Advanced technology: Android app

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Meizu Pro 6 smiles for photo wearing black metallic case, carrying deca-core CPU and 4GB of RAM

We knew that the Meizu Pro 6 was going to be a beast when a company executive said that the phone would have a limited exclusive on MediaTek's new Helio X25 chipset. That means that the phone will have a deca-core CPU, something that was confirmed by a GFXBench benchmark test. The metal clad handset will also feature 4GB of RAM and a fingerprint scanner.

The protruding rear camera will use a laser auto focus, and if the flash is not in the same mechanism that houses it, well we have a mystery on our hands. The front of the phone shows a bezel-less design. That's the conclusion we come to after viewing leaked photos of the Meizu Pro 6 in black.

The Helio X25 SoC is the follow up to the Helio X20, and is slightly faster than the latter. The tri-cluster design includes two Cortex A-72 cores running at 2.5GHz for heavy duty tasks. Four Cortex-A53 cores running at 2.0 GHz handle the mid-size tasks, and four more Cortex-A53 cores with a 1.4GHz clock speed handle the light housekeeping.

You can check out what are alleged to be the aforementioned leaked images of the Pro 6, by clicking on the slideshow below.

Images of the Meizu Pro 6 in black, lea

1. Note the bezel-less design on the Pro 6

2. Rear camera has a later auto focus underneath the lens

source: mobile163 (translated) via GSMDome

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Video shows BlackBerry Priv running Android 6.0

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Since we haven't heard anything about the BlackBerry Privreceiving the update to Android 6.0, Priv owners should be happy to see the video clip that we've embedded with this story. It shows the first Android powered BlackBerry running Android 6.0.1. Unfortunately, we have no idea when this update would be sent out. In the U.S., it would be up to Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T to give final approval to the update, and to schedule a day for it to start getting pushed out.

The update would give the Priv new features like Doze. which puts the phone into a deep sleep when inactive. Apps stop working in the background, and standby time is greatly improved. This should increase the battery life of the phone. The update also adds Google Now on Tap which brings contextual search, and gives you search results based on the content displayed on your phone. And with the update, users can give or deny permissions to apps on a feature-by-feature basis.

Hopefully for Priv owners, whether they are sporting the unlocked or carrier branded model of the device, they aren't waiting too much longer for Android 6.0 to arrive.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

7 basic smartphone features that the iPhone does better than Androids

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So I recently switched to an iPhone 6s after several months spent between the Sony Xperia Z5 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. There's no particular reason for the switch, other than I wanted to check with Apple and see how things are going with its latest flagship. The more compact form factor was also welcome.

Now, it's important to understand that, at heart, I'm an Android guy. I've been using Androids for years, and while I've obviously switched to iOS in the past, it's always been for a quickie or two, rather than a permanent switch. I always came back. So my last real touch to an iPhone was my 3Gback in 2010. That's a long, long time in tech years. A lot has changed.

In any case, the switch is full of revelations. You find some stuff you like, others that you don't, and some that you feel Apple or team Android has implemented better. It's a highly personal process in that we all have our idiosyncrasies, which is also why I'm calling this an editorial. It's personal opinion. That said, I still consider the below examples of superior iPhone functionality to be fairly objective in that they offer a better user experience. And by the way, lest I step on anybody's toes, I'll be doing the reverse next week and talk about stuff that Apple could learn from its competitors.

Let's begin.

7 basic smartphone features that the iPhone does better than Androids

1. Shortcut to previous app

For better or worse, I'm a heavy social media user. On Facebook, for example, every day I go through dozens upon dozens of shared articles and videos, the majority of which are hosted outside Facebook, which is a hindrance. Thankfully, on the iPhone, switching back to the app that redirected you wherever is exceedingly easy, as iOS creates a shortcut back to it on the top left. It works with all kinds of apps, and I've been finding myself consistently satisfied with the option.

Now, this is not to say that on Android you can't do the same thing, it's just that I feel this is an easier, more elegant solution than having to dig through Recents or risking the Back button (in some apps, you just go back a step).

2. Slide right to go back a step

While all Androids have a Back key, iPhones don't. But I kind of like it that way, as that meant Apple had to get creative. In result, you can go back a step by simply swiping from the left to right. That's a more convenient way of going back, as your finger is likely already resting on the screen, interacting with content, and so you don't have to stretch for the Back key.

3. Tap that status bar

If you do a lot of reading on a single web site (say, PhoneArena), you'll likely appreciate the ability to scroll to the top of the page after finishing an article by simply tapping the status bar. Beats having to scroll.

4. For some reason, the keyboard is better

Okay, so given how pretty much every Android manufacturer has his own version of a software keyboard, it might be hard to believe that none are as good as Apple's. What's weird is that I can't really tell exactly why it is that its keyboard is better for typing, but it certainly feels so. I'm an extremely heavy texter, and a bi-lingual one at that, and it was amazing how much faster I started typing, especially since I went from a 5.7-incher down to a 4.7-incher. I make fewer typos, as well.

What sorcery allows for this, I can't tell, but it certainly reminds me of Microsoft's software keyboard for Windows Phone. I remember that one being extremely reliable, in much the same way as the iPhone's.

5. Correcting text

Speaking of the keyboard, and given how much I type on it on a daily basis, it's obvious that every now and then I need to go back a few letters for a correction. On Android, that's a pain, as it's hard to pinpoint the exact letter you want to delete with your fat finger. On iOS, however—even if you don't have 3D Touch—long-pressing on a word will create a little magnifying glass effect, allowing to easily edit just a single letter.

6. Command Center is class

I've been repeating this question for a long time now: Why is it that tech companies insist on avoiding the easily accessible bottom portions of their device's screens for essential navigational and other functionality? As in, why is the address bar in nearly all browsers on the top, instead of the bottom? Why are the virtual Back keys in iOS apps always on top? Why is the essential notification bar retracted from the top? All of these are essential functions that require more and more effort as the average screen size grows.

Which is why I love the Command Center. Instead of having access to essential connectivity and other options by stretching to the top, I do it easily from the bottom. If notifications were integrated in Command Center, I'd be even happier.

7. Low Power Mode

Some type of a "Low Power Mode" has been available on Androids for years now, even if Google only recently got around to implementing it as part of the core Android package. Apple followed, too.

But while Apple's solution is bare bones in terms of advanced features, and even some basic ones (as in, why can't I set it to automatically turn on at 20%?), it is superior in one pretty obvious way: it knows it's only on temporarily. That is, if you're in Low Power Mode, once your phone hits 80% charge, it will automatically turn off. On pretty much every Android phone, you'll have to manually turn it off, which makes little sense. Sure, not a biggie for power users, but I've witnessed several cases where uninitiated friends have trouble with connectivity and performance because they don't realize they're in power saving.

LG G5 (LG UX) vs Samsung Galaxy S7 (TouchWiz) vs Apple iPhone 6s (iOS 9): how they differ visually

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A smartphone's design and build quality are unquestionably important. Nobody wants a phone that feels awkward and gets damaged easily. But at the heart of each and every unit is the user experience, which can quite literally make or break a device. The interface completes a manufacturer's vision for what its product is supposed to mean to you. It's also the mediator between all that amazing hardware packed inside your smartphone and your intentions. If the interface is lacking – unsightly, confusing, jittery, and otherwise unreliable – you simply won't bother using the device in your hand, no matter how perfectly polished of a rectangle it seems to be.

SMARTPHONE INTERFACES HAVE MATURED QUITE A BIT, BUT THEY STILL HAVE WAYS TO GO.

Thankfully, this isn't the case with any of the three top-shelf smartphones we've lined up here – the LG G5, Samsung Galaxy S7, and Apple iPhone 6s. Not only are they among the finest-looking, best-handling handsets available on the market, but each one is pretty much a breeze to use thanks to the combination of fast hardware and a polished user experience. Different as they are in terms of graphic design and organization, LG UX, Samsung TouchWiz, and Apple iOS 9 do share a common goal, which is presenting a wealth of functionality in a straightforward fashion. Featuring plenty of eye candy and being easy to get around, each is a delightful example of modern-day mobile computing.

To give you an idea of how they compare with each other, we took matching screenshots from each smartphone and put them side-by-side. This way, you can easily see what they have to offer in terms of graphics and basic organisation. We won't be making any judgement here, although you can read our user experience impressions in the smartphone reviews that we've published.