LG G3 Preview

LG G3 Preview

On May 27 we finally get a glimpse of LG G3, the successor of G2. Last year G2 was one of my favourite smartphone because not only it packed a lot of power but also it has one of the best displays I’ve ever seen. Long story short, I set my expectation very high on its successor. How does it turn out to be? Will G3 hold up to its predecessor? Let's find out on this quick preview.

Design

As its predecessor, G3 retain similar design and looks, although LG has made few changes to the phone. With dimensions of 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm this phone is definitely not a small phone, but don’t take me wrong, this phone is actually smaller compared to another 5.5-inch android like One+, One, or Galaxy Note 2. This phone also quite light at 149 g thanks to its plastic body.

Unlike the LG G2, G3 has redesigned its back cover that simulate the look of brushed metal. I found this new design is very attractive. However, in the end, it’s still just a plastic. No matter how good it looks those plastic back cover will collect scratches and lose its beauty (I guess). LG also made a little change on the power and home buttons. Moving to the back side, we’ll find similar power and volume button like the G2, but those buttons are rather rounded, more flat, and hopefully easier to press than before.

Display

For me, the most interesting news is the display. After months of speculation we finally get a detail about the display. Unlike many other flagship that has 1080p display, LG G3 has 2K display or QHD instead. For you who don’t know, 2K display is 2560 × 1440 pixel display. In 5.5-inch screen we’ll get around 530 pixel per inch by which is far higher than last year HTC One (HTC One M7 had the highest density display last year). In theory it’s supposed to be a lot sharper even from phones like Galaxy S5 or HTC One M8. To be honest, I don’t see any pixel in 1080p display on 5-inch screen phone (well… At least I can’t. I guess…), but things could change when I see the new 2K display.

Having a device with the highest density display has its own drawback though. I don’t have the phone yet, but I suspect everything will be just like an HTC J Butterfly back then. LG’s original apps, icon and user interface will look great although many other apps that are not optimised for 2K display will suffer some pixelation. This may not stay for long because many other Smartphone companies are moving towards 2K display. For now we can only wait to see what happen next.

LG G3 powerhouse

Actually there is not much to talk about in this part. LG G3 has a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor like HTC One M8, 2 or 3GB of RAM depending on whether you plump for the 16GB or 32GB model and an Adreno 330 GPU. It is not like the rumours which said G3 will have Snapdragon 805.

There is no benchmark yet but my guess it will not be as fast as Galaxy S5 because of the display. I think those resolutions will slow the GPU down because there’s a lot more pixels to process. Well, we have to wait a little longer for that.

Camera

LG G3 is focusing their attention into a camera this time. Like HTC, LG is retreating from megapixel war, instead they are focusing on features which we will talk about in a few second. The G3 has 13-Megapixel sensors, LED flash, and optical image stabilisation just like the G2. However this phone has a phase detection technology/ Laser Autofocus, where a laser will be fired and measured by sensor to give more accurate details on the distance between the camera and the object so that the camera will very quickly focus on the object.

For the front facing camera, G3 has 2.1 Megapixels sensor which can take a picture simple by a finger gesture. I think this is more like just a gimmick than a real useful feature. I myself barely take a safe though, so my opinion on this is not 100% valid.

Final words

After analysing all the feature from the launching event, I really can’t wait to get my hands on LG G3. Beautiful design, over the top specs, and all things I love from the G2 makes this phone really interesting. There are actually a lot more new  features that I didn’t mention in this first preview of the phone. I’ll write more detailed review later when the phone is available. So… Till we meet again.

-Mr.Koala-

Good Reason Why You Should Buy HTC One Max and Why You Shouldn't

It is big and bold. It is HTC One Max. This time we will talk a little bit about bigger version of HTC One. It is a bit too late but since many people have been asking me about this phone so I will write my opinion about it. I'm going to write 5 reasons why you should and should not get the HTC One Max.

Let's start with why you should buy it first.

1. It Is BIG!

Okay it is very obvious. The main reason why you should get this phone is because of its crazy size. With 5.9 inch 1080p display you get a lot more space to play with. Either playing games, watching movies, or just browsing the web are amazing in this phone. I'll admit that I'm not a big phone person since I actually prefer smaller size phone. But with HTC One max I really enjoy my time playing with it.

2. Battery life

HTC One M7 has good battery life. Just good, not great. Then I try One Max. When I first try HTC One Max I was skeptical. Judging from the size of the screen it should have a slightly better battery than M7. Apparently I was wrong. HTC One Max has an extraordinary battery life. I find myself charging this phone once every two days. Once every two days! I must try really hard to drain its battery from 100% to zero. This is comparable with my iPad mini with retina display. So, if you are looking for a phone with a great battery life you won't be disappointed

3. BoomSound

HTC One M7 has loud and crisp front facing speaker, but HTC One Max has even louder and crisp speaker. In simple words, this phone has one of the best speakers on Smartphone in the market now. If you love watching movies or listening to music on your Smartphone then you will love this phone. Because the speaker is so loud, you actually can say 'bye-bye' to your headset when watching a video. Seriously. It even has a stereo effect because of the size. Aren't you entertained? (See what I'm doing here? No? Ok. move on...)

4. It has an SD card slot

With smartphone this big everyone would love consuming their media, but it will take a lot of space. Don't worry, HTC got your back. HTC One Max has an SD card slot to expand memory capacity in your phone. Movie, music, photos, books, you name it. You got plenty of space...

(depend on your SD card capacity of course)

5. Build Quality

Compared to Sony Xperia Z Ultra, which has glass front and back, HTC has better built quality. With aluminum case on the back of the phone you'll get the same premium feeling like the smaller version HTC One. To be Honest, I don't think there is any other Smartphone this size that can match HTC One Max build quality in the market right now.

There you have it. Five reasons why you should buy HTC One Max. Now let's talk why you shouldn't buy it.

1. It Is BIG!

As I mentioned before, I'm not a fan of big phone. For me, a Smartphone supposed to be small and easy to carry in my pocket. With HTC One Max, I can't do that. If I carry it in my pocket and sit it will slightly out of my pocket. This gave me a feeling of insecurity as if my phone will jump out of my pocket when I'm not careful. Also, I always afraid to drop my HTC One Max because it is huge and a bit slippery (it never happens though).

2. Fingerprint scanner

Not that I’m complaining but fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone is a bit difficult to use. I know that we can learn to use it, but even after a while it is still difficult for me to swipe on the scanner without touching the camera lens. It will leave oil marks on the lens and make the camera blurry when I take a picture. I think it will be better if the scanner is on the front side of the phone.

3. It is heavy

Being the biggest phone around has its pro and con. Because I used to hold my HTC One a lot One Max feels a bit heavy for me and holding it for a long time is not an easy task. This is a very subjective opinion and may vary depending on the person, but for me it's still a reason to say no.

4. It is not the easiest phone to use with one hand

I have a big hand and can easily touch every corner of my HTC One M7, but with One Max even touching the home capacitive button at the bottom right corner is a difficult (I'm left handed when it comes to holding a phone). Then there is also a problem when I want to type with one hand. It is impossible to type with one hand on HTC One Max. This is something I hope HTC can change in the future. At least put an option to operate it with one hand like in Samsung Galaxy Note.

5. New HTC One Max probably is on the way

The last reason not to buy the One Max is because it is almost one year old. Judging from previous years when HTC announced HTC One Max a few months after One M7, they probably would announce the successor of One Max not so long from now. So, if you are not in a hurry to change your phone, maybe you can wait for the next 'BIG' phone from HTC.

At the end of the day, all things mentioned above are just an opinion. The decision whether to buy or not is in your hand. If it's me then I would not use it as my daily driver. Don't get me wrong, I love this phone but it is not the phone I would carry in my pocket all the time, but since a lot of people love bigger phone aka phablet they would totally love HTC One Max.

Good Reason Why You Should Get iPad Mini With Retina Display and Why You Shouldn't

I know it is a bit late to make a review of the iPad Mini with Retina Display. But, since Indonesia just got it for a few weeks now I think it will be proper to write whether you should get one or not. First I will write why you should get it, then just to be fair, I'll write why you shouldn't. Ok, let us begin!

1. It is a lot faster than almost every other device in the market

The first reason why you should buy iPad mini is because it is practically the fastest tablet out there. No, I'm not over exaggerating this. Apple A7 processor is the fastest processor yet. So, if you are looking for some horsepower it could be one of the reason to buy the all new iPad mini.

2. It is more portable than the iPad Air

With 8" display the new iPad mini offer you more portable option than it's big brother. It is small, compact yet has almost the same power with the iPad Air. By definition it is offering huge power and still easy to use and to carry in your bag.

3. It is has the best display

iPad Mini with retina display has the best display on it's category Period! I've tried so many 7"-8" tablet but nothing come close to this device. The color reproduction is great, pixel density is superior to almost every device out there, and it has the correct ratio (it has 4:3 display instead 16:9). What more do you want?

4. Android tablets are not better

In some aspect like apps and accessories android tablet is not nearly as good as the iPad. Take iWorks app for example. I don't think there are any similar apps in Android device (at least not as good). Alright, I know that android is better in connectivity but when it come to work you actually don't need much. You can easily use apps like drive or dropbox to share your work which works on both android and iOS.

5. Dude! It is an iPad!

Well, admit it. For some of you Apple product is a symbol of prestigious right? It makes you think you are exclusive right? So... I think I said it all.

Now let see the reason why you shouldn't get the iPad mini with retina display.

1. It is expensive

One thing Apple all product has in common is expensive price. I'm not joking. For the same price as iPad mini with retina display you can get the 2013 Nexus 7 model and still have some spare money to buy apps, accessories, and one month supply of Starbucks coffee. Seriously. It is a bit expensive for tablet.

2. iPad Air is better

When it comes to raw power iPad Air actually offer us more than iPad mini and although the pixel density is a bit smaller, it has better color and bigger screen. So, all in all it is every bit of iPad mini only better.

3. You are allergic to iTunes

All windows user maybe have the same problem with the iTunes. It is freakishly slow! Yes, I know! They take a lot of time to open and even more time to sync to the iTunes store. For some people who don't have fast computer it could be a disaster. Simple act of transferring a song could take a few minutes because the iPad has to backup all your data first before transfer your song. Trust me, if you don't want to wait don't use the iPad. It will drive you crazy.

4. Connectivity is poor

All iOS device is a disaster when come to sharing file and same thing happen to iPad mini with retina display. From something as simple as a picture to bigger things like your document is never easy. If you don't have another iOS device you can't even share a picture using Bluetooth. It is weird for a device known for it's innovation to not be able to send something as simple as picture isn't it?

5. DUDE! IT IS THE IPAD!?

For some other people Apple product is a symbol of style but for the others, it is just an overprice piece of technology. Believe me, most of people I know who use iOS don't even know how to transfer a music from their computer to their iOS device (I don't say everyone but many of them are). Those people usually  have someone to do the work for them. So the simple conclusion is 'they bought Apple product just because they think it is cool'.

All been said, I think it is the reason why you should and should not buy the new iPad mini with retina display. It is just my opinion. So, don't sue me if you have different opinion. It is just a point of view from someone who use both iOS and android. Thanks for reading.

-Mr. Koala-

HTC Event 2014 Llive Blog

HTC One Mini Review

What should we do with the world best Smartphone? Well, we take all the great things from that phone and put it into smaller device. It is exactly what HTC does with One Mini. Despite 'Mini' name the phone performs very well. So, without any further ado, this is HTC One Mini Review.

Design 

If we take a look at One Mini, we can instantly recognize all the physical similarities to it's big brother. The aluminium back is still there but, instead of having the matte seam of the plastic we saw on the original One, we got a glossy white all plastic frame that's reminiscent of last year One X+. 

The body of this phone follows the same palm-friendly curve with both the camera unit and flash are center-aligned on the back this time around. We can also see two white plastic lines breaking up the all-aluminum cover. It is to make sure the unit's antennae work and also creating the image that you might be handling the pricier flagship model. 

One thing I like over the larger model are the volume keys. Now they are separated button for volume up and down. They are easier to find and press when not looking at them directly.

In terms of size, there is not much a difference than the larger One (137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm on One against 132 x 63.2 x 9.3 mm on One Mini). But, I'm surprised by how small it feels in my hand. This sensation is pretty similar to HTC One S (which is my favorite phone of all time when it comes to size and design). 

We also have HTC's BoomSound speakers lie beneath micro-drilled holes both above and below the screen like before. Prolonged listening through the smartphone won't grate on the ears, although the sound quality isn't quite as bass-rich as the One. HTC also snuck in a single LED notification light into the top speaker

Display

HTC One Mini has 4.3-inch 720p display. If we count the numbers, One Mini has less pixels than it's big brother (1280 x 720 resolution on a 4.3-inch screen produces a pixel density of 341ppi, far below the One's eye-popping 468ppi). But once you stray past 300ppi or so (Remember what Apple said about 'Retina' display), pixels just become indistinguishably small and any further upgrades aren't gonna make much different. Color accuracy, contrast, saturation, and viewing angles are amazing. 

If there is any complaint about the display, it has to be about the automatic brightness. Sometimes the brightness is not high enough and making the phone difficult to read under direct sunlight. Of course you an always change the brightness manually from the quick control menu. Other than that, I have no trouble with display. In fact, this is one of the best display of it's category.  

Camera

Camera on One mini is identical to it's larger version. We got backside illuminated sensor with f/2.0 which is pretty nice. But, I notice a bit difference of the image in brightness and contrast when comparing both phone side by side. I  think One mini is bit more bright but HTC One is bit more contrast. This probably it is caused by the display itself. The display on larger One is actually more contrast than the mini I guess. Check out some picture I took using One mini down below.

Performance and Battery Life

Nobody will question HTC One's performance but how about its little brother? Is it performing well? Yes it is. With One mini you get a dual-core 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of non-expandable storage. Even though it is half the cores, half the memory, and half the storage you won't find any performance issue whatsoever. I won't lie by saying it has the same performance as the One, however in the vast majority of day-to-day tasks the One mini quite matches it step for step. Everything from UI animation, web browser, camera  to every other apps run smooth and fluid. I never notice any significant change in daily task. However, when I play some quite intense graphic game like Asphalt or Real Racing it has lower frame rate. (Don't be fooled by benchmark. I never find any shortage of power on One Mini despite it's low benchmark )

	HTC ONE MINI	SAMSUNG GS4 MINI	HTC ONE
Quadrant 2.0	5,200	7,250	12,495
Vellamo 2.0	2,118	1,980	2,429
AnTuTu 3.2	10,048	13,732	25,140
SunSpider 1.0 (ms)	1,442	1,142	769
GFXBenchmark T-Rex 2.7 HD Offscreen (fps)	15	17	16
CF-Bench	6,543	13,646	25,267
SunSpider: lower scores are better

Another difference in the spec sheet is the absence of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), IR blaster, and NFC capabilities. For me they are not really essential. IR blaster is a great way to control my TV but will not be missed if it's not there. NFC is also something I barely use. Probably in a few years they will be needed for e-money, but for now they are nothing more than gimmick The only thing I missed from the One is OIS. Although some people say it is not important but OIS can really help when we take a picture in low light condition or make a video. In fact I used to make a video for YouTube using HTC One and it is amazing.

Up till now HTC is doing great to maintain battery life in their flagship Smartphone. But how about it's mini version? Does it perform as well as the One? In terms of battery size, One Mini is downgraded to 1800mAH, which is far below 2300mAH on its big brother. You probably already guessed the performance. Yes it is suffering from all the tasks I gave on its few first day. Careful I already mention few first days when it has to sync all of my stuff from Google app. After a few day battery life is getting better on this handy little device. On average one charge is enough to last a day. Usually I use it to browse the web, social media, lots and lots of IM, a little bit of games, and it could last for 15-17 hours no problem. 

What people don't realise is how long this phone could last when we don't use it. While on sleep mode the battery only drops 1-2% overnight with the phone still syncing social networks and emails. So basically if you're frugal with your usage you can easily get away with two days' use on the HTC One Mini  (just don't turn the screen on very much).

Verdict

When I hold HTC One Mini for the first time I was startled. I never know a little change will give such a big difference. I admit there is some features I missed from HTC One but, overall, this is a great phone. Probably the best of its category. In the end its all come back to us, whether we would trade a little bit of screen size and power for much more portability and ease of use. I would. Would you?