Counterclockwise: the first app store

The Apple App Store just turned 10, a year after the iPhone got into the double digits. That's because the App Store was introduced with iOS v2.0 (actually, it was iPhone OS back then). So, this is a good moment to talk about how app stores came to be. The one on the iPhone isn't the pioneer, actually, but Apple is curiously connected to the first app store - the Electronic AppWrapper. EAW began life as a print catalog in 1991, but soon started including CDs. Each disc would have apps, music and other media which were encrypted - you had to pay to unlock them. Electronic...

Read More

Wearables - Summer reflection on 2018

Introduction Summer's here, so let's reflect back on the wearables that 2018 has brought us so far. As it's World Cup time, let's 'ick-off and coin yet another cliched football analogy: It's a game of two halves Let's analyze the somewhat predictable first half of the year in the wearable space this week before looking forward to, in this pundits view, a more unpredictable second half next week. The first half - exactly as expected While the pace of change in the wearable space, partly due to economics, is much slower than that of smartphones, with step changes taking place...

Read More

Starting July 10, the Redmi 6A will be offered in 3GB/32GB memory configuration

When the Redmi 6A was announced alongside the Redmi 6 a month ago, the former was offered with only 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. But Xiaomi wants to change all that starting July 10. The Redmi 6A will be available with double the storage (32GB) and 3GB of RAM. Of course, there's a slight bump in the price - from CNY 599 ($95) for the 2GB/16GB variant to CNY 699 ($105) for the new upgraded version. However, the price is still a tad lower than Redmi 6's base variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage going for CNY 799 ($125). The device is already listed on retailer...

Read More

vivo adds a Night Purple color to its X21i smartphone, it looks stunning

The vivo X21i is a relatively new device, launched in May this year, but just like most manufacturers, once the hype wears off, the OEM releases a funky new color option for their handset to spark some interest around the handset. vivo X21i in Night Purple So that's why the Chinese company is releasing a stunning new Night Purple flavor for its x21i. Well, we think it's stunning by looking at the press renders and we aren't exactly sure how its back panel will look in real-life. But who doesn't like purple anyway? Keep in mind that the phone is offered only with the 4GB of RAM...

Read More

Verizon pushes June security patch for the Galaxy Note8, Note5 and S6 edge+

It's that time again. Despite coming a bit too late, June security patch for Galaxy Note8, Note5 and S6 edge+ is now available for Verizon users. The build numbers of the software updates are R16NW.N950USQU4CRF3 for the Note8, NRD90M.N920VVRS3CRF1 for the Note5 and NRD90M.G928VVRS3CRF1 for the S6 edge+. But while the Note5 and the S6 edge+ are getting just the security enhancements, the Note8 users will be happy to hear that the OTA update adds the so-called Auto On feature for WiFi calling. It allows you to receive calls over your home WiFi network, for example, when cellular...

Read More

Meizu 15 review

Fifteen is a pretty big number. Quite the milestone, one might say, from a purely numerical standpoint. Especially for a relatively small company, the likes of Meizu. But going by pure volume can't really be any indication of quality. Experience, perhaps, to some extent. Also, it's fairly obvious that Meizu skipped a few numbers. Actually, it staring out started counting from 15 - a special model, meant to commemorate the company's fifteenth anniversary.

Read More

Xiaomi Mi A2 memory and color variants revealed in new report

The upcoming Xiaomi Mi A2 has been the subject of several leaks and rumors so far. From hands-on to leaked images to camera samples, we've seen it all. While the hardware should be same as that of the already announced Mi 6X, software should be stock Android (as part of the Android One program). Now, color and storage variants for the Mi A2 have been revealed, thanks to a new report, which says the device will be available in black, blue, and gold color options. For comparison, Mi A1 color options included black, gold, rose gold, and red. As for memory configurations, the reports...

Read More

MIUI 10 Global Beta 8.7.5 available for eight Xiaomi smartphones

Shortly after Xiaomi released a more detailed timeline along with a list of devices that will surely get the latest MIUI 10, the company released the Globa Beta of the software for its top-tier, mid-range and affordable phones from the last two years or so. The MIUI 10 was announced alongside the Mi 8 but the Global version of the software was announced with the Redmi S2 in India. So most of the Chinese-based Xiaomi phones already started receiving the new Alpha/Beta versions of the overlay, but yesterday, the company rolled out the Global version for eight of its phones too. As...

Read More

New update rolling out to Sony Xperia XZ1/XZ1 Compact and XZ Premium

Sony has started pushing out a new update to its Xperia XZ1 series as well as XZ Premium smartphones. Arriving as firmware build number 47.1.A.12.235, it's basically a security update that brings along Android fixes for the month of July. Sadly, there's currently no information on what other changes (if any) are included in the update. Given that the roll out has just begun, it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your unit, so be patient. This comes just a few days after Google released the July security update for Pixels and Nexuses. Via

Read More

Our vivo NEX S video review is up

The vivo NEX S was the most futuristic phone in while, at least until the Find X showed up a couple of weeks ago. The Find X isn't available yet though, unlike the NEX S, and the NEX S we have even reviewed already. Well, now the video review is up too. You can watch Will talk about the one-of-a-kind design with a display that covers the entire front and motorized selfie camera. The less than ideal under-display fingerprint reader gets a mention too, but we're generally more irked by the software experience - admittedly, tailored to the Chinese market. There's not much point going over the...

Read More

Deal: Get your refurbished Pixels for $200, XL for $230

Yes, the original Pixel phones from Google will soon become two-year-old handsets but that doesn't mean they are obsolete in 2018. No, in fact, the Pixel and Pixel XL have hardware that is still capable and vanilla Android ensuring buttery smooth operation. Very few phones offer slow aging as Google's phones. But that's not all. The benefit of having a Pixel phone is Google's extended software support - you still have at least a year of major Android updates and an even longer period for security patches. And no other maker can beat Google when it comes to the timely fashion of...

Read More

Wear OS-powered Samsung smartwatch rumored again, to feature blood pressure measurement

Back in May this year, reputed tipster Evan Blass shared that Gear smartwatches running Wear OS were spotted on the wrists of Samsung employees. This fueled rumors of Samsung turning to Google's platform for its future smartwatches. However, a few weeks later, Blass updated that the wearables spotted earlier were just one-offs made by Google, effectively pouring cold water on speculations. However now, it looks like Samsung may have Wear OS plans for its smartwatches after all. According to Ice Universe (who has a solid track record when it comes to Samsung-related leaks), the device...

Read More

Oppo A5 goes official with 4,230mAh battery, Snapdragon 450, dual camera

Oppo's latest midranger has gone official and it is, after all, the Oppo A5, and not A3s. The TENAA listing gave us most of the details a few days ago, but now it's set in stone. The Oppo A5 comes with a 6.2-inch LCD with a 1,520x720px resolution in a 19:9 aspect ratio. It goes without saying that there's a notch up top. Oppo A5 in blue The chipset in charge is the Snapdragon 450 with its octa-core CPU clocked at 1.8GHz. The official website says 4GB of RAM, but the regulator listing mentioned a 3GB version too - perhaps later on. Internal storage is 64GB with a microSD...

Read More