Monday Brief: More webOS drama, a BlackBerry Z10 Oreo, the Nokia Lumia 620 review, and more!

Ant Raid – A Fast-Paced Hive Defense Game [Game Review]

Ant Raid is made by the same Developers of The Tiny Bang Story and brings a more action-packed style to the Tower Defense Genre.  Don’t let the cute graphics and quirky sound effects fool you, if you don’t make the correct moves at the beginning, you will fail and fail often at levels.

To start, Ant Raid is a simple defend-your-home game.  You have an army of ants that you group to fight off snails, bees and more.  There aren’t different types or classes of ants for you to choose; instead, you, eventually, have different powers to give your ant horde.  Your ants surround their hive to defend it, and you use your finger to select as many ants as you want to send to attack your enemies.  The trick at the beginning of the game is to select the right number of ants to attack the different approaching enemies.  If you select too many or too few, the snails will destroy your hive within seconds.  The last levels give you more tasks than simply defending your hive, and these add a dimension to the game that the first levels lack.  Ant Raid starts off slow, but with more powers come more fun.

The further you progress in the game, you get more powers like berserker-mode, healing, and an earthquake that you control with your finger.  These powers are much-needed as the story progress, but they seem to imbalance the power between you and the approaching enemies.  While the first chapter has overpowered enemies where if you slip up, you die, the last couple chapters allow you to gain the upper hand with your powers.  The earthquake power basically allows you to kill everything without remorse or challenge.

For replayability and a challenge, you can get up to three stars in each level.  You can achieve these by beating the level within a certain time, not allowing your hive to get harmed, not letting your finger earthquakes hurt your ants, and more.  These are great to have and add to the game, but don’t expect to get three stars often on your first try.  As I mentioned, it takes knowing what enemies are coming where and how many ants you need to take them down to really get those three stars.  These are achievable but much more difficult than say the first few levels of Angry Birds.

The story is enough to carry the game.  It’s quirky, funny, and silly without being strictly for kids.  The music and atmosphere match that light-hearted description, and it’s all very well created.  The graphics are serviceable, very much in the Herocraft style; though, I would have liked fewer sharp edges on the enemies and a bit more detail to see your ant army easier.

My few complaints are all above:  it takes too long to get all your powers with so few short levels (45, with more promised), your ants are difficult to see (especially the ones hidden behind your hive), and an imbalance in your powers versus the enemy’s.  Overall, it’s worth trying out the demo, and without a lot of noteworthy Tower Defense games on Android, Ant Raid could soothe your tower-defenseless gaming soul.

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• The Tiny Bang Story – Hand-drawn, colorful puzzles to bend and twist your mind [Game Review]
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 – Verizon Remix Version [Hardware Review]

We have written a review for the Galaxy Note 2 previously, but phones on Verizon are always a little different.  Whether it’s an almost completely rolled out LTE or non-removable apps that pervade your homescreen, Verizon plays by its own rules.  I’m going to be focusing more on the software side of things since you already have a good idea of what this phone brings to the Android world.  I’m going in-depth on the camera, Touchwiz, battery, and I’ll get into the consumer’s head to really understand the Galaxy Note 2 and why it’s the phone you need.

Software

While the Note 2 doesn’t have the eye-popping screen the Droid DNA did, Samsung does make sure the size of the phone grabs you, then the S-Pen, the multi-window function, and the S-Voice keep you sucked into the Samsung software ecosystem. It’s a very good ecosystem to get sucked into too.  The S-Voice is a nice gimmick, but I don’t think it really compares to Google Now as Samsung simply doesn’t have as much information about you as Google does.  However, the S-Pen is accurate, quick to withdraw, and I actually found myself using it quite a bit.  Samsung made a nice app to make notes, lists, and diary entries as well as draw and sketch to your heart’s content.  I would liked to have seen Evernote integration or support, but Samsung’s app is nice, if not very intuitive. It has been pointed out that Samsung is distancing itself from Google by providing its own Google Now competitor, its own Media Hub, and Kies.

This would be an unfortunate development as the multi-window feature is pure brilliance and works great on the Note 2 (aside from the Verizon Note 2 only being able to take advantage of a few apps), but the Media Hub and S-Voice simply cannot compete with Google Now and the Play Store. The battery is fantastic; I could only drain it to zero if I was using it constantly for the whole day (think YouTube streaming in HD on LTE for 4 hours). This is  my new number one feature – a battery that lasts all day.  I will not buy a phone that doesn’t have a 3,000+ mAh battery.  Of course, a Verizon OTA update was available for the Note 2 so I downloaded it, and, as many forums and websites have reported, it has caused a noticeable battery drain when compared to my first week without the update.  The battery still lasts a full day, but now it doesn’t seem to go into deep sleep as well as it used to. LTE has a strong signal, and where my Galaxy Nexus would have trouble finding a single or drop from LTE to 3G, the Galaxy Note would hold the LTE signal. Speed tests showed the Galaxy Note 2 averaging about 15mb/s at peak times, outpacing my Galaxy Nexus at ~7mb/s, and hitting a high of 29mb/s late at night.

Camera

Samsung generally makes some decent cameras, probably third behind Sony and HTC, and I think that’s about adequate.  The camera app isn’t as good as the Droid DNA was, but the Note 2 has a nice “Best Photo” mode to take quick pictures and select the best available, and it has all the usual filters and other normal camera stuff you need.  The camera lens is too high up for my liking.  I always seemed to get my finger caught in the way when I was trying to take quick shots.  This would have been an easy problem to solve since the Note 2 has so much room on the back.  The camera was noticeably dim at night compared to the DNA, and snapping pictures wasn’t nearly as quick as it is for my Galaxy Nexus or anything else I’ve tried running ICS or Jelly Bean. The more I look at the pictures, the less impressed I became, but most of them were with low light or at night.

Touchwiz

Touchwiz is as pervasive as HTC’s Sense UI, but Samsung has done a fairly good job of keeping it current with the Android updates.  Samsung took a lot of things from the stock ICS launcher, colorized it with a palette from the 80s, and added a few enhancements like the screen staying on if you are looking at it and moving items on your homescreen by tilting the phone.  It’s these small enhancements that make Touchwiz much more user-friendly and much more acceptable than HTC’s ten-clicks-deep menus.  We can all remember the days when Touchwiz had Bing, Blockbuster, and generally left the phone feeling more cumbersome than polished.  Not anymore.  Touchwiz actually adds value to the device, especially for novice Android users.  There are different homescreen modes, Simple and Standard, different saturation levels you can change, tons of lock screen options (news, weather, Facebook feeds), and battery-saving options (not that you will need them).  Touchwiz has certainly come a long way from my Fascinate days, and it isn’t an excuse to not buy a Samsung device anymore.

Final Thoughts

I love this phone.  The Galaxy Note 2 is the best phone I have ever used. Anyone that gasps about the size is correct, it’s a really big phone that isn’t seen very often.  But, you’re hand(s) become accustomed to it, and eventually a smaller phone just doesn’t cut it for pictures, movies, and Redditing. Looking at my Galaxy Nexus, it is almost a disappointment now, even though I’m on the latest version of Android with stock UI. A battery that lasts the whole day using LTE is a serious game changer and keeps your mind at ease. Samsung and their Touchwiz UI have made the buttons ever-so-slightly bigger to be reached easier, and the multi-window feature (especially if you figure out how to get any app to use it) is a serious advancement in smartphones. A  quad-core processor and 2GB RAM make this beast of a phone fly, even while having a YouTube video playing on one half of the screen and tweeting from the other half. Samsung has outdone themselves, and Verizon should be happy because the S-Pen, multi-window feature, and size can sell to business customers. That being said, why is there a Verizon logo on the front? A great phone aesthetically marred by stupidity/ingenious marketing. That is my one fault with the phone. That being said, the Galaxy Note 2 is a must-buy, even if the price tag gives you hesitation.

Related Stories

• Verizon aims to discontinue Samsung Galaxy S III 32GB, Droid 4, and more
• Samsung Galaxy S IV tipped to launch in April, unveiled in MWC or Unpacked event
• Samsung reportedly confirms Galaxy Note 8 slated for MWC 2013 introduction

Pantech Discover review

With an attractive price and build quality, the Discover is an interesting proposition. But will its notable shortcomings have you looking elsewhere?

Pantech, much like other smartphone manufacturers, is trying to make the tricky transition from carrier-branded spec devices to its own flagships. But making a name for yourself when few know your brand — or worse, know it only alongside low-end phones — is a tough proposition. Pantech is hoping to step up its game for the start of 2013 with this device, the mid-range Discover on AT&T, currently available for $50 on contract.

Cheap on-contract phones in the U.S. have always been in an awkward position. Their only chance at being purchased is one of confusion, to be honest. When comparing to higher end devices that are also on contract, the difference in up-front pricing is miniscule compared to the cost of service for the 2-year contract period. Saving $50 or $100 over the life of a $2,500 contract is nothing, yet eager-to-buy and less-informed consumers make the choice every day. This being said, does the Pantech Discover have what it takes to make you choose it when there are formidable competitors at about the same price? Read on and find out.

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HTC One VX review

The HTC One VX looks to be a great (and cheap) way to get an entry-level LTE smartphone on AT&T

This may be one of those rare instances in which we know too much. For those of us who live and breathe smartphones all day long (and that includes many of you out there), it's tough to look at an HTC One phone without seeing the entire line in context. With regards for pecking order, there's the One V. The One S. The One S. (There's also the new One SV in Europe and Asia, and in the U.S. on Cricket.) And now, on AT&T, we have the HTC One VX.

Where the hell does this phone fit in?

To answer that question, you need to take it out of context a little bit. Instead of looking at where it sits in the HTC family, think about where the One VX sits in the AT&T lineup. Things start to make a little more sense in that respect, especially considering that as of this writing, the One VX is exclusive to the U.S. carrier.

As its name might imply (again, to those of us who live and breathe this stuff), and as the spec sheet spells out, the One VX picks and chooses from some of the best features of the other phones in the HTC One line. You can't help but compare it to its older siblings. But it's also important to remember where it stands for AT&T. This phone serves a purpose for AT&T — filling a hole in its lineup — more than it does for HTC. And that's OK. Because what we end up with is a really good entry-level phone.

So, with all that said, on to our HTC One VX review.

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Droid DNA

HTC has finally given Verizon users a reason to be happy for the holiday season. HTC’s Droid lineup has been lackluster on Big Red’s service for at least the past year, but the Droid DNA has changed all that. There are no more variations to the Incredible lineup; instead, the DNA attempts to rejuvenate HTC’s influence in Verizon’s Samsung-dominated lineup. While it may not bring a flashy name, the DNA hits all the major marketing points to promote and sells itself well, better even than Samsung’s Galaxy series.

Hardware

While our readers and other Android enthusiasts may drool over a high processor speed or the latest Android update, everyone, including your grandmother, drools over a high resolution, high quality display. There is no overlooking or denying that HTC and Verizon attempted to make buying a smartphone simple – hold two phones together, the DNA and anything else, and see which looks better. The DNA wins that battle handily and creates a remarkably simple sell for buyers and sales associates.

Conversely, the single annoyance that will make you throw the DNA, which you probably won’t notice in the store, is the micro-USB cover. The cover is a pain to get off (I couldn’t take it off without my pocket knife) and is worth ripping off before you even turn on the phone. I understand the reasoning HTC – to create a solid, unibody design and look – but how about a sliding door, a la the Fascinate, or anything else that doesn’t take fingernails of steel to rip off.

Press Google Reader client review

Press, a brand new Google Reader news client, has been the focus of the Android app community since its release, being heralded for its great design choices and general ease of use. It certainly isn't the first — nor will it be the last — in this arena, but right now its one that has everyone watching, and early indications are that it's living up to the hype.

Do the design and features offer enough of a draw to pull you away from another reading app of your choice? Stick around after the break and see if Press is worth your consideration.

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LG Spectrum 2 review

It has been quite a year for LG, which despite its top spot among dumbphone sales has had a bit of a difficult time making it big in the Android world. Faced with stiff competition from fellow Korean handset maker Samsung, as well as HTC and Motorola, LG has struggled to create a brand for itself– despite solid hardware, it has consistently failed to catch the attention of those who decide which Android devices sell and which ones flop– the consumer. 

Then came the Optimus G and, subsequently the Nexus 4, both of which helped LG get back in the game. The Nexus 4 is widely considered to be the best Nexus to date, and the Optimus G has been called one of the best smartphones of 2012, besting even the Galaxy S 3 and the One X.

Not all of LG's releases this year have been as stellar, though, and unfortunately for Verizon customers, two of LG's misses have landed on Big Red's network. The LG Intuition was too "groundbreaking" for its own good with its awkward 4:3 display, and the Spectrum 2, despite its best efforts, manages to feel like an outdated afterthought and a slap in the face to Verizon loyalists who have had to watch LG's comeback from the sidelines. 

Read on for our full review.

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Samsung ‘conducting an internal review’ on Exynos vulnerability

There was potentially worrying news for Samsung phone owners this weekend, as a serious kernel security vulnerability was identified in Android devices running Exynos 4210 and 4412 chips. The list of affected devices includes some of the most popular Samsung phones, like the international Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3, and all Galaxy Note 2 models. The exploit in Samsung's kernel could give a malicious app free reign over a device's memory, allowing it to take complete control of it.

We reached out to Samsung for comment, and the company has today informed us that it is "currently in the process of conducting an internal review" into the matter. That's not a whole lot of information, but it at least confirms that Samsung's aware of the issue and is looking into it.

We'll keep you apprised of any further developments. In the meantime, if you're concerned about whether your own phone could be affected by this security vulnerability, check out our full report from yesterday.

More: The Samsung Exynos kernel exploit – what you need to know

Samsung ‘conducting an internal review’ on Exynos vulnerability

There was potentially worrying news for Samsung phone owners this weekend, as a serious kernel security vulnerability was identified in Android devices running Exynos 4210 and 4412 chips. The list of affected devices includes some of the most popular Samsung phones, like the international Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3, and all Galaxy Note 2 models. The exploit in Samsung's kernel could give a malicious app free reign over a device's memory, allowing it to take complete control of it.

We reached out to Samsung for comment, and the company has today informed us that it is "currently in the process of conducting an internal review" into the matter. That's not a whole lot of information, but it at least confirms that Samsung's aware of the issue and is looking into it.

We'll keep you apprised of any further developments. In the meantime, if you're concerned about whether your own phone could be affected by this security vulnerability, check out our full report from yesterday.

More: The Samsung Exynos kernel exploit – what you need to know