Google fights patent trolls by giving away patents
Last year, Google and a handful of other technology companies banded together to fight patent trolls — creating the License on Transfer Network (LOT). It’s a pretty good system, effectively protecting LOT members from patent litigation by giving all participants a royalty-free license to any patent that leaves the LOT network. Now, Google wants to expand the network’s ranks to include start-ups, and it’s offering new members a pretty nice welcome package: free patents.
Here’s the deal: The first 50 eligible startups to enroll in Google’s Patent Starter Program will be given access to the company’s non-organic (not originating from Google itself) patent portal, two years of membership in the LOT program (with membership fees waived) and two patents of their very own. There is a catch, though: the free intellectual property is a little random. Google will create a tailored list of 3-5 patents based on the startup’s business focus and allow them to choose two from that list. This means a company could wind up with a patent they don’t necessarily want — but a free patent is a free patent.
Even so, the free patents have a few extra rules: if participating companies leave the program before two years pass, ownership of the gifted patents revert back to Google. The patents can’t be used to sue other companies either — after all, this program is designed to help stop patent trolls, not encourage them. Check out Google’s official patent page for more details.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Google
Honda Introduces 2016 Accord With CarPlay and Android Auto Support
Honda today at its high-tech research facility in Mountain View introduced its new 2016 Accord with support for both CarPlay and Android Auto, reports Re/code. The ninth-generation sedan will be the first Honda vehicle to support CarPlay as the Japanese car maker aims to expand the iPhone-based dashboard system across its vehicle lineup throughout 2016 and beyond.
Honda’s new 2016 Accord supports CarPlay (Image: Mercury News/Dai Sugano)
CarPlay will come standard on 2016 Accord EX, EX-L and Touring models. Honda opted to announce the mid-sized vehicle in Mountain View, as opposed to traditional auto hotbeds such as Detroit and Los Angeles, because of Silicon Valley’s growing importance to the auto industry, particularly as vehicles become more connected with CarPlay and other modern technologies.
Apple has listed Honda as a CarPlay partner on its website for several months, but the car maker has not been entirely clear about its launch plans until today. GM is also committed to supporting CarPlay in 2016 across its Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicle brands, while Kenwood recently began shipping its lineup of aftermarket CarPlay and Android Auto systems.
Apple Ceases Selling Nest Products Online and In Stores
Apple has stopped selling the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Nest Smoke Alarm in its stores and has confirmed to Mashable that it will no longer be carrying Nest products. The Nest thermostat was still available online earlier this month, but a search for the Nest thermostat or smoke alarm now redirects customers to other HomeKit products.
Apple’s decision to stop offering Google’s Nest products in its retail stores and online comes just over a month after the first HomeKit-compatible products became available for purchase. In early June, Lutron, iHome, Elgato, Ecobee, and Insteon began offering a range of smart lights, plugs, thermostats, room monitors, and more, all of which work with HomeKit.
The HomeKit-compatible Ecobee3 smart thermostat is a direct competitor of the Nest, so it’s no surprise Apple has opted to stop offering Google’s products in order to highlight accessories that are compatible with its own smart home platform.
This isn’t the first time Apple has stopped offering products that directly compete with its own product offerings. Last year, the company stopped selling Fitbit activity tracking devices ahead of the launch of the Apple Watch and also culled several other activity trackers from its store earlier this year.
Apple’s decision to stop selling the Nest thermostat comes as the company is working to revamp accessory lineups in its retail stores, cutting back on the number of accessories offered and packaging many of them in boxes that match its own design aesthetic.
OnePlus sold 1.5 million OnePlus Ones in its first year
style=”display:block”
data-ad-client=”ca-pub-8150504804865896″
data-ad-slot=”8461248232″
data-ad-format=”auto”>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
We rarely get to hear how many of one smartphone is sold by any one manufacturer (unless of course they are yelling it from the top of a mountain), but it seems OnePlus‘ Carl Pei has been very generous in giving us an insight into the sales of his young company. According to Pei, OnePlus sold 1.5 million OnePlus Ones in the past year, with 1 million of those coming in the first 6 months. That sounds almost lame compared to the 10 million sold in one month stories we often hear, but when you remember that the OnePlus One was OnePlus’ first device, you get a better feeling of what that really means. Factor in a much smaller marketing budget and almost zero brand recognition, and the feat almost seems awesome.
Of course, pundits will question whether it would have been possible for even more OnePlus Ones to have been sold given the infamous invite system that OnePlus used to limit the availability of the device, but it is what it is and OnePlus is poised to launch its second, highly anticipated handset, the OnePlus 2. With such a glowing performance in its first year, we can only expect bigger and better things from the Chinese manufacturer in the future.
What do you think about 1.5 million OnePlus Ones being sold in the first year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Wall Street Journal via Phandroid
The post OnePlus sold 1.5 million OnePlus Ones in its first year appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet review
While there are quite a few good Android tablets around, many of them lean towards the budget-friendly, and therefore, mid-range side of things. As good as some of these devices may be, it’s been some time since we’ve gotten our hands on a truly compelling Android tablet. Sony is attempting to change all that with their latest high-end tablet offering, the Xperia Z4 Tablet. This device certainly seems to check all the right boxes on paper, but does it manage to meet, or even go beyond, our expectations? We find out, in this comprehensive Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet review!
Design
One of the highlights of the high-end Sony tablet line has always been how sleek and light these devices are, and that is something that continues with the latest addition to the series. With a thickness of just 6.1 mm and weighing 393 grams, the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is an absolute pleasure to hold, and you almost forget that this is actually a rather large device. While featuring a plastic construction, the build quality certainly doesn’t feel cheap, and the textured matte finish of the back panel allows for plenty of grip as well.
The rectangular shape, silver trim, and somewhat angular design, with signature elements like the large silver power button, are all very true to Sony, but its overall simplicity can understandably be mistaken as being bland, rather than elegant. The bezels up front may also not be the most aesthetically pleasing design element, giving the tablet the look of a picture frame when looking at it head on. It does serve a purpose functionally though, as the large bezels make for great resting points for your thumbs when holding on to the device.
When holding the device in the landscape orientation, the power button and volume rocker are found on the left side within easy reach. This placement that makes complete sense, given that a large tablet such as this is primary designed for use in this manner, and it is actually quite surprising that not a lot of tablet manufacturers do this when it comes to their large tablet offerings.
The remaining ports are in their typical positions, with the microUSB port on the right, the headphone jack up top, next to a large plastic flap that covers the microSD card slot and the SIM card slot, of course, with the latter available with the 4G LTE-enabled version of the device. Up front are the usual sensors, a front-facing camera, and a multi-colored notification LED, but of note is the dual front-facing speaker setup, denoted by tiny slits that are very inconspicuous to maintain the simplistic elegance of the Xperia Z4 Tablet.
Display
The display of the Xperia Z4 Tablet is one of the main attractions of the device, with the 10.1-inch IPS LCD screen (2560 x 1600 and a pixel density of 299 ppi) being an extremely sharp display that provides everything you’d expect from a device of this caliber. The display is bright, vivid, with great viewing angles, and good color saturation, allowing for a fantastic experience regardless of what you are using the display for, be it web browsing, reading, keeping up with social networks, gaming, or watching videos.
Given that this is a Sony device, you can also take advantage of Sony’s X-Reality engine for clearer, sharper, and more natural images, and there is also a Vivid mode that really increases the saturation for a more vibrant image with photos and video. More granular controls are also available, allowing users to make adjustments to the white balance, but it has to be mentioned that the default white balance and color temperature are already quite accurate, so you likely won’t have to make a lot of changes in this regard.
Performance
Under the hood, the Xperia Z4 Tablet packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, clocked at 2 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 430 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. This processing package, despite some well-documented issues, is still one of the best out there, and that is easily seen when it comes to the performance of this tablet. The overall experience has been very fluid, with hardly any instances of lag or stutters. Opening, closing, and switching apps, multi-tasking, and navigating around the various elements of the UI have all been extremely smooth, and gaming on the Xperia Z4 Tablet is of no concern either.
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Of course, the big question that will be on everyone’s mind is with regards to the known overheating issues that come up with the Snapdragon 810, but fortunately, this problem hasn’t come up with this device thus far. Given that tasks that usually generate a lot of heat, such as gaming and watching videos for a while, is what this tablet was primarily used for, the Xperia Z4 Tablet has done surprisingly well with keeping its cool.
Hardware
The Sony Xperia Z4 comes with 32 GB of on-board storage, which is further expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB, and comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, including the availability of a 4G LTE-enabled version. Everything is kept protected from the elements as well, courtesy of its IP68 rating from dust and water resistance, which means that the device can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for as long as 30 minutes without a negative impact on performance and usability.
There is also a big emphasis on audio with the Xperia Z4 Tablet, with device featuring built-in Hi-Res audio support for reduced distortion digital noise cancelling technology, that is capable of reducing exterior noise by up to 98%, when paired with DNC headphones. The Xperia Z4 Tablet can also optimize audio specifically for your ears, no matter what pair of headphones or earbuds you use, and all of this does make for a fantastic audio experience. The audio enhancements are applied automatically, but you do have the option to play around with the manual equalizer controls and surround sound effects to cater the listening experience exactly to your liking.
The great audio features continue with the dual front-facing speakers that the Xperia Z4 Tablet rocks. While you aren’t able to take advantage of any of Sony’s audio enhancements through these speakers, the quality even without it is still quite good, and significantly adds to the media-consumption experience. The speakers get loud, and everything remains crisp and clear throughout, with no signs of distortion even at the highest volume. This is easily one of the best speaker setups you can get a tablet right now, and this is one aspect where Sony, with its Xperia Z4 Tablet, is far ahead of the competition.
#gallery-3
margin: auto;
#gallery-3 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-3 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-3 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The Xperia Z4 Tablet features a large 6,000 mAh battery that has allowed for some quite impressive battery life. Using the tablet primarily for playing games and watching videos, the tablet still managed up to 6 hours of screen-on time in the 24 or 30 hours since being taken off the charger. The usage is significantly heavy in this case of course, and more casual use will provide a drastic increase in these numbers, so battery life is another area which should be of no concern to users.
Camera
Cameras have historically never been a standout feature of a tablet, and have always sort of felt like an afterthought, especially when compared to the cameras available with smartphones. The Xperia Z4 Tablet doesn’t do much to change the status quo, but does pack a decent camera package, with its 8 MP rear camera, and a 5 MP front-facing shooter.
The camera software is as you would expect from Sony, with its minimalist and user-friendly interface. Apart from standard modes like Superior Auto and Manual, there is also a bunch of novelty shooting modes included, like face in picture, sweep panorama, multi-camera, and AR effect. The usefulness of some of these modes is questionable, but they can be a lot of fun if you do choose to use them.
The picture quality, however, is exactly what you would expect from a tablet camera. Some decent shots are possible, and this camera should do fine in a pinch, but you’re in for some disappointment if you’re hoping to be able to replace your primary mobile photography device, be it a point and shoot camera or your smartphone. Lighting conditions play a big role in this case, with the best shots possible in well-lit environments, and with the level noise and loss of detail increasing as the lighting situation worsens.
Software
On the software side of things, the Xperia Z4 Tablet is running Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with Sony’s Xperia UI on top, which remains one of the best Android skins out there. While there are some noticeable differences from stock Android, such as the color scheme and the customizable application drawer, a lot of Material Design elements are intact, and together makes for a smooth and snappy software experience.
Many of Sony’s staple software add-ons are available here as well, such as Small Apps that allows for easier multi-tasking, and is a lot more useful on the large screen of a tablet with the additional real estate available, rather than on a much smaller smartphone. The Lifelog application is also included, which is great not only for tracking your fitness data, but also your general overall lifestyle, to see how much time you’ve dedicated to certain activities, like sleeping or listening to music, throughout your daily routine.
#gallery-4
margin: auto;
#gallery-4 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-4 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-4 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Like many other Sony mobile product, the Xperia Z4 Tablet also comes with PlayStation integration, allowing users to remotely play PS4 games directly on the tablet. This is definitely a huge selling point for PS4 owners, and is something that is very unique to Sony, which gives this device a huge leg up in the gaming department when compared to other tablets.
Specifications
| Display | 10.1-inch IPS LCD display 2560 x 1600 resolution, 299 ppi |
| Processor | 2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Adreno 430 GPU |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB, expandable via microSD up to 128 GB |
| Camera | 8 MP rear camera 5 MP front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1 GPS + GLONASS NFC FM Radio microUSB 2.0 (MHL 3.0 TV output) |
| Battery | 6,000 mAh |
| Software | Android 5.0.2 Lollipop |
| Dimensions | 254 x 167 x 6.1 mm 389 grams (Wi-Fi only) 393 grams (LTE) |
| Colors | Black, White |
Gallery
Pricing and Final Thoughts
The official availability of the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet in the US is yet to be announced, but the device is available via Amazon, with the price points currently at $699 for the Wi-Fi-only version, $729 for the 4G LTE version, along with another option that comes with an included Bluetooth keyboard, priced at $759, but keep in mind that these prices do tend to fluctuate.
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet! Sony manages to once again tick off all the important boxes, with the device featuring a large beautiful display, thin and light design, fast performance, excellent software experience, Hi-Res audio, and PlayStation integration. Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect product, but Sony does come close with the Xperia Z4 Tablet. As mentioned, it has been a while since we’ve seen a truly compelling Android tablet in the market, but this device manages to go even beyond our expectations, which is very exciting. Granted, the price is towards the higher-end of the spectrum, but the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is certainly worth it.
Motorola Moto G 2015 specs emerge in leaked promotional video
Motorola’s Moto G (3rd Gen.) may be right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean everyone and their mother will stop posting photos of the new budget-friendly smartphone before its official unveiling. We’ve already gotten a good look at the device in the wild, and we got to see alleged photos of the device’s Moto Maker customization options. But thanks to Brazilian retailer Americanas, we’re getting our first look at the device in an informative promotional video, along with a list of legitimate specifications.
The video goes through the list of noteworthy specifications, claiming that the device will feature a 5.0-inch Full HD display, 4G LTE connectivity, Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, a quad-core 1.4GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, 8/16GB of on-board storage, a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facing camera. Additionally, the video explains that the device will be water resistant with an IPX7 certification, further backing up recent rumors.
The video also claims that users will have the option to swap out different colored back plates, though it didn’t mention anything about the ability to customize the device through Moto Maker.
To get a good look for yourself, check out the video attached below:
A few other notable specifications from the video include expandable storage via microSD, dual-SIM capabilities, and a battery that will be able to last all day.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Motorola is holding events in London and New York City on July 28th, where it’s expected to launch the Moto G 2015 (and maybe the Moto X 2015). Of course, nothing is confirmed quite yet, so stay tuned as more details surface regarding Motorola’s next lineup of smartphones.
Google Voice voicemail transcriptions are now 49 percent more accurate
If you’ve ever used Google Voice in the past, you’d know that the handy voicemail transcription feature can prove to be not-so-handy at times. In fact, much of the time voicemail transcriptions turn out to be hilariously incorrect.
Google knows this, which is why it started asking users about a year ago to send in voicemails to the company for research and system improvement purposes. Thanks to those users who chose to help out, Google has just announced some major improvements are coming to the service that will help to deliver much more accurate transcriptions.
With the use of a “long short-term memory deep recurrent neural network”, the company has cut down voicemail transcription errors by a massive 49%. To begin receiving these new improvements, you don’t have to do anything at all. The updates should have already made their way to your account, so you don’t even need to update the app in the Play Store.
Now that the service is much more improved, you might want to give Google Voice a shot. If you’d like to sign up, head to this link. Then be sure to download the Android app by following the link attached below.
How to re-enable Chrome tabs on Lollipop – Android customization
I hope that last week’s Android customization post has helped you keep your data safe, walking through the setup to automatic backups of your SMS and more. We’ll keep things light this week as well, for those of you that are using Chrome on the new Android Lollipop, this is how you re-enable Chrome tabs, instead of treating each tab as a new entry in your recent apps list.
Remember, this is a short tutorial for Lollipop users, and one that many of you will consider to be a beginners topic.
Before we begin
No apps are required today, provided you have an Android 5+ Lollipop device and the Chrome web browser installed. We are simply diving into the settings menu of Chrome today.
Re-enable Chrome tabs on Lollipop
Here’s what’s up, you’re plunking along enjoying your favorite Android Authority posts on your favorite Android phone or tablet, when you come across something that deserves to be opened in a new tab. You go ahead and long press on the link to get the option to open it in one of several ways other than in the same tab, and just like that, you’ve created what many Lollipop users consider to be a problem. Your tabs are no longer treated as one app in the Recent apps list, instead, each new tab acts as its own entry.
For many of us, having each tab as a separate Recents list entry is a slick thing, dramatically speeding up our device navigation. If you do not like this, and would like Chrome to be a single Recents list entry, regardless your open tab count, follow along, we will show you what to do.
From within almost anywhere inside Chrome, tap the three dots menu icon.
Choose Settings.
Tap on Merge tabs and apps.
Turn the option off.
You will be asked to confirm that you want your tabs to be controlled through Chrome and not by the Recent apps menu. Tap OK to confirm.
Chrome will restart now, just give it a moment to come back up with the most recent tab you were using.
You will now see a little square icon in the top right corner, I hope it looks familiar, it is the Chrome Tab count from before Lollipop.
What’s next
Do play around with the setting, you may find that Google’s new approach in Android Lollipop is the tool you’ve been needing. If you do not like Google’s new approach, you now have the skills to revert back to what you are comfortable with.
This setting exists independently in Chrome, Chrome Beta and Chrome Dev. Be sure to figure out who is who and which you want to take advantage of the new tab management features.
Next week
We hope you now have a cleaner Recents list thanks to this simple Android customization in Chrome on Lollipop. Next week we will continue with Chrome, how would you like to save some mobile data with one simple setting?
Do you like Google’s new approach of having all your Chrome tabs open in the Recent apps list, or have you already turned it off using the steps above?
New leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Is the back panel removable?
The two most important questions to most Samsung Galaxy Note fans who are awaiting the next iteration are:
1. Is there a removable battery?
2. Is there a MicroSD card slot?
The Samsung Galaxy Note line is easily the most functional Android device. Not only was it the phone that pioneered larger screens, it also is the only phone to implement a stylus that actually works well. I’m a huge proponent of the Galaxy Note line as it always sets the stage for phones the following year. The Note typically comes with the fastest processor of the year, as next generation processors are typically announced and released in the 1st half of the calendar year, giving the Note ample time to integrate the new processors, since the Note is released in the second half of the year. Not only does it come with the latest processor, but it usually is the phone that ups RAM standards as well as display standards.
So it is safe to say, many people look forward to the Samsung Galaxy Note release every year and we have some images of what might be the next Samsung Galaxy Note 5. And people who love their Notes are very loyal to the function over design factor, so if I were a praying man, I would ask that Samsung please keep the removable battery and MicroSD card slot. We did see Samsung move away from both of those features in the Galaxy S6 line which angered many Samsung loyalists. Also keep in mind, the Note is one of the most expensive phones on the market, which means customers are looking for the best when they spend nearly a thousand dollars on one device.
From this blurry image, this phone looks very similar to the Note 4, and most might think you may not be able to gather much information from this picture. But if you look closely, it does look like the headphone jack has possibly been moved to the bottom of the device. As a Samsung Galaxy Note fanboy, this is a first if this is true and is truly a concern for me. Why? Because this gives more credibility to the rumors that the Note may have been redesigned to match the look and feel of the Samsung Galaxy S6. In order to keep the design and thickness to a minimum with the S6, Samsung moved the headphone jack to the bottom. In the picture, you can also see the stylus at the bottom right of the phone which gives this image credibility that it is actually a Note and not some other Samsung phone.
It also appears the speaker is squeezed in between the charging port and the stylus. The speaker port on the Note 4 was on the back. The Note 3 had the speaker on the bottom, so this might be an incorrect evaluation of the leaked picture, but I think by moving the speaker to the bottom of the Note 5 confirms the back will be made of glass and will be non-removable.
Analyzing this picture, my first question was why is there a screen protector on this device? I don’t know and don’t really think it takes away from or adds to the leak. But if you look at the left hand side, you see the volume buttons. On the Note 4, there was a volume rocker versus two separate buttons. If you look at the first leak in combination with the one right above, it looks like the volume control is now two distinct buttons like on the Galaxy S6. Having two volume buttons versus a volume rocker doesn’t really mean much, except it confirms the new Note design language is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S6. Also take a look at the polished metal band that frames the phone. One thing you will notice is the phone fits very well within the metal frame. You can’t squeeze a business card in this new design! But it also looks like the metal frame around the Samsung Galaxy S6 in the image below which adds more fuel to the fire that this phone may not have a removeable back. As for the sensors, they are now moved to the left of the speaker which also matches the design of the S6. The sensors on the Note 4 were just to the right of the speaker.
So do we have answers to the two most popular questions about the Samsung Galaxy Note 5? Sadly, I think we do if these leaks are real. I don’t know the real reason why Samsung removed the MicroSD slot in the S6, some people say it is because no one really uses it and others speculate that Samsung listens to its customers and they claimed they wanted a better design and that better design eliminated the port for that slot. If Samsung really does listen to its customers, then why are they listening to most Samsung fans and removing the bloat from the software? My guess for Samsung removing the MicroSD slot is that they can charge more for memory upgrades. The 64GB S6 costs 100 dollars more than the 32Gb option. That’s a lot of money they were missing out on on.
As for the removal of the swappable battery, maybe Samsung thought customers didn’t need it since it would be replaced with wireless charging or the new fast chargers were sufficient to charge those large batteries. For those of us Note fans, we love having the ability to pick up a couple batteries from Amazon or Best Buy, and going from 0% power back up to 100% in less than a minute. That certainly beats fast charging and wireless charging. Note users are power users and need extra batteries without having to strap on a large battery pack. The phone is already big as it is, so assuming we would be okay with a battery pack is simply wrong. Also, most people know batteries have a limited number of charges so not being able to swap the battery gives this phone a lifespan of that battery. Note users charge their phones often because we use them a ton, which means we will reach our battery cycle limit faster than most.
I truly hope my analysis of these leaks is wrong, but I fear that I am right and Samsung has decided to go away from function to please those who care about design. If that is the case, this will be my last Samsung device and that makes me a sad customer.
Note 4 volume rocker
Notice the two distinct volume buttons and polished metal frame.
I think it is funny the person who took the picture of the Note 5 is using an iPhone.
“Just release the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 already!” – Josh Noriega (A fellow AG writer who has seen enough leaks)
The post New leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Is the back panel removable? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Satechi RideMate waterproof bike mount [Review]
I
f you live in a larger city, bikes may be your main form of transportation because they do not use gas and are easier to park. I live out in the country where the only think within reasonable biking distance is a barn, but I still use my bike for exercise. The Satechi Ridemate is a waterproof bike mount for your phone to keep it safe in case you ride through a puddle or get stuck in the rain. I decided to take the Ridemate for a spin and see how well it worked and if it kept my phone safe and dry.
First Impressions
The box contains the pouch to put your phone in along with the handlebar mount for your bike. The construction of the pouch and mount feels sturdy, and the hefty zipper coupled with the Velcro assured me that my phone would be protected from water inside this case. There is a plastic window on the front of the case allowing you to see and interact with your phone along with a smaller window on the back for your camera.
I noticed that the box said it fits phones with up to 5.7″ screens. I did not take this as a limit, however. I took this as a challenge to fit my effing huge Nexus 6 into this bike mount. And guess what…it actually fit.
Fit, of course, being used loosely. There is absolutely no room left in the pouch and the zipper barely zipped, but I got it! Now this being said, the RideMate is not meant to house phones larger than 5.7″ so I would not recommend trying to cram a larger phone in there.
After spending a few minutes fitting my phone into the RideMate pouch, I tested to make sure I could still use my phone. There is a large window in the front of the pouch that allows you to use your phone while it is inside the mount. The touchscreen on my phone was fully responsive through the window and I could see every part of my screen.
One thing that was difficult was finding the power button to unlock my phone. It took some fiddling because there are no buttons on the pouch or window to see the edges of your phone.
On the back of the RideMate pouch, there is a smaller window for your camera. The camera on my Nexus 6 sat right in the middle of this window, but if your phone has a camera that sits over to the side, it might be obstructed because the window does not reach to the very edge of the pouch.
Setup
Once I had my phone inside of the pouch, setup was easy. The bike mount clamps onto your handlebars nicely, and the hold was strong so I did not worry about my phone slipping off while it was on the mount.
Attaching the phone pouch to the mount is also pretty easy. There is an attachment on the back of the pouch that slides onto the bike mount. Once it clicks and locks into place, there is a tab on the back of the pouch that you push to make sure the pouch is not coming off of the mount.
If you need to use your phone but do not want to spend time taking it out of the pouch, you can remove the pouch by pushing the tab back and pulling the pouch off of the mount.
Usability
Using the Satechi RideMate is just like using any other bike mount with the exception that this one is waterproof. The screen is fully functional and visible while riding so using GPS to get directions is simple and easy. If you want to listen to music, however, you should invest in some Bluetooth earbuds because there is not way to plug headphones in while your phone is in the pouch.
The Satechi RideMate is rated at IPX6 which means it will stand up to heavy splashing and rain; two things that you might encounter on a bike ride around town. The RideMate is not rated for water immersion so do not think that you can take it underwater.
However, I was pretty confident with the RideMate’s seal and wanted to see if it could handle being underwater. Long story short, I did not see any signs of leaking from the few minutes I had it underwater, but I would not recommend using it in a pool since it is not rated to handle these types of activities. If you drop it in a bucket of water or bathtub though, I would not worry as it should be just fine.
One thing that I did worry about was overheating because the airtight seal around the phone means that there will be no airflow to the phone. In my testing, I did not notice any overheating, but it you are riding on a particularly hot day, you might want to check and make sure your phone is not getting to hot.
Overall Impressions
My time with the Satechi RideMate has been positive and negative. The RideMate does a wonderful job keeping my phone protected from water and attaching your phone to the mount is a breeze.
But I wonder what it has over simply buying a normal bike mount and a waterproof case for your phone. With the second option, you do not have to worry about possible overheating, you can plug headphones in to listen to music, and you do not have to carry you phone around in an ugly pouch.
What I liked:
- Solid construction
- Good seal and nice waterproofing
- Easy to setup
- Phone was still usable inside the pouch
What I did not like:
- Possibility of your phone overheating
- Ugly pouch for your phone
- It did not have much over a waterproof case and normal bike mount
- Your phone might have to be taken out of its case to fit
For only $40, $30 currently on Amazon, the RideMate might sound like a good deal to you. But if you are seriously considering a waterproof mount, you might want to see how much a waterproof case and mount for your phone are.
The post Satechi RideMate waterproof bike mount [Review] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 