Samsung's Gear 360 Action Camera Gets Its Own Manager App, Compatible With Galaxy S6, S7, And Note 5 Series Phones

It's impossible to launch a new flagship phone these days without some fancy (and expensive) companion devices. At least that seems to be the approach that Samsung and LG are taking, and the former has a very interesting 360-degree action camera on the way. The Gear 360 captures both still photos and video in (you guessed it) 360 degrees thanks to dual lenses and a ball-like design. The Gear 360 is launched in Samsung's home market of Korea, and though it's yet to get a western release, the companion app is already available.

An app isn't necessary to use the Gear 360, which is handy for people who aren't interested in buying a compatible Samsung phone. But if you do happen to have one of the compatible devices (the Galaxy S6, S7, and Note 5 series), the app allows users to shoot remotely, view content saved on the camera, transfer it to phone storage, and share it directly to social networks. It's all fairly basic stuff. The videos and photos stored on the Gear 360 are already stitched together for VR purposes.

   

The Gear 360 doesn't have an official launch date in the US and Europe, but since the companion app has been published in English, it probably won't be more than a few weeks before we hear some formal dates and prices. In South Korea it costs 399,300 won, or approximately $350.

Source: Samsung's Gear 360 Action Camera Gets Its Own Manager App, Compatible With Galaxy S6, S7, And Note 5 Series Phones

Sony appears to be working on a high-end compact phone with amazing cameras

Before you even think it, don't go there. Just… don't. We know it may feel like Apple is boldly swimming against the tide in trying to bring compact phones back in the spotlight, but Android manufacturers such as Sony never gave up on diminutive flagships.

Granted, the Japanese OEM that continues to offset big mobile losses with a well-oiled gaming machine did recently decide to retire the high-end Xperia Z family, introducing instead three 5-inch X-series handhelds.

If you feared that meant the end of unusually powerful sub-5-inchers, we now have proof a Z5 Compact sequel of sorts is in the pipeline. This carries the model number F3216, so it could be branded in many ways, but make no mistake, its intentions are crystal clear.

The Xperia Z5 Compact torch will be passed on to this… Xperia X Compact (?), with a higher-res 4.6-inch 1080p display in tow, as well as 2GB RAM, an octa-core 1.9GHz MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 processor, 16GB internal storage space, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow pre-loaded.

The most intriguing aspect of the mysterious Sony F3216 is how it appears to downgrade the Z5 Compact's 23MP rear-facing camera to "only" 20MP, while significantly upping the selfie-friendly ante from 5 to 15 megapixels. That probably rounds up to a cool 16MP, so you shouldn't rule out this being a mini variant of the recently rumored Xperia M Ultra after all.

Meanwhile, the same benchmarking database that broke the F3216's cover also exposes an equally cryptic, lower-end F3311, with a 4.6-inch 720p screen on deck, quad-core MT6735 power, 1.5GB RAM, 16GB ROM, 13 and 5MP cams, as well as pre-installed Android 6.0 software goodies. Any guesses regarding a moniker here? Anyone?

Sources: GFX Bench (1), (2)Via: Xperia Blog

Source: Sony appears to be working on a high-end compact phone with amazing cameras

Fri: Phone Comparisons: OnePlus 2 vs. HTC 10

Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today – the OnePlus 2 goes up against the new HTC 10.  Does the '2016 Flagship Killer' from OnePlus at only $349, have what it takes to win this comparison against the $650 powerhouse from HTC?  There is no denying, even from diehard OnePlus fans, that the HTC 10 is packing the better technology, but is it enough to justify the $300 price difference?  Both devices have a premium and solid build quality – OnePlus is famous for that – but the chiseled metal body construction of the HTC 10 makes for one nice looking device.  First, let's look at what these two devices have in common and then we will look at each individual device to go into more detail.

These two devices have a few things in common – starting with their physical size, although the OnePlus 2 is slightly larger and weighs in 14 grams heavier.  Their displays are different in size and different resolutions, but they use the same screen technology.  They both use a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor but different models – however, they both use 4GB of DDR4 RAM.  Both camera areas offer similar megapixels for the main camera and both offer 5MP for the front-facing cameras (FFC), although the HTC 10 takes better photos.  The OnePlus 2 and HTC 10 both have a non-removable battery and both sport a fingerprint sensor.  The usual suspects are mostly there – WiFi, Bluetooth (v4.1 in the OnePlus 2 and v4.2 in the HTC 10), GPS and a reversible microUSB Type-C port for charging and data transfer.  The most glaring omission is the lack of NFC on the OnePlus 2, which means no mobile payments (Android Pay) or file transfers.

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 detail 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

OnePlus 2

When you purchase a OnePlus device, no matter which model, you can be assured that you will receive a quality product at a reasonable price.  That commitment to quality and value is even more evident in the OnePlus 2 with its solid metal frame and trim.  Their "Flagship Killer," as they like to call the OnePlus 2 had to cut some corners to get that price so low.  Picking and choosing what features to keep and what to leave out of the design is very important to how the public will view the device. OnePlus decided to go with the same FHD display and the same size camera that they used last year, but then removed the NFC capabilities – this removed all possibility of mobile purchasing.  They did add an extra 1GB of RAM, a fingerprint sensor and increased the battery size from 3100 mAh to 3300 mAh, but offer no rapid charge feature.

The OnePlus 2 sports a 5.5-inch LTPS LCD FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 401 pixels-per-inch (PPI).  OnePlus chose the controversial Qualcomm 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, and to keep it cool, they slightly underclocked it to 1.56 GHz and 1.82 GHz.  The OnePlus 2 is currently only sold with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of non-expandable storage.

They made some nice improvements in the camera area by using an improved 13MP sensor from the OnePlus One, adding larger pixels, laser autofocus, a dual-tone LED flash, a f/2.0 aperture and OIS.  For the FFC, the OnePlus 2 uses a 5MP sensor with an aperture of f/2.4.  The OnePlus 2 increased the non-removable battery size from 3000mAh to 3300mAh – however, the OnePlus 2 offers no quick charge or wireless charging features.

Notes on the OnePlus 2 –The fingerprint sensor can unlock the phone, but nothing else…no Android Pay or mobile purchase because it lacks NFC.  It runs OnePlus' own OS called OxygenOS over stock Android Lollipop 5.1, although a new version of OxygenOS 3.0 and Marshmallow are in Beta stages..  LTE bands will work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks with the OnePlus 2 and will cost you about $349 for the 64GB model and there are optional backings you can buy to customize the look of your device – Kevlar, Black Apricot, Bamboo, and Rosewood.

HTC 10

HTC users are fanatics about their HTC One M7 – M9, even though they were never the pinnacle of technology, and their cameras were all over the place with 4 UltraPixels and a Duo camera.  With the HTC 10, the fans really have something to cheer about this time around.  It has everything you want in a flagship smartphone – a beautifully carved aluminum body, a QHD display, the best processor on the market, a powerful GPU that can handle the most complicated graphics, and 4GB of DDR4 memory.  The HTC 10 finally has a great camera and its newly configured BoomSound Hi-Fi and Hi-Res Audio.

HTC always stuck with an FHD display, but finally included a QHD resolution in the new HTC 10.  The HTC 10 sports a 5.2-inch Super LCD5 QHD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 565 PPI.  HTC selected the most advanced processor on the market – the Qualcomm 64-bit Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with the dual cores clocked at 1.6 GHz and dual cores clocked at 2.15 GHz. It is teamed with an Adreno 530 GPU, providing graphics that should satisfy even the most avid gamer.  The HTC 10 packs a full 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of internal memory that is expandable to 2TB via a microSD card.

The HTC 10 has their best camera ever – they went with UltraPixels, but instead of using only 4MP, this time around HTC is using a 12MP sensor for their primary camera to capture more light and image.  They added laser autofocus, a dual-tone LED flash, a large aperture of f/1.8 and OIS.  The HTC 10's camera was able to tie the top rated score of 88 the Galaxy S7 series achieved.  They added a 5MP FFC with an f/1.8 aperture, wide-angle lens, and then added screen flash and even OIS to ensure great selfies and video chatting even in low-light.  The HTC packs a 3000 mAh non-removable battery with Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0.

HTC rearranged their BoomSound into what they are calling BoomSound Hi-Fi that features two separate speakers with the woofer placed on the bottom of the device, and the high-end sounds originating from the earpiece.  The HTC 10 measures 145.9 x 71.9 x 9mm and weighs in at 161 grams.  It comes in Carbon Grey, Topaz Gold, and Glacier Silver and it will cost you about $650 for 32GB of memory.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

This is another one of those better specifications/higher price is going up against a good, solid, lower priced smartphone.  The HTC 10 is obviously the better device as the HTC 10 offers much better specifications – QHD display, newest Snapdragon 820/Adreno 530 that can process circles around the older Snapdragon 810/Adreno 430 in the OnePlus 2.  It has expandable memory to 2TB, a more advanced camera area, fast battery charging and built-in NFC for Android Pay or mobile payments. The HTC 10 has BoomSound Hi-Fi for everyday listening and Hi-Res audio for your earphones.

But, on the other hand, you have the OnePlus 2 that has excellent build quality, decent specifications – even if they are from last year – a good camera, large battery, and the incredible value of only $350.  Sure, it is missing memory expansion, NFC, and carrier restrictive – the most glaring exclusions, but what if those do not matter to you?  You are after all, saving $300.

It all comes down to this – if you want the best specs on the market in one of the best smartphones on the market, then go after at the HTC 10.  However, if you are more interested in getting a great bargain, do not mind not having the latest technology and do not intend to make mobile payments, or mind being on AT&T or T-Mobile's networks, then you would be hard-pressed to find a better bargain than the OnePlus 2.

Source: Fri: Phone Comparisons: OnePlus 2 vs. HTC 10

Camera comparison: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Last Modified: Fri, Apr 29 2016. 03 39 PM IST

We compare the photo-taking capabilities of two popular budget smartphones that you can buy right now

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi's latest phone Redmi Note 3 (Rs.11,999) has a lot going for it in terms of build quality, performance, display and camera. In turn, Indian smartphone maker Micromax looks at home, with its Canvas 6 Pro (Rs.13,999) offering an equally brilliant display, dependable performance and clutter-free interface.

The Redmi Note 3 packs in a 16-megapixel OmniVision sensor backed by dual LED flash. The Phase Detection auto focus feature allows it to lock focus in less than a second. The key highlight is the numerous modes, filters and shortcut features it offers. The Micromax Canvas 6 Pro has a 13-megapixel camera with 6P Largan lens hardware. It offers limited number of filters, but can deliver some really good shots during daytime.

We tested the two phone cameras in different conditions to see how each fares, in terms of photo quality.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Reading material

All these books stacked on the table show that the two cameras have different strengths. The Redmi Note 3's photo reproduces slightly more vibrant colours, and a tad bit more crispness. The Canvas 6 Pro's camera, on the other hand, has more accurate colours, the photo is a tad better in terms of some aspects of detailing and the image processing algorithm does make text easy to read.

Winner: Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Blooming flowers

This is a close-up shot of a marigold flower. The Redmi Note exhibits better depth of field capabilities, thereby increasing the focus on the flower while relegating the background quite smoothly. Also, the detailing is excellent, including the green colour on the sepal area. The Canvas 6 Pro has reproduced the yellow/orangish tint of the flower petals well, though it isn't as proficient with the green colour. The Redmi Note 3 clearly has an edge in terms of focus and getting all colours right.

Winner: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Street smart

The Redmi Note 3 handles the colours better, as well as the detailing of the billboards and the yellow and black alternate pavement colour. Between the two cameras, the Redmi Note 3's photo is better exposed as well, while the Canvas 6 pro is struggling a bit in terms of low contrast.

Winner: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Monument in evening

This is a late evening photograph, and the Redmi Note 3's camera has handled the colour patterns of the stone a bit better than the Canvas 6 Pro. However, the steps heading down look better distinguished in the Canvas 6 Pro's photograph.

Winner: Too close to call

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

It is not a real person!

This shot was taken in warm ambient light indoors, and the noise is considerably higher in the case of Canvas 6 Pro's photo. While detailing is fairly similar for the most part, the Redmi Note 3 has handled colours better, including the more precise shades of green, red and saffron.

Winner: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

First Published: Fri, Apr 29 2016. 03 39 PM IST

Source: Camera comparison: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs Micromax Canvas 6 Pro

Get Smarter than your phone

Buying a phone today means picking from a universe of options. While some advertise their phone's inflated megapixel cameras, others hope providing more RAM for multi-tasking will attract many. As the world's second largest smartphone market, almost every phone maker now has a presence in India and is willing to cater to the demanding Indian consumer. With such fierce competition, the clutter-breaking formula that most adopt is one-upping their competitors in technical specifications. When smartphone shopping, you'll find yourself bombarded with numbers - quad-core processors, 16-megapixel cameras, 3000 mAh batteries, and so on.

It's a tactic that has worked for years, and phone makers are laughing all the way to the bank. It's all relative. Even phones with impressive specs on paper can perform sluggishly if they aren't optimised. A great example is that of the OnePlus 2, which struggled to match the performance of its predecessor, the OnePlus One, due its poor optimisation, which the company eventually fixed through software updates. User behaviour also impacts a phone's performance. A huge 3300 mAh battery won't matter if your 5.5-inch phone's display is always at full brightness. Here are some of the common mistakes smartphone buyers tend to make when picking a new device:

GIVE ME CORE"Octa-core" sounds fancy and you'll find even mid-range smartphones boasting of these powerful-sounding processors, but it could be - and often is - a trap. It's not uncommon to find dual-core processors that out-perform their octa-core counterparts, because what really matters is how these cores are implemented. For example, the iPhone 6S Plus' dual-core chip beats out the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge's octa-core processor, partly because the Samsung doesn't use all eight cores at all times. A better way to gauge performance is to read up on the actual chip/processor and find out how it stacks up in performance benchmarks.

JUICING UP ON RAMMore RAM doesn't equate to a faster phone. It's the processor and the GPU that helps open apps faster and run games smoothly. It's RAM that facilitates better multi-tasking. A phone with more RAM may not necessarily perform better than one with less. Take two of latest Xiaomi phones for example — the Redmi Note 3 (32 GB) and the Mi5 (32 GB), each with 3 GB of RAM. You'd assume they both perform just as well, but the Mi5 uses the latest LPDDR4 standard, which is up to 50 per cent more efficient than the Note 3's LPDDR3 RAM. So the Mi 5's 3 GB of RAM might well outperform phones with an extra GB of RAM.

MERE PAAS MAH HAINThe one area where mobile computing has struggled to evolve is battery technology, and so phone manufacturers love playing on our fears of the dreaded dead battery by packing phones with increasingly higher-capacity batteries. On the face of it, a larger battery does last longer, but there are many other factors at play. The phone's screen is the biggest cause of battery drain, so a phon e with a 5-inch screen could well go longer than a 5.5-inch device even if both pack the same battery. The screen's brightness plays a big role here — the higher the brightness, the faster the battery drains. You may not need a phone with a 3000 mAh battery, so it may be unwise to go with a fixed mindset. Instead, link your battery requirements with your phone's screen size, how willing you are to regulate its brightness, and your media consumption habits. Some new phones include Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po) batteries as opposed to the conventional Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion). Li-Po batteries are slimmer and safer, they charge faster, and they don't lose charging capacity over time, but in terms of energy density (how much juice they store per unit), they lose out to Li-Ion.

ALL ANDROIDS AREN'T EQUALA reason the Google Nexus phones are so popular is that they ship with the stock Android operating system. This is Android as Google intended it to be: without unnecessary apps and resource- hogging visual elements. Not all Android phones carry stock Android; in fact, very few do. Most phone makers will layer their own 'launchers' or modifications, on top of the stock OS, which could alter the appearance or add/remove features, and they almost always come preloaded with the manufacturer's own apps that you may not need. These modifications could render a wellspecced phone sluggish. It's also important to check the manufacturer's history with software updates. Nexus phones are the first to get new versions of Android, but phones that feature modified versions of the OS may take longer.

MEGAPIXELS DON'T MATTERCamera makers did it for years and phone makers are still getting away with it — selling us on big megapixel numbers. The number of megapixels only determines how big in terms of resolution the photo can be. It is no indicator of image quality. The best way to judge the quality of the camera is to check the size of the camera sensor itself, as larger sensors allow more detail to be captured. On the face of it, the iPhone 6S' 12-megapixel camera might seem inferior to the Galaxy S7's 16-megapixel shooter, but Apple uses larger sensors, where each pixel can hold more information.

YOU DON'T NEED A SCREEN GUARDMost smartphones today come with scratchresistant displays, such as Corning Gorilla Glass. Aside from looking unsightly and not lasting very long, screen protection films are unnecessary. Protective back covers and cases are also not a must. Phone makers spend a lot of time and money to ensure that their phones are durable, so unless you tend to drop your phone a lot, you're probably fine without a case that will make your phone thicker and heavier.

Source: Get Smarter than your phone

Tips and apps for better mobile phone photography

Most phone cameras are very good and capable of producing print-worthy images with a few quick tweaks in the way you shoot and edit

Ask any photographer what the best camera is and you will likely receive the same answer: The one you have with you. Fortunately, most parents always have a camera with them these days in the form of their phone. Luckily, most mobile phone cameras are very good and capable of producing print-worthy images with a few quick tweaks in the way you shoot and edit.

Julia Kelleher of Jewel Images is a family photographer who teaches mobile photography through CreativeLive. Here, she shares her top four tips for getting better pictures of your children with your camera's phone:

— Set focus and exposure in camera. To set focus and exposure in your camera, touch the camera's screen on your main subject until a yellow box appears. This step is very fast and will make a huge difference in how your photos come out. If your child frequently looks too dark in photos, simply tapping her face on the screen before snapping your photo will brighten her up. This tip also helps ensure that your child is in focus rather than a tree in the background.

— Turn on the Grid: In most phones' settings, there is a feature to turn on a grid with nine squares and four intersecting points, like a tick-tack-toe board with equally sized spaces. The interesting points on the grid are places where viewers' eyes tend to land. Placing your main subject at one of these points will instantly improve your photo. Photographers frequently use this compositional technique, called the Rule of Thirds, and if you keep the grid turned on you can effortlessly use it for your photos as well. Other compositional rules for taking great photos, particularly of children, can be found at www.clickinmoms.com.

— Use indirect light to take a picture in a darkly lit room. Flash can create harsh shadows. If a room is dark, light the person from the side rather than using the flash. According to Kelleher, "This tip is great for when you're out at dinner with friends or family and the room is dimly lit with candles. Simply have one person hold the flash onto your subjects, and then take a picture with your [mobile phone] with the flash off."

- Use colour to impart feelings into your images. Basic familiarity with the colour wheel can make a big difference in your photos. "I will often photograph children with complementary colours because it makes them seem alive and happy and very vivacious," Kelleher says. This colour wheel is interactive and quickly shows complementary colour combinations so, for example, you can see that if your son is wearing an orange shirt placing him in front of a blue wall or against a bright blue sky will create a vibrant image.

It's nearly impossible get a perfect photo straight out of the camera and even professional photographers make a few tweaks to their photos to help make them better. Here are some easy to use apps that can help you make your pictures go from good to fantastic:

— Camera+: Camera+ for iPhone is a favourite of many photographers for use in mobile photography because it offers many advanced options for in-phone editing. Camera+ also has great features like built-in image stabilisation, a self-timer, and an integrated flashlight function that enables users to avoid the use of a flash in lowlight situations. For those who love filters, Camera+ allows users to stack filters and control how heavily they are applied.

— Snapseed: Snapseed is a free, very popular editing app and is available for iPhone and Android. One of the best features of Snapseed is its new Stacks feature, which allows users to keep track of the edits they make and go back and undo any they don't like. So if you saturate the colours in your photo as a first step, then decide you overdid it, you can go back and tone down the colours later. Snapseed a lso has several advanced editing features.

— Photoshop: Adobe's Photoshop is the best known and most widely used editing program by professional photographers. There are three free Photoshop apps available for iPhone and Android that bring many of Photoshop's powerful editing tools to your phone. Photoshop Express allows users to crop, adjust colour, change the brightness photos, and has filters. The free Photoshop Fix allows retouching photos by removing stray hairs, wayward toys, and even photo-bombers from photos. Finally, Photoshop Mix allows users to combine photographs, which allows for fun possibilities.

— ProCamera: ProCamera is a free app for iPhone that has several advanced features and some very practical ones as well. Night Camera helps users get photos in lowlight conditions, Fullscreen Trigger helps users get the shot quickly by tapping anywhere on the screen, and a 6x zoom allows users to increase the zoom capabilities of their built-in camera.

The best way to figure out how to best take photos is just keep snapping. With so many available apps and the wonderful portability of our now-essential smart phones, the possibilities are endless.

— Washington Post

Source: Tips and apps for better mobile phone photography

Phone Comparisons: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium vs HTC 10

Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today – the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium goes up against the new HTC 10.  We have the metal and glass Z5 Premium on one side and the all-metal HTC 10 on the other side.  Both are beautiful in their own ways and along with their solid build, look the premium flagship part.  The Xperia Z5 Premium came out in December 2015, and the HTC 10 hit the streets in April 2016 – can the Z5 Premium keep up to the newer kids on the block? Let's take a look at what these two devices have in common, and then we will look at each smartphone in more depth.

The Xperia Z5 Premium and the HTC 10 do have a few things in common – for starters, they both use the IPS LCD screen technology, and the displays are close in size – 5.5-inches on the Z5 and 5.2-inches on the HTC 10.  They both use a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but different models.  Both offer 32GB of internal storage, and both can expand that storage via a microSD card.  They both have excellent camera areas but go about it in a much different way.  They both offer great sound through dual speakers and include Hi-Res audio for your earphones. The Z5 Premium and HTC 10 each has a fingerprint sensor, non-removable and fast charging batteries.  They have the usual suspects – WiFi, Bluetooth (v4.1 on the Z5 and v4.2 on the HTC 10), GPS, NFC, and a microUSB port (Type-C on the HTC 10) for charging and data transfer.

Please take a careful 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 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

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

Sony builds a great smartphone, but they just do not have a handle on marketing or distribution and by the time the device finally gets into the hands of the public – at least the US – the technology seems a little dated.  There are a few themes within all Sony smartphones – a rectangle looking block, well-constructed out of metal and glass, a premium look and feel, good battery life and a great camera.  The Xperia Z5 Premium follows that same recipe except that Sony finally took the display past the same 1080p they have been using, bypassed the QHD display, and went directly to a 4K display with 806 PPI.  This would normally be a cause for excitement – however, the 4K is in service only when needed and most of the time the display is running at 1080p to conserve battery life.

The most interesting aspect of the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is its unusual display – it is a 5.5-inch IPS LCD 4K with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and an astounding 806 PPI.  The 4K resolution is only 'on' when you are watching something that takes advantage of the 4K.  The rest of the time, it operates in 1080p or Full HD mode – the resolution of choice for Sony.  Sony is so focused on battery life that they refuse to jump to a QHD display that runs all of the time.  While having good battery life is nice, most people charge their devices each night, so as long as we can get through an entire day or so, we are happy.

The Z5 Premium uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four cores clocked at 2.0GHz.  The Z5 Premium uses 3GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of internal memory but has the option to expand an additional 200GB via a microSD card.

Sony was one of the first mobile phones to embrace the idea of including a great camera, and that attitude continues today – even without using OIS.  The Z5 Premium has a new 23MP sensor with phase detection autofocus (PDAF), f/2.0 aperture, and an LED flash.  For the front facing camera (FFC) Sony put in a 5.1MP with wide-angle for selfies and video chatting.  When it comes to power, the Z5 Premium uses a large 3430mAh non-removable battery that Sony claims will get you through two days and incorporates a quick charge feature.

The Xperia Z5 Premium does have dual stereo front-facing speakers and IP68 water resistance.  It will work on AT&T or T-Mobile 4G LTE networks in the US.  It will come in Chrome, Black or Gold and cost you about $600-$700, depending where you can buy one.

HTC 10

The HTC 10 finally gives the HTC fans something to cheer about and may help boost HTC's bottom line.  It has everything you want in a flagship smartphone – a beautifully carved aluminum body, a QHD display, the best processor on the market, a GPU that can handle any graphics thrown its way, and 4GB of DDR4 memory.  The HTC 10 finally has a great camera, and while it is not the original BoomSound, it still looks like it may still have the best sound found on a smartphone.

HTC, like Sony, seemed to be stuck with an FHD display, but finally included a QHD resolution.  The HTC 10 sports a 5.2-inch Super LCD5 QHD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 565 PPI.  HTC snagged the most advanced processor on the market – the 64-bit Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with the dual cores clocked at 1.6 GHz and dual cores clocked at 2.15 GHz.  An Adreno 530 GPU provides the graphics that should satisfy even the most avid gamer.  The HTC 10 packs a full 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of internal memory that is expandable to 2TB via a microSD card.

While HTC has always tinkered around with their cameras – 4MP UltraPixels or Duo Cameras – they never got it quite right.  The HTC 10 is where they got it right – they went with UltraPixels, but instead of using only 4MP, this time around HTC is using a 12MP sensor for their primary camera to capture more light and image.  They added laser autofocus, a dual-tone LED flash, a large aperture of f/1.8 and OIS.  The HTC 10's camera was able to tie the top rated score of 88 the Galaxy S series achieved.  They added a 5MP FFC with a f/1.8 aperture, wide-angle lens, screen flash and even OIS to ensure great selfies and video chatting even in low-light.  The HTC packs a 3000 mAh non-removable battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

HTC rearranged their BoomSound into what they are calling BoomSound Hi-Fi that features two separate speakers with the woofer placed on the bottom of the device, and the high-end sounds originating from the earpiece, although the dual front-facing speakers on the Z5 Premium can give it some competition.  The HTC 10 measures 145.9 x 71.9 x 9mm and weighs in at 161 grams.  It comes in Carbon Grey, Topaz Gold, and Glacier Silver and it will cost you about $699 for 32GB of memory.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

Choosing a winner of this comparison was an easy decision – the HTC 10.  The HTC 10 will cost you about the same and offers a QHD display all of the time.  It has a much better processor and GPU, more RAM and more expandability in memory…up to 2TB, and it will work on all of the major US networks. The HTC 10 will even take better pictures. With everything as good or in most cases better on the HTC 10, and for the same price, the HTC 10 is the clear winner.

The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is a solid device, but except for the occasional 4K display, IP68 water rating, and great battery life, it simply has nothing over the HTC 10. It uses last year's processor, less RAM, and runs in 1080p most of the time.  If you are in love with Sony devices, then the Z5 Premium will make you happy, but if you want the superior smartphone in this comparison, the HTC 10 is the logical choice.

Source: Phone Comparisons: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium vs HTC 10

Nextbit's latest Robin update adds Marshmallow and drastically improves camera

The software update for Android 6.0.1 features a few other tweaks, too, but the most notable is the Robin's improved photo-taking.

If a subpar camera has been holding you back from buying Nextbit's Robin, today's software update could be the catalyst that puts one in your hand.

The company announced the latest software update for its cloud-based Android flagship. The software tweaks appear minor at first, but the jump to Android 6.0.1 includes overhauled camera software that addresses some of the concerns we noted in our review of the phone. Here's a quick look at what's new.

A redone Camera app

If you read any review of the Robin earlier this year, you know that its camera app was incredibly sub-par for its price ($400 on Amazon). The Robin's 13-megapixel camera is quite enough for a phone of this caliber, but the software left many of us unimpressed.

With this latest update, Nextbit said it "literally ripped apart" the camera application before it was completely rebuilt so that it's more efficient. "We also went back to camera tuning specialists and worked with them on additional corrections," said Eric Lin, who is in charge of product marketing for Nextbit.

I took two Robins—one loaded with the old camera app and one loaded with the revised app—for a quick spin in our camera lab and around the block. I immediately noticed the difference in camera performance. The revised app launches more quickly and snaps faster than before. Its low-light photos look about the same, but the shutter is much more responsive. Before, the lag between hitting the shutter button and taking a picture was agonizing. It also led to blurry pictures.

Photos taken with the Robin with the 6.0.1 update are sharper and more vibrant.

Indoors, the white balance is more accurate with the updated Robin handset. You can see it most clearly on the wall in the background.

The interface for the camera app has also been polished up a bit with on-screen navigation controls, though the camera menu bar remains the same. Unfortunately, there is still no panoramic or slow-motion mode, and not much else has been added to the Robin's manual mode. At the very least, the camera is now much faster in all types of lighting conditions.

Better sound

Smartphone makers are making a huge marketing push to highlight their audio abilities, and Nextbit is no different. This new software update features driver-level sound tuning for the Robin's dual speakers and headphone jack. Nextbit has even partnered with the Danish audio company, AIAIAI, to offer a pair of special edition headphones that match the Robin's playful coloring. 

Minor improvements towards a major play Florence Ion

The old Robin and the new Robin.

Nextbit's software development team made a few other improvements to the Robin's software, including tweaking the Snapdragon 808 processor by optimizing its power consumption. It's not an obvious tweak, though the updated phone doesn't get as hot as the one running the older software. You'll also have access to all the new expanded emoji set featured in Unicode 7 and 8.

Software updates are a big deal in the Android world because too often they're few and far between. Not even the major manufacturers can keep a consistent timeline. It's taken BlackBerry five months to deliver its Marshmallow update, while most of Samsung and Motorola's devices are still hanging out on Lollipop six months after Marshmallow's release.

That's why Nextbit is heavily marketing its software updates, first by Periscoping that there's one on the horizon, and then by actually launching the software update. Smaller companies can often update their phones more quickly, as they usually sell unlocked phones without the carrier bureaucracy in the way. If Nextbit continues to offer consistent software updates based on user feedback, the company could easily become a favorite among Android enthusiasts.

The software update will hit your Robin phones via an over-the-air update in the coming days.

Source: Nextbit's latest Robin update adds Marshmallow and drastically improves camera

How important is your phone's camera?

It wasn't so long ago that if you wanted photos of your life, it meant carrying around a separate camera with you. Now we've gotten to a point where we have access to an awesome camera right in our pockets. Plenty of people depend on the camera on their smartphone as the primary way they get photos, and many of those photos end up being really, really good.

That's why in this week's poll we want to know how important the camera on your phone is. Does an awesome camera make a phone, or is it just a fringe benefit if you get access to an awesome camera? This week you've got 5 choices in our poll: "very important", "kind of important", "not particularly important", "not very important", "not important."

How important is your phone's camera?

Is an awesome camera a must have feature, or do you overlook it? Drop us a comment and let us know how important the camera on your smartphone is!

Source: How important is your phone's camera?

Facebook Camera app with live-streaming may be in the works

Whether you love it or loathe it, Facebook is here to stay and they have over a billion camera happy users. It appears they also have a new Facebook Camera app in the works as they aim to get their users sharing more content.

There are more camera apps available on iTunes and the Play Store than you can imagine, and every smartphone or slate has their own built-in app as well. In the day and age of filters and selifes, camera apps have become increasingly popular and Facebook is well aware of that fact. A new report says they are working on a brand new Facebook Camera app as they aim to get folks sharing content instead of messaging or checking their feed.

The official Facebook app is the only way to go on your mobile, but the company has cranked out the occasional companion app. According to folks in the know, the new Facebook Camera app will be all about creating new content to share, as those numbers have dropped over the past few years. Next to nothing is known about the app at this time, but it is said to feature a "live streaming" mode, which would certainly be interesting. We imagine an official app with the ability to allow easy live-streaming on Facebook would be pretty popular as well.

It remains to be seen whether the new Facebook Camera app will actually see a release or if the company has learned anything from their previous app attempts. One thing is for certain though, people love sharing content and Facebook is going to find a way to get you sharing it more often on their platform.

Would you be interested in an official app for live-streaming on Facebook?

source: Wall Street Journal

Read more about: Apps  

Source: Facebook Camera app with live-streaming may be in the works

AH Tech Talk: Smartphone Camera Innovation Is Key Going Forward

Smartphone cameras are simply amazing nowadays. Have a look at the picture above, a Galaxy S7 doing its thing. The S7 and its Edged brethren are currently at the top of the heap in regards to smartphone cameras, according to DxOMark. The HTC 10's camera, using HTC's Ultrapixel gambit, joins them at the top. Just a couple of years ago, these kinds of photos would have required a dedicated camera with all sorts of bells and whistles, with most models costing upwards of $1,000.

More and more smartphones these days are pushing to integrate more features and experiment with the camera to optimize things. The LG G5, for example, sports dual cameras. Although that fell flat, Samsung pushing the envelope with the S7's camera by making the lens a show-stopping f/1.7 aperture, letting in far more light than the average camera and using software optimizations to avoid common issues that come with that, like excessive shadows or blurring. While many gimmicks and extra features like this may make little difference or fall flat, that may be the direction that smartphone cameras are heading.

The Galaxy S7's camera is the gold standard in this metric, pretty much representing the best a camera of its size can do. The aperture is tight, the software is great, the megapixel count is more than sufficiently high and the sensor itself is top-notch. Without extra cameras to change focus, optical zoom or a larger space to put the camera hardware, this is basically as good as things are going to get. While a larger lens is, of course, an option, it would make phones thicker, heavier and, perhaps most importantly, more expensive. In a time when devices are getting thinner, lighter and cheaper at an alarming rate and finally beginning to break into previously untapped markets, taking a step back in these areas would be disastrous. A wider lens would allow for more hardware to be squeezed in, more light to get in, even at higher aperture spacing, and even room for hardware that could support postprocessing, but would it all be worth it?

Some of the extra features and gimmicks that future phones could come with would be things like optical zoom, extra lasers for autofocusing and, of course, far better software as we go further into the future. Unless some sort of breakthrough in light refraction technology allows the development of a smaller camera with all of the properties of a larger one, this is the direction that smartphone cameras will have to go, with the exception of dedicated, camera-focused devices. Companies like Light.co and Lytro are working on things that may allow smartphone cameras to get even better, such as sensors that support after-shot focusing, and multiple lenses packed into a smartphone body that can be switched out on the fly for better pictures by fitting the lens to the situation. Innovations like this will likely rule the roost in the future, as well as optimizations, reiterations and small improvements and tweaks on current designs and features.

One feature that may get a boost is laser-assisted autofocusing, along with its cousin, optical image stabilization via laser. Laser technology and sensor technology in phones are both improving by the day, leading to the possibility of insane levels of focus being attainable in less than a second and not being disturbed unless the user deliberately changes the target. Pair that with A.I. developments that would allow future camera software to choose a target and get a fix on it and, for all intents and purposes, there will never be an out-of-focus smartphone photo again once these systems are improved and integrated. Another feature would be multiple cameras or lenses; while the HTC Evo 3D and LG G5 most famously played with this idea, the uses for such a thing beyond postprocessing and bokeh are quite vast. Multiple lenses could simultaneously capture an image and then process it into what an A.I. determines to be the best configuration before presenting it to a user for normal post-processing. Pictures could be shot in extremely short sequence by the multiple lenses to stamp out motion blur by juxtaposing the pictures to figure out what's noise and what's OK to include in the final image. These are, of course, only a few of the ways smartphone cameras can improve, but as for raw specs, we've pretty much reached the proverbial event horizon, here.

Source: AH Tech Talk: Smartphone Camera Innovation Is Key Going Forward

Best iPhone 7 Camera: 5 Things You Didn’t Know

With the upcoming camera upgrades for the iPhone 7, it'd be nice to have that professional feel as well as professional functionality. Pictar seems to agree on that,  which is why they've built a cool camera grip for your new iPhone. Here are five things you should know about it.

1. 75% OF PHOTOS TAKEN WERE DONE BY SMARTPHONES

Professional photographers will probably recoil in disgust at this fact, but it is the reality we live in. Apparently, 75% of all pictures taken around the world in 2015 were done by smartphones. While this has produced a nice collection of photos, there are some downsides. The majority of iPhone 7 users will probably only use a small fraction of the camera's massive potential.

2. PICTAR WILL HELP UNLEASH IPHONE 7 CAMERA POWER

No one really has the time to browse through all of the internal menus on their smartphones. As a result, we get most people shooting in auto mode and compromising on picture quality. There's much more power in the iPhone 7 camera, though, and Pictar will help unleash that. By offering a device that has full external control of all camera functions as well as a comfortable and stable grip, users can take full advantage of the camera's power.

3. IT'S ELECTRONICALLY CALIBRATED

Having electronic calibration provides maximum sensitivity to the camera, just like traditional DSLR. Pictar's shutter button has a half-press mode to lock focus and exposure for easy tracking of a moving object. There's also full-press for immediate shutter release. With a button located right by the index finger, users can take accurate shots with one hand.

4. ONE HAND ZOOMING

Another comfortable aspect of Pictar is being able to zoom with one hand. Normally this would require a bit more work on the iPhone 7, but the rotating zoom ring takes away the need to even touch the screen to zoom in and out. It can even be reprogrammed by the user to suit other needs like a flash, white balance, and more.

5. FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HOLDING A REAL CAMERA

While the features of Pictar are nearly endless, one of the shining aspects of this device is its physical design. The iPhone 7 will surely be a wonderful piece of technology, but as a camera, it's simply not comfortable. Pictar has the familiar grip of a traditional camera. Its ergonomic grip allows for a comfortable experience in order for you to get the best shots possible.

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Source: Best iPhone 7 Camera: 5 Things You Didn't Know

LG Introduces K-Series with LG K10 and K7 Smartphones

The dual-SIM device carries a 5.3-inch HD display with a pixel density of 720p.

The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor which we have also seen on the Microsoft Lumia 650. The camera department consists of 13 megapixel rear shooter along with an 8 megapixel selfie camera.

The phone has a 2,125mAh battery and the phone has 16GB memory on tap. It has 1.5GB of RAM and just 8GB of internal storage though there is a MicroSD card slot for storage expansion.

The company also added that, the K-Series smartphones comes with gesture control feature including a Gesture Shot which allow you to capture an image by simply placing an open hand in front of the screen and then clenching your fist. The phones are both aimed squarely at the sub-Rs 15,000 category and are set to retail at Rs 9,500 and Rs 13,500 respectively. On the software front, it runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Design The most unique aspect of the LG K7 smartphone is its design, and specifica lly the placement of its volume rocker and power keys at the back. A more powerful, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC will reside under the hood.

Both the device is said to have 2.5D glass on the front as well as back and its boast "intricate woven pattern" for best grip as per the LG. "I am happy that the company will make 1 million smartphones at this facility which they have started", the Minister said. Pressing the top key twice opens the memo app and pressing the down key twice opens the camera app. Overall, the interface is pretty clean and user-friendly.

Featuring LG's popular Gesture Shot and Gesture Interval Shot, taking selfies is easy and hassle-free. We gave the 13MP rear cam (the K10 sports a 5MP cam) a quick go during the launch; we'd put down the first impressions as slightly above average but will reserve our judgment for the deep dive review. Further, the LG K10 measures at 146.6x74.8x8.8mm and powered by a 2,300mAh battery under the board.

Prince Tops Billboard's Album Chart After His Tragic DeathThe top 10 of the new May 7-dated Billboard 200 chart is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard's websites on Sunday, April 24. Up at Number 1 is of course Prince classic, Purple Rain , followed by Little Red Corvette at 2, and When Doves Cry at 3.

Source: LG Introduces K-Series with LG K10 and K7 Smartphones

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Camera Lags Issue & Other Related Problems

In terms of phone camera photo quality, the #Samsung #Galaxy #Note4 is one of the best in the market today. Although released in late 2014 the camera of this device can still give newer phone models a run for their money. This phone sports a 16MP camera sensor at f/2.2 and with optical image stabilization can take great quality shots even in challenging environments. There are however instances when camera related issues can occur on this device which is what we will be concentrating on today. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the Galaxy Note 4 camera lags issue & other related problems.

If you own a Samsung Galaxy Note 4  or any other Android device for that matter then feel free to contact us using this form. We will be more than happy to assist you with any concern that you may have with your device. This is a free service we are offering with no strings attached. We however ask that when you do contact us try to be as detailed as possible so that an accurate assessment can be made and the correct solution can be given.  

If you would like to browse the previous parts in this series then check out this link.  

You may also reach us at our Facebook and Google+ social media accounts.

Note 4 Camera Lags

Problem: Camera just lags, sometimes when taking a picture you have to tap 3-4 times before it takes then after each picture it takes 15 sec to review it and another 15 sec to delete it that every time. Also it will freeze sometimes and just stay stuck a minute or two or turn black and shut off and return to home screen. I've did the master reset once and taken the battery out once and still get the same reaction.. Any help would be appreciated.. Also it's a Verizon phone but my service provider is Straight Talk

Solution: If you have already performed a factory reset on your device then there could be another factor involved that's causing this problem. Does your phone have a microSD card installed? Try taking it out as this can sometimes cause this type of problem.  If the issue still occurs try to do the following troubleshooting steps listed below. Move to the next step if the issue still persists.

Clear the cache and data of the camera app from the application manager.

Wipe the cache partition of your phone from the recovery mode.

Start your phone in Safe Mode. Check if the issue occurs in this mode. If it doesn't then it could be caused by an app you downloaded. Find out what app this is and uninstall it.

Backup your phone data then do another round of factory reset. After the reset do not install anything on your phone yet. Check first if the issue still occurs.

If the above steps fail to resolve the problem then this could already be a hardware related issue. If this is the case I recommend that you bring your phone to an authorized service center and have it checked.

Note 4 Cloudy White Haze On Videos

Problem: I have had this problem since I got my note 4 a year ago.  When I post a video I filmed on Facebook there is a cloudy white haze that makes the video not clear.  I didn't have this on my Note 3.  It took beautiful videos.  If I upload the video to YouTube and then put it on FB the white hazy is gone.  Is there a filter I don't know about that will take away this white haze?  I wish I'd kept my note 3 because of this.  I love taking videos.  Thank you.

Solution: This is indeed a strange issue that seems to affect only the Facebook app. As far as I know the videos that you upload to Facebook do not change. This means that whatever video you can view on your phone will still look the same on Facebook. Try uninstalling the Facebook app in your phone then get a fresh version from the Google Play Store. Once the new version is installed check if the issue still occurs. You should also check the video using the Facebook account on your computer and see if the haze is still present.

Note 4 Pictures Appear Black

Problem: Every Time a picture is taken  when i try to retrieve it i get a black screen with an icon i can't get the picture to show please help i have a lot of pictures of grandkids  i have a 128gb disk inserted in my phone the did acknowledge the 128gb sd card.

Solution: When the pictures in the gallery appear black they are most likely corrupt. This usually occurs when the default save location of the camera is set to the microSD card. What happens in this case is that the microSD card that you have has developed some corrupt sectors. These corrupt sectors could be where the picture files are stored which then results in this issue.

To check if the photos are indeed corrupt you can take out the microSD card from your phone then have your computer read the microSD card. You will need a card reader to do this. If you are unable to access the photo files even with your computer then they are most likely corrupt already. You need to get a new microSD card if this is the case. You can also try to fix the microSD card by formatting it. Take note all data stored in the card will be deleted in this process. If you would like to recover the data in your card then try to use a software recovery program first before formatting it.

One other scenario is that the photos stored in the microSD card can be viewed using your computer. If this is the case then the issue could be with your phone software. Reinsert the microSD card to your phone then perform a wipe cache partition from the recovery mode. This will delete the temporary data of the phone which could be causing the problem. If the problem remains then I suggest you backup your phone data then do a factory reset.

Note 4 Camera Does Not Focus

Problem: Since I got this phone the camera doesn't focus. I had a galaxy s4 for 2 years and took extraordinary pictures. I'm a camera freak! I take pics of EVERYTHING!  I've lost many once in a lifetime shots with this camera. It's extremely upsetting.

Solution: Below are the steps that you need to do to troubleshoot the camera not focusing issue. After performing each step check if the problem still occurs. Move to the next step if it does.

If your phone has a case installed then remove it from its case.

Clean the camera lens using a microfiber cloth or lens paper cleaner. Make sure not to scratch the lens.

Clear the cache and data of the camera app.

Wipe the cache partition of your phone from the recovery mode.

Backup your phone data then do a factory reset.

If the problem still remains even after performing the above steps then this could already be a hardware related issue. I recommend that you bring your phone to an authorized service center and have it  checked.

Note 4 Warning Camera Failed Error

Problem: The camera light came on while I was charging the phone and won't shut off plus the camera won't open, I keep getting "warning camera failed". I tried removing the battery and uninstalling recent updates but the problem persists. What is my next step? THX.

Solution: Try to check first if this issue is caused by problems with the phone software by performing the following steps listed below.

Clear the cache and data of the camera app.

Wipe the cache partition of your phone from the recovery mode.

Backup your phone data then do a factory reset.

If the issue still occurs then this is most likely hardware related problem already. I suggest you backup your phone data then do a factory reset.

Engage with us

Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you've encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android device that is available in the market today. And don't worry, we won't charge you a single penny for your questions. Contact us using this form. We read every message we receive can't guarantee a quick response. If we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends.

Source: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Camera Lags Issue & Other Related Problems

Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus review: A budget phone that offers reasonable value and a sluggish UI

The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus is undeniably a budget phone, but it does offer a well-rounded feature set for the price. There is some stiff competition in this category however, and how can we talk about budget smartphones without addressing Xiaomi, the elephant in the room? Xiaomi's budget-friendly Redmi Note 3 has really raised the bar as far as budget phones are concerned and is an interesting option, provided you can manage to buy one in its flash sales. So how does Lenovo's Vibe K5 Plus compare? Let's find out.

Build and design: 6/10

In terms of build, the device isn't bad. It seems to be mostly finished in plastic, though there does seem to be a patch of metal on the removable back panel.

You get your power and volume buttons on the right side of the device (something I bemoan as a lefty).

The Micro USB port and headphone jack are placed on top of the device, leaving the left side and bottom clear of any buttons or ports.

You do get two speakers, but sadly, Lenovo's decided to place them side-by-side, on the back of the device. The camera and a single-LED flash are placed, as expected, on the top left of the back panel.

Features: 7/10

In terms of features, you get the usual 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-fi support, 16GB of storage (expandable via MicroSD card) and 2GB RAM. The phone runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 (with 8 core processor) and the rear camera is a 13MP f/2.2 model. The front camera is of the 5MP f/2.8 variety and you charge the device via Micro USB port.

The device runs Android 5.1 with a Lenovo's VibeUI skin on top. The speakers are supposedly Dolby Atmos certified but since they're placed so close together at the back of the device, they're not really that good.

Display: 7/10

The display is a 5-inch full HD IPS touch-screen panel which is surprisingly good. Viewing angles are quite good and while there is a noticeable lack in brightness at any other angle other than straight on, there's no noticeable colour shift. A 1080p resolution on a 5-inch screen means a ppi of around 440, the sharpness of the text and UI are testament to that.

Software: 6.5/10

The biggest gripe we have with the phone is on the software front. For some reason, we've encountered stuttering with Lenovo's VibeUI and the Vibe K5 Plus is no exception. A system update partway through our review process did speed up the UI and eliminate most of the lag we encountered. However, when you get phones like the Redmi Note 3, Honor Holly 2 or Coolpad Note 3 at the same price, it's hard to justify lag of any sort.

YouTube in particular was a pain to use. If you're watching a video in fullscreen mode and tap to view controls, the video freezes for a fraction of a second before rendering the controls. It's small quirks like these that makes the interface a bit tedious to use. We haven't seen such issues on similarly specced Android devices before and thus, are inclined to place the blame squarely on Lenovo's shoulders.

Performance: 6/10

As mentioned earlier, the UI would get exceedingly sluggish at times, resulting in a great deal of frustration. When it worked, everything was smooth, but never snappy. There's a slight delay to just about any heavy task that you would do, be it watching a YouTube video or using the camera. The phone would also heat up very rapidly with light use. It's not that the device got exceedingly hot, it's just that the device would consistently get very warm.

When gaming however, we didn't notice any noticeable lag and all the games ran smoothly. All things considered, we'd categorise the experience as sluggish. Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3 and the Coolpad Note 3 will consistently outperform this device.

Audio quality from the speakers was a disappointment. They claim to support Dolby Atmos, but with speakers so small, with little spacing between them and the biggest crime of all, being placed on the rear of the device, it's just not enough.

The audio is loud enough when you place the device on its face, but that's not how you use a phone. It was a pleasant surprise to experience audio via headphones, however. The audio quality over the 3.5mm jack was surprisingly clean and loud in both movies and music.

Camera: 6/10

The camera is strictly average. Shots in bright sunlight, mid-afternoon, are quite good. Shots in any other light get noticeably grainy and more noisy. Shots in low light are downright unusable. Considering the price of the phone, the camera is acceptable. Again, the Redmi Note 3 offers a better camera at the same, or slightly higher price.

We won't waste words describing the camera's performance. You can click through our Flickr album above to get a better idea of the image quality.

Battery: 7/10

The 2750 mAh battery is not small by any means, especially in a phone of this size. However, our testing revealed a battery life of just under 9 hours. In regular use we found that the device would barely last a work day and that recharging on getting home was a must.

The usual 30-40 minutes of browsing on 4G that defines my commute saw battery life drop from 100% to 60%, which is quite drastic, but normal enough for an Android phone. The iPhone 6 Plus with a similar capacity battery only loses about 20% in a similar scenario.

Conclusion

You can't talk about budget phones without mentioning the Redmi Note 3 and without a doubt, that phone is better than the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus. The former offered a better camera, faster processor and larger display for almost the same price.

It's not that the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus is a bad phone, it's definitely not. It's just that the phone doesn't stand up very well against the competition in the sub-10,000 price bracket.

The camera is strictly acceptable and the UI gets sluggish. Other than that however, we really have no serious complaints about the device. The screen is nice, the audio from the headphone jack isn't bad and apps are usable.

If you really set your heart on the K5 Plus, we won't dissuade you. If not, the Redmi Note 3, the Huawei Honor Holly 2 Plus and the Coolpad Note 3 are better options at a similar price.

Tags: Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus battery life, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus camera, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus price, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus rating, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus review, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus screen, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus specifications, Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus specs

Source: Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus review: A budget phone that offers reasonable value and a sluggish UI

The Impossible I-1 is a brand new Polaroid 600 Instant Film camera

It's 2016, and there's a brand new instant camera coming to the market that uses the exact same film that Polaroid stopped manufacturing in 2008.

I previously wrote about the wonders of instant photography in the modern times of digital shooting. The reward for enduring the trials and tribulations of this ancient technology of expired film and disposable flash bulbs is a fun, nostalgic, and expensive hobby. After being spoiled by the immense palette of options and control given to us by modern DSLRs and cell phone cameras, the limiting nature of instant photography is a exciting challenge. However, if you've grown tired of dealing with those restraints, but just can't let go of that charming old instant film, The Impossible Project has a new camera for you.

In an incredible (and perhaps superfluous) confluence of old and new technology, the Impossible I-1 camera is basically a new instant camera built in the same vein as those old Polaroid ones. The camera features limited physical controls, the standard functions of a classic Polaroid camera: a square viewfinder, an exposure dial, a focus selector, auto-focus, and the oh-so-important shutter button. The one new fancy feature built into the camera body is an LED Ring flash that automatically adjusts its intensity based on ambient light and focus distance.

What makes this camera interesting isn't on the camera itself. When you pair the I-1 with Impossible's companion iOS app via Bluetooth, you get full manual control of the camera through your iOS device. The app allows you to adjust the shutter speed, aperture size, and flash strength, as well as the ability to take pictures remotely. With the app, it's essentially a Polaroid instant camera with modern features.

The camera works with both classic Polaroid 600 film, as well as Impossible's own reverse engineered film, which is readily available via their online store.

Another neat thing about the I-1 is that its battery can be recharged via USB. Traditionally, Polaroid instant cameras were powered by batteries built into the film packs themselves. Since the I-1 doesn't need this external battery, this potentially saves on waste.

The Impossible I-1 releases May 10th at the price of $300. Instant photography continues to be an expensive, but rewarding hobby!

By Alfredo Dizon, eParisExtra

Source: The Impossible I-1 is a brand new Polaroid 600 Instant Film camera

Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus review: A budget phone that offers reasonable value and a sluggish UI

The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus is undeniably a budget phone, but it does offer a well-rounded feature set for the price. There is some stiff competition in this category however, and how can we talk about budget smartphones without addressing Xiaomi, the elephant in the room? Xiaomi's budget-friendly Redmi Note 3 has really raised the bar as far as budget phones are concerned and is an interesting option, provided you can manage to buy one in its flash sales. So how does Lenovo's Vibe K5 Plus compare? Let's find out.

Build and design: 6/10

In terms of build, the device isn't bad. It seems to be mostly finished in plastic, though there does seem to be a patch of metal on the removable back panel.

You get your power and volume buttons on the right side of the device (something I bemoan as a lefty).

The Micro USB port and headphone jack are placed on top of the device, leaving the left side and bottom clear of any buttons or ports.

You do get two speakers, but sadly, Lenovo's decided to place them side-by-side, on the back of the device. The camera and a single-LED flash are placed, as expected, on the top left of the back panel.

Features: 7/10

In terms of features, you get the usual 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-fi support, 16GB of storage (expandable via MicroSD card) and 2GB RAM. The phone runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 (with 8 core processor) and the rear camera is a 13MP f/2.2 model. The front camera is of the 5MP f/2.8 variety and you charge the device via Micro USB port.

The device runs Android 5.1 with a Lenovo's VibeUI skin on top. The speakers are supposedly Dolby Atmos certified but since they're placed so close together at the back of the device, they're not really that good.

Display: 7/10

The display is a 5-inch full HD IPS touch-screen panel which is surprisingly good. Viewing angles are quite good and while there is a noticeable lack in brightness at any other angle other than straight on, there's no noticeable colour shift. A 1080p resolution on a 5-inch screen means a ppi of around 440, the sharpness of the text and UI are testament to that.

Software: 6.5/10

The biggest gripe we have with the phone is on the software front. For some reason, we've encountered stuttering with Lenovo's VibeUI and the Vibe K5 Plus is no exception. A system update partway through our review process did speed up the UI and eliminate most of the lag we encountered. However, when you get phones like the Redmi Note 3, Honor Holly 2 or Coolpad Note 3 at the same price, it's hard to justify lag of any sort.

YouTube in particular was a pain to use. If you're watching a video in fullscreen mode and tap to view controls, the video freezes for a fraction of a second before rendering the controls. It's small quirks like these that makes the interface a bit tedious to use. We haven't seen such issues on similarly specced Android devices before and thus, are inclined to place the blame squarely on Lenovo's shoulders.

Performance: 6/10

As mentioned earlier, the UI would get exceedingly sluggish at times, resulting in a great deal of frustration. When it worked, everything was smooth, but never snappy. There's a slight delay to just about any heavy task that you would do, be it watching a YouTube video or using the camera. The phone would also heat up very rapidly with light use. It's not that the device got exceedingly hot, it's just that the device would consistently get very warm.

When gaming however, we didn't notice any noticeable lag and all the games ran smoothly. All things considered, we'd categorise the experience as sluggish. Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3 and the Coolpad Note 3 will consistently outperform this device.

Audio quality from the speakers was a disappointment. They claim to support Dolby Atmos, but with speakers so small, with little spacing between them and the biggest crime of all, being placed on the rear of the device, it's just not enough.

The audio is loud enough when you place the device on its face, but that's not how you use a phone. It was a pleasant surprise to experience audio via headphones, however. The audio quality over the 3.5mm jack was surprisingly clean and loud in both movies and music.

Camera: 6/10

The camera is strictly average. Shots in bright sunlight, mid-afternoon, are quite good. Shots in any other light get noticeably grainy and more noisy. Shots in low light are downright unusable. Considering the price of the phone, the camera is acceptable. Again, the Redmi Note 3 offers a better camera at the same, or slightly higher price.

We won't waste words describing the camera's performance. You can click through our Flickr album above to get a better idea of the image quality.

Battery: 7/10

The 2750 mAh battery is not small by any means, especially in a phone of this size. However, our testing revealed a battery life of just under 9 hours. In regular use we found that the device would barely last a work day and that recharging on getting home was a must.

The usual 30-40 minutes of browsing on 4G that defines my commute saw battery life drop from 100% to 60%, which is quite drastic, but normal enough for an Android phone. The iPhone 6 Plus with a similar capacity battery only loses about 20% in a similar scenario.

Conclusion

You can't talk about budget phones without mentioning the Redmi Note 3 and without a doubt, that phone is better than the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus. The former offered a better camera, faster processor and larger display for almost the same price.

It's not that the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus is a bad phone, it's definitely not. It's just that the phone doesn't stand up very well against the competition in the sub-10,000 price bracket.

The camera is strictly acceptable and the UI gets sluggish. Other than that however, we really have no serious complaints about the device. The screen is nice, the audio from the headphone jack isn't bad and apps are usable.

If you really set your heart on the K5 Plus, we won't dissuade you. If not, the Redmi Note 3, the Huawei Honor Holly 2 Plus and the Coolpad Note 3 are better options at a similar price.

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Source: Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus review: A budget phone that offers reasonable value and a sluggish UI

Swap Faces With Anyone in Your Camera Roll on Snapchat

The latest update also ditches paid replays; now, every snap can be replayed only once.

Ever wonder what you'd look like as a cat? Or with your best friend's flawless skin? Snapchat's latest update lets you find out.

The ephemeral messaging service this week added the ability to face swap with photos from your phone's camera roll. Hold the screen over your face to launch the app's selfie features, then swipe to the "Face-Swap From Camera Roll" lens (the purple circle with a camera icon and smiley face). Snapchat automatically scans your photos for faces, surfacing all applicable options.

That includes downloaded images of your favorite celebrities, saved pictures of your pets, and snapshots of family and friends. Unlike the original face-swapping function, this update does not require a supporting cast in frame.

It does, however, open the door to a slew of potentially offensive images—a move Snapchat should be wary of following Wednesday's blackface gaffe (the company introduced a Bob Marley filter, complete with cartoon dreadlocks and rasta hat, to mark 4/20). Snapchat did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

The face swap update is now live on iOS, but has not rolled out to Android.

Even if you're not interested in seeing Darth Vader's head on your shoulders, be aware: The latest update also ditches paid replays; now, every snap can be replayed only once. In September, the app introduced paid replays for US users, starting at three for 99 cents. But users don't appear to be interested in paying; Snapchat's short-lived Lens store also shut down in January.

For more, see PCMag's reviews of Snapchat for iPhone and Android.

Source: Swap Faces With Anyone in Your Camera Roll on Snapchat