HTC introduces HTC Desire 826 dual sim for stellar mobile audio experience

Source: HTC. The Blue Lagoon version.

HTC is raising the bar for mobile audio with the HTC Desire 826 dual sim phone, which comes with HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio* surround sound. HTC is the first smartphone company to combine dual front-facing stereo speakers, a finely tuned sound profile, and Dolby’s decoding technology to deliver an end-to-end multi-channel audio solution. 

Listeners can experience sonic depth and breadth not previously heard on a mobile device. The package also includes an audiophile-grade headset that is carefully tuned for HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio, delivering the cinematic surround sound experience wherever you are**.

“A slim and classic dual tone design with an immersive 5.5” HD screen, it also comes with a powerful octa-core processor, a 13 megapixel front and rear cameras, BoomSound with Dolby Audio, the latest HTC Sense UI and much more,” says Clarence Ng, HTC Country Manager, Singapore. “The HTC Desire 826 dual sim is the phone to get – attractive, powerful and desirable.”

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim also offers a vivid, 5.5" Full HD 1080p display that brings cinematic quality to the mobile world. It is paired with 13 megapixel cameras at both front and rear. HTC’s Split Capture function can even combines photos and videos taken on the front and back cameras into one split-screen image or video, while Live Makeup allows portrait beautification even before the image is captured.  

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim’s dual-tone colour and dual finish expresses owners' individualism through colours such as White Birch, Blue Lagoon, Purple Fire and more***. Soft-touch matte sides make the phone comfortable and easy to grip. Subtle speaker grills maintain the phone’s clean lines, too. The award-winning HTC Dot View case is also available for the HTC Desire 826 dual sim.

Underneath the covers, the HTC Desire 826 dual sim features an all-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-Core 64-bit processor that enables instant, seamless multitasking, gaming, and 4G LTE streaming to get the most out of the latest Android Lollipop software with HTC Sense.

The HTC Desire 826 dual sim will be available at a recommended retail price of S$498 in White Birch and Blue Lagoon with M1, Singtel, StarHub and major retailers from today. A range of accessories are also available.

Interested?

Check availability in Southeast Asia.

*Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.
**Availability of audiophile-grade headset varies by region.

***Colours include White Birch, Blue Lagoon, Purple Fire and more. Availability varies by region.

WHO suggests limiting the use of personal audio devices to under an hour a day

Source: WHO.

Some 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices, including smartphones, and exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues including sporting events, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Data from studies in middle- and high-income countries analysed by WHO indicate that among teenagers and young adults aged 12-35 years, nearly 50% are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from the use of personal audio devices and around 40% are exposed to potentially damaging levels of sound at entertainment venues. Unsafe levels of sounds can be, for example, exposure to in excess of 85 decibles (dB) for eight hours or 100dB for 15 minutes.

“As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more young people are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss,” notes Dr Etienne Krug, WHO Director for the Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention. “They should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won’t come back. Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk.”

Safe listening depends on the intensity or loudness of sound, and the duration and frequency of listening. Exposure to loud sounds can result in temporary hearing loss or tinnitus which is a ringing sensation in the ear. When the exposure is particularly loud, regular or prolonged, it can lead to permanent damage of the ear’s sensory cells, resulting in irreversible hearing loss.
WHO recommendations

WHO recommends that the highest permissible level of noise exposure in the workplace is 85 dB up to a maximum of eight hours per day. Visitors at sporting events are often exposed to even higher levels of sound, and should therefore considerably reduce the duration of exposure. For example, exposure to noise levels of 100 dB, which is typical in such venues, is safe for no more than 15 minutes.

Music lovers can better protect their hearing by keeping the volume down on personal audio devices, wearing earplugs when visiting noisy venues, and using carefully fitted, and, if possible, noise-cancelling earphones/headphones. They can also limit the time spent engaged in noisy activities by taking short listening breaks and restricting the daily use of personal audio devices to less than one hour. With the help of smartphone apps, they can monitor safe listening levels. In addition they should heed the warning signs of hearing loss and get regular hearing check-ups.

The WHO also called for governments to develop and enforce legislation on recreational noise, and raise awareness of the risks of hearing loss through public information campaigns. Manufacturers can design personal audio devices with safety features and display information about safe listening on products and packaging as well, the WHO said.

To mark International Ear Care Day, celebrated each year on March 3, the WHO is launching the Make Listening Safe initiative to draw attention to the dangers of unsafe listening and promote safer practices.

Worldwide, 360 million people today have moderate to profound hearing loss due to various causes, such as noise, genetic conditions, complications at birth, certain infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, the use of particular drugs, and ageing. It is estimated that half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable. To address this issue, WHO collates data and information on hearing loss to demonstrate its prevalence, causes and impact as well as opportunities for prevention and management; assists countries to develop and implement programmes for hearing care that are integrated into the primary healthcare system; and provides technical resources for training health workers.

Bluetooth speakers, headphones from Bose make connections easier

Bose has announced two additions to its SoundLink family of mobile audio solutions: the SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker, the most affordable SoundLink speaker from Bose, and SoundLink Bluetooth on-ear headphones, the first on-ear Bluetooth headphones from Bose. 

The SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker is a completely new SoundLink design. It weighs 1.25 pounds (567g), and measures 5” wide, 2.1” deep and 5.3” high. Bose combined exclusive dual-opposing passive radiators with two high-efficiency transducers for full-range sound, including deep, low-note performance. Essential controls are on the product, and a 3.5mm stereo auxiliary input is integrated on the back of the enclosure.

The SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker connects wirelessly to a smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth enabled device, and uses voice prompts - available in several languages - to simplify setup, and identify which source is connected. If it is turned off, the speaker remembers the last eight devices it was paired with when powered back on. It then automatically connects to the two most recently used, such as the iPhone, iPad, Android, or other Bluetooth-enabled device. 

The SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker runs on a lithium-ion battery for up to eight hours, and fully recharges with most USB power sources in about three hours. Its exhaustively-tested housing is made of elastomer and plastic and comes in black, white, blue, red and mint.

The new SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth headphones are lighter and more comfortable than conventional Bluetooth headphones, the company said, and deliver all the audio performance of a Bose wired headphone. Bose Active Equalization and TriPort technology combine for smoother, more balanced sound. Mid-high frequencies are natural, and low-frequencies are detailed and full. 

A new two-microphone system rejects distractions like wind, so callers can hear what you’re saying more, and the sounds around you less. Adaptive Audio Adjustment technology automatically changes volume based on speech level and ambient noise, letting wearers move from a quiet environment to a noisier one without missing a word.

Just like the new speakers, the SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth headphones connect up to two devices at a time and lets the wearer switch between them. Users can for example watch a video from a tablet while staying connected to A smartphone. Simple voice prompts identify who’s calling, battery status and source connection. With commands on the earcup, wearers are in control: turn it on and off, answer and end a call, adjust volume, play/pause, or control tracks, without using your phone.

The SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth headphones weigh only 5.5 ounces (156g). Designed to be worn comfortably for hours, they feature soft ear cushions and a headband pad made of fabric used in high-end automotive applications. To stow away, they fold smoothly for compact storage in a matching case. The SoundLink Bluetooth headphones come in black or white, and charge easily with an included USB cable for up to 15 hours of listening, or up to two hours after a 15-minute charge.

The SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker and the SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth headphones will be sold* for US$129.95 and US$249.95, respectively. The SoundLink Bluetooth headphones are already available*, while pre-orders for the SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker will be available* starting September 25, 2014. All SoundLink products are sold* at Bose retail stores, Bose.com, and at authorised Bose dealers.


*Images from Bose. Prices and availability varies across countries.