2018 May 16 | AIVAnet

16

May

OnePlus 5/5T OxygenOS beta adds May security patch, group MMS, and more

The update’s making its way to the phones right now.

OnePlus’s OxygenOS Open Beta program is a great way to try out new features before everyone else, and today the company released versions 10 and 8 for the OnePlus 5 and 5T, respectively.

oneplus-5t-screen-full.jpg?itok=v6f76gaB

There’s a fair amount to unpack with this latest update, with one of the most notable additions being the May security patch. Having a secure Android phone is essential, and it’s always reassuring to see OnePlus so on-the-ball with these patches.

As for user-facing changes, there’s a handful of goodies to find with the OnePlus Launcher, including a new Toolbox Card in the Shelf, a section in the app drawer called Hidden Space, as well as support for editing dynamic app icons (such as the weather, clock, and calendar).

The OnePlus Switch app has received a minor UI update with some under-the-hood changes, and a long-time bug causing group MMS to not work has finally been patched.

OnePlus is rolling out this update now, and if you’ve already got your OnePlus 5 or 5T enrolled in the beta, you should receive an OTA update in the coming days.

OnePlus 5T and OnePlus 5

OnePlus 5T review: Come for the value, not the excitement
OnePlus 5T specs
Should you upgrade from the OnePlus 3T?
OnePlus 5T vs. Galaxy S8: Beast mode
All of the latest OnePlus 5T news
Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus
Amazon

16

May

MacRumors Giveaway: Win Alligator Leather AirPods From Hadoro

We normally host our giveaways on Friday, but this week, we’ve teamed up with Hadoro for what may be our most unique giveaway to date — custom black AirPods with an AirPods Charging Case covered in alligator leather.

There are a sea of plain old AirPods out in the wild, but the AirPods with an alligator leather case from Hadoro are like no other AirPods you’ve seen before.

Priced at €590 (~$705) these AirPods are aimed at customers who want to stand out from the crowd and are looking for the most luxurious, high-end AirPods option available for purchase.

Each alligator AirPods charging case is made by hand in Besançon, France, using premium grade American alligator leather, chosen for its quality and its attractive pattern. Given the natural variations in alligator leather, each and every charging case is unique.

Alligator leather is naturally expensive and scarce as it is a limited resource due to strict conservation principles enforced in the United States to make sure it’s sustainably harvested. Like all leathers, alligator leather will develop a patina over time for an attractive, one of a kind look.

Hadoro’s black alligator leather AirPods charging case, which is what we’re giving away, comes equipped with custom-painted matte black AirPods, so not only do you get the unique case, you get AirPods in a color no one else has.

Hadoro is using a durable black paint that is resistant to scratch resistance and wear and tear. Hadoro also makes alligator leather charging cases in a wide range of other colors, including green, blue, brown, burgundy, red, and navy blue, with these shipping with standard white AirPods inside.

Both the AirPods and the AirPods charging case retain full functionality just like standard AirPods you can get from Apple, with a W1 chip for easy pairing, a long battery life, a built-in accelerometer for ear detection, iCloud integration for quick device switching, and gesture support.

All of the Hadoro AirPods charging cases feature an unassuming “H” emblem at the front made from stainless steel, and the alligator leather exterior of the charging case does not interfere with normal operation.

If you want to go full-on fancy, Hadoro also sells matching alligator leather iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands, as well as iPhones and Apple Watches made from custom materials.

We have one set of alligator leather AirPods to give away. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (May 15) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 22. The winner will be chosen randomly on May 22 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

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16

May

Apple Demands $1 Billion From Samsung for Design Patent Violations as New Damages Trial Kicks Off

Apple and Samsung are back in court this week for a damages retrial that will determine just how much Samsung has to pay Apple for infringing on Apple design patents. Samsung was found guilty of violating the patents back in 2012, but the two companies have been fighting over the amount of money Samsung should pay as a result for the last six years.

The core issue between the two companies is whether the damages should be based on the total value of the device, or whether Samsung should pay a fee based just on the elements of the phone that it copied.

Apple is of the opinion that its payment should be based on the full value of the iPhone, while Samsung is arguing that it should pay a lesser amount based only on a portion of the iPhone’s value. “They’re seeking profits on the entire phone,” argued Samsung lawyer John Quinn. “Apple’s design patents do not cover the entire phone. They are entitled to profits only on [infringing] components, not the entire phone.”

Yesterday was spent picking jurors, while opening arguments and testimony started today. Key Apple executives like Tim Cook and Jony Ive will not be testifying during the trial, but Richard Howarth, senior director of the Apple Design Team will discuss the design process, and Susan Kare will also take the stand to talk about user interface graphics design.

Apple vice president of product marketing Greg Joswiak was first up to testify this afternoon, where he said that the design of the iPhone is central to Apple’s products and that Apple took a huge risk with its development.

Joswiak: With the #iPhone, “we were really risking everything that was making Apple successful at the time…We really were betting the company.” #appsung

— Mike Swift (@Swiftstories) May 15, 2018

Back when the verdict of the lawsuit was originally decided in 2012, Samsung was ordered to pay $1 billion, but that was eventually reduced to $548 million.

Of that $548 million, which Samsung paid to Apple in 2015, $399 million was earmarked for the design patent infringements. Samsung at the time argued that it had been ordered to pay a “disproportionate” sum for the design violation, and appealed to the Supreme Court for reduced damages.

Samsung’s appeal was somewhat successful, and the Supreme Court ordered the U.S. Court of Appeals to redetermine the amount Samsung owes Apple for the design patent infringement, which leads us to the trial that’s taking place this week.

Apple is asking for a $1 billion award from Samsung during the damages retrial this week, and has argued that while it’s a lot of money, “Samsung infringed millions and millions and millions of times.” Samsung, meanwhile, has asked the jury to limit damages to $28 million.

Tags: Samsung, lawsuit, patent trials, Patent lawsuits
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16

May

How to take better pictures when you know nothing about photography

Smart / Unsplash

May is National Photography Month, and there’s no better time to brush up on basic photographic skills than now. While more people are taking photos than ever — thanks to the popularity of smartphone cameras and apps like Instagram — it doesn’t mean everybody knows the basics of photography. No, you don’t need to know the lingo (it can be confusing, although it helps to better understand a camera, in our opinion) but by applying a few basic concepts, casual photographers can snap better photos without reading any words more complicated than “shade” — no ifs, ands, or bokeh about it (we’ll stop with the photo terms now). Here’s our non-photographer’s guide on how to take better pictures, minus the technical jargon.

Don’t want to settle for mediocre? Not afraid of a little photography jargon? Try these photography tips instead.

1.
Shot on the iPhone 7 in full sun
2.
Shot on the iPhone 7 in full shade

Stop taking pictures in direct sun

Taking great photos in direct sunlight is challenging, if not near impossible. Instead of attempting to “fix” one of the hardest lighting scenarios, why not simply step out of the sun? The photos above were taken with the same camera, without any flash. The difference? The one with the shadowy faces was taken in full sun, the other in shade.

Sunlight is harsh. When directly overhead, the sun creates unflattering shadows under the subject’s eyes. Even the most energetic toddlers will appear to have dark circles under their eyes. If the sunlight hits directly in front of the camera, the image turns into a silhouette (that’s the photo where the person or object is dark and the background is bright). There aren’t any easy tools or camera settings to compensate.

The solution is incredibly simple: Move into the shade. Shade is the easiest light to shoot in, which means you’ll get better results even when you have no idea what you are doing. Another equally simple option is to wait for a cloudy day, since clouds make shade essentially everywhere. An experienced photographer may also employ accessories like reflectors or filters in this situation, but these aren’t accessories most casual photographers carry with them.

Hillary Grigonis / Digital Trends

When indoors, look for a window — or turn on a light

A window is the indoor equivalent of a shady spot outside. Window light is easy to shoot with, and helps create more flattering photos. Do not, however, shoot directly into the window. Stand with your back or side to the window instead. Moving closer to a window adds more light to your shot, which can also prevent blur. Play around by moving around your subject.

Of course, a window only works during the day and, depending on where it’s facing, certain times. If there are no windows or you are shooting at night, at the very least, turn all the lights on in the room before taking pictures. While not as ideal as natural light, artificially lighting a room as bright as you can will help prevent blurry photos.

Hillary Grigonis / Digital Trends

Change your height

How do you take a photo? You probably grab your phone or camera, place it up near your eye, and shoot, right? That’s fine, but what happens is that all your photos start to look the same. Why? Because they’re all taken from the same height.

Simply kneeling, sitting, or standing on top of something can instantly add variety to that ho-hum Instagram post. Whatever it is you are photographing, try looking from different angles and find the one that looks best to you. For example, when photographing kids, kneeling or sitting to shoot from their eye level, not yours, often makes a big improvement.

Hillary Grigonis / Digital Trends

Stop placing everything smack-dab in the center

Did you know that photographers follow (and also break) a rule suggesting that you shouldn’t place whatever you are photographing right in the center? We promised no technical stuff, so we won’t get into the rule — but the concept generates an incredibly simple, non-jargon tip: Stop defaulting to the center and think about where everything is in the photograph.

Placing everything in the center used to be a necessity to get a sharp shot, but most cameras can capture a sharp subject even when off-center. And if your camera is a smartphone, you can simply tap the object on the screen to focus there. Placing the person or object a bit off to the side adds interest and tends to draw the eye. Off-center placements also create empty space, which creates a less busy image that’s often more eye-catching.

We’re not saying to never take a centered photograph again, but we are saying to stop centering the photo without even thinking about it. Consider where the person or object is and what else is in the frame, and you’ll get better shots — this is referred to as composition.

Hillary Grigonis / Digital Trends

Edit your photos

For a majority of photographers, an image isn’t finished once the shutter is pressed. Editing helps photographers put the final touches on a photo in order to more accurately recreate the colors or to evoke the emotion that inspired the shot in the first place. But you don’t need Photoshop and professional photo editing skills to edit your images.

While Photoshop, Lightroom, and other advanced image editors offer a lot of features, casual photographers are better served by basic apps that do quick touch-ups. One-click fixes and simple sliders help boost your photos, even if you’ve never edited photos before. If you’re shooting with a smartphone, try one of our top picks for the best iOS and Android photo apps. For desktop apps, try one of these free editing programs to start with.

Take more pictures

Beefing up your photo skills is no different from improving your golf game or whatever game you fancy — the more you play, the better you get. The more you take photos, the more you’ll improve. Even if you have no desire to cross the line into manual exposure modes and advanced amateur photography, taking more snapshots will help boost your creativity, help you recognize the scenarios that don’t work well for photos, and up the odds of getting a better shot. You may fill up your smartphone or SD card faster, but simply taking more photos is an easy way to learn how to take better pictures without digging out a photography textbook.

Editors’ Recommendations

Kids growing up too fast? Here’s how to photograph them before moment is gone
8 spring flower photography tips for budding photographers
Frightened by flash? Learn to light with an LED panel first
How to password protect a PDF
The best wedding photography tips for capturing the big day

16

May

Honor 10 review

Research Center:

Honor 10

The line between budget and premium smartphones continues to blur, when even phones that cost around $200, such as the Motorola Moto G6, have glass bodies and dual-lens cameras. The fight for your dollar gets stronger the more money you have to spend, with Honor being one of the most up front about the incredible value for money its hardware represents. The Honor 10 is its latest phone, and it definitely is one of the hardest to resist when you see the beautiful reflective blue finish on its glass rear panel.

We’ve been testing it for a few days, giving us plenty of experience for a strong preliminary review. Here’s how the new Honor 10 stacks up.

Glass design, 5.8-inch screen

If you buy a premium smartphone in 2018, it’s going to be made of glass, complete with reflection, and probably a splash of color too. Just look at the Samsung Galaxy S9, the Huawei P20 Pro, and the LG G7 ThinQ for proof. The Honor 10 continues the trend with a soft-touch glass rear panel, which looks stunning in the phantom blue color. Twist the phone around in the light and the blue changes to purple, with occasional hints of green and flashes of crisp sky blue.

The glass curves around the sides, blending into the screen for superb in-hand comfort. Honor gets how to make a phone feel good when you’re holding it, and the Honor 10 has just the right amount of an edge to make it easy to grip. You need this, because the glass body is slippery, and it will make a bid for freedom if you don’t hold on tight. A case is definitely in order. Also, just because the Honor 10 has a glass body, don’t expect wireless charging.

Honor has turned to the iPhone X for inspiration on the Honor 10’s size. It’s close to being exactly the same in height and width, and the 5.8-inch screen is identical in size but slightly lower in resolution. It also has a notch containing the front camera and the speaker. If you hate the notch trend, you can hide it using the phone’s software. The Honor 10 displays time, battery, and some connectivity details on the right of the notch, while notifications and network connections live on the left.

While the notch itself doesn’t bother us too much, it’s quite deep on the Honor 10, stretching further down into the display than other phones we have seen. At the opposite end of the notch is the fingerprint sensor, which is slim and mounted under glass. It’s not under the screen itself, but still under the single pane of glass covering the display. It’s neat, but it may be a little elusive to find without looking. You’ll also need to hold your finger on it for longer than some other devices to unlock the phone.

Twist the phone around in the light and the blue changes to purple.

The Honor 10 has a 5.8-inch screen with a 2,280 x 1,080 pixel resolution. While this is an 18:9 aspect ratio, which is commonly associated with bezel-less designs, the bezels on the Honor 10 are quite pronounced. Think of it more like the LG G6, than the Samsung Galaxy S9. Is this a bad thing? Not really, the screen looks great for watching video; but the Honor 10 will no doubt annoy those who dislike a screen notch, especially when it’s accompanied by noticeable bezels and a chin.

There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack alongside a USB Type-C charging port, both of which are welcome additions, although the single downward firing speaker is uninspiring. There are some other aspects we don’t like. The AI Camera logo in the top right of the rear panel cheapens the style, looking like a nasty “Stereo Sound” sticker emblazoned on an ‘80s cassette player. Also, when you place the phone down on a hard surface the volume rocker rattles, lessening the premium feel.

The Honor 10 is pretty; you’ll catch yourself staring at it for a moment longer than usual. It’s pleasing to hold, and the size is just about right for most hands out there. While it can’t quite reach the build quality we’re used to on phones that cost $800 or more, it comes incredibly close. No-one will be disappointed with the Honor 10.

Performance and software

Honor is a sub-brand of Huawei, and there’s some crossover between them, especially on internal components and the software. The Honor 10 has Huawei’s own Kirin 970 processor — seen in the Mate 10 Pro, the P20 Pro, and Honor’s own View 10 — as well as the EMUI 8.1 user interface over Android 8.1 Oreo. Our review Honor 10 has 4GB of RAM, and a sizable 128GB of storage space.

Here’s how it performed in our benchmarking tests:

AnTuTu 3D Bench: 204,539
Geekbench 4: 1,883 single-core; 6,593 multi-core
3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 2,894

These figures are slightly below the Huawei P20 Pro, and considerably lower than the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. However, scores are equal to or better than the OnePlus 5T, a situation repeated with the Honor View 10.

Playing a series of games, including Riptide GP2, Reckless Racing 3, and Asphalt Nitro, the phone ran smoothly and gameplay was fun. It’s worth forcing apps to switch to the full screen display — its offered on screen — as controls were sometimes confused without stretching the image.

Huawei’s EMUI software will always split opinion, despite the recent improvements to the user interface; it’s far less likely to win new fans on the Honor 10. There is a noticeable lag when opening apps, the app drawer, or navigating around the operating system, due to the app opening animation. It’s just a tiny bit too long, and not always absolutely smooth.

Despite having almost the same amount of power as the P20 Pro and View 10, the Honor 10’s performance isn’t quite so sparkling.

Once you’re in an app, the phone isn’t slow at all. That initial screen tap will affect a lot of people’s opinion about the Honor 10. We’ve looked for a way to turn off the animation, or lessen its effect, and there is none. We also noted some jerkiness in opening pictures in the gallery, and in certain spots elsewhere. It’s not a deal-breaker, because for the vast majority of the time, the software is not slow at all; but the Honor 10 definitely feels like it could do with some software polish to improve the experience. Honor hasn’t held back on pre-installed apps either, and there’s a variety of game demos and apps like Booking.com.

Despite having almost the same amount of power as the P20 Pro and View 10, the Honor 10’s performance isn’t quite so sparkling. Most people may not notice, but hardcore users may get frustrated.

Camera

It’s a dual-lens f/1.8 aperture camera on the back of the Honor 10, with an 24-megapixel RGB lens and an 16-megapixel monochrome lens, with the latter being able to be used separately for some beautiful, natural black and white photographs. Artificial intelligence plays a big part too, just like it does on the P20 Pro and View 10. Here, it’s apparently clever enough to recognize differences in a scene — it has a library of 22 scenes — such as a blue sky, texture of grass, and so on. It can tune the image on all its aspects, rather than just one.

1.
With A.I.
2.
Without A.I.

It’s surprisingly effective, with even the most ordinary scenes benefitting from the AI enhancements. A quick photo shot over Brighton beach on a sunny evening shows how much more detail it can reveal. Look at the flowers on the table and the paving, and it doesn’t overpower with a vivid blue sky, or overly blue water. It can still tip over into a hyper real world, as the effect comes close to the strongest HDR filters in third-party apps. Handily, it’s very easy to switch the AI on and off.

1.
With A.I.
2.
Without A.I.

The interface is the same as the updated EMUI camera app on the P20 Pro, which has been refined for ease of use, and it makes all but one feature easy to access. Annoyingly, Huawei hides the monochrome mode under the More setting, instead of adding it to the main feature bar. The selfie camera has 24-megapixels and a portrait mode, complete with a studio lighting system which replicates what we’ve seen on the P20 Pro, and the iPhone X. The portrait lighting needs some skill, and the right environment to shine; but the bokeh-effect works well with the single selfie camera lens.

Amazingly, the Honor 10 squeezes in 80 percent of what made us love the P20 Pro, for half the price, and that’s the kind of math we like. No, it doesn’t have a third camera lens, 5x zoom, slow-mo video, or the astonishing low-light ability; but it’s still a fantastic performer that inspires you to go out and take photos.

Solid battery life

The Honor 10 has a 3,400mAh battery inside, and it’s a strong performer in our early tests. A day with photos, two 45 minute GPS sessions, and some general use saw around 30 percent remaining in the late evening. When we ran the benchmarks and played some games, the battery reduced from 80 percent down to 44 percent over a couple of hours, and the phone did get quite warm to hold during this period. We’re confident the phone’s battery will run for a day and a half with normal use.

Availability, price, and warranty

The Honor 10 has been announced for the U.K., and parts of Europe, and was recently released in China as the Glory 10. It’s not known if the phone will be released in the U.S., although some Honor phones have been in the past. However, Huawei’s continued problems with selling hardware in the U.S. may impact Honor’s ability to do so as well.

It will cost 400 British pounds, or around $540. Honor provides a year’s warranty on its phones in the U.K., with six months on the battery and charger.

Honor 10 Compared To

LG G7 ThinQ

Motorola Moto G6

Moto E5 Plus

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra

Huawei P20 Pro

Nuu G3

Nokia 7 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

LG V30S ThinQ

Cat S61

Honor 9 Lite

Honor View 10

Honor 7X

OnePlus 5T

Our Take

We’ve fallen for the deliciously-styled, kaleidoscopically-colored Honor 10 because of its enviable camera, and tempting price.

Are there any better alternatives?

The Honor 10 carves itself a very strong niche at the 400 British pound price, undercutting the OnePlus 5T (and forthcoming OnePlus 6), along with its larger sister phone the Honor View 10. The LG G6 can be purchased for around the same amount, and the new Moto G6 Plus is a potential contender too. The HTC U11 Life comes in a little cheaper, and for an even lower price, the Honor 7X and the Nokia 6.1 should be considered. However, the Honor 10’s camera stands apart from the competition, and it’s a strong reason to buy the phone.

How long will it last?

The well-priced Honor 10 carves itself a very strong niche.

It’s made from glass, so it’s quite slippery, and it’s not water-resistant — you best be careful if you want the Honor 10 to last. Huawei doesn’t always have the best track record with software updates either, and it’s only just up to date now — Android 8.1 and the April 2018 security patch — which means if you want Android P promptly later this year, the Honor 10 may not be for you.

If you’re not worried about this, and will use a case, the Honor 10 will last at least two years before you’d need to contemplate an upgrade.

Should you buy one?

Yes. The camera is top-notch, the body is a beauty, and the price is incredibly tempting. The software and performance issues are minimal, and unless you’re coming from much more powerful hardware, may not even be noticeable.

16

May

The new Honor 10 glistens in the sunlight, and has a camera that sparkles

Honor knows spring is here and summer is on the way, so it has announced the Honor 10, one of the brightest, sparkliest, and most colorful smartphones we’ve seen in a while. The phone succeeds the very attractive Honor 9 from last year, which impressed with its great combination of specs and style, and is almost identical to the Glory 9 released recently in China. Can the Honor 10 improve on the Honor 9’s winning formula? Here’s everything you need to know about the phone.

Specifications

The most striking aspect of the Honor 10 is the beautiful glass body, which Honor calls “Aurora glass,” and is constructed from 15 layers of 3D glass on the back. It’s available in four colors — phantom blue, phantom green, midnight black, and glacier grey. We have been enjoying the phantom blue version in our review. Around the front is a 5.8-inch touchscreen with a 2280 x 1080 pixel resolution and a 432ppi pixel density, all set underneath a 2.5D curved piece of glass, which wraps neatly around the back of the phone.

Although the screen has a notch and a 19:9 aspect ratio, it does still have noticeable bezels and a chin, where a fingerprint sensor sits under the glass itself. The Honor 10 weighs 153 grams and is just 7.7mm thick. On the back Honor has put two camera lenses in a camera bump, rather than flush on the Honor 9, which are made up of 24 megapixel and 16 megapixel lenses with an f/1.8 aperture. Artificial intelligence (A.I.) can recognize 22 different scenes, and multiple objects in one picture, allowing it to adjust the settings in real-time based on individual aspects. The selfie camera has 24 megapixels.

Other camera features include special lighting scenarios for portrait shots, an aperture mode for bokeh-effect shots, a hybrid 2x zoom, and a dedicated monochrome photo mode. The A.I. is powered by Huawei’s Neural Processing Unit, which is paired to the Kirin 970 chip that also powers the Huawei P20 Pro and Honor View 10. It has 4GB of RAM and a choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage space. The battery has a 3,400mAh capacity and fast charging, topping up to 50 percent in 25 minutes. Android 8.1 Oreo is installed with Huawei’s EMUI 8.1 user interface over the top.

Where to buy the Honor 10

Although other Honor phones are sold in the U.S., there are no details on the Honor 10’s release yet. The phone has been given a wide release in the U.K., and is available through Honor’s own online store from May 15 for 400 British pounds, or about $540. It’s also sold through retailers including John Lewis and Carphone Warehouse.

If you want a contract to go with the Honor 10, it’s an exclusive to the Three network on either a monthly deal, or with a pay-as-you-go option. It will be in stores and online from May 17.

Editors’ Recommendations

Here’s everything we know about the upcoming Honor 10 smartphone
Here’s everything you need to know about the Huawei P20
Honor 10 review
Huawei P20 Pro vs Google Pixel 2 XL: Can the P20 Pro dethrone Android royalty?
Honor View 10: Everything you need to know

16

May

Incase’s ProConnected smart luggage is a rolling power station for hungry devices

After the demise of smart-luggage pioneer Bluesmart, one has to wonder if there’s a future for this type of travel gear. With the ProConnected 4 Wheel Hubless Roller from Incase, we would say, yes. The carry-on luggage, launched on May 15, is the first in a new series of smart bags from Incase (part of the Incipio brand). Sleek yet durable, the 4 Wheel Hubless Roller’s highlight is its large-capacity 20,100mAh battery that’s capable of charging a USB-C-powered laptop as well as two USB-powered devices — like phones and tablets – simultaneously. For travelers who need their gear to stay charged constantly, the Roller is like a portable power station that also happens to hold your clothes.

Incase sent us a unit to check out prior to launch, and while we didn’t have an opportunity to travel with it yet, we did put it through its paces to get some first impressions. It’s a handsome, well-built carry-on, and we love that it has a removable battery that can recharge our MacBook Pro. But we also encounter some annoying quirks with the design, and the $400 price tag will certainly turn off many buyers.

Sleek design that’s unmistakably Incase

For the coolest accessories, Incase has always been at the top. When you want a stylish case or bag for your MacBook Pro or iPad, Incase very likely is your go-to. Besides Apple gear, the company makes bags, cases, and other accessories for cameras, travel, work, and school – all with the minimalist yet high-design that we’ve come to know and appreciate.

The ProConnected Roller follows that design ethos. The black rectangular box is sleek yet understated, reminiscent of luggage in sci-fi films. (A co-worker commented it looked like a trash can — albeit, an expensive-looking one.) Like the popular bags from Away, the Roller has clean lines, but while the former offers fun colors, the latter is more dark and masculine. We know design is subjective, and while we like it, it may not be for everyone.

Four removable wheels at the bottom help the bag glide smoothly (Incase calls them smooth glide wheels, after all). Each wheel can rotate 360 degrees, making it easy to turn and drag the bag whichever way you want.

At the top is a panel that zips open to reveal a compartment for small items like a phone, tablet, passport, keys, etc.; it’s also where you’ll find the removable battery, and a typical USB-A port. Incase calls this the charging tray, and there will be a wireless charging option buyers can add (we did not test this optional feature, which wasn’t available at press time). At the back is a sturdy telescoping handle that’s wide enough to sling a backpack over.

On one side is a small rubberized flap that covers two USB ports — one USB-C and one standard USB. The USB-C charges the battery when it’s inserted inside the bag (a USB-C cable and a wall adapter with interchangeable prongs are included, but you can any USB-C power adapter), but it’s also what charges a MacBook, MacBook Pro, Pixelbook, or any computer that supports USB-C power. The USB-A port, like the one inside the top compartment, is used for other USB devices.

To get to the main compartment, the Roller has an opening that’s somewhat untraditional from typical luggage. After unlocking the Transportation Security Administration-approved lock and releasing the two zipper pulls, the front flap opens like a door as you unzip. Once fully unzipped, you have a relatively large opening for packing. On the inside of the flap is a mesh compartment, and there are two removable mesh pouches for accessories or dirties.

The Roller is a hybrid soft and hard case, made with both polycarbonate and quick-drying 600D polyester fabric that Incase calls Woolenex. There are different grades and strength levels when it comes to polyester in luggage (and it’s considered not as strong as ballistic nylon), but Woolenex, according to Incase, is woven using polyester of two different thicknesses. That offers durability, weather resistance, and an overall light-weight package (Woolenex is used in other Incase products as well). As we haven’t put the bag through a stress test, we can’t agree or disagree with Incase, but the bag is very well made and construction seems solid. Based on our experience with previous Incase products, the company, for the most part, makes reliable gear.

The Roller, when upright, is nicely balanced. It never toppled over, even with its flap door opened. As mentioned, the wheels glide along the surface effortlessly, whether it’s hardwood or carpeted floors. We also had no issues dragging it along concrete sidewalks, but the wheels will definitely have faster wear and tear if you’re pulling the bag over asphalt or any rocky surface. On the plus side, they are removable and replaceable.

Just how smart is it?

The ProConnected Roller isn’t Incase’s first smart luggage. Previously, there was the NoviConnected, a hard-case carry-on with the same dimensions as the ProConnected Roller. The NoviConnected has a smaller, 10,050mAh battery, but it can also recharge USB-C laptops and devices. The difference? While the NoviConnected is described as having a removable battery, you actually need to unscrew the screws to remove it. The ProConnected Roller’s battery, on the other hand, pops out easily from its compartment, with the press of a button — taking a page, somewhat, out of Away’s playbook.

In the eyes of the TSA and airlines, which recently instituted new guidelines on smart luggage, the NoviConnected’s battery isn’t really removable (Incase is providing TSA-approved screwdrivers for anyone who needs to remove the battery from a NoviConnected bag). While carrying a bag onboard isn’t an issue, lithium-ion batteries aren’t allowed in the plane’s cargo hold, so they are banned from baggage check. This is the issue Bluesmart ran into, although its battery design involved a complicated wiring system that made it difficult to remove. But because the ProConnected Roller’s battery is truly removable, it meets the new guidelines, which means you can check it if needed or bring it onboard without hassle (that’s the theory, at least, as the TSA and airlines have final say).

When removed, the battery functions like any portable battery. In fact, you can use it as such when you aren’t traveling with the Roller. For a 20,100mAh battery, it actually feels lighter than other batteries with a similar capacity. Pressing the single button initiates pairing as well as lights up the battery life status, and there is one USB-C port and two USB-A ports — as with the ports on the bag.

The Roller’s battery has Bluetooth embedded, which is used to pair with the Incase Smart app for iOS and Android. Pairing is fast and easy: After registering an account, the app located our Roller instantly. Commenters in the iTunes App Store said they had issues with the app, but we didn’t have such problems using it with the Roller. The app serves a few purposes: It tells you the percentage of how much battery life is left, and how much longer before it’s fully charged. It also shows the location of your bag on a map, along with date and time of the last-known location. You can ping the battery should you need to locate the bag, which makes an annoying and continuous beeping noise. The Incase Smart app is comparable to other smart luggage apps we’ve seen, although it doesn’t have a weight scale like the Raden.

Location tracking, to us, is iffy — that’s not a ding on Incase, but on all smart luggage. The problem is that Bluetooth maintains an 50-foot (approximately) wireless connection before it cuts off. That means tracking is useless if you move outside that range, so you’re out of luck if you left the bag at a restaurant on the other side of the airport terminal — or worse, if someone’s jacked it. It’s also useless if the battery is removed from the bag, and we discovered that if you disable Bluetooth on your phone and reenable it, pairing is completely cut off; you’d need to press the button on the battery to reestablish the connection, which is actually seamless.

In terms of smarts, the Roller is not as bright if you compare it to the short-lived Bluesmart Cabin 22, which had GPS, Bluetooth, and cellular tracking, and remote locking. But the Roller is pretty standard when you compare it to most smart carry-on luggage, like the Away. What the Roller has, besides good looks, is that large-capacity battery that can recharge a laptop, or a phone for several days. It’s especially handy if you carry multiple devices, like a tablet and camera, and the ports are easily accessible. We had no trouble charging a MacBook Pro and iPhone X at the same time. It may not be the smartest bag, but it’s certainly the brawniest.

How much can you pack?

While the ProConnected Roller’s main compartment has a good-sized opening, it isn’t as large as luggage with a panel that opens completely. Despite having overall dimensions equal to other carry-ons, the interior volume seems smaller. Much of the space at the top isn’t usable, as it’s taken up by the battery compartment.

The Roller has plenty of room for a quick weekend trip, but we pushed it to its limits by packing for a seven-day vacation. We packed seven shirts, two light sweaters, a light jacket, a pair of shoes, a pair of pants, seven pairs of underwear, and seven pairs of socks (the weight of the shoes helped counterbalance the bag). The Roller accommodated all theses pieces, but it was pretty full. We couldn’t fit our toiletries bag, so we had to use the mesh compartments — even then, we had to downsize the number of toiletries to the essentials. (Note: Although the mesh pouches are see-through, they don’t meet the TSA’s screening rules.) If we practiced some extreme minimalism and creative packing, we probably could have squeezed in a small dopp kit, extra clothes, and accessories, but we would definitely need to carry a second bag for our computer, cameras, and other gear. Of course, the destination will dictate what you bring, but you should exercise restraint when packing the ProConnected Roller, e.g., you don’t need five pairs of flip-flops.

It looks and works great, but it isn’t perfect

As much as we are enamored with the design of the ProConnected Roller, there are some things we would love to see improved. There could be more after we spend some time with the bag, but these issues were immediately noticeable.

We wish Incase had incorporated a top handle. There is a large handle on one side, but it isn’t convenient if you want to lift it upright or pull it out of an overhead compartment. While the telescoping handle is strong enough to be used in a pinch, it’s not ideal. There is a slim pocket within the top compartment door, which we find somewhat useless other than for documents; Incase could have used it as a place for a handle instead.

Much of the weight centers around where the battery is located. When you carry the bag on its side, you’ll feel the weight shift toward that part. You would need to pack in such a way to help counter-balance the weight evenly (why we placed a pair of shoes at the other end). Now, if you are pulling the bag on its wheels, this is irrelevant. But there were times when we wanted to avoid dragging the luggage across the dirty streets of New York, and we preferred to carry the bag by the handle (it does get heavy when it’s full, obviously, so if you aren’t physically able to, it’s not recommended).

Despite using high quality YKK zippers, we found zipping and unzipping to be less smooth than we would like — not a deal breaker, since the zippers create a good seal. While the top compartment is spacious enough for our small items — a perfect place to quickly stash away things during the security checkpoint — we would have liked another pocket for a magazine or miscellaneous papers (we suppose millennials, a target buyer for such bags, no longer reads paper media).

We also worry about the USB ports on the side, as we had difficulty sealing the rubber cover appropriately. The ports could become damaged if left exposed to the elements.

A better alternative?

Individually, each complaint mentioned above is relatively minor. Collectively, however, it’s enough to make you wonder if the $400 price tag justifies what you get. It’s a stylish carry-on with a battery that packs enough juice to recharge your gadgets; the eye-catching design was noticed by several of our colleagues when we wheeled it by them, and stirred some major luggage envy. But we wish it didn’t have these quirks, and we’d liked it to have been a bit smarter than the competition, or at least have one or two more unique features (a fold-out laptop tray or a retractable power cable, perhaps).

In comparison, the poly-carbonate Away Bigger Carry-On with Pocket is roughly the same size as the ProConnected Roller. It has smooth-rolling wheels with a 360-degree maneuver, and a front pocket that fits a laptop. Although it has a smaller 10,000mAh battery that won’t recharge USB-C laptops, and there’s no smartphone app, it has a larger opening that makes full use of the interior. While it isn’t as smart or brawny as the Roller, it’s $100 cheaper at $295.

However, as we’ve mentioned in our outlook on smart luggage, you can make any luggage smart — especially a favorite one you already own — by adding a few accessories. In fact, Incase makes two of them: a TSA-approved lock that can be controlled remotely, and a Bluetooth tracker, both compatible with the Incase Smart app. Anker makes a 20,100mAh portable battery that supports MacBooks and other USB-C devices, with an MSRP of $66. All three accessories will cost you around $150, which is less expensive than buying any new smart luggage.

We’re fans of Incase’s product design and workmanship, and despite our concerns, it’s a bag that looks sharp and is great for heavy power users. We think travelers who value design — and willing to sacrifice some functionality in the name of it — would find the ProConnected Roller attractive, but the $400 price tag will deter others. Incase has never been a budget brand, and what you’re paying for is design and quality.

We will be updating this article after some additional road testing.

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