How techies get phone camera reviews wrong…

A camera isn’t the same thing for every consumer.

Even though standalone cameras have become less popular for consumer point and shoot use, we still see an incredible variety of hardware and form-factors. There is no universal agreement on what a camera “is”. People still have entirely unique needs where those differences matter to the individual.

This isn’t just some oblique idea of specialty or “pro” use. At a basic level, someone’s specific needs will be better fulfilled by a tool designed for those needs.

Yet in the world of smartphone camera reviewing, we crouch a significant portion of the conversation behind some idea of “The Avuraj CunZoomer™”. We build phone camera conversations around a fallacy that there is some common or objective agreement on what a camera SHOULD be.

It’s only at the most regressively basic level that we might find some agreement.

You should be able to push a button that results in an image being captured.

Beyond that, cameras should specialize. We should see different pros and cons. That’s what makes cameras exciting. Continue reading “How techies get phone camera reviews wrong…”

Google Pixel 5A vs iPhone SE: What real competition looks like!

We love phone showdowns. People cheer their “team”. We get emotionally invested in the products we buy and use.

It’s surprisingly difficult to properly divide up phones into categories where those comparisons are fair. It’s casually easy to look at a landscape of phones under $500 and pick a few for a fight. If you’ve followed my videos and reviews, you know I really like to get more specific about what KIND of device a phone might be.

I don’t think price is the decider as much as functionality or the target consumer demographic.

We should compare “communicator” phones against other communicator phones. Content creation phones should be compared against other creator phones. Gaming phones should be compared against gaming phones (and the Nintendo Switch).

With all that said, allow me to be a hypocrite as I purposely select two phones to fight based on price! Continue reading “Google Pixel 5A vs iPhone SE: What real competition looks like!”

#SGGQA Supplemental: AirPods Max Reactions with ElJefeReviews and BooredAtWork

Why do we let Apple do this to us?

Taking the wraps off of a LONG rumored product, Apple showed off a new pair of over-ear wireless headphones. With all the traditional bravado and aspirational marketing claims, these cans are guaranteed to be a popular fashion accessory.

For $550.

That’s where this conversation gets more difficult. What can Apple do at $550 that improves the audio consumption experience over more established audio brands?

Helping me untangle this announcement, Jeff from ElJefeReviews and Enobong from BooredAtWork join the live stream to chat out PREMIUM audio! Continue reading “#SGGQA Supplemental: AirPods Max Reactions with ElJefeReviews and BooredAtWork”

iOS 14 is STILL a mess!

Two years on and Apple is FINALLY fixing some of my concerns for how clumsy iOS is to use, but for new features like App Drawers and Widgets, this is still pretty messy.

Here are my NEW concerns for Apple UI. Continue reading “iOS 14 is STILL a mess!”

Goodbye iPhone XS: Two years and a thousand dollars later…

We get really excited about the new shiny. It’s always worth looking back to see if a gadget lived up to our early expectations. Getting on two years, I’m saying goodbye to my iPhone XS. Did I REALLY get $999 worth of performance out of this phone?

Well… No…

Not really… Continue reading “Goodbye iPhone XS: Two years and a thousand dollars later…”

Pixel 4a vs iPhone SE: The Best Budget Battle of 2020

I know I started with the Velvet comparison, but you know I had this video ready to go too!

Apple made a less expensive mid-ranger. Google made a less expensive mid-ranger. Aside from a similar price, these two phones couldn’t be more different if they tried.

This is good for competition. Let’s discuss! Continue reading “Pixel 4a vs iPhone SE: The Best Budget Battle of 2020”

Apple Sued for Games with Loot Boxes in the App Store. Google should be next.

The human brain reacts to loot boxes in pretty much the same way as slot machine gambling. Apple is facing a class action lawsuit over apps targeting kids which feature gacha and random number mechanics. If the ESRB won’t change ratings based on monetization mechanics, how else can we change the game industry?

Apple Insider Article https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/06/13/apple-sued-for-allowing-apps-with-loot-boxes-onto-app-store

Continue reading “Apple Sued for Games with Loot Boxes in the App Store. Google should be next.”

iPhone SE Review: The Safest Phone Buy of 2020!

I love Mighty Mouse phones!

Apple has a sure fire hit on their hands, but we need to keep expectations in check. What should we expect from a $400 phone, even if it’s called an iPhone? Continue reading “iPhone SE Review: The Safest Phone Buy of 2020!”