Let's Talk Tech
After producing our iPhone 6 camera review, I got a handful of comments from folks wondering if the iPhone 6 will ever be able to shoot UHD video. Unfortunately, I think it’ll be impossible, but not because the phone isn’t powerful enough. Let’s do a little math…
It’s a feature I’ve been struggling with recently.
We’ve quickly stepped up through higher resolution displays, with higher PPI (pixel per inch) counts, and now it’s pretty common to hold pocketable computers which have the same resolution screens as the super large TV’s we enjoy mounting in our living rooms.
Higher resolution screens provide a more pleasant visual experience. Text is crisper. Photos are more detailed. It’s easier on the eyes, and stepping back to lower resolution screens can make you feel like you need to visit an optometrist.
However, after we started building out smaller 720p screens, I worry that we’re starting to see diminishing returns on packing more dots into a phone display. Continue reading “Do QHD Phone Screens Provide Enough Benefit to Outweigh Performance and Battery Woes?”
After an event like this, where hundreds of cloud backed up photos of celebrities have leaked online, what lessons can we take away in regards to our data security and privacy?
The phone is real. The phone looks good. The name is still kinda dumb.
Sorry Big Red, I just can’t bring myself to call this “The HTC One M8 for Windows”. I mean “HTC One M8” is already clunky enough, but “For Windows”? FOR Windows??? It makes the phone sound like an accessory FOR a Windows PC. Even “With Windows” sounds better. From here on out I will now be referring to HTC phones as the M8 and W8. No more “One” this and “For” that.
That said, the W8 looks like a great crossover to the Microsoft side of the fence. HTC’s build quality is second to none, and the changes made to the Windows Phone OS (allowing manufacturers to more easily swap over Android hardware) appear to be working.
Plus, many of the apps developed by HTC already have that modern minimalist look, which should help them blend in with Live Tiles. Blinkfeed for example already looks like a Metro app.
Lastly, it’s just nice to see another company giving Nokia a little competition in this space as we wait to see if Microsoft and Samsung will ever settle their licensing squabbling.
We’re you considering switching to a Windows Phone? Does an HTC W8 sweeten the deal for you? Drop us a comment! And catch Verizon’s teaser vid below.
David J Slater, a British photographer set up a camera in Indonesia to capture monkeys at play. One monkey managed to snap an extraordinary “selfie”.
Wikipedia claims that because the monkey hit the shutter button, the image belongs in the Public Domain. I disagree…
The LG G3 is a monster phone on paper, with bleeding edge specs for a flagship. While we’ve really liked the improvements to the camera, there’s always room for improvement.
How would we fix LG’s camera? Let’s have a quick conversation about Metering and Exposure controls…
I’ve droned on about this before, but we’re getting more sales data which would indicate the mid-range handset is under-performing.
Often called a “mini”, like the Galaxy S4 Mini, HTC One Mini, or the Xperia Z1 Compact, these middle child devices face intense competition from premier handsets and a new batch of less-painful-to-use entry level fare.
These phones often make compromises to arrive at more competitive pricing, reducing the amount of RAM and storage, swapping to a lower powered processor. The pricing however only typically saves consumers around $100 to $150 off the cost of a brand new flagship phone. These mid-rangers are often bested in the specs department by year-old flagship phones. A Galaxy S3 can tangle with a Galaxy S4 Mini. The HTC One Mini 2 struggles against the HTC One M7, and so on. Consumers also get the benefit of sporting a “Flagship” instead of a “cheaper” phone. An extreme example of this tech “fashion” trend being the severely negative reaction Apple fans had towards the iPhone 5C when it was launched.
The savvy consumer on a budget also has options at the low end which work much better than in years past. Thanks to Moto G’s and Lumia 5XX and 6XX phones, it’s entirely possible to get the smartphone basics covered at less than $200.
Companies like HTC are also flirting with other ways to reduce handset costs. The HTC One Mini 2 faces even more internal competition from the newly announced HTC One E8. It’s very similar to the flagship M8, but made out of plastic instead of metal.
It would seem that a four device strategy these days would make the most sense. Smaller screen entry-level handset, last years flagship for the mid-range, this year’s flagship, and a phablet to utilize bleeding-edge tech. If you’re shopping a new phone, are you considering a “mini” or other mid-ranger? Drop us a comment below!
If any group should be nervous about the implications of an internet “Fast Lane”, major league sports should be at the top of that list.
As more and more consumers are diversifying their media consumption, one of the few areas you can count on to get viewers watching in real-time, with ads, are sports games. ESPN Scored a hit this summer streaming the World Cup over their mobile app, and Major League Baseball has been improving their MLB.tv service.
Of course streaming live HD video takes some bandwidth, and that means MLB would also need to negotiate a separate deal with ISP’s to “guarantee” a fast enough service for their subscribers. It’s entirely likely those additional costs would eventually be passed down to consumers.