Category Archives: Android

Honor 8 – First Shots from the Dual Lens Camera!!

September 29, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech NewsCamera samples, Honor 8Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

My Honor 8 smartphone arrived yesterday in sapphire blue. After I have spent some more time testing it, I will publish my review, but I will just say this for now, it is an incredible stunning piece of hardware. In the flesh it just screams premium and quality and makes me wonder why anyone would buy anything else based on looks alone. The Honor 8 packs a ton of decent hardware specs and many neat software extras, all of which I will cover off in more depth in my main review.

In the meantime, these are the first photos from the camera.

The above shot is taken in wide aperture mode. With wide aperture mode, you can set the focus point and change the f stop. This adjusts the bokeh. Once you have snapped the photo, you can re edit the focus point and f stop.

If you want your food to pop, then use Good Food mode.

Auto mode and using an inbuilt filter. It really was that foggy!

The Honor 8 has lots of different camera modes, making it a competent shooter. This is one of the light painting modes, called Silky Water. This makes light work of creating silky water.

Road to Bellever Tor, shot in auto. I love the colour accuracy of this shot.

Shot directly in to the sun. In auto and a great result.

Another auto shot. Again I am really pleased with the result.

So what do you think of these photos?

More info and the latest pricing on Amazon – Click HERE.

Tech Addicts Podcast – The Next Episode is Live – Pixel, Oppo & Bluedio

September 28, 2016Amazon, Android, Apple, Audio, podcast, Tech NewsBluedio, Oppo, Pixel, Tech Addicts PodcastGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Tech Addicts Podcast is back again with new episode starring Gareth Myles, Jay Garrett and myself. Tech Addicts is released every 2 weeks.

To listen to the latest episode subscribe by searching “Tech Addicts” within your favourite podcast app, iTunes, Google Play Music Podcasts or use the URL “mobiletechaddicts.libsyn.com/rss” to add directly.

Or listen below using the in-built player. Have fun listening!

BlackBerry DTEK50 Smartphone – My Review – Secure & A Huge Hit

September 27, 2016Android, BlackBerry, ReviewsBlackBerry DTEK50, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Welcome to my review of the BlackBerry DTEK50. My review covers off all aspects of the phone from the camera, the audio, the security and much more.

It is in two parts. The written part below and then complemented and finished with the video review embedded below.

My thanks to Clove Technology for sending the BlackBerry DTEK50. The BlackBerry DTEK50 costs £265.

The Key Specification

– Android 6.0.1 and at time of review 6th September 2016 security patch (the latest)
– Snapdragon 617 processor, adreno 405 GPU
– Micro SD support up to 2TB
– 3gb RAM, 16gb storage
– 5.2 inch IPS 1080p screen, 424 PPI
– Sunlight visible with sunglasses
– Bluetooth 4.2 LE
– 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz, 802.11 a/n 5GHz, 802.11 ac 5GHz
– Micro USB, Nano SIM
– Cameras – Rear 13mp, Front 8mp
– Battery – 2,610 mAH
– Quick Charge 2
– 147 x 72.5 x 7.4 mm
– Weight 135g
– BlackBerry security – latest security patches and OS enhancements without considerable delay.
– BlackBerry Intelligent Keyboard – Learns and provides word suggestions as you type, that include up to 3 languages of your choice.
– Customisable BlackBerry Convenience Key – Provides quick access to your most used applications and more
– BlackBerry launcher and apps, DTEK Security
– Stereo Speakers

Phone Basics

The BlackBerry DTEK50 is built by Alcatel, and based on the Idol 4. However, if I had to choose between the two, I would pick the DTEK50 every time. The DTEK50 has been customised by BlackBerry. It has a super grippy back and has BlackBerry’s commitment to the latest security updates. It also features BlackBerry’s DTEK security suite, keyboard, launcher and productivity apps including the BlackBerry Hub. See video below for more details.

The screen is a lovely 5.2 inch IPS affair at 1080p, offering 424 PPI. Viewing angles are good and the brightness is excellent. In fact the auto brightness is too high, so I often controlled the brightness manually and at the lowest setting. This did mean, it was rather bright at night time. Sunlight visibility is the best I have used in ages. With my polarised sunglasses on, holding the phone in portrait mode, the screen was 100% readable. So crystal clear it was a joy. However, in landscape mode, I couldn’t read the screen with my sunglasses on, unless I removed them.

Call quality was reasonable, reception was excellent. Battery life was stellar too. 4 hours screen on time on average but with hardly any drain when left in standby. I did a 8 hour overnight test. The battery did not lose anything at all! Not even 1%.

The BlackBerry launcher is fantastic too. It allows custom icon packs which 100s available on the Google Play Store. On the home screen, swiping up on an app opens up the app widget. The launcher also allows for a wide selection of shortcuts. More details on the video review.

Audio

The DTEK50 has stereo speakers that sound superb. Lovely clarity and good volume. Brilliant for podcasts, gaming, watching YouTube videos and more. Headphone audio via the 3.5mm headphone jack was better than normal. Bluetooth audio was excellent. The phone has MAXX audio which adds to the whole enjoyment and quality. See video for more details.

The Camera

The rear camera is 13mp, with a dual tone LED flash, phase detect auto focus (PDAF), fast focus lock, HDR, 6-element f2.0 lens, 4x digital zoom, continuous & touch to focus, face detection, image stabilisation, panorama, burst, live filters, multi-frame low light enhancement and 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps.

The front camera is 8mp, 8 f2.2, 1.125um pixel size, 84° wide angle/field of view lens, image & video stabilisation, 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps, selfie flash and a wide selfie mode.

All the shots below are unedited unless I mention otherwise, and on full auto.

First up is sunrise on Dartmoor. This shot made Flickr Explore. Superb photo.

A cropped photo, but otherwise unedited of George. Great detail.

Some local cows grazing on Dartmoor. Good colours.

Foggintor Quarry. The DTEK50 did a fab job of this. Realistic colours.

My three dogs were running, but the DTEK50 did a good job capturing them. There is an option in the settings to focus before each shot before taking the photo.

The DTEK50 has manual controls. I used these to take this shot. Don’t forget to view the video to learn more about all the manual options.

Now the below shot has been edited in snapseed using the HDR scape filter to show you what is possible. I love this version.

If you look at my flickr album, Click HERE, there are 30 photos from the DTEK50 including the ones above. What I have found is the phone has consistently taken decent photos, way better than I expected. The front camera also takes good photos.

The Review Part 2 – Video Review

Conclusion

The BlackBerry DTEK50 is the best budget/mid range phone I have experienced to date. Excellent audio and camera, great form factor and design along with the latest security updates and BlackBerry’s apps and services make this a strong recommendation!

My thanks to Clove Technology .

BlackBerry DTEK50 – BlackBerry’s Android Phone – The Camera – Be Amazed

September 20, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech NewsBlackBerry DTEK50, camera reviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

I am in the process of putting the BlackBerry DTEK50 smartphone through its paces. The BlackBerry DTEK50 is available from Clove Technology and costs £264 and includes a free power bank.

The BlackBerry DTEK50 has been a joy to use, but I will cover all aspects of the phone off in my full review shortly.

In the meantime, I wanted to show you what the camera can achieve. The rear camera is 13mp, with a dual tone LED flash, phase detect auto focus (PDAF), fast focus lock, HDR, 6-element f2.0 lens, 4x digital zoom, continuous & touch to focus, face detection, image stabilisation, panorama, burst, live filters, multi-frame low light enhancement and 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps.

The front camera is 8mp, 8 f2.2, 1.125um pixel size, 84° wide angle/field of view lens, image & video stabilisation, 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps, selfie flash and a wide selfie mode.

Let’s not beat around the bush. This is the best budget/mid range camera I have tested to date. It took great photos consistently and has a very clever screen that is 100% perfect in the sun for readability even with sunglasses. More of this in my main review.

All the original photos are in a special album on my flickr account – Click HERE.

All the shots below are unedited unless I mention otherwise, and on full auto.

First up is sunrise on Dartmoor. This shot made Flickr Explore. Superb photo.

A cropped photo, but otherwise unedited of George. Great detail.

Some local cows grazing on Dartmoor. Good colours.

Foggintor Quarry. The DTEK50 did a fab job of this. Realistic colours.

My three dogs were running, but the DTEK50 did a good job capturing them. There is an option in the settings to focus before each shot before taking the photo.

The DTEK50 has manual controls. I used these to take this shot.

Now the below shot has been edited in snapseed using the HDR scape filter to show you what is possible. I love this version.

If you look at my flickr album, there are 30 photos from the DTEK50 including the ones above. What I have found is the phone has consistently taken decent photos, way better than I expected. The front camera also takes good photos.

I will cover more off in my main review. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments.

My thanks to Clove Technology. Click HERE for more information and special deal.

Samsung Note 7 – The Recall Chaos and Your Help is Needed

September 20, 2016Android, Tech Newsrecall latest, Samsung Note 7Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Samsung has issued a global recall of its Note 7. It seems this process is still in chaos for some users plus there is a different rule for customers dependant on which country they live in.

Daniel left a comment yesterday and needs your help too –

“I’m a Singaporean Note 7 user and it’s terrible Samsung Singapore isn’t offering any other option but to wait for a replacement (of the same colour) to arrive. no refunds, no swap with an S7/Edge. when I bought the phone, I wasn’t expecting it to brick on me after just 5 days, and then get subjected to so many restrictions on usage. they’ve locked us in to the replacement, which still can’t be used on aircraft. we’ve got absolutely zero choice in this whole madness that nobody knows will last for how long or develop in which direction. no idea also if the bootloop/bricking is still gonna affect the replacements they’ve been issuing since 16 Sept. the replacements are still exynos variants, so that’s possible i guess. anyway over 500 of us now have signed a petition demanding refund (i’d estimate 5k-10k pre-recall Note 7 customers here)”

So please help Daniel and sign this petition below.

https://www.change.org/p/singapore-samsung-give-the-same-return-refund-rights-as-samsung-customers-elsewhere/u/17873738

The boot loop issue has impacted many people.

Samsung UK has issued a further statement saying that a software update will limit the battery to charging to 60%. Plus it now has an IMEI checker to confirm which phones are dangerous.

So prevent a phone from charging to full, meaning a person is going to have to charge it more often which is not a good idea, surely.

So how does anyone tell if the new Note 7 is safe? A new Note 7 owner can be fully confident that their replacement device is not affected by the battery cell issue, courtesy of a new UX update to the battery icon. Any Note 7 device that shows a ‘green’ battery icon (previous software version is white) on the device notification bar, the ‘Power Off’ prompt screen or the Always-On Display can be assured that the device is safe for charging. This UX update will be rolled out from tomorrow in UK and Ireland.

Has Samsung not heard of apps that skin the status bar and can change the icon. Samsung need to deactivate any phones not returned.

In the US there are incidents from stores refusing to let customers return the phone, to others which were unable to offer a replacement or loaner phone, or attempted to charge customers for missing boxes and accessories (which Samsung stated weren’t required when returning a handset), there seems to be a lot of confusion in stores as to what the returns process should actually be. UPS & Fedex will not accept the phones for return back to Samsung.com.

There are also issues with Note 7 bought in a different country to where the current owner is living. Samsung UK refuses to exchange a dual sim Note 7 with another dual sim version. Instead, they will only offer a single sim.

This is not an easy situation for Samsung, but the message is still not consistent enough. The methods and compensation, and loan devices should be identical across the globe. A lot of replacement devices have now reached people, but my concern is the Note 7 as a model is ruined.

This is how dangerous the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is !! – THE FACTS & LIES

September 16, 2016Android, Tech NewsSamsung Note 7, the FACTS and LIESGavin Fabiani-Laymond

In my recent review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (CLICK HERE) I included a link to my post on why I was furious with Samsung and their handling of the Note 7 issues in the UK.

I also added that I did not believe the official line that there had been only 35 incidents worldwide. So now the Note 7 in the USA has been officially recalled and is illegal to be sold in the USA. However, the phone is not being recalled officially in other countries, Samsung is still saying it is voluntarily replacing the phones.

Well, now the phone is being officially recalled the facts are not good. The U.S. C.S.P.C (Consumer Product Safety Commission) stated that of 1 million potentially dangerous phones sold to consumers, Samsung has received a total of 92 reports of batteries overheating, just in the United States alone. And of those 92 reports, 26 involved burns and 55 involved property damage, including fires in cars and a garage. I wonder what the global figures and how many people did not report a problem too. So that’s –

– 92 reported incidents
– 26 people suffered burns
– 55 caused property damage (this includes cars too)

No wonder the Note 7 has been banned by –

– Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has taken to Twitter the other day to urge its customers “not to use or charge their #Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile device on trains and buses.”
– Jersey’s Stockton University banned the phone on its campus and classrooms
– FAA and other airlines and trains have banned its usage on their planes and trains.This is not just US Airlines either. Airlines from around the world are reacting the same.
– Others

So what is Samsung’s solution. Well the replaced Samsung Note 7s will have a “S” or other marking on the outer box. That is useless as who nobody carries their phone packaging with them. Secondly, Samsung has set up a website with an IMEI checker. This works, but again, airlines and others are not going to type in your IMEI to check your phone is safe to use on their flight. The next option is Samsung will change the battery icon from white to green on replaced phones. This option is stupid. All users will have to do is use a third party battery app to overwrite the battery icon.

In my mind the only solution left is for Samsung to re release the new Note 7s with a different hardware name. Eg the Note 7+ or Note 7S and with an extra hardware spec inside the phone. That means all unsafe Note 7 will have a different hardware configuration to make it easier to identify.

Samsung need to use the words “Official Recall” and globally and also come up with a clear solution to identify new phones. Maybe all new colour shades just for replaced phones.

Whatever Samsung decide, as mentioned before my trust of the brand has been destroyed and I will never buy another Samsung product.

Sources – US CSPC, Pocketnow, Engadget, The Telegraph

–

Wileyfox Swift Dual Sim Smartphone – The £100 Phone – Disaster or Revelation – The Full Review

September 14, 2016Android, ReviewsReview, Wileyfox SwiftGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Welcome to my review of the Wileyfox Swift smartphone.

I have been using the Wileyfox that cost me just under £100 on Amazon UK. This has been used as my main phone. I am a heavy power user, so how did the Wileyfox Swift cope? And in case you are wondering why I am using the Wileyfox Swift, it is due to the loss of my Note 7.

First let’s take a look at the specifications.

The Key Specification

– Dual Sim (micro sims) plus a third slot for the micro SD card
– Cyanogen OS – Android 6.01 with latest 1st September 2016 update
– 5″ HD IPS Screen, Resolution 1280 x 720 pixels (~294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
– 16GB storage, 2GB RAM,
– micro SD support upto 32gb
– 13MP main camera, 5MP front camera,
– 2,500 mAh battery
– Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 410 8916, Adreno™ 306 GPU
– Themes, theme creation,
– AudioFX for music delivers 24bit High Res Lossless audio with several equaliser presets with full modification allowed
– Caller ID & Truecaller Dialler can identify & block spam calls
– Cyanogen email & calendar powered by Boxer for integrating multiple accounts
– Cyanogen web browser for enhanced security & fast performance
– Privacy guard allows you to monitor how your phone shares data
– PIN Scramble for added lockscreen security
– Protect individual apps in secure, lockable folders on your homescreens

Phone Basics

The Wileyfox Swift is no speed king. It has a snapdragon 410 which means at times it is slow, lags and can get flustered if I am trying to do too many things. However, I pushed the Swift way beyond what is was designed for. I connected my Samsung Gear Fit 2, Garmin Smart Index Scales, my lights, security cameras and weather station to the Wileyfox Swift. I then installed every social media app, added all my email accounts and then installed more apps until I had a total of 60 apps. Occasionally, it all became to much for the phone, and the only cure was a quick reboot.

The screen has reasonable viewing angles, and is super bright and visible in sunlight. In fact the auto brightness was always too bright, that I turned it off and often had brightness set at the lowest setting. At night, it is too bright though. The phone is prefitted with a screen protector. Neat touch.

The phone is super grippy. It is also easy to hold and use one handed.

Phone calls were ok, the call quality was average but it does have Truecaller installed to help identify who is calling. Except this feature never worked. This is a dual sim phone too, which is useful.

What did impress me was all the firmware updates that occurred at first boot, 3 in total, taking me to android 6.0.1 and the 1st September 2016 security patch update. Also I do like Cyanogen’s skin. It is light and offers helpful functionality to make the phone easier to use. It also has the option to create or install themes. I was able to make my Wileyfox Swift look like a HTC and Sony phone.

The phone recommends using a micro SD card up to 32gb. I have been using my Sandisk 64gb card. The phone also has the option of converting the card and using it as adoptable storage.

Battery life is not its strong point for my usage and power needs. With bluetooth, wifi permanently switched on and location services left on high, screen on time ranged between 2 to 2.5 hours. I often found I need to charge it during the day. There are power saving options, but I never used them. The other point to note is the micro USB socket needs a slightly longer connector on the cable. Out of 20 micro USB leads two thirds of them wouldn’t stay plugged into the port. One just fell out. The supplied micro USB lead works just fine. In a period when batteries are sealed into the device, the Wileyfox Swift bucks the trend. The battery is user replaceable.

Camera and Audio

The camera app follows the Google camera app which some extra shooting modes for good measure. But let’s not beat around the bush, the camera is the not the best and by a fair margin when you compare it to the Samsung Note 7 iPhone 6S Plus. However, apply an instagram filter and nobody would know any better. Video is terrible too. Below are some photo samples from the phone.Low light introduces a lot of noise. However, as you will see below there are some ok shots. I also have created an album of photos from the Wileyfox Swift – Click HERE.

The Dartmoor Prison shot was converted to black and white to make it look more interesting.

Just some sheep and landscape shots.

Capturing some of my dogs running was a surprise.

When Tiggy spun her body to shake the water off, again I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had captured the moment.

Whilst the camera is not up to my standards, the audio is fantastic. The loudspeaker is reasonable, the headphone amp is too. On board is AudioFX which really helps improve the sound. The biggest surprise was bluetooth audio. I paired it to 3 bluetooth headphones. The B & O Beoplay H5, Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 and Bluedio V (Victory) Pro 12 Speaker headphones. The sound quality was excellent.

Conclusion

The Wileyfox is no speed demon. Neither does it have flagship specs. But it does allow 2 sim cards and also a micro SD card which can be used as adoptable storage. It has a Cyanogen OS installed which is superb on this device. At around £100 this is a cracking piece of kit and somewhat of a surprise. As a power user the phone kept me connected and I really loved the bluetooth audio.

For more info and the latest pricing on Amazon – Click HERE.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – A Smoking Hot Flagship Phone – My Review – IMPORTANT UPDATE

September 13, 2016Android, ReviewsReview, samsung galaxy note 7Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Update – If you read my review, I wrote the following “However, despite my personal contempt towards Samsung, I will provide an honest appraisal of the phone. This is based on the assumption, that the replacement units that will arrive over the coming weeks are safe to use.”

However, based on the numerous publications and additional facts about replacement devices causing bodily injury and property damage, I cannot recommend you buy this phone anymore.

Welcome to my review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. My review was based upon using the Samsung Note 7 Duos version which has a hybrid sim slot to allow 2 sim cards. This provided an additional option in the settings menu for a sim manager to control what each sim was allowed to do or not. In addition the settings had an option to select what was shown on the status bar.

I have also reviewed various official and third party cases and accessories for the Note 7 and also aired an article on my view towards Samsung and their handling on the Note 7 along with the safety warnings from Oculus. It is worth watching the case reviews linked below, as this also shows the Note 7 in black onyx on video in all its glory.

Samsung Official Cases and Lens Cover Kit plus Third Party Cases and Power Reviews

Oculus Email to Samsung Note 7 Owners

I am not happy with Samsung – Major Safety Update

Before I delve deep into my review of the Note 7, I would point out that due to the dangers around the Note 7, I no longer have the phone nor will I ever buy another Samsung device, ever, as their handling along with Carphone Warehouse was bordering along the lines of criminal. See links above.

However, despite my personal contempt towards Samsung, I will provide an honest appraisal of the phone. This is based on the assumption, that the replacement units that will arrive over the coming weeks are safe to use.

Technical Specifications

– Dimensions – 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9 mm
– Weight – 169g
– Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Back and Front
– Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
– IP68 certified – dust proof and water resistant over 1.5 meter and 30 minutes
– Stylus – S Pen
– Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)
– Display – Super AMOLED , 5.7 inches (~78.0% screen-to-body ratio)
– Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels (~518 ppi pixel density)
– Always-on display
– Grace UI
– Android OS, v6.0.1 (Marshmallow), planned upgrade to v7.0 (Nougat)
– Chipset Exynos 8890 Octa, CPU Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Mongoose & 4×1.6 GHz Cortex-A53)
GPU Mali-T880 MP12
– MicroSD, up to 256 GB
– Internal – 64 GB, 4 GB RAM
– CAMERA – Rear 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash, check quality
Features 1/2.5″ sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, simultaneous 4K video and 9MP image recording, touch focus, face/smile detection, Auto HDR, panorama
Video – 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, dual-video rec., check quality
– Secondary 5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm, dual video call, Auto HDR
– 24-bit/192kHz audio
– Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
– COMMS WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
– Bluetooth v4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE
– GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
– NFC Yes
– USB v3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
– FEATURES Sensors Iris scanner, fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
– Fast battery charging
– Qi wireless charging (market dependent)
– ANT+ support
– BATTERY Non-removable Li-Ion 3500 mAh battery
– Colours Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium, Black Onyx

Phone Basics

The Note 7 is the best phone ever made by Samsung. The new UI called Grace UI is incredible. Lots of extra functionality, but all making sense. A lot of thought clearly has been applied with the menus, the options and extra functions. Somebody actually sat down and made sure everything flowed smoothly.

The display is awesome. Amazing viewing angles and great sunlight visibility. It is also fast.

AnTuTu produced a very respectable score as shown above. This was with 150 apps installed. This included games galore, most social media apps, security camera apps, apps for controlling lights and loads of bluetooth devices. The Note 7 was also connected to my Samsung Gear Fit 2.

Call quality was excellent too. Bluetooth, WiFi and all the antennas worked really well. I noticed signal strength was better than that of my Samsung S7. The UK version has whitepages integrated which means it automatically tells you who is calling or if the call is a spam call. Samsung bought whitepages hence why it can integrate this service in to the firmware. On the Google Play store the app is now called Hoya.

The Edge panel is available on the Note 7 too. Extra edge panels are available to download. Like this one for Pocketcasts.

I personally used the Edge panel for app shortcuts, pocketcasts and the ruler/torch panel. The always on display now accepts third party notifications, so finally becomes useful. Link this functionality with some of Samsung’s official cases like the S View Standing Case or LED case and you have really cool functionality.

The S Pen makes the Note 7 special. And I love using the S Pen. This year Samsung has cleaned up the approach, making it more useful. For example, pull the S Pen out with the screen off and you can write a memo on the black screen and pin it there for an hour to remind you to get milk before you get home! The S Pen is more accurate this year, and the drawing creative aspects of it have been improved too.

Battery life was reasonable. I achieved about 4.5 hours screen on time. This was with bluetooth, NFC, and wifi always on, location on high and the always on display activated.

One of the new features of the Note 7 is using the iris scanner to unlock the phone. When I first set this up, I found it unreliable and a PITA. So I stuck to the super fast fingerprint sensor unlock. After chatting to a few of my tech friends, I was giving a few more tips. Hold the phone nearer to your eyes, not further away. And voila. Instant phone unlocking using my eyes. So cool. So my advice is to not give up. I also found it worked when I was wearing my sunglasses.

Design

The Note 7 in black onyx is gangster cool. It looks amazing and has such a small profile versus its 5.7 inch screen. Opening the box is such a wow moment. However, its glass back and front and its a fingerprint magnet consequently. The Note 7 is IP68 dust and water resistant.

Audio

Due to the IP68 rating the loudspeaker doesn’t go that loud. It is just loud enough for podcasts. The headphone jack output is high quality but the headphone amp is not powerful enough, meaning you need to pair it to some very efficient headphones to get the most out of it. However, Samsung clearly focused the audio via bluetooth as the bluetooth audio is excellent.

Camera

At the time of writing this review, the Note 7 is the best phone for both video and photos. It just kills the competition. Double press the home button, press the shutter and you will have a perfect photo. The camera is super fast to focus too.

I have a Flickr album for the Note 7 – Click HERE. However, below are a few shots from the Note 7.

The aim here was to capture the stones close up, but my labrador Tiggy had other ideas and was a bit curious and photo bombed the shot. The Note 7 was so quick to focus too.

The above shot was totally unedited as are all the shots shown. Exposure is handled so well. The Note 7 camera app has been tidied up from the S7/S7 Edge and is slightly easier to use. It still comes with a pro mode as well, although the auto mode is so reliable its doubtful many people will use the pro features. As impressed as I was with photos, the video recordings were just as impressive.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is an amazing phone and in my opinion near perfect in terms of hardware and software integration. Add into the mix all the Samsung accessories like the Gear VR or Gear 360 and you have a dynamite combination!

Samsung Gear VR 2016 – The New Gear VR – First Impressions

September 7, 2016accessories, Android, Reviews, Tech NewsReview, Samsung Gear VR 2016, Samsung Note 7 Gear VRGavin Fabiani-Laymond

I had the original Gear VR which I used with my Samsung S7 Edge. So last week, I got my first attempt at setting up and using the new Gear VR which is designed to work with the new Samsung Note 7 and also be backward compatible with older phones. (If you haven’t exchanged your Note 7 yet, don’t use the Gear VR as its dangerous).

First up the new Gear VR is lighter on the head. It only needs one strap, the second strap is optional. The new Gear VR feels slightly smaller too. The field of view has been widened too and the clarity is that little bit better too. This all adds up to an improved view of VR and 360 media. Footage is slightly clearer and the overall experience is improved.

The software is vastly improved and it is looking really polished and one of the best low cost VR experiences I have witnessed. Unlike the previous Gear VR, you connect your Note 7 case less to the device and then put the dust cover to one side. This does not cover up or connect whilst the phone is in position.

When you first clip your phone into the Gear VR, you see a message inside that says to remove the Gear VR and install all the software required and setup your Oculus account. Once you have done this, put the headset back on. Make sure you install Samsung Internet and Samsung Gallery. Samsung Internet gives you access to YouTube and YouTube 360 degree videos. Samsung Gallery is the app you need to access your own 360 content. When accessing YouTube via Samsung Internet, when a 360 video starts playing, tilt you head to reveal the Samsung Assistant, select this and then you can select the view in 360. It really is simple to do.

I have watched many films and YouTube videos of Mount Everest and other similar mountains, but to witness the peak being climbed in 360 degrees is truly fantastic. There are plenty of other games and apps to explore as well. Don’t play Temple Run unless you are using a bluetooth game controller, otherwise you will feel sick very quickly.

If you want to be transported into a virtual world, the Samsung Gear VR is a great way to start enjoying the experience.

So my next test was to ask my wife to try it. She uses an iPhone is hardly ever upgrades her phone so it not that interested in the latest phone technology. First, I got her to experience the Mount Everest 360 VR video, then some 360 photos and then she asked me what the Netflix app did. So I got her to launch it, and then she started watching one of her TV programmes. After that, I wanted my Note 7 back, and went off to test a few gadgets.

About an hour later, my wife says, I want a pink Samsung Galaxy S7 with a Gear VR. Not only had she researched the pricing, colours and all the options, she even worked out how much her iPhone would sell for second hand. So why did she want to swap her iPhone to the S7? Just to use the Gear VR because she realised it only worked with a Samsung S7!

That’s how much of a positive impact the Gear VR is, and the new version is more comfortable, slightly ligher and provides a marginally increase in quality and a field of view.

Just a shame the Note 7 is too hot to handle at the moment.

CAT S60 Smartphone Review – Built to Impress

September 6, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech NewsCAT S60 Smartphone reviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Welcome to my review of the CAT S60 Smartphone. My thanks to Clove Technology .

The Key Features/Specs

– Strengthened Die Cast Frame
– Drop proof to 1.8m, MIL Spec 810G
– Super bright display (typical 540 nits), Gorilla Glass 4
– 4.7” HD capacitive multi-touch with auto wet finger & glove support
– Optimised battery performance (3,800 mAh)
– High quality audio experience (>105dB)
– Underwater 13MP main camera with dual flash, 5MP front-facing camera
– Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor
– 32GB ROM, 3GB RAM
– Android Marshmallow
– Waterproof to a depth of 5M for 1 hour
– Dual SIM
– 4G LTE
– FLIR Thermal Camera
– Thermal sensor: 17mm pixel size, 8-14mm spectral range
– Thermal resolution: 80 x 60
– Thermal sensitivity (MRDT): 150 mK
– Visual resolution: 640 x 480
– HFOV / VFOV: 46° ± 1° / 36° ± 1°
– Frame rate: 8.7 Hz
– Fixed focus: 15 cm – ∞
– Scene dynamic range: -20°C to +120°C
– Range: Heat sources detectable to 30 metres (100ft)
– Accuracy: ±5°C (Typical ±3°C), or ±5%
– App specifications
– Dedicated application with MSX technology
– Still image, panorama, video capture, time-lapse
– Changeable heat palettes
– Temperature spot meter
– Min, max, and average temperature data
– Box Contents

– CAT S60 SIM Free Smartphone
– 3 PIN UK Mains Adapter
– USB Cable
– Screen Protector
– Quick Start Guide
– Warranty Statement

Video Review

Available from Clove Technology .

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