Super Hyped LG V60 First Impressions Live Stream with TK Bay!

LG V60 First Impressions! It’s on like Donkey Kong! My most anticipated phone of the year is FINALLY in my hands! TK and I share some early thoughts on the V60, and we’ll answer your questions on one of the biggest phones of the year!

Continue reading “Super Hyped LG V60 First Impressions Live Stream with TK Bay!”

iPhone 11 Pro Camera Conclusion: The best auto shooter of 2019!

We shouldn’t forget that the iPhone 11 Pro was also released on the promise of features to come in later updates.

Months after launch, nearly halfway towards the announcement of the next premium iPhone, have those “pro” promises been realized? Can the most expensive (non-folding) 4G phone of 2019 still duke it out against the new crop of incoming 5G Androids?

Will this $1099 64GB phone be left behind on software features like my $999 iPhone XS was?

Continue reading “iPhone 11 Pro Camera Conclusion: The best auto shooter of 2019!”

Microsoft Office and the Future of Dual Screen Phones

Microsoft has been busy.

Office recently got an update where it combined multiple apps into one Office platform. It’s a handy upgrade, not having to swap apps to look through documents or reference spreadsheets.

On top of that, we know Microsoft is working aggressively on future hardware form factors, with a particular focus on dual screen devices.

The platform which runs the service seems less important to Microsoft than whether people are using their services. When a dual screen Surface phone arrives, it’ll run Android.

Microsoft’s services need to be ready to go at launch though. If an expensive gadget sporting the Surface brand stumbles on core Microsoft services, it’ll be an embarrassing misstep for a company which has struggled with their mobile strategy since the rise of the iPhone.

Thankfully, folks don’t need to wait for the Surface Duo launch to get a taste of Microsoft’s dual screen strategy. Current dual screen devices are ready to go. Continue reading “Microsoft Office and the Future of Dual Screen Phones”

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?”

UAG Monarch Case for the Pixel 4 XL: When your fabric case gets gross…

Phone design is irrelevant. There. I said it.

When factoring in minute differences between glass on glass sandwich gadgets, a fraction of a millimeter of bezel, or an edge of a sidewall taper, manufacturers have largely agreed on what a modern smartphone should resemble.

That aesthetic is incomplete.

We want a daily driver phone, able to survive lifestyle abuse. To make our phone functionally usable in the real world, without having to baby it, you have to “finish” the phone hardware on your own dime.

You gotta slap a case on it. Continue reading “UAG Monarch Case for the Pixel 4 XL: When your fabric case gets gross…”

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?”

iPhone 11 Pro Max Review: Worthy of a “PRO” Label?

Four months after launch, we’ve gotten some software updates.

Expectations are SUPER high for this phone. Not only because it’s the most expensive 4G phone of 2019, but also because Apple’s done something bold here. Joining the Mac, MacBook, and iPad, there’s now a “PRO” version of the iPhone.

A TON of marketing has gone into this device. Apple’s claims are a step above the standard “aspirational” marketing of iPhone’s past.

Does it live up to the “PRO” label? Let’s take a look! Continue reading “iPhone 11 Pro Max Review: Worthy of a “PRO” Label?”

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…”