Smartphones & Accessories

Smartwatches and wearables have been a hot category this year. It seems like everyone is making one, but this early in the game it’s tough to get things just right. Motorola’s Moto 360 has been one of the most hotly anticipated devices of the season because it’s one of the first out of the gate to tackle two challenges head on: it’s round like a traditional wristwatch, and with Android Wear it has an operating system built from the ground up for wearables. I’ve been spending some quality time with a Moto 360 and this is what I think about the latest must-have high tech accessory.

 If you find that cellular reception is a problem in your home or office, then the Eqo Boost from WeBoost may be the solution you’re looking for. Dropped calls, or parking yourself in one spot near a window to get a reliable connection for phone calls can be a frustrating experience, especially when you feel powerless to do anything about it.

Google unveiled its highly-anticipated Pixel smartphones, officially retiring the Nexus name, and claiming to have produced “the best smartphone camera anyone has ever made.” While it’s too soon to confirm that, the devices are the most luxurious designs under Google’s branding, and are firmly in the premium category.

There are various signs that smartphones are becoming viable PC replacements.  Intel is now making powerful mobile processors, smartphones are starting to run desktop-level apps, and Microsoft is putting the power of desktop Windows on their smartphones.  

Google didn’t just unveil its two new Pixel smartphones and the Chromecast Ultra this week, it also intimated its focus on the home, and how different devices can factor into that vision. One of these was the Daydream View VR headset, designed to work with the Pixel (and other Android phones), and the other was the Google Home, a hub that uses the Google Assistant artificial intelligence platform to help with various tasks on command.

Sometimes two products work together so well that they mesh into an extension of one another and become that much better than either is on its own. Each might be pretty cool, but together, they becomes something special. That’s the case with Samsung’s Galaxy S5 smartphone and its Galaxy Fit fitness band. I had a week to try out these Samsung flagship devices and came away impressed with how well the two combine into what’s currently one of the best experiences out there for someone with an active, connected lifestyle.

Google confirmed what many suspected when it officially announced its latest new products, including two Pixel 4 phones, plus a new Pixelbook and Nest Mini.

Search functionality and customization have been focal points, and this update largely keys in on those things. The menu layout has shifted the bottom with options for Channels, What’s On, Remote, Photos+ and Settings. The Channels section lays out everything you have installed, with a separate tab to access and install others.

Samsung showed new devices from its Unpacked event in Seoul, led by the Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Watch6 and new Tab S9 tablets.

For the first time, Samsung has split its flagship Galaxy S line into two distinct models. There is the regular flat version following in the footsteps of its predecessors, and the Edge, which curves on both sides for unique functionality. Under the hood, there is little that sets these two apart, so your choice is going to be mostly about which look you prefer.