Not too long ago, Google spiffied up Inbox with the capability to bundle relevant trip information and quick access to up-to-date details. Especially for frequent travelers, this gave us the organization and efficiency we’ve longed for when the time came to start our trip.
Now, Google is complimenting that feature with the ability to share your trip summarizes with relevant parties. With one tap from your trip bundle in Inbox, you can let your friends and family know your travel plans and itinerary.
But that’s not all. Just in case Inbox didn’t log a relevant trip email (or you just want to add one in particular to that grouping), Google is throwing in a “Move to” email option for user control. Also, if you want to still be able to access the travel information offline, we’re getting a “view trips offline” option.
Another sharing feature Google is debutting in Inbox is the ability to quickly share memories. Clicking the “attachments” button will pop up your recent photos library, and it will let you attach multiple photos at once.
Pretty neat, huh? Inbox’s usefulness is evolving quite nicely. Google says that these new features will be rolling out over the next week.
As the Nexus 6P began to leak pre-announcement, several photos of a gold version were circulated. Sadly, we learned that at launch, the gold variant, called the Nexus 6P Special Edition, would only be sold in Japan in limited quantities. This was done in partnership with Softbank, the carrier that sold the Special Edition in Japan. After several months, it seems that Google is finally bringing the Special Edition to the U.S., with a catch.
According to reports, the gold Nexus 6P is set to go on sale via Best Buy sometime in 2016. Huawei has two events scheduled for CES 2016 in January, so it is possible that they could use one of them to make an announcement. The Nexus 5X is already available at Best Buy, but Google reportedly wants to bring the 6P — gold variant included — to the tech retailer as well.
No word on a firm release date or pricing differences for the Nexus 6P Special Edition, but we will be eagerly watching Huawei’s CES events to learn more.
Agent 003 to the Rescue is all about rescue and adventure. As you may have guessed, Agent 003 takes a Bond-style approach on all his missions, with his ultimate goal being to rescue stolen pets and return them to their owners.
The game attempts to offer a unique style of gameplay and an original title. How does it stack up?
Setup
There’s minimal setup required. None, in fact. You pretty much begin playing as soon as you press the play button. Gameplay is straightforward and relatively simple, at least in theory. There is no tutorial.
While it’s not really necessary, a tutorial would’ve been nice to add in. It took a couple of runs to know the controls and the idea of gameplay.
Settings wise, you can obviously change the music and sound effects on/off. There’s also a neat feature to change the frame rate, in case your device can’t keep up nicely. The graphics aren’t intensive, but if you have a low-end device it’s a nice tool to make the game run smoother.
Gameplay
The gameplay is nothing really new or unique. You are a dog armed with a gun that has to avoid obstacles. To finish the level, you have to reach the end of this “obstacle course”. A very deadly obstacle course, that is.
Along the way you have to jump or shoot or these obstacles, ranging from waterspouts and floating platforms to a guy throwing rocks and bombs falling on you. You get to shoot some of these down or have to jump timely over the obstacles.
For me personally, I didn’t find it boring but it wasn’t exactly entertaining at the same time either. After playing longer, I initially felt like it was the ideal game for youngsters, who typically put a lot of effort into stuff they do.
This however is not the impression I had for long. The game difficulty is relatively more harder than you may expect, and it takes three or tries to just get past the first level. Certainly suitable for someone more grown up, but contradictory of my earlier thoughts.
There’s also some economy factors in the game. This involves resources like energy, gems, ammunition and life savers. The game is very centralized around this, which is a rather good thing as it adds some more features into it. It can, however, get annoying sometimes when you run out of bullets or energy and you get stopped halfway through the game. Lifesavers are like a health add-on, something you can purchase as well.
There was no lag or glitches along the way. Everything ran smoothly creating a positive user experience.
Something I should also mention are the graphics. They are of modest quality, but they help add a sense of uniqueness to the game somehow:
You may have noticed the line dividing the screen. One side is more transparent. On the left, you tap to jump (twice for double jump). A tap on the right side will shoot a bullet from the doggy gun.
Rating
3,8 out of 5 stars
Conclusion
If you’re not into hardcore graphics, Agent 003 might just be the game for you. There are 21 levels to complete, and with the not-so-easy gameplay, it will certainly make the ideal time waster. There are two versions, a paid and free, with the only difference being adverts in the free one.
It is overall a relatively decent game, with no big negatives or trade-offs, but nothing “wow” either.
According to an update schedule leaked by Twitter user @llabtofer, the HTC One M9 could be getting a Marshmallow update as early as this month. A schedule that lists many prominent HTC devices has leaked, and if it is accurate, the photo provides us with more precise timelines for the Android 6.0 updates that many users are still eager to get. The schedule is broken down by device, and from what we can see, the HTC One A9 will be receiving an update to Android 6.0.1 in “early Q1 2016,” which hopefully indicates a January update.
The One M9 looks to get Android 6.0, with the 6.0.1 update coming sometime in Q1 next year. Unfortunately for One M9+ and ME users, only Android 6.0 has been confirmed for Q1 2016. According to the schedule, HTC is still evaluating when or if these devices will be receiving the 6.0.1 treatment. Also under evaluation for Android 6.0.1 are the HTC One M8, One E8, One M8s, Desire Eye, Desire 816, and the Desire 526. Luckily, those devices will at least get 6.0, with the exception of the Desire Eye.
Unsurprisingly, it does not look like the original HTC One (M7) will be getting any further updates. This comes after an announcement from HTC earlier this year that the device would not receive Android 5.1, so we aren’t shocked that it won’t be getting the Marshmallow treatment either. You can view the entire schedule in the photo above. Keep in mind that for the moment, this is a leaked photo and it may not be completely accurate. If your device is listed as not receiving an update, there may still be hope. We will be waiting for an announcement on furute updates from HTC in the coming days.
If you’re looking to switch over to AT&T this month, you’re in for an awesome promotion. Until the new year starts, when you buy one of the current Galaxy devices, you’ll be able to pick up a free Galaxy S6 on a second line. That’s right, if you buy a Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus or Galaxy S6 Active (which you can only get at AT&T), AT&T will credit your account for your AT&T Next payments on a 32GB Galaxy S6.
The small print here is that the free Galaxy S6 must be on a new line and if you cancel either line, the balance of that phone is due immediately (up to $950). You’ll be required to choose a qualifying plan, which AT&T says is $70/mo or more, and the bill payments will be split up over 30 months. Your credits will start after three months of service if you keep your account in good standing. This promotion ends on December 31 and is only for “well-qualified” customers.
If you’re looking to switch over to AT&T and are okay being tied to a Galaxy S6 for the next 30 months, this is a pretty good deal. I think this will be especially popular with those getting their first or second smartphone who aren’t jumping around to a new device a lot and just want something nice that will work and not break immediately. The Galaxy S6 is still one of the best phones out there and will be one of the best sellers this holiday season due to the Galaxy branding and build quality.
Is this a promotion you’re going to jump on? Let us know down in the comments what you think of this move from AT&T.
Being a writer definitely has its perks. The last two phones I reviewed were the Google Nexus 6P and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Both define “flagship”, and impress in just about every way. You can argue that both phones would please almost any Android fan, but the major downside to both devices is the hefty price tag that is associated with them. The Nexus 6P starts at $499 while the Galaxy Note 5 starts at $749 excluding any deals. Unfortunately for our readers, when we only review flagship devices, we are missing out on saving you money by reviewing budget and mid-range devices.
In the U.S. we basically have access to high-end devices like the Galaxy lineup, the Nexus lineup and iPhones, or we have over the counter type pre-paid phones which run anywhere from $20 to $100 dollars and offer bare minimum features. So basically, you either have to shell out a ton of money for a full-featured smartphone, or you can give up all features for a basic phone that can text, make phone calls and send emails.
Why aren’t there many mid-range phones in the U.S.? I really don’t have the answer to this question, but overseas you can find dozens of smartphones in the $150-300 price range that may not feature the super powerful internal hardware specs of flagships, but they do feature hardware that performs quite well.
The review today is the first of many I will be doing, of low to mid range devices, in the coming months to provide you with a full and unbiased alternative to phones that cost over $500.
Asus should be a name you’re familiar with, since they make a wide range of consumer electronics for the U.S. market. They may not have a strong hold on the smartphone market locally, but they have made the Nexus 7 which has a 4.5/5 star rating from over 6,000 reviewers on Amazon.com. Asus also makes Chromebooks, home PCs, and laptops. You just may not have used a smartphone from Asus, but that’s the purpose of this review.
The Zenfone 2 has been my daily driver for the last full three weeks and let me tell you all about it.
Design and Hardware
The Asus Zenfone 2 is a full featured Android Lollipop device at a price less than $250. I have been using the international unlocked, dual SIM 5.5″ 1080p IPS display version. Powering the Zenfone 2 is an Intel Atom processor, with a hefty 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory(expandable via microSD up to 128GB).
With a 5.5″ display, curved back, brushed plastic back, the Zenfone 2 reminds me of the LG G3, which was a favorite phone of mine from a year ago. The volume rocker on the Zenfone 2 is even on the back of the device, directly under the camera and LED flash. Holding the Zenfone 2 is extremely nice as it feels light and balanced, while the brushed back gives it a texture that makes it rather grippable.
Many people complain about having plastic phones but the Zenfone 2 does not at all feel or look cheaply made. The back is curved making this device extremely comfortable to hold, much more so than the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
Color –Black/Red/Gray/Gold
Dimensions –77.2 x 152.5 x 3.9 mm (WxDxH) ~ 10.9 mm
Weight –170 g
CPU
Intel® Atom™ Quad Core Z3580 (2.3GHz), PowerVR G6430, with OpenGL 3.0 support
Intel® Atom™ Quad Core Z3560 (1.8GHz), PowerVR G6430, with OpenGL 3.0 support
Memory
2GB/4GB LPDDR3 RAM
Storage
16GB/32GB/64GB eMMC Flash
Memory Slot –MicroSD card (up to 128 GB)
Modem
Intel 7262 + Intel 2230
Connectivity Technology
WLAN 802.11 ac
USB
Bluetooth V4.0, NFC
Dual Micro SIM card
I am definitely one of the least technical writers here at AndroidGuys and my reviews reflect that as such. I don’t root, customize, or do other things that require an advanced knowledge of software. I have a full time job outside of writing, and don’t have the time nor willpower to learn those types of things. As long as my phone works well is all that really matters to me.
AT&T is my mobile service provider and happens to be compatible with my Asus Zenfone 2. In order to activate my Asus Zenfone 2, all I had to do was throw in my SIM card from my Nexus 6P. The Nexus 6P does use a Nano SIM card, whereas the Zenfone 2 uses a larger Micro SIM card, so my options were to go and get a free Micro SIM from AT&T or use a SIM adapter. I used the SIM adapter, inserted the card into the Zenfone 2 and within a minute I was up and running on the AT&T network.
The Asus Zenfone 2 is a 4g LTE capable phone, but in my area all I could connect to was the HSPA network. HSPA is theoretically slower than the latest LTE speeds, but in practice proved to be no slower or faster than the full LTE network in North County San Diego. Using the Speedtest app, I averaged 7-10mb/s download on the Zenfone 2, which is quite comparable to the 9-12mb/s I averaged on my Nexus 6P. Without getting too deep into technical details on network speed, the overall speed of my cellular connection felt identical to the Nexus 6P.
Phone calls came in as clear as any other phone I have used, which is a must have for me, because I do use my smartphone as my primary work device. I have two to four conference calls per week, so voice clarity and loudness is something I simply cannot live without. The Zenfone 2 has been a pleasant surprise and has completely impressed me for a device that can be purchased for less than $250.
Camera
The Asus Zenfone 2 comes with a 13MP rear camera that takes great pictures, even in less that ideal lighting conditions. No this camera isn’t as good as what you’re going to get on the Note 5, but very few cameras are. The Nexus 6P camera doesn’t even live up to the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 camera, but that doesn’t mean the Zenfone 2 camera is at all unacceptable. In some low-light conditions the camera did produce some grainy results, but in full day light and with the flash, the pictures came out quite nicely. I am more than happy with the results.
If there is one downside about this phone it really comes to the customization of Android. LG and Samsung definitely are guilty of over-customization too, but the Asus Zenfone 2 does come with many features built atop Android 5.0. Although, bear in mind, I just came from a stock Android device in the Nexus 6P, and customization of software is a subjective point of view. Some people like it and some people hate it.
Although being an unlocked device, I am VERY happy that AT&T could not get its paws on the software, and install loads of useless apps it pre-installs on devices it sell directly. In order to keep things simplified, I just installed the Google Now launcher and immediately my Zenfone 2 felt like I was using a stock Android device.
The most important factor about the software is that it felt fast. In no way did any of the customization slow the phone down. I really pushed hard on the Zenfone 2 as I do with any of my daily drivers. I make calls, send texts, use social media, take notes, play games, watch movies and capture plenty of memories with my camera. I was thoroughly impressed with the speed of the phone. It may not win benchmark tests, but neither does the Nexus 6P or Nexus 5X. What matters most is daily performance, and if a device is free of lags and memory leaks it is a winner in my book
The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 wins almost all benchmark tests, yet frequently runs into software issues. Just because a smartphone has the latest and greatest processor does not necessarily mean it will translate into the best performance. The Zenfone 2 shines in the software performance category. It just has a little too much customization that I find useless.
Although there are some nice features like “Tap to Wake Up” or Zenmotion which allows you to draw a “C’ on the screen to open up the camera. Software customization is purely subjective. What matters most is that the customization do not effect performance.
Display
One major area where budget and mid-range phones save money is the display, because the display is one of the major areas of build cost. The Asus Zenfone 2 does come with a 1080p IPS display, and if you have ever read my reviews, you would know I much prefer AMOLED technology to LCD or LED. AMOLED offers superior contrast levels when it comes to blacks, and it also offers fantastic color saturation.
One reason for my preference of AMOLED display is that there is never any back light bleed. Back light bleed, where you can sometimes see an abundance of light around the perimeter of the display is a pet peeve of mine. I hate it. Also IPS displays sometimes look a little washed out when it comes to color.
To my surprise, the Asus Zenfone 2 has absolutely no back light bleed, and the colors on the display look accurate and rich. Not as rich as on the Nexus 6P, but rich enough to make me happy. Display performance is something that I care about second to overall performance. If a display looks bad, I simply will not like the phone. The Zenfone 2 display is very clear and is easy on my aging eyes. The 5.5″ display falls into the sweet spot of sizes that I prefer.
Summary
Overall I could not be more happy than to start my journey into the budget to mid-range devices with the Asus Zenfone 2. I picked this phone to start with, because I know Asus has a great track record for creating great products at affordable prices like the Nexus 7. Intel has also proven to be quite impressive, with its relatively unknown mobile Atom chip, as it performed incredible smoothly paired with 4GB of RAM. 32GB of internal memory should be the minimum all devices come with these days, and having expandable memory is a bonus too.
Should I travel overseas I will definitely be taking advantage of the second SIM card slot. The absolute best feature of the Asus Zenfone 2 is that it can be purchased brand new for less than $250. That’s half the price of the Nexus 6P and $500 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. It truly makes me question why you need to spend the extra money on a flagship device. There will always be a market for flagships phones, but unlocked budget and mid-range devices are definitely worth taking a gander at. The Asus Zenfone 2 is a rock star when it comes to performance versus price.
Look for more reviews of budget and mid-range devices in the near future.
If you would like to make a purchase, head on over to gearbest.com and check out the Asus Zenfone 2. It is currently on sale for $233 with free shipping, and a 100% 45-day satisfaction guarantee. Unlocked international smartphones are designed to work on GSM networks such as T-Mobile and AT&T.
Even though we’re starting to see some high-end smartphones launch at very affordable prices unlocked, the vast majority of “flagship” smartphones can kill your wallets if you try to buy them outright. However, if you’re in the market for a great smartphone at a great price, the smartest move might be to buy last year’s flagship phones which frequently go for incredible prices from third party venders on Amazon and Ebay. While these phones don’t have the latest and greatest specifications of today, the differences between them and their current iterations are minimal, and you shouldn’t worry about them being outdated.
It’s also worth noting that these venders on Ebay and Amazon can be identified as legit or not by the customer feedback on Amazon and positive ratings on Ebay. Most of the time the phones sold are either manufacturer refurbished or brand new. Manufacturers can also directly sell these older phones on Ebay or Amazon, such as Motorola currently selling the Nexus 6 for $349.99.
As stated above, Motorola is currently selling 2014’s flagship Nexus phone for almost half the price it originally sold for last year on Amazon, and we’ve seen other third party venders on Ebay going as low as $299 unlocked for this incredible phone. If you want to pay for a mint-condition Nexus 6 with the original box, Motorola’s website is still selling it for a more expensive price of $499. Buying this phone for anything under $400 is a steal if you ask us, as this Nexus still packs a punch in just about all hardware categories, and currently runs the latest Android with direct updates from Google. The longevity and relevance of this phone alone make it worth the current price.
Best current deals include:
Ebay Nexus 6 Midnight Blue Factory Unlocked- $329.99
Amazon Nexus 6 Midnight Blue Factory Unlocked (US Warranty)- $349.99
While being about a year and a half old, the LG G3 still remains relevant today as one of the most popular LG handsets to have ever launched, and one of the first smartphones to ever include a stunning Quad-HD screen. The G3 is still being updated by LG with the promise of being updated to Android 6.0, as it’s currently being tested for a release in Poland in early 2016. One of the best features of the G3 is the screen to body ratio, as the phone is quite compact and easy to hold for having a large 5.5 inch screen. The phone can easily hold a charge through the day thanks to its 3,000mAh battery and takes really nice pictures with its built-in laser auto-focus abilities.
Best current deals include:
Ebay LG G3 32GB GSM Unlocked Factory Refurbished- $199.99
The Galaxy S5 still holds its own as a very tempting smartphone for many people. Samsung is still actively supporting the smartphone with software updates, and there are several features of this phone not found in their latest Galaxy S6. First of which is the phone’s IP67 water resistant rating, allowing the phone to be submerged in one meter of water for thirty minutes. The second feature not found in the Galaxy S6 is the micro-SD expansion slot allowing for more storage than the devices internal limitations, something that many fans were disappointed to see absent this year. Lastly, the ability to swap out the phone’s battery was missing in the S6, providing even more reason to stick with the Galaxy S5. On top of those features, the S5 has a vibrant, 1080p Super AMOLED screen, more battery capacity than the Galaxy S6 and a great camera that still holds even for today’s standards.
Best current deals include:
Amazon Galaxy S5 GSM Unlocked New 16GB Black- $339.70
Google’s very recent Nexus offerings include the Nexus 5X, the more affordable option that offers a stunning camera, fast hexa-core processor and fingerprint scanner unlike any other smartphone. The best part? The phone currently goes for $329.00 with free shipping straight from Google themselves. I had the chance to review the Nexus 5X, and while it wasn’t my favorite phone I’ve ever owned, it’s an extremely compelling device for the price. On top of the great hardware mentioned above, this device will be getting updates from Google every month, and will always be running the latest version of Android for at least the next couple years.
What was considered the best Nexus phone ever made, the 2013 Nexus 5 offered the latest processor, a five inch 1080p screen, an 8-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization and very minimal design all for a reasonable price. Today, the Nexus 5 is no longer in production or being sold from LG or Google, but third party retailers are still offering it. Being a Nexus device, this phone currently runs the latest Android version (Marshmallow) and performs like almost any high-end phone being released today. As for the future state of the device, it is not known how much longer Google will support the phone themselves, as their time frame for Nexus updates usually last two years, but it currently runs the most stable and smooth version of Android yet and it one of the best optimized phones I’ve ever used. This phone is still one of my favorite phones to have existed.
Launching just this past fall and starting at $399, the new Moto X Pure Edition offers a 5.7 inch Quad-HD display and is customizable through Motorola’s online Moto Maker, giving the customer tons of freedom to design their phone. This device is a very worthy successor to last year’s Moto X 2nd gen. if you’re comfortable with big phones. The Moto X Pure Edition offers an Android experience very similar to stock Android, so you shouldn’t expect the bloatware that other manufacturers tend to include. Since this phone is almost brand new and includes some of today’s best hardware, you can expect the best value out of any smartphone currently listed in this article so far. For fans of wood designs, different colored rubber options or people who want the luxury feel of leather, check out the Moto Maker page to design your Moto X.
The second iteration of Motorola’s Moto X series offered unparalleled customization with a price lower than most flagship smartphones. Like the new Moto X Pure Edition, customers have the ability to pick which back cover they want from a range of colors, wood and leather materials and the color of the speaker grills on the front. As a bonus, customers can even add a custom engraving to the back and add a special greeting when the phone boots up. While Motorola is still updating the unlocked version of this phone, they have decided to stop updating carriers versions. This caused quite a bit of distrust within fans and owners of this phone, as it is only a little over a year old. We do not recommend you buy the carrier version of this phone because of the discontinued support. However, Motorola is still currently selling the unlocked phone through Moto Maker for an amazing deal of $299 for the 64GB option only through December 18th. This price for that amount of storage, a high quality build and near-stock Android experience make this a very worthy purchase.
Considered one of the best phones ever made by HTC, the One M8 is the second phone in their One (M) series and offers a full metal body construction, dual-rear camera for faster focus and dual front-facing Boomsound speakers. This is an incredibly fast phone that flies through every day tasks thanks to HTC’s great software optimization. While the two cameras on the back might be gimmicky, the phone does capture photos very fast and can be converted into 3D photos. Boomsound on this device still provides the highest quality speaker sound you will find on any smartphone today, and thanks to its five inch screen, you can easily hold it with one hand. HTC is still updating this phone, with Android Marshmallow to appear on it in early 2016. The One M8 is still a very well-rounded smartphone and is even better in some categories than its successor, the One M9.
Best current deals include:
Ebay One M8 32GB Factory Unlocked New Gunmetal Grey/Glacial Silver- $279.99
Amazon One M8 32GB Factory Unlocked Refurbished Used
No matter how much you use your smartphone on a daily basis, you should have a backup battery pack that allows you to charge your devices on the go. That’s where the EasyAcc 20,000mAh Power Bank comes into play, and provides enough power for four of your devices to charge at the same time.
Despite this battery holding an enormous amount of battery, it isn’t very bulky or too big to travel with. You can hold it in one hand like you would with a small book. I took this battery pack on a cabin trip with me since there were no outlets, and it was the perfect addition to the rest of my gear. The best part was being able to share the power in the battery with a few other people who didn’t think to bring extra battery packs, as the Power Bank includes four USB ports for charging devices at the same time, whether it be smartphones, tablets or other USB compatible devices.
Power capacity and charging abilities with the EasyAcc proved top notch, as the Power Bank can push 4.8 amps to your devices, charging a little bit faster than you’re probably accustomed to, unless you use a recent fast-charging capable phone. However, Smart Technology is built into this power bank. What that means is that while the total output is capable of 4.8A max based on the technical specifications, plugging in devices that have less output will charge at their optimal rates based on the power bank’s chip detecting what type of device you’ve plugged into it. So for example, if you have an Galaxy S4 and plug this in, it will charge at about 1A. This 4.8A charging speed is faster than most of EasyAcc’s other products, meaning this device is top-of-the-line for them.
Also on the subject of high-end, this battery pack holds 20,000mAh of power, meaning you could charge your smartphone (depending on which type of smartphone) about four times before the battery pack is exhausted and needs recharged. Once I did have to recharge this pack, I was impressed with the time is took to fully regain its juice, at around six hours. This may seem like a lot, but compared to similar battery packs and the fact that this holds so much power, this is an impressive feature.
The Power Bank includes a built-in LED light perfectly suitable for emergency situations without electricity. The light is quite bright on this pack and only require the press of a button to activate. Also on the device is four LED notification lights signalling how much power is left. Four lights on means the power pack is fully charged, while three or less means the device is declining in power.
The EasyAcc 20,000mAh Power Bank is a welcomed addition to the items I bring on road trips or sitations where I know I will not have electricity. I find it really useful to have in the car so I don’t have to worry about bringing a car-adapter plug too. The 20,000mAh battery pack has gone down in price since its initial release and can currently be grabbed for $35.99, which is a great deal. Hit the link below for their Amazon page.
Another year, another Nexus. Except this time around, Google has released two Nexus phones. One of which is the phablet sized Nexus 6P, the all-metal Huawei smartphone that packs a punch in nearly every way possible. The other is the LG made Nexus 5X, marketed towards those looking for affordability and a smaller sized phone. Plenty of attention and anticipation has been given to the Nexus 5X this year, as it is the successor to the top sold Nexus phone back in 2013, the Nexus 5. The 5X attempts to fill the big shoes of its predecessor by bringing the year’s high-end specifications into a minimal, rectangular slab of plastic that’s around half the price of most premium flagship phones. Do Google and LG succeed this time around?
Before I start the review, a point must be made. Ever since last year, the smartphone market has taken a new direction. Many smartphone manufacturers now realize the potential of more affordable handsets, and have begun offering stellar hardware for almost half the price of the competition. We’re seeing more and more consumers purchasing these more affordable unlocked smartphones rather than the subsidized versions offered by many carriers.
High-end smartphones are entering into the “mid-range” price point, which is around $200-$300 less than they use to be a few years ago. Mid-range smartphones are going for price points between $100-$300 unlocked, and budget phones can be found for less than $100 outright, a la Moto E.
What’s my point? Compared to a couple years ago when the Nexus 5 came out, the current Nexus line has some heavy competition when it comes to price unlocked. No more can we say, “this is an amazing phone… for the price.” because there are currently a plethora of amazing phones… for the price. This leads me to the first category of the review, the overall design and build quality.
Design and Build Quality
My daily driver before the 5X was the Moto X 2014, another 5.2 inch phone, which currently goes for $299 unlocked. My immediate impressions of first holding the 5X left me with no excitement. I was holding a phone that felt lighter, cheaper, and more uncomfortable to hold. The first thing I noticed about the Nexus 5X design was how tall it was. Google went with an HTC kind of style that gives the phone a giant top and bottom bezel, making it look tall and narrow. I would be okay with this if there was a solid reason for how tall these bezels are, especially compared to the much more compact feeling Nexus 5 of two years ago. So far, I can’t seem to find one.
Sure, the 5X includes what looks like top and bottom front-facing speakers, but similar to the Moto X 2nd gen., only the bottom speaker provides sound for audio, while the top is merely there for voice calls.
“Who cares? At least the speaker is facing the right direction!” Well, while that statement is very popular, you won’t be very impressed with the sound coming out the 5X’s speaker. I usually love turning my phone speaker up to full volume to listen to music and for YouTube videos, but the 5X is almost painful to hear at that volume. It gets loud, louder than my Moto X, but the quality is just not there and not worth listening to at high volumes.
It’s just a bit of a bummer that the smallest Nexus offering from Google is still barely qualified to be held and used with one hand. I don’t have the biggest hands on the block, which is why I use smaller handsets and loved the original Nexus 5, but I feel betrayed that even by holding the 5X with my pinky on the bottom for support, I can barely reach the notification bar of the screen, thanks to the giant bottom chin of the phone.
As for the build quality, I have mixed feelings. The device is very light at 136 grams, but it almost feels hollow. As I tap the front or back of the phone, I feel a “springing” reaction inside, as if there is a lot of empty space. This makes me even more confused as to why Google would add so much space to the top and bottom of the phone. I cannot accept the excuse that the phone’s build quality and materials resembles the price asked, because it doesn’t. There are numerous phones that feel twice as solid and premium for the same price if not less.
Not to point out specific devices, but believe when I say the 5X build quality could be better for the price.
Negatives aside, I like the feeling of the matte plastic on the sides and back of the phone, mainly because of how smooth the backs feels when I hold it. The buttons on the right side feel great and durable, however I’ve gotten used to barely using the power button thanks to the addition of a fingerprint scanner on the back, AKA Nexus Imprint.
Nexus Imprint
One of my favorite features of the 5X is the new fingerprint scanner that Google calls Nexus Imprint. It’s placed on the back of the device right beneath the camera, and performs amazingly. The best part about it? It wakes the device without even needing to press the power button. Just place your finger on the scanner for a split second and your phone is awake. I did a quick test with my roommate’s iPhone 6 to see which scanner is faster at going to the homescreen from the unlock screen, and while it was extremely close, the Nexus 5X definitely unlocked faster. LG and Google nailed this part of the phone.
Performance
The Nexus 5X uses the Snapdragon 808 hexa-core chip capable of 64-bit computing. While this isn’t the fastest Snapdragon chip offered by Qualcomm this year, every day performance of it is incredibly close to the more powerful 810 chip. Apps launch quickly, animations are very smooth, and overall navigation of the device is easily one of the smoothest experiences of any phone out there.
The only downside to the Nexus 5X in terms of performance is multitasking, but only slightly. When using both my Nexus 5X and 6P and switching between apps, it was obvious which device had 3GB of RAM and which one only has 2GB. On average, I found that I could switch back and fourth between 5-7 regular apps (not games) before they were closed by the system and had to relaunch. If I kept the device on without powering it off for almost a week, the amount of apps the phone could keep running shrunk down to around 3-4 before closing them.
Gaming on the device is also quite smooth, as I played Modern Combat 5 Blackout, Contre Jour, Smashy Road, and Asphalt 8. Modern Combat wasn’t a very smooth gameplay experience, averaging about 25 frames per second, but other games performed just fine. From the one second launch of Google’s camera app, to scrolling through Google Now, Google+ and Chrome, the Nexus 5X is a solid performance upgrade from the original Nexus 5 and many other phones.
Battery
For a phone with a 5.2 1080p display and 2,700mAh battery, I was expecting a bit more from the 5X. My day starts at around 9:00 when I take the phone off the charger, and typically I was getting till about 8:30 pm. when the battery reached about 10% and I made the move to plug it back in. I consider myself a moderate smartphone user. I watch a couple YouTube videos (especially now that it’s holiday video game season), text using Google’s Messenger app, install and app or two and browse reddit quite a bit.
I have about three one hour long classes a day that I don’t use the phone at all either, so the 5X seems to have a heavy battery drain when the screen is on. I think this is because LG is still using some pretty old LCD technology that’s not very battery efficient, but I’ll talk about that in the display section of the review. However, when the screen is off and the phone is sleeping, that’s when the real battery saving magic happens. Doze, which is one of Android 6.0’s newest features, is a battery saving software optimization that restricts heavy app activity when the phone is sleeping. With my Moto X ’14, I lose about 3-5% battery when my phone is off during my hour class. With the 5X, I didn’t lose a single percent.
So, if you’re a user that doesn’t have the screen on all the time and keeps the phone asleep a lot, you’re going to be getting great battery life.
Software
The premier feature of Google’s Nexus phone are the promise of the latest and greatest Android updates before any other phone. The Nexus 5X ships with Android 6.0 AKA Marshmallow. Marshmallow is a much more polished and speedy version of Android 5.0 Lollipop. Performance of Android 6.0 on this phone flies through anything you throw at it, and because this phone will be updated for quite some time with newer version of Android, you should not expect this software to slow down anytime soon, especially compared to other smartphones on the market that weigh themselves down with heavy UI skins.
Android has needed better battery management for a long time, and Google’s finally taking steps to improve this with Doze. Doze has eliminated my fear of not plugging in my phone overnight, risking the loss of 5-15% battery life. Now, I’ll be surprised if I lose more than one percent overnight. Doze works fantastically.
Google Now on Tap is a new feature exclusively for Marshmallow that allows the users to hold the home button on any screen to scan all words present to provide an overlay of Google search results right on top of the screen pertaining to information you need. It’s a really neat feature that works almost flawlessly, and I can’t wait to see what Google does next with it.
Overall, the software of this phone leaves me with the impression I’ve never experienced before with Android. I no longer feel like I’m beta testing Android. I feel like I’m using an incredibly polished software that does just what I need it to and more.
Display
The Nexus 5X sports a 5.2 inch 1920x1080p display using IPS LCD technology. If you have any worry that images won’t look as sharp as a 1440p display, ditch that thought now. The 1080p display on this phone is incredibly crisp and you’re not going to be noticing any pixels. The only problem with this display is the fact that LG is using the same screen tech that the original Nexus 5 had, which was considered cost-effective even in 2013. The only difference is this screen is .2 inches bigger. When you compared this screen against the Nexus 6P or most newer AMOLED panels, you’re definitely going to prefer the latter.
Colors are a bit washed out and don’t pop as much as AMOLED panels. What’s most troubling is the fact that LG is capable of making LCD panels look amazing, such as their Quantum Dot displays on the G4 and V10 smartphones. Yet they still use dated LCD panels for the 5X because it’s considered a “budget phone”. Overall, I consider this screen average for today’s offerings, and wasn’t made to “wow” anyone.
Camera
Nexus devices have always lacked an impressive camera, but Google aims to change that this year. The Nexus 5X and 6P share the same 12.3 megapixel camera with laser auto-focus and dual flash. While this doesn’t sound as impressive as other camera offerings on paper, such as the Galaxy S6 and G4’s 16 megapixel camera, the real world results are exceptional.
“The best all-around camera we’ve ever put into a Nexus shines in low-light conditions.” Google was not kidding when they stated this on the device page.
The camera on the 5X captures the perfect amount of detail and is the best camera I’ve ever used in low light situations. As I took a walk through campus at night, I was amazed with the clarity the 5X was able to capture. Take a look at some of the pictures below. I wouldn’t dare attempt these with my beloved Moto X 2nd gen.
Switching to the front of the phone, the 5X offers a large 5 megapixel camera, and it performs just as it should. I use my front-facing camera mainly for Snapchat, and I was very impressed with the camera capturing low-light selfies without much noise.
I don’t record very much video with my phones, but my judgement on the Nexus 5X’s video recording capabilities are average. The detail and focusing abilities are great for me, but I really wish they included optical image stabilization, something the original Nexus 5 included. Even with the software image stabilization enabled, the videos were shakier than I would have liked. The new Sony Xperia series, as well as LG and Samsung flagships provide much better stabilization in their cameras.
Conclusion
The Nexus 5X is almost everything I wanted for the successor to Google’s 2013 flagship phone, but it’s not enough for me to keep as my new daily driver. The build quality feels cheaper than it should be considering other options in the same price range with better build materials, such as the new Moto X, OnePlus 2, OnePlus X, and more. I also don’t see why Google couldn’t have included the Snapdragon 810 instead of 808, considering they used the latest and greatest Snapdragon 800 in 2013’s Nexus 5. Google also skipped out on higher RAM memory, and it definitely shows when multitasking slows down when not powering the phone off after a few days.
However, the Nexus 5X offers a camera that competes heavily for best smartphone camera of 2015, the best battery life of any Nexus phone, and zippy performance that bests just about any high-end Android phone today. On top of this, you’re getting the latest Android updates before any other phone, and monthly security updates from Google, keeping this one of the most secure phones available today. Google currently offers this phone for $329, but that will go back up soon. For that price, I heavily recommend this phone. But once the price goes back up to the original offer, that recommendation is a lot harder to make.
With such a saturated earphone market, companies have to work to make their products stand out. Inateck is one such company who seeks to stand out amidst the crowd with their Lacerta earphones. Do they succeed?
[df-subtitle]Design[/df-subtitle]
The area that Inateck seeks to make their earphones stand out most is in the design area. The Lacerta earphones have a premium feel that does not typically come with earphones at this price.
The earphones themselves have full-metal-housings that feel very nice to the touch. The only issue this brings is that the earphones often fall out of your ear if they are even slightly out of balance in your ear. Also, if you use them while laying your head against something, the earphones are not the most comfortable. Still, the premium feel is nice and out of the ordinary. That outside of each housing also has a giant “R” or “L” to help tell the difference between each side.
The cord on the earphones is covered in a braided plastic that not only helps with the premium feel, but also helps keep the cord not tangle as much. Above the plug on the earphones is more metal, which is especially nice, since that will help the cord not fray there, something that occurs often with earphones. Partway down the cord on the __ side of the cord is the mic, along with volume buttons and an answer/end call button. It also has a switch with an “A” and a “B” on it that supposedly allows the earphones to work with both iPhones and Androids, but more on that later.
With the earphones you receive the usual different fittings for the rubber pieces that go in your ear, but you also get a carrying case, an airplane adapter, a clothing clip, and a manual. The addition of the case, adapter, and clip are all nice touches, and go a long ways in helping the Lacerta earphones feel premium.
[df-subtitle]Function[/df-subtitle]
The earphones worked well, with the correct stereo playing through its respective earpiece. The mic worked whenever I used it to make calls. The case is nice, and the clothing clip is good. The only other place in terms of function are the buttons I mentioned previously, and the Lacerta earphones seem to drop the ball here.
On my Moto X (2014), the controls don’t work at all, even when I switch the A/B switch. I tried it with my Nexus 7 (2013), and it sort of worked – on one switch the answer/end call button could pause if you pressed it once, and go to the next track if pressed twice; on the other switch, it did the same thing but for all three buttons.
Essentially, whether or not the buttons will work the way they’re supposed to is slim, and how they will work at all seems to be a gamble. If you’re looking for earphones because of their playback/phone controls, these are not what you need.
[df-subtitle]Sound Quality[/df-subtitle]
The sound quality of the Lacerta earphones are nice. Inateck says the Lacerta earphones feature a dual dynamic driver that helps bring the sound together. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I’m not an audiophile by any means. However, I tend to have a better ear than the average person.
To be honest, the Lacerta, while having good sound, doesn’t really stand out a whole lot to me. Sure, the bass is full, the mids come through clearly, and the volume goes all the way without trading out sound quality. But the sound quality isn’t going to blow anyone away. Still, perhaps that the point. These earphones are reasonably priced, and as such deliver good sound. Something you don’t always get with earphones in this price range
Overall, the Lacerta earphones bring a premium package in an affordable price range, without compromising sound. Using these earphones feels like more than just the typical earphones – it feels like earphones that will last. The controls don’t work at all, but if you’re not too worried about that (and still want a mic on your earphones anyways) then the Lacerta earphones will be a great purchase, which you can get on Amazon here. The people over at Inateck have even given me a $7 off promo code! Just put in: WSG3HLUE
obstacles.
The sound quality of the Lacerta earphones are nice. Inateck says the Lacerta earphones feature a dual dynamic driver that helps bring the sound together. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I’m not an audiophile by any means. However, I tend to have a better ear than the average person.