You have an apple on a plate but no knife. You have the latest iPhone X. So what does YouTuber iPhonedo do? Watch this 90 second video. It really made me smile this morning.
Tech Addicts Podcast – iPhone X and Xbox One X – All the X’s
Tech Addicts Podcast is back again with a new episode starring –
– Gareth Myles – Twitter / YouTube / Tech Addicts UK
– Jay Garrett – Twitter 1 ; Twitter 2 / YouTube / Gadgetynews
– Leila Gregory – Twitter 1 ; Twitter 2 / YouTube / Swanny
– Brendan Arndt – Twitter / YouTube
– Ricky West – Twitter / YouTube
– Myself – Twitter / YouTube / Instagram
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.
To listen now –
Newquay Beach – Shot on the iPhone X
I have taken a several shots on the iPhone X, but these photos taken of Newquay beach really highlight just how great the camera performs.
In all 3 of the shots just look at the colour, depth and overall tonality. The seagulls were captured perfectly too.
The middle photo really emphasises just how much of a difference the zoom lens has become and how optical image stabilisation enhances 2 x zoom photos.
I must admit I was pretty blown away by these images. I have shot this scene on many phones and by far these from the iPhone X are simply the best and outstanding in my view.
iPhone X vs Pixel 2 – Camera Comparison Part 2
Over the weekend I published two posts. A low light camera comparisons between the iPhone X and Pixel 2, and some first shots from the iPhone X.
Now I’m back with some more camera shots from both shots, from outdoor, indoor and some more low light shots. The differences are stark at times. All on auto.
In all these shots it’s the iPhone X first, then the Pixel 2. So which is better in your eyes ?
So perfect sunny conditions with this shot. iPhone X is the first shot. Both look great but do you have a favourite.
In this indoor shot the Pixel 2 on the bottom has more detail. Look at the drinks fridge bottom right. But do you agree?
Now into night shots where the differences between the phones becomes more obvious. Again Pixel 2 is the bottom shot, iPhone X on top.
Again both phones using a different exposure with the Pixel 2 going for a higher ISO. The iPhone X used a 1/4 second shutter speed. But which is better. Pixel bottom. iPhone X on top.
So who is your winner and why?
Some other points to note. The Pixel 2 has Bluetooth LDAC, APT-X and APT-X audio codecs and therefore sound better with headphones. Both have stereo speakers. The iPhone X sounds better than the Pixel 2 but Pixel 2 XL sounds better than the iPhone X. Screens. Lol. iPhone X has a better screen than both Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
Apple iPhone X – First Impressions + Camera Samples
There has been a lot written and shown about the iPhone X, but what I will say, the only way you will understand and appreciate this phone is to spend time using it yourself. Why you ask? Well, I had some fears and concerns over certain aspects which have in some part turned out to be unnecessary. Photo above is using pano mode on iPhone X.
The biggest decision to make is silver or space grey finish for the iPhone X. I went space grey as it looks badass. I have since seen the silver first hand and still stand by my decision. The silver is more photogenic, but space grey looks meaner.
Just as a side note, all the photos you see embedded in this post are from the iPhone X. At the end, I have linked to the Flickr iPhone X Album, Google Pixel 2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Flickr albums of mine. These albums give you an idea of the differences between the phones and their cameras. Plus those that like to pixel peek can!
Low light/darkness shots.
Starting up, I decided to not use my iPhone 7 Plus old backup, but restore as a new phone. This was a relatively simple job to do. Setting up FaceID was a breeze. Apple Pay and all the other aspects of the setup procedure was completed smoothly. Probably the easiest iPhone to setup.
Above, close up flower shots, one using the 2 x optical zoom.
And moving on to FaceID. It really does just work. Its brilliant actually. I really thought it would be a PITA. Its not. In real life usage, its actually faster than TouchID and effortless. Still waiting for some UK sunshine to test it in bright conditions.
Above, indoor lighting inside a shopping centre.
Above. City landscape. One using 2 x zoom.
That screen. Its stunning. No more on that one. Much better than anticipated. Apps on the whole seems to have adapted ok with the ears and new screen size. Some haven’t so I am hoping they will get updated soon. Google Maps needs an update for example.
Talking of maps, I tested the GPS and used Apple Maps for turn by turn navigation. It looks superb on the iPhone X screen, and also when did Apple Maps get so good. Seriously, for turn by turn directions, it provided great on screen instructions and clear spoken steps.
Gestures, not had too much trouble learning these as I had watched a few YouTube videos. I stumbled with Apple Pay and the double press, but nonetheless completed both transactions.
Siri. Its not as good as Google Assistant. But in some ways Siri is fantastic. I am in the car, stuck in traffic, iPhone X is clipped into my screen mount, I call up Siri and end up sending 10 iMessages to my wife back and forth with little effort.
Camera. As you can see I have taken a range of shots. If you watch my video below, you will see some portrait lighting samples as well. This proved great fun. Talking fun, Animoji is crazy fun, and super cool to use.
It’s early days and I have some thoughts on my overall score but I will compare the X to the Pixel 2 and Note 8. These 3 phones couldn’t be more different. One thing is certain, the X is just an iPhone running iOS 11.
Video Review
Useful Links
Buy something on Amazon UK & Help Support Gavin’s Gadgets at no extra cost!
Gavin’s iPhone X Flickr Album
Gavin’s Google Pixel 2 Flickr Album
Gavin’s Samsung Note 8 Flickr Album
Apple iPhone X vs Google Pixel 2 – Low Light Camera Comparison
Last night I was at the historic Duke of Cornwall Hotel in Plymouth. This made for a quick camera comparison in low light using the iPhone X and Google Pixel 2. All shot handheld and in auto.
Above is the shot from the iPhone X. This is uploaded at full size, as is all the other shots.
Immediately, you can see the difference above with the Google Pixel 2. So much more clarity and quality. The Pixel 2 shot shows more of the hotel windows.
Back to the iPhone X above. Not a bad looking shot.
And now above the Pixel 2 once again showing off its chops in low light.
So as you can see the end result is pretty clear that the Pixel 2 took the better shots and by quite a margin. Do you agree?
In addition, I used the Pixel 2 to snap some incredible portrait shots, which for privacy reasons I cannot share. However, the Portrait mode on the iPhone X created some fun looking black and white portraits which seemed to go down a treat.
More soon!
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 – Camera Showcase
After 6 weeks of using the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, below is my camera showcase, highlighting my favourite shots from the Note 8. What was surprising is the amount of times I ended up using the 2 x optical zoom.
Tech Addicts Podcast is available now – The Pixel Conspiracy
Tech Addicts Podcast is back again with a new episode starring –
– Gareth Myles – Twitter / YouTube / Tech Addicts UK
– Jay Garrett – Twitter 1 ; Twitter 2 / YouTube / Gadgetynews
– Leila Gregory – Twitter 1 ; Twitter 2 / YouTube / Swanny
– Brendan Arndt – Twitter / YouTube
– Ricky West – Twitter / YouTube
– Myself – Twitter / YouTube / Instagram
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.
To listen now –
Oppo UDP-205 4K Ultra HD Audiophile Blu-ray Player Audio Review vs Oppo BDP-105D
Welcome to my audio review of the Oppo UDP-205, a £1,500 4K Ultra HD Audiophile Blu-ray Player plus a comparison with the renowned Oppo BDP-105D.
The Oppo UDP-205 is a class leading, award winning blu-ray player that does more than just play DVDs. It has best-in-class audio performance, Dual ESS ES9038PRO Sabre Pro DACs, reference quality video with HDR & Dolby Vision; 4K UHD, Blu-ray, 3D, DVD, DVD-Audio, SACD and CD.
The UDP-205 provides reference level sound quality through the analog outputs, improves the clock precision of the HDMI audio output, and increases the power of the built-in headphone amplifier. For the analog output stages, the UDP-205 is equipped with two ESS Technology ES9038PRO 32-bit HyperStream DACs for both stereo and 7.1 channel analog audio. As the flagship of the ESS SABRE PRO series, the ES9038PRO sets a new benchmark for audio excellence with its best in class 140 dB of dynamic range.
It also features –
– HDMI Audio Jitter Reduction
– Asynchronous USB DAC and Coaxial/Optical Inputs (asynchronous USB DAC input supports sample rates up to 768 kHz PCM and DSD 512. For additional convenience and flexibility, the UDP-205 can convert digital signals from cable and satellite boxes, televisions, video game consoles and other digital transports with coaxial and optical digital outputs to analog.}
– Dedicated Stereo Output with XLR Balanced Connectors
– Advanced Image Processing Technology – MediaTek produce and manufacture a specialized 4K UHD Blu-ray decoder SoC – the quad-core OP8591, which offers the most advanced image decoding and processing technology available for 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and user generated media formats
– Dolby Vision
– Upscaling to 4K
– Toroidal Power Supply – Clean Power for Clear Music
– Custom-Made 4K Loader
– Lossless High-Resolution Audio
– Support for the Latest Surround Formats
– Weight – 30lbs
Main Review
In case you still are in any doubt from the key features, the Oppo UDP-205 is a beast of a machine, whether talking about audio or video. It also has won many awards.
For the purposes of this audio review, I used the following albums:-
– Wallflower by Diana Krall – one of my favourites albums. With the Oppo UDP-205, Diana Krall’s voice was velvet smooth, full of emotion. The realism of her voice was fantastic. By contrast the BDP-105D sounded flatter and lacked the same level of emotion.
– Drones by Muse – another superb album. The Oppo UDP-205 produced wonderful bass attack and speed, with incredible separation of the instruments. The BDP-105D felt slightly congested in comparison.
– Greatest hits by Culture Club – With this album, vocals and instruments shone with the UDP-205.
– Les Contes D’Hoffman – The Tales of Hoffman – This is one of my classical albums that for some reason, I have never enjoyed until I played it using the Oppo UDP-205. The plan was to compare the first track between the 2 players, and then make some notes. I was 50% through the album using the Oppo UDP-205 when I remembered I had to listen to it through the BDP-105D. The Oppo UDP-205 delivered a musical masterclass. An epic masterclass. Energy, scale, soundstage, vocals and instruments just sounded brilliant.
So what do I think of the Oppo UDP-205 and how does it compare to the older Oppo BDP-105D. In its day the Oppo BDP-105D was magnificent. But time moves on, and the Oppo UDP-205 just rises to a whole new level. I can tell you now, you haven’t heard your CD collection properly until you play the discs on this player.
So now let’s take a closer look at the Oppo UDP-205 vs Oppo BDP-105D.
Video Review
Conclusion
The Oppo UDP-205 is something very special on the audio front as well as video. It also has so much more to offer that it gains the Gavin’s Gadgets “Highly Recommended” seal of approval.
Useful Links
Google Daydream View & Samsung Gear VR (Note 8) Reviews & Comparison – The Ultimate Shootout
Welcome to my reviews of the new Google Daydream View VR Handset and the upgraded Samsung Gear VR which now fits the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
Google Daydream View Key Features
– Headset – Dimensions Length 167.8 mm x Width 117.1 mm x Height 100.2 mm
– Weight 261 g
– Material Lightweight fabric
– Colours Fog, Coral, Charcoal
– Compatibility Daydream-ready phones including Google Pixel 2, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ & Note 8, Moto Z & Z2 and more
– Controller – Dimensions Length 105 mm x Width 35 mm x Height 17 mm
– Weight 40 g
– Sensors 9 axis IMUs for precision tracking
– Wireless Bluetooth low energy (LE)
– Ports & Connectors USB-C charger and cable (not provided in box)
– Battery – 220 mAh battery (rechargeable)
Samsung Gear VR (Note 8) Key Features
– 101º Field of View
– Sensors – Accelerometer,Gyro Sensor,Proximity Sensor
– Headset Dimension (HxWxD) 98.6 x 207.8 x 122.5 mm
– Weight 345g
– 800+ apps
– USB Type C and Micro USB connectors
Main Review
I have used VR for about 2 years and in that time quite a bit has changed. There are many more apps and experiences available. The Samsung Gear VR experience is superb. Lots of apps, slick software too. The headset is over 100g heavier than the Daydream View. The Daydream is lighter and more comfortable to wear. But I had glitches using it with my Note 8, whereby I had to keep removing the Note 8 out of the headset to fix things so that I could move on again. At one point, it was driving me mad. However, it is all about the software. If you find an app or game that you prefer on one platform or another, then that might hold some more weight for you. Personally, I think Samsung is superior in both hardware and software at the moment, but is restricted by the fact it only works for certain Samsung phones. Therefore, with Daydream View you probably will end up with the ability to use it with so many different phones and brands. Now continue to the video review for more insights.
Video Review
Conclusion
Quite simply if you have a Samsung phone that is compatible with the Gear VR, then stick to Samsung’s own offering. It offers a wide selection of content and a slicker software package. For everyone else, Google’s Daydream View offers compatibility across multiple brands. It just lacks the number of VR apps and slick software experience.
Useful Links
Google Daydream View – more info and latest pricing on Amazon – click HERE
Samsung Gear VR with Controller (Note 8 version) – more info and latest pricing on Amazon – click HERE
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