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PODCAST: Exclusive interview with Visible CEO Miguel Quiroga

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It’s a safe bet that most US consumers can name the four biggest wireless carriers in Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. We’re also willing to wager that many are familiar with the likes of Boost, Cricket, and Metro. But, do you know Visible?

Launched in the middle of 2018, Visible bills itself as a digital carrier that leverages Verizon’s 4G LTE network. It’s not exactly a prepaid carrier, and it’s not exactly an MVNO.

What makes Visible different from Verizon and other service providers? Are rate plans competitive? What about smartphone choices?

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We recently had a chance to speak with Visible CEO Miguel Quiroga to learn a bit about the service provider and how it positions itself in the ever-changing market.

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What are Android Go apps?

Jason England
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Android Go apps are lightweight versions of apps created specifically to run smoother on lower end hardware. These come bundled in by default on phones running Android Go and can even be installed on other Android phones.

For those unfamiliar with Android Go, it is a version of Android engineered to use less resources for entry-level phones.

Read More: What is Android Go and what phones run it?

While Android Go apps offer lightweight versions of Android apps, that is not the end of the story. In order to make the apps more streamlined, they often strip out features or design elements. This results in a snappier performing version of the app which features less eye candy such as animations and often only the essential functions.

Even though Android Go apps are stripped down to the essentials sometimes they provide added benefits the original may not. Considering these apps are designed specifically for phones in emerging markets they often come with valuable data saving features.

YouTube Go, for example, allows you to download videos for offline viewing and Files Go lets you share files without a Wi-Fi connection.

Those aren’t the only Go apps, many of your favorite Google apps have an Android Go counterpart as do several other popular apps on the Play Store. Google has provided guidelines for developers such as size restrictions of 40MB for apps and 65MB for games. However, they are often much smaller. For example, the current Google app weighs in at 64mb while the Android Go version is a meager 5.1MB.

There are also other guidelines for developers to follow such as low memory usage, no Android not responding errors or crashes, and a start-up time of under five seconds.

Below is a list of the Google specific Android Go apps. Special mention goes to Chrome, Gboard, and Google Play. Even though they are not a separate app Google still considers them part of the Go family due to their size and optimization.

Google’s Android Go Apps

Besides the aforementioned Google Go apps, there are also several other lite apps available on the Play Store. Several of these consist of social media and messaging apps including Facebook Lite, Facebook Messenger Lite, and Twitter Lite.

The great news is, you aren’t required to have an Android Go phone to use most of these apps. At least, not the third party ones. Some of the Google ones might be region locked preventing you from using them, as is the case with YouTube Go for example.

Whether you’re using an Android Go phone, entry-level phone, or older phone this can be incredibly beneficial. Even if you’re not using one of these phones, you might just enjoy having a snappier version of an app you need without all the extra bloat.

Color options for Samsung Galaxy S10 family

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Given that Samsung introduced no less than four versions of its Galaxy S10 phones this year, you’d be forgiven if you’re a bit confused. What’s the difference between each? What storage options are available?

Perhaps the most important question you have is which version of the phones will be sold in a particular color. That one’s not as confusing as it seems – at least at the outset.

Things get tricky when you factor in the various wireless service providers and the storage options. We wish it was as simple as all colors and capacities at all carriers, but it’s not the case. But, hey, at least the prices are uniform this time.

If you’re looking to purchase your Galaxy S10 unlocked and/or direct from Samsung, you’ll have no problem picking out the color you want, for the most part. Canary Yellow and Prism Green, for instance will not be offered in the US. With that said, here’s what color options should look like for the Galaxy S10.

Purchase unlocked from Samsung

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Confused by Galaxy S10 memory and storage options? Here’s a chart!

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You’re not alone. It’s nearly impossible to quickly glance across the new Galaxy S10 models and understand the different storage and memory options.

One might think it would be a tiered or graduated portfolio that slides up with each version. Nope. It’s just about as scattershot as it gets.

How much is too much?

Now, we’ll be the first to admit that flagship phones, as a whole, are outpacing the needs of the masses. The hardware that powers these handsets in 2019 will generally be far more than what any casual user needs.

Storage is great, and we love having local access to our files. The cloud’s awesome, sure, but we really appreciate being able to pull up videos and documents instantly instead of streaming them over our data connection.

What are the Galaxy S10 options?

Unfortunately, Samsung hasn’t made it easy to pick and choose the storage options you want. If a particular capacity is what you’re after, you’ll have to go with a specific model, and not the other way around.

Even visiting Samsung’s website and comparing one model against the next is difficult. We get it; it’s easier to consider the entire package and go with what comes with them. And, getting back to our original point, even the low end of 6GB is plenty of RAM. But why not make it

If you’re like us, and want a simplified way of looking at memory and storage in the Galaxy S10 line, you’re in luck. We’ve put together a chart that breaks things down.

Note that what you’re looking at is what Samsung offers for the Galaxy S10 models. Going through your wireless carrier might change things up a bit. Moreover, you might find that you’ll have to go with a specific color.

10 things we’re excited about from Samsung Unpacked 2019 and 1 we’re not

Jason England
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More Power

The new Samsung Galaxy S10 family wouldn’t be near as tempting if it didn’t mean also getting more power. Thanks to the use of a new 7nm processor and upgraded GPU the S10 will see a boost of up to 29% in CPU performance and up to 37% in GPU performance over the Galaxy S9. Not only that but you can now also get up to 12GB of RAM.

Foldable Phones

The Samsung Galaxy Fold isn’t the first foldable phone on the market but it is the first time we’ve seen Samsung try it. Why is this important? With Samsung entering this new category of smartphone, it is sure to gain more traction.

What that means for us, is more manufacturers entering this category and a better chance we’ll see phones evolve more in the future. At the moment it still comes off as more of a proof of concept, but in a few years, we could be looking at something truly compelling.

More Cameras

Yesterday Samsung announced the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy S10 5G with six cameras in them. While the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 plus both have a total of five cameras. With all these cameras we have gained the ability to have multiple lens options similar to pro DSLR cameras. All with the added bonus of never having to carry a big bulky camera and manually swapping lenses.

Now if you want to zoom in, zoom way out, or get the perfect selfie with a blurred background the S10 will have you covered. As a huge fan of super wide angle cameras, I’m particularly excited to see Samsung has finally added one to their flagship phones. I can’t wait to get my hands on one to try it out.

Wireless Charging

Wireless charging is nothing new, it has been around for many years now. However, it has grown in popularity these past few years. Now, it has even learned a new trick. Not only will you be able to charge your phone wirelessly but it will also be able to charge other devices.

With the new PowerShare feature on the S10 models and Galaxy Fold, you’ll have the ability to charge up your accessories or give your friend’s phones a little boost. It couldn’t be more perfect that the Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Active both support wireless charging.

Longer Battery Life

The new PowerShare feature would be pretty useless if your phone didn’t have enough juice to get through the day. Fortunately, the new S10 models feature even longer battery life, up to 25% longer. Samsung says this happens through the use of software power management which optimizes the CPU usage of apps on your phone. It’s also likely that the new SoC plays a role here as well as each generation becomes more efficient.

5G Connectivity

Samsung announced the Galaxy S10 5G at Unpacked yesterday bringing new network connectivity options to the S series. The prevalence of 5G wireless networks is going to open a whole new world of possibilities. These new networks feature lightning fast speeds and ultra-low latency, 5G networks are going to be a game changer.

It will bring new experiences to life using AR and allow for streaming games as well as faster streaming for videos. Unfortunately, most won’t be able to take advantage of it until 5G networks become more widespread.

Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner

One of the standout features of the new Galaxy S10 models yesterday is the in display fingerprint scanner. This new feature really started gaining traction in phones last year but this is the first time Samsung has included one. Previous phones using this technology such as the OnePlus 6T opted for optical scanners.

With the Galaxy S10 Samsung has chosen to go with a more secure ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. This uses sound waves that travel through the display to make a map of your fingerprint. What that means is, it will be more difficult to trick or try to bypass than optical scanners.

Smaller Bezels, More Screen

It’s not secret, bezels have been shrinking as every manufacturer strives to give us a bezeless display. Samsung just gave us the smallest bezels we’ve ever seen on one of their phones. By utilizing techniques to hide the sensors and include the hole punch for the cameras, Samsung has shrunk the top and bottom bezels more than ever.

Galaxy Active

The new Galaxy Active smartwatch is the next in Samsung’s line up of fitness based wearables. What has us particularly excited about it is the blood pressure monitor and stress tracking. The Galaxy Active will now be able to not only track your exercise routines but help monitor more of your health.

More Choices

Samsung just announced a total of four models for the S10. There have never been so many models in the S series before. As a consumer, more choices equals the greater likelihood that you’ll find the product that truly suits you. Maybe you don’t care to pay for extra cameras, maybe you want a 5G enabled phone, maybe you love a larger screen. With so many choices and options to choose from it’ll be easier to find just what is right for you, and that’s always a good thing.

Higher Prices

It seems this was inevitable, but that doesn’t mean we have to be happy about it. Unfortunately, more choices did not equal more affordable prices. This had to be our least favorite moment of Samsung Unpacked. Starting at $749 for the lowest tier Galaxy S10e, the Galaxy S10 steps it up to $899, and finally the Galaxy S10 plus jumping up to $999. Even with trade-in deals and promotions, there is no getting around it, the new Galaxy S10 models will leave a dent in your bank account.

Samsung Galaxy S10 family arrives with four models

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As if we were to expect anything else today, Samsung officially debuted its Galaxy S10 line of phones. The 2019 family isn’t just a standard model and a plus version, either. No, this time around we get four models to choose from. Indeed, Samsung has doubled down on its flagship device.

While the past few years saw the Galaxy S and Galaxy S Plus, this year gives way to the Galaxy S10e, and a Galaxy S10 5G. The former is a smaller, cheaper take on the experience while the latter is larger than the S10 Plus and offers support for 5G.

All models of the Galaxy S10 include the Snapdragon 855 processor and feature a new “Dynamic” AMOLED display with hole-in design. There’s no “notch” here as the screen completely envelopes the front-facing camera. What’s more, the Infinity-O Display has a number of sensors in the hole-in display.

Also includes with each of the Galaxy S10 phones is two-way wireless charging which lets one use the phone to charge up other phones or accessories. One accessory which Samsung is happy to recommend is its Galaxy Buds.

Each of the Galaxy S10 handsets include Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 technology as well as IP68 water and dust resistance. Additionally, they all come with at least two rear cameras, and in some cases, up to four.

SEE ALSO

 

All versions of the phone run Android 9 Pie with Samsung’s custom “One UI” on top. Rolling out to the Galaxy S9 line now, it’s a lean and clean approach that simplifies things with bigger icons.

Let’s take a look at some of the differences in the four models.

Galaxy S10

Considered the standard-bearer, the Galaxy S10 offers up a 6.1-inch display with thin bezels and a curved, compact frame. Moreover, it houses an ultra-sonic in-screen fingerprint scanner.

Sleek and sexy is the name of the game here but that doesn’t mean it’s fragile. The front side includes Gorilla Glass 6 while the back has Gorilla Glass 5.

As the first phone certified with Samsung’s HDR10+ (similar to Dolby Vision), it provides users with the darkest darks and the brightest brights.

In terms of cameras, the Galaxy S10 has three of ’em: a 16-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with fixed focus, a 12-megapixel dual aperture wide-angle lens with OIS, and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with OIS and 2X optical zoom.

Around front we locate a 10-megapixel camera with dual aperture. This lets the phone automatically let in more light when you’re in an environment with low lighting.

The Galaxy S10 is sold in 128GB and 512GB storage options, each of which come with 8GB RAM. A microSD expansion card slot allows for up to 512GB of extra space; the battery capacity weights in at 3,400mAh. Pricing starts at $900 for the handset.

Samsung Galaxy S10e

The most budget-friendly approach to the Galaxy models in 2019, this one has OnePlus, Apple, and Google in its crosshairs. Priced as low as $750, it gives users a 5.8-inch display, two rear cameras, and a front-facing 10-megapixel selfie camera.

The Galaxy S10e has a flattened feel to it and doesn’t have the curved edges found in other Samsung devices. The fingerprint reader, for its part, is located in the power button on the right side of the phone.

The battery is smaller than what’s found in its S10 siblings, but is still beefy at 3,100mAh. Storage options include 128GB with 6GB RAM or 256GB with 8GB RAM. As for the processor, it packs the same Snapdragon 855 chip that powers the other S10 models. In other words, it’s everything you need in a phone this year and won’t set you back a thousand bucks.

Galaxy S10 Plus

What does one expect in a “Plus” version? Bigger, right? That’s part of what you get in the Galaxy S10 Plus; however, there’s more to the story.

The screen size is a smidge larger at 6.4-inches and the battery is punched up to 4,100mAh.

Similar to the Galaxy S10, the phone packs three cameras on the back of the S10 Plus. But, around front we pick up a secondary camera (8-megapixel) to help in depth-mode portraits.

Storage clocks in at 128GB, 512GB, and a full-on terabyte (1TB) in the Galaxy S10 Plus. Further, going that route also nets you more memory with the phone chugging along with 12GB RAM. Yes, it rivals the laptop you’re using.

Another key difference in the S10 Plus is that it a a ceramic backing option in black and white. You’ll have to spring for the 512GB and 1TB models if you want it, but doing so should help with drops.

The Galaxy S10 Plus has a starting retail price of $1,000.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

Pricing on this phone has not been announced but we suspect it will run far more than $1,000 for the experience. Rumors leading up to the announcement put it anywhere from about $1,300 up to $1,700.

Samsung stopped short of providing the full list of specifications on the S10 5G but did spill a few proverbial beans. Key among them is a 6.7-inch display and 4,500mAh battery with Super Fast Charging at 25W.

Because three rear cameras isn’t enough for early adopters and bleeding-edge users, the S10 5G comes with four. The 3D Depth Camera will be used for AR and cool photo tricks.

Storage and memory here is listed at 256GB with 8GB RAM, respectively. There’s no microSD expansion card slot, though; Samsung had to make room for the 5G tech.

Verizon will launch as the first carrier to support the Galaxy S10 5G but other wireless providers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Xfinity Mobile) will follow after a period of exclusivity. Look for it to touch down in the second quarter of the year.

Pre-Order Now

Consumers who pre-order a Galaxy S10 or Galaxy S10 Plus before March 7, 2019 will receive a free set of Galaxy Buds ($129.99 value). What’s more, consumers who trade-in an eligible device on Samsung.com or through the Shop Samsung app can get up to $550. Both promotions are for a limited time and only while supplies last.

Samsung Galaxy Fold has arrived with 6 cameras, an Infinity Flex Display, and a $1,980 price tag

Jason England
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Today at Samsung Unpacked the Galaxy Fold was unfolded for the whole world to see. This isn’t the first time we’ve gotten a look at Samsung’s foray into this new category of smartphones. However, it is the first time we’ve gotten all the details including the confirmation it will start at $1,980 dollars.

Infinity Flex Display

That’s a lot of money, but to be fair the Samsung Galaxy Fold packs in a lot of tech. For starters, it has a 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display when unfolded. The Galaxy Fold essentially puts a tablet display in your hands. It is worth noting the screen is a 4.2:3 ratio similar to an iPad and also has a sizable notch in the upper right corner for the two front-facing cameras.

When in its folded orientation there is a separate outer screen measuring 4.6-inches at an ultra-wide 21:9 ratio. Making it taller and skinnier than Samsung’s current S series or Note models. At only 4.6-inches it is rather small compared to the 6 plus inches most users have become accustomed to these days, but should make it easier to use one-handed due to its considerable thickness.

Specs

The Galaxy Fold is powered by an unnamed 7nm processor which will most likely be the Snapdragon 855 for the US models and possibly an Exynos variant for other regions. Samsung made sure to load it up with RAM and storage with a whopping 12GB of memory and 512GB of storage space.

Software

Out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy Fold will run Android 9.0 Pie with some extra features to take advantage of the form factor and screen size. For example, with Multi-Active Window the Galaxy Fold is going to put all that RAM and large screen to work with the ability to run up to three apps at once.

Samsung worked closely with Android on the Multi-Active Window to ensure running three apps at once and swapping them would be as seamless as possible. Now, you’ll have the freedom to watch YouTube videos, surf the web, and have a chat all at once on the same screen.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold also includes App Continuity allowing you to open an app with it folded and having it seamlessly appear on the unfolded screen. This easy transition allows you to start working on the smaller screen and continue on the larger screen instantly.

It also features the regular Samsung goodies such as DeX, Samsung Pay, and Bixby.

Cameras

There is a shocking six cameras included on the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Starting with a triple camera setup on the back with a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 12MP f/1.5 and f/2.4 dual aperture dual pixel camera with OIS, and a 12MP f/2.4 2X telephoto camera with OIS.

When folded there is a single front-facing 10MP f/2.2 selfie camera. While in the unfolded state you have a dual camera selfie setup featuring a 10MP f/2.2 + 8MP f/1.9 RGB depth-sensing camera. No matter how you look at it, that’s a whole lot of cameras and makes sure you’ll be able to take photos no matter what state the Galaxy Fold is being used in.

Battery

When you’re talking about a phone with so many screens and such a large display, you know the battery is going to be important. Samsung has found a way to include two batteries with one on either side to balance out weight and feel of the Galaxy Fold. These two batteries act together as one and add up to a 4380mAh of overall capacity.

With such a large battery you’ll be thankful that the Galaxy Fold makes use of Quick Charge 2.0 and Wireless Fast Charging technology. It is also compatible with Samsung’s Wireless PowerShare technology allowing you to charge up other devices wirelessly.

Price and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Fold will be available in the US starting in the second quarter of 2019 from AT&T and T-Mobile. It will set you back $1,980 dollars and come in Astro Blue, Cosmos Black, and Space Silver.

Samsung debuts Galaxy Watch Active, Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Buds

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Samsung on Wednesday announced a number of new phones as part of its annual spring Unpacked event around Mobile World Congress. Indeed, its Galaxy S10 line is official and coming to carriers around the globe in the coming weeks. Also among the new products are three new wearables.

The Galaxy Watch Active, Galaxy Fit, and Galaxy Buds are the perfect compliment to the flagship phone line but will work with any other smartphones, too. But, in order to get the best experience imagined, you’ll want to go with Samsung’s phones — of course.

Keeping with the growing trend among phone makers like Google and Apple, Samsung’s new products are built with personal wellness and healthy lifestyles in mind. Each of the accessories have unique ways of tracking activities and helping wearers live a more balanced life.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each.

Galaxy Watch Active

As its name implies, this has a traditional watch design that’s at once fashionable and flexible. Included in the tech are blood pressure monitor, a microphone for Bixby voice functions (calls/messages), and tracking of more than three dozen (39) activities.

Pricing for the Galaxy Watch Active is $200 with US retail availability starting March 8. Customers who pre-order the watch through March 7 will receive a free wireless charging pad. The Galaxy Watch Active is water resistant and will be sold with a variety of strap colors (Silver, Black, Rose Gold, Sea Green).

Galaxy Fit

More of a traditional activity tracker, the Galaxy Fit can automatically detect when wearers walk, run, row, bike, and more. Moreover, it will allow for manual tracking of some 90 different activities. And, yes, it’s water resistant, too.

The Galaxy Fit will track and analyze sleep as well help with stress management. Similar to other modern wearables, it will notify wearers of alerts and messages. A widget will synchronize with your phone to display alarms, calendar details, weather, and more. Travel to a different time zone, for instance, and it will smartly display a dual-clock watch face to how the time back home.

The Galaxy Fit will arrive in the second quarter but pricing and exact timing has not been revealed.

Galaxy Buds

Designed with sound by AKG, these truly wireless earbuds offers up six hours of Bluetooth streaming and up to five hours of phone calls. Toss them in the carrying case and you’ll get a charge for up to seven more hours — a total of 13 of battery. The case can pick up nearly two hours of life with just 15 minutes on the charger.

As one would expect, the real selling point is the hands-free integration with Samsung Bixby. Indeed, one can send text messages and check battery life simply by using their voice. The earbuds are splash resistant to water and a little bit of sweat.

The Galaxy Buds are $130 and will be offered through major retailers and carriers starting from March 8. A limited-time promotion sees Samsung throwing in a free pair with pre-orders of Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ through Samsung’s website.

Coolpad Illumina review

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Android Go is an interesting concept. First introduced with the Android 8.1 Oreo update, it’s a version of the mobile operating system designed for devices with 1GB RAM – or less. In short, it’s a stripped down version of the Android experience that requires little hardware.

When you look at the specifications of most Android Go phones you’ll find they all sound like old, outdated handsets. Instead of 32GB and 64GB internal storage you’ll see 8GB and 16GB. Instead of octa-core processors of 2GHz or higher they have quad-core chips at lower clock speeds.

What does this mean to the user? If you’re a high-end gamer or someone who likes to push a phone to its limits, it means nothing. You won’t even look in the direction of an Android Go phone. On the other hand, if you are looking for something more than a feature phone but don’t want to spend a ton of money, they’re great.

READ: What is Android Oreo Go?

Android Go phones are also good for parents who might be adding children and first-time smartphone users to a family plan. They’re often really inexpensive and, in some cases, are offered unlocked to work with a variety of carriers. Others, though, are sold through a wireless service provider.

One such Android Go phone, the Coolpad Illumina, can be purchased through Boost Mobile for a mere $30 right now. Typically priced at $80 on a normal day, it’s a great entry point for consumers dipping their toes in the smartphone water.

Those who have owned multiple Android phones over the last 5-10 years likely had a device with hardware similar to the Illumina. And, at the time, it was more than what they might have needed. That much hardware, with Android Go, is still sufficient for a lot of users.

Illumina Features

  • 5.0-inch display
  • 5-megapixel rear camera
  • 2-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 1.1GHz quad-core processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB internal storage
  • MicroSD expansion card slot (32GB)
  • 2150mAh battery
  • Android 8.1 Oreo Go

While most of today’s big-name releases tend to feature cutting-edge tech like AI, dual-cameras, and edge-to-edge displays, you won’t get that here. The Coolpad Illumina is a no-frills experience that doesn’t even have a fingerprint reader.

Design

When compared to other phones of the day, the Illumina comes off as clunky, chunky, and cheap. That’s harsh stuff to say, but that’s the reality. The trick is to not look at it against other devices. Sure, it’s still a throwback to the earlier days of Android, but that’s fine. It worked for the masses then and it’s still good enough for a lot of people.

There’s nothing special or fancy about the design of the phone; it certainly feels like a budget prepaid device. The plastic back cover can be removed to insert the SIM card, microSD card, and battery.

On the topic of the back, we do have to give Coolpad a bit of credit. Instead of sticking with an uninspired black or gray or going with a completely generic look, they add a touch of pizzazz. The red accent frames the camera nicely and the textured battery cover gives users a little something extra to feel.

As for the display, well, Illumina is a bit of a misnomer. The screen is among the lowest quality we’ve seen in some time. Not just in terms of resolution — 854×480 pixels — but the viewing angles and brightness.

Looking straight on at the phone the Illumina is fine for reading and a touch of movement. Put on a movie trailer and/or view the screen from a tilt, and you’ll have a hell of a time with it. Side-to-side angles aren’t bad, but the up and down tilting is agonizing.

Colors are generally washed out and the whole thing comes across as muted. Even at its brightest setting we had trouble seeing the full picture of the display anywhere but head on.

To make matters worse, there’s a reflective cover to the screen that catches every light in the room. Pitch black comes off as silver and other colors virtually disappear. Take the phone outside on a sunny day and you’ll go mad trying to watch a video clip.

Performance

As much as we would like to tell you that Android Go makes the most of the hardware in the Coolpad Illumina, we can’t. Even the stripped down, optimized software can’t help. Looking for games and multi-tasking? Forget it. You won’t find it here.

Everything you do with the phone is met with a pause, even if it’s the slightest of one. Swiping up to get into the app tray, pulling down the notification shade, and opening apps are all noticeably taxed processes.

Sure, we’re spoiled rotten with daily driver phones that run laps around the Illumina. We are likely seeing things that others might not, particularly if they’ve not had a smartphone. With that said, you could fast grow tired of the lag.

Software

We cannot begin to imagine how this phone would run were it using the standard version of Android. Android Go, and the Go versions of apps, are designed with low-end hardware in mind, and we think we’ve found the far end of the spectrum.

Even with the lean software build our review unit ended up using some 36 percent of the storage out of the box. Thankfully, there’s a decent selection of Google apps pre-installed, including Google Go, Chrome, Assistant, Maps Go, Play Music, YouTube Go, and Play Store.

You read that correct, Assistant is its own app. That means no omnipresent Google aid to help you with directions, answers, and reminders. At least not with a long-press of the home button. Our suggestion would be to make sure the shortcut to Assistant stays close to the home screen.

Google Maps, as helpful as it is, goes back in time to an era prior to turn-by-turn directions. That’s nearly a decade for those who don’t know. You can get the directions but you’ll need to install a separate app for the experience.

Camera

Oh boy.

At first we thought things didn’t look so bad when viewing on the phone. Then we moved them to a PC to give them a proper look. Yikes. Quality was very low and there didn’t seem to be any sharpness or true definition. Color was muted and uninspired and shutter speeds were plodding.

We don’t want to spend too many words going in on the camera so we’ll just share a few samples. Mind you, these were in the best lighting conditions possible.

Conclusion

We try to have a soft spot for upstart brands and companies who seek to deliver more bang for the buck. We want so much more for this phone but, sadly, it’s difficult to find the silver lining.

The limited-time $30 price tag might be really enticing to some, but even here we have a hard time recommending the phone. At its normal cost of $80 we can unequivocally say it’s overpriced.

From time to time we’ll concede that a prepaid phone or something on the low end of price can suffice in a pinch.  We call ’em Band-Aid devices. Lose your phone or break it? Sometimes you can get away with something under $100 and hold onto it for more than a few weeks. That’s not the case here.

Do you know how you’ll see cheap car chargers and headphones at the gas station checkout? Priced at a fraction of what a “real” accessory might cost, they’re best viewed as disposable items that work in a true emergency. That’s where we’d put the Coolpad Illumina.

If you absolutely have no extra money and really need to access your email and messages, then fine. Do it, but replace it the first chance you get.

If you’ve got about $100 or more to spend on a phone, we would recommend looking elsewhere. Perhaps a Blu or Alcatel phone. Or, check to see if there’s a previous generation Moto G or Moto E that’s available.

We can’t see anyone being content with this device besides a child getting its first taste of smartphone. Maybe that’s who Coolpad had in mind for the Illumina. If that’s the case, we get it. This makes for a cheap way to see if a kid can be responsible with a phone and take care of one before moving into something more legitimate.

LG intros mid-range K40, K50, and Q60 ahead of MWC

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LG on Wednesday announced a trio of new phones ahead of next week’s Mobile World Congress. The threesome, the K40, K50, and Q60, are mid-range models that share a few common traits but have just enough different between them to merit separate models.

As LG puts it, these are consumer-friendly smartphones that feature great camera performance and have solid battery life. Moreover, they come with AI-powered functionality in the form of a dedicated Google Assistant button and AI CAM automatic scene detection.

Each of the phones has tall displays with 2:1 aspect ratios, fingerprint readers, microSD card slots (up to 2TB), and DTS:X 3D surround sound. It’s not clear which version(s) of Android these run but we assume/hope it’s Android 9 across the board.

LG Q60

  • Chipset: 2.0 GHz Octa-Core
  • Display: 6.26-inch 19:9 HD+ FullVision Display
  • Memory: 3GB RAM / 64GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
  • Rear Camera: 16MP with PDAF / 2MP with Depth Sensor / 5MP with Super Wide Angle
  • Front Camera: 13MP
  • Battery: 3,500mAh
  • Size: 161.3 x 77 x 8.7mm
  • Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
  • Others: DTS:X 3D Surround Sound / AI CAM / MIL-STD 810G Compliance / Fingerprint Sensor / Google Assistant Button

LG K50

  • Chipset: 2.0 GHz Octa-Core
  • Display: 6.26-inch 19.5:9 HD+ FullVision Display
  • Memory: 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
  • Rear Camera:
    • Rear: 13MP with PDAF / 2MP with Depth Sensor
    • Front: 13MP
  • Battery: 3,500mAh
  • Size: 161.3 x 77 x 8.7mm
  • Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
  • Others: DTS:X 3D Surround Sound / AI CAM / MIL-STD 810G Compliance / Fingerprint Sensor / Google Assistant Button

LG K40

  • Chipset: 2.0 GHz Octa-Core
  • Display: 5.7-inch 18:9 HD+ FullVision Display
  • Memory: 2GB RAM / 32GB ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
  • Rear Camera: 16MP with PDAF
  • Front Camera: 8MP (LED Flash)
  • Battery: 3,000mAh
  • Size: 153.0 x 71.9 x 8.3mm
  • Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
  • Others: DTS:X 3D Surround Sound / AI CAM / MIL-STD 810G Compliance / Fingerprint Sensor / Google Assistant Button

The phone maker hasn’t revealed any pricing or carrier availability but we suspect we’ll get variations of some, if not all, of them in the US. From time to time we see mid-range LG models sold through top service providers and a few prepaid and/or MVNO brands.

Look for more information on the LG K40, LG K50, and LG Q60 to sprinkle out in the coming weeks.

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