Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe Review

04:39

•

Phone

KEY FEATURES

• 5.7-inch 1080p screen
• USB-C
• Snapdragon 820
• 6GB RAM
• Android Marshmallow 6.0.1
• Manufacturer: Asus
• Review Price: free/subscription

ASUS ZENFONE 3 DELUXE HANDS-ON: A BUDGET 

PHONE WITH A HUGE 6GB RAM

Asus Zenfones seem to be popular in every country that isn’t the UK. Asus has apparently sold 30 million of the things in 30 territories in three years, which is modestly successful. Asus excels in the mid-range portion of the market, but at Computex this year the company went big on luxury, launching the Zenfone 3 Deluxe alongside the regular Zenfone 3.

It’s all about luxury here. There’s an all-metal, super-thin design with fancy-sounding camera tech and a range of colours. Asus was also insistent at its press conference that we should care about the ‘invisible’ aerial, but I find it very hard to raise my care-giving levels quite that high. Still, it might appeal to some.

Related: Best budget phones

At the rear of the device, under the camera hump, is a fingerprint reader. It was placed just a little too high for my tastes, and I have fairly normal-sized hands so the smaller-handed might have to adjust their grip to reach it.

The phone looks and feels fantastic. The 5.7-inch metal body is thin at just 4.2mm and Asus has added a slight curve to the edge, which makes it comfortable hold. The front is coated in Gorilla Glass, and the bottom of the phone has dedicated touch buttons for back, home and the task view, saving on-screen space.

The screen itself is a Full HD affair, which is a slight disappointment for a premium phone, but its Super AMOLED technology means it looks fantastic, with high contrast and vibrant colours thanks to the phone’s ability to display 100% of the challenging NTSC colour gamut. Asus says there’s an always-on screen mode, although during my time with the device I wasn’t able to experience it.

Performance comes from a top-end 2.3GHz, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, the same chip found in the LG G5 and some editions of the Samsung Galaxy S7. The whole phone feels incredibly responsive – more so than any phone I’ve played with recently, and with an unnecessary 6GB of RAM, this is a phone that’s unlikely to slow down in a hurry.

Asus has made a big deal out of the Zenfone 3 Deluxe’s camera technology. There’s laser autofocus and phase detection autofocus, with either used depending on lighting conditions. Asus reckons it takes just 0.03s to focus in on a moving object. I put this to the test by repeatedly taking photos of a bottle of water while moving the phone, and the phone did a decent job of catching up, although it wasn’t perfect every time.

The camera sensor itself is a 23MP affair, with wide f/2.0 aperture to let in loads of light. There’s optical image stabilisation, too. There is also a 92MP, Super resolution mode that stitches multiple images together for extra detail, but I wasn’t able to demonstrate this in a satisfactory manner; it’ll be interesting to see if it works properly in the real world.

Asus’ ZenUI software has received a few tweaks; you can now place custom icons and widgets on the lockscreen, and phone performance is placed front-and-centre with Mobile Manager encouraging you to close apps, check your privacy and save battery with various options just slightly beyond common sense.

The Zenfone 3 is priced at $499 (£414 inc VAT), which places it underneath the LG G5, HTC 10 and Samsung Galaxy S7. This could be a seriously great value phone if it comes to the UK.

READ MORE

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ Keyboard Cover

02:33

•

Phone Cases

HANDS-ON WITH SAMSUNG'S GALAXY NOTE 5 AND S6 EDGE PLUS KEYBOARD COVER

• Samsung Keyboard Cover release date: Q4 2015

• Samsung Keyboard Cover price: £TBC

• Samsung Keyboard Cover key features: Adds physical keyboard to Note 5, S6 Edge+, No need for Bluetooth, Won't run out of battery

One of the more left-field products released by Samsung over the past years is the keyboard case that's available for the brand's latest phablet flasghips, the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+.

Imagine the keyboard of an old BlackBerry, but attached to the body of one of Samsung's 5.7-inch devices. It caused quite the stir when it was first shown off last month, but I've finally managed to get some hands-on time with it. And I really don't get it.

First off, it's not the best-looking product Samsung has crafted. Even though the Korean company's latest slew of phones has been built from glass and metal, the keyboard cover harks back to the plastic days of the Galaxy S4 and S5.

It slips onto the phone, covering the back – actually giving a nice added bit of protection to guard against scratches or cracks to the glass – and the keyboard sits about halfway over the display. The software knows when it's attached and shrinks down the UI, though I find that makes text way too small. It's still legible, but only just.

While most keyboards that attach to mobile devices connect via Bluetooth, Samsung's effort doesn't. In fact all it does is press down over the virtual keyboard that pops up normally. Remember the old Sony Ericsson P800 and its short-lived descendants.

This has benefits, notably that it doesn't need charging and you don't need to have Bluetooth always enabled on your phone, but it means it has to be much bigger so it covers all of the keys. As a result, it hangs slightly over the edges of the phone and makes the design seem even less impressive.

But looks I can forgive, if this seriously improves the typing experience. I remember, fondly, the days when I could knock out a text message on my old BlackBerry Curve in a matter of seconds. I knew all the shortcuts, tips and tricks and I still prefer the feel of tactile keys over virtual ones. Samsung has managed to create something that looks similar, but it doesn't offer that satisfying feeling that used to come with typing on a BlackBerry.

The plastic keys are soft and mushy, with little give when tapped. There isn't a tactile feeling, just a shallow squelch. Typing out a message results in plenty of typographical errors and I have to hit the tiny 'X' button far more than I like.

Even more annoying is that you can't just start typing from the homescreen to initiate a Google search. This seems like an obvious inclusion, especially with the Search widget ever present on the Android homescreen, so I'm not sure why Samsung decided against building it in.

I guess, if you spend your days using it then you'll get used to the keys. And once you've mastered it then maybe you'll save a few seconds. But is it worth ruining the look of the gorgeous Note 5? Not in my eyes.

EARLY VERDICT

I could forgive the design missteps with the Samsung Keyboard Case if the functionality impressed, but it just doesn't. Mushy, tightly packed keys, a plastic construction and some odd software choices combine to create an accessory that lacks the polish I've come to expect from the new, design-focused Samsung.

One for die-hard QWERTY keyboard lovers, I think. Hopefully the final production samples will be an improvement.

READ MORE

Oppo R9 review

01:04

•

Phone

PROS

• High pixel density screen (367 ppi)
• High screen-to-body ratio (75.35 %)
• High-resolution camera (16 megapixels)
• Dual SIM card support
• Lots of RAM (4096 MB RAM)
• Fast mobile data support (4G)
• Thin body, measuring less than 7.5mm/0.3inches (0.29 inches)

CONS

• Lacks microSD slot for storage expansion

DESCRIPTION

The Oppo R9 Plus is equipped with a 6-inch display, carrying a 1080 x 1920 FHD resolution. The Snapdragon 652 chipset is under the hood with an octa-core CPU and the Adreno 510 GPU. 4GB of RAM is inside along with 64GB or 128GB of native storage. The rear and front-facing cameras are both 16MP and a 4120mAh battery not only keeps your handset working for a long time, it also charges fast thanks to VOOC rapid charging. This model should be priced in the neighborhood of $460.

DESIGN

• Device type:
  • Smart phone
• OS:
  • Android (5.1), ColorOS 3.0 UI
• Dimensions:
  • 6.42 x 3.18 x 0.29 inches (163.1 x 80.78 x 7.4 mm)
• Weight:
  • 6.53 oz (185 g)
    the average is 5.3 oz (150 g)
• Materials:
  • Main body: aluminum

DISPLAY

• Physical size:
  • 6.0 inches
• Resolution:
  • 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Pixel density:
  • 367 ppi
• Screen-to-body ratio:
  • 75.35 %
• Features:
  • Light sensor, Proximity sensor

CAMERA

• Camera:
  • • 16 megapixels
  • Flash:
    • LED
  • Aperture size:
    • F2.0
  • Hardware Features:
    • Autofocus (Phase detection)
  • Software Features:
    • Geo tagging
• Camcorder:
  • • 1920x1080 (1080p HD)
  • Features:
    • Video calling
• Front-facing camera:
  • • 16 megapixels

HARDWARE

• System chip:
  • • Qualcomm Snapdragon 652
  • Model:
    • 8976
• Processor:
  • Octa-core, 1800 MHz, ARM Cortex-A72 and ARM Cortex-A53, 64-bit
• Graphics processor:
  • • Adreno 510
• System memory:
  • 4096 MB RAM
• Built-in storage:
  • 64 GB

BATTERY

• Capacity:
  • 4120 mAh
• User replaceable:
  • Yes

MULTIMEDIA

• Mirroring:
  • Miracast
• Music player:
  • Filter by:
    • Album, Artist, Genre, Playlists
  • Features:
    • Album art cover, Background playback
• Speakers:
  • Earpiece, Loudspeaker

CELLULAR

• CDMA:
  • 800 MHz
• GSM:
  • 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• UMTS:
  • 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• FDD LTE:
  • 1800 (band 3), 2100 (band 1), 2600 (band 7) MHz
• TDD LTE:
  • 1900 (band 39), 2300 (band 40), 2500 (band 41), 2600 (band 38) MHz
• Data:
  • LTE, HSPA (unspecified), UMTS
• Nano SIM:
  • Yes
• Multiple SIM cards:
  • • 2 slots

CONNECTIVITY

• Bluetooth:
  • • 4.1
• Wi-Fi:
  • • 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac, dual-band
• USB:
  • • USB 2.0
  • Connector:
    • microUSB
  • Features:
    • Mass storage device, USB charging
• Positioning:
  • GPS, A-GPS
• Navigation:
  • Turn-by-turn navigation, Voice navigation
• Other:
  • Tethering, Computer sync, OTA sync

OTHER FEATURES

• Notifications:
  • Haptic feedback, Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone
• Sensors:
  • • Accelerometer, Compass
• • Voice dialing, Voice commands, Voice recording

READ MORE

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 gets updated to Android 6.0

00:50

•

Phone

U.S. owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 will be happy to hear that an update containing Android 6.0 is on the way. The size of the update is 1GB, and users should make sure that their slate has a full battery before starting the updating process. Those with the cellular version of the tablet should make sure that they are on a Wi-Fi network before downloading and installing Marshmallow on their device. Users with the Wi-Fi only version don't have a choice.

The Android 6.0 update includes Doze. This feature kicks in when the tablet has been unused for a period of time, and shuts down all apps including those running in the background. This will increase standby time and battery life. Also included with the update is Google Now on Tap. The contextual search engine will find search results based on the content on the screen. And with Android 6.0, users can give permission to certain apps on a feature-by-feature basis.

The Samsung Galaxy S Tab comes in two screen sizes, 8-inch and 9.7-inch. Both Super AMOLED screens carry a resolution of 1536 x 2048, and both are powered by the Exynos 5433 SoC. The chipset contains an octa-core 1.9GHz CPU and the Mali-T760 MP6 GPU. 3GB of RAM is inside, and there is a 128GB capacity microSD slot available. There is a rear-facing 8MP camera, and a 2.1MP is in front for selfies and video chats. A 4000mAh battery keeps the lights on.

If you're a stateside Galaxy Tab S2, keep your eyes peeled for the notification telling you that Android 6.0 has arrived for your tablet.

READ MORE

Devialet’s Gold Phantom Has the Best Speaker Specs in the World, Ships in July

21:56

•

Computer Accessory

We first saw the Phantom from Devialet at CES 2015, where it showcased new audio tech and was interesting enough to pick up a few award, but not really on the market for consumers – at least not in its ultimate form. But now Devialet is upping its game with the Gold Phantom, an even more powerful version that will be available this summer, and is possibly the best wireless speaker in the world.

But really, it’s difficult to call the Gold Phantom a wireless speaker, even though that’s what it is and what it looks like: The tech inside is so different from what you expect from an average Bluetooth speaker that there’s not really a technological comparison. It offers up to 108db of sound fueled by 4,500 watts of power, which is supposed to be around what you would get with a live rock concert.

The Gold Phantom tries to be the best in the world – and succeeds.

This is backed up by a “total harmonic distortion” level of 0.0005%, which is very low – and that means really amazing clarity. Don’t worry, this doesn’t affect the bass level: Actually with 14Hz bass capabilities, the Gold Phantom has some of the lowest bass sounds every reproduced. Its titanium tweeter, on the other end, goes up to 27kHz. Both are controlled by patented amplification technology that was designed for pinpoint accuracy – the goal is to feel like you’re in the recording studio with your favorite band. Oh, and that gold in the name isn’t just for show – there really is 22kt rose gold plate on the surface of this audio masterpiece.

So, what we have here isn’t so much a wireless speaker as it is an effort to make the very best speaker anyone on the planet has seen. With that taken into account, the price on the Gold Phantom doesn’t actually seem that bad. In a world where people spend more than $10,000 on a shiny Apple Watch, you will be able to buy this speaker for $3,000 (Silver and normal Phantoms will also be available). The speaker will start shipping in mid-July 2016.

A final note on those impressive specs, too: While we know that the speaker works with WiFi and Bluetooth, we don’t know some of the more traditional specs for the Gold Phantom, including how long the battery lasts. We’ll let you know more when we learn it!

READ MORE

12 of the Best HTC One Smartphone Cases

19:25

•

Phone Cases

You’ve got your new HTC One smartphone and now you’re looking for the best protection around for your new gadget. Don’t fret or scour the web looking for the best case around ’cause we’ve compiled some of the best cases to protect and guard your new toy from life’s mishaps so that your new baby is safe!

12. HTC One Leather Case and Wallet

If you’re into style then you’ll want to carry your HTC One in this Leather Case and Wallet from Etsyis made from 10 percent Italian leather and features enough space to fit your cards and cash. You can choose your case/wallet in a variety of colors like  dark orange, black, chocolate or dark red for $69.

11. Ballistic SG MAXX Case

The Ballistic SG MAXX Case offers four layers of the best engineered drop protection on the market and provides a durable holster, port covers, a no-slip grip and reinforced corners. But most important a replaceable, rigid, screen protector that provides amazing impact protection for $49.99.

10. Platinum Series PT-HOC53SG Case

The Platinum Series PT-HOC53SG case a built-in kickstand to allow easy viewing of your HTC One mobile phone in landscape orientation while its felt-lined holster and belt clip ensure simple portability, while offering protection on the go. Get yours for $39.99.

9. Spigen SGP HTC One Case Ultra Thin Air

Lightweight and ultra thin is what you get with the Spigen SGP HTC One Case Ultra Thin Air that’s only $21.99. The durable, lightweight, and non-toxic qualities of polycarbonate make the Ultra Thin a reliable solution for protecting the HTC One from external impacts.

8. Case-Mate Barely There Case

The best-selling Barely There HTC One case is ultra-lightweight with a resilient design that looks as good as it feels and is impact resistant with its flexible plastic shell. And it’s only $20!

7. Belkin Wallet Folio Case

The Belkin Wallet Folio doubles as a wallet and a case so that you don’t have to carry loads of crap in your pocket. And for only $27.97 it’s not a bad deal.

6. Mophie Juice Pack Extended Battery Case

Protect your HTC One and recharge its battery with the Mophie Juice Pack Extended Battery Case that’s lightweight and has a sleek design. It comes in black and silver and goes for $99.95.

5. Incipio DualPro SHINE Case

Protect your HTC One in stye with the elegant DualPro SHINE case from Incipio that features a shock absorbing silicone core and sleek aluminum finish frame. Your smartphone will look sharp and refined for only $34.99.

4. OtterBox Defender Case

The OtterBox Defender Case provides the ultimate protection thanks to its three layers of rugged protection. The high-strength screen protector is built into the polycarbonate shell, allowing the HTC One case to deflect anything your day might throw at it, and the included belt-clip has a kickstand for convenient media viewing. Get yours now in a variety of color options for $49.95.

3. Speck GemShell Case

The GemShell case from Speck puts your phone’s sleek aluminum body front and center with a see-through finish that lets its design shine through. It provides clear-cut protection with a flexible hardshell construction that’s durable, yet lightweight, and pops on and off with ease for only $29.95.

2. OtterBox Commuter Case

The Commuter Series is slim, sleek and attractive case that protects your phone from everything. Its slick exterior is  made of a hard polycarbonate plastic shell that allows your HTC One to slide easily in and out of your pocket, while  an inner silicone layer that acts like a cushion to absorb shock and impact. And it’s only $34.95!

1. HTC Double Dip Case

The HTC Double Dip Case protects your phone without changing its elegant looks. This stylish three-color wrap-around case features a premium hard shell that guards against damage with a front screen overlay.

READ MORE