Mariyan Slavov

mariyan.s@phonearena.com
Mariyan (Murray) spent most of his childhood tinkering with gadgets and trying to find out how things work. His passion for technology resulted in toy robots, RC cars, and even game consoles being taken apart often beyond repair.
His quest to find the secrets of the Universe led Mariyan to a major in Nuclear Physics, and countless nights of stargazing through his 90mm refractor telescope.
From a very early age, Mariyan was fascinated by another very powerful and somewhat magical device of human civilization - writing. He devoured hundreds of books in dusty libraries - from run-of-the-mill crime thrillers and science fiction all the way up to Raymond Queneau’s Exercises in Style.
After writing and publishing poems and short stories of his own, Mariyan decided to pursue a career in writing and ended up graduating with distinction in Journalism and Mass Communications.
This strange amalgamation of tech and scribble led Mariyan to the position of Editor-in-Chief of PCWorld Bulgaria. When computers started to disguise themselves as phones, Mariyan decided to follow the trail and landed a job as a writer at PhoneArena.
If you ask him a provocative question such as “Android or iPhone?” you’ll get a meticulous dissection of pros and cons, along with a thousand-word essay on how technology impacts humanity.
His all-time favorite smartphone is an obscure Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray which he still owns and keeps in “perfect working order.” Mariyan enjoys writing about fringe technologies such as graphene batteries, holographic smartphone displays, smart contact lenses, and nanotechnology.
When he’s not on duty you can find him noodling on his electric guitar, practicing his Japanese, or clocking miles on the running track. Mariyan spent three years fencing on a national level but now he prefers to fire up his PlayStation 4 Pro and hit the racing track in Gran Turismo. If he feels nostalgic he plays Final Fantasy VII Remake, and reads Haruki Murakami.
His quest to find the secrets of the Universe led Mariyan to a major in Nuclear Physics, and countless nights of stargazing through his 90mm refractor telescope.
From a very early age, Mariyan was fascinated by another very powerful and somewhat magical device of human civilization - writing. He devoured hundreds of books in dusty libraries - from run-of-the-mill crime thrillers and science fiction all the way up to Raymond Queneau’s Exercises in Style.
After writing and publishing poems and short stories of his own, Mariyan decided to pursue a career in writing and ended up graduating with distinction in Journalism and Mass Communications.
This strange amalgamation of tech and scribble led Mariyan to the position of Editor-in-Chief of PCWorld Bulgaria. When computers started to disguise themselves as phones, Mariyan decided to follow the trail and landed a job as a writer at PhoneArena.
If you ask him a provocative question such as “Android or iPhone?” you’ll get a meticulous dissection of pros and cons, along with a thousand-word essay on how technology impacts humanity.
His all-time favorite smartphone is an obscure Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray which he still owns and keeps in “perfect working order.” Mariyan enjoys writing about fringe technologies such as graphene batteries, holographic smartphone displays, smart contact lenses, and nanotechnology.
When he’s not on duty you can find him noodling on his electric guitar, practicing his Japanese, or clocking miles on the running track. Mariyan spent three years fencing on a national level but now he prefers to fire up his PlayStation 4 Pro and hit the racing track in Gran Turismo. If he feels nostalgic he plays Final Fantasy VII Remake, and reads Haruki Murakami.
Recent articles by Mariyan

Vote now: Pixel 7 - hot or not?
Mariyan Slavov


Sony quiz: Let’s test your Xperia knowledge
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: How much would you pay for a flagship smartphone?
Mariyan Slavov


Vote now: What happens to your old phone when you upgrade?
Mariyan Slavov

AirTags help a man recover $7,000 worth of stolen gear
Mariyan Slavov

Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 battery expectations
Mariyan Slavov

Galaxy Z Fold 4 colors - what to expect
Mariyan Slavov

The best wireless earbuds under $100 - updated May 2022
Mariyan Slavov

Best fitness trackers you can buy in 2022 - updated May
Mariyan Slavov

The OnePlus Quiz: Test your OnePlus knowledge!
Mariyan Slavov

Instagram is working on a more immersive news feed
Mariyan Slavov

YouTube Go is going away this August
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: What's your most used social media app in 2022
Mariyan Slavov

OnePlus Nord 3 spotted on company’s official website
Mariyan Slavov

Fitbit devices may burn your hand, according to a lawsuit
Mariyan Slavov

The Google Pixel quiz: Test your Pixel knowledge!
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: Smartwatch design - Round vs Square!
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: What smartphone feature matters to you the most?
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: iPhone 14 hole-punch design - hot or not?
Mariyan Slavov

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Smart contact lenses may arrive sooner than expected
Mariyan Slavov


Google Little Signals aims to make your notifications Zen
Mariyan Slavov

Best iPhone 12 Pro Max cases
Mariyan Slavov

The Best Galaxy Buds you can buy - updated April 2022
Mariyan Slavov

The Best iPhone 12 and 12 Pro cases
Mariyan Slavov

Quiz: Test your Apple knowledge!
Mariyan Slavov

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The best Samsung Galaxy S21 FE deals you can get right now
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: Would you repair your own phone?
Mariyan Slavov

Samsung Keyboard gets better at correcting your typos
Mariyan Slavov

Apple is working on a game controller, new patent reveals
Mariyan Slavov

Xiaomi 12 Lite leaked specs reveal a solid midranger
Mariyan Slavov

The Moto G52 is a 90Hz OLED budget champion
Mariyan Slavov

Vote now: Do we need Face unlock on Pixel phones?
Mariyan Slavov

Best iPhone 12 mini cases
Mariyan Slavov

WordleBot is here to shame your Wordle skills!
Mariyan Slavov

The best OnePlus 10 Pro screen protectors you can get
Mariyan Slavov

Poll: How old is your current phone?
Mariyan Slavov

The best Galaxy A53 screen protectors you can get
Mariyan Slavov

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Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Prime Day deals
Mariyan Slavov

The best fitness watch money can buy - updated April 2022
Mariyan Slavov

The best Xiaomi phones - Updated April 2022
Mariyan Slavov

The best OnePlus 10 Pro cases you can buy right now
Mariyan Slavov

The best OnePlus phones - updated April 2022
Mariyan Slavov

The best budget wireless headphones in 2022 (Updated April)
Mariyan Slavov

The best iPhone SE (2022) screen protectors you can get
Mariyan Slavov

The best Huawei phones - updated April 2022
Mariyan Slavov

Social Media makes kids unhappy, study finds
Mariyan Slavov

In search of the perfect compact phone: Galaxy Z Flip 3
Mariyan Slavov

The best Galaxy S22 Ultra cases you can buy right now
Mariyan Slavov

Best Galaxy S22 Plus cases you can get right now
Mariyan Slavov

The best Galaxy S22 cases you can buy
Mariyan Slavov

Twitter now lets you search your direct messages
Mariyan Slavov

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Poll: Do you like your current phone?
Mariyan Slavov

The best iPhone SE (2022) cases you can get right now
Mariyan Slavov

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Poco F4 appears on Geekbench as a rebranded Redmi K40S
Mariyan Slavov

WhatsApp now lets you react to messages
Mariyan Slavov

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OnePlus 8 and 8T start receiving Android 12
Mariyan Slavov

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Poll: Samsung Galaxy A53 5G - hot or not?
Mariyan Slavov

Tile adds AirTag-like feature to battle stalkers
Mariyan Slavov

Do the Samsung Galaxy A33 and A53 have a microSD card slot?
Mariyan Slavov

Are the Samsung Galaxy A33 and A53 waterproof?
Mariyan Slavov

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Get this amazing 11-inch HP Windows tablet for just $399
Mariyan Slavov

Android and Chrome are coming to this year’s Formula 1 grid
Mariyan Slavov

Poll: Do you own/use a tablet in 2022?
Mariyan Slavov


These are the most popular eSports mobile games of 2021
Mariyan Slavov