Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release date: September 6, 2024
Why should Phoenix hog the spotlight? Why are we always trying to find the good in people? Why don’t we wear a quaff red suit with more ruffles than an 18th-century aristocrat? What if we just want to send some bad guys behind bars by uncovering guilt, rather than saving people?
What if I just want to be a pompous prosecutor with a pompadour? Ace Attorney Investigations Collection might be the for you.
This latest Ace Attorney remastered collection from developer Capcom completes the set of bringing every game in the beloved franchise to modern consoles, and for those of us in English-speaking territories also brings the final untranslated adventure in the series to the West for the very first time.
This set houses two games in the Nintendo DS-era spinoff starring Miles Edgeworth as the protagonist (Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit), but two Switch games (also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC) of which only the first ever made its way outside Japan upon its initial release. Poor sales led to the second game remaining unlocalized from 2011 until now.
Enhanced Interrogation
(Image credit: Capcom)
A few enhancements have been brought to the collection over the original adventure. All art has been redrawn for HD screens, although those who love the pixel-art walking animations of characters in investigation sequences can use them if desired. With the new art remaining the only option for dialogue and the pixel art backgrounds standing up to scrutiny poorly on larger screens, however, the new art was certainly preferable. A gallery allows you to revisit old illustrations and listen to music (including orchestral arrangements of some songs) at will, with character designs and bonus illustrations also a welcome bonus.
The major appeal of this new title is the move from the courtroom to the mind and machinations associated with the role of prosecutor. In this role, you’ll investigate the scenes of crimes - murder and otherwise, though the latter will likely lead to murder at some point. This is Ace Attorney, after all - and uses logic and reasoning to find the true culprit and bring them to justice.
Notably, in this game such justice is inflicted all without entering a courtroom, as you freely move Edgeworth through crime scenes using the analog stick to seek out clues and speak to suspects. Speaking to suspects involves testimony and cross-examination using evidence that plays identically to such scenes in the court in mainline games, but you won’t see Miles standing at the prosecutor’s bench during your time in the world of Ace Attorney Investigations.
(Image credit: Capcom)
For those used to the point-and-click puzzling through environments associated with mainline entries in the series, the ability to control these pint-sized protagonists at will and wander around environments in search of anything suspicious is an unusual feeling that takes some time to adjust. The actual mechanics of finding points of interest to add clues to your evidence is functionally identical otherwise, as is speaking to characters and examining evidence, but it serves as a way to differentiate the two characters and their approach.
Acting as a prosecutor rather than a defense attorney, your arsenal of tools to uncover the truth alongside your approach to each case is different from those of Phoenix Wright. Alongside clues, you’ll pick up on pieces of logic that will be added to a bank of logic statements. Collect a bunch from your investigations and you’ll be able to combine them to create new leads or deepen your understanding of a case, perhaps finding the thing you need to uncover the truth in the process.
Best bit
(Image credit: Capcom)
Using Mind Chess to bide your time as your opposition witness slips new information, only to use that moment to speak up, brings dynamism to the game’s frequent confrontations that never gets old.
In the third case of the first game involving kidnapping and murder inside of a theme park based around the lovable police mascot, it’s possible to piece together the existence of three used cups in the kidnapper’s hideout alongside a trio of folding chairs to reveal that there are actually three kidnappers involved in the case instead of the original two you first believed, a vital clue in unmasking the real culprit.
While a cool idea in theory, it also reveals the biggest flaw with this game’s unique approach: it’s too simple. At their best, Ace Attorney games thrill through their challenge, the complex investigations spanning a mass of environments, interrogations, and cross-examinations, confounding conundrums that only become clear of a culprit at the very end. Here, logic rarely involves more than a few statements that can easily be pieced together and, by consequence of them being highlighted as logic statements in the first place, only make it more clear what the key pieces of evidence are when you confront and cross-examine statements from witnesses and suspects later.
Investigations are also disappointingly streamlined. Rather than spanning numerous environments and crime scenes that intersect to unveil the truth, you’re locked into a single environment at a time to investigate for every clue before moving to the next in a railroaded fashion that feels lacking in freedom and control. Together with logic, it makes much of the game feel formulaic.
Rook-ie Mistake
(Image credit: Capcom)
At least, it feels too simple at first. This is a game of two halves, quite literally in this case. For much of the first game in this spin-off duology, I had yet to encounter prior to this review, I found myself somewhat saddened by how simplistic I found the experience compared to the puzzling heights of The Great Ace Attorney or twisting tales of the mainline titles. Towards the end of the first game, I finally saw the potential of the idea, before the second game expanded affairs further with new mechanics that completely transformed the title into one of the most dynamic in the series to date.
In the second game, Miles Edgeworth uses a new talent to get the truth out of his adversaries: Mind Chess. Rather than your typical ‘health bar’ that reduces whenever you use the incorrect piece of evidence, you instead enter a new Matrix-like environment where you converse with your opponent-of-sorts in a more dynamic fashion. As they share their side of events you can choose to retaliate with words or bide your time in the hope of leaking more information, at which point you can shoot a pawn at their words to break their defenses and, eventually, Checkmate them into bringing more information.
In a way that even the most enthralling in-game cross-examinations fail to achieve, the achievement of this mechanic is in its bringing of the intensity and pressure of a real interrogation to the series. A time limit forces you to act and react to statements on the fly, with real consequences if you mess up. It’s easier to fail, but more satisfying to catch their knight in the act or corner them with a well-timed counter to their words backed up by the facts of the case that force them to confess or share new evidence.
If I were to call the first Ace Attorney Investigations a decent, entertaining experience but perhaps the weakest title in the franchise, its sequel bursts into Western markets as one of the stronger entries to date for this mechanic alone. As cases become more brooding and dark the mechanic opens up new avenues to seek out the truth, and alongside featuring the better of the two overarching stories single-handedly makes a case for the collection’s existence solely for being the reason this title has its first English localization after 13 years.
Accessibility
Alongside language options, the game provides options to turn off screen shaking and flashes, remove controller vibration for those with sensitive hands, and adjust the transparency of the text box. Autoplay of text is also possible with a chance to set the amount of time text remains on screen after fully rendering before proceeding to the next text box.
Should I play Ace Attorney Investigations Collection?
Play it if...
You love Miles Edgeworth Whereas Phoenix Wright or Apollo Justice hog the spotlight, Miles Edgeworth only appears as a prosecutor for a few select cases. This is the chance for him to take the lead role, and fans of the character will enjoy the game for that opportunity alone.
You want something new from Ace Attorney As much as each game introduces new ideas and stories, many keep the same core gameplay. From walking around the environment to flipping the script to avoiding the courtroom, this is Ace Attorney as you’ve never seen it before
Don't play it if...
You lack patience Since skipping any case without playing it first will prevent you from appreciating the game’s story, you will have to work through a few weaker cases in the first game to reach the collection’s best moments. Those lacking the patience to work through those may feel bored or give up before reaching the best part,
How I reviewed Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
I played the game on a Nintendo Switch OLED model primarily in handheld mode, although sections of the game were also played on an ASUS VG27AQL1A gaming monitor in docked mode. I primarily played the game with AirPods for audio and put in roughly 30 hours of time to the experience in total across both games.
Ulefone turns 10 this year and to celebrate, it is launching the first rugged phone with the flagship Dimensity 9300+ chipset. Additionally, the company is releasing its first small rugged smartphone, which is even tougher, despite its small stature.
Ulefone Armor 28 Ultra Thermal Variant
With the Dimensity 9300+ and 16GB of RAM, the Ulefone Armor 28 Ultra performs as well as any Android flagship, but it can go places they don’t dare – it’s rated IP68 for water resistance (up to 2m/6.6ft for 30 minutes) and IP69K (hot water jets). Additionally, it has been tested for 2m/6.6ft drop...
If the CRM industry is a zoo, Salesforce is an 800-pound gorilla. It’s one of the best CRM software platforms on the market, powered by cutting-edge AI tools and hosted on the cloud. It also has separate modules for managing customer relationships across sales, service, marketing, commerce, and more, making it a great fit for almost any team in any business.
With over 150,000 customers worldwide, Salesforce CRM has been a driving force in the digital transformation of businesses for over two decades.
However, its dominance doesn't necessarily mean it's the best fit for every organization. In this in-depth Salesforce review, I'll dive into the platform's core capabilities, ease of use, integrations, customer support, value for money, and company trajectory to help you determine if it’s the right choice for your business.
My hope is to present you with a well-rounded perspective of Salesforce’s core CRM offerings. At TechRadar Pro, we don't just aggregate data sheets; we live in the software we review. Our expert testers spent dozens of hours inside the Salesforce ecosystem - from setting up the initial Sales Cloud workspace to stress-testing the AI agents and building custom reports.
Our reviews are 100% independent. We never accept payment for product rankings or positive coverage, ensuring our verdict is based solely on hands-on performance, ease of use, and real-world business value.
While not every feature will be available on every module, Salesforce makes it very easy to build your own version by combining different aspects of its suite into a package called Customer 360. You can read our dedicated Salesforce Sales Cloud CRM review here.
Salesforce CRM core capabilities
At its core, Salesforce provides a robust set of CRM features to effectively manage customer relationships throughout the entire lifecycle. On the whole, I've found the core relationship management capabilities to be quite intuitive.
Contact management is straightforward, with the ability to capture detailed information like communication preferences, activity history, and custom fields relevant to my business. I can easily store and organize detailed information about individual contacts, including their role, communication preferences, and interaction history. Plus, the account hierarchy feature is particularly useful for managing complex B2B relationships with parent and child companies.
You can easily score leads based on criteria like demographics, behavior, and engagement. A visual kanban-style lead workspace allows you to drag-and-drop leads through different stages of the sales cycle, from new to qualified to converted. I appreciate the flexibility to customize lead stages and automate assignment rules based on unique sales processes.
I can track deals across every stage, from lead generation to closed-won or closed-lost. Salesforce’s opportunity record provides a complete view of the deal, including products, competition, quotes, and revenue projections. There’s also a collaboration forecasting feature, which allows sales managers to view and adjust team forecasts while providing executives with real-time visibility into the sales pipeline.
Speaking of visibility, Salesforce provides a wide range of standard reports out of the box, covering everything from sales performance to customer service metrics. I've been impressed with the report builder, which allows me to easily create custom reports using a drag-and-drop interface. The ability to schedule and share reports with key stakeholders will improve your team's efficiency and accountability.
Apart from this, Salesforce's mobile app is a useful addition for field sales reps. I can access and update critical customer information, track activities, and even close deals right from my smartphone or tablet. Push notifications keep me informed about important updates, like when a key opportunity stage changes. Salesforce’s mobile experience is intuitive, mirroring the desktop version, ensuring a seamless transition between various devices.
While it hasn't been too long since Salesforce introduced its AI module, Einstein, the pace of change in this field has been rapid. As such, for Salesforce's Spring '26 release cycle, its Einstein AI has been superseded by Agentforce, a new AI platform focused on autonomous AI agents that can execute tasks. Salesforce is now an agentic platform. AI agents no longer just suggest text; they can autonomously perform account research, qualify leads, and even handle Tier-1 and Tier-2 customer service inquiries within defined guardrails.
Salesforce's Agentforce has replaced Einstein, introducing agentic AI to the CRM. (Image credit: Salesforce)
While it offers a wealth of features, I have encountered a few limitations with Salesforce, too. For example, the email templates can be basic compared to other marketing automation platforms. The forecasting tool, while powerful, does require some setup and training to leverage.
Speaking from a more general perspective, Salesforce CRM also features a bit of a learning curve and has a pricing structure that’s somewhat prohibitive for small businesses.
But overall, I've been impressed with the core capabilities of Salesforce CRM. The platform provides a comprehensive set of features to manage the entire customer lifecycle, from lead to loyalty. While there may be a learning curve for some advanced functionality, the benefits in terms of productivity, collaboration, and customer insights far outweigh any challenges.
How easy is Salesforce CRM to use?
Salesforce’s layout is clean and well-organized, with key features and data easily accessible from the navigation menu and dashboard. The use of consistent iconography and naming conventions makes getting around the platform easy and fast. However, given the sheer breadth of features on offer here, a certain learning curve is expected.
It also allows administrators to tailor the user interface to match their organization's specific needs and terminology. I've been able to create custom fields, page layouts, and workflows that align with unique sales processes. While the customization options are extensive, Salesforce provides a user-friendly setup menu and guided wizards to help admins make changes without needing to write code.
Trailhead, Salesforce’s learning platform, offers a wealth of onboarding and training resources to help new users get up to speed quickly. It takes a gamified approach to training, with bite-sized modules and hands-on challenges that cover everything from basic navigation to advanced features. I think that this is an engaging and effective way to onboard new team members, with the added benefit of allowing them to learn at their own pace.
In addition to Trailhead, Salesforce offers extensive documentation, how-to guides, and community forums where users can find answers to common questions and best practices. The Salesforce Success Community is a particularly valuable resource, connecting users with experts and peers who can provide guidance and support.
It has to be said that ine of the biggest complaints about Salesforce has always been its complexity. In late 2025/early 2026, Salesforce addressed this with a redesigned UI. Its new AI-powered Sales Workspace interface consolidates lead research, prospecting, and meeting preparation into a single view, significantly reducing tab fatigue.
Trailhead is a valuable resource for businesses that are rolling out Salesforce to multiple individuals and teams. (Image credit: Salesforce)
Based on my own experience, I think that most users can navigate the basic features and perform essential tasks with Salesforce within a few days of training. More advanced features and customizations may take a few weeks to master, but the platform's intuitive design and robust support resources make the learning process manageable.
Whilst this flexibility is a strength for enterprise customers, it can also be overwhelming for small businesses and probably isn’t the best CRM for startups that don’t have an extensive onboarding budget or lots of ramp-up time. Salesforce’s initial setup and configuration process is a great example of this, requiring a significant time investment and a certain level of technical knowledge to get everything configured optimally.
Despite the issues, however, I've found that the long-term benefits of Salesforce's scalability far outweigh the initial setup hurdles. Once the platform is tailored to your organization's specific needs and processes, it becomes an incredibly powerful and efficient tool for managing customer relationships.
Salesforce CRM integrations
Salesforce provides both pre-built integrations and an open API for custom data exchange. Beyond that, there’s comprehensive documentation, code samples, and developer resources to support integration development and usage.
With the AppExchange marketplace, Salesforce offers a vast library of pre-built integrations and applications from partner companies. These out-of-the-box solutions cover various business functions, such as marketing automation, customer support, accounting, and more.
With over 3,000 pre-built apps already available, businesses can easily find and deploy integrations that align with their specific requirements. Popular integrations include Mailchimp for email marketing, Zendesk for customer support, QuickBooks for accounting, and Jira for project management.
For businesses with unique integration needs, Salesforce provides a robust and well-documented API. The Salesforce REST API allows developers to access and manipulate data programmatically, enabling custom integrations with internal systems and external applications.
Salesforce’s API supports standard HTTP methods and exchanges data through JSON or XML responses, making it compatible with a wide range of programming languages and tools. It supports various protocols and data formats, such as REST, SOAP, and bulk data operations, giving developers flexibility in designing integrations.
Salesforce also provides robust data management capabilities to maintain data integrity during integrations. Features like data mapping, transformation, and cleansing ensure that data is properly formatted and synchronized between systems. Additionally, Salesforce's data governance tools help enforce data quality standards and compliance requirements, giving businesses confidence in the accuracy and security of their integrated data.
During my time with the CRM, Salesforce's integration capabilities appeared reliable and performant. Pre-built integrations from the AppExchange worked quite seamlessly. Plus, the API was stable and responsive, allowing for efficient data exchange and real-time updates. Data synchronization was consistent and timely for both pre-built integrations and custom ones.
However, it's important to note that the success of integrations largely depends on proper implementation and adherence to best practices. Salesforce’s Developer Community provides guidelines and recommendations for integration development, such as understanding limits, securing data, and implementing authentication methods. Custom integrations can be built using popular programming languages like Java, C#, and Python, making it accessible to a wide range of developers.
One major recent integration addition focuses on improving the quality of interoperability. For instance, in late 2025, Salesforce completed its acquisition of Informatica, making it a core part of the Data Cloud ecosystem. This means users can now perform "intelligent integration" where the CRM automatically flags data quality issues, deduplicates records, and ensures data governance across your entire tech stack before that data ever reaches your sales reps
Additionally, Salesforce's partner network includes a wide range of integration specialists and consultants who can assist businesses in designing and implementing complex integration solutions. Plus, the company releases regular updates and new features that expand its integration capabilities and improve overall performance.
Salesforce CRM customer support
Salesforce offers several different support channels, including both live and self-service options. Users can reach out for assistance via phone, live chat, and email, depending on their preference and the urgency of their issue. Based on user testimonials, support representatives appear to be knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely interested in providing a satisfactory resolution.
Live chat offers quick and convenient assistance for less complex queries. Representatives are more than happy to offer step-by-step guidance or direct you to relevant resources. For more involved queries, you can contact the support team via phone at +1-800-664-9073. Email support, while not as immediate as phone or chat, is a reliable enough option for less urgent matters, with representatives typically responding within a day or two.
In addition to live support, Salesforce offers a vast collection of self-help resources under the umbrella of Salesforce Help. It’s a comprehensive knowledge base that covers every aspect of the platform, from basic setup to advanced customization. The articles, videos, and documentation are all well-prepared, easy to follow, and frequently updated to reflect the latest features and best practices.
Part of the larger self-help infrastructure of Salesforce Help, there’s also Trailhead. It’s a guided and gamified learning module that offers an interactive way to quickly familiarize yourself with the platform’s most important features and functionality. You can use Trailhead to upgrade your Salesforce skills, earn badges for each milestone, and then promote your services and expertise through the associated community.
Speaking of community, Salesforce Trailblazer connects users from around the world to share knowledge, ask questions, and collaborate on solutions using a dedicated forum. A quick look at the platform shows you how active and helpful the community is, thanks to both internal experts and other users. Every day, the community forum highlights active members to reward them for their participation. This makes sure that users feel rewarded for helping others navigate the platform and troubleshoot their issues.
In terms of response times, Salesforce generally meets or exceeds industry standards. Customer satisfaction with Salesforce support is consistently high, as demonstrated by a 4.5-star rating on platforms like G2 and TrustRadius. While the learning curve for new users is steep, Salesforce’s generally reliable and helpful support system makes it much easier to adopt.
That said, there is always room for improvement. Some users have reported longer wait times during peak hours or when dealing with particularly complex issues. It also seems that the quality of help received is directly influenced by the support tier you’re on. Customers who purchase Premier+ Support or Mission Critical Support receive priority access to better agents. Meanwhile, standard users are mostly stuck using the self-service options.
Salesforce CRM security
Salesforce CRM's security credentials represent one of the platform’s strong points. The CRM uses a shared responsibility model, with Salesforce providing a secure infrastructure and the customer being responsible for configuring and managing the security of their data within the platform.
Among the features that Salesforce employs to guarantee customer security is encryption, both at rest and in transit. For instance, all data transmitted between a user's device and Salesforce servers is protected by industry-standard Transport Layer Security encryption. At the same time, all data stored on Salesforce servers is encrypted using a unique key for each organization. Salesforce uses industry-standard AES-256 encryption, considered a highly secure encryption method.
In addition, for businesses with particularly stringent security and compliance needs, Salesforce offers an additional paid add-on called Salesforce Shield. This allows for more comprehensive encryption of sensitive data within standard and custom fields, files, and attachments. It even offers the option for customers to "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK) for enhanced control. By exclusively managing their digital assets, organizations gain an extra layer of protection.
Salesforce CRM pricing and plans
Salesforce CRM pricing plans
Plan
Price (per user, per month)
Features
Limitations
Starter Suite
$25
Basic CRM functionality, including sales pipeline, prospect tracking, contact management, and reporting. It includes email marketing campaigns and omnichannel customer service.
Designed for small teams and has limited customization and reporting capabilities.
Professional Suite
$80
All Starter Suite features plus more advanced CRM tools like workflow automation, collaboration features, and improved reporting.All Starter Suite features plus more advanced CRM tools like workflow automation, collaboration features, and improved reporting.
Lacks some advanced features found in higher-tier plans.
Enterprise
$165
Includes all Professional Suite features, plus advanced reporting, additional custom objects, and increased API call limits.
Can be expensive, and even at this tier, some features (like AI-powered chatbots) may be paid add-ons.
Unlimited
$330
All Enterprise features, along with priority support, a dedicated success team, and expanded customization options. Includes AI lead scoring and forecasting KPIs.
The most expensive plan, and not all features are included; some may still be paid add-ons. You cannot downgrade from this plan.
As one of the most expensive CRM solutions on the market, Salesforce demands a significant investment, but it also delivers a robust platform that can grow with your business. A per-user pricing model allows for flexibility as your team grows, but it can become costly for larger organizations.
Salesforce employs a tiered pricing model with four main editions: Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, and Unlimited. The Essentials plan starts at $25 per user per month while the Unlimited plan costs $300 per user, per month.
However, Salesforce offers a breadth of features even in lower-tier plans. Essentials, while basic, still includes features like account and contact management, opportunity tracking, and email integration. But, advanced capabilities like lead scoring and collaborative forecasting are only available from Professional, while workflow automation is restricted to Enterprise and Unlimited.
The company offers a 14-day free trial. After that, Salesforce offers annual billing for all plans except Essentials, which can be paid monthly. While opting for annual billing often comes with a discount, it requires a larger upfront investment and less flexibility for businesses with fluctuating needs.
Apart from the core plans, Salesforce also offers various add-ons that can enhance the CRM's functionality. While these can provide excellent value for businesses with specific needs, you should calculate costs thoroughly to make sure the investment justifies the ROI.
When comparing Salesforce to other CRM solutions, it's important to consider the total cost of ownership. While the initial price may be higher, Salesforce's extensive customization options, robust app ecosystem, and scalability can provide you with more long-term value. Its ability to integrate with a wide range of third-party applications can also lead to increased efficiency and productivity, potentially offsetting the higher cost.
But for smaller businesses or those with simpler CRM needs, Salesforce’s pricing may prove prohibitive. Unless you need all the advanced functionality, there are more affordable options on the market that offer similar core functionalities at a lower price point.
Saleforce trajectory
Salesforce has maintained its position as the dominant player in the CRM market, consistently innovating and expanding its offerings. As of 2023, it commanded 21.7% of the global CRM market share, easily outpacing its nearest competitors, Microsoft (5.9%), Oracle (4.4%), SAP (3.5%), and Adobe (3.4%).
In the current fiscal year, Salesforce reported a total revenue of $34.86 billion, 11% more than last year. Meanwhile, the company's subscription and support revenues, which form the core of its business model, grew by 12% to $32.54 billion. Its growth trajectory is supported by strategic acquisitions, such as Tableau and Slack, which have expanded its capabilities and reach.
Going beyond the financials, Salesforce's user community is one of the largest and most active in the software industry. Its ecosystem, including customers, partners, and developers, continues to grow rapidly. Right now, 150,000+ businesses utilize its services globally.
As a CRM, Salesforce was named a leader in various analyst reports, such as The Forrester Wave and IDC MarketScape, which evaluate solutions based on criteria like market impact, vision, and capability. The company's Pledge 1% initiative, which encourages companies to donate 1% of equity, product, and employee time to charitable causes, has garnered participation from over 15,000 companies worldwide.
Looking ahead, Salesforce's trajectory appears promising, with projections indicating continued growth in both market share and revenue. The company's focus on integrating AI-driven insights into its platform is expected to further enhance its offerings and maintain its competitive edge.
With regular updates, an active user community, and strategic partnerships through Salesforce AppExchange and Partner Innovation Awards, Salesforce continues to operate as the undisputed leader of the CRM space - despite competition from giants like Microsoft, Oracle, and Adobe.
Salesforce CRM review: Summary
After a comprehensive evaluation of Salesforce CRM, I have found that the platform excels in several key areas, offering a robust set of core capabilities and extensive integration options. It’s a great choice in particular for medium-to-large enterprises, with a pricing structure and learning curve that may not be the best CRM for small businesses.
Salesforce CRM FAQ
What are the main benefits of using Salesforce CRM?
The core advantages of making Salesforce your organization’s chosen CRM include improved sales productivity, enhanced customer service, streamlined marketing efforts, and better data-driven decision-making. By automating tasks and providing real-time analytics, it helps businesses increase efficiency and drive revenue growth.
Is Salesforce a good fit for small businesses?
Although Salesforce may be better known for its enterprise-level solutions and can be a significant investment, it also offers a "Starter Suite" designed for small businesses. However, its pricing and complexity can be a barrier for firms that don’t have huge budgets or IT teams. As such, some small businesses may find more value in more affordable or less complex CRM solutions, such as Freshworks or Zoho.
What’s the difference between Sales Cloud and Service Cloud?
With the plethora of different solutions under the Salesforce umbrella, the different tools on offer can be somewhat confusing. To clear things up, it’s important to get the difference between Sales Cloud and Service Cloud clear in your head.
While Sales Cloud is designed for sales teams to manage the sales process, including lead and opportunity tracking, contact management, and sales forecasting, Service Cloud is for customer service teams, providing tools for case management, a knowledge base, and omnichannel support (phone, email, chat). Essentially, both are designed to improve customer relationships, but in different ways.
What is the Salesforce AppExchange?
The Salesforce AppExchange is an online marketplace for third-party developers and partners to list and sell applications and integrations that extend Salesforce's functionality. It's a key part of the Salesforce ecosystem, offering thousands of pre-built solutions for various business needs.
This past weekend, we reported that Google Play Store now lets Android users install or update up to three apps and games on their devices at the same time. However, we've discovered that you can actually install/update up to four apps/games concurrently from the Play Store on your Android device.
We discovered this while installing apps and games on our iQOO Z9s Pro in India from the Google Play Store, having version 42.4.22-31[0][PR]663941805.
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vivo X200 display render
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Ubigi is a popular eSIM provider and a part of the NTT group offering data plans in more than 200 destinations for travelers and remote workers. Founded in 2018, Ubigi won the MVNO of the Year Awards 2023 and is trusted by leading brands such as BMW. It has, in fact, been integrated by many car manufacturers.
Ubigi offers various data plans – from 1-day plans to unlimited ones – directly from the Ubigi app, which is available in an impressive 8 languages. It's really affordable, too, which is one of its major advantages.
The eSIM is also pretty easy to set up, and there are a lot of guides and videos on the website that help you with any issues you might have. However, one thing that might upset a few of you is that Ubigi doesn’t offer any voice calls or SMS on its plans, so you’ll have to use the Internet to make calls through apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Skype, etc.
Ubigi: Plans and pricing
Ubigi’s presence in over 200 destinations comes with various validities: one-time, monthly, annual, and unlimited. The one-off plans are available for 1 day, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days.
The prices are more affordable than competitors like Airalo and aloSim, with the lowest being $2.5 for 500MB data in Japan. Here are some popular Ubigi plans.
You can purchase a data top-up directly from the Ubigi app. One good thing is that even if you run out of data or Wi-Fi connection, you can still run the Ubigi app to top up. However, it's always recommended to set up an eSIM and purchase a plan before you land at your destination.
It's also worth noting that Ubigi supports multiple payment methods, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards, etc.
Let’s now look at some really handy features offered by Ubigi:
5G coverage
Ubigi offers 5G coverage in more than 40 countries currently with benefits like high speed, ultra-connectivity, and low latency. The best part is that you don’t have to pay anything extra to switch to 5G – if your device supports 5G and you’re in a country where Ubigi offers 5G coverage, you can simply switch to a 5G network.
France, Brazil, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE, and Vietnam are some countries where Ubigi offers 5G connectivity. The list is expanding quickly, and new countries are added every month.
Tethering
Ubigi supports seamless data tethering without any restrictions, allowing you to share your data. So, if you’re a couple visiting a country, you don’t need to get two Ubigi eSIMs – just purchase one eSIM and share your data through tethering.
Full MVNO
Ubigi is a part of the Transatel brand (which is now a part of the NTT Group) – Europe’s leading MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) enabler. Ubigi is a full MVNO, which means that it has a full-scale proprietary core network.
This translates into higher speeds and seamless connectivity for users. This also gives Ubigi a lot of flexibility in its connectivity offering, which can be seen in its diverse plans for various regions.
Ubigi also has partnership agreements with 200 Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) around the world. This means you’ll experience fewer data disconnections and low data latency with Ubigi when compared to other providers.
Ubigi: Installation
(Image credit: Ubigi)
Installing and activating an Ubigi eSIM is pretty easy and takes only a few minutes. We found a lot of extensive guides and videos on the Ubigi website with step-by-step illustrations on how to activate your eSIM. You have two options to install an Ubigi eSIM:
Use the Ubigi app to download your free eSIM profile and then create an account and choose your plan.
Use the Ubigi website to first purchase a plan and receive a QR code to activate your eSIM profile.
The process is largely the same on both Android and iPhone. However, on Android devices, you’ll need to configure your APN settings. Here’s how:
Tap on Mobile Networks and then click Access Point Names.
Select the eSIM profile from the bottom of the screen and then add a new APN. For Ubigi, the APN settings are: Name: ubigi, APN: mobiledata
Save when this is done, and ensure your new APN is selected on the Access Points Name page.
You’ll need to ensure that you still use your primary SIM card for voice calling and SMS purposes since Ubigi is a data-only eSIM provider. But, of course, you can use Ubigi to make VoIP calls through apps like WhatsApp, Skype, and so on.
If you’re installing Ubigi on your iPhone, we recommend disabling the “Data switching” option. If enabled, your iPhone may automatically switch data usage to your primary SIM, leading to a hefty data roaming bill.
Ubigi app's security credentials are also solid, as there's biometric login enabled, allowing you to quickly login with your OS' Face ID or fingerprint unlock functionality.
Ubigi: Support
(Image credit: Ubigi)
You’ll need to fill out a contact form to get in touch with Ubigi’s customer support. Live chat is also available in English and French, subject to the availability of agents. What's more, even if you don’t find the chat option, you can expect a reply to your query ticket within 24 hours.
In our experience, you won’t need much support from the Ubigi team in the first place, given how easy it is to install and use their eSIMs. Plus, there are hundreds of FAQs and lots of support documents and troubleshooting guides on the website’s ‘Assistance’ page – enough to answer any questions you might have. We also liked that the website is available in 4 languages to accommodate different users.
Ubigi: Final verdict
Ubigi, with its affordable data plans in 200 destinations, high-speed 5G connections, and an easy installation process, is an excellent eSIM for your next trip. It is a full-MVNO provider and a part of the NTT group. This means you get high connection speeds and almost no data disconnections.
Ubigi also allows you to share your data with others through tethering – and if you run out of data or find no Wi-Fi connections, you can still top up your plan using the Ubigi app, available in 8 languages. There are also various plans to choose from one-time (1-day, 7-day, 15-day, and 30-day plans), monthly, and annual.
However, one downside is that you don’t get voice calls or SMS with Ubigi’s plans. The customer support is also limited to just live chat (that is also if agents are available) and an online form. That said, you won’t need much support from Ubigi in the first place, as there are a lot of extensive help articles on the website that will guide you through any doubts.
Ubigi: FAQs
Can I install Ubigi eSIM using QR code?
Yes, you can install an Ubigi eSIM on your device using a QR code. For this, you’ll need to visit the Ubigi website and purchase a plan. After this, you’ll receive a QR activation code on your email within 15 minutes. Scan the code on the device you want to install the eSIM on and follow the prompts.
Do I get 5G connectivity with Ubigi?
Yes, Ubigi currently offers 5G connectivity in 35 countries, thanks to its MVNO status and partnerships with mobile networks around the world. You don’t need to pay anything extra to enable 5G on your device.
If your phone is compatible with 5G and your Ubigi plan offers 5G, you’re good to go. However, 5G connections consume a lot of data, and you may run out of your data limits quickly.
How many plans do Ubigi offer?
Installing and activating an Ubigi eSIM is completely free – there are no activation or set-up charges. You only have to pay for the data plan you need, which starts at $2.50. There are several one-time plans with various validities: 1-day, 7-day, 15-day, and 30-days. Besides this, you can also choose from monthly and annual plans if you’re a frequent traveler.
Last year Samsung partnered with the University of Michigan, specifically the Michigan Performance Research Laboratory (MiPR), to study and improve the accuracy of measurements provided by its Galaxy Watches. Now they are ready to share their findings.
The MiPR studies found high correlation between the data reported by the Galaxy Watches and sport science reference devices when measuring heart rate, body fat percentage, sweat loss and VO2 max (the last two features were introduced with One UI 4.1). Here’s the breakdown:
Heart rate: probably the most commonly used health feature on...
The LG XBOOM XO2T is not the company’s first attempt at a stylish portable speaker – the slightly larger XO3C is still available, for instance – but it is, in LG’s own estimation, the best iteration. At least, that is how it was presented to me when LG gave a demonstration on this speaker.
While I can’t confirm how it stacks up against LG’s previous iterations (since those weren't made available to me), I’ve spent plenty of time with the XO2T reviewed here and I have to say that I’m impressed. Is it among the best Bluetooth speakers out there? I think so, though it does depend on your needs.
To start with, there’s plenty of volume on tap that stays surprisingly clear at higher volumes, plus it sounds very good for its size. It might not be audiophile-grade, sonically speaking, but most people will be impressed with the amount of low-end it musters up, not to mention the detail-rich sound. The high-end is ever-so-slightly dull and is the main difference, audio-wise at least, that keeps it from rivalling a truly premium, Bang-and-Olufsen-style product. But it gets close.
Due to its form factor, you’ll miss out on stereo audio, unfortunately, though you can always pair it with a second one for that. But there are plenty of features available, mostly through the app, to make up for it. Also, this is a portable speaker meant to deliver quality audio no matter where you’re located in relation to it.
Just as striking as its audio performance is the way it looks. Not many portable speakers make me want to upgrade my furniture to something from Ethan Allen or grab a bourbon on the rocks. This one does. It has a sleek, almost teardrop shape, but also mood lighting for an experience you just don’t get from most portable speakers. The only real issue is that its fabric covering does tend to attract hair, so if you have a pet, you might end up with a somewhat fluffier LG XBoom XO2T.
Groovy baby! (Image credit: Future)
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Price and release date
$199.99 / £199.99 (about AU$300)
Launched March 2024
Since the LG XBoom XO2T is a relatively new speaker, having been released in March of 2024, it is not a model you’re going to see a whole lot of offers for – yet. While you can certainly wait to hopefully get a discount, the asking price of $199.99 / £199.99 (about AU$300) is really not a bad figure for what you get – although it's true that you can buy myriad rugged, outdoorsy barrel-shaped Bluetooth speaker options for a lot less.
It’s currently only available in one color, unlike the XO3, which is available in black and beige. More importantly, it seems to not be available in Australia at the moment. Whether that will change in the near future remains to be seen since it’s relatively new. However, this review is coming out five months (August 2024) after the speaker’s initial release.
(Image credit: Future)
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Features
Customization for both sound and lighting
Can link with other LG speakers
Multipoint connectivity
When it comes to features, the LG XBoom XO2T has a good assortment. Just about all the features discussed here are available through the app including the ability to adjust the sound and lighting. As far as adjusting the sound goes, it might seem light at first glance as there’s a Standard, Soundboost for listening to music, and Custom selection available. However, when choosing custom, you can pull up a six band EQ tab with up to 6 dB of boost per band. That’s pretty significant.
There’s actually much more in the way of customization when it comes to the light at the top of the speaker. There are three different types of mood lighting available: Ambient, Nature, and Party, with each type having three presets and a My Pick selection where you can customize the hue and saturation. Plus, the Ambient and Party modes have a Candle Effect and Party Strobe effect to add some movement to the lighting. My particular favorite is the “Comfort of a cozy night” setting under the Ambient selection. You can also adjust the lighting’s brightness.
There are some other features on hand as well, such as the Wireless Party Link mode that lets you use multiple LG speakers at one time. This is where you can pair two XO2Ts together for a stereo experience. There’s also an XBoom Lab selection, where you can play with new features. Currently, there’s a "Healing Therapy" section listed, where you can download and play healing sounds that are pre-paired with specific mood lighting settings. Also worthy of mention is a One Touch Mode that gives you the ability to hold the Lighting button on the speaker for two seconds to bring up a specific playlist and lighting setting. However, it only works with the Apple Music Library or Apple Music (at least on my iPhone). At least multipoint connectivity is available.
Features score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Design
Chic lamp-like design
Bluetooth-only connectivity
Good battery life
The LG XBoom XO2T resembles a fancy 1960s lamp more than a portable speaker, and it’s a design choice that I truly appreciate. I’ve tested and used quite a few different Bluetooth speakers and very few inspired me from a design perspective. This one is one of the few.
Of course, it probably resembles a lamp because it is. Sure, you have the bulk of the body covered by a fabric as well as an upward-facing silver grill to emanate audio in all directions. But, it also has an overhang that houses a downward-facing LED light.
The light can get pretty bright, though I wouldn’t use it to replace anything but a nightlight. It’s better for use as mood lighting (which is what it’s advertised as anyway) via the app’s customization mentioned above.
While a lot of the features are available just via the app, the capacitive controls on top are good enough for general usage. The Bluetooth icon is the only one that stays lit, but a quick tap will light up all the available controls including Volume Up, Play / Pause, Volume Down, and Lighting.
The port selection is pretty minimal as there’s no Aux or 3.5mm input, just a USB-C port for charging. The LG XBOOM XO2T is a purely bluetooth experience. Plus, the USB-C port has a covering that’s difficult to pull out, though this is most likely to maintain the speaker’s IP55 rating, making it a little safer to use outside.
A little more impressive is the battery life. It’s rated as offering up to 15 hours of use. While there are some other speakers that offer more, this is not the type of speaker I imagine someone would take on a hike, so 15 hours is more than adequate. In fact, I actually appreciated running it over night for ambient music and a night light and only using 40% of the battery after 8 hours.
Design score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Sound quality
Goes nice and loud
Great performance in the lows and mids
High-end can come off a tad dull
First things first, this thing can get loud! Though LG doesn’t offer a specific dB rating for the LG XBoom XO2T, I was able to get it up to 90 dB. Pretty impressive for something this size with what appears to be a one-inch tweeter, a three-inch driver and passive radiator handling the sound. On top of that, it stays fairly clear at higher volumes except for loud, aggressive bass sounds.
More importantly, the XO2T sounds very good. Whether I was listening to Kavinsky’s Nightcall, Jidenna’s Long Live the Chief, or The Weeknd’s I Feel It Coming, the low-end is punchy and full. There’s not much in the way of sub-bass, but that’s to be expected.
Often smaller speakers – and I would consider the LG XBOOM XO2T to be in this category – you end up with something where the low-end and high-end (or bass and treble) are boosted while the mids suffer, offering a somewhat hollow sounding listening experience. Or, the mids are a bit too full so that you feel like you’re getting a good listening experience, but the audio isn’t exactly clear.
Higher quality speakers thread the needle and the LG does so well, as the mids are full but balanced. Voices and guitars (as well as other upper midrange instruments) have body to them without sounding distorted as I experienced with Paramore’s Now and Cocteau Twin’s Heaven or Las Vegas. Another example is Chris Stapleton’s version of Tennessee Whiskey, where I felt the full range of his voice – rich and full without sounding compressed or distorted.
The only place where the sound quality leaves something to be desired is in the high notes. While you can surely boost treble frequencies through the app’s EQ, there’s a slight shortfall in terms of detail here, as if there’s a very thin blanket over the audio. Considering the speaker’s construction – again there’s a 3-inch driver, a one-inch upward firing tweeter and a passive radiator – it’s not a huge surprise.
Sound quality: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Value
The LG XBOOM XO2T’s price tag of $199.99 / £199.99 (about AU$300) may seem to be in the premium bracket for portable speakers, it’s actually more in the midrange. Offerings from premium brands such as Bose, with the Bose SoundLink Max, will certainly put this speaker’s price tag into perspective, especially when you consider all that the LG XBoom XO2T has to offer.
The Ultimate Ears Everboom, for instance, also delivers 360-degree with plenty of oomph and comes with a nice aesthetic and build. It does have a little more battery life and a slightly better IP67 rating. But it will also set you back $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$349.
The Sonos Roam 2 is another portable speaker in this range with its slightly lower $179 / £179 / AU$299 price tag. While you have access to the Sonos ecosystem for multi-room setup, you could do the same with the LG via the Wireless Party Link feature (more on that later). Plus, the LG XBOOM XO2T has better battery life and at least a more unique look, not to mention that mood lighting.
Value score: 4/5
(Image credit: LG)
Should I buy the LG XBoom XTO2?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
LG XBoom XTO2 review: Also consider
How I tested the LG XBoom XTO2
Tested for 2 weeks
Listened to all sorts of genres of music as well as podcast and streaming video
Predominantly tested using high fidelity streaming through Deezer and Podcast app on an iPhone 13
I spent two weeks testing the LG XBoom XO2T, having listened to all sorts of genres of music through the HiFi tier of the Deezer streaming app as well as watching some YouTube videos and listening to some podcasts through the iOS Podcast app. I also played around with the LG XBOOM app, to test all the features including customizing the lights and audio.
The LG XBoom XO2T, after all is said and done, seems to made for those that don’t want to pay quite the premium prices of Bang & Olufsen or Bose, but still want a quality speaker that looks as good as it sounds.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear including audio equipment, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
Poll results from earlier this year showed that the first three models in Motorola’s Edge 50 series are promising but pricey. Since then the company has added a few new models, including the relatively compact Neo model.
Motorola Edge 50 Neo
The Motorola Edge 50 Neo isn’t small, but with a 6.4” display, it is smaller than most Androids out there. Compared to a Pixel 9 Pro, it is 1.3mm taller but 0.8mm narrower and 0.4mm thinner, not to mention 28g lighter. All this while offering a bit more screen real estate. The Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 Pro are both smaller than the Neo, but...
There’s a reason why the classics still play on the radio – and it’s the same reason that HMD has embraced the Lumia design language for its recent batch of phones, starting with the Skyline. Arguably the best Lumia of them all was the Lumia 1020, all thanks to the impressive 41MP sensor housed on a circular camera island on the back.
HMD seems to be tapping into just that design for an unnamed upcoming model. The centered circular island is home to four lenses (and the LED flash), as seen in the leaked silhouette below:
HMD’s Lumia 1020 lookalike
This isn’t the HMD Hyper, which...
