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How would you change LG's Optimus 4X HD?
A year is a long time in technology, and reading back through the reviews of LG's Optimus 4X HD, it's clear to see a company in transition. Spool forward a few months, and the Optimus G and Nexus 4 has pushed the Korean giant back into the ascendancy. Still, we need to grapple with the 4XHD, which we said had a frustrating camera, underwhelming display and poor battery life. You've had several months to toil away at this device now, so it's time to ask -- did we get it right? That's what How Would You Change is all about.
How would you change Nintendo's 3DS XL?
Nintendo's 3DS XL had a bigger screen, was more comfortable to hold and doubled its internal storage. What did it lack? No secondary analog stick, a compelling digital content offering and any sort of oomph under the hood. Those three were nearly deal breakers for our reviewer, who said the handheld was good, but not enough to convince you to upgrade. But was our own Mr. Smith right to damn the console with his faint praise? Share your experiences of owning this device with us in the comments below.
How would you change Samsung's 13-inch Series 9?
It's rare that a device gets the personal seal of approval from our reviews chief, but that's the the hallowed ground that Samsung's Series 9 gets to stand upon. It earned praise for its excellent build, battery life, display and performance, and our only gripe was a trackpad that needed a software tweak or two. The question is, outside of our testing laboratory, did it hold up to scrutiny? Did you buy one on our suggestion, and if so, how have you found it? Welcome to How Would You Change.
How would you change LG's Optimus L7?
When we reviewed LG's Optimus L7, we compared it to BMW's 328i, saying that it was pitched as an entry-level car that could satisfy power-hungry buyers -- but really, that was very unfair on the vehicle in question. The problem with this particular phone is that while it promised to be a stylish low-price handset, the hardware inside didn't match its sleek exterior. Poor performance, bad voice quality, flaky touchscreen, slow data transmission and a lack of 3G bands for roaming meant that we suggested you look elsewhere. Still, what we want to know is did you agree with our reviewer? This is How Would You Change, so share your technical insight with us all.
How would you change Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD?
Yes, it's basically a trojan horse, convincing you to buy stuff from Amazon's online store, but at least it's beautiful. HD display, stereo sound and decent hardware propelled the Kindle Fire HD to second place when it first came out, right behind the original Nexus 7. Still, this is "How Would You Change," where we ask you to pretend that Jeff Bezos is listening to your ideas and show the world your innovative ideas on where the company can improve matters for generation three.
How would you change Vizio's 14-inch Thin + Light?
Vizio (yes, that one) decided to launch itself head-first into the laptop market with the 14-inch Thin and Light, a staggeringly beautiful piece of hardware. Sadly, what it lavished on a full-metal chassis, SSD and high-res display wasn't matched in the battery and keyboard / mouse department. That's why, as much as our reviewer wanted to love the hardware, it wasn't to be. For those of you who know and love Vizio's TVs and couldn't resist trying one out -- what did you think, and what do you think the company should do better the second time out?
How would you change Lenovo's IdeaPad U310?
Fussy about boot times, carry-weight or weak battery life? Then you probably gave Lenovo's IdeaPad U310 a wide berth. The thing is, aside from those flaws, it was otherwise a very solid Ultrabook for those whose wallets couldn't stretch to a premium model. We want to know, did you buy one? If so, what did you think of it, and let's imagine you were dreaming up a budget Ultrabook -- what would you change?
How would you change the Droid Incredible 4G LTE?
Last summer, Verizon users who wanted an LTE-capable flagship had a stark choice: Samsung's Galaxy S III, or the Droid Incredible 4G LTE. When we reviewed the latter handset, we found it comfortable in the hand, with a pretty display, but lamented the fact that the carrier insisted upon its own variant, rather than sticking with the beloved One X. But did those Big Red-enforced tweaks ruin this handset for you? Here's the moment to share your experiences with this device, tell us what you loved, loathed and, if someone was listening, what would you change? Update: Perhaps we had Motorola on the brain, but of course the Droid Incredible 4G LTE is made by HTC. Thanks to everyone who pointed it out!
How would you change Samsung's Series 9?
It's not that many devices that we ever really go to bat for, but Samsung's Series 9 Ultrabook has a small place in our heart. When we reviewed the mid-2012 refresh, we could only find a few problems -- the flaky trackpad, the limited storage options and the fact it was a bit on the pricey side. We've known for a while that Samsung's product engineers scour your comments for useful suggestions, so if you bought one of these, why not share your experiences with 'em?
How would you change Maingear's Pulse 11?
Gaming laptops are tricky beasts to review, since you're naturally sacrificing those normally cherished qualities (battery life, portability) for pure performance. When your humble narrator reviewed Maingear's Pulse 11, we found that its hulking insides were only let down by a slightly awkward keyboard and a weak trackpad. In fact, as an eleven-inch premium gaming machine, we were staggered, and as long as you bring along some peripherals, we had no reservations about recommending one. Then again, we didn't live with one of these for the better part of six months. As such, we need to turn to our readers and ask, if you own one of these, what do you love, what do you loathe and most importantly, what would you change?
How would you change Dell's XPS 14?
Dell's XPS 14, like the 13-incher that preceded it, presented us with an ice-cool design that showed the company's artists had worked overtime on getting the small things right. That said, it was a little sluggish in the performance stakes, and while it didn't set our socks on fire, it was at least a solid purchase. Welcome to How Would You Change, where we delve into the gadgets that were loosed upon the world six months ago and determine what you loved, loathed and what you'd have done differently.
How would you change the Nexus 7?
Google's Nexus 7 has a rather colorful life story. It started out as the ASUS MeMO ME370T, until a sharp-eyed Google executive decided that it was ripe for a Mountain View makeover. When Andy Rubin and friends were done, it had Android 4.1, whip-smart internals and, best of all, it cost under $200. As such, it's perfect, right? Well, that's what we want to know. We've been toting these units around since last summer, and that means it's high time we asked you what you loved, hated, and more importantly -- what would you change?
How would you change Nokia's 808 Pureview?
Nokia's 808 PureView. It's a Symbian phone... but it's got a magical camera. It's a Symbian phone... but... that lens! You can imagine the wrangling when people were deciding if they wanted to buy one of these last summer. On one hand, it was running a Zombie operating system with weak internals. On the other, it had a camera sensor that took truly beautiful images. So, for the merry few of you who purchased this handset, what was it like to use on a daily basis? Normally, we'd ask you to chime in with suggestion on how you'd change it, but let's be honest. If Nokia slapped this 41-megapixel sensor on a Lumia 920, we'd have difficulty looking at anything else.
How would you change ASUS' Transformer Pad Infinity?
ASUS' Transformer Pad Infinity's awkwardly timed announcement sent a fair few Transformer Prime buyers into fits of apoplexy -- after all, it was just a few weeks after the Prime went on sale. Fortunately, the company didn't release the Infinity for some time, but was it worth the wait? Our reviewer felt that its delayed journey to the market meant everyone else had a chance to get beyond it, meaning that the discounted Transformer Prime was enough for anyone who didn't mind the odd GPS brownout. But what about if you bought one? Do you feel the same way? Settle down on the sofa and play armchair gadget designer for a moment, and tell us what you would change.
How would you change Acer's Iconia Tab A700?
When we handed Acer's Iconia Tab to our tame tablet reviewer, they were bewildered by its 1,920 x 1,200 display. While it may have been easy to use, quick and lovely to look at, it was also a bit on the hefty side, with its meager battery not helping. So then, six months down the line, we're asking you to sound off about what you liked and loathed about this device, because we're fairly sure the Acers of this world are listening.
How would you change Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.2?
Last year, we asked you to examine Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.0, and your comments clustered around three trends -- better audio, better build and any OS that wasn't called Gingerbread. The Galaxy Player 4.2, therefore, offers audio that just isn't loud enough, a skinned version of Gingerbread and the sense that it was thrown together from leftover smartphone parts. As our reviewer judged, it's not a bad piece of kit, but one that was honed into being utterly mediocre. If you bought one, then it's time to play amateur PMP designer and tell us if you agree with our staff audiophile. What did you love, what did you hate and most importantly, what would you change?
How would you change the Toshiba Excite 7.7?
Toshiba's Excite 7.7 was an Android tablet designed to go head-to-head with Samsung's Galaxy Tab 7.7. When we were handed one to review, we fell in love with its 1,280 x 800 Super AMOLED Plus display, a 1.3GHz Tegra 3 chipset and a battery life of over 10 hours. It failed, however, as so many do, with its poor cameras, choppy audio performance and a top-heavy launch price that would put off many buyers. But now, time has passed, the price has fallen and plenty of you might have made the investment. So it's to you that we ask, how's it going? Why not tell us what, if someone asked you, would you change?
How would you change Nokia's Lumia 610?
A step too far? Perhaps. By iterating its Windows Phone range so much, it's difficult to see why one low-end Lumia is better than the other. The principal nitpick of Nokia's Lumia 610, is that its dwarfed by the similarly-priced yet better-specced 710. But does it do the job as an ultra-budget handset? Well, this is your opportunity to tell us, you never know, maybe some of the folks from Finland are reading what you say, too.
How would you change the mid-2012 MacBook Air?
Remember when people decried the MacBook Air as a dumb idea when it first launched? Well, given the amount of Ultrabooks that are now floating around the world, we bet they've not shared that opinion publicly too often. The most recent vintage of the unit gained USB 3.0 ports, Ivy Bridge chips and, well, not the one thing that would have made the unit unbeatable -- a retina-class display. No, instead that feature was reserved for a different line, letting rivals like the Zenbook Prime beat it in the resolution stakes. But aside from that notable (and for Apple, lucrative) omission, how have you found these machines? Tell us what you've loved, hated and, most importantly, what would you change?
How would you change the Orange San Diego?
Orange's £200 ($308) San Diego was one of the first Intel-powered Android devices to hit the market. Despite its budget price, it packed a Medfield-based 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU that the company promised would deliver more performance and battery life than its pricier rivals. It almost achieved it too, with benchmarks that stood equal to the Galaxy S III and more than 24-hours of standby life. The problem, was that our reviewer couldn't find a compelling reason to buy one of these over a last-gen Android flagship -- but was that the case for you? If you bought one, how has the ownership experience been, so tell us what did you love, what did you hate and what would you change?