Posts From Daniel Marchena

Daniel Marchena
60 posts

Co-Host of the XDA/Android Podcast & Android Enthusiast - a.k.a Altimax98 - I am a husband/father of 2 and a video director/producer as a 9-5. I've had a love for Android since 2009 but will still use an occasional iOS device. While I love rooting and customization, I tend to focus more on living with my devices. I am always all ears so PM, or Tweet me if you have any questions!

Bixby Found a Niche in a Crowded Space, but a Late Entrance Strains its Potential
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Bixby Found a Niche in a Crowded Space, but a Late Entrance Strains its Potential

June 23, 2017
When Samsung announced the Galaxy S8, it felt as if they were as excited to announce the new Bixby application as they were the device itself. They added a button on S8 that exists only to serve the Bixby mission, chased down methods to remap that key, and they even had a PR stint with major...
Yes, the OnePlus 5 looks like an iPhone, but for Good Reasons
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Yes, the OnePlus 5 looks like an iPhone, but for Good Reasons

June 20, 2017
From the moment the first leaks started to pour out about the new OnePlus 5, its design was one of the closest guarded secrets. While it was likely that the 5 would feature a dual camera setup, the question is what sort of setup it would feature. Vertically mounted in the existing OP3 body or horizontally...
Honor 8 Pro Mini-Review: A Copycat Design with Excellent Hardware & Software Problems We’ve Come to Expect
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Honor 8 Pro Mini-Review: A Copycat Design with Excellent Hardware & Software Problems We’ve Come to Expect

June 16, 2017
The Honor 8 Pro is a difficult device to evaluate from the outside: on one hand, it is the newest flagship device from Honor, but yet it does not quite replace the Honor 8 released last summer. On the other hand, it is running the latest silicon from Huawei, the HiSilicon Kirin 960, a QHD...
As Google Neglects Tablets, Apple and Microsoft Advance the Convergence of Mobile and Desktop Computers
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As Google Neglects Tablets, Apple and Microsoft Advance the Convergence of Mobile and Desktop Computers

June 6, 2017
A little over one year ago, Google did what many of us expected them to do: announce Android app support in Chrome OS. As is the case with every Google announcement, this was in early beta stages and would not release to consumers for a few months. Still though, there was hope -- hope for Android,...
After the OnePlus 2 Update Trainwreck, Software Support is Paramount to OnePlus’ Success
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After the OnePlus 2 Update Trainwreck, Software Support is Paramount to OnePlus’ Success

June 4, 2017
In 2014 when OnePlus burst onto the smartphone market scene, it was a much different landscape than it is today. There were just two main tiers of phones for potential buyers: the flagship and the budget device. OnePlus introduced us to a new tier, the mid-range flagship, or so-called “affordable flagship”. They offered a device...
Galaxy S8: How the Developer Community Radically Improved My Experience (Without Root)
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Galaxy S8: How the Developer Community Radically Improved My Experience (Without Root)

June 1, 2017
Sometimes it needs a little help to make it truly yours... again Last week I wrote about why I felt the Galaxy S8’s software was a major letdown in comparison to its hardware, but despite its faults it is still my go-to phone, for the moment. So how do I deal with software I admittedly hate, and...
Would We Care About the Essential Phone if it Wasn’t for Andy Rubin?
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Would We Care About the Essential Phone if it Wasn’t for Andy Rubin?

May 31, 2017
After months of alluding to what’s coming next and an essentially leak-proof operation, Andy Rubin has finally announced what his new company “Essential” is simply calling the Essential Phone, or the PH-1. It has been hard to miss the hype surrounding its announcement day, since virtually every media outlet has been covering this device, including...
While Android Leaps Forward, Samsung’s Software Still has Trouble Catching Up to its Hardware
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While Android Leaps Forward, Samsung’s Software Still has Trouble Catching Up to its Hardware

May 27, 2017
I don’t tend to keep it a secret that I am a fan of Samsung phones. I wrote about how I felt the Note7 was a "Remarkable Phone for Life", meaning that it was suited for everything life throws at it, and I could probably rewrite that article substituting every Note7 reference for the Galaxy...
Google I/O 2017 Showcased a Clearer, More-Focused Agenda for Google Products
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Google I/O 2017 Showcased a Clearer, More-Focused Agenda for Google Products

May 22, 2017
Something was different about this year’s Google I/O; something special, perhaps even grounded. Its an event where we have come to expect moonshots and overly idealistic solutions to problems that do not exist or are grossly misrepresented, but that has changed. Last year’s Google I/O was a turning point, moving towards a more mature and grown-up...
The P10 Hardware Lottery Exemplifies the Kind of Decision-Making That’s Holding Huawei Back
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The P10 Hardware Lottery Exemplifies the Kind of Decision-Making That’s Holding Huawei Back

April 22, 2017
Any press is good press, or so they say. That's a phrase often used when a company finds itself in a precarious situation -- but as Samsung learned first hand, in a hyperactive segment like this ever changing mobile space, the smallest misstep can turn out to have grave ramifications. Huawei is learning this first hand...
Honor 8 Pro – First Impressions
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Honor 8 Pro – First Impressions

April 5, 2017
The Honor 8, released in August of 2016, was a capable flagship and really kickstarted Honor’s journey towards offering more appealing and capable devices with less downsides than their predecessors, in the United States of all places. Well, Honor is back with the Honor 8 Pro, not quite a sequel to the Honor 8, hoping to...
Editorial: Just a Few Annoying Decisions Keep the Galaxy S8 and S8+ From Hardware Bliss
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Editorial: Just a Few Annoying Decisions Keep the Galaxy S8 and S8+ From Hardware Bliss

April 1, 2017
It’s hard not to notice the Galaxy S8. Almost every site and blog, even ones unrelated to technology, is covering it, and that is what Samsung wants. Its big - err, tall - and beautiful, and Samsung’s CEO expects it to surpass the single year Galaxy S7 sales, a prediction that will prove difficult given the...