Kyocera Hydro Elite (Verizon)

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With every new waterproof Hydro device, Kyocera adds incremental, but necessary improvements. But with the $49.99 on-contract Hydro Elite from Verizon, I'm glad to see Kyocera made even bigger strikes.

True, Verizon offers plenty of great, if not better, non-waterproof phones as well, and the handset's still hampered by some of the same problems often seen in Kyocera smartphones--a slow processor and average call quality, for example. But its notable spec improvements make it the best Hydro phone Kyocera yet.

Living up to its "elite" name, the device sports a more stylish design and an upgraded 8-megapixel camera. In addition, not only does it have 4G LTE (bringing the total now to three Kyocera handsets in the US with LTE), but it's also the company's first Android smartphone on Verizon Wireless.

Design
Compared to Kyocera's past line of Hydros (which include the original, the Edge, and the Xtrm), the Elite looks the most modern and compact. Gone are the bulbous profile and the toy-like rounded corners I usually expect. Instead, much like the sleek Sony Xperia Z, you wouldn't be able to guess that they are both waterproof devices, and with its squarish corners and narrow width, the Elite actually looks a bit like the iPhone 4.

The Elite measures 4.82 inches tall, 2.38 inches wide, 0.43 inches thick, and weighs 4.51 ounces. Its left and right edges house a volume rocker and Micro-USB port, respectively. Up top are a 3.5mm headphone jack and a sleep/power button marked by a small red line.

The Elite's back is stylized with lines that resemble a wood panel.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Its back's top half is stylized with a glossy, wood-panel design, and features a rear-facing camera, LED flash, and two small slits for the audio speaker. The bottom half (which makes up the battery door) has a matte, dimpled texture that helps with grip. A small indentation at the bottom edge enables you to pry off the battery door. Inside, you'll find a 2,100mAh battery, and slots for a microSD card (up to 32GB) and SIM card.

Clear and responsive, the smartphone's 4.3-inch HD touch screen has a 1,280x720-pixel resolution. Although I could see speckling when the screen displays a swatch of white, as well as some color banding with dark colors when I watched HQ videos on YouTube, for the most part, text and icons looked sharp, the screen was adequately bright, and it was sensitive to the touch. It was one of the more accurate screens I handled from Kyocera, and as a result, texting was much easier on the device's digital keyboard than other past products.

Below the display to the right is a small light that blinks on and off for notifications. Above the display is a 1.3-megapixel camera. You'll notice that there is no in-ear speaker next to it. That's because the Elite features Smart Sonic Receiver technology. This means that the phone has a ceramic transducer inside that transmits audio via the hard tissue inside your ear, thus providing audio without the need for another speaker. It works comparably to an in-ear speaker, though with the phone's call quality (which I will explain in more detail below), I didn't find it to perform any better than having a speaker.

Go ahead and dunk it
The handset can withstand being splashed with water and "blowing rain," according to Kyocera. It can also reportedly survive a full dunking in up to a meter's depth for 30 minutes. Though we didn't have a deep pool to test that spec out, I can attest that the Elite is indeed waterproof enough for our tests. It kept on ticking after several dunkings, and lived through 30 minutes of being completely underwater in a shallow bowl. Lastly, it endured staying in a 20 minute shower, where it repeatedly got wet and splashed.

No harm, no foul: The Elite can withstand up to 30 minutes under a meter of water.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Software features
Three software add-ons that are unique to Kyocera handsets are MagniFont, MaxiMZR, and EcoMode. MagniFont improves text readability by increasing the font size one level larger than the "Extra Large" or "Huge" setting that is common in Android. Tucked under the Settings menu is MaxiMZR, which lets you limit the data connection of apps running in the background to conserve battery life. Finally, EcoMode adjusts certain device settings (like the dimness of your screen or turning on/off haptic feedback) to conserve energy.

Out of the box, the phone runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Though I'd like to see a more recent version of the OS, the Elite still packs plenty of features like Google Now, which you can access by long-pressing the home key and swiping up. It also comes with Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Local, Maps with Navigation, Messenger, Search, Talk, and YouTube. The Google Play stores for Books, Magazines, Movies & TV, and Music are included as well.

Verizon threw in a bunch of its own apps too, like My Verizon Mobile, which lets you check your data use and minutes; Verizon Tones music and media store; the video portal, Viewdini; and an app for video calling that just prompts you to download either ooVoo or Tango. The carrier also included apps for setting up visual voice mail and your mobile hot spot, its branded navigating app, and VZ Security.

MagniFont (left) increases text size while EcoMode helps conserve battery power.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET)

There are also basic task-management apps, such as an alarm clock, a calculator, a calendar, a native e-mail client, a video editor, an audio recorder, two redundant weather apps (though one of them includes news), and a voice dialer.

Other apps include several Amazon apps (the store itself, Kindle, MP3, its app store, and Audible), an app for American Express cardholders, Facebook, NFL Mobile, the mobile office suite Polaris Office 4.0, a gaming portal, a DiXiM media player, Slacker Radio, and the IMDB movie database app.

Lastly, you'll get Bluetooth 4.0, 16GB of internal storage, 1.5GB of RAM, and wireless charging -- a first for a Kyocera smartphone in the US.

As an aside, it's important to note that while you can always transfer files (like photos and videos) from your Elite to your computer via a microSD card or Bluetooth, I personally ran into some trouble transferring files directly from the handset to my computer through a direct USB cable connection. Kyocera has confirmed with me that this is a compatibility issue that the Elite has with some PCs. According to the company's statement, it will address this issue in an "upcoming over-the-air-software update to Hydro Elite."

Camera and video
Unlike past Hydro devices that usually feature a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, this handset packs an 8-megapixel camera instead. And while photo quality still had room to improve, especially in terms of focus and sharpness, pictures taken on the Elite were some of the better ones I've seen on any Kyocera phone. Overall, images were easy to make out, colors were true-to-life (though could've been a bit more vibrant), and touch focus worked quickly enough.

The rear-facing and 1.3-megapixel cameras both had three different auto exposures, a brightness meter, five white balance options, image stabilization, three picture qualities, a timer, optional grid lines, and geotagging.

View the original article here

Kyocera Hydro XTRM (US Cellular)

Summer is the perfect fun season to a barbecue, tanning and swimming in the pool. But if your friends are anything like mine, you'll be thrown unceremoniously into the bottom of the said pool with your smartphone in your pocket. And which, rest assured, is not fun.

Fortunately, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM (pronounced "extreme") of the U.S. Cellular is not only dust and shock-resistant, it is waterproof as well - means he doesn't have to spend a night in a bowl filled with rice uncooked, where he accidentally takes a dive in the ocean.

But even with its characteristics splash and low contract price of $29.99, XTRM Hydro is not exactly the Michael Phelps of phones. In light of its less-than-desirable call quality and mediocre camera, you should keep your options open for other handsets if waterproof capabilities are not a necessity.

Design
As Kyocera Hydro XTRM meets certain standards of military specification for shock capacity, it has a more bulky than most smartphones. I like its border dark metallic faux that surrounds the body, and while the rear of the dimpled battery door is not too attractive, the outside rubber provides more friction and contributes with handle.

The handset measures 4.88 inches in height, 2.52 in. wide 0.42 inch thick, and it weighs 4.9 oz. In a few moments to hold the device in my hand, its heftiness was obvious, but after a short while, I stopped to notice his weight and it was not embarrassing at all.

Waterproof capacity Hydro XTRM water mean that you dont you worry about it around the kitchen sink.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Located on the left is a volume rocker. The top has a standby/on-off button and a 3.5 mm headset jack, and the bottom has a Micro-USB port for charging. Port is covered by a sheet or a small door.

It sports an IPS WVGA screen 4 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Obviously, this is not a high-end smartphone touch screen (for example, you'll see a significant amount of "speckles" when displaying a white empty field). However, I had no problem to display images and text, the screen was well polished, and the screen was responsive and sensitive to the touch.

Above the screen is a 1.3-megapixel camera. You will notice that there are no in-ear speaker beside him. It is because the XTRM with the receiver chip Sonic technology. This means that it uses a sensor in ceramic inside to transmit the audio signal via the hard tissue inside your ear.

On the back, you will find the camera and accompanying LED flash below. Two small slits for the sitting speaker to the left of the lens. With the help of a small indentation, you can lift and remove the battery cover to access the microSD card, which accepts cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB and 2, 000mAh battery. Given that the back plate must be sealed to prevent the entry of water, by removing and reapplying requires a little muscle.

The software features
The phone runs on Android 4.1.2 and comes with these Google like Chrome, Gmail, pillars, maps with Navigation, Messenger, several set of Google apps, Search, Talk, and YouTube.

Working database management applications include a native client of the browser and messaging, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, a music player, an application of news and weather, a sound recorder and a voice Dialer.

Under the settings menu, there is also a software function called MaxiMZR. This allows you to limit the data connection of applications running in the background to save battery power. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve the readability of text by increasing the font size a level greater than the 'Extra Large' or 'Huge' which is common on Android phones.

Instead of having a speaker in-ear above the display, the XTRM uses a sensor ceramic indoors to transmit sound waves.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Other applications include several on Amazon (for its site in the retail, Appstore, MP3, Kindle, Amazon and Zappos Audible), the American game Oregon Trail (which is disappointing, nothing like the original), Slacker Radio, Twitter, ICE (which stores the emergency contact information) and Eco Mode, app battery - and energy-efficient.

There are also several applications specifically from US Cellular, as city ID, daily Perks (which informs you of the tenders with the carrier), Wi - Fi now, apps to get ringtones and games and a browser application.

Additional features include Bluetooth 4.0 and 4 GB onboard memory.

Camera and video
The camera 5 megapixel camera has six photo formats (ranging from 640 x 480 to 2, 592 x 1 944 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, three axes, scene modes, six, geotagging, three qualities of image, three exhibitions auto, five ISO levels, balances five white and four color effects.

The front camera offers the same features except it has only four photo formats (ranging from 640 x 480 to 1280 x 960 pixels) and four levels of ISO, and it is not a flash or a scene mode.

View the original article here

Kyocera Hydro Edge (Boost Mobile)

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Unless you find you and your phone often drenched in water, consider skipping over the Kyocera Hydro Edge.

True, as the successor to the Hydro, the Edge can still survive a good dunking. But while this new iteration includes some welcomed improvements like a bigger 4-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera (the original featured only a 3.2-megapixel shooter), the device still runs on 3G and has a a rather slow 1GHz processor.

If having an affordable smartphone that is able to survive multiple spills and dips is important (either from the water you encounter at the beach or simply the kitchen sink), the Edge is a good handset to consider. It's available on Sprint for $19.99 after users sign a two-year agreement, or off-contract under the carrier's prepaid arm, Boost Mobile, for $149.99.

But if that factor isn't a deal breaker for you and you can spare the extra cash, look into your carrier's other devices that sport better specs.

Design
The Kyocera Hydro Edge has a simple, matte-gray plastic construction that feels sturdy, but doesn't look at all chic. Like the XTRM, neither of the device's ports are covered. In fact, the only way one could even assume the handset is waterproof is by the toggle lock located in the rear, which keeps the battery door secured.

The phone measures 4.9 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and 0.39 inch thick. It weighs 4.5 ounces, and while the top half of the Edge is a bit heftier than its bottom half, it's still comfortable to hold in the hand.

To keep it watertight, the Edge sports a small toggle lock in the back for its battery door.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

On the left is a volume rocker, and up top are a 3.5mm headphone jack and sleep/power button. The right edge houses a shortcut key for the camera, and the Micro-USB port is located on the bottom.

The device has a 4-inch IPS touch-screen display, with a 800x480-pixel resolution and 233ppi. Though HD movies won't appear as crisp as you might expect on it, text and icons still displayed clearly and smoothly for me. Furthermore, the screen has a rather narrow viewing angle outdoors. However, when you crank maximum brightness all the way up and you hold up the handset directly at eye level, you can make out the display very well.

Beneath the display are three hot keys that light up white when in use for back, home, and menu. Long-press the home key to access recent apps. You'll notice that above the screen, there is no in-ear speaker. Like a handful of other Kyocera smartphones, the Edge features Smart Sonic Receiver technology, which uses an embedded ceramic transducer to transmit audio via the hard tissue inside your ear.

The back features a dimpled rubber texture, and the top half of the handset's body is contoured to be thicker than the rest of its body. I felt that both these characteristics helped with my grip as I held it.

On the back you'll find the camera, with its LED flash right below it. To the left is a small slit for the audio speaker. To remove the battery door, you'll need to switch the toggle lock at the bottom and pry the plate off. There you can access the 1,600mAh battery and the microSD card slot (which can accommodate cards with capacities of up to 32GB) underneath it.

Software features
The device ships with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and comes with a number of Google's services, like Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Local, Maps with Navigation, Messenger, Search, Talk, and YouTube. The Google Play stores for Books, Magazines, and Music are included as well.

Under the Settings menu, there's also a software feature called MaxiMZR. This lets you limit the data connection of apps running in the background to conserve battery life. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve text readability by increasing the font size one level larger than the "Extra Large" or "Huge" setting that is common on Android handsets.

Sprint loaded some of its own apps, one of which is Sprint Zone, where you can check your account information and balance. There's also a ringtone portal called Sprint Music Plus, as well as Sprint TV and Movies, and Sprint ID.

The Edge runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and feature's Kyocera's Smart Sonic Receiver technology.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

ID enables you to customize your phone with preselected apps, widgets, and other items depending on which ID profile you choose. For example, if you select the E! package, you'll get apps and widgets pertaining to the celebrity news channel. Note that deleting an ID package won't uninstall the apps that you downloaded -- you'll have to remove those apps manually. So far, there are 40 packs available, and once you start up the handset, the Sprint Default ID pack annoyingly starts downloading automatically.

Other goodies include the Reddit browser, BaconReader; ICE, which stores emergency contact info; Eco Mode, a battery- and energy-conserving app; a panorama app that works with the camera, a video editor; Lookout Security, which backs up and secures your data; Qualcomm Enhanced Location app that zeroes in on your location and saves battery power; and the navigational app, Scout.

Of course, there are basic apps too, such as native browser and e-mail clients, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, an address book, a weather app, a voice dialer, and a audio recorder.

For the most part, the Boost Mobile model has all the same apps, give or take a few exceptions. However, instead of having apps like Sprint ID and Sprint Zone, the names have been modified to Mobile ID and Boost Zone. And as previously mentioned, the Boost model does not support hot-spot capabilities.

Camera and video
The 5-megapixel camera has six photo sizes (ranging from 640x480 to 2,560x1,920 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, six picture modes including HDR and continuous shooting, 14 photo effects, three focuses, six scene modes, geotagging, three image qualities, blink detection, three auto-exposures, five ISO levels, five white balances, and grid lines.

Video settings include five video sizes (ranging from a 30-second MMS to 720p), digital zoom, continuous flash, time lapse, two file format options, and the same white balance, image effects, geotagging, grid lines, and auto-exposure options.

Photo quality was adequate, though it wasn't very impressive. For the most part, main objects came out clear and were easy to make out, but colors looked muted, and images weren't as sharp as I would have liked them to be, especially along the outer edges. In addition, the camera is quite slow. It takes a few seconds for it to focus, and you'll need to wait a few more seconds after pressing the shutter for the camera to ready itself for another photo.

In this indoor photo, there's a slight vignetting effect around the edges, and the flowers don't look so sharp.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In this sunny outdoor photo, the chairs and the middle column of bricks are well-defined.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In addition to objects being out of focus, you can see the vignetting effect more clearly in our standard studio shot.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

View the original article here

Kyocera Hydro XTRM (US Cellular)

Summer is the perfect fun season to a barbecue, tanning and swimming in the pool. But if your friends are anything like mine, you'll be thrown unceremoniously into the bottom of the said pool with your smartphone in your pocket. And which, rest assured, is not fun.

Fortunately, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM (pronounced "extreme") of the U.S. Cellular is not only dust and shock-resistant, it is waterproof as well - means he doesn't have to spend a night in a bowl filled with rice uncooked, where he accidentally takes a dive in the ocean.

But even with its characteristics splash and low contract price of $29.99, XTRM Hydro is not exactly the Michael Phelps of phones. In light of its less-than-desirable call quality and mediocre camera, you should keep your options open for other handsets if waterproof capabilities are not a necessity.

Design
As Kyocera Hydro XTRM meets certain standards of military specification for shock capacity, it has a more bulky than most smartphones. I like its border dark metallic faux that surrounds the body, and while the rear of the dimpled battery door is not too attractive, the outside rubber provides more friction and contributes with handle.

The handset measures 4.88 inches in height, 2.52 in. wide 0.42 inch thick, and it weighs 4.9 oz. In a few moments to hold the device in my hand, its heftiness was obvious, but after a short while, I stopped to notice his weight and it was not embarrassing at all.

Waterproof capacity Hydro XTRM water mean that you dont you worry about it around the kitchen sink.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Located on the left is a volume rocker. The top has a standby/on-off button and a 3.5 mm headset jack, and the bottom has a Micro-USB port for charging. Port is covered by a sheet or a small door.

It sports an IPS WVGA screen 4 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Obviously, this is not a high-end smartphone touch screen (for example, you'll see a significant amount of "speckles" when displaying a white empty field). However, I had no problem to display images and text, the screen was well polished, and the screen was responsive and sensitive to the touch.

Above the screen is a 1.3-megapixel camera. You will notice that there are no in-ear speaker beside him. It is because the XTRM with the receiver chip Sonic technology. This means that it uses a sensor in ceramic inside to transmit the audio signal via the hard tissue inside your ear.

On the back, you will find the camera and accompanying LED flash below. Two small slits for the sitting speaker to the left of the lens. With the help of a small indentation, you can lift and remove the battery cover to access the microSD card, which accepts cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB and 2, 000mAh battery. Given that the back plate must be sealed to prevent the entry of water, by removing and reapplying requires a little muscle.

The software features
The phone runs on Android 4.1.2 and comes with these Google like Chrome, Gmail, pillars, maps with Navigation, Messenger, several set of Google apps, Search, Talk, and YouTube.

Working database management applications include a native client of the browser and messaging, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, a music player, an application of news and weather, a sound recorder and a voice Dialer.

Under the settings menu, there is also a software function called MaxiMZR. This allows you to limit the data connection of applications running in the background to save battery power. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve the readability of text by increasing the font size a level greater than the 'Extra Large' or 'Huge' which is common on Android phones.

Instead of having a speaker in-ear above the display, the XTRM uses a sensor ceramic indoors to transmit sound waves.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Other applications include several on Amazon (for its site in the retail, Appstore, MP3, Kindle, Amazon and Zappos Audible), the American game Oregon Trail (which is disappointing, nothing like the original), Slacker Radio, Twitter, ICE (which stores the emergency contact information) and Eco Mode, app battery - and energy-efficient.

There are also several applications specifically from US Cellular, as city ID, daily Perks (which informs you of the tenders with the carrier), Wi - Fi now, apps to get ringtones and games and a browser application.

Additional features include Bluetooth 4.0 and 4 GB onboard memory.

Camera and video
The camera 5 megapixel camera has six photo formats (ranging from 640 x 480 to 2, 592 x 1 944 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, three axes, scene modes, six, geotagging, three qualities of image, three exhibitions auto, five ISO levels, balances five white and four color effects.

The front camera offers the same features except it has only four photo formats (ranging from 640 x 480 to 1280 x 960 pixels) and four levels of ISO, and it is not a flash or a scene mode.

View the original article here

Kyocera Hydro Edge (Boost Mobile)

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Unless you find you and your phone often drenched in water, consider skipping over the Kyocera Hydro Edge.

True, as the successor to the Hydro, the Edge can still survive a good dunking. But while this new iteration includes some welcomed improvements like a bigger 4-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera (the original featured only a 3.2-megapixel shooter), the device still runs on 3G and has a a rather slow 1GHz processor.

If having an affordable smartphone that is able to survive multiple spills and dips is important (either from the water you encounter at the beach or simply the kitchen sink), the Edge is a good handset to consider. It's available on Sprint for $19.99 after users sign a two-year agreement, or off-contract under the carrier's prepaid arm, Boost Mobile, for $149.99.

But if that factor isn't a deal breaker for you and you can spare the extra cash, look into your carrier's other devices that sport better specs.

Design
The Kyocera Hydro Edge has a simple, matte-gray plastic construction that feels sturdy, but doesn't look at all chic. Like the XTRM, neither of the device's ports are covered. In fact, the only way one could even assume the handset is waterproof is by the toggle lock located in the rear, which keeps the battery door secured.

The phone measures 4.9 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and 0.39 inch thick. It weighs 4.5 ounces, and while the top half of the Edge is a bit heftier than its bottom half, it's still comfortable to hold in the hand.

To keep it watertight, the Edge sports a small toggle lock in the back for its battery door.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

On the left is a volume rocker, and up top are a 3.5mm headphone jack and sleep/power button. The right edge houses a shortcut key for the camera, and the Micro-USB port is located on the bottom.

The device has a 4-inch IPS touch-screen display, with a 800x480-pixel resolution and 233ppi. Though HD movies won't appear as crisp as you might expect on it, text and icons still displayed clearly and smoothly for me. Furthermore, the screen has a rather narrow viewing angle outdoors. However, when you crank maximum brightness all the way up and you hold up the handset directly at eye level, you can make out the display very well.

Beneath the display are three hot keys that light up white when in use for back, home, and menu. Long-press the home key to access recent apps. You'll notice that above the screen, there is no in-ear speaker. Like a handful of other Kyocera smartphones, the Edge features Smart Sonic Receiver technology, which uses an embedded ceramic transducer to transmit audio via the hard tissue inside your ear.

The back features a dimpled rubber texture, and the top half of the handset's body is contoured to be thicker than the rest of its body. I felt that both these characteristics helped with my grip as I held it.

On the back you'll find the camera, with its LED flash right below it. To the left is a small slit for the audio speaker. To remove the battery door, you'll need to switch the toggle lock at the bottom and pry the plate off. There you can access the 1,600mAh battery and the microSD card slot (which can accommodate cards with capacities of up to 32GB) underneath it.

Software features
The device ships with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and comes with a number of Google's services, like Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Local, Maps with Navigation, Messenger, Search, Talk, and YouTube. The Google Play stores for Books, Magazines, and Music are included as well.

Under the Settings menu, there's also a software feature called MaxiMZR. This lets you limit the data connection of apps running in the background to conserve battery life. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve text readability by increasing the font size one level larger than the "Extra Large" or "Huge" setting that is common on Android handsets.

Sprint loaded some of its own apps, one of which is Sprint Zone, where you can check your account information and balance. There's also a ringtone portal called Sprint Music Plus, as well as Sprint TV and Movies, and Sprint ID.

The Edge runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and feature's Kyocera's Smart Sonic Receiver technology.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

ID enables you to customize your phone with preselected apps, widgets, and other items depending on which ID profile you choose. For example, if you select the E! package, you'll get apps and widgets pertaining to the celebrity news channel. Note that deleting an ID package won't uninstall the apps that you downloaded -- you'll have to remove those apps manually. So far, there are 40 packs available, and once you start up the handset, the Sprint Default ID pack annoyingly starts downloading automatically.

Other goodies include the Reddit browser, BaconReader; ICE, which stores emergency contact info; Eco Mode, a battery- and energy-conserving app; a panorama app that works with the camera, a video editor; Lookout Security, which backs up and secures your data; Qualcomm Enhanced Location app that zeroes in on your location and saves battery power; and the navigational app, Scout.

Of course, there are basic apps too, such as native browser and e-mail clients, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, an address book, a weather app, a voice dialer, and a audio recorder.

For the most part, the Boost Mobile model has all the same apps, give or take a few exceptions. However, instead of having apps like Sprint ID and Sprint Zone, the names have been modified to Mobile ID and Boost Zone. And as previously mentioned, the Boost model does not support hot-spot capabilities.

Camera and video
The 5-megapixel camera has six photo sizes (ranging from 640x480 to 2,560x1,920 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, six picture modes including HDR and continuous shooting, 14 photo effects, three focuses, six scene modes, geotagging, three image qualities, blink detection, three auto-exposures, five ISO levels, five white balances, and grid lines.

Video settings include five video sizes (ranging from a 30-second MMS to 720p), digital zoom, continuous flash, time lapse, two file format options, and the same white balance, image effects, geotagging, grid lines, and auto-exposure options.

Photo quality was adequate, though it wasn't very impressive. For the most part, main objects came out clear and were easy to make out, but colors looked muted, and images weren't as sharp as I would have liked them to be, especially along the outer edges. In addition, the camera is quite slow. It takes a few seconds for it to focus, and you'll need to wait a few more seconds after pressing the shutter for the camera to ready itself for another photo.

In this indoor photo, there's a slight vignetting effect around the edges, and the flowers don't look so sharp.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In this sunny outdoor photo, the chairs and the middle column of bricks are well-defined.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In addition to objects being out of focus, you can see the vignetting effect more clearly in our standard studio shot.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

View the original article here

Kyocera Hydro Edge (Boost Mobile)

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Unless you find you and your phone often drenched in water, consider skipping over the Kyocera Hydro Edge.

True, as the successor to the Hydro, the Edge can still survive a good dunking. But while this new iteration includes some welcomed improvements like a bigger 4-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera (the original featured only a 3.2-megapixel shooter), the device still runs on 3G and has a a rather slow 1GHz processor.

If having an affordable smartphone that is able to survive multiple spills and dips is important (either from the water you encounter at the beach or simply the kitchen sink), the Edge is a good handset to consider. It's available on Sprint for $19.99 after users sign a two-year agreement, or off-contract under the carrier's prepaid arm, Boost Mobile, for $149.99.

But if that factor isn't a deal breaker for you and you can spare the extra cash, look into your carrier's other devices that sport better specs.

Design
The Kyocera Hydro Edge has a simple, matte-gray plastic construction that feels sturdy, but doesn't look at all chic. Like the XTRM, neither of the device's ports are covered. In fact, the only way one could even assume the handset is waterproof is by the toggle lock located in the rear, which keeps the battery door secured.

The phone measures 4.9 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and 0.39 inch thick. It weighs 4.5 ounces, and while the top half of the Edge is a bit heftier than its bottom half, it's still comfortable to hold in the hand.

To keep it watertight, the Edge sports a small toggle lock in the back for its battery door.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

On the left is a volume rocker, and up top are a 3.5mm headphone jack and sleep/power button. The right edge houses a shortcut key for the camera, and the Micro-USB port is located on the bottom.

The device has a 4-inch IPS touch-screen display, with a 800x480-pixel resolution and 233ppi. Though HD movies won't appear as crisp as you might expect on it, text and icons still displayed clearly and smoothly for me. Furthermore, the screen has a rather narrow viewing angle outdoors. However, when you crank maximum brightness all the way up and you hold up the handset directly at eye level, you can make out the display very well.

Beneath the display are three hot keys that light up white when in use for back, home, and menu. Long-press the home key to access recent apps. You'll notice that above the screen, there is no in-ear speaker. Like a handful of other Kyocera smartphones, the Edge features Smart Sonic Receiver technology, which uses an embedded ceramic transducer to transmit audio via the hard tissue inside your ear.

The back features a dimpled rubber texture, and the top half of the handset's body is contoured to be thicker than the rest of its body. I felt that both these characteristics helped with my grip as I held it.

On the back you'll find the camera, with its LED flash right below it. To the left is a small slit for the audio speaker. To remove the battery door, you'll need to switch the toggle lock at the bottom and pry the plate off. There you can access the 1,600mAh battery and the microSD card slot (which can accommodate cards with capacities of up to 32GB) underneath it.

Software features
The device ships with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and comes with a number of Google's services, like Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Local, Maps with Navigation, Messenger, Search, Talk, and YouTube. The Google Play stores for Books, Magazines, and Music are included as well.

Under the Settings menu, there's also a software feature called MaxiMZR. This lets you limit the data connection of apps running in the background to conserve battery life. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve text readability by increasing the font size one level larger than the "Extra Large" or "Huge" setting that is common on Android handsets.

Sprint loaded some of its own apps, one of which is Sprint Zone, where you can check your account information and balance. There's also a ringtone portal called Sprint Music Plus, as well as Sprint TV and Movies, and Sprint ID.

The Edge runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and feature's Kyocera's Smart Sonic Receiver technology.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

ID enables you to customize your phone with preselected apps, widgets, and other items depending on which ID profile you choose. For example, if you select the E! package, you'll get apps and widgets pertaining to the celebrity news channel. Note that deleting an ID package won't uninstall the apps that you downloaded -- you'll have to remove those apps manually. So far, there are 40 packs available, and once you start up the handset, the Sprint Default ID pack annoyingly starts downloading automatically.

Other goodies include the Reddit browser, BaconReader; ICE, which stores emergency contact info; Eco Mode, a battery- and energy-conserving app; a panorama app that works with the camera, a video editor; Lookout Security, which backs up and secures your data; Qualcomm Enhanced Location app that zeroes in on your location and saves battery power; and the navigational app, Scout.

Of course, there are basic apps too, such as native browser and e-mail clients, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, an address book, a weather app, a voice dialer, and a audio recorder.

For the most part, the Boost Mobile model has all the same apps, give or take a few exceptions. However, instead of having apps like Sprint ID and Sprint Zone, the names have been modified to Mobile ID and Boost Zone. And as previously mentioned, the Boost model does not support hot-spot capabilities.

Camera and video
The 5-megapixel camera has six photo sizes (ranging from 640x480 to 2,560x1,920 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, six picture modes including HDR and continuous shooting, 14 photo effects, three focuses, six scene modes, geotagging, three image qualities, blink detection, three auto-exposures, five ISO levels, five white balances, and grid lines.

Video settings include five video sizes (ranging from a 30-second MMS to 720p), digital zoom, continuous flash, time lapse, two file format options, and the same white balance, image effects, geotagging, grid lines, and auto-exposure options.

Photo quality was adequate, though it wasn't very impressive. For the most part, main objects came out clear and were easy to make out, but colors looked muted, and images weren't as sharp as I would have liked them to be, especially along the outer edges. In addition, the camera is quite slow. It takes a few seconds for it to focus, and you'll need to wait a few more seconds after pressing the shutter for the camera to ready itself for another photo.

In this indoor photo, there's a slight vignetting effect around the edges, and the flowers don't look so sharp.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In this sunny outdoor photo, the chairs and the middle column of bricks are well-defined.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In addition to objects being out of focus, you can see the vignetting effect more clearly in our standard studio shot.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

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Kyocera Hydro XTRM (US Cellular)

Summer is the perfect fun season to a barbecue, tanning and swimming in the pool. But if your friends are anything like mine, you'll be thrown unceremoniously into the bottom of the said pool with your smartphone in your pocket. And which, rest assured, is not fun.

Fortunately, the Kyocera Hydro XTRM (pronounced "extreme") of the U.S. Cellular is not only dust and shock-resistant, it is waterproof as well - means he doesn't have to spend a night in a bowl filled with rice uncooked, where he accidentally takes a dive in the ocean.

But even with its characteristics splash and low contract price of $29.99, XTRM Hydro is not exactly the Michael Phelps of phones. In light of its less-than-desirable call quality and mediocre camera, you should keep your options open for other handsets if waterproof capabilities are not a necessity.

Design
As Kyocera Hydro XTRM meets certain standards of military specification for shock capacity, it has a more bulky than most smartphones. I like its border dark metallic faux that surrounds the body, and while the rear of the dimpled battery door is not too attractive, the outside rubber provides more friction and contributes with handle.

The handset measures 4.88 inches in height, 2.52 in. wide 0.42 inch thick, and it weighs 4.9 oz. In a few moments to hold the device in my hand, its heftiness was obvious, but after a short while, I stopped to notice his weight and it was not embarrassing at all.

Waterproof capacity Hydro XTRM water mean that you dont you worry about it around the kitchen sink.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Located on the left is a volume rocker. The top has a standby/on-off button and a 3.5 mm headset jack, and the bottom has a Micro-USB port for charging. Port is covered by a sheet or a small door.

It sports an IPS WVGA screen 4 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Obviously, this is not a high-end smartphone touch screen (for example, you'll see a significant amount of "speckles" when displaying a white empty field). However, I had no problem to display images and text, the screen was well polished, and the screen was responsive and sensitive to the touch.

Above the screen is a 1.3-megapixel camera. You will notice that there are no in-ear speaker beside him. It is because the XTRM with the receiver chip Sonic technology. This means that it uses a sensor in ceramic inside to transmit the audio signal via the hard tissue inside your ear.

On the back, you will find the camera and accompanying LED flash below. Two small slits for the sitting speaker to the left of the lens. With the help of a small indentation, you can lift and remove the battery cover to access the microSD card, which accepts cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB and 2, 000mAh battery. Given that the back plate must be sealed to prevent the entry of water, by removing and reapplying requires a little muscle.

The software features
The phone runs on Android 4.1.2 and comes with these Google like Chrome, Gmail, pillars, maps with Navigation, Messenger, several set of Google apps, Search, Talk, and YouTube.

Working database management applications include a native client of the browser and messaging, a calculator, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, a music player, an application of news and weather, a sound recorder and a voice Dialer.

Under the settings menu, there is also a software function called MaxiMZR. This allows you to limit the data connection of applications running in the background to save battery power. There is also a MagniFont Mode option for those who want to improve the readability of text by increasing the font size a level greater than the 'Extra Large' or 'Huge' which is common on Android phones.

Instead of having a speaker in-ear above the display, the XTRM uses a sensor ceramic indoors to transmit sound waves.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Other applications include several on Amazon (for its site in the retail, Appstore, MP3, Kindle, Amazon and Zappos Audible), the American game Oregon Trail (which is disappointing, nothing like the original), Slacker Radio, Twitter, ICE (which stores the emergency contact information) and Eco Mode, app battery - and energy-efficient.

There are also several applications specifically from US Cellular, as city ID, daily Perks (which informs you of the tenders with the carrier), Wi - Fi now, apps to get ringtones and games and a browser application.

Additional features include Bluetooth 4.0 and 4 GB onboard memory.

Camera and video
The camera 5 megapixel camera has six photo formats (ranging from 640 x 480 to 2, 592 x 1 944 pixels), digital zoom, a flash, three axes, scene modes, six, geotagging, three qualities of image, three exhibitions auto, five ISO levels, balances five white and four color effects.

The front camera offers the same features except it has only four photo formats (ranging from 640 x 480 to 1280 x 960 pixels) and four levels of ISO, and it is not a flash or a scene mode.

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