Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, LG Electronics (LG) will bring to Mobile World Congress 2016 a new series of smartphones developed to offer customers a unique user experience by offering one exceptional feature at a price that rivals mid-range smartphones. The first two models in the X series — X cam and X screen — will debut at MWC in Barcelona on February 22. The X cam and X screen are designed for customers who do not want or need all the bells and whistles that come with today’s high-end phones but still desire a great camera or advanced display.
The X cam sports dual cameras on the rear and delivers one of the most advanced camera experience in a mass-tier smartphone. Thanks to LG’s seamless 3D Bending Glass, the X cam features an elegant curved finish on the front and with a profile of only 5.2mm, the device is extremely comfortable to hold in the hand. And unlike other boxy and heavier mid-range phones, the X cam tips the scale at only 118g.
The other model, appropriately named X screen, is equipped with an “Always-on” Second Screen which until now has only been available on LG’s premium V10. The Second Screen sits above the main 4.93-inch HD In-cell Touch display and makes multi-tasking a breeze on the X screen. With the 1.76 inch Second Screen, users can easily access frequently used apps, answer calls without interrupting the current activity or just play music. The Second Screen also lets users check time, date, battery status and other notifications without ever having to turn on the phone. What’s more, the X screen offers a stylish, sleek look with its crystal-clear glass fibre exterior and clean lines.
“Everyone has a favourite smartphone feature,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “At LG, we think there’s room for devices that do one thing very well and that customers shouldn’t have to pay for features that they don’t want. At the end of the day, we’re committed to offering consumers more choices.”
LG’s X series will debut in key markets in Asia, Europe and Latin America starting next month. Visitors to MWC can see the new X series for themselves at LG’s booth in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via from February 22-25.
It would appear that the Samsung Galaxy S7 is both water resistant and features wireless charging according to this unlisted video Samsung have dropped onto YouTube. The is also the opportunity it might turn you into a world class archer however that might not actually come into fruition. At any rate, having water resistance is going to be a crowd pleaser to no end, check out the sweaty video below.
ARCHOS have unveiled their newest addition to its Oxygen line: the ARCHOS 50d Oxygen.
Beautifully updated screen and design
The ARCHOS 50d Oxygen will offer an incredible display and design. Its 5” screen, procures to the high-end feel and features from the Oxygen line. Featuring an impressive Full HD IPS screen (1920 x 1080), it delivers infinite contrasts and extra deep blacks thanks to Full Lamination. Every multimedia experience becomes breath taking. Set into an ultra slim and light, deep black body with a gold metal contour, the ARCHOS 50d Oxygen is the epitome of sleek, yet functional, modern design.
Unprecedented photo experience
The screen technology paired with the extra powerful 13 MP camera will sublime photos in incredible detail, taking them to unprecedented level. Moments will never be missed as photos can be snapped on the fly. The 5MP front camera allows for great video chat sessions with family and friends. Everywhere it goes, the ARCHOS 50d Oxygen has your back!
Unparalleled power and speed
For users that demand more, the 2 GB of RAM that come alongside the 1.3 GHz Octo-Core processor make all tasks super smooth. Fluid, fast, and responsive, this smartphone is a perfect companion for users to enjoy true life-like content on-the-go. Multitasking is what it does best! In addition, downloading content, streaming movies, or surfing the web has never been so fast with the 4G/LTE technology. The good thing is that the ARCHOS 50d Oxygen is fully compatible with this connectivity.
Like all ARCHOS smartphones, the ARCHOS 50d Oxygen comes with dual-SIM support, so users may use both professional and personal phone lines at once, as well as access to Google Play. Additionally, the memory is expandable with a micro SD card and runs pure Android 5.1, “Lollipop”. Available in May 2016, the 50d Oxygen will provide users with an unparalleled experience.
French electronics brand, ARCHOS, launches two new ranges of smartphones, the Power line and the Cobalt line at CES 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“In order to offer an ever more complete range, ARCHOS is launching two new lines of smartphones to address consumer demands for longer lasting battery life and colors in affordable products” says Loic Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS.
Long battery life…
The ARCHOS 40 Power is a 4’’ 3G smartphone equipped with a quad-core processor and 8 GB of internal storage. It differentiates itself by its high battery capacity, 1900mAh, in a 4’’ format that fits in your pocket. It provides its user with up to two days of battery life – almost double the standard battery life.
4G/LTE compatible, the ARCHOS 50 Power is a 5’’ smartphone propelled by a quad-core processor, has 2 GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory. In addition, its IPS HD display and its 13 MP back camera make the ARCHOS 50 Power a fully equipped smartphone intensive uses.
The ARCHOS 40 Power will be available in May for £49,99 The ARCHOS 50 Power will cost £129,99.
…and colours for enhance experience
Colour casing forerunners, the yellow-backed ARCHOS 50 Diamond and the ARCHOS 50c Platinum with its pink and blue back casings have led the way for the all new Cobalt range, now fully coloured smartphones, in cobalt blue or dark grey, both front and back.
Available in two screen sizes, the ARCHOS 50 Cobalt and the ARCHOS 55 Cobalt Plus smartphones are both equipped with an IPS HD display, a powerful 4G/LTE quad-core processor backed by 1 GB of RAM for the 5’’ version and 2 GB of RAM for the 5.5’’ version for a smoother user experience.
The 8 MP camera of the 5” and the 13 MP camera of the 5.5” create high quality pictures with 8 GB and 16 GB versions providing ample storage options. For those that need even more internal storage a MicroSD card can be added.
Available in April, the ARCHOS 50 Cobalt will cost £99 while the ARCHOS 55 Cobalt will be priced at £149.
ARCHOS will unveil both new Cobalt and Power ranges for the first time at CES in Las Vegas from January 5th to 8th 2016. Come discover the ARCHOS showroom at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort (Suite 1910).
Huawei have very kindly sent over a Mate S for a full review. Here is the initial unboxing and reaction to the device.
Featuring a 5.5 inch 1080 x 1920 pixels (401 ppi) Amoled capacities touchscreen there is a lot to like in the Mate S. Under the hood are a couple of Quad-core processors, one sitting at 2.2 GHz and the other at 1.5 GHz with 3 GB RAM at disposal. A 13mp, OIS, autofocus camera with dual-LED flash lies subtly in the rear whilst the front sees an 8mp LED flash companion. Powered by a non-removable 2700 mAh battery the phone should see an upgrade from Android 5.1.1 Lollipop to 6.0 Marshmallow in the near future.
A fairly heavy user interface sits atop of Lollipop call EMUI. This can seems somewhat intrusive however initial impression are that this user interface has more elegance than the user interfaces we have seen from other manufactures and in fact bring Android a lot closer to iOS than we’ve seen before.
Available in three colours Luxurious Gold, Mystic Champagne, Titanium Grey and with three storage options 32, 64 and 128gb we will have a full review up early in the New Year.
A phone that gives you complete control is now a reality with thanks to London based company Wileyfox. This new company has launched with two devices the swift and the storm, today I will be reviewing the swift their cheaper phone but by no means does cheap mean basic. Don’t forget to check out the hands on video with Gareth to see the swift in action.
Product Specifications
Dimensions 141.15mm x 71mm x 9.37mm
Display 5 Inch
Resolution1280 x 720 at 294ppi
Weight 135g
Processor 64-bit Quad-core 1.2GHz
Battery Removable 2500mAh battery
Camera 13MP primary camera 5MP front camera
Features 4G LTE HD video recording
Wileyfox use Cyanogen OS 12.1 based on android lollipop 5.1.1. The swift comes packed with a 13mp primary camera, 5mp front facing camera, a Quad core Snapdragon 410 8916, 16GB ROM, 2GB RAM, Expandable memory up to 32GB, Dual SIM functionality,4G LTE, 5″ HD Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 IPS Display. This all comes packaged with a very reasonable price of £129. So will this be enough for the average phone user to take a chance on the Wileyfox?
A hidden game when checking out the phones software. More annoying than fun.
The phone looks and feels like a high end device at a budget price. The rear cover with the Wileyfox embossed logo really makes the phone stand out. The phone has a plastic casing but has a nice non slip feel.
At top of the phone you have the 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone.
On the right hand side of the phone you have the volume rocker and power button.
At the bottom of the phone you have the usb charge point and two grills where lies the phones impressive speakers.
On the left hand side there is nothing but smooth plastic. Pop off the cover and you have the removable 2500mh battery, two slots for your sim cards and the micro sd card slot.
On the rear of the swift you have the 13 megapixel camera with led flash and below this the indented Wileyfox logo.
On the front of the phone you have the ear speaker at the top, with the LED notification light to the right of this. To the left you have the 5 megapixel front facing camera. There is no capacitive buttons at the bottom of the swift they are on screen.
Smart phones are increasing in size, the phone I currently use is 5.5inches making the Wiley fox’s decision to use the popular 5 inch size a downsizing of screen for me. However this was not a problem as the 5 inch screen is the perfect size screen for any user. Its bright vivid 720p display makes using the phone, watching video playback, capturing images with the camera a dream. Wileyfox also offer screen replacement cover for £9.99 per year, which is a fantastic option to have.
Cyanogen OS
The swift uses Cyanogen 12.1 with android 5.1.1 it looks and feels like android so don’t be alarmed that this is too 1much of a change when choosing this phone. It is close to almost naked android. In fact the Cyanogen OS allows consumers the chance to delete any or all the apps that are preloaded on the device and download only the apps that you need. This feature is great as some apps run tirelessly in the background of my current phone and if I could uninstall them I would free up some valuable space. From the main menu screen you can access the app drawer which is laid out in an alphabetical list format. The bottom of the screen there is an a-z list which you can fast track the letter you are looking for.
You have the option to have android or cyanogen themes on the phone.
The operating system runs smoothly with a 64-bit CPU at 1.2GHzsnapdragon processor although when running the performance test it scored quite low. When playing high spec games like Batman the dark knight rises on the swift there was a noticeable lag at times however gameplay was still enjoyable. Less graphic enduring games such as Minecraft and Jurassic World builder app played seamless.
Thankfully Wileyfox did not opt for the pitiful option of 4 gb or 8 gb on board storage. The swift comes with 16 gb on board storage. This is all powered by the 2500mh battery which does last 24 hours with general use. The battery for me lasted about 8 hours before I had it drained although I had used the swift to its full capacity. On my daily commute to work I could watch a 30min programme, listen to music when walking to work, general use during the working day, another 30 min programme on my way home as well as the occasional phone call.
The camera quality is average. The 13 megapixel camera performs well however the quality reduces in low light conditions. Below are a few examples of the 13mp camera and a short video for you to make up your own mind.
The video quality is fine, however when the digital zoom option is used the quality reduces dramatically.
The panorama option was my favorite option when using the camera.
There are plenty of options and filters to use within the camera app, so perhaps with extra time and tweaking the settings you can utilise the camera to its full potential.
The speakers are loud, with twin speakers located at the bottom of the phone. Built in to the swift there is an equalizer option which is always handy to have.
Should you join the Wileyfox revolution? In my opinion yes! If you are looking for a smart phone as a gift for Christmas or looking for a phone that can perform on a budget you cant go wrong with the swift. Take a chance on Wileyfox as I expect them to make a huge splash in the mobile phone arena. The swift packs a lot of hardware for its £129 price and with the additional 3 year phone replacement at £9.99 and screen protection at a further £9.99 per year this should make a killer selling point.
I do not want to renew my membership to the cracked screen club but for the protection at this price it makes the to join the Wileyfox revolution an easy choice. There are other smartphones available around this price with similar specs but if you want something a little different and a break from the norm they sign up with Wileyfox who in their own words provide unrivalled customisation, privacy and security and freedom.
“Unrivalled customisation: give your phone a look and personality that’s as unique as yours.
Unrivalled privacy and security: choose precisely the data you wish to share; protect apps with additional PINs; prevent spam with Truecaller Integrated Dialler.
Unrivalled freedom: curate your own suite of apps – delete any or all of the apps we preload to get you started and download the ones you need. Enriching your life, extending your battery life; keeping you connected everywhere, to everyone, for longer. “ https://www.wileyfox.com/
This is the Huawei Nexus 6P, the flagship Android device. Google have put out two Nexus devices this year and this is the Nexus 5X’s bigger brother. Packed to the gills with the latest tech the 6P is easily one of the most eye catching devices on the market, but it is any good?
Over a series of videos we will take a look at the Nexus 6P’s various features starting the the routine unboxing.
Huawei Nexus 6P spec list:
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Display
5.7 inches
WQHD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display at 518 ppi
16:9 aspect ratio
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4
Fingerprint and smudge-resistant oleophobic coating
Announced on 20 October was HTC’s new flagship, originally codenamed the Hima Aero, the HTC One A9. HTC One A9 has a 5-inch display on the front, topped with Gorilla Glass 4. With a pixel resolution of 1920 x 1080 giving for a ppi of 440 leaving a beautiful crisp display. The HTC One A9 measures 145.75 x 70.8 x 7.26mm and is a lightweight 143g. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset.
Like a number of manufacturers seem to be offering, there will be two versions available, one with 2gb and one with 3gb of RAM. Different territories will get different models. In the UK, we are penciled to get the 2GB version. There will be 16 and 32GB storage options too, although the HTC One A9 supports microSD card expansion up to 2TB.
The battery only has a capacity of 2150mAh which is likely to attract some criticism, however the 617 chipset maybe refined enough to make a difference alongside Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s battery saving techniques. HTC is promising you’ll get 16 hours of talk time from it, 60 hours of music playback or 18 days of standby.
A 13-megapixel sensor, with F/2.0 aperture, and optical image stablisation sits at the very top of the rear next to a dual tone flash. Video capture is limited to full HD so 4K UHD is not an option here, sadly. Like the M9 a 4-megapixel UltraPixel sensor has been placed on the front to increase selfie quality. However, missing from this is HTC’s much loved BoomSound speakers on the front, instead opting for a single speaker in the bottom.
The HTC One A9 will be available in Opal Silver, Deep Garnet, Topaz Gold and Carbon Grey.
UK availability
The 2GB of RAM and 16GB version of the HTC One A9 will be available SIM free from htc.com for £429.99. The HTC One A9 will be available in November.
Only two networks have announced the phone. O2 will offer the HTC One A9, including an exclusive Topaz Gold version. And if you want to trade in your old phone, you can use O2’s Recycle scheme. Giffgaff will offer the HTC One A9, but we’re waiting on specific pricing and release details.
ARCHOS today announces the forthcoming availability of thousands of the GranitePhone by SIKUR, allowing both companies to enter the global market of private communications smartphones, where the need for voice and data protection is a growing concern.
The GranitePhone, unveiled at MWC, has immediately attracted the attention of government, defense agencies as well as private companies and individual users concerned by their privacy, generating huge quantities of pre-sales on the Granitephone website.
With a 5 inch screen Full HD, Granite OS, 4G and a 16MP camera the phone has all the latest hardware specs along with an unrivaled focus on security, eliminating loopholes which could allow data theft and spying.
The security architecture has been carefully designed with multiple layers of protection to mitigate security issues whilst still delivering the best in mobile technology today.
For additional flexibility, the device’s data storage is also kept in an encrypted form in the cloud so that GranitePhone’s users can access safely to their data from anywhere, using SIKUR applications.
They can do so from a computer and from other mobile devices, either Android and even iOS, which ensures great flexibility without compromising privacy.
“ARCHOS, through its subsidiary Logic Instrument is pleased to have been selected as industrial and development partner for this project as the demand for secured mobile solutions is increasing” says Loïc POIRIER CEO of ARCHOS.
“With GranitePhone, you can create a corporate digital environment, secure for the exchange of strategic information, without compromising productivity and speed offered by mobile devices,” says Frederico D’Avila, CEO of Sikur.
The GranitePhone, the first smartphone entirely focused on user privacy can be ordered through the website www.granitephone.com
Wileyfox is a new name on the block and they are here to impress. The Swift delivers outstanding specifications at an incredible market beating price. 4G LTE connectivity, stunning picture quality from the 13MP rear camera and a quad core Snapdragon™ 410 processor brings this phone to the forefront of affordable smartphone technology.
Featuring:
Cyanogen OS 12.1 (based on Lollipop 5.1.1.)
13MP primary camera,
5MP front camera,
a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 8916,
16GB ROM +
2GB RAM,
Expandable memory up to 32GB,
Dual SIM functionality,
4G LTE,
5″ HD Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 IPS Display
Cyanogen OS is used in place of a typical flavour of Android to incease customization, privacy & security, and enhanced experiences.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, LG Electronics (LG) will bring to Mobile World Congress 2016 a new series of smartphones developed to offer customers a unique user experience by offering one exceptional feature at a price that rivals mid-range smartphones. The first two models in the X series — X cam and X screen — will debut at MWC in Barcelona on February 22. The X cam and X screen are designed for customers who do not want or need all the bells and whistles that come with today’s high-end phones but still desire a great camera or advanced display.
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