ZTE’s Axon 7 Mini smartphone won’t wow you, but it’s cheap
ZTE’s Axon 7 was a surprisingly good phone which proved that the Chinese company is capable of delivering on its “affordable premium” promise. In order to capitalize on that success, ZTE is offering a cheaper, more petite version. The Axon 7 Mini will arrive stateside in October, and while US pricing hasn’t been announced, it will retail in Europe for EUR299. That’s about US$330, which is $70 less than the original, as well as the OnePlus 3 and Alcatel Idol 4S.
I briefly played with the Axon 7 Mini and found it to be a capable variant for the price, but altogether unexciting.
Like a fun-sized candy bar, the Mini resembles a compressed version of the original Axon 7. They both have the same handsome design and feel equally solid and smooth. The new phone also has dual stereo speakers that ZTE said are actually louder.
The similarities end there, though. The Mini has a 5.2-inch full HD display compared to its big brother’s 5.5-inch 2K screen, leaving it with a lower pixel density (424 ppi). That’s still pretty decent, and I didn’t notice a huge difference between the two device’s panels.
ZTE didn’t just shrink the Axon 7’s display and price; you’ll also find a smaller battery (2,705mAh vs 3,250mAh) and less-sharp rear camera. Despite the loss of megapixels, the Mini’s 16-MP camera still took decent pictures that looked crisp and vibrant. The camera up front retains the same 8-MP resolution, and delivered selfies that were clear and bright. In low light, though, the Mini’s single-tone LED flash may lead to less accurate colors than the Axon 7’s dual-tone light.
The biggest trade-off ZTE had to make to bring the Mini’s price down was in the processor. Instead of the premium Snapdragon 820 that powers the Axon 7, the smaller phone is equipped with a lower-end Snapdragon 617 chip. It also offers less RAM and storage (3GB and 32GB respectively), but I didn’t notice any lag during my time with the phone.
The Mini will also take a longer time to recharge than the original, since it supports Quick Charge 2.0 instead of the newer 3.0. This means it’ll get to 46 percent in 30 mins of charging versus 83 percent in the same time on its larger counterpart.
Overall, the Axon 7 Mini is an affordable phone worth considering, especially for those who don’t want a hefty handset. And at about $330, it could be the best phone for the price. But ZTE isn’t really surprising anyone here. Releasing two sizes of a flagship is basically an industry standard at this point. We’re far more interested to see what ZTE will produce out of its attempt to crowdsource a mobile device through its Project CSX campaign, where the company will let the public submit and vote on ideas for a mobile device that it will produce by 2017.
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Your vote will make ZTE’s crowdsourced device ideas a reality
ZTE isn’t wowing anyone with its new Axon 7 Mini phone, but it does have a far more intriguing device up its sleeve. The Chinese company shared some updates on its Project CSX campaign, which is an effort to crowdsource ideas for a groundbreaking mobile device. Starting today, you can start voting for one of the top 20 ideas in the company’s forum.
Since the campaign opened up for submissions at the beginning of the month, it has received about 300 ideas from all over the world.
The device isn’t confined to just phones. It can be anything mobile, as long as it’s affordable and uses technology that’s realistic within a year. Some of the more intriguing proposals that ZTE’s vice president of product planning and technology Jeff Yee shared include a Bluetooth glove that can move your fingers to teach you how to do things, such as play the piano or guitar. Some others are less novel, but make a lot of sense, such as a smartphone with an embedded solar panel to draw power from the sun.
ZTE will pick three of these ideas on Sept 11 for phase 2 of the campaign, which lets the public submit technical drawings for the selected proposals starting Sept 12. Come October, the company will pick the final designs for users to vote on, and the people behind the entry with the most votes will win a trip to CES 2017 in Las Vegas.
It’ll be interesting to see what Project CSX results in, and if the eventual product will help ZTE create something truly compelling. The company has committed to bringing the device to fruition by 2017. In the meantime, you can submit your ideas or keep up with the wild suggestions over at ZTE’s forums.
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Plex adds a DVR feature for over-the-air and CableCARD tuners
Ask any media hound about the best way to stream your your video files, and they’ll probably direct you to Plex. Now, the streaming software is getting even more useful with a long-awaited feature: DVR support. Just plug an HDHomeRun tuner (with antenna) into your PC, set it up in Plex, and you can record any over-the-air (OTA) broadcast in your reception area. And, of course, you can view the videos on any device with the company’s app and a Plex Pass membership ($5 a month, $40 a year or $150 lifetime).
If you’re lucky enough to have a TV provider with CableCARD support, Plex will also be able to record unencrypted channels via the HDHomeRun Prime tuner. The company is using Gracenote’s database to power its programming guide, which means it’ll be able to detect the correct channel lineup just about anywhere OTA channels are broadcasting. And as always, your recordings will get properly organized in your library thanks to Plex’s metadata smarts.
You’ll have to rely entirely on Plex’s web interface to manage your DVR recordings and settings, unfortunately. There’s no way to deal with that in the company’s apps yet (but at least you can access Plex’s web interface on just about any device with a web browser). When it comes to quality, you can have the software capture exactly what’s being broadcasted (usually MPEG-2 streams), or transcode it on the fly if your system is fast enough.
Plex’s DVR offering is launching in beta today, and it’ll get an official release in a few months. You’ll eventually be able to power it from NVIDIA’s Shield set-top box, which got the ability to run Plex servers back in June. With Hulu (which streams most OTA content, aside from CBS) and the vast amounts of streaming video available today, the market for a DIY DVR probably isn’t huge. But the feature is still a big deal to Plex’s core audience, and it might even tempt over new users who don’t want to shell out for Tivo’s $400 Roamio.
NVIDIA is letting anyone build mods for ‘VR Funhouse’
VR Funhouse, the free carnival game NVIDIA built to show off its latest video cards, is becoming much more than a sideshow attraction. Starting today, developers will also be able to add their own touch with the VR Funhouse Mod Kit, a new tool that’ll let them edit levels and other aspects of the game. To kick things off, NVIDIA is also launching five new mods, all of which are slight twists on VR Funhouse’s existing mini-games.
Naturally, by opening up the game, NVIDIA is also hoping developers will build experiences that’ll highlight its latest GPUs. To that end, the company is also making VR Funhouse’s entire source code available on Github. That’ll allow devs to take a close look at how NVIDIA implemented its latest technology, and hopefully help them use it in their own VR experiences.
Even though it’s the company’s first game, VR Funhouse has been a successful project, according to NVIDIA’s Victoria Rege. It’s already racked up over 100,000 downloads on Steam, which is impressive since it’s only available to people with a GTX 980Ti or newer and an $800 HTC Vive.
Neato’s latest robot vacuums are much more affordable
If you like the concept of Neato’s WiFi-linked robot vacuum but feel that $699 is too rich for your blood, you’re in luck. Neato is unveiling two more affordable Botvac models, the $399/£399 D3 Connected (above) and $599/£549 D5 Connected, that promise WiFi and the core cleaning features at better prices. The D3 still has mobile app access and laser-guided navigation, but trims costs through a lower-capacity battery, a basic filter and fewer features — you won’t get the high-end model’s boundary markers, eco/turbo modes, manual drive, spiral and side brushes or on-robot scheduling. Move up to the D5 and you’ll get the battery, brush and filter upgrades as well as boundary markers. Also, only the D5 has in-app cleaning stats and a Find Me locator right now. Those are coming to the Botvac Connected flagship later, but won’t be available at all for the D3.
Both new robo-vacuums will go on sale in Europe and the US in early October, with China and Japan coming later in the year.
As before, Neato’s main advantage over rivals remains its laser navigation. The new models continuously map your rooms and detect objects in real-time, helping them adapt to room conditions and clean in straight lines. We found the high-end Botvac Connected roughly equal to the more expensive iRobot Roomba 980, albeit prone to catching on cables and furniture. The lower prices make those quirks a little more forgivable. While the whole point of a robot vacuum is to clean while you’re off doing something else, you might not mind babysitting the D-series Connected models for the money you’re paying.
Source: Neato Robotics
Sony’s Xperia Ear voice assistant arrives in November
When Sony announced its Xperia X family of smartphones earlier this year, it also snuck in a quick mention of a curious device called the Xperia Ear. When paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth, the wireless earpiece is said to let you tackle all manner of tasks by issuing verbal commands. We’re talking dictating messages, searching the web, getting directions, checking your schedule, the weather, the news — all that stuff. Sony hasn’t really talked about the thing since, but today at IFA it revealed the accessory will launch this November “starting in select markets,” though its price is still a mystery.
Rather than being a simple conduit for Google Now, the earpiece employs what Sony calls its “Agent” to be your personal, in-ear assistant. Otherwise, all we know about the device is the claim it has a full-day battery life, and that it’s light enough to wear comfortably for that long. Oh, and that it’s probably not the best thing to listen to your tunes on, since it only fills up one earhole.
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Source: Sony
Microsoft’s Sunrise calendar app gets a stay of execution
When Microsoft made a final appointment to terminate Sunrise on August 31st, fans of the app were discouraged. Not only were they losing their favorite calendar program, but Redmond has not integrated very many features into Outlook as it promised when it purchased the app last year. However, it has now decided to delay Sunrise’s shut down. “We have chosen to wait a little longer in order to deliver a few more Sunrise-inspired features in Outlook,” a spokesperson told PC World .
Last year, Microsoft promised to leave Sunrise on the market “until its features are full integrated into Outlook.” However, a lot of the coolest functions, like integration with social media and productivity apps, and “interesting calendars,” have yet to appear in Outlook. The app was supposed to be shut down yesterday, but if you already have it on iOS or Android, you can continue using it for now. However, “once [the extra] features are released, the Sunrise app will officially be shut down,” it said.
Source: PC World
Tim Cook Calls Apple’s Irish Tax Avoidance Accusations ‘Total Political Crap’
Apple CEO Tim Cook today spoke with Paschal Sheehy, the host of Irish radio show Morning Ireland, providing more commentary on the situation with the European Commission and its decision to make Apple pay 13 billion euros in back taxes from a period between 2003 and 2014.
Cook’s stance falls in line with his open letter on the situation from earlier in the week, first providing backstory about Apple’s history in Ireland and then remaining hopeful that the ruling will ultimately be overturned. His wording — calling the ruling “political crap” — also echoes an interview from late last year surrounding a similar tax evasion topic.
The radio show marks the first interview Cook has made since the European Commission’s ruling earlier in the week. He calls the decision “wrongheaded,” and specifically refers to the 0.005 percent tax rate claim as a “false number.” In its ruling, the EC stated that Apple paid only a 0.005 percent tax on its European profits, but Cook affirmed that Apple is “subject to the statutory rate in Ireland of 12.5 percent,” and that the company “paid $400m in taxes in 2014.”
When asked directly how he feels when Apple is painted as gaining an “illegal” advantage over tax benefits, Cook mentioned his frustrations over the ruling, and compared it to the company’s reaction to the FBI drama earlier in the year, saying Apple never chooses the “easy thing” over the “right thing.” In this vein, responding to the question of whether Apple has anything to apologize for or if it did anything wrong, Cook said succinctly “no, we haven’t done anything wrong.”
“It’s maddening, it’s disappointing. It’s clear that this comes from a political place and has no basis in fact or law. Unfortunately it’s one of those things we have to work through. When you’re accused of doing something that is so foreign to your values, it brings out an outrage in you and that’s how we feel. Apple has always been about doing the right thing, never the easy thing.
Most of the rest of the interview emphasizes the “37-year-old marriage” between Apple and Ireland, a union that’s “great for the community” of the country as it is for Apple and the people it employs there. Cook said that Apple will continue to focus on building a presence in the country, which includes being able to finally construct a huge data center in Galway County over the next 10-15 years.
Ultimately, Cook has “faith in humanity” and “faith in what is just and right will occur,” retaining the positive outlook from his open letter that the ruling will be overturned. Regarding Apple’s plan to appeal, alongside the Irish government, Cook said that “the decision is wrong, and it’s not based on law or facts, it’s based on politics. And I think it’s very important that we stand up and say that very loudly.”
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tags: Tim Cook, corporate tax, European Commission, Europe, Ireland
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Jio launches in India: Free voice calls, lowest LTE tariffs in the world
Jio is here to make high-speed 4G accessible to Indians.
After months of delays, Reliance Industries head Mukesh Ambani launched Jio, the first LTE-only network in the country. The network has been active for several months, albeit in a pre-launch mode with SIM cards doled out to select customers. With today’s announcement, the network is now open to all in India, with registrations kicking off from September 5.
There’s a lot to talk about, but the main highlight with Jio is its disruptive pricing, with the carrier offering the lowest LTE data rates in the world. In a first for the Indian market, Jio is offering free unlimited voice calls for its entire userbase across India, even those on roaming.
Reliance Industries poured a staggering $20 billion into setting up Jio’s infrastructure and acquiring spectrum license for its 4G services, and we’re finally starting to see the results of that investment. Let’s break the salient points down:
Free voice calls for everyone
Free voice calls will be a game-changer for Jio. Ambani announced that all Jio customers would get unlimited domestic voice calls, including calls to other networks. So, if you’re calling a friend who’s on Airtel from your Jio number, you won’t incur any charges. Jio is also abolishing roaming charges, which means that you no longer have to worry about additional tariff when moving states. You also don’t have to worry about blackout days (festivals, holidays, and such) if you’re on Jio, as the carrier isn’t going to charge anything extra on these days.
Essentially, if you’re a Jio subscriber, all voice calls are free.
Affordable LTE is finally here
The main draw with Jio is its LTE pricing. By providing 1GB of 4G data for as low as ₹50 ($0.75), Jio will revolutionize the telecom industry in the country and make high-speed internet accessible to everyone. The network will offer all-inclusive tariffs, which includes voice, data, texts, and access to its digital content services all bundled in a single plan. Here’s the tariff breakdown:
The most affordable option gives you 300MB of data for ₹149 ($2.25). You won’t be able to use your data plan as a Wi-Fi hotspot, but you do get 100 texts and access to Jio’s content ecosystem. The next tier will be the one that most customers will choose, as it offers 4GB of 4G data for ₹499 ($7.45). On top of that, you get unlimited 4G at night (no mention as to what Jio categorizes as nighttime, but it’s usually between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. for other carriers), unlimited calls and texts, and an additional 8GB of data through JioNet, a network of public Wi-Fi hotspots. To put things into context, Airtel offers 1GB of 4G for ₹255 ($3.80).
The ₹999 ($15) plan is the one that I’ll be opting for, as it gives 10GB of LTE data and 20GB of public Wi-Fi in addition to unlimited texts, calls, as well as access to Jio’s content platform. Furthermore, if you’re a student, you get 25% more data for free. All you need to do is show your ID during activation to be eligible.
The sweet spot for LTE plans is at ₹250, and Jio does have a plan that gives you 2GB of 4G data and unlimited LTE at night along with 4GB public Wi-Fi data tethering for ₹299 ($4.65). The caveat here is that the plan is valid for 21 days, and not 28 days as most of the other plans listed above.
Jio’s launch will undoubtedly make Airtel, Vodafone, and other carriers re-evaluate their pricing strategy for LTE. Competition is a wonderful thing.
Jio digital content ecosystem
Jio has built up an extensive digital content ecosystem that includes a music and video streaming service, live streaming of TV channels, and so much more. Jio is offering a catalog of 2.8 million songs, 6000 movies, as well as thousands of TV shows and magazines. We’ll take a detailed look at Jio’s digital ecosystem and all the services on offer later this year, but for now, all you need to know is that the entire suite of Jio apps is available for free to all customers until December 31, 2017.
That includes free access to JioPlay, JioBeats, JioOnDemand, JioXpressNews, JioDrive, JioMags, JioSecurity, and JioMoney.
LTE devices starting at just ₹2,999
Reliance started rolling out its affordable Lyf branded devices earlier this year, and at today’s announcement Ambani said that the carrier will roll out an LTE-enabled handset that will retail for just ₹2,999 ($45). During Jio’s trial phase, you had to get a Lyf phone to receive a Jio SIM, but that is no longer the case. Jio is also rolling out the JioFi Wi-Fi hotspot for ₹1,999 ($30).
Free LTE and calls for everyone this year
Still not convinced? As an introductory offer, Jio is offering unlimited data and to everyone for free until the end of the year. The offer will be valid from September 5. The goal for Jio is to acquire 100 million customers as fast as possible as the carrier expands to cover 90% of India’s population by March 2017.
To make the process seamless, Jio will start taking digital activations at Reliance Digital stores across the country. Activation requires an Aadhaar card.
Gigabit internet!
We’re short on specifics for this one, but Ambani revealed at the end of his presentation that Jio would start rolling Gigabit internet over optical fiber. He didn’t reveal a timeline, only stating that the service will initially be offered in the top 100 cities in India. Given the pathetic state of broadband access in India, Jio’s foray into this segment will be welcomed by many.
I have been switching carriers over the last ten years to find one that suited my data needs. I finally settled on Airtel last year after the carrier launched its 4G network. I got my hands on a Jio SIM earlier this month, and everything about the service is excellent. The carrier consistently offers faster speeds than Airtel in the same location, and the quality of service is a notch above.
Jio will start taking registrations from Monday, September 5, at Reliance Digital stores all across the country. With free data and voice calls on offer, there’s absolutely no reason not to give the service a go.
Moto Z coming to the UK in September for £529, Moto Z Play debuting at £369
The Moto Z Play is the latest addition to Lenovo’s modular Moto Z series. The phone will go up for sale on Verizon next week for $399, and will be available globally at the end of September. In the UK, the Moto Z Play will be available at John Lewis and Amazon for £369 ($490). Verizon’s global exclusivity on the Moto Z is also set to come to an end later this month, and as such the Moto Z will make its debut in the UK for £529 ($700).
The Hasselblad True Zoom camera mod is heading to the country at the end of the month for £199 ($265). Other Moto Mods, such as the projector and the battery pack, will also be available at launch:
- Incipio offGRID Power Pack – £59.99
- JBL SoundBoost – £69.99
- Moto Insta-Share Projector – £249.99
- Hasselblad True Zoom – £199.99
Interested in knowing about what’s on offer with the Moto Z and Moto Z Play? Read our extensive coverage for all the details!
Moto Z & Moto Z Force and Moto Z Play
- Our Moto Z review!
- Moto Z Play preview
- The Hasselblad True Zoom is a Mod to remember
- Moto Z specs
- Moto Mods custom backs
- The latest Moto Z news
- Discuss in our Moto Z forums
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