FAMILY TECH | MARK STOUT
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Mobile conference showed upgrades, but you might be fine with what you have Many times in the 1980s and’90s, wanted an Android phone and chose I thought it would be cheaper to have an LG G4, the upgrade from my phone. a drug problem than to be enam- I was delightfully astonished when I ored with computers. Technology was played with it. While it was a bit better changing so fast in desktop computers, than my phone, it was not enough to enthusiasts felt compelled to buy new provoke any envy on my part. I was still content with my LG G3. computers every couple of When Mobile World years. Congress drew near, I And they were not cheap. thought for sure I’d see a new You could not get out the phone from LG or someone door for even something that would make me feel like an Apple IIe or a TRS-80 disenchantment with my Model III for less than $2,500. phone. Held the week of Feb. I felt the compulsion come MARK STOUT 22 in Barcelona, Spain, MWC over me again when I bought my first smartphone in 2008. Long is where manufacturers show off this before my two-year contract was up year’s phones. And LG showed the LG G5. It had entitling me to an upgraded phone, I came to loathe my current phone and some amazing features. The mandatory pine for the latest and greatest phone. upgraded faster processor and a slightly There was always one that was much better camera. What was really cool was that you faster, had a better camera and less can switch out the battery without buggy software. Thankfully, that impulse eventually taking off the back. You can do it simply by sliding it out from the bottom. passed. You can also slide out the battery Computers got faster, and hard drives had more than enough storage. You and slide in a camera module that gives could actually go several years on the a wider view than the normal lens. same PC. My current laptop is about Another module gives improved audio. three years ago and meets my needs Third parties might come up with other quite fine. I’ve been known to have the innovative things to slide in. The easily replaceable battery got same one close to 10 years. My current smartphone, an LG G3, I my attention. I usually have to swap purchased more than a year ago. When out my battery once a day. Then it my son’s iPhone gave up the ghost, he occurred to me. You cannot easily
replace the battery if the phone is in a case, and I’m clumsy enough that my phone has to be in a case — a big, beefy, drop-resistant case. The screen resolution was the same as my phone’s and more than I really need. And while a future Android version might need the faster processor, the processor in mine is more than good enough. Don’t get me wrong. I love the LG G5 and would buy it if I was looking for a new phone. I was just gratified to realize for the first time ever that I’m going to finish out a two-year contract without counting the days to a new phone or loathing my current one. The G5 is a good phone, with the latest Android version and a fast processor to make it sing. It has two cameras, with 16- and eight-megabit resolutions. And its display is of higher resolution than any TV you are likely to have in your home. Samsung’s S7 phone has the same Snapdragon 820 processor and Android Marshmallow that the G5 has. It also supports very high screen resolutions. Either phone will do you well if you are looking for a new high-end phone. LG also brought out a few interesting accessories. They have a 360-degree camera similar to the popular Ricoh Theta S. One snap and you have a photo or video taken 360 degrees around you,
and over your head and feet. LG also released a remote-control ball. It is a small robot that you control with your phone. It rolls around the room, returning video to the phone. Other than for a little brother to torment a big sister, or to amuse your cat, I can’t think of a use for it. It also announced a virtual reality headset for its phones. Instead of putting the phone in a holder like Google Cardboard, LG’s headset has its own screen and cable to the phone. Most manufacturers had some sort of virtual reality product to show this year. This is the year of virtual reality. There will likely be a lot such devices under trees next Christmas. The big takeaway for me from MWC was that if you are dissatisfied with your phone, invest in a high-end phone such as the Samsung S7 or LG G5. It will likely keep you content for several years. And if your current phone pleases you, don’t feel like you are missing out on anything significant by not upgrading now. For links mentioned in the column or to share this column online, go to http:// www.familytechonline.com. For Mark’s contact information, visit markstout.info on the web.
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD Niro in “Once ____ a Time in America” 55. Club on a card, e.g. 57. Barely adequate 61. *Seven-time nominee Kate 65. Like a lemon, tastewise 66. *____ Cube outta Compton 68. Glittery stone 69. Place to throw shrimp on the barbie 70. *____ Heflin, Supporting Actor winner in 1942 71. With clear mind 72. Moore in “Arthur” and Belushi in “Animal House” 73. Paris in Tour de France, e.g. 74. *What the winner for Film Editing does DOWN 1. *Witherspoon won for starring in his biopic 2. Europe’s highest volcano 3. “Doggone it!” 4. *ABC did it to 2015’s Academy Awards show 5. Basket-making fiber 6. Orr’s score 7. *Like Max 8. Walk heavy-footed 9. Marketplace 10. Palm tree berry 11. Of higher order 12. Port in Yemen 15. Military units 20. Ritalin, e.g.
22. Deadeye’s forte 24. Make comprehensible 25. *Cate Blanchett’s 2015 role 26. Audience’s approval 27. Nut holder 29. *The two leads in 1979’s “Kramer vs. Kramer” 31. Not this 32. Happen again 33. More than one iamb 34. *It stars Stallone 36. This location 38. Great masters’ medium, pl. 42. Allegro and lento, in music 45. *Blacklisted screenwriter 49. Baden-Baden, e.g.
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51. *Firth, nominated for 2009’s “A ____ Man” 54. EVOO source 56. Imposter 57. Rand McNally products 58. UN civil aviation agency, acr. 59. As opposed to gross 60. *2001 Oscarnominated movie starring #61 Across 61. Direct one’s way 62. Sites 63. Leave on the cutting room floor 64. Kennedy and Turner 67. Campbell’s container
STAFFORD COUNTY SUN • www.insidenova.com/news/stafford/ • Friday, March 4, 2016
THEME: THE OSCARS ACROSS 1. Closet wood 6. Universal time 9. Baby’s first word? 13. Courtyards 14. Galley equipment 15. Two-____ like Janus 16. To eat greedily 17. “Much ____ About Nothing” 18. Give a speech 19. *Tarantino’s “The ____ Eight” 21. *Matt Damon’s nominated role 23. Party bowlful 24. Larger-than-life 25. *Competitor to The Oscars’ 2016 broadcaster 28. Mt. Everest to Earth 30. Like meters and kilograms 35. Foot curve 37. World’s Fair, e.g. 39. Get wool from sheep 40. Hard to find 41. Rekindled 43. “The Road Runner” corporation 44. Not hidden 46. Black Friday event 47. London subway 48. Moves down 50. Theories 52. Relieve from 53. *Oscar-winner De
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