HP SPECTRE X2 : REVIEW

HP SPECTRE X2 : REVIEW

              It's been a trend in the past few months : Every tech company is making a mi-two product like the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.A laptop/tablet mashup is getting better every generation and iteration it is out.There are different examples: the iPad Pro from Apple, Google's Pixel C, as well as offerings from Lenovo and Dell. But HP's latest is an especially literal interpretation. The Spectre x2, as it's called, is a 12-inch Windows tablet with a keyboard cover.Also like the Surface Pro, it sports a kickstand around back and can be used with a pressure-sensitive pen. But, it's cheaper and the keyboard actually comes in the box. On the box , this looks like a groundbreaking product in comparison with the Surface pro 4, but in real-world will it really outcast it ?

Design & Features :

           
               A slate tablet with a detachable keyboard case, the Spectre x2 shares a similar design with the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and its predecessors. The Spectre x2 has a matte-silver finish on its back, with a chrome HP logo. A stainless-steel, U-shaped kickstand pops out of the back panel when you slide the release on the left side of the tablet. The kickstand offers a wide range of angles, so you can use it from a seated or standing position, propped on a table, or on your lap. Like the Surface tablets, the kickstand may dig into your leg if you're using it on your lap.

           

                             

            The aluminum-clad Spectre X2 measures 0.31 by 11.93 by 8.23 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.88 pounds alone and 2.72 pounds with its keyboard cover attached. That's a bit heftier than the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, which is 0.33 inches thick and weighs 1.73 pounds sans keyboard. It's a measurable difference, but you're unlikely to notice unless you compare them side by side. The keyboard case adds 0.21 inches to the tablet's thickness (for a total of 0.52 inches), but the depth and width remain the same.

Display

              At the center of everything is the 12-inch IPS display. The resolution is capped at 1,920 x 1,080, which is lower than some competing products, including both the Surface Pro 4 and iPad Pro. Still, on a screen this small, the difference would be subtle at best, so in the interest of keeping the cost down, this was a fine compromise. Even if the screen angle weren't adjustable, which thankfully it is, I would have had an easy time making out the screen. As a warning, the glossy panel doesn't completely repel glare, but color and contrast at least stays mostly consistent as you tilt the screen forward and back.
              Lastly, the x2 is compatible with pressure-sensitive  pens just what Microsoft use's  same technology for the Surface Pro  , HP sells an active pen on its site for $30, though any Wacom pen using the same technology will do.

Performance & Battery Life :

             The Spectre x2 comes with your choice of Core M3, M5 or M7 processor. It's the same idea as Core i3, i5 and i7, except that Intel Core M sacrifices speed for the sake of achieving especially thin and light designs, like the one we have here. The unit  tested was with a dual-core 1.2GHz Core M7-6Y75 processor, Intel HD 515 graphics and 8GB of memory. Even with the best specs offered, benchmark scores still trail new machines with Core i5 chips, including the Surface Pro 4.

             The LiteOn solid-state drive delivered max write speeds of 554 MB/s in ATTO's disk test, which is in line with many other SSDs we've tested recently. Even so, though, it takes the Spectre x2 about 15 seconds to boot into the desktop, whereas it might take a faster machine around 10. 

        

               HP rates the Spectre x2 for 10 hours of battery life. (Note : Under HP's perfect conditions , which is hypothetically not possible ). Perhaps it's possible to achieve 10 hours of use if you lower the brightness to a fairly dim setting and use the machine intermittently. For us we never came close to reaching that milestone. With an HD video looping and the brightness fixed at 65 percent, the x2 managed six hours and 43 minutes.

RealSense Camera : 

               The Spectre x2 features an integrated webcam in front and interestingly, a RealSense camera on the back. Where the Surface Pro 4's front-mounted, RealSense-like camera is intended for facial recognition with Windows Hello, HP expects its camera to be used for RealSense applications. Right now it’s a work in progress: The one app available was a beta for itSeez3D, which allows you to make 3D models of a person. I tried scanning a co-worker in two different lighting situations, and the results weren’t pretty.

Keyboard

             The Spectre x2 might be slower than the competition, and the battery life might not be as long, and the screen might not be as sharp, but damn if it doesn't have one of the best keyboards I've seen on a device like this. The metal keyboard feels sturdy, for starters, which goes a long way toward making it comfortable to use in the lap. It's backlit -- another plus. And, perhaps most importantly, the keys are generously sized with an impressive 1.5mm of travel, making them uncommonly cushy for a product in this class.
           
             Also, I like how HP gives you a choice of resting the keyboard flat against your desk (or lap), or instead folding up the top to attach to magnets inside the tablet's lower bezel. This gives the keyboard a lift in the back that for some will translate to a more ergonomically sound experience.
Too bad the touchpad isn't nearly as refined. When it works it works well, with smooth enough scrolling and precise cursor tracking. But it doesn't always work. Wasn't always able to get the pointer to go, and I frequently found myself accidentally rearranging pinned browser tabs.Bottom line a great keyboard but a bad mouse (touchpad).

Wrap-up

             In this increasingly big world of laptop/tablet hybrids, the Spectre x2 isn't a bad choice, especially at this price. But that doesn't mean it's the best. The x2 is not the fastest, the longest-lasting or the most comfortable to use in the lap. It's screen is not the sharpest. But it's keyboard is arguably the easiest to type on of any click-in dock I've seen, and the audio is surprisingly decent. If money is no object, you will probably be happier with the Surface Pro 4. But, if you were hoping to avoid spending $930 just for the entry-level SP4 and keyboard, the x2 is a fine runner-up.

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OnePlus X : Review

OnePlus X : Review

               The OnePlus X is the mid-budget smartphone buy the company who makes flagship killer's.The One Plus  company is just 2 years old and this is the third phone from the company with the previous two being blockbusters. . Making the X, OnePlus eschewed its usual formula of stuffing the best processor in a ridiculously cheap phone. Instead, it has re-purposed the internals of its debut OnePlus One into a smaller phone with a lower $249 price tag.Let's see if it wow's the mid-range customers ?

Look and feel          

                    First of ,the OnePlus  X is smaller and easier to handle than either of the company's previous smartphones. Apart from the obvious difference in screen size that dictates the length and width, the OnePlus X is also considerably slimmer at 6.9mm. Combined with a metal frame, glass back and a slight curve in the glass front at its edges, the X is attractive and feels great to hold.

                     The back of the OnePlus X is glass, and is surprisingly sturdy and resistant to damage.he black material under the glass makes the back highly reflective, a look we rather like. The top-left corner has the camera and flash, while the OnePlus logo sits just inside the top-third.However speaking of the back , is made of glass , so it's no doubt that this one is a fingerprint magnet, but when we say the white one in comparison to the black , you can't see the fingerprint enhanced in white as they do in the black variant.

                      The frame of the OnePlus X is metal, with a lined pattern that continues all around the device. The top has the 3.5mm socket and a secondary microphone, the left has the notifications slider, the bottom has the speaker grille and USB port, while the right side has the power and volume keys and the SIM tray. There are two visible grilles at the bottom, but only the one on the left actually houses a speaker. The right grille is designed that way only for design symmetry.

                        The  notifications slider is another feature we found interesting. This is a three-position switch which lets you choose how many notifications you wish to receive. The lowest position will allow all notifications through, the middle position will only enable priority notifications, while the top position blocks everything.

Display

           The OnePlus X has a 5-inch display , which is a 1080p AMOLED, that typically means superb viewing angles, bright colors and blacks beyond the event horizon. There's no contradiction  here. Colors are indeed punchy ,viewing angles are great and of course,since AMOLED doesn't have a back-light, the overall blacks are fantastic.But there are some issues, it's not laminated, and there's quite a gap between the display and the cover-glass. It's not a huge issue, but it's there. I also take issue with the color balance of the display.If you look closely you will have that color shifeted , otherwise it's just a normal display.

      

           Otherwise ,the display is one of the nicest display's , I have ever seen in this budget smartphones. The display does all the essentials, with minor issues that can be neglected, the One Plus X gets a thumbs up for the display.

Camera

          The OnePlus X has a 13-megapixel f/2.2 primary camera with single-tone flash, along with an 8-megapixel f/2.4 front camera. Both are capable of recording up to 1080p video in normal mode. The rear camera can additionally record slow-motion video at 120fps, but only at a resolution of 720p.The camera app is designed to look like Google Camera, but has a few differences. There are buttons for quickly toggling the flash, self-timer and camera switcher, but accessing beauty, HDR and clear image mode is a two-step process. Video, panorama, time lapse and slow-motion modes also require some swiping to get to. Although Oxygen 2.1 brings a manual mode to the OnePlus 2, manual settings remain absent on the OnePlus X even after the update. You can, however, easily set the photo and video resolution.
 

          The camera itself is quick to shoot, and is excellent in terms of color and lighting reproduction. Shadows and sunlight interweave splendidly in outdoor shots, while indoor pictures bring out the best in both well-lit and low-light conditions. Unfortunately, that's where our praise for the camera ends. Looking at our sample shots closely, we found a glaring lack of detail in every shot we took.Noise and grain are plentiful without even zooming in all the way, and it's impossible to distinctly make out any detail in pictures of subjects that are more than a few feet away. Even in close-ups, anything outside the focus area is utterly lacking in definition and clarity.

Software

           OnePlus Oxygen OS is very good. I hadn't really spent time with it before the X arrived -- unless a cursory swipe across home screens on a OnePlus 2 counts -- but I'd like to spend more time with it now. If you've used stock Android, you won't find too many differences visually, but there are some additional, genuinely customization options on offer.By default the phone has a "dark" theme, which changes the menus to a deep black and the app drawer to a dark gray. In theory, due to the peculiarities of AMOLED technology, this uses less power than the regular white Android theme.

          In the settings menu you'll also find some other options, one of which lets you deactivate the capacitive buttons and opt for on-screen instead.There are a few token gestures for when the screen's off -- double-tap to wake up, draw a V for flashlight, an O for Camera, etc. -- and a weird "Shelf" thing for storing frequently apps that I switched off, but you're mostly just looking at Android Lollipop, for all its good and bad points.

Performance & Battery 

          The OnePlus X runs on a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC with an integrated Adreno 330 GPU. This chip was used in many of the popular flagship smartphones of 2014. Although it's not the most modern now, it's still a capable SoC that offers excellent performance and outdoes this year's Snapdragon 615 in most benchmarks.The OnePlus X performed capably in most of our benchmark tests. It scored 24fps in GFXBench and maxed out in 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme, producing a score of 16,207 in Ice Storm Unlimited. AnTuTu returned a score of 40,773, while Quadrant produced a score of 24,013.

           The X ran for 11 hours, 54 minutes in our video loop test, which is excellent for a 2525mAh battery. However, we found that in practical situations, the battery wasn't quite as capable. As previously stated, gaming and other intensive tasks would cause serious battery drain. The device will only last a full day on a complete charge if used carefully and conservatively. While calls and texting don't affect the battery too much, Web browsing and gaming tend to eat away at it much more than we've seen on other similarly  devices.

Wrap-Up

           OnePlus has made serious waves in the smartphone industry since its rather dramatic arrival on the scene less than a year ago. It's offered products that have matched flagship specifications at prices that are much lower.Though through it's only invite system , OnePlus has raised many questions around it too .Where does the OnePlus X stand in all of this? It's a decent mid-budget device that offers strong performance using a dated but powerful SoC and more than enough RAM. It also boasts of great looks, a premium feel, good software, and a superb screen. However, the quality of the build is somewhat questionable, and the camera is utterly lacking in detail and definition. Heat dissipation issues have a tendency to negatively affect battery life.

          OnePlus has proven it can make a competent phone on an even slimmer budget. But it hasn't made one that makes sense over its slightly more expensive cousin, or even one that can justify the price hike over a Moto G.

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BLACKBERRY PRIV : Review

BLACKBERRY  PRIV : Review

           It’s no secret that BlackBerry has faced a dramatic shift in fortunes over the past few years, but the Canadian company is now looking to make a comeback by their new offering , the Blackberry Priv. Blackberry Priv , is the latest take of  Blackberry on Android as their main smartphone OS.Will this save the long last days of Blackberry ?

          The name of this high-end offering finds its roots in the word PRIVacy, and perhaps more appropriately, PRIVilege, given that this is a phone that stands out in more ways than one.How will this device fare against the intense competition it faces in the saturated Android flagship market it is entering? Let's find out, in this BlackBerry Priv review!

Design

          Blackberry has bought some old design concept which many manufactures have left up. The flip-up style design is one of the unique design adapted by Blackberry for it's Priv. The large 5.4-inch has no capacitive keys accompanying it, and the very bottom portion of the phone does not slide, but houses a front-facing speaker.The power button is on the left side, which takes some getting used to, and the volume rocker is to the right, with a single button between the volume up and down keys which is sound toggle used by Blackberry designer's for quite some time.

          Also noteworthy is that all of these buttons do not move when the screen is slid up, leaving them well within reach. The back of the phone features a soft plastic weave that helps a lot with grip, and while the camera optics up top do protrude, the ring around the glass is quite substantial.The back of the Priv is quite plasticky as it has not metallic body , the plastic feels sometimes very soft.The overall design.Ultimately, BlackBerry has succeeded in creating an Android smartphone that is simultaneously a throwback to the days of old, while also a sleek device worthy of today’s expected aesthetics and features.

Display

           BlackBerry saw fit to equip the Priv with a 5.43-inch plastic AMOLED display with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and a pixel density of 540 ppi.The screen is really good, with the right color saturation and sharp text, making it a great for choice all the work you might be looking to get done on this device. A subtle curve on the right and left help keep the whole device looking sleek, and provide an obvious starting point for sliding over particular features.Overall, we’re happy with the high-quality display BlackBerry has on offer, and not only is it enjoyable to use, but it also shows that the company is definitely trying here.

Hardware

          Under the hood, the Priv comes with an hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, clocked at 1.8 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 418 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. The Snapdragon 808 may not be the latest and greatest, but this has been the go-to processing package for a few other flagships out there as well, and the performance remains as good as expected here. There haven’t been any problems doing just about anything on this device, and any stutters and bugs we did run into felt more like the fault of BlackBerry’s Android iteration.

        

             General web browsing and media consumption go along without incident, and the device handles gaming very well too. Most of the work BlackBerry faithful will do on the Priv will involve the built-in Hub and other productivity tools, which all proved to be snappy.The phone also comes with all of the necessary connectivity options, including NFC, and up top are the SIM slot and the microSD card slot, to bolster the 32 GB of in-built in storage by up to 200 GB.

Keyboard & Sound

             The biggest difference this phone has over the rest, the physical keyboard. Slide the screen up, and revealing the physical keyboard hides the on-screen one, freeing up a lot of work space. As mentioned, the keys do take a little getting used to.There are other uses for the keyboard however, such as, if typing occurs pretty much anywhere else in the interface, either an automatic Google search triggers, or any short or long presses can be used to trigger shortcuts.

             The entire keyboard is also outfitted with touch and swipe sensitivity, so that tasks like scrolling a webpage can be done by lightly passing the finger over the hardware keys.Making use of these features allow user's to have the whole screen viewing experience.

             Front-facing speaker, which is in and of itself a great choice and provides decent sound. It skews towards the higher end, though it could do with a little more volume. Still, Blackberry’s speakers are better than any rear mounted speakers out there.

Battery

              Such a large phone allows for an equally large battery as well, and the Priv packs a 3,410 mAh unit, but while that seems impressive, battery life has unfortunately been a pretty average affair.Power users may find themselves needing to charge the device during their day, but at least the Priv does come with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities.Around 4 hours of screen-on time , that's the average user power consumption usage.

              However, keep in mind that the charger available in the box does not support Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0, so you will need to pick up a third party fast charger to take advantage of this feature.

Camera

             BlackBerry has never really been too fussed with smartphone imaging, with the Passport being the first of its devices to even get a double-digit camera sensor. As if to overcompensate, the Priv comes with an 18-megapixel Schneider-Kreuznach-certified imaging sensor. In addition, the firm is throwing the usual bundle of features that high-end smartphones get in order to claim that they can operate on equal footing with a DSLR.

         

             In this case, that means optical image stabilization (OIS), phase-detect auto focus and the ability to record 4K video at 30fps as well as the software-based live image filters we've already seen in older BlackBerry 10 devices. The front-facer, meanwhile, is a garden-variety 2-megapixel affair with 720p video capture and 2x digital zoom that can do panoramic selfies, should you need it. 

            When it comes to picture quality, BlackBerry continues to show just how new they are in what has become a great camera space in Android. The optics are capable of some good detail capture, but processing looks to be the worst of it. Pictures in bright light look quite good with adequate color saturation and a bit of a boost in HDR, but lower light situations really show the flaws

Software

             BlackBerry's in-house operating system couldn't woo developers away from iOS and Android, and with the Priv, the company is officially adopting the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach. It runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and will eventually make the move to Android 6.0 Marshmallow .However it keeps most of the stock experience, which is good.                 

             There are, however, some extra features somewhat hidden within, such as the three dots under the icons on the homescreen, that mean that if you swipe up from it, a pop up widget will appear, which is a great way of saving space on the actual homescreens. Further, swiping up from the on-screen home key can be catered to any applications that you might need easy access to.The Recent Apps screen features a grid layout, which might be easier to use for some than the card-based iteration that Android currently employs.

             For all tasks and messaging services, the BlackBerry Hub is the built-in way of consolidating all of them. Opening it up and setting up GMail and social media accounts,  gives you access everything in one place. The Hub works well enough, but picking specific accounts to dial down the information helps.

Final Thoughts 

            The BlackBerry Priv is available now for the very premium price of $699, which is certainly steep, comparing it with other smartphones.BlackBerry brand used to be iconic, and in the wake of a declining public image.However, you may be paying a lot of money just to be a part of the nostalgia that the BlackBerry name evokes. By prioritizing features like the keyboard and security measures though, BlackBerry is also selling exclusivity. By getting this phone, you just might be a part of the privileged group that not only still believes in the brand.

              Priv does get a lot right, plenty of features and extra ways of getting tasks done keep the Priv viable as a productivity tool, but the company has to improve the features that users often require from current Android flagships, like the camera, and better ease of use in the operating system.

Specifications

Display	5.4-inch AMOLED display Quad HD resolution, 540 ppi
Processor	1.8 GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Adreno 418 GPU
RAM	3 GB
Storage	32 GB expandable via microSD up to 200 GB
Camera	18 MP rear camera with OIS, dual LED flash Schneider-Kreuznach optics 2 MP front-facing camera
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac A-GPS Bluetooth 4.1 NFC microUSB 2.0
Battery	3,410 mAh
Software	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Dimensions	147 x 77.2 x 9.4 mm 192 grams

              

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