LeEco isn’t a brand a lot of people are familiar with in the US, but overseas in China, the company has built quite a name for itself. Starting out as LeTv and providing a video-streaming service akin to Netflix, LeEco now offers e-commerce, cloud, smartphone, TV set-top boxes and smart TVs among many other products and services.
The Chinese conglomerate made the transition from LeEco to LeTv just recently, as part of its strategy to highlight its increased focus towards entering different markets. To that end, LeEco has scheduled a debut event on the US market for October 19 during which new products are expected to be released.
And what do you know? As it often happens in the tech world, the company has accidentally leaked the said new products by inadvertently listing them on their online store before the official launch. The links have been rapidly removed, but luckily Android Police snapped a few screenshots before that happened.
The products in questions are two budget-friendly smartphones, the Le Max 2 and Le S3 and two four Android TVs. Here’s what to expect:
Le Max2 – 5.7-inch Quad HD display (2048 × 1536 pixel resolution), Snapdragon 820 chipset, 21MP main camera, fingerprint scanner, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, $289 (after being discounted $60 UP2U from $349 through December 2016). Available in Grey or Golden, with 4GB/32GB or 6GB/128GB (international version) onboard.
Le S3 – 5.5-inch Full HD display (1920 by 1080 pixel resolution), Snapdragon 652 chipset, 16MP main camera, fingerprint scanner, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, $169 (after being discounted $60 UP2U savings from $299).
It’s interesting to note that by applying a $60 discount to a $299 phone translates to having to pay $239, not $169 but who knows what UP2U savings actually stands for. We’re probably going to find on during the LeEco official event.
Before we move on to the TVs, we’ll remind you that the LeEco has purchased TV maker Vizio back in July for the hefty sum of $2 billion. Even so, the Chinese technology maker appears to be prepping the release of some LeEco-branded television sets.
LeEco Super4 X43 Pro IV – 4K resolution, Android TV, $14.99 LeEco Super4 X55 TV – 4K resolution, Android TV, $799 LeEco Super X65 TV – 4K resolution, Android TV, $14.99 LeEco uMax85 TV – 4K resolution, Android TV, $799
As you have probably noticed some of the prices on these TVs are outrageously small, so it’s safe to assume they are most likely just temporary placeholders. The real price-tags will most likely be unveiled during the official event.
The leaked pictures also reveal these smart TVs are going to come bundled with a host of proprietary LeEvo apps like “LIVE app”, “Le” app, Levidi, LeZone, MyLeEco or Clearly LeEco.
It’s pretty obvious from today’s leak that LeEvo is trying to score big with these products and we have to say that at least one of the smartphones sounds quite promising, especially considering the relatively low price-tag.
For mobile phone users in India, it’s more important than ever to find clever ways to save money on recharges. In the past, many phone users in India went to brick-and-mortar stores to recharge their mobile and DTH bills, but in recent years, more and more consumers are opting to use online stores instead for recharges. This gives them more opportunities to save money and conveniently compare their options. It’s also less time-consuming in most instances to do a mobile recharge online, as opposed to visiting an actual offline location to do it.
Consider the following facts and tips if you want to move to an online recharge option.
The Benefits
It’s important for consumers to understand the benefits of doing an online phone recharge transaction. The first is one that was touched on above briefly, and that’s the time savings and convenience that comes with being able to do this online as opposed to visiting a recharge store. Also, because of the increased level of competition in the online recharge marketplace, consumers are finding they have not only more choice but also the opportunity to find really great deals.
Know the Plan You Need
Before you start shopping around for mobile recharge options or the best deals, be clear on what you need from a recharge plan so you’re not paying for extras you won’t use. You can visit any number of websites that will provide very detailed information about recharge packages and plans, including features such as full talk time, 4G data plans, and roaming plans. Try to choose accordingly, so you’re not overpaying.
Shopping For Deals
There are many opportunities for Indian consumers to find excellent deals on recharges. For example, they might search Freecharge coupons, which offer customers access to top mobile operators and network service providers in addition to free giveaways, rebates and cashback options every time they’re using the service. This is a great option for consumers because they’re not only able to find the best possible deal on the mobile service itself, but the rebates and cashback rewards can quickly add up.
The only thing to note when shopping these sites is that you should make sure you’re going with a reputable name in the industry that employees stringent security measures and is well-established. Along with using coupon sites to take advantage of these deals, it can also be worth it to consumers to sign up for email updates from coupon sites, so they’ll receive the first access to new deals and opportunities.
Do Your Own Research
As a final note to conclude this list of tips for people searching for the best online mobile recharge opportunities, don’t only rely on what retailers say about prepaid plans and mobile recharge plans. It’s also a good idea to look beyond the operator’s website and do your own research using third-party and independent websites so you can get a feel for what other customers think about these providers and plans.
2016 is the year of the midrange phone. This year we’ve seen amazing offerings in the $400 range that push the limits of what we can expect from midrangers. It’s left a lot of us here at AndroidGuys wondering if it’s worth buying a flagship anymore. The OnePlus 3, ZTE Axon 7, Lenovo Moto Z Play, Alcatel Idol 4s, and Huawei Honor 8 represent the best of the best in terms of quality, but who takes the cake? We’ve spent a few weeks with the Honor 8 and it makes a pretty compelling case.
If I were to tell you that you could get almost the exact same build quality of the Samsung Galaxy S7 while paying about half as much, would that interest you? Would you ask yourself how that was even possible? Well, I was certainly left wondering how Huawei pulled it off after I removed the Honor 8 from its packaging for the first time. I used the phone for about three weeks and was still constantly amazed at how well Huawei sandwiched glass and metal together to make this phone. It’s simply brilliant.
The front of our blue review unit is simple, just the display, small bezels, a standard speaker earpiece/camera and proximity sensor up top with an Honor branding on the bottom. If the Samsung logo on the S7 and Note 7 bother you, the Honor branding might too, but I thought it looked nice without being too eye-catching or distracting.
The back of the phone is equally understated with just a fingerprint sensor, dual-camera setup, flash and honor branding at the bottom. You can see Samsung and Apple’s influence in the design for the Honor 8. It’s simple and doesn’t try to impress with a modular design, large front-facing speakers, or tactile buttons. Huawei kept it simple and let the materials impress those who are lucky enough to see it in person. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is the most visually stunning phone I’ve ever seen in person, but the Honor 8 is right behind it.
With the premium build materials do come compromises, namely, fragility and slickness. The phone will absolutely slide off anything with an incline and any kind of fall onto bumpy surfaces will blemish the devices. At the end of a long drive, I sat the Honor 8 on the top of my car along with my keys and a few other things. I thought it was on a flat enough surface, but I was wrong and it slid onto our blacktop parking spot. Luckily the display was spared, but the corners took the brunt of the blow. No more nice beautiful phone, but it could have been worse. If you’re worried about dropping your phone, get a nice case or choose a different phone because it’s easy to scuff this one up.
Display
The display on the Honor 8 is a 5.2″ 1080p LCD display. Hardly the highest resolution display on the planet, but ask yourself if you truly need a 2560 x 1440p display at 5.2″. The Samsung Galaxy S7 has a 5.1″ QHD display and it truly is a thing to behold, but it’s more due to the AMOLED technology, deep blacks, and wonderful peak brightness rather than the pixel density. Huawei made the right call with “only” a 1080p display on the Honor 8.
The colors are vibrant and the blacks look great. Peak brightness won’t approach those in the upper echelon of devices- that’s one of the tradeoff’s you’ll make in this $400 device, but it does do well enough on cloudy days. Sunny days are another story. You’ll be covering the phone with your hand or running under cover to get a good grasp of what’s on your display.
Auto brightness is better on the Honor 8 than most phones, but it does keep the display a bit dark. I kept my display at roughly 50% for the duration of the review period and was very happy. However, reading in bed was a bit of a pain. The display floor is pretty high and made for some squinting and eye strain in bed. If you like to read in bed you’ll probably need to download a third-party application from the app store to artificially lower the brightness.
Viewing angles are wonderful. If you often share your display with another while watching YouTube or Netflix on the couch at home or the train, you’ll be pleased with the Honor 8. I noticed no color shifting or distortion when viewed at even the most extreme angles.
Software
Software is the biggest area of difference between the Honor 8 and any other widely available Android device in the US market. The Honor 8 runs a heavily customized skin known as EMUI- or Emotion UI. These heavy skins are usually confined to the eastern markets of South Korea, Japan, China and others while we generally get lighter skins here in the States. EMUI takes a lot of what is great about Android and builds on it, but still has some head scratching decisions.
The biggest issue for me is the lack of app drawer. It’s 2016 and some companies, namely LG, have experimented with ditching the app drawer, but EMUI takes that step. I have used my fair share of iPhones and I love them for what they are, but part of the reason I use Android is for software functions like the app drawer. I don’t want three home screens full of folders that I have to search through for an app. Luckily you can swipe down on an empty space of the launcher to pull down a search bar that you can open apps from, much like on the iPhone.
Icons everywhere!
One of the smart improvements that the Honor 8 has is in the notification tray. A swipe down reveals all of your alerts, neatly tucked organized by what time they came in. It reminds me a lot of the timeline layout that Pebble uses in its smartwatches. A swipe to the right opens up your quick toggles. Unfortunately, you can’t customize what quick toggles you have or in which order they show up, but there are some smart toggles like Screenshot and WiFi hotspot toggles.
The app suite included with the Honor isn’t by any means bloated, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some bloatware here. You do get Huawei’s messaging app, gallery, theme store, music player, video player, calendar, clock, file browser, phone manager and email client. You’ll also see two folders named Tools and Top apps. The Tools folder has some of the usual suspects like a calculator, notepad, sound recorder and flashlight. Nothing too revolutionary. Top apps are all of the added bloatware like Facebook, Twitter, and Shazam. Luckily, these are uninstallable. I’ve said this before but if including these apps are what help companies keep the cost of phones down, I’m fine with it (as long as they are uninstallable).
During the review period, I did receive the September security update, so Huawei is doing a good job of staying on top of those. I would like to see when the Honor 8 receives Nougat, though, and what it looks like when it finally hits the phone. When a phone is heavily skinned like the Honor 8, updates tend to take a while because there are a lot of features to incorporate into a new operating system. That’s a lot of testing to make sure nothing is broken once those features are incorporated. If you care about the latest software updates you probably already own a Nexus device. If you care about cool features and aesthetics, the Honor 8 might scratch that itch.
Performance
The Honor 8 is powered by Huawei’s in-house Kirin 950 chip and represents the first phone in the US powered by it. The Kirin 950 is an octa-core chip with four 2.3GHz cores and four 1.8GHz cores. In real world usage, the chip feels comparable to the Snapdragon 820. Obviously, there are a lot of factors that go into how a phone feels but I’m basing my opinion on usage of the Samsung Galaxy S7, OnePlus3, LG G5, Motorola Z Force Droid, and Samsung Galaxy Note7 (which thankfully didn’t explode).
While I did experience minor hiccups, they were just that- minor and infrequent. Daily tasks like browsing Reddit, scrolling through my agenda in the calendar, checking social media apps, taking pictures, and watching videos on YouTube were frustration free. After turning the phone on, it did need time to “wind up”. I’ve seen this issue in Samsung phones as well where they’re difficult to use in the first couple of minutes after a reboot as processes get started. The Honor 8 wasn’t nearly as bad as some Samsung phones that I used, but the issue did exist.
Battery life was a big standout with the Honor 8. The smallish 5.2″ 1080p display combined with a power-efficient processor meant I was able to get through the day, even on heavy usage days, with battery left over. The only day I was reaching for a charger to top off was the first day I received the Honor 8 and that was due to the phone not having 100% battery out of the box and setting up all of my apps. If you have a charger in your car capable of quick charging or a charger at your desk, it’s very possible to not charge your phone at night and just continue topping off as needed. To say I was impressed with the battery life would be an understatement.
Camera
We’re starting to see more and more companies put dual cameras on the rear of phones to maximize mobile photography opportunities. Huawei was one of the first to do this with the Honor 8. The rear of the phone houses dual 12MP cameras, one lens to capture color and one monochrome. This design intends to let more light into photographs in low-light situations. While you will see some grain in these low-light situations, I was impressed at how well the Honor 8 was able to let in as much light as possible. When you’re able to use the flash, you will notice a huge difference. In the sample below, you would be forgiven if you though the brighter picture was taken during the day rather than at 7:30 at night in a dark room with only a television for light.
The cameras do even better in well-lit situations. A day at the ballpark and the beach left us with some truly excellent pictures. Here are some camera samples from my time with the Honor 8
The camera app gives you more than just the bare-bones, too. I was impressed that a quick swipe to the left from the viewfinder found 16 different modes including pro and beauty modes for both photo and video, Good Food, Panorama, HDR, Night Shot, Light Painting, Time-lapse, Slow-mo, Watermark, Audio note, and document scan. While most of the modes will probably go completely untouched, it is nice to have them built-in to the camera app instead of needing to download third party applications if you ever do decide to use them.
Conclusion
As lovers of technology, the writers here at AndroidGuys often engage in conversation about phones like the Honor 8, ZTE Axon 7, OnePlus 3, Moto Z Play, and the Idol 4S. It’s hard to pick which would be the “best” $400 phone since they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. But, the fact that we’re able to consider these phones over flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG V20, and HTC 10 means that the state of midrange phones has never been better.
I really enjoyed my time with the Honor 8. I’ve used a lot of the phones released this year, and while it isn’t my favorite phone released in 2016 (Moto Z Play, in case you’re wondering) I would have no trouble recommending it to anyone. Huawei proves that they pay attention to detail and put a lot of work not only into the physical design of the phone but the software too.
The software may not be everyone’s idea of what they’d like to see on an Android device, but much like Samsung devices, Huawei was able to pack in a ton of features without making the device feel bloated. It feels sleek and cool like a cutting edge product no-one else has gotten their hands on yet. The Honor 8 is something completely different than what’s on the market right now and that’s a huge plus.
HTC has been rumored to have an Android Wear smartwatch in the works for ages now. The device leaked a few times in the past year, but nothing concrete was announced by the Taiwanese device maker.
Now the purported smartwatch makes a comeback into the rumor mill. Ever since 2015 we knew HTC’s Android Wear project was nicknamed “Halfbeak” and now we actually get to take a preliminary look at the device in question.
The folks over at Techtastic have stumbled upon a bunch of images on Weibo that apparently show the face of the elusive HTC Halfbeak. It turns out that HTC is going for the round form factor reminiscent of the Moto 360, rather than the rectangular one.
A quick look at the image set reveals the wearable features two round buttons on the side plus an oblong one. The watch appears to have a matte red/black rubber or silicone strap which comes with a surprise crack – this is definitely not a product ready for primetime. More evidence comes from the fact that Halfbeak seems to be running Android 5.1.1 – a software version that is more than a year old.
Judging by the leak, the watch will come equipped with 360 x 360-pixel display, a heart rate sensor and pogo charging pins. Under Armour logos can also be spotted on the front and back, a detail which indicates HTC will be partnering up with the sports clothing and accessories company to produce this smartwatch, once again.
The two companies already worked together on the Healthbox – a fitness system designed to assist users with recording and measuring a variety of health-related data – so it makes sense that they could team up on a smart watch.
Smartwatch enthusiasts are probably glad the HTC smartwatch project isn’t dead. The smartphone maker appeared on the list of partners back when Android Wear was introduced, so a product from this category is bound to be released at some point.
However, at this point, we can’t be sure the Halfbeak model showed in these images is more than a prototype. After all the outdated operating system and cracked wristband indicate just that.
If the rumor mill is to believe, the HTC’s first smartwatch might arrive with IP57 certification and a Snapdragon Wear 210. Naturally, it’s just speculating at this point.
Back in 2014, HTC US President, Jason Mackenzie confessed in an interview for Re/code that the company needed more time to design and produce a smartwatch truly worth buying. It’s been two years since then and the company still has nothing to show for, but given the current leak, we might be getting closer to a release.
Using your smartphone while driving is one of the least intelligent things you can do in your day. It’s been proven that driving distracted leads to accidents which is why it was banned by the vast majority of states in the US.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a car accident is 23 times more likely to happen when a driver is texting. NHTSA found that 30 percent of all car crashes in the United States result from drivers who admit to texting right before the accident. NHTSA studies also found texting while driving is more dangerous than driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 – the percentage almost every state uses to determine intoxication.
If you want to use a smartphone in your car while driving, just get a car mount. They aren’t pricey and cost far less than a ticket, let alone an accident.
With GekoGrip you get high quality builds on its products. There are hundreds of mounts that cost less than $10, but I’ve usually found those to be poor performers over time. The dashboard and windshield mount from GekoGrip is its finest example of mounts.
It uses a suction cup to mount onto a flat part of your dashboard or windshield. On top of the suction cup is a small arm with an adjustable triangular shaped magnet. The suction cup is nice because you can remove it and reattach it multiple times without fear of losing stickiness. It’s built to withstand high temperatures in the sun too.
Included in the box are two metal pieces – one can be used to put in between your smartphone and a phone case, and the other is a disk that can stick to the back of your device if you go caseless.
Using a magnet to hold your smartphone (or GPS) is the easiest way to go hands free. There are several mounts where you need to clip them into place, and adding an extra step like that usually turns out to be a pain for most people. With a magnet, you simply hold your phone up to the mount and it sticks.
I used two heavier phones to test this mount – the iPhone 6S Plus (192g) and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (169g). The mount rated to hold 300g, which is more than enough for some of the heaviest phones on the market. I tested the mount thoroughly with my bouncy off road suspension and terrible Southern California roads, and never experienced a single issue with the phone falling off the mount.
The mount also features a fully rotatable head which allows for positioning of your phone however you prefer.
It’s one of the slimmest mounts you can get that mounts to your dash or windshield. I prefer this mount to the vent and CD mount because it doesn’t obstruct my vent and radio controls. I also prefer to keep my phone in the lower left hand side of my windshield which is in more inline with the road. And if you mount it correctly, it doesn’t take up much more space than what the pillar already occupies.
Keep in mind, not all states allow for use of windshield mounts as they might obstruct your field of vision. Check your state laws before you use a windshield mount.
While it may not be designed for home use, I actually enjoy using a second one I grabbed on my desk which does have a glossy finish.
Remember driving while distracted can be avoided. It’s not a smart thing to do and has been shown to be more dangerous than driving drunk. It’s just not worth it. GekoGrip’s windshield and dash mount is a great investment for those of you who don’t already have a phone mount.
Samsung’s issues with the Galaxy Note 7 phablet have just taken a turn for the worse. According to South Korean publication Yonhap News Agency the smartphone producer has temporarily halted the production of replacement handsets.
This decision comes after a number of replacement phones, which were deemed safe by the Korean company were reported to have caught fire and injured their owners in the process.
Just this weekend thirteen-year-old Abby Zuis burned her thumb while holding her replacement Galaxy Note 7 in hand. The phone started smoking without warning, but luckily the teenager was able to quickly drop the phone on the ground. The Note 7 melted through its protective case and showed burn markings and typical split body.
via KSTP
Another Note 7 replacement phone caused the evacuation of a Southwest Airlines flight after the device exploded in a passenger’s pocket.
The Galaxy Note 7 is a flagship phone which was released on the market in mid-August. It has been hailed as a worthy iPhone 7 competitor and considered an important part of Samsung’s strategy to regain top spot in the mobile market. However, it was soon discovered that the phone had a serious battery issue.
Samsung has been forced to issue the recall of 2.7 million Galaxy Note 7s over complaints of the phone emitting smoke and catching fire. So far, the Korean tech giant had been trying to manage the crisis by offering replacement devices, but at the moment it seems these new Galaxy Note 7 aren’t safe either.
Now Samsung has halted the production of these “improved” Galaxy Note 7 phablets, which seems to suggest the problem underlying the battery issue is far more complex than was initially thought.
via WKYT
Already three major US carriers, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have announced they stopped selling the infamous phablet and are now inviting Note 7 owners to exchange the phone for a different one. Interestingly enough, SK Telecom and other South Korean carriers haven’t done the same, but are said to be monitoring the situation closely.
Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed the information, but at this point, it does seem plausible the Korean tech giant will be issuing a second recall of the Note 7. This is an extremely rare occurrence in the mobile industry and will probably cost Samsung a lot in terms of reputation and credibility.
While one of the world’s biggest smartphone seller is struggling to handle the Note 7 situation at best it can, the competition is more competitive than ever. iPhone 7 sales are reportedly thriving and Google has just released its first premium smartphones- the Pixel and Pixel XL, so Note 7 refugees can be easily be swept away by the promise of a better handset.
According to a report by The Verge, AT&T will take all Samsung Galaxy Note7 off the shelves and will no longer exchange old Note7s for replacements Note7s or sell the device. AT&T was forced to take this step after multiple replacement Note7s exploded this week. Samsung assured customers that the “new” Note7’s would be safe, but they were wrong and now the future of the Note brand is in question.
via KSTP
The rumor surrounding AT&T pulling the Note7 had been circulating for several days. AT&T is the biggest carrier in the United States (it swaps back and forth with Verizon) and as such has a lot of clout in the mobile industry.
You can expect to see Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint follow suit at this point and pull the phones of their shelves too. Totally removing the phone from shelves is one step further than carriers had been taking earlier this week when they were allowing customers to return their Note7s for a different model after news of a Note7 smoking and burning on a Southwest flight.
“Based on recent reports, we’re no longer exchanging new Note 7s at this time, pending further investigation of these reported incidents, we still encourage customers with a recalled Note 7 to visit an AT&T location to exchange that device for another Samsung smartphone or other smartphone of their choice.”
-AT&T comments to TheVerge.com
So, what does that mean for current Note7 owners? Many have speculated that you will be the last owners of the Note lineup. While I don’t agree with that, I do think that owning a Note7 is going to put you at a disadvantage going forward. I believe Samsung will pull support for the device soon after a nationwide recall. This recall may be mandatory, but if it isn’t, you’re going to be stuck with a lame duck. Federal agencies like the FAA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission could issue directives against or outright bans on the Note7 (even while turned off) being on planes or power facilities. Not being able to take your phone while traveling or to work would be a massive blow to Samsung.
Federal agencies like the FAA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission could issue directives against or outright bans on the Note7 (even while turned off) being on planes or power facilities. Not being able to take your phone while traveling or to work would be a massive blow to Samsung.
Current owners could also face Samsung completely abandoning software updates for the Galaxy Note7. This could lead to vulnerabilities and glitches going unfixed for the life of the phone and that wouldn’t lead to a positive experience.
The chance of your Note7 ruining itself isn’t high. In fact, it’s astronomically low and while we here at AndroidGuys would never tell you how to spend your money, just know that none of us are rushing out to pick up a new Samsung Galaxy Note7 right now. There are a ton of great options on the market right now and if you need a new phone, it may be better to pick up a cheaper unlocked option for this year and see what Samsung is able to do in 2017.
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We have chosen our apps for October’s Editor’s Picks! This month’s Editor’s Picks feature a lot of productivity tools and a few great games to keep you busy. We hope you enjoy our selections this month!
Kinscreen
“I have my screen set to automatically turn off after 15 seconds of not touching it in the Android system setting. If you have ever looked at your battery monitor you will see that the screen take the most battery of anything on your phone. But if you are reading a log review on ANDROIDGUYS.com 15 seconds is not long enough and inevitably the screen will go off in the middle of reading and you have to turn it back on.
KinScreen is an app that looks at the position of your phone and determines, depending on how you set it up when to leave the screen on or turn it off. So it knows if you are holding the phone vertically with the top of the phone slightly tilted down (the normal position for reading) it leaves the screen on. Or if you have a car mount you can tell KinScreen when its in that position leave the screen on. Alternatively when your phones proximity sensor is covered,like when it’s in your pocket or face down on a table KinScreen knows you are most likely not using the phone and turns the screen off immediately.”
This free app allows you to run multiple accounts of different apps (i.e.; personal vs. work Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn accounts) without having to constantly logout/login. You can also manage notifications for these secondary app accounts.
“Organize anything you can imagine with Airtable, a modern database created for everyone. Airtable is a fast and flexible way to create tables to keep track of anything. On your mobile device, your records are presented as tap-friendly cards. On the web, you can edit your records using a simple spreadsheet interface. Despite its simplicity, Airtable has a robust data model underneath that’s more sophisticated than a spreadsheet. Airtable goes beyond text by giving you rich fields like attachments and links to records in other tables. Switch between views to get different perspectives on the same underlying tables. Airtable also has great collaborative features like sharing data with others and real-time feedback and edits.
Airtable comes with a ton of pre-set templates for any project, so getting started is easy. If you need a simple powerful collaboration tool, be sure to check out Airtable!”
Note: This application requires root
DriveDroid allows you to boot your PC from ISO/IMG files stored on your phone. This is ideal for trying Linux distributions or always having a rescue-system on the go, without the need to burn different CDs or USB pendrives. DriveDroid also includes a convenient download menu where you can download USB-images of a number of operating systems from your phone (like Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSUSE and Arch Linux). Around 35 different systems are available at this moment. You can also create blank USB-images which allows you to have a blank USB-drive. From your PC you can store files onto the USB-drive, but also use tools on your PC to write images to the drive. DriveDroid is a developer and tinkerer tool and requires some technical knowledge, and also note that it is not guaranteed to work with every device, but for those that can use it, DriveDroid is a great application.
This is a very simplistic 2D scrolling action game that has you control a basic block through a treacherous geometric land. The basic hook of the game is to jump with the beat to the music at the appropriate time in order to avoid obstacles. Similar to games like Bit Trip Runner or other rhythm style runner games, Geometry Dash really hooks into you from the start. The game is very challenging but when you fail a level, the game sets you back at the beginning immediately which adds to the addicting gameplay. Very polished presentation with extremely catchy music. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of music games or runner games.
From the developers behind Crossy Road comes another casual game with deceivingly simple mechanics. Pick it up for a few minutes and you’ll be hooked with a title that employs 8-bit graphics with a gorgeous color palette. You’ll have to traverse your way from one door to the next, battling monsters and navigating around obstacles. It starts out super easy but it dares you to put it down. It doesn’t hurt that just about every time you play you’re unlocking a new character such as a Centaur, Viking, Paladin, or Assassin.
Twilight is an app that changes the hue of you screen based on the time of day or night you are looking at you phone. It is scientific lyrics proven that by filtering the lie light that your phone gives off, you will sleep better at night because of the way your brain reacts to it. This app is great because it tones down the screen even more than just turning the brightness down and really is easier on your eyes in a dark room.
“In a world overrun with the Dead, you have survived… but for how long?
Into the Dead throws you into the gruesome world of the zombie apocalypse where there are no second chances. Do what you have to in order to stay alive, keep moving as fast as you can, and protect yourself by any means necessary. When the Dead are rising, run! Features intense gameplay with stunning visuals & sound depicting a grim zombie apocalypse. You can unlock an arsenal of powerful weapons and perks, and there are a bunch of missions and side-quests to keep you playing. Online leaderboards are supported and the game works well on tablets as well.
“Unit Converter is a simple, smart and elegant tool with more than 30 categories of units that are used in daily life. This is the only unit converter app in the Google Play store that has such a wide range of unit conversion features with very simple and optimized user interface.
Unit Converter is the highest rated such app in the Google Play store as well, and has over one million users. Great for all applications ranging from students to professionals who use conversion tools for their daily activities. Notable features include offline functionality, custom unit conversions, search, and Material Design.”
Brain it on! Is a physics based puzzle game where you draw shapes to accomplish a task or solve a puzzle that will move and adhere to the laws of physics in the game.
As you likely already know, Allo is Google’s newest messaging app and attempts to lure users with It’s smart and interactive software. I’ve used it for a while now, and my Google Assistant has learnt what I want, and when I want it. It’s easy to use and, if you like it, it will easily become part of your digital life.
Every now and then I come across mobile accessories that are compelling because of their low prices. As a writer who focuses on tech I appreciate quality products and brand names as much as anyone. If I had my way, all I would write about is the best of the best but that isn’t practical for most of you readers. Especially in today’s world of disposable gadgets. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to invest so heavily into mobile accessories.
It’s a ridiculously low priced mobile accessory. So is it worth it?
Let’s get into the review.
Build
The ELEGIANT wireless speaker is made from metal with a silicone cover. It’s solid out of the box, and in no way does it feel like a toy. The silicone offers durability on the exterior, and the speaker is rated with an IPX54 rating for resistance to water splashing.
On one of the short ends is where you find the controls – power, volume up/down, fast forward/rewind track, play/pause and answer/end phone call. On that same side is where you can pair the speaker using the built-in NFC chip. Or you can simply long press the power button when turning it on to put it into pairing mode.
On the other short end is where the microUSB input slot is for charging the speaker as well as a full size USB out port for charging mobile devices and accessories. On top of those ports is a silicone flap that helps keep moisture out.
There is also a little slot for attaching the included carabiner so you can hook the speaker onto a back pack while you’re outdoors.
As you can see in the image just above, there are four available colors to suit your personal preference. Black, red, green and blue all are made of the same silicone material and all cost the same.
The build is solid, but it’s not the highest quality mobile speaker you can get your hands on. If you’re really rough, I can see the silicone flap that covers the charging port being ripped off with a little effort. However, if you take care of your stuff, this build is good enough to last.
Does it sound good?
Surprisingly, the speaker does sound pretty good. No it doesn’t sound like a UE Boom II or Bose Soundlink II wireless speaker, but it does get really loud without being tinny or muddled. I was actually impressed by how much sound this little speaker pumped out. It’s not full of bass, but it is clear and would likely be plenty of speaker for most. I can easily imagine bringing the ELEGIANT wireless speaker with me when I am hanging out at the park or beach.
Does it suck?
At $14.99 it’s easy to think “you get what you pay for”. So you ask, “does it suck?” The answer is Hell No. For $14.99 you get a heck of a value with this wireless speaker and battery combo from ELEGIANT.
I am not a fan of bringing my $200 wireless speakers where sand and saltwater can damage the internals. I’m also not keen on leaving my expensive accessories lying around at public venues where I am not always paying attention. I don’t usually lose things, but if I lost a $200 wireless speaker, I would be pretty bummed out.
I’ve read feedback on Amazon where some people had poor Bluetooth connections. I never experienced that issue, so maybe that has to do with inconsistent build quality. I frequently used the ELEGIANT speaker in my office, and walked out of the room with my connected smartphone in my pocket. No stutter, no lag – a strong wireless signal. And when I took it to the dog park, I easily got 30 feet of distance between the speaker and myself while maintaining a strong signal.
I leave the ELEGIANT rugged speaker in my laptop bag, and it’s nice to have as a portable power bank in case I need to draw a little extra power to get through the day. It’s nice not to have to carry a speaker and a portable battery since both are included in the ELEGIANT combo speaker. It has an internal battery rated at 3600mAh which has enough time to get up to 10 hours of playback, although I frequently got eight hours. 3600mAh is enough power to recharge a Galaxy S7 edge to almost full, or any iPhone to 100% from 0.
I do know that ELEGIANT is selling these quickly at this price and stock is limited. At $14.99 with free Prime Shipping these would make great stocking stuffers or White Elephant gift exchanges. The features and sound quality are well worth every penny and more.
Earlier today, we reported that Sprint users could get replacement devices for their “safe” Note 7s. Following reports of what was supposed to be a “safe” Note 7 exploding on Southwest Airlines, AndroidPolice is reporting that all four major US carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint) have now elected to exchange safe Note 7s for any other phones they have in stock.
Samsung and the CPSC (Consumer Product Safty Commission) are still looking into the incident, but according to a report from The Verge, Brian Green’s Note 7 that exploded on the Southwest flight was a replacement device. The phone had both a green battery and a black square on its box that Samsung was using to identify its safe devices. Green claims that he powered down the device while it had 80% battery when asked to do so by the flight crew. Shortly after powering the phone down, he noticed his device was smoking. The Verge was able to run Green’s IMEI through Samsung’s recall eligibility checker to see the status of the phone, but it returned the “Great News” response associated with non-affected devices.
While Green’s phone could very well be a one-off defective device with a damaged battery, these reports are not helping Samsung while they try to repair their damaged reputation. There is still no verdict on the CPSC’s investigation into Green’s device, but we should have an answer soon.
