All-new Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and Echo Sub are now up for pre-order in India

Amazon is launching its latest products in India on the same day as their U.S. debut.

Amazon released over a dozen products at its hardware event, and the retailer is bringing five products to the Indian market. The all-new Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and Echo Sub are currently up for pre-order, with sales set to kick off from October 11.

Amazon is also set to launch the second-gen Echo Show in India at some point next year, along with the Echo Input, which offers the same functionality as a Chromecast Audio but for Alexa.

The new Echo Dot has a fabric finish and offers vastly improved sound quality thanks to a 1.6-inch driver. It is 70% louder and has an aux port that lets it connect to other speakers, and you also get Bluetooth connectivity. The Echo Dot is available in black, grey, and white color options, and Amazon is retaining the ₹4,499 ($62) price point, which makes it an enticing option for those looking to get started with smart speakers.

See at Amazon India

The Echo Plus has also picked up a fabric design that makes it resemble the standard Echo, and it now includes a temperature sensor in addition to the ZigBee smart home hub. The 3.0-inch woofer and 0.8-inch tweeter allows the Echo Plus to be louder while delivering more bass. Like the Echo Dot, Amazon is selling the new Echo Plus at an unchanged ₹14,999 ($207), and the speaker is available in black, grey, and white options.

See at Amazon

The Echo Sub is a new addition to the Echo family that’s aimed at delivering room-filling sound. The sub pairs with a single Echo or Echo Plus in a 1.1 setup, or you can set up two Echos for a 2.1 stereo configuration. The subwoofer on its own costs ₹12,999 ($180).

To incentivize the launch of the sub, Amazon India is offering a 25% discount when you pick up two Echo or Echo Plus speakers along with the Echo Sub. So if you’re buying two Echo Plus speakers and the Echo Sub, the total comes out to ₹42,997, but you can get it for ₹32,248.

See at Amazon

Other products that Amazon launched today include the Echo Auto, which lets you easily integrate Alexa into your car. The Echo Auto connects over an aux port or Bluetooth, and can undertake location-specific tasks. It isn’t able to connect to the internet on its own; the accessory relies on your phone for that, and you’ll be able to access navigation on Google Maps, Waze, as well as ask Alexa for directions, and more.

Amazon also unveiled a $60 Alexa-integrated microwave in the AmazonBasics brand, as well as a $30 wall clock that shows your Alexa timers. Here’s the full list of all the products Amazon announced today:

Here’s everything Amazon announced at its 2018 hardware event

Sony S50G review: A Google Assistant speaker with Homepod looks

More and more Google Assistant smart speakers are coming out each year. As the number grows so do your choices. While they all essentially do the same thing, each speaker tries to find a way to stand out amongst the crowd. Keep reading below to find out the many ways the S50G loaned to us by Sony finds a way to separate itself from the flock.

Design

First and foremost you can’t overlook the design of the Sony S50G, mostly because it looks exactly like Apple’s smart speaker, the Homepod. Both share a strikingly similar shape and appear to be made from similar materials.

That in itself is not a bad thing, many manufacturers copy each other’s designs and if you’re a fan of Apple aesthetics then you’ll most likely find the S50G attractive. Personally, I don’t mind that they copied the Homepod and think the Sony S50G is a fantastic looking speaker that would look great in anyone’s home. Unlike the Homepod the S50G also has the benefit of being IPX3 splashproof making it safe to use in the kitchen.

The soft fabric gives it a nice cozy feel, but my favorite standout from the design is the built-in clock. This was absolutely perfect to replace my out of date alarm clock, which I only kept around to get a quick glance of the time. Even better it sets itself so you don’t have to worry if there is a power surge or you relocate it.

If you’re not a fan of the clock, that’s fine as well because a button on the underside can adjust the brightness or completely disable it. In fact, all the buttons are on the bottom in addition to the brightness/restart button there is also a pairing button, hold button, and microphone off button.

One of the main benefits of a smart speaker is not having to pair your phone in order to play music. However, most offer a Bluetooth connection including the Sony S50G. What distinguishes Sony from other speakers here is they included NFC making it more convenient to connect via Bluetooth.

The top of the S50G looks clean and simple, but there is more going on here than meets the eye. Sony has included a motion sensor for hands-free gestures to control activating Assistant, playing/pausing music, and skipping tracks when listening to music.

The ability to wave your hand over the top of the speaker like a Jedi to control it would be an amazing feature to make your speaker stand out. If it weren’t for these two reasons. For one the controls are extremely finicky and using them often turned into a frustrating task instead of the convenience it should have been.

The second reason is one of the benefits of a smart speaker is everything is controlled by your voice when you are several feet away from the speaker. While the gestures require you to be right next to it.

The top is also touch-sensitive allowing you to change the volume by running your finger over it in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. Unfortunately, once again this experience will leave you unsatisfied. In my experience, each time I tried to adjust the volume this way it took several tries. Making it easier to just ask the speaker to change the volume instead.

Features

When it comes to Assistant enabled speakers, one area they cannot truly differentiate themselves is through the general smart features. That is except for two exclusive features found only on Google smart speakers such as placing phone calls and an equalizer option.

Beyond that, any speaker Assistant speaker you find will have the ability to control your smart home, answer your questions, play music, do multi-room audio playback, play podcasts, make reminders, provide you with weather and news, and much much more.

Simply put, outside of a couple of Google exclusive features no matter what speaker you choose you’ll have all of the same smart functions. Which is why Assistant speakers choose to stand out primarily through their design and sound quality.

Microphone Performance

Microphone performance met my expectations and then some. Immediately when I began using the S50G it was apparent to me that the previous speaker I had been using had a less sensitive microphone. I had become accustomed to speaking louder to activate Assistant and was delighted that I could now lower my voice some.

The far-field technology and microphone placement on the S50G work great together and you won’t have to worry about yelling at it, unless you want to that is.

Sound Quality

The S50G has a fairly balanced sound signature with emphasis slightly more towards the high end. This results in music sounding clear and clean but also somewhat overwhelms the low end. The bass itself is still present but comes off rather weak in comparison to the treble.

If you’re someone who prefers more impact in the low end of your music you’ll be disappointed. However, if clarity in your music is more important then you’ll be pleased with how bass doesn’t take over the tracks. No matter how you like your music though the S50G gets plenty loud enough to fill a room and be heard a couple of rooms over. Even better is that it can reach max volume without any meaningful distortion.

One complaint I have about the sound of the S50G has to do with the volume of the Assistant’s voice. There is no way to adjust the volume of the voice and in general, it is louder than I’d like. This prevented me from using it early in the morning or late in the evening worrying about disturbing others as they were sleeping. The S50G is not the only speaker that does this but there are others on the market which adjust the voice dynamically with the system volume.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the Sony S50G finds a way to distinguish itself amongst the competition with clear sound, unique motion gestures, and a clock. The biggest problem is the unique motion gestures are also uniquely frustrating. After several attempts, you’ll probably end up never using them again much like myself.

However, if you ignore these gestures and prefer an Assistant speaker with clear sound and a stylish design the S50G is a very viable option. Unfortunately, the design is not an uncommon one but there are worse things than looking like an Apple Homepod knockoff. If you’re not a fan of the design or prefer more bass in your music then be sure to check out our list of Assistant speakers for an alternative.

ABT Best Buy B&H Photo Frys Newegg Walmart

Motorola Moto G6 review

It’s Motorola season in the world of smartphones. As of the time we’re putting together this review there are multiple devices sprinkling out into various pockets of the world. Moreover, there’s another model just emerging from behind the curtain in the form of the Z3. Today, though, we’re talking about the Moto G6.

We’re huge fans of Motorola, and always appreciate when it delivers a new phone. For starters, we love the way it leaves Android almost completely untouched. Additionally, we like the price point of its devices.

Let’s take a look at the Moto G6 and dive into our impressions. Note that we have had the review unit for a few weeks now, going back and forth between it, our main phone, and other devices.

No Mo’ Moto?

Interestingly, the phone says “Motorola” on it where previously it would have simply said “Moto”. As a sign of where things are going, at least for the time being, it feels like a new vision while not diverging from its predecessors. The G6 comes across as very much like its forebears with a hint of “new” in the process.

Does this phone signal that Motorola is heading off on a different trajectory? Not quite. There’s a lot here that’s familiar and par for the Motorola course. As to why the name change or branding adjustment, we’re not sure what’s up there.

Design

For lesser demanding users, AKA the Moto G6 target demographic, the hardware is sufficient. We don’t see any reason this package couldn’t last two years for its user base.

Priced just $250 at launch (now just $230), the phone has the appearance of a more expensive device. Maybe we’re still somehow conditioned to think that this price tag means cheaply constructed or plastic materials. Whatever it is, we like the physical look and feel of the Moto G6.

As it pertains to layout and construction, it’s much like anything else from the Motorola camp these days. And, really, it’s not all that ambitious or different from competitors.

On the right edge (facing the screen) of the phone you locate the volume buttons, and just below that, the power button. There’s a knurled pattern etched onto the power so it’s easy to identify in the dark or without glancing.

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Find it with your thumb and you can slide up just smidge to get the volume rocker. All buttons responded very nicely to the touch, providing solid feedback. It’s quite obvious as to whether or not you’ve pressed them.

You won’t find anything on the left edge of the phone. Up above is the SIM card and microSD card tray whereas the USB Type C charging port and 3.5mm headphone jack are down on the bottom edge.

Below the screen you find one hardware button. It works as a fingerprint sensor but also for multiple functions across Android. Indeed, it can be used for back, menu, and home. Though it’s not enabled by default, it is a nice alternative to the standard navigation used for the platform. If it’s your first time using Android, it’s easy to learn; for seasoned owners, it’s fairly easy to learn but sometimes awkward.

Around back is the dual camera configuration which is nested in the upper center of the phone. Just below that is the stylized Motorola logo. It’s printed into the finish and doesn’t have any edges or texture to is.

The Motorola Moto G6 is built with a shiny but durable glass material. Reflective, somewhat slippery, and easily broken, it gives off the appearance of a phone that costs more than it does.

The glass gives off an attractive shine and catches light in ways that draw the eye in for a closer look. On appearance alone it’s hard to imagine this handset being as budget friendly as it truly is.

The Moto G6 is a little bit slippery to the touch, and it likes to pick up oils and smears from your fingers. We found ourselves wiping it with a shirt or against a pant leg out of habit and wanting to keep it clean.

The color of our review unit is “Black” but we felt like it’s almost a really dark grey and silver at times. Black is a pretty accurate term, but you could have convinced us that it was Slate or Midnight Pewter.

The Motorola Moto G6 has a a 5.7-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, meaning it fits in hand nicely. At this size it also packs plenty of space for text and photos.

The curved back and edges deliver an experience that’s easy to hold. Whether you’re dealing with one hand or two, the phone is comfortable and inviting.

Performance

A mid-range phone to be sure, the Snapdragon 450 processor is complemented with 3GB RAM. We’re now at a point where this is the acceptable amount of memory and processor to suffice in a daily driver — just as long as you’re not looking for blazing speeds and benchmark busting numbers.

Does this mean the Moto G6 is slow and sluggish? For most users, that’s probably not the case. The more data-heavy apps, flashy games, or larger files might hinder performance but day-to-day stuff is alright.

Given we tend to use flagship and high-end devices as our daily drivers, we happen notice the slowed performance. It’s not all the time, but often enough that we were reluctant to throw our full suite of everyday apps and games on it and go all-in right out of the gate.

Most apps and games worked as expected, but some were a touch slower to open. We suspect that a typical user wouldn’t catch on to anything. Nothing happened that gave us pause or caused us any real frustration.

Given the Android build is almost untouched, there’s no lag for custom Motorola touches or enhancements. We’ve seen phones, even on the higher end, that feel like they chug or sputter from time to time. It’s usually the “skins” or branded experience that use more resources. We’re happy to say that’s not the case here.

The 3,000mAh battery is rated to last one day, per Motorola. That’s right in line with other phones with similar capacities, but just under what we qualify as a “day’s” worth.

Depending on how early you start your day, and how much you use your phone, the Moto G6 could end up going the distance. But, for us, it tends to get to around 25 percent come the end of a work day. Not to worry, though, the phone charges up quick.

Put the Moto G6 on a charger for about 15-30 minutes and you’ll have more than enough to end your day, regardless of where you were. The TurboPower fast-charging system via the USB Type-C is always awesome to have.

Camera

The dual-rear camera setup takes great photos but it’s not like what you’ll find on the Pixel 2 or OnePlus 6. Then again, you’re also not spending that sort of money. What you do get, though, is a consistent experience that’s more than worthy of social media and sharing.

The “active photos” is a nice touch that captures a smidge of video before and after you take your picture. It’s not unlike what Google, Apple, and others are starting to do with their cameras.

The camera app is easy to use and there are plenty of options to play with, including spot color, panoramic, face filters (think Snapchat or Instagram), and portraits. In terms of video, you get slow motion, timelapse, and face filters.

Using the two sensors, portrait gives users the ability to selectively determine the focal point. It’s the little blur that has your subject popping off the background; it’s possible to adjust this after your picture is taken, too.

Like other modern phones, the Motorola Moto G6 employs artificial intelligence to identify subject and objects. Landmarks, food, text, and other things each get a slightly different tweak ahead of taking the picture.

The Moto G6 can capture video at 1080p (30fps/60fps) but there’s no 4K. If that’s something you already come to like in a phone, you’ll miss it here.

Conclusion

We really admire the Moto G series of phones. In fact, it’s one of our favorite models year in and year out. The 2018 is exactly what we had hoped for, meaning it’s a lot of handset for the money.

As much as it makes sense to see flagships and big-budget phones across multiple carriers, we’d appreciate having these there, too. Understanding that a lot of pre-paid and second-tier service providers offer the Moto G6, we think it would be well-received at the bigger carriers.

We’re always a fan of the stripped down Android experience and Motorola does just that. You get a very recent version of Google’s operating system with only minimal extras. Moreover, they’re opt-in, meaning you don’t have to employ anything fancy or custom.

If you’re on the hunt for a wallet-friendly affair that’s got enough oomph to handle your daily tasks, the Motorola Moto G6 should be on your short list.

Monet review: All-in-one wallet, kickstand, and phone grip

As much as we like our phones and their large displays, they’re not exactly easy to wield. Sure, they’re thin and light, but they can still be a challenge to use with one hand.

Here, try this — open your phone with one hand and see how long you can go before touching it with a second hand. That didn’t take long, did it? Swiping is not an issue, but opening multiple apps, tapping various places on the screen, and getting around is tough.

Chances are good that you’ve seen a Popsocket, or something similar, on the back of a few phones. The simple design shifts the weight away from the front of your phone to the back, letting you use your thumb without strain.

If you’re interested in checking out a solution to unwieldy and cumbersome phones, we’d recommend looking at Monet. We’ve had the opportunity to review a few of its options and are only too happy to share our findings.

We were sent three versions of the Monet: Black Night, Light Blue, and Pretty in Pink (Light Pink). Save for their colors, each is designed the same way. The thin accessory is equal parts phone grip, wallet, and kickstand.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

To apply the Monet all you need to do is peel off the backing and stick it to your phone. You’ll want to ensure that you’ve got room before doing so as some models may not be big enough to support the Monet. A quick sizing against a few models here at the office found that fingerprint sensors would sometimes be covered up.

If you’d like to gauge whether one might work for you, place a credit card on the back of your handset. Give yourself a bit of breathing room but not much. The Monet is built to hold a couple of your cards or cash with little wasted space.

Wallet

With two tight pockets to work with you can carry your main card, a business card or two, and a tiny bit of cash. There’s not a lot of play in the pockets, but that’s a good thing as you don’t want to lose those important items while out and about.

We like the peace of mind we get in leaving the wallet or purse home for date night or a business lunch. There’s no real reason to lug around the extra stuff that’s not going to be used over the next few hours. The Monet solves a problem we didn’t realize we had.

Extra Grip

The adjustable loop fits your finger nicely, making it easy to hold onto the phone for swiping. It doesn’t help you reach opposite edges or corners, but things definitely feel more natural to hold in one hand. When not in use, simply slide the loop snug to the back and it will essentially lock into place.

Kickstand

Using the loop you can also set your phone on its side as it serves as kickstand. This is great for watching video on the plane, landscape selfies in the middle of class, or innumerable other reasons.

Heads Up

As much as we’re a fan of the Monet, there are a couple of things we should point out. If you have wireless charging on your phone, and do use it, this is not the accessory for you. Then again, neither is a Popsocket. You won’t have the ability to place your phone flat on a wireless platter.

Additionally, you can’t set your phone down flat at all. If you’re the type who likes to place their handset face up on a table or surface, you’ll end up with a wonky angle or some movement.

A lot of users protect their device with a phone case. To that end, nearly everyone you buy today provides a bit of a lip around the edge. Once you realize this, and take advantage of it, you’ll find that you’re no longer leaving the display exposed.

We stuck the Monet onto the back of a textured phone case and found it stays in place nicely. It works just the same as it would on the rear of a glass or plastic device and we’ve yet to see any signs of the adhesive giving up.

As we were putting this review together we found the Monet serves another purpose, albeit a completely different one. Using it as a thin wallet, we wrapped corded headphones around and tucked the ends in the loop. Forgoing a phone altogether we could see this being a fashionable and functional way to carry a few essentials to school or work.

Availability

The Monet runs $20 through its website and Amazon. As of today we see there’s a $5 off coupon if you apply MONET5 at checkout through the official site. Enjoy free shipping on all orders, too.

With a variety of color options to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Selections include solids, neons, patterns, multi-color, and pastels. We’ve already enjoyed our time with the Monet and think you would, too.

Editor Note: We received the three review units at no cost to our outlet. All opinions are 100% ours and were in no way affected by the complimentary accessories.

First Impressions From New iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Users

We’ve seen dozens of iPhone XS and XS Max reviews from media sites that Apple invited to test the new smartphones ahead of their release, but now that the new iPhones have officially launched in the United States and other countries around the world, iPhone XS and XS Max first impressions from regular Apple customers are now available.

New iPhone XS and XS Max users on reddit, Twitter, and the MacRumors forums have been sharing their opinions on the two new devices, and for those awaiting their own new iPhone or considering a purchase, the impressions from average consumers provide interesting insight.

MacRumors reader shooter03 said that the larger display of the iPhone XS Max is “amazing” and exactly what he’s after. “I’m like WOW!!” he wrote.

Image via shooter03

I had the 7+ then the X and I really missed the + size so that’s why I went for the Xs+. Screen size is pretty mind blowing. As for hand size it fits me nicely ( I have sorta big hands ) feels a little lighter than the X which is weird. But all in all it’s so nice.

shooter03 shared some iPhone XS Max photos he took of his dogs using Portrait Mode and the new Depth Control feature that lets you adjust the depth of field after taking a photo, which came out great.

Image via shooter03
Reddit user jtx660 who upgraded from an iPhone 7 said the display of the new iPhone is incomparable to the display of the iPhone 7, with vibrant, bright colors.

Image via reddit user jtx660
jtx660 also put together a video of his iPhone and shared a photo gallery to show it off.

First thing I noticed was definitely that huge OLED 6.5″ panel. Its vibrant, extremely bright and immerse a f. After using it for 2 hours and switching back to the 7 Plus, the 7 Plus’s 16:9 rectangle display felt slightly dated. The OLED panel is what really stood out the most.

Ok the camera. Holy crap, the auto focus is ridiculously quick. Putting my hand in front of the camera and taking it away, it focuses INSTANTLY (nearly). I’m amazed at how they were able to make it faster than the already fast 7 Plus’ camera. I am yet to test the video 4K at 60fps and all those other features.

MacRumors reader sjperformance said he didn’t notice a huge weight difference between the iPhone X and the iPhone XS Max, and that it didn’t seem much bigger either. He also shared a photo of the iPhone XS Max next to the iPhone X.

Image via MacRumors reader sjperformance

I believe I’ll be keeping the Max. Never liked how big the plus felt. Especially with those bezels and what not. To me X was perfect but after awhile I desired a bigger screen. With Max the weight difference doesn’t bother me because X is heavy too.

The Max fits perfect inside my pockets. Didn’t really feel a difference inside slim jeans I was wearing today. It does seem more faster smoother over my X running iOS12. I already use my X with 2 hands to text, emails, forums, etc. One handed only when viewing social media, reading something, an email. Barely use my X one handed. I’m used to 2 hands on my X therefore the Max feels normal to me. Having a huge screen with no bezels. No home button truly makes an immense difference. Y’all will enjoy it.

Have an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max? Feel free to share your first impressions and your photos in the comments below. We’ll be sharing a hands-on video later today when the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max launch in the United States, so stay tuned to MacRumors.com.
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Here’s how to pre-order everything Amazon announced today

Amazon spent Thursday bombarding us all with new internet-connected devices designed to insert voice assistant Alexa into just about every part of your daily routine. If you honestly can’t wait to get your hands on them all, well, that’s a bummer because most of them aren’t available yet. You can prepare yourself by placing a pre-order so all of your favorite new gizmos show up on your door step on launch day, though.

Amazon Echo Dot

The new Echo Dot somehow manages to be smaller and louder. Amazon gave it a new fabric design much like the larger Echo, plus a 1.6-inch driver that makes the speaker 70 percent louder and clearer. The device is officially available October 11, but you can pre-order it through Amazon for $50.

Amazon Echo Plus

Amazon is rolling out a new Echo Plus that is basically just a redesign that brings the device more in line with what the rest of the Echo devices now look like. It gets a little smaller but doesn’t appear to have many other changes. The new Echo Plus drops on October 11 for $150. You can pre-order through Amazon and get a free Phillips Hue Smart Bulb (or get it without the bulb for the same price).

Amazon Echo Show

The Amazon Echo Show hasn’t caught on quite the way the smart speakers have, but that didn’t keep Amazon from giving it a refresh. The latest model has a 10-inch screen and improved speaker. It’s available to pre-order for $230 through Amazon and comes with a free Phillips Hue Smart Bulb. It will arrive on October 11.

Amazon Echo Input

One of the new devices announced, the Echo Input is Amazon’s answer to Google’s Chromecast. It plugs into an existing speaker — either via 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth — to add Alexa functionality. It will retail for $35 and you can sign up to receive an email from Amazon when the product is available.

Amazon Echo Sub

If you already have an Amazon Echo, the Echo Sub is an add-on made especially for audiophiles. The subwoofer will make your music-listening experience all the better. It’s available for pre-order through Amazon for $130 and will arrive on October 11.

Amazon Echo Link and Link Amp

Another offering for audio lovers, the Amazon Echo Link and Link Amp are designed to integrate Alexa and other modern features into your existing stereo system. The Echo Link will sell for $200 and the Link Amp will go for $300, but neither are available for pre-order just yet. Amazon will email you when they are available.

Amazon Smart Plug

Amazon introduced its own Smart Plug, which instantly integrates with Alexa to allow you to control the outlet with voice controls. It is available for pre-order through Amazon for $25 and will arrive October 11.

Amazon Fire TV Recast

The Amazon Fire Recast is a rethinking of Amazon’s set-top box. This device plugs into an antenna and allows you to record shows so you can watch them at any time while at home or while on the go. The DVR starts at $230 for 500GB. A 1TB version is also available for $280. You can pre-order through Amazon and receive it on November 14.

AmazonBasics Microwave

Filed under, “Sure, why not?” is the new AmazonBasics Microwave. It’s just your standard microwave, though it is compatible with Amazon Echo devices so you can use voice controls with it. You can pre-order it through Amazon for $60 and it will arrive on November 14.

Amazon Echo Wall Clock

The Echo Wall Clock is a wall clock that works as a companion for your Amazon Echo devices. It displays the time, plus any timers or reminders that you have set through your Echo device. It’s not yet available for pre-order, but you can sign up to be notified when it is through Amazon. It will retail for $30.

Ring Stick Up Camera

The Ring Stick Up Camera is a very simple redesign of one of Ring’s existing security devices. It now comes with a 1080HD camera and a new body design. The camera, which is available in wired and battery-powered versions, will retail for $180. You can pre-order it through Amazon and receive it on October 18.

Echo Auto

The Echo Auto is Amazon’s attempt to get its voice assistant out of your home and into your car. It plays through your car speakers and gives you hands-free control over your phone. The device will sell for $50 when it is available later this year (no release date provided yet) but you can request an invitation to pre-order it through Amazon and get it for $25.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Massive Amazon announcement brings 12 new smart devices. Here’s how to order
• Amazon ups its smart home game with a new Echo Show, microwave, and clock
• How to set up an Amazon Echo
• Amazon Echo vs. Dot: What’s the difference?
• Alexa-enabled devices will play better together thanks to ‘ESP’

HP Chromebook x2 Review

Research Center:

HP Chromebook x2

Outside the Pixelbook, most Chromebooks feel like they’ve been cut from the same cloth. There are plenty of good options, though none that feel all that innovative. That’s all changing, though — and the HP Chromebook x2 is proof.

We were sent the $600 version of this detachable tablet, which is well-equipped for a Chrome OS machine with 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a low-power 7th-gen Intel Core m3-7Y30. Even better, HP includes the keyboard base and active pen, something that competitors like Microsoft sometimes leave out.

The Chromebook x2 has some promising components and an interesting design, but is that enough to give it a leg up on an increasingly intriguing crowd of Chrome OS notebooks?

An attractive, well-built, and slightly wobbly convertible Chromebook tablet

Pull the Chromebook x2 out of its box, and the first thing you’ll notice is that it doesn’t look like any other Chromebook. First, it’s a detachable tablet, meaning that the HP packed the PC components into the display portion that snaps together with a keyboard to provide notebook-like functionality. Next, it’s not a simple gray slab of plastic or metal, but rather it stands out with an attractive “ceramic white” color adorning the back of the tablet to go with chrome trim around the edges and black bezels up around front.

It’s also very well built, especially at this price point. Like all good tablets, and the Microsoft Surface Pro is the best example here, the Chromebook x2 feels like a solid chunk of metal and Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Well, not metal, exactly, because the ceramic-white portion uses a special anodized electrodeposition (AED) process to coat the underlying aluminum and provide some additional strength, durability, and scratch resistance. It’s much better built than the other Chrome OS tablet available today, Acer’s cheaper Chromebook Tab 10, and it’s just as well-built as the Google Pixelbook, a premium 360-degree convertible.

The Chromebook x2 is well-balanced, thanks to a detachable keyboard that’s a bit heavier than usual.

The keyboard is also nicely made, with black metal on the back and a textured, rubberized plastic covering the keyboard deck that makes for a comfortable typing surface. Speaking of the keyboard, the Chromebook x2’s design is more Microsoft Surface Book 2 than Surface Pro. That is, the tablet magnetically connects to the keyboard base, forming a traditional clamshell configuration that’s more stable on the lap than tablets with Surface Pro-like snap-on keyboards.

The design works well, allowing for four useful modes. In addition to the clamshell mode, the tablet can be reversed and used in movie mode, or it can be inserted into the keyboard base and closed into a tablet with the back of the tablet covering the keyboard. That’s a preferable mechanism compared to 360-degree convertible designs where the screen flips all the way around into tablet mode, leaving the keyboard exposed to the elements. And of course, the tablet can be completely removed from the keyboard and used as a standalone slate.

Our only complaint with the design is that it’s a bit wobbly when used in clamshell mode. It’s well-balanced, thanks to a detachable keyboard that’s a bit heavier than usual, and so it’s very Surface Book 2-like in this respect. But unlike Microsoft’s iteration, the Chromebook x2 tablet/display portion flops back and forth quite a bit as you move the combination around and tap on the screen.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

We can’t complain about the size, though. The tablet portion is 0.33 inches thin and weighs 1.62 pounds by itself. That compares favorably to the Surface Pro’s identical thickness and slightly heavier weight of 1.69 pounds. With the tablet attached, the Chromebook x2 weighs a heftier 3.07 pounds, though, compared to the Surface Pro’s 2.37 pounds (thanks to a lighter keyboard). HP’s tablet slightly exceeds Microsoft’s in overall dimensions thanks to top and bottom bezels that are just a bit larger but still well within modern tablet standards.

Finally, the Chromebook x2 has a standard complement of ports for a tablet. You’ll find a USB-C port and microSD card reader on the left side and another USB-C port and 3.5mm audio jack on the right side. Both USB-C ports provide data, display, and power support, and both can charge the notebook using the included USB-C charger.

Getting data into this 2-in-1 is pleasant and efficient

The Chromebook x2’s keyboard base is the usual island type with black chiclet keys and white lettering. It’s not backlit, which is disappointing and something other detachable tablets like the Surface Pro and lower-cost Surface Go provide. Even the new Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 includes this feature. However, the key mechanism is nice and snappy, managing to avoid uncomfortably bottoming out despite its average travel. It’s a very good keyboard that allowed us to type at full speed with minimal errors.

The Chromebook x2 provided an experience better than most budget Chromebooks we’ve tested.

The touchpad is just about equal to the one on the Surface Pro’s Type cover, meaning that it’s just large enough to avoid making us feel claustrophobic but not nearly as large as on some other notebooks like the Surface Book 2. It supports the limited set of Chrome OS gestures with no problem, and it provides a comfortable swiping surface.

HP does the buyer a real service by including an active pen, and that, too, works well with the functionality that Chrome OS supports. You can write in compatible apps, use the pen to control the user interface, and take quick screen captures. Chrome OS doesn’t have the same level of pen support as Window 10 Ink, but it’s still a useful addition.

Bright, colorful, and a productivity-friendly aspect

HP equipped the Chromebook x2 with a 12.3-inch QHD (2,400 x 1,600 or 235 PPI) IPS display that runs at the same 3:2 aspect ratio as Microsoft popularized with its Surface line and Google imitated with the Pixelbook. That makes the display better for productivity by providing more vertical space, but it also means you’ll have some letterboxing when watch video.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Once again, Chrome OS limitations mean we can’t subject the display to our usual test, including or objective colorimeter suite of benchmarks. Even so, we can say that the display offers up more than sufficient brightness for environments with significant ambient brightness. The contrast was very good, with black text standing out nicely against a white background, and colors popped.

Whether we were getting some work done, viewing images, or watch video, the display was a pleasure. HP nailed the gamma, because the Avengers trailer that we use for our video loop battery test was neither too bright nor too dark. Given that we’ve watched that trailer hundreds of times, the Chromebook x2 provided at least as nice an experience as the Surface Pro and better than most budget Chromebooks we’ve tested.

HP Chromebook x2 Compared To

Microsoft Surface Book 2 15-inch

Google Pixelbook

Acer Chromebook 15 (2017)

HP Spectre x360 15 (2018)

Lenovo Miix 630

Lenovo ThinkPad 13 Chromebook

Toshiba Chromebook 2 CB35-C3350

Asus ZenBook UX305

Lenovo Ideapad 100S Chromebook

Lenovo Yoga 11e Chromebook

Samsung Chromebook 2

Asus Zenbook UX301LA

Google Chromebook Pixel

Apple MacBook Air (80GB)

Sharp M4000

Overall, the display is at least the equal of the much more expensive Pixelbook, and thanks to that accurate gamma, dark scenes in movies and TV shows are easier to see on the Chromebook x2. The HP’s display is right up there with the very best.

The audio was equally enjoyable thanks to two front-firing speakers — again very Surface Pro-like — that boast Bang & Olufsen tuning along with HP Audio Boost 2’s discrete amplifier. Volume was copious with only a bit of distortion at maximum volume. There was even some slight stereo separation, with solid mids and highs and even a touch of bass. Enjoyably watching a movie or binging a TV show is more than possible without pulling out your headphones.

Snappy performance for a lightweight OS

We can’t run our usual suite of benchmarks on Chrome OS devices, and so it’s always a challenge to quantify their performance. But we can say with certainty that the Chromebook x2 benefits from its 7th-gen Intel Core m3-7Y30 CPU — that would be a low-end processor in a Windows 10 notebook, but it’s more than enough for the much lighter Chrome OS.

The x2 ran faster than any Chromebook we’ve tested and competes well with some Windows 10 laptops. 

And in fact, the Chromebook x2 felt much quicker than some of the Pentium-equipped Chromebooks we’ve reviewed. It should be noted it that an 8th-gen version of this chip has recently been announced by Intel, though the Core m3 kept up with everything we threw at it. Compared to the wealth of other Chromebooks we’ve used, Chrome OS itself felt so much smoother and more pleasant to use.

Running the Android version of Geekbench 4 netted a single-core speed of 3,441 and a multi-core speed of 6,685, much stronger than the 1,559 and 4,884 managed by the Pentium N4200 in the Acer Chromebook 15. We also ran the Speedometer 2.0 benchmark, and the Chromebook x2 scored a strong 75.1. That’s faster than any Chromebook we’ve tested so far, and competes well with Windows 10 machines like the Asus ZenBook S with a Core i7-8550U that scored 72.1.

We could almost go so far as saying that Google’s more limited OS becomes that much more competitive when things are this snappy. Combined with a nice keyboard and a lovely display, the Chromebook x2’s performance goes a long way to confirming Chrome OS as a solid choice.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The bottom line is whether you’re running Chrome OS apps, working in the Chrome browser, or accessing the huge library of Android apps, the Chromebook x2 should be able to keep up with whatever you’re doing. The 32GB of eMMC storage isn’t the quickest around, but it can keep up with the operating system’s needs.

That’s a popular size and type of drive for Chromebooks, with only the Pixelbook offering more storage. It’s also a slower option than the PCIe SSDs you’ll find in Windows 10 notebooks, though you’ll be hard-pressed to find one of those in a $600 laptop. Chrome OS demands less local storage than Windows 10, and it doesn’t demand the same performance. However, we would have liked to see HP offer a larger and faster SSD option.

You won’t be disappointed with android gaming on the Chromebook x2.

In comparing the performance against a comparable Windows 10 notebook, we found it to be just as quick if not just slightly sprightlier. Windows 10 makes more demands on a processor, and at this price point, you’ re likely to be getting an 8th-gen Intel Core i5-8250U CPU.

Open the same number of tabs in Chrome on an Asus ZenBook UX330UA, for example, along with some productivity apps and maybe Netflix, and you’ll find the same kind of responsiveness. The same goes for the Surface Pro’s 7th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7. That’s impressive, and will surely make Chromebooks more attractive to those who assume all Chromebooks are sluggish.

If you want to game on a Chrome OS device, then that primarily means picking from among the scads of Android games in the Google Play Store. The Chromebook x2 uses the Intel UHD 615 GPU, which is more than fast enough for Android games. Action games like Asphalt 8 and Fallout Shelter ran well, making for a pleasant – albeit slightly clumsy thanks to the slate’s sheer size – gaming experience. Accordingly, you won’t be disappointed with accessing the Android gaming library on the Chromebook x2.

Enough battery life for a full day’s work

HP packed 48 watt-hours of battery into the Chromebook x2, a piddling amount for a notebook in general but on the high end for detachable tablets. The Surface Pro, for example, has 45 watt-hours.

Also, Chrome OS is a more lightweight OS that typically puts less demand on a battery. We saw this effect In our most aggressive Basemark web benchmark test, where the Chromebook x2 lasted for over four and a half hours and the Surface Pro managed an hour less. The Pixelbook went for 13 minutes less.

Browsing the web in Chrome was a real strength for the Chromebook x2, where it almost managed a full 10 hours. The Surface Pro couldn’t make it to five and a half hours, while the much larger Acer Chromebook 15 lasted for 11 and a half hours.

Finally, the Chromebook x2 was able to loop a local Avengers trailer for just under 10 hours, which is a good result for a tablet. The Surface Pro lasted for just over 10 hours, and the Samsung Chromebook Pro closely matched HP’s 2-in-1.

Simply put, the Chromebook x2 will easy last you a full workday away from a plug, and then some. That can’t be said about every Windows tablet.

Our Take

HP is leading the way in introducing innovative form factors to Chrome OS. The Chromebook x2 mimics the Surface Book 2 in providing a clamshell format detachable tablet, and although HP eschewed Microsoft’s futuristic engineering, the Chromebook x2’s design still works. It’s fast, efficient, and looks great, and it could pull some people over to Chrome OS who’ve been stuck in Windows 10.

Is there a better alternative?

There aren’t currently many directly comparable Chromebooks generally available. The first detachable tablet Chromebook, Acer’s Chromebook Tab 10, is an even lower-priced Chrome OS tablet that’s limited to the educational market. In our review, we found that $330 device to be much more cheaply built and designed than HP’s vastly more elegant Chromebook x2.

There are, though, some 360-degree convertible 2-in-1s available, with the Google Pixelbook being the premium example. And when we say “premium,” we mean it: The Pixelbook starts at $1,000 including its Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. In addition, rumor has it that we could see a revised Pixelbook with a detachable keyboard this October. But until then, the Chromebook x2 is a far better value and comes with the convenience of a detachable form factor.

Then, you could skip Chrome OS and go for a Microsoft Surface Pro. You’ll pay more, starting out at $800 for a Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a faster 128GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD). But you’ll also need to shell out at least $130 for a Type Cover keyboard and $100 for a Surface Pen, where HP includes equivalents of both in the box for just $600. And you’ll be switching to Windows 10, which offers some enhance features that you might not care about if you’re in the market for a Chromebook.

How long will it last?

The Chromebook x2 is very well made, feeling solid enough to last through years of use. It also uses fast components that should keep Chrome OS running well even as it continues to evolve. The one-year warranty is the industry standard.

Should you buy it?

Yes. There is a host of Chromebook 2-in-1s coming later this year, and so that’s something to keep in mind. But the Chromebook x2 is fast, well-built, has solid battery life, and makes for an impressive Surface Book 2 clone for only $600.

iPhone XS and XS Max User Guides Reference AirPower, Suggesting Apple Still Plans to Release It

A user guide included with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max references the AirPower, suggesting that Apple has not yet shelved the much-anticipated charging mat.

Developer Gavin Stevens shared an image of the guide this afternoon, which clearly has a passage mentioning the AirPower.

“Place iPhone with screen facing up on AirPower or a Qi-certified wireless charger. You can also use the Lightning connector to charge iPhone and connect accessories.”

It’s not clear why Apple left the reference to the AirPower in the iPhone XS and XS Max manuals, but it perhaps suggests that the company planned to ship the charging accessory alongside the new iPhones.

AirPower was not mentioned at the September iPhone event, despite expectations that it would be, and it’s been more than a year since the device was first announced.

AirPower is meant to charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at the same time. A recent report suggested Apple has run into a number of issues that need to be solved before the AirPower can be offered for sale, including heat management, inter-device communication, and mechanical and interference problems.

The AirPower reportedly produces too much heat at the current time, causing performance setbacks and charging issues. There are also communication issues between AirPower and devices placed on the mat, and the multi-device charging mechanism has resulted in interference that reduces efficiency.

It’s not clear how or when Apple will solve these problems, and almost all mentions of the AirPower have been scrubbed from the company’s website. That the AirPower is mentioned in the packaging materials for the 2018 iPhones suggests Apple is still attempting to solve these issues, so we could see an AirPower launch at some point in the future.

When the AirPower was announced, Apple said it would launch in 2018, but the company has not provided a more specific shipping date and it’s not clear if the 2018 shipping goal is still realistic.

Tag: AirPower
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Some iPhone XS and XS Max Deliveries May Be Delayed Until Monday in the United States

It appears UPS may be having iPhone XS and XS Max shipping issues in the United States as several MacRumors readers are reporting that their UPS tracking information was recently updated with a Monday delivery date instead of a Friday delivery date.

Affected customers seem to have tracking information that indicates their iPhone orders are located in or have just departed Anchorage, Alaska. Those who have had their shipping dates change seem to have ordered 256GB and 512GB iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max models.

These customers were expecting to get their iPhone deliveries on Friday, September 21, aka launch day before receiving the updated September 24 delivery date from UPS.

It’s possible that the delay listed on the UPS tracking site is in error and that the iPhones will still be delivered on Friday, but some customers may be waiting until Monday to receive their new devices. One Twitter user told us that he spoke to a UPS representative who said that it’s a computer error and the iPhones are still on track for Friday delivery.

I’m so over it Apple needs to completely drop @UPSHelp pic.twitter.com/qRdwGDW4sc

— tyler (@fleetjuice) September 21, 2018

The first customers in Australia, New Zealand, and across Asia who ordered one of the new devices have already started receiving shipments. Deliveries are set to start in a few hours in Europe before expanding to the United States.

Related Roundup: iPhone XS
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Amazon just asked Alexa to declare war on every smart home company

Anything you can do, Amazon can do cheaper. Look out.

The AmazonBasics Microwave stole many of the headlines as a wacky device that there was no way Amazon was going to actually announce. But today, it did. The microwave itself isn’t interesting in the least — it’s the most generic, cheap-looking microwave this side of a college dorm room. But it, along with the dozen other Echo-related hardware announcements Amazon just made, marks the point at which Amazon declared war on every other smart home device company.

Because anything you can do, Amazon can do cheaper. And in the current world of smart home devices, that’s incredibly important. We’ve mostly left the world of unnecessarily expensive smart home gadgets like $50 connected lightbulbs and such, but this smart home gear is still very spendy compared to the “dumb” versions of these things we already have in our homes.

Everything Amazon announced at its hardware event

Amazon’s economies of scale are going to plow it into the top sales charts of every smart home segment it enters, just as it’s done in so many other industries. There are few companies that can make these smart home products as cheaply as Amazon. The new Amazon Smart Plug is $25. The Echo Input is $35. The Echo Wall Clock is $30. Amazon is selling the new-and-improved Echo Dot and Echo Plus for the same price you’d pay for plain old Bluetooth speakers that have no smart capabilities and probably worse audio quality. And by the way the new Echo Plus has a temperature sensor built in. You won’t be buying one of those separately anymore.

Amazon is amazingly good at making good products for less — now, it can make smart products for less too.

The products that are most interesting in this context are the ones that are actually the least-interesting products (stay with me here). The microwave and clock, for example, are super-basic products that you normally wouldn’t think about or research for more than 10 minutes before buying. They’re impulse-purchase items where you so often make a decision based on price — and Amazon is able to offer these items at competitive prices, delivered tomorrow … but they’re “smart” versions of the products. The use of the AmazonBasics brand is particularly intriguing, because that’s the brand it applies to value-focused products across so many market segments already — and in most cases, they are so good yet so cheap that they kill the competition.

It’s a strategy that’s now going to kill businesses in the smart home segment. Not only can Amazon make and sell solid hardware for the same or less than the competition, it undoubtedly has better name recognition at the same time. And in areas where it doesn’t, it simply buys it — look at the acquisition of Ring as a perfect example. It takes the brand and the product line, and immediately starts iterating on it with those same great economies of scale — and broad Amazon ecosystem synergies — to take on the competition in the home security segment practically overnight.

Once the functionality gets near parity, people start caring about brand name and price — Amazon can win in both.

Amazon’s gunning hard for Sonos, too. The Echo Plus (and even Echo Dot) keeps getting audio improvements, and now the speakers can be paired together, tied to a new Echo Sub, and synced across your home with multi-room audio. Oh and naturally the Echo Plus is cheaper than a Play One, and the Echo Sub is one-fifth the price of the Sonos Sub. A bundle of two Echo Plus speakers and an Echo Sub is less than a Sonos Play:5. Want to link up other speakers instead? You have the Echo Input and Echo Link Amp.

An overwhelming majority of people don’t care that the Sonos has better in audio quality across the board — and when the functionality is effectively the same as the competition, the price is then the killer feature. Amazon always wins in the price category. Sonos will still own the very high-end tier of people who are not price-sensitive and are willing to pay for the brand and the better audio quality, but Amazon’s latest home audio efforts are going to sweep up the (larger) lower end of the market that would normally stretch to buy a few Sonos speakers.

Amazon plays nice with partners — until it wants to enter the same segment itself.

Of course Amazon is playing nice in its forward-facing announcements. It has a new Alexa Connect Kit that’s a plug-and-play all-in-one board for turning companies’ dumb appliances into smart ones with little development work. It’s offering open and free APIs for companies to make their devices work with the larger Alexa ecosystem. But there’s one thread that runs through all of this: these are ways for your products to integrate with Amazon’s platform. It’s a stopgap to get appliances and other smart home tech on board from other companies in segments where Amazon doesn’t (yet) operate. But when you look at the types of products it rolled out today, no product segment can be considered safe.

Other companies will keep making smart home gadgets, and many will even be happy to play in the Alexa ecosystem. But not a single company should laugh off Amazon’s presence in the space. Whether you look at the last two years of Echo sales or the near-dozen new products announced today, it’s clear Amazon has little restraint when it comes to entering new segments. Get ready for a fight.