There’s no ignoring the popularity of the iPhone camera, the three devices which have taken the most pictures on Flickr are all iPhones. It’s just so handy having such a powerful camera in your pocket, available whenever you want.

With the quality of the camera on the iPhone getting better with every generation, some are turning to the iPhone to take over dedicated cameras and make an art form out of it. Instagram is full of photographers where all their pictures are taken with iPhones and they’re stunning, you’d never expect the kind of results you see.

Some like to take it a step further and add additional accessories to their iPhone to make their photography even better. One very popular way is to add additional lenses and OlloClip is probably the most popular lens add on for your iPhone. They’ve been doing it since the iPhone 4.

OlloClip were kind enough to send me a unit all the way from the states for me to review.

The OlloClip consists of three lenses – a wide-angle, fish-eye and macro. These lenses can completely change the kind of photos your iPhone can take, literally taking them to another level.

The fish-eye gives you an approximate 180-degree field of view. It’s actually so wide that sometimes your fingers which are holding the iPhone can end up in the pics. The wide-angle gives you double the field of view you’d achieve with the standard camera. The macro gives you 10x magnification and allows you to get super close to your subject – you have to unscrew the wide-angle to get to the macro.

The quality of the OlloClip is superb. Even though it’s mostly made from plastic it’s very rigid and has a lovely finish – depending on the colour you choose. It comes with a little carrying pouch which doubles as a micro-fibre cleaning cloth, so you can clean your lenses if needed from fingerprints and dust.

It simply slides on over the camera. At first I was a little worried that the plastic would scratch my iPhone but thankfully it didn’t. It’s been designed to have a nice curved and smooth finish so it easily slides on and doesn’t leave a mark. It sits pretty rigidly on the iPhone so it won’t just fall off but can very quickly be taken off. They got the tightness perfect.

It won’t fit over any cases. It’ll only fit on naked iPhones.

Sample Pictures

To give you an idea of the field of view you get, I’ve included a gallery below with the standard, wide-angle and then fish-eye. You can clearly see how much of a difference the lenses can make. As expected though, there is distortion around the edges of the photo. They do add a very dramatic effect though.

The macro lens is pretty phenomenal. It can get so close that it can show details which the human eye can’t see. You’ll need to centre your object carefully so you get it in focus though.

Overall I was very impressed by the OlloClip. The lenses add a whole different dimension to your iPhone camera. It enables you to take pictures which are pretty phenomenal and makes you think differently too. You’ll want to take pictures which you wouldn’t have been able to achieve with the standard camera.

It comes in three different colour combos – red, white and black.

OlloClip

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - OlloClip for iPhone 5 Review
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I know what you are thinking, what can I possibly say about a screen protector in a review? Spoiler alert! It protects the screen. Actually it does more than that. Every now and then I pick up an accessory for my iPhone and I feel obligated to tell everyone how great it is. Pure is that accessory.

I ended up back with the iPhone 5 and this time I decided to go with white. After owning the black/slate colorway, I noticed it was vulnerable to nicks and scratches because of the anodized aluminum body. My main goal was to get an iPhone that I can rock naked. The phone, not me. Apple’s design team worked hard to make a beautiful device and I find it hard to cover it up with a case.

With that said, I still needed some sort of protection for the screen. I can deal with normal wear and tear on my iPhone’s body but scratches on a screen hit a nerve on my OCD bone. This is where the Pure shines. Not only is it a screen protector, it’s made out of tempered glass. The glass is classified with a hardness of 8H+ which means that it can take a beating if not more than your iPhone’s regular screen. You also get the normal feel of a glass screen without the sacrifice of screen clarity and quality. This is the future of screen protectors. SGP was the first with the Glas.t protectors and they were a hit. Nobody wants to cover their beautiful glass display with a plastic screen protector. When you really think about it, why would we protect something that has a hardness tolerance less than what it’s protecting. Glass on glass only makes sense.

You are probably asking, why did I go with Bodyguardz over the other brands. It’s simple. Bodyguardz offers a advantages replacement program. It is similar to what Zagg does with their invisible shield but Bodyguardz simply allows you to buy another protector at a fraction of the price. For example, I spent $34 on the Pure for the iPhone 5. If I wanted to order another one, I would only spend about $13. This comes in handy just in case you need another one for any reason. This program is the single reason why I encourage this over the SGP version.

The screen protector is quite thick. This means that your home button will be recessed unless you use the home button stickers that come with it. Installation was really easy. It was actually easier than the traditional screen protectors. All you have to do is clean your screen, remove the protective plastic from the glass, align on your phone and press down. You will have to apply some pressure to work the air out but it all falls in easily. The key is keeping your screen clean. You may have some issues with cases that are form fitting since the protector is thicker.

I did my best to take some photos of what the screen looks like. I hope you enjoy. Check out the link below if you are interested. ProTip: Google Bodyguardz coupon code. You may get lucky and find one that could save you some dough.

Bodyguardz

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Bodyguardz Pure Premium Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 5 Review
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Since publishing a post the other day showing off the gear I carry when I’m on the road, many have asked what case I was using on my iPhone 5. Well here is a quick review of that case which Incipio kindly sent out to me a few weeks back.

It’s a hard shell case which is made from two parts. It has a lovely soft texture all around which provides some extra grip than the slate finish on the iPhone 5.

It’s definitely not the thinnest case in the world. But it’s thick enough to provide very adequate protection all around. It covers all corners of the case and will easily handle a drop or two.

One very small thing which I appreciate is the cut out for the volume buttons and silent switcher. It cuts around to the back of the case which means you can easily feel the buttons, giving them a very tactile feel – unlike other cases which surround the buttons so it can be difficult to press them or locate them when you’re not looking.

One very cool thing they include in the package with the case is this little plastic piece which folds into a little flip up stand for the iPhone 5. It’s very thin and can easily fit in a pocket or wallet. Ideal for watching movies and YouTube videos.

Overall I think the case is brilliant. It’s become my main case for my iPhone 5 purely because it provides some great protection without looking hideous. It’s very minimally styled which I’m sure many will appreciate.

The case also comes in a variety of colours so you can switch it up if you like by mixing and matching.

Incipio EDGE case for iPhone 5

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Incipio EDGE Case for iPhone 5
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I don’t travel very much, probably a few times a month, and usually it’s not even that far – maybe just to a friends house or to a meeting or two. So I was looking for something big enough to lug around all my tech, be reasonably priced and quite good looking.

I decided to purchase an Incase Compact Backpack for £50 from the Apple Store. A very reasonable price for what is actually a very good bag. Surprisingly it’s cheaper on the Apple store than on Amazon.

It’s made from nylon so you expect it to be pretty cheap feeling but it isn’t. It’s very light but has a reasonable amount of padding where needed. It’s also weather-resistant so it’ll easily survive a heavy shower, just don’t chuck it in a river.

The padding on the shoulder straps are brilliant. I was carrying around a MacBook Air, iPad, Nexus 7, camera, tripod and an array of plugs and wires, had no trouble having the bag on my back while walking around a recent event (TheGadgetShow live) for 2-3 hours.

Some parts of the inside of the bag have a faux-fur lining which gives an instant feeling of luxury. I bloody love the feel of this stuff – it’s awesome.

It has two pockets dedicated for a laptop and tablet – ideally for the iPad and MacBook Pro 15-inch. I have an iPad Mini and MacBook Air 13-inch and still had plenty of space. I actually use the Incipio Leather Sleeve and put that in the bag with the MacBook Air.

The bag is awesome for the price and is perfect for my occasional use. It would easily do as an everyday bag for anyone who commutes. It has enough padding all around and plenty of space. If you’re interested in what I put in the bag regularly, check this post out.

Incase Compact Backpack – £50

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Incase Compact Backpack Review
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I love my luxury products and was pretty chuffed when Incipio sent me their premium leather sleeve for my new MacBook Air 13-inch. It’s made from real leather which instantly feels fantastic when you touch it. It has a lovely suede lining on the inside to protect the MacBook Air.

Unlike many other leather products which require some wear to easily slip in and out, I have no trouble getting my MacBook Air in and out of it. It’s a tight fit, but not tight to the point where it’s difficult to pull it out of the sleeve.

The sleeve is pretty thick, has quite a bit of padding either side. It’s perfect for everyday protection and maybe even a drop or two – though I’m too scared to try that.

It’s not cheap, at $79.99, but then nor is your MacBook Air. Why buy a cheap $10 sleeve which makes your MacBook look cheap, when you can buy a luxurious leather sleeve which actually adds some protection but also looks bloody brilliant.

MacBook Air Premium Leather Sleeve by Incipio – $79.99

Note: Everything said here is from my own personal use. Incipio have not paid me or told me what to say or not to say. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Incipio Premium Leather Sleeve for MacBook Air 13-inch
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Peel were very kind to send over to me two of their cases all the way from America just so I could try them out and see what I think about them.

Hands down these are the thinnest cases I’ve ever seen for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S. They’re made from your ordinary plastic but they’re unbelievably thin. To get them off your phone you literally have to peel them off.

I’ve been using the cases for a month now, because I’ll be honest, at first I was very skeptical and thought they’d tear or just wear badly. Boy was I wrong. The cases look just like they did the day I got them. Because of the material they’re made from, it’s pretty difficult to scratch them, you really have to look carefully and under certain light to see any scratches or wear. I can see over months of constant use that these cases would wear, but that’s expected with most cases around this price range.

These cases will definitely not protect your phone from drops but that’s not the point of them. They’ve been made to just protect from everyday wear and scratches. I myself am very careful with all my phones and have never actually dropped one so I’ve never been very worried about smashing one. However I do like to keep them in fantastic condition, I don’t like scratching and scraping them whatsoever. These cases are perfect for someone like me who loves to feel the slenderness of an iPhone but protect it from everyday wear.

Weirdly the iPhone 4/4S case I found was smoother and I thought generally nicer than the rough texture of the iPhone 5. Not sure why the textures are different on the cases, but I definitely prefer the texture of the iPhone 4/4S.

Peel – Super Thin iPhone Cases

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Peel Cases – Probably The Thinnest Cases You Can Get For Your iPhone
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NAM were kind enough to send me out one of their products. I chose the iPad Mini sleeve, I don’t like the hassle of sleeves for my phones. I’ve got to say the quality of these sleeves is amazing. They’re on the pricey side but you get what you pay for. The sleeve is made from 100% wool and is handmade in Italy. You can also choose what colour seam you would like, I’ve got a white seam here but you can choose from red, black or white. They also offer sleeves for the larger iPad, iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5.

NAM

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - NAM iPad Mini Sleeve
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I have been waiting for this moment since the day I ordered my Nexus 4. All I could remember was the coined line “Totally Wireless.” After several attempts to use other wireless chargers , ie. Nokia or Energizer, I was left feeling well….unsatisfied. They wouldn’t charge right or they didn’t work with different cases. Recently Google stocked the US stores with the official wireless charger and I couldn’t help but grab 3. One for the office, home and the wife. She gets one because she never charges her phone. Lol Anyways….what about that damn charger?

First off, this is just a charger. I don’t think it deserves a full review but it deserves something. So below you will find some key points I wanted to focus on and a couple videos to give you a good idea if this is worth your money.

Here we go…

Function

Wireless charging isn’t really wireless charging.  I mean, there is a cable going into the charger. I just wanted to clear that up. Some of the realist out there will argue that wireless charging isn’t really here. I agree; however, what I have here in front of me is pretty damn cool.

To charge your phone, its as simple as putting it down. The convenience is something that you really don’t appreciate until you have it. One huge plus is that I am horrible at letting my phone charge. I plug it up and I’m contantly on it. The phone sits at a 40 degree angle on the wireless charger so you can still view and use the phone. I find the utility a huge bonus over the other chargers.

I have tried this case with the Seidio Surface Kickstand Case, Rearth Rinke Slim, the official Google bumper and the Cruzerlite cases. No problems with the latter three. The Seidio Surface worked but it kept falling off. The Kickstand was an awkward situation.

Hardware

The charger is made by LG and you get the LG quality you expect. It resembles a Nexus Q cut in half but the matte finish looks nice on the bottom. Across the top there is a rubber seat and glossy black ring to hold your phone while it gets juiced. Your phone will sit securely on the charger. I ain’t got no worries.

Overall

This is the best Qi wireless charger you can buy. It uses micro USB, it works with any phone, has a winning design and its almost future proof. If the 5″ Droid DNA can fit on this charger then odds are any newer phone with Qi will do the same. for $59 it might seem steep but you get a lot for your money. Check out the videos below for more information.

Google Nexus 4 Official Wireless Charger

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Google Nexus 4 Official Wireless Charger Review
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Thanks to MobileFun for sending the case out for review.

Case-Mate have become a household name when it comes to mobile phone cases. They produce some of the best and high quality cases available for many different mobile phones.

Recently Case-Mate have released a new version of there Barely There case for the iPhone 5. We’ve already covered the iPhone 4 version which became my main case for my iPhone 4.

The iPhone 5 version is just what I expected when coming from the iPhone 4. It uses the same lovely matt black texture which the previous version used. The texture is great for grip and is a lot grippier than the normal iPhone 5 back. One problem with this texture is that it attracts a lot of fingerprints, it’s practically impossible to keep clean from the prints.

It fits the phone very snugg and tight and is thick enough to provide adequate protection. Of course it won’t survive having a car drive over it or being dropped from 50 feet, but it’ll easily protect the iPhone 5 if it were to slip out of your hands onto concrete or tarmac.

The case has a lip around the edge which is pretty pronounced, unlike on any other case I’ve seen before. I think it’s actually too much. It’s a great way to protect the device’s screen but then it makes the device feel a lot thicker than than you think. It kind of ruins the feeling of having such a skinny device. I don’t mind the extra thickness because I like to be assured that my iPhone 5 is protected, but others may not like it and may want something even thinner.

The inside of the case has this very random design that is made from a layer of rubber. I’m guessing it was made specifically to absorb the energy from a drop.

Overall the case is as high quality as you would expect from a company like Case-Mate. It’s perfect for those who want to add adequate protection without compromising design and style. It’s not cheap, at £20, but then you are getting a quality case made from some very durable and high quality materials.

Case Mate Barely There for iPhone | iPhone 5 cover

Click to view slideshow.

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Case Mate Barely There for iPhone 5
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I’ve reviewed an SD TabletWear case before for my iPad 2, to this day I’m still using the same case, even if it has worn over the year and a half I’ve had it.

I’ve now got the same case but for the iPad Mini thanks to MobileFun, who were kind enough to send one out to me.

I’ve never been a fan of the smart cover for the iPad because all it does is cover the front of the iPad, not very smart at all. The slate finish on the new iPad Mini is prone to scratches more than the aluminium finish on the previous iPad’s. I want to keep as many scratches off my iPad Mini as possible so this case looks fit for the job.

The SD TabletWear protects the iPad front and back. It also has the smart cover functionality. Sure it may be thicker than the smart cover but you’ve got to compromise somewhere.

A neat little addition to these cases is the slot for a pen or stylus. With more and more people using iPad’s as devices to work on, this is a very nice addition. I use Paper a lot on my iPad and having this holder is a lot more useful than putting my stylus in my pocket.

The cover does support the sleep/wake function when opening/closing the case. The front also uses magnets to stay shut. Unlike many other cases where the front cover flaps around everywhere.

There is a latch on the back of the case where you can slot the front cover in. This then enables you to have two angles where you can leave your iPad to stand freely. Because the whole cover is latched in firmly it’s a lot sturdier than Apple’s smart cover. The angles are perfect for movie viewing and for typing or browsing.

The case itself has a faux leather look which looks very good. It doesn’t look as high quality or as expensive as a real leather one of course. But for the price you can’t complain.

Overall the case is brilliant for anyone who’s looking for all round protection for a low price. The design of the case is smart and minimal and does everything a smart cover does. It’s great for the iPad Mini which is already a small device. You will have to give up the super skinny feel of the iPad Mini though, but it’s worth it if you want the full protection.

SD TabletWear Case for iPad Mini | iPad Mini case

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - SD TabletWear iPad Mini Case | Review
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Since the One X, HTC has put everything it is can into a smartphone. While some may think it is a desperate move to recapture the glory days, others feel that HTC has found a different lane. Unlike Samsung, who has flooded the market with low end phones, HTC is taking the  ”high spec” road and bringing out the best of the best. The latest surprise in 2012 was the DROID DNA. For lack of better terms, the name is terrible. Considering that the phone’s main selling point is its large 5″ edge-to-edge screen with Full HD resolution. Not sure what that has to do with a double helix. The DNA is the first of its kind with 440ppi pixel density. That’s a 1080p display! This is and I repeat is the best display on a mobile phone. HTC chose to throw every hardware and software improvement  in the DNA does that make it better than phones like the Galaxy Note 2 or Nexus 4. Check out more in the written and video review below.

Hardware

The first thing I noticed was the screen. It is simply a work of art. The 1080p LCD3 blows away any display I’ve seen on a phone. I spent hours watching content just to see how well it performed. To my delight, I had no problem viewing it in broad daylight. The gorilla corning glass 2 keeps the scratches at bay. I have to be honest, I wasn’t too excited to review this phone. I knew the display would be good but the 5″ screen and design just seems like a joke. We have all seen the images of the iPhone 8 with its long design and awkward orientation. That’s what the DNA looked like to me. However, the phone is very thin to me and feels great in my hands. I have medium sized hands and the phone did take two hands to use at times. However, I felt that a display this big on any slate will demand attention from both of your hands. The power button and volume buttons are easy to press for me. Although I would have wished that the placement were a little forgiving to medium sized hands. In short, you get used to it. But I found myself thinking. I shouldn’t have to get used to a phone. It should get used to me. That’s the least of my concerns about the hardware. Overall, its everything you expect from HTC’s latest. No expandable memory and no removable battery with a compromised of uni-body hardware with great design and materials. It supports wireless charging and NFC, which is a must because there is a stupid flap covering the sync/charge port.

Software

The fact that HTC released a phone with the latest version of Android is a shock. Don’t call me ungrateful but I still can’t get past Sense UI. The Sense experience is everywhere. You really don’t even know that you are using Android 4.1. Sense replaces the stock email, calendar, browser and keyboard. All of which function smoothly but take away from the true Android experience.

Camera

The camera app itself is nothing different from the One X and One X+ but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Everyone will appreciate that it has a balance set of manual controls and shooting modes. All of the usual features  like burst shooting and the ability to snap a photo while shooting a video are present. The optics is an 8-megapixel auto-focus camera that features an f2.0 lens. The images were decent. They didn’t look like they came from a cell phone and that’s a good thing. If you have good lighting, the quality is only rivaled by point n shoot cameras. Video wasn’t as good. I noticed some issues with color correction while panning and moving images. The auto white balance had trouble keeping up.

Overall

The HTC Droid DNA is the first of its kind, a 5-inch monster phone with 1080p screen resulting in a pixel density of 441ppi. It is probably one of the few phones I can recommend that will last you the entire two years of your contract. $199 on contract makes for an even better deal.

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - HTC Droid DNA Review
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SGP aka Spigen has been making some of the best cases and screen protectors money can buy. While some people can argue, “Why spend $10-60 on screen protector when you can get a pack of 5 on ebay or Amazon for $2.99?” One word, Quality. We have all had the cheap screen protectors from the carrier stores. You know the ones they practically force you to buy with you phone? The plastic is cheap and within days you have scratches and a screen protector that feels like, well, plastic. SGP doesn’t feel thats how a screen protector should be made. All of Spigen’s protectors feature the following

• Cut smaller to prevent lifting at the edges. (Case Friendly)
• Revised to include cutout for the proximity sensor to prevent any interference
• Easy to install / remove
• Non-tacky adhesive : Removed easily without leaving residue
• Premium silicone adhesive : Bubble free application
• Easily wipes away marks and fingerprints.
• Anti-UV ray coated
• No interference with touch-screen responsiveness
• Oil Resistant to prevent smudges resulting from oil, cosmetics, and other contaminants. Any marks and fingerprints can be wiped away easily.

Spigen

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - SGP Ultra Oleophobic Screen Protector for Nexus 4
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The Google Nexus 4 is selling like hotcakes and major case makers still haven’t joined in to make a high end case for Google’s flagship phone. To protect possibly the most precious gorilla glass known to man, I picked up a case off amazon. The Ringke Slim for the Nexus 4 is a great case for one simple reason. It works as designed and it isn’t cheaply made. The snap back style cases have never been one to protect your phone from extreme drops. That is what Speck and Otterboxes are for. The snap back style keeps the back of the Nexus clean and free from normal wear and tear while keeping the slim profile of the phone intact. It feels great in the hands and the soft touch plastic has a nice grippy feeling for easy maneuvering in and out of my pocket. It doesn’t provide any lay on the table design (bulging lip from the screen to the case) so this case is NOT for the careless. At $8 shipped, I can’t complain, I got exactly what I was expecting.

Ringke

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Rearth Ringke Slim Case for Nexus 4
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Thanks to MyTrendyPhone for sending this review sample out to me.

Attaching a lens to your phone is a bit of an awkward but serious way to take your mobile photography to the next level. There are many lens add-ons out there for phones at the moment, but for the iPhone the OlloClip seems to be the best yet.

The OlloClip is a small lens system which simply slides on to your iPhone. There’s no need for glue or magnets or anything of the sort, it simply slides on and off very easily and quickly.

It features three different lenses which are in one small compact unit. There is a macro lens, wide-angle lens and a fisheye lens. The macro lens is for super close-up shots, the wide-angle is for wide shots, and the fisheye is for super wide shots – it approximately has a 180 degree field-of-view which is simply amazing.

The lens themselves use actual glass, not cheap plastic and they’re surrounded by a fire-red metal casing. It’s all very professional looking and doesn’t feel cheap whatsoever.

Unfortunately with the weather in the UK being absolutely terrible for the past few weeks, I didn’t get a proper chance to go anywhere and take some really good pictures with it.

Below is a comparison (click on pic to enlarge) of the comparison between the normal iPhone lens, the wide-angle lens and the fisheye lens. You can clearly see how much more fits in the frame using the lens. The only unfortunate thing is that the lenses do cut off the corners of the pictures.

Below is an example of the macro lens. This lens particularly is extraordinary. It’s simply amazing what you can see using the macro lens, some detail not even the human eye can see. The subject below is a one penny coin. Click on the picture to enlarge it to it’s full resolution.

There are quite a few more pics on the official OlloClip website. So if you’re looking for more sample images it’s worth heading over there.

Overall the OlloClip is an absolutely brilliant accessory for those who love taking pictures with their phone. However this accessory definitely isn’t for everyone considering it’s price. With it going for over £60 it’s not cheap. This will make you consider whether you really want the accessory or not and whether it’s worth your cash. If you’re hugely into taking pictures with your iPhone I couldn’t recommend this accessory enough. It’s easily one of the best ways to take your mobile photography to the next level.

Of course with the recent release of the iPhone 5, this OlloClip will not fit. However an iPhone 5 version is coming very soon.

OlloClip | iPhone 4S accessories | iPhone 5 accessories

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - OlloClip for iPhone Review
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The improvements made to handheld gaming, specifically with cell phones and tablets, have increased exponentially. Seeing something like Infinity Blade or Mass Effect Infiltrator which both had the hard work and quality of a game made for consoles is phenomenal to say the least. The only issue with these games, at least for me personally, are how they’re controlled. Playing a game on a touch screen can and more than likely will have some level of irritation because a touch screen will never be as good or responsive as a controller.

A lot of the time you just have to deal with it, or if you choose my method, just don’t play them. Thanks to Power A and the MOGA however, that could all be changing very soon and I may be paying a lot more attention to Android games.

The MOGA is a controller for your Android phone and tablet that will change that way you play most mobile games essentially forever. Now, I say most because for this device to really work, you first need to download the MOGA Pivot App (a marketplace where the games are located), make sure you have an Android device with an OS of 2.3 of higher, and then hope that the game you want to play is “MOGA enhanced” otherwise, the controller won’t work. With that being said, when you do play a MOGA enhanced game you’ll realize that you can never go back to playing on your cellphone or tablet without it and wonder how you did in the first place.

First off, the controller is very comfortable to use. It’s design somewhat resembles that of an Xbox 360 controller, but just more compact. There are two analog sticks, four face buttons, and two triggers on the device, giving you the range to play all types of games comfortably. The sticks don’t rise as high as your standard controller of course, but is elevated enough so it stays with your thumbs and has a coarser grip top to keep your thumbs steady. The controller is light and gains literally no weight when it’s attached to the phone either–reducing the strain on your hands during long gaming sessions.

The center of the controller actually folds up to be the holster for your phone. So you have your controller attached to your phone by a brace that expands up to 3.2 inches comfortably–which is just enough to fit the width of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which has a width of 3.17 inches . The brace obviously won’t work on the tablet, so you’ll just connect to the device via Bluetooth and provide your method of viewing it comfortably.

Finding games that you want to play on the MOGA Pivot APP is very easy. Simply start the app, sync your controller (as easy as pushing a button), and start browsing.

I played a couple of titles on the MOGA: N.O.V.A. 3, The Dark Knight Rises HD and Wipeout and got a pretty great feel for how the device controls. Driving in Wipeout was very easy to jump into and was the easiest of the three games to handle. It’s a racing game so it’s hard to mess that kind of thing up.

I did find difficulty in N.O.V.A. 3 and Dark Knight Rises HD however. The analog sticks are great but don’t give the sensitivity one would have with a traditional controller. So when I was asked to sneak up behind a bone headed thug in Dark Knight Rises HD, nine times out of ten I did a full on sprint. Trying to land that headshot in N.O.V.A. 3? Not really happening. It was infinitely more difficult since I couldn’t make the smoothest movements, it felt jumpy. I countered this a little bit by lowering look sensitivity in the games.

Aside from the aforementioned minor issues, the MOGA is definitely a device that any dedicated Android gamer needs. There’s no way around it really. The device is extremely comfortable to use, there’s a variety of games to play that keeps growing and you’ve got 18 hours of battery life to game on the go.

To put it as simply as possible, get the MOGA by Power A as soon as you can if you want a better mobile gaming experience. It’s easily the best option out there right now.

A review unit of the MOGA was provided by Power A.

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - MOGA Review: Changing The Way We Play Mobile Games
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Why mess up a good thing? Speck’s CandysShell cases have a winning design and are great for everyday use. However, sometimes they can be a little slippery. Speck has addressed that issue with the newly revised CandyShell Grip. The iPhone 5 version is somewhat different from the iPhone 4/S version. Speck removed the rubber grips and added rubber accents instead. This allows for a much cleaner design and a more comfortable experience when holding your beloved iPhone 5. It has the same dual-layer protection: a hard outer shell and a soft, rubbery, shock-absorbent center. Check out the gallery and review video below.

Speck

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Speck CandyShell Grip for iPhone 5 Review
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Nokia is doing something different. They aren’t following the standards set by other companies; making high-spec devices with a lack of focus on design and, for some, low build quality. Nokia’s approach is clearly one which focusses on every aspect of their phones, producing some fantastic results.

The Nokia Lumia 800 is one of the devices which is very much from this new era of impressive, modern design from Nokia. It was released, alongside the Lumia 900, as the first Windows Phone 7 device from the company. After so many run of the mill devices from other manufacturers running WP7, the Lumia 800 was an appreciated change. Here we go: let’s have a closer look at the Lumia 800 and its game-changing design.

Hardware

The Lumia 800 is one of Nokia’s less fully featured on the hardware front; not to worry though, the price reflects this. It’s equipped with a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage with no option to expand this; Microsoft does offer 7GB of SkyDrive storage with the phone, included with Windows Phone 7, so there’s plenty included in total. The connectivity capabilities of the Lumia 800 are in line with most other devices on the market – Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g and n and multiple 3G and 2G bands.

Design

For me, the design of the Lumia 800 is the main feature which makes it stand out in the crowded phone market. It has a design which seems to be unique and very different to anything else available: the device is a slab with the side edges being entirely rounded. The top and bottom of the device are flat, and slightly chamfered towards the front and back faces. I found this basic shape made the phone easy to hold, the bottom being perfect to rest on my pinky and the edge fitting the curvature of my fingers nicely – similar to the design pioneered by the N9.

The button placement on the Lumia 800 is something which had been criticised by others, but I feel that it works well. All of the buttons are located on the right side of the phone – from top to bottom: volume up; volume down; power, two-stage camera. The first three are at the very top of the device which makes them easily accessible in a normal grip, but the camera button is lower down. While this initially seems an unwise position, it makes more sense when the process of pressing it is considered; usually changing the orientation of the device to landscape to take a photo. The only other argument against having all the buttons on one side would be that aesthetically it is unbalanced, but I believe that the clean left side of the device makes up for this. Another piece of odd positioning is the headphone jack at the top of the device, on the left. When you consider how you put your phone in your pocket – usually upside-down – the choice makes little sense. The jack will either dig in to your leg, or you will have to make the effort to change the way you put your phone in your pocket; small issues, I know, but they are still issues nonetheless.

Now that we’ve looked at the headphone jack, it seems appropriate to move onto the charging port. When you first get your hands on the phone, this is one of the things which is most elusive, but as you use the phone (and after you find the port) you begin to realise how sensible the design choice is. Let me explain: the port is hidden behind a small hinged door, and not one of the cheap doors seen on feature phones that look like they could snap at any moment. It can be flicked open to reveal the micro USB port, then, to the right of this, the micro SIM holder can be popped up. This is a really tidy way to store the parts of the phone that rarely need to be accessed, yet it keeps them available for when they are needed.

The speaker of the Lumia 800 is located at the bottom of the device. This makes it perfect for watching video as the sound produced by the speaker is reflected by your hand which tends to be cupped around the top and bottom of the device while it is in a landscape orientation. The sound quality, too, is very good.

Overall, the design of the Lumia 800′s hardware is sleek and sophisticated, especially in the matt black model I reviewed, and the form is very obviously ergonomically engineered. It is physically small and fits snugly in the hand, unlike many of the other bulbous options out there. This makes it the perfect option for anyone who is looking to take a step back from the under-designed, large smartphones on the market, and choose a device that offers more than just high-spec internals.

Camera

The camera on the Lumia 800 is one of the few pieces of software I didn’t like. On the surface, it has a minimal design, but when it is looked at in further depth, it can be seen that this part of the OS seems to be out of sync with the rest. It seems to me to be over complicated and doesn’t follow the design patterns set out by Microsoft – the camera was designed by Nokia. For example, there is a Settings button, which would usually take the form of an ellipse icon, but for some reason, in this case, doesn’t. The zoom buttons seem to be oversized as well. Add this together with what seems to me to be the wrong choice of icon to view previously taken photos (I’d have suck with no icon at all) and you have an undesirable app.

The quality of the photos the phone takes is surprisingly good, though. “Surprising” because the quality of the screen does not truly reflect the quality of the photos the camera takes. In fact, the software doesn’t seem to either: Nokia has chosen to attempt some fancy auto-correction on all photos, but the correction only occurs when you view a photo and zoom in on it. Oh, and this ‘correction’ only seemed to make the photos worse. If there were any dark spots in the photos they would be lightened and take on that bluish haze we’re all so accustom to seeing in poor low-light performance cameras. This makes for a confusing experience when reviewing photos you’ve taken as you’re unsure which version is the real version: luckily, it appears the zoomed in, auto-corrected one is just a render, not the actual image.

The focussing modes of the camera seemed odd to me. There are two options: tap to auto-focus and take a photo; or use the two-stage camera button, auto-focussing in the centre of the image. These aren’t ideal, mainly because the focussing isn’t perfect, but also because it means you can’t take a precise picture when you have chosen the focal point. This is a recipe for bad results in most cases, and the photos show this – when time is not taken to sort them, at least.

Occassionally, they did appear washed out and lacking contrast, and in low light, it took time to focus. On the same night, I took photos with my Galaxy Nexus and the Lumia 800 of a fireworks display, and I have to say the Galaxy Nexus performed better, despite the lower megapixel rating. Here are a few shots:

Washed out autumnal leaves (above)

Fireworks (above)

It’s fair to say that I was disappointed with the Lumia 800′s camera, though I suspect the hardware is not what is at fault.

Screen

As I mentioned, the screen of the 800 is not good for reviewing photos, but what it is good for is viewing the very basic, contrasted UI of Windows Phone. Tiles, for example, appear sharp, and the brightness that is achieved is impressive. Nokia’s ClearBlack technology works well with the AMOLED display to produce deep blacks which use very little power, thus making for good battery life as well as the impressive visuals while browsing around the phone. It is noticeable, however, that the display is not as good at displaying real-life images: the blocky world of Microsoft’s mobile OS is another world when compared to the complexities of real images.

Battery

The battery life of the Lumia 800 is fantastic, which is out of the ordinary for modern smartphones. In my tests, it lasted two days or regular use, with no power-saving practices in place. This is next to unheard of nowadays, but the combination of the low-demand display and Windows Phone 7 make the phone reliable.

Software

Windows Phone powers the Nokia Lumia 800: but it is somewhat underpowered. While I love the software itself, the apps available and the ecosystem behind the phone is just not up to scratch.

We’ll begin with design: the UI is very modern and far from Apple’s skeuomorphic designs. It is flat and styles information into lists and tiles. There are two main colour themes of WP7 – white and black – each with eleven bright foreground colours. These make the UI different from every other platform’s, and it’s a good difference. This new approach to design is an initiative I believe consumers benefit from greatly, even without realising it. The ease of use of the OS is just incredible. Swiping between menus flows very smoothly, even in third-party apps which have been criticised for scrolling issues in the past, and most apps work very well.

The problem emerges when you try to find new apps. There aren’t any. Once you have downloaded the very basics – social networking apps, a few productivity apps, some media consumption and news apps – you’ll pretty much have drained the Microsoft Store dry. There is a definite lack of development of apps for the Store, and even some of the large titles available on other platforms can’t be found. This simply won’t satisfy those who have had a taste of Apple’s App Store, or perhaps even the Google Play Store.

Apart from the lack of apps available for the platform – which may change as Windows Phone 8 is released and more interest in the OS rises – the user experience is very good. It’s the little things. The use made of the back button is an example of this – an example of very clever software design, targeted directly at improving the user’s interaction with the device. When you press the back button, no matter where you are, you will be pulled back one screen. (Like I said, little things.) This means that if you are on the Start Screen and you wish to quickly jump back to an app, you can do so with the push of a button – it’s a very simple things that sets the phone ahead of the two other major competitors.

I have to say, I really do love Windows Phone, but the lack of apps available does make me want to avoid WP devices for the time being.

Services

Media is something which Nokia and Microsoft are tackling very well on the Lumia 800. There is no lack of content available on this front. Pre-loaded on the phone come Zune, Microsoft’s media marketplace which offers a pass for unlimited streaming of a wide range of music, and Nokia Music which offer’s free genre-based streaming like Pandora, or Spotify Radio, to all users. They also give the option to purchase music in each of these stores and it’s no trouble to copy music across from a computer.

Another service that comes with the Lumia 800 is SkyDrive, by Microsoft. This offers 7GB of free cloud storage that lets you store all photos, videos and documents off-site, saving space on your phone. This is something that will be appreciated by anyone who is tied to Microsoft’s ecosystem, or is willing to make the switch to them.

Microsoft Office is pre-loaded on the Lumia 800 (and all other Windows Phone devices) too, which allows for the viewing and editing of Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote files. This is perfect for anyone who is tied to Office for work, but if you aren’t tied to this format, I suggest you run from it – run and hide, and log into Google Docs.

Apart from these ecosystem-based services, Nokia has packed a few really nice apps into their phone. These include Nokia Drive (a sat nav app), Nokia Reading, Nokia Map, Local Scout and Camera Extras which enhance the mapping and discoverability capabilities of the phone, and the news-reading and ebook-reading features, and the camera’s functions: it offers panorama mode, action shots and group shots.

Conclusions

The Nokia Lumia 800 is a device about which I have many mixed feelings. The hardware is in all regards better than anything else of the market at the moment in this price range, and the design of every aspect of the phone is absolutely beautiful. The software and ecosystem doe shave its flaws though, so if you are a serious smartphone user, I would recommend that you get a HTC 8X (which I will be reviewing in the very near future) or 8S, or perhaps a Nokia Lumia 820 or 920, which run Windows Phone 8, the latest version of Microsoft’s software with many improvements, and more apps expected to be written for the platform. However, if you are new to the smartphone game, or are looking for a cheaper device to step back from the intricacies of customisation and an overwhelming number of apps, this may be the way to go.

Nokia Lumia 800 – Three UK

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Nokia Lumia 800 Review
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Speck’s CandysShell cases have been around since the iPhone 3GS. I have always enjoyed the protection and style they provide. Since they are available in so many different colors, its hard not to at least own one. The candy shell features a dual-layer protection: a hard outer shell and a soft, rubbery, shock-absorbent center. The lip around the case is great for lay on the tablet protection. Check out the gallery and review video below. I will be giving these cases away so stay tuned!

Speck

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Speck CandyShell for iPhone 5 Review
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Although it may not have the high end specs of your favorite smartphone. Motorola DROID RAZR M is a very relevant device. It’s compact design and form factor make you question why Apple didn’t shoot for a 4.3″ screen on the iPhone 5. Nevertheless, the nearly bezel-less display, dual core processor, 8MP Camera and NFC. This phone has everything you need while still holding a price point of $99.99 with a 2-year contract on Verizon. In all seriousness, I was surprised how much I enjoyed this phone and I think you will too.

Hardware and Aesthetics

The typical styling that the RAZR is known for is still here. It has become a characteristic of Motorola to use the same materials and tapered styling throughout their product lines. In a way it looks like a compact DROID RAZR and it actually has the same size screen. The design isn’t eye grabbing but I was amazed at how well this phone worked one handed. Motorola didn’t cheap out. They used high-quality materials, this keeps the device looking rugged. The sturdy plastic body combined with a KEVLAR coated rear casing, it maintains a very clean appearance that does wonders to repel dirt and debri. Motorola goes as far as leaving the screws exposed to remind you that they made this phone with precision.

Around the rear, the handset’s 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash is flush to the surface. This is something that I appreciate. I always hated camera lens that were embossed or elevated off the phone’s body. Nearby there is a tiny speaker grill of the phone. The battery isn’t user replaceable. However, that isn’t a big deal for most.

Its 4.3″ qHD 540 x 960 Super AMOLED display looks great. Even when compared to a high end device such as the iPhone 5. It’s the edge-to-edge PenTile matrix screen does have its flaws. At close inspection you can see the pixel arrangement. Because I am a pixel nerd, I notice it. However, the average person wouldn’t even notice it unless I said told them. The screen is high-contrast and has wide viewing angles, and vibrant color production. Overall it was a joy to look at.

Software

This phone has several stock Google Android elements but you can still feel the presence of the MotoBlur’s ghost. Icons are cartoonish and the menus have a blue hue. Ultimately, it’s nothing more than a skin running on top of ICS. In fact, the only thing “new” that Verizon customers might notice, is probably the main “Circles” widget on the home screen, which we’ve seen already in the ATRIX HD. Oh and A LOT of bloatware…A LOT. The SMARTACTIONS feature is also available with the DROID RAZR M. Beyond having the ability to customize certain triggers, it comes in handy when it deals with battery management. I find this to be the best feature of Motorola’s “MotoBlur” or Motorola Application Portfolio as they would like for me to call it.. You can set triggers like GPS locations to do things like disable WiFi or data or enable Bluetooth etc.

Battery

The RAZR is rocking a 2,000 mAh battery. Since the battery is non user removable. I was happy to see that I was able to get through a full day on LTE. I must add that using smart actions helped out a lot. When I was at home, the phone would disable LTE and use WiFi. When I was in my car, it would enable Bluetooth  When I was at work, WiFi was disabled and LTE was running. Also when your battery gets to about 20% all data services auto cut off and you can easily get another 2 hours on battery  fumes. I think that’s great AUTO power management.

Call Quality

Call quality with the DROID RAZR M is unsurprisingly good. Motorola has had a great record with call quality and they didn’t skimp here. Calls were comfortable. Voices were easy to hear and there was no distortion through the earpiece. Callers were able to hear me just as well. Speakerphone was another story. While callers were able to hear me well, voices came through the loud speaker with distortion. I found myself turning the volume down a bit.

Overall

The Motorola DROID RAZR M has all the ingredients for a respected contender as your next smartphone – and that’s despite being regarded as a mid-range device. Add to the fact that it’s sporting one easy and affordable price point of $99.99 with a 2-year contract. While there will always be a “better” phone on the horizon; at this price point, I could see someone buying this phone and being happy for some time.

Motorola Droid RAZR M

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Motorola DROID RAZR M Review
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I’d love to post long term reviews of all the products we review on UltraLinx, however contrary to what many believe, we do not get to keep those devices we review; we only get to play them for around 2 weeks. It’s the same situation with many other technology blogs, they don’t get to keep the devices, they have to give them back.

However any devices I myself purchase I will now try to do a long term review of, so here is my long term review of the Nexus 7.

This review won’t be too long because essentially there isn’t much to say. The main Nexus 7 review covers nearly everything you need to know about the device, I recommend reading it so you see the differences and how my mind has changed in some aspects relating to the device.

Note that this review will of course be biased. It is all based on my personal experience and preferences.

The Nexus 7 has been out for around 3 months now, I got it on release day and like a little child over-excited over a McDonald’s happy meal toy, I couldn’t wait for the thing to come through my door.

Like any new gadget, you play with it for days, even weeks, when you first get hold of it. Am I still playing with it? Not really.

Even though I personally think the Nexus 7 is one of the most awesome and best value for money Android tablet out there, I barely use the device anymore. Instead I’ve gone back to using my 18 month old iPad 2, which has a worse screen, worse specs and is heavier.

The reason I’ve gone back to using it is really down to one thing – the apps.

Whatever anyone says, there is no doubt that iOS at the moment has the best apps. People will argue that there are alternatives on the Android Play Store, sure there are, but are they as good? Not usually.

With the iPad being out for nearly 3 years now, iPad versions of apps have evolved and become pretty fantastic. There are barely any specific Android tablet apps. Sure apps are made to scale up to fit the larger screen, but why would I want a phone app scaled up to fit a tablet, when I want apps which make use of the bigger display.

Some of the apps available for the iPad are just stunning. The experience and the UI is just beautiful and make the apps an absolute joy to use.

I’ll show you some examples.

As you can see from the image above the Nexus 7 version of Flipboard is essentially a blown up version of the phone version, it’s exactly the same as the iPhone 4S. Even though the Nexus 7 has a higher resolution display than the iPad, it fits 5 less tiles than the iPad version.

Again there are three articles on the iPad but only one on the Nexus 7. You can see that it could easily fit at least one more article below, but it doesn’t.

Now this is of course because the developers behind Flipboard haven’t changed it, and they won’t because they don’t care, like most other developers. Developers know that the Android tablet market is tiny and the Nexus 7 is a minute part of that market. They would rather concentrate on the iPad where the users are, and flock to regularly.

For those on the Nexus 7, I highly recommend using Feedly, it makes a lot better use of the screen.

Another example is the Twitter app. You can clearly see it’s just a blown up version of the phone version. And unfortunately most of the third party Twitter clients for Android tablets are absolute rubbish.

This is where the iPad comes into it’s own, with Tweetbot, probably the best third party Twitter client out there right now. You can see how Tweetbot has two panes, making a lot better use of that screen.

Paper is by far my most favourite app on the iPad. I’ve tried many other similar apps on Android but none of them even come close. I didn’t show any comparison here just so I don’t embarrass the Android developers who made the awful apps.

When you’re a designer like me and you start using an app like Paper, you’ll quickly realise how bloody awesome the app is. There is nothing out there which even comes close and it’s a must have for any designer with an iPad.

Now this is just a minute number of apps in comparison but these are some of the biggest and most popular. If the big app developers like Twitter and Flipboard can’t be bothered to concentrate on the Nexus 7, what hope do we have?

The rest of the Nexus 7 though is amazing. Jellybean is a great version of Android, easily the smoothest and bug free. Android is a lot more friendlier than it was when I was on my HTC Desire which was running Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

I’m still in love with the hardware on the Nexus 7 and prefer it over my iPad 2. Even though the iPad does feel more luxurious with the aluminium back, the Nexus 7 is just a lot more durable. I’ve dropped it a couple of times already and it comes away like nothing happened.

However the iPad 2 is still my primary tablet and will continue to be for the next few months.

It’s a real shame because I really wanted the Nexus 7 to be my primary tablet, I wanted it to succeed, I want it to be popular, I just want it to be a real iPad killer. Unfortunately at the moment, it’s no where near as close.

I do still recommend the Nexus 7 to people who are looking for a cheaper alternative to the iPad. However with the iPad Mini announcement just days away, if Apple get the pricing right, it may be the tablet which I would recommend over the Nexus 7.

Like I said at the beginning of the post, this is a review based on my experience and will no way be the same case for everyone. Do you have an iPad and an Android tablet? If so, which one do you use most?

Original Article on UltraLinx Website - Nexus 7 Long Term Review – 3 Months On
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