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452 'Smartphone' stories May 2011 - February 2018
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Opinion: iPhone 7 is mostly a technological catchup, but it’s an undeniably polished one

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 7 2016 - 5:24 pm PT
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Apple stepped up. Today it announced the iPhone 7, the first true successor to the iPhone 6 that launched in 2014. While many expected this to be yet another “tock” (think iPhone 6SE) update offering little more than incremental improvements and an almost indistinguishable design, Apple instead brought a slew of substantial enhancements to the device and introduced a new glossy black design that even convinces me that the phone is deserving of its whole integer naming bump.

Most of what Apple introduced with the iPhone 7 is admittedly catchup — they’re features that Android OEMs have been offering for months (or in some cases, years). Headphone jack removal, waterproofing, dual-cameras, stereo speakers, and 32GB base storage have all been done on Android handsets. The iPhone 7 does, however, pack a lot of these features into an overall package that’s undeniably polished and backs them up with raw power enhancements under the hood…


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LG announces the V20, its metal-bodied, dual-camera, premium flagship [Gallery]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Sep 6 2016 - 6:00 pm PT
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If you thought that the flop that was the LG G5 was all the Korean company had in store for this year, you’re about to be surprised. The company has today announced its V20, the successor to last year’s dual-screened V10 handset and what I would call the true flagship of 2016 for LG. It’s an improved version of last year’s V10 in almost every way, and it also brings some unique features that make it stand apart not only from its predecessor, but from the entire market.


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Nexus 5X 32GB $240, Nest Thermostat $199, Seagate 8TB Desktop HDD $200, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 27 2016 - 10:25 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

LG Nexus 5X 32GB (Factory GSM Unlocked) for $240 shipped (Orig. $399)

The Nest Learning Thermostat will help lower your energy costs throughout the summer: $199 (Reg. $249)

You can store everything on this Seagate 8TB external hard drive for $200 shipped, more

We thought you needed 5TB of extra space, here’s a Seagate Expansion hard drive for $110 shipped (Reg. $130)

Ticket to Ride on iOS and Android drops to its lowest price in years: $2 (Reg. $7)

Apple’s Thunderbolt Display has been put out to pasture, here are the best alternatives at every price point

Vansky’s $23 USB LED light strip gives you multi-color mood lighting

Review: Jaybird’s new Freedom Wireless headphones score high marks on design, sound [Video]

How-to: Put a USB Charging port just about anywhere, without AC power for as little as $50 (Solar+Battery) 

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Amazon Gold Box has something for everyone: ECCO Shoes, High Sierra Backpacks, GoT, Pets, Humidifiers

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

JBL’s Charge 2 Bluetooth speaker is a solid option for your party this summer: refurb for $60 (Orig. $150)

Smartphone Accessories: 2-Pack of Mpow MFi Apple-Certified Lightning Cables $8 Prime shipped (Reg. $14), more


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LG’s K3 budget smartphone lands on Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile for $80

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 17 2016 - 2:22 pm PT
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Sprint has announced today that it’s bringing yet another cheap budget offering to its two prepaid carriers: the LG K3. The phone sports pretty modest specs for the price (something that we’ve been able to say more and more these days), and even ships with Android Marshmallow. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re on a budget this is a pretty decent option…


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Hands-on with the Lenovo Phab2 Pro phablet w/ Project Tango inside [Video]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 9 2016 - 4:27 pm PT
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Lenovo today took the wraps off its Phab2 Pro (or phab 2 PRO, or PHAB 2 Pro, depending on which version you want to go with), and I managed to get my hands on it just after the keynote.

Let me make this clear, because the press releases, stock imagery, and even the device we saw on stage today, do not really show the “phone” for what it is. This is not really a phone. It’s a hilariously huge phablet — and even that is borderline. Really, in my eyes, this thing is a tablet.

But I guess that’s subjective.


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These Jeopardy contestants think that Marshmallow is a version of iOS [Video]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 8 2016 - 9:48 am PT
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We know that Android has an updates problem. In the most recent Android distribution report yesterday, we learned that Android Marshmallow has just barely edged past 10% adoption 8 months after it first started rolling out to devices.

But apparently, despite all the people-friendly marketing that Google does with its mobile OS software updates (and more recently, the Nexus phones), there’s this persistent complete ignorance about Android in general. How can Google motivate people to update to Android Marshmallow — much less care about what it offers — if they don’t even know what the OS is called?

Of course they could (or not) go the Apple route and create a situation with complete control over the entire ecosystem, but Google’s tactic of trying to make OS updates familiar and friendly is about as much as it can do for now. Apparently it’s not working, and this is perfectly illustrated in a recent round of Jeopardy! where two contestants both thought that Marshmallow is the name of iOS 6.0…


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9to5Toys Last Call: Samsung Galaxy S7 (unlocked) $530, Nextbit Robin $299, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 6 2016 - 9:55 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Huawei Google Nexus 6P (refurb) w/ 32GB storage: $350 shipped (Reg. $400+)

Samsung Galaxy S7 32GB (unlocked) for $530 shipped (Reg. $695)

Nexbit Robin, cloud-powered smartphone now $299 shipped (Reg. $399)

LG G5 Smartphone w/ 32GB flash (factory unlocked): $575 (Orig. $650)

Apple MacBook 12-Inch Laptop (Newest Version) with Retina Display Rose Gold: $1,199 shipped ($100 off, tax in NY)

Apple 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (latest version) for $700 shipped (Reg. $899)

Apple 12-inch MacBook (Early 2015) 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB $930 shipped (Orig. $1,299)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Sony’s powerful 154W AirPlay and Bluetooth Speaker is on sale for $329 shipped (Reg. $500+)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Take to the skies w/ DJI’s Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter for $399 (Reg. $499), Professional $779 (Reg. $999)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Straight out of Chicago, this mid-century modern Bluetooth stereo cabinet is beautiful

HTC reportedly sold only 251 HTC 10 units in China so far, plans to spin off its VR division

Avatar for Stephen Hall May 5 2016 - 2:11 pm PT
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And it seems as if HTC’s downward spiral continues. The latest in its seemingly never-ending doomsday news cycle comes today in the form of a pair of reports from Focus Taiwan, with the former suggesting that the lower-specced HTC 10 has been an absolute flop in China and the latter saying that the company has formed a completely separate company for its VR ambitions…


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Honor V8 leaks on TENAA, features dual-camera setup, 4GB RAM, QHD screen, 3400mAh battery and pink metal finish

Avatar for Cam Bunton Apr 25 2016 - 4:07 am PT
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For the past couple of years, Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has been one synonymous with releasing premium-looking well-specced devices at an affordable price. This year, it appears the company is looking to step up its game. A TENAA listing for the upcoming Honor V8 suggests the company is about to launch something of a flagship killer…


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A plethora of new Huawei P9 images just leaked on Weibo [Gallery]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Mar 28 2016 - 11:04 am PT
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Huawei’s upcoming P9 flagship has pretty much been completely revealed at this point, but ten or so more leaked images of the phone in the flesh can’t hurt, right? The phone, set to be announced early next month in London, will see the addition of a dual-camera set up, a new fingerprint sensor on the back, and of course upgraded specs compared to the P8…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D UHDTV $849, Aukey USB-C Charger $16, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Mar 25 2016 - 10:40 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $849 shipped (Reg. $1,400)

Smartphone Accessories: Aukey 3-Port USB-C/A Car QuickCharger $16, iPhone 6 Wallet Case $13, more

AT&T GoPhone Motorola Moto E 8GB: $36 shipped (Reg. $60) | Best Buy

Moto X Pure Edition designed by Jonathan Adler is now $350 (Reg. $475) | Motorola

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $790 shipped (Reg. $999)

Travel light w/ Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB for $710 shipped (Reg. $899)

Save big on Apple’s newest laptops: Retina MacBook Pro $1,000 (Reg. $1,299)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan (Photoshop CC + Lightroom): $8/month (save $24/yr)

Apple TV Deals: 4th Gen 64GB $175 (Reg. $200), 3rd Gen $49 (Reg. $69), more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

TCL’s new 4K Roku-enabled UHDTVs hit every price point

How-to: Use your car and an inexpensive inverter to replace the need for a home generator

Speck offers Clear Protection for the new Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge

Avatar for Sponsored Post Feb 22 2016 - 7:00 am PT
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Gold

Samsung’s latest flagship devices bundle in several new features and capabilities, and they critically cap off these additions with shiny new black, silver, and gold color schemes, so the best way to protect the new device is the award-winning transparent CandyShell Clear from Speck. Samsung has done many things to improve the reliability of the new Galaxy smartphones, including new waterproofing and dust-resistance technology, but the devices will still be prone to damage from drops, scratches, and nicks.


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Next year’s fingerprint sensors could fit into volume rocker buttons, guard against spoofing

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 17 2016 - 5:30 am PT
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Synaptics has provided fingerprint sensors for a number of different smartphones, the HTC One Max among them, but Engadget says that it has a much sleeker version in the works.

Synaptics’ latest fingerprint sensor for mobile devices measures only 3.5 mm wide. It’s so thin and tiny, it can fit inside a volume rocker switch on the side of your smartphone or tablet.

The company says it has also found a way to prevent the use of fake fingerprints by a new algorithm that can distinguish live fingers from printed replicas.

We probably won’t be seeing the new reader make it into phones until next year, though, as Synaptics says mass-production isn’t due to start until the third quarter of this year. There’s as yet no word of which phone brands might be looking to include it.

We’re also expecting to see the company’s pressure-sensitive screens coming to some Android devices later this year.

Image for illustration only: 91mobiles.com

Nextbit Robin unboxing and hands-on [Video]

Avatar for Dom Esposito Feb 12 2016 - 7:43 am PT
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Meet Robin, Nextbit’s new flagship smartphone. There’s a lot of hype surrounding this phone right now and we’re going to get into the box and see what it’s all about. The fancy pants packaging you see in the video below is not actually what you’ll get when you purchase this smartphone. They sent us a special care package with Robin for review purposes, but we’ll go over the contents of the retail packaging in this video as well…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Nexus 5X 16GB (unlocked) $280, SanDisk Ultra 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive $25, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 5 2016 - 10:40 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

LG Google Nexus 5X 16GB Unlocked: $280 shipped (Reg. $350)

Daily Deals: SanDisk Ultra 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive $25, Verus iPhone 6/s Leather Wallet-Style Case $14, more

Review: $13 GRDE Explorer Rugged 10,000mAh Solar dual USB Battery w/ 2 USB lamps: worth every penny

Be a hero this Valentine’s Day w/ these best-selling Adult Coloring Books from $6

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB: $1,000 (Reg. $1,199)

11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB: $930 (Reg. $1,099)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,250 (Reg. $1,450)

15-inch Retina MacBook Pro 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,700 (Reg. $1,999)

Keep your Wi-Fi up and running w/ this APC UPS System + Power Bank: $90 (Reg. $120)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

It’s time to ditch your cable bill! Get the AmazonBasics 35-Mile HDTV Antenna for $20 (Reg. $25)

Game pre-orders for Amazon Prime members –Zelda, Far Cry Primal, FFXV: $48 ea (Reg. $60)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Ubuntu’s first tablet offers a converged desktop PC experience as well

Here’s our first look at the new Uncharted 4 Limited Edition PS4 bundle, pre-order now

Opinion: Three months later, is the Nexus 6P still the best Android phone?

Avatar for Edoardo Maggio Feb 2 2016 - 1:05 pm PT
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One of Google’s latest slogans created to showcase the essence of Android in a nutshell spells: “Be together, not the same.” It is both a testament to the company’s general embracement of diversity and arguably one of the most precise ways to describe the OS as a whole. Fans, however, have long had trouble trying to identify the ‘ultimate’ Android device, despite the sea of devices whose supposed heterogeneity should guarantee a perfect match for everyone.

In an endless fight among the various OEMs to come out at the top of the critics’ — as well as the fans’ — rankings, one trend has notoriously stood out. People love Android devices because of the software (specifically its flexibility), and in spite of the countless efforts made by manufacturers to tweak and enhance the OS in order to make it better, the pure, unadulterated experience offered by Google has long been preferred by virtually every enthusiast.

Be it because of its simplicity and cleanliness, dedication to Google’s brand, or the sheer fact that updates are not hampered by carriers and other third parties, stock Android has always had the upper hand over UXs such as Samsung’s TouchWiz or HTC’s Sense — at least to those who even know what “TouchWiz” is. To this day, the problem with Google’s vanilla OS still resides almost solely in the hardware it runs on.


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Xiaomi retained top spot in China in 2015, but Huawei likely to hit back this year, says Canalys

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 1 2016 - 4:42 am PT
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While Canalys reported last year that Huawei overtook Xiaomi to become the biggest-selling smartphone manufacturer in China during Q3, it now says strong Q4 sales enabled Xiaomi to retake the top slot for the year. It says Xiaomi ended the year with a 15.2% market share against 14.7% for Huawei, with Apple following at 12.5%.

The WSJ reports that this view is echoed by rival market intelligence company Strategy Analytics. However, with more Chinese consumers looking to upgrade to mid-range handsets this year, Canalys analyst Nicole Peng believes the positions could be reversed during the course of this year …


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Lenovo’s Lemon 3 launches in China, is clearly a direct competitor to the Redmi 3

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jan 13 2016 - 1:27 pm PT
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Lenovo has today launched a budget phone in China, and it’s called the Lemon 3. Notably, this is different than the phone that leaked last year that also had a citrus-y name. While the Lemon X (which launched in Chinese markets a couple of months ago under the name Vibe X3) is aimed at the mid-range, the Lemon 3 is aimed at the lower end of the market…


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LG G4 Smartphone w/ 32GB flash GSM 4G LTE (factory unlocked): $350 shipped (Orig. $600)

Avatar for Jared Weintraub Jan 13 2016 - 7:37 am PT
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B&H offers the Unlocked LG G4 32GB Smartphone in Black Leather for $349.99 shipped. That’s $100 off the original list price, $69 less than Amazon’s current listing and the lowest we can currently find. It has a 5.5-inch IPS LCD multi-touch display, Android 5.1 Lollipop, Dual-Core Processor, and a 16 megapixel camera. Amazon shoppers gave it 4.4/5 stars. 


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