HTC 10 Launch

On April 12th, I celebrated the launch of HTC 10 at Canoe Studios at 601 West 26th Street. Checkout highlights of the HTC 10, including the design, new version of HTC Sense, camera, theming capability and sound. 

- Kim Weling

Celebrating the Launch of HTC One A9 at TIDAL X: 1020 Amplified by HTC

 

On October 20th, HTC held a media event at Barclays Center, where guests experienced the HTC One A9 first hand. The event ended with VIP seating for TIDAL X: 1020 Amplified by HTC, a very special concert hosted by TIDAL and HTC to celebrate the newest smartphone. 

The new HTC One A9 is a smartphone that combines striking design with the newest features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense. 

I'm really excited about the camera capabilities, including a 13MP rear camera featuring Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), an optional Pro mode, and a Hyperlapse editing tool , which can speedup your videos to 12 times as fast for a dramatic time-lapse effect. 

TIDAL X: 1020 Amplified by HTC, the first in a series of philanthropic music events curated by TIDAL, is aimed at raising awareness, funds, conscious engagement, and dynamic action for transformative and positive social impact worldwide. 

The concert was filled with amazing performances by JAY Z, Beyonce, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, T.I., Rick Ross, Nick Jonas, Meek Mill, French Montana, Travis Scott, Damian Marley, Indochine, Thomas Rhett, Fabolous, DJ Cipha Sounds, DJ Reflex, and TIDAL Rising acts Alessia Cara, Bas, Benjamin Booker, Flatbush Zombies and Justine Skye. 

Some of my favorite moments included Jay Z singing "Holy Grail" with Beyonce and ending the night with "Empire State of Mind". I also enjoyed seeing Beyonce perform "Feeling Myself" with Nicki Minaj, Nick Jonas with "Levels" and Usher with "Chains."

One hundred percent of ticket proceeds benefit nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing positive community relations and effecting systemic change for the development and sustainability of just societies, this inaugural event's philanthropic focus. 

Photos by HTC

- Kim Weling

Sprint "Hear It For Yourself" Event Featuring HTC One (M8) Harman Kardon Edition

Sprint's "Hear It For Yourself" press event was held at espace on April 29th, to unveil the beautifully crafted all-metal HTC One (M8) Harman Kardon Edition. The Harman Kardon Clari-Fi technology restores all types of compressed digital music, and provides a more life-like headphone listening experience using LiveStage technology. Click here to learn more about the HTC One (M8) Harman Kardon Edition, which retails for $229.99. This phone also includes Harman Kardon AE-S In-ear Headphones, valued at $149.99. Check out the highlights from the event below.

Harman Kardon CEO Dinesh Paliwal, HTC CEO Peter Chou and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek discuss the HTC One (M8) Harman Kardon Edition.

Grammy Award Winning Violinist Miri Ben-Ari performs 

HTC CEO Peter Chou discusses the new HTC One (M8) Harman Kardon Edition

HTC One (M8) Harman Kardon Edition - Check out the Spotify demo of Clari-Fi music restoration technology in the new BMW 5-Series, also featuring Harman Kardon premium audio.

- Kim Weling

HTC Design Tour with the HTC One

HTC recently unveiled New York as the latest city in its series of Global Design Tours, a free android app optimized for the HTC One handset that allows users to browse industry-led recommendations  of design hotspots around the world. Developed in collaboration with Wallpaper magazine, the New York design locations focus on uncommon experiences, from eating lunch in a classroom (MoMA PS1 M. Wells Dinette) to sipping cocktails in a library (NoMad Hotel - one of my favorite places).

On May 20th, I was able to experience the HTC Design Tour, as HTC took media guests through the 25th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) as well as the best of pop-up exhibitions picked by the curators of the New York app, Wallpaper New York Editor Pei-Ru Keh, One &Co (HTC) Principal Irina Kozlovskaya and British-born/New York-based fashion designer Andrew Wren. The design tour also included Wanted Design, Neri and Hu - Future Perfect, American Design Club and Peels Restaurant.

The HTC Design Tour was a great way to get to know the HTC One, by utilizing the Global Design Tours app, getting to know the camera features and posting social media updates to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It was fun to be in the company of tech, travel and fashion media and explore design destinations I wouldn't normally go to. 

I love all the camera editing features on the HTC One, especially selecting images to easily create a video. It's a great way to share my HTC Design Tour experience. Our first stop on the tour was Wanted Design, with some of my favorites including a dress from Neon by Dudu Bertollini / Yassin Lahmar, blown glass by Adriano Seguso, Metylos felt bags, Annie Evelyn 'Squishy Sticks' chair, the 13&9 collection and upcycled shipping pallets from Lady J by Jess Brown.

The next stop on the tour was to Future Perfect, to meet with designers Neri & Hu

At the American Design Club, we viewed 'Trophy Awards We Live With', followed by lunch at Peels Restaurant. I'm usually not crazy about grits but the shrimp & grits with fried egg, house-made tasso bacon and jalapeno grits were amazing. I also loved the beer battered fish tacos with cabbage-poblano slaw, radish & chili aioli, I'll definitely be dining there again!

The last stop of the tour was to the ICFF at the Jacob Javits Center, where we had free time to explore on our own to preview the latest in furniture, rugs, lighting and houseware. This clip includes IKEA furniture in bold colors and prints, NOGA, an artful cluster of suspended glass cubes at the Shakuff exotic glass lighting & decor booth, a vanity desk with 7 coats of automotive paint, designed by Itsy Bitsy Ritsy Shop, furniture designed for small spaces, Nanimarquina 'Shakespeare in Africa' rug, Designer Rugs, Nolen Niu and the Red threads.

Furniture by Richard Watson, James De Wulf, Sentient and Moooi Lighting

Abby Modell contemporary art glass, Nameek's and Fab collaborations - Gus x Fab, Warhol x Q&M x Fab, and Blu Dot x Fab. I'm obsessed with the wall of life-size Lego blocks and Tom Dixon rose gold candles. 

Jonathan Adler and 'hand-holding' iPhone/ipad accessories.

I want to thank the HTC team for inviting me on the HTC Design Tour. I had a blast exploring with and getting to know the HTC One. To learn more about the features, check out my coverage from the HTC One press conference here.

- Kim Weling

Windows Phone 8X by HTC / Nokia Lumia 920

I recently attended a preview for the Windows Phone 8X by HTC and the Nokia Lumia 920. Camera features are always an essential part of what I look for in a phone, since I always have to be ready to snap a picture to tweet or instagram at previews and events. The new Windows Phone 8X captures twice the picture with an ultra-wide-angle front camera lens. The phone also comes in bold colors of blue, red and yellow as well as black. Windows Phone 8X is available on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile with 4G LTE, 8 MP rear and 2.1 MP front facing cameras and amplifier for Beats Audio built-in.

Here's a closer look at the Windows Phone 8X with a great feature for parents - the option to customize a start screen for their kids and preventing them from accessing social media networks, emails or making sudden phone calls. 

The Nokia Lumia 920 takes bright, blur-free photos and video - even in low light- with PureView technology, Optical Image Stabilization and a Carl Zeiss lens. This phone is available exclusively for AT&T featuring 4G LTE, 8.7 MP camera, 4.5" PureMotion HD + display with Super Sensitive Touch and wireless charging. 

Check out this clip for additional features of the Nokia Lumia 920.

- Kim Weling