Share your HTC One (M8) first impressions and personal reviews!

loraque

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Previous phone was HTC OneX. I had flashed Sense 5.5 onto it, so the software is not too different.

The M8 is a solid piece of equipment. It feels great, though it is a tad large... this ended up not bothering me coming from the OneX. The buttons, especially the power button, have a much better feel on the M8 compared to the OneX where the power button was sometimes hard to depress. Too flush with the phone body. The phone feels better when held to the ear, you know, for an actual phone call; I think the length may actually help there. And the speakerphone... wow. Best ever. One downside I have noticed with the metal, is that after holding it for some time while on, reading for example, it warms up and the sweat on my hand gets things slippery. Pondering a case, but I am a naked sort of guy normally.

Camera takes at least as good of pictures outdoors, and far better indoors. The fact it focuses and snaps so quickly though, places it in another league. Happy with the camera.

The phone is just sizzling fast. It connects to my car BT, loads Pandora and starts playing before I am done backing out of the parking spot (tasker does this all triggered on BT). The OneX would take a good 20 seconds longer before music actually happened. Could not be happier with the performance of the phone.

The battery life is a pleasant surprise. I can get through two days without a charge if I push it, if I don't spend too much time reading on it. Had a couple weeks with it now, and am happy with it. Can certainly recommend to those that are not turned off because of the size.
 

BygSii

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Some real quick thoughts to share with all of you about the HTC M8. I've had mine for 48 hours now. Glacial sliver, let's get the first thing out of the way. This is the most gorgeous phone I have ever held in my hands! On to software.

HTC Browser, could have been a huge marketing strategy with HTC. I have to bring it up because it was an important piece on my HTC One M7. They ditched the best app on their phone. Anyone who was ever tried it for more than a few hours knows that it's the only browser in existence that's let's you zoom in or out on text and expands and contracts to fit all the text on the screen, without having to move back and forth to read a zoomed in paragraph. So I did what I had too, spend hours unlocking and rooting my phone to install it back on there. Everything else is PERFECT.

Hardware. Aside from the gun metal gray being more susceptible to scratches than the others, this phone is amazing. It doesn't feel as dense as the HTC One M7. It's like HTC flattened the original one and made it taller and a bit wider.

Last year, I bought the original HTC One on Verizon knowing that the phone was already out dated to some extent. Seven months later, the M8 is a beauty tied up nicely together with excellent software making it feel like a complete package. Add those together and... I don't think anyone can top the HTC One M8 in the next couple years. Well, HTC themselves of course (what could they possibly add to the M9 next year?)
 

ctk4949

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Coming from a LG G2.

Over 150 apps installed, 5 home screens, 10 widgets, and 6 folders. It is soooo smooth!! I really can't believe it.
Call quality and speakers are much better than the G2.

Its a great phone!! After rooting and S/off. I have it exactly how i like it.
I usually change phones every 6 months or so. But this one I might keep for a little longer.
Unless the G3 is just over the top.
 

graze81

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First HTC device I've ever owned. Coming from a Xperia Z (which I won from a online contest, go me!).

I've only had it for under 24 hours. The build quality is amaz-balls! Such a nice, sexy device. Totally geeked out on using the IR sensor to turn off/on my TV.
HTC Sense is nice and really out of way. Sony has a nice version of Android as well. Camera seems great so far, need to play around with it a bit more. The screen is amazing as well! Only knock I have so far against is is the HTC keyboard, which the cure is called SwiftKey.

Really enjoying it so far. Looking around to playing with it some more on the weekend.
 

Skyway

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Some real quick thoughts to share with all of you about the HTC M8. I've had mine for 48 hours now. Glacial sliver, let's get the first thing out of the way. This is the most gorgeous phone I have ever held in my hands! On to software.

HTC Browser, could have been a huge marketing strategy with HTC. I have to bring it up because it was an important piece on my HTC One M7. They ditched the best app on their phone. Anyone who was ever tried it for more than a few hours knows that it's the only browser in existence that's let's you zoom in or out on text and expands and contracts to fit all the text on the screen, without having to move back and forth to read a zoomed in paragraph. So I did what I had too, spend hours unlocking and rooting my phone to install it back on there. Everything else is PERFECT.

Verizon is the only version not to include the stock browser. All other versions come with it and I agree, best browser imo

Posted via Android Central App
 

coreyacole

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I got so used to the size of the Note 3, that I really couldn't get used to the M7. The M8 strikes a good balance and I'm loving it so far.

Issues that I will resolve with time and tinkering...

The keyboard I use is a little less sensitive since the size is really close. (Swiftkey) Find myself not seeing keystrokes I know that I pressed and missing the space bar. Time will correct.

Scrolling up for apps. I used Google Launcher on the Note 3. Haven't had time to update all of my apps yet. Tinkering will fix this.

Smaller screen that is slightly offset rather than centered. Nothing will fix this but not having to do the cupped hand trick makes it more than bearable.

No stock file manager that allows unfettered access to move my files around. Hopefully a fix will come one day.

All in all, love it.
 

mannw1977

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I had the LG G2 before this phone.I have to say that this phone is as good, but the speakers of the ONE blow any other phones speaker away. The speakers make watching YouTube really nice.
 

johnmcc0710

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I am very happy with it. The only 2 complaints are the size, it'd a little big compared to my S4. And the LED. There should be more colors. On the plus side I like the HTC sense software and the battery life is amazing. Overall it is an amazing phone and better than my S4. I highly recommend it.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
 

anon(153966)

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The HTC One M8 is rather slippery. I need a case stat. I've only been playing with it for about 2 hours or so and thus I'm still trying to get used to it.
 

monizzle

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I just got my M8 last Friday at T-Mobile. I had the M7 last year for only 3 months before I lost it in the middle of the desert (I probably cried for just as long) so naturally I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new one. First impressions, this phone is sleek and fast. Blinkfeed feels more structured and I love how much more customizable it is. Most of my complaints have to do with the construction. I'm probably one of the very few who wishes they kept capacitive buttons. Probably because that's what I'm used to but also because that damn htc black bar is there just taking up space. On screen buttons are new for me and it's taking a lot of getting used to (I keep over reaching my thumb). The phone is also pretty tall and super slippery. I feel like I can't get a good grip on it and then when I manage to, I'm always hitting the volume buttons. Hoping a case will fix this and it's not just my small hands. LOL. I also reaaaaally dislike the motion gestures. Whenever I'm carrying my phone in my hands, any slight touch will set it off. It's too sensitive IMO.

It seems like my first impressions are all negative but I really do like this phone. It's fast as @#$%! and fun to use.
 

Skyway

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I just got my M8 last Friday at T-Mobile. I had the M7 last year for only 3 months before I lost it in the middle of the desert (I probably cried for just as long) so naturally I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new one. First impressions, this phone is sleek and fast. Blinkfeed feels more structured and I love how much more customizable it is. Most of my complaints have to do with the construction. I'm probably one of the very few who wishes they kept capacitive buttons. Probably because that's what I'm used to but also because that damn htc black bar is there just taking up space. On screen buttons are new for me and it's taking a lot of getting used to (I keep over reaching my thumb). The phone is also pretty tall and super slippery. I feel like I can't get a good grip on it and then when I manage to, I'm always hitting the volume buttons. Hoping a case will fix this and it's not just my small hands. LOL. I also reaaaaally dislike the motion gestures. Whenever I'm carrying my phone in my hands, any slight touch will set it off. It's too sensitive IMO.

It seems like my first impressions are all negative but I really do like this phone. It's fast as @#$%! and fun to use.

Black bar isn't wasted space, it covers antennas and other circuitry. This was a design decision to keep the phone thinner and also to stay with the same design theme, like the m7.

You can turn off motion launch gestures, but personally I've never had it unlock the phone in my pocket. I always keep my phone in my front pocket and it's never caused a problem for me. Just saying.

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anon(153966)

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Oops, I have my own personal thread on this, here.

Long story short, I bought the HTC One M8 on 29th April, and I have been putting it through its paces ever since. I bought an Otterbox Commuter for it today. The odd thing is, the device is slippery, and so is the Commuter case I just installed. What are the bloody odds of that? Rhetorical, of course.

Thus far, liking the device, albeit, not loving it, or overly wowed with it. I picked this device over the Samsung Galaxy S5 BECAUSE of gestures. I've been using a BlackBerry Z10 & Q10 since March 2013. So, I've grown a serious distaste for 'home' and 'power' buttons.

I'll give the device a few days and see if it grows on me. After not using Android for quite some time, it was a little overwhelming with all the settings, and sub-settings, etc.
 

gair1944

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Back again. I bought the HTC One M8 the second or third day it was available. So I've had a lot of time with the phone. I was initially wanting to check out the Samsung Galaxy S5, but the HTC One M8 impressed me so much, I decided to not wait for the launch / release of the S5. Long story short, I have since checked it out and I remain Thrilled with the HTC One M8! Battery life is great, Screen is great, everything on the phone is FAST! The best part is the reason for having a phone in the first place; Call quality! The Audio/Speaker quality is equally exceptional, but this phone sounds better to people I've called and sounds better to me. It is a PHONE after all, ....right? :)

I also have mine in an Otterbox Commuter case. yes it's a little slick, but I have not had issues to speak of. I love the double tap gesture to turn on!! That's pretty much the only gesture I really use thus far. But it's a great feature! The length of the phone doesn't bother me at all. I keep it in my front pocket, back pocket ...doesn't matter. Its size has been a non-issue.

I've taken a ton of photo's so far and I've gotten some great ones, some average and some not-so-good. But I am willing to bet that would be the case even with the Galaxy S5. My fiance has the Note 3 and she said my HTC One M8 Camera is a Lot faster! I agree.

Bottom line, this is a Great phone. Best decision I've made in a long time. I am VERY glad I did not get the S5 first. I had two-three days when I could have switched to the S5. After checking it out and handling it, I am 110% convinced I prefer the HTC One. I am VERY very pleased with this phone!
 

monizzle

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Black bar isn't wasted space, it covers antennas and other circuitry. This was a design decision to keep the phone thinner and also to stay with the same design theme, like the m7.

You can turn off motion launch gestures, but personally I've never had it unlock the phone in my pocket. I always keep my phone in my front pocket and it's never caused a problem for me. Just saying.

Posted via Android Central App

I didn't say it was wasted space, I said it was taking up space. If they kept capacitive buttons we'd have just that much more actual screen space.

I've since turned off motion launch gestures and I'm a lot happier.
 

Notsosure

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This is my second HTC phone. Previously I had HTC Droid DNA. I love Sense UI especially BlinkFeed. Here is a list of the phones I've previously owned...

IPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5C
Tmo G1
HTC Droid DNA
Note 2
S4

Every time I use an android I end up switching back to iPhone. Reason is due to UI and app lag/stutter. I can't stand constant stutter or hiccup with the software, especially since I do a moderate amount of gaming on my phones. I will say after testing this phone, I can safely say I found my home. This phone has the appeal, the software and the hardware that just wows me. Android truly have come a long way. I remember I really loved the Droid DNA, only issue was the phone was constantly plagued with SIM card issue. Obviously that's a big issue and makes the whole point of having a phone pointless needless to say, so I had to return it.

The one thing I love about HTC phones is the stock Sense UI. It's elegant and beautifully designed. It's not filled with useless gimmick features like the S4 or Note 2 Touchwiz UI. Hence I won't have to deal with using a third party UI which annoys the craps out of me. I give props to HTC for bringing their game to the next level. The only thing that I do hope is that they will keep this phone up-to-date. They don't have a good rep for that. But one can hope they will finally come to their senses.

I read a lot of complaint from people about BoomSound. Honestly it doesn't bother me one bit that they got rid of beats. The music still sounds amazing as always.

I like to keep everything stock on my phones. One reason I enjoyed iPhone. I will say the stock apps in the m8 works great!

Overall no complaint with this phone. It's a premium device definitely and shows just how far android have come.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
 

Skyway

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This is my second HTC phone. Previously I had HTC Droid DNA. I love Sense UI especially BlinkFeed. Here is a list of the phones I've previously owned...

IPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5C
Tmo G1
HTC Droid DNA
Note 2
S4

Every time I use an android I end up switching back to iPhone. Reason is due to UI and app lag/stutter. I can't stand constant stutter or hiccup with the software, especially since I do a moderate amount of gaming on my phones. I will say after testing this phone, I can safely say I found my home. This phone has the appeal, the software and the hardware that just wows me. Android truly have come a long way. I remember I really loved the Droid DNA, only issue was the phone was constantly plagued with SIM card issue. Obviously that's a big issue and makes the whole point of having a phone pointless needless to say, so I had to return it.

The one thing I love about HTC phones is the stock Sense UI. It's elegant and beautifully designed. It's not filled with useless gimmick features like the S4 or Note 2 Touchwiz UI. Hence I won't have to deal with using a third party UI which annoys the craps out of me. I give props to HTC for bringing their game to the next level. The only thing that I do hope is that they will keep this phone up-to-date. They don't have a good rep for that. But one can hope they will finally come to their senses.

I read a lot of complaint from people about BoomSound. Honestly it doesn't bother me one bit that they got rid of beats. The music still sounds amazing as always.

I like to keep everything stock on my phones. One reason I enjoyed iPhone. I will say the stock apps in the m8 works great!

Overall no complaint with this phone. It's a premium device definitely and shows just how far android have come.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

Actually they have recently been one of the best manufactures when it comes to updates, so no need to worry there. HTC Advantage includes two years of promised software updates.

Also who complained about the BoomSound speakers? I don't think I've seen one person who's experienced them (m7 and especially m8) that has complained, after all they are the best phone speakers on the market. They may not like them or have a need for them but even then most people agree they sound amazing

Posted via Android Central App
 

crackberrytraitor

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Black bar isn't wasted space, it covers antennas and other circuitry. This was a design decision to keep the phone thinner and also to stay with the same design theme, like the m7.

You can turn off motion launch gestures, but personally I've never had it unlock the phone in my pocket. I always keep my phone in my front pocket and it's never caused a problem for me. Just saying.

Posted via Android Central App

It's an almost unforgivably poot design flaw.

All they had to do was use the bar for capacitive buttons, or barring that at least just slightly widen the metallic inserts on the top and bottom to fill the space. It feels just off having like a straight inch of black at the bottom when using the phone.

I really, really wish they had not jumped to on screen buttons, especially when there's a huge bar underneath it. When my old One X and One M7 have more usable screen space, it feels like the 5 inch screen isn't really an upgrade.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 

Skyway

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It's an almost unforgivably poot design flaw.

All they had to do was use the bar for capacitive buttons, or barring that at least just slightly widen the metallic inserts on the top and bottom to fill the space. It feels just off having like a straight inch of black at the bottom when using the phone.

I really, really wish they had not jumped to on screen buttons, especially when there's a huge bar underneath it. When my old One X and One M7 have more usable screen space, it feels like the 5 inch screen isn't really an upgrade.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

So your a mobile design engineer? That's pretty cool, you should call or email HTC and let them know that you could have designed the phone better.

The math has already been done, even with the on screen buttons the m8 does in fact have more useable screen real estate than the m7. Not much maybe, but it's still more. A lot of us have discussed this topic to death and have caused some very heated debates.

Posted via Android Central App
 

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