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What’s the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S4 Active?

What’s the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S4 Active?

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Galaxy S4 Active – what’s the difference? The number of devices in the Galaxy S4 family is growing, some of which have greater differences than others. In this comparison we take a look at the differences between the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the S4 Active. Jump to: IP Rating, Hardware Design, Camera, Battery, Size & Weight, Price, Conclusion.   Main differences at a glance: IP rating  – The Active has Ian P67 rating for water and dust protection Hardware Design – Physical buttons and port covers on the Active Camera – The S4 has a better camera than the S4 Active Battery – Slight differences in power consumption Size & weight – The S4 is slimmer and lighter Price – The S4 is more expensive Please note – Different models/variants of the each are released globally and would impact your decision.  This comparison is based on the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 and the S4 Active GT-I9295 which are the most popular within the UK market. Samsung Galaxy S4 v S4 Active Video Comparison [leadplayer_vid id=”52118E1DE11E4″] Galaxy S4 vs S4 Active spec comparison Before you start reading, you may like to have a look at how the features of these two handsets compare to each other in our spec comparison table. Click the image below to see it in its full glory. IP Rating This is what really sets the 2 devices apart.  As the S4 Active name implies, it is designed with the more active and adventurous in mind. The Active has IP67 rating, meaning it can survive in water up to 1 metre deep for 30 minutes.  So should you drop the phone whilst paddling by the sea, or in the kitchen sink then it will still work upon retrieval (providing it has not been submerged for longer). With this comes a dustproof and ingression protection.  Should you bury the S4 Active in the sand or cover it in sawdust, it is too protected. Often devices with such resistance have less features or look less appealing, this is not the case with the S4 Active. Whilst the standard S4 will have a degree of splash protection (don’t go testing) the S4 Active clearly more suitable for those who fear water damage to their handset.  This could be an ideal phone for a plumber! Do consider that whilst this has an IP rating it is no more rugged if it is dropped or knocked. Hardware Design One caveat of the IP rating is the hardware design of the S4 Active, there have been a few changes when compared to the S4.  They are relatively minor and when sat by side you can see that the 2 devices are from the same product line. The Active has 3 physical buttons on the front of the device, not just the one home key of the S4.  Samsung have done away with the capacitive menu and back keys on the S4 to ensure use under water with the S4 active. In some respects this is a nice feature even if it wasn’t related to the IP rating as it gives a tactile feedback. The microUSB port on the bottom of the device remains in the same position, but there is an easily removable rubber cover over it that needs to be closed when not connected to a cable to protect the internals of the device from the ingression of water or dust. The headphone jack on the S4 active remains un-protected.  Yes, drop the phone in water and the headphone socket gets wet, but this is ok! Samsung have treated this area so you can simply connect your headphones without the need to fiddle with port covers.  This is a massive bonus and makes the device more practical. There are two other small alterations and these affect the back of the device.  The back cover is now slightly smaller and has a seal attached to it, which meets a seal inside the phone to protect the battery, SIM and microSD card from water. The back of the device has a screw like fastening in each corner that are finished in brushed silver. It gives the Active an alternative and slightly tougher look. The last thing to mention here is that the S4 Active comes in Grey (most common) Blue and Orange, where as the S4 is available primarily and Black and White. Camera The second biggest difference between the two devices over and above the IP rating. The S4 Active has been downgraded to an 8 megapixel camera in comparison to the 13 on the S4. However, the Active gains an Aqua Mode which uses the volume key as a shutter button and allows for enhanced under water image and video capture. So if you like snorkelling and want to capture images of the fish and the coral then the Active is an ideal solution. The following photos were taken on the S4 then on the S4 Active.  You can see how the S4 takes a crisper and more detailed shot (click to enlarge). Aside from that there are no other differences.  We did find the image quality still to be very acceptable on the S4 Active. Battery Both devices has the same battery, but according to Samsung there are some differences in battery usage times (most likely because of the protection in place) all be it these vary considerably in real life usage. The chart below is from Samsung’s UK website with the S4 listed in column 1 and the S4 Active in Column 2. Size & Weight One sacrifice for the IP rating is the size and weight of the S4 Active.  It is now 21g heavier than the S4 at 151g compared to 130g. The physical size as changed ever so slightly too: S4 Active:139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1 mm S4: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm Having said this the physical size difference is considerably harder to notice than the weight when held in the hand. Price At the time of writing the S4 is priced at £440 + VAT (£528 including) whilst the S4 Active is £405 + VAT (£486 including). With this said, there is very little difference in terms of overall price between the two. Conclusion Ultimately there is little difference here, but for approximately £42 saving you get an IP67 rating but loose out on an extra 5 megapixels on the camera and gain a little extra weight. Whether this is worth it for you is going to be a personal decision, but if protection from water is necessary then you are not sacrificing much on the original S4. If you are a fairly careful user with limited exposure to water then it is probably worth going for the S4 on the basis of a better camera, slimmer and lighter profile. Find out more about the Samsung Galaxy S4 HERE. Find out more about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active HERE.

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Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017 Edition) User Guide / Manual

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017 Edition) User Guide / Manual

The Galaxy A series is aimed at consumers and business user who want a capable handset at an affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017 Edition) features a bold redesign and modern security features. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017 Edition) User Guide Below you can find the digital version of the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017 Edition) user manual. Hopefully the user manual will answer any of the outstanding questions that you have about the device. If there is anything that isn’t covered though, or if you have any questions prior to purchasing, please feel free to ask in the comments or to contact our sales team. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017 Edition) at a glance Android 6.0 Marshmallow 4.7″ 720 x 1280 Super AMOLED screen 13 MP camera with f/1.9 aperture & 8 MP Selfie camera 1.6 GHz octa-core processor and 2 GB RAM Fingerprint Sensor & NFC Samsung Knox security USB Type-C data & charging connector IP68 water resistance 16 GB storage / micro SD support

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 User Guide / Manual

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 User Guide / Manual

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (WiFi & 4G) User Guide Following a few years of slowly taking over much of the Android tablet space, Samsung has now refined the Galaxy Tab into to the sleek and powerful Tab S3.Encased in a super-thin 6 mm chassis, the Tab S3 has a beautiful 9.7-inch screen and is light enough to be held in one hand. Choose between the cellular model, with 4G/LTE connectivity for on-the-go browsing, or the Wi-Fi only model for lounging at home. Below you can find the digital versions of the Tab S3 user manual. Hopefully the user manual will answer any of the outstanding questions that you have about the device. If there is anything that isn’t covered though, or if you have any questions prior to purchasing, please feel free to ask in the comments or to contact our sales team. Samsung Tab S3 WiFi only (SM-T820N) manual: Samsung Tab S3 4G/Cellular (SM-T825N) manual:

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More or Fewer Rings Before Going to Voicemail

More or Fewer Rings Before Going to Voicemail

We have all experienced that annoying moment as you’re just about to answer your phone and it stops ringing. You have rushed downstairs to try and get there in time, then just as you pick it up, it stops. Sometimes the person at the other end has hung up, however sometimes they’ve been moved on to your voicemail to leave a message. What’s even more annoying is sometimes when you get a new phone (or a new contract / phone number) it rings for far less time than your old one. This is because the new phone has set up a different agreement with the network about how long it should ring for. Thankfully there’s an easy way to update this for all the major networks. You don’t even have to call anyone up to sort it out! I will show you how to sort this out. You can fix this using something called a USSD code. These are codes with ‘*’ and ‘#’ symbols you dial into like a normal phone number. You might be familiar with typing one in to receive a PAYG balance or to find your own phone number (*#100# on Vodafone has been etched into my mind since I was 16…) Underneath I’ve written a list of the USSD codes for the major mobile providers in the UK. They all follow the same basic principle with slight variations. Where it says to type in the [no_of_seconds], put in how many seconds you would like the phone to ring for before going to voicemail. Most networks will allow multiples of 5, up to a maximum of 30, so you can choose 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 seconds. EE (formerly Orange / T-Mobile) **61[your_phone_number]11*[no_of_seconds]# With EE you will need to type in your full phone number as there is no unique voicemail registration number for all customers. To make certain this works you should drop the ‘0’ from your number and type ‘0044’ instead. For example the number 07 123 456 789 would be typed as 00447 123 456 789. Vodafone **6112111*[no_of_seconds]# Vodafone customers can use the number 121 for their voicemail registration. O2 **6190111*[no_of_seconds]# O2 customers can use the number 901 for their voicemail registration. 3 **61333[no_of_seconds]# 3 customers can use 333 as the voicemail registration number. There is also no number between this and the amount of seconds you would like. If this option doesn’t work correctly, replace 333 with your phone number using the same method as EE mentioned above. giffgaff **6144310*[no_of_seconds]# giffgaff customers can use the number 443 for their voicemail. Be aware the code ‘10’ is used at the end, rather than ‘11’ for the other major providers. Tesco Mobile **6190511*[no_of_seconds]# Tesco Mobile customers can use the number 905 for their voicemail registration. Virgin Mobile Virgin has two steps to get this running. First off dial the USSD code*#67#. You should receive a number as a pop up message on the screen. Make a note of this, including the ‘+’ symbol. Now dial 61*[the_number_you_just_got][no_of_seconds]# You should be able to type the ‘+’ symbol by holding down ‘0’ for a couple of seconds. If you do not use one of the networks above, try a quick web search for the USSD for yours and make the change.

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Crystalusion review–6 months on

Crystalusion review–6 months on

A slightly different review from our usual device centric posts, this features the Crystalusion Liquid Glass product that Clove have been selling now for several months. We have recently become an approved reseller for Liquid Glass, having seen it sell far better with our customers than we had originally anticipated, in part we believe both to its unique nature and brilliant price point. A full explanation of Crystalusion can be found at our product page and our original blog review, briefly put though the product applies an extremely thin and strong coating onto your chosen device that is scratch, water, dust and oil resistant. Crystalusion claims in some circles to be physically harder than Corning Gorilla Glass 3, bold stuff indeed, and that it can last up to 12 months. So has it stood up to some constant use? Read on to find out.   I applied the Liquid Glass to my Nexus 4 in December, almost straight after receiving the device from Google Play. The instructions were simple to follow and I made sure that I did so just before going to bed, to give the solution time to settle overnight when the device was not in use. When I woke in the morning the Nexus definitely had a more ‘slippery’ feel to it, with my fingers gliding over the screen more smoothly. If I had to say anything about this it would be that the oleophobic (oil repellent) nature of Crystalusion meant that the natural oils on my fingers and hands meant I had less grip on the unit. Of course I wasn’t dropping the phone every 5 minutes, you would have to have pretty poor grip for that, but it was a slightly odd sensation to begin with. It most definitely had an effect on smearing, smudging and fingerprints due to this – I’m a bit fussy about keeping my screen clean and only the softest of wipe downs was needed to get rid of grime. I noticed the water-repellent feature as well, getting my phone out of my pocket to answer a call whilst enjoying the British Winter drizzle would generally result in plenty of wiping down to get rid of drops. Not so after Crystalusion, where I could actually watch the drops ‘balling up’ and rolling off the screen rather than settling. From then on I went about without really thinking about protection. I eschewed buying a case for the Nexus and instead stuck to my guns in using the Nexus as a naked guinea pig for Liquid Glass. I was very impressed, and the few times i took to really inspecting the device glass (which is on both the front and back) I noticed barely any marks, even after the occasional drop or slide across a rough surface. Now sceptics might say that I was buying into the idea that it was working rather than it having a real effect but the last month or so has made me realise that this wasn’t the case at all. I don’t consider myself a power-user however my phone is with me all the time and gets a heavy amount of use networking, gaming and browsing. I never expected the claim of up to 12 months to match my use and a few weeks ago I definitely started to see some damage occurring on both the front and rear glass of the Nexus 4. As the phone has never had a case or other protection, the types of light scuffs and scratches that have appeared recently have done so through the same level of use as always. Considering I had not noticed any before, I can only assume that Crystalusion had been performing admirably under my heavy use and now it is time for another coating. Greasy fingers and dirt are leaving far more noticeable and stubborn marks then previously too, backing up my conclusions that the product had been working and has now simply run out. It’s difficult to ‘score’ Crystalusion’s performance but I can highly recommend it. From my personal experience, the product not only works as advertised but offers clear advantages over traditional protection methods such as screen protectors. There are no bubbles, no feeling of something getting in between you and the device screen, and best of all there are no adverse environmental effects – traditional protectors are made of non-biodegradable plastics; Crystalusion is a 100% safe chemical solution of silica and ethanol. Combined with a case and used on the screen only (I covered my whole Nexus in one application) would probably be the best approach. The only issue would be with timing a reapplication; clearly the more your device is handled or put into abrasive environments (in your pocket with keys for instance) is going to more quickly reduce the effectiveness. I reckon I got about 4-5 months of full use from one full application on the front and rear of a smartphone, and as a heavy user this is pretty good in my opinion. All I need do now is reapply and I’m good to go again. It is up to you to keep stock of what your device looks like though and make sure there is still an effect. It is probably worth purchasing more than one at a time and putting one away so you can have quick access to another application should you decide you need it. Another great thing about Liquid Glass is how it can be applied to pretty much anything. You could easily wipe some over your HDTV or laptop screen, reading glasses and sunglasses or anything else that you fancy giving the Crystalusion treatment to. At just £6.99 including VAT the price is very competitive against traditional protection and the versatility is fantastic.

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Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017 Edition) User Guide / Manual

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017 Edition) User Guide / Manual

The Galaxy A series is aimed at consumers and business user who want a capable handset at an affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017 Edition) features a bold redesign and modern security features. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017 Edition) User Guide Below you can find the digital version of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017 Edition) user manual. Hopefully the user manual will answer any of the outstanding questions that you have about the device. If there is anything that isn’t covered though, or if you have any questions prior to purchasing, please feel free to ask in the comments or to contact our sales team. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017 Edition) at a glance Android 6.0 Marshmallow 5.2″ 1080 x 1920 Super AMOLED screen 16 MP camera with f/1.9 aperture & 16 MP Selfie camera 1.9 GHz octa-core processor and 3 GB RAM Fingerprint Sensor & NFC Samsung Knox security USB Type-C data & charging connector IP68 water resistance 32 GB storage / micro SD support

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How to Hide the Notch of the Huawei P30 Pro

How to Hide the Notch of the Huawei P30 Pro

If you have the Huawei P30 Pro then there are a number of different reasons that that may have been the phone of your choice. If you’re reading this blog, then the notch probably wasn’t it. They’re certainly not for everyone, are they? Well, we’re here to show you how to find and adjust the notch settings on your Huawei device to your liking. Now, this will work for all Huawei devices whether it’s the dewdrop style of the P30 Pro, or the larger notch of the Mate 20 Pro. Huawei P30 Pro | From £899 inc-VAT Simply go to your devices settings and select display. From here, tap more display settings and finally press notch. As you can see, by selecting ‘hide notch’ the device places a black bar either side of the notch, blocking it out completely. With some Android devices, you can even change the colour of this bar. Going back and forth, you can decide which option is best for you and change it accordingly. Click ‘Settings’ Select ‘Display’ Select ‘More Display Settings’ Select ‘Notch’ By selecting ‘Hide Notch’ the device places a black bar either side of the notch, blocking it completely     Now we hope that this has helped, but if you still have some queries then please do not hesitate to contact us using the comments section below. If there’s anything else you would like to know regarding your Huawei P30 Pro or another Huawei device then please let us know and we will get back to you quickly.   Huawei P30 Pro | From £899 inc-VAT

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Nokia 8110 4G User Manual

Nokia 8110 4G User Manual

The original Nokia 8110 was widely regarded as having a classic design, sometimes known as the “banana phone”. This was due to its unique look, with a curved body and sliding protective cover. In the Nokia 8110 4G, the design has been updated for the modern age. With 4G data connectivity being added, along with access to your favourite apps. You can enjoy this phone once more, without any limitations. With up to 25 days standby battery life on a single charge, there really is no need to worry about power. Also, you can once again become obsessed with Snake, as it comes pre-loaded. Want to know before you buy? Below you can find the digital version of the Nokia 8110 4G user manual –  click the PDF icon to download it, or access it here. If you would like a printed version, please click here. Nokia 8110 4G User Guide Hopefully the user manual will answer any of the outstanding questions that you have about the device. If you still have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments or to contact our sales team. Clove Technology. We Print User Manuals.

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Huawei P30 Lite Review

Huawei P30 Lite Review

As you might expect, the Huawei P30 Lite scraps some of the higher-end features that are found on the P30 and P30 Pro, however all-in-all it certainly keeps the overall feel. The Huawei P30 Lite will be available from Clove Technology in Peacock Blue, Pearl White and Midnight Black from 25th April for £329.99 including VAT so make sure you check that out. Huawei P30 Lite | £329.99 inc-VAT   Design and Display At first view, the P30 Lite certainly looks and feels like a Huawei device. For a so-called ‘budget device’ the display is mightily impressive, even in direct sunlight. The 6.15-inch FullHD LCD panel is hindered only by a small dewdrop style notch, allowing for an enjoyable 90% screen-to-body ratio. We’ve particularly enjoyed watching videos, and, whilst not quite up to the standard of it’s flagship counterparts, for this price point you won’t find much better. With a 1080 x 2312-pixel resolution at 415ppi, colour reproduction is fantastic and images are crisp and bright. The Huawei P30 Lite also comes with TUV Rheinland Eye Comfort certification, designed to be easier on the eyes for a more comfortable viewing experience; particularly in dimly lit backdrops. To the rear, the Peacock Blue variant of the Huawei P30 Lite has that trademark gradient finish which we’re big fans of here at Clove. If that’s less to your liking, then the Pearl White and Midnight Black colours and more understated – and less obvious to smudges! At 7.4mm, the Huawei P30 Lite has a noticeably slim and light profile and in the hand, feels much more premium than the price tag would suggest. The 3D curved glass creates a great grip and really helps with one-handed use. The fingerprint sensor is to the rear and works surprisingly quickly. Whilst the Huawei P30 Lite obviously had to cut back, the in-screen sensor is something that we would have like to have seen kept within the budget edition. That said, the P30 Lite does come with face unlock so you may not need it anyway. 6.15-inch FullHD LCD display Dewdrop style notch 90% screen-to-body ratio 1080 x 2312 415ppi TUV Rheinland Eye Comfort certification 7.4mm thick 3D curved glass Rear fingerprint scanner Face Unlock   Camera Huawei have undoubtedly become synonymous with providing an exceptional photography experience on their smartphones and you’ll be pleased to hear that the Huawei P30 Lite is no different. A triple-lens setup features on the rear, consisting of a 48MP main lens with an f/1.8 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture and an 8MP ultra-wide lens with a 120 degree field of view. The images that we’ve managed to take with this device are considerably better than we have taken on any other devices at this price point and we cannot laud it highly enough. AI scene recognition technology is as good as you would expect of a Huawei device and can recognise 22 different categories, including flowers and food. From this, settings like colour, lighting and contrast are automatically adjusted to produce some very impressive images. Pictures taken using the wide-angle lens are also impressive – although there is slight distortion around the edges of these images. Either way, detail and crispness are great and this is a feature that we use a lot, particularly whilst capturing landscapes. It is worth noting that if you are shooting with AI turned on or in wide-angle mode that the maximum resolution is 12MP. In comparison, you can enable 48MP whilst shooting normally. The Huawei P30 Lite can also capture images from distance, comparable to a 2x optical zoom lens. Hyper sampling lossless zoom tech enhances the 48MP ultra HD lens to be turned into a super zoom lens and the results have been more than respectable. Video can also be recorded in 1080p at 30fps with electronic image stabilisation, however, certainly isn’t as steady as you would find on the P30 Pro. If selfies are more your thing, then the 32MP front lens of the Huawei P30 Lite is really quite something. Huawei’s AI tech also features and beautifies self-portraits based on your unique face shape and type. This tech supposedly maps the contours of your features and creates a custom algorithm to ensure that you always show your best side. The front camera can also recognise more than 8 different categories in real time, adjusting the background of your images accordingly. You can also blur out backgrounds if you so wish by enabling bokeh through the camera app or add in depth after the photo has been taken. Triple-lens rear setup 48MP, f/1.8 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 8MP ultra wide, 120-degree field of view AI technology recognises 22 categories 2x optical zoom 32MP front lens AI tech beautifies portraits 1080p video @ 30fps with EIS Performance Departing from its bigger siblings, the Huawei P30 Lite runs Huawei’s HiSilicon 710 processor along with 4GB of RAM. This is more than enough to keep up with the average user, but you may see a bit of lag if jumping back and forth between more demanding apps. That said, Huawei’s processing tech – powered by GPU Turbo 2.0 – supposedly enhances performance for a faster, smoother and more powerful gaming experience. Now, the P30 Lite runs Android 9 straight out of the box, with Huawei’s EMUI 9 skin which has received some complaints, but we can’t say we’ve had any problems with. The 3,340mAh battery is generally decent for a so-called ‘budget device’ and we’d be very surprised if this didn’t get you through the day. Alongside this, the P30 Lite does have that 3.5mm headphone jack that so many devices are missing, as well as support for a microSD card of up to 512GB. There is however no IP rating. HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor 4GB RAM GPU Turbo 2.0 Android 9 and EMUI 9 3340mAh battery 3.5mm headphone jack Supports microSD up to 512GB No IP certification  The Huawei P30 Lite will be available from Clove Technology on 25th April for £329.99 in Midnight Black, Pearl White or Peacock Blue. Huawei P30 Lite | £329.99 inc-VAT  

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Samsung Galaxy Gear – Voice Memo

Samsung Galaxy Gear – Voice Memo

Record notes and meetings on your Galaxy Gear Part of our continuing series outlining the features of the Samsung Galaxy Gear These posts have already mentioned S Voice, Samsung’s voice command feature that is built into all recent Galaxy handsets and now the Galaxy Gear. S Voice needs to be activated from within its own application and from here you can decide to what degree and with which other apps you want it to play with. The combination of voice recognition with speech-to-text software is really quite powerful when done well and Samsung have utilised it brilliantly in the Gear. Not only can you use these  features to respond to text message notifications that you receive, there is also a dedicated Voice Memo app for taking notes. You can open the app the traditional way through swiping on the Gear interface and selecting or, once S Voice is set up, saying simple phrases such as “record memo” into the microphone. Once open, Voice Memo will record your speech into notes that are stored as short notes that you can read over or have spoken back to you. 3rd party support is coming to the Gear slowly and Evernote is actually available at the time of writing. Installing this extension will allow you to use it over the stock Voice Memo app, turning your spoken words into an Evernote compatible snippet that can be viewed on the Gear and transferred back over to the main app on your paired smartphone.

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Sugar Phone Review

Sugar Phone Review

129 Swarovski 57-facet Ziconia stones hand set in a phone. The metal and glass bodies, slim profile and ergonomic lines are all said to help with the design and appeal of a smartphone and most would agree. High end processing powers and software features align with our desires of smooth performance and almost limitless options. Striking a perfect blend between styling and functionality is difficult and by no means easy.  One person’s opinion on what is most important will differ to others. The Sugar Phone swings more to styling than functionality, but all things told it is not a bad handset given how unique it is.   Hardware Specifications 5” full HD touchscreen display 1.5GHz quad-core processor 13 megapixel Sony camera 8 megapixel front facing camera 16GB internal memory 2350mAh battery Buy Sugar Phone Design/Build Not wishing to stereotype, the Sugar Phone is aimed at the female market and the reception it gets from women is very good. Few I have shown it to, have criticised. Hand set around the edge of the handset are a total of 129 57-facet Swarovski Zirconia stones. Sat in between a silver band on the White coloured model we have here, in the light, the stones do shine. The design styling of the stones carries onto the software and even the touchscreen button on the front of the device. It might be a little cheesy but I think it works well and fits with the theme. It even illuminates when charging. There is a reasonable bezel around the screen with front facing camera and earpiece above it. Flip over to the rear and the shimmery Gorilla Glass 2 gives a unique look and feel. The power button on the right side is finished with the stones as is the volume up and down keys on the left. The micro SIM card tray is engraved to confirm this is a genuine Swarovski device. A microUSB port is conveniently located on the bottom along with a microphone, whilst a second mic and 3.5mm headphone jack can be found on the top edge. With smooth edges and a solid feel, it feels reasonably good in hand. Display Manufactured by Sharp, the Sugar phones has a 1080 x 1920 IPS LCD display which offers a superb pixel per inch count of 441. I did not expect it to be as good as it is. At 5” in size the screen is probably at that sweet spot where it is large enough you can easily do all you need on the device but small enough that the phone is fits in a bag, pocket and hand relatively comfortably. Unfortunately the bezel around the display is a little larger than I would have like to have seen. Like many screens it suffers with fingerprints, but watching a movie, playing back images and general interaction with it is pleasing. A light sensor does allow for it to automatically adjust as at full brightness in a dark environment, it can be a little strong. Software Powered by Android 4.2 the software is considerably out of date if you keep up with Android developments.  However, it contains what most users need as core functionality and honestly few would really know or be too worried outside techie circles. The Sugar Phone has had an extensive re-work in the software department and is quite some way from stock Android. Whilst the themes can be changed there is a continuum of sparkle and jewel like throughout.  All the icons and switches have been adapted. Of the 16GB internal memory 10.5GB is available out of the box to use. Google services such as Drive, Gmail, maps are all present but there is too a number of additions which are best shown in the screenshots, but these include a boot optimizer,a dressing glass, FM radio, a note pad and to do list.  Useful and not over bearing is how I would describe the list of available apps and features out of the box. Full access to the Play store means all your favourite apps can be installed within a matter of minutes. Adding a corporate email and social media accounts is simple. Other nice touches in my mind include the ability to change the colour style of the screen, the key brightness and what they call the breath light that pulses by default when charging. In addition a number of smart gestures are available and can be activated or disabled depending upon your preferences.  These include a gesture unlock, answer phone, camera snap and more. What these additional features show is how extra thought has gone into this product and it is not just something that has been thrown together in an effort to try and flog a smartphone for the female market. Connectivity Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and phone connection are all present as you would expect. The phone is 3G only and not 4G which is a shame. It does offer USB host functionality, albeit you need to install a different file manager to make use of this. MicroUSB connectivity makes it simple to charge and being mounted on the bottom it is conveniently located. There is no option to expand the memory, it is the fixed 16GB only. Audio I was really quite impressed with the audio on the Sugar Phone.  The rear mounted speaker didn’t beaude well when so many devices are now opting for front facing options. There was a little directional tone to the speaker, being mounted on the rear, but the quality and balance of the audio was really good.Even at full volume with different audio types at no point did it sound strained and there was good depth and tone to the sound compared to many smartphone speakers. You could quite easily listen to a few songs or podcasts from this speaker without much issue, assuming you lay the device face down or hold it in hand to avoid muffling the speaker. Camera 2 cameras are inset into the Sugar Phone, both Sony built, which result in reasonable images. On the rear is a 13 megapixel camera and on the front is an 8 megapixel. A high resolution for a front camera, this is designed to assist in the ‘dressing glass’ mode which uses the front facing camera to act as a mirror. The camera is well features with different settings and shooting modes including smile shot and HDR. For a little added fun ‘cinemagraph’ creates a little moving picture (gif) whilst there is also a photosphere and object eraser tool to help perfect the image. Flash is present to help with low light shots. You can record HD video and pause recording whilst doing so, but you cannot capture a still whilst doing so. Post capture of stills you can also edit images using a lot of the built in editing functionality. The final results on the whole were ok, perhaps a little darker at times and a little washed out at others, depending on the subject and colours being captured. When recording video, the microphone picked up quite a bit of wind noise and struggled more with changing colours and light conditions.   Power At 2,350mah the battery is not the biggest in this phone but it will last the average user a working day, just.  Depending on how much you use the phone will have a bearing.  power users will deplete power within hours whereas lighter users will get a day or very light users may get 2. There is little in way of battery conservation technology built in but you can ‘Economise’ the battery when the battery is at 11% or less.  This setting is under ‘display’ odly. It is fair to say a daily charge will be required. Conclusion This is a niche phone, but one that is different and one that serves a sector of the market that still today is not best served. Stereotypical it may be, but the female user generally tends to like things with a bit more sparkle. A bit of silver or gold metal is not always enough. If you read this with a techie hat on, take that off and think of the teenage girl, twenty something party lover who is more interested about sending a text, capturing a few images and having a functional phone than whether the OS is buttery smooth and can multitask like a champ. Ask your wife or girlfriend what version of software is on their phone and they will likely look at you blankly, which confirms the ‘very latest’ is not always required and when something like design has been seriously considered like it has on the Sugar Phone If you love the sparkle and appeal or know someone who does, the Sugar Phone is a solid product with few areas in which I can criticise for something that is so unique. Buy Sugar Phone

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Doro 8030 User Guide/Manual

Doro 8030 User Guide/Manual

Doro 8030 User Guide Below you can find the digital version of the 8030 user manual. If you would like a printed version, please click here. If you’ve never owned a smartphone before, or want one that thinks and acts like you do, Doro 8030 is the smartphone for you. It brings you all the enjoyment that most smartphones can, but in a more natural and understandable way. Hopefully the user manual will answer any of the outstanding questions that you have about the device, but if there is anything that isn’t covered or if you have any questions prior to purchasing, please feel free to ask in the comments or to contact ur sales team.

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