Last year, Alcatel (formerly Alcatel Onetouch) released the budget flagship IDOL 3 which became one of the best budget phones of 2015. This year, it looks like Alcatel is ready to do it again. The newly announced IDOL 4S and IDOL 4 smartphones improve upon their predecessor in every way imaginable.
IDOL 4S
While both the IDOL 4 and 4S are touted as Alcatel’s flagships this year, the IDOL 4S comes with the highest specs and presumably highest price tag. Taking a look at what we get with the 4S, and it’s easy to see how much it has improved from the IDOL 3 just a year ago.
[alert color=”green”]IDOL 4S spec list:
5.5″ QHD (1440 x 2560) AMOLED display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor
32GB on-board storage (MicroSD support up to 512GB)
3GB RAM
3000 mAh battery
16-megapixel camera (back)
8-megapixel camera (front)
Quick Charge
4K video recording @ 30fps
Dual, front-facing JBL branded speakers
Reversible UI
Boom Key[/alert]
IDOL 4
When the IDOL 3 was released, it came in two different screen sizes (4.7″ and 5.5″) with two different spec sheets but the names remained the same. Thankfully, Alcatel remedied this problem by separating their two flagships by name instead of just size. The IDOL 4 is the upgrade to the 4.7″ version of the IDOL 3, and the updated spec sheet for it is just as nice as the IDOL 4S.
[alert color=”green”]IDOL 4 spec sheet:
5.2″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor
16GB on-board storage (MicroSD support up to 512GB)
3GB RAM
2610 mAh battery
13-megapixel camera (back)
8-megapixel camera (front)
1080p video recording @ 30fps
Dual, front-facing JBL branded speakers
Reversible UI
Boom Key[/alert]
We are seeing welcome improvements in the IDOL 4 and 4S such as higher screen resolutions, more on-board storage, more RAM, faster processors, and increased camera resolutions compared to the IDOL 3 line, but we are also happy to see some of our favorite features make a return from last year.
Most notably, the gimmick-turned-godsend Reversible UI will be included in the IDOL 4 and 4S. This feature would orient the entire UI depending on how the phone was being held which basically eliminated the possibility of taking your phone out of your pocket upside down. We originally viewed this as a gimmick, but after spending some time with the IDOL 3, we loved it and hoped it would be a feature implemented by more manufacturers.
This year’s IDOL line will be even more reversible than its predecessor with the speakers being able to augment themselves to provide the best sound experience no matter what way the phone is being held. The most interesting part of this feature is that the speakers will also be able to fire backwards when the phone is laid face down. No more muffled sound coming from these phones!
The Boom Key is this year’s standout change. It promises to provide custom features for activities such as taking pictures, listening to music, looking at videos, and even gaming, but we have yet to see if these features are even something we want. That being said, we would have never asked for a reversible UI before seeing it on the IDOL 3 so we will be withholding a final decision until we actually get to spend some time using the Boom Key Alcatel’s newest flagships.
For those of you looking at the IDOL 4S, there will be a special surprise in the package the phone comes in. The IDOL 4S box will actually double as a virtual reality headset that you can use with the IDOL 4S. Combining the 2K display on the 4S with virtual reality should create an awesome experience.
What do you think of Alcatel’s new IDOL 4 and 4S? Are either making it onto your “Buy” list? Let us know down in the comments!
With MWC 2016 a matter of days away, and the expected announcement of the LG G5, here’s how to watch the event live on 21st February 2016 to make sure you do not miss any of the action.
The LG press conference, where the company is expected to announce their LG G5, is scheduled to take place on Sunday 21st February at 1pm GMT, 2pm CET, and 7am CST. Check out our coverage of the LG G5 below.
The LG G5 press conference will be live streamed through LG’s YouTube channel so be sure to bookmark that link for the live coverage. We’ll also embed the live stream in this post as and when it’s available.
We live in an age where most people are conscious about what they eat and how much they exercise, in some form or another. We’re conscious of fat intake, calories, carbs, protein, cardio…the list goes on and on, really. Actually keeping track of all that can be a challenge, especially if you’re working on a diet of some kind that prohibits or restricts one of more of those categories.
Smartphones, as with so many other things in the modern existence, can make this tremendously easier with the right app and a proper application of thumb (or finger) pressure. As such, I present you AndroidGuys’ Five for Friday; Apps to track your health and wellness. Five applications for your Android smartphone that can track food, exercise, and potentially even offer advice on how to improve both.
Google has pushed an update to its official Google Play Music app on Android to bring it to version 6.4 and ever closer to Podcast support within the app. On top of the few fixes and features introduced in this version, Google is also prepping an exclusive partnership deal with the BRIT awards.
What it brings?
This particular update to Google Play Music doesn’t necessarily unlock any new features, but instead sets the path for future code to be activated. These include:
The BRIT Awards partnership is an interesting one and most certainly will see the recorded live performances of the artists at the BRIT Awards being made exclusively available to Google Play Music.
How to get it?
For those new at installing apps and updates manually via APK files, it is very simple process. The benefits of installing manually include not having to wait for the automatic update to hit your phone via the Google Play Store. First, you’ll download the APK file by hitting the button below, and this will download the file to your phone. Once downloaded, tap the file to bring up the installation prompt. You can read the app permissions if applicable and then tap ‘Install’. The app is now ready to use!
Yesterday, Sprint announced new data plans called Better Choice Plans. Designed to give customers simplicity, value and a faster data connection, these plans are directly competing with Verizon’s “The Verizon Plan“. The Better Choice Plans give customers more data at lesser prices than Verizon‘s plan.
Better Choice Plan Pricing:
S: 3GB for $30
M: 6GB for $45
L: 12GB for $60
XL: 24GB for $80
XXL: 40GB for $100
In addition, each phone line you add will have a base cost of $20, but those lines will still have access to unlimited talk and text. If you go over your chosen high-speed data allotment, Sprint will throttle your data down to 2G speeds. To avoid throttling, you can add extra data to your plan each month at $15 per GB.
Sprint Better Choice Plans also include Sprint Global Roaming, free unlimited international texting from the U.S. to more than 180 countries, and a mobile hotspot that uses your data allotment. For a limited time, families can get four phone lines with talk, text and unlimited data for $37.50 per line.
Nitro Dash is a fast paced endless runner that has you hijacking cars, running from the cops, hitting pedestrians and causing utter mayhem for as long as possible. Success is measured 1km at a time.
Setup
Nitro Dash is a breeze to setup. Simply download the game from the Google Play store, find it on your device and click the icon.
When you first open the game, you will be asked to approve certain permissions for the game. The permissions are needed for the game’s public scoreboard mechanic. If you are not comfortable granting these permissions, the game is still playable if you deny them.
Gameplay
Nitro Dash’s gameplay has made this one of the most difficult reviews I’ve ever written. One minute, I love this game. The next minute, I hate it.
Nitro Dash’s description classifies it as a racing game. I disagree with this. Nitro Dash is an endless runner. There is no finish line. There is no end goal. Nitro Dash is all about surviving as long as possible, with success being measured in kilometers.
As an endless runner, Nitro Dash is great. As an endless runner with a Grand Theft Auto twist…sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. Allow me to elaborate:
Nitro Dash’s levels are “procedurally generated.” I place procedurally generated in quotes because I am not sure if procedurally generated is appropriate to describe this games level design system. You will only see three environments: Neighborhood, Desert, City.
All three are seemingly the same each time. The only difference I really ever noticed was in the amount of traffic on the roads (and maybe the pedestrian count). Sometimes the traffic was light to moderate, while other times it was heavy to ridiculous. The roads could literally become so congested that you were lucky to even make it 1 km.
Do you think you can beat this score?
Your first obstacle to overcome in Nitro Dash is to not crash. Had this been Nitro Dash’s only obstacle, I probably would have given this game a perfect score. However, crashing is not your only concern.
Your vehicles in Nitro Dash lose consistent amounts of fuel as you drive. If your car becomes damaged, you will begin to lose fuel at an even higher rate. You’ve crashed your car once. The car is on fire, you’re one wreck away from an explosive death (cars in Nitro Dash can only survive one collision) and the fuel gauge is showing empty. What do you do? Why, hijack another car, of course!
Hijacking is accomplished by getting into close proximity with another vehicle and pressing the jump button. This mechanic has two glaring flaws:
You can’t specify which car you want to jump to
The jump button is unforgivingly small
There were plenty of occasions where I ended up jumping into an exploding car because I did not have the ability to choose what are I wanted to hijack.
The jump button’s size made it difficult to hijack cars in hairy situations while trying to keep track of my fuel and traffic. There were times when the Jump button seemed to not even respond at all when I actually was able to press it.
The key to success in this game is learning to hijack cars effectively. Unfortunately, this feature just doesn’t fit well in this game. You’re having to avoid traffic, monitor your fuel, time your hijack jumps and on top of that, make sure you hit the tiny jump button.
The game is just too fast paced to allow you to effectively monitor each of these elements. The game would be a lot more fun if all you had to do was drive and not crash. There are the occasional wrench power ups that can restore your car’s health, as well as the occasional gas can that can replenish your car’s fuel. These power ups can be difficult to get to and really offer very little in the way of help. Even after collecting one or the other, I still did not stay in that vehicle for any substantial amount of time rendering them pointless to even try and get to.
In addition to all of the hazards previously mentioned, there are also cops in the game. The cops will risk life and limb to destroy you if they catch you running over a pedestrian or if you crash into them. The game provides you a Nitro button to help you evade the police, but quite honestly, it’s useless.
You basically have no control over your car when you are using nitro and you just cannot expect go faster, have little to no steering and hope to avoid the copious amounts of traffic on the roads. Your car can survive one wreck. Wreck two equals boom. Nitro only hastens boom.
Boom!
To add insult to injury, not only is the Nitro button (and feature) useless; it’s also two times the size of the jump button!
Controls
Nitro Dash offers two control schemes:
Tilt – uses your device’s accelerometer to allow you to control your vehicle by physically tilting your device
On screen controls – your vehicle is controlled via a small virtual steering wheel on the bottom left of the screen
Both control schemes work well. I am not a big fan of tilt controls but I think they work better in Nitro Dash than the on screen controls.
Additional Content
Nitro Dash offers you a total of 12 characters to unlock. Each character comes with their own unique vehicle. Characters can be unlocked using coins or gears.
Enter In App Purchases.
There are two ways to obtain the in-game currency:
You can collect coins and gears while playing the game. You will find both scattered about on the game’s roads.
You can purchase gears using real money via In-App Purchases.
How does Nitro Dash encourage you to spend your hard earned money? Well, you can unlock further characters using gears or coins, but if you want to continue a game without losing your progress, it will cost you 20 gears.
That’s right. It’s either Game Over, lose your progress, or 20 gears. Or you can watch a video…
You have only about two seconds to decide
It won’t take long for you to discover this. When you start your first game, a game tips box will appear on the screen. Typically, a game will pause in the background when tips are being displayed. Not Nitro Dash. The game will just start in the background and your car will begin cruising down the street whether you are ready or not (and you won’t be). Do you read the tips, or do you crash?
You will crash. After your car explodes, you are given the choice: early male pattern baldness, 20 gears or watch an ad. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.
I CHOSE TO SPEND THE GEARS!!!!
In my time with the game, I never chose to spend gears or watch a video. I just started over. Thanks Indy!
You did great, kid!
The unlockable characters had no real advantage over each other. There really wasn’t a noticeable difference in the cars that came with them. The unlockable characters appear to be more about playing with a character that suits your aesthetic preference versus having any strategic advantage in who you choose.
Sound
Let’s change gears and talk about what Nitro Dash does right.
The sound design in the game is EXCELLENT! The music is fun and fits the game’s theme and pacing quite well. The sound effects are top notch. The pedestrian screams, crash sound effects and explosions all sound great.
What I love most about the game’s sound is the over the top Jimmy Hart announcer that yells “OH NOOOO!” after you explode.
Graphics
Nitro Dash looks phenomenal! It’s like Grand Theft Auto, Temple Run and Minecraft had a baby. From the cutesy boxy graphics to the impressive particle effects; Nitro Dash is sure to please those looking for top notch graphics in their game.
Performance
Nitro Dash ran pretty well on both devices I played it on. There is a High Quality Graphics option, but I’ll discuss that more in a moment.
At default graphics, Nitro Dash ran pretty well on my mid-range ZTE ZMAX 2. There was a little stutter but for the most part, the game ran like a champ.
Oddly, the game only played slightly better, with default graphics, on my NVIDIA Shield K1. This really baffled me, given that the Shield K1 is designed specifically for gaming; which leads me to my next point.
Nitro Dash ran poorly on both of my device’s with High Quality Graphics enabled. It was playable on both devices, but there was a a noticeable difference in performance.
With High Quality Graphics enabled, Nitro Dash ran about as well on the Shield K1 as it did at default graphics on the ZMAX 2.
On the ZMAX 2, High Quality Graphics caused the game to have a noticeable drop in frame rate and very noticeable stutter.
Bugs
There was only one major bug that I ran across that deserves mention:
I only experienced this once. On one particular occasion of playing the game on my ZMAX 2, the game randomly decided to start itself almost immediately after the loading screen (without any input from me). When the game became playable, I was unable to control my vehicle and would crash. *IKCstudio – the only info I can provide you on this is that I was messing around with Zooper Widgets prior to playing the game on this occasion. The widget application did seem to cause some unnatural behavior on my phone, so the two may be related.
One Last Gripe
I have one final complaint about Nitro Dash. This is more for the benefit of IKCstudio than anyone else.
The game’s description really needs to be rewritten. When I was first assigned this review, I read the game’s description and I was immediately filled with excitement and anticipation. I thought I was going to be playing a portable version of something akin to Retro City Rampage.
Because what I played was so much different than the description I read, it really left a bad taste in my mouth. This bad taste made it quite difficult for me, in the beginning, to see and appreciate this game’s merits because I was judging them against what this game was said to be versus what it is.
Netscape Navigator: The Return, starring Dolph Lundgren
I may infect you. I apologize ahead of time.
This game has ads. They aren’t all that intrusive but was concerns me about them is their content. When I first started playing this game, I was consistently seeing ads that were encouraging me to click them to scan my device for performance issues, or to click them for a virus scan. Usually, I see these ads as malvertising and avoid them like the plague. The presence of these ads is concerning and needs to be addressed by IKCstudio.
Malvertising
I am playing a game on a mobile device in 2016; not surfing the web in 1996 using Netscape Navigator
Conclusion
Nitro Dash is a diamond in the rough. The game has lots of potential. It’s difficult for me to judge the game harshly because it is blatantly obvious that this game is a labor of love for IKCstudio. I have no doubt that they put a great deal of work into this game. Nitro Dash is challenging and can be lots of fun. Thankfully, the game has just enough charm to allow you to look past its flaws and see the true substance that lies deep beneath the surface.
Every year for the Fourth of July, I host a party with food, fun, and fireworks. The turnout is always good, but every year I run into the same problem; where to put my out of date stereo on the patio. There is only one outlet outside and it is right above where all the coolers go, so every time a guest wanted a drink, I had to move the stereo.
This year, that all changes when I break out my new Sport Bluetooth wireless speaker by FUGOO.
Design
This first thing you notice about this product is its sleek design. There are speakers literally all over this product resulting in 360 degrees of quality sound. This speaker boasts many features, including two neodymium tweeters (clear highs), subs for a midrange punch, and two passive radiators for deep bass. Moreover, it also offers up a digital signal path to help avoid interference and an air-tight seal for acoustic efficiency.
Specs
40 hr battery life
Bluetooth wireless connectivity up to 33 feet
95dB SPL-A @ 0.5 meters
60Hz-20KHz
Micro-USB for charging and updates
3.5mm audio input for wired connection
Waterproof up to 3ft
1-year limited warranty
Setup
Setting up the speaker is a snap; first, you’ll want to charge it up using the microUSB connector. The Sport also comes with an AC adapter for quicker juicing up. From zero, it ought to take about three hours to fully top off. Fully charged, you’re set for 40 hours of battery life.
Turning the speaker on, the FUGOO Sport has an indicator light to notify users that it’s powered up. Pairing is done with the press of a dedicated Bluetooth button and comes quick and easy. On top of the unit are volume buttons flanking the power button.
Once you sync the FUGOO Sport to your favorite device, you’re off and running, ready to listen to your favorite iHeart radio stations or streaming audio. But, should a phone call come in, you can answer it and have your conversation right through the speaker. Indeed, the built-in microphone turns your speaker into a speakerphone.
Included in the box is a 3.5mm cable which allows for direct connection. This is a handy solution for those of you who might like to keep the speaker in one place, say a desk, for instance. Keep it in a conference room and connect a smartphone and you’ll have a great companion for remote calls.
Sound
Along with the ease of setup and the durable craftsmanship, this speaker also has excellent sound quality. I like a lot of different genres of music and played them all with the FUGOO Sport. I tested everything from heavy metal to thumpin’ hip hop. The sound came through clear as a bell with no distortion whatsoever.
I also hooked the unit up to my computer and used to listen to online school classes. No matter where I’ve used the speaker (basement, work, basketball practice) sound was always great.
The phone feature is nice as well; I’ve had a handful of people call me to test it out. The sound was decent, static-free, however, there was an occasional and slight lag in conversation from receiver to reception.
Versatility
If you don’t like the look of your speaker, there are two other jackets you can get: Style, Tough. Additionally, you can also purchase accessories such as a bike mount, a remote, a strap mount and a multimount. The FUGOO setup is not only highly portable with great sound, but it’s very versatile and can adapt to your changing needs.
Where to Buy
If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker solution that offers excellent sound and flexibility, you’ll definitely want to consider the FUGOO Sport. Currently, you’ll find it on sale for about $170 through the manufacturer’s website. Looking to Amazon, we find about the same cost. On a normal day, you might see it fetch about $200; such is the case with Best Buy.
The days where we walk into a carrier store to purchase a subsidized smartphone are fading. This trend, bundled with the aggressive prices that we’re beginning to see in unlocked phones, makes purchasing a phone full price a more viable option in the mobile market.
Amazon is where a majority of us go to find the best prices of merchandise, therefore, we’ve complied a list of great unlocked smartphone deals you can find there today. Let’s check out what you can save on!
Bear in mind that these particular prices are at the time of writing. Amazon changes its prices frequently. Also, different smartphone colors often have different prices, and there may be limited quantities.
It was widely expected that the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will embrace the move towards the USB Type-C connection that has replaced MicroUSB on devices like the Nexus 6P. Samsung tends to throw the latest features at its flagship devices so naturally it was assumed that the next generation Galaxy devices from Samsung would feature the new port.
A set of Galaxy S7 images were posted to a Chinese website that seem to legitimately show the rear of the device clearly sporting a MicroUSB connector.
Perhaps all the controversy surrounding fake USB Type-C chargers and the lack of wide adoption has forced Samsung to stick with the established MicroUSB connector.
The other reason for keeping with MicroUSB could be to keep it compatible with their accessories, like the Gear VR for example.
Let us know in the comments below – is lack of USB Type-C a big deal for you?
A week ahead of Mobile World Congress, Samsung announced that its current flagship smartwatch, the Gear S2 Classic, will now be able to make calls, send texts and emails, and receive notifications without a connection to a cellphone. The Gear S2 Classic smartwatch now has 3G/HSPA+ and will launch in March through T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
“By bringing together fashionable design and connected functionality, this smartwatch gives consumers the freedom to leave their phones behind while enjoying a stylish, classic design,” said Gary Riding, senior vice president, product marketing at Samsung Electronics America.
Remember the Gear S2 runs Samsung’s Tizen software rather than Google’s Android Wear, and is compatible with Android smartphones only.
T-Mobile has announced that it will offer the 3G Gear S2 Classic online and in stores for $399.99 or $0 down and 23 monthly payments of $16.67 with a final payment of $16.58.
Most notably, the gimmick-turned-godsend Reversible UI will be included in the IDOL 4 and 4S. This feature would orient the entire UI depending on how the phone was being held which basically eliminated the possibility of taking your phone out of your pocket upside down. We originally viewed this as a gimmick, but after spending some time with the IDOL 3, we loved it and hoped it would be a feature implemented by more manufacturers.
