cheero Ingress Power Cube: The most unique portable battery you can gets your hands on
When cheero offered me the opportunity to review its official Ingress powerpack I jumped at the task. Portable batteries are a dime a dozen and offer very little differentiation other than things like outputs and capacity. They have one reason for their existence – to provide backup power when you need it. But in comes cheero with quite possibly the coolest looking portable battery I have ever seen. You don’t necessarily need to be a fan of Ingress to appreciate it, but if you are a fan of Ingress you will love this battery.
Ingress is an award winning, real-world interactive game with over 10M downloads from the Google Play Store. The game is also available on iOS so this battery applies to both Android and iOS users alike. Here is a description from Google Play:
Move through the real world using your Android device and the Ingress app to discover and tap sources of this mysterious energy. Acquire objects to aid in your quest, deploy tech to capture territory, and ally with other players to advance the cause of the Enlightened or the Resistance.
Strategy
The struggle is being played out globally. Track the progress of players around the world, plan your next steps, and communicate with others using an Intelligence map.
What is the Niantic Project?
Is this just a game? An Investigation Board (http://www.google.com/+NianticProject) filled with cryptic clues and secret codes awaits. The story evolves everyday. Powerful secrets and game tech are there to be unlocked.
Form Alliances
The struggle to save the planet spans the entire world. Groups of people acting together can be more effective than individuals acting alone. Cooperation accoss neighborhoods, cities, and countries will be needed to achieve the ultimate victory.
The game was created by Niantic Labs, a startup from Google. Gameplay consists of establishing “portals” from real life places like landmarks and monuments, and linking them to create “control fields” over areas of the map. Progress is measured by how many “mind units” you capture through these control fields. This game spans the globe through alliances and has quite the extreme following. If you haven’t played it, give it a try. It is fun and very unique. Back to the battery. Ingress players travel the map establishing their portals, but that causes serious drain on battery life. You can play the game to your heart’s content, but you will need a battery to match. This is where cheero saw a need for the fanatics of Ingress and released their official cheero Ingress Power Cube.
Design
The cheero Ingress 12000mAh battery is quite possibly one of the coolest looking portable batteries you can buy today. No this isn’t for everyone, as you probably won’t find business people carrying this on them, as it is quite flashy. At first glance, when unboxing the battery looks like most batteries – it is long and rectangular.
As you expose it to light, you can see there is something special in the design with the Ingress battery. You see colorful sparkles from glitter embedded in a clear plastic layer that shows the Ingress logo in the center. That’s the point you realize, this is a special battery.
When the battery is powered on, the Ingress logo instantly lights up with colorful LED lights. By pushing a toggle button on the side of the battery, you can change the color of the LED lights to blue, green, and white. If you hold the button down, the battery will give you a dazzling light show as there are multiple LEDs surrounding the logo which reflect off that glitter. Simply put, this is the coolest light show portable battery you can get your hands on. And if you’re a fan of Ingress this battery was specifically designed with you in mind.
Hardware wise, you can tell cheero took pride in building this 12000mAh battery pack. It is well-built, and feels very sturdy in hand. They also packed quite a bit of juice into this battery which is about the size of my Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, just a bit thicker.
Specs
- Capacity – 12000mAh – Roughly 4 full phone charges for my Note Edge with a 3000mAh battery
- Output – USB 1: 1A / 5V USB 2: 2.1A / 5V
- Size – 156.5mm×72mm×19mm
- Weight – 275g
- Protection features – Auto shut down on overcharging, over-discharging, overheating or short-circuit
- 6 various lighting patterns which can be cycled through using the buttons on side
- Recharge time – 7 hours
Usage
Coming in at 12000mAh, the cheero Ingress Power Cube contains more than enough juice to get me through a few days of use on my smartphone without needing a wall charger. The portable battery provides quite the light show when it is charging your device. It was quite a surprise to me as this type of accessory is not my style. I’m usually quite happy with any power pack, but this Ingress Power Cube is special. I have never seen anything quite like it, and when I was at a local coffee shop working, I was asked several times what it was followed with a few compliments.
The cheero Ingress Power Cube works like all other battery packs. It has a micro USB input for charging with two USB outlets for charging two devices simultaneously. It also works as advertised as I did get 4 refills on my Note Edge battery.
Summary
If you are a fan and enjoy playing Ingress you need this battery. It comes with unique passcode for an ADA Refactor, Jarvis Virus, and Power Cube for use within the game. Also, priced at $43.99 at Amazon.com, the cheero Ingress Power Cube is quite a deal. Similar sized batteries without the special design, can sell for over $100.
This battery pack isn’t just for Ingress gamers , it is for anyone who needs a portable battery and for anyone who appreciates being unique. I have no qualms recommending this battery to anyone as long as you don’t mind bright LED lights while your phone or tablet is charging.
The post cheero Ingress Power Cube: The most unique portable battery you can gets your hands on appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Mountain Goat Mountain: Simple, gorgeous, and plenty of replay value (App of the day)
If you’re my age, you likely grew up playing your first video games on the Atari 2600. As a young child I fell in love with Q-Bert and its simple premise and mechanics. Fast forward a few decades to the first generation of Android smartphones and we had games like Doodle Jump to keep us entertained for hours on end.
Today, however, our mobile phones are super powerful and can handle all sorts of graphic-intense demands. Sure, we still play plenty of casual games with our devices, but they’re designed to handle so much more.
Look through some of the top first-person shooters or racing games and you’re bound to see spectacular effects such as dust particles, dynamic lighting, and life-like water. What happens when you squeeze some of those polished and refined features into a game with a more casual and carefree approach? I suspect it looks a lot like Zynga’s latest Android game, Mountain Goat Mountain.
First Impressions
Upon first opening the game up I thought that Mountain Goat Mountain was a one-trick pony that would get old quickly. The premise? You have to hop your goat character up the mountain as high as possible. To do so, you move in diagonal directions by tapping or swiping the screen.
Looking very much like a cross between the aforementioned Q-Bert and Doodle Jump, I quickly realized there’s a lot more at work in this one.
Not only are you drawn to constantly shoot for a higher score, but you’re collecting coins along the way. What’s more, you’re on the lookout for obstacles and items that will stand in your way or hinder progress.
That sounds all too familiar to a lot of you, I know. But, give Mountain Goat Mountain a half hour of your time and you’ll realize that the developers put a lot of effort into the game. See, the coins you collect can be used to unlock other goats. Said goats come with their own music, board layout, and a completely refreshed look. Unlock, or purchase (in-app) a few goats and that’s when you really see the polish.
Graphics and Replay Value
The graphics, which are cute and cuddly, are very detailed. Much attention has been paid to the hillside, falling hindrances, and other moving parts. This is accentuated when moving to different goats.
With nearly two dozen characters to choose from, Mountain Goat Mountain is able to shake up and refresh the same mechanics over and over. And, really, who isn’t motivated by the desire to one-up your high score? Speaking of which, the Google Play Games lets you see how you stack up against other players, too.
Additional Options
If you’re the kind who would prefer to simply pay your way through a game, you’ll be somewhat dissatisfied. Yes, you can buy goats for $.99 a piece but that’s basically it. There’s no way to boost your score or improve your goat’s capabilities.
There are a number of player-defined settings in Mountain Goat Mountain that can improve your experience. This includes, enabling and disabling music sound effects, adjusting frame rate, and selecting the preferred method of hopping.
Although there are ads that can be watched in the game, it’s very few and far between. In fact, I can only recall being asked if I would like to watch a clip in exchange for coins. Otherwise, the game flows right along. Die, and you’re right back at the beginning, ready to roll.
What We Liked:
- High replay value
- Graphics are better than expected for a game of this nature
- Family-friendly
- Very few ads
Room for Improvement:
- Music gets a little repetitive
- Would like to purchase all goats at a discounted rate
Summary
I appreciate that Mountain Goat Mountain is a fun game that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Although I was the first to find it in my household, my son has managed to unlock far more goats than me in the last few days. We’re now competing for high scores and achievements and neither of us has invested a dime.
The post Mountain Goat Mountain: Simple, gorgeous, and plenty of replay value (App of the day) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Robotory is all about not dying (App Review)
While we may not all be fans of platform games, they certainly provide some entertainment for those who do. Me being one of them, Robotory provided me with addictive gameplay, although I do ponder if it’s actually worth playing on a regular basis.
Setup
You’re greeted by the main menu, and upon tapping the big green start button, you advance to the tutorial after viewing a clip on the story behind the game. Nothing complicated, the tutorial consists of two instructions: Swipe to change running direction and tap to jump. While it’s all you need, I did get confused to what the different collectibles do. I still don’t know what some of them are for. Thankfully, the game is rather easy to use and you don’t need a bulging brain to understand it.
Gameplay
As you might’ve gathered, the game is based on the platform style. You have to jump up to the next level by finding the gap in the floor. It’s not as easy as it may sound, the rising water beneath you seems to scare you and you stand the risk of falling back through the gap you came up through. There are collectibles along the way, such as bolts and other things that I can’t find a name for. The use of these remains a mystery, the only possible use for them is to perhaps unlock more robots, which, by the way, is your character. But clicking on them only offers in-app purchases, so I presume that there is simply no use for them. The graphics are nothing fancy, but they’re better than most apps would offer. Everything was smooth and overall there was a positive atmosphere when playing. Yes, that means no adverts.
Is it for me?
If you require games that don’t require data or that you want to play while doing your business on the loo, I’d say Robotory is the ideal candidate. Coupled with addictive gameplay, it’s really suitable for anyone.
What we liked:
- Fun gameplay
- Good graphics
- Smooth playing
And not so much…
- Lack of challenges
- Repetitive gameplay
The big question still remains, and quite frankly I’m not sure if I can answer it. Is it worth a download? While I’ll say ‘yes’, it’s ultimately up to you. But yes, it is a rather entertaining game. Go try it.
The post Robotory is all about not dying (App Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
A-Great set of bluetooth headphones: A-Audio Icon review
I love music, but I generally have issues with headphones. I have 3 kids at home and they have broken almost every pair of headphones that I have ever had. The problem with most headphones is that they are made with cheap plastic and my kids are not gentle with anything, let alone a pair of headphones. A-Audio’s Icon headphones do a great job relaxing my concerns.
Icon overview
When I received my Icon headphones in the mail, the first thing I noticed was the packaging. The box that they came in had a magnetic clasp that kept the box closed, but it still opened easily. Inside the box was a carbon fiber case with the A-Audio logo on top. At this point, I am simply amazed at all the tiny details that they put into the packaging itself. My expectations for the headphones are sky high at this point.
The Icon did not disappoint. As I opened the carbon fiber case I continue to be amazed at the quality. The frame is made of steel and the hinges of zinc. I can tell that these headphones can take a beating. With my kids, they’ll need to.
Not only are the hinges and frame made of metal, but the ultra soft leather and memory foam ear pads give it a very luxurious feel. So at this point I’m practically drooling over these headphones and I’m really hoping that they sound as good as they look and feel.
Unfortunately, I would have to wait a few hours before I could test them out. The quick start card that comes in the box tells me to charge them fully before using them. So, I begin looking through the pouch inside the case and find the charger, two 3.5mm audio cables, a micro USB cable, and a small external battery pack. Of course, I plug in the headphones and battery pack and get things charged. It takes about 2 hours to fully charge.
After they are fully charged, I pair them with my phone and immediately begin listening to music. The music coming from the headphones is extremely crisp and clear, and I can’t hear a thing other than the music. It’s now late at night and I can only spend 30-40 minutes listening to music, but luckily the following day is Saturday and I have all day to listen to them.
And listen to them all day is exactly what I do. One of the things that impressed me was the battery life. The Icon headphones went all day from 7 am to about 11 pm on a single charge. Even when I took them off, I left the music playing to properly test them.
Icon setup
The headphones were very easy to setup. The longest part was charging it first, but once charged the pairing process was very simple. Within 1 minute, I was up and running.
Icon usage
I’ve already gushed on the build quality, now let me gush on the sound quality. It is superb. There are songs that I gained a new appreciation for listening to them on these headphones.
Now I don’t recommend that you turn them up full blast, unless your intention is to kill your eardrums, but I can tell you that you that even at full blast, the headphone’s sound remained crisp and clear with no distortion. Not only can it handle the highs, but it can handle the bass as well. I purposefully searched for bass-centric music on Google Play Music and again even at full volume, there was no distortion of any kind.
The headphones also feature a built-in microphone. When I asked, callers reported to me that they could hear me loud and clear.
One of the things that I liked is the ability to listen wired or wireless. In fact, the wired sounds even better in my opinion, especially of your using a service like Tidal with lossless HiFi audio. Unfortunately the controls one the wire do not work with Android.
The Bluetooth controls were very discrete and I liked them except for one thing. What bothered me was, why they would integrate a double and triple click system to move the songs back and forward when you have two perfectly good nubs to the left and right of the A-Audio logo. In fact, it makes more sense to me that they would do it my way when I consider that the two nubs above and below the logo also double as volume buttons.
Another feature that I wish they would have added is the ability to initiate a voice call from the headphones. To me, this is Bluetooth 101. In fact, my 1st generation LG Tones have that ability for 8/10th the price. Of course, my LG’s sound nowhere near as good as the A-Audio Icon headphones, but that’s not the point. The point is that these cheap little headphones have a feature not found on these high dollar headphones.
What we liked
- Superb build quality
- Amazing sound reproduction
- Packaging / carbon fiber case
What could be better
- Bluetooth controls
- Voice command integration
- Price
Summary
In the end, I found that these headphones are amazing. They are not perfect by any means, but if you’re looking for great sounding and long lasting headphones and a $379 price tag does not deter you, then look no further than the A-Audio Icon Bluetooth headphones.
Until the end of the month, you can use promo code androidguys25 for an additional 25% off at checkout on A-Audio’s website. That would effectively reduce the price by almost $95.
The post A-Great set of bluetooth headphones: A-Audio Icon review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Free memory, extend your battery, and archive apps with Systweak Android Cleaner (App Review)
For today, we have Systweak Android Cleaner, one of the new Android optimizer apps on the block. Its competition includes the well-known Cheetah Mobile’s Clean Master (Boost & Applock). The purpose of these apps is to increase the device’s performance by periodically clearing cached memory, deleting junk files, and managing storage.
Setup
Setup for Systweak is quick and easy. Just head over to Google Play and download and install the app. Open it, and you’ll be met with the main screen.
Features and Functions
Systweak includes the following: phone boost, a junk files manager, a battery saver, a storage manager, and an app manager.
With phone boost, you can end running background services and their cache in order to give the system memory back. This can be done automatically at set intervals.
The junk files manager cleans external application cache and temporary files. Here, you are able to recover space from APKs, the ten largest files, and browser data.
The battery saver manages the parts of the OS that drain the battery the most (such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, background services, and auto-sync), allowing for an extended battery life of up to 50%.
And lastly, the app manager can perform two functions: archiving an app and uninstalling it. When you archive an app, a backup of its application files is created. This process frees up internal storage. You can restore the files whenever needed under the “Archived” section.
Systweak certainly is well-designed with an interface that is in line with material design. Also, I liked that I could automate Phone Boost to work every two, four, six, or eight hours and that I could specify which parts of the OS Battery Saver targeted.
I did not necessarily dislike anything about the app. However, as a suggestion, it would be a nice addition if users had the option to have Phone Boost optimize their devices as soon as they are turned on.
What We Like
- Beautiful, intuitive design
- Ability to automate Phone Boost
- Can choose which services Battery Saver manages
- Optimizer widget
What We Don’t Like
- Not exactly a negative, but optimization upon turning on the device would be nice
To conclude, Systweak Android Cleaner is a really good optimizer app. Although it has not been on the market as long as the aforementioned Clean Master has, it definitely holds its own. It does not have as many features as that one does either, which go beyond the expected optimization. For example, Clean Master has built-in anti-malware protection. However, don’t be concerned by that, especially if you already have an anti-malware app or just need the features Systweak provides.
The post Free memory, extend your battery, and archive apps with Systweak Android Cleaner (App Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Get your news with Veooz (app review)
Veooz is a Flipboard-esque app that want to be your new news reader. It brings a few unique features to the table. Will it be enough to stand out among the hundreds of other news apps that are on the market already? Read on.
Veooz overview
If you’re familiar with Android’s design language in KitKat, then Veooz’s interface will be pretty easy to use. It doesn’t incorporate Lollipop’s material design, but I don’t feel that it’s needed with this app.
It’s pretty easy to get started. When you first open the app it will walk you through a tutorial and will give you the option to select from topics that interest you. Unfortunately, you can only select from the topics that they suggest, but they do have most topics that you could think of…
The app feels very similar to Flipboard. You flip up through the articles like Flipboard, but without the flipping animation.
Veooz has a unique feature called “360” that will pull up related articles that can potentially offer alternative viewpoints. I found this to be handy especially in regards to political articles where opposing viewpoints are important. It was also handy in pulling up other articles that could offer more information not covered by the original.
Once you’ve clicked the 360 icon, you can also select buzz from the menu at the top. That will allow you to read trending tweets that relate to the article.
Another feature that is nice is the local news option. All you have to do is select the local option in the left menu and select your city. If your city does not show up, you may need to try another larger city in the vicinity. Smaller cities didn’t show up the feed. The developer may want to consider adding a feature where the closest local feed would show up instead of nothing.
Other features that I liked were the ability to open images and videos within the app independently of the article and the option to read the text of the article only without ads taking up precious screen real estate.
The one complaint that I have about Veooz is that you are unable to add your own sources. Some sort of pseudo-RSS support would be a great feature to add and would take care of my complaint.
Veooz setup
There isn’t much to setup other than installing it from Google Play and selecting your topics and local news feed.
Who will enjoy Veooz
If you enjoy reading the news, then this app will work good for you. There are some great features that make reading and discovering the news an easy proposition. However, if you want to read news from specific sites, then you’ll want to look at a dedicated RSS reader.
What we liked:
- 360 feature
- Text only option
- Local news
What could be better:
- RSS support
- Better local news search
Veooz summary
Overall this is a nice app. I think that if I hadn’t already discovered the wonderful world of RSS feeds, then I would use this app much more. I think this app works better as a news discovery option, but for others who have certain sites that they prefer, then they may want to stick with a dedicated RSS reader and use Veooz as way of finding new sites that you might want to follow.
The post Get your news with Veooz (app review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
SOL REPUBLIC Shadow Wireless headphones review
W
hile the Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 function as my daily driver headset, I was pumped to get my hands on the Shadow Wireless earphones from Sol Republic. In short, they’re a solid set of buds that really impress at their price point.
Let’s start with sound. These earphones are a great buy for folks that want a strong bottom-end response. I found the low and high-end hyping to be really great for hip-hop tracks and imagine that Sol Republic is targeting a younger demographic with this offering. In fact, I can imagine tons of teens putting these on their back-to-school shopping wishlists. Let’s not kid ourselves here; these aren’t Bang & Olufsen but for the price, they do deliver.
The form factor features a “NASA-inspired biomorphic design”. Scratching your head? I was too but after feeling the comfort of the neckband, it immediately clicked for me. The unit wraps around quite nicely and fits to the contours of the neck. When in use, these are super easy to wear. I had the opportunity to try the Steel Black color, which — in my opinion — are the more attractive of the two offerings. I did find that, when the earphones weren’t in, the dangling buds were unsightly and quite annoying to walk around with although this is easily remedied by folding and pocketing.
For all you fast-moving jetsetters with multiple phones, you’ll find solace in the ability to connect to two devices at once. The battery life clocks in at about 8 hours. If you’re going out for a marathon trek in the mountains, you may want to bring a pair of wired headphones, but these fit perfectly into my New York City lifestyle.
While these aren’t the best for running (my earbuds fell out a few times), they are water resistant and the built-in button controls are simple to use. The Shadow Wireless headphones feature Bluetooth 4.0 with Apt-X support. The latter is an integrated codec for superior wireless streaming sound but, quite frankly, I didn’t hear much of a difference. Your mileage may vary, though.
If you’re looking for wireless headphones, these should absolutely be on your radar. Got a friend or family member heading to high-school or college? These would be perfect gift. I found the sound to be solid, the design to be svelt and the price point extremely attractive. Overall, the Shadow Wireless is sleek, comfortable and a true value for just $100.
The post SOL REPUBLIC Shadow Wireless headphones review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Explore Ancient Egypt with Pharoah Jump (App Review)
Are you the type of gamer who is looking for a game that kills time? Pharoah Jump was designed for you, but there are some serious drawbacks to this app.
As I grow older, I realize that I am not as good at games as I once was in my college days. I’m not old by any means (35), but for gamers I might as well be dead. I don’t play console games anymore, and I definitely do not play PC games as those are way too advanced for me. All of my gaming is done on my Android devices. So given my epic gaming past, I still love games, but only the games where kids can’t tell me I suck and shouldn’t be playing. I am a true gamer at heart, although I am past my prime.
Overview:
Pharoah Jump is exactly what you would expect from the title. It is an Egyptian based game, where you(the Pharaoh) jump up, bounce off objects while collecting coins. If you have played Doodle Jump, you know what kind of game this is. The graphics are great. You get to see the great Pyramids, Pharaohs, and other monuments. In addition, the game does live up to its name of “jumping” upwards while avoiding enemies and collecting coins. So all in all, there isn’t much to this game and it was designed to be the game for quick entertainment. Not much effort is needed when learning how to play this game.
Setup:
Download Pharaoh Jump from the Play Store and hit start. There are no tutorials to learn from, and you only tap the screen to generate a red laser that shoots down from the sky. I never learned its purpose. You control the jumping Pharaoh by tilting your device to the left and right.
Who will enjoy Pharaoh Jump?
Anyone who likes quality graphics and doesn’t mind being bombarded with ads.
What we liked:
- Graphics
What could be better
- Too many ads
- In-app purchases to open second and third levels
Pharaoh Jump Summary:
As much as I wanted to play this game, I was disappointed at how much the developer, Immanitas Entertainment, put forth in getting you to click on an advertisement or to buy in-app upgrades to free up different levels.
To open up the second map, you would need to purchase 10k gems. Sadly there is not an option to buy 10k gems. You have to buy 35k gems which costs $4.52. I don’t know why the developer would think their app was so great that they could charge money while Doodle Jump is free.
If the in-app purchases don’t get you, the ads will. You get ads as soon as you open the app. Once you close the ad, you can then play the game. As soon as you fall and lose, another ad pops up. I spent the first few times learning how to play the game while getting annoyed at the amount of ads I was getting bombarded with. This type of game can be fun, but the ads and in-app purchases just kill the game for me. If Immanitas Entertainment wants to improve this app, they really need to focus on the user versus their wallet.
The post Explore Ancient Egypt with Pharoah Jump (App Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Galaxy A8 review
Before Samsung made its dramatic shift to metal and glass for the Galaxy S6, the company experimented with “premium” materials in its medium range first. The use of metal began with the Galaxy Alpha, and was later extended to the Galaxy A series, with these otherwise mid-range smartphones featuring metallic unibody designs.
The latest addition to the Galaxy A lineup is bigger, but thinner and more powerful. The question is, in this highly competitive mid-range segment, is it worth the buy? We find out, in this in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy A8!
Design
As mentioned, the marquee feature of the Galaxy A series is the full metal unibody design, and that continues with the Galaxy A8. Unfortunately, that also means the battery is not removable. Chamfered edges go around the entire frame, and the body has been mostly rounded off along the corners and the back, with the exception of the sides that feature some very prominent angles. With a thickness of just 5.9 mm, the Galaxy A8 is Samsung’s thinnest phone to date, and the device is quite light, with a weight of 151 grams, despite its metal construction.
The Galaxy A8 comes with some very thin side bezels, which helps make it a little more manageable as far as one-handed use is concerned, even though it’s still a very tall phone. The metal build and extremely sleek profile is a great combination. That said, while it feels solid in the hand, the Galaxy A8 can still be pretty unwieldy at times, because of the large screen and the slipperiness of the metallic back.
The buttons and ports are in identical locations to other Galaxy A devices, with the power button on the right, placed within comfortable reach, along with the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the microUSB port found at the bottom. The single speaker unit is placed next to the camera on the back, and the volume rocker is on the left side. It has to be said that the volume controls are towards the top, making them very uncomfortable and awkward to reach. Also on the left is the dual-SIM card slot, with the second SIM slot doubling as a microSD card slot as well. Of course, this wouldn’t be a Samsung smartphone without the signature tactile home button, flanked by the back and recent apps capacitive keys, up front.
Display
The Galaxy A8 comes with a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 386 ppi. The large size of the display makes it great for watching videos, playing games, web browsing, and pretty much anything else you’d typically want to do on your phone. It’s got everything that we love about Samsung’s Super AMOLED panels, like great viewing angles, high brightness, good outdoor visibility, and vibrant, saturated colors that make the elements pop off the screen.
Quad HD is what may get most people excited, but 1080p is more than enough, especially when considering the mid-range nature of this phone. The display is still very sharp, allowing for a fantastic display experience when reading text and various other content.
Performance
Under the hood, the Galaxy A8 packs an octa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, clocked at 1.5 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 405 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. This processing package is the same that is found with a lot of current generation mid-range smartphones, and as such, the performance level is quite similar across the board. Everyday performance with the A8 was good, with everything running smoothly when browsing the web, multi-tasking, or playing graphic-intensive games.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 20%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
There are some home screen stutters to be seen occasionally, especially when scrolling in and out of the Flipboard homescreen, but this is a software issue, and was also seen with the flagship Galaxy S6. Overall, the Galaxy A8 handles itself well, and in the grand scheme of things, the performance is at par with other smartphones with similar specifications.
Hardware
The Galaxy A8 comes with 16 GB or 32 GB built-in storage, and as mentioned, the second SIM slot can be used for expandable storage via microSD card, by up to 128 GB, leaving it on the users to choose between dual SIM or expandable storage. The device packs the usual suite of connectivity options, and while 4G LTE connectivity is available in select markets, that isn’t the case in the US, where you will be limited to HSPA+ on the AT&T and T-Mobile network.
A fingerprint scanner is also integrated into the physical home button of the device, and works just as well as it does on the Galaxy S6, allowing for a quick and simple way to unlock the phone. The setup process is identical, requiring a series of repeated presses until it completely captures your fingerprint, and you have the option to store up to a maximum of four fingerprints at one time.
Speaker quality from the rear mounted speaker isn’t the best, as it doesn’t get very loud and can be difficult to hear in noisier environments. The sound is also somewhat tinny and hollow, and so, the media-consumption experience is definitely lacking as far as audio is concerned. As is the case with any rear speaker setup, the sound also gets muffled when the device is placed on a flat surface.
#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 */
Despite how thin the Galaxy A8 is, Samsung was able to pack a large 3,050 mAh battery inside the device, and as expected, the battery life it provides is really good. One of the most impressive aspects about this battery is when the device is in the idle state, often losing just 2 to 3% of battery when the device is kept without being charged overnight. Even with heavy usage that consists of a lot of gaming and watching videos on YouTube, the device still allowed for up to 4 hours of screen-on time, and because it idles so well, I was able to stretch the standby time to over a day. With more casual usage, the screen-on time reached almost 6 hours, and no matter how heavy or light your use is, you should comfortably be able to get a full day of use, if not more, out of the Galaxy A8.
Camera
The rear camera is a 16 MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture, just like what is seen with the Galaxy S6. The sensor uses ISOCELL technology, but there is no optical image stabilization available with the Galaxy A8. The camera can also be launched via a double tap of the home button, which quickly launches the camera app, regardless of where you are within the phone or if coming from a sleep state. The front-facing camera is a 5 MP unit with a wide angle lens that allows for some decent looking selfies, but the default beauty mode settings are a little too aggressive, and that’s something you’ll have to tone down to get a more natural looking image.
The camera interface is mostly the same as what was introduced on the S6. It’s a much cleaner and more simplified UI, that the interface on some older Samsung devices. Only a few shooting modes are pre-loaded – including panorama, continuous shot, night, and Pro, which offers full manual controls. Users have the option to download other modes separately.
The main difference between the A8 and the S6 is the absence of HDR Auto, and the HDR toggle is buried in with the rest of the shooting modes, making the experience of switching between HDR and Auto mode a little bit clunky and slow.
#gallery-3
margin: auto;
#gallery-3 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-3 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-3 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
What isn’t clunky and slow, however, is the shutter speed. It’s nice and quick, making it really easy to snap photos, and resulting in pretty good images. They’re very sharp and with plenty of detail, especially in above-average lighting conditions, and there’s still a good amount of clarity even when zoomed in. The images are colorful and saturated as you would expect from a Samsung camera, making for some very crisp and vibrant images. Dynamic range is already pretty good in normal mode, but HDR, should you ever need it, does a great job at introducing some extra detail and color without appearing overexposed or unnatural.
Even without OIS, the camera does really well in low light conditions, and the f/1.9 aperture obviously makes a huge difference here. Images still exhibit a nice amount of color and sharpness, and there’s not a whole lot of noise reduction going on in post-production, which helps to maintain a respectable level of detail.
Software
On the software side of things, the Galaxy A8 runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, with Samsung’s typical TouchWiz interface on top. This the much leaner version of TouchWiz that was first seen with the Galaxy S series flagships, and as such, there is a lot less Samsung bloatware and unnecessary features. Since this review unit is from SK Telecom, a South Korean network carrier, there are quite a lot of SK Telecom apps pre-installed though.
#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 */
Many of Samsung’s popular, and arguably more useful, features are present. This includes multi-window for split-screen multitasking, and smart gestures, like palm swipe to capture a screenshot or flipping the over the phone to mute phone calls and alarms. The new themes engine that was first introduced on the S6 is also included on the Galaxy A8, to help you easily customize and change the overall look of the UI if you’re not a fan of the blue and green Touchwiz color scheme. The theme store is constantly growing and is much more robust now than it was during its early days, and with so many different styles available, you should be able to find at least a few that will suit your taste.
Specifications
| Display | 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display Full HD resolution, 386 ppi |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Adreno 405 GPU |
| Storage | 16/32 GB expandable via microSD up to 128 GB |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.1 GPS + GLONASS NFC microUSB 2.0 |
| Software | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Camera | 16 MP rear camera with LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera with wide angle lens |
| Battery | 3,050 mAh |
| Colors | Pearl White, Midnight Black, Champagne Gold |
| Dimensions | 158 x 76.8 x 5.9 mm 151 grams |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy A8 is currently available in select markets like China, India, and South Korea, priced at around $500. If previous A series phones are any indication, it’s highly unlikely that the Galaxy A8 will officially make its way over to the US. The cost to import one through sites like eBay will run you upwards of $800, at which point you’re obviously much better off picking up a flagship, or one of the many affordable mid-range devices that are available through official channels.
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy A8! This is a solid mid-range device, that gets a lot of things right, particularly when it comes to build quality, the camera experience, and battery life. The price is a point of contention though, as there are plenty of fantastic mid-range smartphones that are hitting the sub-$300 mark. While the Galaxy A8 is by no means a bad buy, the premium you will have to pay for this device can be a tough pill to swallow.
(Quick Charge 2.0) CHOETECH 15600 mAh 2-Port USB Portable Charger (Review)
You’re probably thinking, another battery review. And you are right, we do a lot of portable battery charger reviews, because they are ever present in our expanding mobile world. This year was particularly a rough year for battery life if you were apart of the unlucky crowd running Android 5.0. It was littered with issues and the worst offending bug was battery drain. Which means, a portable battery could do you good especially if you travel or are outside the home for extended hours. A portable battery is also great for parents of kids who are constantly on their phones or tablets.
The CHOETECH 15600mAh battery is the best for the price, size, ability to work with Quick Charge 2.0, as well as being compatible with iOS and Android products. Not only will the CHOETECH 156000 mAh battery charge your compatible device 75% faster than the older conventional chargers, it will also charge quickly with your Quick Charge wall plug.
Some families like mine are split between iOS and Android, so I guess if they’re around they can use this battery too.
Build Quality – This battery is solid. It has an incredible build, seams are tight, and you can tell this is of superior quality. There is a power button on the top side of the battery, right next to four battery level indicator lights. The lights are bright so you will know how long this battery has left before you need to recharge it. Located in the front are two inputs, one is for the micro-usb chargers, and the other is a lightning cable input for Apple chargers. Next to the inputs are the two USB outputs, one for high efficiency output, and the other for Quick-Charge 2.0 with auto-detection.
Usage – At 15600mAh the CHOETECH portable battery, on paper, can charge my Samsung Galaxy Note Edge over 5 times since my battery is 3000mAh. I never run my phone down to 0%, but for the sake of testing I did run it down to 10% on multiple occasions. I survived over four days on this battery pack as it truly lived up to its potential. For four days straight I did not one time connect my phone to a wall charger and I had yet to fully drain the battery pack as it showed 25% life remaining. From 25% remaining power to fully charged with my wall charger only took a few hours. I now know I am fully capable of surviving on this battery for 4 to 5 days without a wall plug.
What I liked:
- Great price point for a high-capacity battery
- Quality batteries from Samsung power the pack
- Build/design
- Quick Charge 2.0
- Dual inputs for micro-USB and Lightning
- Incredible battery life
What I didn’t like:
- Glossy coating as this attracts fingerprints
Final thoughts:
I consider this to be a bargain at $39.99 on Amazon.com. I’ve seen similar sized batteries from inferior companies sell for 3X this amount. More and more devices have Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology, so the batteries of old do not meet the standards of today’s devices. Once you go to the ability to charge quickly, it becomes old waiting for your phone or tablet to charge on old technology. If you are in the market for a portable battery, I wholeheartedly recommend you buy the CHOETECH 15600mAh 2-port USB portable battery as it should fulfill your needs whether it be for a day or five days, this has you covered. In addition, CHOETECH does offer an 18-month warranty, although I suspect you won’t need to use it considering how well this battery is built.
Buy the CHOETECH at Amazon.com.
The post (Quick Charge 2.0) CHOETECH 15600 mAh 2-Port USB Portable Charger (Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 
