Droid DNA

Motorola took the world by storm with the introduction of the original Droid in 2009. It was one of the first serious Android handsets on the market, and arguably, helped bring Android to where it is today.
Verizon has continued with its Droid branding over the years, bringing HTC into the mix with its Incredible line. In November 2012, Verizon and HTC joined hands for the introduction of the HTC Droid DNA (J Butterfly in Japan) taking many of the "Incredible" traits, but adding a lot more.

Hardware
While it's not a Galaxy Note II in size, the DNA is a large handset, clocking in at 5-inches. The moment you pick up the phone its light build is noticeable. But where things really start to get impressive is the handset's display.
The Droid DNA features a 5-inch "Super LCD 3" display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. That makes it a 441 pixels-per-inch monster, and means the DNA has one of the highest resolution displays on the market. To compare, the HTC One X+ has a 312ppi and the iPhone 5's Retina display clocks in at 326ppi. Held up next to an iPhone 5, the iPhone 5 is definitely brighter, but you can see the crispness in the DNA.
Build quality on the DNA reminds us a lot of the other Droid Incredible handsets available on Verizon. HTC has included the black matte back with a snazzy red Verizon finish. It may be time for HTC to innovate in that arena.
Like the One X+ available on AT&T, the DNA's capacitive touch screen buttons are pretty spot on. You'll find back, home, and recent apps buttons that make it easy to control the phone. The display was also responsive in our tests, doing away with any random or missed presses that may have been found on the One X+.
Verizon call quality and data speeds over the 4G network are some of the best we've used. While AT&T has begun to catch up in recent months, its obvious that Verizon's 4G network is still dominant in the US. 4G LTE doesn't take away from the DNA's 2020mAh battery, which we found took us through an entire day on one charge.

Camera
The DNA is sporting a 8-megapixel f/2.0 rear-facing camera that gives the iPhone 5 and Lumia 920 cameras a run for their money. With 1080p capabilities, the camera takes sharp photo and video, even in low light. The front-facing camera is 2.2-megapixel and also f/2.0 and, impressively also 1080p. It's easily the best front-facing camera on the market.

Software
Inside the DNA you'll find a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM that brings plenty of power to the display. Any speed issue on the handset can be tied down to HTC's Sense UI, which we found to be troublesome.
Stock Android is great - specifically Jelly Bean. The DNA does feature Jelly Bean, but you can hardly tell, thanks to HTC's Sense 4.
Sense adds a bunch of custom functionality and styling to stock Android, and while features like Google Now are still available, HTC changes a lot of the UI for the worse. The other issue with Sense is how much it slows down the operating system. As we've seen on stock Android devices like the Galaxy Nexus,  Android is speedy. But with an OEM overlay, not so much.

 

Dell Inspiron 14z Ultrabook

Inspiron 14z Ultrabook

Give credit to Intel for recognizing the notebook market needed a swift kick in the pants, and for putting a noose around the necks of netbooks, which have all but been eliminated from the market place. Sure, a few straggling netbooks remain, but by and large, Intel is now heavily invested (both literally and figuratively) in the Ultrabook platform. These thin and light machines represent the natural evolution of laptops, and the form factor continues to evolve right before our eyes, which is something that's underscored by the likes of Dell's Inspiron 14z Ultrabook.
 When man discovered fire, everything was different from that point forward. Ribeye, Filet, and the Weber -- how did we survive without these bare essentials?  By that same token, Dell seems to have discovered that it's possible to mate a discrete GPU with an Ultrabook form factor, giving birth to one of the first Ultrabooks capable of slicing through games. We're not talking about titles like Peggle and Angry Birds, but bona fide titles that previously had no business being installed on a thin and light machine, and certainly wouldn't have been allowed to come within 100 feet of a netbook.
The configuration Dell sent us to examine sports an AMD Radeon HD 7570M GPU with 1GB of onboard memory, a mid-class graphics chip with the chops to handle DirectX 11 visuals. It also has an Ivy Bridge processor, 8GB of fast DDR3-1600 memory, and an optical drive, still somewhat of a rarity in this form factor. It has the foundation of a premium notebook, but at $900 retail (as configured), it's priced several hundred dollars below the going rate of a high-end Ultrabook.
 If you don't care about having a discrete GPU, Dell sells a pair of less expensive baseline configurations starting at $700 and $800, which boast Intel HD 3000 and 4000 Graphics, respectively. The $900 configuration we tested is similar to the $800 model, but with a Radeon GPU and a bit more RAM (8GB versus 6GB). As you'll discover on the following pages, it's a $100 premium well worth considering if you like to game on the go occasionally.

Motorola Droid RAZR M

The Motorola Droid RAZR M  might not be the “top offering” from Motorola, but it is a decent-sized phone with an attractive design that is certainly worth checking out. For those of you looking for a phone that isn’t a pushover but still manages a screen that isn’t larger than the state of Texas, you’ll probably like what Motorola has to offer in this affordable package that features a 4.3-inch screen size.

Let’s dive right in and check out the RAZR M.

 We will start by checking out the brief video that shows off the look, feel and some of my initial impressions about the device.

Design

 The Razr M falls somewhere between sexy and practical. The design isn’t too flashy, but it is far from boring. The 4.3-inch screen size is really impressive when you stop to really look at how thin, light and compact the body on this phone is.

Only 8.3mm thick, which isn’t bad at all. This phone is also really comfortable in your hands. A video or written review can’t do justice on this point. It might not scream “touch me” like devices such as the S3 and iPhone 5 do, but once it is in your hands– you won’t want to let it go. It isn’t as awkward to hold as many devices and it really feels solid, strong and well-built.

 For a more detailed look at the sides and angles of the phone, we have a few pictures above or you can simply check out the video.

 Hardware

The Droid RAZR M is more than capable when it comes to specs. It’s 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 won’t blow you away in a benchmark test, but it real-life use it is extremely capable. This is the same processor found in the flagship Samsung Galaxy S3, by the way. It also has 1GB of RAM, a 540 x 960 pixel display, 8GB of internal storage, 2000 mAh battery, an 8MP rear cam and a .3 front cam.

 Other goodies in the Droid RAZR M include microSD, NFC, DLNA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and 4G LTE.

I used the Droid RAZR M for several calls and found the call quality great, no fuzziness or distortion at all. This includes its speakerphone as well.

While I didn’t get 4G LTE from home, I didn’t have to travel more than 20 minutes to get it and found it quite snappy offering about 6-12 mbps for downloads.

Best of all, I love the battery in this thing. While Motorola claims 20 hours of talk time, I found that I was able to use this with moderate use for about two days, so that’s certainly not bad. My current smartphone requires charging every single day or it is totally dead— so this was a nice change.

Software

Android 4.0 ICS is running on the RAZR M, so no Jelly Bean here. Considering Google and Motorola’s close relationship, I find that a bit odd. Still, 4.1 is supposedly on its way in the future. For now, you get a near-clean version of Android 4.0 that includes a custom lock-screen, a dock and a few other small changes.

The software is very responsive and capable. The on-screen navigation keys were also great and worked as expected. I have yet to have a smartphone that didn’t have some kind of capacitive or physical button, but I really like the feel and function on the RAZR M and I’m totally sold on the idea of nothing but a screen on the front of a smartphone.

If you HATE customized UI experiences, you should be fine with what Motorola did. They didn’t modify much, and what they did change makes sense. As someone who hates resource-hogging shells, I didn’t have a problem with the RAZR M at all.

Camera

How did the camera fare? A picture says more than anything I can write. The picture above is crisp and clear. Perfect? No, but not bad at all. Still, if you really LOVE photos, you will probably prefer shooters found in competitors like Samsung, Apple or HTC.

 If you take a few pictures now and again but don’t need “the best”, this will suite your needs without a problem. Also, the video taking abilities aren’t half bad either.

Bottom Line

Let’s face it, the Droid RAZR M isn’t a powerhouse, especially when compared to the DROID RAZR HD and HD MAXX. It’s camera isn’t the best and it might not compare to devices like the iPhone 5 when it comes to raw power. What you do get is a great everyday performer that feels great in your hands. There isn’t much bloatware and you get a near-stock version of Android 4.0. You also get microSD for expansion, features like NFC and a reasonably good battery life.

Probably the most impressive part about the Motorola Droid RAZR M is the price tag. While it might not be perfect, I’d honestly expect this to cost at least $150 with a two-year commitment. Nope, it’s just $49 on Verizon Wireless. This handles almost every game and program you’d throw at it and it looks and feels great.You get a mid-range device at a near-budget price. In short, this is a steal. Camera lovers, won’t like it. Those that want giant screens might find it small. On the other hand, if you like the idea of edge-to-edge screens and a small-yet-sexy design, you are likely going to walk away impressed.

 

 

 

 

LG Intuition

When it comes to Android manufacturers, LG is far from leading the pack. It isn’t that they create bad Android devices. Instead, they simply create hardware that isn’t nearly as inspiring or impressive as what we see from Samsung, Motorola and other leading brands.
 

The LG Intuition is the company’s attempt to break into the phablet market, which was invented – and is ruled  – by Samsung with the Galaxy Note and upcoming Note 2. Is the Intuition something special this time around, or does it continue LG’s tradition of creating devices that are pale substitutes next to their competition? Let’s find out. First we will take a look at the brief video that shows off the look, feel and some initial impressions about the device.

Design

The LG Intuition isn’t merely a rip-off of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Sure, they are both phablets. The big difference here though is that LG is not afraid to venture off the beaten path. The boxy shape, sharp corners and 4:3 aspect ratio make the Intuition stand out in a crowd. This is probably the biggest ‘feature’ for the device– it is a conversation starter. During my time with the LG Intuition I carried it around with me when going to the store, doing errands, etc.

I utilized the device as my primary phone for a few days and found that putting this monster in your pocket wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I also was constantly interrupted by onlookers that saw me holding the device, “Is that a smartphone?”. And then I’d tell them what it was, and so forth.

The design on the LG Intuition is bold and boxy, but it is the size that really makes it noteworthy. The buttons are minimalistic. You’ll find a volume rocker on the left side of the phone, on the right is just a SIM card door. The top has a power key, Quick Memo key and a microUSB charger. As for the back, you have an 8MP camera with single LED flash and speaker slots.

On the front you find a 5-inch iPS display with a 1024 x 768 resolution. There are also four capacitive buttons for Back, Home, Menu and Multitask. While ICS doesn’t need actual buttons, some users prefer having them over virtual keys.
This might annoy some of you, but there is NO micro-SD expansion for increasing storage. The rubberdium stylus also has no slot, which is a move that I completely don’t understand.

Hardware

So what is underneath the hood in the LG Intuition? First, let’s look at something on the surface: the display. I already mentioned a bit about it. It is 4:3 and has a 1024 x 768 resolution. What else? The colors are sharp and it works very well. One problem, the unique size might be a great way to make this phone stand out, but it also seems to defeat the purpose. 5-inches makes it too big to work nicely as a one-handed smartphone, and yet the boxes for videos and some apps make the multimedia experience not even close to what you’ll find on the Note 2.


Taking a deeper look at the specs, this phablet comes with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The S3 might not be as impressive as an S4, but it still gets the job done. As repeatedly stated in my video review, this is not as powerful as the Note. Even so, you won’t have to put up with freezing and stalls. The smartphone is a smooth operator at almost anything you throw at it.

This phone has excellent performance, it just won’t stomp over the competition.

Software

The LG Intuition has some reasonably interesting software. The new UI isn’t nearly as bloated as past customized LG skins. It also has Quick Memo, which works great. I love the idea of pressing a button to instantly launch it. I also like that you can write onto screenshots with ease.

Is Quick Memo as good as Samsung’s S-Memo? It works well enough, but S-Memo certainly has some extra bells and whistles, including handwritting recognition. The accuracy of LG’s pen is also not quite as good. This probably won’t matter for most Intuition owners because they will either keep their pen in the box or lose it in ten minutes thanks to no holder built into the unit. Maybe there is a case for this thing that has a holder? That would be worth looking in to, though the Intuition is big enough without adding extra bulk.

Other software includes LG’s SmartShare, which allows easy transferring of files between DLNA-enabled devices. A file manager is also included and a task manager. Both of these aren’t as good as some 3rd party alternatives, but I still think it was a great move on LG’s part to include them out of the box.

Verizon also throws some of its junk onto the Intuition. You’ll have the Amazon Suite, Color, IMDb, My Verizon, NFL Mobile, Real Racing 2, Viewdini, VZ Navigator, Shark Dash and Zappos.

Camera

A picture is worth a thousand words. As you can see, the 8MP camera is more than capable of taking a decent picture. There are also some neat features baked in to the camera such as Cheese Shot. This basically allows you to say “cheese” and the camera will snap the photo. This could be great if you place it in a stand and want a group picture. There is also a dedicated Panorama mode.

The picture isn’t going to blow you away, but it is decent enough. Unfortunately, it takes several seconds to load up and focus images. This is a really slow camera for a device that is aimed at the mid-tier market.

As for video taking? There is 1080p video, but it is slow and doesn’t exactly have masterful results. They aren’t awful, either.

Bottom Line

The LG Intuition has some pretty big shoes to fill when it comes to the competition. The Samsung Galaxy Note is an impressive phablet, and the LG Intuition can’t even begin to touch the Note 2 based on raw power.

The 4:3 ratio aspect takes some getting used to, but I do admire LG for doing something different with their phablet design.

So who should get this? Those that don’t mind the aspect ratio for starters. If you want to stand out, this is also a great choice. The LG Intuition is so radically designed that you likely will either love or hate it. You might not even know for sure what you think until you get your hands on it. Many phones out there could be ordered online simply after reading some reviews– I’d recommend that you test out the LG Intuition at a Verizon store if you are on the fence about it.  Or grab one for $150 on a 2-year plan.

   

 

 

Beats Wireless

Beats Wireless by Dr. Dre

Wireless

 

Total freedom from wires.

Beats Wireless headphones deliver the sound quality that made Beats by Dr. Dre famous, only without the cord getting in your way. Controls on the earcup even let you switch tracks without pulling out your music player.

 

FEATURES

Incredibly clear sound.

Beats Wireless headphones feature powerful sound, as clear and strong as any wired headphone. They also come with a cable you can plug into if you don’t want to go wireless.

Ten hours of battery life.

Longer battery life means you can listen to your music for hours without interruption. To recharge your headphones, just plug your Beats Wireless headphones into any computer or USB port.

Pair your headphones to any device.

Stream audio from your laptop, or any other Bluetooth-enabled device – even TV’s – from up to 30 feet away. Beats Wireless headphones support SBC, APT-X and AAC Bluetooth, which means you’ll always have a high-quality stream.

Easy playback.

Instead of digging around for your music player when you want to change a song, use the controls on your ear cup to manage phone calls and music.

 

 

 

 

SAMSUNG ATIV PC PRO

If anyone should know how to make a Windows 8 tablet PC, it should be Samsung. Not only did the company see some success with its last Windows-powered device, their Series 7 Slate PC, but it also gained experience with the Android-based Galaxy Note II and Galaxy Note 10.1. The Windows 8-based Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T blends some of the top features of its previous tablets and smartphones into a 11-inch Windows 8 device. This $1,199 tablet features a fast Core i5 CPU, a built-in S Pen, and a bevy of apps to facilitate content creation. Read on to find out whether the Pro 700T is worth the expense.

 DESIGN

Made from high-density plastic, the black rear panel of the Pro 700T looks attractive and provided a decentgrip. Although it feels somewhat slippery, the panel does an excellent job of keeping smudge marks at bay. A 5-MP camera sits along the top left side of the panel above a set of four large vents. A chrome Samsung insignia sits in the center, adding a bit of flair.
The handsome Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T has a few subtle design elements that separate it from other tablets on the market. Most notable are the slim black speaker grilles on either side of the display. A Samsung logo sits in the glossy top bezel, below a 2-megapixel camera. The bottom bezel holds a chrome-lined Home button, emblazoned with the Windows 8 insignia. The rear bottom right corner of the tablet holds a dock for the S-Pen.

 

A USB 3.0 port and a microSD slot -- both of which have plastic covers -- sit along the top of the tablet. Here also is a headphone/microphone jack, buttons for power and rotation lock and another heat vent. The right side of the Pro 700T holds a Micro-HDMI port and a volume rocker. The port for the power adapter sits on the bottom of the tablet along with a pair of slots to connect the Pro 700T to its keyboard dock, and a magnetic connector. While we like all of its connectivity options, the 700T doesn't look as sleek as tablets such as the Microsoft Surface Pro.