Android Advisorの 107 の目次

REVIEWS Motorola is back for another stab at the modern foldable phone and the Razr 2022 is the third-generation attempt. It's been a couple of years since the last model, and the Razr 2022's predecessors both had some issues that need ironing out. The good news is that the main complaints, including performance, cameras and most importantly, price, have all been heavily improved to offer a tempting option to compete with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, the dominating clamshell foldable in Western markets. The question is, has Motorola done enough? You might be surprised… DESIGN The Razr 2022 is the same but different when compared to the 2020 Razr 5G. That was unmistakably a Razr but this year the iconic chin is completely gone, for better or worse. On…

REVIEWS Oppo has clearly thought long and hard about how to make its tablet debut here in the West. Rather than rushing in with an all-singing, all dancing flagship tablet - as it's clearly capable of doing - the Oppo Pad Air turns out to be a highly affordable rival to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. With the Apple iPad range mopping up at the top of the market, all of the potential is further down the ladder, with few outstanding contenders for the £200-ish tablet throne. So is the Oppo Pad Air in with a shout? With a refined design, a decent display, and competent performance, it certainly makes a good first impression. Let's take a look at how it all comes together. DESIGN You wouldn't necessarily guess that…

AUDIO Audeze isn't the first headphone manufacturer to try to gain an advantage by enlisting a Grammy-winning audio engineer to endorse its product, but the open-back, over-ear Audeze MM-500 planar magnetic headphone might be the only one that doubles as both a professionalgrade studio tool and an excellent option for home audio enthusiasts. The 'MM' in MM-500 is Manny Marroquin, who's one of the most successful audio engineers of the past two decades with hundreds of sessions since the early 1990s with artists as diverse as Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, Imagine Dragons, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Migos, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Kanye West, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Leon Bridges, Ariana Grande, Juice WRLD, Vampire Weekend, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion,…

FEATURE Android has some awesome opportunities for cutting out steps and saving time. Here's an easily overlooked option for adding some extra step-shaving shortcuts directly onto your home screen. OUT-OF-SIGHT SHORTCUTS So, here's what's especially interesting about the Android shortcuts of which we speak: they're almost identical in form to the standard Android App Shortcuts system - where you can press and hold any app's icon on your home screen to reveal a series of direct links to specific functions within the app - only with these, you really have to go out of your way to find them. Those standard Android App Shortcuts are spectacular and similarly all too easy to forget about. But the ones we're talking about today are even more mysterious. With specific Android apps, you…

REVIEWS If you're familiar with dedicated gaming phones in 2022, one brand probably comes to mind: Asus. The ROG (Republic of Gamers) Phone made its debut four years ago, and has since established itself as the go-to handset for mobile gamers. That's despite fierce competition from brands such as Red Magic, Black Shark and even Poco. But even if you're set on an Asus handset, there are four devices in the latest ROG Phone 6 Series to choose from. The regular 6 is the second cheapest of these, coming in at just under £1,000 when paying full price. As it turns out, this is the sweet spot for most people – the extra features on Pro and Ultimate handsets don’t justify the increased cost. Here’s my full review. DESIGN There…

REVIEWS The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is a midrange Android tablet that's here to sweep up prospective entrylevel iPad 10.2 or iPad 10.9 buyers who like the sound of a slightly larger screen. It has an 11.2in screen, a bit smaller than that of the first-gen Tab P11 Pro, which had a 11.5in display. This panel is the highlight, as it's a sharp and punchy OLED. The rest? It's not quite as hot. The Tab P11 Pro is a lot less powerful than even the basic 10.2in iPad, and its use of a relatively little-used MediaTek chipset does not seem to help with game optimization. Its build is also less pleasant than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite's, which is cheaper and still the go-to for non-iPad digital drawing on…

AUDIO I characterized the Bowers & Wilkins P×7 S2 noise-cancelling headphone released last year as “less sizzle, more steak” because its audio performance was phenomenal, but competitors such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 delivered more whiz bang features. With its step-up P×8 noisecancelling headphone, B&W delivers an awesome-sounding luxury audio product chock-full of high-tech features. Luxury comes in the form of the P×8’s materials as well as its build quality. Where the P×7 S2 is constructed primarily from plastic, the P×8 features die-cast aluminium arms and diamondcut metal detailing. The earcups, memory-foam earcups, and both sides of the headband are wrapped in exquisitely soft Nappa leather. While those elements add a bit of weight to the headphone – the P×8 weighs 320g compared the P×7’s 302g – I found the P×8…

FEATURE Accessibility in our age of mobile technology is a pretty inspiring thing. I mean, think about it: These powerful little computers we carry around with us have the potential to open up all sorts of futuristic possibilities. Their effects can be lifechanging for people with impaired hearing or limited vision - and in the grand scheme of things, those sorts of advancements are far more meaningful than any random phone feature we use to organize our lives or save ourselves a few seconds here and there. Here's the cool part, though: those two areas don't have to be mutually exclusive. Some of Android's most interesting accessibility options are poised to both help those who truly need them and be handy in a way that can benefit anyone. They work…

REVIEWS Oppo has three phones in its Reno8 line: the premium midrange Reno8 Pro, the more affordable Reno8 Lite and then the Goldilocks model, the Reno8. While this phone doesn't have the same flagship camera tech that the Reno8 Pro boasts, it still has a sleek build, fast-charging technology and a decent processor for the price. But is the Reno8 truly the best of the bunch? DESIGN The Oppo Reno8 comes in two colour options: Shimmer Black and Shimmer Gold. I tested the latter option, which is also fitted with Oppo's Glow finish. This means that under different lighting conditions and angles, the body reflects multiple colours, including reds, blues and greens. Overall, it is a stunning, highend look - this author even received compliments on it. As the back…

AUDIO Owned since 2020 by GN Audio, a Danish audio company with a history dating back to the telegraph, Jabra has long enjoyed a strong reputation in the earbud and wireless headphone field. The manufacturer now sells six different pairs of true wireless earbuds at retail list prices ranging from £80 all the way up to £170. The Jabra Elite 5 true wireless headphones sit squarely in the middle of the product range, and they're well designed earbuds with an array of features that will appeal to casual listeners. Are there better-sounding ANC earbuds on the market? Sure (the second-gen AirPods Pro spring to mind), but few can match the Jabra 5's balance of convenience, performance and price. When you take the buds out of the case and put them…

FEATURE Now is a great time to step back, take stock of your digital life, and set yourself up for a productive year. 'Stepping back' can actually make a meaningful difference whether you're using a shiny new device or trying to make the most of a trusty old companion, a handful of simple steps can go an impressively long way in improving your experience. Here, specifically, are seven advanced adjustments worth revisiting on whatever phone you're using adjustments that are all too easy to forget about and fail to keep up with over time. 1. GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF GESTURES It's 2023 and yet a shockingly high number of Android users are still using the long-dated legacy button system for getting around their Google devices. That three-key set-up harkens…