Items tagged with smartphone
Sony has announced a new flagship smartphone called the Xperia 1 II. The strange name marks the second edition of the device that first launched roughly a year ago. Highlights of the new Xperia 1 II include the claim of being the world's first smartphone with up to 20 fps continuous shooting capability. The camera array is a triple-lens setup with a 3D iToF technology and ZEISS optics with a T coating just for the smartphone. The three 12MP sensors of the camera array have focal lengths of 16mm, 24mm, and 70mm respectively, and support advanced photo technologies. The cameras also have continuous autofocus and auto-exposure that performance AF/AE calculations at 60 times per second. Sony also...
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Jerry Rig Everything (JRE) has long been taking smartphones and putting them through rigorous to see how durable they are. One of the most annoying things for many smartphone users is a screen that scratches easily. After Samsung touted how durable its thin and flexible glass was, being able to withstand 200,000 folds, JRE decided to put the device to the test for screen durability. However, the test didn't go so well. One thing noted before the durability test starts is that the flexible glass over the camera lens has a divot in it and that you can see a crease in the glass over the hinge area when the device is unfolded. JRE also promises to test the hinge for durability later, noting that...
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Motorola has its new Razr smartphone in the hands of various testers. One of the test scenarios that we saw recently had the smartphone loaded into a custom-made testing machine called FoldBot that folded and unfolded the phone repeatedly to see how long the device could last before the hinge or screen broke. The longevity of a smartphone that is as expensive as the Razr is a key consideration for buyers, obviously. When CNET put the Razr into its folding robot, it found that the hinge stopped working correctly after 27,000 folds. It figures that would be roughly two years of average daily use. In response to that CNET test, Motorola released its own test in a video, seen below, that is titled...
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Motorola seemingly has a knack for knocking out excellent mid-range Android phones like the Moto G series and the Moto Mod-capable and 5G ready Moto Z3. With more and more entrants bringing good enough performance at affordable price points, however, it's getting harder for manufacturers to differentiate. Even the underlying platforms are mostly standardized these days, with SoCs coming from just a couple of big players like Qualcomm. What's a manufacturer to do to stand out in the crowd? That's what Motorola is striving for with its Motorola One family of devices, specifically today's entrant, the Motorola One Action. Motorola's One lineup consists of several entrants all with different...
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The Samsung Galaxy S20 family will be the new 2020 flagship Android device for Samsung. Instead of calling the device the Galaxy S11, as fits with the sequential order, Samsung is skipping ahead to the S20 name. While we've seen benchmarks and heard rumors about what the smartphone would offer, we have yet to see any clear images of the device in the wild until now. Keep in mind that the Galaxy S20+ 5G smartphone pictured here is the mid-range offering in the coming Galaxy line. The Galaxy S20 Ultra will allegedly sit above it, and the base Galaxy S20 will sit below it. The images turned up on XDA Developers and were sent in by an anonymous source who completely ignored the sticker on the...
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Samsung has confirmed a new ruggedized smartphone called the Galaxy XCover Pro that is enterprise-ready and aimed directly at business users. Rather than being a smartphone made out of metal and glass, it's covered in a ruggedized case that some may find more attractive than a regular smartphone stuffed inside a protective case. Along with being rugged enough to survive in the field with workers, the device also has enterprise-ready features like support for the new walkie talkie capability in Microsoft Teams. Samsung says that it has optimized the smartphone for retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics environments. The Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro is IP68 water and dust resistant and can...
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Apple's iPhone XR is no longer a current-generation, near-flagship level, but it is still a very popular smartphone. Counterpoint Research's Market Pulse took a look at global sales figures for the smartphone industry, and the latest numbers for Q3 2019 are in. According to Market Pulse, the iPhone XR was the top-selling smartphone globally for the quarter. The publication notes that the iPhone XR has been the best-selling smartphone globally since Q4 2018, and over 25% of all Apple smartphone sales for Q3 2019 were the iPhone XR. One decision that helped keep the iPhone XR at the top of the sales charts for the quarter was an adjustment of the price in China and several other markets. Apple's...
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Nearly everyone has grown tired of robocalls that spoof phone numbers in an attempt to get you to refinance your student loans or buy an extended warranty for your car. AT&T is trying to end the robocall scourge and has enabled new displays on some smartphones that will tell you if the number you are seeing on the screen is actually the number that is calling. The new feature is activated on the Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and LG V40 ThinQ. The screen shows the phone number, and then right above the "Incoming call" text, it shows "valid number" if the number that is calling is actually the number seen on the screen. The number itself also gets a green checkmark next to it....
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There are few better ways to record memories than video. You have probably recorded clips of birthday parties, vacations, or family holidays here and there. Maybe you enjoy sharing a glimpse of your daily grind to Instagram. Videos help us to share our world with others and reminisce about days gone by. Impromptu filming has become ever more accessible as smartphones have overtaken camcorders with remarkable new capabilities. While smartphone camera quality has improved dramatically year after year with powerful image stabilization capability, shots can still be ruined by human hand shake shortcomings. Most of us need some assistance to get a stable shot - particularly while walking or running...
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Anyone who drives a car anywhere in the world knows that distracted drivers using smartphones frequently cause accidents. In New South Wales (NSW), drivers using their mobile phone illegally now have a new way to be caught in the act and fined. The NSW Government rolled out mobile phone detection cameras that were turned on on Sunday, December 1st. NSW Minister for Roads Andrew Constance said that the world-first safety technology would target illegal mobile phone using drivers via fixed and mobile trailer-based camera systems. Constance says that drivers who "think they can continue to put the safety of themselves, their passengers, and the community at risk without consequence they are in for...
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Smartphone shoppers looking for a deal on Black Friday weekend and the lead up to Cyber Monday will want to check out the Microsoft eBay Outlet Store. Microsoft is offering one of the biggest discounts that we have ever seen on the high-end Galaxy Note 10+ smartphone. The deals are offered on three different colors, including Aura Glow, Aura White, and Aura Black. The deal gets buyers a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ with 256GB of storage in unlocked condition for $699.99, which is $400 off the regular price of $1,099.99. These smartphones are all brand-new and unopened; not returns or refurbished devices. Galaxy Note 10+ in Aura White - $400 off at $699.99 Galaxy Note 10+ in Aura Glow - $400 off at...
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The Razer Phone 2 launched just over a year ago with a high-end price tag of $799.99, and while we have seen some discounts, we haven't seen anything like the Black Friday price that Razer if offering right now. The device is currently on sale for $299.99. This smartphone is one of the better devices out there for fans of mobile gaming and has some enticing specs for mobile enthusiasts. The discounted $299.99 price is available now, but we don't know how long it will last or how many devices are in stock. We will run down the specs of the device for those who may not have paid attention since it launched. Since the Razer Phone 2 has been on the market for a while, it isn't using the same Qualcom Snapdragon...
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The concept of a purpose-built gaming phone is still somewhat in its infancy, though we are starting to see generational upgrades, such as the ASUS ROG Phone II. As the name implies, this is the second generation of ASUS' gaming handset. Like the original ROG Phone released last year, the ROG Phone II combines bleeding edge hardware with gaming-centric software optimizations. ASUS sprinkles in some nifty features (like Air Triggers) and then surrounds it all with optional accessories to amp up the experience. What ASUS has essentially created is not just a gaming phone, but a smartphone gaming ecosystem. For this second act, ASUS sets the stage with some notable upgrades. One that perhaps stands...
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Without question, Google's Pixel 4 XL has been the most leaked smartphone of 2019 prior to its official launch. Heck, even Google teased the device and a key feature or two along the way, so it goes without saying, the hype was big for this fourth generation Pixel. Google tries to set the bar for Android ecosystem partners with respect to industrial design and new enabling technologies with its Pixel phones. And in fact, the new Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL bring with them a couple of firsts for made by Google devices, specifically a 90Hz display and wireless charging. The premise is that hopefully these new features are "done right" so to speak, or at least that the technology has matured enough to...
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