HTC One Max looking to take on iPhone 5S with fingerprint scanner?

The HTC One Max has been pegged as HTC's attempt to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 sporting a larger Full-HD display

A new image of the rumoured HTC One Max has appeared online this time sporting a fingerprint scanner on the back of the smartphone, the only other smartphone to feature this technology at the moment is the recently announced Apple iPhone 5S. The image comes courtesy of phonearena who have a selection of images showing the super-sized handset sporting a small square sensor on the back. This has since been confirmed as being a fingerprint scanner after another image leaked showing the feature as a quick setting on the phone's display. The HTC One Max is rumoured to sport a 5.9-inch Full-HD display seemingly trumping that of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which comes with a 5.7-inch display. It's also rumoured to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, similar to that found on the LG G2, but instead this quad-core chip will be running at 2.3Ghz. Other reports suggest you'll get 2GB of RAM along with 16GB of internal storage with the option to increase that via microSD up to 64GB. There will also be a 3300mAh battery and the same Ultrapixel camera that can be found on the HTC One. Along with receiving critical acclaim from the tech world the HTC One has also been nominated as T3's Phone of the Year at the 2013 T3 Awards. Ford SYNC presents the T3 Gagdet Awards 2013 Going up against the likes of the Apple iPhone 5, Sony Xperia Z and theSamsung Galaxy S4, the HTC One has been widely regarded as one of the best Android smartphones you can buy. Proudly presenting the T3 Gadget Awards is Ford's revolutionary in-car technology Ford SYNC which lets you connect your smartphone in a variety of ways whether it's handsfree calling or texting or using Ford App Link to connect your Spotify app to the car letting you play/pause and browse through Spotify all through the car.

Microsoft Xbox One will go on sale November 22 in 13 countries

Retail stores in many markets have run out of Microsoft Corp's Xbox One consoles available for pre-orders, a senior company executive said, ahead of a major clash with Sony Corp's new lower-priced Playstation 4 this November.

Microsoft's first new gaming console in eight years will go on sale November 22 in 13 countries, Yusuf Mehdi, vice president of marketing, strategy and business for the Xbox, said in an interview.

That will put it one week behind the PlayStation 4 in the United States but ahead in many European countries where Sony's first new console in seven years is slated to go on sale on November 29.

The third-generation Xbox marks Microsoft's strongest push so far to dominate consumers' living rooms with an array of exclusive game and media content.

It has gone into full production and pre-orders have so far outpaced the available supply to retail stores in most markets.

"We have more pre-orders than any other Xbox console releases in history," Mehdi said, adding that the company would "enable some incremental, additional units for the day one release." He declined to give further details on the pre-orders.

The PlayStation 4, priced $100 lower than the Xbox One at $399, had more than 1 million pre-orders worldwide, Sony said last month.

The U.S. company is sticking to November 22 for its U.S. launch date as it is the anniversary of the 2005 launch of the Xbox 360, which helped Microsoft take the lead in the then-thriving industry. The gaming hardware industry has since lost much ground to casual gaming on smartphones and other mobile devices.

In Europe, Microsoft has struck a partnership with Electronic Arts to bundle its "FIFA 14" title from its popular soccer game franchise for free with pre-ordered consoles.

Mehdi said an upgraded Kinect motion sensor, cloud-gaming services and a lift in the consoles processing power to 1.75 gigahertz from 1.6 gigahertz would differentiate the Xbox One from its rivals.

The 13 markets set for a November launch are Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and New Zealand.

(Also see: Xbox One launch in 8 European countries pushed to 2014)

The launch has been delayed in some markets until 2014 to work on customizing the user interface and translating software to native languages. These markets include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Xbox One launch in 8 European countries pushed to 2014

Microsoft said Wednesday it was delaying the launch of its new Xbox One console in eight countries, while moving ahead with a November release in 13 others.

In June, Microsoft said it would start selling the new videogame and entertainment console in 21 countries, but on Wednesday acknowledged their plan had been too ambitious.

(Also see: Xbox One not coming to India, other Asian markets until 2014: Report)

The delays affect Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland. The company said it hoped to launch the device in those countries "as soon as possible in 2014."

The 13 markets to get the Xbox One in November will be Australia, Austria, Brazil, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United States and New Zealand, according to a statement from the Xbox team.

"At Xbox, our goal is to provide the best games and entertainment experience possible and the team continues to make great progress on delivering Xbox One," the statement said.

"While we wish we could launch Xbox One simultaneously in these (21) markets, there are many factors that determine the timing of specific market launches. This includes work to localize the Xbox One dash, incorporate additional voice and languages, and build partnerships to bring apps and meaningful local content to each country."

The beefed-up console is powered by software that allows for instant switching between games, television, and Internet browsing. Microsoft-owned Skype was also integrated for online group video calls.

Kinect motion and sound sensing accessories accompanying the consoles recognize users; respond instantly to commands spoken in natural language, and even detect a person's pulse.

Microsoft's new console will compete against Sony's new PlayStation 4, which also promises to combine its film, music, television and games in a home entertainment box. It is due to be released later this year as well.

HTC One Mini review

The HTC One, had everything going for it but did you find it just that bit too big? Well, check out the newer, smaller HTC One Mini

HTC One Mini review Love Snazzy design Great size Strong camera Hate Slower processor Unexceptional display Shorter battery life The HTC One is a gorgeous, powerful smartphone that feels fantastic in the hand thanks to its all-metal back and looks sensational because of the highest-resolution screen yet seen. But its size made it feel just too big for some hands. While every manufacturer has been cruising towards bigger screens so that 5-inch displays are becoming the norm, HTC recognised that there’s an audience for a well-built, classy phone for those who think the iPhone 5’s 4-inch screen is quite big enough, thank you. set to go head to head with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the Nokia Lumia 625, the HTC One Mini is strikingly similar to the HTC One. The same speakers sitting at top and bottom of the display to offer that Beats Audio Boomsound, same aluminium back with central HTC logo and so on. In fact, if it weren’t for the white plastic edge, you’d be hard put to tell it apart from the bigger phone without a tape measure. HTC One Mini: Size and build The white plastic frame, instead of the HTC One’s aluminium edging, is the only element of the new handset that’s less than premium, and even so, it doesn’t look bad, it’s just a slight style change from the original. It’s visually a little more dominant compared to the One where the black screen stretched to the very edges of the screen. And the glossy edge is arguably more comfortable to the touch. And it’s when you touch it that you really feel the difference. This is a lot lighter (122g instead of 143g) and feels superbly right-sized in your fingers, the gently curving back making it feel thinner than it is. The measurements, if you’d like to know, are 132 x 63.2 x 9.3 mm. Compare HTC One Mini deals Some of the features on the Mini have been cut back, and one of these is visible. The power button on the HTC One was the infra-red emitter that let the phone work as an actually quite serviceable remote control. That’s been left out of the Mini so the button is the same white plastic as the frame, on the silver version of the phone. The Mini has the same colour choices as before, Glacial Silver and Black. As last time, this phone is a sealed unit, so there’s no flex or creaking as you move it in your hands. HTC One Mini: Features The feature list is pretty similar to the HTC One, though there are some, like the infra-red, which are left out. So there’s no NFC in this handset. I’m sure NFC will have a big future, but for now we suspect it’s one of those things that people boast their phone possesses and then never, ever use. Like video calling or compatibility with South American networks. Its absence doesn’t seem to have done Apple’s iPhones any harm. So it’s not a big thing that it’s missing here. A bigger compromise has been made in the processor which drops from a quad-core 1.7GHz model on the HTC One to a dual-core 1.4GHz chip here. Though we wonder if this isn’t mostly a numbers game – the phone performed well and at speed throughout. HTC’s BlinkFeed is a feature that has been transferred intact from the bigger phone. This, if you haven’t seen it, is a highly appealing feed of Facebook, Twitter and favourite sites, presented in an attractive format. It’s a cute way to keep up to date with your social networking without having to launch individual apps. HTC One Mini: Screen Since the HTC One managed to include the highest-resolution display ever on a phone, it’s no surprise that this smaller phone doesn’t match it. Where the One has a remarkable 468 pixels per inch, this phone only manages 342ppi. That’s a big drop, but it still beats the iPhone’s Retina display. And it looks great. Sure, it’s not Full HD like the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 or Sony Xperia Z. But this is a noticeably smaller screen than those and the 720 x 1280 resolution seems more than enough. HTC One Mini: Camera HTC took a big risk with the camera on the HTC One. Though we know that more pixels isn’t better per se, to install a 4MP sensor on the One where rivals were sporting 8MP, 13MP and even, on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, 16MP, was pretty brave. It’s the same sensor here. The thinking, borne out thrillingly by the photographic results the phone can achieve, is that it’s better to have fewer pixels on a bigger sensor so those pixels can be bigger and so draw in light more accurately and effectively than a smaller sensor crammed so tightly with pixels that they can’t hardly breathe. The camera also introduced Zoes, moving photos which are fun to use. And you can combine them into 30-second movies where the phone does most of the heavy lifting. This time around there are new soundtracks available, too. This is a great camera, one of the best available on any phone. HTC One Mini: Performance As mentioned above, the slower processor didn’t make the phone seem sluggish. And the RAM built in is 1GB against 2GB on the HTC One. Even so, the phone was nippy at all times and its performance seems as strong as the bigger HTC phone and other handsets like the Galaxy S4. And the metal back, like on the earlier model, was no impediment for the phone signal which was strong and consistent. Call quality was good, to boot. HTC One Mini: Battery Battery life on the HTC One Mini is good, though not as long-lasting as the bigger One or phones like the Nokia Lumia 925. It’ll get you through the day with no problem, but daily recharges are recommended. HTC One Mini: Verdict Is this the best HTC phone? Not quite. The HTC One is a strong contender for best phone ever (from any manufacturer) and the lower specs here stop this phone from beating it. But if you have hands that find the HTC One just too hefty, or if a big phone isn’t your style, this is a sensational phone with a decent processor and excellent camera. It’s about as good-looking and well-built as the iPhone 5, against which it’s very serious competition. It holds up well against other mainstream attention-getters like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z. In fact, it’s really only beaten by HTC. HTC One Mini release date: August 2013 HTC One Mini price: £380