*Steve Makris is a technology expert who does a monthly Tech Talk segment during Edmonton’s Sunday Morning News. Watch his segment above.
EDMONTON – Compared to most mega technology conventions, the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona this month dealt with one theme: mobility.
Large and small brand phone makers made news at the MWC, as did the huge behind-the-scenes mobile software and hardware industry.
But what does it mean for you, the consumer? It means better choices for top-tier priced smartphones and quality affordable smartphones.
Top-tier smartphone
Samsung’s best-designed and performing S6 and S6 Edge smartphones, an obvious direct challenge to Apple’s iPhone 6, were the headline getters.
Both models feature lustre-finish, curved metal sides with Gorilla Glass 4.0 front and back panel, as well as the same 64 bit hardware capability. Both phones have the same insides, with reworked camera and battery features. The S6 has a flat screen, compared to the S6 Edge which has curved glass screen edges on both long sides.
This is Samsung’s second curved glass showmanship, after the earlier release of the Note 4 Edge with S Pen stylus. The S6 Edge makes use of narrow screen panels on the curved edges, showing information when viewed from the side of the phone. Left-handed folks can switch the edge panel to the other side, but either way, the screen content bends slightly over both edges on the S6 Edge.
The curved screen edges also catch edge light reflections, which the flat screen S6 model doesn’t do, but that’s a small price to pay for the unquestionably coolest-looking smartphone in the industry.
I found the S6 Edge does not offer the same side view experience as larger Note Edge, but you can still use the curved edge in Night Mode showing the time, alarm and temperature on your night table. You can assign different colours that glow around the edges when the S6 Edge is placed face down to indicate who is calling or emailing. The Edge seems even thinner to the S6 flat screen with the curved down glass screen edges. The screen resolutions are 1440 x 2560 pixels with an incredible 577 dot per inch resolution.
Samsung was criticized for sealing both phones with non-removable batteries and fixed memory. The Korean Tech giant said it had enough confidence in its new battery technology, claiming a 10 minute USB line charge will give you an average of four hours of use. Sealing the units shave the phone thickness to less than a hair’s width compared to the iPhone 6.
The phones have built-in wireless charging technology using open standards, so coffee house customers can top off their phone by placing them on table surfaces or for home use. IKEA sells night tables with similar built-in surface chargers.
- ‘Shock and disbelief’ after Manitoba school trustee’s Indigenous comments
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- Several baby products have been recalled by Health Canada. Here’s the list
- ‘Sciatica was gone’: hospital performs robot-assisted spinal surgery in Canadian first
The Fingerprint sensor is included on the menu start button, and is PayPal and Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard) certified. Samsung Pay is expected to be available in Canada this summer, competing with Apple Pay.
Both models are in stores April 10, and now available for pre-order with carriers. You have to decide between the 32GB, 64 GB and 128 GB models. My reviewer’s model from Telus starts at $250 for the S6 32 GB, to a pricey $470 for the 128 GB model. The S6 Edge will cost you an additional $100 premium. Rogers and Bell offer similar pricing, but Telus throws in a free wireless charger.
Samsung’s own 64-bit processors run things smoothly, especially its impressively-fast camera that can start up in less than a second, even in locked mode. On average light, the 16 MP S6 beats the 8 MP iPhone 6, but after the sun sets, both cameras have equal quality. It can also shoot UHD 1844×2160 movies. The S6 focuses just as fast but adds follow focus and has wider angle front and back lenses with exceptional selfie features like a F1.9 5 MP camera.
So which is a better buy, the Samsung 5.1-inch, S6 or iPhone 6 at 4.7 inches? You get a better deal with S6, plus better Samsung App features – a larger screen, longer battery life, snappy response, a free wireless charger (from Telus) and just as superb design and looks. Current Android users will find the S6 hard to resist, while disgruntled iPhone owners will find the S6 a welcome change with a manageable screen size slightly smaller than the iPhone Plus.
I find the S6 Edge does not offer as much as the better side-viewed Note Edge. The $100 price hit might be better spent on memory upgrades by most folks. But if you want the coolest looking phone on the planet Edge does the trick.
Top quality affordable smartphone
The Moto E beats Chinese competitors in quality, features and price. It is now available at Telus for $150 prepaid or $199.95 without agreement, or as low as $0 with an agreement at Videotron.
What makes it worth a lot more than $200? It has with 4G LTE capability, a 4.5-inch qHD display, front-facing 5 MP selfie camera and the latest Android Lollipop OS.
Like its siblings, the Moto E stands out in built-in customization to suit your work and home lifestyles. It knows when to ring aloud, or take you home with Google talk. And with two twists of the wrist, Quick Capture launches your camera.
With its huge 2390 mAh battery, the new Moto E is designed to outlast the best phones. The included 8 GB memory can be expanded with micro SD cards.
Is the Apple Watch for you?
Although not shown at MWC, the just announced Apple Watch, available on April 24, will be the only choice for current iPhone owners. We still don’t have all the details, but its functionality and relationship with your phone will be similar to that of Android-based smart watches and phones. The real competitor to the Apple Watch will be Samsung’s Gear watch road map, which will reportedly include a completely autonomous watch with all the features of a smartphone, and it will work with larger tablet screens when you travel. Samsung’s current Gear S, $359, has its own SIM card and phone-like network capability with its own phone, WiFi and browser.
Time is of the essence at MWC
If you think the current LTE connection standard for mobile phones is fast enough, prepare to be amazed with the next 5G shown in Barcelona. Several companies are involved in implementing the new wireless speed which will make the soon-to-be the “Internet of Things” a reality. This means all devices – from cars, airplanes to light bulbs – will be connected to the Internet with their manufacturers or users.
Although 4G is fast enough for viewing Internet video and playing basic online games, it cannot handle next generation demands for speedy, instant gratification.
Downloading an 8GB movie will take just six seconds at an amazing 10 gigabits per second. Currently, 4G provides a seven-minute download at 150 megabits (megabits per second).
Self-driven cars would dramatically benefit from 5G connection speeds. For example, a car travelling at 100 km/h would travel 1.4 metres during the time needed to communicate on 4G, while with 5G it would travel only 2.8 cm, making complex high-speed reaction times beyond human-like.
It’s still a few years away, but new phones are starting to include 5G capabilities. More for bragging rights for now than functionality.
For more information on Steve Makris, visit his personal blog.
Comments