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Samsung announces Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge+ for August 21

Scott Webster
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1

[df-subtitle]As per the norm, all major wireless providers will offer the plus-sized handsets[/df-subtitle]

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As if we might have expected anything else, Samsung today formally revealed its annual Galaxy Note smartphone. Set to arrive in just over a week’s time, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the 2015 take on the larger flagship experience.  Additionally, Samsung also revealed the successor/sibling to its curved-edge Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge with the Galaxy S6 Edge+.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

If you’re looking for a revolution, you won’t find it here. The specs change little from last year’s iteration, making the Note 5 a simple evolution. Indeed, the hardware is much like that found in the Galaxy S6 launched earlier this year.

Powered by Android 5.1, the Galaxy Note 5 packs a 5.7-inch display at 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution (518ppi). Although it’s the same size screen as that found in last year’s model, the overall size of the devices has been trimmed down a shade.

In terms of processing power, this year’s model employs Samsung’s own octa-core Exynos chip; four cores at 2.1GHz and four cores running at 1.5GHz. To bolster performance, the Note 5 uses 4GB RAM, up from 3GB in last year’s model.

 

Storage capacities are a somewhat of a bummer; only 32GB and 64GB options are available and there’s no microSD expansion slot.

Battery has been dropped down to 3000mAh for this generation so we’re interested in seeing what sort of impact that has in usage. Betting on a cord-free future, the phone comes equipped with fast, wireless charging; Samsung promises a 0-100% charge in two hours.

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As for cameras, the Galaxy Note 5 offers up a 16-megapixel f/1.9 sensor on the rear with a host of software enhancement modes. Around front we find a 5-megapixel shooter which should be more than enough for selfies.

Like it did for the Galaxy S6, Samsung has opted for the metal and glass approach in this year’s plus-sized phone. While it looks great and has a premium feel, it trades off removable batteries and external storage. As to whether that matters to the average user base, that varies per person.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 also includes the digital fingerprint scanner that’s found in the Galaxy S6. What’s more, there’s also a heart rate sensor on the rear of the device.

Because this is a “Note” model we’re dealing with, you’ll, of course, find an S-Pen digital stylus. And, keeping with its own tradition, Samsung has improved this year’s version yet again.

This time around the stylus has a unique click-in release mechanism. Software has been given a punch up here with enhanced Air Command, PDF markup, and other little touches. Another cool feature we’re keen to try is the Instant Memo which lets users jot notes on the screen even when the display is otherwise turned off.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will be sold in black and white options through Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular. Pricing has not been disclosed so expect your service providers to disclose their own respective costs. Pre-orders begin today.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

Save for the omission of an S Pen digital stylus, specifications for the S6 Edge+ is largely identical to the Note 5. That is, more specifically, in terms of the hardware details that comprise the internals.

 

The key feature of the S6 Edge+ is its curved 5.7-inch display. In short, if you like the idea of the Galaxy S6 Edge but simply want something larger, then this is the device for you.

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Like the Galaxy Note 5, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be launched across the major wireless providers on August 21. Pricing is not defined yet so expect separate announcements in short order. Pre-orders start today at 3PM.

Niantic Labs, makers of Ingress, being spun off into an independent company

Matt Adams
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0

Niantic Labs, the division behind the super popular augmented reality game Ingress will be spun off into a new company. They’re currently a division within Google but will soon become independent of the search giant. There’s no word on if this is a move brought on by the creation of Alphabet but Niantic will NOT be an Alphabet property.

Google will remain a big part of the company while it looks to bring in “new partners” to reach more audiences. Ingress has 12 million installs and 250,00 active players and will begin to transfer data over from Google to the new Niantic company on September 11th. In an email to customers, Niantic has stated that players will be opt out of this. While this doesn’t seem to be a big deal, just remember that even though Niantic is going to become its own company, they will still operate under the umbrella of Google. So your data will still be safe.

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[blockquote author=”Niantic Labs”]Important Account Information: Niantic Labs is becoming an independent company. We’ll be taking our unique blend of exploration and fun to even bigger audiences with some amazing new partners joining Google as collaborators and backers. Niantic will be building on the success of +Ingress, which has been downloaded more than 12M times, has attracted more than 250,000 people to live events around the world, and has inspired users to collectively walk the distance from the earth to the sun while playing, exploring and discovering. Stay tuned at http://www.NianticLabs.com and our social channels for more information.[/blockquote]

Ingress has been a bit of a phenomenon in Android gaming. While augmented reality games aren’t a huge segment yet, Ingress boasts an impressive player base. It’s even big enough to spawn accessories made just keeping you up and running since the game is so hard on batteries. It’ll be interesting to see where the company heads next.

Source: Android Central via Ingress Google+

 

Lenovo announces they will bet on Motorola for their mobile future

Matt Adams
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0

During an earnings call on Wednesday, Lenovo announced they will depend on Motorola to design and produce smartphones for the company. Lenovo acquired Motorola from Google in 2014, in an effort to beef up their their smartphone offerings in the United States. Since then, Motorola has gone on to release the most popular smartphone in its history, the Moto G, and what is widely regarded as the best Android Wear smartwatch on the market, the Moto 360.

Lenovo has stated that they will reshuffle their mobile division to offer a more “streamlined product portfolio, with fewer, more clearly-differentiated models.” That’s probably a smart move on Lenovo’s part. While they’re not a complete unknown in the smart phone world, they do only account for 5.6% of the market and that takes into account sales from Motorola. Following the vision of Motorola’s mobile division to put out higher quality smartphones cheaper than their competitors would seem to be strategically advantageous. Lenovo can still release high end phones under their own name like the P90, Vibe X2 pro, and Vibe Shot which were announced at CES.

While some may see this as good news, the earnings call wasn’t all positive. Lenovo is facing increasing competition and negative headlines in both the mobile and computer markets and it shows in their numbers. While quarterly revenue was $10.7 billion (a 3% increase year-over-year), first quarter pre-tax income decreased 80% to $52 million and net income declined 51% to 105 million.

[blockquote author=”Lenovo”]Lenovo saw severe challenges in its main markets. It faced significant declines in the global PC and tablet markets, as well as slowing growth and increasing competition – especially in China – in smartphones. There were macroeconomic challenges in Brazil and Latin America and large currency fluctuations, intensifying competition, which hurt Motorola’s profitability in particular. Finally, Lenovo saw a rapidly shifting technology demand landscape in the enterprise business.[/blockquote]

In addition to restructuring the mobile group, Lenovo also announced that they will preposition their enterprise group to “attack” the most relevant and attractive market segments, accelerate the drive for 30% share in PCs and strive for greater efficiency across all functions. Lenovo says this will save them $650 million in expenses in the second half of this year and $1.35 billion on an annual basis. To accomplish the cuts, Lenovo will cut about 10% of it’s non-manufacturing staff and 60,000 people total.

Source: Lenovo via PhoneArena

 

Sundar Pichai named new Google CEO operating under Alphabet

Andrew Allen
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0

Alphabet

In what is some pretty darn surprising news, Google Co-Founder Larry Page has announced a few new changes to the company’s organization. The first of which, is made obvious by the title: Sundar Pichai, the man behind Android and Chrome, has been named the new CEO of Google. There are, however, some other new, and major, changes that have been made within Google.

This new structure will allow us to keep tremendous focus on the extraordinary opportunities we have inside of Google. A key part of this is Sundar Pichai. Sundar has been saying the things I would have said (and sometimes better!) for quite some time now, and I’ve been tremendously enjoying our work together… it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google.

Google, and all of its other ventures, will now operate under a newly founded company, Alphabet. This newly founded company, will take all the various bits and pieces from Google and they will seemingly run more separate from the group. This hopes to allow these various sub-projects to run smoother and allows the company to have “more management scale”.

Alphabet is mostly a collection of companies. The largest of which, of course, is Google. This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main internet products contained in Alphabet instead. What do we mean by far afield? Good examples are our health efforts: Life Sciences, and Calico . Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related.

From the post made by Larry Page via abc.xyz, Alphabet is allowing for more time to be devoted to projects that the company has been trying to grow. All of this, while, at the same time, allowing the bigger projects like Android or YouTube, to continue working on whatever is up their sleeves.

As for some type of game plan, Mr. Page was kind enough to give us an idea of what Alphabet aims to do as a whole, now that things are changed up:

  • Getting more ambitious things done.
  • Taking the long-term view.
  • Empowering great entrepreneurs and companies to flourish.
  • Investing at the scale of the opportunities and resources we see.
  • Improving the transparency and oversight of what we’re doing.
  • Making Google even better through greater focus.
  • And hopefully… as a result of all this, improving the lives of as many people as we can.

All of the news surrounding this is still developing, so we will be sure to have more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, check out this crazy URL, abc.xyz/ and let us know what you think about these new changes to the regime.

Source: abc.xyz

ZTE Overture 2 review

Josh Noriega
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10

[dropcaps]When those of us who aspire for the latest and greatest see a budget phone, it’s only natural to shrug our shoulders and move on to something more interesting.  With that said, I don’t think the latest and greatest in smartphones has been that inspiring lately.  I’ll actually argue that there’s more action going on in the budget space right now.  As the gain of top-level components are slowing, entry-level components have way more advancement to be had.  And as that gap narrows, you get much more value with the inferior smartphone.[/dropcaps]

And this is exactly the perspective that I took with the entry-level ZTE Overture 2.  ZTE is no stranger to value in the smartphone space, and the Overture 2 is no exception with a price tag of $50, on Cricket Wireless.  What made this review particularly interesting to me is that fact that it runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop and sports a Snapdragon quad-core processor.  Time to see how narrow that gap really is!

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Design/Build

When you consider an entry-level smartphone, it’s not reasonable to expect a design that impresses, but rather, one that works.  It will be basic, but sturdy.  And if it excels, the user won’t be thinking about the cheap price tag.  I’m happy to report that this precisely describes the Overture 2.

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Yes, the design is reminiscent of older plastic Android handsets, back when removable back covers were commonplace.  However, not once did I loathe holding the Overture 2.  It feels solid, doesn’t flex or creak, and the material doesn’t indicate that it won’t last.

I appreciate that the plastic back cover has a textured weave-like pattern.  It helps considerably with the grip.  There’s a small notch on one of the corners for easy removal of the back cover.  The cover easily snaps back into place.

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It’s a bummer that while the back cover is removable, the battery isn’t.  I always dislike when manufacturers do this, it’s almost like a tease.  All is not lost as there is a microSD card slot under the cover.  The SIM card slot also resides here.

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Although the Overture 2 runs on the latest Android OS, you won’t find the latest method for navigation buttons.  On the front you have capacitive soft keys on the bottom (in Lollipop style, at least), a ZTE logo smushed between the display and earpiece, and a front-facing camera.  My only gripe here would be the screen-to-body ratio of the phone.  At 62.9%, I feel like a 4.5″ device should be smaller than this.

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Around the perimeter of the phone, we have a microUSB charging port on the left, separated volume buttons on the right, power button on the top right, and headphone jack on the top left.  There is only a microphone on the bottom of the phone.

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The usability of the power and volume buttons were done well.  They’re clicky, instead of mushy.  Neither too hard nor too soft to press.

Performance

I was excited to put the Overture 2’s hardware through its paces.  Although this a budget phone, it’s running the latest version of Android (Lollipop 5.1).  Powering it is the current entry-level quad-core processor from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 410 (1.2 GHz).  In other words, I was curious to test out how much performance I would lose in comparison to my top-end daily driver.

Confirming my suspicions, the difference wasn’t stark.  The Overture 2 is sufficiently snappy with basic operations (sifting through panels and apps, opening/closing applications, web surfing).  There are some executions that do have a second or two delay that shouldn’t, but certainly nothing to cry about.  This could be attributed to the low 1GB of RAM.

And while we’re on the topic of low memory, something I dislike that’s common on budget smartphone is low internal storage capacity.  Unfortunately, the Overture 2 suffers the same fate, with only 8GB of storage space.  After installing a handful of standard apps (Facebook, FlipBoard, Pandora, etc.) and taking a few pictures, I was down to 1.38GB available.

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Bear in mind that the OS takes up a chunk of the overall capacity.  Fortunately, Overture 2 is helped along by a microSD slot (expandable up to 32GB).

I loaded up a game (Leo’s Fortune) on the Overture 2, to test out the on-board Adreno 306 graphics chip.  I wanted to try either Modern Combat or Asphalt to stress test the system, but unfortunately with that little storage space, you won’t be able to install big games on this device.  But for what it’s worth, Leo’s Fortune played smoothly and without a hitch.

Display

The largest red mark I would have to give the Overture 2 is on the display.  Its Achilles heel is without a doubt the display quality.  Let’s cover the specs first.

We have a 4.5″ LCD screen (protected by Dragontrail glass), with a FWVGA resolution (854 x 480 pixels).  While the resolution is older than yesteryear, it is not unexpected for an entry-level smartphone.  The same ideal extends to the display quality, but here I’m particularly left feeling that ZTE could should have done better.

The display has this strange phenomenon that occurs at viewing angles.  I’ve seen this happen in cheaper screens before, so I don’t think it’s a screen defect.  When you tilt to one side you see dimmed color degradation (almost like inverted colors) and when you tilt to the other side the image is washed out (a more typical effect of cheap displays).

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Both effects seem to merge at the middle (looking at the phone straight on), to give an OK image, but my eyes can tell something is not right.  The big problem is the viewing angle sensitivity.  It only takes a slight tilt for the image to quickly degrade in the manner determined by the direction you tilted it.  I have to keep the device steady and straight, or my eyes get a shot of unpleasantness.

If you can look past this issue, colors are alright, resolution is sufficient but not ideal, and outdoor visibility is modest.

Camera

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The Overture 2 is equipped with a 5 MP rear camera with single LED flash.  You can record at 720p.  I was impressed by all the features that ZTE through in, separated by three categories:

  1. Fun mode – Special effects (filters), smile detection, HDR, automatic image capture at set time intervals, panorama, and multi-exposure to collate images.
  2. Auto mode – Simple point-and-shoot operation.
  3. Manual mode – Where you can control white balance, ISO, or exposure.

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The quality of the images are in line with what I would expect for a phone at this price range.  In good lighting, we can get respectable capture.  But in situations with dynamic range, the camera can blow out lighting a bit.  Colors are decent, but lean a little on the dull side.  Detail matches what I would expect from a 5 MP shooter.  Image quality drops drastically in lower light, but this is not unexpected from a budget camera.

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The front facing camera is VGA (0.3 MP).  It is similar to other VGA sensors I’ve seen, which produce grainy selfies.

Battery Life

The battery capacity is a respectable 2,100 mAh.  Although the back cover is removable, the battery is sealed in.  So you won’t be able to carry around extra battery packs.

On the bright side, it may be that you don’t have to.  I was left very impressed by the battery life this little guy managed to pull.  One day I charged it up in the morning and was out and about for half the day and only used 38% battery.  This was with typical operations:  Streaming music in the card, checking Google Maps, web browsing, and taking a few pictures.

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I used it on and off connected to Wifi the rest of the day and went to bed with 35% battery.  My overnight test (leaving it on, connected to wifi, while I sleep and checking it first thing when I wake up) produced an average result of 15% battery drain.

The Overture 2 also has ZTE’s power saver option.  Testing it produced similar results as the power saver that comes in stock Lollipop, unsure if it’s the same or not.  What’s different is the very welcomed power management controls.

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Software

ZTE is known to add their own little touches to Android, and it’s no different with the Overture 2.  However, I do appreciate how minimal they keep it.  I can still see remnants of stock Lollipop in places, such as the sound priority control when you press a volume button, the drop-down notification/quick settings panel, and the dialer.

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The most drastic changes are the following:

  • Instead of swiping up to unlock the screen, you press and hold.
  • ZTE’s custom app drawer, folder, and icon appearances
  • ZTE apps in place of Google apps (camera, browser, gallery)
  • Available options when you tap and hold a panel.  ZTE included theming and and different panel transitions to choose from.

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I really like that ZTE’s alterations to Android don’t feel like they’re deep in the system.  I don’t feel bogged down, or that stock Android is handicapped in some way.  There are a few apps installed by default (bloatware):  Evernote, AccuWeather, Deezer, AskMD, and several Cricket apps.  As with other carriers, you can disable them but not uninstall them.  This is especially annoying when you consider how little internal storage you’re given.

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Final Thoughts

I’ve very glad to have taken the Overture 2 through its paces.  The performance that today’s entry-level Android can pull has left me quite impressed.  If it weren’t for the main concerns I’ve raised (poor display, camera lighting issues, and miniscule internal storage space), I could go as far to say I wouldn’t be too unhappy using this instead of my flagship phone.

But from the perspective of a consumer on a budget, I still consider the Overture 2 a great value despite the some of the weak hardware.  You can’t ignore the $50 price tag, and you’re getting a solid build, a terrific performer, respectable battery life, and the latest version of Android.

ZTE Overture 2 Product Page

LG G Flex 2 Review: Gimmick turned useful

Benton Trerise
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6

For awhile now, innovation in the mobile phone space has been stagnant in terms of hardware. These days new flagships simply have bigger, higher resolution screens, with faster processors and more RAM than most users know what to do with. In an attempt to make a name for themselves, both Samsung and LG have been playing with the idea of flexible touch screens. For Samsung, this came to fruition in the Samsung Note Edge and S6 Edge. For LG, it has come in the form of the LG G Flex 2 (say that five times fast).

When I first found I would be reviewing this device, it was more out of curiosity than any thoughts of the curve being useful. Yet, the more I used the G Flex 2, the more I found the curve to be a natural extension of my hand than another device. Read on for more information!

Software and UI

While doing the review, the LG G Flex 2 had Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, with LG’s new UX 4.0 skin on top. I have mixed feelings about the software on this phone, because it is (in my opinion) the most useful UI skin of all the manufacturers (except Motorola, but they don’t have a UI skin technically). At the same time, it is the most ugly UI of all the manufacturers. With Lollipop being such a beautiful piece of software, LG takes away all of that by placing ugly color combinations and nonsensical placement of words and icons. Luckily, with the use of other launchers, you really only see the UI in the settings.

[blockquote author=””]Something that was originally seen as a gimmick has become very useful[/blockquote]

Once I get past the look of their UI, the software is great. In fact, I didn’t seem to have any memory leak issues or major bugs many others have faced when dealing with Android 5.0. Further, the ability to customize a lot of the little aspects of the phone to my liking is very useful. I would have maybe liked to see more software tailored to the screen’s curve. However, one of LG’s newest features – called “Glance” – seemed easier to accomplish with a curved screen than other LG’s phones.

Navigating the software was smooth, with me never experiencing lag. LG’s Knock Code feature was as useful as usual. All-in-all, I enjoyed the software on the phone. Just wish it wasn’t so stinking ugly.

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[df-subtitle]Display[/df-subtitle]

The LG G Flex 2 has a 5.5″ P-OLED 1080p screen, giving it a pixel density of 403 pixels per inch. While most top-end smartphones these days are opting for a Quad HD display (including LG’s own G4), the choice to go with 1080p on the G Flex 2 wasn’t a bad one, in my opinion. When the pixels per inch go above 400 (and arguably even over 300), you’re hard-pressed to see any pixels with the naked eye. Further, some people prefer the 1080p display as it doesn’t tend to drain battery life as quickly (which perhaps lends to the G Flex 2’s great battery life – more later).

[blockquote author=””]The G Flex 2 feels like an extension of my hand[/blockquote]

One choice I believe was in LG’s favor that changed from the original G Flex to the G Flex 2 was the screen size. The original was a whopping 6 inches, which was before the Nexus 6 made that size popular. While the G Flex 2 is no small phone, 5.5″ is much easier to handle than the original (I’ll talk about feel more in “Design”).

The P-OLED display allows for true blacks, and rich colors. The display is bright and crisp, and even viewable in direct sunlight. The curve of the display (in terms of viewing angles) was at times helpful, and at times not. Usually, the curve was helpful, because if one part of the screen had a glare on it, it was not present on the entire screen. However, whenever I placed the phone in a car dock, the phone would stand upright. This would cause the top to curve down ever so slightly, so that the auto brightness would not set for outside, but rather darker. This was solved by disabling auto brightness and manually setting it, but something that is a little annoying to do.

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[df-subtitle]Design[/df-subtitle]

I am sure this is what most users are curious about. Let me put it this way: something that was originally seen as a gimmick has become, in my opinion, very useful.

Let me start with the fact that the phone does not feel like it has a 5.5″ screen because of the curve. That, coupled with the dimensions of the phone (149.10 mm x 75.30 mm x 9.40 mm) and the weight (152 grams), and the phone feels more like a 5.0″-5.2″ phone. Certainly a much easier hold than the original G Flex. While I couldn’t reach my thumb all the way to the other corner of the screen, I come pretty close.

Past that, and the curve allows the phone to just feel better/easier to use than just about any other phone. When I use it for a call, if actually feels like I’m using a phone, rather than a brick. When the phone is in my pocket, it just seems to form better against my leg, rather than a brick. And scrolling through web pages, flicking through images, and any other situation that calls for me to run my finger across the screen seems so much more natural… rather than a brick.

I think you get the idea: the G Flex 2 feels more like an extension of my hand, rather than a brick that can post cat photos on the internet.

Other than the curve itself, the phone certainly has a plastic feel, but the metal edge around the screen helps take away the cheap feeling you might otherwise get. Also, the buttons are on the back (a trademark of LG these days), and seem easier to reach because of the curve.

Here’s what I know: after using this phone for an extended period of time, going back to a phone without that curve just felt, unnatural.

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[df-subtitle]Camera[/df-subtitle]

The camera on the G Flex 2 isn’t anything to write home about, but it isn’t bad either. Included below are a few sample shots I took. It comes with a 13 MP rear shooter, and a 2.1 front-facing shooter. The rear camera has laser-focus, which I found to be quicker than most other cameras. It can shoot 1080p video. The camera does have Optical Image Stabilization, something that most smartphones are missing these days.

Otherwise, not a whole lot that is special about the camera on this phone.

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[df-subtitle]Overall Performance[/df-subtitle]

The G Flex 2 overall was a great phone to use. Actions were quick, apps loaded up smoothly, and I never noticed any lag. Probably the only thing I noticed was that the phone was able to get pretty hot when playing a game, or doing a lot of multi-tasking. This is likely due to the fact that it uses a Snapdragon 810, though. Otherwise, its 3 GB of RAM could handle everything I threw at it.

Battery life was phenomenal. I often tell people that LG is one of the leaders in battery performance, and the G Flex 2 is no exception. I played with the phone a lot, but thanks to the 3,000 mAh battery, I often went to bed with about 30% left, and almost 5 hours of screen on time. Had I not used it so much each day, I could have likely gotten 2 and a half days out of it, no problem.

To be honest, there’s not a whole lot more to say about its performance, which is a good thing.

LG’s G Flex 2 seems to be a big improvement from the original G Flex, but those who had adopted the original won’t feel left in the dust, as the curve certainly is prominent in day-to-day use. Otherwise, those looking for a phone with a big screen that durable, and has something unique to it, shouldn’t look too far, as the G Flex 2 is a great entry into the smartphone race.

Boost Mobile announces Alcatel OneTouch Conquest, Elevate

Scott Webster
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0

[df-subtitle]The first of the two Android 5.0 smartphones is available today; the second arrives in August[/df-subtitle]

Boost Mobile has two new Android handsets for its customers, one of which is available immediately. Starting today, the Alcatel OneTouch Conquest can be had for $130. Next month, however, the Alcatel OneTouch Elevate arrives with a $100 sticker.

Powered by Lollipop versions of Android, the two are considered budget-minded devices. The pair share a couple of features, including 5-megapixel rear cameras, LTE support, and quad-core processors.

Alcatel_Conquest

Key features in the Alcatel OneTouch Conquest:

  • IP67 waterproof and dustproof
  • Android 5.0, Lollipop:
  • 5-inch 720p HD touchscreen display with Dragontrail Glass
  • 5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash
  • 2-megapixel front camera
  • Quad-core 1.2GHz processor
  • 3G/4G LTE/Enhanced LTE3

BM_Alacatel_Elevate

Key features in the Alcatel OneTouch Elevate:

  • Android 5.1 Lollipop
  • 4.5-inch FWVGA display
  • 5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash
  • 2-megapixel front camera
  • 3G/4G LTE/Enhanced LTE
  • Quad-core 1.1GHz processor

Boost Mobile offers rate plans that start as low as $30 with Auto Re-Boost. The prepaid carried this week began offering data add-on bundles for 1GB or 2GB extra data. Boost Mobile operates using Sprint’s wireless network.

Motorola unwraps Moto G, Moto X Play, and Moto X Style

Scott Webster
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Motorola on Tuesday announced three new models of smartphone, each designed with a different demographic in mind. One is a successor to an existing line while the other two are variations on another line. Beginning today and rolling out over the coming weeks are the Moto G, Moto X Style, and Moto X Play.

Moto G (3rd Gen.)

Available immediately via Motorola.com, the new Moto G can be had for as low as $179.99 — off contract, of course. Options include 8GB storage with 1GB RAM as well as 16GB storage with 2GB RAM.

Powered by Android Lollipop, the phone offers a 5-inch full HD display, 13-megapixel rear camera, and front-facing 5-megapixel camera. Water resistant, the Moto G is rated against splashes and drops in water and can withstand up to 30 minutes in a meter of water.

motog3_specs_expanded_d_0

 

Internally, the handset runs a quad-core Qualcomm 410 processor and can be designed with either of the aforementioned memory combinations. There is a difference of $40 between the 8GB/1GB and 16GB/2GB option.

Rounding out the specs are a microSD expansion card slot, 4G LTE support, and a 2470mAh battery. In terms of added software, Motorola has kept it light, loading Moto Display and Moto Assist.

The 2015 (3rd Gen.) edition also marks the first time the Moto G can be customized using the Moto Maker tool. With two front colors and ten back plate colors, it’s possible to deck out your device in a handpicked accent color; engraving is also available. As an added bonus, the back plates can be removed and changed using shells and flip shells at a later date.

Moto X Play

The first variant of the Moto X family, the Moto X Play boasts a downright ridiculous 3,630mAh battery with Quick Charge technology. Promising two days on a single charge, the phone can pick up 8 hours of battery life from only 15 minutes of charging.

Moto_X_Play_Blue_White_Lifestyle

 

Other details disclosed today were the 5.5-inch full HD screen, 21-megapixel rear camera, and 5-megapixel user-facing camera. Powering the show here is a 1.7GHz Qualcomm 610 processor; storage and memory is not yet known.

Motorola has not revealed pricing was nor specific U.S. plans at this time. Moto X Play will be available starting in August in various countries across Europe, Latin America, and Canada (sorry, it won’t be available in the US, but we’ll have more choices for you all later this year). Moto X Style will be available in countries across Europe, Latin America and North America starting in September. News for Asia Pacific, China and India will come later this year.

Moto X Style

Considered a “Pure Edition” handset in the U.S., the unlocked phone will feature universal banding which means support for LTE networks around the world.

Moto_X_Style_Champagne_Front_Back

Like its predecessor, the Moto X Style can be designed via Moto Maker with rear panel materials that include wood, leather, and silicon.

In terms of specs, this version packs a 5.7-inch screen, 21-megapixel rear camera, and Quick Charge capabilities. Shipping with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, the Moto X Style will be arrive in the US in September with a price tag of $399.

New accessories

In addition to the three new devices, Motorola also introduced the Moto Pulse and Moto Surround, new audio device “that fit with our busy on-the-go lifestyles”.

moto_pulse

The Pulse is an ultra-light, wireless on-ear Bluetooth headphone that delivers up to 18 hours of continuous playtime. Available through motorola.com immediately, the unit is priced at $59.99.

moto_surroundThe Surround is an earbud designed to wear around the collar and which promises 12 hours of playtime. Sweat-proof and waterproof, the headset also has a built-in mic and volume buttons for taking calls. It, too, is available starting today on motorola.com with a $69.99 sticker.

Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt review

Scott Webster
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We’re halfway through 2015, which means we shouldn’t be messing with things like cables for charging our portable devices. Along those lines, we shouldn’t be worrying about keeping track of keys, either. I mean, we can already start our car without a physical key; why can’t we do the same for our homes?

schlage

I recently installed the (Century Style) Schlage Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt Lock on my front door. The timing couldn’t be better as we’re actually in the process of removing the gold and bronze stuff that’s been in my house for ages. Out with the old, in the with brushed or satin nickle finish.

Admittedly, I am not what you’d term a handyman. On the other hand, I’m also not an idiot and can often work myself through installation or building of household devices. Also, I have previous experience with installing a deadbolt lock on my previous house so I knew what to expect — for the most part. Would a connected or touchscreen unit be any different.

Alas, installing the Schlage Connect proved to be just as simple as the standard locks you’d find at a hardware store. There may be a few more pieces included in the box but that certainly did not make for any trouble. All in all, I spent roughly 20 minutes taking out the old deadbolt and replacing with the new one.

As part of the “connected” aspect of the deadbolt, this one features a touch keypad for the outside. Simply press the SCHLAGE button and the door locks itself. To unlock, press that button, followed by the PIN. On the inside you’ll find a traditional knob to lock and unlock the door.

Just above said knob is another button which works with the alarm. See, there are four AA batteries inside the housing that allows for the touchpad to work. And, since it’s got a power source, the door can alert you (user-defined) to tampering, activity, or forced entry.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/schlage-connect/”%5D

It’s possible to create up to 30 access codes to the door so feel free to assign one to each member of the family. Indeed, there’s also a keyhole and an accompanying key which can be used the “old fashioned” way, too. Another cool feature – access codes that expire.

Although having a touchscreen is nice, the experience gets even better if you have a Wink Hub ($50) in your house. Should you, you’ll be able to use your smartphone or tablet to connect remotely to your front door. Yep, you can lock and unlock from wherever you are, provided there’s a data connection.

 

Having recently gone on vacation we gave a few friends some user codes to gain access to our home. This way they can stop by to check on the animals and bring in the mail without a key.

[toggles title=”Specifications”]

  • Applications: Residential single family doors
  • Certifications: Grade 1 ANSI/BHMA certified
  • Keying: 5-pin tumbler, C Keyway, 1 key included
  • Door range: 1-3/8” to 1-3/4” (35mm-44mm) standard
  • Operating Temperatures: Outside escutcheon: -35C to 66C, Inside escutcheon: -10C to 49C

[/toggles]

Using the Wink app I was able to to see exactly who stopped by and when. The app not only keeps a log of general activity but there are rules you can create for notifications. The app can also alert you to battery status, too.

In the few weeks that we’ve had the lock in place we’ve yet to run into an issue. Between my wife, son, and myself, we’re all enjoying having our own codes and one less key to carry around.

[list][item icon=”fa-thumbs-o-up” ]Easy to install (screwdriver only)[/item][item icon=”fa-thumbs-o-up” ]Simple to use[/item][item icon=”fa-thumbs-o-up” ]Very flexible and full of options[/item][item icon=”fa-thumbs-o-up” ]Available in a variety of colors and finishes[/item][/list]

[list][item icon=”fa-thumbs-o-down” ]Would like to connect to smartphone without additional hardware[/item][item icon=”fa-thumbs-o-down” ]Price might push some away[/item][/list]

With a cost of around $175-$200, the Schlage Connect doesn’t come cheaply. Then again, a quick check at Lowe’s tells me the average cost ranges from $250-$100 with plenty of models coming in even higher.

Would I have reached for one of these on the shelf or considered one for our house just yet? At that price, I would have slept on the decision. But, after having it installed, it’s already providing peace of mind.

I’ve come to enjoy the functionality and flexibility that comes with connecting to my mobile devices. When the time comes for our next lock replacement I will certainly scoop one of these up. And, after showing this to my friends and family, I can see the wheels spinning for them, too.

ZTE officially launches the Axon phone

Josh Noriega
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ZTE has been steadly climbing up the ranks in the U.S., currently situated at the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer spot.  In the past weeks, they’ve given us a tease that something significant was coming, dubbed the Axon phone.

Today is the day we got to hear what it’s all about, and she’s quite a contender.

zte_axon_3

Coming in at a starting price of $450, we’re not looking at a budget phone, but not a pricey beast either.  ZTE is reinforcing their stance in the U.S., claiming that “Axon is a flagship phone designed in the U.S. for the U.S.”.  Their aim was to make a phone that encompassed all that consumers desired in a phone.  That’s a bold undertaking, let’s review what they’ve come up with:

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  • Design/Build:  Metal chassis, 9.3mm thickness, Ion Gold, Chromium Silver, or Phthalo Blue color options
  • Display:  5.5″ QHD LCD with Gorilla Glass 3
  • SoC:  Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 @ 2.0GHz
  • RAM:  4GB
  • Storage:  32GB
  • Camera:  Dual rear (13MP + 2MP depth sensor) and 8MP front
  • Speaker:  Mono front-facing, from the bottom of the phone
  • Battery:  3,000mAh
  • Buttons:  Capacitive navigation and a dedicated camera button
  • OS:  Android 5.1 Lollipop with light ZTE UI tweaks

zte_axon_2

If the Axon performs well, I would say this is an outstanding value.  ZTE has also made a point to deliver outstanding audio.  The Axon is said to contain two dedicated audio chipsets for HiFi sound from your headphones and HiFi recording via twin microphones.

Although this is a phone aimed for U.S. customers, it is GSM only.  Thus, Verizon and Sprint customers are left out.  This fact leaves me scratching my head.  How can you make a phone for the U.S., but ignore two of its major carriers?

The Axon phone is now up for pre-order, with shipments beginning as early as July 27th.  Hit up the source link for more info.  Did ZTE sway you with the announcement or are you underwhelmed?

Source: ZTE

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