Google is reportedly preparing to offer a bounty of 'rewards' for smartphone users willing to sign up for a scheme that'll track their web and app usage.

According to Engadget's sources, a so-called Mobile Meter app for Android and iOS devices will encourage folks to opt in for the initiative, which would see harvested data sent back to Google for analysis.

The report said Google will 'compensate' those users who take part in the voluntary program, but did not offer any insight into what participants might receive for their troubles.

Naturally, Google has so refused to comment on the report, calling it "rumour and speculation."

Do Not Track in reverse?

Giving users the opportunity to opt in for a tracking scheme, rather than requiring them to opt out, would be somewhat of a turn up given Google's recent history.

Users are required to wade through the Chrome web browser settings and make adjustments if they don't wish their activity to be tracked by advertisers. That's just one example.

Late last week the company also announced it was changing its terms of service, allowing it to use your face, name and reviews within Google ads, unless you go to the trouble of opting out.

We'll bring you more on this most novel and gracious of suggestions if and when it becomes official.

• Why is everyone on the internet turning into Eric Schmidt? Read on to find out.

BlackBerry today published an open letter to customers and partners in an attempt to shed the public perception that it's struggling to stick around.

"You've no doubt seen the headlines about BlackBerry," the letter opens.

"You're probably wondering what they mean for you as one of the tens of millions of users who count on BlackBerry every single day. we have one important message for you: You can continue to count on BlackBerry."

The letter continued to claim that BlackBerry has "extensive cash on hand and a balance sheet that is debt free," and that the company is restructuring to cut expenses by 50 percent "in order to run a very efficient, customer-oriented organization."

A lot of talk

BlackBerry's letter to customers and partners was published on social media today and will appear in 30 newspapers in nine countries, including the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, around the world starting on Tuesday.

The company has faced troubles recently as Android and iOS claim more and more market share. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet was a failure, and BlackBerry 10 is seen by many as too little, far too late.

But it's not all bad; the company recently agreed to a deal to go private, and its original founders are reportedly considering buying it back.

"These are no doubt challenging times for us and we don't underestimate the situation or ignore the challenges. We are making the difficult changes necessary to strengthen BlackBerry," the letter reads.

"One thing we will never change is our commitment to those of you who helped build BlackBerry into the most trusted tool for the world's business professional."

It goes on to boast of BlackBerry's "best in class" productivity tools (BlackBerry 10), security, enterprise mobility management, and "mobile social network" in BBM for iOS and Android.

"We believe in BlackBerry," the letter says toward the end. But does anyone else?

• Here's what TechRadar thinks of the BlackBerry Z30, the most recently revealed high-end BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

Nokia has reached a deal with video streaming giant Netflix to offer a free annual subscription to anyone who snaps up the flagship Lumia 1020 handset, according to reports.

The Financial Times said that buyers will need to obtain the device from Vodafone in order to take advantage of the offer, which will apparently be promoted heavily in the weeks to come.

Nokia is looking to build on its slowly-but-surely increasing slice of the mobile market in the UK as shareholders ponder the sale of its devices and services business to Microsoft.

Vodafone is no stranger to this sort of promotion. In a bid to boost the uptake of its new 4G LTE network, the company is offering free subscriptions to either Sky Sports Mobile TV or Spotify Premium.

So, those who grab themselves a Lumia 1020 on a 4G contract in the next few months will have a formidable digital content locker to enjoy, at no extra cost.

41-megapixels of goodness

The Lumia 1020, launched in the UK last month, offers an interesting proposition for keen mobile photographers, thanks to its PureView 41-megapixel camera.

Despite the high-end imaging tech, it also manages to maintain a relatively slim profile (unlike rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom) and the latest Windows Phone 8 operating system.

Would you be willing to trade the inferior Windows Phone app ecosystem for gratis, all-you-can-eat Netflix? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

• In depth: Can the Lumia 1020 really take on a compact camera system?

I hate to disagree with my colleagues, but I think Phil Lavelle is being a little bit harsh on Samsung: in his analysis of the Samsung Galaxy Round, he says that "maybe one day we'll have a use for a phone with a curve in the screen."

Oh Phil. Phil, Phil, Phil. We have loads of uses for them already.

Here's my list: non-surgical buttock enhancement! Handy holders for street food! Effective protection for sporting gentlemen's unmentionables! Instant power shoulders for businesswomen!

Need more? It's a Shawshank Prison escape kit! It's a rocking chair for rodents! It's an emergency fascinator for weddings! It's a skateboard park for ants! It ensures accidental drops don't smash the screen! It gets publicity for a phone that wouldn't be newsworthy otherwise!

OK, OK, the penultimate point is the only sensible one and the very last item is the most likely explanation for the whole thing.

But while it's easy to mock, the problem isn't that Samsung has backed the wrong horse here: it's that Samsung's telling us that it has a horse when it's clearly pointing at a pony.

Love your curves

There are plenty of perfectly sound reasons for curved displays, and one of the soundest is that they can be lighter and thinner: for example, by making its forthcoming flexible displays from plastic substrates rather than glass, LG can reduce both the weight and the heft of smartphone screens.

That's not just relevant to smartphones, but to other smart devices too: imagine how sleek the Samsung Galaxy Gear would be if it swapped its flat sheet of glass for something much flimsier and more flexible.

Phones of the future

Android in 2020
Graphene: the miracle material explained
How future phones will handle bright sunlight

There's the issue of ergonomics, too. You might find - as I do - that beyond a certain size, flat phone screens become uncomfortable for one-handed use, with the furthest corners too far away for your thumb.

Curved screens could address that, and of course banana-shaped phones would be a better fit on your head when you're making a call, assuming that you still use your phone for such old-fashioned tasks.

And then there's the potential for new and thrilling form factors. Phones are the shape they are because that's the shape we expect based on today's trends and manufacturing capabilities, but that doesn't mean there isn't a better way of doing it.

I can't help thinking that Samsung is doing with the Galaxy Round what it did with the Galaxy Gear: that is, take an idea it's been unsuccessful with before and present it again as a brand new thing.

Because of course, this isn't the first Samsung with a curved screen: that honour goes to the Nexus S, which was unveiled three years ago. Reviews said that it made the phone very slightly more comfortable to hold, but that the curvature certainly wasn't a killer feature.

Reviews of the Galaxy Round are likely to say the very same thing.

• More Marshall: What else is grinding Gary's gears?

Apple has cut the ribbon on its iPhone trade-in programme, whereby you can take an old iPhone to one of its high street stores and part-exchange it for a new handset.

This is good news for anyone who's been hanging fire on upgrading to the pricey iPhone 5S or cheaper-but-not-cheap iPhone 5C but not so great for those looking to leave Apple completely.

Depending on the condition and model of your handset, you'll get up to £175 of store credit on a gift card for your iPhone but it looks as though you can only put that towards a new iPhone.

Great value, great responsibility

"iPhones hold great value," Apple explained before going on to point out that the old handsets will be reused or recycled.

"In addition to helping support the environment, customers will be able to receive a credit for their returned phone that they can put toward the purchase of a new iPhone."

Or you can just put your old phone on eBay and buy whatever you like with the cash. Your choice.

• Should you upgrade to the new iPhones? Our iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C reviews can help you decide

The HTC One has been doing some serious overtime in the gym, and the result is the HTC One Max, which has just been announced with its 5.9-inch, full HD display.

On the inside is a 1.7Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB of RAM, while you'll be able to pick up the handset with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage. But the real headline feature is the fingerprint scanner, which is on the back of the device instead of the front.

Sounds good, but when can we grab one? Currently HTC is saying it will be available globally mid to the end of October, but luckily Vodafone has given us a better idea of a One Max release date, telling us it'll be "stocked from later this week."

Nonetheless, it means it will be hitting us almost straight away. The cost of the handset is currently undisclosed but previous rumours have suggested the phone will come at a SIM-free price of $800 (about £500, AU$845).

Vodafone

First out the gates to confirm that it will be ranging the HTC One Max is Vodafone - why's that? Well it's managed to snaffle itself an exclusive deal with HTC from launch, meaning the big Red will be the only place to pick it up early doors.

In terms of a HTC One Max release date a Vodafone spokesperson has confirmed to TechRadar that it will be "stocked from later this week", with the exclusive deal lasting "for a couple of weeks after that."

There's no sign of a SIM-free price for the One Max just yet, but if you fancy picking it up on a 24 month, 4G contract then you'll need to shell out £49 up front and be prepared to part with £47 every month.

That'll give you unlimited texts and minutes along with 2GB of data each month, plus you get the choice of Spotify Premium or Sky Sports Mobile TV free for a year - sign up before the end of October and you'll see the data allowance doubled to 4GB.

O2

Unsurprisingly then O2 has confirmed that it won't be stocking the HTC One Max, but considering Vodafone has the phone exclusively there really was only one answer here.

And the rest

We're still chasing the other networks (EE and Three) and major high street retailers (Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4U) hard for news on whether they'll be stocking the HTC One Max, and at what cost.

It's almost certain that Three and EE will also confirm that they are not stocking the One Max, thanks to Vodafone's exclusive deal, but there's always a chance they may confirm they'll be getting it at a later date.

We'll be constantly updating this article with all the latest as and when we get it.

The HTC One Max sits right at the top of the family, competing against the other phablets on the market, as well as fighting it out against its smaller brothers, the HTC One and the HTC One Mini. We do wonder if the HTC One Mum will have to step in eventually.

Of the news that surrounds the HTC One Max, is the exclusion of Beats Audio. That isn't too unsurprising, though, given the company's recent split. The One Max does just beat its brothers in the OS department, with Android 4.3 and Sense 5.5, rather than Android 4.2 and Sense 5.0 (although we understand an update is incoming for the latter two).

Does the One Max have what it takes to compete against the best phone in the world right now, the HTC One? And how does the added screen size make the One Max feel? Check out our hands on review for answers to those, whilst we look at how the three compare specs wise.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Screen

Given that the screen size probably ranks as the biggest differentiating factor here, it makes sense to start with that.

The HTC One Max is unsurprisingly the largest, with the full HD screen measuring in at a whopping 5.9 inches. This makes it a whole 1.2 inches larger than the HTC One, who's Full HD display measures a smaller 4.7 inches.

With a name like Mini, it is expected that the HTC One Mini would be the smallest, and with the screen only measuring at 4.3 inches, it doesn't disappoint. The cut down screen also affects the resolution, with the Mini being a HD display, at only 720p.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Dimensions and Weight

The big screen isn't the only thing that is big about the HTC One Max. It measures in at a much larger 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm, and a whopping 217g.

This makes it considerably larger than the HTC One, that slots in at 137 x 68 x 9.3mm. It is also only 65% the weight of the HTC One Max, tipping the scales at 143g.

The smallest of the bunch is the HTC Mini, with palm-friendly dimensions of 132 x 63.2 x 9.25mm. It is also, unsurprisingly, the lightest at 122g.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Processor

When it comes to sheer processing power, the HTC One Max is on par with the HTC One. Both handsets pack in Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor clocked at 1.7GHz. They also both come in with 2GB of RAM.

The HTC One Mini is again, smaller rocking up with the Snapdragon 400 processor making it dual-core, and 1.4GHZ. There is also only 1GB of RAM on board.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Storage

The HTC One Max betters the One here, in one key respect. That is the fact that it comes with microSD support. 64GB of extra microSD space is supported, which couples with the 16/32GB that comes inside.

With only 32GB of internal storage to speak of, the HTC One is a little behind. The baby of the bunch again lives up to its name, with only 16GB of space on board. This is also unsupported by microSD.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Battery

Battery sizes also differ across all three handsets, with the differing screen sizes all needing different batteries to power them through the day.

The HTC One Max is understandably the largest, at 3300mAh. That offers quoted 3G talk time of 25 hours of talk time and a whole 585 hours standby - although we'll put that to the test in our in-depth review.

Smaller batteries, this time 2300mAh in the HTC One, often mean smaller talk times. This holds true, with there being, a still respectable, 18 hours of 3G talk time on the HTC One, and 500 hours of standby.

The smallest battery of the lot, in the HTC One Mini, comes in at 1800mAh. This means that there is 13.27 hours worth of 3G talk time, but the most impressive standby time. HTC quote that it should last up to 692 hours.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Camera

With the HTC One showing us just how HTC were planning on doing camera's, the One Max and One Mini both followed suit.

All 3 come with the UltraPixel technology that let in more light, giving better lower light images. HTC Zoe is also present on every iteration in the HTC One family.

In all, the camera's on the HTC One Max, the HTC One and the HTC One Mini are identical. The biggest differentiating factor is the forward facing camera, with the HTC One Mini coming with a smaller 1.6MP sensor as opposed to the 2.1MP found on both the others.

HTC One Max vs HTC One vs HTC One Mini: Extra Features

In all, there is not a whole lot that can be put in this section, but we're going to put it here anyway.

All three devices come with HTC's BoomSound feature, signalled by the dual frontal speakers. The One Max does come without Beats Audio, being the first handset from the Taiwanese manufacturer since the two companies decided to part ways.

The HTC One Max does, though, come with a finger print scanner, putting it ahead of both the One and the One Mini, and on a par with the iPhone 5S.

We've heard whisperings on the web that Update 3 for Windows Phone 8 was imminent and now Microsoft has officially spilled the beans on the new software.

Top of the billing is support for larger displays with the update enabling manufacturers to throw Windows Phone 8 onto handsets sporting screens up to 6 inches in size (previously they were limited to 5 inches).

With those bigger screens also comes support for full HD 1080p resolutions, meaning future Windows Phones will be able to tackle the likes of the Galaxy S4 and LG G2 as well as the 'phablet' army including the One Max, Note 3 and Xperia Z Ultra.

Quadruple the power

That's right, Update 3 really is a big deal for Microsoft and Windows Phone, as it now also bring in quad-core processor support - although it's only compatible with Qualcomm's 8974 chip.

This will allow handsets to operate more smoothly and run more applications and processes at the same time, resulting in a better user experience.

The first handset tipped to rock a plus size screen and quad-core processor is the Nokia Lumia 1520, which we expect to launch next week at Nokia World on October 22.

While this is all well and good for future handsets, current Windows Phone 8 toting devices won't be benefiting from these advancements - luckily there is more to Update 3.

More, more, more

Microsoft has introduced a new Driving Mode in Update 3, which when enabled will allow you to focus on driving by limiting the amount of notifications you'll be alerted to while on the move.

New internet sharing options means when you enable the Wi-Fi hotspot on your phone and pair it via Bluetooth to a Windows 8.1 PC or tablet it you can connect to the network without having to enter your password.

There are numerous smaller tweaks and enhancements which come in Update 3, including improved Bluetooth connections, better storage management, a range of new, more useful ringtones and a screen rotation lock option.

Update 3 for Windows Phone 8 will be rolling out to devices over the coming months - kicking off in the next few weeks.

So, today is the day that we have all been sat waiting for. The talk of trios and leaked imagery are now behind us as the HTC One Max has been officially announced, joining the HTC One and the HTC One Mini.

The HTC One Max is launching into an ever increasingly crowded market, one that was arguably started by the original Samsung Galaxy Note. With the latest iteration the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 having recently been launched, and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra just around the corner, where does that leave the HTC One Max?

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: OS

With there being little other OS to speak of in the phablet market, the OS of choice for all three phablets is Android.

The HTC One Max manages to sneak alongside the Galaxy Note 3, as it comes packing Android 4.3 with Sense 5.5 laid over the top, giving access to the likes of the revamped HTC BlinkFeed.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with Samsung's proprietary TouchWiz overlay, and as for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, it comes with Android 4.2 and Sony's TimeScape overlain.

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Screen

The screen of any phablet is bound to be the talking point, if only for the sheer size that these devices offer.

The HTC One Max comes packing a 5.9-inch Full HD screen with 367ppi, making it a whole 0.2 inches larger than the Korean offering.

The Samsung Galaxy Note coming in at only 5.7 inches, with a 1080 x 1920 Full HD Super AMOLED display. This means that it comes with 386ppi.

By far the biggest of the bunch though, is the 6.44-inch screen that comes on the face of the Xperia Z Ultra. That does mean that the pixel density comes in at 342ppi, but is backed up with Sony's Triluminous display.

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Processor

Out of all the three processors on offer, the HTC One Max comes in at the smallest. Qualcomm's older Snapdragon 600 processor is sat underneath, giving the One Max a respectable 1.7GHz quad-core inside. To aid this, HTC has put in 2GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Note 3 and the Xperia Z Ultra are both packing larger processors, the upgraded Snapdragon 800 chip. This is clocked at 2.2GHz in the Sony, with the Koreans edging out the Japanese by a whole 0.1GHz, at 2.3.

The Galaxy Note 3 also packs in the largest amount of RAM, with a whopping 3GB making it the most powerful smartphone in the world. This dwarfs both the 2GB found in the One Max and Xperia Z Ultra.

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Camera

One of the hottest topics when it comes to modern smartphones is the camera tech sat inside them. Of the most interesting was probably the UltraPixel technology that first graced the HTC One. Thankfully this has also made its way over to the HTC One Max.

HTC Zoe is also on the HTC One Max, coming with Sequence Shot, Always Smile and Object removal. You'll be pleased to know that the HTC One max does also come with a forward facing camera, although it would be sacrilege not to, measured at 2.1MP. Both cameras are able to record in Full HD.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a whopping 13MP, technically making it the biggest camera out of the three, although the front facing camera is only 2MP, making it the joint smallest with the Sony.

Samsung's many photo modes are included in the Galaxy Note 3, with Beauty Face, Best Photo and Drama modes being included. The interesting Sound and Shot mode is also popped on. Again, recording can be done in Full HD.

The Sony Xperia Z only packs in an 8MP camera, although that is backed up with the Exmore RS sensor that has made its way onto many Sony Xperia handsets of late. As with both the HTC and the Samsung, Full HD video recording is supported.

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Battery Life

Battery life is also something that is looked at quite heavily these days. Out of the three, the HTC One Max comes in with a fairly respectable 3300mAh battery. This means that there is a quoted 3G talk time of 25 hours, with 585 hours of 3G standby time.

Samsung's Note 3 comes in with a whole 3200mAh battery, making it slightly smaller. This is also reflected in the call time, giving it only 21 hours 3G talk and 420 hours standby.

As for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, it comes in with the smallest battery size. This is measured at only 3000mAh, giving it the smallest talk time at only 16 hours. However, the standby time is far more impressive, measured at 820 hours. That's over 34 day, apparently.

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Storage

Coming in 16 and 32GB options, the HTC One Max comes with a fair amount of storage. It also differs from the HTC One in one key feature, microSD support. HTC has said that there will be support for up to 64GB, meaning a whopping 96GB is potentially on offer.

Samsung has long supported microSD, meaning that the 16 and 32GB that is on offer is also backed up by another 64GB.

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra comes with only 16GB of storage, putting it in line with the lowest storage options of the HTC and the Samsung. There is no 32GB model, however. Thankfully, 64GB of microSD is supported, so you're not left wanting.

HTC One Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Dimensions and Weight

Size wise, the HTC One Max comes in at 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm, weighing 217g. This makes it the heaviest of the three, although some of that heft can be put down to the fact that is the only phablet of the three with an aluminium chassis.

The lightest and smallest of the three is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with a weight of only 168g. Vital statistics put it at 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm.

With the largest screen, it is unsurprising that the Sony Xperia Ultra is the largest of the three. Measuring in at 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5mm, it also manages to keep the weight lower than the HTC, at 212g

We're hours away from our full and in-depth HTC One Max review - stay tuned for the full run down and verdict of HTC's latest flagship challenger, but in the mean time enjoy our early verdict.

The HTC One Max is the phone that the Taiwanese brand has created to show that it still is able to make a phone for all occasions.

Coming with a 5.9-inch screen and all the same technology that made the HTC One such a world-beater, is this going to be the handset that topples Samsung's Note range too?

The One Max is a phone that borrows a lot from its heritage as HTC looks to create a 'family' of products around the One series. The same metallic properties are there, with the all aluminium body still (sort of) in place.

We say that uncertainly because while it does have the same metallic shell, there's a difference between the One and the One Max: a removable battery cover.

This is actually quite an odd feature, as it does detract from the overall build quality of the handset compared to the regular-sized device. It's there for two reasons: to allow access to the microSD card slot (whoo) and in some countries to faciliate the use of dual SIM cards.

The problem is that the battery cover, which pops off using a small switch in the top right-hand corner, doesn't like to sit well on the back of the phone, meaning it's very difficult to pop it back into place having been removed.

Unless you're willing to spend literally a couple of minutes smoothing the cover down over and over again, then you may be left with some unsightly raises which will irk when holding.

It also seems to affect the balance of the phone, as it doesn't have the 'all in one' feel that the One was so famed for, thanks to being hewn from a single block of aluminium.

We like the idea, but if the microSD card slot could have been designed into the side of the phone, then perhaps some country variants of the One Max could have packed a single chassis.

The battery isn't even removable, which will disappoint many, and it really shows that this is a phone that's really designed for the Asian market, where the bigger screen is much more of a king than in the US or Europe.

But enough of the way it looks. How does it actually feel to hold in the hand?

The HTC One Max is not an easy phone to manipulate in a single palm. We urge you to buy a cover for it as soon as you can (the power cover, which serves as both as a stand and an extra 1200mAh of juice, is an expensive yet attractive option).

The reason is this: you will drop this phone if you try to use it in one hand. The sides are laced with plastic, giving a very similar feel to the One Mini, and the overall shape is made larger thanks to the presence of the BoomSound speakers on the top and bottom.

It's those speakers that really make the phone unwieldy - we're not against them, as you'll see later in the review, but compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, this is a much, much harder phone to hold - so get used to double-handing where possible.

HTC has mostly simply put the original One on steroids with the One Max, coming as it does with so similar a design. Thankfully the power button is now moved; no longer combined with the top-mounted infra-red blaster, the power button now has the same ridged alumimium design as the volume buttons on the right-hand side of the phone, sitting below the sound keys in an easy to reach place for the right-handed.

The screen is still very impressive, with the 5.9-inch Full HD display offering fantastic clarity despite being less sharp than its smaller counterpart thanks to the pixels having more space to roam.

It's not easy to interact with most elements of the UI though at times, as you often need to stretch your thumb way across the screen, and that's simply not possible.

We like the way the HTC One Max is put together, but we can't help but feel that this phone is just too big. We know it's supposed to be larger, but if we're talking about the 'phablet' market, Samsung and Sony have devices that feel much more suited to their position in the market.

Perhaps the screen could have been slightly smaller, or the BoomSound speakers engineered down. Basically: don't buy the HTC One Max unless you're ready to hold your phone in a new way.

The HTC One Max hasn't so much arrived as stomped on to the scene with its giant 5.9-inch screen and iPhone 5S-aping fingerprint scanner.

So is big beautiful or baffling? Can a Snapdragon 600 processor provide enough grunt to last you the next two years? Can the battery realistically keep up with that giant full HD screen?

• For more in-depth thoughts on the handset, check out our hands on HTC One Max review: coming soon.

Gareth - Phones and Tablets Editor

HTC has clearly made a phone to tick a box here. The One Max offers nothing that the One didn't have apart from a larger screen and battery. It's not a bad phone since it's based on such a good model, but there's definitely a missed opportunity here. HTC seems to have done the minimum amount possible to serve the Asian market.

The fingerprint scanner is almost farcically bad compared with Apple's refined and integrated offering and, because the handset is likely to command a higher price and its new Blinkfeed and Gallery features are coming to the One in the near future, it's hard to recommend the One Max despite it looking so impressive from the outset.

Knee-jerk score: 3

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John - Phones and Tablets Writer (UK)

The One Max announcement has surprised no one, but I'm still intrigued by this handset. A larger One with a microSD slot and a fancy fingerprint scanner makes it an appealing proposition - yet I fear its size and especially its weight (at 217g) is going to make it an unwieldy device in the hand. What the One Max will do is give the Galaxy Note 3 some stiff competition, and from first impressions it's a better looking smartphone and one I'd be tempted to pick up.

Knee-jerk score: 4

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Kate - News Editor (UK)

Looks nice, sounds nice, smells nice (probably) but the HTC One Max is too big. Way too big. As the old saying goes, if I wanted to use a tablet as a phone, I'd buy a tablet and use it as a phone.

Knee-jerk score: 3

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Hugh - Staff Writer (UK)

I'm still not sold on the whole phablet idea but after spending a lot more time with the Galaxy Note 3, I'm coming around to the idea. The HTC One Max looks like it could be another one to win me over to the idea of a more sizable handset, but it's the fingerpint sensor I'm most intrigued by. I certainly wasn't a fan of what the LG G2 did with putting its volume and power buttons on the reverse but given that my middle finger tends to rest there, it might make a lot of sense. At least the volume buttons are staying where they belong, although it's a bit of a shame it's not coming with the Snapdragon 800. But life goes on.

Knee-jerk score: 3.5

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Patrick - Editor in Chief (UK)

I've always been a bit split about phablets anyway - but I have to admit that the envy I feel for Note 3 users simply will not transfer itself over to the HTC One Max. Why? Taking the HTC One shell and making it bigger must have seemed like a good idea at the outset, but it actually leaves the Max with significant problems. It's too heavy, too chunky and the addition of a removable battery cover makes it feel less premium. A real shame.

Knee-jerk score: 3

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Kane - Staff Writer (UK)

After nearly picking up a HTC One but instead opting for a Note II last year, I don't think I'll be able to resist the HTC One Max's larger-than-life charm this time around. Its gorgeous chrome-tinged phablet body has drawn out my magpie tendencies, and I can imagine its monstrous battery, which beats the Note II's, being all kinds of useful. My only concern is that at 5.9-inches and 217g it may be a bit too cumbersome to be comfortable, so I'll reserve judgment until I've given it a try.

Knee-jerk score: 4

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Total knee-jerk score out of five: 3.41

Sure we're maxin' but we're also relaxin' all cool with these other reactions for your enjoyment:

• Is the iPhone 5S a hit or a swing and a miss?
• What will the Nokia buy mean for Microsoft?
• And can Microsoft claw its way back into our hearts with the Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2?

It's not exactly the most surprising news of the year, but the HTC One Max has been officially unveiled - giant screen and all.

The numerous rumours, leaks and speculation over the past months seem to have been pretty much on money, with the headlining feature of the One Max being its 5.9-inch, full HD display.

Other goodies include Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 processor (which is a slight disappointment as we were hoping for the newer 800 model), a 1.7GHz quad-core chip backed up 2GB of RAM and the choice of 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.

There's good news for expandable storage fans too, as unlike the HTC One, the rear of the One Max can be removed providing access to a microSD slot.

Give it the finger

Rather interestingly the HTC One Max is the second smartphone this year, after the iPhone 5S, to sport a fingerprint scanner - although it's placed on the rear of the device instead of the front. We're not sure how easy that's going to make usage.

Other features included the same Ultrapixel rear camera as found on the One, 2.1MP front facing camera, NFC, 4G and a 3300mAh non-removable battery.

It comes running Android 4.3 and HTC's new Sense 5.5 overlay, while the full metal chassis measures a palm stretching 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm and weights a hefty 217g.

In terms of a HTC One Max release date the handset will be available globally between the middle and end of October - although exact dates for regions are yet to be confirmed.

There's currently no word on a One Max price, but considering its specifications you can be sure it's going to be at the top end of the scale.