All posts by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

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About Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

President, CEO & Editor of https://gavinsgadgets.com Reviews & News of Technology

What’s makes the perfect smartphone ?

Android, Apple, RIM, Tech News, Windows

I have been known to change my phone several times a year, but they are all rumours if course. That means I get to use a wide variety of phones from different manufacturers and operating system. I really don’t favour any operating system, just prefer one over the other dependant on their current hardware.

So at one point in time I changed from a Samsung Galaxy S3 to an iPhone 5, even though on paper the S3 was more capable from a technical point of view. But compared to the feel and build of the iPhone 5 it didn’t stand a chance. And as a gamer, iOS still has the deeper catalogue of games, although android is rapidly catching up. Those that read my blog will know that I currently have the HTC One. I have had this nearly 3 months which is a record time for most of my phones. To recap my phone history, from 2012 to today’s date I have owned an iPhone 4S, then a Samsung Note, Samsung S3, iPhone 5, Note 2, Nokia Lumia 620, Samsung S4 and finally the HTC One. Tablet wise has been a lot simpler. From 2012 I have had the iPad 2, iPad Mini, several faulty Nexus 7’s and finally the Sony Xperia Z Tablet. I don’t keep my old phones, just sell them normally to my friends. In case anyone says, what about Blackberry well I have a mandatory blackberry phone supplied by work. Its crap apart from a decent battery life and able to survive multiple drops. I suppose that’s a good thing really. It also has amazing signal reception. I just don’t like it.

Using all the various devices, I start to compile a list of what would make the best phone that I could keep for a really long time. And just when I think I have mastered this list, along comes a few new must have features. So what makes the perfect smartphone for me?

1. Design – it must look good. I can’t bear the thought of holding something too bland and flimsy. The HTC One and iPhone 5 both score highly here.

2. Durability – being able to survive a drop, waterproof and dust proof. The Samsung S4 is probably better made to survive a fall, as its easier to replace the parts. In terms of being waterproof and dustproof this goes to Sony Xperia Z. Owning the Z Tablet has made me realise this is actually a really good feature. I use to have a thing about buying phone cases. Since owning the Z Tablet I now realise there is no point. I can take the tablet anywhere , take photos in the rain. The Z range is not compromised specs either.

3. Camera – the expression the best camera is the one in your pocket is so true. The HTC One camera does a lot of things brilliantly. Fast shutter speed, Zoe mode which means you edit after not choose the mode before. This makes for more shots capturing the moment. It also makes an instant 30 second video highlight of an event. The file sizes are small so are quick to share on any social network. Video in 1080p with image stabilisation. But for landscapes the 4mp camera doesn’t capture enough detail. So what I would want in my next phone is the same HTC concept but 3 times the quality.

4. Audio – after being spoilt by the boomsound speakers on the HTC One which sound loud and clear, I would want something similar. Also when I connect headphones into the phone or listen via Bluetooth I want very high quality sound. Bluetooth needs the apt-x support for high quality audio.

5. Memory – for android phones a minimum 32gb internal plus micro SD card support. Same for windows, and if iPhone 64gb minimum. Ideally 128gb but that doesn’t exist yet. This allows for all my apps and games to be installed with ease and then use the memory card for photos and music.

6. Removable battery – the phone battery will die over the years. Being able to swap the battery is the cheapest way to bring back then phone to new conditions. Also, if you are away from charging points have a spare battery in your wallet resolves this scenario. Also the phone needs a decent size battery to last at least 2 days.

7. Game controllers – built in support for game controllers. The Z tablet has support built in for the Sony PS3 dual shock controller for example.

8. Wireless charging or charging dock points – being able to charge without plugging a cable in is the way forward. No effort no fuss.

9. Infra Red – its gimmicky but I love it. On my Z Tablet the included software has an eject button for my DVD player. The standard remote for my DVD doesn’t include an eject button, and as the eject button no longer works on the DVD player, I can now continue to use it via the software on the Z tablet.

10. Notification led – have the option to have flashing LEDs to let you know there is something to check is great.

11. Capacitive buttons –  less prone to failure than hardware buttons.

12. Comfort – no more than 150g and rounded sides. Rounded sides make holding the phone a joy. The Samsung S4 is a good example of comfort.

And that’s my list. So what would you add or remove ?

My disaster with my HTC One

Android, Tech News

Let’s create the scene. My HTC One had been customised big time. I had unlocked the bootloader via HTC Dev website, turned it from s-on to s-off, rooted and installed a custom 4.2.2 ROM and firmware. So in essence I had removed all the 3 branding and had a phone I could customised in every way possible. I was also running the 4.2.2 update before HTC released it officially.

So what should have been a simple update to the firmware on Saturday lunchtime, ended up deleting all my data, media, photos, videos, absolutely everything. From there I tried to correct the mistake and made even more errors. My twitter friend Paul provided some great guidance, but somehow I ended up in an even worse position due to two other people trying to help and making matters worse. So its 6pm, and I know if I can’t sort problem out before the HTC One battery dies, my phone potentially would be dead forever. Bricked. Yes, I had spent 6 hours so far trying to resolve and nothing was working. I must admit, I even thought of calling it a day, and filming a hammer strength test and uploading it to my YouTube channel. To give you an idea, I couldn’t install any apps, WiFi had stopped working, error messages and force closes were happening, phone wasn’t switching on and more. My HTC One was sinking like the Titanic.

I had one last option left, which was installing a RUU. This is an official HTC release and the RUU was an old version of software that came originally with the phone. But whilst that worked, I still was not out out of the water, as I had red error texts messages. Another hour later and realising the information provided earlier by 2 people had been wrong, I slowly unravelled the mistakes.

So, finally at 11pm on Saturday, I had a phone in good working order and with my apps and games reinstalled. I also had received my first over the air update from HTC and now just need the new official 4.2.2 update which is due to land today or tomorrow in the UK. I have also relocked the bootloader and secured the phone back to s-on and unrooted. So I have a pure stock HTC One silver 32gb phone. And ironically I have 17gb more memory free.

Result.

Now, as I have been unofficially using the new 4.2.2 update from HTC and now am back with the older version, I am really surprised at how different the phone feels. The new update vastly improves the touch sensitivity, accelerates the camera forward in quality and adds new video highlight themes. Addresses the three dot menu button, tweaked the home button options to a much better position, in fact improves the whole operation of the HTC One. This is how the phone should have been released from day one. It really it a superb phone but is soon to be replaced by my Sony Z Ultra.

Now I know some people like customising ROMs, but to be honest you shouldn’t need to nowadays. With a good launcher like Apex or Nova that should give you all the tweaking you need.

PS. Saturday was a day where everything went wrong. I burnt my finger and mouth . I knocked two boxes off the kitchen worktop on to the tiled floor. And as my disaster was unfolding I had friendly comments on twitter suggesting I should get an iPhone as it backs all your data up perfectly, and perhaps as I was breaking everything to lie down in bed, with a warning not to fall out! One thing is for sure, the backup of an iPhone is first class.

Amazon opens up its Game Circle to all android devices – competes with Apple’s Game Center

Android, Apple, Tech News

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Amazon has taken aim at Apple with its Game Circle. Previously only gamers with Amazon Kindle tablets could compete amongst themselves. Now Amazon’s proprietary GameCircle platform is now open to all Android devices. The backend cloud service has offered up leader boards, achievements and progress saves to Kindle tablet users but now it supports all android tablets.

However, it still involves developers integrating the new code into their games. This also comes when Google launched its own Google Play Games Services.

At the moment Apple owns the Game Center, but how long before the others catch up. And will Amazon be able to upset Google’s apple cart?

LG holding launch event on 7th August 2013

Android, Tech News

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LG is getting ready to announce details of their new flagship phone the Optimus G2 in New York on 7th August 2013.

The G2 should contain Qualcomm’s newest quad-core S800 chip, feature Ultra HD video recording and playback (that’s four times higher density than 1080p), screen output at resolutions up to 2560 x 2048 pixels, and 1080p HD over Miracast wireless.

If you were thinking of buying or upgrading your phone it may be worth waiting a few months to wait for the new crop to appear in September and October.

Turn your silver HTC One into black for only £4.99

Android, Tech News,

An eBay seller “smartskins” sells vinyl stickers for a number of devices. On various HTC One forums the feedback on the stickers for the HTC One were positive. So I ordered the slate black costing £4.99. I have used vinyl stickers from decal girl and gelaskins, both of whom are renowned for their quality and designs.

Opening the envelope I was greeted with the vinyl sticker itself, instructions and a cleaning swab. So first I cleaned front and back of my HTC One and then commenced attaching the vinyl sticker.

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You have a few options. On the rear you can have different colour top sections to provide a contrast look and on the front you can either have 2 small sections top and bottom that just cover the speakers, or one large piece that covers the side of the screen and the bottom screen up to the beginning of the screen. See photo above. If you make a mistake you can remove and start again. And when you fancy a change, you can remove and change the look.

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As you can see from the photo above, you get stickers to cover all the edges, sides and top and bottom.

So, what do you think?

Twitter is going to track you 24/7 – so how do you turn off the tracking

Tech News,

In a blog post, Twitter announced that they’re “experimenting with new ways of targeting ads,” by planning to track you around the web, even when you leave Twitter. They will then relay that information to advertisers to craft better adverts. But don’t panic.

First up, Twitter are being upfront and honest. Of course you may think that doesn’t make any difference. But have no fear, there is a solution. First, you will need to use a desktop pc, and log into twitter and visit your accounts settings page.

Then –

-Uncheck the box that says “Tailor Twitter based on my recent website visits.”
-Uncheck the box that says “Tailor ads based on information shared by ad partners.”
-Scroll down and click “Save Changes.”

You are no safe from 24/7 tracking.

The Experiment – One Phone for everything – the Sony Z Ultra

Android, Tech News

Above is the promotion video of the new Z Ultra by Sony which is due out shortly. And as soon as I caught eye on it, I was sold on the idea. My brief experience so far with the Sony Z Tablet, has convinced me I really like the Sony brand and design.

So, in preparation of buying the Z Ultra, I have moved all my music, documents, media and photos to various cloud services. Therefore, I do not need a harddrive. That means I have been able to sell my MacBook Pro, iPod Classic and when the Z Ultra arrives I will sell my Z Tablet and HTC One. My iPad Mini is also history.

The Z Ultra with the Bluetooth headset will be my single piece of tech. It will handle everything. It is a phone, camera, ultra thin, waterproof, dust proof, mini computer, game console with the ps3 controller, internet browser, and high quality Walkman. You can use a normal pencil or pen to write on the screen too. And has a super large 6.44 inch screen.

So my question to you all, could you just have the one device?

Sony Entertainment Network adds carrier billing in the UK

Tech News

Sony Network Entertainment is now using payments processor Boku to support carrier billing in the UK.

The carrier billing is compatible with all UK carriers. This will enable people to top up their account wallets by charging the addition directly to mobile phone accounts by choosing “mobile” as the payment option, typing in your phone number and authorizing the transaction by responding to an SMS.

Another way of getting that game, track or movie.

Apple preparing for a bumper product release

Apple, Tech News, , , ,

When did Apple last release a product. Nearly a year ago. So be prepared for a huge product launch of new iPads, iPad Mini, iPhone 5S and iWatch. Improvements are also likely on iPods too.

The full size iPad will copy the design of the current iPad Mini, so will feature a lighter and slimmer profile. Spec increases in processor and camera are expected too, along with iOS 7.

The iPad Mini 2 will have increased specs in the processor and camera, along with a retina based screen. But maybe more. Apple has recently been granted a new patent that allows for clever bezel technology. This could add touch controls to the bezel which will allow the bezel to also fade in and out of view, which would provide the largest screen area possible when needed as well. I hope the iPad Mini is also made available in 128gb.

The iPhone 5S should look similar to the iPhone 5, but again with better specs in processor and camera. And one new software/hardware feature that will be exclusive to the 5S. Colours are likely to feature, and this might relate to the new lower cost iPhone.

iWatch. Apple is prised to launch a smart watch. How serious is Apple about the iWatch. Enough to tempt Paul Deneve, the 53-year-old chief executive officer of haute couture fashion house Yves Saint Laurent, to head to Cupertino to be in charge of special projects. Yes a luxury Apple Watch, the iWatch.

And finally, iPods will receiver minor spec bumps in processor and camera and potentially memory.