Most accessories don’t have the honor of being chosen by Google to give to employees. When Moshi told us that their “Made for Google” Umbra privacy screen protector was included with the Pixelbook in the Google employee welcome kit, we knew we needed to get our hands on one.
Like it or not, the headphone jack is (more or less) dying. Considering myself firmly in the “not” category, I’ve delayed in getting Bluetooth headphones for years. The Made for Google lineup for 2018 features a decent variety of Bluetooth headphones. Of these, the Skullcandy Riff Wireless, which we’re reviewing today, are the most accessible at just under $50.
The Google Home Hub is the fourth addition to the Google Home family, and it marks the launch of the first Google-made Smart Display and the company’s first proper competitor to the Amazon Echo Show. While the device is the same as the first few Google Home entrants at its core, the display is definitely a boon for the experience and Google is making strides in smart home control…
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro throws together some of the most requested features that we hear Android fans clamor for on a regular basis, but one big downside is there is no word on US availability just yet. That said, I genuinely believe this to be an all-around great smartphone for many Android enthusiasts out there.
The Google Pixel is back for its third year, and I’ll cut to the chase: Google has basically nailed these phones in every regard, save for a few subjective caveats you already know about. They’re both in many ways my favorite don’t-call-them-Android phones, Google’s best attempt yet at making the Pixel lineup compelling to anyone, and two of the best phones you can buy overall. For lots of iPhone users and Android users alike, these should both be seriously considered as your next…
Samsung’s yearly “S” flagship is the biggest phone of the year in the Android world. Last year, the company completely overhauled basically everything with the debut of the Galaxy S8. For 2018, however, we’re getting a very iterative update, to the point where it feels like the same phone all over again.
The easiest way to sum up the Galaxy S9 is that it takes the years of refinement we saw in the Galaxy S8, and fixes all of its problems. That said, is it worth paying the price for a flagship that isn’t all that different from the one before? Let’s take a closer look.
One of the things I love most about the modern tech industry is that so many lesser-known companies are building great gear for a fraction of the cost of the big-name brands. One such example is British company, Rock Jaw Audio. Its flagship product, the Alfa Genus V2, is an incredibly versatile and well-made set of earphones that’ll set you back less than $50.
Months after first showing it off, Alcatel finally made its budget water and dust resistant GO Play smartphone available to buy unlocked in the US in March. We unboxed it when it first came out (video below), and have been using it off and on since then, and finally gathered our thoughts on the sub $200 durable device.
In summary, the IP67 certification is a welcome feature, and certainly gives peace of mind if you’re buying for your kids, but you can find better performing phones with less durability for the same price (or a little more).
It may not be one of the biggest names in audio equipment, but Edifier has a growing reputation for building great-looking speakers systems that don’t cost the earth. While the M3280BT hardly has the most catchy of names, it is a decent 2.1 audio system that’s at the very least, worth your consideration, if not your cash.
In the Netherlands, Google has been battling it out in court over fake reviews on several of its sites. TechCrunch today reports that a nursery in Amsterdam has recently won the lawsuit against Google, not only forcing the company to take down the fake reviews, but also forcing it to hand over the details of those who initially posted the reviews.
Google Maps is expanding its ‘Explore around you’ feature to France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Japan. The tool helps users find places to grab a meal or drink based on location and lists them as pre-made categories.
Google today has pushed out a small update to the Play Store that gets rid of the ability to thumbs down a review. In its place is the ability to thumbs up and report as spam.
For a while, Scotland-based audio company RHA was known primarily for delivering audiophile-grade sound in affordable earphones. With the T20, that’s not exactly how they played it. In fact, this set of headphones is not anywhere near cheap enough to be classed as an affordable pair, but I still feel that in terms of design, audio and versatility, they comfortably give you your money’s worth. That’s despite the fact they’d set you back $240/£180 if you decided to splurge on them…
With any smartphone, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. And with every phone purchase, there’s almost always a ‘honeymoon’ period for the first few weeks, where you feel excited about what the device has to offer. Tech reviewers aren’t immune to these effects either and, often, we only ever get that honeymoon period. Review units get sent back, and we don’t experience what it’s like to use the phone on a day-to-day basis for months at a time.
As much as we can test individual features for quality, and get a general overall feel for the device, nothing quite beats living with and using a device for an extended period.
I’ve been using the Moto X Style (2015 Pure Edition) for a few months now, and I love it more now than when I first unboxed it…
Chromebooks are all the same, but in this case that’s a good thing. The minimum hardware mandated by Google results in an affordable computer that runs a capable operating system. Since its inception six years ago, Chrome OS has been continuously updated with useful features, while in parallel, Google’s services have become immensely powerful and feature-rich for just being web apps.
While Chromebooks with touchscreens are not new, convertible Chrome OS devices are just starting to arrive. The Chromebook R11 is Acer’s first contribution to this field and I try to predominantly use it as a tablet in this review.
Grab a OnePlus One, slap on a fox logo and some pretty, shiny orange trim and you essentially have the Wileyfox Storm. It’s an attractive, affordable handset which currently stands as one of the few official Cyanogen partner phones with flagship specs. It’s made by a British company, and my experience with it has generally been pleasing…
Aukey is a Chinese company more commonly known for producing charging accessories like in-car chargers and multi-port USB stations. But, it also builds headphones. I’ve been testing the wireless Bluetooth earphones while out running for a few months now. For $25, it’s really hard to argue against the Aukey Sport Bluetooth Headphone…
Honor is Huawei’s affordable brand in Europe, and the Honor 7 promises high end design and features, but without the normally associated price tag. It’s all metal, has a full HD display and a fingerprint sensor built in. But it’s not perfect…
When Google unveiled their new phones at the launch event, there were a number of firsts. For the first time, the company was boasting about the camera and seemed to have the evidence to back up the hype. Another was the introduction of USB Type-C. It ditched Qualcomm’s Quick-Charge tech in favor of a new universal standard. It also released two phones at the same time. This morning, the Nexus 5X finally became available to order, which also means that review embargoes have lifted on both the new Nexus phones.
Several tech publications and personalities have had their say on the two new Nexus phones and — for the most part — the opinions are very positive…
Last week, Fonesalesman — the company behind the LG G4 PWRPatch I showed you recently — announced that it is launching a side table with a built in Qi-standard wireless charging unit called FurniQi. It’s made from sustainable bamboo, and is designed to remove the usual clutter associated with having wireless chargers lying around on surfaces, and I unboxed it and built it…
The budget smartphone tier is getting more interesting as every month goes by. What you can get for your money on a low budget these days is fantastic. And it gets better every time any company releases a new competitive low-end phone. While some might look to the likes of the Moto G, or Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 as the ultimate in bang-for-buck device, there’s a new company from Britain in town which might have just released one of the most disruptive phones so far.
The Wileyfox Swift costs £129 in the UK (that’s £15-60 less than the UK Moto G), and offers an incredible all-round experience for the money…
The smartphone market is getting crowded by low cost phones offering great performance. It’s been something of a rising trend, especially with brands like OnePlus and Alcatel OneTouch leading the way. The next devices wanting a piece of the action are the Wileyfox Swift and Wileyfox Storm. Both released in what looks like a direct response to last year’s “flagship killer”, the OnePlus One.
I unboxed the more budget-friendly model of the two, the Wileyfox Swift, to see if it could deliver as much bang for your buck as other, similar devices…
LG’s G4 is one of the best phones on the market this year. It has a phenomenal camera, great display and lasts all day on a single charge. So, when LG used the same brand name for a mini version, expectations were understandably high. Does the G4c deliver as a mid-range smartphone?