We've compiled a 'Top 10' list of our favorite Android apps to hit the Google Play Store in January 2017. The apps highlighted in this video include Peek Launcher, Vine Camera, Cubway, Weather Wiz, Cornerfly, SentiNews, Screens, The Little Fox, Smart Drawer and Meitu. Which app is your favorite?
Looks like our schedule on February 26 just got a bit busier.
Samsung today confirmed that it’s holding a press conference on February 26, the day before MWC 2017 kicks off. Samsung didn’t say exactly what it’s got planned for the event, but it did include a teaser image that appears to show part of a device.
So what might Samsung have in store for us on February 26? Well, the company has already confirmed that the Galaxy S8 won’t be shown on at MWC 2017, so we can forget about that.
It’s possible that we’ll meet a new Samsung tablet at this event. A rumor recently suggested that Samsung is cooking up a high-end Android 7.0 tablet called the Galaxy Tab S3, adding that it’ll debut at MWC 2017 before launching in March. Now we know that Samsung is indeed holding an event at MWC 2017, and a high-end device like the rumored Tab S3 seems like something that Samsung would want to hold an event for.
What do you think that Samsung will announce on February 26?
UPDATE: Apple revealed today that while the iPhone 7 was the most popular iPhone model in Q1 2017, the iPhone 7 Plus saw especially strong demand.
The Apple Watch did well, too, with Apple saying that the Watch had its best-ever quarter and that Apple couldn't make enough to meet holiday demand. However, Apple didn't reveal any concrete Apple Watch sales numbers.
Apple also said that there are now more than one million people using CarPlay.
ORIGINAL: Apple has officially revealed its fiscal Q1 2017 results.
During the fiscal Q1 2017 period, Apple says that it sold 78.3 million iPhones during the three-month period ending on December 31, 2016. That’s up from 74.78 million iPhones sold during the same period one year ago.
Apple sold 13 million iPads during fiscal Q1 2017, which is down from 16.1 million in Q1 2016. The Mac sold 5.37 million units during Q1 2017, up slightly from the 5.31 million units sold during Q1 2016.
Finally, the “Other Products” category that includes the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and other devices finished Q1 2017 with revenue of $4 million (Apple doesn’t report “Other” units sold). That’s down eight percent from the $4.35 million in revenue that “Other Products” pulled in during Q1 2016.
Apple also reports that it pulled in $78.4 billion in quarterly revenue during Q1 2017, an all-time record for the company. Net income for the quarter finished at $17.9 billion.
Apple will hold a conference call to discuss its fiscal Q1 2017 earnings at 2:00 pm PST/5:00 pm EST. I'll be listening in and will share any interesting tidbits with you.
We’ve seen a couple of LG G6 image leaks recently, but both photos only let us see the top half of the device. Now a new leak has surfaced that may show us a bit more of LG’s upcoming Android flagship.
New photos that allegedly show an LG G6 prototype model have surfaced. The top half of this prototype resembles the G6 phones that we’ve seen in past leaks, with the earpiece, sensors, and front-facing camera all sitting in about the same places.
While the screen of this prototype LG G6 is off, the phone does appear to have pretty slim bezels around its screen. There’s an LG logo below the display and what looks to be a metal frame.
Around back, there’s a dual rear camera setup with a fingerprint reader below it, similar to what we saw on last year’s LG G5 and LG V20. The back of the phone appears to be made of a black plastic, but it’s cautioned that this is a prototype model and that the final LG G6 won’t ship with this back cover.
Finally, the bottom of the device is home to a USB Type-C port and speaker. The top of the G6 is said to have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
While the device shown in these leaked photos may not be a finished LG G6, the images do give us a better idea of what the final unit could look like. There’s nothing terribly surprising about its design given what we’ve seen in past leaks and the fact that the G6 won’t be modular like the G5, but so far the G6 looks like it should be a good-looking device made with premium materials.
It wasn't that long ago a gaming laptop meant significant trade-offs, but with the passage of time, laptops are moving towards striking a good balance. The Asus Strix ROG GL753 is a great example of balance in a gaming laptop. It's a 17-inch machine with decent power, a 7th-gen Intel CPU, aggressive styling, and ample storage at a price that doesn't break the bank.
There are plenty of bigger, badder machines out there, but for just $1,299 (about £1,090, AU$1,700), it's almost surprising how much the GL753 has going for it.
Of course, that's where the balance comes in. Sure, there's a lot to like about the GL753, but where other laptops like the HP Omen 17 go for broke with a GTX 1070 graphics card and a 4K, G-Sync screen, the GL753 plays it more conservative with a GTX 1050 Ti.
Like the HP Omen, the GL753 chassis is mostly plastic, another way to keep the price down while still delivering a solid product. However, the GL753 doesn't feel "cheap."
It also manages to squeeze in quite a lot of features for the price, making it just $150 more than Dell's similarly-equipped, but smaller, New Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming laptop. That $150 gets you more than just a bigger screen, as the GL753 also includes a backlit RGB keyboard, and a bygone device for reading and writing DVDs.
As far as gaming laptops go, the GL753 design is almost minimalist. It looks the part but isn't quite as audacious as some gaming laptops. The lid is brushed aluminum, with a snarling orange Republic of Gamers logo flanked by two lit strips on either side.
The two dashes of orange on the sides look like air intakes on a stealth fighter jet. The downward angled grills of aluminum are functional and aesthetically draw your attention without being over the top. That said, then vents on the bottom don't pop to the same level as the HP Omen 17.
The very tip of the lid is plastic, but it matches the brushed aluminum look of both the lid and the plastic interior.
The rest of the laptop is plastic, but for the most part, it feels sturdy. The bottom is all black, save for four orange feet to help facilitate air circulation. There's an engraving on the bottom that doesn't serve any purpose other than look cool.
The front facing speakers are the same orange as the rest of the laptop's highlights, giving them just a little visual pop. Otherwise, they're hard to see at all.
Inside is a hard plastic keyboard deck with a faux brushed-aluminum finish that follows up the sides before cutting sharply across the top of the RGB keyboard. It looks nice, but it's prone to pick up smudges no matter how clean you think your hands are.
The trackpad has a charming orange pinstripe around its interior, matching the rest of the orange highlights found on the GL753. Moving around the trackpad feels nice to the touch, but lacks a satisfying click. It feels mushy and unsatisfying.
That mushiness extends to the keyboard. Hitting any one key flexes the entire keyboard around it, an effect that's especially pronounced in the middle where the whole thing just sort of sags.
Key travel itself is fine, with a good tactile feel and a satisfying stop, but the lack of stiffness in the keyboard deck detracts from any positive effects the individual key switches offer.
On the plus side, this is Asus' first laptop with a backlit RGB keyboard, which, in proper gaming fashion, is customizable with the included Republic of Gamers software suite.
Most gaming laptops have backlit keys, so giving gamers the option of customization is going the extra mile. There are 4 different customizable color zones and the choice between static or simple animated displays like breathing.
At 6.6 pounds (2.99kg), the GL753 is just a bit lighter than the HP Omen 17. The power brick is much smaller than the absolute beast powering the Omen, making the GL753 easier to pack into a laptop bag and haul around. Even though it's a 17-inch laptop, it doesn't feel ungainly.
When it comes to gaming, the GL753 holds its own. It can't compete with the god-like performance of the HP Omen's GTX 1070, but the 1050 Ti has plenty of muscle to get the job done.
It has no problem running modern games, and you can go ahead and pump up the settings on some older games, as well. Resident Evil 7 looked more than creepy running on the GL753, well enough that I had more than a few moments of genuine terror. The one thing the GL753 seemed to have a hard time with in RE7 was rendering hair realistically.
The GL753 runs hot. Really hot. When it's working hard, it exhausts an incredible amount of heat, and the fan noise can't be ignored. The noise isn't so bad that it overtakes in-game sounds, but it does break the silence in an atmospheric game like Resident Evil 7.
The 17-inch 1080p screen looks great, with bright and clear colors that really pop. Everything looks crisp running on the GL753, from the Windows desktop to an HD movie stream. The one place where the screen failed to impress was in rendering black levels.
Resident Evil 7 heavily relies on darkness to set the creepy mood and unfortunately the GL753 failed to deliver. The parts of the screen not lit by our in-game flashlight didn't look as black as they should have.
On a fully blacked-out screen, we also noticed some light bleed from the bottom corners of the screen. It wasn't enough of a distraction to pull us out of the game, but it was noticeable.
The speakers sound really nice. They're placed on the front of the laptop, so the sound comes right at you when you're sitting in front of it. Resident Evil 7 did a fine job with its creepy sounds, and I even listened to a CD in the DVD drive. It doesn't approach the loudness of the HP Omen, but the sound is more than adequate for a laptop.
We usually bemoan any and all pre-installed software, but we have to hand it to Asus’ Mission Control. The GL753 includes Asus' ROG Gaming Center software, accessible at any time through a dedicated key on the keyboard. A full screen control center pops up with a quick keystroke and default view shows CPU temperature, fan RPM, and lists the tons of controllable and adjustable options the GL753 affords.
The UI is clever and making adjustments and customizations are really simple. Of all the built-in gaming customization software we've seen, ROG Gaming Center is easily our favorite.
For 1080p gaming, this is almost as good as it gets, especially factoring in the price. The customizable RGB keyboard gives that extra layer of personalization, and the whole laptop looks sharp without being gaudy.
It really heats up when it's working hard, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. Light bleed around the edge of the screen in dark scenes is subtle, but still hard to ignore.
The GL753 is a great full HD gaming laptop. At just $1,299 (about £1,090, AU$1,700), it's a fantastic value. Not only does it have a customizable, RGB keyboard, it has tons of ports, a brand new processor, and a graphic card capable of some serious heavy graphical lifting.
It looks good, too. As far as gaming laptops go, it's practically understated, but it still has enough flourish to let a keen observer know it's designed for gaming. While the chassis is mostly plastic, it doesn't feel cheap or creaky. If you're looking for a powerful 17-inch laptop but don't want to break the bank, the Asus ROG Strix GL753 has just what you need.
Tablets are quietly proving to be a decent alternative to laptops, especially in the enterprise world and for niche sectors that require something solid, powerful and mobile.
Oh and forget about consumer tablets or those that come with rugged or hardened cases as they haven’t been designed from the ground up to survive the sort of battering that some of these devices undergo.
The Xplore iX125 R1 (sold in other markets as the XSlate R12) is an example of how far mobile computing has come over the past decade, featuring hardware that competes with and often exceeds what’s available on laptops with a comparable volume.
This is the latest model from a series originally launched by Motion Computing – Xplore acquired the company in 2014 and carried on with the range, which is still popular with businesses looking for rugged alternatives to the big names.
With an MSRP of £2,248 excluding VAT (around $2,820, AU$3,710) for the base unit (from Centerprise or Spirit Data Capture), this is an expensive piece of kit; but there’s more to it than just a big price tag.
And certainly don’t expect this to be your standard tablet. It weighs a massive 1.84kg – although that includes its bundled Bluetooth keyboard – which is around twice the weight of some ultraportable laptops on the market (like the Fujitsu Lifebook U937/P or the LG gram 15).
With a thickness of 18mm and footprint of 210 x 330mm, it is almost as large as some 15-inch laptops on the market, but rather than being overtly bulky, the iX125 R1 feels about the right size for what it provides – mainly thanks to its magnesium alloy frame.
As expected, most of the extra weight comes from the sturdy outer case, the connectivity options and the larger than average battery.
Xplore has adopted the sort of octagonal-like shape common to many rugged smartphones (such as the Homtom HT20), one that we call ‘4+4’ as it entails having four long sides, and four very short diagonal ones on the corners of the device, as it were.
The front of the tablet is adorned with three green lights on the left, and a 12.5-inch Full HD display featuring Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (which felt smooth to the touch thanks to the proprietary View Anywhere technology).
What this design does is reduce the potential level of shock to the corners of the tablet screen (which remains rectangular) thus hopefully avoiding any damage. With a quoted 800 nits brightness, the screen remained viewable even in direct sunlight (or what passes for sunlight in the UK’s winter).
There’s a 2-megapixel webcam located bang in the middle complete with two sensors and what looks like two microphones (there’s another one at the back).
Flip the slate over to uncover an 8-megapixel camera with a flash, four hidden magnets (to keep the stand and the Bluetooth keyboard in place) plus a host of connectors to accommodate the flurry of accessories that will truly exploit the power of the hardware inside the iX125. Those accessories range from a docking station to a data acquisition module with a barcode scanner.
The back of the tablet is covered with dozens of rubber dots to enhance grip. The keyboard connects to the tablet via Bluetooth, in theory, but we ran into some driver issues when trying to pair the two.
As for the keyboard quality itself, there’s nothing much to say about it except that it is great for short text entry; it feels cheap, has a built-in battery and a tiny touchpad.
A 3,080mAh/45Wh battery powers the tablet and can be removed – we just wish that it was easier to do so. You will need to remove gloves to perform this operation, and the battery does not pop out as easily as one would expect. Once it’s removed, you’ll find a microSD card reader and a SIM slot underneath.
A flap hides a Qualcomm 4G connectivity module (Sierra Wireless Airprime EM7455) as well as an M.2 SSD. Another flap protects the power port, plus there’s a full-size USB 3.0 connector, a headphone socket and an HDMI port. Wired Ethernet and a serial port – via a dongle – are also available behind a sealed rubber door that we couldn’t pry open.
There’s no USB Type-C port here, which doesn’t come as a surprise given how slow enterprises are at adopting new technology, especially when it comes to connectivity.
A power button, an air vent, a combo button (that emulates a Ctrl+Alt+Del combination), a fingerprint scanner, volume buttons and a wired Wacom active digitizer are scattered around the edges of the device.
The slate is IP54-rated which means that it is protected against dust and water spray from all directions with limited ingress permitted. In practice, we wouldn’t recommend risking it as the air vents at the back give direct access to the heatsink fan and the CPU.
But the fan and associated vents are in a sealed compartment away from the electronics. The heat is transferred through a heatsink that allows it to dissipate without allowing any moisture or dust into the system.
We had the opportunity to hear the full force of the fan a few times – and it does get noisy. This tablet is also MIL-STD-810G tested which means that it should withstand falls of around 120cm without damage.
In terms of the processor, the Xplore iX125 R1 packs the fastest available mobile model on the market – even if the Core i7-7500U will very soon be superseded by three other models, all of which have two-cores and 4MB cache (plus a 15W TDP) and will likely end up in rival devices.
The 14nm Kaby Lake CPU comes with an Intel HD Graphics 620 GPU clocked at 1.05GHz, supporting 4K at 60Hz (but not via HDMI sadly). It’s worth noting that this processor doesn’t support vPro according to Intel, yet this tablet is vPro compatible.
The device runs Windows 10 Professional but can be downgraded to Windows 8.1 Pro or Windows 7 Pro (although that route, oddly, only applies to the Core i5-6200U CPU). The two SKUs available have 8GB of DDR4 system memory and our sample came with a 256GB SanDisk M.2 SSD.
Xplore quotes a battery life of more than nine hours for the cheaper Core i5-6200U model, based on the bundled battery, with a charging time of 2.5 hours when the tablet is switched off completely. We haven’t had the opportunity to test it.
There’s plenty of competition on the market from the likes of Panasonic (with the ToughBook series) or Getac (with the RX10 for example). But the Xplore iX125 R1 is the first to market with Intel’s seventh-generation CPU, and for that it deserves to be highlighted.
This situation won’t last long, though, as competitors are very likely to launch their new flagship products at Mobile World Congress 2017, which will take place a few weeks from now in Barcelona. It might be a good idea to check out what else will be announced there.
Otherwise, if you are looking for the fastest possible rugged tablet on the market and don’t want to wait another quarter, then right now, the Xplore iX125 R1 is pretty much the only player to tick those boxes.
It’s not often that we see new Android tablets anymore, but Samsung may be prepping one for debut next month.
Samsung is rumored to be working on a Galaxy Tab S3with a 9.6-inch 2048x1536 display, 12-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, and Android 7.0. Packed inside of this new tablet is said to be a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM. The body is said to be thinner than the Galaxy Tab S2, which measured 5.6mm thick.
It’s said that Samsung is planning both Wi-Fi-only and LTE versions of the Galaxy Tab S3.
Samsung will allegedly debut the Galaxy Tab S3 at an event on February 26, one day before MWC 2017 kicks off. The device is rumored to be launching in March at a price around 700,000 KRW ($607 USD).
The Android tablet market isn’t nearly as vibrant as it once was, but there are still a few companies churning out Android slates for those that want them. It’s good to see that Samsung is one of them, especially considering the Galaxy Tab S3’s high-end spec list. Now we just have to wait until MWC rolls around so that we can actually handle the thing.
Big news today out of HTC, as a top-level executive has announced that he’s leaving the company.
Jason Mackenzie has revealed that today, January 31, is his last day at HTC. Mackenzie has been with HTC for 12 years, most recently serving as the company’s global Executive Vice President, and as President of HTC America before that.
After 12 amazing years, today is my last day @htc. It was a great run & I feel blessed. Thank you Peter Chou, @cherwang, & TeamHTC.
— Jason Mackenzie (@JasonBMac24) January 31, 2017
Mackenzie hasn’t said where he’ll land next.
It’s a big deal whenever a high level executive leaves a company, but that’s especially true when it’s an exec like Mackenzie, who has been with HTC for more than a decade. As for Mackenzie, it’ll be interesting to see where he goes next.
We've compiled a 'Top 10' list of our favorite iOS apps to hit the App Store in January 2017. The apps highlighted in this video include Vine Camera, Panols, Splitter Critters, Meitu, Sky Dancer, Vantage, DROP'd, fire + rain, ScanMath and LogoMetric. Which app is your favorite?
Today’s a big day for Super Mario Run, as Nintendo revealed some statistics about its major mobile game and also released a new update for it.
Nintendo says that Super Mario Run has been downloaded more than 78 million times to date, with more than 5 percent of customers paying $10 to unlock the full game. Super Mario Run has earned Nintendo $53 million in revenue so far.
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima isn’t totally pleased with the numbers that Super Mario Run has put up so far, as Nintendo was hoping to get at least 10 percent of players to pay. Super Mario Run could get a nice boost in paying players in March, though, when it finally arrives on Android. We’ll just have to wait and see if that boost is enough to push the percentage of paying players above 10 percent.
Meanwhile, current Super Mario Run players on iOS should keep an eye out for a new update to the game that's now rollng out. The most notable addition is Easy Mode, which adds unlimited Bubbles and removes the time limit to make it easier for players to finish levels.
Today’s Super Mario Run update also adds new events, Korean compatibility, and tweaks to Toad Rally that make you lose fewer Toads and make it easier to gather Toads.
Blu is one of the smaller phone brands that’s impressing around the world with phones that mix high end specs and a lower price.
The new Blu Life Max is a handset with fairly impressive specs on paper - including a fingerprint scanner and a large battery - especially when you consider its price point.
We've loved the Lenovo P2 and Moto G4 Plus in the budget space, but this phone is around a third cheaper and offers a lot of the same features, so is it a better buy?
You can buy the Blu Life Max in the US right now for $109.99 – that’s an impressive price considering what you’re getting for your money here.
In the UK, it’s not out until February 20, but you can pre-order it now for the special price of £89.99. If you buy after it launches, you’ll have to grab it at the higher price of £109.99, which is a little disappointing considering it's higher than the price in the US once you factor in exchange rates.
As for Australia, there’s no word on the phone seeing a release there at the moment.
The design of the Blu Life Max may be familiar to you if you remember the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 - there’s a faux leather back on this phone, which you’ll either love or you’ll hate.
It’s a nice feeling on the palm of your hand when you’re holding it, and the phone is comfortable to hold as it’s not too large.
But if you don't like the look of faux leather you won't be able to escape hating the back of the Life Max. It does feel more premium than the ordinary plastic you’d find on other phones at this price point though.
The faux leather back cover can be peeled off to get access to the removable battery and to insert your SIM card or a microSD card. That's all inside a plastic frame that goes around the phone.
There’s only one color version of this phone available and it's blue, which shouldn’t come as a major surprise. It’s a dark shade, is inoffensive and is a good step considering the Blu Vivo 6 is only available in rose gold. That's not a color everyone wants.
On the top edge of the phone there's a 3.5mm headphone jack, making it easy to use a wired headset for listening to music when the phone is in your pocket, plus there’s also a micro USB port for charging and data transfer.
In the middle of the rear of the phone there's a fingerprint sensor, which is a great addition for a phone at this price point. If you're after a more efficient way to secure your phone, the fingerprint sensor should be a big highlight of the Life Max and with our first round of testing we found it to work very quickly.
The display on the phone is a 5.5-inch 720p IPS panel – it’s not as sharp as the 1080p Moto G4, and nor is it the most vibrant screen, but if you turn the brightness up you’re sure to get a good experience compared to other phones at this price point.
Under the hood there's a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek system-on-a-chip, that we haven’t managed to fully test yet. It's also backed up with 2GB of RAM, a disappointing 16GB of internal storage and microSD support of up to 64GB.
The phone is running Android 6 Marshmallow software at the moment with a light Blu skin running over the top. TechRadar has been assured Android 7 will come to the phone eventually though.
One of the key highlights of the Life Max is the large battery inside - it's 3,700mAh and Blu claims it will last you at least two days of intensive usage. That sounds a little too good to be true, but we’ve got our fingers crossed it will be and we’ll be sure to push it hard in our full review to find out for sure.
The Life Max also has an 8MP rear camera that can take OK photos and has a solid autofocus, but this won’t be as good as phones that are a little more expensive and have double the megapixels, such as the Moto G4 Plus.
There’s also an 5MP selfie shooter complete with an LED flash, for video calling and taking selfie shots for your social media profiles – again, it seems OK based on initial tests, but nothing fantastic.
Right now the Blu Life Max looks to offer some great specs at an unbelievably low price.
There are still a few uncertainties under the hood, but this is stuff you’d expect at this price point that you can’t be too disappointed with. The battery looks like it may be a highlight, but there's no gurantee it will last as long as Blu claims.
That said, on paper everything looks like it adds up to a great phone for your budget needs, especially if you're upgrading from a phone that's a couple of years old.
Routers such as the D-Link DIR-879 have it tough. When things are going well and they are diligently doing their job, you shouldn’t even know that they are there. Your internet should just simply work, your network (home or office), should be visible with all your networked devices happily talking to each other. However, as soon as something goes wrong, one of the first things we blame is the router.
While there are a number of routers that like to be flashy and make you aware of what they do, we still have a soft spot for no-nonsense routers that get on with the job without fuss – something the D-Link DIR-879 EXO router promises to do.
Don’t think we’re selling the D-Link DIR-879 EXO router short – it’s just we admire its restraint after the big and brash (and very expensive) Asus RT-AC5300 Tri-band Gigabit Router.
While many routers (such as the aforementioned Asus) boast AC5300 or AC2400 speed standards, the D-Link DIR-879 EXO sticks with AC1900, which is capable of speeds up to 1300 Mbps. While this may seem disappointing, it’s actually more realistic, as many laptops and tablets are still capped at 1,300Mbps speeds – so anything over that is overkill. Will this have a noticeable impact on performance? Read on to find out.
The D-Link DIR-879 EXO is available for £133 ($140, around AU$190), which is pretty decent for a router, and about a third of the price of the Asus RT-AC5300 Tri-band Gigabit Router.
Routers no longer need to be beige and boring boxes that you have to hide out of sight. The D-Link DIR-879 EXO has a bright (but not garish) orange design with a triangular design and four antennae that can’t be removed, but can be folded down onto the body of the router.
It comes with four Gigabit LAN ports and one WAN port, which should be enough for many home users, though for offices (and houses full of wired smart devices) you may need to invest in a network switch to increase the number of ports.
Disappointingly, there’s no USB port, so you can’t share USB sticks, external hard drives or printers by simply plugging it in to the router. Most routers now come with at least one USB port, so the lack of one in the D-Link DIR-879 EXO is a real shame.
This is a dual-band router, offering both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, allowing older devices to connect to the 2.4GHz band, and newer devices to the 5GHz band, reducing congestion on wireless networks in homes or offices with lots of devices trying to connect. The Wi-Fi itself is 802.11ac, currently the most recent and fastest version of Wi-Fi.
It features intelligent QoS, allowing it to detect the type of traffic on the network (such as media streaming or file transfers) and decides which application to give highest priority to. This means transfer speeds from your PC to your NAS device for large files won’t suddenly drop if someone else in the house starts streaming Netflix, and the TV show they’re binging on won’t grind to a halt if someone else starts playing an online game.
It also comes with parental controls, guest Wi-Fi network creation and WPA and WPA2 encryption for the Wi-Fi networks. Overall, the D-Link DIR-879 EXO comes with pretty much all the features you’d expect from a modern router at this price range, though the lack of USB is disappointing.
But how does the D-Link DIR-879 EXO perform? D-Link promises an easy to install ‘zero configuration’ process, helped by the Quick Router Setup (QRS) app, designed to make adding this router to your home network as painless as possible.
We started by using the QRS app to set up the D-Link DIR-879 EXO. With the router plugged in, we downloaded the app, then connected the phone to the D-Link DIR-879 EXO’s Wi-Fi (and entered in the supplied password). Upon loading the app, the D-Link DIR-879 EXO was discovered and we tried to begin the process. Unfortunately, the app didn’t play ball, with it becoming unresponsive.
So, we loaded up a web browser, typed in http://192.168.0.1 and the D-Link DIR-879 EXO’s welcome screen appeared. As we usually set up our routers this way it wasn’t too much of an issue, but it’s a shame the app didn’t work, as we’d have liked to have seen how easy it was to configure the router that way.
The process through the web interface was straightforward, with each step clearly explained, so even if this is your first router, you’ll have a good idea of what you need to do. It detected our internet connection without a problem, then asked us if we wanted to change the name of the network and password. We were also asked to provide a new admin password for logging into the router and changing our internet settings.
And that was it – the D-Link DIR-879 EXO was set up and working in three steps, quite possibly the easiest and most pain-free router setup procedure we’ve had, despite the annoyances with the mobile app.
The web interface has been overhauled by D-Link and it is simple and attractive, allowing almost anyone to find the features they need without any trouble. The more advanced features are easily accessible as well, for the most part.
However, we wanted to make sure we were on the 5GHz band during testing, and unlike many other routers, there were not two separate Wi-Fi networks being broadcast for each band – instead just a single wireless network. To make sure both bands were enabled we searched the settings menu for a while with no luck – then we noticed that the ‘Smart connect’ feature was turned on.
Switching this off brought up a new menu where we could view both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Both bands had the same name (SSID) and password, with the Smart Connect feature essentially determining which devices connected to which band.
With this feature switched off, we could change the name of the 5GHz band and give it a new password, so we could be sure which band we were connected to. This is a little niggle, but we’d have preferred if this option wasn’t hidden away, or if Smart Connect had been explained a little clearer.
However for most people you can leave these be and just use the D-Link DIR-879 EXO straight away – D-Link’s promise of ‘zero configuration’ seems to have been realised.
As for range – the D-Link DIR-879 EXO showed a download speed of 138.1Mb/s download and 12MS ping with our 5GHz device right next to it. With the PC plugged directly in to the router, our download speeds were only slightly higher. Interestingly, when we tested the speeds from across the office (around 30 feet away) the speeds actually increased to 156.4MB/s and the ping dropped to 6ms. We put this down to the design of the router and the antennae, which lean outwards from the router’s body, so devices slightly further away will get better coverage.
Through one wall the speeds dropped to 68.68Mb/s and ping rose to 21ms, and through three walls it dropped further still to 6.41Mb/s and 164ms ping. If you have a large house or office, you may need to consider range extenders (which the D-Link DIR-879 EXO can double as) to help get decent speeds.
We also tested the connection on the floor above (but not directly above the router) and got 108.88Mb/s and 6ms ping, and one floor below (this time directly below the router) with 131.94Mb/s and 11ms ping.
These are very good results and show that floors prove less of a hurdle than walls. If you have a long or wide house, then the placement of the D-Link DIR-879 EXO (or the use of extenders) may need serious consideration.
At the beginning of this review we expressed the hope that the D-Link DIR-879 EXO would be a router that does its job competently and with the minimum of fuss, and we’re delighted to see that it’s pretty much the case.
Setup couldn’t be easier (despite a wonky mobile app), and speeds and range all worked well without any need to configure confusing settings.
The price, features list and the ease of setup are all big pluses for this router. The speeds and range were also very good considering the price of this device.
We’d have liked slightly more flexibility with the antennae placement, and the mobile app needs a bit of work to make sure it’s as easy to use as promised.
Some more advanced features are a bit hidden away, but that won’t be of too much concern for most users, though the lack of a USB port, which is pretty much a standard feature for routers these days, is a shame.
For its price, the D-Link DIR-879 EXO provides most of the common features you’d expect from a modern router, including dual bands, parental controls and QoS tools for ensuring the network is enjoyable to use no matter how it’s being used. Range and speed of the Wi-Fi is good, especially between floors, though it won’t quite reach the furthest corners of large houses and offices.
It’s incredibly easy to set up, and even non-techies can have this up and running in a matter of minutes, and many will never even need to log in as an admin to change any settings – though if you do you’ll be greeted with an easy to understand and navigate interface.
Overall, this is a great little router that provides very good performance for a decent price.
In many ways the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM is a refreshing router. While some device makers – including router manufacturers – go for sleek, stylish and minimalist designs that are supposed to appeal to customers besotted with the Apple design ethos, there are drawbacks. The main one, perhaps half inched from Apple themselves, is that the more simple and minimalist the design, the less features, customisation and flexibility the end product has.
The Linksys WRT 3200 ACM admirably shuns those pretensions. This is a router that’s not ashamed about what it is. It looks like a router that’s more at home in a small to medium sized office than a San Francisco stylish apartment, but it’s big, brash design allows Linksys to pack in some pretty meaty specifications. The antennae jutting out the body might make Jony Ive break out in a cold sweat, but they help the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM to broadcast its Wi-Fi networks across houses and offices, with the positional antennae allowing you to hone in the network to your devices for the best possible of speeds.
A number of people will also be impressed with how readily the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM embraces custom open-source firmware (such as OpenWRT). This allows you to install software other than the default interface the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM ships with, giving you almost complete control over the features and functions of this router. WRT support is relatively niche, but it’s great to see it included, and sets out the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM’s stall as a powerful and robust router for people who want complete control over their network. At £199.99 ($249.99, around AU$330), this is a mid-priced router that brings some advanced features without breaking the bank.
Alongside the support for open source firmware, the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM boasts MU-MIMO technology that allows for simultaneous streaming, file sharing and gaming on multiple devices on the Wireless AC band.
It also includes Tri-Stream 160 technology, which doubles the bandwidth from 80MHz on network streams – the idea behind these two features is that no matter how busy your Wi-Fi network is, the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM will provide incredibly fast Wi-Fi AC network speeds.
It also comes with a 1.8GHz dual-core CPU, 512MB RAM and 256MB flash memory. Ethernet ports are of the gigabit variety, and there are four of them, with a separate fifth port for connecting to your modem. A USB 3.0 is included for sharing files and printers with your network, and the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM also comes with an ESATA port for file transfers that has a convenient design, allowing it to also be used as a USB 2.0 port.
The LinkSys Smart W-Fi app allows you to configure and manage the router from your smartphone or tablet, but it’s really the open source firmware support that’s the star here. By installing either OpenWRT or DD-WRT you can add advanced features such as secure VPN, TOR network browsing for anonymous browsing, and view advanced network traffic and network intrusion reports.
That’s just the beginning – there’s a huge range of features that are included with the firmware, and you’re not waiting for Linksys to add and test features, instead you’ve got a committed community of network professionals and enthusiasts making and sharing cutting edge features.
Of course, custom firmware comes with its own considerations and concerns, but if you’re an advanced user who wants amazing and innovative features, WRT support has probably already made your mind up on whether or not you want to buy this router.
So with all these impressive features, how does the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM perform? Despite its looks and features that suggest this is a router for network professionals only, the setup procedure was quite simple. With it plugged in and connected to our modem and PC via Ethernet, we browsed to http://ift.tt/1fA224y and followed the instructions.
By default you’re taken through the setup process step-by-step, but for the more confident you can also select ‘Manual configuration’. If you trust the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM to do its stuff, you’ll see a ‘Please wait…’ message appear while it configures itself.
This takes a couple of minutes, and you’re helpfully kept informed with what the router is doing at the top of the screen, so you don’t panic and think the device (or your web browser) has crashed. Once done, you’re asked if you want to install updates for your router automatically, then what your Wi-Fi networks and password should be.
You can choose to make the networks (one for the 2.4GHz band, one for 5GHz) have the same name (and appear as one network), if you want the leave the router to handle what device connects to what band.
Next, you need to create an admin password and reminder for accessing your router’s settings and you’re done. It was a pleasantly pain-free and easy to follow process that manages to strike the right balance between automatically configuring the complicated bits behind the scenes, and giving you control over some of the settings.
You’re also asked if you want to create a Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account. This isn’t mandatory, but it gives you remote access to your router when you’re away. We weren’t able to test this out as at the time of the review the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi service was down for maintenance.
Once set up you can view the interface, which is clearly laid out and gives you a good overview of your network and any network attached storage. From here you can prioritise media devices, enable or disable the guest network (it’s enabled by default), set up parental controls, configure wireless and use the OpenVPN server.
On our Ethernet-connected PC we got download speeds of 114Mb/s and a ping of 8ms. With our wireless AC device conncted to the 5GHz network, next to the router we recorded speeds of 133Mb/s speeds and 13ms ping. When we tested the speeds from the other side of the office (about 30 feet away) we got even better results with 159.73Mb/s and 13ms speeds.
However, once we started putting walls between us and the router, performance dropped off, with the device sometimes struggling to keep a connection with the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM’s Wi-Fi. With one wall speeds dropped to 67.29Mb/s with a ping of 8ms. With two walls between us, speeds dropped even more dramatically to 3.97Mb/s.
Floors were less of an issue though. One floor directly above the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM, we got 135.12Mb/s and 12ms ping, and one floor directly below, we recorded 139.96Mb/s and 6ms ping.
So generally performance was very good, though with walls in play the connection dropped markedly – which is a surprise considering we had high hopes for this router. If you have a large house or office and rely on consistent and fast Wi-Fi, you’re going to need to look at Wi-Fi extenders, or carefully consider the position and antenna arrangement of the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM.
The Linksys WRT 3200 ACM is an excellent router for busy environments, be they an office or a home full of gamers and media streaming devices.
It comes with a host of advanced features which many of its competitors lack, yet it also boasts a user-friendly interface and simple set up procedure, which means you don’t have to be a network admin to make use of this robust device.
WRT support for open source firmware is a huge plus here, giving the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM a flexibility and range of additional features that other routers could only dream of.
Even if you stick with the default software you still get a host of features for both enterprise and home use, an easy-to-use interface and decent speeds and coverage.
The fact that coverage is only decent is a bit of a disappointment – we really wanted to get blown away by this router’s coverage, but walls in particular saw drop offs in speed and reliability.
We quite admire the utilitarian look of the router, but people after a more stylish device may not be too keen.
If you’re looking for a flexible, powerful and feature-rich router that gives you further options by allowing you to install open source firmware, then we would happily recommend the Linksys WRT 3200 ACM.
This is an excellent router that’s packed full of features and comes with a decent price tag. Sadly coverage isn’t as impressive as we had hoped, but other than that this is an excellent router that would be a boon to almost any network it was added to.
Most VPNs have no clients of their own, and some manage one or two, but PrivateVPN stands out from the crowd with four: Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. This isn't always a good thing – some third-party clients are garbage – but they tend to simplify the setup process, and also show that a company has some substance and depth.
The core service looks capable, too. There are 40 locations in 21 countries, including Russia, Australia and Singapore. You get OpenVPN, L2TP, L2TP/IPsec, IPsec, PPTP, IVEv2 support, and this is a torrent-friendly service which allows for six simultaneous connections, port forwarding, and there are no sneaky limits on bandwidth or anything else.
Even better, if you can't get the system working on Windows, Linux or Mac, PrivateVPN offers a free TeamViewer-based remote setup service to get you started.
Despite all this functionality, pricing is a typical $8.95 (£7.10, AU$11.85) for a single month, $5.95 equivalent (£4.70, AU$7.85) if you opt for a full year. Although the firm doesn’t really advertise it, you can get a free 24-hour trial if you email and ask (see the FAQ on the website), and there's a ‘risk-free 7-day guarantee’ for extra protection.
Does PrivateVPN keep any logs? The FAQ is emphatic: "No, we NEVER produce logs of any data traffic. The only things we store are your email address."
That doesn't rule out logging session traffic, of course: connection times, bandwidth, maybe IPs. As PrivateVPN imposes a six-device limit it presumably maintains a list of user sessions, but we could find nothing about that on the site. That's a pity, but it's not unusual, and as PrivateVPN is based in privacy-conscious Sweden we suspect any details will be relatively safe.
The rest of the privacy-related small-print is much like most other VPNs. PrivateVPN only holds your email address, it uses cookies on the website and might use third-party analytics, but there's no sign of data sharing or other dubious activities.
PrivateVPN's terms of service is a plus, being clearly written and far more readable than efforts we've seen elsewhere. There's no lengthy list of things you can't do, for instance – just the requirement not to cause harm to others or break the law. Works for us.
We emailed PrivateVPN, asked for a trial code and had a reply in under 10 minutes. You may not see that kind of speed if you ask a tricky technical question, but it's good to know someone is listening.
This made for a very straightforward signup as there was no need to enter payment details. We just handed over our email address, entered the trial code we'd just been given, and were directed to the support website. By default this displayed setup details related to us (Windows client download, manual setup guides), but there were also sections for macOS, iOS, Android, routers and Linux.
We took a look at the Windows client. This opened simply, with the usual ‘choose a server and click Connect’ setup. There's also an Advanced mode which allows selecting a protocol (we previously mentioned the options, which are various), and defining any apps you'd like to be forcibly closed if the VPN drops. We'd like more configuration options, and ping times to be included in the server list, but otherwise the package is marginally above average. (And if you need more power, there's always the regular OpenVPN software.)
In our tests*, real-life performance was a little above average overall. Short-hop UK-UK download speeds peaked at 30Mbps, and the closest European servers – France, Netherlands, Spain – managed similar rates. UK-US downloads were an acceptable 20-25Mbps in New York, and maybe averaging 20Mbps in Los Angeles, though with a lot of variation.
Our testing ended on a positive note as we ran the usual privacy checks, and found our PrivateVPN connection passed them all: no DNS leaks, no WebRTC issues, every visible IP always correctly tied to our chosen location.
PrivateVPN doesn't make any major mistakes, but it doesn't excel in any of the core areas, either – it's not quite fast enough, or powerful enough, or cheap enough to win us over. If you must have a service with native clients and six connection support, it might be interesting; otherwise, look elsewhere.
*Our testing included evaluating general performance (browsing, streaming video). We also used speedtest.net to measure latency, upload and download speeds, and then tested immediately again with the VPN turned off, to check for any difference (over several rounds of testing). We then compared these results to other VPN services we've reviewed. Of course, do note that VPN performance is difficult to measure as there are so many variables.
Earlier today, Google officially unveiled Android 7.1.2 for several Pixel and Nexus devices. The company also confirmed two devices that won’t be getting the update.
The Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 will not receive an update to Android 7.1.2. Google hinted at this when it omitted the N6 and N9 from its list of devices that will receive the final 7.1.2 update, then the company straight-up confirmed that neither device will be updated to Android 7.1.2.
While the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 will not get Android 7.1.2, they will continue to receive security patches through at least October 2017.
Google has said that the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 were no longer guaranteed Android version updates after October 2016, so lately it’s been more of a “when” and not an “if” today’s news would come. It’s disappointing that the N6 and N9 won’t receive the next Android version update, but the good news is that they did receive Android 7.1.1, so they got the improvements and features included with those updates, like app shortcuts.
Do you have a Nexus 6 or Nexus 9? Does today’s news have you thinking about upgrading to a new phone or tablet?
Nextbit, makers of the crowdfunded Robin, has officially been acquired.
Nextbit announced today that it has been acquired by Razer, maker of gaming computers and accessories. Nextbit says that it’ll operate as an independent division inside of Razer with a focus on “mobile design and experiences.”
So what does this mean for Robin, Nextbit’s Android smartphone? Nextbit has stopped sales of the Robin and its accessories, but folks that’ve already bought one aren’t being left out in the cold. Warranties will continue to be fulfilled for the next six months, and Nextbit plans to continue releasing software updates and security patches through February 2018.
The Nextbit Robin was a big deal when it was first announced in September 2015, as the team behind it was made up of veterans from Google and HTC. The Robin was successful on Kickstarter, and while the Robin didn’t necessarily gain massive commercial success, it seemed to do well enough as an attractive, affordable Android device.
Now we wait to see what’s next for Nextbit inside of Razer. Does this mean that we could see Razer enter the mobile market through Nextbit by releasing a new Android phone? It’s certainly possible, and given the Robin’s unique design, I know I wouldn’t mind seeing another piece of hardware from the folks at Nextbit.
Surprise! Google today announced Android 7.1.2 and revealed that the update is now rolling out to public beta testers.
As you might expect from an x.x.1 update, Android 7.1.2 is primarily focused on bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements. Google says that the update includes “a number of bugfixes and optimizations, along with a small number of enhancements for carriers and users.”
While Android 7.1.2 may not sound like the most thrilling update ever, it’s still worth getting exciting about. Not only do bug fixes and optimizations help to make your smartphone run more smoothly, but it’s good to see another Nougat update so soon after Android 7.1.1.
If you’re a member of the Android Beta Program and you’ve got a Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 5X, or Nexus Player, you should see Android 7.1.2 on your device in the next few days. Google says that an Android 7.1.2 beta for the Nexus 6P will be released “soon.”
If you’re not in the Android Beta Program, you can enroll your Nexus or Pixel device now.
Google plans to launch Android 7.1.2 to the public in a couple of months. It’ll be available to the Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, and Pixel C.
Things with ZTE’s Project CSX crowdsourced smartphone haven't been going well lately, with the phone having launched on Kickstarter earlier this month and currently only at $36,000 of its $500,000 goal, and then ZTE saying that it made a “mistake” with the device. Now ZTE has revealed what’s next for the device.
Jeff Yee, VP of Technology Partnerships and Planning for ZTE North America, has said that his company is “rethinking” how it will sell the Project CSX/Hawkeye phone. “Kickstarter just wasn’t the right place to sell this phone,” Yee explained to Android Central.
As for what happens to the Hawkeye now, ZTE hasn’t yet decided. The company is still weighing its options, but Yee has said that it’s possible that the phone will be cancelled entirely. ZTE does want to use the Hawkeye’s eye-tracking and adhesive case features, though, so they may be added to a future Axon flagship phone.
"This whole process has been a learning experience for us and because it is an industry first, we've learned so much from the program,” Yee said. “If we choose to do it again, we now know how to break it down and learn from our past — and learn from our mistakes."
The premise of Project CSX/Hawkeye was an interesting one, letting consumers name features that they’d like to see in a phone and then picking the best and actually building that device. It didn’t turn out so well in practice, though, as the consumers that participated wanted a high-end flagship smartphone but ZTE wanted a mass market product that’d appeal to (and be affordable for) lots of people.
At this point, it’s looking unlikely that the ZTE Hawkeye will meet its crowdfunding goal. We’ll have to wait to see if ZTE adds in other features that people want, like a high-end Snapdragon 835 processor that would also make the phone more expensive, or if ZTE just scraps the project altogether and opts to build the eye-tracking and adhesive case features into a future Axon phone.
Voice controls are big in mobile right now, with services like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa all helping you get things done using only your voice. Today Starbucks is getting in on the trend.
Starbucks is now rolling out voice ordering in the Starbucks app for iOS and. The feature, which is currently available to select customers, is called My Starbucks Barista and lets you place your Starbucks order using only your voice.
Using a messaging interface, you tell My Starbucks Barista your order, and it’ll then display it back to you to ensure that it got everything right. You can also type out your order if you’d like. Your order can be as complicated as you want, as Starbucks showed a demo of a customer ordering a “double upside down macchiato half decals with room and a splash of cream in a grande cup” and the app understanding the order correctly.
My Starbucks Barista is now available to one thousand customers as part of a beta test, and it’ll continue a phased rollout through summer 2017. An Android version will come later in this year.
Meanwhile, Starbucks is adding the Starbucks Reorder Skill to the Amazon Alexa platform. You can use this skill to set your “usual” Starbucks order and then say “Alexa, order my Starbucks” to get your regular order from your store.
Android users aren’t being totally left out in the cold today, as an update to the Starbucks for Android app is now rolling out. It brings with it a new Favorites feature that’ll let you save custom food and drink orders so that you can quickly order them again later. This feature should come in especially handy for folks with very specific orders, saving them the trouble of having to check all of their boxes when ordering a drink.
