Category: Android Phone

I feel for Google.  They, like Apple and really any other phone manufacture in the world, struggles mightly to keep their new phones a secret until launch day.  The problem is usually not the company themselves but partners or carriers who leak and today is another great example of it.  Thanks to the folks at UK-based Carphone Warehouse, we now have the full specs of the Google Pixel and the Pixel XL which will launch tomorrow.  Frankly the specs really don’t have any surprises if you consider previous leaks guesses on what the specs would be at launch day.  Given the retailer had full page renders of all the Pixel goodness on their site, which has now been taken down, you can pretty much count on these being a lock.  We’ll know for sure tomorrow.

As for the Google Pixel, it is a 5″ Full HD display with 441 ppi and protected by Gorilla Glass 4.  It is powered by the quad-core Snapdragon 821 processor running at 2.15GHz and that is coupled with 4GB of RAM.  The main camera is 12.3MP f/2.0 shooter with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) while the front camera will be an 8MP unit.  It will have all of the normal base features of a contemporary phone such as a fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C connector and NFC.  Yes, it will have a 3.5mm headphone jack too. 🙂  Interestingly, the phone will have two storage options:  32GB or 128GB and it will be powered by Android Nougat 7.1.

When the Nextbit Robin was released earlier this year, I purposely held off on review it.  My logic was two fold.  First, at $399 I felt for what the phone had to offer, it was over priced.  I appreciate it has some unique features and by buying it you are supporting a new American-based startup, but facts-are-facts.  The current price of $299 feels a bit more accurate.  Second, I knew that it would have issues.  And it did.  The initial build of Android running on the Robin was buggy with numerous reports of the camera being poor and slow and battery performance to match it.

Fast forward seven months and the world is a much happier place for the Nextbit Robin.  The price is down to where I think it should be frankly (and it has run as low as $199 on Amazon a couple of times which is an absolute steal) and after a couple of major updates that included a bump up to Android Marshmallow, the Robin is now a solid performing phone that has great features.  I’ve been using the device as my primary phone over the course of the last few weeks and I have no hesitation in recommending it if you are looking for a well appointed handset that is in the low cost/budget category.  In fact, for what it has to offer, you will be hard pressed to find an equally well appointed phone.  Here’s my review.

BLU’s latest offering, the Life One X2, is now available for pre-order at their store front on Amazon.  The phone comes with either 16GB of storage and 2GB of RAM for $135 or you can get the much better deal 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM model for $180.  That’s a great price for a well appointed budget phone, something that BLU is well known for producing.

As for the specs, it isn’t too shabby.  The Life One X2 is a 5.2″ display device that is curved and gives you Full HD rendering.  It is protected by Gorilla glass 3 as well.  Powering the phone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor.  That’s an octa-core processor running at 1.4GHz.  It’s not the fastest processor out there but keep the price point in mind here folks.  As mentioned, the phone has two options from a storage/RAM perspective at 16GB/2GB or 64GB/4GB.  That storage can be expanded up to an additional 64GB as it has a MicroSD card slot.

Android fans, time to mark your calendars.  All indications including a teaser video from Google are pointing to the Google Pixel and Pixel XL to be announced on October 4th.  The video, which popped up on Google’s YouTube channel, starts with a search box that slowly morphs into a phone-shaped device by the end of the 30 second clip.  Couple this with the new Made By Google website, which features the same morphing search box, it is clear that the Mountain View company is getting things prepped for their new devices.

Last night the all new LG V20 was announced and this flagship device has a some serious specs for those looking for a high end, high performing device.  The first phone to run Android Nougat will be hitting the market later this month and will be carried by a few carriers here in the US as well as being available unlocked.  The 5.7″ device is powered by the Snapdragon 820 processor, has 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 16MP main shooter and a removable battery.  And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Today’s Deal over at Amazon is on the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua.  This 5″ Android phone is down to $149 over at Amazon, a savings of over $50.  The phone is unlocked and is compatible with GSM carriers here in the US (AT&T and T-Mobile), it has 16GB of storage which can be expanded thanks to the MicroSD slot and is water IP68 certified against dust and water.  That means this phone is dust and water proof up to 1.5 meters deep for up to 30 minutes.  Powering the Xperia M4 is the Snapdragon 6.15 processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 2GB of RAM installed.  If you are looking to pick up a solid performing phone at a great price, this could be a good option for you.