Splash-happy budget phone cuts corners

Design

Similar to Verizon's Hydro Elite, the Vibe has a simple, austere design with straight edges and clean lines. This look is more modern than past Kyocera devices, and because it doesn't have any port coverings, you wouldn't be able to tell at first glance that this is actually a water-resistant handset. It measures 5.02 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, and 0.43-inch thick (127.4 x 63.5 x 10.9mm), and can fit easily in your front jeans pockets or handbag. Weighing in at 4.9 ounces (139g), it's also lightweight, and is comfortable to hold. The textured battery door also helps with grip and prevents it from slipping around on slick surfaces.

On the left edge is a volume rocker, while the top houses a 3.5mm headphone jack and the sleep/power button. The right has a shortcut button for quick access to the camera (which you can customize to launch video instead, if that's what you prefer), and on the very bottom is a Micro-USB port for charging.

The Hydro Vibe includes a shortcut button to launch the camera or video.Josh Miller/CNET

On the back are an 8-megapixel camera and its corresponding flash, as well as two small slits for the audio speaker. A small indentation on the bottom edge allows you to peel off the back cover to reveal the 2,000mAh battery, the SIM card, and the microSD card slot right above. On the underside of the back cover, you can see the water seal (in orange) that protects the phone's innards.

The Hydro Vibe's 4.5-inch IPS screen has a 960x540-pixel resolution and is impact resistant. This means that it's a bit more durable against the daily abuses that people put their devices through, and that it should be able to survive a reasonable fall without cracking. As for the screen, it is responsive to the touch, and I didn't find any trouble tapping on apps or typing on the virtual keyboard. The resolution isn't very crisp compared to higher-tiered handsets, but text and images still look very clear. It also has a wide viewing angle, and I had no problem looking at the phone in bright sunlight.

Water resistant construction

Certified to satisfy IPX5 and IPX7 standards for waterproofing, the Hydro Vibe can survive a good dunking. It can be submerged in up to a 3.28 feet (1 meter) of water for 30 minutes. Just be sure that your back cover is completely secured.

Though I wasn't able to test my review unit in 3-plus feet of water, my device withstood several dunks underwater in a vase and splashes in the sink. And although I could see a few water droplets underneath the battery door when I removed it, the handset continued to function just fine. In addition, it kept on ticking after being in the shower for 20 minutes, and after being fully submerged in a tall vessel for 30 minutes. It was even able to register an incoming call during its time underwater.

Splish splash, this device can definitely take a bath.Josh Miller/CNET

Software features

The handset contains a few choice features from Kyocera that make it unique. There's one feature called MagniFont, which increases the interface's text size even greater than the default "large" setting. EcoMode, is an app and a widget that lets users quickly adjust certain settings to conserve battery life. Lastly, there's an Easy Mode option that simplifies and minimizes the UI. This is especially useful for recent smartphone adopters who want an easier time navigating.

The Hydro Vibe runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. While that's not the most recent version of the OS, it's great that the device is the most up-to-date of the Kyocera handsets I've seen. As expected, it has several key Google apps like Chrome, Drive, Gmail, Search, Plus, Hangouts, Maps, YouTube, and a number of the Play Store portals. You can also access Google's digital-assistant feature, Now, by long-pressing the home button.

The phone's UI with MagniFont activated (left) and Easy Mode (right).Screenshots by Lynn La/CNET

Sprint preloaded a handful of its own apps, such as its digital payment system called Sprint Money, a ringtone portal called Sprint Music Plus, Sprint TV and Movies, and Sprint Zone, which users can use to check their account information and balance. Lastly, there's Sprint ID, an app that enables you to customize your phone with preselected apps, widgets, and other items depending on which ID profile you choose.

Basic task-managing apps include a calculator, a native browser and email clients, a calendar, a clock with alarm functions, a news and weather app, a sound recorder, and a voice dialer. A few other nonstandard goodies thrown in are apps for eBay, CBS Sports, Scout, and NextRadio, as well as a flashlight app, an "In Case of Emergency" app to store pertinent contact and medical information, and an app to help set up your mobile hotspot.

Camera and video

The 8-megapixel camera's photo quality was inconsistent, and just poor in general. Most of the time, the lens had a difficult time focusing. Even after I tapped the screen multiple times to enable touch-to-focus, the camera never quite locked onto any object, which resulted in extremely blurry shots. On the occasions that it did manage to focus, photos were still disappointing. Pictures had a tendency to contain a lot of overblown lighting, especially with outdoor shots. With indoor scenery, colors looked muted and flat. For more on the phone's photo quality, check out the test pictures below. Be sure to click on each one to see it at its full resolution.

Video recording capabilities fared a bit better, though not by much. Both moving and still objects were kept in focus for the most part, and nearby audio was picked up accurately. However, the camera did lag when it came to adjusting for lighting, and audio sources that was somewhat farther than a few feet away were not picked up at all. In addition, there was a subtle but noticeable "pulsating" effect with the recordings when the lens had to readjust itself.

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Sony Xperia Z2 vs HTC One (M8)

Introduction

Over the past couple of years, Sony has struggled against the forces dominating the high-end smartphone scene. Its top handsets, although good, all lacked that extra mojo needed for a phone to truly stand out. Now, however, it looks like Sony may finally have a winner on its hands, namely the Xperia Z2. Long story short, it is an awesome smartphone, and if you're not convinced, feel free to read our in-depth Sony Xperia Z2 review.

But now that the Sony Xperia Z2 has finally launched, it has to compete against a number of flagships from other well-known companies, and one of its rivals happens to be the HTC One (M8). There's a lot to love about the latter – it looks great, runs flawlessly, and those front-facing speakers sound pretty darn amazing. Yet is the HTC One (M8) better than the Sony Xperia Z2? Read on to learn more. 

Design

Both the Sony Xperia Z2 and the HTC One (M8) rank near the top of the “awesome” scale with their outstanding designs, and picking a favorite isn't as easy as it seems. That's probably why having them side by side for a comparison makes us feel as if we're in the middle of a clash between Thor and Superman.

Sony's flagship is a gorgeous, flat piece of glass and metal that gives us a solid, reassuring feel when held. Its rectangular shape will not appeal to everyone, but we think that it doesn't look bad at all. What really bothers us a bit, on the other hand, is that the phone feels quite large when gripped, partly because Sony's trademark OmniBalance design relies on straight lines instead of curves, and partly because, well, the phone is pretty big in size.

As for the HTC One (M8), it is an awe-inspiring phone encased in a beautiful, metal-made body, and we can't help to think that the general audience would find it more attractive, at least visually, than the Xperia Z2. What's more, although HTC's top model is about as wide, as tall, and as heavy as its rival, it fits better in the palm thanks to its curvy corners and back side. 

True to its design traditions, Sony has placed the power and volume keys on the right side of the Xperia Z2. They are easy to reach, but somewhat lacking in feedback. Below them resides the 2-stage camera shutter key, which is used for taking pictures and for launching the camera from any screen. HTC has chosen to place the power key on the top edge of the (M8). Reaching it is a bit difficult since there's quite a bit of stretching that an index finger has to perform. To remedy the situation, HTC has added the option to activate the phone's screen with a double tap. The volume key is on the right side and could have had a little bit more travel to it. 

Most of the ports on the Sony Xperia Z2 are protected by flaps, and for a good reason. The handset boasts an IP58 specification, which means that it is resistant to dust and water damage, unlike the great majority of the smartphones around. It is not invincible, however, so don't dip it in the hot tub just to see how much abuse it can take. The HTC One (M8) should also be able to withstand a light water splash, but a dip in a pint of lager could be fatal. 

Sony has placed the Xperia Z2's SIM card and microSD card slots on its side where one of the aforementioned flaps keeps them safe. The cards placed there shouldn't be hard to eject if that is needed – all it takes is a fingernail or the tip of a pen. With the HTC One (M8), however, you'll need a pin or a similar tool to get its SIM or microSD card out as they both are placed in their own slide-in trays. 

Both smartphones sport a pair of front-facing speakers, which is a perk you won't get from another maker's flagship. That produce high-quality stereo sound, but we'll save our comments for when we get to the multimedia part of this comparison.

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