Unlocked Huawei GX8 Smartphone Now Available in US
Huawei announced the GX8 Android smartphone at CES 2016, and tomorrow you’ll be able to buy your own at GetHuawei.com, BestBuy.com, Amazon.com, select Best Buy stores, and Newegg.com.
Android
A Quick Look at the Honor 5X and Its Android Skin
We will be doing a full review of the Honor 5X soon; it’s a phone with the build quality of a flagship at budget pricing. But the Honor EMUI skin has gotten a lot of criticism, and it may not be as bad as first reaction seems. It’s easy to judge the EMUI apps and enhancements negatively if you’re a fan of plain, stock Android. But this is a phone aimed at people who aren’t looking for a flagship; Honor is a subsidiary of Huawei, and if you want a flagship, they make the Nexus 6P or the Huawei Mate…
Huawei Mate 8 Is One Thoughtfully Designed Android Superphone
At CES 2016 Judie and I both received a review sample of the new Huawei Mate 8. The large Android handset is impressive both in regard to features and design. Their PR department recently shared some of the key aspects of the device with us. In anticipation of the full review we wanted to share a few noteworthy features.
Acer Releases Chromebooks, Tablets, Laptops, and More at CES 2016!
Acer is busy at CES this year! They’ve always been a big player in laptops, smartphones, tablets, and computer equipment in general, and they have updates for just about everything this year! There’s a lot to be excited about, whether you’re looking for a high-end Windows machine or a simple Android tablet, so let’s check it all out!
Alcatel Onetouch Releases New Phones, Tablets, and even a Kid’s Wearable!
Alcatel Onetouch is very busy at CES this year. They’re covering a ton of areas, from Android phones to Windows tablets and child-focused watches with safety features. Basically, whether you want a phablet or a device to keep your elementary age kiddo safe, Alcatel has a product for it. On the Android front, Alcatel has a tremendous number of new phones available in the Pixi 4 line. Do you hate the trend towards bigger and bigger phones? Alcatel has a 3.5in phone coming. Looking for a phablet? They’ve got one with a 6 inch screen. And if Android tablets are…
ZTE Spro 2 with Android Touchscreen is a Surprising Pico Projector Standout
The ZTE Spro 2 is an Android-based pico projector with a built-in 5” touchscreen that, when paired with an activated Verizon SIM card, can serve as a wireless hot spot with 4G speeds. It has an internal speaker and battery as well, making it a great all-in-one solution for presentations on the go. The Spro 2 currently sells for $499.98. Breaking the mold from conventional pico projectors, the ZTE Spro 2 has a built-in touchscreen tablet so that it’s easy to operate and can used with or without a separate media player. With Android 4.4 KitKat running, you’ve got access…
Saying Goodbye To Google Project Fi
I joined Project Fi in August of this year. Project Fi is essentially a prepaid phone service for which Google acts as an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). This is just a fancy term for a company which doesn’t own the cellular towers but merely purchases a bulk block of service from the carrier(s) and resells it.
Get Great Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals on the Huawei Watch
Did you read my Huawei Watch review? If you did, you’ll recall that it is currently my favorite smartwatch. If you’re interested in one, this is the time to buy! On Black Friday, Huawei will be offering $50 to $100 off select watch models through GetHuawei.com, BestBuy.com, select Best Buy stores, Amazon.com, Target.com and Google Play store.
Mattel View-Master is a Blast from the Past
So many of us, especially as we enter the holiday season, fondly remember our favorite childhood toys – Barbie, G.I. Joe, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, Lite-Brite, Legos, etc. For me it was the View-Master, that handheld plastic stereoscopic viewer that connected me with exotic locations around the globe. Now Mattel has relaunched the View-Master for the modern, high-tech era.
OnePlus X Set to Be the Next Phone You Never Knew You Wanted
The OnePlus One was one of the best-priced Android phones to come out in the last few years; made in small batches which created demand from those without invitations to purchase, it combined many of the features that people liked from different phones to create one single shockingly inexpensive, well-built and well-featured device. Dan and I both bought one.
The True Innovation in Verizon’s New Motorola Droids Is the Droid Maxx 2!
Yesterday Verizon and Motorola announced two new Droid smartphones; the Droid Turbo 2 with an “indestructible” screen, and the Droid Maxx 2. On paper, the Turbo 2 is the real story; the screen, 48 hours of battery life, and tons of customizations. The Maxx 2 has a lot of that, minus the indestructible screen. Oh, and it costs only $384.
The New HTC One A9 Is More than Just an iPhone 6 Wannabe
After all the articles swirling around last week regarding how the new HTC One A9 looked like an iPhone 6 copy, looking at the just released phone, I’d have to say “not really”. Okay, it’s got the same antenna lines, but you can find those in other unibody Android phones.
An Android User’s Thoughts on iOS: Likes and Dislikes
I’ve been an Android user ever since I received a G1 as a gift. I’ve only ever had Android phones and tablets, so I haven’t had a lot of exposure to iOS. When my workplace offered us a phone for work use, I had a choice between a Galaxy Note 4, a Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6.
Always Have a Charging Cable Nearby with the Echo Connect Key!
We’ve all panicked while out and about, realizing that our phone battery is low, and either we scramble to the car to get the cable, or we turn off every setting possible in attempts to keep enough battery to make it home. The Echo Connect Key by the company named, you guessed it, Echo, is a small charge key that you can attach to your keyring so you’ll never find yourself without a way to charge your device. Now what if you have an iPhone and your friend offers you their Micro-USB cable? Well there’s a solution to this as well!…
Huawei’s P8 Lite Is a Premium Mid-Tier Smartphone, but Is It Worth It?
Fact is, what we once thought was considered “mid-range” in regards to smartphones has truly changed. And now, you can have the same premium features you’d expect from those $500 and above smartphones at a reasonable price!
Is a $300 Savings on a Smartphone Worth It to YOU?
I asked the Gear Diary team a question last night: if you had an additional $300, how would you spend it? The reason I asked, was that $300 seemed to be the average cost difference between an iPhone/Galaxy phone, and the new Nexus phones (Nexii?) and the Moto X Pure; was it enough to lure switchers?
Android Pay Ruins Loyalty Cards by Tying Access to Your Credit Card Information!
I used Google Wallet for one reason: it held my loyalty cards. Unfortunately, with the new Android Pay I can’t access my loyalty cards unless I have a compatible bank card added! Wallet functioned fine without a card added, and even if I add a bank card, if it’s not a supported card I can’t access anything in Android Pay.
Android Wear Marches on at IFA With New Offerings from Motorola, Huawei, and Asus!
Apple Watch has been stealing much of the wearable thunder since it debuted, but Android Wear isn’t cowering in the corner. Motorola, Huawei, and Asus all showed off new versions of their Android Wear watches at IFA this week. From budget-minded to extravagant, there appears to be an Android Wear watch for all tastes!
Huawei Impresses IFA Crowd with the New Mate S and Huawei Watch
Remember how Steve Jobs used to always have “one more thing” that he would mention when presenting a keynote? That’s how the IFA Huawei press conference seemed to go as they introduced their new Mate S and solidified details and pricing on the Huawei Watch.
New Acer Predator Computers at IFA – and a Deca-Core Phone!
Acer CEO Jason Chen started their IFA 2015 press conference with a bang; not only did he announce a new Chromebook and a new 2-in-1, he also announced new additions to the Predator gaming line. Are you interested in bigger, faster, and stronger? That’s what Acer seems to be aiming for.
Google Surprises Everyone with Android Wear on iOS
Do you use an iPhone but drool over the Moto 360? Or have you been eyeing up the beauty of the LG Urbane while staring forlornly at your 6+? Google has some good news for you: Android Wear is now available on iOS, though with some restrictions (both Google and Apple-related).