The Pixel 9 series is the royal crest of Google’s Android throne
It’s no secret that I’ve always had a strong preference for Pixel smartphones. Although I rarely keep one device longer than 6 months (I swapped the Galaxy S24+, Phone 15 Pro Max, and Pixel 8 Pro in 2023 alone), this might change with the Pixel 9.
The Pixel experience has gotten so refined and seamless, as it should be – a key benefit from being made 100% in-house. And thats not just because it’s one of two devices that hardware and software is created under one company’s roof besides the iPhone – it’s also because the company it comes from makes some of the most used apps on any platform.
The Google Ecosystem
It’s not just the world’s most used search engine that Google is known for: the Chrome web browser, Gmail for email, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Keep Notes for School or Work files, YouTube/YT Music, Play Books and Play Games for entertainment, Google Messages for secure RCS text communication, and Meet for video chatting are just some of the apps that many people use on their smartphones – Android OR iPhone.
Google’s suite of apps give the Pixel 9 the only ecosystem that can go toe-to-toe with Apple
Of course most of these apps are available for every other Android and the iPhone, but that’s not my point. The level of reliability and smooth response of the UI is on another level when it’s all done by one company, much like Apple’s products.
So it’s easy to see potential for greatness in the Pixel ecosystem once you realize these are the default apps on the smartphone. No duplicate apps, no middle-man manufacturer who has to “optimize” Android for their hardware. That and the fact Google owns and maintains the Android OS, the Pixel software experience had better be one of – if not – the smoothest, most glitch-free Android experience. Even if the hardware hasn’t always been top-tier.
Luckily those issues have been resolved with the Pixel 9, as Google as released the best hardware to ever come from Mountain City, CA.
Peony Pleasantries
It might have taken 9 iterations, but the Build Quality feels durable – sturdy without being heavy – and the design language lends credibility to the claim that even the base models of the Pixel 9 are on the same level as the best selling smartphones on the market.
Wintergreen Wonder
Display Quality
The display is coined “Actua-Display”, and it’s an awesome screen. The colors are natural, the screen is bright and sharp – and in direct sunlight it goes up to 2700 nits.
Its stands toe to toe with the best from Apple and Samsung, with yearly improvements to an already great display.
6.3-inch Actua display1 20:9 aspect ratio 1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI Smooth Display (60-120Hz)2 Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass Up to 1800 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness)3 >2,000,000:1 contrast ratio HDR support Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
Rear Camera Summary Advanced dual rear camera system: 50 MP wide | 48 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus | Super Res Zoom up to 8x13 and optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 2x13
Wide Camera 50 MP Octa PD wide camera ƒ/1.68 aperture 82° field of view13 1/1.31″ image sensor size Super Res Zoom up to 8x13
Ultrawide Camera 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus ƒ/1.7 aperture 123° field of view13 1/2.55″ image sensor size
Single-zone LDAF (laser detect auto focus) sensor Spectral and flicker sensor Optical + electronic image stabilization on wide
Front Camera
10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera with autofocus ƒ/2.2 aperture 95° ultrawide field of view
Camera Features
Super Res Zoom up to 8×13 Add Me Macro Focus Night Sight Astrophotography Portrait Mode Face Unblur Long Exposure Action Pan Real Tone Panorama Top Shot Frequent Faces
Google VPN at no extra cost End-to-end security designed by Google Multi-layer hardware security: Tensor security core, certified Titan M2 security chip, and Trusty (Trusted Execution Environment) Anti-malware and anti-phishing protection Spam protection in Google Phone and Messages Learn more at g.co/pixel/security and g.co/pixel/certifications
Authentication
Fingerprint Unlock Face Unlock Pattern, PIN, password
Battery
24+ hour battery life5 Up to 100-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver6 Typical 4700 mAh (minimum 4558 mAh)7 Fast charging – up to 55% in about 30 minutes8 – using Google 45W USB-C® Charger, sold separately Fast wireless charging (Qi-certified)9 Battery Share10
Material
Scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 polished back with satin finish metal frame IP68 dust and water resistance14 Fingerprint-resistant coating The aluminum in the housing is 100% recycled content15 Made with at least 20% recycled materials based on product weight 100% plastic-free packaging16
Dimensions
6 in (height) x 2.8 in (width) x 0.3 in (depth)
Weight
7 oz
Colors
Peony, Wintergreen, Porcelain, Obsidian
Launch Date
August 2024
Price
$799 (12GB+ 128GB), $899 (12GB + 256GB) Google Store
Conclusion
With the Pixel 9, it feels as if years of incremental refinements and tweaks build up to one of the most complete smartphone packages available today. A premium, flagship-level build, pro-level cameras even in the base model (minus the telephoto lens) and a well rounded ecosystem that comes with 7 years of OS and security updates promise. What more can you ask for from a company that almost had it right with the Nexus brand. If only the gains in market share respond accordingly.
Motorola released the Edge + February 2022, and a quick search online for reviews shows it was received fairly by consumers and the media alike – even if its marketing campaigns weren’t as grandeur as some of the competition. Equipped with the most powerful SOC of 2022 in the form of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Edge + comes in 8GB/256, 12GB/256GB, 8GB/512GB, and 12GB/512GB capacities.
It released with a flagship price tag at $999, which is one of the reasons Apple and Samsung flagships overshadowed the device, but now you can get the Edge + 2022 at a whopping half off the retail price – bringing it down to $499.
We wouldn’t fib about something like this, so in case the sale ends soon here’s the receipts
Being I’m quite a stickler for the best bargain, I just had to invest in a device with true flagship caliber specs – AND had the compatible cellular bands of Dish Network’sBoost Infinite brand – as does the Motorola Edge Plus. So let’s get into our Motorola Edge + 2022 review.
Specs
Specs
Motorola Edge + (2022)
Screen
6.67-inch P-OLED Display (2400 x 1080 Pixels, 393 ppi) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 20:9 Aspect Ratio, 144Hz Refresh Rate, HDR10+, and punch-hole
Working as a tech analyst and getting high-end, flagship level smartphones to review on a regular basis can do one or two things for you. It can make you a spoiled, out of touch tech consumer who picks up an expensive habit of blowing money on the latest and greatest gadgets of the new year; or it can make you a shroud and analytical buyer who’s not bedazzled by the newest marketing slogans aimed at getting you to part with your hard-earned dollars.
While I admit to being guilty of swaying to both extremes, I can proudly declare I’ve settled into the “Unlocked, directly from the manufacturer” bunch. I whole heartedly shun carrier subsidized devices, which I believe are designed to keep you locked into long term relationships with one company – regardless of the newest specials or offers by competitors at any given time. This hunt for the best smartphone value has led to the discovery of a global brand known as Xiaomi.
Xiaomi’s devices are not readily available in US stores (since the closure of Fry’s Electronics) and can only be reliably purchased from third-party sellers on Amazon, or online vendors like Wireless Place, where I purchased my Xiaomi 11T .
I settled on this device looking for an powerful, unlocked smartphone that had flagship features and a midrange price. At the time of purchase, the Xiaomi 11T had $1000 flagship specs for less than half the price. I thought to myself, “This should be a smart buy, even if I update my phone in a year and it doesn’t get consistent updates.” But when I received the device in the mail and held it in my hands for the first time, I was impressed at how the build gave the impression I was holding a true flagship. Especially when I saw the display come to life for the first time.
It’s the Display for ME 💜💪🏾
Although the excitement settled, admittedly due to the distractions of new devices arriving in our offices and being bombarded by their million-dollar marketing campaigns – after a week or two I recall always coming back to the Xiaomi 11T, the ONE device that I actually spent $450 to buy myself. There was always that ONE FEATURE that the latest iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel didn’t have, that led me to putting my personal SIM card back into the 11T. And while I do admit I always get a kick out of getting a new smartphone for review, when I was greeted with a surprise update to Android 13 on the 11T earlier this week, I came to the realization that the China-based company was more dependable for Android updates than most domestic smartphone manufacturers.
Xiaomi 11T’ update to MIUI 14/Android 13 was a sweet way to ask to be my Valentine’s 💜
Top Features
My trusty Xiaomi 11T, over a year of loyalty
Xiaomi’s flavor of Android is called MIUI (Me UI) and it’s current version rests at 14, which is parallel to Android 13. It’s known for packing a lot of extra features in Android, such as a robust theming engine and Xiaomi’s own app ecosystem. One cool feature that enhances the look on and feel of the 11T is Super Wallpapers.
One thing you must be cautious of, is making sure the carrier you’re using has 5G and 4G bands supported when purchasing an international version of a Xiaomi device to the US. While you’re pretty much ok with ATT or T-Mobile or any of their pre-paid MVNOs (Metro by T-Mobile,Mint, etc.) Verizon’s cellular network doesn’t accept Xiaomi devices at all, even though some of their bands are supported.
Camera
The 108MP Main Rear camera on the 11T is as full-featured as camera apps come, offering just the right amount of modes and features without being too overwhelming.
(Camera Samples Pending)
Standard photoPortrait PhotoLeft Image: Standard 1X zoom | Right: Macro 10X zoom
All-Around Well Rounder
I have used the Xiaomi 11T to create all sorts of content, from B-roll footage, music compositions, professional photography, to video editing. It has never failed, and always stood toe-to-toe if not exceeding the results produced by more popular brands. It is the one device that has given me confidence that I could create content that met the standard threshold of quality of the recording industry and professional media with one device.
All of my mobile music production workshops for Labfreq have been produced and demonstrated on the Xiaomi 11T. Every other device that I’ve tried to use has ran into a limitation at some point in the process before completion. That’s the main reason why this device has had so much staying power over the last year or so.
Conclusion
The Xiaomi 11T has left a lasting first impression of what Xiaomi has to offer, and they do have lots of products with feature packed value available. While there are many great options in the smartphone market, none encapsulates what I look for in a device in one place the way the 11T does. Even in 2023, it still moves like a high-scoring rookie of the year.
There is really no need to extensively cover a device as popular and household tier as the iPhone – everyone knows someone who owns one if they don’t own one themselves. And if you don’t happen to know anyone who owns an iPhone 14 Pro, you can guarantee any cellular store or electronic department has them on display in their mobile section.
And although seeing a device in person and fiddling around with a display unit isn’t the same as actual day to say usage of a smartphone, it’s safe to say iPhones aren’t going to give you any performance or reliability issues. They are in fact the de facto standard for quality regarding all things mobile.
Which is Apples biggest strength and weakness, they are the company that plays it safe. Incremental hardware updates, tried and proven concepts. This is why although I admittedly DO see the appeal of iPhones everytime I get a new one, I grow bored quickly with iOS – and consequently the iPhone after a few months.
GPS with A-GPS (dual band), GLONASS, GALILEO, and BeiDou
Security Sensors
Face ID
Battery
4323mAh; Fast charging, USB Power Delivery 2.0, Magsafe fast wireless charging v15W, Ai wireless charging
Misc
Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; stereo speakers; Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving);, Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
Launch Date
September 7,2022
Conclusion
I like the iPhone, and the iPhone 14 Pro is Apple best iteration of their smartphone yet. But their incremental updates and lack of innovation leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Musical ideas can happen at any time. Rhythms and melodies tend to come at you while your during the most mundane tasks, like mowing the yard or cleaning your space. While memory has stood the test of time as our internal scratchpad, technology has gotten more capable, more compact, more accessible each generation.
Many people don’t know the smartphones and tablets they carry on their person everyday is several times more powerful than the most iconic 4-track recorders, drum machines and groove boxes. When an iPhone or Galaxy device is running GarageBand, Cubasis or FL Studio Mobile, paired with a modest MIDI controller like the ATOM SQ by PreSonus or the Akai MPK Mini – the creative abilities are on par with a recording studio that would have cost tens of thousands 15 years ago.
To celebrate the times and plethora of tools available for creatives and musicians alike, we’re sharing a hip-hop/trap beat made in Steinberg’s Cubasis 3 on an iPhone 13 Pro and opened in the same app on Android to confirm compatibility. Check it out in the video:
Demonstrating the power and potential we all have within our reach at any given time with the capabilities of our smartphones alone, Tre’mendous shares his Cubasis session with aspiring creatives and allows us to follow along in the session, remix, or record your own vocals to one of his beats titled “Out Your Feelings”.
Many people regard the iPhone as the best smartphone of all time. While many smartphone (Android) users may beg to differ – there’s no denying the iPhone 13 is the best iteration yet. It also has a “mini”, which matches the regular version spec for spec except for it’s size.
Although the iPhone 13 mini is the second gen of it’s kind, there are rumors that it may be the last version of the “smaller option iPhone”. We don’t know how valid those claims are, but if so it’s a darned shame – because we have three valid reasons below why the iPhone 13 mini is the best compact smartphone of all time.
1. Sharper Display
The 13 mini has an 2340×1080 display with pixel resolution at 476 ppi compared to the normal 13’s 460 ppi. So the 5.4 inch display of the 13 mini is a bit sharper than the 6.1 inch screen of its larger sibling. It also has the same OLED Super Retina XDR display that comes in the iPhone 13, Pro, and Pro Max.
The Super Retina XDR display of the iPhone 13 mini has a higher display resolution in the iPhone 13 (regular).
2.Much-Improved, flagshiptierbattery life
The iPhone 13 mini has 1.5 more hours battery life than the iPhone 12. Yes, you read that right, which definitely amounts to around 3 hours more than the 12 mini. That’s a major year-by-year improvement – while not exactly up to the standard of longer lasting flagships like the iPhone 13 Pro Max or Galaxy S21 Ultra. Nonetheless the 13 mini has more the enough stamina to last a full day.
3. No-compromiseflagship features
The iPhone 13 mini isn’t a stripped down version of the regular 13, it matches spec for spec – so it’s essentially the same phone in a smaller package. That means you get the same A15 Bionic processor, same camera tech,etc. with the only compromises being the display and battery size.
The same Ceramic Shield screen, IP68 water resistance, wide and ultra-wide camera lenses, etc. If you’re someone with small hands, or you have big hands but already own an Android phone with a big display (like me) the 13 mini is the perfect compliment. There aren’t many current Android phones with a screen smaller than 6 inches in the same tier as the iPhone 13 mini.
Do you think the iPhone 13 mini is the best one-handed smartphone of all time? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
The Moto G100 is the latest addition in Motorola’s mid-range lineup. It’s got the specs, the look, and a vibrant display. Does that give it enough to stand out in a competitive mobile space?
Motorola is marketing the latest Moto G as the most powerful and speediest to date. Equipped with a Snapdragon 870 processor, 8GB of Ram, a 5000 mAh battery with a rear Quad-Camera set-up it certainly appears to meet those standards in the specs department. The Snapdragon 800 series processor is present to power some high-end features – like Motorola’s Ready For platform and even compatibility with the ThinkReality A3 Glasses platform. For the scoop on how it fares in day-to-day use, read more below.
Build Quality
The Moto G has a vibrant 6.7″ LCD display, with a 90Hz refresh rate, HDR10, and DCI-P3 color space. It will satisfy all but the most technical user who is accustomed to the deep blacks and bright contrast of an AMOLED display. The typical causal smartphone owner can’t tell the the difference. The display is more narrow than average, with a 21:9 aspect ratio that Motorola dubbs ‘CinemaVision’. It’s protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
Back view of the Iridescent Ocean Moto G100
The back has a plastic rear housing, which comes in either White or Iridescent Ocean – our review unit came in the latter. It gives off a two-toned look that gradients from sky blue to violet depending on the amount of light shining on the back. The phone also has polycarbonate rails (plastic). It’s not IP-certified, but it does have a splash-resistant coating to protect it from moderate moisture and occasional splashes.
A near-stock version of Android, and a minimal amount of apps come pre-installed on the Moto G100 – no carrier subsidized bloatware – and the usual Moto-favorites like chop for flashlight and twist to launch the camera are still present.
There are a few new additions to the Moto Setup, like Styles which is a part of the Android Skin Motorola calls MyUI – which let’s you customize the look of the User Interface.
The Specs
The G100 is the most powerful Moto yet, touting the rarely seen Snapdragon 870 SoC, which sits right under Qualcomm’s 888 chip. It only comes in the 128GB config, but it has an SD card slot for external storage expansion. With 8GB of RAM finishing off the internals, it runs smooth, with very few stutters or delays.
For photography, the Moto’s Quad Camera set-up has a 64MP main lens, 16MP ultra-wide, a 2MP depth camera, and TOF Advanced Laser Autofocus. The main lens used Quad Pixel technology to merge four high-res 16MP photos out of the 64MP sensor for better overall photo quality. The selfie cam comes in at 16MP.
Operating System
Android™ 11
Storage
128GB (Internal), Up to 1TB expandable with microSD card
The Moto G100 comes with a USB-C to HDMI cable ( a whole dock if you’re in the UK), that allows for some big-screen functionality with the Ready For platform. Ready For, allows you to expand your phones experience to TVs and external displays – and there’s an HDMI cord included in the box. With four dedicated modes, the mobile desktop platform gives access to Mobile Desktop, TV, Game, and Video Chat – you can keep your laptop at home or skip the desktop in your home office altogether.
While the Ready For platform does have some resemblances to Samsung’s Dex platform, Motorola does go the extra mile by organizing your device’s apps by use-case in four nice categories – each with its own custom software enhancements. Check out the Mobile Desktop mode below:
The Moto brand of smartphones has gone through quite a bit of transformation over the years. What started as Motorola’s flagship smartphone ended up being outsold by its more budget counterparts, and eventually was delegated two tiers down from the cutting-edge Razr 5G foldable AND the more premium built Edge/Edge + flagship series. That would mean the Moto G100 – while being the most high-end Moto and the 3rd most powerful handset from Motorola in 2021 – is not what you would categorize as a flagship. But when you factor in the specs, features, and compatibility with the ThinkReality A3 Glasses – most would be hard-pressed to tell the difference. The Moto G100 provides a reliable, trouble-free user experience – but it’s the little details that remind you that you’re not using the best that Motorola currently has to offer.
Reviewing the Librem 5 – while intriguing, was not a simple task.
When I first received the smartphone, it was two months before it’s mass production units were ready for shipping out to the masses – and there were a whole slew of software features that hadn’t yet been implemented. It’s set of Cameras weren’t yet active, and neither was the OpenPGP card slot.
Developer’s were behind their feature roadmap schedule, mostly due to suppliers lambasting Purism with delays set into motion by a shortage of components and parts needed to bring their ambitious smartphone project to life. Which naturally affected shipping times, resulting in a few early backers having to wait longer than expected. If this was a device aimed at the masses for general use, Androids and iPhones of the world – the life of the Librem 5 would have ended before it started. But it’s not your typical mobile device.
The Librem 5 is a smartphone by Purism, a computer company that already makes Laptops, Mini PCs and Servers – running a Linux based operating system called PureOS. It’s built around an open-source philosophy protecting users’ digital rights with a focus on privacy. It has three kill switches on the side, to insure your devices bluetooth, WIfi and Cellular connections are off – and temporarily severed – when you expect them to be.
The 5.7 inch display has a resolution of 720p, and while it’s put to shame by 90% of all Modern Androids, it’s basically the same screen sharpness as all but the very latest iPhones. In other words, it’s fine. The screen has deep blacks, vivid colors and wide contrast – it scales nicely on bigger screens, and it’s powerful enough to run the phones’ display simultaneously.
Battery
Battery life is the Achilles heel on this smartphone, giving an average of 2 to 4 hours battery life – depending on the program(s) running – even background apps. During my testing, the Librem 5 simply has horrible staying power while idle. It improved incrementally with OS updates – but the differences were minor.
Ecosystem
The Librem 5 has access to nearly all desktop programs that you can install on any Linux Computer. From the terminal, sudo apt-get install will get you pretty much any Linux app on the smartphone. Since PureOS is the exact desktop operating system that you’d find on Purism’s Librem 14 and Librem Mini, connecting the device to a monitor or t.v , keyboard and mouse turns the L5 to a pocket computer – albeit somewhat-limited by it’s processing power. Purism also built a graphical phone interface called phosh that gives any desktop app a dynamic, touch-based UI – granted support for phosh is enabled .The PureOS Store, curates apps that are phosh compatible, so you know right off the bat what programs have maximum compatibility with mobile devices.
Audacity, Inkscape, LMMS, GIMP, VLS, all install on the Librem 5, and they all run pretty smooth once the device is connected to a monitor – none of the apps in this sentence is optimized for mobile sized displays. Just keep in mind, the Librem 5 uses ARM architechure by NXP.
Conclusion
With nearly half of the population of the world owning a smartphone today, mobile computing has become the default way for people to interface with the internet. This means that nearly one out of two people general means of bring online is a smartphone. It’s safe to say the mobile computer market has enough room for a third alternative to Android and iOS. It’s a daunting task, an uphill battle – but if there is any existing platform that can offer that much needed variety – it’s a Linux-based one. The Librem 5 comes really close to being that third option in it’s first iteration, but slightly misses the mark due to issues with overall build quality (the back battery cover just wont stay on!), and software inconsistencies. It’s improved drastically in the two months I’ve been reviewing it, but Android and iOS – which both have had a decade plus of development and refinement to be fair – are both just a bit too full-featured and polished to lose any but the most tech-savvy user demographic. For electricians, technology enthusiasts, developers, tinkerers – you might want to give the Librem 5 a look.
