapers moving will instantly identify. Basically, with Zoe on, you not only capture a picture but also get an editable 3-second video to go along with it. At the time of writing there’s no other smartphone that offers this functionality. One that comes close is the Time Shift in BlackBerry 10 where you can jump a couple of frames forwards or backwards to adjust individual faces in a frame captured.

4 megapixels. Really?

Admit it. At some point you’d have silently scoffed at the guy who was showing off his new smartphone, just ‘cos it had a 5-megapixel camera. The holier-than-thou attitude comes from owning an 8 or 12-megger smartphone camera, as if it captures the sticky mozzarella on your Domino’s any better than a 5-megger.

Bigger isn’t better. Not always with megapixels, anyway! And considering how everyone’s boasting about how big theirs is, you gotta admit that it takes serious cojones to bust the megapixel myth. HTC didn’t stammer when asked the numbers. They came out with an honest 4- megapixel spec. What sets the equipment apart is the fact that it’s designed to capture light more efficiently than a regular smartphone camera. And in doing so, it enables the user to capture well even in low-light conditions.

Share the sound!

It’s really a nuisance when people switch on their mobile phones while on a train or a bus and you have to unwittingly put up with Himesh Reshammiya’s new number, which you think is atrocious. And more so, ‘cos the tinny speaker almost always adds to the cacophony. While HTC has been integrating Dr. Dre’s ‘Beats Audio’ in its smartphones for quite a while now, the HTC One goes the extra mile. The smartphone comes with dual stereo speakers which have built-in amplifiers. So not only is the audio output louder but is also less distorted, something that you would find missing even in the higher-end handsets.

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