Honor 5X review! Beauty, Brains, and Body!

When I first got wind of the new Honor 5X, I said to myself...there is no way!  But I was wrong, they actually pulled if off.  This is my review, of the Honor 5X.


I want to get straight to it, and talk about what I like about the device.  Let's start with the screen, I'll just say it's GREAT!  Coming in at 1080p on this gorgeous 5.5 inch display, they made it look easy.  Now I've got several phones with the same size, and resolution.  But they just don't look the same, I mean this screen is really good.  The screen on the Honor 5X is flat out nice, super clear and crystal clear.  Viewing angles are very solid in my time with the phone, and look good in the direct sunlight too.

The Body, oh boy that BODY!  Some how the Honor 5X has pulled a fast one on us, and gave us a premium body.  You've heard if before, but I'll say it again...it feels great in the hand.  On the back of the phone, the top and bottom are plastic so all the antennas can work as they should for signals.  But after that, we are talking full blown metal build quality.  Textured volume and power buttons, with smooth curves, and a strong frame say it all.

Cameras, and it just keeps getting better with this phone.  The Front camera in my testing is very solid, and the back is great!  Pictures come out clear, and are not blown out when used for taking photos or video.  Settings are simple, and the phones has a nice shutter time.

Fingerprint reader!  This is where I think the phones gets really good, considering the price point of just $200 unlocked off contract.  The fingerprint reader is fast, and very accurate like it's bigger cousin (Nexus 6P).

Software on the device is also very nice, and clean.  It's right in your face, love it or hate it.  Some people get all caught up in the 'No App Tray' thing, but to me it's a good thing on this phone.  The EMUI 3.1 Skin is a nice tough, but I will admit some might not like it.  If they are used to having an app tray, a third party launcher can be installed.  I did not have any issue with stutter or lag, in fact it ran like a champ with the 2GB's of RAM!  Memory is at 16GB, but you can install an SD card and call it a day (problem solved).   Swipe up from the body, and Google Now launches.  Swipe down from the top, and you are hit with your notifications or settings.  Simple!

Battery life on the Honor 5X will take you through a full day, and then some.  Really, I do mean this.  I am a heavy user, and I can make it all the way through a day with battery to spare.   YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and lots of web browsing.  Ending my day with about 30% every time.  Need some real battery saving time, turn on Ultra Power saving mode, and your phone will sip it like a hot cup of tea (lasting you well over 50 hours).


Now there are two areas where I think might need some help, and that's the speaker and WiFi. The speaker is on the bottom, and it sounds pretty good.  Not the loudest and will work for you, but just don't expect to hear boom sound here folks.  The WiFi is only 2.4ghz, and that something I just don't use anymore.  But I do understand, that at this price point some things we just can't have.

My final thoughts on this phone, well...you won't find another phone with these features at this price point, that will be worth buying.   From the price, build quality, cameras, fingerprint reader, you name it...you can't find one!  If I had to rate this phone, it would get a 9.5/10.  For the lack of 5ghz WiFi.  Huawei did a GREAT job on this phone, and they deserve a BIG slap on the back for giving us what we need and want in a device.

See the video and photo below, as I put it next to some of my other phones with the same size screen.

Why I returned my iPad Pro!

The iPad Pro is nice, but it's not a Pro.  We should leave that name to the real pros, laptops and PC's.

After just a short period of time, I realized that I did not like the iPad Pro and I'll tell you why.  First let's start with the obvious.

• Size - it was just TOO big to do anything with it.  I like to game on my iPad, and with the iPad Pro, I couldn't do this.  Also, most of my games did not work.  They would simply just close when I tried to open them.  I think this is due to the screen size, and developers did have time to prepare.  OR, Apple just didn't care.  The iPad Pro is just too big, and way too heavy.  I bought a keyboard, because without it..it's basically useless.  It's just an oversized iPad.  When I wanted to game, I had to grab my iPad Air 2.

• Screen - Now while it is very nice, and produces some great colors...it's still useless.  It doesn't really take advantage of the real-estate.  App icons are too far apart, and it just looks silly.  Using it for documents was great, however that is where it stopped.  I edited docs, and typed reviews on it...that's it.  

• Battery - Now after a few charging cycles, I realized Apple was way off the mark with battery.  It needed a charge like every other tablet, and didn't last a full weekend like I thought it did at first.  Basically, after I broke it in..I saw it's true colors.  

• PRICE! - It's just not worth the price.  It cost me $1079, plus taxes which came to $1168.01.  Add on my Logitech keyboard, and that's another $162.36.  My 13 inch MacBook Air cost just $865.99 after taxes at the time of purchase.  My current machine, a MacBook Pro 13 inch w/retina cost just under $1300 after taxes.  Now you tell me.  Is Apple crazy?

Okay, with that being said...please don't say the silly Apple insults, like fanboy or iSheep.  Because it applies to you as well, for whatever you are buying.  Just be civil.  Apple is crazy for this one, but I still wanted to give them a chance.  I wanted to find out if the new iPad was in fact, a 'Pro.'  So this one is a case closed, it is in fact NOT worth the price.

My final thought on it would be this, BUY A MACBOOK INSTEAD!  Case closed!

Apple iPad Pro Full Review! Can it really replace a laptop?

Apple iPad Pro

So I've been using the iPad pro for some time now, and it's time for my full written review.   Let's go!

First things first, YES...it's big and heavy like all other reviewers have stated.  The body?  It's slim, and big.  6.9mm is nice, any thinner...and we might not have these great specs we have.  It weighs 1.5lbs, and you will know it while using it.  This thing is massive, and there is no other way to put it.  BUT, it's not to overwhelming when used with keyboard.  That makes it feel more like a real laptop, and that is a good thing.  Can it replay my laptop, well...we shall see.  It's still too soon to say.

Let's get to the screen, WOW...just wow.  Coming in at a resolution of 2048 x 2732 (264ppi)  I love it, and it's just a beautiful one.  No denying that, it's really that good.  Playing with it at the apple store before buying is not like bring it home, and setting it up to be your own.  I'm sitting here at the kitchen table as I type this, and it's so nice to view such a nice screen.  Watching movies, playing some games, web surfing on this thing is worlds better than my iPad Mini.  I am not saying to myself, man...I can't believe I used to use that little thing.  Heck, even my iPad Air 2 seems a little weird to use now lol.

Button placement.  It's kind of wrong I wanna say, and should not be so far up at the top.  I understand this is the first generation model, so this needs to be fixed in the next model.

3D Touch.  Where is it?  Apple!  Where is force to touch?  This is your latest technology, and you didn't include it with your newest tablet.  Wow!  Enough said.

The Speakers on this bad boy are just flat out amazing, and you don't have to crank it to full volume to hear some great sound!  I love them on all four corners, and you will too if you decide to pick this tablet/laptop hybrid up.  Crystal clear sounds from all sides is a must on such a big device, and it will surprise you at how loud they are.  Trust me.

It runs iOS 9.1 out of the box, and it runs great.  Like really great!  During my time of using this device, I have had no issues what so ever.  I mean none.  I know there are some issues with the device needing a reboot after charging to get it started, but I hope you don't have to go through that.  While it's not that big of a deal, it is still an issue that Apple will fix in an update.

There are not a lot of apps that are made directly for the iPad Pro yet, but again the apps do look good.  But I want more of my primary apps to be formatted for the big screen.  (Work on this Apple, please and thank you.)

It's loaded with all the options you need to connect.  WiFi Dual band; LTE or WiFi models; GPS; Bluetooth 4.0; hotspot; NFC.  I have the 128GB LTE model.

Memory sizes are 32GB WiFi, 128GB WiFi, and 128GB LTE Unlocked, and carriers have the 128GB LTE model as well.  You can pick the one you like best!

It still has the fingerprint reader, but it's feels so silly on this big device to be honest.  It's like it just doesn't belong on here, or at least not at the bottom of the device.    It you are looking that option, it's still here.  Just weird that is all.  When you buy it, you will see what I mean.

I'm now gonna answer the questions you might be thinking about.

Price!
32gb WiFi is $799 plus your local taxes
128gb WiFi is $949 plus your local taxes
128gb LTE model is $1079 plus your local taxes

Is it worth those prices in my opinion, NOPE!  Way too high.  Here is how I would price them.  WiFi models as followed. 32gb - $699, 64gb - $799, 128gb - $899, LTE models all $120 on top of the prices listed above.  What do you think?

I've been using this with the Logitech keyboard, mainly because it just feels so much better that way.  The apple keyboard has lots of things this one does not, and I would recommend you do NOT buy the apple keyboard.  This one has a textured cover, and it covers the entire device.  Also, it can be used as a full case to protect you iPad Pro completely, unlike the apple keyboard.  This keyboard feels so good, and has great travel and feedback on it while typing.  The apple keyboard even cost more, which is crazy to me.


The pencil that apple said was stupid years back?  Well, they ate those words now.  While I will not be buying it, and don't see any use for it...it might be for you.  If you are an artist, or can hold a steady hand...get it, I guess.  (That's all I have to say about that.)

My final thoughts are this.  Over all, I am going to say it is a very nice device.  If you are looking for just a big tablet, don't buy this one.  Go look at some android devices, and you will find them priced a lot better.  They will work just as good for gaming, and basic web surfing and things like that.  Don't spend this much money just to have an iPad that is not going to give you the monies worth.  You won't find it here.  For me!  I'm gonna get my monies worth, because I travel and need a hybrid like this.  With the Logitech keyboard I bought, it's an amazing option for not carrying around a laptop.  This can do the things a tablet can do, and it can do some things my laptop can do.  Not very many, but when I travel...I try to keep it basic.  So this device works for me.  Creating word docs, typing notes on the go, etc.  It can do some things, but it's no where close to being a replacement for my laptop at all.  I need plug and play things, and this one requires an adapter for all of that.  So, it's not so 'Pro' after all.  But it will do for what I need it for.

If you are looking for a nice hybrid, get this one over a regular iPad.  I might use my iPad Air 2 for gaming, it's small and easy to hold for long periods of time unlike this beast lol!   There are a lot of options for buying a travel companion, and this is now one of them.  I will say this though.  For some people, basic users....it will replace their laptops.  Power users, don't bother buying for that reason.  At least not yet, wait until the next gen. comes out.

Do I like it?  Yep, love it.  However, I will only be using this with the keyboard.  I feel like that is where it belongs.  Not to be used as just a tablet, nope...and you've been warned!

Would I recommend it?  Scroll  back up, and read the paragraph that starts with 'My final thoughts...'  Please see my video review as well, thanks for reading and happy Tech buying!

God bless you!

Logi Create keyboard

Let me explain!

No more surgeries!

Recently I underwent a couple of more surgical procedures, to help correct my spine.  (2 in the last 5 months)

Years back while in the military, was hurt really bad. When I was younger, this really didn't affect me much. But about 10 years ago, while I was on riot control I was hurt again really bad causing severe injuries to the same injury from the Army.  I've had several surgeries, and I'm going through a lot right now. I know most of you didn't know this, or might not remember. But I am a service connected war vet, and ex law enforcement!  I enjoyed my career back then, and was active in my community.  After my last injury, I was told I could not do that line of work anymore.  So like most people, I went to college when I was younger, so I became a regular person that works in an office liked most of the world. 

Helping others is very important to me, and I was able to contribute ask that I could over the years.  My father was a police officer, and military as well.  So I needed to keep our family traditions going, anyway that I could.  I went to college for micro applications back in the early 90's, and studied DOS and coding. 

But my passion is tech, and always has been even though my life was law enforcement.  It is a great hobby to have! I have worked for Dell, Texas Instruments, and good old Samsung!  But today, I'm an ordained minister! I've learned a lot along my travels, and wouldn't change anything for the world. I have a great family, beautiful grandchildren, and I'm truly blessed!  I wrote this to say thank you to the people that follow me on YouTube, and other social media sites.

I will be back full time soon, but right now I'm in recovery.  Thank you all

For $499 the Huawei made Nexus 6P is beautiful!

There is no denying that the Huawei made Nexus 6P is beautiful, and just looks amazing! With a starting price of $499, you actually get a really nice package in a smartphone.  

The design of the Nexus 6P looks stunning, but only in the aluminum finish in my opinion. Because that particular model looks the most premium, and really stands on.  The screen on the 6P is gorgeous to say the least, and is sure to please while using for any media content.  Videos, games, web browsing, etc you will find yourself extremely pleased.  Coming in at 5.7 inches, it sharp at 1440X2560.  On either side of the screen, there's a speaker. Which provides sound you would not believe, until you have listened to them yourself.  

When it comes to software, it's a Nexus device! Enough said right? You are guaranteed to get all the updates, and you will have no bloatware from carriers.  Buttery smooth, and works without a hitch.  

Camera on the 6P could be labeled as one of the best, but that's a stretch.  The software is minimal, and leaves much to be desired to be honest.  However, when it comes to just taking photos it will get the job done.  I would have liked to see more control, that's all.  But sometimes less is more, right?  

With Android 6.0 battery life should be improved, and I'll give more test on that later.  So far, this device will make it through a full day.  The new doze feature is a much needed one, that should have been introduced long ago.  None the less, it's here so let's all enjoy long standby times now! Thanks Google!

Now that fingerprint scanners are the norm, we should see the popping up all lots of new devices in the near future.  Setup is ready easy and fast, and this is one of the fastest fingerprint readers you will use on a phone.  The placement of it is great too, as it seems so natural.

It's a big phone, kinda talk but not too big for my taste.  I like large phones, and could only see myself using at least a 5.5 inch screen going forward.  Anything less, just doesn't feel right.  Some might say not having the SD card option, and removable battery is a bad thing. But honestly I'm over it, because if the phone had at least 32gb of onboard storage I'm good to go.  My cloud storage exceeds 3TB, so no complaints here.

With a specs like the following, it's a good deal.

5.7 inch 1440X2560 display

32, 64, 128gb memory options

12mp camera w/laser auto focus

Thin frame and body

Premium build quality

3450mAh battery

LTE on all US carries

Fingerprint scanner

3GB of RAM

Snapdragon 810

USB Type C

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi

Oneplus 2, finally!

So I've complained about not being able to get this device for months, buy now that I have it in happy. It is no flagship killer, but it is truly a nice phone.

The first thing I noticed when I pulled it out of there box was the screen, of I was not a techie I'd think it was a QHD display!  Simply put, it's gorgeous. The next thing that really surprised me was the size of the phone, and the way it feels in my hands. The sandstone back is great, and gives the right amount of grip you need to hold it. I did get a wood back too, but found it was kinda hard to keep swapping then out. Really slippery too once it is on, and it looks better than it feels.

The software on the Oneplus 2 is buttery smooth, and I found myself cruising quickly through the phone while using.  This is pretty much a stock software experience, so Nexus lovers will love this.  With 64gb of onboard storage, I've got tons left to spare. I am gonna pickup some cases, but for now all I have is a tempered glass on the front. Looks good, and does not take away from touch sensitivity at all.  I normally don't jump straight to battery, but I have to. This phone is great on battery!  I easily get 5 or 6 hours screen on time, with every charge.  So speaking of charging, it takes a bit but it gets there. 15 to 100 was about 80 mins or so. The new USB Type C charging is nice, but nothing special to brag about.  The fact is, I hate having to pull out all the cables to charge the phone. 

The camera in my experience is pretty good, and I won't complain. It does what it needs to do, and takes good pictures! Video recording is solid, and does well to me!

Performance on the phone if really solid, and I can see why a person would want this phone. I've had no issues at all, and I think this is a well rounded device.  One thing I really like about this phone is the included switch on the side of the phone, so you can change how you are notified.  I'm really pleased with this, and I think lots of Android phones should pick this option in the future.

For just under $400, you get a good package.

1080p display
13mp camera
64gb ROM
4GB RAM
Stock Android with some tweaks
Dual SIM
4K recording
Dual band Wi-Fi
USB Type C
3300mAh Battery

This may be a hard device to get, but if you can you will enjoy it!  Well worth every penny!  Stay tuned for my coverage of the Nexus 6P!

Living with an Apple Watch. It's really nice!

Here is my take, on living with the Apple Watch!

So in my many years of reviewing technology, it's been amazing. Along the way I've learned a lot, and as I continue to grow I learn more. Which leads me to is post....living with the Apple Watch.

I'm currently using several phones, but my current daily driver is the iPhone 6S Plus. It has done me well over all, but that wasn't enough. I needed more, I needed the ultimate sidekick. The Apple Watch. I'll start by saying I'm glad I bought one, and we've been enjoying them daily (bought one for the family 4 total)!  Okay let me start with the bad first. 

The setup! Ugh this was horribly slow, because of the watch 2.0 update taking so long to install. It took more than 3 hours to get this updated, with several annoying messages along the way. Failed to download, error you do not have enough memory for is installation, etc. none the less I got it going. Next I had an issue with iMessage because I was not on 9.0.2 at the time when I got mine, because it was not out yet. I spent 4 hours at the Apple Store messing with it, and the reps were clueless. 

With those out of the way, there is nothing more I have to complain about. This watch is truly amazing at delivering to your wrist.

Battery life is just amazingly good, as it can last nearly 2 days with some heavy usage on a single charge. I get a notification it seems every few minutes, and this watch will not die in 24 hours.  

It has a great screen, although I'd like a bigger one (maybe about a 2 inch screen). Colors are bright and vibrant, and come across really sharp. You can clearly see what you are reading!  If you have trouble with the tiny screen, just turn on double tap to zoom and they will solve your problems. Also, you can increase the font size, or make it bold which really helps. 

Smart watches have a lot of gestures, and this one is no exception. But that's a good thing with this watch, because Apple has learn to perfect others flaws. With the Apple Watch, there is endless swiping like on android wear. You also can go into each application if you do dismiss something, and need to see it again all without picking up your phone. I love this. Swiping up talkies you to another panel in which they call 'Glances'. You can see weather, control your music, or check stocks.

When it comes to fitness, here's where I like it better than my android or other smart watches. It's easy, and direct!  The watch will even let you know that you've been sitting too long, and you should stand up and move around some. I've read online that people really don't like this feature, but when you are knocking on 50's door this is a must have.  The watch will keep track out your steps, heart rate, miles, route with gps, etc. it does it all. 

I obviously have the Apple Watch Sport, because after that you are just spending money on a watch band. I don't see the point in it, because they all do the same thing (he watch that is). However, if you are real balla, you can spend upwards of $17000 on an Apple Watch. Not I.

But the main reason one might opt for a smart watch, is notifications. With the Apple Watch I'm happy to say they it does great at this. They come in, and if ignore they go away.   You can swipe down from the top to find all that you've missed, or let them sit until you're ready to catch up. Like some, I tend to let mine build up, because I can check each one as they come in. So I could have upwards of 50 messages waiting to be viewed, and that is fine too. If I want to dismiss them all at one time, I just long press on the screen (or force touch) and I will get an option to dismiss all. Basically, this watch works very well at what it does. Notifications!

Phone calls - wow, just wow. Compares to my Gear S by Samsung, the Apple Watch runs circles around it. Crystal clear calls, enough said. Oh and no shutting down from getting to hot after 20 mins either. Great job Apple.

Apple Pay - This is just awesome!  I've used Apple Pay several times, and simply put it just works. I hold my wrist up to the scanner for checkout, and boom I'm done!  It's just that simple, even win my iPhone 6S Plus it works easy like that too.  The only real drawback on this is, not every bank or credit union is on board, so if you don't have one of the big ones you might be out of luck. All in all, great system.

So that's it, I've given you MY experience with living with the Apple Watch, and how I use it. Did I point out every single feature? Nope! Because I don't use every single feature, but I'm getting my monies worth!  What do you think of the Apple Watch?  Do you plan on picking one up?  Leave a comment, and thanks for stopping by!