Android

Review: Moto G 3rd-generation – an iPhone user’s take

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

The Moto G is a budget Android smartphone line from Motorola that has nurtured a very good reputation in the tech community. The latest 3rd-generation Moto G, which debuted on Tuesday, is now available in stores like Amazon and Best Buy.

We've made it our mission to review various Android smartphones over the year in order to provide you with a balanced look at what the so-called "competition" is offering. As most of you know, I'm a die-hard Apple fan, but I do have a soft spot in my heart from Android, even though I think that many of the decisions that Android OEMs make are borderline shameless.

That said, I've been extremely keen on testing out the latest and greatest version of the Moto G, because I think it's the perfect companion Android phone for iPhone users wishing to dabble into the "other side". At a mere $179.99 unlocked, the Moto G is an outstanding value. Yes, there are other Android phones that fall within this price range, but they're usually horrible specs-wise, or if they're decent, they're inundated with bloatware (I'm looking at you Asus ZenFone 2).

The Moto G is different. Not only is it factory unlocked, but it features decent specs for a phone this cheap. But most importantly, it lacks the bloatware so popular in other phones in this class, or even so-called flagship phones. True, it's not a Nexus device, which is 100% stock Android, but it's very close, and arguably, improves on stock Android with some of its unique offerings.

5 things I like about the LG G4

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

I've had the privilege of testing out an LG G4 for the last 3 weeks, and I've finally found the time to write down my impressions about the highly esteemed flagship phone. If you've been keeping up with all of the rumblings regarding the G4, then it probably won't be the first time you've heard some of the things I have to say in this overview.

At iDB, we strive to stay in the know about competing devices, and freely acknowledge that some of them do things better than the Apple devices that we're most intimately familiar with. In this post, I'll share five features about the LG G4 that particularly stood out to me.

First and foremost, the camera is bonkers! Not only is the general quality of the camera really good, but it excels in low light situations, features a great 4K video camera, and has tons of manual controls to fool around with. Check out our video overview of the camera inside.

Embattled BlackBerry considering Android phones

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

Research In Motion saw its fortunes spectacularly erased in a few short years following the iPhone's release in the summer of 2007. Fast-forward to 2015 and the company is now considering putting Google's Android software on its phones in a complete U-turn for the Canadian handset maker, according to a report Friday by Reuters.

It's unclear whether the rumored switch would spell the end of the company's own BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system.

RIM once dominated smartphone sales but now has a market share of less than one percent. Moreover, a former BlackBerry CEO has publicly admitted that Apple's iPhone has single-handily killed his company's treasured BlackBerry family of smartphones famed for their enterprise security and clickety-clack keyboards.

Apple reveals new ‘Move to iOS’ app for Android switchers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 2, 2017

To make life easier for people looking to switch to an iPhone and iOS 9 over from an Android device, Apple will be providing a dedicated iPhone and iPad application called 'Move to iOS'.

Yet to be released in the App Store, Move to iOS was designed to simplify the process of transferring user data securely from an Android phone or tablet to a new iPhone or iPad.

Apple Music available on June 30 for $9.99/month with 3-month free trial

Cody Lee ∙ June 8, 2015

Apple rounded up its WWDC 2015 keynote with a 'one more thing' announcement for Apple Music. The service will incorporate streaming music, 24/7 radio stations, and a new 'Connect' feature that will allow musicians to connect with their fans.

For those excited to try out the service, Apple says that it will be available on June 30th. As run-up reports predicted, it'll come with a 3-month free trial and cost $9.99 per month after that. There will also be a family plan for multiple users, for $14.99 per month.

How to watch WWDC keynote live on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Windows, Linux and Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

As you know, Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off tomorrow with a State of the Union-like keynote address. WWDC is the most important event for the Apple community as it gives a sneak peak at how the firm plans to woo app developers in the year.

The 26th summer event runs from June 8 through June 12 at San Francisco’s Moscone West, where CEO Tim Cook will share the stage Monday morning along with other company executives to deliver latest advances concerning iOS, OS X and Watch OS platforms.

iDownloadBlog, the biggest name in jailbreaking, doesn't get invited to Apple events. Not to worry: we'll be providing a remote live coverage of the two-hour long presentation and following up with related tidbits throughout the day so you don't miss a thing.

Apple will be providing a live stream through the Apple Events webpage on its website, using the new familiar weblog-like layout.

Although the official live stream is limited to Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV devices, you can enjoy it on other platforms, too. Without further ado, here's a quick tutorial on what you'll need to watch the keynote live on both Apple devices and non-Apple platforms like Windows, Linux and Android.

SoundHound has created a voice search app that will knock your socks off

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 5, 2015

Apple's introduction of Siri back in 2011 was a watershed moment for voice-activated personal digital assistants. Today, a myriad of Siri-like services exist such as Google Now on Android devices and Microsoft's cross-platform Cortana, which will be hitting iOS soon following Windows 10 debut on July 29.

But many if not all of the existing services, Siri included, could be put to shame by Hound.

Hound is a forthcoming digital assistant which promises a groundbreaking smartphone experience, created by SoundHound, the maker of namesake mobile music and audio recognition service.

Rumor: Nintendo’s next-generation gaming console is based on Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 1, 2015

Nintendo's next-generation console codenamed NX, which the company is currently developing, is going to use Android if a report Monday by Nikkei, one of Japan’s largest newspapers, is anything to go by.

According to one insider who spoke with Nikkei, the Nintendo NX will supposedly be built around the Android OS, which should help “speed up getting all game developers on board.”

It would also mean that development could be expanded to smartphones, tablets and other devices, this person added.

Cortana is coming to iOS with Windows 10 Phone Companion app, Microsoft confirms

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 26, 2015

Microsoft Cortana, the software giant's Siri-like personal digital assistant available on Windows Phone and Windows 10 mobile and desktop platforms, will expand later this year to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, as well as Android smartphones and tablets.

The company officially confirmed the news in a blog post this morning, basically corroborating an earlier March report by Reuters which claimed Cortana would hit non-Microsoft mobile platforms this fall.

Google’s Android M to adopt Touch ID-style biometrics

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 22, 2015

To this date, only a few Android devices come outfitted with their own fingerprint scanner for authenticating purchases and password-protected apps, such as Huawei devices and Samsung's Galaxy S5 and S6.

Unfortunately, Google's mobile operating system lacks system-wide support for fingerprint scanning, thereby hampering broader adoption of this useful feature, which Apple users have been enjoying for nearly two years now.

That's about to change in Android M, the next major version of Android, which should adopt Touch ID-style biometrics, according to BuzzFeed News.

Review: Asus ZenFone 2 from an iPhone user’s perspective

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Today, I picked up the ZenFone 2 from Asus. It's a mid-tier Android phone with flagship specifications.

This phone is actually quite good from a pure specs perspective. It features 4GB of RAM, and it's one of the first phones to do so. It also packs in a 64-bit quad-core 2.3 Ghz Intel Atom processor, and 64GB of flash storage, expandable up to 128GB.

The screen is 5.5 inches, and it's roughly the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus, though a bit thicker. Needless to say, this ZenFone is firmly in the realm of the "phablet" and although it's selling at mid-tier prices at $299, it's got some decent specs.

In this review, which won't be your typical review where I spout off statistics and benchmarks, I look at 5 things that this phone does right, and 5 things that it does wrong—all fed through my iPhone-tinted glasses.

Andrios is now available for download on Cydia

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 6, 2015

Andrios, the jailbreak tweak that brings some awesome Android-inspired features to iOS, was our top item on this week's episode of Let's Talk Jailbreak. It's rare when a tweak gets the thumbs up from Cody, Sebastien, and I, but Andrios was able to pull off that impressive feat.

Since our initial review aired, I've received numerous emails, tweets, and messages about Andrios and its launch. After a slight delay, I'm happy to tell you that the tweak is now available for purchase and download from Cydia's BigBoss repo.