Announced back in early January, the Sony Xperia Z was the first Android flagship of 2013, and one of the first smartphones to go global with a 1080p display. It’s also one of the very few that boasts a dust- and water-resistant form factor, which means accidental spills aren’t an issue here.
Inside that form factor, you’ll find a ton of high-end specifications that include a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, Adreno 320 graphics, 2GB of RAM, and LTE connectivity. Like a lot of high-end Sony smartphones, the Xperia Z also has cutting-edge cameras, with a 13-megapixel Exmor RS snapper on its back, and a 2.2-megapixel camera on its front.
The Xperia Z will be battling it out with the likes of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4 this year, and Sony will be hoping that the device can finally earn it some sizable market share in a cut-throat smartphone market. But does the handset have what it takes? I’ve been testing it for two weeks to find out.
If you’re a frequent internet user, I’m sure you have a large amount of personal accounts which aren’t as secure as they could be. There are many applications available on Google Play which attempt to help you manage these, but you’ll find not many of them are as useful as they claim to be. But here’s an application that’s really worth your attention — it’s called Dashlane.
If you’re a mobile Twitter user, I’m sure you are aware of the huge amount of Twitter clients there are available to download on Google Play. But here’s one that’s really worth your attention.
Developer HandlerExploit recently released an update for their Twitter client called Tweedle for Twitter. Although Tweedle was previously plagued by a bug that led to unexpected crashes, the new Tweedle fixes everything that was wrong with the app before, in addition to optimizing performance and updating the language translations.
Noise-cancelling headphones are suddenly all the rage. It certainly seems as if every big player in the audio game has at least one model that features active noise-canceling, usually accompanied by other luxury features — and with a corresponding luxury pricetag. Even manufacturers who’ve only recently begun making cans, like Logitech UE and Klipsch, prominently feature active noise-canceling in their model lineups.
It may even seem as if the technology has been added to some models simply because it’s become the feature du jour — an impression strengthened by the fact that not all noise canceling is the same. Not even remotely.
None of the headphones in our showdown — the Klipsch Mode M40 ($350), the Logitech UE 6000 ($200) or the Monster Inspiration ANC ($300), the noise-canceling version of the regular, passive Inspiration model we reviewed last year — exhibits the powerful noise-canceling ability that can almost completely drown out noise, like that of the Bose QuietComfort 15. Nor do they sit on the next level down, with NC performance similar to, say, Audio Technica’s ATH-ANC7b (although one here comes close).
As video surveillance goes, Netgear’s VueZone system is about as easy and user-friendly as it gets. But does VueZone sacrifice power and performance for ease-of-use? We tested the two-camera system, which cam with two motion-detecting cameras, four magnetic mounts and the master gateway for $290. It also came with a one-month trial subscription to the Premier service subscription; the no-frills Basic service, which allows you to montitor up to two cameras remotely from your computer, is free.
BlackBerry — previously Research in Motion — launched the new BlackBerry Z10 last week, the first smartphone to run the company’s new BlackBerry 10 operating system. Originally set to launch in late 2012, the Z10 has been a long time coming for BlackBerry fans, and it’s a hugely important milestone for the Canadian company.
Many see this as BlackBerry’s last hope of survival in today’s cutthroat smartphone market. It’s been rapidly losing market share to Android and iOS devices over the past five years, and it hasn’t evolved quick enough to put up any sort of a fight. But it’s better later than never.
BlackBerry 10’s here now, and with the help of the Z10 — and later the Q10 — it’s going to be trying to persuade you to give up your iPhone or Android-powered smartphone in favor of a brand new platform. But is it good enough?
I’m a long-time iOS user who recently made the switch to Android, and I’ve been really curious to see if the Z10 is any good. I’ve been using the device almost exclusively since its release; here’s Cult Of Android’s review.
I have a complicated relationship with gloves. On the one hand, I love that they keep my fingers from falling off in frigid weather. But then there’s the frustration at their complete lack of cooperation when I’m trying to use the touchscreen on my phone. As a result, I end up either constantly removing and re-donning my gloves in an endless cycle that freezes my delicate fingers anyway — or abandoning my phone altogether in disgust.
The problem is that most touchscreens rely on our fingers to act as conductors, and conventional gloves block that conductivity. But glove-makers have rolled with the times, and there are solutions — gloves that allow conductivity to pass through the glove’s fabric and onto the screen. One of the most buzzed about is Outdoor Research’s Sensor Gloves ($69), which use real leather that doesn’t appear or feel any different than leather used in non-conductive gloves.
We’re very stingy with our five-star ratings, and it’s even more rare for us to slap all five onto a gadget. So pay attention — because today we’re awarding the full five stars to the Logitech UE Boombox ($250), a portable, battery-equipped, eight-driver Bluetooth speaker that sounds absolutely astounding. In fact, the Boombox does a better job of rocking out than some non-portable, home systems costing much more.
These Scosche Realm RH656 ($130) headphones compete in the same league as with headphones like the Beats (formerly Monster) Solo HD, the Incase Reflex and the Fanny Wang 1000 Series. These ‘phones have a lot in common: they have smallish earcups that sit on the ear, instead of over; they all have track and volume controls (remember though that the volume control won’t work on Android devices); and they’ve all had a dash of fashion added.
But there are some key differences too. And as you’re about to find out, the RH656 does pretty well against its competition.
This is the original Parrot Asteroid Classic car stereo head-unit ($349), and it made quite a splash when it launched last year. The single-DIN, 4×55 watt receiver boasts a formidable array of features: Bluetooth connectivity, powerfully accurate voice recognition for both calls and music, a GPS receiver, a bright, 3.2-inch LED screen and a quiver of apps that run off its customized, upgradeable, early-vintage Android 1.5 OS (all of which require a data connection via a dongle).
Though this model was originally called the the Asteroid (no Classic), the Classic nomen was added to lessen confusion as three new models were announced a few months ago. However, the Asteroid Classic still very much in play; in fact, as this review goes live, the Classic is the only member of the Asteroid family currently available, as its new siblings haven’t shipped yet.
With its Android-based OS, you’d be forgiven if you thought the Asteroid Classic was more friendly to Android phones than the iPhone. In fact, the opposite is true, as I’ll explain later. And while it suffers from something that can probably be described as teething trouble, it’s still a lust-worthy system.
![Logitech UE Bluetooth Boombox: Lusciously Hot And Really, Really, Unbelievably Good [Review]](http://cdn.cultofandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ue-boombox-4.jpg "ue-boombox-4")
![Scosche Realm RH656 Headphones: Good Sound Without Fuss [Review]](http://cdn.cultofandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/scosche-rh656-2.jpg "scosche-rh656-2")
![Parrot Asteroid Classic Car Sound System: The Deck I Wish I’d Had in High School [Review]](http://cdn.cultofandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/parrot-asteroid-7-1.jpg "parrot-asteroid-7 (1)")
