HTC Endeavour C2 points to potential One X refresh

Last week we heard word that an improved version of the HTC One X was heading to T-Mobile USA, returning to the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 chip and pairing it with Jelly Bean. Now word comes from Stuff.tv that HTC is planning something similar with the international version of the device, with the updated model codenamed “Endeavour C2.” The HTC One X originally carried the Endeavour codename, with details of this new device suggesting it will be a small refresh of the popular handset.

The improved version of the HTC One X is expected to retain its NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, but it will receive a bump in clock speed to 1.7Ghz. The battery will also be improved – we’re assuming HTC will increase the capacity – and a new color option will be on offer, which should please those looking for something other than white or grey.

The handset will be bundled with Beats headphones just like the HTC One X and other HTC phones, with Stuff also hearing word that current HTC accessories will continue to work without any trouble with the refreshed model, suggesting that the design of the handset won’t be radically different. Meanwhile, HTC will add ClearVoice to “improve call quality”, which sounds similar to HD Voice offered on certain carriers’ handsets.

Finally, HTC Watch 2, an improved version of the company’s video streaming service, will be bundled with the new handset. Pricing hasn’t been finalized, but Stuff believes UK carriers will offer the refreshed model on tariffs £5 more expensive than the current HTC One X. The handset is expected to be released around October 1st, just in time to go toe-to-toe with the Galaxy Note II and the next iPhone.

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GE points finger at wonky Nissan Leaf software for Wattstation woes

Nissan and General Electric have conceded a problem with the Leaf EV, though drivers are left waiting in the middle for a fix. After Nissan Leaf owners were informed that GE Wattstation chargers could in fact damage the car during a recharge, General Electric has issued a statement blaming Nissan’s tech for the flaw, rather than its own systems.

According to GE, rather than the quality of the electricity supply coming through the Wattstation systems, it’s actually how the Leaf handles that power that’s the problem. Although the company tacitly admits that the juice can fluctuate, apparently it’s the Leaf’s software that needs to be tweaked, not its own supplies:

“Nissan and GE have completed their investigation into the instances of Nissan LEAFs experiencing on-board charging (OBC) issues when using certain EV chargers. Nissan has traced the root cause of the issue to the LEAFs OBC software that can allow damage to occur to its OBC components while using certain chargers and in certain instances, such as when a brief under voltage or blackout condition occurs” General Electric

The solution, GE claims, is a software update that will allow the Leaf’s systems to better handle the potentially wonky power supply. Until then, however, the advice is to avoid recharging at times when it’s possible that the Wattstations could be unsteady:

“Nissan is working to address this issue as quickly as possible, and in the meantime is advising customers to avoid charging during times when brownouts or momentary power dips may be likely, such as during electrical storms or high power usage on the grid” General Electric

Recharging via a regular 120V outlet is still supported and apparently unaffected by the OBC issue, though the recharging process itself will take longer than through a higher-power Wattstation.

[via Yahoo]

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