Up until a short while ago, the only sub-$200, contract-free smartphones, available all ran ancient or unknown operating systems and contained extremely outdated internals. Motorola decided to change that late last year with the budget oriented Moto G smartphone. Instead of including hardware and software more at home in a flagship from several years ago, Motorola thriftily created a phone with a modest spec sheet that belies its $179 starting price ($99 for the Verizon model).

Specifications

• Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 at 1.2GHz
• 8 or 16 gigabytes of storage
• 4.5” 1280×720 LCD display at 329 PPI
• 2070 mAh battery
• 5 Megapixel rear camera with flash
• 1.3 Megapixel front facing camera
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Wireless 802.11 b/g/n
• US/Global/CDMA models
• FM Radio

Performance

Although Motorola omitted several features that are generally considered standard in most Android phones, overall the Moto G is fairly well-rounded. To ensure everything from web browsing to game play is buttery smooth, Motorola packed the G with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor running at 1.2GHz, an Adreno 305 graphics chip, 1 gigabyte of memory, and Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

At first glance, the single Gigabyte of memory would appear to create a bottleneck, but thanks to the phone’s unskinned operating system, it never is. In my ongoing testing, I have yet to become annoyed with memory management. However, if you’re the type who continually leaves tons of tabs open in the browser, like one of my technically challenged parents, expect apps to reload often.

On the processing front, the Moto G is no slouch. The Snapdragon 400 and Adreno 305 chips might be on the lower end of Qualcomm’s current offerings, but they have more than kept up with every task I’ve thrown at it. Modern games like Asphalt 8 run mostly smooth and browsing image heavy techs sites is just as lag-free. More importantly though, I’ve had a pretty difficult time discerning performance differences between the G and other mid-range Android handsets. My Nexus 5 with its Snapdragon 800 processor is clearly quicker, but compared to Snapdragon 600 phones like the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, it’s just as smooth if not smoother.

Wireless

The wireless radios all function as expected. It can’t hit the WiFi transfer rates my iPhone 5C or Nexus 5 do, but only by a few Mbps. Motorola chose to cut costs here by leaving NFC, LTE, and 802.11ac WiFi out. The lack of 802.11ac hardware is pretty forgivable. The 802.11n standard is fast enough for what the majority of us do on our smartphones and wireless AC routers are new (and expensive) enough that relatively few people would even be able to take advantage of it. Not having NFC is a little harder to forgive. Although I’ve found few opportunities to use it where I live, it has been a staple of Android phones since around 2011. The lack of LTE is a moderately disappointing, but 3G is still fast enough to stream music and video without a hitch.

Battery

Battery life has been above average in my testing. Light to medium users (1.5-2 hours of screen time per day) can expect the Moto G to easily last two days. Under heavy use conditions, the G easily lasts all day with 4-5 hours of screen on time. Standby time was very impressive in my testing as well. Overnight, it only used 4% with background sync enabled.

Design

If you’ve held the Moto X, you’ve basically held the G. In a dark room, you’d be hard pressed to feel a difference between the two. The G is almost identical to the X in width and height, and is only slightly thicker. Considering the price range, I have no complaints with the design or build quality. The plastic back tends to hold on to smudges a little better than other phones, but not badly. Fortunately, if it becomes too damaged or dirty, you can replace the back cover with one of seven colorful replacements starting at $14.99. Without a doubt, the G is the one of the most comfortably phones I’ve ever held.

Display/Speaker

Other phones of size and price range usually skimp on the display. The Galaxy S4 Mini, for example, has a qHD (540×960) pentile display with a PPI of 256. While colors are a little more vibrant on that AMOLED display, the G’s screen is much sharper. In my 20/20 vision, it looks just as sharp as the screens on my iPhone 5C and Nexus 5, though the color range isn’t as good. I couldn’t discern any pixels though and staring at it for extended periods of time isn’t a problem.

The speaker isn’t anything to write home about. It’s loud enough to wake me from across the room every morning (my bed is a literally a hole in the wall). I don’t use the speaker for anything more than alerts though. If I’m doing serious listening, I grab a pair of headphones.

Camera

If it wasn’t for the $179 price, I’d be pretty disappointed with the 5 megapixel shooter. It’s about comparable to the 5 megapixel sensor on the 2013 Nexus 7. Most pictures aren’t very sharp, especially if the lighting is poor. It does take them pretty quickly though. The video capture capability is also pretty mediocre. Fortunately for those who love taking selfies, the front facing camera is about average.

Full size images: Moto_G_HDR-copy.jpg, Moto_G_Full.jpg

Software

The Moto G runs an unskinned version of Android, very similar to what is loaded on the Moto X. Aside from three Motorola apps and FM radio app, the phone comes with stock Android applications. My unit was received with Android 4.3, which I quickly updated to 4.4.2. Motorola did an excellent job tailoring the software to the hardware. Apps never force close or stop responding. Scrolling and sliding animations are very fluid, even with tasks running in the background. If the Moto X is any indication of how Motorola treats software updates, you shouldn’t have to worry about being stuck on an older version of Android. If you’re the paranoid type though, Google is selling a Play Edition of the phone at the same price but this is not as good of choice for T-Mobile customers. Also worth noting is the free 50 gigabytes of Google Drive storage offered with the G.

Conclusion

Time for the big question. If I had $179, would I get a Moto G or some other phone? Honestly, the thrifty part of me would rather scour Craigslist and eBay for a Nexus 4. That said, many people aren’t comfortable risking their hard-earned dollars on a used phone without a warranty. So, with $179 in my pocket, which new, no-contract smartphone would I chose? Without a doubt, I’d pick up a Moto G. No other contract-free smartphones come close to offering this level of performance and quality at this price point.

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Case-Mate Pop! ID Case

Giveaway:

Rules:

Enter by commenting on the giveaway post on Facebook o rGoogle+ or follow us & Tweet us @TeamAFN. Enter on each site to triple your chances of winning. You have until 11:59 PM CST on Sunday(9/22/2013) to enter.

The winner will be announced on Monday(9/23/2013).

You have 48 hours to claim your prize.

You must live in the continental US.

Like, follow, and/or subscribe to us on YouTube, Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.

The winner will be announced below, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

 Winner:

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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Tired of the typical black, white or silver smartphone? If you’re an AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint subscriber, you now have the option to pick up an HTC One in blue. The catch? They’re only available at Best Buy, and T-Mobile users are out of luck for the time being. If you’re considering purchasing it, wait until Sunday when Best Buy will be offering it at a special rate.

Don’t forget to check out our review of the HTC One!

Source: USA Today

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post Blue Best Buy Exclusive HTC One Now Available appeared first on Android Fan Network.

Even at the steep price of $29.99 plus tax and shipping, the official Google case for the Nexus 7 is still worth a look. The materials appear to be of relatively high quality, and the back pocket is large enough to hold a smartphone. Check out the video above for our full review and the giveaway below.

 Official Nexus 7 Sleeve – Google

Giveaway:

Rules:

Enter by commenting on the giveaway post on Facebook or Google+, or follow us & Tweet us @TeamAFN. Enter on each site to triple your chances of winning. You have until 11:59 PM CST on Saturday(8/24/2013) to enter.

The winner will be announced on Sunday(8/25/2013).

You have 48 hours to claim your prize.

You must live in the continental US.

Like, follow, and/or subscribe.

The winner will be announced below, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

 Winner:

Srinivas Nadendla 

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post Official Google Nexus 7 Sleeve Review & Giveaway appeared first on Android Fan Network.

I’m not a tablet guy. All of the tablets I’ve owned in the past have ended up being sold within a month. I simply couldn’t find a use for them between my ultraportable notebook and Android smartphone. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not suckered into buying them every year. The 7″, 1920×1200 display on this year’s Nexus 7 was just too tempting.

Hardware:

Let’s start with back. Asus continued the soft touch theme, but now the Nexus branding is in landscape orientation instead of portrait. They also did away with the “golf ball” texture, and went with a completely smooth, matte back. Ports and button are roughly in same locations. You’ll find a micro USB port on the bottom, a headphone jack on the top, and buttons on the right. Google and Asus decided to equip this model with a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera as well(I’ll get into camera quality later though). The 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera is located above the screen to the right. Overall, the build quality is excellent. It doesn’t creak, and the fit and finish is top notch. As far as dimensions go, it’s slimmer, thinner, and taller than last year’s Nexus 7. You can find the full specs at the bottom of this article.

Software:

If you currently own a Nexus, you can skip this section. As you’d expect, it runs completely stock and lag free Android 4.3. The only noticeable change from 4.2.2 I’ve seen so far is the option to create multiple user accounts. I can see this option being extremely useful for couples or families who share a tablet, but for me, it’s virtually useless. Although this is almost household knowledge these days, since it’s a Nexus, it will receive Android updates the moment Google releases them.

Display:

In a word? Gorgeous. At 1920×1200 pixels(higher than most laptop displays), you won’t see a single jagged edge. Ever. Seriously, this is easily the best 7″ screen I’ve ever seen. It handily beats the iPad Mini’s screen, and, in my opinion, the Retina iPad’s as well. Backlight bleed is a reality with IPS displays, but luckily it’s absolutely unnoticeable on the Nexus 7. Despite the glossy display, the viewing angles are still above average thanks to the IPS panel. My eyes are pretty picky when it comes to device display quality(thanks 20/15 vision), and I can enjoy this display for hours without any fatigue.

Performance:

In my opinion, if a device runs all of your tasks smoothly, it deserves a good performance rating. On this scale, the new Nexus 7 gets a 9.5 out of 10.  In the four days I’ve had it, I can count the number of times it has lagged on one hand. I’m not really a tablet gamer, but it handled the occasional round of Dead Trigger perfectly. As you can see in the screenshot above, it scored just over 6000 points in Quadrant. Multitasking was also a breeze thanks to the 2GB of memory.

Battery Life:

In my mixed usage(YouTube, Google+, Facebook, Instagram, Tapatalk, Twitter, MightyText, and very brief gaming), I was able to get over six hours of screen time over almost two days. Once the “new device” phase wears off, I’m sure it’ll last 3-4 days between charges. I believe the iPad Mini and previous Nexus 7 lasted a little longer, but those devices use older and slower components.

Camera:

Think “Galaxy Nexus” quality. The 5 megapixel shooter isn’t anything special at all. It definitely won’t replace your smartphone camera. Given the quality of the pictures it takes, I’m not entirely sure why Google/Asus even included a rear camera. It could be useful on a video chat when you need to share what’s in front of you. Otherwise, stick to your smartphone or point-and-shoot.

Conclusion:

After my time with the new Nexus 7, I can honestly say it’s definitely the best 7″ tablet on the market. Although the camera isn’t great, it hits the mark in every other regard with it’s super smooth performance and sharp display. Above all, it’s a Nexus, so you never have to wonder if it’ll get the latest version of Android. Before my time with the Nexus 7, I could truthfully say I wasn’t a tablet guy. Now, I’m not so sure…

Video Review:

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post Nick’s Review of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) appeared first on Android Fan Network.

Why am I still awake after 4:00 AM on a Tuesday? I have no idea. But, my insomnia allowed me to catch the update notification on my AT&T Galaxy Express. This update will put your phone out of commission for about 5 minutes while it downloads and installs. It isn’t the significant upgrade to 4.2 that many users are hoping for, but I am of the opinion that any update is better than no update at all. Unfortunately, I don’t have the change log for this update, but I will update this article if I notice anything significant.

To update your Express:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down to About Device.
3. After you tap About Device, hit the Software update option.
4. From there you have two options. Check for updates or Continue update. Select whichever isn’t greyed out.

Enjoy Android 4.1.2!

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post AT&T Galaxy Express Receives 4.1.2 Update appeared first on Android Fan Network.

If you are looking for an extremely thin and lightweight case for your HTC One, look no further. The Ultra Thin Air from SPIGEN is one of the slimmest cases I have ever used. Although the case might seem a little expensive initially, the  included Ultra Crystal screen protector justifies the $20 price tag.

SPIGEN SGP Ultra Thin Air For The HTC One

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post HTC One (M7)(2013) SPIGEN SGP Ultra Thin Air Review appeared first on Android Fan Network.

Today, we took a quick look at the new white bumper for the Nexus 4. We’re also giving it away. To enter, like the video, post a comment, and subscribe to our channel. A winner will be chosen on Friday at 3:00 PM CST.

US only please.

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post Giveaway & Review: Official White Nexus 4 Bumper appeared first on Android Fan Network.

Rules:

Enter by commenting on the giveaway post on Facebook or Google+, or Follow us & Tweet us @TeamAFN. Enter on each site to triple your chances of winning. You have until 1:00 PM CST on Friday(6/7/2013) to enter.

The winner will be announced on Friday(6/7/2013) at 3:00 PM CST.

You have 24 hours to claim your prize.

You must live in the continental US.

Like, follow, and/or subscribe.

The winner will be announced below, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Winners:

If you won, email me with your shipping address and rank the color you’d like on a scale of 1 to 5 (1. Black, 2. Red, etc). My email address is: nick@androidfannetwork.com

@JayLestrange

Alex Kumar
Danny Boley
@Anthony04x

Jym Henderson

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post Giveaway: Galaxy S4 Acase Supreme Pro Cases (5) appeared first on Android Fan Network.

Acase has created slim and sturdy dual layer case they call the Supreme Pro. It offers a rubber inner layer that offer shock and scratch protection, while the outer hard shell protects the phone from drops and bumps. It is currently offered in seven colors, and retails for around $25 on Amazon.

Acase Supreme Pro For The Galaxy S4

About Nick Morbidelli

Nicholas is a business major student who loves everything Android. Aside from smartphones, his hobbies consist of debate, ultimate frisbee, and sleeping.

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The post Galaxy S4 Acase Supreme Pro Case Review appeared first on Android Fan Network.