MrMobile uses the Moto Z Play and Hasselblad camera Mod!
Whatever else you can say about the Moto Z – and there’s no shortage of opinion on the subject — you have to admit it’s an interesting smartphone. The problem for many is that it’s also an expensive smartphone, and while its camera has some useful features, it also has a fair number of drawbacks.
Lenovo’s answer to these concerns: a less-expensive Moto Z, and a brand new Moto Mod from a legendary camera maker. I spent about a week with the Verizon-exclusive Droid Edition of the Moto Z Play and the True Zoom Moto Mod from Hasselblad. I came away with a new appreciation for the Snapdragon 625, oversized batteries … and steady hands. Join me for MrMobile’s Moto Z Play review, and Hasselblad True Zoom review!
Don’t forget to be social!
- YouTube
- Le web
- Snapchat
Democrats want FBI to investigate any Trump link to cyberattacks
You may have been laughing when Donald Trump responded to word of possible Russian involvement in DNC hacks by joking that the country should hack Hillary Clinton’s email server, but some House Democrats are taking it very seriously. Representatives John Conyers, Elijah Cummings, Eliot Engel and Bennie Thompson have sent a letter asking the FBI to investigate the possibility of a link between Trump officials and the attacks. They claim it’s vital to know whether or not Trump and his staff “directly caused or indirectly motivated” the hacks — they could be helping Russia interfere with the election, if you believe the letter.
There’s no smoking gun here. Instead, the Democrats are trying to raise eyebrows by referencing both the pro-Russia talk of Trump’s campaign as well as his aides’ connections to Russian officials and agendas. Trump’s own “hack Clinton” remark, willingness to cozy up to Vladimir Putin and Russia-friendly policies (such as weakening NATO and recognizing the Crimea annexation) are front and center, of course. The letter also references former campaign chair Paul Manafort’s role in helping a pro-Russian party gain power in Ukraine, and questions foreign policy adviser Carter Page’s involvement in big deals with Gazprom (Russia’s state-backed energy giant), among other links.
Whatever you think about the legitimacy of the concerns, there’s no guarantee that anything will come out of this. Much like the Republican-led Senate committee on Facebook news filtering, this is as much a political dog and pony show as anything else. It’s ultimately casting doubt on Trump’s viability as a presidential candidate. While the letter could lead somewhere (the FBI hasn’t responded so far), any honest-to-goodness investigation would just be icing on the cake.
Source: Politico
Logitech’s new mouse works with three computers at once
If you’ve ever used more than one computer at once, you know that juggling extra mice can be kind of annoying. Logitech thinks it doesn’t have to be: the company has just announced a new mouse designed specifically for folks who use more than one computer at a time. Okay, maybe that’s a small segment of the population — but for the right person, the M720 Triathlon could be a godsend.
The $70 Triathlon’s chief trick is its ability to connect to three devices simultaneously — allowing users to switch between machines with the click of a button. The mouse can connect with Logitech’s Unifying Receiver, or directly over Bluetooth, and boasts compatibility for Windows, Mac OS, Chrome, Android and Linux. It also claims to last for up to two years on one AA battery. Not bad. Too bad it doesn’t come with an equally versatile keyboard
Source: Logitech
Facebook’s sticker search has a queasy political reaction
I don’t usually search out particular stickers to express myself on Facebook Messenger (I’m a 💯 or 🔥 emoji kind of guy) but recently people who do, have noticed some strange results. VentureBeat points out a tweet by Serena Ehrlich showing the vomit sticker in response to searches for liberals or feminism. The company responded saying something in its search algorithm caused the response and that it should not continue to appear after today.
Whatever caused it, the reaction wasn’t entirely partisan, appearing in response to searches for Trump, Obama (but not Barack Obama), Biden (but not Joe Biden) and politics in general, although several conservative-linked terms that I tried pulled up nothing at all. Based on those results, it’s hard to say if this is another algorithmic misstep, the result of synthesizing this election season’s conversations or the tagging work of pranksters. No matter what the cause, it will be gone soon, and peace will once again reign over the land of messaging.
Source: VentureBeat
‘Iron Man’ director’s VR game lands on September 8th
On top of trying to outdo a beloved Disney classic, director Jon Favreau achieved a fascinating feat with his film adaption of The Jungle Book: Aside from its young actor portraying Mowgli, every other character and setting were built with CGI. But it seems he’s still eager to make computer-created immersion. The first part of the filmmaker’s next project, the fantasy VR experience Gnomes & Goblins, will be digitally released for free on September 8th.
From screenshots, the game looks lush, haunting and whimsical. Players quickly meet a titular goblin and roam around, but G&G seems to hinge more on exploration and experience rather than compelling gameplay. This will be the first tease of the world, Favreau explained in a New York Times interview, with a narrative emerging in content released later.
Late in The Jungle Book’s post-production, Favreau told NYT, he went to see a demonstration of VR company Wevr’s underwater exploration experience theBlu. The filmmaker was captivated by the technology’s immersive capacity and noted how this entertainment genre sits between films and contemporary video games, feeling it to be “closest to lucid dreaming.” He partnered with Wevr and media production company Reality One to make G&G.
Gnomes & Goblins will be available for the HTC Vive on September 8th on Steam, Viveport and Wevr’s Transport network. Releases on Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR are planned for later in the year.
Source: The New York Times
Apple CEO Tim Cook Sells Another $28.7 Million in Stock
Apple CEO Tim Cook this week sold another $28.7 million worth of Apple stock, according to documents filed with the SEC.
Cook sold 269,993 shares at prices ranging from $105.95 to $107.37, netting himself a total of $28,703,590. Combined with the 334,000 shares he sold last week for nearly $36 million, Cook has gained approximately $65 million over the course of the last few days.
Cook last week received combined stock bonuses of 1,260,000, worth more than $100 million, as he reached his five-year anniversary as the CEO of Apple.
Following the sale this week, Cook continues to hold more than 1 million shares of Apple stock worth an estimated $110 million.
Apple Dan Riccio also sold 49,996 shares of Apple stock this week, earning more than $5 million.
Discuss this article in our forums
Bosch 360 Degree Indoor Camera Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Capable of seeing everything and nothing, the Bosch 360 indoor camera can turn and look in any direction. The lens also recedes into its shell with a tap, should you need some privacy.
Introduced today at the IFA trade show here in Berlin, the camera’s part of a trio of new Bosch smart home products announced as the appliance manufacturer pushes further into connected convenience.
Chris Monroe/CNET
The indoor connected cam includes motion sensors, an intercom for two-way audio and infrared night vision so you can watch over your house at any hour. When it senses something, it records HD footage to local storage, and you can use your phone to watch clips, or live footage.
Gadgets galore from Bosch at IFA 2016
See full gallery
1 – 4 of 16
Next
Prev
Security cameras: What you need to know
- Security camera buying guide
- Best security cameras of 2016
- These connected cameras take DIY security to the next level
- 7 features to look out for in a home security camera
- Where to place home security cameras
If you don’t want it spying on you when you’re home, you can tap the top or tell it to recede via the app, and the top of the cam will duck into the body. The demo of this tickled me — the camera reminded me of a shy turtle when it pulled its head down.
The camera will roll out starting at the end of this year in Europe. A Bosch representative promised it’ll come to the US at some point down the road after that. The recommended price is 250 euros, which converts to roughly $280, AU$370 or £210. That’s a little pricey, as it’s more than our current favorite smart home cams — the Nest Cam and Piper — so it’ll need to be more than cute to keep up with the competition.
- For all things Berlin and IFA, head here
Bosch AutoCook Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Bosch went analog and digital when it came to accessories to use with its first multicooker. The German appliance manufacturer created an app and published a cookbook designed for you to use with its AutoCook multicooker, which were on display Wednesday at the IFA trade show in Berlin.
The multicooker doesn’t wirelessly connect to the app, but many of the app’s 100 recipes are designed specifically for use with the countertop appliance. The app also provides video clips to show each step of a recipe, a nice feature we’ve seen on apps for products such as the Joule sous vide immersion circulator and the Drop connected kitchen scale.
Gadgets galore from Bosch at IFA 2016
See full gallery
1 – 4 of 16
Next
Prev
The AutoCook stands out from other multicookers with more than 50 cooking programs with very specialized functions, such as sous vide, yogurt making and gentle frying; many multicookers just have basics like pressure cooking and slow cooking covered. Adding wireless connection to the app that could control the multicooker’s function would be useful, especially if you have to perform several cooking functions in the AutoCook for one recipe.
More Bosch News
- Bosch’s kitchen machine combines a scale and a stand mixer
- Bosch shoulders into the smart home with three new products and IFTTT
- Don’t look now: Bosch’s security cam can recede into its shell like a turtle
There are two different types of AutoCook: a basic model that costs €269 (about $300, £228 in the UK and AU$399) and an induction-powered version that costs €469 (roughly $523, £398 and AU$696).
- Check out CNET’s full coverage of IFA 2016 here
Samsung Gear S3 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Samsung’s got a new Gear smartwatch, and it’s pretty…pretty big.
Does it look like a big, bold luxury sports watch you’d see in a jewelry store on vacation? That’s the idea. Samsung Gear S3 is the follow-up to the really good Gear S2 released last year, but it’s a more maximized, more stylized type of watch. It’s also something that not everyone is going to want to wear, which even Samsung seems to admit.
Samsung Gear S3 Frontier and Classic: Super-size…
See full gallery
1 – 4 of 50
Next
Prev
Building on the Gear S2’s clever rotating bezel-based design, which uses the bezel spin to change watch faces and choose apps, the Gear S3 has a solid steel case and standard 22mm watch straps. Now, it looks practically like an everyday watch. A beautiful everyday watch, I should add. The design and feel of the entire watch feels top-notch, and outdoes any Android Wear watch I’ve ever seen. Its traditional design, created by Swiss watch designer Yvan Arpa, looks ultra-sharp. The watch faces I got to see look great, and a larger color-gamut always-on screen mean they look good all the time.
The Gear S3 still runs its own Tizen-based OS, but will work with Android phones. There’s still no word on iOS compatibility.
Bigger than my eyes.
Sarah Tew/CNET
But the size, it is a little big. Even for my wrist. It’s now a 46mm watch, not a 42mm one. That may not sound like a big difference, but it is. It’s mostly due to the case and bezel. The original Gear S2 was one of the more compact round smartwatches around, and now it’s one of the biggest. It’s considerably larger than the 42mm Apple Watch, and lot larger than the 38mm one.
Why so big? Battery. A 380mAh battery now lasts up to 4 days, according to Samsung, or a 30% uptick. All models have GPS now, too, for tracking runs away from a phone.
In fact, the Gear S3 is packed with new features. Here’s what’s new:
- 380 mAh battery (extra day of battery)
- Onboard GPS
- Speaker/microphone for making calls
- Samsung Pay (NFC and MST)
- Slightly bigger 1.3-inch Super AMOLED 360×360 display, w/ more colors in always-on watch mode
- Gorila Glass 3 SR+ glass, added scratch resistance
- 22mm standard watch strap compatibility
- 1.0 GHz dual-core Exynos 7270 processor
- 4GB storage (same as S2)
- Stainless steel casing
- Barometer and altimeter, plus optical heart rate
- IP68 water resistance, “military-grade” water, dust, heat/cold resistance
- Optional LTE version for higher-speed data and improved call quality
- Spotify app allows streaming via Wi-Fi/LTE
- Two models: Classic, and Frontier (Frontier has optional LTE version)
- Weighs about 62g
Rugged. (This is the Frontier.)
Sarah Tew/CNET
There are two models: the Classic is meant to suggest wedding/executive style, while Frontier is aimed at more rugged/sport lifestyle. From a distance, they look pretty similar. More similar, at least, than the Classic and regular S2 looked last year. The build quality looks fantastic. But the price, and release date, are still unknown.
Samsung Pay is onboard this watch, and so is MST payment technology, which works via a magnetic ping at credit card terminals that even lack tap-to-pay functions. All the S3 models now have speakerphones, too — last year’s S2 ditched the feature except on the 3G-connected version.
The Gear S3 Classic.
Josh Miller/CNET
If you want a standalone watch, there’s an LTE-equipped version of the S3 Frontier. The faster data network could mean better quality and data-loading, and it also means Spotify can stream over LTE from the watch (it can stream via Wi-Fi on the non-LTE models, too). Spotify can’t save playlists to the S3 yet, but after talking with Samsung it seems like the company’s looking into it. It seems like the LTE version of the S3 is not that much larger, unlike the significantly thicker Samsung Gear S2 3G.
If you’re curious at all about how Samsung considers its wearables, know that the S3, S2 and even the Gear Fit 2, which is sort of like a smartwatch, are all on sale together. Pick your style, pick your size. The S3 isn’t so much a successor to the S2 as an addition to the lineup, a feature boost. The Gear S3 will have the same automatic activity tracking features of the Fit 2, adding to an already solid feature set.
Samsung Pay: should work at nearly any credit card terminal.
Josh Miller/CNET
The S2 will get updates to its software, too, and it runs the same apps as the S3: according to Samsung, there will be 10,000 by the time the S3 launches later this year. New notable apps include one for Nest thermostats, an ADT personal security app with SOS, an updated Uber app with Uberpool, and a BMW app (it’s unclear what the BMW one does).
Well, maybe the Gear S3 is a sequel, but it’s a modest one. And to me, it’s all about the battery, the size, the speakerphone, and the style.
And whether you could pull it off on your wrist, or would even want to. The women at CNET who got to see the S3 models — found it ridiculously huge. I could see myself wearing one. But this time around, Samsung’s impressive watch may be targeting a more specific audience.
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Plus for 2016 comes in at a much lower price than last year’s model. There’s a good reason why.
Josh Miller/CNET
Lenovo’s 10.1-inch Yoga Tab 3 Plus is all about entertainment. Just like its predecessor, this year’s model is designed to enhance the TV and video-viewing experience. But unlike the Yoga Tab 3 Pro, announced at last year’s IFA, the Tab 3 Plus doesn’t have the projector that Lenovo promised would be great for watching movies and TV at home.
That’s not necessarily good. The unique projector feature made the Tab 3 Pro one of the best tablets for watching video, especially with friends. But at a starting price of $500 and AU$699 (UK pricing converted to £335), that took it out of the budget running. This projector-less model starts at $300, which converts to £230 and AU$400.
Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 3 Plus stands, tilts and…
See full gallery
1 – 4 of 12
Next
Prev
But at least Lenovo keeps the built-in kickstand, which was incredibly useful for standing up the tablet. You can even let it hang from a hook in your kitchen or bedroom.
Here’s what else you’ll find:
- 10.1-inch 2K display (2,560×1,600 pixels)
- 4 front-facing JBL speakers
- 13-megapixel camera, 5-megapixel front-facing
- 1.8GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor
- 9,300mAh battery with a rated 18 hours of life
- 32GB storage, 3GB RAM
- Splash-proof body (IP52)
- 4 configurations: Hang, tilt, stand, no stand
- Colors: Black, grey
The tablet goes on sale October 2016.
AIVAnet 