LG G5 $576 to $689 (No Data plan)
Smartphone takes design to new level
The LG G5 has a removable battery, which makes it unique among the flagship smartphones offered right now. In fact, it's not just the battery that's removable, but the whole bottom of the phone — sort of a first step to a truly modular smartphone that lets you swap out parts for other hardware features you may want. For example, LG has already announced a B & O Play speaker attachment. The promise of more accessories down the line makes it an intriguing option.
The phone ticks the right boxes — a big 5.3-inch display, strong software performance and a good camera. It offers an SD card slot to augment its 32 GB of storage. It works at a good speed.
However, you have to get used to its design. The fingerprint sensor/power button is located on the back of the phone. All navigation is done through the software. It also feels quite boxy. Battery life was a little lacking as well, not quite making it through a whole day of testing.
WASHINGTON POST
SAMSUNG SE370 $180
Monitor doubles as smartphone dock
Android users can rejoice because Samsung has released a line of computer monitors that have a wireless Qi charging pad built into the monitor's base. There are quite a few phones that are Qi charge compatible, including models from Samsung, Google, Motorola and Nokia.
This test was with the Samsung SE370 24-inch wide- screen model and a Samsung Galaxy Note 5. The phone dock is well-suited for someone sitting and using the monitor.
The ports around back include inputs for HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA. The monitors work with Macs or Windows PCs. The SE370 also is optimized for gaming, especially if the user's computer uses an AMD graphics card.
Samsung includes a new Eco Saving Plus function that reduces screen brightness to save energy. There are manual or automatic settings that help cut energy consumption by 10 percent.
Apple could take a page out of Samsung's playbook and include wireless charging in iPhones and in Apple's monitors. The SE370 is one of the most helpful monitors on the market.
The only con: It's not height-adjustable.
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