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!

The 8 week Blood Sugar Diet – Just 800 calories a day – Week 8 – The Before & After Photos & What’s Next?

September 12, 2016Diet8 Week Blood Sugar Diet, Week 8Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

On the 16th July 2016, I started the 8 week Blood Sugar diet that is just 800 calories per day. I completed week 8 on Saturday 10th September 2016. At week 8, I now move to the 5:2 Blood Sugar Diet. This is 5 days no calorie counting but still Mediterranean style food and then any 2 days at 800 calories.

After 8 weeks I am a new person already. See results further down. I look so different from the start just 8 weeks ago. Has it been easy? Yes and no. Some days it was really hard to focus on the job at hand, and other days it was a breeze. But ultimately I have done it, I ate 800 calories a day for 8 weeks.

The bottom left shot is me before I started the 8 week blood sugar diet. And the other two are my new frame and size after completing the 8 week blood sugar diet. The top left shot highlights how loose my t-shirt is which 8 weeks ago would have been stretched to the limit.

Just to re-iterate there is no secret to this diet. 800 calories may seem low, but remember it is only for a short time. You must think positive and be in the right frame of mind. Phrase the journey in your head as it is only “8 weeks of my life” and “this is such a small amount of time in reality and in 8 weeks I could fix so much because of the diet.” Make sure you have plenty of support. And really important, plan like hell your meals for the next week(s) along with all the ingredients you need and make sure each day has the correct balance of nutrition needed.

My breakfasts over the 8 weeks started as a healthy shake and then I moved to egg on low carb toast. I used my Andrew James Egg boiler to make perfect eggs every morning.

I still have soup for lunch, and they always taste great due to my Andrew James soup maker.

If you want to recap all the items I’m using , read my first post – Click HERE. I also have a dedicated page where all my diet posts are being kept. This can be found using the Menu or Click HERE. . It is worth checking out each week’s posts as I also show a selection of the meals I ate.

Feedback. Thanks again for all the positive feedback received during the 8 weeks. And for those who said it was impossible to do, I have this to say. “You were wrong”.

I cannot believe how many Type 2 diabetic people I have met who have reversed their condition because of this diet or reduced high blood sugars and or lost a lot of weight too.

As mentioned before I am using a notebook to plan my week’s food out in advance. I am using many of the of the suggested menus in the Blood Sugar Diet book. Amazon Link to Blood Sugar Diet book – Click HERE.

Below are all the photos I took of all my meals. Look good don’t they!

So how did week 8 go in terms of weight, blood sugar levels and more ? Below are the measurements from Saturday 10th September 2016.

Here we go –

– Weight – lost 1 lbs this week – Overall weight loss – 2 stone 4lbs. In just 8 weeks I have lost over 2 stone. . Start weight was 21st 10lbs, current weight 19st 6lbs.

– Waist – Overall in 7 weeks I have lost 4.5 inches.

– Neck – Lost 3 inches overall since start of plan

– Blood Sugar levels – Continued to read at normal levels.

– Blood Pressure – My blood pressure is normal again. My pulse is normal

– Body Water Percentage – now increased by 1.5% since the start of the diet.

As a consequence, my BMI and body fat has also dropped.

Finally I would like to say thank you again to everybody who wished me good luck. It really helped keep my motivation up!

So now my journey moves to the 5:2 Blood Sugar Diet plan. I will now try and lose 7 stone. Wish my luck!

Useful Links (Amazon)

The 8 Week Blood Sugar Book – by Dr M Mosley
The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet Recipe Book
The Essential Blood Sugar Diet Recipe Book
Fast Exercise – Dr M Mosley
Andrew James Soup Maker – 7 in 1 – soups, smoothies, ice crusher and more
Andrew James Egg Boiler (I use this for my eggs, see photo at top)
FitBit Trackers
A wide choice of digital weighing scales

PS – Just to re-iterate I went to my doctor to discuss going on this plan as recommended by the book. My doctor was very supportive and offered a number of ways of helping me at different intervals. In fact, I was surprised just how helpful and supportive my doctor was when I mentioned I wanted to start the 8 week blood sugar diet. When I finish the 8 weeks plan, I will move to the 5:2 diet, which is no calories tracking for 5 days but still on the Mediterranean style food plan, and 2 days at 800 calories.

I am not happy with Samsung – Editorial & Rage – MAJOR SAFETY UPDATE

September 9, 2016Tech NewsI hate You, SamsungGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Since publishing my post below the US Safety Commission tweeted the following – “Stop using the Note 7 and power it down/off”

Stop using @SamsungSupport Galaxy #Note7. Full statement: https://t.co/v7sfEouZw2 pic.twitter.com/0NufAJScId

— US Consumer Product Safety Commission (@USCPSC) September 9, 2016

Unlike some publications and websites that rely heavily on support from PR companies, manufacturers and other sources for new devices and revenue, I made it my moto from day 1 to always speak my mind and be as honest about a product as possible.

Gavin’s Gadgets will be 4 years old this December and in this time I have let my feelings be known quite strongly on a few matters but always with valid cause.

So now it is the time whereby I will express my anger with Samsung and the Note 7. Now before you all say that I am a Samsung hater, let me explain that when I look back at all the tech I have owned in the last 30 years, a lot of it has been Samsung devices. In fact, if you go to the menu reviews and look through the tablets, phones, audio and wearables there are about 30 reviews covering Samsung products.

To give you an idea as to my anger with Samsung, I am in the process of selling anything I own with the Samsung logo and have decided NEVER to entertain any more of their devices.

First of all Samsung hasn’t done an official recall of the Note 7. It has stopped selling the phone and asking nicely for you to return it. At first this was only voluntary. Samsung stated as of 1st September only 35 devices worldwide had exploded. When I enquired about my Note 7 I was told there had been no issues in the UK, yet engadget.com reported they had been told on the quiet by Samsung that there were recorded issues in the UK. Samsung has now removed the number 35 off its UK website. It would not surprise me if this number is higher, much higher.

If the device was officially recalled this would make it illegal in the USA to be sold by anyone. Samsung should follow an official recall and have an official process. At the moment in the UK, it is a mess. One minute it will be done this way the next minute another way. Now let us say you gave a Note 7 to a friend as a birthday present, Carphone Warehouse will not except it back unless it is from the original owner. That’s crazy and even more so if said friend even had the original purchase receipt.

Looking at the XDA Forums, it seems that there is a lot of stalling tactics going on. This means that if you had a 14 day cooling off period, you might find while you wait for a resolution which changes by the minute, you lose all your consumer rights in being able to simply return it.

The next problem is the Royal Mail and likely other companies will not allow the phone to be posted. So how do you return an explosive device in the post? Amazon UK is refunding customers money and as of todays date has still told their customers not to return the phone, but power off and keep it. That is how it should be done. Meanwhile Samsung is stalling to hold on to people’s money for as long as possible.

Now let us suppose you got your phone from overseas. Samsung UK refers you to Samsung Support in the country you bought the phone from, but that Samsung office refers you back to Samsung UK. This phone has the potential to explode and yet nobody in Samsung globally are trying to find solutions to fix these gaps in exchanging a hazardous phone that also cannot be posted because it is dangerous.

New issues are coming to light with airlines banning the Note 7.

But the Note 7 isn’t just explosive, it is also have issues with spontaneous boot loops or phones just bricking. Plenty of comments on XDA Forums and by people I personally know and trust not to exaggerate.

So what about compensation by Samsung for all the wasted calls trying to find a resolution, lost data, out of pocket expenses, all the cases and accessories bought for a phone not being used anymore or returned for a full refund, contracts not being used as the phone is off for safety reasons and many more expenses. Well you’ll get nothing to properly compensate you.

In my mind Samsung are trying to avoid the compensation but not stating this is an official recall and following the respective guidelines laid down in certain countries.

If Samsung needed to recall the Note 7, it should have recalled every phone, issued full refunds immediately and then at a later date sent a new Note 7. In the meantime, it should have offered all customers a free loaned phone eg Samsung Galaxy S7.

If Amazon can refund the money instantly and also advise not to send the phone back, this at least gives the customer a chance to buy something else.

Of course many people would have sold their old phone just before the Note 7, only now to find out they have nothing to use.

This situation is not ideal or easy but I don’t think Samsung has directed this process correctly. I also think they are skating around the issue of compensation their customers correctly and fairly,

Over and out.

Apple iPhone 7 – Its Pre Order Day – Here’s My Thought Process

September 9, 2016Apple, Tech NewsApple iPhone 7 pre order day, my thoughtsGavin Fabiani-Laymond

If you live in the UK, you will be able to pre order Apple’s new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus at exactly 8.01am directly from their online store, hopefully for delivery next Friday the 16th September 2016. All the UK’s mobile operators will be offering the new iPhone as well as online retailers too.

Apple’s upgrade program is also available in the UK for the very first time. It is worth checking out this option too especially if you want to spread the cost. Apple also offer sim plans for the respective mobile phone companies.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus come in new storage configurations, 32, 128 or 256gb. I would not recommend opting for the base 32gb unless you are prepared to be using cloud services constantly to store media. 128gb is the better option to choose and 256gb is for hard core users.

In fact the 256gb option finally means anyone still using the 160gb iPod Classic has absolutely no reason to use it anymore as finally there is an iPhone with more storage for all your music.

Next are the 5 colours available for both sizes of iPhone 7. These are rose gold, gold, silver, black (a matte finish) and jet black (a glossy black). The jet black is only available in 128gb and 256gb configurations for either size of iPhone. So which colour is best. Personally, I like either the new black or jet black. The jet black is prone to show micro scratches so is best used in a case. To be honest if you are using the iPhone 7 Plus, I would always use a case. I especially like Apple’s silicone or leather cases to provide that extra bit of protection or grip. The standard black is probably the more practical option, so I am choosing the jet black. I am never logical 🙂

So which size of iPhone is best to choose. This year both sizes of iPhone come with the same new 12mp optical image stabilised camera. The iPhone 7 Plus has another 12mp camera on the rear which enables 2 x optical zoom and up to 10 x software zoom. It will also enable later this year via a software update, incredible portrait shots with background bokeh. My preference is towards the Plus model as it also has a 1080p screen versus the smaller 750p screen.

Lastly it is worth remembering the new iPhone 7 does not have a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead audio comes out via the lightning port. So it might be time to invest in some wireless headphones. You also might want a case, powerbank or some cables. If so Amazon has an iPhone 7 storefront now. Click HERE.

Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus – My Views on the new iPhones & Accessories

September 8, 2016Apple, Tech News7 Plus, Apple Accessories, Apple iPhone 7Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Unless you were hiding in a cave last night, it would have been difficult not to hear, see or read about Apple’s new keynote. Typically I have around 200 tweets from 6pm to 8pm. During Apple’s Keynote I lost count once I reached 900. My RSS feeds exploded too. No other company can generate this level of frenzy!

As Apple Keynotes go, I really enjoyed this one right from the very beginning too with Tim Cook and James Corden Carpool Karaoke intro. Lots of new products this time. An updated Apple Watch, 2 new iPhones, new headphones and accessories and tons of new features on all the technology. Apple also doubled the storage on iPad Pro and Mini and reduced the price on the iPad Pro. 16gb storage options were removed also from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6 models with a new 256gb option.

To be honest, before any new tech was announced, the fact Nintendo were bringing Super Mario Run to iOS for a fix price with no IAP’s to ruin gameplay was a winning reason alone to buy the new iPhone 7.

If you buy the iPhone 7 outright it will costs from £599 for the 32gb iPhone 7 right up to £919 for the 256gb iPhone 7 Plus. Add £49 for an official Apple leather case and £149 for the new wireless Airpods and the new iPhone is not cheap.

So what stood out for me in terms of the new features. Well the water and dust resistance was a welcome improvement (IP67) along with heavily beefed up cameras. I am keen to see how the dual camera setup on the Plus version performs in real life, with its wide angle and 2 x optical telephone zoom, which then goes up to 10 x zoom using software. There definitely seems to be a big step forward in the cameras in the new iPhone 7. Again these need to be tested.

Some call it controversial that the 3.5mm headphone jack has now disappeared. Personally, I don’t see what the fuss is about. I have used the lightning port for audio for ages now. Apple also provide a lightning to headphone adaptor in the box, with additional adaptors available for £9 each. In the box you also get wired headphones terminated with a lightning connector.

The next step in wireless audio was taken by Apple to create their own bluetooth connection using their new W1 chip which features in the new £159 Airpods and new Beats range of headphones. I can’t wait to test these new headphones. The Apple Airpods look damn cool too. Will they sound better than headphones from B & O or Sennheiser? No idea yet but I will test them accordingly.

Stereo speakers makes an appearance now, a higher quality screen, new colours, new storage options, better A10 Fusion processor and much more. The new non moving home button sounds interesting. Feedback is obtained via taptic feedback.

Part of the lineup comes a gloss jet black finish. Personally, I would opt for matt black, as Apple have mentioned that the gloss black can show micro scratches if you are not too careful.

The Apple Watch 2 has a brighter display, better processor, faster operation, GPS and is swim proof. New strap options and a £1,249 ceramic finish is available too.The 42mm Apple Watch 2 starts at £399 and rises to £649 for the steel finish with the milanese loop and goes right up to £1,249 for the ceramic option. Apple will continue selling the first version and will include the new processor found in the Apple Watch 2. Finally, Apple have a focus for the Apple Watch, and its fitness. They even have a special Nike+ version. Having used many wearables and smart watches, fitness is IMO the right focus too.

With iOS 10 and Watch OS3 all the new hardware looks great, just in somewhat pricey and judging by a number of comments on social media, this seems to be the root cause of any snarky comments. However, Apple has some of the best and diverse range of apps, and this could create some incredible options for its new camera system.

So the million dollar question is which phone do you buy – A Samsung Note 7, Apple iPhone 7 (Plus), LG V20 or something else like the dual lens Honor 8 which comes in at £369.

Source 1
Source 2 Photo

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 .

The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet – Just 800 calories a day – Week 7 – Plateauing

September 5, 2016Diet8 Week Blood Sugar Diet, week 7Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

On the 16th July 2016, I started the 8 week Blood Sugar diet that is just 800 calories per day. I completed week 7 on Saturday 3rd September 2016. At week 7, I now have one more week left on this plan before I moved to the 5:2 Blood Sugar Diet. This is 5 days no calorie counting but still Mediterranean style food and then any 2 days at 800 calories.

The lows. After last weeks historic milestones, this week I recorded no change. Everything plateaued.

The highs. After 7 weeks I have still achieved huge weight loss and body transformation into smaller sized clothes. I now have just one last week left on the 8 week plan and I am looking forward to the 5:2 version.

I just cannot tell you how delicious having steamed egg on toast is for breakfast. I am now having a steamed egg (same as poached) on low carb toast. See below. My Andrew James Egg Boiler makes light work of cooking the eggs to perfection every morning. The bread used is called Hi-Lo from Sainsburys. It is high in protein and only 5g of carbs per slice. It is great with an egg due to its thickness which absorbs the egg.

I still have soup for lunch, and they always taste great due to my fantastic Andrew James soup maker.

I am also taking selfies along the way which I will reveal the final before and after at 8 weeks. If you want to recap all the items I’m using , read my first post – Click HERE. I also have a dedicated page where all my diet posts are being kept. This can be found using the Menu or Click HERE. . It is worth checking out each week’s posts as I also show a selection of the meals I ate.

Feedback. Thanks again for all the positive feedback received. All your support is really helping me keep to the plan. The Blood Sugar Diet is genius. I cannot believe how many Type 2 diabetic people I have met who have reversed their condition because of this diet.

Below are a selection of my meals from this week. A lot of these are all from the Blood Sugar Diet book. Don’t forget to check out Result Weeks 1 – 6 which have more food photos 🙂

So how did week 7 go in terms of weight, blood sugar levels and more ? Below are the measurements from Saturday 3rd September 2016, exactly seven weeks after being on the 8 week Blood Sugar Diet.

Here we go –

– Weight – lost 0 lbs this week – Overall weight loss – 2 stone 3lbs. In just 7 weeks I have lost over 2 stone. . Start weight was 21st 10lbs, current weight 19st 7lbs.

– Waist – Overall in 7 weeks I have lost 4 inches.

– Neck – 2.5 inches overall since start of plan

– Blood Sugar levels – Continued to read at normal levels. That’s 5 weeks in a row now.

– Blood Pressure – My blood pressure is normal again. My pulse is normal

– Body Water Percentage – now increased by 1.5% since the start of the diet.

As a consequence, my BMI and body fat has also dropped again.

Finally I would like to say thank you again to everybody who wished me good luck. It really helped keep my motivation up!

So all that remains is to complete the last week, before I move to the 5:2 Blood Sugar Diet plan.

Useful Links (Amazon)

Oculus have just emailed all Samsung Note 7 Users – DO NOT USE THE GEAR VR – Full Details

September 4, 2016Android, Tech NewsOculus and the Samsung Gear VR warning for Samsung Note 7 devicesGavin Fabiani-Laymond

I have just received an email from the Oculus Team regarding using the Samsung Gear VR with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

This is what the email said –

“As you may have heard, on Friday, September 2, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. announced the U.S. Product Exchange Program for Galaxy Note7 owners in response to battery issues with the Note7 device.

Please get your Note7 replacement before using your Gear VR as your safety is our number one priority. You can contact or visit the retail outlet where you purchased your Note7 or contact Samsung to initiate a product exchange and to resolve any questions or concerns.

– The Oculus Team”

So do not use your Gear VR with your Samsung Note 7 unless you have one of the new ones following an exchange. You do not want your Note 7 exploding in your face!

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – Samsung’s Recall Process for UK and US Customers

September 3, 2016Android, Tech Newsrecall process, Samsung UK, Samsung USGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Samsung has already laid out plans on its recall process for UK and US customers as follows.

Samsung UK Customers

Statement from Samsung UK–

“Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.

To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.

For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks. For more information customers need to contact the customer service team on 0330 7261000.

We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.”

This information is for all UK Customers including phones purchased via Carphone Warehouse. Network operators like O2, Vodafone, Three and EE will also take back the phones. If you call the Samsung UK hotline number you will be offered two options. An exchange for the Note 7 for a new Note 7 with a colour of your choice, so you can swap colours from the one your purchased, or swap the Note 7 for a S7/S7 Edge and receive a credit for the difference. Token gestures of £25 or £50 for the hassle are being offered.

Statement from Samsung US

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announced the immediate availability of the U.S. Product Exchange Program for Galaxy Note7 owners. This program was launched in response to the recent announcement regarding isolated battery cell issues with the Galaxy Note7 device.

While there have been only a small number of reported incidents, Samsung is taking great care to provide customers with the support they need. Samsung has identified the affected inventory and stopped sales and shipments of those devices. For customers, who have Galaxy Note7 devices, Samsung will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one from today.

“Samsung is taking a proactive approach to address customer needs around the Note7,” said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America. “We are encouraging customers to exchange their Note7 by taking advantage of our Product Exchange Program. The safety and satisfaction of our customers is Samsung’s top priority.”

The U.S. Product Exchange Program will offer consumers the following choices:

1. Exchange current Galaxy Note7 device with a new Galaxy Note7 (available next week)
2. Exchange current Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge and replacement of any Note7 specific accessories with a refund of the price difference between devices.

As a gesture of appreciation, consumers will receive a $25 gift card or bill credit from select carrier retail outlets when choosing a Galaxy S7 family device or the Galaxy Note 7 within the exchange program.

Galaxy Note7 owners can contact or visit the retail outlet where they purchased their device or call 1-800-SAMSUNG to initiate a product exchange and to resolve any other questions or concerns.

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