As a tech editor/writer, the end-of-the-Summer and the beginning of autumn are incredibly busy. There is no shortage in cool tech and gadgets to cover. Some things are worth mentioning, even though I don’t have the time or patience to write about every single thing I receive.
I will be looking through my inventory of items I have been sent, but have not had time to cover in detail over the past few week. This week’s From The Editor’s Desk features everything you need to know about AGM’s new rugged phones, Tecno’s literal masterpiece of art, Dbrand’s latest troll skins for Pixels and Toy Story cases that will make your inner child scream for joy.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Pixels
Although it may sound absurd, my favorite items on the desk are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Pixel Skins that I purchased from Dbrand. Dbrand had posted about mock TMNT skins I purchased before the Pixel 6 launch, but they weren’t the right color.
The reason is that the TMNT skins, just like all other Dbrand products, were more of a joke concept than a product. Dbrand already had the right colors to convey its message: green, orange purple, blue and red.
This year, things are very different, and Dbrand even went so far as to come up with a new branding for the line — hence, the TMNP logo. Dbrand’s TMNP-branded Skins are Pantone-matched to look as natural as the Ninja Turtle green skin. Each Turtle’s four colors are also palette-accurate.
Below is an example of the difference. The original pastel colors are to the right, while the new Pantone-matched TMNP skins can be seen on the left.
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You can see the differences between the new skins on the Pixel 6 Pro and the old ones. The new skins look exactly as you expect them to and because they are made of matte Dbrand vinyl, they give a lot of grip to an otherwise slippery set.
Dbrand’s TMNP skins are a must-have for any TMNT fan. You can even get them on the iPhone 6 Pro! Leather skins(opens in a new tabIf you prefer that,
You don’t have to worry about skinning your phone or leaving it uncased if you are nervous. Instead, grab one of Dbrands Grip cases. Then, select the TMNP skin which works with the Grip case.
I don’t like many cases, and prefer my phone naked. Dbrand’s grip cases are very well made, comfortable to hold, and do not add bulk. As the name implies, they are grippy and durable.
Cases of the CASETiFY Toy Story
A tough case is necessary if you are someone who drops their phone often or has a job that poses a danger to your black mirror. Most tough cases aren’t. ugly. CASETiFY has cases that are tough, which is a good thing for you. Pretty.
CASETiFY delivered me some very special editions a few months ago Star Wars cases(opens new tab)They were a company that I loved because they combined great design and a tough case. The Toy Story special edition Toy Story cases are no exception.
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My pile includes various cases for the Galaxy S22 Plus as well as the Pixel 6 Pro. All of them are identical in design to my Star Wars Star Wars cases but have a different visual flair. This is still a Disney brand but it’s much more colorful than the last set I received from them.
Buzz Lightyear’s and Woody’s cases are my favorite. The characters are surrounded by transparent that gives them a 3D cut-out appearance. The cases have a variety of layers to enhance the overall quality of the build. Because of the quality of the case design and build, I feel comfortable dropping my phone in one of them.
Tecno Camon 19 Pro
Let’s face the facts, India and China get the most innovative phones. These phones offer a wealth of unique features and designs that most Americans will never have the chance to experience, including a multitude of foldable phones that aren’t Samsung-branded.
The Tecno Camon 19 Pro, for example. The $275 phone has a distinctively artistic back, which changes color in the sun. While the phone’s shell is completely white with black outlines looks great, it comes alive in the Sun, and looks more like a piece of art by Piet Mondrian.
Aside from fanciful looks, the Camon 19 Pro is actually a rather impressive phone in and of itself for the mere price of ₹21900. The phone comes with the MediaTek Helio G96 SoC inside and 8GB RAM. It also has a 6.8-inch screen with a teardrop-shaped camera cut-out at the front. A large 5,000mAh lithium battery lasts for about 2 days. There’s also a 3.5mm headset port on the bottom.
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Tecno’s HiOS is based on Android 12 and looks very similar to Vivo’s OriginOS — that means a very iOS-inspired interface with various Android elements like a vertical app drawer tossed in — and is incredibly full-featured in every single way.
There are three cameras on the back. One is a depth sensor of 2MP, but the quality of photos and videos is impressive considering the price. Nighttime photography might need some work.
Tecno also offers a metric lot of modes that can be used in a variety of scenarios. Sky Lab mode is one example. It adds amazing effects like clouds and a twilight glow to the sky.
There are many other modes for video and photos, such as the Short Video mode. This allows you to choose from over a dozen filters to capture your video. You can use a few preset options to combine audio and filters to create something more interesting.
One thing that I don’t like about? The fingerprint sensor. While it’s side-mounted and located in the power button — that’s my personal favorite kind of fingerprint sensor — I found that it wasn’t very good at its job. Because the sensor wouldn’t recognize my fingerprint, it would lock the phone with my PIN. This was not a great experience for a dedicated sensor, but it was very odd.
AGM Glory G1S
Smartphones are often called modern Swiss Army Knives due to their ability to do almost anything. But AGM’s Glory G1S is a different story. The phone has an infrared camera and thermal imaging camera as well as a dedicated Zello push to talk key. It even features a laser pointer inside the extremely rugged frame. It has a laser-pointing device on its top!
AGM’s Glory G1S is protected in a case similar to many other rugged smartphones. It’s a Otterbox-style, permanent Otterbox-style cover with a very grippy and rubbery texture. For maximum drop protection, the corners have been raised and you won’t cause any damage to your device unless it’s dropped on top of a heap of rocks. A slot at the bottom-left corner allows you to thread a cord through, which will make it extra secure.
The rubber gasket covers all ports, including the 3.5mm headphone socket and microSD card slot. The bright orange key on the left matches the orange highlights and can be used to push-to-talk for the popular Zello application that is preinstalled.
The phone’s design is excellent for its intended audience. However, the display’s dimness makes it difficult to see clearly. The phone is nearly impossible to see under direct sunlight. This is probably not a good thing since the intended audience often works outdoors.
The main 48MP Sony IMX582 Sony IMX582 camera won’t win any awards in video or photo, and there is no telephoto lens, so zooming is not easy. The real attraction of the phone’s camera system are its auxiliary cameras.
The back of the camera has a night vision IR camera as well as a separate thermal image camera. The night-vision IR cameras can be accessed through the regular camera app. It works great and can pick up all kinds of light that our eyes can’t.
You can control the thermal imaging camera using a separate app. This app is pinned to your home screen’s bottom quick bar by default. You can use this camera to take photos or video. AGM claims that it is the most powerful thermal imaging camera available on a smartphone.
Although I haven’t had the opportunity to test this feature on enough smartphones, I can confirm that the AGM Glory G1S offers excellent thermal imaging and very precise thermal measurements. I tested the AGM Glory G1S by using a surface scanning thermometer on my forehead. It measured exactly 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
Software is not much of a topic. You’re looking at mostly stock Android 11 with a few custom quick toggles added — like a quick toggle button for the phone’s bizarrely fun laser pointer — but relatively few additional options. The only customization option is the ability set the side button to perform one of several functions. This includes launching the camera or switching between the laser pointer and audio playback.
You can expect it to run on a Snapdragon 480 processor and a huge 5,500mAh battery. SeveralIf you aren’t constantly using the thermal imaging cam, it will last for days on a single charge. The Snapdragon 480 will only run the essentials, however, so be aware of that before you jump in.
AGM offers a double-duty phone that can double as a Swiss Army Knife. The rugged smartphone features a thermal camera, Infrared and laser pointers, so it can handle any situation and lasts several days.
