Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge battery test!

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Does yours have good battery life?

Does the color of your phone matter when it comes to battery?

Back at launch I bought the Gold Samsung Galaxy S6, and it looked amazing.  However there was one issue, battery was horrible.  Why this is so, I don't know.  I do know I had to charge the phone at least 2 times in a day, and that's with sync off and little to no usage.  So I figured something was wrong, so I sent it back..and got another one.  To my surprise, the same thing happened with my second one.  Now here is the funny part...I bought a white Galaxy S6, and the battery is GREAT!  Tons of battery, and it last at least 1.5 days on a single charge with everything turned on and moderate usage.   So I knew there was something was up, and I had to call back into T-Mobile to find out what was going on with this after two devices.

Basically I was told that they were defective, and to just return them.  I went into a local store, and asked about the Gold version being in stores.  To my surprise, they had them.  Both the S6, and the S6 Edge.  When I asked about the colors, and if all the colors were having issues with battery I was shocked at the answer I got.  I was told that the Gold version was the main one getting returned, because of bad battery issues along with other things.  So, after about a week of not having my S6, I remembered how great the battery was on Black Sapphire S6 Edge, and instead of getting another S6...I'd switch to the Edge.  Well, I got my Gold S6 Edge, and here are the number from the first charge.  To the left is the first charge, and the next picture on the right is the second charge after some use.  So you can see, it is getting better. Now that might not seem like much, but that's actually really good.  And although they are just an estimates, they are pretty close to real world numbers.  So I decided to stick with the Edge, because this was better than the 8/19 hours showing on both of the other ones I had returned.  So at the typing of this article, I'm on my 3rd charge...and it just keeps getting better. 

Now what does this mean?  Nothing, lol...because testing a battery is totally dependent on the usage of the person.  I say nothing, so you won't think you will get battery life like me.  However, I do believe the Edge has better battery than the S6, because of my own experiences.  Both S6 Edge devices I've used, do better on battery than the Gold S6.  On the Sapphire Black S6 Edge, I got 2 days on a single charge.  It's looking like it will be the same on the Gold S6 Edge.  The crazy part is the difference in battery is just 50mAh, amazing right!  I've been told that Samsung took some extra steps with the S6 Edge, because of the design.  It appears to be true.  Here are the numbers from the 3rd charge, and the idle time with no usage.  I went to sleep at 100%, and woke up to 84%.  That is a lot, but the battery usage numbers seemed to have improved.   Right now, I'm happy the battery on the S6 Edge! It is working out for me, because I wanted to Gold color since I could not get the 'nowhere to be found' GREEN!

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge - Non-removable Li-on 2600 mAh battery

Why would the color of a phone matter, when it comes to battery life?  Is there something to the design on the Gold color S6?  Did Samsung Do things by color of the devices?

Samsung Galaxy S6 - Non-removable Li-on 2550 battery

Interview with BlackBerry Elite. . .BlackBerry Hank!

The interview with BlackBerry Hank, he's all about BlackBerry!

There are a lot of people that love BlackBerry, and there are a lot that don't.  However, you will always find someone that is dedicated to the the OS, and lives for it as well.  I had the pleasure of interviewing one of BlackBerry's finest, who goes by the name of 'BlackBerry Hank.'  He currently runs www.rimarkable.com and a fitness site on FaceBook as well.  Rimarkable.com is a great place to keep up with blackberry news, and updates.  Go check it out if you have never been there, it's great.  Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Google+ (BlackBerryHank - links are below). So Sit back, relax, and enjoy a great piece of history being made.  Enjoy!

Healthy LifeStyles with Hank - https://www.facebook.com/healthylifestyleswithhank

@BlackBerryHank - https://twitter.com/blackberryhank

BlackBerry Hank - https://instagram.com/blackberryhank/

BlackBerry Hank - https://plus.google.com/u/0/112998944983948841571/about

http://www.rimarkable.com/

Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Edge, Powerful in it's own right!

I've done a lot of reviews, and used a lot of phones.  But none like this, please don't take that lightly.

This machine, (because that's what I want to call it), is so powerful.  It is not like any other Samsung device I've used, including my Galaxy Note.  This is going to be a short, and to the point blog.  Let me start with the techie stuff first.

• 5.1 inch QHD display 2560 x 1440
• 16mp rear camera, and 5mp front camera w/OIS
• Octa-Core processor 2.1 & 1.5ghz
• GPU is Mali-T760MP8
• Fingerprint sensor on the home button
• 138 grams in weight
• 6.8mm thin
• Heart rate monitor

And this list could go on and on for every, but just head over to gsmarena or phonearena for the full specs.

Now, let's talk about the build quality.  It's metal, sandwiched between two pieces of Gorilla Glass 4.  The body on the S6 is really small, and is packed in tight for that compact size.  The speaker has been moved to the bottom, which is what lots of people wanted a long time ago.  ( I did!)  It comes in Gold Platinum, White Pearl, Black Sapphire, and Blue Topaz.  The Blue and Gold are limited edition colors, so get them when you see them...as they will disappear fast.  

Overall, I think my time with the S6 has been great, and I will keep it as one of my many devices that I used daily.  The phone feels great in your hand, pocket, wherever you decide to put it.  There are tons of features, but I will tackle on the ones most important to the average user.  Most people like the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone, I do.  We longed to have a better one on our Sammy devices, and they have finally come through.  It works flawlessly, and on the first try.  Tapping the home button once to turn on the screen, then placing your finger over the home button does the trick so easy.  Sounds like two steps, and it is...but it's fast.  Another thing I want to point out is the screen, it is just amazing.  How they do it, I do not know!  All I can say is, YES...it is the best screen on a phone to date for me that I've seen.  This is truly a great screen, and does well with movies, web browsing, games, etc.  

The cameras on the S6 are well, AMAZING!  I think this has got to be one of the best things about the phone, as they are super sharp and take great photos and videos!  Easy settings, and clear options make it a joy to use.  Double tap the home button even if the screen is locked, and it will launch the camera.  It can shoot in UHD, which is over kill...but 1080p at 60fps is the one to use daily.  Good for all types of great video, and action shots. 

The battery is 2550mAh S6 / 2600mAh S6 Edge, not much I'll admit.  Now the one thing like all phones, that needs to be PERFECT..or at least close is the Battery.  This is where is does not fair well up against others on the market.  Sure, it can hold it's own coming in at about 4 hours of screen on time, but I wanted more.  A bigger battery would have been right on point at 3000mAh, just saying.  I know I can't have it, but it would have been nice.  Also, the phone gets a little warm around the camera when in heavy use, that processor is working hard.  

Great overall however, it still needs to be said...so I will.  This device looks too much like an iPhone 6, that's all I hear from people.  'Is that the new iPhone? ' I get mad quickly, lol...NO IT'S NOT.  Sammy, you have to do better.  While I will say it feels better than the iPhone 6 in hand, looks better overall..it does look like an iPhone 6.  Sadly.

Let me close this quick review out by saying this.  No matter how you look at this phone, it's well built and will be around for a while.  It looks great, feels great, performs great, has great features, and is overall....GREAT.  I love the new home button, and the gold color I was able to grab.  This phone has the best screen on a phone, and the size of the phone is almost perfect.  Small, but packs lots of punch.  Very fast and speedy, no lag in TouchWiz at all.  Sammy did a great job with that, because I've not been a fan of touchwiz lately..but they did well on this one.

Rating this phone is easy, 9.9...solely because of the weaker battery.

Why I like BlackBerry over the others!

So here is the thing...

People often ask me how could I like BlackBerry as my daily driver over other phones?  Like the iPhone, the Note 4, the LG G3...etc.  Well, let me say it's not that I hate the others...I just think BlackBerry has a hidden jewel that others don't seem to care about.

There are tons of videos online talking about how BlackBerry needs to make a comeback, and that they are falling behind because of the so called 'App Gap.'  I call BS when I see it, and this is clearly a silly thing for people to argue.  There is no doubt that android, and iOS have LOTS of applications in their market or appstore.  I'm not gonna sit here and type anything other than the truth!  But after that...what else do you have?  With Android, I have one of the highest spec'd phones on the market.  From the QHD display, to the Quad-Core processor with 3GBs of RAM.  On my iPhone I have their latest power house, and the little brother.  iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.  But when the day is done, how can I say that just because of their specs it's better?  Or the fact that they have more apps, they are better?  We can't...can we?  NOPE!   Take a look over at this contest that Technobuffalo has been doing with today's smartphones, and look at how BlackBerry is doing?  Click here to Vote and check it out!

This is not a mistake, people like BlackBerry...and more than what you hear on the internet!  Yes it's true, BlackBerry World does not have a lot of the common apps, but there is now Amazon AppStore.  What happened when they launched that?  People still said OMGoodness, there STILL is not a lot of apps here, which is just non-sense!  So when people say 'how or why' do I like BB so much, all I can say is it does it all.

I've been using BlackBerry since 2003, and I've loved it up until the BlackBerry Z10.  Which is when I found out how much I really LOVE BlackBerry.  BB10 took BlackBerry to another level in the mobile world, and some just refuse to see it.  They are caught up on what they read online, and believe it all.  Some people only use a BB for less that a Month, and then say it's horrible.  When you are trying to switch OS's, you have to really give it some thought.  What can I live with, and what can I live without?  Not just BlackBerry, but every operating system has it's downsides.  But what you read online with some OS's, are only negatives.  If the Devs really get behind BB, and just take the time to do it some long overdue justice..we would see an explosion of love for BB.  For those that are on the fence about getting a BB device, I would say this.

• Don't waste time over thinking it, or trying to tell yourself reason why you will not like it
• Don't listen to others that say it's not good
• Don't believe EVERYTHING you read on the internet about BB10
• Get a BB device you think might fit your needs, ie (keyboard or full touch screen)
• Try to shop around and get the best price if you are paying full cost
• Buy unlocked if you can (more freedom of choice)
• Use it just as you did your other device you are coming from
• Buy a couple of cases

I could go on, but I want to keep it as simple as possible.  Right now, I would say to anyone that wants a BlackBerry device with a keyboard, to get the Passport.  It by far is the best I've seen, when using a full keyboard.  When I first saw it, I thought WTH???  Seriously I did!  But after putting all fears aside, it turned out to be my greatest purchase so far in 2015!  I hate that I waited so long, but I'm glad I pulled the trigger.  I originally started with the OG Passport, and ended up switching to the AT&T Passport!  I felt it was the best thing to do based on the design of the AT&T version, after using the OG for a while.

The AT&T version does cost more, by a little bit. But you can get it on contract at $199, or they have the next program where you can pay monthly.  If you are not wanting to pay full cost, $649 I say take one of those options.   The AT&T version feels really nice in the hand, but keep in mind you are still getting a big square device!  BUT, with that you get the following.

• 4.5 display with a ppi of 453
• Full 3 row touch sensitive keyboard
• 13mp camera on the rear
• Metal body, strong body
• 3450 mAh battery that last all day
• 32GB on board storage, with SD card support up to 128GB
• 3GB of RAM, for smooth multitasking
• Quad-Core processor, even though I think it doesn't really need it to run smooth

I think you all should give the BlackBerry Passport a serious look, or just BlackBerry 10 period.  You will be surprised at how much you like it!  I've review both, and the videos are below if you have not seen them or want to revisit!

                                     AT&T BlackBerry Passport unboxing and hands on!

Unlocked BlackBerry Passport review!

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Blackberry Passport, best in it's class.

A class of it's own!  Work smart, work 'wide' Blackberry Passport review!

When you first see the blackberry passport, you might be kind of Freaked out by its appearance. But don't let that sway you away from a beautiful experience on a mobile device. By today's standards, the average cell phone user might say that the BlackBerry Passport is weird. But they will be wrong.

Let's start by talking about one of the best features on the blackberry passport, the 4.5 inch display. It comes in at 1440 x 1440, which is a pixel resolution density of 453. I would say that is well above today standards, if not right at the top. The screen on blackberry passport is beautiful, and very vibrant. It displays text and pictures, and all colors when viewed beautifully.

Next let's talk about the keyboard, the three row keyboard that BlackBerry has placed on this device. BlackBerry markets this device as a device that you want to use to work wide, and they've succeeded in that area. Here are some of the functions that the BlackBerry keyboard can actually do.

• Gestures like flick to type
• Word predictions
• Voice to text
• Double tap keyboard to show cursor
• Touch sensitive keyboard
• Keyboard can be used as mouse
• Swipe down to expand on screen options
• Cut and paste
• Switch between languages easy

With this keyboard you can do all of those things. My first experience was with the BlackBerry Z10 using flick to type. I couldn't get used to this feature on the BlackBerry Z10, probably because it was already a touchscreen device. I know now that I just needed the sensation of something on my fingertips while typing. Typing on the blackberry passport won't make you any faster at what you're doing, but it will make you more accurate. I've noticed that I make less mistakes when using the blackberry passport, and that's a good thing.

Moving onto one of the best features of the blackberry operating system as a whole, is the

BlackBerry Hub. The BlackBerry Hub is essentially just a central location for all of your notifications. While others have tried to implement this type of notification Center, BlackBerry has done  it the best. From social media, emails, text, SMS picture mail, anything you can think of is housed in one location call the BlackBerry Hub. If you like to keep things organized, the BlackBerry Hub is for you.

BlackBerry include some great features with BlackBerry 10.3. One of the best additions to BlackBerry 10.3, is the Amazon app store. In the Amazon app store you can find tons of games, applications, and anything you need that can't be found in BlackBerry World. It may not be perfect, but it's a great addition to a fantastic operating system!

This time around BlackBerry included BlackBerry voice assistant, and it is very nice and very accurate. Web browsing, call quality, speaker quality, battery, camera quality, are all fantastic on the blackberry passport. The blackberry passport has a 3450 mAh battery, and it is sure to last you for at least a 24 hours and still have some battery left before you end your day. I've managed to get a full on every charge, while using the device. I would end mu day with about 20 to 30% everyday. Which is just great, considering I on it nonstop from the morning until. Emails, lots of text and BBM, and loads of Web browsing all of which won't run down the batter on the BlackBerry Passport in a day.

My overall experience with the blackberry passport is phenomenal, and I would highly recommend this device. Even if you're not a business person, or persons going to use this device solely for business. It is still going take good care of all your personal needs.   

The Blackberry Passport comes in 4 colors. 

• Black
• White
• Red (limited edition)
• Black/Gold (limited edition)

The Black one has a soft touch feel on the back, while the White version is more of a Matte feel.  I have not used the Red, or the Black/Gold versions.  But I would imagine they are about the same.  This device is just a joy to use as my daily device, and it has held up great for the way I use it.  It feels good in your hand, and will not slip out like some other devices we currently use.  This device has a nice texture on the back, so it will stay snug in your hand.  Speaking of slipping out of your hand, or dropping it.  I don't think the Blackberry Passport will break on the first drop.  Nor the second or third for that matter, because it is well put together.  It has a steel beam construction, that runs through the middle of the device which hold it together.  Great idea by Blackberry to go with this design element, it gives it a nice look as well.  When putting it in your pocket, or wherever you will know it's there....because it weighs in at 196g.  However, that is not a bad thing, because I like to know my phone or device is there while stored.  Don't let the weight fool you, it is not like what you would imagine.  By today's standards, it's right in line with tons of other devices in the weight category.  

All in all, I rate this device a 9.9/10...and that is only because of the way it is built.  For the average user, it will take them some time to get used to the size of the screen and how the device is shaped.  For me, it took all of 15 mins to an hour to fall in love.  I have/had lots of big devices already, (iPhone 6 Plus, Note 1,2,3, and 4, MediaPad X1, Mate 2, and so on), and this one fits in perfectly.

I think this is a must have/try to the non believers who might think it's not a good device.  You have to try it, before you can speak on it.  Check the video below at the break...you might like it.

A full listing of the specs can be found clicking on this link - Blackberry Passport specs sheet but I've listed some of the important ones below.

• 4.5 inch LCD capacitive square touchscreen (1440 x 1440 coming in at 453ppi)
• Custom 3 row touch sensitive keyboard by Blackberry
• Snapdragon 801 Quad Core processor, clocked at 2.26GHZ
• 3GB of RAM & 32GB of storage, with SD card support up to 128GB
• 13mp rear camera, 2mp front camera
• BBM messenger
• Blackberry HUB
• Dual band Wi-Fi
• Non-removable 3450mAh battery

If it's not tech, it's not worth talking about.

J. Williams

I've found another one that I like!

Nokia Lumia 830

There are very few offerings of Windows Phone devices currently on the market today, and Nokia is the leader.  If you were to ask some people if they have a Windows Phone, they might just look at you and laugh.  I will agree that WP is not very popular to most, or as popular as iOS or Android.  However, that does not mean it is not a great OS to use.  If you think about it, most people use a PC daily.  So you would think that a WP would be their first choice, right?  Wrong.  Today, there are more iOS and Android devices floating around than WP, and that's just a shame if you ask me.

One reason people may not choose WP over iOS or Android, is because they are not educated on the OS.  I also believe that store reps who sell phones, do not push the product enough so people will know how nice it really is.  I've actually experienced this in a local store.  When I asked about the Nokia Lumia 1520, all I was told is that I don't want to get a Windows Phone.  I should get an iPhone or Android phone, but when I questioned why?  There was no rebuttal at all from the rep, and he had no idea about Windows Phone OS.  Sadly, but I digress.

Let's move on to why this device is a really nice one to own, and why I think you should consider picking one up if you are in the market for a new phone.

I will start with some of the main things it has offer you...

• 5 inch screen (a nice sweet spot for a screen size)
• Removable 2200 mAh battery - this battery will last you at least 1.5 days on a single charge
• 10mp Carl Zeiss Pureview Camera - it takes some GREAT photos and videos
• MicroSD, that can hold up to 128GB SD card
• 16GB of on board storage, with 1GB of RAM

That's  just a few that I wanted to point out, but overall it's a good package for a phone.  (click here for a full list of the specs)  There are plenty of phones that offer much higher specs, but specs don't mean much if the phones doesn't perform well.  Most would agree to this.  I've been using this phone daily for the last week straight, and it has not failed me in any way.  There are a few short comings, but I will give my cons in a bit.  

The screen on this phone is a 720p 5 inch display, and has 294ppi.  Which equates to a clear, smooth, beautiful experience on a phone.  I did lots of web browsing, and watched lots videos.  All of which was solid, and it performed without a hiccup.   Netflix looks great on this phone, it's truly sharp crisp display and you will enjoy it.

The Camera on this phone to me, is the main highlight.  It takes some of the best photos I've ever seen on a mobile device, and I've got lots of them.  The Nokia Lumia 830 doesn't have the highest pixel count on a phone today, but what it does have is Carl Zeiss.  That name alone, says quality!  This is a huge jump over your average cell phone today, and the fact that I can have it on my $400 phone is just amazing.  The videos and photos produced from this 10mp camera, are just fantastic.  You will be amazed if you give it a try, and might even consider it one of the best you've used.  I tested this camera in more ways than one, and even put it up against some of my 'so called' higher end phones.  To tell you the truth, it held it's own!  See the issue I have with some people who do 'tech' reviews on mobile phones, is there standards.  They are too high, and in most cases phones that don't have super specs are overlooked sadly.  Well, on to the next topic at hand.

The battery!  All I can say is 'ALL DAY LONG' it will last you all day!  I had no problems making it through a full day on a single charge, and even made it almost 3 days.  That being said, screen on time was around 5 to 6 hours.  I'm a heavy user, so a person that is not constantly on their phone, will get even better battery than me. 

Cons?  Yeah I have a couple, and they are minor...very minor.  So the back cover on this phone is even worst than a samsung back over, and we know how bad those are.  I feel like I can break this thing so easy, it's scary.  I know we don't take the back cover off that often, but when you do it is not the strongest of the bunch.  Next is the front camera.  While I like it, and I think it is very solid for a front camera...I wanted at least a 2mp on the front.  Images are okay, and video chat is good...and I will leave it at that.

So that's it for now folks, check out the video at the break. You can watch my full review as well.

Remember, if it's not about 'Tech' it's not worth talking about.

J. Williams