Cam Bunton, Editor at NewGeekGuide – Cam has been passionate about tech since his dad bought the family’s first Commodore AMIGA back in the late 80’s. He’s been in the tech industry (writing and making videos) since 2010, and joined NewGeekGuide as the resident video producer and product reviewer in 2015. He sometimes writes news and reviews for 9to5Mac too.
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As Motorola and Verizon’s event to launch the refreshed lineup of DROID Turbo and DROID Maxx smartphones looms, a handful of new details have emerged alongside a new leaked image. The picture above — shared by the usual leakster, Evan Blass — shows both the new DROID models. What’s more, information obtained by Droid-Life suggests Verizon is working on a unique ‘design refresh’ program for customers looking to buy the new DROIDs…
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Honor is Huawei’s affordable brand in Europe, and the Honor 7 promises high end design and features, but without the normally associated price tag. It’s all metal, has a full HD display and a fingerprint sensor built in. But it’s not perfect…
In an effort to claw back some market share at the bottom end of the market, Samsung has released a couple of new modestly-specced smartphones in China. With the rise of several Chinese brands offering great handsets at low prices, Samsung has to fight back. The Galaxy On5 and On7 are part of the the company’s attempt to put pressure on the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi.
There’s little here to whet the appetite of the spec-hungry tech fan. Both phones are equipped with similar components, the only real difference between the Galaxy On5 and On7 is the size. The On5 has a 5.0-inch screen, while the On7 has a 5.5-inch screen. Both share the same 1280 x 720 resolution TFT screens, giving pixel densities of 294ppi and 267ppi respectively. Inside, powering the phones, is an Exynos 3475 quad-core processor paired with 1.5GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage (expandable up to 128GB). There’s a 13MP camera on the back and 5MP camera on the front. Samsung’s page doesn’t give full specifications for the On5, but we’re assuming it doesn’t have the same 3,000mAh battery found inside the larger, 8.2mm thin, On7.
One interesting thing to note is the software installed on the phones. Samsung recently got in to trouble in China because of its insistence on pre-installing tons of bloatware which can’t be uninstalled. Because of this, the Samsung page for the On5 and On7 now detail exactly how much space the pre-loaded apps take up (all of which can be deleted). One of those apps, making its way to China for the first time is Samsung Milk , the Korean tech giant’s music streaming services.
No pricing information has been released yet, but given the specifications, it’d be very unlikely if the phones weren’t in the bottom end of the market.
A short while ago, Google revealed a new redesign for its mobile Play Store which, among other changes, would separate apps and entertainment content. From today, you could see that new design hit, and when it does, you won’t be able to miss it.
Instagram is expanding its range of apps further today by introducing a new video-looping service to rival the likes of HTC Zoe and the iPhone’s baked-in Live Photos. Boomerang takes a quick burst of photos in-app, and then turns them in to a moving photo, or video, that loops forward and backward. Don’t call it a GIF though, it’s a Boomerang…
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The HTC One A9 has received a lot of attention over the past few weeks and months. Even before it launched, there were concerns that it would look a little too much like an iPhone 6/6s. Afterwards, the response has been almost unanimous. Even some of the most passionate Android fans and blogs seem to be of the opinion that the HTC One A9 looks like an iPhone clone, albeit one with a few ‘interesting’ differences…
With the holiday season looming, retailers and manufacturers are clamoring to sell as many products as they can. That means two things: There are new products on the market, and the older ones are being heavily discounted. Whether you’re looking to snag a great former-flagship for less than retail price, or pick an entry level phone as cheaply as possible, you’re not short of options. Our roundup of today’s best deals includes a twelve dollar smartphone and the LG G Flex 2 among others…
According to data obtained by Canalys (reported by WSJ), Huawei became the largest smartphone maker in China, overtaking Xiaomi during Q3 this year. The smartphone maker’s shipments grew a huge 81% year-on-year, while Xiaomi saw its own shipments drop in the same period. It’s a significant achievement for Huawei, and marks the first time the company has been in top spot in China.
Although Canalys didn’t reveal exact sales figures for the third quarter, it did say that it will release a detailed report at the end of this month. It did note however that Xiaomi’s year-on-year drop in shipments is also a first, suggesting the two companies are moving in opposite directions.
It’s an interesting time for both companies. On the global scene, Huawei has seen its brand become far more recognizable over the past 12 months. Now, with the launch of the Nexus 6P and Huawei Watch, the manufacturer is on the cusp of becoming one of the ‘big brands’ in terms of sales and mindshare among consumers. In stark contrast, Xiaomi relies on sales in its homeland, China for its growth. With Huawei outperforming Xiaomi in China, and the Mi-makers not having a well-known brand outside Chinese borders, it could spell a slowdown in momentum for the once all-conquering Xiaomi. What’s more, Xiaomi is no longer the only company producing competitive phones at low prices. Brands like OnePlus, Oppo and Meizu are all producing similar devices.
While Xiaomi uses Chinese social media to create buzz in its home nation, Huawei has been far more active in its marketing abroad. What’s more, Huawei has its own sub-brand — Honor — which sells great value handsets in Europe offering performance and build quality that’s hard to beat at their price-points. Devices like the Honor 7, which we unboxed recently, offer a near-flagship experience for a fraction of the price.
Android tablets are something of an unusual product. No one’s quite convinced that Google’s operating system has been adequately optimized for big displays, but slowly and surely, it’s improving. One thing you can say about them is that they’re normally good value for money. Never has that been truer than with the ASUS ZenPad S 8.0. It’s a small, portable tablet that only costs $200 and has a 2K resolution screen. For the money, there isn’t too much to complain about…
Yesterday afternoon, HTC finally unveiled its long-rumored ‘Aero’ smartphone, officially named the HTC One A9. While it retains the unibody metal design that made the One series so popular, it’s a far cry from previous models in overall styling and form factor.
To get the obvious comparison out of the way early, it looks like an iPhone 6/6s, and sits somewhere between iPhone 6/6s and 6/6s Plus in size. Obvious comparisons aside, we wanted to see how the spec sheet measured up against HTC’s current crop of flagship phones, and to see whether or not this new design comes with a compromise…
For the first time since the Nexus range began, Google announced three storage models of its flagship Android range. The Huawei Nexus 6P would feature 32GB, 64GB and 128GB options priced at $499, $549 and $649 respectively. But, when pre-ordering the 6P, the highest storage option was a little tricky to get hold of. Availability in the US was already restricted to just Google Store and Huawei’s online store, and the latter only had 32GB and 64GB options in two colors.
While Huawei still only sells the aluminum and graphite options, you can now order either with 128GB internal storage. Customers pre-ordering the highest capacity model will need to wait until the end of November before their device arrives, but, there’s comfort in knowing that the highest storage Nexus 6P still costs less than the lowest storage iPhone 6s Plus. If getting the phone early is all that matters to you, ordering the 32GB and 64GB model gets you an early November delivery. If you really, really need it as soon as possible and don’t care about how much it costs, there are some overpriced listings on eBay already.
It is worth noting that there’s a significant difference between ordering from GetHuawei.com and from Google’s online store, in that the latter will get you a $50 Play Store coupon, while former won’t. Certainly something to consider.
BlackBerry has long been (and likely will be for a while) one of the most secure communication platforms on earth. There’s a reason top government bodies, financial institutes and corporations still hand BlackBerry phones out to employees. Virtually everything about the phones is secure; from hardware and device management, to software and communications. With BES12 (BlackBerry Enterprise Services), the company also worked hard to bring similar protection to Android. This development was the groundwork which lead the company to launch its very first Android smartphone, the PRIV…
Even before Motorola officially announced the Moto X Play and Moto X Style/Pure, the rumors surrounding the Lenovo-owned company’s new devices also included new DROIDs for Verizon. Since the launch, the evidence has been pointing towards a rebranding of the X Play as the new DROID Turbo, which perhaps explains the decision not to launch the X Play in the US.
While we’ve already seen a fairly official looking render leak, it doesn’t come more official than Verizon tweeting a teaser from its official handle. Today, the company posted a video clearly showing the design of the phone, as well as insinuating that it’ll be okay to drop on the floor, it can handle it. The tweet reads “introducing the perfect phone for imperfect people” before following up with “The new Droid is dropping soon”. Get the hint?
[tweet https://twitter.com/verizon/status/656505056116781056 align=’center’]
While the company is clearly focussing on the durability of the phone, it’ll be interesting to see how specs and performance are compromised, or if they’re not. While we don’t know a huge deal about the new DROID(s), it’s not likely to be a carbon copy of the X Play. The Moto X Play’s biggest turn-on is the huge 3,630mAh battery which can power through two days of moderate use on a full charge. In the past, the DROID Turbo and DROID Maxx series’ phones have had great batteries too, so we’re not expecting that to be any different this time around.
Verizon and Motorola will announce the new DROID phones at an event on October 27th, and we’ll be there in person to bring you coverage.
After months of rumor and speculation, the HTC One A9 is finally official. The phone which the company’s chief said can replace an iPhone is a reality. It’s much slimmer and much flatter than its previous all-metal One phones, and comes with a host of impressive specifications…
Google’s focus on building its presence the Chinese market shows no sign of letting up. Mobvoi, a Chinese company which develops advanced, natural voice detection and AI-based technology, announced this morning that Google has taken a minority stake in the company. Although the exact amount Google invested wasn’t disclosed, Mobvoi will retain a controlling stake…
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Today, HTC will take the wraps off its latest addition to the One handset family. The One A9 is expected to feature an all-metal body, but more slim-lined and without the trademark front-facing speakers of current HTC flagships. HTC’s #BeBrilliant event is going to start at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific/5pm British Summer Time, and will be available to watch live online. You can watch the live stream on the company’s dedicated launch page, or just stay here and watch the embedded live stream below:
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Now that all of this year’s biggest flagships have been unveiled and released, it seems now is the time to turn our attention to the next lot. Samsung’s Galaxy S7 has been in the press a number of times recently, and an increasing number of rumors have arisen over the past few days. Reports and posts from MyDrivers and Weibo (two sources with less-than-reliable track records) suggests that we’ll see a phone built from a Magnesium alloy and have improved sound…
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Google has launched its Doodle 4 Google campaign for 2015 and is inviting US school pupils of all ages to submit their entries. The winner will get their artwork shown on the Google homepage for one day, and one winner will also get a $30,000 college scholarship. The theme of this year’s contest is “What makes me…me”, and artists are encouraged to use any material they like to create their doodle…
We’ve read many times over the past months that YouTube is planning to launch a subscription service. The company itself has announced as such, and is already nearly all the way to getting enough partners onboard with the new monetization method. In return for a low monthly fee, likely $10, YouTube wants to give you access to all the videos and music you can manage, and without showing any ads of any kind. Google is planning announce this new service at an event this Wednesday, October 21st.
What Google has said all along, however, is that customers who don’t pay can still watch all their favorite videos, but with the ads (as normal). What it hasn’t stated publicly, is that it may be holding some exclusive content back, for the eyes of subscribers only. In a report from Re/code, it’s rumored that when YouTube kicks off its new paid service, the streaming site will also place content that it funds behind a paywall. Regular non-payers won’t be able to watch it.
It’s unclear when you’ll be able to see the new programming YouTube is announcing. Sources say some of the stuff YouTube is paying for hasn’t been created yet, and won’t be available until 2016. In September, I reported that industry sources expected YouTube to launch its subscription service near the end of this month, though it could slip past 2015.
The timing of YouTube’s planned subscription service launch is still, clearly, up in the air. But it will be interesting see how the streaming platform delivers the service, and how many long-time YT users sign up. Will YouTube be able to tempt enough people to subscribe with its own funded and exclusive content? Those questions remain unanswered for now. Let’s just hope the launch happens sooner rather than later, if only to satisfy my curiosity.
When Google unveiled their new phones at the launch event, there were a number of firsts. For the first time, the company was boasting about the camera and seemed to have the evidence to back up the hype. Another was the introduction of USB Type-C. It ditched Qualcomm’s Quick-Charge tech in favor of a new universal standard. It also released two phones at the same time. This morning, the Nexus 5X finally became available to order, which also means that review embargoes have lifted on both the new Nexus phones.
Several tech publications and personalities have had their say on the two new Nexus phones and — for the most part — the opinions are very positive…
This morning, Oppo has officially taken the wraps off its latest flagship phone. The R7s boasts a host of flagship specs but, being Oppo, will likely cost less than the price of the traditional flagship phones when it launches across the globe over the coming months…
We’ve seen plenty of rumors and leaks for the upcoming OnePlus X. The controversial Chinese Android OEM is expected to announce the new phone at an event in London next week. It seems this phone will be a direct replacement for the OnePlus One, offering some of the same specs as the original ‘flagship killer’, but in an updated form factor. A new photo leaked over on Chinese social media site, Weibo (found by GizmoChina), shows both black and white versions of the device side-by-side.
Up until now, only the black version of the phone had been shown in any leaks. With a white one likely to be on the way, it heavily supports the theory that this will, indeed, replace the OnePlus One at the bottom of the company’s product line. The image also suggests the back of the device will be all-glass, similar to the iPhone 4/4S, with a metal frame all around the device, with antenna bands.
Other specs we’re expecting include a Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM and 16GB storage, as leaked previously by Chinese retailer, Oppomart. The OnePlus X will purportedly also feature a 5-inch 1080p display, measure 6.9mm thick and cost just $249 when it launches at the end of this month. Like many new non-Nexus phones, it’s likely the phone will be released with Android Lollipop (with the OxygenOS on top), rather than a Marsmallow-based operating system.
Having unveiled its latest pure Android devices a few weeks ago, Google has finally made one of them available to buy today. This morning, the LG-made Nexus 5X went on sale in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, India, Korea and Japan and is available to buy direct from Google’s online store, as well as other retailers, depending on your location. The phone comes in black, white or ice blue and in 16GB or 32GB storage options for $379 and $429 respectively in the US.
Motorola has already announced which of its handsets will be receiving the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. Among them — of course — are the newest smartphones like the Moto X Pure, Moto X Play and Moto G. As is customary before software updates for Moto, the company is allowing a very select group of X Pure owners to test the new OS…
