Apple’s new iPad Pro is amazing, but iPadOS holds it back from its true potential

The term itself makes me cringe, but I fit the description of a “digital nomad” — someone who makes a living working online from various locations — to a tee. Well, I did anyway, until COVID-19 killed travel for most of the world. But before COVID-19 though, I was traveling out of my Hong Kong base at least once a month, and I’d work from random coffee shops around the world. And like any tech enthusiast, I’m always looking to upgrade my gear — in this case, I wanted my portable work machine to be smaller, lighter, even more portable.

This explains why I have such a fondness for great foldables. I dream of a future in which the phone in my pocket can fully double as my large screen work machine too. But foldables aren’t quite there yet, so for now, the only logical product that’d be considered more portable than a laptop is a tablet. That’s exactly the marketing angle Apple has used to sell iPads too — that the iPad, especially the Pro model, can replace the computer.

But the iPad Pro is also not quite there as a full time work machine for many people. The problem isn’t hardware — the new 2021 M1-powered iPad Pro has more processing power and a better screen than most laptops in the world right now. The thing holding the iPad Pro back is software.

Apple’s drawn-out, piecemeal transition plan for the iPad

Ever since the iPad’s existence, some people have tried to use it paired with a third-party keyboard for a portable work machine. But it wasn’t until Apple launched the iPad Pro in 2015, with a larger screen size and a first party keyboard case, that Apple itself pushed that idea with a series of ad campaigns. I, of course, was on board to try the setup, but I found it nearly impossible to do real work on the iPad Pro at the time because in 2015, the iPad still could only open one app at a time and didn’t have a proper file management system.

This changed with 2017’s iOS 11, when Apple gave the iPad version of iOS the ability to run two apps simultaneously in split-screen mode (with a third app hovering on top if needed), and a limited filing system that couldn’t even detect external hard drives or memory cards. It was around this time that I could somewhat use the iPad Pro as a work machine, though the experience was still more cumbersome than just using a laptop.

Apple further improved matters in 2019 by forking iOS into iPadOS, which offered a more information-dense home screen and support for external hard drive and mouse/trackpads. Paired with Apple’s expensive-but-excellent Magic Keyboard, the iPad Pro feels and looks like a laptop.

So Apple has been making progress to transition the iPad from literally just a super-sized iPhone that can’t make calls into something resembling a productivity machine. It’s just taking its sweet time.

How iPadOS holds this beast of a machine back

By now, most people should be aware that the new iPad Pro 2021 runs on Apple’s critically acclaimed M1 chip that threw a monkey wrench into the computing industry. From my personal testing, the M1 iPad did indeed blow all my other devices (i9 Macs, older iPads, 2021 Android flagships) out of the water in benchmarks and video rendering tests. But these are niche testing scenarios — how many people out there render multi-track 4K videos regularly, if at all? For normal iPad usage, it feels mostly the same as the 2020 or even 2018 model of the iPad Pros. This is great in tablet mode, but when I try to do work, iPadOS is still too limiting.

The homescreen is not truly free

Let’s start with the homescreen. iPadOS’ homescreen really is just a larger, wider version of the iPhone homescreen. You still must place apps or widgets in a conformed grid that goes top-down, left-to-right. I can’t, say, for example, just put all my apps at the bottom row and leave the top two-thirds of the screen free.

Multi-tasking

Then there’s multi-tasking. Being able to really open just two apps at once is too limiting for my current work flow. I am in fact typing this article on the iPad Pro now, and needing to keep Slack open takes up at least a third of the screen already. I can of course exit out of the app and still get notifications, but it won’t show me as “online” to my colleagues. I wish there was a way to open apps in floating resizable window, like you know, on every laptop or even some Android phones, so I can keep Slack running but have it take up less screen space.

iPad Pro running two apps in split-screen mode and third app hovering above.

Overly complicated filing system

Apples’ file management system (officially named Files) can be useful if you’re immersed in the Apple eco-system, because the system seamlessly blends in files from iCloud. For example, I love that I can access files on my MacBook’s homescreen directly inside the iPad’s (or iPhone’s) Files app (provided I have enough iCloud storage). But some basic computer tasks we’ve been doing for the past 20-30 years are still unusually complicated on Apple’s filing system.

If I want to download an image from a website or an email attachment, the default download method downloads to iOS’ iCloud drive and not to the iPad itself. If you want to do the latter (for offline access, or if maybe your iCloud storage is full), you have to first save that image to the iPad’s photo gallery first, and then only from there can you save it to the iPad’s local storage. It’s an extra task that requires five to six taps.

Limited external monitor support

Another new hardware upgrade to this year’s iPad Pro is that the USB-C port is now a Thunderbolt port, which allows it to transfer files faster and support more accessories. But external monitor support remains very limited, bordering on useless. As it is now, all you can do is mirror your iPad Pro’s display to an external monitor — you can’t extend the screen to get more screen real estate. Even mirroring is weird because the iPad Pro’s 4:3 aspect ratio doesn’t play nice with most monitor’s widescreen aspect ratio, so there’s some major pillarboxing — black bars on the left and right side – going on.

The iPad Pro 2021 is too powerful to be just an iPad

These software shortcomings that chain the iPad as still more of a “tablet” than a “computer” have been around for years. But it’s particularly frustrating with this year’s iPad Pro because they run on the same chip that powers the M1 MacBook Air, whose performance has garnered universal critical acclaim.

What’s more, on the 1TB model I’m testing, the iPad Pro comes with 16GB of RAM. All this power for a machine that still behaves fundamentally the same as an iPhone or older iPad?

The good news is, improvements to iPadOS are coming. Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is taking place in a week, and Apple will surely have updates for iPadOS.

However, the updates need to be substantial — like the rumor that Apple is bringing MacOS apps such as Final Cut Pro over to iPadOS. I personally want to see improved multi-tasking like floating resizable app windows or at least the ability to split-screen three apps at once. A free homescreen layout wouldn’t hurt either.

If the updates are incremental like the last couple of years, then this 2021 iPad Pro is like having a six-figure sports car but driving it only in stop-and-go suburb traffic. It’s nice to show off, but you have no real use of all that horsepower.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch

The 11-inch model of the iPad Pro may not have that Mini LED screen, but it still has the game-changing M1 processor and comes in a highly portable size.

Buy at Best Buy

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch

The screen on this 12.9-inch iPad Pro has to be seen to be believed. Add the M1 chip and this is almost too powerful for just an iPad.

Buy at Best Buy

Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 2021

If you want to use the iPad Pro to its full potential you will need a keyboard, and Apple's official Magic Keyboard has the best typing and trackpad experience on a relatively thin folio case.

Buy at Best Buy

The post Apple’s new iPad Pro is amazing, but iPadOS holds it back from its true potential appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3uuHJgp
via IFTTT

Microsoft Edge now asks you to switch your default search back to Bing

If you’re a user of Microsoft’s Edge browser, then you know that the default search engine is Bing. In fact, that should come as no surprise. What’s more surprising is that with the latest update, the browser is actually going to attempt to get you to switch back.

Here’s what you’re going to see. On first launch after updating, the prompt will say, “Use recommended browser settings”, followed by, “Get world class performance, privacy, and productivity as you browse with the latest Microsoft Edge – the best browser for Windows 10”. The two options are: “Use Microsoft recommended browser settings” with a note that the default search will be Microsoft Bing, and “Don’t update your browser settings”.

We noticed it on our own test units, but several users on Reddit are seeing it too. You can find a number of reports in the r/MicrosoftEdge and r/Windows10 subreddits. Missy Quarry reported it as a bug, but u/froggypwns, who is apparently a Windows Insider MVP, has an actual reason that this is happening. According to the user, it’s to reclaim your browser in case your search engine has been hijacked by malware.

This isn’t an entirely uncommon problem to have. Plenty of us have seen an issue where someone downloaded some free software and suddenly their default search is something that looks a lot like Google, but strangle isn’t. You know, the old Gooble and Wahoo search engines. The innocent explanation is simply that Microsoft is giving you a chance to fix something that’s broken and potentially dangerous.

Of course, it’s just an added benefit that the Redmond firm might get some added Microsoft Bing users from the change in Edge. Remember, all of your Microsoft Edge settings are supposed to sync between all of your devices. However, one of the only settings that doesn’t sync, and it’s be design, is your default search engine. If you want to use Google or something else, you’re going to have to change that on every single device you use Edge on.

We’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment on this, and we’ll update this article if there’s any new information.

The post Microsoft Edge now asks you to switch your default search back to Bing appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2SCy4Y0
via IFTTT

Which Samsung Galaxy laptops have 5G?

There are lots of reasons to want a cellular laptop. It’s more secure than connecting to public Wi-Fi, or maybe you just don’t want to end up on the Starbucks mailing list. Maybe you just want the convenience of being connected to the internet all the time, because you know, it’s 2021, and connecting to the internet shouldn’t be something that you have to think about. If you’re thinking about getting a 5G Samsung Galaxy PC, maybe because it works better with your Galaxy phone and tablet, we’ve got you covered.

Samsung makes a lot of great laptops, but the selection isn’t quite as wide as larger OEMs like HP, Dell, and Lenovo. Here’s what Samsung offers in terms of 5G.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360

Samsung’s brand-new Galaxy Book Pro 360 comes with Intel’s new 11th-generation processors, and the 5G model weighs in at just 1.1kg (the Wi-Fi-only model is 1.04kg). It’s thin and light, and it’s a convertible too. That means that you can use it to draw, take handwritten notes, and so on. And since you’re connected to the internet all the time, those handwritten notes will sync to OneNote, even when you’re on the go.

For some reason, all companies seem to hate adding cellular capabilities to 15.6-inch laptops, so 5G is only available in the 13.3-inch model. It also comes with an FHD Super AMOLED display, so you’ll get vibrant colors without the battery drain that comes with UHD. The panels are from Samsung Display, and they even come with UL’s Greenguard Gold certification for low chemical emissions.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360

Turn heads and turn around your work-life balance with the premium PC that converts to a top-of-the-line tablet. With a redesigned S Pen, a brilliant Super AMOLED screen, the latest Intel 11th Gen Core processor, Intel Evo certification and our latest wi-fi chip, you get the power to flip from getting work done to fun instantly.

See at Samsung.com

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex2 5G

That’s right — if the Galaxy Book Pro 360 isn’t up your alley, Samsung has another 5G convertible for you. It’s the Galaxy Book Flex 5G, and this one weighs in at 1.2kg. It comes with 11th-gen processors, an S Pen, and more. There’s even a world-facing camera on the keyboard deck so you can take pictures when using it as a tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Flex2 5G

Samsung's first-ever 5G-enabled laptop, the Galaxy Book Flex2 5G comes with a slim chassis along with its own S-Pen that can be stowed right into the laptop, so you don't lose it.

See at Samsung.com

That’s it for now when it comes to Samsung Galaxy 5G laptops, but it does have several 4G LTE laptops. Since all Intel-powered 5G laptops are sub-6GHz only, there’s not a big difference between 4G LTE and 5G speeds in the U.S. The following laptops have cellular connectivity, but it’s 4G LTE.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro

You might have wondered why only the Galaxy Book Pro 360 was mentioned when referring to 5G laptops. Interestingly, Samsung decided to put 5G in the convertible, but it only put 4G LTE in the clamshell. And once again, it’s only in the 13.3-inch model.

This one weighs in at an incredible 0.88kg, and it’s 11.2mm thin. Samsung didn’t compromise on the processors though, as it’s using Intel’s 11th-generation UP3 chips, up to a Core i7 and including Iris Xe graphics. It comes in Mystic Silver, Mystic Blue, and Mystic Pink Gold.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro

PC power that’s smartphone thin. Our lightest Galaxy Book yet gives you a powerful Intel 11th Gen Core processor, Intel Evo certification, an advanced AMOLED screen and comes equipped with our latest wi-fi chip. Finish important projects, download huge files fast or watch movies in brilliant color. Discover the perfect mix of portability and productivity.

See at Samsung.com

Samsung Galaxy Book S

Samsung’s Galaxy Book S is also a 4G LTE PC, and it packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx chipset. At its thickest point, it’s 11.6mm thin, but at its thinnest point, it’s just 6.1mm. It’s the kind of thin and light design that you’d expect from an ARM processor. What’s also nice about the Qualcomm chip is that 4G LTE comes standard; with Intel processors, you have to pay a premium. There is an Intel Lakefield model as well, which is Wi-Fi only.

Samsung Galaxy Book S

Samsung's Galaxy Book S is one of the thinnest and lightest laptops around, and with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx processor, 4G LTE comes standard.

See at Samsung.com

---

Samsung has been a Windows on ARM partner for two generations, first with the Galaxy Book2 and now with the Galaxy Book S. It’s moving forward with the platform, but it’s also introducing cellular connectivity to more of its laptops. That includes the Galaxy Book2 Flex 5G and the Galaxy Book Pro, both of which are Intel-powered.

If you want to explore more, check out our lists of best 5G laptops and best 4G LTE laptops.

The post Which Samsung Galaxy laptops have 5G? appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3uxzQa4
via IFTTT

HP Elite Folio Review: The best Windows on ARM PC you can get right now

HP’s Elite Folio is the best Windows on ARM PC. It has a form factor that blends laptop and tablet form factors without making significant compromises on either. Moreover, it takes the premium aspect of HP’s EliteBooks and puts it into this completely new product.

It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 processor, which means that you can also get it with 5G. HP actually sent me the 4G LTE model, but to be fair, the 5G model only supports sub-6GHz speeds, so it’s not all that different.

The hardware comes in vegan leather, a new take on the leather Spectre Folio. HP made some other tweaks too, such as having a metal keyboard deck and a pen garage built into the keyboard. Most importantly, the keyboard is phenomenal. If you’re comparing the HP Elite Folio to other Windows on ARM PCs, it blows them away. If you’re comparing it to other business PCs in its class, well, HP has some serious competition.

HP Elite Folio: Specifications

CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen2 5G (up to 3.0GHz burst frequency, 4MB L3 cache, 8 cores)
GPU	Qualcomm Adreno 690 Graphics
Body	11.75×9.03×0.63in, 2.92 pounds
Display	13.5″ diagonal, WUXGA+ (1920 x 1280), touch, IPS, BrightView, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 400 nits, low power, 72% NTSC
Ports	2 SuperSpeed USB Type-C 5Gbps signaling rate (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4) 1 headphone/microphone combo 1 Nano-SIM
Memory	16GB LPDDR4-4266 MHz RAM (onboard)
Storage	512GB PCIe NVMe TLC SSD
Audio	Bang & Olufsen, quad stereo speakers, dual array microphones
Webcam	720p HD privacy camera
Keyboard	HP Premium Collaboration Keyboard – spill-resistant, backlit keyboard Clickpad with multi-touch gesture support
Connectivity	Qualcomm Atheros 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2×2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 combo Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE Cat 16
Battery	HP Long Life 4-cell, 46 Wh Li-ion, 65W USB Type-C adapter
Color	Black
OS	Windows 10 Pro
Price	$2,063

HP sells this model preconfigured, except with a 256GB SSD, for $1,889. Interestingly, that 256GB model was actually the one that the company said it sent reviewers. Anyway, customized with the 512GB SSD, it comes out to $2,063. 5G will run you an extra $243 or you can save $201 by getting the Wi-Fi-only model.

There’s a $444 price difference between Wi-Fi only and 5G, and Qualcomm blames OEMs for these kinds of price hikes. The San Diego firm’s messaging is always that it wants cellular connectivity to be standard and that customers shouldn’t have to pay more for things like 5G.

Design: The HP Elite Folio is made out of vegan leather

If you’re familiar with the Spectre Folio, this is a different beast. Let’s start out of the gate with the color, because the Spectre Folio came in a brown that made the leather material obvious. The HP Elite Folio is made of black vegan leather, and it’s a lot more subtle.

Vegan leather also made for a cleaner design. With leather, there’s a lip around the edges, but vegan leather is easier to bond. It’s just the bottom of the device and the top of the lid that are vegan leather.

Stamped in the vegan leather is the premium HP logo, as opposed to the circular one you’ll find on mainstream PCs. That crease across the back is a hinge. When you open up the device, you can pop out the display to fold it in folio or tablet mode, and that’s where the display folds out.

The HP Elite Folio does not have an abundance of ports. On the left side, there’s a single USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port. Obviously, there’s no Thunderbolt port since this isn’t an Intel device.

It would be nice to see USB 3.2 Gen 2, but HP told me that depending on what’s connected, this port does support 10Gbps. It also supports DisplayPort 1.4, so you can connect 4K monitors on each port if you want. Yes, unlike Apple’s ARM PCs, Qualcomm’s can extend the desktop to more than one monitor.

On the other side, there’s another USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack. I do love seeing Windows 10 PCs that have charging ports on both sides, because strangely, it’s pretty rare. You’ll actually find Windows PCs with two charging ports on the same side, and then the OEM will make a Chrome OS variant with USB Type-C ports on both sides because Google requires it.

What’s cool about the design of this PC is that it’s unique but subtle. Personally, I think that when it comes to design as a whole, HP blows away its competition. So, let’s compare it to the rest of HP’s lineup. The Spectre x360, in my opinion, is the most beautiful laptop on the market by far with its two-tone designs. However, it’s too flashy to ever be a business laptop.

EliteBooks, on the other hand, are silver, which isn’t unique at all. It’s only the Elite Dragonfly that comes in a color, and that’s because it’s made out of magnesium instead of aluminum.

The HP Elite Folio is unique and pretty with its vegan leather design. But with the black color and the flat edges instead of the leather lip, it’s more subtle and works better in a business setting. And of course, it has a unique form factor.

Display and Audio: B&O audio and a privacy display option

The HP Elite Folio has a 13.5-inch 3:2 display with a 1,920×1,280 resolution. The 3:2 aspect ratio was popularized by Microsoft Surface, but it’s becoming more popular. We’re seeing it in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga, a device that I consider to be the chief competitor to the Elite Folio.

There are two display options. One is a 400-nit panel and the other is a 1,000-nit Sure View Reflect privacy display. HP used to say in its briefings that there are two kinds of people: those that need Sure View and those that don’t know that they need Sure View.

The idea behind Sure View is to prevent “visual hacking”. If someone tries to look over your shoulder, they can’t see what you’re working on. Sure View Reflect is the latest generation of that, and the company has put a lot of work into having the best privacy display technology out there.

HP sent reviewers an Elite Folio with the 400-nit panel, though. It’s a nice screen with accurate colors, but it’s not too bright and is tremendously glossy. Being that this is a product with cellular connectivity, it’s meant to be taken on the go; however, it’s a pain to use in direct sunlight.

The 3:2 aspect ratio is easily better for tablet mode than 16:9 was. It’s taller when using it as a laptop, and wider when using it as a tablet in portrait orientation.

The Bang & Olufsen speakers are quite good, particularly in terms of clarity. I was expecting some tinny sounds from this because of the form factor. But no, music sounds great, baseball games sound great, and most importantly, calls sound great. The HP Elite Folio is a business PC after all, so you’re going to be using it for calls.

Here’s the bad news, though: The Elite Folio’s webcam is awful. It’s only 720p, a real shame for a brand-new product that’s released a year deep into a pandemic that left so many people working from home that we started hearing terms like “the new normal”, “hybrid work”, and “work from anywhere”. And even though it’s HD resolution, it’s just not particularly good. Even in decent lighting, it seems like the video is grainy.

The webcam is in the top bezel, of course, and it has a privacy guard. There’s a switch above it to close the physical guard, so you don’t have to worry about putting tape over it if that’s your thing.

Keyboard and Touchpad: The HP Elite Folio has the best keyboard around

I mentioned that I think the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is the chief competitor to this PC, and I actually believe that the X1 Titanium and the Elite Folio have the best two keyboards on the market. For years, ThinkPads held the crown for the best keyboard, but HP has worked really hard over the last couple of years.

This keyboard made its debut in the EliteBook 1000 series, and to me, it either dethroned Lenovo ThinkPad or they’re tied. Either way, you’re getting a premium typing experience with the HP Elite Folio. The keys are steady, and they have just the right amount of resistance. They’re accurate, and they’re comfortable.

With HP’s newest designs, it’s putting everything on the keyboard. For example, the power button is on the top-right. If there was a fingerprint sensor on this PC, that would be on there too.

It comes with a Microsoft Precision touchpad, which means that it’s fast, responsive, and supports all the gestures you’re used to. Of course, pretty much all modern laptops have a Precision touchpad, but HP was the last holdout. If you’re comparing this to the Spectre Folio, that did not have a Precision touchpad.

At the top of the keyboard is a pen garage, my favorite new feature in laptops. It’s similar to what Microsoft did with its Surface Pro X. It’s a flat pen that has three charging pins, so while it’s in there, it’s always charging. It’s also always with you but never gets in the way.

For example, a lot of PCs use magnets for pen storage on the side of a PC. The pain point there is that the pen can fall off while it’s in your bag. Pen loops were a thing for a while too, but the pain point is that it gets in the way of your hands when you’re holding it, even if the pen isn’t in the pen loop.

What’s cool is that companies are reimagining the Windows 10 tablet experience, at least from the hardware end of things. Devices like HP’s Elite Folio, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Titanium, and Dell’s Latitude 7320 Detachable are all designed with tablet use in mind, rather than just being laptops with 360-degree hinges.

Windows on ARM and HP software: It’s the first with a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2

When HP held its review workshop for the product, it compared the HP Elite Folio to devices like the Lenovo Flex 5G, Microsoft Surface Pro X, Samsung Galaxy Book S, and even Apple’s iPad Pro. Those are all ARM devices, and the reason I haven’t mentioned it so far is because if you’re considering the Elite Folio for your business, you’re much more likely weighing it against other premium business PCs. As I said, those include the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga and the Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable.

First of all, if you’re new to Windows on ARM, welcome. Announced at Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit in December 2016, Windows on ARM debuted with the first Snapdragon 835-powered devices a year later. In December 2019, the company announced the Snapdragon 8cx, the first SoC built from the ground up for PCs. And now, we’re on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2.

The big deal in 2016 was that Microsoft and Qualcomm announced that these PCs would be able to emulate x86 apps. This is a feature lacking from earlier Windows on ARM attempts, such as Windows RT. As it stands right now, Windows on ARM can run native ARM apps and emulated x86 apps.

Support for x64 emulation is available in preview and will ship for everyone later this year. However, as any reviewer will tell you, this review is based on what’s available now and not what’s promised in a future update.

You’ll see a performance impact with emulated apps, although it’s not nearly as bad as it used to be. Microsoft’s Edge browser and Office apps are native, so those run quite well. In fact, they’re pretty fast.

Probably the most notable app that’s not native is Google Chrome. If that’s the browser you need, you’re probably better off with an Intel machine. In fact, my sources have repeatedly told me that Chrome for ARM has been ready to ship for a couple of years now. Native Chromium builds for Windows on ARM have been available for over a year now. Even so, don’t plan on Chrome support arriving any time soon. Other common apps yet to arrive include Slack, and interestingly, most of HP’s business apps.

The HP Elite Folio comes with an app called HP QuickDrop. It lets you transfer files to and from your phone, although it has a file size limit of 50MB. It’s pretty useful, as I’m sure we’ve all been browsing our phones and wanted to access something we saw on our PC. After all, haven’t you ever been browsing on your PC and pulled out your phone to see what’s going on with the other, smaller internet? Sure you have.

What’s interesting is that HP’s business PCs usually come with a bunch of other business apps, like Sure Click, which is meant to protect you while you’re browsing. Presumably, these apps aren’t available on ARM just yet.

That’s an example of the state of Windows on ARM, though. Some stuff just isn’t ready. Adobe has a Creative Cloud app that you can use, but the only apps available are Photoshop and Lightroom. Meanwhile, now that Apple is switching to ARM, Adobe has released Photoshop and Lightroom, along with betas for Premiere Pro, Premiere Rush, Illustrator, After Effects, XD, and more.

Performance, battery life, and connectivity: 4G and 5G is great, but it would be great if it was standard

There’s not too much I can cover when it comes to performance that wasn’t talked about above. Native apps run great, emulated apps run decently. I also know for a fact that we’re going to see more native apps soon.

This model has a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 and 16GB RAM. In fact, to my knowledge, it’s only the second Windows on ARM PC to be offered with 16GB of memory after the Microsoft Surface Pro X. It’s really nice to see ARM processors in premium PCs.

The real problem is that if you put this up against a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga or a Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable, those are going to win in terms of performance. On top of that, they run all apps natively, because the entire world of computing is built around x86 (for now).

But ARM processors have their own benefits. One of them is battery life, and the HP Elite Folio has a relatively small 46WHr battery. Still, I was able to get 10 hours of real work done on it. The only emulated app that I run in my normal workflow is Slack. The rest includes Edge, OneNote, Skype, Microsoft To Do, and occasionally Office.

Another benefit that Qualcomm likes to tout is an integrated cellular modem. Indeed, a key feature is that 4G LTE connectivity and 5G connectivity don’t come at a premium, and this is a big differentiator over Intel. With Intel PCs, you always have to pay more for cellular. But as far as I know, the HP Elite Folio is the first Windows on ARM PC to be offered in a Wi-Fi-only option.

Still, cellular connectivity is pretty sweet. It’s 2021; everything should just connect to the Internet. You don’t have to worry about the insecurity of public Wi-Fi or ending up on the Starbucks mailing list. It just works.

For benchmarks, I used Geekbench 5, which is sadly the only benchmarking application that runs natively on ARM. It’s disappointing because Geekbench mostly tests the CPU, so it’s not a good measure of the overall performance.

HP Elite Folio Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga Core i7-1160G7	Surface Pro X SQ2	Samsung Galaxy Book S Snapdragon 8cx
801 / 3,150	1,333 / 4,055	794 / 3,036	726 / 2,909

As we know, Microsoft’s ‘SQ’ chips in the Surface Pro X are just tweaked Snapdragon 8cx chips. It’s no surprise that the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 is on par with the Microsoft SQ2. Still, you can see that the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga beats out the Elite Folio pretty easily.

Conclusion: Should you buy the HP Elite Folio?

The HP Elite Folio is hands down the best Windows on ARM PC there is. If you compare it to products like the Surface Pro X and the Galaxy Book S, it has the best form factor, the best keyboard, and more.

The big problem is that it’s not the best business PC. I love that we’re seeing the market trend toward actually good convertibles. Previously, Windows 10 convertibles were super awkward to use. They were heavy, and they were designed to be laptops. We’re seeing more that were designed with being a tablet in mind.

And HP sure pulled out the stops. Along with one of the best keyboards around, the HP Elite Folio packs top-end specs like 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage. It also packs features like HP’s Sure View Reflect privacy display, which is just awesome.

Let’s not forget that the battery life is great and it comes with cellular connectivity, up to 5G. I really wish they had it come standard, but it is what it is. If you’re looking for something that’s a little bit different and feels premium, the HP Elite Folio is it.

HP Elite Folio

The HP Elite Folio packs a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 processor, a top-end keyboard, vegan leather, and more.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at HP.com

The post HP Elite Folio Review: The best Windows on ARM PC you can get right now appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3i2WpRy
via IFTTT

Do you actually use any digital wellbeing apps to manage your smartphone use?

The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently altered the way many of us do work. For those who have shifted to working from home, separating your work and personal life has been a challenge. In addition, lockdowns have seasoned us to spend most of our time in front of a screen, and it’s easier than ever to go down a rabbit hole, especially from the comfort of our smartphones. There’s no doubt that our smartphone affinity has been detrimental to productivity and mental health. That’s why companies like Google and Apple have been working — even before the pandemic — on features that help us keep our smartphone use under check. Android’s Digital Wellbeing has received much of Google’s attention, but let’s be honest, do you even use the feature?

Google introduced Digital Wellbeing as a standard feature in 2018, starting with the Pixel devices running Android 9 Pie. Since then, several features in the app have been added to help users set a target screen time and keep their attention away from distracting apps.

Android also lets users separate apps for work and personal use and even set a schedule for the work profile. In a recent blog post, Google says it has helped users find some peace of mind by separating personal and work-related apps without using two different phones. According to a study of 3,000 smartphone users worldwide conducted by an experience management firm called Qualtrics, 68% of workers use one phone for both work and personal reasons while 32% use two smartphones. The study further revealed that 70% of users prefer separating work and personal apps on their device and that people who do just that via a work profile tend to be more satisfied with their work-life balance (70% versus 63%).

On the other hand, we lack data on whether or not people are actually using Digital Wellbeing for their, well, wellbeing. That’s why we’re turning to you to tell us if you actually use it (or other services). I, personally, rely on Focus Mode to keep distractions away and Wind Down to help myself detach from my phone before sleeping. Admittedly, only seldom do I look at the numbers and insights that Digital Wellbeing offers about my screen time, the number of incoming notifications, or the time spent per app. To keep those numbers relevant, Google offers a couple of experimental apps with reminders to encourage a digital detox.

Companies such as OnePlus have also been making several efforts to keep users aware of their usage and take time off whenever necessary. Its Zen Mode has inspired many other brands to include similar options, while the Insight Always-on Display constantly reminds users of how often they unlock their phone. OnePlus recently released a new wallpaper app called Digital WellPaper to help you stay conscious of your phone usage by reminding you of the time you spend on different apps. These tools at our disposal can really help manage our usage of smartphones better. Do you agree?

What are your thoughts on apps and services that help you improve your digital wellbeing? Let us know in the comments below! 

The post Do you actually use any digital wellbeing apps to manage your smartphone use? appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3oZUej0
via IFTTT

Best Smartphone Cameras of 2021: Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus — We’ve tested them all!

Picking the phone with the best camera used to be an easy exercise. In the early days of the smartphone, the iPhone’s camera was leaps and bounds better than Android offerings. Then big-name Android brands caught up and for a couple of years in the mid-2010s Samsung held the crown. Towards the latter part of the decade, I’d say Google and Huawei each dominated the software and hardware part of mobile photography respectively. But starting around 2019 or so, other brands — mostly Chinese — stepped up their digital imaging game by investing more resources; Apple paid more attention to computational photography; Samsung took a page or two out of Huawei’s book in terms of camera hardware.

Brands got innovative and creative across the board. So mobile cameras today have become so capable and diverse that it’s impossible to just say one phone is the absolute best, as all of the best smartphones have great cameras — many with a unique trick or two. So the best way to evaluate these cameras is to break them down into different shooting categories.

We here at XDA have tested almost every smartphone that sees release — even the obscure, China-only ones — and here’s our breakdown on the best cameras for each specific need.

Navigate this article:

• Best camera system for versatility: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
  • Also great: Huawei P40 Pro Plus
• Best camera for daytime photos: Google Pixel 5
  • Also great: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
• Best camera for nighttime or low light photos: Vivo X60 Pro+
• Best camera for portraits: Google Pixel 5/Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
• Best ultra-wide camera: OPPO Find X3 Pro/OnePlus 9 Pro
• Best selfie camera: Vivo V21
• Best zoom cameras: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Best camera for video: iPhone 12 series
• Best camera software and features: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
• Conclusion

Best camera system for versatility: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the apex smartphone, so it makes sense that its camera system is the most versatile camera. Its 108MP camera produces super sharp and vibrant photos — and if you get close enough to a subject, there’s even a nice natural bokeh effect too. The 12MP ultra-wide has one of the widest field-of-view around without noticeable distortion, making it ideal for landscape photos or cinematic videos; and there are not one but two zoom lenses that cover both, short zoom (3x telephoto) and long zoom (10x Periscope). Throw in the laser autofocus and a pixel-dense 40MP selfie camera, and this is a camera system that uses the absolute latest and most cutting-edge in mobile camera tech. But words can only say so much — we’ll let these photo samples do the talking.

It’s not just hardware though; Samsung’s camera software and image processing has improved to make the shooting experience better. Bring the Galaxy S21 Ultra close to an object for example, and the very good macro mode automatically kicks in. Shoot in low night scenarios, and night mode turns on automatically. Zoom to 50x and beyond, and the “Zoom Lock” feature enables the viewfinder to stay still despite shaky hands — this feature is useful for shooting the moon.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra camera system isn’t perfect — it tends to oversharpen selfies, and there’s an ever-so-subtle shutter lag; but still, if you want the best overall, most versatile system that doesn’t fail in any single category, this is the system, with only the next phone on this list reasonably within range to challenge the throne.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

With four cameras covering every spectrum of the focal length and some intelligent shooting modes, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the most versatile camera system around.

View at Samsung

Also great: Huawei P40 Pro Plus

Even though it’s over a year old, we’re giving a shout out to the Huawei P40 Pro Plus here because most of the things that made the Galaxy S21 Ultra camera so great were first seen in this smartphone, including the 10x Periscope zoom camera and the use of a secondary shorter 3X telephoto zoom. In fact, the Huawei P40 Pro Plus is still a superior low light performer than the Galaxy S21 Ultra thanks to its larger image sensor and RYYB filtering array, but the Huawei P40 Pro finishes second in this category because it’s a one-year-old phone using an older ISP, its zoom stabilization beyond 10x or so lags behind the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and the lack of GMS makes the phone a hard sell for most readers. Still, it’s worth crediting the phone that essentially did all the things Samsung is doing now a year before.

Huawei P40 Pro Plus

The Huawei P40 Pro Plus was the most capable smartphone camera of 2020, and if not for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, it'd still hold the title today.

View at Amazon

Best camera for daytime photos: Google Pixel 5

This category was very tough to decide, because every recent phone from established brands, even mid-tier models, performs very well during the day. And honestly, choosing a winner for this category, more than any of the other ones in this article, is a subjective exercise. But ultimately, we chose the Google Pixel 5 for several reasons: we like its color science the best, and the Pixel 5 is arguably the most mistake-free camera in the Android space if you just want to point and shoot without much thought.

Of course, a Galaxy S21 Ultra and Mi 11 Ultra with their newer more capable hardware can capture photos that are noticeably sharper if you pixel-peep on a monitor. But both of those phones have a minor shutter lag that has made us miss the occasional shot of moving subjects. And while the cameras of the OnePlus 9 Pro, OPPO Find X3 Pro, and Vivo X60 Pro Plus produce brilliant colors, their HDR can be a hit or miss, especially when shooting against backlight. As for the iPhone? We just find the color science a bit too warm and “plain” for our taste, and its portrait mode is not as sensational as the Pixel’s. Google’s computational photography is still the smartest of the bunch, even if its camera hardware is a bit long in the tooth.

Google Pixel 5

The Google Pixel 5's camera sensor may be several years old, but it's still backed by the best computational photography algorithms around that allows it to capture excellent portrait shots and day time photos.

View at Amazon

Also great: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

We chose the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra over other strong contenders because its main camera has the largest image sensor size (1/1.12″) of all released phones right now (Sharp’s Aquos R6 has an even larger sensor but it’s not officially on sale yet). That larger sensor has a shallower depth-of-field, which results in photos or videos with a natural bokeh effect if there’s an object/subject in the foreground. It’s a pleasing aesthetic that looks closer to photos produced by a real camera.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

The main camera of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra features the largest image sensor in the smartphone industry right now, allowing it to take in a lot of light and produce natural depth-of-field background separation between subject and backdrop.

View at Xiaomi

Best camera for nighttime or low light photos: Vivo X60 Pro+

Vivo isn’t exactly known for making great main cameras, so imagine our surprise when the Vivo X60 Pro Plus outperformed all the other phones on this list in nighttime or low light photography.

Most of the magic is due to the fact the Vivo X60 Pro Plus uses the 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 with a large 1/1.3” sensor, which up until the Mi 11 Ultra’s release was the largest image sensor on the market. In fact, Xiaomi’s phone uses a newer version of the same ISOCELL sensor, but Vivo’s software has done a better job of fine-tuning colors and dynamic range in our testing. For example, in the below set of photos captured without night mode in a dark bedroom with only a bit of light peeking from the window, notice Xiaomi’s camera totally blows out the light from the outside. And while Samsung’s image looks like it holds up well at a glance, examine closer and you’d see Vivo’s image has less noise, more details, and better illuminated the dark corners of the room (like the plastic cabinet on the left side of the window).

For general night photos out in the city, the Vivo X60 Pro Plus produces noise-free, sharp, and vibrant images — again, without the need to resort to night mode.

Here’s another sample of the low light prowess of the X60 Pro Plus, as it crushes the Galaxy S21 Ultra in terms of purely pulling in light.

Vivo X60 Pro Plus

The Vivo X60 Pro Plus' main camera excels in low light thanks to its large sensor excellent software optimization.

View at Amazon

Best camera for portraits: Google Pixel 5/Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

Google’s computational photography is second to none, as evident by the fact that for years, its Pixel phones were able to produce the best portraits with a bokeh effect despite using only one camera (while other phones marketed the use of a dedicated depth sensor for the task).

However, Google hasn’t bothered to upgrade its camera hardware in years and it shows, as the Pixel 5’s bokeh prowess — however great it may be — hasn’t changed from the Pixel 4 or Pixel 3 for that matter. In 2021, camera hardware has advanced to such a degree that just software isn’t always enough. And so we’re making this category a tie between the Pixel 5 and the Mi 11 Ultra.

The Pixel is still the best if you want an image of a subject with convincing background blur — and the fact that the Pixel can produce said blur around both living and inanimate objects gives it a leg up over, say an iPhone, whose portrait mode really only works on humans and some mammals. Below are some more portrait mode samples captured by the Pixel 4 or 5.

But the Mi 11 Ultra’s gigantic, almost 1-inch sensor allows it to produce a natural depth-of-field that’s superior to other cameras, as evident by the set of photos below. I took all three photos without portrait mode, with a focus on the Sony camera’s lens. Notice the iPhone 12 image appears flat, without much depth-of-field.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera seems to have done just as good a job as the Mi 11 Ultra, but zoom closer and Xiaomi’s camera did a clearly superior job of keeping the subject in focus.

Mi 11 Ultra (left); Galaxy S21 Ultra (right).

The best part about the Mi 11 Ultra’s natural bokeh is that it will show even in videos — just see the difference in background separation between the stills below.

Best ultra-wide camera: OPPO Find X3 Pro/OnePlus 9 Pro

When I reviewed the OPPO Find X3 Pro back in March, I said it had the best ultra-wide angle camera I’ve ever tested. Less than a month later, another phone’s ultra-wide matched that performance — by using the exact same sensor (and likely manufactured in the same assembly line).

That 50MP Sony IMX 766 sensor uses freeform lens technology to allow for distortion-free ultra-wide images, and both brands have done a magnificent job of fine-tuning the sensor to fit into its system. Color sciences differ slightly, but for the most part, they produce very similar ultra-wide shots that are sharper than Samsung’s and Apple’s ultra-wides.

Because the Find X3 Pro and OnePlus 9 Pro’s ultra-wide sensors are so pixel-dense, they keep enough details to keep pace with the main camera. I love that with both of these phones I can capture a standard wide photo and then an ultra-wide and know the two photos will be consistent in sharpness, dynamic range, and color science.

OPPO Find X3 Pro

The OPPO Find X3 Pro's ultra-wide camera captures very sharp and vibrant photos that don't exhibit distortion or significant loss of details.

View at Amazon

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro's ultra-wide camera uses the exact same sensor as the OPPO Find X3 Pro's -- so expect the same excellent ultra-wide photos.

View at Amazon

Best selfie camera: Vivo V21

Vivo’s V series has always prioritized the front-facing camera above all else, and the Vivo V21‘s 44MP selfie camera with two flashes and OIS takes the crown here.

It’s not just hardware, however — Vivo’s selfie software also offers granular controls, from the level of background blur to several different flash lighting options to an excessive beautifying mode that can apply digital makeup. Notice in the third and fourth picture of the below samples, I shot against a very harsh backlight, but the selfie still managed to highlight my face without blowing out the backlight.

The in-built OIS reduces potential blurry shots during low light selfies (when the camera either slows shutter speed or turns on night mode), or walk-and-talk style vlogs.

Best zoom cameras: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Galaxy S21 Ultra at 30x with zoom lock enabled.

As we already spoiled in the “Best Overall” category, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has the most capable zoom system around. In the sample below, whether it’s 10x, 30x, or 50x zoom, the Galaxy S21 Ultra produced a sharper, less noisy image than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, whose own zooming prowess is no slouch.

As mentioned, the Huawei P40 Pro Plus actually pioneered most of the zooming tech used in the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and for the most part, both camera systems are neck and neck in terms of zoom shot quality. However, the Galaxy S21 Ultra takes the win because of the “Zoom Lock” software that automatically keeps the viewfinder still when zooming beyond 10x.

Best camera for video: iPhone 12 series

The iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Mini.

Most flagship smartphones can capture high-quality videos now, but the iPhone 12 series still takes the win because it has the best combination of stabilization, the ability to adapt to changing exposure, and the option to shoot in Dolby Vision. The iPhone’s superior stabilization is most noticeable at night when iPhone footage exhibit fewer micro-jitters compared to Android counterparts.

iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 -- along with other phones in the 12 series -- can shoot vibrant and stable 4K videos at up to 60fps. If you've got the screen that can handle the content, the iPhone 12 series can also shoot footage in Dolby Vision.

View at Amazon

Best camera software and features: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

If we’re talking about just the UI of the camera app, how easy is it to cycle through different shooting modes? How responsive is the camera? I’d give the win to the OnePlus’ camera app. But once we factor in additional features that produce a different image, then I don’t think any camera software right now comes close to Xiaomi’s.

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 and its camera app has a comprehensive manual mode with focus peaking, a histogram, and quick dials to adjust ISO and shutter speed. The regular camera interface is easy to use with all the key buttons including zoom dial and selfie camera swap within thumb’s reach. But it’s the additional shooting modes that make the software so fun to use. For example, Xiaomi’s camera app includes an “AI Sky Editor” that allows the user to add a filter to any photos that are showing the sky.

This feature could have easily been tacky and garish, but the results are actually quite realistic and aesthetically pleasing.

Another fun trick is clone, which lets most recent Xiaomi phones quickly clone multiple instances of the same subject in one shot. Sure, there are computer photo editing software and perhaps even apps that can do the same tricks, but Xiaomi having these features built into the camera app makes it so much more accessible.

The clone feature is part of Xiaomi’s camera app.

It works with both photos and videos.

---

Conclusion: Smartphone cameras are getting really, really good

There’s a popular saying: “the best camera is the one you have with you.” For almost all of us, that would be the smartphone camera — and we’re blessed to live in an era when smartphone cameras have grown so capable. Sure, professional photographers will always scoff at the idea of a smartphone ever able to replace the need for a real camera. But for most people, that’s already the case. When you travel to a tourist spot — do you see more smartphone cameras or DSLRs?

Obviously, if you want the most versatile system that covers all the bases, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the one to get. However, if you’re okay with saving some money, the Vivo X60 Pro Plus‘s cameras are almost as capable — and it performs better at night. Likewise, if you’re a longtime iOS user and don’t want to switch, the iPhone 12 series is still a highly polished camera with some of the best HDR technology around.

The thing is, 2021 is not even half over — there will be more phones to come. And if any of the upcoming releases outperform phones on this list, we’ll update accordingly. So check back regularly to keep up to date on this competitive mobile camera arms race.

The post Best Smartphone Cameras of 2021: Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus — We’ve tested them all! appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3fRicJb
via IFTTT