Pandora and Ticketfly joining forces for personalized events
If you rely on Pandora to discover new music, you may soon be looking to the service to also offer tickets for the same artists you unearthed there. Pandora and Ticketfly are joining together to offer personalized events based on the artists you listen to.
You won’t have to do the legwork when it comes to finding out which artists are coming near you to perform live music. With Ticketfly’s help, Pandora will be able to offer personalized concert recommendations, send reminders for shows when they’re announced and grant easier access to tickets. If you receive a notification that your favorite band is playing somewhere near you, you’ll be able to just tap to purchase tickets to the show.
There will also be email digests sent out with this information to ensure you can keep track of what’s going on in the world of your favorite artists. If you’re a serial Pandora music discovery addict, you might consider trying out the new integration with Ticketfly to figure out what events you’re hitting up in the future.
Source: Pandora
Democrats ask for immediate action to combat climate change
The Democrats and Republicans differ on many fronts, but the contrast is particularly striking when it comes to climate change. The Republican party platform dismisses it and its presidential candidate calls it a “hoax.” But on Monday night as the 2016 Democratic National Convention began, multiple speakers including Senators Bernie Sanders (D, VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D, MA) touched on the need to directly address the issue. Similarly, the party’s 2016 platform document spends many pages touching upon climate change, calling it an “urgent threat and a defining challenge of our time.
But the party also sees this as an opportunity to spur job growth at the country moves towards clean energy on all levels. “Democrats reject the notion that we have to choose between protecting our planet and creating good-paying jobs,” the platform reads. “We can and we will do both.”
It’s not wildly different than what the party said in 2012. “We know that global climate change is one of the biggest threats of this generation – an economic, environmental, and national security catastrophe in the making,” the 2012 platform states. “We affirm the science of climate change, commit to significantly reducing the pollution that causes climate change, and know we have to meet this challenge by driving smart policies that lead to greater growth in clean energy generation and result in a range of economic and social benefits.” However, this year’s document goes into more detail about what’s at stake, what needs to be done, and how going green can help the country’s economy at the same time.
The platform is quite explicit in the measures the country needs to take to help curb climate change. The Democrats hope to reduce greenhouse gas emissions “more than 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050,” meet President Obama’s promise in the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature increases “well below two degree Celsius,” and get the country “running entirely on clean energy by mid-century.” While many of these are long-term goals, the platform also calls for getting 50 percent of our electricity from clean sources in the next decade.
The combo of climate change and the need to build out the middle-class economy has led the Democrats to believe the country needs to make ” the most ambitious investment in American infrastructure since President Eisenhower created the interstate highway system.” The platform calls for updating the country’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges, public transportation, airports, and rail lines; it also says we need “21st-century energy and water systems.” Modernizing these systems will help “create millions of good-paying middle class jobs,” the document reads.
Other measures to make our country greener include cutting back energy waste by making our homes, schools, offices, hospitals and other buildings more energy efficient. That includes “modernizing the electric grid” and making the manufacturing that does take place in America more efficient. The government also intends to partner with states, cities and smaller communities to help achieve these goals, as the party believes it’ll require partnerships at the local level to meet its goals.
The party also want to update our tax codes to disincentivize the use of less green forms of energy. “Democrats believe the tax code must reflect our commitment to a clean energy future by eliminating special tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuel companies as well as defending and extending tax incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy,” the platform reads. Changing the tax structure is rarely a popular move, but the Democrats aren’t worried about that in the face of the climate change issue.
And the platform has no room for those who say climate change is a hoax: “Democrats believe that climate change is too important to wait for climate deniers and defeatists in Congress to start listening to science,” it says, making the urgency of the issue clear. “[We] support using every tool available to reduce emissions now.”
Source: 2016 Democratic Party Platform (PDF)
Google searches omitted key US presidential candidates
Google has been a rich, impartial resource for US election info so far, but it’s apparently not perfect. NBC notes that certain searches for would-be Presidents (such as “presidential candidates” or “US president candidates”) weren’t turning up major candidates in the list of active campaigns, including Republican nominee Donald Trump and Libertarian pick Gary Johnson. Moreover, they still included Bernie Sanders — odd when his party has nominated Hillary Clinton.
We’ve asked Google for its take on what happened, and we’ll let you know if it has a comment. As it stands, the issue might be resolved by the time you read this, as the cards disappeared entirely during the writing of this article. However, it’s doubtful that there’s a sinister conspiracy here. Regular search results still mention the missing candidates, and Google has historically shown results for other hopefuls. Most likely, this is an error — albeit one that’s bound to raise eyebrows.
Via: NBC4i.com
Source: Google
MacBook Air With USB-C Again Rumored, Launch Timeframe Unclear
Last month, Japanese blog Mac Otakara reported that Apple plans to announce new MacBook Air models featuring USB-C ports based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol by the end of June, and begin shipping the notebooks to retailers in August. It is now seven weeks later, however, and the rumor has yet to materialize.
But if a new report from Taiwanese website DigiTimes is to believed, Apple still has plans to release a new MacBook Air with USB-C ports after all. The report does not provide a launch timeframe for the updated notebooks, but the secondary rumor suggests Mac Otakara may have been off on timing only.
Currently, Apple has decided to adopt the USB Type-C interface for its MacBook Air, while Asustek Computer and Hewlett-Packard (HP) are upgrading one of their notebooks’ regular USB port to the Type-C. Lenovo, Acer and Dell are still evaluating the option.
DigiTimes previously reported that Apple will begin shipping new “ultra-thin” 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks at the end of the second quarter, which ended in late June. The report said the new MacBooks would “share a design similar to the existing 12-inch MacBook” and be “thinner than [the] existing MacBook Air.”
DigiTimes also previously reported that Apple plans to release new ultra-thin MacBooks with metal injection molded hinges in the second half of 2016. The website is not always an accurate source of Apple’s upcoming product plans, but it has well-connected supply chain sources that have proven reliable at times in the past.
Apple’s entire Mac lineup, beyond the 2016 12-inch MacBook, has stagnated. Apple has not released a new MacBook Air in over 500 days, beyond a minor 8GB RAM bump for 13-inch models in April. Some believe the MacBook Air’s days are numbered, but perhaps the notebook will live on until Apple can sell the 12-inch MacBook from $999.
Alternatively, it is possible that DigiTimes is misinterpreting a thinner MacBook Pro with USB-C ports as a MacBook Air.
If a new MacBook Air is incoming, a late-year launch is most probable. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple will launch three new MacBook models by year’s end: a thin and light 13-inch MacBook in the June-September quarter, and two thinner and lighter 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models in the September-December quarter.
Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Tags: digitimes.com, USB-C
Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Air (Don’t Buy)
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Apple Partners With Parkopedia to Bring In-Depth Parking Data to Apple Maps
Parking service company Parkopedia today announced that it will begin to provide its enhanced and detailed parking information services directly within Apple Maps. With the partnership between the two companies, that means iOS users will be able to visit Apple Maps to discover more than 40 million parking spots in 75 countries across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
The integration of Parkopedia into Apple Maps actually began in March inside of the United States, but today marks the official worldwide launch of the new resource. With the parking company’s “rich information,” Apple Maps users will be able to search for parking garages and lots, while reading about their location, payment type, number of spaces, and more. Future updates will allow users to filter search results, in order to discover the cheapest lots first, for example.
While reading through some Parkopedia information for a parking lot in Apple Maps, users will be able to follow a link to reserve a spot, although that process takes them out of Maps to complete the payment process on the Parkopedia website or within the company’s iOS app [Direct Link]. “More detailed information” will also be available outside of Apple Maps and in Parkopedia itself, including pricing, user reviews, special offers and real-time space availability.
“We’re excited to deliver detailed information on more than 40 million parking spaces in 75 countries to Apple Maps customers. This is a very important milestone for Parkopedia. Our combined footprint in the consumer and automotive space is huge and this opens the doors to delivering a world of innovative solutions,” stated Parkopedia’s Head of Marketing, Christina Onesirosan Martinez.
Apple Maps has been receiving steady updates to help bolster its navigation and research abilities for users visiting new cities, or simply trying to find new venues in their hometown. Among these changes coming in iOS 10 are new parked car notifications, which reminds users where they left their car — especially when parking in large garages or lots — with the help of a simple geo-locked icon within Apple Maps. Combined with Parkopedia’s information catalog, this could help Apple get a leg up on its rivals in the GPS map app space.
Tags: Apple Maps, Parkopedia
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Blu Studio Touch review: yet another unlocked $100 phone worth a look
When it comes to the topic of reviewing a phone that carries a retail price of roughly $100, it’s easy to view them in a favorable light. How can something that doesn’t cost all that much ultimately disappoint? Surely, it’s worth the price tag, right?
As it turns out, there are instances where you can quickly identify where a phone cuts corners. Be it in the build materials, or camera quality, or half-baked interface, there are times where we’d be totally happy spending a bit more in order to get something a little better. And, as the price of unlocked phones continues to bottom out and get more competitive in the sub-$200 space, we find some brands doing better here than others.
Miami-based smartphone maker Blu gets it. As a company who consistently releases lower-cost alternatives to bigger brands, its phones are typically a great value proposition. In other words, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on its products; you often walk away with a device that justifies its cost.
The latest from Blu is its Studio Touch, a $100 unlocked smartphone that works with GSM networks such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, and MetroPCS. On paper, its hardware specifications read like a mid-range phone from 2014. But, there’s just enough here to help it stand out from those older devices.
Software
For starters, the Studio Touch runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the latest official release from Google. Yes, there’s the 7.0 Nougat stuff breathing down our neck, but it’s going to be some time before we start seeing a plethora of models rolling out with that version.
Having such a modern build of Android is a pretty big deal, particularly in the area of security. By running 6.0, the Studio Touch comes with protection against those pesky mobile threats that plague outdated phones.
Another key benefit of having Android 6.0 comes in the user interface, customization, and optimization. By that we mean stuff like Project Volta, Android Doze, and, of course, Material Design. You likely won’t find those details in that 2014 handset with similar hardware.
As it typically does, Blu has opted for a stripped down approach to Android. You’ll find very little installed on the phone that isn’t from Google. And, because it is carrier-agnostic, you won’t be looking at pre-installed apps from wireless providers or third party developers.
This is not to suggest that the phone is completely void of any additional software, though, as there are a couple of titles present. Among them are Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Apps & Games, McAfee Security, Truecaller, and Opera.
As for the Google apps, the Studio Touch comes with the usual suspects in Gmail, Chrome, Drive, Maps, Hangouts, Messenger, and Play Store, Play Movies & TV, Play Music, and YouTube. The phone is also loaded with utilitarian apps for FM Radio, SIM toolkit, videos, email, file managing, music, and a few others. There’s a little something for everyone here with a bit of overlap, but nothing aggravating to the end user.
Design
There’s nothing about the Studio Touch that jumps out at you, but we didn’t expect that going in, either. The “black” version we reviewed offered up a black face but more of a slate grey back panel.
The front side of the phone finds a 5-megapixel camera sitting just off from the top speaker, while below the screen is a fingerprint reader. Yes, you read that right. There’s a fingerprint button which can be used to secure your login and apps. It also doubles as a home button when physically pressed.
On the right side is where the power and volume buttons are located. The power button features a textured design but it’s not all that noticeable to touch. It’s the first one up the side of the phone, but, otherwise, you won’t feel the ridges when blindly looking for the button.
Around back is the 8-megapixel rear camera which is horizontally centered and just down from the top. Down near the bottom is the speaker where you’ll get your music. It’s worth noting that there is Blu branding on both the front and back of the phone but neither is gaudy or awkwardly placed.
The Studio Touch features an internal, non-removable battery; however, the back panel does pull off so that you can insert one of two microSIM cards and/or a microSD card. We found it rather strange to remove the case as it almost looks like you’re pulling the display out instead of a metal case off the back.
Props to Blu here as the aluminum metal casing gives the phone a more premium feel than one might need for this price point. It would be easy to forgo the metal material in favor of the polycarbonate stuff you find in lesser expensive phones. Cheaper doesn’t have to be mean cheaply made and Blu got that right.
The battery cover wraps around the side and comes up to the screen. Save for the very tiny little notch in the top right you would be forgiven not knowing how to remove it. A weird design choice, yes, but fortunately one you don’t have to deal with often.
Display
At 5.0-inches, we really like the pocketability and one-hand experience of the Studio Touch. We have internal debates about whether we need more or less, but it always comes down to personal choice. If your hand isn’t all that big, and you want to be able to reach the edges of your phone with one hand, this one should feel good to you.
As for the resolution, the Studio Touch gives up a 720 x 1280 pixel picture, or technically HD. Were the screen any larger we might have had a beef with this, but it’s perfectly acceptable here. For one, it helps to keep price down. Also, it doesn’t impact the battery as much as something with more pixels.
Reading text, browsing the web, and playing games was as to be expected, and we didn’t run into instances where we felt like it was lacking. Throw the phone into a Google Cardboard, though, and it becomes obvious why we tend to like 1080p and 2k resolution in our devices.
Color was accurate and balanced, but we might have liked for a brighter picture in spots. We found that we had to keep the display brightness dialed up near full more often than in other phones. Other than that, the viewing angles were great and the picture was generally quite satisfactory.
Camera
We found the camera experience to be a fairly good one, just so long as you have proper lighting. Unfortunately, low-light indoor shots proved to be a problem for the Studio Touch.
Moreover, there were cases when we found the picture to have a slight haze and/or white glow to them. Outright dark environments and situations with less than perfectly still pictures gave us trouble.
Generally speaking, we were happy to use the camera. There were very few instances where we thought, “this doesn’t work for us”. And, to be fair, even a $200 or $500 phone might have issues in some of those conditions. But, we did end up with daytime photos that could have benefited from more sharp lines and distinct edges. All things considered, for a phone that borders on the edge of $100 it is almost exactly what we would have expected.
Flickr Gallery Samples
If you are looking for a phone that has a kick-ass camera, you’ve probably already got your eye on something else, something specific. If you are in the market for a phone with a camera decent enough to snap silly or keepsake moments to share on social media, the Studio Touch more than fits the bill.
At 8-megapixels, it delivers large photos that can be cropped and retouched; imperfections can also be overcome in select instances. It may take some learning in what you can and can’t get from the Studio Touch’s camera. Don’t be in a hurry out of the gate to get rolling as you could run into a series of less-than-desirable pics.
Performance
Keeping in mind what hardware specs are, the Studio Touch delivers a decent experience. Given we spend so much time with flagship phones and cutting edge tech, we noticed how the phone struggles in areas. The quad-core processor and 1GB RAM are certainly low on the totem pole today. It’s definitely not going to run today’s best games, one of which being Pokemon Go. Indeed, the augmented reality game is built with phones of 2GB RAM in mind.
Suffice it to say, we were leery about first person shooters and driving games. Throwing on a couple of other casual games, though, weren’t a challenge for the Studio Touch. Get into social media, basic photo editing, and music and podcasts, though, and this one works as well as a phone twice its price.
We enjoyed having the fingerprint reader for security and Play Store authentication. This, and the other buttons, responded well to pressing, and gave a tactile feedback. There was no questioning whether something was pressed.
For whatever reason, Blu opted for software buttons on the screen above the fingerprint reader. There’s wasted space on both sides of the reader. While we commend Blu for integrating the added security measure, we would have loved for Blu to fully commit to hardware buttons or software keys. As it turns out, it’s more like one and a half ways of navigating.
Listening to music and speakerphone calls reminds us why we like Bluetooth speakers and headphones. After a few minutes of a playlist, we were reaching to dial down the audio. Not for being so loud or overpowering, but because it “sounded like a phone”. In other words, the range could be much better, the bass heavier, and the max volume louder.
We didn’t think we’d get anything better out of the experience, but we did ponder whether it might be worth stepping into a different phone. Our usage doesn’t call for much music via the phone’s single rear speaker, but yours might. If you play a lot of YouTube videos or expect to watch movies on it, you’ll want to toss in some headphones.
Battery, which is an internal 2500mAh power source, lasts more than a day of average use. We get the sense that we’re getting such decent life because of our conscious efforts. There aren’t any heavy hitting games that we’re playing over and over. It doesn’t hurt to have Android 6.0’s optimizations at play, either. You won’t find any Quick Charge capability here as that’s relegated to select Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Expect to put in a couple of hours to safely go from empty to full.
Conclusion
Consumers who want a phone that’s going to keep pace with top games will need to look elsewhere. It’s already not able to handle the demands of some current titles; next year’s crop are all but guaranteed to be too much for the phone. On the other hand, buyers looking for a device that keeps them connected to work and social media will be happy with the Studio Touch.
This isn’t the sort of phone that you buy to keep a teen happy, but it’s plenty for parents who don’t find themselves with a face in the screen all day. With support for two SIM cards, it’s also a good solution for people who want a home and work line in one device.
It’s getting more difficult for companies to stand out in the sub-$200 phone space. Blu, who has long positioned themselves as a less expensive hardware maker has delivered a “typical” $100 phone. It’s not outstanding, but it’s certainly not lacking. Are there corners cut? Sure. But they’re not huge cuts and there’s no place where the phone feels lopsided.
You have to set an expectation of what you should get for this sort of money. Blu didn’t set out to release a flagship phone in the Studio Touch. As such, you shouldn’t set out to do the same things your friend is doing with their high end Samsung.
As we were readying our review of the Studio Touch we learned that Blu is releasing an alternate version in September. For only $10 more, customers can double down on memory and storage, getting 2GB and 16GB, respectively. We can’t say without testing it, but that theoretically opens up the door to more games and multi-tasking.
Will it get the next major version of Android? It’s hard to say. But, ask yourself when, if ever, your $400 or $600 phone will get it, too. One of the best things about Blu is that its phones are inexpensive enough to replace when the time comes for a new, key Android release.
We’ve yet to run into a Blu phone that we couldn’t recommend for the money and certainly aren’t ready to do that with this one. If you’re in the market for an unlocked phone to pair with AT&T, T-Mobile, or any of their respective MVNO’s, the Studio Touch is one to consider. This goes double when you have to work with a smaller budget.
Dyson 360 Eye review – CNET
The Good Dyson’s 360 Eye robot vacuum systematically maps out floors, has a simple companion app for remote access, and is powerful enough to collect a lot of unwanted dirt and grime.
The Bad It costs $999/£800 and didn’t perform as well as the similarly app-enabled $700 Neato Botvac Connected or the $900 iRobot Roomba 980.
The Bottom Line The 360 Eye by Dyson is a very good robot vacuum, but competitors offer similar features and better performance for less.
The Dyson 360 Eye is a solidly recommendable robot vacuum
. Of the dozen-plus autonomous floor cleaners we’ve tested to date, it (mostly) holds its own alongside the best of the best. There’s just one not-so-tiny problem — price.
Like Dyson’s other small appliances, its first foray into the robot cleaner category is expensive…$1,000 or £800 expensive. It’s not available in Australia yet, but that price converts to about AU$1,4000. So since Neato’s $700 Botvac Connected and iRobot’s $900 Roomba 980 cost less and perform slightly better, the 360 Eye loses some of its initial appeal.
Get it, by all means. You’ll have a compact cleaning powerhouse full of sensors with a 360-degree standard-definition camera that smartly navigates a room. You’ll also have an app that lets you access your Wi-Fi-outfitted vacuum from anywhere. Just be sure to look at the competition before you buy, because other brands offer more impressive bots for less.
Getting to know Dyson’s first robot vacuum
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Reaching new heights
The first thing I noticed when I saw Dyson’s 360 Eye was that it was ridiculously tall. Shaped more like a dense 3-layer cake than its wider-flatter counterparts from iRobot and Neato, I assumed it would never clear coffee tables, chairs and other low-profile furniture.
I was wrong.
Yes, the 4.72-inch-high 360 Eye is 1.12 inches taller than the Roomba 980 and 0.82 inches taller than the Neato Botvac Connected — its two main competitors in the Wi-Fi-enabled robo-vac market. And that will certainly stop Dyson’s vacuum short in some cases. But for the most part, I had no issues with it clearing the same furniture as the other bots.
It also has that classic Dyson aesthetic going on, even though this is the brand’s first robot vacuum. Since I tend to like Dyson products from a pure design-appreciation standpoint, I like the 360 Eye’s looks, too. Specifically, it’s swathed in a glossy gray finish with bright blue accents. It even has a mini cyclone packed inside, a (revamped) legacy from its line of upright and stick vacs.
I doubly enjoyed the compact and foldable charging dock that comes with this bot, although I occasionally had to wiggle the vacuum around for its contact sensors to correctly line up with the dock so it would charge.
Check out the chart below to compare the 360 Eye’s specs against the Roomba 980 and the Neato Botvac Connected:
Comparing Wi-Fi robot vacuums
| Dyson 360 Eye | iRobot Roomba 980 | Neato Botvac Connected |
| $999 | $900 | $700 |
| 5.4 pounds | 8.7 pounds | 9 pounds |
| 9 x 4.72 x 9.5 inches (width, height, length) | 13.8 x 3.6 inches (diameter, height) | 13.2 x 3.9 x 12.7 inches (width, height, length) |
| Gray/Blue | Brown/Black/Gray | Black |
| 0.33 liters | 0.6 liters | 0.7 liters |
| Yes, Android and iPhone | Yes, Android and iPhone | Yes, Android and iPhone |
| 45 minutes | 2 hours | 2 hours in Eco mode and 90 minutes in Turbo mode |
| 2 hours 30 minutes | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| lithium-ion | lithium-ion | lithium-ion |
Navigating the robot vacuum world
Here’s what Dyson’s 360-degree camera sees.
Dyson
In addition to its digital V2 motor that Dyson says “spins at up to 78,000 revolutions per minute,” the way a robot vacuum sees rooms has a huge impact on its ability to clean.
The 360 Eye relies on infrared sensors and a 360-degree standard-definition camera that sits on the top of the vacuum to interpret its surroundings.
Dyson’s bot is very systematic about its movements, as it travels out from the dock in concentric squares throughout your entire house.
While it doesn’t follow the same parallel path as Neato and Roomba vacuums (iRobot’s older models followed a more random pattern, but the Roomba 980 is much more methodical), the 360 Eye still maps out a path that gives it a good chance of covering as much of the floor as possible.
Long-exposure shots of how Dyson’s 360 Eye (left), iRobot’s Roomba 980 (center), and Neato’s Botvac Connected (right) steer around a space.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
It doesn’t actually store and remember routes, though, since furniture and other obstacles can move between runs. Instead, it adapts to the environment on the fly.
Its 45-minute run time is a bit of bummer since competitors claim to run for roughly 2 hours before needing a charge, but it will dutifully return to its base station to charge and continue to clean the remaining rooms when it’s ready. It’s also on the loud side, so don’t expect to have a conversation in the same room where this thing is running.
Moto Mods Review: Blast, Power and Project in a snap
Modularity is the name of the game in 2016 and following on from LG’s attempt with the LG G5 and Friends, Lenovo-backed Motorola announced the Moto Z range and Moto Mods. Yet modularity comes in many forms and sizes so what do the Moto Mods offers and is this how modularity should be done?
- Moto Z and Z Force Droid Edition Review
- Deal: Best Buy lopping $200 off the Moto Z and tossing in an $80 Moto Mod free
- These are the first Moto Mods for the new Moto Z range
- Just add Mods: Moto Z/Z Force Droid Edition unboxing and first setup
We’ve spent time with the Moto Mods – well, the ones that are available right now, anyway – and have come to a rather simple conclusion: the mod system is fresh, well executed, and fun; however, they do come at quite a price. See why in our full review of the Moto Mods made for the Moto Z and the Moto Z Force.
Buy Moto Z and Moto Mods now!
JBL SoundBoost Speaker
We start off with the SoundBoost speaker, made by JBL. As is the case with all Moto Mods, there are magnets on the top and bottom of the device and all of the connectors let it interface with the Moto Z line. A large cut out for the camera optics keep the shooter from getting obstructed – and don’t worry, it doesn’t put a vignette on when using the Moto Camera.
The rest of the outer part of the unit is the speaker, sporting some large areas that are divided by a red kickstand – there are more reasons why the kickstand is a brilliant idea for the speaker but the simple fact that the device is propped up for easy viewing already makes it a very useful tool.
The inner portion of the speaker that attaches to the phones has a few more bits and pieces. An arrow design is found throughout, there are the already aforementioned magnets and connectors, and finally there are a couple of bits pertaining to the unit’s battery.
The SoundBoost speaker comes with a 1000mAh battery that can be charged through the USB-C port, while checking the battery level is as simple as hitting a button to see a green or red light. 1000mAh doesn’t sound like too much, but Moto claims that the speaker can go for up to 10 hours. In our testing, we found the SoundBoost to actually go for a very long time. 10 hours is a long duration to test a speaker, but we’re certain that it can go the distance especially if kept below full volume. After a good three hours of playing the speaker in this state, we were only down to 78%.
Which brings us to how it sounds – it should come as no surprise that this makes the sound experience on the Moto Z incredibly different. The front facing speaker on the Moto phones is decent, though it lacks a lot of richness and bass. But slap on the JBL and it all changes – there’s a great deal of volume coming from this small unit, and the kickstand points the drivers downward so that the bounce back of the audio really adds some body.
Comparisons to standalone Bluetooth speakers are inevitable, and the answer isn’t all that surprising – you’ll get a better overall soundstage from a larger unit, even ones that are around the same price of $79.99. But it’s hard not to like having such a convenient way of upping the Moto Z sound game. Especially considering its battery life, the JBL SoundBoost speaker can be one of the most sought after add-ons to the Moto Z line.
Inicipio OffGrid Power Pack
But not as much as simply having more power – and that’s where the Inicipio OffGrid Power Pack comes in handy. Simply put, this is probably the mod that Moto Z users will be clamoring for, if not for the better battery life overall, but for the wireless charging that it adds to the whole package.
The Power Pack will come in a variety of looks, thanks to Incipio, but ours was a bright white unit with a matte finish, helping to add to the phone’s grip aside from just adding a sheer amount of weight. The inner portion of the pack has a battery level check button just above the connector pins, but no USB-C port for charging.
And that’s because the Power Pack has wireless charging built-in. Not only is it the only way to charge the pack, it is also a feature then added onto the phone. Thanks to the Power Pack, one of the few features missing from the Moto Z can be added on. It would have been nice to have a USB-C fast charging port here, in case waiting around for a wireless charging pad just don’t do. But when the phone is sitting on a wireless pad most of the day, that isn’t too much of an issue.
The Power Pack works in a couple different ways – it can straight charge the phone or work in an efficiency mode that will only work to keep the phone at 80%. I used the mod as backup power when the Moto Z Force got down to single digits, and it allowed me to get back up to almost 60 percent when left alone. Under moderate to moderately heavy usage, I was able to get up to another 90 minutes of screen on time.
Related: Best wireless chargers – how they work and perform17
Incipio Power Packs will come in a number of different styles and will range in price from $59.99 to $89.99. Though we would like to say that the higher price means higher capacities, that hasn’t been confirmed yet. But this version is the $60 edition, which makes it fairly affordable for backup power and the addition of wireless charging.
Moto Insta-Share Projector
Finally, there is the Insta-Share Projector. Anyone familiar with Lenovo’s Yoga tablets might see shades of it. The projector, when slapped onto the Moto Z, emits its image out of the side and has a stiff folding stand that can angle the image to any surface. One button is found to the side of the optics, which has to be held to turn it on. The back portion has a matted finish to it, but the grills are there to allow for airflow – there are indeed fans inside to prevent overheating and it isn’t hard to hear when the unit is running.
The inner portion of the projector has the battery level button and indicator, as well as the USB-C port used to charge the 1100mAh battery. Considering the 50 lumen projection power that it outputs, an hour of battery life is understandable. It isn’t particularly ideal for long viewing sessions of even two or three Netflix episodes, but for presentations and business applications it provides just enough use.
Working the projector is as simple as slapping it onto the back of the Moto Z and holding the power button. The entire screen will then be outputted through the projector, but there are a few extra settings that can be tinkered with. Keystoning, thankfully, is done automatically so even if the projector is at a certain angle, it will be fixed to make the image easier to view. The other settings are for focus, which can be changed via a wheel on the other side of the lens, overall brightness, and finally to keep notifications only showing up on the phone’s screen and not on the projected screen. To access this menu requires just a single press of the power button.
The image that is projected can be up to 70 inches in size but is only 480p resolution. That’s 854×480, which is actually somewhat common for cheaper Pico projectors, but there are plenty of standalone units that have hit the 720p mark and beyond. And though Pico projectors are often lacking in color output, it’s very apparent when the AMOLED screen of the Moto Z is plainly in view and compared to the washed out projection.
That said, having a projector so easily accessible and effective (for particular applications) on a phone is an experience that only the Moto Z can provide – but it does come at a very high price. The Insta-Share Projector is a whopping $300, making it the most expensive of the currently available Moto Mods. That’s an incredible amount of money to put down for a peripheral that only lasts an hour and outputs the bare minimum image resolution and quality. Other Pico projectors are available for around the same price that last longer and output at least 720p resolution.
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Conclusion
There you have it – the Moto Mods. It’s great to see that the Moto Z’s new idea is actually executed very well. Though the most unique of them is also the most expensive, it’s hard not to enjoy the fact that big sound and extra battery life are available with simple snap to the back of the phone.
That brings to light one issue – these mods are only compatible with the Moto Z line, which limits their usage. Though the mods are done very well, they are not particularly required to define the Moto Z and Moto Z Force experience, and it may be easier (and more cost-effective) to get wireless or Bluetooth solutions that can be used with any device. Here’s to hoping, then, that the Moto Mods are not forever relegated to just the Moto Z – but until then, we have a good example of a step forward in smartphone technology.
- Moto Z and Z Force Droid Edition Review
- Deal: Best Buy lopping $200 off the Moto Z and tossing in an $80 Moto Mod free
- These are the first Moto Mods for the new Moto Z range
- Just add Mods: Moto Z/Z Force Droid Edition unboxing and first setup
What do you think of the Moto Mods and Motorola’s implementation of modularity? Do you plan to buy any of them for your Moto Z or Moto Z Force? Let us know your views in the comments below!
Buy Moto Z and Moto Mods now!
Save a massive 80% on these JBL on-ear headphones today!
Newegg is currently offering the JBL Synchros S300 headphones for just $30, which happens to be an 80% savings. Normally priced at $149, this $120 discount makes theese professional sounding headphones way more affordable. These on-ear headphones have a removable cable that has a 3 button remote and mic in-line, and the ability to be collapsed to transport them without damaging them or worrying of a tangled cable.
If you are in the market for a new set of headphones, or just like awesome deals, you won’t want to miss out on this one. Remember, the deal is only good for today, July 27, so don’t delay your order too long.
See at Newegg
Americans aren’t ready for biotech-enhanced superhumans
Superhero movies might be in, but the American public isn’t quite keen on seeing a real Captain America. Pew Center researchers asked people how they’d feel about genetically modifying babies to reduce the risk of serious illnesses. They also asked participants for their thoughts on implanting brain chips and transfusing synthetic blood into perfectly healthy humans to make them faster and stronger, as well as to improve their capacity to process information. The participants’ answer? Well, let’s just say they’re wary of using advancements in biotechnology to enhance humans’ capabilities.
Around 66 and 63 percent of the respondents even said that they don’t want to go through brain and blood enhancements (respectively) themselves. They were more receptive to the idea of genetically modifying infants, though, with 48 percent saying they’re cool with making sure newly born humans won’t ever be afflicted with cancer and other fatal illnesses. Most participants (73 percent) are also worried about biotech enhancers’ potential to exacerbate inequality. Not to mention, there are those who believe using brain implants and blood transfusions to enhance one’s capabilities isn’t morally acceptable.
The survey certainly sheds light on how people think new technologies and medical advancements should be used. Many felt that “no effort should be spared to help the sick.” Scientists in various institutions, for instance, have been experimenting with the use of brain chips to help the paralyzed communicate and move again, as well as to make cancer drugs more effective. As Pew wrote, though, most of the people they asked believe we should “proceed with caution before allowing biomedical advancements to boost the capacities of healthy people.” They fear that it would start “a slippery slope toward the creation of ‘superhumans’ or human ‘robots.’”
Source: Pew Research Center
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