Moto X vs. OnePlus 2: did Motorola just kill the 2016 flagship killer?

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Last night, OnePlus introduced its sophomore phone to the world, the OnePlus 2. With it came a new design, a fingerprint scanner, a three-step profile switcher, swappable backings, an improved camera, a much better display, a screaming new processor, USB-C, Oxygen OS … all starting at just $329. Motorola, not one to be outdone, unveiled the next generation Moto G and Moto X models at its own event this morning. Coming close to the OnePlus 2’s pricing at $399 unlocked, Motorola’s new ...

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OnePlus is finally ready for the big time

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

OnePlus has been sort of a controversial name in the past. The company has had its PR fumbles, from asking users to smash their phones, to practically holding an online wet t-shirt contest, to shipping out phones without chargers. It gained the company a lot of flack, and brought a new hurdle to buying a OnePlus One. After all, it was already hard enough for most people to procure an invite to purchase the phone, but then came the moral decision of whether or not to support a company with such back-and-forth ...

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Lenovo Tab 2 A8 unboxing (Video)

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Lenovo isn’t exactly the biggest contender in the Android tablet space — in fact, looking through the company’s website, the Tab 2 A8 is the only tablet listed that runs an Android version newer than 4.4 KitKat. It isn’t the highest end device we’ve seen, and it’s certainly not aimed at beating out the iPad Air 2 or Nexus 9 any time soon. But at just $129.99 for a quad-core processor, an ...

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Thin smartphones and thick cases actually make a pretty good combo

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

The topic of cases is always somewhat of a polarizing one among smartphone users. Whether or not they’re necessary, or if they even help protect your phone (spoiler: they do). The vast majority of people are happy to put a case on their phone, because they’d rather have the piece of mind that their expensive purchase is protected in some way, than have to deal with a shattered screen or scuffed up chassis later. Other people, myself included, tend to shy away from cases, usually citing a reluctance to cover the finely crafted design of their smartphone (or using the silly ...

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Would the Moto X be as big as it is without Moto Maker?

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

The Moto X is one of the most universally liked smartphones in the tech space. It’s affordable, the software is close to stock with some compelling added features, and it’s the most customizable phone money can buy (at least, until Project Ara hits the market). You can choose your own backing and accent colors, add a message to the boot screen, engrave your name or favorite phrase onto the back, and even train it to ...

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There is no such thing as “the cloud,” it’s just somebody else’s computer

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Nearly everybody uses cloud services these days, to some varying degree. It’s almost unavoidable at this point; the moment you set up an Android phone, it prompts you to create a Gmail account in order to download apps, then proceeds to automatically back up your contacts and other information to the cloud. The same goes for Apple’s iCloud service, and Microsoft’s OneDrive as well. At any given moment, your phone could even be uploading your photos to the cloud, if you have such a feature enabled on your phone. Even if you try your best to avoid it, it’s likely that ...

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My first-time IFA experience: thoughts before the show

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

The Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin, better known as IFA, is right around the corner! If you’ve been following Pocketnow or similar sites for a while now, you’re likely already familiar with IFA. It’s one of the biggest trade shows in mobile, where tech bloggers and journalists come from all around the world to get a first glimpse at some of the newest technology that OEMs and exhibitors can show off. In a way, it’s a lot like a more mobile-focused CES. I’ve attended CES (the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada) for the past two years, and

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What’s your ideal fingerprint scanner placement? (Poll)

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Fingerprint scanners have become synonymous with mobile security. Ever since the iPhone 5s introduced Touch ID, the use of PIN codes has skyrocketed in users. Of course, fingerprint scanners weren’t the first method of protecting personal information — far from it. PIN codes, alphanumeric passwords, and even facial recognition had been on smartphones for years before the biometric boom. The one thing Touch ID has that the rest lack, however, is profound convenience. Typing in a four to six digit PIN every single time you want to access your phone, while protective, gets old fast, ...

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Android for audiophiles – what’s the best implementation?

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Audio quality is becoming more and more important in smartphones these days. Whether it’s out loud or through headphones, a lot of consumers want to hear their music in a high quality format. They want to watch their movies with 5.1 surround sound. Some Android OEMs have recently begun putting emphasis on quality audio. HTC famously has its BoomSound speakers, which popularized the widespread use of front-firing speakers in modern smartphones. Other companies like ZTE with its Axon phone have placed focus ...

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Is “fast charging” a marketing ploy?

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Fast charging is everywhere. It’s called out on the box of every phone it’s implemented in. It’s advertised online. It takes form in multiple variants. But does it really help drive sales?We’ve seen fast charging take many identities. Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, Oppo’s VOOC, Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charge… Our own Joe Levi already took a look at the different fast charging options a few months ago, and his tests indicated a clear benefit to ...

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HTC doesn’t seem to understand what phones US shoppers want

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

They say that insanity, by definition, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Dictionary.com defines stagnancy as a “lack of development, advancement, or progressive movement.” But do these words define HTC? I like to think not, but a lot of people would argue otherwise, and while I may not agree with it, it isn’t hard to see where they’re coming from. HTC is hurting right now, and a lot of that has to do with its product lineup.Over the past few years, HTC has seen reasonable success with its One smartphone series, but it always falls behind the ...

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iOS 9 Public Beta hands-on (Video)

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

The iOS 9 public beta marks the first pre-release software version Apple has officially made available to the public at large. This is the software we’ll see on the next iPhone and iPad line, but of course it’ll be made available for past iOS devices as well, so why not get familiar while it’s still fresh? Let’s take a look at some of the new features coming in iOS 9.

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Our thoughts on Apple Music after two weeks

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

It’s been about two weeks since Apple Music made its debut on iOS. We’ve already given our first impressions, and highlighted some of its best features, but after having used it on an almost-daily basis, what’s the takeaway? Is Apple Music worth your time, or is it just another “me too” streaming service further condensing the market?

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Best wearables in 2015 so far (Video)

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

If you’ve been itching to get into the wearable space, you might find it hard to find out which devices are worth looking into. Smartwatches release less frequently than smartphones or tablets, and even when a new device launches, it just doesn’t see the same type of hype and publicity. Wearables don’t just include smartwatches though, and there’s a certain VR kit that has every potential to be a home run — assuming it’s properly marketed. Find out our top picks for the best wearables in early 2015!

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Best tablets in 2015 so far (Video)

Posted on by Hayato Huseman

Tablets are a strange thing. Most people don’t upgrade them near as often as they do their smartphones, and the entire purpose of tablets is still debated among many confused consumers. Because they’re not as popular as their smartphone counterparts, OEMs don’t make tablets at as quickly a pace as they do phones, and so we’re a little short on new devices to wave in your face. Thankfully, tablets keep like leftovers from a pasta dinner, and not that month-old milk you haven’t bothered taking out of the fridge, and some of the best tablets in early 2015 are the ...

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