Tag Archives: Reviews

Nexus 6P – First Impressions

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So my Nexus 6P 128gb Frost White arrived yesterday. It is a big device.

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From left to right, Huawei G8, Nexus 6P, iPhone 6S Plus, Sony Z5 Compact and a BlackBerry. I do wonder if we have lost the plot on screen sizes now?

The Nexus 6P has stereo front speakers and a new USB C cable.

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I was disappointed to find only 111gb free of the 128gb model. Clearly despite being hardcore android the firmware is large. As a comparison the 128gb iPhone 6S Plus has 113gb free out of the box but does include loads more apps.

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Despite the space available, I can’t see myself running out any day soon. So what do I like and what don’t I like ?

As first impressions, the frosted white is fantastically beautifully amazing choice of colour. I am so pleased I didn’t opt for aluminium or black. There are 2 cables in the box, one is USB C to USB A but so short it is a joke. The USB C to USB C cable is an ideal length. Suddenly, I realised I have no compatible cables and charging in the car and around the house is an issue until I get more USB C cables. I found a good selection of USB Type C Cables and Adapters on Amazon

The phone feels premium but is not that comfortable to hold as it is big. The Nexus 5X was much easier and more comfortable to grip in the hand. The fingerprint sensor works really well, but when the phone is face up on the table, its no use at all. Apple and Samsung and even Sony have the sensor is a more suitable location.

The camera. I have tried some random shots just to get an idea of its standard. It takes good shots but as to how good the quality of the camera is will only be established after I have had and more time and dry weather to take more photos. So far it took 3 indoor low light shots to get 1 shot to be better than that from the iPhone 6S Plus. My iPhone only needed one shot to get it right first time. The Sony Z5 Compact also only needed one shot. However, don’t read too much into this at the moment, as I need to understand the quirks of the phone and I will also see what can be achieved using third party camera apps. More soon.

Screen. I don’t like the screen. It feels muted except for watching films etc when it looks great. Add to the fact there are stereo speakers and it is a lovely media player. I will test for audio quality later as well.

And before I sign off, the highlight of the phone is its running pure android. That is a benefit to ensure you get the latest updates to the firmware, but it is also bland. Huawei’s EMUI and Xiaomi’s skins do add a lot of extra features. So it ultimately boils down to what your preferences are.

Recent Phone, Bluetooth Headphones and Audio Equipment reviews

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There have been several reviews over the last few weeks. Below are the links. Over the next few weeks there will be more reviews covering new smartphones and the brand new Chord Mojo which has taken the audio world by storm.

Apple iPhone 6S Plus incl Apple Watch review (continuously updated) – Now 14 Parts
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/07/apple-iphone-6s-plus-the-review/

August SE20 Mini Radio and Portable Bluetooth Stereo System Review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/15/august-se20-mini-radio-and-portable-bluetooth-stereo-system-review/

August EP650 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones Review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/14/august-ep650-bluetooth-stereo-headphones-review/

August EP610 In Ear Bluetooth Stereo Sports Headphones review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/13/august-ep610-in-ear-bluetooth-stereo-sports-headphones-review/

August EP636 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/12/august-ep636-bluetooth-stereo-headphones-with-nfc-and-mic-review/

Honor 7 Smartphone review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/05/honor-7-review/

Suaoki 40W 8A 5 Port Compact USB Charger
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/29/suaoki-compact-40w-8a-5-port-high-usb-charger-review/

Motorola Moto X Play
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/01/motorola-moto-x-play-review/

LG G4 – 4 month review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/24/lg-g4-4-month-review-the-ultimate-package/

LG G4 – main review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/04/lg-g4-the-review-all-26-parts/

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact 23mp Camera Test
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/08/sony-xperia-z5-just-how-good-is-the-new-23mp-camera-see-for-yourself/

Huawei Watch review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/21/huawei-watch-my-review/

Samsung Note 5 Dual Sim review
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/22/samsung-note-5-dual-sim-first-impressions/

All the Reviews from the last 30 days – iPhone 6S Plus, LG G4, Honor 7, Huawei Watch and more incl accessories

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In the last 30 days I have written and published over 10 reviews. For ease I have included the reviews below along with the links.

Apple iPhone 6S Plus incl Apple Watch – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/07/apple-iphone-6s-plus-the-review/

Huawei G8 – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/06/huawei-g8-first-impressions-of-huaweis-mid-market-flagship/

Samsung Note 5 Dual Sim – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/22/samsung-note-5-dual-sim-first-impressions/

Honor 7 – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/05/honor-7-review/

Huawei Watch – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/21/huawei-watch-my-review/

Huawei Mate S – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/18/huawei-mate-s-my-review/

Acer Liquid Jade S – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/08/acer-liquid-jade-s-review/

Acer Iconia One 8 Tablet – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/28/acer-iconia-one-8-tablet-review/

Samsung S Health app (Google Play version) – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/23/samsung-s-health-app-works-in-all-android-devices-but-is-it-any-good/

Suaoki 40W 8A 5 Port Compact USB Charger – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/29/suaoki-compact-40w-8a-5-port-high-usb-charger-review/

Motorola Moto X Play – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/01/motorola-moto-x-play-review/

LG G4 – 4 month review – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/09/24/lg-g4-4-month-review-the-ultimate-package/

LG G4 – main review – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/06/04/lg-g4-the-review-all-26-parts/

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact – 23mp Camera Test – https://gavinsgadgets.com/2015/10/08/sony-xperia-z5-just-how-good-is-the-new-23mp-camera-see-for-yourself/

Mipow Power Packs – review

Reviews, Tech News,

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I mentioned earlier in the week, that I would review the power packs that I use to keep my devices charged. My wife uses an iPhone 5S and I have several phones on the go. Between us we both use Mipow Power pack options.

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My wife uses the Mipow Power Tube 5200 for her iPhone 5S. The key features of this device are –

– Compact all-in-one design with 5200mA battery
– Built-in Lightning plug to directly charge iPhone 5, iPad (4th generation,) iPad mini, iPad touch – (5th generation,) iPod nano (7th generation)
– Built-in standard USB plug for recharging
– Extra USB socket is available to ensure its compatibility with most other devices via their original charging cable
– iPhone Companion app

There is also an iPhone companion app, screen shot below.
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This is rather neat as it can show you the battery level and has options to sound a warning when it is at a low charge level (parameters options available), temp warnings and when it is out of range of your iPhone. The last option could be handy to ensure you don’t leave home without it!

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Part of my power needs is handled by the Mipow 5200M Portable Power Cube.

The features of this are –

– Charging cube with vast capacity (5200mA)
– Anodised aluminium alloy casing
– Extra USB output to support charging to most other devices via their original cable
– 2.1A output, support charging for two mobile devices at the same time
– Elastic pouch included to protect the luxury surface from scratches

Both of these Mipow Power packs include built in cables, lightning cable on one and micro USB on the other. Each built in cable also doubles up with USB plug as you can see from the photos so you can recharge the both power packs without hunting for a cable.

Mipow have a wide range of packs in different capacities and designs and were the “iF Design Award Winner in 2013”.

If you want to see the full range of Mipow Power Packs click the link below.

Mipow Power Range – Deals at Amazon Click Here

Reviews coming soon

Reviews, Tech News, , , ,

Just a quick update on new reviews coming soon. 

As mentioned in the previous post, I have the Xiaomi Mi4i and Mi Note Pro arriving soon. 

I have been testing the Lindy NCX-100 and Lindy IEM-50X headphones for the last 3 months to get a good feel for how these performs. My final thoughts and review will be live soon.
I have also been testing over a period of 2-3 months some power batteries from Mipow which have a few tricks up their sleeves. 

The Oppo HA-2 , Oppo PM-2 headphones and PM-3 headphones have truly burnt in and an update on these will appear soon.

Oppo PM-3 vs Oppo PM-2 Headphones – Decisions

Headphone, Reviews, Tech News, , ,

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On the left we have the Oppo PM-3 and on the right the Oppo PM-2 headphones.

I’m currently undertaking a comparison with these 2 amazing headphones. Whilst they share many technological firsts and both sound amazing, they are also different in their sound styles and price points.  The PM-2’s are double the cost of the PM-3’s and offer an open back construction for the ultimate sound performance. The PM-3’s are closed back to keep your music private to yourself.

A more detailed post will be upcoming in a few weeks with my comparison findings.

In the meantime you can read my individual reviews on each.

Oppo PM-3 Headphone review – click here.

Oppo PM-2 Headphone review – click here.

LG G4 and Honor 6+ and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (Lollipop) reviews

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Just a heads up on the upcoming reviews coming soon.

First up will be the Honor 6+. I have already published a few first impressions and photo comparison posts, but the full review will be live shortly. This phone really does have a few surprises and one reason why this will remain in my possession for a long time.

I decided to revisit the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, now that it has lollipop installed as standard. This has seen quite a number of firmware changes since it first got released, so my review will try and focus on these and the overall feel since receiving lollipop.

And finally, the LG G4 review. This will be the metal and black leather versions reviewed.

Update – Phone reviews – HTC Desire Eye & Honor 6

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Apart from my Samsung Note 4, I received late last week the HTC Desire Eye. The next day the Honor 6 arrived. So in order to be fair to each phone, I am dedicating next week for the HTC Desire Eye with part 1 of the review going live on Monday. There will be a new part up to and including Thursday.  The following week will then focus on the Honor 6.

In addition to the review there will be other posts.

There will be however posts on the Honor 6 this week revealing little snippits. So here’s one snippit I discovered last night.  Phone screen off. Now double tap the volume down button and a photo is taken in less than a second. The time is shown as to how fast the shot took to take. So that means the phone turned on, camera app opened,  focused and took the shot in less than a second. My time variance has been 0.7 second and only once did it take 1.1 seconds. Really fast camera mode !

Samsung Note Edge – Half a Day Later – my thoughts

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So its been just over half a day since receiving the Note Edge. My last post covered my views after 4 hours and the night clock edge mode.

So now its been a bit longer. Obviously, I was sleeping for 6 or so hours but I was still fiddling with the Note Edge. I now have 135 apps/games installed and about 12gb free storage left. For the time being I am not installing Nova Launcher as I want to experience the Edge the Touchwiz way for a while.

The number one question I have been asked is “Is the edge panel really worth it, or what can you do with it”. I feel as it everyone is missing the point slightly. You are not spending £700 on just the curved edge panel! You are also buying a phone that has the best display (its better than the Note 4), arguable the best camera on a smartphone, handwriting recognition and everything the Note 4 includes, which is a massive amount. The curved edge is part of the overall experience and design.

The design is both software and hardware. In my opinion, the Note Edge hardware design is superior to that of the Note 4. And just in half a day, for the first time ever on a Samsung device the software feels well balanced. Somebody at Samsung has actually looked at all the menu and options, order of options and tweaked them rather well. This makes the Note Edge from a software angle feel more polished than the Note 4. I really thought it would be buggy and not as finished. Instead it is the complete opposite.

There is one potential shortcoming. I hold the Note Edge in my right hand. That makes operating the curved panel a breeze. There is an option for the panel in the settings that allows for the edge to be rotated so that enables left handed use. With the curved on the left, there is a pull up menu for the home, back, and recent keys. The issue here is not all apps will work properly upside down. For me however, it is a non issue. In fact, this particular point is the only negative so far.

You can hold the phone and the curved edge will not activate which was one concern I had before I got the phone. It only activates when you flick the edge or swipe it. Palm rejections work flawlessly. I also was concerned about using a car mount. There is enough edges on both sides for this to allow the mount to grasp securely on both sides.

What I am going to try and do is have the Note 4 side by side and see what precisely has been altered. For now I am content with my final phone.

Update – I’ve had a chance to compare the settings menus between the Note 4 and Edge and they are identical except for the Edge having the extra menu for the curved edge panel.

LG G Watch R – First and Last Impressions

Reviews, Tech News, ,

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And here it is with the Samsung Gear S.

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Apps working on the LG G Watch R. Calculator, Google Fit, Imperihome Home Automation, IFTTT, Instaweather, Google Keep, Tweetings, Play Music , Runkeeper and ViewRanger. These apps are apps I already had installed on my Note 4 that offered some android wear functionality.

The apps all can display really nifty bits of info. The ViewRanger starts recording my tracks as I walk across Dartmoor. Runkeeper I can say start a run and it starts recording. If Google understands my voice I can create new tweets, emails, messages and more. Integrating with apps like Imperihome I can turn on the lights, open the garage and more.

I can use Google Maps to navigate, set timers, alarms, show my my heart rate, show me my steps, start a run, workout, or bike ride, and take a note. I can have fancy watch faces. I have notifications including Google Now appearing regularly.

Now the negatives. The watch feels and looks a bit cheap especially for a £200 plus watch. My wife conceded the Samsung Gear S looked better. It’s dreadfully uncomfortable so no matter what else I think I am returning it at the weekend. The ultra cheap leather strap doesn’t help. At the moment it’s poor as a heart rate and fitness device. It doesn’t continuously monitor your heart rate like the Gear S does during a workout. No point using it to monitor sleep as there is no method built in, plus the display keeps activating and is very bright. Too bright at times. My voice is not always understood correctly. There is no method to completely turn the display off. That means if you wear it at night, the screen will keep turning on. And it’s a bright screen! The Gear S has a do not disturb mode which is ideal for meetings and at nightime.

I describe this watch as work in progress. With apps some of the options are incredible. With no Internet you have a dumb watch and nothing else. There is no on screen keyboard like there is on the Gear S.

Android Wear is the future but I just don’t like the uncomfortable fit and cheapish finish of the LG G Watch R. Plus the original G Watch’s rectangular face worked better than the R’s circular style.

And being honest, I prefer the futuristic look and comfort of the Gear S. It has more purpose and works better at what it is built for. The Gear S is not the future but a watch is a piece of designer jewellery and it ticks that box as well. The G Watch R has future potential. The Gear S works now. I was expecting to prefer the G Watch R over the Gear S but the G Watch R is just not good enough. I would even go as far to say that you are better buying the original G Watch instead of the R.

The LG G Watch R is available from Amazon <a href="LG G Watch R Smartwatch – Black
“>LG G Watch R Smartwatch – Black