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Best of MWC 2024: AI Takes Focus, but Hardware Still Rules

Mobile World Congress (MWC) – the trade show that’s all about mobile tech – just took place in Barcelona last week, so here’s a recap of the best stuff I saw at the event. Not surprisingly, AI was the buzzword du jour at MWC this year – just like it was at CES in January – but this didn’t detract from manufacturers launching some interesting products and showing off exciting concepts.



Xiaomi 14 Series: Flagship Smartphones with Advanced Imaging, Powerful Performance, and Innovative Features

Xiaomi has been collaborating with Leica on their flagship smartphones’ camera optics since last year’s Xiaomi 13 series, and now they have just announced the global launch of the Xiaomi 14 Series featuring Leica Summilux optics. Well, to clarify — it’s a global launch as long as you don’t include the United States, which is, unfortunately, pretty typical with many of the cool smartphones coming out of China these days. So, what does the Xiaomi 14 series bring to the table beyond excellent cameras?


OPPO Find X7 Ultra Review: A Premium Photography Powerhouse, but You Should Expect a Few Trade-offs, Since It’s a Chinese Market Exclusive

There’s a certain allure to having a different smartphone than anyone else, and there are so many interesting phones with amazing hardware that are only meant for the Chinese or other global markets that far too often do not include the United States. The China-exclusive OPPO Find X7 Ultra is just such a device, but there is still much to admire, even if it isn’t specifically meant for the U.S. market.


IQOO 12 Legend Edition Review: A Sporty Exterior Hints at the Power Inside

IQOO stands for “I Quest On and On.” Though this emerging Vivo smartphone sub-brand may be unfamiliar to those in the U.S., it’s earning a reputation for combining flagship chipsets with smartphones that emphasize mobile gaming. The iQOO 12 Legend Edition adds a sporty twist to premium styling that will appeal to minimalist design fans as it’s a powerful daily driver with few compromises. Although the iQOO brand is aimed at users in Asia, Europe, and Australia, by the end of this review, I think you’ll agree that it’s too bad iQOO hasn’t yet set its sights on the States.


Oppo Find N3 Flip Review: Flipping Samsung the Bird

Back in 2019, Motorola ushered the era of the folding flip phone with the nostalgia-infused (but ultimately flawed) Moto Razr. The next year, the company followed suit with the Moto Razr 5G, and Samsung refined the idea with its Galaxy Z Flip and Z Flip 5G. But it wasn’t until Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip3 in 2021 that the folding flip design finally gelled.


AT&T Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 Review: Is the OG of Foldables Still the Best Choice?

This year marks a significant shift for Samsung, a company with five generations of the Z Fold series under its belt. What sets this year apart is the emergence of new competitors in the US market, with the Google Pixel Fold already making its presence felt and an upcoming OnePlus foldable on the horizon. With these fresh contenders in the arena, the question naturally arises: Now that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 isn’t necessarily the only choice, is it still the best choice for someone who wants a phone that can unfold into a tablet?


Samsung Unpacked Introduces Latest Folding Flagships, the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5; Are You Ready to Upgrade?

At this morning’s Samsung Unpacked event in Seoul, details were revealed regarding the brand’s latest foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5. But unlike previous years, Samsung’s no longer one of the (very) few foldable readily available with US carrier financing. Now, we can choose from the Google Pixel Fold, the updated Motorola Razr, and, if the rumors hold true, an upcoming OnePlus device. With more Android foldable choices available, we’ll soon know if the latest Samsung Galaxy offerings will be enough to keep its future-forward users loyal; in the meantime, let’s discuss Samsung’s latest flagship releases.


Realme 11 Pro+ 5G Review: A Fashion-Forward Mid-Range Smartphone That Rocks a Flagship-Level Camera

Realme is known worldwide for offering feature-rich smartphones at affordable prices, and their latest model, the realme 11 Pro+ 5G, is no exception. Available in China last month and soon to be available in India and Europe (and available in the US if you don’t mind using a reseller), the 11 Pro + 5G  boasts a 200-megapixel camera, 5,000mAh battery, 100W fast wired charging, and impressively, the base memory option starts at 8GB RAM and 256GB storage for well under $500.


Dave the Diver Early Access Review: A Great Start That Makes You Want to Dive Deeper

Dave the Diver is an Early Access combination of Overcooked, Subnautica, and Stardew Valley. You fish by day; you serve sushi by night. While still in Early Access, the game has charming pixel-art graphics, a soothing soundtrack, some really amusing takes on game systems, and a lot of potential. It was such a trip because whenever I thought I had seen it all, it threw something else at me to chuckle about. I played this game for 14 hours at the time of publishing this review; here are my thoughts. Firstly, a big thank you to the MINTROCKET team for…


Gear Diary’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide: Something for Everyone and Every Budget!

If you’ve got a list of people you’d like to buy gifts for and are wondering where to even start, we’ve got you covered. Our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone and every budget. Many of these items have special holiday pricing, so be sure to click the links to check for discounts if something catches your fancy. So grab a drink, get comfortable, and have fun perusing our mega-guide!


Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit Day One: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform Is Announced

Everyone knows Qualcomm means impressive chipsets and other under-the-hood speediness for all your devices. But having a fast engine is only half the battle; you need to make sure the rest of the product is fully using it. And so, before we torture this analogy any further, here’s a rundown of how Qualcomm is bridging their latest top-of-the-line processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with the flagship phones that we’ll be seeing in 2023.


Vivo V25 Pro Review: UV-Activated Gimmicks Aside, It’s a Great Phone for Less than $450 (If You Live in India)

Vivo may be an unfamiliar smartphone brand to many in the United States. Still, as of August this year, it is the sixth largest smartphone manufacturer worldwide with a 4.29% market share¹ and 149 million smartphones shipped². Since 2011, Vivo has made a name for itself by creating smartphones that offer high-end features at mid-range prices. Available now in India, the Vivo V25 Pro is their latest model, and it happens to be the first Vivo product I’ve ever tried. Let’s take a look.


Honor Magic4 Pro Review: Flagship Hardware, Cameras, and Price

A few years ago, I reviewed a budget-friendly phone from Huawei’s sub-brand, the Honor View10. I loved it, and while Honor was meant to be a lower-priced option than Huawei, I didn’t find the phone lacking in the least; it looked, felt, and functioned beautifully. Honor is now a standalone company, completely separate from Huawei, and they’ve released the Honor Magic4 Pro. It’s a big deal, and we’ll talk about why in this review.


Gear Diary’s 2022 Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day is May 8th, and we all know how holidays like this have a habit of sneaking up on you! With the items in our 2022 Mother’s Day Gift Guide, you can help mom work smarter, relax more comfortably, and ease some of her daily grind. Whether you’re on a budget or the sky is the limit, we’ve got you covered if you’re having trouble (or haven’t even started) figuring out what to give to the most influential women in your life!


Realme GT 2 Pro Review: Blazing Fast Performance, Excellent Display, and a Battery That Will Last All Day

Realme has built a loyal following by offering higher-end features not generally found on moderately priced smartphones, and with the realme GT 2 Pro, they’ve created a true flagship that won’t break the bank. Loaded with features, including the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, a large AMOLED display with an adaptive 1~120Hz refresh rate, a massive battery, and plenty of RAM, the GT 2 Pro is one of the best Android smartphone options available anywhere.


Gear Diary’s Best of MWC 2022

Another Mobile World Congress is in the books, and it was great to be able to attend in person for the first time since 2019! Seriously great. MWC is always heavy on new smartphone releases, and this year was no exception. Even so, there were plenty of other remarkable devices touting worthy upgrades or making their debuts. So with that, I give you Gear Diary’s Best of MWC 2022.


Hands-On with the Realme 9 Pro+ and Realme 9 Pro: Excellent Features Abound in Two Very Reasonably Priced Smartphones

Realme became its own brand, independent of OPPO in 2018; since then, the Chinese company has become a force in its own right. Currently listed as a top-5 smartphone vendor in 30 global markets and six regions, part of realme’s success has come from its firm commitment to make well-designed, aesthetically pleasing smartphones that have competitive features rarely found in similarly-priced devices. The latest models in their lineup are the just-announced realme 9 Pro+ and realme 9 Pro; realme has sent them in for us to check out, so here’s a hands-on look at both devices.


Snapdragon Tech Summit Day One: Introducing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform

At the yearly Snapdragon Summit, we’ve come to expect news regarding Qualcomm’s upcoming mobile platforms that will be powering soon-to-be-released flagship mobile devices, and this year was no exception; we now have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform to anticipate. Building on the success of the Snapdragon 888+ 5G system on chip, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is touted as able to deliver even faster 5G speeds, create more impressive photographs and video, take AI experiences to new levels, and yes, it will also provide more visually stimulating and immersive gaming experiences.


Gear Diary’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide: Something for Everyone, Even Your Hardest to Shop for Friends and Family!

I think we are all ready to celebrate the fact that many of us will actually be together for the holidays this year, but now the pressure is on to find the perfect gifts. If you’re looking at a list of people you want to buy gifts for and wondering what in the world to get them, don’t worry; we’ve got plenty of suggestions in our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide, and you are sure to find something for everyone!


2021 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals You Won’t Want to Miss

Have you noticed that Black Friday seems to start a bit earlier each year? Well, this year, the sales are starting even earlier. Better still, the 2021 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Savings are pretty impressive. Here are some of the products we love that are currently available at steep, sometimes incredibly steep, savings.