Smartswatch
Choose the best smart clock now is a difficult task due to the large number of new models now on sale from the likes of Apple, tiling, LG, Motorola, Tag Heuer, Fossil, Samsung and Sony.
There are so many great smartwatches to choose between, from the army to the latest Android Wear watch pebble, and the watch Apple sell like hot cakes too.
There is a lot in the pipeline too. The Apple Watch 2 earth sometime in the 2016 time, has already been detailed likes of Nixon's mission and Vivoactive HR Garmin.
We have completely overhauled our best smart-hour guide in an attempt to help those who are looking to make the right decision. Whether you are after a functional, elegant athlete or something, frankly, read on for our choice of the best hours of technology to own it now.
Best smart clock
Samsung S2 Gear
It's easy to live with as a pebble, as slick as Apple's Watch With Touch, rotating bezel has a secret weapon, and S2 is the kind of smart-hour you kick yourself to leave at home. You'll have to pay extra to get a cellular version to make the most of the GPS features to take advantage, but even the standard version like a leap forward.
Battery life is better than most competitors. We used Android Wear hours day after day, hour and smart Samsung beats this hands down.
Full verdict: our review of the Samsung S2 Gear
From $ 299.99, samsung.com |
Amazon
Best for iOS
Apple Watch
If you find and watch Apple's leading example blended fashion with technology or hated boxy is actually to personal taste. But for our money, it's one of the best looking smartwatches made so far (especially when combined with quality
Apple Watch belt), and comes in two sizes, is one of the most gender as well.
Construction quality is superb, and the imprint of watches 38MM 42MM much smaller than you'd expect. In spite of its flaws (Sports attributes the poor and the lack of GPS), and it was Apple Watch and one of the removable devices first-to-wear, which was actually a pleasure to wear. The Apple Watch 2 set to arrive soon though ...
Wareable rating: Review of Apple Watch
From $ 349, apple.com | Amazon
Best money is no object
TAG Heuer is connected
The first recognition - that we are not yet sufficient new smart-hour mark to restore fully considered untested. However, we have spent some time with the machine running Intel processors and it does not take long before you realize that it is better to build, top quality, Android device clothes yet. From a distance it really looks like a regular card Heuer watch - it's only when you get close to it I noticed quite a huge beast.
Hands-on: TAG Heuer Review Online
$ 1500, tagheuerconnected.com
The best option Android Wear
Sony smart hours 3
Sony was smart 3-hour envy of its rivals, thanks to built-in GPS connection, which means that you can leave your Smartphone at home when you go to run (Moto 360 Sport offset on this front now though).
Sporty design make it perfect for a jog at the end of the week, and while the screen a little bit boring compared to some of its competitors, last updated Android Wear means that it can be paired with wireless headphones to win on the go. It adds steel Edition touch of class to the clever hour we Wareable (Well, almost every one of us) offers compatibility the most bang for your buck clever hours.
Must-read: Sony smart three-hour review
From $ 249, sony.com | Amazon
Best budget
Asus ZenWatch 2
Axis ZenWatch 2 is an option, Asus coming to market smart-hour sophisticated mature manner. ZenWatch all new in two sizes - essentially, models of male and female comes. There is also a wealth of options including the rubber strap and steel, leather and Swarovski covered even one. This makes it one of the first nice for buyers Android Wear potential step.
While much has changed on the ZenWatch 2 on the hardware front, the company has installed a Taiwanese WiFi chip to take advantage of the new features in Android Wear, and fast charging technology means you can juice up to 50% of the battery throughout the 30 minutes.
Check out our full review ZenWatch 2.
From $ 149, asus.com | Amazon
The best technicians
Pebble time
Arguably the first modern smart clock that went mainstream, Pebble original is still going strong two years after launch. But for Pebblers wishing to upgrade, look no further than the now-shipping Pebble time. Everything that made the original a wonderful still on the plane: the affordable price, the battery life for a wonderful seven days and both the iPhone and Android compatibility.
There are also some serious upgrades on both the software and hardware, the most notable are new to the screen color electronic paper and the operating system schedule renovated.
Judgment Wareable: Review of Pebble time
$ 199, pebble.com | Amazon
Better battery life
Pebble hard time
The world had just caught his breath from the launch of Pebble time record high when it was announced the hard copy. Pebble time steel is thicker than her brothers plastic, making it feel much more regular hours of geek extension.
The additional 1MM not a bad thing though - which means a bigger room for the battery, which should keep going hard for 10 days.
Get the big picture: a review of steel Pebble time
$ 249,99, pebble.com | Amazon
Most customizable
Moto 3602
Moto 3602 comes in two sizes - 42MM 46MM and (different displays Size: 1.37 or 1.56 inches) - in fact, it's three sizes if you count the different band sizes in width. Mutu using the tool, you can choose between hundreds of different sets of tapes, edges, finishes and colors.
Mutu put the new 360 next to the first Gen Motorola hour and you can see the minute that really turn this design into an hour instead of the circuit last year on a belt differences.
Take a look at our review of Moto 360 here.
From $ 299.99, motorola.com |
Amazon
Best of Sport
Garmin Vivoactive
Before the Garmin Vivoactive, it was the perfect fitness device for active people really just a pipe dream. Arguably the first intelligent clock Garmin, and Vivoactive promises full on the wrist notifications amazing range of sports follow the relatively low price.
With running, cycling, swimming, golf and many others, they are all on board, and Garmin combination of an incredible range of features fitness center with notifications of the first class to create the first truly all day sporting wearable.
Unfortunately, the design historian and advocate of technology questionable screen in doubt whether anyone really wants to wear the device every day, and that's a shame to cry.
Full judgment: a review of the Garmin Vivoactive
$ 249,99, buy.garmin.com | Amazon
Better to run
Moto 360 Sport
In the past, Android Wear device to match Sony's clever three-hour skills in GPS - Moto 360 sports is actually thanks to a better run to the aid application motorcycle and bicycle body is already built in.
Moto 360 Sport includes LCD AnyLight screen that is adaptable naturally, this means that you should be back well in low light situations but to be easily readable when you go out to run in the sunniest conditions.
Read the full review of sports Moto 360.
$ 299, motorola.com | Amazon
The best method of affordable
LG Watch Urbane
There is no missing polite counter, whether it's gold or silver model you are sporting. The extent of the round is quite eye seriously light and catching. It's smart clock looks like a conventional timepiece, and unlike most polite LTE, with the classic form of hours of physical buttons and looking outside the insurance premium, regular and polite look a lot more modern and feminine.
It's pretty pricey though. If you really want to go all out, LG Watch polite Lux watchcase contains a 23-carat gold belt and is made from crocodile skin. It's $ 1,200 mind.
Check out: full review of the LG Watch Urbane
$ 349, lg.com | Amazon
Best of show
Huawei Watch
AMOLED display stunning clothes newcomer Android Huawei is a 1.4-inch, 400 × 400, and one with a number of 286ppi - the highest density on a smart Android Wear watch so far.
It has been making every Thanksgiving screen more impressive 10,000: 1 contrast ratio. Along with smaller Moto 3602 - its closest competitor in terms of aesthetics - it's clearly the screen more clearly. Not only because it provides a 360-degree images for real, but because everything looks just more visible.
Take a look at our review of Huawei Watch.
From $ 349, consumer.huawei.com |
Amazon
Your thoughts ...
Preferred device has missed you from our list? Let us know what you think should have been included and why to use the comments section below ...
THL
THL
The device comes with full Google Play support and all of the normal Google apps are available. For those Google apps not pre-installed, a quick trip to the Play Store gets you everything you need. It is worth mentioning that the 8GB of flash is divided into 2GB of internal storage and 4GB of phone storage. The 2GB partition does limit the number of apps you can install, however the storage is expandable and once you insert a memory card you can set the preferred install location to the SD card.
The ThL brand isn’t that well known outside of China, however in China the name is quite established and the company has over 340 stores across the mainland. The ThL T6 Pro is a great phone for the price and its excels in many areas including its performance. But it also has its weak points, like the lack of LTE and the mediocre display. However when you consider the price these lacks are more than forgivable. The T6 Pro is available for just $117 or 92 Euros, plus shipping and any local import taxes. Our review unit was supplied by
Chinavasion which ships worldwide.
Review xiaomi
It's a new year and a XIAOMI not step down in the competition for the release of devices that provide the most bang for your buck. Only a few months after the release of XIAOMI Redmi Note 3, the Chinese manufacturer Redmi issued 3.
Announcement
I have been for some time with the new phone spending, and I'm willing to give you a full rundown, so let's dig right into the details.
Also read:
XIAOMI Mi Pad 2 Review
XIAOMI Redmi Note 3 review
Review XIAOMI Mai 4I
XIAOMI Mi Note Pro review
design
In terms of aesthetics, and XIAOMI Redmi 3 takes many of the elements of the Redmi Note 3. Except that she was able to fit all of those good things in the 5-inch form factor.
This time XIAOMI carried loosely pattern on the back side, which makes the phone look very good. But all metals XIAOMI Redmi 3 not only offers a distinct look. Strong materials, smaller size and curves too obvious to make the handset that feels great in the hand.
You will find the strength and size of the buttons on the upper right side of the phone, and provide feedback through an excellent touch.
Also included is a speaker Infrared located on the top of the smartphone. And it can be controlled with Mai application remote included, but keep in mind that it offers very little support from outside China. The good news is that there are plenty of third-party applications that can take care of the work is very fine. Among my favorites are smart peels from a distance.
No major rear capacitive at the bottom, but there are multi-colored notification LED, which is certainly nice to have.
Show
This is not exactly high-end headset phone, so do not expect the best offer in the market. With that said, I can certainly tell you Panel 720P 5-inch still offers respectable for the price and the size of XIAOMI Redmi 3. I believe that the Redmi 3 has the best contrast and saturation of Redmi Note 3, though.
On the other hand, I did not find a thing of the defect on this screen. There seems to be a slight shift in color when viewing the screen from certain angles. Also, while the brightness adjustment worked very well during our testing feature, we found it difficult to watch the show Redmi 3 in direct sunlight, which may be a problem for some users.
performance
Under the hood we can find a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor 616, which works very well (again, considering the price). But yes, you will find hiccups from time to time, including writing does not respond and animation intermittently. But it did not work very well during light tasks.
Also read: Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 412, and 616 ARE official
There are also 2 GB of RAM memory in there, but it still offers a reasonable multi-tasking capabilities. Remember, not long 2 GB of RAM before considered distinct.
But the real test is when you play those awesome games we all love so much. Can the XIAOMI Redmi 3 cope? It can play most games reasonably well thanks so Adreno 405 GPU graphics support, but some games will show higher-end frame drops and backward. Experience can vary a bit, though, even games like
Asphalt 8 ran with a little hiccups.
hardware
You will not find much lacking in terms of communication. Packed inside and Wi-Fi 802.11n's, GPS and Bluetooth 4.1, which worked just as we expected.
This device is unlocked and displays the SIM dual capabilities, which will be great for those of you who travel a lot or rely on multiple companies. If you were not in that case, one of the SIM slots can also be used as a microSD card slot (up to 128 GB).
Speaking of storage, and there are 16 GB of memory on board here. Enough for many ordinary users, but those who need a lot of songs, and may need sand and other video-expanding files.
I was surprised to find that XIAOMI Redmi 3 speaker is actually quite loud. But nothing is perfect, and the sound does not come here with some distortion. Not much to worry about, though. I would say the biggest drawback of it is to set back the sites, which nozzles sound when the phone is placed on a flat surface.
But let's talk battery life. Oh my ... battery life. Featuring this little guy mAh battery 4100. The battery power is hard to find, even on high-end, large devices. Adding less processor trick in the equation accuracy, it will be holding the phone to beat. I was able to use it for more than 2 days with moderate use, but I'm sure will be even hardcore users are able to get a full day out of it ... and then some.
Also read: BEST OF ANDROID 2015: Battery
Specifications
camera
13 MP and / 2.0 camera XIAOMI Redmi 3 in the rear are able to take some good shots. Again, though, this is not high-end performance, this is something you will notice easily here. There is lack of dynamic range and a tendency to over-sharpen images. HDR helps a little bit, but it also makes taking shots slower and often makes images look unrealistic.
What I did like is the application MIUI camera, which offers a large manual controls. You can adjust things like white balance and ISO in manual mode, or use a variety of other modes such as panorama.
Software
And XIAOMI Redmi 3 comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box, the skin with MIUI 7. We know a lot of you do not like the similarities MIUI with iOS, but if you can get past the disadvantages you will find that the interface is an enjoyable user to use.
MIUI is easy to use, but also provides a commendable amount of customization and extra features, which will appeal to Android lovers. You can do special things such as call recording, set the battery configurations decision, changing color LED and adjust the size of the display mode with one hand.
One thing is bad here, though. Unfortunately, it can be a breaker for many of you deal. It does not come with Google applications out of the box. Installed is an additional step, and there is no news on the international version of the upcoming device.
Also bad news is that more XIAOMI began locking bootloaders. To our dismay, and XIAOMI Redmi 3 is one of the phones affected. This is for security, but tinkerers still play around if they are sick.
XIAOMI which require users to apply for open privileges and wait for a response to accept or reject, which says XIAOMI may take up to 10 days to receive. It's good to keep the phones safe for the casual user, but we feel a little uncomfortable this process. We feel that XIAOMI to open the process only calls for malware to be pre-loaded on the devices leave China, and users will have a tough time too removed.
Maybe you should not expect many updates for this phone should. We know that sounds very bad, but it is super affordable and does what it is supposed to do, or placed in a low-priority list in most cases. However, we should also note that MIUI does not receive its updates, which were released in many relatively often.
Gallery
price
Let's talk money! I have repeatedly been boasting the price of the machine, but still do not know just how affordable this device. It was only available from China in yuan, only 699 currently. That translates to about $ 108 dollars!
Do not keep in mind, however, that the sellers and exporters are likely to mark the price up to between $ 140 and $ 160.
conclusion
I find it hard to complain about XIAOMI Redmi 3. It's not the best build a phone, nor does it have the best specifications and definitely needs improvements in performance. But we must also keep in mind that very few other products can beat it at this price point. For about $ 108 and this is one hell of a phone.
In excellent design, distinctive programs, and crazy good battery overwhelm significantly disadvantages Omar. With that said, unless you have a tight budget unusually, want a smaller factor or need additional battery life form, we recommend an older brother to them.
And Redmi Note 3 has a higher resolution display, faster processor, life is still a big battery and a fingerprint reader only $ 30 more in China, and even less than through distributors.
Review new now
It's a new year and a XIAOMI not step down in the competition for the release of devices that provide the most bang for your buck. Only a few months after the release of XIAOMI Redmi Note 3, the Chinese manufacturer Redmi issued 3.
Announcement
I have been for some time with the new phone spending, and I'm willing to give you a full rundown, so let's dig right into the details.
Also read:
XIAOMI Mi Pad 2 Review
XIAOMI Redmi Note 3 review
Review XIAOMI Mai 4I
XIAOMI Mi Note Pro review
design
In terms of aesthetics, and XIAOMI Redmi 3 takes many of the elements of the Redmi Note 3. Except that she was able to fit all of those good things in the 5-inch form factor.
This time XIAOMI carried loosely pattern on the back side, which makes the phone look very good. But all metals XIAOMI Redmi 3 not only offers a distinct look. Strong materials, smaller size and curves too obvious to make the handset that feels great in the hand.
You will find the strength and size of the buttons on the upper right side of the phone, and provide feedback through an excellent touch.
Also included is a speaker Infrared located on the top of the smartphone. And it can be controlled with Mai application remote included, but keep in mind that it offers very little support from outside China. The good news is that there are plenty of third-party applications that can take care of the work is very fine. Among my favorites are smart peels from a distance.
No major rear capacitive at the bottom, but there are multi-colored notification LED, which is certainly nice to have.
Show
This is not exactly high-end headset phone, so do not expect the best offer in the market. With that said, I can certainly tell you Panel 720P 5-inch still offers respectable for the price and the size of XIAOMI Redmi 3. I believe that the Redmi 3 has the best contrast and saturation of Redmi Note 3, though.
On the other hand, I did not find a thing of the defect on this screen. There seems to be a slight shift in color when viewing the screen from certain angles. Also, while the brightness adjustment worked very well during our testing feature, we found it difficult to watch the show Redmi 3 in direct sunlight, which may be a problem for some users.
performance
Under the hood we can find a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor 616, which works very well (again, considering the price). But yes, you will find hiccups from time to time, including writing does not respond and animation intermittently. But it did not work very well during light tasks.
Also read: Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 412, and 616 ARE official
There are also 2 GB of RAM memory in there, but it still offers a reasonable multi-tasking capabilities. Remember, not long 2 GB of RAM before considered distinct.
But the real test is when you play those awesome games we all love so much. Can the XIAOMI Redmi 3 cope? It can play most games reasonably well thanks so Adreno 405 GPU graphics support, but some games will show higher-end frame drops and backward. Experience can vary a bit, though, even games like
Asphalt 8 ran with a little hiccups.
hardware
You will not find much lacking in terms of communication. Packed inside and Wi-Fi 802.11n's, GPS and Bluetooth 4.1, which worked just as we expected.
This device is unlocked and displays the SIM dual capabilities, which will be great for those of you who travel a lot or rely on multiple companies. If you were not in that case, one of the SIM slots can also be used as a microSD card slot (up to 128 GB).
Speaking of storage, and there are 16 GB of memory on board here. Enough for many ordinary users, but those who need a lot of songs, and may need sand and other video-expanding files.
I was surprised to find that XIAOMI Redmi 3 speaker is actually quite loud. But nothing is perfect, and the sound does not come here with some distortion. Not much to worry about, though. I would say the biggest drawback of it is to set back the sites, which nozzles sound when the phone is placed on a flat surface.
But let's talk battery life. Oh my ... battery life. Featuring this little guy mAh battery 4100. The battery power is hard to find, even on high-end, large devices. Adding less processor trick in the equation accuracy, it will be holding the phone to beat. I was able to use it for more than 2 days with moderate use, but I'm sure will be even hardcore users are able to get a full day out of it ... and then some.
Also read: BEST OF ANDROID 2015: Battery
Specifications
camera
13 MP and / 2.0 camera XIAOMI Redmi 3 in the rear are able to take some good shots. Again, though, this is not high-end performance, this is something you will notice easily here. There is lack of dynamic range and a tendency to over-sharpen images. HDR helps a little bit, but it also makes taking shots slower and often makes images look unrealistic.
What I did like is the application MIUI camera, which offers a large manual controls. You can adjust things like white balance and ISO in manual mode, or use a variety of other modes such as panorama.
Software
And XIAOMI Redmi 3 comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box, the skin with MIUI 7. We know a lot of you do not like the similarities MIUI with iOS, but if you can get past the disadvantages you will find that the interface is an enjoyable user to use.
MIUI is easy to use, but also provides a commendable amount of customization and extra features, which will appeal to Android lovers. You can do special things such as call recording, set the battery configurations decision, changing color LED and adjust the size of the display mode with one hand.
One thing is bad here, though. Unfortunately, it can be a breaker for many of you deal. It does not come with Google applications out of the box. Installed is an additional step, and there is no news on the international version of the upcoming device.
Also bad news is that more XIAOMI began locking bootloaders. To our dismay, and XIAOMI Redmi 3 is one of the phones affected. This is for security, but tinkerers still play around if they are sick.
XIAOMI which require users to apply for open privileges and wait for a response to accept or reject, which says XIAOMI may take up to 10 days to receive. It's good to keep the phones safe for the casual user, but we feel a little uncomfortable this process. We feel that XIAOMI to open the process only calls for malware to be pre-loaded on the devices leave China, and users will have a tough time too removed.
Maybe you should not expect many updates for this phone should. We know that sounds very bad, but it is super affordable and does what it is supposed to do, or placed in a low-priority list in most cases. However, we should also note that MIUI does not receive its updates, which were released in many relatively often.
Gallery
price
Let's talk money! I have repeatedly been boasting the price of the machine, but still do not know just how affordable this device. It was only available from China in yuan, only 699 currently. That translates to about $ 108 dollars!
Do not keep in mind, however, that the sellers and exporters are likely to mark the price up to between $ 140 and $ 160.
conclusion
I find it hard to complain about XIAOMI Redmi 3. It's not the best build a phone, nor does it have the best specifications and definitely needs improvements in performance. But we must also keep in mind that very few other products can beat it at this price point. For about $ 108 and this is one hell of a phone.
In excellent design, distinctive programs, and crazy good battery overwhelm significantly disadvantages Omar. With that said, unless you have a tight budget unusually, want a smaller factor or need additional battery life form, we recommend an older brother to them.
And Redmi Note 3 has a higher resolution display, faster processor, life is still a big battery and a fingerprint reader only $ 30 more in China, and even less than through distributors.
News (Samsung Galaxy c7)
After that revealed "Samsung" the first phone within the Galaxy C Series mobile phone chain and a C5 Galaxy, which we talked about in the news earlier, the Korean company also unveiled a phone for the second part of this new series, a phone Samsung Galaxy C7.
And owns Galaxy phone C7 specifications slightly larger for the first version within the series as it comes Full HD screen measuring 5.7 inches and processor eight-core Snapdragon 625 a frequency of 2 GHz processor and graphics Adreno 506, and random memory RAM capacity of 4 GB memory and internal storage capacity of 32 or 64 GB expandable through MicroSD slot to add external memory chip.
The phone's battery has a capacity of 3300 mAh supports fast shipping technology Quick Charge 3.0, and the phone supports various wireless communication technologies (and wifi, Blothot, GPS, NFC and 3G and 4G).
The rear camera phone are strictly 16-megapixel camera and front accurately 8 megapixel camera and the phone will come pre-running Android "Marschmilo 6.0.1 system."
It will be launched Samsung Galaxy phone C7 beginning in the Chinese market at a price of US $ 395 for a copy Jigaabiyat 32 and US $ 425 for version 64 Jigaabiyat.
Review Samsung Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy S4 was released as a high-end powerhouse back in 2013, but has since been superseded by the superb Galaxy S5 , which was followed itself by the Galaxy S6 . While it hasn’t been the runaway success that Samsung anticipated, it’s still one of the best-selling flagship phones of all time and a worthy successor to the outstanding Galaxy S3 .
The Samsung Galaxy S4 was one of the best phones of its day, but the mobile market is fast-moving and unforgiving. Two years since the S4 was released, it’s looking a little long in the tooth.
The competition at the top end of the market has been fierce. Apple’s steamrollered on with the iPhone 5S and subsequently the iPhone 6, and the likes of the LG G3 and HTC One M8 and their successors have put up a worthy fight for Android. Other manufacturers have also pitched in with surprisingly great flagship phones, most notably the Sony Xperia Z2 and the great-value Nexus 5.
Since the Galaxy S6 has taken up the mantle as Samsung’s flagship model, the S4 has been further reduced in price. It cost around £579 SIM-free at launch, but since dropping down the Galaxy pecking order it can now be picked up for just £250/$300.
So with stiff competition out there can the Samsung Galaxy S4 still hold its head high and be called the best of the best? And how does it cope with the rigors of day-to-day life?
We discuss some of the best and worst aspects of living with the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Watch the Samsung Galaxy S4 review video:
SEE ALSO: All the latest on the
Samsung Galaxy S5
Next read: Best Mobile Phones
While the 1.9GHz quad-core processor is no longer one of the fastest on the market it still gives the Galaxy S4 plenty of pep. It doesn't matter what you throw at the S4, it will guzzle it down and asked for seconds.
Watching full HD video or intensive 3D gaming is a doddle, and browsing the internet or multi-tasking a breeze. Scrolling through menus is quick and smooth, with the only very occasional stutter occurring when something is updating while you’re trying to open an app at the same time.
Unfortunately there's one issue with the Samsung interface and it's that there is a split-second pause between pressing a icon, to make a call for example, and it actually initiating the process. It's not a deal-breaker but many will find it a little clunkier than stock Android phones or iPhones, which seem to register actions quicker. In addition once you've used it for a while and added a host of apps the S4 does tend to suffer from some inconsistencies such as occasional jittery performance. The Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 roll-out has improved some of these issue, however.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S4 VS S5 VS S6: Which is the right upgrade for you?
Samsung has made a number of tweaks and additions to the Galaxy S4 TouchWiz interface, the software layer that sits on top of Android. If you’re being very kind you could call Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View and Air Gesture innovative. If you’re being cruel you could call them gimmicky bloatware.
We found that we quickly grew tired of trying to get Smart Scroll, or any of the other apps mentioned, to work effectively enough to be worth the hassle and battery drain. They’re not quite intuitive enough and sometimes actually make using the phone trickier than when they’re turned off. Within a few weeks we had disabled them all and we’re much happier with the experience the Galaxy S4 provides.
One of the best things we found about the S4 is that you stop thinking about it. It’s a 5-inch phone that fits easily in a pocket and can be used one-handed without too much trouble. It’s dependable; the screen is one of the best in class and the performance great, other than issues we've already described. The camera is impressive but has been surpassed by the Xperia Z2, Nokia Lumia 1020 and iPhone 5S.
It does the basics well though, and the call quality is solid. When the Galaxy S4 was released it had the best stamina of any phone in its class. Yes some newcomers have come along that challenge that, but it's still more than good enough. Unfortunately some battery problems have become apparent. We broke the story about
Samsung offering S4 battery replacements to affected users, but it does appear that it depends on the country you live in.
The vast majority don't suffer from this issue, however, and the battery life and quick charging alone have saved our skin on many occasions. It’s the first top-of-the-range phone we’ve used in a while that we can forget to charge the night before and still scrape a full day’s use out of. Even a dead battery shouldn’t hold you back for too long. A 15 minute charge from empty gives you up to 20% of your battery back.
If all the aspects we’ve just spoken about are what’s really important to you then the Galaxy S4 is at least as good as most of the competition and has had a price drop, significantly so since the launch of the Galaxy S5. You should probably stop reading and just go away and buy it right now.
For the rest of you let’s cover what the Galaxy S4 struggles with. It plain and simply lacks desirability and build quality. It’s like a pair of slippers. You’d just about venture to the local sweetshop with them on, but you wouldn’t want to go out to a nice restaurant. By contrast the iPhone 5S is a pair of loafers, the HTC One shiny dress shoes and the Sony Xperia Z21, to really put this simile out of its misery, flippers. All serve a purpose, but you’ll probably be as comfortable using the S4 on a daily basis as any other phone. The plastic is not quite as robust as we'd like though and you should invest in a case for it. If waterproofing is a requirement then you could opt for the Galaxy S5 which has a water-resistant rating that's a little lower than that on the Xperia Z2.
It’s mightily impressive that Samsung has managed to cram the Galaxy S4’s 5-inch screen into a body smaller, in all important aspects, than the S3’s. Let's not kid ourselves though, it's still a big phone and some will struggle with it if they're used to smaller phones.
For many this will be a minor point, however. As we’ve already mentioned on a day to day basis the Galaxy S4 just keeps doing what you need it to with aplomb. It’s solid, dependable and powerful – it just won’t make you feel sexy.
Now read on as we delve deeper into the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Check out all the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news, rumours, specs and price latest right here.
Introduction
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a lot to live up to. Follow-on to the Samsung Galaxy S3 , the most successful Android handset to date, the Galaxy S4 pits itself against renewed efforts from old rivals as well as the ever-present threat of Apple.
Given the hype surrounding the handset’s launch, however, a period that has seen months of build-up paired with countless rumours that would be the envy of any Apple launch, Samsung’s latest flagship phone looks set to face no issues in once again storming to the top of smartphone sales charts.
Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 and rivals
Off the bat, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a truly impressive powerhouse smartphone. On paper, it’s Samsung’s most impressive handset to date, not least as it jumps from the 4.8-inch S3 to a 5-inch screen without any added bulk.
At 7.9mm thick, 136.6mm tall and 69.8mm wide, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is actually 0.8mm narrower and 0.7mm slimmer than the S3. It tips the scales at just 130g – 3g less than the S3 and a genuine featherweight. Unlike past models, however, it doesn’t feel unnervingly light, instead, balancing its weight evenly and reassuringly across the handset’s full length.
Samsung hasn’t just made the screen larger. The stunning 1,920 x 1,080p Super AMOLED Samsung Galaxy S4 screen is a serious boost from the S3’s 720p screen that creates an instant wow factor. It’s arguably the best screen ever seen on a smartphone and proves the Samsung Galaxy S4 is more than a spec baiting feature fest – it’s a quality product.
But it’s far from the first phone to have a 1080p full HD display, and the Samsung Galaxy S4 faces stiffer competition than its most recent predecessor. It goes head-to-head with a reinvigorated collection of high-end Android handsets, with both the
HTC One and Sony Xperia Z lining up as the best smartphones ever produced by their respective manufacturers. There’s always the looming presence of Apple and the
iPhone 5, too, though if anticipation is anything to go by then Samsung’s execs won’t be losing any sleep.
Samsung Galaxy S4 – Key Features Explained
What might be an issue, however, is the Samsung Galaxy S4’s less than ideal start to life. Less than a week after it was announced, Samsung backtracked on its promise to deliver the much-touted 1.6GHz Exynos 5 eight-core powered version of the phone originally pegged to hit the UK, instead sending the 1.9GHz quad-core option to British shores.
Although this revised British spec lacks the battery saving prowess promised by its eight-core sibling, it certainly has the grunt – the Samsung Galaxy S4 suffers virtually no lag, even when tackling all the heavy-duty tasks, power-hungry apps, games and multimedia content we could throw at it.
Other hardware upgrades on the Samsung Galaxy S4 follow recent Android trends. Its 13-megapixel rear-mounted camera is akin to that of the Sony Xperia Z, while 1080p Full HD video recording and an integrated flash ensure it’s equipped for any occasion.
Combined with a second, 2-megapixel snapper upfront – again with 1080p Full HD video recording at 30 frames-per-second – the S4 cameras are excellent and the new Dual Shot feature lets you make use of both cameras simultaneously.
Dual Shot lets you take a photo or shoot a video with both cameras, with the front camera view appearing as a small ‘picture-in-picture’ thumbnail. It’s largely a gimmick that won’t appeal to everyone, but for those interested, Dual Shot gives the option for more personalised tourist snaps and party shots. It’s joined by Panorama, Eraser and Animated photo options that are quick and easy to set up and use, adding a new realm of possibilities.
At its core, Samsung has paired Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the most recent iteration of its TouchWiz UI, creating an experience that is equal measures intuitive and brimmed with high-end features and options. Indeed, it’s the Samsung Galaxy S4’s software where Samsung has innovated over the S3, and how it distinguishes itself from the competition.
See the following pages of the review for a more detailed look the numerous unique software features, such as the S Health fitness app, Smart Pause, Smart Scroll and Air Gesture
There’s a raft of premium add-ons, like NFC, 4G LTE and even IR remote control, too, and unlike the HTC One it has a built-in microSD card slot to expand the standard 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities – although actual available storage is considerably less than advertised, more on which later.
Samsung Galaxy S4 – Price & Deals
All this muscle and a hearty collection of headline grabbing features come at a price, however, and in terms of the Samsung Galaxy S4 price, it’s a considerable one.
Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy S4 price exceeds Apple and the iPhone, usually the benchmark for costly smartphones, as the entry-level 16GB Samsung Galaxy S4 SIM-free price is around £580 – £50 more than the iPhone 5. It’s pricey on 24-month contracts, too – a little more expensive than its closest rivals, with some retailers offering the handsets for free when taken on a £37 per month two-year deal.
If you’re looking to buy, we suggest you look at our round-up the best
Samsung Galaxy S4 deals.
Samsung Galaxy S4 – Quick Verdict
There is no getting away from the fact that this phone has more hype surrounding it than any Android device that has preceded it. Fortunately, Samsung has backed up much of this anticipation with action, offering a well-rounded, extremely powerful device that, although lacking something on the aesthetical front, is sure to impress the masses.
Given the Samsung Galaxy S4’s near identical looks to the S3 and the somewhat run of the mill hardware updates, some will argue that the handset is more of a Samsung Galaxy S3S in the vein of Apple’s incremental updates than a true S3 successor. In truth and practice, however, the handset is a whole new beast and one which far outstrips what has been, until now at least, the world’s most successful Android smartphone.
To compare the S4 against rivals, take a look at our best mobile phones 2013 round-up
Wow new
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Cardboard
Google Cardboard company has announced in the Google I / O conference in June 2014, and consists of two parts: a virtual reality (VR) headset, called technically scenes, and ecosystem programs that support it.
Not like Android Wear, it's one name applies to both hardware and software, and you will find often cardboard used to talk about the scenes made of cardboard, as well as applications that run in the world carton.
Google Cardboard is a virtual reality in its simplest form, designed to be a solution free of fuss and low cost to convert an existing device into one that can display content VR. In this sense, cardboard is empowerment in the end. But in another sense, is there anything of substance to play VR Google?
Google cardboard Review: Hardware
Review Google Cardboard opposed
With most systems VR there are some pieces of equipment you need. In this case - in this case
From these experiments a simple VR-based smartphones, it's the viewer. As the name suggests, Google Cardboard is just a piece of cardboard and two lenses in its purest form.
The viewers of cardboard and easy to get hold of, with many given with brands, especially in shops or at events companies. Really attractive thing for the viewer carton is that you do not pay out for something that's been made with a lot of spare parts, as it may be with some alternatives plastic.
The viewer is in the official Cardboard Figure II Gen. her, and sought to accommodate the larger size devices in the Google I / O conference in 2015, with the introduction of phones now up to 6 inches. You can buy a carton of so many places and in many cases for less than £ 10. Some viewers are delivered to support applications, and we are sure you will be seeing these things on a large scale in the future - Google says that 5 million people have so far been shipped.
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One thing to watch out for, however, is whether it's using the first or second general design. Apart from the size of the phone
This is absorbed, the big difference is the button. This is a clever application that allows interaction with the device that you put into it: the pressure on at the top of the button moves inside the crane capacitive touch-screen. It's the way that you choose or press on the screen, without stick your finger in the middle of it.
First Gen cardboard used magnets to confuse the compass sensor on your phone
Phone as a form of interaction, but there is also Google Cardboard scenes around that you do not have any form of interaction, and this is less than ideal. Look for works with Google Cardboard logo, or the button on top, to get the best experience.
The latest version of the viewer carton comes with a code to scan the bottom. In the case of our strength awakens Star Wars model, which tells the program what the viewer that you use so that they can achieve the best configuration.
Assembling cardboard viewer is about three steps, basically just sticking the bottom of some of the paintings. I was ready for then your smartphone slot into space in the front.
On a very basic level, there is no padding or head strap, so the viewer carton is largely dedicated: You'll have to hold the viewer on your face to display the content of the experience of playing on your phone
inside.
There is a downside to this arrangement: If there is light in the room, and this can seep in through the gaps around the face and the viewer and reflect off the lenses, and the erosion of the pictures you see. For best results, you'll want to use in darker conditions.
Works with Google Cardboard devices
As we said, carton is more than just physical cartoon scenes. There are plenty of choices for viewers that fall under the works with Google Cardboard system. Effectively, and the experience of the program is the same, but the hardware that may be used with different.
More importantly works with Google Cardboard program means that there is some consolidation which will offer you the best Google VR experience, because these are the criteria that are Cardboard program's design. A wide range of manufacturers with the Works with cardboard products, including some big names, such as with a Zeiss Zeiss VR One Mattel Show with MS.
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Some works with Google Cardboard products have their original program viewing, like watching the Masters, but the brands means that they operate within the carton ecosystem as well: the best of both worlds, if you will.
If you are looking to buy works with Google cardboard product, the important thing is that you have a smart phone compatible: If Zeiss, you need the correct stairs to the viewer that fits your phone. Clearly limit is that you are buying something that is not necessarily a buffer for the future: If you have the next
Does not fit your phone, you may not be able to use it. On the contrary, if you have an old
Phone which is compatible, you can turn it to the phone VR when you stop using it day after day.
However, many of these viewers more substantial VR to provide the amenities that the viewer basic cardboard does not, such as fillers face and perhaps head strap, leaving your hands free and provide better light seal, as mentioned above, but it does come at a cost.
Google cardboard Review: What is the best smartphone for VR?
Cardboard experience is defined by two elements. We talked about the scenes, but really smart is what cardboard needs to work. First, Google has been carton is designed to work with both Android and iOS, with applications on both platforms.
With viewers to accept the range of sizes of the device, there are a lot of options, but in fact you are looking at the display as a key element because it governs the viewing experience. First, you will need to make sure it is clean: Any stains degrade and distort the image you're viewing, and will any dust and debris are clearly visible.
I've been using Star Wars Google
Cardboard scenes mainly with Nexus
6. This device 2015 fits well in a carton and sports a 6-inch display with 1440 X 2560 pixels, 490ppi it's pretty much the largest organ you will get in there.
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Google cardboard used as lenses to enlarge the smartphone screen, high pixel density for the best. If you have a display with low resolution scattered over a wide area, and lenses make it easy to see the pixels and the picture would be nice also.
One of the highest pixel densities'll find on the Sony Ericsson Z5 is excellent, with a 5.5-inch 0.3840 x 2160 pixels, 806ppi. It is the highest organ accuracy there at the moment, with the highest pixel density. When under the magnifying glass to cardboard scenes, it provides better than anything else we've tested visual experience.
Despite the absence of a lot of using higher resolution content, pixel density difference, so something like the Samsung Galaxy S6 looks better than the iPhone 6. The only exception is the decision of YouTube 360, which gives access to content higher resolution content.
The Z5 Premium you can ratchet up to the highest accuracy, such as 2160 and you'll see the difference really full HD, as you can with the content on the 1440 Quad HD devices.
Otherwise, Google says that you'll be running Android 4.1 or cardboard to use the application, but also remember that many of the formations to take advantage of the rich graphics, which favors a more powerful devices that deal with those things better. Chances are, though, that as long as your smartphone and you will fall in
Google Cardboard scenes, you'll be able to use it.
Elsewhere you'll need headphones or speakers cranked on your phone. Because of the effects of virtual stereo surround used in a lot of VR content, if you are only using the phone's speakers, then the model with the front speakers facing twin would be better. Again, the bottom spokesman iPhone fits less. However, headphones
Providing the voice of a much more immersive and will be our preference.
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Google cardboard Review: Navigation
One of the obstacles facing the cardboard is casual in nature. Being his hand, it's a case of identifying what you want to view, and put the application to go and then put the phone in the viewer a lot. There is currently a minimum of external mobility options, such as control devices, which play a major role in the largest VR systems.
Button mentioned above and this is one of the available hardware you have. This is used as much as a click and, allowing you to pause a video or move through the landscape or some other interaction.
Mobility of the application differs to the application, but many take advantage of the work of hovering. This force on the list of open-click hovering point on the action that you want, or let you click to something - such as the size - and then click again to change the volume to the level you want.
Freedom of opinion is often about VR and motion sensors in your life
Phone allows you to look up, down and everywhere, enjoying a virtual environment.
Often, out of the application, you will have to tilt the phone back in the picture and inevitably take it out of the scenes. If you are using the viewer of cardboard, and this is very simple, but if it's a tray in a larger device, which may be little more than a faff. Sure, it feels as if the Cardboard application needs to expand the repertoire to provide a mechanism to improve navigation on the viewer, to change the content. Other applications must also embrace this - YouTube, in particular.
Google Cardboard Review: Games and Content
VR Google experience working initially through Google Cardboard application. This includes the setup program - a process that the lower limit - as well as a small number of preliminary experiments so you can see what is cardboard everything. Again, like Android Wear, it also lines popping up
VR applications that you can install a central place to quickly get many virtual reality have applications. It seems that some applications never be located in the section in the cartoon "My library", a situation which needs to be addressed.
There are a wide range of cartons of available applications, and here we focus mostly on the Android experience. We also tested the iPhone 6 with cardboard, but for the most part, we have been enjoying Android experience.
Here are some of the applications and the necessary expertise to Google carton.
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YouView channel 360 Video
YouTube video so much at the forefront of emerging technologies in the VR world there is a lot to take advantage of them. First, you can 3D display, because virtual reality is basically an evolution of stereoscopic 3D side by side, although it will not always be coordinated quite right for carton if it were loaded side by side. Where there is an option on the 3D video, and search for the cartoon logo and press the button to get the best viewing experience.
But YouTube really pays 360 video channel for this latter type of content VR. It was supported in some browsers, such as Chrome, which means that you can pan around the home video game to look anywhere else. But slot machine in a carton and once in the video can look everywhere. It's easy to miss work if you're looking the wrong way, but it's great to have the freedom to explore.
There are some incredible videos under # 360Video, but also in other places listed in general as 360 video. We love some of the videos fighter aircraft that are packed full of details with amazing views, but also some of the videos roller is immersive enough to give you that feeling inertial. Not for those who have a weak stomach.
Whatever you do, YouTube is a key element in the Google Cardboard experience. Just look for the Google Cardboard on the face icon to VR mode and then watch in any direction you want!
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Show the street from Google
Street Hella cool show, we love it. But out of that experience and put in VR makes perfect sense. In virtual reality there is this perspective that the 3D display 2D browser does not offer.
You will need a Google Street View application (rather than just use Google Maps pin Man) and then you can search for places or other street show featured sites. Some sites are amazing, as is the case in the mountains or other wide open spaces, with beautiful horizons.
But let's face it. We will look first at your front door, such as Street View in 2D, you can move along the way, in this case by pressing the button the viewer to move yourself along. There is a huge novelty factor here, but it works well.
Short trip VR
Short trip VR has a number of applications on Android, offering what it calls virtual reality film experience. This is a well put together content offers a wide range of expertise and display and displays some of the best navigation VR around.
The main application is a short trip VR is really like a lobby, giving you access to a wide range of content types into categories, although they are all movies. The best is the travel section, which offers some amazing video quality.
But the best thing about the show VR short trip is a slick navigation. If nothing else, it is a good view of how they should be held content of this kind together in a virtual reality environment. You can also access videos on YouTube, but that kind of misses the point: it's the application linking them together, this is a smart thing here.
Definitely worth checking out.
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star Wars
As you may have guessed from our choice of scenes, we are lovers of Star Wars. To enrich the application, Disney VR content and added in the form of Jakku spy. This adds a series of "messages" you can watch some content to give the original Star Wars immersive.
They are short clippings only, but put this in front of a fan of Star Wars and they are a few nuggets of joy. You can also skip from message to message from inside the viewer, so it's easy (once loaded) to display all the different pieces of the system.
Of stars BB-8, of course.
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Cardboard camera
Another 360 experience Google is the cartoon camera. This application allows you to capture an image 360, which is basically a panoramic image to go all the way around. It's interesting, though, that differ from the panoramic images, which I'll talk about below.
This carton images are linear, so there is no looking up or down here, just round and round until the bumps one end to the other.
Your application offers 360 images, as well as allowing you to capture them, which is made with a slow campaign with the phone in the picture. Cardboard camera is worth checking out, but it's not the best VR's experience on cardboard.
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PSViewer 2.0
And it provides much better imaging of panoramic images for Google experience. This has introduced a few years ago, with the capture enabled in the Google camera from KitKat onwards and still reside in the stock Android camera on a marshmallow.
And panoramic images of a group of pictures stitched to create the image of 360, and if you were looking at the inside of photography ball. Google allows you to upload them to Google Maps, so others can see it. Usually, this is by scrolling around your browser, but with the added VR potential there.
PSViewer application is a little neat to view panoramic images. It's a little clunky (and Google will add this capability in the cardboard camera in the future as we understand it), but you can add in PSViewer panoramic images and then dive in and displayed using the viewer cartoon for in the impact of VR glorious.
NYTVR
If you're looking for more content architecture, then there NYTVR of The New York Times. This application gives you access to a wide range of 360 videos that you have to download to be able to watch.
There are a wide range of content available, offering a beautiful approach to consume something a little more educational, not like the view of the short trip. However, NYTVR really does not make any attempt to provide VR movement within the application - it's consumption once you get there - and again you can find the video content on YouTube directly if you prefer.
However, there are some important milestones in the presence and worth considering.
The discovery of VR
The discovery has a range of content available VR spite of its application, which provides 360 videos on a wide range of topics. There is a wide range of content, from short films
That looks like a video sponsored by the tapes, even those that are more educational, to some that are a little more spoofy.
Inside the application you have the option to view in a carton with the benefit of a single button, such as NYTVR, and there is no navigation Once you're watching, basically you have to make copies of the video and return to the menu. But again, these videos directly through YouTube, so you can take your pick from for access.
The discovery is interesting because it VR large organization create a virtual reality which works with cartoon content, but at the same time, it could be the best virtual reality and quality of the experience can be even higher when viewed through the application.
Dejobaan Games, LLC
Caaaaardboard!
Ooooof, one here and that will give your stomach a bumpy road. Caaaaardboard! It is a game designed for cardboard, which means you have an advantage from the start of the application and put the phone
Directly to the viewer, instead of having to navigate the application outside of the viewer.
It's basically a simple game base jumping, where you can orient yourself as you are, and collect points and try not to hit anything solid on the road. But, yes, you fall and your stomach may not thank you for it, as we found it very difficult to continue for any length of time.
But this is a good view of the immersive
VR in a simple and fun game. Definitely worth a try.
Justin Wasilenko
End virtual reality space for cardboard
Another game is the end of the carton space. This is basically a space shooter, where you're chasing the goals and blasting them.
Navigation is simple you just have to look and use the button to fire. As you destroy enemies you can collect power-ups and everything keeps rolling on.
We suspect that many of the VR games will follow this approach. As you ship your head gives you the freedom to move and without a complicated set of controls, it's simple enough.
Graphically it looks good as well as sounding good, so if you play with the cartoon, it's a good title for a check.
Google cardboard Review: current challenges
Google Cardboard is empowerment. The concept of scenes from cheap cardboard paper puts VR accessible to pretty much anyone with a smartphone. There are better phones to give you the best experience, but the global large-scale cardboard has a lot of appeal.
However, the scenes cartons will not last forever. When transmitted from one person to another, packaged up and carried around, it will attract wear fairly quickly. In these cases, if you turn into a cardboard power user, you may want to invest in a more substantial systems.
Lack of a head strap padding is also specific to the carton format. There are rumors that Google is trying to develop something more substantial, and we can see that there is a need to do so. If cardboard ecosystem is to grow, we will probably need to go beyond the scenes of cardboard for normal use.
Navigation is also something of an issue. Although there is some consolidation, there is a wide range of expertise. Something like a short trip VR is a long way to go before some other applications available.
YouTube is obviously a big part of the experience cartons. Google being the property, which makes perfect sense, and in many ways can be found on some of the most interesting content of the highest quality here. But in fact it is necessary to massage the thing to be the best virtual environment to navigate.
rule
Google Cardboard is largely a cornerstone of VR laptop. It's cheap and easily accessible and which are of vital importance. Although some of this is the evolution of 3D content, with viewers cartons being cheap, YouTube Support 360-degree video formats and a lot of free apps on Google Play, it is an important environment for VR content to flourish.
VR also capture devices are also becoming more common, it is likely that these cartons are to be the first point of consumption.
Cardboard does not compare to larger systems, but in some cases, we can see how there can be a transition. There is also a mobile phone games that jump on the IP of the console or computer games, we can see many developing franchises both complex complete virtual reality games for HTC
Vive or skylight Rift, and titles for casual carton.
XIAOMI mi Pad 2
Quality 9.4 / 10 Building
DISPLAY 9.3 / 10
Speakers 9.5 / 10
Battery 9.2 / 10
SOFTWARE & Performance
8.8 / 10
CONNECTIVITY 7.6 / 10
Camera 5.8 / 10
Hassan
- Major construction quality
- Great show
- Great audio amplifiers
- Great battery life
bad
- MIUI is not for everyone
- Cameras Average
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XIAOMI Mipad 2 Review
Participated in the December 31, 2015
By HumbleHumboldt
Buy from GEARBEST
Hey guys, what's up, this is a full review for XIAOMI Mipad 2. It is directly aimed at the iPad Mini 4, and costs only half the price. With a new processor Cherry Trail, and retina display, and excellent quality of construction, and you get a ton of stuff for $ 200. However, there is not a perfect device, so continue watching the good and evil of XIAOMI Mipad 2. You can get it from Gearbest. Continue reading after the break!
Key Specifications
7.9 "2048 × 1536 IPS display
1.33GHz Intel Atom Cherry Trail Z5-X8500 quad-core
2GB of RAM + ROM 16GB
Camera 8MP + 5MP
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Bluetooth, MicroHDMI, wire microUSB 3.0
OTG 6190mAh battery
333g, 204mm x 132.6mm x 0.69mm
Build quality
In my opinion, a "CD 8 is the ideal size of the disk. The easy to hold in one hand and large enough for media consumption. It's really a disk light metal, just a hair more than 300 grams.
4: 3 aspect ratio here makes a wider disc from 16:10 other tablets such as Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, so it's a little more challenging to hold in one hand, but not difficult. It's also really thin at 7mm, although not as thin as the iPad Mini 4 6MM.
The front of the simple plate. Find the front-facing camera, and the notification and MI logo up top light.
All of the buttons on the right side, and microUSB port type C is at the bottom and a headphone jack on the top. Unlike Mipad 1, there is no microSD card slot, which I think it is wrong.
Metal back is very nice to hold and give the painting feels real premium, and I'm really happy they chose metal instead of plastic, such as Mipad 1. the back of the painting is also very simple, with the rear camera, and MI logo and dual speakers.
So to summarize the quality of construction materials and a large, high-volume, a good idea in hand, and supplementation really simple and clean. Are there any downsides? Well, if you want to pass this off as the iPad, you will have to scrape MI logo.
Review THL SMARTPHONE
ThL has managed to make what is probably the cheapest 5 inch, 720p HD smartphone on the market. For the price there isn’t much to complain about. But if I have to moan about something then it is probably the battery life.
The Chinese smartphone maker ThL has released some interesting phones recently, including the ThL 5000, which featured a 5000mAh battery; the ThL T200 , with its 6 inch display; and the ThL L969 , the company’s first 4G phone. ThL has now launched the ThL T6 Pro . Not only does this 5 inch, 720p HD device use the same octa-core processor as the ThL 5000, but it costs less than $120.
So what kind of phone can you expect for $120? I got hold of a T6 Pro and I tested it out for a few days, and this is what I discovered.
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The T6 Pro is about the size you would expect for a device with a 5 inch display. It isn’t the world’s thinnest, at 8.6mm, but neither is it thick. The bezels down the sides of the display good, but not ultra-thin. Compared to say a Nexus 5, the T6 Pro is a few millimeters longer, 2 mm wider and about the same thickness. In other words to hit this price point the designers at ThL have made the phone’s dimensions distinctly middle-of-the-road, which is perfectly acceptable. I am used to 5 inch devices, my daily “go to” device is a 5 incher. So for me this means the T6 Pro is easy to handle, has a good grip and actually feels quite light.
On the front is the 720p HD display, with three capacitive buttons on the bottom (menu, home and back). Toward the front top edge is the speaker grill and the front facing camera. Looking around the sides, the power button is on the right, and the volume rocker is on the left. The power button can be easily reached by your index finger when held in your left hand. On the top is the micro USB port and the headphone jack. On the bottom is a small thumbnail space to help prise off the back cover, it also acts as the gap in the outer shell for the microphone. For a little bit of decoration the phone has two metal bands running down each side.
On the back is the slightly protruding camera lens, the LED flash, the “thl” logo and the speak grill. Since the camera protrudes from the back then the phone is prone to rocking when placed on a flat surface. This is most noticeable when trying to type. The back cover is matte plastic with a slight dimple effect. Overall the design is pleasing and the phone is easy to handle.
The 1280 x 720 pixel IPS display on the T6 Pro is good considering the price point of this phone, however there are some negative aspects. The viewing angles are OK, but not excellent, and overall the color reproduction can only be classed as fair. The display can’t be called vivid and when placed side-by-side next to a device with a better display, you can see that the whites are slightly grey and the primary colors lack punch. Also the display supports just two simultaneous touch points and not the more standard five, however that really isn’t a problem at all, except for the most advanced Fruit Ninja players! Having said all that, having a 293ppi display on a budget device is a big plus. Overall the display adds to the user experience, and although there are better 5 inch displays out there, you won’t find one on a phone in this price bracket.
For a budget device the choice of processor in the T6 Pro is excellent. The octa-core MediaTek MT6592M runs at 1.4 GHz and gives the phone more than sufficient processor power for most tasks. The processor packs 8 x Cortex-A7 cores and while the Cortex-A7 core isn’t as fast as ARM’s Cortex-A9 and Cortex-A15 cores, the Cortex-A7 is more energy efficient.
The T6 Pro’s AnTuTu scores are surprising for this price point. The device hasn’t been designed to take one of the top spots, however it still manages a score of 26696. These octa-core devices are very good for tasks which perform a lot of multitasking, however you will likely see the lower performance of the Cortex-A7 core on tasks that only have a single thread, for example when browsing the web.
For Epic Citadel, the demo app for the Unreal 3D engine, the T6 Pro managed 52.9 frames per second (fps) on the High Performance setting and 52.7 fps on the High Quality setting. These are good results considering that the processor uses the Mali-450 GPU. The Mali-450 is a good choice for budget phones, however it is starting to show its age.
In terms of GPS performance the T6 Pro does surprisingly well. I stepped outside and activated the GPS and within a few seconds the device had a lock. I then disabled the GPS and went inside. After leaving the phone for a few hours I activated the GPS inside the house, and although it took longer, the GPS acquired a lock indoors. It is also worth mentioning that the T6 Pro doesn’t have a built-in compass.
Previous ThL phones have had an issue with the GPS working simultaneously with Bluetooth. The situation had vastly improved by the time ThL released the ThL 5000. The T6 Pro behaves basically the same as the ThL 5000. In other words, there is still some stutter and lag in the Bluetooth output (tested by playing background music to a Bluetooth speaker) when some GPS related apps start. But the interruptions to the Bluetooth output are only temporary and last, at most, only a couple of seconds.
The battery tests I performed have turned out to be a little inconclusive. The combination of the 5 inch, 720p display and the octa-core processor could leave the 1900 mAh battery struggling to provide a full working day of power. However ThL decided to clock the processor at 1.4 GHz rather than the customary 1.7 GHz. This means that even with a sub 2000 mAh battery, the device should have reasonable battery performance.
I ran my customary set of tests: YouTube streaming, Epic Citadel, and playing an MP4 file from the internal storage. I had an initial problem that the battery didn’t discharge evenly. Tests conducted when the battery was near full yielded significantly different results than when the battery was half used. However after several discharge/charge cycles the results started to even out.
My Epic Citadel test showed that the phone will handle about 3 hours of intensive 3D gaming. Simpler 2D will likely run for much longer. YouTube will work for around four hours on a full charge, while watching an MP4 video stored locally will work for around four and half hours. I did a simple 3G calling test and the phone has a talk time of at least 20 hours.
All tests were performed with the screen on half brightness, with Wi-Fi and sync enabled.
The phone has all the standard connectivity options like Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth, 2G GSM and 3G, but it doesn’t have NFC or LTE. There are two SIM card slots, one normal sized and one for micro SIM cards. The device is compatible with two 3G frequencies, 900 and 2100MHz. The latter is the most common 3G frequency and should work in most places around the world, however a lot of carriers also use secondary 3G spectrum ranges. In Asia and South America this is often 850MHz and 1900MHz, for Europe it tends to be 900MHz. The 3G won’t work in the USA, however 2G calls should work fine. You need to check with your carrier to ensure compatibility or check the List of UMTS networks page .
I compared the Wi-Fi signals strengths of the T6 Pro with other devices I have and it performed equally as well. I was able to access the Internet from all around the house and outside without any problems.
However, there were a couple of times when I had to toggle the Wi-Fi off and on again to restore Internet connectivity. This happened mainly during my YouTube battery testing. After about 15 minutes of streaming, access to the Internet would cease. Stopping the Wi-Fi and restarting it again solved the problem. I had a similar problem with the ThL 5000. This could be a local problem at my end, I am not sure.
The 8 megapixel shooter on this phone is reasonable and certainly good enough for any snaps you want to take when you don’t have a better camera with you. It works best outdoors, but since it has a F2.2 aperture, the indoor results are OK. The back camera can be set to automatically extrapolate up to 13MP, however it isn’t the megapixel count or the aperture size that is the problem. The biggest problem is with the colors. For the most part the colors are bland. Having said that they can be easily tweaked in just about any photo editor.
For those into selfies the front camera is may be a little weak at only 2 megapixels, however it can be set to extrapolate up to 8MP. In terms of video, the rear camera can record at 1092 x 1088, while the front facing camera only records video at 640 x 480.
Overall the camera is OK but not exceptional. The camera app is the fairly standard app with features like HDR, face detection and burst mode etc. If you don’t like the built-in camera you can install Google’s default camera app from the Play Store.
The best thing is to judge for yourself. It is fall now where I live, so there aren’t many flowers out and there are lots of leaves on the ground, but I hope this selection of photos is useful:
The T6 Pro comes with stock Android 4.4.2 with a few minor tweaks like an extra setting under Battery which enables “CPU power saving mode.” According to the description this limits the maximum CPU performance to conserve battery life and lower the device’s temperature. There is also a section in the settings to enable the “Multitasking Window”, a little “always on-top” menu which gives you quick access to a few miniature apps including a notepad and a music player.
The Security section also features an Apps permission setting. When enabled you can control which apps have permission to make calls, send SMS messages, get your location and so on. Once enabled the default permission is for each app to ask before using a restricted service.
The built-in launcher is ‘Launcher 3’ from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and not the Google Now Launcher. You can install the Google Now Launcher from the Play Store if you don’t like the default one. This build of ‘Launcher 3’ also has some ThL custom icons. One minor point is that all the icon backgrounds are squares with curved edges. This means that if you install an app with a transparent background then it gets placed on a colored square.
The device comes with full Google Play support and all of the normal Google apps are available. For those Google apps not pre-installed, a quick trip to the Play Store gets you everything you need. It is worth mentioning that the 8GB of flash is divided into 2GB of internal storage and 4GB of phone storage. The 2GB partition does limit the number of apps you can install, however the storage is expandable and once you insert a memory card you can set the preferred install location to the SD card.
The ThL brand isn’t that well known outside of China, however in China the name is quite established and the company has over 340 stores across the mainland. The ThL T6 Pro is a great phone for the price and its excels in many areas including its performance. But it also has its weak points, like the lack of LTE and the mediocre display. However when you consider the price these lacks are more than forgivable. The T6 Pro is available for just $117 or 92 Euros, plus shipping and any local import taxes. Our review unit was supplied by
Chinavasion which ships worldwide.
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