Showing posts with label vs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vs. Show all posts

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs HTC One mini 2 Metal mania

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha comes forward as the next super mini but its armor will surely be tested in battle against the HTC One mini 2. The two have their distinct strengths but enough common ground to meet on - compact and metal.
Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs. HTC One Mini 2
The Galaxy Alpha is lighter and much thinner but Samsung used aluminum sparingly. HTC covered all of the One mini 2 in metal. The Galaxy Alpha has processing power to spare while the One mini 2 has a midrange chipset. The HTC brings the trademark BoomSound speakers while the Samsung promises a better camera.
Before you place your bets, heres specs the rundown.


Samsung Galaxy Alpha over One mini 2

  • More powerful chipset with double the RAM
  • Slightly bigger screen - 4.7" vs. 4.5"
  • More compact and much thinner - 6.7mm vs. 10.6mm
  • 16:9 camera sensor
  • 2160p video capture
  • Faster LTE downlink - 300Mbps vs. 150Mbps
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Heart rate monitor

HTC one mini 2 over Galaxy Alpha

  • Aluminum unibody
  • Front-facing stereo speakers
  • Expandable storage
  • Bigger battery - 2,110mAh (sealed) vs. 1,860mAh (removable)
  • Better front-facing camera - 5MP vs. 2.1MP
  • Costs less
Its no surprise that the Galaxy Alpha has the faster chipset and more features, Samsung loves heaping those on. What it cant get quite right is nailing down that premium feel that HTC has been nailing since the original One. Geeks are more willing to forgive plastic, while premium users care less about the performance.
Theres no perfect middle ground, a phone that combines the looks of the One mini 2 and the brains of the Galaxy Alpha. Apple fans might argue that the description matches the iPhone but in the Android world theres no exact match. The Xperia Z3 Compact comes close but that calls for its own piece.
Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs. HTC One Mini 2 Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs. HTC One Mini 2 Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs. HTC One Mini 2 Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs. HTC One Mini 2
Samsung Galaxy Alpha and HTC one mini 2 at the office
The screen size explosion brought us the phablet segment, which basks in growing popularity but, unfortunately, it left midsized devices in the midrange. Now were seeing the tide turn a bit with compact high-enders like the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and the HTC One mini 2 but that direction puts them on a collision course. Flip over to the next page for the first punches exchange.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Xiaomi Mi 3 vs Xiaomi Mi 4

The Xiaomi Mi 3, one of the most popular smartphones in China, is up against its own successor, the Mi 4. Two generations ready to clash: boxes opened, benchmarks loaded, audio on, cameras rolling, batteries charged.
The Xiaomi Mi 4 has more RAM and a third-gen Snapdragon 801 chipset, along with LTE connectivity - all that in a slimmer, more compact shell. The upgraded specs go with an entirely new look with a handful of exchangeable rear covers to choose from.
Xiaomi Mi 4 Xiaomi Mi 4 Xiaomi Mi 4 Xiaomi Mi 4
Xiaomi Mi 4 official pictures
The Mi 3 on the other hand is powered by the previous version of that same chipset and is still a perfectly good package for the price. The big things missing are 4G data and 4K videos - both easily rendered irrelevant if a) theres no LTE network where you live or b) you go for the 16GB version. With things like Gorilla Glass 3 and NFC surprisingly missing, is the Mi4 worth the upgrade?


Xiaomi Mi 3 Xiaomi Mi 3 Xiaomi Mi 3 Xiaomi Mi 3
Xiaomi Mi 3 official pictures
In a matter of hours well be reminded again of the difference between one particular phone and all others. Six full editions thereof and a couple of in-betweens - blessed and cursed, loved and hated, admired and imitated. Made in China, to the very last one.
The reminder we need though is that the difference between Chinese (as in "Cant pronounce the brand name") and the "Made in China" stamp on the back of an iPhone isnt what it used to be. A vast market with soaring smartphone demand, the growth of 3G and 4G networks, combined with improved skill and expertise, have seen a number of Chinese makers emerge from the pack with self-awareness and confidence.
Xiaomi has a prominent spot on that shortlist and plenty of reasons to be called "Apple of the East", both right and wrong. Still one foot in the copycat phase, but a couple of generations of flagships too that can compete with the best of them. Now, theyll compete against each other for a change.

Xiaomi Mi 4 over Mi 3

  • Higher CPU clock speed - 2.5GHz vs. 2.3GHz
  • 3GB RAM vs 2GB RAM
  • Improved camera sensor with wider aperture
  • 2160p video recording
  • 8MP front-facing camera vs 2MP
  • LTE connectivity
  • IR blaster
  • TV-out via MHL-enabled microUSB port
  • Rich set of exchangeable rear covers

Xiaomi Mi 3 vs Mi 4

  • Polycarbonate premium unibody vs cheap plastic with metal frame
  • Gorilla Glass 3
  • Dual LED flash vs single-LED
  • NFC connectivity
So, Xiaomi has two smartphone generations in less than a year, impressively equipped and competitively priced. Theyre officially meant for the Asian Pacific region, the domestic market probably the main target, but the build quality and features for the price will get enough attention elsewhere.
Both devices are available as we speak at less than $400 for the Mi 3 and $500 for the Mi 4 - thats the price of the 64GB version. The upgrade comes in at a little over $100 - more than a reasonable premium if you can make the best of the LTE and the 2160p video. That makes the Mi 3 the budget option but the obvious underdog has enough going for it.
Xiaomi Mi3 vs. Mi4 Xiaomi Mi3 vs. Mi4 Xiaomi Mi3 vs. Mi4 Xiaomi Mi3 vs. Mi4
Xiaomi Mi 3 • Xiaomi Mi 4
As usual, well try to look beyond the dry specs and put things in perspective. Our side-by-side hardware comparison follows right after the break.
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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Galaxy Galaxy vs A3 A5 – Let’s go Digital

Galaxy Galaxy vs A3 A5
Ilse Jurriën: October 31, 2014 – 09:40 CET




 Galaxy galaxy a3 a5

Galaxy Galaxy vs A3 A5
From the design are the first small differences can be derived. For example, the Galaxy A3 slightly rounded corners and the Galaxy A5 with her 6.7mm thick housing (139.3×69.7×6.7mm, 123g), another 0.2mm thinner than its smaller sibling, the Galaxy A3 (130.1×65.5×6.9mm , 110.3g). The displays are different, the Samsung Galaxy A5 has a 5.0-inch HD Super AMOLED display, while the A3 is equipped with a 4.5-inch qHD Super AMOLED display. The 5 megapixel front camera is the same, there are several hoofdcamera’s be implemented. The Galaxy A5 features a 13 megapixel camera with LED flash. The Galaxy A3 has an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash. Videos explain both smartphones in Full HD quality @ 30fps. The Samsung Galaxy A5 is equipped with a powerful battery of 2300 mAh compared to the 1900 mAh battery of the Galaxy A3. Finally, support both A Galaxy models both 3G and 4G Internet, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and A-GPS. The A Galaxy smart phones come with 16GB of internal memory which can be expanded via a microSD card up to 64GB.
 Samsung Galaxy Galaxy A3 A5

Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 prices & amp; Availability
At launch Samsung has not announced official prices. Both A Galaxy smartphones come in the colors Pearl White, Night Black, Platinum Silver, Soft Pink, Light Blue and Champagne Gold. The Galaxy Galaxy A5 and A3 are available. From the first quarter of 2015 in the Netherlands Galaxy A3 According to rumors get a recommended price of about € 350, – and the Galaxy A5 will be about € 400, – costs

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Friday, March 27, 2015

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus Apples two latest smartphones go head to head

Its been a long time since Apple was under this much pressure to impress with a new iPhone. After last years rather straightforward upgrade, the Cupertino company needed something special, and something to fight back against the moves being made by its rivals.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are Apples counter-punches, but how do they stack up against each other? And which one should you be spending your cash on?

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Design


The worlds iPhones have got thinner and lighter since 2007 but this year Apple has really worked some iPad Air-style magic on the dimensions of its latest handsets. The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is just 6.9mm thick (shaving another 10% off the already slim 7.6mm iPhone 5S) while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus has a thickness of just 7.1mm.

The differences over the 2013 batch of iPhones is noticeable, and Jony Ives team have rounded the corners of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to accentuate the slimness of these devices, as well as adding more premium metal to the mix.

The familiar iPhone button layout has been rejigged to allow for this new super-thin frame. Most significantly, the power button moves from the top to the side, while the bands running across the top and bottom of the devices are introduced to improve reception and connectivity.

These are two almost impossibly svelte handsets, with the iPhone 6 offering a slightly thinner design than its more expensive iPhone 6 Plus sibling. If youre a phablet fan or have particularly large hands, the bigger model is the one youll have your eyes on. The same gold, silver and grey options are available across the board.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Screen


The screen is where we find the biggest gap between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus - its the main distinction between the models. The iPhone 6s display measures 4.7 inches corner-to-corner at a resolution of 1,334 x 750 pixels (or 326 pixels-per-inch).

The 6 Plus ups this to 5.5 inches and a resolution of 1,920 x 1080 pixels (401ppi). These figures put the iPhone 5S firmly in the shade, with its 1,136 x 640 pixel, 326ppi display.

All that means you get more pixels on the 6 Plus spread across a larger area. Website text will be bigger, movies can be viewed from further away, text will be sharper, and so on. It also makes the device harder to hold in just one hand, but the one-handed mode built into iOS 8 should be able to alleviate some of those problems. The weight of either the iPhone 6 or the iPhone 6 Plus shouldnt be a problem, at least.

One extra benefit you get from the additional screen space on the iPhone 6 Plus is the ability to run apps in landscape mode, iPad-style - its a bonus for anyone who wants more room to work with on their handset. If you use any serious productivity apps on the go then bear this in mind, though compatibility varies between apps.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Camera


Both of the new iPhone models feature the same camera lens technology. That means an 8-megapixel shooter (as with the iPhone 5S) but an improved f/2.2 aperture and processing algorithms, so your pictures are going to look better than ever in all conditions. Bear in mind that the iPhone 6 will be easier to handle with one hand when framing shots, but the iPhone 6 Plus will give you more viewfinder screen space to get your image lined up correctly.

The iPhone 6 Plus features optical image stabilization (OIS), while the iPhone 6 only has regular image stabilization. Also built into the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus is the NFC technology required for Apples new mobile payments system, so you can use either phone to make contactless payments when youre out and about. The iPhone 6 is a little more pocket-friendly, which can help if you want to travel light.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: CPU and RAM


The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus unsurprisingly make the jump to Apples A8 64-bit dual-core processor, giving it more oomph for your games and video editing. On-board RAM remains constant at 1GB, however, so for most day-to-day tasks youre not going to notice a huge difference in the capabilities of these two phones.

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus match in terms of storage capacities too: for the first time theres a 128GB level to join the 64GB and 16GB options. You can pick any of these three with any handset, though the iPhone 6 Plus is more expensive across the board, so youll be paying more for the same amount of space in return for a larger device and clearer display.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Health


We heard plenty about iOS 8 and HealthKit back at WWDC 2014 in June, and the newest iPhones come with all the sensors and gadgetry required to make the most of these features.

There are no differences between the two devices in terms of the sensors they include - driven by the all-new M8 processor - and the main Health app that they run to keep track of all your vital signs.

Again, the only variation you need to think about is the size: the iPhone 6 is slightly easier to take out on a jog or to the gym, while the phablet-style iPhone 6 Plus is better suited for sitting back on the couch and checking out how well your fitness has improved over the past few weeks. Both give you full access to Apples new health platform.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Battery


The iPhone 6 Pluss larger frame means more room for a bigger battery. It also has more screen to illuminate.

Apple is telling us that its battery lasts for longer than the standard iPhone 6 - 16 days of talk time as opposed to 10, 24 hours of 3G talk time as opposed to 14, 80 hours of audio playback as opposed to 50, and 14 hours of video playback as opposed to 11. Both phones are upgrades on the iPhone 5S in terms of battery life, but the Plus goes even further.

iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Price


If youve read all the way through this article, youll know that the iPhone 6 Plus comes with some premium features - bigger screen, more pixels, landscape mode - and those features come with a premium price too.

Its $100 more than the iPhone 6 at each price point, with the smaller iPhone 6 starting at $199 for the 16GB edition and the larger iPhone 6 Plus starting at $299 for 16GB. If you splash out on the new 128GB version of the Plus, youre looking at the most expensive iPhone yet.

SIM-free in the UK, the iPhone 6 will set you back £539 (16GB), £619 (64GB) or £699 (128GB). For the iPhone 6 Plus you can add on £80 or more - that equates to £619 (16GB), £699 (64GB) and £789 (128GB). Those prices will be lower on any contracts you sign with mobile operators.

For the US, contracted prices are all we have right now. $199 (16GB), $299 (64GB) and $399 (128GB) for the iPhone 6, and exactly $100 more expensive at each point for the iPhone 6L. Pre-orders open on September 12 with the phones on sale on September 19.

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Thursday, March 26, 2015

Asus Padfone 2 vs Asus FonePad Which should you buy

With the Padfone 2 and the FonePad, Taiwanese manufacturer Asus has established itself as the master of the Android hybrid.

While Android smartphones continue to thrive and Android tablets - but for a few exceptions - continue to flounder, Asus has come up with a novel way to capitalise on the former and circumvent the latter.
Mash them both together.


However, Asus doesnt quite seem to have decided on a definitive format. Both the Asus Padfone 2 and the Asus FonePad combine key elements of the smartphone and tablet form factors, but they go about it in very different ways.

The Asus Padfone 2 takes the mash-up idea quite literally, presenting you with a decent upper-mid-range smartphone that slots into a 10-inch tablet dock when you want to go large. The FonePad, meanwhile, is an altogether subtler blend, offering a sleek 7-inch tablet that happens to accept a smartphone SIM for 3G calling.

Join us as we take a look at how these two Android phone-tablet hybrids compare, and ultimately try to establish which you should buy.


Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Contacts


Both the Asus Padfone 2 and the Asus FonePad use Googles stock People app for managing your contacts, so navigating through to make calls is a pretty similar experience across the two devices.

However, when it comes to the experience of placing calls, the difference is pronounced.

The Padfone 2, when in its default phone state, is a thoroughly pleasant device to make and receive calls on.

Its 4.7-inch display and relatively slim 10.4mm body make navigating its interface easy even while out and about, and lifting it up to your ear looks and feels normal. The odd circular groove pattern on the back even makes it quite comfortable to grip.

The FonePad, by contrast, is unavoidably a 7-inch tablet rather than a phone, so holding it up to your face feels faintly ridiculous. In fact, scratch that - its hugely ridiculous.

Bear in mind that many people scoff at the idea of holding the 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2 up to their noggins, and hopefully youll see where were coming from here.

Of course, theres always that Bluetooth headset or those mic-equipped earbuds youve been holding onto, but still...

As a pure phone for making and taking calls, the Padfone 2s flexibility and fit-for-purpose design makes it the clear winner.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Messaging


Again, the messaging experience is nigh-on identical from a software perspective between these two devices. Both feature the same default Android messaging app, and the same native email application too.

Weve got mixed feelings about Asuss custom keyboard, but regardless of your preference there are plenty of fine alternatives on the Google Play Store. Its also another thing the Padfone 2 and the FonePad share, so its hardly a deciding factor between the two.

Were left, then, with the differences between the actual physical process of messaging on each phablet device. Its undoubtedly the toughest area to call.

On the one hand, the Asus Padfone 2 offers the two extremes of messaging on the go - the potential for one-handed typing with the phone element and the potential for a full-sized two-handed typing option with the tablet peripheral engaged.

However, the Asus FonePads 7-inch display appears to strike a fine balance between the two. Held in portrait view in one hand and typing with the other, we found messaging on the FonePad to be an error-free process. Its just got that extra bit of breathing space that makes texting and emailing a solid experience.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Gaming


After a slow start, gaming has become an increasingly prominent part of Android devices, and with Googles planned social and achievement integration its only going to get bigger.

Beyond that, comparing the gaming performance of the Padfone 2 and the Asus FonePad acts as a fine barometer for their relative hardware merits. After all, nothing puts a phones innards to the test like a modern 3D game.

A performance comparison is especially interesting because the Asus Padfone 2 and the Asus FonePad, despite being produced by the same company at around the same time, could scarcely be more different internally.

While the Padfone 2 is built on a fairly typical - though also very capable - quad-core Qualcomm CPU and Adreno 320 GPU combo with 2GB of RAM, the FonePad takes a very different approach.

Its built on an Intel Atom Z2420 processor, which uses PC-like Hyper-Threading rather than multiple cores. Its backed by the slightly creaky PowerVR SGX540 GPU and a relatively meagre 1GB of RAM.

Comparing the two using the Antutu benchmarking tool, which provides a number of graphics-intensive (both 2D and 3D) tasks for Android devices to run through, theres a clear winner. With an average score of 21,607, the Padfone 2 more than doubled the 9,208 average score of the FonePad.

This apparent doubling in performance is understandable. While the Qualcomm chip is a premium component, the Intel processor is intended for relatively low-cost devices. Sure enough the FonePad can be had for about a third of the price of the Padfone 2.

If youre after something that will be able to run high-end games both now and into the future, the Padfone 2 is a better bet - if you can spare the £600/US$720/AU$750 it will take to obtain it.

Otherwise, the FonePad will run pretty much anything currently available reasonably well - even advanced 3D games such as Real Racing 3 - and youll pay just £180/AU$315 (around US$275) for the privilege.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Multimedia


The first thing to note is that both devices name the Google Play Store as the main source for their media. Through this increasingly impressive online media library you can get access to thousands of cheap video rentals and the comprehensive Google Books.

Wed prefer to watch a video and read a book on the Asus FonePad than on the Padfone 2, though. Its down to the difference in screen dimensions.

The FonePads 7-inch 1280 x 800 display simply makes for a clearer and more engaging experience than Padfone 2s 4.7-inch equivalent.

The latter may be a little brighter and sharper, but the extra two inches of screen real estate more than makes up for that when watching a widescreen blockbuster or settling down to read a sprawling novel.

Obviously the Padfone 2 also has that 10.1-inch tablet adaptor, but with no increase in resolution and an inferior picture, both video and text can look a little grainy and washed out when blown up to such a size. It really offers little advantage.

Storage is another issue here. While the FonePad is only available with 8 or 16GB of internal storage compared to the Padfone 2s 16, 32, or 64GB, the former has the massive advantage of a microSD card slot. Not only does this open up the possibility for an extra 64GB of cheap memory expansion, it also offers another way to get media onto your tablet from other devices.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Internet


Once again, Google provides the default arrangements for internet software here in the shape of Chrome. Its a brilliant mobile browser, with its minimalistic interface, intuitive use of multiple tabs and ability to sync bookmarks with the desktop equivalent.

The respective screens play a big part in deciding which internet experience is preferable here. Once again, the Padfone 2s sub-par tablet component lets it down somewhat, compromising the full-size internet experience with its fuzzy, dim picture.

However, the phones vibrant 4.7-inch display really shows off the increasingly mobile-optimised web nicely, and the phones speedy CPU and GPU loads content up just as fast as its internet connection will allow it.

Theres the sense with 7-inch tablets such as the FonePad that youre getting an internet browsing experience thats caught somewhere betwixt and between - neither small enough to make the stripped-back mobile-optimised versions of websites feel natural, nor big enough to display full web pages comfortably like, say, an iPad can. Not without some vigorous zooming and panning, at least.

Theres not much in it, but browsing the web feels a little less forced on the Padfone 2 - and there is something to be said for a full-sized tablet web browser, no matter how low-res.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Music


Listening to music is pretty much identical on both devices. Both have access to the marvellous Google Music service, which enables you to upload 20,000 tracks to the cloud for free, as well as to listen to your music through a stylish UI and to shop from Googles reasonably priced music store.

Its also about to go full-on Spotify on us, so watch out for an extra subscription-based incentive to opt for an Android smartphone or tablet (or both) in the near future.

Its considerably more wieldy listening to music on the go with the Padfone 2 thanks to its more pocket-friendly size, but then the FonePad has the benefit of that microSD slot for loading up even more music locally.

Back in the Padfone 2s favour, however, is the fact that it comes with a half-decent set of earbuds (the proper in-ear variety) packed in, while the FonePad has none.

Yes, any music fan should really be investing in a decent set of third-party earphones, but the fact remains that only one of these devices enables you to listen to music out of the box - at least without relying on a tinny speaker.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Battery


Both of these Asus phone-tablet hybrids impress when it comes to battery life. The Padfone 2 has a slightly larger than average 2,140mAh battery, which is technically removable if you dont mind performing minor surgery on your phone (thats what it feels like, at least).

Combined with the famously power-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU, we were easily getting through a full day of moderate to heavy usage without running out of juice.

But thats not the biggest plus point in its battery life box. That comes from the unique tablet dock, which doubles as a back-up charger.

If you carry this around with you, the tablet portions 5,000mAh battery can be used to completely recharge the phone section three times over. When youre away from a power point for a prolonged period, this could be a massive plus.

The FonePad, for its part, has no such gimmicks to rely on, but thats not to say its 4,270mAh battery doesnt sport impressive stamina.

We clocked around eight and a half hours of continuous usage - which involved whacking the screen brightness up to full and repeatedly looping an HD video - before the battery died. Impressive stuff.
Whichever Asus device you opt for, you wont have a problem with battery life.

Padfone 2 vs FonePad: Verdict


As weve hopefully made clear, the Asus Padfone 2 and Asus FonePad are far more different than their shared heritage and similar names would suggest.

This means that when it comes to deciding which is the right Android phone/tablet hybrid for you, your mileage may vary.

If youre after a capable smartphone first and foremost, with a competent tablet experience considerably lower down on your list of priorities, then the Asus Padfone 2 is the device for you. Its nicely proportioned and very powerful, while its 4.7-inch display is very impressive.

Sure, its tablet dock provides a sub-par full-sized tablet experience, but it does the job. This component also acts as a portable recharger for the phone, which could prove very useful for the frequent traveller.

If the tablet side of things is more - or even equally - important to you, then the Asus FonePad is probably the better buy. Its a superbly well balanced device with a sharp display, exemplary build quality and an irresistibly low price tag.

Indeed, its the Asus FonePads sheer value for money that nudges it over the line for us when weighing the two against each other. At a third of the price of the Asus Padfone 2, this competent all-rounder is firmly in impulse-buy territory - and few will be disappointed with such a snap decision.
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