The internet is still buzzing with details from the Sony presentation at Mobile World Congress 2016. We saw Sony take to the stage to announce three new phones, the Sony Xperia X Performance, Sony Xperia X, and Sony Xperia XA. Many speculated at the time, and it was later confirmed, that the X lineup will be taking the place of the Sony Xperia Z lineup.
We’ve gathered all of the details of the new phones, as well as posted the entire Sony Mobile World Congress 2016 presentation below.
Barcelona, Mobile World Congress, 22nd February 2016 – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today unveiled a new-look XperiaTM brand with the first “X” series smartphones and a vision for the future of communications, with ambient connected devices capable of changing the way you interact with the world.
“Sony Mobile will continue to create increasingly personalised and intelligent products and services that empower you to do more, and live more creatively than ever. Our products and services will connect you to each other and become essential and beloved parts of your lives.” said Hiroki Totoki, President and CEO at Sony Mobile Communications.
“With our continued passion for technology, we will keep adding new and exciting features to evolve our smartphones. At the same time, we want to change how you access information and interact with friends and family in a closer, natural and more meaningful way.”
First “X” Series smartphones: Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA
The Xperia X series embodies Sony Mobile’s new brand vision through adding new layers of intelligent technology across popular and acclaimed Xperia features: camera, battery and design, to make every day smarter and simpler.
Predicting the unexpected is difficult, but not impossible – the next generation Xperia camera takes spontaneous capture to another level allowing you to shoot in sharp focus, even for spur-of-the-moment shots. The all-new Predictive Hybrid Autofocus in Xperia X and Xperia X Performance is developed in close collaboration with Sony’s αTM camera engineers, it lets you choose your subject and then predicts its motion, so you can capture the action in perfect focus, free from blur.
Advanced features require the battery stamina to match, and Xperia X series incorporates Sony’s smart battery management to deliver up to two days battery life. Not only will it keep your phone running for longer from one charge, Xperia X series benefits from a battery lifespan that’s up to twice as long with Qnovo’s Adaptive Charging technology2 and Sony’s smart battery management system. Each phone is powered to make the most of their advanced capabilities, with Xperia X featuring the Qualcomm®Snapdragon™ 650 processor and Xperia X Performance introducing the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor for ultra-fast connectivity.
As part of their unified design concept, Sony designers researched premium materials, texture and curvature for the most natural palm fit. Each X series smartphone brings a curved glass display within a rounded, continuous frame for a familiar form that feels comfortable in your hand. The unified design concept is also extended to Xperia XA, which features a stunning edge-to-edge display to integrate seamlessly into your life.
Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA each have a range of matching Style Covers and will roll out in four elegant finishes; White, Graphite Black, Lime Gold and Rose Gold, from Summer 2016.
Hola Launcher is a robust and feature-rich Android home-screen app and launcher with a plethora of content, all for free. Hola Launcher offers free themes and icons, wallpapers, add-on applications for further functionality and even has its own widgets available.
Setup for Hola Launcher is fairly easy. After you have downloaded from the Google Play Store, press your phone’s home button. You will then be asked to choose a launcher to complete the action; choose Hola Launcher. At this point, Hola Launcher will walk you through initial setup.
Features
Hola Launcher, like most custom launchers, offers a great deal of customization that your stock launcher that comes with your Android device, simply does not. Hola Launcher gives you this level of customization through offering you options like:
If you can think of it, more than likely Hola Launcher will allow you to customize it.
Look, Feel and Impressions
I’m pretty particular when it comes to my launcher. I guess I would consider myself a purist in that I prefer my launchers to stay as close to stock Android as possible. For the most part Hola Launcher provides the options I need to do this.
When you read the Launcher’s description, Hola Team calls Hola Launcher “lightweight,” “small,” and “simple.” I’m not sure I totally agree with this description. I certainly do not agree that Hola Launcher is lightweight and small. Quite the contrary, in fact. I think Hola Team is trying to give the impression of something big in a small package but I don’t think that’s what is being delivered. Instead, I would call Hola Launcher “robust,” “feature-rich,” but also “easy on system resources.”
Hola Launcher is supposed to be robust, yet not taxing on your device. For the most part this was the case for me. I did run into some performance issues with some of the themes, however, generally my phone ran like a champ while using Hola Launcher. For reference, I tested Hola Launcher on a ZTE ZMAX 2.
Graphically, or aesthetically, Hola Launcher looks fantastic! I would even go so far as to call it cute. Why? Little things such as random animations help me to see how truly adorable this launcher is.
For example, the default Clock/Weather Widget that comes with the launcher had a cute little animation that drew a cloud on the widget when loading the weather.
Another example is the page indicators above the dock. When you switched to a new desktop page, they sort of…melted into each other. It wasn’t just a boring, blink blink blink animation. This launcher has pizazz and style. It’s adorable.
There are also several hidden features in Hola Launcher that add to its charm and usability. I cannot begin to cover them all in this review so I’ll only mention a few that are very significant.
Hola Shine
One of the first things I’d recommend you start using is Hola Shine. Hola Shine is a sort of mini app drawer that presents itself as a semi circle when you swipe outward from either the bottom left or bottom right corner of your screen.
Hola Shine is really cool because it gives you quick access to any apps that may have a new notification, recently used apps and also a quick settings menu called “Toolbox.” I love Hola Shine and I think it’s a great feature. You can also download an app called “Omni Swipe,” for free, that allows you to theme Hola Shine and gives it a little more customization.
Hola Boost is essentially a built-in, automated task manager that comes with Hola Launcher. When you activate Boost, it will close any unneeded applications and processes to free up RAM for you, giving a little more oomph to your device.
There are a couple of ways that you can activate Hola Boost. Typically, you’ll activate it using the “Hola Boost Floating Window.” The Boost Window is a tiny little half-circle that, by default, sits on the left side of your screen. If you click on it, you’ll see icons for Hola Search, Hola Boost Settings and the Hola Boost function itself. Pressing the Boost Function icon will activate Boost.
If you press and drag the “floating window”, you’ll see it turn into a jet engine. When you see this, remove your finger from the screen and Hola Boost will take over and do its job.
Lastly, I’d like to mention the theme shop. The theme shop is exactly what it sounds like; a shop containing themes. What’s really cool about this theme shop is that the VAST majority of the themes available, are free. They cost you nothing and they are incredibly easy to apply. I think this will be the biggest appeal for new users looking to try out Hola Launcher.
Nothing Is Free
It is said that “Nothing in life is free.” Hola Launcher is no exception to this rule. I despise (read as: loathe) ads and in-app purchases. I also understand, however, that in the current state of this industry, this is about the only way a developer can make any revenue from their application.
To the point: Hola Launcher has ads. When you first start using it, you will get a few pop-ups suggesting an add-on application (like Omni Swipe) to improve your experience. It’s not a big deal to click no on these, should you choose to, and after that they shouldn’t bother you any longer. I also ran across ads on Hola Launcher’s lock screen. These particular ads were the only ones I considered intrusive.
Other than the app suggestions and lock screen ads, the ads contained in Hola Launcher, in my opinion, were not that bothersome. The majority of those I ran across were tucked away into settings menus or in the theme shop.
To summarize, if you’re going to include ads in your application, take a page from Hola Launcher’s book.
A few minor things I did not like:
Most applications on desktop can only be hidden instead of removed
It takes too many steps to get to my gallery wallpapers
There was no option for allowing me to place icons and widgets in the inbetween spaces of the desktop grid (a feature found in Nova Launcher)
I hate the default search bar. It shows weird, trending searches and is too reminiscent of Go Launcher.
I ran across a bug that caused my phone’s default weather/clock widget to appear jumbled on my home screen until I resized it. I think this has something to with the widget’s size and an incompatilbity with the grid size I was using for my desktop.
I could not get screen rearrangement to work. Following the instructions in Help and Feedback would not work for me except in one theme. After contacting the developer, I was informed that this features only works in 3D themes. I have asked Hola Team to update their documentation to reflect this.
Sans the bugs, most of my issues with Hola Launcher were nitpicky and revolved around personal taste. More than likely you will not have the same issues with Hola Launcher that I did.
Conclusion
Hola Launcher is a great choice if you’re looking for something a little more customizable than the default launcher on your Android device. With free themes, free wallpapers and a great deal of customization options, you really can’t go wrong with Hola Launcher. Give it a try and see what you think.
Your News Feed is about to get more emotional, except this time not in a creepy, manipulative way. This time, the Like button is getting an update that will let users react to posts to be more emotionally expressive.
First tested in a handful of countries last year, in addition to “Like” users can now “love”, “haha”, “wow”, “sad”, and “angry” posts. No more do you have to “like” your friend’s break up post – unless you still want to.
Each reaction has a different emoji attached to it, ones that have a close resemblance to several, more established Unicode characters. The Facebook team worked hard on which reactions to use, how the emoji will look and which ones were the most popular.
Facebook Reactions work universally on mobile and desktop, no matter what your operating system is. On mobile, users need only to briefly long-press on the standard Like button for the emoji to show up. On the desktop, users hover the mouse pointer over the Like button.
“We understand that this is a big change, and want to be thoughtful about rolling this out. For more than a year we have been conducting global research including focus groups and surveys to determine what types of reactions people would want to use most. We also looked at how people are already commenting on posts and the top stickers and emoticons as signals for the types of reactions people are already using to determine which reactions to offer.”
Today marks the very first time that rising star Xiaomi makes a worldwide phone announcement, and it does so by announcing the Mi 5 at Mobile World Congress 2016.
And #Mi5 is official! Check out the specs and features here. Is it all you ever imagined, and more? 🙂 pic.twitter.com/1eCjo0OHy4
Powerful enough to be compared to other flagship phones, the Mi 5 is like a reversed Samsung Galaxy Edge phone, with the screen curving on the back, instead of the front.
The Specs
Battery: 3,000 mAh, QuickCharge 3.0
Camera: 16MP rear with 4-axis OIS; 4MP front, Sony IMX298 sensor, PDAF, dual-tone flash
Color: black, white, gold, ceramic
Connectivity: dual-bandWi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.2
Dimensions: 144.6 x 69.2 x 7.3 mm (5.69 x 2.72 x 0.29 in)
As you can see, the Mi 5 is jam-packed with everything the hardcore Chinese Android connoisseur can want. Yes, unfortunately, the Mi 5 won’t be coming to the U.S. As Ben Wood, a tech consultant from CCS Insight, told the BBC, “…Xiaomi has still not resolved issues over intellectual property and patent rights that it needs to do to put the handsets on sale in Europe and North America.”
The Mi 5 comes in two varieties: a Standard edition and a Pro edition. The Pro includes a ceramic body and 128 GB of storage, along with 4 GB of DDR4 RAM, while the Standard Mi 5 has either 32 GB or 64 GB of storage, and 3 GB of DDR4 RAM.
The launch date for the Mi 5 is expected to be next month in March 2016. Pricing is $306 (32 GB), $352 (64 GB), $460 (128 GB).
The internet is buzzing with details of the newly announced LG G5. The new LG flagship will feature a QHD 2K screen, 32 GB of storage (expandable up to 2 TB), dual 16 MP + 8 MP rear cameras to shoot in regular or wide field of view, and a modular design that will let you add accessories into the phone. Check out our full coverage of the announcement here and how the G5 compares to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.
Presentation
Here’s the full LG presentation from Mobile World Congress 2016. It runs about 40 minutes, and shows off a lot of details of LG’s latest flagship phone. Also of note is how the modules integrate into the phone. There is a lot of info thrown out during the presentation so head over to our Things You May Have Missed article afterwards for the little details that may have missed out on.
Specs
Metal Body
5.3″ IPS LCD 2560 x 1440p Screen
16 + 8 MP dual main cameras, 8 MP front facing camera
Snapdragon 820 Processor
32 GB of storage (expandable up to 2 TB), 4 GB of RAM
BARCELONA, Feb. 21, 2016 — LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its highly anticipated LG G5 smartphone, a brand new design with not only a sleek, metal uni-body featuring a Slide-out Battery and a Modular Typedesign that gives a greater smartphone experience. Complete with LG Friends, a collection of companion devices, the G5 can be transformed into a digital camera, Hi-Fi player and more.
Encased in a sleek metal aluminum body and Slide-out Battery to easily swap out a depleted battery for a fully charged one in seconds, the LG G5 surpasses the visual experience of its predecessor, the LG G4.
First, the G5’s 135-degree wide angle lens lets you choose between standard or wide angle lens to get more in the shot. Second, the Always-on Display makes notifications just a glance away with the time, date and more available anytime without waking the G5. Third, the 3D Arc Glass featured in the smartphone’s 5.3-inch display creates a gentle curve and a smooth colorful metal surface through an advanced microdizing process which takes anodized aluminum to a whole new level.
Furthermore, the insulative antenna is invisibly integrated into the body without disrupting the seamless look of the metal uni-body. LG designers took the metal body concept one step further by adding a Shiny Cut edge for added contrast and a more comfortable grip.
LG’s First Modular Type Smartphone
LG’s innovative Modular Type design gives the LG G5 the ability to transform into a digital camera, Hi-Fi player and more all while keeping its traditional removable battery in a full metal uni-body design for the first time ever.
LG CAM Plus
The LG CAM Plus is a versatile camera module that can be attached through the battery slot to deliver a comfortable grip and convenient control of a standalone camera. The LG CAM Plus provides physical buttons for power, shutter, record, zoom, LED indicator and comfortable grip. It also offers intuitive auto focus and exposure lock, features usually found on standalone digital cameras. When attached to the LG G5, it provides an additional battery capacity of 1,200mAh to allow for longer shooting times for more fun and enjoyment.
LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY
The LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY is an innovative portable Hi-Fi DAC audio player developed in collaboration with B&O PLAY to meet the needs of those who seek to enjoy top-notch sounds that have traditionally only been available through high-end audio devices. LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY stands out for its simple yet elegant Scandinavian design as well as premium sound technology. In addition to the 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC upsampling technology first introduced on the LG V10, LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY also supports 32-bit 384KHz high-definition audio playback. LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY can be used either as a module with the LG G5 or as a separate Hi-Fi DAC by connecting to any smartphone or PC.
Extreme Wide Angle Lens and Advanced UX
Reflecting LG’s longstanding reputation as a leader in smartphone cameras, the LG G5 has two cameras on the rear: one with a standard 78-degree lens and another with a 135-degree wide angle lens, the widest available in any smartphone. The 135-degree lens on the LG G5 offers a viewing angle that is approximately 1.7 times wider than those of existing smartphone cameras and 15 degrees wider than the human eye’s field of view. The wide angle lens makes it easier for users to capture more landscape, taller buildings or larger groups without having to position oneself further from the subject.
The LG G5 features a collection of powerful photo effects including Pop-out Picture, Film Effect and Auto Shot. Pop-out Picture combines images taken by the standard and wide angle lens to create a picture-in-a-frame effect. Film Effect can apply nine different film emulators to an image while Auto Shot is an enhanced camera UX which automatically captures the perfect selfie shot when a face is recognized.
Always-on Display forEnhanced Convenience
The 5.3-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum display on the LG G5 offers an Always-on feature, the first on a main smartphone display. The concept of the Always-on Display was first introduced in the LG V10 as the Second Screen and now that feature has evolved on to the main display to show the time and date continuously even when the G5 is in sleep mode. This means that you can always see the time at a glance, even during important meetings or when your hands are full.
To minimize power consumption, LG redesigned the display driver IC memory and power management function so that the display’s backlight only illuminates one small part of the overall display. Thanks to this technology, the Always-on Display requires only 0.8 percent of the battery’s full capacity per hour to operate. With consumers turning on their smartphones up to 150 times a day mostly to just check the time, the G5’s Always-on Display will make a notable difference in the life of the battery over the course of the day.
Another advanced display feature in the LG G5 is Daylight Mode, which gives the G5 exceptional outdoor visibility beyond that of current auto brightness technology. Daylight Mode detects surrounding light conditions and instantaneously increases or decreses the brightness of the display, up to 850 nits. Even before your eyes have adjusted to the different lighting conditions, the G5 will be ready.
Diverse Range of Companion Devices
With the G5, LG is introducing a paradigm-shifting smartphone ecosystem — the LG Playground. With this, LG aims to strengthen the ties with its partners and introduce various devices and supporting programs to fully maximize the LG Playground.
As part of the ecosystem, LG is introducing a wide range of companion devices, aptly called LG Friends, to deliver fun while providing a new mobile experience far beyond traditional smartphone boundaries.
LG 360 VR
The LG 360 VR is a VR goggle that can be connected with the G5 via a dedicated cable and works exclusively with the G5 to simulate a 130-inch TV viewed from two meters away. It has a stylish design that is foldable so that users can easily carry and watch VR content anytime, anywhere. Unlike other VR devices that require a smartphones to be inserted in the device, the LG 360 VR weighs only 118g (4.16 ounces) and is just one-third as heavy as competing VR goggles while delivering a resolution of 639 ppi. The device is compatible with 360-degree images and videos captured with LG 360 CAM as well as all Google Cardboard content.
LG 360 CAM
The LG 360 CAM is a compact 360-degree angle camera equipped with two 13MP 200-degree wide angle cameras, 1,200mAh battery and 4GB internal memory, which can be supplemented by a microSD card. The LG 360 CAM can be easily connected to the LG G5 allowing users to create 360-degree content. The LG 360 CAM provides 2K video and 5.1 surround channel recording on three microphones to help users effortlessly create high-quality 360-degree contents. Thanks to the partnership with Google, images taken with the 360 CAM can be uploaded to Google Street View and YouTube360, adding the fun of sharing creative contents with others. The images will also be available to view on the LG 360 VR or other smartphones or devices that are capable of 360-degree content.
LG Rolling Bot
The LG Rolling Bot is a companion device that rolls like a ball while capturing images and videos with its embedded 8MP camera. Not just a toy, the LG Rolling Bot can be used as a monitoring system for the home, pet care companion as well as a remote controller for compatible home appliances. With an IP camera connectable via Wi-Fi, users can remotely monitor the interior of their homes with the LG G5 via live streaming.
LG Tone PlatinumTM
The LG TONE PlatinumTM (model HBS-1100), the latest in the LG TONE Series, is a Bluetooth headset that has earned the Harman Kardon® Platinum grade for its superior sound quality. With a Balanced Armature design for minimum distortion, LG Tone PlatinumTM delivers exceptionally sharp and clean sound. What’s more, it is the world’s first Bluetooth headset equipped with aptX™ HDcodec, delivering lossless 24-bit audio for sound that is unrivaled in a wireless device.
H3 by B&O PLAY
H3 by B&O PLAY is a set of high-end earphones that is compatible with the high-quality sound of the LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O PLAY. Designed for audiophiles as well as anyone who considers audio performance a top-priority in a smartphone, H3 by B&O PLAY works with all Android smartphones.
LG Smart Controller
The LG Smart Controller allows users to easily control certain drones. With the LG Smart Controller, users can check the video stream from the drone through the LG G5 in real time and control the unmanned aircraft with the LG Smart Controller joystick.
LG Friends Manager
Only available in the LG G5, Friends Manager is the hub application that allows the G5 to connect with LG Friends with minimal fuss and effort. LG Friends Manager automatically detects nearby LG Friends and connects quickly and easily in three simple steps, eliminating much of the hassle of pairing devices.
More Performance, More Efficiency
The LG G5 offers many other innovations designed to revolutionize today’s mobile lifestyle, such as:
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 Processor
The LG G5 is equipped with the powerful yet energy-efficient Snapdragon 820 processor which offers advanced features such as 64-bit performance, Adreno 530 graphics and lower-power Qualcomm®HexagonTM DSP as well as Qualcomm Spectra™ 14-bit dual image signal processors (ISPs) designed to deliver high resolution DSLR-quality images and additional power savings. The Snapdragon 820 processor also has an integrated X12 LTE modem that supports Category 12 download speeds of up to 600 Mbps and LTE Category 13 uplink speeds of up to 150 Mbps.
Compared to the previous generation Snapdragon processor, Qualcomm Technologies’ most advanced CPU architecture offers double the speed and power savings. Adreno 530 graphics demonstrate up to 40 percent faster graphics performance and up to 40 percent more power efficiency compared to the previous generation. The Snapdragon 820 processor also supports 4K capture and playback at four times more than the resolution of 1080p, enabling users to watch and capture their daily moments in stunning detail and clarity. The processor is also optimized for VR, generating quality pixels and life-like colors to deliver the ultimate VR experience to G5 users.
aptX™ HD: 24-bit Hi-Fi Wireless Audio
The LG G5 is equipped with aptX HD, an enhanced codec that supports 24-bit sound over Bluetooth, delivering rich and clear sound over wireless connections without any loss. When paired with the LG TONE Platinum, users can experience superb quality Hi-Fi audio that sounds amazingly close to the original source.
Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 3.0
The LG G5 offers Quick Charge 3.0 for incredibly fast charging. By employing an intelligent algorithm, Quick Charge 3.0 is 27 percent faster and 45 percent more efficient than the previous generation.
Low Power Location Estimation (LPLE) Technology
The LG G5 has excellent battery life, thanks to the Low Power Location Estimation technology. This solution enhances the battery efficiency by as much as 41.9 percent by improving the power consumption related to location-based apps.
“The new LG G5 will encourage owners to rediscover the true joy of a mobile life,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The G5 and LG Friends are the result of many experts inside LG asking themselves if it was still possible to be innovative and unique in the smartphone space. I think once customers spend a little time with the LG G5, their answer will be a resounding yes.”
Key Specifications:*
Chipset: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 Processor
Display: 5.3-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum Display (2560 x 1440 / 554ppi)
Memory: 4GB LPDDR4 RAM / 32GB UFS ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
Camera: Rear Standard 16MP, Wide 8MP / Front 8MP
Battery: 2,800mAh (removable)
OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Size: 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7mm
Weight: 159g
Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / USB Type-C / NFC / Bluetooth 4.2
Google Maps is arguably the most widely used mapping service in the world. The only area where it falls short? Navigating your way indoors. That might change with Project Tango.
At CES 2016, Google announced its partnership with Lenovo on Project Tango, with a small media event at Mobile World Congress 2016. Using customized app GuidiGO, smartphones running Project Tango will finally be able to figure out where they are indoors, navigating in 3D space along the z-axis. With just a few taps, your phone will know where you are inside, where your friends are and how to get to them.
In a demo, Lenovo used Project Tango tablets to map a section of the MWC floor specifically reserved for it, taking about an hour to complete. Augmented Reality aspects of the service were also shown off which displayed a superimposed path to your next destination or digital buttons on real-world objects to learn more details about them, such as a painting.
Any company can use this technology to create an entire experience inside their buildings or stores using Project Tango. Lenovo said there will be at least one Project Tango device coming to stores “later this year”, and the device will have extra cameras needed to analyze rooms.
ESET Mobile Security is a feature rich mobile anti-virus solution that has you covered in just about any mobile security related scenario your imagination can concoct.
*For the purpose of brevity, throughout this review ESET Mobile Security may be referred to as simply, “ESET”
Setup
ESET’s intital setup is a breeze thanks to the application walking you through it step by step.
Upon first opening ESET, you will be asked to choose your primary language. You will also see a checkbox asking if you would like to receive special offers from ESET. Thankfully, by default, this is not checked.
Next, you will be asked if you would like to send usage data to ESET via the ESET Live Grid. Normally, I opt out of these sort of things but I did enable this for ESET. This option will be chosen by default.
You will next be asked if you would like to enable detection of potentially unwanted apps. If you enable this feature, you will have to provide consent for the installation of any applications that ESET deems potentially dangerous.
The next step will be the initial scan of your device. If you’re using ESET on a tablet, during this scan you will also see links for Help, Customer Care and About.
Help provides thorough documentation for all of ESET’s many features.
Customer Care provides a form for you to fill out about any issue you maybe be having, which you can then submit to ESET directly. The Customer Care option also provides a link to ESET’s web based knowledgebase.
About will provide you with general information about the ESET Mobile Security application.
Now that you have finished the initial setup, the real fun begins. You can now jump head first into the meat of ESET!
Customization
Customization occurs in the sub menus of five categorical buttons: Antivirus, Anti-Theft, Anti-Phishing, Security Audit, Settings. If you are using ESET on a phone you will also see a sixth option: SMS & Call Filter. For brevity’s sake, I will provide you with a brief description for each of these categories.
Anti-Virus – in this category you have the ability to customize several different options relating to the anti-virus scan of your device. Some of these options include: scan level, scan logs, manual threat database update and many others.
Anti-Theft – anti-theft provides options for multiple levels of theft deterrent for your device, including: remote lock, remote wipe, unrecognized sim card detection and other options.
Anti-Phishing – anti-phishing provides options for protecting your web browsing activity
Security Audit – security audit is a list of all of the apps on your phone that have been audited for potential threats on the permissions level. The threat types are broken down according to permission type. If an app on your phone is considered a potential threat, the permission type it is offending will be highlighted in red.
Settings – a list of general settings for ESET Mobile Security
SMS & Call Filter – settings for blocking SMS messages and calls from specific numbers/contacts.
As you can gather from the setup and customization, ESET Mobile Security is absolutely packed with features. This app literally has you [textmarker color=”FF2172″]covered in just about any security related scenario you may run across[/textmarker] that involves your mobile device.
Impressions
Towards the end of my review time with ESET, one word came to mind when thinking about it: Wealth.
Yes. Wealth. And I don’t mean wealth in a financial sense (although that could apply based on ESET’s cost). I am referring to the wealth of features ESET offers. I know I’ve mentioned ESET’s features a number of times before, but I just can’t stress enough the sheer breadth of ESET Mobile Security as compared to its competitors. You will not find another anti-virus application on the Play Store that offers this many features at ESET’s price point. If you do find one, leave its name in the comments for me.
I would venture to say that ESET’s sheer breadth is its greatest strength. However, as the saying goes, “Sometimes our greatest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses.”
I can really see the potential for ESET’s many options being a turn off for the average user who may not be very tech savvy. Despite ESET offering several resources for answers to your questions and solutions for any issues you may be having, I still think this may not be enough for most users. Because of this, ESET’s consumer base may be severely limited.
I would still encourage you to give ESET a try. It may seem intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, the learning curve will have been worth it for the level of protection ESET is offering your device.
Performance
ESET’s footprint on your device is surprisingly small. Clocking in at under 30mb on each of my devices (a ZTE ZMAX 2 and Nvidia Shield K1 tablet), space should not pose much of a concern for you when installing ESET on your device.
In terms of performance, I never noticed a hiccup on either of my devices due to ESET being installed.
For testing purposes, I did try using my phone with a deep scan running in the background. In total, I had five applications open in addition to ESET. I noticed some minor slow down but it was minute at worst.
I noticed less of a performance drop on my tablet, but I can’t let this test factor into this review. My tablet has very little installed on it and the deep scan finished before I really had a chance to do anything else while the scan ran in the background.
User Interface
On the surface, ESET’s user interface is fantastic; it’s simple and inviting. However, if you decide to go down the rabbit hole, ESET’s UI is fantastic but it may be a bit intimidating to the average user.
I like that ESET’s options are broken down into specific categories using large buttons. However, as much as I love this, it is a bit deceptive. What you see on the surface is hiding a monster beneath. I would compare it to seeing the outer beauty of a luxury car but then looking under the hood at the engine and being asked to customize and tweak it without any prior mechanical knowledge.
Tablet Interface
It’s hard for me to ding ESET for this. I think they’ve done a great job in organizing so many customization options in such a small package. I really have no suggestions for UI improvements. For what this is, you can’t do any better. The good news is if you’re using the free version, you won’t really have access to the deeper levels of customization. I know ESET may not like me saying this, but to be completely honest, if you do not consider yourself a tech savvy person, I would recommend that you do not purchase a license for this application. The free version will provide plenty of security for you and you’ll have no need to feel overwhelmed by ESET’s many premium options.
If, however, you’re feeling adventurous, dive in.
One suggestion I would provide to ESET is for them to implement a question-based, automated customization process during the application’s initial setup. As you’re setting the app up for the first time, have questions pop up for the user to answer. Based upon the answers the user provides for these question, the app should then automatically enable and disable specific options and features to fit this user’s needs.
In a sense, this would create an automated customization process based on the user’s needs. If the user so desires, they can later explore ESET’s settings and tweak to their hearts content. I feel like implementing a feature like this would make the premium version of ESET more accessible to everyone versus just the power users.
One other thing of note: be very careful when setting up ESET’s anti-theft features. I can see the risk of some users accidentally wiping their devices. If you do decide to use the anti-theft feature, please make sure to keep track of the passwords you use in the set up.
Cost
ESET provides you a Mercedes Benz quality application at a Geo Metro price. For some, though, $14.95 seems a bit steep for a 1-year premium license. There’s definitely some sticker shock there. However, we need to keep in mind what that money gets you. It’s getting you premium anti-virus protection, theft protection, phishing protection, application auditing and an sms & call filter. The sheer level of customization these features provide make $14.95 for ESET a steal.
At the time of this review, ESET is offering a two year premium license for $9.95. That truly is a steal.
I do have one small criticism that ESET needs to address sooner rather than later. The pricing on its website is just downright confusing. Visitors see a sale price of $9.95 for two years of premium, down from $19.95. However, 1 year is also priced at $19.95 while the mobile app itself offers a one year license for $14.95. Why is there a discrepancy between the 1 year cost on the site and the 1 year cost within the app? This is just confusing, ESET.
As mentioned above, the free version of ESET will still provide you with premium, top notch protection. If you’re a power user, spend the money and get the premium license.
Unfortunately, at this time, I just can only recommend the premium for the power user. It just can be potentially too confusing for the layman. I do not say this to insult anyone’s intelligence or to find fault in the experience.
The Bottom Line
ESET is wonderful. I’ve discussed the good and I’ve discussed the bad. Even with the bad, I still have to sing ESET’s praises. It’s a feature packed mobile security solution that provides the best of the best for the power user and a top notch (FREE!) anti-virus solution for everyone else.
ESET has proven track record in IT security. I’ve used ESET’s NOD32 in the past, as a field tech for a company. It’s a quality product.
The LG G5’s announcement was filled with a lot of radical things, however, there was one that didn’t stand out so fabulously with many viewers – the removal of Android’s app drawer in LG’s UX interface. Now, before I get too carried away, it really isn’t that big of a deal. But it does make me fearful for the human race when LG’s surveys users and most essentially say that they want a simpler app arrangement.
Excuse me? How on Earth is Android’s app drawer a complicated concept? Are they just surveying iPhone users, who’ve never used any other method?
I’m trying to be understanding and not rant, but I just keep imagining panel upon panel of scattered apps/folders. Are they going to get rid of folders too? Because that’s what the app drawer essentially is, if you think about it.
My point is that while simplicity is a fine thing, when you start cutting into efficiency, you have to stop and think. I mean, that’s the essence of Android. OEMs shouldn’t be turning Android into iOS, and I think the removal of the app drawer crosses that fine line.
And LG isn’t the only manufacturer dabbling with the idea. On the new Galaxy S7, Samsung put an option in the Settings to remove it. Also, folks noticed that the app drawer is absent in the HTC One X9‘s Sense UI. Some are even reporting reasons to believe that the next version of Android will drop it.
Do you agree that this shouldn’t be happening, or are you indifferent about the app drawer? Sound off down below!
The Samsung Galaxy S6 may be less than a year old, but that could feel like ages to some owners. And, now with the Samsung Galaxy S7 on the horizon, the notion of upgrading arises. Is it worth jumping from last years’s model to this one? For some of you this is a resounding yes. For others, however, it might not necessarily be worth the upgrade just yet.
Here’s a quick breakdown and comparison of specs between the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S7. Below the chart you’ll find a few reasons as to why you might want to upgrade as well as some that might give pause.
Do more multi-tasking without closing apps or running into issues like lag or stuttering. With 4GB in this year’s model, the Galaxy S7 is at the top of the Android food chain. Although 3GB more than certainly gets the job done for most users, it’s nice to be future-proofed, right?
Bigger battery
Stay away from the charger for longer periods of time. Isn’t that what we always want from our devices? Not only does the S7 increase the battery capacity, but it also brings about fast wireless charging too. So, when you do have to juice up, you’re not stuck on the wall for very long.
MicroSD card slot
One of the biggest pain points in smartphones is getting used to having external storage and then all of a sudden losing the option. That’s exactly what happened last year when Samsung pulled out the expandable storage in the Galaxy S6. Thankfully, it’s back this year as the Galaxy S7 allows for up to 200GB of space.
Increased aperture in rear camera
At f/1.7, the Galaxy S7 offers a stop count better than some DSLR’s, and with the f/1.9 of the Galaxy S6 being improved on yet again, you’ll be sure to notice the depth of field and lighting improvements the S7 brings.
Faster processor
A small bump in speed thanks to the new Exynos 8 Octa, but normal users probably won’t notice a difference in day-to-day operation here. This is mostly noticeable when running benchmarks – something not all of us really care about. There’ll be benefits to be had when it comes to gaming thanks to the better GPU, but certainly not a reason to upgrade.
Water resistant
One of the biggest reasons here to warrant an upgrade. Put simply, you can now shower with your Galaxy S7 – win.
The Bad
The price
At around $700 or £569 off-contract, the Galaxy S7 is a pretty expensive device, and chances are if you already own the Galaxy S6, you’ll still have a fair chunk left on your contract, making this upgrade rather a large purchase.
No increase in screen size
Disappointingly, Samsung decided to keep with the 5.1-inch display in the Galaxy S6. It would have been nice to see the size bumped up, even to 5.2-inches, but alas there is no upgrade to be had here with the Galaxy S7.
Lower megapixel rear camera
The wider aperture has allowed for a reduction in Megapixels, and this will probably only matter to the general users amongst us when it comes to cropping pictures. The camera performance of the Galaxy S7 will undoubtedly beat that of the S6, so a lower megapixel sensor really won’t play into things for 99% of people.
Slightly thicker and heavier than the S6
This will matter more to some than it does to others – to accommodate the upgrades mentioned above, namely the bigger battery, the Galaxy S7 has put on a bit of weight. It’ll come down to personal preference, but certainly the bigger battery is worth the trade-off in weight.
The Galaxy S7 shows that Samsung definitely listened to consumers who were disappointed with the small battery and lack of expandable storage in the Galaxy S6. Not only this, but the faster processor and added RAM makes the S7 and evolutionary upgrade to the S6, rather than revolutionary – and that’s ok.
However, these upgrades do come at a price and the Galaxy S7 isn’t a cheap device, but if money is no object then the S7 is a no brainer upgrade to your older S6. If money is of concern, then I’m not sure the Galaxy S7 is enough of an upgrade over the S6 to warrant doing so – you’d be best placed waiting for the Galaxy S8.
Google, along with a number of carriers and the GSMA, want to change how texting works – at least on Android. Apple has long since evolved texting on iOS, with the introduction of iMessage in 2011. The new system, called Rich Communications Services (RCS) will give mobile operators around the globe an “open, consistent, and globally interoperable messaging service across Android devices.”
Excited to be working w/leading operators & @gsma to fuel open, improved messaging experience with RCS https://t.co/vVhZKpddVl
Short Messaging Service or SMS has actually been around for over 20 years. The first SMS text was sent by Neil Papworth, a young communications engineer in the United Kingdom. It was sent via computer, as phones with keyboards weren’t around back in 1992. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The idea of SMS was first formed in 1984. In his home in Bonn, Germany, Friedhelm Hillebrand sat at his typewriter tapping out random sentences and questions. He was testing the idea of sending short messages to people and figuring out a good signal-to-noise ratio for messaging – meaning how short a message could be before it became indecipherable. As he typed, he counted the number of letters, numbers, punctuation marks and spaces on each page before arriving at a magic number: 160. Hardly larger than a modern tweet, the standard SMS message was limited to 160 characters per text.
As mobile phones became more powerful, SMS expanded to include MMS or Multimedia Messaging. MMS allowed for richer texts filled with a larger variety of digital content.
Fast forward to September 2015, when Google acquired Jibe Mobile and first announced it would adopt the RCS standard.
“SMS carrier messaging is used by billions of people every day and enables people to reach anyone around the world, regardless of their device, carrier, app or location. The features available in SMS haven’t kept up with modern messaging apps. Rich Communications Services (RCS) is a new standard for carrier messaging and brings many of the features that people now expect from mobile messaging, such as group chats, high res photos and more,” said Google at the time of buying Jibe.
RCS is meant to combat the rise of Over-The-Top (OTT) messaging services, like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Customers are increasingly being drawn into these third-party services and away from Google’s own messaging apps.
The biggest advantage RCS has over OTT will be the universal implementation across various networks and devices that RCS will have, instead of jumping in and out of OTT apps.
GSMA’s press release notes “The Jibe Platform includes a hosted cloud for individual operators to launch RCS services for all leading mobile operating systems and the Jibe Hub to interconnect operator RCS networks.”
Current Security Concerns of RCS
In light of the recent Apple vs. FBI controversy, many consumers have started to question the security and privacy of their personal devices. That being said, several security experts have objections to the security of RCS. As reported by Re/Code, Philip Leiberman, CEO of Lieberman Software says “It’s pretty primitive…you try to connect one carrier to another carrier, you end up degrading to the worst encryption of the pair.”
It’s important to note that Google is not responsible for the RCS security system; this is wholly in the hands of the carriers. “It’s designed, according to experts, to default to the least fortified carrier security system, since many operators are tightly regulated (or in some cases run by) national governments.” As the battle over encryption heats up, the weak security of RCS may prove to be a factor when consumers choose iOS vs. Android.
ESET Mobile Security is a feature rich mobile anti-virus solution that has you covered in just about any mobile security related scenario your imagination can concoct.
The next step will be the initial scan of your device. If you’re using ESET on a tablet, during this scan you will also see links for Help, Customer Care and About.
