All Posts by Daniel Bader

Phiaton's new noise-canceling headphones are neckbuds for the sophisticated traveler

Posted by Daniel Bader on 17 Oct 2017 3:56 pm

'Neckbud' may be a terrible term for a headphone, but their convenience makes up for it. Phiaton is well known for its excellent Bluetooth headphones, and the company just announced perhaps its most interesting pair yet, the BT 150 NC. Part of its growing lineup of noise canceling-enabled headphones, the BT 150 NC uses the divisive neckbud form factor — the bulk of the equipment is in...

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: Specs, availability, pricing, and everything else!

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 17 Oct 2017 11:55 am

Everything you need to know about the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL! The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are finally here, and there's a lot to unpack. While these devices resemble the original Pixel and Pixel XL, there are many changes both internally and externally that make them worth talking about. Let's dive in. Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL review! The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are incredible phones —...

Qualcomm just made it way easier for phone makers to support T-Mobile's 600Mhz network

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 16 Oct 2017 9:30 pm

Your next phone will probably support a T-Mobile's push for better coverage in the U.S. A lot of T-Mobile customers were upset that Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 didn't support T-Mobile's burgeoning low-band 600MHz network; many of those same people wondered why Apple's iPhone 8 and upcoming iPhone X lack the same capabilities. In fact, the LG V30 is the only phone to support T-Mobile's new network,...

Qualcomm has managed to fit its once briefcase-sized 5G modem into a phone

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 16 Oct 2017 9:30 pm

Qualcomm has a 5G modem that works in an actual phone. Back at Mobile World Congress in February, I walked through Qualcomm's sprawling show floor exhibit and was struck by the emphasis being paid to a technology that, at least at the time, had little form or concrete narrative. 5G is a term thrown around to denote the next generation of wireless technology, combining the benefits of today's...

Sony's Xperia XZ1 gets most everything right

24 Comments

Posted by Daniel Bader on 16 Oct 2017 8:00 am

I'm excited about a Sony phone, but that shouldn't surprise you. There are so many phones launching this quarter, it's difficult to keep up. In the U.S., Sony's phones generally get announced and go on sale with little fanfare, largely because they lack carrier backing. This is true of the Xperia XZ1, which is available on Amazon right now for $650, and its smaller Xperia XZ1 Compact...

End of the headphone jack, rise of the audiophile

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 15 Oct 2017 8:17 pm

The end of the headphone jack has spurred an interest in high-quality audio components, but where does the madness stop? Everything I do revolves around music. It's always been this way — as a kid I would sit on the floor in my carpeted living room creating hours of mix tapes from my father's classic rock cassettes, returning to my bed to close my eyes and exist between two worlds. As a...

Here's what we're reading, watching, and listening to this week

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 14 Oct 2017 10:00 am

How we're spending our leisure time. Everyone has a bit of quiet downtime once in a while. Whether you're sitting quietly at home or trying to relax on a plane or just giving your busy mind and hands a break, it's important to relax. A good way to do that is to read a book, listen to some music or watch a movie or show. See what's caught our attention for the week of October 13. Daniel Bader...

Where to buy the LG V30

137 Comments

Posted by Daniel Bader on 13 Oct 2017 4:10 pm

When and where can I get the LG V30? The LG V30 is one of the most interesting devices of the year so far. It's got a big, near-bezelless design that eschews many of the design characteristics of its predecessors, the V10 and V20, but maintains their focus on high-quality audio and unique camera features. While the phone was announced in late August, it's only being released, and we've got...

Google Home vs. Google Home Mini: Which should you buy?

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 13 Oct 2017 9:00 am

Should you buy a Google Home or a Google Home Mini? Big in importance but small in stature, the Home Mini was overshadowed by the Pixel 2 announcement at Google's recent hardware event. But it's an important addition to the company's hardware canon. At just $49, the rounded plastic puck, covered in fabric, is an inexpensive entry into Google's burgeoning smart home ecosystem. It offers a...

LG V30 making its way to Canada on Oct 20

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 12 Oct 2017 11:48 am

The LG V30 is coming to Canada in just over a week. While the last of the U.S. carriers are set to start selling the LG V30 this week, Canadians eager to purchase the multimedia powerhouse phone will have to wait an extra week. LG Canada says the phone will be released on October 20 at a number of carriers, including Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Fido, Koodo, and Freedom Mobile. Android Central has...

How to use the Coloring feature on the Galaxy Note 8

4 Comments

Posted by Daniel Bader on 12 Oct 2017 10:00 am

Coloring is one of the most enjoyable features on the Note 8. Here's how to use it! It's always been fun to use the Galaxy Note's S Pen stylus to doodle in S Note and other compatible apps, but with the Note 8, Samsung has gone one step further — it's added a dedicated coloring feature. Part of the little-known but, in some circles, wildly popular PenUP app, the coloring feature gives the S...

Should you buy an original Pixel or Pixel XL in 2017?

28 Comments

Posted by Daniel Bader on 12 Oct 2017 9:00 am

Is a lower-priced Pixel or Pixel XL a good deal right now? The unceasing march of innovation, coupled with the desire for a predictable revenue stream for manufacturers and carriers alike, all but ensures an annual update cycle for most major smartphone brands. So is true of the new Pixel 2 series, which takes what made last year's models so good and improves on them in nearly every...

Movies Anywhere lets you watch your digital movies on any service, and Google is a launch partner

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 12 Oct 2017 12:05 am

Disney has teamed up with four big movie studios to make sharing movie downloads between ecosystems as simple as possible. In 2014, Disney debuted its digital extension, Disney Movies Anywhere, which allowed users to bridge the ecosystem divide for movie downloads. If you bought, say, The Lion King on iTunes and Aladdin on Google Play Movies, DMA gave you access to both those movies on either...

Cyanogen founder Steve Kondik working on Oculus Go at Facebook

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 11 Oct 2017 3:20 pm

The man behind CyanogenMod is now working on making standalone VR a big deal. At Oculus Connect in San Jose, California, Facebook's VR team made a number of big announcements that included a permanent price drop for the Oculus Rift to $399, and new features for the burgeoning Oculus platform. One of the more interesting hardware announcements was the Oculus Go, a standalone $199 headset that...

Best microSD Cards for the Moto G5 Plus

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 11 Oct 2017 11:00 am

Which microSD card is best for the Moto G5 Plus? Well, it depends what you need... The reality is this: if you are buying a budget phone, you're kind of over the idea of paying a lot for accessories. No fancy, expensive case; no insanely high-performance microSD slot. You just want something that works. Even though the $229 Moto G5 Plus has a pretty hefty 32GB of storage out of the box (and...

Google Home Mini review units had a bug that recorded everything, all the time

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 10 Oct 2017 8:09 pm

Google Home Mini is only shipping on October 19, but a major bug has already been reported — and fixed. Google is no stranger to problematic hardware launches — recall how difficult it was to get a Pixel last year, or how frustratingly bad the Nexus 5's camera was in 2013 — but this one may top it all. According to Android Police owner, Artem Russakovskii, review units of the new Google Home...

Best Android Wear Smartwatch

Posted by Daniel Bader on 9 Oct 2017 2:00 pm

Best overall Best for watch lovers Best mid-sized alternative Best value Best overall LG Watch Sport See at Newegg LG's Watch Sport has everything: a big, beautiful P-OLED display, a high-speed processor, NFC for Android Pay, LTE for independent connectivity, and a massive 430mAh battery. It's also the first smartwatch to ship with Android Wear 2.0 (though certainly not the last) which...

Google Pixel 2 XL vs. LG V30: The perfect pair for right now

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Posted by Daniel Bader on 9 Oct 2017 12:00 pm

Should you buy the LG V30 or the Pixel 2 XL? It's a hard decision. I was the last person to leave Google's Pixel hardware event in Toronto this week, the cleaning staff already entering the converted movie studio to remove the painstakingly crafted demo spaces for Google Lens, augmented reality, and the Pixel 2 camera's Portrait Mode. I just didn't want to give the damn phones back, them...

BlackBerry Motion announced with 4000mAh battery, IP67 rating

26 Comments

Posted by Daniel Bader on 8 Oct 2017 4:10 pm

BlackBerry Mobile has a new phone and it looks a lot like the KEYone, but without its most important feature. It's been an open secret that TCL, the company behind the newly-revived BlackBerry handset brand, has been working on another device for a fall launch. Dubbed 'Krypton', the phone was expected to eschew a hardware keyboard for a traditional 16:9 touchscreen, emphasizing BlackBerry's...

BlackBerry Motion specs

33 Comments

Posted by Daniel Bader on 8 Oct 2017 4:51 pm

What's inside the BlackBerry Motion? There's a new BlackBerry coming to town, the Motion, and while it's not quite as noteworthy as the return-of-the-keyboard KEYone, it's a nice mid-range handset with some interesting features. With a 5.5-inch HD display, a Snapdragon 625 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, 4000mAh battery and waterproofing, there's a lot to like here. Here's the...

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Sony's Xperia XZ1 gets most everything right

Kickstart your IT career with this 11-course bundle, now 98 percent off!

Is any phone actually worth $1000?

Common Galaxy Note 8 problems and how to fix them

Everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 2!

Should you use your Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL on Project Fi?

Become a certified AWS solution architect with this $49 bundle

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Enjoy your music wirelessly or wired with this great headphone deal!

Google Pixel 2 vs iPhone 8: Do these bezels make my phone look fat?

Is metal really a better material than plastic on phones?

Google Pixel 2 XL vs. LG V30: The perfect pair for right now

Google Pixel 2 XL vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Big phones, big prices

Google Pixel 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy S8: Let's argue about bezels

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL hands-on: Act two looks great

All Posts by Daniel Bader

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