Best O2 Android Phones (UK)
O2 has undergone the largest array of changes in the UK carrier market and is set to be purchased by its rival Three. Although there may be big changes ahead, the company has built a reputation for itself with reward and loyalty schemes for its customers, ranging from free Wi-Fi hotspot access to priority tickets to events around the country.
Following our best phone reviews of EE, Vodafone and Three, it is time to take a look that the best O2 Android phones on the market right now.
#1 – Samsung Galaxy S6
The Galaxy S6 seems to have been coming down in price in the UK recently and O2 has one of the best deals going right now, with the 32GB model starting at just £33.50 per month with £0 down.
That will net you a cutting edge octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, a 16 megapixel camera, and a cutting edge QHD AMOLED display. Certainly some of the best smartphone technology around right now.
O2 also all the Galaxy S6 Edge variants in stock too, but with a more expensive £46.00 with £0 down, reaching £64 per month with £19.99 up front for the 128GB model.
Specs
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.1GHz Samsung Exynos 7420 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32/64/128GB internal storage
- 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,550mAh battery
- 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, 138g
- Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum or White Pearl colours
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
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#2 – LG G4
O2 also has the LG G4 stocked at an equally reasonable price as the S6. As an added bonus, the G4 is one of the few flagship smartphones to retain both a microSD card slot for additional storage space and a replaceable battery.
Packing LG’ latest top of the line curved QHD LCD display and cutting edge camera technology, which features a f/1.8 aperture and laser auto focus technology, the G4 is a flagship smartphone right at the top of the market.
The LG G4 is only stocked with 32GB of memory and will cost £33.50 per month with £0 up front.
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with support for 128GB microSD card
- 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
- Removable 3,000mAh battery
- 149.1 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm, 154g
- Metallic Grey, Red Leather
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
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#3 – Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Although more expensive than the S6, the Note 4 offers a little more screen real estate and S Pen features for those who use their smartphones as a productivity tool.
The Note 4 features compelling high-end specifications, including a 5.7-inch QHD AMOLED display, 3GB of RAM, a 16 megapixel camera and a microSD card slot. Certainly still a match for the selection of 2015 flagship smartphones.
O2 is offering the Note 4 for £42.50 per month with £0 up front, which comes with 32GB of internal memory.
Specs
- 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with 128GB microSD card support
- 16MP rear camera and 3.7MP front camera
- Removable 3,220mAh battery
- 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm, 176g
- Black or White colours
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
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#4 – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
If all of these overly large smartphones aren’t quite your style, Sony’s Xperia Z3 Compact comes in a smaller form factor but won’t let you down when it comes in hardware specifications.
Although it comes with a slightly lower 720p resolution in the 4.6-inch display, the Z3 Compact retains a high-end Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 20.7 megapixel rear camera and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
Price wise, the Z3 Compact comes in at a more modest £28.50 per month with £0 up front. Sony is also throwing its free Hi-Res audio package when you buy a new smartphone.
Specs
- 4.6-inch IPS LCD display with 720×1280 resolution
- 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB internal storage with 128GB microSD card support
- 20.7MP rear camera, 2.2MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,600mAh battery
- 127.3 x 64.9 x 8.6 mm, 129g
- Black, White or Orange
- Android 4.4 KitKat (Android 5.1 Lollipop update)
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#5 – Samsung Galaxy A3
Rounding off our list of the best O2 Android phones is the more moderately priced Samsung Galaxy A3.
Unlike your typical mid-range smartphone, the Galaxy A3 features a stylish metal build, rather than a basic plastic case. The phone also sports a 4.5-inch display, Snapdragon 410 processor, 1.5GB of RAM and an 8MP rear camera. There’s also a microSD card slot if you want to expand on the 16GB of internal storage.
The Galaxy A3’s price tag begins at £20.50 per month with £0 up front, making it a more affordable option than the larger flagships in O2’s range.
Specs
- 4.5-inch Super AMLOED display with 540×960 resolution
- 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC
- 1.5GB of RAM
- 16GB of internal storage with up to 64GB via microSD
- 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 1,900mAh battery
- 130.1 x 65.5 x 6.9 mm, 110g
- Black, White or Silver
- Android 4.4.4 KitKat, upgradable to Android 5.0.2
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Comcast unveils Stream, a new internet TV service for $15 per month
There are dozens of viable television streaming services out there, all of which offer something a little different to its users. Whether you choose popular options such as Netflix or Hulu, or if you decide to go with a more recent service like Dish Network’s Sling TV, odds are you’ll find something that interests you. Comcast, the largest cable provider in the United States, today hopes to break in to the internet TV market with the launch of its new service called Stream.
Stream will be available to all Xfinity Internet customers for $15 per month and will feature about a dozen major broadcast networks as well as HBO. Notably absent in Stream’s lineup are ‘premium’ networks such as ESPN and AMC. Stream customers will be able to watch their favorite shows on broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS, but as The New York Times notes, these channels are generally available for free with a one-time purchase of an antenna that costs about $25.
It should also be noted that Stream will only be available through mobile and web applications at launch, which means customers won’t be able to watch with the new service on their televisions or through set-top boxes of any kind.
The new streaming service will launch in Boston at the end of the summer, later rolling out to Chicago and Seattle. The company plans to bring Stream to everyone by early 2016, so be sure to look out for that if you don’t live in one of the aforementioned cities.
Deal: Grab the REMXD On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones for just $36, Air-Fi Metro2 Earbuds for $48
Are you a music lover that’s in the market for a new pair of Bluetooth headphones? Whether you’re going for a run, commuting to work or just taking a stroll down the street, the last thing you want is the get tangled up in troublesome headphone cables. To help you out with that little problem, we’d suggest heading over to the AA Deals Store where you can find some great deals on two quality pairs of wireless headphones.
If you’re looking for a high-quality pair of on-ear headphones for cheap, look no further than the REMXD On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones. Offering 33 expansive feet of Bluetooth connectivity, these high-quality, well-designed headphones support hands-free calls and up to 15 hours of music playback on a single charge. They’re comfortable, affordable and offer great clarity… what more could you want? Right now, you can pick up your very own pair from the Android Authority Deals Store for just $35.99, which is a massive 28% savings.
If you’re in the market for something a little more compact, try out the Air-Fi Metro2 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones. They’re engineered with aptX technology, and that’s a quality not often found in wireless headphones. These Bluetooth earbuds feature 5+ hour battery life, an incredibly comfortable fit, and crystal clear sound with punchy highs and prominent lows. These earbuds are being offered in the AA Deals Store for just $48.
Interested? Be sure to check out the links below for more information.
Man 3D prints dart gun to protest weapon blueprint law
In the wake of recent shootings, many Americans think the US needs at least slightly stricter gun laws. However, when it comes to 3D-printed weapons, one maker begs to differ. Peter Alaric built a 3D-printed dart gun to make a point about proposed State Department laws banning weapon blueprints on the internet. Calling President Obama “our Fuehrer,” he said “this gesture of protest further proves the obvious futility of attempting to regulate speech and ban simple mechanical objects.” His creation fires 40mm blowgun darts via a piston and rubber bands, and can even hold accessories like laser sights.
He claims that thanks to an air-gun exemption, his weapon is legal, though it’s hardly as dangerous as a real 3D-printed gun (especially to the user). Nevertheless, it could still be lethal, so it seems that Alaric’s point is that the rules will arbitrarily ban certain weapon designs and not others. He believes that gun designs are a form of speech protected by the constitution, a similar argument made by infamous 3D pistol creator Cody Wilson. However, opponents of weapon blueprints believe they’re “functional things,” not speech, and therefore subject to regulation.
As it happens, US judges and lawmakers could soon decide who’s right. The State Department recently said that it plans to require prior approval for internet publication of any “technical data” that could help someone build a weapon, 3D-printed or otherwise. It said that such documents constitute, in effect, the illegal export of weapons, and not free speech. Because of that stance, Wilson’s company Defense Distributed recently filed a lawsuit against the State Department. The judge’s decision in that case could give us the constitutional status of 3D-printed weapon designs, once and for all.
Filed under: Peripherals
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Peter Alaric (YouTube)
Hacking Team boss thinks that he runs ‘the good guys’
The CEO of Hacking Team has come out to defend his firm’s behavior after a hack exposed the company’s dirty laundry for all to see. In an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa, David Vincenzetti said that his software was used to “fight the criminals” that are “operating on the border between the state of law and lawlessness.” He went on to say that the company was relatively harmless since it doesn’t “sell guns that could be used for years,” and added that “we’re the good guys.” Sure thing, buddy.
Hacking Team produces Da Vinci, a platform that enables governments to monitor encrypted communications. The technology is used by law enforcement officials to read your email, listen in to your Skype chats and secretly watch you via your own webcam or smartphone camera. Last week, it fell victim to a hack (the irony) and 400GB of its internal data was posted to Wikileaks, which is where the trouble really started.
Vincenzetti himself believes that the attack was carried out “at the governmental level” by someone with “significant resources” and that it had been “planned for months.” He refused to point a finger in any specific direction, but he’s fairly sure it wasn’t a publicly-minded citizen grinding code in their basement.
Skeezy software aside, Hacking Team’s other objectionable trait is its client list, which reads like a Who’s Who of totalitarian regimes. The firm has sold pernicious spying software to countries like Ethopia, Honduras and Uzbekistan, all three are known to imprison, torture and kill journalists and community leaders that disagree with the government.
Call us old-fashioned, but if you’re hanging around with people who normally have the phrase “serial human rights abuser” written before their names, you might feel a little guilty. Not so for Vincenzetti, who defended working with Libya, saying that “we did it when suddenly it seemed that the Libyans had become our best friends.” He added that “geopolitics changes rapidly and situations evolve,” which could be the new motto for the department of moral relativism.
On the other hand, the CEO did say that the company stopped doing business with Ethopia when it transpired that the country had been used to spy on a journalist. So, er, good job?
Filed under: Internet
Via: ZDNet
Source: La Stampa (Translated)
Microsoft is turning Windows 10’s launch into a global upgrade party
With Windows 10’s July 29 launch just a few weeks away, Microsoft is offering up more details on how it’ll celebrate the birth of its new baby. And one thing is clear: This is a far bigger deal than when Windows 8 hit the streets. Along with the usual festivities and a new marketing campaign, Microsoft is also promoting the idea of “upgrading the world” by offering consumers a bit of help with moving towards Windows 10, as well as celebrating inspirational non-profits all over the world. Microsoft stores, as well as retailers like Best Buy, Walmart and Staples, will offer in-store upgrade help and “experience stations” to let you try out Windows 10. The educational push makes sense, since Microsoft is making Windows 10 available for free to existing Windows 7 and 8 users for its first year. This time around getting people to upgrade means a lot more to Microsoft than making them pay retail price for a new OS.
As we’ve previously reported, Microsoft is making Windows 10 available to its five million beta testers first on July 29. Afterwards, there will be a staggered rollout for everyone else. That also means Windows 10 won’t be available for new computers sold on July 29, Bloomberg reports. Instead, you can either upgrade your new computer inside a store (we’ve love to see how smoothly that process goes), or get bumped ahead in the Windows 10 download queue if they want to upgrade later.
As for those non-profits, Microsoft is committing $10 million to supporting 10 global firms, as well as 100 smaller outfits in 10 countries. On top of the cash, it’s also offering help with organizing initiatives to “upgrade the world.” And of course, we’d imagine that Windows 10 will be a big part of Microsoft’s good-will initiative. Similarly, it’s giving employees an extra day off to upgrade their local communities to Windows 10 on launch day.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Hayao Miyazaki is back — with a 3D CG short
Here’s some bittersweet news for fans of Studio Ghibli’s animation genius Hayao Miyazaki: He’s back in the directing chair! But, it’s for a 3D CG short, not a traditional animated feature, Variety reports. Miyazaki effectively retired from feature directing with his last film, The Wind Rises, but he always left the door open for other projects. The new CG short will center on a hairy caterpillar (who’s sure to break your heart somehow), and marks the first time Miyazaki has worked with 3D in a major project. It might be a while before you see it, though. The untitled film will take three years to complete, and it’s being made for Ghibli’s Tokyo museum. It’s unclear if it’ll be shown anywhere else. If you’re still looking for a Miyazaki fix, and you’ve seen all of this films already, be sure to check out the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (streaming on Netflix), which masterfully covers the making of The Wind Rises.
[Photo credit: Getty/Michael Tran/FilmMagic]
Filed under: HD
Source: Variety
ZTE sold 26 million smartphones in the first half of 2015
ZTE is a Chinese handset manufacturer that you’ve probably been reading about more and more in the news, from its recent launch of its Android-powered Spro 2 mobile hotspot/mobile projector on Verizon to the Axon smartphone that it will produce for US customers. In case you were wondering just how big ZTE is, the Chinese company has just announced it has sold over 46 million smartphones, tablets and smart home products in the first half of 2015.
Smartphones account for around 26 million sales, with around 39% of those being high-end products costing $250 or more. Sales in the US market grew by an impressive 41% in the first half of 2015.
That doesn’t mean that ZTE is hitting its self-imposed targets though, it had originally planned to sell around 80 million smartphones in 2015, but that number has since been rationalised to 60 million. This figure might need to be reduced further still as ZTE’s home-grown rivals (Xiaomi, Huawei, Meizu, etc.) plan on releasing new flagship devices in the second half of 2015. Are you one of the people that bought a ZTE smartphone? If so, would you do so again?
Source: Mobile-Dad
Via: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: ZTE sold 26 million smartphones in the first half of 2015
HERE Maps beta update brings a brand new user interface
Nokia has started rolling out an update for the beta version of its HERE Maps application via the Google Play Store. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade brings a brand new interface to the service, in addition to a contextual menu that can be activated by a long press anywhere on the map.
The full changelog for the upgrade can be seen below:
- New UI
- Contextual Menu – A single, long-press anywhere on the map brings up a shortcut menu to quickly see location information, share a location, get directions or start drive navigation.
- Bug Fixes
- Stability Improvements
If you wish to get in on the beta testing action, simply follow the 3 steps listed below:
- Join HERE Maps’ public Google Group.
- Register to become a beta tester, by clicking here.
- Follow this link, to download HERE Maps’ latest beta application through Google Play.
If you’re already a subscriber to the HERE Maps beta and would like to install the update on your smartphone, simply open up the Play Store, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on ‘HERE Maps’. You’re now going to want to hit the update button.
Come comment on this article: HERE Maps beta update brings a brand new user interface
New research report says tablet sales have peaked
As new technology form factors like smartwatches and virtual reality headsets continue to grab the attention of the industry, one piece of hardware that has faded from the limelight is the tablet. Even Apple’s devices have been hit by the lack of interest on the part of buyers according to a new research report from Forrester Research, although Lenovo has managed to buck the trend.
Forrester points to several issues that could be having an impact on tablet sales and why they may have reached a plateau. One of those issues is replacement rates for tablets which are lower than smartphones. This is likely driven by a lack of new features or significantly improved hardware from earlier generations to what is available now.
Another factor seems to be increasing interest in large screen smartphones, sometimes referred to as “phablets.” Though not for everyone, consumers who opt for larger devices like Samsung’s Note series, the iPhone 6+, the Lumia 1520 from Microsoft may be using them as a substitute for an additional tablet device. Forrester says 11 percent of information workers consider their “phablet” device to be their tablet.
Forrester did identify some opportunities for manufacturers who are looking for profits from tablets. According to the report, businesses are continuing to make more use of the devices and at least half of employees reported using a tablet at least once a week for work. Approximately 29% of businesses provide tablets to their employees for work use.
Business interest in tablets may be what helped Lenovo grow sales of their tablet devices while the rest of the industry went flat or fell. Lenovo’s devices tend to have larger screens and they have a focus on productivity solutions.
Do you use a tablet on your job or would it make your job easier to have one? Let us know in the comments.
source: TechCrunch
Come comment on this article: New research report says tablet sales have peaked
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