Smartphones & Accessories

Shopping for a new smartphone does come with plenty of choices, but there are factors to consider when shopping through all the phones available.

Along with its new trio of Galaxy S20 smartphones, Samsung also officially unveiled its new Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphone at its Unpacked 2020 event.

Samsung may give a little more precedence to its edged displays, like that on the Galaxy S7 Edge, but the more traditional “flat” Galaxy S7 is another option. Simplifying things to two devices, Samsung has essentially boiled it down to a choice between going with the edge or not. The Galaxy S7 hasn’t been deprived of anything, sporting the same internal specs and overall performance as its edged counterpart, including the incremental additions and improvements.

2014 was an exciting year for smartphones. Among other things, it was the year of the phablet, with even long-time big screen holdout Apple getting into the game with the new iPhone 6 Plus. I’ve had the opportunity to use the big iPhone (I opted for the more modestly sized iPhone 6 myself), but what I want to talk about today is the latest version of the smartphone that started the whole phablet thing: the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The newest Galaxy Note was a late arrival, hitting Canadian shelves at the end of October, but after spending a few weeks with the device early this year I can definitively say two things: worth the wait and still the phablet to beat in 2015.

Looking for the perfect gift for a special someone on your list? Check out these cool tech items, from personal care and small appliances to toys, that can all be controlled from a phone.

Chances are you own a smartphone or a tablet—perhaps both. And if you do, you probably realize that you are carrying a very valuable piece of gear with you. They don’t just give these things away … You may not realize just how fragile these devices are, but when you think about it they have at least one entire side that’s a sheet of glass and the electronics within are sensitive to dust, moisture and physical shocks. Then there’s the data on your mobile device which often includes digital photos, your web browsing history, e-mail, instant messages and passwords. That thing is a ticking time bomb! However, if you protect your tablet or smartphone like a pro, you can make the most of it on the go—like it was meant to be used— without losing sleep. Here’s how to do it.  

LG turned a few heads at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016 in Barcelona when it unveiled the G5, the company’s latest flagship smartphone that not only is made of metal, but also features a modular design that allows it to work with unique plug-in accessories. A dual lens setup in the rear includes a very wide angle lens and a fingerprint reader on the power button in the back.

Battery life is one of those bugaboos that’s always a concern with smartphones, and the iPhone 6 is no exception. Protecting a phone from a nasty fall is another thing altogether, so when a case comes along that can take care of both, it may be worth a look. LifeProof’s pedigree has usually been in making quality waterproof cases, and the Fre Power takes that and adds a large battery to keep the iPhone going double the time.

A year after launching a phone designed to shake up the market in the G5, LG has opted to be less dynamic, yet more fashionable in the G6. The company’s latest flagship handset grows a bigger screen without a massive body.

If you’re excited about the pending arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge with its curved display, you aren’t alone. But it was only a few months ago that Samsung released the Galaxy Note Edge, the flagship phablet that paved the way for the Galaxy S6 Edge. I spent several weeks putting Samsung’s curved display phablet through its paces. It does take some getting used to, but the curved glass looks great, feels great and bodes well for the Galaxy S6 Edge—which puts that curve on both sides instead of Note Edge’s one.