Every decade there is a change of trends in video games. According to the marketing and sales specialists, by 2021 the gaming industry will see a new transformation.
Trend 1: Introduction of 5G
At first glance, the transition from 4G to 5G does not seem so important. But what does this mean for gamers? Mobile games have always been limited by the latency of the Internet. Currently, this is about 10 milliseconds on 4G tech. For the average user, this may seem like a very small number, but for games – it’s an eternity. For more information, see androidappsforme.
With 5G, Internet latency will be reduced to one millisecond, which will open up new opportunities for gamers. 5G data transfer speed will open up incredible opportunities for gaming and entertainment. Widespread use of 5G will begin around 2021. Thanks to this, mobile games will show an even faster pace of development.
For example, over the past 40 years, about 1.5 billion game consoles have been sold. And over the past 10 years, more than 2.2 billion people have used smartphones to play games.
Trend 2: The spread of the realities of AR and VR
Also, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will change.
Since the creation of virtual and augmented reality, games have gained a truly immersive experience and a new perspective on the future of the gaming industry.
In 2016, VR and AR raised $1.8 billion and $1 billion respectively; in 2021, these figures are projected to be $19 billion and $20.3 billion.
The development of AR and VR proves that they are an integral part of the gaming market.
Trend 3: Age categories of gamers
In addition to changes in technology, the portrait of the gamer as a whole is changing.
While previously only a teenage boy was considered a gamer, today 45 percent of American gamers are women. And the average age of a player is 34 years. People play everything – from simple puzzle games to deadly shooters.
By 2021, the Millennials (a generation of people born in 1982-2004) will reach its peak of purchasing power and become the main part of gamers.
Trend 4: Streaming
If you find it silly and boring to watch other people play video games, you should reconsider your opinion. Thanks to streaming, video games have gained popularity in eSports.
While the player base has grown by an average of 10% a year since 2015, the viewership base has doubled. In 2017, total eSports revenue was $655 million. In 2021, this figure will approach $1.6 billion.
Trend 5: Gamification as attracting customers to stores
Since various stores are constantly under pressure from the competition, they are looking for new solutions that would help them bring customers back to the shopping centers. Therefore, in this area, gamification solves two problems – attracting and retaining users. To increase interest in the project, the following must be present: status, new content, and free products. Within the game concept, higher levels, rewards, and belonging to a particular group or clan are valued.
Especially for the Y generation – young people aged 18-27 who are more used to gamification. That is passing stages, tasks, and improving the level.
For example, the Japanese retailer PARCO rewards customers with “coins” and discounts if they visit certain points or interact in any way with the store and the store’s app.
Trend 6: Game data analysis will make games more profitable
In 2016, the Survios Studio used statistical data to understand player behavior. This helped them create the Raw Data shooter, which became exclusive to virtual reality helmets, earning $ 1,000,000 in a month.
Data analysis for the game was done by the CDP platform, based on the player’s behavioral data, find out the answers to questions:
Do gamers complete the game or stop at certain levels?
Where do players prefer to launch games? In the Steam store or via Oculus?
Do players choose HTC Viva or Oculus Rift?
Are the players right-handed/left-handed?
Do players return to the game and how much time they spend on games?
Game manufacturers are trying to figure out what exactly will be the next popular trend in the gaming world using CDP data. This helps collect data about players and understand what they like best.
EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.
If you’re a business owner looking to spread your words about yourself or your business press release distribution is so crucial for your success, choosing a good PR service can flip the game to your side.
Press release distribution is simply an operation to spread and deliver your press release to press members. The main purpose of this procedure is to get media coverage, think of it as a marketing tool, in this way your content whatever it may be, is shown to a broad audience that eventually boosts your business’s reach and sales.
Best Press Release Distribution Providers in 2020
Now since you know what press release distribution is, let us discover the best 10 press release distribution services in 2020.
PR Distribution™ is a perfect press release distribution provider for any business or organization; they provide a multitude of services that suits your budget, needs, and anticipation.
PR Distribution™ offers a great array of services for an affordable price that you can’t find elsewhere, the plans start from $49 up to $99 only, with their plans they allow you to stand out from the crowd by publishing your press releases in remarkable media outlets such as FOX, ABC, and CBS.
Furthermore, the size of your business does not matter, if you’re looking to reach broad audiences PR Distribution™ is your best bet even if you don’t have a big beefy budget.
Apart from that, PR Distribution™ offers industry targeting for 5 different categories, even in their basic plan.
PR Distribution™ Benefits:
Affordable plans
Broad reach
Great targeting
Unlimited word count even for their basic plan
Multimedia embedding (video, audio…)
Flexibility due to their large checklist of options
Remember: PR Distribution™ is the ideal press release distribution provider for any business or organization.
2 – Press Release Jet
Press Release Jet is an amazing press release distribution service if you’re on a tight budget and if you’re looking for high ROI (return on investment).
This press release distribution company offers an incredibly large amount of services that match any business size. With Press Release Jet, you get access to top-tier media outlets such as ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, and Fox; this is included in both their $129 plan (Premium Pro) and their $299 plan (Premium Concierge).
You might ask: what If I don’t have that much money to spend on a press release distribution service? No worries, Press Release Jet got you covered! With their $69 plan, you get access to a broad array of other media outlets, networks, and search engines including Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Press Release Jet Benefits:
Affordable and flexible plans starting from $69 only
They offer a multitude of options in each plan
SEO optimization
Multimedia embedding
Industry targeting
Social sharing
Remember: Press Release Jet is a flabbergasting press release distribution service when it comes to ROI, so definitely consider it!
3 – Business Wire
Next on this list, the old but updated Business Wire; it is a Berkshire Hathaway company, founded in 1961 in the US. It can distribute your press release in a giant list consisting of 100K media outlets and websites.
Business Wire is a trustworthy press release distribution service, their plans are expensive, and they charge you for extra services. However, it is considered to be a trusted news source.
They distribute the press release through their unique NX network, and they also can distribute it in more than 20 languages!
Business Wire Benefits:
Distribution through industry’s only patented network
Free social media share links
They provide email distribution
They provide a press release builder
Remember: Despite their extravagant prices, Business Wire is a trusted press release distribution provider with 219 industry categories that suit any business.
4 – PR Newswire
PR Newswire a great way to target specific audiences, let’s say you are a real estate agent, and you are targeting new home buyers between 18 and 25 in a specific area, PR Newswire can get you directly in front of them!
Its enormous database gives it the ability to target media outlets, or journalists, by topic and industry type.
However, PR Newswire is an expensive press release distribution service. Their plans start from $350, so if you’re on a tight budget consider other affordable press release distribution services.
They also have a membership fee, and they charge you for each attachment like photos, videos, etc.
PR Newswire Benefits:
Reach your ideal target audience
They publish on famous media outlets such as The New York Times and Buzzfeed
They offer highly detailed reports
Remember: PR Newswire’s database is massive; this is why they’re great at finding the ideal target market you’re seeking; however, their services are expensive.
5 – Easy Newswire
Easy Newswire targets Twitter feeds allowing you to get massive following reach, this is great if your aim is social media success. Their experts guide and help you to fulfill your needs.
Furthermore, they offer a verity of services including geo-targeting, which allows you to reach specific industries, distribution to 4500+ outlets, and SEO services.
PR Underground also fits small businesses seeking a large audience and exposure. It distributes press releases to nearly 80 media outlets, including FOX and CBS.
The pricing is decent starting at $49, the downside of this basic plan is that you get only one post in DigitalJournal.com. For more posts and potential reach, they offer a $129 plan.
PR Underground Benefits:
Reasonable plans
They offer SEO optimization
The $129 plan covers 375 media outlets
Remember: PR Underground is a good choice for startups; however, consider paying $129 to unleash their maximum potential
7 – eReleases
Next is eReleases, another good option if you’re tight on budget, they offer a wide exposure with considerable prices. Their plans start at $299 and for an extra fee, you can get press release writing, next-day distribution, and proofreading.
They offer exposure on a minimum of 60 media outlets, attached images, next-day distribution, and their database consists of 5000+ sites.
eReleases Benefits:
Decent prices
They provide useful reports
Great customers service
Remember: eReleases makes it easier for you to reach your potential audience.
Their prices start from 69$ this gets your press release distributed to nearly 50 media outlets, it’s a bit limited; however, Their premium package distributes your news to PR Newswire’s 4500+ websites, this guarantees a great deal of exposure for you.
They also can distribute your PR in different countries in Asia, Latin America, the USA, and Canada with ease.
24-7 Press Release Benefits:
Affordable plans
Vast exposure possibilities
They offer translation services
They offer SEO optimization
Remember: 24-7 Press Release is a decent choice for small business also.
9 – GlobeNewswire
GlobeNewswire (formerly known as PrimeNewswire) is a free way to distribute your press release to a broad audience; this is an advantageous opportunity if you’re a small business or if you’re just getting started.
GlobeNewswire allows small individuals or investors to track a multitude of companies throughout a verity of media outlets and social networks. Also, it is specialized in the delivery of corporate press releases and financial disclosures.
GlobeNewswire Benefits:
Free to use
Amazing customers service
Remember: GlobeNewswire comes free; however, it has many limitations.
10 – PR Web
PR Web’s small business distribution plans range from $99 to $389.
Both basic and standard plans provide a fixed placement in PR Web and PR Newswire’s industry-focused public relations. Besides that, they provide search engine optimization SEO, unlimited word count, and multimedia attaching.
PR Web Benefits:
SEO tagging
Unlimited word count
Good pricing
Multimedia embedding
Remember: PR Web is a great choice for both small-to-medium and large businesses, due to the flexibility of their plans.
Conclusion
Press release distribution impacts are tremendous; it is one of the most efficient ways to market your business and yourself.
Throughout this comparison of the best 10 press release distribution services, PR Distribution™ is the most reliable choice. Their prices and services are well balanced, supported with many free features, and an exceptional customer service that is willing to help you at any time.
OnePlus built a reputation on its stellar, wallet-friendly phones. From the introduction of the OnePlus One all those years ago, the company has been on a steady march. Every year its phones get a little better… and a little more expensive. We’ve yet to see the company pause its pricing increases and its devices now routinely cost in the same neighborhood as flagships from Apple, Samsung, and Google.
Luckily, the OnePlus Nord is here to save us from those nasty $1,000 prices with a smart design, great battery life, and the best software on any Android device. And the best part? The Nord is only $499, a solid $250 lower than its newest flagship, the 8T, which costs $749.
Design
I’ve always been a bit struck by OnePlus’ designs and this time is no different. The OnePlus Nord is one of the better-looking phones available today with an excellent colorway and smooth glass back that looks absolutely fantastic when the sun hits it right.
The rear of the device is home to a large camera sensor in the top left corner, something that’s becoming an all too familiar trend in 2020.
The bottom of the device houses the disappointingly Mono speaker, USB C port, and SIM card tray. OnePlus decided not to follow Google’s lead and continues to eschew the 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s disappointing, but not surprising, as OnePlus is pushing its OnePlus Buds Z, fully wireless earbuds priced at just $50.
The display is nothing short of brilliant. Max brightness is fantastic and makes it easy to see on those sunny days and colors pop to make your images come alive.
I’m very happy to report that this 6.4-inch display is flat, with no curvature at all. In my old age, I’ve really become a hater of curved displays due to how much harder they make devices to use with almost no benefit other than “it looks cool”.
If I did have one complaint about the display, it’s the front-facing camera. It’s actually two cameras, one wide and one ultra-wide angle lens, in the top left corner of the device. I’m not a fan of hole punch cameras but if they’re inoffensive like on the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, I can get over it.
The OnePlus Nord, on the other hand, has a pretty ugly cutout and it takes up so much space that you can only get four notification icons at a time in the notification tray. This led to me opening up the notification tray a lot more than I normally would just to see what was up there. It doesn’t look good and it’s annoying. Bring back the pop-up camera, OnePlus!
Camera
Speaking of cameras, this is easily where the OnePlus Nord is the weakest. There are a total of six cameras – four on the rear and two on the front. The front cameras consist of a 32MP f/2.5 wide-angle lens and an 8 MP f/2.5 ultra-wide-angle lens.
I love the addition of the ultra-wide-angle lens here and I think it makes for some great shots with your friends or family. Selfies with the main lens were fine for social media or sending off to friends.
The problem with the camera setup really is with the rear lenses. We have a quad camera configuration with a 48-MP sensor (the same as on the OnePlus 8), an 8-MP ultra-wide, 5-MP depth sensor, and 2-MP macro.
Let’s get the last two out of the way first. The macro lens is garbage and you should avoid using it. This is the definition of a stat-sheet stuffer and is here for no other reason than for OnePlus to say “we have a quad camera phone”. The depth sensor seems to be equally useless as covering up the lens has no noticeable effect on pictures.
The wide-angle lens is a lot of fun to use. Sure, pictures come out soft but you get that with pretty much any wide-angle lens these days. Take pictures of cool buildings and throw them up on Instagram like everyone and you’ll be just fine. If you’re looking to use this for serious photography work and you’ll probably end up rather disappointed.
And speaking of being disappointed, use the main 48-MP sensor in anything but perfect lighting and you’re going to have a bad time. During the day, the camera takes nice pictures with good color reproduction and a solid focus. But, in anything less than that, pictures become very muddled with soft edges everywhere, detail lost in shadows, and a ton of noise.
There were always going to be corners cut to get the device this cheap and this was it. There are other options on the market that will get you better pictures for a similar price and if that’s important to you, look elsewhere. But, if you’re like me who uses their camera a couple of times a month to snap a picture of the kid to send to the grandparents, it will perform admirably.
Software
Out of the box, the OnePlus Nord runs Android 10 with Oxygen OS on top. Oxygen OS remains one of the closest to stock Android skins out there and, in my opinion, it’s the best version of Android available right now.
There are no heavy brushes taken to the OS here. Everything looks pretty much the way you’d expect and settings and apps are laid out in logical order. I love the small additions like the Shelf and theme customization engine built directly into the OS. There’s just enough here to satisfy
Possibly the best thing about Oxygen OS is what it doesn’t come with: bloatware. We recently reviewed the LG Velvet via AT&T and I made a joke about it having 37 million pieces of bloatware on there.
There were a handful of apps on the Nord that I didn’t install but they were all able to be deleted in a few seconds. This is exactly how it should be and OnePlus should be applauded for being consumer-friendly here.
I’m sure the company is passing up a lot of money by not signing agreements that would see them pre-install apps that you could only disable, but not delete.
OnePlus has a fantastic track record of updating its devices quickly and for long periods of time. We don’t know yet how they’ll support the Nord as it’s a mid-range phone, but I’d imagine that it’ll get close to the same treatment as OnePlus flagship phones. I’d expect to see years of updates, both major Android upgrades and monthly security updates.
Performance and battery
For the first time in its history, OnePlus isn’t using the most powerful processor available for one of its devices. Instead of the Snapdragon 865 or 865+, the Nord features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, a mid-range chip that supports 5G and without the massive price tag of a flagship device.
I was a bit worried about performance going into this review. OnePlus has always been the “flagship killer” in my mind despite the company dropping the branding years ago. How could this phone be a flagship killer without a flagship processor?
Well, the mad men, they did it. The Snapdragon 765G does a great job powering the Nord and you’d never really know you were using a midrange chip if you weren’t looking for it. Sure, there are some dropped frames or an app may take a little bit longer to open but I’m really happy with how it’s performing, especially when you take into account its price tag.
Helping matters is 6, 8 12 GB of RAM, paired with 64, 128, or 256 GB of storage. The Nord utilizes UFS 2.1, an extremely fast storage standard, that helps the divide store and recall information than other devices. While some were disappointed that the Nord didn’t come with the newer UFS 3.0 standard, I don’t think you’d see much of a difference if it had and little things like that matter to the bottom line.
Battery was even better. Most days saw anywhere between 5.5 to seven hours of screen on time with some days reach more towards nine hours of screen on time. This is fantastic battery life by any metric and will stand up to almost every Android device on the market today.
If you do get low on power, the Nord supports Warp 30, one of the newest and fastest charging standards from OnePlus. The company states that the Nord can charge up to 70% of its battery in half an hour. We saw speeds very close to that, with the phone fully charging from dead in about 50 minutes.
Battery life is so good and charging is so fast that you can easily go to bed with the device next to you, wake up and charge while you’re getting ready for work and be just fine all day. In fact, I did exactly that for a week and had to top off only once, a day where I had to use my phone an inordinate amount during my day job.
The only thing that could’ve made this even better was the addition of wireless charging. I do understand that they have to watch the bottom line, but wireless charging coils are cheap. When consumers are deciding how to spend their hard earned money, one or two premium features like wireless charging can be the difference between them picking up your phone and picking up another.
Conclusion
The OnePlus Nord is almost a great phone. And there’s no qualifier here about the price, it’s just damn near a great phone. You can nitpick things like the plastic frame of the phone, lack of expandable storage, or the hole-punch camera, but the only true downside in my opinion is the camera array. OnePlus seriously needs to step up its game if it wants to play with the big boys like Google, Apple, and Samsung.
I would love to see a few premium features added to further versions of the Nord to really crush the competition in the mid-range market. Every time I put my SIM card in the Nord, I miss wireless charging. Yeah, I know it has excellent battery life and super fast WARP 30 charging, but wireless charging is just one of those things I can’t get away from.
Other devices like the LG Velvet both feature wireless charging and are pretty close to the same price. Plus, the Velvet lets you attach a secondary display, add a micro SD card, or experience a far superior camera layout and app. I believe that adding one or two features really sits the Nord above all the other devices, but could come at the cost of some sales of OnePlus’ more premium devices.
And that’s really the rub. OnePlus doesn’t want to eat into the sales of the 8, 8 Pro, or 8T so the Nord is missing a few features we’d really appreciate here. In a vacuum, we can say we want these features, but we’ll probably never see them because OnePlus sells devices in the real world, not a vacuum.
Can we recommend that OnePlus Nord? Absolutely. It’s a wallet-friendly 5G device that looks great and is damn fast in nearly every aspect.
Believe it or not, it’s holiday shopping season time. As such, you’ll likely have plenty of packages being delivered over the next few weeks. Do you need to ensure that those boxes are being delivered? Worried about someone walking away with a gift? Consider an outdoor camera, such as the blurams Outdoor Pro Security Camera.
Priced just $60 right now, the camera is easy to install and even easier to manage. Feel free to leave your home without worrying about what happens in your absence. Designed with IP65 water and weather resistance, it works just as well indoors, too.
Smart integration. Use voice command to view the security camera live stream
Face recognition. Differentiate humans, pets, & other moving objects
Siren & flashing alarm. Communicate with your guests when they’re at your door
IP65 weather-resistant. Keep recording in the ever-changing outdoor environment
This security camera is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, and even IFTTT for custom rules and actions. It comes with a power adapter and own mounting setup so you don’t have to worry about any extra accessories.
Typically, this security system goes for $89, but for a limited time, you can purchase it for 33% off at just $59.99.
Best Sellers
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For every $25 you spend in the AG Deals Store you get $1 credit added to your account. And, if you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.
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If this is your first time buying, you are also eligible for 10% discount! Just be sure to subscribe for email updates.
Free Stuff
Not looking to spend any money today? No worries. You can still visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and pick something anyhow.
Are you in the beginning stages of planning or building out a smart home? Is your house looking to add a few smart bulbs or outlets? Fortunately, there are a number of great brands to consider.
While many people may think of GE or Philips as being among the only companies in the smart light space there are numerous other, less expensive options. Treatlife, for example, is one brand that’s slowly building out a portfolio of connected devices, lights, switches, and more.
Treatlife expanded its product line in July, adding the following products:
Smart Ceiling Fan Control and Light Dimmer Switch ($44.99): Our combined fan and light dimmer switch turns any ceiling fan into a smart fan and puts control directly on the wall so that you never have to fuss with pull chains again.
3-Way Wi-Fi Smart Light Switch ($19.99): Add smart light functionality for 3-way and single pole applications.
Wi-Fi Smart Dimmer Switch ($21.99): Add smart dimming functionality for single pole applications.
Wi-Fi Smart Light Switch ($17.99): Add smart light functionality for single pole applications.
Plug in Dimmer ($37.99): All the programmable features of Treatlife products including scheduling and dimming in a plug. Works indoors and outdoors and is great for floor lamps, outdoor market lighting, Christmas lights and more.
Smart Wi-Fi LED Bulbs with 16M Colors ($39.99 for 4 bulbs): Express yourself with dramatic lighting effects in up to 16 million dimmable colors at a cost that’s more than 75% less than the same product from a leading competitor. No hubs required.
Among those that were sent to us, and which we feel comfortable recommending, are the following:
3-Way Wi-Fi Smart Light Switch
60W LED Dimmable White and Color Bulb
60W LED Dimmable White Bulb
We were provided a few editorial samples of Treatlife products and found them to be of solid build quality and easy to set up. Moreover, they were easy to integrate with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
If you’re looking to replace your lights in an overhead manner, such as a ceiling fan, you may want to look into the dimmable white bulb. Lamps and sconces, on the other hand, look great when adding a hint of color. And with 16 million colors to choose from, the color bulb is excellent.
A quick look around shows that the Treatlife options are a fraction of what it might cost for any other brand. The dimmer switch, for example, is just $20 when Leviton’s alternative is about $45.
Similarly, a 4-pack of Treatlife color bulbs runs $30.59 while a 2-pack of C by GE costs $48.99. That breaks down to $7.65 per bulb versus $24.50 each.
The pandemic has thrown everything into a blender, especially in the area of work and careers. Some are working from home, others have different duties, and others are simply looking for work.
As more companies dive deeper into cloud-based services, streamlined communications, and other tech-driven systems, a well-versed and cross-trained IT expert becomes increasingly more valuable. Put a few certifications under your belt and you’re attractive to prospective employers and management.
There’s no easier better way or time to get started on an IT career path or become a tech pro. And thanks to online training bundles like the 2021 All-in-One AWS, Cisco and CompTIA Super Certification Bundle, it doesn’t get any cheaper. It’s just $99 right now, more than 90 percent off from the AG Deals Store.
The sheer volume of content in this 22-course, 420+ hour kit is pretty mind-blowing stuff. We’re talking exhaustive learning on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cisco, cloud computing, Google Cloud, and more.
The best part about this bundle isn’t the nearly 1,900 lessons, but that’s pretty damn cool, too. No, it’s that you can learn at your own pace on both desktop and mobile. And when you’re done with a course, you get a certificate of completion. Tuck that into your resume or package when negotiating a pay raise.
Get Started Today!
This intensive and exhaustive IT training is valued at well over $4,400, but as part of this super bundle, it’s all yours for just $99 while the offer lasts. Become a tech pro at your leisure.
Nokia is back in the US and making a big push over the last few years. Well, its new partner HMD Global has a revealed a new device coming to Verizon later this month. Say hello to the Nokia 2 V Tella.
The name may be a mouthful, but this device is looking to give folks a solid smartphone with no frills and a great price. The Nokia 2 V Tella builds on the Nokia 2 V from last year to offer users “stock Android” on the cheap on Big Red’s network.
With the Nokia 2 V Tella, you get a 5.45-inch HD+ display paired with a 3000mAh battery pack inside. Around the back is a dual-camera module with an 8-megapixel main shooter and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
Performance should be good but not great with the included internals of a MediaTek Helio A22 processor and 2GB of RAM. You also only get 16GB of internal storage but will have expansion with the microSD slot.
However, even with meager specs, day-to-day use should be decent with Android 10 running with little to no tweaks. Nokia tends to not mess with the way Google intended to present Android to the masses. One thing the company does include is a handy dedicated button on the side of the phone to launch Google Assistant.
The Nokia 2 V Tella will be available on the Verizon network and stores later this month for $89. It will also be sold in Walmart retail outlets and the online storefront.
Soundcore may not be the household name of Beats or Sony…yet. However, the audio brand from Anker has been making quality devices for a few years now. The company is adding to that stable of music headphones with the new Life Q30 Bluetooth headphones.
While truly wireless earbuds are all the rage these days the Life Q lineup of “traditional” over-ear headphones could be considered the top tier that Anker has to offer. The new Soundcore LIfe Q30 builds on the great Q20 from last year with Active Noise Cancellation and a compelling spec sheet.
ANC included
The active noise cancellation uses multiple microphones to help filter up to 95% of outside noise while only giving you the audio playback in the headphones. There’s also a transparency mode that adjusts the filter process to allow you more input from the outside environment.
Custom tuning
When you do want to rock out to nothing but tunes, you’ll be hit with 40mm silk drivers for a robust sound. Custom tuning is onboard as well. This offers different EQ and sound profiles to be set from the Soundcore mobile app on both iOS and Android.
All-day battery
Pair all that with a huge power capacity, and the Life Q30 is a great addition to the Soundcore portfolio. Anker has the battery life rated at up to 40 hours of total playback per charge while using ANC. Turn off noise cancellation and it estimates an additional 20 hours. Yes, 60 hours total.
Of course, we’ll need to confirm this in real-world usage, but the Life Q20 has us comfortable that these projections are pretty close to actual results.
Available soon
Anker doesn’t have a set date of availability past “early November” in the US. It does have a concrete price tag of $79.99 from the Soundcore Amazon storefront.
LG’s reputation in the Android world isn’t exactly the best right now. The South Korean company hasn’t had the easiest time differentiating its phones or telling people why they should buy them.
Sure, it plasters advertisements everywhere, including your TV, the internet, radio, and billboard, but do you know why you should buy one of its phones after listening to them? Feels like every other phone out there, right? Based on a new strategy introduced earlier this year, LG agrees.
The company went back to the drawing board and came up with something new. While the V series is still kicking around after the death of the G series, the LG Velvet is something completely different. Combining premium looks and the best software suite we’ve seen from LG, this mid-range 5G device might just turn some heads… If LG can get anyone to listen.
Build
Taking the LG Velvet out of the box is an experience. The device is absolutely beautiful with a mirror-finish back, a display which has bezels slimmer than you’d imagine from press photos, and a solid feel in the hand.
LG also decided to stretch the phone out, so now the Velvet is very tall, but much easier to handle because of how thin it is for a device with a 6.8-inch display. It’s the best of both worlds.
One area that I wish LG would take a look at is their display. While the quality of the display is absolutely fantastic, I believe the era of curved displays needs to come to an end. It’s difficult to grab onto the aluminum side rails because the screen curves in a dramatic fashion.
I don’t experience many accidental touches (kudos to LG’s software team) but it does make the phone harder to use and feels less secure in my hand. Sure, it looks sleek but after you take it home, you want a good user experience and this isn’t it.
Software
This is a very pretty phone but there’s also depth, too. The software experience is far, far better than any other LG device I’ve ever used. Yes, it still comes with about 37 million preloaded apps (Thanks, AT&T), but beyond that, I’m pretty happy with what LG has done here.
First, let’s get this out of the way: if you’re a stock-Android lover, this one probably isn’t for you. The Velvet’s software reminds me a lot of Samsung’s offerings as well– but that’s a good thing.
You can see thought was put into design choices like moving the menu and buttons further down the screen while displaying information and graphics in the top half of the screen. LG doesn’t go as far as Samsung with this, but it’s a good start.
There’s also an impressive amount of options and settings in the device. You have everything from fine-tuning audio controls, display options, intelligent charging controls, a theme engine, and far more. But more than offering these features, it’s that LG has gotten out of its own way to do so.
No longer do we find things buried three or four menus deep. No longer are things half explained with users left to figure it out on their own. Again, there’s some real thought put into this.
The one thing I would love LG to work on, though, is the stock keyboard. This can be changed easily by downloading Gboard, but working with LG’s keyboard is a frustrating experience. It’s laggy, glitchy, and makes some pretty strange suggestions.
Frustrating things even more is the fact that it’s probably the best keyboard to use with the dual-screen display so you have to keep going back and forth between Gboard and LG’s keyboard if you want the best of both worlds. But hey, at least we have that option, right?
Before we move on, I just want to point out how good LG has been at updating its software so far. I, like many others, laughed when LG said it was making a huge push into software development so it could better support its devices. It even opened up software houses just for this purpose. But then, we saw no results.
But, I think that hard work (and millions of dollars) are starting to pay off. The monthly security updates are coming at more regular intervals now and that’s a refreshing change. But, where LG will be judged is how fast it can deliver full Android software updates (c’mon, Android 11!) and just how long LG is planning to support its devices for.
Dual Screen
Speaking of the dual-screen display, it’s one of my favorite things about the LG Velvet. It’s an optional accessory but comes bundled with the phone most of the time. With it, you can turn your device into a powerful pocket computer that’s only going to get better over time.
You can currently launch multiple apps, and that’s the best way to use the dual-screen. Because of the large hinge in the middle, using something like Google Maps across both displays isn’t a great experience, but it’s not really designed for that.
Playing a game and displaying a controller on the second screen is great. Opening up two documents at the same time is wonderful. Video editing is… well, you can do it if you want to.
via LG
For gaming, the Velvet is a dream. LG has included a dedicated Game Mode, which turns one of your displays into a full-screen (and customizable) controller. Then, throw the actual game on the other screen and enjoy something that you only wish you could have. Unless you actually pick up the Velvet, V60, or something like the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (which is a different experience entirely).
The display case charges via a pogo pin adapter that you can plug any USB-C cable into. I’ve heard people complain that you need an adapter but in my usage, I’ve never had an issue doing it.
The adapter lines up with the case via magnets so you never miss and you can just leave the adapter connected to your cable when you’re not using it. You’ll probably want to try and find an extra adapter, if you happen to travel frequently and don’t want to have to take your Velvet out of the dual-screen case just to charge it.
Performance
2020 has been a bit weird in terms of tech. Most companies decided that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ was too expensive and decided to go with the cheaper 765G instead. That’s exactly what LG did for the Velvet, which is why the device is priced right around $600 at the time of publishing.
In terms of performance, it’s… fine. This isn’t going to blow anything out of the water and benchmarks are going to make it seem like a potato, but in real life usage, it does the job just fine. There are a few stutters and some lag there, but I’m hesitant to attribute that to the processor and not to LG’s software or something running in the background.
I’ve used other devices with the 765G and performance has been great. In fact, you can barely notice you’re not using a flagship chip, if you can notice at all. I hope that I’m right and the little issues I’ve seen can get ironed out in a software patch. Truth be told, while I’m all for LG’s changes on the software front, they may have done too much and it does show a bit on the Velvet.
Battery
Battery life is another story. I was initially ready to criticize LG for making a phone super thin and killing the battery capacity, but there is a 4,300mAh battery here, which makes it competitive with pretty much every phone on the market.
In terms of real-world usage, battery life is pretty good. I averaged between five and 6.5 hours of screen on time each day and would go to bed with anywhere from 15 to 30% of my battery left. I achieved these results with all radios on, using the dual-screen case for an hour or so each day and screen brightness at auto.
This isn’t going to win any marathons, but I struggle to think of any phones that are this thin with this good of battery life.
What I do really like, however, is that LG included fast charging (up to 15W) and fast wireless charging (9W) on board. I’m the type of person who likes to stick my phone on the wireless charger at night to charge so it’s nice to see LG adding it after competitors like OnePlus took it out of devices in similar price ranges.
We also see intelligent charging controls so that your phone doesn’t charge too quickly at night. Fast charging produces heat and heat is the enemy of good, long last battery life. Over the life of your device, your battery degrades and heat doesn’t help that out. LG allows you to charge your phone slower at night, thus reducing heat and ensuring the long life of your battery.
Camera
The camera on the LG Velvet is good. It’s not crazy Samsung/Google/Huawei levels of good, but for almost everyone on the planet, it’ll do just fine.
Looking at camera samples, you can see that LG is probably changing its processing and leaning a little more into saturation, rather than true tones. We’ve seen this throughout the years, especially on Samsung devices, that blow out colors so they feel more vibrant and alive. I don’t necessarily mind this but it is something you should keep in mind if that sort of thing matters to you.
Beyond that, you’ll find the same full suite of picture modes and filters that you come to expect from LG. Video, however, has taken a bit of a step back. We don’t see quite the amount of control we’ve come to expect on past V-series devices, but as we said earlier, it’ll be fine for most people.
Conclusion
The LG Velvet can be just about anything you want it to be. It’s a mid-range device with pretty decent performance and 5G support. It’ll do great with everything except the most challenging apps. And even then, it should be fine, it just might take a little longer to launch that app or show a few less frames in that game.
Out of the box, it’s one of the sleekest and sexiest phones on the market, and trust me when I tell you that it looks far better in person. But, if you want more, slap the dual-screen case on there and you have a slimmer Fold 2-like experience that can launch multiple apps at the same time and allow you to get some work done on the train or browse Reddit as you’re watching YouTube videos. I believe that once more office apps begin to support multi-display support with the Fold and Microsoft Duo becoming more popular, the Velvet will prosper as well.
I wasn’t sure how LG’s strategy was going to plan out when they first announced they were going back to the drawing board. I was even less confident when renders started to appear because the Velvet looks like every slim and sexy slab of glass released in the last five years. But then I picked one up and started using it. It’s the first time I really don’t have any complaints about an LG phone in a long, long time.
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The OnePlus Nord is almost a great phone. And there’s no qualifier here about the price, it’s just damn near a great phone. You can nitpick things like the plastic frame of the phone, lack of expandable storage, or the hole-punch camera, but the only true downside in my opinion is the camera array. OnePlus seriously needs to step up its game if it wants to play with the big boys like Google, Apple, and Samsung.
