Blackberry has been in hot waters recently. The once leader in the smartphone industry, has had a spiraling journey downward, ever since the release of the iPhone. Since then, BlackBerry has made several attempts to enter back into the game which has been evident with the launch of the BlackBerry Z10, Q10 and the phablet Z30 (review coming soon).
However, BlackBerry has realized that (a little late) that the software in a device is given much more value than the internals which run the device. As a result BlackBerry has recently released one of its priced apps, the BlackBerry Messenger in both iTunes Store and Google's Play Store. And the app has also reportedly been downloaded 10 million times in both stores in 24 hours.
The app is pretty neatly designed. The blue, black and blue color scheme reminds us of BlackBerry's OS 10.
It carries more than just colors from BlackBerry OS since it includes much of its swipe based functions.
For example, if you to the right you can access your contacts, chats, updates etc.
You can swipe from within the chat to return to your previous screen.
Adding people using unique QR codes is not only intuitive way to add people on BBM but is also hassle-free.
As always the Emoji collection on BBM has always been vast and remains unchanged even in iOS and Android.
Some users have complained about waiting for long duration's for their BBM pin.
All in all we think that this is an excellent path chosen by BlackBerry to get back in the game and it also seems that it is working for them.
You can download BBM for your iOS device by clicking here.
You can download BBM for your Android device by clicking here.
So that's our review on the BlackBerry Messenger.
Be sure to +1 this page on Google Plus as it definitely helps us a lot.
Android 4.4 "KitKat"-Revamping Android For The Better:
At midnight, Google released the much anticipated LG Nexus 5. Which is all good. It was released with a ton of new features, and among the new features one of them was, of course the equally anticipated and rumored Android 4.4 KitKat.
We were given a sneakpeak of Android 4.4 KitKat when Google put up a promotional video for it on video ,which incidentally also gave the world the first glimpse of the Nexus 5.
The Changes:
The main changes that you can notice the moment you unlock your phone are the changes done to the status bar and the system buttons on the bottom of the screen. You can easily notice that the status bar is transparent now instead of it being completely opaque. The system buttons also lie on a transparent background. It really gives the entire interface a clean finish.
Another phenomenal change is that the Touchless Control which we saw the first time we saw on the Moto X has been integrated into Android 4.4. But, it is currently available only in the Nexus 5. This function can be toggled by saying "Ok Google".
The dialer has also undergone a massive change. The change is that, if you receive a call from an unknown number, Google will basically act as a phonebook and automatically look-up the number on Google Maps and it will provide you the name associated with that number and will also provide you an image of that business. the new dialer app also organizes your contacts on the basis of who you have contacted the most.
The Tweaks:
The major tweak that Android 4.4 undergone is that, now Hangouts has been integrated with your SMS app which provides a more centralized system for all your messages.
Emoji have become very popular among the younger generation, so obviously Google has provided the option to insert Emoji into your texts just about anywhere.
You can also print documents on your phone via an HP ePrint Printer without any wires, provided the printer that your using is connected to Google Cloud Print.
Another tweak can easily be noticed if you are playing music. The artwork of the song which you are playing will appear in the background of your lockscreen.
From now on, if you are reading a book/magazine or playing a game Android will portray that on the entire screen without any system buttons or your status bar; and you can get back your status bar and your system buttons by taping on the screen.
This used to be quite a hindrance since in the older versions of Android you had to shut down the app you were using to check your notifications.
The System Changes:
The root system has also undergone a couple of changes.
Google has stated on the official KitKat page that they have provided new Ultra-Fast Wi-Fi connectivity which provides better Data Transfer.
Android 4.4 KitKat will also provide lower end smartphones a feature which resembles NFC but is not exactly NFC. This will open several new options pertaining to NFC to plenty of lower end smartphones.
Other changes in connectivity include support for Bluetooth MAP.
Support for the recently launched ChromeCast is also a new addition.
Compatibility:
Google has stated that Android 4.4 KitKat will support all phones running Android provided that they have a minimum RAM of 512 MB.
However Google has stated that the Nexus S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will not receive the 4.4 update which kind of removes the "Nexus" part from the devices.
The Verdict:
Android 4.4 KitKat will definitely provide Android with those next 1 billion users that it is aiming for, provided that manufacturers get the compatibility clause right and manage to successfully provide lower end smartphones the same experience that one would get on higher end devices.
Google should also make sure that the 4.4 update will be put out in time.
All in all we think that this is a really neat, clean and refreshing new look given to Android and it will be a good thing for Google if it manages to play the cards right.
So that's our review on the newly revealed Android 4.4 KitKat.
Be sure to +1 this post on Google Plus as it definitely helps us out.
You can head over to the official page for Android 4.4 KitKat by clicking here.
Yes, waiting till midnight in anticipation for the new LG Nexus 5 has finally paid off. My mouth literally began to froth when that mail stating that the new Nexus had been launched appeared on my Notification shade. Google announced the device and is already flying off shelves. So lets take a look at the device.
Display:
Oh My God! The Nexus 5 has an amazing display which is right up with the display's of other high end devices. It features a 4.95 inch screen with a 1920x1080 resolution with a pixel density of 445 ppi (Wow, just Wow). The screen is Full HD. It looks amazing on video. The screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 3. The screen is one of the biggest upgrades from last year's Nexus phone, and it will be one of this year's biggest selling points.
Internal Specs:
Every year, people don't expect a "Nexus" device to have high-end specs especially considering their price point at around $299-$349 but this year all of that has changed, not only with the Nexus 7 but with the Nexus 5. The chipset on-board is Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 800, which features a 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Krait CPU. The chip responsible for rendering graphics is an Adreno 330. The RAM on-board amounts to 2 GB. With these specs this phone is a flagship and it is undoubtedly one of THE best phones of 2013-2014 (alongside most leaked and most anticipated).
Operating System:
Android KitKat 4.4 (stay tuned for the review) goes official with the Nexus 5 being the first device to feature it. It includes hundreds of new updates, including Touch-less control, Ultra fast Wi-Fi and also a neat feature which acts as a Pseudo-NFC function which lets devices lacking NFC mimic NFC even though its not exactly NFC.
It also includes several incremental upgrades regarding the appearance of the homescreens mainly the status bar has been made cleaner since it is transparent and also the system button's background has been made fully transparent and also the blog post on KitKat has also stated that there is change in the font.
Battery:
The battery onboard is Non-Removable with a capacity of 2300 mAh. The battery is a Li-Po. It offers 17 hours of talk time and 300 hours of standby.
Camera:
The primary camera on the back features an 8 mega-pixel sensor with Optical Image Stabilization which is an interesting add-on considering that this device has a really low price point considering its specifications. The secondary camera on front has a 1.3 MP sensor to capture selfies all day.
It can also shoot 1080p video.
Connectivity:
The biggest leap from last years Nexus 4 in terms of connectivity is the fact that this year's Nexus features a 4G LTE band. The Wi-Fi also has a special feature and Google has stated that it will provide Ultra-Fast connectivity. It is also enabled with wireless charging capabilities without the need of an external case or receiver. It also has Bluetooth 4.0 LE.
It also features the SlimPort technology which acts as a receiver for a mini HDMI cable.
Accessories:
Yes, it is Google's "resolution" this year that it will sell certified accessories made by Google itself to ensure that it is a perfect fit for your device. There are 2 types of cases available for the Nexus 5. One is a bumper type case and the other, is a flip case which covers the Nexus 5 entirely. The bumper case is available in white, yellow, red and black.
Price And Color:
The Nexus 5 is retailing for about $349 for the 16 GB model off contract and goes all the way upto $399 for the 32 GB model. As of enough the 16 GB model is already sold out, whereas the 32 GB model is shipping from the warehouse after 3 or more weeks.
The Nexus 5 is available in 2 colors that is black and white and is available as of right know from the Google Play Store and you can purchase it from here.
You can check out more information about Nexus 5 here.
You can check out more information of Android KitKat here.
So that's our review on the LG Nexus 5, stay tuned for the hands-on video of the Nexus 5 and also for the review on Android 4.4 KitKat.
Be sure to +1 this post on Google Plus as it most definitely helps us out.
The Nexus 5 has got to be this years most highly anticipated and the most leaked phone. Everyday my News Feed is filled with more and more leaks. Even my YouTube subscriptions are posting about the Nexus 5.
It all began when a promotional video for Android KitKat was posted by Google on YouTube. The video basically showed us the giant Android character resembling the popular chocolate treat being posted in Google's Head-Quarters at Mountain View, California. But if the video is looked at more carefully we can see an individual holding a phone with the "Nexus" branding imprinted horizontally, which we already have seen previously in the Nexus 7.
Immediately after this was noticed the Tech Community went nuts and screenshots of this moment began popping up everywhere on the Internet.
This device was leaked to the extent that it even briefly appeared in Google's Play Store. And of course it was taken down some time later.
After a few hours this video was taken down from YouTube by Google (obviously).
After the initial sighting of the mystery device, many renders were posted by a variety of websites. And soon later even leaks of the Nexus 5 emerged oddly enough, clearly confirming that a new Nexus was in the making, and yes it will be made by LG who were also responsible for making last years highly successful Nexus 4.
The release of this device was further concretized by the fact that several different types of cases made specifically for the Nexus 5 have already made their way to several web-sites.
So that's our thoughts on the yet be released LG Nexus 5.
Be sure to +1 this post on Google Plus as it most definitely helps us out.
You can also check out a lot more news about the Nexus 5 by heading over to TechnoBuffalo's page on it which you can get to by clicking here.
The Worlds Most Customizable Phone Is (Finally) Here:
If you have been a prolonged reader of the blog you will remember the Rumor Mill Post we had posted on the Moto X a while back, which you can find here. Now its finally here and as it turns out the rumors are true, and the truth has turned out to be even better.
Yes, we know that it has been quite a while since the Moto X has released but we recently got our hands on it for review purposes.
At first glance an ordinary person may think that it is normal phone. But the key selling point of the Moto X is that it is highly customizable. You can choose between a variety of back panels from a dimple finish to a matte finish which are further available in a spectrum of colors.
The from panel is available in two classic colors-Black and White. The color of the accents can also be chosen.
Whats even more fascinating is that Motorola is offering 3 different types of cases to compliment your own, personal Moto X which is also available in several colors ! (heights Of customization).
Motorola has also partnered with SOL which makes amazing headphones, which lets you purchase headphones of different colors to compliment your phone. Wow! More so you can also choose the color of your charger even though its black and white.
The phone can be customized online at the Moto Maker.
Even though this phone is meant for customization it packs some pretty decent specs for a smartphone.
Display:
The display is pretty good we might say. But what really enriches the viewing experience is the fact that those bezels on either side of the screen are so thin. Just as predicated in the rumors.
The phone features a 4.7 inch screen with has a resolution of 720x1280 with a pixel density of 312 ppi.
Camera:
The Camera on board the Moto X features a 10 mega-pixel sensor which takes pretty decent shots and likewise for videos.
The secondary camera on the front has a 2 mega-pixel sensor.
Internal Specs And Operating System:
The Moto X features Qualcomm's Snapdragon MSM8960Pro chipset which features a Dual-Core 1.7 GHz Krait processor.
The Graphics unit featured onboard is an Adreno 320.
The RAM onboard amounts to 2 GB which is pretty decent.
The device features Android 4.2.2 Jelly-Bean out of the box. The user interface is basically gives the user a Nexus experience other than a few changes which can be noticed as in the camera app and a couple of other areas because at the end of the day this is Google's And Motorola's phone.
Storage And Connectivity:
The phone is available in two variants that is 16 and 32 GB.
The major features that distinguish it from LG's Nexus 4 is the customization (No Doubt) and the fact that the Moto X features LTE connectivity.
Other then that the specs are pretty much identical.
Pricing And Assembly:
The Moto X is retailing for about $199 on-contract which is pretty expensive since the Nexus 4 is retailing for about $199 off-contract in the Play Store.
At the end of the day the experience onboard the Moto X is flawless. But as we know the main feature that distinguishes itself from its competitors is the degree customization available.
The reason why we included the heading assembly is because this phone is entirely assembled in the US which is kind of a big deal considering that nearly 90% of modern day phones are manufactured and assembled overseas.
So that's our review on Motorola's Moto X.
Be Sure To +1 This Post On Google Plus As It Most Definitely Helps Us.
PhoneBloks And Project Ara The Next Step In Smartphone Revolution:
A few months ago a YouTube video called PhoneBloks went viral. The basic concept of PhoneBlocks was the idea of modular smartphones. Modular smartphones means that you can customize each and every part of your phone. And the main theme of such an idea was the fact that there would be no such thing as "outdated" with such phones. For example if you are a more of a Cloud storage guy you can replace your onboard storage with a bigger battery. Say you need a bigger battery you can replace your camera with it. And as the times change you can change the parts. Like, if an onboard Augmented Reality sensor comes into play you can add that part by replacing your gyroscope and like wise.
The Idea:
So now Motorola aka Google has introduced a similar concept under the name of "Project Ara". At the roots it is not much different from the concept of PhoneBloks. In fact it is the exact same thing.
It basically proposes that you can possess a smartphone whose each and every component can be changed to suit your needs.
Project Ara Meets PhoneBloks:
Now the difference between this idea and the concept of PhoneBloks is that Project Ara is an idea propagated by a major manufacturer whereas the former is just an idea proposed by a YouTuber by the name of Dave Hakkens. And his idea has been well received by over 370 million people. Within 24 hours of him posting the video the entire Tech community went bezerk. Everyone was talking about it.
But yesterday, Motorola at a press event stated that it too was working on a similar Modular Smartphone idea for over an idea.
And ever since Dave and Motorola have created a partnership in an attempt to make Project Ara a reality.
You can check out the entire Motorola Blog post on Project Ara here.
So that's our thoughts on Project Ara and PhoneBloks.
You can check out MKBHD's video on PhoneBloks here.
You can also check out his impressions on Project Ara here.
You can also check out the next step in PhoneBloks here.
Be Sure To +1 This Post On Google Plus As It Really Helps Us Out.
Yes, it has been a long time since iOS 7 has released but we decided to give you a more in-depth review by thoroughly reviewing the Mobile Operating System.
Even though iOS 7 does look better, it can be clearly observed that it still carries the traits of the first version iOS with a few tweaks here and there and a few animations.
New Tweaks:
Firstly the lock-screen has been given a new avatar, with no trace of the sliding bar that we were so used to.
Instead there is a plain and simple screen with a live wallpaper in the background which looks strikingly similar to the live wallpapers found in the Nexus devices.
We still have to slide the screen to unlock the device but we are given a much more clean interface with an opaque floating display for the time. Another surprising feature of the lock-screen which looks to be "borrowed" from Android is the fact that you can swipe to the right to get something like the lock-screen widgets which was first introduced in Android 4.2.
On unlocking the device the icons appear on the screen with an animation that was previously not observed.
The animation give the viewer an effect that the icons are arriving from beyond the screen.
Icons:
Speaking of the icons, this is area where iOS has undergone most of its "Glossy-Makeup". The icons appear more colorful and animated adding a palette of color to the otherwise dull homescreens of iOS.
The homescreens are also sensitive to movement and you can experience this by moving the device which will also cause the icons to move in the same fashion, giving the icons, and indirectly the homescreen a 3D dimension.
Control Center:
Apart from this a striking feature of the homescreens is a small tab on the bottom of the screen which if you swipe up gives you access to one of the newly introduced features of iOS 7 which is Control Center.
It is very similar to the notification shade found in almost every version of Android right from the sta
rt.
It gives you access to various functions and also the toggles for the various settings such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Flashlight etc.
App Interface:
The stock apps are also give a certain revamp. The main apps which have undergone this change is mainly the calender app, the weather app and the calculator to name a few.
The weather app really awed us and clearly distinguished itself from the other apps. The animations and the sheer thought that has gone into making the new version of the app has can be clearly seen. The moment you press weather icon, depending on the weather of the region you are, the animation will be shown accordingly.
In the press event, they gave the example of a region and the animations awed us and it looked like the sequences were taken straight from a J.K Rowling book. It also makes us recall the animations which were seen in the initial versions of Sense which is HTC's skin atop Android.
The calender and the calculator app have clean, simple and white interface's which makes it that much more easier to use.
Notification Shade And The Little Things:
The notification shade is also made cleaner from the chunky and untidy notification shade which made its entry in iOS 6.0.
Apple has also paid attention to the little things such as the signal "bar" which is replaced with 5 circles which indicate, well the signal strength.
Another striking point to be noted is the fact that the Spotlight feature that used to feature to the left of the main homescreens can no longer be seen.
All in all we believe that iOS 7 has brought some new features to the table and might continue to impress the general population but it still carries the same interface that was seen right from its first version. The floating icons fixed in the grid of the homescreens and the Slide To Unlock Lockscreen. It still gives us a reminiscent of the idea of iOS and its simple intuitive interface.
So that's our review on iOS 7, which also happ
ens to be our first operating system review. Stay tuned for the review on the Mavericks OS.
Be sure to +1 this post of Google Plus as it definitely helps us a lot.
