Let's Talk Tech
Xiaomi 12T first impressions.
Xiaomi is REALLY good at making phones around this price. Refreshing the 12, and focusing on power efficiency, we arrive at a VERY nice daily driver option. It feels premium, and it performs well. It’s far from the only phone in this tier though, and the competition in “THE MIDDLE” is getting tougher and tougher. Continue reading “Xiaomi 12T First Look: A Great Phone in a CROWDED Market!”
I like the Pixel 6 Pro a lot, but this first party case from Google is one of the worst accessories I think I’ve ever used. An open letter to Google, right before the Pixel 7 announcement, I hope this is improved for their next phone.
This case is bad, and Google should feel bad… Continue reading “Google made one of the worst phone cases I’ve ever used…”
The semiconductor industry is a crazy place.
There’s an ebb and flow in computing. A new chip is rarely a perfect one-to-one upgrade over an older chip. Different features, different initiatives, changing consumer needs, numerous factors influence a chip design.
Google’s Tensor is an interesting beast.
Tensor is an attempt at focusing phone hardware to better run Google software. It’s an attempt at creating more hardware and software synergy for Google services. It’s a surprisingly successful solution for a first generation System on Chip (SOC), but it is first gen and we should expect improvements from succeeding generations.
What does Tensor 2 need to be successful? Not a lot…
Continue reading “Google Tensor 2: I don’t need a lot from this chip to fix the Pixel 7”
Let’s be clear. I consider myself a phone camera “specialist”.
I don’t believe I’m an especially talented photographer, but I use phone cameras in specific ways to accomplish professional tasks. I enjoy photography, and I think I’ve cultivated a personal style for macro and candid shots. I don’t believe my experiences are unique, and generally anyone with a basic level of curiosity would likely arrive at a similar level of proficiency.
I’ve shot since high school, starting with old 35mm film cameras, and bring those experiences to mobile and digital photography.
When you ask a specialist about their hobby, you’re likely to get a very different response than someone who’s more passively “into technology”.
With that preamble out of the way, what’s the deal with new phone cameras?
Are you really getting all these upgrades that the manufacturers keep promising? Why don’t your photos look any better? WHAT ABOUT THE AVURAJ CUNZOOMERS??? Continue reading “Better Smartphone Cameras? What you REALLY get when a new phone gets a camera “upgrade”!”
Camera video torture test! Let’s shoot some HEAVY video!
Looking at the concerns from other reviewers, people are wondering if the XPERIAs this year are overheating. Is this a “problem”, or should we be more concerned with video quality? Lining up phones to shoot 4k at 60fps and 4K at 120fps, we can build some data to predict how long a phone SHOULD last out in the field.
XPERIA 5IV, OnePlus 10 Pro, Axon 40 Ultra, Pixel 6A, and the Xiaomi 12S Ultra!
If you’re relying on a phone to capture memories or get work done, it’s critical we know how hard we can drive that phone for real work. Let’s see how long we can shoot before these phones tap out!
Continue reading “Phone Camera Video Torture Test! Did the XPERIA 5IV Fail?”
XPERIA 5IV first impressions!
Sony is the LAST option left for folks who want lifestyle features like headphone jacks and memory card support. This year the XPERIA 5 picks up a new design, more lifestyle features, and a bigger battery at a friendlier price than the XPERIA 1.
For a new phone launch this year however, is it TOO powerful for its own good? Continue reading “Sony XPERIA 5IV First Look: A Smaller POWERHOUSE Phone!”
What do manufacturers do when the word “Pro” has lost all meaning in describing phones?
We move to ULTRA!
The Axon 40 Ultra was a happy return for me.
I was a huge fan of ZTE phones during the Axon 7 era. I’ve been really curious what the company has to offer today. Judging whether the Axon 40 earns its “Ultra” badge, we should probably break down the current spectrum of phone pricing. Continue reading “ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Can we get an ULTRA Phone for cheap?”
It’s always fun to revisit the last generation of LG phones, but at the same time, it’s a little sad to see how much we’ve lost on premium tier phones.
LG stopped producing phones in 2020. They went out on a high note. The V60, Velvet, and Wing were a terrific trio, highlighting everything we enjoy about LG design and innovation.
The memory of LG doesn’t reflect the actual products released by the brand.
Ask a techie about the label, and you’re likely to get replies joking about “boot loops” and a poor track record for updates. Unless someone spent actual time with the brand, it was easy to overlook the significant improvements to build quality and support.
It would be like making an “all Samsungs explode” joke today. A lazy joke in poor taste.
What’s been most interesting to see, LG’s best years for software support arrived after the company shuttered their smartphone division. Continue reading “LG V60 in 2022: Still the most feature complete…”