Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio for iPad Review: a truly fantastic tablet companion

There is something special about being able to transform an object into something else without staining its original appeal.

Many case manufacturers have attempted to turn the iPad into a fully-fledged laptop, but few aside from Logitech have really put forth more than a modicum of effort to think how best it would work. We’ve already looked at the excellent Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad, but the FabricSkin Keyboard Folio falls into a category of its own. It’s that good.

That’s because the keyboard itself is built into the case, so there is nothing to attach and no separation between objects; the keyboard is the case and vice versa. The keys are soft and mushy, but feel extremely responsive. The care taken to ensure the iPad is lofted and aligned at just the right angle is reassuring. And the quality of all the materials — from the soft rubber extrusion along the iPad’s perimeter which protects the screen from impact and dust, to the soft pleather exterior which feels great in the hands — is top-notch.

When closed, the keyboard cover resembles any other case, albeit one slightly thicker and heavier than the average. Logitech has taken care to ensure that the cover is a case first, and because the keyboard is thinner than average, the whole thing works out to be more compact than the average laptop.

One must decide whether the iPad, with its limited multitasking abilities, is really up to the task of being a laptop replacement. Certainly, iOS 7 promises some expansion of usability in this area, with background updates and an improved multitasking menu, but iOS was never designed to be a power user’s palette.

Instead, the iPad is a fullscreen Mecca for writers, bloggers or mind mappers, those looking for an empty canvas on which to lay down some verse. So many apps, from iA Writer to Byword to OneNote, offer truly excellent feature sets that rival any desktop app in features, and surpass them all in design.
All the traditional iPad controls, such as volume and mute, are accessible using the FabricSkin, and it’s easily charged with an included microUSB cord.  The keyboard is liquid repellant (though not entirely waterproof) so minor spills shouldn’t affect functionality.

The battery promises to last three months, though I haven’t been able to test that theory — it’s still going after two. There is a small LED light above the Delete key on the top right of the keyboard that denotes Bluetooth connectivity, charge status and any other messages the keyboard wishes to convey. One can change the volume, return to the home screen and move around the screen using the function keys on the top row of the keyboard, but users will still have to use the touchscreen for the majority of interaction.

It’s truly about the small details here. There is a magnetic latch that, when extended, “locks” the iPad into place. The only issue with this is that there is no room for maneuvering the iPad to another angle, and the screen somewhat crowds the top row of keys.

But those keys are something else: all the requisite iPad controls are present, and that Logitech was able to create not just a working keyboard but a superlatively performing one from a design like this is astounding.

The Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio is available for $149.99 from Logitech directly or major retailers, and is available in black (pictured), blue, red and yellow.

Apple testing larger screens for iPhones and tablets, says WSJ

Apple revolutionized the smarpthone when they released the iPhone 5 with a 4-inch display. Kidding. In all honestly, the larger display gave the iPhone user a greater smartphone experience. A few weeks ago there was a report by Reuters stating that Apple is potentially working on launching two new iPhones next year: one with a 4.7-inch display and the other with a 5.7-inch display.

News coming from the Wall Street Journal’s Asian supplier sources this morning that Apple is currently testing larger screens for iPhones and tablets, specifically asking for a “prototype smartphone screens larger than 4 inches and has also asked for screen designs for a new tablet device measuring slightly less than 13 inches diagonally.” WSJ noted that Apple declined to comment on the rumour and “Whether the designs will make their way to market is unclear.”

Apple, if the leaks are all true, is expected to release an entry-level iPhone this September targeted to those on a budget. This has been called the ‘iPhone Lite” and will come in a multitude of colours, including green, yellow, blue and pink. As for the next iPhone – possibly called the iPhone 5S – is also rumoured for a release in September and have the same design lines and screen size as the iPhone 5, just better specs.

Source: WSJ

Sony exchange offer: Get Rs 5,000 off on Xperia Z, ZL

You can get even more discount if your phone is valued more than Rs 5,000.

Following the footsteps of Apple, Samsung, and Blackberry, Sony too has started an exchange offer on its flagship Xperia Z and ZL smartphones.

The company is giving an assured discount of Rs 5,000 if you trade-in your old smartphone for the new ones. Sony is also bundling a free case worth Rs 1,990 with every Xperia Z and snap-on cover worth Rs 1490 with Xperia ZL.

You can also opt for 12 or 6 months EMI plans for these phones without any processing fee at select stores. The offer is valid till 15th August.

With this offer in place you will get the Sony Xperia Z for Rs 33,790 and Sony Xperia ZL for Rs 30,690, both the prices can be even lower if your smartphone is valued at more than Rs 5,000.

Sony Xperia Z and ZL comes with a 5-inch full HD display, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 13 megapixel rear camera and 2 GB RAM. Xperia Z is waterproof but ZL is not, though ZL is more compact and gets additional infra-red port which helps it work like a remote too.

iBall Andi 4Di with 4 inch display launched for Rs 5,995

Indian mobile phone manufacturer, iBall has launched a new Android 4.0 ICS based smartphone, called iBall Andi 4Di. The phone comes with a 4 inch IPS display with WVGA (480x800) resolution, 1 GHz Cortex A9 processor, and 512 MB RAM.

The iBall Andi 4Di has a 5 megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a front facing camera. The smartphone is powered by 1700 mAh with four hour claimed talktime.

The iBall Andi 4Di comes with 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and also supports GPS for navigation. It is priced at Rs 5,995.

Nokia To Release Video Trimmer App Exclusively For Lumia Windows Phone Devices

Nokia is planning to release a simple video trimmer app exclusively for Lumia Windows Phone devices. The app is already listed on Windows Phone Store, but not yet available for all of us to download. Expect it soon from Nokia!

App Description:

This app makes shortening your videos quick and easy, and works for all videos shot on Nokia Lumia phones with Windows Phone 8. Simply drag the slider to the start and end points then use the step controls to adjust the selection to the second.
When you’re done, save the video to your phone or upload and share it over WiFi or a mobile data connection, but be sure to check your network operator’s data charges first.

You can find it here from Windows Phone Store.

via: WPC

Nokia Partners With Zound Industries To Release Three New Affordable Headsets For Nokia Devices

Nokia today announced their partnership with Zound Industries produce a range of high-quality and affordable headsets under the Coloud brand for Nokia devices. They revealed three new headsets customized for Nokia which are called Boom, Knock and Pop. All these headsets comes with flat tangle-free cable to keep it from tying itself into knots in your bag. It also has integrated microphone and control key. These will be available from September costing €27, €22, and €18 respectively.

More details after the break.

Boom:

Boom is designed to ensure that any noises from the outside world stays outside, thanks to the smart closed construction. The large ear pads fit comfortably over your ears, while the padded rock-solid frame sits perfectly over your head – or around your neck when you’re taking a break from your favourite tunes.

Knock:

Knock is similarly styled to Boom in that it’s a headset with ‘cans’ – i.e. they cover your ears. Lighter than Boom, the design-awarded Knock has been made for those that like a more minimalistic style, but is still able to withstand what your life throws at it.

Pop:

Pop is the in-ear alternative, for those who prefer not to have something wrapped over the head or covering their ears. The angled ear-buds fit perfectly into any ear, thanks to the three different sized buds that come in the sales pack.

via: Nokia

Official Nokia Lumia 625 spec sheet leaks out, reveals LTE variant

Finnish publication Puhelinvertailu.com has leaked the official specs sheet for the unannounced Nokia Lumia 625.

The low-end but large-screened handset is likely to be announced tomorrow as part of Nokia’s “Something Big” announcement tomorrow.

The handset has a 4.7 inch Gorilla Glass 2 WVGA screen, 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor, 512 MB RAM, 5 megapixel rear camera with 1080P recording, and VGA front camera, and  is only 9.15 mm thick.

Interestingly the device is advertised out of the box as having BT 4.0 with LE support, and even more interesting is that the Rest of the World will have an LTE variant, while places like China and India presumably wont.

The handset is expected to sell for only $320 unlocked, but I suspect even at that price buyers will be looking for 1 GB RAM.

Do our readers think the handset is competitive enough? Let us know below.

Thanks Manu for the tip.

The blurry line between cyber threats and competitor lobbying

Ex-CIA chief and current Motorola director Michael Hayden has made waves recently, labelling Chinese telecom manufacturer Huawei a spy for China in an interview with The Australian Financial Review.

In the interview Hayden didn’t disclose any damning evidence directly tying Huawei to electronic spycraft, only stating that he had been briefed on the issue in a professional capacity and it was his “professional judgement” that ­Huawei has supplied sensitive intelligence to ­Chinese officials.

Hayden isn’t the first person to claim that Huawei is an electronic Trojan horse for the Chinese government. In 2011-2012, the company’s name was nearly synonymous with cyber warfare as it ricocheted through the news cycles with pundits and armchair analysts saying that if Huawei were allowed to build telcom infrastructure backbone in a western countries it would be a backdoor for Chinese hackers.

But all of this was without a shred of evidence. Nobody could produce a piece of evidence that tied Huawei and Chinese electronic intelligence gathering together beyond a reasonable doubt.

Backdoor, or bug?

At last summer’s DEFCON, Felix Linder of Recurity Labs made a presentation demonstrating how some of Huawei’s gear was riddled with security vulnerabilities. According to Linder, the firmware on Huawei’s AR18 and AR29 routers were left wide open to session hijack, a heap overflow and a stack overflow — all rudimentary hacks that have long been patched up by other vendors.

Speaking to CNET, Linder said that the problem lies in the use of “1990s-style code” by Huawei.

When asked about the possibility of Huawei collaborating with the PLA to install back doors, Linder said: “They don’t need to. You (just) need to have Huawei people running your network or help run your network… If you have so many vulnerabilities, they are the best form of (attack) vector.”

If Huawei’s gear isn’t sophisticated enough to be secure from the attacks of two decades ago, it probably isn’t sophisticated enough to contain hidden backdoors for the electronic intelligence wing of China’s military.

So how did Huawei get this reputation in the first place?

Manufacturing dissent

Huawei’s competitive advantage of lower costs is well known by its competitors. As Cisco can only beat the company on quality, not cost, it worked to paint its competition as a “Manchurian Candidate” through a combination of reports drafted by its public relations department and lobbying.

In late 2011, almost a year before the company’s name entered the zeitgeist as being synonymous with Chinese cyber spying, Cisco had started to brand the company as a threat to national security. The Washington Post obtained a document drafted by Cisco entitled “Huawei & National Security”, apparently delivered to firms considering Huawei equipment over Cisco’s.

“Despite denials, Huawei has struggled to de-link itself from China’s People’s Liberation Army and the Chinese government,” reads a selection of the document published by The Washington Post.

Fast forward to 2013’s congressional hearings about the possible security threat posed by Huawei and similar language appeared: “Throughout the investigation, Huawei consistently denied having any links to the Chinese government and maintains that it is a private, employee-owned company. Many industry analysts, however, have suggested otherwise,” read the congressional report.

According to lobbying watchdog OpenSecrets.org, Cisco’s lobbying efforts have increased dramatically in 2011-2012. During those two years the company spent US$2.75 million compared to $2 million in 2010 and less than $500,000 when it was the most valuable company in the world in 2000.

While Cisco categorically denies it has been lobbying against Huawei, its offensive may have more fronts than the hallways and offices of Capitol Hill.

“We’re going to make it hard on them in the U.S. and we’re going to be very tough,” Cisco’s CEO, John T. Chambers, said during a November 2011 earnings call. “We’re just going to try to make it as tough as we can on them, and we plan to beat them.”

It would be odd for a CEO to say his plans for the competition were anything less, but in this case it appears a pillar of Cisco’s marketing campaign included creating fears of a Manchurian corporation.

In many ways Huawei’s refusal to embrace transparency and proactive disclosure has strengthened the Cisco-Congress echo chamber, creating a nebulous line between PR campaign and legitimate national security threat. Huawei’s deficiencies, its struggles with some aspects of the manufacturing process, have been wrongfully categorized as malicious backdoors, a hole in the software that would allow hackers in, Charles Ding, a senior VP of the company, said to Congress.

“What they have been calling ‘backdoors’ are actually bugs in the software,” he said.

Sources: Australian Financial Review, CNET, Washington Post

Apple reportedly testing 13-inch iPad and possibly phablet iPhone

Apple isn’t dominating the smartphone business like it did in the past, but iPads are still ‘in’ and soon there may be a 13-inch iPad thrown into the mix to keep things fresh for consumers.

As the smartphone trend shifts toward larger display handsets, Apple has to adapt and do something to restore the prestige it once had when the iPhone brand dominated the smartphone scene.

Many speculated that Apple would eventually have to launch iPhones with display sizes that are in the ‘phablet’ realm (5+ inch).  As it turns out, people’s predictions aren’t far off from reality.  According to WSJ, Apple is currently testing out iPhones with display sizes that are larger than 4-inch.  Not only that, the Cupertino-based company is apparently also testing iPads with a display size of around 13-inch.

Apple has dominated the tablet market with its iPad line for many years now, and it appears as though the company is determined to stay ahead of the pack.  The same can’t be said about the iPhone as Samsung, Apple’s bitter rival from South Korea, has snatched the throne away from Apple and now dominates the smartphone market with a 33.1 percent market share.

News of Apple fiddling around with (hopefully) phablet-like iPhones shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.  What’s surprising is that Apple has, thus far, been willing to take a beating from its competitors in the smartphone space.  Regardless, it seems like an iPhone with display sizes bigger than 4-inch are inevitable.  It’s only a matter of time before we start seeing supply chain ‘leaks’ make their way onto the Internet.

What do you think?  Would an iPhone that’s an inch or two bigger than the current iPhone 5 help Apple keep its market share (perhaps regain some, too), or is it too late?

Sony Xperia Z Ultra coming to India by July 31st

After Hong Kong and Taiwan, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is going to be launched in India on July 31st.

Indian e-commerce website Saholic lists the Xperia Z Ultra as an upcoming handset and mentions that it will be available by the end of the month. The Xperia Z Ultra is going to be the first device in the country that comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 800 SoC. It has a 6.4-inch full-HD TRILUMINOS Display with the X-Reality engine in a shatterproof and scratch resistant housing.

It features a quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400 processor along with Adreno 330. Other hardware includes 2 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM, an 8 MP camera at the back along with a 2 MP front shooter. The device also features a 3,050 mAh battery and comes with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. This Xperia Z Ultra is dust-proof and water-resistant and is certified IP55 / IP58.

There are already a few 6-inch phablets in the Indian market today, like the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Huawei’s Ascend Mate. While these two devices are targeting the mid-tier segment, it is clear that Sony’s offering will be aimed solely at the high-end market.

The Xperia Z Ultra is set to cost Rs. 45,000 ($760), which is slightly less than what it costs in Hong Kong ($800) and Taiwan ($900). With the imminent launch of this device, Sony has slashed prices of the Sony Xperia Z from Rs. 38,990($660) to Rs. 34,490($590) and the Xperia ZL from Rs. 33,990($575) to Rs. 29,490($500).

Source: ThinkDigit

Rovio Account has now been rolled out globally for iOS

Rovio has announced that it has finally rolled out Rovio Account for iOS for worldwide markets, allowing users to save their game progress and pick it up on another device.

Rovio develops quite a number of titles for a variety of platforms. Its most popular creation has to be the Angry Birds franchise, which launched on iOS initially, but took the world and almost every platform out there by storm soon after that. Angry Birds titles are some of the most downloaded games on different platforms, all around the world.

Up till now users could not sync their progress between different devices. For example if they played Angry Birds on an iPhone and an iPad, each device would have its own specific game save. Users could not pause and save at a certain level on the iPhone and pick it up later in the day on the iPad. That’s now possible through Rovio Account. Rovio has been rolling it out over the past few months, they’ve announced today that the global roll out for iOS is now totally complete.

Rovio Account is currently only available on the original Angry Birds game and The Croods. Rovio says that the next step for them is to roll this feature out for non Angry Birds titles, and assures us that they will be doing it soon.

Micromax’s next device is called Canvas A240, might feature an octa-core chipset

A tweet from known Micromax leaker MMXNewscaster, said Micromax’s next device will be called the Canvas A240 and will likely feature MediaTek’s MT6592 octo-core SoC.

Micromax is currently ruling the budget Android market in India. However, all is not well as the manufacturer’s latest flagship, the Canvas 4, has not lived up to its billing. If the rumours are to be believed, all that is set to change as it looks like Micromax’s next device will feature MediaTek’s upcoming octa-core MT6592 SoC.

While there are no other details regarding the Canvas A240, it is likely to feature the  octa-core SoC. The MT6592 will be a true octa-core chipset, in that all cores can be active simultaneously. In contrast, Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa has only four active cores at a given time. MediaTek will use eight ARM A7 cores which can clock from anywhere between 1.7 GHz to 2.0 GHz. Already there seem to be alleged AnTuTu benchmark scores for the MT6592 that scores over 30,000, which is in the same vicinity as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800.

With the MT6592 slated for mass production in Q4, it looks like devices running this SoC will launch either in time for the holidays or early next year. In terms of hardware, the Canvas A240 could feature a 5-inch full-HD screen, 2 GB RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera along with LTE connectivity. Micromax has already mentioned that it is working on an LTE handset, so it is more than likely that the Canvas A240 could be the one.

Via: Gogi

Source: Twitter

Samsung Galaxy S3 caught running Android 4.3

The list of devices caught running Android 4.3 is increasing by the day. After the Galaxy S4 Google Edition and the Nexus 4, the Galaxy S3 is the most recent mobile to be seen running Google’s newest version of Android.

It looks like Samsung is ditching the 4.2.2 update for the Galaxy S3 altogether. A Galaxy S3 running a test build of Android 4.3 has been seen in the hands of someone who works at Samsung’s India R&D center. It is alleged that a team at Samsung India is working on the 4.3 build for the S3 while there are two more teams working simultaneously on getting the 4.3 Jelly Bean builds for devices like the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2.

With Google’s Android event scheduled for July 24th, it looks like manufacturers are working on ensuring that Android 4.3 Jelly Bean is rolled out to devices quickly.

Source: Temefy

Via: SamMobile

Fault for Windows Phone Facebook Messaging issue laid at Facebook’s door

Many readers have been complaining about recent extremely unreliable Facebook Messaging using the Windows Phone Messaging Hub.

It appears however that Microsoft is not taking responsibility for the issue, and pointing the finger squarely at Facebook, saying they will not be able to fix it due to “the external nature of the issue.”

Are many of our readers affected by this issue, and should Microsoft be working harder with Facebook to fix it? Let us know below.

Samsung's First Developer Conference Set For October 27th-29th In San Francisco, Covers All Samsung Products

These days, everyone want a platform and the developers that come with it. In the case of the consumer electronics giant that Samsung has become over the last few years, they've got severalplatforms, even if their most important one is standing on the shoulders of some giants in Mountain View. To expand the presence of Samsung in the developer community, the company has announced its very first developer conference, currently scheduled for October 27th, 28th, and 29th.

The Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) will take place in the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Though there will certainly be a heavy presence of Android and TouchWiz, the early press materials stress that this conference will focus on all of Samsung's developer relations. It's a company-wide event, spanning all relevant product lines. There will undoubtedly be panels and resources for developers focusing on Tizen, Windows, Samsung Smart TVs, various branded app stores and APIs/SDKs, and whatever it is that's powering those shiny brushed aluminum refrigerators.

Registration for the conference will begin "later this summer," and presumably include a price and a list of panels, both of which are currently absent from the rather sparse SamsungDevCon website. There's an email signup for anyone who wants to be the first in the digital door. Keen Android newshounds will note that the conference is taking place right in Google's backyard. Pretty cheeky, Samsung.

Placing the conference in the US is obviously a strategic move on Samsung's part. If it's successful, I wouldn't be surprised to see similar events held in Europe and Asia over the next year or so.

Source: SamsungDevCon.com

Reddit Now Updated To Version 2.0, Adds Card UI, Pull-Down Subreddit Menu, And More

we love us some Reddit apps, almost as much as we love the gaming cat meme cakes our Libertarian Atheist girlfriends make us from locally-farmed flour. We featured Reddit Now way back in January, and since then the developer has made some noteworthy changes as the app has updated to version 2.0. The app has been slavishly dedicated to Holo standards since its launch, but the new version includes a Google Now-style card interface, not to mention a reworked look on tablets.

  

The card interface works great, especially as it scales - smartphones will generally get one column of news while tablets get two or more. However, some of the more recent reviews say it looks cramped. Other notable additions: integration with Reddit's mail/messaging service, and improved handling of both entry comments and images. Subreddits now appear in a nifty pull-down menu - grab the "hamburger" slider for a quick list of popular pages, which can be customized with user settings. The somewhat heavy app has also been given a general tune-up, speeding things up in general according to the developer. Also, version 2.0 is the first that's officially out of the beta stage.

Reddit Now is a free download for most Android devices. The Play Store entry doesn't say exactly which versions are supported, but based on some of the devices we've got lying around, it appears to be compatible with Ice Cream Sandwich and later releases.

v2.0

Out of Beta! Version 2 of Reddit Now has been greatly improved.

• - Completely new "card based" interface
• - New tablet interface
• - Messaging (send mail and receive inbox notifications)
• - Subreddits now appear in a slide down drawer
• - Improved comment view
• - Faster image handling
• - Speed improvements throughout the app

Sparky Lock Screen Is Beautiful And Lightning Fast, Light In Features In The Right Way

When it comes to beautifying your phone, most of the options involve complicated modding procedures, installing sketchy software, or spending entirely too much time shuffling through configuration screens. Sometimes, all we need is a low maintenance option that does the hard work for us. To that end, Sparky Lock Screen is determined to deliver an ultra-fast, incredibly simple lock screen replacement that looks great without making you work for it.

Simplicity is obviously the driving force behind Sparky. There is but one option: which theme you want to use. That's it. No extended configurations, no toggling of checkboxes, no picking through pages of background images. Each theme is designed to play to the strengths of its imagery, so unlocking might be achieved by tearing the bottom of a ticket or sliding a dial to start the messaging app. You can test each lockscreen before choosing, which presents a brief instructional screen to show off the capabilities within the scene. The total lack of extensive configuration options may not appeal to the hardcore theming crowd, but that's not the goal here; it's about having a set-it-and-forget-it experience.

Sparky Lock Screen is currently only supported on phones, but judging by the Play Store description, a jump to the big screen is probably forthcoming. The graphics are crystal clear on my Nexus 4 and HTC One, and everything runs very smoothly. A lite version is available to try out for free with two sample themes: the Donut and Sketchy (1st and 2nd screenshots above). The full version can be had for $1.99 and delivers all 8 scenes. If you feel like a change of pace for your lock screen, this one is definitely worthy trying out.

T-Mobile's HTC One Getting Update To Build 1.27.531.11 – Better LTE And Stability In A Whopping 247 MB Package

The T-Mobile variant of the HTC One hasn't gotten an update since May, but the one rolling out now is not the fabled Android 4.2.2 out on the international version. No, this is still 4.1.2.

T-Mobile lists the following changes in 1.27.531.11:

• Software stability
• LTE and reception
• Processor enhancements

The update is 247MB, whereas the last one was 18MB. It's possible HTC made some other tweaks not listed in the changelog. Those camera and capacitive button fixes could be rolled in, for example. Although, that update was listed as a 1.29.X build on the other variants. Whatever is in there, 50% battery power is required to do the update, and rooted devices need not apply.

1.27.531.11 is starting to roll out now, and will be complete by August 9th. A manual update on HTC's site will reportedly be available, but it doesn't appear to be live yet.

[T-Mobile]

Wyze Launcher Intelligently Organizes Your Apps For You, But It's Not Yet As Wise As It Seems

App drawers suck. Okay, that may not be universally true, but for the sake of this hands-on, lets all agree on this premise. Once we install apps from the Play Store, it takes way too long to find them, and once we're done, it can be bothersome trying to remember which app we installed before that one. After a couple of months, that clean app drawer can grow to become six, seven, and even eight pages long. Most launchers now come with the ability to organize these apps into folders, but coming up with a manageable system of organization can be quite the pain. That's why Wyze Launcher promises not only to clean up your app drawer, but to take care of the organization for you. Does it work? Almost.

The Home Screen

The home screen won't surprise anyone who's already tinkered with a few third-party launchers. Four icons are placed at the bottom along with an app drawer button, the latter of which cannot be moved. Apps and widgets fit nicely on one of five home screens, and folders can be created by dragging and dropping. Changing the wallpaper is as simple as holding down on the background and selecting from the sources that appear.

 

  

The Drawer

Here is where the magic happens. Wyze Launcher presents two toolbars, one both above and below your list of apps. The top contains four categories: Main, Apps, Games, and Widgets. Upon first launch, Wyze takes several moments to read all of your apps and place them into the appropriate categories.

  

The toolbar at the bottom gives the options to search available apps, hop into the play store, toggle viewing settings between list or grid, and enable folders. The folders are automatically generated, and they are persistent regardless of whether the view is set to list or grid.

 

  

The Limitations

Unfortunately, the entire experience is pretty hit and miss. The amount of time Wyze takes to organize apps is a tad longer than I would have expected, considering how quickly Smart Launcheris able to create categories. In the beginning, it took quite a while before many of my games started to pop in, and I was stuck looking at only two seemingly arbitrary options. Unsurprisingly, some apps were unrecognized, but it was still pretty jarring seeing that some games were overlooked and left in the Apps section.

 

The distinction between Main and Apps isn't immediately obvious, but I assume the former is reserved for apps that come pre-installed on a device and aren't likely to be found in the Play Store, though this isn't entirely true given that Chrome was lumped into this section. Perhaps even more devastating, though, is the utter lack of a settings menu. If you want to customize Wyze further than what is immediately available, there is no means of doing so. The menu button in the corner can toss you out to your phone's Settings app, but not much else. Maybe such extra features would be too burdensome for the type of user Wyze is targeting, but I'm not sure that's realistic thinking.

 

Conclusion

Wyze Launcher is still in beta, so some of these problems may be subject to change. At the end of the day, the experience is stable, completely ad-free, and doesn't cost a dime. I'm not convinced that it's any less overwhelming than alternative launchers, including most stock ones, but it's still worth a look. It certainly is stylish, even if it lacks the degree of customization we're accustomed to seeing in competitors like Apex and Nova.