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Amazon to subsidize phones by showing adverts on the lock screen

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Amazon may have just taken it a step too far: news has it that they will display adverts on upcoming phones and ship them with pre-install apps. The adverts will be numerous and will display on the lock screen, the most viewed part of your phone.

The adverts are not much different from the ads that appear on Amazon’s Kindle e-readers and Kindle Fire tablets with what Amazon calls “special offers”.

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Don’t be too worried though: it only applies to a small group of people and is totally optional. Amazon says that they will offer them to Amazon Prime Subscribers buying select phones. If you opt-in for the adverts and pre-installed apps, you get a big savings off the original price.

The discounts may be up to 50%.

At this moment in time, this discount will be available for the 2016 Motorola Moto G and the BLU R1 HD. Neither are currently up for purchase in the US, however, but are expected to ship on July 12th.

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This may actually be a great idea to offer a decent phone to cash-strapped consumers. But the fact that you have to be an Amazon Prime subscriber for $99 per year contradicts that a little bit.

Are you interested in having adverts on your lock screen? I doubt it, but it may be a worthy compromise.

PaGamO an educational game releases Android App

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Three months ago, PaGamO launched as a solution to help make learning a more rewarding experience for kids. While still effective, traditional homework just doesn’t capture the imagination today’s youth (not that it ever did in the first place). Who can really blame them? Even children as young as elementary age own some sort of device, and that’s why BoniO Inc. created PaGamO, to make life easier for teachers, parents, and students.

PAgamoToday, BoniO Inc. is pleased to announce the release of PaGamO for Android so the learning can continue even though school is out. With any luck, kids will have so much fun with the app they won’t even notice they are learning.

PaGamO uses elements of games like Risk and Settlers of Catan to create a fun learning environment that allows students to be quizzed on any subject. With PaGamO, teachers can create different types of assignments that can be assigned to different groups of students with user created questions or PaGamO’s own bank of questions.

Students can join a class after receiving a code from their teacher and then compete by answering questions and solving quizzes that in turn allow them to build their kingdom of knowledge, wealth, and land. The game offers Common Core content, but also has a plethora of knowledge that covers topics from science, to pop culture, and more. It should be noted kids don’t need a class code to play.

“What’s really unique and fun about PaGamO is that you can truly learn about anything in the game,” PaGamO founder Professor Benson Yeh explains. “Of course, you can learn academic subjects on different levels, but you can also answer questions on current events or outer space. This unique feature makes the game as fun and useful for a six-year-old as it is for a 16-year-old or 60-year-old. Children, parents and grandparents alike — we all love to play!”

This is a great tool to keep your kids busy and learning on through the summer. You can pick up PaGamO in the Play Store for free. For more information as a teacher or parent go to PaGamo’s site.

ZTE reveals the stunning Nubia Z11 at $375

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ZTE has lifted the veil on its new high-end device, the ZTE Nubia Z11. The Android-powered phone sports powerful specs with an affordable price tag of $375, and features an attractive design with a bezel-less display.

The device comes after the announcement of ZTE’s other products in the series, the Z11 Mini and Z11 Max.

nubiaz11-front
No photoshop here, the bezels really aren’t there

The phone packs some monster specifications inside. A Snapdragon 820 ticks under the hood alongside either 4GB RAM & 64GB storage, or 6GB RAM & 128GB storage. In the case that that is not enough space, you can throw in a MicroSD card.

The rear shooter sports 16MP with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and dual-tone flash. The resulting images would be beautifully displayed on the 5.5″, 2.5D, Full HD screen.

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A fingerprint scanner that ZTE touts ‘faster than TouchID’ graces the back of the metal phone. There is a mediocre 3000mAh battery inside this 7.5mm body.

On the software side, the Z11 sports Android 6.0 Marshmallow with ZTE’s ‘Nubia UI 4.0’ skin.

The 4GB/64GB version of the ZTE Nubia Z11 will sell for $375 (converted from the Chinese Yuan) and is available in gray, gold, or silver. The 6GB/128GB version will cost $525 (converted) and is available in gold only. If the Z11 goes on sale internationally the prices may be higher.

zte_nubia_z11

The budget war just got more heated. The $400 OnePlus Three sports the same specs for a slightly higher price. Which one would you prefer?

Google Play Deals 29 June 2016

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Here at AndroidGuys, we appreciate good deals. We are constantly trying to find our readers the best deals on phones, accessories, and more. So I decided to head to the Google Play Store to see what kind of deals I could find. There are a number popular apps along with some you may not have heard of, as well as great deals on music and movies. So hurry up and grab these deals before they go away.

apps

Apps/Games

music

Music

movies

Movies

Books

Books

These aren’t all the deals, especially in movies and music, but they are some of the best sales going on. If you think I missed one that should have been on the list, share it in the comments so we all can benefit. Have a great start to your summer.

OnePlus 3 review: King of the budget phones, but no heir to the flagship throne

OnePlus once touted itself as the “Flagship Killer,” offering top-spec’d phones at a budget price. With the first OnePlus device, they showed that they could swing with the big players, but were hampered by the oft-maligned invite system and poor marketing. The OnePlus 2 suffered a similar fate, coupled with some questionable design choices and average performance. Well, OnePlus seems to have found it’s groove with the OnePlus 3, a standout phone with flagship specs at a great price, and finally a invite-free purchase system that makes it much more available for everyone.

OnePlus Three
OnePlus Three

The “Never Settle” mantra of OnePlus is on display here, as the OnePlus 3 features a 1080p AMOLED display, NFC, 3000mAh battery, a Snapdragon 820, USB-C and a whopping 6GB of RAM. It only has one storage option, 64GB, and features proprietary DASH rapid charging among other features. Certainly some impressive specs for a $399 phone, but how do they come together as a complete package?

Design

I immediately fell in love with the OnePlus 3’s design out of the box. Gone is the sandstone backing and overall cheaper feel to the build quality, replaced by a full-metal chassis and smooth curves, making it an absolute joy to hold. It has a premium feel in the hand comparable to that of an HTC device, which it seemingly borrows a lot of design cues from. Of all the OnePlus devices, this one is by far the best looking.

The rear of the device is simple and clean. Only a set of antenna lines and a prominent camera bump, housing the 16MP shooter, adorn the back panel coupled with the small shiny OnePlus logo just below. It is admittedly a bit slippery to hold without a case, but not as bad as I expected it to be. The back has a nice arched contour for fitting in the palm, and is so light and sleek that I’d feel bad hiding it in a case. The OnePlus 3 is very reminiscent of current flagship phones in regards to appearance, which can be either good or bad depending on your opinion. Some may miss the sandstone texture and it’s unique feel and grip, and luckily there is a case offering that material from OnePlus if you’re feeling nostalgic for the older design. Along with the sandstone case, there are a number of other stylish protection cases in material such as bamboo, rosewood, carbon fiber and black apricot finish.

The front of the device is no slouch either, with an attractive slab of Gorilla Glass 4 housing the 5.5 inch AMOLED screen, and the prominent capacitive fingerprint scanner front and center. The fingerprint scanner is amazingly fast, OnePlus claims faster than Apple’s Touch ID, with the phone waking up seemingly the instant I touched my phone to the scanner. It’s flanked on either side by OnePlus’ trademark optional capacitive buttons, which are now simple illuminated dots that disappear into the bezel after a few seconds. Bezels are very thin on the sides of the screen, but the top and bottom ones are a bit big for my tastes on a 5.5 inch phone.

The side panels, measuring a scant 7.35mm thick, house the power button and dual SIM tray on the right side, and the volume rockers and still-present mute toggle switch on the left. The button placement and feel are excellent, they are easily reachable and satisfyingly clicky and responsive. The notification toggle switch is nicely textured and feels solid, but I wish they had reversed the order, with full notifications on top and none on the bottom.

OnePlus 3 bottom grillThe top of the phone is bare metal, but the bottom is one of my favorite parts of the design. It holds the headphone jack, USB-C port, and surprisingly loud speaker. The whole bottom subtly curves towards the back of the phone, and the speaker grill holes and USB port are chamfered, lending even more to the premium feel and look of the 3. As bottoms of phones go, this one is truly excellent.

Display

The display of the OnePlus 3 has been a point of contention in the smartphone community. It’s a 5.5 inch “Optic” AMOLED display with a 1920×1080 resolution, that’s 401 ppi for those interested. It is a very nice screen, and a definite upgrade from the OnePlus 2, but the lower resolution is a bit of a downer considering pretty much every other Android flagship hits the 2560×1440 QHD resolution. The colors and image quality are clear and crisp, and more than enough for the average user but coming down from a Nexus 6P and it’s massive QHD OnePlus 3display, it’s a noticeable difference that made me miss the extra resolution for YouTube and movie watching. I will say that the lower resolution display has done well for battery life. OnePlus has included some decent customizations to the display, including the “Optic” tuning and a color balance slider, so you can adjust the color tone yourself.

For most people, the OnePlus 3 screen is perfectly capable, but anyone coming off of a QHD display may be in for some disappointment.

Performance and Software

The OP3 and its 6GB of RAM made headlines prior to it’s launch, and rightfully so. 6GB is a ton of RAM for such a small device, but does it have an impact on performance? The answer is… maybe. The RAM coupled with the Snapdragon 820 chip make this phone lightning fast and super snappy, jumping between apps with ease, but even with all that power under the hood it’s nothing mindblowing in terms of day to day performance. Gaming on the OP3 was satisfying and smooth, and app load times were in the expected range. Oneplus did add some nice tweaks to multitasking, including a clear-all button and a “clean” button to halt all background processes and clear all that RAM. It’s definitely comparable to today’s flagships in terms of speed, but it certainly isn’t the top contender in that regard.

One downside of the OnePlus 3 is the lack of expandable storage or larger storage options. 64GB is fine for me, but I know a lot of people who live and die by the SD card. It is disappointing for sure, but certainly not a deal breaker. Also, connectivity issues have been cropping up for many OP3 users, including myself. Difficulty with LTE connectivity, rapidly switching from 3G to 4G to LTE, as well as issues with wi-fi calling on T-Mobile have made using the OnePlus 3 off of wi-fi a bit harrowing at times. However, the problems are not nearly as bad as they sound, and regular daily use has been stellar otherwise, with these connection problems only popping up once in awhile.

The custom Android Marshmallow ROM, Oxygen OS, is just as light as before and with some welcome stability and performance improvements. OnePlus still offers those wonderful OnePlus 3 dark themetweaks to the stock experience, like optional hardware or software buttons, night mode, screen-off gestures and more. In place of the Google Now page on the left-most screen, OnePlus introduces the Shelf. The Shelf holds a place for widgets, recent apps, and a quick memo section for easy note taking. I initially avoided using the Shelf as I was so used to Google Now being there, but as I used the phone more and more I found it to be a welcome addition and very handy. Oxygen OS is easily one of the better ROMs for Android, being nearly as stock as a Nexus device but offering just enough customization and extra features to differentiate it.

Battery

Battery performance is very solid on the OP3. The 3000mAh battery and standard definition AMOLED screen do wonders for all-day use from 7 AM onwards, I rarely had to top off the battery with an average day’s usage. The phone does heat up a bit when under heavier use, but nothing too concerning so far. I was surprised at how well the OnePlus 3 stood up to my Nexus 6P with its larger battery, both managed to stay above 20% by the end of the day at 9 PM. OnePlus has done an admirable job of making sure users get the most out of the battery despite it’s pedestrian capacity.nexus2cee_oneplus-3-amazon-in-1-1

Where OnePlus really shines is its DASH charging, a rebrand of Oppo’s VOOC charging technology. Using the included charger and cable, or any VOOC charger, the OP3 can get a full day’s charge, about 60-70%, in 15 minutes. It is mind boggling to plug in your phone and five minutes later see a 10-15% jump in battery life for the first time. Compared to the rapid charging on my Nexus, this was fast as hell and one of the best features of the OP3. It’s a shame that more chargers don’t support it, as I’d like to use a longer cord and still get the DASH results.

Camera

The camera on the OnePlus 3 is another area of merely average performance. The 16MP rear shooter is fine at all levels, but isn’t going to beat out the likes of Samsung when it comes to image quality. OIS is a nice touch, and shutter speed and focus are fast and responsive. Software-wise, the OnePlus camera app gets the job done, and has some nice manual options as well but the LG camera app from the V10 still has a bit of an edge in that regard. The front-facing 8MP camera is great for selfies, and works well. Snapchat users will have a great time using it to get those memorable snaps.

Image quality has been satisfying on the OP3, especially in bright daylight. Low light pictures are fine, but the flash can be a bit aggressive if left on automatic, going off even in well lit areas causing a washed out image. I’m not generally a big phone photographer, so not the best judge of a camera, but the OnePlus 3 is certainly very good. Most people will have no issues at all taking some sweet photos.

Conclusion

Overall, the OnePlus 3 is an incredible deal at $399. You’d be hard pressed to find a more feature-packed device in this price range, with this few compromises. If I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t be able to tell that this was a device from a small Chinese offshoot brand at all. OnePlus should be commended on finally finding that perfect balance between specs, price, and design to make the OnePlus 3 a real hit. That being said, I still found myself drawn back to my 6P, for a few different reasons. The screen resolution and wifi calling issues are chief among them. The OnePlus 3 has all the element s to match or best the current crop of flagship devices from the likes of Samsung, LG, and HTC but if you’re currently using a 2015 or 2016 flagship device, the performance and specs aren’t enough to justify a swap unless you are a die hard OnePlus fan. If you are a budget conscious person, the price certainly crushed the competition and other phones in it’s price range just can’t compare. I would say that the OnePlus 3 is a excellent device, if maybe not as polished as it’s competition, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of best phones of 2016. The OnePlus 3 is king of the budget phones, and a great pick for those looking for an affordable phone that Never Settles for budget features.

TODAY ONLY: B&H Photo Video offering massive savings on Sony Xperia Z3, C5 Ultra

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B&H Photo Video, as they are often wont to do, has slashed the prices of a couple of Android smartphones as part of a Deal Zone promotion. Today sees the retailer dropping the costs of two Sony handsets by some $170-$200. Indeed, now is an as good of a time as any to purchase either the Sony Xperia Z3 or the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra.

The limited-time promotional prices are only good today so you will have to act fast if you plan on taking advantage. The Sony Xperia Z3 is only $249.99 right now, down from the normal price of $449.99. The Sony Xperia Z5 Ultra is a mere $180, down from the typical $349.99 sticker. Yes, both models are unlocked and work with your typical GSM carriers.

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Although it’s a generation or two behind today’s flagships, the Sony Xperia Z3 still boasts rather solid hardware. Powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, the phone comes with 3GB RAM and 16GB storage.

Screen size is listed at 5.2-inches with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. As is the case with nearly every Sony phone, the Z3 boasts an incredible camera setup; the 20.7-megapixel rear shooter still beats most.

 

The Sony Xperia C5 Ultra comes with a bigger display at 6-inches but generally dials down the other specs. Present are a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek processor, 2GB RAM, and 16GB storage. The camera is pegged at 13-megapixels but given its a Sony sensor you know you’re getting something solid.

Inateck Aluminum Car Mount: Keep your eyes on the road (Review)

Distracted driving has become a major problem in society. The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. We are all guilty of it. We preach it to our kids and yet we don’t follow our on advice. I’m not confident that we will stop this from happening, but maybe we can slow it down a bit. Inateck offers a simple car mount that can help keep your eyes closer to the road and maybe a little less distracted.

Inateckcarmount

Design

Inateck’s Car Mount is gold polished with a firm rubber front so it won’t damage anything. It’s has a sleek look and won’t be an eyesore in the car when the phone isn’t attached. The downside is if you’re like me and own a phablet, it will take away an entire vent. So you’ll need to forget about that vent and let the other vents do the work.

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Function

Inateck’s Car Mount is an aluminium magnet mount that attaches to your car’s air conditioner vent, much like an air freshener in the louvers. It comes with two pieces of metal, you can use either one, that attach to the back of your device or case with a sticky adhesive. If you have a metal phone, (preferably with a flat back) then no worries as it should attach straight to it.

Another option is sliding it under your phone case is it’s thin enough and the magnet isn’t strong enough to go through a thick case.

The car mount is universal to any car and has an easy to install, yet firm enough to stay kind of power. Once you have attached the mount to the louvers and the metal to your phone, place your phone against the mount and let the magnet do the rest. Simple right?

 

Summary

I won’t pretend this is a miracle product that will save countless lives. It won’t. But maybe it will keep you from looking down at your phone or at least keep you from fumbling for it while driving. It will be safe and secure in front of your eyes. For $11, Inateck’s Car Mount is a good deal.

Buy Inateck’s Car Mount

Audeze SINE headphone review: High-end on-ears, because why not?

You may have not heard of Audeze, and that’s okay. The company makes some of the most premium (and expensive) headphones out there, specializing in high-end planar magnetic driver technology. Now, most of its inventory is large, open-back over-ears, but the company has just launched a more mobile and wallet-friendly solution for the more general audience who want a taste of what planar magnetic technology can do. Let me introduce the SINE On-ear.

If you compare the SINE to the rest of Audeze’s lineup, it’s obvious that the SINE is new territory. It’s on-ear, closed-back, and doesn’t cost a fortune. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean that Audeze skimped on the package. This is the world’s first on-ear that uses planar magnetics. Let’s check out if the SINE are the new leader in the on-ear headphone market.

Design

From a distance, the SINE aren’t that special-looking. The design is fairly basic, and its black, stealthy styling is somewhat discrete – nothing like the over-engineered cans that Audeze is known for.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; not everyone likes to draw attention with a flashy adornment on their head. However, this isn’t to say that they don’t look/feel expensive. Their sleek shape and premium materials ensure that the user will get their money’s worth. And when you take a close look, you’ll see that Audeze is serious about every detail.

https://www.androidguys.com/buyers-guide-headphones/

When you pick up the SINE you’ll immediately notice that the frame is completely metal, resulting in a satisfying heft. This is certainly refreshing compared to today’s sea of plastic, cheap-feeling headphones. It feels solidly constructed, like a $500 headphone should.

The frame’s unique, truss-like design is from Audeze’s collaboration with a BMW subsidiary called DesignWorks. That group has the freedom to come up with some rad, unconventional designs, and I think added a sweet touch to the SINE’s somewhat basic form. The leather-wrapped ear cups and headband also up the sophistication.

At first glance, you may be fooled into thinking that the SINE are over-ear headphones. The ear cups are fairly large for on-ears. Audeze put a lot of consideration into the ear cup shape, and you’ll notice that their asymmetrical, tapered contour makes sense for the shape of the ear.

This also means that Audeze was able to make the driver opening larger than average, which it says allows for more air and better acoustics. I also imagine that you get a better distribution of pressure on your ear. On-ear headphones can be tricky in regard to comfort, because the ear pads rest on top of the ear instead of around it.

Function

So to address one of the biggest questions for on-ear headphones: How comfortable are they?

Very. The larger than standard ear pad size works for me. The comfort is also due in part to the superbly supple ear pads. The cushions are very soft (kind of squishy) and the leather feels great against the ears. Isolation is terrific for an on-ear too, as the large ear pads engulf the ears and mold to fill any openings where air can escape. Thick padded over-ears will still easily beat it out in terms of isolation, but this ain’t bad for an on-ear. But bear in mind that the SINE isn’t exempt from discomfort over a lengthy listening session or heating up your ears.

A nice feature of the SINE is a removable cable, giving you the flexibility to replace it or use a third-party cable. Interestingly, both ear cups get their own 3.5mm audio input (probably the only on-ear on the market like this).

This allows the user to have a balanced output (separate left and right lines, if your player supports it). Although, Audeze only includes a combined cable, but a nice one at that. It’s lengthy (about 46″), very sturdy, and flat (which helps against tangles).

I must mention that the SINE has a unique perk, but sadly for us Android users, it’s only for Apple devices. There’s a variant that comes with a cable that has a custom in-line digital-to-analog converter (DAC). For folks not familiar with what that means, it’s a dedicated sound processor, built into the cable. Only, the only one Audeze makes at the moment has a lightning connector at the end of it. Here’s hoping that Audeze makes a Type-C compatible one in the future.

The package with the special cable runs at $499 price, while the standard model will save you $50, at $449.

Sound

Since this is Audeze we’re talking about, you’d be right to expect some bangin’ sound quality. Rightly so. One important mention is that despite the SINE being a deviation from Audeze’s typical monster cans, they still pack top-notch planar magnetic drivers. This is a first for an on-ear headphone (I really like how Audeze follows its own standard and not the industry’s). Audeze explains what planar magnetic technology is in comparison to the conventional dynamic driver, so I don’t have to. Essentially, the diaphragm is able to respond more quickly, resulting in better dynamics and more accuracy.

That sounds great on paper, but does it mean anything in the real world? Yes, if you have an ear for the details. You can definitely pick up on the fast-paced response of the driver. This is one of the most detailed reproductions I’ve heard. And I can’t believe I’m saying that for an on-ear headphone.

The upper end is where the technology really shines. The treble is sparkly, airy, and clear. The mid-range is my next favorite. I love that it’s forward, lush, and natural. The sound engages the listener through realistic detail. But with that said, the SINE can’t work magic. It is still an on-ear, and its soundstage can’t quite match the fullness of larger headphones. The SINE is more confined in comparison (more width than height and depth), but still impressive for an on-ear.

The bass response may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not talking about its quality, but it’s presence. The SINE doesn’t produce the head-rattling boom that bassheads live for. I want to describe it as delicate, but it’s still deep, clean, and full-bodied. The SINE tries to stay true to the music, and lets it do the talking.

Final Thoughts

I love that the SINE exists, not just because it’s an excellent pair of headphones, but because it goes against the status quo. We’ve known on-ears to be causal headphones, but Audeze comes in and turns the category around. And not only does it work in being something that audiophiles can be proud of, but the in-line DAC offers something you won’t find on any other headphone (if you’re an Apple user, that is).

And apparently the market is convinced on the idea of a high-end on-ear, because the SINE is currently backordered on its website, “due to overwhelming demand” (as of time of this writing). Hit up the official page at the link below for more details.

Audeze SINE On-Ear product page

Walli – Arty & Cool Wallpapers: Decorate your phone with this art (Review)

A few weeks ago I reviewed an app lock called Fingerprint App Lock. After a discussion with the developer, he brought up another app they recently released called Walli Arty & Cool Wallpapers. Naturally, since I was impressed with Fingerprint App Lock, it was obvious I should check out this wallpaper app. Who doesn’t like a good wallpaper app?

Developer: Shanga
Cost: Free with ads

Review

Walli7There are a crazy amount of wallpaper apps out there in the Play Store. Just search wallpaper, and you will see. That’s why it’s important to make sure worthy apps are seen, or they get lost in the sea of similar apps. Walli falls into that category, a worthy app that could get overlooked.

Walli doesn’t do the normal material wallpaper and landscape pictures that are popular today. The developers have hand selected and built a community of talented artists from around the world to ensure it has the most unique wallpapers.

You have three tabs to choose from: Featured, Popular, and Recent. I could explain all the categories, but let’s be honest, you know what they all mean so I’ll just skip past it. Once you find a wallpaper you like, you have two options – download or set as wallpaper. Walli will help you with the resolution that best fits your device.

There is also the option to click the creator’s name and browse their profile for more of their art if you’d like. You may also favorite any of the ones you like by clicking the heart button. Under your own profile, you can find all the wallpapers you liked and downloaded for later reference.

If by chance you can’t find what you’re looking for, there is a search feature available that will help you more specific art. I would like to see another tab added titled Categories and have them broken down. When searching, it’s sometimes hard to know what you’re looking for, so seeing categories to select from would be nice.Walli10

Walli does something I think is amazing. Instead of users just uploading their works and
getting credit, they instead get to share in a percentage of the revenue they earn from the ads shown after downloading wallpapers. Walli also gives everyone who downloads the app to submit an application if you want to try. Submitting doesn’t mean you get in; however, I think is an amazing program and only encourages the user content creation. It’s a triple win for the artists, the end users, and the developers.

 

 

Summary

Walli is hands down one of the best wallpaper apps in the market. I really believe they will grow and catch fire and will be vastly rewarded with the model they are using. It’s worth the download, so check them out.

Download Walli from the Play Store

SAVFY Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Review

About SAVFY: SAVFY is the exclusive brand of Elifestore, which sells products ranging from accessories for your smartphone to lifestyle products such as design elements and even nail polish
About Product: The SAVFY Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker has:

  • a dock for iDevices
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • NFC Pairing
  • Auxiliary port for non-bluetooth devices
  • Two 5W drivers
  • Kickstand
  • 6-8 hour battery life

 

Impressions

Design
This speaker is constructed out of glossy plastic, but is still pretty solid. It rests squarely on any surface, but it has a kickstand in case you notice any instability.  The addition of a dock gives it a long, strange shape which doesn’t really scream “portability” to me.The dock claims to work for all devices, but if you have an Android device with capacitive keys, then you will not be able to access any of your keys while your device is docked
Sound Quality
The speaker doesn’t have any volume controls, which makes it not ideal for outdoor use. However, with my device at full volume, there is a great bass response and almost no distortion. There is a microphone for calling, but the call quality is terrible, with the other person coming through loud and distorted and with the caller unable to hear you most of the time.
Battery Life
The speaker touts a 6-8 hour battery life, and I found that to be very accurate. I used it extensively throughout my day(which is usually about 8 AM to 4 PM) and at no point did I ever see that the battery was running low
Connectivity
Pairing the speaker and my device was as easy as tapping the side of the speaker with NFC on. Once the device was connected,I was able to play and pause music with ease and answer calls. The speaker touts a 10M connectivity range, which allows me to listen to music and walk around with my phone while doing the day’s chores.

Conclusion

The SAVFY Bluetooth 4.0 speaker is a lot of speaker for $30(the current price on Amazon). For portability, it is not very ideal, as it has a strange shape and volume that is high, but not high enough. If you would like to purchase it, you can get it on Amazon for $26.99 with coupon code C7IWMEYW until June 30, and the normal price is $29.99.

You can find the official SAVFY Store here