With the not so successful runs of the Nintendo Wii (launched 2006) and Wii U (launched 2012), many people were beginning to question Nintendo's place in the consoles race. Consumers started to question whether or not Nintendo could keep up with Microsoft's XBOX or Sony's Playstation line-ups. Now, fast forward a few years to 2017, we have the launch of Nintendo's latest "console"; The Switch. And, it looks like Nintendo is ready to go toe-to-toe with the giants, once again. But, is the excitement over Nintendo's latest product justified? Nintendo Switch: Build Quality The Nintendo Switch definitely doesn't follow in its predecessors' footsteps when it comes to build quality. The Wii and Wii U, in my opinion, felt cheap. They felt like toys that could easily be broken, if handled just a little too firmly. The Switch, however, has a nice solid feel to it. It is lightweight, but doesn't feel flimsy. Even with the Joy-Con controllers connected to the tablet. Once the controllers slide into place, they are securely locked in. Nintendo Switch: Display The Switch comes with a 6.2" capacitive touch screen, with a resolution of 1280X720. For some people this aspect of the Switch was a bit of a let down. However, I've had no issues with this resolution. When it comes to gameplay on the Switch offers sharp image quality and vibrant colors. Nintendo Switch: Battery Life The Nintendo Switch has a 4310mAh lithium-ion battery. Nintendo says you will get anywhere between two and a half to six and a half hours of screen-on time. While playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild I've been getting a little over three hours of play time. It is estimated that it takes the Switch three hours to fully charge, while plugged into the dock. Apart from the tablet, the Joy-Con controllers are estimated to run for about twenty hours on a single charge. Now, I have not used the Joy-Cons on a single charge longer than the few hours that the tablet lasts. So I cannot confirm this. Nintendo Switch: Controls The Joy-Con controllers are, in all honesty, surprisingly comfortable to use. when I first saw the controllers, I thought they were going to be too small to use comfortably. I was expecting to use the controller grip, whenever i had the Switch connected to my TV. This turned out not to be the case. Using the Joy-Cons separately, while playing with the Switch docked is easily my favorite way to play. The Joy-Con grip is very lightweight, and fairly comfortable in the hand. For a more traditional gaming experience, the Joy-Con grip is a great way to start off, but the Switch Pro Controller is probably recommended for longer gameplay. Nintendo Switch: Titles
For many people, there was one big downside to the Nintendo Switch. The number of launch titles. The Nintendo Switch launched with around nine titles (a big step-down from the 32 that launched with the Wii U). I never saw this as an issue, because I figured a majority of my time would be spent getting lost in the Zelda game. However, now that the Switch has been out for a few weeks, there are now 24 games. And, the library is still growing. At the time this was written, the next major title set to come out is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The game is going to launch on April 28th, 2017. There are also several other games set to come out, before then. For example, Lego City Undercover will be released on April 4th and Puyo Puyo Tetris on April 25th. With an ever-growing library, I don't see the selection of Switch games being an issue. There will also be lots of big titles scheduled to launching this Holiday season. From Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, and NBA 2K18. You can also expect to see Minecraft, Dragonball Xenoverse 2, FIFA and much more on the Switch, in the future. Nintendo Switch: The Verdict The Nintendo Switch is a solidly built piece of hardware. It has solid controls, and a great display (even with the "low" 720 resolution). The gameplay is very enjoyable and extremely diverse, with the console and portable styled game modes. I have really enjoyed playing on my Switch. I've probably enjoyed the Switch more than I've enjoyed playing on my other game systems lately. The portability factor is a huge plus, for me. I would definitely recommend at least checking out the Nintendo Switch. I believe it is a great console, all around. There will probably be some things that will take some getting used to, like the feel of the controls. Have any of you tried out the Nintendo Switch? How do you like it?
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What is the one thing we all look for in a pair of headphones? Sound quality. We want a pair of headphones that deliver rich, vibrant sound. For the past week now, I have been using the Koss Porta Pro Limited Edition. And, I have to tell you. I was genuinly surprised by these lightweight on-ear headphones. What Are They? The Koss Porta Pros are a small ultra-portable pair of headphones with a retro style to them. The first thing I thought when I saw these headphones, was that they would be perfect for Star-Lord ('Guardians of the Galaxy'). That is what the style of these headphones seemed to emulate. They are small, compact, durable and offer a retro, minimalistic design. With these Limited Edition Porta Pros, you get the headphones (with an inline mic, play/pause button and volume control), a hardshell case, and a carrying pouch. How Do They Sound? Now, the Porta Pro heaphones aren't just pretty to look at. The sound quality, as I said earlier, is the most important aspect of a pair of headphones. When it comes to this department, the Porta Pros definitely take it to a whole new level. I was immediately surprised by the sound packed into these compact headphones. The Porta Pro headphones offer a deep, rich sound. They offer a great balance between the highs, mids, and lows. The Porta Pros offer an amazing listening experience that you can take anywhere. THE DOWNSIDE? Overall, the Koss Porta Pro are a great pair of headphones. I would even give them the title of my favorite pair of headphones (dethroning my Sol Republic Master Tracks). BUT, there is one [small] thing that I don't like about these headphones. The cable. First of all the cable, the cable is non-removable. Which, honestly wouldn't be a big deal if it wasn't so thin. The cable feels fragile, and could potentially break easily. The Conclusion
Like I said, the cable is my only issue with these headphones. Aside from that, I love them. They are beautiful, they are extremely comfortable, they are portable, and they sound great! Have you tried the Koss Porta Pro? If so, what do YOU think about them? If not, will you? I think you should. What's Changed in Eleven Years? Eleven years. That's how long it has been since I last owned a Nintendo decice. That decice was the original Nintendo DS, which was released in late 2004. So, how much has Nintendo's handheld console changed? The New 3DS XL: First Impressions In all honesty, for a long time I had lost some interest in Nintendo's handheld consoles. The only things that kept my interest were the Pokemon games. I have had the New 3DS XL for the past few days. So far, I am enjoying it, a lot. Using the New 3DS XL, I have really been enjoying the larger screen size, and much improved graphics. Now, when I say much improved, I do mean on select games. For example, the change in graphics from the Pokemon games for Nintendo DS to the Pokemon games for the New 3DS were far greater (in my opinion); than the changes from the GameBoy Advance games to the Nintendo DS games. Some games, such as the Super Mario games, didn't see as drastic of a change in graphics quality. Another big change from the DS to Nintendo's current handhelds, is the online capabilities. The DS line did not get Wi-Fi capabilities until almost a full year after it's original release; and even then you needed an external device to use it. The New 3DS XL, however, has a broad range of uses for its online functions. Everything from; online multiplayer gaming, exchange in-game item, and even watching YouTube videos on your console. As I said earlier, I have only been using the 3DS for the past few days. So I will be posting a full review at a later time.
What are your thoughts on Nintendo's latest handheld console? Do you think they've made changes worthy of an upgrade? It looks like LG has stolen the show at this year's WMC event. Their latest flagship, the G5, seems to have even overshadowed the likes of Samsung and their latest Galaxy phones. This is with good reason. The LG G5 seems to have drastically changed LG's idea of a flagship smartphone. Reinventing The Wheel? Although LG did keep a few of their much favored features (the removable battery and expandable storage are here to stay) with the G5, they made even more changes. Design In the past, LG's flagship smartphones featured plastic builds that were, on occasion, somewhat disappointing. With this year's update, however, LG opted for an aluminum unibody for the G5; a drastic change from the previous models. Another, change LG made to exterior of the phone, is the placement of the volume buttons. The volume buttons on the G5 are located on the left side of the phone rather than the back. Display The G5 comes with a 5.3" IPS LCD display, with a resolution of 2560 X 1440. The display also features an Always-on function. According to LG, this feature is why they opted for the IPS display rather than an AMOLED display. They stated that showing information all the time on an AMOLED display would lead to a burn out. Camera(s) Like the building material of the phone, the cameras are one of the biggest changes to the G5. The LG G5 features an 8 megapixel from facing camera, and in the back is where it gets really interesting. On the rear of the phone there are two cameras; one is a standard operating 16 megapixel sensor, the other is a wide-angle 8 megapixel sensor. These two cameras offer a wide range of functions that you wouldn't be able to find on a standard smartphone setup. For example, you can record video and shoot stills at the same time. Power
The G5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, onto-core processor and 4GB of RAM. For storage, there is 32GB built-in and a Micro SD card slot to expand. The 2800mAh battery isn't particularly impressive on its own, but when you take into consideration that the phone has a removable battery and Quick Charge 3.0 with USB Type-C. Modular Build The LG G5 also has another feature that radically operates it from any other smartphone currently on the market. The G5 features a modular design that allows you to add additional parts to your phone. LG currently has two models for the G5. The Cam Pro, which enhances your photography experience, as well as expand your battery to 4000 mAh. The other module is the LG Hi-Fi Pro, which offers a 32-bit DAC and amp meant to offer an audiophile experience through your handset. Thoughts Personally, I think that the LG G5 has a lot of great features that make it an amazing flagship. The metal build is a much needed enhancement. I felt that the G3 and G4 were too light, they almost felt like they were nothing more than mock-ups of a phone. The ability to add additional parts to the phone, and change the overall capabilities of your device. That is something truly unique at this time, and I hope that other phone manufacturers follow the lead. For me, the only downside to the G5 is the screen size. I know that a 5.3" display isn't the smallest screen currently on the market, and with its resolution offers a higher pixel density; but I would prefer at least a 5.5" display. What do you think about the LG G5? Did it hit the mark, or is it lacking anything else you would like to see? We already know when we are getting the new LG G5, we might even have an idea of what it it looks like. Now, thanks to the twitter page of LG South Korea, we have a hint at another feature that will be included in the companies latest flagship. As you probably already know, last years LG V10 featured a secondary "always on" display. This display is located at the top of 5.7-inch primary display. The "always on" is meant to give you constant access to notifications, frequently used apps/contacts, as well as certain controls (media controls, flashlight, wifi, bluetooth, etc.) without having to unlock your phone. Well, it appears that LG will be applying this "always on" function to their latest flagship, with a slight twist. It appears as though the LG G5 will feature an Always-On Primary Display. So, rather than having an additional thin display on the top of the phone, the G5 will give you those same controls throughout the entire display. As I said earlier, this feature was hinted by LG, in a tweet sent out earlier today. This tweet was also accompanied by a GIF that-in all honesty-didn't provide much additional information, but does seemsupport the conclusion of an Always-On primary display. If LG is planning on making an Always-On Primary display, it would be interesting to see how that affects other aspects of the phone, such as battery life. Will LG be sticking with a removable battery as rumored before. I guess we'll see on the 21st.
It has been recently announced (officially), that Samsung's latest event will be held on February 21st. At this event, it is expected we will see the latest flagship smartphones from samsung; the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Design In terms of the design of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will-supposedly-look almost identical to last years S6 model phones. Now, for many (including myself) this is not a bad thing. According to rumors, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will share the same metal and glass build of the their predecessors. The only downside to this, in my opinion, is the slipperiness of the phones. Although this is an issue, it is a small issue that can be easily fixed. All you need is a case (or a skin, if you prefer). There is one "big" differences that the S7 edge will bring to the table, and that is its size. Last year, the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge shared the same screen size of 5.1 inches. Supposedly, the S7 will stick with this screen size. The S7 edge, however, is said to come equipped with a 5.5 inch screen. Specs
Camera Last years Samsung phones featured probably one of the best (if not the best) cameras on a smartphone. It looks like Samsung will be making a drastic change to the camera on the S7 models. Instead of keeping their 16MP rear camera, it seems like Samsung will be lowering the camera to 12MP in favor of improving low light performance. Lowering the pixel count would be a strange move, although it could prove to be a worthwhile improvement. The front-facing camera is supposedly still going to be 5MP. This should be more than enough to keep those selfies look extra crispy. Battery The battery of the Galaxy S7 phones will still be non-removable, but should be increased from 2600 mAh to 3000 mAh. It is also being suggested that Samsung will be taking measures to keep the phone cool. This will keep the battery from overheating, thus further improving battery life. Chipset Samsung is said to be offering to different chipsets on their phones-probably varying by region. One variant will more than likely include an Exynos chipset, while the other will include a Snapdragon 820. There currently isn't anything to suggest where these different chipsets will be made available. Miscellaneous One of the big improvements coming to the new Galaxy phones is the return of expandable storage. The S7 and S7 edge will supposedly feature a dual-card SIM slot (one for your SIM card, and another for a micro SD card). It is possible that another change coming to the new Samsung phones, is the charging port. This years Galaxy phones might be getting rid of the micro-USB port, in favor of a USB Type-C port. Verdict Overall, I think that the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will feature some exciting changes, although they don't exactly make the upgrade necessary especially if you are currently Earlier today, Microsoft announced several new products. These products consist of Microsofts newest Lumia Smartphones, as well as their new Surface devices. Lumia 950 + 950 XL Microsofts latest flagship Windows Phones were announced at today's Microsoft event. The two phones announced were the Lumia 950, and the Lumia 950 XL. These phones new phones have been expected for some time. Both phones feature AMOLED QHD displays (2560X1440 resolution), with the 950 display measuring 5.2" and the 950 XL measuring 5.7". Both phones also feature the same camera. It is a 20 MP sensor (video recording in 4K), with a triple LED natural flash, and ZEISS optics. The Lumia 950 is powered by a Snapdragon 808 exa-core processor, and runs off of a 3,000 mAh battery with USB Type-C Fast Charging. The 950 XL, on the other hand, is powered by a Snapdragon 810 octal-core processor, and is running off of a 3340 mAh battery; also with USB Type-C Fast Charging. Display Dock I think my favorite part of the Lumia presentation was the demonstration of the Display Dock. This dock allows you to connect your Lumia 950/950 XL to an external monitor and peripherals, and use it as a full Windows 10 PC. All the apps on your Lumia Phone are converted into their full desktop version and run as they would on any Windows 10 laptop or desktop. The dock also allows you to do this while still using your Lumia phone, as a phone. So, you can be editing documents on the external monitor while responding to phone calls or text messages on your phone. I think this is such a great feature. Surface Pro 4 Microsoft also unveiled the latest Surface Pro. The Surface Pro 4 got an larger display--due to smaller bezels--coming in at 12.3-inches. The resolution of the display has also been improved, going from 1920X1080 to a 2763X1824 PixelSense Display. Even with these improvements the Surface Pro 4 is still thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro 3. The Surface Pro 4 starts at $899. This gets you an Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and s 128GB SSD. The Surface Pro 4 now includes the Surface Pen. The TypeCover however, is still sold separately. Surface Book The final product that Microsoft unveiled at their event was the Surface Book. The Surface Book is the first laptop made by Microsoft. It features a design similar to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. The Surface Book has a 13.5-inch PixelSense display, with a resolution of 3000X2000. The Surface Book has a starting price of $1499. This gets you an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. All models of the Surface Book include the laptop (with removable keyboard) and Surface Pen. Final Thoughts
Overall, I was very excited about the entire event. The new Lumia phones seem extremely promising. Although, I currently wouldn't pick one up. The only thing that is holding me back--like most people, when it comes to Windows phones-- is the limited selection of apps. It seems like Windows 10 will begin to change that, with universal apps that work on all Windows 10 devices. I do look forward to testing out the Continuum features with the Lumia Display Dock. When the Surface Pro 4 presentation began, I was very excited. With the upgraded display and latest Intel processors, there is no denying that the Surface Pro 4 will continue its legacy of being the "tablet that can replace your laptop". As I said earlier, I was extremely excited about the Surface Pro 4. After seeing that presentation, I was convinced that the 4 would finally be the Surface for me. That was until, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Book. When this laptop first made its way onto the stage, I was ecstatic. The Surface Book looks great, with its simple "slab" design similar to the standard Surface. Originally, I thought the Surface Book was "just" a laptop, with a somewhat strange looking hinge. Although it was later revealed that the keyboard on the laptop is reversible, allowing to be used as a tablet. The upgraded models of the Surface Book have dedicated NVIDIA GPUs located in the Keyboard. This means that all graphic intensive tasks will require the Surface to be connected to its keyboard. The model of Surface Book I find most interesting is the $1900 model. This pricing gets you an Intel i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and NVIDIA dedicated graphics. The top tier model is priced at $2700. This upgrades you to an Intel i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. What do you guys think of the latest devices, announced by Microsoft? Are you interested? Why? Why not? Apple finally released the final version of iOS a couple of days ago, (September 16). I waited until today to update my iOS devices to avoid any of the chaos of updating on release day. Last year, I tried updating my iPhone and iPad on release day, and I can honestly say that it wasn't the funnest experience. Between the constant notices from Apple saying that my update wasn't available at that time, due to the amount of people trying to update their devices. Plus, on top of that, the slower than normal download speeds. It made for an aggravating update experience. I will be covering the top (in my opinion) changes to this years iOS update. What's New With iOS 9, you are getting the same look as the previous two versions of iOS. One thing you probably will notice is that iOS 9 does have a couple of new built-in apps. These apps are Apple News, iCloud Drive. Apple's new News app lets you save all of your favorite news sources in one place. These sources range from the top news organizations to indie publications. The News app learns what stories you like to read and as you keep using it, it will provide more accurate recommendations. iCloud Drive allows you to access any files that you have saved on your iCloud. The iCloud Drive app is essentially Apple's in-house version of Dropbox. This will work between all iOS devices running iOS 9 as well as Macs that have access to iCloud Drive.
Other than the two apps mentioned above it appears that many of the changes made in iOS 9 were purely refinements from the previous versions of iOS. For example, the row of recent contacts has been removed from the multitasking window. Also, the left home screen has made a return; and has been redesigned to show your most used contacts and apps, as well as nearby places and top recommended news articles. Another refined feature is Siri, she has been given several new commands, and the Siri interface has been changed to look more like the Apple Watch's. In terms of the mobile devices (iPhone 6/6 Plus and older), these are the biggest changes made for these devices. It seems as though many of the changes made with iOS 9 were either made for the newer devices. For example, many of the new iPad features such as Picture in Picture and Split View will only be available on the iPad Air and newer/iPad Mini 3 and newer. Final Thoughts It if clear that iOS 9 isn't a huge overhaul in terms of what's changed from last year's update. It is a good refinement, but many of the biggest additions will only be available on the newest Apple devices. So far, my favorite change to iOS is the addition of the News app. It is a great way to find all of the latest stories from all of your interests, without having to search for too long. iOS 9 is supposed to run smoother and faster than iOS 8, but I haven't noticed any difference in speed. According to many other users, iOS 9 actually lags more. I personally haven't experienced this yet, but if it's true, hopefully Apple fixes it with an update soon. Thanks for reading. What are your thoughts on iOS 9 so far? Samsung's Newest Smartwatch Goes Full Circle At IFA 2015, Samsung Unveiled their latest wearable. The Samsung Gear S2, the watch that was teased at Samsung's event a few weeks ago, was finally unveiled. With the Gear S2, Samsung completely changed what they normally did with their past smartwatches. The Gear S2 features a thinner and sleeker looking design, that looks more like a traditional watch. The past Samsung wearables didn't look bad, they just seemed too big and clunky. But with the New Gear S2 watches-yes there are two-they look as though you are wearing a standard watch. Both the standard model S2 and the S2 Classic feature similar designs, but they do each have their own unique aspects. The standard S2 features a sleek sporty design with a plastic band, while the S2 Classic looks like an old timepiece; with its textured bezel and leather band. Both S2 watches feature a completely circular display-no "flat tire" like the Moto 360. They also run the same operating system, Samsung's Tizen UX. To navigate the watch they both feature a Home and Back button, as well as the rotating bezel that had been rumored some time ago. In terms of functionality; both watches will allow you easy access to notifications, as well as send text messages. Samsung will also be releasing a 3G model of the S2 that will add an e-sim with voice capabilities.
Samsung has stated that they are openly collaborating with developers, to offer a wide assortment of watch faces and bands by launch, as well as multiple apps made specifically for the Gear S2 and its 1.2-inch circular screen. In terms of what's inside of the watches, both watches are almost completely identical. The only difference being the dimensions and weight of both watches. Specs- The Force Touch Smartphone Is Here...and It's Not The iPhone On opening day of IFA 2015, Huawei unveiled their latest flagship smartphone. The new Android-based smartphone features a 5.5" AMOLED display, a full metal enclosure with a curved back, and an enhanced fingerprint censor. But, the feature on the Mate S that is causing a lot of buzz, is the Force Touch display. That's right, the Mate S has beat Apple to the punch by offering their latest phone with pressure-based screen technology. What applications does this display offer? The phone is able to differentiate the amount of pressure applied to the screen. This allows the user to execute different functions; such as zooming in on photos, opening certain applications, as well as allowing the screen to be used as a scale. Yes, this function was demonstrated during Huawei's announcement. The phone was used to weigh an orange. The Huawei Mate S will be first made available in 30 different countries. The Force Touch version of the phone will only be available in "select markets". Pricing on the Force Touch model was not disclosed at the event, but Huawei says they will provide more information next month. The Family That Shares Virtually Everything While at IFA 2015, Sony announced a total of three smartphones (the Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z5, and Xperia Z5 Premium). With the exception of the displays-and the RAM-these phones are virtually identical. They all feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, up to 32GB of built-in storage that can be expandable by Micro-SD, high-res audio chips, and "up to two-day battery life". All three phones also feature the same camera; a 1/2.3-inch Exmos RS 23-megapixel image sensor. Sony has stated that this camera is Sony's best smartphone camera, yet. In terms of whats different, as stated earlier, the only real difference between the phones is the RAM and the display. Xperia Z5 Compact: 2GB of RAM, and a 4.6-inch 720p display Xperia Z5: 3GB of RAM, and 5.2-inch 1080p display Xperia Z5 Premium: 3GB of RAM,and a 5.5-inch 4K display That is supposed to be this years Xperia phones' saving grace, it seems. The Xperia Z5 Premium is now the world's first phone with a 4K display. In terms of the software, Sony has made a fairly drastic change from what they've done in the past. They have ditched their traditional Android skin and gone with a near stock Android. With the exception of having an icon pack, the feel isn't supposed to be that far off from a Nexus device. The new Xperia line-up will ship with Android 5.1.1, but Sony is saying to "stay tuned" for an Android M update. Marshall London Earlier this year, Marshall unveiled their London smartphone. The phone features an unconventional design. The London has a "leather textured" plastic back, a tire tread designed grip along the edge of the casing, and a metallic scroll wheel rather than the traditional volume rockers. The London comes equipped with a 4.7-inch 720p display, 2GB of RAM 16GB of storage, a 2,500 mAh battery, and an 8-megapixel camera. This phone definitely doesn't have the most impressive specs. But this phone isn't made to be about crazy performance, its about the audio. That's why the London features dual audio outputs, a dedicated physical button on top of the phone to go directly to your music, and a dedicated sound card by Cirrus Logic. With the exception of a few software adjustments for better audio experiences, the software is a fairly standard looking version of Android. |
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