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Honor 7S review: good looking, but so very slow

Alexandra Arici
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We’ve noticed an interesting trend in smartphones over the last few years. The gap between the best and the worst has gotten increasingly smaller. So in today’s market, the advantages of a more expensive phone are less distinct than ever.

So even if you appreciate high-end builds and having the latest features, you’d be advised to think twice before spending an arm and a leg on the latest and greatest.

Should you mind the new wave of budget handsets?

Unlike premium phones, budget-oriented devices have relied on a different yet effective strategy. Instead of trying to produce new and exciting features to fuel headlines, affordable smartphones have instead focused on doing the essentials and doing them well.

It’s for this reason that budget devices are becoming more interesting, and are improving at a faster rate. While their premium counterparts have a tendency to stagnate.

One device in this category is the recently launched Honor 7S. At least at first glance. Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor is aimed at people who don’t want to drop a huge amount on a phone. The company does offer more advanced phones like the Honor 10 View which is available for $499. Yet this price places it in direct competition with the OnePlus 6, so it’s not exactly a low-cost affair.

But the latest Honor 7S however, is truly a phone for those on a tight budget. It’s available for roughly $129 and for this modest price it brings some interesting features (and some potentially deal-breaking flaws) to the table, which we are going to talk about in a few.

Design & Build

The design of the Honor 7S isn’t striking. You won’t go “wow” as you extract it out of the box, but the phone does look pretty good. For a budget device.

It has a metal frame and a black plastic panel with a matte finish. So unlike the super trendy all-glass phones everyone is drooling over these days, the Honor 7S is not a magnet for fingerprints. Which is nice to have.

The Honor 7S is quite compact too. It weighs only 142g and has 8.3mm frame, so it feels pretty great in hand.

Display

The Honor 7S is among the cheapest offerings on the market to offer 18:9 aspect ratio, which follows a major trend throughout the phone industry. But more often it’s been seen on devices that cost a lot more. Although more affordable options are starting to emerge.

The display is a sensible 5.45-inch in size and the resolution is 1440 x 720 pixel, which is what you’d normally expect from budget devices such as this one. So while it’s not full HD, it’s still acceptable.

The color reproduction is quite decent overall. The screen is also particularly bright and vibrant compared to other devices in this price category.

You also have some additional display features to tap into from Settings. There’s Eye Comfort mode, which filters out blue light to relieve visual fatigue. Once you enable this mode, the screen will have a yellowish tint, automatically adjusting the color temperature to lessen the strain on your eyes.

Or you can manually fiddle with color temperature and opt for warmer or colder tones. Depending on what you prefer.

Apart from the display, the front of the phone also houses a loudspeaker. A 5-megapixel selfie shooter, LED notification light and LED flash for night selfies (if you’re into that) are also included. The speaker sounds quite decent for a budget phone, but offers nothing out of the ordinary.

The power button and the volume rocker are both located on the right side, while the left side is home to the dual-SIM card slot and a slot for storage expansion. The device uses a micro USB port for charging which is located at the bottom.

Like it’s still the case with the majority of budget phones today, the phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack which is located on the top.

On the back, there is a single camera system. The notable absentee here is the fingerprint scanner. Also, the phone lacks a face ID feature.

Huawei is pushing two special features with the Honor 7S, and one has to do with making phone calls. It’s called Loud Voice Call, and it’s supposed to help the other person’s voice cut through ambient noise during a call.

Yet in our experience we can’t say we’ve noticed anything out of the ordinary. Yeah, we could hear the voice of the other person loud and clear enough, but honestly, the quality didn’t stand out to us or anything.

Performance

While things seemed to be moderately promising on the outside, things aren’t that great when it comes to performance. It’s not usually a strong point of budget smartphones and the Honor 7S isn’t much different in this area. The phone is powered by MediaTek MT6739 processor which a quad-core affair clocked at 1.5GHz. It’s backed up by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage (up to 256GB).

Unfortunately, the processor used is old and pretty lack-lustre. As a result, the phone is often laggy and takes a few seconds to “think through” even the most basic of commands.

Gaming performance is quite average at best, with more demanding games suffering the most. We’ve also noticed a weird bug. While playing (certain) games, the screen randomly dims itself and then brightens up again. It’s quite frustrating when you’re trying to see what you’re doing in the game.

If you’re coming to the Honor 7S from a Galaxy S9 or even from an Honor 10 View, the overall experience will probably feel quite exasperating. But if you give it a few seconds to breathe, the Honor 7S manages to do its job. It can handle most basic tasks, but it will do so at its own sluggish pace. Fortunately, webpages tend to load pretty fast. No major headaches here.

The Honor 7S relies on a 3,020 mAh battery which offers surprisingly good battery life. We could easily get through the day on a single charge and still have some juice left before bedtime. Our daily routine when using the phone included using social media, talking on the phone, a bit of gaming and reading a few articles.

That’s not too surprising, when you don’t have a super high-resolution display like flagships often do, your battery is simply going to last longer because there are fewer pixels to push.

A one-time session of continuous gaming  (with sound off and screen brightness set to medium) that lasted around 5.5 hours drained battery levels down to 15%. However, be warned that in such an intense scenario, the phone has a tendency to overheat.

The Honor 7S apparently has fast-charging. It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes to fully juice it up again. But that’s with the charging cable Honor provides in the box. If you use a third party charger it takes a lot longer.

The second special feature Huawei is pushing here is a smart battery management function meant to extend battery life. You can turn it on from Settings. The mode enables a very pristine interface with only a few apps are available. Which you get to pick. With 59% battery life and the Ultra power saving mode on, you should be good for another 2 days and 4 hours!

Cameras

Dual cameras are among the most popular trends in phones over the last few years . The Honor 7S bucks this one, however, and settles for a singular 13-megapixel rear-facing camera that features PDAF for focused pictures.

For a smartphone that costs less than $150, the Honor 7S can take pretty decent pics with a moderate amount of details and nice colors. Provided you have optimal lighting conditions. Even so, in bright sunlight some results look a bit burned (see tree picture).

But don’t expect the same outcome in low-light scenarios. The pictures we’ve taken with the phone look very grainy and the colors extremely washed out.

The camera app brings nothing out of the ordinary. Swipe right and you’ll open up the Settings panel. From here you get access to more advanced options like tweaking ISO and White Balance.

The main camera also lets you shoot 1080p video at 30fps. Due to the lack of optical image stabilization, the results are pretty rudimentary.

The selfie camera is pretty mediocre in quality too. Most self-portraits we snapped turned out too soft. There’s also a beauty mode enabled that will smooth your imperfection. It’s a bit over the top, making you look overly pale, but some people might be into that kind of thing.

Software

Android 8.1 Oreo is a welcome sight on low-cost phones. It used to be the case that many devices in this category shipped with outed versions of Android. Fortunately, the Honor 7S is as up to date as it can be in this department. Although, our review unit has the March Android security patch installed, which is quite outdated.

But while it’s laudable that the Honor 7S ships with the latest in terms of Android, we’re pretty doubtful that the phone will get the Android P update.

Obviously, the phone ships with Huawei’s proprietary EMUI 8.0 laid on top of Android. So those who used a Huawei phone before will know what to expect.

The heavily-skinned interface might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it does offer sufficient functionality for users. The phone packs some customization options. For example, there’s no app drawer by default, but if you’re a fan, you can enable the option from Settings.

Another cool trick you might be familiar with if you’ve used a OnePlus is the ability to slide down three fingers to take a screenshot. You can find the option under Motion control in System.

What’s not so great is that the Honor 7S comes pre-installed with a series of apps including Tips, Phone Manager or Themes, which you may or may not need. During our time with the phone we didn’t use them much for the simple fact that we didn’t find them helpful at all.

Themes, for example, is very basic offering only a few options to choose from. Although you can add more wallpapers by tapping into your own private gallery.

Conclusion

Smartphones these days tend to have a fairly short lifespan. In most circumstances, they don’t last more than two years. So if feel it’s unnecessary to make an $800+ investment into a device you will want to replace in a couple of years, buying a budget phone makes perfect sense.

So should you consider getting the Honor 7S? It depends.

It’s hard not to notice the super convenient price tag. For under $150 you can get a phone boasting a modern 18:9 aspect ratio, a great battery life and the latest version of Android on board.

However, you might want to think twice if, for example, you want to use the phone mostly for gaming. Yeah, the large battery will enable you to embark on long gaming sessions. But at what cost?

You’ll surely become annoyed with the phone’s flat performance which is exacerbated when running games. Yes, the Honor 7S can handle a simple game like Cafeland without much lag, but try to play anything slightly more demanding and you’ll start feeling disheartened pretty fast.

But if you want a phone to assist you with basic tasks such as browsing the web, checking email, social media and texting, the Honor 7S might be what you’re looking for.

Although there might be better options out there to consider. For example, the Moto E5 Play costs only $79.99 and ships with a better Snapdragon 427 processor under the hood. However, it features a smaller battery and a less impressive 8-megapixel main camera.

We should note that the phone is not currently available in the US. However, if you are in Europe you can grab it for €119 in select countries. At this point, we don’t know whether Honor has any plans of launching the handset in the States. So for the time being, customers in the country who are looking for a budget phone can opt for the Honor 7X, which offers improved specs at a slightly higher price point.

What’s the difference: Sony Xperia XA2 Plus vs Xperia XA2 Ultra

Alexandra Arici
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Back at CES 2018, Sony unveiled the Xperia XA2 Ultra, two smartphones to feed your selfie addiction.

Fast forward to the present and Sony has recently unveiled a new member of the Xperia XA2 family called the Xperia XA2 Plus.

Surprisingly, the two models are quite similar in aspect and specification. What sets them apart? Keep reading below to find out!

On the outside

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra

The Xperia XA2 Plus is the only model in the XA2 family to feature a modern 18:9 aspect ratio. In contrast, the older Xperia XA2 Ultra retains the classic look with its 6-inch FHD display and 16:9 aspect ratio.

The Xperia XA2 Plus features a 6-inch front panel too, although due to the new aspect ratio, it will seem a bit taller and more compact. It boasts 1080 x 2160 resolution.

Sony Xperia XA2 Plus

Obviously, Sony has also slimmed down the bezels on the XA2 Plus. Otherwise, both models sport aluminum frames and metallic finishes. They also have a fingerprint scanner located on the back.

On the inside

Moving on to performance, the Xperia XA2 Plus and XA2 Ultra are almost identical. The two models rely on the same Snapdragon 630 processor, which is backed up by 4GB of RAM. Sony offers the devices in 32GB and 64GB variants. Although the XA2 Plus will also be available in a more advanced configuration with 6GB of RAM on board.

The two handsets also share the same 3,850 mAh battery, which should provide great battery life.

But there’s something that sets the XA2 Plus apart from the XA2 Ultra. The new model includes LDAC wireless audio and Hi-Res Audio support. Which puts it on the radar for audiophiles on a budget.

Both Xperias run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

Photography

Sony’s Xperia XA2 is a phone designed for selfie-lovers, unlike the XA2 Plus. So instead of the Ultra’s 16-megapixel+8-megapixel dual-camera setup, the XA2 Plus only gets a single 8-megapixel wide-angle camera with bokeh effects.

As for the rear-facing camera, it’s the same on both models. It’s a 23-megapixel camera with PDFA, capable of shooting 4K video and 120fps slow-motion video.

Pricing

It’s not really clear which of the two is the higher-end model, especially since Sony hasn’t said how much it will be asking for the Xperia XA2 Plus. Although with the Plus model Sony seems to be targeting audiophiles. While the Ultra was created with selfie-lovers in mind.

The new Xperia XA2 Plus is expected to hit the shelves in August and will be available in Silver, Black, Gold or Green.

As for the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra, the phone is already up for grabs the US. Some retailers are even offering it with a discount. For example, at Best Buy the 32GB version in Black, Blue, Gold or Silver ships for $389.99 ($60 off). The 64GB variant is available for $449.99.

Motiv Smart Ring First Impressions – fitness tracking on your finger

Donovan Jeska
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Motiv announced this morning that it would be bringing its fascinating new smart ring to Android, along with Google Fit compatibility. We were luck enough to get our hands on some hardware to try out in advance, and the early results are very promising. But does the potential of the little ring outweigh its $200 price tag? let’s take a look.

What follows is some early impressions of our short time with the Motiv smart ring, and we’ll update this post in a couple weeks with a full review.

Right off the bat, the first impression of Motiv’s smart ring is a good one. The packaging is clean and understated – just a matte black flipbox with a glossy black Motiv embossed on the cover. Flipping open the lid reveals the Motiv in all its glory – a rather plain-looking titanium ring that houses much more. Under the first layer of the packaging you’ll find two(!) chargers and a single page of instructions – which is all you’ll need to get started.

Hardware

The ring itself looks no different than any other, save for the small glossy LED band and the slightly flattened optical heart-rate sensor on the underside of the inner ring. It’s light and comfortable, and only a smidge thicker than more mundane rings.

And equally importantly, it’s a breeze to set up and use: just plug in the magnetic charger, attach the Motiv to it, download the Motiv app, and pair the two via said app. After that, it just works.

The built-in, custom-built curved battery generally lasts about three days of use, and a 90 minute charge replenishes that fully – a pretty decent charge-to-use ratio. The included chargers – one to keep at home, the other on a nifty magnetic keychain – are really simple and effective. The inclusion of two chargers when Motiv only really needed to include one is very customer-first thinking. I love it.

While the Motiv smart ring does not feature an Ingress Protection Rating, Motiv insists you can take your smart ring anywhere, including swimming and the shower, and my experience backs that up as well. It’s totally waterproof.

Functionality

As mentioned above, Motiv is just now officially coming to Android. As such it lacks some features of its iOS counterpart, though Motiv is working hard to create parity between the two platforms. Google Fit compatibility was just announced this morning, which is more or less a must-have for an Android-compatible fitness tracker. Thus far, the features that I’ve been able to test at length – step counter, sleep tracker, and heart-rate monitor – work flawlessly, with no lapses in connection. I’ll flesh this section out a bit more in a couple weeks with my full review, hopefully with more good news.

Value

At $200, the Motiv smart Ring is no small investment. It doesn’t have some of the same robistitude that other fitness trackers do, but it’s the only fitness tracker around that fits in with any outfit effortlessly. If you’re in the market for a new fitness tracker, you can do a lot worse than the Motiv Smart Ring. More to come, Android Guys. Stay tuned.

Speed up your Android phone with these eight essential tips

Alexandra Arici
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Remember back when you first got your Android phone? You were so excited, and it ran so smoothly you could hardly believe it. Now, as time has passed, the device has slowed down considerably, to the point that it’s annoying. What should you do? Start looking for a new phone already? Not so fast!

See Also

First, let’s see if we can try to speed up your Android phone with a few simple steps. If you find they don’t bring about the desired results, then you might start contemplating a new handset.

We’ve put together eight ways to speed up your Android device. Note that the directions might vary slightly from one phone to another, but largely follow the same steps.

Update your device

 

When was the last time you updated your device? In order to ensure your smartphone is running as smoothly as possible, you need to be up to date with the latest software release available. It’s not uncommon for apps to or games to have snags or conflicts with outdated versions of Android.

You can easily check for new updates on your device by opening the main settings, tapping About and checking the Software Update section.

Choose widgets carefully

Be careful how you fill up the empty home screen panels space with shortcuts and widgets. Widgets use small amounts of processing power and put a toll on battery life too, so you best limit you’re a few.

Remove those you rarely use and you’ll most likely going to experience an improvement in performance. Also if you could do away with the Live wallpaper it would be great. Opt for a static one instead.

Remove some apps

A bit too many photo apps, eh?

Chances are you may have gotten curious about some type of apps, installed them on your device, and gave them a go. Then, over time you totally forgot about them. Removing them might make your device run faster.

The process is simple: find the Settings app on your phone then look for Applications > Manage Applications. The tabs at the top will show you Downloaded Apps, Running Apps, All Apps and Apps on SD Card – so you can easily find the application you want to delete.

Turn off animations

There’s a hidden setting option in Android that will give you access to a few extra commands. Go to Settings>About>Build Number and tap it seven times. You are now given access to Developer Options. Now, you’ll be able to see a lot of options available to you, but unless you’re an experienced developer you’d best leave them alone.

Look for the Window Animation Scale option and choose to Turn off Animations to improve your device’s performance.

5. Switch to ART time

If your phone is running Android 5.0 Lollipop or above, you are using ART. However, an older phone with Android 4.4 KitKat uses DALVIK by default. However, you have the option to switch to ART hidden in the developer options. Scroll down to the Apps section and tap Select runtime, then choose Use ART.

Clean up your device storage space

From time to time, you should perform a quick clean of your device. Remember all those pictures you take for your friend’s birthday? Select the best shots and delete the others. How about all those screenshots and downloaded documents and pictures (Downloads folder from your app drawer) that basically qualify as junk? You need to wipe that out too.

Next, be sure to check the Storage page in the Settings and tap on the Other feature.  The category called Other includes app data, files downloaded from Internet via Bluetooth and Android system files. Choose the Explore option and search and identify the files you know you don’t need. However, if you don’t know what the file is for, do not delete it!

Clear the cache

The more you use an app, the more data is cached to improve the app’s performance. But, what’s good for the app may not be good for the rest of the device.

The good news is that you can quickly clear the cache. Open up the settings on your Android and head on the Device storage page. Scroll down the list until you find the Cached data entry and tap on it. A pop-up will appear tell you asking you if you want to clear all the cached data.

Factory Reset

Sometimes, the best way to breathe new life into your Android device is to perform a Factory Reset (also known as hard reset). Particularly in older handsets, it’s the best way to achieve a performance boosts.

Take into consideration that performing a factory reset means all your data will be deleted. So, before you take this step, you’ll need to backup all your files. Luckily, a factory reset won’t wipe up info from a microSD card slot.

To get started with your factory reset go to Settings>Backup and Reset>Factory data reset.

Conclusion

Let us know how your phone is doing now! Did you speed up your Android or is it time to start looking for something new?

Enjoy the “Summer Sun” from Honor with huge discounts

Andrew Myrick
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When it comes to providing a great experience on a budget, few can compete with Honor. Huawei’s sub-brand has officially made its presence known here in the US with an array of handsets.

2018 has seen the release of both the View10 and Honor 7X. These devices are nestled in different budget ranges, but are both great options.

Read More: Honor View10 Review

To help celebrate the Summer of 2018, Honor is running a new promotion called “Summer Sun”. These deals allow you to save up to $70 on a device of your choice.

Here’s a breakdown of the different deals being offered:

  • Honor View10 – $499 $429 (Save $70)
  • Honor 7X – $199.99 $179.99 (Save $20)
  • Honor 6X – $179.99 $129.99 (Save $50)

Out of the three discounted handsets, the Honor View10 is the latest to hit the market. In Matt’s review, he states that the device holds up well in the market, especially against the OnePlus 6.

Read More: Honor 7X vs Honor 6X

The Honor 7X was released back in October of last year. However, it is still an extremely viable option, especially when you can pick one up for just $180.

In order to take advantage of these deals, you will need to head over to the Honor website. From there, you will need to register a new account and then a coupon code will be emailed to you.

Then, you can head back to the Honor website, enter the coupon code, and save big. This is a great time to pick up a new device as there is a bit of a lull in the market.

As expected, these savings won’t last forever. Currently, Honor states that its “Summer Fun” promotion runs from today, July 23rd, until July 31st.

So if you want to jump onboard and save some cash, hit the button below. Be sure to let us know what device you decide to pick up.

Honor Summer Fun Promotion!

Feedly review: Does it still hold up in the crowded news reader category?

AndroidGuys
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You may not be old enough to have experienced Google Reader, but the beloved RSS feed reader was the perfect solution for ingesting news without all the noise. Just a bare-bones list of headlines curated by you, the reader.

What could be more useful material than subjects and items that you specify? It made the morning ritual a truly blissful habit.

But, seemingly just when you had the perfect amount of sources carefully categorized, Google announced it was discontinuing the service due to a declining user base. Business is business, and although Google cited dwindling interest, the audience actively using the service displayed utmost devotion.

I distinctly remember the feeling of despair in the waning moments of Google Reader. A sense of abandonment. You think I’m sensationalizing this? All hope was lost.

Enter Feedly

A product developed out of sheer necessity. A service that would put its arms around the hundreds of thousands of fallen souls to resurrect this once proud faction of netizens.

Ok, clearly sensationalizing. But still … Feedly was in existence prior to the Google Reader shut-down, however the once small platform instantly gained 500,000 new users in 2013 as a result. Having long since established itself as a premiere news aggregator since those early days, how does Feedly stack up nowadays with so many alternatives?

Get Reading

As an early adopter I had the ability to import all of my existing Google Reader feeds to Feedly, so I was instantly up an running. If you are just starting out from scratch, it is just a matter of either registering for an account or signing in with your existing Google profile.

From there you can choose from a collection of topics, search for sources or enter an exact RSS feed if you’re not finding what you’re looking for. Once you start adding sources, you can assign them to categories and begin to organize your news feed.

The News Feed

The viewing experience has always been buttery smooth and the content quick to load. These are rather important factors when choosing among similar apps, and Feedly absolutely perfects this immediacy. Along with function comes fashion, and there are several different layouts to choose from including Detect (based on the content being rendered), Title Only, List, Magazine and Cards.

News ReaderNews Reader

Other cosmetic components include “Open Animation” (when tapping on articles), “Transition” (the style with which you navigate through your news feed) and “Theme” which is simply light or dark mode.

Extras! Extras!

Feedly has a lot going for it. The overall minimal experience should not be confused with having a lack of bigness. Under the hood, users can connect to saving tools like Pocket, Evernote, etc. and assign favorite sharing methods. But one feature that Feedly has that many will appreciate is a desktop presence.

This alternative destination includes options to upgrade to paid tiers for unlocking some more business-focused features such as team collaboration and deeper third party integrations.

Love/Hate

From a purely functional standpoint, it’s hard to find many other news readers to get me completely off of Feedly. But I sure as hell have tried. And there are a few main reasons for me test driving other apps.

The first being my indifference toward the aesthetics. One can’t really say Feedly is ugly, but it needs to be more modern or “materialized.” Which could be a result of my next item of agony and that is very infrequent updates. In their defense though, the team is currently undergoing a beta project in collaboration with users to gain feedback for upcoming app enhancements.

The main stickler, however, is the inability to search my entire news feed (sources) for a keyword or phrase.

The usefulness of that type of function cannot be understated. I have a slew of news in my face, but want to see if there is an article on, say, “Black Ops 4?” Well damn I should be able to pinpoint that.

A now-defunct app (taptu) had this feature and spoiled me. Although I typically have Feedly installed, I have definitely flirted with the likes of Palabre (Material Design and keyword search).

Always a Contender

Feedly does way more things right than wrong. It’s a solid performer and is not too bloated or distracting (ahem, Flipboard).

My dislikes are not deal-breakers and what some other readers might do better, just simply cannot compete with the speed at which I get my news within Feedly. Qualms aside, Feedly will most assuredly have a spot in my app rotation.

Samsung’s first smart speaker to be called Magbee?

Alexandra Arici
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0

Samsung’s upcoming Bixby-powered smart speaker has been in the rumor mill for quite some time. We’ve been hearing whispers that the Korean tech giant is working on a Google Home competitor since last year.

Well, it seems the tech giant is finally gearing up to unleash the product upon the world. And according to a bunch of recent trademark applications filled by Samsung recently (July 16) in the US, as well as Europe, the device will be called Magbee. Think it’s a strange name? Well, Bixby isn’t a lot better either…

Samsung Magbee might be unveiled towards the end of August

Right now we’re not completely sure the speaker will ship as such, but it won’t be long before we find out for sure. For how long? Chances are Samsung could make Magbee official, alongside the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch. All these products are expected to make an appearance at IFA 2018.

As it’s the case with trademark fillings like these, we’re not given any additional information about the product. Although according to the rumor mill, the device will boast an interesting bowl-shaped design with multiple speakers facing a different direction.

On top of that, the speaker will also apparently include a feature called “sound shifting”. This should allow it to track people and modify audio output according to how far they are from the device.

Obviously, the Magbee will be powered by the new and improved Bixby 2.0. The new incarnation of virtual assistant is expected to land with improved natural language processes, enhanced noise resistance capability and quicker response times.

The competition

Samsung will also be expanding Bixby into third-party apps and services, providing an API and an SDK for everyone who wants to integrate the AI into its apps.

Due to massive criticism, Samsung apparently had to start rebuilding Bixby from scratch. And it has taken the company a year and a half to perfect it and now it seems the the tech giant is ready to show the fruits of its work to the world.

Do you think the Magbee stands a chance against the competition? Let us know in the comment section below.

The first Chrome OS tablet goes on sale

Alexandra Arici
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0

Update: The industry’s first Chrome OS finally went on sale, months after being announced. Interested parties can grab it from Newegg in exchange for $329.99.

Or you can purchase it from Insight ($353.99), Connection ($337.48) and Amazon ($347.81).

Original Story:

Tablets running Chrome OS have been rumored for years, and finally this week Google and its partner Acer announced the first Chrome OS tablet. It’s called the Acer Chromebook Tab 10, which is a bit confusing given that the product is not a laptop, but a slate coming sans keyboard.

Google and Acer are targeting the educational market with this new addition, although the tablet will be made available for purchase for regular customers too.

Say hi to the first Chrome OS tablet

The Tab 10 comes bundling a 9.7-inch display with 2040 x 1536 resolution and includes an OP1 processor, the same which powers models like the Samsung Chromebook Plus. This is a hexa-core processor developed by Rockchip. It’s important to note here, that the OP branding is owned by Google, although there’s no identifier from either of the two companies on the SoC.

The tablet will ship out with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage, as well as a battery expected to last up to 9 hours.

On top of being the first slate to run Chrome OS, the Tab 10 also features stylus support. Just like Samsung’s Galaxy Note series, Acer’s new slate comes with a Wacom-branded stylus built-in that does not require charging.

Other specs include Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.1, USB Type-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Chromebook Tab 10 also supports the Google Play Store, an on-screen keyboard, and a fully-fledged, desktop-level web browser.

The tablet will go on sale in the US in April for $329 a pop. The product will land on additional markets come May.

Acer and Google announced the first Chrome OS tablet a day before Apple is scheduled to introduce a low-cost iPad with Apple Pencil support. Like the Chromebook Tab 10, this slate will target educational customers.

Gear Up: Check out RAVPower wireless charging solutions and current discounts!

AndroidGuys
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It’s 2018 which means a lot of the new phones you see, and possibly buy, come with a really cool feature: wireless charging. Indeed, what we once thought was a great luxury afforded to a select few devices has now become commonplace. In fact, some of you have been so accustomed to having it that you’ve taken the technology for granted.

Whether you’ve got a brand new phone with wireless charging or are sitting on one that’s a year or so old, you really should check out the feature. It’s not only convenient but it’s better than ever. Charging speeds continue to get faster and selection grows all the time.

SEE ALSO: How to improve call quality on your Android phone

One company who specializes in providing wireless chargers and portable chargers is RAVPower. With a lineup spanning dozens of products, there’s something for everyone. What’s more, it offers affordable devices that rival those from bigger, more prominent names.

Limited Time Sales!

RAVPower is offering a number of products at steep discounts for a limited time. Below are a few of what you’ll find available through Amazon.

We received a number of samples from RAVPower, each of which speaks to a different user need or budget. Here’s a look at some of what you’ll find from them.

HyperAir Fast Wireless Chargers with QC 3.0 Adapter 10W

When downtime is your main concern, you don’t want to mess around with slow trickle charging or spending time plugged in and tethered. This wireless charger delivers the fastest available speeds for your phone, regardless of whether it’s Android or iOS.

For iPhones it offers up 7.5W charging; for devices like the Galaxy S9 it delivers 10W of juice. This might not sound like much on the surface but it’s about twice as fast as what you would expect.

The RAVPower charger automatically detects what type of device is sitting on it and delivers the right speeds. And, to make sure it doesn’t overheat, the triple temp controls disperse heat and watch for over-voltage, short circuits, and other dangerous things.

As portable as it is practical, this circular unit has an anti-skid design and sits still when placing your phone on it. The indicator light on the front glows to let you know the status of your battery.

SEE ALSO: The best phones you can buy at Verizon Wireless right now

Includes a powerful Quick Charge 3. 0 adapter so you can also charge up your other devices incredibly quick, too. Pick one up for about $40 from RAVPower or Amazon.

Qi Fast Wireless Charger 10W

With a slightly different approach to the aforementioned charger, this one comes in a few bucks cheaper. More of a rounded square platter, it largely offers up the same speeds and technology.

The top has a non-slip rubberized base to keep your phone from sliding around while the bottom has its own anti-skid feet. Also, there are air vents underneath to keep things nice and cool. You’ll find this one for about $38 either direct or through Amazon.

Qi-certified 2 Coils Fast Wireless Charger 7.5W

Instead of a platter design, this charger lets you prop your phone up while the battery is replenished. Perfect to have on your office desk or kitchen counter, it allows you to view your screen at a comfortable angle.

With dual coil charging inside, you’ll get the same super-fast speeds that you get in the other models. Don’t be fooled by the name; it’s got 7.5W for iPhone and the full 10W power behind Android.

Similar to the other models, this RAVpower charger has an LED indicator light and all the protection against overheating and over-charging. Score one for $46 from the OEM or Amazon and enjoy the out-of box 18-month warranty in the process.

10400mAh Wireless Portable Charger

You’re looking at all of these chargers thinking how nice it is for static needs but really want something for on-the-go. That’s where this particular one comes in handy.

It’s a little pricier than a traditional wireless charger, but it’s designed to be taken with you. With 10,400mAh worth of juice inside, it’s a portable charger that works for anyone with a USB cable. That’s enough power to fill your average phone up three times over.

To truly take advantage of this one, though, you can simply place your phone on the top side. Indeed, it charges your phone up as any other wireless unit might. How fast, you ask? A Samsung Galaxy S8 can go from 0-100% in under 4 hours.

Feel free to mix and match the outputs, too. Plug your friend’s phone in at dinner while yours gets to sit there with no cables attached. Find it for around $66 at RAVPower and Amazon.

How to request and download your Instagram data report

Alexandra Arici
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In response to huge Cambridge Analytica scandal, as well as to comply with the new European data privacy rules, Instagram started, not so long ago, rolling out a new tool that gives users access to all of their data.

It’s a convenient addition, especially since Instagram is notorious for making it very difficult to export data from the app. Users can’t drag, tap or hold on images to save them. Yes, there’s an option to “Save Original Photos” in a separate folder on your phone. But this isn’t very helpful if you want to download the images you’ve posted in the past, before you decide to toggle on this feature.

Anyway, the good news is that you can download all the info Instagram has collected on you. This includes your profile info, photos, videos, archived Stories, Likes, searches, settings and more.

The feature should also prove useful for those who want to permanently delete their Instagram profile and move to another platform. This way they can ensure nothing is left behind.

For the time being, the Data Download tool is available to use only from the web app. Although Instagram is currently working on giving you access to the same feature on your Android or iOS device.

How to request your Instagram data

  1. Open https://www.instagram.com in your web browser
  2. Navigate to your profile page
  3. Click on the Settings gear icon
  4. Select Privacy & Security
  5. Scroll down until you find the Data Download option
  6. Click Request Download
  7. Input your email
  8. It may take up to 48 hours for Instagram to collect the data and send it to you at the address you provided. So make sure it’s a valid one. (sidenote: I got mine within 5 minutes)
  9. Click Next
  10. You’ll be asked to type your Instagram password
  11. The request has been sent.

How to view some of your Instagram data

Don’t want to wait 48 hours? You can view some of your private data by following these steps:

  1. In Instagram for web go to Settings
  2. Go to Privacy and Security
  3. Scroll down until you see Account Data
  4. Click View Account Data

Here you can view things like:

  • Current follow requests
  • Accounts following you
  • Hashtags you follow
  • Former bio texts
  • Logins
  • Search history and more

However, you won’t have access to the images and videos you posted, Stories or pictures you’ve sent via Direct messages.

How to download your Instagram data

Once the data is available, Instagram will send you an email at the address you provided. Here’s how to download it.

  1. Open the email
  2. Click on the Download Data button
  3. Type in your Instagram password
  4. Click on the Download Data again

That’s it! It’s time to go down memory lane.

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