Frustrated with HTC’s sprawling and slightly confusing product matrix, Kim set out to design a top-tier, premium smartphone the manufacturer could use as a flagship device. Like all good modern design, he started with the functionality and then built around it. The result is a simple, elegant device that does things that even the EVO or iPhone 4 can’t. The bottom of the device, housing the home button and microphone as well as one of the two stereo speakers (as most phones have but one), rotates back, creating a stand, so the phone becomes a tabletop clock or can be used for hands-free video viewing. Very clever, very simple. Kim even goes as far as to customize the UI for the phone, making an elegant combination that we’d like to see in our hands sooner rather than later. The home screen shows essentials like time, temperature, and how many unread messages are waiting. And it plays MP3s.
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Skyfire’s Flash-support-by-proxy isn’t an all-in-one solution by any means. It doesn’t detect every video in a playlist. Occasionally, it crashed a browser tab. And it doesn’t address Flash games or other interactive sites; we’re still waiting for a seamless way to read Flash-based menus online. In addition to video streaming, Skyfire also adds its twist to the Android’s WebKit browser with a button for viewing more relevant content, like headlines, images, and Twitter updates, and a link-sharing module. There’s a browser tab-switcher, a shortcut to easily switch between desktop, Android, and iPhone mode (known as user agents) and a drop-down menu with access to the settings, download list, text selection, and other tools. The quintessential “back” arrow and bookmarking are also present. On Android phones running OS 2.0 or higher, Skyfire also supports multitouch pinch-zooming.
There are some known issues and limitations with the Skyfire beta’s video support and browser in general. It won’t currently stream back Windows Media, Silverlight (that’s next), or Quicktime video, and it intentionally won’t provide video or additional content for secure sites. On some sites, swapping browser modes (the user agent) will force-close the app. The Help function was turned off when we tested the app before its official launch, and there are some interface issues with the Explore window on the Motorola Backflip while in “backflip” mode.
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Clearly focused on the younger set, the Headband Headphones SHD8805, Earhook Headphones SHS8005 and In-ear Headphones SHE2640 are priced as befits the crowd, at S$79, S$69 and S$17.90, respectively. The Headband unit sports earpad cushions with a choice of cover designs and comes embedded with 40mm speaker drivers of a composite mylar material that’s said to deliver sound without audible distortion. The Earhook model features in-cord control for single-hand operation, with three interchangeable rubber ear inserts to suit different ear canals. The In-ear edition is as basic as it gets, with a price to match.
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