Sony Xperia E4g Review

If you need an inexpensive, unpretentious phone to give to your teen or even kiddo, without worrying about the consequences, Sony has got you covered with the new Xperia E4g. It is pretty low as specs go, sporting a qHD screen (certainly not to be confused with QHD), a MediaTek chipset, and a basic 5 MP camera, but offers seemingly sturdy design, 4G connectivity, and has the Sony logo slapped on its back. Will the price and branding be enough to offset the circa 2012 specs sheet? Let's find out....

In the box:

Wall chargerMicroUSB cableWarranty and information leaflets

The chubby, soapy-shaped Xperia won't be winning any design contests this season, but it feels solid and sturdy in the hand. It is quite thick and light, which, coupled with the soft-touch plastic on the back, makes it easy to grab and hold, though the 10.8mm chassis girth might be a turnoff. The back panel, which encompasses the sides of the phone, is removable, but the battery is, sadly, non-replaceable. The power/lock key, and the volume rocker on the right, offer deep tactile feedback, but the power key feels a bit wobbly under your thumb when you play around with it, as it's actually a part of the removable rear casing.
5.24 x 2.8 x 0.43 inches
133 x 71 x 10.8 mm
4.76 oz (135 g)
5.57 x 2.78 x 0.43 inches
141.5 x 70.7 x 11 mm
5.26 oz (149 g)
5.27 x 2.64 x 0.37 inches
133.9 x 67.1 x 9.4 mm
4.72 oz (134 g)
5 x 2.56 x 0.34 inches
127 x 64.9 x 8.6 mm
4.55 oz (129 g)



Sony has been worrying that we've forgotten what a 540x960-pixel qHD display looks like, and is bent on reminding us that this type of resolution still exists with the Xperia E4g. We don't want to rain on its parade, but the 4.7” display returns 234ppi at this resolution, which might sound fine, but in reality small text looks interrupted, and icon edges are somewhat jagged – we'd certainly prefer at least a 720p panel at this price point.

As for the other screen quality criteria, however, the LCD panel has them covered well. The color representation is nearly spot on, with only the greens running a tad afoul, but certainly not to the level you'd notice it. We measured the white point to be relatively close to the reference, too – at 6328 Kelvins, it is only slightly on the warmish color side.

The good news about the display don't end here, either – it is very bright, at 508 nits, and has pretty decent viewing angles as well. All in all, despite the aging resolution, you won't be disappointed by the Xperia E4g display panel.

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Alcatel OneTouch Watch Review

Alcatel surprised many during CES 2015, when it announced a peculiar smartwatch of sorts. At first thought, most folks believed they were entering the Android Wear community, but that didn’t quite become the reality, as the Alcatel OneTouch Watch turned out to be compatible with both Android and iOS devices. In a way, that one unique perk gives it a step up over its Android Wear counterparts, since their reach is only limited to Android devices. Having so many options to choose from in the space, can the Alcatel OneTouch Watch deliver the punch to make it a contender?
Impressively, Alcatel has fashioned something compelling with the OneTouch Watch – it’s good-looking, solidly constructed, and it’s pretty compact in size. Of course, comparisons will be drawn to the Moto 360, but we’d still give Alcatel kudos for producing something that feels and looks good. That’s partly because they decided to go with the round face watch design, which definitely gives it that classical timepiece association. Naturally, its relatively small size will undoubtedly appease those with smaller wrists, as it boasts a more practical proportion.

Sporting a metal casing, it absolutely gives the OneTouch Watch that high quality feel. The only sore spot in its design is found in the tick marks and numbers found hugging the outside area of the watch face – it serves no real purpose. Instead, it would’ve been better if were just a clean surface, giving it a better, more uniform look.

Unfortunately, the rubbery textured wrist strap cannot be replaced. That’s a bummer for those expecting to swap bands, but Alcatel’s decision is without warrant. In fact, there are two main reasons why they decided to go with this particular implementation. First, the strap features an NFC tag for easy initial setup. Secondly, rather than going with a proprietary charging system, Alcatel has embedded the charger into the end of the band – so there’s no fiddling around with cables or adapters to charge it. Still, it would have been nice to have the option of changing the band to a different style, since the stock one is decidedly sporty.

Rounding things out, there’s a heart rate sensor on the underside of the Alcatel OneTouch Watch – while a single button on its right side turns on the display. In terms of comfort, the strap is adjustable to accommodate various wrist sizes. On top of that, the rubbery material feels soft over the skin, allowing it to hug the wrist without too much discomfort. Oh yeah, it’s also IP67 certified to make it dustproof and to protect it from submersion.

For what it is, the 1.22-inch 240 x 204 display is effective for all practical use. Sure, it’s not the most detailed thing we’ve come across, but its potent brightness output, neutral color reproduction, and decent viewing angles makes it easy to use in all sorts of conditions – even outdoors with the sun present. Upon closer inspection, however, one can notice that it has the same “flat tire” shape of the Moto 360, where the bottom portion is flat. Alcatel has chosen to reserve this area for the “back” function, so pressing on it will perform it.

Pressing the button on its side, or flicking out the wrist to turn on the display, the first thing we’re greeted to is the time. Tapping on the screen then gets us to the main menu, which contains icons to some of its functions. What’s nice is that we have access to data directly through the display, rather than going through the app to see fitness data. Showing off its “smart” function, we can even view notifications at any time by swiping up from the bottom bezel. Generally speaking, these notifications are more like previews, but some dish up more information.

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ZAGG Pocket Keyboard Review

Many of us have become extremely versed in using on-screen keyboards for dishing out long passages of text, it just becomes so natural. Still, other folks will still vouch that the best experience is still a physical one, like what we get from a traditional keyboard. Making itself ready for the challenge of the on-the-go lifestyle, the ZAGG Pocket Keyboard aims to appease those individuals that prefer a tactile response.

Truly mobile, the ZAGG Pocket really condenses down for easy stowing while you're traveling. With its folding hinged design, it's able to collapse into a an elongated and slim rectangular footprint, which doesn't occupy a whole lot of room when it's placed in a bag. Better yet, ZAGG’s implementation manages to retain a full QWERTY layout – one that unfurls in between rows, so that it keeps the layout we're used to using with a traditional keyboard.

Flipping it open to expose its entire layout, the ZAGG Pocket automatically turns on and connects to our smartphone via Bluetooth – a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge in this case. A small part of it flips out to accommodate a phone, both in landscape and portrait orientations, but we wouldn’t say it’s something that would accept tablets. Paying attention to the chicklet-styled keys, they’re decently spaced from one another to minimize accidental presses when typing at a quicker pace. However, there’s no denying that the layout is cramped, which is something we suppose is the compromise in making such a compact styled keyboard.

In our experience, though, the ZAGG Pocket is most effective when using it on a flat surface – it just won’t work well anywhere else. For one, flat surfaces allow the phone stand portion to stay smoothly in place. If we were to use it on our lap, there would be too much movement to keep our phone steady in place. Initially, we required a bit of time getting adjusted to the layout, but after a while, it became second nature to us. Of course, we appreciate that the layout includes a dedicated row for numbers and a directional pad.

Needless to say, the ZAGG Pocket is a great option if you’re desperate to use a physical keyboard for the times when you need to knock out long passages of text. The compact nature, in combination with its full QWERTY layout, makes it an effective thing to use on a flat surface after some practice – albeit, it would’ve been great if it were more stable to use on our lap. Dishing out $69.99 will nab you the ZAGG Pocket. That’s on the pricey side, but taking into account its pocketable form factor, it’s definitely warranted.

Is this the best portable keyboard out there? That’s a tough one to answer, just because there’s a mixture of good and bad. There are cheaper ones online, but they don’t offer the same folding style of this one – so this is unique in the way it really condenses down for travel.

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Cyntur JumperPack mini Review

It’s been a long day of work, so you’re stoked about heading home to relax and unwind. You open the door to your car, place the key in the ignition, and then the unexpected happens – the car won’t start, due to a dead battery caused by accidentally leaving on the headlights. Sure, you can call for help, or maybe find a bystander with some jumper cables to help you out, but either way, that’s time involved that could’ve been used to get to your destination quicker. Now, if you’ve ever been in this particular predicament, the folks over at Cyntur have an invaluable accessory that you might find useful for this particular scenario.

We’re talking about the Cyntur JumperPack mini, a 12,000 mAh lithium-ion battery pack that will not only charge your mobile devices, but even offer a serious jump start to your car. In fact, it’s powerful enough to jump start vehicles with up to 8 cylinder engines! The process is pretty simple, as it involves connecting the included jump start cable to the unit – while the clamps are placed appropriately in the correct terminals of your vehicle’s battery. From there, all that’s left to do is start your vehicle, and voila! Your car is back to its working self!

Honestly, the Cyntur JumperPack mini offers peace of mind in this scenario. Better yet, the company claims that JumperPack mini can retain its charge for up to a year. That’s quite generous, especially if it’s something you’ll pack in the glove box compartment, but who knows if it’ll really keep that charge for that amount of time. Nevertheless, the carrying case included with the unit keeps everything organized and within reach. Besides jump starting, we can connect a variety of devices to the 2.1A USB port on the unit to juice them up on the go. Adding more to its arsenal, the JumperPack mini also houses a 200 lumens LED light to act as a torch or emergency strobe light.

In terms of design, there’s definitely a rugged quality to it, as the tough plastic exterior, with its standout orange-black color scheme, is fashioned to be IPX3 certified to protect it from water splashes. Weighing in at 1 pound, it’s pretty remarkable that it’s able to carry on a beefy 12,000 mAh battery – while also offering its jump starting abilities. Some folks might be disappointed by the single USB port on the JumperPack mini, which means that only a single device can be charged at any given time, but in all fairness, we’re forgiving because of the added functionality it boasts over other battery charging packs.

Sporting a price tag of $99.99, it’s definitely a pricey investment, seeing that similar capacity battery chargers can be snagged for easily half as much online. Still, we have to mention that this offers added functionality we don’t get from those other, standard battery chargers. In those times when you need to jump start your car, the Cyntur JumperPack mini is a handy accessory to have – just because you’ll be able to drive home in no time at all.

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ZTE SPRO 2 Review

There’s just so much tech already crammed into the sleek bodies of our mobile devices that every inch of real-estate is maximized, leaving very little room for any added luxuries. Projectors are uncommon in smartphones, but they do exist – evident by past things like the LG eXpo and Samsung Galaxy Beam. Don’t get us wrong, the concept is undeniably cool, where a projector is somehow fashioned into a smartphone, but sometimes the end result is just a lackluster experience with the projector. Rather than attacking it from the same angle as some other folks, the ZTE SPRO2 does it the opposite way. Essentially, what we have here is a projector meeting a smartphone, and not the other way around.
Right from the onset, there’s no denying that ZTE first wanted this thing to be a dedicated projector, which is plainly made obvious by its boxy design. Unlike traditional projectors, though, this is far more compact in size and weight – giving it that mobile attachment, if you want to take along with you. However, for a smartphone, it’s nowhere on the same level that would allow us to put it in our back pocket. And it’s pretty heavy for a mobile device at 19.4 oz, but to be fair, it is packing along a monster sized 6300 mAh battery – while most of the components that make up a smartphone and much more.

Around the back end of the unit, it carries a host of ports that give it added versatility over most mobile devices. Specifically, we have its power port, USB 3.0 port, microSD card slot, SIM slot, 3.5mm headset jack, and a full-sized HDMI port. The latter is especially useful, seeing we can connect another device, like a video game console, so it can be connected to the unit’s projector. Rounding out its features set, it packs a quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, dual-band 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0 with EDR. The only thing lacking here is a camera of some sort.

On its façade, it’s dominated by a 5-inch 1280 x 720 touchscreen, which is set up in a landscape format. Surprisingly enough, it bears some pretty good qualities that make it usable – it’s detailed enough, bright, sports decent viewing angles, and colors are on the neutral side. Beneath that, we have the usual trio of dedicated Android buttons – with the physical power button further down.

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Parrot Zik 2.0 Review

It’s been a long, long time since we’ve reviewed anything from Parrot, the company known for its line of Bluetooth related products. Always known to be a player in the mobile space with its portfolio of Bluetooth headsets, they’ve obviously expanded in the last several years to diversify their reach, which now extends into the high-end Bluetooth stereo headphones range. With the Parrot Zik 2.0, the company has developed a rich and powerful pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones to tackle the competition – reflected by its hefty price point of $400.

Refreshing, it’s the word that best describes the simple, straightforward, and premium nature of the Parrot Zik 2.0’s design. It really doesn’t look like anything else we’ve seen, so it’s pretty astounding that they’re able to come to the table with something so unique looking. Whereas other headphones try to be over stylized, the Parrot Zik 2.0 goes for the minimalist approach – further accentuated by its premium choice of materials. For one, the brushed metal frame provides support and strength to allow for a comfort fit around our head. Add to that, the faux-leather finishes around the ear cups and headband provide a uniform look that’s always clean looking. Lastly, there’s ample cushioning everywhere to make it extremely comfortable to wear over long periods of time – plus, it’s incredibly lightweight too!

Adjustable in height and boasting swivel hinges, they wrap around our head without feeling too constricting. At the same time, too, they’re never too loose fitting to come off with abrupt movement – so it’s usable for running or physical activity. Impressively, Parrot is able to stuff a ton of features into its compact package. The listing includes built-in NFC for quick pairing, adaptive noise cancellation, smart touch controls, and a wired connection for unfiltered quality. Pairing it with an iPhone 6 Plus, its Bluetooth 3.0 connection is exceptional with its range – allowing us to go as far as 30 feet before losing connectivity.

In addition, Parrot has outfitted the Zik 2.0 with a plethora of sensors, like a bone detection sensor, to detect and analyze the vibrations of the jaw when speaking to enhance voice quality. There’s even a sensor that knows when it’s taken off your head, so that it’ll pause music – and resume once it’s worn again. If you don’t want that to happen, the companion mobile app allows users to modify the settings and behaviors of its various sensors. Using the touch sensitive surface of the right ear cup, we can execute all the controls needed for music playback and phone calls. In fact, a single tap acts as the pause/play. Swiping up and down acts as volume control, while swiping right and left performs track forward and reverse functions. It’s just nice we have all the controls at our disposal.

Lots of headphones claim to offer superior noise cancellation, but none of them can come close to the amazing powers of the Parrot Zik 2.0. To be fair, we’ve never come across any pair that totally cancels out background noise, but this one comes pretty close – and it does a lot better job than anything else we’ve come across. Best of all, we can adjust it through the mobile app, which will even all the headphones to amplify sounds. This is especially useful if we want “enhanced” hearing (think Superman hearing).

Quite simply, the Parrot Zik 2.0 also impresses us with its phenomenal audio quality – it’s just rich and delightful on so many levels. You can say that it tries to please all audio ranges, so that consists of lows, mids, and highs, but this it goes to a higher degree by offering us complete control in the way we want to listen to music. Using the companion mobile app again, we can fine tune its equalizer setting to enhance the quality to our liking. Therefore, we can set it to favor lows more than the highs – or vice versa. Even at the loudest volume, the Parrot Zik 2.0 reverberates with an outstanding mixture of audio that’s crisp and refreshing. Trust us, it takes great pride in delivering the best audio experience out there!

Now, we only have two minor complaints with the headphones. First, its battery life is rather short at 3 days of usage – a total of 6 hours, which breaks down to 2 hours each day while using it at the gym. Well, we should note that we had its noise-cancellation option set to its max, which obviously will lessen its usage. Secondly, it doesn’t offer any sort of audio notifications through the headphones. In a couple of instances, the Parrot Zik 2.0 just suddenly stopped, and we were baffled by this. After digging around, we realized that its battery just simply died – we weren’t notified about it unless we checked the app.

This one doesn’t come cheap at all, oh no. Rather, you’ll have to fork over a whopping $400 to pick this up. That’s a serious investment when you look at the number, which costs just as much as any good tablet. However, it’s a treat we’d be delighted to hand over because the Parrot Zik 2.0 is undoubtedly an indulgence we don’t mind relishing on time-after-time. From its striking design, its rich set of features, and outstanding audio quality, it’s worth every bit of the money. Hands down, this one is a clear winner on all fronts!

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Fitbit Surge Review

If you haven’t noticed, Fitbit has been somewhat busy of late, evident by the trio of new products they’ve recently announced. First up was their most affordable new offering in the Fitbit Charge, then followed by the heart rate sensor packing Fitbit Charge HR, which now leads us to its latest product – the Fitbit Surge, aka the “fitness super watch.” That’s a peculiar attachment, considering there have been a handful of smartwatches saturating the market, but what makes the Surge befitting of that reputation? At its core, naturally, it’s a fitness tracker, but one that’s on steroids.

Packaging contains:
Fitbit SurgeProprietary chargerWireless sync dongleUsers manual

Unlike the discrete style of its other fitness bands, the Fitbit Surge is a giant sized looking that screams for attention when it’s worn. No doubt, it’s hulkier in size than anything else the company has designed before, but it’s somewhat necessary to give it that substantial reputation. Hardly a surprise to us, its design is influenced by the company’s other recent bands, the Fitbit Charge namely, as the strap features the same textured and flexible elastomer material – giving it that rubbery feel and sporty look.

Aesthetically, it’s a hard-lined, edgy design that favors a contemporary look. We won’t say it’s downright ugly or incredibly gorgeous, but rather, it’s a safe approach for them to take. At the very least, it’s pretty comfortable to wear for long periods of time, as it contours our wrist perfectly and feels smooth over our skin. Available in three colors and three sizes, its similarity to a watch is evident by the surgical-grade stainless steel buckle it uses, which allows us to adjust it accordingly.

On the underside of the unit, we have the unit’s proprietary charging port and heart rate sensor. Meanwhile, the display is flanked by a total of three physical buttons – one on the left to switch between its menus, and another two on the right that are also used for navigation around the interface.

In being attached as a “fitness super watch,” the Fitbit Surge features a monochrome square-shaped LCD touchscreen. Even though some might find it blah in appearance, it’s actually quite viewable in all sorts of conditions – both day and night time, as the backlighting helps to illuminate it. Indeed, it’s light on the pixels, but at the very least, it’s able to display relevant data without having us to squint a whole lot, or move in very closely to inspect.

Having an LCD screen is pretty beneficial, seeing that we can view data directly on the Surge – whereas with other fitness trackers that lack a screen, we have to rely on their companion mobile apps to view data. From being able to tell the time, to viewing how many steps we’ve taken, the screen offers us some level of independence. However, it’s only the daily results that we have access through the Surge’s display. To view previous days, we’re still required to check them out through the app.

Oh yeah, we can even view text message notifications through the display as well, which we can proclaim to be a “smart” function for this fitness tracker. Unless it’s passages of text, we can pretty much read the entire body directly on the screen. Additionally, we can use the display to control various music controls as well.

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Soen Transit XS Review

We’ve seen and covered plenty of portable Bluetooth speakers in our time. Some good, some bad, and a lot that we’ve forgotten about because they’re so conventional – both on the functional and design sides. So what makes Soen Audio’s Transit XS unique and different from all others we’ve got our hands on? Well, out of everything, it’s a portable Bluetooth speaker that’s probably most notable for featuring a standard ¼” tripod mount.

Visually speaking, it the Transit XS clearly looks very much like your standard portable Bluetooth speaker, but it’s nice to find that it’s truly compact – so much so that it’s the kind of thing that we can fit in our back pocket. Going with a wedged shaped design, one that utilizes distinctive hard lines, the entire casing has a soft touch finish that gives it a clean look. Obviously, the material gives it some splash resistance, but it’s not something that’s fully waterproof, so it’s not the kind of thing you’ll be dipping or throwing into the pool.

Most of its façade, naturally, is occupied by the speaker grill – while its volume up, volume down, option button, power switch, 3.5mm audio input, battery level LEDs, and microUSB port are found around its sides. Soen attempts to deepen the Transit XS’ functionality by offering several different accessories at various price points. For example, it’s undeniable that they’re marketing it as the perfect companion for bike riding, as the bicycle mount allows it to be properly fastened. And considering that there’s a standard ¼” tripod mount on its underside, it’s already compatible with an assortment of existing mounts and accessories – like the GorillaPod.

Pairing it to a mobile device is made easier with those outfitted with built-in NFC, seeing that hovering the device over the NFC tag on the top side of the speaker initiates the connection. In our experience, we’re able to retain a connection for up to 20 feet before it starts to show signs of degradation with its stability.

In terms of its audio quality, we’ll certainly say that it emits a pretty clean tone, which is aided by the subtle bass tones from its patented Soen Momentum Port. However, its volume output is rather underpowered in our opinion, so it’s something that doesn’t really cover distances that well, which we don’t find ample for using while on a bike. Indeed, it’s good for closed or confined spaces, but it just doesn’t have the reach for open areas.

Plastered with a sticker price of $129.95, it’s definitely up there in terms of price point when we factor in its overall size. Very recently, we reviewed another comparable speaker, the Samsung Level Box Mini, which comes in cheaper at $100. Both speakers clearly have their attributes, but their volume outputs are equally the same. Essentially, what you’re paying extra here is for the superior water resistant construction and ¼” tripod mount. If they’re something you prize, then the extra cost will be more than validated. If not, then think about the other alternative to save yourself some money.

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A-Audio Icon Wireless Headphones Review

If Beats Audio is considered mainstream at this point, and Bose still regarded as the premium maker in the space, then it seems as though A-Audio is looking to find itself somewhere in between. Have you ever heard of A-Audio before? We certainly never heard of them before either, but it looks as though they’re trying to break onto the scene with its line of premium-made audio products. One of them in particular, the A-Audio Icon Wireless, catches our attention for its hard to believe cost of $379. Naturally, there are plenty of premium priced Bluetooth headphones around, but can this one somehow prove it’s worth every single penny for hardcore audiophiles to accept?

We’ll get in right into it folks, the design of the A-Audio Icon Wireless is rather odd and strange at first sight. Normally, we would envision premium priced headphones to sport industrial, minimalist designs – similar to what we find in the portfolio of audio companies like Bose and V-Moda. Going with an avant-garde style, there’s something mechanical about it – with a hint of sophistication. It’s most evident when looking at the steel octagonal bezels that are slapped onto each ear cup. Accentuating the style are the various bolted screws around each ear cup that help to add to its mechanical-like styling.

Even though its design can be regarded as cold-looking, it’s at least pretty comfortable around the head because it features supple leather around the headband to provide cushion and support. On top of that, the entire thing has a tight fit, so it’s something that stays still even with heavy movement. Rounding things out, the Icon Wireless also features a collapsible design to occupy very little space if it’s placed in a bag or something – plus, the ear cups are placed on a swivel joint so that they can rest comfortably while it's around our neck.

The left ear cup is home to the dedicated power button, which powers on the unit when it’s held down. Pressing it once, though, will light up the corresponding LEDs to indicate its battery level. While music is playing, a double press of the button will cycle through its 3-Stage Listening Technology modes – they consist of Base Enhancer, Active Noise Cancellation, and wired audio. Conversely, the right ear cup accommodates its multi-function button, which act as the pause/play/pickup/end functions. Flanking it top and bottom are the dedicated volume keys to adjust its output.

So, what’s the quality like with this Bluetooth enabled set? Well, if you have a thing for the lows, you’ll especially love the pounding tones the A-Audio Icon Wireless is able to muster up. Surely, bass tones are profound on all volume levels, as the headphones pop with power – showing very little strain even at the loudest setting. Indeed, the lows are represented greatly with this, but it tends to subdue the high frequency tones. As for its noise-cancellation feature, we’ll say that it’s good, but not great. When it’s enabled, we can tell that background noise is suppressed, but its presence can still linger on lower volumes.

Anything over $300 for a pair of headphones will warrant deep scrutiny to uncover its worth. Quite frankly, the $379 sticker price attached to the A-Audio Icon Wireless is a tough sell – more so considering other comparable priced headphones offer a deeper set of features. Plus, we’re not necessarily won over by its particular styling. Nevertheless, if you’re a fan of bass heavy headphones, you won’t be disappointed by this.

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Huawei P8 Review

Getting noticed in the smartphone space is increasingly getting tough, especially in the Android space, now that the Samsung Galaxy S6 has set the bar for everyone else. Last year, Huawei managed to pique our interest with the Ascend P7, its flagship phone that showed to us all that the company is capable of delivering a quality performing smartphone in a premium package – while also retaining a pretty svelte chassis. Staying relevant is key to long term growth, so knowing that, the company is hoping that its latest effort is enough to remain competitive.

With the announcement of its latest flagship handset, Huawei has shed the Ascend moniker, choosing instead to go with a direct approach by merely naming it the P8. From the looks of it, Huawei has been cognizant to improve the P8 in several key areas, like its specs and design, allowing it to keep pace with what the competition has announced thus far. However, even with all the diligent work put in by the company to keep it in contention, is it enough to actually rise above and reach the same level of prestige that’s attached to the devices we get from Apple and Samsung?

The package contains:

Huawei P8Wall chargermicroUSB cableStereo headphonesSIM removal tool

Aesthetically, the P8 looks closely similar to its predecessor in the Ascend P7, so the same tradition to offering a premium design carries on with this. Sporting a hard lined design, one that’s uniformly flat both on the front and back, there’s clearly an edgy look to the entire package – accentuated further by its beveled edges. What’s most profound, though, is the premium touch that we get from the design with its new glass and metal design.

Going with this type of materials, it incrementally gives the phone a sturdier feeling construction than its predecessor, but at the same time, too, it gives it a substantial feel in the hand to make us know it’s solid. Technically, it’s longer, wider, and heavier than the Ascend P7, but the company was able to shave off just a smidgen off the phone to reach a profile thinness of 6.4mm, which eclipses the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 in the process. What’s even more impressive, though, is that there’s no hump near or around the rear camera – making it completely flush, a rare achievement of late, it seems!

Holding the P8, however, there’s a subtle sharp feel due to those beveled edges around its trim. It’s not as bad as some other handsets, but it’s still noticeable nonetheless. The achievements are commendable on so many levels! Its premium design, svelte chassis, and uniformly flush surfaces, all point to the obvious that Huawei is more than capable of coming up with good designs.

In keeping true to the design language of its predecessor, the P8 features the same set of ports and buttons around its trim – even in the same locations as before too! These include the 3.5mm headphone jack and noise cancelling mic on its top edge, the power button, volume controls, microSD slot, and SIM slot on its right, and the microUSB port, microphone, and speaker along the bottom side of the phone. Looking intently more on its bottom edge, we can’t help but to draw comparisons to the iPhone 6, seeing that the microUSB charging port is flanked by screws.

Again, we have to applaud Huawei for keeping the P8’s surfaces flush – while also being accompanied with a premium finish. When it’s laid flat on either side, there’s no odd section that’s raised due to the camera lens sticking out. It’s almost mind-boggling, but it’s rare nowadays to find phones that have uniformly flush surfaces like the P8, so we really appreciate that one particular design trait. Of course, that may be at the expense of camera quality...

5.7 x 2.84 x 0.25 inches
144.9 x 72.1 x 6.4 mm
5.08 oz (144 g)
5.69 x 2.74 x 0.38 inches
144.6 x 69.7 x 9.61 mm
5.54 oz (157 g)
5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 inches
143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm
4.87 oz (138 g)
5.76 x 2.83 x 0.27 inches
146.3 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm
5.08 oz (144 g)



In an age where quad-HD screens are increasingly becoming the standard for most flagships, Huawei has chosen to instead outfit the P8 with a 5.2-inch 1080 x 1920 JDI IPS-Neo display. Of course, 1080p resolution is more than effective on a 5.2-inch sized screen, allowing for strong details for both near and far viewing. Paying our attention to this evolved IPS-LCD based panel, Japan Display’s IPS-Neo technology delivers the goods in giving this new display some respectable qualities like blacks that are truly black, making for a nicely contrasty look.

At the same time, too, the panel clearly favors a more saturated color reproduction when the display is set to the default color temperature setting, which is made more profound by how the color values fall in the color gamut chart. Even though it’s an improvement, the ~7200K color temperature of the display gives the entire panel a colder look – though, it can be adjusted in the settings. For the most part, this IPS-Neo display exhibits enough vibrancy to retain our attention.

Another improvement to the display is its brightness output, which now reaches 503 nits. Although it’s far from being the brightest, it’s still quite visible outdoors when the sun is out. Tilting the phone a little doesn’t distort the screen, but at widest angles, we can discern a slightly more washed out look. Overall, it’s a solid effort, but we wouldn’t say it’s perfect just yet.

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SOL Republic Shadow Review

We’ve covered our fair share of sporty-styled Bluetooth headphones, ranging the entire spectrum of the category – so that includes over the ear styles and some in-ear ones as well. Some carry the qualities we want for the active individual, while others miss the mark entirely. With the SOL Republic Shadow, it’s been designed to fit comfortably around your neck for a secure fit, which can be used for all sorts of occasions; not just for fitness use.

In our experience, we’re quite familiar with this design style, as we’ve seen it previously in LG’s line of Tone Bluetooth headsets. Essentially, what we have here is a lightweight, flexible band that wraps around our neck. Unlike LG’s models, though, the Shadow is able to flex and move – so it’s able to stay firmly in place with adverse movement, as opposed to flopping around. On top of that, it features a rubbery like finish that enables it to endure sweat and rain.

Along each end, we have its ear buds, which suction perfectly into our ear for a secure fit. Even with running, they manage to stay in place to provide continuous use without the worry of having the ear buds coming loose during a run. Along the right section of the band, we have a dedicated power button on the underside – while the multi-function button is flanked by the volume up and down buttons along the top edge. In the inside area, though, there’s an LED light that glows in either blue or red to indicate its connectivity status. As for the left section of the band, the only thing there is the microUSB port on the underside, which is hidden behind the plastic flap covering it.

Pairing it with a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, we’re certainly astounded by the punchy audio quality it’s able to produce – seemingly favoring the lower audio ranges more than anything else. Therefore, if you’re the kind of person that loves to hear the rumble of beats and heavy bass, you’ll certainly be exposed to a lot of it here with the SOL Republic Shadow. Still, it’s not too overpowering to drown out mids and highs. They’re still well represented, but there’s no denying that there’s more of a profound effort to accentuate the lows. At the highest volume setting, the Shadow is able to retain its crisp quality – with no distortion or crackling.

Battery life is rated for 8 hours, and in our usage, it’s able to do just that – 2 hours at the gym each day for 4 days. We wouldn’t say that it’s a long tally, considering that some over-the-ear styles can reach well over 10 hours, but we’re very content by what it offers. Attached with a $99.99 sticker tag, it’s a price point that we find to be befitting. Although it’s what we regard as the ideal companion for active individual, it’s still a pleasant thing to use if you simply want to sit back and relax too – so it’s great for all sorts of listening experiences. Don’t worry, you can expect this to power you through your workout sessions!

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HTC Titan II Review

The HTC Titan II is the
manufacturer's latest flagship
Windows Phone on AT&T, and while
it may arguably have the best
hardware among Windows Phones,
it's overshadowed by the Nokia
Lumia 900 that launched on the
same day. For those of you who
are willing to look beyond the
Lumia 900, and don't mind spending
a bit more up front, the Titan II
might just have a perfect storm
of features: an impressive 4.7"
Super LCD display, LTE 4G and a 16
megapixel camera with backside
illuminated sensor. That's right:
16MP in a US camera phone. And
yes, it takes awesome photos.
Much of Windows Phone 7.5 specs
are written in stone thanks to
Microsoft's requirements. The
phone runs on a 1.5GHz
Snapdragon S2 single core CPU, it
has 512 megs of RAM, 16 gigs of
storage and an 800 x 480
capacitive display. The CPU type,
RAM and resolution are MS
requirements. Manufacturers can
use the cameras, display size and
storage allotment of their
choosing.
The Titan II has a front
1.3MP video chat camera that
works with Tango and Skype Beta
for video calls and it has the
usual WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth
2.1 + EDR and a GPS that works
with Bing Maps and AT&T
Navigator.
Design and Ergonomics: Unibody
Elegance
The 6.2 ounce Titan II has HTC's
popular and proven unibody design.
It looks elegant, classy,
understated and it has a little
flair--a curved chin and curved
glass. The phone's casing is mostly
aluminum, with plastic over the
antenna area. There are no
creaks here, no ugly seams and
the back has a rubbery soft touch
feel though it looks like metal. The
gray metallic color changes as you
move the phone, and a small door
at the bottom has a stippled
texture to improve grip. That door
covers the full size SIM card slot;
there's no access to the 1730 mAh
battery and like
HTC Titan II
The HTC Titan II is the
manufacturer's latest flagship
Windows Phone on AT&T, and while
it may arguably have the best
hardware among Windows Phones,
it's overshadowed by the Nokia
Lumia 900 that launched on the
same day. For those of you who
are willing to look beyond the
Lumia 900, and don't mind spending
a bit more up front, the Titan II
might just have a perfect storm
of features: an impressive 4.7"
Super LCD display, LTE 4G and a 16
megapixel camera with backside
illuminated sensor. That's right:
16MP in a US camera phone. And
yes, it takes awesome photos.
Much of Windows Phone 7.5 specs
are written in stone thanks to
Microsoft's requirements. The
phone runs on a 1.5GHz
Snapdragon S2 single core CPU, it
has 512 megs of RAM, 16 gigs of
storage and an 800 x 480
capacitive display. The CPU type,
RAM and resolution are MS
requirements. Manufacturers can
use the cameras, display size and
storage allotment of their
choosing. The Titan II has a front
1.3MP video chat camera that
works with Tango and Skype Beta
for video calls and it has the
usual WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth
2.1 + EDR and a GPS that works
with Bing Maps and AT&T
Navigator.
Design and Ergonomics: Unibody
Elegance
The 6.2 ounce Titan II has HTC's
popular and proven unibody design.
It looks elegant, classy,
understated and it has a little
flair--a curved chin and curved
glass. The phone's casing is mostly
aluminum, with plastic over the
antenna area. There are no
creaks here, no ugly seams and
the back has a rubbery soft touch
feel though it looks like metal. The
gray metallic color changes as you
move the phone, and a small door
at the bottom has a stippled
texture to improve grip. That door
covers the full size SIM card slot;
there's no access to the 1730 mAh
battery and like most Windows
Phones, it has no microSD card
slot.
Despite the huge 4.7" display, the
Titan II is barely bigger than the
4.3" Nokia Lumia 900 and it weighs
about the same. It's actually
lighter than the original Titan.
We're impressed with HTC's design
skills: somehow they managed to
make a 4.7" phone that's close to
the size of the Lumia 900 and 4.5"
Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket .
The headphone jack and power
button are up top and the micro
USB sync/charge port is on the
left side. The volume controls and
dedicated camera button are on
the right. The controls work well,
as do the capacitive front
buttons. Despite its size, the
phone feels good in my admittedly
large hand, and I appreciate the
curved and tapered sides that
make it more palm-friendly. The
grippy back is another plus.
Calling and Fast LTE 4G Data
Call quality wasn't tops with the
first Titan, released at the end of
2011. We're happy to report that
the Titan II has very good call
quality for both incoming and
outgoing voice, and reception
that's comparable to the very
good Lumia 900. Incoming voice
volume is average while outgoing
voice is very loud (speak softly!).
The phone has LTE 4G on AT&T,
and it falls back to AT&T's also
zippy HSPA+ 21Mbps network that
the carrier also calls 4G
(technically it's part of the 3G
standard, but carriers play loose
and fast with that 4G label).
We're in an LTE coverage area and
speeds are impressive and every
bit as good as our LTE Samsung
Galaxy S II Skyrocket and a tad
faster than the Nokia. We
averaged 19 Mbps down and
5.8Mbps up according to the
"Bandwidth" test app available on
the Windows Phone Marketplace.
The smartphone has the mobile
hotspot feature so you can use it
as a wireless high speed access
point for your laptop or tablet.
This feature is included with
AT&T's 5 gig, $50/month data
plan.
Specs:
Display: 4.7" capacitive multi-
touch Super LCD.
Resolution: 800 x 480, supports both portrait and
landscape modes via acceleromter.
Has an ambient light sensor, gyro
sensor and proximity sensor.
Battery: Lithium Ion
rechargeable. Battery is not user
replaceable. 1730 mAh.
Performance: 1.5GHz Qualcomm
Snapdragon S2 single core CPU
with Adreno 205 graphics. 512
megs RAM, 16 gigs internal flash
storage .
Size: 5.12 x 2.76 x 0.39 inches.
Weight: 6.2 ounces.
Phone: GSM quad band world phone
with 3G/4G HSPA+ 21Mbps on the
850/1900/2100MHz bands. LTE 4G
on AT&T.
Camera: 1.3MP front video chat
camera and 16MP rear main
camera with backside illuminated
sensor and dual LED flash and 4x
digital zoom. Can shoot 720p
video.
Audio: Built in speaker, mic and
3.5mm standard stereo headphone
jack.
Networking: Integrated WiFi
802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 +
EDR.
Software: Windows Phone 7.5
Mango.
Expansion Slot: None.
Via : mobiletechreview

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