Lumia 950 first impressions: the phone that’s also a computer

Posted on by Michael Fisher

We’ve already seen the new Lumia 950 Windows Phone up close, back at Microsoft’s New York City launch event. What we haven’t seen yet is how well it performs on the big screen.In addition to the Lumia 950 itself Microsoft has bundled a Display Dock and keyboard with our review device. When joined with the HP monitor and Arc Mouse the whole assembly becomes much more than a smartphone: it becomes a very good approximation of a Windows 10 PC. The result is a hands-on ...

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Blackberry Priv review: an imperfect union

Posted on by Michael Fisher

After over a week with the BlackBerry Priv, I’m still not entirely convinced it’s real. I was joking when I tweeted that it felt like a phone from an alternate universe, but just barely. If you told me the Priv was a prop from the set of a 2005-era science fiction movie, some decade-old concept for what the future of BlackBerry would be, I’d probably believe you. That’s a testament to the level of consistency BlackBerry has achieved with the Priv: no matter what else it is, ...

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LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE test drive

Posted on by Michael Fisher

As I write this, I’m seated at a local cafe with only my smartwatch to keep me connected. And so far, I’m not really sure what to think.I received my LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE on Friday night, and since then I’ve been using it with a BlackBerry Priv. In many ways, the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE (which I’m just going to start calling the “Urbane 2″ because c’mon with these ridiculous brand names) is a typical Android Wear watch on steroids. ...

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8 things you didn’t know you could do with the BlackBerry Priv

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Whether you’re a recent transplant from BB10 or a curious convert from another Android phone, odds are you’re facing a steep learning curve if you’ve just bought a BlackBerry Priv. Whether you’re bowled-over or underwhelmed by ...

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An iPad, a BlackBerry and a watch phone walk into a bar | Pocketnow Weekly 174

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Update: The staff of the Pocketnow Weekly does not guarantee that you will retain a romantic relationship by introducing your JDate, FarmersOnly or TrekPassions date to this podcast. Please consult our latest Terms & Conditions regarding dates made with other dating services. Download at your own risk.We get a late-night delivery from a mysterious man in an unmarked minivan – and he comes bearing an wrist watch right outta the future. We get our Apple iPad Pro ordered up, and we find a friendly Canadian to tell us what to expect. And we finally spend a few days with the ...

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BlackBerry Priv second impressions: the comedown

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Every smartphone geek knows about the “honeymoon phase,” the epic high immediately following the delivery of a new device, during which it can seemingly do no wrong. This phase has been documented in countless unboxing videos at Pocketnow and elsewhere, and it’s what led to my near-manic elation in the BlackBerry Priv first-impressions piece I wrote earlier this week. Novelty junkie that I am, the honeymoon phase represents the absolute zenith of my time with a new device. ...

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OnePlus X review: simple beauty

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Take a look at any roundup of the best smartphones under $300 and you’re bound to find a list of compromises. Handsets like Motorola’s Moto G and ASUS’s ZenFone 2 bring useful features like waterproofing or high-end silicon, but skimp on fit and finish. Devices like the BLU Vivo Air go the other way, delivering a ...

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BlackBerry Priv first impression: infatuation

Posted on by Michael Fisher

As I write this, I have known the BlackBerry Priv for three hours. It’s sitting beside me, plugged into the wall, only about halfway through downloading the mess of apps I asked it to sync when I typed in my Google account info. My hands-on time with the phone amounts to a total of perhaps four minutes, one of which was spent positioning the phone for a mildly amusing tweet that more people than usual seemed to like.All this is to say: this is not a BlackBerry Priv review. This ...

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Nexus 6P vs Moto X Pure Edition (Video)

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Let’s not mess around. If you’ve been following Android at all this season, you know about Motorola’s Moto X Pure Edition and you certainly know about Google’s Nexus 6P. The former is one of the best values in Android right now, a blend of incredibly customizable hardware and very intelligent software, while the latter is a sleek metallic showcase for the very best that Google’s mobile platform has to offer. Each has its place in the landscape and each is a solid deal at its respective price point … but if you’re shopping for a phone to grace ...

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OnePlus X unboxing & first impressions: wow (Video)

Posted on by Michael Fisher

The OnePlus X is no joke.That’s our first impression. Seriously. $249 isn’t the cheapest price tag around, but for a phone that looks, feels, and acts this good … it’s pretty damn competitive. Say what you will about OnePlus, with its strange invite-based purchase model, but the company really knows how to build a smartphone. More than that, it knows how to present one: an unpacking experience like this is what makes (otherwise-passé) unboxings worth it. Because with so much obvious effort spent on making for a beautiful retail presentation, unboxing the OnePlus ...

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DePRIVal | Pocketnow Weekly 173

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Update: The weekend is here! Enjoy it with your favorite podcast available at distributors everywhere. If you’re tuning into our YouTube edition, a fair warning that almost half of the show is missing for some weird reason.The Android BlackBerry that’s got everyone talking; the newest and most affordable smartphone from OnePlus; the obscene forearm-cuff that only a mother could love. Plus, the strap-on that makes any watch a smartwatch and a Cortana clip-on that hints at something familiar. This ...

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Motorola Moto 360 2nd Gen review (Video)

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Motorola captured the adoration of a tech geek nation with its first Android wearable. The first-generation Moto 360 was a round-faced anomaly in a sea of squares, a distinctive wristwatch that actually looked like a timepiece, rather than a piece of technology.Its sequel updates the original’s underpowered processor and brings additional sizing options and a lot more Moto Maker customization, but leaves other controversial aspects intact. The “flat tire” at the bottom of the display ...

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FurniQi review: the table that charges your smartphone (Video)

Posted on by Michael Fisher

BlackBerry. Windows Phone. Android Wear. Samsung. Droid. These are just a handful of the brands that have adopted some form of wireless charging in 2015. Like it or not, cable-free charging is a thing – and you should like it, because it’s awesome. Sure, if you wanna be pedantic about it, there are still wires involved at some point, and its charging rates aren’t yet as quick as a cable can deliver … but the convenience of dropping your phone on a pad (rather than fiddling with a ...

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Motorola DROID Turbo 2 review: shatterproof power for big spenders

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Why buy a Droid?Six years ago, when Motorola and Verizon Wireless introduced the very first Droid as the alternative to the AT&T-exclusive iPhone, the answer was obvious. With near-stock Google software running on an aggressively angular chassis and backed up by an even more aggressive marketing campaign, the original Droid was a carefully crafted “anti-iPhone.” It was positioned as the more-powerful, more-capable answer to Apple’s offering, and it sold

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Shatterproof smartphones, stupid-huge tablets | Pocketnow Weekly 172

Posted on by Michael Fisher

Motorola builds a shatterproof phone and we put it to the test. Samsung builds a tablet the size of a TV and we look on with concern. And Nintendo finally makes the jump to your smartphone screen … and we get all nostalgic for Tetris and Toobin’. All this, plus some learning about the 600 MHz spectrum and an eyes-on session with your listener mail, on episode 172 of the Pocketnow Weekly!Watch the video broadcast from 3:30pm Eastern on October 29 (click 

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