Category: Android

Skype for Android has a small but nice update rolling out in the Play Store this morning.  The new build, version 7.24.0.255 for those keeping score at home, brings some UI refinements as well as some useability improvements to the long standing video and messaging app.  Probably the biggest change is the Calls tab interface.  It has been updated with a quick call option and a new dialer button.  Those of you who use Skype for calls, particularly international calls where the service really shines, will enjoy this update as it is much cleaner.

Read on for more details

I appreciate that I’ve told readers about this deal already – twice in fact.  But it is one of those deals that is just too good to pass up.  Over at Amazon you can still pick up the Nextbit Robin for $169.  Originally the deal was only on the Mint color but now it is also on the darker Midnight color option.  Regardless of which color you choose, you are getting a solid mid-range phone with great specs and performance.  I reviewed the Robin a few months ago and at the time I said it was a pretty good deal at $299.  At $169, it is one of the best deals on a phone with these specs out there.

For those that don’t recall, the Nextbit Robin has some great features and offers a unique device-meets-cloud storage solution.  It has 32GB of onboard storage merged with 100 GB online storage, so you always have the space you need. Robin seamlessly backs up your apps and photos, intelligently archives the stuff you’re not using, and easily restores items when you need them.  The idea is that you never run out of space.  Those less used apps are backed up into the cloud but then are instantly available when you want them.  You’ll know an app has been backed up into the cloud as it will be grey on your Robin.

Continue reading after the break for more details

Google is in the process of rolling out updates to their Android apps for Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides.  The updates, mainly aimed at G Suite customers, brings a lot of improvements to each app individually but collectively brings them all in-app notifications.  Today, the way it works, is if you are collaborating with someone on a document, you get a notification that they have updated it – in Google Drive.  With the update to the apps, now you get the notifications within each app.  It is a bit of a no-brainer really.  Each app’s notifications are separate from the others so you will only see notifications for Google Sheets in Google Sheets.

Read on as there are other improvements beyond notifications.

While it is handy to have a nightlight in a room, having one that serves a bit more than just soft light at night is a bonus.  That’s exactly what Choetech has aimed to do with their nightlight.  The Cheotech Nighlight certainly gives the soft, LED light that you would expect from a nightlight but it has the bonus of two USB ports so you can charge your devices while you sleep. Best of all, Choetech designed this nightlight for energy efficiency, safety and automatic turning on and off as natural light fills the room.

The company sent me one of these nightlights to review and having used it over the course of the past few weeks, I have to say I’m pretty impressed.  For sure it isn’t going to be the fastest charging ports you will find but given that you will be using them as you sleep, they get the job done.  Equally, the lighting provide is soft and relaxing.  All this for a under $15 makes it a great value.  Here’s my review.

OnePlus has had an active community of users and fans since their break into the market a couple of years back.  There is likely no better example of that community then the company’s user forums.  They are always teeming with activity, from those who are seeking help and those providing it, to company announcements about new software updates and hardware.  On the OnePlus 3, their latest phone, built into OxygenOS was a community forums app so users could get quick help or provide help right from their phone.  Now that app has made its way to the Play Store for anyone to install on their phones.

We live in a world with big display phones and in Androidland, that is most certainly the case.  It is hard to find device under 5″ that have any sort of horsepower or performance.  The problem is, not everyone wants a 5.5″ device or even a 5.2″ device and that means you are meant making compromises in either screen size (going larger than you want) or performance.  I’ve been using the Sony Xperia X Compact over the course of the last few weeks and it is the one phone in the sub-5″ screen size market that doesn’t require that compromise.  It offers solid performance, good battery life and a camera that is truly impressive.  As I posted in my initial thoughts on the Xperia X Compact, it is a phone that should not be judged on it size when it comes to performance.  This phone has plenty of horsepower to do anything you need, including gaming and streaming, but does it in a small and comfortable package.  While the $499 price tag may put some off, if you are in the market for a smaller phone that doesn’t have a lot of compromises, the Xperia X Compact should be on your short list.

Here is my review.