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.

A new report is showing off the LG Flex – or G Flex - in three press renders, boasting a more detailed view of the curved smartphone.

Engadget purportedly obtained the press renders of the 6-inch smartphone, which is set to go head to head with the Samsung Galaxy Round.

LG previously confirmed that the new OLED panel will be 0.44mm thin and weigh just 7.2g, "even with a 6-inch screen", lending further proof to the Flex's rumored size.

The flexible panel will use plastic substrates instead of glass, allowing it to be bendable and "unbreakable".

Engadget's sources are also saying that the new smartphone will be ready for launch next month, which isn't the first time November has been named for the LG Flex's launch.

Though nothing blatantly official has come from LG in terms of pricing and availability for the Flex, LG has already confirmed that a 6-inch curved OLED display and curved batteries are already in production, so a November launch may not be too far off the mark.

The right kind of curve

While both Samsung and LG have competing curved smartphones readying to be launched, the above renders show again that LG may be curving differently to Samsung.

Earlier rumors for the LG showed a similar designed, where the Flex is curved from the top to bottom, essentially curving from the ear to jaw if you were to hold it to your ear.

Samsung's competing curved smartphone, the recently announced Galaxy Round, curves from the left to right, hugging around your cheek if held up to your face to take a call.

The question then becomes: which will be more comfortable and organic to hold? Until LG releases official photos and, more importantly, we get hands-on time with both curvy phones, we won't truly know.

• While Samsung and LG battle it out in the "flexible" display sphere, the internet doesn't care much for curved smartphones.

The accelerometer motion sensors within most smartphones could potentially be used to track the web activity of individual device owners, it has been claimed.

Stanford University phD student Hristo Bojinov says that because the accelerometers work 'imperfectly' they provide a unique ID when idle. That's potentially enough for advertisers to follow users around the web.

According to Bojinov, the method is similar to the 'cookie' files that are used to track web activity, except, unlike cookies, the accelerometer data cannot to switched off or disabled by the user.

The researcher said he was unaware of whether marketeers or advertisers had already exploited the loophole, but would be surprised if the possibility wasn't already being investigated.

See for yourself...

The 'alarming' discovery is part of research investigated whether the various sensors sitting within smartphones can be used for tracking purposes and will be published in the coming months.

To illustrate its findings, the team of researchers has set up a website, showing users how they can generate their unique sensor ID data.

The method involves navigating to the Sensor-ID.com site, touching the screen, flipping it face down and flipping it back to reveal the identifying numbers. Repeating the experiment generates identical (or very similar numbers).

"People need to consider the whole system when they think about privacy," Bjinov told the SFGate site.