Sunday debate: Notch vs full bezel

Ivan: The notch gives character. When the Apple iPhone X came out in the Fall of last year we were split on "The Notch" and the controversy hasn't stopped ever since. I'm pretty sure most people (along with my colleague at the opposite end of this argument) find the notch ugly and pointless. But I find it kind of attractive, weird as that may sound to most people. It gives the iPhone X a character of its own, a face even. It's an iconic design already, much like the round home button was. I've subsequently bought an iPhone X and I've not once found the notch a hindrance....

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Samsung offers major discounts on accessory bundles with the Galaxy S9 and S9+

Samsung's offering some serious discounts on accessories for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in the US with two bundles in particular that bring massive savings - provided, of course, you actually need said accessories. The 'S9 Ultimate bundle' is priced at $99 and includes the Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand 2018 (MSRP $69.99), the Gear IconX wireless earbuds in black ($199.99), and the latest GearVR headset ($129.99) - a total of $400 worth of accessories (though we're not sure anyone's ever bought those at full retail). Galaxy S9+ standard retail package (hint: the S9's the...

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Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact pre-orders from Sony's store come with free goodies

We wrote about the open pre-orders of the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact in Europe last week, but those were third-party retailers' offers. Sony's launched its own pre-orders, with freebies and... you got the hint. A couple of Xperia XZ2s with assorted cases The pre-order offers aren't available in all countries where Sony has a presence, and even where they are, they vary by country. For example, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the UK are getting the Wireless Charging Dock & Style Cover Touch with XZ2 pre-orders. In the UK, if you go for the Compact, it'll be just the Style Cover Touch...

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Oppo R15 to go official on March 31 with a 16MP Sony IMX519-based camera

Oppo is gearing up for an action-packed end of March. After the scheduled announcement of the F7 on March 26, the company's now revealed that the R15 is coming by the end of the month too too (likely an R15 Plus as well) - five days later on March 31. Oppo R15 event posters The R15 will be unveiled at a televised event, scheduled to start at 8 p.m. local time. Chinese actor Zhang Yishan will be on board as brand ambassador, for those familiar with the country's sitcom scene. Meanwhile, details have emerged on the R15's primary camera, only mentioned in a previous specs leak...

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Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact review

It's once again peak smartphone season and Sony is next to join the annual spring race. But while others do regular and plus-size models, Sony, as usual, is going towards the other end of the spectrum with the new Xperia XZ2 Compact.

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LG's non-G7 to come with an LCD instead of an OLED display as a cost-cutting measure

LG will reportedly opt for an LCD panel for the upcoming G6 successor, Korean market analysts predict. It will be a measure aimed at keeping costs in check as OLED displays, their advantages aside, can be two to three times as expensive as comparable LCDs. P-OLED LG V30 (left) next to LCD LG G6 That said, LG's G-series smartphones have traditionally been equipped with LCDs anyway, so it's hardly a surprise that the G7 (which in all likelihood will not be called that) won't use an OLED either. Speculations were fuelled by the adoption of OLED for the V30, and the notched renders of...

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Italian language support comes to Google Home

Google Home is not yet available in Italy, but that might happen soon as the support for Italian language has arrived on the smart speaker. With this, the Home now supports a total of nine different languages. Those who tested the new language support confirmed the device was able to recognize different voices. However, controls for home automation, routines, and shortcuts were either broken or completely absent. Google is yet to officially announce this change (as well as exactly when the Italian launch is set for). We expect that to happen sooner than later. Via

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