Author: Ian Furlong
Yes I was one of those people that jumped on the invitation merry-go-round to buy the OnePlus One. Oh, and guess what. I did there same a year later for the OnePlus Two. I love OnePlus devices so, when here at Coolsmartphone towers we had a sniff of …
Bluetooth speakers? Where do you start? The market is currently awash with speakers which fill every part of the price point spectrum. I was recently contacted by Say it Loud to ask if I wished to review one of their latest Bluetooth speakers, the Riva S. At first …
Following on from a reported 15% rise in annual profits to £3.03bn, BT has announced plans to invest £6bn in faster broadband and mobile services over the next three years. The company plans to offer their “ultrafast” broadband to 12 million premises by 2020. With speeds of 300 …
UK carrier O2 has announced they are going to exclusively carry the new LG Stylus 2, which is the first smartphone with DAB radio support*, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite radio stations without using your data allowance. The device is available right now on O2 …
Here at Coolsmartphone Towers we love a good bargain or two, and we have just had this land across our desk. If you an owner of a OnePlus device be it a OnePlus One, Two or X, head over to the OnePlus store. There’s discounts to be had …
Pssst – have you heard the latest rumour that Apple is going to get rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack in the next version of the iPhone? Well, it appears that Chinese phone manufacturer LeEco has beat the US giant to the punch in ditching the conventional headphone …
According to a report published by OpenSignal and consumer watchdog Which?, smartphone users here in the UK only appear to get access to 4G data speeds for about half of the time on average. From the four UK networks tested, EE was found to have the best 4G …
If, like me, you have a little one in the house, you’ll know what a minefield it is keeping them safe while letting them having access to the internet. My little boy loves to watch people gaming on YouTube, but sometimes what appears to be a suitable clip …
If like me, you have been a Netflix subscriber for quite some time, there is a good chance you’re paying a cheaper rate than new subscribers. This is because the company agreed to freeze your monthly subscription till May 2016. Well, believe or not, that date is now …
Well it’s looks like the death knell is well and truly ringing for the Blackberry OS, following a sales fall of almost $200m in the three months to the end of February. Further bad news included the announcement that Facebook and its WhatsApp messaging service will no longer …
Unless you have been living in a cave, with your eyes shut and your fingers in your ears, you will have heard of the recent hoo-ha over a certain company and a law enforcement agency request to unlock an iPhone. This has spiralled into a privacy debate, which …
I love the Google Photos app and, with every iteration, it gets better and better. Google have announced that it will automatically curate the best photos taken during a holiday or an event, then create a new album. All of your holiday snaps will be collated and sorted into your …
The latest flagship device from Huawei is rumoured for release in a couple of weeks. We’ll hopefully see the P9 on the 6th April. However, as is the norm, the interwebs are full of leaked specs and pictures. The latest pictures show a Huawei president using an “unknown …
Recently I received an e-mail from Amazon (nothing new there) which read.. Dear Kindle owner blah blah blah .. as with the majority of the others I filed it under bin without reading it. Well, it appears I should have. If you’re the owner of a pre-2013 Kindle …
Last year I managed to bag the latest flagship from OnePlus pretty quickly. However, surprisingly I quickly found that there was no gallery app installed to view my creations. After years of Android ownership this was the first time I’d come across this situation (or lack of). Now …
According to a report published in Business Korea, pre-orders of the latest Samsung flagships have been underwhelming in their own home market – South Korea. Samsung started accepting pre-orders for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge from March 4 in South Korea, and like here in the UK the …
After what feels like an age it appears that Android Pay is finally making the journey across the pond to the UK. The Telegraph is reporting that Google will launch the mobile payments system in the UK at the end of March. Since Apple Pay’s debut in the …
As I’ve said before, my main use for my smartphone is to listen to media. I’d say that 90% of that listening is podcasts and (bear with me) 75% of that podcast listening is through headphones. Even on a 5 minute walk to the shop I’ve normally got …
Here at Coolsmartphone towers, a number of us use Chromebooks. I’m writing this from my Asus Chromebook Flip, which is a gorgeous device with its flip screen and brushed aluminium body. But the main problem with Chromebook is their lack of internal storage. It’s generally limited to a paltry …
Remember Google Talk? Well all those years ago when Android first launched it was the simply the instant messaging app. To be honest I don’t think take-up was that big, but over the years Google Talk was replaced with “Hangouts”, and we all got used to calling and …
I would say that 80% of my mobile phone use is listening to media. Specifically podcasts. I can’t even walk up to the shop to buy a loaf of bread without popping in some headphones and listening to my favourite episode. One of the first apps I load …
I have always worn a watch. I have a weakness where watches are concerned. Tie that in with my love of technology and the smartwatch is my perfect device. However, I love the classic watches. There’s just just something about a mechanical time piece.. watch lovers will understand… …
To be honest, Google Now just sits in the background of my phone, and it’s one of those features I forget is even there sometimes. Until I get a notification that is, and realise what a really useful app it is. Well, Google has announced that the company has …
Chinese phone manufacturer Huawei (which is the parent company of the Honor brand) continues its stride and for world dominance (in the phone world that it is), with the company’s latest device – the P9. Leaks now contain further detail, including pictures and information on a “Lite” and …
ohere at the mighty Coolsmartphone a number of us have had Oppo devices. Generally they are well received (just have a search through the site to see how much interest this manufacturer has generated). Oppo have now announced a new device – the F1. If the specs and …
Here at Coolsmartphone we universally loved the Moto G. It was our go-to phone when we were asked “What’s a decent inexpensive Android phone ?” I think that all of us here have owned at least one. Well yesterday Chen Xudong, Lenovo’s Mobile head honcho, was interviewed and we …
Cast your mind back dear reader to last year. To a time when the pre-release leaks of Google’s next flagship device(s) were hitting the interwebs. Included in those pictures was a Nexus 6P in an awful gold option. Luckily though it wasn’t among the colour options offered when …
In more CES news, the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset will be available to pre-order from today, the 6th of January. You’ll be glad to hear that you can order one from 4PM UK time, but we have no idea regarding price or when we will get our …
Last year at CES 2015 Asus announced a new smartphone that will “redefine your expectations of smartphone photography”. The ZenFone Zoom ran Android 5.X Lollipop and should offer some great photo capabilities. The closest the Coolsmartphone team came to it was the device in a glass display case, and it wasn’t powered …
Las Vegas isn’t filled with just gamblers and drinkers this week, oh no. It’s a tech-fest as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicks off and the very latest gadgets get shown off. Two big car manufacturers are there too – Ford and Fiat Chrysler. They’ve announced that Android …
Don’t know who Honor are? For one they are the company that pinched our own James Pearce, secondly they are part of the phone manufacturer Huawei. They’re based more on-line than having retail outlets, but they’re still able to supply high spec’d devices with reasonable price tags. As …
In November, Chinese phone manufacturer Huawei announced their highest specced phone to date, the upcoming Mate 8. On-paper specifications do look mighty impressive. The Huawei Mate 8 is now available for sale, with the promise of better performance and battery life. The device features the new Kirin 950 …
The achillies heel of the modern smartphone is battery life, hence the multitude of battery packs and third-party battery boosting cases flooding onto the market. It’s solved a problem, but you’ve had to get that solution from elsewhere. Now Apple has finally decided to step into the battery …
The latest craze to hit Britain is the Hoverboard/Self Balancing scooter (well it’s not really a Marty McFly Back To The Future-styled device. Think more along the lines of a skateboard with a buggy wheel at either end). Companies are trying to get cheaper and sleeker versions in …
Today Samsung announced the details and specs of the 2016 Galaxy A series range of devices. They will be coming in three screen size options: 5.5-inch for the A7, 5.2-inch for the A5 and 4.7-inch for the A3. Equipped with an enhanced camera system for brighter and clearer …
Since it was announced earlier in the year, people have been waiting for for the launch of the hotly anticipated Motorola 360 Sport smartwatch. Now Motorola has finally announced the launch date for their latest device. This will now be available to purchase from 18th December for £219.00 …
Last year I was sent through the TravelCard portable charger for review. It’s a super slim battery pack designed to fit in your wallet and give your mobile device that all important boost when you need it. I loved the TravelCard charger and it sits happily in my wallet with …
Samsung pay, which is the company’s mobile payment system, is reportedly coming to the United Kingdom, China and Spain in the first quarter of 2016. Currently only limited to a number of handsets, Samsung Pay, has not been as big as Apple Pay to date. However, one way …
My little boy loves YouTube: he particularly loves watching people playing Lego video games. But I’m constantly worried he might come across something inappropriate for him. Seven months ago, I thought my prayers had been answered when YouTube announced its YouTube kids app. However (unsurprisingly, yet again) unfortunately …
One of my other hobbies, apart from writing for this fantastic site, is flying drones. These are also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAV’s. My current setup is able to hold a GoPro camera on a 3 axis gimbal which gives excellent super smooth clear footage. The drone …
