OnePlus is back this year and stronger than ever with the release of the OnePlus 3, it’s high-end flagship quality phone that ships with all the hardware you need including 64GB of storage for almost half the price of similar ranged phones. After watching, check out our full review from Daniel Treccagnoli here.
Pokemon Go: Gotta catch em all (Review)
Overview:
Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game based on the hugely popular Pokemon franchise. You have to catch and train your Pokemon while battling gyms in a globe-spanning adventure of your own creation, just like in the classic games.
Developer: Niantic/Pokemon Company
Cost: Free (with microtransactions)
Impressions:
The hype surrounding Pokemon Go has been massive ever since it was announced a few years ago. An AR game where you catch Pokemon in real-world locations, and can battle and evolve them just like in the classic games for Nintendo systems? Fans of the franchise the world over were salivating at the chance to catch em all. The game itself lives up to a lot of the hype, offering players accurate location maps littered with Pokemon for you to capture and collect, varying from the common Pidgey to more rare ones like the classic starter Pokemon Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander among others.
The game was not developed directly by Nintendo and the Pokemon Company, instead handing it off to the developer of AR mobile game Ingress, Niantic.
The basic concept of the game is to move around from place to place, searching for Pokemon and items to collect and gyms to battle. You catch Pokemon by tapping them, which brings you into a minigame-style battle screen where you have to accurately hit the ‘Mon with a pokeball in order to capture it. The aiming and firing mechanic can be frustrating at times, with some balls flopping uselessly in front of you or going wide left or right of the target. Getting the aim and power of the flick correctly takes some practice, but once you get it down you will be fine.
Training the Pokemon you catch and evolving them into more powerful forms takes a fair bit of grinding. You have to collect “Candies” associated with each Pokemon and stardust, which helps raise the CP, or Combat Points, of your Pokemon. That stat directly influences their battle performance. What type of Pokemon that appear in your area is directly influenced by your player level, the higher it is the rarer the pokemon available. Candies are collected by catching multiples of the same pokemon, and transferring them to the Professor. Higher level evolutions can take a while to get done, but it can all thankfully be done for free.
To help keep your eyes off your phone while walking, and save your battery, Niantic has developed a bluetooth dongle, the $34.99 Pokemon Go Plus, as a companion to Pokemon Go. It is simple device that lights up and vibrates when near a pokemon, and you push the button to catch it. For a one-note dongle it’s a bit too pricey for most people, but it does make the game less involved for those who may be too busy to be glued to their phones all day.
Like in the original games, you have a limited number of pokeballs and items, and that’s where the microtransaction system comes in. You can buy coins to purchase in-game items like Pokeballs, Lucky Eggs for XP increase and Incense, for luring Pokemon to your location. The pricing is a bit off for Pokeballs, in my opinion, when $.99 gives you 20 pokeballs, but every level up grants you 15 for free. Other items have a more understandable price point, and all items can be found for free in games at item stops littered all over the map.
Visually Pokemon Go looks great, with fantastic fully animated models of all the Pokemon, and game-accurate sounds and music as well. You couldn’t ask for anything more from a Pokemon mobile game in terms of graphics and sound at all. You even have a small amount of character creation for your avatar, but sadly not as much as I’d like compared to what other games have done.
Overall, what Pokemon Go brings exactly what was expected of it to players. It is the most popular and talked about app on any platform right now, and has been a massive success for Nintendo and Niantic. However, there are some odd omissions like the lack of player to player battles or trading, as well as a lack of newer generation Pokemon along with the classic 151. Legendaries are also missing from the game, as far as everyone playing can tell, but those may be reserved for special in-game events if the ad campaign for the game is to be believed. Also, the game has experienced performance issues due to the massive popularity of the game, causing server problems and severe battery drain on some devices. Thankfully I didn’t experience any abnormal battery drain, but it is a game that uses the GPS and camera on your phone, so it is expected to consume more than the average app. Also, game launches have been delayed in some countries until the developers iron out the issues and are confident it will work.
Conclusion:
Pokemon Go has addicting gameplay, and unexpected benefits for health and social interactions from all the walking you’ll do and people you’ll bump into. it’s not uncommon to see groups of people walking in formation on the hunt for rare and elusive Pokemon. The game has garnered mass appeal among gamers and casual players, and even bumped up Nintendo’s stock price due to it’s popularity.
I’d say Pokemon Go is definitely worth checking out, especially if you are a Pokemon fan or are looking for a game to get you up and moving. It offers a lot of content, unobtrusive microtransactions, simple gameplay and a lot of nostalgia for classic Pokemon fans. A home run for Nintendo for sure, and definitely a must-play.
Tips and tricks to make you the very best Pokemon Go trainer
Pokemon Go is the newest craze sweeping the world. If you’ve been under a rock and don’t know what Pokemon Go is, well, it’s an augmented reality based Pokemon game where trainers must travel around in the real world to catch and train their Pocket Monsters. The real world is littered not just with wild Pokemon but Pokestops, gyms, and surprises around every corner.
Here at AndroidGuys, we’re obsessed just like everyone else. I spent my entire weekend playing and have personally watched the masses walking around looking at their phones in town. Here are some tips to make you the best, like no-one ever was.
General
- Pokemon types (electric, ground, grass) don’t seem to matter in combat like they do in other Pokemon games
- You can level up your Pokemon using Stardust, which is acquired by catching more Pokemon
- You can level up and evolve your Pokemon using candies which are acquired by catching Pokemon and transferring Pokemon to Professor Willow
- To heal your Pokemon you must use a potion, power it up or evolve it
- To revive your Pokemon you must use a revive (yellow potion) or evolve them
- The higher the level of the player, the stronger the Pokemon that will spawn in the wild
- The higher the level of the player, the rewards from Pokestops become better and more varied
Capturing Wild Pokemon
- If see you an animation of grass moving, it’s more likely that a wild Pokemon will appear in this area
- To catch a wild Pokemon tap on their picture to bring up a screen where you throw Pokeballs at it
- When throwing a Pokeball, try to hit the Pokemon with it. If it bounces or misses you may have to try again
- A green circle means the Pokemon will be easy to capture, a red circle means it will be harder
- Pokemon may break out of a Pokeball, if they stick around just throw another
- You can turn off the augmented reality portion of catching a Pokemon by tapping the “AR” button in the capture screen
- The Nearby Pokemon tab will let you know how close wild Pokemon are
- 0 footsteps means that there is a Pokemon inside your circle, 1 footstep means a Pokemon is within one circle of you, 2 footsteps means the Pokemon is within 2-3 circles of you, 3 footsteps means the Pokemon is 3-3+ circles away
- Berries will make it easier to catch a Pokemon for one throw
- As you level up you get stronger Pokeballs
- For every wild Pokemon you capture you get 3 candy of its type and Stardust
Gyms and Pokestops
- You must be level 5 in order to go into a gym or choose a faction
- Your faction decides what color your gyms are. All of your gyms will be this color
- Rival gyms will be another color
- Unclaimed gyms are gray
- If a rival faction wins enough at your gym you run out of Prestige points and will be evicted
- Only one Pokemon per person can be placed at a gym
- Pokemon you leave at a gym are unavailable to help you challenge other gyms
- You can choose your 6 best Pokemon at an enemy gym
- If you are evicted from your gym, your Pokemon returns to you
- When you click on a gym, swiping left or right will show you the Pokemon stationed there and their combat power
- The Pokemon with the highest combat power is the leader
- Pokestops recharge every five minutes
- You can gain rewards of 10 Pokecoins and 500 Stardust per Pokemon at a gym
- To get your rewards click Shop then click on the number in a circle on the top right
- You can only cash out once every 21 hours
- You can cash in on 10 total gyms at once for a max of 100 Pokecoins and 5000 Stardust
- When you’re at a Pokestop, swipe the picture in the cirlce to reveal your rewards
Battle
- In battle you can do four things
- Attack by rapidly tapping
- Use your super by tap and holding
- Dodge by swiping to the left or right
- Change Pokemon
- Fighting at a friendly gym is just training your Pokemon. They cannot faint and will reward you with XP if you win
- Training will result in damage that needs to be healed with potions
- Losing at a rival gym will cause your Pokemon to faint and they can only be revived by items
- You must be within range of the gym to fight at it
- Battle is not turn based, it’s real time so tapping as quickly as you can gives you the best chance to win
- Every time you tap the screen in battle you build your blue bar, once the bar reaches 100% you can use your special attack
- You cast your special by tapping and holding the screen for a second
Evolving
- Evolving a Pokemon requires between 6 and 400 candy
- Evolving a Pokemon typically takes around 50 candy to evolve to their final form
- Combat Power will raise after a Pokemon evolves
- Pokemon’s skills can change when they evolve, but don’t always
Eggs
- You can access the egg menu by swiping from your Pokemon menu
- You have one permanent egg incubator slot, but you can obtain more temporary slots to hatch more than one egg at a time
- You must walk to hatch eggs, driving will not work
- Hatching an egg will reward you with not only the Pokemon but also trainer XP and candies
- The further you walk with an egg in an incubator, the higher the chance of a good Pokemon
- You must keep the Pokemon Go app open to get credit for your footsteps
- There is a battery saver function in the app that will black your screen but keep the app running
- You can still capture wild Pokemon while walking to incubate an egg
- You can hold 9 eggs at one time, but no more eggs will drop from Pokestops until one hatches
Pokeballs and other items
- To throw a curveball shake the ball in a circular motion until it sparkles
- You can get Pokeballs, potions, eggs, and other goodies at Pokestops
- You must be above level 5 to get potions from Pokestops
- If you no longer want a Pokemon, transfer them to the Professor for a candy of that type
- Stardust is used to power up your Pokemon
- Using a Lure on a Pokestop will cause Pokemon to spawn there
- The Pokemon that spawn because of a Lure may be Pokemon that don’t normally inhabit the area
- Lure’s last for 30 minutes and work for all players in the area
Do you have any Pokemon Go tips? We’re addicted so please leave what you know down in the comments so we can add it to the list!
EC Technology’s 3-Port Wall Charger: Great backup wall charger (Review)
I’m not sure about you, but ever since the smartphone era began, I’ve had trouble with chargers. That trouble is keeping up with half of them. I literally mean half. Since many feature removable microUSB cables, I can’t count the times I’ve taken just the cable into my car to charge my phone and forgot where I put the other half.
Another conundrum at my house is the fight for the outlet. There are many solutions to that problem with towers, but today, I’m gonna give you another alternative that will also help if you misplace your wall adapter: EC Technology’s 3-Port Wall Charger.
Review
This small 3-port charger is not much larger than most wall chargers, so you don’t have to worry how much room it will take. It features the ever so popular foldable plug which is nice if you have the need to slip it in your pocket and don’t want to be poked.
Like many chargers, it adapts to your device’s input current to give you the best charging speed with a top amperage of 2.4A per port. I had no trouble charging a Note Edge, a Kindle HD6, and an iPod simultaneously at reasonable speeds.
The only complaint I have is the current layout. Once you plug in the charger into the wall, the charging ports are located on top or bottom depending on which way you plug it in. It should be on the opposite side of the plug itself. This is more of a personal preference than a deal breaker, but should be mentioned nonetheless.
Summary
This is a handy device to have especially if you are prone to losing your factory charger. It sort of gives you a mulligan on your charger…actually three mulligans. All joking aside, there are times when it’s more convenient to carry one large charging block and three microUSB cables as opposed to three individual chargers. For only $10, this 3-port charger from EC Technology is a pretty good deal.
Editor’s Picks: 14 apps we think you should try
We’re back with another installment of Editor’s Picks! We have moved to a bi-weekly posting schedule to space out the posting, but we will still bring you quality apps that we all enjoy using ourselves!
Microsoft Outlook
You might not expect Microsoft to come up with one of the best and most practical email clients for Android but that’s exactly what they’ve done. Not only is it sharp and clean and very in line with what Google wants for its mobile apps, but it’s rich in features, too. You’ll find a whole host of options including sorting, labeling, multiple account support, and deep calendar integration. As good as what you will find in the Gmail app, the per-account notification settings and dual swiping keep users humming along. If you only know of Outlook from the old, outdated desktop experience, you owe it to yourself revisit the app.
Download Microsoft Outlook from the Google Play Store
MyTherapy Med Reminder Pillbox
From birth control pills to multiple prescription drugs with complicated schedules, this award-winning app generates reminders to take your meds when you need to take them so you don’t ever miss a dose.
Download MyTherapy from the Google Play Store
Infinite Slice
An addictive & minimalist game for all ages. Features endless, free-to-play gameplay with global leaderboards. It’s a simple faun game in they style of the classic Fruit Ninja, and certainly fun for everyone.
Download Infinite Slice from the Google Play Store
Nonstop Knight
You must guide your knight through the never-ending dungeon to defeat enemies and bosses. The deeper you get the stronger your enemies must become. Upgrade your equipment to become stronger to defeat those enemies. It’s a simple game you can play with on thumb.
Download Nonstop Knight from the Google Play Store
Swipe Pro
Swipe Pro is an excellent Facebook replacement app. You get almost full functionality including messenger support. The dev often updates the app and communicates with the community.
Download Swipe Pro from the Google Play Store
Inputting+
Inputting+ gives Undo, redo, copy, And paste functions to all of the typing you do on your Android. If you ever lose your work or your text, Inputting+ collects all the text you type in a convenient timeline
Download Inputting+ from the Google Play Store
Texpand
Texpand is an app that lets you make shortcuts to things you type often, for example your email address, your phone number, or things you say in texts on a normal basis.
Download Texpand from the Google Play Store
Cloud VPN
Cloud VPN is a free VPN that provides instant and fast connections. It’s simple to use, has minimal ads and is not obstrusive. It’s my personal favorite and provides a no-nonsense solution when I need to utilize it.
Download Cloud VPN from the Google Play Store
Ultrapop- Art Color Filters
Give your photos a complete makeover that calls to mind the excess and over-saturation of the 1980’s. Using a variety of filters, effects, and other settings, this one turns boring landscape images into something much cooler. Like to post quotes to social media? Run your pics through Ultrapop and come up with a rad design that’s perfect for text on top. The paid version ($2 US) throws in additional packs of effects, but there’s plenty in the free model to get you started.
Download UltraPop from the Google Play Store
PodBean
PodBean lets me find and store all my favorite podcasts in one place. I have a lot of friends who host their own podcast and with so many different content hosting sites out there, it gets hard to keep up with new episodes. With PodBean’s “search” and “add URL” functions I can find and follow all my favorite shows and recieve notifications when a new episode becomes available. It also recommends new and popular podcasts based on interests I identified in my (totally optional) user profile. Because let’s face it, as much as I love trying new things, I’m never going to do all that legwork myself. Then, instead of searching across multiple host apps or bookmarked browser pages when I’m ready to listen, all of my favorite shows appear in one list without having to leave the app. It’s easy, convenient, and has probably saved a few friendships.
Download PodBean from the Google Play Store
Her Story
Her Story is the critically acclaimed mystery game from Sam Barlow. Playing like an interactive true crime documentary, the game lets you go hands on with a police database full of live action video footage. It stars Viva Seifert, actress and one half of the band Joe Gideon and the Shark.
Her Story sits you in front of a mothballed desktop computer and logs you into a police database. Search through hundreds of video clips that cover seven interviews from 1994 in which a British woman is interviewed about her missing husband. Explore the database by typing search terms, watch the clips where she speaks those words and piece together her story.
Unlike anything you’ve played before, Her Story is an involving and moving experience. One that asks you to listen.
Download Her Story from the Google Play Store
CloudMagic
With support for the most popular email accounts, such as Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Exchange, as well as letting you configure regular IMAP accounts, CloudMagic is ideal for those of us who manage multiple email addresses. A nice interface, coupled with regular updates and powerful per-account options, makes it my go-to solution for handling email on Android. The best of all, it’s free. There’s a $24.99/year subscription if you think it’s worth it, but it adds functionality that’s not essential in order to enjoy the app to its fullest.
Download CloudMagic from the Google Play Store
AutoMate
Automate is by far the best Auto(Car) interface i have seen on android. This app can do anything you want it to do. I have mine set to Come on automatically when it connects to my cars bluetooth. It will open an app or your choice such as google play or you favorite podcast app automatically so you can start your audio and then is goes back to the AutoMate car interface.
AutoMate has maps,phone,main screen,audio and favorite apps screens. Swipe left and right in the app to see them. All the buttons are big and in the right places so you can keep your eyes on the road. I highly recommend this add if you have your phone mounted in your car.
Download AutoMate from the Google Play Store
Bundle News
Bundle is your personal news app gathering thousands of sources from the globe. You can easily find news out about technology, business, magazines, sports or breaking news around the World or on your country by using Bundle’s neat, grid based, typographic interface and have an exceptional experience in every moment.
Download Bundle News from the Google Play Store
That’s all for this week’s installment of Editor’s Picks. We hope you’ll enjoy these apps as much as we have, and be sure to check out all of these great apps in the Play Store! Thanks for reading!
The Hottest Android apps and games around (July 9)
Welcome to Week 7 of The Hottest Android apps and games around!. On top of pulling the top 10 downloaded apps and games from Google Play and the Amazon Appstore I have also included the top 5 New apps and games from Google Play and Amazon’s Underground project.
On this week’s list are a few apps that have blown up since last week. Pokemon GO went from not even in the App store last week to number 1 this week! I would expect to see reviews of a few of the apps on this list coming very soon to the site!
Top 5 New Free Apps and Games (Google Play)
Top 5 New Paid Apps and Games (Google Play)
2. Zombieville USA 2 $0.99
3. Pocket Arcade Story $4.99
4. Toca Life: Vacation $2.99
5. A Dark Room ® $0.99
Top 10 Free Apps and Games (Google Play)
- Pokémon GO
- Messenger
- Moments
- Snapchat
- slither.io
- NBA LIVE Mobile
- Pandora® Radio
- FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS
Top Free Apps and Games (Amazon Appstore)
Top Paid Apps and Games (Google Play)
- Minecraft: Pocket Edition $6.99
- Nova Launcher Prime $4.99
- Ultimate Guitar Tabs & Chords $0.99
- Teeny Titans – Teen Titans Go! $3.99
- Geometry Dash $1.99
- Minecraft: Story Mode $4.99
- Bloons TD 5 $2.99
- Poweramp Full Version Unlocker $0.99
- Five Nights at Freddy’s $2.99
- Card Wars – Adventure Time $3.99
Top Paid Apps and Games (Amazon AppStore)
- Minecraft – Pocket Edition $6.99
- Teeny Titans – Teen Titans Go! $3.99
- Geometry Dash $1.99
- Galaga TV $1.99
- Minecraft: Story Mode $4.99
- Five Nights at Freddy’s $2.99
- The Agency of Anomalies: Mind Invasion Collector’s Edition $2.99
- Terraria $4.99
- Guns Mod PE $4.99
- BlockLauncher Pro $3.30
Jabra Halo Smart wireless headphones are intelligent and sound great
Here at AndroidGuys we review a lot of accessories. Lately we have been reviewing quite a few wireless headphones, as just about every manufacturer has a set of their own to offer. The wireless headphone market is extensive, where you can get a set for less than $20, with some working their way up into the $500 range.
The advantage to Bluetooth headphones is its obvious lack of a cable that connects to your audio output device. Sacrificing the audio cable means your headphones can no longer be powered without a battery, and the data transmission will be over Bluetooth which can degrade the quality.
2016 has been a big year for wireless headset makers as they have not only dramatically improved the sound quality on wireless headphones, but they’ve also increased durability, battery life, and features.
The latest wireless headphones I have been using is the Jabra Halo Smart Bluetooth headset. If you like accessories with lots of intelligent features, you won’t find a smarter set than what’s offered by Jabra.
Behind the neck design
When it comes to wireless earbud style headphones, they mainly come in two design styles. The first is like you see with the Jabra Halo Smart headphones, in the image above, where the hardware internals that power the device are contained within the neckband. The other style is where the battery and other internals are contained within the earbud themselves. The latter design tends to lead to bulky earbuds that can be uncomfortable to wear. The neckband design allows for small earbuds, but adds weight around your neck.
The Jabra Halo Smart neckband is where its battery is located with the technology that make the headphones so “smart”. The back is where most of the weight resides, and the sides are where you will find the three button controller, in addition to the microphone and microphone button.
On each side of the neckband, there are internal magnets that stick to the metal inside of each earbud. This is for keeping the earbuds from dangling around your neck and chest when you aren’t using them. Included in the box are three sizes of ear pieces as well as a charging cable (microUSB).
Other features:
- IP54 water resistant rating
- 10mm drivers
- 17 hour talk time, 14 hour music playback time
- Siri and Google Now integration
- Flexible neck band for comfort
Usage
Out of the box the Halo Smart headphones pair up to any Bluetooth enabled smartphone or tablet with ease. Putting the headphones on my neck offered a comfortable fit, and my first impressions of music playback was somewhat tamed. Features seemed pretty standard with the controls: short press the +/- buttons for increasing and lowering volume, long press +/- buttons for fast forward/rewind with the center button controlling power/Bluetooth connection.
At first these headphones seemed like your typical Bluetooth style headphones. And for the price of $79.99, I assumed this is what I would get with your typical headphones.
Read the instructions…
I was left wondering why Jabra named these headphones “Smart”. So I broke down and read the box and realized there was an app (Jabra Assist) I could install to maximize the potential of these headphones. While I was evaluating what I could do better, I also swapped out the ear pieces for the large style which fit my ears better than the regular size.
After installing Jabra Assist, and repairing my Halo Smart headphones to my Galaxy S7 edge, I woke up and realized these were some of the coolest and smartest headphones I have ever used.
Going through the app offered me tips that I had not realized were integrated into the headphones such as:
Stopping music or ending a phone call with a simple attachment of the magnetic buds together.
Or answering a phone call by detaching the magnetic earbuds apart from each other.
Also, the headphones and app have a GPS style ability to locate where your headphones are currently residing. This is a great feature for those who tend to lose things.
The app also keep track of battery life, standby time, offers other tips like how to use Google Now, and it also reads texts messages through the headphones. These are easily the smartphones headphones I have ever used. The little features that Jabra integrated into the Halo Smart headphones make them really easy to use and give me a new appreciation for smart wearables.
Jabra has been an industry leader in voice technology over Bluetooth for almost a decade. Like other headsets I have used from Jabra, the Halo Smart excels in this department. Taking phone calls, no matter if I am in a high-background noise environment, is a pleasure. I easily took over 30 calls over the last two weeks with this headset, and not one person complained of hearing background noise, or had trouble hearing me.
The Bluetooth receiver in the Jabra Halo Smart headphones is extremely powerful. I never went through the dreaded Bluetooth drop or interruption that can occur frequently on other wireless headphones. I even tested it out by leaving my smartphone in my office and walking to the living room with the headphones. Even with a wall between my phone and I, there was a strong connection that allowed me to stay connected to my music uninterrupted.
After finding the right set of ear pieces, I put on my jams again and was thoroughly impressed with the sound reproduction of the Halo Smart headphones. They aren’t the best I have heard for wireless headphones, but in the $80 price category, I can’t think of anything better. The bass is prominent, but not overpowering, and detail is where these headphones shine. Mids and highs are very clear, but the balance leans more towards the low end with bass.
Lastly, the Google Now feature is impressive. With a simple click of the microphone button, I activated Google Now on my S7 edge. It worked like a charm and I was texting and controlling my music with voice commands.
Battery life
The Jabra Halo Smart headphones excel and set the bar with its advertised 17 hour battery life. I can confirm with several recharge cycles that this battery life is true. On music playback only, I got 12:45, 13:31: 14:24, 12:30 hours of battery life on four separate recharge cycles which is three times longer than some of the best wireless headphones I have used before.
With 12-14 hours of playback, I easily get through one week without a recharge. That is perfect for me since I exercise every night for an hour with my headphones. I also use them when I walk my dog at night for an hour too. It’s a very nice feature to have and I only need to truly recharge them once a week.
Conclusion
With best in class battery life and microphone clarity, the Jabra Halo Smart headphones would make the perfect headset for phone calls. But with high quality music playback in addition to smart controls, the Jabra Halo Smart headphones are the best overall wireless headphones under $100 hands down. The comfortable flexible neck band in combination with the small earbuds make these easy to wear for extended periods as well.
I highly recommend you check them out for yourself. You can learn more at Jabra.com or you can pick up your own set from Amazon or Best Buy for $79.99.
Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA release their cheapest smartphone yet
Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA are launching a budget Android smartphone on Sprint’s network for only $70, called the Alcatel Dawn. So far this is the cheapest Android phone for 2016.
Alcatel Dawn Features
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS
- 4.5-inch TFT touchscreen display
- 5MP rear-facing camera
- 3G/4G LTE
- 8GB ROM/1GB RAM1
- Mexico roaming capable2
- 1,780mAh battery
- 1.1GHz quad-core processor
- Mobile hotspot capable
Phone Plans
Boost Mobile
Customers on Boost Mobile or those looking to join the network can earn up to 3GB of high-speed data by making monthly payments on time.
Called Growing Data, it lets customers earn 500MB of extra data per month after every three payments that are made on time. Up to 3GB of extra data can be earned after 18 payments made on time.
Virgin Mobile USA
Virgin Mobile now has three unlimited phone plans that all have unlimited music streaming. The starter pack is a $40/month plan with unlimited data, talk and text and comes with 4GB of high-speed data. As add-ons, Virgin Mobile is offering Data Packs where customers can buy extra data: $5 for 1GB and $10 for 2GB per month.
Virgin Mobile’s unlimited music streaming currently works with Pandora, iHeartRadio, Slacker, 8tracks and Samsung Milk Music, and additional music providers are coming soon.
Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile are both MVNOs that use Sprint’s network, so check to make sure there is coverage in your area here.
Aukey’s Mini Rugged Bluetooth Speaker: Big sound, small price (Review)
Summer is here, and that means we are spending much more time outside. That’s right, the good times are rolling. Whether it’s hiking, biking, or volleyball spiking, we would like to have a little music to keep this party…going. Sorry, another rhyming word eludes me.
For these activities, we don’t need to carry around a big set of speakers and certainly with some activities it’s not ideal to have the outside word muted out with headphones. A small portable speaker is ideal in these situations. With that in mind, here is one affordable option, Aukey’s Mini Rugged Bluetooth Speaker, model SK-M13.
Design
This cube-like speaker, technically it’s called an octagonal cube, is small and portable measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 inches. Protecting the speaker is perforated metal that has some raised ridges along the front and back. This makes it less prone to denting.
Its outer edge is made of a nice stylish rubber that makes it ideal in a rugged situation. The design of the rubber is best described as armor-like featuring several raised rectangles and squares. Four of the raised squares are your control buttons, power, volume/skip, and answer/hangup.
Rounding out this speaker is a rubber cover on side protecting the microUSB and audio jack. All you can really do is step back and admire how cool this thing looks.
Sound
On the Amazon, they describe the sound as follows, “High-def streamed audio with crystal clear highs, fresh mids, and heart pumping bass.” We all know this is just a fancied up description wrote by some marketing person in a room, right? How does reality match up to the claim?
I can absolutely say the highs are crystal clear. No matter the type of music you listen to, it’s the same across the board. I’m not super sure what they mean by fresh mids, but I best describe the mids as bright. They blend quite well with the highs.
What about the heart pumping bass? Does this tiny speaker really put that kind of bass out? It sure does. You can feel the enhanced bass vibrating through the speaker. I was highly impressed with the sound that comes from this speaker.
Other features
There are two ways to connect to Aukey’s speaker: Bluetooth and the 3.5mm audio jack (cord provided). Both work flawlessly, with the Bluetooth range reaching 30 feet with no hiccups. Battery life is nothing to worry about as you can get 8+ hours out of this speaker. Once the battery runs outs, it quickly recharges with the microUSB cable that’s included.
Summary
If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker and you want to save some money for other things like…I don’t know…beverages, then this $25 speaker is one you should consider. It’s tough, affordable, and sounds amazing.
It’s official: Samsung releasing limited edition Galaxy S7 edge and IconX to all 2016 Olympians
I usually don’t have many regrets, but today is one of those days I wish I trained my entire life to compete in the 2016 Olympics. The reason being, Samsung is releasing 12,500 limited edition Galaxy S7 edge smartphones as well as Gear IconX cord-free fitness earbuds for all participants of the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil. Look how gorgeous the Olympic edition S7 edge looks in the image below. The S7 edge is already a great looking device, but the yellow accent around the home button and speaker look fantastic.
The red power button, blue ring around the camera and green volume buttons give this smartphone a unique look that I can’t get enough of and make me wish I was an Olympic competitor.
In addition to the physical changes, the five Olympic colors will make their way into the theme of the S7 edge through the lock screen, home screen, messages, dial and contact screens, as well as notification bar. 2016 Olympic Games themed wallpapers will also be available on the phones, which we will try to locate for you to use on your regular S7 edge.
Athletes will also receive Samsung’s newest smartphone accessory, the Gear IconX cord-free earbuds, which offer a new fitness experience with an in-ear heart rate monitor and standalone music player. When paired with smartphones, they can track fitness updates through the S Health app.
The chances of you or I getting our hands on this limited edition handset are slim to none. However, if one of them wants to send one my way, they would make me pretty darned happy. With that being said, people do like custom looking phones and Samsung should consider offering customization on its flagships. Moto did it with Moto Maker, Converse and Nike do it with their shoes, and Fender does it too with its guitars.
Regardless, I love the look of the Olympic edition smartphone. What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments section below.
