Friday, March 29, 2024

Reviews

Asus and the Dark Knight team up for a ROG Phone 6 Batman edition

Asus is working on a Batman-themed edition of the ROG Phone 6.

Insta360 X3 Review: the best waterproof 360 camera

The Insta360 X3 is a powerful and waterproof 360 camera that's compact and rich with innovative features.

Daily Authority: 🍎 All of Apple’s major announcements

From Apple's numerous announcements to the first surgical amputation, there's plenty on offer today.

Even Steve Jobs’ daughter is mocking the iPhone 14

Eve Jobs posted a meme mocking the iPhone 14 on Instagram Stories.

Budget-friendly POCO M5 and M5s are launched

Xiaomi’s young brand POCO announced budget-friendly M5 and M5s smartphones. POCO M5 has a MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, a 50 MP triple-camera array, and a “luxurious leather-like appearance.” Also, POCO M5s is powered by the Helio G95 chipset and has an AMOLED display. Here are the POCO M5 and M5s specs, prices, and release date.POCO M5 specs and pricePOCO M5 features a 6.58-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. IPS LCD panel has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection and comes with a screen-embedded selfie camera.MediaTek Helio G99 SoC powers POCO M5. It includes eight ARM Cortex A76 cores clocked up to 2.2 GHz and an ARM Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. The phone has 4GB / 6GB of RAM and 64GB / 128GB of storage. Its 5,000 mAh battery supports 18W fast charging through the supplied charger. POCO claims that the battery might last up to two days.POCO M5 has a triple-camera array with a 50MP primary sensor, 2MP macro sensor, and 2MP depth sensor. The front-facing camera is 8MP embedded in the screen.POCO M5 comes in three colors: Black, Green, and Yellow. It also be available in three variants: 4GB+64GB, 4GB+128GB and 6GB+128GB.  4GB+64GB: Retail price at €189 (~$189 USD)4GB+128GB: Retail price at €209 (~$209 USD)6GB+128GB: Retail price at €229 (~$229 USD)POCO M5s specs and pricePOCO M5s is the higher-tiered variant of POCO’s M-series. It has a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a fixed refresh rate of 60Hz. A hole-punch is centrally placed for the front camera.The device is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset with 4GB / 6GB of RAM. M5s have up to 128GB of storage, which can increase with a microSD card.POCO M5s has a quad-camera array on the back. It includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 13MP selfie camera.It also has a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. According to the POCO, it provides up to 12 hours of uninterrupted immersive fun or one and a half days of non-stop voice calls.POCO M5s will come in three colors: Grey, White, and Blue. It will also be available in three variants: 4GB+64GB, 4GB+128GB and 6GB+128GB.  4GB+64GB: Retail price at €209 (~$209 USD)4GB+128GB: Retail price at €229 (~$229 USD)6GB+128GB: Retail price at €249 (~$249 USD)Prices and availability differ depending on the market. For product availability and complete sales information in your location, please check out the POCO website.

Gamesir X3 Controller review

What do you think of when someone uses the term “mobile gaming”? Does you mind go to casual timewasters like Candy Crush Saga, Angry Birds, Tetris, and Wordle? Or, do you conjure up imagery of a dedicated phone designed for first-person shooters like Call of Duty or Fortnite?Mobile gaming comes in all shapes and sizes, and everyone’s definition is a little bit different. I’m not a huge fan of the bigger graphics-intense stuff that’s often mobile variants of console titles. Why? It’s not because I don’t have a phone powerful enough to handle the task. No, it’s because I don’t like having to use a flat screen when multiple buttons and directional pads are in order.Gamesir, a player (see what I did there?) in the gaming space, is back with another mobile gaming controller. The new X3 Type-C controller, priced around $100, builds on the X2 which we reviewed earlier in the year. Having started out as a prototype for crowdfunding, it blew through its goal and hit the fast track for public release. In short, the Gamesir X3 is an accessory that you connect to your phone via its USB Type-C port. Once in place, it turns your handset into a Nintendo Switch-like experience. It’s only available in one color, white, with red and blue accents that only further the Nintendo comparison.One of the biggest differences in the new model is the addition of a cooling fan on the back of the device. It’s centrally located and doesn’t affect the way you have to hold or operate the controller. It’s also very quiet, and doesn’t distract from your gaming sessions. Oh, it also looks pretty cool when it lights up, too.The trade-off, though, is that the fan only works when the Gamesir X3 is plugged in to an external power source. This can impact where gamers can take advantage of the cooling feature so keep that in mind if you plan to play for extended periods. The X3 employs a spring-loaded mechanism that pulls apart on both sides so you can drop your handset in quickly and without hassle. According to Gamesir, it can handle most phones between 110mm -179mm in height. That is to say, it worked on everything we had here in the office. When you put your phone in you’ll find there’s a bit of play with the USB Type-C connector which sort of pivots a bit. This is intentional and helps ensure you don’t snap anything off.As far as buttons are concerned, I really like what the Gamesir X3 has on offer. They’re very tactile and clicky with the right amount of travel and noise. The D-pad has been adjusted to better work in eight directions; there are two options for its button in the box. You can change them out instantly based on whether you want a traditional directional pad or something with a diamond-like pattern that breaks over the eight directions. Think Nintendo Switch and Xbox and you’ll get it.In addition to the extra D-pad button you’ll also find extra thumbsticks. They’re slightly taller than what’s already in place and may be noticeably better (or worse) for your gaming. Want all red or all blue? Mix and match? Do it however you’d like. Magnets make changing things up a real breeze. Also included in the box are four rubber covers which add a degree of texture and grip. Should you not like the way your thumbs slide over the sticks you can slide the covers on and get more traction. The Gamesir X3 has texture on the back where your hands might rest. It’s subtle stuff but makes a difference over the long haul. Hands get sweaty when you’re one of the last remaining players in a battle royale game. Along those lines, I would have liked it if the fan worked without having to be plugged in. Gaming on the go doesn’t always allow for an external power source, or an outlet that’s close enough. Make sure you’ve got a nice long cable on hand; there’s a fairly nice one included in the box.It’s worth reminding here that the Gamesir X3 connects directly to your phone via the USB Type-C port and does not allow for Bluetooth. It’s not too much of an issue now that most phones have the USB C port plus there’s no latency to worry about.ConclusionWhile I typically shy away from more intense games on my phone, I’ve found myself using the Gamesir X3 more than I expected. There’s a fairly robust list of compatible titles to choose from and many of them allow for remapping of buttons and customizing the experience.There’s a lot to like about the controller as it feels intentionally designed and created with care. The extra buttons, cooling fan, and textured grips lead to long sessions of enjoyable and comfortable gaming.Learn more about the Gamesir X3 Type-C controller at the manufacturer’s website where you can purchase it for $100. There are other options available to choose from as well which have different price points and features. You’ll also find keyboards, mice, and other accessories.

Upcoming streaming shows and movies we’re excited for (September 2022)

New franchise entries, long-awaited new seasons, and completely new movies and series are launching throughout the year.

Apple’s iPhone 14 announced: Specs, price, and everything else you need to know

The iPhone 14 will offer a few improvements from its predecessor like a better camera and slight design tweeks.

iPhone 14 event: Everything Apple launched at its ‘Far Out’ show

Apple launched a lot more than just some new iPhones.

Poll: Is the iPhone 14 series hot or not?

Do you like what you see with Apple's latest phones?

Bose steals Apple’s spotlight by announcing its new QuietComfort Earbuds II

Bose announces its new QuietComfort Earbuds II with a more compact design and new features.

Tim Cook says ‘buy your mom an iPhone’ when asked about RCS support in iMessage

The Apple CEO said iPhone users aren't asking for RCS support.

Garmin Venu Sq 2 review: Squaring up to the competition

Garmin overhauls its entry-level device with new sensors and a bright new screen.

Wallpaper Wednesday: More great phone wallpapers for all to share (Sep. 07)

Here is a weekly selection of Android wallpapers created by our readers and members of the Android Authority team!

Poll: Do you have multiple users on your Android phone?

Multiple user support has been around since 2012, but do you use it?

Dell Precision 5470 review: too small to be effective

Dell's Precision 5470 is an incredibly thin and light portable workstation, but it's too slow to be practical.