Florida-based BLU enjoys a popular presence in the affordable Android smartphone market, with a slew of entry-level and mid-range devices on offer, that are great options for those on a budget. What is great about BLU’s latest smartphone, the R1 HD, is that if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can avail special discounts and offers that help make this already affordable smartphone even cheaper.

More BLU reviews:

• BLU Energy XL review
• BLU Vivo 5 review

Affordability without compromising on quality is what BLU promises, but does the company manage to deliver? We find out, in this in-depth BLU R1 HD review!

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Design

We are now seeing an impressive trend where affordable smartphones feature high quality builds, and that is certainly also the case with the BLU R1 HD. The device features a metal frame and a polycarbonate backing, that feels great in the hand. The matte finish of the back cover offers a lot of grip that supersedes the slipperiness of the metal sides, and the slight curve along the sides of the back allow for the phone to sit nicely in the palm of your hand.

Taking a look around the device, the volume rocker is on the right side, with the power button right below it. The buttons come with the same metal finish, and offer a good amount of tactile feedback. The back cover is removable, giving you access to the two microSIM card slots and the dedicated microSD card slot. However, while the back cover is removable, the battery is not. Finally, the headphone jack and the microUSB port are at the top and bottom respectively.

We are definitely seeing more and more affordable smartphones that go above and beyond what their price points would suggest as far as design and build quality are concerned, which is absolutely fantastic, but when you consider how affordable this phone actually is, the BLU R1 HD certainly impresses.

Display

The BLU R1 HD comes with a 5-inch IPS LCD display of 1280 x 720 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 294 ppi, and a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panel helps keeps the display protected, which is always a nice touch.

The resolution may disappoint some, but there is only so much you can expect from a device priced at $ 100. The quality of the display is actually quite good, with content appearing sharp overall, along with good viewing angles and decent color reproduction. You don’t get the punch that you would with the AMOLED screens out there, but this display will certainly get the job done.

Performance

Under the hood, the R1 HD comes with a quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, clocked at 1.3 GHz, and backed by the Mali-T720 GPU and 1 GB or 2 GB of RAM depending on which version of the device you pick. This review unit comes with 2 GB of RAM, and the overall performance of the phone has been quite good.

There have been no serious issues with day to day performance, and opening, closing, and switching between apps has been fairly smooth. The device also handles gaming quite well, even though it understandably struggles a touch with more graphic-intensive games. Of course, the R1 HD isn’t a performance powerhouse, which is reflected in the benchmark scores, but it isn’t expected to be. For those looking for a decent performer on a budget though, the BLU R1 HD is certainly up to the task.

Hardware

8 GB or 16 GB are the internal storage options available, which also dictates how much RAM you get with the device. With rather low storage options, especially if you pick the 8 GB iteration, users will certainly appreciate the availability of a dedicated microSD card slot, allowing for expandable storage up to an additional 64 GB.

The device comes with two microSIM card slots, but that is a very market dependent feature, and something that may not be all that useful in the US. This phone is also unlocked, allowing you to pick the GSM network carrier of your choice, and you do get 4G LTE connectivity, with bands 2, 4, 7, and 17, with support for band 12 expected to arrive with a future OTA update.

The R1 HD comes with a single speaker unit on the back, which isn’t a great placement, making it easy to cover up when holding the phone in both the landscape and portrait orientation. The sound quality is pretty good however, with no distortion at the highest volume levels, and good highs and lows. The positioning could have certainly been better, but overall, this isn’t a disappointing speaker by any means.

The device comes with a non-removable 2,500 mAh battery, which may seem small, but does offer good battery life. With average usage, the phone comfortably allows for a full day of use, and even with heavy usage, that involved streaming video over LTE and keeping the screen brightness at maximum, the phone managed to last for 8 hours. There are no quick charging capabilities here, and takes around two hours to get back to a full charge, which isn’t too bad.

Camera

The R1 HD comes with an 8 MP rear camera, with a f/2.0 aperture and a 4P lens, along with a 5 MP front-facing unit with a wide angle lens. As is the case with any budget-friendly smartphone camera, these cameras can be hit and miss. The front-facing camera faces issues with overexposure and some noise, and while the wide angle lens allows for you to capture more of the scene, detail is lacking. There is a front-facing flash however, which is useful for any selfie lovers out there.

The story is the same with the rear facing camera as well. You do get good looking shots in daylight and well-light conditions, but the camera does tend to overexpose shots, and noise will start to creep in as the lighting deteriorates. The camera app has a few built-in shooting modes available, including Panorama, but video recording capabilities are limited to Full HD at 30 fps. As is the case with the picture quality, videos tend to look a little grainy as well. Overall, the cameras of the R1 HD will do in a pinch, but are certainly not something to write home about.

Software

On the software side of things, the R1 HD is running Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, which is great to see, given that some other, more expensive, BLU smartphones released earlier this year were launched with Android 5.1 Lollipop. BLU has also done a good job with keeping the software very close to stock, and there aren’t really a whole lot of extras packed in.

 

As mentioned, there is an Amazon Prime exclusive version of the device available, with Prime members able to avail discounts and offers when picking up the phone, and later on as well. There is a catch however, with this version coming with lockscreen ads in tow. Essentially every time you press the power button, you will be greeted with a new ad, which you can swipe away to get to your homescreen, and you will even see an ad tacked on at the end of your notifications in the notification shade.

The presence of these ads can be a deal breaker for some, but some users may even appreciate the offers available and the products being displayed. Of course, a standard version, without these ads, is available as well.

Specifications

Display	5-inch IPS LCD display 1280 x 720 resolution, 294 ppi
Processor	1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor Mali-T720 GPU
RAM	1/2 GB
Storage	8/16 GB expandable via microSD card up to 64 GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.0 GPS FM Radio microUSB 2.0
Battery	2,500 mAh
Camera	8 MP rear camera, f/2.0 aperture, LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera, wide angle, LED flash
Software	Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Dimensions	143 x 70.7 x 8.5 mm 142 grams

Gallery

Pricing and final thoughts

The BLU R1 HD is currently priced at $ 100 for the 8 GB and 1 GB RAM version, with the 16 GB and 2 GB RAM iteration requiring just an additional $ 10, so the latter is definitely the way to go if you do decide to pick up this phone. Amazon Prime subscribers can available a $ 50 discount, but you will have to deal with the non removable lockscreen ads in this case.

So, there you have it for this in-depth look at the BLU R1 HD! This phone gets a lot right, with a solid design and build quality, decent performance, a clean software package, and an unbeatable price point. The camera experience is a bit of a let down, and the ads, if you go for the Prime version, can get annoying, but at this price, these are understandable compromises to make. If you are looking for a good option on a budget, the BLU R1 HD should definitely be considered.

Buy now from Amazon
Android Authority

This article originally appeared on our sister site SoundGuys.com. For the full review & ratings, check out their Jaybird Freedom Review!

After being announced at CES, the Jaybird Freedom wireless headphones are finally here. They have a new design, a new way of charging, and Jaybird even released a new app to go along with them. But are they everything we hoped for?

What’s inside?

In the box you’ll get a soft carrying pouch, instruction manual, the headphones, 3 sets of wings tips (L, M, S), and 6 pairs of ear tips as well in either silicone or comply memory coming in small, medium, and large. Then you’ll get a short charging cable, 2 wire clips for cable management (super important), and a small clip to secure it to your shirt. Not so important. Finally you’ll get the charging cradle that you’ll need to recharge the headphones.

Build & Design

Right off the bat you’ll notice that these look pretty different from the originals. The earbuds are way slimmer now and have a rounded off design that looks really sleek. If you’re not familiar with the X2s, the earbuds used to house the battery which made them big and bulky. And since the earbuds are slim now, the battery had to go somewhere. Which means that the control module is now big, bulky, and not too pretty.

When I first saw the new Freedoms I thought ,”Man, that’s bulky”, and now that I have them I can confirm: it’s big. So big that if you don’t use the wire clips, the extra slack in the cable will definitely force them to fall out of your ear while running. These also don’t have a micro-USB input on the headphones themselves. Instead Jaybird opted for a charging cradle that you need to connect to the headphones in order to plug them in. They also can clip to the control module while you’re wearing them for a boost in battery life.

When you attach the cradle it gets even bulkier, but I still think that it is a good idea. After going for a run I just came back to the car, snapped on the charging cradle, and let them charge back up. Overall, the biggest issue that I had with the Freedoms was the fit. I had a really hard time getting these to stay in my ear and I actually had to rewrite this entire review because when I finally found the right combination of tips and cord length to get them to fit decently, it changed the experience.

Still, no combination helped during running. The bulky control module easily gets pulled out of my ear due to its weight and only the wire clips were able to help after a lot of adjusting. If I need to use two clips for the wire and a third to keep it clipped to my shirt just to go on a quick run, maybe the design needs a little rethinking. On the bright side these do feel pretty tough and don’t seem like they’d snap under stress.

Connection

One aspect of the headphones that were never an issue during testing was Bluetooth strength. Regardless of where my phone was during my runs I experienced no skipping at all. Even around my house the connection was easily reliable up to 30 feet. Fresh out of the box I wasn’t too impressed with sound quality, but the new Jaybird MySound app is pretty handy. Not only does it keep you up-to-date with how much battery is left, but it also lets you fine tune the EQ settings to your liking.

You can also browse through presets and preview how they sound, including ones made by athletes. The presets then get synced to the Freedoms themselves and not to the source device. So if you switch between devices as often as I do, at least you can count on your music to sound the same. Unlike wired headphones, Bluetooth headphone controls aren’t switched or disable depending on your operating system. So whether you use Android or iOS the playback controls work the same. You can pause and play music, skip between tracks.

Battery Life

The battery life on the Freedoms are really only about 3 to 4 hours, but you could technically use them with the charging to cradle to get up to 8 hours. However, in my usage that was really unrealistic unless I was sitting at a desk. As I alluded to before, I preferred to use the cradle as a portable battery to charge the Freedoms up while I’m not using them instead of a charging case that needs to be attached at all times.

Sound Quality

When it comes to sound quality, one thing that I noticed that really made a difference was the volume. These get really loud which is great for fitness, but not so much for sound quality. For testing I created a flat EQ profile in the app just so I can see how the headphones sound without any enhancements.

Lows

Even with a flat EQ profile the Freedoms still have a good emphasis on bass, which is expected considering they’re intended for fitness. That said, they weren’t overdone and even though they’re stronger than I prefer, they were contained to the low end.

Mids

Mids really seemed to take a hit this time around. Vocals and instruments don’t have a huge amount of detail and almost sounds like they have a sheen over them. Especially in songs like “Life is Wonderful” by Jason Mraz where it starts off acoustic and brings in more instruments halfway throuhg.

Highs

Again, these get loud. And purely because of that the highs tend to be somewhat piercing unless you dramatically lower the volume. There’s a bell synth in “Ember” by WhoMadeWho that is almost painful at some points.

Conclusion

Overall, the Jaybird Freedom do look way sleeker than the X2s, but they also don’t fit as well. The bigger ‘buds of the X2s wedged themselves in your ears and even though it was bulky and looked weird, they fit great. With the Freedoms you have to rely completely on the little accessories like the cable clips and wing tips. It’s not impossible to find a great fit (and maybe it’s just me) but it’s definitely way harder than something like the UA Headphones Wireless which just stay in your ears no matter what you do.

The sound quality is okay even with the help of the app, but lets be honest — you’re not getting these for the audiophile quality. You’re getting them for fitness. But unless you can get them to fit perfectly they’re not too great in that aspect either. After getting the right fit I really like the Freedom Wireless, but I think I’m just going to wait for the X3s and hope that they’re easier to use.

Buy from Jaybird

Android Authority

The chances are that you haven’t heard of Vivo, it is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer that makes quite a large range of smartphones, but until now it has focused on the main Asian markets. However, like so many Chinese OEMs, the company is looking to gain more recognition in the west. As part of its push westwards, Vivo recently released two high-end smartphones: the Vivo X6 and Vivo X6Plus. Ash has done a fantastic unboxing/first look/travelogue for the X6 and now it is my turn to take a look at the X6Plus.

Design

Like the Vivo X6, when you take a quick look at the Vivo X6Plus and you will probably think it looks much like another well-known phone, one which bears a fruity motif. That said, the device does look good, it seems well-made and thanks to the metal frame it has a premium feel to it. The buttons are responsive yet firm, however it is worth mentioning that the capacitive keys on the front aren’t back lit.

The device is quite big, due to its 5.7 inch display, however if you are used to handling large screen phones then it won’t feel out of place. For some context the Vivo X6Plus is narrower than the Huawei Mate 8 (which has a 6 inch display) and narrower than the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge (AKA Note 4 Edge), however it is wider than the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

Going around the phone, the volume rocker and power button are on the right, while the dual-SIM tray is on the left. At the top is the 3.5mm headphone jack and on the bottom is the micro-USB port and single speaker. On the back is the rear facing camera along with its flash LED, plus the finger print reader. It is the two bands that run across the back, near the top and bottom, that give the Vivo X6Plus a certain iPhone-esque look.

Display

Face the Vivo X6 and you will be looking right into a 5.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED panel. Sure, it’s lacking that QHD resolution, but I must say this display is very good. It looks beautiful and has great viewing angles. I really have nothing to complain about here.

See also: AMOLED vs LCD – What is the difference?129

Hardware and performance

As well as the crisp Full HD AMOLED display the Vivo X6Plus also boasts 4GB of RAM, a finger print reader and quick charging. The only slight let down is the choice of processor. The X6Plus uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615. The 615 is an octa-core processor with 8 Cortex-A53 cores, with four cores clocked at 1.2GHz and four cores clocked at 1.7GHz. Accompanying the CPU is the Adreno 405 GPU.

In terms of every day use these specs are adequate and most users won’t find themselves wishing for more CPU power, and because of the 4GB of RAM even some power users will find the X6Plus more than sufficient. However if you play a lot of 3D games, use CPU intensive apps or visit a lot of complex websites then the Snapdragon 615 will be under powered for you.

The use of a Cortex-A53 octa-core SoC is also reflected in the benchmarks. The Vivo X6Plus scored 780 on Geekbench’s single-core test and 3143 for the multi-core test. For some context, those scores are lower than the octa-core Cortex-A53 Kirin 935 found in the Huawei Mate S, lower than the octa-core Cortex-A53 MediaTek Helio X10 found in the Redmi Note 2 and lower than the quad-core 32-bit Snapdragon 801. If you want to see more benchmark scores for some of 2015’s leading processors then check out my SoC showdown: Snapdragon 810 vs Exynos 7420 vs MediaTek Helio X10 vs Kirin 935.

I ran my custom written Terrain 4 benchmark and the Vivo X6Plus scored 8.96 frames per second and managed to display a total of 2225 frames during the test run. By comparison the Vivo X6 (with its octa-core Cortex-A53 MediaTek MT6752 and ARM Mali-T760 GPU) managed 10.07 fps and 2355 total frames. A faster, next generation phone like the Huawei Mate 8 manages 20.72 fps and 3348 total frames at the same Full HD resolution.

The fingerprint reader on the X6Plus is first class. It is fast, accurate and is certainly comparable with the lightning fast and reliable fingerprint scanner on the Huawei Mate 8. Like the Mate 8, you can wake and unlock your phone just by putting your finger on the reader.

The X6Plus has a 3000 mAh battery which delivers a great battery experience. Although it has a 5.7 inch 1080p display, the processor is quite conservative in its power usage, the result is that you will get all-day battery life, easily. Unfortunately Funtouch OS doesn’t include a battery usage page of any kind. So instead I did some battery tests. First I ran Goat Simulator to test the battery life while playing 3D games. According to my calculations you will be able to play 3D games for over 4.5 hours on the Vivo X6Plus. That is quite an impressive number as some phones fail to give you a lesser screen-on time without doing any 3D (i.e. GPU) work. Turning to simpler tasks like watching YouTube over Wi-Fi or web browsing, I found that you will get at least 15 hours of both from this device. What that translates to is in fact a two day battery life (of course depending on your usage). So a big thumbs up for Vivo for the battery life of the X6Plus.

 

When it comes to the fast charging the Vivo X6Plus supports what Vivo calls “dual-engine quick charging.” The charger is rated at 5V/2A and 9V/2A. That means at 9V it can charge the phone at 18 watts. To fully charge the 3000 mAh battery takes two hours, which isn’t that quick, however to get to 50% only takes 23 minutes, which is quite impressive. If you want to charge the battery to 80% then that takes 55 minutes. To go from 80% to 100% takes over an hour. If you are interested to find out why smartphones charge quickly to 50% or 80%, but can take over half of the charge cycle to add the last 20% then I recommend that you read my test: Qualcomm Quick Charge vs Oppo VOOC vs MediaTek PumpExpress+ vs Motorola TurboPower vs the others.

Software

On the software side, we have Vivo’s Funtouch OS, which although it is based on Android 5.0.2, is really heavily skinned. As with many of the Android variants from Chinese manufacturers, there is no app drawer which means you are left to organize everything into folders on the home screens. Unfortunately Google’s services like Google Play, YouTube and Gmail don’t come pre-installed. I was able to install Amazon’s Appstore without any problem and that got me access to a lot of apps. I then discovered that you can actually install Google Play from the Vivo App Store. That gave me access to a bunch more app and services, however I often came across errors about apps not being compatible with the current device, sadly even Chrome wouldn’t install because Google Play says it isn’t compatible.

When you get over the non-standard Android  look-and-feel, learn to speak Chinese for the apps that don’t work in English, and ignore the iOS aesthetic, then you will find that Vivo did manage to add in some cool functionality. You can save screen shots with voice recordings; use smart motion actions (gestures) like draw ‘M’ for music or cover the phone with your hand to mute it when it is ringing; or shrink the screen or keyboard for one handed use. There are also quite a few options for the dual-SIM functions including setting a different ringtone to each SIM and setting which SIM is the default.

Camera

The camera app that comes with the Vivo X6Plus is excellent. As well as offering a range of automatic modes including Night mode and Child portrait mode, there is also a comprehensive manual mode (which Vivo calls Professional mode). You can change the white balance, ISO, and shutter speed, but most importantly you can do manual focusing. The camera is quite quick and there is a burst mode which allows you to take consecutive pictures. According to my crude timing you can take about 10 shots a second. The only limitation is that it stops after 20 shots, so that it can save the images.

As for the camera itself, I am undecided. The 13MP resolution is good, the noise levels aren’t bad for a mobile phone and the touch to set the exposure functionality works well. However I found that the colors in the photos are lacking in vibrancy. I say I am undecided in that I am prepared to give the camera the benefit of the doubt because it has been very cloudy and dull here while I have been taking my test shots and it could be the lack of clear sunlight that has dulled the images, however maybe I am just being too kind.

Anyway, here are some samples photos so that you can judge for yourself:

See also: 15 best camera apps for Android89

Just as I was preparing to publish this review, the sun came out, so I went out and took a few more sample photos. Here is an additional gallery of sample shots:

Specifications

DIsplay	5.7-inch Super AMOLED display, 1080p Full HD resolution
Processor	1.6 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Adreno 405 GPU
RAM	4 GB
Storage	64 GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microUSB 2.0
SIM cards	Dual-SIM: 1 x micro SIM, 1 x nano SIM
Networks	2G GSM 900 / 1800 3G HSDPA: 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, TD-SCDMA 1880 / 2010 4G LTE: 1(2100), 3(1800), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
Cameras	13 MP rear camera, 8 MP front-facing camera
Battery	3000 mAh
Software	Funtouch OS, based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
Dimensions	158.4 x 80 x 6.9 mm, 171 g

Gallery

Wrapping up

The Vivo X6Plus is certainly an interesting device. The large 5.7 inch Super AMOLED display is very cool, but the overall skew towards mimicking Apple is a big negative and leaves me with a desire for some originality. Having said that if you are able to look past the design aspects then features like the 4GB of RAM and the fingerprint reader are solid positives for this device, the only thing I would want to change on the hardware side is the processor, something better than the Snapdragon 615 would seem appropriate for this device. As for the software, well, for Asia it is probably perfect, however those in the West will likely struggle with it.

The Vivo X6Plus will initially be available in Asia for a price that should be around $ 550, however that pricing hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Android Authority

Smartwatches aren’t a new concept but, similar to tablets, they experienced a period of growth before the market stalled as other technology endeavours – Virtual Reality and Drones come to mind – came to the forefront. For wearable OEMs, building an Android-compatible smartwatch that is capable of achieving the same level of success as the Apple Watch has proved to be somewhat of a challenge. Thankfully, Samsung may have finally stumbled upon a recipe for success.

The company’s first Gear smartwatch ran on a customised version of the full Android OS, but since then, we’ve seen the Korean OEM take a different approach to wearables through its own Tizen OS. Built from the remains of Nokia and Intel’s failed MeeGo OS, Tizen is made by Samsung and Intel and over the past few generations of the Gear smartwatch range, we’ve seen the platform evolve considerably. Now, in the Samsung Gear S2, we have a flagship wearable that showcases just why Samsung opted to use Tizen instead of Google’s Android Wear OS.

After holding off on my purchase since it launched last October, I finally succumbed and replaced my Moto 360 2nd Gen with the Gear S2 at CES earlier this month. Below you’ll find my follow up review to Josh’s initial review of the Gear S2, which you can read and watch here.

Design

When designing wearables, companies seem to take one of two approaches: aim for the sporty look that is unmistakably a smartwatch or aim to blend in with the luxury watch segment.

Some aim to straddle both approaches and with the Gear S2, Samsung has done just this; for those wanting all the rugged features without trying to blend in, the Gear S2 is exactly this, complete with its silicon band. For those who want a luxury smartwatch, the Gear S2 Classic has a leather strap for a traditional quartz look with the addition of some very smart features.

The original version is the model I’ve been using and although the Gear S2 Classic was my original choice, the sportier look of this version actually appeals more. One of the biggest benefits of the silicon band is that it barely shows any use with age, whereas leather has a habit of looking worn with minimal usage. The leather straps on both my Moto 360 and my Huawei Watch showed wear  after a little passing of time, with the Moto 360 being the worst offender. It’s nice not to have to worry about this.

The silicon bands use a proprietary connector to connect to the stainless steel body and this means you can’t really change the design of the watch. The lack of traditional connectors means Samsung has been able to remove the lugs that are present in a more conventional design, which some people like but I find disconcerting.

The main body of the Gear S2 is made from stainless steel with a Home and Back button on the side, which let you interact with the OS in many different ways and a heart-rate sensor on the back. The key feature that sets the Gear S2 above many competitors is the unique rotating bezel around the display, which rotates with a reassuring click and is used to interact and navigate throughout the smartwatch.

The Gear S2 sports a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display with 360×360 resolution that offers 302 pixels per inch density. It’s an excellent display, is vibrant and easy to read and even in direct sunlight, it still remains usable. A particularly nice feature is that while the display doesn’t support auto-brightness, you have the option to set a minimum brightness level and the display brightness will automatically increase to a higher level depending on the amount of ambient light.

Overall, the Gear S2 certainly isn’t perfect – there are plenty of people that will find the inability to connect to traditional watch straps quite frustrating – and the buttons do take a little getting used to, but the rotating bezel is a fantastic idea and truly sets the Gear S2 apart from other smartwatches.

Hands on: Samsung Gear S2 vs Gear S2 Classic36

The smartwatch feels pretty nice on the wrist, has a noticeable, but manageable, amount of weight and fits in with almost everything you’re wearing. It manages to be unassuming yet functional and compared to some very odd choices on previous Gear smartwatches, the latest from Samsung finally gets it right.

Hardware

A question many people have asked me is whether the Gear S2 has a GPS antenna and the answer is somewhat complicated, as it depends on which version of the smartwatch you have. The Gear S2 is available in Wi-Fi and 3G variants and if you opt for the latter, it’ll come with an e-SIM and speaker, GPS and a larger battery (300 mAh vs 250 mAh).

The lack of GPS may be considered a downside by fitness fanatics, but the Gear S2 somewhat makes up for it as you’re able to add songs to the 4GB internal storage and play them directly to your Bluetooth headset. This allows you to leave the tethered phone at home (unless you need GPS-mapping) and Wi-Fi support means you can continue to use the Gear S2 as a standalone device.

One of the biggest improvements with the Gear S2 over past Samsung smartwatches is that it is now compatible with any Android smartphone running Android 4.4 or later, and will soon be able to connect to the iPhone as well. When used with non-Samsung devices, you are required to install a number of Samsung specific applications to get everything to work but the experience is almost identical to when paired with a Galaxy smartphone.

Like other wearables, the Gear S2 does have a fitness-focus of sorts, with S-Health proving quite the capable fitness coach. This begins from the home screen where a widget tells you different metrics (example, how much water or caffeine you’ve consumed) and your activity levels.

Samsung Gear S2 unboxing and first impressions50

When you’re working out, S-Health is able to record your heart rate and display it in a rather cool graph and of course, all the data is synchronised right back to your smartphone as well. The Gear S2 smartly measures your activity levels and gives you helpful prompts to get moving when you’ve been idle too long; as someone who often spends long periods at a computer, the prompts to move – which are usually around an hour after you’ve been idle – act as a rather useful reminder to take a break.

Performance

Under the hood, the Gear S2 is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor (of unspecified variety) and 512MB of RAM. Those specs may look somewhat perplexing on paper but are in line with the current generation of wearables, and it’s more than enough to keep the experience running along nice and smoothly.

Previous Samsung Gear smartwatches have displayed a certain degree of lag with use, but despite adding music to the storage, apps to the smartwatch and having lots of unread notifications, the Gear S2 is seemingly infallible. The ability to marry the hardware and the software means Samsung has been able to deliver a smooth, carefully thought-out user experience that doesn’t require the latest hardware. As a result, Samsung achieved a level of optimisation – akin to Apple – that other Android Wear OEMs can only hope for.

Software

Powering the entire Gear S2 experience is the Tizen OS and while it does have some negatives, I personally believe it’s definitely a good thing, for the simple reason that it provides a welcome difference in an otherwise somewhat-stale market.

While Samsung is seemingly committed to Android on its smartphones, its televisions and even its fridges, the company seems to be keeping a cautious distance to Android Wear. A particular reason is that while its been able to customise Android on all of the above, the Android Wear guidelines result in a mostly homogenous experience across all devices.

In comparison, Tizen provides Samsung the flexibility and control that is sorely missing from Android Wear and the Gear S2 is justification for Samsung’s decision to use Tizen. There’s a lot to like about this experience (and some less than pleasing elements) but Tizen has allowed Samsung to deliver a unique smartwatch experience and in turn, Samsung has shown that having control over both the hardware and the software can yield great benefits.

The rotating bezel forms a fundamental part of the experience and allows you to navigate through the various menus and screens. The software feels a lot more intuitive and easy-to-use than other options and the back and home buttons feel like natural elements once you get used to them.

While Android Wear solely relies on voice input, Tizen adds a T9 keyboard for the times when voice dictation isn’t the most ideal option. Typing on a small screen is certainly not comfortable, but having the ability to choose the most appropriate input for your circumstances is a welcome choice to have.

The bezel allows you to swipe between screens and options but you’ll still swipe up to dismiss notifications and tap the screen to select particular options. Then there’s the back and home buttons that allow you to return to the previous screen, go the home screen or open the apps drawer and finally you can also swipe down to access a quick settings menu. Despite all the various inputs, Samsung has somehow managed to make them all work together to provide a unique user experience that feels completely natural.

One of my favourite parts of the Gear S2 is how it handles notifications; when you’re on the home screen, rotating to the left brings up all your unread notifications with each on its own screen. Tapping into it, you can scroll through the entire notification using the bezel and the circular display makes for easy viewing. I’ve read a relatively long email on the Gear S2 with no problems and then even sent a short reply – which is hidden behind the menu on the right – using the T9 keyboard. Granted, it was a 5-word reply!

It’s not all positive however but the negatives are very much determined by what parts of the smartwatch experience are most important to you. For instance, the Gear S2 comes with support from barely any third-party applications; if you’re a fitness fanatic, apps like RunKeeper aren’t supported. There’s no Google Maps support either and although Samsung has made its own Maps for Gear app, navigation on the Gear S2 is still a moot point. If you rely on Google for reminders and contextual notifications, you won’t get them on the Gear S2 and apps with a large userbase like Evernote and RunKeeper are also completely missing.

Widgets are also pretty limited with most displaying information from Samsung’s own apps and the lack of third party applications isn’t likely to change anytime soon. After all, developers can choose to develop for Android Wear or Tizen, and they’ll obviously pick the former, thanks to a larger number of devices and potential customers.

The apps that are present on the Gear S2, like Yelp and Uber, show just how clever the rotating bezel can be, but for me personally, I use my smartwatch for notifications, fitness tracking and as a watch. I don’t need a ton of third-party apps and widgets, which will eventually and inevitably lead to performance lag and poor battery life. Instead, the battery life alone is one reason I’m more than happy to accept the limited Tizen experience.

Battery Life

The Gear S2 is powered by a 250 mAh battery (or 300mAh if you buy the 3G variant) which may not seem particularly large but is more than enough to deliver excellent battery life. There’s no doubt that battery life is every wearable’s kryptonite, but the Gear S2 breaks the mould of current generation wearables.

Most OEMs quote the maximum battery life a smartwatch can attain and most fail to deliver on their remarks but the Gear S2 is a complete surprise in this department. The Apple Watch is quoted as all-day battery life but is actually only capable of 18 hours so you have to charge it every night. Similarly, most Android Wear watches can last into a second day with minimal usage but will run empty in the middle of the day so you’ll have to charge it every night.

Samsung’s past Gear smartwatches have also needed a charge most nights but the Gear S2 doesn’t. In fact, it’s the first fully-functional smartwatch I’ve used that can easily last several days; to provide some context, this excludes fitness-dedicated trackers and refers solely to full smartwatches. I will say that I’ve not spent extensive time with the Pebble range – including the Pebble Time Round which Josh highly recommends – and it’s worth keeping this in mind as they are quoted as offering excellent battery life.

During my time with the Gear S2, I’ve found that if you keep Wi-Fi switched off when it’s not being used, reduce screen brightness to between 2 and 4 and use the Gear S2 solely for fitness tracking and notifications, the battery can easily last 2 full days and, depending on usage, even last a full third. The longest I’ve gone without charging it is 3 days, 4 hours and 41 minutes.

When the Gear S2 does run low on battery, the included magnetic charging dock lets you charge it to full in one hour and if you need a quick top up, it can add around 15% in about 10 minutes. While you may wish to charge the Gear S2 every night, especially if you’re using it quite heavily, you can get along pretty comfortably if you do forget to charge it.

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Gear S2 – the verdict

The Gear S2 costs $ 299 for the original version we’re using here, with another $ 50-60 for the cellular version, or $ 349 for the Gear S2 Classic. At this price, it’s equal to the current crop of Android Wear smartwatches and definitely offers a rival experience.

Now Read: Best Android Wear watches57

Like smartphones, certain features on a smartwatch will appeal to particular people and for me, the battery life on the Gear S2 alone makes it worth its price tag. Yes, the limitations are quite high, but I’m more than happy to take the rotating bezel and excellent battery life, instead of third party apps and a stale experience.

Over the past two years, I’ve been able to experience almost all the smartwatches that have been offered to the market and the Gear S2 is the first that I’ve actually found useful. For me personally, the homogenisation of Android Wear worked initially but now there’s very little to separate the Huawei Watch from the Moto 360 2nd Gen and the Asus Zenwatch 2 apart from the hardware. No matter which one you choose however, you can expect to charge it pretty much every day.

Let’s hope that Google loosens the reigns of Android Wear just enough to allow other OEMs to deliver truly unique experiences like the Gear S2.

With the Gear S2, the rotating bezel alone is unique enough to keep this wearable on my wrist and the battery life is an added benefit. In an industry full of similar devices, the Gear S2 remains unassuming, but makes just enough of a splash to capture your attention.Let’s hope that Google loosens the reigns of Android Wear just enough to allow other OEMs to deliver truly unique experiences like the Gear S2

Android Authority

BLU, the Florida-based device manufacturer, boasts a robust smartphone portfolio with a common aspect all these phones share being their budget-friendly nature. Continuing to add to their lineup, BLU unveiled two more affordable smartphones last month at CES 2016, with the cheaper of the already low-cost phones being the BLU Vivo XL. Of course, very affordable devices has been the point of focus for a lot of Android OEMs over the past year, so does BLU manage to stand out with their latest offering? We find out, in this comprehensive BLU Vivo XL review!

Buy now from Best Buy

Design

The Vivo XL is certainly one of BLU’s flashier options to date, with a patterned finish on the removable back cover, with gold being the color version of this particular review unit. Whether you like the look depends entirely on your personal opinion, and there is another touch more subtle color option available as well, but it has to be said that the glossy plastic backing and matte finish edges allow for an excellent feel in the hand. However, the plastic rear cover does seem to be prone to scratches, so you may have to depend on a protective case to keep the device in a pristine condition. Luckily, the Vivo XL does come with a case in the box.

Taking a look around the device, the power button and volume rocker are on the right side, and all the buttons offer a reasonable amount of tactile feedback. Capacitive navigation keys are found below the display up front, but in a rather strange move BLU switched the positions of the back and the Recent Apps keys. This might take some getting used to depending on what device you’re coming from. There is also a multi-colored LED at the top left above the display, and the headphone jack and USB-Type C port are found up top and at the bottom respectively.

BLU has also done a great job with keeping the bezels around the display and the top portion and bottom chin quite thin, making for a more manageable handling experience than its 5.5-inch display would suggest. Build quality hasn’t always been particularly good when it comes to devices that fall in the sub-$ 150 category, but that is also something that is slowly changing, especially with the Vivo XL. Despite its plastic construction, the device certainly doesn’t feel cheap, and the solid construction allows for a great feel while holding the phone.

Display

The Vivo XL comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a 720p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 267ppi. The pixel count may not be the highest out there, and while a higher display resolution would have been nice, 720p does make sense at this price point – the main advantages of the display are clearly shown off in the battery life department. The display experience is actually also really good as well, with the AMOLED panel allowing for high contrast and punchy, saturated colors. Overall, the display of the Vivo XL is certainly one of the best we’ve seen in this price range, despite its lower resolution.

Performance and hardware

Under the hood, the Vivo XL comes with an octa-core MediaTek MT6753 processor, clocked at 1.3GHz and backed by the Mali-T720 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The performance of the Vivo XL has been good for the most part, with the device handling tasks with ease the majority of the time. However, there were some instances where the phone would generally feel sluggish, particularly when opening or switching between applications via the Recent Apps screen.

As far as gaming is concerned, the device is able to handle casual games with no trouble, but you will see some frame drops with more graphically-intensive games. That said, the Vivo XL is still a decent option for mobile gamers on a tight budget.

16 gigabytes is the only in-built storage option available with the Vivo XL, but you do get expandable storage via microSD card by up to 64GB to alleviate any concerns. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, as well as dual-SIM capabilities. You also get full 4G LTE support on the T-Mobile network, and nearly full support on AT&T. We were able to test this review unit on T-Mobile’s extended range LTE network (band 12) and experienced excellent connectivity. If you are on AT&T however, you may be missing out on LTE coverage in some rural areas, with the device lacking band 5 support.

See also: Best dual-SIM Android phones (January 2016)61

The single rear speaker of the device offers a decent audio experience, but a bump in volume and a reduction in the distortion would have certainly been appreciated. That said, it is still about average for the price, and will certainly get the job done in most situations. BLU made the switch to USB Type-C with the Vivo XL, which is a very welcome, but slightly inconvenient move. You will now have to remember to carry around the charger if you need to top up the battery on the go, but the adoption of the latest standard is certainly good to see, especially with a budget smartphone.

The good news is that having to carry around the charger may not be required at all, with the 3,150mAh unit of Vivo XL offering excellent battery life, aided by the lower resolution display and power-efficient processing package. On average, the device would comfortably last a full day of use, if not more, with around 5.5 hours of screen-on time, and that can also be pushed to up to 6 hours with slightly lighter usage. Of course, if battery life does prove to be a concern, the battery is removable, and you always have the option of carrying around a spare.

See also: Best cheap Android phones (January 2016)328

Camera

The BLU Vivo XL comes with a 13MP rear camera with phase detection auto focus and an LED flash, along with a front-facing 5MP unit. The camera performs just about as expected from a device that falls in the price range, and does quite well in ideal lighting conditions, resulting in images that are very sharp and with a lot of detail, as well as with a respectable amount of dynamic range. However, with noticeable aliasing in some images, occasional color reproduction errors, and poor low light capabilities, this camera certainly won’t outperform those found on more expensive smartphones.

As far as the camera app is concerned, the interface is quite simplistic, with ease of use being the focus here. There is a Professional Mode available though, that allows for more granular control over aspects like ISO and shutter speed. There are also a slew of other modes and features built in, but taking pictures in the normal Auto Mode is what works more than well enough in most instances.

Software

On the software side of things, the BLU Vivo XL is running Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box, with a custom skin on top. The software experience BLU offers with their smartphones has been quite fragmented across the board, but in the case of the Vivo XL, a much improved and more polished iteration is to be found. Of course, staple Android features like an app drawer and lock screen notifications are missing, but the overall experience still feels much better than what is seen with some other devices BLU’s portfolio.

In other changes from stock Android, the Quick Toggles in the notification dropdown have also been completely done away with, in favor of an Apple-esque Control Center. Many of the system UI elements are also strong deviations from stock Android, which may be disappointing for some enthusiasts. There are a few third-party apps pre-installed as well, but all of these can easily be uninstalled.

As far as software updates go, BLU has been attempting to do a better job in offering timely updates for their smartphones, but we’ll have to wait and see if and when an official update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow will be made available for the Vivo XL. That said, if running the latest versions of Android is important to you, BLU smartphones may not be the way to go anyway.

Specifications

Display	5.5-inch AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 resolution 267 ppi
Processor	1.3GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6753
GPU	Mali-T720
RAM	2GB
Storage	16GB, microSD expansion up to 64 GB
Camera	13MP rear camera 5MP front camera
Connectivity	Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth v4.0, Hotspot, Type C-USB, FM Radio, VoLTE
Battery	3,150mAh, non-removable
Software	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Dimensions	155.2 x 76.6 x 7.5mm 154 grams
Colors	Solid Gold, Chrome Silver, Midnight Blue, Rose Gold

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Pricing and final thoughts

The BLU Vivo XL will be available for $ 149 from Best Buy, with the color options included being Solid Gold or Midnight Blue. If you have made up your mind about picking up this device, you may want to do so before January 31st, with BLU running a three day sale that brings the price of the device down to just $ 99.

So there you have it for this in-depth look at the BLU Vivo XL! The Vivo XL may have its issues low-end processing package, and mediocre camera. The device does also get a lot right though, with AMOLED technology more than making up for the low resolution, its excellent battery life, and the fact that users will have access to the 4G LTE networks in the US, which are all great reasons to pick up this budget-friendly phone. As mentioned, you also get to take advantage of a sale following its launch, so if you have decided to to buy this phone, now would be the best time to do so. What are your thoughts? Is the Vivo XL worth the money? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Buy now from Best Buy

Android Authority

The latest update to Android Lollipop is here! Android 5.1 Lollipop brings along some improvements and changes. Thanks for subscribing! Android 5.1 Nexus factory images and tutorial: http://qbkin…
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Current trends in the mobile industry show that tablet sales are seeing a slowdown in growth, but that doesn’t mean that there is any reduction in the intensity of the competition in this space, giving rise to some unlikely challengers, such as Dell. Dell isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you think about Android tablets, but that may soon change with the company’s latest product.

Introduced at CES 2015 during the Intel Developer Forum, this tablet certainly fits the bill of a fantastic Android tablet, at least from the outside and on paper, even if the name is somewhat uninspiring. Will it manage to hold its own in the uber competitive tablet arena? We find that out, and more, in this in-depth review of the Dell Venue 8 7000!

Design

As a whole, Android tablets have almost always been aesthetically underwhelming, even if a few OEMs have managed to mix things up from time to time. The appearance of the Venue 8 7000 is a good indication though that Dell is going all out in attempting to change that notion, and definitely succeeds in visually differentiating its tablet from the rest. This tablet is truly stunning to look at and hold. Its industrial design is comprised mostly of precision-machined aluminum, with hard edges and corners. It looks and feels fantastic, save for the glass section at the bottom on the back, which proves to be a terrible fingerprint magnet.

The primary design feature present here is the nearly edge-to-edge display, with the screen running up to just 6 mm from the top and side edges. Along with the fact that this is also the thinnest tablet in the world, measuring in at just 6.1 mm thick, the Venue 8 7000 looks almost surreal, almost like a render of a concept device that we wished would be real. Except in this case, it is. Surprisingly, its extra thin build doesn’t take away from its sturdiness as you might expect, feeling very solid in the hand, without being too heavy to negatively impact extended periods of use.

However, all of those staggeringly small numbers for bezels and thickness mean the larger components have to fit somewhere. In the case of the Venue 8 7000, the stereo speakers, 8 MP rear camera, 2 MP front camera, and likely the antennas, have all been crammed into the bottom bezel, that can be best described as a chin. This adds to its unique design, and while we don’t hate how it looks, it does pose some ergonomic challenges.

This chin does come with some added utility, like a place to actually hold the tablet, since the other edges are so close to the screen. At the same time, it gets in the way, and often makes me question how to hold the tablet. Portrait is the only orientation that feels natural, both because the chin is at home at the bottom, and because the navigation buttons don’t always follow the orientation of the tablet. Also, unless you hold the tablet from the narrow top edge, it’s virtually impossible to not cover up one of the cameras or depth sensors. In many ways, it’s almost like the tablet doesn’t want to be held in any orientation other than portrait.

Adding to that, the power button and volume rocker are positioned along the top half of the left edge, which is the opposite of most devices, and will take some getting used to, and while the buttons are metal, they’re only slightly raised, and offer very little in the way of travel and tactility.

Everything said and done, the design of the Venue 8 7000 is stunning, even if the ergonomics simply don’t work out most of the time.

Display

The impressive nature of this tablet continues with regards to the display. The 8.4-inch OLED screen features an impressive resolution of 2560 x 1600, resulting in a relatively high pixel density of 359 ppi.

The blacks are deep, colors have a distinct pop without being oversaturated, and the brightness range is quite good. That said, outdoor visibility is a common problem among OLED displays, and could definitely be improved on this tablet, as could the viewing angles. For gaming and viewing multimedia though, there is no doubt that this is one of the best displays around.

Performance

Unlike most Android tablets, the Dell Venue 8 7000 relies on the Intel Atom Z3580 chipset, which is a combination of a quad-core 2.3 GHz CPU and the PowerVR G6430 GPU. As far as the performance goes, the Venue 8 7000 has very little trouble holding its own.

Through most menial tasks, like scrolling through lists and swiping between homescreens, we noticed no serious signs of lag or stutters. It wasn’t too hard to find some performance quirks and reproduce them though, seemingly at will, especially when pressing the Recent Apps button, and changing the orientation. Still, the overall performance is pretty much on par with all the competition out there, and it handles gaming very well, which is great since this tablet is basically the perfect size for some casual gaming.

Hardware

The rest of the internals on the Venue 8 7000 are pretty standard fare, with the device packing 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. It does have a slot for a microSD card, capable of expanding the storage by an additional 512 GB. To clarify though, a 512 GB microSD card doesn’t exist yet, and regular SD cards in the half-TB flavor go for upwards of $ 1,000, so this is mostly future-proofing more than anything. Connectivity options are par for the course as well, but doesn’t include NFC, which a bit of a let down.

There are some mixed feelings when it comes to the speakers. It was surprising how loud and full the sound coming from them actually was, and they do sound pretty good, mostly thanks to the built-in equalizer app, MaxxAudio by Waves, which comes with four presets – Movie, Music, Voice, and Gaming. The difference between MaxxAudio being on and off is night and day, both with and without headphones. However, despite being front-facing, if you use the tablet in landscape, all your audio is coming from just one side of the tablet, drawing away from an immersive effect. In portrait, this isn’t much of an issue, with all the sound coming from the bottom, which you may be used to, depending on what smartphone you use.

One of the most impressive aspects of this tablet is with regards to its battery life. Only after three days and 12 hours of use did the tablet reach 28 percent of remaining battery. When the screen is off, it barely sips at the battery, dropping between just two and four percent each day. If you jack the screen brightness up in use, you’re going to see that awesome stamina take a hit though. Dell claims 10 hours of use, and that’s definitely possible, as long as you manage the screen brightness well.

Camera

The camera on the Venue 8 7000 is admittedly a bit strange. The setup around back is a primary 8 MP camera, with two 720p cameras which work as depth sensors, not totally unlike HTC’s DuoCamera. This is what Dell calls Intel RealSense 3D Technology. Simply point the camera at an object in the Depth Snapshot shooting mode, hold it steady, and snap a photo. If you open this photo in Dell’s Gallery app, you can adjust the focal point, the amount of defocusing, and more. Further, you can estimate distances and measure items within the photo using the captured depth information.

This RealSense technology works pretty well, or at least, as good or better than most other faux-defocusing methods. It’s not without its issues though. For starters, it doesn’t work in low light, and secondly, the images take an incredibly long time to process once you open them in the gallery. Lastly, snapping photos is extremely awkward with this tablet, not only because it is a tablet, but because all the cameras are positioned around the only place you really have to hold the tablet with, the chin. It’s easier to accidentally take a photo than it is to take one on purpose, and even Dell’s Depth Snapshot instructions look awkward and show the user holding the tablet by the screen.

The front-facing camera isn’t any less awkward to use either. All of the cameras are in strange positions, making it quite difficult to not cover up. To top it all off, the image quality itself isn’t much to get excited about. Dell is so close to a solid execution, but the unwieldy nature of capturing photos with the Venue 8 7000 makes us wonder how much better this technology would be if it were on a smartphone.

Software

One of the most upsetting aspects of the Venue 8 7000 is the software, but not because it’s a poor implementation. This tablet ships with Android 4.4.4 KitKat in a very near stock form, and while that would normally be a good thing, it’s been over three months since Android 5.0 Lollipop officially arrived and even longer since it was announced, and definitely what you’d expect a new device to be running.

If you’ve never used Lollipop before, this tablet’s software will feel natural and quite polished. That said, if you’re coming from a phone or tablet which currently runs on Google’s latest firmware, even after just a few days with Lollipop, the software on the Venue 8 7000 will feel borderline archaic. The separated panels for notifications and quick settings, Recent Apps instead of the Overview menu, and five permanent home screens, are stark contrasts and reminders of just how much the Lollipop update has improved the usability and appearance of Android. I constantly found myself long-pressing on the home screen to add widgets, but they still reside in their old home on this tablet, the app drawer, in the tab to the right of the applications.

Outside that, there isn’t much to say about the software. A few applications, like Kobo Books, McAfee Security, CamCard, and File Commander come pre-installed, and Dell’s additions are pretty minimal. It has its own camera app, the My Dell app, some live wallpapers, a custom Gallery app for editing photos with depth information, and Dell Cast. Dell has replaced the screen casting feature of Android with its own proprietary software, which requires Dell-specific hardware, which is unfortunate for purists, but is otherwise a slight modification that won’t affect most users.

Overall, the software is pretty solid, even if it does feel and look a little old. Fortunately, a Lollipop update is in the works and is expected to land sometime in the near future. It’s also nice to see the app situation specific to Android tablets constantly improving, even if some of Google’s own apps still have their own quirks when it comes to larger displays.

Specifications

Dell Venue 8 7000 specs

CPU/GPU	Quad-core 2.3 GHz Intel Atom Z3580 PowerVR G6430 GPU
Display	8.4 inches OLED (2560 x 1600) 359 ppi
RAM	2GB
Memory	16 GB storage, expandable up to 512 GB
Battery	non-removable
Camera	8MP rear cam with Intel RealSense 3D technology 2MP front cam
Connectivity	WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS / GLONASS, Bluetooth® v 4.0 (LE)
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
OS	Android 4.4.4 Kitkat
Dimensions and Weight	215.9 x 124.2 x 6.1 mm 305 grams

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Pricing and Final Thoughts

The Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet sells for just $ 399, which is a fair and comparable price to much of the competition. Many potential buyers will be torn between Dell’s 8.4-inch slab and the 8.9-inch Nexus 9, which goes for the same price with many similar specs and features. With expandable storage, a killer edge-to-edge display, and a really sweet industrial design, you might be getting more bang for your buck with the Venue 8 7000.

So there you have it – the Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet! Our biggest cause for concern with this tablet is its ergonomics. In just about anything but portrait, it doesn’t feel quite right, and accidental screen taps or button presses are inevitable. Those issues are aren’t enough to out shine all the high points of this tablet though. It’s definitely one of the best looking Android tablets to hit the market in a very long time, the speakers and display make it ideal for multimedia consumption, and it also offers up some pretty impressive battery performance. While not perfect, the Dell Venue 8 7000 is a surprisingly great tablet and is well worth the cash.

Android Authority

Android 5.0.1 for Samsung Galaxy Note Edge LEAKED! Source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-edge/development/rom-stock-tw-lollipop-t3019721 Official Instagram Account: …

The Android market is dominated by major manufacturers like Samsung, LG and HTC. The U.S. market is now beginning to see some up-and-coming device manufacturers from the Chinese market like Oppo, Xiaomi and Meizu. These manufacturers have shown us that it’s possible to make a high-end device for a fraction of the cost of the flagships we see today.

One such device that does a great job at offering high-end specs and hardware at a low price is the Meizu MX4. As the successor to last year’s MX3, the MX4 features a slew of hardware and software upgrades, and shows users, yet again, that high-end specs don’t have to come at such a premium price. With that said, can the MX4 compete with the likes of Samsung, LG and HTC? We find this out, and more, in our full comprehensive review of the Meizu MX4.

Design

Meizu has a reputation for making premium devices, and the MX4 is no exception. At first glance, the phone looks sleek, high quality and durable. It offers a full glass front panel, a chassis made of aluminium alloy, and a smooth plastic back plate. The in-hand feel of the device is extremely premium, thanks to the slightly heavy aluminum body. The buttons are also made of aluminum and feel clicky and responsive… especially the volume rocker. When it comes to the power button, though, it tends to blend in with the frame. At least on our review unit, it felt significantly less-clicky than the other buttons. What’s more, the power button is placed on the top of the device, rather than the standard side mount that many of us have grown accustomed to. Now, this is a pretty big phone, so reaching up top to put the device to sleep can get a little annoying sometimes. To help with that problem, Meizu added a few features that might help out with your power button problems (we’ll talk more about that in Software).

Around back, the device has a slight curve to it, and it fits in our hands perfectly. While the plastic back feels smooth and almost satin-like, it may be a little too slippery. In our time testing the device, we almost had a few drop accidents when pulling the phone from a pocket. The back creeks a little more than we would like it to, but nonetheless, the phone doesn’t feel bad by any means. A small Meizu logo takes up the bottom portion of the back plate, and the camera is placed towards the top. When it comes to design, the camera module is unobtrusive and is covered by a glass enclosure.

The back plate is removable, exposing the non-removable 3100mAh battery and Micro SIM slot. No expandable storage is available, though the unit comes in either 16, 32, or 64GB variants.

Display

The display on the MX4 is 5.36-inches with 1920 x 1152 resolution and a pixel density of 418 ppi. The display pops, thanks to the .2mm of bezel on each side of the display. Images are sharp, text is clear and honestly, we don’t really have any other gripes when it comes to the display quality.

The front of the device features a capacitive touch circular home button, while the other soft keys are present at the bottom of the display. That makes us wonder about Meizu’s design language, though. The MX4 already has to take up space for the softkeys, so why did they need to create a capacitive home button rather than a softkey? It must just be part of the design. It doesn’t look bad, it’s just different. The display can get very bright, which is great for outdoor visibility, as long as the auto brightness works properly. We did experience a few glitches, so you might be better off adjusting the brightness manually.

Spec Sheet

Display	5.36-inch IPS LCD 1920 x 1152 resolution, 418 ppi
Processor	2.2 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6595 PowerVR G6200 MP4 GPU
RAM	2 GB
Storage	16/32/64 GB, no microSD expansion
Camera	20.7 MP rear camera with dual LED flash 2 MP front-facing camera
Connectivity	HSPA, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth 4.0, GPRS
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery	3,100 mAh
Dimensions	144 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm 147 grams

Performance

Starting up the device is fast and lag-free. We didn’t really experience any lag when switching between home screens, switching apps, or scrolling through text. That’s all thanks to the MX4’s quad-core 2.2GHz Cortex-A17 and quad-core 1.7GHz Cortex-A7 processors backed by 2GB of RAM. Though it doesn’t seem like the best processor out there, Meizu’s software is light, allowing for quick animations, fluid movements through screens and fast multitasking. But these quick animations usually only take place when moving around the UI. We experienced our fair share of hiccups when it came to playing games. Lag and hiccups would happen more than we would have liked, and the device tends to heat up quickly when playing graphic-intensive games.

Next to the Micro USB input on the bottom sits a single speaker. It’s loud and clear, and definitely good enough to watch a quick YouTube video or listen to music around the house. While the external speaker is loud, the earpiece speaker is very quiet, even when turned up to the maximum setting. Call quality is very solid on this device, and the people we spoke with told us we sounded very clear.

When it comes to connectivity, though, U.S. customers will be out of luck in terms of LTE. The MX4 has LTE bands, but they’re only compatible with Chinese networks.

Camera

The camera that comes on the MX4 is a 20.7MP Sony Exmor unit with a dual-LED flash, along with a 2MP front facing camera. The camera software is extremely easy to use and comes with tons of shooting options. Swiping left and right filters through the different settings, which is very intuitive. As for image quality, the majority of our indoor and outdoor photos are sharp, but are overall very bright. Colors are slightly dull and lack the vibrant pop and saturation we see on other comparable cameras on the market.

With that said, low light photos are where this device stutters the most. It often struggles to focus and most of our low light photos lack any amount of vibrance whatsoever. Auto Focus mode is good when it works, but oftentimes struggles to lock on to the subject of the photo. This is true in both well-lit and low light areas.

Around front, the 2MP front-facing shooter is decent, if all you’re planning to do is post photos to social media. Other than that, the front camera struggles in low light, and also has a problem focusing on the subject.

In terms of camera options, the MX4 comes with many to choose from. Panorama, Refocus, 120fps Slow Motion, Facebeauty, Night Mode, and plenty of other modes are included in this camera. They all work well, and we don’t really have many complaints when it comes to camera options. In all, the camera performs well in most well-lit areas. If you’re heading inside to snap some photos, though, you may want to make sure your subject is under a good light source.

Battery

When it comes to battery stats, the MX4 lasts us about a day with moderate to heavy use. With a 3100mAh battery, this is a slight letdown. We had the impression that having such a big battery would yield some great results, but that just isn’t the case with the MX4.

Software

The MX4 is running Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Meizu’s custom Flyme 4.0 on top. Flyme is bright, bubbly, and crisp. Most of the stock icons are flat, and blend in well with the overall UI.

One of the first things we noticed about the software was the absence of an app drawer, a familiar feature in Meizu’s devices. Some users won’t be too fond of this feature, as one of the most prominent ways Android’s home screens differentiate from iOS is the ability to hide unused applications. It feels like Meizu is trying to go for a “less is more” concept in terms of UI, though it seems as though the Android experience is slightly crippled because of it.

Since the screen is on the larger side of the spectrum, there are some disadvantages when it comes to moving around the device. Pulling down the notification bar up top can be strenuous, as well as hitting the top of the phone to reach the power button. Meizu did include some gestures to sidestep those grips though. Double tapping the locked screen will wake the device, and you can also swipe up to unlock it, swipe down to view notifications, or swipe left to open the camera. Swiping right is actually programmable, so you can set it to open any app you desire.

Overall, the MX4’s software could use some work. The Settings menu was a bit confusing, and we found ourselves finding options in places where we wouldn’t expect to see them. Through countless apps force closing, the inability to download custom launchers and skewed English translations throughout the OS, we had a difficult time getting this device to work properly. One bug that we found kind of odd was that the volume rockers wouldn’t control the ringing volume… it only controlled media volume. Many pre-installed apps, including the OS, aren’t optimized for the 5:3 aspect ratio, which has made our software experience extra difficult.

 

Our device came with no Google apps installed, so we were forced to use the Flyme app store to download Google Play Services. Setting up Google apps through the Flyme store was difficult, and most of the apps didn’t want to start up right away. The device was supposed to receive an update to overhaul the UI and pre-install Google services, but we never got the update. We’re sure the update is on its way, but the lack of Google services really hindered our experience.

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Pricing and final thoughts

The Meizu MX4 is usually sold for around $ 450 unlocked on Amazon. Since this is a phone that’s predominately for the Chinese market, we won’t be seeing many around the States, and the lack of LTE in the U.S. will surely be one of the biggest negatives with this device among users.

With the MX4, it seems like a tantalizing deal. A beautifully crafted device with a huge 1080p display, all for under $ 450? That sounds like a no-brainer. Unfortunately, the OS is filled with bugs, the battery life is a huge let down, and the camera struggles to take acceptable photos in anything but ideal lighting conditions. If you can get past those main compromises, though, you’ll have a phone with great screen, super powerful processor and awesome build quality. For around $ 400, you could do much worse than the MX4.

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Following the introduction of the Xperia Z, Sony adopted a bi-annual release cycle with their flagship smartphone line. While the differences between releases weren’t revolutionary, each subsequent release further refined and enhanced what was already great about its predecessor. That said, following such a launch cycle brought with it doubts about what kind of upgrades every iteration would feature. Has that concern finally caught up with Sony with regards to its latest flagship? We find that out, and more, in this in-depth review of the Sony Xperia Z3!

Design

If there’s one thing you can count on with Sony, it’s their commitment to great design language and build quality. With the Xperia Z3, we once again get the familiar black slate design, consisting of two glass panels held together by a metal frame. This time, the metal frame has been given a more polished, rounded feel, allowing for an even sleeker profile than what was found with its predecessors.

Signature elements of the design make a return, with the big silver power button found on its side, with the volume rocker and dedicated camera shutter button found below it. Unfortunately, I did feel like the tactile feedback from the buttons weren’t as good as before, likely caused by the rounded design resulting in the buttons being a little more flush with the body.

While the design language remains familiar, some changes have been made to the established formula. For starters, the covers that protect the microSD card slot, SIM tray, and microUSB port have also been given a more polished and rounded look, and completely blend into the frame. Of course, the presence of these covers are indicative of another standard feature of high-end Sony devices, and that is its resistance to dust and water. The dual front-facing speaker setup has also been altered to a couple of smaller grills, as opposed to the slit-like design that was found with the Xperia Z2.

If you were already a fan of Sony’s design language, you’ll love the design of the Xperia Z3, and certainly appreciate the changes and refinements that have been made from the previous iteration. When it comes to the handling experience however, I did find the device to be quite slippery, due to the glass panels and the light metal frame. You won’t be in constant fear of the phone slipping out of your hand, but it may crop up occasionally. As was the case with its predecessors, the glass on either side is prone to fingerprints and smudges, and it’s quite difficult to get the device back to the pristine state it was in right after the plastic was peeled off.

With the Xperia Z3, Sony has further perfected the design of its flagship line, making this smartphone enticing for not only newcomers, but veteran users of Sony devices as well.

Display

The Sony Xperia Z3 features a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display, with a 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 424 ppi. Long gone are the days when we found ourselves feeling underwhelmed with the display capabilities of Sony flagships. Improvements that were clearly shown with the Xperia Z2 carry over, and are further enhanced, with the Xperia Z3, allowing for a great display experience.

The same enhancements to this display return in the form of the Triluminos tech and X-Reality Engine, ultimately providing even better color reproduction here than what is found with standard IPS LCD offerings. The result is a display that provides a lot of contrast and the kind of viewing prowess you may have come to expect from Sony televisions.

While the display size remains the same as its predecessor, the thinner bezels and sleeker form factor allow for an even better handling experience, and 5.2-inches is plenty of real estate for anyone looking to view media or read text. You’ll have a great time doing anything on this display. Text looks great, as do images and videos, and gaming is very enjoyable. Viewing angles are an issue that has plagued previous iterations, but this is vastly improved here, and the signature brightness of IPS LCD displays shines through as well.

Performance

Though the idea behind Sony’s release schedule is to stay ahead of the curve, the Xperia Z3 manages to fall slightly behind in the performance aspect. While the Snapdragon 805 is what is found with flagships released during this time period with devices like the Galaxy Note 4 and Nexus 6, the Xperia Z3 still sports a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, clocked at 2.5 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 330 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. For those who want to be on the absolute cutting edge, this may be a bit of a deal breaker, but it actually doesn’t make a significant difference in the overall experience.

All but the most recent and most processor-intensive games still performed wonderfully, and getting general tasks done is still as smooth and easy as ever, helped along by the simple, minimalistic, and therefore fast, Xperia UI. Jumping between applications using the Recent Apps screen is still a breeze, making multitasking as easy as it can be.

While it certainly would have been nice to see the latest and greatest processing package with the Xperia Z3, it is still a top-tier device in terms of performance.

Hardware

Camera

It’s clear that Sony has a lot of faith in their camera optics, because this is the same package that is has been a part of the Xperia flagship line since the Xperia Z1. The 20.7 MP rear shooter is capable of some enormous pictures, and also brings a lot of modes for fun and creativity.

Some of these modes that provide the tools to get a myriad of shots include AR effect, Background Defocus, and Timeshift, with numerous more available for download, should you need dedicated cameras for services like Evernote and Vine. 4k video recording is available, but huge file sizes might make you opt for the already good quality 1080p shots. The manual mode is where you can really cater the shot, but needing to go here in order to force HDR mode on is cumbersome.

Unfortunately, the issues that were prevalent with previous iterations also come back here. The 20.7 MP resolution is only accessible when in the full manual mode, after which you can get a 16:9 aspect ratio by jumping down to 15.5 MP, or even lower with the Superior Auto default of 8 MP. While the Superior Auto does a pretty good job of catering the settings to the shot, it’s disappointing that these features are not available in the 20.7 MP size.

That being said, the picture quality is still very satisfactory.The 20.7 MP shots obviously capture a lot more detail, but the 8 MP shots in Superior Auto, with its various modes and features, will likely be more pleasing. Though there is a propensity here to overexpose photos, this actually works in its favor when considering low light shots. In poor lighting conditions, the Xperia Z3 still yielded more usable shots than a lot of the competition.Further, using the dedicated camera button to easily activate the app and then shoot makes the Xperia camera one of the best tactile experiences currently available.

Software

Though minor upgrades across the board have been noticeable and proven to be welcome, the software aspect doesn’t quite fall under that category, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Xperia UI returns with essentially the same look and feel as before, with its decidedly stock-like elements and few additions piled on top.

If there is one thing that we are happy about with the UI it is that the simplicity keeps things really fast, and the interface seldom slows down due to being overworked. You get the general homescreens, the app drawer, the notification dropdown with the quick settings shade, and the Small Apps that are found in the Recent Apps screen, if you are looking to get some small overlay tasks done.

The main additions include the Sony specific applications like the Walkman, Album, and the Unlimited media buying experience. Connectivity to a PlayStation 4 is possible, allowing for streaming from the console to the phone on the same network. It’s definitely a feature that I’m very excited to use as soon as I get my hands on a PS4.

The main addition here is the LifeLog, which is a robust but somewhat disconcerting data logger that tries to record your entire life. Everything from internet usage, camera usage, Facebook usage, to even your steps and distance traveled, are recorded and illustrated by an avatar on the screen. Lifelog lets you literally look back and see what you have done in the past day or beyond. It’s definitely understandable if you’re wary about just how much specific data is being monitored, but anyone out there that likes to journal or just have logs of everything from fitness to data usage, it is an interesting tool, made even better since it will be able to connect with Sony wearables for data recording.

Ultimately there is a lot to like about the Xperia UI, if only because there isn’t too much to wade through. Sony continues to puts its faith in this iteration of Android, and it has to be said that we are definitely still fans of what we see.

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Pricing and Final Thoughts

The Sony Xperia Z3 is currently available for the full unlocked price of around $ 650, putting it squarely in the realm of flagship smartphone, in both value and price. Boasting similar performance packages and price points, the main competitors of this device are the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One (M8).

And so, there you have it – a closer look at the Sony Xperia Z3! For a number of people out there, the updates might not fully justify what is definitely a costly upgrade. But, veteran Xperia fans will find that the Xperia Z3 does provide just enough to keep things fresh, doing so very successfully, especially in the design department. For anyone unfamiliar the high-end Xperia line, this device is another great example of OEMs continuously perfecting what was already a good experience, and is for now, the best point of entry into this family. We can’t fault Sony for having faith in a product that already showed us what they were made of two versions ago, and we certainly can’t blame them for continuing to make that experience even better.

Android Authority