Product Review - @LGMobileSA V20 Android #Smartphone @LGSouthAfrica #PlayMore

Hi Friends, 

Continuing the trend of posting a product review everyday in these months, I am finishing reviews of all the devices I have received but could not due to time issues or work pressure. I do apologize to all the brands for the same but sometimes you gets lost in the ROI calculations or the value which you are getting in return from the brands. Here I am going to discuss an amazing android smartphone, which came to me a long time back and I simply adored the camera and the hardware it has on it. 

We are talking about the revolutionary LG Mobile V20 also called as LGH990 and this is after I had extensively used LG G5 and fell in love with it's camera and gaming capabilities along with modular design. LG V20 the first thing I loved was it's dual camera which is 16MP standard (normal 75 degree camera) and 8MP wide 135 degree camera lens which is just in continuation of the LG G5 cameras. But with LG V20 the front camera which is 5MP also offered wide (120 degree) and standard (83 degree) selfies mechanisms. More than this hardware on the device, there are many hybrid auto focus which utilizes LDAF (Laser Detection Auto Focus), PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus) and Contrast AF technologies to capture every moment of fun. 

The second feature I loved in LG V20 is it's Second Screen on the top portion of the smartphone which can be used independently to showcase and access recent apps, quick tools and shortcuts. I simply loved writing my name on the second screen in a cursive font making it a unique feature to the overall smartphone. Also the second screen option offers quick replies to text messages if you are involved in other applications like any games or so.

LG V20 Smartphone is loaded with Android Nougat Operating system (7.0) and powered with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset which a Quad-Core 2.1 GHz processor which never slows down the smartphone. The RAM on the V20 is 4GB which is enough to handle all kinds of applications and resolution of the 5.7 inch screen is 2560 x 1440 QHD at 515ppi. The device weights around 173 grams and has removable battery of 3200mAh. The smartphone also offers expendable storage capacity via micro-sd card upto 2TB and works on a nano-SIM to connect to 4G LTE network. The internal memory that this smartphone offers is 64GB which is enough to fit into your daily needs.

Wide Angle Photograph taken at Gallaghar Convention Centre, Midrand

LG Electronics went way more advanced in terms of video and audio capabilities on this smartphone. Let's talk about the video features first as this smartphone comes with Steady Record 2.0 which can minimize the unintentional hand shaking to capture sharp, smooth and crisp videos. We can think of Steady Record as the smartphone Gimble but on the smartphone rather than external handle. 

Bokeh is amazing in V20 camera mode

Along with this the smartphone LG V20 gives you power to manually record videos and customize your sound so as to eliminate noise and amplify the story and moments you want to capture. This is done using 3 High AOP (Acoustic Overload Point) Mics which is claimed by LG that it can record loud scenes at sporting events without cheering fans distorting the sound. The 2 mics are on the top of the smartphone and one is at the bottom. The audio files can be then saved in lossless audio format with Hi-Fi Recording. LG V20 also offers HD Audio Recorder and Studio modes to take your audio recording to the next level. In the manual mode for video's you can adjust the white balance, ISO, shutter speed, EV, Auto-exposure Lock, manual and auto focus along with Hi-Fi audio at 24 bit, 49kHz. With so many features you will feel like a director of the movie and even can become one when phone is operated on your voice commands using Audio Directivity Control.

Captured the Flames and the red essence on the end of burning woods too

LG V20 also features Quad DAC which lets you listen to music that’s closer to the original sound by reducing white noise and up-sampling music files to Hi-Fi quality—allowing you to feel like you’re at a live performance. The package also contains special LG noise-isolating earphones and if you are buying the smartphone, I think you get Bang and Olufsen earphones too. My review unit only has LG earphones along with a fast charger and type-C charging cable. The smartphone feels great in the hands with its sleek metal body and easy to reach fingerprint scanner on the back cover to lock and unlock the phone easily. The back cover can be taken off to insert the battery or the micro-SD card using a small button on the right hand side of the phone.

Family at the other end of swimming pool using wide angle rear camera of LG V20

Overall, I felt the LG V20 is technology marvel and now I am looking forward to check out the recently launched V30 which is getting appreciations all around the globe. As is always the case, when the new version is launched the previous versions comes at a deal price of around ZAR 6500 to 7000 so in case you are short on budget, you can definitely buy this LG Electronics Smartphone V20 where Life's Good when you Play More!

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to blog, share and influence about your products and services on all my Social Media channels #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra !

Product Review - @AcerAfrica Predator Z650 DLP #Gaming Projector @PredatorGaming

Hi Friends, 

I fell in love with the Acer C205 portable projector when I first received the same to review and still have the longing to have it back in my hands. But when I received a heavy box similar to what can be the box of Desktop PC Case, I was thinking what's the little beast inside which has taken so much of space and not so easy to carry around. As I went back to my home in the evening, the first thing I did was to open the box to see the contents inside. It was the awesomely awesome Acer Predator Gaming Projector named Z650. 

As I setup the device and connected my laptop to the same using the HDMI cable, I was simply awestruck by the clarity of picture and the sound this device produces. I found it difficult to find a wall in my home to do justice to this technological innovation from Acer. Predator I always used to like the logo and the products they manufacture for gamers but using the same is a different experience in itself. 

Acer Predator Z650 comes with a carry bag (suitcase type) so that the same can be carried around easily and is made up of good quality stuff. Quality shall not be a concern when you are spending ZAR 25000 on a projector, be rest assured everything will be taken care of. As I unzipped the carry case I came across the lovely beast in Red and Black color combination and immediately fell in love with this gadget. Also the package included a pair of 3D glasses with its charging cable. 3D glasses works only if the same are charged and my parents loved Avatar movie projected on the wall using the Predator Z650 3D enabled ON. 

Let's talk about the several feature of the Acer Predator Z650 projector - the best among them I liked the most is the built in Stereo Speakers with 10W power output for each speaker. The DTS sound quality was high enough to be able to hear to the dialogues of the movie or TV series whichever you are watching. I had to reduce the same literally so that my neighbors doesn't knock the door and ask me to lower the noise.Though the internal fan makes some noise about 30-33 dB but if you are not sitting next to the projector, you won't listen to the same during your movie night. One thing to warn here is that don't block the air vents next to the projector fan as it can build up extreme temperatures and I found out that it can easily keep my tea lukewarm in a bone china mug.

Second feature is of-course the resolution quality of the projection on the wall and this Acer DLP (Digital Light Processing) Predator is capable of Full HD 1920X1080 resolution at 16:9 aspect ratio. The lamp can illuminate the 2200 lumens of brightness levels in economy mode. The contract ratio is also great at 20000:1 and 1.07 billion colors can be produced using the latest tech Acer has built inside this projector. The lamp life depending on various modes (normal, economy and extreme eco) is between 3000-6000 hours. The focus can be adjusted using the manual ring and the height using the adjustor under the front portion of the projector and one of the legs can also be adjusted to keep the projectors line of horizon balanced. 

The Acer Predator Projector has built in Bluetooth in case you don't want everyone in the house to keep awake while you play games, you can connect your Bluetooth enabled headphone with Z650 projector. Z650 also has Wireless HD capability using a special kit to stream loseless 1080p content wirelessly. The build quality of this device is awesome and it will definitely last many years in your house or man cave. It's a must buy gadgets on my wish list from Acer. There are several kinds of audio and video connections on the back side of the device including HDMI, MHL, USB, RS232, VGA in/out and many others.

As I was using this projector, it came to my mind that I should sell my TV and buy this projector for life as it has better and bigger screen size with Full HD resolution, capable audio outputs, portability to carry it around, easy connecting ports, 3D content conversion capability with 3D glasses, Game Mode and many more features which requires so many blogposts. The power consumption of Acer Z650 is around 424 Watts and the whole unit weights around 3.5 kilograms including carry case. 

In the end, it's surely a device which can create a Cinema inside your house but comes at a price but can save you from standing in the queue of tickets or popcorns and soda at the actual multiplexes. I would love to again have the same for some weeks to watch Game of Thrones all seasons till date and to watch Lord of the Rings series. Thanks Acer Africa for the opportunity to have a Predator at my home for some days. 

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to blog, share and influence about your products and services on all my Social Media channels #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra !

Product Review - @AstrumSA ET300 True Wireless Freedom Headset #Bluetooth #Earphones

Hi Friends, 

I simply love earphones and since the launch of Bluetooth versions in all kinds of earphones and headphones, it has became more and more useful to a lot of people around the world. No more tangling and snipping of wires as you run to catch your morning bus or trains. I have been using my Bose in-ear earphones wired ones since many years now and the cable now has starting showing the wires inside and on the verge of breaking down so I was looking at all those new product launches by several brands like Samsung, Bose, Apple, Sony and many others. The price range is too high and there are not many features in any one of the model as compared with Bragi Dash. 

I was invited to rAge Expo 2017 and as a part of media kit, I got the choice to choose between Astrum slim speaker and other Astrum True Wireless Headset ET300 in white color. I immediately chose ET300 model so that I can try out their products at my leisure and enjoy the music wirelessly. 

Let's checkout some of the product features which I found to be useful and loved the most. The first being the Bluetooth v4.1 connectivity but the product can only work within the boundaries of a room of 10m as beyond that the connection loses with your smartphone or tablet. And the best part is that each earplug can work independently in case you don't want to use both of them together. You just have to switch ON one of them by pressing on the middle portion of the unit and by long pressing it starts blinking blue and red meaning that bluetooth pairing is ON. As you put them into your ears, it tells you by voice command which side is which. If you just want to use both of them, then simply switch them ON and they get automatically connected to one another and then you can long press one of them to get connected the unit to your bluetooth enabled devices. 

Both the earplugs gets settled in your ears easily and comes with various silicon earbuds in small, medium and large sizes and one pair of ear hooks to keep them on your ears in case you take them to running or gym etc. The sound quality on Astrum ET300 is awesome in the price range at which it's available in the market which is around ZAR 600. I simply adored the audio quality and was amazed at how good it is considering Astrum was not a well known brand to me.

The device comes with a case which doesn't have any internal battery but can be used to charge the earplugs and to take them with you while not in use. The only con here is the plastic cover of the charger which comes out of the socket easily as it doesn't have any locking mechanism and can be lost in your bag while you travel. The ear units are magnetically attached to charging pins inside the charging unit. I was expecting the case to have some battery backup but at this price range it's difficult to ask. 

The total product weight is around 50 grams and each unit has around battery capacity of 40mAh which easily gives music time of two and half hours max and can be charged to full capacity in around 60 minutes. These can be charged using the case with a micro-USB cable provided inside the package or from your android smartphone charging cable. The cons here is that ear units can't be charged if they have ear-hooks on them which is a pain to take out all the time after every 2-3 hours because you first have to take out ear buds and then ear-hooks. When the battery is low, voice prompts warns you to charge the device before finally switching off the device automatically as the battery voltage lowers 3.0V value.

The Astrum headsets ET300 can also be used to take hands-free calls and when the call is over, you will go back to the music if that's being played earlier. You can use the earphone to accept the call using the central button to answer the call by shortly pressing the same. If you press the button for 2 seconds, it can also reject the call and will voice prompt the same too. You can mute the microphone during the call by double clicking on the central button and same to undo the same. 

Overall, in the end I must say that I love the Astrum ET300 headsets and is using them daily for atleast one charge though I would have loved it more, if it would have come with a charging case with some battery backup. Go checkout the device at many of the online retailers or at Tech House in Fordsburg, Johannesburg. 

As I was checking online, I just saw that a new version of the device ET300 has been launched with all the cons taken care of which I have written for the review of the White ET300 True Wireless Freedom Headsets I received in my media pack but looking forward to review them too. 

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to blog, share and influence about your products and services on all my Social Media channels #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra !

Product Review - @ADATATechnology HD650 2.5" External Hard Disk Drive #Gadgets

Hi Friends, 

We all love technology and with the increasing pixel size of the camera and the HD quality of movies, we all are always in need of digital space. Though there are newer cloud technologies coming into the market to make some space on our devices but then we are always skeptical about saving our data online as some events of hacking has showed us during the Game of Thrones episodes released online or the hollywood stars personal images going viral or various other data thefts happened on some of the online networks from big brands. 

I remember my journey of data crunching (as we may call it) to collect data from friends and relatives which is unique and not with me on their desktop computers. I used to take my 20GB hdd out from my desktop PC and then take it to the friend's house and get some stuff like mp3 songs, movies, books and softwares. I subsequently migrated to 40GB and then 80GB with an external hard disk casing setup brought by my brother from Singapore. When my brother bought a Sony PS3, he exchanged his 40GB hdd for 200GB hdd and I bought a small 2.5mm casing to use the same. It worked but as the movie size increased and the greediness to keep all the good movies on the hard disk, this space too became less and full. 

I bought one Transcend 640GB portable hdd from Nehru Place, New Delhi but that hard disk didn't lasted more than a year and died when I was using it to transfer data from some friend in London. It came with a 5 year warranty but could never got it replaced using the Brand's after-sales mechanism. Then I bought a Western Digital 1TB Elements hard disk which is still working with some bad sectors which I formatted after a span of 5 years losing some data in the process. 

Here in South Africa, I came across ADATA Technology's HD650 Portable 2.5" Hard Disk in 1TB version which was just 201 gram considering it has impact absorbing rubber coating and 3 layered construction to keep the original disks safe and your data intact. The hard disk is simply covered with a silicon case just like we cover our smartphones. Other than that it also has an exclusive plastic shock structure casing to take care of certain things silicons covers are not able to. To add extra protection, the hard disk is equipped on a cushioned mounting making it unique and great on paper. 

The hard disk looks good and the plastic case is resistant to any types of scratching and marring. The transfer speeds are fast with compatible USB 3.0 interface. It's backward compatible also which means you can still use the same with your old laptops or desktops with 2.0 USB type connection. The approximate actual hard disk capacity is generally 93% of the total marked by manufacturers so we get around 931 GB on this one. 

The transfer speeds are great on my old Dell laptop which has a USB 3.0 interface and I could transfer the movies and data from my laptop to the hard disk very fast and same was true when I returned the data back to the laptop. I was not brave enough to play with the review hard disk and throw the same on the ground but I felt it can take some rough handling and can be used when you are on a traveling as the build quality is nice.

I am thinking of buying another one to use it for all my travel to different locations and as and when I stay in any of the hotels with big TV and entertainment units, I can plug in my own content in the NTFS formatted hdd as most of the smart TV's are Linux based and unable to recognize FAT32 formatted hard disks. Adata offers a 3 years warranty on it's HD650 and is available in Black, Blue and Red colors. I really loved the Red color in this hard disk.

Go checkout the Adata HD650 if it suits your requirements and check out some of the other products by the brand too.

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to blog, share and influence about your products and services on all my Social Media channels #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra !

@HuaweiZA Unveils The HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro #AndroidSmartphone

Hi Friends,

Disruptive innovation often begins with bold dreams. During IFA Berlin, Huawei Consumer Business Group introduced its first AI mobile chipset, the Kirin 970. Huawei in Munich, Huawei announced the Mate 10 Series, which will open the door to new AI mobile applications. The HUAWEI Mate 10, HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro, and PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 10 are breakthrough AI devices that combine innovative hardware, the Kirin 970 chipset and EMUI 8.0. The HUAWEI Mate 10 Series continues its legacy of superior product performance and long-lasting battery life, while integrating New Leica Dual Camera technology.

“As we enter the age of intelligence, AI is no longer a virtual concept but something that intertwines with our daily life. AI can enhance user experience, provide valuable services and improve product performance,” said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group. “The HUAWEI Mate 10 Series introduces the first mobile AI-specific Neural Network Processing Unit, launching a new era of intelligent smartphones.” 

South Africa will be among the first to have the Mate Series smartphone in country, with the HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro and the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 10.

“We are delighted to bring the Mate 10 Pro and the Porsche Design Mate 10 to South Africa as we believe these smartphones will cater for the South African consumer needs as we enter the age of AI,” said Likun Zhao, GM, Huawei Consumer Business Group SA.

“Consumers will be able to pre-order their devices online after our local launch on the 6th of November 2017,” he added.

Key features include:

• Kirin 970, the world’s first AI processor for smartphones with a dedicated Neural Network Processing Unit (NPU);
• A 3D Glass Body featuring a barely-there-bezel, HUAWEI FullView Display and HDR10 supported technology for intensely vivid and brighter colors;
• TÜV Fast-Charge Safety Certified HUAWEI SuperCharge and 4000 mAh battery with AI-powered Battery Management;
• New Leica Dual Camera with SUMMILUX-H lenses, with both featuring an aperture of f/1.6, and intelligent photography including AI-powered Real-Time Scene and Object Recognition and AI-powered Bokeh Effect;
• An all-new, simplified EMUI 8.0 based on Android™ 8.0.

A New, Mobile AI Computing Architecture for Intelligent Mobile Experiences
The HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro are the first devices powered by the new Kirin 970 processor and deliver AI enhancements for a faster, more customized mobile experience. The Kirin 970 is built using an advanced TSMC 10nm semiconductor manufacturing process, and features an octa-core ARM Cortex CPU, a first-to-market Mali G72 12-core GPU and the first NPU designed specifically for a mobile device. The Kirin 970 also has a new dual ISP for AI-powered intelligent photography.

The specialized NPU, combined with Huawei’s innovative HiAI mobile computing platform, means the Kirin 970 delivers 25x better performance and 50x greater energy efficiency for AI-related tasks, compared to four Cortex-A73 cores. The HUAWEI Mate 10 Series is also the world’s fastest smartphone supporting super-fast LTE connectivity and download speeds. The device comes with the world’s first dual 4G SIM support and dual VoLTE connections.

By combining individual and collective intelligence for on-device AI, the new HUAWEI Mate Series delivers real-time responses to users, including AI-powered Real-Time Scene and Object Recognition and an AI Accelerated Translator. Kirin 970 is an open, mobile AI computing platform for third parties to create new and imaginative AI applications and which extends Huawei’s processing capabilities to the entire value chain.

Design Qualities for New Levels of Sophistication and Comfort
With an all-new HUAWEI FullView Display, the HUAWEI Mate 10 features a stunning 5.9-inch screen with a 16:9 display, barely-there-bezel and HDR10 to support vivid colors. The 6-inch HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro features an 18:9 OLED display, high screen-to-body ratio and HDR10 for dynamic video viewing.

The iconic devices feature a 3D Glass Body, beautifully and symmetrically curved on all four sides for an ergonomic hold. The back of the devices feature a reflective band design to highlight the New Leica Dual Camera.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro is also IP67 Water and Dust Resistant. 

New Leica Dual Camera and AI-powered Battery Management for the Next Era of Smartphone Use
Huawei has again partnered with Leica to co-engineer the dual lens camera for the HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro. They combine 12-megapixel RGB + 20-megapixel monochrome sensors, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), dual lenses with the world’s largest aperture of f/1.6, AI-powered Bokeh Effect and AI-powered Digital Zoom. New AI-powered Real-Time Scene and Object Recognition, which automatically chooses camera settings based on the object and scene, supports an advanced AI-powered Digital Zoom function with AI Motion Detection for clearer and sharper pictures.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro pack a 4000 mAh high-density battery featuring a smart battery management system that understands user behaviour and intelligently allocates resources to maximize battery life. It supports 4.5V / 5A low-voltage fast charging, powering the device from 1 percent to 20 percent in 10 minutes, and 1 percent to 58 percent in 30 minutes.² Additionally, HUAWEI SuperCharge is the world’s first fast charging technology to receive TÜV Fast-Charge Safety Certification, ensuring safe end-to-end charging.

The HUAWEI Mate 10 and HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro will launch with Huawei’s all-new EMUI 8.0 powered by Android™ 8.0. Features include an AI Engine to fully leverage the capabilities of the Kirin 970; an AI Accelerated translator to deliver faster and more accurate interactive translation for a smoother communication experience; an easy projection feature to connect the new Huawei Mate Series to a larger screen; support for a full desktop experience – either mirroring or extending the smartphone display like a PC.

New Accessories
Huawei also launched three HUAWEI Mate 10 accessories: the EnVizion 360 Camera, SuperCharge™ Power Bank, and Smart Scale.

• The EnVizion 360 Camera can shoot 5K photos and 360-degree 2K videos with multiple viewing modes for users to share across their social media channels.
• Huawei’s SuperCharge™ Power Bank supports a 4.5V / 5A low-voltage fast charge.
• The Smart Scale can monitor and analyze health information such as body fat percentage and Body Mass Index through a mobile app.

For more information, please visit: http://consumer.huawei.com/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huaweimobile/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuaweiMobile
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huaweimobile/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HuaweiDeviceCo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10617746/

Cheers!!!

Contact me at thelifesway@gmail.com to blog, share and influence about your products and services on all my Social Media channels #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra !