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Chrooma Keyboard vs Google Keyboard: Better than stock?

AndroidGuys
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Last month, I posted about how I finally switched to Google Keyboard after years of using Fleksy. In the end, it came down to consistent updates and typing speed. Although several commenters supported my decision, many suggested other keyboards I should have switched to. One commenter suggested Chrooma Keyboard, which looks like a beefed-up version of Google Keyboard. I hadn’t considered Chrooma as a replacement then, but I decided that I might as well give it a chance. So let’s see if Chrooma can make me switch keyboards again!

Looks and Customization

Google Keyboard
Google Keyboard

Since Chrooma is based off of Google Keyboard, their appearances are extremely similar. In fact, I would wager that most would be hard pressed to tell them apart. They both share the same flat appearance with an almost identical button layout. However, the options for altering the looks vary greatly depending on which keyboard you choose.

Google Keyboard has basic options for customizing your keyboard. You can add or remove the border around the keys, choose from several preset themes, or use your own photo for the appearance of the keyboard. I found that most of the preset themes look nice and have a Material Design feel to them, which matches the keyboard design well. You can also change the height of the keyboard, toggle one-handed mode, and alter the layout of the letters. That is basically the end of the list when it comes to customizing Google Keyboard.

When it comes to Chrooma Keyboard, you have many more options. You can choose between three themes: color adaptive (changes color based on the app you’re in), fixed color, and AMOLED (a dark keyboard background for AMOLED displays). I personally prefer the color adaptive mode because it makes the keyboard appear like it is made for the app I’m using. That being said, I have run into a few bugs where the prediction row of the keyboard (very top) turns completely white in some apps making the text unreadable.

One of my favorite options in Chrooma has been Night Mode, which will darken the color of your keyboard when you are using your phone at night. This keeps you from being blinded if you are using a brightly colored keyboard. You can alter the layout of the buttons in Chrooma as well as add custom text to be displayed on the space bar. If you want to pay for the premium version of Chrooma, you can have access to some more customization options, but I stuck with the free version since Google Keyboard is also free. The paid version of Chrooma comes with options such as keyboard size, disabling the Action row, and further changing the keyboard look.

As you can tell, Chrooma definitely wins when it comes to the sheer amount of customization options available, but I was sad to see some options that are available on Google Keyboard only available in the paid version of Chrooma. Personally, I like to shrink the size of my keyboards to allow for more space on the screen, and I was disappointed that Chrooma didn’t include this option for free.

Features

google-keyboard-optionsFeatures are often the deciding factor when it comes to what keyboard people use, and I was fully prepared for the features in Chrooma to win me over. But let’s start with some of the features available in Google Keyboard. First off, Google Keyboard has the option for gesture typing, which is often called swiping-to-type. This feature can be enabled and disabled as well as slightly customized, and it was one of the main reasons I chose Google Keyboard as my Fleksy replacement. There is also a one-handed mode that you can enable or disable from the keyboard settings or the keyboard itself.

There are several gestures (not to be confused with gesture typing) that can help speed up your typing. By swiping to the left from the backspace button, you can delete entire words at a time, and for precise cursor movement, you can slide you finger along the space bar to move the cursor around. You can also quickly access the keyboard settings by holding down the comma key and swiping up. Just as with the customization options, Google Keyboard offers a nice selection of useful features but not as many as Chrooma does.

Jumping over to Chrooma, you’ll see that it also has support for gesture typing along with several options for customizing it to your liking. Moving on from that is the option to toggle one-handed mode than can also be enabled from the keyboard or in the settings. Although I do not use one-handed mode in either keyboard, Chrooma moves the keys much more than Google Keyboard does, and it looks like they are too close together. You can alter the amount that one-handed mode shrinks the keyboard, but you will need the Premium version of Chrooma.

chrooma-keyboard-gesturesMy favorite features in Chrooma have to be all of the gestures available to you. Swiping left or right on the space bar will enable one-handed mode, swiping left from backspace will delete the previous word, and swiping up from backspace will delete all the text you have written. The most useful gesture for me was swiping up from the space bar to immediately search Google Now for whatever you typed. This was great for finding movie times without having to leave my messaging app.

Chrooma also has the feature for moving the cursor by sliding along the space bar, but it is taken a step further. After positioning the cursor, you can slide your finger halfway up the keyboard and then side to side to accurately highlight text. This makes deleting certain parts of messages much faster and easier.

As you can tell, Chrooma is demonstrating that it truly is a beefed-up version of Google Keyboard. While Google Keyboard includes some useful features, Chrooma takes those features and expounds upon them (although you will need to pay for access to all of them).

Typing Speed and Accuracy

These two categories are the main deciding factor for me when choosing a keyboard to use, and it was the original reason I switched to Google Keyboard. With all of the similarities between these two keyboards, I imagined that the typing experiences would be almost the same; however, I was completely wrong. I am not sure what it is about Chrooma, but throughout my time with it, my speed and accuracy never got close to what I was getting with Google Keyboard.

I found that Chrooma had a difficult time choosing the correct word when I was gesture typing. I changed settings around to try and get the best accuracy out of Chrooma that I could, but in the end, Google Keyboard is just a quicker and more accurate keyboard for me.

So what does that mean for my keyboard of choice? Personally, I am going to stick with Google Keyboard simply because it gives me the best speed and accuracy. Chrooma Keyboard is an incredible option for those looking for a stock keyboard experience with some extra flair, and it is obvious that people other than myself are great at typing on it due to the amount of fans it has.

If you are looking for a keyboard replacement, go check out Google Keyboard and Chrooma Keyboard because they are some of the best around.

Features that every online store needs for mobile users (PROMOTED)

Guest Blogger
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With smartphones making up a huge portion of online commerce, every e-store in the world – if they haven’t already – must tailor their website for mobile users, not to mention for Google as well. When viewing a page on the small screen, a potential shopper who has to pinch and zoom, endlessly scroll left and right, and view page after page just to find what they’re after, you can essentially say goodbye to them ever returning to your site.

When you set up your e-store to begin with, ideally you would have used a package that automatically adapts your site to any sized screen (desktop, tablet, or smartphone), but if you’ve arrived late to the mobile game, fear not, there’s still time to get in on the action and adapt your website. Here’s how you can do it.

Time is money

If someone is using a mobile, it’s likely that they’re pressed for time or on-the- go. That means they want to find what they want as quickly as possible. This is no time for a mobile site to sing and dance, so keep the design simple and bring key information to the fore. Domino’s Pizza, for example, has a mobile site which simply contains the recognizable logo underneath images of pizza, and then features quick menu tabs such as’View Menu’, ‘Find a Store’, ‘Track My Order’, etc. Just give people what they’re after and don’t make them search.

White space

With the screen being smaller, it’s hugely jarring to see so much information all condensed onto the page and essentially fighting for your attention. Make sure any links or videos are spaced a good distance apart, not just to please the eyes, but some people may have large fingers that aren’t able to easily select one thing at a time.

Avoid pop-ups

With loading time on mobiles usually slightly slower than on a desktop, having to navigate between tabs will only add to load time, not to mention increasing the frustration of the user. Remember, hand them things on a silver platter.

Keep typing to a minimum

Users hate having to type-type- type on mobiles, so when there’s an option for them to simply click, let them have it. Online forms with a lot of boxes to fill out will be crushing to a mobile user, and likewise, having to copy and paste is frustrating. A ‘Click to Call’ button is always welcome.

Full site

Your mobile site is the stripped back, simple version of your page, so always make sure you tell the user that a full desktop version is available for viewing as well. Only on the full site is it better to add more info, as well as Flash and Java options.

UNITEK 60W 6-Port USB Smart Charging Station (review)

Derrick Miyao
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It’s very commonplace for me to see people who move their single port chargers with them whenever they need a charge. Most people stick with the chargers that came with their phones or tablets, only to be forced to swap it out when another wireless device needs power. There are only two plugs per wall outlet, and single port chargers take up half of the plugs even though there’s more than enough power to supply multiple devices at the same time.

It’s time you consider upgrading to a multi-port charging station.

The verdict is in – UNITEK makes solid and reliable chargers. Two weeks ago I reviewed a massive 10-port charging station from UNITEK and since then my desk has been organized and much more pleasant to look at. I’ve been using UNITEK’s 60W 6-Port USB Smart Charging Station and have come to the conclusion that it offers great chargers at excellent prices.

Build and Usage

UNITEK’s 60W 6-Port USB Smart Charging Station has enough ports to satisfy even the most tech savvy consumer. Six ports is enough to charge a smartphone, tablet, wireless headphones, speaker, power bank and smartwatch all at the same time.

UNITEK’s 6-port charger has one Quick Charge 2.0 port for charging smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 at the fastest possible speed. No wireless accessories are capable of charging at QC 2.0 speeds so having more than one QC USB port would add unnecessary cost. This is a well thought out decision by UNITEK considering most people only have one smartphone capable of Quick Charge speeds.

The UNITEK charging station has five 2.4A charging ports with integrated smarts to take advantage of charging most devices at the maximum speed. iOS devices come to mind when I think of 2.4A as the maximum amount of power they can take at any given time.

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The UNITEK 6-Port charging station is compact for its capability of charging six devices at simultaneously. It measures in at 4.5” L x 3″ W x 1.1″ thick. The Amazon description lists it at 6″ x 6″ x 3″, but that is a reference to the product packaging. I didn’t quite think this charging station was anywhere near as long or as wide as six inches, so I measured it myself with a calibrated set of digital calipers. The station is made of high quality plastic, which keeps it light weight at just .8 ounces.

There’s a small vent on the back for releasing heat when it is under full load. The front is where the six USB ports are located, and the one QC 2.0 port is clearly labeled and separated from the rest. It’s a simple yet effective charger.

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One nice feature I came across is the built-in rotating stand. All other multi-port charging stations I have used in the past include a stand, but it is usually a separate piece that can easily be lost.

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This kind of feature normally shouldn’t make news, but it shows UNITEK’s commitment to perfecting its products. The integrated stand is very effective at keeping the charging station upright and is a detail I appreciate. It simply proves to me that while others may consider it an afterthought, UNITEK does not, and that gives me even more confidence in the internals.

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The QC 2.0 port is perfect for charging my Note 7 from 5%-50% in just over 30 minutes. It’s nice to have this feature when I am in need of quick power, although the other five ports suit me just fine 98% of the time.

Being so compact makes this a great travel companion, as the last thing I want to bring along is more than one charger. I can easily fit this into a laptop bag or backpack and set it on my hotel desk to recharge all of my devices at the same time.

Summary

It’s a fact that most of you have more than one wireless USB device. Rather than sticking with single USB chargers, upgrade to a multi-port version. UNITEK hooked up AndroidGuys’ readers with an exclusive discount code so you can grab it for just $16.99 at Amazon with discount code LQCABGRV at checkout. 

You can search for multi-port charging stations on Amazon, but you have to be weary of low-quality versions. They have the potential to fry your devices. UNITEK sits on my desk and nightstand with its multi-port charging stations, and I wholeheartedly recommend both, especially at the prices they are listed for.

Check out the UNITEK 60W 6-Port USB Smart Charging Station at Amazon.

If you would like to read my full review of the UNITEK 10-Port Charging Station, click on the link below.

UNITEK 60W 10-port Charging Station with QC 2.0 (review)

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GekoGrip xM3 Series Modular Magnetic CD slot car mount for smartphones (review)

Derrick Miyao
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0

A couple of weeks ago I reviewed a smartphone mount for your automobile from GekoGrip. It was a modular magnetic vent mount that certainly met a high level of quality for a reasonable price. I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous it is to talk or text with your smartphone in your hand while driving. It’s against the law for a reason, and for your own sake you should obey the rules so you can make it safely no matter your destination.

I’ve switched out my vent mount from GekoGrip for its CD slot mount for those of you who prefer to keep your air vents free of distraction. The GekoGrip CD slot mount is a solid option for those of you who want to keep your windshield free of distraction while giving your antiquated CD players a whole new purpose.

Let’s check it out.

Design and Build

The GekoGip xM3 series modular magnetic CD slot car mount is just as its name describes – a cd slot mount designed to hold your smartphone in place while keeping you safe while driving. It’s designed to fit in the CD slot, without actually intruding into the CD player where the internals can be exposed to dust.

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It has a solid plastic build, which minimizes the weight while offering high durability. There is a screw on the bottom which leverages the center piece of the mount to grip in between the top and bottom part of your CD slot.

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When inserted into the slot and tightened down, the center piece moves several millimeters to position itself neatly in between the top and bottom of the slot. It doesn’t have unlimited range, meaning it won’t destroy your CD player no matter how tight you make it.

Once tightened, which takes a matter of seconds, you can see the Gecko shaped magnetic head in the front of the CD slot that protrudes about 2.5 inches giving you access to the buttons behind it.

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If you still use CDs while you drive to listen to music, this isn’t the mount for you. You will always find yourself pulling it out to listen to a CD, but the reality is most people have gone away from compact disc technology.

I tend to prefer this mount style over windshield mounts, as the latter can create blindspots in your field of view. Depending on the state you live in, some windshield mounts might even be illegal due to that distraction. Or they may be limited by where you can actually mount them to a windshield, like the lower left hand corner of your window. Failure to comply with proper windshield mount placement can result in an expensive ticket, or worse an accident which you will be at fault for.

The GekoGrip CD slot mount offers two styles of magnetic attachment – one rectangular piece of metal for placing between your smartphone and its case, or the second is a very sticky circular disk for those of you who prefer to go case free. What I like about the rectangular metal piece for sandwiching between the case and phone is the ultra soft felt like material which prevents scratches on your phone.

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The magnet is strong enough to hold up to 300g of weight, which is more than enough strength to hold up heavier phones like my Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (169g) in a BodyGuardz case. You’re also free to rotate your smartphone 360 degrees, giving you the freedom to position your device in whatever way you prefer. There’s a swivel too so passengers can turn the smartphone towards themselves if they want to help with the music selection or navigation.

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I particularly like this mount mainly because it is placed where the auto manufacturer decided the safest place for the radio would be. It’s not too low or too high, which may seem like a small detail, but it helps me keep my eyes on the road at all times.

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In a city like San Diego where we have millions of tourists each year who don’t always know where they are going, that little detail goes a long way in keeping me safe. It literally only takes seconds of taking your eyes off the road to get into a bad accident out here.

The magnet is the same as found on the vent mount I reviewed before, which is strong enough to keep my phone in place even with my bouncy off road suspension and pot hole riddled roads in San Diego. This mount is ultra convenient because I never have to tighten my phone down into a mount, instead I just stick it to the magnet and get on my way.

Summary

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I am thoroughly impressed with GekoGrip’s CD slot mount. It’s built very well and will not damage your CD slot. The triangular magnet is strong enough to hold any of my smartphones in place while keeping my windshield free of blind spots.

Priced at $24.95 at Amazon, I can’t think of a more important investment in your safety for when you drive. Personally I don’t care if you get a ticket because if you are using a smartphone while driving you should consider yourself lucky. But I care about your safety first and foremost. $25 is a bargain if it prevents you from being injured or if it prevents you from injuring others. The stories of people crashing while driving distracted are real. There is absolutely no reason with today’s available accessories, for these accidents to occur. A death over a text message is just not worth it.

As we rely more on our mobile devices, accessories like the GekoGrip mount become even more important. If you don’t have a car mount, get one today. I highly recommend the GekoGrip xM3 Magnetic CD slot Car Mount where you can get it from Amazon with free Prime Shipping.

If you would like to read my review of the GekoGrip xM3 vent mount, check it out in the link below. Be smart and stay safe.

GekoGrip Modular magnetic air vent car mount (review)

Cricket Wireless is saving my family $1200 a year by giving them more

AndroidGuys
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My parents have been using AT&T for almost three decades back when Bell South was still a thing on its own. They have used it for everything from home phone to internet and even cell phone service. They were convinced that bundling all of their services with one company was saving them money in the long run, and until recently, I assumed they were right.

In 2015, I found out just how much our phone plans were costing us and began searching for alternatives. Early this year, I finally convinced my parents to unbundle our phone plans with AT&T and move over to Cricket. They haven’t looked back since.

Buyer’s Guide: MVNOs

Why Cricket?

cricket-wireless-coverageAT&T is basically the only provider that has good coverage where we live, and since my parents are used to that, I knew our replacement provider had to have nearly identical coverage. After pouring over coverage maps from ever provider and MVNO I could find, I heard that Cricket expanded its LTE coverage, and it was available in our area.

Success! I had found a wireless provider with exactly the same coverage as AT&T. But I had more hurdles to jump. I knew my dad wouldn’t want to switch unless the savings were good enough, and I knew nothing about Cricket’s pricing.

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Thankfully, Cricket’s plan pricing is the most straightforward I have ever seen. The prices that you see are the prices that you pay, and best of all, there is no contract. Cricket has a plan for pretty much everyone and data limits range from 1GB/month all the way to 10/GB along with a new unlimited plan. When you go over your data limit, you can still use as much data as you want, but the speed drops from LTE to 2G speeds. If you need another gigabyte of LTE data, you can add one on for that month.

My favorite part of Cricket’s plans are the group discounts. For each line you add to an account (up to 4 extra lines) you can save $10, $20, $30, and $40 each month, respectively. For a family of four, that is a savings of $60 every month.

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After I had all the numbers, I started on the math. We spent around $230 every month with AT&T for 10GB of shared data. With Cricket, I could get 10GB of data, my mom could get 5GB, and my dad and grandparents could get 2.5GB each for only $130 a month. That is literally double the data for almost half the price. I was convinced, and thankfully, my parents were, too.

Making The Switch

For someone like me who knew nothing about the process of switching carriers, Cricket made the process extremely simple. After purchasing some Cricket SIM cards at a local store, all that was left was paying off what we owed on the two phones we had financed through AT&T Next (which is a program I do not recommend signing up for). Ironically, this was the most difficult part of the entire switch.

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We spent over an hour in our local AT&T store with a representative who was trying her best to get our phones paid off. Apparently, AT&T had to separate our wireless service from the rest of the bundle in order for us to pay off the phones. After a long wait and several calls to corporate, the friendly representative got everything squared away, and we were free to use our current phones with Cricket.

cricket-activation

Cricket allows you to complete your entire switch and activation on its website, but since we were porting over our numbers, I decided to call customer assistance to avoid messing anything up. If you have ever worried about Cricket’s customer service, I can tell you right now it is one of the best I have ever encountered.

The woman I spoke to was extremely helpful and was able to get all four phones set up without any troubles at all. That was definitely a nice first impression of our new carrier. After that service call, our phones all had signal, and we were officially part of the Cricket Wireless family.

After the Switch

So how are we liking Cricket after using it for the past several months? We absolutely love it. The coverage in our area is just as good as it was on AT&T, and I actually have service now in areas I didn’t before. I just claim that as Cricket magic.

The only problem we have encountered happened a couple of months ago when Cricket’s service went offline. They had it back up and running within the day, and no one in my family has experienced any trouble since.

If it sounds like I am a total Cricket fanboy, I just might be. Cricket takes something that should be straightforward and simple (purchasing a phone plan) and actually makes it straightforward and simple. You see everything you pay for right up front, which means no hidden fees jacking up your final bill. If we ever need to change plans or add on features, all our plans can be managed from Cricket’s website or the MyCricket app on our phones.

When it comes time to upgrade our phones, the options are almost endless thanks to Cricket’s use of GSM connectivity. Great unlocked phones the OnePlus 3, IDOL 4S, or any of the Nexus (or Pixel) devices will work wonderfully with Cricket’s service. Although this is not different from AT&T (both use GSM), it is worth mentioning as unlocked phones are becoming more popular.

US carrier bands and networks

Final Thoughts

Although the initial switch was slightly expensive due to having to pay off the two phones we were financing, Cricket is saving my family more than $1200 dollars every year over AT&T and giving them more. This article is by no means meant to bash AT&T, but I believe that it along with the rest of the major carriers need to really think about their pricing.

Smaller MVNOs are picking up speed and providing the same plans for half the cost. If you are looking to cut the cost of your wireless plan, I wholeheartedly recommend that you take a look at what Cricket Wireless has to offer.

[graphiq id=”clweNZsluF7″ title=”Cricket Wireless” width=”500″ height=”748″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/clweNZsluF7″ link=”https://www.graphiq.com” link_text=”Visualization by Graphiq” ]

Alcatel IDOL 4S review: Can it stay king in 2016?

AndroidGuys
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When Alcatel released the IDOL 3 last year, I called it the best budget phone of 2015. This year, Alcatel has come out with its successor that is meant to improve upon the IDOL 3 in every way. Unlike last year, competition has gotten incredibly steep around budget flagships in 2016, and the IDOL 4S has to give everything its got to carry the title of Best Budget Flagship this year. Let’s see if it can claim the crown once again!

Design and Build

fileminimizer-idol-4s-backLast year, Alcatel took a more subtle approach to the design of the IDOL 3. It featured a plastic back and sides that felt and looked nice but didn’t create an overall sense of luxury or precision. For its 2016 flagship, Alcatel completely ditched the plastic and opted for a killer metal and glass design. With a glass back and metal sides, the IDOL 4S is a stunner that screams quality straight out of the box. The glass on front and back is slightly curved along the side making the phone comfortable to hold for pretty much anyone.

Let’s take a look around the 4S before we dive in. On the front is the 5.5″ display that we will talk more in depth about later along with the dual front-facing speakers and selfie camera. On the left side, you’ll find the power button and SIM card/MicroSD card slot. On the right are your volume controls along with an extra button Alcatel refers to as the Boom Key. On the bottom are the MicroUSB port for charging and a microphone. Finally up top, you have your 3.5mm headphone jack (thankfully) and another microphone. Flip the phone over and you’ll find the main camera along with a fingerprint scanner.

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Overall, the IDOL 4S is lightyears ahead of the IDOL 3 in terms of style and design. The glass and metal build feels incredible to hold. However, I have a love-hate relationship with the glass back because it is a fingerprint magnet. It is one of the worst phones I have ever used in terms of how quickly it picks up fingerprints. In fact, I put a case on it almost immediately just because of how often I had to wipe off the back. Also, the glass back means that any accidental drops could end up shattering it along with your screen. And trust me, this phone is slippery. Accidental drops are bound to happen.

As beautiful as the IDOL 4S is, I must recommend that you at least get a skin or a case to keep from dropping it and cracking the glass. Thankfully, Alcatel is one step ahead and includes a case and screen protector in the box.

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While the power button is still located annoyingly on the left side of the device, the IDOL 4S kept the double-tap to wake feature from the previous generation. But I doubt you’ll even be using that as the fingerprint scanner on the back with also turn on the phone when you go to scan your finger. In terms of speed and accuracy, the fingerprint scanner impressed me. It is not as fast as the latest from Apple and Samsung, but it is plenty fast for most people.

The only main complaint I have is that it is not set off from the back of the phone at all. This makes it hard to locate blindly and position your finger correctly, but after a while, I found that I got much more accurate.

Display

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Alright, it is time for my favorite upgrade from the IDOL 3. This year, Alcatel ditched IPS for AMOLED and cranked the resolution up to 2K. All I can say is, nicely done! The increased resolution is great for gaming, video, and VR (more to come on that) and pairs nicely with the front-facing speakers.

Going for an AMOLED panel was the right choice as colors look clear and vibrant. Like the IDOL 3 before, the 4S has one of the brightest screens I have ever seen. I usually have to keep my screen at above half brightness, but I could easily turn the display on the IDOL 4S down to 30% with the same results. There is no need to worry about outdoor visibility with this display.

I would love to say that the display is perfect, but I found one major annoyance during my time using it. Even as someone who always makes sure to carry my phone is a separate pocket away from loose change and keys, the display on my IDOL 4S still picked up scratches. None are horribly obvious and cannot even be seen with the display on, but I was disappointed that the screen scratched so easily.

Performance

The IDOL 3 was a mid-ranged device that provided competitive performance at an incredible price, but that was in 2015. This year, the IDOL 4S got a price bump while other companies started focusing more on budget-friendly flagships. The 4S definitely has more competition this year so it better come with the performance to keep its high standing.

The IDOL 4S is running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 510 GPU, and while the processor may not be an 800-series, it still packs quite a punch. For storage, you get 32GB of onboard memory along with a microSD card slot to add extra space when needed. Needless to say, the IDOL 4S is more than powerful enough to handle even your craziest of social media binges. I was impressed with how snappy the Snapdragon 652 was as I was able to fly through most apps without a single frame drop.

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Asphalt 8 seems to be the de facto game for testing a phone’s gaming performance so that is the app I used. Ninety percent of the time, the IDOL 4S handled the game like a champ. However, there were a couple of times where I noticed a slight frame drop. I doubt that most would even notice it before it went back to normal, but there were definitely a couple of slow downs. The phone itself never seemed to get hot enough to throttle so I am assuming the hardware just wasn’t fast enough to fully handle the game. Most games will play wonderfully on the IDOL 4S, but graphically intensive games may have a couple of struggles.

Last year, this would not have been a big deal since the IDOL 3 sold for $250 and smoked basically every other phone in that price range. However, the IDOL 4S is priced at $399 which puts it right up there with phones like the OnePlus 3, which is running a Snapdragon 820.

Along with price, Alcatel heavily marketing the IDOL 4S on how well it performed with virtual reality, and while the preinstalled titles do play well, more graphically intense VR games will likely exhibit some stuttering. We will have a post coming out soon fully dedicated to VR on the IDOL 4S so keep your eyes out for that.

So what does this mean for performance on the 4S? Overall, it is incredibly fast and smooth in almost every situation. However at this price point, there are phones that beat it on the performance side.

Software

fileminimizer-idol-4s-launcherThe IDOL 4S comes running a slightly skinned version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow (no word yet on a Nougat update). As far as most Android skins go, the one on the 4S is fairly minimal. It’s not as close to stock as something like the Moto G4, but it is nowhere near as intense as Samsung’s TouchWiz.

The IDOL 4S comes with a custom launcher, custom icons for basic apps, and Alcatel’s versions of stock apps like Contacts. There are some preloaded apps, but the majority of them can be uninstalled immediately from the phone.

Even with all the uninstallable apps removed, there are still several apps unique to the IDOL 4S that remain on the phone. These include VR apps and games, an equalizer app, an FM radio app, and some video editing and live streaming apps. While some of them are needed for VR applications, I still wish that they could be removed easily or uninstalled completely.

fileminimizer-idol-4s-boom-key-weather-2The custom launcher comes with a couple of neat tricks up its sleeve. The first is a parallax wallpaper effect that makes it seem like the icons are floating above the wallpaper. I am not a big fan of this effect, and it is easy to turn off from the wallpaper selector. If you are on the homescreen and push the Boom Key, there will be a visualization of the current weather in your location. While it is not particularly useful since the weather is also displayed on the homescreen widget, I cannot deny that it looks super cool, and I find myself pushing the Boom Key to trigger it all the time.

My single favorite feature from the IDOL 3 made a return on the 4S, and that is the Reversible UI. Basically, this allows the screen to rotate a full 360-degrees so that no matter what way you pick up the phone, it is always right side up. Unfortunately, I found this feature less useful now that there is a fingerprint scanner. When I hold the phone upside down and reach for the fingerprint scanner, I immediately realize that I am holding the phone wrong and flip it around.

The feature is still useful for quickly answering calls without having to spin the phone around, but I am sad to see my favorite feature become less useful.

Speakers

fileminimizer-idol-4s-speaker

One of my favorite features on the IDOL lineup are the dual front-facing speakers, and the IDOL 4S does not disappoint in this area. The JBL-certified speakers pump out a loud sound that is crisp and clean regardless of the volume.

Being phone speakers, the low end does leave some to be desired, but I would challenge you to find a better sounding set of speakers on any smartphone especially in this price range. Whether you are playing a game, watching a video, or just listening to some music, the IDOL 4S speakers will do more for you than basically any other phone speaker out there.

When you lay the phone face down while playing something through the speakers, it will actually route the audio towards the back of the device so that volume and quality are not hindered.

fileminimizer-idol-4s-boom-button

When you are using the speakers, pressing the Boom Key activates one of the special experiences of the IDOL 4S. Alcatel claims that pressing it boosts the bass and volume of the music, and while I did notice a volume increase, an increase in audio quality is questionable. Some of my music sounded fuller when the Boom Key was activated, but other times it sounded too echo-y. It does help with some songs, but it was not something that I enabled every time I listened to music.

The best time to use the Boom Key is while gaming. When I played Asphalt 8, I pressed the Boom Key and the audio became much more immersive. It almost seemed like surround sound at times. While the Boom Key might not improve all the audio you listen to, it definitely increases the immersion while playing games.

Camera

fileminimizer-idol-4s-camera

The camera on past IDOL phones has always been pretty good but consistently left me wanting more. The IDOL 4S comes with a 16-megapixel f/2.0 main camera and an 8-megapixel front camera, and I can fully say that these are the best cameras on any IDOL to date.

Throughout my time with the 4S, I found the camera is quick to focus and takes detailed shots with good color reproduction as long as the lighting is good. Unfortunately, it looks like many of the pictures I took with the IDOL 4S suffered from oversharpening like the IDOL 3 before it. While the camera often exposes correctly, I found that it has a tendency to overexpose and highlights easily get blown out.

Alcatel IDOL 4S camera samples
Thankfully, the IDOL 4S had a pretty solid HDR mode. Unfortunately, there is no option for AutoHDR, which means you need to switch it on and off as needed, which makes taking quick shots more difficult. There are a few Boom Key features within the camera app. You can press it to take a photo, or while taking a video, you can press it to immediately livestream through the preinstalled app TiZR.

If you are looking to record video with the IDOL 4S, you were probably happy to see that it supports 4K at 30fps; however, there is no OIS (optical image stabilization) on the cameras so videos come out looking shaky even with the electronic image stabilization. I think that leaving out OIS was a big mistake on Alcatel’s part.

Overall, the camera is the same story that it was with the IDOL 3. The camera is okay and capable of taking some good shots, but it still has problems that hold it back from being a truly great camera.

Battery

idol-4s-batteryI was pleased with battery performance on last year’s IDOL 3, but I am full on impressed with what I was able to get out of the IDOL 4S. The phone is powered by a 3000mAh battery and comes equipped with QuickCharge technology for a quick fill up when you don’t have much time.

I am a fairly heavy smartphone user, and I manage to kill most phones before the day is done. My typical day includes streaming music and YouTube videos for about an hour each. I text and check social media consistently throughout the day, and I also have 3 email accounts that are constantly pulling down new emails. Other than that, I do browse the internet over WiFi and LTE along with some light gaming.

idol-4s-sotAfter putting the IDOL 4S through its paces on a daily basis, I found that I consistently got over five hours of screen-on-time with some days tending closer to five-and-a-half hours. For a phone with a 2K AMOLED display, I am extremely pleased with the battery performance. I still have to charge it every night, but at least I am making it to the end of the day now.

Conclusion

There is no hiding that the IDOL 4S is a wonderful phone and a huge improvement over last year’s IDOL 3. However, the price jump of $150 dollars has put the IDOL 4S against some incredible competition. Phones like the OnePlus 3 and Nexus 6P are available close to that price and each of them comes with a beefier processor, which provides even better performance.

So is it the best budget phone of 2016? Unfortunately, I am going to have to say no, but that is simply because the competition is extremely fierce in the budget arena now. I’d be hard pressed to name any phone as the best budget flagship. That being said, the IDOL 4S is one of the best budget phones of the year. It has great build quality, a stellar screen, loud speakers, and strong battery life. I would definitely recommend the IDOL 4S to any interested, and I doubt it will leave you unimpressed.

One thing that the IDOL 4S has going for it is the inclusion of a case, glass screen protector, and VR goggles when you purchase it. Head on over to Alcatel’s website or Amazon and pick up an IDOL 4S for yourself for only $399!

Verizon prepaid customers get HD voice and video calls

AndroidGuys
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Verizon Wireless on Friday announced that its prepaid customers will have Voice over LTE capabilities starting on September 25. Indeed, this means HD voice calling and HD video calling over the service as well as six-way calls and more. Yes, it also means the ability to surf the internet while taking calls, too.

With prepaid rates as competitive as it is, carriers look for different ways to stand out from the pack. Verizon’s prepaid changes give customers more reason to consider switching to Big Red. The new VoLTE tech comes at no cost to the subscriber.

Prepaid customers can originate video calls over HD Voice with a single tap of the screen; and make calls over Wi-Fi from any known hotspot in the world. All Wi-Fi calls made to U.S. phone numbers are free. Calls made to foreign numbers are billed at international long distance rates.

According to Verizon, there are more than two dozen smartphones on its network capable of supporting the VoLTE feature. As a free add-on to plans, it’s still something the customer will have to enable.

Buyer’s Guide: Verizon

Rumor: Google to introduce new $129 Wi-Fi router October 4th

Dan Bartram
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According to a report by AndroidPolice, Google is rumored to soon unveil a new Wi-Fi router, called Google Wi-Fi. Slated to launch along with its other new products, including the Pixel phones and new 4K Chromecast, it could arrive on October 4. The device is said to be similar to Google’s current router, the OnHub, and offer smart features and enhanced Wi-Fi range.

What’s truly interesting about the supposed device is that is may function similarly to a ‘whole home’ Wi-Fi system, where you can pair more than one device together to expand the wireless coverage area of your network. This is an interesting concept and a Google-branded Wi-Fi router that offers new and inciting features like this is certainly welcome as more people adopt smart home technologies into their lives. A mesh-network router system is the latest trend in home Wi-Fi and projects to become the new standard for router technology, so it makes sense for Google to go this route.

The eero Home Network System takes WiFi to a whole new level (review)

AndroidPolice rates this rumor with a confidence level of nine out of ten, so they are extremely confident in the validity of this rumored device. One question this does leave is OnHub, Google’s current wireless router – will they continue to support it, or does this spell the end for it?

What do you think? Would you buy a Google-branded Wi-Fi router with features like this? Let us know in the comments!

Google Play Store now available on certain Chromebooks

Jason Botha
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We’ve heard reports about the Play Store coming to Chrome OS over the past few months, with information slowly churning through the rumor mill. It seems as if the speculation has finally come to fruition, as Google has begun to officially roll out the Google Play Store to certain Chromebooks running the latest version of Chrome OS. It has been available for developers since June, so it’s good to see some movement in the right direction.

The transition to the Play Store is gradual and one could expect it to take some time to reach their Chromebook, granted that your device supports it. According to a Google spokesperson, “A beta release of the Play store is available to users now on the Acer R11 and Asus Flip (and coming soon to Pixel 2015) and can be enabled from the Settings page. The team is hard at work making the experience great for users before making the Play Store available by default on these Chromebooks.”

Expanding on the rollout part, the process to enable the Play Store is pretty easy. Provided that you have a supported model (Acer R11 or Asus Flip), one can simply enable the Store via a switch in the settings menu. You have to be running the Stable 53.0.2785.129  version of ChromeOS in order for it to show up.

Image courtesy of VentureBeat.com
Image courtesy of VentureBeat.com

The Play Store should now be running and installed on your Chromebook.

Image courtesy of VentureBeat.com
Image courtesy of VentureBeat.com

Once the Play Store has been officially rolled out worldwide, it should be available on all Chromebook models.

The compatibility of Android apps on the Chromebooks remains a relatively numb topic so far, but so far apps seem to support it relatively fine. One may, however, find it difficult to adjust to the apps when using a trackpad or giant touchscreen.

24 HOUR SALE: Blu offering up to $50 off select smartphones via Amazon

Scott Webster
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In the market for an unlocked smartphone? Blu has a number of options for you to consider, all of which feature excellent hardware at lower costs than most competitors. But, for a limited time, things are even better on the Blu front as the phone maker has discounts for some of its models.

For starters, the brand new Life One X2 is up for pre-order with a 10% discount that runs through the end of today (September 23). There are other models with prices slashed by up to $50, putting them in the “how can you say no?” realm.

What you’ll get across the board with Blu are unlocked phones that work with a variety of GSM carriers; most of them are dual-SIM ready. Moreover, they each run a nearly stock version of Android and is void of any carrier influence.

energyxl

ENERGY XL $250 ($50 off)

  • Super 5,000mAh Massive Battery. OTG capability allows you to charge other electronic devices from your smartphone
  • 6.0″ Full HD Super AMOLED Curved Display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • FINGERPRINT SCANNER for quick access and total security
  • 13MP Autofocus Main Camera + 5MP Front Camera with built in f2.0 aperture
    64GB internal Memory
  • 3GB RAM Micro SD up to 32GB
  • 1.3GHz Octa Core MediaTek 6753 Processor with Mali-T720 GPU
  • 4G LTE(2/4/7)CAT 4, 4G HSPA+(850/1700/1900). GSM Quad band: US compatibility Nationwide on all GSM Networks including AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Straight Talk, Pure Talk USA, and others

STUDIO TOUCH $80 ($20 off)

  • Unlocked Dual Sim Smartphone
  • Android 6.0 Marshmallow
  • 5.0″ HD IPS Display with Built in FINGERPRINT SCANNER, secure your pictures, videos and music with a simple touch.
  • 8MP Auto Focus Main Camera 5MP Front Camera with flash
  • MediaTek 6735P|64-Bit 1.0GHz Quad Core processor
  • 8GB Internal Memory
  • 1GB RAM Micro SD up to 64GB
  • 4G LTE, (2/4/7/12/17), 4G HSPA+ (850/1700/1900/2100)GSM Quad band: US compatibility Nationwide on all GSM Networks including AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Straight Talk, Pure Talk USA, and others

pure_xr

PURE XR $250 ($50 off)

  • 5.5-Inches FHD 1080×1920 – 401ppi Super AMOLED Curved Display 3D Touch Sensitive Touch Panel Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • MediaTek P10, with 2.0HGz of Octa-Core processing power
  • 16MP main camera with 6P Lens, Laser Autofocus and PDAF along with the 8MP front selfie camera
  • Internal 64GB with 4GB RAM, MicroSD up to 64GB
  • 4G LTE, (2/4/7), 4G HSPA+ (850/1700/1900/2100). GSM Quad Band: US Compatibility Nationwide on all GSM Networks

vivo5

VIVO 5 $160 ($40 off)

  • Aesthetically engineered full body metal design, 5.5″ display + vivid HD AMOLED Color+ Corning Gorilla glass 3
  • 32GB Internal memory 3GB RAM and Micro SD up to 64GB
  • 13MP Main Camera with LED flash and 5MP Selfie Camera with Wide Angle + PDAF technology and Blue lens
  • MediaTek 6753 64-Bit 1.3GHz Octa Core Processor with MALI-T720 GPU
  • 4G LTE, (2/4/7), 4G HSPA+ (850/1700/1900/2100). GSM Quad band: US compatibility Nationwide on all GSM Networks including AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Straight Talk, Pure Talk USA, and others. Please refer the User manual before use.
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