How mobile technology can improve your college life

Days when lectures prepared printed presentations and handouts for their classes are about to be gone forever. At least, in those institutions where teachers understand there is no way to resist technology. According to the Pew Research Center study, 94% of young people aged 18-29 use smartphones and number of Americans using tablet computers is constantly growing. Also, the study shows that young adults rely on their smartphones for online access rather than sitting in front of their desktops. Wouldn’t it be just foolish for colleges to ignore the trends and not adapt their learning process to them?

Mobile technology brings change to education

For the last decade, mobile technology has been changing the way we receive and treat information dramatically. Availability of mobile gadgets has a huge effect on the way we learn and education in general. Let’s have a quick look at what is becoming different.

1. Tablets make learning more personal and engaging. Young people enjoy the privilege to learn when they want and from the resources they like. They prefer apps which make lessons interactive and entertaining. To follow this trend, educators are also trying to include game elements to their programs.
2. Feedback in real time. Multiple studies show that when students get a quick feedback, their performance tends to go up. The reason is obvious – students can apply what they’ve learned immediately.
3. Learning process becomes more interactive. Instead of making students read long and boring textbooks, the most progressive educators introduce new concepts using tablets, for example, two-way interactions teaching to solve problems.
4. Digital texts displace printed books. Of course, no one says modern students do not need to read. They do. But they don’t have to go to libraries since they can access the majority of texts from their mobile devices. This is convenient and easy.

How to use your cellphone for learning

Mobile devices have many functions which can make education process easier and more fun. Grab your cell phone or tablet and let’s see how well they are equipped for education purposes.

Audio recording apps

There are plenty of mobile apps which allow students to record lectures, interviews and other events on their device. Teachers can also benefit from this since they don’t have to spend their time on going over the same material again. Another way teachers can use audio recording on smartphones is to provide personal feedback to students.

Polling apps

Did you know that you can use your mobile device for live polling right there during your class? It can be useful for different projects. Teachers may also benefit from using these apps to assess students’ progress.

Video recording apps

The best content for different projects can be created by video apps on mobile phones. With videos students show a better understanding of certain topics. Plus, classes become more interesting and creative when students deliver their presentations using video content. Also, a video can serve as a great alternative to a long custom descriptive essay!

Apps to stay connected

Mobile devices allow students to connect with their classmates and teachers using a quick access to various discussion forums. Join conversations or seek help if you didn’t understand something in the class whenever you need it.

QR codes apps

Teachers can code links, diagrams and other learning materials for students’ convenience. Young people will like such an innovative approach and will respond with a better performance.

As you can see, mobile technologies give so much space for creative learning. And the benefits of using them could be impressive. It will not save your time only but also increase productivity and make students’ and teachers’ lives more interesting and effective.

The XPS 15 2-in-1 is Dell’s version of a concept car. Here’s how it was built

The Dell XPS 13 is hands-down our favorite laptop, and it’s the kind of product we recommend to just about anyone. But what if you’re interested in something even more forward-thinking? What about a PC that’s a bit more…experimental?

From a distance, the XPS 15 2-in-1 might not look like that device. It carries over many design characteristics from the XPS 15, along with the convertible form factor of the XPS 13 2-in-1. In fact, from the outside, you might not be able to tell them apart. Convertible form factors are as common today as traditional clamshells, and they are often added to existing designs like a feature, morphing an existing design into a 2-in-1 with minimal tweaks.

Not the XPS 15 2-in-1. For Dell, it isn’t just a 2-in-1 version of the XPS 15 — it’s a way of experimenting with future technology without having to sacrifice the familiarity of its premium laptop line. When you look at it, you see the future of the XPS line – or, at least, one possible future.

The horsepower you didn’t know you needed

As an experimental product, Dell chose to implement a brand-new type of processor from Intel — and it’s the first 2-in-1 (or laptop) to use it. The Intel G-series processors are a new breed, integrating an Intel CPU with AMD Vega graphics, all on the same component.

“We’re interested in driving new experiences, not just doing something for the sake of doing it.”

“It allowed us to do something that we couldn’t have done with a traditional implementation of discrete graphics,” said Donnie Oliphant, the Marketing Director of XPS over at Dell. “You take a GTX 1050 Ti or 1060 and try to put it into this form factor — it doesn’t fit.”

Adopting this new chip gives the XPS 15 2-in-1 surprising graphics capability in an impressively thin form factor. But regardless of how thin, small, or light Dell wants to make the XPS 15 2-in-1, that was never the primary drive. The designers, engineers, and executives in the XPS team seem much more interested in holding performance and size in balance. There are certain aspects, most notably, in build quality and performance, that Dell wasn’t willing to compromise on.

“I always joke with folks, saying that if I I’ve ever brought you the thinnest or lightest of anything, I’ve lost my mind,” says Oliphant. “I’ve just traded off that the customer cares about. We can always do the thinnest — it’s just decisions. Being the best? That’s difficult.”

The XPS team has a history with gaming-capable laptops, most notably, with the previous XPS 15. It offered an optional GTX 1050, which could play many games at acceptable framerates. With the XPS 15 2-in-1, however, Dell wasn’t interested in throwing in a cheap graphics card, like other manufacturers have done. Asus, for example, has released a couple of very thin laptops that use a discrete Nvidia MX150 to power the graphics.

“We’re interested in driving new experiences, not just doing something for the sake of doing it,” says Frank Azor, a VP Dell. “A lot of those MX150 implementations are leaning on Nvidia’s brand equity to fool customers into thinking that machine is capable of doing something it really can’t, which is play games decently. It’s not a very decent gaming machine. If we could do something like that in the form factor here, but deliver a true gaming-capable proposition, then we’d probably do it. We’re not there yet.”

“What we’ve done in this 15-inch space is truly gaming-capable. I play Overwatch, PUBG, and a bunch of stuff on these.”

Azor is a gamer himself, starting at Alienware as a teenager before growing with the company through the acquisition by Dell. He now oversees the XPS, Alienware, and Dell Gaming lines. Will the implementation of the Intel G-Series chip, Azor is bringing gaming to systems that seem far too small and versatile to handle a round of Fortnite.

“What we’ve done in this 15-inch space is truly gaming-capable. I play Overwatch, PUBG, and a bunch of stuff on these. They are great gaming computers. Not as good as what we build on Alienware or even G7 gaming, but very capable. Hard to do that with a MX150 here, especially when you put a 4K screen on it.”

Of course, high-performance graphics always comes at a cost. A monetary cost, yes — but also a thermal cost. Dell had to pioneer an experimental cooling solution to make sure every last drop of performance could be eked out of the G-series chip.

The magic materials that keep it cool

Dell has boasted about its specialized implementation of Gore material since it was announced in the XPS 13 at CES. On the XPS 15 2-in-1, Dell has used even more Gore to act as a unique cooling agent that weighs almost nothing.

“It is literally, no exaggeration, space age material,” says Oliphant. “The aero-gel, which is mixed in with this material to create the thermal barrier, was used on the Mars rover. NASA uses this to insulate their devices from extreme heat or extreme cold. We use it in conjunction with graphite, which is a heat spreader. We’ll put the Gore on the aluminum side and use graphite on top to spread the heat over the Gore, and the Gore insulates that heat from getting to the customer.”

Because the XPS 15 2-in-1 is an experimental platform, Dell doesn’t seem afraid to dump some extra money into the technology here. Just how much? Well — Donnie Oliphant stated that there’s around three or four times as much as Dell would typically put in a system like this.

“It’s the most complex thermal design we’ve done for a consumer product.”

“There’s over 60 dollars of thermal material in this product,” said Oliphant. “Three heat pipes, one of the largest RAGs we’ve shipped in a non-gaming or Precision device. There’s a tremendous amount of technology and cost that we invested in the thermal solution alone here. It’s the most complex thermal design we’ve done for a consumer product.”

Oliphant and Azure assured us Dell is investing heavily in the thermal components of this unit on a financial level. He was clear the amount of money spent wasn’t something the company would immediately implement at the volume of more mainstream XPS units.

These aren’t improvements that many people who buy an XPS 15 2-in-1 will notice, but they will notice improved performance. For that reason, these are investments and financial risks the XPS team seems ready to take.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

“Customers don’t care,” said Oliphant. “But those are the investments we will make in XPS.”

An experimental keyboard

While the graphics and thermal solution won’t turn anyone off, the XPS 15 2-in-1’s keyboard will be more divisive. Rather than using a traditional, higher-travel keyboard, Dell went with something closer to the butterfly switch keys of recent MacBooks.

Reception to Apple’s keyboard wasn’t universally loved, but Dell didn’t shy away from taking the conceptual framework behind that keyboard and running with it.

“This is a new frontier. I’m glad Apple did what they did a couple of years ago.”

“This is a new frontier,” says Oliphant. “I’m glad Apple did what they did a couple of years ago. They started to pave a path for alternatives. Magnets were the idea of a replacement to deliver a perfect deflection curve that’s tuneable, while making it feel like it’s more than the 0.7mm travel that we have in the design.”

The feel of the keyboard will be strange unless you’re coming straight from a MacBook. Even Azor admits that it needs a couple of hours to become used to. With just 0.7mm of travel, the keys feel more like clicky buttons than traditional switches. While fans of high-travel keyboards will no doubt cringe at how quickly they bottom out, the keys do inspire confidence in quick, precise typing, thanks to the feedback mechanism of the magnets.

“It’s always a value trade-off between thin system versus a long-stroke keyboard experience,” says Justin Lyles, the VP of Consumer Design. “I say that specifically with the long stroke because what we’re trying to push here is to change the paradigm of having to have a long stroke to have a good keyboard. We’re trying to find the sweet spot. You can actually go to a shorter stroke if you focus on other things like the force curve of the key — the feedback you get when you push the key.”

Luke Larsen/Digital Trends

While the keys use a similar butterfly-like scissor mechanism to attach the keys to the base, the feedback pressure is provided by an entirely new system that uses magnets. The magnetic system is the end of a winding research path that had several dead ends.

“Five or six years ago, we were chasing down a different technology path, which was the angled travel. It was on a ramp,” says Lyles. “The keys didn’t go vertically down, they actually ramped down towards the user at an angle. From a force stand point, you could go on an angle with 0.7mm stroke, it felt like double that. We chased that for a while, but it didn’t really pan out very well. That’s when we shifted gears and moved into magnetics.”

“Five or six years ago, we were chasing down a different technology path.”

Dell seems certain this is the future of keyboards. Lyles is looking ahead, anticipating the kind of trends in technology that will shape the future of input methods. Fans of long keystrokes won’t be happy about what he sees in his crystal ball.

“In the future, you’re going to start seeing a lot more interesting things,” he says. “Maybe the key doesn’t have to travel in z-direction at all. Maybe it travels in different directions. Maybe you can retract and lock the key when you don’t need it. There are different things you can do that’ll be very interesting.”

Dell is betting its experiments will pay off

Thanks to the success of the thinned bezels and relocation of the webcam, the XPS team is now taking risks with a bit more confidence. That, however, doesn’t mean Dell is ready to implement these advanced, expensive technologies on the bread-and-butter XPS products. The XPS 13 and XPS 15 will always remain the more mundane options — and Dell isn’t planning to retire them anytime soon.

“To early adopters, they’ll be like, ‘This is fucking amazing.’ And it is,” says Azor. “To folks who are a little more conservative, it might not be the right solution for them. We’ll see.”

The XPS 15 2-in-1 won’t sell as many units as the XPS 13, and it was never meant to. But it is a glimpse into the future of laptops – or at least, Dell’s vision of it.

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?

Samsung’s market leader versus Google’s idealistic view of a smartphone.

Samsung’s flagships may outsell Google’s in massive numbers, but that definitely doesn’t stop many of us from thinking that the Pixel phones are the absolute best expression of Android on a smartphone. The Google Pixel 2 launched into a world where the Galaxy S8 was already over six months old, and now the roles are reversed: we have the brand-new Galaxy S9 to compare to.

The Galaxy S9 shares a lot with its predecessor, but there are strategic improvements that help it match the Pixel 2 — and in some areas it continues to best Google’s little flagship. Here’s how the new Galaxy S9 compares to the Pixel 2 in hardware, software and value.

What’s the same

Despite dramatic differences in initial appearances, there’s a lot shared between these phones. Sure the materials and designs differ, but they’re actually nearly the same overall size. The Pixel 2 is a tad shorter and lighter, but both phones are pretty compact and easy enough to manage in one hand — especially compared to the ever-growing competition in the 6-inch (and-above) smartphone space.

Samsung Galaxy S9 specs

Throughout the hardware you’ll find matching spec and features. The Galaxy S9’s new fingerprint sensor placement on the back matches the Pixel 2, as does its water resistance, stereo speakers, 64GB base storage and relatively small battery capacity — though the Galaxy S9 does edge out the Pixel 2 by 300mAh there, real-world use of the Pixel 2 shows it can do great things with what it has.

The phones are almost the same size, and filled with the same core specs and features.

For all of the design similarities between the Galaxy S8 and S9, one thing that took a big upgrade was the camera — and it’s exciting enough to have it up here in the “same” section to be mentioned alongside the Pixel 2. The Galaxy S9’s new camera sensor is doing a lot of the same multi-frame advanced processing of images that we hear Google talk about with HDR+ on the Pixel 2. These phones take different types of photos and often come to notably different results in the same scenes, but seeing each one on its own will show you they’re both great. The Galaxy S9 is often a bit truer to the scene and more simple, while the Pixel 2 takes photos that have more color, contrast and drama to them.

Add in its adjustable aperture up to f/1.5 and we see low-light performance that takes a considerable jump up to challenge the Pixel 2 as well. Right now this is still the Pixel 2’s crown, but I’m glad the Galaxy S9 didn’t stick with an iterative setup from the Galaxy S8 — the GS9 has extremely low noise and accurate colors at night. At the same time, the Galaxy S9 adds in 4K 60 fps video, as well as 960 fps slow-motion — both of which best the Pixel 2’s video capabilities in terms of raw numbers, but we know the Pixel 2’s video stabilization is still king.

What’s different

Remember our comparison of the Galaxy S8 and Pixel 2? Well, for the most part, you can just press replay on that. It only takes a glance to tell these phones have completely different identities, with the Galaxy S9’s primarily glass build and glistening curves contrasting with the Pixel 2’s monolithic metal and subtlety. Both execute their designs well, but it’s easy to see why so many people prefer the flashy head-turning design of modern Samsung phones — even if the glass back is a bit more fragile. Not everyone is attracted to the subtle approach of the Pixel 2, even if its metal body may age better.

Polar opposites in design, all surrounding a startling difference in usable screen space for the size.

Then, of course, there’s the difference in usable screen space for the size of the phone. In the same overall hardware package, the Galaxy S9 has a 5.8-inch 18.5:9 display, versus the Pixel 2’s 5-inch 16:9 display. Put another way, over 83% of the front of the Galaxy S9 is screen, whereas under 70% of the Pixel 2 is screen. That’s a startling difference in usable screen space for the same size of phone. Sure the immediate sides of the Galaxy S9 are curved and therefore not all that usable, and full-screen content doesn’t always utilize the space, but it’s tough to shake the feeling that the Pixel 2 “wastes” space on the front of the phone.

What’s inarguable is the difference in screen quality. The Galaxy S9 took the Galaxy S8’s display and made it 15% brighter, adding more brightness to what was already a bright, vibrant and just generally wonderful display. The Pixel 2 also has an OLED panel, but it’s just on a lower level in terms of colors and brightness, not to mention its 1920×1080 resolution is a bit lower as well. The Pixel 2’s display is certainly good enough, but it’s not an industry leader like the Galaxy S9.

Samsung wins on the ‘number of features’ game, but loses by the same account in software.

Samsung is always going to win the “number of features” game, and that’s clear again here with its inclusion of extras like a headphone jack, wireless charging, and an SD card slot. You can argue that having an option of 128GB internal storage on the Pixel 2 negates some of the SD card value, and you could also say the wireless charging is more of a niche feature. But you can’t say that having a headphone jack isn’t a huge benefit — particularly when you don’t have to give up anything else in the hardware to get it. Samsung even adds a really nice pair of earbuds in the box; Google gives you a USB-C headphone dongle.

Now, here’s where things swing in the other direction: the Pixel 2’s software experience. This is a place where Samsung’s approach of “more features” can get in the way of having enjoyable and useful software for many people. Android 8.1 Oreo on the Pixel 2 is smooth, clean, consistent, and great to use. The Galaxy S9 has far more features, but so many of them are set up to be left unused and just sit in your way when you’re trying to do other things. Convoluted processes for doing so many things just seem unnecessary when you see how simple it all is on the Pixel 2. It’s a difference in philosophy and perhaps Samsung’s approach doesn’t bother you, but people who use Pixels know what I’m talking about here — using Google’s take on Android is fantastic, and it stays that way over time with three years of guaranteed software updates.

Bottom line: Which should you buy?

There’s a lot to digest in this comparison. Much of the core experience and features are shared between the Galaxy S9 and Pixel 2, but the exterior designs, screen and additional features differ widely. There are two clearly different approaches to a high-end smartphone at play here.

There are two clearly different approaches to a high-end smartphone at play here.

The Galaxy S9 is the features king, with hardware that bests the Pixel 2 with extras like wireless charging, a headphone jack, newer processor, bigger battery, and a larger (and nicer) display. The hardware is flashy, which is appealing to many people, even if it’s a bit more fragile. The Pixel 2 is much more subtle in its hardware and simple to use in its software. It has the core features you need, and little extra. There aren’t many headline-grabbing things you can point to, but just use one for a few days, and you’ll see what all the talk is about. It also has a proven great camera, and the track record of software support direct from Google.

Finally, we have to remember pricing. As high-end smartphone prices continue to rise, the Pixel 2 held its ground down at a relatively affordable $649. The Galaxy S9, on the other hand, is roughly $100 more depending which carrier you buy from — which I think is enough of a gap to matter to people when they’re cross-shopping these two phones. If you’re really keeping the budget tight, the Google Pixel 2 is obviously a better choice. If you’re willing to pay more money for more features, regardless of whether the overall experience may be better, you’re likely to go with the Galaxy S9.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 2: Which should you buy?
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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China’s first space station burns up over the South Pacific

China’s Tiangong-1 has met its fiery end. The out-of-control space station plummeted through the Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 7:15pm ET on Sunday evening, as expected. Most of Tiangong-1 was destroyed during re-entry, however parts crash-landed somewhere over the South Pacific Ocean. Speaking to Reuters, astrophysicist Brad Tuckers estimated that 10 percent, or 700 to 800KG may have made it to the Earth’s surface. “Most likely the debris is in the ocean, and even if people stumbled over it, it would just look like rubbish and be spread over a huge area,” he said.

Tiangong-1’s demise was confirmed by the China Manned Space Engineering Office and separately by US Strategic Command, with help from “counterparts in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom.” The event was largely publicised due to misplaced fear that the craft could land on a heavily populated city or town. In truth, this was always highly unlikely — the Earth is mostly ocean, and humanity occupies a relatively small part of the green bits. Still, a human collision was possible, and Tiangong-1’s large size (it was 10.4 metres long and weighed 18,740 pounds) was an understandable concern.

The space craft, known as “Heavenly Palace 1,” was launched in 2011 as a testbed for orbiting and docking experiments. Two astronaut crews visited the station using Shenzhou capsules in 2012 and 2013; the first mission included Liu Yang, the first Chinese woman in space. China’s long-term plan is to have a larger, modular station in orbit by 2023, and originally planned to decommission Tiangong-1 by 2013. That didn’t happen, however — possibly because Tiangong-2 wasn’t ready — and in 2016, the country’s space agency told the UN that it had lost control of the vessel.

Source: China Manned Space Engineering Office

The Morning After: Huawei made a great smartphone camera

Monday has landed. Over the last couple of days, we discovered a new contender king of smartphone photography, Tesla fixed one of our biggest issues with the Model 3, and European Netflix users got to stream from every corner of the EU without issue.

That and other new functions should help keep drivers’ eyes on the road
Tesla puts Model 3 Autopilot controls on the steering wheel

Tesla has rectified one of the biggest Model 3 issues that cropped up during our review. Until now, operating key vehicle functions like the Autopilot required tapping on the center display, effectively pulling the driver’s eyes off the road. With a new update, however, drivers can adjust the Autopilot’s cruise speed and follow distance on the steering wheel scroll buttons.

Some of its top features are hidden away, but the results speak for themselves.
Huawei’s P20 Pro rivals the best smartphone cameras out there

Huawei’s P20 Pro comes with an endless torrent of imaging specifications — the company’s dubbing its Leica Triple Camera system “the most advanced camera on a phone yet.” We’ve seen the likes of 40-megapixel camera sensors before, in the heady days of Windows Phone and Nokia. However, this time it’s different.

Away from briefing rooms and technical demos (spending a day shooting around a rain-soaked Paris), the P20 Pro started to win UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith over. If you like the idea of an accomplished 5x zoom function, and the potential for gorgeous nighttime photography, you have to consider Huawei’s latest phone.

The EU’s digital media portability rules have taken effect.
European travelers can now watch Netflix like they’re at home

If you live in the European Union, your (Europe-based) holidays just became a little more enjoyable. The EU’s long-promised digital media portability rules have taken effect as of April 1st, letting residents access Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other paid digital media services in other member countries as if they were still at home. You shouldn’t have to worry about region blocks or browsing libraries in an unfamiliar language, either.

It wants machines that can explore many corners of the Solar System.
NASA’s latest tech investments include shapeshifters and biobots

NASA has invested in 25 “early-stage” tech proposals that could improve both human and robotic exploration, and some of them are particularly inventive. The Shapeshifter concept envisions a horde of robots that combine into different forms to explore virtually every surface on Saturn’s moon Titan. It’s like a bunch of tiny Transformers.

But wait, there’s more…

• Niantic settles ‘Pokémon Go’ festival lawsuit for $1.5 million
• Cloudflare makes it harder for ISPs to track your web history
• After Math: This is a witch hunt

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Federal investigators ‘unhappy’ Tesla revealed crash details

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is “unhappy” that Tesla released information about the fiery March 23rd crash that killed a driver. In a blog post last Friday, Elon Musk said that the Autopilot was active when the Model struck a highway barrier and caught fire. He also noted that according to vehicle data, driver Wei Huang didn’t have his hands on the steering wheel for six seconds prior to the crash into a disabled safety barrier.

“In each of our investigations involving a Tesla vehicle, Tesla has been extremely cooperative on assisting with the vehicle data,” an agency spokesman told the Washington Post. “However, the NTSB is unhappy with the release of investigative information by Tesla. The NTSB is looking into all aspects of this crash including the driver’s previous concerns about the Autopilot.”

At this time the NTSB needs the assistance of Tesla to decode the data the vehicle recorded. In each of our investigations involving a Tesla vehicle, Tesla has been extremely cooperative on assisting with the vehicle data. However, the NTSB is unhappy with the release of investigative information by Tesla. We will work to determine the probable cause of the crash and our next update of information about our investigation will likely be when we publish a preliminary report, which generally occurs within a few weeks of completion of field work

In the latter statement, the board is referring to comments from Huang’s family to San Francisco TV station KGO-TV. They said he had brought concerns to a Tesla dealership that his Model X had previously swerved toward the same median where the accident happened.

Autopilot is a semi-autonomous mode that can maintain cruise speeds and follow distances and automatically change lanes under certain conditions. However, Tesla specifies that drivers must keep their hands on the wheel and be ready to take control back. If the system detects a hands-off state for a set time, Autopilot will warn the driver before disengaging. (It’s fairly easy to fool it, however.)

By issuing the statement on Friday, Tesla implied that Huang had not followed its guidelines, adding that the accident was exacerbated by a highway crash attenuator that had recently been crushed in a previous accident and not yet reset.

The NTSB took umbrage to Tesla’s preliminary justification of the accident, saying that the investigation is still ongoing. “At this time the NTSB needs the assistance of Tesla to decode the data the vehicle recorded,” said NTSB spokesperson Chris O’Neil. “We will work to determine the probable cause of the crash and our next update of information about our investigation will likely be when we publish a preliminary report, which generally occurs within a few weeks of completion of field work.”

Source: Washington Post

Moto Z3 Play CAD renders reveal side-mounted fingerprint sensor, no 3.5mm jack

Motorola’s upcoming mid-range Moto Z3 Play shows up, and there’s no headphone jack in sight.

We got a good look at the upcoming Moto G6 series last week, and early CAD renders based on factory schematics give us a first look at the Moto Z3 Play. Coming by way of OnLeaks and KillerFeatures, the Moto Z3 Play is slated to offer an 18:9 panel at the front with the Motorla logo emblazoned on the chin.

From the renders, it looks like the home button is making way for a side-mounted fingerprint sensor — located on the right side of the device alongside the volume buttons — with the power button located on the left. There’s a dual camera setup at the back, and the magnetic connectors for the Moto Mods are located at the bottom like previous years.

The device is expected to come in at 156.4 x 76.47 x 6.65mm, making it 0.7mm thicker than last year’s phone. However, it looks like the Moto Z3 Play will ditch the 3.5mm jack, as there doesn’t appear to be a cutout for the analog port either at the top or bottom of the phone. Motorola eschewed the headphone jack on its Moto Z series for a few generations now, and it looks like the Z Play series will follow suit this year.

As for the hardware, the Moto Z3 Play is rumored to be powered by the Snapdragon 636, the same chipset that’s used in the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Other specs include up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, 12MP + 8MP cameras at the back, and a 3000mAh battery.

What do you guys make of the design of the Moto Z3 Play from the renders above?

Google Home could make its debut in India alongside Google Wifi and the Pixelbook

Google Home, Google Wifi, and the Pixelbook are ready to make their debut in India.

Google Home made its debut back in 2016, and Google introduced the mini variant late last year. Both smart home products are available in select markets around the world, and it now looks like they’re making their way to India. Information received by Gadgets 360 suggests both the Google Home and Google Home Mini will be introduced in the subcontinent in April.

The timing makes a lot of sense, considering Google Assistant picked up Hindi compatibility earlier this month. Allowing users to converse with the Assistant on their Google Home or Home Mini will be a huge advantage for Google as it tries to take the fight to Amazon on this front.

Amazon rolled out its Echo family in India, and while Alexa has been thoroughly customized for the local market, for now, language compatibility is limited to English. Amazon has also added a ton of local skills — all designed to make the smart home speaker that much more useful for Indian consumers.

I’ve been using two Google Homes for over a year, and the overall experience is similar to what you’d find in the U.S. As the product hooks into Google services, it didn’t have any issues detecting my location and tailoring weather updates and traffic routes, local restaurant and movie recommendations based on my locale.

Pricing will be an interesting factor, as that’ll ultimately determine how successful the Google Home and Home Mini will be in the subcontinent. The Google Home retails for $129 in the U.S. (₹8,400), and the smaller Google Home Mini is available for $49 (₹3,190). Google’s products command a significant markup in the country — with the Pixel 2 XL still costing over $950 — and it’s likely we’ll see a similar bump for the Google Home and Home Mini.

An additional report on Economic Times states Google is looking to launch Google Wifi in the country as well, albeit over the course of the next year. The Pixelbook is also slated to make its debut in the country, along with Nest products. It’ll be interesting to see what Nest products Google brings to India as central heating systems aren’t really in use in a majority of the country, but we may get to see the brand’s security cameras.

ET mentions that the Google Home will be priced at ₹9,999 ($155), with the smaller Google Home Mini set to cost ₹4,499 ($70).

Updated April 02, 2018 with additional details from Economic Times.

Google reportedly working on a mid-range Pixel aimed at emerging markets

Google’s Pixel-branded phone targeted at the mid-range segment could make its debut in July.

Google is playing on a lot of fronts in India — there’s the Android Go initiative for the entry-level segment, Android One phones tailored for budget customers, and the Pixel 2 series in the premium category. It now looks like the search giant is working on a mid-range Pixel tailored for emerging markets like India. That’s according to Economic Times, which states that the phone will be making its debut around July or August.

We don’t have any details regarding features or specs, but it makes sense for Google to compete in the mid-range segment. After all, the Nexus series did remarkably well in India, and that spot has now been taken up by OnePlus, which counts India as its largest global market.

Aside from the mid-range Pixel phone, Google is reportedly looking to expand its product portfolio in the country, bringing the Google Home, Google Wifi, and the Pixelbook to India. From ET:

Google is excited about the expansion of the consumer products business in India with the advent of the cheap 4G internet led by Reliance Jio and other operators which it says will help to realise maximum potential of these products.

The company is also set to expand its retail footprint and aggressively market its products to take on the likes of Samsung and Apple. We’ve already seen that to some extent with the Pixel 2, which had better retail presence from the first-generation model. It looks like Google is set to build on that and establish itself its brand in the country:

Their hardware distributor Redington will expand brick-and-mortar distribution reach. Google will also do in-store branding and signage in selected stores, and set up exclusive zones with specially designed fixtures like Apple.

It’ll be interesting to see if the mid-range Pixel actually comes to fruition. What would you like to see from such a device?

Tesla puts Model 3 Autopilot controls on the steering wheel

Tesla has rectified one of the biggest Model 3 issues that cropped up during early reviews from Engadget and others. Until now, operating key vehicle functions like the Autopilot required tapping on the center display, effectively pulling the driver’s eyes off the road. With a new update, however, drivers can adjust the Autopilot’s cruise speed and follow distance via the steering wheel scroll buttons.

Using the new controls is pretty simple. When in Traffic-Aware Cruise Control mode, you just roll the right-hand scroll button up or down to adjust your speed. To change the distance between you and the car ahead, push the right button to the left or the right. “You can still adjust these settings from the touchscreen and press down on the button to activate voice commands,” Tesla adds in the 2018.12 update notes.

Engadget’s Roberto Baldwin specifically complained about the lack of physical adjustments for cruise speed and follow distance. “On the Model 3 you have to tap the display to adjust the cruise control speed,” he noted. “Even worse, you have to go into a submenu to adjust the adaptive cruise control follow distance.” That not only removes driver attention from the road, but makes it easy to tap the wrong function if there’s a bump in the road.

The new software also addresses another of our complaints, letting you adjust the side mirrors using those same buttons (though you first have to select the items from the screen). All of those things are crucial on the road, so Tesla seems to be focusing on safety first while adding physical control functionality.

As we also noted in our review, Tesla’s unique ability to add new functionality via software updates can completely change an EV’s utility over the course of months or years. That especially applies to the Model 3, which depends more on technology than the other models.

Source: Tesla (Forums)