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”

Pixelbook GO review: I love it for reasons Google might not like…

There are a TON of great options when shopping PCs and Laptops. Differentiating features are really nuanced. The Pixelbook Go is a fun take on a mid-ranger laptop with solid hardware specs. It’s the software that will make or break the consumer experience.

Who is the Pixelbook Go for? That was a trickier question to answer than I thought it would be… Continue reading “Pixelbook GO review: I love it for reasons Google might not like…”

Pixel 4XL Review: Where we accept it’s a REALLY good phone!

At some point we need to acknowledge that the Pixel 4 is a good phone. A REALLY good phone. The healthy debate isn’t “winner or loser”. Instead, the tricky question for Pixel fans:

How large is the audience for THIS phone, who won’t be satisfied by a Pixel 3A?

Can we make it a rule? That we don’t take Pixel reviews seriously until we see the fabric case is messed up? I mean, like someone actually used the phone enough to get a LITTLE life on it… Continue reading “Pixel 4XL Review: Where we accept it’s a REALLY good phone!”

Pixel 4 XL Camera Conclusion: Exactly what Google promised…

I’m going to get a LOT of criticisms about my “tone” when the public version of this review is published.

I have a hard time with the inconsistency of reviews we’ve seen on the Pixel 4. I haven’t seen a lot of folks review the phone for what it really is. Instead, most seem fine focusing on what the phone is NOT, and calling it a day.

Well, I love a good underdog fight. There’s quite a bit of crankiness in this video, but let’s see if we can judge the Pixel by the same criteria we rate all phone cameras.

  • 1. What are the manufacturer’s claims?
  • 2. Has it improved over previous generations of Pixel?
  • 3. How does it stack up to the competition?

Who is the Pixel for? Let’s see if we can answer that together! Continue reading “Pixel 4 XL Camera Conclusion: Exactly what Google promised…”

Smartphone Thermal Throttle Test: Pixel 4XL vs LG V50 vs OnePlus 7T vs Asus ROG II

EPIC smartphone throttle test!

If we want phones to start replacing laptops, they have to handle heavier workloads. I’ve gotten criticisms that my video rendering test is too short, so let’s REALLY drive some phones hard. What if we rendered a WHOLE MOVIE on a phone? Can our mobile gadgets hand with laptops? Will phones run too hot?

Only one way to know! We gotta do it!

Continue reading “Smartphone Thermal Throttle Test: Pixel 4XL vs LG V50 vs OnePlus 7T vs Asus ROG II”

Pixel 4XL vs LG G8 vs Galaxy S5: Air Gestures Are HARD

Motion control showdown! We’ve been dancing around Jedi controls for years. Alternative actions are NOT easier. Google is taking a simpler approach to air gestures. Here’s how it stacks up against the other methods used by LG and Samsung!

I think simpler is better… Continue reading “Pixel 4XL vs LG G8 vs Galaxy S5: Air Gestures Are HARD”

Google Pixelbook Go: The future of mobile computing?

Pixelbook Go first impressions!

More than just reading off specs, I have a serious question for viewers.

What DO we want for the future of mobile computing?

Lot’s of tech reviewers are quick to point out the flaws of less popular products. I refuse to believe that the future of tech is “whatever Samsung and Apple decide to make”.

With that idea in mind, are there any good ideas here that we hope will evolve? Continue reading “Google Pixelbook Go: The future of mobile computing?”

SomeGadgetGuy’s TOTALLY Biased Pixel 4XL vs LG V50 ThinQ Comparison! Brains vs Brawn!

I’ve already gone on record proclaiming the V50 as my favorite phone of 2019. As a reviewer and editorialist, I don’t believe there can be “true objectivity” in a review. If you know more about me, how I use my gadgets, and the work I put them through, you will have a better understanding of my analysis. You can apply my experiences which overlap with your needs, and you can disregard the parts of my analysis which don’t apply to you. I made a video on this idea, which you can watch below.

I try to be as fair as I can. I try to examine a gadget based on the claims made by the manufacturer, not my preconceived idea of what the gadget SHOULD be. I try to figure out who the audience might be for EVERY gadget I review.

Every phone I’ve reviewed this year has gotten SOME kind of purchasing recommendation, but obviously some phones have been more broadly recommended than others.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of the most brutal comparisons in the premium tier of the Android ecosystem. This is a battle of polar opposites. Two substantially different takes on the idea of an expensive phone. And when the dust settles from this showdown, the songs we will sing of these mighty titans will echo through the halls of history.

Or, we’ll just totally nerd out on two flashy gadgets. Continue reading “SomeGadgetGuy’s TOTALLY Biased Pixel 4XL vs LG V50 ThinQ Comparison! Brains vs Brawn!”

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