Here is VAIO's first smartphone

No longer a part of Sony, VAIO likes the look of that smartphone market, and has decided to go up against its former parent company's Xperia series with its own creation -- one that looks very familiar to our smartphone-seasoned eyes. It's called the VAIO Phone, and it's launching in Japan in collaboration with one of the country's smaller carriers, b-mobile, on March 20th.
Remember this isn't the giant Sony we're dealing with any more: VAIO is now leaner and well, a whole lot smaller. However, it seems they put their best brains on the flagship laptop series because there's really not much to scream and shout about its first smartphone. There's five-inch display, Android 5.0, 13-megapixel camera and enough power behind the purposely unassuming shell: two gigs of RAM and 1.2GHz processor. And it all looks, well, just... okay:



There's a very flat, glossy back, curved plastic sides and it's generally very unassuming. VAIO is calling it "simple and stylish" but we interpret that as "nondescript", at least going from our early play with it. Fortunately (probably due to the smaller phone carrier involved) there's no app-based bloat, something that still lingers in Japan on its mobile phones. There's really not much more to say however: it's a smartphone. It looks like a lot of smartphones that came before it. There's no crazy camera tech, eye-bleeding screen (it's only 720p, pixel fans) or object-reading magic. But it will be priced to sell -- just shy of 33 bucks (4,000 yen) per month will get you VAIO's first smartphone as well as unlimited data. Japan residents can also pick up the phone for about $420, or 51,000 yen. Not such an easy sell.

Source: Engadget

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Meet Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge

Samsung Galaxy S6/Galaxy S6 Edge Screen Cap: Samsung/YouTube

Samsung wasn’t kidding when it said the Galaxy S6 would be unlike any other Galaxy smartphone on the market. Just about every feature on the device is an upgrade from the previous model; there is no confusing the Samsung Galaxy S6 with the Galaxy S5.

The sixth generation device is Samsung's attempt to recapture the market, in which it has suffered significant sales drops in the last year. After being criticized for releasing a host of smartphones that were too similar to one another, Samsung started from scratch, and code named the Galaxy S6 "Project Zero." That project, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge was unveiled Sunday at the Galaxy Unpacked press event in Barcelona, Spain. The event precedes the World Mobile Congress, which starts Monday.
The competition among premium smartphones is at an all-time high. Having noticed the how crowded the smartphone market has become, the Korean manufacturer set out to make the "best in class smartphone with the best in class design," Samsung President and CEO J.K. Shin said. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge include a host of features, which Samsung said it hesitated to introduce until it was certain the features worked well and would be valuable to consumers.

Check out the preliminary details for both devices:

Samsung Exynos chip -- 20 percent faster performance
32GB, 64GB, 128GB internal storage options
5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED Display, with Gorilla Glass 4
Metal design, 50 percent stronger than other metal smartphones
Fast charging: 10 minute charge for 4 hours of battery life
Charge from 0-to-100 in half the time than an iPhone 6
Built-in battery
Wireless charging compatible with both WPC and WMC charging standards
Thin: 6.8 mm breadth
16-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization
5-mega pixel front camera with real time HDR
Samsung Pay

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be available April 11 in 20 countries, with availability to other markets coming later.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will also be compatible with a new model of the Samsung Gear VR headset.

Source: IB Times

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Should you leave your smartphone plugged into the charger overnight?

It’s an issue that has plagued humanity since the dawn of the mobile phone. We use our trusty pocket computers so much that they rarely get through a day with any power left. Many of us plug them in at night and fall asleep, content in the knowledge that we’ll wake up to a fully charged device.

But is it really safe to leave our phones plugged into the charger once they’re fully charged? Is it damaging the battery — or shortening its lifespan?

There are lots of myths and questionable ideas on this topic. You’ll find the Internet awash with opinions masquerading as facts. What’s the truth? We’ve got some answers for you.

Should you leave your phone plugged into the charger overnight?

“Leaving your phone plugged in overnight is okay to do, it will not drastically harm your device,” says Shane Broesky, co-founder of Farbe Technik, a company that makes charging accessories. “Your phone is very smart. Once it’s fully charged, it knows when to stop the current from coming in to protect your phone from overcharging.”

Eventually the battery is going to noticeably degrade.

So far so good, but there are situations when leaving that smartphone plugged in overnight can slowly reduce the lifespan of your battery.

“Lithium-ion batteries can react poorly if your phone experiences elevated temperatures, leading to a damaging effect,” explains Shane. “If you have a case on your device that does not allow heat to escape, this heat will increase the temperature of the battery and will cause cell oxidation, which will shrink the capacity and shorten the lifespan.”

Make sure you take your phone case off at night if you’re going to leave your phone plugged in and charging, in other words.


What’s the optimum way to charge your phone?

“The sweet spot for lithium-ion batteries is to keep them charged between 50 and 80 percent. This allows for the charged ions to continue to work and protect the life of your battery,” says Shane. “Charging your device in short spurts throughout the day will give these ions just enough energy to keep them going.”

So frequent top-ups, rather than one daily charge up, is healthier for your battery. It’s not convenient, but that’s the optimal way to charge your smartphone if you want to ensure the longest life possible.

What to avoid

“The major threat to your battery is charge cycles,” Shane explains. “A charge cycle is where your battery goes from empty or near-empty to full — and every phone battery has a limited number of charge cycles before the end of its life.”

Denys Prykhodov/Shutterstock

You may have a high number of charge cycles before that limit is reached, but eventually the battery is going to noticeably degrade. When it does, you’ll find that it lasts only a very short amount of time, or it will simply not turn on at all.

“Try to avoid going from 0 to 100 percent whenever possible, this will start to break down your battery and give your device a shorter lifespan.” Shane suggests.

Use quality accessories

There’s one other factor to consider when charging your smartphone and it concerns the quality of the accessories you use. It’s always best to use the charger and cable that shipped with your smartphone. Failing that, you can buy another official charger and cable.

Cheap counterfeits are not built with safety in mind and can be very dangerous.

Sometimes official chargers and cables are eye-wateringly expensive. But you can find reputable alternatives. Manufacturers like Farbe Technik produce safe accessories that are fully tested, certified by the likes of Apple and Samsung, and compliant with legislation. If you are going to buy a charger from a third-party just make sure to stick to big brand names.

It’s also important to ensure that the charger and cable you buy has the correct rating. Cross-check the amp or watt rating with your phone’s specifications.

The real risks are found at the cheap end of the market. Cheap counterfeits are not built with safety in mind and can be very dangerous. They often don’t meet safety standards. The London Fire Brigade released a report last year warning about the dangers of electrocution, burns, and even house fires after a number of incidents caused by counterfeit iPhone chargers. The report also offers some advice on how to spot fakes.

Quick recap

You can leave your phone plugged into the charger overnight without too much risk, provided it’s not a counterfeit charger, and you don’t let your phone overheat. For best results with your smartphone charging, here’s what to remember:

•     Always use official chargers and cables, or certified alternatives from reputable brands and retailers.
•     Don’t let your phone get too hot. Remove the case when charging overnight.
•     For the longest battery life possible, try to keep your battery between 50 and 80 percent.
•     Avoid letting phone battery completely discharge, and don’t charge it from 0 percent up to 100 percent too often.

Source: Digital Trends

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