Cam Bunton

Alcatel OneTouch has come from nowhere of this past twelve months and has become a brand-name synonymous with cheap products with decent specs. The OneTouch Idol 3 was something of a hit once it launched earlier this year, and is still a popular phone among consumers looking for an entry-level smartphone with great performance.

Now, it looks like the company is set to launch a new phone. The OneTouch Fierce XL is coming to T-Mobile, and is purportedly going to be available in both Android and Windows Phone flavors…

The information comes via well-known leaker, Evan Blass who tweeted the image of the two phones above earlier today.

[tweet https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/655311609947009024 align=’center’]

It’s safe to say that pricing and specifications will be on the low side. A previous tweet from Evan suggested the device will feature a Snapdragon 210 processor, 5.5-inch 720p display, 16GB storage, 2GB RAM and a 2,500mAh battery. Based on that information alone, the one stand-out feature should be battery life. With a 720p resolution display, getting the phone to last 1-2 days with a battery of that capacity shouldn’t be too difficult.

These specs match up pretty well with what Alcatel and T-Mobile have partnered on in the past. The carrier often stocks budget-friendly phones and tablets made by Alcatel OneTouch, and they’re almost always really affordable. In fact, last year, the company was virtually giving away tablets to anyone who signed up for one.

With the holiday season fast approaching, we can imagine the carrier pushing this as a stocking stuffer, and perhaps first smartphone for kids.

Report: Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S7 likely to feature USB Type-C

Cam Bunton Oct 16 2015 - 7:10 am PT

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In a rumor that’s no surprise to anyone, SamMobile‘s sources have told the publication that the next Samsung Galaxy flagship will have a USB Type-C port. In this case, I think we’d be more surprised if the next Samsung didn’t feature a Type-C connector. Sammy is regularly quick to jump onboard and adopt new technologies, and whether it’s NFC, fingerprint sensors, wireless charging or Quick-Charge compatibility, the Korean tech giant has historically been among the earliest to show off their potential.,,
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BlackBerry PRIV pre-orders go live in the UK, delivery by November 6

Cam Bunton Oct 16 2015 - 6:36 am PT

blackberry-PRIV-official

BlackBerry recently launched a site to give interested customers the chance to register for updates on the BlackBerry PRIV’s arrival. The QWERTY-equipped Android slider has been drawing a lot of attention for itself over recent weeks and months. Today, one retailer in the UK has exclusively opened pre-orders for the device.

Sadly, there’s no option to buy the phone SIM-free and unlocked, but Carphone Warehouse will sell it to customers on a new contract or on upgrade. Pricing starts at £49 per month for those wanting to pay nothing up front for the phone. For that plan on Vodafone, subscribers will get unlimited calls and texts plus 2GB of 4G LTE data. As far as I can see, the cheapest overall way to get the phone is on O2. By paying £79.99 up-front for the PRIV, you can get unlimited minutes and texts, plus 1GB of 4G data for £32.50 per month. You can view all the available tariff options here.

Carphone Warehouse lists the smartphone’s specifications as follows:

5.4-inch, 2560 x 1440 resolution AMOLED display (540ppi)
1.8GHz Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor
3GB RAM
32GB storage (expandable to 2TB)
18MP rear camera – 2MP front camera
Dual LED flash
3,410mAh battery
Dimensions: 147 (184 opened) x 77.2 x 9.4 mm
Nano SIM
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

Interestingly, despite being available to order from a third-party retailer, BlackBerry hasn’t yet opened up pre-orders from its own online store. As far as we know, the phone isn’t available to pre-order in any other region. However, if that changes, we’ll update the post with more regional information. It’s not strange for the UK to be among the first countries to get a BlackBerry phone. In years gone by, BlackBerry has opted to launch first in the UK, sometimes even before its home country of Canada.

OnePlus X listed at Chinese retailer with $249 price-tag, 5-inch FHD display, 3GB RAM, more

Cam Bunton Oct 16 2015 - 3:49 am PT

Just days after OnePlus invited the world it its London event on October 29 to release its upcoming smartphone, its next device has shown up on Oppomart. The retailer specializes in shipping Chinese-made smartphones to markets where they’re not currently available, with devices from the likes of Xiaomi, Meizu, Oppo and ZTE all available. The OnePlus X is listed at just $249, making it far more affordable than the OnePlus 2 and — if the listed specs are accurate — far better value for money.

Although you can’t order it yet, the OnePlus X placeholder page does reveal some of the expected specifications. They include the following:

5-inch full HD screen (1920 x 1080)
2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor
13MP Sony camera
8MP front camera
3GB RAM
16GB/64GB Storage
2450mAh battery
Global LTE support

The OnePlus X, by the sound of things, is shaping up to be a follow-on from the OnePlus One. It looks like it’ll have similar specs, a similar price, but a different design.

OnePlus 2 reservation list will close on October 22

Cam Bunton Oct 16 2015 - 3:14 am PT

Last year, when it launched its first phone, OnePlus frustrated many buyers by having an invite-only system. Part of the frustration was waiting, the other part was having no idea when you would actually get an invite. A friend who had managed to buy one, or a forum member would have to send an invite in order for you to be able to give the company your money for a phone.

This year, OnePlus kept the invite system for the OnePlus 2 but also introduced a reservation list. Although you’d still have to wait for an invite, at least you’d know you were on a list to receive one eventually. That reservation list will soon close…

BLU Pure XL is now available to pre-order on Amazon for $349

Cam Bunton Oct 15 2015 - 9:14 am PT

Not long ago, BLU announced its brand new flagship Android phone which — by its own standards — is highly specced and priced. The BLU Pure XL is a 6-inch monster with a QHD screen, costs $349 and has finally landed on Amazon.

By any standards, the specs are pretty solid. The 6-inch display on the front has a resolution of 2560 x 1440, giving it a pixel density of 490ppi. Powering the phone is the Helio X10 octa-core 2GHz processor, paired with 3GB RAM and a PowerVR GPU. What’s more, its sapphire crystal-coated primary camera boasts 24 megapixels, dual-tone flash and optical image stabilization. If all that wasn’t enough, it supports 24-bit/192kHz audio, quick charging and has a fingerprint sensor which can detect and verify your fingerprint in less than 10ms. It also has an 8MP wide angle front camera and 64GB internal storage which can be expanded up to a further 64GB.

Back in September when it was announced, the phone seemed like a no-brainer purchase for just 64GB. It’s not often you get an all-metal phone with these specs for anywhere near that price. Last year’s Nexus 6, however, has recently seen a huge drop in price thanks to the arrival of the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. On eBay you can pick up a Nexus 6 for just $300, while Amazon is still selling them for $349.

Honor 7: Unboxing Huawei’s budget-brand premium-design Android smartphone [Video]

Cam Bunton Oct 15 2015 - 8:47 am PT

honor-7-lead-wp

At long last, I’ve got my hands on the affordable, premium-looking Honor 7 handset by Huawei. In Europe, the Honor brand is known for releasing good quality phones, at cheaper-than-expected prices. Considering the specs, the £249 price-point is fantastic. In the US, the $440+ price isn’t as appealing, but you might like the phone nonetheless…

Official LG V10 wireless charging covers in testing

Cam Bunton Oct 15 2015 - 4:41 am PT

Like the LG G4, the LG V10 ships without wireless charging built in to the cover as standard. But, like the G4, it does support Qi-standard charging and you’ll need to buy a cover to make it work. LG hasn’t mentioned anything publicly so far, but a “low power receiver” accessory made by LG has shown up in the Wireless Power Consortium’s filings (spotted by etnews), confirming that the Korean tech company is working on a Qi receiver…

LG G4 owners getting Android 6.0 Marshmallow update from next week

Cam Bunton Oct 15 2015 - 2:03 am PT

When it comes to Android smartphones running manufacturer skins on top, the wait for the latest software updates can be excruciating, especially if you have a carrier-locked version. This year, LG’s seeking to change that it seems. The Android OEM announced via press release this morning that customers with the LG G4 will start seeing Android Marshmallow updates land from next week…

T-Mobile brings back its 4 for $120, 10GB-per-line deal

Cam Bunton Oct 14 2015 - 7:31 am PT

T-Mobile is bringing back one of its most popular promotions by — once again — offering four 10GB data lines for $120 total. The offer is available for a limited time from today, and is ideal for data-hungry families needing multiple lines. With no overages, you know exactly what your bill’s going to be every month too.

If you don’t need four lines, you can get two 10GB lines at $50 each:

With #10Gigs4All, two people can get up to 10 GB of 4G LTE each – no sharing required – for just $100 a month. Then, each additional line is just $20 more per person – also with 10 GB of T-Mobile’s blazing-fast 4G LTE. Now, with this promotion, that 4th line is free, bringing the total cost to just $120 per month for a family of four.

As with every Simple Choice plan, customers signing up get access to a host of awesome offers including rollover data for up to 12 months, Wi-Fi calling, unlimited music streaming and unlimited in-flight texting with GoGo. Customers also get unlimited calls to and from Mexico and Canada, as well as the ability to use 4G LTE data from their plan allowances in those countries, unlimited data and texts in 140 countries abroad and unlimited international texts from the US. Compared to the other three carrier options, it looks a fantastic deal:

iPhone 6s camera outperformed by Nexus 6P, Moto X Style and Xperia Z5 in DxOMark rankings

Cam Bunton Oct 14 2015 - 5:58 am PT

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DxOMark recently published its review of the iPhone 6s, and it confirms what we already sort-of new: it’s not a huge step up from the last generation iPhones. In fact, the camera performs ever-so-slightly worse than last year’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which both entered the DxOMark rankings in 1st place when they were reviewed last year. Both iPhone cameras now sit 10th on the list, and have a number of Android phones ahead of them.

With Apple packing in more pixels in to the sensor, the company’s aim was to offer higher resolution pictures without ruining performance. For the most part, Apple achieved its goal. DxOMark notes that exposure, white balance and detail are all good in bright light. What’s more, autofocus and stabilization are both great on video in daylight.

It’s in low light conditions that the iPhone 6s doesn’t perform as well. There’s noticeable noise, yellowing and ghosting in low light and indoor conditions. Still, it’s outperformed by the likes of the new Huawei Nexus 6P and Moto X Style, both of which are much cheaper than Apple’s flagship.

DxOMark noted:

From our tests, images are generally well-exposed and for the most part colors are vivid and pleasing outdoors. However, there are occasional differences in exposure noticeable between consecutive captures in very bright outdoor scenes, typically due to the inconsistent activation of the HDR mode. There is also a slight but consistent underexposure in extremely low light levels (5 lux); the result however is still quite usable and an improvement over the iPhone 6. White balance is reliable though inevitably some inaccuracies were noticeable at times, with a slight yellow cast visible in some outdoor scenes. Although this cast was present in captures from the iPhone 6 the cast was slightly stronger and more noticeable on the 6s.

As for video, it could do with some OIS action if it’s going to improve its stabilization in low light, which is currently supplied using some clever software tricks, rather than through mechanical means:

Results for digital stabilization were similar to the iPhone 6 (and the Samsung), with it working well in good lighting but rather less efficient at reducing shake in low light where, arguably, it is needed more.

Although the iPhone camera isn’t terrible by any means, there are a number of other handsets to choose from when looking for a great mobile snapper. Currently the Xperia Z5, S6 Edge and Nexus 6P occupy the first three places on the rankings. It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy Note 5, which many regard as having the best camera still hasn’t been ranked by the respected camera-testers at DxOMark. If/when that’s been reviewed, it’s likely the iPhone will have yet another Android phone ahead of it.

The days of Android fans having to put up with an average camera experience are long gone it seems.

Talking Schmidt: Google has so many companies lined up they are going to use names like ‘pi’ – you think I’m kidding?

Cam Bunton Oct 14 2015 - 4:34 am PT

Back in the summer, Google announced a major new restructure and rebranding, with Google itself just one of many companies now owned by Alphabet. The move caught us all by surprise, and seemingly, caught Eric Schmidt by surprise too. Re/code was able to get hold of some recordings where the former Apple man stated he was on vacation when the company announced the move.

I wake up, and I’m the chairman of Alphabet. We sort of announced it without actually knowing which companies it would be. So we’re still working the details.

With Alphabet, each company within the group is given its own letter. Google, for instance, is ‘G’, and ‘L’ stands for Life Sciences. With there only being 26 letters in the alphabet, you might wonder what they’ll do when they’ve used all 26 of them. Schmidt’s answer: “After 26, we’re going to probably transcendental numbers”. Numbers like pi… “You think I’m kidding?”

Alphabet may have to start using them soon if Schmidt’s other comments are to be taken seriously. We’re to expect “a lot” of new companies: ““I’ve been meeting with the current CEOs of the Alphabet companies and the proposed ones. So you’ll see a lot coming.” He didn’t say what those new companies would be, but he apparently praised the innovation within the self-driving car move.

Schmidt was talking at the Virtuous Circle conference in Menlo Park, California when he made the comments. He spoke on many matters, including policy issues like encryption, the ‘Right to be Forgotten‘ policies in Europe and bandwidth regulation among others. Like many, he’s worried about the tech scene in Europe, especially the Safe Harbor ruling which sees each country have its own digital borders, and their own set of regulations.

Alphabet is still in its early days, and like many of us, it seems Schmidt is excited to see what lies in the future.

Unboxing and building FurniQi – The side table with wireless charging built-in [Video]

Cam Bunton Oct 14 2015 - 2:31 am PT

Last week, Fonesalesman — the company behind the LG G4 PWRPatch I showed you recently — announced that it is launching a side table with a built in Qi-standard wireless charging unit called FurniQi. It’s made from sustainable bamboo, and is designed to remove the usual clutter associated with having wireless chargers lying around on surfaces, and I unboxed it and built it…

OnePlus ‘X’ to be unveiled on October 29, in London

Cam Bunton Oct 14 2015 - 2:17 am PT

Early this morning, OnePlus virtually confirmed through its Twitter account that we’re going to see a new phone announced on October 29 at an event in London. With a picture of a big lit-up ‘X’ and the words “See you October 29, London”, the company doesn’t leave much room for doubt…

First Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X unboxing videos surface online

Cam Bunton Oct 13 2015 - 12:50 pm PT

Google announced the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X at an official press unveiling just a few weeks ago, right before opening up pre-orders for the two newest stock Android devices. It marks the first year that two different Nexus phones have been released at the same time, and it seems the first lot of devices are already landing in the hands of the early adopters.

Unboxing and comparing all the OnePlus 2 StyleSwap covers [Video]

Cam Bunton Oct 12 2015 - 3:03 pm PT

When OnePlus released its first smartphone, it also launched a bamboo StyleSwap Cover, giving you the option to go with a wooden back to replace the standard plastic one. To say it was tricky to install would be something of an understatement. This year, the company’s learned its lesson and released a cover which is much easier to install and comes in four different flavors. I unboxed them all, applied them and compared them…

Here’s how to download the WhatsApp APK and enable Google Drive backups

Cam Bunton Oct 12 2015 - 6:53 am PT

Last week, WhatsApp announced that it will be bringing a much-needed feature to its Android app: Google Drive backups. While the updated version of the app hasn’t hit the Google Play Store yet, you can already download it directly from WhatsApp and install the Drive backup-equipped app on your phone now. Installing it couldn’t be simpler:
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OnePlus partners with Foxconn to manufacture phones in India

Cam Bunton Oct 12 2015 - 5:47 am PT

At an event in India this morning, OnePlus announced that it has partnered with Foxconn to start making phones at the Foxconn Rising Stars factory in the Sri City Integrated Business City in Andhra Pradesh. OnePlus expects they will begin to assemble phones there by the end of this year. Pete Lau, OnePlus’ co-founder was at an event in Bengaluru this morning and stated:

“Producing smartphones in India is one of the most important decisions that we have made so far at OnePlus, and we are thankful to the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Foxconn for helping us make this happen. India being one of our biggest markets worldwide, we are committed to a long term sustainable growth path. This move will strengthen our presence and help us step up momentum in India.”

OnePlus isn’t the first phone maker to take part in the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Just a few weeks ago, one of China’s biggest manufacturers, Xiaomi, announced a brand new phone which was made in India, for the Indian market. Like OnePlus, Xiaomi is making its phones in the Foxconn Rising Stars factory.

Once up and running, OnePlus will be able to use its 30,000 square foot facility to manufacture up to 500,000 smartphones every month, employing 1,000 new full-time workers. The first ‘batch’ of phones, likely to be the unreleased and unannounced ‘OnePlus X’ will be made available in India before 2016 swings in.

Android-powered BlackBerry PRIV gets in-depth hands-on, specs seemingly revealed

Cam Bunton Oct 12 2015 - 3:45 am PT

Few handsets have had the pre-release attention attained by the BlackBerry PRIV. With official (and somewhat less official) leaks dating all the way back to February, it’s safe to say we’ve been expecting this phone for a long time. It was initially teased by BlackBerry as a QWERTY-equipped slider which many assumed would be just another BlackBerry OS-powered smartphone. But that isn’t the case. The manufacturer confirmed recently that the PRIV would be a secure Android phone, and that it’ll be released soon…

ZTE AXON mini officially announced, pressure sensitive screen, octa-core chip and eye scanner in tow

Cam Bunton Oct 12 2015 - 2:14 am PT

ZTE AXON and AXON mini

ZTE is continuing its push in to the market of competitively priced premium smartphones with today’s official announcement of the ZTE AXON mini. The phone was initially unveiled back in July, but today it gets official pricing and release details for the first time…

HTC One A9 dummy leak gives our best look yet at the unreleased iPhone copy

Cam Bunton Oct 10 2015 - 8:12 am PT

Yet another leak has shown up of the rumored HTC One ‘Aero’, also known as the One A9. HTC is expected to officially unveil the smartphone during a virtual event on October 20. Today’s leak comes via Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka @OnLeaks) and shows a dummy unit from virtually every angle, giving us our most clear look yet at the iPhone-like smartphone…

OnePlus CEO teases ‘X’ device ahead of October 12 launch event

Cam Bunton Oct 9 2015 - 5:30 am PT

OnePlus has an announcement to make in India on October 12, in which it is expected to unveil its third phone, as well as a renewed focus on the Indian market. This could mean products made in India, similar to a move made recently by Xiaomi, another Chinese manufacturer. Likewise, Motorola was also keen recently to show off its own India-based manufacturing plant. It’s clear then that this is the market to be focussing on, it’s developing at a break-pace as flagship components become available for lower prices.

OnePlus 2 available without an invite for an hour on October 12 in Open Sales event

Cam Bunton Oct 9 2015 - 2:00 am PT

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Despite its faltering launch and initial struggle to get enough inventory in place, it seems OnePlus has its manufacturing and shipping process organized enough to open up sales for the OnePlus 2 to everyone. For one hour, of one day next week, customers will be able to order a OnePlus 2 without an invite…

SwiftKey launches world’s first AI-powered software keyboard for Android

Cam Bunton Oct 8 2015 - 9:48 am PT

swiftkey-neural

If you thought SwiftKey for Android was already smart and intuitive, you’ll be excited to know the company has just finished working on a product which it claims is even smarter. SwiftKey Neural Alpha has made its way to the Google Play Store, and instead of using word frequency calculators (n-gram model) to predict your next words, it’s more contextually aware of the sentence you’re typing…