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Motorola serves up Moto G Pure for entry-level needs

Scott Webster
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Motorola on Thursday announced its latest smartphone, the Moto G Pure, making it available at nearly every wireless carrier in the US.

The entry-level handset will be priced as low as $150 when it goes on sale at Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, Metro, Boost, UScellular, and Xfinity. Also on tap are Consumer Cellular, Spectrum Mobile, and Republic Wireless.

Verizon will be the first to offer the Moto G Pure starting October 14 followed by other carriers “in the coming months”. Motorola will sell also offer the phone unlocked for $160, with pre-orders also commencing October 14. Additionally, you’ll find the universally unlocked handset at Best Buy, Walmart, B&H Photo, Amazon.com.

The Moto G Pure is powered by a MediaTek Helio G25 chip with 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. The 6.5-inch HD+ display has a 20:9 aspect ratio which means it’s thinner and easier to hold with one hand. A fingerprint reader is located on the rear with the whole experience protected by a water-repellent coating.

Other noteworthy specifications include a 13-megapixel main camera and depth camera on the rear with a 5-megapixel shooter around front. A 4,000mAh battery should be good for around two days of usage, according to Motorola.

The Moto G Pure runs Android 11 at launch with a promise of one major OS upgrade and two years of security updates. If not done monthly, they’ll arrive quarterly.

XDO Pantera Pico PC review

Jason England
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These days, more and more of us are working and studying from home. As such, many of us are shopping for a new computer. Why? Because that old one from 2009 isn’t quite up to the challenge and because you don’t like to split time with other users. This is a fact that XDO was well aware of when it decided to launch its Pantera Pico PC which can be had for as little as $160.

Thankfully, XDO was nice enough to send us out a unit early for review so we could share it with you.

Key specs:

  • Intel J4125
  • Up to 8GB of RAM
  • Up to 1TB of storage
  • 3 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 ports
  • MicroSD card slot
  • Headphone jack
  • HDMI 2.0 port
  • Runs Windows 10 or Linux
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
  • Weighs 0.39lbs

User experience

The Pantera Pico PC is a compact computer jam-packed with ports. It’s really quite impressive that such a tiny PC has more ports than many laptops you can buy these days. Additionally, the Pantera Pico PC is Windows 11 ready so you shouldn’t have to worry about getting stuck on an outdated version of Windows.

Getting the Pantera Pico PC set up is pretty straight forward and if you’ve ever hooked up a new PC before then you’ll have no trouble. Just be aware that you’re going to need a monitor that supports an HDMI connection and a keyboard and mouse that connects via USB, a wireless USB dongle, or Bluetooth.

Accessories

XDO offers a few accessories to help out with this, like a Bluetooth keyboard, USB mouse, battery pack, projector, and carrying case. For my review, I was sent all of these except for the battery pack.

The case feels high quality, and there should be no problem with it keeping the Pico PC and all of the accessories safe, however, it is a little on the bulky side for when you’re trying to be mobile.

The keyboard feels pretty flimsy and wasn’t the best to type on, additionally, the mouse was too small and I wouldn’t recommend using it either. That’s why I immediately swapped them out with an old wireless keyboard and mouse I have from an older computer I had lying around.

Now, while my keyboard and mouse worked perfectly, a word of warning, when I plugged the dongle into the USB 2.0 port it broke the Wi-Fi connection on the Pantera Pico PC. I’m not sure what the issue was, but the Wi-Fi connection refused to work until I swapped the dongle to a different port.

Pantera Pico Projector

My favorite of all the accessories was the projector. I didn’t use this much with the Pico PC, but instead, chose to use it as a standalone product. The Pantera Pico Projector runs Android 7.1.2 which is certified by Google and allows you to install apps from the Play Store. It also comes with plenty of ways to control it thanks to a physical remote, touch controls on the top of the pint-sized projector, and an app that gives you remote control of it.

My only complaints would be that the Pantera Pico Projector’s resolution is pretty low at 854 x 480, you have to manually focus it, and at 70 ANSI Lumens, it’s really only good in dark rooms at screen sizes of around 40 inches or smaller. It will still work at larger sizes but the low resolution and brightness become much more apparent the bigger the screen gets.

The Pantera Pico Projector also only has enough battery life to last about 90 minutes. For that reason, I wish XDO had used a micro USB or USB Type-C port to make it easy to run from a power bank. Despite all of this, the Pantera Pico Projector has great software for a projector and works extremely well.

Regardless, when using the Pantera Pico PC, I chose to use the Lepow portable monitor for my display and it worked great.

Performance

My review unit of the Pantera Pico PC came with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, powered by the Intel Celeron J4125 CPU that maxes out at 2.70GHz. With these specs, you can easily do most office or school related tasks, however, the storage is quite slow for an M.2 drive and it can feel a tad sluggish with only 8GB of memory.

When it comes to gaming, I was surprised the Pantera Pico PC was able to run some smaller games like Overcooked 2 and cloud gaming with Stadia ran perfectly. Trying some more graphically intense games like Control proved disappointing though as it was simply unplayable.

In the end, the Pantera Pico PC ran well and despite being a little slow it stayed very quiet, even when gaming. Although, I’d definitely not plan on buying the Pantera Pico PC for gaming unless you’re going to use a cloud gaming service.

Final Thoughts

For a computer that starts at $160, the Pantera Pico PC is a capable little machine for school or business. While I do wish it offered one useable USB Type-C port, and I had issues with the USB 2.0 port, it still offers plenty of I/O options and runs nearly silently.

I would recommend stepping up to the more expensive model that includes 8GB of memory and performs better for school work or office apps. However, gamers will need a system with more horsepower or to stick to casual games, older games, or cloud gaming.

After just completing a successful Kickstarter campaign the Pantera Pico PC is now available via Indiegogo InDemand, and is available in black, gunmetal grey, blue, red, purple, pink, and gold.

Tips for choosing the ideal maintenance program for business assets

AndroidGuys
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Equipment maintenance is one of the crucial aspects that you cannot afford to miss for your business. It ensures equipment and software are in good working condition. However, choosing the right strategy is always confusing for most people. There are a number of factors that you must put into consideration. Such include the cost of maintenance, the size of your staff, among others. As the owner of the business, it is vital to know the best maintenance strategy you should apply. This article has highlighted the important things to consider when selecting a maintenance plan.

Understand the Different Sorts of Maintenance Plans

Picking the best maintenance strategies needs you to know the different kinds of maintenance plans. There are several of them and the only way to get the best for your business is to understand what it is all about with these strategies. The types of maintenance strategies include;

Corrective Maintenance

This involves fixing a problem once it is noticed instead of waiting until the machine malfunctions. In most cases, a technician will notice the problem during the inspection and fix it immediately without waiting for deep maintenance.

Routine Maintenance

As the name suggests, this is basically a routine checkup carried out every day to ensure machines are working correctly. Maintenance is usually planned to point out problems and prevent them. No specialized equipment or skills is required for routine maintenance.

Condition Based Maintenance

Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) is maintenance done based on the current working condition of the equipment. The machine is inspected and monitored to decide when maintenance should be done. For instance, you can monitor the overheating areas to notice the problem before the machine breaks down completely.

Predictive Maintenance

This is almost like condition-based maintenance. However, as conditioned-based maintenance relies on the real-time performance of the machine to fix the problem, predictive maintenance takes into account the past, current, and future conditions. It then offers predictions on when the machine should be maintained before total breakdown.

Preventive Maintenance

This is the sort of maintenance carried out regularly on equipment to avoid failure. Care happens in two ways; usage-based maintenance and time-based maintenance. For usage-based maintenance, the maintenance is arranged after the machine performs a specific amount of work. And for time-based maintenance, the equipment is maintained after working for a specific period.

Run to Fail Maintenance

This involves letting a machine perform until it breaks down. However, a plan to replace or fix it must be in place to prevent any delays. In this type of maintenance, no effort is done to keep the machine in good condition.

Prescriptive Maintenance

This kind of upkeep uses the monitoring of the condition of the machine and other tools to determine when maintenance should be done. It also dictates the right maintenance that should be done to ensure the machine runs longer before malfunctioning.

These are the different types of maintenance approaches you can choose for your business gear. Each of them applies differently. Manual tracking of maintenance info is tedious, and data may get lost at times. So, technicians choose barcodes to help in identifying which machine has been inspected, what maintenance is essential, and when it should be applied.

Know the Variables

Every business needs are different, and what works for your business may not work for another. This is why it is imperative to know how these strategies work. After knowing the different kinds of maintenance plans, you ought to look at the variables in your business that will affect the choice you make. These include the cost of maintenance, size of staff, and assets in your business.

Conclusion

When picking the right maintenance plan, these are two vital things that you must know. You need to understand the different kinds of maintenance plans and how they work. You will also need to know your business variables like cost of maintenance, amount of properties in the business, and the size of your staff. These variables will influence the choice of maintenance plan you pick.

Featured Image: Photo by Skitterphoto from Pexels

US Mobile Buyer’s Guide

AndroidGuys
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Most consumers are familiar with the big-name wireless carriers like Verizon and AT&T, but not nearly as many are as well-versed when it comes Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) like Consumer Cellular or FreedomPop.

These MNVO brand operators license the towers and coverage from the tier-one providers and offer their own phones, rate plans, and customer service.

Let’s take a look at one in particular: US Mobile

About

US Mobile is a small MVNO that utilizes T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network and Verizon’s 4G LTE network and is known for letting customers add talk, text and data on the fly, at any time.

The carrier is not shy about its usage of T-Mobile, but it does appear to hide its Verizon component a bit. We’re not sure why.

What are US Mobile rate plans like?

US Mobile touts is affordable packages for subscribers who need wireless coverage but want some flexibility in the talk, text and time used each month.

Customers can pick and choose plans, customizing as they see fit, or choose from a selection of “Unlimited” options. Don’t want or need data? That’s fine.

The Unlimited Plans are as follows:

  • $8/mo – Unlimited talk & text
  • $12/mo – Unlimited talk, text, and 1GB data
  • $15/mo – Unlimited talk, text, and 5GB data
  • $20/mo – Unlimited talk, text, and 12GB data
  • $25/mo – Unlimited talk, text, and 18GB data
  • $30/mo – Unlimited talk, text, and 30GB data

The custom plans come with free international data.

Unlimited All

US Mobile offers a $45 option which includes unlimited talk, text, and data. To be clear, it’s at least 50GB of high speed data with heavier users potentially seeing reduced speeds after hitting the threshold.

US Mobile offers “Perks” which are incentives to sign up with at least three lines of service. Doing so gives the account holder the option to choose unlimited access to music, video, or another service. Examples include Audible, Spotify Family, Apple Music FAmily, HBO Max, and PlayStation Plus.

To qualify, add at least three lines to your account with unlimited plans sign up for Autopay. Verify your chosen subscriptions each month and US Mobile will apply a service credit equal to the subscription fee for that service. Sign up for a fourth line of service and you’ll be able to pick another perk.

Family Plans

US Mobile customers can create multi-line accounts with pooled data with pricing as low as $9 per line for unlimited talk and text. Simply choose how much data you’ll need for the family or account and you’re good to go. Pricing for data is cheap, too, at just $2 per gigabyte.

For example, a three-line plan with 20GB of shared data is looking at just $68.44 per month with taxes and fees. A couple who only needs 10GB of data would pay just $38.96 each month.

US Mobile phone selection

US Mobile has a small selection of phones to choose from, some of which are a few years old. We also recommend using your existing T-Mobile or Verizon phone if possible.

Noteworthy devices available today include the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Galaxy Z Flip 3, One Plus 9, and Google Pixel 6.

Bring your own device

US Mobile tends to work better for people who already have a phone that they’d like to use. Whether it’s a T-Mobile or Verizon handset, or something else, you’ll probably have luck using it with US Mobile. According to the carrier, 99% of devices will work with its service.

What else should I know about US Mobile?

US Mobile operates entirely online and does not have any physical retail locations in the US.

US Mobile offers 5G data speeds for phones which are equipped with support.

For every friend you refer to US Mobile, the carrier will give you both up to $10. They save up to $10 on their first plan and you get up to $10 off your next bill.

You can easily add talk, text, and/or data Top Ups to your current plan to always stay connected. They roll over to next month when you use AutoPay, automatic bill payment.

A US Mobile starter SIM kit can be purchased for $3.99, letting subscribers keep their existing phone number.

Simplisafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera review

Andrew Allen
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We are big fans of Simplisafe here and I’ve personally had the services for almost four years. It started as a peace of mind for having a security system while away on trips, but has slowly evolved into just peace of mind in general. From smoke detectors to door locks, the system has grown with us and the connected home.

I was excited to see the company add a wireless security camera designed to be used outdoors. It’s been a real omission from the Simplisafe lineup for quite some time, and I have to say, it doesn’t disappoint. But it’s also not without a few, small misses.

Design

Simplisafe nailed the industrial design of the new Outdoor Security Camera. The camera looks modern and sleek and has some thoughtful cues that just make sense. The slightly orbed exterior both stands out and also fades into any environment you decide to install the camera.

The main focus point is the lens system. Here you’ll find an ultra-wide sensor capable of both 1080p HD recording and 140-degree field of few. It can also zoom up to 8x to get a closer view of things up to 15 feet away.

There’s an IR array below the main lens. This provides the hardware to detect motion for activate recordings and initiate notifications. In this same area is also an option very bright LED spotlight for true night vision and a two-way mic for talking to the occasional visitor.

The entire Simplisafe Outdoor Camera is completely wireless. You twist off the lens casing from the body much like an old-school flashlight to access the removable and rechargeable battery. The battery is rated by Simplisafe for up to six months of use depending on the notification and spotlight settings you’ve chosen.

This battery swapping is a big deal in my opinion. While I want the convenience and flexibility of a wireless security system, having to have my cameras unavailable for 2-4 hours is a big downer. Simplisafe has fixed this by allowing you to purchase another battery pack for $30 to swap them out in minutes and charge the next battery.

Installation

Got five minutes and a drill? Then you have about the right amount of free time and tools to get the Simplisafe Wireless Outdoor Camera up. The base is magnetic but has a mounting ring you first pre-drill and then secure with screws to the location you prefer.

Once that’s in place, you twist the magnetic mount base into the ring. Then, the entire Wireless Outdoor Camera simply holds steady via the magnetic connection. Simple from Simplisafe. How secure is the magnet? Very. I have no reservations that this thing isn’t going anywhere unless you forcibly pull it off the wall.

One negative? There’s nothing tethering your fancy new camera to the wall to prevent theft. Simplisafe is working on a permanent mounting solution that I’d like to have seen here on day one in the box. I like the ingenuity of the magnets and makes the battery swapping much easier than having to remove a more fixed solution, but it is a negative to consider.

Setup

Add the camera to your Simplisafe account via the app is just as painless. There’s a dedicated option to add a camera in the Camera tab of the Simplisafe app. You are then prompted to choose your new camera model.

With the Simplisafe Wireless Outdoor Camera, you even get a brief tutorial to make sure you’ve properly charged and installed the battery pack. It then gives you a few more options like adding to WiFi and syncing with your Simplisafe base station. Finally, you scan a QR code with the Wireless Outdoor Camera itself to complete the process.

App and notifications

The Simplisafe app is on par with others in the smart home to security category. The front page gives you easy access to your entire home security status and just below is a timeline of historical camera alerts in chronological order.

For the focus of our review, there’s a dedicated Cameras tab at the bottom of the app. This gives you a quick toggle over to all your Simplisafe cameras. Our interactions with this tab and the new Simplisafe Wireless Outdoor Camera have worked exactly as we’d expect.

Notifications have also been top-notch. After reviewing several competitors over the last couple of years, Simplisafe continues to be one of the best performers from notification to app view. When a notification pops up on your phone a single tap drops you directly into the live view of that camera. You can then simply view the feed, talk to the visitor via the mic, or activate your alarm if things go badly.

There are a couple of things worth mentioning. The feed to the Simplisafe Wireless Outdoor Camera does lag a bit to load in comparison to my Simplisafe Doorbell and the Indoor Camera. My guess is that this is due to the camera has a more advanced sleep mode to preserve battery life.

The second knock for me is in the notifications themselves on mobile. Simplisafe needs to add a preview thumbnail to the pop-up. This is something that almost every other competitor in this space offers. It’s a little thing that goes a long way in the user experience. Knowing the urgency of the alert directly from the notification is a huge win.

Conclusion

I like the Simplisafe Wireless Outdoor Camera a ton. If you have a Simplisafe setup this is a no-brainer at $169. If you are considering a Simplisafe system, then it completes the puzzle and most obvious hole in the company’s lineup over the previous offerings.

From a long-time Simplisafe user, the Wireless Outdoor camera rounds out one of the best DIY security solutions you can find from any company. Its battery-powered design and great app experience make it well worth the investment on its own or adding it to your initial home security build from the Simplisafe.

A lifetime subscription to Sticky Premium is just $30 right now

AndroidGuys
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If there’s one rule in the world of passwords, it’s that you shouldn’t use the same one for every app, service, or account. Get compromised in one place and you risk having yourself exposed elsewhere. No, you need individual, strong, secure passwords.

The problem, though, with having so many diverse and tough passwords is remembering them. What you’ll want is a password manager that handles your forms and accounts with one single, master password. This way you just enter the one you need to remember and the service does the rest.

We learned not that long ago about a massive “mother of all breaches” which leaked more than 773 million emails and 21 million passwords. Chances are very good that your someone you know are impacted in one way or another.

Our deal for you today is a lifetime subscription to Sticky Password Premium, a highly rated password manager. Normally valued around $150, you can get it for as low as $29.99, thanks to a price break!

Features

  • Create strong, unique passwords, whenever & wherever you need them, on all of your devices
  • Never forget another password again
  • Automatically and securely save and fill all of your passwords across the web
  • Enjoy premium quality security for your all of your passwords & personal information
  • Automatically log-in to recognized sites
  • Choose between cloud-based or local storage for your password library
  • Fill out online forms instantly w/ saved information
  • Trusted technology — millions of people protected

Head to the AndroidGuys Deals Store and purchase your account for only $29.99. Hurry, and take advantage of the extra savings.

Save even more!

In addition to the savings above, when you buy through AndroidGuys Deals, for every $25 spent, you get $1 credit added to your account. What’s more, should you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.

If this is your first time buying, then you are also eligible for a further 10% discount when you subscribe for email updates.

How about a freebie?

Not looking to spend any money today? That’s alright, we understand. Why not visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and take something anyhow? Go ahead, grab two!

Lively Buyer’s Guide

AndroidGuys
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Many US consumers are familiar with the bigger wireless carriers of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Far fewer are well-versed when it comes to the topic of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).

These network operators license the towers and coverage from the tier-one providers and offer their own phones, rate plans, and customer service.

Let’s take a look at one in particular: Lively — an MVNO which caters to the senior citizen demographic.

About

Founded in 2006, this California-based carrier specializes in products and services aimed at older users. Its current portfolio includes a pair of phones and two medical alert devices. You’ve heard of the Jitterbug, right? This is them.

Formerly known as GreatCall, Lively leverages Verizon’s network for coverage and its plans are no-contract, meaning customers can cancel at anytime.

What makes Lively different from other carriers?

Lively is geared toward an older demographic of user and as such offers Senior Health and Wellness apps designed with them in mind. Notably among them are fall detection, urgent care and urgent response, and assistance with ride via Lyft. The solutions vary based on the device.

READ: How to unlock your Verizon phone

 

What are Lively rate plans like?

Lively customers has a handful of options to choose from, each a little different from the other. Things are pretty straightforward and have become have a little more streamlined in the recent months.

Customers can choose from two plans which start as low as $15 per month but we definitely recommend going with the $20 option as it includes unlimited minutes and texting. 

If the subscriber needs data for their Jitterbug Smart3 handset, they can add it for as little as $2.50 per month (100MB) or go all-in at $30 for unlimited.

What phones does Lively offer?

In short, not many. Customers can purchase a Jitterbug Flip2 phone or a Jitterbug Smart3 smartphone with prices at $100 and $150, respectively. 

7 steps to launching a YouTube channel for your business

AndroidGuys
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If your business isn’t using YouTube as a marketing channel yet, you’re missing out on so much. YouTube boasts 2.29 billion active users as of July 2021, making it the second most popular social network worldwide (source: Statista). Your target audience is already there.

Anyone can create a YouTube channel with a couple of clicks, it’s true. And it’s also completely free – even for businesses. But making it into a successful channel isn’t as easy as a pie. Fear not, though – this guide will break down all the steps you need to take to achieve just that.

Before you go on reading: this guide won’t tell you which buttons to click or how to create a Google account. Instead, it’ll cover everything from content planning to whether or not to hire video production services and pay for ads to promote your channel. And most importantly, it’ll help you figure out how to stand out among billions of hours of content.

1. Understand Your Target Audience

If you don’t have quality content, your YouTube channel won’t ever gain traction. But how do you understand what is and isn’t quality content? As with any marketing channel, you need to analyze your target audience first:

  • Who are they? Create the customer personas for each segment and describe their occupations, interests, level of knowledge on certain topics, etc. Make your target audience as narrow as possible.
  • What do they want? These are their needs and wants that your content should match.
  • Why do they come to YouTube? There are two broad options: they either want to get entertained (educational entertainment is a thing, too) or solve a problem.
  • How do they want to consume content? This will help you determine your type(s) of content (tutorials, reviews, etc.) and the video’s structure.

2. Do Your Research on Competitors

Now, it’s time to take a close look at your competitors. Start with the businesses that you’re already competing with offline. Do they have a YouTube channel? If they do, what content do they upload? What about their viewer engagement, is it high?

Then, check out other YouTube channels in your niche and ask these questions:

  • What’s trending in your niche? What topics haven’t been covered yet?
  • What is these channels’ target audience?
  • What types of content do they upload? Which ones are the highest-performing?
  • Is their content engaging enough? How do they achieve high engagement?
  • What are their best practices? What do they lack or miss out on?

3. Factor In Costs & Benefits

Yes, it’s free to create a channel and start uploading videos. But this whole endeavor doesn’t come without its costs:

  • Equipment. If you shoot your content, you’ll need to chip in for the camera itself, lighting equipment, and microphone. Other expenses usually include props and studio rent.
  • Software. If you want to make animated videos, tools like Adobe Illustrator and After Effects are a must – but they aren’t free. Video editing tools like Adobe Premiere Pro are paid, too.
  • Talent. If you don’t have someone to produce content and manage the channel, you’ll need to do some hiring. A typical team consists of a marketing specialist, a director, a video editor, a writer, a designer, and a host/narrator.
  • Promotion. Will you buy ads on YouTube? Or pay influencers to promote your channel?

A pro tip: you can cut all of these costs if you turn to a video production services agency.

As for the “benefit” part of the equation, the best way to calculate it is by looking at the ROI. And according to Wyzowl, 87% of businesses reported a positive ROI on video marketing in 2021, and 84% of them say it’s helped generate more leads.

4. Produce Quality Content

As mentioned above, quality content means it scores well with your target audience – i.e., it’s interesting and engaging for them. But it also concerns the actual quality of the video as a product, as in:

  • Good resolution with proper focus and sharpness;
  • Good sound and lighting;
  • Professional design for intros, outros, end screens, thumbnails.

Your videos should look like you invested your time and effort into creating them. That’s why, if you’re not sure you can manage to achieve that, consider turning to professional YouTube video production services.

Here are 8 other best practices for you to keep in mind here:

  1. Have a content plan and stick to it;
  2. Be ahead of your uploading schedule;
  3. Be consistent in style, tone of voice, etc.;
  4. Make the videos long – but not too long (have enough content for a 10-minute explainer if you make one);
  5. Use thumbnails to stand out in the search results and feed;
  6. Include a CTA to encourage viewers to subscribe;
  7. Use cards and end screen to link to your other content or playlists;
  8. Have a channel trailer for users who haven’t hit the subscribe button yet and a featured video for returning subscribers.

5. Keep SEO in Mind When Uploading Videos

YouTube isn’t just a social network – it’s the second most popular search engine. So, SEO is crucial for ranking well and increasing your discoverability. Here are 2 ways to ace YouTube SEO at this stage:

  • Add the target keyword or key phrase in the video’s title, description, and tags (once in each section is enough);
  • Include it in the uploaded file’s name: YouTube algorithms scan it, too.

6. Understand Other YouTube SEO Metrics

Your keywords don’t matter to YouTube as much as the user engagement itself. Here are 5 metrics that carry the most weight in your final ranking:

  • Average view duration. If 75% of users close your video after 20 seconds of your 10-minute video, it’s bad. Aim to have 50-60% of viewers watching your whole video.
  • The number of views. The higher it is, the better – but only provided the average view duration is high, too. You don’t have to have millions of views to score high in the search results.
  • Rating. Aim to have more likes than dislikes.
  • Views to subscribers. If your content was so great that a viewer subscribed to your channel after watching, it’s a signal for YouTube that your content is high-quality.
  • Comments. Since comments can be both positive and negative, their number doesn’t carry that much weight – but it still counts.

7. Promote Your YouTube Channel

Gaining your first subscribers is the toughest part. Just relying on a high SEO ranking isn’t a good strategy here: you need the initial boost of several thousand views to rank well. So, promote your newly created channel via:

  1. Existing marketing channels: your social media accounts, website, email newsletter, etc.;
  2. Cross-promotion: if you have a well-known brand, reach out to other YouTube creators and suggest collaborating on a video;
  3. Ads: it’ll cost you between $10 and $30 per 1,000 views. Make sure you target them well in terms of the audience, search queries, and location;
  4. Activity. Add industry leaders and influencers (but not your competitors!) to the featured channels list, like and comment on their content.

Word of caution: have at least several videos uploaded to your channel before promoting it. Users won’t subscribe to an empty channel.

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/aS4Duj2j7r4

In Conclusion

Having a successful YouTube channel isn’t an overnight feat – even if you have the best of the best on your team or hire cream-of-the-crop YouTube video production services. It takes hours upon hours of hard work to produce top-notch content and ace YouTube SEO.

So, persistence and patience are key. Remember: you need to find a way to stand out in this ocean of video content that YouTube is. But with the right talent, nothing is impossible.

Featured Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/UfseYCHvIH0

Lenovo Duet review: Netbook reborn (and that’s a good thing!)

Matt Adams
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As someone who loves large, sharp displays, powerful processors, and oodles of storage I have to admit that I miss the days of netbooks. If you are too young to remember, netbooks came out in the late 2000s which were more or less low-powered mini laptops. They were popular on college campuses for their portability and ease of use. Alas, they’ve long since died out with the rise of smartphones, tablets, and ultrabooks taking their place.

Does this mean there isn’t a place for a smaller computing device with a keyboard and trackpad? Hardly! Lenovo does its best to revive an old formula with the Duet, a 10-inch device with a keyboard and kickstand that punches far above its $300 price tag.

The question really is, did Lenovo have to cut too much out of this device to keep it cheap, or did they strike the right balance of features to make you open up your wallet?

It really doesn’t matter what kind it is, but if it’s a tablet in 2021, it’s going to get compared to the iPad. The iPad is such a force of nature that it has dominated the market for over a decade now. Can you believe the iPad came out 11 years ago?

This is not an iPad. It’s not an iPad competitor or clone or ripoff. The Lenovo Duet is its own device and there’s really not a lot of other comparable devices on the market right now.

Let’s Go

First things first, the Duet comes with Chrome OS, not Android. You get all the advantages of Chrome OS like quick boot times, lack of viruses, great battery life, etc.

I’ve used Chrome OS semi-regularly over the years but Lenovo says this is the first tablet to launch with a version of Chrome specifically designed for convertibles.

The Duet includes a few special modes like Type Mode, Watch Mode, and Browse mode. I wasn’t able to find a real difference between Browse Mode and Watch Mode, but you do get special navigation gestures in these two modes to make it easier to get around the OS when the keyboard isn’t attached. It’s supposed to give you access to the app doc through a short swipe up, your normal long swipe up to go home and to access the recent apps.

There’s also a split-screen mode that in theory should make multitasking easier but often falls short due to apps not displaying correctly in this mode. Type Mode is exactly what you think it is.

The OS feels like an unfinished project and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Android and iOS didn’t come out of the gate in the state they’re in now and Chrome OS shouldn’t be expected to work on convertibles perfectly right now either.

I have no doubt that Google will continue to make progress here and refine the system to work better with all sorts of hardware. The Duet is just the first out of the gate and if you pick one up, you may feel a bit like a beta tester.

Software and Apps

That leads us to apps, which are still a mixed bag. Most apps I used were totally fine on Chrome OS. All of the Android apps that I downloaded would at least launch, though some experienced some weird scaling issues; some would lag from time to time.

Google’s first-party apps like Chrome, Photos, and others were great and I never had an issue. I tried to use some productivity apps like Office and some games like Among Us that would crash from time to time but were overall a good experience.

Hardware

The good experience extends to the hardware on the Lenovo Duet. I can’t tell you how impressed I was with the build quality of the tablet as well as the included kickstand and keyboard. At $300, the Duet has no business being this well-built.

An aluminum alloy body houses a single USB C port, front and rear cameras, and a 10-inch, 1080p 16:10 display. And all of that is under one pound without the keyboard or kickstand attached.

With things securely attached via magnets, we’re at just above two pounds, which is basically nothing. The rest of the key specs include 4GB of RAM, 64 or 128 GB of storage (non-expandable), and a battery rated for 10 hours of use. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60T Processor, which is just powerful enough to get all your tasks done without killing the battery prematurely. 

Not too bad at all, though I think the exclusion of expandable storage and a headphone jack, even on a budget device, are not excusable. This is a device that’s designed to get some work done and those two things would make it infinitely easier to move files from device to device and connect headphones or a headset to use for video conferencing.

Speaking of video conferencing… I found the experience to be not bad. The system doesn’t quite have enough horsepower to do much else while you’re on a call, but the front-facing camera is better than you’d expect for a 2MP shooter. The speakers do a good enough job of pumping out the audio.

If you’re in a crowded place, you should be using headphones anyway, but you will definitely want to bring some along with you because the speakers aren’t the loudest. Additionally, if you plan to take the Duet on the go, be aware that the screen isn’t super bright and can be hard to see outside in very sunny environments. I suspect you’ll be fine most of the time, though.

I’ve been using the Duet mainly in the kitchen. And quite often. As I endeavor to be lose weight, I’ve gotten into cooking and food prep quite a bit more — the Duet has been a fantastic companion for that.

The kickstand is stiff and doesn’t lock into place which is great because I can angle it however I need. The fact that it’s a touchscreen and I’m not forced into using the keyboard attachment means that I can get my hands dirty, press something on the screen and easily wipe it away when I can get to it.

I’ve also found that little touches super helpful such as being able to unlock the Duet when it’s paired to my phone.

What else?

I would love to tell you the port selection is as good as the rest of the tablet but unfortunately, it isn’t. The single USB C port is a big hindrance unless you invest in a dock. And sure, if you’re only dropping $300, I suppose you have some extra cash to invest into one but I feel like Lenovo should have done better here.

Charging up the tablet means your ability to connect peripherals is nil and we need to remind ourselves that Lenovo is positioning this as a device that allows you to get some work done. There’s no microSD card slot so the only choice we have for additional storage is either via the cloud or an external drive.

Do you want to connect your own keyboard so you don’t have to use the somewhat cramped keyboard? You better hope it has Bluetooth. The same as a mouse so you don’t have to use the extremely small but usable trackpad.

The entire story of the Lenovo Duet is compromise and just how much you’re willing to make. $300 is not a lot of money for a device like this, but it is smaller than a cheap ultrabook and the processor is somewhat underpowered.

Sure, it gets most of your tasks done with ease but opening 10+ Chrome tabs, video conferencing, or exporting a video or graphical file is painful at times.

The battery life is fantastic at over 10 hours of use but the included charger takes forever to charging this thing back up. You’ll want to charge it overnight and you better hope you get a good night’s sleep.

Conclusion

Personally, I really enjoyed my time with the Duet and I’ll probably pick one up for myself. It scratches that itch of quick productivity, but it also delivers a good second screen experience when I’m sitting on the couch or when my daughter wants to watch something while we’re out at dinner.

It generally lives either in my work bag, where I do not even notice its presence, or in the kitchen where I use it almost every time I walk in to make some food. I’m never going to try and game on this thing nor do I expect to do heavy video editing. That’s just not what it’s designed to do.

At $300 or less, I don’t think you’re going to find much better than this on the market in the next year or so. It’s a great device to hand to your kids to get some school work done, entertain them, or bang out a quick work email without firing up your computer. I just wish Netbooks were this good back in my day.

Boost Mobile Buyer’s Guide

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Just about everyone knows the names of the “Big Three” top-tier wireless service providers: Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. But, for every one of these major network operators there are a number of others with their own rates, customer service, and phone selection.

These prepaid Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) license towers from the big names in the space.

Let’s take a closer look at Boost Mobile and learn about it the brand, its rates, and features.

About Boost Mobile

Following the Sprint and T-Mobile merger, DISH has acquired Boost Mobile. Boost Mobile operates in the United States with a nationwide CDMA/LTE network for coverage. It offers pre-paid rate plans which means no long term contracts or obligations.

Taxes and fees are included and include unlimited talk, text, and data. Additionally, the come with mobile hotspot capabilities and unlimited music streaming.

What deals does Boost offer?

Boost Mobile offers a $40 rate introductory plan for customers who bring their handset, giving them 35GB of high speed data. The first six months include a $10 credit on the bill; the rate goes up to $50 after that.

What are Boost’s rate plans?

Boost does not charge for going over your allotted data and taxes are included in the cost. Each plan comes with unlimited data, but only a set amount of it is high speed.

Boost rate plans include a number of options which cost less than $50 per month. Each comes with its own amount of data; some are for new customers or those who bring their own device.

  • $15/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 2GB 4G/5G, mobile hotspot (New Bring-Your-Own customers only)
  • $25/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 5GB 4G/5G, mobile hotspot (New customers only)
  • $35/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 10GB 4G/5G, mobile hotspot
  • $50/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 35GB 4G/5G, with 12GB mobile hotspot
  • $60/month: Unlimited talk, text, and 35GB 4G/5G, with 30GB mobile hotspot

Remember, in order to get the 5G speeds on your phone you will need a compatible device.

SEE: How to unlock your Sprint phone

Can I do multiple line accounts at Boost Mobile?

Customers interested in family plans or multiple lines can do so with discounted pricing. As of today Boost Mobile offers a $20 discount when adding a line to one of the unlimited ($50/mo. Unlimited plan or $60/mo. Unlimited Plus) plans.

Other Boost features and offerings

Boost Mobile provides a handful of extras (Boost Extras) to its customers, most of which can pair with the various rate plans. Details include international calling, extra data, HD video streaming, and phone insurance.

A Boost Perks mobile app lets customers save money with partner brands such as AMC, Papa John’s Sam’s Club, Costco, and others.

What phones does Boost offer?

Take a peek at the current lineup of Android phones offered through Boost and you’ll find familiar names from brands like Samsung and Motorola. There are also devices from the likes of LG, Coolpad, and Wiko, too.

As we often see with a lot of prepaid providers, phone selection is a mixed bag, leaning more more toward affordability as opposed to performance. With that said, we do recognize there are some incredibly robust and current models, including the Samsung Galaxy S21.

For those looking to save money there are also a handful devices which are certified pre-owned, meaning that although they were once used by someone else, they come with a guarantee/warranty.

We’ve gathered up a handful of the best phones you can purchase at Boost Mobile today. In addition to what’s offered through Boost, we always suggest buying an unlocked phone for use with a carrier. The options are plentiful in both directions and you’ll likely get something more powerful.

Motorola Moto G Power

When you care more about messaging, social media, and tasks than gaming, you don’t need to worry about high-end hardware. But that doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the important stuff.

This phone runs a lean and mean Android 10 and features a sizable 6.6-inch display with a hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera. The inner workings include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor with 4GB RAM and 64GB expandable storage. Sufficient enough to get the job done for many users, the 5,000mAh battery ensures lasts as long as you do.

Motorola Moto G Power at Boost Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

Everything old is new again as the clamshell design returns for the Android generation. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 features a 6.7-inch screen when fully opened but closes to fit in pockets and purses.

Running Android 11, the 5G phone doesn’t cut corners on hardware as it packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and a generous amount (8GB) of memory.

Other standout details include a pair of 12-megapixel cameras, a front-facing 10-megapixel camera, and a 3,300mAh battery with support for fast and wireless charging, and power sharing.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 at Boost Mobile

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G

If note-taking, marking up images, or sketching are important, you want a device that features support for a stylus. This Motorola handset does just that as it runs Android 11 and packs quite a productivity punch.

Features include a generous 6.8-inch display with a hole-punch cutout for the 16-megapixel front-facing camera. The inner workings include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor with 4GB RAM and 128GB expandable storage. Sufficient enough to get the job done for many users, the 5,000mAh battery puts in more hours than you do.

Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G at Boost Mobile

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