Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod review – CNET
The Good The Moto Mods add-on architecture is an intelligent way to add a camera and the Hasselblad True Zoom is attractive, well designed and adds a convenient 10x zoom.
The Bad The camera software can be annoying and it’s hard to control framing when zoomed all the way in, especially for moving subjects. The video quality isn’t great, either.
The Bottom Line If you take a lot of photos and have a Motorola Moto Z phone, the Hasselblad is a great add-on to have, as long as you’re looking for a big zoom instead of better-than-phone photo quality.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
The attempts to design a practical solution to upgrade a phone camera’s options — whether it’s better photo quality or a zoom lens or both — have been unsuccessfully ongoing since 2013 when Samsung tried to integrate a zoom lens on its Galaxy S4 (“the camera-shaped Zoom is incredibly awkward and uncomfortable to use as a phone.”) and Sony first rolled out its QX series of cumbersome lens-shaped zoom cameras that connect via Wi-Fi.
The more recent DxO One camera, which plugs into the Lightning connector of an iPhone or iPad, is probably the most successful option to date; it adds better photo quality with its 1-inch sensor, but no zoom, and is limited to iDevices. Now there’s the Hasselblad True Zoom, an attachable camera with a big 10x zoom lens but a small 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor, which can work only with the Motorola Moto Z phones. That’s because it takes advantage of the Moto Z’s elegant Moto Mods add-on architecture.
For the most part, the True Zoom succeeds at delivering optical zoom into the hands of phone photographers and is a great first effort. And I can’t stress enough how convenient a zoom lens is. But I can’t help thinking that a larger sensor with half the zoom might have been a more attractive option.
Hasselblad True Zoom photo samples
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Though some might consider $250 (that’s the Verizon price) a lot for what’s essentially a basic compact camera that snaps to the back of your phone, I think the price is pretty reasonable — especially compared to the $500 (£400) DxO model. I don’t have other pricing yet for the True Zoom, but that $250 converts to about £191 and AU$335. Through motorola.com it will cost $300 (that’s about £228 and AU$400). It will be available starting September 15.
How it works
It’s dead easy to add and remove: Moto Mods attach to the phone via magnets, and in this case the phone’s stock camera app switches to a version designed for use with the camera mod. Snap it on and you’re ready to go.
There’s a physical power button to turn the camera on and off and a zoom switch to navigate the 25-250mm-equivalent range. It’s a little too sensitive and stepped for my taste, making it hard to frame shots exactly. And pressing the shutter without shaking the camera is harder than using the on-screen shutter button. Still, the True Zoom delivers a very nice camera-like experience.
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The True Zoom only adds about 5 ounces/144g and 0.6 inch/15 mm (when closed) to the silhouette of the phone.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Extensions to the camera app add the ability to shoot raw+JPEG, as well as offering scene modes and and black-and-white shooting in Auto. It automatically downgrades the options for video and photos; for example, you can’t shoot 4K video with the mod attached on the Moto Z Play Droid I tested it with, and that phone’s internal camera is 16 megapixels. Though you can use third-party camera apps with the True Zoom, you can’t shoot raw with them.
There’s not a lot here that’s Hasselblad. It’s got the company’s 75th anniversary commemorative orange shutter button with half-press focusing, a grip with the same nice physical feel as the one used by current Hasselblad cameras, and the big H. It will also ship with access to Hasselblad’s raw software, Phocus, to edit the True Zoom images on a computer. Unfortunately, Phocus mobile is only available on the desktop and iOS, not Android. You can edit the standard DNG files with any editor, though. The phone does come with two years of free full-resolution storage in Google Photos.
One of the frustrating aspects of using the True Zoom is the camera app. It always reverts to the stock app default settings, even if you switch away from it for just a second — something you do constantly on a phone. That means, for instance, it forgets you’re in Professional (manual) mode or that you shoot raw. According to the company, that’s a feature, not a bug; a feature that’s bound to make you miss some shots unless you shoot only on the defaults. It’s also too easy to accidentally hit the home, menu and back buttons while using the physical shutter button. Crazy-making.
What about the pictures?
The True Zoom has similar sensor specs to models like the Nexus 6P. But unlike most fixed-focal-length lens phone cameras, the True Zoom’s photo quality will vary a lot over the zoom range. As with most zoom lenses, its maximum aperture narrows — from f3.5 to f6.5, in the True Zoom’s case — as you zoom toward 250mm. That means you really can’t zoom in when the light drops below twilight levels without photos getting really mushy.
Lenovo Yoga 910 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
We’ve already seen what might be the ultimate version of Lenovo’s Yoga hybrid, in the recent ThinkPad X1 Yoga model, with its stunning OLED display. But Lenovo now has a new Yoga model, a consumer version this time — one that one-ups that ThinkPad OLED version in a few very important ways.
The new Yoga 910 keeps the slim and unique-looking watchband hinge from the past couple of generations of consumer Yoga hybrids. This has the ability to fold its 360-degree hinge into a kiosk or stand mode, and all the way back into a big-screen Windows 10 tablet.
Sarah Tew/CNET
But the 910 also manages to fit more screen into less space, upsizing the display to a 13.9-inch panel (essentially making this a 14-inch laptop), even though it’s just 14.3mm thick and looks and feels no bigger than last year’s 13-inch Yoga. That’s because, like only a handful of other very high-end laptops, the screen here goes nearly to the very edge of the lid, almost completely eliminating the bezel — that thick plastic or metal frame around most laptop and tablet screens.
High-end TVs have done an admirable job of eliminating screen bezels over the past few years, but only a couple of laptops have followed suit — such as the Dell XPS 13. That’s a shame, as it’s a fantastic design upgrade. You can also optionally take that display up to full 4K resolution, but we’ve often found that 4K laptops screens cost you more in battery life than you get back in visual fidelity.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Worldwide pricing and availability has yet to be announced, but the Yoga 910 is going start at $1,299 in the US when it’s available later in September. That converts to around £990 or AU$1,730.
Lenovo has another Windows hybrid coming soon as well. We have not had a chance to go hands-on with the new Miix 510 yet, but it’s part of the company’s detachable hybrid line, with a standalone Windows 10 tablet that attaches to a backlit keyboard dock. It’s closer in style to the Microsoft Surface than Lenovo’s 360-degree hinge Yoga hybrids.
The Lenovo Miix 510
Lenovo
This latest Miix uses a watchband-style hinge inspired by the one found on the Yoga 900 series, uses Intel’s sixth-generation Core i-series processors (up to a Core i7), offers optional LTE, and has a 12.2-inch 1,920×1,200 display. We don’t have international price and date information yet, but in the US, it’s coming in October starting at $599.
- See all of CNET’s coverage of the IFA tech show here
Motorola Moto Z Play Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Motorola’s Moto Z is a premium phone that made its mark with magnetic snap-on accessories that make a lot of sense. The new Moto Z Play uses those same Moto Mods, but costs less. It wants to be your modular midrange friend. It’s arriving September 8 in the US as a Verizon phone for $408 (or, $17/month), or GSM unlocked in October for $450 (versus the Moto Z, which will cost $700). Internationally, it arrives in September for “about 499 Euros.”)
As a midrange phone, its specs vary from those of the Z and Z Force. For one, it brings back the headphone jack! The Z made waves for ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of just having USB-C, plus an included adapter dongle. Well, miracles happen: USB-C and a headphone jack exist on the Moto Z Play, side by side, together and happy. Maybe there’s hope for your old pair of headphones in this cruel post-headphone-jack world, after all.
Moto Z Play works with all the MotoMods.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Z Play is also a bit thicker and heavier than the big-battery Z Force, packing a slightly larger battery. Motorola says this is the “longest-lasting phone battery” on a Moto phone. Fast-charging powers the phone up to about 9 hours of use in 15 minutes of charging. We haven’t run full battery tests on the Z Play we have here at the office.
The headphone jack…has returned. See, it was gone on the Z and Z Force.
Sarah Tew/CNET
You probably won’t notice the other differences right off the bat, but there are a handful of spec alterations. It looks a bit like the Z Force — which is a US-exclusive phone for Verizon — with a less durable screen and some stepped-down specs. Or, well, it’s a different phone. The 5.5-inch AMOLED display is 1080p, instead of the 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution of the other Zs. The Qualcomm processor’s a little different. There’s a bit less RAM. The camera, at least, seems nice: 16 megapixels, but it lacks optical image stabilization.
Moto Z, Z Force and Z Play compared
| Moto Z | Moto Z Force | Moto Z Play |
| 153mm x 75mm x 5.19mm | 155.9mm x 75.8mm x 6.99 mm | 156.4 mm x 76.4 mm x 6.99 mm |
| 136g | 163g | 165g |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 |
| 5.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 AMOLED | 5.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 AMOLED | 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED |
| 4GB | 4GB | 3GB |
| 13MP, f/1.8, OIS, | 21MP, f/1.8, OIS | 16MP, f/2.0 |
| 2,600 mAh | 3,500 mAh | 3,510 mAh |
| no | no | yes |
| 32/64GB, microSD | 32/64GB, microSD | 32/64GB, microSD |
Most importantly, this is a more midrange phone that still has that funky 16-pin MotoMod connector. It works with all the magnetically swappable Z Moto Mod accessories unveiled this summer with the Z, like a personal projector or the a Hasselblad TrueZoom camera lens.
The Moto Z Play will cost about $400 in the US as a Verizon-only phone, but will be available globally like the Moto Z. (Converted, that’s about £305 or AU$530.) Motorola says the phone will be available unlocked by the end of the year. Stay tuned for a full review soon.
Bosch Eyes Outdoor Camera Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
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Bosch breaks into smart home security with three new gadgets
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If you’re looking for a better way to monitor the front porch of your home than peering through the peephole, then the €350 Bosch Eyes Outdoor, unveiled at IFA 2016 in Berlin, just might be the ticket. Designed to function as a light, motion sensor alarm, and intercom all in one handy contraption, the Eyes Outdoor will also have its camera peeled for any activity that happens outside your door.
If the Eyes Outside sounds familiar, it should since it mirrors practically all of the capabilities of the $199 Kuna Light Fixture. The same is true of the Netatmo Presence, announced this January.
As for when and where you’ll be able to purchase an Eyes Outside camera, Bosch expects the product to arrive by the end of 2016, initially in Germany, Austria and the UK. Company reps did say a US launch of the product is in the works but declined to disclose specific timing or a price. (For reference, the announced cost in Euros converts to about $390, £300 or AU$520.)
Lenovo Yoga Book Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
One of the things that makes it hard to produce a truly portable hybrid computer is the need for a traditional keyboard. You either have to fold the keyboard away somewhere, which adds awkward bulk; or instead detach it completely, which inevitably means when you need the keyboard the most, it’s probably been left behind at home or at the office.
Lenovo is shrinking the hybrid idea down into something closer in size to a paperback book than a laptop. The new Yoga Book has a clamshell hinge and a 10.1-inch full-HD-resolution display, but where you’d expect to find the keyboard is instead a blank slate.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In one mode, that acts as a Wacom-style drawing tablet, and works with the included Real Pen stylus. A few built-in Lenovo apps helps you take notes and annotate documents, and it should work with Photoshop and other visual art programs.
But, at the touch of an on-screen button, the drawing tablet is replaced with a backlit keyboard, which Lenovo calls the Halo Keyboard. It’s akin to on-screen typing on an iPad, but the matte surface is much better for finger control than a shiny laptop or tablet screen. In a brief hands-on test, I found finger-typing on the Halo Keyboard to be very doable once you get used to the key size and placement, but in the pre-release version I tried, there was a little more lag than than I’d like when typing quickly.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If this idea sounds familiar, and not in an iPad on-screen keyboard kind of way, then you’re a real connoisseur of obscure computers. I reviewed an early version of this concept back 2011, when Acer released its 14-inch Iconia dual-screen laptop. In that case, the bottom of two touchscreens could display several on-screen keyboard layouts, other touch tools, or just extend the desktop onto both screens. The idea clearly didn’t catch on with the public as there was never a version 2.0 of that Iconia, and this is the first no-physical-keyboard Windows clamshell I’ve seen since then.
And when you’re not typing or drawing, the system can fold into a kiosk or tablet mode, just like any other laptop with the Yoga name — it’s just that this one is a lot smaller.
Powered by an Intel Atom x5 processor, the Yoga Book is available in both Windows 10 and Android versions, and weighs around 1.5 pounds (680 grams). Worldwide pricing and availability has yet to be announced, but in the US, it’ll start at $499 (roughly £380 or AU$665) and should be available immediately.
Moto Z Play Droid review
Check it out at Verizon
LG was the first out of the gate this year to introduce us to the concept of a modular smartphone. The company’s implementation with the G5 was what many agreed to be underwhelming, subsequently evident by the poor sales of the phone. Many believed that the modular idea was a dead end, barely able to mold and blossom into something tangible, but that was until Lenovo introduced a better implementation with its Moto Z and Moto Z Force – and boy did it change all of our perception!
One of the delightful surprises about the new phones were the various Moto Mod accessories that brought versatility to the phones, dishing up this new concept of “expanded functionality.” Given that many companies are on board with their own unique Moto Mods, which range from battery packs, to projectors, and much more, it means that future devices in this new line will probably harness them as well. Why make another variant of the same accessory to accommodate a new phone, right?
- Moto Z and Moto Z Force (Droid Edition) review
- Moto Mods review
- Moto Z Force vs LG G5
The benefits from this strategy become more prevalent with Lenovo’s latest smartphone, the Moto Z Play Droid. We know that the two aforementioned phones are high-end, cutting-edge devices meant to compete with other flagships, but the Moto Z Play Droid favors the mid-range segment of the market based on what it’s packing. From its 1080p screen, to the Snapdragon 625 chip that’s inside, it’s very indicative of a mid-ranger. Nonetheless, it’ll leverage the benefits provided by the existing line of Moto Mod accessories that are out now.
We’ve seen plenty of great mid-range smartphones released so far this year. But while the Moto Mods add a certain level of intrigue, will they be enough to propel the Moto Z Play Droid over competing devices fighting for notoriety in this sector of the market? Let’s find out in our full Moto Z Play Droid review!
See also: The best Android phones464
Design
The Moto Z Play Droid looks very similar to its bigger brothers
A cursory glance at the Moto Z Play Droid will make most people mistake it for its previously released siblings; the Moto Z and Moto Z Force. There’s the uncanny resemblance with its design language, one that recycles the same metal and glass construction we’ve seen already, but it’s all packaged in a slightly taller, wider, and thicker chassis. Everything about the design is similar, like the hump produced by its camera lens, the USB Type-C port at the bottom, the responsive fingerprint sensor, and those pin connectors on the back for the Moto Mod accessories.
Don’t miss: Moto Z and Moto Z Force (DROID) review51
The latter is especially integral, mainly because it means that the Moto Z Play Droid can leverage all the existing Moto Mods that have been released thus far – further solidifying Lenovo’s strategy and implementation for a modular phone. Our review unit, in fact, came along with a dark wooden cover that covered and protected the glass finish of the phone’s rear. All of this reaffirms the validity of Lenovo’s vision of a modular phone, which we have to mention is undeniably one of the most satisfying things about the Moto Z Play Droid. For a mid-ranger, it has a host of accessories at its disposal.
Also read: 3.5mm audio vs USB Type-C: the good, bad and the future81
Even though it fails to match the thinness of its siblings, we’re not disappointed by its failure to follow suit because there’s a standard 3.5mm headphone jack here. Yes people, there’s a headphone jack incorporated here, which should appease those who are staunchly opposed to the idea of eliminating it entirely. And to top it off, the Moto Z Play Droid features the same nano-coating technology that gives it the water repellent quality to stave off damage from minor incursions with water (think light rain and splashes).
You heard right – the Moto Z Play Droid has a headphone jack!
Appearing very similar to Lenovo’s previous phones, the Moto Z Play Droid’s design indicates that future phones that want to leverage the Moto Mods, whether they’re high, mid, or low-end things, will have to keep within the same design language and dimensions. We wouldn’t say it’s the most beautiful thing we’ve seen, but we’ll sacrifice that for compatibility with Moto Mods.
Display
Due to how it adopts the same design language we’re familiar with, while also accommodating those Moto Mods, it should be no surprise that the Moto Z Play Droid comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display. However, the resolution of the panel drops down to 1080p, which of course places it squarely in that mid-range category. Naturally, it’s an expected outcome for a phone of its caliber, but it’s still more than detailed for the eye to see – and for others, they’d be hard pressed to realize it’s lower in resolution from a normal viewing distance.
The AMOLED display isn’t the best on the market, but it’s still above average
As we look at some of the AMOLED screen’s benchmark performance, it becomes evident that it’s not performing to the same tune as Samsung’s panels in its flagships, but it’s still nevertheless an above average one. It’s bright with a maximum luminance of 517 nits, ensuring it’s plenty visible even on those sunny days outside. While the 7333K color temperature is a tad bit on the colder side, it’s not colder than some other AMOELD panels we’ve come across, which is a common attribute of the technology as a whole. And lastly, we do notice a hint of saturation with its color reproduction in the sRGB gamut chart – where it tends to be slightly overblown with colors such as green, yellow, and magenta.
Like we mentioned already, the screen isn’t the best from the AMOLED camp, but despite that, the Moto Z Play Droid sees one with some above average qualities. Throw in a familiar feature, Moto Display, it means notifications, the time, and date are all accessible by taking the phone out of your pocket or nudging it.
Performance
Stepping down to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, coupled with 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM and the Adreno 506 GPU, means that the Moto Z Play Droid is most affected when it comes to graphics processing. Superficially, it moves with the same finesse and zippiness as its siblings, as basic tasks are accompanied with tight responses. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of phone for gamers, since it does exhibit some choppiness with its performance – albeit, its performance is in line with other phones in its category with the same hardware.
See also: The best Android games181
Placing phone calls under Verizon’s coverage, we’re happy to inform you that its call quality is pretty good. Voices coming out of the earpiece are distinct and audible, so we’re lucky that it barely exhibits any sort of distortion with its quality. Under noisy conditions, though, the volume output could’ve been better, just because it can easily be drowned out by the ambient sounds that are around.
Hardware
As it currently stands, there’s only a single storage option for the Moto Z Play Droid – 32GB of internal capacity. That should suffice for most users, but for those that require more, there’s a microSD slot that’s ready to provide adequate expansion.
The fingerprint sensor below the display, much like the ones found on the Moto Z and Moto Z Force, is square shaped and has a slightly raised outline. Unlocking the phone is a breeze thanks to its responsiveness when the phone is in its locked position, but when it’s pressed while it’s on, it acts to turn off the phone. So yeah, it doubles as another power button of sorts if you happen to feel lazy pressing the actual power key on its side.
Watching videos on the Moto Z Play Droid is a pleasant experience, mainly thanks to how its 5.5-inch AMOLED screen is just perfect for the occasion with its wide viewing angles, punchy colors, and sheer size. The accompanying audio coming from its single speaker, whereby the earpiece doubles as audio for media playback, lacks any sort of substance with its output. Don’t get us wrong, audio produced by the speaker is clean and crisp, but there’s no thump or punchiness with its quality to make us feel like it’s something that won’t get drowned out in noisy conditions.
And lastly, we’ll quickly graze over Moto Mods with this one, seeing that there’s nothing different here from what we’ve seen already. Of course, Moto Mods snap onto the back of the phone by lining up the corresponding pin connectors – where the prominent magnetic connection establishes a tight bond between the two. When it comes to expanding the functionality beyond what a traditional smartphone is capable of doing, no other system or implementation does it better than Moto Mods.
Continue reading: Moto Mods review: Blast, Power and Project in a snap9
Battery
Justifying the need to be thinner and lighter is a prospect we all appreciate with smartphones, but in the case of the Moto Z Play Droid, it’s thicker than its two siblings. That’s not a bad thing per se, due to the fact that it features a larger 3510mAh battery cell. And when you have a 1080p screen instead of one with Quad HD resolution, the phone has the recipe for some serious battery life.
Boy does it impress! It’s one of the better performing phones we’ve come by, better than the Honor 8 too! When it comes to longevity, the Moto Z Play Droid doesn’t disappoint – you’ll be astounded by its resistance to deplete. In our Wi-Fi browsing test, it managed to put up an outstanding mark of 16 hours and 13 minutes, while its recharge time of 109 minutes using the included Turbo Charger is also respectable. Best of all, you can always expand its battery life by even more with one of those battery pack Moto Mods. Do you want a wireless solution too? There’s a Moto Mod for that.
Related: Honor 8 Review
Camera
Stumped is one way of describing our reaction to realizing what camera has been fashioned into the Moto Z Play Droid. In terms of megapixel count, it’s in between the 13MP and 21MP cameras of the Moto Z and Moto Z Force respectively – so it’s a 16MP in the Moto Z Play Droid. The other notable differences here are the f/2.0 aperture lens and the lack of OIS, but besides that, everything else is the same. Meaning, it comes with laser & phase detection auto-focus, dual-LED flash, and up to 4K video recording.
The camera app, too, is the same as its siblings. For the masses, it suffices in quickly focusing and snapping the shot, but for enthusiasts, they’ll be yearning for more to play around with. Indeed, there’s a manual mode to compose a shot to your liking, so you can capture a scene with the utmost precision and control. However, it lacks additional modes beyond the staple ones we get in every phone. For example, you won’t find those cool light painting modes we expect on most Huawei smartphones. Despite our desire for more modes, we still find the Quick Capture super useful in launching the camera app by twisting the phone in our hand a few times.
Under ideal lighting conditions, the Moto Z Play Droid can take a great picture
Given its mid-ranger attachment, we’re actually impressed by the results produced by the 16MP camera here. When the conditions are ideal, such as those outdoor shots taken under sunny conditions, the Moto Z Play Droid snaps some crisp and detailed images. It seems to favor a warmer tone, but colors in general have some degree of saturation. The 5MP front-facing camera does nicely with selfies, by producing a pleasant level of sharpness to accompany its solid details capture.
Under low light conditions, it can take awhile to snap a photo
Our only qualm with the camera is its longer snapshot time under low light settings. In this case, we’re told to keep the phone steady to gain enough exposure, but the downside is that blurring becomes more likely to happen in the process. At the same, its quality becomes a bit more grainy looking – while the general tone of the shots are softer, more speckled in the details. We will thankfully say, however, that the camera does an excellent job of minimizing noise in the scene.
Moving on to video recording, the same qualities found with its still-shot performance persist here as well. Therefore, that all means that the Moto Z Play Droid handles nicely when there’s an abundance of lighting during the recording, but tends to be a bit noisy under low light. Due to the lack of OIS here, videos are far more shaky in appearance, causing for more jitter in the process – so a steady hand will be necessary in combating that.
Moto Z Play Droid camera samples
At the end of the day, even though the camera doesn’t excel in all areas, our general consensus of it is a favorable one. Knowing that this is a mid-ranger we’re dealing with, we’ll take it! There’s still the matter of the new Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod, which delivers an impressive 10x optical zoom. We haven’t spent a lot of time using this new accessory, but we’ll be putting it through the paces to see if it has any benefits besides the zoom.
Software
Honestly, the software is the same here with the Moto Z Play Droid. Running a mostly stock Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow experience, with a few of the usual enhancements we’ve seen from previous Motorola smartphones (Moto Display, Moto Actions, and Moto Voice), the experience as a whole will appease hardcore purists. Yes, there’s the matter of bloatware from Verizon that we all will have to contend with, but at this point, it’s a moot point in complaining about. At the very least, the experience here feels almost like it’s vanilla Android, so those purists will like that.
Considering that Nougat has been revealed, and became available to some Nexus-branded devices very recently, the only question surrounding the Moto Z Play Droid’s experience is the obvious: how long will we wait before it too receives the new software? We’re confident that it’s only a matter of time at this point.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution 401ppi |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 |
| GPU | Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 3GB LPDDR3 |
| Storage | 32GB |
| MicroSD | Yes |
| Cameras | 16MP rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash, laser and phase detection auto-focus 5MP front camera with a wide-angle lens and flash |
| Battery | Non-removable 3,510mAh |
| Software | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The Moto Z Play Droid will be available for pre-order in the U.S. through Motorola and Verizon from Thursday, September 8 for $17 per month for 24 months, or for $408 full retail. You’ll be able to pre-order the unlocked, non-Droid Edition Moto Z Play in the U.S. starting September 15 with availability beginning in October. The unlocked Moto Z Play will be available for $449.99 or for €499. The new Hasselblad True Zoom will be available for pre-order starting September 8 and available for purchase from Verizon on September 15 for $249.99, or for $299.99 through Motorola.
Check it out at Verizon
Don’t be fooled by its looks, the Moto Z Play Droid looks and feels like its modular siblings. It’s about the same size and weight, features the same fingerprint sensor, and it also leverages the same set of Moto Mods. The tradeoffs for this mid-ranger are mostly related to its screen resolution and processor, and that’s about it. If you don’t consider yourself to be a power user, you’ll be pleasantly impressed by how the Moto Z Play Droid manages to deliver nearly the same experience and performance as its superiorly spec’d siblings.
Still, there are a few noteworthy things at stake here that makes a play at the handset’s strength. First and foremost, there’s a standard headphone jack here! We know, it might not be at the top of the list for everyone, but it’s satisfying that Lenovo opted to bring it back – so there’s no need to carry an adapter if you just want to use your standard pair of headphones. And secondly, it has a battery life that requires some serious usage to deplete! In all fairness, we found it incredibly tough to drain its battery.
Bringing back some much needed money to your pockets, the Moto Z Play Droid’s cost places it below its more expensive modular relatives. The savings there is appreciated given how it can leverage all of the existing Moto Mods, so at launch, the phone already has a healthy selection of accessories to choose from. Buy the phone because you want the Moto Mods, but don’t want to spend the usual fortune in buying the better spec’d modular phones that are currently available.
What are your thoughts? Like what you see here? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
Facebook promises to stabilize shaky 360-degree videos
Shaky video is already a problem with conventional cameras, but it’s much worse with 360-degree and virtual reality cams. Your bumpy mountain bike ride won’t be so exciting to watch if it makes viewers queasy. However, Facebook might just save the day: it’s testing an algorithm designed to stabilize 360-degree shots. The approach blends 2D motion models with 3D reconstruction to reduce the unwanted effects in immersive footage, such as the bobbing camera movements, lens deformations and stitching between cameras.
It’s reportedly more accurate thanks to the 3D elements, but faster and more “robust” through its partial use of 2D techniques. Moreover, it’s efficient. You can stabilize a video faster than it takes to play it, and you can reduce the bitrate for a video by up to 20 percent. That, in turn, means smaller file sizes and more reliable video streaming.
Facebook has some work to do before the stabilization code is ready, but it plans to make the technology available to everyone on both Facebook and Oculus devices. It won’t be ubiquitous, but you’ll definitely notice its presence. If you want software to play with, though, Facebook isn’t leaving you empty-handed. It’s open-sourcing Zstandard, a data compression algorithm designed to scale with new computer hardware, as well as its space-savvy MyRocks MySQL database.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Facebook Code (1), (2), (3)
Steve Jobs Planned to Work on Apple TV Set After Stepping Down as Apple CEO
When Steve Jobs stepped down from his position as Apple CEO on August 24, 2011 due to illness, he didn’t intend to leave the company. Instead Jobs told Recode’s Walt Mossberg he planned work on an Apple-branded television set to re-invent the television industry.
Recode today shared a full recounting of Jobs’ conversation with Mossberg, which took place on the same day that Jobs left the company. The two discussed his plans for television experience that would be “fantastic.”
“He was going to still be involved. Their press release made some vague nod toward that. But he wanted me to know that he was going to be involved in big strategic things, and also that he was going to reserve one particular thing for himself.”
“I said, ‘well, what’s that?’”
“He said, ‘Well, it’s television … I think we figured out a way to do it, and it’s going to be fantastic. I want you to come out, in a few months, and I want to show it to you.’”
According to Mossberg, Jobs didn’t share in-depth information about his television ambitions, offering no details on hardware or programming, but Mossberg believes he was talking about a full integrated television set and software experience.
Mossberg says Jobs was “really excited” about the project and he came away with the sense that Jobs was going to “reinvent the whole TV set” at the conclusion of the conversation. Unfortunately, Jobs didn’t get a chance to further pursue the television project because he passed away from pancreatic cancer on October 5, 2011, less two months after stepping down as CEO.
Jobs famously made similar statements on TV to biographer Walter Isaacson. He told Isaacson that he wanted to develop an integrated television set that’s “completely easy to use,” syncing seamlessly with iCloud. “It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine,” Jobs is quoted as saying. “I finally cracked it.”
Since Jobs’ death, Apple has tried to gain a stronger foothold in the television industry, but it has failed time and time again to establish the deals that would allow it to create the full integrated television programming experience and television set that Jobs envisioned. Most recently, Apple wanted to create a streaming television bundle of approximately 25 channels at a cost of $30 to $40 per month, but negotiations fell through.
There were also rumors for many years suggesting Apple was pursuing a full television set, but those plans are said to have been shelved because Apple couldn’t find untapped features that would give it a clear edge in the television market.
Instead, Apple has focused on its Apple TV set-top box, introducing a new version with a full App Store and Siri support last October. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said several times that “the future of TV is apps,” with Apple working to position the Apple TV as a platform that allows other content providers to distribute their content instead of offering a streaming service itself.
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Get totally free global phone service and messaging – CNET
People say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but if I rack up enough points on my Which Wich rewards card, eventually I’ll be eating a noontime sandwich gratis.
OK, but free cell service? Definitely no such thing. Except, yes, there is, thanks to a new offering from FreedomPop and WhatsApp. For about $13, you can get a free basic service plan that includes 100 voice minutes, 100 text messages and 200MB of 4G LTE data every month — plus unlimited WhatsApp calls and messages. In 31 countries around the world.
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Once you buy your SIM card, you can enjoy free basic service and unlimited messaging via WhatsApp.
FreedomPop
The price of FreedomPop
To sign up for the service, you’ll need the following:
- An unlocked GSM smartphone or tablet (you’ll know it’s GSM if it has a SIM card slot)
- A FreedomPop SIM card, which is $12 to $13 including tax and shipping
When you first sign up for service, FreedomPop will try to steer you to a free trial month of the WhatsApp 1GB plan, which costs $20.99 after that first month. (You can also opt for a 2GB plan for $29.99.) Choose WhatsApp Basic if you want to stick with the totally free option — the one we’re talking about here.
More cheap cell services
- Get cell service on the cheap when you buy it in bulk
- Get a free 5GB phone plan from RingPlus
- Add a free second number to your phone with Sideline
Just to clarify, all these plans include “unlimited WhatsApp,” meaning you can use that app all you want without any impact on that 200MB data plan. (For those unfamiliar with it, WhatsApp looks and operates like a traditional messaging app, but uses data instead of cell towers and SMS.)
Additional data costs 2 cents per megabyte, or $15 up front if you want a gigabyte.
FreedomPop definitely tries to up-sell other options along the way, including a data-rollover plan ($3.99 per month), usage alerts ($1.99 per month) and voicemail ($2.49 per month). Without this last option, callers who don’t reach you will hear a generic recording, though you can use FreedomPop’s visual-voicemail app to play your messages.
Pay close attention to all these items at checkout, especially those marked “free,” because next month you may get billed for them.
How I fared
FreedomPop sent me a SIM card to test; I popped it into a Verizon Galaxy S6, which comes unlocked out of the box and supports both CDMA and GSM networks.
Following the simple Android-specific instructions that came with the SIM, I installed the FreedomPop Messaging app, manually configured the phone’s APN settings (a simple two-step process outlined in the included instructions), and enabled data roaming.
And presto! I immediately had phone, messaging and data service. I was also pleased to find usage numbers just one tap away in the FreedomPop Messaging app’s slide-out menu bar. I didn’t have the option to choose (or port) a phone number, but I suspect that’s because the SIM arrived already activated.
Unless you sign up for the aforementioned usage alerts, it’ll be up to you to monitor your consumption. And let’s be honest: 200MB of data probably won’t last you long. But if you’re traveling, especially in a foreign country, there’d be a certain amount of no-brainer genius in using the FreedomPop SIM card. You’ll temporarily have a different number, but you’ll also enjoy free (or at least super-affordable) global service.
During my tests, calls came through loud and clear (no reason to think they wouldn’t, given the AT&T backbone), and SpeedTest reported a download speed of nearly 10Mbps. Solid.
Don’t forget WhatsApp
One thing that’s easy to overlook: actually installing WhatsApp. If you rely solely on the FreedomPop app for messaging and calls, it’ll deduct from your 200MB monthly allotment. But, remember, when you use WhatsApp, all calls and messages to and from other WhatsApp users are completely free, with no impact on your plan.
It’s worth noting that you can also get 200MB of monthly data free from T-Mobile, but that’s only for tablets — and it doesn’t included unlimited messaging on WhatsApp. The FreedomPop/WhatsApp option seems like an excellent choice for anyone traveling to other countries, but my immediate plan is to stick the SIM in a backup phone. That way I’m covered just in case my primary phone gets lost, stolen or broken.
FreedomPop isn’t all that competitive when it comes to larger data plans, but if you want to operate a phone or tablet for free (or as close to it as you can get), this is a truly compelling option.
Why your refrigerator shouldn’t be perfectly level – CNET
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
When you install a new refrigerator in your kitchen, one of the first things you should do before sliding it into position is make sure it’s properly leveled. Skip that step, and the refrigerator’s performance may suffer and some mechanisms might not function properly.
When leveling a refrigerator, you’re not looking for the unit to be perfectly level. In fact, it should sit back a bit, with the front edge of the refrigerator higher than the back.
Fortunately, in most cases, leveling is a quick and painless process.
Problems with a refrigerator not properly leveled
A refrigerator that isn’t properly leveled might have to work overtime to keep your perishables cool.
When leveled correctly (more on that soon), the doors to the main cabinet and the freezer should close on their own when opened less than 90 degrees. This minimizes the time the doors are left open. This is important for keeping the humidity level inside the freezer low, to prevent frost or ice buildup. It also helps keep someone from walking away without closing the door, which can save you money on your power bill.
Also, the ice maker may not function properly and the freezer defrost cycle or main refrigeration cabinet may not drain as they should.
Leveling a refrigerator
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
To avoid these problems altogether or to troubleshoot a freezer with ice buildup, you just need to make a few, quick adjustments to the legs on the front of the refrigerator. Here’s how:
- Remove the grille at the bottom front of the refrigerator. The grille typically has quick release clips or a few screws to undo before it can be removed. This varies by model, so consult your user manual if it’s not immediately apparent how the grille is removed.
- Behind the grille, you will see one height-adjustable leg on either side. You may also see rollers. Some refrigerators use height-adjustable rollers for leveling.
- To adjust the height of threaded leveling legs, simply rotate the legs. You may need to someone to help lean the refrigerator back to gain access to them. Some leveling legs can be adjusted with a wrench from the top side of the threads. Typically, the threading is backwards, so rotating the legs clockwise will raise the front of the refrigerator, while rotating counter-clockwise will lower it.
- For refrigerators with height-adjustable rollers, look for an adjustment screw near the top of the roller. It varies by model, but in most cases, using a screwdriver to tighten the screw (clockwise) will raise the front of the refrigerator and loosening (counter-clockwise) will lower it.
- If your refrigerator has rollers and leveling legs, the legs should be raised enough to bear the weight of the refrigerator, lifting the rollers off the floor. If doing this lifts the front of the refrigerator more than 0.5 inches (1.27 centimeters) higher than the back, consider pulling the refrigerator out from the wall and raising the back leveling legs, as well.
You may need to repeat this process a few times to get the leveling just right.
Left-to-right, the refrigerator should be perfectly level. Front-to-back, the angle should be minimal. Generally, manufacturers recommend the front of the refrigerator to be approximately 0.25 to 0.5 inches (0.635 to 1.27 centimeters) higher than the back. This should be enough for the doors to close on their own with enough force to make a complete seal without slamming shut.
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