Motorola may be stepping into the modular phone game with the Moto X this year
According to a new report, Motorola’s rumored upcoming Moto X may follow in the footsteps of the LG G5 and go modular. Sources are saying there are six modules, called Amps, that can bring anything from stereo speakers to a bigger battery and even a pico projector. This report follows up on a recent leak which showed off various renders of what is said to be this year’s Moto X.
From VentureBeat’s report:
Motorola has at least six modules, called “Amps,” planned for launch, including a simple colored backplate that ships free with both handsets. The more interesting ones will be, of course, sold separately, both from Moto as well as third-party manufacturers. The first-party modules available at launch allegedly include stereo speakers; a battery pack; a camera grip with flash and optical zoom; a pico projector; and a rugged cover with wide angle lens attachment.
Lenovo recently announced that it would be hosting its second annual tech world conference on June 9. In the announcement, Lenovo snuck in the phrase:
Lenovo will also announce new mobile technology designed by Motorola that will dramatically change the way people think about and use their most personal devices – in a snap.
This could point towards the modularity of the phone, and how you can transform it from one thing to another in ways we couldn’t before.
LG G5 vs. iPhone 6s Plus: Android versus Apple
It’s about more than operating systems.
When it comes to comparing the LG G5 against the big competitors out there, we can’t forget to pit it up against the iPhone 6s Plus. We’ll be seeing if LG’s latest big phone has the chops to go up and against Apple’s best. We’ll be taking a look at design, software, and the camera, so that you can see which phone is really worth the money.
Hardware
From size, to aesthetic, the design on the iPhone 6s Plus and on the LG G5 is very different. You can see it in the size difference, button placement, and even in the way that the phone feels in your hand.
| Processor | Apple A9 | Snapdragon 820 |
| Main display | 5.5 inch IPS LCD | 5.3-inch QHD |
| Storage | 16/64/128GB | 32GB + microSD |
| RAM | 2GB | 4GB |
| Rear camera | 12MP | 16MP main, 8MP wide-angle |
| Front camera | 5MP | 8MP |
| Battery | 3,000mAh | 2,800mAh (removable) |
| Operating system | iOS 9 | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| Size | 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3mm | 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7mm |
| Weight | 143 grams | 159 grams |
The iPhone 6s Plus is the larger of these two phones, in height and width. It stands 158.2mm tall, and 77.9mm wide.. The LG G5 is smaller, without being absolutely dwarfed by the iPhone 6s Plus. The G5 is 149.4mm tall and 73.9mm across. The G5 is a little bit thicker though at 7.7mm versus the 6S Plus’s 7.3mm.
The iPhone 6s Plus has volume buttons on the left along with a power button on the right. Under the display is the fingerprint scanner, which also works as a button. In comparison, the LG G5 has a volume rocker seated on the left side of the phone, and the combination fingerprint scanner and power button on the back of the phone. There is a drastically different feel when holding the phones as well.
The G5 has a good solid fit in your hand, and doesn’t feel slippery. It honestly doesn’t even really feel like the metal it’s made of. It’s small enough that it’s easy to use with a single hand. The iPhone 6s Plus feels exactly like the metal it’s made of, when you pick it up. It feels solid in your hand, although it is a bit wide which can make using it one handed somewhat difficult.
Software
Obviously the biggest difference in software is that the LG G5 runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, while the iPhone 6s Plus is running iOS 9.0. These completely different operating systems, so they work inherently differently. Despite the difference in operating systems, there is a lot of similarity between the two. Especially since the LG G5 has ditched the app drawer in their software this year.
The big difference that you’ll notice when you turn on the LG G5 is the sheer amount of carrier added bloatware. No matter what carrier you choose, there are over a dozen apps from AT&T alone. Both phones are quick, and snappy letting you move along without many issues. If you’re used to Android phones, trying to use an iPhone can be slightly frustrating. That’s really just because things aren’t quite where you expect them to be.
Camera
Of course since we’re comparing the LG G5 and the iPhone 6s Plus, we’ve got to talk about the cameras. LG has long made sure that their cameras are on point, even when other aspects of their phones fall short. Apple is another company that makes sure to put extra attention into their cameras. The LG G5 is armed with a 16MP rear camera and an 8MP wide-angle rear camera, along with an 8MP front camera. The iPhone 6s Plus has a 12MP rear camera, and an 8MP front camera.
In terms of functionality, these are both excellent cameras. They work well under different lighting conditions, and deliver fantastic photos. However, the LG G5 has a slight leg up in terms of bells and whistles. While the iPhone 6s Plus gives you easy access to features like slo-mo and time lapse for your videos, there aren’t many features for your photos. The G5 however gives you access to tons of photo features, including a full manual mode when you’re shooting. The wide-angle lens they’ve included in the G5 is nothing to scoff about either.
iPhone 6s Plus left/LG G5 right
Bottom Line
The big question you need to ask yourself, when it comes to these phones, is what matters the most to you because they have different strengths. If you’re purely driven by specs, then the LG G5 is probably the way to go. It’s got more capable internal hardware, the higher grade cameras, and it’s a bit of a better fit in your hand than the iPhone 6s Plus. However, the 6s Plus looks and feels nicer in your hand, has the stronger battery, and the larger screen size that many people prefer.
It honestly comes down to what matters the most to you, when looking at picking up a new phone. Where the iPhone may prove to be the more capable phone in getting you through a day, the G5 offers some impressive features to make using the phone a lot of fun.
LG G5
- LG G5 review
- LG 360 CAM review
- LG G5 complete specs
- LG’s G5 Friends modules are a neat idea, but they won’t matter
- LG G5 Hi-Fi Plus w/ B&O
- Join the LG G5 discussion
AT&T
Unlocked
Sprint
T-Mobile
Verizon’s Galaxy S7 can install apps on its own, but don’t panic
Verizon is notorious in some circles for loading its smartphones with bloatware, but its recent moves have some users more anxious than usual… if not necessarily for the best reasons. A recent update to the carrier’s Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge variants has installed Digital Turbine’s Ignite, an app that lets carriers install more apps in the background. This has surfaced before on earlier T-Mobile and Verizon phones, but owners on Reddit and elsewhere are understandably nervous that this suddenly gives Verizon carte blanche to install more unwanted apps. Are you going to wake up to find another unnecessary navigation app or media portal on your phone?
Well, not quite. We reached out to Verizon (yes, they’re our corporate overlords) for details, and it tells us that Ignite isn’t the bloatware apocalypse some are making it out to be. Much as on earlier devices, Ignite is there to make sure that you’re getting the most recent software loadout when you either set up a new phone or reset to factory defaults. You shouldn’t see bloatware apps popping up without warning, then. Also, a spokesman swears that it’s possible to completely uninstall (not just disable) new apps that do show up as a result. You can disable Ignite if you’re still worried.
The remarks aren’t going to completely allay fears that Ignite could let Verizon do something sneaky, whether or not it’s limited to factory-fresh devices. And of course, they don’t tackle the underlying complaints about the very existence of bloatware — why do we need so many redundant or pointless apps, Verizon? However, this does serve as a reminder that even the pushier carriers have their limits.
Via: SamMobile, The Verge
Source: Reddit
Now you can Periscope directly from your drone in the sky
Periscope, the live video streaming service, has announced a number of updates including a cool drone partnership with DJI. Now you’ll be able to broadcast live from your drone as it flies.
Periscope says that users will not only be able to transmit live drone footage from the DJI camera but can switch back to the phone that’s controlling it for video from there too. On top of that it’ll even switch to your GoPro too allowing for huge production potential.
Other updates include details on the ability to record live video beyond 24 hours using the #save feature that’s incoming. This can be set to certain broadcasts to automatically save and will even allow the user to set them to delete after 24 hours, should they want. They can also delete the broadcast at anytime too.
Periscope will also now allow for broadcast searching using pre-populated topics like #Food, #Travel, #Music and so on. Users can browse these topics to find new content and can also choose how they want their videos found and viewed. This should help bring the service a step closer to more friendly browsing accessibility.
All these features will be rolling out to the app in the coming weeks.
READ: What is Periscope?
Creative pushes for US bans on several smartphone makers
Creative has a long history of wielding its patents against other tech companies (just ask Apple), but its latest effort might top them all. The US International Trade Commission is investigating Creative’s complaints that seven smartphone makers (BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Lenovo/Motorola, Samsung, Sony and ZTE) violate its patents. Allegedly, all of the companies are imitating Creative’s hierarchical menu system for media playback, much as the iPod supposedly duped Zen players a decade ago. If successful, the ITC dispute would ban the sale of at least some of these companies’ devices… and given the sheer scope of the complaint, you’d probably notice the absences on store shelves.
None of the companies involved have commented on how they’ll respond to the move. Also, it’ll be a while before there’s a conclusion — as with any other ITC case, the Commission will have to review any initial decision. However, Creative’s strategy is already fairly clear. It’s gambling that at least some of its targets will settle rather than risk seeing some of their most important products banned in the US. It’s not as though there’s a simple fix, either — the media interface that Creative describes is both very generic and near-ubiquitous, so avoiding it would require a major software redesign.
Via: Reuters
Source: US ITC
Google tries turning search links black
As much as Google has changed over the years, there have always been certain constants in its search results: a plain white background, 10 results per page and blue site links. However, some users have had to cross that last one off their list. The Telegraph has noticed that Google recently started testing black links, giving the page a certain This is Spinal Tap (or maybe goth) flair. There doesn’t appear to be a clear pattern that determines who gets picked, but some test subjects have reported that the links revert to blue when you log out of your Google account and sign back in.
Google has declined to comment so far (we’ve asked for a statement regardless). However, as with most such experiments, it’s safe to say that those black links aren’t guaranteed to reach everyone. Their fate likely depends on both raw test data and public feedback. The links may get the A-OK if Google sees more people clicking results, or fade into oblivion if there’s enough of a public outcry. One thing’s for sure: the very fact that this is even an issue shows just how much people take Google’s design for granted.
Google saw my blue links and they’ve painted them all black,
No colours any more, they want them to turn black! pic.twitter.com/NItnW8NF05— Mark Summerfield (@patentology) May 9, 2016
Via: Reddit
Source: Telegraph
Researchers develop a drug-sniffing car that can pinpoint your stash
A chemistry professor in Texas has equipped an electric Ford sedan with a unique (and possibly unconstitutional) aftermarket upgrade: a drug-sniffing device that can recognize small amounts of illegal substances in the air and locate the source with surprising accuracy.
The device, designed by Dr. Guido Verbeck of the University of North Texas and East Syracuse-based Inficon, was originally intended to measure highway pollution and other environmental applications, Vice News reports. But Verbeck and his team quickly realized it “could be used to precisely determine the source of any unique chemical profile traveling through the air — including those associated with many types of drugs.”
To test the device, Verbeck set up a Breaking Bad play set fake mobile home meth lab and pumped “drug fumes” out off the air vents. The device was able to detect the fumes from a distance of a quarter-mile. “When certain types of chemical strains are detected, the computer kicks on and starts calculating where that strain is coming from,” Verbeck told Vice News. “Within a matter of minutes, the location is pinpointed within a 4 percent error.”
The device is essentially a more durable, road-ready version of a mass spectrometer that sits in the passenger seat of a hybrid sedan. The delicate instruments are isolated from the road thanks to an electromagnetic suspension system and air vent near the rearview mirror sucks in outside air through a small intake. Once an offending substance has been identified, the onboard computer calculates the location by measuring diffusion in different locations and accounting for weather factors like wind speed and temperature.
While the most practical application here would be to track down large-scale manufacturers of synthetic drugs, Verbeck says it could even be used to find something as mellow as a burning joint. Although drug-sniffing tech like this isn’t out in the wild just yet, Verbeck believes a commercial version could cost as little as $80,00 to $100,000. Naturally, law enforcement agencies are excited by the prospect of car that could detect grow houses and meth labs simply by driving around a neighborhood, even if it could constitute an illegal search and seizure under the fourth amendment.
While legal experts say its anyone’s guess how a court would rule on the matter, one DEA agent quoted by Vice News didn’t seem to see a problem here. “If it’s in the air, it’s like the air waves,” Special Agent Patterson explained. “They’re not owned by anybody.”
Periscope will add DJI drone streaming and broadcast saving soon
Today Periscope announced that later this week it will be implementing support for live streaming from DJI drones via iPhones and that it will soon start saving all videos by default. The Twitter-owned service also said that users will be able to search for broadcasts based on topic hashtags like #Travel, #Music and #Food. It will also launch special topics like “GoPros and Drones” and “First Scope.”
The drone feature will work just like broadcasting from a GoPro — a feature that was introduced back in January. Users will be able to switch on the fly from the DJI Drone, a GoPro and an iPhone. While video is being shot, people will be able to narrate and sketch on the footage from their handsets.
For folks who want their broadcasts to last longer than 24 hours, the upcoming saving feature will not only save the video but also the chat and likes. Periscope recently implemented a beta version of the upcoming save feature that required users to add #save to the title.
The search feature should help those looking for a certain type of live video. Currently the app only lets you search for users or scour a global map. Users can add their lives stream by adding a hashtag to the title or launching a broadcast from the search results page.
Source: Periscope
Netflix nabs ‘Ultimate Beastmaster’ reality competition show
Ultimate Beastmaster is what happens when someone tries to make Ninja Warrior more epic. It adds Sylvester Stallone and The Biggest Loser creator David Broome as executive producers, throws in a healthy mix of 108 competitors from six countries, and, since it’s a Netflix original, all 10 episodes will land on the streaming service simultaneously across the globe.
Competitors from the US, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany and Japan will take on a ridiculous obstacle course called The Beast over nine episodes featuring 12 people each (that’s two from each country). The final episode pits all nine champions against each other for the chance to be crowned the Ultimate Beastmaster.
Plus, Ultimate Beastmaster is localized in all six participating countries, featuring unique hosts and commentary in each region. The US gets Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Terry Crews and Fox Sports’ Charissa Thompson, while Mexico gets journalist Ines Sainz and actor Luis Ernesto Franco, for example.
“The world will watch in awe as amazing competitors from around the globe overcome grueling physical challenges — and in the process become champions and heroes,” Stallone says. “The course is unequaled in its daring creation and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Netflix has been expanding its lineup of original programming with shows like Chelsea, a talk show featuring Chelsea Handler that’s due to premiere on May 11th. Ultimate Beastmaster, a competitive reality series, marks another new style of show for Netflix.
There’s no word on when Ultimate Beastmaster will land on Netflix, but if we had to guess, we’d say 1982.
Update: Ultimate Beastmaster executive producer David Broome tells Engadget, “This series is much more than a very cool physical competition — the graphic should tip that off and the mythology behind all of this should excite lots of fans around the world.”
The tagline on the show’s official page (it’s just a teaser for now) reads, “The ultimate competition of man vs. beast.” We are now revising our speculated release date to 1995.
Source: Netflix
Virtual Boy emulator digs up VR’s embarrassing past
The Virtual Boy is often considered a bit of a failed experiment for Nintendo, but an intriguing collector’s item for gaming enthusiasts. Unfortunately, it’s never been comfortable or enjoyable by any means to actually sit down and play one unless you want to invite eye strain or other physical irritants, until now. One crafty Reddit user has brought the Virtual Boy catalogue to Google Cardboard and the RetroArch emulator.
The-King-of-Spain has detailed instructions on how to follow in his footsteps in the Reddit thread. You’ll need to pick up an Android smartphone, RetroArch emulation software and roms, and Google Cardboard or similar VR headset. From there, you’ll have to alter a few settings, and you’ll be on your way to playing Waterworld or Mario Clash.
This could very well be the optimal way to enjoy Virtual Boy titles, as the games are played via RetroArch in grayscale rather than the classic red and black scheme. The-King-of-Spain himself also confirms that after “about 30 minutes of play time” he hasn’t yet experienced any of the system’s trademark motion sickness. If you’ve ever been curious about the Virtual Boy but didn’t want to subject yourself to physical ailments, this might be the best way to experience it.
Via: The Verge
Source: Reddit
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