Sign up at GlassesUSA.com for 50% off + free shipping: http://bit.ly/TechSource_GlassesUSA (free basic lenses, premium and marked down frames excluded) ...
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David Egbert's Geeky Blog
Friday, June 30, 2017
What’s In The Box – Episode 11
iPod touch 4G vs iPod touch 2G
Twitter: http://twitter.com/duncan33303 Site: http://stateofjailbreak.com In this video I compare the iPod touch 4G to it's predecessor the iPod touch 2G. There are ...
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Gaming on the HP Chromebook 11!
Believe it or not, Chromebooks actually make decent gaming machines. In this video, I test out the HP Chromebook 11 with 3 different games: Cut the Rope, ...
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MY NEXT CAR?
A quick look at some car tech in the Ford booth at CES 2016! FOLLOW ME IN THESE PLACES FOR UPDATES Twitter - http://twitter.com/unboxtherapy ...
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DIY pfSense Rackmount Router Build Log – Part 1
I mean, it's just building a router.. How hard could it be??? Mastercase 5 Link: ...
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Yup, that’s a tiny 10nm-based TSMC A10X chip inside the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro
Not that anyone still had any doubts after waiting so long for Apple’s first 10.5-inch iPad Pro, but we finally get confirmation and an in-depth look at TSMC’s delayed 10nm-based A10X “Fusion” chip.
This comes with an exact die size of 96.4 square millimeters, compared to the now massive-sounding 143.9 square mm of the TSMC-produced, Apple-designed A9X inside the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and original 12.9-incher.
That’s quite a substantial efficiency upgrade from the old 16nm process node, and a taste of what’s coming to the iPhone 8 in the 10nm A11, which was reportedly plagued by pre-release issues as well, replacing last year’s 16-nanometer A10.
Next up, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company wants to leap straight to 7nm technology for SoCs likely to power 2018 iPhones and iPads, but also a host of Android flagships following a major deal with Qualcomm.
Until then, we should highlight how unusual it is for Apple to inaugurate a new class of mobile processors on an iOS tablet, though this very special year, revamped iPhones probably don’t need the extra attention. Besides, it’s never right to compare the performance of devices separated by so much screen real estate. The iPhone 8 will undoubtedly be faster than its predecessors, just as the latest iPad Pro touts 30 percent more CPU speed and 40 percent graphics improvements. That’s really all that matters.
Do you have a Girlfriend? Ask Me #3
Carbon Fiber Skins on my Phone dbrand: http://bit.ly/1Lb861O Fullscreen Network: http://goo.gl/oVeSu5 Follow me for all the updates! Instagram: ...
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Browser Test: Mozilla Firefox 3.6
Go back to the main video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVhYBVXAXbM Firefox 3.6 is one of the most popular browsers available and with good reason.
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Lenovo Tab 4 8 Released Today – New 8-Inch Android 7.1 Tablet For $129
Lenovo announced the 8-inch Android tablet Lenovo Tab 4 8 on February 27, and it is officially released in the US today on June 30, with a launch price of $129 from Lenovo.
http://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/android-tablets/tab-4-series/
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Android-Quad-Core-Processor-ZA2B0009US/
The Lenovo Tab 4 8 is an 8-inch Android 7.1 tablet, powered by a quad-core 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 16GB of storage with microSD card support up to 128GB, and a HD display with 1280 x 800 resolution and 350 nits of brightness.
That actually makes Lenovo’s Tab 4 8 the first tablet to be launched with Android 7.1 Nougat yet.
The Lenovo Tab 4 8 released today has front facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos audio, a 2MP front camera, a 5MP rear camera, a micro-USB 2.0 port, a 3.5 mm audio combo jack, g-sensor, and hall sensor.
Internet connection is supplied by 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth 4.0. Lenovo Tab 4 8 battery life is stated as 10+ hours long, from a 4850 mAh Li-ion Polymer battery.
The weight of Lenovo’s new entry level 8-inch Android 7.1 tablet is a pretty decent 310 grams, while it is 8.2 mm thick, which is decent too.
Lenovo have two official but optional custom made accessories for the Lenovo Tab 4 8. The first one is the most visible, being the Tab 4 8 kids case, a bumper case that protects the tablet as well as the user, and also provides some more grip for kids tiny hands.
The other custom made accessory for this tablet is the folio case, but both accessories seems to be trailing a couple of week behind of today’s tablet launch.
– Tom Bowen
This cool infographic tells you everything you need to know about the iPhone’s first 10 years
In case you still haven’t got the memo on why this year’s new iPhone is so special, potentially groundbreaking and crazy anticipated, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane.
June 29, 2007. Nearly six months after a Macworld Conference & Expo initial announcement in San Francisco that would seem terribly modest these days, Apple’s first ever smartphone was commercially launched stateside… as a Cingular Wireless exclusive.
Wait, what? Yup, you probably don’t remember this, but until Verizon finally joined the US carrier-supporting party in 2011 to sell the 4S, AT&T, known back in the day as Cingular, held a now mind-boggling monopoly on increasingly popular iPhones.
Speaking of popularity, it took a while for these iOS-powered bad boys to become the best-selling mobile device family in the world, though the original iPhone still swiftly caught on… for a market rookie, reaching a million unit sales in 74 days, and totaling 6 mil by the end of its run.
Then came the iPhone 3G with, well, 3G technology, GPS and the July 2008-opened App Store, followed by a 32GB 3GS in 2009, Retina Display-sporting iPhone 4 the next year, and in 2011, the first Siri-supporting handset.
The rest is likely significantly fresher in the minds of hardcore iFans, but also haters, Android devotees and just mobile tech lovers in general, all of which should agree this has been an entertaining, exciting, innovation-packed decade. A lot of things we tend to take for granted wouldn’t be possible without iPhones and their influence on so many aspects of the industry, companies and people.
Check out the full SureCall infographic for a more in-depth look back at 10 years of iPhone evolution.
Thursday, June 29, 2017
LG V30 may trade off Second Screen for OLED screen
That “love it or hate it” feature of the LG V-series devices may just not be loved or hated come later this summer as the V30 is now told to not feature the Second Screen.
One source to XDA-Developers has also reaffirmed claims that the device will get an OLED panel made by LG Display, which is only beginning to tread away from LCD mobile screens.
There are plenty of reasons why LG could make this move, such as moving to a single 2:1 screen format consistent with the G6 or not having to deal with cutting the display to that distinct shape or working with separate display drivers for the Second Screen’s functionality.
Those supposed in-house concept renders from Evan Blass of what’s been dubbed “Project Joan” may not have followed on at all.
Other bits of interest from the source: microSD expansion will remain along with 64GB of storage, standard, and 4GB of RAM to back up a Snapdragon 835. As a reminder, this would be LG’s first phone to feature the flagship chipset.
As the Snapdragon 835 ages, its price will continue to fall. Combine that with a partnership with Qualcomm tying them down to the Snapdragon 845 and LG may afford to price this phone very competitively, compensate on other components or pad margins considerably.
Only time will tell as rumors finger late August at IFA for when we could actually see the V30 show up.
How To Unlock LG G3 (Any Carrier or Country)
http://TheUnlockingCompany.com This Video will show you How to Network Unlock your LG G3 phone. To SIM Unlock your LG G3 phone click here: ...
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Canon EOS-1D X Hands On and Burst Rate
In this live video from CES 2012 I give a hands on of the Canon EOS-1D X. The EOS 1D X is the new high end DSLR from Canon and features an 18 megapixel ...
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Rugged Panasonic Toughbook CF-XZ6 2-In-1 Launches In Western Markets Too
Panasonic Toughbook CF-XZ6 is a 12-inch rugged Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet that was launched in Japan at the start of 2017, but now this 2-in-1 tabletis launching in Western markets too, if you have from $3500 or more to spare.
So the price is still high for one of these rugged tablets, but at least this is one Toughbook that doesn’t look as thick and rubbery with this model. On the inside it is pretty similar to a Samsung Galaxy Book 12, with Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, a 12-inch 2160 x 1440 resolution display, 4GB to 16GB of RAM, and 128GB to 512GB SSD storage.
It also has optional active pen, USB Type-C, and on the keyboard dock another 3 USB 3.0 ports, LAN, HDMI, and VGA ports, as well as optional 4G LTE, with a 6.5 hour battery life from the tablet, but a Surface like 14 hour battery life when docked into the keyboard.
It’s called “business rugged” as this is the market this Toughbook is built for. Panasonic states that the 2-in-1 has passed a 76cm free fall test, a 100kg pressurized vibration test, is built with magnesium alloy, and has a 3 year warranty. Because of the ruggedness, the Panasonic Toughbook CF-XZ6 weighs 1180 grams.
– Jim Miller
How Much Will the PlayStation 4 Cost?
Are you waiting eagerly for the PlayStation 4, but are apprehensive about its price? Watch this video for more information! Please visit CTN's website at ...
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THE MOST INSANE SETUP EVER – #LGOLEDTV
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) --- Today's Mystery Video - https://youtu.be/vI25nMmklwE?list=PL7u4lWXQ3wfI_7PgX0C-VTiwLeu0S4v34 Thanks to LG for making this whole ...
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Gigabyte BRIX Gaming BXi5G-760 Micro PC
My review of the Gigabyte BRIX Gaming Micro-PC is here. This beast is packing a DESKTOP GTX 760!! The idea behind this product is awesome, but how does ...
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How To Unlock Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (Any Carrier or Country)
http://TheUnlockingCompany.com This Video will show you the process of Carrier unlocking your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 smartphone so you can use it ...
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What’s On My iPhone 4S
IconSettings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEw0cAI6X9Y Full list of apps: Jetpack Joyride, Garageband, Flashlight, IconSettings and FiLMiC Pro. In this ...
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Galaxy Note 8 accessories crop up with rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, dual camera
“Premium” accessories manufacturer Olixar and “leading” online retailer Mobile Fun strike again after recently helping better illustrate an increasingly plausible iPhone 8 design with almost no screen bezels, this time adding to the pile of believable Galaxy Note 8 leaks.
No doubt based on credible supply chain sources and perhaps even the same actual prototypes that inspired the first 360-degree CAD video the other day, a host of cases are born aimed at keeping “your Samsung Galaxy Note 8 fully protected.”
Of course, a large part of the S Pen-wielding flagship’s body is carefully concealed in high-res images of covers costing between $5.49 and $21.49 a pop. But the most interesting visual details are staring us in the face, lining up perfectly with the latest rumors and expectations.
Time to give up all hope of innovative under-glass fingerprint recognition, as a biometric sensor like all others joins a first-of-its-kind Samsung dual camera and the typical LED flash/heart rate monitor combo on this giant’s back.
By the way, the Note 8 is widely predicted to sport a 6.3-inch “Infinity Display” similar to the one on the GS8+, and indeed, these fresh case renders seem to corroborate an almost all-screen façade. Just don’t count on any cutouts for various sensors and a selfie shooter. And if you’re feeling a little crazy, why not pre-order an Olixar X-Duo, FlexiShield or Ultra-Thin case? It’s probably going to fit the commercial product nicely.
This is it, our clearest, closest possible look at expected iPhone 8 design in CAD form (Video)
Who needs real-world leaks of actual working iPhone 8 prototypes in pre-release, unpolished form when we can check out Apple’s major hardware redesign from all angles courtesy of the most detailed, carefully refined and believable dummy unit yet?
Well, no, it’s not exactly the same thing, and we’re still keeping an ear to the ground for eventual pictures and videos starring more than a computer-aided simulation of the so-called iPhone X.
But the four-minute clip embedded below is undoubtedly a rare, exquisite treat, allegedly showcasing a “device” manufactured “via CNC process”, based upon “3D CAD sourced directly from the factory in charge of building the new iPhone.” In other words, it’s something far more special and meticulous than a shabby shell, rough mockup or even a dummy + screen protector + printed wallpaper combo.
Of course, “some details” may still change “before the official launch” in September or October, though the main ingredients in Cupertino’s revamped recipe for success are so certain and close we can almost taste them.
Once again, we’re looking at an arguably glamorous curved glass back, minimal-bezel front likely sporting a sharp new OLED display, as well as a divisive top screen cutout for various sensors and a selfie camera, not to mention an even more controversial duo of rear-facing shooters arranged vertically.
The hump is the contentious part, apparently boosting device thickness from 7.5 to 9.1mm. On the decidedly bright side, everyone’s expecting more screen real estate here than on the 7 Plus, yet the iPhone 8 is tipped to be both overall shorter and narrower, at 143.5 and 71mm respectively. Oh, yeah, and the Touch ID scanner is nowhere to be seen, which could mean it’s out… or hidden under the screen. Hype level – over 9000.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Security & Privacy: The Hidden Risks of WiFi
Security & Privacy are two vitally important components of any successful society. Today’s connected world, where we carry computers in our pockets and share all our details on social networks, makes them even more so. So far in this series, we’ve talked about encrypting your Internet traffic using a VPN, how to avoid getting infected by malware, how to physically secure your phone, how to encrypt your communications, and more.
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When I worked for an advertising agency in the late 1990’s, a client of ours had developed one of the first PCMCIA-based WiFi adaptors. They didn’t call it WiFi back then, it was “wireless networking adaptor” using “802.11a” and the brand-new “802.11b” wireless networking protocols. Those weren’t very catchy names, and it was our job as an ad agency to sell them to an audience who didn’t know what they were – let alone why they “needed” them. Back then, to connect to the Internet you typically connected a phone line to a modem, dialed out, listened to a series of squeaks and squawks, and when your ISP picked up you were online – sometimes at a whopping 33.6Kbps (yes, kilobits per second). Today, my smartphone connects at around 10 megabits per second – that’s about three-hundred times faster.
Similar to your home computer (which had a port or slot you could plug a modem into), your PDA (personal digital assistant) had a slot you could plug a modem into. These modems plugged into the telephone line. ISPs had racks and racks of modems hooked up to hundreds of phone lines waiting for your computer to call. Of course you had to be close to a phone line (an actual, physical phone line) to connect, but it worked. Some cell phones had wireless internet capabilities – GPRS (not LTE, not HSPA, not even EDGE) – but most of them didn’t, which is why they needed these new “wireless network adaptors”.
With the rise of what would eventually be called “WiFi”, those ports (or slots) could be connected to a wireless modem. Unlike the modems which were commonplace back then, these wireless network adaptors required a high speed internet connection, a router, a hub or switch, and a wireless access point to be able to get your device online. These devices were typically separate pieces of hardware and required a pretty good understanding of computer networking to install and maintain. Today, all of these devices are usually combined into one unit and are relatively easy to install.
Moving from the corded modems of yesteryear and going wireless brought with it a whole bunch of freedom – but with that freedom came some pretty hefty security and privacy concerns.
Wireless Security
Security was a big concern back in the late 1990’s – so much so that they named the method for security this newfangled networking protocol “Wired Equivalent Privacy” (WEP). Yes, they actually claimed that their security protocol was every bit as “private” as if you were connected via a physical wire – despite being able to connect wirelessly from thousands of feet away.
Unfortunately, eventually in practice, WEP was anything but private. An iteration of WEP came and went, followed by newer security protocols. Today we’re “secured” by things like WPA2, PSK, AES, and TKIP. We’re not going to talk much about what these are and what they do, but each plays its part in trying to make our wireless communications “private”.
To take advantage of this “privacy” (regardless of how strong or secure it actually is), you’ve got to configure your wireless device to talk to the wireless access point using some kind of key. Short keys aren’t as secure as long ones, and long ones are hard to remember, hard to type in, and are a pain to use.
Traffic Monitoring, Packet Sniffing
To make things easier for users, many network providers don’t secure their access points with keys – they just leave them unsecured. Doing so makes it super-easy for customers to login, but also super-easy for even casual “data voyeurs” to spy on your network traffic.
What’s “network traffic”, you ask? Think about everything you do online: sharing pictures (whether casual or intimate), sending and receiving email, posting detailed information about your daily activities, buying and selling stuff, and even banking. Without a secure connection (such as “belkin54g” in the image above), all your information is sent over an unencrypted connection from your device to the wireless access point.
Thankfully, financial institutions have been using SSL/HTTPS as their communications protocol for a very long time. This means that your information is encrypted and sent to their server regardless of what kind of network you’re on or how it’s secured. Most social media networks default their traffic to HTTPS, and there’s a push for every website and web service to use HTTPS by default. Google is even starting to penalize sites which aren’t reachable via the encrypted protocol.
Now, we even have VPNs (encrypted, virtual private networks) which serve as another layer of encrypting security (which I highly recommend using), and can help mitigate “unsecure networks” which don’t use encrypting protocols.
Spoofing
When connecting to public Wifi, a trick the bad guys sometimes employ is “spoofing” the name of what you might think is a legitimate access point, and setting up their own with a similar name.
For example, while drinking your favorite hot chocolate beverage at Starbucks you may see networks named “Starbucks”, “Starbucks Premium”, “Starbucks 5G”, or “Starbucks (High Speed)”. Which of those is the legitimate wireless network hosted by Starbucks? Even the employees may not know. One (or more) could be some guy on a laptop who is bridging the imposter WiFi network with his cellular connection (or even the legitimate Starbucks network), trying to trick you into using his network instead of the real one.
Since he’s the “man in the middle”, he can snoop on your traffic and even serve up fake versions of websites (PayPal, Amazon, your bank, social networking sites, etc.) to collect your login information so he can use for “less than honorable” purposes.
To avoid being duped by these sorts of spoofing techniques, you’ve got to know what to look for – and actually be looking for it. Neither is an easy task.
Location Tracking
The last item I’d like to address is something a bit more concerning – but something not a lot of people seem to be worried about yet: location tracking.
A local employer I am aware of utilizes a pretty sophisticated wireless access point system for their guests and employees. This system allows the company to monitor traffic and apply rules to what sites can and cannot be visited. While there’s nothing overtly wrong with that, the technology also provides a “heatmap” to “help identify areas of poor coverage”. That sounds really cool! After all, we all want a strong WiFi signal, right?
What it really does is use triangulation to map the locations of each client device within range of the access point.
Read that again.
Notice that they system isn’t locating (and plotting on a map) each client device connected to the access point, but each and every device within range of the access point.
Yes, that means a person with a phone, tablet, or even a WiFi-enabled smartwatch or even a car with a WiFi hotspot in it will show up as a device (complete with MAC address and other identifying information) on the map. An employer or retailer can know where you are, when you’re there, how much time you spent there – and if you connect to their network through a portal where you provide your name, email address, or phone number, now they can personally identify you – and wherever you are.
While that’s scary enough when applied to a school, employer, or even a shopping mall, imagine the implications when municipalities and other governmental entities offer “free WiFi” to residents, workers, and visitors. New York City and London recently rolled systems like this by converting their payphones and even light poles into “municipal WiFi hotspots” and “kiosks”.
Every person who carries a WiFi enabled device with them can be tracked. The people they’re with can be tracked. Even if you have the WiFi on your device turned off, the device will occasionally turn it back on to “look around”, and then turn itself back off again – allowing it to be seen by any wireless access points in the vicinity.
No, it’s not sci-fi. It’s a story set in some dystopian future. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s here and it’s now, and short of putting your device in a signal-blocking Faraday pouch, there’s nothing you can do about it.
What Tech Do We Use? – Episode 2
Perfect Desk Setup Episode 2: https://goo.gl/QA8RKL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ▻The Talent◅ Ash Tailor: ...
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Voice Translation! Google Translate for iOS Review
2nd Channel: http://www.youtube.com/d3 Twitter: http://twitter.com/duncan33303 Site: http://stateofjailbreak.com In this video I review the Google Translate app ...
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Samsung Galaxy Note 7R, aka Note 7 FE, aka refurb Note 7, gets benchmarked with Full HD screen
It’s getting harder and harder to make sense of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 re-release that credible sources swear will take place on July 7, despite a shiny new Note 8 unscathed by controversy approaching with certainty.
But what if the Note 7 FE, aka Note Fandom (not Fire) Edition, aka Note 7R, brings to the table more than one downgrade compared to the original version, and subsequently, a truly sensible price point?
We’re talking of course about a small expected reduction in battery capacity, from 3500 to 3200mAh, and surprise, surprise, maybe a significant screen resolution cutback as well. That’s at least what fresh GFXBench records appear to hint at, listing in black and white the pixel count of a supposedly advanced pre-launch Galaxy Note 7R prototype at 1920 x 1080.
Granted, you could always calibrate the detail of images displayed by the ill-fated Note 7 to save power, with options ranging from Quad HD to good old fashioned standard HD. And sometimes, benchmarks get this type of data wrong even when various performance and efficiency modes are not involved.
Still, GFXBench correctly filed the OG Note 7, not to mention this year’s S8 and S8+, as capable of playing 1440p content. Hence, it’s possible (though far from guaranteed) that the refurbished version of the “explosive” 2016 S Pen flagship will feature a Full HD screen, alongside a beefier octa-core Exynos 8890 processor clocked at up to 2.6GHz, and the same old RAM count, internal storage and cameras. Also, Android 7.0 Nougat out the box. Interested now?
Top 5 Reasons to NOT Get the iPhone 5S! (1080p)
Even though this may come as a shock to many, just because a phone is made by Apple does not necessarily mean that it's a great buy! The iPhone 5S may be ...
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Logitech Z623 Speaker System Unboxing & Overview
Buy the Z623 Speakers here - http://amzn.to/JVOUVc This is an unboxing and overview of the Logitech Speaker System Z623. Here are some more specs on the ...
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Native 4K on a CONSOLE – PS4 Pro
ConsoleMasterRace? dbrand link: https://dbrand.com/linusps4pro TunnelBear message: TunnelBear is the easy-to-use VPN app for mobile and desktop.
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Asus Transformer Mini (T102HA) On Sale For $229 With Keyboard And Aus Pen Included
Asus unveiled the new Asus Transformer Mini T103 at Computex on May 30, as the successor to the Asus Transformer Mini T102HA. There are nearly no differences between the two in specs, other than the new T103 model featuring built-in 3G/4G and no longer being delivered with the Asus Pen included in the price. Even so, the launch price later this year is set to $349. In the meantime, the current model is on sale for $229, a record low price: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/d/asus-transformer-mini
The predecessor Asus Transformer Mini T102HA on sale right now is delivered with both the keyboard and the Asus Pen included for $229, which is a good price for a 10.1-inch Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet with such features.
Asus Transformer Mini T102HA
Asus Transformer Mini T102HA specs includes Windows 10, a 10.1-inch tablet featuring 1280 x 800 resolution, with built-in kickstand and fingerprint reader on the back, an Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.
Transformer Mini even has dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi cover, not to mention Bluetooth 4.1, 1.5 Watt stereo speakers, a 2MP front camera, 11 hour battery life, a low weight of 790 grams together with the keyboard, a USB 3.0 port, a micro-USB 2.0 port, a micro-HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and it’s the Asus Transformer Mini Signature Edition, so there’s no spyware or trialware to get rid of before putting it to use.
Asus Transformer Mini
– Tom Bowen
Setup Wars – Episode 6 ft. RandomFrankP
Submit your Desk Setup and get featured on my channel and win $$$! 5 Desk Setup's get featured each week starting on Monday's and you guys get to vote on ...
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Untethered Jailbreak iOS 4.3.2 for iPhone 3GS & 4, iPod touch 3G & 4G and iPad using redsn0w
Expand for the links! Download redsn0w 0.9.6rc13: http://stateofjailbreak.com/tutorials/redsn0w-0-9-6rc13-tutorial/ Find iPhone / iPod touch / iPad firmware files: ...
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Honor 9 released in Europe with Honor Band 3
You could’ve easily called the Honor 8 one heck of a “light catcher,” but Huawei has taken that tagline to a deeper level with the European introduction to the Honor 9 in Berlin.
If you’re familiar with the launch details in China, perhaps you already know that instead of its predecessor’s dual 12-megapixel cameras in monochrome and color formats, the black-and-white sensor on the Honor 9 pops up to 20 megapixels in resolution for refined brightness definition. Other specs can be seen above for your reference.
But it’s the 15 glass layers at back cut to intensely eat up and refract back any light put to it. All of the rear minus the camera-related ports and silkscreened text feature this finish which curves on the lateral sides up to the front.
Like every good OEM, the company is promoting a Portrait Mode that provides the software ability to mock light capture at f/0.95 to f/16. As we learned from Chinese literature, each lens on the rear side has a hardware aperture of f/2.2. Another feature, Moving Picture, is an old favorite trick that makes a 2-second video out of the second before you press the shutter and the second after.
Audio is a priority on the Honor 9 with new “Huawei Histen 3D” that is supposed to simulate various live music surround sound situations while Monster has chipped in to help with the Honor Purity equalizer.
While the RAM can go between 4GB or 6GB depending on the model, the storage stays the same at 64GB. You’ll find the main model at €449.99 across select European markets and the upgraded one in France and Italy only at an unspecified higher price. The UK is getting a £380 SIM-free 4GB RAM version, which will be available exclusively from Three with subsidies and various carrier offers. Availability starts in early July, and no, there’s no word on a US commercial release… yet.
The company is also launching the Honor Sport Bluetooth earphones to go with the phone and the very water-resistant Honor Band 3.
The band’s band (in orange, navy blue and black) is 16mm wide, made of thermoplastic polyurethane and houses the functional device — and if you’re familiar with our TalkBand B2, you’ll know the interface here on this 4:1 P-OLED display. There’s a 3-axis accelerometer, a cardio tachometer and infrared sensor. Bluetooth 4.2 will tether the device to your phone running Android 4.4, iOS 8 or later on each platform.
It’ll take 90 minutes to charge the 100mAh battery on this thing, but you’ll supposedly get a good month’s use out of that cycle. And if that usage takes you to the pool, you’ve got 5 ATM water resistance, too.
Both the buds and fitness wristwrap hit the British market at £59.99… sometime soon.
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
$1000 iPhone 6S Case – Advent
Would you spend $1000 on a Titanium made iPhone 6 case? ▻Advent Case: http://bit.ly/1XVoBGw ▻dbrand skins: http://bit.ly/1RDXdrD Gray International ...
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Nokia 6 and Alcatel Idol 5S lead new pack of low-cost Amazon Prime Exclusive phones
If you can live with largely nonintrusive “personalized offers and ads” displayed on your phone’s lock screen, and paying $10.99 a month or $99 a year for an Amazon Prime membership that includes many perks, exclusive discounts, products and services, there are five exciting new budget-friendly devices to pique your interest today.
Technically, only three of Amazon’s latest additions to the Prime Exclusive program are entirely new, though ironically, the most enticing of the bunch might be one of the two “oldies.”
First unveiled way back in January, launched in China shortly thereafter, and slowly expanded to more markets in recent weeks, the mid-range Nokia 6 finally got an official US price tag and ETA yesterday.
What HMD “forgot” to mention was the $229 GSM unlocked 5.5-incher kicks off pre-orders on Amazon already, including in an ad-supported configuration available at $50 off.
The newer Moto E4, meanwhile, costs $99.99 for Prime subscribers, and a trio of fresh TCL-made Alcatels covers $79.99, $99.99 and $199.99 price points after savings of between $50 and $80.
The most expensive model is one we expect to lay the foundation for the next BlackBerry handset, with a “sleek metal and 2.5D curved glass design”, 5.2-inch Full HD display, 12 and 8MP cameras, fingerprint recognition, 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The Alcatel Idol 5S also runs Android 7.1 Nougat and supports AT&T and T-Mobile out the box, with Sprint and Verizon network compatibility coming “later this summer” via a software update.
Both the $80 Alcatel A30 Plus and $100 A50 feature Android 7.0 on the software side of things, as well as 13 and 5MP cams, 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. Intriguingly enough, the costlier A50 is smaller, at 5.2 vs 5.5 inches (HD resolution across the board), but the A30 Plus merely sports a “metallic silver finish” compared to its brother’s “sleek metallic frame.”
June 30 is when pre-ordered Moto E4 units shall begin to ship, followed by the other four on July 11, with or without Prime Exclusive discounts.
Build a Gaming PC for $750 – August 2012
Expand for the links! Intel Core i5-2500K CPU: http://goo.gl/SiQXH Cooler Master Hyper 212+ CPU Cooler: http://goo.gl/ggl5e EVGA GeForce GTX 560 ...
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At least five Asus ZenFone 4 variants are coming soon, including ZenFone 4 Pro, 4 Selfie and 4V
Asus has been unusually inactive on the smartphone release front so far this year, perhaps spending a little too much time optimizing the novel hardware and software of the Google Tango-powered and Daydream-compatible ZenFone AR.
But we’re pretty sure another onslaught of confusing next-gen ZenFones is right around the corner, with at least five new different model numbers discovered on a random list of Google Play supported devices.
Unfortunately, we know nothing about the version that sounds the most exciting and powerful. We’ll keep an eye on the impending Asus Z01GD, aka ZenFone 4 Pro, to see if it pops up in any plausible online reports, benchmarking databases or at the typical certification agencies.
Speaking of benchmarks, the Z01M that’s apparently set to launch under the ZenFone 4 Selfie name is essentially guaranteed to feature a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 625 processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB internal storage space, 16MP rear-facing camera and 12MP front shooter after paying GFXBench a visit just yesterday.
The same reliable source of technically confidential information on unreleased gadgets has revealed in recent months that the X00ID and A006, aka ZenFone 4 Max and 4V, sport 5.5-inch 720p and 5.2-inch 1080p screens respectively.
The ZenFone 4 Max will further provide modest specs like Snapdragon 435 processing power, a 13MP main cam and 5MP selfie snapper, but also 3 decent gigs of RAM. Meanwhile, the Asus ZenFone 4V seemingly ups the ante to a Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB RAM and 21MP rear shooter. Wait, could the V stand for Verizon?
No idea, and we don’t know what to expect from the Z01KD, aka ZE554KL, aka “regular” ZenFone 4 either.
8-Inch Windows 10 Tablet NuVision (TM800W610L) Signature Edition In Stock For $79 – Same Price As Amazon Fire HD 8
The California based company NiVision have pumped out 3 different 8-inch Windows tablets over the last 2 years, starting at $150 but cut to half of that during Black Friday. And now their latest version is once again sold for just that, at $79 as a Signature Edition, meaning it is guaranteed free from any pre-installed software other than Windows 10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/d/nuvision-tm800
The user reviews for the 8-inch NuVision tablets are mixed, with either very positive or very negative experiences, and it’s been known to be mainly because of quality control. Microsoft Store who sells the Signature Edition offers both free shipping and free returns, so at least it shouldn’t cost anything for a user who might be unlucky with their model.
It’s an interesting tablet because the only other well known 8-inch tablet at $79 is the new Amazon Fire HD 8. But whereas the Fire HD 8 is an Android based tablet with Fire OS for the Amazon ecosystem, the 8-inch NuVision tablet runs a full blown Windows 10 Home, with a Full HD 1920 x 1200 resolution display, now powered by an 1.44 GHz Intel Atom “Cherry Trail” x5-Z8300 processor, with 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage + a microSD card slot with 64GB support.
Battery life is the largest downside, with a 6 hour battery life, but other specs includes a 2MP front camera, a 5MP rear camera, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi cover, Bluetooth 4.0, a micro-USB 2.0 port, a micro-HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
And it’s a pretty thin tablet at 7.62mm, and a light one too at just 275 grams.
The major tablet brands haven’t been updating their portfolio of 8-inch Windows tablets for a while, so that only leaves tablets such as the one from NuVision, or Chinese brands. But even the best of the Chinese brands, like the Teclast X80 Power can’t compete with the NuVision tablet on price.
– Tom Bowen
Apple iPhone 6S: Rumor Roundup! (2015)
The iPhone 6S is coming September 9, and it's going to be a really exciting upgrade! From a Force-touch enabled screen to a 12 MP camera, here's what to ...
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Anki DRIVE Unboxing (Feat. Will)
Starter Kit Pricing - http://amzn.to/1taG9kV Anki DRIVE Site - http://go.anki.com/unboxtherapy Follow Anki on Instagram for your chance to win an Anki DRIVE ...
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Real Computer vs Virtual Computer Performance Showdown
We all know that running a virtual machine on your hardware has the potential to add some overhead to performance tasks... But can we quantify that overhead?
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Nexus 5 Unboxing/Overview!
Google's flagship smartphone the Nexus 5 is out! Get yours in either black or white (16gb or 32gb) ...
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Transfer and Backup Your iTunes Library: CopyTrans TuneSwift
Download CopyTrans TuneSwift: http://www.copytrans.net/copytranstuneswift.php In this video I review CopyTrans TuneSwift, a great program that allows you to: ...
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Panasonic Toughbook CF-XZ6 2-in-1 Hybrid Laptop Launched
Panasonic has just added a new laptop to its Toughbook series of business laptops that are known for their rugged build for use under extreme conditions. The latest entrant with model name Toughbook CF-XZ6 highlights a slimmer, lighter design when compared to models like the Toughbook CF-33, which means that it will be easier to carry around but may not withstand the kind of abuse that the latter can take. The laptop was launched in the UK priced at GBP 1,539 (roughly Rs. 1,26,500) and will be available this month.
The Toughbook CF-XZ6 is a 12-inch 2-in-1 detachable hybrid laptop/ tablet that can sustain "the knocks and drops of business life," the company says. While this laptop is missing the MIL-STD certification and IP rating, Panasonic says that it passed a 76-centimetre free-fall drop and can endure about 100-kilograms of weight pressure thanks to its magnesium alloy chassis. The company has tried to find a balance between making a rugged laptop while at the same time keeping the weight down to 1.18kg with the keyboard. It also features a round mouse pad that lets you scroll by running your fingers around the edges.
Panasonic's latest Toughbook laptop is powered by a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7300U vPro processor coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage and runs on Windows 10 Pro. The 12-inch 10 point IPS touchscreen features a quad-HD (2160x1440 pixels) resolution and also supports Active stylus pen. You also get 4GB and 16GB of RAM options in 128GB or 512GB of SSD storage.
The tablet and keyboard get 4-cell batteries each, rated to deliver around 6.5 hours and 7.5 hours respectively for a total battery life of around 14 hours. Connectivity options for the Toughbook CF-XZ6 include dual-band (2.4/5GHz) 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1, with 4G LTE support. External ports include USB Type-C and 3.5mm audio on the tablet part, and three USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet (RJ-45) and an SD card slot on the keyboard.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 renders crop up to illustrate bulging dual cam, rear fingerprint reader
It sometimes takes many months to go from fishy dummy unit “leaks” and blatantly fake “live image” reports to plausible renders of such a highly anticipated phone as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, but all of a sudden, the floodgates have opened and the secrets are now out.
Just a few days after Evan Blass, aka @evleaks, described the unannounced dual camera beast in great detail for VentureBeat, the other Twitter mobile tech leaker that’s almost never wrong comes out with a comprehensive depiction of the ill-fated Note 7’s sequel.
In collaboration with India’s 91mobiles, @OnLeaks provides the customary batch of extremely credible factory CAD-based renders, showcasing every side, angle and little visual feature of the Note 8.
While beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, this may not be the premium, uncompromising look Galaxy S8 holdouts expected. Compared to the first two “Infinity Display” flagships, the 6.3-incher reportedly due out in late August has less pronounced curves, seemingly thicker screen bezels and quite the large camera hump.
At 162.4 x 74.5 mm, the Galaxy Note 8 is ever so slightly taller and wider than the S8+, but most concerning of all, the phone’s waist purportedly jumps to 8.4 and even 9.5mm when also measuring that unsightly bulge.
Right next to the two rear-facing shooters, you have the LED flash/heart rate monitor combo, as well as a fingerprint scanner that’s bound to make a lot of people uncomfortable or straight-up angry.
Oh, well, at least the 3.5mm headphone jack is still around, not to mention an S Pen tipped to offer extra versatility and functionality. The 12 + 12MP cams should be something special too, with 6GB RAM under the hood to truly match the unrivaled raw power of the Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895 processors. And yet the question remains – is this arguably imperfect design worth $900+?
Monday, June 26, 2017
LG G FLEX 2 vs iPhone 6 Plus – Detailed Camera Comparison
A very detailed Camera Comparison Test between the LG G FLEX 2 and the iPhone 6 Plus. ☆ Get the most cash for your old or used iPhone!
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Technology Patents: Why Everyone is Suing Everyone
In this video I (attempt) to explain what exactly is behind the constant patent lawsuits between companies like Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and many more.
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Chuwi LapBook 12.3 Sales Week – Windows 10, Apollo Lake, 6GB RAM, 2736 x 1824 Resolution For $299
Chuwi has been on a roll lately, with one good low cost computer and tablet after another, and their latest iteration in the notebook space is the Chuwi LapBbook 12.3, which is in the LapBook family with other Windows 10 notebooks, but the Chuwi LapBook 12.3 has the highest specs of them all. And during the current launch phase, it is on sale this week:
http://www.gearbest.com/promotion-chuwi-lapbook-special-1417.html
For a notebook in this price range it delivers better value for money than other brands, since the beautiful anti-glare 12.3-inch screen has the same 2736 x 1824 resolution as a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet, has 6GB of DDR3 RAM, and is powered by a Intel Celeron N3450 “Apollo Lake” processor.
The Windows 10 notebook Chuwi LapBook 12.3 on sale even has expandable SSD storage underneath, in addition to the built-in 64GB of eMMC storage it already has, and another 128GB in microSD card support, making storage space more than ample.
Wi-Fi connection is complete too, with dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi support, and it has a 36.48 Wh / 8000 mAh battery that supports fast charge, stereo speakers, and a front camera for video calls or necessary selfies.
It’s covered by a magnesium aluminum alloy unibody that gives it a very modern and pretty look, and it’s thin at just 8mm. Yet despite the impressive slimness it has a full-size USB port on each side, a HDMI port, as well a power port and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Supports optional expandable SSD storage
– Tom Bowen
ZTE Imperial (US Cellular): Announcement and Review
U.S. Cellular announced today that it has begun offering the 4G LTE-enabled ZTE Imperial online for 1 cent with a two-year contract. The device will be available ...
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GTA V Collector’s Edition Unboxing + Special Edition Unboxing!
Pricing & Availability GTA V USA - http://amzn.to/1Xcv12Q GTA V Canada - http://bit.ly/1eKKt0J GTA V UK - http://amzn.to/17GsVwo Welcome to my GTA V ...
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Ultimate DIY Desk PC FINAL INSTALLATION In Glorious 8K
You wanted more footage of the DIY Desk PC, and we brought it. The REAL finale is here :D TunnelBear message: TunnelBear is the easy-to-use VPN app for ...
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iPhone 8 dummy leaks are taken to the next level to illustrate likely design
Whether Apple will ultimately need to postpone the most highly anticipated iPhone release in, well, a decade or not, that’s still a ways off. A couple of months, at least. But while the radically redesigned Galaxy S8 slayer is yet to turn up in the flesh or even in credible, high-quality, press-friendly renders, everyone seems to know exactly how it’s going to look.
A barrage of (largely) plausible iPhone 8 mockups, dummy units, accessories and renders devised as a direct consequence have invaded the interwebs of late, and numerous tipsters and insiders, ranging from the famous to the infamous, are ready to vouch for all this material’s validity.
The problem is this may still be just one of several designs in (final) consideration, highly dependent on the execution and mass-production capacity of one or two delicate components and features.
It’s definitely the most exciting and progressive vision, which might explain why so many leakers want it to materialize. One of them, Twitter’s Benjamin Geskin, aka @VenyaGeskin1, even went so far as to pair an iPhone 8 dummy with a printed picture of an iOS 11 wallpaper and one of those screen protectors floating around to better simulate the “real-world” look of the “bezelless” device.
Meanwhile, Steve Hemmerstoffer, aka @OnLeaks, is back with a nifty duo of images starring what Geskin claims are “CNC made iPhone 8 dummies”, not “actual” devices. Basically, computer-aided designs made “real”, once again to mimic as closely as possible the most likely prototype currently in development.
You know, the one with an “edge-to-edge” OLED panel, top front cutout for a selfie camera and various sensors, fingerprint recognition embedded directly into the screen, a shiny rear glass cover, and bulging dual snapper featuring vertically-arranged lenses. Hot or not?
BadAss PC Cases – IN WIN (CES 2015)
Checking out the Coolest PC Cases I have seen anywhere from the IN WIN booth at CES 2015. This is where Innovation meets design. The Lamborghini of PC ...
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Xbox Infinity – What To Expect
With the PS4 official here's what to expect from the Xbox Infinity! Microsoft has a lot planned for the next generation Xbox 720 launch: three brand new Xbox ...
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Low-cost Lenovo Tab 4 makes long overdue US debut in 8 and 10-inch sizes with Android Nougat
The world’s largest PC manufacturer is still finding it hard to achieve success in the highly competitive, crucial smartphone business, despite experimenting with no less than three brands in recent years, and its slice of a shrinking global tablet pie can’t feel satisfactory either.
But none of that is stopping Lenovo from throwing numerous Moto handhelds, high and low-end, as well as a wide range of Android and Windows slates and convertibles against the wall to see what sticks.
Back in late February, at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress, the largely budget-friendly Lenovo Tab 4 lineup was unveiled with moderate fanfare, and families around the world were promised May availability.
Unfortunately, it’s only now that two of the four Android Nougat pads aiming to bring kids and parents together go up for pre-order stateside. The more premium-built and powerful Tab 4 8 Plus and 10 Plus are still nowhere to be found, and it’s also unclear when functionality-enhancing accessories will come to market.
For the time being, you can pay Amazon or Newegg $129.99 for the “standard” Lenovo Tab 4 8, no Kid’s Pack or Bluetooth keyboard included, and expect delivery “within 2 to 5 weeks” or starting June 30 respectively.
The same goes for the non-Plus 10-inch Tab 4, which costs $179.99, with features shared by the two forgettable mid-rangers including Snapdragon 425 processors, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and 7.1 Nougat software. Needless to point out the difference in screen size, though the resolution is identical (1280 x 800 pixels), and of course, the bigger tablet packs the larger battery (7000 vs. 4850mAh).
HTC U11 Review: The “more and the less” conventional flagship
The argument in 2016 is that smartphones were getting boring, and one of the companies that used this as the main purpose for its then flagship was HTC. We can’t really say that the HTC 10 addressed any of the boredom that HTC claimed, but one thing it did do is prove that HTC was back. The company we once admired for making great smartphones made a solid comeback with that device.
Now, 2017 is a very interesting year for flagships. We have companies experimenting with taller displays and new aspect ratios, and we’re one digital assistant short of forming a basketball team. All of this is cool. Yes, we need flagships to continue pushing the bar of innovation, but like with every new thing, it’s clear that some of these features are still solutions in search of a problem.
As a result, and given the price hike of some of these devices, some people actually don’t like anything about this new approach. Be it cool or not, some people just want a conventional flagship that’s powerful, capable, and beautiful enough. If you’re looking for a more conventional approach, there’s pretty much just one flagship this year that does address some of the problems already in need of a solution, but in ways that are actually not conventional. We’re talking about the HTC U11, and it’s time for our full review.
Hardware
The HTC U11 is a very interesting approach to hardware design. Notice I didn’t begin this review giving you the typical sob story of how bad things are for HTC, or how the HTC U Ultra didn’t really do more than become a source for mockery.
Actually, the U11 is a very different animal. More the result of a company that has matured in many ways over the years. Just set this phone on its front over a table, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. This phone is gorgeous, eye catching, and an immediate call for admiration. This 3D formed glass finish that HTC is dubbing liquid design is a very different approach to curving glass. Instead of making it about adding features, the whole purpose is to make this rather large phone feel pleasant in the hand, and that it definitely is.
The curves extend to the glass front, leading to this pebble-like shape that’s easily noticeable. I also love that HTC chose to stick to a black finish at the front, regardless of what color option you pick. I find black bezels to be more immersive for content consumption. The company decided to wait on the whole trend of 18.5:9 displays, and you know what, I’m not going to complain. As it stands pillar boxing is what I hate most about competing devices. There is still a good list of apps that’s not ready to support new aspect ratios, and whatever more pixels you would’ve gained are compensated by the dedicated capacitive buttons on the U11.
This is a Quad HD Super LCD 5 with punchy color and decent blacks. It does get very bright, up to the point of offering good visibility in direct sunlight, even if you’re wearing polarized sunglasses. The only problem is that oddly, if you launch the camera while wearing polarized lenses, you have to view the display from an angle for the UI to be visible. About my only complaint is the size of these bezels, leading to a 71% screen to body ratio, at a time when competitors that stick to 16:9 like the OnePlus 3T go above 80.
Precautions that I would recommend with this phone is not setting it on its front over a table as the curves seem notorious to minor scratches from dirt, and also be ready to clean this phone constantly, as the reflective coating in the back really loves fingerprints and smudges.
Tucked inside the shell we have almost everything a flagship needs. Snapdragon 835, 4 gigs of RAM, 64 gigs of expandable storage, and my review unit includes the bonus of dual-SIM capabilities if I ditch the microSD. We also get IP67 water and dust resistance, another crucial feature you should look up to in 2017.
Software
HTC Sense makes a return to power all the hardware of the U11. This is a combination of HTC design, and a commitment with Google to avoid bloat. As a result, there’s just one Calendar, one Calculator, Google Photos supersedes the Gallery, and so on and so forth. The result is a phone that manages RAM far better than competitors, and all leading to zippy performance all around.
Graphics intensive games launch quickly and work like a charm. Even this proprietary launcher and services like BlinkFeed work without a stutter, something devices like the Galaxy S8 fumble with in the basics.
The HTC Sense Companion finally started working for me, but the implementation still feels hit or miss. One day it noticed I had an early appointment and suggested I set an alarm in the morning, something I honestly appreciated. The only problem is that every other time, all it does is tell me I use my phone too much… like really?
HTC’s Edge Sense is one of those new features that I’ve come to love and hate. I seriously love the simplicity of squeezing lightly to get the Google Feed, as OEMs continue to ignore it, or the long squeeze to launch the flashlight. I still consider this hidden button to be genius. The problem if you set the sensitivity to light, you’ll find the phone activating the feature when you don’t want it to, and going the opposite direction makes the gesture feel awkward on borders this thin. You can always just switch this off. It’s a nice little convenience, but I honestly don’t see the point in going through all this trouble instead of simply adding another button.
Camera
The camera experience on the HTC U11 only gets better if you compare it to its predecessor. DxOMark claims this to be the best camera of 2017, and even if I won’t go as far as to call this my favorite, it does a great job.
I love the color saturation and detail provided during the day, and at night it shines as a solid performer. Even with the Ultra Pixels being reduced to 1.4 microns, the bump in aperture does compensate. Juan’s real camera review should shed some more light on our final verdict for how this camera competes.
I love features like the 3D audio recording for video, making the experience more immersive as the camera captures audio from the direction of the source.
My only complaints are the death of stabilization on the front facing shooter, and how it also stepped back the Ultra Pixel hardware approach brought by the U Ultra.
Performance
I’ve been using the HTC U11 for nearly two weeks between New York City and Honduras. There are things in which this phone is great, and others where it’s simply the expected performance of a flagship. For example, this phone has proven to be a champ in retaining to Wi-Fi and Cellular signal, even when compared to other 2017 flagships. Oddly I feel that call quality over the ear piece has gotten slightly tinier compared to the HTC 10, even if the speakers have gotten louder. As of the moment of this review this is the only 2017 flagship with dual-firing speakers, but more on that in Juan’s Real Audio Review.
My biggest problem with Audio is the death of the headphone jack. Yes HTC, all 2017 flagships have one, except the U11. This feels like the time when HTC kept insisting that 4 Ultra Pixels was all you needed in a smartphone camera. Minimalism in design makes sense, but not in features. Yes, I do get the point of HTC U Sonic, and yes, I love the acoustic noise cancellation that can only be provided by having these headphones draw power from the phone and use the four microphones. It’s not as great as on my PXC 550s, but far better than any headphones I’ve tested that came bundled in the box. The problem is the need to be carrying this specific dongle everywhere else, since like with all the current cases of phones requiring them, these are proprietary, meaning the dongle on a Moto Z won’t work on this phone. Why does this matter so much? Well if OEMs gave us two USB-C ports, that would be awesome, but try to charge this phone on a long flight while listening to music. Yeah, forget it.
And then you’ll stay that there is amazing fast charging on this phone, and that the battery is amazing. Sadly, charging your phone is something you’ll be doing quite often. I had very high hopes for the optimizations on Android 7.1.1, but as it stands, the 3000mAh power pack on the U11 is just average, barely scratching to the end of day of moderate use.
We received a lot of heat in our video review given the “awake” indication on our battery stats. As it stands, our experience has been the same with or without this “awake” indication being shown as you’ll see in the screen shots, and remember this review is focused on consumers, so hacking anything to fix that isn’t something we can discuss as part of this review.
Pricing and Availability
As of the time of this review, only Sprint had picked up the HTC U11. Every other carrier requires you to buy the unlocked variant, and yes, this even includes Verizon. At $649, this is definitely not an affordable device, but if you think of the fact that you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck than paying that same amount of money for a 32GB iPhone 7, and yes, the small iPhone 7, then you’ll understand why we don’t complain about the price tag at all.
Conclusion
To conclude, there’s a lot to like about the HTC U11. This is gorgeous hardware, matched by up to date specs, and with a set of unique features like U Sonic, and Edge Sense, that help this phone stand apart from the standard set of competitors out there.
I’d even say that my experience using the U11 has been delightful enough for me not to miss devices like the Galaxy S8 or the LG G6. The only reason why I’ve ended up drifting back to these other devices is because I wish HTC and other OEMs would stop copying Apple in the things they shouldn’t. Removing the 3.5mm headphone jack is not innovation, nor courage. If anything it’s lack of ingenuity in solving a problem. The day Bluetooth grows up to support better quality audio, and the day OEMs agree on a solution to avoid proprietary dongles, and also the day smartphones can last more than a day on a charge, then I’d say it’s time to move on. Sadly as it stands, proprietary solutions are always an exercise in frustration in the long run.
Even with its short comings, I have no problem in recommending the HTC U11. This is definitely a great phone in absolutely everything else. The question is if you’d be willing to give HTC another chance? Make sure you share your final thoughts in the comments down below.
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