Android Tablet Update

HTC’s flagship device, the One X, has been available overseas for almost a month, and it finally arrives in the United States on AT&T’s network this May 6th. The US version is slightly tweaked and features a different processor, so many have wondered how the two devices would stack up. We were fortunate enough to spend a couple weeks with AT&T’s variant, so read on to see how they compared. Is this the best Android phone yet?

Video Review

Note: This video was recorded with the HTC One X. Head over to YouTube to watch this video in full 1080p.

1. Beautiful design

Carry the HTC One X around town, and you are sure to turn heads. HTC’s design firm One & Co did an awesome job with the One X and it’s one of my favorite Android phones of all time.

The device is available in white or grey, and I would highly suggest going with the white version. We found that the white version can sometimes get dirty, but a quick wipe with a cloth and rubbing alcohol cleans it right up.

Some people will complain that the camera lens sticks out when the device is resting flat, but HTC slightly altered the design on this AT&T version. We found the ring around the lens was a little thicker than the international version, so the lens will not scratch as easily.

Others have also expressed their concern over HTC’s choice to use physical buttons, instead of on-screen buttons like the Galaxy Nexus. I found there was a period of adjustment coming from the Galaxy Nexus, but they didn’t bother me after I got used to them.

Overall, the HTC One X is a device that’s fun to hold, features incredible build quality, and has a unique look that stands out from the mob of Android phones.

2. Amazing camera experience

This is the smartphone camera I have always wanted. For the first time ever, I now have an Android phone that is “good enough” to shoot video of other phones. HTC claims “it just might be the only camera you’ll ever need to bring with you” and we tend to agree in most situations.

Features of HTC’s camera include instant capture with zero shutter lag, extended depth of field (EDOF) to capture everything in focus, continuous shooting for non-stop, rapid-fire shots, backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor for low-light photos, smart flash for providing the precise light needed to produce great photos, and built in high dynamic range (HDR) imaging.

It would have been nice to see a dedicated camera button, but we can live without one in this case since the overall camera experience is still better than other Android phones.

HTC will also tell you their main camera features a dedicated ImageChip, 8 megapixel sensor, F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens, but the specs don’t really matter in this case. The end result is what we care about, so check out the sample pictures and video below.

3. Superior display

This display is unmatched. I thought the Super AMOLED Plus display on the Galaxy Nexus was the best thing around, but HTC’s Super LCD 2 display beats it hands down. It is not pentile, the text is super clear, and it’s much brighter than the Galaxy Nexus. Nothing I write will do this display justice, so I suggest headed to your local AT&T store to check it out.

4. Blazing fast 4G LTE

HTC One X Speedtest results.

My HTC One X has faster download speeds than my home internet connection from Time Warner. In my time with the One X, I found AT&T’s 4G LTE network smokes my Galaxy Nexus on Verizon 4G LTE. I know AT&T’s LTE coverage is still limited, but I found download speeds were around 2-3x faster than Verizon on average.

In Dallas, I was able to achieve download speeds in excess of 50 Mbps and saw upload speeds around 20 Mbps. This is sure to slow down once more LTE devices join the network (like the next iPhone), but AT&T currently offers the fastest mobile data connection.

Seeing these crazy results raises the question if we really need these kind of speeds. LTE allows you to download files at 50 Mbps, but the average user won’t find my cases to take advantage of that. About the only thing LTE is good for is burning through a monthly data cap 10x faster than HSPA+.

The low latency times (sub 100ms pings) would be great for online gaming, but there are not many titles that require that kind of speed. This should change as we see more console quality first-person shooters, but I’m not seeing many other uses for it yet. Streaming music and YouTube videos is still the same experience on AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks.

Having said all that, we were still impressed by the One X network speeds and can’t wait to see what apps take advantage of them.

5. Best Sense UI yet

“We got a little too Kung-fu with Sense [3.x],” said Jason Mackenzie, HTC’s President for Global Sales and Marketing.

If previous versions of Sense UI annoyed you, then you will be glad to hear that HTC toned it down a notch for Sense 4.0. I was never a big fan of Sense, but I found the latest version to be tolerable, and even enjoyable in certain cases. To put it simply, this is the first version of Sense that I don’t want to immediately turn off.

The only thing that frustrated me was HTC’s stock keyboard, but I quickly downloaded an ICS clone keyboard and never looked back.

We plan to do an in-depth look at Sense UI 4.0 in the coming weeks, so check out HTC’s Sense page for further details.

HTC still allows users to unlock the bootloader, so you can flash any custom ROM to your heart’s content. We have already seen CyanogenMod 9 and MIUI 4 ported to the Tegra version of the One X, and we expect similar ROMs for the Snapdragon version once it gets in the hands of developers.

6. Snappy performance

This is the fastest Android phone I have ever used. Some users have already complained that it’s not “quad-core” like the international version with Tegra 3, but we found the dual-core Snapdragon S4 inside AT&T’s model to be just as fast. I’ve had both versions of the phone for several weeks, and I can’t tell a different in normal day-to-day usage.

For a complete comparison between the two models, check out our HTC One X: Snapdragon S4 vs Tegra 3 showdown.

7. Beats audio and loud speakerphone

I’m no audiophile, but the HTC One X paired with Beats headphones produces the best sound I’ve heard on any Android device. I tested the One X with a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre MIXR headphones (normally $249) and I was blown away by the high performance sound.

Beats audio is mostly a software solution that includes an enhanced equalizer setting based on the content. You can toggle it on and off, but everything sounds much clearer and louder with it on and there is no reason to turn it off.

You won’t find a pair of Beats earbuds packaged with AT&T’s phone, but HTC did that for a reason. They did’t want to cheapen the experience by tossing in a pair of free earbuds. If you want the full Beats experience, you will have to pony up the cash and get the high-end gear.

I also enjoyed the sound level of the external speaker. It was much louder than my Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and perfect for watching YouTube videos on the go.

8. Medialink HD

HTC MediaLink HD.

MediaLink HD has to be the One X’s most underrated feature. This extra accessory creates a wireless link between your smartphone and HDTV that extends your mobile display to the big screen.

Users get full-screen mirroring, which means they can take anything on their phone and easily share it with friends. In my brief time with MediaLink HD, I used it to share videos and pictures, browse the web, and play games.

HTC has also created specific MediaLink APIs that allow developers to create dual-screen apps. Example of this include playing a game on the big screen, while using the phone to access special on-screen controls. Users could also play video on the big screen, while browsing around to other apps on the mobile device.

Setup was a breeze and the connection can quickly be established by swiping up with three fingers on the smartphone display. The MediaLink HD connects to any display with HDMI and is powered by USB. Most newer TVs that have HDMI should also have USB, so it’s pretty easy to hook up. Thanks to the small size of the MediaLink HD, it’s also great to carry around to a friends house, or hook up to that hotel TV when you travel.

Pricing and availability has not been announced, but we expect the MediaLink HD to fall in the $99-149 range.

9. On device storage is half of international One X, but still adequate

Some people might not like it, but on-device storage is on the way out in favor of cloud storage. AT&T’s One X includes 16 GB of internal storage, compared to 32 GB that we saw in the international version. Thankfully, HTC still throws in 25 GB of cloud storage via Dropbox. Google also offers an additional 5 GB of free storage space with their Google Drive service.

We understand that the average user will never use up 16 GB of space, but it would have been nice for AT&T to go with the 32 GB option. For this reason, we rate the storage options as average and only reward half a point.

10. Battery performance above average, but not the MAXX

One battery size does not fit all. It’s true that the One X offers the best battery life of any previous HTC phone, but you will still need to charge it every night with normal usage. We would have liked to see a higher capacity battery, like the 3,300 mAh monster found in the RAZR MAXX, but HTC has found that consumers prefer thinner phones.

For the last week I carried around the AT&T One X and the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, two flagship devices with LTE. My Galaxy Nexus has the official Samsung extended battery (2100 mAh), but I found that the AT&T One X and its smaller 1800 mAh battery lasted longer.

It’s nice to see that HTC has found a way extend the battery life with the Snapdragon S4 and software tweaks, but we would still like a higher capacity battery or the option to replace it with an extended one.

I love this phone, and I don’t say that often. It would have received a perfect score if HTC went with expandable storage and a user-replaceable battery, but we understand why those trade-offs were made. Other than those two issues, it’s hard to find much to gripe about

Most Android phones are all the same and boring, but the HTC One X is truly different and I was excited with the opportunity to review it. Compared to my Galaxy Nexus, the One X has a greatly enhanced camera experience, faster performance, and longer battery life.

We receive new review units every month, but I generally only upgrade my personal phone around once a year. I’ve only spent around two weeks with the HTC One X, but it’s such a better experience than anything else that I don’t think I can return to my Galaxy Nexus.

Each user will have features that are the most important to them, and for me it’s camera performance and battery life. I’ve been carrying both the One X and Galaxy Nexus for the last couple weeks, and I reached for the One X every time I wanted to take a photo. HTC’s phone also outlasted my Galaxy Nexus in battery life, which was a major bonus.

When my friends ask me about upgrading their smartphone I like to say, “If you find a better phone, buy it.” The AT&T HTC One X is the best Android phone currently available in the United States, so I would recommend it to anyone looking to purchase a new device.

Keep in mind that Samsung unveils their next Galaxy phone on May 3rd, but we don’t know when it will be released or if AT&T will carry it. I’d suggest waiting to see what Samsung has in store, but go ahead and pull the trigger on the HTC One X if you need a phone now.

AT&T will offer the HTC One X for $199 on contract, but Amazon sells it for $149 on contract (includes new customers, upgrades, and add a line) or the amazing price of $549 off contract.

ASUS has taken the high-end Android tablet market by storm. There’s already two Transformer tablets on the market, and another premium device is coming soon. That makes four Transformers in total, all varying in specs and price. So where does the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 fit in? Let’s find out.

1. Internal hardware

The ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 is no slouch when it comes to internal hardware. With very few exceptions, the ASUS Pad 300 features top-of-the-line hardware in every category:

• 1.2GHz (in Balanced Mode) NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor
• 1GB of DDR3 RAM
• 16 or 32 GB of internal storage with microSD expansion
• 10-inch IPS 1280×800 display with 350 nits of brightness
• 8MP F2.2 rear camera
• Front-facing camera
• Bluetooth 3.0
• 22Wh battery
• 7.11/10.35/0.38″ at 1.39lbs.

Of course these are just paper specs, but they just so happen to be some of the best out there. And if you read the performance section of this review, you’ll see that they do translate well into real-world use.

2. Build quality and design

Coming in three different colors, Royal Blue (available initially), Torch Red and Iceberg White (both available in early June), the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

From the front, it doesn’t stray too far from the classic black slate design we’ve all come to know and love. But I don’t see that as a bad thing.

On the back, you’ll find textured ribbing that circles the device, along with an 8MP camera and a lone speaker port.

As for what lies around the rest of the device, there’s a front-facing camera and ambient light sensor on the front, a power button on the top left (when held in landscape), a volume rocker, HDMI port and microSD card slot on the left, headphone jack on the right, and ASUS’ proprietary connector on the bottom.

The build quality of the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is just alright. There’s very little, if any, give to the device. It feels relatively solid in your hands, and is well weighted. The buttons all feel stable, giving only a gentle click when pushed. The rear camera is flush with the back of the tablet.

Still, at the end of the day, it’s just a big plastic slab. And with polycarbonate-, aluminum- and glass-bodied gadgets coming out left and right, it’s hard not to think of the build quality and design of the Transformer Pad 300 as pretty average.

3. Display

The display on the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 was somewhat of a sore spot for me. It’s certainly not terrible, but it’s not great.

The Transformer Prime TF201 has an IPS+ display. One of the ways ASUS has cut the cost on the TF300 is by dropping the “+.” Is the extra plus worth $100? Not really. But compared to a Super AMOLED display, or SLCD, the display on the ASUS Pad 300 didn’t look as vibrant as I would have liked. At full brightness, it was usable in all conditions, but again, it could have been better.

It’s not the worst display on the market, but don’t expect to be knocked back when you power the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 on for the first time.

4. Software

The software is one of the best things about the ASUS Transformer Pad 300. It comes with a very bare bones build of Android 4.0.3, Ice Cream Sandwich, with some useful additions from ASUS.

Along with the NVIDIA Tegra Zone app, you’ll find a couple other apps for media and file management (like ASUS Cloud storage). That’s really about it. They’re hardly a nuisance, and well worth the trade off for getting Android 4 right out of the box.

As for other ASUS customizations, there several custom ASUS widgets, which I actually found quite handy (especially the battery and weather widgets), and a custom menu in the default settings screen.

I can’t stress enough here how much I love that ASUS has left Ice Cream Sandwich alone for the most part. Not applying ten different layers of animations and skins keeps the Transformer Pad 300 feeling snappy, and I imagine it will help ASUS hasten updates to the device in the future.

5. Performance

As you can imagine with a Tegra 3 and 1GB of DDR3, the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 was as fast as you could possibly need a tablet to be. It will run any app you can find in the Google Play Store with ease. There was practically no lag when launching apps, and browsing the web (using both the default browser and Chrome) was smooth as butter.

Gaming was also great on the Transformer Pad 300. The touch screen was adequately responsive and made for an all-around great gaming experience. Games that normally struggle and choke out on my Nexus S were a totally different experience on the tablet. My favorite game to play around with while using the Transformer Pad 300 was Draw Something. Paired with a capacitive stylus, it was was super fun.

To get an idea how this real-world performance plays out in benchmark form, check out the numbers below. On the left you’ll find the numbers for the Transformer Pad 300, and on the right you’ll find the numbers for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7.

CFBench Native – 19247 / 12927
CFBench Java – 5762 / 3126
CFBench Overall – 11156 / 7046
Smartbench 2012 Productivity – 3340 / 3057
Samrtbench 2012 Gaming Index – 2275 / 1625
Antutu total – 9373 / 6416
Antutu Floating Point CPU – 2363 / 1518
Antutu 3D Graphics – 1175 / 1230
GL Benchmark 2.1.4 – Egypt Offscreen – 62 / 48
GL Benchmark 2.1.4 – Pro Offscreen – 81 / 67
Quadrant – 3722 / 3480
Browesermark – 112870 / 78971
Sunspider 0.9.1 (lower is better) – 1784.2 / 1978.9
Moonbat on Chrome (With web worker set to 1) – 1757.6 / NA
Moonbat on Chrome (With web worker set to 4) – 3155.4 / NA

6. Cameras

The cameras on the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 are really pretty “meh.” Meaning they aren’t great, but they aren’t terrible.

In good lighting, like outdoors or in a lightbox, the 8MP rear camera was fantastic. Both photos and videos were very impressive. In low lighting conditions, however, the camera struggled to focus at times and failed to pick up details. The same can be said about the front-facing camera.

Because of this, the Transformer Pad 300′s cameras get a general rating of average. They perform much like you’d expect a tablet’s cameras to perform. They get the job done, but they could be much better. Here’s some sample images from both cameras, along with two sample videos in good and bad lighting from the rear camera.

7. Battery

According to ASUS, the battery on the Transformer Pad 300 will last around 8 and a half to 10 hours when put through moderate to heavy use. I found this to be fairly accurate. Checking emails, Facebooking, Twittering, gaming and watching videos gave me a good solid day’s worth of battery life. And that’s without the keyboard dock (more on that in a bit).

Realistically, the battery should last you at least an entire work day if you put it under normal use. Keep the display as low as you can tolerate it, put off watching movies until later, and keep gaming to a minimum, and I’m sure it would last even longer.

Factor in ASUS’ built-in power management profiles and the added battery life you can get out of the keyboard dock, and you have a tablet that can go the distance when needed.

8. Keyboard dock

If you’re considering a Transformer series tablet, chances are you’re considering a keyboard dock. That’s what ASUS is known for, and for good reason, too.

The keyboard dock that works with the Transformer TF300 is totally new. So unfortunately, it won’t work with older Transformers. But that’s about the only bad thing I can say about the dock.

Not only does it provide several extra hours of battery life (a good five or more), it boasts a ton of useful features that will turn you into a productivity powerhouse. If you need to transfer files, you can use the built-in USB port or SD card slot on the side of the keyboard.

For tapping out emails or other long-winded blocks of text, the keyboard works surprisingly well. The keys don’t feel too mushy, and the trackpad is fairly accurate with nice and clicky buttons that offer a satisfying amount of feedback when pressed.

There’s also a slew of custom buttons on the keyboard dock that are specifically made to control the Transformer Pad 300. If you didn’t want to, you’d never really have to use the touchscreen once the Transformer Pad is in its dock.

For an extra $150, the keyboard dock for the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is well worth it.

9. Connectivity

Thanks to the Bluetooth 3.0 chip and HDMI port found on the Transformer Pad 300, it doesn’t get a bad rating when it comes to connectivity. But not having access to 3G or 4G networks takes it down a notch.

In this day and age, a tablet like the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 deserves some sort of connectivity options outside of WiFi. For an extra $50, I can imagine most people would love the ability to put in a sim card and use the Transformer Pad 300 on the road. And who knows, maybe some day, a carrier will pick it up and that will happen. But for now, if you want to connect to the Internet with the Transformer Pad 300, you’ll have to rely on WiFi.

10. Price

The price of the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is another area where the tablet shines. For $379 dollars, you can buy the Transformer Pad with 16GB of internal storage, no strings attached. For an extra $20, you can double the storage to 32GB. Combined with the $149 keyboard dock, you can have a fully functioning laptop, Android tablet hybrid with a NVIDIA Tegra 3, 1GB of DDR3 and Ice Cream Sandwich for $550.

Compared to something like a MacBook Air or an Ultrabook, that’s almost half the price. Of course there’s going to be some major performance differences, but if you don’t need a top-of-the-line laptop and want something ultra portable to carry around, the price of the Transformer Pad 300 and the keyboard dock combined makes the combo well worth checking out.

ASUS has proved several times over now that there is definitely a market for high-end Android tablets. With the exception of a slate or two out of Samsung, ASUS rules this sector of the market. As such, I had high hopes for the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300.

It’s incredibly similar to its sibling the Transformer Prime, with only a minor downgrade here or there. Fortunately, the price of the Transformer Pad 300 is set to reflect those changes. At $379 for the 16GB model and $400 for the 32GB model, the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 offers a premium tablet experience for less money than extremely similar tablets on the market. It looks like ASUS has another winner on their hands.

You can buy the Royal Blue ASUS Transformer Pad 300 starting this Monday online and in stores by the week of April 30. Look for the red and white Transformer Pad 300s to launch this summer.

It’s been a little more than a year since the Motorola XOOM made its debut as the first Android device running on Google’s tablet version of the OS – Honeycomb. At the time, Motorola priced its Wi-Fi only version of the XOOM at $599 for an experience which wasn’t quite ready for prime time. Fortunately for consumers, things have changed significantly in the past 13 months. Android’s tablet software has gotten a lot better with the introduction of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and more manufacturers have jumped into the tablet game, forcing prices downward as competition has kicked into high gear.

The ARCHOS 80 G9 is one of the newest Android tablets on the market and doesn’t hide behind a huge price tag. The tablet runs on Android 4.0.3 and delivers a solid experience for those who can’t afford the astronomical prices that other OEM’s charge for their tablets.

1. Build Quality

The first thing you’ll notice about the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo when you take it out of the box is that it doesn’t look like most other Android tablets. While its layout is quite functional, the choice of materials and look of the tablet make it feel like many of the $99 no-name tablets you wouldn’t recommend to the jerk down the street.

The G9 Turbo sports a matte gray finish which reminded us of the original Nook. The plastic on the tablet doesn’t exude the most luxurious feel and is easily scratched – even when the tablet is handled with care. The rubber bumpers on the bottom of the tablet don’t really help either, as we were able to scratch the back side of the device despite that it didn’t make contact with the flat surface underneath.

2. External Hardware

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo measures 226 mm x 155 mm x 11.7 mm and weighs a respectable 465g (17 oz). The front of the device is dominated by its 8-inch LCD display which features an unusually wide bezel. This makes the device quite comfortable to hold while in landscape mode.

Along the left edge of the tablet, you will find an LED notification light, mini-HDMI post, microUSB port, 3.5mm headphone jack and the power button. The top and bottom edges of the tablet are both smooth while the volume rocker can be located along the tablet’s right edge.

The bottom of the G9 Turbo is prominently accented by the ARCHOS logo and features four rubber bumpers in each corner, which are supposed to keep the back of the tablet from making contact when placed on a flat surface. Next to the ARCHOS logo is the tablet’s only speaker and the G9 Turbo’s kickstand lays flush against the surface near the tablet’s left edge. In the upper right corner on the back of the tablet is a panel which reveals a full sized USB port which is intended for a USB 3G data stick. If you live in Europe, you can buy the optional accessory from ARCHOS, but U.S. customers will have to fend for themselves and settle for a USB data stick from a local carrier. It’s not an elegant solution, but it is a lot cheaper than buying a tablet with built-in 3G or 4G data connectivity.

3. Kickstand

Many may see the kickstand as a simple gimmick, but we’ve been fans of the setup since it was first introduced on the HTC Imagio back in 2009. The kickstand on the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo features the same setup which ARCHOS has used on other tablets in the past 12 months.

The long kickstand tucks in smoothly into the back of the tablet, but the plastic is flimsy and bends easily, feeling as though it could snap off in your hand if you aren’t careful. While we’ve never broken a kickstand on the other ARCHOS tablets we have used, it can be a nagging fear.

The kickstand allows users to prop the tablet up on its side so that it’s easy to enjoy movies without having to hold the tablet. It also works perfectly if you want to use the device to show your social media updates while you’re working at your desk. And it is much better than having to buy a seperate desktop dock, which typically costs around $40.

4. Performance

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo comes equipped with a Texas Instruments 1.5 GHz OMAP 4 dual-core ARM CORTEX A9 processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Most of us are used to seeing tablets which are powered by Qualcomm or NVIDIA processors, so it’s nice to see that ARCHOS has taken a chance by using a TI chip in the G9 Turbo.

Luckily, the gamble pays off. The processor makes Android 4.0 silky smooth and allows users to watch 1080p HD videos, browse the web and play 3D games without missing a single frame. When compared to other Android tablets, the benchmark scores of the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo lag a little behind a few of the top-end devices, but not by much.

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo definitely has enough power to play the most taxing 3D games currently available for Android, but consumers may have a hard time actually finding the games they want to play. Both Qualcomm and NVIDIA have resources for developers to make sure that their games work perfectly with their chips and many developers have jumped at the opportunity to make exclusive titles for devices running on Qualcomm or NVIDIA chips, leaving those who own devices like the G9 Turbo out in the cold.

5. Display

The display on the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo is an 8-inch 1024 x 768 MVA LCD panel which does a decent job in most situations. Unfortunately, things get a little complicated when you take the tablet outdoors. In direct sunlight, the display on the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo gets washed out due to excessive glare. We recommend finding a little shade or a way to keep the sun’s beams from directly hitting the screen.

Viewing angles don’t fare any better as color distortion sets in starting at a 30 degree angle, and things become unbearable to watch at 45 degrees or more. While the kickstand that’s built into the G9 Turbo is convenient, we found ourselves constantly readjusting the position of the tablet just slightly every time we moved while watching a video.

6. Camera

While most other Android tablets come with a front and rear-facing camera, the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo comes equipped with a single 1.3 megapixel camera on the front of the device. Samsung’s commercial features a guy riding in a Jeep using a Galaxy Tab to film horses, but surely you know that’s a pretty ridiculous idea.

Fortunately, ARCHOS decided to use the stock Android 4.0 application on the tablet, giving users quick access to settings, facial distortion effects (only while recording video), filters and more. But there’s still a down side. The 1.3 megapixel sensor embedded in the tablet produces extremely grainy pictures and is completely useless at taking outdoor shots. The sensor is not able to capture sunlight properly, producing washed out pictures even when tweaking the exposure settings to compensate for the extra light.

The front-facing camera can be used for video chat with Google Plus, Google Talk and other applications from Google Play, but our tests show that the video produced is extremely pixelated and jumpy.

7. Software

One of the best things about the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo is its software. ARCHOS has chosen to give the tablet the most basic Android 4.0 build we have seen in quite some time while adding a few extra multimedia and social applications which play into their strategy of positioning the tablet as an entertainment device.

As far as we can tell, ARCHOS has not modified the Android 4.0.3 build at all, delivering a stock Ice Cream Sandwich experience with Google’s suite of applications (Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube and Google Play.

Pre-installed applications include ARCHOS Remote Control (allows you to remotely control another ARCHOS device when connected to the same Wi-Fi network), Media Server (stream music, video and pictures over WiFi to other DNLA enabled devices), Picsel Smart Office, News Republic, Brief Me and ARCHOS’s own customized Music and Videos applications which are surprisingly good looking, intuitive and easy to use.

8. Battery Life

According to the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo spec sheet, the tablet should be capable of 36 hours of continuous music playback, 7 hours of video playback or 10 hours of surfing the web. We didn’t put the tablet through the same tests as ARCHOS did, but did find that battery life was more than acceptable.

We brought the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo along when we traveled to New York a few weeks ago for the EVO 4G LTE unveiling and it managed to last a full day, which included 3 hours of video playback while on the plane, two hours of web surfing and a little over an hour of 3D gaming (Spider-Man HD). At the end of the day, the tablet still had a 22% battery charge remaining when we plugged it back in.

9. Speaker

When reviewing Android phones and tablets, speakers are typically not one of the main highlights. Most tablets have one or two speakers located on the back of the device which are typically not worth mentioning. The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo features one speaker, located on the back of the tablet. The placement of the speaker may seem a bit odd since ARCHOS intends for the tablet to be used as a media centric device, but the quality and size of the speaker along with the tablet’s design deliver a better than expected audio experience.

Anyone who has used their phone or tablet to play music or watch videos probably knows that it’s typically not a very good audio experience. Sound quality is mediocre at best and usually sounds like you’re listening to something coming out of a tin can.

When the G9 Turbo is lying flat on a surface, the rubber bumpers on the back of the tablet allow just enough room so that the sound from the speaker is able to escape – and things get even better when the kickstand is used to prop up the device. Even at maximum volume, the speaker produces a rich tone that’s certainly more enjoyable than the majority of speakers on other tablets currently on the market and make watching a movie or listening to music that much more enjoyable.

10. Price

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo isn’t the prettiest or best made tablet on the market, but for $269.99 (the suggested retail price) we really don’t think anyone’s going to be complaining. The base model comes with a scant 8GB of internal storage and an expandable microSD card slot, but ARCHOS does offer a 250GB storage upgrade which brings the price of the tablet to $369.99.

Since tablets are considered a luxury item these days, we would have a hard time recommending the G9 Turbo simply because its aesthetics are missing the “wow” factor, but the internal components give the tablet enough power to hang with the big boys.

If looks don’t matter and price and performance are all you’re really worried about, the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo will definitely live up to your expectations. In the end, it always comes down to what the consumer needs and the price they are willing to pay for it. Buying the tablet directly from ARCHOS will set you back $269.99, but you can always pick it up from Amazon for as little at $249.99. You could always skip the ARCHOS and go for the Nook Tablet, or even the Kindle Fire, but both devices don’t come with Google’s apps and lack a true tablet experience delivered by an Android 4.0 device.

As expected, the first round of HTC One S reviews is finally here. The HTC One S is officially available from retailers across Europe. The HTC One S has taken a back seat, since most have focused their attention on the HTC One X. But that doesn’t mean the phone is any less capable. When it comes to performance, the HTC One S is just as good (if not better) than the quad-core powered HTC One X; however, that doesn’t necessarily make it a better phone. The main drawback of the One S is its qHD Pentile Super AMOLED display, but we doubt the general public will be able to notice any real shortcomings.

We’ve read through a few reviews already and captured some of the highlights from each. Read on to see how the HTC One S performed. You may be pleasantly surprised.

What people are saying about the HTC One S

Design:

• “In some alternate universe, the One S would be HTC’s flagship phone”
• “…among those rare few phones whose design moves the whole mobile industry forward”
• “My only gripe is that the removable end cap at the top of the phone doesn’t provide the same sense of quality as the rest of the phone.”

Display:

• “After seeing it side-by-side against the high-definition beauty on the One X, we’re going to rule in favor of the latter”
• “Pentile has become a dirty word in our industry”
• “It looks great at normal distances, and that’s all that matters”

Performance:

• “The dual-core One S manages to trump its quad-core contemporary”
• “HTC hasn’t been able to prevent the combination of Ice Cream Sandwich and Snapdragon S4 from working like a dream”

Camera:

• “Possibly the best Android cameraphone we’ve seen yet”
• “HTC’s ImageSense software is my choice for best camera app on any platform”
• “I like that you can shoot still photos in full resolution while shooting video”

Battery:

• “We hit just over eight and a half hours of constant video playback during our typical rundown test — 2.5 hours more than its sibling, the HTC One X”
• “Even with a 40-minute photography session included, the One S managed to go a full 24 hours between charges for me”
• “I’ve found the phone to be a pretty solid performer in terms of real world battery use.”

Sense UI 4.0:

• “While it isn’t stock, it certainly holds on to more Android riffs”
• “It’s brought no substantial improvements to the experience of using an Android phone”
• “HTC has gotten back into the business of making the user interface work for the user instead of getting in the way”

HTC One S review roundup:

• Matt Smith of Engadget: No score
• Vlad Savov  of The Verge: 8.1/10
• Michael Oryl of MobileBurn: 4.6/5

Video reviews of HTC One S:

Wrap up

The HTC One S will always be overshadowed by the HTC One X. There are a few drawbacks to the phone (Pentile display, no expandable memory and non-replaceable battery), but the HTC One S is still positioned perfectly to be a massive success. Since it doesn’t feature all the cutting edge specs of the HTC One X or the upcoming  Samsung Galaxy S III, the One S is able to undercut its better-spec’d sibling by $125.

While most of us are looking for the next super phone, it’s clear that the One S is a few steps ahead of the best phones from last year. Is that enough to make it your next Android phone? You tell us.

Today the HTC One X is launching in Europe and the first reviews are beginning to appear online. We took the time to round up some of the best reviews and then look at what the reviewers were saying about each aspect of the device. Read on to see how HTC’s latest flagship device performed.

Overall, it looks like the HTC One X lived up to the high expectations that we set for it. Every reviewer was in agreement that the One X is HTC’s finest smartphone ever produced. The only major complaints we have found are things we were well aware of – the battery if not user replaceable and there is no microSD slot. The absence of a replaceable battery and microSD card might be a deal killer for sure, but if you can get past that the One X delivers one of the best displays and cameras of any Android device.

What people are saying about the HTC One X:

• Design: “instant winner”, “quantum leap beyond any HTC”, “this is its flagship and it’s a beauty”, “cohesive and appealing design”, “ the start of a new era of design for HTC”
• Display: “the best I’ve ever seen on a phone”, “struggling to find fault with it in any way”, “Most gorgeous display”, “outdoors the screen was both navigable and readable”, “the best display we’ve ever seen in an Android smartphone”, “a phone we can actually use outside”, “touch keys also aren’t always hyper-responsive to being tapped”
• Audio: “superb across the board”, “the speaker grill belts out plenty of noise”, “Beats makes everything just a tad louder”, “speakerphone is crisp and clear and is fairly loud”, “audio quality is clear and more than pleasant on the ear, for a phone”
• Performance: “Incredibly quick and smooth”, “one of the best all-round imaging experiences we’ve come across without sacrificing quality”, “it handled nearly all of our tasks effortlessly”, “jaw-dropping benchmark scores”, “Apps load quickly and multitask with no lag; images open and pinch-zoom smoothly”, “Quad-core is overkill for most people”
• Camera: “best and easiest use of any Android device on the market”, “runs circles around the benchmark-setting iPhone 4S”, “ burst mode and still capture during video recording can be extraordinarily valuable in some situations”, “Fantastic camera”, “the quickest cameraphone we’ve ever reviewed”, “Low-light performance is particularly impressive”, “people who care little about aperture and shutter settings will take great photos with the One X”
• Battery: “Non-removable. There is no battery cover”, ”Standby time is amazing”, ”normal usage yielded 13 hours and 38 minutes”, “Battery life not as good as the One S”, “managed to get on an average of 7-9 hours of ‘regular’ usage, and peaking at 12-hours and 41 minutes on less busy days”, “If you’re constantly on the run with no opportunity to charge, you might need to think twice”, “Getting a full 24 hours out of the battery is easily within reach”, “Battery life is questionable”
• Sense UI 4.0: “there’s an overall ‘toning down’ of Sense”, “better, but it doesn’t go far enough”, “thin and light”, “this isn’t your father’s old version of Sense”, “does a much better job figuring out the spirit of stock Android and truly striving to emulate the OS”, “We were never much fans of Sense, but 4.0 changes things for the better”, “Sense 4 perhaps is the best iteration yet”

HTC One X review roundup score: 8.7+

• Chris Ziegler of The Verge: 8.4/10
• Ray S. of Phone Arena: 7.8/10
• Gareth Beavis of TechRadar: 4.5/5
• Michael Oryl of MobileBurn: 5/5
• Natasha Lomas of CNET UK: 4/5
• Chris Hall of Pocket-Lint: 4.5/5
• Paul O’Brien of MoDaCo: No score
• Todd Haselton of TechnoBuffalo: No score
• Myriam Joire of Engadget: No score
• Chris Davies of Slashgear: No score
• Vincent Nguyen of AndroidCommunity: No score
• Phil Nickinson of AndroidCentral: No score
• Matt Brian of TheNextWeb: No score
• Marin Perez of IntoMobile: No score
• Eric Zeman of PhoneScoop: No score
• Ben Sillis of ElectricPig: No score
• Aaron Baker of PhoneDog: No score

Video reviews of HTC One X:

Most underrated feature: HTC Media Link

The HTC One X supports the new HTC Media Link HD accessory that brings your phone’s content to a larger display. The only downside is it uses the DLNA standard, so a separate WiFi network router is still needed.

6 Word Wrap Up: ”HTC’s best yet, SGS3 coming soon.”

If we wrote a six-word memoir for the HTC One X it would be: “HTC’s best yet, SGS3 coming soon.” Fans of HTC will absolutely love the One X, but we can’t ignore that Samsung has yet to share the official details for the successor to the Galaxy S II. We agree that the One X appears to be the best Android phone that money can buy, but we don’t see anything truly innovative or something that has never been done.

What do you think of HTC’s latest flagship device? Do you plan on buying one when it comes to AT&T or Sprint?

Editor’s Note: Over the coming weeks, we will begin to feature select user-generated content in our main site feed. Everything is still in beta mode, but we wanted to experiment now. Read on for a review of Samurai vs. Zombies, and let us know how the author did!

The Basics:

Samurai vs. Zombies (SvZ) was released in March 2012 by top freemium developer, Glu Mobile. This game is a mix of tower defense and action as you get to fight the zombies with your main character, and summon units during combat to help stave off the zombie horde. You will have the ability throughout the game to upgrade your samurai, upgrade the units you can summon, upgrade some of your defenses, and buy special items to be used on each stage.

Type:

Freemium: The game is free to download, but some upgrades in game cost Glu coins which can be purchased in app. Glu coins can also be earned by downloading and running various titles advertised on the main menus, dropped in game, or by completing offers.

The Nitty Gritty:

Glu has used many iterations to monetize their freemium games, and this one is no different. One of the permissions is to ‘boot at start’ which concerned me at first. Sure enough when the game is closed or you reboot your phone, Glu’s ad engine starts up and stays running until stopped. This engine has the possibility of pushing notifications to your bar (though I did not see any in three days of playing). I personally like apps to close when I close them, so I frequently closed the ‘running’ SvZ processes after playing the game. One thing I DID enjoy about this game though, is all the advertisements are in the menu areas only, so once the stage is started you don’t have to worry about ads getting underneath your fingers.

Gameplay and Strategy:

The object is simple. Waves of zombies will enter from the right side of the screen, and you have to fight them with your character, summon minions to help you do so, and prevent them from getting to your Sacred Gate which is on the left side of the screen.

The distance between both sides of the map is pretty far, and it takes a few seconds to run all the way to the right side and back. Your samurai will run faster going towards your portal, then away. One trick to keeping enemy waves at bay is to run up to them so their attack animation starts, then run out of range and repeat.

Upgrades and Units:

Once you finish the small tutorial, you will be presented with the main upgrade menu.

The first tabs to the left represent upgrades to your character, the second one refers to units, and the third one is for consumables that can be bought with Glu coins. In the first two tabs you will be able to upgrade much of your units and characters’ abilities using just the coins you collect in each stage. At certain points even these become capped and must be upgraded with Glu coins.

Here is a breakdown of the upgrades worth getting:

• Hero: Upgrading your hero increases your HP. This isn’t terribly important until level 20, when boss zombies can one shot kill you if you’re not careful. I upgraded this a few times throughout the game, but did not focus on it.
• Bow: Each upgrade gives you bonus damage to your bow, and later causes arrows to explode doing area damage. When your character is not in melee range, he will automatically pull out the bow and shoot. Some later zombies are flying and can only be hit with the bow. I maxed this out first as running in and out of melee caused too many frustrating deaths for me when I mis-timed my retreat.
• Leadership: Upgrades how fast your summoning points accrue, and the max amount you can have at once. I found early on that upgrading this is necessary to completing the game. Spend some money on Glu coins, or do what I did – browse the offers and download every 10+ coin game you can and run it once and uninstall it. A half hour of this will get you maxed leadership. I’m not even sure if the game is beatable without high leadership.
• Sacred Gate: Upgrading this gives your Gate more HP. It starts very low and the upgrades are pretty substantial. In later levels it will be easy for ‘fast runners’ to get by you and get a few hits on the gate. Without upgrades your gate goes down fast. I upgraded this twice between levels 20 and 40.
• Village Bowmen: I upgraded this just once for some extra damage when things were going down hill. They can’t be killed and provide a small, but constant damage stream to incoming enemies.
• Warding Bell: I updated this a couple times. Every once in awhile the zombie horde would get near my gate and the damage isn’t terrible, but combined with village bowmen – sometimes every point of damage counts.
• Lethargy: Now this is a staple ability. This abilities slows all enemies on the board for a certain amount of time. Upgrading it increases its duration. After a few upgrades it becomes invaluable for a ‘bow’ samurai to keep the zombie horde at bay while he plinks away at them.
• Divine Intervention: This ability starts off at 55% chance to summon 1-3 units at random from your available roster. This will NOT summon Nabanuga or any other special characters. When it works, it can be a life saver, but it’s expensive to upgrade and at 65% switches from coins to Glu coins. I had fun with this and Panzer Samurai, but the inconsistency eventually led me to other more useful abilities.
• Troop Trample: The creme’ de la creme ability. This monster ability summons a ‘cloud’ of damage that travels across the screen. It starts at 5000 total damage and upgrades by 1000 each time. It’s Glu coins only, and I did upgrade it once after downloading some more apps. This ability ‘eats’ zombie health as it passes by until the total damage runs out. This ability alone can take out an entire wave early on, but some later bosses will need to get hit multiple times before succumbing to its damage.

Units:

All unit upgrades increase damage and health. All units also upgrade to a certain level with coins before reverting to Glu coins for further upgrades. I started off upgrading archers and sword warriors but in the end pumped all my money into farmers. Keep reading to find out why.

There are 4 special units in the game that must be ‘found’ by collecting random presents that drop from zombies.

Each special unit upgrades it’s basic partner unit when on the battlefield. The rifleman upgrades archers, Swordsmith upgrades swordsmen, etc. The upgrade is nice, and the special units are low cost to summon, however they only upgrade when they are in certain range of their partner units, and when killed, must be resummoned. Special units cannot be upgraded.

Roster and Spells:

After upgrading your units and abilites, you will select your allies roster. These will be the only units available to you during the playing of the level. Early on I only selected Panzer Samurai and archers, as I wanted Divine Intervention to have fewer units to select from at random. Later on though, the Panzers died too fast and took too long to summon so I gave up on Divine Intervention and just used Lethargy and units I could produce fast to slow the zombie waves down.

The next screen lets you choose only two abilities to take into battle with you. From level 30 on, I used just Lethargy and later, Troop Trample. I toyed with upgraded lightning but i almost always died when trying to run close to maximize it’s damage. Another important note here is to notice the gate and the zombies in front of it. This is the array of zombies you will face, which can impact what spells you choose.

The final screen you get before you enter battle is the Charms screen. You can buy or pick up charms throughout the game and use them. Once you select one, it will be attached to your health meter to remind you which one you used, and once the level is complete or you die, it goes away and you have to get another one. I didn’t use too many of these, but the ones I used the most were Wealth and Peace. Each one is explained when you press it, so I won’t go into detail here.

HUD and Gameplay Strategies

When in game, you can see a variety of things going on, and it’s rather intuitive the way it’s set up. The skull represents the % of zombies you have killed for that level. The sword is your health bar. Coins and Glu coins are represented at the top right, and the sushi icon will automatically heal you when pressed if you have sushi in your inventory. The bottom right has your two abilities you chose before entering the level, and bottom left will display up to 5 units you have chosen for your roster along with their leadership cost. The yellow circle displays your leadership and how many points you are accumulating – the two arrows on the bar represent where you can ‘upgrade’ your leadership for that level, increasing it’s max and speed temporarily (effect ends at the end of the level). The summoned units move slowly from your gate to the right, and the zombies move slowly from the right to the left. Let the massacre begin!

In the early Levels it’s pretty easy to summon a few units, move in and out of danger and slash your way to victory. It’s important to note that coins and other loot that drops from zombies do NOT add to your totals at the end unless you COLLECT them! I died many times running into a horde to get that shiny golden box, only to be killed on my way out and lose the gift. When you finally destroy the last few zombies, your character will go into an animation but you will still be able to move him and collect coins. Run him over the loot dropped by the last zombies before the game fades to the results screen!

Zombie archers can be a problem, pelting your front units from behind zombie lines – melting them with ease. To combat this you need lots of units crowding the front. Or build up your samurai’s melee abilitys, run through the front line and cut the archers down yourself. Later on, enemy healers and buffers will do the same thing, increasing the HP and strength of the zombies in range, and healing them. Run through and cut them down, or do what I did, and just overwhelm the front line with damage. Using lethargy not only slows down the walking speed, but also the animation speeds too, thus reducing the speed at which the healers can heal – and giving you an opportunity to finish off a tough foe if used correctly.

Flying units aren’t too much of a problem, but it is important to note that your samurai will focus flyers over melee zombies when they are present. If you upgraded your bow, these guys won’t be an issue.

Level 30 is when this game starts to show it’s difficulty. You’ll get plenty of waves, with boss zombies (sometimes 3-5 of them) in front, and mass archers, healers, and buffers in back. I used Divine Intervention and Panzer Zombies to keep the front lines stable, and mass produced archers to get through these levels.

Around this time you will begin getting the ‘bomb’ zombies. These guys move very fast and will hit your Sacred Gate before you know it, blowing it up. Lethargy, and other ways to slow them (as well as lots of running back as fast as you can to catch them) are in order to save your Gate from crashing down.

Even at max leadership, it becomes difficult to produce large numbers of tougher units like Panzers and Frostie Bowmen for levels 40-50. Especially when the boss zombies one shot kill them. So I started thinking outside the box, and decided that mass producing was better than producing smaller numbers of heavier units. I went with Farmer spam! I could produce a new farmer every 3 seconds, and keep the front lines of the zombies pretty tied up while I waited for my Troop Trample to come off cooldown. For levels 40-50 I simply produced farmers all the time, and relied on my upgraded bow to blow down groups of enemies and let Troop Trample finish them off. It’s not pretty, but it worked.

Overall SvZ is a highly enjoyable game, and the monetization isn’t the worste I’ve encountered in some freemium apps. It’s worth the download and 4-5 hours of fun. I give it 8/10 simply because at level 50, I had only half my stuff upgraded, and the game just starts over. Adding more levels to try other strategies would give it a score of 9. It will always lose 1 point for running in the background when the game is closed.

SAMURAI vs ZOMBIES DEFENSE Glu Mobile PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

The tablet market is in the middle of a revolution. Prices are dropping as processing and graphical prowess grows rapidly. Those currently looking for a 7-inch, WiFi-only Android tablet should probably have the Toshiba Thrive 7″ top of mind. By the time I got my hands on this tablet, many other reviews had already been published, so I decided to take a deeper look at this device by extending my experience with it up to a month.

The Toshiba Thrive 7″ was a much more pleasant experience for me than its bigger brother, the Toshiba Thrive (10.1″). It’s much more portable and comfortable and is not affected by the plethora of bugs the original Thrive experienced during its first months. There are some other good options for 7-inch tablets out there, and each device has its pros and cons. Can the Thrive 7″ become the must-have tablet in the 7″ category? Read on for our full review.

1. Form-Factor

There are surely better looking tablets than the Thrive out there. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7.0 is the clear leader in the design category. The Toshiba Thrive is not the thinnest or the lightest– features many users would prefer.

The Toshiba Thrive 7″ has a much more resistant feel and weight to it. The measurements are 189 x 128.1 x 11.9 mm, and the tablet weighs in at 400 grams. But what the device lacks in sleek, it makes up for in functionality; the extra size leaves room for some added ports and features (more details below).

The side of the tablet sports a power button, a volume rocker and a screen lock/unlock toggle. Located on the same side, there is a covered area that holds all the ports and slots. There’s also a metal part in the bezel that extends to the back, holding the front and rear-facing cameras, with a LED flash in the back.

One thing I did find annoying was that both speakers are located on the bottom of the tablet when the tablet is held in portrait mode. The 10.1-inch Thrive has them located in both ends of the longer side, which makes for a great stereo effect when watching videos in landscape mode. I also found myself muffling the sound when grabbing the tablet, as my hand would cover the speakers. But if you’re not a fan of landscape, you’ll do just fine.

I am a big fan of 7″ devices due to their portability and user-friendly size. This is small enough to hold comfortably with one hand. Typing and using it with your thumbs is a breeze, and it works great as an e-reader.

2. Build Quality

Overall, the device feels great, though it does have its defects. The tablet is mainly plastic. While the rubberized back looks great and provides good texture, it feels a bit cheaply built. A small (but important) issue is that the non-removable battery cover flaps a bit when you push on it.

There is some space between the battery and the cover that can be felt when the tablet is in use. But if you can get past these issues, the tablet actually feels great, mainly due to the 7-inch form-factor. The good weight makes up for some of it, but this isn’t the most solid tablet we have seen.

3. Performance

The Toshiba Thrive 7″ sports a 1 GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor (with a ULP GeForce GPU) and 1 GB of RAM. This is the standard spec for most Honeycomb tablets out there today, but lacking behind the more recently released devices with Tegra 3. As expected, performance isn’t exactly the best of the tablets out there.

While the tablet is not necessarily slow, similar devices run much smoother. There is a bit of lag when switching from app to app as well as when loading several heavy applications. Sometimes the lock screen would not recognize my finger, and I would need to turn the screen off and on to be able to unlock the device.

Small bugs and issues like that make the experience a bit disappointing. After using it for over a month, though, I found that little things like that become much less annoying, since such issues only show up from time to time. Home screen transitions are fairly smooth, and the tablet works especially well when playing Tegra 2 games. It is in such dual-core enhanced applications where one really feels the power of that Tegra 2 processor.

4. Display

The 7-inch display is much better than I would expect from a 7-inch device. The LED-backlit LCD 7-inch screen has a definition of 1280×800 pixels. This means that the screen is HD quality (a bit over 720p), and content looks great on it.

The viewing angles are also surprisingly good. But the one issue I found is that the tablet is not the best when viewing it in direct sunlight. But for some reason it does look good when there is a white background, like that of the Gmail application.

I hardly take tablets out for a spin, though, and mostly use them indoors, sticking to my smartphone when going around town. But if you are looking to use your tablet outdoors, this is probably not the best option out there.

5. Software

Sure, it does not have Android 4.0 just yet, but Toshiba has already promised that the update will come at the end of Spring. It might be a while until then, but most tablets in the market are still running Honeycomb, anyways (sadly).

The Thrive runs on Android 3.2.1, which is still a great Android version for a tablet. The good side is that Toshiba decided to keep the software stock. There are no extra features or flashy enhancements. So, if you are a fan of stock Android, this would be a great choice.

The tablet does come with a good amount of bloatware, though. I have about 15 apps that cannot be uninstalled, and probably won’t ever use. Such amount of bloatware apps is disappointing, but we suppose other manufacturers have done worse. If you can get past the bloatware and be patient for the Android 4.0 update, the software is great.

6. Gaming

NVIDIA processors are known for their gaming capabilities. As mentioned above, the tablet is not the best at performance, but it magically improves once you tap on those Tegra 2 game icons. Games run smooth and with great graphical effects.

It is also important to note that Tegra has a great selection of multiple-core adopted games, which might be what makes the experience better. But other tablet games run just as great, to my surprise.

The smaller form-factor also helps, in my opinion. With larger tablets, it is a bit harder to reach certain on-screen buttons. I also find it a bit harder to manage a 10-inch tablet when playing games that use the accelerometer. The smaller size makes it easier to hold the tablet while keeping screen space and viewing in a fun balance.

7. Storage Capacity

For being a smaller tablet, internal storage is not bad. There are two versions: a 16 GB and a 32 GB one. This matches options that most tablets offer, but there is something extra users can take advantage of – the microSD slot.

The Thrive 7″ supports microSD cards of up to 32 GB. If you are one to worry about having enough storage space, this tablet allows you to go up to 64 GB, between internal and external storage.

Personally, I find myself using very little space on the tablet. All my music and videos are in the cloud. Most of my space is occupied by files, games and apps, meaning that it is very hard for me to fill up a 16 GB hard drive. That may not be your case, though, and Toshiba has you covered with the Thrive.

8. Ports

One of the biggest lures for Toshiba Thrive tablets is the great selection of ports they offer. This tablet does not match the variety of ports that the 10-inch version sports, but it also doesn’t stay too far behind.

The Thrive 7″ offers a microSD slot, a miniHDMI port, a miniUSB port and a proprietary charging/USB port. Whether you want more storage, use USB accessories or blast your content to the larger screen, this tablet will take care of you.

All of these features are great to have, especially in a 7-inch tablet. Such devices usually sacrifice port availability for size, but Toshiba manages to bring all that functionality, even if the tablet could become thinner if the company had gotten rid of them.

9. Camera

Most users do not take advantage of tablet cameras, except for maybe the front-facing one for video calls and chats. The Thrive 7″ sports 2 cameras. The rear-facing shooter is a 5 MP camera capable of 720p HD recording, while the front-facing camera features a 2 MP sensor.

For being a tablet camera, I found the quality to be rather good, but not excellent. The front-facing camera is a bit too grainy, as is the case with most front shooters out today.

The reason why I am giving this category a point is because the rear-facing camera works fairly good, and the other camera is not really bad compared to the competition. If you are one to use tablet cameras, this tablet will do the job. Here are some samples of images taken by the device, so you can see for yourself.

10. Battery Life

Battery capacity is not specified, but Toshiba claims that battery life is up to 9 hours. Something that I found interesting is the fact that most other reviews are reporting horrible battery life. It seems to have become common knowledge that this tablet has very little juice to spare.

My experience happens to be on the opposite end. The tablet may not last as much as others, that is for sure, but it is surely much better than those 4-5 hours that most sites have been reporting. Most times, I managed to get about 8-10 hours on a single charge.

I would unplug the tablet in the late-morning and just plug it back in at night. Meaning that I managed to get a full working day of use most of the time. Playing games and watching videos may be another story, as I would only get about 4-5 hours (continuous) when doing such. But when performing regular tasks, like email, social networks and browsing, I never had a problem.

I also am not a fan of giving up functionality for battery life, so WiFi was always on (even when in standby), screen brightness was always at its fullest, and I did no special tricks to try to keep the device alive for longer.

As mentioned, yes, there are tablets with better battery life out there. But this was not the worst. Especially for a 7-inch device.

Conclusion

The Toshiba Thrive 7″ offers a great experience for those that like 7″ tablets. Its major competitor, as of now, is probably the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0, which offers slightly better performance and better aesthetics. But some users are simply not fans of the thinner, lighter build, and the price of the Samsung tablet is a bit higher.

If you are looking for a good 7-inch tablet, and don’t want to go the Samsung route, I would say this is one of the best options out there. The Kindle Fire is not as functional, the Acer Iconia Tab A100 is not as good (and has much worse battery life, but is also cheaper), and the HTC Flyer is now discontinued.

Build quality and performance are not optimal, but they get the job done, and the tablet does not feel cheap enough to discard it. In fact, some of you may love the rubberized back. I also took off half a point due to its current software. Honeycomb is good, but at this point, everybody wants Ice Cream Sandwich. And while it is coming, it will be a while before the Thrive gets its update.

The prices are also not off the grid, but a bit higher than I would prefer to pay for this device. The 16 GB version is currently going for $374.99 on Amazon, while the 32 GB version goes for $429.99.

There are rumors about an ASUS Nexus tablet in the works, which is said to go for only $200 (like the Kindle Fire). Not to mention the $250 Tegra 3, 7-inch ASUS MeMo 370T, which will go for only $250 later this year. Such prices will shake up the market, making it very hard for a tablet like the Thrive 7″ to compete. But if you can’t wait around, this might be a great choice for non-thin tablet fans.

Amazon Link: Toshiba Thrive 7″ (16 GB) – $374.99
Amazon Link: Toshiba Thrive 7″ (32 GB) – $429.99

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One great thing about Android is the fact that we have access to a slew of accessories. Accessories can offer unique enhancements that our smartphones can make great use of within our personal lives. Video recording is one of the main functions for which people like to have their phones handy, but there haven’t been many good video recording accessories in the mobile industry until LooxcieCam – one of the better accessories we saw at CES.

While there are other good alternatives, this video camera looked much more promising due to its great portability and casual nature. Most of the competition tends to be aimed at active lifestyle personalities (unlike many of us), but this is where the LooxcieCam differentiated itself from the rest: it seems to be aimed at the regular consumer. As mentioned, it offers easy portability for casual use, but it also offers more social interaction.

After spending two weeks with this product, I can say that it has been one of the most fun accessories I have used, (and we’re giving you all a chance to win a Looxcie 1 so you can see for yourselves what Looxcie has to offer). But first, let’s get into the details of the latest from Looxcie.

Form-Factor and Wearability

To summarize it in a few words, the Looxcie 2 is a portable and casual social camera that records your viewpoint. It looks much like your regular Bluetooth headset (and can also be used as one), and the f 2.8 lens video camera points directly where you are facing. When worn in a casual environment, it will look more natural than most other wearable cameras, which only look normal when snowboarding, biking, etc.

The device looks like an elongated headset with a camera at the end. It features an on/off switch on the side that faces your cheek (if worn on your ear), and also features three buttons. These consist of a recording button, a call button and an “Instant Clip” button, (the latter being for creating, saving and sharing your videos which works in conjunction with the LooxcieMoments companion app).

The device also comes with different sized earbuds and loops to have more of a universal fit for everyone. The device’s hoop works very well for its purpose. While it is not as comfortable as a standard Bluetooth headset, it has a great grip and maintains the camera facing forward. It would be a bit of an annoyance to have to keep moving it and setting it straight while shooting videos, otherwise. Plus, you get used to the different feeling after a bit. I am not used to wearing anything in my ears, so it could have just been me.

There is also an array of extra accessories available (sold separately) that you can use when it is less convenient to have it in your ear. These include mounts, straps, tripods, lenses, cases and chargers. But let’s jump more into the review and go over the main details.

Video Recording and Quality

Users can record using the camera as a stand-alone device, or by using the LooxcieCam application. When using the application, you can preview what the camera will be recording. I found the application the most useful for setting the device to record correctly (except if you wear it a bit crooked, then that can impede on the quality of the video). You can also change the lighting options and view or download the clips.

The device is able to record video at 480p (30 fps) when used as a sole recording device. If used with LooxcieMoments, there is an option to record at 360p (15 fps), as well. This happens to be one of the main complaints about the device – the fact that it does not record HD videos.

Other wearable cameras are able to record at 720p or higher, but it must be taken into account that the competing devices are also much less portable. HD recording capabilities would affect both portability and sharing functions (uploading an HD video takes much longer). Similar devices lack the social features that this camera has. Sharing videos with your friends is a breeze when using the Looxcie 2.

Even if we put the resolution aside, though, the camera is not the best compared to other DVD quality recording devices. It is good enough for what it is – a simple, portable social device. But we found that the videos tend to be grainy. And depending on what you are doing with it, the shaking can really blur and affect quality. If you consider the success of the Flip video cameras, though, maybe the convenience of the device is the more important factor when it comes to deciding if it will work for you.

Even if the camera recorded at 1080p, the grainy effect can make the experience worse than if it was a clear 480p video. Here are some samples so you can take a look at this yourself.

Bluetooth Headset capabilities

As already mentioned, the device doubles as a traditional Bluetooth headset. Being able to talk on the phone with this device definitely makes it a more enticing product. You can simply invest a bit more with Looxcie to get a wearable camera along with standard Bluetooth capabilities.

I would use it to talk on the phone for about 30 minutes (not continuous and with different people) a day. I found that the sound quality was not bad compared to other Bluetooth headsets I have used in the past. People on the other end also claimed to hear me loud and clear. The background noise is noticeable, though. This may bother some people, but I find it to be at least somewhat helpful since complete silence in between sentences makes me feel like the call dropped.

One of the features that really impressed me was the fact that you could answer calls while recording videos. The recording continues, but doesn’t capture any sound as to keep your conversation from interrupting your progress. Sound will be picked up again once you hang up.

Social Features

Looxcie cameras come with two companion apps; LooxcieMoments and LooxcieLive. Both are meant for sharing, but the first works with social networks, while the other is a streaming service. There is also a desktop program that will allow you to change the settings and manage your content. Let’s take a look at them individually:

LooxcieMoments

While the LooxcieCam app revolves around recording videos, LooxcieMoments provides a portal to your social life. When using this application, you can record a video (in both definitions) and then share it with the world via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and e-mail.

This application (much like the others) is very straight-forward. The app gives you a preview of what the camera is recording, and you can view and manage the videos. After setting up the application with your e-mail account and your social networks, you can share your videos with ease – simply long press on the video of your choice and share away.

It is in this application where that “Instant Clip” button becomes handy. At any point during the recording, you can press that button and share the last 30 seconds that have been recorded. This is useful for those times when you just have to share in the moment.

If the “Instant Clip” feature isn’t what you need, you can just go to the “Video” section where you can see everything that the camera has recorded during that session. After choosing the “New Clip” option in that section, you can select what part of the video to save while the rest can be discarded.

LooxcieLive Beta

This app is still under Beta development, but I have to say that it is pretty fully functional. I found no issues while using it, but it does lack some features.

You can view and broadcast live video to friends, but only if they have the app installed. In order to access this application, users have to create a LooxcieLive account. After that, you can simply add and invite friends by inputting their e-mail addresses.

Once that is set, however, it is simple to view and share broadcasted videos with users utilizing the application (broadcasting requires a Looxcie device). The videos get saved in a server, from which they are accessible at any time, (both by yourself and your friends).

Another main issue I found with this app is that it seems impossible to download the saved clips. This is still a Beta service, though, so this feature should be available later on.

The app also features a chat messaging service, which can be used while recording. I thought a cool addition, though, would be the ability to voice chat while recording video. It seems logical – especially since the application is already able to do video recording and calls simultaneously.

Main issues with the apps

Putting aside the few features that LooxcieLive Beta lacks, the selection of apps have been great. There is a bit of a caveat, though. While all the apps are awesome, it would be preferable if there were more parallelism between them.

All three apps could be integrated into one single app. The separation of services has its purposes, but it also seems like this can greatly affect your experience. For example, I found that it doesn’t seem to be able to record stand-alone video right after using LooxcieMoments.

In order to do this, I had to open the LooxcieCam app, and then record regular video. This seems to be an issue with the settings, as they are also separated in the desktop client. You can’t choose video resolution options for both LooxcieCam and LooxcieMoment recording. While it is not much of a deal-breaker, it can become an inconvenience if you don’t have quick access to the computer (or smartphone).

It might also be important to note that all applications require Android 2.2 or higher. Fortunately, this means that most of you will be able to use them according to the latest distribution report.

Battery Life, Price and Internal Storage

Battery life is better than expected for such a compact device. It sports a 365 mAh battery, and can last up to about 4 hours of continuous recording (at 320p resolution). Of course, I never managed to record that amount of video. I found myself using the device as a Bluetooth headset more so than a camera.

Usually, I would leave it on most of the day, with some recording here and there. I always managed to get through the whole day with a single charge, except for the days when I recorded the video above, in which battery life would be a bit under 2 hours. This is recording at 480p.

There are two available versions of the Looxcie 2: one with 5 hours of video storage and another with 10 hours. The exact storage capacity is 4 GB and 8 GB, respectively. The 4 GB version goes for $149.99, but only an extra $30, (bringing your cost to $179.99), will double your storage space.

Another enticing feature is “Video Looping.” When recording on LooxcieMoments, you are able to keep recording even after the memory runs out. The new clips will replace oldest ones. This comes in handy if you know what you’re about to witness is going to happen fast, and will be far more interesting than what you’ve previously recorded.

Conclusion

I gave the Looxcie 2 a score of 8 due to its few downsides, but there are mostly good explanations for them. Most of my complaints about the applications are due to me being a bit nitpicky, and the lack of HD recording is easily overshadowed by its portability and sharing features. This took away one point.

The other point is due to the video quality. We certainly understand that this is not meant to take great videos – and we are ok with DVD quality – but we have certainly seen other cameras record much better 480p clips. As mentioned, it works great for what it is, but we would have really liked to see the video be a bit less grainy and have smoother sequencing.

Other than that, the Looxcie 2 would be good for those that like to share videos of their life with their friends and family – not only for its social capabilities, but because it works great when worn in your ear to record your point of view.

I personally would not find much use for it. I don’t usually record anything, and my phone’s video recording quality is more than enough for the times that I do. But some users may find it convenient, especially since you can make calls with it. I simply would not use it enough to record videos to justify its price. I also can’t justify the price for many Bluetooth headsets, though.

The Looxcie Cam isn’t exactly the cheapest, but a good quality Bluetooth headset can go for over $100. If you are already planning to get one of those, I would say the inclusion of a camera is worth the extra ~$50 bill (but if you’re looking for top-notch footage, you may need to shop around). As a wearable and discrete camera, it is very hard to beat the Looxcie 2.

Link: Looxcie Cameras and Accessories on Amazon

Bonus: Looxcie 1 Giveaway!

If you’re interested in trying out a LooxcieCam, we have three Looxcie 1 cameras up for grabs for three lucky tweeters. It records at 460p (15 fps) or 320p (30 fps) resolution, and has an f 2.8 lens with 62-degree field of view. The battery life is said to be the same as the Looxcie 2 camera, 2-4 hours of continuous recording, as well as 6+ hours of talk time. The Looxcie 1 also has access to the apps, LooxcieMoments and LooxcieLive Beta, so the experience should be similar to what you saw in this review.

If you want to score one of these, you just have to send a tweet like the one below (or make your own). All you need to do is include mentions to both @androidandme and @LooxcieCam. Also, you don’t have to, but it might be smart to follow both @androidandme and @LooxcieCam to make sure we can send you a direct message if you win.

This contest is only available for US residents. Winners will be announced on Tuesday afternoon. Good Luck!

Images via Corita Cazares with Creative Commons

There’s no question that the DROID RAZR MAXX is for all intents and purposes merely a DROID RAZR with a big ‘ol battery crammed into a slightly embiggened frame. So what then is the big deal and why does it warrant its own review?

Everyone knows that the single biggest complaint about every 4G LTE phone that Verizon has released to date has been the battery life. The average 4G LTE phone is lucky to make it more than 14 hours on a charge if you use your phone at all – even left virtually untouched you are unlikely to be greeted by anything but a blank screen in the morning if you commit the cardinal sin of forgetting to plug your phone in at night. Would a phone that could turn all of that on its ear be something you might be interested in? If so, read on for my full review.

1. Battery Life

So as my preamble suggested, the 3300 mAh battery is the big highlight feature for the DROID RAZR MAXX. So if it failed to impress, this review would have kinda blown up on the launch pad. Fortunately it manages to live up to the billing and beyond.

In my time with the DROID RAZR MAXX I never once was able to burn the battery down completely in less than 18 hours and with light usage I managed to eke out over 60 hours on a single charge.

Sure that light usage result is unrealistic for the power users, but then again we can’t imagine not plugging our phone in at night anyway. For more casual users, and thus users that are less likely to remember to plug their phone in, I can see 36-48 hours of battery life as a real possibility.

This kind of battery life in a 4G LTE phone is quite simply astounding and gives the DROID RAZR MAXX a huge advantage over the rest of the current crop of devices out there that can often struggle to make it through a regular work day.

2. Performance

The 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor that powers the DROID RAZR MAXX does its job admirably, just as it did in the original RAZR. I never experienced any slowdowns with apps, videos or games. NVIDIA specifically and even Qualcomm may do a better job at pushing their mobile processors branding, but I haven’t really had any complaints with my TI powered handsets.

I wouldn’t peg this as the phone for high powered gamers due to some of its other specs, but it’s not for a lack of processing power.

3. Call Quality

Motorola continues to be my gold standard for call quality amongst the Android manufacturers and the DROID RAZR MAXX was no exception. Callers were consistently loud and free of static and really that’s about all I’m looking for from my phone.

I’m not a big speakerphone user, but in my cursory testing with the DROID RAZR MAXX it worked as advertised with just a slight hit to the audio quality as compared to the earpiece.

4. Display

The 4.3-inch PenTile qHD Super AMOLED display on the RAZR MAXX is also identical to that of the original RAZR. I basically fall into the same camp as Anthony did in his review of the RAZR and that is that the average user is going to be pleased with the screen. The screen reproduces colors well, is sufficiently bright and text appears sharp when viewed at a normal distance.

With that said this isn’t a top of the line screen anymore so it will depend on how important that might be to you. The HD displays in the HTC Rezound, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and even the LG Spectrum are undeniably superior in my mind so if you are going to be watching a lot of video or are simply a pixel peeper you should probably look to one of those devices.

5. Build Quality

The DROID RAZR MAXX shares the Kevlar backing and splash proof coating of the original RAZR. It’s just a well constructed phone and I really can’t find anything to complain about here.

The thicker 8.99 mm frame actually is an improvement over the original RAZR to me as I just couldn’t find a comfortable way to hold the original. The advertising showing the RAZR slicing through everything in sight failed to mention that your hands would be it’s main target.

6. Aesthetics

Alright, it’s been mostly sunshine and roses so far, but here we run into one of my first problems with the DROID RAZR MAXX. It’s going to seem like a really simple and probably minor thing to many of you, but I simply could not get over it during the entire time I had the phone. The bezel on this thing is enormous! Every single time I looked at the device it bothered me. The phone’s frame could easily have supported a 4.5-4.7-inch screen and I imagine if the development time on this phone had been more than just a few months that they would made that happen. Visions of the Droid RAZR MAXX XL HD are already dancing in my head.

7. Software

This was my other big problem with the DROID RAZR MAXX, and fortunately this one can be corrected. I have never felt the downgrade in the OS so greatly when reviewing a device as I did in moving from Android 4.0 on my Galaxy Nexus to Android 2.3 on the DROID RAZR MAXX. There’s nothing specific on the update timeline from Motorola yet, but it’s shared software with the RAZR should help.

I’ll also say that Blur is just a non-issue to me at this point. I’m sure it’s slowing the updates a bit which is obnoxious, but I don’t see it as really marring the users Android experience anymore. We’ll see whether that holds true in the move to Android 4.0.

8. Camera

The cameras on the DROID RAZR MAXX are passable. When lighting conditions are optimal the 8 MP rear-facing camera is capable of some nice images and as always I have far fewer complaints about the quality of the video capture. I will say that I think Motorola may have a tendency to push their default settings toward accuracy rather than vibrancy and I think most users would prefer the latter. You can take a look at the samples pictures and videos below to judge for yourself whether the RAZR MAXX will meet your point and shoot needs.

9. 4G LTE

We are rapidly encroaching on the point where this will be table stakes for Verizon, but for the time being I’ll still grant a +1 to the DROID RAZR MAXX for it’s LTE radio. I didn’t have any trouble pulling in a 4G signal in any of my local haunts and speeds were in line with the rest of my LTE devices.

10. NFC

Alright, I’m not quite as dismissive of NFC as I once was. I’ve actually used it a couple times for payments with my Galaxy Nexus and if you have a lot of friends with Android phones the beam feature is at least entertaining even if it isn’t critical to the functioning of your phone. I wouldn’t pass on this phone just for it’s lack of NFC by any means, but I will call it an unfortunate omission.

Final Thoughts

While the score may not be terribly impressive that doesn’t tell the whole story of the DROID RAZR MAXX. The large bezel and the lack of NFC are minor issues that probably won’t even register to some buyers and again I have to believe this phone will see an update to Android 4.0 in the first half of the year.

If you want the latest software and (for the most part) hardware then absolutely go with the Galaxy Nexus, but if you are either a first time smartphone user that’s used to the battery life of a feature phone or a business user that’s dependent on your phone to get work done then I would strongly recommend that you consider the DROID RAZR MAXX. A 4G LTE smartphone that gives you the freedom to not worry about your battery life is something we had yet to see on Verizon and I’m not entirely certain when another such device will come along.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed using the DROID RAZR MAXX and I think that for a large section of the smartphone buying population that this is the single best device available today.^[1]

The LG Spectrum is Verizon’s version of the LG Optimus LTE, LG’s latest high-end smartphone that’s done particularly well in other parts of the world. Verizon is the second US carrier to feature the Optimus LTE; AT&T began offering the Nitro HD in December.

Verizon has released a barrage of high-end smartphones over the past few months, and the LG Spectrum will be placed alongside a slew of other Android devices on Big Red’s network with the lofty goal of wooing customers away from the likes of the Droid RAZR, HTC Rezound and Galaxy Nexus superphones. But does the LG Spectrum differentiate itself enough to make it a must-have smartphone for Big Red?

1. Hardware and Performance

The innards of the device are where the Spectrum truly shines. The Spectrum features a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor with the now-standard 1GB of RAM. This combination makes the device truly fly. Even when running multiple programs in the background, the Spectrum performed exceptionally well with nary a hiccup in performance. If you want a phone that’s blazing fast, the LG Spectrum holds its own with even the top-of-the-line devices out there.

Sadly, it does not have an NFC chip inside, which is frankly a baffling move for a device that will feature Android 4.0 (more on that later).

2. Build Quality and Aesthetics

I really wanted to like the build quality in the Spectrum. Though LG had some problems with software (and, perhaps, hardware) on the T-Mobile G2x, the device remains one of the best feeling Android devices out there. Though I haven’t personally had time with the AT&T variant of the Optimus LTE, several reviewers stated the device felt nice in the hand, thanks in large part to the textured backing on the Nitro HD.

When it comes to the LG Spectrum, the textured backing has been swapped out for a glossy checkerboard-patterned cover that, though it certainly looks good, makes the device feel cheap and plasticky. Further, the glossy finish is a fingerprint magnet, and it only feels clean after a fresh wipedown of the device. The Spectrum certainly doesn’t win in the build quality department, either, especially when it’ll be sitting next to the Galaxy Nexus and Droid RAZR line of smartphones.

3. Display

720p displays are certainly becoming a norm in higher end devices, and nowhere is this more true than on Verizon’s network. Though practically all devices Big Red releases feature a 720p display, the Spectrum’s 4.5-inch True HD IPS display stands out as one of the more gorgeous displays we’ve seen in a smartphone. Colors really shine on the Spectrum, especially when you crank the brightness up to the highest setting.

4. LTE

Though we’re almost sick of continually repeating this section at this point, Verizon’s LTE network covers the most people of any true 4G network in the country, and the speeds provided by Verizon LTE are ridiculously fast by any standards. With LTE capability, the Spectrum can easily churn through high definition video streaming and upload photos and video with ease.

5. Android 2.3 with LG's UI Overlay

By now, you’re probably painfully aware of my distaste for the custom UI skins carriers/manufacturers are keen to put on devices. Though there are certainly some good ones out there (I’m quite enjoying Touchwiz on the Epic Touch 4G, for example), they generally detract from the user experience Google has mastered in Android 4.0, and I believe the time is nigh to do away with them.

Unfortunately, these skins seem to be here to stay. LG has some serious work to do if it’s going to attract people to its UI. The categorized app drawer is hideous, and the launcher looks like a boxier version of Touchwiz. Fortunately, this problem is quickly remedied by installing a launcher replacement from the Android market.

Still, if you’re going to put money into the development of a UI overlay, be sure to make it differentiate itself in some way. Or, at least make it look pretty. In my opinion, LG’s does neither.

LG has promised to deliver Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich shortly, and we’ll update this review once the update hits our device. Hopefully LG releases a skinned-down version of Google’s latest OS, if not pure Android 4.0 altogether. Though without an NFC chip, we won’t be seeing Android Beam or Google Wallet hitting this device.

6. Camera Quality

I was actually pleasantly surprised with the LG Spectrum’s 8 megapixel 1080p capable camera. Though performance in low lighting for any smartphone camera is average at best, the Spectrum performed beautifully in medium to well lit situations. Pictures came out crisp and captured detail remarkably well. Videos came out good as well, though the auto-focus struggled a bit while taking video samples.

All in all, the camera on the Spectrum is one of the better cameras we’ve seen in an Android phone, and I’d argue you’ll be totally fine leaving the point and shoot at home if you’re going to be snapping a few photos in a reasonably well lit environment. Photo and video samples from the Spectrum can be found below.

7. Battery Life

The LG Spectrum is not the Droid RAZR Maxx; you won’t be able to get 24 or even 10 hours out of the device with moderate use. As with almost all LTE devices currently available, you’ll only be able to get through the standard 8.5-9 hour workday if you barely touch your device. The Spectrum fares about as well as the rest of the LTE devices, and I found it generally lasted about 7 hours before I was scrambling to find a charger.

As with most LTE devices, you’ll probably want to drop some money on an extended battery if you’re going to pick up the Spectrum. Fortunately, since the Spectrum runs a full $100 less on-contract than the top of the line devices, you’ll have some extra cash in your pocket to drop on an extended battery.

8. Call and Sound Quality

When placing phone calls, folks on the other end of the line were able to hear me perfectly well, and the sound on my end was pretty good, too. Speakerphone quality was also surprisingly good on the Spectrum. As for the speakers in general, the Spectrum provides pretty good sound output; movies and music played loud enough to hear them without having to stand or sit too close to the device.

9. Included Applications

Carriers are keen on loading extra applications on their devices, and Verizon is certainly as guilty as the rest. The Spectrum comes preloaded with several Verizon-branded applications, only a few of which proved useful. Of note, Verizon Video gives users access to a ton of video content, including live sporting events. I watched a bit of the Marquette at Notre Dame basketball game in HD quality — pretty handy for when you’re away from your TV or computer. You’ll also find access to several TV shows and other content.

Netflix HD and ESPN ScoreCenter HD come preloaded on the device to show off the HD capabilities of the IPS 720p display. I only tested out Netflix, but was really impressed with the video quality on the Spectrum’s screen. Consumers of video may want to take a hard and fast look at the Spectrum as a media consumption device.

As you’d expect, there are several other applications out there, some of which are arguably little more than free space takers on your device. If you were hoping you’d be able to uninstall these applications, you’re out of luck. They appear to be locked down by Big Red. The lack of ability to uninstall useless applications gives the Spectrum a half-point ding in this category.

10. Differentiating Factor

Customers who walk into Verizon’s store will be pitting the LG Spectrum against dozens of other Android devices out there. Even with the $199 price point, the Spectrum’s immediate competition will be the recently discounted Droid RAZR and HTC Rezound smartphones. Customers willing to spend a bit more will even consider the Galaxy Nexus and Droid RAZR Maxx devices against the Spectrum.

For the Spectrum to succeed, it will need to immediately catch the eye of the customer. Frankly, it is our opinion that the LG Spectrum does not do enough to differentiate itself from the competition in a good way. Several other devices have a 720p screen, feel better in the hands, or have an arguably better user interface than the Spectrum.

Final Thoughts

Verizon customers have a nearly infinite level of choice when it comes to which device is going to find its way into their pockets. Going up against the similarly priced Droid RAZR and HTC Rezound, the Spectrum fails to differentiate itself as the better choice, even more so when you consider the RAZR Maxx and Galaxy Nexus devices.

As always, the choice of which smartphone will be your next device is yours and yours alone, and we encourage you to spend some hands-on time with the device for yourself before making that decision; the Spectrum may very well be your preferred device in Verizon’s lineup, you just won’t likely find it in any of our hands.

Sorry about the fingerprints in the gallery below. I wiped the phone multiple times during the photo shoot, but this thing shows prints like no tomorrow, front and back!