Android Advisor Issue 04.pdf
Content
LATEST SMARTPHONE, TABLET AND APP REVIEWS
ANDROID
ISSUE
04
ADVISOR
GoogleVision: Why your next TV will be an Android TV Chromecast • Android TV • Amazon Fire TV • Best Apps
PLUS
Best dual-SIM smartphones – and why you need one
TESTED: LG G Flex • Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet • Samsung Gear 2
Welcome... A
ndroid took the smartphone and tablet world by storm, but Google isn't stopping there. With its Nest smart thermostat it's found a way into our homes, and with Chromecast it's sat down in front of the TV and made itself comfortable. But it's more than welcome: its media-streaming dongle can turn any old TV into a smart TV, and at just £30 that makes it a game changer. We explore Chromecast in depth from page 16. Google has competition in the TV space, however. Most recently from Amazon, in the form of its Fire TV streaming box (see page 34). This device has yet to make its way to the UK, but if the US pricing is anything to go by Chromecast has little to fear. Let's not forget Android TV, a version of Android optimised for your TV. Read about it on page 32. Also in this issue we explore the emerging trend of dual-SIM smartphones. These devices are far more popular in other corners of the world than here in the UK, but as we suggest on page 61, UK users could also benefit from having two SIMs. We've also rounded up some of our favourite dual-SIM devices. Many of the innovations we're seeing in mobile tech concern health and fitness, but are we at the point where your phone or tablet can replace your family GP? We discuss the matter on page 50. As always, we hope you've enjoyed this issue of Android Advisor. Please send us your feedback via Facebook (facebook.com/AndroidAdvisorUK) or email us at [email protected].
2 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 2
23/04/2014 17:52
Qualcomm adds fastest ever 64-bit mobile chip Snapdragon 810 supports 4K video and LPDDR4 memory, and will be in mobile devices in 2015
Q
ualcomm is getting high on 64-bit chips with its fastest ever Snapdragon processor, which will render 4K video, support LTE Advanced and could run the 64-bit Android OS. The new Snapdragon 810 is the company's highest performing mobile chip for smartphones and tablets, Qualcomm said in a statement. Mobile devices with the 64-bit chip will ship in the first half of next year, and be faster and more power-efficient. Snapdragon chips are used in handsets with Android and Windows Phone operating systems, which are not available in 64-bit form yet.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 3 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 3
23/04/2014 17:52
The Snapdragon 810 is loaded with the latest communication and graphics technologies from Qualcomm. The graphics processor can render 4K (3840x2160) video at 30fps, and 1080p video at 120fps. The chip also has an integrated modem that supports LTE and its successor, LTE-Advanced, which is emerging. The 810 also is among the first mobile chips to support the latest low-power LPDDR4 memory, which will allow programs to run faster while consuming less power. This will be beneficial, especially for tablets, as 64-bit chips allow mobile devices to have more than 4GB of RAM, which is the limit on current 32-bit chips. The quad-core chip has a mix of high-power ARM Cortex-A57 CPU cores for demanding tasks and low-power A53 CPU cores for mundane tasks such
4 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 4
23/04/2014 17:52
“
Industry observers believe 64-bit Android could be announced at the Google I/O conference in late June as taking calls, messaging and MP3 playback. The multiple cores ensure more power-efficient use of the chip, which helps extend battery life of devices. The company also introduced a Snapdragon 808 six-core 64-bit chip. The chips will be among the first made using the latest 20nm manufacturing process, which is an advance from the 28nm process used to make Snapdragon chips today. Qualcomm now has to wait for Google to release a 64-bit version of Android for ARM-based mobile devices. Intel has already shown mobile devices running 64-bit Android with its Merrifield chip, but most mobile products today run on ARM processors. Qualcomm licenses Snapdragon processor architecture and designs from ARM. Work for 64-bit Android is already underway, and applications such as the Chrome browser are already being developed for the OS. Google has not officially commented on when 64-bit Android would be released, but industry observers believe it could be announced at the Google I/O conference in late June. Qualcomm spokesman Jon Carvill declined to comment on support for 64-bit Android. But the chips are “further evidence of our commitment to deliver top-to-bottom mobile 64-bit leadership across product tiers for our customers”, Carvill said in an email.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 5 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 5
23/04/2014 17:52
“
Apple has a headstart and remains the only company selling a 64-bit smartphone with its iPhone 5s Qualcomm's chips are used in some of the world's top smartphones. A Qualcomm executive in October last year called Apple's A7, the world's first 64-bit mobile chip, a “marketing gimmick”, but the company has moved on and now has five 64-bit chips coming to medium-priced and premium smartphones and tablets. But no 64-bit Android smartphones are available yet, and Apple has a headstart and remains the only company selling a 64-bit smartphone with its iPhone 5s. The 810 supports HDMI 1.4 for 4K video output, and the Adreno 430 graphics processor is 30 percent faster on graphics performance and 20 percent more power efficient than the older Adreno 420 GPU. The graphics processor will support 55Mp sensors, Qualcomm said. Other chip features include 802.11ac Wi-Fi with built-in technology for faster wireless data transfers, Bluetooth 4.1 and a processing core for location services. The six-core Snapdragon 808 is a notch down on performance compared to the 810, and also has fewer features. The 808 supports LTE-Advanced, but can support displays with up to 2560x1600 pixels. It will support LPDDR3 memory. The chip has two Cortex-A57 CPUs and four Cortex-A53 cores. The chips will ship out to device makers for testing in the second half of this year.
”
6 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 6
23/04/2014 17:52
Quad-HD smartphones coming this year LG is set to trump the competition with a QHD smartphone in 2014
W
ith 4K (aka Ultra-HD) TVs now available, LG claims we will see similar technology arrive in the smartphone market later this year. At Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge LG showed its latest OLED curved TV and soon-to-launch 2014 4K sets. Speaking at the event, Andrew Coughlin, head of mobile at LG UK, confirmed that we should expect see a QHD smartphone in the second half of 2014. It seems likely that LG will be the first to do so since its LG Display department announced a 5.5in (1440x2560) panel last August, around the time LG launched the G2 smartphone. That's great news, given that all this year's flagship launches have so far stuck with a full-HD resolution. Whether we need QHD resolution on a smartphone screen is debatable, but Coughlin says that the key is video, with services such as Netflix launching 4K streaming and smartphones now able to record 4K video from the main camera. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 7
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 7
23/04/2014 17:52
Rumoured Amazon phone images leaked Images of a prototype smartphone suggest Amazon is developing a 3D-capable handset
I
t’s the smartphone rumour that won’t quit, and now more circumstantial evidence of its eventual release has surfaced in the wild. BGR has posted what it describes as photos of an Amazon prototype device, along with some spec and feature details shared by “multiple trusted sources”. The website points out that the prototype is ensconced in a shell that makes it impossible to suss out what the smartphone really looks like. But BGR’s sources say the phone will feature a 3D interface (backing up an earlier report by the WSJ), and will include four front-facing cameras to track the user’s eye movement in the service of various 3D effects. And, sure enough, if you look at the image above, you’ll see what looks like a battery of cameras.
8 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 8
23/04/2014 17:52
“
Amazon is always interested in platforms that help you impulse-buy digital media, shoes and anything else that can be delivered in a cardboard box There will be two versions of the unnamed Amazon phone, with the higher-end version portrayed in the ostensibly leaked images launching first, BGR reports. Its sources say a 4.7in display will be limited to a 720p resolution. We should also expect a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM, BGR says. It makes perfect sense for the etailer to release a phone, as its Kindle Fire tablets have been huge successes, and Amazon is always interested in platforms – such as the Fire TV – that help you impulse-buy digital media, shoes and anything else that can be delivered in a cardboard box. But a 3D interface, why? Glasses-free 3D doesn’t work well on any platform, least of all handheld devices. But, hey, if Jeff Bezos is going to promise drone deliveries, then why not a 3D smartphone? There’s not a kooky idea the company seems unwilling to explore. Let’s just remember that a smartphone isn’t a smartphone until someone hits send on a press release. Mega-companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon have deep, deep war chests to R&D wild ideas such as 3D phones. The mere presence of an Amazon phone prototype shouldn’t surprise anyone. But we’ll just have to wait until Jeff Bezos sings to find out what the device will actually include in the final, shipping flesh.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 9 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 9
23/04/2014 17:52
Samsung's fingerprint scanner gets hacked All it takes is a dab of wood glue to bypass the fingerprint sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S5
H
ackers have managed to bypass the fingerprint scanner found on the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone. Researchers from Security Research Labs (SRL) in Germany have demonstrated how it is possible to easily trick the Samsung Galaxy S5's fingerprint scanner. They used a fake fingerprint made from a mould based simply on a photo of a fingerprint smudge left on a smartphone screen. “This video demonstrates how flaws in the implementation of fingerprint authentication in the Samsung Galaxy S5 expose users' devices, data and even bank accounts to thieves or other attackers,” says SRL. The technique, called 'fingerprint spoofing', is the same as that used to thwart the iPhone 5s' Touch ID fingerprint scanner. However, SRL claims that Samsung's implementation of the technology is less safe than others. The researcher in the video points to the fact it allows an unlimited number of authentication attempts without requiring a password. The Galaxy S5's lock screen allows five attempts before asking for a password, but simply switching off the screen and then waking it allows for another five. Samsung says the hack is nothing to worry about. “This is a scenario that is widely regarded
10 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 10
23/04/2014 17:53
in the industry as posing no critical risk for general consumers. This artificial experiment requires a rare combination of highly specialised equipments, materials and conditions. Samsung takes security matters very seriously. We are continuously taking measures to vigorously enhance security of the device,” said the firm in a statement. “While we take the findings from SRL very seriously, we are still confident that fingerprint authentication offers an easier and more secure way to pay on mobile devices than passwords or credit cards. PayPal never stores or even has access to your actual fingerprint with authentication on the Galaxy S5,” said PayPal. “The scan unlocks a secure cryptographic key that serves as a password replacement for the phone. We can simply deactivate the key from a lost or stolen device, and you can create a new one. PayPal also uses sophisticated fraud and risk-management tools to try to prevent fraud before it happens. However, in the rare instances that it does, you are covered by our purchase protection policy.” ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 11 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 11
23/04/2014 17:53
Is Google planning an icon overhaul? Unified services are Google's game, so tackling disparate interfaces and icon design could be next on its list
G
oogle's really into the idea of unifying all its services into one overarching ecosystem. First it worked on making your Google+ profile the de facto standard for logging into its various services, and now it's tackling its disparate interfaces and icon design. Most of Google's web services and corresponding Android apps don't have matching iconography, but a new rumour suggests Google is making it a priority to clean up this element of its business. According to Android Police, a few screenshot leaks suggest that updated, unified icon designs are in the works, although there is no softwarebased evidence yet. The screenshot to the left shows new icons for all Google's standard apps: Google Play Music, Books, Movies and Games, plus Google+, Calendar, People, Chrome, YouTube and more. Android Police's side-byside icon comparison shows Google's web- and Android icons meshing into one.
12 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 12
23/04/2014 17:53
Photo: Lisa Bettany, tinyurl.com/pm7frp9
Gingerbread crashes more than any other Android OS ...But iOS' crash rate is even worse
I
t's the perfect anecdote for why it's important to update your phone. A recent report by Crittercism found that Android 2.3 Gingerbread – which is about four years old, mind you – has the highest crash rate of any version of Android, at 1.7 percent. That's double the rate of the latest version of Android, 4.4 KitKat, which hovers at around 0.7 percent. Both Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean also boast relatively low crash rates, which bodes well for those with recent phones who are still waiting for updates to KitKat. However, 19 percent of Android users are still on Gingerbread and, although a majority have moved on to Jelly Bean, that's still an astonishing number of users dealing with a less-than-optimal Android experience. The report also adds that rivaling operating systems such as Apple's iOS have crash rates that are just as high as Gingerbread, with iOS 7.1 ranking in at 1.6 percent, and iOS 6 netting 2.5 percent. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 13
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 13
23/04/2014 17:53
iPlayer downloads now on all Android devices BBC extends download feature to all Android devices running Ice Cream Sandwich and later
T
he BBC has decided to extend its iPlayer download feature to almost every Android smartphone and tablet on the market. The download feature has previously been limited to selected devices, but it is now available to anyone running Android Ice Cream Sandwich (version 4.0) or later. This means 96 percent of Android users can now download BBC iPlayer content for offline viewing. The BBC has stopped extensively testing devices to add them to the exclusive list of compatible devices, which previously included mainly Google Nexus and Samsung Galaxy devices, plus a handful of HTC and Sony handsets. “We believe that the vast majority of devices will enjoy a great video-downloading experience.
14 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 14
23/04/2014 17:53
However, with more than five thousand different phone-, phablet- and tablet models able to install the BBC iPlayer Android app, there are likely to be a number of devices that exhibit bugs concerning download behaviour,” said the BBC. Should the BBC become aware of any major problems with a particular device and operating system combination it may disable the feature while it looks into whether it can be fixed. “We can’t promise that we will fix every issue that is brought to our attention (there may be device limitations that prevent us from doing so), but we will seek to address problems according to the complexity of the issue, as well as the UK popularity and the user numbers of the device itself,” added the BBC.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 15 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 15
23/04/2014 17:53
Chromecast: the gadget that changes everything Google has finally made its Chromecast device available in the UK. Here’s why it will change the world
T
he Chromecast is a tiny gadget that connects to your TV via HDMI and is powered by USB. It’s a £30 media-streaming device that allows you to play TV shows, movies and music from a variety of sources, on any display with an HDMI port. The key thing about Chromecast is it is easy to set up. It doesn’t tie you to a subscription service; it is simply a supremely easy and cheap way to turn any TV into a smart TV. A smart TV with benefits. The major content sources are BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube and Google Play. There’s also Red Bull TV and Vevo, plus a couple of apps that allow you to stream locally stored media via your Chromecast. BBC iPlayer speaks for itself. Using it you can watch live BBC TV, as well as catch up on virtually all the BBC’s vast amount of programming over the past week. If you tend to catch up with ‘EastEnders’ via your laptop, the Chromecast lets you enjoy it in glorious HD on your large-screen TV. As a Licence Fee payer in the UK you get access to all of this content for free. Netflix is the coming man of the on-demand TV world. It offers thousands
16 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 16
23/04/2014 17:53
of TV programmes and movies, many of them big-name US series, and it’s growing all the time. And that’s not taking into account the burgeoning amounts of original programming such as the recent ‘House of Cards’ series, as well as ‘Arrested Development’. You do, of course, have to pay for Netflix, at £5.99 per month. YouTube isn’t just cats falling out of trees. Indeed, more content is added to YouTube every day than has ever been broadcast on any (or indeed all) mainstream TV broadcasters. Increasingly highquality original programming and livestream media is being uploaded to YouTube, and Chromecast allows you to watch it on the big screen. And then there is Google Play. This is Google’s alternative to iTunes and, although not as mature, it tends to be cheaper and the number of titles available is huge. You can watch a wide variety of Hollywood- and indie movies, as well as highclass TV programming from around the world. The documentaries are great, too. You have to pay for individual titles, but you can rent them cheaply (and ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 17 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 17
23/04/2014 17:53
you can watch a film on your commute and finish it off on the TV). Play Music is supported, too. Other sources include Red Bull TV, which offers up extreme sports, lifestyle and music programming, and Vevo music videos. Finally there are couple of apps – Plex and RealPlayer Cloud – that allow you to watch locally stored media such as ripped DVDs. Expect more apps to support Chromecast and other content providers to get in on the act soon.
Chromecast is a game changer There’s a battle going on for your custom and loyalty, and Chromecast is a key weapon in that battle. The TV and movies you watch are an important battleground for a diverse variety of tech players including Google, as well as BT, Sky and Virgin, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft, Amazon and more. These companies became successful offering different types of products in vastly different markets. But the internet is a unifying force, and so we find that a phone company (BT) is in an expensive battle 18 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 18
23/04/2014 17:53
“
Google's tentacles reach into most of our lives as the provider of email, storage, productivity software and more
with a TV company (Sky) to provide your broadband and TV. They won’t both win. They understand that in the future we are all likely to invest our time and money in just one or two providers, expecting in return digital entertainment and communications, connectivity and storage, home automation and hardware. Those companies listed won’t all be independent entities in a decade. Thus we find the search-engine company fighting with all of the above to control all of your digital life. Google started out as a free-to-use, ad-supported search engine. Now it is the owner of the biggest smartphone platform by volume in Android, and the biggest TV broadcaster in YouTube. Its tentacles reach into most of our lives as the provider of email, storage, productivity software and more. It sells apps, music and movies via Google Play, and recently it invested in the Nest homeautomation service. Google wants you to use an Android phone and a Chrome laptop, but most of all Google wants you to use it and not its rivals. Chromecast is cheap, very easy to use, and it doesn’t trap you into a long-term contract. It doesn’t tie you to a particular TV maker. It also provides a better smart TV service than you likely get from your Samsung- or Sony TV.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 19 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 19
23/04/2014 17:53
Unlike a traditional smart TV Chromecast will get regular software updates, and will always offer access to a wide variety of content sources. It’s also easy to search, allowing you to type out or speak search terms into a smartphone, and – being Google – understanding semantic search terms: you can ask it to find ‘World War II documentaries’ or ‘sports shows’ rather than having to know the specific names of the programmes you want to watch. The Chromecast is a potential game changer because it offers for a small price a great way to access a lot of digital TV, without tying you to a particular provider. It’s an impulse buy that you will be unlikely ever to regret making. But paradoxically it offers Google a way into the most important screen in the house, which furthers ties you into its clammy embrace. 20 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 20
23/04/2014 17:53
Chromecast review We get a hands-on with the £30 media-streaming device that brings Google into your living room £30 • play.google.com •
A
fter what felt like an interminable wait, Google has at last launched the Chromecast in the UK. The £30 device lets you make any TV ‘smart’ – all you need is a free HDMI input on your television and a Wi-Fi network. It’s a low-cost competitor to the Apple TV and allows you to stream media using smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops. You can watch YouTube videos, Netflix,
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 21 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 21
23/04/2014 17:53
Vevo and other services, but on launch day, BBC iPlayer was the only UK catch-up TV service to support the Chromecast. The device comes with a short HDMI cable in case you can’t plug it in to your TV directly, and it’s powered by an included Micro-USB cable and mains adaptor. However, if your television has a free USB port, you can use that to provide power instead. There’s no remote control since the idea is that you use your Android smartphone or tablet to decide what to watch and to pause, rewind or fast-forward the video. You can also use an iPhone or iPad running iOS 6 or later or – if you don’t own 22 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 22
23/04/2014 17:53
“
a compatible device – you can use any PC, laptop or Google Chromebook and control things from Google’s Chrome web browser. Once you’ve installed the app (or Chrome extension) and connected the dongle to your Wi-Fi network, you’re ready to ‘cast’. A pop-up box prompts you to choose a Chromecast, then returns you to the playback screen where you can tap the play button. The video will buffer and begin playing on your TV. You can use the app’s playback and volume controls, but you can also switch to another app to check your email, browse the web, play a game or anything else without interrupting playback. There’s no Chromecast interface as such. Apart from the ‘home screen’, which is presumably there just so you know the Chromecast is working, everything is controlled from a companion device. ‘Casting’ is a somewhat misleading term since, for the majority of the time, video isn’t being sent from your smartphone or tablet. Instead, the app merely sets up a stream from the internet directly to the Chromecast. The Chromecast button appears in Netflix for iOS and Android, too, and works like a charm.
Casting is a somewhat misleading term... The app merely sets up a stream from the internet directly to the Chromecast
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 23 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 23
23/04/2014 17:53
Once a video is playing, you can put your phone or tablet to sleep to save battery, and still pause the playback from the lock screen, or pick up the controls from another device on the same network. Google’s Play Music and Play Movies & TV apps on Android are also supported and let you cast content you’ve bought or rented from the Play Store. We were unable to play albums that we’d bought from Google Play, though – we tried playing both music that was downloaded to our smartphone as well as songs stored in Google Music, but nothing worked. The album art appeared on the TV briefly, but was then replaced by a “cannot play side-loaded music” error message. 24 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 24
23/04/2014 17:53
“
You can put your phone or tablet to sleep to save battery and still pause the playback from the lock screen Strangely, there’s no way to cast photos and videos from your camera roll to your Chromecast, whether you’re using an iPhone, iPad or Android device. Third-party apps such as AllCast can do this but when we tried the free version, there was a 15to 20-second delay before a photo we’d tapped was shown on screen. Videos wouldn’t play at all. Video and audio quality will depend on the source video. The worst-quality YouTube videos naturally look awful on a big-screen TV, but good-quality 1080p footage looks pretty good. The Chromecast supports 5.1 surround sound, but since audio is output through the HDMI connector, you’ll need a TV with an optical or coaxial S/PDIF output, which is connected to a suitable surround-sound amp and speakers in order to hear multichannel audio. Similar to video quality, the availability of 5.1 sound will depend entirely on whether the video you’re playing has a 5.1 soundtrack.
”
Verdict The Chromecast is cheap and easy to use, but there aren’t many apps that support it yet. This situation is bound to change over the coming months, but for now you might find your existing smart TV offers more. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 25 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 25
23/04/2014 17:53
Best free apps for Google Chromecast Google's not doing a great job alerting users to Chromecast-compatible apps. Here's our pick
W
e all know Google's Chomecast supports a handful of great apps, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Vevo, Plex, Rdio and BT Sport, and that you can enjoy movies and music bought through Google or stored on your device or network via the streaming dongle. But what about the apps you don't know about? More than 250 apps support Chromecast streaming; here's our pick of some great free Chromecast apps for Android on which you're most likely missing out.
Cast Store for Chromecast Tap the Discover Apps tab in Google's own Chromecast app and you'd be forgiven for thinking only 11 apps are supported. That's way off. One way to find great new apps for Chromecast is to simply run a 'Chromecast' search within Google Play or the App Store; another is to download an app dedicated 26 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 26
23/04/2014 17:53
to the very task at which Google is failing miserably – drawing attention to great new Chromecast apps. Cast Store for Chromecast is a free aggregator of Chromecast Android apps. It lets you quickly filter those available by News, Apps and Games, highlights an app of the week, lets you check those highest rated by other users, and it lists all new releases since your last visit. It is by far the easiest way to find new Chromecast apps worth installing on your Android smartphone or tablet. Just click to install an app and Cast Store will take you straight to the Google Play store, alleviating any worries you might have had over downloading content from unknown sources.
Doodlecast for Chromecast Doodlecast in essence turns the TV in your living room into a digital platform on which you can play Pictionary, with no need to find a scrap of paper or a working pen (who uses those anymore anyway?). It's a bit like that one-time app phenomenon Draw Something, allowing you to compete with other Android users as you each take it in turn to either draw something or guess what is that something, but it puts your artwork on the big screen for all the ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 27 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 27
23/04/2014 17:53
family to admire/ridicule/guess what is that peculiar object that really isn't as rude as it looks. Doodlecast requires two or more Android devices, with one as the drawing pad and the other used to best-guess the answer. With a smartphone and a tablet to hand we managed to have a great game even without multiple players – and we won every time. If you just want to draw pretty pictures on your TV, try Castpad for Chromecast. Alternatively, if you're loving the whole big-screen family entertainment concept, also have a look at Trivia Cast.
CameraCast for Chromecast We like Google's Photowall for Android and iOS, which lets anyone connected to your home Wi-Fi network send to your TV screen photos taken on their phone, tablet or PC. The resulting interactive wall of photos can even be saved to a video file. But CameraCast for Chromecast offers a slightly different take on the slideshow concept for those with Android devices. It, too, lets you instantly beam the photos taken by your device's camera to your TV screen, and 28 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 28
23/04/2014 17:54
it supports the feeds of multiple devices. But in unlocking the app CameraCast becomes far more useful, allowing you to trigger an auto-shutter that captures and sends to your TV pictures taken at set intervals (this will drain the battery, though, so you'll want to keep your device plugged in). We don't know of many home CCTV systems that cost just £1.21 (okay, plus the cost of your tablet/smartphone, TV and Chromecast dongle, but you already have those).
Up Down Fish If you like Flappy Bird, you'll love Up Down Fish, which is also available for iOS. This clone follows a similar concept, with you tapping a large onscreen Swim button on your phone or tablet to manoeuvre a fish through tiny gaps in large pillars. Except those tiny gaps appear much larger on your TV screen – even if half the screen is consumed by the game's leaderboard. Performance isn't exactly what consoles might have led you to expect from gaming on the big screen, but the jagged graphics and jerky frames take ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 29 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 29
23/04/2014 17:54
little away from Up Down Fish's appeal. Truth be told, the most difficult task was trying to capture the above photo on a 10in tablet while playing Up Down Fish on a smartphone. (You can probably tell.) If you enjoy playing games on your TV via Chromecast, be sure to also check out GamingCast (85p gets you Snake, Pong and other classics), TicTacToe (aka Naughts and Crosses, free) and Hangman (also free). All the Chromecast games we've seen so far support multiplayer modes, which makes them ideal for playing in the living room.
EduKids for Chromecast EduKids for Chromecast is the app to which you should turn when your child has not only run off with your Android tablet, but begun eyeing up that tiny black gadget sticking out the TV's HDMI port. It's still in beta, but you can be pretty sure your child will understand the implications of this – is there anything they don't know? 30 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 30
23/04/2014 17:54
“
EduKids is here to educate your child on several of life's most important lessons, such as the noise an animal makes when it's about to rip off your head Just to make sure, EduKids is here to educate them on several of life's most important lessons, one of which is the noises animals make when they're pissed at you and about to rip off your head. (Just joking.) The TV plays a sound, and the child must then tap the relevant animal image from the selection shown onscreen. And that's not always as easy as it sounds, especially when you're shown, for example, four pictures of birds and must decide which one goes 'squawk'. If only EduKids would also tell you what that animal is called we might be on to something here. Let's hope the kids don't come asking the nearest adult for the answer. Other lessons include pointing out which image in a pair represents a given term, such as 'square' or 'white' or 'curved' or 'straight'. Sometimes EduKids tries to catch you out by showing you the same pair of images but changing the term. And it works.
”
What other apps can I download? Other free Chromecast apps you might like to try include Chrome Beta (or full Google Chrome on a desktop), which mirrors your browser window on the TV, plus BubbleUPnP, which lets you stream to and access multimedia on various other devices, including DLNA TVs, consoles, hifi systems and, of course, Chromecast. More are appearing every day. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 31 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 31
23/04/2014 17:54
Google's Android TV leaked in screenshots Android TV is Google's Android operating system optimised for the living room
A
fter the flop of Google TV and the success of the Chromecast, Google is reportedly preparing Android TV. Even though it has just launched the Chromecast in the UK, Google is mounting another assault on the living room with Android TV, according to The Verge. In a similar way to Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku players, Android TV will display content with Google Now-style cards and make recommendations.
32 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 32
23/04/2014 17:54
“Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform,” says Google. “It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction.” It will be “cinematic, fun, fluid and fast”. “Android TV is Android, optimised for the living room consumption experience on a TV screen,” much like Android Wear is Android specifically for wearable devices such as smartwatches. Google is asking developers to create extremely simple TV apps to match the simple set-top-box interface. Screenshots show Google apps including Play Movies & TV, YouTube, Play Music and Hangouts; but there's also third-party apps such as Vevo, Netflix, Hulu and Pandora. Users will also be able to download games, such as Plants vs Zombies 2. Content seems to be king, with Google stating that ’Access to content should be simple and magical.” It has a rule that it should not take more than three clicks or gestures from the home screen to get something going. Android TV will also support voice input and notifications, but Google is suggesting developers use the latter sparingly. We could see Android TV unveiled at Google's I/O developer conference, which takes place in June.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 33 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 33
23/04/2014 17:54
Amazon Fire TV makes its living-room debut Amazon has entered the battle for the big screen with its Amazon Fire TV streaming box
M
edia streaming is booming and the market is hotting up with Amazon deciding to launch its own hardware to take on the Apple TV, Google Chromecast and Roku's players. The Fire TV is a new device in Amazon's Fire line-up, able to stream media to your television. Here's everything you need to know about Fire TV. The Amazon Fire TV streaming box is already available to buy in the US, but there has been no mention of when the device will make its way to the UK and Europe. In the US it costs $99, and a straightforward conversion would be £59. However, our experience with previous tech launches suggests you can expect to pay around £99 in the UK.
How does it work? The small black box plugs into your TV with an HDMI cable and is able to stream 1080p content over dual-band Wi-Fi. Speedy performance is touted, with a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM – the kind of specs you'd find in a high-end smartphone – inside. 34 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 34
23/04/2014 17:54
Amazon says an 'ASAP' feature allows content to start playing immediately after you press play, with no lag. It also has HDMI-out, Dolby digital surround sound support, plus optical and ethernet ports. A Bluetooth remote control features a microphone, which lets you control the Fire TV and search for content using voice commands. “There's no shouting across the room at your TV, which is irritating,” said Amazon's Peter Larsen. The Fire TV runs Android and, as you'd expect, hooks up to the firm's Prime Instant Video service for films and TV shows. However, you can also access other services from the little black box, including Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, Vevo and Crackle. Surprisingly, Netflix is even supported, with Amazon taking aim at rivals for their 'closed ecosystems' – particularly the Xbox, which requires an annual Xbox Live Gold subscription to access services such as Netflix. A gaming controller (around $40) will turn the Fire TV into a makeshift games console. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 35 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 35
23/04/2014 17:54
Have smartphones hit a technology ceiling? Why sitting out this generation of flagship smartphones won't disadvantage you
I
t's only the end of April and already we've seen a number of flagship smartphone launches. This is usually cause for celebration, but so far I've been slightly underwhelmed. Have manufacturers hit a ceiling with mobile technology? When the HTC One (M8) went on sale some clever PR meant it generated a lot of hype. But the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 went on sale within days of the HTC; and once the hype dies down it will not only struggle to stand out in the shadow of products from technology giants Sony and Samsung, but it will struggle to stand out against its predecessor. The HTC One M8 isn't alone in this regard. What's interesting is that none of these devices is noticeably different from its predecessor. There's very little difference in appearance, and no particularly noteworthy new features (at least none that will persuade you to part with upwards of £500).
36 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 36
23/04/2014 17:54
The worst offender is the Xperia Z2, which has superseded the Z1 after just a few short months and is barely any different. It has a slightly bigger screen, a slightly better processor and the ability to record and output 4K video. Moving on to the Galaxy S5, Samsung has matched Apple's iPhone 5s with a fingerprint scanner and one-upped it with a heart-rate sensor. Okay, it's a first for a smartphone, but it's more of a gimmick than a revolutionary feature. The S5 is also dust- and waterresistant; sorry, Samsung, we've seen it all before. HTC has taken its popular 2013 flagship smartphone and adopted the fine-tuning approach with minor improvements all round. Its USP is the Duo Camera, which lets you change the focus point after a photo has been captured. It's a decent innovation but, unless you use it on the right photo, it's shown up for what it is: a poor imitation of a Lytro camera. What's most disappointing is the lack of progress in displays. All these smartphones have the same full-HD resolution as last year's models: what happened to the promise of Quad HD or 4K? With
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 37 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 37
23/04/2014 17:54
the iPhone 5s packing a 64-bit chip, it's a shame to see these Android flagships sticking with 32-bit processors in 2014. What gives? Is this it for smartphones in 2014? Reader, patience is a virtue. The smartphone market moves so quickly that although it might appear nothing much is happening, there's more to come. Smartphones seem to be emulating Intel's 'tick-tock' cycle, which sees its chips get a new microarchitecture and a die shrink in alternate releases. This is most evident in iPhones, with Apple launching a new design, and following it up the next year with an ‘S’ model. And let's not get ahead of ourselves: it's still early in the year and there are a couple of handsets in the works that could buck the trend. 38 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 38
23/04/2014 17:54
Chief among these is the LG G3, which follows the brilliant G2 that still tops many smartphone charts. This could well be the first handset with a 4K display – and that's more than just a hunch. The firm’s display arm showed off a Quad-HD screen for mobile devices last August, around the time the G2 was announced. The LG G3 is rumoured to launch in the coming months, which should be plenty of time to get that panel into a handset. Whether we need 4K on a smartphone is another matter. The other big launch is the iPhone 6, which is likely to be announced in September. I’m expecting great things from Apple here – rumours of a larger screen are surely the tip of the iceberg. If you've got a 2013 flagship smartphone and are eager to upgrade, you might do better to wait until 2015. Let's hope LG and/or Apple can bring us some real excitement this year.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 39 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 39
23/04/2014 17:54
How long will it take advertisers to ruin wearable tech? Are smartwatches and smartglasses just another platform for advertising?
T
he advertising industry has a long tradition of co-opting any cultural trend or tech innovation that attracts a following, and along the way draining whatever made it good in the first place. Long before a middle-aged Johnny Rotten accepted Country Life’s buttery dollars, the punk look and sound had been deployed wherever a commercial needed a 15-second shorthand for teenage rebellion. And devotees of skating, surfing, gaming, hacking and even videos of musicians dancing on treadmills will be familiar with the same awful feeling – that the thing you love has just been ruined to get someone else to buy car insurance. There’s a good chance that the next target is wearable tech, which stands for nearly everything advertising agencies most admire: wealth; status; youth and innovation; exclusivity (at least in the case of Google Glass); and, most importantly, the capacity to capture vast quantities of consumer data. Yet it’s hard to be sure of wearables’ future because one of the biggest players has yet to even join the game. We are still awaiting Apple’s take on the concept; whether that will take the form of a smartwatch – the long-foretold iWatch
40 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 40
23/04/2014 17:54
– or a headset, or even a ring, it seems unlikely that Cupertino will be able to keep its hands off wearables for long. But if so, it will be interesting to see how Apple differentiates itself in a market that is filling up rapidly. In the case of the iPhone, famously, the company’s bosses sat down and groused to one another about everything they disliked about their mobiles, then set out to fix it all. It’s almost become an Apple trademark: the flawed, immature market, the brainstorm, and finally the market-changing product. But it hasn’t happened for a while. And if the iWatch truly is the next project, the question is this: what is it about wearables that needs fixing? One clue to that will be provided by the next few steps taken by Google’s Glass headset – a stunning and potentially landmark product that nevertheless offers possibilities that are thrilling (to advertisers) ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 41 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 41
23/04/2014 17:54
“
and ominous (to the rest of us). Its ability to sense not only where you are, but what you’re looking at, combined with knowledge of your buying habits and control of a screen you carry around on your face all day long, makes it pretty much the technology that an advertiser would build if given unlimited resources and time. An example of the way Google Glass could host advertising has been offered by Blippar, a clever image-recognition app that spots coded pictures – on billboards or newspapers, for instance – and turns them into augmented reality video, adverts or whatever the original coder wishes. Look at a film poster with your Glass headset on, for instance, and it might automatically play you the trailer. And smartwatches aren’t far behind on advertisers’ wishlists, as Todd Wasserman recently warned on the website Mashable. Smartwatches – watches generally – are much more intimate than phones, and more integrated into our lives; they’re literally on our bodies at all times. Which makes advertising on this format far more difficult to ignore. Passed a branch of Banana Republic? Perhaps Banana Republic would like to remind you about a sale it’s running. Oh, did you post about your running times on Twitter? Perhaps Banana Republic has some nice running gear in stock.
Smartwatches are much more intimate than phones – they're literally on our bodies at all times
42 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 42
”
23/04/2014 17:55
“
Anything that is overtly advertising intruding into the user's relationship with the device runs the risk of appearing crass As often with technological advances, sci-fi got there first; the film usually referenced in these discussions is Minority Report, with its unctuous virtual shop assistants that pop up when you walk into the Gap and offer items similar to previous purchases. A closer analogue may be found in Terry Gilliam’s far more recent Zero Theorem, which depicts hypertargeted advertising as the unreliable mess we all secretly suspect it may become. Could we end up in a world like Minority Report? The thing is, unlike in most of cinema’s dystopias, that’s up to us – the market will go where users lead it. If nobody uses Blippar, Blippar will die out. But the evidence suggests, sadly, that most of us would happily sign up to the most intrusive of targeted advertising if it’s presented to us as a way to get something for free. The key thing for tomorrow’s wearable-tech advertisers to consider is intrusiveness. Wearable tech is personal, intimate; anything that is overtly advertising intruding into the user’s relationship with the device runs the risk of appearing crass. Smartwatch notifications need to be trimmed back to the bare minimum; they aren’t like smartphone alerts, which are relatively easy to ignore. If you keep tapping your users on the wrist, asking for their attention, you’re headed for trouble.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 43 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 43
23/04/2014 17:55
3G, 4G and other mobile connectivity explained What do those little symbols at the top of your smartphone's screen really mean?
W
e all know that the little blobs or bars in the top-right corner of our smartphone displays indicate the level of signal strength we have when making a phone call. But what are the cryptic letters that are seen next to them? GPRS, E, 3G and 4G are all indicators of signal strength for downloading and uploading data to your smartphone – for browsing the web, sending/ receiving emails, watching videos and so on. This is not the same as the signal strength of actual, oldfashioned phone calls, but the speed with which you can download or upload data. Each generation of data network gets faster. We saw 2G from 1999, 3G from 2001, and 4G in 2012. 5G is some way off, though.
44 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 44
23/04/2014 17:55
If you see nothing next to the call-strength bars then you’re out of luck when it comes to downloading or uploading any data. You need to move to a location with better data signal strength or find a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Wi-Fi on your smartphone This is potentially the best and cheapest data delivery mode you’ll get using your smartphone. It can be super-fast, and it can be terribly slow, depending on the connection and the number of people using that Wi-Fi source. It won’t use up any of your smartphone's contract data allowance, so – unless you have to pay for it – it should be free, and will usually be pretty fast.
GPRS explained One step up from no data signal at all is GPRS, which stands for General Packet Radio Service. Wikipedia defines GPRS as “a packet oriented mobile data service on the 2G and 3G cellular communication system's global system for mobile communications (GSM)”. GPRS provides data rates of 35- to 171kb/s. 2G cellular technology combined with GPRS is sometimes described as 2.5G. It provides slowspeed data transfer. All you need to know is that GPRS means you might eventually get a web page to load or an email or iMessage to send, but it will probably take longer than you have patience. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 45 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 45
23/04/2014 17:55
What’s it like? GPRS is like asking your elderly neighbour to deliver the mail for you.
EDGE explained The E stands for EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution). This is a step up from GPRS and can reach speeds of between 120- and 384kb/s. What’s it like? Edge is like asking your neighbour’s child to deliver the mail for you.
3G explained The 3G standard uses a technology called UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) as its core network architecture. It first saw the light of day in 2001. This network combines aspects of the 2G network with some new technologies and protocols to deliver a significantly faster data rate. 46 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 46
23/04/2014 17:55
Possible 3G speeds are 384kb/s to 2Mb/s. There’s another brand of 3G called HPSA, sometimes dubbed 3.5G, which boasts potential speeds of between 600kb/s and a whopping 10Mb/s, although the average is 1- to 3Mb/s. What’s it like? 3G is like asking delivering the mail yourself.
4G explained 4G is the fastest data network speed you’ll see on your smartphone today. Depending on signal strength 4G can often be faster than using Wi-Fi, but also more expensive if you use a lot of data. On average it's five times faster than 3G. 4G is based on the WiMAX or LTE (Long Term Evolution) systems, and has a theoretical maximum speed of 100Mb/s. You'll never see that, though: 3- to 10Mb/s is the average. If you’re really lucky you might top 20Mb/s. There are different bands of 4G. 2.6GHz 4G is the fastest, followed by 1.8GHz and 800MHz. While 800MHz doesn’t boast the same data capacity as the faster 4G bands, it is better at travelling over longer distances and in penetrating walls. Vodafone and EE both own chunks of the 2.6GHz and 800MHz bands. EE also uses the 1.8GHz ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 47 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 47
23/04/2014 17:55
spectrum. O2 currently uses just the 800MHz 4G spectrum, so may suffer in inner-city environments. Three also uses the 800MHz band, and some 1.8GHz spectrum. To get 4G your smartphone needs to be compatible with the service. 4G subscriptions are usually more expensive than 3G, but if you download a lot of data it may well be worth it. Carriers claim that 98 percent of the UK should be able to access 4G within two years. What’s it like? 4G is like paying a speedy courier to deliver the mail for you.
5G explained After 4G comes 5G, which is expected in 2020. Samsung is working to develop a 5G network (mmWave Mobile Technology) with a potential top speed of 1Gb/s. That’s 100 times faster than 4G. “5G will be capable of providing a ubiquitous gigabit experience to subscribers anywhere and 48 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 48
23/04/2014 17:55
offers data transmission speeds of up to several tens of Gb/s per base station”, boasts the company. What’s it like? 5G will be like using high-speed stealth drones to deliver your mail for you.
Downloads faster than uploads Downloading stuff on your smartphone is faster than uploading content. Much faster. In tests on our sister site Computerworld we found uploading to be painfully slow. While 3G mustered a 25kb/s throughput, 4G was able to move 41kb/s – not a terribly significant improvement. Clearly, this service is more useful for downloading large chunks of data, such as monster spreadsheets, videos and presentations, than for tasks such as uploading content or sending emails bulging with attachments.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 49 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 49
23/04/2014 17:55
e n o h p a n Ca or tabletyour replace doctor?
Medical apps and devices are placing the future of healthcare in the palm of our hands
T
he past few years has seen a huge growth in the health- and fitness market for mobile devices. Activity trackers such as the Nike Fuelband, Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up will monitor your physical activity throughout the day, and even while you sleep. Diet-logging apps such as MyFitnessPal will help you control the amount of calories you eat, and some fitness apps can even turn your daily run into a frantic escape from a zombie hoard, which is pretty good motivation on a cold December morning. This is all very useful, but how
50 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 50
23/04/2014 17:55
far can it really go in terms of our well being? Can our mobile devices become more than just a way to monitor our lives? Could they end up saving them? Dr Larry Smarr is a hugely respected American computer scientist, who helped popularise the use of high-speed networks before the internet. For the past few years he has been involved in an experiment in which he monitors nearly every aspect of his life – weight, calories, activity, sleep, urine, saliva, blood and even stool. This may sound excessive, and for most people it certainly would be, but by using technology to accurately record such a comprehensive range data about himself he is able to spot tiny changes in his body, which led to a remarkable discovery. Before any observable symptoms appeared, Dr Smarr was able to diagnose that he was suffering from the early stages of Crohn’s disease. Dr Larry Smarr
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 51 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 51
23/04/2014 17:55
“In a world in which you can see what you’re doing to yourself as you go along,” Dr Smarr told the BBC’s Horizon program, “the hope is that people will take more personal responsibility for themselves, in keeping themselves healthy. So, it’s almost like we’re at day zero of a whole new world of medicine, and what will come out the other end is a far healthier society that’s focussed on wellness rather than trying to fix sickness when it’s way too late.” Dr Smarr may have all the advantages of a complete medical lab behind him, but the principle he asserts – that devices can help us notice trends before they become serious – is a very real possibility today. And some innovative manufacturers are starting to realise the potential of mobile devices. AliveCor is a San Francisco based company that has designed and built a mobile accessory that’s far more useful than Will.i.am’s gold plated iPhone case, and is also considerably cheaper, too. The Heart Rate Monitor case (£169, pictured below) for iPhone and Android allows users to monitor their heart rate via a slim protective cover that adds little bulk to the handset.
52 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 52
23/04/2014 17:55
“
Data-driven healthcare will be able to help predict and prevent known or unknown adverse health conditions “We built the device to provide immediate access to ECG rhythm data for patients and healthcare providers,” explains Euan Thompson, AliveCor’s President and CEO. “The AliveCor Heart Monitor provides people with suspected or diagnosed heart conditions, and those at risk of heart conditions, the ability to track their heart health anytime, anywhere, at an affordable cost.” At first glance the case looks similar to many on the market; in that it’s black, offers a moderate amount of protection, and has gaps for all the ports. The one main difference is found on the back, where two silver bumps house the device’s sensors. “By pressing the fingertips of both hands on the electrodes,” reveals Euan, “an ECG is easily recorded in approximately 30 seconds.” The readings are then displayed on the corresponding AliveECG app, giving users the ability to record the patterns over time to build up a detailed picture of their heart. This might sound like navel gazing to some, but when you consider the fact that heart disease is by far the biggest killer of men in the UK, being able to see any irregular behaviour ahead of time could be a literal life saver. “As healthcare continues to evolve, we believe mobile health will transition into the standard of care,” says Thompson. “Mobile health devices have the
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 53 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 53
23/04/2014 17:55
potential to enable data-driven healthcare that will, in effect, be able to help predict and prevent known or unknown adverse health conditions. It will not only impact the practice of medicine, but the way medical research is done.” This sentiment is also held by Azoi, an Indian company with its own iPhone case (and standalone module for Android users), which can measure not only your heart rate but also blood pressure, blood oxygen, temperature, and (via an included peripheral) the capacity of your lungs. The Wello (£120, pictured below) is an impressive piece of technology, which utilises built-in sensors in a similar fashion to the AliveCor case. Its extended range of functions also mean that it could prove useful in building up a wider mosaic of your health-related data, something that would have been next to impossible without access to advanced medical equipment only a few years ago.
54 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 54
23/04/2014 17:55
“Thanks to developments in technology,” states Azoi CEO Hamish Patel, “health monitoring can now be incorporated within everyday products – this is key as it makes it much less intimidating. Indeed, mobile computing is driving a profound shift in healthcare – empowering people to better understand and better manage their own health by making better lifestyle decisions. Judging by the demand we've seen for the product since launch, it is clear to us that this shift is already underway.” The big players in the industry would also agree. Qualcomm, usually known for providing the majority of chips inside mobile phones, is investing substantial amounts in the areas of mobile healthcare. In 2012 it launched the Tricorder X Prize (pictured above), a global competition in which independent teams are challenged to build a handheld device capable of diagnosing fifteen key diseases, plus various health indicators, through non-invasive means. As the name suggests, this is based on the magical medical device that Dr McCoy used to wield on Star Trek, with Qualcomm even having Brent Spiner, who played Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, help launch the competition. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 55 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 55
23/04/2014 17:55
“
It's fairly easy to generate large amounts of data from the human body; it's far more difficult to know what it means While the dream of this technology may have originated in the realm of science fiction, the $10m prize, not to mention the $25,000 cost of entry for teams, shows that the Tricorder, at least in some form, may be a very imminent creation. The idea of medical devices, perhaps incorporated into our phones, is tangible and realistic in the next few years. But how people will actually use them? After all, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you ever spot an emerging illnesses? Then there’s the more worrying issue that many people already resist the need to visit their GP even when they feel ill, so what potential harm could a device of your own bring with it? “We simply don't know,” states Dr Margaret McCartney, long time GP and regular contributor to the British Medical Journal. “The fear is that the wrong people do and don't get medical attention. Instead people's information is a false positive or get false reassurance. Time and again we assume that more information is better for us when the truth is more complex and counterintuitive.” “‘The big problem is the lack of direct evidence of benefit,” she continues. “It's fairly easy to generate large amounts of data from the human body; it's far more difficult to know what it means (what's normal/abnormal) and whether there are effective
”
56 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 56
23/04/2014 17:55
interventions based on that data that will do more good than harm. It would be absolutely possible to do randomised controlled trials, but at present the growth of the self-monitoring industry has not been matched by quality research.” This growth can be seen in a report issued by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, which found more than 40,000 health-related apps available on the iTunes store alone. These ranged from “simple provision of health information, such as the NHS symptom checker app, to tracking the locations and severity of asthma attacks through a Bluetooth peripheral attached to an inhaler”. In response to this overwhelming choice the NHS has set up its own repository at apps.nhs.uk, where those listed have been approved by the organisation. “Apps can only become part of the library,” explains Inderjit Singh, head of enterprise architecture at NHS England, “if they have gone through a review process that looks at the information governance, the clinical safety and the potential clinical risks”. While apps and devices that diagnose symptoms and provide advice on treatment may still be out of reach, using them alongside existing medical services as complementary therapy is already beginning. It might also go a long way to helping the current workload on the NHS. One such app is Vitrucare, by Dynamic Health Systems, which helps people with long-term illnesses manage their condition. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 57 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 57
23/04/2014 17:55
“70 percent of the NHS cost is on people with long term conditions – that’s £80 billion per year” explains Dr Richard Pope, Clinical Director at DHS. “About 60 percent of a GP’s time is spent managing the care of people with long-term illness. So it’s a huge problem, and it’s growing like topsy because of the change in the structure of the population and the fact that nobody takes enough exercise.” Vitrucare is a web-based service that monitors data recorded by patients with existing conditions, and helps them set and achieve goals that will improve their health. “It dovetails in with the clinical service and eases the burden on that service, and gives the patient a much more immediate response than they might otherwise be able to get. What we do, is if somebody puts in results that we think are outside an appropriate range of self care then they get a warning.” 58 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 58
23/04/2014 17:55
Because the system has been designed by medical professionals, is focussed on specific areas of care, and has been set up via an in-depth consultationstyle process, it enables the program to have more precision in its delivery. “People who are managing long-term illness are, in many ways, acting like athletes,” says Pope. “In other words they have to watch their diet, they have to take a series of steps – instead of training it might be medication – they have to monitor what they’re doing... it is like an athlete, it’s the same sort of thing. So if you wrap an electronic coach around the person you can actually help them really substantially to achieve the sort of things that are important to them.” There can be no doubt that the collection of data about our bodies and behaviours can be a strong weapon against illness, as long as it is shared with medical professionals who know how to interpret it correctly. Visiting your GP with more information than
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 59 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 59
23/04/2014 17:56
“I feel a bit off ” could be the difference between a long, drawn-out diagnosis and a quick solution to your malady. As mobile devices gain in power and popularity we face a new phase of health that will look very different to what we have had up until now. “The technology wasn’t there,” Pope concludes, “the users of technology weren’t ready for it, and the cost of delivering the technology was too high. Of course, all of those things have changed and we’ve got an alignment of the planets here which we have to take advantage of.” Then there’s the threat of legal complaints brought by customers who have missed vital indicators and now want recompense. It’s a perilous road to walk, and it’s no surprise that all the companies we spoke to took the same line when it came to their legal position. “We're trying to help people manage their health more effectively and make better lifestyle choices,” says Azoi’s CEO. “We're not a replacement for medical care. We have been very careful to make sure that people understand that.” 60 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 60
23/04/2014 17:56
Why you need a dual-SIM smartphone We look at five reasons why maintaining two smartphone contracts is worth your while
M
otorola's Moto G is not just a great dualSIM smartphone; it's one of our favourite smartphones. And with the announcement of the first Windows dual-SIM Phone, the Nokia Lumia 630, Android Advisor has compiled five reasons why the often overlooked perk could save you pounds.
1. The benefits of two plans Different plans offer different benefits. Having a smartphone that supports two SIM cards will allow you to milk the value of both plans, while keeping your minimum monthly spend low. One SIM card could have a great plan for data, while the other could be great value for voice calls.
2. Who wants to carry a personal- and a business phone? The novelty of carrying two phones quickly wears thin. Having a dual-SIM phone allows you to carry one phone that can accommodate your personal and your business line. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 61 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 61
23/04/2014 17:56
3. The Stinson We don't encourage The Stinson. In fact, we actively discourage The Stinson. But we wouldn't be doing our job if The Stinson – named after the promiscuous Barney Stinson from TV show How I Met Your Mother – didn't make the list. Dual-SIM smartphones can carry two SIM cards, which means one mobile can receive calls from two different numbers. People who don't want certain phone numbers showing up on one bill can use the other SIM card to make phone calls.
4. Global roaming Going overseas? A dual-SIM smartphone is an easy way to keep receiving messages from people at home. Purchase a local SIM and pop it in the second tray to avoid nasty international roaming charges when you call people in the country you're visiting.
5. In case of emergency The major mobile operators cover most – but definitely not all – of the UK. Having the SIM cards of two networks is like having a safety net. If one SIM card isn't picking up a signal, there's a chance the other one could. 62 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 62
23/04/2014 17:56
Best dual-SIM smartphones You want to carry two SIMs in a single phone, but which are the best phones that have this functionality?
D
ual-SIM smartphones give you the opportunity to have two different phone networks on a single piece of hardware, saving you money and also the nuisance of carrying around two different gadgets with you. The demand for dual-SIM smartphones has risen dramatically in recent years, and the market is finally starting to catch up. Here are some of our favourites of those available. Pricing information is from Amazon, but shop around and you may find a better deal.
Motorola Moto G • £245 • motorola.com Motorola's Moto G is still the best budget smartphone around. It's got great build quality, an excellent screen and decent cameras, and is limited only in the storage department and a lack of 4G support. A great buy. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 63 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 63
23/04/2014 17:56
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Dual-SIM • £262 • samsung.com/uk The Galaxy S4 mini is a great mid-range option, offering the same styling as the full-blown S4, but with a cheaper price tag. The cameras are good, but the screen and storage are both under par.
HTC One Dual SIM 802w • £540 • htc.com/uk The HTC One has superb performance and excellent build quality, spoiled only slightly by running hot in use. You can't fault the feature set, and in terms of audio visual output it is unsurpassed.
64 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 64
23/04/2014 17:56
Sony Xperia C Dual SIM C2305 • £229 • sony.co.uk Sony's Xperia C is a 5in smartphone with an 8Mp camera. With a 1.2GHz quad-core processor inside and running Google Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, it's 8.9mm thick and weighs just 153g.
Acer Liquid S1 Dual SIM • £333 • acer.com With a 5.7in (1280x720, 258ppi) screen the Acer Liquid S1 is a beast of a handset, yet it's still just 8mm thick. Inside you'll find a 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. Acer's Float UI is a nice addition.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 65 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 65
23/04/2014 17:56
LG G Flex curved-screen smartphone review Are curved screens deserving of the hype they've received? We test the LG G Flex £499 • lg.com/uk •
T
he G Flex is LG's first curved-screen smartphone, going up against the Samsung Galaxy Round. It's got a bendy or flexible screen, which is fixed in a set curve. While Samsung has gone for a side to side curve on the Galaxy round, the G Flex does things in the opposite direction. It is curved from top to bottom in
66 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 66
23/04/2014 17:56
a banana like shape. LG says, from a design point of view, this is all about ergonomics. It's supposed to fit your face better when making a call and sit more comfortably in your hand. In all honesty it doesn't feel much different than a regular flat smartphone in either of these scenarios. What we can say is that it fits much better in a back pocket. Underachieving ergonomics aside, a bigger problem is the sheer size of the G Flex. Yes, it matches the contour of my face better than a 'normal' smartphone, but it knocks my glasses out of the way in order to have a conversation. I could use it as a shade from the midday sun it's so big. I have very few items of clothing with pockets big enough for the G Flex, so I suspect female users will have to keep this device in a bag. LG has opted for a 6in screen, putting it in the phablet category with devices such as the HTC One Max, Nokia Lumia 1520 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra. It makes the LG G2 look small.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 67 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 67
23/04/2014 17:56
A big screen is great if you want to watch a lot of video, but in everyday use the G Flex is cumbersome and unwieldy. With my relatively large hands, I can reach a third of the display when held in one hand. Be prepared to adopt a two-handed approach. The back of the G Flex looks at lot like the G2 with LG's Rear Key – power and volume keys below the camera lens rather than on the side or top of the device. I like this feature, but it's not for everyone. As with the G2, you can switch on and off the screen with a double tap. On the rear of the G Flex is a self-healing cover, which is supposed to remove light scratches caused by loose coins and keys in your pocket, not the aggressive kind of scrapes caused by dropping the phone on hard ground. It's difficult to test this over a relatively short period of time – we'd like to take a 68 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 68
23/04/2014 17:56
photo of the back after months of usage – but after a few days there are a few hairline scratches on the plastic surface. In the G Flex's defence, these are only really noticeable if you are actively looking for them. Our first sample of the G Flex had some serious screen issues, including a horrible blue tint on about half of the display and some distracting image retention, or 'ghosting'. So much so that we swapped it for another handset and fortunately, things got a lot better. There was no blue tint and, although there is some image retention, it lasts only a split second. Something which didn't go away is a grainy quality to the image. It gives a softness that some users might like, but compared to other smartphones it simply looks inferior. It's strange that LG has opted for a 720p resolution instead of full-HD 1080p. On a 6in screen this makes for an unattractive pixel density of just 245ppi. It's not something we want to see on a premium smartphone, no matter how curved the screen is. The curved nature of the G Flex is undoubtedly cool. But the fascination over this quickly wears off and, over time, we've realised the benefits to the curved screen are minimal. It's supposed to be more immersive when watching a film or playing a game in landscape mode, but we
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 69 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 69
23/04/2014 17:56
haven't noticed a difference to a regular flat screen. What it does do is give a more dimensional feel when scrolling lists or pages with the G Flex in portrait mode. This could potentially make some users feel nauseous, in the same way do 3D screens.
Hardware & performance Like the G2 and other premium smartphones, the G Flex has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. Unsurprisingly, our benchmark results are almost identical to those we saw from its smaller counterpart. Geekbench 3 yielded a score of 2273 points; GFXBench 2.7 came in at 28fps; and we recorded 1103ms in SunSpider. That's almost up there with the impressive HTC One M8. With almost every smartphone manufacturer boosting performance for benchmark apps, we're much less bothered about numbers. From a realworld user perspective the G Flex offers decent performance. That Snapdragon 800 has proven to be a formidable force and is very capable of dealing with most requests. 70 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 70
23/04/2014 17:56
Storage There's only one model of the G Flex and it has 32GB of internal storage. That's a decent amount, given that most phones in this price range have half that. However, the device doesn't have a microSD card slot, and it's not like there isn't room for one.
Infrared and wireless As with the G2, the G Flex has an infrared transmitter for taking control of devices such as your TV. There's a Quick Remote section of the notification bar, which you can toggle on and off so you don't even need to launch the app to change channels or adjust volume. You'll need to hold the phone upright for it to work properly, though, since the sensor is located on the back, next to the camera rather than on top like a traditional remote. As for other wireless options, you get pretty much what you'd expect from a top-end device. There's
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 71 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 71
23/04/2014 17:56
Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, dual-band Wi-Fi up to 802.11ac, NFC, GPS and support for 4G LTE networks. What we're still not seeing is wireless charging. It seems that only top-range Nokia and Google Nexus devices have this feature as standard.
Cameras It's good news that the G Flex wields the same camera technology as the G2. That means it's got a 13Mp rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS). There's no dedicated camera button but, like most smartphones, you can use the volume buttons to snap away. The RearKey location makes this pretty tricky, though. Our main complaint is that the autofocus takes a little while, certainly compared to the latest flagships such as the Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. However, if you can be patient, the G Flex can take decent photos. You'll typically get the best result if you use
Photo captured with standard settings
72 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 72
23/04/2014 17:56
Photo captured with HDR
the HDR mode and we also found the phone coped well in low light – if you have a steady hand. A range of shooting modes includes Burst Shot, Sports and Night. We're not so bothered about Beauty Shot and Dual Camera (a selfie slapped over a regular photo). The G Flex can shoot full-HD video at 30- and 60fps, and can even turn its hand to 4K recording. A front-facing 2.1Mp camera offers decent quality for selfies and can shoot video in full-HD.
Software The G Flex runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but an update to 4.4 KitKat is rolling out in Korea and should make its way overseas soon. We've upgraded our LG G2 to the latest version and there are minimal changes. LG has put a lot of work into its Android user interface, adding lots of additional features that ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 73 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 73
23/04/2014 17:56
will come in handy. The interface is stylish and comes with some decent wallpapers and useful widgets such as the task manager. We're not so keen on the cartoon-style app icons, though. The notification bar has plenty going on and can get pretty messy with a few things toggled on. With Quick Remote and QSlide switched on, any notifications are off the bottom of the screen. That's the price for features, though, but it's easy enough to have them there only when you're using them. We love the useful sliders for screen brightness and volume. There are plenty of customisation options, which you'll find in the Display tab of the Settings menu. These include screen-off effect (retro TV is the best), screen swipe effect, font type, font size, smart screen (keeps the screen on as long as you're looking at it) and more. There's even different screen modes and the ability to adjust the screen capture area for screenshots. Good work LG. As with the G2, the G Flex has a Guest mode so others can't access your personal content and apps which you might not want children to access. This is accessed by an alternative lock pattern. You can also switch on and off the screen with a double tap, although it doesn't work every time. 74 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 74
23/04/2014 17:56
Since the screen is so big, an advantage is the ability to use Dual Window to simultaneously view two apps. If this doesn't tickle your fancy perhaps Slide Aside will, which lets you save up to three favourite apps with a three-finger gesture, making it an alternative to the regular Android multi-tasking. The list goes on with QSlide, which allows you to run certain apps in a pop-out window and adjust the transparency so you see what's behind. LG seems to have realised that no-one will be able to reach the top of the G Flex's screen, so it's added an optional button to the navigation bar that will pull down the bar and fling it back up for you. You can also bunch the navigations to one side for easier onehanded operation. Furthermore, you can adjust the position of the LG G Flex's dial keypad, lockscreen PIN and keyboard. The slight problem is that you wouldn't necessarily know these features were there unless you explore the settings menu.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 75 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 75
23/04/2014 17:56
“
Its curved screen is too big and just 720p, offering no real benefits. Save some money on this gimmick and get the G2
We love the amount of extra features LG offers with its Android overlay and, although they can be a little hard to find, the tutorial would be far too long if the firm highlighted them all.
”
Battery life A physically large smartphone such as the G Flex gives the manufacturer the opportunity to install a large battery. The G Flex has a 3500mAh capacity, which is a fair amount larger than most handsets. The G Flex has a standard battery saving mode and, after 24 hours of regular usage, a little over 50 percent remained. This is one advantage of the low-resolution screen.
Verdict The LG G Flex has some decent hardware, including a great camera, generous storage and excellent software. But its curved screen is too big and just 720p, offering no real benefits. We'd save some money on this gimmick and buy a proper phone such as the LG G2. 76 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 76
23/04/2014 17:56
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review Sony's tablet is a true rival to the iPad Air and other large-screen tablets £399 • sony.co.uk •
T
he Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is out now, with a starting price of £399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only model. This scales up to £449 for the 32GB Wi-Fi-only model, and £499 for the 16GB LTE model. There's no 32GB tablet with cellular connectivity. This is a well-priced device. As we'll discover in our review, the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is a high-class Android tablet, most closely comparable to Apple's ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 77
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 77
23/04/2014 17:56
iPad Air. The starting price is the same as Apple's 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad, and the 32GB Sony tablet is cheaper by £30. The 16GB LTE Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet costs the same as Apple's equivalent iPad. Shop around and you can get the Xperia Z2 Tablet cheaper, too. All of which means that the price is right for a premium tablet. But whether you choose to buy will depend on what follows in our Xperia Z2 Tablet review. (For obvious reasons we will be comparing to the iPad Air at various points in this review.)
Build quality, design Straight out of the box we are smitten by the Xperia Z2 Tablet. It is the thinnest and lightest 10in tablet you can buy – noticeably thinner and lighter than the iPad Air, which is itself famously easy to hold and carry. The Xperia Z2 Tablet weighs just 426g – or 439g if you opt for the LTE version.
78 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 78
23/04/2014 17:57
“
The Xperia Z2 Tablet is waterproof and dust-resistant. It's built to last and feels so It's exceptionally thin, too, at just 6.4mm. Again, that's thinner than the iPad Air and any other 7in or 10in tablet you can name. And it matters, not just for reasons of tablet oneupmanship. Holding the Xperia Z2 Tablet feels great, despite the large, 10.1in display, and for lengthy periods of time in standing, sitting and lying positions. Previously we have preferred 7in tablets such as the Nexus 7 or iPad mini, simply because the bigger tablets feel to bulky to hold when watching movies or reading books. But you could spend hours using the Xperia Z2 Tablet without wrist-strain, even when reading in bed. That's a big win. It doesn't, of course, solve the problem of having to carry your 10in tab in a bag where a Kindle-sized 7-incher can slip into a coat pocket – but the trade off of larger screen to weight and bulk feels like a deal worth making with the Xperia Z2. And you can just sling this tablet into a bag, too. The Xperia Z2 Tablet is waterproof and dust resistant. It's built to last and feels so, constructed principally of metal and glass, but with a rubbery outer coat around the back and on the corners. That rear cover provides grip but does get grubby with fingerprints, though. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and your views may differ, but we think the Xperia 2 Tablet is a good-looking device, too. It's a simple, stylish device.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 79 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 79
23/04/2014 17:57
A slice of black or white tech sharing the same rounded corners and metal frame as the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone but – to our eyes at least – looking somewhat smarter for larger scale. Our complaint is functional rather than stylistic, in that the bezel is a little larger than we would like. We presume that this is a trade-off in return for the incredible thinness (not a phrase ever used about your author). It's available in black or white. We tested – and prefer – the black Xperia Tablet Z2.
Display That design is of course built around a 10in display. It's the bit you'll be looking at, so let's take a closer look right now. The Xperia Z2 Tablet in fact sports a full-HD 10.1in display. This packs a whopping 1920x1200-pixel resolution, giving it a pixel density of 224ppi. That's up there with some pretty decent smartphones, but not quite as sharp a display as the market-leading iPad Air. It's an IPS display and the aspect ratio is 16:10, so viewing angles are good but there is a little screen space under utilised when watching movies. 80 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 80
23/04/2014 17:57
Sony tells us that the Xperia Z2's display has been given a colour boost thanks to TRILUMINOS and Live Colour LED – designed to increase the colour accuracy, depth and gradation. Which is nice. Of course, all that is so much window dressing. What matters is that we found the Xperia Z2 Tablet's display to be simply stunning. It displays crisp, vivid colours. Watching TV and movies is great. Photos are faithfully reproduced with great clarity but not too much colour as you sometimes find with OLED displays on smartphones. And text documents are sharp, even when you zoom in. The touchscreen responsive in use, bar the almost imperceptible lag that is found on all Android devices when compared directly with their iOS equivalents. And from our initial roughhouse tests at least it seems reasonably immune to scratching. Our only complaint was that the display was all but impossible to see in natural daylight.
Specification, performance As you would expect at the premium end of the market the Xperia Z2 Tablet is blessed with a strong specification. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 81 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 81
23/04/2014 17:57
quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz – the same chip as the superfast Xperia Z2 smartphone. This is a Krait 400 CPU with which you get Adreno 320 graphics. It's paired with 3GB RAM. Other key specs include a massive 6000mAh battery, and a MicroSD slot so you can add up to 64GB of storage. Our 16GB model had 11.2GB available to use out of the box. It all adds up to a beast of a tablet. Despite the thin and light shell the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a snappy performer. We'll get into synthetic benchmarks in a moment, but the most important thing to say is that you will find the Z2 Tablet fast and responsive. As fast and responsive as any Android device we have used, even when placed under load. Benchmarks are fun because they give you an idea of where a tablet or smartphone ranks against its rival, but take them with a pinch of salt. They are synthetic test designed to give you a number, not hard-andfast rankings. None the less, the Xperia Z2 Tablet's 82 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 82
23/04/2014 17:57
benchmark performance backs up our subjective experience of a superfast tablet – mostly. The exception was the SunSpider Javascript test from which we got a decent but not amazing average score of 1099ms. Lower is better in this test which measures your browser's ability to handle Javascript, and the iPad Air blitzes the Xperia Z2 Tablet with a score a little faster than 400ms. We have to say that we found web browsing on the Xperia Z2 tablet a joyous experience, and only occasionally laggy. But this is one to chalk up to the iPad. We ran a GFXBench test to benchmark graphics performance. In the T-Rex (onscreen) test we got our best ever tablet result of 1,530 frames at 27fps (averaged over three runs). The Xperia Z2 Tablet will chew up and spit out even the most demanding Android games, and beats out the iPad Air which averaged 1,187 and 21fps.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 83 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 83
23/04/2014 17:57
And then there is Geekbench 3. This is a somewhat controversial all-round benchmark as some Android manufacturers have been accused of designing their devices to perform abnormally well in this test. (Allegations they almost all deny, by the way.) So make of this what you will, but the Xperia Z2 Tablet smashed Geekbench 3 to bits in our tests. It returned an average single-core result of 967, a more important multi-core score of 2719. That's the fastest multi-core result we've ever got from a 10in tablet, comparing well with the iPad Air's 2703 points in multi-core mode; and 1487 points for a single core. All you can really take from this is the fact that the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a fast and responsive tablet. It really is.
Camera
“
It also has a pretty good camera, particularly for a tablet. You'll find an 8.1Mp camera around the back. This has autofocus and captures 3264 x 2448 pixel images which look good on the Xperia Z2 Tablet's display. Additional features include Exmor RS for mobile, which is designed to help users take goodlooking shots in any light, as well as geo-tagging,
The Xperia smashed Geekbench 3 to bits in our tests, with the fastest multi-core result we've ever got from a 10in tablet 84 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 84
”
23/04/2014 17:57
touch focus, face- and smile detection, HDR and a panorama. The rear-facing camera captures 1080p video at 30fps. Up front there is a 2Mp webcam for selfies and video chat. Here are some test images and test video footage, all taken from the rear-facing camera. Click to view at full size. One problem we had was that we Photo captured found it difficult to see what was on the screen when with standard settings taking photos in natural daylight.
Connectivity, accessories Connectivity options on the Xperia Z2 Tablet include NFC. There's wireless charging with supported accessories, as well as the more standard and useful charging and connecting to your PC via USB. The LTE version takes a micro-SIM and offers 2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; 3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 – SGP541, SGP521, SGP551, 4G LTE 70 0/800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600, and LTE 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 85 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 85
23/04/2014 17:57
Obviously the usefulness and availability varies by territory (we tested the Wi-Fi version so couldn't speak to the efficacy of the Xperia Z2 Tablet as a cellular device). Wireless connects via dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. Other features include Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, and Wi-Fi hotspot. And you get Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP peerto-peer connectivity. As mentioned there is an SD card slot. Sony says that the combination of Digital Noise Cancelling, front-facing stereo speakers with S-Force Front Surround and ClearAudio+ for recording means a significantly enhanced audio experience. We think it sounds okay, but no better than you would expect of a decent tablet with front-facing speakers. There are accelerometer-, gyro- and compass sensors, GPS and an FM radio with RDS. In terms of accessories Sony has released a speaker dock and remote control. 86 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 86
23/04/2014 17:57
Software Sony's Xperia Z2 Tablet runs Android 4.4 KitKat, with relatively little customisation. It does have Sony's user interface over the top of vanilla Android. It's a stylish customisation that thankfully doesn't take over the OS in the way that Samsung and HTC's do. KitKat is Google's best ever tablet OS. Feature rich, easy to use and good to look at. It offers full access to the Google Play app- and media stores, as well as Sony's own stores and apps. You can simply mount the Xperia Z2 Tablet as external storage on your PC, but Sony also provides software to make pairing and synching a little easier.
Battery life We haven't yet had time to properly test the Xperia Z2 Tablet's battery life and will update this review when we do. Our early experience of using the Z2 Tablet suggest that it won't be a problem, despite the killer power specs. That 6000mAh battery cell should help. And, according to the company, there's also the Battery STAMINA mode, designed to prolong battery life. We'll test it and get back to you. Find out more about which tablet to buy in our tablets buying advice.
Verdict The Xperia Z2 is a great-looking and well built Android tablet. It is staggeringly thin and light for a 10in device, has a great screen, expandable storage and good performance. We like the OS and the camera. Indeed, our only issues are occasionally laggy web browsing, and the fact that the screen is poor under natural light. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 87 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 87
23/04/2014 17:57
88 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 88
23/04/2014 17:57
Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch review Samsung has turned its back on Android for its second-generation smartwatch, but was it right to do so? £299 • samsung.com/uk •
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 89 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 89
23/04/2014 17:57
T
he wearable-tech market is booming, with more smartwatches and fitness trackers launching all the time. Along with the Galaxy S5 smartphone, Samsung has launched a trio of wearable gadgets consisting of the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit. The Gear 2 is the top of range model and as such has a premium price tag. You'll have to splash out a whopping £299 for this smartwatch, which is considerably more expensive than most. For example, for the same money you could buy three Sony SmartWatch 2s at just £99 each. Before we even start looking at the Gear 2 in detail it's worth pointing out that the device is compatible only with selected Samsung smartphones – 17 of them, including the Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4 mini and Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition).
Design & build We didn't like the bulky design of the Galaxy Gear and things haven't improved much with the Gear 2. The device is only marginally thinner and lighter at 10.1mm and 68g. The weight means you can't forget it's on your arm and the size means it's difficult to
90 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 90
23/04/2014 17:57
find under some clothing – and even if you can, the large bump it creates looks a bit strange. What the Gear 2 lacks in svelteness, it makes up for in style. There's no Samsung logo, which is surprising but gives the watch a clean and uninterrupted look. It's well made and the brushed metal finish oozes class. It's a great device for showing off. It's nice to see the Gear 2 gaining the same IP67 certification as the Galaxy S5. This means it's fully sealed from dust and water-resistant to a depth of 1m for up to 30 minutes. So, you can go running in the desert while it rains without worrying about your precious smartwatch. A physical button sits below the screen and can be used to switch on and off the Gear 2, but you can also just tap the screen itself. However, built-in sensors mean that the display magically comes to ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 91 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 91
23/04/2014 17:57
life when you turn your wrist to look at it. This means you can easily check the time or a notification, but the screen doesn't need to be left on constantly, therefore draining the battery. The Gear 2 charges by clipping on a small plastic module with a microUSB port. It's a neat solution, but forget that piece and you've got no way to recharge the smartwatch. Moving the camera from the strap to the main body (compared to the Galaxy Gear) means that the strap is now changeable for your own. That's always a good design feature for smartwatches. We took a look at the 'charcoal black' Gear 2, but you can also buy it in 'gold brown' and 'wild orange'. Official straps are available in four different colours.
Hardware & specs Samsung has stuck with the same 1.63in SuperAMOLED (320x320) screen that it used for the Galaxy Gear, and that's no bad thing. The display looks gorgeous with those classic Samsung eyepopping colours. The Gear 2 has an outdoor mode 92 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 92
23/04/2014 17:57
(level 6 brightness) that automatically switches off after five minutes to conserve battery. Inside is 4GB of storage for apps, photos, fitness data and music – you'll fill that up quickly if you want to listen to music straight from the Gear 2. Also here is a camera, infrared transmitter and heart-rate monitor. Samsung says the Gear 2 offers a typical battery of two or three days, while lighter users will get up to six. In our own testing we found those claims accurate. If you using the Gear 2 mainly for getting notifications and switch off the device at night it will last the best part of a week. Those regularly using the camera, pedometer and heart-rate monitor will find the Gear 2 will last a few days.
Features Being top of the line – and a typical Samsung product – the Gear 2 is packed with features. It's got just as many bells and whistles as a Morris dancing crew. However, many of them don't really need to appear on a smartwatch.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 93 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 93
23/04/2014 17:57
Like its predecessor the Gear 2 has a camera, which is now positioned in the main unit rather than the strap. It's a 2Mp camera with autofocus, which can also record 720p video. Pictures are shot in a square ratio and automatically sent to the connected smartphone. Ok, it's in the realm of James Bond cool, but in reality it's a novelty gimmick. Another feature we must file in the novelty category is the infrared (IR) transmitter. This sits next to the camera and, using the WatchOn Remote app, lets you control devices like your TV. It's not restricted to Samsung devices, but the small screen makes for a fiddly experience. At the end of the day, it's easier to change the channel with an actual remote or your smartphone if that has an IR blaster. More handy, for fitness fanatics in any case, is the built-in pedometer and heart-rate monitor. I've been using the Gear 2 with the Galaxy S5, which means a doubling up of these features, but they're more useful in a watch than a smartphone. You can go out for a run with the Gear 2 alone, which is far more convenient. The main issue is that the heart-rate monitor has to be in a specific position to work properly. You can even make and receive calls with the Gear 2, meaning there's a microphone for recording your voice and a tiny speaker so you can hear the person on the other end. It works, but we can't think why you would want to have 94 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 94
23/04/2014 17:57
a conversation with someone over a watch. It's awkward, the quality suffers, and don't even try doing it in a noisy environment – in essence it's a hands-free style call. Something the Gear 2 can do without the need of a smartphone buddy is music playback – you can control what's playing on the companion device, too. You can connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones directly to the smartwatch and listen to your tunes. You can choose what tunes to transfer to the Gear 2's storage with the Gear Manager.
Software & apps As you may have noticed, the Galaxy name has been dropped from the name: the Gear 2 doesn't run Android. Instead of Android, the Gear 2 (and other Gear wearables) is powered by Samsung's own Tizen OS. Tizen is based on Linux, just like Android. In fact, the interface is very similar to that of the Galaxy Gear. It's clean, stylish and easy to use. Navigation ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 95 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 95
23/04/2014 17:57
is simple, with swipe gestures on the touchscreen. Swiping left and right moves between pages of icons and, although it's not intuitive, you quickly get used to swiping down from the top of the screen to go back. As with most smartwatches, you can customise and control the Gear 2 with Samsung's Gear Manager app, which you install on the companion smartphone. Here you can choose different home screen styles, clock faces, choose your notifications and various other settings. Moving from Android to Tizen means a backward step in terms of third-party apps. While devices like the Sony SmartWatch 2 have hundreds of apps to download, the Gear 2 has only a handful, and most of them are watch faces that cost £1.
Verdict The Samsung Gear 2 is a stylish smartwatch packed with features, but it has limited appeal due to small list of compatible devices. It's still too bulky and many of its features don't work well or are unnecessary. It's reasonably expensive, too. 96 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 96
23/04/2014 17:57
How to undo updates to Android apps Go back to a previous version without rooting your device. Here's how
I
f an app update has annoyed you because of changes to the interface, removed certain features or is full of bugs, you probably want to go back to the previous version. Here are a couple of ways you can undo an Android app update and revert to a previous version. Unless you've already installed some backup software which keeps copies of each version of an app, undoing an update isn't straightforward. Android doesn't have a handy ‘roll back’ button. You could factory reset your smartphone or tablet to go back to the original system apps, but that won’t help you for other apps you’ve installed as they will be completely removed and your only option is to reinstall the latest version.
Find the APK file One way you can go back to a previous version of an app is to find the installation file for that version. Android uses APK files for apps, so called because of their .apk file ending. As long as you know which version number you need, you can search the web for the app name, version number and APK. For example, if you wanted to find version 1.5 of BBC iPlayer, you’d search for BBC iPlayer 1.5 APK. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 97 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 97
23/04/2014 17:57
Be careful where you download files, though, as you could inadvertently download malware. If you have an older version of the app on another device, you should be able to extract the APK file from it. If that device is rooted, you can simply grab the APK file from the /data/app/ folder. Otherwise, you can try an app such as My Backup Pro (£3) to make a backup of the app on a microSD card in that device (assuming it has one). Once you have the file you can uninstall the newer version of the app from your device, then copy the older APK file you found to the phone or tablet using Windows Explorer. Copy it to either a new folder or the existing Download folder. Then, you’ll need a File Explorer app to find the file on your Android device, at which point you can tap on it and install it. Note that you will need to tick the box somewhere in your device’s settings menu to allow the installation of apps from 'unknown sources'.
Automatically back up app versions If all of the above fails, there’s really not much you can do. To avoid ending up in the same situation in the future, it’s worth installing an app such as AppMonster Pro Backup Restore (£2.50). This automatically creates a backup each time you install a new app, meaning you’ll always have a copy of the APK files for every version of an app. 98 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 98
23/04/2014 17:57
Improve your Android phone's battery life A smartphone makes a rubbish hub for your digital life if its battery is out of juice. Here's how to extend runtime
I
t’s the early afternoon, and your Android phone is already running on empty. A smartphone is supposed to be the hub of your digital life, but it can’t do that very well when the battery has run dry. You probably shouldn’t wait until your phone has failed you at a critical moment before you figure out what’s destroying your battery life – there’s no better time than now to track down the culprit. If you're lucky, you might even be able to fix the issue without sacrificing functionality. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 99
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 99
23/04/2014 17:58
Wakelocks and misery Android has gotten much better at managing background processes in the last few years. Anyone who has used Google's platform since the early days can tell you how bad things used to be when task killers were a necessity. Even though Android as a whole isn't subject to the same horrible battery life issues, the wrong combination of apps can still break Android’s elegant process management scheme. Conventional wisdom used to be that you should open the multitasking interface and kill any application you’re not using to save battery life, and unfortunately this superstition still persists. But Android knows how to manage background tasks, and swiping apps out of the multitasking interface only closes the foreground process. If an app is indeed causing issues, it's usually the background process that's doing it. This sort of micromanagement will only waste time.
The stock Android battery use menu can be helpful, but it only tells part of the story. Most apps show up here because you're actually using them a lot – that's to be expected. This menu merely shows you the system process and app packages that are 100 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 100
23/04/2014 17:58
using juice, but the 'Awake' and 'Screen on' lines are the most important. If you have a lot more awake time than screen on, something might be keeping your phone from sleeping. This is called a wakelock, and it's the number one enemy of your battery life. When an app or service needs to run a process, it can wake the device with an alarm. The wakelock mode keeps the CPU awake so the app can do its business. This is usually no big deal: the app finishes up, and the device slips back into deep sleep. Conflicts and bugs can cause wakelocks to persist, essentially keeping your phone from sleeping at all. In order to figure out what's messing with the battery, we need to find the root cause of this baffling case of smartphone insomnia.
Solving the case It might not be immediately obvious that a phone is in wakelock for long periods. By all appearances, the screen is off and it seems to be asleep like it should be. One clue that something is going wrong is excess heat generation. When the CPU is cranked up instead of in deep sleep, the device might be
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 101 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 101
23/04/2014 17:58
“
If PowerManagerService is no longer eating up most of your sleep time, you've cracked the case noticeably warmer than usual when you pick it up. You'll need to do a little detective work. One quick and easy way to watch for a phone that won't sleep is to use an app like System Monitor to track CPU clock speed. This app breaks down CPU activity as a percentage. Unless you've been using the device almost constantly, ”Deep Sleep” should be the largest part of the chart. If not, you've probably got a misbehaving app or system process. You'll have to dig a little deeper in order to sort out the exact cause of your shortened battery life. The best app for this is BetterBatteryStats. The developer posts free beta builds on the XDA forums, but it's also for sale in Google Play. Rooted users see more information in the app, but you can still get some data on wakelocks with almost all devices. Just give the app a few hours to calibrate, and then filter for Kernel Wakelocks and Since unplugged. If you see a process up near the top of that list with a lot of wakelock time, that's the guilty party. Kernel wakelocks are system processes like suspend_ backoff or wlan. BBS BetterBatteryStats sometimes includes links to more information about wakelocks with some ideas for fixing them. Otherwise, you can search for information on the exact system process and find a likely solution. Often, a reboot will knock some sense into your phone and clear this up.
”
102 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 102
23/04/2014 17:58
If you suspect a misbehaving app on your device, check for the PowerManagerService listing. This is a catchall for so-called partial wakelocks caused by apps. Rooted users can see the partial wakelocks in the app, but everyone else will have to do some detective work by comparing recently installed apps and the onset of the PowerManagerService issue. To confirm, uninstall suspect apps, create a custom reference point in BBS, put the phone to sleep, then check the wakelocks a little later. If PowerManagerService is no longer eating up most of your sleep time, you’ve cracked the case. More often than not, the root of your problem will be some app you installed. The easiest way to deal
with the issue is to leave the offending app or game uninstalled, but maybe you want to use the app despite its battery sucking behaviour. In that case, you need a way to end the process safely. Android has a built-in way of hibernating processes, and you can easily trigger it with an app called Greenify. Use Greenify to identify the problematic apps, and hit the hibernate button after you're done using them. Greenify works best with root access, but you can also use the in-app button to trigger hibernation. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 103 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 103
23/04/2014 17:58
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 104
23/04/2014 17:58
ANDROID
ISSUE
04
ADVISOR
GoogleVision: Why your next TV will be an Android TV Chromecast • Android TV • Amazon Fire TV • Best Apps
PLUS
Best dual-SIM smartphones – and why you need one
TESTED: LG G Flex • Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet • Samsung Gear 2
Welcome... A
ndroid took the smartphone and tablet world by storm, but Google isn't stopping there. With its Nest smart thermostat it's found a way into our homes, and with Chromecast it's sat down in front of the TV and made itself comfortable. But it's more than welcome: its media-streaming dongle can turn any old TV into a smart TV, and at just £30 that makes it a game changer. We explore Chromecast in depth from page 16. Google has competition in the TV space, however. Most recently from Amazon, in the form of its Fire TV streaming box (see page 34). This device has yet to make its way to the UK, but if the US pricing is anything to go by Chromecast has little to fear. Let's not forget Android TV, a version of Android optimised for your TV. Read about it on page 32. Also in this issue we explore the emerging trend of dual-SIM smartphones. These devices are far more popular in other corners of the world than here in the UK, but as we suggest on page 61, UK users could also benefit from having two SIMs. We've also rounded up some of our favourite dual-SIM devices. Many of the innovations we're seeing in mobile tech concern health and fitness, but are we at the point where your phone or tablet can replace your family GP? We discuss the matter on page 50. As always, we hope you've enjoyed this issue of Android Advisor. Please send us your feedback via Facebook (facebook.com/AndroidAdvisorUK) or email us at [email protected].
2 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 2
23/04/2014 17:52
Qualcomm adds fastest ever 64-bit mobile chip Snapdragon 810 supports 4K video and LPDDR4 memory, and will be in mobile devices in 2015
Q
ualcomm is getting high on 64-bit chips with its fastest ever Snapdragon processor, which will render 4K video, support LTE Advanced and could run the 64-bit Android OS. The new Snapdragon 810 is the company's highest performing mobile chip for smartphones and tablets, Qualcomm said in a statement. Mobile devices with the 64-bit chip will ship in the first half of next year, and be faster and more power-efficient. Snapdragon chips are used in handsets with Android and Windows Phone operating systems, which are not available in 64-bit form yet.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 3 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 3
23/04/2014 17:52
The Snapdragon 810 is loaded with the latest communication and graphics technologies from Qualcomm. The graphics processor can render 4K (3840x2160) video at 30fps, and 1080p video at 120fps. The chip also has an integrated modem that supports LTE and its successor, LTE-Advanced, which is emerging. The 810 also is among the first mobile chips to support the latest low-power LPDDR4 memory, which will allow programs to run faster while consuming less power. This will be beneficial, especially for tablets, as 64-bit chips allow mobile devices to have more than 4GB of RAM, which is the limit on current 32-bit chips. The quad-core chip has a mix of high-power ARM Cortex-A57 CPU cores for demanding tasks and low-power A53 CPU cores for mundane tasks such
4 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 4
23/04/2014 17:52
“
Industry observers believe 64-bit Android could be announced at the Google I/O conference in late June as taking calls, messaging and MP3 playback. The multiple cores ensure more power-efficient use of the chip, which helps extend battery life of devices. The company also introduced a Snapdragon 808 six-core 64-bit chip. The chips will be among the first made using the latest 20nm manufacturing process, which is an advance from the 28nm process used to make Snapdragon chips today. Qualcomm now has to wait for Google to release a 64-bit version of Android for ARM-based mobile devices. Intel has already shown mobile devices running 64-bit Android with its Merrifield chip, but most mobile products today run on ARM processors. Qualcomm licenses Snapdragon processor architecture and designs from ARM. Work for 64-bit Android is already underway, and applications such as the Chrome browser are already being developed for the OS. Google has not officially commented on when 64-bit Android would be released, but industry observers believe it could be announced at the Google I/O conference in late June. Qualcomm spokesman Jon Carvill declined to comment on support for 64-bit Android. But the chips are “further evidence of our commitment to deliver top-to-bottom mobile 64-bit leadership across product tiers for our customers”, Carvill said in an email.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 5 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 5
23/04/2014 17:52
“
Apple has a headstart and remains the only company selling a 64-bit smartphone with its iPhone 5s Qualcomm's chips are used in some of the world's top smartphones. A Qualcomm executive in October last year called Apple's A7, the world's first 64-bit mobile chip, a “marketing gimmick”, but the company has moved on and now has five 64-bit chips coming to medium-priced and premium smartphones and tablets. But no 64-bit Android smartphones are available yet, and Apple has a headstart and remains the only company selling a 64-bit smartphone with its iPhone 5s. The 810 supports HDMI 1.4 for 4K video output, and the Adreno 430 graphics processor is 30 percent faster on graphics performance and 20 percent more power efficient than the older Adreno 420 GPU. The graphics processor will support 55Mp sensors, Qualcomm said. Other chip features include 802.11ac Wi-Fi with built-in technology for faster wireless data transfers, Bluetooth 4.1 and a processing core for location services. The six-core Snapdragon 808 is a notch down on performance compared to the 810, and also has fewer features. The 808 supports LTE-Advanced, but can support displays with up to 2560x1600 pixels. It will support LPDDR3 memory. The chip has two Cortex-A57 CPUs and four Cortex-A53 cores. The chips will ship out to device makers for testing in the second half of this year.
”
6 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 6
23/04/2014 17:52
Quad-HD smartphones coming this year LG is set to trump the competition with a QHD smartphone in 2014
W
ith 4K (aka Ultra-HD) TVs now available, LG claims we will see similar technology arrive in the smartphone market later this year. At Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge LG showed its latest OLED curved TV and soon-to-launch 2014 4K sets. Speaking at the event, Andrew Coughlin, head of mobile at LG UK, confirmed that we should expect see a QHD smartphone in the second half of 2014. It seems likely that LG will be the first to do so since its LG Display department announced a 5.5in (1440x2560) panel last August, around the time LG launched the G2 smartphone. That's great news, given that all this year's flagship launches have so far stuck with a full-HD resolution. Whether we need QHD resolution on a smartphone screen is debatable, but Coughlin says that the key is video, with services such as Netflix launching 4K streaming and smartphones now able to record 4K video from the main camera. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 7
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 7
23/04/2014 17:52
Rumoured Amazon phone images leaked Images of a prototype smartphone suggest Amazon is developing a 3D-capable handset
I
t’s the smartphone rumour that won’t quit, and now more circumstantial evidence of its eventual release has surfaced in the wild. BGR has posted what it describes as photos of an Amazon prototype device, along with some spec and feature details shared by “multiple trusted sources”. The website points out that the prototype is ensconced in a shell that makes it impossible to suss out what the smartphone really looks like. But BGR’s sources say the phone will feature a 3D interface (backing up an earlier report by the WSJ), and will include four front-facing cameras to track the user’s eye movement in the service of various 3D effects. And, sure enough, if you look at the image above, you’ll see what looks like a battery of cameras.
8 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 8
23/04/2014 17:52
“
Amazon is always interested in platforms that help you impulse-buy digital media, shoes and anything else that can be delivered in a cardboard box There will be two versions of the unnamed Amazon phone, with the higher-end version portrayed in the ostensibly leaked images launching first, BGR reports. Its sources say a 4.7in display will be limited to a 720p resolution. We should also expect a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM, BGR says. It makes perfect sense for the etailer to release a phone, as its Kindle Fire tablets have been huge successes, and Amazon is always interested in platforms – such as the Fire TV – that help you impulse-buy digital media, shoes and anything else that can be delivered in a cardboard box. But a 3D interface, why? Glasses-free 3D doesn’t work well on any platform, least of all handheld devices. But, hey, if Jeff Bezos is going to promise drone deliveries, then why not a 3D smartphone? There’s not a kooky idea the company seems unwilling to explore. Let’s just remember that a smartphone isn’t a smartphone until someone hits send on a press release. Mega-companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon have deep, deep war chests to R&D wild ideas such as 3D phones. The mere presence of an Amazon phone prototype shouldn’t surprise anyone. But we’ll just have to wait until Jeff Bezos sings to find out what the device will actually include in the final, shipping flesh.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 9 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 9
23/04/2014 17:52
Samsung's fingerprint scanner gets hacked All it takes is a dab of wood glue to bypass the fingerprint sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S5
H
ackers have managed to bypass the fingerprint scanner found on the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone. Researchers from Security Research Labs (SRL) in Germany have demonstrated how it is possible to easily trick the Samsung Galaxy S5's fingerprint scanner. They used a fake fingerprint made from a mould based simply on a photo of a fingerprint smudge left on a smartphone screen. “This video demonstrates how flaws in the implementation of fingerprint authentication in the Samsung Galaxy S5 expose users' devices, data and even bank accounts to thieves or other attackers,” says SRL. The technique, called 'fingerprint spoofing', is the same as that used to thwart the iPhone 5s' Touch ID fingerprint scanner. However, SRL claims that Samsung's implementation of the technology is less safe than others. The researcher in the video points to the fact it allows an unlimited number of authentication attempts without requiring a password. The Galaxy S5's lock screen allows five attempts before asking for a password, but simply switching off the screen and then waking it allows for another five. Samsung says the hack is nothing to worry about. “This is a scenario that is widely regarded
10 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 10
23/04/2014 17:53
in the industry as posing no critical risk for general consumers. This artificial experiment requires a rare combination of highly specialised equipments, materials and conditions. Samsung takes security matters very seriously. We are continuously taking measures to vigorously enhance security of the device,” said the firm in a statement. “While we take the findings from SRL very seriously, we are still confident that fingerprint authentication offers an easier and more secure way to pay on mobile devices than passwords or credit cards. PayPal never stores or even has access to your actual fingerprint with authentication on the Galaxy S5,” said PayPal. “The scan unlocks a secure cryptographic key that serves as a password replacement for the phone. We can simply deactivate the key from a lost or stolen device, and you can create a new one. PayPal also uses sophisticated fraud and risk-management tools to try to prevent fraud before it happens. However, in the rare instances that it does, you are covered by our purchase protection policy.” ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 11 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 11
23/04/2014 17:53
Is Google planning an icon overhaul? Unified services are Google's game, so tackling disparate interfaces and icon design could be next on its list
G
oogle's really into the idea of unifying all its services into one overarching ecosystem. First it worked on making your Google+ profile the de facto standard for logging into its various services, and now it's tackling its disparate interfaces and icon design. Most of Google's web services and corresponding Android apps don't have matching iconography, but a new rumour suggests Google is making it a priority to clean up this element of its business. According to Android Police, a few screenshot leaks suggest that updated, unified icon designs are in the works, although there is no softwarebased evidence yet. The screenshot to the left shows new icons for all Google's standard apps: Google Play Music, Books, Movies and Games, plus Google+, Calendar, People, Chrome, YouTube and more. Android Police's side-byside icon comparison shows Google's web- and Android icons meshing into one.
12 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 12
23/04/2014 17:53
Photo: Lisa Bettany, tinyurl.com/pm7frp9
Gingerbread crashes more than any other Android OS ...But iOS' crash rate is even worse
I
t's the perfect anecdote for why it's important to update your phone. A recent report by Crittercism found that Android 2.3 Gingerbread – which is about four years old, mind you – has the highest crash rate of any version of Android, at 1.7 percent. That's double the rate of the latest version of Android, 4.4 KitKat, which hovers at around 0.7 percent. Both Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean also boast relatively low crash rates, which bodes well for those with recent phones who are still waiting for updates to KitKat. However, 19 percent of Android users are still on Gingerbread and, although a majority have moved on to Jelly Bean, that's still an astonishing number of users dealing with a less-than-optimal Android experience. The report also adds that rivaling operating systems such as Apple's iOS have crash rates that are just as high as Gingerbread, with iOS 7.1 ranking in at 1.6 percent, and iOS 6 netting 2.5 percent. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 13
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 13
23/04/2014 17:53
iPlayer downloads now on all Android devices BBC extends download feature to all Android devices running Ice Cream Sandwich and later
T
he BBC has decided to extend its iPlayer download feature to almost every Android smartphone and tablet on the market. The download feature has previously been limited to selected devices, but it is now available to anyone running Android Ice Cream Sandwich (version 4.0) or later. This means 96 percent of Android users can now download BBC iPlayer content for offline viewing. The BBC has stopped extensively testing devices to add them to the exclusive list of compatible devices, which previously included mainly Google Nexus and Samsung Galaxy devices, plus a handful of HTC and Sony handsets. “We believe that the vast majority of devices will enjoy a great video-downloading experience.
14 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 14
23/04/2014 17:53
However, with more than five thousand different phone-, phablet- and tablet models able to install the BBC iPlayer Android app, there are likely to be a number of devices that exhibit bugs concerning download behaviour,” said the BBC. Should the BBC become aware of any major problems with a particular device and operating system combination it may disable the feature while it looks into whether it can be fixed. “We can’t promise that we will fix every issue that is brought to our attention (there may be device limitations that prevent us from doing so), but we will seek to address problems according to the complexity of the issue, as well as the UK popularity and the user numbers of the device itself,” added the BBC.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 15 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 15
23/04/2014 17:53
Chromecast: the gadget that changes everything Google has finally made its Chromecast device available in the UK. Here’s why it will change the world
T
he Chromecast is a tiny gadget that connects to your TV via HDMI and is powered by USB. It’s a £30 media-streaming device that allows you to play TV shows, movies and music from a variety of sources, on any display with an HDMI port. The key thing about Chromecast is it is easy to set up. It doesn’t tie you to a subscription service; it is simply a supremely easy and cheap way to turn any TV into a smart TV. A smart TV with benefits. The major content sources are BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube and Google Play. There’s also Red Bull TV and Vevo, plus a couple of apps that allow you to stream locally stored media via your Chromecast. BBC iPlayer speaks for itself. Using it you can watch live BBC TV, as well as catch up on virtually all the BBC’s vast amount of programming over the past week. If you tend to catch up with ‘EastEnders’ via your laptop, the Chromecast lets you enjoy it in glorious HD on your large-screen TV. As a Licence Fee payer in the UK you get access to all of this content for free. Netflix is the coming man of the on-demand TV world. It offers thousands
16 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 16
23/04/2014 17:53
of TV programmes and movies, many of them big-name US series, and it’s growing all the time. And that’s not taking into account the burgeoning amounts of original programming such as the recent ‘House of Cards’ series, as well as ‘Arrested Development’. You do, of course, have to pay for Netflix, at £5.99 per month. YouTube isn’t just cats falling out of trees. Indeed, more content is added to YouTube every day than has ever been broadcast on any (or indeed all) mainstream TV broadcasters. Increasingly highquality original programming and livestream media is being uploaded to YouTube, and Chromecast allows you to watch it on the big screen. And then there is Google Play. This is Google’s alternative to iTunes and, although not as mature, it tends to be cheaper and the number of titles available is huge. You can watch a wide variety of Hollywood- and indie movies, as well as highclass TV programming from around the world. The documentaries are great, too. You have to pay for individual titles, but you can rent them cheaply (and ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 17 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 17
23/04/2014 17:53
you can watch a film on your commute and finish it off on the TV). Play Music is supported, too. Other sources include Red Bull TV, which offers up extreme sports, lifestyle and music programming, and Vevo music videos. Finally there are couple of apps – Plex and RealPlayer Cloud – that allow you to watch locally stored media such as ripped DVDs. Expect more apps to support Chromecast and other content providers to get in on the act soon.
Chromecast is a game changer There’s a battle going on for your custom and loyalty, and Chromecast is a key weapon in that battle. The TV and movies you watch are an important battleground for a diverse variety of tech players including Google, as well as BT, Sky and Virgin, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft, Amazon and more. These companies became successful offering different types of products in vastly different markets. But the internet is a unifying force, and so we find that a phone company (BT) is in an expensive battle 18 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 18
23/04/2014 17:53
“
Google's tentacles reach into most of our lives as the provider of email, storage, productivity software and more
with a TV company (Sky) to provide your broadband and TV. They won’t both win. They understand that in the future we are all likely to invest our time and money in just one or two providers, expecting in return digital entertainment and communications, connectivity and storage, home automation and hardware. Those companies listed won’t all be independent entities in a decade. Thus we find the search-engine company fighting with all of the above to control all of your digital life. Google started out as a free-to-use, ad-supported search engine. Now it is the owner of the biggest smartphone platform by volume in Android, and the biggest TV broadcaster in YouTube. Its tentacles reach into most of our lives as the provider of email, storage, productivity software and more. It sells apps, music and movies via Google Play, and recently it invested in the Nest homeautomation service. Google wants you to use an Android phone and a Chrome laptop, but most of all Google wants you to use it and not its rivals. Chromecast is cheap, very easy to use, and it doesn’t trap you into a long-term contract. It doesn’t tie you to a particular TV maker. It also provides a better smart TV service than you likely get from your Samsung- or Sony TV.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 19 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 19
23/04/2014 17:53
Unlike a traditional smart TV Chromecast will get regular software updates, and will always offer access to a wide variety of content sources. It’s also easy to search, allowing you to type out or speak search terms into a smartphone, and – being Google – understanding semantic search terms: you can ask it to find ‘World War II documentaries’ or ‘sports shows’ rather than having to know the specific names of the programmes you want to watch. The Chromecast is a potential game changer because it offers for a small price a great way to access a lot of digital TV, without tying you to a particular provider. It’s an impulse buy that you will be unlikely ever to regret making. But paradoxically it offers Google a way into the most important screen in the house, which furthers ties you into its clammy embrace. 20 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 20
23/04/2014 17:53
Chromecast review We get a hands-on with the £30 media-streaming device that brings Google into your living room £30 • play.google.com •
A
fter what felt like an interminable wait, Google has at last launched the Chromecast in the UK. The £30 device lets you make any TV ‘smart’ – all you need is a free HDMI input on your television and a Wi-Fi network. It’s a low-cost competitor to the Apple TV and allows you to stream media using smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops. You can watch YouTube videos, Netflix,
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 21 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 21
23/04/2014 17:53
Vevo and other services, but on launch day, BBC iPlayer was the only UK catch-up TV service to support the Chromecast. The device comes with a short HDMI cable in case you can’t plug it in to your TV directly, and it’s powered by an included Micro-USB cable and mains adaptor. However, if your television has a free USB port, you can use that to provide power instead. There’s no remote control since the idea is that you use your Android smartphone or tablet to decide what to watch and to pause, rewind or fast-forward the video. You can also use an iPhone or iPad running iOS 6 or later or – if you don’t own 22 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 22
23/04/2014 17:53
“
a compatible device – you can use any PC, laptop or Google Chromebook and control things from Google’s Chrome web browser. Once you’ve installed the app (or Chrome extension) and connected the dongle to your Wi-Fi network, you’re ready to ‘cast’. A pop-up box prompts you to choose a Chromecast, then returns you to the playback screen where you can tap the play button. The video will buffer and begin playing on your TV. You can use the app’s playback and volume controls, but you can also switch to another app to check your email, browse the web, play a game or anything else without interrupting playback. There’s no Chromecast interface as such. Apart from the ‘home screen’, which is presumably there just so you know the Chromecast is working, everything is controlled from a companion device. ‘Casting’ is a somewhat misleading term since, for the majority of the time, video isn’t being sent from your smartphone or tablet. Instead, the app merely sets up a stream from the internet directly to the Chromecast. The Chromecast button appears in Netflix for iOS and Android, too, and works like a charm.
Casting is a somewhat misleading term... The app merely sets up a stream from the internet directly to the Chromecast
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 23 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 23
23/04/2014 17:53
Once a video is playing, you can put your phone or tablet to sleep to save battery, and still pause the playback from the lock screen, or pick up the controls from another device on the same network. Google’s Play Music and Play Movies & TV apps on Android are also supported and let you cast content you’ve bought or rented from the Play Store. We were unable to play albums that we’d bought from Google Play, though – we tried playing both music that was downloaded to our smartphone as well as songs stored in Google Music, but nothing worked. The album art appeared on the TV briefly, but was then replaced by a “cannot play side-loaded music” error message. 24 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 24
23/04/2014 17:53
“
You can put your phone or tablet to sleep to save battery and still pause the playback from the lock screen Strangely, there’s no way to cast photos and videos from your camera roll to your Chromecast, whether you’re using an iPhone, iPad or Android device. Third-party apps such as AllCast can do this but when we tried the free version, there was a 15to 20-second delay before a photo we’d tapped was shown on screen. Videos wouldn’t play at all. Video and audio quality will depend on the source video. The worst-quality YouTube videos naturally look awful on a big-screen TV, but good-quality 1080p footage looks pretty good. The Chromecast supports 5.1 surround sound, but since audio is output through the HDMI connector, you’ll need a TV with an optical or coaxial S/PDIF output, which is connected to a suitable surround-sound amp and speakers in order to hear multichannel audio. Similar to video quality, the availability of 5.1 sound will depend entirely on whether the video you’re playing has a 5.1 soundtrack.
”
Verdict The Chromecast is cheap and easy to use, but there aren’t many apps that support it yet. This situation is bound to change over the coming months, but for now you might find your existing smart TV offers more. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 25 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 25
23/04/2014 17:53
Best free apps for Google Chromecast Google's not doing a great job alerting users to Chromecast-compatible apps. Here's our pick
W
e all know Google's Chomecast supports a handful of great apps, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Vevo, Plex, Rdio and BT Sport, and that you can enjoy movies and music bought through Google or stored on your device or network via the streaming dongle. But what about the apps you don't know about? More than 250 apps support Chromecast streaming; here's our pick of some great free Chromecast apps for Android on which you're most likely missing out.
Cast Store for Chromecast Tap the Discover Apps tab in Google's own Chromecast app and you'd be forgiven for thinking only 11 apps are supported. That's way off. One way to find great new apps for Chromecast is to simply run a 'Chromecast' search within Google Play or the App Store; another is to download an app dedicated 26 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 26
23/04/2014 17:53
to the very task at which Google is failing miserably – drawing attention to great new Chromecast apps. Cast Store for Chromecast is a free aggregator of Chromecast Android apps. It lets you quickly filter those available by News, Apps and Games, highlights an app of the week, lets you check those highest rated by other users, and it lists all new releases since your last visit. It is by far the easiest way to find new Chromecast apps worth installing on your Android smartphone or tablet. Just click to install an app and Cast Store will take you straight to the Google Play store, alleviating any worries you might have had over downloading content from unknown sources.
Doodlecast for Chromecast Doodlecast in essence turns the TV in your living room into a digital platform on which you can play Pictionary, with no need to find a scrap of paper or a working pen (who uses those anymore anyway?). It's a bit like that one-time app phenomenon Draw Something, allowing you to compete with other Android users as you each take it in turn to either draw something or guess what is that something, but it puts your artwork on the big screen for all the ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 27 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 27
23/04/2014 17:53
family to admire/ridicule/guess what is that peculiar object that really isn't as rude as it looks. Doodlecast requires two or more Android devices, with one as the drawing pad and the other used to best-guess the answer. With a smartphone and a tablet to hand we managed to have a great game even without multiple players – and we won every time. If you just want to draw pretty pictures on your TV, try Castpad for Chromecast. Alternatively, if you're loving the whole big-screen family entertainment concept, also have a look at Trivia Cast.
CameraCast for Chromecast We like Google's Photowall for Android and iOS, which lets anyone connected to your home Wi-Fi network send to your TV screen photos taken on their phone, tablet or PC. The resulting interactive wall of photos can even be saved to a video file. But CameraCast for Chromecast offers a slightly different take on the slideshow concept for those with Android devices. It, too, lets you instantly beam the photos taken by your device's camera to your TV screen, and 28 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 28
23/04/2014 17:54
it supports the feeds of multiple devices. But in unlocking the app CameraCast becomes far more useful, allowing you to trigger an auto-shutter that captures and sends to your TV pictures taken at set intervals (this will drain the battery, though, so you'll want to keep your device plugged in). We don't know of many home CCTV systems that cost just £1.21 (okay, plus the cost of your tablet/smartphone, TV and Chromecast dongle, but you already have those).
Up Down Fish If you like Flappy Bird, you'll love Up Down Fish, which is also available for iOS. This clone follows a similar concept, with you tapping a large onscreen Swim button on your phone or tablet to manoeuvre a fish through tiny gaps in large pillars. Except those tiny gaps appear much larger on your TV screen – even if half the screen is consumed by the game's leaderboard. Performance isn't exactly what consoles might have led you to expect from gaming on the big screen, but the jagged graphics and jerky frames take ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 29 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 29
23/04/2014 17:54
little away from Up Down Fish's appeal. Truth be told, the most difficult task was trying to capture the above photo on a 10in tablet while playing Up Down Fish on a smartphone. (You can probably tell.) If you enjoy playing games on your TV via Chromecast, be sure to also check out GamingCast (85p gets you Snake, Pong and other classics), TicTacToe (aka Naughts and Crosses, free) and Hangman (also free). All the Chromecast games we've seen so far support multiplayer modes, which makes them ideal for playing in the living room.
EduKids for Chromecast EduKids for Chromecast is the app to which you should turn when your child has not only run off with your Android tablet, but begun eyeing up that tiny black gadget sticking out the TV's HDMI port. It's still in beta, but you can be pretty sure your child will understand the implications of this – is there anything they don't know? 30 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 30
23/04/2014 17:54
“
EduKids is here to educate your child on several of life's most important lessons, such as the noise an animal makes when it's about to rip off your head Just to make sure, EduKids is here to educate them on several of life's most important lessons, one of which is the noises animals make when they're pissed at you and about to rip off your head. (Just joking.) The TV plays a sound, and the child must then tap the relevant animal image from the selection shown onscreen. And that's not always as easy as it sounds, especially when you're shown, for example, four pictures of birds and must decide which one goes 'squawk'. If only EduKids would also tell you what that animal is called we might be on to something here. Let's hope the kids don't come asking the nearest adult for the answer. Other lessons include pointing out which image in a pair represents a given term, such as 'square' or 'white' or 'curved' or 'straight'. Sometimes EduKids tries to catch you out by showing you the same pair of images but changing the term. And it works.
”
What other apps can I download? Other free Chromecast apps you might like to try include Chrome Beta (or full Google Chrome on a desktop), which mirrors your browser window on the TV, plus BubbleUPnP, which lets you stream to and access multimedia on various other devices, including DLNA TVs, consoles, hifi systems and, of course, Chromecast. More are appearing every day. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 31 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 31
23/04/2014 17:54
Google's Android TV leaked in screenshots Android TV is Google's Android operating system optimised for the living room
A
fter the flop of Google TV and the success of the Chromecast, Google is reportedly preparing Android TV. Even though it has just launched the Chromecast in the UK, Google is mounting another assault on the living room with Android TV, according to The Verge. In a similar way to Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku players, Android TV will display content with Google Now-style cards and make recommendations.
32 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 32
23/04/2014 17:54
“Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform,” says Google. “It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction.” It will be “cinematic, fun, fluid and fast”. “Android TV is Android, optimised for the living room consumption experience on a TV screen,” much like Android Wear is Android specifically for wearable devices such as smartwatches. Google is asking developers to create extremely simple TV apps to match the simple set-top-box interface. Screenshots show Google apps including Play Movies & TV, YouTube, Play Music and Hangouts; but there's also third-party apps such as Vevo, Netflix, Hulu and Pandora. Users will also be able to download games, such as Plants vs Zombies 2. Content seems to be king, with Google stating that ’Access to content should be simple and magical.” It has a rule that it should not take more than three clicks or gestures from the home screen to get something going. Android TV will also support voice input and notifications, but Google is suggesting developers use the latter sparingly. We could see Android TV unveiled at Google's I/O developer conference, which takes place in June.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 33 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 33
23/04/2014 17:54
Amazon Fire TV makes its living-room debut Amazon has entered the battle for the big screen with its Amazon Fire TV streaming box
M
edia streaming is booming and the market is hotting up with Amazon deciding to launch its own hardware to take on the Apple TV, Google Chromecast and Roku's players. The Fire TV is a new device in Amazon's Fire line-up, able to stream media to your television. Here's everything you need to know about Fire TV. The Amazon Fire TV streaming box is already available to buy in the US, but there has been no mention of when the device will make its way to the UK and Europe. In the US it costs $99, and a straightforward conversion would be £59. However, our experience with previous tech launches suggests you can expect to pay around £99 in the UK.
How does it work? The small black box plugs into your TV with an HDMI cable and is able to stream 1080p content over dual-band Wi-Fi. Speedy performance is touted, with a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM – the kind of specs you'd find in a high-end smartphone – inside. 34 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 34
23/04/2014 17:54
Amazon says an 'ASAP' feature allows content to start playing immediately after you press play, with no lag. It also has HDMI-out, Dolby digital surround sound support, plus optical and ethernet ports. A Bluetooth remote control features a microphone, which lets you control the Fire TV and search for content using voice commands. “There's no shouting across the room at your TV, which is irritating,” said Amazon's Peter Larsen. The Fire TV runs Android and, as you'd expect, hooks up to the firm's Prime Instant Video service for films and TV shows. However, you can also access other services from the little black box, including Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, Vevo and Crackle. Surprisingly, Netflix is even supported, with Amazon taking aim at rivals for their 'closed ecosystems' – particularly the Xbox, which requires an annual Xbox Live Gold subscription to access services such as Netflix. A gaming controller (around $40) will turn the Fire TV into a makeshift games console. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 35 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 35
23/04/2014 17:54
Have smartphones hit a technology ceiling? Why sitting out this generation of flagship smartphones won't disadvantage you
I
t's only the end of April and already we've seen a number of flagship smartphone launches. This is usually cause for celebration, but so far I've been slightly underwhelmed. Have manufacturers hit a ceiling with mobile technology? When the HTC One (M8) went on sale some clever PR meant it generated a lot of hype. But the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 went on sale within days of the HTC; and once the hype dies down it will not only struggle to stand out in the shadow of products from technology giants Sony and Samsung, but it will struggle to stand out against its predecessor. The HTC One M8 isn't alone in this regard. What's interesting is that none of these devices is noticeably different from its predecessor. There's very little difference in appearance, and no particularly noteworthy new features (at least none that will persuade you to part with upwards of £500).
36 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 36
23/04/2014 17:54
The worst offender is the Xperia Z2, which has superseded the Z1 after just a few short months and is barely any different. It has a slightly bigger screen, a slightly better processor and the ability to record and output 4K video. Moving on to the Galaxy S5, Samsung has matched Apple's iPhone 5s with a fingerprint scanner and one-upped it with a heart-rate sensor. Okay, it's a first for a smartphone, but it's more of a gimmick than a revolutionary feature. The S5 is also dust- and waterresistant; sorry, Samsung, we've seen it all before. HTC has taken its popular 2013 flagship smartphone and adopted the fine-tuning approach with minor improvements all round. Its USP is the Duo Camera, which lets you change the focus point after a photo has been captured. It's a decent innovation but, unless you use it on the right photo, it's shown up for what it is: a poor imitation of a Lytro camera. What's most disappointing is the lack of progress in displays. All these smartphones have the same full-HD resolution as last year's models: what happened to the promise of Quad HD or 4K? With
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 37 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 37
23/04/2014 17:54
the iPhone 5s packing a 64-bit chip, it's a shame to see these Android flagships sticking with 32-bit processors in 2014. What gives? Is this it for smartphones in 2014? Reader, patience is a virtue. The smartphone market moves so quickly that although it might appear nothing much is happening, there's more to come. Smartphones seem to be emulating Intel's 'tick-tock' cycle, which sees its chips get a new microarchitecture and a die shrink in alternate releases. This is most evident in iPhones, with Apple launching a new design, and following it up the next year with an ‘S’ model. And let's not get ahead of ourselves: it's still early in the year and there are a couple of handsets in the works that could buck the trend. 38 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 38
23/04/2014 17:54
Chief among these is the LG G3, which follows the brilliant G2 that still tops many smartphone charts. This could well be the first handset with a 4K display – and that's more than just a hunch. The firm’s display arm showed off a Quad-HD screen for mobile devices last August, around the time the G2 was announced. The LG G3 is rumoured to launch in the coming months, which should be plenty of time to get that panel into a handset. Whether we need 4K on a smartphone is another matter. The other big launch is the iPhone 6, which is likely to be announced in September. I’m expecting great things from Apple here – rumours of a larger screen are surely the tip of the iceberg. If you've got a 2013 flagship smartphone and are eager to upgrade, you might do better to wait until 2015. Let's hope LG and/or Apple can bring us some real excitement this year.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 39 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 39
23/04/2014 17:54
How long will it take advertisers to ruin wearable tech? Are smartwatches and smartglasses just another platform for advertising?
T
he advertising industry has a long tradition of co-opting any cultural trend or tech innovation that attracts a following, and along the way draining whatever made it good in the first place. Long before a middle-aged Johnny Rotten accepted Country Life’s buttery dollars, the punk look and sound had been deployed wherever a commercial needed a 15-second shorthand for teenage rebellion. And devotees of skating, surfing, gaming, hacking and even videos of musicians dancing on treadmills will be familiar with the same awful feeling – that the thing you love has just been ruined to get someone else to buy car insurance. There’s a good chance that the next target is wearable tech, which stands for nearly everything advertising agencies most admire: wealth; status; youth and innovation; exclusivity (at least in the case of Google Glass); and, most importantly, the capacity to capture vast quantities of consumer data. Yet it’s hard to be sure of wearables’ future because one of the biggest players has yet to even join the game. We are still awaiting Apple’s take on the concept; whether that will take the form of a smartwatch – the long-foretold iWatch
40 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 40
23/04/2014 17:54
– or a headset, or even a ring, it seems unlikely that Cupertino will be able to keep its hands off wearables for long. But if so, it will be interesting to see how Apple differentiates itself in a market that is filling up rapidly. In the case of the iPhone, famously, the company’s bosses sat down and groused to one another about everything they disliked about their mobiles, then set out to fix it all. It’s almost become an Apple trademark: the flawed, immature market, the brainstorm, and finally the market-changing product. But it hasn’t happened for a while. And if the iWatch truly is the next project, the question is this: what is it about wearables that needs fixing? One clue to that will be provided by the next few steps taken by Google’s Glass headset – a stunning and potentially landmark product that nevertheless offers possibilities that are thrilling (to advertisers) ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 41 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 41
23/04/2014 17:54
“
and ominous (to the rest of us). Its ability to sense not only where you are, but what you’re looking at, combined with knowledge of your buying habits and control of a screen you carry around on your face all day long, makes it pretty much the technology that an advertiser would build if given unlimited resources and time. An example of the way Google Glass could host advertising has been offered by Blippar, a clever image-recognition app that spots coded pictures – on billboards or newspapers, for instance – and turns them into augmented reality video, adverts or whatever the original coder wishes. Look at a film poster with your Glass headset on, for instance, and it might automatically play you the trailer. And smartwatches aren’t far behind on advertisers’ wishlists, as Todd Wasserman recently warned on the website Mashable. Smartwatches – watches generally – are much more intimate than phones, and more integrated into our lives; they’re literally on our bodies at all times. Which makes advertising on this format far more difficult to ignore. Passed a branch of Banana Republic? Perhaps Banana Republic would like to remind you about a sale it’s running. Oh, did you post about your running times on Twitter? Perhaps Banana Republic has some nice running gear in stock.
Smartwatches are much more intimate than phones – they're literally on our bodies at all times
42 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 42
”
23/04/2014 17:55
“
Anything that is overtly advertising intruding into the user's relationship with the device runs the risk of appearing crass As often with technological advances, sci-fi got there first; the film usually referenced in these discussions is Minority Report, with its unctuous virtual shop assistants that pop up when you walk into the Gap and offer items similar to previous purchases. A closer analogue may be found in Terry Gilliam’s far more recent Zero Theorem, which depicts hypertargeted advertising as the unreliable mess we all secretly suspect it may become. Could we end up in a world like Minority Report? The thing is, unlike in most of cinema’s dystopias, that’s up to us – the market will go where users lead it. If nobody uses Blippar, Blippar will die out. But the evidence suggests, sadly, that most of us would happily sign up to the most intrusive of targeted advertising if it’s presented to us as a way to get something for free. The key thing for tomorrow’s wearable-tech advertisers to consider is intrusiveness. Wearable tech is personal, intimate; anything that is overtly advertising intruding into the user’s relationship with the device runs the risk of appearing crass. Smartwatch notifications need to be trimmed back to the bare minimum; they aren’t like smartphone alerts, which are relatively easy to ignore. If you keep tapping your users on the wrist, asking for their attention, you’re headed for trouble.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 43 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 43
23/04/2014 17:55
3G, 4G and other mobile connectivity explained What do those little symbols at the top of your smartphone's screen really mean?
W
e all know that the little blobs or bars in the top-right corner of our smartphone displays indicate the level of signal strength we have when making a phone call. But what are the cryptic letters that are seen next to them? GPRS, E, 3G and 4G are all indicators of signal strength for downloading and uploading data to your smartphone – for browsing the web, sending/ receiving emails, watching videos and so on. This is not the same as the signal strength of actual, oldfashioned phone calls, but the speed with which you can download or upload data. Each generation of data network gets faster. We saw 2G from 1999, 3G from 2001, and 4G in 2012. 5G is some way off, though.
44 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 44
23/04/2014 17:55
If you see nothing next to the call-strength bars then you’re out of luck when it comes to downloading or uploading any data. You need to move to a location with better data signal strength or find a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Wi-Fi on your smartphone This is potentially the best and cheapest data delivery mode you’ll get using your smartphone. It can be super-fast, and it can be terribly slow, depending on the connection and the number of people using that Wi-Fi source. It won’t use up any of your smartphone's contract data allowance, so – unless you have to pay for it – it should be free, and will usually be pretty fast.
GPRS explained One step up from no data signal at all is GPRS, which stands for General Packet Radio Service. Wikipedia defines GPRS as “a packet oriented mobile data service on the 2G and 3G cellular communication system's global system for mobile communications (GSM)”. GPRS provides data rates of 35- to 171kb/s. 2G cellular technology combined with GPRS is sometimes described as 2.5G. It provides slowspeed data transfer. All you need to know is that GPRS means you might eventually get a web page to load or an email or iMessage to send, but it will probably take longer than you have patience. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 45 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 45
23/04/2014 17:55
What’s it like? GPRS is like asking your elderly neighbour to deliver the mail for you.
EDGE explained The E stands for EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution). This is a step up from GPRS and can reach speeds of between 120- and 384kb/s. What’s it like? Edge is like asking your neighbour’s child to deliver the mail for you.
3G explained The 3G standard uses a technology called UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) as its core network architecture. It first saw the light of day in 2001. This network combines aspects of the 2G network with some new technologies and protocols to deliver a significantly faster data rate. 46 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 46
23/04/2014 17:55
Possible 3G speeds are 384kb/s to 2Mb/s. There’s another brand of 3G called HPSA, sometimes dubbed 3.5G, which boasts potential speeds of between 600kb/s and a whopping 10Mb/s, although the average is 1- to 3Mb/s. What’s it like? 3G is like asking delivering the mail yourself.
4G explained 4G is the fastest data network speed you’ll see on your smartphone today. Depending on signal strength 4G can often be faster than using Wi-Fi, but also more expensive if you use a lot of data. On average it's five times faster than 3G. 4G is based on the WiMAX or LTE (Long Term Evolution) systems, and has a theoretical maximum speed of 100Mb/s. You'll never see that, though: 3- to 10Mb/s is the average. If you’re really lucky you might top 20Mb/s. There are different bands of 4G. 2.6GHz 4G is the fastest, followed by 1.8GHz and 800MHz. While 800MHz doesn’t boast the same data capacity as the faster 4G bands, it is better at travelling over longer distances and in penetrating walls. Vodafone and EE both own chunks of the 2.6GHz and 800MHz bands. EE also uses the 1.8GHz ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 47 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 47
23/04/2014 17:55
spectrum. O2 currently uses just the 800MHz 4G spectrum, so may suffer in inner-city environments. Three also uses the 800MHz band, and some 1.8GHz spectrum. To get 4G your smartphone needs to be compatible with the service. 4G subscriptions are usually more expensive than 3G, but if you download a lot of data it may well be worth it. Carriers claim that 98 percent of the UK should be able to access 4G within two years. What’s it like? 4G is like paying a speedy courier to deliver the mail for you.
5G explained After 4G comes 5G, which is expected in 2020. Samsung is working to develop a 5G network (mmWave Mobile Technology) with a potential top speed of 1Gb/s. That’s 100 times faster than 4G. “5G will be capable of providing a ubiquitous gigabit experience to subscribers anywhere and 48 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 48
23/04/2014 17:55
offers data transmission speeds of up to several tens of Gb/s per base station”, boasts the company. What’s it like? 5G will be like using high-speed stealth drones to deliver your mail for you.
Downloads faster than uploads Downloading stuff on your smartphone is faster than uploading content. Much faster. In tests on our sister site Computerworld we found uploading to be painfully slow. While 3G mustered a 25kb/s throughput, 4G was able to move 41kb/s – not a terribly significant improvement. Clearly, this service is more useful for downloading large chunks of data, such as monster spreadsheets, videos and presentations, than for tasks such as uploading content or sending emails bulging with attachments.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 49 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 49
23/04/2014 17:55
e n o h p a n Ca or tabletyour replace doctor?
Medical apps and devices are placing the future of healthcare in the palm of our hands
T
he past few years has seen a huge growth in the health- and fitness market for mobile devices. Activity trackers such as the Nike Fuelband, Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up will monitor your physical activity throughout the day, and even while you sleep. Diet-logging apps such as MyFitnessPal will help you control the amount of calories you eat, and some fitness apps can even turn your daily run into a frantic escape from a zombie hoard, which is pretty good motivation on a cold December morning. This is all very useful, but how
50 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 50
23/04/2014 17:55
far can it really go in terms of our well being? Can our mobile devices become more than just a way to monitor our lives? Could they end up saving them? Dr Larry Smarr is a hugely respected American computer scientist, who helped popularise the use of high-speed networks before the internet. For the past few years he has been involved in an experiment in which he monitors nearly every aspect of his life – weight, calories, activity, sleep, urine, saliva, blood and even stool. This may sound excessive, and for most people it certainly would be, but by using technology to accurately record such a comprehensive range data about himself he is able to spot tiny changes in his body, which led to a remarkable discovery. Before any observable symptoms appeared, Dr Smarr was able to diagnose that he was suffering from the early stages of Crohn’s disease. Dr Larry Smarr
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 51 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 51
23/04/2014 17:55
“In a world in which you can see what you’re doing to yourself as you go along,” Dr Smarr told the BBC’s Horizon program, “the hope is that people will take more personal responsibility for themselves, in keeping themselves healthy. So, it’s almost like we’re at day zero of a whole new world of medicine, and what will come out the other end is a far healthier society that’s focussed on wellness rather than trying to fix sickness when it’s way too late.” Dr Smarr may have all the advantages of a complete medical lab behind him, but the principle he asserts – that devices can help us notice trends before they become serious – is a very real possibility today. And some innovative manufacturers are starting to realise the potential of mobile devices. AliveCor is a San Francisco based company that has designed and built a mobile accessory that’s far more useful than Will.i.am’s gold plated iPhone case, and is also considerably cheaper, too. The Heart Rate Monitor case (£169, pictured below) for iPhone and Android allows users to monitor their heart rate via a slim protective cover that adds little bulk to the handset.
52 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 52
23/04/2014 17:55
“
Data-driven healthcare will be able to help predict and prevent known or unknown adverse health conditions “We built the device to provide immediate access to ECG rhythm data for patients and healthcare providers,” explains Euan Thompson, AliveCor’s President and CEO. “The AliveCor Heart Monitor provides people with suspected or diagnosed heart conditions, and those at risk of heart conditions, the ability to track their heart health anytime, anywhere, at an affordable cost.” At first glance the case looks similar to many on the market; in that it’s black, offers a moderate amount of protection, and has gaps for all the ports. The one main difference is found on the back, where two silver bumps house the device’s sensors. “By pressing the fingertips of both hands on the electrodes,” reveals Euan, “an ECG is easily recorded in approximately 30 seconds.” The readings are then displayed on the corresponding AliveECG app, giving users the ability to record the patterns over time to build up a detailed picture of their heart. This might sound like navel gazing to some, but when you consider the fact that heart disease is by far the biggest killer of men in the UK, being able to see any irregular behaviour ahead of time could be a literal life saver. “As healthcare continues to evolve, we believe mobile health will transition into the standard of care,” says Thompson. “Mobile health devices have the
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 53 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 53
23/04/2014 17:55
potential to enable data-driven healthcare that will, in effect, be able to help predict and prevent known or unknown adverse health conditions. It will not only impact the practice of medicine, but the way medical research is done.” This sentiment is also held by Azoi, an Indian company with its own iPhone case (and standalone module for Android users), which can measure not only your heart rate but also blood pressure, blood oxygen, temperature, and (via an included peripheral) the capacity of your lungs. The Wello (£120, pictured below) is an impressive piece of technology, which utilises built-in sensors in a similar fashion to the AliveCor case. Its extended range of functions also mean that it could prove useful in building up a wider mosaic of your health-related data, something that would have been next to impossible without access to advanced medical equipment only a few years ago.
54 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 54
23/04/2014 17:55
“Thanks to developments in technology,” states Azoi CEO Hamish Patel, “health monitoring can now be incorporated within everyday products – this is key as it makes it much less intimidating. Indeed, mobile computing is driving a profound shift in healthcare – empowering people to better understand and better manage their own health by making better lifestyle decisions. Judging by the demand we've seen for the product since launch, it is clear to us that this shift is already underway.” The big players in the industry would also agree. Qualcomm, usually known for providing the majority of chips inside mobile phones, is investing substantial amounts in the areas of mobile healthcare. In 2012 it launched the Tricorder X Prize (pictured above), a global competition in which independent teams are challenged to build a handheld device capable of diagnosing fifteen key diseases, plus various health indicators, through non-invasive means. As the name suggests, this is based on the magical medical device that Dr McCoy used to wield on Star Trek, with Qualcomm even having Brent Spiner, who played Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, help launch the competition. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 55 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 55
23/04/2014 17:55
“
It's fairly easy to generate large amounts of data from the human body; it's far more difficult to know what it means While the dream of this technology may have originated in the realm of science fiction, the $10m prize, not to mention the $25,000 cost of entry for teams, shows that the Tricorder, at least in some form, may be a very imminent creation. The idea of medical devices, perhaps incorporated into our phones, is tangible and realistic in the next few years. But how people will actually use them? After all, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you ever spot an emerging illnesses? Then there’s the more worrying issue that many people already resist the need to visit their GP even when they feel ill, so what potential harm could a device of your own bring with it? “We simply don't know,” states Dr Margaret McCartney, long time GP and regular contributor to the British Medical Journal. “The fear is that the wrong people do and don't get medical attention. Instead people's information is a false positive or get false reassurance. Time and again we assume that more information is better for us when the truth is more complex and counterintuitive.” “‘The big problem is the lack of direct evidence of benefit,” she continues. “It's fairly easy to generate large amounts of data from the human body; it's far more difficult to know what it means (what's normal/abnormal) and whether there are effective
”
56 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 56
23/04/2014 17:55
interventions based on that data that will do more good than harm. It would be absolutely possible to do randomised controlled trials, but at present the growth of the self-monitoring industry has not been matched by quality research.” This growth can be seen in a report issued by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, which found more than 40,000 health-related apps available on the iTunes store alone. These ranged from “simple provision of health information, such as the NHS symptom checker app, to tracking the locations and severity of asthma attacks through a Bluetooth peripheral attached to an inhaler”. In response to this overwhelming choice the NHS has set up its own repository at apps.nhs.uk, where those listed have been approved by the organisation. “Apps can only become part of the library,” explains Inderjit Singh, head of enterprise architecture at NHS England, “if they have gone through a review process that looks at the information governance, the clinical safety and the potential clinical risks”. While apps and devices that diagnose symptoms and provide advice on treatment may still be out of reach, using them alongside existing medical services as complementary therapy is already beginning. It might also go a long way to helping the current workload on the NHS. One such app is Vitrucare, by Dynamic Health Systems, which helps people with long-term illnesses manage their condition. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 57 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 57
23/04/2014 17:55
“70 percent of the NHS cost is on people with long term conditions – that’s £80 billion per year” explains Dr Richard Pope, Clinical Director at DHS. “About 60 percent of a GP’s time is spent managing the care of people with long-term illness. So it’s a huge problem, and it’s growing like topsy because of the change in the structure of the population and the fact that nobody takes enough exercise.” Vitrucare is a web-based service that monitors data recorded by patients with existing conditions, and helps them set and achieve goals that will improve their health. “It dovetails in with the clinical service and eases the burden on that service, and gives the patient a much more immediate response than they might otherwise be able to get. What we do, is if somebody puts in results that we think are outside an appropriate range of self care then they get a warning.” 58 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 58
23/04/2014 17:55
Because the system has been designed by medical professionals, is focussed on specific areas of care, and has been set up via an in-depth consultationstyle process, it enables the program to have more precision in its delivery. “People who are managing long-term illness are, in many ways, acting like athletes,” says Pope. “In other words they have to watch their diet, they have to take a series of steps – instead of training it might be medication – they have to monitor what they’re doing... it is like an athlete, it’s the same sort of thing. So if you wrap an electronic coach around the person you can actually help them really substantially to achieve the sort of things that are important to them.” There can be no doubt that the collection of data about our bodies and behaviours can be a strong weapon against illness, as long as it is shared with medical professionals who know how to interpret it correctly. Visiting your GP with more information than
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 59 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 59
23/04/2014 17:56
“I feel a bit off ” could be the difference between a long, drawn-out diagnosis and a quick solution to your malady. As mobile devices gain in power and popularity we face a new phase of health that will look very different to what we have had up until now. “The technology wasn’t there,” Pope concludes, “the users of technology weren’t ready for it, and the cost of delivering the technology was too high. Of course, all of those things have changed and we’ve got an alignment of the planets here which we have to take advantage of.” Then there’s the threat of legal complaints brought by customers who have missed vital indicators and now want recompense. It’s a perilous road to walk, and it’s no surprise that all the companies we spoke to took the same line when it came to their legal position. “We're trying to help people manage their health more effectively and make better lifestyle choices,” says Azoi’s CEO. “We're not a replacement for medical care. We have been very careful to make sure that people understand that.” 60 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 60
23/04/2014 17:56
Why you need a dual-SIM smartphone We look at five reasons why maintaining two smartphone contracts is worth your while
M
otorola's Moto G is not just a great dualSIM smartphone; it's one of our favourite smartphones. And with the announcement of the first Windows dual-SIM Phone, the Nokia Lumia 630, Android Advisor has compiled five reasons why the often overlooked perk could save you pounds.
1. The benefits of two plans Different plans offer different benefits. Having a smartphone that supports two SIM cards will allow you to milk the value of both plans, while keeping your minimum monthly spend low. One SIM card could have a great plan for data, while the other could be great value for voice calls.
2. Who wants to carry a personal- and a business phone? The novelty of carrying two phones quickly wears thin. Having a dual-SIM phone allows you to carry one phone that can accommodate your personal and your business line. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 61 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 61
23/04/2014 17:56
3. The Stinson We don't encourage The Stinson. In fact, we actively discourage The Stinson. But we wouldn't be doing our job if The Stinson – named after the promiscuous Barney Stinson from TV show How I Met Your Mother – didn't make the list. Dual-SIM smartphones can carry two SIM cards, which means one mobile can receive calls from two different numbers. People who don't want certain phone numbers showing up on one bill can use the other SIM card to make phone calls.
4. Global roaming Going overseas? A dual-SIM smartphone is an easy way to keep receiving messages from people at home. Purchase a local SIM and pop it in the second tray to avoid nasty international roaming charges when you call people in the country you're visiting.
5. In case of emergency The major mobile operators cover most – but definitely not all – of the UK. Having the SIM cards of two networks is like having a safety net. If one SIM card isn't picking up a signal, there's a chance the other one could. 62 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 62
23/04/2014 17:56
Best dual-SIM smartphones You want to carry two SIMs in a single phone, but which are the best phones that have this functionality?
D
ual-SIM smartphones give you the opportunity to have two different phone networks on a single piece of hardware, saving you money and also the nuisance of carrying around two different gadgets with you. The demand for dual-SIM smartphones has risen dramatically in recent years, and the market is finally starting to catch up. Here are some of our favourites of those available. Pricing information is from Amazon, but shop around and you may find a better deal.
Motorola Moto G • £245 • motorola.com Motorola's Moto G is still the best budget smartphone around. It's got great build quality, an excellent screen and decent cameras, and is limited only in the storage department and a lack of 4G support. A great buy. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 63 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 63
23/04/2014 17:56
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Dual-SIM • £262 • samsung.com/uk The Galaxy S4 mini is a great mid-range option, offering the same styling as the full-blown S4, but with a cheaper price tag. The cameras are good, but the screen and storage are both under par.
HTC One Dual SIM 802w • £540 • htc.com/uk The HTC One has superb performance and excellent build quality, spoiled only slightly by running hot in use. You can't fault the feature set, and in terms of audio visual output it is unsurpassed.
64 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 64
23/04/2014 17:56
Sony Xperia C Dual SIM C2305 • £229 • sony.co.uk Sony's Xperia C is a 5in smartphone with an 8Mp camera. With a 1.2GHz quad-core processor inside and running Google Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, it's 8.9mm thick and weighs just 153g.
Acer Liquid S1 Dual SIM • £333 • acer.com With a 5.7in (1280x720, 258ppi) screen the Acer Liquid S1 is a beast of a handset, yet it's still just 8mm thick. Inside you'll find a 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. Acer's Float UI is a nice addition.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 65 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 65
23/04/2014 17:56
LG G Flex curved-screen smartphone review Are curved screens deserving of the hype they've received? We test the LG G Flex £499 • lg.com/uk •
T
he G Flex is LG's first curved-screen smartphone, going up against the Samsung Galaxy Round. It's got a bendy or flexible screen, which is fixed in a set curve. While Samsung has gone for a side to side curve on the Galaxy round, the G Flex does things in the opposite direction. It is curved from top to bottom in
66 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 66
23/04/2014 17:56
a banana like shape. LG says, from a design point of view, this is all about ergonomics. It's supposed to fit your face better when making a call and sit more comfortably in your hand. In all honesty it doesn't feel much different than a regular flat smartphone in either of these scenarios. What we can say is that it fits much better in a back pocket. Underachieving ergonomics aside, a bigger problem is the sheer size of the G Flex. Yes, it matches the contour of my face better than a 'normal' smartphone, but it knocks my glasses out of the way in order to have a conversation. I could use it as a shade from the midday sun it's so big. I have very few items of clothing with pockets big enough for the G Flex, so I suspect female users will have to keep this device in a bag. LG has opted for a 6in screen, putting it in the phablet category with devices such as the HTC One Max, Nokia Lumia 1520 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra. It makes the LG G2 look small.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 67 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 67
23/04/2014 17:56
A big screen is great if you want to watch a lot of video, but in everyday use the G Flex is cumbersome and unwieldy. With my relatively large hands, I can reach a third of the display when held in one hand. Be prepared to adopt a two-handed approach. The back of the G Flex looks at lot like the G2 with LG's Rear Key – power and volume keys below the camera lens rather than on the side or top of the device. I like this feature, but it's not for everyone. As with the G2, you can switch on and off the screen with a double tap. On the rear of the G Flex is a self-healing cover, which is supposed to remove light scratches caused by loose coins and keys in your pocket, not the aggressive kind of scrapes caused by dropping the phone on hard ground. It's difficult to test this over a relatively short period of time – we'd like to take a 68 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 68
23/04/2014 17:56
photo of the back after months of usage – but after a few days there are a few hairline scratches on the plastic surface. In the G Flex's defence, these are only really noticeable if you are actively looking for them. Our first sample of the G Flex had some serious screen issues, including a horrible blue tint on about half of the display and some distracting image retention, or 'ghosting'. So much so that we swapped it for another handset and fortunately, things got a lot better. There was no blue tint and, although there is some image retention, it lasts only a split second. Something which didn't go away is a grainy quality to the image. It gives a softness that some users might like, but compared to other smartphones it simply looks inferior. It's strange that LG has opted for a 720p resolution instead of full-HD 1080p. On a 6in screen this makes for an unattractive pixel density of just 245ppi. It's not something we want to see on a premium smartphone, no matter how curved the screen is. The curved nature of the G Flex is undoubtedly cool. But the fascination over this quickly wears off and, over time, we've realised the benefits to the curved screen are minimal. It's supposed to be more immersive when watching a film or playing a game in landscape mode, but we
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 69 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 69
23/04/2014 17:56
haven't noticed a difference to a regular flat screen. What it does do is give a more dimensional feel when scrolling lists or pages with the G Flex in portrait mode. This could potentially make some users feel nauseous, in the same way do 3D screens.
Hardware & performance Like the G2 and other premium smartphones, the G Flex has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. Unsurprisingly, our benchmark results are almost identical to those we saw from its smaller counterpart. Geekbench 3 yielded a score of 2273 points; GFXBench 2.7 came in at 28fps; and we recorded 1103ms in SunSpider. That's almost up there with the impressive HTC One M8. With almost every smartphone manufacturer boosting performance for benchmark apps, we're much less bothered about numbers. From a realworld user perspective the G Flex offers decent performance. That Snapdragon 800 has proven to be a formidable force and is very capable of dealing with most requests. 70 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 70
23/04/2014 17:56
Storage There's only one model of the G Flex and it has 32GB of internal storage. That's a decent amount, given that most phones in this price range have half that. However, the device doesn't have a microSD card slot, and it's not like there isn't room for one.
Infrared and wireless As with the G2, the G Flex has an infrared transmitter for taking control of devices such as your TV. There's a Quick Remote section of the notification bar, which you can toggle on and off so you don't even need to launch the app to change channels or adjust volume. You'll need to hold the phone upright for it to work properly, though, since the sensor is located on the back, next to the camera rather than on top like a traditional remote. As for other wireless options, you get pretty much what you'd expect from a top-end device. There's
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 71 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 71
23/04/2014 17:56
Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, dual-band Wi-Fi up to 802.11ac, NFC, GPS and support for 4G LTE networks. What we're still not seeing is wireless charging. It seems that only top-range Nokia and Google Nexus devices have this feature as standard.
Cameras It's good news that the G Flex wields the same camera technology as the G2. That means it's got a 13Mp rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS). There's no dedicated camera button but, like most smartphones, you can use the volume buttons to snap away. The RearKey location makes this pretty tricky, though. Our main complaint is that the autofocus takes a little while, certainly compared to the latest flagships such as the Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. However, if you can be patient, the G Flex can take decent photos. You'll typically get the best result if you use
Photo captured with standard settings
72 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 72
23/04/2014 17:56
Photo captured with HDR
the HDR mode and we also found the phone coped well in low light – if you have a steady hand. A range of shooting modes includes Burst Shot, Sports and Night. We're not so bothered about Beauty Shot and Dual Camera (a selfie slapped over a regular photo). The G Flex can shoot full-HD video at 30- and 60fps, and can even turn its hand to 4K recording. A front-facing 2.1Mp camera offers decent quality for selfies and can shoot video in full-HD.
Software The G Flex runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but an update to 4.4 KitKat is rolling out in Korea and should make its way overseas soon. We've upgraded our LG G2 to the latest version and there are minimal changes. LG has put a lot of work into its Android user interface, adding lots of additional features that ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 73 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 73
23/04/2014 17:56
will come in handy. The interface is stylish and comes with some decent wallpapers and useful widgets such as the task manager. We're not so keen on the cartoon-style app icons, though. The notification bar has plenty going on and can get pretty messy with a few things toggled on. With Quick Remote and QSlide switched on, any notifications are off the bottom of the screen. That's the price for features, though, but it's easy enough to have them there only when you're using them. We love the useful sliders for screen brightness and volume. There are plenty of customisation options, which you'll find in the Display tab of the Settings menu. These include screen-off effect (retro TV is the best), screen swipe effect, font type, font size, smart screen (keeps the screen on as long as you're looking at it) and more. There's even different screen modes and the ability to adjust the screen capture area for screenshots. Good work LG. As with the G2, the G Flex has a Guest mode so others can't access your personal content and apps which you might not want children to access. This is accessed by an alternative lock pattern. You can also switch on and off the screen with a double tap, although it doesn't work every time. 74 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 74
23/04/2014 17:56
Since the screen is so big, an advantage is the ability to use Dual Window to simultaneously view two apps. If this doesn't tickle your fancy perhaps Slide Aside will, which lets you save up to three favourite apps with a three-finger gesture, making it an alternative to the regular Android multi-tasking. The list goes on with QSlide, which allows you to run certain apps in a pop-out window and adjust the transparency so you see what's behind. LG seems to have realised that no-one will be able to reach the top of the G Flex's screen, so it's added an optional button to the navigation bar that will pull down the bar and fling it back up for you. You can also bunch the navigations to one side for easier onehanded operation. Furthermore, you can adjust the position of the LG G Flex's dial keypad, lockscreen PIN and keyboard. The slight problem is that you wouldn't necessarily know these features were there unless you explore the settings menu.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 75 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 75
23/04/2014 17:56
“
Its curved screen is too big and just 720p, offering no real benefits. Save some money on this gimmick and get the G2
We love the amount of extra features LG offers with its Android overlay and, although they can be a little hard to find, the tutorial would be far too long if the firm highlighted them all.
”
Battery life A physically large smartphone such as the G Flex gives the manufacturer the opportunity to install a large battery. The G Flex has a 3500mAh capacity, which is a fair amount larger than most handsets. The G Flex has a standard battery saving mode and, after 24 hours of regular usage, a little over 50 percent remained. This is one advantage of the low-resolution screen.
Verdict The LG G Flex has some decent hardware, including a great camera, generous storage and excellent software. But its curved screen is too big and just 720p, offering no real benefits. We'd save some money on this gimmick and buy a proper phone such as the LG G2. 76 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 76
23/04/2014 17:56
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review Sony's tablet is a true rival to the iPad Air and other large-screen tablets £399 • sony.co.uk •
T
he Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is out now, with a starting price of £399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only model. This scales up to £449 for the 32GB Wi-Fi-only model, and £499 for the 16GB LTE model. There's no 32GB tablet with cellular connectivity. This is a well-priced device. As we'll discover in our review, the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is a high-class Android tablet, most closely comparable to Apple's ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 77
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 77
23/04/2014 17:56
iPad Air. The starting price is the same as Apple's 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad, and the 32GB Sony tablet is cheaper by £30. The 16GB LTE Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet costs the same as Apple's equivalent iPad. Shop around and you can get the Xperia Z2 Tablet cheaper, too. All of which means that the price is right for a premium tablet. But whether you choose to buy will depend on what follows in our Xperia Z2 Tablet review. (For obvious reasons we will be comparing to the iPad Air at various points in this review.)
Build quality, design Straight out of the box we are smitten by the Xperia Z2 Tablet. It is the thinnest and lightest 10in tablet you can buy – noticeably thinner and lighter than the iPad Air, which is itself famously easy to hold and carry. The Xperia Z2 Tablet weighs just 426g – or 439g if you opt for the LTE version.
78 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 78
23/04/2014 17:57
“
The Xperia Z2 Tablet is waterproof and dust-resistant. It's built to last and feels so It's exceptionally thin, too, at just 6.4mm. Again, that's thinner than the iPad Air and any other 7in or 10in tablet you can name. And it matters, not just for reasons of tablet oneupmanship. Holding the Xperia Z2 Tablet feels great, despite the large, 10.1in display, and for lengthy periods of time in standing, sitting and lying positions. Previously we have preferred 7in tablets such as the Nexus 7 or iPad mini, simply because the bigger tablets feel to bulky to hold when watching movies or reading books. But you could spend hours using the Xperia Z2 Tablet without wrist-strain, even when reading in bed. That's a big win. It doesn't, of course, solve the problem of having to carry your 10in tab in a bag where a Kindle-sized 7-incher can slip into a coat pocket – but the trade off of larger screen to weight and bulk feels like a deal worth making with the Xperia Z2. And you can just sling this tablet into a bag, too. The Xperia Z2 Tablet is waterproof and dust resistant. It's built to last and feels so, constructed principally of metal and glass, but with a rubbery outer coat around the back and on the corners. That rear cover provides grip but does get grubby with fingerprints, though. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and your views may differ, but we think the Xperia 2 Tablet is a good-looking device, too. It's a simple, stylish device.
”
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 79 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 79
23/04/2014 17:57
A slice of black or white tech sharing the same rounded corners and metal frame as the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone but – to our eyes at least – looking somewhat smarter for larger scale. Our complaint is functional rather than stylistic, in that the bezel is a little larger than we would like. We presume that this is a trade-off in return for the incredible thinness (not a phrase ever used about your author). It's available in black or white. We tested – and prefer – the black Xperia Tablet Z2.
Display That design is of course built around a 10in display. It's the bit you'll be looking at, so let's take a closer look right now. The Xperia Z2 Tablet in fact sports a full-HD 10.1in display. This packs a whopping 1920x1200-pixel resolution, giving it a pixel density of 224ppi. That's up there with some pretty decent smartphones, but not quite as sharp a display as the market-leading iPad Air. It's an IPS display and the aspect ratio is 16:10, so viewing angles are good but there is a little screen space under utilised when watching movies. 80 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 80
23/04/2014 17:57
Sony tells us that the Xperia Z2's display has been given a colour boost thanks to TRILUMINOS and Live Colour LED – designed to increase the colour accuracy, depth and gradation. Which is nice. Of course, all that is so much window dressing. What matters is that we found the Xperia Z2 Tablet's display to be simply stunning. It displays crisp, vivid colours. Watching TV and movies is great. Photos are faithfully reproduced with great clarity but not too much colour as you sometimes find with OLED displays on smartphones. And text documents are sharp, even when you zoom in. The touchscreen responsive in use, bar the almost imperceptible lag that is found on all Android devices when compared directly with their iOS equivalents. And from our initial roughhouse tests at least it seems reasonably immune to scratching. Our only complaint was that the display was all but impossible to see in natural daylight.
Specification, performance As you would expect at the premium end of the market the Xperia Z2 Tablet is blessed with a strong specification. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 81 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 81
23/04/2014 17:57
quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz – the same chip as the superfast Xperia Z2 smartphone. This is a Krait 400 CPU with which you get Adreno 320 graphics. It's paired with 3GB RAM. Other key specs include a massive 6000mAh battery, and a MicroSD slot so you can add up to 64GB of storage. Our 16GB model had 11.2GB available to use out of the box. It all adds up to a beast of a tablet. Despite the thin and light shell the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a snappy performer. We'll get into synthetic benchmarks in a moment, but the most important thing to say is that you will find the Z2 Tablet fast and responsive. As fast and responsive as any Android device we have used, even when placed under load. Benchmarks are fun because they give you an idea of where a tablet or smartphone ranks against its rival, but take them with a pinch of salt. They are synthetic test designed to give you a number, not hard-andfast rankings. None the less, the Xperia Z2 Tablet's 82 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 82
23/04/2014 17:57
benchmark performance backs up our subjective experience of a superfast tablet – mostly. The exception was the SunSpider Javascript test from which we got a decent but not amazing average score of 1099ms. Lower is better in this test which measures your browser's ability to handle Javascript, and the iPad Air blitzes the Xperia Z2 Tablet with a score a little faster than 400ms. We have to say that we found web browsing on the Xperia Z2 tablet a joyous experience, and only occasionally laggy. But this is one to chalk up to the iPad. We ran a GFXBench test to benchmark graphics performance. In the T-Rex (onscreen) test we got our best ever tablet result of 1,530 frames at 27fps (averaged over three runs). The Xperia Z2 Tablet will chew up and spit out even the most demanding Android games, and beats out the iPad Air which averaged 1,187 and 21fps.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 83 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 83
23/04/2014 17:57
And then there is Geekbench 3. This is a somewhat controversial all-round benchmark as some Android manufacturers have been accused of designing their devices to perform abnormally well in this test. (Allegations they almost all deny, by the way.) So make of this what you will, but the Xperia Z2 Tablet smashed Geekbench 3 to bits in our tests. It returned an average single-core result of 967, a more important multi-core score of 2719. That's the fastest multi-core result we've ever got from a 10in tablet, comparing well with the iPad Air's 2703 points in multi-core mode; and 1487 points for a single core. All you can really take from this is the fact that the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a fast and responsive tablet. It really is.
Camera
“
It also has a pretty good camera, particularly for a tablet. You'll find an 8.1Mp camera around the back. This has autofocus and captures 3264 x 2448 pixel images which look good on the Xperia Z2 Tablet's display. Additional features include Exmor RS for mobile, which is designed to help users take goodlooking shots in any light, as well as geo-tagging,
The Xperia smashed Geekbench 3 to bits in our tests, with the fastest multi-core result we've ever got from a 10in tablet 84 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 84
”
23/04/2014 17:57
touch focus, face- and smile detection, HDR and a panorama. The rear-facing camera captures 1080p video at 30fps. Up front there is a 2Mp webcam for selfies and video chat. Here are some test images and test video footage, all taken from the rear-facing camera. Click to view at full size. One problem we had was that we Photo captured found it difficult to see what was on the screen when with standard settings taking photos in natural daylight.
Connectivity, accessories Connectivity options on the Xperia Z2 Tablet include NFC. There's wireless charging with supported accessories, as well as the more standard and useful charging and connecting to your PC via USB. The LTE version takes a micro-SIM and offers 2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; 3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 – SGP541, SGP521, SGP551, 4G LTE 70 0/800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600, and LTE 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 85 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 85
23/04/2014 17:57
Obviously the usefulness and availability varies by territory (we tested the Wi-Fi version so couldn't speak to the efficacy of the Xperia Z2 Tablet as a cellular device). Wireless connects via dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. Other features include Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, and Wi-Fi hotspot. And you get Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP peerto-peer connectivity. As mentioned there is an SD card slot. Sony says that the combination of Digital Noise Cancelling, front-facing stereo speakers with S-Force Front Surround and ClearAudio+ for recording means a significantly enhanced audio experience. We think it sounds okay, but no better than you would expect of a decent tablet with front-facing speakers. There are accelerometer-, gyro- and compass sensors, GPS and an FM radio with RDS. In terms of accessories Sony has released a speaker dock and remote control. 86 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 86
23/04/2014 17:57
Software Sony's Xperia Z2 Tablet runs Android 4.4 KitKat, with relatively little customisation. It does have Sony's user interface over the top of vanilla Android. It's a stylish customisation that thankfully doesn't take over the OS in the way that Samsung and HTC's do. KitKat is Google's best ever tablet OS. Feature rich, easy to use and good to look at. It offers full access to the Google Play app- and media stores, as well as Sony's own stores and apps. You can simply mount the Xperia Z2 Tablet as external storage on your PC, but Sony also provides software to make pairing and synching a little easier.
Battery life We haven't yet had time to properly test the Xperia Z2 Tablet's battery life and will update this review when we do. Our early experience of using the Z2 Tablet suggest that it won't be a problem, despite the killer power specs. That 6000mAh battery cell should help. And, according to the company, there's also the Battery STAMINA mode, designed to prolong battery life. We'll test it and get back to you. Find out more about which tablet to buy in our tablets buying advice.
Verdict The Xperia Z2 is a great-looking and well built Android tablet. It is staggeringly thin and light for a 10in device, has a great screen, expandable storage and good performance. We like the OS and the camera. Indeed, our only issues are occasionally laggy web browsing, and the fact that the screen is poor under natural light. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 87 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 87
23/04/2014 17:57
88 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 88
23/04/2014 17:57
Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch review Samsung has turned its back on Android for its second-generation smartwatch, but was it right to do so? £299 • samsung.com/uk •
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 89 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 89
23/04/2014 17:57
T
he wearable-tech market is booming, with more smartwatches and fitness trackers launching all the time. Along with the Galaxy S5 smartphone, Samsung has launched a trio of wearable gadgets consisting of the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit. The Gear 2 is the top of range model and as such has a premium price tag. You'll have to splash out a whopping £299 for this smartwatch, which is considerably more expensive than most. For example, for the same money you could buy three Sony SmartWatch 2s at just £99 each. Before we even start looking at the Gear 2 in detail it's worth pointing out that the device is compatible only with selected Samsung smartphones – 17 of them, including the Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4 mini and Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition).
Design & build We didn't like the bulky design of the Galaxy Gear and things haven't improved much with the Gear 2. The device is only marginally thinner and lighter at 10.1mm and 68g. The weight means you can't forget it's on your arm and the size means it's difficult to
90 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 90
23/04/2014 17:57
find under some clothing – and even if you can, the large bump it creates looks a bit strange. What the Gear 2 lacks in svelteness, it makes up for in style. There's no Samsung logo, which is surprising but gives the watch a clean and uninterrupted look. It's well made and the brushed metal finish oozes class. It's a great device for showing off. It's nice to see the Gear 2 gaining the same IP67 certification as the Galaxy S5. This means it's fully sealed from dust and water-resistant to a depth of 1m for up to 30 minutes. So, you can go running in the desert while it rains without worrying about your precious smartwatch. A physical button sits below the screen and can be used to switch on and off the Gear 2, but you can also just tap the screen itself. However, built-in sensors mean that the display magically comes to ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 91 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 91
23/04/2014 17:57
life when you turn your wrist to look at it. This means you can easily check the time or a notification, but the screen doesn't need to be left on constantly, therefore draining the battery. The Gear 2 charges by clipping on a small plastic module with a microUSB port. It's a neat solution, but forget that piece and you've got no way to recharge the smartwatch. Moving the camera from the strap to the main body (compared to the Galaxy Gear) means that the strap is now changeable for your own. That's always a good design feature for smartwatches. We took a look at the 'charcoal black' Gear 2, but you can also buy it in 'gold brown' and 'wild orange'. Official straps are available in four different colours.
Hardware & specs Samsung has stuck with the same 1.63in SuperAMOLED (320x320) screen that it used for the Galaxy Gear, and that's no bad thing. The display looks gorgeous with those classic Samsung eyepopping colours. The Gear 2 has an outdoor mode 92 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 92
23/04/2014 17:57
(level 6 brightness) that automatically switches off after five minutes to conserve battery. Inside is 4GB of storage for apps, photos, fitness data and music – you'll fill that up quickly if you want to listen to music straight from the Gear 2. Also here is a camera, infrared transmitter and heart-rate monitor. Samsung says the Gear 2 offers a typical battery of two or three days, while lighter users will get up to six. In our own testing we found those claims accurate. If you using the Gear 2 mainly for getting notifications and switch off the device at night it will last the best part of a week. Those regularly using the camera, pedometer and heart-rate monitor will find the Gear 2 will last a few days.
Features Being top of the line – and a typical Samsung product – the Gear 2 is packed with features. It's got just as many bells and whistles as a Morris dancing crew. However, many of them don't really need to appear on a smartwatch.
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 93 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 93
23/04/2014 17:57
Like its predecessor the Gear 2 has a camera, which is now positioned in the main unit rather than the strap. It's a 2Mp camera with autofocus, which can also record 720p video. Pictures are shot in a square ratio and automatically sent to the connected smartphone. Ok, it's in the realm of James Bond cool, but in reality it's a novelty gimmick. Another feature we must file in the novelty category is the infrared (IR) transmitter. This sits next to the camera and, using the WatchOn Remote app, lets you control devices like your TV. It's not restricted to Samsung devices, but the small screen makes for a fiddly experience. At the end of the day, it's easier to change the channel with an actual remote or your smartphone if that has an IR blaster. More handy, for fitness fanatics in any case, is the built-in pedometer and heart-rate monitor. I've been using the Gear 2 with the Galaxy S5, which means a doubling up of these features, but they're more useful in a watch than a smartphone. You can go out for a run with the Gear 2 alone, which is far more convenient. The main issue is that the heart-rate monitor has to be in a specific position to work properly. You can even make and receive calls with the Gear 2, meaning there's a microphone for recording your voice and a tiny speaker so you can hear the person on the other end. It works, but we can't think why you would want to have 94 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 94
23/04/2014 17:57
a conversation with someone over a watch. It's awkward, the quality suffers, and don't even try doing it in a noisy environment – in essence it's a hands-free style call. Something the Gear 2 can do without the need of a smartphone buddy is music playback – you can control what's playing on the companion device, too. You can connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones directly to the smartwatch and listen to your tunes. You can choose what tunes to transfer to the Gear 2's storage with the Gear Manager.
Software & apps As you may have noticed, the Galaxy name has been dropped from the name: the Gear 2 doesn't run Android. Instead of Android, the Gear 2 (and other Gear wearables) is powered by Samsung's own Tizen OS. Tizen is based on Linux, just like Android. In fact, the interface is very similar to that of the Galaxy Gear. It's clean, stylish and easy to use. Navigation ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 95 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 95
23/04/2014 17:57
is simple, with swipe gestures on the touchscreen. Swiping left and right moves between pages of icons and, although it's not intuitive, you quickly get used to swiping down from the top of the screen to go back. As with most smartwatches, you can customise and control the Gear 2 with Samsung's Gear Manager app, which you install on the companion smartphone. Here you can choose different home screen styles, clock faces, choose your notifications and various other settings. Moving from Android to Tizen means a backward step in terms of third-party apps. While devices like the Sony SmartWatch 2 have hundreds of apps to download, the Gear 2 has only a handful, and most of them are watch faces that cost £1.
Verdict The Samsung Gear 2 is a stylish smartwatch packed with features, but it has limited appeal due to small list of compatible devices. It's still too bulky and many of its features don't work well or are unnecessary. It's reasonably expensive, too. 96 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 96
23/04/2014 17:57
How to undo updates to Android apps Go back to a previous version without rooting your device. Here's how
I
f an app update has annoyed you because of changes to the interface, removed certain features or is full of bugs, you probably want to go back to the previous version. Here are a couple of ways you can undo an Android app update and revert to a previous version. Unless you've already installed some backup software which keeps copies of each version of an app, undoing an update isn't straightforward. Android doesn't have a handy ‘roll back’ button. You could factory reset your smartphone or tablet to go back to the original system apps, but that won’t help you for other apps you’ve installed as they will be completely removed and your only option is to reinstall the latest version.
Find the APK file One way you can go back to a previous version of an app is to find the installation file for that version. Android uses APK files for apps, so called because of their .apk file ending. As long as you know which version number you need, you can search the web for the app name, version number and APK. For example, if you wanted to find version 1.5 of BBC iPlayer, you’d search for BBC iPlayer 1.5 APK. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 97 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 97
23/04/2014 17:57
Be careful where you download files, though, as you could inadvertently download malware. If you have an older version of the app on another device, you should be able to extract the APK file from it. If that device is rooted, you can simply grab the APK file from the /data/app/ folder. Otherwise, you can try an app such as My Backup Pro (£3) to make a backup of the app on a microSD card in that device (assuming it has one). Once you have the file you can uninstall the newer version of the app from your device, then copy the older APK file you found to the phone or tablet using Windows Explorer. Copy it to either a new folder or the existing Download folder. Then, you’ll need a File Explorer app to find the file on your Android device, at which point you can tap on it and install it. Note that you will need to tick the box somewhere in your device’s settings menu to allow the installation of apps from 'unknown sources'.
Automatically back up app versions If all of the above fails, there’s really not much you can do. To avoid ending up in the same situation in the future, it’s worth installing an app such as AppMonster Pro Backup Restore (£2.50). This automatically creates a backup each time you install a new app, meaning you’ll always have a copy of the APK files for every version of an app. 98 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 98
23/04/2014 17:57
Improve your Android phone's battery life A smartphone makes a rubbish hub for your digital life if its battery is out of juice. Here's how to extend runtime
I
t’s the early afternoon, and your Android phone is already running on empty. A smartphone is supposed to be the hub of your digital life, but it can’t do that very well when the battery has run dry. You probably shouldn’t wait until your phone has failed you at a critical moment before you figure out what’s destroying your battery life – there’s no better time than now to track down the culprit. If you're lucky, you might even be able to fix the issue without sacrificing functionality. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 99
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 99
23/04/2014 17:58
Wakelocks and misery Android has gotten much better at managing background processes in the last few years. Anyone who has used Google's platform since the early days can tell you how bad things used to be when task killers were a necessity. Even though Android as a whole isn't subject to the same horrible battery life issues, the wrong combination of apps can still break Android’s elegant process management scheme. Conventional wisdom used to be that you should open the multitasking interface and kill any application you’re not using to save battery life, and unfortunately this superstition still persists. But Android knows how to manage background tasks, and swiping apps out of the multitasking interface only closes the foreground process. If an app is indeed causing issues, it's usually the background process that's doing it. This sort of micromanagement will only waste time.
The stock Android battery use menu can be helpful, but it only tells part of the story. Most apps show up here because you're actually using them a lot – that's to be expected. This menu merely shows you the system process and app packages that are 100 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 100
23/04/2014 17:58
using juice, but the 'Awake' and 'Screen on' lines are the most important. If you have a lot more awake time than screen on, something might be keeping your phone from sleeping. This is called a wakelock, and it's the number one enemy of your battery life. When an app or service needs to run a process, it can wake the device with an alarm. The wakelock mode keeps the CPU awake so the app can do its business. This is usually no big deal: the app finishes up, and the device slips back into deep sleep. Conflicts and bugs can cause wakelocks to persist, essentially keeping your phone from sleeping at all. In order to figure out what's messing with the battery, we need to find the root cause of this baffling case of smartphone insomnia.
Solving the case It might not be immediately obvious that a phone is in wakelock for long periods. By all appearances, the screen is off and it seems to be asleep like it should be. One clue that something is going wrong is excess heat generation. When the CPU is cranked up instead of in deep sleep, the device might be
ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 101 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 101
23/04/2014 17:58
“
If PowerManagerService is no longer eating up most of your sleep time, you've cracked the case noticeably warmer than usual when you pick it up. You'll need to do a little detective work. One quick and easy way to watch for a phone that won't sleep is to use an app like System Monitor to track CPU clock speed. This app breaks down CPU activity as a percentage. Unless you've been using the device almost constantly, ”Deep Sleep” should be the largest part of the chart. If not, you've probably got a misbehaving app or system process. You'll have to dig a little deeper in order to sort out the exact cause of your shortened battery life. The best app for this is BetterBatteryStats. The developer posts free beta builds on the XDA forums, but it's also for sale in Google Play. Rooted users see more information in the app, but you can still get some data on wakelocks with almost all devices. Just give the app a few hours to calibrate, and then filter for Kernel Wakelocks and Since unplugged. If you see a process up near the top of that list with a lot of wakelock time, that's the guilty party. Kernel wakelocks are system processes like suspend_ backoff or wlan. BBS BetterBatteryStats sometimes includes links to more information about wakelocks with some ideas for fixing them. Otherwise, you can search for information on the exact system process and find a likely solution. Often, a reboot will knock some sense into your phone and clear this up.
”
102 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 4 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 102
23/04/2014 17:58
If you suspect a misbehaving app on your device, check for the PowerManagerService listing. This is a catchall for so-called partial wakelocks caused by apps. Rooted users can see the partial wakelocks in the app, but everyone else will have to do some detective work by comparing recently installed apps and the onset of the PowerManagerService issue. To confirm, uninstall suspect apps, create a custom reference point in BBS, put the phone to sleep, then check the wakelocks a little later. If PowerManagerService is no longer eating up most of your sleep time, you’ve cracked the case. More often than not, the root of your problem will be some app you installed. The easiest way to deal
with the issue is to leave the offending app or game uninstalled, but maybe you want to use the app despite its battery sucking behaviour. In that case, you need a way to end the process safely. Android has a built-in way of hibernating processes, and you can easily trigger it with an app called Greenify. Use Greenify to identify the problematic apps, and hit the hibernate button after you're done using them. Greenify works best with root access, but you can also use the in-app button to trigger hibernation. ISSUE 4 • ANDROID ADVISOR 103 Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 103
23/04/2014 17:58
Android Advisor Issue 4.indd 104
23/04/2014 17:58
