Category Archives: Android

Xiaomi launches its new flagship phone – the Xiaomi Mi 5 – Full Details and Pricing

Android, Tech News

mi5

Xiaomi held its press conference yesterday at MWC 2016 and officially launched its new flagship phone the Xiaomi Mi 5.

1 mi5

The Key Specifications

– Android 6.0 Marshmallow, MIUI 7
– 5.15-Inch Full HD IPS display (600 nits, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 428 ppi)
– Snapdragon 820 clocked @1.8GHz or 2.15GHz depending on model, Adreno 530 GPU
– 3GB/4GB LPDDR4 RAM (depending on model)
– 32GB/64GB/128GB Internal storage (UFS 2.0)
– MicroSD card support
– 16MP Rear camera with 4-axis OIS, f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash, Sony IMX298 sensor
– 4MP Front camera with 80-degree wide angle lens
– Fingerprint scanner/Home button
– Dual nano-SIM, 4G/LTE
– Dual WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with MU-MIMO technology and WiFi Display
– Bluetooth 4.2/ NFC/Infrared
– GPS/AGPS/GLONASS
– USB Type-C
– Quick Charging 3.0
– Battery: 3,000mAh
– Dimensions: 144.5 x 69.2 x 7.25mm
– Weight: 129
– Available in black/ white/ gold

Having previously owned and reviewed the Xiaomi Mi4i and Mi Note Pro, Click HERE , to read the review, I was very curious to see what the Mi 5 would look like and what specs would be included. For starters the Mi 5 is a modified look of the Mi Note Pro which was gorgeous in its own right. Xiaomi have tweaked the Mi 5 to look even curvier.

So what you have now is a few options with the new flagship which are mainly dictated by storage required. If you opt for the Mi 5 Pro, you get a Snapdragon 820, 4gb ram, 128gb storage (UFS 2), 16gb Rear Camera for 4 stage OIS, fingerprint sensor, NFC, Quick Charge 3 and a 3,000mAh battery, all weighing 129g. And if you select the ceramic top end finish, you still won’t pay more than $400. Sounds too good to be true.

Well, in my past experience with the Mi4i and Mi Note Pro, both of these phones were well built from a hardware point of view and the software and software support was excellent too. However, the screen is 1080p and not QHD. Despite the camera specs, the camera results will be good but not as good as the Samsung Galaxy S7 or LG G5 or LG G4. That aside, it seems like a stellar phone and when available to purchase I will try and import one to review accordingly. It is companies like Xiaomi that eventually will threaten the big boys Apple and Samsung. Xiaomi also have a huge product eco system too from power supplies, headphones, air humidifiers, routers and so much more.

Source – Xiaomi

HTC starts releasing information on the HTC One M10

Android, Tech News,

HTC choose this year not to announce its new flagship at MWC and instead will hold a separate event next month.

However, not to be left out of the game, HTC started to tease details of its new flagship, the HTC One M10.

So it looks like the M10 has chamfered edges and comes in a metallic body. I must admit, after the lacklustre One M9, I really hope the One M10 brings HTC back into the game.

Is Google correct to strike off 9to5Google, 5 years later for Trademark Violation?

Android, Tech News,

Tech website 9to5Google.com had its ads stopped yesterday and without advanced warning by Google which run through both Google’s Doubleclick/Ad Exchange network and Adsense. Apparently 9to5Google earn income well into 6 figures per month. 9to5Google were told that Google’s Public Policy Team has decided that, after 5 years of publishing under the 9to5Google name, they had been violating their trademark. 9to5Google had also attended loads of Google events too.

Below is an exert from their Google Ad Manager –

I want to start by apologizing for the abrupt and confusing way that this issue was brought to your attention. This has been really frustrating – for both of us – as these issues are normally communicated internally in advance so that I am able to give you warning and clarify the issue. As you know, that did not happen in this case, and I apologize for that.

My Team Lead (—-, CC’d here) and I had a lengthy conversation about why this happened immediately and without an internal warning. Evidently, because this is a legal trademark violation, the policy team is required to act immediately. We still expected there to be a notification from our Policy Team, and we’re sorry on behalf of their team that it was not communicated more clearly.

With that said, we were not able to argue an appeal for this violation since it’s an explicit policy in the AdSense Ts&Cs. This was my first time encountering this violation, so I had assumed I could make a case for appeal, but it’s actually coming from the Legal Trademark team, above the Policy Team, and there isn’t any grey area for us to make an appeal.

We understand that you have been operating the site for many years and have even attended several Google hosted events without anyone bringing up an issue; however, our Legal Team must take action when they discover a trademark violation whether they discover it early on or much later.

We recognize that the situation is both shocking and frustrating and we’ve advocated on your behalf as much as we can. Since they will not grant us an appeal, we want to provide you with information for how you may legally use our trademark and if the conditions are reasonable, for you to submit a request.

In the meantime, your advertising strategy for 9to5google should be to continue to use DFP for ad serving, but to use other third party networks as your demand sources in order for you to monetize the site. My team and I are still here to advise you with monetizing your other sites and to support you as best as we can.

Please let us know if you have any other concerns.

So is this Google being over zealous or what? It seems odd Google has taken aim on this 5 years down the line, but I suppose that is the issue when you use “Google” in part of your website name when you are not “Google”.

So what are your thoughts on this scenario?

Source – 9to5Google

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge – My First Hands On Impressions plus Camera

Android, Tech News, ,

s7 edge colours

Welcome to my first impression of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. In this first impression I will discuss my initial findings on the camera and how the camera compared versus my Apple iPhone 6S Plus.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to extract the photos for this post but I will have another article up focusing specifically on the S7 Edge camera with loads of camera samples.

But first let’s talk about the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge hardware. Historically, I have always preferred the Edge version of the earlier Samsung models. Not so with the S7 range. I was examining a black S7 and a gold S7 Edge. In black, the S7 looked stunning and so much better than the older S6 too. 

The S7 is curvier, fits better in the hand, and in black was super cool. Now bear in mind I don’t like black phones. I prefer white, silver or gold. So for me to say black looks stunning, it really does! The Edge was finished in the gold option and it just didn’t look right or good either. It is a slightly different shade of gold to the S6 range. It also is not as comfortable to hold as the standard S7 nor does it look as good. Now my verdict could be tarred by the gold finish, and maybe in black the S7 Edge will look a lot better. I compared the S7 to a S6 and whilst there is similarities, the S7 does look different and classier.

Touchwiz. It’s present but not overpowering and I like the lighter skin provided by Samsung. It really is a lot lighter. Many apps are not installed versus previous Samsung phones. For example, the only music app is Google Play by default. There is even an option to remove the app drawer in the settings to make the S7 look just like an iPhone. I tried to slow down the phone and I couldn’t. No lag was present. It obvious that the android app drawer is going to finally become obsolete across all android phones and this is fine by me. 

Camera. The 12mp rear camera shoots at 4:3, or 9.1mp at 16:9 aspect ratio. Lower resolutions are available. The takeaway aspect of the camera that I witnessed was its focusing speed. Blisteringly fast. Even in diminishing light. I snapped people walking and it kept them on the whole in focus and produced a good shot with little blur. I noticed that reduced light shots were brighter and clearer than those from my iPhone 6S Plus. However the iPhone shots could be edited in photos and made brighter although the quality was not as good. 

The level of detail in lower light on the S7 was overall better than my iPhone. This advantage should pay off with kids or pets moving around, enabling a shot to be snapped in focus and look light enough to use as well i.e. not too dark. The f/1.7 versus the iPhone f/2.2 does make a difference in lower lighting. As soon as the lighting improved to more daylight type conditions, I found it was harder to spot the differences.

For those curious the Pro mode allows a max of 10 second shutter speed. 

I loved the double pressing of the home button to launch the camera and take a shot. Super fast. 

BUT.

I did manage to trip the S7 camera up several times when it came to macro. Several times it just could not focus and the macro shots did not look as pin sharp as I would have expected. I need to retest the macro shots again. However, when it did focus, it was fast again as with all the photos.

Final thoughts. I was left in no doubt the S7 camera is really fast to focus and that it will also produce great quality photos in most lighting conditions. The black finish in my preferred choice and currently I wouldn’t buy the Edge, I would buy the standard S7. I might change my mind when I receive the S7 Edge in Black, so watch this space. I can’t recommend the gold finish. Samsung have done a good job and produced great looking flagship.

But how will it compete against the likes of the LG G5? How far can I push the boundaries of the S7 Camera? Stay tuned as all the comparisons and tests and photographic results are coming soon.

Vivo Xplay 5 – 6gb ram Snapdragon 820 – Benchmarks and Photos

Android, Tech News, , ,

Yesterday I wrote about the new Vivo Xplay 5 that’s about to be revealed in full. 

This is no budget phone. It is a top flight flagship phone from Vivo based in China. It’s the first phone to have 6gb ram along with the new Snapdragon 820 processor. 

It’s now been benchmarked and it reveals some awesome figures. 

  
In addition photos of the new phone have been revealed and I have to admit it looks gorgeous. 

   
 
So what do you think?

Sources – talkandroid.com / Gizmochina.com 

Is this for real? Vivo Xplay 5 – 6gb ram, Solar Power & Snapdragon 820!! – Updated with photos

Android, Tech News,

vivo

Vivo is a Chinese brand that is rising up the ranks in its homeland. It does not sell to other countries, but this might change. It is also a brand I have been watching over the last few years as from a hardware point of view, they have released some interesting devices.

And now it seems its about to go wild with the Vivo Xplay 5. This is rumoured to have a whopping 6gb ram, a Snapdragon 820 processor and a QHD screen.

Other features include dual curved QHD screens, a decent 4,300mAh battery, 16mp rear, 8mp front camera, an enhanced audio engine and it will be able to be recharged by solar power. If you’re lucky it might even cook you breakfast!

Sceptical? Well I am. Fret not, all will be revealed on 1st March 2016.

Update – some photos have been revealed on the new phone – 

   
   
Source – Pocketnow

Source – Gizmochina

Samsung Galaxy S7 – First Camera Samples

Android, Tech News,

Below are a selection of camera shots from the Samsung Galaxy S7. 

  
Notice they are all 4:3 aspect ratio at the full 12mp. 

  
Also notice that all these shots are in low light or at night. 

  
All these shots are using the f/1.7. I have to say I’m not bowled over by these shots but this is early firmware and the photos were not snapped by me. 

  
For more samples have over to XDA Developers. So what do you think?

For some more comparisons versus the S6, have a look at the video below from 7 mins onwards.

Source – XDA Developers

Fight – LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vs Apple iPhone 6S Plus

Android, Apple, Tech News, , ,

So last night Samsung and LG announced their new flagship phones. So firstly, which is best out of the phones and then how do they compare to the iPhone 6S Plus.

Well the decision is not clear cut and really depends on your personal priorities. However, these are my thoughts on each phone.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge – This is the most attractive phone out of the bunch. The super amoled screen is gorgeous and using this tech for the always on screen is really good. For gaming, the Vulkan API is a great step forward, once developers support the API in their games. Quick wireless charging is good too as well as having larger batteries than last year’s model. Whilst the micro SD card has returned, the maximum storage is 32gb. Unfortunately, the S7 Edge does not support adoptable storage, nor does it support the latest USB-C standard. But it does have Gorilla Glass 5. Samsung has gone to town with its 12mp rear camera which has large pixels. Virtual Reality is also being heavily pushed. However, my experience of a Samsung VR headset involved feeling very sick. The accessories for the S7 Edge are decent too, from official cases and a case that has add on camera lenses. What is unknown is how good the loudspeaker is, and how good is the sound via headphones? Is there a HiFi DAC included? Personally, if I already had the S6 Edge, I wouldn’t upgrade to this phone. Samsung Pay is coming to the UK this year, but no firm date has been provided yet. However, when it does arrive, it will work with all terminals and not just contactless ones.

LG G5 – The design or look is just average. I need to see it in person, but from all the media footage it doesn’t inspire me. However from a specification point of view, the G5 appears to trounce the S7 Edge. Stunning IPS display capable of 850 nits. Really amazing camera with wide angle shots and some pretty funky options in the camera app. APT-X High Definition, infra red blaster, extra plug-in modules, and the kitchen sink. However, it doesn’t have any payment options unless Android Pay arrives soon. The Friends accessories are geeky too. So on paper it is likely the G5 will take high resolution photos and sound much better with headphones. The loudspeaker sound is unknown. What is also unknown is how the 16mp camera really compares versus the 12mp camera of the S7. Hard evidence is needed before being conclusive. Of course, it could depend on what type of environment you take photos in, which ends up dictating which phone camera suits you better. You may find having the option to shoot wide angle photos more useful than low light. With the G5 you won’t need to use an add on lens for wide angle shots that you will need with the S7.

Apple iPhone 6S Plus – So on paper it looks like the above phones will take better still photos, and in lower light this is quite likely. However, iOS is fortunate enough to have amazing apps, and therefore with the right apps, incredible low noise, low light photos are possible. There are no alternatives on android for these type of apps. iOS also has better apps, 3D Touch, a more advanced app eco system making use of 3D Touch and Apple Pay in full force. There are a number of aspects of both the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge that wipe the floor of the iPhone from a hardware point of view, but iOS is supported by good software services , like iMessage and FaceTime. The iPhone is also 6 months old now, and 18 months into its product change cycle. The iPhone 7 could streak ahead of the Samsung and LG, or just level the field from a specs point of view. For example, whilst Samsung has introduced Vulkan API, Apple has been using metal for ages. However, Samsung clearly has the lead on VR, along with a decent number of VR apps already. But like everything, iOS offers some fabulous extras.

To pick a winner is a difficult choice. But I will in due course. Will the iPhone 6S Plus be history?? 🙂

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge – Full Details plus Extra Hidden Information

Android, Tech News, , , ,

galaxy-s7_overview_kv_l

So Samsung announced the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge yesterday to the world’s media with a few surprises. Mark Zuckerberg had a guest spot to emphasis the working relationship between Samsung and Facebook and Virtual Reality.

The Key Specs S7 and S7 Edge (Respectively)

– Android 6.0 Marshmallow
– Display 5.1-inch 2560×1440 Super AMOLED, 5.5-inch 2560×1440 Super AMOLED Dual edge screen
– Processor Octa-core Snapdragon or Samsung Exynos
– Storage 32GB
– Expandable microSD up to 200GB
– RAM 4GB
– Rear Camera 12MP f/1.7, 1.4-micron pixels OIS, dual pixel technology for super fast focusing even in low light
– Front Camera 5MP f/1.7
– Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MIMO
– Bluetooth v4.2 LE
– ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC
– Charging micro-USB
– Fast charging
– Qi wireless
– Powermat wireless
– Battery 3000 mph, 3600 mph
– Water resistance IP68 rating
– Security One-touch fingerprint sensor
– Samsung KNOX One-touch fingerprint sensor
– Dimensions 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm, 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm
– Weight 152g, 157g
– Prices – £569 and £639 approx

So like I did with the LG G5, below are the tidbits of information you may really want to know.

– 12mp is only available at 4:3 ratio. If you want to shoot at 16:9, the resolution drops to 9.1mp.
– 32gb is the only storage option available.
– Micro SD card support is available but not adoptable storage
– Features an always on display with customisation
– The Edge model has a larger Edge panel and is open to developers.
– Build quality looks exceptional
– Car mode integrates with Glympse for instant location sharing with contacts
– New Wireless Charger available which is angled. Wireless charging is faster now too
– Microsoft productivity apps are included
– Only Gold and Black in the UK currently available to pre order. Silver is absent currently.
– Samsung Pay is coming to the UK and other select countries in 2016
– Official Samsung accessories include a case that allows for clip on lenses. The Official Leather Cover case really reminds me of the Apple Leather case!
– Gorilla Glass 5 is being used
– Whitepages is integrated into phone app
– New Samsung Gear 360 camera works with the new S7
– Fast battery charging: 83% in 30 min (Quick Charge 3.0)
– Vulcan API – Gamers Dream

Now for a video on the S7 and S7 Edge.

LG G5 plus Friends / Modules – Full Details Plus Tidbits

Android, Tech News, , ,

LG just held an outrageously amazing press launch of its new flagship smartphone, the LG G5. But LG didn’t stop there. It then went and launched add on modules for the LG G5 and then carried on with a range of LG Friends accessories.

This was a big day for LG.

lgg5

LG are trying to stray away from just showing off the specs are consequently only reveal the specs as –

– Chipset: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 Processor
– Display: 5.3-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum Display (2560 x 1440 / 554ppi)
– Memory: 4GB LPDDR4 RAM / 32GB UFS ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
– Camera: Rear: Standard 16MP, Wide 8MP / Front: 8MP
– Battery: 2,800mAh (removable)
– OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
-Size: 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7mm
– Weight: 159g
– Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
– Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / USB Type-C / NFC / Bluetooth 4.2
– Colours: Silver / Titan / Gold / Pink

However, rest assured this is a beast of a phone. So now I am going to highlight the extra bits about the phone that caught my attention as worth pointing out.

– The G5 has an always on display which uses just 0.8% of battery per hour
– The screen is still an IPS display and not amoled. It is able to crank the brightness up to a stonking 850 nits
– The infra red blaster is still present on the G5
– The app drawer has been removed
– QSlide apps and Dual Screen mode has been removed to simplify the UX
– The new LG UX launcher is much lighter and looks so much better than previous versions
– Cameras – 8MP front camera for selfies, rear camera has a standard 78-degree 16MP lens and a 135-degree wide-angle 8MP lens. This can work in conjunction or separately to each other.
– The camera app has loads of extra features and modes – truly brilliant
– Naturally the rear camera is similar to that found on the G4 and V10, but it does perform better due to the processor and a few extra tweak. Actually a lot of extra tweaks.
– The Snapdragon 820 processor has a Adreno 530 graphics and lower-power Qualcomm® HexagonTM DSP as well as Qualcomm Spectra™ 14-bit dual image signal processors (ISPs) The processor also has an integrated X12 LTE modem that supports Category 12 download speeds of up to 600 Mbps and LTE Category 13 uplink speeds of up to 150 Mbps.
– Micro SD card – adoptable storage is not available
– Slot in modules available
– Quick Charge 3 support
– USB-C
– APT-X is included but with the new High Definition APT-X, APT-X HD. This is the end of wires for headphones and likely how/why Apple will remove the headphone socket from the next iPhone.

The LG G5 has a number of modules and friends. See below.

lg modules and friends

LG focused on two slot in modules. These simply slot in to the bottom of the G5.

– CAM Plus adds more grip and width to the device, for better usability while taking photos. It has physical buttons for power, camera shutter, video recording, zoom, and an LED indicator. It also functions as an external 1200mAh battery.

– Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play is a portable Hi-Fi DAC audio player with 32-bit 384KHz high-definition audio playback. As it has a USB-C port it can also be used independently of the G5, ie. with PCs and other smartphones.

But LG want you to have fun with the G5, so have a range of LG Friends that connect seamlessly to the G5.

lg friends

These include a LG Rolling Bot that is a companion device that rolls like a ball while capturing images and videos with its embedded 8MP camera. Not just a toy, the LG Rolling Bot can be used as a monitoring system for the home, pet care companion as well as a remote controller for compatible home appliances. With an IP camera connectable via Wi-Fi, users can remotely monitor the interior of their homes with the LG G5 via live streaming.

LG also announced as Friends, the LG 360 VR, LG 360 Cam, LG Smart Controller, LG Tone Platinum (it is the world’s first Bluetooth headset equipped with aptX™ HDcodec, delivering lossless 24-bit audio for sound that is unrivaled in a wireless device).

To see more of all of the above, watch the official 4 minute video from LG. And don’t forget, I will be reviewing the LG G5, the modules and friends. The G5 is expected to launch early April 2016.

Sources – LG / AndroidPolice / LGPR