The best guitar tuner apps

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

No matter how dextrous your fingers might be, if your guitar is out of tune, you won’t sound great. Experienced musicians can often tune by ear, but even with years of experience under your belt, you might not find it easy. There are guitar tuners out there, but if you don’t want to spend money on one, or worry about losing it on the road, you can always use your smartphone. Modern smartphones usually have decent microphones, and so developers have been able to use them to make guitar tuner apps. We tested some of the most popular (using a physical tuner to compare results), to see which ones can keep your gigs going off without a hitch.

If you’re looking for a tool to help you learn guitar, we reviewed the innovative Fret Zealot system.

Guitar Tuna

Guitar Tuna is one of the most popular guitar tuner apps, and after trying it out, it’s easy to see why. The app is easy to use; just pluck a string, and it will detect the string and how much tuning it needs. Guitar Tuna also looks good, displaying the different strings, the note you’re playing, and how far off tune it is. Unfortunately, the free version is limited as far as the tunings it supports. If you only play in standard (EADGBE) tuning, Guitar Tuna is a fine choice, but you have to pay for an upgrade to do other tunings or instruments.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Fender Tune

Fender is one of the biggest names in guitars, and the company’s tuning app lives up to that lofty pedigree. The app has a clean interface (with a nice touch of color on the notes you play), and it’s easy to use. In Auto mode, simply pluck a string, and the app will detect the string, and how close it is to being in tune. You can also switch to manual if you want to tune by ear. There is also the option to switch to a variety of different tunings, including DADGAD, Drop D, and more, and if you make a Fender account, you can save custom tunings.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Pro Guitar Tuner

Pro guitar tuner offers fairly accurate readings and a fun, kitschy interface. The free version includes some small ads and you can only use standard tuning for guitars; for anything else, you need to upgrade to the premium version of the app.

Download now for:

Android

Chromatic Guitar Tuner

Chromatic Guitar Tuner offers a cool, vaguely rusty looking interface that is easy enough to read. Of course, form is less important than function with guitar tuners, and Guitar Tuner performs admirably. Importantly, it lets you switch between a variety of tunings, although when we used it, it seemed to have a bit more difficulty detecting notes than other tuners. Still, it’s a nice package for free (though it does include some mostly unobtrusive ads).

Download now for:

Android

Martin Tuner

Like Fender, Martin is an esteemed name in the world of guitars, known particularly for its gorgeous acoustic models. The company offers a free tuning app that functions well — although depending on your tastes, the wood grain aesthetic of the interface will either be classy or hideous. The tuner enables you to choose between a variety of tunings (always a nice touch), and even provides YouTube tutorials for topics like restringing a guitar or dealing with buzz on strings.

Download now for:

Android

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Facebook Messenger is getting those annoying autoplay video ads

It looks like days of an ad-free Facebook Messenger are well and truly over. Messenger has had static ads for around a year and a half now, but now it’s experimenting with a new, more intrusive type of ad in Messenger — video ads. And yes, they are on autoplay.

It’s not a totally unexpected move from Facebook. While static ads are less intrusive, Facebook can likely sell video ads at a much higher price. The company has been increasingly looking for ways to inject ads in the apps that aren’t the main Facebook app, including the likes of Messenger and Marketplace.

Of course, the fear for users is that autoplay videos in Facebook Messenger will seriously hamper the overall user experience, but Facebook says it is keeping that in mind.

“Top priority for us is user experience,” said Messenger’s ad manager Stefanos Loukakos in an interview with Recode. “So we don’t yet [if these will work]. However, signs until now, when we tested basic ads, didn’t show any changes with how people used the platform or how many messages they send.”

In other words, there is a glimmer of hope — if Facebook finds that video ads disrupt the overall user experience, it may reverse the decision. But we don’t expect that to happen.

The real issue here is that Facebook seems to be running out of places to put ads and because of that, when it does place new ads, the user experience suffers, whether it likes to admit that or not. Of course, it’s unlikely to cause many users to stop using the app — Messenger is a free app with a massive network that allows you to instantly message any of your friends. While there are competitors, few of them can go head to head with Messenger when it comes to reach. Perhaps the only real competition comes from services like WhatsApp — which is itself also owned by Facebook. On top of that, while Facebook has been finding creative ways to inject ads into WhatsApp, we think it’s probably only a matter of time before autoplay ads find their way into WhatsApp too.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Facebook spells out data use from mouse clicks to metadata in policy update
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‘Cyberpunk 2077’ E3 build used a hefty PC, but can your system keep up?

It’s safe to say that CD Projekt Red’s latest game Cyberpunk 2077 has impressed critics at E3 2018. The first-person role-playing game surprised us with its perspective, world, and combat, and we ended up awarding the game our Best in Show prize for the entire event. If you want to play the game on PC with the detail and fidelity on display at E3, however, you’re going to need a pretty powerful rig.

CD Projekt Red revealed the PC specifications used during its E3 2018 demonstrations in the Cyberpunk 2077 Discord, and replicating them won’t be cheap. An Intel i7-8700K GPU at 3.7 GHz was used, as was a GTX 1080 Ti GPU — the latter goes for around $700 right now.

Also used were two 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws V Series DDR4 RAM cards, which currently go for about $400 on Amazon in a two-pack. An Asus Rog STRIX Z370-I served as the motherboard, and a Samsung 960 Pro 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD was also installed. Lastly, a Corsair SF600 PSU powered the rig, and sells for a little over $100.

These specifications are all far beyond what CD Projekt Red recommended for its 2015 game The Witcher III: Wild Hunt. That role-playing game needed only 6GB of RAM and a GTX 770 GPU with 2GB of VRAM in order to run at optimum performance.

With Cyberpunk 2077, however, CD Projekt Red is capable of running the game at much more impressive settings, and it has us wondering if the game is actually going to also release on the Xbox One and PlayStation, or if it’s secretly being developed for their successors.

Speaking to Game Informer, quest designer Patrick Mills said that his studio is still targeting Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and the game was featured at the tail-end of Microsoft’s Xbox One conference during E3.

If the next-generation consoles are just a few years away, we hope Cyberpunk 2077 also releases for them, as we would like to get an experience similar to what high-end PCs can offer. Of course, by that point, the specifications provided above will seem like nothing. It’s a never-ending chase for a perfect machine that will never exist, but perhaps the chase is more important than the finish line.

YouTube TV adds 16 Starz channels as a $9 add-on

That’s a lot of movies.

YouTube TV gained another optional add-on, bringing some 16 channels of Starz for $9 a month. As always, you’ll get a free seven-day trial before being charged, so you can test things out to see if you actually want to purchase the movie network.

That includes the East and West feeds of the main Starz and Starz encore channels, along with other offshoots of each.

Here’s the full breakdown of what you’ll get:

• Starz (East)
• Starz (West)
• Starz Edge
• Starz in Black
• Starz Comedy
• Starz Cinema
• Starz Kids & Family
• Starz Encore (East)
• Starz Encore (West)
• Starz Encore Action
• Starz Encore Classic
• Starz Encore Black
• Starz Encore Family
• Starz Encore Suspense
• Starz Encore Westerns
• Starz Encore Español

To add the new Starz channels — or any of the other add-ons for YouTube TV, which include Showtime, Fox Soccer Plus, Shudder and Sundance Now — you’ll need to go into your YouTube TV settings (which you can get to directly through this link if you’re logged in) and select the package you want to add.

Just be sure to cancel before the trial runs out if you decide Starz isn’t your thing.

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Adobe’s Project Rush brings ‘all-in-one’ video editing to all your devices

Project Rush brings together elements of Premiere Pro, Audition, and After Effects in one cross-platform package.

Adobe today took the wraps off of Project Rush, a new video editing tool that works across platforms and brings elements from several apps in Adobe’s suite together in one package.

The highlight of Project Rush is its ability to work across your devices. According to Adobe, the video editor will be available across both desktop and mobile devices. And you’ll be able to easily pick up where you left off, too: Rush will automatically sync stuff you’re working on to the cloud. So, if you start editing on your desktop and need to head out the door, you can continue your project on your phone.

In terms of features, Adobe is calling Project Rush an “all-in-one” video editor. The company has combined elements of Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects, and Adobe Stock to allow editors to do anything they need to without worrying about switching apps. Within the app, you’ll find familiar controls for adding filters, optimizing audio, color correction, and much more. When you’re done, Project Rush will be able to publish to multiple social platforms with a click, Adobe says.

Going forward, Adobe says it plans to focus on social platforms, making it easier create different versions of a video that are optimized for each platform you’ll be publishing to.

As for an official release, things are still up in the are. At the moment, Project Rush is only available as a beta, and you have to apply for a chance to test it. Still, for content creators, Project Rush looks like it will be worth giving a gander once it lands.

What is Project Fi, how does it work, and why do I want it?

Google’s own carrier offering definitely has appealing features.

If you’re an Android enthusiast, you likely know about Project Fi. But that doesn’t mean you necessarily know everything about it. And for everyone out there who doesn’t have one of the handful of phones that work with the carrier are unlikely to have looked into Project Fi deeply. So we’re here to give you the high-level view at the carrier option that comes directly from Google. Namely, just what the heck it is, how it works compared to other carriers and maybe a few reasons why you’d want to try it.

See at Project Fi

The latest Project Fi news

June 19, 2018 — LG G7 and V35 now available for pre-order

LG’s first Project Fi phones, the G7 and V35, are now available for pre-order!

The G7 is the more affordable of the two at $749 outright or $31.21/month for 24 months, whereas the V35 will set you back a hefty $899 or $37.46/month for 24 months.

No matter which one you choose, Google’s offering a $100 Fi credit when you pre-order either one. This is a limited time offer and will only be available through July 7, 2018, at 11:59 PM PT.

See at Project Fi

June 5, 2018 — You can now add kids under 13-years-old to your family plan

Leveraging its Family Link suite of digital parental tools, Google now allows you to add kids to your Project Fi family plan that are under 13-years-old.

After making a Google account for your kiddo(s) through Family Link, you’ll be able to add them to your Project Fi plan like any other adult user. They’ll have access to all of the features everyone else on your plan has, but of course, you can limit how much time they spend on their phone through the Family Link app.

Kids also cost the same at $15/month for the Fi Basics (calling and texting) and then $10 per GB of data they use.

You can now add kids under 13 to Project Fi group plans via Family Link

What you need to know about Project Fi

What is Project Fi?

At the highest level, Project Fi is a phone carrier operated by Google. It works by giving you mobile data service on three mobile networks, which your phone will intelligently switch between — it also uses Wi-Fi to make calls and send texts whenever available. Project Fi is a “prepaid” carrier, meaning you pay upfront for your service in the trailing month, which is the opposite of a traditional carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) that bills you after you use the service.

It’s all about simplified billing with no hidden fees or overages.

Project Fi is focused on simplified billing. You pay $20 per month for unlimited talk and texting, and a flat rate of $10 per gigabyte of data used. At the start of each month you simply estimate how much data you’ll use (by the gigabyte) and pay for that amount — at the end of the month you’ll receive either a refund for data you didn’t use, or pay a little extra on the next bill for data overages. You’ll always pay at the same $10 per gigabyte rate either way. Bill Protection applies to international data usage the same as home usage.

The only time that doesn’t apply is when you hit a level called “Bill Protection” — effectively an unlimited plan tier for Fi. Once you’ve used 6GB ($60) of data in a given month, your bill is then capped at that point for the month but you continue to get data service. You can use as much data as you want for the month without paying over $80 total ($20 base + $60 data). The only caveat here is that once you hit 15GB of total data usage, your speeds are slowed to 256kbps — alternatively, at the 15GB point you can choose to start paying $10 per GB again for full-speed data if needed.

The huge benefit here is that you don’t have to pay for an “unlimited” plan every month — it’s simply there if you use beyond 6GB of data in a month. All other months when you use less than 6GB of data your bill will be less than $80.

You can also set up a “Group Plan” on Project Fi for up to six people to share a single account and billing source. With a Group Plan, all of the same features of an individual plan apply, but you save $5 per person per month on the base plan charge. Billing is handled centrally by the account owner, along with data limitations for each user (if needed) — Bill Protection data usage limits are also handled on a per-person basis. Project Fi charges the group owner for everyone’s bill collectively, but can also facilitate payments back to the account admin from each member to pay their share. Individuals can come and go from a Group Plan as they wish, without any contract.

Unlike most other prepaid carriers, Project Fi is available for just a handful of phones: the Google Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 2, Moto X4, Pixel XL, Pixel, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6. You can also use a data-only SIM card with any tablet that supports the T-Mobile network.

How does it work?

Project Fi works with a special SIM card — and a little software on your phone — that can authenticate you on T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular, and switch between them on the fly based on a variety of factors. On the new Pixel 2 and 2 XL, an integrated eSIM lets you use Project Fi without a physical SIM card and quickly switch between Project Fi and another carrier’s SIM.

Using Wi-Fi for calls and texts, you can keep using your phone in places where mobile data isn’t that great. Extra software called a “Wi-Fi assistant” will automatically connect your phone to open Wi-Fi access points when you’re out of the house, reducing your data usage without any intervention on your part.

You get the power of three mobile networks, plus Wi-Fi, in a single SIM

When you use Project Fi, you also get some of the same features that have made Google Voice popular over the years. You can forward phone calls to your Fi number to any phone you want, as well as view voicemail, make calls and send texts with that number from any device using the Hangouts app and website.

Project Fi also works internationally in 120 countries around the world with no additional cost for data use or texting. You can call at a flat rate to any number while on the cellular networks abroad, or pay much lower rates when calling on Wi-Fi. You can also call back home to the U.S. on Wi-Fi for free. Data used internationally just comes out of your standard $10 per gigabyte bucket, but speeds can vary depending on the country you’re in.

What phones are available?

When Project Fi launched in 2015, the only phone that supported it was the Nexus 6. Google’s been expanding this list over the years, and while the list of compatible phones isn’t nearly on the same level as carriers such as T-Mobile and Verizon, it’s one that’s growing all the time.

Along with Google’s own Pixel 2 and 2 XL, other phones that work on Project Fi include the Moto G6, LG G7, LG V35, and others.

These phones work on Project Fi

Why do I want it?

Well, this is really a personal question of whether you actually want to try Project Fi. Chances are if you’re reading Android Central you’re at least one step closer to being the target audience for the Google-powered carrier, but there are a few other boxes to check that make it the right choice for you.

Simplicity in the service and billing are paramount to the experience.

The only big issue for most people is the limited phone choices. Google lets you use its latest phones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, on Project Fi, in addition to a small selection of handsets from Motorola and LG — including the Moto G6, LG G7, and a couple others.

If you’re okay with that limitation, you don’t have many other hurdles to jump over. You can sign up for Project Fi online in minutes, and you can either buy a Pixel phone at the same time or Google will send you a SIM card to put in your existing Pixel or Nexus. Once it arrives, you can start the typical porting process of bringing your current phone number to Fi, or can start fresh with a new number. You can use Project Fi for as long or short as you want, as there aren’t any contracts or commitments involved.

There are lots of cool features that make Project Fi a good choice, like the simplified billing, included international features and improved network coverage through the use of three carriers and Wi-Fi networks. Each one will have a different amount of draw for different people, though.

Project Fi’s pricing isn’t dramatically lower than other carriers out there, and whether it makes a good choice financially for you depends on your data usage and which features you want. We encourage you to do your pricing research before choosing which carrier is the best.

And whether you’re still on the fence or just curious about it, be sure to follow all of our Project Fi coverage here at Android Central!

See at Project Fi

Google Project Fi

• What is Project Fi?
• Get the latest Project Fi news
• Google Pixel 2 review
• Moto X4 review
• Discuss Project Fi in our forums
• Sign up for Project Fi!

Update June 19, 2018: Started a blog roll for the latest Project Fi news and added a section about the available phones.

Bluetooth speakers, all-in-one computers, speedy SSDs, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Logitech UE Megaboom Bluetooth speaker, the WD Black 500GB SSD, Apple’s iMac all-in-one computers, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Spigen Liquid Crystal case for Galaxy S9 review: A clear winner

Not every case needs to be expensive to be functional and protective.

Since just a few days after I got my Galaxy S9, I’ve been using Samsung’s official Alcantara case and loving it. It’s soft, and it lets me keep the phone mostly protected without sacrificing the premium look and feel. But here’s the thing: I paid $50 for a thin case that doesn’t even cover the bottom of the phone.

Cases don’t have to be expensive or be made out of fancy materials like Alcantara or leather to fulfill their purpose, though. First and foremost, a case serves to protect your phone from the inevitable scratches and drops it’ll encounter over the months and years to come. Ideally, it looks good too, and doesn’t add too much thickness to your phone so it still fits comfortably in your hand and pocket. The Spigen Liquid Crystal case checks all of those boxes for only $10.99.

Spigen Liquid Crystal case for Galaxy S9

Price: $10.99

Bottom line: This is a slim, clear case that shows off the color of your phone and doesn’t break the bank.

The Good

• Thin, clear design that lets you see your phone’s design
• Tactile button covers
• Smooth bottom edge with wide port cutouts
• Available in 7 total finishes

The Bad

• Front edge is a little sharp
• Not as protective as some thicker cases in Spigen’s lineup

See at Amazon

Thin and clear

Spigen Liquid Crystal What I like

For $11, there’s not much to complain about here. The Liquid Crystal case is simple in design, covering the back, sides, and bottom of the phone in a thin layer of TPU (that’s thermoplastic polyurethane — basically plastic). There’s a bit of branding along the case — a Spigen logo, manufacturing details, and a callout to the case’s Air Cushion technology that, in theory, absorbs the shock from drops and protects your phone from damage.

The Liquid Crystal case is just one of Spigen’s many cases for the Galaxy S9, and it’s one of the thinnest in the selection at just 0.4 inches. I got the clear finish, but the Liquid Crystal is also available in matte black, along with a collection of flashier designs with glitter or floral print. No matter which finish you get, it comes lined with a small dotted pattern inside, which adds a bit of visual texture and prevents weird bubbling patterns.

To be totally honest, I wasn’t expecting much from a cheap, thin case like this. The last clear case I got years ago had horribly stiff buttons and sharp edges along the port cutouts on the bottom, but none of that is true with the Liquid Crystal. The buttons are still very tactile and clicky, and the bottom of the case is smooth, which is especially important if you’re the type to hold your phone in one hand with the bemoaned pinky shelf. There’s also plenty of space around the camera cutout, where a sloped design guides your finger straight to the fingerprint sensor — it’s by far my favorite part of the case.

Rough around the edges

Spigen Liquid Crystal What doesn’t work

My only gripe with the case is that it’s a bit rough along the front edge. It’s nothing terrible and it certainly won’t scratch your hand, but it can be a bit annoying to feel when your thumb slides from the case to the screen. One of the corners is also a bit sharp around the back — again, nothing serious, but the fact that only one corner is like this makes me question Spigen’s consistency when making this case. Still, for how little you’re paying, a few slight imperfections are forgivable.

clearly a good deal

Spigen Liquid Crystal case for Galaxy S9

For $11, the Liquid Crystal case definitely blew through my expectations. It’s got just enough material to protect your phone from damage — at least, in the event of a minor fall — but it’s thin enough that you’ll barely notice it’s there. Especially since I have the blue Galaxy S9, I really appreciate being able to see the finish of my phone clearly through the case, which is something my more expensive Alcantara case can’t offer, beyond the exposed bottom edge.

4
out of 5

Unless you need something more protective (in which case Spigen’s Pro Guard series may be a better fit), the Crystal Clear case is a fantastic option for Galaxy S9 owners that won’t break the bank. Of course, there’s also a larger model available for the Galaxy S9+, as well as most other popular phones. I’m not entirely sure that it’ll replace my Alcantara case, but … I’m also not sure that it won’t.

See at Amazon

Get up to $35 off a new Amazon Fire TV Cube by trading in your old streaming device

Got a Chromecast or Roku sitting around collecting dust?

Trade in whatever media streaming player you own and Amazon will give you up to $35 in credit towards a new Fire TV Cube or 4K Fire TV. Amazon only recently announced the Fire TV Cube, and it’s currently set to come out on June 21. You can get a huge discount off the price with this trade-in offer and go from an older, streaming device, to one that syncs easily with your smart home and streams in 4K. If you want to get your hands on Amazon’s newest device, this is best deal we’re going to see on it for quite some time.

So the way this works is you trade in any Roku, Apple or Google streaming device and Amazon will give you up to $2.99 as an Amazon gift card. This works with pretty much any device, whether it’s an old Roku streaming stick or Google Chromecast Ultra. Once your trade-in is accepted by Amazon, add a Fire TV Cube or 4K Fire TV to your cart and bonus savings up to $35 will be taken out automatically during checkout. The money you get depends on the condition of the product, but Amazon will tell you the maximum amount you’re eligible for on the final screen before you confirm the trade-in. For example, the Roku streaming stick will get you $25 off either the 4K Fire TV or Fire TV Cube, and the Chromecast Ultra can get you $25 off the first but up to $35 off the Cube.

Sending in the device is easy, too. Pick the device you want to trade in from Amazon’s list, answer a question about the condition of the device, and then print the shipping label Amazon creates for you. You have seven days from when you submit the trade-in to mail it to Amazon.

The Fire TV Cube is a big deal. Essentially, imagine the way you use an Echo Dot now to control all the wirelessly connected appliances around your home. Then imagine that control plugged into your TV so you can control everything plugged in there with your voice as well. That’s what you get with this new device. It’s a way to turn on the TV, play your favorite DVD, adjust the volume on your home audio system, dim the lights, and get your microwave to cook some popcorn all without moving from the best spot on the couch.

See on Amazon

Moto Z3 Play: Everything you need to know!

Motorola packs a punch for round three of the Z Play.

Motorola’s Moto Z Play line has gone through a lot of changes in the few short years it’s existed. The original Z Play was an excellent alternative to the much more expensive Moto Z and offered tremendous battery life with support to take it even further with Moto Mods.

The Z2 Play decreased the battery capacity while increasing the price by $50, and this year with the Z3 Play, we’re met with the same 3,000 mAh battery and $499 price tag of its predecessor while also getting dual cameras, a full glass back, and a new on-screen gesture system.

If your interest has been peaked by the Z3 Play, here’s everything you need to know!

Check out our hands-on preview

If you want to know what it’s like to play around with the Moto Z3 Play, why not take a look at our hands-on coverage?

AC’s Daniel Bader got a chance to go up close and personal with the Z3 Play, and you can read and watch his thoughts in both written and video form ✍️📺.

Moto Z3 Play hands-on preview: Three’s company

Review the specs

If you like playing the numbers game, the Moto Z3 Play does a pretty solid job at holding its own compared to other phones in its price range. Some of the highlights include a Snapdragon 636 processor, Android 8.1, and a healthy 4GB RAM.

To learn even more about what makes the Z3 Play tick, check out our full spec rundown below.

Moto Z3 Play Specifications

See how it compares to the Z2 Play

The Moto Z3 Play might be newer and flashier than last year’s Z2 Play, but should owners of its predecessor shell out another $499 to upgrade?

You’ll find a lot of improvements with the Z3 Play, such as a newer processor and slimmer bezels, but the Z2 Play still puts up a fight in mid-2018 with a 3.5mm headphone jack (something the Z3 Play doesn’t have), a more traditional fingerprint sensor, and sturdier aluminum back.

This one’s a toss-up in a lot of ways, so be sure to give our detailed, hands-on comparison a look.

Moto Z3 Play vs. Moto Z2 Play: Should you upgrade?

Motorola’s toying with a new on-screen gesture system

Previous Moto phones have featured a unique navigation system that replaces Google’s on-screen buttons in favor of a series of swipes performed on the front-facing fingerprint sensor.

With the Z3 Play, Motorola’s evolving that idea and taking some inspiration from Android P by moving those gestures from the fingerprint sensor and making them on-screen. Swiping left goes back, Swiping right brings up your recent apps, and a single tap takes you home.

It’s unclear if Motorola will continue to offer this once Android P rolls around, but it’s a fun and unique way to make your way around the phone.

The fingerprint sensor is in a unique place

A quick glance at the Z3 Play might lead you to believe that Motorola forgot to include a fingerprint sensor, but there is one there if you know where to look.

An indented area on the right side of the phone is where the Z3 Play’s fingerprint sensor lies, and because of its position, the power/lock button has been moved to the left.

This positioning of buttons could cause for some confusion/irritation in day-to-day use, but at the very least, it’s a unique implementation we really don’t see all that often.

There are dual cameras

One of the biggest upgrades to the Z3 Play over its predecessors lies with its camera. This is the first entry in the Z Play lineup to come equipped with dual rear cameras, and on the Z3 Play, we’ve got a 12MP and 5MP combo.

Motorola’s upgraded processing should allow for improved low-light photos compared to the Z2 Play and the secondary lens allows for much better (if not the best) portrait shots.

You’ll also find features such as 4K video recording at 30 FPS and a built-in cinemagraph tool.

It’s compatible with all existing Moto Mods

Motorola promised its lineup of Moto Mods would work on Moto Z phones for three full years, and it’s keeping that promise with the Z3 Play.

This is the last Z Play phone that’ll work with all existing Moto Mods, and in mid-2018, you have a lot of them to choose from.

Motorola’s done a great job at building up its library of Mods over the years, with some of the highlights including a Nintendo Switch-like gamepad, external speaker, an assortment of battery packs, and much more.

Here’s every Moto Mod you can buy for the Moto Z series

You’ll pay $499 to own the Z3 Play

If you’re interested in picking up the Moto Z3 Play, Motorola’s charging $499 for it.

For comparison’s sake, the Moto G6 offers a vastly similar experience for around $260 less and the OnePlus 6 costs $30 more while offering a much more capable processor, better cameras, and a headphone jack.

The Z3 Play certainly isn’t a bad phone, but unless you plan on making full use of the Moto Mod ecosystem, don’t be afraid to broaden your horizon’s and see what else is out there.

See at Motorola