Cambridge Mobile Telematics Named Best Among Global and North American Telematics Service Providers of Smartphone Apps

⌂Home

Mail

Search

News

Sports

Finance

Celebrity

Weather

Answers

Flickr

Mobile

More⋁

Politics

Movies

Music

TV

Groups

Style

Beauty

Tech

Shopping

Try Yahoo Finance on Firefox »

Skip to Navigation

Skip to Main content

Skip to Right rail

👤 Sign in

✉ Mail

⚙ Help

Account Info

Help

Suggestions

Source: Cambridge Mobile Telematics Named Best Among Global and North American Telematics Service Providers of Smartphone Apps

Sony Xperia X (Dual SIM): TechRadar India review

Sony announced a new series of its smartphones- Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia X Performance- during Mobile World Congress 2016. In India, Sony released Xperia X and Xperia XA, giving customers a breather from the Z-series, which has become old.

Sony Xperia X, which is the backbone of the new line-up is powered by a Snapdragon 650 CPU paired up with 3GB of RAM and comes at a price of Rs 48,990. Sony claims Xperia X is a high-end device but we feel the hardware doesn't support their claim. Also, the pricing for this Snapdragon 650 CPU and 3GB RAM device is a tad bit high. However, the company says that it is not in the numbers game with the Xperia X and the smartphone offers a true flagship experience.

We got our hands on the new Xperia X smartphone and here's our report.

Specifications:

Display: 5-inch Full HD (1920x100) displayOS: Android 6.0 MarshmallowCPU: 64-bit hexa-core Snapdragon 650 SoC, 3GBStorage: 32/64GB storage (microSD card support by up to 200GB)Came ras: 23MP rear camera with LED flash, 13MP front cameraConnectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G/4G/2G, GPS, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, NFCBattery: 2,620mAhDimensions: 143 x69x 7.7 mmWeight: 152 gramsPrice: Rs 48,990

Design

In design, Sony has followed its signature 'OmniBalance' design language, which comprises of clean lines and boasts of high quality material. Anyone who has used Xperia Z-series in the past will instantly relate with the Xperia X design. This can be a bit disappointing as the smartphone does not bring something new to the table in terms of look and feel.

But to differentiate from the previous Xperia Z series handsets, Sony has added some new elements. For instance, the front of the smartphone is now fitted with a 2.5D curved glass that beautifully merges with the edges, and the corners are more rounded which adds to the ergonomics.

Another notable change here is the position of the NFC detector that now sits at the top left corner of the front, adjacent to the camera. As per Sony, it makes the flow of content easier in everyday usage but from design point of view, it seems to be a bad decision due to the fact that it does not go in sync with the Xperia's symmetrical design philosophy.

A big power button is positioned in the middle of the right spine, which also serves as a fingerprint sensor to unlock the smartphone. Its ergonomic placement makes unlocking the handset effortless for right-handed users and it is extremely quick in unlocking the device.

The hybrid SIM tray is located on the left spine and can be used to hold a pair of nano-SIM cards or one microSD card and a nano SIM card. It is worth mentioning that you will not require any sharp tool to bring out the SIM tray as your fingernail can do the job.

The rear side of the smartphone is made of bru shed aluminium and does not feel as slippery as it does on previous Xperia Z smartphones. A 23MP camera sits at the top left along with an LED flash and the Xperia branding is embossed in the centre. The real panel looks quite minimal and appealing.

However, the best thing about the Xperia X is its compact form factor. The smartphone can be easily operated with one hand and will appeal to users who are not fond of big screen devices. iPhone users looking for an Android handset will love the Xperia X in terms of usability.

Hardware

Now, this is where things get a bit strange. The specifications that Sony Xperia X offers are not in-sync with the price-point it comes at. The smartphone is priced close to Rs 50,000 and ships with a 64-bit hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor paired up with 3GB of RAM. This is a mid range processor for this price.

Further, at this price-point you would expect a 2K display but the smartphone sports a 5-inch 1080p screen. For imaging, the Xperia X has a 23MP rear camera with 24mm wide Sony's G Lens and F2.0 aperture. In addition to this it is equipped with a 13MP wide angle front camera, which has a Sony Exmor RS sensor and low-light scene recognition.

The smartphone is powered by a 2,620mAH battery unit, which seems a bit underpowered.

Sony Xperia X also has a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, positioned on the right side of the smartphone.

As far as connectivity goes, Xperia X has dual-SIM 4G connectivity with a hybrid SIM slot. You also get the standard features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC and micro USB port (no USB Type C port).

Xperia X does not qualify on waterproofing, which has been a long selling point of the Xperia line. The last handset from Sony- the Xperia Z5 -has the highest possible IP68 rating for water and dust resistance but the new Xperia X misses that design element.

Display

As we mentioned, a 2K display would have done more justice with the pricing, yet we are not complaining about Xperia X's display due to the immersive experience it offers in everyday usage.

Importantly, it's a 5-inch display and 1080p resolution is just sufficient to deliver a good viewing experience.

The LCD panel is backed by Sony's BRAVIA TRILUMINOS display technology that results in brighter content and natural colours when compared with smartphones with AMOLED displays such as Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S7, the recent OnePlus 3, etc.

Besides, Sony has also added some useful tweaks to customise the colors as per your requirement. There is X-Reality mode to offer sharper images and a super-vivid mode that enhances the colours while watching videos or playing games. The text, icons and images look amazingly crisp and the display offers an immersive experience while watching videos or playing 3D games.

Performance

Sony has made a bit of a compromise with the innards of the Xperia X. Unlike the latest flagship devices from Samsung, LG, HTC, etc. the Xperia X runs on a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 SoC. The processor can deliver on day-to-day tasks but is not a true rival to the flagship Snapdragon 820 CPU. The 64-bit processor is paired up with 3GB of RAM and Adreno 510 GPU to handle graphics related tasks.

However, it is worth mentioning that the hexa-core Snapdragon 650 CPU is a better performer than the last year's Snapdragon 808 SoC. During my week's usage, the smartphone did not hang even once while performing basic tasks and I could easily play high-end games such as Asphalt 8 and Marvel contest of champions.

The navigation is smooth and the application loading is spontaneous. However, the smartphone is a victim of heating issues, especially when you are operating the 23MP rear camera to record 1080p videos. The rear panel heats up after six or seven minutes of continuous vid eo recording.

On the brighter side, the audio performance is impressive and matches the previous Sony handsets. You can enjoy a movie or YouTube videos even if you are not carrying the earphones with you. Besides, I did not face any issues with the call quality either.

Overall, Xperia X is a snappy handset and can get through with most of the tasks easily but you have to bear the heating issues if you are pushing the handset to its limits.

Software

Sony Xperia X runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with Sony's set of customisations thrown in to enhance the user experience. Swiping down anywhere on the homescreen will give you the search bar to look for any application online and offline. The 'What's New' widget on homescreen, which looks like a stripped down version of the Google Play store and lets you find new games, apps, theme, music and much more. At any point of time, you can tap on the 'Get to know Xperia' widget and check for Xperia services, transfer co ntent from your previous handset to Xperia X, have a tour of how the software works on the handset and check recommended apps.

However, Sony has kept the settings menu, app drawer and notification tray pretty much stock Android. In everyday usage, the Android on Xperia X ran swiftly enough and the user experience was devoid of any lags and glitches.

Camera

Sony Xperia X sports a 23MP rear camera and the front is equipped with a 13MP shooter. Both utilise the Sony's Exmor RS sensors and can record 1080p videos. Sadly, 4K video recording is not included that will come as a disappointment to camera enthusiasts.

The 23MP rear camera is capable enough to deliver amazing shots and comes loaded with a number of modes and features. There is 'Superior Auto Mode' that senses the surroundings and does a decent job most of the times.

You can also switch to Manual mode and tweak the exposure, ISO, etc. or choose from the pre-set modes such as Landscape, HDR, Night portrait and others. However, if you are shooting in 23MP in the Manual mode, the camera app does not let you select the above mentioned pre-set modes. Moreover, the camera is devoid of Optical Image Stablisation and all you get is the 'Steady Shot Mode', which fails to do justice with the images or videos you are shooting.

To compensate, Sony has added the predictive hybrid autofocus, which is an interesting addition to the package. It intelligently tracks the movement of the object while you take a shot.

Besides, you get Sony's usual camera modes to play with such as AR effect, Sound photo, Style portrait, creative effect, etc. My personal favourite is the Background defocus, which can offer some amazing shots if it applies successfully on the scene you are shooting.

The images shot by the rear camera have amazing detailing and the colours also look quite vivid. But sometimes the c amera algorithm aggressively over-saturates the colours and the outcome fails to offer a realistic shot.

The rear camera also does a great job in low-light conditions. The images come out to be less noisy and have ample details. Talking about the 13MP front camera, the sefies come out to be much better than the images shot by most of the smartphone's rear cameras.

On the whole, the imaging performance on the Xperia X is good. The smartphone offers a ton of modes to play with and can deliver some amazing results, but then it is restricted in its own ways and the heating affects it causes to the handset cannot be ignored.

Here are some camera sample shots

Battery

I managed to get a day's back up with a mix u sage (with the Stamina or Ultra-Stamina mode turned off). However, the camera usage really takes a toll on the battery life, especially if you are recording videos in 1080p format. I noticed sharp battery drops while recording videos or playing with different camera modes, which can be a problem as camera is the highlight of the smartphone.

With Stamina mode turned on, Xperia x can last for a day, however make sure you have a charger or a power bank handy with you if you are always hooked to your smartphone. The smartphone also supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 technology (and as per Sony) that can offer up to 5.5 hours of power with 10 minutes of charging. However you would need Sony's UCH10 charger for that and sadly Sony Xperia X does not include that in package.

Likes

Sony Xperia X offers an old but tried-and-tested design, which is ergonomic and looks every bit of premium. The 5-inch 1080p display is crisp, bright and offers realistic colours.

Besides , the camera can offer some amazing shots and the smartphone also delivers an acceptable multitasking and computing performance.

Dislikes

Sony Xperia X is marred by heating issues and is a victim of high pricing. The camera usage takes a toll on battery backup and at a price point close to Rs 50,000; a Snapdragon 820 SoC would have made more sense.

Verdict

Sony Xperia X has fair challenges to overcome as a flagship smartphone due to its sub-par specifications and high price. The steep pricing will push consumers to opt for other alternatives that offer a better value for money deal.

Minus the pricing, Xperia X is a promising Android smartphone from the house of Sony. The smartphone's centerpiece is its 23MP rear camera that does a decent job. The design is premium, fingerprint sensor works really well and the overall performance is also good.

If Sony had launched the Xperia X Performance that comes with the Snapdragon 820 and IP68 rating at this p rice-point, the company would have made a name for itself in the flagship category. But sadly, Sony Xperia X has to bear the effects of flawed pricing.

Source: Sony Xperia X (Dual SIM): TechRadar India review

The biggest mobile, wearable and gaming gear still to come in 2016

Predicting unannounced products is something of an art form, combining equal parts pattern analysis, rumor mill watching and old-fashioned logic and imagination. While there's no way to paint a Rembrandt-like picture of 2016's biggest consumer tech until the big companies have already rolled out their holiday lineups, we can at least draft up an impressionist portrait, visible brush strokes and all. With over half the year in the books, let's look at the big-ticket consumer gear we're most psyched about seeing in the second half of 2016.

Moto Z

We already saw one modular phone this year, but the LG G5 was a little hit and a lot of miss. Motorola's take looks simpler and more elegant: take ridiculously thin smartphone, snap one of many modular shells onto backside, enjoy brand new look or functionality.

These Moto Z "Mods" can add anything from the practical (extra battery life) to cosmetic (new colors and materials) to the insanely niche (a friggin' 70-inch projector). We have some reservations about the Verizon timed exclusivity and we don't yet know how much the phone and mods will cost, but if nothing else the Moto Z is likely to be the boldest flagship smartphone we've seen in years.

Updated MacBook Pro

This one relies solely on the rumor mill (well, and the fact that the current MacBook Pro's design hasn't seen a major update in four years), but we could be looking at a redesigned MacBook Pro later this year. Leaks (which were rounded up nicely by 9to5Mac) point to a possibly thinner design, Touch ID and an OLED touchscreen strip that will flash customizable Fn buttons above the keyboard.

Apple's current pro-level notebook is still our top pick in this class, but with some of the most exciting recent innovation in this space coming from Windows 2-in-1s, a fresh look and new features would go a long ways towards cementing Apple's top-dog status.

iPhone 7

Speaking of Apple, a new iPhone is always going to be one of the most asked-about new gizmos in any given year. Strangely enough, this year's Apple rumor scuttlebutt is pointing towards a second consecutive minor refresh on the 2014 iPhone 6 design, with a more significant upgrade coming as the 10-year anniversary iPhone in 2017. Expect subtle upgrades with this year's models, like an improved camera, faster performance and new colors. Oh, and you can probably kiss the headphone jack goodbye as well.

Samsung Galaxy Note "7"

Samsung's stylus-laden phablet should be getting its annual refresh before long as well. We could see a dual-curved display (familiar from the Samsung Edge series of phones), Snapdragon 820 chip and IP68 water resistance.

You may remember that last year's model was called the Galaxy Note 5, but Samsung is rumored to be skipping the "6" to bring the new model onto even branding ground with the Galaxy S7.

New Microsoft Surfaces

Rumors have been silent as the grave on this one (these days, Microsoft is one of the better companies at keeping secrets), but going off of annual release patterns, we'd expect to see a Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2 around October. Your guess is as good as ours as to what these will offer, but upgraded Intel processors would be a given. 8 GB RAM in the base model would be a nice upgrade for the Surface Pro 5 as well, with usual suspects like longer battery life and perhaps a lighter/thinner build and improved display rounding out our wishlist.

Nexus phones

Leaks have pointed to HTC parterning with Google for the 2016 follow-ups to the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. Expect a similar pattern to last year's pair: mid-ranged bargain phone sitting next to high-end flagship, both priced more aggressively than most of their competition. And of course it will all be in the name of showcasing Android N.

Daydream VR

At Google I/O, the company announced its new mobile VR platform, Daydream. Google says we'll see hardware later this year from both OEM partners and Google itself, suggesting there may be hope yet to see that rumored standalone VR headset.

Unfortunately the Daydream platform doesn't currently support any positional (body) tracking, and appears to only support one motion controller (rather than a more logical pair), so we're likely looking at a compromised virtual reality experience compared to the high-end HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

Gear VR 2

We're betting on Samsung and Oculus coming out with an updated Gear VR for the Galaxy Note 7. The fact that the phablet is likely to use a USB-C port practically necessitates this, as the current Gear VR only supports a microUSB connection.

The million dollar question is whether this will be a minor compatibility-only update, or whether it will introduce new features. Positional tracking and motion controls (that's plural, Google) would be the most obvious upgrades, but who knows if John Carmack and company have cracked that nut yet.

Oculus Touch

The Oculus Rift launched earlier this year as a somewhat incomplete product, with its launch games only supporting gamepad controls (which usually means sitting in a chair, like you'd do while playing a regular console game). Oculus' excellent Touch controllers, which give you hands inside virtual worlds, will make the Rift portrait more complete sometime in the second half of the year.

Without something like the Vive's Chaperone system, though, Oculus Touch will never safely support room-scale VR, so even after Touch launches the Rift's furthermost frontier will be standing VR.

PlayStation VR

While we're on the subject of VR, the first console-based headset is launching on October 13.

The ducks are lined up for Sony to have VR's biggest mainstream success, standing on the shoulders of those millions (upon millions) of PS4s that are already in gamers' homes all over the world. But in our demos, we were extremely disappointed with how poorly Sony's PS Move controllers translated into VR. Their accuracy, latency and ergonomics are nowhere near the levels of the Vive controllers and Oculus Touch. Consider this a risky US$399 bet.

PlayStation 4.5 ("PS4K")

Sony is also working on an upgraded PS4 console to launch sometime around (or perhaps a little after) PlayStation VR. Upgraded internals would go a ways towards boosting PSVR's raw capabilities (the current PS4 leans towards mid-ranged VR, compared to the high-end Vive and Rift). But unless it's accompanied by upgraded motion controls, PSVR's biggest problem will still be dangling in the air.

Of course the new PS4 would also allow for upgraded traditional gaming experiences, serving as a mid-cycle upgrade for the most popular console. In today's world of annually-refreshed mobile devices, it makes sense that the old six- or seven-year console lifespan is now a thing of the past.

Xbox One S

This one is purely a cosmetic upgrade, but Microsoft is also launching a new Xbox One later this year with a slimmer profile. The "real" Xbox One upgrade (ye of greater horsepower) isn't coming until late 2017.

Google Home

It's an Amazon Echo copycat and it's made by Google. Normally that wouldn't be anything to write home about, but the thought of combining the hands-free and eyes-free convenience of Echo with Google's superior virtual assistant (previously Google Now, but now just called Google Assistant) makes Google Home worth keeping an eye on.

Apple Watch 2

The Apple Watch hasn't exactly set the world on fire the way Apple had hoped, but it is easily the most popular smartwatch – and has the best wearable app ecosystem. That's fertile ground for a knockout second-gen model.

It will be interesting to see exactly how Apple innovates with the second-gen follow-up, expected sometime around the iPhone 7 announcement in September. Will we see a thinner design? More advanced health-tracking features? Alternate styles with round screens? No matter what, Apple would be wise to take a bold and decisive step forward here, with the product (and smartwatches in general) needing a shot of adrenaline to take a prominent seat at the consumer tech table.

Huawei Watch 2

As far as we know, there hasn't been any confirmation that this one is in development, but a follow-up to our favorite smartwatch of 2015 – to go along with the new Android Wear 2.0 – would be welcomed. Perhaps standalone cellular, provided it doesn't add any bulk, would be the big lust-worthy feature.

Lenovo Phab2 Pro

When you think of augmented reality, you probably picture glasses or a headset. But Google and Lenovo are trying to get a jump on that by putting crazy-smart AR capabilities into a smartphone. The Tango-enabled Phab2 Pro can map a room and put virtual AI objects or characters, which react to its real terrain and proportions, inside of it. If nothing else, it's a furniture shopper's (or dinosaur fan's) dream phone.

Keep in mind that many of these products are unconfirmed – and that sometimes the best gear is a complete surprise!

Source: The biggest mobile, wearable and gaming gear still to come in 2016

Huawei P9 camera deep dive: Is the Leica brand and dual-camera design worthy of the hype?

The Huawei P9 has one of the biggest marketing campaigns I've ever seen for a phone with Henry Cavill and Scarlett Johansson on commercials and ads all over public areas outside the US. Huawei's campaign for the new phone is focused on reinventing smartphone photography.

Smartphones have been a part of my life for years, but my primary focus on camera usage has been in shooting things quickly in auto mode with little thought to the artistic and insightful aspects of the capture. Last week, Huawei arranged for me to spend some time with New York City street photographer Soho Trendz and I have to admit he helped me see the world around me a bit more differently while encouraging me to step out of the auto zone and discover the power of the camera in the Huawei P9.

Shooting with Soho Trendz

Soho started off with a presentation showing us some of his sample shots and aspects of photography that he focuses on. These included using monochrome, wide aperture, movement, reflections, and perspectives. We then went on a photo walk around Central Park and the surrounding areas of New York City.

As you can see on Soho Trendz EyeEm page he captures candid shots of people and experiences around New York City. It was fascinating watching him capture subjects with boldness, offer subjects kind comments and praise, and see him try to capture the world with a cinematic perspective. Many of his photos tell stories or make you want to know more about the subject. There's an empathy present in the way Soho captures the people and it seems to me if more people looked deeper than the surface the world would be a better place.

I have a long way to go to capture stories and compelling images like Soho, but the short time I spent with him has me now looking for opportunities to use my camera phones to capture compelling stories or aspects of the world that we might not see at first glance.

I uploaded full size images from the Huawei P9, Galaxy S7 Edge, iPhone 6s Plus, and LG G5 to this Flickr album so you can make your own decisions on image quality between these phones. For those of you interested in a couple of RAW file samples captured with the Huawei P9, feel free to visit this Google Drive folder.

Co-engineered with Leica

Leica cameras are handcrafter masterpieces that are known as some of the best cameras made. Huawei partnered with Leica on a long-term strategic partnership and both companies worked closely to develop a high quality and enjoyable camera experience.

Shortly after the Huawei P9 release, Leica and Huawei issued a joint statement regarding the co-engineering and as you can clearly see the Leica name was just purchased and slapped on the back of the smartphone.

Per the press release, Leica's contribution has involved:

Collaborative development, evaluation and optimization of optical design (lens calculation) in compliance with Leica standards.

Collaborative development of the mechanical construction of the camera module to reduce stray light effects ("ghost and flare").

Definition of imaging quality in terms of color rendition/color fidelity, white balance, stray light reduction ("ghost & flare effects"), exposure precision, dynamic range, sharpness and noise characteristics.

Processing of image data with the aid of long-standing Leica optical and signal processing expertise

Definition of the most stringent common quality standards and production requirements for serial production by Huawei to ensure consistently high quality.

The cameras on the back of the Huawei P9 have Sony 12 megapixel sensors with an equivalent 27mm lens. The cameras have f/2.2 aperture, 4:3 native aspect ratio, laser focus, and dual LED flash. The front-facing camera is also a Sony model with 8 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.4.

Like recent HTC phones, if you are using the camera and the phone goes into standby mode then when you power it back on you jump right into the camera again. This is fantastic for those times when you are in extended photo sessions. You can also launch the camera with a swipe up from the lock screen or simple double pressing on the volume down button. Needless to say, there are a few ways to jump right into the camera experience.

The software experience is what makes the Huawei P9 so compelling to me with the simple access to manual mode, side swipe for mode changes, single button for wide aperture, all without leaving the viewfinder of the camera.

Dual lens experiences

The outer camera has a monochrome lens while the inner camera is a full color shooter. I never captured monochrome photos before, primarily because other smartphones have options for mono that attempt to take the color out of a shot. However, performing side-by-side comparisons show that the dedicated monochrome lens in the Huawei P9 offers a superior experience with crisp, clean definition.

While monochrome shots may not be popular today, I really enjoyed capturing some moments in black and white. Many people commented on my monochrome shots and told me they enjoyed them even more than my color shots. I plan to continue capturing monochrome images and appreciate that the P9 gives you this option.

Similar to what HTC did in the past with its dual lens HTC One M8, you can use the dual cameras to capture wide aperture changing depth images. Simply tap the aperture icon at the top of the viewfinder to enable this functionality and then capture an image. You can select where you want to focus the image, but after the shot you can change the focus and the level of blur applied to the photo.

Sometime these wide aperture shots look terrible, especially when the edges of you focus subject are not well defined. However, most of the time the effects look great and I enjoy testing the limits of the dual lens configuration.

Manual usage

As I wrote at the beginning of this article, I live in the auto world on my smartphones and simply launch the camera and shoot most of the time. Many high end phones today have manual mode functionality where you can customize metering, ISO, shutter speed, exposure value, white balance, and more. However, it wasn't until I dove into the Huawei P9 that I had as much fun using manual (aka Pro) mode.

One feature that makes Pro mode so enjoyable on the Huawei P9 is the single short swipe up from the bottom to enable manual mode. Real-time views of the changes you are making to all of the elements is present on the viewfinder, which has me enjoying the P9 much more than a DSLR camera. I am slowly discovering aspects of photography that I never took the time to explore and am very excited about the output and results from the Huawei P9.

With Pro mode enabled, you also have the option to capture RAW images and later edit those photos in desktop software. This is one area I haven't tried either, but using the Huawei P9 encouraged me to start capturing images in RAW format.

Modes

A single swipe in from left to right, outside to the center, presents you with photo, monochrome, beauty, video, HDR, beauty video, panorama, night shot, light painting, time-lapse, slow-mo, watermark, audio note, and document scan modes. It's interesting that HDR is not as accessible as we have seen on other phones, they often have auto-HDR enabled, but when looking at output it seems HDR doesn't have as much of an impact on the Huawei P9 as on other phones.

I've primarily been living in photo and monochrome mode and would personally like the ability to change out the effects button, similar to an Instagram filter, at the top of the viewfinder for a toggle between photo and monochrome.

It seems that Huawei focused on the photo experience with the Huawei P9 as the video experience lacks some essentials found in today's flagship smartphones. There is no optical image stabilization for video content, the mics are not that great, 1080p is the maximum video resolution, and slow motion video sharing is limited.

The folks at Pocketnow put together a comprehensive video tour of the Huawei P9 that I recommend you check out below.

Settings

Similar to the swipe in from the left for modes, swiping in from the right gives you quick access to a plethora of settings. The settings actually change a bit when you are in Pro mode too so you can enable RAW file support and more.

Settings in standard photo mode include a resolution selector, GPS tag toggle, saving to SD card, film mode (standard, vivid colors, and smooth colors), assistive grid, timer, audio control, touch to capture, volume button function, and more.

There is a software stabilizer option for video mode, but as I mentioned there is no OIS for video capture so the Huawei P9 is really focused on optimizing the photo experience.

Closing thoughts

I've been a fan of my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, but in looking at the same image against the Huawei P9, I prefer the more realistic color output from the P9 compared to the vibrant coloring of the S7 Edge. While there are many elements of the Huawei P9 software seen on other Android devices, the iPhone and Nexus devices offer a very basic user interface, the software experience of the Huawei P9 make it extremely compelling and enjoyable.

A smartphone that is easily pocketable and feels great in the hand is also one that I am more apt to use for photography while out and about. I love the feel and solid construction of the Huawei P9, especially in the summer months when I wear shorts and need to carry a lighter phone around.

When a camera is fun to use, turns out excellent results, and is powerful enough to help you grow as a photographer then I think it's a real winner. I have yet to be frustrated with the Huawei P9 software and am taking more photos than I ever have with other phones before.

Huawei also included fairly powerful photo editing software on the P9 so you can add filters, perform color splash highlights (something I miss from my Lumia days), add blurring effects to standard photos, adjust all the different levels, and add mosaics, grafitti, watermarks, and labels.

Related ZDNet Huawei P9 coverage

Source: Huawei P9 camera deep dive: Is the Leica brand and dual-camera design worthy of the hype?

Owning a smartphone just got more affordable as British firm launches bargain £90 handset

WILEYFOX

NEW: Wileyfox has unveiled their £90 Spark smartphone

With many smartphones costing in excess of £500, taking a call on the latest devices can be costly.

But British based company, Wileyfox, is hoping to bring users a smartphone experience at a fraction of the flagship cost.

The tech firm has just launched a new device called the Spark which lands in your pocket for just £89.99.

For your money you'll get a 5-inch HD display, Quad Core processor and two 8 megapixel cameras on the front and rear of the phone.

WILEYFOX

BIG SCREEN: The device features a 5-inch HD display

WILEYFOX

BUDGET: The Wileyfox Spark costs £89.99

There's also dual sim slots, 8GB of expandable memory and the device is 4G ready.

Speaking about the new handset Nick Muir, CEO of Wileyfox said: "We're obsessive about what you need from your phone, so we have ripped up the rule book and set new standards with the Spark.

"We believe its unrivalled in design and performance with additional features that you can't get anywhere else at extraordinary value for money.

"It's choice our customers have never had before."

If you fancy giving this budget call maker a try you can pre-order on Amazon.

Sadly, you'll have to wait a while to use it as the phones won't begin shipping to customers until July 12th.

Daily Star Online has already got our hands on the Spark and we'll bring you a full review soon.

Also announced today were the Spark + and Spark X smartphones, both of which offer Wileyfox customers more power, a bigger battery or brighter camera, for a slight increase in price.

However the Spark + is available for £114.99, and the Spark X costs £129.99, making them still much much cheaper than many other similar devices on the market today.

Source: Owning a smartphone just got more affordable as British firm launches bargain £90 handset

ZTE to announce Nubia Z11 tomorrow, will feature a borderless design

Chinese smartphone and network equipment maker ZTE will finally launch its flagship smartphone tomorrow carrying the Nubia moniker. The latest Nubia series has already seen the launch of the 5-inch Z11 Mini and the 6-inch Z11 Max which were launched in April and June respectively. Both of the smartphones carry rather subtle mid-range specifications, but the new Z11 will be more of a flagship smartphone.

According to a Chinese source ZTE has been sending out teasers along with a countdown since Saturday to build up excitement among their fans. A previous leak confirmed that the Nubia Z11 will feature a 5.2-inch QHD touchscreen display, a 21 MP rear camera, an 8 MP front camera for taking selfies, and a 3,000mAh battery. Inside, it should rock a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage space. According to the teaser the new smartphones will feature a borderless design, which could translate into an edge-to-edge display.

In May, the Z11's official TENAA certification concluded that it will be more of a mid-range device rather than having high-end specifications. But of course leaks and rumours can be deceiving, so we should probably wait till the handset is officially launched tomorrow.

Tags: flagship, Snapdragon 820, ZTE, ZTE Nubia, ZTE Nubia z11, ZTE Nubia Z11 Max, ZTE nubia Z11 mini

Source: ZTE to announce Nubia Z11 tomorrow, will feature a borderless design

Google may release self-designed smartphone by end of 2016 - report

  Google is reportedly working on a new self-branded phone over which it will exert more design, software, and manufacturing control, putting the company in more direct competition with Apple's iPhone.

The Google device will ship by the end of the year, one of several sources explained to UK newspaper The Telegraph. While Google been shipping self-branded Nexus devices for years, most of the work has been handled by outside parties like LG, Huawei and HTC. This has nevertheless allowed Google to define the Android platform via products that run "pure" versions of the OS.

Google may be concerned, however, that there's still too much fragmentation in the industry. Because phone makers are mostly free to customize Android, that means that they can install custom apps that steer people away from Google services, where the company generates most of its revenue.

Some vendors are also slow to push out new versions of Android to their customers, particularly people on older hardware. While a Nexus 6P is likely running Android 6.0 or later, non-Nexus devices may sometimes be running 5.x or even 4.x, left there because supporting new devices is more lucrative.

Much of Ap ple's success with the iPhone has been linked to the company having direct control over both software and hardware, the latter of which is its main profit driver. Google has been growing the number of physical products it offers though, and earlier this year launched a new hardware division under former Motorola president Rick Osterloh.

Source: Google may release self-designed smartphone by end of 2016 - report

New leaked iPhone 7 images show large cameras

New York: New leaked images of Apple's upcoming flagship smartphone, the iPhone 7 showed that both models -- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus -- will have larger cameras as compared to its predecessors.

According to a report on technology website 9to5mac.com, the devices will also have redesigned antenna lines.

The photos corroborate with previous rumours that the dual-camera component will be exclusive to the 5.5 inch iPhone 7 Plus screen size. There appears to be about a centimetre gap between the two inner cameras enclosed in a pill-shape protruding component, the report said.

The leaks also suggested that the smaller 4.7 inch iPhone 7 will also receive a camera upgrade. The camera hole is substantially larger and the entire component has been aligned closer to the corner of the device.

The images also show the lack of horizontal antenna lines on the back of the phone. As has been reported many times, the antenna lines have been redesigned and are now present only at the chassis edges.

Other changes like the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack and inclusion of two speaker grills suggest stereo sound output.

Apple is expected to launch iPhone 7 officially around September. Apart from camera upgrades, major external design upgrades are tipped for the "OLED iPhone 8" in 2017.

Source: New leaked iPhone 7 images show large cameras

iPhone 7 Rumor Rollup: 10th anniversary is when the iPhone fun will really start

Much of this past week in iPhone 7 rumorville was occupied with rehashing and debunking a lot of the most popular scuttlebutt (dual cameras, no more 3.5mm headphone jack, etc.) about Apple's next flagship smartphone, which is expected to debut in September. 

Plenty continues to be said as well about how boring the new iPhones promise to be (though Apple will need to try really hard to make it duller than its recent Worldwide Developers Conference bounty). Macworld's Macalope column rips into those who don't have faith in Apple to do the right thing, including a writer for The Verge who urges Apple shoppers to have "Have some dignity" over buying what Apple is reportedly selling this time around.

"If there is anything that more represents dignity than a headphone jack then the Macalope hasn't heard of it," The Macalope quips, referring to the outrage over Apple possibly ditching the traditional. 3.5mm headphone jack in iPhone 7.

MORE:14 fascinating facts about Apple's iPhone 

One point that has increasingly begun to get mentioned is that Apple is going to hold off on the really good stuff until next year, when the iPhone turns 10. 

"Next year marks the tenth anniversary of the original iPhone. There's no question Apple was going to save its big new launch for 2017, and according to rumors it's indeed going to be big," writes Yahoo Tech.

Cranking out iPhone 7s

While we might need to wait until next year for the really exciting new iPhone features (curved screen, etc.), rumor has it that Apple has already begun cranking up production of the iPhone 7. 

Super-leaker OnLeaks tweeted out that "Mass production of 4.7" #iphone7 has slowly started at Pegatron factory…" and various sites, such as Phones Review, ran with that. FoxConn is perhaps the better known Apple manufacturer of iPhones.

There's no turning back now, and leaked images of iPhone 7 could be coming faster and more furiously now. 

Touchy subject: iPhone 7 home button

New leaks surfacing on the Mobipicker website supposedly show the front of an iPhone 7 and point to the traditional home button being replaced by a touch-sensitive pad built right into the display.  

"Sources say the new 'button' will be flush with the body of the smartphone, instead of protruding from the bottom bezel, and users will have to perform tapping actions to activate specific functions," according to the UK Daily Mail.

Forbes contributor Gordon Kelly mentions that "learning new combinations could prove problematic," but that getting rid of a moving part should enhance the iPhone's durability.

And if Apple really is going to stretch out the time between when it releases major iPhone upgrades, customers might start weighing durability higher than style in the years ahead.

Source: iPhone 7 Rumor Rollup: 10th anniversary is when the iPhone fun will really start

New leaked iPhone 7 images show large cameras

NEW YORK: New leaked images of Apple's upcoming flagship smartphone, the iPhone 7 showed that both models -- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus -- will have larger cameras as compared to its predecessors.

According to a report on technology website 9to5mac.com, the devices will also have redesigned antenna lines.

The photos corroborate with previous rumours that the dual-camera component will be exclusive to the 5.5 inch iPhone 7 Plus screen size. There appears to be about a centimetre gap between the two inner cameras enclosed in a pill-shape protruding component, the report said.

The leaks also suggested that the smaller 4.7 inch iPhone 7 will also receive a camera upgrade. The camera hole is substantially larger and the entire component has been aligned closer to the corner of the device.

The images also show the lack of horizontal antenna lines on the back of the phone. As has been reported many times, the antenna lines have been redesigned and are now present only at the chassis edges.

Other changes like the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack and inclusion of two speaker grills suggest stereo sound output.

Apple is expected to launch iPhone 7 officially around September. Apart from camera upgrades, major external design upgrades are tipped for the "OLED iPhone 8" in 2017.

Source: New leaked iPhone 7 images show large cameras

Reinventing Smartphone Photography

CEBU, Philippines - The arrival in the Philippines of the much-anticipated brainchild of the partnership between Huawei and Leica has created much curiosity and enthusiasm — the Huawei P9. This much talked about smartphone, since its launch in London, is Huawei's new flagship device that disrupts the world of smartphone photography with its dual-lens camera co-engineered with Leica, the iconic camera manufacturer.

As early as 5 a.m., consumers lined up on June 11 at the Huawei concept store in SM Mall of Asia to avail of the trade-in promo – trading their old cameras for a 20-percent discount for the P9 and P9 Plus. There is no doubt that this phone changes the way people experience and see smartphone photography.

"If you think your smartphone has the best camera, think again," challenged Huawei Philippines Director for Consumer Business Group (CBG) Jose Vega. "We are confident that the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus will elevate your standard in phone photography. It is the phone that redefines creativity and social sharing right at your fingertips. At the core of the P9 is the pursuit of relentless creativity and self-expression."

Every photograph produced by P9 bears Leica's unique emotional resonance and timelessness that reveals a different perspective in how one can see the world.  "The arrival of the Huawei P9 line in the Philippines signifies a shift in the standard of phone photography," said Huawei Philippines Senior Marketing Manager for CBG Corinne Bacani.

The P9 family of devices features a state-of-the-art industrial design with the perfect blend of straight lines and curvatures, reflecting the P-series' minimalist design concept. Powered by the new 2.5GHz Kirin 955 and an upgraded fingerprint sensor, Huawei continues to be at the forefront of technological innovation in the spaces of speed and security, especially with this new flagship device.

The P9 and P9 Plus are now available in Huawei Experience stores and partner-retailers nationwide. Consumers also can avail of these through Globe and Smart Postpaid plans.  (FREEMAN)

Freeman ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

Source: Reinventing Smartphone Photography

Huawei P9 with Leica dual 12MP rear camera coming to India next month

Getting UK work permits might no longer be easy

China wants internet companies to tighten controls on paid-searches

These smartphone brands will use Samsung's dual camera modules

Board okays demerger of Reliance Telecom's circles into Reliance Communications

Airtel, Axiata defer Bangladesh business merger pact

Shopclues expects over two-fold jump in Gross Merchandise Volume sales this fiscal

Facebook hires co-founder of Google's Fibre project

DoT writes to Trai for views on annual spectrum charges

Indian IT firms face spending cut, disruption

Source: Huawei P9 with Leica dual 12MP rear camera coming to India next month

OnePlus 3 manages to survive severe tortures tests with its impressive build

OnePlus 3 is this year's most affordable Android flagship smartphone packing a Snapdragon 820 chipset and an unbelievable 6GB of RAM. With its affordability, lots of critics would have been led to believe that the device would not feature an impressive build quality to save costs but that's where such critics would be proven wrong immediately. Thanks to a video on YouTube, OnePlus 3 manages to stand toe to toe with sharp tools that manage to ruin even the most expensive and durable of smartphones.

A video uploaded by Jerry Rig Everything shows that he uses everything from a knife to keys in order to bring the smartphone to its knees, but thanks to its unibody metal frame, OnePlus 3 is still able to withstand quite a bit of torture, despite carrying just a $399 price tag. We have placed the video right at the bottom so watch it if you ever had the intention of upgrading to the smartphone but had doubts over its build quality.

The 5.5-inch handset features an Optic AMOLED display with a 1080p resolution, and it has all the firepower it needs to provide you with a fluid operating system experience. While 6GB of RAM is more than enough in the smartphone, it opens up apps a lot slower than a Galaxy S7 edge, but we're hoping that the team of OnePlus developers manage to make substantial efforts to release a fix that will help resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, due to its thinner frame, OnePlus 3 features a 3,000mAh battery and a camera hump, whereas a OnePlus 2 featured a larger 3,300mAh battery and virtually no camera hump. Irrespective of that, OnePlus 3 is still regarded as a cheaper Android smartphone that pretty much offers you the same perks of a flagship smartphone and a much more affordable level.

Shares

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

LinkedIn

Follow @bgardner OnePlus 3OnePlus 3 torture tests Muhammad Omer

Since 2010, Tapscape.com has been a trusted source for the latest in technology news and analysis. Tapscape is also a leading reviewer of the latest in apps for both iOS and Android devices, with over 2000 apps reviewed to date. Latest Posts

OnePlus team ensures that OnePlus 3 RAM issues with be resolved

HTC Nexus to be more powerful than you can ever imagine

OnePlus 3 manages to survive severe tortures tests with its impressive build

Galaxy Note 7 rumored price will melt your heart in severe agony

Pages

About

Advertise

Contact

Submit Your App

Follow Us Copyright 2016 Tapscape. All Rights Reserved.
Source: OnePlus 3 manages to survive severe tortures tests with its impressive build

Now, Huawei Developing its Own Mobile OS; Will it Succeed Unlike Firefox OS, Bada & Others

Next generation Android Version, Android N, is just around the corner and most OEMs are looking forward to upgrading their flagship smartphones to the latest version by early next year. On the other hand, Huawei is looking to launch its own operating system for its smartphones, something other handset makers failed to pursue.

Currently, Huawei's smartphones do not run on stock Android, they have an EMUI layer on top that makes it distinct from other handset makers. According to The Information, the Chinese manufacturer is developing its own mobile operating system to take on Android, iOS and Windows OS.

Last year, Huawei hired an ex-Apple executive and designer to revamp its UI skin on Android and make it look more like iOS. It looks like the company is not very keen on pursuing Android much and wants to develop its own OS to be its own boss.

Early this year, Apple lashed out at OEMs for not releasing regular updates for smartphones and even warned them of serious repercussions in case of failure to provide timely updates and patches. The Information's report also says that Huawei may be looking to launch its own OS in case there is a fallout with Google in the future.

The company also claims that work has already started in Scandinavia, with ex-Nokia employees a part of the manufacturing. Huawei has been criticized for its poor UI, which makes the company determined to improve and launch its own OS for mobile phones.

Can this OS be equally successful as iOS and Android?

It is very hard to say that an OS from a large smartphone maker will be a success or not, considering Samsung's bada OS was killed to keep Tizen OS alive, which honestly, isn't doing well either. Nokia's old and gold Symbian OS isn't keeping up well either and is present only in feature phones, no longer attractive.

Huawei built the flagship Nexus for Google this year, Nexus 6P, which was a fantastic phone and it seems quite strange for Huawei to look out for its own OS. Google has always had a symbiotic relationship with smartphone makers, LG, HTC, Motorola and Huawei, that have offered their high-end hardware for the software giant's Android OS.

Sources close to company claim that OS picks up some design elements from iOS, of course, and a few from Android, in terms of app drawers and intuitive virtual buttons. This could come out like an amalgamation of the two most prominent operating systems, which is not the need of the hour.

Do we need another OS?

Quite frankly, iOS, Android and to some extent, Windows, have kept consumers busy with so many possibilities of tweaking software and its elements. Hardware in smartphones has reached a point of saturation, that one needs to innovate with software to resonate with the technical components.

People are the most averse to change, and the sooner Huawei realizes it, the better it would be for the company. A new OS is not important to consumers right now, in fact an improved EMUI would be the best solution to Huawei's problems.

Do you think Huawei's new OS can stand the test of time? Companies like Samsung and Blackberry have failed to impress consumers with their offerings, it is quite possible Huawei sees the same fate and ends up realising its mistake. Watch out for this space as we keep a track of further developments.

Source: The Information

Check These Related Articles!
Source: Now, Huawei Developing its Own Mobile OS; Will it Succeed Unlike Firefox OS, Bada & Others

LeEco Will Announce A New Smartphone On June 29th

Additionally, the date mentions the launch event on June 29, 2 pm.

OnePlus 3, Le Max 2 (once it goes on sale) are the two phones in India now offering 6GB RAM, but it looks like LeEco wants to top it up by offering a device with 8GB RAM. Despite these incredible specifications, the device is apparently going to be rather affordable for a flagship smartphone, with a price tag of around 3000 Yuan in China ($455). Last week, as we reported earlier, the market speculated that LeEco is working towards launching a new smartphone that would feature 8GB of RAM to notch up in race of the smartphones. If rumors regarding the upcoming LeEco LeMax 2 Pro prove true, they will shake things up again this year with a handset best described as a superphone. Priced at Rs 22,999 (for 4GB RAM variant), the phone will go on sale starting June 28 on Flipkart. The Snapdragon 821 is a higher clocked version of the Snapdragon 820 chipset powering the current LeEco flagship. The company has put out an official poster hinting that the device will pack in the latest Snapdra gon processor, which could either be the Snapdragon 821 or 823 processor. LeEco Le Max 2 8GB variant might come with a 5.7 inch Quad HD (2560×1440 pixels) LTPS IPS Display which is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass. Battery capacity is a decent 3,100mAh, with 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and microUSB Type-C as connectivity options. For selfies, it comes with a 8 Megapixel front camera. Le Max 2 uses Sense ID 3D fingerprint technology as well.

Source: LeEco Will Announce A New Smartphone On June 29th

iPhone 7 update: Everything you need to know about Apple's next smartphone

The iPhone 7 is unlikely to arrive before September but the rumours about this new smartphone are already going into overdrive.

We're already expecting the new phone to be faster and feature an upgraded screen and longer battery life.

Now a report from the Wall Street Journal has lifted the lid on another a big rumour and not everyone is going to like it.

It seems that Apple will ditch the headphone jack on the iPhone leaving fans to plug in their cans via the lightning port of by Bluetooth.

Daily Star Online reported earlier this year that Apple was considering removing the popular headphone port, but it seems this is now going to become a reality.

By ditching this port Apple should be able to slim the device down and make it more resistant to water.

Apart from this design change the iPhone 7 is expected to look almost identical to the current iPhone 6s with Apple sticking with its classic aluminium body.

Some reports have suggested the firm's latest flagship will arrive in a new dark blue colour scheme and the antenna lines, that run across the back of the phone, could be moved to the top and bottom of the device.

There's also plenty to suggest that Apple will finally get rid of the 16GB iPhone and replace it with a base 32GB option.

And iPhone fans with plenty of cash in their pockets may be able to treat themselves to an iPhone 7 with a whopping 256GB memory.

Finally, it's thought the iPhone 7 Plus will feature dual rear cameras.

These double snappers could bring better photos to Apple fans with improved depth of field and better zoom options.

Apple recently announced its new iOS 10 update which will bring a host of new features to most iPhone models.

The new OS will launch in September and include new messaging functions, redesigned Apple Music and updated Maps and Photo apps.

Source: iPhone 7 update: Everything you need to know about Apple's next smartphone

Wang: Smartphones and virtual reality need each other, for now

By Jefferson Wang

Jefferson Wang

The rise of virtual reality is coming at an interesting time for the smartphone business. High-end smartphone growth is facing challenges in a quickly maturing market due to slower innovation, rise of the "good-enough" smartphone, competitive Chinese device manufacturers and the trend of consumers upgrading more infrequently in a saturated market. Even Apple is experiencing smartphone growth issues, selling about 16 percent fewer iPhones while making about 18 percent less revenues on iPhone sales in 2Q 2016 versus the same period last year.

Quite frankly, it has become harder and harder to impress and excite consumers with each successive flagship smartphone launch. But given the ubiquity of smartphones, VR has the opportunity to piggyback on them to not only expand beyond a home environment but drive mass adoption. As virtual reality head-mounted displays vie to become the next "it" wearable, all eyes are on VR to breathe new life (and dollars) into the mobile smartphone ma rket.

VR's financial barrier to entry is substantially higher when compared to smartphones as users must purchase a head-mounted display (HMD), computing power and compelling content. Without any HMD promotions, consumers must spend on two different pieces of hardware. As the market waits for costs to come down substantially, leveraging a high-end smartphone for computing power could not only drive smartphone upgrades but also help start to drive VR toward mass adoption. After all, outside of a dedicated computer or game console, where else will widely available processing power come from for at least the next couple years? 

It's worth noting results from a recent IBB Consulting consumer study that showed a majority of customers interested in VR believe that it is here to stay. Only 9 percent thought VR was just a fad. Further, more than three-quarters of consumers that are interested in VR say they are willing to spend on HMDs, suggesting a strong market in the making.

Smartphone manufacturers are betting on VR

Device manufacturers have a lot riding on virtual reality. If VR takes off, consumers will need to upgrade high-end smartphones with improved processors for imaging and advanced sensors for head tracking. This VR technology innovation could rejuvenate high-end smartphone upgrades and stimulate growth. Device manufacturers also have the potential to pad VR revenues with accessories and companion device sales. This could include HMDs, 360 degree cameras for UGC capture, headphones for immersive sound, and sensors for interaction.

This opportunity points to interesting partnership opportunities that could help combat the growing trend of smartphone commoditization. A premium smartphone with top specs on its own no longer justifies top-of-the-market costs. So to preserve high-endpricing, smartphone device manufacturers have turned to bundling -- an important strategy in a commoditized market. Samsung is giving away a free Gear VR headset when you purchase Samsung's high-end Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge. LG announced its new G5 flagship smartphone with smart friends that included the LG360 VR headset. ZTE also recently announced that it is entering the HMD market.

Device makers know better than to expect HMDs to fly off the shelves simply because they're available. To speed adoption, virtual reality ecosystem players are working to lower barriers of entry across head-mounted display purchase, computing power and content:

·         Head-mounted displays. There are several options across price ranges to fulfill diverse needs: $0 - $99, $100 - $249, $250 - $499, and $500+.

·         Computing power. Being tied to a gaming console or dedicated computer may be a non-starter for certain VR experiences due to cost and non-mobility, so an existing smartphone may eliminate both friction points of additional spend and stationary nature.

·         Compelling and diverse content. The smartphone content ecosystem understands the reciprocal relationship that exists between smartphones and VR. Google announced the Daydream VR solution and should leverage Google Play, Amazon is reported to be developing a VR video app (as is Hulu), Facebook continues to push the importance of virtual reality in the social experience, and YouTube 360 is getting UGC makers in on the action.

The stage is set. Device manufacturers are tracking the rise of virtual reality closely and trying to ride the wave to the tune of high-end smartphone upgrades, HMD accessory sales and a technology generational leap. The industry's pursuit of a mobile ecosystem that offers affordable and accessible computing power, subsidized HMDs, and a compelling content ecosystem will keep the virtual reality market alive in the near term as we wait for the most premium experiences to become more affordable. Smartphones won't provide virtual reality's processing power forever. If the market takes off on the backs of consumer experiences or enterprise use cases, we can expect VR HMDs to ultimately integrate computing power to become stand-alone devices, eventually leaving the smartphone in its dust. For now, VR is offering smartphones a strong potential lifeline.

Jefferson Wang is a senior partner with IBB Consulting, leading the firm's wireless and mobility group's work with network operators, device manufacturers, and content providers on technical and business strategy from product innovation through launch. Follow him on Twitter at @jeffersonwang13

Source: Wang: Smartphones and virtual reality need each other, for now

Oppo F1 Plus review: A flagship at half the price

Oppo is a Chinese smartphone brand that isn't especially familiar to UK customers. Yet on a global scale it was one of 2015's fastest growers. That's for one very good reason: it's been making decent phones at competitive prices, and everyone loves a bargain.

Its latest premium but affordable smartphone is the Oppo F1 Plus, which costs £299 and comes with a great set of specifications packed into a fashionable metal and glass design. It's a proven design, similar to that of the smaller-scale original Oppo F1, which we reviewed four months previous, albeit at a larger scale with a 5.5-inch screen and some spec tweaks (that we'll get into later).

The ultimate question with the F1 Plus, then, is whether or not Oppo is capable of making a mid-range phone that competes with the biggest and best out there at this price point. Can it win appeal in the UK market?

Oppo F1 Plus review: Design

Like its smaller sibling, the Oppo F1 Plus features a sleek metal chassis, but without any of the plastic trim. To the untrained eye — heck, even to the trained eye — this phone looks suspiciously like an iPhone clone. At least, it does on the back and from the bottom edge.

Pocket-lint

It has the parallel antenna bands running along the top and bottom, with a protruding round camera in the top left corner. The bottom edge features the Micro-USB port, a 3.5mm jack, plus seven holes for the loudspeaker. There's some iPhone differences, of course, including the microSD card slot, which can be used to expand the based 64GB on-board storage.

The gold-coloured metal casing on the back rounds towards the edges, where a shiny, angled chamfered edge surrounds the slightly protruding front panel — which is covered entirely in glass and comes equipped with a factory-applied screen protector.

You should definitely keep this protector on if you value a pristine display. Having foolishly removed ours, the display was scratched within a matter of days, without any unreasonable treatment. Looking at it, you'd think we'd purposefully scratched it with keys or a knife, and in all likelihood, it picked up the marks just by being in a pocket. That's kind of concerning, especially given the fact that it's advertised as having Gorilla Glass 4, but it's not uncommon: we've had an LG G5 for months that looks like it's been through the wars.

Pocket-lint

The Oppo F1 Plus also has capacitive back and recent apps soft buttons on either side of the metal-surrounded fingerprint sensor, but they're barely illuminated which makes them frustrating to see.

Oppo F1 Plus review: Screen

From a specifications viewpoint, the F1 Plus's 5.5-inch display — which boasts a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (otherwise known as Full HD) — is plenty sharp enough for a phone that costs a whisker under £300.

Unlike plenty of other devices at similar prices and with the same screen size and resolution, Oppo has gone with an AMOLED-based panel, which means it looks great in terms of contrast and colour.

Pocket-lint

Blacks are ultra deep and colours are really vibrant, and with the ultra-slim bezel on either side it's an aesthetic treat to look at. Watching movies, videos and gaming are all a pleasure.

Oppo F1 Plus review: Software

Like all Oppo phones, the F1 Plus has the company's own custom ColorOS software, built on top of Android. That means you don't get the standard Google-designed app drawer, so instead you'll have to wrestle with app and folder placement.

On the plus side, this is the latest version of ColorOS, in v3.0, and comes with some very useful features and some which, as we alluded to with the design, will feel very familiar to iPhone users. Apps like the calculator, camera, phone dialler, weather and even the card-based multitasking screen look almost like they were directly ripped right out of iOS.

We found using the pre-installed TouchPal keyboard made it very easy to type, thanks to virtual keys being well spaced. With its plethora customisation options, including downloadable themes, fonts, adjustable keyboard size, the option to add a separate number row and gesture-based Swype-like typing, plus a lot more, it has many strings to its bow. If you don't like the default setup, it's unlikely that you'll fail in making it match your preferences.

Because the software is so unlike regular Android, many basic tasks and functions aren't accessed in the usual way. For instance, pressing and holding the home screen wallpaper doesn't take you to the usual customisation screen for adding widgets, arranging home screens or choosing wallpapers. Instead, you have to go into the settings menu. It's all a bit longer-winded, really. But if you're not an Android geek then this is unlikely to really matter.

Our advice: if you like the hardware of the Oppo smartphone, then install something like the Google Now Launcher from the Play Store which offers a much more traditional Android look and feel.

Oppo F1 Plus review: Performance

There's no two ways about it, the F1 Plus phone is fast. In fact, pretty much everything on this device is geared to be quick.

You'd be hard pushed to find a fingerprint scanner on a phone that's as zippy as the phone's front-loaded scanner. From experience, only Huawei is on par, but thanks to Oppo's lack of an onscreen animation when unlocking it seems much faster.

Pocket-lint

Then we get to the manufacturer's proprietary charging technology, VOOC. Imagine a Quick Charge-capable phone, then imagine it doesn't slow down much after 80 per cent charge. Then imagine it charges just as quickly when being used as when it's in standby, and then imagine it doesn't get overly warm doing it. You don't need to imagine any more: that's VOOC flash-charging. And it's fan-bloomin-tastic. Even when constantly streaming video the battery would charge from dead to full in just over an hour.

Using the device is generally fast and fluid too. There's very little (if any) lag or stuttering when switching between apps, swiping through homescreens or opening apps. That's mostly thanks to the Helio P10 processor inside paired with a generous 4GB of RAM. Gaming on the other hand wasn't spectacular: frame rates aren't always smooth during some fast-moving games, given the Mali-T860MP2 graphics.

Oppo F1 Plus review: Battery Life

Even with heavy use, the Oppo F1 Plus can easily make it through a full day on a single charge. That's thanks to a few things.

Firstly, there's the 1080p display which — because it doesn't contain as many pixels — doesn't use as much power as a Quad HD screen (2,560 x 1,440 pixels, as you'll find in many flagship devices these days).

Pocket-lint

Secondly, there's the software factor. Oppo ColorOS 3.0 has built-in battery-management as standard which, at times, is a little over-aggressive. It essentially kills apps from using power in the background if they haven't actually been used onscreen for a little while. Almost all the time, this is a genuinely useful feature and saves unnecessary battery drain. On the other hand it can be incredibly frustrating. And because the device runs Android 5.1 Lollipop rather than 6.0 Marshmallow, it doesn't have Google's own baked-in Doze battery saving te chnology which is far less aggressive and granular.

Using Strava, for example, to track a run or bike ride and having the software just kill the app within the first five minutes of exercise means most of the sessions end up not being recorded. Likewise, with an app like Pebble's program which is necessary for pushing notifications to the smartwatch, you can end up not getting any notifications at all. There is a an option within the settings to whitelist specific apps, but that doesn't work consistently, and it's a pain to access (go to settings > battery > others > select app, then toggle "freeze when in background"... talk about a faff, eh?).

Pocket-lintOppo F1 Plus review: Camera

As cameras go, the main 13-megapixel one on the back has some real plus points. With an f/2.2 aperture it's not the most impressive for a smartphone camera, but that opening can still let in lots of light and create great background blur.

In good daylight, images often come out sharp, with nice tones and detail. It really shines when used outdoors, although greens can be a little over-saturated. Detail is sharp, especially when you get close-up to a subject. However, it does sometimes struggle to focus.

In low-light it does struggle a little, and once lighting is less than optimal, you will notice some noise and graininess creeping in. Sadly, unlike a lot of phones out nowadays, there's no manual camera mode to adjust the shutter speed to compensate either.

Although the F1 Plus's camera isn't perfect, it still has a selection of features most buyers will find really useful. You can record timelapse videos, regular videos in 1080p resolution, plus there are Panorama and the ever-more-standard "Beauty" mode — the last of which smoothes out your pores to make your skin tone rosier or fairer and all that "good" stuff (we don't like it, it's too fake). You can also choose to fire the shutter by tapping the screen, pressing the round virtual shutter button or by using your voice.

Pocket-lint

As a bonus, you can take pictures or shoot video with a number of preset filters, create GIF animations, or double-expose shots. The last of these is a lot of fun, as it gives you the creative freedom to make "ghost" photos, providing you have a very steady hand or a tripod on which to mount your phone.

Verdict

The Oppo F1 Plus has its quirks and irritations, but as an overall package it's hard to be critically damning.

The F1 Plus looks and feels good, has an impressively sharp and colourful display and acts as a slick upsized brother for the original F1 model. The Plus's two key features that make the biggest difference in daily use are its superfast fingerprint recognition, and VOOC charging technology.

On the downside, Oppo ColorOS software really needs a lot of work. Its over-aggressive battery saving capabilities mean that some apps you want running in the background get killed, even when you've marked them to stay active. That kind of annoyance almost cost this handset a half star on the score sheet.

So is the Oppo F1 Plus set to win appeal in the UK market? As we said at the beginning of this review, price is a key factor. At £299 it's affordable for the mid-range, but there's a lot of competition — particularly from the likes of the OnePlus 3, which is just a tenner more, or the Vodafone Smart Platinum, which is a fiver less.

Source: Oppo F1 Plus review: A flagship at half the price

Android flagships (and one iOS) get a flash showdown

Have you ever considered a smartphone's flash and flashlight ability as a reason for choosing the next device you'll be buying? Well, probably not, as there are a lot of other factors to consider when buying a new gadget. But just in case you were curious about the various levels of flashes that all the latest flagship devices have, YouTuber Jerome Ortega has got you covered. He had a showdown among the following smartphones: Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5, Nexus 6P, iPhone 6S Plus, and HTC 10.

To conduct this semi-scientific test, he set up a tripod at almost ground level and aimed the smartphones at the same set of objects placed in front of a door. He of course turned the light off and then turned on the flashlight of each of the smartphones, then took pictures of what the objects look light with just the flash as the point of illumination. He also tried it from another angle and with both tests, it looks like the flash of the Samsung Galaxy S7 proved to be the brightest in this real world test.

He then also tried using a light meter to measure the capability of each of the same smartphones. He turned the lux to the 100x range. The result of that test again showed that the Galaxy S7 is the brightest with 1,910 lux, followed by the LG G5 with its 1,664 lux, then the Nexus 6P with 1,217 lux, the iPhone 6S Plus with just 911 lux, and lastly, the HTC 10 at just 789.

Now, will this affect your choice for a next smartphone? Probably not majorly. But if you take a lot of photos in low light conditions, then this can be a consideration for you.

Tags: Android, flash, HTC 10, LG G5, Nexus 6P, Samsung Galaxy S7, smartphone

Source: Android flagships (and one iOS) get a flash showdown

No porn in OnePlus 3, claims company

NEW DELHI: Days after a buyer claimed in a Reddit post that the flagship oneplus 3 comes pre-loaded with pornographic content, the company has issued an official statement on the issue.

"We have been unable to verify the validity of this claim and believe it to be without any merit whatsoever. The user's Reddit post has since been removed as well, further indicating that this claim is untrue," OnePlus said.

A buyer, on Reddit, had claimed earlier that his new OnePlus 3 smartphone came with pre-loaded bloatware offering NSFW adult content out-of-the-box.

The Reddit post made by the buyer raised suspicions that the Chinese startup might push bloatwares to its smartphones in future. This is in contradiction to the company's promise of providing users pure stock Android experience without any bloatware.

"OnePlus strives to create the best smartphone experience possible, both through top-of-the-line products and through a positive overall user experience. As such, we pride ourselves on our rigorous quality control processes and hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards," the statement added.

Incidentally, the buyer was unhappy not because of the so-called bloatware or the porn content. But his complain, on Reddit, was about the quality of the content, which he claimed is not HD. "My OnePlus 3 came with porn. But it wasn't even HD. It also had an anime (bleach) image and some docs and zips," went the post. OnePlus 3 review: A bit expensive, but still a 'flagship-killer'

Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus is back with the latest iteration of its 'flagship killer' smartphone – the OnePlus 3.

The latest flagship, OnePlus 3, is priced at Rs 27,999. Running OxygenOS based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the OnePlus 3 smartphone features a 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED Full HD display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Under-the-hood it packs a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, clubbed with a massive 6GB RAM, Adreno 530 GPU and 64GB onboard storage. Other features include 16MP rear camera, 8MP Sony front camera, fingerprint sensor, NFC, USB Type-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS. It is backed by a 3000mAh non-removable battery with support for Dash Charge technology.
Source: No porn in OnePlus 3, claims company

Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy S7 vs ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe

Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today – the popular Samsung Galaxy S7 takes on the new ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe.  These solidly built flagship smartphones look the part in every sense of the word – the solid metal chassis that wraps around the glass on the Galaxy S7 has a great premium look and feel and the all-metal design of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is striking in its own way.  Which one of these monsters has the right to be the winner of this comparison?  These two devices do have a few things in common that we will take a look at now and then later we will look at each individual device to try to determine a winner of this specification comparison.

As with most smartphones, we can always find some commonalities between models and the Galaxy S7 and ZenFone 3 Deluxe are no exceptions. They both use Super AMOLED displays but are different in size and resolutions. The U.S. version of the Galaxy S7 and the Deluxe 3 use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and they both have expandable memory. Both devices employ a fingerprint sensor and both have Hi-Res audio for earphone listening. They have the host of usual suspects – WiFi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, and a USB port (microUSB v2.0 on the Galaxy S7 and Type-C v3.0 on the ZenFone 3 Deluxe) for charging and data transfer.  Both use a non-removable 3000mAh battery to provide the power…,with Quick Charge 2.0 on the Galaxy S7 and 3.0 on the Deluxe,

Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the "View Full Comparison" link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater depth and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information, we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.

Specifications

Samsung Galaxy S7

Every year in the spring, the world waits for the new Galaxy 'S' series to see just what Samsung defines as a smartphone. After repeated years of the same looks, Samsung switched to a metal and glass design on the Galaxy S6 that allowing them to maintain wireless charging and add an IP68 certification.  The Galaxy S7 still looks like a Samsung Galaxy device – but Samsung, as always, refined the exterior design and on the interior, they added the newest processors, and completely revamped the camera area.

The Galaxy S7 sports a gorgeous 5.1-inch Super AMOLED with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, which produces 577 pixels-per-inch (PPI.) Samsung switched an 'always-on' display that should help save battery life. There are two versions of the Galaxy S7 – the model bound for the U.S. gets the newest 64-bit Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with dual cores clocked at 1.6GHz and dual cores clocked at 2.15GHz. Other countries will use a Samsung Exynos 8890 octa-core processor with four cores clocked at 1.6GHz and four cores clocked at 2.3GHz. The Galaxy S7 packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM and has 32GB of the faster UFS 2.0 memory, as well as possible expansion up to 200GB via a microSD card.

Every year, Samsung has slowly increased the megapixels in its camera area and many were expecting a larger camera in the new Galaxy S7 – rumors peaked of a 21MP shooter but, the complete opposite occurred – Samsung used a new Dual Pixel 12MP camera that has a larger sensor than the old 16MP. The new sensor with less, but larger pixels, allows more light and detail onto the sensor for better low-light shots. Samsung continued their work by increasing the aperture to f/1.7, included a faster phase detection autofocus (PDAF), auto HDR and they retained the OIS. The Galaxy S7's front-facing camera (FFC) comes with a 5MP sensor, a wide-angle lens, a large f/1.7 aperture, and Live HDR, which totals up to excellent low-light selfies and video chatting. Samsung increased the non-removable battery to 3000mAh and features Quick Charge 2.0 and Quick Wireless Charging for both Qi and PMA standards.

The Galaxy S7 does have a few things lacking on the ZenFone 3 Deluxe.  We can start with the display – it has a QHD resolution rather than FHD. The Galaxy S7 is IP68 certified against dust and water and offers more LTE bands in the US. The Galaxy S7 has both Android Pay as well as Samsung Pay to make mobile purchases just about anywhere you can swipe a credit or debit card. The Galaxy S7 has a heart rate monitor and oxygen saturation sensor. The Galaxy S7 also offers quick wireless charging. The Galaxy S7 measures 142.4 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm, weighs in at 152 grams and is available in Black, White, Gold, and Silver costs about $670.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe

ASUS' new family of ZenFone 3 devices has some impressive specifications – not only in components but also in size (the Ultra model has a 6.8-inch display.)  We are looking at the ZenFone 3 Deluxe as it has the best processor of the group. It comes with 6GB of DDR4 RAM and either 64GB or 256GB, although the 6GB/64GB model is the one we will be looking at today.  The new ZenFone 3 is made entirely from metal and ASUS was able to build the antenna into the frame, so there are no lines on the back, allowing it to look beautiful from every angle.  ASUS changed just about everything with the new model – different outside material, the brand of processor, more RAM, new and faster UFS 2.0 memory, better camera. F or a real flagship smartphone, the only thing I can fault ASUS with is continuing to use a Full HD (FHD) display.

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe comes with a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED FHD always on display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and 386 PPI.  Asus tapped into the new 64-bit Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with a dual-core clocked at 1.6GHz and a dual-core clocked at 2.15GHz.  Coupled to the 820 is the Adreno 530 GPU and it will handle the toughest graphics thrown its way.  There are two versions – a 6GB DDR4 RAM with 64GB of memory or a 6GB DDR4 model with 256GB of memory that we will arrive at a later date. Both versions have room to expand 128GB via a microSD card, and both models are using the new and faster UFS 2.0 memory like the Galaxy S7 series.

ASUS stepped up the primary camera area by using a Sony sensor, 23MP ASUS PixelMaster 3.0 camera, with a sapphire crystal lens cover, an aperture of f/2.0, dual LED flash, and 4-axis OIS and 4K video capability.  The FFC is an impressive 8MP snapper with an 85-degree wide-angle lens for selfies or video chatting.  A 3000mAh non-removable battery powers the ZenFone 3 and it utilizes Quick Charge 3.0 technology.  It has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for unlocking the device as well as authorizing mobile payments.

The ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe only has the extra 2GB of RAM over the Galaxy S7 – and nobody is exactly sure how the ZenFone 3 Deluxe will manage the 6GB of RAM. It will come with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and have ASUS' own ZenUI 3.0 running over the top. It measures in at 156.4 x 77.4 x 7.5mm and weighs in at 170 grams. The colors available are Titanium Gray, Glacier Silver, and Sand Gold, and it will cost about $500 for the 4GB/64GB model – no pricing yet on the 6GB/256GB variant, it will certainly cost a few bucks.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

Yes, I know what you are thinking – I have just picked the ZenFone 3 Deluxe over the much pricier Galaxy S7 – did I lose my mind? The answers are 'yes' and 'no.' I am picking the Deluxe over the Galaxy S7 for the simply sane reason of saving $170.

The Galaxy S7's main attraction is its QHD display versus the FHD display on the ZenFone 3 Deluxe – although it does have Samsung Pay, IP68 certification, a heart monitor, an oxygen sensor, and wireless charging.

The ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe is attractive, well-built, has a Super AMOLED display, the same processor, more RAM, the same USF 2.0 memory, expandable memory, newer Type-C reversible connector, employs a fingerprint sensor and NFC. Certainly, there is no QHD display, but if you can live without a couple of Samsung items, the ASUS device is a sweet deal at $500 and the winner of this comparison.

Source: Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy S7 vs ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe