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Connect your smartphone or tablet to a larger display MHL (Mobile High-Definition link) is a technology that has now been included with smartphones and tablets for the last few years. It’s still one of the easiest ways to transfer what’s on the screen of your phone to a larger display, such as a TV. There will soon be a new and improved version of MHL called SuperMHL, but for the time being it is MHL that is used by the likes of Samsung and Sony. If you’re reading this post, it’s possible that you are considering, or have just bought for the first time, a device that has MHL included on its spec sheet. If that’s the case, you’re in for a treat – MHL is a great feature to have. In this post we’ll explain exactly what it is and detail some of the cool ways in which you can use it. What is MHL? MHL is a technology standard that has been developed by a variety of smartphone manufacturers, including Nokia, Sony, Samsung and more. It enables you to mirror the display from your smartphone or tablet on a larger display. Where can I buy an MHL adaptor? We offer a range of MHL adaptors for different handsets. We ship internationally and will be happy to help you with any questions that you have about choosing the right adaptor. We have created this ‘Which MHL cable should I buy?‘ post, showing which adaptors are needed for the most recent handsets. We’ve also created ‘Which MHL Adaptor does my Samsung Galaxy Need?’, which is specific to Samsung handsets. You can view the MHL adaptors that we have available in our online store here. What can I use MHL for? OK, before we get into the technical side of things, we’ll have a look at some of the cool stuff that MHL can do. We’ve now created a fair few demo videos of various handsets being connected using MHL and a couple of them are even featured on the MHL consortium website. Here’s a list of some of the activities that you could use MHL for once connected to a large display: Gaming. Either use your device’s touchscreen to control the game, or connect a controller via Bluetooth and use that. Movies. Playback movies or home-made videos that are stored on your handset. Or stream content from services such as Netflix. Photo slideshow. Show friends and family photos that you have taken using your handset. Use you smartphone as a computer. Once you’ve connected to a larger display, connect a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard and use your smartphone as you would a computer. Music. If you want to play some music out loud but don’t have access to a stereo system, you could connect your handset to a TV and play the music through its speakers, which will be a lot louder than those on your smartphone. Presentation. Show colleagues the Office documents that you’ve been working on. Below you can view some of our MHL demo videos. To see more videos and different handsets being used, click here to go to our YouTube channel. This first one shows the Samsung Galaxy S3 being used as a computer thanks to MHL and Bluetooth.   The second video, which is slightly older but still applicable in the capabilities that it demonstrates, which was created for us by Murray Winiata from AndroidNZ. It gives a demonstration of MHL being used for gaming on a larger display. What do I need for MHL to work? Using the microUSB port (the same one that is used for charging) on your device, an MHL adaptor and a HDMI lead, the screen from your phone or tablet can be mirrored on a larger display, such as a TV. This means that exactly the same picture from your phone is enlarged on a bigger screen. In order to use MHL, you will need the following: The MHL-enabled phone or tablet that you wish to connect to a larger display The microUSB mains charger that came with your handset The correct MHL adaptor for  your handset A HDMI lead The HDMI display that you wish to connect your smartphone to Typically, the only additional item that you will need to purchase from the above list (once you have already purchased your phone) is an MHL adaptor. It is important that you choose the correct MHL adaptor for your handset, which is why we have put together this ‘Which MHL cable should I buy?‘ post. To power the MHL adaptor, you need a microUSB charger, but the one that came with your handset (provided that it is microUSB 2.0, which the vast majority are) is fine for this. Most households already have a HDMI lead as well – they are used to connect games consoles and DVD players to the TV. The image below shows the items you need in order to make use of your MHL-enabled device. Click the image to view it full size. Exceptions There are, of course, some exceptions. Here’s where they apply to the items described above: MicroUSB mains charger.  Some newer handsets use MHL 2.0, which does not require the connection to be powered. These currently include the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3. This post lists the different adaptors required for different handsets and includes the demo videos that we have created for them. It’s also worth noting that some handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, have begun shipping with microUSB 3.0, which uses a larger connection than microUSB 2.0. MHL adaptors have a port for microUSB 2.0, so the mains charger that comes with the Note 3 (or any other microUSB 3.0 charger), will not be compatible with the adaptor. However, the MHL 2.0 adaptor can still be used with the Note 3 using a microUSB 2.0 cable. MHL Adaptor Some televisions and displays are now MHL-enabled. This means that you do not need an MHL adaptor to use them with your handset – you can connect the handset directly to the display using a microUSB to HDMI cable. In most cases this should be supplied with the display. You can see our demo video of a smartphone being used with an MHL display in this post. HDMI Cable As described above, if you are using an MHL-enabled display, you will not need a HDMI cable, but you will need the correct cable to connect Does my phone or tablet have MHL? Many top to mid range smartphone now come with MHL capability. The best way to find out if your device has MHL is to look on its spec sheet. Typically it will be listed under connectivity or ‘video out’. For the products that we list on the Clove website, we list it under Ports > Video Out. This list shows the majority of handsets and tablets that are MHL-enabled. Can I add MHL to my device if it is not included already? No. If your device is not MHL-enabled when you purchase it you will not be able to add it using an accessory. Does my television/display need to be MHL enabled for it to work? No. The majority of current televisions and displays in usage are not MHL-enabled, which is why an MHL adaptor is required. There are some newer televisions and monitors that are MHL-enabled, which we talked about earlier in this post. Does MHL work on any TV? No MHL does not work on any TV. The TV needs to be HDMI-enabled, but the vast majority that are in use are now HDMI-enabled. If you’ve bought a new TV in the last 10 years it should be compatible. Are there different versions of MHL? Yes, there are different versions of MHL. At the time of writing this post, the majority of handsets use MHL 1.0. However, there are some newer handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Samsung Galaxy S4, which use MHL 2.0. The specification for MHL 3.0 has also been announced, although it will be a while until it is used in devices. All this may sound a bit confusing, but we explain the differences in more detail in this post, which also assists you in choosing the correct MHL cable for your device. Updates as of late 2014 – MHL 3.0 has been announced allowing support for 4K resolution. This is implemented in a few high end phones including the Sony Xperia Z3, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4. USB 3.1 ports (9.6 Gb/s) will start to replace USB 3.0 (4.8 Gb/s) in high end electronics and televisions. MHL 3.0 will support this bitrate in so long as mobile manufacturers use the micro USB Type C connector in their new phones. Does MHL need power? As mentioned above, an MHL 2.0 adaptor does not need power. However, you may still wish to connect a charger in order to keep the handset charged. If you are using an MHL 1.0 adaptor, it will need a power input in order to work. Does MHL charge a phone? Connecting your phone via MHL will not result in it being fully charged, but it will stop the battery from draining. This means that your handset should have roughly the same amount of power as when it was first connected to the display. If you are carrying out very power-hungry tasks, such as streaming HD movies, there may be a slight depletion of the battery. Is SlimPort the same as MHL? No. SlimPort and MHL are similar in the results that they achieve, i.e mirroring your device display to a larger screen, but on the technical side of things they are different. Currently the majority of devices use MHL for video out instead of SlimPort. The latter is included in the LG Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and LG G2 though, so we can expect it to become a bit more commonplace in the near future. We go into more detail about this in our ‘What is SlimPort?‘ post. What other technologies are there that are similar to MHL? Other than SlimPort, there are some other technologies that are similar to MHL in that they can also mirror your device’s screen to a larger display: Miracast Miracast is like a wireless version of MHL and is being included with an increasing number of handsets. A setup without wires does of course sound more appealing, but isn’t as cheap to set up. Most of the time, all you need to get going with MHL is the MHL adaptor. The same is true of a Miracast adaptor, but they are more expensive. You can read more about Miracast and its workings in this post and view content that we have created for Miracast here. DLNA  DLNA is similar to Miracast in the way that it works and also streams content wirelessly from one screen to another. It’s included with a reasonable number of handsets – Samsung in particular uses it a fair bit – but it isn’t as open as Miracast as manufacturers that implement it tend to use it as proprietary software. MicroHDMI Until recently some devices used microHDMI for video out. With microHDMI, the handset could be connected to a display using a microHDMI to HDMI cable. However, this involved including an extra port on the device, as a microUSB port would still be required for charging. With manufacturers trying to improve aesthetics and reduce handset thickness as much as possible, having one less port makes design a bit easier. Questions We’ve tried to cover MHL as thoroughly as possible in this post, but if you’ve still got any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Galaxy S3 Mini – what’s the difference? We don’t often look backwards at Clove but it can be useful, especially when the latest and greatest devices might stretch the budget a little for some. This will therefore be the first of a few posts that take a look at the previous generation, which may be useful if you’re looking to upgrade but don’t particularly want or need the  highest end devices. For this comparison we’ll take a look at last year’s Samsung flagship and its baby brother, the Galaxy S3 and S3 Mini. The Galaxy S3 was the runaway success of 2012, shipping and selling far more than any other Android device helped in part by a fantastic specification and massive marketing power. As we shall see, the S3 still holds its own against many new devices, but does the S3 Mini still make a decent purchase? Main differences at a glance Before we get into the details, here’s a quick look at the main differentiators between the Galaxy S3 and the S3 Mini: Power – S3 runs a 1.4GHz quad-core processor against Mini’s 1GHz dual Screen size – Obviously the S3 has the larger display: 4.8″ against 4″ Camera – S3 is far superior with an 8MP sensor over the Mini’s very standard 5 Dimensions – the S3 Mini gets its name by being  smaller and lighter The S3 screen resolution trumps the Mini at 1280×720 The S3 Mini has no video output capabilities Display The Galaxy S3’s 4.8 inch screen can still be considered among the best displays of all the newest devices  of 2013. With a resolution of 1280 x 720, high definition content can be enjoyed on the HD Super AMOLED technology. The S3 Mini drops the size right down to 4 inches which many may now consider to be too small but could be useful for those with smaller hands. The resolution takes a drop to 800 x 480 so you won’t get 720p content, however Samsung’s Super AMOLED display still delivers higher quality colours than other devices in this class. Camera As the more ‘advanced’ device, the S3 proper has the better camera, as to be expected. The 8MP shooter was pretty high end last year and remains in the upper ends of sensor size now, although there have been a number of devices setting the bar higher. In contrast the Mini’s 5MP sensor is beginning to look positively low end. It does the job for taking relatively detailed indoor images in decent light however don’t expect anything else, 5MP main cameras are par for the course on low to mid range units now. The main Galaxy S3 also has extra software features not present on the Mini for adapting to the environment, and ensuring higher picture quality such as zero shutter lag, and auto-focus. Other minor differences appear when you delve deeper as well including the ability to use S Voice voice commands to take pictures on the S3 – missing from the S3 Mini. Video calling isn’t for everyone however if you are going to spend time using the front facing camera then the S3 is easily the better choice with a 1.9MP HD front sensor over the VGA (640×480) resolution on the Mini. Also worth pointing out is the possibility of future updates to the Galaxy S3 software that will draw on some of the features found in Samsung’s latest devices. The Android 4.2.2 update for Galaxy S3 will likely improve the camera feature set and we may see some of the most recent introductions such as: Drama Shot – take a burst of photos and combine them into a single frame; Sound & Shot – record a sound clip with your photo; Eraser shot – erase unwanted objects from the photo and Dual camera shot – take a photo with the rear and front facing camera at the same time, which means that you can photograph yourself whilst capturing others and then stitch them both together. The update may also mimic the interface on the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy camera where a still photo and video are captured using the same interface, so you don’t lose time or miss the moment switching between the two. Whilst not yet confirmed, it seems unlikely that any of these updates will make it to the Galaxy S3 Mini and with Samsung no news is probably bad news. Battery Life Much has been made of the battery performance of the Galaxy S3 and reviews are understandably mixed. The 2100 mAh battery is large, even in 2013 however the quad core processor has a tendency to drain it quickly if you are a power user. Whilst no device is likely to abate the power worries of truly heavy users, the S3 gave the issue a good stab and for most seems to work through the day well enough. The S3 Mini on the other hand drops right down to 1500 mAh. Now whilst the device is aimed at a lower end market than its bigger brother and the processor is clocked slower with less cores, this is a pretty small battery considering the aesthetics of the unit were less in scrutiny (it is in fact the thicker of the 2 devices – space was saved in height and width). MHL / Video out This was a big bone of contention when the devices were originally launched and I have personally lost track of how many people I have had to inform that the S3 Mini has no video out option as standard. Whilst Samsung made sure connectivity was the major buzzword for the S3, they silently dropped this feature from the Mini version. Samsung has included MHL compatibility in high end devices since the Galaxy S2 and whilst they may have tampered with the standard to their own benefit in recent generations, it did come as a shock to see it omitted from the Mini. Whilst this could have been overlooked if Samsung’s DLNA implementation “Allshare” (now rebranded as Samsung Link) had been included, this was not to be the case. This leaves the S3 Mini an absolute no-go if you want to share content from handset to second screen in any manner. Connectivity Continuing from video out, both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 support, although as discussed above, the Mini does not include DLNA. Another issue to consider if looking at either device is that neither of them has a 4G LTE radio installed. There are versions of the Galaxy S3 with LTE, however these are not available SIM free. At the time this was not much of a concern with the UK LTE market in its infancy however with many UK networks providers releasing their plans for LTE rollouts and expansion for the end of the year and early 2014, picking up a new device without the technology inside could be seen as a backward move unless you are planning another upgrade in about a year. Size & Design Many called out the S3 for being too large for a flagship device last year but Samsung silenced everyone when they released the comparatively huge Note 2. The question of size seems to have gone out the window now with the Galaxy Mega and Huawei’s Ascend Mate looming in the distance. Still, the S3 is touching on being too large for one handed use for many people and can take some getting used to have you been using a smaller device. On the other hand the S3 Mini’s 4 inch screen is now looking a bit antiquated in terms of size. If you are looking at upgrading for a boost in productivity or media use then the Mini will disappoint. The ‘Mini’ part of the name also seems to be a little bit of a misnomer when the two devices are held close together. Whilst the Mini is about 15mm shorter and 7mm shorter, it is actually over 1mm thicker, although that does take a good eye to notice. So whilst the Mini does significantly drop screen size, most of this is traded for by increasing the bezel on the device. The chassis remains very similar – it seems there was only so much that could be dropped from the internals when making a budget version. Being of the same range and generation, the styling on the two devices is practically identical. The same materials have been used although the S3 is available in a wider range of colours (although availability of these can have a big affect on the price). Power The Galaxy S3 is still able to hold its head up high as one of the fastest units on the market with its 1.4GHz quad core processor. Whilst its successor may have surpassed this, it is still very much a high end spec. The Mini drops to a very mid range 1GHz dual core chip. Now this by itself is by no means a bad component for the price point of the device but when you are following the flagship Galaxy brand it is a slight disappointment. This does give cause to think of the future if looking at these devices now though. Where the S3 is still a very capable device that will have plenty of life left ahead of it for any user adopting it today, the same cannot be faithfully said of the Mini. If one were t pick up a Mini today it should probably be under the knowledge that they would likely want to upgrade early in the next generation. As is often the case you get what you pay for and with the S3 Mini coming in at a bargain discounts towards the end of its lifespan, the power trade-off could be well worth it as a backup / secondary unit or one for a novice user or child. Storage The issue of storage is one which has been quite prominent in the news recently, especially for Samsung. Whilst neither of these handsets suffer from the same heavy implementation of TouchWiz that newer Samsung units do, a fair chunk of the main storage will be taken up before use. The base storage available for the S3 and S3 Mini is 16 GB and 8 GB respectively, with larger units announced but incredibly difficult to source in many territories. Pricing At this point in both device’s life cycles their prices are understandably volatile. I would expect the S3 Mini  to see the biggest cuts soon as Samsung drop off support for the device in favour of other devices however the main S3 will likely remain supported and relatively available for some time yet. At the time of writing Clove have the S3 Mini listed at 189 GBP ex VAT for the White model. The S3 varies from 300 – 365 depending on colour variant. Both are now excellently priced considering their own specifications and the competition in their class if one considers the S3 as a mid-to-high end unit and the Mini as low-to-mid range. Conclusion Clearly the S3 was always going to win out against the miniature version on paper but this comparison is looking at more than raw power and specification. From a usability and value for money perspective, the Galaxy S3 remains an incredible device that is still relevant in the modern range of devices. The Mini however, whilst still providing a decent specification for the price, suffers from a lack of features that make it less capable of being seen as a quality device in the months and year to come. As a budget device however, the Mini offers plenty against other similarly priced handsets. Either device is a good choice as long as you are well aware of your needs, although with the chance of the S3 dropping in price again as the S4 gains momentum, it could be very hard to recommend anything else to the budget conscious customer. 

DJI’s Phantom series has become the consumer drone of choice amongst UAV enthusiasts and amateur pilots. The brand is now well-known for being simple to set up and use straight out of the box. Powerful battery technology has increased flight time to 30 minutes, plus intelligent integrated software now offers collision detection and obstacle avoidance in 5 directions. DJI’s LightBridge technology allows for a direct connection to your smartphone or tablet via the DJI GO app. DJI also include automatic video editing & live streaming capabilities so you can instantly share your flight with the world! Want to know before you buy? Below you can find the digital version of the DJI Phantom 4 Pro user manual – click the PDF icon to download it, or access it here. If you would like a printed version, please click here.   DJI Phantom 4 Pro User Guide Hopefully the user manual will answer any of the outstanding questions that you have about the device. If anything isn’t covered, or you have questions, please feel free to ask in the comments or to contact our sales team.

Samsung galaxy S3 vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 – what’s the difference? At first glance, there’s not a huge difference between the Samsung galaxy S3 (available to order here) and the S4 (available to order here), – their form factors are incredibly similar; the dimensions of the devices are pretty much the same and they have a similar look about them. However, if you’re weighing up a purchase between the two, you’ll notice there’s a fair bit of difference in the price tags – £315 + VAT for the S3, £445 + VAT for the S4. So what generates this difference in price? Is it worth paying the extra for the S4, or should you save a few quid and stick with the still impressive S3? First of all, here’s a brief run through of the differences between the two. These are discussed in more detail throughout the rest of the article, so keep reading if you want to know more. What’s new in the Samsung Galaxy S4? Larger display, with a higher resolution More built-in features Better camera More processing power Newer version of MHL (TV out), which requires less cables to set up Better battery life Slimmer and lighter design Better accessory range Read the full differences below or sit back and watch the following video: [leadplayer_vid id=”52119471D1975″] Size Overall the two handsets are pretty much the same size. The main difference is the thickness – the S4 is slightly thinner – but the width and height are pretty much the same. The S4 is also lighter, but marginally so. Display Samsung has increased the screen size of the S4 by 0.2” to 4.99”.  It has also reduced the bezel, which is why it’s possible to have a larger screen but smaller dimensions. While a larger screen gives you more viewing real estate, it also creates a bigger reach from one side of the screen to the other. This can make one-handed use tricky at times. A reduced bezel can also cause you to accidentally touch the screen more frequently, so bigger does not necessarily mean better. As for screen resolution the S4 definitely comes out the winner. It has full HD (1920 x 1080) and a pixel density of 441 ppi. This really does produce a crisp picture. The S3 isn’t far behind though; it’s got a resolution of 1280 x 720, which is still very impressive when playing back videos. Both handsets user Super AMOLED technology so there’s not much difference to draw in that aspect. Design As mentioned previously the two newest members of the Galaxy S family don’t look all that different. Samsung tends to take a bit of a bashing for its use of plastic but, unperturbed, it has continued this trend with the S4. That being said, it has managed to make the S4 look a little classier than its predecessor. The back cover has a dotted pattern (which does, however, makes the handset look grippier than it actually is) plus the outer seam has been switched to metal. Overall the S4 does have the sleeker look. Power Samsung has doubled the RAM in the S4 to 2GB and it’s also increased the handset’s processing power. There are two versions of the S4, but the one that we discuss here (and the more readily available) is that which has a quad-core processor. The other has an octa-core processor and is only available in certain markets. For most, the change in processing power won’t make a huge difference – it’s mainly for activities such as gaming that you’ll need it. Even then, it’s only resource heavy games that’ll see the benefits – the likes of Angry Birds don’t need so much power. Camera First of all, there’s a big spec bump when it comes to the sensor – 13MP on the S4 compared to 8MP on the S3. There’s no denying that the S4 is one of the best camera phones out there and you won’t be disappointed by the quality that it produces. Samsung has also added some impressive new software features to the camera on the S4. The majority of these will likely be rolled out to the S3 in an update at some point, but for the time being they’re exclusive to the S4. These include: Drama Shot – take a burst of photos and combine them into a single frame Sound & Shot – record a sound clip with your photo Eraser shot – erase unwanted objects from the photo (this is great in theory but unfortunately the mode needs to be enabled before taking the photo, which defeats the purpose in most situations) Dual camera shot – take a photo with the rear and front facing camera at the same time, which means that you can photograph yourself whilst capturing others and then stitch them both together. Video recording has also been improved between the S3 and the S4, although perhaps not as much as you’d expect. One nice improvement is that the S4 has adopted the camera interface of the Samsung Galaxy Camera. This means that a still photo and video are captured using the same interface, so there’s no need to lose time switching between the two during the all-important moment. In short, the improvements to the camera are one of the main reasons that you should consider the S4 over the S3. MHL/Video Out MHL is a great feature to have available on your handset – once you’ve had it, you’ll miss it if a future handset lacks it. Luckily both the S3 and the S4 have MHL, although there is a slight difference between the two specifications. The S4 has MHL 2.0. This means that you do not require a microUSB cable to power the MHL adaptor, just the MHL adaptor itself and an HDMI cable. With the S3, you will need to power the MHL adaptor with a microUSB charger. The microUSB adaptor supplied with the handset is perfectly suitable for this so there’s no added cost in this sense, but there is the inconvenience of connecting an extra cable. That being said, it can still be useful to connect the power cable to the S4 MHL setup in order to preserve battery life. The S4 MHL adaptor does have a higher refresh rate as well, which means you’ll see a better picture on the display that you connect the handset to. Of course if you would like to go completely wireless, both of these handsets both support miracast as well. Battery The S4 battery has a capacity that’s almost 25% larger than that of the S3. Once again this is an impressive design feat considering that Samsung has made the overall dimensions of the handset smaller. The larger battery does have a larger screen to power, but the gains are disproportionate in favour of the battery life. Generally the S4 battery life has been well regarded by reviewers and even with fairly heavy usage, you should find yourself easily making it to the end of the day from one charge. You can find our S4 battery life review roundup here. The battery life of the S3 is still fairly good, but doesn’t quite live up to that of the S4. Both handsets have a battery that is removable – something that is becoming more and more of a rarity among Android handsets – so there is the option to add a third party extended battery if you so choose. TV Remote Both Samsung and HTC have brought back IR blasters in their 2013 flagships so that they can be used as remote controls. The S4 functionality works pretty well out of the box and Samsung includes a supporting app called WatchOn, which provides an electronic programme guide and additional information for TV shows. The S3 does not have TV remote functionality, although you could achieve something similar with a mega home automation setup, but this would require a fair bit of effort. Unless you really want to be able to control your TV with your phone, it’s not a factor that should affect your buying decision. Storage Both of these handsets come with a microSD slot that’s expandable up to 64GB so in terms of removable memory – a feature that many top of the range handsets lack – they have you well covered. The internal storage, however, has been a talking point surrounding the S4 somewhat. The user-accessible storage of the S4 is around 9.5GB of an advertised 16GB, which is the lowest seen to date in a ‘16GB’ Android handset. The S3 has slightly more user-accessible internal storage, although Samsung has vowed to address the S4’s situation after the handset was featured on BBC’s Watchdog show. Software Features With the Galaxy S4, Samsung has included plenty of new software features for the latest version of its custom Android skin, TouchWiz. Many of these will likely come to the S3 in a future update, however. In the S3 Samsung introduced its first wave of eye tracking technology with SmartStay, which prevents the screen from powering off when you are looking at it. This technology has been progressed for the S4 and now includes SmartPause and SmartScroll. The former will pause a video when you glance away from the screen, while the latter will automatically scroll down the page that you are reading as you tilt the device. We also posted in detail here about our some of our favourite TouchWiz features on the S4. Most of these are not yet available on the S3 (although some are featured on the Note 2) and include: The ability to disable the lock screen on trusted WiFi networks Quick Glance to show you important notifications when you reach for the phone An entire grid of toggles available from the swipe down menu AirView & AirGestures Other features that have been introduced with the S4 include; Samsung Optical Reader, which will recognises printed text, scan it and then translate; Group Play, which enables you to connect several Galaxies wireless to boost the volume of music playback; and Samsung Adapt Display and Adapt Sound, which will automatically configure settings for the best picture and audio depending on which app you are using. Finally, Samsung has also stepped up its S Voice (voice control) and S Translate to offer better voice commands and translations. S Voice Drive has also been added, which means that you can now use voice commands with compatible navigation apps. [image name=samsung-galaxy-s4] Accessories There’s a nice range of accessories available for both these handsets, although the S4 will pip the S3 once its full range is available. Samsung announced wireless charging capability for the S3 alongside the handset, although the accessories required to facilitate this never came to fruition. The same has happened for the S4 – the handset cannot be charged wirelessly out of the box, you need additional accessories – but this time around Samsung will deliver on its promises. The official accessories are due to arrive within the next month or so and there are already other third-party solutions available. Both handsets have plenty of protection available in the way of third party and official cases. There is a new style of cases available for the S4, the S View Flip Cover, which has a small window cut out on its front so that you can view the time and check for notifications without powering opening the cover. Also new to the Samsung Galaxy S4 are the S Health accessories (purchased separately), which help you to keep track of your fitness alongside the Samsung S Health app. These include a heart rate monitor, body scales and sleep monitor. Conclusion If it’s within your budget, you should certainly go for the S4 over the S3. However, if you’re looking to keep the spend down a bit, you won’t be disappointed by what the S3 has to offer: it’s a solid handset and still one of the very best available in the current market. Samsung has added many features to the S4, some of which may seem gimmicky or unnecessary. However, we all use our smartphones differently, so there may be one or two features from either handsets that clinch the deal for you – the larger or smaller screen size, the larger battery, the new features, or the lower price tag – it really depends what you want from the experience. If you’re considering upgrading from the S3 to either the S4 or another handset, you may wish to read our S4 upgrade dilemma post and our comparison with the HTC One. If you have any questions that you’d like answered, or if you’re a Galaxy user with something to add, let us know in the comments. Samsung Galaxy S3 v S4 Graphic  

Judging by the daily enquiries landing in our inbox, we’re far from the only people waiting for this phone to turn up. If you’re after a quick judgement then I’ll start off this review by saying it’s definitely worth the wait. There are a lot of fine details to pick out and I’ll go through those as the review progresses. Overall though, I’ve got no problem saying up front that this is the best rugged smartphone on the market today. If you have the cash and you want something very robust, capable and a little bit of fun, then you don’t need to read the rest. Go buy an S60 now. It’s far from the cheapest rugged phone on the market. I’d say though that the S60 has the specifications to play with the best consumer products and can certainly command the high RRP. Watch our video review below or for a full written overview of the phone’s features, read on. Cat S60 | SIM Free | Clove Technology Core Specification Lying in a puddle doesn’t usually look this good. Right from the off you know the S60 is playing a different game to other rugged phones. It doesn’t just look great, the spec sheet beats anything else that could be considered competition. The Qualcomm 617 chip isn’t the absolute top of the processor food chain, although is still one of the most capable options available. It powers plenty of mid to high range phones and is perfectly capable of efficiently running power intensive apps and heavy multitasking. You can also get decent 3D rendering for games or other applications. This is matched up with 3 GB of RAM as well, so there’s more than enough memory to keep the S60 running smoothly. A generous 32 GB of internal storage has been provided. The almost stock Android 6.0 installation also allows for an additional SD card to be formatted as internal storage. The screen is the only minor disappointment in the whole kit. At 4.7” it’s an OK size, however the resolution is only 1280 x 720. That’s not a deal breaker, although it would have been nice to see a full HD 1080 panel at this price. Cat S60 – strong enough to induce rust. Resolution aside, the display also seems a touch yellow/warm. Granted I am comparing to the super-white displays of Samsung and Apple though. Side-by-side not much compares to those however, and a preference for cold/warm screens is a personal thing. Outside in direct sunlight the phone remained very readable with the adaptive brightness setting applied, so perhaps the warm colour profile has some benefits here. On top of that display there’s a very solid Corning Gorilla Glass panel that responds well to both scratches and impacts. Even with my fairly rough handling of the S60 the past few days, there are no deep scratches on the outer layer. I’ve also given the screen some heavy raps with my knuckles and against desk edges without any damage. Now Cat don’t advertise the S60’s screen as being unbreakable such as the (very impressive) Moto X Force’s ShatterShield technology. For that reason I didn’t go out of my way to properly wallop it, and neither should you. That said the results of (literally) pulling a few punches to the screen left me feeling comfortable about dropping it onto a pavement from a decent height. Coming to the end of this list I can’t forget to mention the frankly huge 3,800 mAh battery. This thing is a monster and gives you power for days. Well maybe just two days with conservative use, but it’s still a lot larger than most other phones. That lower screen resolution also results in a lesser power draw too, so could be considered a benefit for the power conscious who will be very pleased with the S60’s longevity. Design Grow your own Cat S60 with a dash of Baby Bio and a few woodlice. Cat’s S60 is a big phone. You can’t escape that and given what they’ve set out to achieve it was unavoidable. By keeping to a 4.7 inch display, the front-on profile of the handset isn’t actually that large. The height/width dimension is 73.4 x 147.9 mm. To put that into perspective, the new Galaxy S7 Edge from Samsung is actually slightly taller and just as wide. Where the S60 makes itself obvious next to flagship consumer devices is the thickness. At almost 13 mm deep, this is a good half a centimetre or so chunkier than your usual phone. A die-cast metal chassis provides ample weight too, so you’ll definitely feel an S60 in your pocket. This is to be expected of course. Cat aren’t targeting the technologically conscious first in line for a new iPhone every year. Nor do they care if their new phone weighs down a handbag. The S60 is marketed towards trades people, corporate fleet workers and those with highly active outdoor lifestyles. When you remember the above, then in my opinion the S60 is a very handsome product. Even with the ‘bump’ on the top-right corner housing the FLIR lamp, which I think has been designed neatly into the overall silhouette, overall we have a nicely symmetrical design. There’s clearly been a lot of thought put into the modelling. The S60 is not camouflaged for jungle missions. The metal casing provides a silver trim round the sides of the phone that breaks up the black front and back. Splashes of Cat brand gold/yellow are seen on the programmable key, FLIR thermal lamp and 2/5 metre depth switches. The back plate also features a very tactile carbon-fibre like finish. This aids grip and won’t scratch up or look nasty after a few weeks of being knocked about. Cat have moved the Android system keys onto physical buttons at the base of the phone and these have a satisfying click and travel. The same can be said of the volume, power and programmable buttons. Overall the S60 is solid in the way you expect quality technology to be. The weight, construction quality and materials inspire confidence in the finished item to perform as advertised. You can’t ask for more than that. Software The almost stock Android 6.0 has only a few tweaks Cat have a slightly modified version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow installed. I say slight because the tweaks are there if you look for them, although overall the experience is about as close to stock as it gets. Unlike the similar rugged DeWalt MD501 we reviewed recently, the S60 is a definitively modern phone when it comes to the OS. All the expected updates are included with the Marshmallow system, such as the new permissions structure, battery management and ability to format and merge an SD card as internal storage. In fact I was able to get a brand new Sandisk 200 GB Ultra card working seamlessly. The settings menu provides all of the usual options available in Android 6.0 with a couple of extras. The left side of the S60 houses a programmable key and SOS button. Both of these have options in the settings menu so you can launch specific apps or send messages/location data to contacts respectively. Material Design guidelines are followed for an up-to-date feel If there was anything more specific I’d like to see on the S60 it would be more advanced screen optimisation. I also mentioned the MD501 a few lines ago; this features a specialised “Glove Mode” which would have been a welcome addition. A more advanced method to modify screen contrast and colour temperature could also have been included, although there are plenty of free apps available on Google Play that offer this. In terms of updates, we can expect the S60 to be well catered for. Cat are one of the only rugged manufacturers that stay on top of the software experience on their phones. With many other brands we see the product launch, then aside from app updates through Google Play, the OS never gets worked on properly. In the time I’ve had the S60, there have already been a few large updates. Even though the hardware was sent for us to play with and form initial impressions, Cat didn’t actually want us to start reviewing the phone properly until a particular update was finalised and delivered. This strikes me as a company interested in making sure the consumer experience is a good one. Added apps App Toolbox offers useful app suggestions The Android modification is lightweight, although there are a few added-value applications available. First up is the App Toolbox. This is effectively a curated shopping window for apps that Cat think would interest their target demographics. Individual apps are promoted including GPS, hiking and mapping, alongside lists of top apps useful in certain industries like construction or farming. These links all send you through to Google Play to actually make the download, so everything is vetted and it’s not a third party store that Cat are funnelling traffic through. Instead it’s a thoughtful addition that allows you locate a list of utilities and tools you might otherwise spend hours of your own time researching. Alongside the Toolbox, there’re a couple of other extra apps installed out of the box, all made obvious by a consistent yellow circle surrounding their icons. This is a neat little touch and shows that the team developing the software have paid attention to making a slick experience. Rather than just shipping a stable system, time has been taken to polish the final product. Extra apps include Location Alert, Hike, MaxxAudio, Mobile Assistant and MyFLIR. There’s also a couple of 3rd party installations – SpeakerDry and Zello. I’ll run through all of these briefly The Hike app is excellent for an all-in-one display of information Location Alert – A simple but effective way to send out an SOS message. The app can be configured to send out your current location data to preset contacts at the push of a button. You can also configure a timer to send this out after a set time. So if you’re hiking around rough terrain, get into trouble and can’t physically use the phone, it can still ping out an alert provided it has basic GSM signal. Hike – This is a really nicely put together app that provides a whole bunch of data on screen at once. Open up Hike and you’re treated to location & weather information, GPS signal strength, an animated digital compass, barometer, elevation stats, flashlight button and a trip distance counter; everything you could want really. MaxxAudio – Developed by Waves rather than Cat, MaxxAudio has been installed on earlier Cat models. This time the audio processing software has had an app built that suits the Cat branding perfectly and lets you choose between pre-set sound profiles for different media types or environmental settings. Use the Mobile Assistant to bring up details about the phone Mobile Assistant – This is sort of a mixture of Google Now and a built-in manual for the phone. The assistant can be launched from the standard app shortcut or from a little white bubble widget that you can drag around the screen just like a Facebook Messenger chat bubble. When you open the assistant you’re prompted to type in or ask a question (powered by Google voice recognition). Once entered, the assistant goes off and responds with some information pages that explain all sorts of features of the phone or possible apps that might help you out. It’s a first attempt at something different, although if I’m honest the results you get back are very hit and miss. Interestingly though, the search feature mentions being powered by IBM Watson, so if this gets used regularly by S60 users (and anyone else incorporating the tech), the results should become more tailored as users are prompted for feedback on what they receive. One thing to note is that this is not a replacement for Google Now. The Mobile Assistant is designed to provide details specifically about the S60, hence why I likened it to a built in manual. If you want directions to the closest pub, you’ll still need to launch the standard Google Search/Now/Maps app. SpeakerDry – As the blurb for this app states: “If your phone has been in water, it may take up to 24 hours to dry out fully and for sound to return to normal”. SpeakerDry sets off a 2, 6 or 10 minute cycle of vibrations and oddly pitched noises in an attempt to dry out the speakers more quickly. Leave the phone in a warm area with the app running (you’ll want to muffle sound too, the pitches used are really piercing) and hopefully the sound quality will even out much quicker. Zello – A free to use messaging service with premium features for business, Zello offers walkie-talkie style communication between individuals or groups. Sign up for an account and you can create secure channels for several users to communicate at once. Zello is cross compatible with all major smartphone systems and Windows PCs. FLIR camera The app full screens and gives a fair amount of real estate to the VGA image and heat map overlay I’m sure many readers may have CTRL-F’d their way to this section of the review. When the S60 was announced, it was the integrated FLIR camera technology that got the most interest and drew in crowds. For the uninitiated, FLIR is an acronym for “Forward Looking InfraRed”. FLIR Systems are a company well known in certain industries for providing world-leading hardware that utilises this technology. FLIR technology is used in a variety of situations including private surveillance, policing, systems monitoring, military targeting, search and rescue… the list goes on. Their tech is traditionally developed for specific requirements, although you may have heard of them more recently due to the FLIR ONE attachment for Android and iOS. This cool little gadget won a number of awards and brought thermal imaging technology to the masses with a very well designed hardware / software combination. As you’ll know by now, the S60 has this technology built in. Cat have worked directly with FLIR Systems to seamlessly incorporate the hardware into the top of the phone. The app has also been modified so it works perfectly with Android the 6.0 version on the phone. The results are very good indeed. What’s even more impressive is that a dedicated FLIR ONE module will set you back about £200 in the UK. So if you take that off the S60’s retail price and factor in the development time to integrate it so well, a seemingly expensive phone actually becomes incredible value for money. I won’t bore you to death with the technical specifications of the FLIR camera. There’s dozens of reviews and articles online from reviewers more knowledgeable than I how on how good FLIR’s kit is. For all intents and purposes this is a FLIR ONE built inside the phone rather than sold as a separate attachment. Rest assured the few days we’ve spent testing this out, the app was solid and responsive. It rapidly adjusted to changes in temperature either as the phone was moved or as the subject developed in front of the static camera. We’ve included some sample images below, and will look to have a few videos available on YouTube soon as well. The video review at the top of this page also has some example real-time examples of the camera in use.   The MyFLIR app has a few options available to augment your images and viewing. 4 recording options are available; Photo, Video, Panorama and Time-Lapse, all working as you would expect with fine control over the time lapse options. You can also change the colour overlay. The standard heat map show a colour profile from black/violet for cold through to yellow/white for hot. There are nine different options to choose from, such as white-hot or black-hot that may show the differences better depending on your situation. Of course the mileage you get from the FLIR camera depends greatly on your personal requirements. For those who don’t need it, then it will be little more than a cool toy bundled with the phone. Something to get out and show your friends as you remember that what you learned in biology class was true; your average skin temperature really is 37.5 degrees Celsius! There are plenty though that will find serious practical uses for having this integrated. It also has the potential to enhance work done in some places where you may not have considered using thermal imaging before. For instance you can scan your house inside and out and see if there are any patches of warm or cold air leaks. Hotspots might indicate overloaded wiring in electrics. How about keeping a lookout for rare wildlife in the bushes at night?  There are myriad opportunities to play with the tech. I doubt it’s something we’ll see integrated on many (if any) other phones, so personally I think this is a really cool addition and hats off to Cat for actually trying to come up with something that sets their new phone apart from the crowd. Main Cameras The Google Camera app provides a decent amount of options Aside from the FLIR camera, you might also be interested in how the main camera works! It’s a quite common 13 MP sensor and matches up in quality to several other consumer grade smartphones of similar price. The app is Google’s own, the same as you’d find on a new Nexus. A year or so ago that wouldn’t be a highlight but the big G have knuckled down and improved the app greatly in the past 12-18 months. With the S60 using a relatively modern processor, the app provides a variety of settings and features: HDR, variable image quality, adjustable ISO and exposure etc. The options aren’t massively in depth compared to a new Samsung, Sony or LG, however that is to be expected. The big names of consumer smartphones have had several years to develop their imaging software, in some cases drawing on dedicated imaging divisions of a wider company. Sticking to Google’s tried and tested app was a wiser decision than trying to develop their own and delivering something half-baked. Of course this is Android after all and you can always drop a few pounds on one of the powerful third party apps out there such as ProShot. As you might expect from the stock application, the results are OK. You can get some very nice shots outdoors and in good conditions, however the image processing can start make the results a little grainy when indoors or in low light.   Fiddling with the settings improves indoor / low-light performance a little. You get 12 pre-set conditions including Auto and HDR so you can tinker a fair bit, however there’s only so much you can affect things with this app. For most people the final images will be perfectly acceptable, with a decent colour gradient and sharpness. Imaging aficionados could pick these shots to pieces but that would be unfair. The S60 doesn’t position itself as having a top-class traditional camera experience. Instead you have a functional 13 MP shooter that performs as well as any of the low-mid range dedicated point and shoot cameras on the market and is on par with dozens of mid-range smartphones. Conclusion Dirty? Just run the phone under a tap to clean it off. It’s clear that Cat really want the S60 to succeed. There was an easier option for them than this. Arguably the market leaders in the UK for consumer tough phones, all Cat had to do was put top end specifications in a cookie-cutter rugged case. Doing so would still have positioned them with the best phone in this category. Instead they’ve opted to do something different and that’s a brave choice. There are an overwhelming number of bland, boring devices in every smartphone category, so try something new is to be lauded. Getting it wrong could’ve left a spot at the top for someone else to slide in to. What’s even more commendable though is the final product I have in my hands. This is more than a decently built phone with a gimmick to draw people in. This is an honest to goodness high quality piece of technology. It’s thick but doesn’t feel oversized considering the demographic. It’s balanced in the hand. The trim and splashes of colour are finished neatly. The software has been well integrated. Even the bump created by the FLIR camera is managed well, with smooth edging and branding that makes it look part of the phone and not just bolted on as an afterthought. If you can’t tell then I’m very impressed by the S60. Up until now hearing the word “tough” precede the word smartphone was a kind of justification. The narrative has been something along the lines of “the phone isn’t great but that’s fine because it’s been made tough…” It’s safe to say thoughts like that should be finished now. The S60 is probably the first device in this category that stands up on its own as a really good smartphone. Of course it’s not for everyone. But neither is an iPhone. Or a Samsung Galaxy. Every brand tries to differentiate with individual features. The S60 has thermal imaging and a rugged build to stand apart, however it’s a good smartphone first. That’s an important distinction. It can’t be denied it costs more than your spare change to buy an S60, although if you’re part of the target market the price is easily justified. Cat have raised the bar for this category of phones. The bottom line is if you want the best rugged Android in 2016, you want a Cat S60. The Cat S60 is available from Clove Technology for £529.99 (£441.66 ex-VAT). Prices correct as of June 2016

Just over a week ago, SanDisk announced a 200GB microSD memory card. Yes, that is a card not much bigger than a fingernail that can hold 35,000 16 megapixel photos! Quite unbelievable, but that is the wonder of modern technology. Many are asking will it work with their smartphone or mobile device. The simple answer is yes, if your smartphone or mobile devices supports 64GB or 128GB cards then the 200GB card will work too. SDXC stands for Secure Digital Extended Capacity.  Superseding the previous SDHC standard that was capped at 32GB, SDXC can theoretically go up to 2 Terabytes, meaning SD card sizes will continue to grow and we could one day potentially have 2 TB microSD memory cards, if companies like Sandisk can continue to overcome the physical limitations. So if you are the owner of a Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z3 as an example you will be able to use a 200 GB microSD if you wish to pay the price of circa £260 when it hits the market in the next few months. Being an ‘Ultra’ card and rated class 10, video and other data heavy content can be easily read and written to the card as it never drops below 10 Mbps. Do not just take my word for it.  This video from Mobile World Congress has a SanDisk representative confirm this.

Below you will find the official User Manual for the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 model; just click the .pdf icon. 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 our sales team. If you would like a printed version, please click here.  

Since Huawei first joined forces with Leica on the P9, the focus of Huawei’s P series has largely been on the performance of their cameras. And now, Huawei claim to have accentuated a new peak of smartphone photography with the stunning quad lens setup of the P30 Pro. The headlining feature of this highly-lauded camera is undoubtedly the zooming capabilities; offering 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom and 50x digital zoom. But how does the zoom of the Huawei P30 Pro work? Huawei P30 Pro | From £827.99 inc-VAT   Rear Camera Setup: Primary lens: 40MP sensor – 27mm (equivalent) lens – f/1.6 aperture – OIS – PDAF Super-Wide-Angle lens: 20MP –16mm (equivalent) lens – f/2.2 aperture – PDAF Telephoto lens: 8MP – 125mm (equivalent) lens – f/3.4 aperture – OIS – PDAF Time of Flight Sensor   3x Zoom In producing images with 3x zoom, the Huawei P30 Pro utilises both the primary sensor and the telephoto lens. The zooming is assisted by a super-resolution algorithm in which Huawei’s software merges several RAW frames into one high-resolution frame that is then cropped for zooming. Image data from both the primary and telephoto lens (at different zoom levels) are combined to create a high-quality finished photo. This uses a system called field-of-view fusion in which the processing software is just as important as the P30 Pro’s exceptional hardware.   5x Optical Zoom (with Folded Optics) Optical zoom: Uses the optics (lens) of the camera to bring the image closer before you capture it. This is achieved by moving different lens parts relative to each other and so image quality remains the same. When it comes to 5x optical zoom, the Huawei P30 Pro relies entirely on the setup of its telephoto lens. However, departing from the traditional systems that we see from most other devices, the Huawei P30 Pro manages to achieve such a feat through a periscope-style system. We’ve seen this type of tech before from Oppo, and Huawei have used a similar system in which magnifying lens components are laid out horizontally rather than vertically to avoid a large bump on the back. Light is reflected towards the camera via a prism, which rotates the light entering the lens by 90 degrees and reflects it onto the sensor. As stated, this therefore allows for a longer equivalent focal length than would ever be possible for a device arranged in the usual manner.   10x Hybrid Zoom Hybrid zoom: Zoomed images are captured by combining multiple frames. This is not entirely a result of hardware lenses as there is software manipulation present. As such, hybrid zoom stands somewhere between an optical zoom and a digital zoom. The Huawei P30 Pro achieves a 10x hybrid zoom by utilising a combination of the telephoto lens, a lossless sensor crop zoom and multi-frame photography techniques. The device takes data from multiple (optically zoomed periscope) shots and merges them into a higher resolution image with a whole lot of extra pixel data. Hybrid zoom is the perfect merging of hardware and software. It uses various algorithms to extract as much detail as possible from lower quality images by looking at the differences between pixels in multiple frames.   50x Digital Zoom Digital zoom: The camera takes a shot of the centre of an image and enlarges it, trimming away the outside edges. In doing so, image quality is slightly lost. The Huawei P30 Pro captures images at 50 times zoom by magnifying the particular frame that you want taken. The process is similar to cropping a photo. This cropped portion is then enlarged so that your result isn’t incredibly small. When the image is enlarged, so are the pixels which thereby results in significant quality loss. Huawei’s digital zoom has another element though, in that it also filters the cropped image. In this way, AI technology is used to detect what’s in a photo and subsequently enhances and sharpens the details that might have been lost.   Huawei P30 Pro Key Features: Android 9.0 (Pie) with EMUI 9.1 47-inch OLED FHD+ Dewdrop display (2430 x 1080) Huawei Kirin 980 octa-core processor Leica Quad Camera with 40MP + 20MP + 8MP + TOF camera 32MP Selfie Camera with f/2.0 aperture 4,200mAh battery IP68 water and dust resistant Bluetooth 5.0 / Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band 128GB or 512GB storage / 8GB RAM / NanoSD   Huawei P30 Pro | From £827.99 inc-VAT

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 User Guide Below you can find the digital version of the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 (GT-S7275R) owner’s manual. If you would like to receive a printed copy of the Ace 3 user manual, please click here request our user manual printing service. To view the Ace 3 User Guide, simply click the image below. The Ace 3 is the 3rd edition of the Ace range of smartphones from Samsung that offer good value mobile communication. Designed to just work, whilst the handsets to not boast the most cutting edge technology, they are more cost effective for those who want a good phone but do not need or want the very best. 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 our sales team.

LG K8 (2017) User Guide Refined style is core to the LG K8 (2017). Slimmer, but longer lasting with a solid and robust design the 2017 edition of this mid-range smartphone benefits from an additional 375 mAh in the user removable battery whilst being 0.7mm thinner. There is also an upgrade to a 5 megapixel front facing camera. Below you can find the digital version of the LG K8 (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.

Finding a full feature smartphone that also provides that much-needed protection against the elements can often be tricky whilst on a smaller budget; which is exactly where Cubot’s King Kong 3 comes in. We were intrigued to see just how well the King Kong 3 could stand up to Cubot’s bold claims of ruggedness and so decided to really put it to the test. Cubot King Kong 3 | £239.99 What do you get in the box? King Kong 3 Device USB Type-C cable Wall adaptor Quick start guide SIM Card Tool Cubot King Kong 3 | £239.99 Ruggedness So, the main reason that you’ll be looking to purchase the King Kong 3 is probably the rugged experience, so we really tested this out As is customary, Cubot’s King Kong 3 is IP68 certified, withstanding depths of 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes. A 10-process sealing method ensures that the device is watertight, creating a water-resistant barrier that we couldn’t break in our hours of drowning, spraying and dunking. The King Kong 3 also works within a -30 to 60-degree temperature range, meaning it’s as capable of withstanding frozen Arctic conditions as it is coping with blaring sunshine. It’s also fitted with a high-strength polyester shell that promises to protect from accidental drops of up to 1.5m. The device survived 300+ drops in testing and we faced similar results when flinging the King Kong 3 around. It did invariably pick up the odd scrape or scratch, but nothing that affected general use. IP68 certified Withstands 1.5m for 30 minutes 10-process sealing method -30 to 60-degree working temperature range Survives drops up to 1.5m   Design/Display So, clearly the King Kong 3 is capable of withstanding some of the harshest environments, but simply as a smartphone, it also impresses. The device is particularly sturdy in hand and an overall weight of 285g lends to the confidence that we had in the device not breaking when dropped. Overall dimensions of 162.5 x 78.3 x 13.3mm are on the larger side, however for a rugged device and all that that entails, this isn’t too bad at all. The 5.5-inch display has a pixel resolution of 1440 x 720 at 293-pixels per inch and is pretty respectable but in no way comparable to today’s flagships. That said, this certainly isn’t aimed at media lovers and so it more than excels elsewhere. The display itself has a 1300:1 contrast ratio and has been more than usable in direct sunlight. An 18:9 aspect ratio and 61% screen-to-body ratio rounds the specs off, as well as a draping of Corning Gorilla Glass that helps against scratches and marks. To look at, this certainly looks like a rugged device. It actually has several screws holding things together for that all-round protection and that orange trim adds a touch of sophistication. On the rear, there is a fingerprint sensor that takes just 0.1s to unlock and can support up to 5 sets of fingerprints. It has been noticeably quick in the time that we’ve had the device and is also readable for 360 degrees as well as being waterproof, making it efficient even whilst in harsher environments. 285g 162.5 x 78.3 x 13.3mm 5.5-inch display 1440 x 720 293 ppi 1300:1 contrast ratio 18:9 aspect ratio 61% screen-to-body ratio Corning Gorilla Glass Fingerprint sensor; unlocks in 0.1s   Camera When it comes to the camera, the King Kong 3 has a dual lens rear setup, consisting of a primary 13MP Sony IMX135 RS image sensor with an f/2.8 aperture, and a 2MP secondary sensor that’s utilised to create a soft-focus option in blur mode. Images taken are about what you’d expect for a device like this. Colour reproduction isn’t half bad, but images aren’t particularly crisp. The King Kong 3 also suffers somewhat in low light situations but again, this wasn’t crafted to be a camera phone. The front camera is a single 13MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and comes with Beauty Mode – which certainly isn’t for everyone. Again, selfies are definitely respectable, but poor lighting situations are again where this camera suffers. Alongside this, you get video recording of up to 1080p @ 30 frames per second. Dual lens rear setup 13MP Sony IMX135 RS; f/2.8 aperture 2MP secondary for bokeh 13MP front lens; f/2.2 aperture Beauty Mode   Performance A Helio P23 octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM keeps the King Kong 3 running without any real glitches. Lighter gaming sessions also shouldn’t be a problem, but gaming performance is certainly on the low-end. But again, this isn’t what the device was created to do. Where the King Kong 3 does excel is in its 6000mAh battery which is just fantastic and should last you 2 to 4 days (or 10 to 12 hours of screen time) without requiring another charge. When it does eventually die, 18W fast charging is supported, giving a 65% charge in 60 minutes and a full charge in 150. It is a little irritating that the charging port has a flap that needs to be opened and closed for waterproofing, but the large battery means that you do need to do this less than other smartphones. Alongside this, the King Kong 3 has 64GB internal storage and supports a micro SD card of up to 128GB in the second SIM tray. Helio P23 octa-core processor 4GB RAM 6,000mAh battery 18W fast charging Micro SD support up to 128GB   Cubot King Kong 3 | £239.99    

If you’ve recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 from Clove Technology, then you’re probably overwhelmed by the possibilities. A breathtaking display, a stunning camera setup and an industry-leading processor; but what are the first things that you should really do with your Note 10 device?   Samsung Galaxy Note 10 | From £724.17 inc-VAT Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus | From £999 inc-VAT Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus (5G) | From £1,099 inc-VAT   Customise Your S-Pen’s Air Actions! One of the greatest features of Samsung’s Note range is its much-loved S-Pen. And capabilities have really been stepped up a notch, as the Note 10’s trusty sidekick now also doubles up as a remote control! This means that you’re able to control your Samsung device without touching the screen and, moreover, can adjust this to your preferences. Indeed, gesture-based controls are now completely customisable, so that you can decide exactly what different gestures launch within different apps. Alongside this, you can also decide which of your most-loved apps to launch with only the press of the S-Pen’s button!   Adjust Your Side Key Settings! Samsung’s Note 10 comes crafted with an all-new key beneath the volume controls on the left. Not only does this work as your device’s power button, but it can also trigger a number of different applications. By default, a double press of this button will launch your camera, however this can be adjusted to any application of your choosing. Simply access your Side Key settings by swiping downwards on your Quick Panel. Then, select the power icon and finally choose Side Key Settings.   Activate Bixby Routines! AI has a wide amount of benefits when it comes to your smartphone usage, however Samsung’s AI is actually intelligent enough to recognise and remember how you use your device throughout the day. Your Note 10 can then adjust your settings and recommend routines based on what it has learnt. For example, if you doze off before putting your device on charge, it will automatically close certain functions in order to preserve battery. Alongside this, you also have the option to create your own routines with ‘My Routine’. This can be found by heading to your phone’s Settings and then ‘Advanced Features’. You will then be guided through the creation process.   Enable ‘Lift to Wake’! Tapping on your screen is hardly an arduous task, but having your screen burst into action as soon as you lift your device is far more practical. Which is exactly what you can do with your Samsung Galaxy Note 10! Simply head on over to your device’s Settings, select ‘Advanced Features’ and finally ‘Motions and Gestures’. From here, you’ll then be able to switch on ‘Lift to Wake’. View pending notifications and get to work right away.   Customise Apps within Your Edge Panels! If you’re familiar with Samsung, then you’ll know that you can access all your favourite apps within Samsung’s panel. Simply swipe from the left of your home screen and a number of apps will be available to you in an instant. However, as is the case with many Android features, these can be customised according to preference! After opening your Edge Panel, select the cog within the lower-left corner. From here, you will be able to rearrange and delete apps, as well as choosing your most-loved apps to access with ease.   Play with New Zoom-in-Mic Settings   If you’re thinking of purchasing a member of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 family, then one of the many reasons that this device has caught your eye is probably the photography and video experience. As well as having a multitude of lenses, the Note 10 also comes crafted with three microphones which Samsung utilises to improve the audio quality of video recordings. The ‘Zoom-in-Mic’ feature is able to zoom in on a particular subject and phase out any background noise on the periphery, making your subject the true focal point of your video. In order to launch this, tap the Cog icon within video mode. From video settings, ‘Zoom-in-Motion’ will be located on the bottom and you simply need to toggle the switch to ‘On’. You will know that this is working as a yellow circle will rotate within your video, showing that the device is responding to the changing sounds within your media. Download Samsung’s Augmented Reality App! Samsung’s Quick Measure app has been of huge benefit to us, but in order to make the most of this, you will first need to download Samsung’s AR app. Once downloaded, Quick Measure utilises the Note 10 Plus’ time-of-flight sensor, using it to make precise measurement estimates of everything around you. Indeed, you can decide whether you’d like to view in inches or cms before pointing your camera at a surrounding object at up to 6 feet away. From here, your device will inform you of an object’s measurements, as well as how far away it is from your Note 10 Plus. Just like magic!   Switch on Samsung’s ‘Video Enhancer’! Samsung has built quite the reputation for the quality of their displays; and rightly so! Continuing in this spirit, the 6.8-inch Infinity-O display of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus is breath taking, making it perfect for watching videos and films. But Samsung pushes this experience further with their ‘Video Enhancer’ tool. This works by making all video playback appear richer and brighter, improving the finished effect of all videos. Not only this, but Samsung takes the hard work away for you as the Note 10 automatically picks up any application that can play videos, such as YouTube and Netflix. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 | From £724.17 inc-VAT Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus | From £999 inc-VAT Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus (5G) | From £1,099 inc-VAT