Deal: BLU Studio Energy 2 selling for $130 ($50 off) on Amazon, has a 5000 mAh battery
If you are on the look out for a budget Android smartphone under $150 that that also offers a (really) long battery life, then this killer deal is meant for you. The BLU Studio Energy 2, released in October this year, is now selling on Amazon for only $130. That’s $50 knocked off its retail price, making it a lucrative deal for budget smartphone hunters.
What makes this BLU phone so special is that it packs a gigantic 5000 mAh battery, which is sure to last at least two days thanks to the device’s modest 5-inch HD (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED display and 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor. The MediaTek chipset in question is made of four energy-efficient ARM Cortex A53 cores and is paired with a Mali-T720 GPU.
See also: Best cheap Android phones (December 2015)
For $130, you get a recently released smartphone that offers 1.5GB of RAM, 8MP rear and 5MP selfie cameras, 16GB of expandable storage via microSD slot (up to 64GB), Dual SIM slots, and support for 4G LTE networks. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, which may not be the latest version of Android OS around, but for a device in this budget range it’s still great.
Don’t buy this phone expecting software upgrades to new versions of Android OS. It’s something we absolutely can’t promise. However, do buy this phone if you’re looking for a quality Android handset to function as a backup phone with a long battery life. Or perhaps if you’re on a tight budget and still want a decent quality handset without compromising on the display, battery life and other critical aspects of a smartphone.
Best Buy is selling the Nexus 6P, temporary discount included
The Nexus 6P, Google’s high-end flagship to carry the company through most of 2016, is now being sold by another retailer. As expected, Best Buy is selling the Nexus 6P. The electronics retailer is selling just the 64GB model in Aluminum at the moment while also taking $50 off of its price. So you can get this model for $499 compared to its usual $549 price.
It’s unclear when (or even if) Best Buy will be adding other storage options and colors of the Nexus 6P to its lineup.
The bad news, at least for now, is that Best Buy has completely sold out of the Nexus 6P online and stores are not yet selling the handset. If you’re trying to get one before Christmas on Friday, head over to the Google Store because Google is selling the Nexus 6P for $449 to start and overnight shipping is included at no extra charge.
[Best Buy]
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[Deal] Get over 90 courses from Stone River Academy for 92% off
Some of the deals that pass through the ranks here at AndroidGuys are focused on improving your life through various courses. These courses can lead to new career opportunities, and which in turn, could lead you to the perfect job that you’ve always been looking for. Today’s deal is no different.
The Stone River Academy is a set of 90+ courses with over 2,000 hours of online learning content. Within these courses you will be able to learn everything and anything you want about web/mobile programming, web design, and more. What makes this Lifetime Subscription to the Stone River Academy stand apart from the rest is how often new courses are being added.
Every month, two to five courses are added to the already expansive library of courses designed to teach you what you want, when you want, and at your own pace. You won’t need to try and keep up with the class, whether for better or worse, and can move at your own speed when your schedule allows it.
- Access to all current & future content; over 90 courses, 2000+ hours and counting
- All level courses available on web & mobile programming, web design, game app creation, 3D-animation & more
- Instruction for using Bootstrap, Unity 3D, Java, Python, MySQL, node.js, CSS & more
- Skills for advancing your career or learning a hobby
Normally priced at almost $1,500, you can head over to the AndroidGuys Deals page and grab this deal for 92% off at only $109. That’s a crazy amount of savings for the sheer volume of courses that are included with the Lifetime Subscription to the Stone River Academy.
Drop us a line and let us know if these kind of deals pique your interest, and if you decided to treat yo’self to this great deal from AndroidGuys and StackCommerce.
You can find this, and many other great tech bargains through our Deals page. Backed by StackCommerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
AndroidGuys Deals: Stone River Academy: Lifetime Subscription
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Newegg’s best-selling unlocked Android phones (December 21)
Plenty of Samsung to choose from, but Asus hold key spots
Not many people know this, but Newegg is a pretty solid destination for finding discounts and deals on unlocked smartphones. Yep, you can shop from a number of models that you might not see from another retailer or carrier. For instance, you can purchase a couple of Asus and ZTE devices that’s offered elsewhere.
Interestingly enough, the top selling unlocked Android smartphone right now is the Sony Xperia Z1, and older phone from a few generations back. Moreover, the Galaxy Note 3, from two years ago, is in the top ten, too.
The benefit of an unlocked smartphone, for those who aren’t aware, is that it can be used on a variety of wireless service providers. Moreover, going this route ensures you don’t have to worry about contracts or long-term obligations. Want to hop from T-Mobile to AT&T or vice-versa? That’s no problem when you’re using an unlocked GSM phone.
We’ve gathered up the 10 best-selling unlocked Android smartphones from Newegg so you can get a sense for what’s available. Indeed, you’ll see a nice mix of big-name vendors and devices from other, scrappy players. Note that we’ve omitted color variations; you might find other colors available. Yes, you’ll also find some iPhones in the mix, too, but that’s not our bag.
So, the next time you need to replace your existing phone, consider scooping up one of these. It’s often a heck of a lot cheaper than going through your carrier in the long run.
- Sony Xperia Z1 16GB – $461 (Save $278)
- Asus Zenfone 2 Laser 32GB – $199 (Save $50)
- Asus Zenfone 2 64GB – $299
- Motorola Nexus 6 32GB – $369
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5 32GB – $650 (Save $650)
- ZTE Axon Pro 64GB – $450
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge 32GB – $669 (Save $730)
- Samsung Galaxy Alpha 32GB – $309 (Save $294)
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge 32GB – $560 (Save $540)
- Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB RAM – $448 (Save $394)
The post Newegg’s best-selling unlocked Android phones (December 21) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
‘Saturday Night Live’ created the perfect ‘hoverboard’ ad
If Amazon’s push to throw out unsafe hoverboards wasn’t enough of a wakeup call for you, this Saturday Night Live sketch might make you think twice about picking one up. The gadgets, which exploded in popularity this year, also have a tendency to, well, catch fire. Airlines have already banned them, and US officials are also looking into how safe they are. The big problem seems to be cheap batteries used by some hoverboard manufacturers. If you’re looking to get one, just be sure to do your research.
Source: SNL
Video game tie-ins shouldn’t feel ‘cheap’
It used to be that if you loved a video game, your options for showing it beyond buying the cartridge or disc were pretty limited. Now there’s a whole cottage industry for gaming fandom. Want a rad vinyl soundtrack for a hyper-violent indie game? Say no more. How about an evocative statue showcasing the duality of a game’s strong, female protagonist? You’re covered there, too.
But for every one of the former, there were seemingly a dozen tasteless cash-ins. When these brand extensions are done right, we wind up with heartfelt keepsakes or ways to keep a game in our lives while we’re away from the controller. But when a company blows it, you get crap like tacky game-branded mini-fridges.
There have been video game soundtracks released on vinyl before, but they were few and far between; 2015 was the year that they went mainstream. The year started with incredible vinyl releases for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, Journey and The Last of Us soundtracks, but the strategy soon devolved into just another bullet point for corporate suits to hit.
Now we have games with less-than-memorable scores getting careless vinyl releases because it’s just another revenue stream to be mined. It’s actually kind of impressive how quickly it all happened: Wrong Number released in March for $60 with killer packaging and a download code for the game. By November, we had a bare-bones pressing of the score for Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection up for pre-order.
Publishers want to gauge interest and ensure you’ll pre-order their games as far in advance as possible, so tying pricey — and limited — editions to them is one way of ensuring that. Publisher Bethesda Softworks likely knew it had the most anticipated release of the year on its hands with Fallout 4 and could’ve slapped the series’ iconic Vault Boy character on anything — like what Disney is doing with Star Wars — and made a fortune.
Instead, its big-ticket item was a real-world version of the franchise’s wrist-worn computer. The Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition sold out multiple times because publisher Bethesda couldn’t keep up with demand for the $120 smartphone holster. But the hunk of plastic was a heartfelt nod to fans of the studio and franchise. The Pip-Boy wasn’t some random widget from the game world. It’d been a part of the series for almost two decades, something fans interacted with in-game frequently.
Contrast that with the $200 Call of Duty: Black Ops III Juggernog Edition that features a mini-fridge from the game’s “zombies” multiplayer mode. Because there’s a new Call of Duty every year, each with its own overpriced premium edition and throw-away “big” item, the Perk-A-Cola fridge rings hollow. Sure, something to keep a dozen cans of your gaming fuel of choice might be genuinely useful, but at that price you’d be better off buying a regular beer-fridge for your living room.
If this year’s taught us anything, it’s that video game publishers don’t hold much sacred when it comes to beefing up their bottom line. And that’s incredibly apparent when even the best ideas get run into the ground. Maybe 2016 will fix that. Or maybe we’ll get another run of hideous-looking game consoles.
Deal: the Nexus 6 32GB is just $249 on Amazon
Fast updates, a large and beautiful display, and great performance: the Nexus 6 remains a very attractive choice for fans of pure Android, and today it’s available from $249 on Amazon.
The Motorola-made Nexus 6 is available in white or blue for $249 for the 32GB version, while the 64GB model (white only) costs an extra $50. This is an unlocked model offered with one year of US warranty; make sure to check if it’s compatible with your carrier before clicking the buy button.
The 32GB Nexus 6 can normally be bought for $349, while the list price is a whopping $650. At $100 off, this is a pretty sweet deal for someone who is looking for a Nexus 6P alternative on the cheap.
- Get the Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked Cellphone, 32GB, Cloud White for $249.99
- Get the Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked Cellphone, 64GB, Cloud White for $299.99
- Get the Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked Cellphone, 32GB, Midnight Blue for $249.99
For more details on the Nexus 6, check out our in-depth review and versus comparison with the Nexus 6P.
This is not a Daily Deal promo, so it’s possible that the deal will be valid through the following days. That said, we recommend you make up your mind sooner, rather than later.
Happy shopping!
Google Pixel C review
Along with the new Nexus smartphones, Google announced the latest addition to their tablet portfolio in late September. However, in a rather surprising move, this tablet doesn’t feature the Nexus branding, but is instead the latest addition to the Pixel series, despite being an Android device.
Confusing nomenclature and differing operating systems aside, the Pixel C, like its laptop counterpart, is being touted as a device designed with productivity in mind. Quite a few tablets this year have targeted this niche, but is this curious device really a viable alternative to your laptop/computer? We find out, in this comprehensive Google Pixel C review!
Buy the Pixel C from the Play Store
Related: Google Pixel C first look and hands-on
Design
Having been designed by the Pixel team, it isn’t surprising that the Pixel C shares a lot of its design language with its laptop counterpart, and in fact, with the additional keyboard attached to the tablet, the device almost looks like a mini Chromebook Pixel. The tablet features the iconic minimalistic Pixel design language, including the brushed aluminium build, along with the multi-colored light bar on the back. Like with the Chromebook Pixel, this light bar can be used to check to battery status by tapping on it.
The power button and volume rocker are also made of metal and feel very click-y, and with a good amount of tactile feedback. Dual stereo speakers are found on opposite sides of the tablet, which are beautifully machined into the frame, and the headphone jack is on the upper right side. Like the new Nexus smartphones and the Chromebook Pixel, Google has adopted the latest USB Type-C port for the Pixel C, for syncing and fast charging.
Admittedly, the design of the Pixel C isn’t more than the standard slate form that we are used to, and it may not be the lightest tablet in the world, but its elegant minimalism is what is sure to catch the eye. It also feels absolutely solid, and with every inch of this tablet put together very well, this device certainly screams high quality.
Keyboard
If you’re looking to get the most out of this tablet, it is definitely a good idea to pick up the optional keyboard that is available. The tablet attaches to the keyboard using some very strong magnets, and you can then adjust the “screen” to whatever angle you find ideal. It does not close like a laptop however, and instead, you will have to detach the tablet and place it face down on the keyboard to close it.
If you want to use the Pixel C as a tablet without detaching the keyboard completely, the keyboard can be hooked onto the back, but this does make the device even heavier and quite thick, resulting in a very cumbersome handling experience if you are planning to continue to use it in this manner for longer than a few minutes.
The keyboard may not be full-size, but it is still quite easy to type on. The keys are spacious and with a good amount of travel to them, and there is enough separation between the keys to make them easy to find and identify by feel. Even though the keyboard connects to the tablet via Bluetooth, it can only be used when magnetically attached to the tablet along the hinge, which is great way to ensure there won’t be any accidental or unwanted key strokes. Another nice thing about this keyboard is that it gets its power from the tablet itself, which removes the hassle of carrying around any additional charging cables. The keyboard charges wirelessly when it’s closed in the fashion mentioned above.
If there is a negative about this keyboard, it is the fact that it’s nothing more than just a keyboard. There aren’t any dedicated Android shortcut keys to be found, and neither is there a trackpad, which means that the majority of your interaction with the tablet is still going to be via touch input. This results in a somewhat disjointed experience, and apart from being able to physically type instead of relying on on-screen keyboards, the keyboard doesn’t provide any extra value or functionality.
Display
The Pixel C comes with a 10.2-inch IPS LCD display with a 2560 x 1800 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 308 ppi. As is the case with the rest of the tablet, this display is absolutely top notch and looks fantastic. It is very sharp and easy to read, colors are vibrant and saturated but without being overly so, and it gets bright enough to allow for comfortable outdoor visibility. The large display is perfect for browsing the web, watching videos, and playing games, and with an unusual aspect ratio of 1:√2, you get plenty of width for media-consumption in both the portrait and landscape orientations.
Performance and hardware
Under the hood, the Pixel C comes with a quad-core Nvidia Tegra X1 processor, clocked at 1.9 GHz, and backed by the Nvidia Maxwell GPU and 3 GB of RAM. This processing package provides ample power for any tablet, and even more so in the case of one that is running a stock version of the Android software. Swiping and scrolling through the various elements of the user interface is extremely smooth and snappy, multi-tasking is a breeze, and the device even handles graphically-intensive games very well. The only time there was any indication of a stutter or slow down was unfortunately when using the keyboard. Sometimes, the key presses would lag by several keystrokes, and was an issue that was particularly prominent when using Google Docs.
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The Pixel C comes with 32 GB or 64 GB built-in storage options, but with no expandable storage via microSD card possible, users that have storage concerns will have to opt for the higher choice, despite the hefty premium that it warrants.
The dual speakers of the Pixel C may not be front-facing, but still sound amazing. They get incredibly loud and the audio is crisp and clean, which means that you will rarely find yourself needing to reach for your headphones. It really makes for a far better media-consumption and gaming experience on a tablet when the speakers are this good, and they are also positioned well enough that you won’t end up muffling the sound when holding up the device.
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On the battery front, the battery life of the Pixel C has proven to be pretty good, with the device able to comfortably make it through a full day of use with heavy usage, that involved a lot of watching videos and playing games. With heavy usage, the device lasted for around 12 to 15 hours, with around 5.5 hours of screen-on time, and with more standard use, you should be able to push the tablet for a few days without needing to recharge.
See also: Best cheap Android tablets (November 2015)
Camera
The camera has never been one of the highlighted aspects of the tablet experience, and the 8 MP rear camera and 2.1 MP front-facing unit of the Pixel C aren’t going to change that notion any time soon. The primary camera does a good job in daylight and well-lit situations, but as expected, the quality deteriorates quite quickly as lighting conditions worsen, with shots in low-light having a lot of noise and very little detail. The front-facing camera is serviceable for the occasional tablet selfie and video calls.
As far as the camera application is concerned, what you get here is the standard Google Camera app, with all of its usual modes, like Lens Blur, Panorama, and Photosphere to be found. Taking pictures with a tablet is still an awkward experience in public, and while you will likely not be taking a lot of photos with it, the camera will do in a pinch.
Software
The Pixel C is being marketed a device that is intended for both work and play, and that is where the software experience comes in. The device is running Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, and that means you get access to all the latest features, such as Doze, user defined App Permissions, and Google Now on Tap. The experience is as pure as it gets, but there are a few minor differences to be seen that aren’t available with the Nexus devices.
To start with, the placement of the notification drop down is contingent on where you swipe down on the display. The on-screen navigation keys have been split to the bottom left and right corners of the screen, which was most likely done to help prevent having to reach over the top of the keyboard to reach them. Other than that, this is the same stock Android experience that you may be familiar with from Nexus devices.
It is definitely possible to be productive on the Android operating system, and the availability of the keyboard means that it is very easy to write up emails, word documents, or create spreadsheets. However, without split-screen multi-tasking, it is quite difficult to do two things at once. Jumping back and forth between applications can start to feel very cumbersome when you’re trying to work on multiple projects at once, with the only multi-tasking option available being via the Recent Apps screen.
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The biggest problem that Android still faces is that a lot of third-party applications aren’t optimized for tablet use. Many apps, like Instagram or Snapchat, are just blown up versions of the smartphone app, and those that don’t support landscape orientation can be quite awkward to use when you have the Pixel C paired with the keyboard. Android is a great OS as a whole, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow is its best version yet, but it unfortunately still has a long way to go before it can be considered an OS meant for hardcore productivity.
Specifications
| Google Pixel C | |
|---|---|
| Display | 10.2-inch LTPS LCD display 2560 x 1800, 308ppi 500 nits √2 aspect ratio |
| Processor | NVIDIA Tegra X1 64-bit processor |
| GPU | 256-core Maxwell GPU |
| RAM | 3GB, LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 32/64GB, non-expandable |
| Battery | 34.2 WHr |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO, dual-band (2.4GHz, 5.0 GHz) Bluetooth 4.1 + HS |
| Audio | Stereo Speakers Quad microphones |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Cameras | 8MP rear camera 2MP front camera |
| Ports and connectors | USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio |
| Sensors | Gyroscope Accelerometer Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Compass Hall Effect Sensor |
| Materials | Anodized Aluminum |
| Size and weight | 242 x 179 x 7mm, 0.517kg |
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Pricing and final thoughts
The Pixel C is priced starting at $499 for the 32 GB version, requiring an additional $100 to double the storage. The keyboard will also set you back an additional $150, which means that the overall package can be quite expensive, but depending on how much you value the Pixel hardware, you might find it worth the cost.
There is no denying that the Pixel C is a fantastic device. Apart from being one of the most beautifully-designed and well-built tablets currently available, the Pixel C is a lot of fun to use when it comes to media-consumption and gaming. That said, the fact that it’s running Android, instead of something like Chrome OS, means that it isn’t ideal with regards to productivity; in this respect, the Pixel C doesn’t offer any more functionality than what you can get with any other Android tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard.
You will be able to deal with emails and write word documents easily, but multi-tasking is an issue, and more complex tasks, like advanced video editing, aren’t possible yet. Rumors of Android N featuring split-screen multi-tasking may help the Pixel C be the productivity machine it’s touted to be, but for now, it isn’t quite there yet.
HOM-BOT Turbo+ is the phone controlled vacuum cleaner of your domestic dreams
If there’s one downside to the holiday season it’s knowing that you have to clean up all that shredded wrapping paper and the fallen pines from the tree. Fortunately next year our gadgets will be able to handle that for us too, as LG will be showing off its HOM-BOT Turbo+ robotic vacuum cleaner at CES 2016, which you can control using your smartphone.
The HOM-BOT Turbo+ heads up an upgraded range of CordZero vacuums that LG will be showing off early next year. The little robot’s flagship feature is the world’s first augmented reality view which you can observe through your smartphone. From there, you can issue real-time commands for the bot to go and clean a particularly area just by tapping on your screen.
The vacuum cleaner also uses its vision system to find its way through your home without crashing into obstacles and can also keep track of which areas it has already cleaned. If you’re into your vacuum tech, LG states that its new Smart Inverter Motor is 76 percent smaller, 65 percent lighter and 24 percent more efficient on average than conventional vacuum motors.
The HOM-Bot Turbo+ also pulls a double shift as your home’s security guard. It can send pictures from inside your home straight to your smartphone, if it senses any movement while you are out of the house.
LG will be unveiling additional details about its robot vacuum cleaner at CES 2016, which is scheduled to run from January 6th to 9th.
Motorola’s UK holiday sale is underway, Moto 360 discounted to just £200
Motorola today began its holiday sale, discounting the latest refresh of the Moto 360, for men and women, to a meager £200. The deal will last until December 27, giving consumers in the UK an extra couple of days after Christmas to take advantage of this sale.
Keep in mind that in order to take advantage of these discounts from Motorola, you’ll need to enter the correct promotional code during the checkout process.
Here’s the discount breakdown:
- Men’s Moto 360 (42mm) for £200 – (use promo code UKXMASM42)
- Men’s Moto 360 (46mm) for £230 – (use promo code UKXMASM46)
- Women’s Moto 360 (42mm) for £210 – (use promo code UKXMASW42)
Do remember that these discounts only apply to the base models, and adding on extras like golden links or micro knurls will increase the price.
Anyone plan on picking one of these smartwatches up? If so, be sure to check out our step-by-step guide on using the Moto Maker to construct a Moto 360 that’s right for you or a loved one!
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s UK holiday sale is underway, Moto 360 discounted to just £200
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