Home 2019 May

5 of the Best Ride-Share Apps for Your Phone

I’m not ashamed to admit that driving in overcrowded cities just isn’t my thing anymore. From jostling for parking spaces to dealing with traffic jams, I’d rather outsource the headache to a more capable person. Fortunately, with ride-share apps I’m never more than a few clicks away from a car at my doorstep. If you don’t enjoy driving, all you have to do is look down your phone and keep track of a car’s arrival. Prepaid rides also free you from the ordeal of hailing a taxi when they won’t even bother to stop for you. While on a vacation abroad, hitching a ride with… Read more

Power-user: A Robust Productivity Add-in for PowerPoint and Excel

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by the Power-user team. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored. We all know how hard it is to create an engaging and mind-enriching presentation. You sit down at your computer and swear to be productive. The next thing you know, six hours have passed, and you’ve wasted most of the time drawing charts and scouring the Internet for images to spice up your presentations. Making an engaging Excel or Powerpoint presentation is a real challenge. What if there were add-ins… Read more

How to Access and Browse the Dark Web

In this tutorial, we’ll show how to access and browse the dark web. There is so much of the web hidden from the casual Internet user. Since many of these pages are inaccessible from Chrome, Firefox and other Internet browsers, you simply cannot hyperlink to them. If you visit a dark web link, you will only see a blank screen. Within the dark web, you will find exclusive content on cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, anonymous servers and legitimate websites banned by ISPs and governments. You can also send anonymous emails, access P2P links, engage in e-commerce and read scientific research papers, all the while preventing websites… Read more

Doogie S90 Modular Android smartphone review

REVIEW – If you have a job that requires you to be outdoors in the elements, or in harsh environments, a ruggedized smartphone is a necessity. Trouble is that there just doesn’t seem to be many rugged smartphones on the market these days. I do have one to show you today though and it’s built like a tank on steroids. It’s the Doogee S90. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Doogee S90 is a ruggedized Android smartphone that isn’t just built to withstand tough environments, it’s also designed to be modular so that the functionality can be expanded.

Hardware specs

Processor: MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core 2Ghz
GPU: Mali G72 MP3 graphics processor running at up to 800MHz.
OS: Android 8.1 Oreo
Display: 6.18″ 1080 x 2246 pixels
Memory: 6GB RAM 128GB storage
Camera: 16 MP (rear) 8 MP (front)
Protection: IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810G
Qi charging capability
Battery: 5050mAh
Height: 3.8 in Width 1.99 in
Weight: 10.8 oz. alone, 15.6 oz. with the extended battery module attached

What’s in the box?


If you opt for the Super bundle, the S90 and modules come packaged in a zippered rigid suitcase which is a nice touch.

  • Doogee S90 smartphone
  • Extended 5000mAh battery module (installed on the camera in this photo)
  • Night vision camera
  • Walkie talkie module & antenna
  • USB-C to OTG adapter
  • USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter
  • USB-C cable
  • Power adapter (EU style)
  • SIM card removal tool

Doogee is also going to offer a gamepad module but one wasn’t included with my review sample.

Design and features

First of all, the Doogee S90 is probably not a phone that a typical person would want to buy because it’s quite heavy at about 11 ounces. The heft comes from the rugged housing. This phone is built like a tank. It has a raised metal frame around the display so that a fall on a flat surface won’t crack the screen.

The back of the S90 is designed to allow for a variety of modules to attach to the back of the phone by using magnets to securely hold the module in place. This feature reminds me of Motorola moto mods for their moto Z series of Android smartphones.

The back of the phone also has dual LEDs that turn the phone into a flashlight. Below the camera lenses is a fingerprint reader.

But the problem is that when you attach the extended battery module, the fingerprint reader is covered making it no longer accessible. This really didn’t bother me because, like many phones I’ve reviewed, the fingerprint reader didn’t work well for me.

By itself without any of the modules attached to the Doogee S90, the phone weighs 10.8 ounces, but add a module like the extended battery and oh boy, it becomes super heavy at 15.6 ounces which is practically a pound.

The left side of the phone has the SIM card and micro SD card tray.  The tray is recessed which makes it harder to eject than traditional phones. Included with the phone is a special SIM ejection tool that has a little hook at the end that you can use to pull out the tray.

Be aware that the Doogee S90 is a GSM phone so it will only work with GSM carriers in the US like T-mobile and AT&T (sorry Verizon). I did all my testing with this phone on the T-mobile network.

In addition to the SIM tray on the left side of the phone, there’s a custom key that you can program to perform shortcuts or launch apps. The key can be programmed to do different things based on one press, a double press, or a long press. It’s handy, for example, to program a double press to toggle the flashlight on and off.

The opposite side of the phone has three buttons, the one on the left is a dedicated shutter button to snap a picture when the camera app is open. The middle button is the wake/power button, and the button on the right (which would be the top of the phone) is the up/down volume button.

The ports on the S90 are protected from dirt and dust with covers, like the USB-C port on the bottom edge of the phone. Note in the image above, the extended battery module is attached to the phone.

I find charging port covers to be annoying to use every time I want/need to charge the phone’s battery. Luckily, the S90 can also be charged wirelessly if you have a Qi wireless charger. Note, that you’ll need to remove the extended battery in order to charge the phone on a wireless charger.

Display

The S90’s display is bright, crisp, and has vivid colors. I had no issues with touchscreen sensitivity and I enjoyed watching video, reading text, etc while testing this phone. The display is very nice.

Audio quality

The S90’s speakers are located on the bottom part of the back of the phone. Even at full volume, audio sounds clear and crisp. I enjoyed listening to video using the built-in speakers. You might be wondering if the modules will block the speakers. I’m happy to report that the extended battery and the camera modules do not block the speakers. However, the walkie talkie module does cover them.

Camera


The Doogee’s camera does a respectable job and I was surprised by how nice the images turned out. I’m not going to trade the S90’s camera for the one in my Huawei P30 Pro, but the shots weren’t bad at all.

Modules

The walkie talkie module turns the phone into an app powered communicator that will let you listen and transmit on a frequency range from 409.75 mhz – 409.9875mhz.



I played around with the module and the app but all the testing was one sided since I didn’t have anyone to talk to.

The night vision module is pretty cool. It’s able to take pictures in total darkness without using a flash. Here are some before and after samples.


The images are super grainy but still cool none the less.

Software and user interface


The S90 runs on Android v8.1.0 (Oreo) so it doesn’t have the latest version of the OS and it’s also not promised that it ever will receive any OS updates or even security updates. That said, the interface is relatively the same as regular Android if you don’t mind the silver, bronze, and black theme / icons.

Using the Doogee S90 for phone calls

I can’t comment on how well the S90 works on other networks like AT&T, but I didn’t have any major issues making and receiving calls on the T-mobile network with this phone except when I’m in my office (basement) of my house. For some reason, this phone seems to have issues holding on to the cell signal down there and on several occasions, people have tried to call me and have gotten my voice mail.

As far as call audio quality, the volume level and clarity on both sides of conversations have been just fine.

Overall performance and battery life using the Doogee S90 for day to day tasks

During a typical day, I don’t do anything too crazy with my phone. I use it to make and receive calls. Make and receive text messages, play a rousing game of Words With Friends, check my email, send emails, read books, surf, and occasionally watch a video on YouTube. For all those tasks, the S90 performed flawlessly. Apps open quickly, webpages load quickly, everything works at the speed I’ve come to expect from a smartphone.

When it comes to battery life, the Doogee S90 feels like it never runs out of juice. This is especially through if you use are using the phone with the extended battery module which adds an extra 5000 mAh to the phone’s built-in 5050 mAh battery. The phone will stay on standby for days and days between charges.

What I like

  • Affordable
  • Rugged
  • Expandable with modules

What needs to be improved

  • Heavy
  • Allow the extended battery to charge wirelessly

Final thoughts

Should you buy the Doogee S90? That’s the $400 question. Why $400? That’s the price of this phone. Just going by price alone, the S90 is a decent deal. Especially when you consider how rugged the phone is and the great battery life when using the extended battery module. The issues with the phone come from not knowing if it will be supported with security and software updates. My guess is that it’s very doubtful it will ever get Android v9 (Pie). That means you’ll have to ask yourself if running the latest OS version is as important as an affordable rugged Android smartphone that comes with some interesting modules. I’ll be sticking with my Huawei P30 Pro and later in the year plan to get the latest Pixel. But that’s because I personally always want the latest and greatest. What about you? Would you consider a phone like the Doogee S90? Let us know in the comments below.

Price: $399.99
Where to buy: Doogee
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Doogee.

Filed in categories: Featured Items, Reviews

Tagged: ,

Doogie S90 Modular Android smartphone review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2019 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

iMuto S5 Portable Solar Power Station review


REVIEW – Whenever I am out on a photo or video shoot, it is very important that I have a portable power source or power sources for my laptop, USB devices, and for charging and recharging numerous accessories. While there are many USB portable power packs available, many lack the versatility or the charge capacity to handle serving the power and charge needs for multiple devices and for extended periods of time. The iMuto S5 Portable Solar Power Station which just launched on Indiegogo looks like a possible solution and a game changer for me. Let’s see!!

What is it?

The iMuto S5 Portable Solar Power Station is a portable power solution that can power and recharge devices using common methods, such as an AC wall outlet, auto accessory power, or USB-C. It can also be charged and recharged via a solar panel using the power of the sun. It is lightweight and portable enough to be used for outdoor and indoor activities, and as standby emergency power in the case of a power outage or inaccessibility to a power source. Its features include 7 various power outlets for a total of 260W of power, all powered from its 50,000mAh built-in battery. It also has a built-in air cooling system that allows for safe charging, an intelligent Battery Management System to self-monitor, and built-in protection from overheating, overvoltage, and short circuits

What’s in the box


1 x iMuto S5 Portable Solar Power Station
1 x AC Power Supply
1 x USB-C Cable
1 x 12V DC Outlet
1 x 12 Volt Auto Cable
1 x Accessory Cable
1 x User Guide

Design and features

Specifications

On the front of the iMuto, there is the power button that turns on the LED display and all of the ports except for the AC port that has a dedicated switch.

On one side there are 3 ports. From left to right as shown below there is the DC in charging port, and 2 DC out ports.

On the 3rd side of the device, there is a USB-C input/output port and 3 USB output ports.

On the top of the iMuto, there is the AC port, with a switch and blue LED power indicator above it. There is also the carrying handle.

Below is a detailed picture of the device and its functional parts.

Performance

The first thing that I did when I took the iMuto out of the box was to plug it in to fully charge. While it did arrive with some amount of charge, I wanted it fully charged before I started my testing. Once it was fully charged, for my first test I decided to use it to power my Nebra AnyBeam portable projector which is another device that I am testing, along with a 4K Roku Stick with its power adapter plugged into the AC port. I also plugged in my smartphone to charge while binge-watching NCIS: Los Angeles via the projector. After about 6 hours of the three devices being connected to the iMuto, it seemed to have barely moved off of 100% charge. While it is easily noted that these devices do not require much power, it is exactly these types of devices that I would use this power supply for. I do not own a portable fridge nor would I likely use it for such a device. Rather, my use involves keeping 3 to 4 tablets charged, along with a couple of smartphones, a couple of camera batteries via their respective battery chargers, while powering things like my projector and Roku/Amazon sticks, etc. Occasionally, I would also need to plug in a laptop for extended use for editing or as a slideshow video source either directly connected to a TV or a projector. It may take me some time to really add a formidable stress load to “push” the capabilities of this power supply, but from initial impressions, this device is great.

The iMuto S5 is also very solidly built and is likely to withstand life inside of one of my gear bags. For my use, it is not the device that I would carry in my backpack unless I really had to. It does have some weight to it and would add too much more weight to my already heavy backpack. For this reason, a home in my gear bag will work better for me.

The picture below shows the LED display when the iMuto is fully charged and without any load plugged in. The second picture below shows all of the information that would be displayed depending on what is plugged into the iMuto.


On top of the power station, there is the AC plug and the switch that allows you to control power to it independently. There is also a Blue LED that lights when the switch is turned on.

The chart below provides some information on the approximated/expected charging/powering capabilities of this iMuto Power Station.

At the time when I received this device for testing, iMuto was not yet able to provide the complimentary solar panel for review and testing.

What I like

  • The build quality
  • The built-in battery capacity
  • The Solar Panel charging option
  • The types and number of outlets
  • The size

What can be improved

  • The solar panel should be included

Final thoughts

I have been lucky enough to test a few portable battery packs/devices like this one, and so far, this one is my favorite. The capacity of the built-in battery along with the types of power ports make it a really useful addition to my gear bag. I also love that I am able to plug in my small portable projector and my Roku or Amazon Stick and head outdoors or anywhere else without worrying about power or more importantly the longevity of my power source. The overall build quality is very solid and unlike others that I own that feel like plastic toys. I am giving this one two thumbs up!!

Price: Pledges start at $229 with rewards estimated to ship in August.
Where to buy: Indiegogo
Source: The sample for this review was provided by iMuto

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

iMuto S5 Portable Solar Power Station review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.