Now we love Netflix, don’t get us wrong. There are currently some crackers on show there. Netflix also serves as the totally clean and easy to use method of watching movies on Android and iOS. At the same time, Netflix doesn’t always refresh itself quite quickly enough. Step into the legal grey area that is Movie HD.
Movie HD is the newer version of SKY HD which recently changed its name. If you could imagine Netflix that every now and then had movies that were in the cinema and TV shows that had just aired in the states then you get the Movie HD app. Currently, the iOS version is limited to Jailbroken devices, so we won’t go into that.
For now, if you are seeking to watch movies on Android, here’s how to do it.
I have finally gotten my hands on the HTC One (M8), though it was for far too brief a spell. I wasn’t too upset at how far away my upgrade was until today. This phone is a world beater.
Straight away the 8-bit dot case is an innovative and eye catching approach to the humble phone case. While the interactive phone case is not an entirely new idea, with the S-View case being Samsung’s attempt, the Dot View Case is simply magnificent looking. A tap on the case brings up the time and either message notifications, seen below.
Dot View case displaying a message notificationDot View case displaying weather updates
The M8’s predecessor, the One, had a phenomenal build quality, and this is only improved upon with the new handset. The slightly bigger screen (5.0 inches as opposed to 4.7 inches) doesn’t make the handset noticeably bigger, unlike the progression from Samsung Galaxy S4 to S5). While Beats Audio is no longer involved with the HTC audio, the speakers remain forward facing (why no one else is catching on to this logic is beyond me), but there is a certain amount of sound quality lost through the disappearance of Beats technology. Also surviving is the infrared zapper, capable of controlling your television – fantastic when the TV remote is just out of reach!
The real innovations are to be found in the software and camera of the M8. Much was said about the “three cameras” on the new HTC flagship handset. Well it’s finally been put to rest. The smaller transparent circle on the rear of the handset is a depth sensor to assist the fantastic effects available on the phone. The ability to take a normal photograph but then refocus the image to create a SLR effect or even tilt shift effect is now available to all HTC One M8 users, through the on board software and the 4 Ultrapixel camera. While on paper this is not a numerical increase from the HTC One, in real life, the camera is a huge improvement.
Sense 6 (the custom styling on the Android operating system) is little to be excited about and does very little to improve upon the current Sense 5.5, and there are various little improvements such as these which are of very little interest to the end user. With this in mind let’s take a look at what will make the difference to the average user.
First of all, no one buts as much weight in this as I do, but the handset will come with a two year manufacturers warranty, starting from date of purchase. Also, I’ve been informed that HTC Advantage will be coming to Irish customers. This scheme allows customers to have one free cracked screen replaced within the first six months of ownership while also assisting in cloud storage and updating the handsets software. The company are excelling in the area of the overall customer experience.
The battery of the new phone is going to offer crazy statistics. With Extreme Power Saving Mode, a fully charged phone will last for 14 days, while removing everything but texts, calls and emails. The idea behind this feature is to kick in at 5%, delivering a further 15 hours life from the brink of death! While this is fantastic for festival goers or those on a weekend trail, it is also opening the market for older phone users to simplify the use of the M8 and not worry about features they would never use running down their battery.
Finally, the 16GB memory would be concerning to anyone familiar with the build of the M7, however the M8 now comes with removable storage, supporting up to 128GB.This both allows for very affordable memory upgrades, but also the simplest method of retrieving photographs. Many of this photos may very well be the greatest selfies of all time as the M8 boasts a stunning 5MP front facing camera with a wide angle lens to get all your buddies in.
The M8 versus the S5 (image courtesy of Androidheadlines.com)
Last year saw the underdog that was the HTC One (M7) take on the might of Samsung in a battle against the Galaxy S4. This year seems set to repeat this battle with the HTC One (M8) taking on the S5. For me the phones were inseparable last year, with both handsets offering something over the other. This year, I believe HTC may just have cracked the secret of the perfect handset.
Currently there are no prices released, but check back here in the next few days to find out just how much you can expect to pay for this on your network. Many are offering the Dot View Case, worth €39.99 for free if you pre-order.
My Kickstarter Pebble running the Crowex watchface
The Pebble Smart Watch was a pursuit of mine for quite some time. After a month with the Pebble, does it meet expectations?
The logic behind the watch is pretty flawless. It connects to your smart phone via Bluetooth and retrieves information such as weather, emails and other notifications. Pebble innovatively utilizes e-ink, a kind of digital paper which is very light on battery use, allowing the Pebble to last 3-5 days on a single charge. I’ve also noticed very little battery drain on my HTC One, even though my Bluetooth is running constantly. Good start Pebble, as they were my two greatest concerns.
So you can download thousands of watch faces, ranging from traditional to ultra modern. I’m currently using a GTA style one (seen above), but at the press of a button on my watch and it’s a stylish minimalist time piece or a traditional analog ticker.
The peak in innovation comes with the Pebble app store.
The Pebble App on my HTC One
Here you can download a plethora of apps, of which you can have 8 installed on the wristpiece at any given time. The best of these apps so far are Nav Me, Music Boss and Canvas. Nav Me offers step by step navigation through Google maps, allows you to work your way through unknown territory without taking your phone out of your pocket. Music Boss allows full control of your phones music player – great when combined with my Bluetooth headphones. Canvas is the bread and butter of the Pebble, allowing you to create your own watch face, customizing the information shown on your wrist.
Canvas also makes evident the fundamental flaw inherent with the Pebble in a broader context. It is quite complicated for the everyday smart phone user. I remember reading a comment on the Pebble message boards stating “I want to love my Pebble watch so much, but you are making it so hard”. Boy does that resonate with me.
The watch frequently disconnects from my phone, often requiring me to remove it from my paired list and re-pairing it. Updates are regular, but often bring as many problems as they fix. I just cannot imagine the average smart phone user taking to the watch in the same manner as they may take to the main stream, restrictive but much simpler Samsung Gear. While the Samsung Gear is to smart watches what the iPhone is to the mobile industry, the Pebble is to smart watches, what Android is to the mobile phone world, the more complicated but more functional product, which requires the user to venture into unknown and slightly technical territory.
All in all, I can look past the failings of what was born from the the biggest Kickstarter campaign of all time. For me, the good outweighs the bad, but I fear I’m in the minority.
So approach with caution and be willing to learn. Once you don’t expect every day with your Pebble to be a movie made perfect romance, then it may be the watch for you. Finally do be cautious if ordering from the US. The watch is available here, but you will pay customs on top!
Link Bubble Logo (image courtesy of the Google Play Store)
So we have all seen those terrible infomercials where one guy stands there with a garden hose that expands and contracts as needed while saying “this hose has changed my life”. To be honest, this is not a great example as the X-hose is awesome.
Anyway, it’s the terrible and blatantly scripted advertisements for the mundane which led me to be skeptical about Link Bubble. The reviews and reactions had claimed this app would revolutionize how the mobile user interacts with information online. My skepticism was poorly placed.
Link Bubble prides itself on stream lining your existing browsing experience without interfering too much. Take your current Facebook feed. By using Link Bubble, your feed and Facebook app remain the exact same, until you come to your favorite JOE.ie article or online news report shared by a mate. When you click the link, a bubble appears (much like the Facebook Chat Heads). You can continue to scroll down through your feed after clicking the link, while a circle rushes around the circumference of the recently established bubble on your screen. This process is effectively buffering the page behind the link, allowing you to continue your browsing – uninterrupted.
Info shot from Link Bubble (image courtesy of Google Play Store and Link Bubble).
When you are ready, you tap the bubble and the link loads. The idea here is that you can scan through your feeds and pick out the best bits, then flick through these at once, hence making your experience much faster and better. Also it will work with any feed or link while you are browsing, and can also set default apps to load certain links (JOE.ie and Twitter were my first defaults to be set). Basically, the app kind of revolutionizes the way you interact with your mobile.
Link Bubble is available for free from the Google Play Store here, and is currently limited to Android. You can also purchase a premium version of the app, which in my opinion is worth it, though at slightly less than €3, it could be deemed a little steep.
Give it a try anyway and see if this new approach to browsing is up your alley.
So I thinking about what to write about this week and while I have finally got my hands on a Pebble Smart Watch, I am going to wait until I try it out to give the verdict!
This led me to the HTC One. Now while I’m hardly going to break ground here, I am writing this as I realised this is still my favourite phone on the market since its launch last year and the one I still recommend above all others. Plus it’s just being launched in gold…so it is practically new! The following is my evaluation of life with the HTC One.
First of all is the build quality. Apple, Sony and HTC have all gone the route of their flagship models sporting solid builds (ie non removable batteries). While the sleek aluminium shell is a little slippy to use with one hand and easy to dent (two problems easily overcome by using my Otterbox Commuter case), the overall result is a premium feeling handset. The few buttons on the handset feel solid, including the IR blaster power button.
The One’s hardware allows the handset to run very smoothly while performing multiple tasks. While the internal 32GB memory cannot be expanded, the One’s Wifi adaptor is most impressive, regularly getting top speed on my UPC connection. This means you can make full use of the 50GB Dropbox space that comes with your purchase of the handset, offsetting certain anxieties of possessing a fixed memory handset.
The on-board camera was one of the main points HTC highlighted when launching the handset to set themselves aside from the competition. The 4 Ultra Pixel camera was claimed to be on par, if not better, than the 13MP camera seen within the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 3. While I do love the camera on the handset and was blown away by the low light video quality, I do believe the S4 and Note 3 win the battle of the cameras.
This does not mean I am leaning towards the flagship Samsung handsets in this heavyweight battle- quite the contrary. The HTC One boasts incredible audio. In the box you will be pleasantly surprised to find Monster headphones, which are greatly complimented by the Beats Audio software installed on the handset (a partnership which unfortunately looks almost certainly have come to an end with the new HTC M8). One is left wondering why all handsets do not shift their speakers to the front, as the combination of audio and fantastic screen make watching Netflix or listening to music at a house party a breeze for the HTC One.
Now, that’s all the HTC One “press-pack-esque” stuff out of the way here is my own personal opinion.
You need to get a case and really it has to be something hardwearing. The phone’s shell is gorgeous but may as well be made from butter. However, for me, this is really the only drawback. The battery in the HTC One is simply stunning. Here you can see why I think so.
Okay, so those of you who remember forgetting where the last place you had your charger plugged in due to your amazing Nokia 2 week battery, may not be blown away by this image. For me, knowing how much I use my phone, this was amazing. Sure I charge my phone every night, but it comfortably gets me through a day without having to be constantly afraid of being phoneless.
Initially, Blinkfeed was a massive let-down. This feature was a new approach to the home screen, which brings all your social media and news needs into one easy to access place.Very restricted feeds, heavily focussed upon the US market. While the latter hasn’t changed, it now allows fully customisable feeds. You can log in to your Facebook and Twitter accounts while also drawing from your favourite RSS feeds, ensuring all your news and feeds are never missed.
Finally, the greatest gimmick of them all has become my favourite feature. In my apartment I only have Saorview, built into the TV, which means no fancy SKY Guides. Thank god for the TV Remote feature. First of all it offers control over the TV, such as input, volume, channels etc. It also provides a full visual guide of what is on TV over the coming week. You set your favourites and get reminders for your show and future similar shows, with the app automatically changing TV channels accordingly. It also works for SKY and UPC, meaning everyone can find a use for it.
The too long didn’t read version.
The HTC One offers the build quality of an iPhone, the brains and freedom of Android while throwing some genuinely unique approaches to how a handset should operate. While initially daunting, the HTC One is easily the most fun and interesting phone on the market to date and as mentioned earlier, the one I still recommend above other handsets. You get well above average battery life, with enough “WOW” factor to keep everyone else jealous.
Check back soon for my review of the Pebble Smart Watch and reports on the launch of the HTC M8, expected March 24th.
The Electric Blue Samsung Galaxy S5 (image courtesy of gsmarena.com)
I have been a fan of Samsung for many years, with the Note 3 being the only handset to make me question my choice of the HTC One. So it was great excitement I watched the Samsung Unpacked event which would bring with it the official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S5. Here is a quick look at the best bits of the Galaxy S5.
Camera
Initially, socks will remain firmly in place with the announcement of a 16MP camera, as we now live in a world where the figures 20.7MP and 41MP are bandied around. Ignoring the usual figures, the S5 boasts two really nice features on its new camera which I believe deserve a firm pat on the back.
1. 0.3 second Auto-focus
Few things irk me more than missing a moment or having a group ask ‘what is taking so long’ as my HTC One screen simulates the opening of ones eyes after a hard night on hard spirits. The S5 eradicates this problem with a very impressive 0.3 second auto-focus, meaning as soon as you click you will get a clear shot
2. Selective focus
Think of this as being professional Instagram. Selective focus allows the user to blur the background surrounding the subject of a photograph. Sure it sounds simple; because it is. However, the result is gorgeous and professional looking photographs.
Battery
Samsung can throw figures at us all day long, but I won’t pay any attention until I get hands on experience with the handset. Or at least this is what I said until the launch shifted focus towards “Ultra Power Saving Mode”. Again, I am reluctant to pay heed to manufacturers figures, when anyone says that 10% battery life can result in 24 hours standby, my ears will prick up. This is achieved through throttling the phone to GSM only features, turning down the display and limiting the screen to only black and white. Samsung have also stated the handset should achieve 10 hours web browsing on a LTE connection.
Biometrics
To mimic or not to mimic…that is the question. As Apple introduced the thumb print scanner, everyone was immediately wondering if Samsung would follow suit. Praise the mobile lords (Nokia 3310 and Sony Ericsson k750) that the rumours of retina scan technology have proven unfounded. Samsung have followed Apple’s (and in my opinion improved upon) thumb print scanner. The subtle difference is a swipe instead of a stationary placing. The real achievement here is the teaming up with PayPal. Hopefully, this paves the way for biometric security allowing us to access online banking, social media and emails, as we venture towards a world with no passwords. Also unless the handset is unlocked with a thumb print, pictures and documents remain secure, bringing piece of mind to those many hundreds of Irish people who have lost there phones (in Coppers alone).
So, while hardly ground breaking, the S5 would appear to be a worthy progression in the S range. Samsung stated at the launch that “We only succeed when customers choose us”, and so many of the developments have been geared towards the desire of the customer. While there have been a certain number of heads upon nails hit, I believe some swings have landed shy of their marks. Overall, the S5 will be a very interesting venture for SIII customers, but a smaller step for those holding an S4 today. Samsung have set the bar so high that the S5 may seem underwhelming, but it really is a fantastic piece of kit.
