Hands-on impressions of the Google Nexus 5X and 6P: Solid, gorgeous phones at reasonable prices

ZDNet's Kevin Tofel posted the official announcement details on the new Nexus phones and Pixel C Android tablet.
I was at the launch event and was able to get some hands-on time with all three.

GOOGLE NEXUS 5X
The Nexus 5X pays homage to the success of the LG Nexus 5 and a few Google employees even stated this was the intent of the new Nexus 5X.

The pure Android experience isn't what it used to be.

I was one of the first to enter a room with the devices all lined up and after picking up the mint green (official color name is Ice Blue) Nexus 5X I discovered it had a pattern lock. Being the inquisitive type, I swiped a M on the display and it was unlocked. I passed this discovery along to the other people in the demo area. While it may sound like I figured out M for Marshmallow, the truth is that I have used M before on my phones for Matthew Miller.

I know its cliche and people don't like to hear it, but the Nexus 5X truly does feel amazing in the hand. The soft plastic shell reminds me of the fabulous HTC One X, making the Nexus 5X one of the most caressible phones I've tried in a long time. You just want to flip it over and over in your hand.

It is very light weight, only 136 grams, and with the 5.2 inch display I can see this device flying off the shelves by those who don't want a massive phone in their hand or pocket. The curves around the camera look great and I am tempted by this phone.

It's obviously a pure Google experience with no bloatware and just the core apps installed. I was able to fly around the interface, capture a couple photos with the Google Camera app, and listen to some music.

I was not able to test out the fingerprint scanner or do any kind of extensive camera testing. Initial experiences are that the camera is solid, but maybe not as good as the LG G4.

There is no wireless charging capability here, but the USB Type-C provides a very fast charging experience.

Stay tuned to Kevin's detailed thought on the device in October.

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BlackBerry Priv briefly appears for pre-order at a whopping $749

A few months ago I sold my BlackBerry Passport, but have been keeping a close eye on the BlackBerry Priv. Being that it is BlackBerry's first Android smartphone and BlackBerry needs a hit to stay competitive, I've been considering picking one up if it launched at less than $500.

Unfortunately, if the pre-order price that appeared briefly on BlackBerry.com yesterday holds true, then I won't be adding the Priv to my collection. The Priv appeared at a rather shocking $749 for the US market, with comptability on AT&T and T-Mobile.

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Struggling HTC took the proper tact by announcing the HTC One A9 at a reasonable $399.99 in the US. While BlackBerry is likely to position the Priv to be an enterprise smartphone, $749 is still too high for businesses to purchase an untested Android smartphone.

With the pre-order page showing up on BlackBerry.com, we were able to get a full glimpse of the specifications so the following specs are confirmed:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with Adreno 418 GPU

Curved 5.43 inch 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution plastic AMOLED, 540 ppi, with Gorilla Glass 4

3GB of RAM

32GB of internal storage with microSD card slot

Rear 18 megapixel camera and front-facing 2 megapixel camera

3410 mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 support

Integrated wireless charging supporting PMA and Qi

So the rumors were mostly true, but the front-facing camera is 2 megapixel instead of 5 megapixel. It's nice to see Quick Charge 2.0 and wireless charging support, much like what I am experiencing on my Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is available for $700 and $780 for 32GB and 64GB models. The Apple iPhone 6s Plus is available for $749, $849, and $949 for 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB models. Samsung and Apple can command the high prices due to success in the market place, but it's tough to make that argument for BlackBerry.

The Google Nexus 6P is available now for $499, $549, and $649 for 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage capacity models. In the past couple years BlackBerry launched its new high end smartphones at $649, but the price always quickly dropped. The BlackBerry Passport is currently priced at $499.

Do you think the BlackBerry Priv has a chance at $749? Should it launch just a bit higher than the Passport at $549? What price do you think is reasonable for the BlackBerry Priv?

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One month with the Apple iPhone 6s Plus: Smartphone usage without compromise

I blew past the return period for my Apple iPhone 6s Plus and then spent time testing a few more of the best 10 smartphones. My SIM always kept going back into one device and after more than a month I can say there is very little I don't like about my iPhone 6s Plus.

My one month with the iPhone 6 Plus was posted a year ago last week and everything I listed there remains valid for the 6s Plus. Even better, Apple fixed one thing I didn't like while the other remains the same.

In addition to what I listed last year (large display, metal and glass design, cameras, long battery life, Touch ID, email, and apps), here are more reasons I like using the iPhone 6s Plus:

3D Touch: Apple provides a new way of interacting with your phone with 3D Touch and shows that smartphone innovation is still alive and well. The convenience of Quick Actions is great while the Peek and Pop functions offer some unique experiences.

Live Photos: The ability to capture some live footage before and after the shot isn't that important, but it sure is fun to share your memories with family and friends. Third party apps now let you share these Live Photos with others as GIFs too.

Hey Siri: In the past I really only used Siri to create reminders. My usage has taken off with the ability to now initiate Siri hands-free at all times. I am regularly creating reminders, taking notes, checking on my sports teams, communicating with people, and more thanks to the improvements in Siri.

Microsoft and Google support: It's funny to write that Microsoft and Google contribute to my usage of the iPhone 6s Plus, but new and updated apps and services from both companies have made my iOS experience one without compromises. It always seems I'm giving up something with other phones, but that's not the case with the iPhone 6s Plus loaded with these, and other, apps.

2GB RAM: Thankfully, we finally see Apple increase the amount of RAM in the very expensive iPhone. More RAM allows those who run lots of apps to launch and use them without worry. Even though my Note 5 has 4GB of RAM, the 2GB amount in the iPhone gives me a smoother overall experience.

Apple Watch: Last year, there was no companion smartwatch for the iPhone and having owned one for the last several months has convinced me its the best Apple product I've ever purchased. I expected a version one product to have bugs, issues, and limited usefulness. That's not the case and the partnership between the Apple Watch and iPhone 6s Plus is awesome.

There are also a couple things I would like to see Apple address in the next iPhone, including:

Quick charging: While I rarely have to charge my iPhone 6s Plus during the day, I would like to see Apple incorportate rapid charging technology. My Android phones require more frequent charging than the 6s Plus, but the pain is eased by super fast charging and the iPhone would be even better with this capability. The iPhone 6s also doesn't last as long as my large iPhone so those users would benefit even more.

Narrower bezels: My Galaxy Note 5 has a larger display than the iPhone 6s Plus, yet has smaller overall dimensions and is easier to hold and put in a pocket. I would like to see Apple reduce some of the space around the bezels and improve the ergonomics of the iPhone next year.

My Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is also a favorite and my SIM finds its way there often as well. The iPhone 6s Plus gets better battery life and more friends and family in the iOS messaging ecosystem make the iPhone the more convenient choice.

More information about this blog you will find here. http://www.zdnet.com/article/one-month-with-the-apple-iphone-6s-plus-smartphone-usage-without-compromise/

How to Unfreeze Samsung Galaxy S3

One of the most useful inventions is the mobile phone. The development of useful and productive mobile phones is a part of the continuous innovation of the modern technology. Modern technology serves as the best way so that many people can enjoy all the good things and a comfortable life. Many people use mobile phones for communication purposes and many more. Mobile phones play a vital role in the lives of the people.

Samsung is one the most popular brands of mobile phones. Many people love Samsung phones because of its good features and efficiency. To buy a Samsung phone is a very smart choice that you can take. It is important that you make sure that the phone that you will buy can meet and satisfy your demand. Samsung Galaxy S3 is indeed one of the most popular Samsung models. Looking for the best mobile phone is very important so that you can obtain the best mobile phone suitable for your needs and wants.

Some Samsung S3 users want to unfreeze it because of some circumstances. You can relatively unfreeze your phone through using some ways. Unfreezing your Samsung Galaxy S3 is very easy as ling you know how to do it. If you do not know how to unfreeze it then you can consult your service provider to help you unfreeze Galaxy S3. Here are the 3 methods that you can do to unfreeze it.

Method 1
1. Contact or consult your Network provider and request for the unfreeze code. There are some network providers who do not give unfreezing code until the contract is over or until a certain period of time. If your network provider cannot give you the unfreeze code then you can use this method to be able to unfreeze your phone. Some carriers and network providers might to unfreeze your phone if you are planning to go abroad.
2. Insert or enter a SIM card from a network that does not work with your Samsung Galaxy S3.
3. Switch on or power on your Galaxy S3. After opening it will ask for the unfreeze code of your phone.
4. Enter the unfreeze code. Once you enter the unfreeze code your device will begin to obtain service for your new provider. If you currently do not have service yet you can contact your provider and you must check the reception of your current area.

Method 2: Unfreezing without Approval of Carrier
1. Update your Samsung Galaxy 3- Probably your phone is running Android 4.1.1. It is important that your phone is running with Android 4.1.1 so that this method will work. You can view or check your device’s version by means of opening the Settings, scrolling the bottom and selecting About Device. You can also look for the Android version of your Samsung Galaxy S3 to find the version of your phone. To update the version of your phone, you need open the settings and scroll down the About Device. Choose the updates of the system and then check for it. Samsung Galaxy S3 will attempt to update through the network.

2. The next step is the opening of dialer. To open the dialer you need to obtain the code in the dialer to open the menu. Once the dialer is ready you can now enter the following code.

3. Choose the UMTS. Once you open the code, your phone Samsung Galaxy will automatically open the menu of the Service. Tap the selection of the menu of your screen to choose.

4. Opening the DEBUG Menu. To open the Debug, you need to choose the Debug screen. Choose the phone control and then select the network freeze.

5. Choose to off the Perso

6. Wait for the reboot system of your phone.

7. Insert the new sim card. You need to make sure that the card is not from your ole network and carrier.

Method 3: Unfreezing using the Paid Website
1. Obtain the IMEI number of your Samsung Galaxy S3 by means of dialing into your keypad. After you obtain the IMEI number something will appear in the screen of your phone. Make sure that you take note the number.

2. Look for the paid unfreeze service. There are many available online sites that offer unfreezing Samsung Galaxy S3 for free. You can also read some reviews from other customers so that you can obtain some ideas about the efficiency of the service.

3. The next step is looking for the unfreezing code to arrive. In accordance to the service, this process could take for few hours or few days. You can obtain the code through text, phone call or email.

Why Many People Love To Use Samsung Galaxy S3?
Many people love to have Samsung Galaxy because of its efficiency and functionality. Samsung is also a popular brand that is why many people love to use this mobile brand. Here are the features of Samsung Galaxy S3.

• 1GB of RAM
• NFC with S Beam
• 8MP camera without shutter lag
• Android 4.0.4 with the new version
• 1.9 front camera with face tracking system
• 136.6 x 70.6 x 133 g

Who Can Buy/Benefit From This Product?
To buy Samsung Galaxy S3 is indeed a must have item that many people can use. Samsung Galaxy S3 contains features that can definitely meet and satisfy the need of the people for a useful cellular phone. Samsung Galaxy S3 is also a versatile phone that many people can use not just for communication purposes but as well for other purposes. People who love gadgets can also buy Samsung Galaxy S3. Gadget and devices lovers can also buy this item.

It is also a good item as a gift. Given all the features and good quality of Samsung Galaxy S3, many people would definitely love to have this type of device. People who are also looking for the best gift that they buy then Samsung Galaxy S3 can relatively be a perfect gift that you can buy for people who also love gadgets and devices.

Resource: http://thenextgalaxy.com/how-to-unfreeze-samsung-galaxy-s3/