Category: Reviews

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HTC One M8 Camera outclassed by Galaxy S5, and it has NOTHING to do with MegaPixels…

Let’s get this out of the way right now. The One M8 camera is good. Maybe it’s even “very good”, but over the last year we’ve seen some excellent cameras bolted onto the backs of our phones by companies like Sony and Nokia.

WP_20140421_21_19_32_ProThe M7 was my favorite camera on an Android phone of last year, and was only bested by the likes of Nokia. It lost the resolution battle with only a 4MP sensor, but the combo of larger “UltraPixels” and Optical Image Stabilization made it one of the best devices to shoot on in indoor and low light environments. Outdoor pics were very good, low light pics were gorgeous, and video was nicely smoothed out by the stabilizing hardware.

My expectations were tremendously high for the M8.

Continue reading “HTC One M8 Camera outclassed by Galaxy S5, and it has NOTHING to do with MegaPixels…”

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How much better are the BoomSound Speakers on the HTC One M8 vs the M7?

The M7 was a revolution. Stereo front facing speakers on a phone. With one listen, it became my preferred multimedia mobile, and the standard by which I judged every phone and tablet which followed it. Every single audio review I’ve done since has been normalized against the M7.

It should come as no surprise that a newer phone will have better features than its predecessor. We call that “progress”, but considering how stellar the audio playback was on the M7, many of us had doubts that the M8 would be demonstrably better.

Well we were wrong.

Take a listen for yourself as we pit the former heavyweight up against the new champion. The M7 is dead. Long live the M8.

HTC One M7 Speaker Playback Test

HTC One M8 Speaker Playback Test

Continue reading “How much better are the BoomSound Speakers on the HTC One M8 vs the M7?”

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Google Camera App available for all phones running KitKat – Full Review and Feature Walk through!

Another handy Google announcement. After updating Youtube, Google is also making their stock camera available on Google Play!

If you’re familiar with a recent Nexus or the Moto X camera, Google is now allowing ANY phone running Android 4.4 (KitKat) to download the app for free. It’s helpful consistency if you’re considering switching to a different manufacturer for your next phone or tablet, you wont have to re-learn the camera UI. It’s also nice knowing that your camera software can be updated like a regular app instead of waiting for a full OS or ROM update to get carrier approval.

Here’s our full hands on feature walk through and review!

Google Camera (Google Play) Continue reading “Google Camera App available for all phones running KitKat – Full Review and Feature Walk through!”

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Windows Phone 8.1, Cortana, and Legacy Hardware Support – MEGA REVIEW!

Here’s the big daddy review and walk through of Windows Phone 8.1!

Even though it’s only a 0.1 update, Microsoft crammed A LOT OF STUFF into this update, so settle in as we check out all of the new apps and services on tap for our live tiled phones!

We’ll also take a quick look at legacy support for older Windows Phones, as well as discuss what’s still missing from the Windows Phone platform.
Enjoy!

Windows Phone 8_1 homescreen lumia 1520

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Samsung Galaxy S5 – Monster Review and Feature Walk Through (AT&T Version)

We got a little goofy with our unboxing video for Samsung’s newest flagship phone, but we’re dead serious about the review.

Settle in and grab a snack because we’re going to take a detailed look at the Galaxy S5 on AT&T! You wanted a REAL review right?

Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy S5 – Monster Review and Feature Walk Through (AT&T Version)”

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App Review: Battery Performance by Dev-Software

Screenshot_4Have you ever wondered how your phone is handling  it’s battery life? The folks over at Dev-Software may just have the answer you are looking for.  Battery Performance has a wonderful app that you should check out!

Battery Performance has a really slick UI that is both eye pleasing and functional. This app is all about the visual performance of your phone’s battery, showcasing a number of ways to see what your battery is up to such as live tiles, logs, statistics, life cycle and much more. Once the app is downloaded to your Windows Phone it will take a few seconds to gather your data. I was pretty impressed with this app’s straightforward delivery of information and fluid UI.

078    075 Continue reading “App Review: Battery Performance by Dev-Software”

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Studio Gear Review: Audio-Technica Pro 70 Wired Lavalier/Instument Microphone

AT makes some of my all time favorite mics, but I’ve never played with one of their Lavs. I ran this little clip-on through a couple different scenarios, including some loud outdoor shots, to see how it holds up. Quick shout out to BooredAtWork, for hooking me up with this mic, and now let’s take a look!

Continue reading “Studio Gear Review: Audio-Technica Pro 70 Wired Lavalier/Instument Microphone”

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Nokia Unveils Lumia 930 – An International Version of the Lumia Icon

I totally called it! My review of the Icon was LITERALLY labeled “A Glimpse of Things to Come”, and I was absolutely on the right track! The unveiled Lumia 930 will be an international version of the Icon currently available on Verizon Wireless.

nokia lumia icon nano sim tray long term review somegadgetguyThankfully, in true Nokia fashion the Lumia 930 will arrive in a variety of colors instead of stingy VZW and their black or white options. The hardware looks largely unchanged from the Icon, the same metal and polycarb build, the same wireless charging built in.

We’ll likely see the Lumia 930 release closer to the proper release of Windows Phone 8.1. It’ll likely follow the Lumia 630 as the second phone to launch with the WP8.1 OS.

If you’re curious to see how the Lumia 930 is going to perform, we’ve been producing long term reviews of the Icon, including speaker and camera tests, all available below!

Long Term Review!
Continue reading “Nokia Unveils Lumia 930 – An International Version of the Lumia Icon”

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