ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom review – is it worthy of its name?

Every device has a main selling point, and the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom is all about its optical zoom capabilities, something we don’t often find in smartphones. Things have changed since the launch of the original ZenFone Zoom, though. From design to specs and features, this is a whole other beast.

At $329, the ZenFone 3 Zoom is cheaper than its predecessor too. It’s got great battery life and using it is pleasant, but the main selling point with this phone series is undoubtedly the camera. So how does it stack up? I’ve been using the ZenFone 3 Zoom as my primary device for a couple weeks, so let’s dive in; this is the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom review.

Design & build quality

With the ZenFone 3 Zoom, ASUS has changed that ugly protruding back camera area and turned this phone into something that looks like a modern smartphone. It is thin and nice to look at, but this slimmer design comes at the cost of camera quality.

The ZenFone 3 Zoom looks just like many other devices out there.

The phone’s aluminum body makes it both look and feel as good as most premium handsets out there. But because the design has been streamlined, the phone is less distinct and now looks just like many other devices out there (including the one we don’t speak of around here).

The back is adorned by antenna lines at the top and bottom, with a fingerprint reader in the upper middle section. The upper-left area houses all the camera components, which include dual cameras, a dual-LED flash and an RGB sensor for improved white balance control.

The front looks like your typical glass slab. It has a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, a front-facing camera, a speaker, and the usual navigation buttons at the bottom in the bezel. The volume and power buttons are on the right side of the device. The buttons have a slight wobble to them, but provide very nice feedback and feel solid enough.

One thing I don’t like is that the capacitive buttons don’t light up, and require some muscle memory when operating the phone at night. It definitely takes some getting used to, as I still haven’t been able to consistently hit them in the dark without missing a few times.

Ultimately, the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom feels like a high-end smartphone. It is solid and very pleasing to the eye. I had one unexpected issue with its build quality, though. Despite never dropping or abusing the phone, I found a bend in the metal near the volume and power buttons. It’s not significant damage, but this is annoying considering I had only carried it around in my pocket.

Display & audio

The screen is nothing too fancy, but it gets the job done well enough. The 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED screen displays deep blacks and vibrant colors. The panel is nice and bright too (up to 500 nits). So I never had an issue viewing content in direct sunlight.

My only gripe is that since the screen has a 1920×1080 resolution, pixels are occasionally visible. It’s a good screen for the money you are paying, but if you’re after something super crispy you’ll need to look elsewhere. The screen is coated with Gorilla Glass 5 which curves gently at the edges in typical 2.5D fashion.

ASUS talks all the talk about its sound quality; but does it walk the walk? Its fancy 5-magnet speaker construction, metal voice coil and expansive sound chamber do perform pretty well. The sound is surprisingly clear, but I feel it lacks bass and volume. The device can be a little quiet if outside noise gets even a little too high. It does an alright job, though, especially at this price range.

The ZenFone 3 Zoom has SonicMaster and High-Res Audio certification, which ASUS claims will deliver a superior listening experience especially with headphones on. The built-in NXP Smart AMP supports 24-bit/192 kHz playback on compatible headphones and DTS Headphone:X 7.1 surround sound . Naturally, your audio mileage will vary depending on the quality of the headphones you’re using.

Performance

Performance is not this phone’s strength, but it can hold its own with most casual tasks. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 platform, and runs relatively smoothly. Our version of the device came with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage, but there is a variant with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of on-board memory.

You won’t find yourself waiting much when checking your emails, going through social media and watching videos. It handles games mostly fine, but hiccups occasionally. If you consider yourself a power user, the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom handles everyday tasks well but falters in demanding situations.

Software

The previous ZenFone Zoom launched with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and plenty of bloatware. At the time, Nougat had already been around for a while, which made the choice unfortunate, especially considering that most affordable handsets were shipping with more recent Android versions.

The ZenFone 3 Zoom launches with Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Android Oreo is only just out for some devices, so at least it’s not already totally out of date.

Unfortunately, ASUS’ ZenUI is not the cleanest manufacturer skin around. Colors are cartoonish. Icons are large. The notification area feels clogged up and animations are a bit weird. It feels like a skin from 2013. Many of you won’t need to worry too much about these software annoyances, because if they really bug you, alternate launchers are there to come to the rescue.

People debate whether an app drawer is needed or not, so ASUS puts the choice in your hands.

There is still a bunch of bloatware in here, but it’s easy to uninstall or disable apps like Zenfit. Besides some of the pointless bloat, there are actually some cool features and apps included in the skin. I liked the Laser Ruler app, which uses the device’s laser to see how far an object is. You never know, that might come in handy.

People debate whether an app drawer is needed or not, so ASUS puts the choice in your hands. There is an app drawer by default, but you can get rid of it and simply throw all your apps on your home screen if you prefer the iOS approach. ASUS also threw in a blue light filter, so you don’t have to disturb your sleeping cycle when using the smartphone at night.

There are some helpful gestures in here too. The ZenFone 3 Zoom supports both motion and touch gestures, which allow for things like flipping over the device to silence it, putting the phone up to your ear to answer, and double tapping to wake the device. All pretty standard stuff, but better to have than not.

Camera

You don’t just throw the word “Zoom” into a smartphone name without justification. So we were expecting some serious close-up power from this handset.

What makes this phone series special is optical zoom, something we very rarely find in smartphones. The original Zoom had a big bump in the back. It looked ugly, but some people were willing to live with that for its 3x optical zoom. ASUS has downgraded a bit with the ZenFone 3 Zoom’s 2.3x optical zoom. Why?

There are no annoying bumps or awkward holding positions to deal with.

The main reason is probably aesthetics. The ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom looks like a regular handset and a good looking one, at that. There are no annoying bumps or awkward holding positions to deal with. It’s just a dual-camera set-up hidden in the back corner. Regardless, optical zoom range seems to be about the only downgrade we can see on paper.

The newer handset comes with a couple Sony IMX362 12 MP sensors with an f/1.7 aperture and a large 1.4 µm pixel size. Other features include 4-axis optical stabilization, 3-axis digital stabilization, 4K @ 30 fps video recording, a white balance color sensor and dual-LED flash.

The front camera definitely received an upgrade too. It went from a simple 5 MP shooter in the previous generation to today’s 12 MP Sony IMX214 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and large 1.12 µm pixels.

I can tell you right off the bat that this camera set-up is cool… but I don’t know if it’s really all that.

This all sounds amazing on paper, but how does it translate to real world usage? After using the camera for a week, I have gotten pretty acquainted with it and can tell you it’s not bad. The question is whether it deserves its camera-centric name, though.

I can tell you right off the bat that this camera set-up is cool… but I don’t know if it’s really “all that”. Let’s show you some examples and go over pictures together, shall we?

We can start with this picture of my friends, but let’s not focus on the totally manly things they are doing. Pay more attention to the center of the image, which showcases poor performance of the RGB white balance sensor. Sure, the socks look white, but the image shows a purple tint around the bike’s motor and tank, an area that should otherwise look jet black.

And despite the fact that we were outdoors in the blazing sun, I see a tiny bit of motion blur in the rider’s face. This should not happen at 1/450 shutter speed.

Now, let’s take a look at this one. Though it might seem like the image is too warm, this is a good thing. The area where this image was taken is actually filled with yellow lights, making this photo look accurate to real life. I was wondering if the camera was able to recreate the lighting effect, and surprisingly it did.

This place was very dimly lit, and the phone handled things pretty well. It’s by no mean a great image, but it did well considering the lighting. This is an example of where it’s not always good having an f/1.7 aperture, because only the front of the scooter is in focus. You start losing plenty of detail once you move away from that little area in the front fender.

Sadly, there isn’t much you can do about the aperture. There is a very cool manual mode that allows you to control white balance, shutter speed, ISO and more, but aperture is fixed. So you’ll just have to deal with the shallow depth of field. All you normally need to do to combat that though is just step back from the subject a bit.

But what about that zoom feature? After all, that’s what this phone is all about, right? Let’s take a look at some zoomed samples.

As you can see in the above, there’s a clear difference in how light and color were handled. The phone’s image processing system detects lighting differently when there are more variations in an image. The wider image has much more contrast, while the zoomed in version focuses on grabbing all the details it can from the shadows. Ultimately, you do get nice detailing in the zoomed in version, even if the photo is warmer and more washed out.

Better lighting clearly helps the 2.3x camera. The one thing that bugs me is that under good lighting the difference in quality is not very different when you compare optically and digitally zoomed images. Just open up the 1.0x image and zoom in as far as the 2.3x one. There is definitely a difference in detail if you really zoom in on both images, but you have to take it pretty far.

These photos were taken in a very dimly lit room. Zooming in on the 1.0x now shows a bit more of a difference when compared to the optically zoomed image. Noise levels and detail remain a bit better when using the 2.3x lens. You can especially tell this with the scooter images. Is the difference enough to justify getting this phone purely for its zoom capabilities? I wouldn’t say so, but it is cool to have.

Zooming in isn’t the only function this dual-camera setup has. Plenty of other phones with a similar system have used it to differentiate distance between objects and create a dramatic bokeh effect (otherwise known as “blurry background”). Want to see how well it works?

As you can see, this portrait mode works much better with people and objects at a farther distance. There is a clear distinction between the body and the background in the first image. Nothing seems off. Looking at the @ sign, things seem a little different. The camera thinks part of the @ sculpture is in the background and has blurred it out.

Then there is that orange part, which is a little sign in the background. Pay attention to it and you will see parts of it are blurred, while a smaller section isn’t. For some reason there is some concrete in focus in the background, right above that orange sign. It’s a total mess.

I took this selfie to show you guys how the front-facing camera works under regular conditions. This is also a high contrast image, though. I thought it would be a good chance to showcase the front-facing flash, which is just the screen throwing light at you.

The difference is quite apparent. More details appear in the image to the right, where the front-facing flash was used. Shadows are more balanced, even if the light becomes a bit over-bearing on the side where the sun hits my face. It’s a matter of preference, but it’s good to see you can light up the darkness, because the front-facing shooter does really bad in the dark.

Porcelain skin. Pitch black shadows. No details in the hair and beard. Need I say more?

Battery life

This is one of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom’s main highlights. In fact, I would say this is more exciting than the optical zoom! The device packs a massive 5,000 mAh battery. Factor in the mid-end specs and the lower-resolution screen and you have a device that will easily take you through a couple days on a single charge. As a primary smartphone, I was never able to kill the phone in a single day, even when using it heavily. The ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom is truly the king of smartphone battery life.

The ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom is truly the king of smartphone battery life.

Out of the many phones I have used, this would definitely be my first choice to take on a camping trip. The device has so much battery, you can even use it to charge other products! ASUS’ reverse charging will charge slowly, as it is limited to 1A, and you will need an appropriate cable but it works, which is pretty crazy.

There is one downside to this huge battery, though. It takes forever to charge! This is because the phone’s fast charging is not up to standard. It juices up at 5V/2A, which is not that impressive compared to most modern smartphones. The phone takes a long time to die, true, but you will have to wait a while for it to revive when it eventually does.

We must give props to ASUS for being able to fit such a large battery into a regular-looking phone, without turning it into a heavy brick. This handset is thin and light (170 grams) and it still has a 5,000 mAh battery. To me, battery life trumps all (as long as the general experience is acceptable), so the ZenFone 3 Zoom has quickly become one of my favorite phones.

Specifications

Screen	5.5-inch AMOLED 1920×1080
Processor	2.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor
RAM	3/4 GB
Rear camera	Dual 12 MP, SONY IMX362, f/1.7 aperture
Front camera	12 MP, SONY IMX214, f/2.0 aperture
Storage	32/64 GB (with microSD support)
Dimensions	6.07 x 3.03 x 0.31 inches
Weight	5.99 ounces
Network	Dual-SIM

Price & final thoughts

Using the ASUS ZenFone 3 isn’t a bad experience. You get modest mid-range specs that can handle most tasks properly. Just don’t expect premium performance out of it.

As for the camera, it’s pretty good. Its optical zooming capabilities are not amazing, but it’s a nice feature to have. I just wouldn’t buy the phone solely for that reason. Since the phone’s focus is in large part on its camera, this is pretty disappointing. At the end of the day, it can take some nice pictures, but they won’t compare to those coming from high-end handsets. The battery is arguably the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom’s best feature, not its camera.

The battery is arguably the ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom’s best feature, not its camera.

Interested? The ASUS ZenFone 3 starts at $329 from Amazon. It’s not an incredible camera phone, but if you are looking for an affordable handset that will last, this is it.

Buy ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL hands-on – The Pixel line, refined

Last year marked a big shift for Google’s mobile efforts. In a bid to compete against Apple, Samsung, LG, and other top-tier smartphone manufacturers, Google launched its very own consumer-friendly smartphone lineup to compete with the best devices on the market. Fast forward one year, and Google’s next attempt at winning over consumers comes hot on the heels of its 2,000-employee acquisition from HTC. This year, the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL bring a refined design, top-of-the-line specs, and what’s being touted as the best smartphone camera ever.

Without any further delay, let’s take a closer look at Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Pixel 2 XL: The Google smartphone… redefined

The Pixel 2 XL is considerably different than the Pixel 2, with the latter more of an iterative upgrade that serves a different purpose. It’s very reminiscent of the LG V30, which makes sense, since it was manufactured by LG.

Like its smaller sibling, the Google Pixel 2 XL is made up of a mostly-aluminum chassis with a curved glass panel towards the top of the device that houses the camera. The fingerprint sensor is a little larger than last year, making it easier to find. The glass panel on the back side is smaller and stops short of covering the fingerprint sensor.

The key difference with the Pixel 2 XL this year is its display. Google chose a 6-inch pOLED 18:9 display at a QHD+ (2,880 x 1,440) resolution. Although the top and bottom bezels are not as small as on LG’s flagship, the display takes up a large part of the overall handset and is flanked by two front facing stereo speakers.

The whole package is powered by a very respectable 3,520 mAh battery that should offer all-day battery life

The Pixel 2 XL is powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of internal storage. It also sports an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, which offers protection against dust and liquid and brings Google’s flagship in line with other flagships of 2017.

As had been rumored, Google has removed the headphone jack on both devices this year, instead opting to rely on USB Type-C to power wired headphones. The whole package is powered by a very respectable 3,520 mAh battery that should offer all-day battery life. In fact, Google says a 15 minute charge can deliver up to 7 hours of battery life.

These new cameras are apparently in a league of their own

Around back, the Pixel 2 XL sports a single rear camera. While last year’s devices offered up a stellar camera experience, these new cameras are apparently in a league of their own. According to DxOMark’s ranking – which should be taken with a grain of salt – the Google Pixel 2 scores a whopping 98, making it the best smartphone camera ever tested by DxO. The camera itself is a 1/2.6-inch 12.2 MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. Despite only having one camera, the Pixel 2 is capable of the same depth effect bokeh that dual camera devices offer. Is it any good? It’s difficult to say from our brief time with the device, but we can’t wait to put it to the test!

Running the latest Android 8.0 Oreo, the Google Pixel 2 XL also comes with a couple of new software additions, the most notable of which being the Always-On Display. This isn’t your normal Always-On Display, however. Google built a useful new feature into the device that will make it much easier to identify that song you’re hearing in a restaurant. The Pixel devices will constantly listen to the music around you and identify the song at the bottom of the Always-On Display without the user doing anything.

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Three years ago Google introduced us to its new design language called Material Design. It was flat, graphical and colorful. It was the visual change that ushered in the beginning of a new age for …The Pixel Launcher has also been updated. Google has done away with the “pill” and weather widgets that took up a lot of the real estate on the Pixel. There’s now an “at a glance” section at the top of the launcher that gives you easy access to upcoming events and weather.

Google recently acquired 2,000 engineers and some important Intellectual Property from HTC for $1.1 billion and the fruits of this are already apparent. Rather than a button to launch an Assistant like on the Galaxy S8, the Pixel 2 XL comes with an Active Edge feature (think HTC Edge Sense) that lets you squeeze the sides of the phone to launch the Assistant. It’s not as powerful as Edge Sense, though it’s still plenty fun to use.

The Pixel 2 XL comes in Just Black and (our personal favorite) Black & White color options. Call it a panda, Stormtrooper, zebra, or whatever, this color combination is rather unique and definitely stands out. However, the all-black Pixel 2 XL comes with a textured metallic back, while the Black & White version has a glossy finish that offers less grip and attracts more fingerprints.

At a cost of $849 – or up to $1200 in Europe once converted – the Pixel 2 XL is definitely not a cheap phone, though it’s cheaper than its two main rivals. The Galaxy Note 8 starts around $930 while the iPhone X will cost $999 when it launches at the end of the month. Pre-orders for the Pixel 2 XL begin today and will ship in 6-8 weeks, although there’s no exact shipping date given by Google at this time.

Pixel 2 – an upgrade to the Pixel

The Pixel 2 shares just about everything – specs, features, and design – as the Pixel 2 XL, aside from a few outliers

The Google Pixel 2 shares just about everything – specs, features, and design – as the Pixel 2 XL, aside from a few outliers. For starters, this device comes with a 5.0-inch Full HD OLED display with a more traditional aspect ratio of 16:9. The decision to go with a 16:9 display is certainly questionable, however. While the Google Pixel 2 XL sports an aesthetic that’s more in-line with other 2017 flagships, the Pixel 2 stands out because it looks more like a 2016 flagship, thanks to its big bezels on the top and bottom.

One other difference between the two models — battery size. The Pixel 2 comes with a 2,700 mAh battery, which is a tad small compared to other devices on the market. However, Google remains confident that the Pixel 2 will be able to achieve all-day battery life on a single charge.

Last but not least, you don’t need to pay as much for the Google Pixel 2. The Pixel 2 is available starting at $649 for the 64 GB model and $749 for the 128 GB variant. It’s available in Kinda Blue, Just Black, and Clearly White color options.

Don’t miss: Google Pixel 2 price, release date, and availability details

What do you think?

After much aplomb, Google’s new flagships are finally here and bring a ton of great features to the table. They’re not perfect, though. They are priced higher than most people would like, and the lack of headphone jack will certainly turn some people away.

But what do you think? Are you planning on buying either one, or are you going to pass? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

ZTE Blade Z Max review

With the rise of the ultra-premium smartphone, some current generation flagships are hitting all time price-highs. Fortunately, some OEMs have continued to focus on and improve things at the lower end of the price spectrum as well.

Today’s budget-friendly smartphones are as affordable and reliable as ever, but what can we really expect from a device that costs just a tenth of what some of the highest-end offerings will set you back? Let’s find out what the  ZTE Blade Z Max has to offer!

Design

The first thing is striking about the the Blade Z Max is its size. This is an unapologetically large smartphone. Its design is reminiscent of a time before the screen-to-body ratio defined a phone and ultra-large displays were squeezed into relatively compact bodies.

The thick upper and lower bezels are particularly glaring, though they provide plenty of finger room while holding the device in landscape orientation. After using a few near bezel-less phones recently, I have to say that this is actually a comfort that I kind of miss.

Given how affordable it is, the Blade Z Max manages to pull off a rather appealing aesthetic, with what seems like a lot of attention to detail. It lacks premium materials, but doesn’t feel cheap. The durable plastic back comes with a textured honeycomb design, providing much needed grip to an otherwise large and unwieldy phone. While the frame is also made of plastic, it features a metallic finish to give the phone a premium look.

Given how affordable it is, the Blade Z Max lacks premium materials, but doesn’t feel cheap.

Taking a look around the device, everything seems to be the appropriate place. The volume rocker and the textured power button are on the right. The headphone jack and the USB-C port are at the bottom. The SIM card and microSD card combo tray is to the left. The single speaker unit can be found on the back.

Display

One of the highlights of the Blade Z Max is its huge 6-inch IPS LCD display that comes with a Full HD resolution and resulting pixel density of 367 ppi. It’s not be a contender for sharpest smartphone display, but it is extremely capable in its own right.

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Colors are accurate and quite vivid. Viewing angles aren’t an issue. The brightness is enough to allow for comfortable outdoor viewing. There isn’t much, if any, light bleed in low-light situations. Darker shades appeared to be uniform across the display. The front of the phone is covered with a 2.5D scratch resistant glass panel that provides some protection and a touch of style with the finger-friendly smooth, rounded edges.

Performance

Under the hood, the ZTE Blade Z Max comes with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor. Everything runs as smooth as can be expected. The device takes advantage of its stock-like software experience to keep things snappy. Apps may take a touch longer to load, but aside from that, the overall performance has been pretty good.

With only 2 GB of RAM, the Blade Z Max is hardly a multi-tasking powerhouse.

The Adreno 505 GPU holds its own for gaming. I didn’t see much in the way of dropped frames or laggy gameplay, even with the performance settings set to maximum in many cases.

One thing that may be a point of contention is the fact that the device comes with only 2 GB of RAM and therefore is hardly a multi-tasking powerhouse. However, there weren’t many instances where the lack of RAM resulted in poor performance. You could bog things down and cause unwanted refreshes by keeping a lot of apps open at the same time, but you should have no complaints with average usage.

Hardware

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The Blade Z Max comes with 32 GB of built-in storage that is further expandable via microSD card up to an additional 128 GB.

While the phone’s single speaker unit gets decently loud, its rear-firing placement isn’t ideal and the audio quality itself isn’t the best. There is very little low to mid-range presence which unfortunately results in an overall thin and tinny listening experience.

Also within easy reach on the back is the fingerprint scanner. This sensor is without a doubt one of the best I’ve used with a performance that rivals far more expensive phones out there. The scanner is extremely accurate and quick to unlock the device. It never failed to read my fingerprint. The fact that you get this kind of fingerprint sensor performance with an ultra-affordable smartphone is truly a testament to how advanced biometric technology has become.

One of the advantages of such a large smartphone is how much room it has for a battery, and the Blade Z Max is no exception with its 4,080 mAh unit. The phone can easily provide a full day of use and you may even be able to push that to two days with average usage. The large battery will take a while to fully charge, but support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 helps it along.

The ZTE Blade Z Max can easily provide a full day of use with its 4,080 mAh battery.

Camera

The standout feature of the ZTE Z Blade Max is definitely its cameras, with this being one of very few budget smartphones to feature a dual camera setup on the back.

There is a respectable 8 MP front-facing shooter, which comes with a fairly standard field of view and a few different ways to take a selfie. Apart from the shutter button, you can take a shot with a tap of the fingerprint scanner, or by simply smiling in the frame. A beauty mode is available for smoothing out skin tone and blemishes. A small picture-in-picture window also functions as a viewfinder to allow for the rest of the screen to be used as a flash.

On the back is a dual camera setup comprised of a 16 MP main sensor that is paired with a 2 MP secondary unit that allows for artificial depth of field style effects, similar to what is available with some higher-end phones.

In normal shooting conditions, the image quality is about what you would expect from an affordable device with a mid-range camera. It is capable of taking some decent looking shots in well-lit situations with images that are sharp, with a good amount of detail. However, the color reproduction, dynamic range, and the ability to shoot in low-light suffers a bit.

In normal shooting conditions, image quality is about what you would expect from an affordable device.

The shutter speed is also not the fastest, so you will need a steady hand. The phone takes a even longer to process each image when using its burst mode.

Available shooting modes include panorama, time lapse, and multi-exposure. There is also a rather robust manual mode, which is something that you don’t usually see in this price range. You get granular control over aspects like ISO, exposure, white balance, and focus, and the built-in horizon level is a nice inclusion. Also available is a histogram to further fine tune your shots, and you also have the option to shoot using different metering modes and resolutions.

Selecting the dual lens option brings up the portrait, bokeh, and monocolor modes. The much-sought-after portrait mode will let you snap a shot, and the phone will process the image and add the background blur for you.

Unless you frame the shot perfectly, this is pretty much what you can expect most of the time. There is also no way to make adjustments to the image in any way.

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On the other hand, the bokeh mode offers more control over how much background blur is added. There’s an f-stop slider at the bottom, which imitates what your depth of field would look like with different apertures. The nice thing is that you can make this adjustment even after the photo is taken. The level of control here is good to have, but unfortunately, the overall performance is quite similar to what you get with the portrait mode.

The camera is definitely capable of getting the shot right, but more often than not, it is dependent on the shooting scenario and requires a lot of patience. The dual camera setup may not be at the same level as its higher-end counterparts, but for now, it is a pleasant indication of what the future has in store for budget phone cameras.

Software

On the software side of things, the Blade Z Max is running Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box and ZTE has opted to keep the UI very close to stock Android. Software features like split screen have been implemented well and allow you to make full use of the large display.

Other notable inclusions are the ability to double tap the power button to quickly launch the camera, the option to swap the positions of the capacitive navigation keys, being able to use the capacitive home button as a notification light, and using the fingerprint scanner to directly open apps from standby.

Specifications

Display	6-inch IPS LCD display 1920 x 1080 resolution, 367 ppi
Processor	1.4 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor Adreno 505 GPU
RAM	2 GB
Storage	32 GB expandable via microSD up to 128 GB
Camera	16 MP + 2 MP dual rear cameras 8 MP front-facing camera
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 A-GPS USB-C 1.0
Battery	4,080 mAh
Software	Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Dimensions	166.1 x 84.6 x 8.4 mm 175 grams

Gallery

Pricing and final thoughts

The ZTE Blade Z Max brings a lot to the table with its dual camera setup,  fingerprint scanner, large display, and even larger battery. The only small thing about this device is its price point. While initially launched at a very affordable $130, the device is currently available from MetroPCS for just $99!

This is certainly an ambitious smartphone from ZTE, and while it may not excel at all that it tries to offer, it succeeds a lot more than it fails. Regardless of the results, by introducing some usually high-end features in this price range, it is only going to encourage more manufacturers to follow suit.

Moto G5S Plus review: this is a budget phone?

What exactly quantifies a budget smartphone? Is it a price point resting below a certain level? A lack of any flagship-level features? Or an outdated design compared to today’s standards?

The answer is different for almost everyone, but one thing is for certain: Lenovorola knows how to refine a design, generation after generation. This is the Moto G5S Plus review.

Design

The Moto G5S Plus is definitely a step up from the Moto G5 Plus, which had a similar layout but felt like it was much more pieced-together than a solid chunk of metal whittled down into the shape of a handset.

The Moto G5S Plus really fits the profile for a solid modern-day smartphone

With a rounded all-metal design reminiscent of something like the OnePlus 5, the Moto G5S Plus really fits the profile for a solid modern-day smartphone. While the screen might be a bit large for some users at 5.5 inches, it feels like it adds to the media experience more than it detracts from usability.

The Moto badge on the back of the phone becomes an indent yet again, which makes me nostalgic for the first generation Moto X. This aids in the overall feel of the device in your hand, since your index finger naturally lands in the general area of the dimple.

Above the dimple you’ll find the Moto camera bump that’s been present for the last couple of generations. This time, the company has actually managed to pack in two sensors, which brings the device up to date with many of today’s flagships. 

I found the power and volume rockers to be exceptionally clicky and pronounced, sticking out a fair bit more than other options on the market. They jut out about twice as far as the Moto G5 Plus’ buttons, so it’s clear that the company took in user feedback and acted on it in the next revision. These buttons are also made of the same metallic alloy as the phone itself, so they feel very premium.

On the bottom edge you’ll find some a mono downward-firing speaker and a micro-USB port. The headphone jack – yes, it has one – sits on the top edge of the device. I personally like this placement, since I listen to a lot of podcasts while my phone is in my pocket.

The Moto G5S Plus is extremely fast to wake when you tap your finger to the reader

There is a fingerprint reader on the front of the phone and it is extremely fast. I don’t know if my Pixel XL has just become slower over the last year, but the Moto G5S Plus feels even faster to wake when you tap your finger to the reader. It’s also really sensitive. This became problematic a few times though, as the phone would sometimes wake while it was sitting in my pocket.

The only caveat I’ve had with the design of this device is that the metal rim seems to scratch and chip fairly easily. Over the week or so that I’ve had it I’ve noticed a number of scars appear on the trim, especially where the screen meets the exterior. While this isn’t a huge deal, it makes an otherwise premium-feeling device seem just a little less exceptional.

While the overall design of this device isn’t incredibly original, it’s still very good. I hope Moto continues to refine upon it for Moto G generations to come.

Display

Despite its design, this is still a budget device. Because of that, Motorola included a Full HD 1080p display in this phone. Is that bad?

Not in the slightest.

I’ve said this before, but using 1080p displays in smartphones barely makes any difference at all in overall usability, and this is no exception. The 5.5-inch LCD panel does just fine in almost every circumstance, and 401 ppi is perfectly fine for most people.

The Moto G5S Plus’ display felt quite bright even at all-but minimal brightness, so I was still able to keep the device on the ultra-low end of the brightness scale while using it outdoors. Colors pop very nicely, and I never felt that I wanted something more punchy.

Editor’s Pick

Best budget phones with (near) bezel-less displays

The smartphone industry is a notoriously fickle beast where bold innovations are just a few fatal steps away from becoming the latest flash-in-the-pan gimmick. Every now and again though, there’s a design quirk that sticks …

Sure, this phone doesn’t have the new bezel-less style like many flagships on the market today, but it feels like it uses up the space of the bezels quite well. There is a “moto” logo at the top that could probably be removed to make room for a bigger screen, but this has become an essential part of Lenovo’s branding, so I can understand why they kept it.

Performance & hardware

Surprisingly, Moto doesn’t really skimp that much when it comes to hardware and raw specifications, despite the Moto G5S Plus’ low starting price. The phone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 does a more than a decent job for a majority of the things you’ll be using your phone for.

There are two versions sporting different amounts of RAM and internal storage. One packs 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage for $229, while the heftier 4 GB / 64 GB model will cost an additional $70. I had the latter for this review. I’ve been very happy with the performance this option has been giving me, but I’m sure the baseline model would do just fine as well. Both models also have a micro-SD slot, so you can easily take all your music and other media with you when you upgrade.

The G5S Plus is packing a 3,000 mAh battery, which is about average for a device of this size, but pairs very, very well with the FHD display.

The handset lasted two entire days on one charge, which left me with a smile on my face at the end of it all

The handset lasted two entire days on one charge, which left me smiling. I unplugged it Sunday morning before heading out of the house, and the device died just as I arrived home Monday evening. I was able to snap a screenshot immediately before this though, and I came away with four hours and forty-three minutes of screen-on time. Pretty admirable.

The G5s charges using the Micro-USB port at the bottom of the phone. It supports Moto’s TurboPower charging capabilities, so assuming you have the correct brick, you should be able to juice the phone up quite rapidly. While I would have loved to see a USB Type-C port here, this is just one of the compromises Moto had to make to keep the device at this price point.

The bottom-firing speakers get quite loud, though they lack bass. Moto’s default ringtones and alert sounds are also quite shrill and annoying, so you’ll want to keep this thing on vibrate or change the system sounds to something easier on the ears.

I was very disappointed to find that Motorola has not included an NFC chip in this phone. I use Android Pay every single day, and I was really confused when I went to pay for my groceries and nothing happened when I tapped the reader. This is a huge detriment for me, and we’ve seen how people react when small features like this are overlooked.

Overall the device has solid components. For $229-$300 it’s going to be tough to find such compelling features in 2017.

Camera(s)

The Moto G5S Plus features a pair of dual-cameras, both with 13 MP sensors, and an 8 MP front-facing selfie camera. But as we’ve seen previously, sheer numbers don’t tell more than half the story of a camera’s actual quality and functionality. 

The secondary camera on the G5S Plus only handles depth effects and it does it pretty badly. Images look very soft and lack detail when using this mode; so much so it’s not really worth using at all. There’s a slider to control the intensity of the depth effect, but honestly they’re all pretty bad. It worked best when used on a human subject, which I admit it was probably tuned for, but not all shots are portraits.

There’s a slider to control the intensity of the depth effect, but honestly they’re all pretty bad.

The live view shown when using the depth mode also makes the phone lag quite a lot. This is frustrating, because the dual cameras were obviously a standout marketing point. Even pressing the shutter button makes the phone freeze for a couple of seconds. Viewing the images later will initially show what the regular shot would have looked like for a few seconds before loading the depth of field effect. 

The front-facing selfie camera does an alright job, though it definitely crushes blacks more than I would like. Just wearing a maroon colored shirt in normal indoor lighting had the camera showing it as barely colored at all, which is a big letdown for me. Highlights also get blown out very easily, and it makes it very hard to get an evenly lit shot.

The camera works, but you’re going to have to expand your budget quite a bit if you want a phone that you can also use as your primary shooter.

Software

Navigating Motorola’s lightly skinned version of Android is a breeze on this device. It’s running Android 7.1 Nougat, and the company has even promised that owners will see Android Oreo in the coming months.

Motorola didn’t load this device with any bloatware (unless you consider Google apps bloatware 🤷‍♂️) except for an app simply called Moto. While I find most manufacturer gimmicks annoying and cumbersome, Motorola is the one company whose added functionality I always appreciate.

Editor’s Pick

Android 8.0 update: when will you get it?

The Android 8.0 Oreo update brings the next major version of Android to our devices, starting with Google’s own Pixel and Nexus devices. As always we can expect it to take anywhere from a couple of …

There are two subsections of the Moto app: Moto Actions and Moto Display. These offer a wide variety of gestures and actions that will make your Android experience a lot simpler to use. You’re also able to toggle features on and off as you please.

Moto Actions

One button nav: Uses the fingerprint sensor as a home, sleep, back, and multitasking button, depending on the gesture.

Chop twice for flashlight: Allows you to toggle the flashlight on and off by making a “double chop” motion with the device.

Twist for quick capture: Allows you to quickly launch the camera by twisting your wrist in a rapid motion.

Swipe to shrink screen: Makes the screen smaller for easier one-handed use.

Pick up to stop ringing: Switches to vibrate when you lift the phone while it’s ringing.

Flip for Do Not Disturb: Allows you to silence all notifications and calls by placing the phone on its face.

Moto Display

Night Display: Reduces blue light during a set period to help you sleep better after using your device just before bed.

Moto Display: Displays actionable notifications for you to quickly launch and interact with while the phone is locked.

Nearly all of these features were immensely helpful, and some (like Moto Display) have even become baked into Android over the years.

There aren’t any other bloatware apps present on this device. FM Radio makes an appearance, but that is more of a bonus than a detriment, especially when most flagship devices on the market today have removed this functionality.

Specs

Display	5.5-inch IPS LCD 1920 x 1080 resolution 401ppi Gorilla Glass 3
Processor	2.0 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
GPU	Adreno 506
RAM	3/4 GB
Storage	32/64 GB microSD expansion up to 256 GB
Cameras	Rear: Dual 13 MP sensors with an f/2 aperture Front: 8 MP sensor with an f/2 aperture
Battery	3,000 mAh Non-removable
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11n dual-band Bluetooth 4.2 MicroUSB 3.5mm headphone jack GPS+GLONASS NFC (not in the US)
Software	Android 7.1 Nougat (Planned 8.0 update)
Dimensions and weight	153.5 x 76.2 x 8.0 mm 168 grams

Gallery

Pricing & final thoughts

The Moto G5S Plus is an incredibly compelling piece of hardware. We crowned its younger sibling the Moto G5 Plus the king of budget back in April of this year, and this newer ‘S’ variant improves upon this model in every way.

For $229 you’re getting a modern day exterior, a lightning fast fingerprint reader, simplistic and compelling software with a guaranteed update to Google’s latest version, and even dual cameras (though we’ve seen much better). Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 performs admirably accompanied by the 3/4 GB RAM options, and storage shouldn’t be an issue due to the option for micro-SD expansion.

Coming in at just $10 more expensive than the G5 Plus, there really isn’t any reason not to pick up the G5S Plus. It looks and feels better in every way, and though the specs are very similar, you’re still getting more RAM and dual cameras with an improved body in the latter. What’s not to love?

The Moto G5S Plus might not be the most premium device in the world, but it is a pretty damn good phone. For the price, it’s hard to ask for much more.

Buy now at Best Buy

Next: Best cheap phones (September 2017)

Pizza Hut’s ‘Pizza Parka’ includes a smartphone pouch for super-quick ordering

Why it matters to you

If your wardrobe seems incomplete without the “Pizza Parka,” then you’d better hurry and enter the prize draw.

Pizza Hut has just launched a “Pizza Parka”, which, despite it having a pouch for your smartphone that lets you place an order in a couple of taps, you probably won’t want to wear.

That’s because it’s a little on the gaudy side, and contains enough branding to ensure you’d have to field questions from total strangers about Pizza Hut’s menu as well as other aspects of its business if you wore it out and about.

The pizza company is using the wacky jacket to highlight the launch of its latest “pizza delivery system,” which can also be accurately described as a “bag.”

Using the same material to keep your pizza nice and toasty, the new jacket features “heat-lovers’ advanced triple-layer insulation with 3M Thinsulate material [and a] weatherproof outer crust with oven-hot sealed seams.” Far from keeping you warm, it sounds like the Pizza Parka might actually leave you sweating like a pig in a sauna.

Our new delivery pouch is so good at keeping pizza oven-hot, we’ve found a way to share the warmth. pic.twitter.com/1Zm1VmFrWc

— Pizza Hut (@pizzahut) October 9, 2017

For true pizza fans, the most appealing feature will be the “easy-ordering window” in the parka’s left sleeve, where you can put your smartphone. The pocket’s easy access lets you place an order in a matter of seconds, while its clear window lets you track the delivery of the pizza all the way to your drooling mouth. There’s even an inside pocket shaped like a pizza slice, though the video’s narrator helpfully points out that it “isn’t really meant for pizza.”

The parka is a limited edition effort, which seems wise as you really wouldn’t want to make too many of these.

Pizza Hut is offloading the parkas via a prize draw that you’ll be entered in — whether you like it or not — when you place an order via its website between now and the end of October, which, if you didn’t already know, happens to be National Pizza Month

Alternatively, if you’d like to win the jacket for a friend or possibly foe, you can also enter the draw by tweeting the pizza slice and flame emoji to Pizza Hut’s Twitter account.

This isn’t the first time the company has used clothing to put its business in the spotlight. Earlier this year it unveiled Pie Tops, special sneakers with a button in the tongue that, when pressed, sends an order straight to Pizza Hut for your favorite cheesy snack.

Edible sensor can measure your gut from within

Studying the stomach for a long period can be tricky, which is why medical tech has turned to experimenting with sensors you can swallow. Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have built one designed to cling to the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and monitor its contractions to track afflictions.

There, the sensor can measure atypical movement, like food slowdown potentially caused by gastrointestinal disorders. Or they could help doctors monitor food intake for patients treated for obesity. The team reported their research in the latest issue of the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

The sensors themselves are made from piezoelectric materials, which generate a current and voltage when they’re bent out of shape. They also contain polymers that imitate the elasticity of human skin, so when the gastrointestinal walls they cling to flex and stretch, so do they. Plus, they’re robust enough to survive up to two days during tests, when the researchers immersed the sensors in the stomachs of pigs.

In the future, the researchers hope to harness the sensor’s piezoelectric potential — i.e., generating energy whenever the device flexes to power other features. Such sensors of the future might not even need batteries and rely on the motion of the human body.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: MIT News

Twitter suspends Rose McGowan’s account

Over the last week or so, rumors about movie executive Harvey Weinstein have turned into actual reports of sexual harassment and rape by The New York Times and The New Yorker. As a result of those public reports, he has been fired by the board of his own company, while many in Hollywood (and beyond) have come forward to talk more openly about incidents of sexual harassment and assault. One of the most notable voices has been that of actress Rose McGowan, who tweeted last year that her own assault has “been an open secret in Hollywood/Media & they shamed me while adulating my rapist.” Tonight, Twitter temporarily pulled the plug on her account.

Since the news broke — including a report by the NYT that he reached a settlement with her in 1997 — she has pushed for The Weinstein Company to dissolve its board, saying that they knew about his settlements, and said that Ben Affleck lied when he denied knowing about Weinstein’s history. Now, she posted a screenshot to Instagram showing that Twitter has suspended her account for 12 hours, citing unspecified posts that break its policy — the same policy that has struggled to curtail Russian manipulation campaigns, white supremacists, ISIS and any number of bots for any number of reasons.

Many high profile bans have been for very specific reasons, but it’s not immediately clear what triggered this action. Recently Twitter’s CEO said “We’re putting significant effort into increasing our transparency as a company, and commit to meaningful and fast progress,” but none of that is evident here. The company has justified other moves in favor of retaining tweets or accounts because they’re “newsworthy” and lately, McGowan’s posts more than fit that bill. Still, for unclear reasons, Twitter’s stance has it positioned against a vulnerable voice instead of serving to amplify it and drive needed change. We will update this post if Twitter provides any explanation why.

TWITTER HAS SUSPENDED ME. THERE ARE POWERFUL FORCES AT WORK. BE MY VOICE. #ROSEARMY

A post shared by Rose McGowan (@rosemcgowan) on Oct 11, 2017 at 9:19pm PDT

I needed a laugh, thank you https://t.co/qXDWYXZmkU

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 10, 2017

@benaffleck “GODDAMNIT! I TOLD HIM TO STOP DOING THAT” you said that to my face. The press conf I was made to go to after assault. You lie.

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 10, 2017

TWC You don’t get to change your company name & be done with it. Every man there has the blood of sorrow on their hands. You are dirty.

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 10, 2017

TWC You don’t get to change your company name & be done with it. Every man there has the blood of sorrow on their hands. You are dirty.

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 10, 2017

Source: New York Times, Rose McGowan (Instagram)

California DMV tweaks rules to allow completely driverless cars

California is already more accommodating to self-driving cars than many parts of the country, but it’s taking that friendliness one step further today. The state DMV has modified its regulations to streamline the testing and use of fully autonomous cars (that is, ones that don’t need anyone behind the wheel). Many of these are subtle but important changes. Car makers no longer need to notify local officials of the “operational design domain” of their machines, summarize all the instances when a car’s autonomous driving disengages or certify that a car can’t drive itself in commonly restricted conditions.

The DMV is adamant that it’s not trying to override federal efforts to regulate self-driving cars. California will require certification for federal standards before their rides are legal. Instead, this is more about greasing the wheels once the feds have given the all-clear — driverless vehicles should reach the road that much sooner.

Source: California DMV, (PDF)

Bear Notes 1.3 for iOS Adds Multitasking ‘Drop Bar’ and Apple Watch Support

Bear Notes for iOS got a 1.3 update on Wednesday, bringing new note multitasking feature for iPad and iPhone as well as adding Apple Watch support to the popular writing app for the first time.

Using the new multi-touch gestures in iOS 11, the new “Drop Bar” enables users to manipulate multiple notes as once, including the ability to merge, share, pin, trash, duplicate, and copy or export them in a variety of formats.

For example, when a user selects two or more notes (by tapping and holding on one and then selecting others in the same way), dragging the notes triggers the Drop Bar, which appears at the bottom of the Notes List. Dragging said notes into the Drop Bar presents the user with a new sheet listing the above options, allowing them to select the desired one.

As a result, users are now able to copy multiple notes to the clipboard as one big note, or export them all as one complete JPEG to share over Twitter, for example. Other possibilities include creating template notes for work or journaling and duplicating them all at once, or copying links to multiple notes at once to paste in other apps for quick access. (Some export options require Bear Pro.)

Bear’s new Drop Bar in action
In addition, Bear’s new Apple Watch support means users can create new text notes simply by speaking to their Apple Watch, and they will be transcribed into text and saved to Bear for iPhone. With the new smartwatch feature, users can also view their 10 most recent notes on their wrist and annotate said notes, while a new Bear complication adds the ability to record a new note straight from the watch face.

Bear is available to download on the App Store for iPad and iPhone [Direct Link], as well as on the Mac App Store [Direct Link].
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SpaceX is getting really good at launching and landing recycled rockets

Why it matters to you

SpaceX has made impressive progress toward its goal of creating a reliable, reusable rocket system for cheaper space travel.

When some fella called Elon Musk pondered the idea all those years ago of launching a rocket, landing it, and flying it again, some folks likely scoffed, while others perhaps choked on their coffee; a few may even have wondered if they should call a doctor.

But then Musk went and did it.

Now, Musk’s company, SpaceX, is getting rather good at reusing its rockets, scoring a third successful mission of this kind on Wednesday. Such a system aims to drastically lower the cost of space travel, allowing for more missions and, in time, more ambitious journeys into deep space.

The private space company launched a Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center at just after 6.50 pm ET. It marked SpaceX’s 15th launch of 2017, and its 18th landing to date, this latest one on its drone ship floating in the Atlantic Ocean. The perfect touchdown, nine minutes after it left the ground, means SpaceX can now use it for a third time once it’s been refurbished.

The rocket in Wednesday’s mission used a first stage that previously flew in February when it carried supplies to the International Space Station.

SpaceX achieved its first Falcon 9 reflight in March, 2017. Musk described the success as “a huge revolution in space travel,” adding, “It’s the difference between … if you threw away an airplane after every flight versus you could reuse them multiple times.” Musk said the next goal is to cut the reflight time from months to just 24 hours.

With the extraordinary landings still dazzling many of those who follow SpaceX’s trials and tribulations, it can be easy to overlook the actual purpose of these missions. This latest one, for the record, deployed a commercial communications satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit for US-based operator EchoStar and Luxembourg-based SES.

In a busy week for Elon Musk and his team, SpaceX launched another rocket on Monday in a mission that took 10 communications satellites into orbit for U.S. firm Iridium.

This year’s successes certainly mark a turnaround for the company following a difficult patch in 2016 when one of its rockets suddenly exploded on the launchpad, forcing SpaceX to put its operations on hold for several months.

Its rockets returned to flight in January this year and continues to serve a range of customers for satellite deployments while also ferrying supplies to the space station.