Samsung Galaxy S20: What is a reviewer’s responsibility?

There’s a minor controversy brewing around the Galaxy S20. I’ve been asked to comment on the issue, and my feelings on this topic are a little messy.

Samsung’s newest phones are apparently plagued with a few issues. While no one would argue against the new S20 series as powerful options in the Android ecosystem, camera gremlins are souring the experience for early reviewers. Some encountering an experience struggling to live up to inflating price tags.

Techies online are debating how seriously these camera gremlins should be factored into the conclusions of their reviews. It’s very likely many of these issues can be fixed with some software patches, and there’s a decently high probability a day one patch could be pushed to consumers.

Should a reviewer review the phone as it was sent to them under embargo? Should a reviewer anticipate what the phone MIGHT be after some polish? Should a reviewer hold a review to see if Samsung delivers the promised improvements?

How do I feel about this issue?

The short answer, I think reviewers should stop playing Samsung’s media circus game.

The long answer is, well, longer… Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy S20: What is a reviewer’s responsibility?”

LG V60 First Look! The Budget Friendly Premium Pro Phone?

LG V60 First Impressions!

Launching early this year, leapfrogging the G9. LG is showing off a monster truck of a phone.

Big. Bold. Dual Screen. Powerful specs. All the things we’ve come to expect from a V series device.

However, in our second generation of 5G devices, LG is also talking about how to reign in prices on premium phones. Can LG still deliver a crown jewel gadget while undercutting the competition?

Here’s my early impressions on this beast of a pocket computer!

Continue reading “LG V60 First Look! The Budget Friendly Premium Pro Phone?”

Blackberry leaves the smartphone market (again): Some rambling thoughts on how we review gadgets…

Blackberry is ending their partnership with TCL.

No new Blackberry devices will produced or licensed. I took this news harder that I was expecting. My main goal in any tech conversation is to find better competition.

Our gadgets are only fun and exciting when we have good options. The smartphone market got a little smaller today. I felt this was a good time to share some thoughts on tech reviewing and gadget fandom. Continue reading “Blackberry leaves the smartphone market (again): Some rambling thoughts on how we review gadgets…”

Your phone is faster than a laptop.

Well, your phone is PROBABLY faster than a laptop. I don’t know exactly what phone YOU own. The line between pocket computer, and portable computer is getting really blurry. Chances are pretty good that your phone is powerful enough to meet most (or all) of your computing needs. More than just “covering the basics”, let’s see what a smartphone can REALLY do… Continue reading “Your phone is faster than a laptop.”

LG V50 on Android 10: New OS, New UX, AND A DESKTOP MODE!

LG released a major update for their workhorse phone. Not only Android 10, this brings a whole new user interface, and LG polished up Google’s desktop mode!

There’s a LOT going on here. With so much custom software and a heavy skin, was performance impacted?

Let’s take a look! Continue reading “LG V50 on Android 10: New OS, New UX, AND A DESKTOP MODE!”

Android 10 on the Sony XPERIA 5: Gestures for a Skinny Phone?

2019 was a strong year for Sony hardware. The Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 showed off a new skinny form factor, a bold new design which still echoed the hard-edged rectangular DNA of classic Xperias. I was very taken with this approach in my X5 review.

The other half of the phone review equation though, how well has the manufacturer updated the software for the phone?

Pretty darn well. Continue reading “Android 10 on the Sony XPERIA 5: Gestures for a Skinny Phone?”

Cheap Phones Won Christmas 2019 -or- Consumer Don’t Listen to Tech Reviewers

We’re looking at an analyst report, so it goes without saying that these numbers should be taken with a fairly large rock of salt. That said, this report reinforces a handful of other sales reports and anecdotal examinations of the mobile market. Manufacturers go to great lengths to hide actual sales data these days. Shareholders don’t seem much interested in facts, as much as they are the perception of the brand, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t dig a little deeper.

Flurry Analytics published a report on device activations in North America over the month of December, focusing on the lead up to Christmas day, and how those activations changed from Christmas to New Years.

Out of all the individual brands sold in this region, it’s not too surprising that Apple topped the charts. Overall, Android outsold iOS, but only one company makes iPhones. Apple significantly outsold every other phone manufacturer this year.

What is surprising is the breakdown on the most popular iPhones activated over the holidays. Continue reading “Cheap Phones Won Christmas 2019 -or- Consumer Don’t Listen to Tech Reviewers”

iPhone 11 Pro Max vs LG V50: What exactly IS a “Pro” phone?

Battle of the “pro” phones!

We can get a stunning amount of work done from our phones these days. I truly believe that phones are powerful enough to replace laptops for a LOT of consumers out there. However, when a company slaps a “pro” label on a phone, that should set our expectations a bit higher. Apple always makes bold performance claims, and has been one of the most visible companies to showcase mobile video production and content creation.

How does the iPhone 11 Pro stack up against a premium Android? It’s time for a showdown!

Continue reading “iPhone 11 Pro Max vs LG V50: What exactly IS a “Pro” phone?”