BenQ EX3501R ultrawide monitor review

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BenQ EX3501R Ultrawide Monitor

Big monitors are great, but when size alone isn’t enough, curved ultrawide monitors are the next step. Unfortunately, they aren’t cheap.

The BenQ EX3501R won’t change your mind if spending close to a thousand bucks on a monitor makes you cringe – but while $900 might sound like a lot, the EX3501R has a huge suite of features to back it up including HDR support, EyeCare technology, a 100Hz refresh rate, FreeSync, and 35 inches of glorious ultrawide screen space. That’s impressive, even next to its competitors from LG, Dell, and HP.

Blending in — until you turn it on

BenQ monitors have a look or, perhaps, an intentional absence of a look. The company’s monitors are meant to blend into the surroundings of the office, rather than stand out with flashy design. The EX3501R doesn’t have ultra-thin bezels, and even the base and back have an inoffensive silver finish. It certainly doesn’t feature the chrome and flash of a gaming monitor from Asus or Acer.

On the other hand, the idea of a 35-inch curved, ultrawide monitor “blending in” is a bit of a paradox. Any monitor of this size is an eye-catcher, and it’s no different with the EX3501R. Plop this 3440×1440 monitor on your desk, and coworkers won’t be able to help themselves from stopping and gawking at its sheer size. This isn’t the biggest ultrawide monitor we’ve ever reviewed — that goes to the 38-inchers from LG, Dell, and HP. However, it’s certainly wide enough to open multiple windows fullscreen and fully enjoy the immersive experience using a curved, ultrawide. If you’ve never used a 21:9 ultrawide monitor, you’ll be surprised at how convenient things like multi-window productivity becomes.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The 1800R curve isn’t quite as bold as the 1500R Samsung CF791, but it’s still fantastic for watching movies and playing games. That’s right — the BenQ EX3501R serves as a very capable gaming monitor. Despite its mundane exterior, the EX3501R features a 100Hz refresh rate, which is lacking in the HP Z38c monitor. It’s not quite as smooth as 144Hz, which is the highest refresh rate commonly available, but games still feel snappy and responsive. And, thanks to the monitor’s included FreeSync support, you don’t have to deal with torn or unevenly-paced frames. Its four-millisecond response time isn’t groundbreaking either, but unless you’re a professional esports athlete, it’ll be more than responsive enough.

Any monitor this size is an eye-catcher, and it’s no different with the EX3501R.

Aside from HDR, it’s perfectly matched against the Samsung CF791, which is currently $150 cheaper than the BenQ. Meanwhile, the LG 34UC98-W costs $1,000 and the Dell UltraSharp U3415W is now discounted at $800 – but both have a more mundane 60Hz refresh rate. That’s fine, but they won’t look quite as smooth in games.

Attaching the screen to the stand and base is quick and easy — no tools are required at all. It’s not as sturdy as HP’s full-aluminum Z-series monitors, but we never felt nervous transporting it or adjusting the angle. Speaking of the stand, the BenQ EX3501R features 60 millimeters of vertical adjustment, which is decent — though monitors like the HP Z38c give you more flexibility with swivel adjustment as well.

All the ports you need

The BenQ EX3501R features a standard array of ports including USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, and two USB-A ports. Most important is the USB-C port, which allows for single-cord connection, so long as the computer you use supports it.

We wish BenQ had taken it one step further by including quick access to USB-C and USB-A on the side of the display, as unfortunately they’re placed by the others in a hard-to-reach location beneath the screen. It’s something HP and Dell include on many monitors, and we miss it here.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

As for the menus, the EX3501R has six, down-firing physical buttons located along the bottom of the display. There are dedicated buttons for power and input, while the other four help you navigate through the menus. It’s not a great system, and it makes finding your way to certain settings difficult at first.

We became familiar with it eventually, but not before accidentally flipping the power off several times. Dedicated buttons control basic functions like brightness and contrast, but there’s no indication from the front of the monitor to distinguish them from each other. That means you’ll have to memorize which does what or rely on the guess-and-check method.

Vibrant, accurate colors

The BenQ EX3501R is a performer in display quality. Of all the monitors in of this kind that we’ve reviewed, the EX3501R has the best contrast ratio, holding 1100:1 at full brightness. The BenQ maxes out at 336 nits, which was plenty bright in our experience, and just barely brighter than its competitors, which hovered around 330 nits.

It’s not perfect on color gamut, but displaying 100 percent of sRGB and 82 percent of AdobeRGB, the BenQ EX3501R is a great fit for photographers and videographers who need a fine level of detail to the job done. It’s only bested by the 85 percent of the Samsung CF791, which just barely takes the cake in color gamut. When it comes to producing accurate colors, the EX3501R is, again, a champ. With a reading of 1.38, it’s the most accurate of all its competitors. Colors are beautiful and vibrant, never saturated or blown out. BenQ has once again lived up to its reputation for shipping extremely high-quality displays.

That is, until you try to use HDR.

While many of the flagship features included on the EX3501R are available on other monitors, BenQ wants this monitor’s calling card to be its HDR support. On one hand, it’s great to see HDR implemented on an expensive display like this. For the videos we checked out in HDR, the effect is a game-changer. Colors pop in a way that will make you never want to go back to SDR.  In addition to some videos, HDR works in a growing list of PC games, especially since the monitor includes support for HDR10, the most commonly used standard in games.

The display comes with an “HDR mode,” which really does make the colors pop, though it’s just an emulation — not true HDR. Things turned ugly when we went to turn on HDR mode in Windows 10 settings, however. Our beautiful, vibrant monitor transformed into a washed-out mess right before our eyes. Even with the settings changes in Microsoft’s most recent Windows 10 April 2018 Update, it’s still not fixed. Until Microsoft fixes it, we’d recommend leaving Windows 10’s default HDR settings off by default. You can turn HDR on in specific games or turn HDR on when watching HDR-compatible movies.

The EX3501R maxes it out at 363 nits, which isn’t bad for a computer monitor. But compared to HDR televisions, that’s pretty weak. Because the quality of HDR is affected by how bright a screen is, that’ll always limit the experience of HDR a bit and shows just how far back monitor technology is from televisions.

BenQ has once again lived up to its reputation for shipping extremely high-quality displays.

Despite how little you’ll use HDR on your PC today, it’s a futureproofing feature that’s likely worthwhile. If you buy an expensive monitor you want it to last you many, many years, and HDR support will ensure that it’s still up-to-date once years down the road. Who knows — maybe once the market is flooded with HDR monitors, Microsoft will figure out its HDR situation. For now, it’s an investment that’s sure to pay off later.

The good news is BenQ hasn’t added a significant surcharge to the HDR, meaning you’re free to ignore it until it’s a bit more useful. Otherwise, this is a high-quality monitor with fantastic color gamut, contrast, and color reproduction.

Post-calibration results

BenQ has shipped an accurate and vivid display right out of the box. The only real change we saw after calibration was in color accuracy — making it even better than before. After calibrating, we saw the average color error reduced to just 1.11, which solidifies its lead as most accurate display of any of its competitors.

Our Take

The BenQ EX3501R isn’t flashy, but it has the goods where it counts in display quality. The EX3501R surpasses its rivals in almost every aspect of image quality. It’s a bit more expensive than some of its competitors, but with HDR support and decent gaming features, the BenQ is a do-it-all monitor that earns its price.

Any alternatives?

The most obvious competitor is the Samsung CF791, which matches the BenQ in every category, at a discounted price of just $750. It’s hard to beat that. Though if HDR is a must for you, the EX3501R is your best bet.

BenQ EX3501R Ultrawide Monitor Compared To

LG 32UD99-W

HP Z38c

Dell Ultrasharp U3818DW

LG 34UC89G

Acer Predator XB272 Gaming Monitor

BenQ EX3200R Gaming Monitor

Dell S2418H

Acer S277HK

Acer XB280HK

Acer B286HK

AOC G2770PQU

AOC mySmart A2472PW4T

Dell P2314T

Toshiba 14-inch USB Mobile LCD…

Gateway FPD1930

There are some decent offerings from LG, HP, and Dell, but the BenQ EX3501R is a better monitor in most aspects.

How long will it last?

This monitor comes with a three-year parts and labor warranty, which is standard among monitors like this. Good port selection, build quality, and HDR support ensure this monitor will last you for many, many years.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It’s a fantastic monitor that’s futureproofed for a day when HDR will be a must.

Best Android Phone Under $100 in 2018

• The best
• Runner-up
• Best on Verizon
• Best on Cricket Wireless
• Best on MetroPCS
• Best on Boost

The best

Nokia 2

See at Amazon

Right on the dot at $99, the Nokia 2 is simply the best low-cost phone you can buy. It features a sleek and sturdy design with a metal frame, along with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and a near-stock build of Android. It’s a bit lacking internally, with just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, but the clean software keeps it running smoothly, and you can expand its storage with a microSD card.

The 5-inch 720p display is fairly impressive as well, but where you’ll really be wowed is with the 4100mAh battery, which easily manages two days of moderate usage. It also has a surprisingly decent 8MP primary camera, as well as a 5MP selfie shooter.

Bottom line: The Nokia 2 offers clean software and speedy performance for just a Benjamin.

One more thing: Nokia has promised an upgrade to Android 8.1 Oreo soon, bringing the Nokia 2 far more up to date than anything else on this list.

Why the Nokia 2 is best

The ideal package in any price range is a well-built phone with clean and quick software, and the Nokia 2 delivers. With HMD Global already promising an update to Android 8.1 Oreo, it’s easily the most up-to-date device below $100, making it even more attractive on the software front than the popular Moto E4.

It’s not the flashiest or showiest smartphone, with a relatively generic design, but you don’t expect pizzaz when you’re paying a Benjamin for a full-featured smartphone. The only thing it’s missing — and this is a big one — is a fingerprint sensor, meaning you’ll have to revert back to using a PIN for security.

Runner-up

Alcatel 1X

See at Amazon

The first Android Go-powered phone on the market exceeds our expectations. The Alcatel 1X doesn’t look like much, but its tall 5.3-inch display is great, and it’s got all the specs necessary to power Google’s version of Android that’s optimized for entry-level smartphones. There’s even an 8MP camera around back, a fingerprint sensor, an LTE modem and a nice 2,460mAh battery.

Bottom line: At just under $100, the Alcatel 1X is a good alternative to the Nokia 2.

One more thing: The phone is only compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile and other GSM carriers in the U.S.

Best on Verizon

Motorola Moto E5 Play

See at Verizon

The Moto E5 Play doesn’t have the 18:9 display or huge battery of the rest of Motorola’s refreshed lineup, but it still features a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of microSD-expandable storage. The phone ships with Android 8.0 Oreo, and the 2800mAh battery is one of the few removable batteries left on the market.

Bottom line: For just $69.99, the Moto E5 Play is a great prepaid phone for Verizon customers.

One more thing: This phone isn’t likely to receive many software updates.

Best on Cricket Wireless (AT&T)

LG X Charge

See at Cricket Wireless

If you want to get a prepaid phone from one of the big four carriers, your choices are limited, but AT&T’s Cricket sub-brand has a great selection, including the LG X Charge for $79.99 (at least for new lines). It’s got a big 5.5-inch HD display, a quad-core processor, Android 7.0 Nougat, and a massive 4500mAh battery.

Bottom line: The LG X Charge’s huge battery will outlast any other phone in Cricket’s lineup.

One more thing: If you’re upgrading from an existing Cricket device, the X Charge will actually cost $129.99.

Best on MetroPCS (T-Mobile)

Moto E4

See at MetroPCS

The Moto E4 is one of the best deals around, coming in at just $59. With it, you get a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon 425, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage. The 5-inch 720p display barely draws any battery from the 2800mAh cell inside, and the 8MP camera isn’t half bad either.

Bottom line: The Moto E4 offers stock Android and speedy performance at a shockingly low price.

One more thing: You won’t find a fingerprint sensor on the Moto E4.

Best on Boost Mobile (Sprint)

ZTE Max XL

See at Boost

The Max XL may not have the latest version of Android, but it still packs a lot of punch. There’s a huge 6-inch 1080p display, a 3990mAh battery, and a fingerprint sensor — a rarity in this price range. The Max XL also features an octa-core Snapdragon 435 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage. It even charges over USB-C, which is uncommon in the sub-$100 category.

Bottom line: You won’t find a bigger battery and screen for the money.

One more thing: The Max XL only runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat, with no Oreo update in sight.

Conclusion

The Nokia 2 is the best overall device, largely thanks to its clean software and high-end build quality, but customer discounts could land you a better deal depending on your carrier.

The best

Nokia 2

See at Amazon

Right on the dot at $99, the Nokia 2 is simply the best low-cost phone you can buy. It features a sleek and sturdy design with a metal frame, along with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and a near-stock build of Android. It’s a bit lacking internally, with just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, but the clean software keeps it running smoothly, and you can expand its storage with a microSD card.

The 5-inch 720p display is fairly impressive as well, but where you’ll really be wowed is with the 4100mAh battery, which easily manages two days of moderate usage. It also has a surprisingly decent 8MP primary camera, as well as a 5MP selfie shooter.

Bottom line: The Nokia 2 offers clean software and speedy performance for just a Benjamin.

One more thing: Nokia has promised an upgrade to Android 8.1 Oreo soon, bringing the Nokia 2 far more up to date than anything else on this list.

Updated June 2018: Replaced the Moto E4 with the Moto E5 Play on Verizon, and added the ZTE Max XL as the best choice for Boost.

Google Calendar gets new out of office and work hour tools

Rolling out to all G Suite users in the next couple weeks.

Google spent a lot of time at I/O talking about its new focus on helping people with their digital wellbeing, and the latest efforts with this initiative come in the form of a couple new features for Google Calendar.

When making an event on Calendar, you’ll see a new “Out of Office” event type. When you select this, the event will have a different appearance on your calendar so co-workers and supervisors can more easily see when you’ll be unavailable.

Any meeting invitations you receive that take place during times your out of the office will automatically be declined, and going forward, Google Calendar will automatically select the Out of Office event type based on what you enter for the title.

Along with this, Google Calendar will give you more control over your work schedule. You could previously create one set of hours for your working week, but soon you’ll be able to customize these for each day.

These features are rolling out for all G Suite users and should become available over the next two weeks.

The Android P feature I’m most excited for will actually help me use my phone less

HQ Trivia for Android: Everything you need to know

What you need to get started with the hottest trivia game for Android!

We love trivia games. Whether they be on the television or at the table-top, quiz and trivia games have been a long-time favorite for a lot of people. HQ Trivia is the evolution of everything from those old black and white shows from yesteryear through to today’s newest tech, all mashed together into one heck of a fun app.

HQ can be a lot of fun, and with a chance to win real money — a lot of it — everyone is playing! Each game averages around one million players, with prime time and weekend games regularly surpassing two million players. Prizes range from $5,000 to $300,000 and are split between the players who make it through all 12 questions. Do you have what it takes to win HQ?

June 27, 2018 — HQ Trivia alters weekday schedule for the summer

Rough news for all the HQ Trivia office teams out there. Say goodbye to the afternoon game at 3 pm ET, as it’s being bumped up to 8 pm ET for a double-shot of trivia each evening at 8 and 9 pm ET.

HQ is live at 8p ET for a special 8 question game! pic.twitter.com/BR5eR1SAWQ

— HQ Trivia (@hqtrivia) June 25, 2018

This is a double-whammy for any hardcore trivia gamers out there who enjoy playing Cash Show, which also hosts a show at 8 pm that features 8 questions instead of the usual 12 — meaning you have a better chance of actually winning (along with everyone else playing). HQ Sports has also become a semi-regular occurrence, meaning on some days you’ll get three chances to play HQ. Don’t miss those notifications!

June 1, 2018 — HQ Trivia is giving away big money throughout the NBA Finals!

HQ Trivia has announced an insane sponsorship with the mobile game Toon Blast that will deliver some crazy big prize pools throughout the NBA Finals. Game one saw $100,000 up for grabs (with 4000 winners getting $25 each) and HQ plans to increase the prize pool by $100k per game throughout the Finals — with a potential Game Seven trivia game with $700,000 up for grabs! nths:

HQ also popped a surprise game during halftime of a new “HQ Sports” trivia game. It seemed to be a test that was made available to some players but could be a sign of big things to come as HQ continues to expand its trivia empire. The next big game is this Sunday at 9PM ET — don’t miss out!at 8 pm

Download: HQ Trivia (Free)

Interested in participating in the HQ phenomenon? Here’s everything you need to get started having fun and winning some cash.

What is HQ Trivia?

Think of HQ Trivia as a live game-show app. It’s very much like Jeopardy! except you don’t have to fly to a TV studio to get in on the action and play.

Twice on weekdays at 3 pm and 9 pm Eastern, a host hands out multiple choice questions on a wide range of topics and you answer as best you can. Get all 12 correct and you win a share of the pot. Get a question wrong, and you’re out for the session and will need to wait until the next round to try again.

You watch and play right from your phone, as it happens in real time, against hundreds of thousands of other players. Prizes range from a few dollars to a whopping $20,000 we saw given away in that Super Bowl game and it goes straight into your PayPal account. It’s a lot of fun and a chance to win real money — two things we all love. Prizes for Sunday night games now regularly top out around $25,000

How to download HQ Trivia

That’s the easiest part! HQ Trivia for Android is officially out of beta so all you need to do is fire up the Google Play Store app!

Downloading and installing HQ Trivia is completely free.

Download HQ Trivia from Google Play (free)

How to sign up

You’ll need a unique username and a phone number to get started with HQ Trivia.

You sign up right inside the app and it is the first thing you’ll be asked to do when you open it. When a game isn’t in session, opening the app tells you when the next one starts and lets you see your total winnings or look through the leaderboards.

Be sure to read the terms and conditions before you go any further, and after you’re properly signed in you are asked f you’d like to receive push notifications letting you know when games are about to begin so you can get in on the action.

How to play

Right now HQ Trivia is free to play and free of any ads. Make sure you’re signed in on your phone and every day at 9 pm and weekdays at 3 pm all you need to do is open the app to get started.

You’ll be asked a question and given three possible answers. Questions cover just about every topic imaginable and just like the game shows you’ll see on TV they can be hard or they can be easy, but get progressively more trivial as the game goes on. Answer correctly before the 10-second timer runs out and you move to the next question. Get it wrong or take too much time and you’re out of the game, but can keep watching to see how many people win.

There’s a live chat during each game if you want to be a little social, but you can also swipe it off the screen if it gets too distracting. Even if you get eliminated early you can keep watching — and finding out how many lucky dogs make it to the winner’s circle is the fun part!

Extra lives

Like any good game worth its salt, HQ Trivia gives you extra lives.

If you have an extra life while you’re playing a game, you get a chance to answer a question wrong or take too much time and not be ejected from the game. If that happens and you have an extra life on your account, you’ll get the option of spending your extra life to stay in the game. You can only spend one extra life per game so make them count!

You earn extra lives by referring your friends to HQ Trivia. For example, if you used the referral code mousemachine I’d get a free life. Go ahead and try, I’ll let you know if it worked.

How much can I win?

A lot! While HQ Trivia is free to download and play, you can win real money if you make it to the end of a game.

The cash prize for a basic weekday game starts at $5,000 and is split evenly between everyone who survived the 12-questions. On the rare occasion that everyone is eliminated, the prize rolls over to the next game. It keeps going until someone wins. Sunday games are typically in the $25,000 range or more and often go up to 15 questions and HQ has started regularly involving a special guest host for Wednesday games with the cash pool rising exponentially. Most recently, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hosted a $300,000 game in part to promote his film Rampage, and HQ regularly drops hints about future surprises on Twitter.

HQ used to have you wait until you hit the $20 mark you can cash out via PayPal, but they’ve changed the rules so you can cash out your winnings no matter the prize amount. You won’t need to enter a credit card or pay anything to play.

Update June 2018: Added the latest info on the big payouts being offered during the NBA Finals!

Android and Chrome OS will reportedly get ‘Better Together’ integration

The features are expected to launch next week.

As awesome as Android and Chrome OS are, there’s still one area where Apple dominates with iOS and macOS — a reason to use both of them together. Things like Universal Clipboard and Handoff make it clear why you should you use an iPhone and Mac together, and according to a new report, Google will soon offer something similar.

Spotted by Mishaal Rahman, the Chromium Gerrit has been updated with something called “Better Together.” Better Together is a new program that’ll allow your Android phone and Chromebook to talk to one another, and the latest nightly build for Chrome Canary already has a placeholder page for it.

It’s said that there will be three main features for Better Together at launch, including:

• SMS Connect — Syncing of your SMS messages built directly into Chrome OS (likely different than Android Messages’ new web client)
• Instant Tethering — Your phone will automatically pop up on your Chromebook’s Network page so you can tether to it without having to manually enable mobile hotspot (something the Pixel 2 already does with the Pixelbook)
• Smart Unlock — You can unlock your Chromebook without entering your password if your phone is nearby

The placeholder page currently live in Chrome Canary.

Along with today’s report, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about proper integration across Android and Chrome OS. SMS Connect was actually first spotted way back in October shortly after Android 8.1 was released, and earlier this month, another commit in the Chromium Gerrit referenced “Android Messages integration.”

It’s expected that Better Together will first launch at some point next week, and as someone who’s only been using Chrome OS since earlier this year, I cannot wait for this to come out.

What Better Together feature are you most excited for?

How to set up Android Messages for web

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Chromebooks in education: Everything you need to know
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Chromebook Buyers Guide
• Google Pixelbook review
• Join our Chromebook forums

A Sonos sound bar, SSDs, smart locks, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Sonos Playbar sound bar, Samsung’s 860 EVO SSDs, the August smart lock, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Samsung and Apple settle ongoing patent dispute from 2011

It’s unclear how much Samsung will need to pay under the settlement terms.

Samsung and Apple have been at each other’s throats for over seven years due to patent infringements, but on June 27, 2018, it was revealed that the two companies had finally reached a settlement.

A filing from the U.S. District Court for California’s Northern District confirmed this news, and while the exact details of what this settlement entails are still unclear, we can officially say that the lawsuit has been laid to rest.

If you recall, Samsung was first sued by Apple in 2011 for copying the iPhone’s design. The court previously ruled that Samsung did, in fact, infringe on Apple’s patents, but the two companies have been going back-and-forth over how much money Samsung owes.

The most recent development prior to this came in late-May when Samsung was ordered to pay $539 million in damages. We aren’t sure if more money will be owed now that the two have settled, but I expect those details will be released sooner or later.

5 changes that would make the Galaxy S9’s software dramatically better

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
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• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Samsung and Apple Settle Long-Running Design Patent Dispute

Apple and Samsung have settled an ongoing legal battle that has spanned seven years, according to court documents filed with the Northern District Court of California this morning.

In the document, Apple and Samsung said they have agreed to drop and settle the remaining claims and counter claims in the design patent legal battle that saw them back in court in May.

The terms of the settlement were not included in the court document, but Samsung had been ordered by the jury to pay Apple $539 million following the May damages retrial.

Plaintiff Apple Inc. and Defendants Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America, Inc., and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC would like to inform the Court that they have agreed to drop and settle their remaining claims and counterclaims in this matter.

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, by and between the parties and subject to the approval of the Court, that pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 41(a) and 41(c), all remaining claims and counterclaims in this action are hereby dismissed with prejudice, to the extent such are still pending, and all parties shall bear their own attorneys’ fees and costs.

Apple and Samsung’s legal dispute has been ongoing since 2011, when Apple sued Samsung for violating Apple design patents with five Android devices sold between 2010 and 2011.

Samsung was found guilty of infringing on Apple’s patents back in 2012, but the two companies have spent the last six years duking it out over the total amount Samsung owes Apple for the violation.

Samsung has vehemently argued that it should have to pay damages only for the portion of the iPhone’s design that it copied, while Apple has continually asked for a payment based on the full value of the iPhone.

The court in May largely sided with Apple, ordering Samsung to pay $539 million, a decision Samsung was not happy with because it was over the $399 million Samsung had originally gotten the payment down to following multiple appeals, and more than the $28 million it insisted it owed. The South Korean company filed an another appeal demanding a new trial on June 11, but has now dropped all appeals since a settlement has been reached.

Apple declined to comment directly on the settlement, referring MacRumors back to the company’s statement following the May verdict.

We believe deeply in the value of design, and our teams work tirelessly to create innovative products that delight our customers. This case has always been about more than money. Apple ignited the smartphone revolution with iPhone and it is a fact that Samsung blatantly copied our design. It is important that we continue to protect the hard work and innovation of so many people at Apple.

Apple v. Samsung Notice of Settlement and Stipulation of Dismissal by MacRumors on Scribd

Apple v. Samsung Dismissal by MacRumors on Scribd

Tag: Samsung
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iPad Pro Concept Imagines 11.9-Inch Display, Thin Bezels and Face ID

Rumors suggest new iPad Pro models coming in 2018 will feature slimmer bezels and no Home button, which will be removed in favor of the same Face ID system that’s available in the iPhone X.

A new iPad Pro concept shared by Álvaro Pabesio imagines what such an iPad Pro might look like, with detailed mockups of an iPad that features an 11.9-inch display with slim wraparound bezels, no notch (as the TrueDepth camera system is included in the top bezel), and no Home button.

Size wise, Pabesio’s imagined 11.9-inch iPad is the same physical size as the current 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which is in line with rumors suggesting the next iPad Pro will feature a bigger display. Those rumors, though, have suggested it won’t be quite as large as 11.9 inches.

The concept also includes a 12-megapixel dual-rear camera, a feature that has not been rumored for the next-generation iPad Pro but is possible, along with some imagined iOS enhancements, like Stacks, that are not coming in iOS 12.

While Pabesio’s mockups aren’t entirely true to rumors with some imagined features, it’s still an interesting look at the design decisions that Apple could opt to make in a next-generation iPad Pro with Face ID and a TrueDepth camera system. The full design can be seen over on Behance.

For a full and accurate list of all of the rumors we’ve heard about the iPad Pro models expected to be released in 2018, make sure to check out our iPad Pro roundup.

Related Roundup: iPad ProBuyer’s Guide: 10.5″ iPad Pro (Don’t Buy), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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BlackBerry Key2 Review: Keyboard King

For years, BlackBerry was the best option for those in business. The physical keyboard and smart software made it a no-brainer for those who just needed to get the job done. But, as we all know, BlackBerry quickly began to fade. It stuck with its own operating system as Android and iOS dominated the landscape. A physical keyboard was no longer the draw that it once was.

BlackBerry was going the way of the dodo.

But, the Canadian company finally bottomed out and changed tactics. It made a great comeback with the Priv and KeyOne since late 2015 and it has embraced Android like few other companies. Using pure Android with some enterprise-focused features added on top made it a compelling option once again.

Now, BlackBerry is back with another installment, the Key2. The device isn’t the showstopper that the Priv or KeyOne were when they hit the market, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The KeyOne was pretty damn good and BlackBerry got the message that it just needed to build on that solid base. And that it did.

We’ve spent the last week with the BlackBerry Key2 and these are our thoughts.

Hardware

If you’ve ever used a BlackBerry device before, you’ll feel at home here. Holding the device in your hands will take you back several years to when BlackBerry dominated the landscape. I initially wondered how I’d take to using the Key2 since I’ve used nothing but metal and glass slabs for the past few years, but it just feels right.

The device is very solid. It features 7000 series aluminum around the edges, a soft touch rubber on the back and a display + keyboard on the front. Overall, it’s one of the best built phones I’ve ever used. It has a completely different feeling but reminds me a lot of the HTC One M7. Everything is where it should be, nothing moves, and I feel like it can take a beating if it needs to.

Ew

The soft touch backing makes life easy. The Key2 isn’t the most ergonomically perfect device, but it’s still pretty easy to hold onto because of that surface. Not only does it make it easier to hold onto but it looks and feels great too. Sure, it’ll still pick up some oils from your fingers, but it is far better than a glass-backed phone in that regard. Plus you don’t need to worry about it shattering if it takes a fall.

The buttons on the side of the device are satisfyingly clicky. BlackBerry is following the trend of adding some texture to the power button and we love it here. Just under the volume rocker and power buttons is a quick action button. This allows you to open an app or perform an action with a simple press. I have mine set to open the camera, but the phone also supports double pressing the power button to open up the camera.

Because it’s 2018 and we have to mention this now, yes, the Key2 does come with a headphone jack. It sits at the top of the device, the perfect place for such a thing. The bottom of the phone holds the USB type-C port and two machined speaker grills. Unfortunately only one of them puts out any sound.

That brings us to one of the big disadvantages of the Key2. It’s just not great for consuming media. The 4.5-inch display is just fine with okay colors and decent brightness. It gets very dark on occasion and can really take you out of what you’re watching. Combined with a just okay display with subpar speakers and this isn’t the first phone we’d grab to watch a TV show or movie on a long flight. We know that this phone is designed for business people in mind, but we’d imagine that those who work in an office like to watch YouTube from time to time too.

Keyboard

So, let’s quit beating around the bush. How’s the keyboard? Well, I wish I could give you a one-word answer but it’s not that simple. What you need to know is that the keyboard is larger on the Key2 than it was on the KeyOne. This makes much more comfortable to type on while only adding a small bit of height to the device. It was a great change.

The keys are clicky and easy to press. We’d understand if they were a little stiffer out of the box, but were pleasantly surprised at how the device already felt broken in the moment we set it up.

You have the full set of keys that you’d expect. But, you also have a Speed Key in the bottom right corner that lets you launch apps or actions by pressing it then a letter. It’s a really smart addition and I’ve found myself using it more and more as time goes on. No longer do I need to hit the multitasking button or go back to the homescreen to find my favorite apps. Two buttons presses and I’m there.

The smart features don’t stop there. There’s a fingerprint scanner in the space bar that gets the job done. It’s not as good as something you’d find on a Huawei device, but it reads accurately and quickly most of the time. You can also set the currency key to perform actions like dropping the notification shade- something that can be quite the task if you have smaller hands.

BlackBerry brought back some of its best keyboard features from the KeyOne too. You can easily scroll through web pages or lists by sliding your thumb up and down the keys in the middle of the keyboard. You can also double tap a key to open up directional keys and scroll through symbol keyboards on screen by tapping the SYM button next to the keyboard.

I was initially annoyed with the onscreen keyboard when I started using the device, but I can see its usefulness. You’re not going to be able to pack everything you need into the physical keyboard even with long presses and alt keys. BlackBerry captured the best of both worlds here.

Specs

In a previous discussion in our Hot Take podcast, I made the point that it was going to be really hard to recommend the Key2 based on specs alone. The phone is supposed to be priced around $650 but runs a mid-range processor, a 1080p LCD display with an odd aspect ratio, and just didn’t seem very premium. When you have devices like the OnePlus 6 out there for cheaper, it just doesn’t seem like a good buy.

But then I actually used the phone and I’m pretty blown away. We constantly ask ourselves here if we need flagship level processors and the Key2 proves that you don’t. It rocks a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, a sold midrange processor. I’ve never once had this phone lag on me. Granted, I’ve only had it for about a week, but I’ve certainly put it through its paces in that week. I am in love with the performance.

What I’m not in love with is the display. We touched on this a little bit earlier, but it’s just not great. BlackBerry stuck with the same panel as last year and I’m wondering why. It gets just bright enough to use on cloudy days and it feels like it stays too dark too long indoors. It also has an odd 3:2 aspect ratio to fit in the physical keyboard. Watching videos and playing games just aren’t satisfying like on other devices. It just gets the job done and is probably my least favorite thing about the device.

But, my favorite thing about the device is how good the battery life is. Again, we’re taking this with a grain of salt due to our short testing period, but so far it has been fantastic. We’re getting about two days of usage with seven to eight hours of screen on time.

The Key2 has an embedded 3,500 mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0. That means you should get about 50% of your battery back from dead in 35 minutes or so. We’ve yet to be able to test this but will update this section when we’re able to.

Camera

Cameras are another area where we haven’t had enough time to accurately access. We’ll continue our testing as time goes on and update this post as we come to a conclusion.

But for now, we’ll tell you that the Key2 is the first BlackBerry device to feature a dual camera setup. The rear of the device sees a dual 12 MP (f/1.8) + 12 MP (f/2.6) setup. The second lens is used to zoom instead of a monochrome or wide-angle lens as we’ve seen on other devices.

Early picture samples are just okay. There’s nothing too spectacular about the pictures here and we’d suggest looking elsewhere if you really want an out of this world camera. This will get the job done for those quick snaps you put up on social media or snapping a business card. Any more than that might be a bit of a struggle.

Software

The build quality is great and we enjoy the keyboard a lot, but where we really fall in love with the Key2 is the software. It ships with Android 8.1 out of the box with a planned upgrade to Android P. But, there’s no skin to be found. You just get stock Android 8.1 Oreo with a ton of really smart additions.

My favorite of which is the Hub. I monitor a ton of email addresses and social media accounts here at AndroidGuys and I’m now able to keep those separate from my personal emails and messages through the hub. I can switch between Work and Personal profiles to get notifications from email, Slack, Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, and pretty much any other communications app you can imagine.

BlackBerry also added two features I love to keep your content secure: Private Locker and Privacy Shade. Private Locker only works with a few apps like the camera or Firefox focus, and we’d love to see more added soon. Firefox Focus, for example, can only be accessed by using your fingerprint or password and then deletes your browsing history once you exit. You can also use the locker to store pictures you don’t want to be seen or downloaded files.

Privacy Shade blacks out most of the screen except for where you’re scrolling. This keeps prying eyes off your important content and makes sure your work stays your work. The shade is great, but BlackBerry was smart enough to add quick access to it too. All you have to do is pull down your notification shade and click on the Privacy Shade icon. It’s a really smart implementation that saves time when it counts.

Conclusion

And that’s the story of BlackBerry’s software on the Key2. It’s just smart. You can tell engineers and designers actually sat down and thought about what they were doing here. BB didn’t cram in every single feature it could think of just to sell a few more phones. It picked what it thought would make life easier for someone who doesn’t have time to screw around with their phone during the day.

I liken BlackBerry’s software to poker. It takes a minute to learn and forever to master. There are an insane amount of tricks and shortcuts that I’m still getting used to after a week of use and a reviewer’s guide sitting in front of me with all of them listed. Some are pretty standard like double clicking the power button to open the camera, but others aren’t. You can assign pretty much any physical key a shortcut. The notification shade drops with a press of the currency key. You can open up app widgets with just a swipe of an icon. And that’s just scratching the surface.

The BlackBerry Key2 isn’t going to be the phone for everyone. BlackBerry knows this and it’s not trying to be. It is targetting a small segment of Android users that want a physical keyboard and smart software features to make their jobs easier. I love the laser focus on that goal. If you work in sales, marketing, or other related jobs, this is absolutely the phone for you.

If you’re not that person, you might want to pass. The software additions will largely be lost on you and the media viewing experience is just not great. As we grow more and more attached to our phones each day, it’s important to have one that matches what you really want to do with it. If Netflix or YouTube are among your most used apps, maybe grab something else.

But it’s a powerful too for those its designed for. I’m still asking myself if I’m a faster typer with a physical keyboard. While that’s up for debate, what isn’t is that I’m much more accurate. The feeling of physical keys is so satisfying that I absolutely love to type here. I will intentionally pick up my phone to respond to messages instead of using the keyboard on my desk. It’s that much fun.