reviews

Motorola announced a handful of new devices at an event just last month. The now Lenovo-owned company unveiled the new Moto G and two versions of the Moto X: Play and Style (or Pure). The Moto X Play is Motorola’s attempt at bringing a competitively-priced phone to the market with near-flagship specifications. For just under £280 in the UK you get a device with a full HD (1080 x 1920) 5.5-inch display, an octa-core processor and a gigantic 3,630mAh battery. It’s water-repellent, has a 21MP camera and — best of all — runs an almost vanilla version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

Expand
Expanding
Close

The Android tablet accessory market may not be as full of keyboards as the iPad market is, but even when you find one, chances are it’s terrible. The Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard wants to be the one to change that trend. It’s small enough to carry around in your pocket when folded, and works with Android, Windows and iOS devices. What’s more, you can have it paired to two devices at once and switch between them with the press of a button. It’s safe to say that this is one of the most versatile and portable Bluetooth keyboards on the market. This review was written entirely on it.

Expand
Expanding
Close

HTC may be in financial difficulty, but it’s still churning out decent phones. One of the most recent to hit the market is the Desire 626. It’s a competitively priced, attractive mid-range device. But with the new 3rd-generation Moto G on the market, is it worth buying?

Expand
Expanding
Close

We’ve all heard the phrase that the best camera is the one you have on you, and now with the Panasonic CM1, that could finally be true. It’s possible to have a smartphone that takes amazing pictures. With a 1-inch sensor, Leica lens and some useful software tools, this is easily the best camera setup ever built into an Android device.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Dmail is a Chrome extension which allows you to un-send, or revoke any emails you send through your Gmail account. The service was launched by the same brainiacs that brought us the Delicious social bookmarking tool.

Self-destructing email isn’t exactly a new thing. Google itself rolled out a feature that lets you un-send a message once you’ve sent it. The only issue with Google’s built-in service however, is that you only have 30 seconds to change your mind about sending an email to someone. Dmail lets you revoke emails whenever you like. I took it for a quick spin to see what it’s like, and I have to say, it’s an incredibly convenient way to make all your outgoing communication more secure. It also happens to be ridiculously easy to use.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Despite the fact that smartphone and hardware manufacturers are pushing towards a wire-free utopia, we’re still no closer to ridding ourselves of pesky accessories, pens, earphones and other paraphernalia our smartphones seem to crave. Let’s face it, you don’t always want to carry around a huge backpack or messenger bag. And even when you do, you don’t want to have all your loose gear rattling around inside.

Waterfield Designs is a brand well known by bag aficionados, and one which has earned my attention and affection over the years. The Gear Pouch does nothing but make my appreciation for their wares stronger.

Expand
Expanding
Close

HTC revealed its 2015 smartphone flagship, the One M9, at Mobile World Congress earlier this month. The device was met with a seemingly ‘meh’ reaction at the time, with HTC fans complaining that the device was too similar to its predecessor and worrying about the use of the over-heating Snapdragon 810. This evening, reviews for the HTC One M9 have officially started popping up around the web and they give us a much more in-depth look at what the company has to offer as we head into 2015…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google has today relaunched its review program previously called City Experts as Local Guides, and hopes to engage the community and get more people involved through what looks to be some much more friendly branding and fun new features. While Google previously touted the “exclusive benefits” you could receive through the program and required “50 high-quality reviews” for entry, the new program instead suggests that you “help others and support businesses” and encourages you to “be yourself.”

Expand
Expanding
Close

Earlier this year at its Unpacked event, Samsung previewed its Galaxy Note Edge phablet with a special, curved part of the display that wraps around the right side. We’ve already given you our early hands-on and first impressions of the latest Samsung Galaxy Note variant, and today the reviews are starting to surface. So what’s the verdict on this unique take on a phablet? Check out our roundup below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

The reviews of the just announced new HTC One (M8) are officially out, and as of right now, it looks like HTC has a hit on its hands. Reviewers are praising the device’s stunning Gunmetal design, as well as its 5-inch display. Some reviewers, however, aren’t that big of a fan of the highly touted camera, saying its quality is often hit or miss and the software is somewhat clunky.

Gizmodo

Like last year’s One, the 2014 edition (HTC is calling it the “HTC One (M8)” but we think that’s ultimately more confusing) is machined from a solid block of aluminum, but it’s even more metal this time. Last year’s had a fair amount of plastic in the edges of the device, but this year it’s pretty much metal everywhere you look. It’s also had some of its sharp edges ground out, and you’re left with a smoother, slightly rounder device. It’s incredibly solid and it feels like it could take a bullet in the back and keep on going (it probably couldn’t, don’t try that, thank you).

Expand
Expanding
Close

The New York Times reports that New York regulators will today announce a new initiative that aims to crackdown on fake reviews online. They’ve already reached settlement agreements with a number of companies and issued fines of around $350,000 to companies purchasing and providing fake reviews, many of which are submitted to services such as Google, Yahoo, and Yelp. Fake reviews have always been an issue for Google Play and just about every mobile app marketplace, so perhaps regulators will soon extend their investigation to mobile app stores as well.

“What we’ve found is even worse than old-fashioned false advertising,” said Eric T. Schneiderman, the New York attorney general. “When you look at a billboard, you can tell it’s a paid advertisement — but on Yelp or Citysearch, you assume you’re reading authentic consumer opinions, making this practice even more deceiving.”

Regulators found that US Coachways, one of the companies included in the investigation, had hired freelance writers to write fake reviews on Yelp and other services:
Expand
Expanding
Close

The web version of the Android Market has been given some nice updates recently that both allow developers and users to easier connect, and users to better search for more relevant app reviews. The first update, a new “Email Developer” link within the “Overview tab” is self explanatory and located right under the app’s description. The new review filters are a little more in-depth, but definitely make it much easier to get accurate, and most importantly, relevant reviews.

It often happens that user reviews in the Android Market aren’t relevant to you and your device. For example, perhaps you’d like to only see reviews from tablet users. You can now filter reviews by devices, allowing you to select “All” or select an individual device linked to your account. You can also filter by app version, either “All” or Latest”, as well as search by a specific star rating. For instance, you can search for only reviews from users with a Galaxy S II that gave the app a 4 star rating. It will certainly make it easier to find the most helpful entrys for popular apps that have hundreds of reviews.

Expand
Expanding
Close