HTC One X Plans and Deals

Plans and Deals for the HTC One X

HTC launched its flagship Smart phone, the HTC One X, at the Mobile World Congress in February 2012, leading mobile carriers to offer HTC One X Plans and Deals. The Mobile World Congress is a highly anticipated annual event that the entire mobile industry waits for. It is claimed to be perhaps the largest mobile exhibition event in the world and is attended by leading mobile operators, app developers, mobile content creators, handset manufacturers, and technology providers from more than 200 countries across the globe. Needless to say, this event witnesses the launch of various products related to the mobile industry, year after year. Not only do mobile phone manufacturers wait to launch their latest handsets at this event as they are assured of a fantastic turnout, but various app creators and mobile vendors also showcase their newest offerings to the entire mobile world.

Compare HTC One X Plans by Model

The 2011 Mobile World Congress saw the launch of great new handsets from various manufacturers such as the Samsung Galaxy 2S, the Galaxy Tab, the LG Optimus 3D, Sony's Xperia Play, as well as the sequels of the HTC Legend and HTC Desire phones that were released in 2010. Once again in 2012, HTC was expected to showcase a great line of mobile phones at the Mobile World Congress and it certainly did not disappoint. HTC unveiled its entire line of HTC One series phones that included the HTC One V (an entry level phone), the HTC One S (a mid to high range phone) and the flagship HTC One X, which was developed for the high end market. While all the handsets in the HTC One Series received great reviews from experts in the mobile industry, the HTC One X handset in particular was being hailed as the latest and one of the best Android Smart phone to hit the mobile industry.

The HTC One X was announced to have a worldwide release starting in April 2012, but the handsets were available by 30 March in some countries. To coincide with the launch of the high end mobile phone, HTC also began an innovative ad campaign that was created to make mobile users more aware about the immense capabilities of the HTC One X handset. The first official commercial for the HTC One X was released in the last week of March 2012 and showcased the fantastic camera that is present on the phone as well as its unique abilities. The commercial featured an amateur photographer and a model, both of whom were free falling from a height of 12000 feet and were required to complete a fashion shoot using the HTC One X to click the pictures. While this may seem like an extreme way in which to highlight the exceptional shooting capabilities of the handset, the commercial did succeed in convincing mobile users that the HTC One X is indeed a great Smart phone and one to look out for.

The HTC One X was released in America on 6th May 2012. However, it soon ran into a bit of trouble as Apple demanded a ban on the import of these handsets into the United States due to a patent issue that was not complied with by HTC. The temporary ban did come into effect on 15th May 2012, when shipments of this handset were delayed by Customs authorities and the handset was not allowed to be imported into the country. However, just six short days after this on 21st May, the HTC One X models were allowed to be sold in the United States and the import ban was lifted. It seems like HTC agreed to comply with the ruling of the International Trade Commission and would omit certain software from their HTC One X handsets that was at the root of the patent issue.

Best HTC One X Model

The HTC One X features a NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.5 GHz quad-core processor with 1 GB of RAM. This model was released internationally and was available in several countries from 2nd April 2012 onwards. However, HTC also developed a model variant of the HTC One X that was for the American and Canadian markets only. This model variant is simply referred to as the HTC One X North America version or the AT&T HTC One X as it was carried by AT&T in the country. Unlike the international model that features a quad core processor, the American HTC One X handset features a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and has built-in storage of 16 GB as compared to the international model that has 32 GB of internal storage.

Another version of the HTC One X that is the LTE version was released for the international markets by HTC. This LTE model variant is known as the HTC One XL. It has similarities with both the international One X as well as the American model. While it features a similar dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor as that of the American model variant, it has increased internal storage at 32 GB rather than 16 GB that is present on the American model of HTC One X handset.

Of these three different models of the HTC One X, the original model that was released for the international markets is considered to be the best by experts in the mobile industry. Not only does it have more power in terms of its quad core processor and better internal memory, but it also supports various apps such as Dropbox, FM Radio, Polaris Office, Voice Recorder, and Flashlight that are not seen on the other model variants of this mobile phone.

Reviewing the HTC One X

Below is a detailed review of the HTC One X on the basis of its features and functions, which are as follows:

1. Look and design: HTC released several handsets in the year 2011 but unfortunately most of them failed to make an impression at least as far as their looks were concerned. But with their latest HTC One X, it seems that HTC has put in some serious thought and hard work behind what they are calling their flagship Android phone and have indeed come up with a handset that looks gorgeous. The first thing that attracts you to this mobile phone is its white colour, which instantly catches the eye. Even though it is a fairly large phone, its curved profile not only adds to its looks but also makes it comfortable to hold the phone in one hand. While the polycarbonate finish of the phone may not be the first for a mobile phone, its unibody design does give it a clean look which is indeed impressive for a handset that is meant to be a flagship phone for HTC.
2. Hardware and build quality: The HTC One X has a unibody polycarbonate build that lends solidity to the handset, but which makes the battery non-user removable. The earpiece and the rear speaker grill are both integrated into the unibody shell. Even though you can see both these features, the laser drilled holes are so minute that it is hard to feel them at all. The volume control button is on the right side, as is the five pin connector. There is a removable tray that holds the micro SIM card which is featured at the back top of the handset. The left side of this handset has the micro USB port, whereas the top has the headphone jack and the power button. While all these keys are quite non-intrusive but still very responsive, the camera lens on the back of the phone is surprisingly protruding. The raised silver rim does help to protect the camera lens, but the protrusion means that it scratches quite easily. The screen is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass, which makes it very durable. All in all the HTC One X is a solidly built phone with great looks.
3. Screen: The massive 4.7 inch screen of the HTC One X is one of its main features. The Super IPS LCD2 display with 720p resolution and an amazingly high pixel density of 312 ppi translates into great displays that are crisp and clear. Even under harsh light conditions, it is easy to read and see the display. The colour reproduction on the display has to be seen to be believed. The viewing angles are good, which makes it easy to understand the display from different angles that the handset is held at. The display is a non-PenTile style and is said to be one of the best displays on a mobile phone ever.
4. Processor and operating system: The HTC One has a 1.5 GHz quad core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with 1 GB RAM. It runs the 4.0.3 update of Ice Cream Sandwich, which works extremely well with the hardware specifications. The quad-core processor gives a lot of power to this handset, thereby enhancing its performance considerably. Even when you try to push the handset to its maximum by initiating multiple tasks at the same time, it performs effortlessly, and more importantly, fast. Switching from one task to another was quite smooth and there was no apparent lag or stutter. However, it does seem like the phone takes the tiniest of pauses when you try to switch between more intensive tasks such as watching videos. Everything loads really fast and you will be pleasantly surprised to see that photos load almost instantly, even before you can finish enjoying one and get to another. The Ice Cream Sandwich OS brings some unique features to the HTC One X. Widgets can be separated into new tabs and can be customised to create an individual home screen look. Various apps can be accessed from the lock screen without needing to unlock it first. You can also create folders easily and drag and drop content into the folders as you please. The Face Unlock feature of ICS also helps to add a new level of protection to this handset. Add to this the Sense user interface that is featured on this handset, and what you have is an Android mobile phone that performs well above expectations and deserves to be a flagship phone for HTC.
5. Camera: A lot has been said and written about the camera on the HTC One X, almost all of it being positive. It is hailed as having one of the best cameras that you will see on a mobile phone. While not many photography buffs would depend on a mobile phone camera to take award winning pictures, it may be possible to do so with the HTC One X camera. It is an 8 megapixel camera that has back illuminated sensors. It features autofocus and has a maximum aperture of f/2. This handset also includes a unique LED flash that is known as Smart Flash. There are five different settings for brightness on this flash, which translates into great pictures regardless of the available lighting and distance of the object from the camera. The start up time of 0.7 seconds makes it one of the fastest cameras on a mobile phone, if not the fastest. The time taken between two consecutive shots is a mere 0.2 seconds, thus adding to the speed of this camera. However, one thing that can be considered a drawback is the absence of a physical camera shutter key, which has been replaced by an on-screen camera button. It is possible to take photos while shooting a video and slow motion video recording is also supported by this camera. HTC has included an extra image processor for this handset known as ImageChip. This image processor helps to extend the depth of field when shooting and also balances colours beautifully which are quite evident once you see the photos taken from this camera. However, as far as video playback is concerned, it can be a bit grainy at times. The entire camera package for the HTC One X phone is suitably completed with HTC's ImageSense camera software.
6. Internet and web browsing: If you have ever had a chance to use any of the HTC mobile phones prior to the release of the HTC One X, you may have already seen that HTC does make handsets that support internet browsing very nicely. Thankfully that remains the case with the HTC One X too. Not only has the internet browser become better due to ICS capabilities, but due to the big size of the screen, your browsing experience will be that much better. As far as loading speed goes, websites do load very fast but being able to see the actual content on the sites or read words clearly takes a bit of time. Perhaps there is a lot of expectation from the quad core processor in terms of speed, which is why even fast speeds can sometimes feel less, which could be the case with the HTC One X.
This handset does excel when it comes to reading content on websites. The text re-flow system ensures that you can read words clearly regardless of how much you zoom to see the words. Not only are the words absolutely clear, but the entire content will adjust itself automatically so as to fit your screen perfectly, thereby enhancing your reading experience greatly. Double tapping text makes it adjust to your screen size, whereas pinching to zoom will further increase the size of the words and again the text will adjust according to your screen size. Flash support is adequate on this handset and being able to bookmark particular websites to come back to later is also a great feature. That being said, support for offline reading would have taken the internet capabilities of the HTC One X to a whole new level, which is unfortunately not available at present.
7. Battery: While most of the other features of the HTC One X compare excellently with other similar handsets in its category, the battery of this handset could be somewhat of a letdown. When used at full power to download and watch videos, make calls, and play games; the battery does not last for the entire day and needs to be recharged to get through the day. However, if you do not use your handset too much, then the stand-by time is pretty impressive. That being said, since the HTC One X has such great capabilities, it is important that its battery be able to support them. The amazing screen size and great display quality are excellent features on this mobile phone, but unfortunately they suck up a lot more juice than they ideally should. The Tegra 3 processor too, while being extremely powerful and fast, is another reason why the battery of this handset seems to be below average when compared to similar handsets. Also, due to the unibody design of the phone, it is not possible to remove the battery on your own. Hence, switching the battery is another option that you do not have in case your battery runs out while you're on the move.
8. Storage: The international model of the HTC One X comes with 32 GB of internal storage, which is impressive. However, most people are used to being able to enhance the storage of their Smart phones with SD cards nowadays. Unfortunately, you do not have that option with this handset. The absence of a micro SD card slot makes it impossible to increase the storage capabilities of this phone. Yes, HTC does offer two free years of Dropbox, which is a cloud storage facility that can be used with this device. The extra 25 GB that you get with Dropbox should be adequate storage for most people. However, whether that will be enough to take away the disappointment of not having expandable storage is something that will differ from person to person.

On the whole, it would not be wrong to say that the HTC One X is indeed a powerhouse of a mobile phone, which more than holds its own against other phones in its range such as the iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S2 and even the HTC One S from the same series. As far as being a flagship Android phone for HTC, it does live up to that too.

Top Games and Apps for HTC One X

The powerful Tegra 3 processor of the HTC One X takes gaming on this handset to a whole new level. Not only will you be amazed at the excellent graphics of the games that you play, but their speed and performance is also likely to be much better than many are used to experiencing on a mobile phone. If you often thought that there needs to be a better element of realism when playing games on a mobile phone, then you will be pleasantly surprised with the gaming capabilities of this handset. The huge screen size too goes a long way to enhancing your gaming experience. Here is a look at the top games for the HTC One X.

Top 10 games for the HTC One X phone

1. RipTide GP: This is an amazing Android game that is made so much more impressive due to the awesome processor of the HTC One X. If you have been thrilled by racing in a car in the past, then this racing game is just the thing for you. The difference here is that you are not in a car, but on a superb jet ski. The racing takes place on water and you need to be able to manoeuvre the entire jet-ski in order to get through the water track. With water gushing at you to make racing more difficult and you trying to swoosh through the track that is complete with underwater tunnels and what-not; this is definitely a game that should get your pulse racing.
2. Glowball: This is another excellent game that has been optimised for the Tegra 3 processor and is thus an amazing experience on the HTC One X. While the aim of the game is to complete different types of goals such as smashing all the jacks in a box and other goals, you will be more amazed to simply go through the entire game just so that you can experience the awesome live-rendered effects in it.
3. Angry Birds Space: For a long time the Angry Birds game from Rovio was only available with iOS, but now you can play it on Android phones too. The latest version in the battle of the birds and pigs is known as Angry Birds Space that is set in outer space rather than on land. If you have already mastered the physics of trying to kill all the pigs on land, it may be time to test your skills in outer space. Do remember that you will have to contend with different gravitational forces so as to take out the pigs in space!
4. Draw Something: The winner of the Flurry App Spotlight Awards in 2012, this is a great draw and guess game for Android phones. It is pretty much like a digital version of Pictionary as one player needs to draw something and another player has to then guess what those drawings could mean. You can get three different things to draw that vary in their difficulty level and determine the number of coins that can be won. The person who is doing the guessing can take their time to guess the drawing and will be given a jumbled list of letters to choose from, which include all the letters that make up the correct answer.
5. Pinball HD: The HD version of the classic Pinball game is a fantastic experience on the HTC One X. The Pinball machine in this game has a Wild West theme, complete with cowboys and all. The amazing lights and sounds of this game make you feel like you are playing on an actual pinball machine. There are lots of slots that can help you to enhance your score and you can also get some solid bonuses if you manage to take out the bad guys.
6. Jet Car Stunts: This is a 3D driving game that enthusiasts of racing games will quite enjoy. While most of the regular racing games require you to try and beat other cars and racers, this driving game has you competing against the track. Your aim is to get to the end of the track, which has different types of obstacles that are included to slow you down. From jumping through mid air hoops, to trying to traverse through floating platforms, and speeding across spiral roads - this game has some awesome environments to manoeuvre through that are sure to get the adrenaline going.
7. Shadowgun: This is an action adventure game that is likely to make your jaws drop, thanks to the awesome graphics that are made even more powerful due to the Tegra 3 processor of the HTC One X. You will be playing the role of a bounty hunter in this game who has to hunt down and destroy mutant armies of an evil scientist who wants to take over the world. The lighting effects on this game are exceptional, as are the environments throughout all the levels of this game. For those of you who love playing action games on your mobile phone, this game is surely worth trying.
8. Grand Theft Auto 3: The Grand Theft Auto series of games have been extremely popular on gaming consoles for years now and have finally made an appearance on the app scene for Android mobile phones. This game combines some great features from driving and shooting games, thereby making it a superb action game with some thrilling adventures. Corruption, betrayal, crime, and a host of awesome weapons make up this game, which can lead to hours of fun on your HTC One X.
9. Mr Legs: A cute little character called Mr Legs is trying to pick up as much fruit as he can and you have to help him to just that. Through his journeys through various vistas such as a jungle, a desert, and even through a cold ice cave, you have to help Mr Legs collect as much fruit as you can without being smashed by bombs, birds and other things out to get you. The animation and visual style of this game are very appealing and can be a welcome change from the popular action and racing games on your HTC One X.
10. New Star Soccer: As the name suggests, this is a football game that is sure to get soccer fans hooked. While in most other football games you are part of a team that has to win a particular match, this game allows you to go through an entire football career. Winning ensures that you get to the level of a football superstar and get to experience their life. In addition to playing football and scoring goals, you are also taken through the paces as far as training goes. Interacting with your fans and your team mates, in addition to playing some great quality soccer, is what this game is all about.

Top 5 apps for the HTC One X

The HTC One X has several built-in apps that help to increase the functionality of this handset. Even though you may not like your internal storage to be taken up by pre-installed bloatware, you are more than likely to find the apps that are installed on the HTC One X to be quite useful. Right from the weather apps, to EverNote, to the Movie Editor app and also the Maps app - you can make use of these built-in apps to bring up different types of information and data. That being said, there are hundreds of thousands of Android apps that can be downloaded on the HTC One X in order to make your mobile experience more satisfying. Here is a look at some of the top apps for the HTC One X:

1. Any.Do: If you were to look around for a task manager app for your HTC One X phone, you are likely to come across several different apps that could make your choice extremely difficult. However, the Any.Do app is quite a good task manager app and is definitely worth a try. You can create lists of various tasks and to-do things that you have in mind and also segregate individual tasks into separate folders according to their priority. This way you won't have all your tasks in one list and will easily be able to differentiate between things that have to be done immediately and others that can be done a few days later. There is also an in-built sharing option that allows you to share your to-do lists with others. This app is available as a free download.
2. Google Voice: If you are interested in having visual voicemail on your handset, then the Google Voice app is a great one in this regard. Since this is a free app, you won't have to spend any money for a visual voicemail service. It is possible to send all your unanswered calls to Google Voice so that you can listen to your messages rather than having to read them. Alternately, this app also transcripts all your voice messages so that you can read them at leisure. By using this app, it is also possible to screen your calls, which means no more wasting time on unnecessary calls.
3. EverPaper: Since the HTC One X does not support offline reading currently, this app can help to fill up that void on your mobile phone. With the help of EverPaper, you can select any web pages that you like and store them on your handset for reading at any time. You can choose to read the selected content online, or you can cache it in your phone's memory and read it later. And the best part is that you do not have to initiate the download again and again. You can set up automatic downloads of web pages that you save, which means they will all be there when you come back for them later.
4. Dolphin Browser: There is no doubt that the stock web browser with the HTC One X is very good, but you can enhance the internet capabilities of your handset by downloading a browser app such as the Dolphin Browser. You can create multiple tabs with this browser, which is one of its best and most useful features. It is also possible to sync this browser with Google Bookmarks and you can set up custom gestures on it too. Support for different types of plug-ins completes this browser app wonderfully.
5. QuickOffice Pro: If you are on the lookout for an office app for your HTC One X, then QuickOffice Pro provides a great solution. This app has been optimised for tasks such as creating and editing Microsoft files and can make office work a lot easier. The PDF viewer ensures that you can view different documents even if they are in the PDF version. Remote access to content on Dropbox and Google Docs is also possible with this app. The file manager feature enables you to integrate various email accounts and cloud storage accounts with this app, so that you can work offline as and when you want to.

Buying Options for the HTC One X

As with most other mobile phones, you have two main options when it comes to buying the HTC One X. Here is a look at the pros and cons of both these options.

1. Buying the HTC One X on contract: Here are some things you need to consider when buying the HTC One X on contract:
• Subsidised handset: Depending on which country you live in, you can get huge subsidies on the HTC One X if you decide to buy it on contract. In exchange for the long term commitment that you are offering by signing a 24 month contract, the mobile carrier is likely to give you a subsidised rate for the handset. However, you should calculate the total cost of the plan that you are signing up for to ensure that the mobile phone is indeed subsidised and that you are not paying more for the handset over the 24 month period.
• Being locked into a lengthy contract: In order to enjoy lower rates on the mobile phone, you will have to be locked into the contract for a typical duration of 2 years. While that may not be a problem if you are happy with the services of your mobile carrier, it could be an issue if you are not satisfied with their services. Trying to get out of a mobile phone contract prematurely is usually quite expensive as there are high cancellation and early termination fees that may apply. In fact, some carriers may impose such high fines for contract termination that it is not monetarily practical to end a contract before its expiry. Hence, if you want to buy the HTC One X on contract, you need to be absolutely sure that you do not mind being with the same provider for the entire duration.
2. Buying the HTC One X outright: The second buying option available to you is to buy the handset outright. Here are some things you should consider in this regard:
• Paying the entire cost of the phone upfront: Buying the HTC One X outright means you will have to fork over the entire cost of the handset upfront. It is possible to get a slightly lower rate if you manage to buy it directly from the manufacturer, but that option may not always be available. Hence, if you do not have the money to pay for this high end phone at one go, then the contract buying option may be a more practical choice for you.
• Increased flexibility: If you can afford to buy the HTC One X outright, then you will have increased flexibility in terms of service provider as well as the mobile phone plan. Since your handset will not be locked into a specific contract, you will have the choice to select a service provider that has the best service and coverage in your city. Also, there are several different SIM only plans being offered by different carriers. Therefore, you can select the best plan by determining your mobile phone usage patterns rather than being stuck with a fixed plan that the service provider decides.

Being aware of your buying options as mentioned above should help you to make the right choice while buying the HTC One X mobile phone.

Jailbreaking the HTC One X

Although it does sound like quite an illegal term, jailbreaking is something that has become quite common for Smartphones nowadays. And depending on which country you live in, jailbreaking is not even considered illegal any more. So what exactly is jailbreaking and why would you want to do that to your HTC One X?

Well, jailbreaking basically means opening up your mobile phone to download and install different types of apps that may not be supported by the manufacturer or mobile carrier. Since the HTC One X is an Android handset, you have the choice of thousands of apps available in the Android marketplace. However, if you wish to install an app from outside the android marketplace, then you may get an error if you try to download such an app. Mobile manufacturers and carriers block third party apps or non-market apps so that they can keep some degree of control over their handsets and also perhaps make people spend more money in buying the official versions of various apps. However, by changing a few settings on your HTC One X mobile phone, it is possible to jailbreak the device so that you can install non-market apps as and when you want to. Before you decide to jailbreak the HTC One X, here is a look at some of the pros and cons of jailbreaking your device.

Benefits of jailbreaking the HTC One X

• Installing unapproved apps: If you wish to install any app that is not approved by your mobile manufacturer or service provider, then jailbreaking your handset will enable you to do that.
• Installing a custom ROM: If you have access to a custom ROM that has been tweaked to enhance the performance of your mobile phone, then you can install the ROM once your HTC One X has been jailbroken. This can help to bolster the performance of your mobile phone significantly.
• Turning your handset into a Wi-Fi hotspot: It is possible to turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot so that you can use its mobile broadband network to connect other devices to the internet. However, most mobile carriers charge a fee for this service that is over and above any monthly fees that you may already be paying. However, by jailbreaking your phone, you can install different programs and apps on your phone that will turn it into the wireless hotspot without incurring the additional charges.
• Freedom from high roaming charges: If your phone is locked to a specific provider, you will not be able to insert another carrier's SIM card into your phone. What this means is if you are travelling abroad and want to buy a local SIM card for international calls, you will not have that option as your handset will not support the local SIM card. The result is that you may end up using the international roaming facility on your phone and pay dearly for it. Yes, you can get the phone unlocked from your carrier, but they usually charge a fee to do so. However, jailbreaking also allows you to unlock your HTC One X so that you can use another mobile service provider's SIM card with it and enjoy freedom from high international roaming charges.

As is evident from the above, there are several advantages to jailbreaking your mobile phone. However, there are some serious concerns with it too. For starters, if the process of jailbreaking is done incorrectly, you can ruin your handset completely. While that may sound like an exaggeration, there have been several instances where people have ended up with a useless mobile phone after they have tried to jailbreak it, especially for installing a custom ROM. Even if you are successful at jailbreaking, it can lead to serious security concerns as your handset could be opened up to malicious malware and spyware. And lastly, even if jailbreaking is not considered illegal in your country, you could still be violating your mobile phone contract if it specifies that your handset should not be jailbroken. If your contract does have such limitations and you jailbreak your HTC One X regardless, then you could be in breach of contract and may also end up losing the warranty on your handset.

Securing the HTC One X

The HTC One X is a high end mobile phone that works pretty usefully as a small computer. It is likely that you will be using this phone for various important tasks and also storing sensitive data on it. This is why it is necessary to secure your phone properly so that you can protect the actual handset as well as the data inside it. The HTC One X does have some in-built security features that can be used to safeguard this handset. Here is a list of these features, along with some details on how they can be used.

• Pattern locking your screen: Your HTC One X has a Screen Lock option that enables you to set up a unique pattern to lock your handset. When you want to unlock the screen, you will have to enter the unique pattern rather than simply pressing a few standard keys that will unlock it easily. To access the Screen Lock option, you need to go into Settings and then into Security. You then have to select the Screen Lock option and set your pattern for unlocking. You will also need to mention the amount of idle time that needs to pass before your screen is locked automatically. You have an additional option here wherein you can make the pattern visible when entering it to unlock the screen, or choose to keep it invisible so that others do not see it accidentally.
• PIN locking your SIM card: Using this security option ensures that no one can misuse your SIM card even if they manage to get their hands on it. To PIN lock the SIM card on your HTC One X, you have to go into Settings and then into Security. You will see an option for Set Up SIM Card Lock, under which you will see another option for entering a new PIN. In order to enter a new PIN to lock your SIM card, to need to have the original PIN specific to your handset. This default PIN should have been provided to you by your mobile carrier. May people choose to ignore this security option as they often forget the PIN that they have set up. However, if this happens, you can ask for the PUK code from your service provider which will help you to unlock your SIM card whenever you need to. By making sure that you have set up a PIN for your SIM card, you can add an additional layer of security to your handset, which can go a long way towards protecting it from being misused.
• Using the Face Unlock feature: The Face Unlock feature is a unique security feature that is only available on Ice Cream Sandwich devices such as the HTC One X mobile phone. This feature makes it possible to unlock the handset by holding it up to the owner's face. By setting up this security option, you can ensure that your handset can only be unlocked by you since your face is the only one your phone is set up to recognise. To make use of this security feature, you need to go into Settings, then Security, then Screen Lock, and finally to Face Unlock. Here you will be given further directions that you need to follow. Basically the camera on your phone will proceed to take your picture and set it up for the Face Unlock. However, you should always set up a secondary method to unlock your handset just to be on the safe side in case this feature does not always work properly.

Also make sure that you set up a Google account for your HTC One X before using any of the above security options, as that is the account that will help you to unlock your phone in case you forget the unlock pattern or any of the PINs that you have set up.

In addition to using these security features on your HTC One X, you should also consider downloading some security apps on your phone, which will help to further protect it from malicious hacking and misuse. Here are 3 great security apps for the HTC One X:

1. Lookout Mobile Security: This security app is one of the first few to be available for Android mobile phones and continues to impress even today. In addition to offering excellent antivirus features, this app can help you to schedule scans to keep your mobile phone virus free at all times. The Lookout website also has a great option that enables you to track your phone online, should you misplace it or if it gets stolen. Apart from securing your handset from malware and spyware, this security app also works as a backup system as it allows you to backup your entire contact list online. If your handset does get lost or if you simply choose to buy a new handset, then all your contacts can be quickly and easily restored on your mobile phone. There is a free version of this app that does provide adequate security. However, if you want the full security package that includes remote wiping of data and safe internet browsing, then you may consider opting for the paid version. The bonus with the paid version is that you can use it on two different Android mobile phones.
2. Avast Mobile Security: While this security app does offer some standard security features such as antivirus protection, scanning for malware and spyware, locate function to find misplaced phones, remote locking, and remote wiping of data; its main advantage lies in the fact that it can be used to enhance the security of jailbroken mobile phones as it includes an excellent firewall that controls unwanted network traffic. Internet browsing is also made safer by the Web Shield feature that scans website URLs for viruses. The virus detection rate for this app is over 90%, which is considered to be quite high as far as mobile security apps go.
3. TrustGo Antivirus and Mobile Security: It is a given that people will download various apps on their mobile phones to make it more functional, especially a high end phone such as the HTC One X. However, downloading apps, especially the free ones, can lead to several headaches such as unwanted spam and harmful viruses. If you too are fed up of an overflowing inbox thanks to app downloads, you should try out the TrustGo security app on your handset. This app features an excellent meta search engine especially designed to search more than 200 app stores, so as to provide you with a list of apps classified according to the security threat that they pose. Therefore, whenever you try to install a new app on your HTC One X, TrustGo will immediately tell you whether it is safe to do so or not. This app does offer antivirus protection too, but the detection rate is not very high. Also, there is no feature that alerts you if someone tries to remove the SIM card from your phone.

An unsecure HTC One X can lead to serious financial losses and identity theft, which is why it may be worth paying the price for a paid version of these security apps rather than depending solely on the features of a free version.