It seems like we might have a pretty good idea of what we're getting with the Nexus 6 as most leaks and sources are saying the same things about it, including that it will have a 5.9-inch QHD display with a pixel density of 496 pixels per inch.

An unnamed source for Android Police echoes that information, but the site is so confident in its veracity that it goes so far as to 'confirm' it, and as well as reiterating existing information a few new details are revealed.

For one thing the long-rumoured 13MP camera will apparently have optical image stabilisation and a dual-flash, while the front facing snapper will supposedly be 2MP, which we've heard before.

Juiced up

There are also some new battery details, as the site claims it will be 3200+ mAh, which is quite a boost on the 2300 mAh Nexus 5. It's also said to be compatible with Motorola's turbo charger, allowing it to gain 8 hours worth of juice after just 15 minutes of charging.

The site has put together a mock-up of the Nexus 6 based on its information and as we've seen before it looks a lot like a larger Moto X and apparently it has an aluminium frame like that phone, however a new detail is that it also supposedly includes front-facing stereo speakers.

The image also shows off some new icons, most of which are along the lines of what we've seen before, along with a new 'Drive' folder, seemingly filled with Google's editing apps. You can also see that the status icons at the top are now solid, but one thing that's slightly puzzling is the messaging icon next to the dialler.

It doesn't match any icon we've seen and Hangouts has already recently been revamped but whether it's Hangouts or something else it's presumably some sort of messaging app.

The real question here is whether this mock up is just based on what Android Police has heard, or if the screengrab is actually real and pasted onto a created frame. Either way, the site is claiming that messaging could still be kept and Hangouts will remain as an option.

That minor mystery aside its seems there's probably little we don't know about the Nexus 6 at this point, though that 5.9-inch size still strikes us as odd if this is the only new Nexus phone hitting the market.

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It's a busy, busy, busy over at HTC HQ these days. The Taiwanese company has an event in New York next month, a rumoured Google Nexus 9 tablet on the way and now, apparently, it's also working on a new phablet.

The so-called HTC One M8 Max is the subject of a new specs report from Chinese website My Drivers. The report was picked up by BGR and appears to show that HTC is getting some serious grunt together for its next device.

According to the report, the new device will boast a 5.5-inch QHD display, 2.7MHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM. Also on board will be an 18MP rear-facing camera with OIS (no UltraPixels here) and a whopping 3,000mAh battery.

Specsy time

It seems likely that HTC will unveil a big-screen phone as a follow-up to the HTC One Max that was revealed around this time last year. Moreover, the specs listed above are similar to those mooted earlier in the year for a device believed to be called the HTC One M8 Prime.

Along with the laundry list of specifications in the report, it's also a near-certainty that any new phablet from HTC will come running Android L and, most likely, HTC Sense 6 (or a newer version). Whether or not headline features from the HTC One M8 like the Duo camera will be carried over remains to be seen.

Lined up to compete alongside the likes of the Apple iPhone 6 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it's unlikely we'll hear any official news about the new phablet until HTC's "double exposure" event next month. Stay tuned.

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Finding the right tool to track your to-dos is highly personal, and one person's best is another's junk—but there are some that are better than others. The best offer great syncing and scheduling options, great apps, notifications and reminders, or just the right mix of features and flexibility that make it easy to stay organized. Here are five of the best.

Google Keep

Not only is Google Keep simple, available on the web and for Android (sorry, iOS users), but it's fast, flexible, and easy to use. At its heart, Keep is a simple syncing notepad that can keep checklists, photos and images, voice notes, and other text notes synchronized across devices and stored in the cloud. It supports time and location-based reminders, in-note photos, and color-coded notes. Everything is stored on the web, it's easy to use, and if you're an Android user, it's practically there for you already—no hassle, and it's already on your device. There's no real barrier to entry—no accounts to set up, no lists to import or categories to set up, and so on.

At the same time, all of that ease-of-use makes it a very lightweight app that doesn't carry the features that other tools bring to the table. There are no recurring tasks, no calendar view, no sub-tasks or advanced features that make it useful for planning bigger projects or handling regular tasks. Even so, praising it for its ease of use and reminding us that the best to-do app is the one you actually use, but also noting that it has its quirks and the fact that it's not available for iOS is a turn-off.

Any.do

Any.do is a sharp, good-looking mobile to-do list manager (and Chrome add-on). It's our current favorite to-do app for iPhone, and it's itching for first place when it comes to Android, too. Any.do supports iOS and Android, syncs smoothly between devices and platforms, can handle recurring tasks (although its recurring options are a little lacking), timed and location-based reminders, and gets your day started with the Any.do "Moment," a short review of everything you have on your table for the day. It also tries to keep your to-do list from getting overwhelming, and really shows you "today," "tomorrow," and "later," so you don't get overwhelmed by dates and times. It handles multiple priorities, and it integrates nicely with Cal, the calendar app from the same team.

Any.do is packed with features you may not realize are there, even though its interface is designed to be simple and easy to get familiar with. It's not perfect either though—syncing can be tricky sometimes, and if you prefer to manage your to-dos from a desktop, you have to use their Chrome add-on, which can be a bit clunky. There's no webapp or desktop app.

Wunderlist

Wunderlist is a cross-platform, desktop and mobile to-do list manager with apps for iOS and Android, Windows, OS X, and Linux (although their Linux app is woefully out of date.) It's also a webapp, so you seriously have no reason to be without your to-dos on any platform you choose to use. It's simple and easy to use, supports timed reminders, recurring to-dos (although its recurring feature is definitely lacking), separate reminders from the due date of the task, notes and additional info associated with your to-dos, shared to-dos with others, multiple categories, and more. You can star important tasks (but that's as close to priority as you'll get), and customize the look of the app. It's broad platform support—and its webapp—mean you'll always have access to your to-dos.

Wunderlist is great, and there's a reason we like it, but not everyone does, and it's not without its quirks. For example, it's had a few syncing problems in the past, and I've found recurring tasks to be quirky from time to time. However, many people praise the service's ease of use, availability on multiple devices, stellar customer support, and its good-looking interface. Many of them also said it's just a joy to use—which makes sure you actually use it every day. There are pro accounts that add features like collaboration tools, file uploads, and comments on your to-dos, but the free version will be more than enough for most people.

Todoist

Todoist has been around for a long, long time, but it's really evolved in recent years into a powerful, cross-platform productivity tool. It's available on the web, for iOS and Android with desktop apps for Windows and OSX, add-ons for Firefox and Chrome, plug-ins for email apps like Postbox, Gmail, Thunderbird, and Outlook, and more. It's free (ish, we'll get to that) and feature-packed. Todoist offers recurring tasks with fine, plain-language recurrence options. It also packs sub-tasks and dependencies, real-time syncing, projects and sub-projects so you can manage daily checklists or big plans that involve lots of people, understandable due dates (like "Friday at 5pm," for example), multiple priorities, categories and projects you can set, and more. $30/yr will get you a premium account, which is required if you want notifications or reminders via email or push notifications on your mobile device—which is kind of a bummer, so keep that in mind. You also get labels and filters to further organize your to-dos.

Even though the app is free, $30 for an essential feature like notifications is a bit of a bummer that makes you steer clear (although they're known to have sales). Still, Todoist's feature set is impressive, and seriously on-par (or beyond) many of the others in the roundup. The fact that it's available for almost any platform and looks good on all of them helps a lot, and many of you specifically praised Todoist's "karma" points system for helping you stay motivated to get your to-dos finished. The service even very recently updated to add new visual scheduling options and email add-ins.

HabitRPG

HabitRPG is one of our favorite tools to productively gamify your life, and we've highlighted it on its own before. HabitRPG turns your to-dos and pet projects into a game, where you level up your character, defeat enemies, and collect loot and rewards for your characters just by doing the things you need to do every day. It's largely geared towards helping you build better habits. It's available on the web and for iOS and Android, and while it doesn't pack in the advanced features that many other to-do apps have, it's certainly a blast to use, and really addictive. As you cross off to-dos, you earn points, gold to spend on upgrades, experience, and your character improves. Fail and miss deadlines, and you take hits to your health and your character loses progress to the next level, or worse.

HabitRPG does support categories, but mostly in terms of "dailies," or things you want to do regularly and "todos," or items that just need to get done once or rarely (and you can set due dates and reminders). Don't expect things like recurring reminders, custom categories, or anything that makes for a more robust productivity tool—but if what you need is an engaging way to get things done and less a tool with tons of options and features you'll never use, it's worth a look. Plus, it's completely free.

Also check our 50 best android apps 2014 selection

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The noise around Windows 9 is reaching fever pitch ahead of its potential unveiling at a San Francisco event on September 30, with the latest rumour once again pointing to the OS being released as a free download for certain users.

This particular report comes from Indonesian online publication Detik, which quotes Microsoft Indonesia CEO and President Director Andrew Diantoro as saying that Windows 9 will be made available to download as a free update - if Windows 8 is already installed on the device.

It's unclear whether you will need to be on a particular version of Windows 8 to qualify for the upgrade.

Earlier this year, Russian hacker group WZOR claimed that Microsoft was deciding whether to offer Windows 9 for free to Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.2 (or Windows 8.2 Update 2) users or to grant a substantial discount instead.

Microsoft has been coy regarding the actual name of Windows 8.1's successor, telling ZDNet.fr that while its upcoming event will focus on the future of Windows, there is no official name for what has been referred to as Windows 9, or Windows "Threshold".

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HTC has hinted photography is going to be a key part of its October 8 announcement in New York and speculation is rife we could be about to see a new handset.

Along with a periscope-shaped camera, it's rumoured the Taiwanese company will be showing off a new handset named the HTC M8 Eye - note the loss of the 'One' moniker, although this is far from confirmed.

According to Android site Phandroid, the Eye will be a version of the HTC One M8 but with a 13MP Duo camera rather than the 4MP UltraPixel snapper in the current version.

Picture perfect

Quoting an Android developer posting on Twitter, the site pegs an October launch date for the new handset that will arrive running Android 4.4.4 and HTC's own Sense 6.0.

HTC has already altered the One M8 once with the HTC One E8, dropping the metallic casing and the UltraPixel Duo camera for a plastic chassis and standard 13MP lens.

A lot of the buzz around the One M8 came from its Duo camera sensor that allowed you to refocus and add effects post-shot because of the camera's depth-of-field ability.

HTC is one of tech's most leak-prone companies, so we wouldn't be surprised if more details on the HTC M8 Eye emerge before October 8 is upon us.

Read our selection of tips and tricks for HTC One M8

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The next iteration of Google's mobile OS was unveiled earlier this year with nothing more than the letter "L" as its designation.

Anyone familair with Android will be aware that the major releases proceed in alphabetical order and are named for some kind of sweet or desert: KitKat, Jelly Bean and Ice Cream Sandwich being the last three.

Well, the search giant just went a long way to confirming that Android L will stand for Android Lollipop thanks to an animated GIF the company posted for its 16th birthday. Topped with lollipops.

Sweet sixteen

Until 2005, Google counted its birthday as September 7 - the day it was incorporated - but now hinges it on the day it first announced the amount of pages it has indexed.

While Google counts September as its birth month, October is likely to be very busy for the company with both the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 9 tablet rumoured to appear and the rollout of Android Lollipop.

We've already seeen some of what the new OS can do from Google's I/O conference back in August, including a the new 'Material Design' look and a greater focus on voice.

Early rumours have suggested an official release could be taking place on November 1.

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Back in 2011, Samsung decided that bigger was better and launched the Samsung Galaxy Note range which came with a 5.3-inch screen. At the time, this screen was a massive talking point: many thought it was too large to be a phone, others thought it was too compact to be a tablet.

Skip three years and that 5.3-inch screen no longer looks out of place in the phone market. Given that the Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a 5.1-inch screen, it's clear to see the line between what was once classed as a phablet and what is now expected as a phone has well and truly blurred.

While this hasn't stopped Samsung pushing out the size boat - the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 came equipped with a 5.7-inch screen - it seems Samsung has finally put on hold the size creep.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes with the same-sized 5.7-inch screen as the Note 3, with Samsung instead deciding to improve on the quality of the screen rather than its size.

You can now pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from Samsung Experience Stores, with other retailers taking pre-orders from 26 September, before its release on Friday 10 October.

Screen quality

The screen now boasts Quad HD Super AMOLED (2,560 x 1,440 resolution) technology that stretches to 500 pixels per inch. Couple this with what Samsung is calling an adaptive display - one that changes depending on the light of the place you are viewing the screen - and on paper you have the optimum viewing no matter what situation you are in.

To test the quality of the screen I watched a video that was shot in UHD on the device and it was stunning.

Colours were vivid and detail popped out with the clarity you would expect from a 500ppi screen. Even zooming in there were no jagged edges and playback was smooth - no judder from the demo I viewed.

But the screen isn't the first thing that hits you when you get the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in your hands, it's the build quality.

Design

Samsung has definitely listened about its latest line-up feeling plastic-y in the hand and has decided to give the Note 4 more of a premium finish, with a metal rim surrounding the handset, shielding the rest of the chassis like a velvet rope protecting celebs from real people in a club.

I loved the way the Note 4 felt in the hand and being a regular user of the Note 3, it definitely felt different enough and it's light too, just a touch over the weight of the Note 3 at 176g.

It's obvious but the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 does come equipped with some of the features that we saw on the S5.

The most notable is the heartrate monitor on the back (which also has a neat camera functionality I will explain shortly) and the back has been improved somewhat too, but is still a little too faux leather for my liking.

There is a lot of similarity between the Note 3 and its successor. Size difference between the two chassis is definitely negligible - the Note 4 comes it at 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm, compared to the Note 3's 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm size.

It's clear Samsung hasn't re-invented the Note range but refined it with clever software updates and slight tweaks here and there.

S Pen

One of the most impressive is to do with the S Pen. It surprised me that the stylus (sorry Samsung, I know you hate that word) made a comeback with the Note range but four devices in and the S Pen finally makes a lot more sense.

For a start there are two new pen options: fountain and caligraphy. Of these, fountain is the most interesting as it shows off how far the S Pen has come in terms of usability. Until now, using the S Pen has felt a lot like gliding a piece of plastic over a glass screen.

The "feel" of writing on paper just hasn't been there. With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 this has changed.

The fountain pen works best when you sweep the S Pen across the screen as you would ink on paper and because of extra sensitivity (which has doubled) it is now a joy to write on the Note 4's screen. Signatures look like signatures and your handwriting actually really looks like your true handwriting.

I'm left handed and the S Pen was still a joy to use. Considering I have never been able to use a fountain pen in real life, because of smudging, it was great fun.

And the innovations don't end there. Now you can use the S Pen much like you would use a mouse. Click the button on the side of the S Pen and you are in Smart Select mode, where you can highlight whole passages of text from a website, or even clip out sections of a site and put it into your own clippings archive.

Instead of being an added extra, the S Pen finally feels like a necessary part of the Note 4, rather than a "this is fun but I have no use for it" accessory.

Snap mode has also been improved on the Note 4. While you used to just be able to snap two separate services to the top and the bottom of the screen, you can now "resize" an app much like you would a widget.

So, if you are using the camera and want to send an image via text but stay in camera mode, a quick diagonal down swipe from the top right of the screen will shrink the camera function and show the rest of the phone screen for you. It's a nice feature that could replace using the left multi-tab hot key for many.

You can also make use of the new 'floating UI' which offers Facebook Chat Heads style pop ups on the screen for certain apps.

Camera

One other big improvement is with the camera. When it comes to megapixels it's gone from 13MP to 16MP but the innovations don't lie in the meaningless megapixel chase but also in the front camera's f stop (megapixel wise this is 3.7MP), which now clocks in at f1.9. In old money that means that the camera now lets in 60% more light and makes for better quality images.

This also comes with the added bonus of optical image stabilisation.

You can also use the camera in unison with the S Pen. A new feature called Snap Note allows you to take a picture of a piece of paper (or whiteboard) and change what's in the picture.

Although I didn't try this out myself, the demo I was shown consisted of a piece of paper with a number of images and text on it.

A picture was taken of this, put through Snap Note and then the colour and size of the images could be changed, text could be deleted and the size of objects could be increased. It's a niche new feature but one that could come in useful in a creative environment.

The way you can take pictures has changed too. With the whole world going selfie mad, it was inevitable that Samsung (and plenty more manufacturers) would want to cash in on this. It has done it twofold with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

First there is a selfie panorama mode. Much like the panorama mode seen on the Note 3, where a picture is stitched from images taken from a pan of a scene, the same thing happens in this mode - except it is in portrait and uses the front-facing camera.

Samsung is quoting 120 degrees spatial awareness and after having a go with it I am not going to argue about such a figure.

Samsung has also recognised that if you want to take a selfie, then it is a little difficult to get your thumb around to the front of the device to take the picture. So it has utilised its heartrate monitor functionality as a back trigger button.

One tap on this and your selfie is preserved. It's not a feature I will be using much but given the sudden popularity of taking pictures of your own face in different places it will be a feature that is used a lot.

Performance and battery

Samsung's improved the Note 4's mic performance too. Voice recording is something that won't be used for all but the Note is a device built for business and this feature will be welcomed.

There are now three mics on the handset (two at the bottom and one on the top), these are used well when recording voices.

In a crowded room you can zoom into one voice and cut the rest out. This journalist is already salivating at the prospect of interviewing someone and playing back the interview without hearing his own voice. It's a clever feature but one that may be overlooked by many.

As for the speed of the device, it was fast. I managed to zip between apps and internet with no lag at all and it didn't break a sweat when loading up a movie. But that's exactly what you'd expect with a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM under the hood.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a premium-looking device that will be familiar to anyone who has used a Note. Don't expect huge changes here - you still get a ribbed plastic back, although it's more in keeping with the S5's style.

That was the phone that propelled Samsung into the AAA league of smartphone manufacturers and the Note 4 on first hands on feels like it will be a worthy addition to the Note range.

When it comes to the all-important battery, Samsung has given the Note 4 the same battery as the Note 3 (3200mAh) but it has improved charging times. You can now charge 50% of the battery in just 30 minutes and it has the same ultra-power saving technology that was built into the S5.

Early verdict

It is big and it is clever: the Galaxy Note 4 looks to be Samsung's best Note yet, toning down the gimmick and adding real innovation to what is becoming one of the best phone ranges around.

The biggest relief is that the software changes are innovations rather than annoying bloatware. Samsung does have a habit of adding gimmickry to its handsets but the big changes here are actually beneficial to how you use the Note.

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The LG G3 is a smartphone of many abilities. Under the guise of its simple, approachable interface lie many customization options and functionalities that can make it possible for many of you to enjoy LG's flagship the way it comes out of the box – no rooting and custom roms necessary!

Here, we've rounded up some tips, tricks and hidden features to help you get to know LG's most powerful smartphone ever like the back of your hand.

LG G3 Easy Mode

The LG G3 offers an easy mode that makes the G3 easier to use if it is your first smartphone. This puts a dialer front and center and links to common apps and activities as the home screen so you don’t ever need to look for the basic LG G3 features.

This also makes the LG G3 text bigger all through the LG apps and system, so that it is easier to read the device. LG aims this option at older users that may want a simpler layout and easier to read fonts.

Go to Settings-> Home Screen -> Select Home -> EasyHome. From here you can go the home screen and swipe to the side to add other shortcuts.

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Unlock with a Knock Code

One of our favorite LG G3 tips is to use the knock code to keep your phone secure and to access the phone when you need to unlock it. instead of swiping or entering a passcode you tap or knock on the screen in a specific pattern to unlock the LG G3. This even works if the screen is off. Just pick up the LG G3 or take it out of your pocket and use your knock code to unlock right to the home screen without touching the power button.

Go to Settings -> Lock screen -> Select screen lock -> Knock Code. Enter the Knock Code twice and then enter a backup PIN as well. After this is complete you can easily unlock the phone without turning the screen on first.

If you have trouble using the LG G3 Knock Code when the screen is off knock firmly and make sure you are in the right areas of the screen.

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Turn Smart Bulletin On or Off

Don't fancy the LG Smart Bulletin occupying a full home-screen with its health and tips? Head to Settings-> Display -> Home screen, and tap the 'Smart Bulletin' switch On or Off. Simple, just like LG wanted it.

Take Full Resolution Photos

By default the LG G3 camera only takes 10MP photos, but you can quickly change it to take full resolution photos that deliver more detail. This is a great idea if you plan to print your photos or want to show them off on a big screen after you edit and crop them.

Open the camera app -> tap on the three dots in the corner then on the Settings cog -> Tap on the W10M and choose 13M instead.

You’ll notice the photo no longer covers the full screen, but you are getting a better quality photo overall.

This lets you use the full power of the LG G3 camera. You can also switch to UHD video quality if you want a higher resolution video to share online or watch on a new UHD TV.

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Use the LG G3 One-Handed

The LG G3 features a large 5.5-inch display, that may be too big for some users to control with one hand. Although there is not a full screen shift option like on the Galaxy S5, LG does offer a LG G3 one-handed mode that lets users easily use the phone, lock screen and keyboard with one hand.

Go to Settings -> One-handed operation -> Check the boxes for the one-hand modes you want to use.

You can switch between right or left-hand use as you go. This option is not for everyone, but if you find the LG G3 to big it’s very handy.

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Better LG G3 Battery Life

If you need to get better LG G3 battery life you can turn on Battery Saver. This built-in option limits syncing and other features to help the LG G3 battery last longer.

Go to Settings -> Battery -> Batter Saver to turn it on. Tap on the Battery Saver on the left and you can access the various settings it controls. You can also turn it on and set it to automatically turn on at 50% to 10% battery left, or immediately if you need it now.

If this is not enough you can also try the Snapdragon BatteryGuru app to get better LG G3 battery life. This free app optimizes usage based on how you use the G3 to help limit apps that you don’t need and make your battery last longer.

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Fast Access to Google Now

If you want to open Google Now on the LG G3 you can swipe up from the home button and launch into the app immediately. If you are on the main LG G3 Home screen you can also say OK Google to start a Google search without first opening Google Now.

There is no setup for this, just tap and swipe up on the LG G3 home button to get there.

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Change the LG G3 Buttons

You can change the LG G3 buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen to add new options and to change the background color to fit your mood and theme.

Go to Settings -> Display -> Home Touch Buttons -> and add new options. You can add Notifications, QuickMemo, Qslide and Dual Window.

You can also rearrange the icons, adding up to a total of five buttons instead of the normal three on other Android phones.

Enable triple-tap zoom

This trick lets you zoom into every part of the LG G3's screen by making a quick triple-tap in it. You can activate it by going into Settings, General, Accessibility and turning on 'Touch Zoom'. In certain cases, the triple-tap gesture might overlap with regular usage if you start tapping too quickly in a single area.

Track Steps with the LG G3

The LG G3 uses a sensor to track your steps so that you don’t need to buy a fitness band or separate app to monitor your activity. You turn this on by swiping to the screen left of the main home screen.

After you open the app you can start tracking your steps and exercise that the G3 automatically records as you carry it in your pocket.

Change LG G3 Vibration

If the LG G3 vibrates too much or too little for phone calls, text messages or even using the home buttons you can change this for each of these settings individually.

Go to Settings -> Sound -> Vibrate Strength -> Adjust the slider to change the vibration intensity for calls, notifications or touch.

Take a LG G3 Screenshot

If you want to take a screenshot on the LG G3 you can use the power and volume down button on the back of the G3, but there’s an easier way that also lets you annotate your screenshot.

Tap on the home button and slide up and to the right to the QuickMemo+ option. This takes a screenshot and opens it up in an app that lets you type a note, draw on the screen and then save or share the result.

Use the LG G3 as a Credit Card or Wallet

You can install Google Wallet on the LG G3 and use the phone to make payments where NFC purchases are possible. this includes many gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and even vending machines. You cannot use this at every store, but even in Ohio it is accepted in many places.

Download Google Wallet, open the app and sign in. Follow the directions to add your debit or credit cards to the account and set Google Wallet as your default Tap & Pay Solution. If it is not already on you need to turn NFC on by going to Settings -> Share & connect -> NFC -> On. You can also go to Tap & pay settings and choose Google Wallet.

LG G3 Camera Shortcut

If you need to open the LG G3 camera fast so you don’t miss a perfect photo you can use a LG G3 camera shortcut key. Press and hold the volume down button to open the camera when the screen is off or when the lock screen is showing.

You’ll feel a small vibration and then the camera app will open to the last mode you left it in and you can start taking photos.

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Open QuickMemo Fast

If you use the included LG G3 app QuickMemo+ you can open it fast by tapping and holding on the volume up button. After a second the QuickMemo+ app will open so you can start taking a note. This works when the LG G3 is locked and works with the screen off or on the lock screen.

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Use the LG G3 as a Remote Control

There is an IR blaster on the top of the LG G3 and a remote control app that lets you control your HDTV, cable box and other home theater equipment.

Go to Apps -> Quick Remote -> Pick a room -> Tap on + -> Add a remote control. Repeat as needed for other remotes and rooms. The app cycles through codes based on the TV brand.

This is an awesome way to make sure you are always in control of the TV.

Use LG G3 Voice Assistant

The LG G3 personal assistant Voice Mate is LG’s Siri or Google Now tool that lets users control the phone with their Voice. Tap and hold on the home button and then swipe up to the left to access Voice Mate.

You can ask Voice Mate to make calls, check your calendar, look up contacts, search nearby, search the web or answer facts and much more. Tap on the I on the screen to see what all Voice mate can do.

It’s not as easy to access as Siri on the iPhone, but it is a handy personal assistant.

Clean Up Apps & Storage

After you use the LG G3 for a few months you’ll end up with downloaded files you don’t need and apps you haven’t use for a month. The LG G3 includes a Smart Cleaning feature to clear these out and recover your space.

Go to Settings -> Smart Cleaning -> Wait for the scan to complete -> tap on an item and then clean it out if you don’t want it. This is much nicer than looking for temporary downloads an unused apps when you run out of space.

Answer a Call with Volume Buttons

If you prefer to answer a phone call by touch, you can use the physical buttons on the back of the LG G3.

Just reach behind and press the volume buttons at the same time to answer a call. To turn this on you need to turn the LG G3 off -> turn it on by holding the volume up, volume down and power buttons at the same time for six seconds. Then choose Mode ON.

Reject a Call with the Power Button

If you don’t want to talk to someone you can press the power button to reject the call. This will end the call and send the caller to voicemail. You need to go to Settings -> Phone -> Power Key end Call -> On to make this work.

Add Storage to the LG G3

If you need more storage on the LG G3 you can add a MicroSD card inside the LG G3 to add a lot more room for photos and movies.

You need to buy a MicroSD card. You can typically buy a 32GB card for under $20, doubling the LG G3 storage.

When it arrives, remove the back of the phone, stick it in the open area above the battery opening and turn the phone back on to start using it.

Use a Xbox Controller with the LG G3

If you want to play games on the LG G3 and really use that beautiful display you can connect an Xbox 360 controller to it to play games.

You’ll need a wired Xbox 360 controller, a USB OTG cable and some of the many Android games that support controllers. Juts plug the USB OTG cable into the Micro USB port, plug the Xbox controller into the other end and you can start gaming without any other apps or hacks needed.

Connect a USB Drive to the LG G3

If you need more storage and want to quickly grab something from a computer you can use the same $2 USB OTG cable to connect a USB thumb drive to your LG G3.

Plug the cable in, connect any thumb drive and then go to the File Manager or download ES File Explorer, and you can now view files on the drive or copy and past to or from the USB drive.

Connect a SD Card to the LG G3 from Your Camera

If you want to connect a full size SD card to the LG G3 to show off your DLSR photos on a beautiful display or instantly share them on Facebook, you can use the same USB OTG cable and a USB to SD card adapter to make this work.

Connect the USB OTG cable to the LG G3, the SD card adapter to that and then plug-in your SD card and check out your photos and videos on the amazing LG G3 display.

Turn off the LG G3 LED

If you don’t like the notification LED distracting you during the day or lighting up your bedroom at night you can turn it off in the settings.

Go to Settings -> Disply -> Notification light -> Off.

If you just want to limit why it is on you can tap on the left part of this option to see more settings and turn it off for certain events like calls, battery charging and more.

Enable “universal touch” gesture control

The “universal touch” gesture control places a floating button on your screen. Press it and it provides a black 'bubble' full of large-sized shortcuts, which can be accessed from anywhere. Even cooler is the ability to actually DRAW inside the bubble and call up phone functions! Draw a C for Calls, M for Message, W for Web, S for Settings, and L for the lock-screen.

Customize LG G3 App Icons and Size

You can change the LG G3 app icons to match a theme you are using or even your own photos. You can also make the icons bigger on the screen.

Tap and hold on an icon until it is ready to move, then tap on the small paintbrush that shows up. You can then pick a new icon from the default ones or tap on the + new option to pick the size you want and then one of your photos to use as an icon.

This is a cool way to customize the LG G3 home screen.

LG G3 Home Screen Gestures

When you are on the LG G3 home screen you can use gestures to see your entire home screen without apps, to see your pages and quickly navigate between them.

To see the home screen without apps in the way, swipe out. The only thing this really does is let you look at your background photo without any clutter. This is handy if you keep a family photo as your wallpaper or something similar.

If you swipe together you go back to the apps showing and again to see all of your pages to jump to another page of apps quickly. This is handier if you have a lot of home screens.

Use & Customize LG G3 Quick Settings

You can access many of the most important LG G3 settings in the notification window under the quick settings area. This is a single row of icons that users can scroll right to left on for access to more quick settings.

You can scroll all the way to the right to customize this list. Uncheck the items you don’t use and re-order the LG G3 quick settings so the ones you need most are available as soon as you pull Notification Window down.

Use the LG G3 as a Personal Hotspot

If you need to connect your laptop, tablet or portable game system to the internet you can turn the LG G3 into a hotspot and connect other devices. You can use the mobile hotspot quick-setting or go to Settings -> More -> Mobile Hotspot -> Set Up. From here you can set the name and password for your hotspot.

make sure you use a password or someone will likely use all your data.

You can then turn it on from the previous screen, allowing other devices to see it. When you find the device connect from your tablet or laptop to0 get internet access just like you would any other WiFi spot. You’ll need a hotspot plan, so you may need to contact your carrier to add one.

Type With Your Voice on the LG G3

If you want to type with your voice instead of using the LG G3 keyboard tips above, you can tap on the small microphone icon on the keyboard to use Google’s speech to text option.

After you tap, just start talking and your speech will turn into text. You can say period or comma to add punctuation. You will likely need to go back and fix some issues on longer items, but this is more then good enough for texts and short emails.

Use LG G3 Emoji Keyboard

If you want to send emoji on the LG G3 you can use the built-in keyboard to use these colorful icons that do more than just a regular smilies.

When the keyboard is up, tap the :)1# icon in the bottom left. Then tap the smile icon to access the LG G3 emoji keyboard. You can now pick the category you want to use and send them to friends.

Do Not Disturb on LG G3

If you want to keep the LG G3 quiet while you are in a meeting or sleeping you can use LG’s version of Do Not Disturb. LG calls this Quiet mode.

Go to Settings -> Sound -> Quiet mode -> On. You can also tap on the left side of this for options that let you customize what you are blocking, what time it is on, what sounds to allow and other options to block including the notification light.

Keep Screen Awake When You’re Looking

When you are looking at the LG G3 there is a Smart screen option to let you keep the display on as long as it can tell you are looking at it. This is handy for passing the phone to someone who wants to read something you found or who spends a long time looking at one photo.

Go to Settings -> Display -> Smart screen -> on. When you are looking at the display directly it will now stay on.

Multitask with Dual-Window

Staying true to its phablet colors, the LG G3 lets you use two apps in the same time with its Dual-Window functionality. Harness it by tapping and holding the 'Back' on-screen navigation key, or through the button in the task switching menu. Tap on the upper or lower side of the screen to choose which side the window goes to, then tap the app icons, or drag them up or down.

Enable automatic Dual-Window

The LG G3 can automatically activate the Dual-Window view when you tap a link in full screen or tap an e-mail attachment. To toggle this option, go to Settings, General, tap 'Dual window' and check 'Split view'.

Qslide to Multitask on the LG G3

If you don’t want to use two apps at the same time, sharing the screen you can float another app on top of any app you are using for fast access to information. This is called Qslide. The easiest way to use it is to pull down the notification drawer and tap on Qslide.

This opens a menu that allows users to open the Video, Phone, Messaging, Calendar and Email apps and show them on top of another item. This is handy if you want to check your calendar while also looking at an event list or other items where you just need a quick comparison or access to something like the phone.

Find a Lost LG G3

If you tend to leave your LG G3 behind after grabbing coffee, lose it in the couch too often or are just worried that someone might steal your LG G3 you need to make sure Android Device Manager is up and running.

When I logged in to the Verizon LG G3 this feature was already on by default so I didn’t need to actually turn it on, but you should go online to make sure you can locate your LG G3 before you lose it. Go to Android Device Manager and log in with your Gmail account. Make sure you can see the LG G3 and try ringing it. If it rings you are good to go.

You can now ring at full volume to find a lost LG G3 even if it is on silent, lock the device, erase it and locate it on a map.

Announce Callers and texts By Name

Many old flip phones could read the caller name and information out to you when it rang, and that is something the LG G3 can do as well. You can even set it up to read out text message recipients and the full text message if you don’t care who hears.

To do this, go to Settings -> Sound ->Message/call voice notification -> turn it on. You can then tap on the left part of the option to choose what is read out.

When you get a call the ringtone will play and then it will announce the caller name from your contacts.

Change the Screen Off Animation

If you don’t like the old-fashioned TV turning off animation that the LG G3 plays when you turn the screen off you can change it to two other options.

Go to Settings -> Display -> Screen-off effect -> Pick a new one. You can hit preview to see the Black hole and Fade out animations before picking one.

Change the Font and Size of Text

If you need the LG G3 text to be bigger or you want a different font throughout the phone you can pick from five additional fonts and five other text sizes.

Go to Settings -> Display -> Font type or Font Size -> Pick different options.

Many of the Font styles are odd-looking on a phone, but if you want to add some character to your LG G3 here’s one way to do it. You can also push the text size way up if you have a tough time reading on a small screen.

Customize the LG G3 Home Screen

Customize the LG G3 home screen to suite your preferences and make the LG G3 easier for you to use. In addition to changing the wallpaper in the Settings -> Home Screen menu you can do much more.

• Screen Swipe Effect – change the animation when you switch screens.
• Allow Home screen looping – you can keep swiping to loop around to the other end of your home screens.
• Allow apps list looping – Loop through the apps list when you hit the end.

Change these to fit your preference and enjoy a customized LG G3 home screen.

Show Widgets on the LG G3 Lock Screen

The LG G3 lock screen can show widgets with your calendar, messages and more if you want faster access to that information. These are like the widgets on your home screen, but there are not as many.

Go to Settings -> Lock screen -> Widgets on lock screen -> On. Next go to your lock screen and swipe to see the left screen. You need to do this at the top of the display area, above the knock code area. Then tap on Add Widgets to start adding them to your LG G3 lock screen.

Use Gestures on the LG G3

The LG G3 supports gestures to control a variety of activities. Here is how to run on Gesture Control on the LG G3 and a short list of what you can control. Go to Settings -> Gestures -> Check boxes of the motions you want to use.

• Answer a call
• Fade a ringtone
• Silence a call
• Snooze or stop alarm
• Pause Video

You can flip the phone or pick it up to use these LG G3 gestures. If they don’t work at first, you may need to calibrate the motion sensor at the bottom of this section.

LG G3 Guest Mode

When you need to hand the LG G3 off to a colleague or to a kid you can turn Guest Mode on to limit access to certain apps and services. Go to Setting s-> Guest Mode -> On. You can also choose four apps they can use, a wallpaper and an alternate lock screen for the guest.

Calls and alarms will still sound when in guest Mode, but some apps may not function correctly so keep that in mind before relying on it.

LG G3 PC Suite

You can download the free LG G3 PC Suite to backup and restore a LG G3 and much more. You’ll need to visit LG to download the LG G3 PC Suite. Once downloaded you can connect with a USB cable to perform the following activities.

• Manage and play your media contents (music, movie, pictures) on your PC.
• Send multimedia contents to your device.
• Synchronizes data (schedules, contacts, bookmarks) in your device and PC.
• Backup the applications in your device.
• Update the software in your device.
• Backup and restore the device.
• Play multimedia contents of your PC from other device

LG only shows a Windows download right now, but the LG G3 manual talks about a Mac version that should be available on the US LG website.

Turn on LG G3 Developer Mode

If you want access to all of the LG G3 including the LG G3 hidden menus for developers you’ll need to enable developer mode. You don’t need to root the device to do this, but if you do plan to root or install other items you’ll want this on.

Go to Settings -> About Phone -> Software information -> Tap on Build-number seven times to enable developer mode on the LG G3.

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Key Features: 6-inch 1,280 x 720 pixel IPS screen; 16GB storage; 2GB RAM; 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 CPU
Manufacturer: Asus

What is the Asus Zenfone 6?

The Asus Zenfone 6 is the largest model in Asus’s new phone line-up – a set of phones out to establish Asus as a real phone brand. It gets you a 6-inch screen, and both a better processor and camera than the slightly smaller Zenfone 5.

We think the Zenfone 5 phone is pretty great, especially as it starts at just £150. The Zenfone 6 is a slightly tricker proposition as its size introduces a few usability issues, and it costs a fair bit more at £250 without 4G. But it’s ultimately a solid phone in almost every respect, and a good deal if you don’t mind about having a brand on the back your friends might turn their noses up at.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Design

The Asus Zenfone 6 is a huge phone. There was no way around this one really – you can’t make a phone with a 6-inch screen and make it small.

As you have probably guessed by now from the score, we quite like the Zenfone 6, but this size is something you should consider seriously before buying. It means that when you hold the phone in one hand, you need to grip it with your fingertips and there’s really no room for manoeuvring the thing unless you get a second hand involved.

It’s more of a handful than a naughty three-year old with a sugar high and soon-to-be-diagnosed ADHD.

The only way Asus could have made this slightly better is by trimming down the screen bezels as much as possible, a bit like the LG G3. We wouldn’t expect this from a company that’s pretty new to phones, and sure enough the Zenfone 6’s are pretty ordinary, resulting in a width almost 6mm greater than the Galaxy Note 4.

Yes, that phone has a smaller 5.7-inch screen, but it’s one of the few genuinely desirable big-screen alternatives out there. The Zenfone 6 isn’t exactly light at 196g either.

Aside from the largely unavoidable size issue, the Asus Zenfone 6 design is mostly a complete success. The look isn’t showy but has just enough little Asus inflections here to give the phone something bordering on an identity.

You get a shiny bit of metal below the screen bearing a neat-looking finish of concentric circles - an Asus signature - a small Asus logo on back and front, and a simple, curved plastic rear.

In the Zenfone 5 we complained that the hardware soft keys looked a bit toy-like, a bit too large. However – strangely enough – they’re actually a bit smaller in this larger phone, giving them a more refined and sophisticated look.

The Zenfone 6’s design is not dynamic or particularly different. But from a company whose previous ‘phones’ like the Padfone 2 have been as ‘out there’ as the professor from Back to the Future, that’s no bad thing.

We should also note that Asus has put some clear thought into making the Zenfone 6 as usable as it can be.

Where in the Zenfone 5 the power button sits above the volume rocker, here it’s below, keeping it within reach of your thumb. It’s hardly a eureka moment, but it’s reassuring.

Build quality of the Zenfone 6 is commendable, even though the whole rear of the phone is a fairly standard moulded piece of plastic. It feels tough, there are no wide seams or creaky bits and the front of the phone is covered with Gorilla Glass 3.

This is the kind of toughened glass used in a great many high-end phones, and means you don’t really need a screen protector unless you really want to sell it on in perfect condition in a year or so. It’s highly scratch-resistant, and while it’s used in quite a lot of lower-cost phones these days – even the Motorola Moto E – it’s good to see Asus managed to fit such a large pane of the stuff into the budget.

As well as looking and feeling really rather good, the Zenfone 6 is also a bit more flexible than an obvious rival on price, if not size: the Nexus 5. There’s a microSD card slot under that back cover, which is a great addition in a phone that really should be used as a little video buddy. If that isn't one of your primary considerations, why not get something smaller?

There are 8GB, 16GB and 32GB versions of the Zenfone 6 in existence, but the one we get in the UK at present has 16GB. There’s no 4G option at the moment, though. Given the £249 price, this is an issue.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Screen

However, let’s move onto what the Zenfone 6 is all about, the great big screen. It’s a 6-inch display, a middle ground between top-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S5 and small tablets like the Nexus 7.

For some it’ll be the perfect compromise. You can still fit in your pocket (just about), but it’s also large enough to work as a decent little miniature TV/tablet.

There is an issue, though. Resolution is just 720p, and for a phone of the Zenfone 6’s stature, that’s not a great deal.

The display looks a good deal softer than it would with a 1080p panel. It’s quite noticeable compared to something like the LG G2. There’s no ‘Retina’ level sharpness here, so be aware if that’s going to be a deal-breaker.

The clarity is still decent – 1,280 x 720 pixels at six inches gets you 245ppi – but it really does feel like things have moved on, even at this price.

However, after using the phone for a week or so, we found that the actual results are still pretty good. As you tend to hold the phone a little further from your face, in normal use you’re not confronted by the lower-res display in a truly distracting way.

And sometimes having a bigger screen is better than having a smaller, sharper one. For example, to use as a little screen while you’re at the gym the Zenfone 6 is great. It’s also arguably superior for watching films on during a work commute than a 1080p 5-inch screen: although that’s open to debate.

Actual screen quality aside from pure sharpness is very good, if predictably not quite on the level of the top-end phones.

The Asus Zenfone 6 uses an IPS panel, the kind used in most high-end phones. It offers good, mostly natural-looking colour and good viewing angles. These are just as important boxes to tick as the resolution one, and Asus also offers some customisation over the tone of the screen through Asus Splendid.

This app lets you alter the temperature and saturation of the screen. We reduced saturation a tad from the  out-of-box settings for a more natural look, but the slider’s there if you like your colours a little more intense than natural too.

Where the Asus Zenfone 6 reveals it doesn’t quite have a screen to match, say, the Xperia Z3, is with its slightly worse black level and a very slight colour tint when viewed from an angle. These are minor issues, though, and the people bothered by them are likely to also be turned off by the resolution.

The Zenfone 6 is in a tricky spot. There aren’t many high-profile 6-inch Android phones and last year’s ones like the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra have already slipped off shelves. We ended up pretty happy with the Zenfone 6’s screen, but it’s noticeably worse than some 5-inch alternatives that don’t cost much more – we’re talking about the Nexus 5 and LG G2. So make sure you need that extra inch.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Software and ZenUI

The Asus Zenfone 6 runs Android 4.3 with the ZenUI, as seen in the other phones in the Zenfone range. This isn’t the latest version of Android, but differences between core versions of the system software are often steamrollered by changes made in the custom interfaces that sit on top anyway.

ZenUI doesn’t mess too much with the basic way Android works, but it does fiddle with some elements and applies a tweaked look to the entire system.

The alterations are largely identical to those of the Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 5. In some ways that's good, in others bad.

For example, the Zenfone 6 has a split drop-down notifications bar. Flick down on the right of the screen and you get your settings controls and toggles. Flick on the left and you get your notifications.

In the 4-inch Zenfone 4 we thought this was a dreadful idea. But it makes perfect sense in the Zenfone 6, where you’re more than likely to have two hands involved when using the phone.

However, sharing the interface with much smaller phones often backfires for the Zenfone 6 too. There are zero optimisations specifically for the phone’s large screen size.

In the apps menu, there are just four icons fit into the screen’s width, and both the home screen and settings menu are similarly languorous in their dealing with the giant 6-inch screen. The phone offers no reason, no justification for the 6-inch screen, so you’d better be prepared to find your own.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Apps and Performance

As we found in the Zenfone 5, while ZenUI doesn’t add masses to Android, it doesn’t detract from it hugely either. General performance is very good, with very little lag. Lower-cost phones with custom UIs often slow you down by having little pauses between traditions, or as widgets load. But here everything is quite smooth.

The Zenfone 6 doesn’t need a top-end processor to get this either. It uses the 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 with 2GB of RAM. The generous RAM probably has a lot to do with the phone’s good performance, so make sure you get the 2GB edition (there are 1GB versions outside of the UK).

Intel’s Atom Z2580 seems to be a little bit faster than the Snapdragon 400 used on many mid-range phones these days, including the pricier big-screen Sony Xperia T3. In the Geekbench 3 benchmark, it scores 1303 points – more than Snapdragon 400 phones, but still way off Snapdragon 800 ones like the Nexus 5.

Digging a little deeper, the Intel Atom Z2580 is actually only a dual-core processor where every Android under the sun seems to be at least quad-core these days. However, Intel’s cores pack a real punch.

It’s also worth noting that while the Zenfone 6 has a processor of the same series as the Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 5, it’s actually significantly more powerful than either thanks to its higher clock speed.

We found that, happily, it has enough power to play high-end games with little or no dips in performance. We have a feeling it might suffer if this was a 1080p phone, but the partnership of Z2580 and a 720p screen works well.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Camera

While a mid-price phone, the Asus Zenfone 6 has a reasonably high-end camera sensor. Its main camera uses a 13-megapixel camera, the sort of resolution seen in many of the top Android phones of 2013.

Where many phones use Sony camera sensors, we’re told the Asus Zenfone 6 actually has a Panasonic sensor of 1/3.06-inch size. That’s pretty good, especially when coupled with a fast f2.0 lens.

Having been perfectly happy with the Zenfone 5’s camera, is it really worth upping the price to fit in this sensor? We’re not entirely convinced. But the Zenfone 6 does make a good everyday camera.

Whether down to the increase in sensor resolution or another property, the Zenfone 6 is a bit slower than the Zenfone 5, though. There’s a good 2-second delay between shots, which is far slower than the 13-megapixel camera of, for example, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Asus does provide a Turbo burst mode, which shoots at about 5fps at reduced resolution, but it’s no real substitute for slightly faster normal shooting.

You get loads of extra modes, all relayed quite simply and clearly in a custom Asus camera app. As well as essentials like HDR, panorama and low-light modes, there are some more fun ones too.

The depth of field mode blurs out the background by taking multiple shots to separate near objects from far-away ones, and Time Rewind is a sneaky burst mode that captures shots before and after you hit the shutter button, just in case you missed the right moment. Not all the modes work perfectly, but there's some fun to be had.

It’s a neat camera app, and a good effort from Asus. But what about actual image quality?

It’s good. There seems to be a slight tendency to underexpose a little, but the level of fine detail is at times substantially superior to what you get with the 8-megapixel Zenfone 5. With good lighting, there’s loads of fine detail, which generally only succumbs to a bit of grain rather than the kind of dithering that makes an image look quite unnatural when you get down to pixel level.

The Zenfone 6 also offers better colour reproduction than the Zenfone 5, lacking that phone’s yellow bias in some shades.

There is a bit of purple fringing and a little bit of struggling with very high light contrast, but we think this is a very good camera, especially in a £250 phone that does not really base itself around the camera at all.

Some of the additional modes are extremely useful too. HDR is great for combating the issues mentioned regarding underexposure and scenes with high light contrast, and Asus’s approach to low-light photography in the Zenfone 6 is really quite interesting.

The phone offers two low-light modes. There’s Night, which shoots at full resolution and merely tweaks the settings so they’re optimised for low-light shooting, and then there's the rather more interesting Low Light mode.

What this does is to downscale output from the Zenfone 6’s camera from 13 megapixels to just three megapixels, letting the camera harvest data from multiple sensor pixels to create a lower-resolution but more accurately-coloured final image. This, in tandem with mode increasing brightness/exposure compensation and a healthy dose of noise reduction, results in really quite clear photos even in terrible light conditions.

They obviously don’t offer masses of detail, but then the finer details in low-light mobile photos are generally so ugly you wouldn’t want to crop into them anyway. Until we get mobile cameras that can provide results on par with a good compact like the Sony RX 100, this is what good low-light mobile photography is all about – clean photos with reasonably natural colours. It’s good work on Asus’s part.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Battery Life

One of the Asus Zenfone 6’s key features is its gigantic battery. It has a 3300mAh unit.

It’s even bigger than the Xperia Z2’s battery, and let’s not forget that this phone has a 720p screen – and of course the Xperia Z2 is a top battery performer. In our usual video test, which involves playing a 720p MP4 video until the battery dies, the Zenfone 6 lasted for just under 11 hours.

Given this phone has a 6-inch screen, that’s a good result. Sony’s phone still betters it, but the Zenfone 6 trounces the other phones in the Zenfone range. The Zenfone 4 didn’t even make it to five hours.

It’s in normal use we saw the best results. With moderate use, you can get more than two days out of a charge. Three at a push, if you’re careful.

To provide some anecdotal evidence, on one day we started with only 67 per cent battery charge. However, with just that we made is through the day and up ’til lunchtime in the next. This is the sort of phone you really can be quite blasé about charging.

Like the Zenfone 5, though, you can’t remove the battery, meaning there’s no way to carry around a spare if you’re going to be away from a plug for a long time.

Asus Zenfone 6 – Call Quality and Sound Quality

Asus has also tried fairly hard with some other secondary elements of the phone too (it’s sad to think of battery life as secondary, but in phone marketing terms it is). The call speaker is unusually loud to cut through noisy environments.

Having extra volume on tap is handy, but in pushing the presumably tiny driver as hard as the Zenfone 6 does the mid-range gets rather harsh at top volume. And, if you’re like us, your natural inclination is to max out the call volume as standard.

The internal speaker is a little less remarkable. It uses a single driver on the back, so there are no stereo shenanigans going on here. Sound quality is nothing remarkable, but passable.

Should I buy the Asus Zenfone 6?

The question of whether you should buy the Asus Zenfone 6 needs to be countered with another: are you sure you really need or want the Zenfone 6? We’re not trying to dissuade you from upgrading your phone, but are you sure you want a 6-inch one?

Even the leap from a 5.5-inch phone is significant. And while we got used to the Zenfone 6’s size, we found the phone often ending up in a bag rather than a pocket because of its sheer size.

The Zenfone 6 does nothing in particular to help its cause either. It offers no software optimisation for the screen, and its resolution is no greater than the 4.5-inch Moto G. Of course, for things like gaming, video-watching and even browsing, a bigger screen is generally better.

Among 6-inch phones this is a top contender. Most of last year’s models have now been discontinued, there are few actual 6-inch alternatives, and it sells for a good deal less than phones like Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and HTC One Max were originally on sale for.

However, we can’t help but feels its efforts to be ‘more premium’ than the Zenfone 5 have backfired a tiny bit. At £250 the Zenfone 6 is a decent deal. But cut down the camera and CPU to the 5-inch version’s level, and get that price below £200 and you’d have a rather more remarkable phone. Still, Asus has done pretty well here.

Verdict

Like any 6-inch phone the Asus Zenfone 6 is not for everyone, and its huge display could be sharper. But we quite like all its other aspects, particularly its very impressive battery life. Combined with a competitive price this makes for a decent phone-tablet hybrid.

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How to become the master of Google's personal assistant

Of all of Google's many software efforts of recent times, Google Now has to be one of the best.

Here is a tool that doesn't just help you search for information, it goes and fetches it for you before you even ask. In that regard, it's even more powerful than Apple's Siri.

While Google Now is only really present in its full glory on Android (which we're concentrating on here), you can also get much of its functionality on iOS devices by downloading the regular Google search app. You can also make use of it on a desktop computer through the Chrome web browser.

The fact that Google Now runs of its own accord in the background suggests that you probably use it in some capacity, but that you probably don't use it to the fullest.

Follow these tips and tricks and see what Google Now can do for you.

Set your locations

Much of Google Now's functionality relies on location, and relates to your proximity to home and work. As such, make sure it's set accurately by going into the magic wand setting menu at the bottom.

Now select Places, and tap on the Home and Work fields to set them accordingly.

Let your family know about traffic problems

Turn on Commute Sharing on the map card, and your friends and family will get all your traffic warnings.

Go into the Commute sharing menu and hit the 'Choose who can see...' option. This will take you to Google Plus, where you need to turn Location Sharing on. Then, hit 'Choose people to share with' and select who you need to share such info with.

Finally, back in the Google Now settings menu, opt to 'Let them see my commute updates.'

Make like Siri

Admit it, Android users. You're slightly envious of all those smug iPhone users talking informally to their phones, and having reminders set accordingly.

Well, guess what? Google Now lets you do exactly the same. Just hit the mic button, or say "OK Google," followed by what you want. For example, try saying "Call... (contact name)" to make calls, or ask "How do I get to... (place name or address)?" for Google Maps directions. You can also set reminders that take into consideration location and time by saying something like "Remind me to... (activity) when I get home."

Want to set a timer? Don't fiddle around with the clock app. Just ask Google Now to "Set a timer for five minutes (or whatever)."

Check out your holiday photos

Using that aforementioned voice-recognition system, you can pull up all of your stored photos for a specific location.

First, you need to ensure that your photos are getting auto-backed up to Google Plus. They are? Then we can begin.

So, after asking "Okay Google" (or hitting the mic), ask for it to "show me my pictures from (location)." Hey presto! Instant location-based images for your perusal.

Find out where you parked

Google knows where you parked. I know, right? Using your Android phone's accelerometer and GPS, it can detect when you're driving and when you've come to a proper stop. So it takes a pretty good stab at sticking a virtual pin in the map where you left your automobile, and providing you with that information through the parking card.

You can also check out previous locations you've parked, or get the next best guess.

Tell Google Now your favourite sports team

Google Now will keep you abreast of the latest fixtures and scores for your favourite sports teams, but you'll have to tell it what they are. Just go into the settings menu, select Sports, and feed in your team(s) of choice.

Bring up a calculator

You probably have your calculator app of choice close to hand. But if Google Now is your quickest tool, type in Calc to bring up a calculator within Google. Instant sum-crunching, at your fingertips!

Get Google Now to translate for you

Google Translate is a great tool for helping you get by with the local lingo on holiday, but Google Now can help you out in a more naturalistic way.

Just ask it "How do I say (whatever) in (choose a language)," and it'll help you with your pronunciation. Bueno.

Let Google Now DJ for you

Signed up to Google Play Music? They you can start your "I feel lucky" playlist going simply by telling Google Now to "Play some music."

Google Now - great in a pub quiz

Google Now can supply you with information on the TV show you're watching or the music you're listening to.

For the former, make sure you're on the same Wi-Fi network with your phone as you are for your Smart TV (why wouldn't you be?), and ask Google Now to "Listen to TV." You'll get a bunch of programming info and trivia.

Ask Google Now "What am I listening to?" when listening to music for a Shazam-like listing of the artist and track, as well as album/single artwork and a purchase listing on Google Play.

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