Android



Omate Racer X VMK Will Be the First Smartwatch made in Africa

In January, Omate announced their $99 Racer smartwatch with much fanfare. Earlier today, Omate Announced what looks to be a first in a blooming Smartwatch community, with their limited edition Omate Racer X VMK. It has been announced that the new smartwatch will be heading to Africa in locations in Congo, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon to begin in June of this year for assembly. Thanks to the Congolese mobile startup company VMK who hopes to become a major player in the mobile industry in Africa, the Omate brand intends to be both cost effective, while giving you all of the…





Tablet Market Shrank in 2014, Here are Some Possible Reasons Why

Last week we learned iPad sales declined … again. It was another sign of a shift in the tablet market different from the smartphone market. Now we hear from the IDC that the broader tablet market shrank with both Apple and Samsung along with ASUS and Amazon taking large hits and only Lenovo and ‘others’ gaining share. We asked ‘why’?




Nexus 6 Shortage Appears to Be Over

  Last week I sold my Moto X 2014 on Swappa in anticipation of receiving a Nexus 6 I  from the Google Play store. The Nexus 6 has been in short supply and often is available only for a few hours at a time on Google’s site. Devices are often available each Wednesday but only recently have they stayed in stock more than a day.


Pivotal Life 1 Fitness Tracker Review

If you’ve been looking for a fitness tracker, your budget is probably in the $50 to $150 range. That’s reasonable for a connected pedometer/fitness data collector, but Pivotal Living disagrees. They see the value of fitness tracking in the service, not the hardware, so they sell a subscription model instead. $12 gets you one year of service and one Pivotal Life 1 band!




Lenovo Brings a Huge Consumer Lineup to CES

Lenovo has been on fire the last few years with some amazing consumer offerings. They’re expanding even further this year at CES, announcing 10 new devices, from YOGA tablets and laptops to ultraportables, smartphones, and even a smartwatch/fitness tracker. You can check out their full lineup at their CES 2015 site, but here are a few of my favorites!


Huawei Ascend P7 Android Smartphone Review

Huawei has been going from strength to strength of late, and the Huawei Ascend P7 looks to keep pace with the company’s ambitions. The latest flagship devices from Huawei are anything but cheap feeling, using a combination of metal, glass and high-quality plastic to give their devices a solid, premium feel.


Motorola E on Republic Wireless Review

For the past month I’ve been reviewing the future. As it turns out, the future is cheap, reliable, and nearly indestructible. It’s not terribly flashy, but it gets the job done. The future is a Motorola E on Republic Wireless, a prepaid carrier using WiFi calling to lower the monthly cost.


Poetic FlipBook for Sony Xperia Z3 Review: Inexpensive Protection

My experience using my Sony Xperia Z2 on vacation as my in-pool ebook reader and underwater camera prompted me to pick up the Xperia Z3 when I got home. That meant I need a Sony Xperia Z3 case. That’s where Poetic came in. Their FlipBook is inexpensive protection simplicity. The poetic FlipBook for the Z2 surprised me. It was inexpensive but far nicer than its low price suggested. That’s why I immediately ordered the version for the Z3. At $16 it’s anything but pricey. And yet it looks and feels great. There is, as you will see in the video…


BiggiFi is an Impressive Android HDMI Stick with a Ton of Functionality

BiggiFi is a powerful Android device for your television, with a somewhat silly name. It’s a tiny Android-powered computer within an HDMI stick that’s hooked up directly to your television. You have access to the entire Google Play app library and can run most of its apps using your iPhone or Android phone for control. It retails for $89.



7″ Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet: Not Ready for Prime Time

When the Amazon Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet was announced, I was intrigued by the “Everything Kids love. Everything Parents Want.” tagline, and I immediately preordered. These 6″ and 7″ HD Fire tablets come with a 2-Year Guarantee, a kid-proof protective case, and the setup seemed perfect for a child’s first tablet.  After fiddling with one, I’m not convinced.


Dell Venue 8 7000 – A Most Intriguing Android Tablet

At 6mm, the new Dell Venue 8 7000 is being billed as the world’s thinnest Android tablet, but it’s size isn’t the only attractive feature; it also has an incredible 2560 x 1600 OLED display and “the first RealSense depth camera integrated into such a small form factor.” Have you even heard about it? Well, let me tell you…