I now post interesting articles I find over at Google+. I have one for Windows 10, Google, Android and Phones.
So see those links for what I find interesting in the world of tech and gadgets.
The big guys weren’t the only ones showing off new phones at MWC 2015.
Android Central: Hands-on with the LG Magna, Spirit, Leon and Joy by Andrew Martonik
Android Central: Acer announces new Liquid Z and 64-bit Liquid Jade Z by Russel Holly
Android Central: Hands-on with Kazam’s latest Windows Phones, the Thunder 450W and 450WL by Richard Devine
Android Central: Archos unveils smartphone lineup for MWC 2015 by Joseph Keller
Week 8 2015 (February 16th) was a dark week for Lenovo laptop owners. The web exploded with a story about how Lenovo had installed adware (or malware) on some of it’s models. Called Superfish, a certificate is installed to allow third party ads to inject into websites you visit. Lenovo said this was to enhance users experience. No security issues! Right…
Shortly after, a security flaw was discovered. Lenovo backtracked and apologized, but the damage was already done. Windows Defender got updated to remove Superfish. Lenovo also made a tool available. If you want to know if you’re “infected”, you can visit this site. My trust in Lenovo has been severely impacted. I will not recommend PC’s from them in a while. Or maybe never. But, can anyone be trusted? We (consumers) want cheap PC’s. To earn any money from razor thin margins, PC manufacturers installs a lot of bloatware (or crapware). Microsoft started an initiative for clean Windows PC’s, called Signature PC’s. But it hasn’t got any momentum.
In episode 402 of the Windows Weekly podcast with Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley (both renown Microsoft bloggers), Lenovo’s Superfish scandal sparks a longer discussion (or rant if you will) about installed crapware in general. (Starts at six minutes.)
If you were waiting for a new Sony flagship, you walked away disappointed from MWC 2015. Sony did not show the Xperia Z4, claiming the Z3 is still doing well. What Sony did show, was the midrange M4 Aqua and budget model E4g.
| M4 Aqua | E4g | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size: | 5 inch IPS | 4.7 inch TFT |
| Resolution: | 720p (1280 x 720) | 540 x 960 |
| CPU: | Snapdragon 615 (dual quad-core 64-bit) | MediaTek (1.5 GHz quad-core) |
| RAM (memory): | 2 GB | 1 GB |
| Storage: | 8 / 16 GB + microSD | 8 GB + microSD |
| Camera: | 13 MP + 5 MP (front) | 5 MP + 2 MP (front) |
| Battery: | 2400 mAh | 2300 mAh (removable) |
| Weight: | 136 g | 135 g |
| Price: | 330 USD | 140 USD |
| Available: | April 2015 | April 2015 |
M4 Aqua follows the M2 Aqua, where “aqua” means the phone survives a splash of water. It clearly has the Sony Xperia look, reminding me of the Xperia Z models. This is a phone for the mainstream, if you find the Z series too expensive.
The E4g is a cheap 4G phone. Don’t expect great performance or pictures from this phone. But you get what you pay for and this model should compete with other budget phones.
Read more:
Android Central: Sony Xperia M4 Aqua hands-on by Alex Dobie
Android Central: Sony injects LTE connectivity into the E4, announces the Xperia E4g by Rich Edmonds
The Verge: Sony’s M4 Aqua is a cheap plastic copy of its flagship Xperia phone by Vlad Savov
At MWC 2015 Microsoft showed us Lumia 640 and it’s big brother 640 XL. Although pricing is low mid-range, the hardware seems to be quite good. A lot of bang for your bucks! I especially love that they bring back the color cyan. It looks Oh-So-Glossy on the 640!
| 640 | 640 XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size: | 5 inch ClearBlack IPS LCD | 5.7 inch ClearBlack IPS LCD |
| Resolution: | 720p (1280 x 720) | 720p (1280 x 720) |
| CPU: | Snapdragon 400 (1.2 GHz quad-core) | Snapdragon 400 (1.2 GHz quad-core) |
| RAM (memory): | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Storage: | 8 GB + microSD | 8 GB + microSD |
| Camera: | 8 MP + 1 MP (front) | 13 MP + 5 MP (front) |
| Battery: | 2500 mAh (removable) | 3000 mAh (removable) |
| Weight: | 145 g | 171 g |
| Price: | 180 USD | 245 USD |
| Available: | March-April 2015 | March-April 2015 |