Fast Charge

Samsung has announced when it will launch its next flagship phones, and we think we know a lot about what to expect – plus Nothing has finally released the Phone (1) in the US (sort of) and Dom has gone hands-on with the Razer Edge handheld. First up, we’re previewing the three Galaxy S23 phones, now confirmed to debut on 1 February. Extensive leaks have given us a pretty good idea of what to expect, with minimalist designs, camera upgrades, and a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside. Meanwhile, Nothing has begun selling the Phone (1) in the US half a year after it launched in the rest of the world. Well, kinda – this is officially a ‘beta membership’ to test the phone’s version of Android 13, but you have to pay $299 and they give you a phone, so it sounds a lot like putting it on sale to us. But is this something special or a raw deal for consumers? And finally, Dom has had the chance to try out the Snapdragon-powered, Android-running Razer Edge gaming handheld, and has his thoughts on the hardware ready ahead of the official US launch, which is now just a couple weeks away. And then a bit of sad news: this will be the final Fast Charge – for now at least. After 140 episodes it felt like the right time to retire the show, but we’ll be sticking around on YouTube and making great videos as often as we can, so stay subscribed and keep an eye out for what’s next. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

We're back, and the biggest tech trade show of the year is in full swing... but our main news has nothing to do with CES at all. On the other side of the planet from Vegas, OnePlus decided this busy week was the perfect time to reveal the OnePlus 11, its latest flagship phone - and confirm that a global launch is coming in February too. An 8 Gen 2, 100W charging, and upgraded cameras all sound good to us - so is OnePlus back to winning ways? After that we'll be chatting about a secret phone - one we're not allowed to reveal until the embargo conveniently lifts as the show starts. So stay tuned for that one. Finally, we're going to finish up with a discussion of the new Qi2 wireless charging standard - not as dry as it sounds thanks to the news that the new tech is quite directly based on Apple's MagSafe standard. Hopefully that won't make all the Android OEMs feel quite so bad about copying it. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

It's the last episode of 2022, which of course means we're already stuck talking about the biggest launches of 2023. First up, Xiaomi unveiled the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro, its first two phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Throw in updated cameras and an overhauled design and you should have a pair of pretty promising flagships - so why aren't we all that enthused yet? We're more excited by the Oppo Find N2 and Find N2 Flip - especially the latter, as it's both Oppo's first flip phone and the first foldable it's launching internationally. But why isn't the regular Find N2 leaving China with it, and has Oppo done enough to unseat Samsung? And finally, it's only right that we turn to next year, throwing out some baseless predictions about what will happen to all things smartphone in 2023. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

December has begun, the advent calendars are open, and Spotify Wrapped has taken over social media, which means we're ready to declare 2022 basically done with. It's been a big year for tech. We got our first 1-inch smartphone camera sensor, Apple began its first halting steps away from the notch, and there's even still time left for Elon to destroy Twitter for good. But what were the best, the worst, and the weirdest products to hit the market this year? Dom, Henry, and Lewis are ready to pick through the wreckage of the year and share their favourites - and more. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

Welcome to our Black Friday safe space: you won't find any deals discussion here this week. Instead, we're focussed on a trio of major launches from Vivo, Honor, and Oppo. First up, Vivo unveiled its X90 series, including the debuts of both the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 - a dual debut we've not seen happen before. Beyond the chips the big upgrades are to the camera, with the top Pro+ model using the same 1in IMX989 camera sensor we saw on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. If Vivo's track record is anything to go by, this might just be the new best camera in any phone right now. Honor had a big week too, revealing its second-gen Magic Vs foldable alongside the more traditional Honor 80 range. The Vs (pronounced vee-ess, not the way you want to say it) is confirmed to get a global launch next year, and boasts a super-slim design that closes completely flat - still not a given in foldable phones. It only runs the slightly older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 rather than the latest 8 Gen 2, but powerful cameras and a sleek design could make this Samsung's first real competition worldwide. Finally, Oppo has also taken advantage of what it probably thought would be a quiet week for phone launches to reveal the Oppo Reno 9 range. The Reno 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro+ look pretty similar to the Reno 8 phones, but boast upgrades going up to a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Pro+ model. Big batteries, up to 80W fast charging, and high-res main cameras complete the spec sheet - but will we ever see these models outside of China? This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

Qualcomm has announced its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset hot on the heels of MediaTek, whose Dimensity 9200 chip we discussed last week. There are many similarities between the two high-end mobile platforms but Qualcomm’s brand power means it is a few steps ahead of its rival, promising the 8 Gen 2 will appear in phones from most of the major Android players. This week on Fast Charge Anyron, Lewis and Henry Iook into the specs of the 8 Gen 2 to discuss whether you would notice the difference between it and the 8+ Gen 1 we’ve seen in phones like the OnePlus 10T. How much power do you really need? We’ll also touch on the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 chip designed for augmented reality and our hopes for WearOS smartwatches now an Oppo watch has the new Snapdragon W5 chip. After that, the team discuss the latest Pixel Fold leaks and a device that looks an awful lot like the Pixel 7, as you might expect. If accurate, will Google bring anything new to the form factor, or is it more of the same on the bandwagon train? Is software more important than hardware in the long run? Finally, it’s the best time of year to grab a tech bargain – that’s right, Black Friday is nearly upon us, so impending that we may not even be able to record a show next week as we will be so busy. That’s why we round off today’s episode by highlighting some of the best deals we’ve seen so far (yes, they have already started) and give you our best buying advice tips for the buying time of year we all hate to love (or is that love to hate?). This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

Join the team as they discuss MediaTek's Dimensity 9200 launch this week, a chip that's all but confirmed to appear in a premium Vivo phone by the end of the year. The gang also discuss the latest Huawei flagship phone, the Mate 50 Pro, which Henry has had in for review. It ships without native support for Google Mobile Services or the Google Play Store, but Huawei says it has made strides with its own AppGallery and ways to download and use popular apps – is the Mate 50 Pro a viable smartphone for European buyers in 2022, especially ad £1,199? Finally, the team chat about Honor, once a subsidiary of Huawei but now free to do what it wants. It’s just announced its Magic Vs folding phone, which will come to global markets including Europe. Do we think it will be a decent rival device to Samsung’s Z Fold 4, or is it just more of the same? This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

This week's show will kick off with Lewis and his thoughts on the Nokia X30, the top-end mid-ranger from HMD Global. But rather than being much of the same as last year's X20, the X30 has a few key upgrades that could allow it to compete with the OnePlus Nord 2T and Nothing Phone (1). We then move on to VR headsets, with Lewis taking us through the latest announcements from Meta, Pico and PlayStation following the expensive PSVR 2 RRP reveal earlier this week. Then it's time to turn our thoughts to the mess that is Twitter right now. With Elon Musk behind the wheel at the social network, booting out the Twitter board and instigating a monthly fee for Twitter verification, it's a crazy time for the Tweeterverse. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

This week we're revisiting the iPhone 14 series as Henry shares his thoughts on the 14 Plus, before we dive into a couple new Xiaomi models. The iPhone 14 Plus marks the return of the big, cheap(ish) iPhone flagship, after two years of the ultimately unsuccessful Mini model. But with Apple reportedly slowing production already, it looks like Henry isn't the only person unconvinced by the need for a big iPhone that costs almost as much as the Pro models. Then Anyron jumps on the show to talk about the Xiaomi 12T, which launched alongside its Pro sibling the other week. These aren't quite new flagship phones, but they're pretty powerful for mid-rangers. Is that enough to win over a crowded market though? Finally, we get a look at Xiaomi's budget plans for the next year with the Chinese launch of the Redmi Note 12 series. There were almost twenty Note 11 phones across the full range in various markets, so the Note 12, Note 12 Pro, and Note 12 Pro+ are probably just the tip of the iceberg, but tell us a bit about Xiaomi's strategy for 2023. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com

After a couple weeks off, we’re back… with a vengeance? Well, we certainly may have it out for Apple, after it unveiled a new iPad range that’s left us scratching our heads. The new regular iPad boasts a slick new design, a landscape camera, updated keyboard with function keys, and USB-C. But it’s also much more expensive, and strangely similar to the Air. Meanwhile the new Pro models pack all the power you’d expect thanks to an M2 chip upgrade, but miss out on half the new features added into the base model. What gives, Apple? After that, it’s time for our rather belated reviews of the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch. Chris can’t join us this week to chat about the regular 7, but Henry has his thoughts ready on Google’s latest and possibly greatest. This podcast is produced by Foundry. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCrL1ZLeIgENlS1nEZzSiueFAiV1Cujvx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techadvisorhq  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechAdvisorHQ  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techadvisorhq  Read more: https://www.techadvisor.com