Here’s what the Oppo R7 will be like when the company unveils it next month

Oppo has a new champion arriving next month, and with as many leaks as we’ve seen going around we’d almost say there’s no reason for them to wait that long. It’s the Oppo R7, and it looks quite impressive.

From everything we’ve heard so far, the Oppo R7 will be one of the thinnest smartphones on the planet, if not outright claiming the title. It’ll do so with a form factor that’s just 4.85mm thin. To top that off the achievement won’t even require Oppo using a protruding camera lens.

One thing we’ve heard that will be a bit of a bummer is that the device’s battery capacity will have to take a hit as a result of its thinness, though Oppo’s VOOC fast charging technology should help alleviate some of the frustrations that come as a result. We’re hearing it’ll take just 5 minutes of charging to get 2 hours of talk time, and that the battery can be charged from 0% to 75% in just half an hour.

Another interesting point about the device’s design is the glass slathered over the front. Oppo will apparently use “2.5D” curved glass to make for a nice premium look, feel and effect. To be quite honest it all makes for a smartphone that looks quite “iPhone-ish,” but Samsung was able to borrow some design elements from Apple’s latest and greatest and they got by just fine.

Enough about the design — what about the specs? Prior rumors have put the Oppo R7’s specs in this rough ballpark:

• 4.7-inch 1080p display


• 20.7-megapixel rear camera


• Octa-core MediaTek processor


• 2000mAh battery

Doesn’t sound too bad on the surface, though we’ll obviously need more than just good numbers and good looks to see if it’ll be worth your attention come next month.

Speck unveils Galaxy S6 cases for their popular CandyShell and MightyShell lineups

Yesterday was a doozy in the land of mobile. We saw Samsung announce the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge. We saw HTC announce the One M9. And we saw a popular accessory maker strike while the iron’s hot as Speck announced their product lineup for all three devices.

There are 9 different cases total and the Samsung Galaxy S6 gets the majority of the love, with 7 of the 9 cases made for it and only the CandyShell Grip case being made available for the Galaxy S6 Edge and HTC One M9.

• Galaxy S6 CandyShell Case (.95)


• Galaxy S6 CandyShell Case + Faceplate (.95)


• Galaxy S6 CandyShell Grip Case (.95)


• Galaxy S6 Edge CandyShell Grip Case (.95)


• HTC One M9 CandyShell Grip (.95)


• Galaxy S6 CandyShell Card Case (.95)


• Galaxy S6 CandyShell Inked Case (.95)


• Galaxy S6 MightyShell Case (.95)


• Galaxy S6 MightyShell Case + Faceplate (.95)

These are iterations of previously available and quite popular phone cases that – if you haven’t taken notice of before – you may want to now.

The CandyShell Cases are the glossy, colorful cases with a hard outer shell that offer military grade protection:

The CandyShell Grip – the only one made for the S6, S6 Edge, and M9 – is similar to the CandyShell but it includes patterned rubber gripping areas that not only offer a cool look, but help make sure your sexy slim device doesn’t slip out of your hands.

Then you’ve got my personal favorite: the CandyShell Card. It securely holds up to 3 cards such as credit cards and your drivers license. Everyone I know who has this case absolutely loves it, which leaves me wondering why I’ve never owned one myself.

Then you’ve got CandyShell Inked which essentially offers a vibrant, printed design for a upcharge on the CandyShell and the MightyShell which offer 2X military grade protection for those with a rugged lifestyle or ultra-clumsiness.

A recent poll shows that 70% of our readers plan to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 or the HTC One M9… will you be buying one of these Speck cases to go along?

Google officially unveils Project Fi, a refreshing new wireless service [VIDEO]

Looks like the rumors were true, folks — this is Project Fi, Google’s wireless carrier. The Mountain View company laid all the details out on a brand new landing page today.

A lot of the details brought to surface by recent leaks seem to have been spot on. Here’s what to expect from each facet of Google’s new wireless service:

The Network

• Automatically identify and connect to the fastest and most reliable network, whether that’s a public or private WiFi hotspot, or a network of a carrier partner (Sprint or T-Mobile)


• All transmissions over WiFi networks are automatically and fully encrypted

The Plan

• Start with a basic plan of per month that includes unlimited domestic talk and text, unlimited international texts, low-cost international calls and WiFi tethering.


• Add data by the gigabyte at a rate of per 1GB.


• Don’t use all the data you added in a billing period? per 100 unused megabytes is refunded to you.


• International data costs the same at home as it does in 120 other international destinations (though you may be limited to 2G and 3G when abroad).

The Experience

• Calls and texts can be made over WiFi in case you don’t have cellular coverage.


• Calls can be routed from WiFi to cellular networks and vice versa without interruption if you happen to drift away from a signal


• You can also make calls and send texts using your phone number with any device that has Hangouts, including your tablet, a different phone or your computer.

Sound like something you want to be part of? You can head right here to request an invite to check it out ahead of its full launch.

There are a couple of caveats to note before you jump in head first. The first is that you’ll need to buy a Nexus 6 as it’s the only smartphone that supports the new technology Google is using to make this possible. The Nexus 6 you may already own from Motorola, Google Play or your carrier counts, or you can buy one when signing up for Fi service (Google will have an installment plan available if you can’t chalk up the full retail price at once).

You’ll also need to make sure Google’s carriers partners have sufficient service in your area, though this is no tall order as they’ll ask for your zip code before whisking you through the setup process. Google says you’ll hear from them within 30 days and that invites will be sent out in waves every week, so if you want in on Project Fi then that shouldn’t be an issue.

Those who ultimately decide to take the plunge will be able to port their existing phone number over if they so choose, though do note that this may come with a hefty early termination fee that Google is unsurprisingly unwilling to help you pay for.

So there’s only one question remaining — are you in? It all sounds very interesting, and if done right this move by Google could do a while lot to change the wireless industry as we know it. Let us know how you feel about Project Fi and whether you plan to give it a go by dropping a comment below!

Google unveils limited edition Skrillex cases with matching live wallpapers for select Android devices

In a somewhat un-Googley move, the internet search giant is unveiling a new line of specialty cases now available on their online storefront. The “Live Cases” as they’re being called were designed in collaboration with world-renown artist Skrillex and not only feature unique designs, but matching live wallpapers as well.

The companion live wallpapers will change in real-time throughout the day with visuals of the Earth or constellations at night. Why? Apparently this has something to do with a balloon satellite named after Skrillex’s dog that Google sent up into the stratosphere to photograph the images. Once the satellite hits earth, Google will actually have it signed by Skrillex and mailed off to a lucky Android fan in an upcoming Twitter giveaway.

The Skrillex Live Cases will grant owners with early access to an unannounced record from Skrillex’s OWSLA label on Google Play and updates about Skrillex delivered straight to their phone. The cases even have a shortcut button built into them that either take you directly to Skrillex’s YouTube channel, or can be customized to launch whichever app you like. Needless to say, these aren’t your typical “dumb cases.”

That being said, that kind of tech doesn’t come cheap and the Skrillex Live cases retail for around a piece. They come in 3 options — Space Shield, Circuit Bae, and Lil Planet — and are compatible with a very select few Android device (it’s still more than we expected). The Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S5, and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 are all included and can be purchased from the Google Store while supplies last and only until the end of June.

Skrillex is just the first artist Google will be teaming up with for these new limited-edition cases, with new “Editions” coming in the near future. We’ll be on the lookout.

[Skrillex Live Cases at Google Store]

Otterbox unveils stylish leather cases for the Samsung Galaxy S6

Otterbox has revealed a new case line that will add a lot of style to the company’s typical tough substance. It’s the Strada series, and it uses genuine leather wrapped around a sturdy dual-piece case to make for a very nice, yet protective case.

There’s a folio flap that will latch closed using magnets, as well as card slots on the inside sleeve and a slit for talking on the phone while the folio case is closed. If you’ve always been a fan of Otterbox protection but couldn’t stand to be seen with a bulky brick of a phone, this seems to provide that happy medium.

Of course, its price tag is a tough cookie to swallow, but it’s our exprience that Otterbox cases are worth every last penny used to pay for them. Head right here to order one — you’ll have a choice of Black or Burgundy — and fingers crossed that they release Strada cases for more phones at some point down the line.

[via Otterbox]