Moto Hint (updated version) Review
Motorola has been in the communications game for awhile. From radios to cell phones, there is probably no form of communication Motorola hasn’t delved into. This includes Bluetooth earpieces, which they’ve been making since they became popular. With their recent focus on design and ease of use for their consumer products, the Moto Hint was a natural extension for Motorola. The Moto Hint seeks to provide a minimal design while providing tons of functionality. Let’s see if its up to the task.
Setup
Setup with the Moto Hint was simple enough. My biggest issue was I wanted to figure the device out for myself, so I assumed things instead of reading the instructions (insert joke about man’s pride here). So I could not figure out how to turn the stupid thing on. Well, turns out it doesn’t turn on until you place it in your ear, and then you are given prompts on how to pair the phone. Yeah, you bet I felt a little dumb.
So, already we have proof that this is meant to be as simple as possible, to the point that the device is telling you how to set it up.
Usage
If I had any gripes about the Moto Hint, its that remembering the various gestures and voice commands at first seems too much to handle. However, after using it for a few days, I realized once again that it is all meant to be natural and simple. Once I realized that, and after a few days of practice, I was a Moto Hint ninja in no time. So, my gripe no longer means anything.
The first aspect of the Moto Hint that needs learning is its charging cradle. At first I thought the best way to use it was to stick the Moto Hint inside whenever I didn’t have it in my ear. However, trying to take the device out of the cradle while your phone is ringing causes more fumbling than one would like. Really, the cradle is meant for storage (meaning, its a place to put it when you don’t want to use it at all) and charging the battery. See, the device is so small that its battery isn’t very large (we’re talkin’ 46 mAh here), giving approximately 3 hours of talk time. This is extended with the use of the cradle, which acts as a sort of external battery for the Moto Hint.
Anyways, so the idea is you either keep the Moto Hint in your ear all the time, or you place it on your desk, and then just stick it in your ear when you get a call, which will answer the call immediately. Once I started using this, it worked quite well. There’s a neat feature that uses the microphone on the Moto Hint to pass sounds around you through the Moto Hint into your ear, so that you’re not deaf on one side However, this takes a pretty significant hit on the battery, so it normally wasn’t worth it to use it for me.
The next aspect of the Moto Hint to learn were voice commands. Now, if you have a Moto X (or really, any phone that has a launch phrase for voice commands when the screen is off), you supposedly can use your custom launch phrase through the Moto Hint in order to give various commands, and really anything that Moto Voice or Google Now can do. However, I was not able to get this to work consistently, and instead found myself just tapping the Moto Hint, which activates Moto Voice, and then giving a command. Really, this isn’t that big of a deal, because tapping the Moto Hint takes all of a second. Still, it’d be nice to be completely hands free, especially while driving.
Probably one of the coolest parts of the Moto Hint is how unnoticeable it is when its in your ear due to its size. Most people didn’t even notice, and when they did, their reactions to it where pretty funny. I can’t tell you how often people tried to tell me I had something in my ear, as though I didn’t know.
Nevertheless, its minimalist design is great. It’s light, and even in its cradle, its easy to stick in your pocket and forget about it. Being able to pick it up and stick it in your ear for almost-instant usage is phenomenal, and the voice prompts always helped guide me in the direction I needed.
Sound Quality
Just because its small, the sound quality of calls on the Moto Hint was no compromise. Every conversation came through loud and clear, and at times was even better than my phone’s earpiece. Every time I asked, people said they could hear me great as well. In terms of sound, the Moto Hint made no significant impressions, but it worked well, which is what I expect of Bluetooth device such as this. In fact, it was good enough that I even tried listening to music and podcasts through it a couple of times, and that worked out well. Obviously it won’t last too long this way, but at least you can listen to something while walking between meetings or classes.
The Moto Hint is a wonderfully designed device whose size makes travel easy and use almost unnoticeable. Setup is easy, usage has a bit of a learning curve, but becomes more natural the more you use it, and sound quality is good. Likely the biggest thing to notice about the Moto Hint is its price tag: $130. So you have to ask yourself the question: is easy control, great design, and small size enough to make you want a Moto Hint?
The post Moto Hint (updated version) Review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
EasyAcc DP100 Ultra Portable Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker (review)
“To hear is to believe”
EasyAcc provided me with the opportunity to review their Bluetooth 4.0 DP100 Ultra Portable speaker. “To hear is to believe” is a quote from their product description and it describes the DP100 perfectly. The EasyAcc is my first Bluetooth speaker I have ever tested that costs less than 25 dollars and all I can think about is how I wasted so much money on high-end speakers from the likes of Bose and Sony. Having seen dozens of lower priced speakers perform at trade shows and electronics stores, my expectations were low. Speakers in this price range typically represent poor sound reproduction, battery-life and most of all build quality.
EasyAcc is going to radically change the bluetooth speaker market with the DP100 by forcing customers to expect more for their dollar.
EasyAcc DP100 build
The EasyAcc DP100 Ultra Portable Bluetooth 4.0 speaker is clearly a product built with pride and hard-work while keeping the customer first. Not that this should matter much, but even the packaging is great. The box is minimalist, but sturdy, and is the box this speaker deserves.
Enough about the packaging. When I removed the speaker from the box I could feel the weight which felt heavy for the size. The weight in a portable speaker is actually a good thing as it usually means there is a large battery and large magnet to drive the speaker cone. A large battery equals long life and powerful sound output. Encasing the speaker is a tightly wrapped metal grill making the DP100 feel extremely durable. EasyAcc could have opted for cheaper material in cloth instead but they know that cloth is not a realistic material to protect the speaker.
Everything feels solid on the DP100. The speaker controls are on top of the device with microphones for phone call conversations. The three buttons are multi-functional giving this beautiful speaker a minimalist design.
Usage
I didn’t bother charging this speaker out of the box because I read in the instructions that the playback time is rated at 15-20 hours. In the instructions EasyAcc does instruct you to fully charge the speaker before initial usage. But after evaluating the build quality, my excitement got the best of me and I just had to use it. If you order one of these speakers, I dare you to try to wait for it to charge before using it.
Once I turned the DP100 on with the switch in the back, it immediately started to beep and the LED up top was blinking. I knew this meant it was looking for a Bluetooth device to connect to which is not common. Most speakers and accessories make you push a button dedicated to the Bluetooth connection. As minor as this may seem, I know this is great for people like my mom who can find pairing difficult. I connected the device to my phone and was rocking out immediately.
The first thing I noticed was how loud the speaker pumped out music. It’s loud, even louder than some portable speakers three times its size. The only downside, and I am being extremely picky was the mids were a little drowned out by the highs. The lows performed adequately for a speaker of this size, but at no point was the sound distorted to the loudness factor. The performance of the DP100 shocked me to my delight. It’s a rarity these days for me to be impressed by gadgets easily but that is exactly what the DPP100 did and as you can hopefully tell in my review that I am still excited.
The three buttons up top are a play button which serves as a way to play/pause your music in addition to answering/ending a phone call and a “-” and “+” symbol to rewind/fast forward as well as serving to adjust the volume.
In two weeks of use while taking showers, hanging out at the beach, and writing while home for Androidguys I have charged the speaker one time and have not experienced a power down due to low battery. There is no battery indicator associated with the speaker which is something I would have liked.
Last but not least, I tested the speaker with a call to my mom. To her it sounded great, but when I did walk close to walls in my place she could hear the echo. That was my fault though for keeping the volume at maximum. I plan on using it at work as my speakerphone for my conference calls when I’m in the lab mixing chemicals.
EacyAcc also provides you with a synthetic microsuede bag to protect the speaker while you travel. Without a doubt, EasyAcc put the customer first when designing and building the DP100.
What I liked
- Superior build quality
- Battery life
- Sound reproduction
- Loudness
- Minimalist design
- Bag for toting around town
- Price
What I didn’t like
- Lack of battery indicator
- Muddled mid-range sound
Summary
Without hesitation I will call this the best speaker you can get for your money. Right now the EasyAcc DP100 is listed at Amazon.com for $21.95 with free Prime shipping. For the price, quality, sound reproduction and incredible battery life the DP100 is one heck of a steal.
I strongly suggest you pick one up if you’re looking for a Bluetooth portable speaker. If you disagree with my review after you gave the speaker a try, let me know in the comments. Don’t forget, “To hear is to believe.”
If you’re interested in learning more or making a purchase, check the speaker out at EasyAcc. Or check out the wide range of other speakers here.
The post EasyAcc DP100 Ultra Portable Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker (review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
iClever Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Sport Headphones review
Let me start this review off by letting you know that I am not a huge fan of in-ear headphones. My ears are a little sensitive and the pressure that they create ends up bothering me after a while. Of course, the in-ear headphone experience is much better than what it used to be. I grew up in the 90’s when the bud headphones had almost no padding and often times came with no padding. I could only listen to those type of headphones for short periods of time.
iClever Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Sport Headphones overview
The overall design of the headphones is simple. It consists of 3 buttons, a micro USB charging port, microphone, a left and right in-ear headphone, and a thick flat cable connecting the two. The headphones have the following features.
- CSR Bluetooth 4.1 chipset and Apt-X technology
- Can pair 2 devices simultaneously
- CVC 6.0 noise reduction technology
- 0.58oz weight
- Battery life: up to 7h music playback / 5h conversation per full charge
The in-ear buds come with an interchangeable thin rubber tip that serves to both isolate the sound and a cushion. A little lower than the tips are rubber loops called ear locks. You slip these into the outer ear to hold it into place. The headphones come with various interchangeable tips and ear locks to find what’s comfortable with you.
There are 3 buttons on the right earpiece. A volume up, volume down, and main control button. The main control button will answer and hang up calls as well as pause your music and if held for a few seconds, it will initiate your phone’s voice controls. The volume keys will adjust the volume as well as change the song that you’re listening to, by holding down the respective button for a few seconds.
iClever Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Sport Headphones usage
I’ve never used a pair of headphones like this before, so I had no clue what to do with the ear locks. Unfortunately, the instructions say nothing about the ear locks, so the manual wasn’t very much help. After trying them on, it was rather apparent on how to use them. I just pushed them into the outer ear and they secured the headphones in my ears. I found them quite snug, but I feel that they put extra pressure on my ears and I couldn’t use them for extended periods of time.
About one hour was my max. This, of course is more than enough for most workouts which are what these are designed for. They also stayed in my ear better than my LG Tone headphones while performing jarring exercises. They also felt much lighter than my Tone headphones and because the batteries and electronics are all in the earpieces, there is no base unit to slap against my collar bone.
One area where they absolutely excelled was audio quality. I really wish these were more comfortable in my ears because the audio quality is amazing. The bass and treble responses are amazing for a pair of in-ear headphones. I was very impressed with how good these headphones sounded.
One thing I would have liked to see is the Bluetooth controls on the wire and not on the buds. When you want to use the main control button, you have to use your index and middle fingers to secure the earpiece while you press the main control button with your thumb. If you don’t, you’ll push the earpiece further into your ear. I found this to be rather inconvenient. When you select the volume keys is pushes the ear piece in a different direction. Again, this is a little uncomfortable and could be easily remedied by moving the controls onto the cable that connects the two earpieces.
What we liked
- Great sound quality
- The headphones stayed in ear pretty well
- Very light weight
What could be better
- Placement of the Bluetooth controls
- Long-term comfort
iClever Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Sport Headphones summary
These are great headphones overall. I think if my ears were not quite so sensitive, I would have enjoyed them even more. If your ears area as sensitive as mine, then you can still enjoy the great sound reproduction, but not as long.
If you’re interested in purchasing these headphones, check them out on Amazon.
The post iClever Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Sport Headphones review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Huawei Mate S review
The Huawei Mate S was officially unveiled at IFA in Berlin and from our unboxing and first look it is clear that Huawei’s latest handset builds on many of the foundations that made the Mate 7 such a great phone. And now in this in-depth review, we take a closer look at what that means for the Huawei Mate S!
Design
The Mate S features a similar full metal body design to past Huawei high-end devices, but comes with an updated build including a curved rear and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Huawei says that the curvature has allowed it to thin the edges and yet keep an overall profile of just 7.2mm. The result is a handset which is great to look at and surprisingly easy to hold.
Looking around the device, the volume rocker and the power button are found on the right side of the device. All the buttons are very responsive, easy to press, and offer a good amount of tactile feedback. Although the phone comes with a double-tap Knuckle gesture to switch the phone on, this becomes redundant once you have the fingerprint reader configured, but we will talk more about that in a moment.
Up top is the headphone jack and a microphone, and at the bottom is the microUSB port, flanked by two grills, giving the appearance of a dual speaker setup, even though it is actually only a single speaker on the right side. Above the display is a speaker grill, along with an 8 MP front-facing camera with a flash. On the back is the 13MP camera sensor, coupled with a dual-tone LED flash, and the fingerprint reader.
Display
The Mate S features a 5.5-inch AMOLED Full HD display with a screen color saturation of 105 percent of the RGB gamut and a contrast ratio of 1.8M:1. We’ve seen Huawei border on the ridiculous with contrast ratios before (the Huawei P8 offered 15000:1), but the Mate S contrast ratio does reach a particular extreme. Viewing angles are good, and the display is bright enough for comfortable outdoor visibility.
Hauwei has also built-in a way to change the color temperature of the display. Personally, I think the default is spot-on, however if you want to make the colors colder or warmer then the option is available under Settings->Display.
While Quad HD is the buzzword at the moment, the Full HD resolution with this size is more than enough, and no one will have any complaints with regards to the viewing experience. The display adds to the overall great experience, and the AMOLED technology brings with it the deep blacks and vivid colors you’d expect.
Performance
Under the hood, the Huawei Mate S packs an octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 935 processor, with four Cortex-A53 processors clocked at 2.2GHz and four more clocked at 1.5GHz. This is backed by a Mali-T628 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. Performance is as smooth as you would expect from this Huawei-made processing package, and very rarely will there be any signs of stutter or lag. Moving through the various elements of the UI is smooth, and opening, closing, and switching between applications is also fast and snappy. The device also handles gaming pretty well, save for the most graphically-intensive games, where you might notice dropped frames.
According to my tests, the Mate S can run Epic Citadel at 35.6 frames per second in ultra high quality mode, and 56.7 fps in high quality mode. As for AnTuTu, the Mate S scored 51397.
Hardware
The Mate S comes with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, and this can be expanded by another 128GB via microSD card. There is also a 128GB variant which includes a pressure-sensitive screen (i.e. Force Touch), however this model will be only available in certain markets.
Although the entry-level model is quoted as having 32GB of internal storage, only about 24GB is usable. This basically means that 8GB of the flash memory is used for the system. This figure is a little excessive and it also explains why 32GB is the entry point and not 16GB.
The device comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, as well as NFC and 4G LTE. Looking at the bands supported by the two different models (CRR-UL00 and CRR-L09), it is clear that Huawei intends for this to be internationally available.
As mentioned, there is a fingerprint scanner on the back, placed within easy reach of your index finger. As with the Mate 7 before it, the fingerprint reader on the Mate S is of exceptionally high quality. I have never really liked any of the smartphone fingerprint readers. Personally I think Samsung have done a bad job with the fingerprint reader on the S6 and on the Note 5. However the fingerprint reader on the Huawei Mate S is a joy to use. Sure, it is definitely one of the fastest I’ve used, and it is also very accurate and rarely failed to read the fingerprint. But the critical point is how it is used. Huawei’s implementation is second to none.
Using it is easy. You just need to register a fingerprint under Settings->Fingerprint ID, and then set which options and gestures you want activated (e.g. take photo, stop alarm and so on). I registered the index fingers from both my left and right hands, which means that I can pick the phone with either hand and just press the reader on the back to switch-on and unlock the phone.
Also, the sensor is not solely a fingerprint scanner, but it also supports swipe gestures. A swipe down pulls down the notification panel, touch and hold to take a photo, you can even use it to answer a call. You can also use it for apps like the gallery to swipe through your photos.
Moving on to the audio, the quality of the speaker itself is certainly quite good for a single speaker. It can go very loud, in fact almost too loud, I found that for listening to music I had to reduce the volume to almost half. But for those who like it loud, the good news is that even at the highest volumes the sound doesn’t distort.
As far as the battery is concerned, the Mate S packs a non-removable 2700 mAh unit, that allows for excellent battery life, with around five to six hours screen-on time during a typical day that involves watching videos, lots of internet browsing, responding to messages, and taking pictures.
I did some individual app tests using GameBench and you will be able to stream YouTube video over Wi-Fi for around 5.5 hours and play 3D intensive games for around 4 hours. The bottom line is that you will get a full day’s use from this battery without having to worry about how you have been using your phone.
There is a little confusion about if the Huawei Mate S has quick charge functionality. At the launch event Huawei mentioned quick charge and even said that the device can be charged for just 10 minutes to make up to two hours of phone calls. However what is strange is that all quick charger technologies rely on using a voltage greater than 5V. The supplied charger with the Mate S is certainly not a quick charger and it is only rated for 5V output. I charged the phone from 3% to 100% using the supplied charger and it took 2 hours 15 minutes to reach full charge, and the voltage did not go over 5V.
However, if I charge the phone with a Quick Charge 2.0 adapter then the charge speeds are vastly improved.
Camera
The Huawei Mate S comes with a 13 MP rear camera that includes a 4-color RGBW imaging sensor and Optical Image Stabilization. Also, the camera housing is scratch proof thanks to sapphire protection.
The camera app includes some nice features to enhance the shots you can take like super night mode, panorama, HDR, and time-lapse. slow motion, a food mode to make pictures of food look more appetizing, and more. There is also a light painting mode, for long exposure shots. The built-in filters include car light trails, for capturing the trails of lights made by moving cars at night; light graffiti, for capturing trails of light in a dark environment; silky water, for silky smooth effects from running water; and star track, to capture the trails of stars and galaxies in the night!
Image quality is excellent and the camera is capable of taking some really good shots with a good amount of detail and saturated colors. As with most smartphone cameras, the best results comes from well-lit environments however, indoor and low-light shots from the Mate S are actually quite good. If there is one weakness it seems that the image processor reacts too strongly to bright red. If you look at the gallery you below you will see what I mean.
The handset is capable of videoing Full HD in 16:9 from both the front and rear cameras, however, as you would expect, OIS is only available via the rear camera. The 8 MP front-facing camera is coupled with a flash, which is more like a dim flashlight, but can be good to get a little bit of light into the shot. The quality of shots possible with the front camera is also impressive, with nice colors and lots of detail, but as expected, some graininess is seen in poorly-lit environments. There is a whole set of beauty mode features, so the selfie lover will not be disappointed by what can be achieved with a little bit of digital magic.
Here are some sample shots so you can see for yourself:
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Software
The Mate S is running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with the latest version of Huawei’s Emotion UI on top (EMUI v3.1). This is a deliberate choice by Huawei and gets rid of the app drawer, leaving you dependent on folders to keep things organized. Some people insist on a stock Android experience (only to install a custom launcher later, yes I know who you are), however personally, I found EMUI to be a joy to use.
The notification shade is divided into two sections – Shortcuts and Notifications. Although it would have been nice to have these two sections combined, the notifications section is quite nice with a little timeline on the left side keeping your notifications very organized. There is also a theme engine available to change the look and feel of the UI to better suit your liking.
Besides the software to manage the fingerprint reader, there are a few other built-in bits of functionality. One is a simple always-on speech awareness system that allows you to place calls by saying “Okay emy, call joe”. Another is a set of motion controls like flip to mute and the Knuckle gestures. There is also a one-handed layout mode which temporarily reduces the size of the UI so that it is can be used with one hand. Finally EMUI has some support for dual-windowing, mainly for use with some of the stock apps like gallery, notepad, videos, and so on.
Overall, Huawei’s take on Android is certainly different from the stock experience, however it is very sleek and is well designed.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch AMOLED display, 1080p resolution |
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 935 Mali T-628 MP4 GPU (4*2.2GHz + 4*1.5GHz) |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB, 64GB or 128GB. Expandable microSD up to 128GB |
| Camera | 13 megapixel rear camera 8 megapixel front camera |
| Battery | 2,700mAh |
| Software | EMUI 3.1 based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Connectivity | GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, NFC |
Gallery
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Final thoughts
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Huawei Mate S! Overall, the Mate S is a really good phone, with its beautiful display, good battery life, and great camera. Performance is smooth and snappy for the most part, and while EMUI isn’t like stock Android, the slew of shortcuts and gestures available enable a good experience. And when you include what is probably the most useful fingerprint reader in a handset, it is an easy decision to give the Huawei Mate S our Editors’ Choice Award.
Tronsmart’s trio of Quick Charge 2.0 chargers for all of your charging needs
With the passion and precision our singular focus here at Tronsmart, our Tech Geek team (designers) can spend months of research to better understand a new product. The process is repeated over and over again until the product is perfectly refined. By putting themselves in the customer`s shoes each and every component of a product is discussed, down to the tiniest detail, until the team believes it is complete. – Tronsmart
It’s rare to find a company these days whose mission statement matches their products. Tronsmart is one of those companies where they let their hard work, dedication to perfection, and understanding their customer’s needs reflect in the products they make and distribute around the globe. I was recently afforded the opportunity to review three of their chargers: The Tronsmart TS-WC3PC Quick Charge 2.0 Rapid Wall Charger, the Tronsmart CCF2 Two-in-One Car Charger and the Tronsmart CCFC Type-C Car Charger.
I’m not one to usually put a lot of care into my chargers, but after a couple weeks of solid usage, I decided the one who put the care and attention to detail into my chargers was Tronsmart. They did the worry for me and produced three outstanding products that I have no doubt will serve as my day-to-day chargers for years to come.
Tronsmart TS-WC3PC Quick Charge 2.0 Rapid Wall Charger
The Tronsmart wall charger has three USB ports, two of which are dedicated to VoltIQ charging and the other is for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0. VoltIQ is Tronsmart’s smart technology which can automatically determine what kind of charge your devices need. As rapid as technology is developing, many people don’t realize those chargers from three or four years ago are not designed for today’s tech.
Many people have multiple devices in their household, from tablets to wireless speakers to older and newer smartphones. Sure those older chargers will work, but a charger from three years ago may take six hours to charge my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 but may charge my older LG G2 in three hours. In order to charge your devices quickly and efficiently, you need to use the proper charger, and rather than remember which of your ten chargers belongs to a specific device, Tronsmart solves your conundrum with VoltIQ.
The three port charger Tronsmart provided me with is well thought out. It wasn’t so large that I could not use the plug next to it, but it was large enough to power three of my devices. I had my tablet, wireless speaker, and wireless charger connected to it, keeping my wall outlet optimized. It’s a pain when you use two plugs for two devices these days. With VoltIQ, I was not running into issues like over-charging, heating issues, or slow charging. The charger is compatible with all of the devices from yesterday, today and the future. It will charge your Note 1-5, iPhone, Galaxy S6, Xiaomi Mi3, Xperia Z3, Z4, Z5 – you get the picture.
With Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 you can charge a Note 5 to 60% in less than thirty minutes. If you don’t have a Quick Charge 2.0 home charger, pick up one of these today. You can’t go wrong with the price, quality and technology. Tronsmart’s dedication to perfection is well represented in this TS-WC3PC Rapid Wall Charger.
Tronsmart CCF2 Two-in-One Car Charger and the CCFC Type-C Charger
I was fortunate and was provided with two car chargers from Tronsmart with their names listed above. The Tronsmart Two-in-One Car Charger is a Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 compatible charger with two USB outlets. It has one USB port for the quick charging, and the other is reserved for VoltIQ. It can support up to 36 watts between the two ports which means you can charge your Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 compatible device while your significant other charges their iPhone 6 both at maximum speed. No need to fight over the fastest outlet.
The other charger Tronsmart provided me with was the CCFC Type-C Charger with a fixed plug for USB Type-C devices such as the OnePlus 2 and the new Apple Macbook Pro. As much of a tech geek that I am, or that I think I am, I do not own a USB Type-C compatible device so I was not able to test this review unit. But by looking it over, I could tell without a doubt that this charger will be a daily charger once devices catch up to Tronsmart. It is nice to know that Tronsmart is ahead of the curve and offers a high-quality alternative to device manufacturers expensive chargers.
When I need to switch out my chargers next year for USB Type-C I know this will serve my needs.
Usage
Between the car and wall chargers, with Qualcomm’s USB 2.0 technology, I found myself giving my older chargers to a co-worker of mine at my primary job. These chargers performed just as expected, and with VoltIQ I no longer need to worry about my Note 5 taking six hours to charge on an old USB standard.
I moved the wall charger from my kitchen outlet to my bedroom outlet a few times just to get a feel of how it would hold up over time, and I didn’t hear one squeak or creak. I know this charger will last many years to come just like the car chargers Tronsmart provided me with.
Summary
Don’t waste your time looking for other smart chargers. Tronsmart has you covered and you can trust that they really do put their tech geeks to the test in ensuring their customers get the right product. Tronsmart is in the tech business for the long haul and their pride and hard work is reflected in their chargers. I look forward to reviewing other Tronsmart products in the future.
If you want to read about Tronsmart check them out at their website.
The post Tronsmart’s trio of Quick Charge 2.0 chargers for all of your charging needs appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Coocheer CH-080 Bluetooth speaker review
Coocheer is well-known for making great speakers, chargers, and headphones, and the CH-080 Bluetooth speaker is most definitely no exception. From its simple, matte design to its quality sound, the CH-080 packs quite a punch. Let’s see what makes it tick.
Design
Coocheer didn’t aim for flashiness or complexity with this speaker, which is actually a nice change of pace. The soft-touch matte plastic wrapped around the speaker give it a premium feel without the premium price tag. The only button on the entire device comes in the form of a large round dial which sports a colored LED ring around its base. Other than a 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB charging port, and an On/Off switch all lined up on one side, the CH-080 is left largely untouched by extra, unnecessary buttons. There’s a single microphone on the opposite side (right below the Coocheer logo in the photo above) as well, so you can use the speaker for voice commands and the occasional phone call.
It weighs in at just over one pound, so it still falls into the realm of a portable Bluetooth speaker. Its footprint isn’t very large, which means it should fit into most backpacks or messenger bags without any real issue. Unfortunately, Coocheer only offers the speaker in black (I would have loved to see a white or even a blue version).
Usage
As a Bluetooth speaker, the CH-080 works very well. It connects quickly and without any hassle, and I never experienced any stutter, song lag, or disconnections. Coocheer built this speaker with Bluetooth 3.0, which isn’t the latest standard, but it holds its own when playing music and taking calls. It also packs NFC, something we’ve seen in more and more Bluetooth speakers as of late.
If connecting through your phone/tablet’s Bluetooth settings fails (not very likely, as mentioned), you can (theoretically) always hold your device against the speaker to initiate the connection. In practice, I can’t say that the NFC in this case is very reliable. Try as I might, I could only get my Galaxy S6 to pick up the NFC from the speaker once or twice. I also tried a Moto X Pure Edition, with the same results. This is after dozens of attempts and a considerable amount of time pressing my phone against every inch of the speaker just to find the sweet spot. I appreciate that Coocheer included NFC as a connection option, but if it isn’t reliable, it’s almost useless to the average user.
Coocheer’s large dial in the center of the speaker (naturally) controls the volume, but the designers baked a little extra functionality into the dial, which doubles as a button. A single press serves as a pause/play function, but if you hold the button for three seconds, the LED ring will flash, indicating that the speaker has entered what Coocheer calls “Song Control Status.” This is essentially a mode in which turning the dial changes the song rather than the volume. It works exactly as you’d expect: enter Song Control Status mode, turn clockwise to skip to the next song and counterclockwise to return to the previous song. This may seem like a simple addition, but it is extremely useful when your phone or tablet is far away and you just want to change the song. Coocheer found a way to make this feature useful, without making it too complicated or adding extra buttons. Simplicity goes a long way with this speaker, something that users are sure to appreciate.
The inclusion of an LED ring around the base of the dial adds just the right amount of pizzazz to an otherwise blank slate of a speaker. The ring stays a light blue color, and turns a brighter shade of purple when the speaker is charging. When entering “Song Control Status” mode, the blue ring will flash. Other than that, the light remains on as long as the speaker is on. Coocheer didn’t include any way to turn off the LED, but it isn’t obtrusive enough to really be a bother anyway.
Performance & Sound
Coocheer’s speaker sounds great; there is no other way to describe it. Strong lows and accurate mid-range sound comes almost seamlessly from the speaker. The distribution of sound is fantastic, thanks to the CH-080 sporting two speakers that flank the dial in the center. Coocheer built the speaker with “Bass Enhance Technology,” which is basically a fancy way of saying that it can put out some reasonable bass for a small(er) speaker. It won’t shake any wine glasses or blow anyone away, but it can hold its own if you’re using the speaker at a house party or to listen to some tunes while you mop the floors.
The CH-080 can get considerably loud, and it doesn’t seem to distort much at higher volumes. Obviously if you overload it with bass, it’s going to sound a little wonky, but overall this little speaker can make some noise.
Conclusion
Coocheer was obviously trying to create a solid, simple, affordable Bluetooth speaker with the CH-080, and it definitely hit the mark. For just $19.99, this is hands-down one of the best speakers for the price. While the NFC issue is somewhat annoying, it isn’t really a deal-breaker. The CH-080 looks great, sounds great, and works almost perfectly. If you’re looking for a strong speaker at a reasonable price, this is definitely a good option.
If you’d like to grab a CH-080 speaker, you can grab one from Amazon here.
The post Coocheer CH-080 Bluetooth speaker review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
BLU Vivo Air LTE review
The BLU Vivo Air was affordable, but offered a stunning construction and pretty capable specs. The second iteration looks to bring a similar ultra thin design, but this time the device is boosted with 2 GB of RAM and 4G LTE speeds. The enticing part is that it still manages to stay half as thick and heavy as the competition.
I have been playing around with the BLU Vivo Air LTE for a while and am ready to tell you all about it. Is this to be your next smartphone? Let’s find out!
Design
Something feels off when you first hold the BLU Vivo Air LTE. It feels amazingly light, so you begin looking for the battery in the box only to find it actually is within the phone. This phone weighs only 98 grams. To put that into perspective, the iPhone 6 (known for its light weight) is 129 grams.
The Vivo Air LTE is also the thinnest smartphone one can buy in the USA at 5.1 mm. This thing is crazy light and thin. So much that you may even forget you have it in your pocket, and holding it for extended periods of time doesn’t do much to tire you.
But those are not the only impressive factors this device construction has to offer. The BLU Vivo Air LTE comes with a couple Gorilla Glass 3 panels, which sandwich an aluminum frame. This makes the phone a seemingly high-end product, but I do have to say I managed to scratch it relatively easily with normal usage. Not to mention, this thing is a fingerprint magnet and has a super slippery surface. Of course, you could always use the included case to avoid such inconveniences.
I do have to say I loved the phone’s smaller form factor, which made it a breeze to use single-handedly. Overall, I do believe you are getting quite a deal at this price point, as the phone is very well built and even has metal as one of its materials. That is hard to find in the lower-end market.
I definitely enjoyed the power and volume buttons, which feel pretty solid and provide good tactile feedback. Oh, and I happen to love when the microUSB and 3.5 mm headset jack are on the bottom of the phone, which is the case here.
The front of the phone sports a 5 MP shooter and an LED notification light. One thing I can complain about is that bezel, though. It’s pretty large, which isn’t an issue when the device has hardware buttons, but the BLU Vivo Air LTE is sticking with software buttons.
Display
As I mention above, this phone is small and easy to hold, and most of that is thanks to the modest 4.8-inch 720p Super AMOLED display. As you would expect from all AMOLED panels, this screen produces vibrant colors, saturated hues and the deepest blacks the mobile industry has to offer.
Sure, the display is nothing to write home about, but I can certainly appreciate the convenience of a smaller phone. Not to mention, it does look pretty good for the price!
Performance
Affordable processors have gotten really good the past couple years and I can say the BLU Vivo Air LTE can handle its own with that Snapdragon 410 SoC it packs. This happens to be a huge jump from the Mediatek MT6592 the phone’s predecessor had. And with 2 GB of RAM and an Adreno 306 GPU backing it up, we really can’t complain too much.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Just keep in mind you are buying an affordable phone. Don’t expect it to perform too well either! Most processes will do just fine, but you will start seeing some lag once you start getting into the heavier games. Frame drops and slower load times are certainly not uncommon in these situations. Overall, however, the device does offer a fair gaming experience.
Hardware
As it should, the BLU Vivo Air LTE has 802.11 N WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 4.0. Support for some USA 4G LTE networks is also included, with FDD-LTE bands 2,4 and 7 on board. It’s missing bands 5 and 17 for AT&T, as well as band 12 for T-Mobile, but you will still get 4G LTE speeds in some areas. It just depends on where you are.
Camera
Everyone looks to Sony for camera sensors, and this time the IMX219 didn’t quite disappoint. The phone takes pretty fair images for the price. Color reproduction seems to be accurate and I didn’t really come across any blurry photos. In the right lighting conditions, you an definitely take some keepers.
I did come across one issue with the automatic white balance function, which had a hard time deciding between modes. This was mostly an issue when in very bright environments, and setting white balance manually fixed the problem.
The default camera app is simple and offers some basic controls. My specific unit had an annoying problem – it would crash after scrolling through the menu. I am not sure if this is a problem that plagues all users, though. You can easily avoid this by using any other third-party camera app, but that’s still an annoyance.
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 20%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Software
This part of the review will be simple. The BLU Vivo Air LTE has pretty awesome software, as it is very near stock Android 5.0.2. There were some slight differences, like those clear buttons in the multi-tasking menu, a different lock screen time widget and a lighter font for the time in the notification panel. The manufacturer also included the TouchPal 2015 keyboard; this is cool if you happen to like it, but I downloaded the Google Keyboard right away.
#gallery-3
margin: auto;
#gallery-3 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-3 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-3 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The sad part is we likely won’t see much action in the form of updates. BLU is quite infamous for its poor after sales support. They are promising an update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but I would rather wait without holding my breath. Back in June they promised Android 5.0 Lollipop updates for the Life One and Life 8 XL ready in July; that hasn’t happened yet. We also have no idea if they are still working on them, as the company hasn’t said a word about the matter.
Battery
There’s always something you sacrifice when making a super thin handset – battery life. You can’t fit that big of a battery in these things, and so BLU decided to stick with a mere 2050 mAh battery. That’s a tiny number for smartphones, nowadays, but I will have to say battery life wasn’t as bad as I expected.
During my tests I found the phone could go for about 16 hours, with almost 3.5 hours of screen on time. The thing is that tests varied too much. Some days I was able to get 14.5 hours with 4 hours of screen on time. The next day I went to 12 hours with 2 hours of screen on time. Go figure!
#gallery-4
margin: auto;
#gallery-4 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-4 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-4 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
By the way, WiFi was off most of the time, and screen brightness was set to 40%.
Gallery
Pricing and availability
The BLU Vivo Air LTE sets itself right next to giants like the ASUS ZenFone 2 and the Moto G at a $199 price point. It’s available in both black and white, and sales start on September 22nd.
Here’s the trick: the Vivo Air LTE offers no storage expansion options, and the phone has only 16 GB of internal memory. Not the best set-up for many of you, that’s for sure.
There’s no doubt the Vivo Air LTE is one BLU’s most compelling offerings to date. It’s also one of the better offerings at this price point, thanks to its amazingly thin and light design, great display and capable camera. Sadly, 4G LTE support is limited, battery life is inconsistent and Android update forecasts are not very exciting.
Though I would recommend devices like the Moto G and the ASUS ZenFone 2 for their superior 4G LTE and support, you also can’t go wrong with the Vivo Air LTE. Those who can deal with the quirks should definitely look at it when choosing their next phone. Are any of you guys buying?
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style) review
Starting with the original Moto X, Motorola’s strategy has been to focus less on the specs race and more on creating a unique, enjoyable user experience. With each generation of the Moto X, Motorola has further perfected this vision, while improving the quality of specs and enhancing the Moto Maker customization options available to its consumers. The Moto X Pure Edition is the latest iteration of the Moto X family, and with it comes a much larger display than past generations. It is also the first Moto X to be produced fully under the helm of Lenovo.
With the changes in both leadership and size, does the Moto X Pure Edition (aka Moto X Style) still retain the Motorola experience we’ve all come to know and love? We find out this and more in our comprehensive review of the Moto X Pure Edition!
Design
When it comes to the Moto X Pure Edition’s aesthetics, you’ll notice a very familiar design that’s incredibly similar to last year’s model. There are some minor design changes, but the overall look doesn’t stray too far away from what the company began implementing in its smartphones when it was owned by Google. Although the design cues aren’t all that different, there is a huge outlier here, and that’s the size.
Oddly enough, the first-generation Moto X began as a very compact and easy to hold smartphone, coming in with a 4.7-inch display. That’s changed now, with the Pure Edition sporting a massive 5.7-inch display that dwarfs previous Moto X models. Surprisingly, for a phone with a 5.7 inch screen, it doesn’t feel as large as you might initially think. It’s actually impressively manageable in one hand, thanks to the super slim bezels around the display. It’s not the thinnest phone in the world, but the familiar curved back makes it feel thinner than it actually is.
With that said, the Pure Edition is comparable in size to other big smartphones like the Galaxy Note 5 and OnePlus 2, so if you can handle those phones with ease, you’ll have no problem using the Pure Edition with one hand.
This new Moto X device is still made of very high quality materials, featuring an all-metal frame that gives it a substantial look and feel. Of course, one of the biggest draws to the Moto X Pure Edition is the ability to customize just about every part of it. While we can’t comment on the quality of the wood or leather backs with the Pure Edition, we must say – the standard colored back plates are really nice. They’re made of a soft textured silicone material that not only makes the device extremely comfortable to hold, but also provides a lot of grip.
Moto Maker is still one of the best parts about the Moto X line
If the default colored backs aren’t your style, you can of course customize it through Moto Maker. This is truly one of the best parts about the Moto X line. There are a ton of options to choose from with a myriad of colored backs, wood backs, leather backs and accent colors. You can even add a custom engraving to truly make it your own.
A Moto X also wouldn’t be a Moto X without the signature Motorola dimple on the backside, which is now encased in a single metallic strip with the camera module and LED flash. The dimple is much smaller in size compared to last year’s model, which I personally find to be much more comfortable.
Taking a tour around the rest of the device, the buttons and ports are in pretty typical locations for a Motorola device. The power/standby key and volume buttons can be found on the right side, where they’re very easy to reach. The power button has a nice ridged texture that makes it really easy to find, which is a great touch. The bottom side houses the microUSB port, and up top sits the 3.5mm headphone jack in the center, with the Nano SIM card tray – which doubles as a microSD card slot – sitting slightly to the left.
On the front, there’s quite a bit of action going on. Aside from the typical ambient light and proximity sensors, you’ll find the IR sensors for triggering Moto Display without touching the phone, two front-facing speakers which flank the phone’s display, and a front camera (complete with selfie flash).
Display
Not only did this year’s Moto X receive a big bump in size, but also in resolution. It now sports a 5.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, but unlike the last two Moto Xs, it’s not AMOLED. The Pure Edition features a TFT LCD display, and, I have to admit, I’m a little saddened by the swap in display technology. One of Motorola’s most innovative and interesting features is Moto Display, which definitely doesn’t look as good on an LCD panel. Other that this gripe, though, the display is quite good. It’s bright, beautiful, has great viewing angles, and is pretty easy to see in direct sunlight. Colors are plenty vibrant and saturated, too.
With a Quad HD resolution, it’s also extremely sharp. The large screen size makes it pretty great for browsing the web, playing some games and watching videos and movies.
Performance
The Moto X Pure Edition performs just as well as other top-tier flagship smartphones
Motorola put a big emphasis on user experience with the first two Moto X devices, and didn’t worry so much about cramming in the latest and greatest specs. That’s pretty much the story here with the Moto X Pure Edition.
Instead of the Snapdragon 810, Motorola decided to use the perfectly-capable Snapdragon 808 processor in this device. It also comes with 3GB of RAM, which is great for multitasking, gaming and just about every other use case you’ll encounter on a day-to-day basis. The only hiccup I’ve ever noticed with the Pure Edition is that it sometimes lags on the lock screen when unlocking directly from Moto Display. It doesn’t happen all of the time, but often enough that you will probably notice it. This is an issue that can be resolved through a simple software update, so we’re really not too worried that it will be present for long.
Other than that, the Moto X Pure Edition performs just as well as other top-tier flagship smartphones.
Hardware
The Pure Edition comes with all of the usual connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and of course, LTE. One of the most convenient things about this phone is that it supports basically every LTE band for the four major carriers in the United States. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T or Verizon (sort of), which is something most smartphones aren’t able to boast.
The Moto X comes in 16, 32 and 64GB storage variants, though you can expand the device’s memory via microSD if you’d like. It can support cards up to 128GB in size, which means you can more than double the storage of your device with a single card. And remember, the microSD card slot is located in the SIM card slot on the top of the phone.
Motorola has really tried to improve its speaker quality over the years, and the Pure Edition’s front-facing speakers are testament to that. They’re true front-facing stereo speakers this time around. On top of being extremely loud, they deliver a very clean and rich sound that really tops off the media experience. I’m not sure they’re as good as HTC BoomSound speakers, but they’re definitely a close second.
Battery
This review has been mostly positive so far, but unfortunately we have to run into a negative aspect sooner or later. Battery life on the Moto X Pure Edition hasn’t been all that great, despite the phone having a hefty 3,300mAh unit. I’ve been able to get through an entire day on a single charge, but honestly, it’s really difficult to do. In my experience, the phone normally lasts around 12-13 hours before it needs to go back on the charger. If you like gaming, you can pretty much forget about this phone lasting anywhere near a full day on one charge.
When comparing it with other flagships on the market, I’d have to say it’s better than the Galaxy S6, but definitely nowhere near the battery life that’s found on the Galaxy Note 5.
It could be worse, though. Although there’s no wireless charging available on the Pure Edition, it does sport quick charging capabilities. Motorola says it’s the fastest charging smartphone in the world, which is definitely a bold claim. Of course, we haven’t tested that out for ourselves. In our time with the device, the Pure Edition has been able to achieve a completely full charge in about 75 minutes from 0% to 100%. The phone’s battery life could definitely be better, but at least you won’t have to wait long for a full charge if it dies in the middle of the day.
Camera
Without a doubt, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Moto X line, or really any Motorola phone in recent years, has been the camera experience. Thankfully, Motorola is looking to change all of that this year. This time around, Motorola is packing a 21-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture on the rear (though it does lack OIS), and a 5MP wide-angle lens on the front.
The rear cam is obviously the star of the show, but the front camera does stand out thanks to its inclusion of front-facing flash, which is really a nice touch, even if it honestly isn’t all that necessary. For the most part, the front cam does a decent job on its own and is perfectly capable of finding your face in most situations. Ultimately, the flash isn’t particularly all that useful unless you happen to take a lot of selfies in dark rooms, and even then the front flash can be blindingly bright and tends to flood the image with harsh lighting more than it does to illuminate it.
As for the rear shooter, picture quality has been surprisingly great and you can definitely tell Motorola put a very big focus on making the camera experience better on this year’s Moto X. In medium to good lighting photos are very sharp and detailed, and color reproduction is on point with just the right amount vibrancy and saturation. The HDR image processing on the Moto X has also been quite nice. It does a great job of bringing out a lot of the detail from the shadows, especially in high contrast or backlit scenarios, and adds just a little bit of extra saturation and warmth to the images, without causing them to look unnatural.
Low light performance has also made some really huge strides this year. I would say the Moto X’s performance here still isn’t as good something like the Samsung Galaxy S6 or Galaxy Note 5, but it is definitely leaps and bounds better than the 2014 Moto X. Specifically, images are much sharper and more detailed, which you can see pretty easily when zooming into text. The colors and white balance are also more accurate, it handles exposure a lot better especially in the highlights, and most importantly there’s a lot less digital noise.
One thing to note is that, with the exception of adjusting the focus point and exposure, Motorola’s camera interface still lacks a full suite of manual controls that other smartphone camera interfaces offer. That said, it is very easy to use. You can tap anywhere on the viewfinder to take a photo, swipe left to review any photos that you’ve taken, or swipe to the right to make adjustments to the camera settings. It’s pretty barebones, but you can do things like toggle through different modes like HDR, Night mode, panorama, 4K video recording, and other things of that nature.
Overall, the camera experience here is greatly improved over Motorola’s past offerings and so a big thumbs up to Motorola for finally producing a camera that is capable of taking photos that people won’t feel embarrassed to share to social media.
Software
When the original Moto X first hit the scene, one of the most compelling things about it wasn’t the specs or even the customization aspects, it was the software. A clean, stock-like approach meant that the Moto X was faster than many phones that offered technically superior specs. Even better, Motorola was able to push out updates to its lightly skinned Android UI at a quicker rate than its competitors.
The new Moto X Pure Edition seemingly continues this trend, offering a near stock build of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Even better, this phone is being sold completely free of carrier intervention and so there’s no carrier bloatware to get in the way. Motorola’s latest flagship is as pure of an Android experience you will get without buying a Nexus, with the only exception being Motorola’s baked-in custom features, which for most users will turn out to be more of a positive than a negative.
Moto Display is as good as ever, subtly pulsating anytime you receive a notification. As an added bonus, Motorola has even added the ability to control your music from it now.
Another big part of the Motorola software experience is Moto Voice, which allows you to dictate voice commands and even lets you customize the experience a bit more with your own key-phrase. What I love most about Moto Voice, besides the always on listening, is using it for navigation. Being able to just tell your phone to navigate home or anywhere that you need to go, without having to wake up the phone or touch it at all, is extremely useful, especially if you have your phone sitting in a car dock like I do. It’s also a lot safer when you’re driving.
Speaking of safety, the Moto X also offers Moto Assist, which can read your text messages out loud and tell you who’s calling, or it can optionally keep your phone completely quiet to avoid interruptions anytime you’re in a business meeting or simply just need to get some shut eye.
Finally, you have Moto Actions which are all really nifty and intuitive features. You can wave your hand over the front of the phone to trigger Moto display, chop twice to trigger the led flash, and if you take a lot of pictures, you’ll find yourself using the double twist of the wrist to launch the camera pretty much on a daily basis.
Bottom-line, if you enjoy stock Android but wouldn’t mind a few extra perks outside of ‘true vanilla Android,’ you’re going to be more than satisfied with with what Motorola brings to the table.
Specifications
| Display | 5.7-inch display Quad HD resolution, 515 ppi |
| Processor | 1.8 GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor Adreno 418 GPU |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 16/32/64 GB expandable via microSD up to 128 GB |
| Camera | 21 MP rear camera with dual LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera with wide angle lens and front-facing flash |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac Universal LTE bands Bluetooth 4.1 NFC GPS+GLONASS |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh |
| Software | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Colors | Moto Maker Coated Silicon Rubber Horween leather and natural wood Metallic accents Engraving |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
Motorola is taking a different approach with the sales of the Moto X this year. Instead of partnering with carriers, Motorola is selling the phone direct to consumers through Motorola’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy for a base price of $400 unlocked, which is an absolute bargain for a smartphone of this caliber. If you’re upgrading from a previous generation Moto X, the Pure Edition is a no-brainer.
So, there you have it for this in-depth look at the Moto X Pure Edition. For $400 you really can’t go wrong with this one. Sure, the phone has a few downsides like battery life but you’re getting some very high-end specs, great build quality, a large, beautiful high-resolution display, a camera that won’t disappoint, and one of the cleanest and purest Android experiences around. Most importantly, you have MotoMaker, a customization tool that allows users to create a truly unique experience that’s yet to be rivaled by any of Motorola’s competitors.
What do you think of the new Moto X Pure Edition? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments.
Don’t drink and drive: use the Floome Breathalyzer(review)
Floome recently provided me with a breathalyzer to review as an alternative to doing blood alcohol content(BAC) levels based on height and weight. I jumped at the opportunity, because I am a social drinker and don’t ever want to drive drunk. It’s simply not worth the consequences. For many, it is easy to say, “I’m good to drive. It’s just five minutes away” when they are drinking, but those five minutes can be life changing.
If you get caught over the legal limit for a first time offender in California, according to Nolo,(laws vary from state to state) and you did not cause a crash, you can get off easy with a $390 fine plus over $1000 in penalty assessments. It doesn’t stop there with an additional DUI-only $1800 penalties, a 48-hour jail sentence or a 90-day license restriction allowing you to only drive to and from work, and to and from an alcohol treatment program. You will also be required to complete an alcohol treatment program, and possibly get even up to six months in jail.
The reason why I say that you would get off easy is because there are even more severe consequences of driving under the influence. You can possibly give multiple people life sentences if you crash and kill them. Even if you cause a crash and do not kill someone, but do injure them, you can face jail time on top of fines and it could be considered a felony based on your situation. Plain and simple, don’t be selfish and endanger others just because you wanted to have a good time. Here are some facts courtesy of MADD(Mother’s against drunk driving).
The Floome is a breathalyzer designed to be used with your smartphone, is made by 2045 Tech and is sold in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan. 2045 Tech only uses the highest-quality parts for the Floome: The sensor used in the Floome to determine BAC is the same as the ones used in breathalyzers of law enforcement officers. Its purpose is to help you get the most accurate BAC level using your breath, app on your smartphone and of course, the Floome.
Design
The Floome is about the size of a key fob used in automobiles today. If you can carry a car key, you can carry the Floome. It is definitely portable and is well built. It comes in glossy red and matte black for those of you who are conscious about the devices you use as the Floome definitely fits the high-end design category.
Everything you need is contained in the one device. 2045 Tech designed the Floome to be simple and durable which is perfect for party goers and social drinkers alike. No battery is required to power the Floome, which means no charging and worrying about it not working without power.
Setup
In order to use the Floome, you need to download the required app from Google Play or the App Store as this is compatible with both Android and iOS. Once installed, you need to create an account, and then you can plug the Floome into your audio jack and get testing.
Usage
In order to use your Floome, the app will require you to enter your weight, gender, height and age, and the app will calculate how long it should take your body to lower your BAC. In addition, with increased usage, the app will learn your metabolic rate as everyone’s body is different. After you have been drinking, you need to wait twenty minutes before your test results will be accurate. The alcohol in your mouth can distort the results, but on the plus side, it will give you a higher reading than you actually expect which means it will tell you not to drive.
Once I filled in the necessary information, I took a baseline reading before I got to partying by myself. As expected my first reading was .000 g/dL which means I had no alcohol in my system.
After my initial reading, which required a gentle blow into the Floome for a few seconds, I started to drink my Scotch. To test the Floome, I took another test after thirty seconds of waiting. Like I said before, I was supposed to wait 20 minutes before I took my first test, but for the sake of the review I wanted to see what would happen if I broke the rule. My BAC came in at a whopping .167 where the legal limit is .08 which means I was double the legal limit.
After waiting the full twenty minutes and after finishing my two ounce drink, I took the test again and my reading came in at .017 g/dL. The Floome app let me know that my driving could be impaired which I do not disagree with. After pouring myself another, drinking it, and testing again my BAC came in at .033 which meant it was time for me to stop drinking. I normally only have one or two drinks when I go out and at my weight and time spent drinking over 75 minutes, the Floome definitely matched up to BAC calculators. I have full confidence that the Floome was giving me an accurate reading.
Now I know you’re probably thinking, why would I get the Floome if I can use a BAC calculator? When you are out and having fun, do you find yourself keeping track of what time you started drinking? Do you keep track of exactly how much alcohol is in your craft beer(craft beers in San Diego easily push 6-8% alcohol content)? Was it a double shot or was it a single shot of whiskey? None of these things are easy to track and relying on calculators just isn’t accurate. Plus if you are aware enough to keep track of all of those things, there’s a good chance you are a responsible drinker anyways.
The Floome does whatever it can to prevent you from driving over the legal limit by suggesting restaurants you can go eat at, providing a taxi finding service, as well as connecting you to your contacts so they can give you a ride.
What I liked
- Simple to use
- Accuracy
- Build quality
- No battery required
- Portable
- Well executed app
- Compatible with Android and iOS
What I didn’t like
- Nothing. I am going to buy a couple for my buddies.
Summary
The Floome costs $99.00 which is a bargain considering the alternatives. Not only will it help you stay away from fines, but more importantly it will help prevent crashes and save lives. Drunk driving is all too common in this world and many of you probably know someone who has been affected by a drunk driver in some way. If you haven’t, consider yourself fortunate and don’t become a statistic.
Use the Floome if you are a drinker, or get one for your friends and family if you know them to be irresponsible when it comes to drinking. No one deserves a life sentence at the hands of a drunk driver. With tools like the Floome, there simply are no excuses for driving under the influence.
EVERY TWO MINUTES, A PERSON IS INJURED IN A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.
ON AVERAGE, TWO IN THREE PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED IN A DRUNK DRIVING CRASH IN THEIR LIFETIME.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.
THE RATE OF DRUNK DRIVING IS HIGHEST AMONG 21 TO 25 YEAR OLDS (23.4 PERCENT).
(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings.” September 2011.)
IN 2013, 10,076 PEOPLE DIED IN DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES – ONE EVERY 52 MINUTES – AND 290,000 WERE INJURED IN DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data, 2014. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812102.pdf. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.
Luckily there are ways to truly determine if you are under the influence. The Floome Breathalyzer.
The post Don’t drink and drive: use the Floome Breathalyzer(review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Project Fi review – can Google make it as a carrier?
Google has been known to break whatever market they step into, offering great products and services while undercutting competing prices. An example is their Google Fiber initiative, which brings Gigabit speeds to select markets for insanely affordable prices. Before that, they took on the cloud storage commerce with Google Drive. The list goes on, but today we are focusing on their latest major side gig – Project Fi.
Google’s Project Fi is the Search Giant’s attempt at testing the carrier waters. They have become an MVNO to a couple carriers and also harness the power of WiFi networks to offer a very unique type of cellphone service. It’s pricing system is also very distinctive, but we will jump into all those details later in the review.
When project Fi launched, we were a bit hesitant about certain aspects of this new wireless service provider. But we won’t simply discard it! I took it upon myself to request an invite, buy a Nexus 6 and sign up for the service. I have been using it for a couple months now and am ready to give you the full rundown. Is Project Fi all Google hyped it out to be? Let’s find out!
A bit about Project Fi
As already stated above, Project Fi is not really its own carrier – it’s an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator). This simply means that it doesn’t operate on its own towers. The interesting part is that Google’s wireless services are special in multiple other ways.
Project Fi piggybacks off both T-Mobile and Sprint networks. The device will simply choose whichever is stronger and faster at the time. Likely the most interesting aspect is that Project Fi also harnesses the power of WiFi networks in order to bring you a more affordable price point. When connected to WiFi, calls, messages and data (of course) are routed through the internet, instead of using the network towers, which would cost Google extra cash.
In order to further entice users to stick to WiFi networks, Google can determine which public WiFi hot spots are reliable and require no action to connect to them. Your device will do this automatically. But don’t freak out just yet – you can definitely turn off WiFi if you prefer.
By the way, running this type of hybrid network is no easy task, and Google needs full control over the devices that operate under this MVNO. The best way to do this is by using Nexus devices, which means only the Nexus 6 is compatible with the service right now. The good news is that support for upcoming Nexus smartphones is more than likely in the works.
Pricing
While I usually wait until the end of a post to talk about pricing, I feel this time around we should make an exception. Pricing is especially an important part of Project Fi’s offerings. Thanks to the way the service can offload some of the weight to WiFi networks, Google can often save a lot of money by not using actual cellular towers and paying fees to the carriers.
Thanks to this system, Google is able to charge $20 for the base services, which include unlimited texting and calling within the USA (affordable rates for calling other countries). Moving beyond the basic needs, the user has to pay for the data he uses, which is priced at $10 per gigabyte. And Google means it when they say this is the price; data is always this price, and customers will be charged only for what they use.
You can choose an approximate amount of data, and Google will charge you accordingly, but they won’t take any money they don’t deserve. Let’s say you usually go through about 2 GB, but one month you took it easy and ended up using only 500 MB. Google will only charge you $5 for data and return the rest of the money (except for the base $20, of course) as credit towards your next bill. They don’t return the cash, which is why you should always calculate your data usage as closely as possible.
The only discrepancy with pricing is that $10 for a single gigabyte can definitely get expensive if you are a heavier user, which is why I will stress that Project Fi may not necessarily be for everyone. This service is great for those who spend a lot of time using WiFi. If you are a data hog, try looking elsewhere.
International services
To be honest, this is the sole reason why I personally decided to switch to Project Fi. I happen to travel very often, especially since I live near the Mexican border. But this is not only good for those who are close to a neighboring country. In fact, all Project Fi users get international data roaming in over 120 countries at no extra charges!
All Google charges for is the data you used while in these countries, which happens to be priced equally to domestic internet usage – $10 per GB. International texting is included and calls cost 20 cents a minute while using cellular networks. Fees are reduced while on WiFi.
I can’t tell you how great it feels not having to worry about data roaming fees outside the USA. Data roaming can get very expensive with other carriers, and I have heard of plenty of horror stories about people paying hundreds just for sharing selfies on social networks.
This could be the answer to many a traveler’s prayer. In fact, I would consider getting a Project Fi SIM card only for when traveling. After all, you could just pause or cancel service whenever you want.
My personal experience with Project Fi
Switching to Project Fi definitely has its learning curve. This is because this unconventional MVNO is designed to be a powerful cloud tool. Those who already had a Google Voice account can continue using their same number. In addition, using Hangouts will allow you to synchronize all calls and SMS messages.
You can call and text people through data using Hangouts on your smartphones, tablets, computers and other smart devices. This is convenient, but it can be quite confusing for those of us who like keeping our communication tools separate. Not to mention, regular text messaging apps have more features, which is why Google currently recommends you use their Messenger app, instead.
Get past the software technicalities and you will find the service is pretty darn good for the price. Remember you are pretty much using two of the best four carriers in the USA, which warrants a pretty stable signal most of the time. I rarely step out of 4G LTE coverage in San Diego. Sure, the network is not at the same level as my daily driver (Verizon), but I can totally live off this coverage without making any remarkable sacrifices. Also keep in mind that Project Fi only costs a fraction of the premium price I pay for Verizon’s network.
Calls, messages and data worked very well over Project Fi, and I never encountered any issues or distorted calls, even while switching in and out of WiFi and carrier networks. Coverage in Mexico was also flawless, and I do happen to use my phone there about 30% of the time.
Billing is simple and I have honestly never paid so little for wireless services before. My monthly bill averages at about $20 to $30! Of course, I am a special type of user, though. I spend most of my time at home, where I am always using WiFi. It’s obvious I am not a heavy data user, and so this pay-for-what-you-use model works perfectly for me.
Google did a good job making the transition between networks seamless. I never got cut off when switching from WiFi to cellular towers. The service is solid, guys. And if you have good T-Mobile and/or Sprint reception, you will be doing just fine with your data speeds.
The Project Fi app
The Project Fi application is available straight from the Google Play Store. It is pretty straight forward, really. There are three tabs that let you manage your service in every way. These are labeled as “Account”, “Billing” and “Support”.
The Account tab is where you will be looking for things most of the time. It tells you how much data you have used, as well as your available allotment. Scroll down and you can also manage your plan. It’s possible to add more GBs, limit service & calls outside the USA, cancel your plan or pause the service.
The Account tab also has shortcuts for updating your payment method, accessing your voice mail, setting up call forwarding editing alerts and more.
The Billing tab offers details on scheduled payments and past statements. It’s pretty straight forward and only serves as your book keeping tool. And of course, the Support tab can help you get in touch with Google, as well as the Project Fi community on Google+.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Overall, I think the app is great. Google is known for its online service and this is something that shows in this application. They are offering you everything they can right off the bat, so you can avoid having to call them as often. It’s all in there, in a very well-organized and sleek manner.
I rarely ever use it, but that is actually a good thing. And when I do get to play around with it I am in and out in a jiffy.
Conclusion
I know I have said this already, but I must stress that Project Fi is not for everyone! It can get pricey if you use a lot of data and are not within WiFi range all the time. And even if you figure you will end up spending the very same amount of money with another carrier, it might still be smarter to go elsewhere, as there are many benefits to going with a traditional service provider.
For starters, smartphone selection is abysmal at this point. Going with Project Fi entails having to live with the Nexus 6 (at least until more devices are added to the list, and they will more than likely also have to be Nexus phones). Don’t get me wrong, the 5.96-inch device is awesome, but it is definitely not for everyone. Its size can certainly intimidate many a small-handed user.
Furthermore, there are a bunch of other phones you may want to take a look at! I am personally loving the LG G4 right now, and really wish I could take it over to Project Fi, but alas.
But the benefit is not only more smartphone availability; certain carriers can offer deals and add-ons that you won’t find on Project Fi. Let’s take T-Mobile as an example, as I believe it is the closest competitor to Project Fi, at least among the largest 4 carriers in the USA.
Magenta’s lowest plan costs $50. Sure, it may be only 1 GB of 4G LTE, but data continues to be unlimited after that. T-Mobile also has all the Uncarrier offerings, which include free music streaming (depending on the app), international texting and 2G data roaming with no fees, full service in Mexico and Canada (also with no roaming fees), data rollover, device installment plans and even an early upgrade program (JUMP).
Project Fi is, for all intents and purposes, mostly for the casual user… or for those who spend most of their time on a WiFi network. For these customers, it will do more than a fine job. I can honestly say it’s possible for me to currently drop my Verizon plan altogether, and that is saying a lot.
Interested? Go over to Project Fi’s website and ask for an invite! And don’t forget to hit the comments and tell us what you think of Project Fi. Are any of you using it? Are you considering switching to Google’s wireless services? And more importantly, can you live
AIVAnet 