Zagg Review: The Messenger Universal Keyboard for iPad Pro Is a Good Value, but Has a Few Drawbacks
When the iPad Pro launched, Zagg had a third-party keyboard ready to go for the device – the Messenger Universal, an affordable universal keyboard designed to fit a wide range of tablets as large as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
As a simple universal keyboard, it has the benefit of being readily available for purchase and it’s relatively cheap compared to other options, but there are some definite downsides to the Messenger Universal that may prevent it from being a viable option for some people.
Rather than taking advantage of the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro, the Messenger Universal connects over Bluetooth like any traditional Bluetooth keyboard, pairing via the Settings app on the iPad Pro. I had no problems with setup and there were no loss-of-connection issues during my time testing the keyboard.
The Messenger Universal consists of a magnetic Smart Cover-style flap that props up the iPad and an accompanying full-sized keyboard. It doesn’t double as a case or a cover for the iPad like the Logitech CREATE or Apple’s own Smart Keyboard — it’s strictly a keyboard and a stand. Because it’s made for a range of different devices, the Messenger Universal can be paired with other tablets and smartphones in addition to the iPad Pro.
When not in use, the keyboard folds up folio style with the cover portion protecting the keys, so it’s fairly compact for travel. It is as wide as the iPad Pro at 12 inches, so it’s going to take up a fair amount of space in a bag or backpack, and it’s also just over a half an inch thick. The outside cover of the keyboard is a soft water-resistant material that’ll protect the keyboard from rain and spills, and the keyboard itself is made from a lightweight plastic.
MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Rugged Waterproof BRV-1 Speaker From Braven
For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Braven to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of the company’s BRV-1 outdoor speakers. The BRV-1 is a rugged speaker that’s ideal for outdoor use at the beach, the pool, hiking, or anywhere else.
It’s light weight and compact at 4.75 x 3.25 x 2.25 inches, able to fit in the palm of a hand, and its shockproof exterior keeps it safe from drops and dings. It has an IPX7 waterproof rating, so it’s going to survive rain and splashes. It can be fully submersed in water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes.
The BRV-1’s battery will last for 12 hours of continuous audio play and it comes equipped with a 1,400 mAh powerbank that can give an iPhone or iPad a little more juice. There’s a built-in noise-canceling microphone and speakerphone and it has a 33 foot wireless range when connected to an iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth.
Braven’s BRV-1 is available from the Braven website for $99, but two MacRumors readers will be able to win one of the speakers through our giveaway. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize.
You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveawayhttps://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.jsThe contest will run from today (December 4) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 11. The winners will be chosen randomly on December 11 and will be contacted by email. The winners have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen. The prizes will be shipped to the winners for free.
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The best powerline networking kit
By Samara Lynn
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. Read the full article here.
After 5 hours of research and 29 hours of testing with 12 different kits, we found that the best powerline networking adapter for most people is the ZyXEL 1200 Mbps Powerline AV1200 Gigabit Adapter. A powerline networking adapter transmits an Internet signal over your home’s electrical wiring, so it is a good way to provide Internet access to a distant part of your house without running additional cables or using a Wi-Fi extender. The ZyXEL model offered the best combination of price, performance, and power efficiency out of all the adapters we tested. Its speed is matched only by adapters costing significantly more, it’s easy to set up, and it’s the only model we tested that includes a browser-based management interface.
Microsoft’s Build 2016 conference kicks off on March 30
Microsoft’s last Build developer conference was a doozy, since it was the company’s final shot at convincing developers that Windows 10 was worth their time. For its next conference, Microsoft is returning to SF’s Moscone Center between March 29 and April 1, according to chief developer evangelist Steven Guggenheimer. Now that Windows 10 is in the wild, the company will likely focus on how it’ll be improving the platform in 2016. I wouldn’t expect anything huge from the conference, but it’ll still be a good chance for Microsoft to directly address developer concerns (and maybe convince them to take its phones more seriously). Hopefully, we’ll also learn more about how Microsoft plans to fit HoloLens into the Windows 10 ecosystem (last year we got a chance to build HoloLens apps).
Source: Steven Guggenheimer (Twitter)
7 gifts for sports fanatics
Winter is coming. And with it also comes the need to show the loved ones in your life just how much you care for them by spending, spending, spending on gifts. Trouble is, there are just so many options to choose from. What you really need is someone, some outside force to hold your credit card-holding hand. And boy, do we have some suggestions for you. Happy Holidays! You’re very welcome.
Whether someone you know is an athlete or just one of the (many) people that loves and admires them, our gifting picks should cover all the bases.
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How Casio accidentally started reggae’s digital revolution
Looking at the Casio Casiotone MT40, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was an unremarkable keyboard. You may even have owned one just like it. Launched in 1981, the cream machine came with 37 keys, 22 different instrument sounds, six onboard rhythms and a dedicated mini bass keyboard. It cost around $150 or, adjusting for inflation, about $400 if it were on sale today.
Beneath that beige plastic, however, the MT40 hid a secret. A “rock” preset that, once discovered, would reverberate in popular music for the next 30 years. The preset would become one of reggae’s most famous “riddims,” inspire many imitations and force the genre into the digital age. The story of the “sleng teng” riddim (as it is known) in reggae history is well documented, but its origins are based on myth. This is the real story of how Casio’s MT40 became the most influential keyboard of its kind.
For the uninitiated, this is the three second melody that started it all:
What is dead may never die: HTC HD2 gets Marshmallow port
The HTC HD2 began its life unassumingly enough back in 2009 as a simple Windows Phone 6.5-powered smartphone. We highly doubt HTC knew of the legacy the phone would end up carrying. As most of you probably know, we’re talking about how dev-friendly and dev-embraced the phone has been over the years, finding various ports of Unix, modern versions of Windows Phone up to 8, Firefox OS, and of course Android.
Over the years, the HTC HD2 has seen Android 2.1, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, and now Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Now let’s be totally frank here, running these builds doesn’t mean a “completely functioning experience”.
According to XDA Senior Member macs18max, the HTC HD2’s Marshmallow build allows you to use the screen, wifi, and audio, but that’s about it. It’s sluggish, buggy, and far from a daily driver. But if you were really thinking about using an HD2 as a daily driver at this point, you have bigger problems.
Even if the ROM is far from fully functional, it’s still quite impressive to see a six year old handset getting such support. For those that aren’t in the know, the HD2 is powered by a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor with just 448MB of usable RAM, alongside a 4.3-inch display with a resolution of 800 x 480. To call it simply dated would be a compliment at this stage, as the hardware is better described as archaic.
See also: Android 6.0 Marshmallow – New features explained
If you happen to have an HTC HD2 laying around still, you can head over to the XDA forums for more specific details on how to get the ROM up and (semi-)running.
Are you shocked to see the HTC HD2’s ancient hardware still (very slowly) chugging along with modern OSes onboard? Share your thoughts down in the comments.
Nexus 5X – Second opinion
Alongside with the Nexus 6P, Google also launched a smaller, and more importantly, affordable Nexus smartphone in the Nexus 5X. With LG at the helm once again, the spiritual successor of the Nexus 5 built upon everything that users loved about the original, while obviously featuring all the appropriate updates needed to keep up with current smartphone trends. Granted, the Nexus 5X may not offer the full flagship experience that is available with its larger sibling, but it is still a great phone to have on the daily.
Lanh has already given us a fantastic in-depth review of this device, but here, I would like to take the opportunity to express my own thoughts on certain key aspects of this smartphone, in this “second opinion” look at the Nexus 5X!
Design
The Nexus 5 was a very well-received device, and even if it wasn’t the sturdiest phone out there, it was still very easy to use, given its size and the build material. The same can also be said for the Nexus 5X, that retains a lot of the build quality from its predecessor but now uses a two-tone color scheme that is pretty nice, even if it doesn’t offer the unified look that the Nexus 5 had.
The Nexus 5X is also not a particularly sturdy device, and the soft plastic backing will likely suffer some damage from accidental bumps and drops. Overall, the design is still very enjoyable however, and the build quality does fit with what would be expected from the lower-end of the two current Nexus smartphones.
Display
The Nexus 5X features a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with a 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 424 ppi. This display may not match up to the current flagship standard of Quad HD, but Full HD more than gets the job done, and is perfectly fine for a screen of this size. The display offers plenty in the way of sharpness and viewing angles, and is easy to view in broad daylight as well. This is definitely a very nice display to have, and work and play are both very enjoyable on this screen.
Unfortunately, it’s only when you compare this screen to another, such as the AMOLED display of the Nexus 6P, do you see its shortcomings. It doesn’t necessarily have really high contrast, the black levels are a little bit washed out, and it lacks the punch in colors. That said, these factors don’t really detract from what is a pretty good display experience to have with your daily driver.
Performance and hardware
Under the hood, the Nexus 5X packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, backed by the Adreno 418 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. The Snapdragon 808 is definitely a good performer, and is seen with a few other 2015 flagships out there, but the main detraction here is the availability of just 2 GB of RAM. When it comes to general everyday tasks, where you aren’t doing a whole lot on the phone, or shuttling between two or three applications that are not very demanding, you will have a good time with the device.
However, when it comes to the power user experience, the shortcomings of this processing package did show up. There have been plenty of times where I have been able to overload this device, especially with just 2 GB of RAM, which seems kind of paltry, with the expectation of at least 3 GB nowadays. There are three different tasks that I do on a regular basis, with them being GPS navigation, a lot of listening to music or podcasts in the background, and using the camera. In a situation where I was listening to a podcast while using the GPS navigation, and needed to take a picture of something, the camera would unfortunately not load at all.
Everything remains smooth for about 80% of the time, and for the most part, transitions and opening, closing, and switching between apps are snappy. The device also performs at its peak when it isn’t getting warm, but after some demanding usage, where the phone starts to heat up a little bit, is when instances of slow down are seen. It’s not wrong to say that the performance is very smooth, but that is something that will unfortunately not be seen a 100% of the time. Granted, this might be true for a lot of smartphones out there, but the Nexus 5X tended to face these issues more often than not.
In terms of hardware, the main addition with the current generation Nexus smartphones is the fingerprint scanner. The placement on the back is something that I am very used to now, and I actually find myself instinctively reaching for the back with other phones as well.
Google has also adopted the new USB Type-C standard with these devices, and that change is still something that is taking some getting used to. If you have a lot of extra charging docks or external power banks, you will need to get new cables to actually be able to take advantage of these peripherals to charge the device properly. Battery life has been about average, with two and a half hours of screen-on time with heavy usage, which can be pushed to about an hour more with more casual use. The device also comes with fast-charging capabilities, so it doesn’t take long to get the phone back and running quickly.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s battery-saving Doze feature has also been working very well, but worth mentioning here is that it is a good idea to put the applications you do want notifications from on the priority list. Since Doze keeps notifications from coming in when the device is in its low power state, if an app is not on the priority list, you might get a flood of notifications at once when you wake the device up again after a while.
Camera
The camera has also been really good on the Nexus 5X, and there have been no issues on this front. The only thing that is missing is optical image stabilization, and it has to be said that OIS does make some difference when compared to other devices that have this feature. However, the larger sensor of the new Nexus smartphones definitely does a great job of enhancing what used to be a lackluster experience with previous generations.
Camera samples
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Software
The software experience has been one of the best parts of the Nexus 5X. Not only do you have optimizations and new features with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but the entire package itself is very appealing. Changes include the now vertically-scrolling app drawer, with a row up top that houses your most used applications, which proved to be very useful. Google Now on Tap is also a nice addition, but is something that I don’t find myself using all that often. What we have here is probably the best version of Android thus far, and even with the addition of a few new features, it’s great to see that the optimizations do still allow for a smooth and snappy experience overall.
See also: Android 6.0 Marshmallow – New features explained
Specifications
| LG Nexus 5X | |
|---|---|
| Display | 5.2-inch LCD display 1920 x 1080 resolution, 424ppi Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Processor | 2.0GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992 processor |
| GPU | Adreno 418 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16, 32GB |
| MicroSD | No |
| Networks | GSM 850/1900 W-CDMA 2/4/5 CDMA 0/1/10 LTE Band 2/4/5/7/12/13/17/25/26/41 |
| Dual SIM | No |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, rear-mounted |
| Camera | 12.3MP rear-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, laser-assisted autofocus 5MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 aperture |
| Battery | 2700mAh, non-removable |
| Wireless charging | No |
| Dimensions | 147.0 x 72.6 x 7.9mm, 136g |
| Colors | Charcoal Black, Quartz White, Ice Blue |
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Final thoughts
So there you have it for this second opinion look at the Nexus 5X! I really wanted to love this phone, and in a lot of ways I really do. However, there were a few issues, mainly to do with performance, that proved to be a let down. On way more than a few occasions, I did have an issue with getting everything I wanted to done on this device, with the little bit of lag creating issues with typing, or resulting in slow loading times.
These problems may not be as much of a big deal for a lot of users out there, and the Nexus 5X is definitely a good choice in the affordable segment, but the flagship experience you may be looking for might not be available with this device.
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser with 6-inch display launched in India
Asus has launched a new variant of the ZenFone 2 Laser in India. While 5- and 5.5-inch variants of the phone are already available, the new variant is equipped with a larger 6-inch display.
The 6-inch ZenFone 2 Laser variant has a Full HD display backed by Gorilla Glass 4. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 616 octa-core SoC, which makes use of Cortex A53 CPUs clocked at 1.7GHz. The chip is paired with the Adreno 405 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage expandable via the microSD slot.
Flip the device over and you have 13MP rear camera with a f/2.0 lens and laser autofocus. For selfies, you’ll have to make do with a 5MP camera. The ZenFone 2 Laser supports LTE networks, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0. The entire package is powered by a 3000 mAh Li-Po removable battery. Android 5.1 Lollipop runs the show, with Asus’ Zen UI 2.0 running on top of it. The phone will be sold in Red, Silver, and Gold colour schemes.
Asus has definitely gone for an upgrade when it comes to internal specs as compared to the original ZenFone 2 Laser phones, both of which are equipped with the Snapdragon 410 quad-core chipset, 2GB RAM, and HD resolution (1280 x 720) displays. While the 5-inch variant has a 2400mAh battery, the 5.5-inch variant features a 3000mAh unit.
The 6-inch ZenFone 2 Laser gets some extra love from Asus. Apart from the bumped up specs, the Taiwanese firm is offering 100GB of Google Drive storage (valid for 2 years), in addition to 5GB of lifetime WebStorage, Asus’ own cloud storage service. The ZenFone 2 Laser will go on sale later tonight on Flipkart, Amazon, and Snapdeal for Rs. 17,999, or roughly $275.
Looking for a 6-inch Android smartphone? The ZenFone 2 Laser might just be the device you’re looking for. Let us know your thoughts about the phone in the comments below!
Google to Fix Incorrect 1-Star App Ratings in Search Results Next Week
Google today acknowledged an ongoing issue causing a number of iPhone, iPad and Mac apps to display incorrect one-star ratings in its search results on the web, and confirmed that a fix should be implemented by early next week.
“I’m happy to share that we’ve been working hard on providing a solution, and a new fix has been scheduled for the next release, which should be rolling out early next week,” wrote Google Search community manager AJ in the Google support forums.
A growing number of developers, including the makers of Dandelion, have reported incorrect one-star ratings in Google search results since late October, despite actually having higher-than-one-star ratings on iTunes.
One of the apps that we have developed – Dandelion App – has an average of 4 star rating on the iTunes store, however when you search it on Google Search, it comes up as 1 star. How does Google generate the average ratings on its search page? Is this an error? The app has more than 1 review – so just interested why it’s coming up with the wrong information.
The issue appears to be limited to App Store apps that have not received enough ratings (five or more) to display an average for the current version, a threshold that can take awhile to reach for apps that have limited downloads or frequent updates.
Google community manager AJ advises developers that continue to see incorrect ratings in search results after mid next week to report the issue in the Google support forums so the company can continue to investigate.
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AIVAnet 