Atari 2600 - Classic Defined In One Big Number

Here it is... The greatest console of the 1970's. Being released in 1977, what is it that made the 2600 such an iconic console? Let's find out.

The classical Atari 2600

If you go back to 1980, note this: most consoles back then were made of wood. Mattel's Intellivision, the Colecovision, and many other consoles from Telstar, all of these shared common traits with the 2600 and were trying to rival Atari's home consoles. You see, back in the day, there were an awful lot of consoles to choose from. Today, the number is taken down to three. There is one thing, though. None of the 2600's "rivals" were as powerful, or as well-marketed as the one from Atari. Here are a few things that made the wooden console "special".

Mattel's Intellivision

The wooden hardware made it very pleasing. Though the console was improved several times, and one of them was a Darth Vader Edition, it's still the first one that caught many people's eye. The system would come with two Atari 2600 controllers, two paddles, and the console itself. The joysticks are great, and even if it has one big red button, it was super enjoyable. Compare this to the Intellivision controller. That thing is just bad. I mean, the "joystick" is a disk that doubles as a button, there is a numeric keypad on the front (cause that's what we need on a controller) and if that wasn't enough, there are two buttons on each side. Yeah, how about having 17 buttons on a controller. I hope you have a fun time using this monster. At least the Colecovision would let you take out their controller to use a 2600 joystick or one from Sega Genesis.

There was also another great thing with the Atari 2600: the huge library of games. I mean, wow. From Pac-Man, to Space Invaders, this thing has them all. That played a big part in popularizing the cartridges. The successors, the 5200 and the 7800, had backwards compatibility with the 2600. That is a good thing, and I expect to see that in future consoles.

To sum up, the 2600 from Atari definitely doesn't fail. It's a classic from Atari that is meant to show where we started and how excited we all were for the games. It's a remarkable console that is meant to be remembered for a long, long time.

Atari 2600 Darth Vader Edition

RetroBit Super Retro Trio Review

Being a taste of the classics, the Super Retro Trio is looking forward to bring the good memories back, by playing NES, SNES, Super Famicom and Sega Genesis games. With a solid hardware and several ports for the controllers, is the Retrobit's latest console worth to be checked out? Let's find out.

From the moment you unboxed the console, there are several things to be noticed: the system comes with two SNES - like controllers, an AV and a Composite cable, a travel adapter, an instruction manual, and the console itself. Picking the system up may surprise you, because of just how light it is. In terms of dimensions, the console is about the same size as a Nintendo Super Famicom. There are three ports for the cartridges, and on the front there are all the controller ports to play your games. One thing to note, though, is that the console doesn't emulate the games, but it actually plays them. It's nothing else than just a Frankenstein combination of the NES, SNES and the Sega Genesis. Another advantage is the AV and Composite output, so these games can be enjoyed on a good-old CRT television. 

The controllers are great. I mean, fantastic. They are a 1:1 clone of the SNES controllers. The previous generation, the Retro 2, came with a pair of cheap controllers, trying to clone the originals. So it's nice to see this time around that they actually made them right. Not all people have a retro collection, perhaps they just started collecting games.

The games run fantastic on the console; I was surprised to see how well the games run on the system. Having no lag at all, plus adding the AV and S-Video output, this console is really a good replacement for the older systems.

To sum up, this console is amazing. I was very surprised to see such a well-build console and controller, and not only that, but the fact that the games run perfectly, it's safe to say that the latest console from Retro-Bit is a true replacement for the much older systems.

Apple iPhone 6S - Top 5 Reasons to Upgrade

I'm sure you all know about the iPhone 6S, right? Even if the design is identical to its predecessor, the features that come with it are fantastic; but is it worth upgrading from the iPhone, or from an Android device? Let's find out.

1. Improved Hardware

The previous iPhone was amazing; the aluminum on the back felt amazing, as the front glass which curved on the sides. But you all know about the #Bendgate, right? Not even the other phones could even get a fraction of that fame. As a result, Apple played safer this time around, with far better aluminum. The feel in the hand is just as good, and just as premium.

2. New color added - Rose Gold

Apple was never a company of color; the options were simple; white or black; since the iPhone 5S, there was also a gold option, but out of only three possible colors. As a matter of fact, personalizing your phone was a bit of a chore, especially if you're not wearing a case. Amazingly, though, the Rose Gold iPhone 6S looks great; it makes it feel like an expensive piece of jewelry. I really like this color and I also enjoy the added choice.

3. Flawless fingerprint scanner

The phone that I carry in my pocket is none other than the Samsung Galaxy S6; but even its fingerprint scanner has some issues. It takes a bit long to open the device, and it sometimes takes about 2 - 3 tries to open the phone. What I really find amazing, though, is the scanner on the 6S. Why? Because now you only need to tap on the home button; no need to hold on it; just tap it gently and it will unlock your phone instantly. Pretty cool, right?

2. Extraordinary processing power

I always found the processor on the iPhone to be limited in some way. It was always a dual-core, and the RAM memory was of 1 Gigabyte. That's why I'm completely surprised. The iPhone 6S, sure, has a dual-core CPU, but what's interesting is the size of the processor. Do you even know how fast this thing is? Trust me, games run buttery - smooth on the phone, with no hiccups at all. It's nice to see so much power in such a slim hardware.

1. IOS is better than ever

Android, IOS, Windows Phone... These are all great operating systems. Here is a thing, though: as it is expected, Android is never without lag; whether it is on the home screen, or in a game, it just happens. IOS, on the other hand, doesn't even know what lag means. The OS will never let you down, no matter how many apps you throw at it. This is a true operating system.

Sega Nomad - Forgotten Consoles

I'm sure that you haven't heard of this thing. Even its name sounds unusual. But its amazing purpose of playing Sega Genesis games on the go had slowly evaporated because of the Nintendo Gameboy, the ultimate portable console. Even if forgotten, was this console actually good?

HARDWARE

This console is big. I mean, really, really big. Of course, fitting a Genesis into a portable hardware, with a color display, unlike Gameboy, was something a bit hard to accomplish. However, given its dimensions, the console fits perfectly in your hand, the system having a curve, comfortable shape. However, the shape of the Nomad is odd; if you look carefully you can actually notice the top part being like a slope; a nice touch, but still unusual. The D-Pad and the buttons are clicky, stable and offer responsive feedback. On the top of the system you can find the cartridge slot for your games. The space is well thought, and the games stand still. To be honest, even if huge, this was Sega's first attempt at making portable consoles. Even if not perfect, the Nomad's hardware surely feels good and comfortable, given its old age.

SOFTWARE

Of course, being a console from the 90's, the software department wasn't pretty evolved. The Nomad is pretty simple here: just pop in the game, fire it up, and time to play. Well, for about two or three hours. To power it up, just put six AA batteries in it and you're ready to go. I would have preferred a rechargeable battery, but this is good enough.

CONCLUSION

This console was SEGA's first attempt at making a portable console. Of course, even if it has its fair share of flaws, there is still much to like about the Nomad. The buttons, the big, curvy and well-shaped design, all of these made the Nomad a great console.

Top 5 3D Sonic the Hedgehog Games

Sonic the Hedgehog... So many memories with the little spiky blue hedgehog. It all started in 1993, the year when the first Sonic game came out on the Sega Genesis. Since the release of the Sega Dreamcast, Sonic got out of the 2D universe and stepped in the world of 3D. Many 3D games of him have been launched, but these are my favorite five: 

 5. Sonic Unleashed

 Sonic games were getting somehow repetitive. The same old hedgehog who runs from stage to stage to restore the world chaos brought by Doctor Eggman. This time around, Sonic is the same known character during daytime, blazing through stages with an incredible speed, however, he transforms into a mighty werewolf at night, slowing down and focusing more on combat techniques, in order to fight against the monsters sent from the Dark Gaia. The graphics are great and I really liked the way it was implemented, being fast but also orientated towards battle. This game was a successful experiment from Sonic team, an experiment which I really found fantastic. 

4. Sonic Adventure 2

The successor from the Adventure series, Sonic Adventure 2, is a great game. It is focused on two different stories: a good story and a bad story. The good story is dominated by Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, however, the bad one consists of Shadow, Rouge and Dr. Eggman. The gameplay was great and what I really liked was that the three characters had a method of their own to finish the level. With Sonic and Shadow you run through the level, with tails and Dr. Eggman you stay in a machine that is combat orientated and with Rouge and Knuckles you glide through the level to find the three diamonds. You can also spend time in Chao Garden and raise your own Chao. The game is amazing and I am a great fan of it.

3. Sonic Colors 

Sonic Colors was a one of its kind Sonic game. Dr. Eggman wants to take over the world by using Wisps, little aliens that have a lot of power. Sonic has to go through Robotnik's places in order to set free all the Wisps. The game is 2D for the most of the time, but it's so well made, you won't even notice. Overall, the game is very nice, with great graphics and solid levels.

2. Sonic Generations

Made to bring back all the memories from the first Sonic games, Sonic Generations is built to represent the modern version of all Sonic games, starting from 1991 and ending with 2012. The levels are beautiful and the idea of making two Sonic characters is great. The final boss, while hard, it's very nice when the other characters send supportive messages to them. Overall, the game is very fun and it's very nice to see the redesigned levels.

1. Sonic Adventure

Being a classic, Sonic Adventure still remains my favourite Sonic the Hedgehog game. It was also the first 3D Sonic game, bringing awesome levels and 6 characters, each with their personal gameplay style. It was made to compete with Super Mario 64, and boy, it did. With longer lasting levels and fantastic boss battles, and with many more characters, it was the golden age for the Sonic industry. This game is amazing and I am happy to say that this is my favourite 3D game.

Top 5 Worst Consoles of All Time

Home entertainment systems became very popular in a very short amount of time. The idea of using a joystick to control a virtual character on TV was, at first, quite weird. However, people found it enjoyable and wanted one for themselves. This is how console manufacturers became very popular, rich and appreciated. Many video gaming companies appeared, but not all of them succeeded in making a great console. Here are the Top 5 Worst Video Consoles:

5. Gizmondo

On the 19th of March, 2005, Tiger Telematics made a new handheld video console, as a response for the Nokia N-Cage. The console was called Gizmondo. The system had some critical problems. It came with a high price, 400$, but it offered a cheaper 299$ version, a version which would force you to watch so called "Smart Ads." During the game, the console would stop you from playing and would present you commercials. This concept, plus a small library of games, and only 25 000 units sold, it failed hard.

4. Pioneer LaserActive

An interesting concept, but poorly executed. The idea of running games from different companies was good, but in order to do that, you would have to buy a lot of add-ons for the console to work. That being said, if you wanted to take maximum advantage of the console, you would have to pay 2500$. Yes, you read that correctly. An insane amount of cash just to play games with graphics that were barely on par with other systems. With few games and only 10 000 units sold, the console was a big failure.

3. Atari Jaguar

Such a bad move from Atari, which used to be one of the biggest console producers. This console was the last one launched by Atari, then getting out of the gaming industry with no glory at all. The idea was nice, taking benefit from a more powerful 64-bit system, but because of the lack of games, horrible controller and almost 250 000 sales, it forced Atari to step out of this world. Not only that, but video game companies couldn't take advantage of the system at all, because of the times back then. Anyway, it was about time for Atari to disappear, so this console wasn't exactly a bad thing. 

2. Nokia N-Gage

When Nokia released the N-Gage, a console-phone combo created to rival the Gameboy advance, it came with a few problems. First of all, using the phone only for calling is very cumbersome, because of the weird hardware. Many critics gave it funny nicknames, such as "taco", or "Frankenphone". It was also hard to control.  Nokia sold only 3 million units with this phone. Many people found this concept unusable, but the idea was pretty cool.

1. Nintendo Virtual Boy

Yes. You didn't expect this, did you? The worst console being from Nintendo. Well, here it is. The idea was way too ahead of its time, knowing that the dual display started to catch shape in 2010. Nintendo came up with a very cool idea, but sadly, poorly executed. The display, in order to work properly, it had to sacrifice some basic things, such as color. When you put your head in to play the game, you are surrounded by a wave of red and black. Because of that, most people using it got eye-strains and also a very stiff neck. This virtual reality concept just couldn't take shape in the 90's because of the technology back then.

Top 5 Consoles of All Time

Ever since 1972, the year when Magnavox Odyssey was released, many companies started creating consoles, but only some of them have actually been successful. The list will not be about specifications and games, but about the impact and the features it had to offer back then. Here are the Top 5 Best Consoles of All Time:

5. Atari 2600

Being the second console from Atari, the 2600 had some features which were considered magnificent at the time. First of all, the games had colour. Yes, back in the day, having colour in a game was incredible. Second of all, it had "incredible specifications". It came with a 1.19 mHz processor, with 128 bytes of RAM. It also had 4 kB of memory. However, the biggest advantage was, of course, its amazing library of games. Over 500 games were launched for the system. These facts made the 2600 one of the best consoles of all time.

Atari 2600

4. Nintendo Wii

Nintendo was very well known in the 90's. The Nintendo Entertainment System made the company very well known. The successors were greater than ever, but it was about time for Nintendo to step up and come up with something new. And the Wii came to life. First of all, the Wii Remote is very fun to use, and you don't need a lot of space in the room to use it properly. That is a big advantage. Second of all, the console had a lot of games, but the best are the first party titles, like Super Mario and The Legend Of Zelda. You could also play games from the Gamecube, another plus for me. All of these things make the Wii a great console.

Nintendo Wii

3. XBOX 360

When Microsoft made the first XBOX, it came with a lot of features. However, it's the 360 that deserves the spot on this list. Even if things didn't work out at the beginning of the launch, for example, the DVD scratch problem, the 360 was still a great system. It had backwards compatibility, so you could play your old XBOX games, and it also had the Kinect, a camera that registers your moves. The console has a lot of games, and not only that, but you can also buy games straight from the console. You can skip the shop next time you want to buy a game. The system could also play DVD's. All of these advantages make the 360 deserve the 3rd spot on the list.

XBOX 360

2. Sony PS4

Sony is one of the best console manufacturers of all time. Ever since the PS1, Sony made only great consoles. And the PS4 is no exception. The system has a futuristic design, with sharp edges and corners, and it also has one of the best controllers of all time. Like the 360, the PS4 can also play movies. The library of games for the PS4 is rapidly growing, with tens of games being launched every week. The system from Sony becomes better every day, with more and more updated coming out. All of these make the PS4 the second best console of all time.

Sony PS4

1. Nintendo Wii U

Being the successor to the Wii, the Wii U is, after me, the best console of all time. Why? It's because of two things: the fantastic tablet controller and the amazing first party titles, like Pokemon and Mario. The Wii U can also play Wii games, and not only that, but if someone wants to watch the TV but you are still playing, have no worries, because the tablet is here to save you. The games still runs on the controller. These, plus Nintendo's classical features, like Mii and memory expansion, make the Wii U the best console of all time. 

Nintendo Wii U

Nintendo GameCube Review

The Nintendo 64 was one of the best consoles of all time. The fantastic controller, the large library of games, all of these factors were proof that the N64 was a great system. However, it still held on to the past with the game cartridges, so the Gamecube came along with the whole new DVD system. With a cubic hardware and re-designed controller, can the Gamecube be considered a succes? Let's find out now.

HARDWARE & DESIGN

The video system created by Nintendo in 2001 looks very well. As the name resembles, the console is designed like a cube. It came in a variety of colors, ranging from silver, black, green, to red, orange and purple. Of course, there is more to it than the cubic design. This console was the first one in history to use Mini DVD's. The technology was exactly the same, the only difference being in size and storage space. The controller is one of the best controllers ever. It's big, comfortable and the buttons give great feedback. The Gamecube offers four controller ports on the front, so games that support 4 players are welcome. There are two slots for memory cards on the front, as well. On the top there are three buttons: Power button, Reset button, and Open button. In terms of design, this thing is beautiful and practical. The specifications were pretty good then, but now we have much higher performance on substantially smaller devices. It came with a single core 485 MHz processor. Incredible performance... That was it for this part, now let's move on to the software.

SOFTWARE & CONCLUSION

Back in the day, the only necessary software was to load and save games. Luckily, this console lasted for more than 6 years. This resulted in 600+ games being launched for the Gamecube. My personal favorites are the Super Mario and Pokemon series, but I found some Sonic the Hedgehog games enjoyable. This console, even if it sold only 21 million units, it had some of the best specifications given the time, and not only that, but it came with a great controller and some cool accessories, such as GameBoy Player, an accessory that would let you play GameBoy Classic, Color, and Advance games. To sum up, this console was a looker, with great performances and large library of games. These are all the aspects that make the Gamecube one of the best consoles in history.

Nintendo NES Review

The day of June 15, 1985. I remember it like it was yesterday. I had so much fun with it, so many hours spent with that console, it was so great. The NES is said to be one of the best consoles of all time. Why? This review is here to answer your question.

HARDWARE & HISTORY

Judging the hardware today is, surely, a bit odd. With futuristic consoles like the Sony PS4 and the Xbox One, the NES seems very outdated. For many children these days, the console looks like an outdated grey box. Little do they know about the reaction those children had from 1985.

 In the 70's, Magnavox continued with the Odyssey series, then it was bought by Philips; Atari continued with their series, but there was something missing. The excitement of owning a video console was getting lower and lower. However, Nintendo came out of the dark and released the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was one of the most adored consoles. Because of that, 61 million units were sold worldwide. That was a score the other companies couldn't even touch. Why was the NES so appreciated? 

Well, there are a few reasons. First of all, the NES was a big performer back then, with an 8-bit system and large library of games, most of them being exciting. Second of all, it came with a futuristic box design that was considered to be from the future. Their famous motto "Now you're playing with power" was very catchy and a lot of people still remember it. This console was a waterfall of technology and fun then, and because of that, it became the most respected console of all time. 

SOFTWARE & USE

Setting up the NES is pretty easy. Just set up the AC adapter, the sound and video channels, and you're good to go. Turning on the console without a game was pretty pointless back then, because you couldn't do anything without a game inserted. Put in the game, and you might have the unpleasant surprise for it to not work properly. This thing gave birth to the now famous "blow on the cartridge technique". Actually, this method was actually pointless, because the problem was not about the dust on the game, but about the lost connection between the game and the console. What you were supposed to do was to push the game in as much as you could. This would reestablish the connection and solve everything. If you knew this 30 years ago...

CONCLUSION

The NES turned 30 in this June, and I must say, this console aged very well. Even if the graphics and speed don't even compare to the latest systems, such as PS4 or Xbox, we should be grateful, because thanks to this console we have the opportunity to go home and play on our gaming systems. That piece of technology was and still is one of the best consoles ever, and as a result the Nintendo NES  is the father of Video Entertainment.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Impressions

Here it is... The most expected phone of the year. Finally, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 5, but is it worth to be considered the best phone of the year? Let's find out together.

One of the biggest differences between the Note 4 and the Note 5 is the brand new design. Samsung got rid of the plastic completely, which is something great, after me. The looks are even better than expected. The phone is somehow like a reversed Galaxy S6 Edge+, because of the flat screen on front, and the curved glass on the back. This thing improves a lot the feel in the hand, while also making it prettier and futuristic. On the other hand, this means that there won't be a removable battery or expandable storage. 

The phone comes in 4 different colors: White, Black, Gold or Silver. Each of them look great, but I found myself preferring the Titanium Silver. It looks much better, after me. The stylus also got an upgrade, now you won't need to stick your nail in, you just need to press the top of it. It has that feeling of a classic pen, which is very cool. So, the design isn't bad at all, it's great and well-thought.

The display is better than ever, this time rocking the same vibrant Quad HD Display. The colors are great, as usual, and the screen is crystal clear. The specs are more powerful than any time, the major upgrade being the added gigabyte of RAM. Other than that, the rest is exactly the same. The camera is just as good, the speakers are located on the bottom of the phone, and the S-Pen comes with a ton of features.

Overall, the phone is great. It's good looking and is a power-house on paper. Let's see how those specs stand in normal usage, as for the battery life. In a short time my review of the Note 5 will come out, as for the S6 Edge+, so stay tuned for more posts like these!

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Impressions

Here it is... One of the most expected phones of the year. The Galaxy S6 Edge+. However, does the phone live up to its name? Is it good enough to be considered amazing? Let's solve the question now.

HARDWARE

Imagine a bigger, slightly squared Galaxy S6 Edge. That is the S6 Edge+. However, there is more to it. The phone comes in 4 colours: White, Black, Gold, and now Silver. The silver one really looks futuristic and makes the phone even prettier. The biggest advantage, though, comes from Samsung's original cases. It comes with the Clear View Cover, Flip Cover, and Clear Cover. These cases were also available on the S6 Edge, but there are a few more variants: the S View Cover is now available on the Edge as well. Two new cases came along: the Glitter Cover, for the shiny person of you, and the Keyboard Cover, a cover which doubles as a keyboard when needed. Pretty cool, actually. The actual reviews of the cases will come soon, so stay tuned for my next posts. Other than that, the other difference between the phones is the screen size, now being 0.6 inches bigger. 

SOFTWARE & CONCLUSION

The Skin running on top of Android 5.1.1 is great and better than ever. Some of you might not appreciate Samsung's tastes, for instance, the icons, but the features really use the added display on the sides. Night Clock is a good example, as for People Edge, but there are many more features available. I suppose that they are going to be added on the normal S6 Edge as well, but no updates have been released yet. The icons have even more space now, the overall design got better, and a few more features came along. So far there are only good news. Let's see if the results are going to be as bright in the review. 

Samsung Galaxy A8 Leaks

Samsung is one of the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. With the new A series, is it possible to be launched a successor to the series, the Galaxy A8?

The latest leaks show that the A8 will be the thinnest Galaxy yet. On the front, the phone looks a lot like the Galaxy S6. It has more rounded edges, different than the previous phones, and the bezels seem to be smaller. The sides are also going to be made of aluminum. However, the back is made of polycarbonate, which show why the phone is cataloged as a mid-range phone. The design is pretty nice, in my opinion. 

The phone is going to have a 5.7 inch display, with a 1080p resolution, with a pixel density of 386, a 16 megapixel camera on the back, a 3050 mAh battery and also a fingerprint scanner. The heart rate monitor will not appear on the A8. The phone will come with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, with Samsung's custom OS, TouchWiz, which is said to be very similar to the Galaxy S6's OS. It sounds like flagship specifications, right? The phone is assumed to be launched on the third quarter of 2015.

The Galaxy A8 will surely be a great phone, however, the specifications and the features it has to offer don't seem like mid-range specifications. I guess we shall find out in a very short amount of time.

Here are the latest leaks regarding the Galaxy A8:

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Leaks

Samsung is one of the biggest companies in the world. It offers many phones, starting from the low-class devices, with an average display and hardware, and ending with flagship devices that come with killer specifications and better hardware. This year, the company brought us the Galaxy S6 and its brother, the S6 Edge, but it is said that in August 2015, the new successor from the Note series, the Note 5, is going to come out. Here are the latest rumors regarding the Note 5:

Ever since the release of the Galaxy S6, Samsung stopped using plastic on their devices, and the result is pretty great. Even if the battery removal and Micro SD slot are compromised, the premium design is totally worth it. The latest leaks of the Note 5 suggest that the phone will keep the same glass on glass construction, with the aluminum sides. The size is going to be about the same as the Note 4. Again, same display, same resolution, but the camera is going to get a boost, the same resolution, but with Optical Image Stabilization. The speaker is going to be located on the back of the phone. 

Overall, the hardware looks great, and the sacrifices to make such a beautiful phone are minimal. The software will come with a lot of features, and the Edge brother is expected, as well.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Leaks

Samsung is one of the largest companies in the world. The latest flagships, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge and now with their Active brother, is it true that Samsung will launch another bigger flagship as well? The latest leaks show that it might be true, their successor being called the Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge Plus.

 HTC already launched the M9+ model, which is a slight upgrade over the One M9. Will Samsung go on the same route with this one and launch the Galaxy S6 Plus? If it is true, then chances are that it is going to have the same glass sandwich design, all encased in an aluminum frame, yet with a bigger display and battery. The screen is said to be at 5.5 inch Super Amoled display, with the same 2K resolution, yet the battery is going to be an upgrade, from 2600 mAh to 3000 mAh. Other than that, the specifications are going to remain the same, that going for the performance, camera and features.

Other rumors suggest that there will not be a galaxy Note 5 Edge, this phone being the replacement for it, but I believe we will find out in September 2015. How many sales is this phone supposed to have? That is a mystery to me as well. Given the fact that many people bought the S6 / S6 Edge and the Note 4 / Note Edge, is the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus supposed to be a combination of these two? Will people like the idea? More importantly, will they buy this upgrade, knowing that the S6 and S6 Edge were launched a few months ago? I guess we will find out soon.

Here are the leaks of the GS6 Edge Plus: As we can see, the microphone from the bottom has been moved from the speaker to the headphones. This might suggest that the leaks are true. Probably this phone will be launched this month or the next one.

Top 5 Most Unusual Smartphones

5. Oppo R5

Quite possibly the thinnest phone on the market, the Oppo R5 is a looker. It has a 4.85 mm thickness, which is extremely thin. However, its display is gorgeous, the camera, even if it sticks out (it is impossible to fit a camera in a space so small), it takes some extraordinary photos. Even if it looks like a squished iPhone 5S, I still consider it one of the prettiest phones on the market.

4. LG G Flex 2

The latest successor from the Flex generation, the Flex 2, is a looker. With a beautiful, curved design and a self-healing back, this phone is one of the best phones you can find out there. It also has LG's special back buttons, which makes the phone easier to operate. Overall, this phone is unique with its curve and back buttons. If you are looking for a special phone that is also easy to use, then the LG G Flex 2 might just be the phone for you.

3. BlackBerry Passport

This phone left me speechless when I saw it in stores. Blackberry left me speechless when I started using it. Even if the design seems to be unusable, that is not true at all. Sure, it's a big phones, as big as a passport (I suppose that's where it has got its name), but the real keyboard and BlackBerry OS make up for it, possibly even more. The display is squared, about the same display as LG Optimus Vu, but it has a very high resolution. The OS is great and very easy to operate. Overall, the premium squared design will make anyone using it stand out in the crowd.

2. Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

A big, 2K Super Amoled Display, 16 Megapixel camera, a stylus built in and a curved screen? That's the recipe to create the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge. The curved screen looks extremely cool and not only that, but it also offers a lot of features. You can have your own personal apps there, you can make it as a night watch and many more. This phone is beautiful and great from many points of view.

1. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

This phone is epic. It looks amazing, it performs like a champion and it also comes with a 16 megapixel OIS camera. It has an infinity pool design, the glass spreading on both edges of the phone. It is, to say it in one word, incredible. I never expected such a phone to be launched, but I guess I was wrong. This phone is a looker, performs well and also takes great photos.

Samsung Galaxy S6 - 5 Reasons To Buy It

The Galaxy S6 is the latest phone released by Samsung. However, is it worth to be in your pocket for now? Find out the top 5 reasons why the Galaxy S6 might just be the best phone for that

5. Beautiful Design

As we all know, the Galaxy S5 wasn't exactly a premium-feel phone. Its plastic design didn't feel like the other flagships, for example the HTC One M8. But things have changed for 2015. The Galaxy S6 brings a glass sandwich construction, all encased in a beautiful aluminum frame. The glass may be a fingerprint magnet, yet it will be most held from the sides, which feel really comfortable in the hand. Even if a bit slippery, the phone feels amazing in the hand and we can say that Samsung really gave thought to this year's phone design.

4. Extraordinary Display


The Samsung Galaxy S6 has a 5.1 2K inch display resolution, the resolution also being seen last year on the LG G3. However, this year, because of using the Super Amoled Technology, the colors are absolutely amazing. With deep blacks and greatly contrasted colors, it's safe to say the S6's display is one of the best you can find on the market.


3. Vastly Improved Software


The Galaxy S6 ships with Android 5.0.2 with TouchWiz skin on top of it. Samsung never had a great reputation for TouchWiz, because of the constant lag and hard to access places. This year, though, many thing have changed into good. The latest UX is great. It's speedy, beautiful to look at, and it really gets the job done on time, without interfering with any problems. The OS also has many useful features, including Multi-Window, which works perfectly on the 5.1 inch display. Overall, TouchWiz is much better and there should not be any problems with it at all.


2. Incredible Camera


Last year, the Samsung S5 came with a 16 megapixel ISOCELL camera, which took great photos in direct sunlight, yet it had some problems in dark rooms. This year we have the same resolution, yet it also comes with Optical Image Stabilization, which helps the camera in videos to keep them from being shaky. The pictures are great. There is a lot of detail in them and even if in a dark room, the phone can still get a lot of light without producing much noise at all. The camera is amazing. If you are a photographer, then you should have no worries with the camera at all.


1. Great Features


This phone has a lot of features, yet many of them are very useful. For example, the Multi-Window is a great function for easy multitasking. The wireless charging is great and not only that, but it also comes with fast charging, which can fill your phone in under an hour. The Samsung Galaxy S6 has plenty of features that are very helpful and will surely give you a hand when necessary.

Kyocera Echo Review

2011. The year when Apple released the iPhone 4. It was the year when Samsung launched the Galaxy S2. Many successful smartphone manufacturers started production in this period. However, there was this japanese company, Kyocera, which released a new successor to their models: the Kyocera Echo.

The phone was pretty interesting at its time. It had two modes: normal mode and tablet mode. The normal one was pretty usual, a thick squared hardware with an average display on front and a 5 megapixel camera on the back. However, open the phone and you will have a surprise. The device becomes a tablet, and the second display comes out, again, same size and same resolution. The idea is awesome, after me, but at that time it was a bit hard to execute.

First of all, the phone is very thick and cumbersome to use, and the design overall can be considered unattractive. Luckily, the bulky design has a reason: the phone can be dropped several times from normal heights on concrete and survive with light scuffs and scratches. Kyocera relied on this "feature" and made a commercial for it. Second of all, the hinge used to open and close to phone may seem broken, but it is not. It is just the weird design of the phone. one more thing to note is that this phone cannot stay flat on a table, for instance, during "tablet formation". Kyocera really tried hard on this design, but the times were too early back then. 

The software is a bit tricky here. In regular use, there are no problems, due to the normal aspect ratio, but when in laptop formation, the display becomes a square. The OS is optimized for the display, as for some applications, like Facebook. The experience is pretty cool, but due to the lack of resolution and average camera, I would like to see this idea from other companies again. Kyocera Echo was a bold experiment, but now-days this concept can really take shape.

Sony Xperia Z3+ Review

Sony always had a great reputation for cell-phone industry, starting with the Sony Ericsson generation and now ending with the Sony Xperia Z3+. With beautiful hardware and personal software, does this phone deserve to be in your pocket? Let's find out now in the Sony Xperia Z3+ review.

Hardware

Since the Sony Xperia Z, the company always kept a design language that worked very well. A glass sandwich construction, all encased in an aluminum frame, which not only made the phone substantial and premium feeling, but also made it IP 55 / 58 rated, that meaning it's dust and water resistant. Even if slightly different than the previous generations, it's safe to say that the Xperia Z3+ is one of the prettiest phone on the market. 

Display, Camera, Speakers

The display is an LCD 5.2 inch panel, with a Full-HD resolution. The colours are very vibrant and the images are slightly washed out, but very bright. The viewing angles are fixed, so there is not a problem there. It also comes with a 20.7   Sony RS sensor, with optical image stabilisation as well. The photos are great and they deliver highly detailed photos, probably a little over-processed, but still great. At night, even if a bit noisy, the photos still get the most of the scene, capturing as much light as possible. The speakers, even if waterproof, still sound very well, yet they are a little bit quiet. Not a problem, mainly because they are located on the front, so there should be no worries about the speakers at all. Overall, the phone's hardware i very well-thought and shows the attention to detail given from Sony.

Software

The Xperia Z3+ comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, with the custom launcher from Sony. Even is the OS is a little bit heavy, it's still able to run very fast, with rare to no lag. As many of you know, Sony had a few personal applications, including Walkman and What's New. The apps are very well structured and they work very well. For example, Walkman is possibly the best application for music you can find on the market. That was quite obvious, given the fact that Sony was the inventor of Walkman. Overall, the software is great and highly customizable and with Sony's personal apps, the OS is great.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a great looking phone that is also a waterproof, comes with a great OS  and has a great camera? Then you came to the right place. The Xperia Z3+ has a great display, great specifications and amazing camera.