HTC

U11

Move over Samsung, LG and Huawei, HTC U11 is our latest smartphone squeeze.

This malleable device lets you interact with apps by squeezing the edges of the phone. Squeeze once to launch the phone’s camera; a second time to take a photograph. Edge Sense, as the HTC boffins call it, can be programmed to launch other apps too.

It’s no gimmick. Squeezing would be useful when wearing gloves or taking photographs in a pool. You heard that right. HTC U11 doubles as an underwater cam – it’s water resistant in up to a metre. Q from James Bond would eat his own leg to tinker with this gadget.

U11 is no shrinking violet. The 5.5” screen with a Quad HD (2560 x 1440) resolution and Super LCD 5 display tech is brighter than a Vegas casino. A Snapdragon 835 chip, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage (expandable), makes apps hop to attention in double time, although we noticed a slight lag in the camera when squeezing.

The camera rivals Samsung Galaxy S8. A 12MP sensor back-facing “HTC UltraPixel 3” snapper treats us to more pixels than a Disney convention, producing super sharp images even in low light conditions. UltraSpeed Autofocus mode does what it says on the tin.

HTC’s in-built speakers make a racket. Headphone enthusiasts will be upset to learn that HTC has dropped the headphone jack, so you’ll have to use a pair of noise cancelling USB-C earbuds, which come packaged with the phone. Following Apple and Motorola in dropping the jack is a small concession for a phone that is more about innovation than imitation. 09/10

That’s You

PS4 (Sony)

Truth or dare for the smartphone generation, That’s You has the potential to liven up a party or destroy relationships. It’s all about how you answer the questions, so careful now...

Players download the That’s You app to communicate with the PS4 and television via a mobile device. Snap a selfie, using silly effects if you wish, and choose a card. The TV screen then treats you to a randomly generated backdrop – ranging from a 1950s kitchens to African safari – and asks questions about the other competitors.

These hypothetical scenarios involve insights into your companion’s honesty, respectability, or intelligence. Once you’ve praised or royally pissed off your friends, the game reveals everyone’s answers. There are selfie and sketch challenges, all undertaken on the app, but although That’s You provides cheap laughs for an hour or two, it soon outstays its welcome.

05/10

Get Even

PS4 (Namco)

Jason Stratham isn’t in Get Even, but he might as well be. This psychological thriller stars a grizzled army veteran who swears in a thick North England accent, while wandering around corridors kicking arse. This grumpy geezer has amnesia – that old chestnut – so the quest involves trying to find out what on earth is happening.

More corridors, that’s what’s happening. Oh and guns that bend around corners. Don’t ask us. It’s something to do with weapons research, shadowy organisations, and conspiracy theories. At the start of the game, you wander around a deserted building while a sinister villain issues orders from TV monitors. All that’s missing is someone stroking a white cat.

Get Even crosses a “walking simulator” – ie. a hands-off adventure in which the narrative slowly unfolds – with shooter action and Bioshock-style mysteries. It’s overly ambitious, falling between the stools of multiple genres. Could be worse. Stratham could be in it.

06/10