Posts From Eric Hulse

Eric Hulse
Eric Hulse

Mechanical Engineer by degree, salesman by day, and a self professed technology lover on the side. Frequent user of iOS Android, OSX and Windows. Buyer of (way too) many flagships and fan of all things mobile. XDA member since 2010.

Google’s Upcoming Android Q Gestures are a Mess

Google’s Upcoming Android Q Gestures are a Mess

July 23, 2019
In 2019 it seems every Android device has to at least have the option for gestural navigation. Samsung, OnePlus, Huawei, and many other Chinese manufacturers come out of the box with a gesture control option now. In an attempt to perhaps get ahead of the problem before true fragmentation really takes hold, Google has also...
OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 sound better than they should and have great battery life

OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 sound better than they should and have great battery life

May 29, 2019
Last year, OnePlus introduced their first wireless(-ish) headphones, the OnePlus Bullets. These launched, somewhat ironically, with their last device equipped with a headphone jack, the OnePlus 6. The bullets were generally well received, and we found them to be a solid, no frills, low-cost Bluetooth audio option. Now that OnePlus has, unfortunately, killed the 3.5mm...
Samsung is treating U.S. unlocked device owners like second-rate citizens

Samsung is treating U.S. unlocked device owners like second-rate citizens

April 13, 2019
Not too long ago, Samsung began selling their mobile phones direct to consumers here in the United States via either samsung.com or the Shop Samsung App. This was great news as taking out the middleman (carriers) is always welcome. Customers are, of course, still free to buy a carrier-branded phone from any number of carriers...
Hands-on with Samsung’s ridiculous $1,600 Ceramic Galaxy S10+

Hands-on with Samsung’s ridiculous $1,600 Ceramic Galaxy S10+

March 7, 2019
Samsung's Galaxy S10+ comes in a large variety of shapes and sizes. There are 3 sizes and several colors within each size along with multiple storage tiers. In the largest Galaxy S10+ there is even an option for a Ceramic back plate rather than standard glass. The ceramic option is only available with 8GB of...
Google’s Pixel Line Sells Clever Features to Normal Users

Google’s Pixel Line Sells Clever Features to Normal Users

February 27, 2019
Few phones are as polarizing or well covered as Google’s Pixel line. The latest Pixel undoubtedly won’t sell anywhere near latest Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, yet still manages to occupy the smartphone world's airwaves. Coverage of every little Pixel feature and (countless) leaks bring in significant eyeballs and the comments sections are filled with...
Why the OnePlus 6 is Still a Better Buy Than the OnePlus 6T

Why the OnePlus 6 is Still a Better Buy Than the OnePlus 6T

January 5, 2019
The past year was a strong, if unusual, year for OnePlus. As expected, we received two flagships from the company: the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. However, this year, the two devices were closer than ever before, with the earlier model being a compelling device even after the "updated" model was released. The OnePlus 6...
Samsung’s Good Lock Offers the Coolest Smartphone Features & Customization Nobody Talks About

Samsung’s Good Lock Offers the Coolest Smartphone Features & Customization Nobody Talks About

October 27, 2018
Samsung’s Galaxy S and Galaxy Note continue to be the de facto Android experience for millions of people around the globe, remaining the best selling phones among casual crowds and a preferred option among enthusiasts as well. While the devices have been a bit predictable for a while, there’s no arguing that they’re incredibly competent products...
While the iPhone gets 5 years of support, my Galaxy S9+ still can’t get timely Security Patches

While the iPhone gets 5 years of support, my Galaxy S9+ still can’t get timely Security Patches

June 9, 2018
Apple’s WWDC took place this week, not long after Google’s I/O conference. Each company spent time announcing their planned new features as well as new APIs, new apps, and new ideas. It isn’t a stretch to say that both Android and iOS have become advanced operating systems with complete and competitive feature sets. I’ve been...
The Google Pixelbook is still a great experience

The Google Pixelbook is still a great experience

June 5, 2018
In lieu of the latest sale, I thought it would be an excellent time to write about my experiences with Google’s quirky little laptop. I’ve actually owned every iteration of Google’s laptops: the original Chromebook Pixel, Chromebook Pixel LS, and now a Pixelbook. I own the Intel Core i7 version of the Pixelbook, which I...
Essential is a Model Citizen and Losing Them Would Be Tragic

Essential is a Model Citizen and Losing Them Would Be Tragic

May 25, 2018
Not even a full year after the Essential PH-1’s August 2017 release date, things aren’t looking good for the plucky “startup.” Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that Essential has canceled its next phone, is considering a sale, hasn’t sold many of the first phone, and that things internally within the company are not great. Andy Rubin didn’t take long to...
Essential Proves How Sensible Pricing and Software Updates Can Redeem a Failing Phone

Essential Proves How Sensible Pricing and Software Updates Can Redeem a Failing Phone

November 1, 2017
Essential hasn't been around for too long, but it's been the subject of a disproportionate number of headlines in the Android world this year -- and often not for a good reason. Their first (and so far only) device shipped much, much later than promised. Even after shipping significantly later than promised, the Essential PH-1’s software...
How Bixby’s Incompleteness Pushes its Voice Assistant into Functional Redundancy

How Bixby’s Incompleteness Pushes its Voice Assistant into Functional Redundancy

June 23, 2017
Around 3 months ago, Samsung took the stage at Unpacked 2017 to announce their new Galaxy S8 phones. During their keynote, the company spent around 10 minutes hyping up Bixby, their contribution to the newly-crowded virtual assistant space. Bixby was billed as “a new way to interact with your phone.” Essentially, Bixby aims to be...