Pebble announces Pebble Core, Time 2 & Pebble 2 – My Views

May 25, 2016Android, Apple, Tech News, WearablesPebble 2, Pebble Core, Time 2Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Pebble announced the Pebble 2 ($99), Time 2 ($129) and Pebble Core ($69). The Pebble 2 goes looks like the original Pebble but this time adds a heart rate monitor. The Time 2 has a colour display with 50% more display and a battery that lasts up to 10 days. The Time 2 is currently only available in steel.

New to the table is the Pebble Core. Pebble has a Pebble Core for Runners and a Pebble Core for Hackers. The running version clips to clothing, and allows you to leave your phone at home as it has a sim card. You can stream spotify for example. The hackers version is a keychain computer that acts as a magic button for any command. Pebble also said Amazon’s Alexa voice will be added soon.

So what do I think. On paper these are ugly looking watches, especially the Pebble 2. But they are cheap and offer a range of functionality at this price. Pebble also seems to have cult status. The Pebble Core could become something useful and a just $69 is like a new iPod Shuffle with a modem.

Cheekily, it launched a Kickstarter campaign for each device. The target was $1m. As of typing this post it has smashed $1m and stands just under $5m.

So no matter what I think, Pebble has a niche market, a niche product already funded by a Kickstarter.

More information at Pebble Kickstarter

Apple iPhone 6S – Camera comparisons with the Samsung S7 & LG G5

May 25, 2016Android, Apple, Tech NewsApple iPhone 6S, camera day out comparison, LG G5, Samsung S7Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

My wife and I were out yesterday in Widecombe in the Moor on Dartmoor. This is a beautiful place and if you happen to visit, make sure you pop into the Cafe on The Green for some tasty grub.

During our visit to Widecombe my wife took photos using her iPhone 6S and I was snapping away with my LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7. So whilst the photo viewpoints don’t always match, the conditions were identical, and this provided some great photos to compare. I also thought the photos taken were more realistic to a normal day trip, rather than trying to take photos in a prepared format.

Widecombe Village Green

First up is the shot from the iPhone 6S below. I actually prefer the iPhone 6S shot here. Look at all the clouds and sky. Slightly better exposed and more natural and realistic to the scene.

Below is from the LG G5 using the wide lens. Dramatic as always from the wide angle.

Below is the shot from the Samsung S7. Deep saturated colours. Some may prefer this screen look. Good contrast too.

St Pancras Church Shots

First up a 3 shots from the iPhone 6S. These shots are the Church and graveyard are close calls in terms of accuracy to the scenes themselves.

Below 3 shots from the LG G5. Some really great snaps from the G5.

Below are 3 shots from the Samsung S7. Sharp and saturated. Still great looking photos.

So now the remainder of the shots are by myself using the LG G5 and Samsung S7.

Macro and Flower.

Below are the 2 shots from the LG G5. The G5 does a good job, but not as good as the S7. The wind was blowing slightly when taking these shots and the ones from the S7.

Below are the 2 shots from the S7. The S7 is the clear winner here. Stunning. Oodles of detail.

The Church House

Below are 2 shots from the LG G5. One normal and the other wide. Too close to call between the 2 phones. Some areas the extra resolution means there is more detail to crop with the G5.

Below is the shot from the S7. A very good shot but not as much detail as the G5, but excellent nonetheless.

Final shot from the LG G5, using the wide lens to capture the Cafe on the Green restaurant.

This is to highlight why the G5 is ideal for visiting places. The wide lens can capture the scene in a unique way.

Inside.

And outside.

Overall all 3 phones did a great job. The iPhone is still a decent contender against the LG G5 and Samsung S7 in good lighting. The S7 did a better job with close and macro shots than the LG G5. And the LG G5 takes wonderful wide angle shots.

So what do you think? You can tap on each photo to view the full size version.

HTC 10 vs LG G5 – Roof Top Views over Exeter

May 24, 2016Android, Tech Newscamera comparison, HTC 10 vs LG G5Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

I had two phones with me yesterday, the LG G5 and HTC 10.

The HTC 10 comes with a great raw enhancement tool, that takes a raw image and automatically adjusts it for you.

So what does that translate into. Below is a shot of John Lewis, Exeter, snapped in raw and post processed on the HTC 10 using the raw enhancement tool.

So how does the HTC 10 compare with the LG G5 and its 16mp rear camera. This shot was snapped in auto.

But actually the shot I liked the most came from the 8mp LG G5 wide angle rear lens. Edited in snapseed using HDR Scape filter.

Sometimes it is just nothing to do with the pixels, but the impact of the shot.

And just one more from the LG G5 wide lens. I was standing no more than 1 metre away from the wall. This is a shot of the original City Wall of Exeter, the ruins that survived the bombing from World War Two.

Despite the fish eye effect, it is still a shot that I like and one that captures the wall.

Apple Watch – Looking for a new strap in my local Apple Store

May 24, 2016Apple, Tech NewsApple Store Exeter, Apple Watch strapsGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Yesterday, I happened to be in Exeter, Devon. Fortunately, Exeter has an Apple Store, and I always like have a peek inside.

Apple really know how to merchandise their products properly. It is always a pleasure to browse and admire the Apple hardware and accessories.

This time however, I was shopping for a new Apple Watch strap for my wife. Her strap needed replacing. A few months ago, I had bought a red leather third party strap. The good news is that at the time of purchase it looked rather nice, but the bad news is that its worn rather poorly and started to cause skin irritations on my wife’s wrist.

This time my wife wanted an official Apple Watch strap to avoid the pitfalls of the third party strap experience. Apparently, according to the sales person in Apple Exeter store there are a total of 52 different official Apple Watch strap combinations.

Two straps caught my wife’s attention. The royal blue woven nylon strap and the mint sport band. The woven nylon strap looks considerably better on the wrist than off. However, in the end the mint sport band was my wife’s favourite. Plus she liked the fact there was a matching mint Apple case for her iPhone 6S. Photo above of mint band.

Payment was via Apple Pay which when used for payment inside the Apple Store is not capped in transaction value.

Phones Show Chat Podcast Episode 343

May 23, 2016Tech NewsEpisode 343, Phones Show Chat podcastGavin Fabiani-Laymond

On Saturday I was a guest on the Phones Show Chat Podcast, featuring Steve Litchfield, Ted Salmon and Massis Sirapian.

You can add the podcast via iTunes or your favourite podcast app, or listen directly HERE.

HTC 10 – Camera Shots from the weekend

May 23, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech Newscamera shots from the weekend, HTC 10Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Over the weekend I took several shots with the HTC 10. I also had the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7. I discarded most of the S7’s shots except one as I preferred the photos from the HTC 10. I will create a separate post for the LG G5 and S7 shots.

George – Pro mode, RAW, cropped to 16:9

Mud Bath

Panoramic Shot of Dartmoor

Tiggy

George and Tiggy

Sharp Tor

Tree

LG G5 & Samsung Galaxy S7 – Camera shots from the weekend

May 23, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech Newscamera shots from the weekend, LG G5, Samsung S7Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Most of my photos this weekend came from the HTC 10, but I did snap several from the LG G5 and S7. Sadly I was disappointed with the S7 photos versus the rest except for one shot below.

George and Fury – S7

Sharp Tor – LG G5

Soussons Forrest – LG G5

Stormy Clouds over Warren Inn, Dartmoor – LGG5 wide

Soussons Forrest – LGG5 wide

I do think the LG G5 is better for landscape type shots especially using the wide lens. It will be interesting to see how the S7 fares when I use it with the official wide lens from Samsung later this week.

HTC 10 – Hyperlapse Mode – Camera footage

May 22, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech NewsHTC 10 Hyperlapse mode, video sampleGavin Fabiani-Laymond

It was a real big, mud and water fest on Dartmoor this morning.

But I had a go at recording a Hyperlapse video. I was walking and holding the HTC 10 in Dartmoor. It was a bumpy walk too.

LG G5 with HiFi Plus DAC case

May 21, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech NewsHiFi Plus DAC case, LG G5Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

The LG G5 comes with a few modules that when fitted mean you can’t use a case.

Fortunately an eBay seller from Korea is now selling one which arrived today.

I am going to have to make one modification to the case with my drill and that is to enlarge the headphone cutout hole marginally. The hole fits several headphones except some of mine. It’s an easy tweak to do just an oversight in the design.

Anyway here’s the link to the eBay seller.

eBay link

So what else does the case offer. Well for starters it is a typical silicone TPU case. The front of the case offers between 1-2mm of a lip so you can place the phone screen side on a table. The rear of the case has cutouts for the fingerprint sensor and camera. The top edge has cutouts for the mic, IR blaster and headphone port. The volume keys on the left side are covered, but has raised plastic keys so you can operate these with ease. The sim/micro SD tray is completely covered by the case. On the bottom edge, there are cutouts for the DAC loudspeaker, mic, USB Type C port and the DAC headphone port. As mentioned above, you might find yourself needing to make the headphone holes slightly larger. If you remove the silicone case it will bend as its a clear rubber TPU silicone material. Fitted to the case its rather good.

HTC 10 – A selection of shots from the camera

May 21, 2016Android, Reviews, Tech Newscamera shots, HTC 10Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Below are a selection of photos from the HTC 10 camera. I really like the natural look of the photos.

Below is a crop from the 4:3 to 16:9.

The sheep suddenly walked across the road. The HTC 10 was quick enough to launch and snap this. Cropped again from 4:3 to 16:9.

One of several from a burst and cropped again.

Natural shot of the ponies.

The local church. Realistic shot.

Merivale Quarry with the bird in the sky. Really realistic shot again.

Overall some really pleasant shots from the HTC 10.

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