First Impressions of the Samsung A50.

Samsung A50

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Quite Impressive!

I bought this phone a few days ago due to my other phone breaking the Motorola G7. I proceeded to order it and it came a few days. I also decided to order a belt holster

to try to keep my phone from breaking again. I must say after opening it up, it feels quite sturdy and I like the holographic backing on the phone. The plastic on the back feels durable and not going to break anytime soon. I am sure it is designed for scratches and being dropped but I would love to keep my phone from getting scratched or broken.

Specs

Display
Display : 6.4 Inches with Amoled
Resolution : 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio, 403 PPI
System chip: Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 9610
Processor: Octa-core, 2300 MHz, ARM Cortex-A73 and ARM Cortex-A53, 64-bit, 10 nm
GPU: Mali-G72 MP3
RAM: 4GB
Internal storage: 64GB
Storage expansion: microSDXC up to 512 GB
OS: Android (9.0 Pie), Samsung One UI

Battery
Capacity: 4000 mAh
Type: Li – Ion, Not user replaceable
Charging: Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging

Camera
Triple camera
Rear: 25 megapixels
Features: Phase-detection autofocus
Second camera: 8 megapixels
Features: Ultra-wide
Third camera: 5 megapixels
Features: Depth information
Video recording: 1920×1080 (Full HD) (30 fps), 1280×720 (HD) (240 fps)
Features: Hyperlapse, Digital image stabilization
Front: 25 megapixels

My thoughts!

It has some great potential for being a Samsung phone. This was a great buy from Amazon because you could pay a monthly for 60$. I am sure it will become cheaper as it gets older but the phone itself is sweet and is really responsive. I’ve had problems with the embedded finger printer reader. There’s a problem with it reading my finger print for me to use it, so I couldn’t use it. I absolutely like how this phone works with applications. It’s a good medium range phone for those who are looking for a durable phone. When you try this phone, and you will see just how sturdy it feels. This is a US version but if you intend to use it internationally, you should be able to use the 3g or 4g. I can’t be sure if it will work but I can’t see that it won’t work. I’m thoroughly impressed with phone and how well it feels and looks in my hand.

Reviewing the Acer Chromebook C710-2856

The New and Old!

As you know my Acer Aspire with Windows 7 was falling apart and I had to figure out a way to keep blogging without breaking the bank.   I happen to fin this nice little system for under 250$ and with the amount of positive reports from people around the globe about this laptop.  I figured I have to try it out myself.  As you know I simply love to buy products from Acer because I believe in them so much.   Every time I buy something from them, they just seem to last and thus I couldn’t resist trying this little Chromebook out.   I also thought this might be something that could be given as a gift to other people since Christmas time is almost upon us.   I just didn’t realize what I was getting myself into with this laptop.   

Specifications

Let’s start off by detailing to you what the specifications are for this Chromebook:

Chromebook With Chome OS:

  • Screen Size: 11.6”
  • Screen Resolution: 1366 x 768
  • Processor Type: Intel
  • Processor Model: Celeron 847
  • Processor Speed: 1.1GHz (Dual core)

Display:

  • Screen Size 11.6’
  • Screen Mode HD
  • Screen Resolution 1366 x 768

Network:

  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n (With Fast Ethernet Technology)

USB:

  • 3 USB 2.0

Comes with no optical drives, so no DVD’s or CD can be played with this device.   I am sure someone was going to ask this so I figured it was time to point that out!  Now I can tell you every detail about the specifications but it really doesn’t need to be discussed.  

Pros and Con’s

I am sure some of you are think there isn’t really anything positive that I could say about this laptop but you’d be wrong.   I started using this laptop last month for 3 weeks now and thought it was high time we at least do a review of this and try to talk about my experience.   

Now let’s get to the juicy parts of this article.   Would I recommend this to everyone, I would say NO.  If your doing photo editing or something that requires high processing editing then you might as well go look somewhere else.   The good part of this Acer Laptop is quite obvious but can be oblivious to others.  You can Stream movies and Shows and watch them on the laptop.   Google did a good job of this.   Just like Chromecast, you can stream them from your laptop to the big screen if you want.   

Processing Speed

The speed of the laptop when used with the Chrome OS is very different compared to my old laptop but then again, I am sure it was getting sluggish and probably needed a good clean refresh of the system.  I wasn’t how well I would like this system but I am not disappointed at all with what I expected to be doing with it.   I wasn’t going to be doing much other than blogging, surfing the net, and streaming movies and shows using HULU, CBS, and Netflix.  Let’s not forget about Pandora, which also worked perfectly for my needs.  It works perfectly on this Acer Chromebook.   I had no problems watching shows and movies from all those providers and many more.   

Hard Drive

If your planning on putting a lot of music files and documents on this laptop, think again.   You can however use USB drives to increase it to what ever size you may need but that will impact your time of the laptop if you don’t have it plugged in then you are are going to be using batter power to power the USB HDD.   It comes with a 16 gb Solid State Drive and it is really quite.   You can increase the space to 48 Gb’s by adding a 32 Gb SD card which is helpful for some.  

Screen

Most videos I streamed worked flawlessly and were quite nice to watch on the 11.6’ display.   They say it is High Definition and I believe it is.  I have had no problem surfing the web and checking out other web sites to see if there would be any problem with viewing them on a smaller screen and it was nice and no problems.

Battery

The battery power in this was quite amazing.   It at times has lasted me more than 5 hours on one charge an that has been a record for me.   The size and power alone is something that is definitely big plus to me because I don’t always need to keep it plugged in.   Very portable and can be taken to McDonald’s or any Wifi Hotspot.   I will be discussing this in detail later, and how to setup a VPN on a Chromebook! 🙂  So stay tuned!

Keyboard and Touchpad

Now to tell you I had a learning curve for the touch pad would be understand statement.   You have to understand that it has different gestures for double clicking and right and left clicking.   So when you first start using this laptop you will need to be prepared to go to the Chrome Book Help section to help you out and figure out all those new gestures.  The keyboard is like most other laptops and does a superb job at letting me type.  It all worked out in the end with me because it worked just well for all my needs.

If I haven’t changed your mind and you would like to try this laptop out for yourself you have a few options available to you and here they are:

 

Most of the time almost everyone has this version of Chromebook because it is the cheapest there is.   It is quite responsive and I have no qualms with this laptop.   I even like the size more easier to carry around and not be so bulky.   

*Those nasty disclaimers* Some of the links in the site are for use to help keep my website going and thus any Amazon links are undoubtedly affiliated with my site.

Reviewing the ZTE Awe from Virgin Mobile!

The Virgin Mobile ZTE AWE comes with a 1.2 ghz processor and the screen is really nice.   I did switch from the Kyocera Rise to this because of a flaw that would just make the screws come off and break apart.   I have had over a week to play around with the ZTE phone and I am quite impressed with the service.  I thought it would be good to at least talk about some of the obstacles you will need to overcome to switching and that way you could be ready when the time comes!

Pro and Con Time!

It got way more features then the Kyocera Rise and that is a definite plus in my book.   The Android system 4.1 and it is really snappy.   The system is easy to use and clean cut.   I really didn’t have any major problems with the phone.   Comes with a Front Facing Camera, another plus because now I can use Skype to talk to my friends and family and have video chats with them.  There seems to be several different Facetime apps for the Phone to make it easy for you and who ever you wanted to face to face. I personally like to use Skype for all my video chats.   The front Facing camera isn’t high resolutionbut is a 1.2 mega pixel camera.   So you won’t get the best quality but at least you get to see them.  Battery life is no issue with the phone even though I can still use my Ravpower Dynamo On the Go if I need that extra boost of battery life.

With it only be under 100$ phone from Virgin Mobile, you will want to take care of it as much and Walmart doesn’t seem to have the right cell phone covers that you will need to encase the phone in to prevent any damage.   I will say Amazon US has some great ZTE AWE Phone Cases that aren’t that expensive.  I happen to buy a universal Phone Belt Holster for the phone to keep it save and to keep from having any major damage.   The Screen is something else you would want to protect with some kind of universal screen protector.   I have heard people say that since this is really knew those types of accessories will not be coming out for a few more months so you will have to make due with what you can get.

Wifi Hotspot

With the ZTE AWE you can have a Wifi teether to your devices.   It seems to be locked, and I will find a way around this because I am already paying for the unlimited data and should not be required to pay an additional 15$ from Virgin Mobile.  If I figure out how to do it, you will be the first to know.   For right now the Bluetooth teethering seems to work just fine and gives you some tethering options.  Which works on both Kyocera Rise and This phone and probably every Virgin Mobile Android Phone.   Can’t be sure but it is a good bet!

Space

The Phone only comes with a 4 GB capacity and some of that is used for the Android System. The good news is you can add up to 32 GB Micro SD to the phone and increase the phone storage to 36 GB.  I had no problem using the old Micro SD card from the old phone and plopping it in the new phone.  Worked like a charm and give me no problems.

Screen

The Screen is a LED IPS touch screen and it is vivid when you need it to be.   I found the phone didn’t do well with the Auto Dimming feature when you were outside or inside but that is to be expected with price of the phone.   I found turning off that feature from time to time to increase my battery life and keeping it on Dim worked just fine for me.   Although this is a personal preference, some might not be able to see the screen as clearly so it is up to you!  Watching Netflix and other shows on the device isn’t a pain and can be quite nice for the change.   Even with the Soft Data Cap to worry about, you can still enjoy some great shows on the phone.

Battery Life

They Claim to have a 11.2 hours on the website but I found that to be doubtful to say the least.   I gotten 8 hours out of the phone on standby and about 5  to 6 hours using it regularly.  Since this is a new phone, the batteries will not be on the market for a few more months but at least there are battery extenders to help keep your phone running when you need to.  I am hoping they will start selling the high end batteries for this type of phone to extend it past 12 hours of use.   

Disclaimer — Some links on the post help support my blog and lets me review other products.   Most of the Links are either Virgin Mobile/Amazon affiliate links and they both help support my blog.

Reviewing Wilson cellular signal booster For Phone and Mifi!

Product Features

  • Installs easily In any vehicle
  • Significantly improves both transmitted and received signal levels
  • Reduces dropped calls and extends range
  • Universal cradle holds any cellular phone securely
  • For antenna upgrade, use the Wilson Electronics 301125 Magnet Mount Antenna
  • Built-in port for battery charging; adjustable arms to fit most any phone
  • Extends the calling range and signal strength of any phone on any North American cell service provider (except Nextel/iDEN)
  • External vehicular antenna increases any phone’s output power to cell towers
  • Reduces dropped calls, extends signal range, and increases data rates
  • What’s in the Box: amplifier/charger cradle, mini magnet-mount antenna for outside vehicle, in-car power adapter, dash mount, installation guide

Dimensions

  • Size (LWH): 7.75 inches, 6.12 inches, 2.25 inches

As you can see this come with a lot of stuff, but what you might not realize is that it can increase signal strength for Verizon Mobile, Virgin Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Straight Talk and Cricket Wireless Cell Phones and Modems.   I say that pretty much covers anyone who has a 3g Connection, you have the option of buying the 4G Signal Booster but most will only need the 3G booster.   I am sure I have left out a few mobile providers but in any case most, if not all, will work with this booster.

So I got mine for 89$ but Amazon seems to be running a special on them right  now.  I would recommend buying the bigger Antenna for it.  The  Antenna that comes with it is really a small antenna and thus you will not get as much service without the bigger version of Antenna.   I have ordered my bigger Antenna but it didn’t not make it to this review.   I must say that I am living in a area that doesn’t get much signals and this booster did help out with all my needs.

Pro’s

  • Mobility — if you are looking for the car, then this is defiantly one of those that can be a great asset to traveling.  The antenna stays on the roof with no problem, the magnet is strong and sturdy. 
  • More Coverage — After installing this booster in my home, I have found that I am getting at least 1 bar with my Virgin Mobile Mifi Modem.   Which in itself is very good thing.  I can’t get internet any other way.
  • Home Kits — Wilson sells some great home kits to make it more home friendly, so at least if you need it for the home it can easily be used for the home.
  • Money — You only have to buy this once and you are all set to use it for any phone you might buy!

Con’s

  • Heat — If you the booster has to work a lot it will be producing more heat.   Although this isn’t the end of the world it can slow or prevent some cell phones from working properly.   So you must be mindful of that.
  • Antenna — Like I said you can buy a bigger Antenna but that will up the cost of the booster by 20 to 30% but it is worth it.  It should be a kit already being sold with the bigger antenna, but I am sure someone has thought of that somewhere.
  • Phones — This is one of those really obvious ones but not all phones will be able to use this booster because of the location of the battery and the internal antenna.   It sometimes is a hit or miss when it comes to cell phone boosters.

All in all I am really happy with this little Cellular Booster that actually does increase my data and phone speeds a lot and let’s me have more steady connections.   It is a must for anyone who lives in a rural area that needs to be connected to friends and family.   I am really happy with this little device and you should go check it out yourself!

Reviewing RavPower Dynamo-On-the-Go 10400mAh External Backup Battery Pack!

      

RAVPowerFlashlight   USB Car Charger(2 Port)  And More!

Reviewing the RavPower!

I must get this out in the open,  I was given the chance to review the RavPower Dynamo-On-the-Go 10400mAh External Backup Battery Pack.  The kind folks over at the marketing department, contacted me and asked for me to review their product.  Other than the unit is self, the Ravpower people did not pay me to say these things.   I said I would love to review it, being that I have a Phone that constantly needs to be charged and my tablet.   I must say this has been a life saver for me, when I forgot to charge my phone over night one night during the week.  

My thoughts

After having this over a week, I will say that it is heaver than I thought but it does come with 4 Samsung 2600mAh(Milli-Amp-hours), and thus can be the best portable power solutions including my Kyocera Rise from Virgin Mobile.   Which can be a very useful to keep my phone working on the run!   

 

It came with a White wall usb charger, My thoughts are just pitch it in the trash and us another usb charger other than that one.   When I used that wall charger, it got REALLY hot.   It definitely wasn’t hot enough to catch fire but I was concerned so I used another wall charger to charge the Ravpower and The charger itself did not get so hot with unlike the white usb charger.  

The Unit itself is very user friendly with that power meter built into the device so I can keep track of when I need to recharge the portable power battery pack and I really haven’t had to charge it every night.   I have been only using it for small stuff such as my phone or my portable speaker, which can be useful walking around!

Iit comes with a carrying pouch black holder and two USB to Micr usb cords which can be very useful for when you don’t have one.   The holder part of this set is very useful to keep your Portable power pack safe and secure.  

I would recommend this product to anyone who has phones that constantly need recharging or those who might need an extra power for Ipads, and Iphones for long trips.   I can’t see this being anything other than useful for me and it has quite a few possibility when it comes to keep things charged on the go or when I am out and about.   

Go check it out yourself, I give this a 4 out of five and the only reason not a five is the wall charger issue.   Which is very good!

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