LG G5 vs LG V10
LG introduced a new smartphone series late last year, in an attempt to get a bigger foothold in the premium smartphone market. The first of the series, the LG V10, brought with a durable build and some new hardware features, along with a unique take a secondary display experience.
- LG G5 review
- LG V10 review
Of course, that doesn’t mean their flagship G series has been forgotten, with the latest offering released this year introducing a dramatic departure from the norm for LG. A full metal construction and changes to the design language, while different for LG, may have been expected, but what makes the LG G5 stand out from the crowd is its unique modular capabilities.
Buy the LG G5 now!
Buy the LG V10 now!
Both the G5 and V10 are undoubtedly two of the best smartphones LG has ever released, but how do they fare when pit against each other? That’s what we find out, as we take an in-depth look at the LG G5 vs LG V10!
Design
While the LG G5 brought with a complete overhaul to the design and build quality, it was with the V10 that LG first experimented with different build materials and introduced metal to the mix, making it very different from any LG smartphone we had seen before it. The LG V10 comes with sides that are made of 316L stainless steel, and a body that is wrapped in DuraSkin, which is a sturdy, high quality silicone that is soft to the touch, and allows for a lot of grip.
These new material choices make for an extremely durable device, with the V10 being MIL-STD-810G certified for shock resistance. If you are someone who finds themselves to be dropping their phones often, or if your work or lifestyle requires a durable smartphone, the LG V10 is a great option. As you can see in our LG V10 drop test, the device will manage to survive an average drop far better than most other smartphones out there.
See also: LG V10 durability drop test31
On the other hand, the LG G5 comes with a full metal construction, but the use of layer of primer and paint coating has not been without controversy, and does make the device feel less premium than its metal counterparts. A key change to design language has been with regards to the signature rear button layout seen with previous LG flagships, including the V10. While the power button remains on the back, the volume rocker has been moved to a more traditional position on the side. This change isn’t going to be difficult to get used to per se, but some may miss the iconic design and button placement, and it is somewhat disappointing to see LG no longer have that available.
Of course, the other big change with the LG G5 is the modular design it now employs, which means that you can remove the bottom portion, and remove the battery to plug it into other attachments that add different functionality to the phone. This means that LG also continues to offer staple features like a removable battery with the G5, despite the move to a metal build. Needless to say, you also get a replaceable battery with the V10, accessible via the removable back cover.
The DuraSkin material allows for a lot of grip, which is especially important in the case of the V10, which proves to be quite big and unwieldy. The device isn’t necessarily bulky, but it is a wide and tall phone, and even if you are used to larger smartphones like the Galaxy Note 5 or Nexus 6P, handling the V10 can take some getting used to. If LG does decide to continue with the V series and release a successor for the V10, a smaller overall footprint would certainly be a big selling point.
Display
The LG V10 features a primary 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with a Quad HD resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 515 ppi, while the LG G5 comes with a 5.3-inch display with the same underlying technology and screen resolution, resulting in a slightly higher pixel density of 554 ppi. Both displays are nothing short of what is expected from LG, and allow for great viewing experiences. However, media consumption and gaming-centric users will certainly appreciate the additional display real estate that is available with the V10.
The unique feature of the LG V10 is the secondary screen that is available at the top of the display, and is actually one of the contributing factors to large size of this phone, with both displays combined giving the device the height that you’d see from a smartphone with a 6-inch display.
This second screen brings a lot of useful functionality to the table, including allowing for access to quick settings toggles, application shortcuts, recently-opened apps, and more. All your notifications will also be seen only on this screen, instead of popping up on the main display. The second screen works independently from the main display, allowing for a little bit of battery saving when looking at your notifications or other information.
Performance and hardware
With the LG G5 being the newer of the two, its not surprising that the 2016 flagship comes with the latest and greatest internals that are currently available. The LG G5 comes with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, clocked at 2.15 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 530 GPU and 4 GB of RAM. On the other hand, the LG V10 is powered by the older hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, clocked at 1.82 GHz, with an Adreno 418 GPU and 4 GB of RAM.
While the Snapdragon 808 is older, there isn’t a lot of difference you will see in terms of everyday performance. Granted, the LG G5 will comfortably beat the V10 when comparing benchmark test results, but when it comes to real world usage, that includes opening and closing applications, playing games, watching videos, surfing the web, using the camera, and other regular activities, the V10 remains fast and reliable.
See also: LG G5 battery life review51
The LG V10 comes with a slightly larger 3,000 mAh battery, compared to the 2,800 mAh unit available with the LG G5. As far as battery life is concerned, both are are just about above average performers, and while it is possible to comfortably get a full day of use out of either device, even with heavier usage, you won’t get a whole lot more than that.
As has been a staple feature with all LG smartphones, both the G5 and V10 come with removable batteries, so if you are worried about running out of battery, you always have the option of carrying around spares. Both smartphones also come with fast charging capabilities to get you up and running in a short amount of time, Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0 in the case of the V10, and QC 3.0 in the case of the G5, which also comes with a USB Type C (USB 3.0) port.
See also: LG G5 feature focus: modules and peripherals32
The reason the battery of the G5 is still removable, despite the move to a metal build, is because the bottom chin can be removed by the simple press of a button, and allows you to attach different modules in its place. Some of these modules, which LG calls “Friends,” include the Cam Plus, a camera grip with physical button and controls, and a Bang & Olufsen Hi-fi audio DAC, that provides higher quality audio. As we’ve said before, while the availability of these modules and the modular capabilities of the G5 do help make it different, this hasn’t proven to be a must have feature yet.
Camera
Both the LG G5 and V10 are unique when it comes their respective cameras, with both devices adopting dual camera setups, but in entirely different ways. While the V10 comes with two 5 MP cameras up front – one of which is of the wide angle variet – the G5 uses the same on the back; it features a 16 MP standard sensor, which is almost identical to the 16 MP rear camera of the V10, and is coupled with a secondary wide-angle 8 MP unit with 135-degree field of view.
The front-facing setup of the V10 allows you to take a lot of fun wide-angle selfies, and if you are looking to fit more people into the scene, or just more of the background, you can do so. This setup is great if you are into vlogging as well, and it is very easy to switch between the two front-facing cameras once you figure out the type of shot you want to take.
The second camera on the G5 allows it to capture 135 degree wide-angle shots and, unlike the V10 where you have to manually switch between the two cameras, the G5 automatically switches camera as you zoom in and out of a scene. The secondary camera allows for some fantastic-looking wide-angle shots, and the camera is a lot of fun to play around with. As Josh found at SXSW, the wide-angle camera on the G5 can be great for vlogging once you flip the phone around.
One thing that isn’t available with the G5 is the robust video pro mode that is found with V10. Having granular control over various aspects while recording video is a huge plus, and while it has surprisingly been left out with the G5, it’s something that LG might want to offer exclusively with the V series.
LG G5 camera samples:
As far as image quality goes, it is a toss up between the two, with the real difference between the two phones coming down to do the modes and features they offer. Both phone cameras are capable of taking excellent photos, and LG has done a really good job in the camera department with their recent flagships. Pictures taken with the G5 camera have slightly higher contrast, but as far as detail and other aspects go, things are pretty similar, given that these devices have identical sensors and similar post-processing.
LG V10 camera samples:
When choosing between these two smartphones, what it comes down to is whether you will have more use out of a wide angle lens up front or on the back, and how important the manual video that is available with the V10 is to you. Either way, you are going to have a lot of fun with either of these cameras.
Software
On the software side of things, there isn’t a whole lot that is different between the two experiences, given that they are both LG smartphones. The V10 runs an older version of the LG UI, so you do get features like Multi Window, Smart Bulletin, and the QSlide apps, and it is up to you as to how useful you ultimately find them. These features do make the software experience feel a little bloated, and adding to this problem is the slew of LG applications that are pre-installed on the device. What does prove to be very useful is the secondary screen up top and all the functionality that is available with it.
LG has toned things down significantly with the G5. Multi Window is no longer available, but the other two features can still be found, but are better hidden now. One controversial decision on the part of LG was the removal of the app drawer, but that is now back following a software update, and makes the software packages on both smartphones quite similar.
Specs comparison
| Display | 5.3-inch IPS LCD display Quad HD resolution, 554 ppi |
Main: 5.7-inch IPS Quantum Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 515 ppi Secondary: 2.1-inch IPS Quantum Display with 160 x 1040 resolution, 515 ppi |
| Processor | 2.15 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Adreno 530 GPU |
1.82 GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Adreno 418 GPU |
| RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB expandable via microSD card by up to 200 GB |
64 GB expandable via microSD card by up to 200 GB |
| Camera | 16 MP rear camera, f/1.8 aperture, OIS 8 MP rear camera, wide angle lens, f/2.4 aperture, OIS 8 MP front-facing camera |
16 MP rear camera with OIS 5 MP dual front-facing cameras |
| Battery | 2,800 mAh | 3,000 mAh |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Dimensions | 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm 159 grams |
159.6 x 79.3 x 8.6 mm 192 grams |
Gallery
Final thoughts
So there you have it for this closer look at the LG G5 vs LG V10! These are two of the best smartphones that have been released by LG. On one hand is the current flagship offering, and is a solid smartphone with a couple of very unique features, such as its modular capabilities a dual camera setup on the back, which make this phone stand out from the crowd.
On the other side is the V10, which features a further refining of their previously signature design language, a durable body, and a unique front-facing dual camera setup. If LG does decide to continue the V series, we can certainly expect the successor of the V10 to impress as well.
- LG G5 review
- LG V10 review
Which smartphone is your pick of these two and is the G5 is a worthy upgrade over the V10 or does LG’s phablet flagship still reign supreme? Vote in our poll, check out both reviews above and let us know your views in the comments below!
Buy the LG G5 now!
Buy the LG V10 now!
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.
Watch Xiaomi tease first Mi Drone in new video ahead of 25 May launch
Xiaomi quietly revealed a few days ago it was about to unveil a drone, and now the Chinese company has posted a teaser video for the product.
The drone will be the company’s first, and it’s thought to be called Mi Drone. We know this because Xiaomi published a forum post last week to announce it will unveil a drone on 25 May – and it included a rendered image of the product along with the name “Mi Drone” (though it also asked fans to guess what the drone might be called). Now, we have a short video to complement Xiaomi’s announcement from last week.
AndroidCentral discovered the video on Chinese streaming site Youku. Unlike Xiaomi’s previous teaser image from its online forum, the drone in this video appears to be white instead of black. It also seems to be a quadcopter with a spherical camera that sits below the chassis. If other leaks are true, this device can record 4K video and is controlled by app. We should know for sure on 25 May, when Xiaomi unveils its drone.
Keep in mind Xiaomi had a patent document filed in August that details a drone which can be control via the Mi Band. According to the patent, you’ll be able to wear the band and then control the drone by performing various gestures. Who knows if this technology has been included in Xiaomi’s upcoming drone, though the company confirmed in its forum that “something wonderful and cool is flying to us very soon”.
May has been a big month for Xiaomi. It launched a mammoth 6.44-inch Mi Max smartphone, announced a Mi Box set-top box capable of piping 4K content, and revealed it will build a virtual-reality smartphone that supports Google’s Daydream platform. Not stopping there, it now seems to be going after the drone market, with a Mi Drone that might wirelessly connect to its existing Mi Band.
Xiaomi will livestream its 25 May event at 7 am EST on Mi.com.
Spotify’s Family Plan is much cheaper now: Here’s what you need to know
Spotify has upgraded its family plan pricing in order to match not only Apple Music but also Google Play Music.
The music-streaming service now charges $14.99 a month for up to six Premium accounts per family. Apple Music’s family plan similarly costs $14.99 for up to six people per family, and Google Play Music – which changed its family plan pricing in December – charges the same as well.
The Spotify Family Plan debuted in 2014 and originally started at $14.99 for two users a month, $19.99 for three, $24.99 for four, and $29.99 for five users. There was no six-person plan available. Now, however, a family of up to six can join and pay $14.99 a month instead of $29.99.
If you’d like to know more about the new Spotify Family plan pricing, including what it gets you, where it’ll be available, and how you can sign up straightaway, we’ve detailed everything you need to know below.
Spotify
Spotify Family Plan: How much does it cost?
Spotify’s new Family Plan costs $14.99 (+tax) a month for up to six individual Spotify Premium accounts. Actual pricing varies by region.
Spotify Family Plan: What does it include?
Spotify’s new Family Plan hasn’t changed in terms of what it offers. It still provides family members with access to over 30 million songs for just one price payable on a single bill. It also allows each family member to operate separate accounts so that everyone gets their own playlists, saved music, personal recommendations, and the full Spotify Premium experience.
The Premium experience includes the ability to listen offline to more than 30 million songs as well as play any song, anytime, on any device. There are no restrictions and no ads. You can learn more about the Spotify Family Plan and Premium experience from Spotify’s website.
Spotify Family Plan: When will it be available?
Spotify’s new Family Plan is rolling out now (as of 23 May 2016).
Spotify Family Plan: Where is it available?
Spotify’s new Family Plan is available to all users globally (except for Canada).
Spotify Family Plan: Already on the Family Plan?
When you upgrade, your Family Plan will carry over your separate accounts, playlists, and offline tunes. You’ll just get the new plan price (updated from your next payment date) and the ability to add more family members.
Spotify Family Plan: How do you sign up?
If you’re new to Spotify, go to this Spotify page, then enter your information, and authorise the payment. If you’re already on the Family Plan, simply go to your Account Page to add more family members.
To learn more, visit Spotify’s Family Plan website.
Pebble is announcing something tomorrow – what could it be?
Pebble has something up its sleeve, apparently.
That’s what the company wants us to think after it sent email invitations to the media with a GIF of the word “OMG” spelt out in LED lights on a circuit board of some sort. The caption with the invitation proclaimed: “We have something up our sleeve!” To complement the invite, the watch-maker has a countdown on its homepage with this tease: “Wait for it…You’re in for a treat”.
But that’s not all. Pebble also tweeted a picture of a Pebble with a timer on the watch’s black-and-white display. The actual tweet reads: “Everything’s better with friends.” So, we know that Pebble has something up its sleeve, which will be a treat for us all, and it could be something to use with friends. Oh, and everything will be revealed on on 24 May at 10 am EST.
The clock on Pebble’s website is counting down to tomorrow, and it suggests a major announcement is coming. Some reports have speculated it could be a new Pebble Time, because the original model released over a year ago on 14 May. However, other reports have wondered whether the company simply plans to announce a sale promotion, such as a buy-one, get-one offer.
We’re thinking new hardware is on the way, but who knows. Sound off in the comments below with what you think it might be. You can also go to Pebble’s website to sign up and receive a notice the moment things are announced.
Pebble
Everything’s better with friends. Invite the crew to https://t.co/5fXTrNoYjS May 24 at 10AM ET. #TheClockIsTicking pic.twitter.com/YCrWHD4Bzg
— Pebble (@Pebble) May 23, 2016
Chance the Rapper’s streaming-only album hits Billboard chart
In late 2014, the Billboard 200 chart began to take into account both album sales and streaming plays for its rankings. When the list is updated this week, the first streaming-only album will be included on the chart. Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book debuted at number 8 on the list with 38,000 in equivalent sales since its debut on May 13th. The album is an Apple Music exclusive until May 27th where it has tallied 57.3 million streams so far. According to Billboard, there are no plans to make the album available for sale. When Billboard started including streams over a year ago, it announced that 1,500 streams from an album would translate to “an equivalent album unit.”
You might be thinking that Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo should’ve been the first record to achieve this feat. It would’ve been, but despite the fact that most of its plays (99.93 percent in the last week) came from streaming, that album was put up for sale. With streaming exclusives becoming part of high-profile album releases, we’re sure to see more subscription-only titles hit the chart in the future.
Source: Billboard
Facebook offers a free VR audio tool thanks to a buyout
Facebook isn’t merely content to make a virtual reality camera rig and call it a day. The company has revealed that it acquired Two Big Ears, the creator of the VR audio app Spatial Workstation, and has set the software loose. As of now, Spatial Workstation is free — anyone with a Mac (Windows support is coming) can produce immersive sound for their 360-degree videos. Support for the company’s existing Pro and gaming products will phase out over 12 months, but you’ll eventually see the gaming tech merged into the Facebook-owned software.
This isn’t lightweight software — don’t go in expecting GarageBand for VR. However, it’s bound to be a big help for anyone serious about VR video, including Facebook. The more professional-sounding videos are out there, the more reasons you have to buy a Facebook-backed headset like the Oculus Rift or Gear VR.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Facebook, Two Big Ears
Android will have password-free sign-ins by the end of 2016
Back in 2015, Google teased the prospect of Project Abacus, a sign-in approach for Android that ditches passwords in favor of a trust system that uses patterns (such as location, typing speed and voice) to verify your identity. But when is it coming out? Sooner than you might think, actually. In a low-key presentation at I/O 2016, Google revealed that Abacus should be in developers’ hands by the end of the year. Multiple “very large financial institutions” will start trying it out in June, taking a big step forward from the university tests that began last year.
How well it works depends on how many people are willing to trust Google. Abacus determines patterns based on data collection that’s already taking place, but might make you nervous when it’s used to skip passwords. You’re trading a degree of privacy for convenience, and there’s no guarantee that everyone will want to make that sacrifice.
Source: TechCrunch
Netflix’s Disney streaming exclusives start in September
Netflix is about to get a whole lot more magical. There’s a whole cadre of additional Disney films coming to the streaming service this September as Netflix becomes the exclusive streaming service for movies from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar.
This announcement comes in the form of Netflix’s latest blog detailing the year’s coming releases. There isn’t any concrete information on which titles are being added later this fall just yet, but it will be comprised of major theatrical releases and more. There’s already a smattering of movies like Hercules, The Emperor’s New Groove and Mulan already available to view, but September should see that expanded considerably.
This announcement is the fruit of an agreement signed into life back in 2012, which made Netflix the exclusive U.S. subscription service for first-run live-action and animated features from Walt Disney. It’s finally time for Netflix subscribers to reap the benefits with a wide breadth of content from the Walt Disney umbrella. Does that mean we could see The Force Awakens coming to Netflix in the near future? We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled just in case.
Source: Netflix
Violent crime prediction algorithms are racially biased
When a criminal defendant faces sentencing in the United States, a judge can use several factors to determine a punishment that fits the crime. Increasingly, one of those factors is what is known as a “risk assessment score” — a number meant to predict whether or not the defendant will commit another crime in the future. According to a new report from ProPublica, however, the algorithms driving those scores are biased against African Americans.
The risk scores can influence everything from bail amounts to treatment plans or jail time. If a defendant has a higher risk of recidivism, the thinking goes, then they should receive a sentence that acts as a disincentive for committing some future crime. It was this sort of thinking that led U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to warn in 2014 that these scores could “exacerbate unwarranted and unjust disparities that are already far too common in our criminal justice system and in our society.”
To test Holder’s hypothesis, ProPublica look at the data from over 7,000 defendants in Broward County, Florida whose risk scores were generated by one of the most popular assessment tools in the country designed by a company called Northpointe.
And ProPublica’s study found that the scores were way off base when it came to predicting violent crime. “Only about 20 percent of those people predicted to commit violent crimes actually went on to do so,” the ProPublica team writes. Even when accounting for all types of crimes — including misdemeanors and moving violations — the algorithm was only “somewhat more accurate than a coin flip” at determining whether or not someone would commit a second crime.
What’s more alarming, ProPublica was able to confirm Holder’s concern that the algorithm’s sense of justice was far from blind, especially when it came to race. From the report:
- The formula was particularly likely to falsely flag black defendants as future criminals, wrongly labeling them this way at almost twice the rate as white defendants.
- White defendants were mislabeled as low risk more often than black defendants.
Northpointe disputes the report’s findings and points out that race is not an explicit factor in its assessment algorithm. However, some of the factors that do inform the scores can be closely tied to race, like the defendant’s education level, employment status and social circumstances such as family criminal history or whether or not their friends take illegal drugs. And the specific calculations necessary to arrive at the final score are proprietary — meaning defendants and the general public have no way to see what might be influencing a harsh sentence.
While algorithms like these might be well-intentioned, the system’s opacity is already seen as a problem. In Chicago, for example, police have had surprising accuracy using an algorithm to predict who will commit or be the the target of gun violence, but members of the ACLU find it troubling that members of the community can be singled out as criminals without any insight into what landed them on the CPD’s list.
Facebook Live video replays will highlight the best moments
By now, you’ve certainly heard about Facebook’s live video push. As the company continues to revise the live-streaming feature, new tools are being added on the regular. TechCrunch reports that the social network will soon let viewers skip straight to the good parts when replaying that footage. Based on reactions and comments, Facebook will show you when the best portions of a video take place in the form of a visual timeline.
If you’re thinking that this looks a little familiar, SoundCloud offers a similar social-tracking tool for its audio player. Alongside the peaks and valleys of a song’s dynamic, you’re able to see comments from users about a specific part of a track. That doesn’t mean you’ll immediately now where the best verse is, but you’re able to see what others had to say at an exact time rather than comments on the overall song.
Facebook says that two-thirds of Live video views are replays after a broadcast has ended. With that in mind, this so-called engagement graph is meant to help guide viewing by pointing out highlights, especially clips that are several minutes long. The company is also showing reaction replays in real time so that even if you can’t watch live, you can gauge smiley faces and more as if you were. The feature is rolling out to select users now, but Facebook says the tool will remain exclusive to its live-streaming tool rather than making the leap to all videos hosted on the site.
Source: TechCrunch
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