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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Unboxing!

Apologies for the delay on this, but we have finally run through a Galaxy S7 Edge unboxing. I know, we should have done this a week ago. However, the regular S7 just needed some lovin’ for a while and now the S7 Edge will get the same.

As you can tell from that top image, we have the T-1000 model of the Galaxy S7 Edge, which is officially known as Silver Titanium. It is, without a doubt, the sexiest phone I have ever laid eyes upon. Wow, Samsung, this is absolutely stunning. It’s like looking into a mobile phone shaped puddle of beautiful liquid metal. Man.

I don’t need to run through specs, do I? You can find those here. If you want, you can also compare this to our Galaxy S7 unboxing, then see what 10 things we think you should do upon setting up your S7, and then…ahh the hell with it. Just watch this video and get ready for a review.

Tuesday Poll: What is Your Typical Screen on Time in a Day?

In October of 2014, we asked our community what their typical Screen on Time (SoT) was in a day. Most folks had anywhere between 2-4 hours in a day, with the majority of those people seeing 2-3 hours. That’s about what we at DL see on an average day, but your times will vary greatly depending on how often you use your device. Given we are on our phones all day long playing with apps and shooting pictures, we never expect to see crazy-good battery life. However, there’s always someone out there who seems to get 7 hours of SoT with two days usage, and to you, fine sir, we say, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

To check this stat, head into the Settings menu on your device. Find the Battery option, click it, then proceed to click on Screen. Underneath the graph which shows your battery drainage over the course of the day, you will see that option. For those running Marshmallow, you will not only see a metric for Time On, but also one for Computed Power Use. This details how much of your phone’s battery the display has consumed in a period of time. For those on earlier versions of Android, you will only see Time On.

So, check that, then shoot your numbers down below. We are very curious to see if a year and a half, on top of new versions of Android, has made any difference when it comes to daily battery life.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Video: Galaxy S7 vs. Nexus 6P vs. Moto X Pure vs. Galaxy Note 5

At the end of 2015, we told you our thoughts on the three best Android phones you could buy. Those three phones, hands down, were the Nexus 6P, Galaxy Note 5, and Moto X Pure Edition. Since we’re only a couple of months into 2016, we were curious how those three match-up to the newest kid on the block, the Galaxy S7. Do they compare favorably in terms of specs? How far have we gone to get to the Galaxy S7? Or have we gone that far at all? What about features and cameras and build quality and design? Has Samsung really improved that much in just a few months since releasing the Note 5?

All good questions, many of which we have some thoughts on in the video below.

During this 15-minute clip (sorry about the length!), we walk through the Galaxy S7 and how it matches up to those three phones. We show you size comparisons, how each fits in the hand, talk specs, and ultimately, if you should upgrade from any to this new Galaxy.

AT&T Extends BOGO Promotion to Include Galaxy S7

AT&T’s ongoing buy-one-get-one free promotion now incorporates Samsung’s latest flagship device, the Galaxy S7. As AT&T states in a press release, anyone who purchases a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge can receive a free Galaxy S7 via monthly credits.

To claim this offer, the first Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge must be purchased on a new line or as an upgrade. If that’s fine with you, then the second phone must be activated on a new line through AT&T’s Next 24 program. Both phones will need to be activated on a qualifying plan, such as a Mobile Share Value plan, which starts at $70/month. After three bill cycles or less, you will begin to receive up to $695 spread out over 30 monthly bill credits. At the time of sale, taxes for both devices will need to be paid.

According to AT&T, after $695 in credits, a Galaxy S7 will be free or the credits may be applied towards the purchase of an S7 edge. For more detailed info into that process, you will want to contact AT&T.

If you have already purchased the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, and meet all of the criteria listed above, AT&T can retroactively apply credits to the account for a second Galaxy S7. Again, contacting AT&T should be your first action if you wish to take advantage of this promo.

Via: AT&T

Nexus 5X is Getting Its Jank-Fixing Update

During our Nexus 5X review, we were pretty upfront about the fact that we felt the phone struggled mightily in the performance department. We’re talking a serious amount of slow down, lag, and even jank, throughout a day that often required multiple reboots. It was a shocking discovery, since most Nexus phones typically offer one of the smoothest Android experiences on the planet, but our worries were backed up by numerous comments from our readers. We wondered how long it would take before Google would address the issues, assuming they could even be fixed.

As it turns out, they can be! Orrin, a Nexus Community Manager, took to reddit today to announce that the Nexus 5X’s March update will include not only the new March security patches, but also “bug fixes that will improve overall stability, connectivity, and performance.” Yes, this is the jank fixer we have been waiting for.

Since there were two factory image posted yesterday, you are probably wondering which you need to use. Orrin says that the “majority of the world,” including those with a 5X on major US carriers, will use build MHC19J.

The update will rollout slowly over the coming days, but if you want to get rid of your phone’s lag today, feel free to jump on that factory image. Instructions for flashing images can be found here.

Via: reddit

iFixIt Tears Down a Galaxy S7, Receives Very Poor Repairability Score

Each time a new flagship device hits the market, you better believe the good folks at iFixIt will tear it down, then report on how repairable that device is. According to iFixIt’s latest teardown, DIYers won’t be too happy with the Galaxy S7 from Samsung, as it received a miserable 3 out of 10 repairability score. This simply means that most folks should not attempt any self repairs should any damage be inflicted on the device.

As stated in the teardown, the inability to easily replace key components is what makes the Galaxy S7 receive such a low score. If you break the screen, you’re screwed. If your microUSB port stops working, you’re screwed. Basically, if anything breaks at all, the process of opening up the device and replacing parts will create a serious headache for any normal consumer. With that said, unless you are a pro, leave the repairs to a professional. For comparison’s sake, the Nexus 6P received a 2 out of 10, and the Galaxy S6 Edge from last year received a 3 out of 10.

However, we can still bask in the inner glory of the Galaxy S7, with its Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 820 processor, 12MP Dual Pixel rear-facing camera, and 3,000mAh battery. Check out a few of the photos below to see what makes the Galaxy S7 tick.

To see the complete teardown from beginning to end, check out iFixIt’s site for all of the nitty gritty details.

Via: iFixIt

Deal: Get Two Chromecast Audio Dongles for $55, Down From $70

For a limited time on the Google Store, you can save $15 when you purchase two Chromecast Audio dongles, bringing the total price to $55 down from $70. Google’s Chromecast Audio, a dongle that turns any speaker setup into a WiFi-ready audio system, launched side-by-side to the Chromecast (2nd Gen), and has seen quite a bit of usage in our own homes.

Back in December, the dongle received an update that included multi-room streaming, as well as high-res audio support. Much like the original Chromecast, we expect the Chromecast Audio will continue to receive updates and support into the foreseeable future.

The discount is applied automatically when you add the devices to your cart.

Google Store Link

Android Distribution Updated for March 2016: Marshmallow on the Rise

Google updated its Android distribution numbers for the month of March, showing slight growth in the Marshmallow department. After just barely eclipsing 1% in February, we saw a jump to 2.3% this month. While I’m sure the world of Android fans would love to see that at 30 or 40%, that’s just not how Android works.

As for the rest of the numbers, Lollipop has jumped to 36.1% (up from 34.1%), while the rest of the Android versions dropped. Kit Kat is down to 34.3%, Jelly Bean to 22.3%, Ice Cream Sandwich to 2.3%, and Gingerbread to 2.6%.

You can see last month’s numbers here.

Via: Android Developers

DROID Turbo 2 Marshmallow Update has Really, Actually, For Real This Time, Bro, Started!

Look! I promise that we aren’t making this up for the third time in three weeks. The DROID Turbo 2 Marshmallow update really has started!

All you need to do is head into Settings>System update>Check for system update. The update, which is a two-part update, should be available to all.

Additional details for the update can be found here.

Cheers BIG CAT#7 and @mhoff91!

Google I/O 2016 Registration is Now Open!

It’s time to put your name in the hat for Google I/O 2016! Registration is now open for all and will remain open until March 10 at 5PM Pacific.

As a reminder, I/O costs $900 for general attendees and $300 for academic tickets. The registration process is essentially a lottery, where you fill out a form to submit your chance for entry, then sit back and wait until March 10 when Google decides who gets to go.

To fill out the lottery entry form, head over to the Google I/O site.

Watch: This is Sony’s Take on Android 6.0 “Marshmallow”

Sony uploaded a video to its YouTube channel this week, detailing what Xperia folks can expect once their devices are updated to Android 6.0 “Marshmallow.” When and if the update comes to your phone, Sony has turned everything white, and included many of the important features that come native inside of Marshmallow. These features include enhanced app permissions and easier media sharing between friends.

In addition to native changes, Sony has worked in a few of their own, such as real-time camera adjustments when taking photos, a swipe to switch camera shooting modes, sticker packs for your texting apps, and a much better text editing solution (Marshmallow native feature).

Sony provides no detail into which devices would receive this update along with the video, but that information was made available back in late 2015. At this time, global Xperia Z5 are reportedly receiving the Marshmallow update, but the Sony situation here in the US is pretty much a cluster at this point. If an update is something you don’t want to wait for, the Xperia X lineup of devices will ship with Marshmallow, which is likely the quickest way for you to run Marshmallow on a Sony device.

All you Xperia Z owners out there in the US, want to place a friendly wager on when this update might hit your device? Q3? Q4? 2017?

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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Unboxing!

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AT&T Extends BOGO Promotion to Include Galaxy S7

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