HTC GOT US 10 OVER 10.

hey there, its been another while and yes we have our excuses but pardon us for the long intercessions of recent, we will make it up to you all...duly. 

well, well, well, look what we have here, HTC has unveiled its latest flagship (...if you still dont know what the term flagship stands for, then read some of our earlier posts, thanks) and for those who are big HTC fans, you will recall the first of their modern flagships was HTC One but now, this most updated and wow model is named the HTC 10. we like the name, not shabby but lets get down to why you are really reading this shall we.

looking at the key features of the HTC 10, this is what the average Joe should know;

• the design has been slightly changed and we do like, with large chamfered edge all round which seems to help with the grip, capactive keys are at the bottom now and not on screen and the power button has a pattern surface for easy feel. 
• the body is fully metal as previous models but much more reinforced against falls, damages, scratches and the likes, so you have a much more sturdy body even for our rough rural areas.
• the screen is 5.2" in size (the first HTC One was 4.7" so this is slightly larger which is good), has a pixel density of 564ppi (very sharp and contrast rich display) and a 2.5D Gorilla glass display ( keeps away scratches and chips plus is shatter proof, dont go testing that).
• there is a 12MP camera (not the old ultra pixel kind) at the back with a larger aperture sensor to capture good images irrespective of low light, 4k video capture with 2160p quality and hi-res audio plus slow-mo video at 720p 120 frames per sec (very cool, lets redo The Matrix), there's Optical Image Stabilization for shaky hands on both front and back camera (thats a first for front camera ever), the front is 5MP with 1080p video recording (very high quality video format for those into selfie videos).
• for the sound enthusiasts, there is a dual sound speaker in front (its not your typical sound speaker config, just note) and comes with premium head phones out of the box (we think this might be region specific).
• inside we have Android 6.0 (yes Marshmallow), a Snapdragon 820 chipset (as seen in the Xiaomi Mi 5 and Lg G5, top notch chip), 4GB of RAM with either 32GB or 64GB internal storage with MicroSD option. 
• there is now a finger print reader for smart security (no one guesses your finger print details but still wont stop some morons from stealing these).
• the battery has a capacity of 3000mAh plus there is quick charge which gives your device 50% of power from only 30mins of charging.
• regarding connectivity, there is everything a flagship should have, from bluetooth, NFC, WiFi, USB Type C (no longer your micro USB cable or popularly known to us as BlackBerry port), wireless streaming and more.

so there you have it, all you should know and if it is enough for you to upgrade (technically we shuld upgrade our devices every 3 years at most, most). we love the design of the new HTC 10 and it is a full power house contending very well with other flagships out there so it all comes down to preference.

to help you our (preciooouuussss) readers, here is a link that compares the HTC 10 with the HTC One and the HTC M9.

HTC 10 vs One vs M9

and here is another comparison with other flagships like the Samsung S7, LG G5, Xperia X and the Xiaomi Mi 5.

HTC 10 vs LG G5 vs Galaxy S7

HTC 10 vs Xiaomi Mi 5 vs Xperia X Premium

Our Thoughts:

we love and nothing says "hey look at my phone" than this HTC 10's unique metal body build. if you're coming from the much older HTC models, we do recommend this upgrade (if you're into flagships) but if not, you can skip but look into mid-range array of HTC phones from their list here. 

HTC has done a great job with this version 10 but they have to be extremely careful with pricing as they have not been doing so well regarding sales, if the cost is not favorable then customers will branch out to other more affordable flagships. all the best guys and well done.

P.S- do what makes you happy as long as it is not evil, no matter how weird...weird is good.

Do call or write to us for any Design and Tech info/ service(s) you need, we got you.

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CONTENDERS STEP FORWARD, GALAXY S7 AND XPERIA X.

Hey there, hope you all have been having a terrific life so far, shame no one wrote us to find out why we were away so long...you're all mean, and we love you irrespective.

Well, well, well...what have we here? two flagship devices gracing the internet and causing a frenzy (...one more than the other though) all at the same time.
Lets meet the heavy hitters shall we;

Samsung has just announced their new flagship device (...you should see our faces) and it's the Samsung Galaxy S7. Yes, yes before you S6 owners start blowing steam just lets be done here okay. It's been roughly a year since the release of the S6 and Samsung has graced (...after horrendous levels of leaks) us all once again with another major flagship for the year. Whats the difference you ask? well, we are all about getting to the point with our views so here goes what the S7 brings to the table;



- slightly thicker in diameter to contain a bigger battery, 3000mAh over the 2550mAh of the S6, in lay terms, the S7 should have significantly better battery life.

- no camera hump as present on the S6, basically its just about design preference for you.

- ooh! water and dust resistant, swimming, showering, water balloon fights are all welcomed. for a timed duration though. (...took you guys at Samsung long enough to put this feature in a flagship than creating a S7 Aqua or something).

- techy stuff now; faster and more powerful processor (...there's the Snapdragon 820 version and Samsung's own Exynos version), latest Android version Marshmallow 6.0 (...which the S6 might never see, or not), fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor, supposedly better camera 12MP rare and 5MP front (...lower MP than previous S6 but then again, its not really about MP these days) with better low light capture, wireless charging and quick charging (...plug the S7 in and get about 80% in 30 mins, sweet), microSD support is back, 32/64 GB internal memory options and 4GB RAM (...seriously, Android needs to get their act together on RAM management).

- and its trademark feature, the ALWAYS-ON DISPLAY (...and NO, its not a battery draining feature as this works like E-Ink technology which if you know about that you'll understand it uses extremely negligible power, cool).

That's basically all you...we need to know about the S7. Techy folks can go elsewhere to seek reviews that dissect the phone antennae for all we care. These are the basics and now you know them.

Moving on, Sony has always captivated us with their designs, the top and bottom bezels (...the space above and below the screen) however have left much to be desired in terms of screen to body ratio but yeah, can't be it all now can we.



The new Xperia X series of phones are the next thing for Sony and there is a mid range device here too but we are not talking about that, the flagship is what we are looking at and it bears the name of the entire lineup...Xperia X Performance (...there's the Xperia X, X Performance and XA).
from the hands-on experience gathered, these are the offerings;

- new design aesthetic from previous Xperia phones with curved edge glass and brushed metal back (...edge to edge display is really pleasing but still looks overly a lot like previous Xperia phones, the brushed back helps grip and the curved edge glass for fluidity).

- every other feature is still very similar to the Xperia Z5; water and dust proof, stereo speakers, microSD support, 23MP rear camera, FM radio with RDS and fingerprint scanner.

- the front facing camera however has been bumped up from 5MP to 13MP (...those crazy about selfies will appreciate this).

- other techy details include; 3GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage and a faster Snapdragon 820 processor which means faster CPU (...for multiple app processing) and GPU (...for intensive graphic games).



Our thoughts:
So there you have them, thinking of changing your device (...unless you REALLY know the use of such high end devices), these are on the top list of fresh out the oven devices to keep your productivity going but we must warn, they do cost a pretty penny and knowing the exchange rate of where you might be purchasing from...we'll advice you think long and hard before making such a change.

Both devices are superb and beautiful in every aspect, it all comes down to personal preference. Great Job to Samsung and Sony on these and here's to a successful sellout to both.

source 1
source 2

P.S- smile to a stranger when you make eye contact...not in a creepy way, just be warm about it.

Do call or write to us for any Design and Tech info/ service(s) you need, we got you.

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Design & Tech Crackerjacks

HEARD OF THE MiTV3??? OTHER BRANDS PLEASE TAKE THE BACK SEAT.

Hi there, after what seems like an eternity crisscrossing the net for interesting enough tech news (...and watching cat videos), here we are again with something you need to give attention too...literally you need to.

XIAOMI is a popular Chinese phone manufacturer that if you haven't heard of by now then you seriously need to question your reality...tech wise (...if you're not a techy, don't fret). They make Android powered devices like the Redmi and Mi phone, note and tab series lineup (...here is a link XIAOMI DEVICES). Their devices are pretty awesome as they emphasize on premium quality devices at way cheaper cost of purchase, thus giving top vendors like Samsung, LG, SONY and co a serious run for the market share. Sadly, their devices but rarely make it out of Chinese markets to other countries but the company is working on making their products available to the international market. For now, if you ever want to get one of their devices, you probably will need contacts that route the Asian countries frequently (...just Google too, that always works).

The Xiaomi company is extending their device product range to bring us the MiTV and apparently, this is the 3rd generation of their TV (...funny how the world missed the first two generations). What really got us intrigued by the MiTV is its everything. from concept, build quality, screen output, ports, functionality and dimensions, This TV is truly impressive and oh, lets not even get started on the price.

The images should speak for themselves, enjoy.

OUR THOUGHTS:

We love the new MiTV3, it is sleek, gorgeous and efficient, the price clearly beats down those of more popular brands who would offer similar speced devices. the concept of separating the screen from the main console is truly genius which will see customers happy and less worried over casualties. The multi-functional port console is really great too allowing for USB, HDMI and even LAN connections for internet connectivity. The smart TV U.I is exceptional, allowing access to Google Playstore for app downloads and streaming. 

Really, what else could you ask for with the price tag of 6000CYN (...188,081.13 in Naira) giving that to get a more popular brand of TV with all these specs (...not this concept though and certainly not all these specs) will cost you x2 if not more. 

We sincerely hope when this MiTV3 launches, it will be available to the international market and if it wont, it will be a good idea for some company to invest in making it available locally.

Well done Xiaomi.

for more info, check this Source

P.S- live the moments of your life, don't live racing for your desires, you'll get there soon enough.

Do call or write to us for any Design and Tech info/ service(s) you need, we got you.

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TV JUST GOT MORE ADDICTIVE,...HAVE AN APPLE WITH THAT.

So the big Apple event held on Sept 9 2015 is come and gone, most of you must have been wondering..."why didn't we cover something about this???", well, we are not mobile tech bloggers but more about concepts...design and tech concepts mostly. Frankly, we didn't see anything blowing our heads over for (...not entirely true, thus this post). Something did however catch our attention and we are bringing it to you now.

With the Apple Event came a number of unveiling such as the iPhone 6S and 6S+, a couple of new iPad, software improvements for the iWatch and the soon to be released IOS 9 (...if you really want to know all the juicy details about all these, well, you're online). Among all the unveiling, there it was...the Apple TV 2015 (...Apple TV 2nd edition too if you like).

It's Apple TV, not much fuss eh...you'd say, but lets look a bit into its details. lets outline some of the key-points of the new Apple TV 2015 shall we;

• it connects to your home TV via HDMI (...every TV these days has that port so check).
• connects via ethernet port to the internet to provide content like an iPad.
• it is small and discrete, minimalistic design will blend with your living room or wherever you put it.
• it has a UI and UX very much like a blown out Apple App Store, soothing and easy to navigate (...user interface and user experience, two different things so read up on them).
• the remote control has direct link to use Siri (...Apples Virtual Assistant) for searches, control certain media playback and quite much more. It also has a touch area for easy scrolling, swiping and general navigation.
• it provides rich content streaming services, like YouTube, CNN, Disney, ESPN...and so much more.
• you can rent and watch your favorite movies and TV show (...Avengers 2, Game of Thrones etc)
• not just movies and shows but your music is there with a sort of if not exactly iTunes service.
• now you can also get dedicated games on the Apple TV like you would your iPad and play with your wide screen TV (...ding! ding!! ding!!! we are sold).
• there are thousands of Apps that will be available to install and use, from media streaming, games, educational, sports, creativity, reading and so much more.
• it is not expensive (...knowing how Apple products and the word expensive are usually synonymous, this is good news).

All said and so not done, we think having this device in our homes will bring so much more entertainment and productivity to the table, not just home but also in your office (...private office or staff lounge). We could take online courses through certain apps on a much wider view, watch all our favorite shows without cable TV and certainly not on your laptop or tablet anymore (...those can be saved for more on-the-go work), play all your top-end games like Asphalt, Injustice, Modern Combat, FIFA, Infinity Blade and so on.

The remote bundled with the Apple TV 2015 deserves its own paragraph entirely (...we will only be brief however) as it brings a whole new level of interaction with the Apple TV. Allowing for touch navigation and game controls, it will certainly be improved over time to do things like pinch to zoom and pan (...possibly the next model will include force touch as seen in the new iPhone 6+...at least you should have learnt that much about the new iPhones).

Our thoughts:

We love the updates brought to the new Apple TV, it is quite refreshing and we cannot wait to get one to fully experience it. Yes, it relies a lot on online content and depending on where you are in the world, it could be a bit of a hassle but that too is changing as internet services are getting more affordable and reaching even more areas around the world. 

There's the competition, Nexus Player from Google (...yes, Google has theirs, stop living in your cave) which offers very similar content but it appears to lack behind that of Apple right now. A refreshed model though of the Nexus Player should bring some serious competition but for now, the Apple TV 2015 is it. At $150 for the 32GB version and $200 for the 64GB, we say TV could not get any better right now. 

well done Apple, and all the best.

P.S- try and read a book every now and then. If books are not your thing, then read intelligent articles/post online at least everyday.

Do call or write to us for any Design and Tech info/ service(s) you need, we got you.

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Design & Tech Crackerjacks

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BBM: 559219F6

"VENICE" HAS ITS WAY WITH LOOKS AND ANDROID...YES IT IS A BB.

A while back, we heard rumors of a BB Slider and soon after, we saw images of what it will look like. Not much detail was know but it will now appear that BlackBerry has been working hard to get into the market hard with the all new BlackBerry Venice. The device has been shown to run on Android via live images and even videos (...we don't have a link to a video but YouTube should) which as you can see in the images, it was not supposedly running such.
If you don't still understand what we are trying to let you know, lets simplify it shall we;

• the new BB Venice will not be running BBOS, whether surface or underneath. It will be running Pure Android (...mostly pure) and most likely Lollipop 5.1 (...with a good chance of Android Marshmallow 6.0 update).

• you wont be using BB World on it for app downloads and management, you will be using the Play Store of Google which is what Android uses.

• you will have a plethora of Android apps to install on your BB making it as efficient as any other Android device out there (...like Samsung, Sony and Co.)

• your BBM will be there as the major messaging app plus BB is most likely going to install their own security features on the Venice which if you know one thing about BB, it is that their security is tight (...very tight).

There, so now you have a more decent understanding of what to expect from the BB "Venice" (...nice name by the way). This device certainly has our attention and we will keep up with it, Personally we will like to see the BB Classic come with an option to download and install an Android OS update via their official site, this will allow more users the flexibility of trying out both BBOS and Android OS to choose their best fit (...plus we just think Android Lollipop will suite the BB Classic more).
Well done BlackBerry, and all the best with the "Venice" (...did we mention how cool the name is? haha).

P.S- when you are on the internet, be sure you are learning 80% of the time and not wasting 80% of your time.

Do call or write to us for any Design or Tech info/ services you need, we got you.

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Design & Tech Crackerjacks

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WINDOWS 10 AFTER UMMM...TWO WEEKS, SHE KNOWS.

Hey there! so we got our free upgrade to windows 10 a couple of weeks back and we were opportune to upgrade two devices and test them from different platforms, one was upgraded from Windows 7 and the other from Windows 8.1. That being said, we are sure you are just ready for the conclusion and we kinda dislike stalling (...which an average blogger masters in order to keep you longer on their blog) so here goes.

The Windows 7 was a laptop and after installing our free upgrade to windows 10 heres what we made out of it;

• we had Windows 7 home and so we got Windows 10 home when we upgraded.
• Cortana didn't work as anticipated due to region and language settings that somehow no matter what we tried in manipulating the settings to get her to work (...with voice commands and dictations, not the search thing) she just did not want to give in.
• there was a lot of freezing and slow start-up/shut-down, over the top CPU usage thus lots of generated heat and the memory was almost at all times completely being utilized.
• on the plus side, the apps previously installed all worked perfectly without a hitch and no files were tampered with.
• other features of Windows 10 worked as expected like Edge browser, the multi-desktop and the app store.
• the new music player forced closed a number of times but eeerrr its kinda more stable after consistent use.
• overall, Windows 7 (...home particularly, that's what we tested) upgraded to Windows 10, starts off in the most uncomfortable way(...more like "you're gonna want to smash your system" kinda way) but later on tends to get less annoying and more productive but be warned, it will try your patience.

On to the Windows 8.1 update, this is as detailed as we can get on our experience;

• the initial transition was slow and draggy, we guess its a phase thing but it wasn't as crazy as that of the Windows 7 transition.
• we got Windows 10 pro as we updated from windows 8.1 pro (...the pro version is way more productive, trust us).
• Cortana worked at her best with no setting tampering, she was up and ready immediately we were done installing.
• all main features of Windows 10 worked excellently.
• odd how we did not experience such memory choke and CPU over working here, all systems were just right like we never moved from Windows 8.1 and we guess is has a lot to do with the fact that both Windows 10 and 8/8.1 have a sort of similar backbone unlike Windows 7 which is like a total stranger.
• all in all, we are enjoying our transition and its not so obviously different from Windows 8.1 (...the start screen is gone and we have the start menu though, don't worry, you'll like it)

In conclusion, we did take our time using both and we still are, overall we are finding the transition very interesting and quite refreshing in the sense that its a familiar stranger sort of upgrade. One thing we must however point and stress out is how much data the new Windows 10 digs into of you, it is very very very personal like "white on rice" personal, monitoring, suggesting, understanding your usage and interaction generally (...she is like a enamored stalker that must have you at all cost) so be weary about that and carefully go through your settings to limit as much info as you can which you don't want her to access (...like us, we just don't feel so comfortable with her hands literally everywhere).

You should be excited to update (...if you have not already) and we can say it is a go if you're coming from Windows 8/8.1. however, from Windows 7, well...it is not a bad idea but be ready for the tantrums your system will throw at you. if you survive that, then you most certainly will enjoy Windows 10 in all her glory.

On a last note, enjoy this display of how Cortana relates with you (...she is really smart, smarter than yours). 

P.S- sorry for the delayed review, no excuses to give...only apology to you our number one reader. love you lots.

Do call or write to us for any Design or Tech info and services you need, we got you.

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THE XPERIA M5 BLURS THE LINE BETWEEN TOP-END AND MID-RANGE...OH YES IT DOES.

We love Xperia phones, their build, style, quality and charm just leaves you and anyone around, mesmerized. They certainly know how to keep every range of their mobile devices appealing.

Sony Xperia has announced the C5 and M5 but we are more interested in the M5 (...sounds like a name from MI5) and these features will explain in itself why it piqued our interest.
The main features of the M5 we are noting include;

• the Xperia M5 is water and dust proof (...it doesn't pick up on dust nor allows it into its build and incase you want to ask, it can take a shower and probably a dip with you).
• the M5 has a whooping 21.5MP rear camera with 5x zoom without image quality loss (...okay, we like, very much) and on the front it has a 13MP auto-focus camera with full HD recording (...these camera MP ratings should be respected and not, we repeat, NOT be compared to those ugly China phones flooding the market, this is SONY).
• it has a 5" full HD screen producing vivid colors and sharp images with the Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine installed. The details look stunning and the viewing angles are amazing.
• under the hood we have a 64-bit Octa Core processor, 3GB RAM and 16GB internal storage with support for external storage up to 200GB (...hey Sony, easy, we are already impressed).
• a two day battery life thanks to the 2600mAh battery installed and yes it comes with 4G and NFC connectivity (...not certain about dual-SIM, what is it with you people and dual-SIM?).
• excellent Omni-balance design with metal frame and front and rear glass protection just kills the M5 with style (...is it just us or are we over excited about this device? meh! its most likely just you).

We have given the basics about this device and we are sure you are already head over hills for it, what will really pull the trigger now is the price and from rumors...it will probably be between $300 - $400, do the maths in your local currency. It will be released this August to the market but which market receives it earlier...we can not say.

Our thoughts:

We are truly impressed by the specifications of the Xperia M5, it truly treads in the territory of flagship device and thus should not be overlooked. With major flagships costing so much (...an arm and a leg mostly) it is very bold of Sony to put up a device that irrespective of the mid-fees, will provide the user with competitive top tier performance. At least we can say that certain 2014 flagships are lacking in certain strong areas that the Xperia M5 stands head high in.
Thinking of changing your device this year (...or even next year) without conforming to the madness of flagships, then note the Xperia M5 down as a possible option (...there's the Moto G 3rd Gen too).
Well done Sony.

P.S- if you host a party and there are party packs, make sure everyone gets one...everyone.

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