Alcatel’s A5 brings Moto Mod-like replaceable covers to budget smartphones

Why it matters to you

Alcatel’s latest phone brings some form of modularity to budget devices, and if the company introduces more

Alcatel’s retiring its Pop and Pixi lineup of smartphones for a new moniker — the A and U series. The company announced three new smartphones and a 2-in-1 Windows device at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and they’re all unsurprisingly aimed at the budget market.

Of the three smartphones, the A5 is the most unique because it comes with a myriad of accessories that enhance the user experience. The A3 and the U5 don’t really bring anything new to the table, and the Plus 12 Windows 2-in-1 is a larger variant of last year’s Plus 10.

More: BlackBerry KeyOne: Our first take

Alcatel A5

Alcatel’s 5.2-inch A5 essentially brings Motorola’s Moto Mods to budget devices, though perhaps in not the simplest fashion. The A5 offers sub-$50 replaceable backs, some of which are purely cosmetic, but others offer more uses. For example, there’s a speaker with a kickstand you can attach to the back of the A5, as well as a battery pack that doubles the phone’s battery life.

It’s almost exactly similar to Motorola’s Moto Mod launch, which offered a JBL speaker mod as well as a battery pack mod, and more. But Motorola’s mods were separate accessories that magnetically snapped to the phone.

The plastic backs for the A5 are literally the back of the smartphone — you can’t just take one off as you’ll have to replace it with something. Taking them off is like taking off the back of a phone with a removeable battery.

The highlight Alcatel is touting is the LED, an accessory that covers the back of the A5 with colorful LEDs. Using various apps, you can light up the back of the A5 with different patterns and colors to match your mood. Or you can even use the camera to automatically pick three colors of your outfit or whatever you point at to change the phone’s wallpaper and app icon colors to match.

More: Did you click ‘Always’ and wish you could take it back? Here’s how to reset default apps in Android

The LED back also lights up with the icon and matching color of select apps when you get a notification from them, like Facebook or Twitter. If you’re playing music, you can have the lights dance to your tunes.

The phone itself only has a 720-pixel resilution, and it’s powered by MediaTek’s 6753 with 2GB of RAM. It has a 2,800mAh battery that charges via the MicroUSB port, and you’ll only find 16GB of internal storage, though there’s support for a MicroSD card. The rear camera only has 8 megapixels with electronic image stabilization, and the front is packed with 5, though it uses a wide-angle lens.

Unfortunately, the A5 only runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It’s the only smartphone in this list that’s likely coming to the U.S. We don’t have any pricing or availability details yet.

Alcatel’s A5 brings Moto Mod-like replaceable covers to budget smartphones

Why it matters to you

Alcatel’s latest phone brings some form of modularity to budget devices, and if the company introduces more

Alcatel’s retiring its Pop and Pixi lineup of smartphones for a new moniker — the A and U series. The company announced three new smartphones and a 2-in-1 Windows device at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and they’re all unsurprisingly aimed at the budget market.

Of the three smartphones, the A5 is the most unique because it comes with a myriad of accessories that enhance the user experience. The A3 and the U5 don’t really bring anything new to the table, and the Plus 12 Windows 2-in-1 is a larger variant of last year’s Plus 10.

More: BlackBerry KeyOne: Our first take

Alcatel A5

Alcatel’s 5.2-inch A5 essentially brings Motorola’s Moto Mods to budget devices, though perhaps in not the simplest fashion. The A5 offers sub-$50 replaceable backs, some of which are purely cosmetic, but others offer more uses. For example, there’s a speaker with a kickstand you can attach to the back of the A5, as well as a battery pack that doubles the phone’s battery life.

It’s almost exactly similar to Motorola’s Moto Mod launch, which offered a JBL speaker mod as well as a battery pack mod, and more. But Motorola’s mods were separate accessories that magnetically snapped to the phone.

The plastic backs for the A5 are literally the back of the smartphone — you can’t just take one off as you’ll have to replace it with something. Taking them off is like taking off the back of a phone with a removeable battery.

The highlight Alcatel is touting is the LED, an accessory that covers the back of the A5 with colorful LEDs. Using various apps, you can light up the back of the A5 with different patterns and colors to match your mood. Or you can even use the camera to automatically pick three colors of your outfit or whatever you point at to change the phone’s wallpaper and app icon colors to match.

More: Did you click ‘Always’ and wish you could take it back? Here’s how to reset default apps in Android

The LED back also lights up with the icon and matching color of select apps when you get a notification from them, like Facebook or Twitter. If you’re playing music, you can have the lights dance to your tunes.

The phone itself only has a 720-pixel resilution, and it’s powered by MediaTek’s 6753 with 2GB of RAM. It has a 2,800mAh battery that charges via the MicroUSB port, and you’ll only find 16GB of internal storage, though there’s support for a MicroSD card. The rear camera only has 8 megapixels with electronic image stabilization, and the front is packed with 5, though it uses a wide-angle lens.

Unfortunately, the A5 only runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It’s the only smartphone in this list that’s likely coming to the U.S. We don’t have any pricing or availability details yet.

Mastercard to bring Qkr! payments app to the U.S. and five other countries

Why it matters to you

If Oracle and Mastercard manage to get a variety of retailers, schools, and other institutions integrate with Qkr! and Masterpass, then Qkr! will be an even simpler way to pay over tap-and-pay services.

Mastercard’s mobile payment service Qkr! is coming to the U.S. as well as a handful of other countries, and the company’s new partnership with Oracle will help make the experience even more simple.

Qkr! is an iOS and Android app that uses Masterpass, Mastercard’s digital payment service, to allow users to pay at select restaurants, cinemas, schools, and more. It’s not a tap-and-pay service like Apple Pay and Android Pay, and it requires the merchant to enable the service.

More: Citibank enters the mobile wallet space, partners with MasterCard to offer Citi Pay

The collaboration between Mastercard and Oracle, which offers software services for a lot of institutions, will allow for simpler transactions on the merchant side, while preventing the need for vendors to build two separate payment solutions for in-store and online operations with Mastercard Payment Gateway Services.

“Oracle has the ability to bring this offering of Qkr! already integrated into their offering to the hundreds of thousands of merchants they have within their platform,” Kiki Del Valle, senior vice president at Mastercard, told Digital Trends.

Qkr! will launch in Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, and the U.S. over the course of the year, where customers will be able to pay for supplies and fees at schools, make payments at gas stations, parking lots, stadiums, vending machines, and more.

Mastercard and Oracle are working with partners such as Carluccio’s Wagamama, Young & Co.’s Brewery, and Geronimo Pubs to let customers order additional items during meals, pay at the table, and split the bill.

More: PayPal inks agreement with MasterCard allowing users to make mobile payments

“It’s about being able to drive a smart engagement that can help streamline some of the tasks that servers or associates at a restaurant may have and help expedite the service in the way the consumers want to engage with any particular brand,” Del Valle said.

Qkr! accepts all major credit and debit cards, and consumers can register more than one card.

Lenovo’s Yoga 720 packs gaming-grade graphics into a 2-in-1

Why it matters to you

The Mobile World Congress show was used by Lenovo to showcase its new products slated to arrive this spring.

As expected, Lenovo unleashed a truckload full of new device announcements during the Mobile World Congress 2017 show. The new bundle of hardware goodness includes the Yoga 720 convertible laptop slated to arrive in two sizes this April, the Flex 5 (Yoga 520) targeting May, the Miix 320 2-in-1 device, and two tablets built for adults and children alike.

That said, the convertible laptops and 2-in-1 devices are based on the latest seventh-generation processors from Intel. The Miix 320 is based on an Intel “Cherry Trail” Atom chip while the tablets rely on ARM-based Qualcomm processors. Some of the notable features scattered throughout the new MWC 2017 portfolio include discrete graphics, Thunderbolt 3, fingerprint readers, and more.

Yoga 720

This is the flagship of Lenovo’s MWC 2017 rollout: a convertible laptop with 15.6 inch and 13.3 inch screens. Depending on the configuration, they will include Full HD or Ultra HD resolutions, touchscreen support, and a discrete GeForce GTX 1050 graphics chip provided by Nvidia, which should make PC gamers on a budget quite happy.

What’s interesting with the Yoga 720 models is that the 13.3-inch unit will be sold with up to 16GB of DDR4 system memory while the 15.6-inch model will be maxed out at 8GB. However, the larger model will still support 16GB of memory, indicating that the upgrade may be quick and painless on the customer end. The 15.6-inch model provides an extra USB 3.0 port too as well as a bigger battery.

Yoga 720-15
Yoga 720-13
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Home
Display size:
15.6 inches
13.3 inches
Display resolution:
1,920 x 1,080
3,840 x 2,160
1,920 x 1,080
3,840 x 2,160
Display type:
IPS Touchscreen
IPS (No Touch)
Processor:
Up to seventh-gen Intel Core i7
Up to seventh-gen Intel Core i7
Graphics:
Up to a GeForce GTX 1050
(discrete)
Intel HD Graphics 620
(integrated)
Memory:
Up to 8GB DDR4
(16GB max)
Up to 16GB DDR4
Storage:
Up to 512GB PCIe SSD
Up to 1TB HDD
Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
Audio:
JBL Speakers
Dolby Audio Premium
Dual Digital Microphones
JBL Speakers
Dolby Audio Premium
Dual Digital Microphones
Camera:
720p HD fixed-focus
CMOS camera
720p HD fixed-focus
CMOS camera
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
1x Thunderbolt Type-C
2x USB 3.0
1x Microphone/headphone combo
1x Thunderbolt Type-C
1x USB 3.0
1x Microphone/headphone combo
Battery:
72 Watt hour
FHD model – up to 9 hours
UHD model – Up to 8 hours
48 Watt hour
FHD model – up to 8 hours
UHD model – Up to 7 hours
Size:
14.33 x 9.5 x 0.74 inches
12.2 x 8.38 x 0.56 inches
Weight:
Starting at 4.41 pounds
Starting at 2.9 pounds
Color:
Platinum Silver
Iron Grey
Platinum Silver
Iron Grey
Copper
Additional features:
Backlit keyboard
Lenovo Active Pen 2
Backlit keyboard
Lenovo Active Pen 2
Preloaded software:
Lenovo App Explorer
Lenovo Companion 3.0
Lenovo ID
Lenovo Settings
MacAfee LiveSafe 30-day trial
Microsoft Office 365 30-day trial
Lenovo App Explorer
Lenovo Companion 3.0
Lenovo ID
Lenovo Settings
MacAfee LiveSafe 30-day trial
Microsoft Office 365 30-day trial
Availability:
April
April
Starting price:
$1,100
$860

Yoga 520 (aka Flex 5)

Here in the United States, this device is called the Flex 5. Like the Yoga 720, Lenovo is serving up this convertible laptop in two flavors: 15.6 inches and 14 inches. However, unlike the Yoga 720, these units are sold with Windows 10 Signature Edition, meaning customers won’t get tons of bloatware as seen with Lenovo’s other devices. It’s a clean installation, which translates into better device performance.

Outside the obvious screen size differences, the two convertibles are unique in small ways. Both sport the same memory and storage configurations, but the 15.6-inch model packs a better processor, a discrete GeForce 940MX graphics processor, a higher screen resolution, and a bigger battery. Both units include a fingerprint scanner that supports Windows Hello.

Flex 5 15.6-inch
Flex 5 14-inch
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home SE
Windows 10 Home SE
Display size:
15.6 inches
14 inches
Display resolution:
3,840 x 2,160
1,920 x 1,080
Display type:
IPS Touchscreen
IPS Touchscreen
Processor:
Intel Core i7-7500U
Intel Core i5-7200U
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce 940MX
(discrete)
Intel HD Graphics 620
(integrated)
Memory:
16GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
Storage:
256GB PCIe SSD
1TB HDD
256GB PCIe SSD
1TB HDD
Audio:
Harman Speakers
Dolby Home Theater
Dual Digital Microphones
Harman Speakers
Dolby Home Theater
Dual Digital Microphones
Camera:
720p HD fixed focus
CMOS camera
720p HD fixed focus
CMOS camera
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
1x USB 3.1 Type-C
2x USB 3.0
1x SD card reader
1x HDMI
1x Ethernet
1x Audio jack
1x USB 3.1 Type-C
2x USB 3.0
1x SD card reader
1x HDMI
1x Ethernet
1x Audio jack
Battery:
52.5 Watt hour
35 Watt hour
Size:
14.3 x 9.72 x 0.75 inches
12.9 x 9.02 x 0.78 inches
Weight:
Starting at 4.4 pounds
Starting at 3.74 pounds
Color:
Onyx Black
Onyx Black
Additional features:
Backlit keyboard
Fingerprint reader
Backlit keyboard
Fingerprint reader
Preloaded software:
None
None
Availability:
May
May
Starting price:
$800
$800

Miix 320 2-in-1

Lenovo’s new Miix unit can be used as a laptop or as a tablet, as the included keyboard is detachable. Unlike the convertibles, this device is based on an Intel Atom processor, a chip we presumed had gone extinct in the mainstream market. While Lenovo didn’t list the specific Atom chip in its pre-launch specs, the description matches the x5-Z8500 released in the first quarter of 2015.

More: The Lenovo Flex 4 2-in-1 convertible is getting a refresh with a thinner frame

Models will be shipped in Windows 10 Home and Pro flavors along with 4G LTE connectivity. Configurations will consist of up to 4GB of system memory, up to 128GB of internal storage, and loads of pre-installed software. Other notable features include a 2MP camera on the front, a 5MP camera on the back, Wireless AC connectivity, and a 1,920 x 1,200 screen resolution.

Device type:
2-in-1 with a detachable keyboard
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Pro
Display size:
10.1 inches with Touch
Display resolution:
1,920 x 1,200
Processor:
Intel Atom x5-Z8500 “Cherry Trail”
Graphics:
Intel HD Graphics (integrated)
Memory:
Up to 4GB DDR3L
Storage:
Up to 128GB
Audio:
2x one-watt Dolby Advanced Audio speakers
Analog microphone
Camera:
2MP on front
5MP on back (with auto-focus)
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.2
4G LTE
Ports:
1x USB 3.0 Type-C
2x USB 2.0 (on dock)
1x Micro HDMI
1x Micro SD card slot
1x Nano SIM slot
1x Microphone/headphone combo jack
Battery:
33 Watt hour (up to 10 hours)
Size (tablet):
9.8 x 7.01 x 0.35 inches
Size (dock):
9.8 x 7.20 x 0.33 inches
Weight:
Wi-Fi model tablet only – starting at 1.21 pounds
Wi-Fi model with keyboard – starting at 2.25 pounds
4G LTE model tablet only – starting at 1.23 pounds
4G LTE model with keyboard – starting at 2.27 pounds
Color:
Platinum Silver
Snow White
Preloaded software:
Lenovo ID
Lenovo App Explorer
Lenovo CCSDK
Lenovo PC Manager
Garantia Estendida
Lenovo Cloud Disk
Dropbox with 25GB
Yandex
LEI
Lenovo Application Store
Availability:
April
Starting price:
$200

The Tab 4 Series Tablets

Finally, Lenovo introduced two tablet models built for adults and kids alike. There are four units in the entire Tab 4 batch: two with 8-inch screens and two with 10.1-inch screens. All four are based on Android 7.0 “Nougat” and are compatible with the Lenovo Kid’s Accessory Pack, an optional add-on that includes a blue light filter, two colorful stickers by 3M to help prevent scratches, and a shock-resistant bumper. The tablets also offer a dedicated Lenovo Kid’s Account packing a special browser and curated, safe content.

But that’s not all. The “Plus” units offer an optional Productivity Accessory Pack consisting of a Bluetooth keyboard that also serves as a protective sleeve or stand. When attached, this pack will automatically load a special productivity interface built into the two “Plus” tablets, providing mouse and keyboard optimizations, multi-window support, a desktop-like taskbar, instant app switching, and more.

First, here are the ingredients thrown into the two new 10.1-inch Android tablets:

Tab 4 10 Plus
Tab 4 10
Operating system:
Android 7.0
Android 7.0
Screen size:
10.1 inches
10.1 inches
Screen resolution:
1,920 x 1,200
1,280 x 800
Panel Type:
IPS
IPS
Processor:
Eight-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
(MSM8953)
2.0GHz
Four-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon
(MSM8917)
1.4GHz
Memory:
3GB and 4GB
2GB
Storage:
16GB and 64GB
16GB and 32GB
Audio:
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Cameras:
5MP (front)
8MP (back)
2MP (front)
5MP (back)
Battery:
7000mAh
7000mAh
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Wireless N
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Ports:
1x USB 2.0 Type-C
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
1x Micro USB
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
Colors:
Sparkling White
Aurora Black
Slate Black
Polar White
Sensors:
Fingerprint reader
Accelerometer
Ambient light
Vibration motor
Hall sensor
Accelerometer
Vibration motor
Hall sensor
Size:
9.72 x 6.81 x 0.27 inches
9.72 x 6.73 x 0.32 inches
Weight:
1.04 pounds
1.10 pounds
Price:
$249
$149
Availability:
May
May

Now here are the two new Tab 4 8 units:

Tab 4 8 Plus
Tab 4 8
Operating system:
Android 7.0
Android 7.0
Screen size:
8 inches
8 inches
Screen resolution:
1,920 x 1,200
1,280 x 720
Panel Type:
IPS
IPS
Processor:
Eight-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
(MSM8953)
2.0GHz
Four-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon
(MSM8917)
1.4GHz
Memory:
3GB and 4GB
2GB
Storage:
16GB and 64GB
16GB and 32GB
Audio:
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Cameras:
5MP (front)
8MP (back)
2MP (front)
5MP (back)
Battery:
4850mAh
4850mAh
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Wireless N
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Ports:
1x USB 2.0 Type-C
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
1x Micro USB
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
Colors:
Sparkling White
Aurora Black
Slate Black
Polar White
Sensors:
Fingerprint reader
Accelerometer
Ambient light
Hall sensor
Vibration motor
Accelerometer
Ambient light
Hall sensor
Vibration motor
Proximity (LTE only)
Size:
8.26 x 4.84 x 0.27 inches
8.7 x 4.88 x 0.32 inches
Weight:
0,66 pounds
0,64 pounds
Price:
$199
$109
Availability:
May
May

Lenovo’s Yoga 720 packs gaming-grade graphics into a 2-in-1

Why it matters to you

The Mobile World Congress show was used by Lenovo to showcase its new products slated to arrive this spring.

As expected, Lenovo unleashed a truckload full of new device announcements during the Mobile World Congress 2017 show. The new bundle of hardware goodness includes the Yoga 720 convertible laptop slated to arrive in two sizes this April, the Flex 5 (Yoga 520) targeting May, the Miix 320 2-in-1 device, and two tablets built for adults and children alike.

That said, the convertible laptops and 2-in-1 devices are based on the latest seventh-generation processors from Intel. The Miix 320 is based on an Intel “Cherry Trail” Atom chip while the tablets rely on ARM-based Qualcomm processors. Some of the notable features scattered throughout the new MWC 2017 portfolio include discrete graphics, Thunderbolt 3, fingerprint readers, and more.

Yoga 720

This is the flagship of Lenovo’s MWC 2017 rollout: a convertible laptop with 15.6 inch and 13.3 inch screens. Depending on the configuration, they will include Full HD or Ultra HD resolutions, touchscreen support, and a discrete GeForce GTX 1050 graphics chip provided by Nvidia, which should make PC gamers on a budget quite happy.

What’s interesting with the Yoga 720 models is that the 13.3-inch unit will be sold with up to 16GB of DDR4 system memory while the 15.6-inch model will be maxed out at 8GB. However, the larger model will still support 16GB of memory, indicating that the upgrade may be quick and painless on the customer end. The 15.6-inch model provides an extra USB 3.0 port too as well as a bigger battery.

Yoga 720-15
Yoga 720-13
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Home
Display size:
15.6 inches
13.3 inches
Display resolution:
1,920 x 1,080
3,840 x 2,160
1,920 x 1,080
3,840 x 2,160
Display type:
IPS Touchscreen
IPS (No Touch)
Processor:
Up to seventh-gen Intel Core i7
Up to seventh-gen Intel Core i7
Graphics:
Up to a GeForce GTX 1050
(discrete)
Intel HD Graphics 620
(integrated)
Memory:
Up to 8GB DDR4
(16GB max)
Up to 16GB DDR4
Storage:
Up to 512GB PCIe SSD
Up to 1TB HDD
Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
Audio:
JBL Speakers
Dolby Audio Premium
Dual Digital Microphones
JBL Speakers
Dolby Audio Premium
Dual Digital Microphones
Camera:
720p HD fixed-focus
CMOS camera
720p HD fixed-focus
CMOS camera
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
1x Thunderbolt Type-C
2x USB 3.0
1x Microphone/headphone combo
1x Thunderbolt Type-C
1x USB 3.0
1x Microphone/headphone combo
Battery:
72 Watt hour
FHD model – up to 9 hours
UHD model – Up to 8 hours
48 Watt hour
FHD model – up to 8 hours
UHD model – Up to 7 hours
Size:
14.33 x 9.5 x 0.74 inches
12.2 x 8.38 x 0.56 inches
Weight:
Starting at 4.41 pounds
Starting at 2.9 pounds
Color:
Platinum Silver
Iron Grey
Platinum Silver
Iron Grey
Copper
Additional features:
Backlit keyboard
Lenovo Active Pen 2
Backlit keyboard
Lenovo Active Pen 2
Preloaded software:
Lenovo App Explorer
Lenovo Companion 3.0
Lenovo ID
Lenovo Settings
MacAfee LiveSafe 30-day trial
Microsoft Office 365 30-day trial
Lenovo App Explorer
Lenovo Companion 3.0
Lenovo ID
Lenovo Settings
MacAfee LiveSafe 30-day trial
Microsoft Office 365 30-day trial
Availability:
April
April
Starting price:
$1,100
$860

Yoga 520 (aka Flex 5)

Here in the United States, this device is called the Flex 5. Like the Yoga 720, Lenovo is serving up this convertible laptop in two flavors: 15.6 inches and 14 inches. However, unlike the Yoga 720, these units are sold with Windows 10 Signature Edition, meaning customers won’t get tons of bloatware as seen with Lenovo’s other devices. It’s a clean installation, which translates into better device performance.

Outside the obvious screen size differences, the two convertibles are unique in small ways. Both sport the same memory and storage configurations, but the 15.6-inch model packs a better processor, a discrete GeForce 940MX graphics processor, a higher screen resolution, and a bigger battery. Both units include a fingerprint scanner that supports Windows Hello.

Flex 5 15.6-inch
Flex 5 14-inch
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home SE
Windows 10 Home SE
Display size:
15.6 inches
14 inches
Display resolution:
3,840 x 2,160
1,920 x 1,080
Display type:
IPS Touchscreen
IPS Touchscreen
Processor:
Intel Core i7-7500U
Intel Core i5-7200U
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce 940MX
(discrete)
Intel HD Graphics 620
(integrated)
Memory:
16GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
Storage:
256GB PCIe SSD
1TB HDD
256GB PCIe SSD
1TB HDD
Audio:
Harman Speakers
Dolby Home Theater
Dual Digital Microphones
Harman Speakers
Dolby Home Theater
Dual Digital Microphones
Camera:
720p HD fixed focus
CMOS camera
720p HD fixed focus
CMOS camera
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
1x USB 3.1 Type-C
2x USB 3.0
1x SD card reader
1x HDMI
1x Ethernet
1x Audio jack
1x USB 3.1 Type-C
2x USB 3.0
1x SD card reader
1x HDMI
1x Ethernet
1x Audio jack
Battery:
52.5 Watt hour
35 Watt hour
Size:
14.3 x 9.72 x 0.75 inches
12.9 x 9.02 x 0.78 inches
Weight:
Starting at 4.4 pounds
Starting at 3.74 pounds
Color:
Onyx Black
Onyx Black
Additional features:
Backlit keyboard
Fingerprint reader
Backlit keyboard
Fingerprint reader
Preloaded software:
None
None
Availability:
May
May
Starting price:
$800
$800

Miix 320 2-in-1

Lenovo’s new Miix unit can be used as a laptop or as a tablet, as the included keyboard is detachable. Unlike the convertibles, this device is based on an Intel Atom processor, a chip we presumed had gone extinct in the mainstream market. While Lenovo didn’t list the specific Atom chip in its pre-launch specs, the description matches the x5-Z8500 released in the first quarter of 2015.

More: The Lenovo Flex 4 2-in-1 convertible is getting a refresh with a thinner frame

Models will be shipped in Windows 10 Home and Pro flavors along with 4G LTE connectivity. Configurations will consist of up to 4GB of system memory, up to 128GB of internal storage, and loads of pre-installed software. Other notable features include a 2MP camera on the front, a 5MP camera on the back, Wireless AC connectivity, and a 1,920 x 1,200 screen resolution.

Device type:
2-in-1 with a detachable keyboard
Operating system:
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Pro
Display size:
10.1 inches with Touch
Display resolution:
1,920 x 1,200
Processor:
Intel Atom x5-Z8500 “Cherry Trail”
Graphics:
Intel HD Graphics (integrated)
Memory:
Up to 4GB DDR3L
Storage:
Up to 128GB
Audio:
2x one-watt Dolby Advanced Audio speakers
Analog microphone
Camera:
2MP on front
5MP on back (with auto-focus)
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (2×2)
Bluetooth 4.2
4G LTE
Ports:
1x USB 3.0 Type-C
2x USB 2.0 (on dock)
1x Micro HDMI
1x Micro SD card slot
1x Nano SIM slot
1x Microphone/headphone combo jack
Battery:
33 Watt hour (up to 10 hours)
Size (tablet):
9.8 x 7.01 x 0.35 inches
Size (dock):
9.8 x 7.20 x 0.33 inches
Weight:
Wi-Fi model tablet only – starting at 1.21 pounds
Wi-Fi model with keyboard – starting at 2.25 pounds
4G LTE model tablet only – starting at 1.23 pounds
4G LTE model with keyboard – starting at 2.27 pounds
Color:
Platinum Silver
Snow White
Preloaded software:
Lenovo ID
Lenovo App Explorer
Lenovo CCSDK
Lenovo PC Manager
Garantia Estendida
Lenovo Cloud Disk
Dropbox with 25GB
Yandex
LEI
Lenovo Application Store
Availability:
April
Starting price:
$200

The Tab 4 Series Tablets

Finally, Lenovo introduced two tablet models built for adults and kids alike. There are four units in the entire Tab 4 batch: two with 8-inch screens and two with 10.1-inch screens. All four are based on Android 7.0 “Nougat” and are compatible with the Lenovo Kid’s Accessory Pack, an optional add-on that includes a blue light filter, two colorful stickers by 3M to help prevent scratches, and a shock-resistant bumper. The tablets also offer a dedicated Lenovo Kid’s Account packing a special browser and curated, safe content.

But that’s not all. The “Plus” units offer an optional Productivity Accessory Pack consisting of a Bluetooth keyboard that also serves as a protective sleeve or stand. When attached, this pack will automatically load a special productivity interface built into the two “Plus” tablets, providing mouse and keyboard optimizations, multi-window support, a desktop-like taskbar, instant app switching, and more.

First, here are the ingredients thrown into the two new 10.1-inch Android tablets:

Tab 4 10 Plus
Tab 4 10
Operating system:
Android 7.0
Android 7.0
Screen size:
10.1 inches
10.1 inches
Screen resolution:
1,920 x 1,200
1,280 x 800
Panel Type:
IPS
IPS
Processor:
Eight-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
(MSM8953)
2.0GHz
Four-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon
(MSM8917)
1.4GHz
Memory:
3GB and 4GB
2GB
Storage:
16GB and 64GB
16GB and 32GB
Audio:
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Cameras:
5MP (front)
8MP (back)
2MP (front)
5MP (back)
Battery:
7000mAh
7000mAh
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Wireless N
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Ports:
1x USB 2.0 Type-C
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
1x Micro USB
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
Colors:
Sparkling White
Aurora Black
Slate Black
Polar White
Sensors:
Fingerprint reader
Accelerometer
Ambient light
Vibration motor
Hall sensor
Accelerometer
Vibration motor
Hall sensor
Size:
9.72 x 6.81 x 0.27 inches
9.72 x 6.73 x 0.32 inches
Weight:
1.04 pounds
1.10 pounds
Price:
$249
$149
Availability:
May
May

Now here are the two new Tab 4 8 units:

Tab 4 8 Plus
Tab 4 8
Operating system:
Android 7.0
Android 7.0
Screen size:
8 inches
8 inches
Screen resolution:
1,920 x 1,200
1,280 x 720
Panel Type:
IPS
IPS
Processor:
Eight-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
(MSM8953)
2.0GHz
Four-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon
(MSM8917)
1.4GHz
Memory:
3GB and 4GB
2GB
Storage:
16GB and 64GB
16GB and 32GB
Audio:
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos audio
Cameras:
5MP (front)
8MP (back)
2MP (front)
5MP (back)
Battery:
4850mAh
4850mAh
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Wireless N
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS
4G LTE (optional)
Ports:
1x USB 2.0 Type-C
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
1x Micro USB
1x Headphone jack
1x SIM card slot
1x Micro SD card slot
Colors:
Sparkling White
Aurora Black
Slate Black
Polar White
Sensors:
Fingerprint reader
Accelerometer
Ambient light
Hall sensor
Vibration motor
Accelerometer
Ambient light
Hall sensor
Vibration motor
Proximity (LTE only)
Size:
8.26 x 4.84 x 0.27 inches
8.7 x 4.88 x 0.32 inches
Weight:
0,66 pounds
0,64 pounds
Price:
$199
$109
Availability:
May
May

Sony Xperia XZ Premium, XZs, XA1 Ultra, XA1: Our first take

Why it matters to you

If you’re a Sony fan, it’s possible that you’re about to get a couple more smartphone options to choose from.

Sony is back with its Xperia lineup, and if you were expecting an all-new design, you may be disappointed. The differences from last year’s lineup are largely internal, though the four smartphones have some unique features that make them stand out.

There are two lines within the main Xperia line that Sony is debuting at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. On the lower end of the spectrum are the Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra, and on the opposite end are the Xperia XZ Premium and the Xperia XZs.

Xperia XZ Premium and XZs

The 5.5-inch XZ Premium is the cream of the crop with its 4K HDR display and Snapdragon 835 processor.

As far as design goes, there’s not much of a difference from last year’s XZ — save for the camera flash placement on the rear. It comes in chrome and and black, and despite its large bezels, the chrome variant makes the smartphone stand out and look gorgeous. It’s wrapped in Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, and it’s quite the fingerprint magnet.

More: Sony’s Smooth Trans Focus creates beautiful bokeh — but requires a sacrifice

The Snapdragon 835 is a powerful chip, and it’s likely necessary to keep the 4K HDR display running smoothly. Sony’s Z5 Premium from 2015 only utilized the 4K display for 4K content and the device normally ran at a 1,080-pixel resolution.  It’s likely what’s happening here with the XZ Premium, but Sony did not confirm it. Sony took HDR technology from its TVs and brought them into the XZ Premium — meaning you’ll get brighter whites, darker blacks, and more vivid colors.

The XZ Premium comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, though a MicroSD card slot lets you upgrade that up to 265GB. It uses a USB Type-C charging port to power the 3,230mAh battery, and the device supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium (left) Sony Xperia XZs (right)

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The front selfie camera has 13 megapixels and a 22mm wide-angle lens, but there are two features that make the XZ Premium unique — the first is the 4K HDR screen, which we mentioned, but the second is its rear camera.

The rear camera is packed with 19 megapixels and features 5-axis image stabilization. Sony’s Motion Eye technology allows the device to capture slow-motion video at 960 frames-per-second. It’s incredibly slow, and the effect is stunning.  It certainly doesn’t do this at 1,080p, but at a lower resolution.  For comparison, the iPhone’s highest slow-motion video recording capability is at 240 frames-per-second at 720p.

More: HMD’s Nokia 6, 5, and 3 are budget phones with great build quality: Our first take

Predictive Capture is another neat feature that starts capturing any motion as soon as you open the camera app. When you actually press the shutter button, the camera will save the last four photos from two seconds prior. That way, there’s a higher chance you may have captured a special moment.

Overall, the camera seemed to produce solid photographs in our limited time with the phone, though there was some slight shutter lag. We’ll test it out more when we get a review unit. Regular performance seemed fast, as we didn’t experience any lag or stutter.

There is no fingerprint sensor on the side of the U.S. model of the device, which Sony says is a “business decision.”

The Xperia XZs carries a lot of the same features of the XZ Premium, including the camera. What’s different is the screen — it’s Full HD with a smaller 5.2-inch display. It also features the Snapdragon 820 processor.  The XZs isn’t as pretty as the XZ Premium. The bezels are huge on the front display, and the back isn’t as interesting as the chrome-colored premium variant.

Pricing and availability

The Xperia XZ Premium will launch in the spring, and its price hasn’t been released yet. We do know, however, that the XZS will cost $700 and it will launch on April 5. The Snapdragon 820 processor is a year old, and there are devices with better processors that cost less, so it may be a tough sell.

There’s nothing exciting about these devices, as there’s not much of a visible difference from last year. It also doesn’t seem as though the improvements are features consumers would really be interested in, though some of the camera tricks like Predictive Capture seem interesting. We’ll have to see if the Xperia line can take on the intense competition when the phones arrive later this year.

Highs

• Chrome-colored XZ Premium is gorgeous
• Display looks great
• Snappy performance
• 960 fps capability and Predictive Capture is useful and unique

Lows

• Uninspired design
• XZs is too expensive, meaning XZ Premium will be overkill
• Low battery capacity is worrying

Sony’s Xperia Touch projector lets you interact with any surface

Why it matters to you

Sony’s Xperia Touch brings the idea of screen-less interactivity one step closer to reality.

Sony’s latest odd contraption is a projector with an interactive display — the Xperia Touch has been shown and demonstrated at previous trade shows, but the company is finally bringing it to market.

The Xperia Touch looks like a large, external hard drive, but it’s essentially a device projecting an Android tablet interface onto a wall. The resolution it projects only goes up to 720p, but it ranges in size from 23 inches to 80 inches.

More: PSVR sales are so high that even Sony is surprised

To project it at 23 inches, the Touch needs to sit close to a wall — that’s when the magic happens. An infrared sensor detects movement across the projected screen, allowing the Touch to detect touch actions on the wall. This allows you to control the projected Android user interface with just your fingers, similar to using a mounted tablet except without a physical display.

Sony has a handful of apps pre-installed that utilize this type of interface, such as a piano keyboard app and a drawing app. But what makes the Xperia Touch even more unique is how it’s essentially a Google Home as well.

That’s all thanks to the new announcement about Google’s app update that will bring Google Assistant, its artificially-intelligent voice bot, to all devices running Android 6.0 or higher. The Xperia Touch runs Android 7.0 Nougat, so you’ll be able to utilize Assistant’s many features, like controlling smart home devices.

The Touch is also filled with a myriad of sensors, such as a human detection sensor, humidity, temperature, barometer, ambient light, GPS, and e-Compass sensors as well. It also has Bluetooth 4.2, 32GB of internal storage, and 3GB of RAM.

More: HMD’s Nokia 3310 throwback will last for a month on standby: Our first take

It also has NFC at the top, so if you use “OK Google” to ask the Touch for directions, simply tap your (NFC-capable) phone on top and beam the data to your device — that way you’ll get the navigation information on your phone, ready to go.

It’s meant to stay idle and remain plugged in your home via the USB Type-C charger, but it does have a battery that can keep it running for an hour unplugged.

Sony did not announce pricing at the moment, but the Xperia Touch will be available in select markets in spring 2017.

DJI’s new Matrice M200 drone can fly for more than 30 minutes in rain or snow

Why it matters to you

Some of the new features on DJI’s latest pro model could one day find their way to the company’s consumer offerings.

As consumer drones buzz about the sky in ever greater numbers, the fight among drone makers to rake in cold, hard cash via the enterprise market continues to gather pace, too. Take DJI – on Sunday the drone giant unveiled its latest addition to the space, the Matrice 200 (M200) series, the sequel to the M100 that impressed us mightily when it arrived two years ago.

Aimed primarily at professional users looking for a robust, expandable, and feature-rich flying machine, the new quadcopter goes some way beyond DJI’s prosumer Inspire 2 drone, for example.

Notably, the M200 sports DJI’s first-ever upward-facing gimbal mount, making it ideal for tasks such as inspecting the undersides of bridges, towers, and other structures with locations that are difficult to approach.

An array of cameras can be attached to the machine, including not only DJI’s powerful X4S and X5S devices, but also its high-powered Z30 camera with its impressive 30x optical zoom, and the XT thermal-imaging camera. Opt for the M200 and you can attach one downward-facing camera. Go for the M210, however, and you can attach two downward-facing cameras and/or an upward-facing camera, offering the user multiple options for completing an operation.

The new platform also features a forward-facing first-person view camera, enabling a pilot and a camera operator to monitor separate images on dual controllers.

While the M200 can clearly handle an array of cameras, DJI is pushing its heftier and more versatile M600 hexacopter as the go-to machine for serious cinematographers.

The M200’s intelligent flight features include spotlight (to lock the camera onto a subject during flight while the aircraft moves freely), point of interest (to circle around an object for a smooth orbit), tripod (to fine-tune position and angle for position framing and safe navigation in narrow environments), and active track (to follow a person or object while keeping it in frame).

As you’d expect with a drone of this calibre, the M200 series includes obstacle avoidance sensors facing forward, up and down, as well as an ADS-B receiver for advisory traffic information from any manned aircraft in the vicinity.

An additional bonus is the new drone’s water-resistant and self-heating body, enabling it to be flown in dire weather conditions such as rain and sub-zero temperatures — important if the job’s urgent.

More: 3DR flies its Solo drone to new heights in bid for commercial business

With a dual battery set-up, DJI’s new quadcopter can fly for up to 35 minutes. It features an operation range of a decent 4.4 miles (7 km), and can carry a payload of up to 2 kg.

Commenting on its latest offering, DJI’s Paul Guo said, “We’re revolutionizing professional workflows by making it possible to use advanced sensors in various combinations to make sophisticated tasks such as bridge inspections, land surveying and search-and-rescue missions, easier, safer and more reliable than ever before.”

There’s no word on pricing yet, but as for release, the M200 series is expected to fly onto market between April and June, 2017.

ZTE adds more options to its Blade series with the V8 Lite and V8 Mini

Why it matters to you

ZTE’s Blade series offer a wide range of options for under $300, helping bring high-level features like dual-camera systems to budget smartphones.

Following up on the Blade V8 and the V8 Pro, ZTE is offering even more options with two new devices in the same series — the Blade V8 Lite and the V8 Mini.

The Chinese company made the announcement Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Both the Blade V8 and V8 Pro were announced at CES 2017 in January, and are currently on the market, though only the Pro is available in the U.S. The Blade V8 is available in Russia, Japan, and Malaysia, but it will expand to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia in March.

Click here to learn more about the V8 Pro, and read on for everything you need to know about the rest of the Blade V8 series.

More: ZTE Blade V8 Pro: Our first take

Blade V8 Mini

The Blade V8 Mini is a 5-inch smartphone with a Full HD resolution. Like the regular Blade V8, it’s powered by the same Snapdragon 435 processor, but the Mini only comes with 2GB of RAM. The device offers 16GB of internal storage, but a MicroSD card slot allows owners to add more storage.

The Mini runs MiFlavor 4.2 UI, which is based off Android 7.0 Nougat. It sports a 2,800mAh battery, and it charges via a MicroUSB port. It doesn’t look like there’s an NFC sensor, but there is a fingerprint sensor on the rear.

The highlight of the V8 Mini, just like with the V8 and V8 Pro, is the horizontal dual-camera setup on the rear. One has 13 megapixels but the other only packs 2 megapixels — this is to help obtain depth and distance information to produce bokeh, or blur, for photographs. A refocus mode in the camera app lets you change the focus area of the picture, which is a feature also available on the V8 and V8 Pro. There’s also a 5-megapixel front-facing camera that comes with a flash for selfies.

The device makes no effort to minimize bezels — unsurprising for a budget smartphone — and the navigation buttons on the front are capacitive.

The Blade V8 Mini will come in white, rose gold, gold, black, and red. It will be available for select markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, but a concrete release date or price have yet to be announced.

Lenovo launches four models of Tab 4, none are weird

There’s nothing wrong with a basic tablet so you can do basic things. That’s the Lenovo Tab 4.

Lenovo’s Tab 4 is nearly indistinguishable from last year’s Tab 3 on first glance. That’s not a bad thing — the Tab 3 was a solid, if unremarkable design, and the Tab 4 series builds on that. With a refined exterior and updated interior, the new Tab 4s (Tabs 4?) present compelling options near the low end of the Android tablet market.

Lenovo Tab 4

Coming in 8-inch and 10-inch varieties, the Tab 4 is a well-built, but low-end, tablet. They’re both largely the same internals, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB or 32GB of internal storage (plus microSD card expansion) driving a 1280×800 display. You’ll find a 2MP camera on the front for selfies and video calls, and a 5MP autofocusing sensor on the back in case you’re inclined to take photos with your tablet.

Both are relatively lightweight, with the 8-incher weighing in at 0.64lbs (310g) and the 10-inch variant a slight 1.1 lbs (500g). At 8.3mm these are not the thinnest tablets on the market, but the rounded sides and tapered back made them quite easy to hold. The textured back — something of a cross between soft-touch and fine-grain sandpaper — helps in making it easier to hold.

The biggest hangup here is the charging port. Yes, it’s micro-USB, and in 2017 that’s unacceptable. Even on a cheap tablet like this. Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops unveiled at CES 2017 all had USB-C, as do the Plus versions of these very tablets. There’s an argument to be made for keeping costs down, and it’s one that Lenovo tried to make with us, but it’s hard to recommend a brand-new product that’s sporting the now ancient and outdated port for no good reason other than to save a few bucks.

The Lenovo Tab 4 is coming in May 2017 for a starting price of $109 for the Tab 4 8, or $149 for the Tab 4 10. There will also be available in LTE-capable variants.

Lenovo Tab 4 Plus

The “Plus” variant of the Tab line has an odd history. First introduced with the Tab 3, the upgraded Tab 3 Plus also boasted an oddball design. It moved the battery into a grippable bulge along one side, and that bulge played double duty as a hinge for a pop-out kickstand slash hanger hook. And was the baby of actor and Lenovo product engineer Ashton Kutcher.

Yeah, 2016 was weird.

The 2017 version — the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus — drops all the weirdness. It’s now just a more premium version of the Tab 4, inside and out, and entirely free of silly gimmicks. Both screens have been upgraded to an IPS panel with a 1920×1080 resolution and the processor’s been bumped to the excellent Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 clocked at 2GHz. Both cameras see a bump as well, with a 5MP front camera and 8MP rear camera. For plugging in you’ll find a USB-C port instead of the unacceptable Micro-USB ports found on the non-Plus Tab 4.

If you opt for the 16GB storage version you’ll get 3GB of RAM, while 4GB of RAM is packed into the 64GB version (both also offer microSD expansion). The back on both has been upgraded to a slick glass panel. The white version isn’t anything special, but the dark gray (err, “aurora black”) one sports a slick internal etching that reflects light in beautiful arcs and loops.

The Tab 4 Plus also picks up fingerprint sensors. The Tab 4 10 Plus’s is located on the front along one of the long sides of the display (the “bottom”, since it’s opposite the front-facing camera). Though it’s not a clickable button, you can rest your finger on it to turn on the tablet. On the Tab 4 8 Plus the fingerprint sensor is embedded in the side-mounted power button, so it’s easy to unlock just as you would turn it on or off. Personally, I prefer the side-mounted placement of the Tab 4 8 Plus.

The Tab 4 Plus will launch alongside the standard Tab 4 in May 2017, with the Tab 4 8 Plus starting at $199 and the Tab 4 10 Plus starting at $249.

Lenovo Tab 4 Productivity Pack

Want a keyboard with your Tab 4 10? Lenovo offers that, too. It’s more than just a Bluetooth keyboard, though. the fabric-covered keyboard doubles as a carrying case, with a folding magnetic origami stand that forms itself out of the larger cover flap. There’s even a trackpad below the keyboard, though it’s admittedly a tiny little thing.

The stand has an embedded NFC chip that activates Productivity Mode on the Tab 4 when you set it on the stand. Productivity Mode was inspired by the Lenovo Yoga Book, shifting the standard Android navigation buttons to the bottom left corner of the screen and using the rest to display a handy one-touch task switcher that may as well have been ripped from Windows. Productivity Mode isn’t exclusive to the keyboard, though — you can activate it via an app on the tablet if you want it around when you’re not keyboarding.

The Productivity Pack will launch alongside the Tab 4 with a price of $49.99.

Lenovo Tab 4 Kids Pack

According to Lenovo’s numbers, a surprising (and yet not that surprising) number of young ones have their own tablets. Given how much easier and safer they are for parents, that’s not much of a surprise. So instead of making a tablet specifically for the kids, Lenovo opted to include kid-friendly software and a relatively cheap pack to make the Tab 4 physically kid-friendly.

The software is the free KIDOZ suite, which doubles as a curated kids app store and launcher. It sports big and colorful icons and can be password locked to keep the kid from getting into the tablet at large.

The Kids Pack itself consists of a thick bright-teal rubber bumper, a pair of colorful full-back stickers, and a blue-light filter screen protector. The bumper isn’t tight and is rather flexible; it’s the kind of thing I’d expect the typically curious child to promptly remove. The back stickers are at least use a 3M adhesive, so when the kid starts to peel them off or they get too nasty (or, I guess, the kid outgrows it the cutesy drawings), you’ll be able to easily pull it off without leaving behind residue.

The Kids Pack will launch with the Tab 4, priced at $19.99 for the Tab 4 8 and $24.99 for the Tab 4 10.