Posts Tagged: ‘Mobile’

Motorola Edge Review

February 7, 2021 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

Last time, I told you about how sad I was that I had cracked the screen on my Motorola Play phone.  The only companies I considered for a replacement were Google and Motorola.  The big advantage of a Google phone is that you get frequent security updates.  The comparative Motorola products tend to be a little cheaper.  I’ve replaced my phone with the Motorola Edge.

The Motorola Edge, not to be confused with the Edge Plus, has a list price of $699.99.  I bought mine for considerably less at Best Buy. For a mid‑range phone, the Edge has some pretty impressive specifications.

Network Technology: GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE/5G
Dimensions: 6.36 x 2.80 x 0.37 in
Weight: 6.63 oz
Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, plastic back
SIM: Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Water-repellent coating
Display Type: OLED, 90Hz, HDR10
Resolution: 1080 x 2340 pixels
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G (7 nm)
CPU: Octa-core
GPU: Adreno 620
Memory Card Slot: microSDXC
Main Camera: Quad 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1.12µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF
16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm
Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Selfie Camera: Single 25 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 0.9µm
Stereo Speakers
3.5mm Jack
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth: 5.1, A2DP, LE
GPS
NFC
FM radio
USB Type-C 2.0
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro and proximity
Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable
Fast charging 18W

The Edge is named because of the way the screen wraps around the side of the phone.  This gives the display a gorgeous look.  The wrap around makes the screen look like there are no bezels.  It seems to be larger than other phones of the same size.  The only problem with this is that occasionally a program is too close to the edge and is a little harder to use.  This can be easily changed in the settings.

All of the programs that I normally use run fast with no slowdowns.  I often listen to a podcast in the background while I either read a book or play a game.  Everything is snappy and a pleasure to run.  The 4500 mAh battery is more than enough to keep me running for about a day and a half.  It usually takes me about fifty minutes to charge.  I’m more than satisfied with my purchase.

Thanks for reading.

Rbdigital Reading App – Originally Published February 2020

February 16, 2020 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

There are several Android programs that aren’t very good, but I use them anyway.  This is usually because there just aren’t any good alternatives.  Let me give you an few example.

I’ve always been an avid reader and frequent user of the public library.  To check out ebooks and magazines, I am forced to use the Rbdigital app.  I can describe the program with one word: “terrible”.  I quit using the app for audio books and ebooks.  The Hoopla Digital app is supported by the library and is much better.  I do most of my book reading with FBReader (Favorite Book Reader) and Google Play Books.  I have found plenty of great reading within my budget of zero dollars.

I like to go to the Rbdigital website the first of every month and check out new magazines.  There are usually 25‑30.  Then I open the app on my phone and download them to my SD card.  Many times the Rbdigital app just fails to open. I have to go to Android settings and force stop and then restart.  If there isn’t an internet connection, the app often will not allow me to view more than two checked out magazines.  It doesn’t do this all of the time, but enough to be frustrating.  (Once is enough.)  I haven’t found any reasons why sometimes it needs a connection and sometimes it doesn’t.

At least I know I’m not the only frustrated loser.  Although the app has a 4.3 rating for almost 17,000 reviews, there are many comments from other users with the same problem(s).

Thanks for reading.

Smart Tools – Originally Published February 2019

February 3, 2019 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

This month I’m going to do a different type of review.  By different, I mean a review is for a paid application.  Before you say a bad word and click away from the web page or throw your newsletter in the trash, the paid part is only for a compilation of applications.  The individual programs can be downloaded separately from Smart Tools co. in the Google Play Store.  I’ve included a link for the free individual version of each tool.

Smart Tools® is a complete package of six individual apps (sets).  There are a total of fifteen tools.  There is a Pro version for each set that combines each application in the group.  I’ve included the current prices for the Pro version of each group.  The breakdown of each set is as follows:

Set 1: Length, Angle, Level, Thread; Smart Ruler Pro $1.50
Set 2: Distance, Height, Width, Area; Smart Measure Pro $1.50
Set 3: Compass, Metal Detector, GPS; Smart Compass Pro $1.99
Set 4: Sound Level Meter, Vibrometer; Sound Meter Pro $1.50
Set 5: Flashlight, Magnifier, Mirror; Smart Light Pro $1.50
Set 6: Unit Converter; Unit Converter Pro $1.99

For reasons of article length, I’m not going to do an in depth review of each app.  They all seem to be fairly accurate.  All of the apps are easy to use and have FAQs.  Many of them have an on‑line tutorial.  Most have high Play Store user rating.

The app that I personally use the most is the Magnifier.  My eyes are getting old and I find that I have to use it quite often.  It uses your phones camera to focus which might sometimes take a few seconds.  One of the nice features is that you can take a screen shot of what you have magnified.

I also often open the Sound Level Meter.  Usually it is when I am talking with someone and they mention that it is noisy.  It is kind of fun to be able to tell them how many decibels the sound level actually is.  Then I can tell them it is as loud as a subway train, busy street, rock music and more.  You can also record the sound.  I guess this might be useful if you’re calling the police to complain about your neighbors loud party.

Smart Tools ($2.99) can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.  Each individual app can be downloaded for free with the provided links.  I promise no more reviews of this type. Just putting so many links in the newsletter is a PITA.
Thanks for reading.

Cruising 2019 – Originally Published January 2019

January 19, 2019 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

It’s January again!  If you know the wife and I, you can probably guess where we are and what we’re doing.  We’re out on the ocean again.  I hated to go, but my wife dragged me along.  I was kicking and screaming.  Unfortunately, I was kicking and screaming because I had stubbed my big toe really hard.  It hurt almost as bad as when I look at the poor participation on the club website.

This year, I’m going to cut way back on the amount of tech I’ll be taking along.  I’ll definitely take my laptop as it just makes it easier to do things like my daily web browsing, the club newsletter, updating my various websites, etc.  Of course, I’ll be taking my tablet.  I’ve got a lot of book reading to catch up on.  I’m sure that I’ll also be playing “The Room”.  Finally, my phone is the device I use for magazine reading, audio books and some quick brain games.  Of course, I’ll also be taking a couple of sets of Bluetooth headphones, assorted cables and my power banks.  One of the most important things to remember is to bring a power strip.

Perhaps more notable is some of the tech that I won’t be taking along.  This year, I’m going to leave my camera bag behind.  My old Canon still takes better pictures than my pocket computer, but I just don’t take too many photos anymore.  I’ll be leaving my cable/adapters bag behind.  Other than a couple of USB cables, it just ends up being extra weight.  The one thing I haven’t decided on yet is whether I’ll bring my binoculars.  Usually, I bring them along and they just sit in the stateroom.  I’ll probably take them because of this year’s itinerary.

So where are we going?
• Cozumel, Mexico – this island is a staple for cruise ships. I think they all stop there.  I’ve been there so many times that I don’t think there is anything new to see.
• George Town, Grand Cayman Island – the capital of the Cayman Islands.  Yawn.
• Ocho Rios, Jamaica – this port is on the north coast of the island.  I’ve cruised to Jamaica quite a few times, but I don’t believe I’ve ever visited this town.
• Freeport, Grand Bahama – is another stop for most of the cruise ships.  There are some interesting things to see, but I probably won’t see them again.
• Nassau, Bahamas – is on of my favorite ports on the cruise circuit.  I think this is because of it’s abundant pirate and Royal Navy History.  Every time I visit here, I spend hours at the Pirate Museum.  I’m almost always the only one of the group to do so.  Last time I was in Nassau, I got a tattoo.
• George Town, Cayman Islands – yes, it is a repeat.  Our 28 day cruise is actually two seven day and one fourteen day cruise.  Double Yawn.
• Oranjestad, Aruba – is another nice island to visit.  I think I like this one mostly because of my Dutch heritage.
• Willemstad, Curacao – has lots of interesting things to see.  My favorite is the floating bridge.
• Panama Canal – the day I am most looking forward to this trip.  It will be my third time.  The first I was much younger on a Navy warship.  I didn’t get to see a lot because of having to work.  Years ago we took a Carnival cruise for a complete transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  This was one of the best trips that I have ever taken.  This time, we’re supposed to just transit the first set of locks into Gatun Lake and turn around.
• Puerto Limon, Costa Rica – I’ve only been here once and am looking forward to seeing it again.
• Cozumel, Mexico – so that everyone can do some last minute shopping.  I wonder if that tattoo parlor I went to about twelve years ago is still in business?

That’s all for this month.
Thanks for reading.

Reviewing My Game Reviews – Originally Published December 2018

December 8, 2018 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

I was trying to decide on a subject for this month’s column by doing what I often do.  Almost always, I review previous columns and see if there might be a good follow up article.  I noticed that I have done quite a few game reviews.  This month, I thought I would recap them.  I hope you enjoy my reviews and that you might give one of the games a try.  All of the games except The Room Series are free from the Google Play Store.  Many have upgrade options to remove advertising, buy upgrades, etc.  In each application, I’ve included the month of my original review in case you want to reread it in the club newsletter or on my website.  I’ve also included the Play Store rating (as of this review date)

FEB 2014 (4.6) – Wordiest is a Scrabble like word game where you try to beat 100 other players by making two words out of fourteen tiles.  I still have this game on my phone and play it several times a week.
APR2014 (4.7) – 7 Little Words is a game that Tom recommended I try.  Thanks a lot Tom!  You’ve cost me more than $20 for puzzle packs I’ve purchased.  Each puzzle consists of seven clues for seven different words.  There are twenty letter combinations for you to put together that fit the clues.  I play this game every day.
JUL2014 (4.1) – Red Herring is a word game where you try to fit words into categories.  I thought it was a fun game, but not very challenging.  After playing the fifty free games, I uninstalled the app.
MAR2015 (4.1) – Trainyard Express is a puzzle solving game where you have to get your trains from their departure points into the correct station by drawing track on a square of grids.  The only real problem with the game is that the advertising is pretty intrusive.  I long ago purchased the ad free version for $1.99.  The paid version is renamed Trainyard and has a 4.8 user rating on the Play Store.
AUG2015 (4.2) – Shikaku is a game where the objective is to place rectangles (boxes) all over the screen such that each box contains a single number and has an area equal to that number.  I forgot all about this game, so I must have thought it wasn’t that great.  Now that I’m looking at it again, I may download and play it again.
MAR2016 (4.9) – The Room, The Room Two, The Room Three and The Room: Old Sins all have high ratings on Google Play.  They are all larger games that combine many different types of puzzles that the player must solve.  I keep them installed on my tablet.  When I finish the series, I start over again.  Just to be completely honest, I fudged a little on the Play Store ratings.  The Room was only a 4.8 rating.
MAY2016 (4.7) – Monkey Wrench is a word search game where you have to find the words to fit various categories.  The game is OK, but can get a little repetitive.  I still keep it on my phone just to play the free daily games.
DEC2017 4.5) – Block! Hexa Puzzle is a game where you have to fit small block pieces nicely into a given shape.  I really like this game because it gets more challenging to more you play.  Even so, I haven’t played the game for a while.  When I downloaded it to my new phone, I had to start playing from the beginning.
OCT2018 (4.6) – Crossword Puzzle Free is a nicely laid out puzzle game that is easy to play.  This has become one of my favorite games.  I’ve played it enough that I know which of the many puzzle authors to avoid.  There are a lot of crossword games on the Play Store.  I haven’t looked at any of them since I installed this game.
I also looked back on my app history and realized that there are a lot of games (and other programs) I’ve installed over the years.  Some I still use on a daily basis and others have become obsolete.  There might be a future article on these.
Thanks for reading.

Motorola Moto G6 Play Review – Originally Published August 2018

August 18, 2018 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

A couple of months ago, I mentioned that I was looking for a new pocket computers, excuse me ‑ I meant to say phone.  You would think the darn things would last more than four years.  My old Moto X Pure was definitely on a downward spiral.  The battery charge didn’t last very long and the machine often got almost too hot to hold in my hand.  Finally, when I dropped it for about the hundredth time, the screen cracked and it wouldn’t reboot.

One of the big problems with buying an Android phone is getting monthly security updates.  It just doesn’t happen unless you spend eight hundred dollars (or more) on the phone.  In my case, that just isn’t going to happen.  I decided to do what I’ve done in the past ‑ buy a reasonably priced phone.  When it ceases to get updated, I’ll root it and install a different Operating System.  Usually, that also gives a boost to aging hardware.

I decided to purchase the Moto G6 Play.  There are three versions of the phone: the G6, G6 Plus and the G6 Play.  If you’re interested in the differences, do your own web search.  I pick the Play mainly for three reasons:
1. It was the lowest priced;
2. It had the largest battery; and
3. It was in stock at Best Buy.  I needed a new machine pretty badly.

For a cheaper phone, the G6 Play has some pretty impressive specifications:
• unlocked for all carriers
• Android Oreo (with a promise of update to Android P)
• 5.7 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
• 720 x 1440 pixel Corning Gorilla Glass multi‑touch screen
• Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU
• 32 GB internal storage, 3 GB RAM, microSD up to 256 GB
• 4000 mAh battery (fast charging)
• fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyrometer, proximity sensor, etc.
• and much more.

This the first phone I’ve had with a fingerprint sensor.  I didn’t think it would be useful.  Over the years, I’ve had a lot of burns and cuts on my fingertips.  My fingerprints don’t easily scan.  I set it up on this phone and it has been flawless.  The only time I’ve had to put in my PIN code is when I reboot the OS.  I sure hope I don’t forget my number.

This phone is sleek and looks good.  The Bluetooth, headphone jack, vibration, flashlight, fast charging, etc. are all adequate.  The camera which I seldom use takes OK pictures.  Judging by the advertisements I receive, the GPS sensor is more than adequate.  The battery has lasted the entire day for me.  One of the best features is the lack of bloatware.  I don’t think I’ll have to unlock the boot loader and root this machine.

There are a few things I don’t like about the G6 Play.  The power button is in an inconvenient spot.  The volume switch is on the right side of the phone and the power button is directly below it.  I often accidentally hit it.  A couple of times, I didn’t notice and rebooted the OS.  Another minor quibble is that there is no NFC.  I think I might have misread the specifications before I purchased.  NFC is available only on the European edition of the phone.  Android Oreo is installed on the phone.  Motorola has promised an update to Android P.  I’m not going to hold my breath.  Since they were purchased by Lenovo, the updates haven’t been reliable.  All in all, I’m pleased with this phone and hope to get another four or five years use.

Thanks for reading.

ITO Technologies Pedometer – Originally Published April 2018

April 2, 2018 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of step counting apps in the Google Play Store.  Over the years, I’ve tried twenty‑two of them.  My normal routine was to read glowing reviews on a new pedometer app, download and install it, go for a walk and count my steps.  After a day, I would uninstall and go back to the Omron pedometer clipped on my belt.

In January, when I was on a cruise ship, I was talking with another passenger when the subject of walking and pedometers was discussed.  I told him about the many apps I had tried and my disappointment in all of them.  He recommended that I try Pedometer by ITO Technologies.  I didn’t give it another thought.

About a week later, my four year old manual pedometer quit.  Being in the middle of the ocean, there wasn’t any place to buy a new one.  Amazon two day shipping just doesn’t work everywhere.  I downloaded and installed Pedometer for a temporary replacement.  It has worked so well that I haven’t purchased a new Omron.

The main reason I’ve kept using the app is that it is the most accurate of all the step counters I’ve tried.  With almost all of these programs, the devices motion sensor is used to record steps.  Many of them do not do a good job when the phone is in a purse, trouser pocket, or carried in the hand.  For me, Pedometer has worked equally well in all instances.

I think that every step counting app in the Play Store has the same kind of graphs for tracking how super your walking is.  Pedometer will show your statistics for hourly, daily, weekly and monthly.  I don’t believe this function is any better or worse than any of the other app choices.  For me, these do no make a lot of difference.  My main priority is step count accuracy which the program excels at.

                             

The program is advertising supported.  The ads are so unobtrusive that when I wrote this review, I had to double check where they were placed at the bottom of the screen.  I can honestly say that I have never noticed an ad until I went looking for one to review.  There isn’t an option to pay for ad free upgrade.  If there was, I would definitely buy this app.

One other thing that surprised me was the program name.  It is Pedometer without any adjectives.  Many of the other walking apps have descriptions like tracker, GPS counter, fitness walker, accu‑step, etc.  I assume that this program must have been one of the first in the app store.  The full name is plain old “Pedometer”.

If you are in need of a step counting app for your phone, I can recommend ITO Technologies Pedometer.  It is free in the Google Play Store.
Thanks for reading.

A New Phone? – Originally Published February 2018

February 10, 2018 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

After almost two and a half years, it is time for me to start thinking about replacing my Moto X Pure smart phone.  I’ve finally broken the habit of saying “Pocket PC”.  I’m also thinking of breaking the habit of getting a high end phone this time.

I don’t use my phone the same way that I did five or six years ago.  You may remember that back in November 2013, I gave a presentation to the club on how to use your cell phone as a computer.  I attached a powered USB hub to my phone and installed a full sized keyboard, mouse, storage drive, etc.  I then demonstrated many common tasks like word and photo editing, web browsing, playing games and more.

In 2018, I use my phone much differently.  My number one use is listening to audio books and music.  This is followed closely by playing games.  I’m pretty picky about which games.  I usually only have about eight of them installed.  I also use my phone to read magazines (about 20 a month) that I’ve checked out from the library.  I don’t read too many books on my phone as I’ve found it easier to use my tablet for that task.  I don’t know why I’ve never purchased a dedicated e‑reader.

I’m in the advanced looking stage.  I really like my Motorola (Lenovo) phone, but they were usually pretty slow with their monthly security updates.  They were often two or three months behind.  My machine was recently updated to Nougat 7.0 with an Android security patch of October 1, 2017.  I don’t expect that I will receive any more “official” updates.

I would like to get the Google phone, but I can’t justify spending a thousand dollars or more.  The same goes for Apple products.  People that know me can tell you why Sony is off any list of products I am buying.  I used to buy Samsung phones.  They have always made good products with great specifications, but they got to the point where there was so much “junk” software installed that I had to spend hours rooting the phone and getting into a usable (for me) status.

I’ve looked at One Plus phones but they don’t work with all of the Sprint bands.  Even if it was a usable phone for me, I have pretty much concluded that they are neither a responsible or reliable company.  They have done a lot of dubious things since their first phone release.  Do you remember when they first started selling the phone?  It was by reservation only and if you were female and sent a picture, you went to the front of the line.  Then there was the take a video of smashing your old phone.  Most recently, they lost a lot of credit card numbers.

It is looking more and more like I’m going to try and get another year out of my Moto X Pure.  I have started to notice that the battery needs charging more often.  Of course, it is not easily replaceable.  Maybe by then manufacturers won’t be modifying the Android OS.  Isn’t technology fun?

Thanks for reading.

Downgrading My Phone? – Originally Published June 2017

July 5, 2017 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

A couple of years ago, I gave a demonstration at both computer clubs on replacing your computer using your Android phone.  At the time, I was using a Samsung Galaxy Note 2.  I connected a powered USB hub and was able to run USB drives, flash drives, mouse, keyboard, etc.  Everything worked fine.  I opened and edited several word files, spreadsheets, images and others.  Two years later, there’s quite a few reasons I don’t do those things much anymore.

Samsung has just released the Galaxy S8 for around $800.  Of course that is the minimum price.  The price will be much higher with more memory and needed accessories.  Many reliable rumors indicate that later this year, Apple will release the iPhone 8 for $1000 or more.  It seems that every year, smart phone prices increase much more than specifications.

In another year or so, I’ll be looking for a replacement for my Moto X Pure.  I’ve been thinking that when the time comes, my next phone isn’t going to be as “smart”.  One of the reasons is security updates.  Although Motorola promised timely security updates, they haven’t been reliable.  As I write this, my last monthly security update was December, more than four months ago.  They promised an Operating System update to Nougat.  After almost nine months, there is still no affirmation when or if I’ll get it.  I believe that is unsatisfactory for a phone that is only about two years old.

This is not just a Motorola problem.  All of the Android manufacturers do the same.  For a year or so, updates are frequent when you buy an unlocked phone.  If you buy through a carrier, your chances for needed updates are even worse.

Another big problem with using your smart phone is the applications situation.  Although there are mobile applications that work well, they don’t seem to be updated with new and useful features.  Many of them tend to be stripped down versions of their PC counterparts.  With the ever increasing power of mobile processors and graphics cards, this is unsatisfactory.  Part of the problem may be due to the different mobile app pricing process.  If an app is priced more than two or three dollars, it is often perceived as unacceptable.  These lower prices are often offset by “data mining” our private information.  Although this also happens with PCs, it is definitely more ubiquitous on mobile devices.

In the past year, I’ve been using my phone less and less for real production work.  Although I can readily edit word documents, there are many things that I just can’t easily do.  An example is scanning and editing old club Newsletters.  There’s a good possibility that my next “smart” phone will be a little dumber than my Moto X.

Thanks for reading.

Simple Checkbook Ledger – Originally Published December 2016

December 4, 2016 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

The number one app on my phone hasn’t been updated since November of 2014 and will likely never be updated again.  I’ve used it on all my android phones since my first one and it is one of the first programs I install if I get a new phone or do a reset.  I use the app nearly every day and often many times each day.

Simple Checkbook Ledger is a checkbook ledger.  Many of the other apps of this type have more features, sophistication, adaptability, etc.  I like this one because it does one thing and does it well.  It keeps the balance of my checkbook, savings account, gift cards, etc.  It does all this while actually looking like an actual old time check register.
Main features include:

– Keeps track of multiple accounts with password protection (password can be turned off in account preferences)
– Saves a list of descriptions/payees so that after you type something once you only need to tap on it later.
– Tap on a transaction to mark it mark it as cleared (it will be highlighted).
– Long press on a transaction to void, delete, edit, or add a note to the transaction.
– Schedule automatic transactions to be entered into the ledger at specified time intervals such as weekly, biweekly, monthly, and yearly.  Special monthly transactions are also supported for
items not occurring on the same day every month, such as the third Wednesday of the month.
– Export your ledger as a comma separated value (CSV) file that can be loaded on
almost any spreadsheet software.
– Archive
s cleared transactions.
– Export archived transactions as a CSV file and optionally have them deleted from the app at the time you export them.
There is also an option to sync your accounts with Google Drive. I have never tested this.

         

As with many programs, there are a few things that could be improved.  If you hit the back button without saving a transaction, it will be lost.  The app doesn’t remind you.  If you password protect an account, it is imperative to remember the password.  There is no recovery method.

Simple Checkbook Ledger is free on the Google Play Store.  A one time purchase of $0.99 will remove advertising.  The app has been on my phone for such a long time that I cannot remember the placement or obtrusiveness of the ads.  If you have a use for this type of program, give it a try.
Thanks for reading.