Lenovo Explorer headset joins Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality party

Why it matters to you

In October, you have yet another choice in low-cost Windows Mixed Reality headsets with the Lenovo Explorer.

Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) platform has been in the news lately, with the company providing additional details about its features and system requirements and Microsoft’s original equipment manufacturers releasing more information on the headsets they are bringing to market this holiday season. Lenovo has joined the party by announcing at IFA 2017 its own WMR headset, the Lenovo Explorer.

Like all of the WMR headsets, the Explorer is intended to provide an immersive virtual reality experience at a relatively low cost and without the need for a high-powered, expensive PC. Accordingly, the Explorer will be priced at a $349 and the Explorer with its optional Motion Controllers will cost $449.

Here are the Lenovo Explorer’s specifications:

Dimensions:
185 x 94.8 x 102 mm
Weight:
380 grams
Camera
2x 6DOF Tracking Camera
I/O
HDMI 2.0, USB 2.0
Control
Motion controller, 6DOF controller, keyboard & mouse
PC Min. Spec.
Intel Core i5, Intel HD 620 graphics

In addition, the Explorer supports the two levels of WMR PCs that Microsoft recently announced. That means that a base WMR PC equipped with integrated graphics will be able to drive the Explorer in running immersive content at 60 frames per second (FPS) while a WMR Ultra PC will be able to enable 90 FPS performance. Here are the minimum required specs for each level of performance:

Performance: 
90Hz
CPU:
Intel Core i5 (NB), Intel Core i3 (DT)
GPU:
Discrete Nvidia GTX 965M, AMD RX 460M
Connectivity:
HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2
RAM:
8GB
Storage:
More than 10GB additional free space
USB:
USB 3.0 Type-A or USB 3.1 Type-C Port with DisplayPort
Bluetooth:
Bluetooth 4.0 for accessories

Performance:
60Hz
CPU:
Intel Core i5 (NB), Intel Core i3 (DT)
GPU:
Integrated Intel HD 620
Connectivity:
HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2
RAM:
8GB
Storage:
More than 10GB additional free space
USB:
USB 3.0 Type-A or USB 3.1 Type-C Port with DisplayPort
Bluetooth:
Bluetooth 4.0 for accessories

Like other WMR headsets, the Explorer needs no external sensors for its basic functionality. Thus, it’s simply plugged into a PC’s USB and HDMI ports via the built-in Y-cable. The optional Motion Controllers provide for more natural and fine-grained actions when in mixed reality environments, while an Xbox controller can also be used for navigating through some VR games.

Lenovo also touts enhanced productivity by using the Explorer with a keyboard, mouse, and Cortana voice commands, while accessing the WMR “cliff house” VR environment provides access to more than 20,000 Windows apps available in the Microsoft Store. Users can, therefore, get work done in VR, and then switch over to the virtual Escape and Play theatre to take a break from working by accessing 3D, 360-degree, and 4K content. In addition, Lenovo is providing access to more than 100 upscaled VR games through the Lenovo Entertainment Hub.

Lenovo plans to make the Explorer available in October, at $349 for the headset alone and $449 with the Motion Controllers.

Lenovo Yoga, Miix PCs invade IFA sporting 8th Gen Intel Core and 3D cameras

Why it matters to you

Lenovo is beefing up its 2-in-1 and detachable portfolio with Intel’s 8th Gen Core processors so you can get things done faster when on the go.

Lenovo has introduced a trio of new devices — the Lenovo Yoga 920, the 12.5-inch Yoga 720, and the Miix 520 — at the IFA 2017 show in Berlin. The Yoga 720 is the only model in the trio that doesn’t rely on Intel’s new eighth-generation Core processors, nor does it offer a built-in camera with 3D capabilities. Pricing starts at $650, but you won’t see these 2-in-1s and detachables until October 2017.

Lenovo Yoga 920

Lenovo has not provided a detailed list of processorsthat  it’s using for this model, but says preset configurations will include up to an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor. That could reach back into its seventh-generation Core i3/i5/i7 families, as well as the four eighth-generation Core i5/i7 chips Intel revealed just before the solar eclipse. You won’t see a discrete graphics chip here, thus the screen is powered by the integrated component each CPU provides.

The Yoga 920 ships with a 360-degree watchband hinge so you can configure it to meet your current needs, such as laptop, tent, stand, and tablet form factors. It supports Windows Ink and Lenovo’s optional Active Pen 2 peripheral, so you could fold the Yoga 920 into a tablet to make handwritten notes during a presentation, or illustrate a scene when visiting the park.

What you won’t find on the new Yoga 920 is a handful of ports. Instead, it supplies one standard USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A port and two Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports. With the latter two, you can expand the 2-in-1’s connectivity using optional adapters, such as DisplayPort and HDMI video output, gigabit Ethernet, and more. Your best bet would be to purchase a Thunderbolt 3 dock providing all of these connections in one external device.

The new Yoga 920 includes a configuration with Lenovo’s WorldView camera, which you can use to capture real-world objects in 3D. These objects can be thrown onto an overlay in your digital content using the included Magic Window app.

Lenovo said it plans to ship limited-edition models packing Gorilla Glass cover designs. There will be three in all: Vibes, Star Wars Special Edition Rebel Alliance, and Star Wars Special Edition Galactic Empire.

Here are the specifications:

Screen size:
13.9 inches
Screen type:
In-plane Switching (IPS) with Touch
Screen resolution:
3,840 x 2,160 (UHD)
1,920 x 1,080 (FHD)
Processor:
Up to an 8th Gen Intel Core 7 CPU
Graphics:
Integrated Intel component
Memory:
8GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
Storage:
256GB PCI Express M.2 SSD
512GB PCI Express M.2 SSD
1TB PCI Express M.2 SSD
Audio:
2x JBL speakers
Dolby Atmos via headphones
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (up to 867Mbps)
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
2x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A (charges)
1x Headphone / microphone combo
Camera:
720p fixed focus
Far field microphones
WorldView camera (optional)
Backlit keyboard:
Yes
Battery:
70WHr
Up to 15.5 hours via FHD
Up to 10.8 hours via UHD
Dimensions:
12.72 x 8.8 x 0.55 inches
Starting weight:
Starting at 3.02
Colors:
Platinum Silver
Bronze
Copper
Other options:
Active Pen 2 (Core i7 model only)
Fingerprint reader
Availability:
October 2017
Starting price:
$1,330

Lenovo Yoga, Miix PCs invade IFA sporting 8th Gen Intel Core and 3D cameras

Why it matters to you

Lenovo is beefing up its 2-in-1 and detachable portfolio with Intel’s 8th Gen Core processors so you can get things done faster when on the go.

Lenovo has introduced a trio of new devices — the Lenovo Yoga 920, the 12.5-inch Yoga 720, and the Miix 520 — at the IFA 2017 show in Berlin. The Yoga 720 is the only model in the trio that doesn’t rely on Intel’s new eighth-generation Core processors, nor does it offer a built-in camera with 3D capabilities. Pricing starts at $650, but you won’t see these 2-in-1s and detachables until October 2017.

Lenovo Yoga 920

Lenovo has not provided a detailed list of processorsthat  it’s using for this model, but says preset configurations will include up to an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor. That could reach back into its seventh-generation Core i3/i5/i7 families, as well as the four eighth-generation Core i5/i7 chips Intel revealed just before the solar eclipse. You won’t see a discrete graphics chip here, thus the screen is powered by the integrated component each CPU provides.

The Yoga 920 ships with a 360-degree watchband hinge so you can configure it to meet your current needs, such as laptop, tent, stand, and tablet form factors. It supports Windows Ink and Lenovo’s optional Active Pen 2 peripheral, so you could fold the Yoga 920 into a tablet to make handwritten notes during a presentation, or illustrate a scene when visiting the park.

What you won’t find on the new Yoga 920 is a handful of ports. Instead, it supplies one standard USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A port and two Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports. With the latter two, you can expand the 2-in-1’s connectivity using optional adapters, such as DisplayPort and HDMI video output, gigabit Ethernet, and more. Your best bet would be to purchase a Thunderbolt 3 dock providing all of these connections in one external device.

The new Yoga 920 includes a configuration with Lenovo’s WorldView camera, which you can use to capture real-world objects in 3D. These objects can be thrown onto an overlay in your digital content using the included Magic Window app.

Lenovo said it plans to ship limited-edition models packing Gorilla Glass cover designs. There will be three in all: Vibes, Star Wars Special Edition Rebel Alliance, and Star Wars Special Edition Galactic Empire.

Here are the specifications:

Screen size:
13.9 inches
Screen type:
In-plane Switching (IPS) with Touch
Screen resolution:
3,840 x 2,160 (UHD)
1,920 x 1,080 (FHD)
Processor:
Up to an 8th Gen Intel Core 7 CPU
Graphics:
Integrated Intel component
Memory:
8GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
Storage:
256GB PCI Express M.2 SSD
512GB PCI Express M.2 SSD
1TB PCI Express M.2 SSD
Audio:
2x JBL speakers
Dolby Atmos via headphones
Connectivity:
Wireless AC (up to 867Mbps)
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports:
2x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A (charges)
1x Headphone / microphone combo
Camera:
720p fixed focus
Far field microphones
WorldView camera (optional)
Backlit keyboard:
Yes
Battery:
70WHr
Up to 15.5 hours via FHD
Up to 10.8 hours via UHD
Dimensions:
12.72 x 8.8 x 0.55 inches
Starting weight:
Starting at 3.02
Colors:
Platinum Silver
Bronze
Copper
Other options:
Active Pen 2 (Core i7 model only)
Fingerprint reader
Availability:
October 2017
Starting price:
$1,330

Writing an algorithm to solve this chess problem could net you a cool $1 million

Why it matters to you

Solving this complex problem would lead to breakthroughs in a number of areas, including online encryption.

Have a good mind for computational problem-solving? Fancy netting a cool $1 million for your efforts? Then the University of St. Andrews and the Clay Mathematics Institute sure have the competition for you. Announced on Thursday, the prize (awarded by the Clay Mathematics Institute) is available to anyone who can solve a chess puzzle which researchers estimate could take thousands of years to come up with a quick answer to. Were it solved, a program working out the math behind the so-called “Queens Puzzle” would help address a number of currently impossible problems, including breaking any online security measures.

First devised in 1850, the Queens Puzzle originally asked chess players to place eight queens on a standard chessboard in a way that would allow no two queens to attack one another. Although the problem has since been solved by human beings, when the chessboard is increased to a sufficiently large size (think boards with 1,000 by 1,000 squares and upwards), researchers at the University of St. Andrews claim a computer program would take roughly a millennium to solve it. Unless you can prove otherwise.

“On January 1, 2015, a friend of mine on Facebook posted a link to an online discussion about this problem, and said he had a hunch I would be interested in it,” Professor Ian Gent, one of the researchers who threw down the gauntlet, told Digital Trends. “He was right, and so I spent a lot of time with my colleagues working it out.”

Gent and his colleagues managed to work out the math to show how hard the problem is — whch is where the 1,000 years estimation comes from. The really tough bit, however, is to take the next step. “You can [win the $1 million] either by proving that no algorithm can solve the n-Queen Completion puzzle in reasonable time, or by finding an algorithm which does solve it quickly,” he continued.

According to Gent, solving this problem efficiently is, “probably the hardest thing to do in computer science.” The reason is that the current methods of solving it essentially use blunt-force trial and error, which works by figuring out every possible option. An algorithm that could solve the problem quickly, on the other hand, would be a major game-changer.

Even if you don’t think you’re the person for the job, you can check out a research paper describing the problem by Gent and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research.

In the meantime, Gent has three pointers for anyone hoping to pick up the grand prize: Get a Ph.D. in computational complexity, be brilliant, and get very, very lucky.

Writing an algorithm to solve this chess problem could net you a cool $1 million

Why it matters to you

Solving this complex problem would lead to breakthroughs in a number of areas, including online encryption.

Have a good mind for computational problem-solving? Fancy netting a cool $1 million for your efforts? Then the University of St. Andrews and the Clay Mathematics Institute sure have the competition for you. Announced on Thursday, the prize (awarded by the Clay Mathematics Institute) is available to anyone who can solve a chess puzzle which researchers estimate could take thousands of years to come up with a quick answer to. Were it solved, a program working out the math behind the so-called “Queens Puzzle” would help address a number of currently impossible problems, including breaking any online security measures.

First devised in 1850, the Queens Puzzle originally asked chess players to place eight queens on a standard chessboard in a way that would allow no two queens to attack one another. Although the problem has since been solved by human beings, when the chessboard is increased to a sufficiently large size (think boards with 1,000 by 1,000 squares and upwards), researchers at the University of St. Andrews claim a computer program would take roughly a millennium to solve it. Unless you can prove otherwise.

“On January 1, 2015, a friend of mine on Facebook posted a link to an online discussion about this problem, and said he had a hunch I would be interested in it,” Professor Ian Gent, one of the researchers who threw down the gauntlet, told Digital Trends. “He was right, and so I spent a lot of time with my colleagues working it out.”

Gent and his colleagues managed to work out the math to show how hard the problem is — whch is where the 1,000 years estimation comes from. The really tough bit, however, is to take the next step. “You can [win the $1 million] either by proving that no algorithm can solve the n-Queen Completion puzzle in reasonable time, or by finding an algorithm which does solve it quickly,” he continued.

According to Gent, solving this problem efficiently is, “probably the hardest thing to do in computer science.” The reason is that the current methods of solving it essentially use blunt-force trial and error, which works by figuring out every possible option. An algorithm that could solve the problem quickly, on the other hand, would be a major game-changer.

Even if you don’t think you’re the person for the job, you can check out a research paper describing the problem by Gent and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research.

In the meantime, Gent has three pointers for anyone hoping to pick up the grand prize: Get a Ph.D. in computational complexity, be brilliant, and get very, very lucky.

Microsoft releases Windows Insider preview, clarifies Skip Ahead program

Why it matters to you

If you signed up for the Windows Insider Skip Head program, then here is what you need to know about how things work.

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is right around the corner and Microsoft has been pushing Windows Insider previews at a faster clip for the last few weeks in preparation. But its engineering team is not standing still, having already started work on the “Redstone 4” (RS4) update that should arrive in spring 2018. On Thursday, Microsoft released a preview as part of its Windows Insider Skip Ahead program, while taking the opportunity to explain more about how that program works.

The company introduced Skip Ahead in July as a way for Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring to start receiving features and functionality that will be coming after Fall Creators Update is released. That prompted some questions from Insiders about how the program works. Thursday’s Windows Insider build 16353 is the first that is not identical to the one released to normal Fast ring members and Microsoft wants to be sure that everyone understands how Skip Ahead works.

The following graphic outlines the program and explains what kind of build you’re receiving depending on how you’re signed up in the Windows Insider program:

Microsoft summarizes the status of current builds as follows:

• If you didn’t opt in to Skip Ahead, you’re receiving the latest builds of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (RS3). You will eventually start receiving builds for the next feature update of Windows 10 (RS4) once we release the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
• If you did opt in to Skip Ahead, you’re receiving early builds for the next feature update of Windows 10 (RS4).

Note that once Microsoft releases Fall Creators Update, then every Windows Insider will be back to receiving the same RS4 builds. Presumably, Skip Ahead will pick back up when RS4 is ready to be released.

As far as build 16353 goes, the changes are minimal. That is to be expected, given that work has just begun on RS4. There are some updates to the Action Center, including a two finger gesture to dismiss all notifications and various bug fixes including a resolution to some display issues. If you are in the Skip Ahead program, then you will notice little difference from the last Windows Insider preview build.

Best Shower Speakers

Sing along with your favorite tunes in the shower with these great speakers.

If you’re sick of belting out your favorite tunes in the shower a cappella you may want to consider getting a speaker to use in the shower.

We’ve compiled a list of the best shower speakers you can find to help you sing like nobody’s listening.

• UE Wonderboom
• Polk Audio BOOM Swimmer
• Photive Hydra
• SoundBot SB510
• UE Roll/Roll 2
• Braven Mira
• Fugoo Sport
• UE Boom 2

UE Wonderboom

UE’s latest water-resistant Bluetooth speaker is cute as a button! The Wonderboom is a compact Bluetooth speaker with big sound, a lovely design, and an IPX7 rating, meaning it can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes — it’s perfect for the shower. I’ve been testing this speaker and have been very impressed with its low end. The bass is surprisingly warm for such a small unit, and its size, again, is perfect for the shower.

Given its size, the Wonderboom does have a bit of trouble at higher volumes, with clarity capping out around the halfway mark on my phone’s volume. That being said, half my phone’s volume is plenty loud outside the shower and almost too much in it, so you don’t need to crank it at all.

It comes in six fun colors, and we’ll just hope the price comes down below its current $100 to make it a bit more competitive.

See at Amazon

Polk Audio BOOM Swimmer

This tadpole-looking device was conceived by the folks at Polk Audio to be as versatile as possible. The tail-end of the speaker is bendable, making it easy to wrap around shower curtain rods or even your shower head pipe, meaning there is always a convenient place to put it.

The Swimmer’s waterproof rating is even greater than it needs to be for use in the shower. It can be submerged in up to 3 feet of water for half an hour without suffering any damage, meaning it can even fall into the tub when you’re taking a bath.

The sound quality is not bad; although, there is very little bass, which isn’t a surprise when you’re talking about something this small. The Polk Audio BOOM Swimmer will only cost you around $19.

See at Amazon

Photive Hydra

The Photive Hydra is perfect for people that want a shower speaker and are more concerned about sound quality than convenience. Sporting a passive subwoofer and two 40mm drivers, the Hydra delivers a fuller sounding low-end, while still providing pleasing, clear treble.

Its IP66 rating won’t allow the speaker to be submerged, but it can handle water jets and splashing just fine, making it more than durable enough to withstand your daily shower.

At roughly $35, the Hydra is a little bulkier and bigger than most of the other speakers on the list, but it’s still compact enough to fit on the edge of your tub or on your shower caddy.

See at Amazon

SoundBot SB510

The SoundBot SB510 is perfect for people who want an easier way to control their music while they are listening in the shower.

The simple interface on the front of SoundBot will let you control playback or adjust volume with just a tap of its buttons, meaning you don’t need to get out of the shower and touch your phone to change songs. Plus, there is even a speaker and microphone for taking calls, so you won’t miss anything important just because you’re bathing.

Its water-resistant rating only protects the SoundBot from splashing; however, It installs super easily with a suction cup that is attached to the back of the speaker, so you should have no problem finding a place for it that’s out of harm’s way. Plus, for $15, it’s the cheapest speaker on our list.

See at Amazon

UE Roll 2

The Ultimate Ears Roll 2 has an IPX7 rating, meaning submerging it in up to 3 feet of water for about half an hour won’t cause any damage, so your daily showers won’t affect it at all. Plus, on the back, it comes with a bungee cord loop, making it easy to wrap or tie the speaker around your curtain rod or shower head, so it stays out of your way while you’re headbanging in the shower.

The UE Roll 2 does come with a couple of improvements over its predecessor model. It has better sound, regarding both volume and quality, than its predecessor, and it also has an increased Bluetooth range of 100 feet, meaning your phone or tablet doesn’t even have to be in the hot, steamy bathroom while you’re getting clean.

The UE Roll 2 will cost you about $99 at full price; however, it’s a very popular product and often goes on sale, so make sure you look out for those deals!

See at Amazon

Braven Mira

The first thing you will notice about the Braven Mira is the impressive sound quality for such a small device. It manages to stuff two drivers and a passive radiator into its small protective housing, giving the Mira the ability to sound full and provide some decent bass for about $63.

The hook on the back of the speaker allows it to hang easily from your shower head or it can even be used as a kickstand, allowing it to sit nicely in the corner of your tub. Plus, the battery lasts for up to 12 hours of playback, so even the longest shower takers should get more than enough time between charges.

Its waterproof rating is IPX5, meaning it can handle being hit by the stream from your shower head, which is more than enough protection for the average user.

See at Amazon

Fugoo Sport

Although it’s another speaker you will need to rest on a shelf or the side of your tub, the Fugoo Sport is an awesome device that carries a starting price of about $99.

The thing that stands out the most is its 40-hour battery life. If you are truly using this in just the shower, you could probably go for weeks without needing a charge. With a waterproof rating of IP67, not only can you submerge the speaker in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes, but it’s also dust-proof, meaning dirt and other particulates won’t cause you any problems.

On top of it all, the sound quality is very good. The Fugoo Sport has six drivers that are spread out across all four sides, giving you clear, well-balanced 360-degree sound.

See at Amazon

UE Boom 2

Taking the UE Boom 2 into your shower is absolutely no problem as it has a very high water-resistant rating, allowing it to be submerged in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. It’s also protected against dirt and mud, but you can hand-wash the speaker with warm, soapy water just in case it gets messy.

UE Boom 2’s battery will last you approximately 15 hours of playing time, which should amount to a lot of time in the tub, and has a Bluetooth range of 100 feet, making sure your phone, tablet, or PC doesn’t have to be anywhere near the water. Plus, if you truly want the Boom 2 to live up to its onomatopoeic name, you have the option to set up another one to make a stereo pair and really raise the roof.

The UE Boom 2 doesn’t come cheap, as its full retail price is $199; however, much like other UE products you can often find the UE Boom 2 on sale for as low as $149.

See at Amazon

What’s your favorite?

Are you a shower singer? Let us know your favorite speaker to take into the shower with you by leaving us a comment below!

Updated August 2017: Added pricing information to each description.

Moto X4 hands-on: Familiar name, entirely different phone

How much benefit of the doubt can a beloved name buy you?

Fans of Motorola, or just Android in general, typically look back on the Moto X series of phones fondly. Despite their issues, the few iterations of Moto X (the first two, in particular) still feel like the perfect example of what Motorola could bring to the Android world. “Moto X” was synonymous with being greater than the sum of its parts, and offering an experience that was wonderful despite not having the absolute latest specs and piles of features.

When rumors started to swirl of a return of the Moto X line, the hype was instantly ignited. For all of the success of the Moto G line and the ambition of the Moto Z line, Motorola fans just wanted a new Moto X — and hopefully, one that was a true continuation of what made its predecessors so intriguing.

So now, closing in quickly on the end of 2017, we have it: the Moto X4.

Moto X4 Hands-on video

For a quick live look at the Moto X4, be sure to watch our hands-on video above. We have the phone in-hand and in both colors, so it’s worth a look! After that, read on for the rest of our impressions in the complete hands-on preview.

Moto X4 Hardware and features

Think of a Moto Z2 Play. Now add a curved glass back and a huge camera apparatus at the top — you now have a Moto X4. Sure that’s a little reductionist, but not far off. Whether it’s the increasingly iterative releases of Moto G devices, the lower-end Moto E line or even the top-end Moto Z2 Force, all of Motorola’s phones look very similar visually. Particularly on the front, where you would be hard-pressed to differentiate at a glance between any Moto phone released in the last two years.

More: Complete Moto X4 specs

Even with a new curved glass back, the Moto X4 looks like any other modern Motorola phone.

With that front-on similarity across the lineup, the back is where the Moto X4 actually manages to stand out, if only a little bit. The pane of Gorilla Glass 3 coats the entirety of the back, curving off of the long edges just like most other glass-backed phones today. That curve isn’t super dramatic in how much it cuts into the metal frame of the phone, but still provides much-improved ergonomics over your typical flat-backed Moto Z. The quality of the combination of glass and metal is far beyond what you’d expect considering this phone’s €399 price — it felt indistinguishable from what Motorola is charging $720 for in the Moto Z2 Force.

The proper way to separate a Moto X4 from the crowd is to find one in this super-cool “Sterling Blue” color. The light textured pattern underneath the glass (present on both colors) really pops in blue, and it’s matched up with a blue-tinted frame and blue surrounding the front of the phone. It’s a fingerprint magnet and is honestly a little distracting on the front, but the way the colors shift and change from dark blue to a lighter shade and even to a light grey in some cases is very interesting.

With just a 5.2-inch display up front — a 1080p LCD, by the way — the Moto X4 certainly harkens back to its predecessors in terms of keeping compact and easy to manage in one hand. Coming in even smaller than the Moto G5 series, it’s refreshing to have a phone you can easily swipe around and reach all corners without contorting your hand in some crazy way. At 165 grams it’s heavy for the size, too, so you really get a feeling of a well-balanced and properly crafted phone.

Perhaps surprisingly, this lower-end phone also has two features the just-announced high-end Moto Z2 Force doesn’t: a headphone jack, and compete IP68 water resistance. It also has a larger battery at 3000mAh — though it of course comes at the cost of being nearly two millimeters thicker than its high-end counterpart. That’s a trade-off many people will be willing to take, particularly those who enjoyed a previous Moto X.

Moto X4 Software, specs and cameras

The software is what truly differentiated the first Moto X from the rest of the industry, bringing new features and a fresh take with a “less is more” strategy that we just didn’t see back in 2013 and 2014. But now, Motorola has turned those core tenets into something you get from every phone it makes — and that means it just isn’t all that special anymore.

But just because we’re so used to Motorola’s software experience doesn’t mean it isn’t still fantastic and a critical selling point of the Moto X4. It’s clean, simple and includes just a few tweaks and additions that are useful without ever getting in your way. Motorola has fantastic ambient lock screen, a handful of gestures you will use every single day and a distinct lack of unnecessary or duplicate apps. It’s just great, and it just works.

In my brief time (roughly an hour) using the Moto X4 in a demo environment, it seems like the Snapdragon 630 and 3GB of RAM will be more than capable of running Motorola’s software on a 1080p display. And considering how well the Moto Z2 Play performs with very similar specs, I don’t have any worries about the Moto X4 offering a great daily software experience — by mid-range or even flagship standards.

The Moto X4 also supports the exact same Amazon Alexa experience that debuted on the HTC U11 earlier this year. That is to say it’s a software-only virtualized Echo on your phone — it can do just about everything the hardware can, including always listening for your voice commands. Amazon fans, rejoice. Everyone else, keep using Google Assistant.

Forgive me for choosing to be bearish on a Motorola camera.

For as good as Motorola’s software is, its cameras have consistently been mediocre. The Moto X4 is doing something new, taking a page out of LG’s playbook to go with a pair of cameras: one standard, one wide-angle. The secondary camera even has the same field of view as LG’s last few wide-angle cameras: 120 degrees. It’s in front of an 8MP sensor (1-micron pixels, f/2.2 aperture), while the main camera has much better specs: 12MP, 1.4-micron pixels, f/2.0 aperture and dual pixel auto focus. No optical image stabilization (OIS), though.

Testing a camera takes far more time than I was offered with the Moto X4, but it seems to have the components necessary to be a capable shooter. And seeing how little the secondary camera (and its associated blur effects) added to the Moto Z2 Force’s cause, I’m happy to see the secondary wide-angle shooter here to give us a fun new way to shoot. But you’ll have to forgive me for choosing to be bearish on a Motorola camera — it’s lost the benefit of the doubt at this point.

Moto X4 Hands-on preview

If Motorola rolled out this exact phone with a different name, like “Moto G5 Premium” or something, nobody would blink. From front to back, inside and out, the Moto X4 just feels like Yet Another Modern Motorola Phone™. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad device, or not worth the money Motorola is charging here. To the contrary, actually — it looks like the Moto X4 is a really solid mid-range package with great hardware, most of the specs and features people want in this price range and a pair of cameras that may even be above-average. And it still offers that tried-and-true Motorola software that we all hold in such high regard.

The Moto X4 is arguably the best Moto X yet — but it sure isn’t exciting.

But what the Moto X4 doesn’t have is anything unique, intriguing or differentiating in the same way the Moto X lineage so often offered. In many ways that’s the story of Motorola over the past couple years, but it just hits home a little heavier when we’re talking about a Moto X. The Moto X4 is clearly a better phone, and better value proposition compared to the competition of the time, than any previous Moto X ever was. But that doesn’t mean it’ll go down in history as game-changing or industry-defining in any way.

I think we’ll get over that desire for nostalgia, and just enjoy the Moto X4 for what it is: a really good phone at a compelling price, €399, with no clear shortcomings or issues. We can applaud that.

Avoid motion sickness in VR with comfort ratings!

Here’s how to avoid motion sickness in VR before buying!

Although many developers are trying their hardest to avoid motion sickness, it’s still a huge problem for virtual reality. Even with accurate head-tracking, fully body experiences and specially designed games, some experiences just don’t work out for those prone to motion sickness.

If you’re one of the many who suffers from motion sickness, finding games that work for you is half of the problem. Here’s how to find suitable games on your virtual reality platform!

Read more at VR Heads!

Moto X4 is official: 5.2-inch display, dual cameras and glass back for €399

It’s time welcome back the Moto X line.

Motorola just filled a gap in its smartphone lineup, reviving a brand that hasn’t been used in a couple of years to add the much-anticipated Moto X4 to the ranks. Slotting in between the Moto G and Moto Z series, the Moto X4 is launching in Europe at €399, and will be available in September.

More: Moto X4 hands-on preview

For that modest price tag, you get what initially looks like most other Motorola phones, with the added bonus of a nice glass back covering on the opposite side of a 5.2-inch 1080p display. The frame conceals a 3000mAh battery, full IP68 water resistance and a headphone jack to boot. Not bad, Motorola.

It isn’t a flagship, but we shouldn’t have expected it to be one.

Internally things round out mostly as you’d expect: Snapdragon 630 processor, 3 or 4GB of RAM, and 32 or 64GB of storage (depending on market, as usual). That’s all driving a near-identical build of Motorola’s latest clean and fast software, which remains a crowd favorite no matter what hardware it’s running on. Now, how about the camera? Well, there are actually two rear cameras: a 12MP primary, and 8MP wide-angle. You won’t find OIS on either, but the primary camera seems promising with an f/2.0 aperture and rather large 1.4-micron pixels. The wide-angle, as we’ve seen on LG phones, should be fun.

More: Moto X4 specs

Motorola is only announcing pricing and availability for the Moto X4 in Europe at this point (it is, after all, launching at IFA 2017 in Berlin), but has confirmed that the phone will come to the U.S. We don’t know exactly when or for how much, but we know it’ll be a model with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, for what it’s worth. Given how pricing usually breaks down between regions, it’s reasonable to expect the Moto X4 to come in at $399 in the U.S. — we sure hope it stays under the $400 level.