Home Blog Page 1219

A very cool review of the verykool Jet SL5009

Austin Hyde
-
0

A while back I wrote an article about Why low to mid level phones are the “Next Big Thing”. I recently received an entry-level phone from a company named verykool. In this review, we will see if the verykool Jet SL5009 disproves my thesis or corroborates it.

verykool overview

The verykool Jet SL5009 is an inexpensive and unlocked Android-based smartphone with LTE. One of their claims to fame is their low price point, a 5″ screen, Android 5.1 Lollipop, and the inclusion of both front-facing and rear-facing flashes. The phone also comes with a gel case and screen protector included. Here is the complete list of specs.

  • 2G bands GSM 850 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
  • 3G bands HSDPA 850 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
  • 4G bands LTE band 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 17(700)
  • Dimensions 147 x 72.5 x 8.9 mm (5.79 x 2.85 x 0.35 in)
  • Weight 165 g (5.82 oz)
  • SIM Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)
  • 5.0 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors (~64.6% screen-to-body ratio)
  • Resolution 480 x 854 pixels (~196 PPI pixel density)
  • Multitouch (2 fingers only)
  • Scratch-resistant glass
  • Android 5.1 (Lollipop)
  • Mediatek MT6735M
  • CPU Quad-core 1.1 GHz Cortex-A7
  • MicroSD, up to 64 GB
  • Internal 8 GB
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 8 MP rear-facing camera, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Video 720p@30fps
  • 1.3 MP front-facing camera, LED flash
  • 3.5mm jack
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
  • Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, LE
  • GPS, with A-GPS
  • FM radio
  • USB microUSB v2.0
  • Li-Ion 1900 mAh battery

 

verykool usage

Software:
One of the first things that I noticed about the phone is that it runs stock Android 5.1 and there is almost no bloatware whatsoever. In fact, the only bloatware I could find on the phone was the verykool app. It was easy enough to disable, but it tripped me up at first because the app is set to automatically launch at boot. If you don’t get through the initial setup quickly enough, the app will launch before you finish the setup process. You can just use the back button to return to the setup, but as it will launch automatically after every reboot, I recommend disabling the app right away.

Hardware:
The next thing I noticed about the phone was the form factor. The phone is pretty thin. It’s not iPhone thin, but it’s thinner than my LG G3. In every other dimension, it is on par with the G3. One big difference is that the G3 has much smaller bezels and is able to pack a 5.5″ screen in the same space that the SL5009 packs a 5″ screen. However, the phone feels good in your hand and unlike my G3 it doesn’t feel like it’s going to slip out of my hand at any given moment.

Even though the screen’s resolution is only 480 x 854 pixels, I found the clarity and resolution to be quite good. It’s not QHD good, or even 720p good, but I’m reminded that most early Android phones and even the early iPhone’s resolutions were worse than this screen. After using it for a while, I didn’t even notice that it wasn’t HD.

One of the aspects of the phone that I really like is the screen brightness. The screen gets very bright, almost too bright. This makes it super easy to see, even in direct sunlight. I would even venture to say that the screen’s visibility in direct sunlight is among the best in the industry.

The one knock on the screen would be its visibility from an angle. Even though the screen features IPS technology, the image quality decreases when being viewed at an angle. It’s to be expected on a device in this price range.

The speakers sound quality is ok. It’s not great, but it’s not bad either. The biggest advantages that it has is that the speaker is loud, much louder that you would expect a phone in this price range to be. The headset speaker is also pretty good, but it’s lacking VoLTE, so the audio doesn’t get that HD sound like you might expect from a higher end phone.

The headphones that come with the phone, however, are another story. They, like the standard issue headphones of other manufacturers, are bud style headphones, but the quality is subpar at the most. I found that they were uncomfortable to use for any extended period of time and the sound quality was bad too. They had a muffled sound to them and the bass seemed way too exaggerated for bud headphones. There was no problem with sound over Bluetooth.

Another thing that I wasn’t too fond of was the capacitive buttons. The actual contact area was small and if I didn’t get my finger exactly on the button, it wouldn’t register the touch. Also, while the buttons were backlit, they would only turn on when they were touched. When the backlight was not on, the buttons were impossible to see.

While there were no issues with the Bluetooth, I found that the phone was missing one of my favorite features on my previous Android phones, the voice dialer. You can imagine my disappointment when I tried to use my LG Tone headphones to initiate a voice call and nothing happened. Another unintended consequence of this is that while the phone has Android 5.1, the phone does not support Android Auto. I suspect that both issues are related.

The phone also features dual SIM card slots and switch between cards, but as I did not have a second SIM card to test it with, I am unsure of how this will work, or even how it will benefit the average American consumer. If you do a lot of international traveling I can see this being more beneficial.

One downside of the SIM card slots is that they are a pain to take out of the phone. They fit very tight into their respective slots. They are rather difficult to get a grip on.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/verykool-jet-sl5009/”%5D

Performance:
Overall the phone feels very responsive. At times, it did freeze up for a few seconds, but it did not happen very regularly and I was using the phone pretty heavily. I am more of a power user, so the average Joe will probably not run into any problems. However, this is where having a removable battery really comes in handy. Just pop it out and back in and you’re golden.

The phone also performed well with gaming. While the CPU and GPU aren’t going to set any records, the phone’s lower resolution allows for the processor to make the gameplay smooth. I found that it was best to close any other running apps because of the phone’s meager 1GB of RAM. The games that I tried were Asphalt 8 and Fallout Shelter. Both performed very well. The only knock being that they seemed to take a little longer to load. Once the game was loaded the gameplay was very smooth. I was also able to use a gamepad with the phone while playing Asphalt 8 with the higher graphics, without any hiccups.

The phone’s 8 GB of storage will limit how many games you can actually install, but the phone does support moving some of your apps to the micro SD card, but even so, you will still run out of space fairly quickly when installing games and other large apps.

Although the battery is only 1,900 mAh, the battery life isn’t too bad. Under light use, I could make through the whole day on a single charge. Using it heavily will cause the battery to drain more quickly and you’ll need to put it on a charger to make it throughout the day. I tried downloading a battery saving app, but the verykool Jet’s memory management is so aggressive with it’s 1 GB of RAM, that the battery saver app wasn’t able to do anything.

2015_10_31_13.08.20

verykool benchmarks

As you can see from the benchmarks below, the verykool Jet SL5009 isn’t too shabby for an entry-level phone. It comes in performing slightly above Samsung’s flagship model from 2012, the Galaxy S III.

 

verykool camera

The camera isn’t too shabby either. The 8mp rear-facing camera performs pretty well in sunlight but falls short in low-light conditions. The flash is essential in low light photography.

Speaking of flashes, you may have noticed from the overview section that the camera has a front facing flash. Unfortunately, that flash is paired with a sub-par 1.3 MP camera. The flash merely illuminates the subject enough to make out the features and the picture comes out looking grainy and overexposed.

Take a look at the gallery below for some examples.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/verykool-jet-sl5009-camera/”%5D

3.44 out of 5 stars

Overall, this is a great entry level phone and it proves that you don’t need to spend $600 + to get a good phone. It won’t compete with or even compare to the big budget flagship models, but if you’re on a budget and you want a phone with a decent sized screen, then this is a great option for you.

To me, this is the ideal phone to get your kid. It’s big enough and verykool enough to keep the other kids from making fun of them, but not too expensive to replace, when they drop it or throw it during a temper tantrum.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Amazon to get yours.

Don’t like the Verizon logo on your Motorola DROID Turbo 2? It can be removed.

Jason Botha
-
0

Motorola recently announced the new iteration of the Droid TURBO, and the specsheet is worthy of a premium device. Particularly the shatterproof screen which can take quite a beating.

However, there is a catch. The device, exclusive to Verizon, has the infamous logo slapped on to the bottom bezel. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this and it probably won’t be the last.

Thankfully, there is a method to remove it. As it turns out, the ShatterShield technology, which makes the screen shatterproof, includes an outer layer. Made of acrylic polymer, the Verizon logo is printed on this outer layer.
Verizon-Droid-Turbo-2-logo-removal

Simply put, you can easily remove the outer layer, and in turn remove Verizon’s isignia. This will obviously remove a layer of the screen and likely affect the integrity of the durability.

While it’s too early to say, it may also void your warranty. And as Pocketnow pointed out, it is likely that the international variant, the Moto X Force, will have the same (unbranded) outer layer and thus replacements for it may be made available to swap on.

You may also be able to hide it using a tinted screen protector, if you don’t feel like fiddling too much.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/motorola-droid-turbo-2/”%5D

Source: Pocketnow

Looking to buy something unique and support the little guy? Check out Etsy.com

AndroidGuys
-
0

With the holiday season ready to kick into high gear, we are all going to be bombarded with advertisements as it is the time for the giving and receiving of presents. Some people are really difficult to shop for as they just have everything.

I took some time to look for a few presents for friends and family, as I like to get a head start, because presents really should have thought behind them. At least, that is what my mom taught me. Although my research started out to look for gifts for everyone but myself, that’s not how it ended.

In comes Etsy.com, founded in 2005, to save the day. Etsy.com is a marketplace for creative entrepreneurs who use their unique talents to create one of a kind items that you cannot find in mass market stores.

Etsy

In order to test out the Etsy app and website, I browsed for unique items using the Android app, that I literally could not find anywhere else. There are thousands of items to browse – from gadgets, jewelry, vintage items, paintings and so much more. In the beginning it was a research project to see if it would be a good site to recommend to you, the readers, as an option for unique items related to Google and Android. At the end of my research I had made a few purchases, with lots more items to purchase later as gifts as Etsy really does have items you cannot get anywhere else.

The Etsy app connects you to the purchaser and takes care of making the entire transaction very “professional”. Once you make a purchase, using a credit card or Paypal, a receipt is sent to your email with packaging and shipping updates. In the case of the items I bought from individual sellers, I instantly received feedback from both of them instantly, which is something you don’t necessarily get anymore these days from larger marketplaces.

The first items I purchased were Android stickers made from real 22k gold, from JnM Vinyl Studio Inc. These stickers can be applied to any of my gadgets to give them a unique appearance. In addition to the Android stickers I also asked if JnM could could make custom Androidguys.com labels in which they literally replied to my request within minutes, stating customs labels would be roughly the same price as the production cut Android stickers ($6). Once I placed my order, the Etsy app notified me that JnM had shipped my labels from New York, and within three days, the stickers arrived in my mailbox all the way to San Diego, CA. The service was absolutely incredible and the product matched the service. If you have a small business or just want custom labels or stickers, check out the JnM shop at Etsy.com and you won’t be disappointed.

IMG_20151031_143011

The second purchase I made was in honor of my chubby cat, Poi. She’s named Poi because she is a mash-up of all kinds of breeds of cats, and Poi is a Hawaiian dish made from smashing taro root. Not to digress too far from this story, but the dog I adopted later is suitably named Taro.

Poi arrived on my doorstep when I was vacationing in Maui as a stray skinny kitten. Just like any other kitten, she was bouncing off the walls once I fed her. In fact, she was such an active kitten I thought she had rabies or some other disease in my irrational mind. My love for animals runs deep and I had to buy Poi a plane ticket home because I absolutely fell in love with her. Eight years later, she is apart of my family and is no longer skinny.

I am not some crazy cat lady, but when I came across Pottery by Misurie, I instantly adored her work. Misunrie is based in North Carolina and she offers unique, hand-made pottery that caught my eye. I purchased a couple of mugs, one was a black mug with a cat face on it, and the other was a white mug with a super cute upside down black cat face. I also added a similar type bowl which will serve as Poi’s dinner bowl. Once the purchase was made, Misunrie contacted me and said, ” Thanks for your purchase, you must be a cat lover just like me!” Not only did I get lovely pottery, but I also got to connect with someone who has a love of cats just like me. My shipment came wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap, ensuring the high-quality items I purchased were protected from the hazards of shipping across the country. It has been quite a while since I have been really excited to get get a package.

IMG_20151031_142918

In many cases, us writers get many items for free to review, but in these cases I couldn’t be happier to support the individual entrepreneurs like JnM and Misunrie. There are thousands of other entrepreneurs like JnM and Misunrie, but my bank account cannot afford to buy everything my eyes desire. I will be using Etsy to not only supprt the “little guy” but also will be making purchases to buy gifts for my friends and family. Check out Etsy.com by following this link. Or you can also download the Etsy app here from the Google Play Store. You won’t be disappointed.

IMG_20151031_142934

IMG_20151031_152158Capture6

What the OnePlus X means for the budget market

Josh Noriega
-
0

For those who keep up with OnePlus, we’ve known that a variant dubbed the OnePlus X was coming. I don’t know about you, but my mind had just passed it off as a less significant OnePlus 2. Boy, was I wrong.

oneplus_x

In a way, the OnePlus X ups the quality of the OnePlus 2 but reduces the price. No, it’s not quite that simple, a couple specs do take a mid-range turn. But, depending on what you value in a smartphone, the OnePlus X can be the better phone.

However, the impact of the X isn’t just confined to OnePlus’s world, this is a BIG deal to the overall budget smartphone market. More than any other year, 2015 has shown a shift to the relevance of budget offerings. There were so many strong budget contenders this year, such as the Asus Zenfone 2, Acatel Idol 3, and Moto X Style/Pure (or Moto X Play). A fantastic way to look at the OnePlus X is as icing on the cake and a peek at the future.

So what exactly did OnePlus do so right with the X? Firstly, I challenge you to find such a well-crafted phone for $250. Even phones well past the $300 mark still have that plasticky, yesteryear feel. OnePlus is offering a phone as premium as they come, for only $250. Other glass/metal phones, such as the Samsung’s Galaxy or Sony’s Xperia flagships, run around $700 to boot.

OnePlus-X-unveiled-photo-

But it’s not just that OnePlus created a pretty phone, the sacrifices it made in order to keep the price down are thought-out. One of these is with using Qualcomm’s previous reigning champ, the Snapdragon 801. However, we should be past the days of dying for the latest processor. It will be fast and it will work well. And there’s 3GB of RAM.

The 5″ screen size works for most people (AMOLED panel) and the 1080P resolution is plenty for that size. Budget phones are known to just throw in just some camera, which ends up being mediocre. OnePlus didn’t skimp in this way, at least on paper. There is a 13MP f/2.2 ISOCELL sensor with Phase-Detection Autofocus. The front camera is 8MP with a f2.4 aperture.

There is microSD expansion up to 128GB now. The battery is a considerable 2,525mAh. The more I go on, the more I’m impressed at what you’re getting for $250.

It’s unfortunate that the Invite system is a catch for all of OnePlus’s phones. No one likes it, I imagine not even OnePlus. But this is what it needs to do to push the budget limit. It is in avoiding excess inventory that the pricing can be the way it is. Fortunately, after the Invite process in November, OnePlus will open sales for the OnePlus X periodically.

The point is that the budget phone has now come a long way. The OnePlus X makes that bridge between costly flagship phones and compromised budget phones very short. In my opinion, it will make those who only buy flagship phones seriously stop and think: Why exactly am I spending 3x more? That is the key. The budget phone movement is going to change things.

The OnePlus X makes the future look bright, not only for affordability but also for the non-contract/unlocked way of purchasing a phone. The unlocked movement grows each time a promising budget phone is released, and I’m thankful for OnePlus ending 2015 in a bang.

OnePlus Invites page

Google makes it easier than ever to capture and share your favorite gaming moments

AndroidGuys
-
0

Google announced a new way to share your favorite gaming moments using the Google Play Games app. Now when you open the Google Play Games app, you can select the game you want to play and simply hit the record button to capture gameplay in either 720p or 480p resolution. You can also add video of yourself with commentary using your device’s front facing camera and microphone. To ensure you don’t upload anything embarrassing, you can edit the video before uploading to YouTube.

GPlay_GameplayRecording_v06_whitewithtext

I’m a troll in nature, so I would most likely use it to record myself playing Boom Beach while talking a little smack to my friends. I’m sure most of you would use it for tutorials or possibly even recording a funny moment in a video game to share with your friends.

Expect gameplay recording to roll out over the next few days to users in the US and UK with other countries soon after.

Source

Blu Products debuts a huge 7-inch unlocked smartphone

AndroidGuys
-
0

Blu Products debuted the new Blu Studio 7.0 LTE smartphone today, which features a HUGE 7-inch display, while still maintaining a slick, compact design. Yes, you did read that right. This phone is the same size, and bigger than many popular tablets, making it one of the largest smartphones on the market. It’s an ideal purchase for anyone wanting to reduce the total number of devices they have.

One may wonder how well you can hold a seven inch device in one hand. Android does have several settings options for one-handed use, such as screen reduction and keyboard position. On top of that, Blu has designed the back with a better grip, making it even easier to hold and perform one-handed operations.

The specs on this phone are also looking pretty sweet. It will be powered by the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, which will allow for extremely fast 4G-LTE speeds, streamlined multitasking performance and improved battery efficiency. The 7-inch display will provide 720p output and the 8.0 megapixel camera will be capable of recording 1080p HD video, along with a 2 megapixel front camera. The internal storage will be 16GB, with an expandable microSD slot up to 64GB, plus 1GB RAM. This phone will run Android 5.1 Lollipop OS. It also has dual sim capability, essentially allowing you to have two phones in one. The Blu Studio 7.0 also comes unlocked and will work on the T-Mobile and AT&T networks, including MetroPCS, Straight Talk, Simple Mobile, Cricket, and others.

You can purchase the BLU Studio 7.0 LTE on Amazon.com for $199.00 with free shipping.  Color options include white, blue, grey, and gold. 

Source: PR Newswire

Getting started with Microsoft’s Arrow Launcher

AndroidGuys
-
0

This week saw Microsoft Garage bring its first Android launcher application, Arrow Launcher, out of beta and into the Google Play Store. It’s a no-frills alternative to the stuff you’ll find pre-loaded on your Android handset but it does allow for a moderate amount of customization. If you’re in the hunt for something that freshens up your smartphone’s home screen and app launcher, this might be worth a try. We spent some time playing with it and are happy to walk you through some of the basics of Arrow Launcher for Android.

First time through

microsoft_arrow_launcher (2)Upon opening, the first thing that Arrow Launcher asks you to do is select your top applications and games. You are instructed to confirm at least five of your most used apps; these will be made readily accessible in the launcher experience. Once you’re set, it’s on to the new home screen.

Look around

Swiping to the left from your new home screen will bring up recent activity including applications used, pictures taken, call log, and more. Swipe to the right and it shows people that you are likely to call.

Generally speaking, Arrow Launcher is a rather straightforward layout with nothing too elaborate to worry about or configure. There are some nice animations to be found throughout, albeit they are subtle and won’t distract. While it does feel a little foreign foreign at first we can imagine that users will come to enjoy the simplistic design.

The bottom row of icons from left to right for us was emergency alerts, Chrome browser, the application tray, contacts, and general phone settings. Your results or settings may vary. The bottom five icons can be swiped up to display another five. It is possible, if you prefer, to pull out or swap icons for other applications.

microsoft_arrow_launcher (5)The center home screen showed our top applications at the top followed by a number of others which looked to be arbitrarily picked. While some of these are used on a regular basis, some of them are not. We suspect these apps will change with time. After all, Arrow Launcher claims it will get smarter the more you use it.

If you’re the type of person who does not like a cluttered screen this one may take some getting use to, at least in the early setup.

Indeed, users can customize the home screens by rearranging them in any preferred order. One panel, which was turned off by default, can be use for widgets while another (also preset as off) offers up notes and reminders. This page can be helpful if you like to keep a running list of things to do or jot down ideas and tasks while you’re on the go. As for the standard three pages, they are specific to recent apps and activity, all applications, and contacts/ people.

Inside the app drawer

microsoft_arrow_launcher (10)Tap the home button in the bottom row and your apps are delivered in an alphabetical manner that scrolls vertically. There is a search bar at the top of the app drawer so you can type in letters to more quickly pull up your apps. This will be helpful if you have a lot of applications or games loaded on your smartphone. Swiping to the right inside of the app drawer brings up your widget options with previews available for many of them.

Swiping up from the bottom row also results in some handy and useful settings: airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight, and screen orientation. It is also here where you can adjust brightness and hop into additional settings within Arrow Launcher.

For those of you who like to tinker a bit and prefer a specific aesthetic, you’ll be at least somewhat pleased. As you’ll find with other app launchers, users can opt for icons from downloaded icon packs. 

As an intial public release, you’ll find enough here to make the launcher feel unique to you. Moreover, the app learns and adapts over time and gets more intuitive. It’s not as full customizable as, say, Nova Launcher, it’s easy to set up and still provides a one-of-a-kind experience.

 

T-Mobile, MetroPCS pick up the 5.5-inch Alcatel Fierce XL

Scott Webster
-
0

T Mobile and its prepaid arm, MetroPCS, are set too soon offer the Alcatel OneTouch Fierce XL. Powered by Android 5.1 Lollipop this handset provides a 5.5 inch HD display at 720 pixel resolution.

The 1.1GHz quad core Snapdragon 210 processor is bolstered by 2GB of RAM and 16 gigabytes of internal storage. Not a lot of smartphone, mind you, but when you consider the price of the device is a mere $139 we are quick to forgive. As if that’s not good enough, MetroPCS is offering the phone with a $70 instant rebate, making it an even better deal at $69!

 

onetouch_fiercexlThe Fierce XL is the third and the Fierce series from Alcatel and packs an 8 megapixel camera on the back with a 2-megapixel shooter around front. Indeed, this is a 4G LTE smartphone and is capable of voice over LTE (VoLTE), Wi-Fi calling, and HD Voice.

MetroPCS will be the first to offer this smartphone when it goes on sale November 2nd. T Mobile will pick up the call at some point down the road, however an exact date and price has yet to be determined.

Alcatel

OnePlus intros its latest smartphone, the $250 unlocked ‘X’

Scott Webster
-
1

OnePlus today announced its latest Android phone the OnePlus X. Set to launch globally on November 5th, US consumers will get their hands on one two weeks later on November 19th.

The OnePlus X will run $250 but will be sold unlocked with dual-SIM support and can work with a variety of LTE bands. Powered by Android 5.1 with a modified OxygenOS on top, the X features a 5-inch 1080 HD display and a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 mobile processor.

dual-sim-oneplusx

To bolster performance the X comes with 3 gigabytes of RAM and offers a 16 gigabytes of internal storage. In terms of cameras the back side houses a 13-megapixel sensor and around front you’ll find an 8-megapixel shooter for selfies and video chat.

The X is designed with a metal frame and two glass panels; OnePlus will offer a ceramic version in select markets later on but it will be in limited supply. As is to be expected to be OnePlus X will be sold using the invite system. Customers can get in line for a reservation starting immediately.

Guard your info from prying eyes with LEO Privacy Guard [App Review]

AndroidGuys
-
2

With many of us having our entire lives and all our personal information somewhere on our phones, security and privacy are extremely important. LEO Privacy Guard is a security app full of features that attempt to keep your information safe and away from anyone looking for it. You can lock apps, hide messages and contacts, and even give your phone a performance boost if it needs it. The only question that remains, how well does it work?

LEO Privacy Guard setupScreenshot_20151023-160002

Setting up LEO Privacy Guard is fairly simple. When you first open the app, you are given a few splash screens that go over the main features in the app, and you are then asked to set a password so only you can access and make changes within the app itself. It defaults to a pattern password, but you can change it to a PIN code if you prefer. In case you forget your password, there is also a security question to fill out so you can still gain access.

LEO Privacy Guard usage

Screenshot_20151023-160053LEO Privacy Guard is free, and the first thing you will notice are the little aliens that hide at the edges of your screen. Clicking on them opens a page called “APP JOY” that gives you a grid of sponsored apps to install. These are basically the only ads you will see in the app aside from a couple of banner ads at the bottom, and for the most part, ads are unobtrusive.

The overall design of LEO Privacy Guard is somewhat cartoon-ish. Some may like this and others might not, and I happen to fall into the latter category. It is not bad, but I find it a bit to childish for an app centered around security.

The main feature of this app is App Lock which allows you to protect whichever apps you want behind the same password you set at the beginning. Putting an app behind a password is fairly simple. You tap on App Lock, select the apps you wish to protect, and you are done.

When you try to open an app that is protected, you are supposed to be met with the splash screen asking you enter the password. Unfortunately, I experienced significant delay between opening the app and having the password screen appear. For a full three seconds, you can see everything in the app you opened before being prompted to put in a password.

LEO Privacy Guard app lock ex.While that might not sound like a long time, it did give me enough time to open my email app (which was protected) and click on a specific email. After the password prompt popped up, I exited the app and immediately opened it again. I found the email I had clicked on was still open and I was able to take a screenshot before the password screen showed up again. This gives someone plenty of time to search through your email or text messages to find certain personal information and snap a picture before being met with the password prompt.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a “Boost” feature that cleans up your RAM and claims to make your phone run faster. With most modern smartphones, memory cleanup is not needed and I would have rather they left this feature out.

There is also a section in the app labeled “Protection” that looks like it will tell you if your phone is susceptible to a security risk. What it actually does is tell you if you have utilized all the features in LEO Security Guard. So if you haven’t hidden apps, pictures, messages, and contacts, you will have a protection “alert” in the app.

One more feature called “App Cover” attempts to add a little more security to those apps you password protected. You can choose to have a fake phone call happen, an error message, and a few other screens pop up every time a protected app is opened. Unfortunately, I found these to cause an even longer time between opening an app and being prompted to enter a password.

Roundup

What I liked:

  • Easy to set up
  • Decent security for protection against siblings or friends

What I did not like:

  • Actual security features are lacking
  • Long time between opening app and seeing password prompt
  • Mostly useless “Protection” feature
  • Not needed “Boost” feature

2.5 out of 5 stars

Now it is time to answer the question from the beginning of this review, and the answer is that this app does not work extremely well. Interaction is fluid, but the actual security part (which is the point of the app) is majorly lacking. If you are just planning on using this app to keep a younger sibling or nosy friend out of your messages or pictures, it will probably work.

But if you are looking for an app that will provide real security for the sensitive information you keep on your phone, you should look elsewhere. The lag between opening an app and being asked for a password allows for anyone looking for personal information to find it and even take a picture of it.

1...1,2181,2191,220...1,316Page 1,219 of 1,316