Eligible For A Smartphone Upgrade? Here Are Some Research Tips To Help You Pick The Right Smartphone!

LG G Flex with Android OS

We love our smartphones.  Nearly every person you see has one in hand.  Families sit quietly at the dinner table because everyone is looking at their phone.  We use our devices to check our favorite social media sites, email, play games, watch video, and even read books. For many, it’s rare to turn on a home PC or laptop, because a smartphone can meet all of our needs. As these devices have become such an integral part of our lives, choosing a new device can be stressful. With so many devices on the market, how can someone make a decision and be happy with their choice for more than a few months?

Before going to your carrier or retail store, research should be done in the same manner by which a laptop or desktop computer is chosen. Begin the process by deciding on your price range. Next, make a list of your favorite applications and determine how you plan to use the device, from simply making calls to using it to track your fitness. Usually, we do a lot of research when trying to find the right computer. We turn to consumer reports, blogs, reviews, family and friends. We ask questions such as: how big is the hard drive, is there enough memory, is it upgradeable? Reason being, the last thing we want to do is spend hundreds of dollars and buy a computer that is outdated as soon as we get it.  Why should shopping for a smartphone be any different? The choice should be a device that will still be relevant more than one year later.

Portable Device Charger

There are many choices of screen sizes and operating systems. The 3 most popular operating systems are IOS, Android and Windows Phone 8. We all have our opinions on which we like best. Each of the platforms have their similarities. The main difference between the three is availability of applications and features. Another difference is the ability to personalize and customize. With Apple making a larger model device, and adding the use of widgets and a swipe keyboard, Apple and Android are now much closer to a very similar user experience. As Windows Phone 8 continues to add more of our favorite applications, it continues to become as viable a choice as the others. This simply means we are close to choosing whichever device we like, regardless of the operating system.

Battery power is another important feature to research when choosing a new smartphone. How long the battery will last, and if it is removable are the features to consider.  For some, the ability to remove the battery is a must, or else they will not purchase the device. This gives the ability to use multiple batteries with your device, especially in emergency situations.  Universal device chargers are now small, and fit well in your pocket or backpack. If you are unable to find an outlet, it's okay because you have backup in your pocket. This could also mean the purchase of a second battery, if the phone has a removable battery. So, whether you have a portable battery charger or a second battery, battery life does not have to be a “make or break” part of your decision.

Once you have narrowed your search, and you have your sights set on a particular smartphone (or two), you should turn to YouTube and search for reviews and tips & tricks. Take notes, write down as much as possible. If there is anything you do not understand, search for an answer on the internet. Once done, you are ready to visit your local carrier or retail store to choose your next smartphone. Arriving with a list of devices you wish to try out, you are empowered with knowledge. Now the conversation with the store representative will not seem foreign or “over your head”, as you are prepared. Often store representatives attempt to sell the latest, greatest, most popular, and expensive device. Some sales reps will look to take advantage of customers with a lack of knowledge and sell the device which pays the highest commission. To defend the sales reps that provide excellent service, it is difficult to help a customer find the perfect device if the customer has no clue and has done no research. Once paired with a knowledgeable sales rep who probes and listens for your smartphone needs, do not make a decision until you try the phone(s) out. The comfort of the phone in your hand, or responsiveness of the software, can only be experienced in person.

Smartphone used as a computer

Smartphones are portable computers with the ability to perform nearly as many functions as a full size computer. With many carriers giving the choice to not have a contract and allowing customers to bring their own device, choosing a smartphone that you will enjoy for more than a few years is now more important than ever.  Screen size, operating system, battery and available applications are important features to research when choosing your next device. With so many devices to choose from, the key is to choose a device that will make you happy beyond 1 to 2 years, when “the next big thing” is released. With a smartphone which will work with many carriers, and will last you for years to come, you can be in control of your contract (or lack there of) and have the ability to use it on multiple networks. Research can leave you empowered with knowledge. Hopefully these tips help you find your next smartphone.

Posted By Jerry Todd from Brainy Toads

The New Amazon Fire Phone

          Living off the thriving success of its Kindle e-book reader that launched in 2007, Amazon decided to jump into the tablet market by launching the android based Kindle Fire in 2011. Expanding their tablet line up in 2012, Amazon added the Kindle Fire HD, followed by the Kindle Fire HDX and the sixth generation Kindle e-book reader in 2013. Though not as popular as most android tablets or the Apple IPad, Amazon’s ever evolving Kindle has found a way to sustain its place in the tablet market.
          With the Kindle holding its own in a very crowded tablet market, Amazon once again stepped out on a limb to try and prove that it’s not afraid to compete with the big boys, such as, Roku, Google Chromecast, and Apple TV, when it announced Amazon Fire TV in April 2014. Amazon Fire TV is an app enabled media player that supports media streaming from Amazon Prime and other companies like Netflix and Hulu. Amazon Fire TV looks to be a viable contender in the fast paced entertainment streaming market.
          On top of being the world’s largest online retail shopping site, Amazon’s product line also includes e-book readers, tablets, a video streaming set top box, instant video & music streaming, and just recently, they added their very first phone to the lineup.

          The Amazon Fire phone was announced on last week and is set to be released on July 25, 2014. Amazon struck an exclusive deal with AT&T to be the only carrier to sell their phone in the U.S. market. Listed below are a few of the key features of the Amazon Fire phone: “New breakthrough innovations—Dynamic perspective, Firefly button, seamless integration with Amazon’s vast ecosystem—over 33 million songs, apps, games, movies, TV shows, books, and more. Only smartphone with Mayday, ASAP, X-Ray, and Second Screen Dynamic Perspective SDK and Firefly SDK now available Fire is available exclusively on AT&T, the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network. Limited time, introductory offer—12 months of Prime included.”
• Firefly Technology: Firefly combines Amazon’s deep catalog of physical and digital content with multiple image, text and audio recognition technologies to quickly identify web and email addresses, phone numbers, QR and bar codes, plus over 100 million items, including movies, TV episodes, songs, and products. Simply press and hold the dedicated Firefly button to discover helpful information and take action in seconds.
• Printed phone numbers, email, web addresses, QR, and bar codes: Firefly identifies printed text on signs, posters, magazines and business cards—make a call, send an email, save as a contact, or go to the website without typing out long URLs or email addresses.
• 245,000 movies and TV episodes, and 160 live TV channels: Firefly recognizes movies and TV episodes, and uses IMDB for X-Ray to show actors, plot synopses, and related content—add titles to Watch List or download and start watching immediately.
• 35 million songs: Firefly recognizes music and uses Amazon Music’s rich catalog to show information about the artist—play more songs, add them to your Wish List, or download instantly to your Fire. Developers, such as iHeartRadio and StubHub, used the SDK to build Firefly-enabled apps, so customers can create a new radio station based on the song or find concert tickets for the artist.
• 70 million products, including household items, books, DVDs, CDs, video games, and more: Access product details, add items to your Wish List, or order on Amazon.com.
• Mayday is now available over 3G and 4G, in addition to Wi-Fi—simply hit the Mayday button in quick actions and an Amazon expert will appear via live video to co-pilot you through any feature on the device. Amazon experts are able to draw on the screen, talk you through how to do a task, or do it for you—whatever works best. Mayday is available 24x7, 365 days a year, and it’s free. Amazon’s response time goal for Mayday is 15 seconds or less—since launch, the average response time has been 9.75 seconds.
• ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and prepares them for instant playback before you even hit play.
• X-Ray helps you get more from books, music, movies, and TV shows. Explore the bones of a book, including characters, ideas and background with a single tap on the screen; bring the power of IMDb right to Fire for trivia on movies and TV shows; plus, with X-Ray for Music, see synchronized lyrics display while you listen to your favorite song.
• Second Screen lets you fling TV shows and movies from Fire phone to your Fire TV, PlayStation or any other Miracast-enabled device. Second Screen turns your TV into the primary screen and frees up Fire phone to provide playback controls and a customized display for X-Ray, all without leaving the TV show or movie you’re watching.
• Free unlimited cloud storage of photos taken with Fire, automatically backed-up wirelessly and available across Amazon devices and Cloud Drive apps so you have access anywhere.
• Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.2 GHz processor and 2GB RAM for excellent fluidity and image rendering.
• 4.7-inch HD display with an ambient light sensor and Dynamic Image Contrast that delivers better outdoor viewing.
• Global LTE and connectivity with nine bands of LTE, four bands of GSM, five bands of UMTS for better voice coverage and faster data speeds, 802.11ac support, Wi-Fi channel bonding, NFC, and Bluetooth.
• Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus for a virtual surround sound experience.
• Advanced imaging system with custom-tuned 13MP rear-facing camera with backside illumination, LED flash, 5-element f/2.0 lens, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), and high dynamic range (HDR) capabilities for beautiful, crisp photos, even in low-light conditions. Fire also includes a 2.1MP front-facing camera. Both front and rear-facing cameras record smooth 1080p HD videos.
• Reliable backup and restore leveraging the experience and operational excellence of Amazon Web Services and its cloud technology. Fire customers can automatically back up device settings, notes, bookmarks, messages, and installed applications—no need to manually configure or connect to a computer. Sounds good for devoted Amazon customers, but is it enough to convert customers that are already loyal to their favorite brand of choice?
          Over the years Amazon has been amassing its product line and has grown to be much more than a market place just for buying books. Already in direct competition with mobile media giants like Google, Apple, and Samsung, could the new Fire phone be the missing link to help Amazon gain enough of the market share to solidify its place as one of the tops dogs in the mobile media market?
          My thoughts: I commend Amazon on the release of their first phone. The Fire phone has the capabilities to be a break out device for 2014 with its 3D features and the Firefly app, but its dependency on Amazon services and the limited Amazon App market could hinder its flagship phone specs from being used to their full capacity. If you’re a big fan of Amazon and everything it has to offer, such as, books, movies, music, and retail shopping and don’t mind needing a paid subscription to keep these services running after your free 1 year subscription to Amazon prime expires, this may just be the phone for you. If you take away the Amazon services, the Fire, may not see much success with similarly priced, stand-alone phones with comparable specs, such as, the HTC One M8, & the Samsung Galaxy S5.
          Will you be an early adopter of the Amazon Fire or will you wait to see how the first Amazon phone fairs? Are you willing to leave your current carrier and device to join AT&T and Amazon? Tell us your thoughts.

Posted By Brainy Toads Brandon

My touchscreen smartphone evolution: Where I started and what I have now.

            From the first time I held a touchscreen smartphone in my hand, I was hooked. I was transitioning from a thin flip phone to a semi-bulky touchscreen phone with a slide out qwerty keyboard. It may sound like a huge transition, but with everything the phone offered, I soon forgot about the thin flip phone and could hardly put the semi-bulky touchscreen phone down.

            My first touchscreen smartphone was the HTC 8125 Pocket PC (HTC WIZARD / Cingular (Now AT&T) Version).

HTC 8125/Wizard (Formerly Cingular, Now AT&T)

 
It sported a 2.8” screen with a resolution of 240x320 pixels at 143 ppi, 16-bit screen colors, a touchscreen display, slide out qwerty keyboard, a removable 1250 mAh battery, a 1.3 megapixel camera with a fixed lens, led flash, and a self-portrait mirror on the back near the camera lens. The HTC 8125 also had built in wi-fi, a TI OMAP 850 195 MHz Arm 926EJ-S processor, 64 MB of DRAM and 128 MB of flash memory with the ability to add up to 4 GB more memory via it’s minSD card slot. The 8125 had Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system running the show and connected to the cellular network via quad ban GSM/GPRS/EDGE Class 10 technology. Other specs of this device also included bluetooth 2.0, mini usb (slave only, no host), a 2.5mm stereo headphone jack and infrared data transfer capability. This was also the first smartphone that I had that came with a stylus. At the time this was a very feature packed device and it came in handy while I was in college. Being that it had the ability to view and edit basic functions of Microsoft programs like, Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Outlook, it was a more portable option than a laptop when it came to creating and editing my homework on the fly using those programs. And the stylus, when it worked, was a plus when selecting or highlighting certain things on the screen. Another plus to this device was that there were many developers out that made free software that you could add to this device. Software included anything from games, to productivity software, to customizable software that you could use to clone other phones operating system layouts. Some of the software created compatibility issues and caused the phone to crash a lot, but all in all, it was a great smartphone. The limited size of the hard drive, glitches in software, and poor battery life left me wanting more in a smartphone.

            Left wanting more hard drive space, a larger touchscreen, and a smoother overall smartphone experience, including the operating system, I was led to the Original Apple IPhone (seen below).

 Apple IPhone 1st Generation (AT&T)

 It had a 3.5” screen with a resolution of 320x480 pixels at 163 ppi, 18-bit screen colors, a multi-touch touchscreen display, 3-axis accelerometer, proximity sensor, a Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 412 MHz – 620 MHz processor, 128 MB eDRAM, and storage capabilities of 4, 8, or 16gb flash memory. Features also included a 2.0 megapixel rear camera, two speakers, IPhone operating system 3.1.3, quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE for cellular data connectivity, wi-fi, bluetooth 2.0, a USB 2.0/Dock connector, and a built in lithium-ion 1400 mAh battery. My particular device had the 8 GB hard drive. It was capable of storing apps, songs, and other media. It was a great phone for entertainment and media viewing. Where it lacked was in the ability to freely add media and customize the phone. In order to add media you had to purchase it from or upload your own media via ITunes (Apple’s proprietary media managing software). You also could not add third party software or share media purchased from ITunes. Basically to get full functionality of the phone you would have to jail break (unlock) it and install a third party app store that would allow you to customize the phone in some ways but it would void the Apple warranty. The Edge cellular network was also not the best for uploading and downloading media to and from this device. And the non-ability to add extra media storage was also a downside to this device. Somehow all of these minor short comings could be overlooked, because of the IPhones operating system ease of use and overall user friendliness. It was such a well put together phone that I held on to my Original IPhone for quite some time. Bypassing the next two models of the IPhone, the IPhone 3G and IPhone 3GS, I eventually bought the IPhone 4. 

IPhone 4th Generation (AT&T)

 
The IPhone 4 was a much needed upgrade from the Original IPhone, but it still lacked customization options and made me feel as if I was carrying the Original IPhone at times. I needed a change of pace.

            

          My change of pace came in the form of a smartphone that combined features from all of my previous smartphones and added much more. My next smartphone was the Samsung Galaxy Note (seen below).

Samsung Galaxy Note (AT&T)      

 
A feature packed smartphone with a large 5.3” HD Super Amoled WXGA screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800, a stylus (S PEN), 4G LTE, a 1.4GHZ Dual Core Processor, 1080p Full HD video recording, an 8 megapixel camera with LED Flash in the rear, a 2 megapixel camera in the front, bluetooth, v 3.0, usb 2.0, wi-fi, 16GB internal memory, and the ability to add more memory via a microSD card (up to 32gb). It also came with a 2,500 mAh removable battery and the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system. The Android OS and the stylus (S Pen) were the highlights of this smartphone. Even though the Android Jelly Bean 4.1 OS had some glitches and the Google play app store offered less add on applications than the Apple app store did, it gave me the opportunity to customize and add third party add on applications that made this smartphone stand out. The size of the Notes touchscreen was unlike any smartphone out up to that point. Viewing media on a smartphone screen that large made it hard to go back to a smaller smartphone regardless of the specifications they had to offer. I later upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy Note II (seen below).

Samsung Galaxy Note II (AT&T)

After owning the Samsung Galaxy Note and Note II, i have become accustomed to having a large touchscreen smarthphone with a stylus (S PEN). After having the Note 2 for over a year, i knew that when the Note 3 came out I would eventually upgrade. The upgrade became available and I now own a Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (AT&T)

            It may seem like a minimal upgrade to some from the Galaxy Note 2, but with 3 GB of ram, a 2.3 GHz Quad core processor, a 5.7” FULL HD Super Amoled Screen, an intuitive stylus (S PEN), a 2 megapixel camera in the front, a 13 megapixel camera in the rear, 32gb internal memory, USB 3.0, Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat, IR LED remote control, MHL 2.0, bluetooth 4.0, the ability to add more memory via the microSD card slot, a removable 3100 mAh battery, and NFC. Paired with a bluetooth keyboard, mouse, mhl adapter, or micro usb to usb adapter, this device has very few limitations and is by far the best smartphone I have owned to date. I am finding it hard to find uses for my laptop when my smartphone is more portable and in some cases, just as powerful. The Note 3 is not a laptop replacement, but it can hold it’s own with some of the laptops and tablets that are out currently. If you like big touchscreen smartphones, I suggest you put the Galaxy Note 3 on your short list of devices to review before making a purchase. The large screen, S Pen functionality, and updated android Kit Kat 4.4.2 OS, make this one of the best touchscreen smartphones on the market. I’ve had it for a month now and it has been great.

Have you owned any of the touchscreen smartphones that I mentioned? If so, which did you like the most? Please feel free to leave a comment letting me know your thoughts, thanks.

Posted by Brandon from Brainy Toads            

The LG G Flex. The best smartphone I have ever owned.

Considering the LG G Flex?  It’s the best smartphone I have ever owned.

Often, I’m asked “what kind of phone is that”?  My reply usually involves pointing out the fact that it’s more than just a phone.  It’s my lifeline!  With a quad core processor, 2 gigabytes of RAM, and a 6 inch screen, it’s more powerful than some laptops.  Add a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, as I have, and there’s nothing that cannot be accomplished. 

I have read articles and reviews that question its worth, and whether the curved screen is a gimmick.  At the time of purchase I was upgrading from a Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and noticed the G Flex was lower in price than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.  The screen resolution is less than that of the Note 3, and it also has less RAM.  In my opinion, this device is not as nice as the Note 3, but the lower price played a part in my decision.  To be honest, I debated a very long time, between the Note 3 and the G Flex.  I made my decision because of 4 things:  larger battery, less bloatware (pre-installed apps you do not use, but are unable to uninstall), a larger screen, and that the screen was curved.  I enjoy these features daily.  So, in my opinion, this device is worth the money.   

Combine the larger battery with the less labor- intensive screen, and you get a device that can last all day, and then some.  The 6-inch display leads me to rarely pick up my 10-inch tablet.  I used to consider purchasing a 7 or 8 inch tablet, but that's no longer a thought.  The 32 gigabytes of storage are all that is needed due to less than normal bloatware.  I love the curve of the display.  Often, it works to my advantage with handling glare.  On lower brightness levels, the screen does have a ghosting issue.  However, with the long battery life, I can increase the screen brightness to 100%, and still make it through an entire day's usage on one charge.  I can view content as it’s meant to be.  Movies streamed from Netflix, Hulu and my Network Storage look awesome!  The device also curves around my face and fits well in the back pocket.  I have never been a believer in placing my smartphone in my back pocket, but it simply fits with this device.  Initially unsure of button placement, I actually enjoy the volume and power buttons being on the back.  With previous smartphones, often I would involuntarily press volume and power buttons while simply holding it in my hand.

What truly makes this smartphone the best I have ever had?  With my previous smartphones, in order to keep up to date with the latest version of android, I have had to install a custom version of Android (a custom ROM).  This also meant I was able to remove unwanted apps.  These were apps which bloated my system.  The G Flex has many of the features I enjoyed while using a custom ROM on previous devices.  The G Flex has been upgraded to KitKat 4.4.2.  I have even allowed the (bloated) AT&T apps to remain on the device.  Usually I would have rooted and removed these apps as they are simply taking up storage space.  As a matter of fact, I haven’t made any changes, other than ringtones, notifications, and wallpaper for both my lock screen and home screen.  Android is a Linux based operating system.  Linux operating systems are about freedom of choice.  The ability to choose what apps I install, and what widgets, icons and fonts I use, is the main reason I use Android.  LG does a good job of allowing me to choose how I setup my device.  It is not as quick as stock Android, but it is quicker than Samsung TouchWiz and HTCSense. 

Is the LG G Flex the best smartphone I have ever owned?  Yes.  Is the LG G Flex worth the money?  As the price continues to fall, meaning a newer version is likely to be released, I would say yes.  Should a person wait until the new version comes out?  Yes.  The current version is awesome and very capable of being used as your main phone (for those that own more than one device).  Normally, the newer version of the device will have more bells and whistles, and be an improvement on the previous version.  If the only thing new is a heart rate monitor, or a fingerprint unlock feature, then get this version.  By then the price should be right where you want it.

Currently have an LG G Flex, or used one recently?  Leave your thoughts below on your experience.

Posted by Todd from Brainy Toads