Archive

Phablets and Their King: No Longer Note-Worthy?

Phablets and Their King: No Longer Note-Worthy?

August 17, 2015
June 4th, 2010. As far as dates go, this was a rather normal day for the world at large. But for people who call themselves "smartphone enthusiasts", this date is of some significance. It is on this day that Dell began sales of the Dell Streak 5, the smartphone with a 5" display running Android...
How and Why Force Touch Can Revolutionize Smartphone Interfaces

How and Why Force Touch Can Revolutionize Smartphone Interfaces

August 17, 2015
Most of us have probably heard about Apple's "Force Touch" and "Taptic Engine"—both a software gesture and a technology—proudly featured on new MacBooks and Apple Watches and vaunted by Apple as "the most significant new sensing capability since multi-touch." However, since this is primarily a website for Android (and Windows Phone) enthusiasts, Force Touch remains...
Which Hardware Component of Your Phone Would You Upgrade?

Which Hardware Component of Your Phone Would You Upgrade?

August 17, 2015
Most of us here are reasonably content with our phone purchases; after all, we tend to research our upgrades in-depth. But as time passes, we sometimes find ourselves wishing that we had more than what we bought into. Sometimes this means a better camera, a faster processor, or a bigger battery. Sometimes it means something...
What Events Lead A Man To Have Circuitry Implanted In Him

What Events Lead A Man To Have Circuitry Implanted In Him

August 14, 2015
Regular readers of my posts may already know that I am the proud owner of an NFC implant, one of the questions I am asked the most is “What would lead you to want an NFC chip placing inside your hand” among the many other obvious questions. It is my intention to finally answer many...
The Note 5 Marks the Decline of a Power User Flagship Line

The Note 5 Marks the Decline of a Power User Flagship Line

August 14, 2015
DISCLAIMER: This is an editorial based on early impressions. I will update my thoughts once I get a hands-on look next week. It is not just the S-pen, or the big and rich screen. It’s the whole package, from the powerful internal hardware to the software additions that the competition still has not beaten. Let’s remember...
Google Welcomes Devs’ Android Experiments: Innovation Through Android

Google Welcomes Devs’ Android Experiments: Innovation Through Android

August 14, 2015
To celebrate this very spirit of creativity and free thinking, Google has launched Android Experiments: a site showcasing innovative and inspiring projects on Android, one of the world's most popular open and flexible platforms. As outlined in their blog post announcement, the starting 20 initial "experiments" demonstrate a broad range of works which make use of...
Asus, My “Device May Have Junk” – Your Junk

Asus, My “Device May Have Junk” – Your Junk

August 14, 2015
We've previously given a full review of the Asus ZenFone 2 on the XDA portal. If you're interested in a more thorough and objective look at the phone, along with its hardware and software, I suggest you check it out. If, instead, you're here for a rant, and don't want to read a serious review about...
Moto G 2015 Specs

Moto G 2015 Specs

August 14, 2015
Reviewers say: Battery life on the Moto G is fantastic, as is the performance. Fit and finish is above expectations for this price point, but the camera produces inconsistent results. Another downside for this phone is the display, which is only 720p resolution and offers "dull" colors. But ultimately, it's hard to fault the Moto...
Stagefright Explained: The Exploit That Changed Android

Stagefright Explained: The Exploit That Changed Android

August 14, 2015
One of the strongest points of Android has primarily been its open source nature, which allows for stakeholders to fork, modify and redistribute the OS in a way that suits their particular needs. But this very advantage of being open source acts like a double-edged sword when it comes to the issues of malware and...
Nexus 5 Specs

Nexus 5 Specs

August 14, 2015
Reviewers say: The display on the Nexus 5 is crisp, but is less saturated than displays found on other similar phones. Reviewers tout the excellent performance of the Nexus 5, but complain about the camera, which is inconsistent. Finally, some reviewers note the unexciting, though utilitarian design of the Nexus 5, which offers a good...
Android One: Is It Now or Never?

Android One: Is It Now or Never?

August 13, 2015
So, considering that Google arguably delivered on all of those points, why hasn't Android One become the shining example of success it was hoped to be? The Backstory However, it wasn't long after this momentous release that we began to see a number of articles claiming that demand for these smartphones just wasn't there. MediaTek, who manufactured the SOCs for...
The Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus Design

The Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus Design

August 13, 2015
They continued by explaining how the screen size which was once considered a gimmick has since become the norm for many devices. They have since made the body from stronger, thinner and lighter metal, the glass back is now curved and this allows for far easier use of the device with just one hand.   As you...