tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62648231409364817872024-03-14T07:15:00.849+00:00Tech and MusingTechnology blog focusing on mobile and consumer devices. Also with occasional advertising, business and sporting posts thrown in.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-16009852112101116322015-06-28T20:43:00.003+01:002015-06-28T21:04:05.380+01:00LG G4: Everything You Need to KnowThose that are regular readers will know how highly I think of the HTC One Series but my loyalty has been sorely tested by the LG G4.<br />
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I’ve been testing the G4 over the last few weeks as part of the LG tester programme and my review is below.<br />
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<b>Design and First Impressions</b><br />
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The phone possesses a large 5.5" screen but as the design is squarer than other phones it fits comfortably in my hand and the curved back is beautiful. It's an truly sleek design.<br />
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The slight curve of the phone allows it to fit tightly into a pocket, which is rare for the larger phones, and also comfortably in a hand. The phone isn't the thinnest, but it's not far off and the weight is impressive for a large phone.<br />
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There will be those for which a larger phone doesn't suit them, but I'd urge the rest to try it out. Other aspects of the phone have been designed around the larger screen, as with the LG G3, the on/off button and volume located within easy reach on the centre-rear of the phone. This is intelligent thinking from LG.<br />
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Despite having a removable back/battery, the phone feels unibody which means you get the benefits of changing the back of the phone and battery as well. The battery strength is good but not spectacular however I've found that under moderate use it extends to 1.5 days which is competitive for modern smartphones.<br />
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My only initial issue is that the set-up theme is pretty vile and the theme options are limited, but don’t let that put you off - after all, it's down to preference.<br />
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<b>Under the Bonnet</b><br />
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The whole experience using the phone has been a pleasure. The interface is clean, the transitions are beautifully executed and the 3GB RAM takes everything in it's stride. The 5.5" screen is packed with a 2560 x 1440 resolution (538ppi) which is pretty staggering to look at.<br />
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I've been using the 32GB model, which is the minimum that new phone users should be looking to get, especially with apps becoming heavier and heavier. There is a removable 128GB option too, so you won't have any issues over storage.<br />
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<b>Everyday Use</b><br />
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Under the everday uses, the LG G4 performed extremely well. It slotted into my life quite seemlessly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAhb-qO2-tzsoq2Fht1VafamCUXGi130YD51Ai6_v-MsB4x9tyne-J6Kbq6bDmtIxmCzkXj5uYKJIUKRSSITKN20VjIVA0rKSzTqeJGLoyDoQd1dKyu78SaTlq5OS90wlT-Iey6dMIUg/s1600/Lg_g4_comp.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAhb-qO2-tzsoq2Fht1VafamCUXGi130YD51Ai6_v-MsB4x9tyne-J6Kbq6bDmtIxmCzkXj5uYKJIUKRSSITKN20VjIVA0rKSzTqeJGLoyDoQd1dKyu78SaTlq5OS90wlT-Iey6dMIUg/s320/Lg_g4_comp.png" width="289" /></a>That's not to say I haven't had issues. Volume positioning does cause problems when the phone is lying on its back. I've found the stock predictive typing far less intuitive than competitors (it means I have to actually be accurate...). Some of my favourite apps still have bugs but these will likely be sorted shortly.<br />
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The battery comfortably gets me through a day on moderate-heavy use through the 3000mah battery. If necessary, the charging is lightning quick. Also, it's removable anyway so you can just carry a spare should it become an issue.<br />
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LG have adopted HTC's double screen tap to wake up the phone, of which I'm a big fan. It's also a necessary addition given the positioning of the on/off button means that its inaccessible when lain on its back.<br />
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<b>Camera</b><br />
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The camera is a make-or-break feature to me in a phone, and the LG G4 certainly doesn't fall down here. The 16MPs are well utilised and the output is stunning (especially when viewed on LG's gorgeous screen). When given time to shoot, the camera is close to flawless.<br />
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Under pressure though, I found the camera to lag on occasion, especially when opening the app. The auto-focus was good for everyday images but limited for someone like myself who enjoys more control over the image. The burst-shot mode was another disappointment - when it worked, it was great but it was mostly unreliable.<br />
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The manual settings are much better - as long as you 'know' photography, with far more options for control compared to other phone cameras out there. Allowing control over ISO, shutter speed, aperture value, white balance and exposure lock is great fun. LG offer a superbly fast f/1.8 aperture, with 60% more light than the iPhone 6, that means you can make the most of faster shutter speeds, less processing to achieve exposure, thus avoiding the worst of image noise and processing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaYpaZDsW-wrngQuEUYR1RuO3tVf8QW0jKuLjKsbZOVKr282INZVCVQWxyGoKDnY52NQmE7dUwfCGUS6AqV3D_EOQj9u3qVMntsJNvXDa-QPCKSh4f_Gj9ViBl7PwwNZfi0sPt67KAGg/s1600/bg_section4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaYpaZDsW-wrngQuEUYR1RuO3tVf8QW0jKuLjKsbZOVKr282INZVCVQWxyGoKDnY52NQmE7dUwfCGUS6AqV3D_EOQj9u3qVMntsJNvXDa-QPCKSh4f_Gj9ViBl7PwwNZfi0sPt67KAGg/s640/bg_section4.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I've always been a fan of post editing photos and the options LG provide are a dream come true. Compared to other set-ups, the post editing is certainly more complex, yet it offers a far greater level of options. The user is able to edit every element of a photo, to a far greater extent than other stock cameras. 'Selective Editing' which allowed the user to edit different parts of a photo separately had become a key tool for me and certainly given me the opportunity to improve my photo output. That was all good until the editor was removed which is an issue I'm picking up with LG.<br />
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It's a pretty good 'selfie' camera too, with 8MP being found on the front. There's a new feature that allows the user to close and open their palm to set-up a timed photo.<br />
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All in all, on day-to-day use, the LG G4 camera is strong and I've had several great snaps come from it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZJ51V4hC_7xMN7JB4kt_s_ppughCiwn75Q2lwKlucb4RDNdpTFjXxG-Iy6RG-Fany2DzOR-51gOiH_StcwtvtJ-6BS-rzTAAphdfokd6Xn4WSJe6sGYrHzxIr_snPRg55QxuYGLPy0E/s1600/20150627_214137_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZJ51V4hC_7xMN7JB4kt_s_ppughCiwn75Q2lwKlucb4RDNdpTFjXxG-Iy6RG-Fany2DzOR-51gOiH_StcwtvtJ-6BS-rzTAAphdfokd6Xn4WSJe6sGYrHzxIr_snPRg55QxuYGLPy0E/s320/20150627_214137_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmbYf32SWzdj7AUk9XlVREqnZDREYA0z_Ixco5VfwzPT5HSlIUk61NtDUAsbxR5urGrqJZHonH21L-TtJ0Tpz8lM2HJbtXB_OSI_jWDXpkfBd15mIq2aJ57Edzth-ACj-2OuIg1ve9FI/s1600/20150626_161553_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmbYf32SWzdj7AUk9XlVREqnZDREYA0z_Ixco5VfwzPT5HSlIUk61NtDUAsbxR5urGrqJZHonH21L-TtJ0Tpz8lM2HJbtXB_OSI_jWDXpkfBd15mIq2aJ57Edzth-ACj-2OuIg1ve9FI/s400/20150626_161553_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoyTy25iN9-W11jnx7Fr5COd-f8bdc7rIXtAtybAWQDbAvia1YiNeaA-6n8X7BlhE0vaoLwqwfN2cx7xYeh7AE4AB0hoX74Y5Lk3DoRuNv1kupSfI5b5Je_FGzFwFNGO4hWy5J9SvE_o/s1600/20150611_184655-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoyTy25iN9-W11jnx7Fr5COd-f8bdc7rIXtAtybAWQDbAvia1YiNeaA-6n8X7BlhE0vaoLwqwfN2cx7xYeh7AE4AB0hoX74Y5Lk3DoRuNv1kupSfI5b5Je_FGzFwFNGO4hWy5J9SvE_o/s640/20150611_184655-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEw4Z4IQWXJzj3UNHrxdT4spjCcqY9-1bSS_5HlPBBnDWnXx1thghcKVB_o64K81QQEC3WCMQT2zVWt0JV8UBSqpnlCTBsdWXDwM1GjQtAQceX9ouL3DuzoWp-pp75bcfR7lWdM2RhBA/s1600/Screenshot_2015-06-28-20-36-43.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEw4Z4IQWXJzj3UNHrxdT4spjCcqY9-1bSS_5HlPBBnDWnXx1thghcKVB_o64K81QQEC3WCMQT2zVWt0JV8UBSqpnlCTBsdWXDwM1GjQtAQceX9ouL3DuzoWp-pp75bcfR7lWdM2RhBA/s320/Screenshot_2015-06-28-20-36-43.png" width="180" /></a><b>Key Features</b><br />
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<li>LG's 'Smart Tips' are useful and interesting for the first few occasions but they are far too regularly featured and quite repetitive. If you switch these off after a week or so, you won't regret it too much.</li>
<li>LG's dual screen offers promise but doesn't quite deliver, mostly through the lack of compatible apps. It's fine for Email and File Manager, or Mail etc, but when jumping between other apps, it's rendered useless.</li>
<li>QSlide is a new feature that allows pop-up, quick action apps to appear over what you're doing, such as video, calculator and messages.</li>
<li>Finally, LG have enabled the standard three Android menu buttons to be upgraded to five, including QSlide and QMemo+. </li>
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<b>So, where does it rank?</b><br />
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There are a lot of good phones out there, but very few manage to tick all the boxes as an everyday phone. The LG G4 does.<br />
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The G4 is beautifully crafted but doesn't substitute functionality for design. It's designed for the user to enjoy with comfort, yet also for the user to show off with style.<br />
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One of the biggest compliments I can pay to LG with the G4 is that they've clearly thought about the phone and how it works for the consumer. Sounds simple, but it's something a lot of manufacters forget when chasing big numbers and shiny new features.<br />
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To be able to boast power, a stunning screen and decent battery life as a fearsome trio is quite something, and all of that whilst making a 5.5" screen feel manageable is a feat in itself.<br />
I love to find a killer flaw with a phone, but there just isn't one with the LG G4. It's not just a jump above it's predecessor, the G3, it's a jump above it's rivals.<br />
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My love affair with the HTC One series has finally been broken.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-88561308855791267192015-04-03T13:22:00.000+01:002015-04-07T07:58:45.448+01:00Living with a Secure Phone: The BlackPhone Case StudyIf you haven't heard of the BlackPhone, it's probably not the phone for you.<br />
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Those looking for security and privacy with your device, then you would have come across the BlackPhone as one of the most secure devices out there. This joint venture between encryption specialists Silent Circle and GeeksPhone is for the security-conscious consumer that is keen to keep their personal content and conversations, to just that, personal.<br />
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I've lived with the BlackPhone as my device for a few weeks now and can give a fair assessment on what it's like to use such a security conscious device on a daily basis. In many ways, this is a tricky review. Nothing compares to the software of the BlackPhone - by far the USP of the device - and it seems unfair to compare the device on hardware alone, but let's give it a go anyway.<br />
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<b>First Impressions</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhjBfSl4vzY6tuzGzO-j8HALdzKYfZQZ6OVurTvVEbNub2nCt3tQTvjS_oE7j4Dw5nkzIoBMqVhcR9HkOhZ2cIKu0JvT957TnUxtSQAvt8BpFSSiAQg3s-KiLJX1DeBMOFx0inEBP9BI/s1600/IMAG3027_1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhjBfSl4vzY6tuzGzO-j8HALdzKYfZQZ6OVurTvVEbNub2nCt3tQTvjS_oE7j4Dw5nkzIoBMqVhcR9HkOhZ2cIKu0JvT957TnUxtSQAvt8BpFSSiAQg3s-KiLJX1DeBMOFx0inEBP9BI/s1600/IMAG3027_1_1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a>The BlackPhone packaging and appearance unsurprisingly echoes the name; it's dark, moody and secretive. The phone design revolves around a clean fingerprint (that's what it looks like to me) which reinforces the secure nature of the device.<br />
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When using the BlackPhone, you have elements of that joy of returning to an old Nokia. It's a phone that texts and calls as it's primary function, it's weighs barely anything and you can hold the phone in one hand which is almost a novelty in this day-and-age. But after the novelty wears off, you notice that the plastic-shelled hardware hasn't been a priority and by all accounts looks pretty ordinary. Is this such a bad thing? I guess it's fitting of the discreet intentions of the phone in being unlikely to attract attention.</div>
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<b>The Technical Stuff</b><br />
The battery is of an adequate capacity and will last for over a day of moderate use, much in line with other smartphones. This is supported by NVIDIA's quad-core, 2GZ processor which is effective, but the 1GB of RAM is a little disappointing in power levels. This is noticeable in occasional lag, particularly on the screen unlock which was a frustration for me. That being said, it rarely affects your other usage of the phone. You've got 16GB of storage to play with, and the option of an additional 128GB of extra storage through the microSD slot.<br />
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<b>The Everyday</b><br />
As previously mentioned, the phone is a very comfortable size and weight to live with. It's incredibly lightweight and will easily fit into a pocket when moving around.<br />
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The basic functions of a phone are all present and effectively executed. The security of the phone does affect some of those basic smartphone functions such as searching online as understandably the browser doesn't provide search suggestions, but you get used to this. As outlined below, the updated PrivatOS software doesn't only match other Android interpretations, in some ways it outstrips them. I'll explain more in the software section.<br />
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The camera is efficient but not outstanding. The 5MP lens will capture the day-to-day images fine, but in low-light it begins to struggle. It's basic though, and doesn't offer stock options like panoramic mode or burst-shot. Video is similar but be warned that the video audio isn't the best. <br />
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The music software matches the camera. It does the job without being spectacular. Sound quality is in line with cheaper phones on the market with good clarity but lacking bass.<br />
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As I'll explain the reasoning for later, you'll find that some of your favourite apps are incompatible, gaming apps in particular are sometimes problematic. The main apps (email, social networks, whatsapp etc) all function well though so don't panic.<br />
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So in everyday usage, the BlackPhone will get you through just fine. The essentials are there and will operate well. The security of the device naturally means that you will need to sacrifice certain things, but if you want security, it comes in the place of convenience.</div>
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<b>Software - UPDATED</b><br />
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If you're interested in the BlackPhone, the next section will be the real attention-grabber as you've probably not blown away by the hardware on the BlackPhone, and to be honest, you shouldn't be. The real differentiating factor for the BlackPhone is in the software and this is where it begins to show-off its true secure and secret colours.<br />
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The problem - I had written up a full review of the BlackPhone software running Privat 1.0 but I've had to tear that up. </div>
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The theme of Privat 1.0 was security over convenience. Silent Circle's PrivatOS is based on Android 4.4.2 but different to the likes of HTC and Samsung who add to Android, BlackPhone removes almost every element. No syncing, no Play Store and no maps. Taking everything away gives BlackPhone the control, and that's the purpose of the device, but equally this was the problem in that the phone wasn't convenient to use.<br />
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Halfway through my testing of the device however, Silent Circle released Privat 1.1 and, without being over-dramatic, the BlackPhone is now an entirely different prospect.<br />
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The Privat 1.1 update has created multiple partitions of the <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b_jzbbDxoFQO1bUjJa7NeR1d0Mgh3BCWriExzSxUkWrTcFFd4F-Ut-p2l0RaucINhNzEgPuAISXX6k6oCt3n_O3U1rhI6s1k2xvmZZvwdwFgBW69DpOz4hmltWrBcCri32lwTxSxdDA/s1600/Screenshot_2015-04-02-09-44-45.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b_jzbbDxoFQO1bUjJa7NeR1d0Mgh3BCWriExzSxUkWrTcFFd4F-Ut-p2l0RaucINhNzEgPuAISXX6k6oCt3n_O3U1rhI6s1k2xvmZZvwdwFgBW69DpOz4hmltWrBcCri32lwTxSxdDA/s1600/Screenshot_2015-04-02-09-44-45.png" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="180" /></a>phone - secure and personal. Switching between the two is easy and can be done through the notification bar or the lock-screen. These partitions are known as 'Spaces' and have transformed the phone. The BlackPhone is now two devices in one; in simple terms, one is security conscious, and one is your everyday Android phone. As BlackPhone say, one device is now 'many virtual devices'.<br />
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You may think of switching between profiles and themes in two partitions, but the BlackPhone doesn't stop there. The 'Spaces' are entirely separated. Photos, accounts, <i>all </i>information is separated. When going to the secure 'Space' you have to enter your pass code, but the personal Space doesn't need to be password protected. Further to this, you can add a further Space too. Alongside the pre-installed 'Silent Space' focused on security, users can add Spaces for work, personal or child friendly. It's up to the user.<br />
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The update also included Silent Circle's world's first privacy-focused app store, titled 'Silent Store'. The USP of the store is that it 'brings permissions clearly to the forefront, stating everything in plain language so that you can decide the inherent value of any application with the full scope of information.<i>' </i>Basically, no more unknown T&Cs or signing away permissions, you will be in control.<i> </i>The obvious downside to this is that the Silent Store doesn't support all apps, yet the essentials are still there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrgNr-7M3mbVAgkqU9s-2lE8jlAZLfaitMFynlcmUnP658S2due9tiHIEwycDL7dMx7CPxeeu1dU9JPdo-UVv7icsRziVi5w89n-u-88lt0Nu0SCVEV7w7VTB66jTie0vQOmVWaFM2nU/s1600/B-rnkiRWwAAA6b4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrgNr-7M3mbVAgkqU9s-2lE8jlAZLfaitMFynlcmUnP658S2due9tiHIEwycDL7dMx7CPxeeu1dU9JPdo-UVv7icsRziVi5w89n-u-88lt0Nu0SCVEV7w7VTB66jTie0vQOmVWaFM2nU/s1600/B-rnkiRWwAAA6b4.jpg" height="400" width="358" /></a>With the Silent Space, the basic set of apps are two-fold, the Silent Circle apps and the third-party apps.<br />
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Silent Circle software fortunately is very, very good. The apps are clean, slick and effective. It's a secure set-up where you have to unlock them each time they're switched on. What can you do on Silent Circle? Make calls, texts and run an contacts book. Security-wise, the calls are encrypted and the messages can be burnt from both devices on time-codes. Both users MUST have Silent Circle software, but you can provide Silent Circle to non-BlackPhone users for a $10 annual subscription. When you buy the phone you get this for free, plus one for a friend. </div>
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One of the main BlackPhone features is their Security Centre. This manages details of permissions for each and every app to most finite detail. Alongside this, there are three main third party apps:<br />
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<li>Disconnect: Secures unsecure WiFi through a VPN and provides anonymous web browsing</li>
<li>SpiderOak: Secure cloud storage that can be shared with a contact</li>
<li>Kisnet WiFi Manager: Disconnects from WiFi when it's an untrusted network</li>
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Currently the software setup is a little confusing and alongside the app setups, it is not user-friendly process. From that perspective, the phone feels slightly incomplete, and not favourable to an everyday user. If you're not especially tech-savvy, the software set-up might bemuse. There's certainly room for improvement from Silent Circle in supporting customers in making the set-up and tutoring a little more convenient. There's no doubt however that Silent Circle have made significant progress on this with the PrivatOS 1.1 update and will look to continue doing so.</div>
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<b>Cost</b><br />
Placed right in the territory of flagship devices, the BlackPhone costs in excess of £500, but it would be unfair to compare the two. The BlackPhone offers plenty of value for that money, but it is absolutely for a certain audience. </div>
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Part of me feels surprised by the hardware flaws, and even the price. In my eyes, Silent Circle could charge what they want for the BlackPhone. It's targeted to people that want to secure their information, and if you are that keen to secure your information, then you'll pay the money to do so. I think BlackPhone could have charged more the phone and upgraded the hardware to make a flagship-challenging device in look, feel and usage.<br />
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<b>Overview</b><br />
In my first review, I would have said that if you need the security and privacy guarantees with your phone, then you pay the money for the BlackPhone. If you're not that bothered about security and privacy then this phone isn't for you. That was before PivatOS 1.1.<br />
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I've never known a software update to have such a dramatic effect on a device. It's not perfect, but it's a drastic improvement. I wouldn't have felt comfortable using the BlackPhone on a day-to-day basis because it didn't support all the apps and usability I desire with a phone. The camera is so-so, the apps are a frustration and I enjoy the convenience that comes with apps tracking my information. With the 1.1 update, these issues haven't been resolved in their entirety but steps have been made to change this and now this phone can be aimed more at the mass-audience.</div>
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BlackPhone never intended to build a phone for convenience. They were tasked with building a phone of purpose and they've done a brilliant job in achieving that. The latest step is to provide enough convenience for users wanting a regular phone with a secure state. I still harbour frustrations with the hardware as BlackPhone definitely could have charged more and allowed the phone to pack more power in the punch, but it's still capable.</div>
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I'm not a security conscious person, and I value the convenience of Google and my ever-syncing social networks so it's not quite phone for me. However, BlackPhone isn't targeting me, and it's not there for convenience. It's a locked-down secure device with subsidised access to the some of the best software out there. To be the best security-focused phone out there, that's all you can ask.<br />
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To find out more about getting your hands on the BlackPhone, contact the guys over at <a href="https://www.fonehouse.co.uk/contactus">fonehouse</a>. They're running live demos in London. <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/fonehouse/@51.519991,-0.109388,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x45890969b12fc09b?sa=X&ei=hH4jVeiSK4vaatvBgZAH&ved=0CHkQ_BIwCg">Click here</a> for the store location.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-69735470486787689232015-03-19T00:28:00.001+00:002015-03-19T17:31:46.944+00:00Why the Apple Watch will be the ultimate brand loyalty barometerApple are renowned for the brand they've created. The Apple brand is one envied by all other manufacturers because it is desirable and aspirational.<br />
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Simply put, Apple is the one that people will queue for. Users want Apple products, regardless of cost, but because of status.<br />
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Until now, Apple have been able to rely on the highest levels on brand loyalty when launching new items, even when the products haven't been cutting-edge or particularly innovative. They've leant on that loyalty with launches of the iPhone 4S and the 5S, alongside endless minor upgrades to the Macbook. The public still flock.<br />
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It is also true that Apple have always produced products that sit towards the top-end of the pricing spectrum, tugging on that brand loyalty to lace the pockets of the company. It's true of the iPhone, MacBook and now, the Apple Watch. Users have been able to show-off an iPhone as the same phone that the celebs use. It's been a status symbol and continues to be so. It may be the same with the Apple Watch, as Apple will be sure to intelligently seed the watch to influential figures. The key difference however, is that the iPhone and MacBook have demonstrated clear consumer purpose, so whilst they've been priced high, consumers have been happy to part with the money to ensure the seeming quality.<br />
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Everyone needs a smartphone. Apple makes them happy to part with a little bit more in order to get one.<br />
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This is not true for the Apple Watch. Apple have, alongside all other manufacturers, failed to show a purpose to owning a smartwatch - and perhaps even more concerning is a battery life that will only last 18 hours. Being priced north of £300 for the sport edition, and £450 for a fashion edition (not forgetting the watches priced at £1,000-£10,000) the price is pushing consumers to the edge of their loyalty to the Apple brand.<br />
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<br /><br />There's no denying that whilst Apple are continuing to post staggering profits, their brand loyalty has been shaken over the last few years. Their innovation and high-end quality have been placed under scrutiny, and the numerous competitors have had an impact.<br /><br />Come April 24th, we'll be able to judge just how powerful that Apple brand loyalty really is and be in a position to see if and how that brand loyalty has been affected - using the Apple Watch as a barometer.<br /><br />Thoughts welcomed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-66857446209867536582015-03-09T23:56:00.001+00:002015-03-09T23:57:44.986+00:00HTC One M9: Everything You Need to Know<div>
HTC are releasing the latest in the One Series to the public in late March. I'll get my hands on it for a user review closer to the time but should you hold out to buy it? Let's have a look at everything you need to know about the HTC One M9.</div>
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<b>Headline specs</b><br />
HTC's older younger brother to the M8 sports a familiar 5" 1080px screen, but an increased Snapdragon 810 OCTO-core processor. That's all supported by 3GB of RAM which will make the device lightning quick.<br />
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Storage also remains the same as the One M8 but HTC appear to have dropped the 16GB edition of the handset - a smart move in my experience. Obviously, the expandable storage option still remains, with a further 128GB optional addition via microSD. <br />
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The battery has been given a slight boost too, going up to a competitive 2840mAh. That’s more than Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and far more than the iPhone 6 which only holds 1800mAh.</div>
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<b>Design</b><br />
In more or less every way, the M9 looks identical to the M8. That disappointed me. It's not that the M8 isn't a gorgeous phone - far from it. I've got it and marvel at its beauty when I remove the case. <br />
For me, it's the same problem that's plagued the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy range. The M9 feels old already. It seems uninspiring and lazy. HTC cannot afford to be lazy - especially when their smartphone share is being attacked from all sides, and I just can't understand why they've left it.</div>
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<b>Build</b><br />
Since the beginning of the One series, HTC has been relatively flawless in terms of build quality and the HTC One M9 is unsurprisingly no different. The beautiful curved back has remained, with HTC boasting that its creation is a 70-step process. There's a minor difference in the side-on profile from the One M8 where the unibody appears to have been altered, but this doesn't affect the feel or quality one iota.<br />
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<b>Camera</b><br />
One of the few significant changes with the HTC One M9 is the abandoning of the rear-facing UltraPixel camera in place of a monster 20 megapixel shooter. It's a sensible move given they never managed to communicate the UltraPixel lens to consumers. They've not abandoned it completely though - it still appears in the front facing 'selfie' camera.<br />
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The rear camera video has been upped from 1080p to 4k, and the front boasts a 2 UltraPixel sensor.<br />
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<b>Personalisation</b><br />
The HD screen shows off HTC’s seventh edition of their Sense UI. The UI has been updated to be more reactive to stimuli around you. Your home screen will now reorganise based on the time of day. Alarms, apps and wallpapers, will react to the time of day. If you cycle to work, you’ll get notifications to charge your lights before heading home in the evening. It will be interesting to see how it dovetails with Google Now.<br />
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<b>What Else</b><br />
HTC’s Dot View case has been upgraded as well, and now, for some reason, you can play games like tetris on the front. Utterly pointless, but quite clever.</div>
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HTC’s ridiculously named 'BoomSound' speaker system for the One Series has been upgraded once again. This time, Dolby have taken over from Beats to provide a 5.1 surround sound to the phone. Thanks to Harman Kardon, a three-finger swipe can send the music out to speaker systems in the house.<br />
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<b>Overview</b><br />
HTC have upgraded the best phone of 2014. It's no mean feat to achieve but that’s where it ends. As I’ve said before, we seem to have reached a smartphone impasse. I’m disappointed to see HTC nudge the bar – but not raise it. <br />
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The HTC One M9 is still a stunning phone, and one that no-one will regret purchasing. Then again, I’d argue there’s little point in paying for the M9 when the HTC One M8 is cheaper, and 99% of the M9.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-79031132985838007522015-03-05T08:45:00.004+00:002015-03-05T08:50:25.834+00:00Ignore Wearables - You don't need them'Wearable Technology.' The buzzwords of 2014, the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2015. Tech companies are pushing 'wearables' in the direction of consumers and saying, "That'll work, they love this stuff". But do they? Do consumers really want it? The signs are suggesting no, not yet.<br /><br />Firstly, I'm not including fitness bands in this. Fitness bands have a proven purpose and have sold relatively well. Other wearables, however, are still in 'geek' territory. People like me, into my tech, want wearables, simply to pick apart about how amazing some aspects of the technology are, and how woeful the rest is. Google cancelled Glass through little more important than a growing lack of interest. They felt they couldn't make it work for the moment.<br /><br />Smartwatch sales are frankly, very poor. Pebble have had limited success with 1m sales in just over 2 years and so have Samsung (mainly because the watches are given away with Galaxy devices). Maybe the introduction of the Apple Watch will change that. Apple has a habit of doing making something currently available, copying it, and making it desirable.<div dir="ltr">
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<br /><br />The immediate reaction from consumers has been quite clearly - we don't really care. The intrigue isn't there, and it is just lost on the mass audience. Research by Fizz (below) shows a few problems for wearable manufacturers:<br /><br /> Firstly, the average price willing to be paid is far below the current price of wearable tech. Many Android Wear devices cost somewhere north of £200, and if rumours are to be believed, the iWatch could cost double that. More than half of those that responded with interest about smartwear mentioned cost would be the deciding factor which will worry manufacturers.<br /><br />Finally, the purpose issue is of utmost importance. 37% of respondents pointed to a lack of necessity for the devices being the reason for lack of desire.<br /><br /></div>
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These items still have failed to find their place in society. There is no need for them. In response to the lack of purpose, wearables are trying to do everything. I use 1% of the Sony Smartwatch 2 capability on a day to day basis. The reviews are relatively useless, when in practice, those features just don't step into everyday life. Nothing has changed since I first <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-samsung-galaxy-gear-review.html">wrote about the Samsung Galaxy Gear in 2013</a>.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span>Back then I complimented the smartwatch on its appearance and functionality. I still defend that stance with my 2013 hat on - but really, the smartwatch should have come on a lot since then. They've cracked the appearance element - now just for sorting the need.<br />
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<br /><br />(Huawei's new smartwatch - gorgeous)<br /><br /> It's a criticism <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/are-microsoft-stuck-in-future.html">I levelled at Microsoft with Windows 8</a> </span>- too much, too fast. We're just reaching the point when smartphones are struggling to progress in innovation, and that needs a chance to settle and allow flagship capabilities seep through to the lower-end.<br />
<br />The smartwatch is an incredible feat, it really is. To cram all that technology into such a small piece of kit is astounding - but that doesn't mean it needs to be forced to consumers who are voting with their wallets.<br /><br /> Wearables will breathe again, but manufacturers need to find out how they can help the consumer before they'll fly off the shelves. For the moment, they might as well be ignored.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-44175160794118801642015-03-01T12:02:00.001+00:002015-03-01T12:02:38.793+00:00Watch the live stream of the Samsung Galaxy S6 launchWe're at the start of MWC - aka smartphone season - and Samsung join Huawei as the first out of the door to announce their new addition to the Galaxy family. Watch the live stream of the Samsung Galaxy S6 launch below. It starts at 5.30 GMT.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVk3ZWrhHxc" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-45808722614519186152015-02-17T21:46:00.000+00:002015-02-17T21:49:25.926+00:00SmartWatch Evolution in Appearance - Not Purpose<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">It's always nice to be on the money, and thankfully, regarding smartwatches, I have been.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">It wasn't long ago that I was writing about the central problem with the smartwatches on the market - was that, first and foremost, they had forgotten to be a watch. I <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-samsung-galaxy-gear-review.html">used the first Samsung Galaxy Gear</a> and, whilst enjoying the technology, just couldn't get past the central issue - I didn't really want it on my wrist. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Let's be honest, the smartwatch is a novelty. It serves<i> no</i> important purpose. Yes, it makes checking notifications that tiny bit quicker, but making £150+ difference to a life? No chance. It's for the people with the disposable income, or want to be on the forefront of technology, or finally, for fashion. It's that last point which is where manufacturers have finally cottoned-on. Us tech geeks are not a mass-market. We're a cynical bunch who are rarely 'fashionistas' so we are able to look past the image, and more at what the thing can do.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">So, using my unpenetrable testing criteria for the appearance of the watch, I tested out the Sony Smartwatch 2 through London. Overall, it's only a rare and investigative second-look look that claims the attention of the passer-by. For me, that's the way it should be. It should be a watch, first and foremost, with technology following. I chose the Sony Smartwatch 2 because it looked most like a watch, and not some space-age invention.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">With the Moto 360 and Pebble Steel leading the way, manufacturers have caught up. LG G-Watch R followed, and now finally Samsung too, with the Gear S. Obviously, the iWatch too. These watches have stripped back the technology, and focused on design, with more subtle (and more practical) technology.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I use 1% of the Sony Smartwatch 2 capability on a day to day basis. The reviews are relatively useless when in practice, those features just don't step into everyday life. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Nothing has changed since I first wrote about the Samsung Galaxy Gear in 2013. Back then I complimented the smartwatch on its appearance and functionality. I still defend that stance with my 2013 hat on - but really, the smartwatch should have come on a lot more since then.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-58248022193387768492015-02-15T13:58:00.001+00:002015-02-22T18:47:41.702+00:00Have we really reached a smartphone impasse?<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">It seems so.</span><br />
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<a href="http://cdn1.expertreviews.co.uk/sites/expertreviews/files/styles/article_main_wide_image/public/4/00/317_cover_0.png?itok=vc4AbHA_" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn1.expertreviews.co.uk/sites/expertreviews/files/styles/article_main_wide_image/public/4/00/317_cover_0.png?itok=vc4AbHA_" height="223" width="400" /></span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;">For the first time in several years, smartphones stepped back from the frontline at CES and that's no surprise. Sure, many manufacturers are looking to MWC for smartphone announcements, but over the last two years, we've seen less and less revolutionary changes in smartphones, and more performance tweaks.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">It's a boring phrase, but 2015 IS the year of the wearable tech. Perhaps not for consumers, but certainly for the top-tier manufacturers. The endless wearable uses were shown at CES, and its all focusing around the clamour for that first 'hit' in the wearables market. Of the glasses, watches and fitness bands, no-one has managed to truly capture the public's imagination.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">So where does that leave smartphones? Well, the new kids on the block are catching the others but offering little new to market. Look at Xiaomi; impressive company, impressive growth, but are they changing the smartphone? No. They are offering available features in a different shell and at a more affordable price.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"> And it's that last point which is important. The price of smartphones is being driven down and less margin available for manufacturers. Given the impasse, consumers are seeing less reason to upgrade on an annual basis, and even sticking with devices for 2-3 years. Smartphones are becoming less of the cash-cow they once were. The annual performance updates and optimisation are in place to save the manufacturer money, and maintain face within the saturated market.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">MWC is coming up, and both Samsung and HTC have announced launch dates for their new devices. We expect to see the evolution of Samsung's Galaxy Edge, which is a nice idea, but not greeted with rapture by consumers so far, and HTC will be likely to finely tune the M8. We are confident in neither bringing a drastic update to the smartphone market, but the opportunity is there for a surprise. Let's wait to see about that impasse but the signs are there.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Chances are, we should ignore the HTC One M9, and Samsung Galaxy S6, as that impasse has been reached.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-81483066652010444612015-01-19T14:13:00.000+00:002015-01-19T14:24:02.314+00:00Big challenges await Xiaomi<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>There's no doubt about it. The new kids on the block are here to stay. </b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.xiaomimalaysia.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/iC1yJL.kSM3w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.xiaomimalaysia.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/iC1yJL.kSM3w.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Xiaomi had a standout 2014. Sales of 61.12m smartphones in 2014 brought the company into third place in the smartphone market, only behind Samsung and Apple. In fact, they outsold Samsung and Apple in China during 2014. However, the path they are about to walk isn't a downhill stroll from here, and plenty of obstacles still stand in the way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly though, how have they managed to jump straight into the race with the top two? Simply put, through targeting emerging markets with a strong pricing model, and getting the right balance of smartphone innovation with consumer-desired basics.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />At this point, you might be thinking: "I've never heard of Xiaomi". Well, if you're in a 'Tier 1' nation, then don't be surprised if you don't know much about Xiaomi, or if you've never seen a Xiaomi phone. Also, don't be surprised if that doesn't change soon. Hugo Barra, VP at Xiaomi, said that it'll be a little while before Xiaomi is in a position to take on the UK, the US etc. That's a sensible route forward. To take on the Tier 1 markets, it's all about the brand - and eastern 'budget' brands typically find it harder to break into the market. <br /><br /> The Tier 1 consumer is sceptical of budget brands - and this, matched with a desire for ever-progressive and top range electronics, means that budget isn't a particular selling point. <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/phonebloks-conceptually-complete-yet.html">I've said before, phones like Project Ara</a> are commendable, but will struggle to break down the Tier 1 markets on mass. This is because of the same desire for latest technology and brand-new electronics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: #eeeeee;">This is what Huawei have tried to do, but have stalled in doing so. The brand-strength is not resistant to the stresses of Tier 1 consumers, and brand-presence is the same. Learning from the mistakes of Huawei, and adding a premium effect to the Xiaomi brand is vital in breaking into the Tier 1 markets. <br /><br />As we saw in 2014, the mid-range pricing was the force when the Tier 1 markets swung. The successes of HTC's Desire range highlighted this, and it's similar with the likes of the iPhone C. </span><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/htc-heres-to-cha-ching.html">Mid-range smartphones, with low-line or sim-only contracts are where Tier 1 has settled for the time-being.</a></span><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /><br />This doesn't fit with Xiaomi as yet.<br /><br />2014 was a big year for Xiaomi - and there is no doubt that 2015 will be as well. However, there are big challenges awaiting Xiaomi when they want to push into Tier 1. The main one - can they make the Xiaomi brand resonate with a Tier 1 market? We'll have to wait and see.<br /><br />Do you agree/disagree? What do you think of the Xiaomi branding, positioning and short-term future?</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-12686146212385708242015-01-09T09:22:00.001+00:002015-01-09T09:22:59.031+00:00HTC - Here's To CHA-CHING<div dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Okay, well perhaps the headline is a bit misleading, but it works, right...?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">It appears HTC have managed to shore-up their finances - for now at least. The new year brought news of December wrapping-up a third successive profit quarter for HTC, after a seemingly relentless string of negative news for the company.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/mwc-2014-age-of-mid-range-smartphones.html">As I reported at the beginning of last year, HTC were looking to their mid-tier smartphones</a> to drag them out from peril, and it seems to have worked. The reduction in reliance on their top-tier models was in keeping with pressures from a plateau in smartphone innovation at the top-end, allowing a shrinking in the distance between premium and the budget markets - pushed in particular by the Eastern manufacturers. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">The HTC One M8, much like the HTC One M7, was critically acclaimed as industry leading, but HTC's flagship wasn't the hero to drag them out of the fire. It was actually Robin, the next-level down, that HTC can thank. Handsets such as the returning Desire range have performed well in emerging markets.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Companies such as Xiaomi and Huawei are eating away at the market share of the big two (Apple and Samsung) but more importantly, they have been making life extremely difficult for those sharing the 15% left. Xiaomi in particular, are eating away at all the competition with 61m handsets last year, and outsold Apple in Q42014 - not too shabby for a company that started just three years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">It's good to see HTC getting their heads out of the water for the time-being. Moving back to focusing on the quality of products is crucial. This pressure from other manufacturers will only intensify in 2015, and HTC will have to pull something special out of the bag to retain quarterly profits in 2015.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">What do you think of HTC's 2015 position? Will it be a similar story this time next year? Comment below or contact me on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/tomkelk">@tomkelk</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-69824603391286946132014-10-14T09:45:00.001+01:002014-10-14T09:58:49.631+01:00HTC's Re Camera: The GoPro for no-oneMy first post in a while - so apologies for that.<br />
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A slightly odd one to return with. Many expected HTC's 'something a little different' was an entry into the wearables market with a smartwatch, so it surprised a few when HTC came out with the launch of 'RE', a new portable camera.<br />
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Seemingly designed via a combination of the Men in Black memory eraser, an inhaler and ..., HTC's RE Camera has been touted as a Go-Pro challenger - but one to be used by the 'no-pros'. Catchy, right..? But where does it fit against it's competition? Go-Pro are a formidable opposition; with the brand image, aspiration factor and user-base already nailed down. So HTC are quite wise to be openly stating that they are not trying to compete with that market. An HTC exec quite happily shared that if he was going down white water rapids, then he would use a Go-Pro instead.<br />
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This then begs the question: is there actually a market for these cameras amongst the everyday population?<br />
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And I'm not so sure. I'd argue that people will be thinking 'why buy something like that to achieve the same as my phone'... Fair point. The HTC RE camera doesn't do selfies any better.<br />
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So who would actually want this? It sits very comfortably in the 'nice to have' category, and at the $200 price point, that's a problem. It's a significant amount of money for something that hasn't got a particular USP - and looks a little silly to be honest.<br />
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Perhaps the live-streaming option (when launched) will make a difference. Still, I'm not sure that's enough of a draw, especially when our phones can do the same thing.<br />
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When HTC promised something a little different, they delivered. But that's the problem. It's only a little different. That's just not enough.<br />
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Also - don't even get me started on the name...<br />
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Thoughts? Agree or disagree? I'd love to hear in the comments below - or get in touch via Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/tomkelk">@tomkelk</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-37759779485063070402014-06-22T11:58:00.001+01:002014-06-22T11:58:21.183+01:00iWatch: It's a design dilemmaRumours of Apple's iWatch are continuing to circulate and gain a lot of momentum. The latest reports are that there will be up to 20 different available designs for consumers and a whole host of sensors tracking your every move. In all reality, reports on Apple device releases are usually well off the mark. Remember how the iPhone 5 was due to have an inbuilt keyboard projector? Yeh - you get the gist.<br />
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I think we're all in agreement that Apple will produce an iWatch, but 20 designs? Samsung? Yes. Apple? No. That would represent a giant shift in Apple's approach to the production of consumer devices. Up until now, Apple have been steadfast in producing one design for the iPhone, one design for iPod etc upon each release. Would they really change that?<br />
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Let's assume there is the one iWatch. How do Apple approach it? So far, we've seen two companies get it right, Pebble and Motorola. Both companies have prioritised design, and this will help significantly in their attempts to penetrate the market. Motorola in particular are pushing the boundaries of design by opening up the look of the Moto 360 to the public via a competition. A couple of the best entries are below - but they range from classic to zany. With few exceptions, they all look <i><b>very</b> </i>good.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjEudK6I-nAIJ1a0lNEOiIqbvaCSB1EOb_S3X8BIfAv6zIF4gAWUe-orMa6yxl4rExpXmQEwCkncgp2TVAdGm8RKArrHm9hobhYOL8dgzOOxxeoLwyRnsvIb_QeXimcfrh74PaLje324IUlZm8b9mv0Pdfkt6oPxd8=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="alwaysThinglink" src="http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/moto3-blue-square.png" height="640" width="640" /></a><img class="alwaysThinglink" height="387" src="https://api-assets-staging0.s3.amazonaws.com/slide/53a2d8ce4150506755300000/medium/medium_image-53a2d8ce4150506755300000-coalesced" width="640" /></div>
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Samsung have been a major letdown. <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-samsung-galaxy-gear-review.html">I praised their work with the Galaxy Gear first edition</a> because they were trying something different and pushing boundaries. After the experiment they should have learnt from it and adapted, however they appeared to have already started developing the Gear 2 without learning from consumers. The poor sales were not just because of the technology and capability, more important was the design and price.<br />
Pebble were far more intelligent. They looked at the product and gained feedback before designing the Pebble Steel - and look at the results! They've now produced a watch that people would buy - regardless of the smart capabilities!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhk6Zf0UxaYd-HWsRLGLnuiqYkc6Tl0X-ASWCaZFdfyHxbnb5V3UAyhWx1YuQ5GNTqngPIdSxMnQ4-m-F3wlXSa2ycvQdWsomqHHNhrviTeEwNJGxyvtu99bSA2034mmo9xYeaU4r8nTMLWGbVomGKpjOW_R84V=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="alwaysThinglink" src="http://cdni.wired.co.uk/620x413/o_r/pebble%20steel.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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With this precedent, what will Apple do? The concepts to this point have headed in the futuristic direction, which makes sense with Apple's traditional style, minimalist and glossy. The Apple direction certainly doesn't shout leather strap. This example is far closer to what I'd anticipate from Apple, without a dramatic shift in the company outlook.<br />
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<img class="alwaysThinglink" src="http://www.thewestsidestory.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/iwatch-2.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js"></script>
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If this is how Apple are to approach it, they are making a major mistake - and following Samsung and LG into a tech (not consumer-led) direction. If smartwatches are to become a part of our everyday lives, then manufacturers need to conquer the most important aspect of a watch - it's appearance. It's a accessory, and an accessory must look good. The tech is secondary (however difficult that is for me to say).<br />
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Used a smartwatch? What're your thoughts on them and what's on offer?
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">So, HTC have launched their follow-up to the highly-acclaimed HTC One by
launching the HTC One M8. In the words of HTC ‘The Best Got Better’, but
exactly how true is that? I went hands on with the M8 over the course of a week
to find out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">What’s new?</span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">The externals<u><br />
</u></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">It's now a 5" HD-screened phone,
which is certainly on the larger side. It shows off the screen beautifully, but
in the same breath it can take two hands to operate at times. It’s bigger (by
0.3”) and noticeable in appearance but not in feel. The screen is even more
shown-off than the HTC One and every comment from peers mirrors this. It's
stunning.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYZksTqGsVoP5JTf9cCZeL0x684KdSFfKfy6UC59kksHbGqpaoC35EV3KMka8F-3fxv5A5syvHGy0TDcLW-lG9YLa6e4RBL8Iz52UFV1iaGzeuIN1IcuEYNqpfDZ7s8aqQlXWfH06z_Y/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYZksTqGsVoP5JTf9cCZeL0x684KdSFfKfy6UC59kksHbGqpaoC35EV3KMka8F-3fxv5A5syvHGy0TDcLW-lG9YLa6e4RBL8Iz52UFV1iaGzeuIN1IcuEYNqpfDZ7s8aqQlXWfH06z_Y/s1600/Untitled.png" height="314" width="640" /></a><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCiwVRr27jdWRXpU0qZQ9WGO6I8aDm1m9IcOOlNkT4njbQXxkc4O9s6teBRzVO0JJd2D5bC1c83dpuW5JWrKUDx9tHSNNlmmoOjODDG0n5DcEPXIn2wzSZ9qYkqZkGsWI2beDTxXXFmU/s1600/Untitled2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCiwVRr27jdWRXpU0qZQ9WGO6I8aDm1m9IcOOlNkT4njbQXxkc4O9s6teBRzVO0JJd2D5bC1c83dpuW5JWrKUDx9tHSNNlmmoOjODDG0n5DcEPXIn2wzSZ9qYkqZkGsWI2beDTxXXFmU/s1600/Untitled2.png" height="600" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">I'll look at the appearance a bit more later in this review, but HTC
have stuck largely with the shell of the M7 with a few tweaks to the front chassis
by removing the off-screen buttons and rounding-off the edges. In short, the
most beautiful phone on the market has been given a six-pack and a tan!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Under the bonnet</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
HTC have made a few upgrades in this department. The processor has jumped to
2.3GHz from the 1.7GHz on the One M7. It has also been boosted to 2GB RAM and
now includes the new highly-rated Snapdragon 801 processor. Believe me, this
thing will deal with anything you throw at it with the utmost of ease.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Gesture functions whilst the phone
is sleeping:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
A big change from HTC is the inclusion of a multi-gesture wake-up. This can be
done from a double-tap and swipes left, right, up and down. All produce
different results</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I found the swipe to be a little redundant to be honest but this was
because of the force of habit to simply swipe to unlock – not open to a new
destination. A bit of customisation though, alongside training your mind to
head straight to different areas of your phone, will make this feature quite
handy.<br />
A great addition was the double-tap to wake.
I’ve used this all the time as it feels like a natural movement and with a
phone that's on the larger-side, not having to switch on from the top makes a
difference. Another great addition is the quick photo gesture when the phone is
in landscape mode and the user presses volume down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Camera Functions<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">HTC have added a plethora of new
post-edit options for the camera, and these all focus around the brand new,
headline-grabbing ‘Duo Camera’ that brings a depth-sensor to a mobile phone for
the first time. This depth sensor allows for one of the camera’s new headline
features – ‘U-Focus’ which allows the user to post-focus an image to the
foreground or background. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrZXZg4KL3eZxhR5NGCLV1HuTV9QYtFEUdtx7PKdRzUTM7CezPofNRJ2w5Z7vml6SRLdmwLVQ1rLeOJxlzzsZ_AwI6lL1QkTsK3tthvP97MjnNSgAZ45CaXj6rmhpwCFby6ApUdAgQvs/s1600/Untitled7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrZXZg4KL3eZxhR5NGCLV1HuTV9QYtFEUdtx7PKdRzUTM7CezPofNRJ2w5Z7vml6SRLdmwLVQ1rLeOJxlzzsZ_AwI6lL1QkTsK3tthvP97MjnNSgAZ45CaXj6rmhpwCFby6ApUdAgQvs/s1600/Untitled7.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">In addition to this, HTC have added ‘3D Dimension Plus’, which provides
a slightly pointless ability to make a image 3D. It’s good fun, and one of
those things you show-off once, but there really isn’t any use for it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"> I look at the Duo Camera as primed for developers to take it to a
different level. HTC have started the job – the hardware is great but the
result is probably a little gimmicky, but gives 3D developers, for example, a
chance to use this and we could see some wonderful results. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">HTC have also added a new camera navigation that’s nice and simple. The
quick choice between six options is a welcome upgrade to the unnecessarily
convoluted M7 layout:</span></span>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">What's Improved?</span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Appearance</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Let's not forget that the HTC One M7 was widely acclaimed for its appearance.
It was regularly seen alongside titles of "Best Looking Phone". So
how do you improve on that? At the launch event, HTC Head of Design, Daniel
Hundt, said that the aim for this phone was to appear premium, yet approachable.
Well it’s certainly premium. The beautiful brushed metal finish is spectacular
and isn’t as slippy as expected – partly due to the lovely weight of the phone.
90% of the body now consists of the metal body, compared to 70% on the M7, and
this allows for a lovely feel that sits comfortably in the hand as the sides
have been further curved. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Battery</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Battery-life is up 40% according to HTC and after testing it's certainly
improved, if not to quite that extent. The One M8 will still need charging
every night at moderate-high use but that is to be expected in the modern-day
smartphone market. HTC have improved on their power-saving mode however. The
new 'Extreme Power Saving Mode' (inventive progression of name) only allows five essential functions on the phone (phone, SMS, mail, calendar, and
calculator) to operate, which gives an impressive 30 hours of standby time in
return for just 10% battery. This has been a lifesaver so far - really useful.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Camera</span></b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial;">In addition to the new camera features,
there have been upgrades on last year as well. Firstly, the autofocus and
shutterspeed is now lightning quick, and more effective. This is aided by the
depth sensor and the Ultrapixel technology that allows further light into the
sensor. The main improvement has been in low-light, where all smartphones have
struggled in recent years. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect, but it’s
markedly improved.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I’ve seen a bit of negativity about the camera in strong light, like blazing
sunshine, but this wasn’t my experience. The camera operated superbly. HTC have
stuck with the Ultrapixel technology (this allows more light into the sensor
and provides more stability to an image) that seems to make sense on a
technical level but hasn’t translated to consumers. <br />
Any complaints on the camera for
the M7 were misplaced as it really is one of the best on the market – the M8
only improves on that opinion. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">BlinkFeed</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
BlinkFeed has improved. It now possesses customisable themes and allows for more
content feeds such as Instagram. HTC have also opened it up to developers,
which is exciting. BlinkFeed offers that short sharp snacking of content, and
this works but can still improve. The open API will only help this. However, if
BlinkFeed isn’t for you, then don’t worry – you can get rid of it. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">HTC Sense 6<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;">The smaller updates have followed on
with HTC’s next version of their Sense UI. It’s now a bit cleaner, simpler,
flatter and has a brighter appearance. This is only a good thing for HTC as
they’ve moved more in line with the stock Android layout.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">What's Returned?</span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">MicroSD is back! A superb move from HTC who have listened to public
opinion and included a hugely popular feature. This allows the storage of the
M8 to be boosted from either 16GB/32GB to 128GB. This is something that I
really missed on the One, and the One X, so I'm delighted to see it return.
This isn't the only feature to come back. The multitasking windows button is
apparent once more after it was replaced by a double-tap on the home button in
the One M7. The buttons have now been moved onto the screen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">What's Disappointing?</span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Always Listening</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
I'm disappointed to see the 'always listening' Google Now feature not included
in HTC devices. It's a real plus point to the Moto X. That being said, it takes
a split-second to flick on Google Now and say 'Ok Google' to get rolling.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nano Sim</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Personally, I think the use of a Nano sim is frustrating. I know it doesn’t
take a moment to sort out but I’m not that sure why HTC decided to switch to a
Nano Sim when their previous phones have been consistently Micro-Sim. There
appears to be no discernable benefit other than size – and let’s be honest,
that’s not at a premium.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Gallery</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
The Gallery is becoming a bit confusing. In HTC’s desire to make the Gallery a
professional entity, they’ve focused more upon Zoe (which I’ve never been
convinced by) and less on the simple folders that users want. In reality, I
believe users just want to access a gallery of their photos easily – HTC seem
keen to take consumers to a place they don’t seem to want to be.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Name</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Name: Why? The HTC One M8? Just not a fan. No.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Headphone Jack</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
Finally (and this is definitely a case of personal preference) I'm not a fan of
the headphone jack now appearing on the bottom. It works well on the top of the
M7 - why change it? It just feels unintuitive. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">So where does the phone stand in the
grand-scheme of things?</span></u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">When I looked at the rumours before the launch, I'm not afraid to admit
that I was a little disappointed. Each year we tech geeks look for something
revolutionary - game changing. It just didn't feel like the M8 was that phone,
and to be fair, it's not. However, when you look at it in context, its
difficult to criticise. <br />
The biggest compliment that can be
paid to the HTC One M8 is that it is better than its younger brother. The M7
was one hell of a phone. Without doubt the best phone on the market, and
without the M8 it still would be. HTC have succeeded in refining the phone and
taking it to the next level. That takes some doing, and they should be
commended for achieving it. The M8 is not without fault - but it is as close to
perfection as you will find in the mobile market.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">So, what’re you waiting for? It went on sale straight away. </span></span></div>
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<br />
The Oppo Find 7 is Chinese-made and fits the bill of everything consumers wanted from the S5. Take a breath, read the below and try not to double-take... It's not easy...<br />
<br />
<b>Screen</b><br />
The Find 7 screen is 5.5" wide and hits an incredible <b>538ppi</b>. Nearly 100ppi more than its competitors. This screen resolution is 1440x2560 and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Oppo-Find-71.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Oppo-Find-71.jpg" height="516" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Power</b><br />
Simply - it's a <b>2.5GHz, quad-core processor</b> with 3GB RAM behind it. That's some power to reckon with. It currently runs Android 4.3 (imaginably pretty smoothly!) and is likely to be updated to Kit Kat soon.<br />
<br />
<b>Storage</b><br />
There seems to be a trend back in the direction of removable SD cards in 2014 and the Oppo Find 7 joins that trend. Whilst internally, the Find 7 boasts 32GB storage, it can store externally a whopping <b>128GB. (!)</b><br />
<br />
<b>Camera</b><br />
By the Find 7's standards, the camera is a little average. That's not to say it's bad by any means. Oppo still boast a <b>13MP rear camer</b>a with a Sony sensor that allows for 4K video, and the front camera has a 5MP camera. Excitingly, the Find 7 has included a feature that merges five x 10MP photos to creat a 50MP 'Super Zoom' image. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Oppo-Find-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Oppo-Find-7.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Battery</b><br />
With all this, you'd be safe to assume the battery-life would be pretty poor. Well, we're not 100% but Oppo have done their best to resist this issue by inserting a 3,000mAh battery and enabling <b>quick charging to 75% in 30minutes</b>. Impressive.<br />
<br />
So, is there a problem? Well, the name. Horrible. But other than that? Very, very little. It looks good (though we don't know much about build materials or indeed quality) and under the chasis it will rival pretty much anything out there. So this is the point where I tell you that it'll cost £1,500, right? Wrong. <b>It will retail at £388</b>. Not at all bad.<br />
<div>
<br />
Anything more, I'll get it to you. But here's the acid-test - would you buy one? Or are you too trusting of a brand name?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-62744584817181365302014-03-20T23:15:00.001+00:002014-03-21T14:24:14.302+00:00Everything you need to know about Android Wear and wearablesThere was one obstacle between wearable technology and success - and that was style.<br />
<br />
Now, thanks to Android Wear and the commitment from manufacturers, we've overcome that obstacle. On Tuesday 18th March, Google announced the first OS that makes wearables (smartwatches) really appeal to the consumer market. The OS (as seen below) maximises Google Now and we can now see how Google see Google Now in the long run.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QrqZl2QIz0c?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
Here's what Google say about Android Wear:<br />
<ul>
<li><b><i>Useful information when you need it most. </i></b><i>Android Wear shows you info and suggestions you need, right when you need them. The wide variety of Android applications means you’ll receive the latest posts and updates from your favorite social apps, chats from your preferred messaging apps, notifications from shopping, news and photography apps, and more.</i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Straight answers to spoken questions. </i></b><i>Just say “Ok Google” to ask questions, like how many calories are in an avocado, what time your flight leaves, and the score of the game. Or say “Ok Google” to get stuff done, like calling a taxi, sending a text, making a restaurant reservation or setting an alarm.</i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>The ability to better monitor your health and fitness. </i></b><i>Hit your exercise goals with reminders and fitness summaries from Android Wear. Your favorite fitness apps can give you real-time speed, distance and time information on your wrist for your run, cycle or walk.</i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Your key to a multiscreen world. </i></b><i>Android Wear lets you access and control other devices from your wrist. Just say “Ok Google” to fire up a music playlist on your phone, or cast your favorite movie to your TV. There’s a lot of possibilities here so we’re eager to see what developers build.</i></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Despite only being announced on Tuesday, we've already seen exciting devices launched by Motorola and LG. We could also be looking at HTC's first entry when they launch the HTC One 2014 on Tuesday (which I'll be live Tweeting from) and we know for sure that Samsung and ASUS are soon to join the party.<br />
<br />
So what have we got so far?<br />
<br />
<u>Moto 360</u><br />
<br />
Launched by Motorola, the Moto 360 is perhaps the most exciting Android Wear launched this week.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dnerqDWwVgg?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Aside from being your everyday time-telling watch (and not a bad-looking one either), the Moto 360 will display everything Google Now would usually inform on: weather, live-scores, meetings and locations. Not only that, the Moto 360 will have Google Maps integrated and be able to provide turn-by-turn instructions, as well as delivering normal messages such as email, text and Google Hangouts.<br />
<br />
Alongside Motorola, LG also joined the fun by announcing the LG G Watch.<br />
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<a href="http://imgur.com/Ej9CC9D" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Ej9CC9D.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
LG have been very general on the details of the G Watch so far but here's what Dr Jong-Seok Park, LG CEO, said:<br />
<br />
<i>"The opportunity to work with Google on LG G Watch was the perfect chance for LG to really pull out all stops in both design and engineering.<br /><br />With the LG G Watch, LG is continuing the milestones we’ve set in wearables following in the foot-steps of the world’s first 3G Touch Watch Phone in 2009 and the Prada Link in 2008. We’re confident that a well-designed device has the potential to take the smart wearable market by storm.”</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Going off what we can see - LG seems to be <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-samsung-galaxy-gear-review.html">heading along the lines of the Pebble and the Gear</a> with the rectangle design. We can only assume that the OS will function in a similar way to the Moto 360 and Google Now integration.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Further additions to the Android Wear amoury will be added shortly and I'll update you when they're announced. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To summarise all of this - the beauty of Android Wear (and in particular the work of the manufacturers) has suddenly made the smartwatch a desirable item. That's a big step.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-63390458743298202402014-03-05T23:26:00.000+00:002014-03-05T23:28:54.773+00:00Was this the biggest announcement at MWC?<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">The headlines of MWC were understandably drowned in the news of the Samsung Galaxy S5. However, something that went under the radar was a strong and positive piece of news for Microsoft and Windows Phone.</span></div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><img src="http://cdn.gottabemobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/WindowsPhone8X_Multi.jpg" height="425" width="640" />
At the beginning of MWC, Microsoft announced that LG, Huawei, Lenovo (who have recently bought Motorola) and ZTE were to become partners of Windows Phone. This is a strong move from Microsoft - and a showing of Windows 8 intent from some big name manufacturers. Possibly the biggest signing for Microsoft will be Huawei, who will be looking for a strong 2014 - and that may be where Microsoft will be most pleased. With Nokia showing a bit of love for Android, Microsoft needed to make sure that attention didn't stray far from Windows 8.</span></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Windows 8 is making steady progress in winning the hearts and minds of consumers, and that's no surprise. As a far-cry from the familiarity of Microsoft, it was always going to take time to mature. <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/windows-8-saviour-of-old-guard.html">As I mentioned previously</a>, with Microsoft's long-term goal of Windows 8 becoming a '360 OS', and the OS already set for the future, the steady progress will suit them. Microsoft need to focus on mobile, and let the tablets/desktops/laptops follow.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc;">What do you think? Fallen in love with Windows 8 as yet?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-43680560751293009922014-02-24T22:08:00.002+00:002014-02-24T22:08:21.082+00:00MWC 2014: The age of mid-range smartphonesNot long ago, <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/htc-market-saturation-dejavu-in.html">HTC announced that it was to pursue a line of mid-range smartphones</a> to help stem the tide and turn around its business. At Mobile World Congress, they've officially announced the 610 and the 816 - the latter of which looks extremely promising for a mid-range device.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://media.gizmodo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/htc816one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.gizmodo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/htc816one.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
So, have they stolen a march on the opposition? No. Not at all. They certainly aren't alone in heading down that road. We've already seen mid-range smartphones from LG (G2 Mini, F70 and F90) and Sony (M2). This is sure to be added to by Huawei, Samsung and Nokia.<br />
Now I hear what you're saying, "All manufacturers are releasing mid-range smartphones". Yes, but there is a whole weight of more emphasis on these devices this year. The point is, in 2014 these devices have stepped up a notch and are operating at a vastly different level - and the manufacturers are pushing them that way. It's a competitive market where you could buy any of the aforementioned phones and be over the moon with it.<br />
<br />
I suppose the real question to answer is whether there is actually a market for the high-end phone in 2014? Manufacturers are going to have to work especially hard in convincing the consumer to part with that little bit extra. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a poor attempt at this...<br />
<br />
Thoughts?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-46396380280208808712014-02-24T17:33:00.002+00:002014-02-24T17:39:10.934+00:00Watch the 7pm GMT launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5, here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Samsung are aiming to usurp the MWC 2014 interest with an early event launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5. After the low-level improvements from the S3-S4, we're all hoping for something a bit more 'wow-factor' this time around. Watch it unfold from 7pm GMT below.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-wOnaoq1AYE" width="644"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-84266904906482694752014-02-15T12:23:00.001+00:002014-02-15T12:32:10.425+00:00HTC market saturation - dejavu in practice and result<div dir="ltr">
There's a touch of dejavu about the latest reports around HTC's decision to begin the production of cheaper smartphones as a priority with the reported Desire 8 (pictured below) a starting point. The problem is that <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-perils-of-attempting-to-force.html">the last time they pushed in this direction</a>, it was from a position of great strength - not desperation, as they currently find themselves. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://res.cloudinary.com/tropicalpost/image/upload/v1392355080/HTC_Desire_8_swdawy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://res.cloudinary.com/tropicalpost/image/upload/v1392355080/HTC_Desire_8_swdawy.jpg" height="608" width="640" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
What HTC need, and are looking for, is market share. They're hoping that producing cheaper phones will be a quick fix to keep pace with the likes of Nokia, LG and Huawei in the fight for the final 20-30% of market share left by Apple and Samsung. However, what HTC need is brand loyalty, and they're not going to get there by producing cheap phones. The HTC One is critically regarded as the best phone around. <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/the-end-of-road-for-htc.html">HTC simply need to be better with their marketing</a>. If they don't market one 'phone of the year' well enough, how an earth are they going to get it right when marketing a series of them? After all, they haven't got a great record <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-perils-of-attempting-to-force.html">with trying market saturation</a>. That's the consumer view. The trouble is, in the eyes of their investors, they need to turn a profit and that pressure is crippling the company. HTC are making quick, snap changes to try and find a quick solution. Unfortunately, I just can't see it working.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Can you?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-90973511411473213362014-01-22T09:32:00.000+00:002014-01-22T11:17:42.664+00:00The end of the road for HTC?<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Here's my first post of 2014 (I know, I've been lazy - sidetracked with moving house). Hopefully you all enjoyed a good Christmas and New Year break.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Shame to start 2014 on a negative note, but HTC announced their Q4 2013 finances a short while ago and it makes for pretty grim reading.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Now, HTC underperforming is no new thing after the last couple of years - and their still in profit - but real worry for HTC is their market share. A few years back, HTC were producing 1 in 10 phones sold. Now HTC hold just a 2.2% share of the market, and this will only be squeezed further by the likes of Huawei. Even more worrying for HTC, is that they've done the hard work and still failed. The HTC One is widely regarded as phone of 2013 (Im typing on one now and it's by far the best phone I've ever used), and in some quarters it's regarded as the best phone of all time yet that isn't enough. The marketing department is falling short, and HTC are floundering.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">I like HTC. I've made no secret of that. I've had many HTC phones and they've served me particularly well. My concern is, I don't see how it can get any better. The chances of HTC producing something significantly better than the One, are minimal, and that can only serve to damage their market share further. The HTC One 2 (I really hope that isn't their marketing name...) has been leaked, but there won't be a radical change, just small updates. Frankly, that's not good enough.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">I wrote before about the perils of <a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-perils-of-attempting-to-force.html">attempted market saturation in relation the HTC's case</a>. The turning point in their development as a company, was the period of mass-producing low cost technology. This damaged their long-term image for short-term false gain. When people look back on the rapid rise and fall of HTC, this will be seen as the turning point. BlackBerry have had their day, and now sadly, so have HTC.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Thoughts?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9wFFETe_TKzPKHfM80gMMf_uBqZYyHyVOWv3lpM-MapHN43EwV4RnfC_JTzyYd5BMDQr_ck00TvlLQaakNbwloOuSTsxv3UgBVGjA0G07v_46JL-_OKEGmmo1devYUi9qVcDLi8Wb7A/s1600/HTC-LOGO-IN-TROUBLE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9wFFETe_TKzPKHfM80gMMf_uBqZYyHyVOWv3lpM-MapHN43EwV4RnfC_JTzyYd5BMDQr_ck00TvlLQaakNbwloOuSTsxv3UgBVGjA0G07v_46JL-_OKEGmmo1devYUi9qVcDLi8Wb7A/s640/HTC-LOGO-IN-TROUBLE.png" /> </a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-3734626425226242062013-11-29T21:51:00.000+00:002013-11-29T21:51:04.734+00:00The Tech & Musing Christmas Guide: Tablets<div>
The second in the Tech & Musing Christmas Guide takes a look at the tablets on the market. Despite another year of iPad dominance in the tablet sector, the three recommendations below offer plenty of variety in the operating system stakes. See what you think:</div>
<div>
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div>
<b><u>Low range: Nexus 7</u></b></div>
<div>
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One of my favourite products from 2012 makes another appearance in the 2013 list. Given its price, and ability, I still believe it is the best choice for the everyday user wanting a tablet for the basics. It's direct competitor - the iPad Mini - has a poorer resolution, less power and a poorer battery life - all for a significant chunk more money. It's no contest. I maintain that if you're in the market for an iPad - just splash out a little more on the iPad 2 (below).<br />
Anyway, back to the Nexus 7. 2GB RAM, an HD screen and 9 hours of video playback, for that price, it's a no-brainer of a purchase. If you're looking for something a little cheaper, a little smaller - but even if you've got the scope to spend higher, don't ignore the Nexus 7, by any means. Oh - did I mention wireless charging? Yeh, it has that as it's cherry on top. </div>
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<b><u>Mid range: iPad 2</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.iphonerepairsurgery.co.uk/resources/ipad2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.iphonerepairsurgery.co.uk/resources/ipad2.jpg" width="200" /></a>It was always going to be on my list, but the iPad is still the king of tablets. Android simply isn't offering the alternative challenge to the iPad, and if you want anything larger than a 7" tablet, the iPad is the best route to go. Now, with the huge number of iPad's available (and with barely discernible names), which should you buy?</div>
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The one on your lips might be Apple's attempted Christmas smash - the iPad Air - but despite an inspiring ad, it's a thoroughly uninspiring product. Your money would be best-placed by spending it on the iPad 2. It's still a top-quality device and you save a significant amount by picking up a slightly older version.</div>
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<b><u>Top range: Surface Pro 2</u></b></div>
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Perhaps a surprise addition on this list, the Surface Pro 2 is my 'money is no object' recommendation for a tablet this Christmas. At an eye-watering price of £800, it certainly won't be the tablet of choice for many, but it's the only competitive tablet on the market that can function as a laptop as well. The original Surface had its problems, but was an impressive device - the Surface Pro 2 rectifies those issues, and adds a whole lot more. Don't despair if you want a Surface but not at the Pro 2 price, you can pick up the original Surface, or Surface 2 for half the amount.<br />
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If you haven't tried a Surface, I would. It's a solid device, and one that is enjoyable and importantly, <i>useful. </i>If you want that tablet-laptop hybrid, the Surface 2 is your best option.</div>
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So, what do you think? Have I missed anything off the list? As always, if you're interested on other tablets, get in touch.<br />
Keep an eye on the blog for the next in the Tech & Musing Christmas Guide - laptops.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-62522364851773501772013-11-29T12:31:00.001+00:002013-11-29T12:31:45.175+00:00Will KitKat finally satisfy the craving for less Android OS fragmentation?<div dir="ltr">
"I'd like to move away from Apple, but the iOS ecosystem is just better than Android". It's a common quote - and understandably so. When Apple updated phones to iOS 7 - 90% of live Apple devices were operating it within a month. Whilst not being great for a vast number who have struggled with the update (especially battery life), this is great for Apple. Android have never experienced that luxury. </div>
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There are 10 versions of the Android OS in circulation on smartphones, from the initial Android Donut to the latest Kit Kat - and Android 4.0 upwards (in my eyes, the turning point when the OS started to compete with iOS) only represents 61.2% of this. Therefore, only 61.2% of Android users are being treated to the best that Android can offer, that simply isn't good enough. There are still around 30% of Android users stuck behind on Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread). Android is a different beast to what it was back then.</div>
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So why is Android 4.4 (KitKat) different? Simply put; it has been built to run on all Android devices from 512mb upwards (i.e 99% of them). This has been proven by the geniuses over at xda, who have put Android 4.4 onto the Nexus One and have seen brilliant results.</div>
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So why does having a consistent OS version make a difference? Surely it just helps those with poorer phones, and doesn't impact upon those with phones on Android 4.0 upwards? Partly true.</div>
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For a start, as mentioned before, those with earlier Android devices would see a dramatic shift in the performance. After-all, the hardware of a device is just half the battle. That's not to say that those operating a newer version of the OS won't see an improvement - Android 4.4 is a cleaner version, and will further improve performance on even the newest of devices.</div>
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However, the main benefit to the Android ecosystem is via the app offering. It will be easier to provide widespread updates for apps because developers will only have to consider one OS version. This is also true for the release delay in new apps. iOS often sees an earlier release of apps - simply because of the ease in developing for one OS version. </div>
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This could be the final turn of the knife from Android who, after successfully manufacturing better phones than the iPhone, will now be able to boast of a complete OS in partnership. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-17817400648708076792013-11-26T18:38:00.001+00:002013-11-26T18:38:10.048+00:00The Tech & Musing Christmas Guide: PhonesIn the build up to Christmas, I thought it would be interesting to see where tech stands at this time of year (and maybe even offer some advice along the way). If you're looking for phones, tablets, laptops, contracts or even smartwatches, this is the place to be. If your questions aren't answered below, please get in touch.<br />
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<b><u>On the cheaper side: Nexus 5</u></b><br />
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At £300 up front on Google Play, and generous contract offerings, the Nexus 5 really packs a knockout punch for its price.<br />
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LG did a brilliant job on the Nexus 4, and they've managed to go one better with the recently launched older brother. A large, glossy 5" screen shows off Android 4.4 (KitKat) in beautiful HD quality, and the 2.3GHz quad-core processor alongside 2GB RAM allows the Nexus 5 to challenge the very top in the smartphone market, let alone the cheaper ones. The camera is not the best but it's difficult to fault, and the ever-evolving feature of wireless charging is a great addition. </div>
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Have a look at the pricing options for the Nexus 5, <a href="http://www.chitterchatter.co.uk/google/nexus-5-pd-533.php">where for £32 per month you'll find the phone alongside unlimited data and texts, plus 1000 mins of calls</a>. Or, you could buy the phone outright and purchase a cheaper sim-only deal - but trust me when I say, it's difficult to find a better alternative to the Nexus 5.</div>
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<b><u>Mid range: Moto X</u></b></div>
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Motorola have exploded back onto the smartphone scene in 2013, and the fresh boost from Google has clearly helped this rejuvenation. </div>
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<a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/moto-x-wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/moto-x-wood.jpg" width="320" /></a>The best of the Motorola 2013 offering, comes in the form the Moto X which boasts a 4.7" HD display that is backed-up by 2GB RAM and plenty of processing power. Making the most of Android KitKat's (v4.4) 'always listening' feature, Motorola have created an impressive, hugely customisable device that should be considered by all buyers - I haven't even mentioned the 10MP camera! Literally 'designed by you', buyers are able to design their version of the phone before purchase, and wider knowledge of this could produce a winning selling point. Whether or not the brand is fashionable enough to dent the market remains to be seen.</div>
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Coming down to price, the Moto X will appear on generous contracts, ensuring that the user isn't disappointed with the phone, or their deal. Unfortunately, this isn't available in the UK as yet, but it is reportedly on the way soon - UK users should have a look at 'Unlucky to miss out' at the bottom for other ideas.</div>
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<i><br /></i><u><b>Top range: HTC One</b></u></div>
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Widely regarded as 'Phone of the Year', stretching to 'Gadget of the Year' in some quarters, the widely acclaimed HTC One has topped my list of 'must buy' tech this year. The brilliance (and beauty) of the phone cannot be underestimated. A glorious HD screen, great audio, a superb camera and impressive battery life make the HTC One a serious contender for 'best smartphone of all time', let alone 2013. </div>
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Perhaps 'Top Range' is slightly misleading as the HTC One certainly won't break the bank. When taken on contract, users can be looking at just over <a href="http://www.chitterchatter.co.uk/htc/htc-one-4g-ee-4g-pd-381.php">£30 per month for unlimited texts, unlimited internet and plenty of call</a>s. Interested in the HTC One? You should be.</div>
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<b><u>Unlucky to miss out and worth keeping in mind this Christmas:</u></b><br />
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<li>Sony Xperia Z1</li>
<li>Samsung Galaxy S4</li>
<li>iPhone 5</li>
<li>Nokia Lumia 720</li>
<li>Samsung Galaxy Note 3</li>
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That's the guide to the best phones out at the moment. If you've got any suggestions for alternatives, or want an opinion on other phones - get in touch.<br />
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Keep an eye out for the next in the Tech & Musing Christmas Guide series - Tablets...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-28948535201806614362013-11-18T18:36:00.002+00:002013-11-18T18:41:38.804+00:00The Samsung Galaxy Gear Review<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've spent a while with the Galaxy Gear, and lived with the product. Below is a review of the best and worst of the first Samsung smartwatch.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Appearance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When
early forms of technology are released, it’s always fun to look back in
hindsight at the cumbersome, and clumsy look of it. The first camera phone for
example – it attached to the bottom of the phone and had to be carried in a
separate bag. I thought it would be the same for the Gear, that fitting such
technology into a sleek watch was going to be impossible, but Samsung have done
a good job on it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYArr8HTDgSe83uF02F0HMHiIPDdh6w8NkFnhyNgwNZMh6tGxBUClHJmH9bgBBhK0WktaxXLIgYPXyJ2lDd_7rxuV4T7Ss5lV4ZmqVh8qKDR8tT30AEh4KSDZHjcYaE2jR3VL3nI9ShBI/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYArr8HTDgSe83uF02F0HMHiIPDdh6w8NkFnhyNgwNZMh6tGxBUClHJmH9bgBBhK0WktaxXLIgYPXyJ2lDd_7rxuV4T7Ss5lV4ZmqVh8qKDR8tT30AEh4KSDZHjcYaE2jR3VL3nI9ShBI/s640/Untitled.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;">The Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch - actually quite a masterpiece</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Galaxy Gear is made from a rubber strap, and stainless steel casing
for a 1.63” AMOLED
screen. It’s sleek, and doesn’t protrude extensively from the wrist. The
materials are solid and certainly don’t feel cheap (even the rubber wristband).
Granted, there’s always concerned about scratching
the screen, but the opportunity for that to happen has arisen several times and
the watch has stayed firm. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqD7pFxKFMMM95U1HDLAX68tNrl9kfxDnLP0OT-tNJHxYwojmPBALOIz8OMjfKb2RH1b_jcE6j9BUZk48Xogd4V7krKPmJEF1cR44FhF6ZpgoK0iXQ7DNCSoymzDAOBE6zWKiGE5TEE5M/s1600/Untitled+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqD7pFxKFMMM95U1HDLAX68tNrl9kfxDnLP0OT-tNJHxYwojmPBALOIz8OMjfKb2RH1b_jcE6j9BUZk48Xogd4V7krKPmJEF1cR44FhF6ZpgoK0iXQ7DNCSoymzDAOBE6zWKiGE5TEE5M/s640/Untitled+1.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;">The Galaxy Gear doesn't extensively protrude from the wrist</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aesthetically,
there is no problem for men, but there might be an issue with size for women.
The Gear has attracted positive attention from onlookers and all of which
wouldn’t mind strapping it to their wrists. I’ve been wearing the Gear for about a month now and haven’t been frustrated by its size or design, which is a great
compliment to the job Samsung have done on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Functionality<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Setting
up the Gear is a fairly cumbersome process for the moment. The Gear Manager app
is only available in the Samsung App Store, and when downloaded and linked via
Bluetooth, the user needs to go onto Samsung Apps via the Gear Manager app to
download the apps desired. However, after this set-up, the Galaxy Gear and Note
3 synced beautifully and flawlessly. This was one of the most impressive
features for me. Phone calls, notifications, photo transfer, are all immediate
and easy to use. The range is a standard Bluetooth v4.0, with a distance of a
good 10-15 metres.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
Galaxy Gear boasts an impressive engine for a smartwatch, with an 800mhz
processor, supported by 512 MB of RAM and a 4GB internal memory. I’ve used the
Gear for over a week and haven’t experienced a split-second of lag which is
hugely impressive. Lifting your wrist to look at your watch turns on the clock
face (which flicks on after a split-second), or there is a power button on the
slide of the screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
battery supports two days of regular use which doesn’t sound great, but when
you consider that a watch is usually removed overnight, the user might as well
put it on charge, right? Therefore, I didn’t find the charging issue especially
problematic. It’s an easy set-up for charging where the Gear fits into a small
hold, which then plugs into a micro-USB to charge. One thing to note however,
is that when the battery does die, it renders the whole product utterly
useless. A power-saving mode that only allows the watch feature, would be a
move in the correct direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Features<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
Galaxy Gear has been packed full of features, but there are a few to highlight:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"><i>Call
rejection</i>: If your phone is ringing then you can glance at the caller ID on the
Galaxy Gear and decide whether to swipe to accept/decline the call. If you
swipe to decline, then you’re presented with an series of choices for an auto-response
text to the caller. For example, ‘Just in a meeting, will call you after’. These
template responses can be </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">customised.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Safety assistance</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">: This is one of those features that hasn’t
been shouted about because it’s not particularly glamorous, but in case of an emergency,
the user can press the power button 3 times to send their location information to
their saved contacts with message.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">S Voice</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">: Samsung’s answer to Siri is very accurate on
the Galaxy Gear, and it needs to be given that there isn’t a keyboard to use.
There are plenty of functions to the voice commands, including opening apps,
responding to messages and calling contacts. When away from too much background
noise, this is particularly effective, and for once, actually quite useful.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"><i>Find My Phone</i>: </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Another simple but brilliant app
is Find My Phone. Just a couple of taps on your smartwatch sets your phone
ringing - even if it's on silent. For those that often can't find their phone
around the house, this is very useful. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On top of
these, the contacts app works well, dragging over
all contacts from the Note 3, onto the smartwatch allowing for quick calls. If
you want to dial, then this can be done on a rather fiddly keypad brought onto
the screen by swiping upwards from the clockface. S Voice instructions work
well to dicatate a call recipient as well, as long as there is limited
background noise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On
a media and entertainment front, the gallery is simple, but effective and
displays both images and video. To transfer these to your phone takes a second
to tap a button in the top right and selecting ‘Transfer’. Before you’ve looked
at your phone, it will be there. Another nice addition is the Media Controller
that allows users to control the music volume on their phone, and switch
between tracks.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghC5JlABS7T31_ZdEI9cumnTJWjT65IHChyphenhyphenCV434EkPX8si_7R8r23swyBIp9SOBbLBUMVvSiU5zcfBl90Gu_RJ55L_wd2pMelWe2pUSyZG-b6wwtjSy12ajb_uB_oqz0QzNjIlZ9YUig/s1600/Untitled3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghC5JlABS7T31_ZdEI9cumnTJWjT65IHChyphenhyphenCV434EkPX8si_7R8r23swyBIp9SOBbLBUMVvSiU5zcfBl90Gu_RJ55L_wd2pMelWe2pUSyZG-b6wwtjSy12ajb_uB_oqz0QzNjIlZ9YUig/s640/Untitled3.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;">Music and entertainment controlling </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
Finally, the watch has a pedometer tucked away that tracks steps taken,
distance moved and calories burnt. It’s a nice addition, and appears to be
accurate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Apps<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Without
doubt, the Galaxy Gear will live or die based on the apps that are modified for
the device, and ones created specifically for it. Currently, there are less
that 30 apps available on the Samsung Galaxy Gear store, and quite plainly
these are not enough. The key areas are covered, but not particularly well.
There are unofficial Twitter and Facebook apps, as there is with Foursquare,
but none of these are great. The syncing takes too long and they don't retain
offline data, which renders the apps fairly obsolete. Not only that, official
notifications from Facebook, Twitter and Gmail offer a button to ‘View on your
device’ which is frankly a little pointless. These are sure to be developed
further, and if upgraded correctly, would significantly enhance the experience
of the Galaxy Gear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whilst the social networks aren't yet to be well represented, there are some positives with the apps:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Pocket</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">:
One of my favourite apps has gone up another notch in my reckoning by adapting
their service to smartwatch. Before you ask - no you don't walk around reading
articles on your watch, instead, articles are read to you on hands-free or out
loud. It's not perfect as the voice is too robotic and articles don't always
read that smoothly, but it's an intriguing development and one that makes sense
for the smartwatch.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR5sD2AV-BbXcdgTcNO3fsHEeF81FrDAC5J-XMFNRsIjqB4QoocyKgSdGGD1IqwwzI6KMzQzJgh2k6CTbgqfH6GfqY6m27b3gD_bESx2Z1141a7h6Q8VIh8eum9gQNydD-QketW9DJqE/s1600/Untitled4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR5sD2AV-BbXcdgTcNO3fsHEeF81FrDAC5J-XMFNRsIjqB4QoocyKgSdGGD1IqwwzI6KMzQzJgh2k6CTbgqfH6GfqY6m27b3gD_bESx2Z1141a7h6Q8VIh8eum9gQNydD-QketW9DJqE/s640/Untitled4.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Snapchat</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">:
If ever a device was ready-made for Snapchat, it’s the Galaxy Gear. Okay, you
can’t draw on the images, but the essence of what is brilliant about the
platform is retained.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc;"><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">The
clock faces</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">: There are a range of different watch faces for the Galaxy Gear,
and weirdly, this is a great addition. It has become ‘thing’ for me to change
the clock face every couple of days.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"><b style="background-color: #444444;">Camera</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #444444;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">A simple downwards swipe from the clock face brings up the camera, and after touching the screen to take the picture, a swipe to the left brings up the gallery. However, this is where looking at a spec is simply not enough. </span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">When I saw a 1.9mp camera, I
thought back to the old days where I was taking very blurry images on my Sony
Ericsson T630i. However, the Galaxy Gear camera was one of the most gobsmacking
features on the Galaxy Gear. The pixel density is enough, but the most
impressive part of the camera is the image stabilisation. I’ve taken over 50
photos on the Galaxy Gear and only when I’ve done my best to blur the image has
it struggled, otherwise, it has been superb. I did have problems with when
overexposed to light, as glare interfered with the photo but this was a minor
issue.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5AFlAjrWWwqs62iYG3qBXzgUdCsh2GW3viJQBxbZ3-YRuMwLJvAzkjcNJ_T6dj8SwYTpGwyr4fRTtqs7WT6-ON30unO6PZdg63dnmcXnOquMQdNz2kNrEQ_6CwGb13KxpaIpNGaSZq8/s1600/Untitled5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5AFlAjrWWwqs62iYG3qBXzgUdCsh2GW3viJQBxbZ3-YRuMwLJvAzkjcNJ_T6dj8SwYTpGwyr4fRTtqs7WT6-ON30unO6PZdg63dnmcXnOquMQdNz2kNrEQ_6CwGb13KxpaIpNGaSZq8/s640/Untitled5.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;">The lens for a near-2mp camera</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 7.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In an age where we’ve got Nokia’s Pureview
42mp camera, the Gear brings us back to the reality that snapping photos for
sharing on social media (essentially most of what we do) doesn’t require that
pixel density. I’m not saying the camera is perfect; it certainly isn’t
flawless, but I’ve taken some photos of impressive quality on it, which is more
than I expected to be honest. When taking the Gear out golfing, I came up with
the following images. Quite impressive, eh.: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTzABEPKRuln5xlIi4326FzFVpZDThMsVO4Td6lVLwp52HLKIIiN1xFhuGCOMUNqmem3Vy_k3LHd9IhlbyM88Ar2UrQh_MN7bf5pY_Kpti46YKupzLLd1-6INl9nr8koTRWv8wChtjxE/s1600/Untitled6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTzABEPKRuln5xlIi4326FzFVpZDThMsVO4Td6lVLwp52HLKIIiN1xFhuGCOMUNqmem3Vy_k3LHd9IhlbyM88Ar2UrQh_MN7bf5pY_Kpti46YKupzLLd1-6INl9nr8koTRWv8wChtjxE/s640/Untitled6.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC2O6L7_G_jEI3izie_mPVV4sxClhmZd6isdRj8PSuKYCiB7RLz8GmuFvFsroGbLT9QAPGs4XYYYrgtMg178VUzlyOlJP0gJW_oBI7f2Wi16eS1Iw35yF7yRmLokya9FI__OU03V7VlA/s1600/Untitled7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC2O6L7_G_jEI3izie_mPVV4sxClhmZd6isdRj8PSuKYCiB7RLz8GmuFvFsroGbLT9QAPGs4XYYYrgtMg178VUzlyOlJP0gJW_oBI7f2Wi16eS1Iw35yF7yRmLokya9FI__OU03V7VlA/s640/Untitled7.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQwhCk18ytSbuyV9HNA3rfe8hlBLbOom9hN8ifdSJ6MVzuw0QBDLTkRiIgUh2QU4JsKbSYvaeL4zFtdtdMJNMs_xYy-CDo7tQ0AMLVuC_BJ8n8iiQaPDsdgjpaAyQR8ympLf7bDozQtY/s1600/Untitled8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQwhCk18ytSbuyV9HNA3rfe8hlBLbOom9hN8ifdSJ6MVzuw0QBDLTkRiIgUh2QU4JsKbSYvaeL4zFtdtdMJNMs_xYy-CDo7tQ0AMLVuC_BJ8n8iiQaPDsdgjpaAyQR8ympLf7bDozQtY/s640/Untitled8.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 7.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Overview</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 7.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Overall,
I’ve been extremely impressed with the technology behind the Galaxy Gear.
Looking away from the purpose it has in everyday life (find out what it has
been like to live with the Galaxy Gear, <span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.com/2013/11/living-with-smartwatch-galaxy-gear-case.html">here</a></span></span></span>)
this is a strong showing from Samsung. The best part of the Galaxy Gear is that
it’s only going to get better. Once the app store has been developed, the
smartwatch will become instantly more integrated in the lives of the owners,
and in turn more appealing to those purchasing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 7.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
Galaxy Gear has just been made compatible with a host of Samsung devices; Note
3, S4, S3, Note 2 and the Note 10.1, the S4 Mini, S4
Active, Mega 5.8/6.3 and the S4 Zoom. These will
become available through an Android 4.3 update. Whilst this will be a blow to
those who fancy giving the Galaxy Gear a go, but have a different Android
handset, there are plans in the pipeline to open it out to other manufacturers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 7.0pt 0cm; padding: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">If you’re interested in purchasing the Galaxy
Gear and Note 3, </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.chitterchatter.co.uk/samsung/samsung-galaxy-note-3-pd-516.php">head over here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633946269342146195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6264823140936481787.post-87238831910688899122013-11-18T18:35:00.002+00:002013-11-18T18:49:48.785+00:00Living with a smartwatch: The Galaxy Gear case study<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I lived with the Galaxy Gear for one month, wearing it all day,
every day but making a real effort to not go in search for where a smartwatch
could fit into my life. I wanted to go about my daily activities without
forcing it into how I function, and instead see where and how it could be
useful. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are plenty of reviews out there from people who have used a
smartwatch for 5 minutes, and made a judgement call. They look at spec,
expectations, features and then walk away. Critics tarnish the Galaxy Gear with
their overriding opinion of a smartwatch and the question mark over its
purpose. I wanted to veer away from this, and retrospectively analyse how I
have been functioning differently with the Galaxy Gear. <b>Essentially, I want to do is talk about what it's like to live with a
smartwatch, and specifically, what it is like to live with Samsung's offering;
the Galaxy Gear.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When
I envisaged a smartwatch, I foresaw a bulky product that would only be
worn by the real tech-geek. I wasn’t close. The Galaxy Gear sports a classy design, and with it on, I haven’t been conscious of its presence whatsoever and those
that have noticed it, have commented positively on its appearance. So settling down with the Gear
wasn’t a problem, and after a few days with the Gear, I begun to subconsciously
use it for normal tasks. From here its murky role in integrating into my life
started to become clearer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
first thing I noticed, was the receiving of a text when I was in the middle of
something, and how just a glance at my smartwatch didn’t break my stride or
concentration. <span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">When it buzzed, I checked who I’d
received a text from and then I’d action that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- if I wanted to respond then I could talk my response out to the Gear
via S-Voice (I only use this at home), or take my phone out to respond. Most of
the time however, a response could wait and I could switch focus attention
straight back onto the task.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Secondly, and perhaps my
favourite use, was the syncing on calls and reminders. If someone calls when
I’m out, or in a meeting, I can glance at my watch, swipe to reject the call
and choose an auto-text response – all with my phone somewhere else. If I
wanted to answer it, I can talk straight into the smartwatch in a very Star
Trek-esque fashion (I didn't like to use this), or switch it to my phone/hands-free. A reminder for a
meeting pops up with a courteous buzz and you’ve got your information in a
split second before dismissing it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The camera was a surprise. It
became a go-to option when snapping some day-to-day shots, which it does well.
Obviously when I wanted a higher-quality image, then I’d take out the Galaxy
Note 3, but the Gear became the first thought. For example, I took this on the
underground when irritated by Apple’s iPhone 5C billboards:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally, I lost my phone down the side of the
sofa (with the Galaxy Note 3 that’s surprisingly easy!) and instead of calling
it, or spending a while searching, I just tapped upon the ‘Find my Phone’ app
and found it immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cccccc;">I’m not for one minute going to stand here
and say that the Galaxy Gear, or any smartwatch for that matter, is an
essential item to have. It’s not. However, I’m also going to disagree with many
reviews that dismiss the Galaxy Gear as not being ready for the consumer. It
is. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The technology is wonderful. It’s a
smooth user experience; a powerful piece of kit that doesn’t lag and it syncs
instantly with the information on the user’s phone. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cccccc;">Critics shouldn’t be
lambasting Samsung for failing to achieve perfection on a first attempt,
instead they should be applauding Samsung for getting anywhere close. Wearable technology
is in it's absolute infancy but Samsung have done a superb job on the product,
it’s the developers and the software that need to now get working. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #cccccc;">The Galaxy
Gear, and smartwatches in general, thrive off the immediate; the snappy information.
When football score updates, for example, are integrated into an app for the
Galaxy Gear, then that’s where we will see it being loved. It’s that immediate
content, which doesn’t </span><span style="color: #cccccc;">require much thought or further explanation, that shows off the Gear and its purpose. Instagram for example would be ideal for the Galaxy Gear, after all, it already supports 15 second video and quick, easy-to-capture images, so why not? Whatsapp is another app that needs to be catered for, but support for these will come. The potential for the smartwatch, with apps such as these enhancing the experience, is greatly increased.<br /><br />So, after two weeks with the Galaxy Gear, the smartwatch found a role in my life and this may have a completely different role in someone else’s. But it is really important to note that the thought of parting with the Galaxy Gear is genuinely quite saddening, and that says a lot about my enjoyment of the product.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m the first to say if the world isn’t quite
ready for a product, I did with the Chromebook, and also with Windows 8, but I
believe that the world is ready for the smartwatch. With continuing app
support, the Galaxy Gear is ready for the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For the full product review, </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://tomkelk.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-samsung-galaxy-gear-review.html">click here</a><span id="goog_1070233190"></span><span id="goog_1070233191"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">. If you’re interested in purchasing the
Galaxy Gear and Note 3, </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.chitterchatter.co.uk/samsung/samsung-galaxy-note-3-pd-516.php">head over here</a></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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