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mercredi 24 août 2016

Best Verizon Android phones (August 2016)

With the largest network and an excellent selection of phones, it is no wonder why Verizon is largely considered to be the "top dog" out of all the major U.S. carriers. For those on Big Red's network, there are quite a few options to choose from, including major flagships that are universally available on all carriers, as well as handsets specific to Verizon only.

We've rounded up the best devices you can get on Verizon's network. When you make your purchase, keep in mind that Verizon has done away with contract pricing. It's also worth noting that some of these phones are even cheaper from Amazon, so we'll try to include the relevant Amazon links if we can find cheaper prices for you. Without any further ado, here are the best Android phones available on Verizon's network!

Editor's note – We will be updating this list as more devices hit the market.

Update, August 2016: This month we removed the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 to make room for the Galaxy Note 7.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 stands out from the competition in more ways than one. Not only is it the best big-screened smartphone out there, it might be the best smartphone on the market right now.

It sports a big, bright 5.7-inch Dual-edge Super AMOLED Quad HD display, a powerful Snapdragon 820 processor, plenty of RAM and on-board storage, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and microSD expansion. It also comes with the same great rear- and front-facing cameras that are present on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. The camera package isn't the only thing the Note 7 borrows form the Galaxy S line. It also features a Dual-edge display, so all of the handy Edge display features found on the S7 Edge are present here, too.

The Note 7's S Pen has gotten a lot more useful as well. Now you can record pretty much anything on your screen and make it into a GIF, and you can also translate text from other languages, magnify certain parts of your screen, and much, much more.

This is a very pricey device, though, so be sure to weigh your options before spending over $800 on a smartphone.

Specs

5.7-inch Dual-edge Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 518ppi
Quad-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or Octa-core Samsung Exynos 8890 processor
4GB of RAM
64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
12MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 3,500mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9mm, 169g

Buy now from Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Samsung did a killer job with their 2015 flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Design-wise, many would say those two phones were close to perfect. The company forwent a plastic design and instead included glass front and back panels with an aluminum frame. They weren't without their flaws, though. The S6 and S6 Edge didn't offer expandable storage or removable batteries — two features Samsung has been known to include in all its smartphones for years.

Now the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have made their way to the masses, and they fix many of the problems the S6 line introduced last year. While they don't offer removable batteries, Samsung included expandable storage on both handsets in case the 32 GB of on-board storage isn't enough. Samsung mostly stuck to the same design this time around, though they did shrink down the camera bumps on the back and made the devices a little thicker to make room for larger batteries.

In terms of specs, these are top-of-the-line smartphones. They come with Quad HD Super AMOLED displays, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processors, 4 GB of RAM, great 12 MP rear-facing cameras and run the latest version of Android. Instead of featuring the same screen sizes this time around though, Samsung kept the S7 at a smaller 5.1 inches, while the S7 Edge has been bumped up to a larger 5.5-inch panel.

Seriously, these are some incredible smartphones. They are a little pricey, but all in all, we think the high asking price is worth it.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S7

5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 577 ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4 GB of RAM
32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3000 mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm, 152 g

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534 ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4 GB of RAM
32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3600 mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm, 157 g

Buy the Galaxy S7 from Verizon Buy the Galaxy S7 Edge from Verizon

Motorola Moto Z / Moto Z Force (Droid Editions)

Motorola (well, Lenovo actually) is doing something different with their flagship phones this year. Instead of releasing just one flagship under the Moto X moniker, they've decided to release two new smartphones that do things a bit out of the ordinary. The Moto Z and Moto Z Force not only bring flagship-level specs, but also support for modules.

These modules, called Moto Mods, attach to the back of both phones via magnets. There are only a few available right now, but they actually bring some handy features to the phones. You can purchase an external battery module, a powerful speaker, and even a projector!

They both have killer specs, too. Both devices come with a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of on-board storage, expandable memory, and run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. You might be wondering – what's the difference between these two phones? The standard Moto Z is super thin at only 5.2mm in thickness, but it only comes with a 2600mAh battery. The Moto Z Force is thicker, has a 3500mAh battery, and also has a shatterproof display.

These aren't the cheapest phones on the market, but they're certainly some of the best.

Specs

Moto Z

5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 535ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 2600mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
153.3 x 75.3 x 5.2mm, 136g

Moto Z Force

5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 535ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
21MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 3500mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
155.9 x 75.8 x 7mm, 163g

Buy the Moto Z from Verizon Buy the Moto Z Force from Verizon

HTC 10

HTC needed a saving grace this year, and the 10 just may be it. The Taiwanese company finally designed a phone that's different enough from its predecessor yet still sports a familiar design language. With an all-metal chassis, front-mounted fingerprint sensor and a new-and-improved speaker setup, the HTC 10 easily made its way to our best Android phones list.

Under the hood, the 10 comes with some killer specs. A 5.2-inch Quad HD display, Snapdragon 820 processor and 4 GB of RAM are in line with most other flagships this year, and it also comes with expandable storage up to 200 GB and a 3000 mAh battery that will have no problems lasting an entire day on a single charge. HTC also improved the camera this time around, which was a big flaw in last year's One M9 flagship.

All in all, the HTC 10 is an awesome device. Great specs and a solid build quality are what you'll get here… what more could you ask for?

Specs

5.2-inch Super LCD5 display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 565 ppi
2.15 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4 GB of RAM
32/64 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3000 mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
145.9 x 71.9 x 9 mm, 161 g

Buy now from Verizon

LG G5

While the Galaxy S7 series is a minor refresh in terms of design, the LG G5 sees a massive departure from the design language used in the G series, ditching the rear volume/power setup that first debuted with the LG G2. The G5 also adopts a unibody metallic design that has a removable cap for access to the removable battery and a port for modules that allow users to expand the phone's capabilities by adding a camera grip and other special accessories.

The distinctly different design of the LG G5 may not be for everyone, but there's little denying that LG has went out of its way to try and innovate in a market where big changes like this aren't all that common.

Spec wise, we're looking at a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 with 4 GB RAM, a 5.3-inch display, and 32 GB storage with microSD for expansion. The specs here are certainly impressive all across the board. It's also worth mentioning that LG has revamped its software, making it faster and less bloated. One controversial move with the software, however, is the removal of the app drawer in favor of what LG says is a "simplified experience."

Specs

5.3-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 554 ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4 GB of RAM
32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
16 and 8 MP dual rear cameras, 8 MP front camera
Removable 2800 mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7 mm, 159 g

Buy now from Verizon

LG V10

If you aren't completely satisfied with the LG G4, perhaps the V10 will suit your needs. It has the same powerful Snapdragon 808 processor and 16MP rear-facing camera as the G4, but with a few extra features included. Most notably, the V10 sports a secondary "ticker" display LG calls the Second Screen. This extra display aims to provide its users useful information without the need to turn on the main screen. It will display app shortcuts, notifications, and even weather and battery percentage information. Although the placement is a bit wonky, we're sure you'll be pretty happy with the added benefit of having a secondary display.

The V10 also has two front-facing cameras for wide-angle selfies, a fingerprint scanner that's actually really reliable, a MIL-STD-810G Transit Drop Compliant rating for shock absorption, and a 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC electronic processor with support for Qualcomm's QFE2550 closed-loop antenna tuning solution. It's also the first smartphone ever to come with a manual mode for taking video.

Specs

Main display: 5.7-inch IPS Quantum Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 513 ppi
- Secondary display: 2.1-inch IPS Quantum Display with 160 x 1040 resolution, 513 ppi
Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
4 GB of RAM
64 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 2 TB
16 MP rear-facing camera, 5 MP Dual Lens front-facing camera
Removable 3000 mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
159.6 x 79.3 x 8.6 mm, 192 g

Buy now from Verizon

Going off-contract?

If you're not keen on spending $600+ on one of the off-contract smartphones listed above, there are certainly some other smartphones out there that are worth your hard-earned money. The top two off-contract smartphones that we'd recommend can't be purchased from any carrier, which is why they didn't make our initial list. So if you're looking for a great off-contract smartphone, you can't go wrong with the Nexus 6P or Motorola Moto X Pure Edition.

Nexus 6P

As the successor to last year's Motorola Nexus 6, Google recently unveiled the Huawei-made Nexus 6P. This device is the higher-end of the two Nexus phones announced at Google's event, and that's incredibly apparent when looking at the spec sheet.

It comes with a big 5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, super fast Snapdragon 810 processor, a giant 3450mAh battery and an impressive 12MP rear-facing camera. Want to get your hands on one? The Nexus 6P is pretty cheap, considering the specs and build quality. You can purchase it from the Google Store starting at just $499!

This is really one of the best Android handsets we've ever seen. If you have a few hundred dollars to spend and aren't keen on the best from Samsung or LG, get the Nexus 6P.

Specs

5.7-inch AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 resolution, 518 ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
3 GB of RAM
32/64/128 GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
Non-removable 3450 mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
159.3 x 77.8 x 7.3 mm, 178 g

Read more

Buy now from the Google Store

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style)

With the original Moto X, Motorola proved you don't need to have the latest specs to get a great user experience. With the second generation, the Lenovo-owned company took no chances and double-downed on the spec side as well, packing the new Moto X (2014) with a dense 5.2-inch AMOLED screen, a beefy processor, and a capable 13MP camera. But with the Moto X Style, Motorola reaches the perfect balance between performance, simplicity, price and… well, style.

By Style we are mostly referring customization capabilities, a factor which has been an integral part of the Moto X experience since day one. Customers can use Moto Maker to manipulate their devices' aesthetics to their will. You can change the color of the metal areas, engrave the back and even choose from a plethora of back options, including materials leather, wood, rubber and other materials.

The device is not a bad contender in terms of hardware, either. The larger screen puts the phone up with contenders like the OnePlus 2, Nexus 6, LG G4 and the Galaxy Note series. It may not sport the "best" processor in the market, but the Snapdragon 808 is pretty close to the 810, and Motorola has proven time and again they can make a super fast phone without the greatest chipset.

It's worth noting that the phone will be sold in most markets under the Style branding, though in the United States it will be sold as the Moto X Pure Edition, an unlocked model that will play nice with all U.S. carriers. You can purchase the Moto X Pure Edition from Motorola or Amazon for only $399.99.

Specs

5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440p resolution, 520 ppi
1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
3 GB of RAM
16/32/64 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128 GB
21 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3000 mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
153.9 x 76.2 x 11.06 mm, 179 g

How did you like our list? Do you have any other suggestions? If so, feel free to voice your opinion in the comments below!

galaxy s7 vs htc 10 vs lg g5 aa (8 of 10)

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Samsung+: Taking a closer look at Samsung’s help and assistance app

Samsung+ review AA 2

If you happen to live in the U.S. and own a Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, or pretty much any other Galaxy device from the past few years, you've probably heard of Samsung+. For those unaware, it's a pre-installed application that comes on most recent Galaxy devices, aiming to provide users with personalized, live expert help in just a few taps.

Let's be honest – if you're reading this, you probably know a thing or two about smartphones. So why would you need a help and assistance app if a simple problem arises? The thing is, Samsung+ offers much more than Wi-Fi and Bluetooth advice, and it's not just for the less tech-savvy users out there. Let's take a closer look and see just what this app is all about.

samsung galaxy note 7 hands on aa second batch-20

The basics

When you launch Samsung+ for the first time, you'll be given a brief overview on how to navigate through the app. You can perform a quick search if you already know what you're looking for, or simply swipe through six different tabs – Live Help, Diagnostics, Answers, For You, Explore and Community.

Samsung+ For You AA

The For You section is the first thing you'll see after launching the app. This is where you'll receive tips and tricks regarding your registered Samsung devices, as well as topics popular in the Samsung community that you might like. Smartphone aficionados might not find a ton of useful information in this tab, though it's perfect for folks looking to make their device setup process go a little smoother.

Speaking of the less tech-savvy users out there, the Answers tab is perfect for basic troubleshooting problems.

A digital instruction manual

So, you thought you'd be nice and buy your parents brand new Samsung Galaxy phones for Christmas. Little did you know, this automatically made you the go-to tech support person in the family. Fun!

If you're in a pinch and don't have the time to walk through how to perform the more basic tasks – setting alarms, taking screenshots, playing music – Samsung+ will definitely help. Just navigate to the Answers tab, choose the category you're looking for, and you'll be presented with a number of useful walkthroughs and how-tos relating to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, device features, battery and power saving tips, and more. Seriously, there's tons of useful information here.

If somehow these walkthroughs don't do the trick, though, there are a few more steps you can take to get the help you need.

Live customer support

By far the most impressive feature in Samsung+ is the Live Help section. With just a few taps, users have the ability to chat with Samsung representatives over the phone or through video.

After my video chat was connected, it was smooth sailing from there

Call support is offered 24 hours a day, while video chat support is offered from 7am-10pm CST. Both methods worked quite well for me, but as you might expect, video chatting was a slightly bigger hassle. I made three video calls in all, though I was only able to make the video work for one of them. After everything was connected, though, it was smooth sailing from there.

Once connected, I had to fork over my device's IMEI, my name, email address and phone number in case the call was dropped at any point.

You might be thinking, wouldn't it just be easier to chat on the phone rather than using video? Well, for certain scenarios, phone calls work great. But the app's video chat support combined with the Samsung Assist feature is where it really shines.

Samsung Assist allows you to share your screen with the representative and let them operate your device to see if they can fix the problem. Don't worry – you don't need to use this feature if you don't want, and you need to grant permission before they take control of your device. Basically, Samsung reps can do anything on your device aside from performing a factory data reset. They also don't have access to the physical buttons, either, so they can't power off your device or soft reset it.

As of right now, Samsung Assist is only available on the Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, Note 5, S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+. Additional device support will be added in the future.

Honestly, the whole Live Help section of this app is a game changer. Again, it might not be super useful for seasoned smartphone veterans, but it can really help less tech-savvy folks in a bind.

A simple, easy-to-use diagnostics app

Samsung+ review AA 5

Samsung+ isn't only about tech support. If you're looking for more real-time stats regarding your device's battery, data, storage and more, the Diagnostics feature will do the trick.

This is my favorite part of the app. If you're experiencing any problems with your device (poor battery life, bad internet connection, etc.), all you need to do is head to this page to try and figure out what's wrong. Samsung+ will scan your device and let you know if your battery temperature is too high, if it's charging at the correct speeds, if your Wi-Fi is secure enough, and many more useful tips.

Samsung+ is also a full-fledged diagnostics app

There are also two useful features to help you optimize your battery life: Battery Forecast and Battery Optimizer. Battery Forecast will tell you your current battery percentage, when it's predicted to reach empty, and how long you need to charge the device to reach a certain percentage. This is super helpful if you're planning on going out for the night and have a low battery. Battery Optimizer, on the other hand, scrolls through your settings and lets you know what to change to achieve better battery life. For instance, in the screenshot below you'll see that my screen timeout is set to 30 seconds, which is much less battery-friendly than if I were to set it to, say, 15 seconds.

Data Monitor and Storage Manager tools are also found in the Diagnostics section of the app, allowing you to keep better track at your remaining data usage and on-board storage. As you're probably already aware, all Android devices have built-in data monitor and storage manager features, so these two aren't really all that necessary. Still, it's nice to see them baked into the app, so users can access all of their diagnostics info in one place.

Oh, and one other thing – there's also a built-in Speed Test section that can test your Mobile or Wi-Fi connections. Pretty neat, right?

A place for Samsung die-hards

Samsung+ review AA 6

If you're not having any problems with your Galaxy device, Samsung+ can still be quite useful. The Explore and Community sections are there for you to learn more about your devices. For instance, navigating to the Explore section will give you access to camera tips and tricks, tips on how to to multitask, and more. I'm not sure if the Explore tab will be useful for everyone out there, but it might be fun to poke around if you're looking to learn more about your device.

For die-hard Samsung fans, or even for folks who just want to learn more about their Galaxy devices, Samsung+ offers a full Community section. It's here that you'll be able to read and ask questions about Galaxy S and Note devices, tablets, wearables, TVs and more.

From what I've been able to tell, the Samsung Community could be quite helpful if you're looking to resolve device-specific issues, or if you're just looking to geek out with other fans around the world. As for how the Community section is implemented in the app, that's a different story. It's not particularly fast, and it doesn't really have an intuitive layout. Since everything is either black or white in this section, it can be tough to differentiate between links and plain text, too.

Wrapping up

Samsung+ is a useful help and assistance app that will come in handy in more ways than one. Not everything you find in Samsung+ will be for everyone, but the features it offers are pretty compelling and work well for the most part. Whether you're a tech-savvy user or someone who is new to the smartphone world, you'll likely find something useful in this app.

Get it from Google Play

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Daydream VR will debut “in coming weeks” with big Google content push

Daydream

When Google announced its Daydream virtual reality platform in May, it showed a number of applications which were in development to help make the experience great. Though most of the apps it showed off at its annual I/O conference were proprietary experiences such YouTube, the company announced that it would be opening up the platform to developers to produce new content for smartphone owners to enjoy. Now, Google has announced that it is partnering with companies such as Hulu to produce 360 degree content which will help populate the platform with experiences for everyone to enjoy.

While headsets such as the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift have a high barrier to entry, Daydream allows anyone with a compatible smartphone to experience virtual reality content on the fly. Requiring little more than a VR viewer and the phone itself, users can witness the content in a whole new way, becoming much more immersed in the applications they use everyday.

It's revolutionary, said Finn Staber of Wave VR, commenting an his recent VR concert experience. "While competitors are targeting users willing to spend hundreds of dollars for top-notch VR equipment, mobile will reach mass audiences."

While Hulu is planning to introduce its new 360 degree content for a variety of developing platforms, the company is waiting for Google to debut its new VR service before this content is launched. Daydream is set to release alongside Google's new Nexus devices within the next month or so, and should introduce a whole slew of new content.

Alongside the Hulu launch comes new original content which Google is pouring funding into. The company is enlisting the help of a number of YouTube stars such as the Dolan twins and Justine Ezarik to create a selection of 360 degree videos for viewers to enjoy. For film makers looking to produce their own content, Google is placing some pretty strict standards on hardware used. To be eligible for Google's Jump VR film program, film makers must use a certified 16-camera rig such as the Go-Pro Odyssey, priced at $15,000.

It's set to be an exciting year for Google's new platform, which should help to revolutionize the already amazing space that is mobile VR. With Google's enthusiasm and funding pouring into the development of the new platform, Daydream should quickly become a popular option for those looking to experience the new tech.

This post was originally published on our sister site, VRSource.com.

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