2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport review – Roadshow
The Good Solid brakes and an excellent cooling system make for long stints at the track. It’s cool to check out your racing stats in the easy to operate Performance Data Recorder.
The Bad The steering in Track mode is ultra-heavy and requires more muscle than most will be willing to give.
The Bottom Line The Corvette Grand Sport is an excellent value. If you’re looking for an affordable and balanced sports car, this is it.
The Corvette Grand Sport is the ‘Vette you want
The Grand Sport features the best of the base Stingray and the bonkers Z06.
by Emme Hall
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The latest generation Corvette, introduced in 2014, revived the Stingray name and the world went a little bonkers. Some felt that the complete redesign looked a little too Ferrari, while others bemoaned the new rear fascia. However, all agreed that the 6.2-liter V8 engine under the hood stayed true to the ‘Vette’s two-seat, rear-wheel-drive sportscar roots.
Introduced in 1953 with a six-cylinder engine and a two-speed automatic transmission, the Corvette didn’t really become a true sports car until three years later. GM equipped the ‘Vette with a small block V8 and a three-speed manual transmission and raced it in 1956 and 1957 at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Although GM didn’t have a very successful campaign those years, it set the stage for the sports car we know today.
Through constant development both on and off the racetrack, that original six-cylinder, 150 horsepower engine has now morphed into its current 460 horsepower V8 iteration in the Corvette Stingray. Chevrolet also produces the ridiculously fast Z06 Corvette for those who wanted even MOAR POWAH, but with 650 galloping horses under the hood, the “Big Nasty” can be a little intimidating.
Enter the Corvette Grand Sport. It’s like the Stingray and the Z06 had a baby, each giving the best of their DNA. The Stingray contributes the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine, knocking out 460 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. As part of its Z06 genes, the Grand Sport borrows the cooling system, bigger Brembo brakes and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport…
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Like all Corvettes, power goes to the rear wheels via the standard seven speed manual transmission, but an eight-speed auto is optional. An electronic limited-slip differential and Magnetic Ride Control suspension are standard, though also available on the base Stingray with the Z51 Performance package.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
The Grand Sport offers five different driving modes: Touring, Sport, Track, Weather and Eco. I had the track all to myself at Gingerman Raceway in Michigan, a fun little road circuit just over two miles long, with plenty of late apexes and reduced-radius, off-camber turns. I set the car to track mode and zoomed out of the pit lane.
The Grand Sport can handle 1.05 g in the twisties, but Chevy sent me something just a bit better. My test vehicle came with the optional Z07 performance package, bringing in carbon-ceramic brakes, a carbon-fiber aero package and super-sticky Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires. It’s a $7,995 option that helps you get around the track faster — not by brute power, but by virtue of more downforce, better cornering capabilities and the chance to brake later into the turns…if you dare.
My first thought after turn one: “Holy mackinoly this steering is heavy!” I’m not one to shy away from using muscle, but in track mode the Grand Sport felt like it had no assist in the steering rack at all.
Still, the turn-in is very sharp indeed. The Magnetic Ride Control adjusts the suspension 10 times faster than the blink of an eye, keeping everything flat through the turns. The Cup 2 tires offer massive grip, and with the extra aero package, the car never got out of sorts. The brakes felt solid through all of my sessions, never fading or getting spongey. Essentially I just pointed the ‘Vette and jammed on the gas, the Grand Sport obeying my commands with no trace of understeer, just good old American fun.
Nintendo NES Classic Edition review – CNET
The Good Authentic-looking, throwback design; comfortable controller; the best value for a bunch of Nintendo’s classic 8-bit games; connects with HDMI, and powered by Micro-USB. Plays two-player games. Can save progress in all games.
The Bad The one included controller isn’t wireless, and the cord is really short. You can’t download or buy new games.
The Bottom Line Nintendo’s little self-contained mini console plays 30 of the best NES games ever made, making it a fun nostalgia trip for Nintendo fans and a no-brainer stocking stuffer.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
“Dad, I want to save my allowance to get this.”
My son played on the throwback controller easily: to him, it’s like a Wii remote. And he already knows how to play Super Mario Bros. 3: he remembers it from Super Mario Maker, where he’s created endless levels.
Nintendo’s prepared him well.
If you love retro games, you’re probably an obsessive over the culture. A collector, maybe. So the NES Classic Edition, a miniature replica of the system released in the US in 1985, that’s also a plug-and-play box with 30 classic NES games installed, probably sounds like a geek dream come true.
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It’s smaller than you think.
Sarah Tew/CNET
But it’s not just Nintendo’s move into a landscape well-traveled by lots of other all-in-one retro game boxes over the years. Finally, these classic games have been freed from their Nintendo console prison. Into, well, a small, very affordable box.
Nintendo’s classic archive of games, many of which are flat-out legendary, have always existed behind a protective wall of proprietary hardware. Buy a Nintendo 3DS, or a Wii, or a Wii U, and download Virtual Console mini games. What you buy for one system doesn’t necessarily carry over to another. This is how I’ve bought Super Mario Bros. 3 about three times.
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It’s smaller than an NES cartridge. Also, a Nintendo 2DS for comparison.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The stand-alone NES Classic Edition bundles 30 NES games in one self-contained package for $60, £50 or AU$100. As my son noticed right off the bat, it’s 30 games for the price of one Wii U game, just about.
Is that a good deal? Well, yes, considering that Nintendo normally sells most of these games for $5 a pop via its Virtual Console service.
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A lot of games there.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The included 30 games are all pretty good, too, and they all play perfectly, even down to the authentic sprite-flicker and slowdown. Super Mario Bros. 1-3 are here, and Zelda 1 and 2. Metroid, Kirby’s Adventure, Castlevania, Super C. The whole list, in case you’re curious:
- Balloon Fight
- Bubble Bobble
- Castlevania
- Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
- Donkey Kong
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Double Dragon II: The Revenge
- Dr. Mario
- Excitebike
- Final Fantasy
- Galaga
- Ghosts’n Goblins
- Gradius
- Ice Climber
- Kid Icarus
- Kirby’s Adventure
- Mario Bros.
- Mega Man 2
- Metroid
- Ninja Gaiden
- Pac-Man
- Punch-Out! Featuring Mr. Dream
- StarTropics
- Super C
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 2
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- Tecmo Bowl
- The Legend of Zelda
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Samsung-W2017 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Samsung
Apple has been granted a patent for a folding iPhone, but it’s not the only company that wants to bring back this classic phone design.
Samsung on Friday unveiled the W2017, an Android-based premium flip phone with not one but two 4.2-inch touchscreens. Both screens are on the top section of the phone, while the bottom half houses a feature-phone style keyboard.
The device, which uses the clamshell design used on many pre-iPhone feature phones, is expected to cost a pretty penny. It’s only currently expected to go on sale in China, where GSM Arena says it’ll be priced at a whopping 20,000 Chinese Yuan. That’s about $2,950, £2,350 or AU$3,850.
The W2017 is powered by a Snapdragon 820, the same processor used in the Galaxy S7. It’ll be running behind the times on the operating system front, running Marshmallow 6.0.1 rather than the newer Nougat 7.0.
Key specs
- Two 4.2-inch 1,920x,1,080-pixel Super AMOLED displays
- 12-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera
- 2,300 mAh battery
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB onboard storage
Samsung
Alienware 13 R3 (OLED) review – CNET
The Good The OLED touchscreen is stunning to watch, and the new Nvidia graphics card can handle VR headsets and the latest games with ease.
The Bad With only two full-size USB ports, hooking up VR gear plus a game controller is a hassle. The physical redesign isn’t as extensive as it could be, and this OLED version is very expensive.
The Bottom Line With an OLED touch display, VR-ready graphics, and a reasonably portable 13-inch body, the new Alienware 13 hits almost every item on my gaming laptop wish list.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Every time I test a new gaming laptop, it reminds me of my long-standing hypothetical wish list for that category. The actual list changes over time as new technologies are introduced, but to date, no one has managed to put together what I’d think of as the ultimate gaming laptop.
If I had to boil that wish list down into an actual collection of bullet points, it might look something like this:
- I want a small, reasonably portable 13-inch body.
- But it has to have decent-or-better graphics for gaming.
- And, of course, VR. Plenty of big 17-inch laptops have VR support for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, but that was previously impossible to get in a 13-inch laptop.
- If I was really reaching, I’d say give me an OLED display, the super-clear, super-bright new screens found on only a handful of high-end televisions and laptops.
- And while you’re at it, make it a high-res touch screen.
The new redesigned version of Dell’s Alienware 13 hits all those marks, making it a big leap from previous versions of this laptop. But, while it hits a lot of high points, it also exposes a couple of flaws I hadn’t thought to specify on my list.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
This is a subtle reworking of the Alienware 13 the company has sold for a few years, with a slimmer body that moves the screen hinge forward a couple of inches, to make room for fan exhaust vents in the rear. It’s a clever way to move the cooling apparatus around while being able to shave a few millimeters from the system’s height.
The other big change is a new treatment for the Alienware logo, its biggest change in the brand’s 20-year history. The Alienware name is now written in a lighter font for a more modern look, and even the iconic alien head is just a bit more streamlined.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Even with a slimmer body, this 5-pound system isn’t exactly tiny, especially compared to the latest round of super-slim 13-inch laptops that come in under 3 pounds and around 10mm thick. But it’s still small enough to tote from room to room at home easily, and even go in your laptop bag for occasional trips.
The real highlight here is Nvidia’s new GeForce 1060 graphics card. It’s part of a new generation that can fit in a very wide range of laptops and works with VR. I hooked up my Oculus Rift and every game I tried worked, although the limited port selection gave me some other VR headaches. More on that in a bit.
The GPU jump is enough of a reason to favor this model over the previous Alienware 13 I reviewed earlier this year. Both that system and this one had the same optional high-end OLED display, which is simply stunning to look at. The OLED screens in the Alienware 13, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga and a handful of other systems are the single most exciting PC hardware development of the year, and once you start using an OLED laptop, it’s hard to go back to anything else. (The Touch Bar on Apple’s new MacBook Pro is also an OLED display.)
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
Despite my overall enthusiasm, the new Alienware 13 has two notable flaws, neither of them fatal, but worth being aware of. One, this high-end OLED configuration is a pricey $2,099 in the US, which includes 16GB of RAM, the 2,560×1,440-pixel OLED display and a 512GB SSD (this revamped Alienware 13 isn’t available in the UK or Australia yet, but that price works out to £1,703 or AU$2,736). You could get a much more powerful gaming desktop or laptop for that price, but nothing nearly as portable.
The least expensive configuration is $1,199 in the US, which amazingly includes the Nvidia 1060 card, making this a very inexpensive VR laptop. But, that version has a low-res 1,366×768 display, so I’d advise you to stay away. There are a couple of in-the-middle configurations worth checking out, but it’s tough to say no to OLED, which starts at $1,799.
Alienware 13
| $2,099 |
| 13-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 OLED touchscreen |
| 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ |
| 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2400MHz |
| Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 |
| 512GB SSD |
| 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Micorsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit) |
But, besides the high price, my biggest problem came from the system having only two regular USB ports and two USB-C ports.
Yuneec Typhoon H review – CNET
The Good The Yuneec Typhoon H offers features that are above its price, such as a 360-degree rotating 4K camera, retractable landing gear and the option to control the drone and camera separately. It has sonar-based object detection, but is also available with Intel Realsense obstacle avoidance. Replacement parts are easy to find, and you can service it yourself for the most part.
The Bad The hexacopter is not sturdy, especially its flimsy camera mount. Controller size and layout are not the most user-friendly. Not as user-friendly as similarly priced models.
The Bottom Line The Yuneec Typhoon H is a well-equipped prosumer camera drone, but its build quality and lackluster user experience keep it off our short list.
When the Yuneec Typhoon H showed up at CES 2016 it stood out from the horde of other flying machines at the gigantic electronics show (the Ehang 184 being a notable exception).
Its six-rotor design and sonar sensors in front for obstacle detection give it the look of a flying insect, while its removable 360-degree rotating gimbal camera and retractable landing gear are things you can only really find on the $2,000 DJI Inspire 1. But the ready-to-fly Typhoon H was just $1,300 when it shipped in April and is currently $1,000 (AU$2,100, £1,000).
To top it all off, the Typhoon H is available in a Pro version for $1,500 (£1,550, AU$3,000) which adds Intel’s Realsense technology for advanced obstacle avoidance and downward-facing optical flow sensors to help you fly it if a GPS connection isn’t available or is lost. (This Intel demo at CES shows just a bit of this system’s capabilities.)
Naturally, I had high expectations for the Typhoon H. I mean, I really like the Inspire 1, but it’s simply not practical for anyone but professionals and enthusiasts with deep pockets. The Typhoon H offers comparable features (so much so DJI filed a lawsuit for patent infringement) in a more compact body and for a whole lot less money. You’re getting a lot more drone for the price of DJI’s top consumer drone, the Phantom 4.
View full gallery Joshua Goldman/CNET
Up, up and aw-hey, come back!
For the first couple flights the Typhoon H performed really well. It handled wind with no issues and everything functioned as promised. There are two modes you can fly in, Angle and Smart. Angle moves the drone in the direction the control stick is pushed relative to the nose of the aircraft. Smart mode move it in the direction the right-hand control stick is pushed relative to the pilot and no matter which way the nose is pointed.
Its Android-based ST16 Ground Station controller is somewhat unwieldy, takes seemingly forever to boot up and is not the most thoughtfully laid out or labeled, but it’s great to have a 7-inch touchscreen built right in so you don’t have to worry about attaching a phone or tablet. All the controls are at your fingertips for both the drone and camera.
Then it happened: While it was hovering in place (during a video shoot), it began to drift. When I went to correct it, the Typhoon H didn’t respond to the controls, and sent itself into a tree. It didn’t hit hard, but it was enough to snap one of its carbon-fiber arms in half and bust the camera mount, though the camera itself was fine.
View full gallery Mark Licea/CNET
Yuneec sent a second drone to test, but honestly, it took me awhile to attempt the retest because I was afraid of a repeat performance. Anyone who’s experienced a flyaway knows how gut-wrenching it is to watch the drone uncontrollably crash or disappear into the distance.
The fact is, though, flyaways happen. It’s not unique to Yuneec and, in fact, on my DJI reviews you’ll probably find at least one commenter asking me to do a web search for “DJI flyaway.” But my Typhoon H problem was not an isolated incident: Yahoo’s David Pogue and Videomaker.com’s review of the Typhoon H point to flyaway problems similar to what I experienced.
Round 2
Out of the box, my second Typhoon performed well again with no issues whatsoever. That lasted two flights.
Acer Swift 7 review – CNET
The Good This is an insanely thin 13-inch laptop, in an eye-catching gray-and-gold design with an extra-wide touchpad. It has one of Intel’s newest CPUs.
The Bad The tiny keyboard keys don’t feel especially premium, and this isn’t the fastest slim 13-inch in the bunch. The 1,920×1,080-pixel screen doesn’t support touch, and the only ports are USB-C.
The Bottom Line It’s hard to argue with a 13-inch laptop under 10mm thick. The Acer Swift 7 wins on that front, but other laptops offer more power and features while adding just a few millimeters of bulk.
The Acer Swift 7 jumps into the lead position in the latest PC arms race towards ever-thinner systems, by slipping in under the magic 10 mm mark.
It’s a good reminder that there’s nothing as exciting as some solid competition between PC makers. Companies compete to hop on the latest bandwagon, hoping to not get left behind on whatever the next shift in computer design is. Sometimes it’s hybrid hinges or 4K screens. Other times it’s a literal race to the bottom, as PC makers compete to offer the least expensive product that will hold a charge and at least open a web browser, as seen in wave after wave of $300-or-less Chromebooks (or long before that, netbooks).
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
One current trend I can get enthusiastically on board with is the recent run of ultra-thin laptops that pack reasonably mainstream power into ever-smaller bodies.
First teased a few months ago as one of the first laptops to make use of Intel’s new seventh-generation Core i-series CPUs, the Acer Swift 7 ended up being more interesting than the minor processor update it was promoting. At 9.98 mm thick, this 13-inch laptop with a Core i5-7Y54 CPU is, according to Acer, the slimmest on record (or at least the thinnest standard clamshell laptop).
Sizing up the competition
Its main competition is the very similar HP Spectre, as well as the recent Asus ZenBook 3, and even Apple’s 12-inch MacBook. Still, before we get caught up in shaving tenths of a millimeter off these things, note that the Swift 7 and Spectre are both just about 10 mm thick (9.98 mm and 10.4 mm), while the ZenBook 3 is pretty close, at 11.9 mm thick. That’s a very small difference, and you’d be hard-pressed to notice, even when they’re sitting next to each other. All three of those Windows laptops manage to be so slim in part because of what they leave out. All are locked to relatively unimpressive 1,920×1,080-pixel-resolution displays, and all lack a touchscreen.
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On the left is Apple’s new MacBook Pro, on the right, the Acer Swift 7.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The 12-inch MacBook is a relatively hefty 13.1 mm in comparison, and while it lacks a touch screen, it does have a higher resolution display, which carries Apple’s Retina designation. And what about the granddaddy of thin laptops, the MacBook Air? A positive behemoth, at 18 mm thick.
Even more so than the HP Spectre, which it closely resembles, the Acer Swift 7 has caught the attention of many visitors to the CNET Labs in the past few weeks. Its black-and-gold design is striking, and when opened on a table, the incredibly thin body draws the eye. The interior is highlighted by an extra-wide touchpad, not as large as the new MacBook Pro’s pad, but still larger than the HP Spectre or ZenBook 3, and which partially makes up for smallish keyboard keys that don’t have an especially premium feel and lack the usual backlighting.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
With only a pair of USB-C ports for both charging and accessories, plus a headphone jack, this is also another nail in the coffin of multiport laptops. Previously, that concept had been limited to outliers such as this and the 12-inch MacBook, but now that Apple has gone all-USB-C in the new mainstream MacBook Pro, look for that to quickly become the new standard. And, get ready to bring a handful of dongles with you for any non-wireless connectivity that’s required.
Apple iOS 10 review – CNET
Apple’s new software for iPhone and iPads is here.
Originally unveiled back at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, the company’s new operating system includes an exhaustive list of features, including upgrades to the Siri voice assistant, photos, maps and — my personal favorite — the ton of new ways to interact with friends using the Messages app.
All things iOS 10
- iOS 10: All the new features, tips and guides
- 23 hidden features in iOS 10
- 15 ways iOS 10 will make the iPhone better
Any iPhone 5 and newer will run Apple iOS 10, as will most recent iPads (sorry, iPhone 4 and 4S) — check out the complete list here. Features that use 3D Touch for pressure sensitivity will only work on the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus and the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Some of the additions are admittedly more interesting than others, but they’ll all help build on Apple’s OS empire. In order of my favorites, here they are.
iOS 10 beta’s best parts
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1. Incredibly interactive messages
Disco balls! Invisible ink! Emoji out the wazoo! This is Apple jumping on the zeitgeist of social messaging with the new Messages app in iOS 10. This is Apple’s most developed change to the sprawling software, and also its broadest-reaching and most light-hearted. You’ll get:
- Rich links that show photos and video when you paste a URL
- Better access to the camera and photo gallery
- Emoji appear in your predictions list (and you can tap words to replace with emoji)
- Emoji appear 3 times larger in the chat dialog
- Text bubbles paste in sizes ranging from extra-small to extra-large
- Double-tap a bubble to send a reaction
- Invisible ink message you scrub with your finger to unveil
- Animated stickers (like from JibJab)
- Pay friends using Apple Pay, right in the message
Messages for iOS 10 is now open to developers, so expect a dizzying amount of options by launch.
2. Lock screen becomes more of a hub
You’ll be able to:
- Raise the phone to wake the lock screen
- Use 3D Touch to jump into a notification
- Respond to messages from the lock screen
- Slide right to open the camera
- Slide left to open widgets
- Access to the new Home app
This, too, will work with third-party apps, which means that you may be able to take care of much of your business without even needing to unlock the phone (we expect this to be optional, in case you’re worried about others messing with your lock screen.)
3. Voice-command Siri to do stuff in your favorite apps
Expanding on the theme of newfound openness, Apple is letting app-makers latch on to Siri, so you can dictate Apple’s voice assistant to do your bidding in other apps. Example: “Siri, use WhatsApp to tell Andy I’m running 5 minutes late.”
You’ll then be able to preview the message within the Siri app before sending it on its way.
Press here, pay somewhere else!
CNET
4. Buy stuff from your Mac, but pay from your iPhone
You could already answer iPhone calls on your Mac, but a change to Mac and iPhone software means you’ll be able to pay for things as well. Let’s say you’re shopping on your laptop. Come checkout time, you can place your thumb on the iPhone home button and use TouchID to authenticate the purchase taking place on a totally different device (with an Apple Pay partner). Genius.
Also, Apple Pay is coming to Safari on iOS.
5. New keyboard tricks spare your tired, typing hands
While you’re typing, Siri can now anticipate what you might want to do or say and suggest information you may need, like a contact’s phone number, or an action, like put your dinner reservations on the calendar.
6. Control your smart home from any screen
A quick swipe to call up the Control Center gets you quick access to gear in your house that works with Apple’s HomeKit, like a doorbell camera. In addition, the brand-new Home app groups controls for all your HomeKit-enabled appliances into one screen for you to adjust one at a time or as part of a “scene,” or profile. (Bonus! You can say “Good morning, Siri” — or tap it on the Home app — to launch the morning scene.)
7. Paste iPhone URLs on your Mac, and vice versa
As part of the same set of iPhone/Mac bridging software called Continuity, you’ll also have a universal clipboard that will let you paste URLs and other text on either your Mac or your iPhone or iPad. As a Mac user who has access to an iPhone (and a million other phones as well), the convenience factor is going to be huge.
iOS 10 makes organizing your photos easier with facial recognition
Apple enhances its photos app on iOS 10 with new facial and scene recognition tech that makes it easier to search and organize your photos.
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8. Find photos more easily
iOS 10 uses facial recognition software to automatically build albums of people, places and events. This takes a lot of organizing work out of your hands, and also makes photos a heck of a lot easier to search.
Apple plays catch up to Google with Maps update
Apple opens up its Maps app to developers and beefs up traffic and routing options.
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9. Better mapping for your phone and car
I’m a Google Maps kind of gal, but Apple is making a big effort to catch up. It’s refreshed Maps app starts with suggestions when you slide up. It also bakes in alternate routes, traffic information along the route, as well as gas stations and restaurants — the app will also tell how you much time a fill-up will take. You can order an Uber from the app (and track it), and even book a dinner reservation with OpenTable and pay with Apple Pay, all without leaving the app.
If you have Apple Car Play, turn-by-turn directions read out on your car’s instruments.
Apple Music gets simple with cleaner look and design
At WWDC 2016 Apple introduced a new Apple Music with personalized recommendations and an easy way to see your downloaded music.
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10. Music app redesign lets you rock and rap along to lyrics
You can sum up the completely redesigned Music app like this: Lyrics, discovery and recommendations. For music lovers who don’t use a third-party service, this one makes music easier to find than before. But the best part of the app was still the way it was announced on stage.
11. Automatic photo albums and videos
Click the Memories tab in your iOS 10 photo reel to see auto-organized albums (see #8) and video highlights, like of a family vacations. You’ll also see a map of all your locations, and other related content, like another event where Grandpa and Grandma also tagged along.
You’ll be able to easily reach contacts that use third-party services.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
12. More ways to contact friends from the address book
I suffer from having contact information spread out across all my chatting platforms, so I love the idea of Apple making it easy to contact friends on third-party apps (like What’s App, for example) directly from their contact card.
Likewise, a VoIP call from this service or others can integrate into the lock screen and your list of recent calls. iOS 10 will also include voicemail transcription, and you can use a third-party app to suggest if an unknown caller is spam (Apple demoed Tencent.)
13. Reading subscription magazines in the News app
You can already see newsfeeds laid out in snazzy ways, but in iOS 10, you’ll be able to also see spreads for content you already subscribe to, like The Wall Street Journal. Breaking news notification also make the cut. This is how the old Newsstand should have always been.
14. Delete unwanted Apple apps
You know those apps on your home screen that you never use and don’t really want? You can yank ’em out in iOS 10. Here’s how.
15. Collaborate in a Note
I use Notes all the time to write stories and to-do lists, so the option to collaborate is pretty welcome.
Fitbit Charge 2 review
Buy now from Amazon
Fitbit has gained massive success in the fitness tracking and wearable communities by offering quality products at affordable price points, and perhaps that’s why the Fitbit Charge HR was so successful. With a long-lasting battery, accurate activity tracking and an easy-to-use companion app, the Charge HR was much more than just a glorified pedometer. It wasn’t all that attractive, though, and still very much looked like a standard fitness tracker.
- Fitbit Charge 2 vs Charge HR
- The best fitness trackers
Now Fitbit is back with a follow-up to the super popular Charge HR. With an all-new design, a bigger screen and even more useful activity tracking features, does the Charge 2 have what it takes to become your next wearable? We find that out, and more, in our full Fitbit Charge 2 review.
Review notes: I’ve been using the Fitbit Charge 2 as my main fitness tracker for 17 days. The Nexus 6P has been my smartphone companion of choice for the duration of this review.
Design
Prior to 2016, Fitbit had a design problem. It wasn’t that the Charge HR, Surge or Flex looked ugly, per se, they just looked like every other fitness tracker out there. Then at the beginning of 2016, the company launched two new fashion-focused devices, the Alta and the Blaze, which marked somewhat of a turning point for the company. Fitbit started using more high-quality materials like stainless steel in its devices, and that’s especially true for its latest fitness tracker.
- Fitbit Alta review
- Fitbit Blaze review
The Charge 2, like the Alta before it, sports a stainless steel chassis and a big, tap-enabled display. You’ll find one button on the left side of the device which is used for cycling through different modes and functions. Tapping the button will allow you to cycle through the current time, heart rate, activity start, stopwatch, relaxation timer, and active silent alarms. You can remove any of these and reorder them all from within the Fitbit companion app. Alternatively, you can tap on the display to cycle through your daily stats, which include steps taken, heart rate, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed and active minutes.
A bigger display also means there’s more room for smartphone notifications
This new, larger display is certainly a welcome addition, as it not only allows for more information to be shown on one screen but also for more unique clock faces. There are quite a few to choose from – 7 to be exact – and they all offer a good mixture of style and functionality.
A bigger display also means there’s more room for smartphone notifications. While the Charge HR was only able to provide call notifications, the Charge 2 supports call, text and calendar events. The display isn’t actually that big, though, so notifications are sometimes difficult to read.
See also: The best smartwatches59
Something else worth noting – one of my main gripes with the Charge HR was that the display scratched pretty easily, and I’m happy to say that issue has been fixed this time around. I’ve been using the Charge 2 for a few weeks now, and we still have yet to see any scratches on this thing.
Another major design change you’ll notice with the Charge 2 is support for interchangeable bands. The Charge 2 is offered in Black, Blue, Plum and Teal color options, as well as Special Edition Lavender/Rose Gold and Black/Gunmetal colors. You can buy any of these bands separately from Fitbit’s website for $29.95 each. You can also opt for a fancier leather band in Brown, Blush Pink or Indigo if you don’t mind shelling out an extra $69.95.
Features and performance
As is par for the course of most fitness trackers in this price range, the Fitbit Charge 2 will track your steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes and sleep. You’ll notice we didn’t mention swim tracking, though, and that’s because this device won’t survive in water. Yet again, Fitbit decided to forego proper waterproofing on its flagship fitness tracker, which we must say is a tad upsetting at this point. Fitbit has long been an innovator in the fitness tracking world, but the company is extremely behind in this area. Garmin, Withings, Misfit, Xiaomi, and most of Fitbit’s other direct competitors have managed to launch fitness trackers with decent waterproof ratings, so it’s a shame to see the Charge 2 sport a “splash proof” rating.
It should be noted that Fitbit did launch its very first waterproof fitness tracker, the Flex 2, at the same time as the Charge 2.
When comparing them against one another, we found that both the Charge 2 and Charge HR are basically on par with one another in terms of step tracking, with each one being just a handful of steps off from one another after a run or walk. We also took the Charge 2, Charge HR and Garmin vívoactive HR out on a walk for 500 steps, and all three came back within 4 steps of each other. Both the Charge 2 and Charge HR counted 506 steps, while the vívoactive HR counted 502.
See also: How to use your fitness tracker to actually get fit2
Floors climbed and active minutes metrics are pretty much spot on as well, but unfortunately, since the Charge 2 doesn’t have a GPS on board distance metrics won’t be all that accurate. It is compatible with Fitbit’s Connected GPS feature, which allows you to use your phone’s GPS to get more accurate distance tracking and pace results. That of course means you’ll have to carry your phone with you when you’re exercising, which isn’t all that convenient for most people.
Like most recent Fitbit devices, the Charge 2 comes with Fitbit’s PurePulse optical heart rate monitor, which will help you keep track of your active and resting heart rate. We’ve been very impressed with the Charge 2’s resting heart rate readings, though active readings, unsurprisingly, can be a little off at times. We tested the PurePulse heart rate monitor against the Wahoo TICKR X chest strap on multiple occasions, and much of the time, the PurePulse sensor came up short by about 5bpm or so.
Below you’ll find screenshots of the Wahoo TICKR X vs the Fitbit Charge 2 during the same run. Note the difference between the peak heart rate readings on the TICKR X (towards the end of the workout) and the Charge 2’s readings at the same point. The TICKR X recorded a peak reading of ~176bpm, while the Charge 2 was only recording ~130bpm at this point.
The Charge 2 will automatically track walking, running and biking, thanks to SmartTrack
One of the best things about using Fitbit devices is the company’s powerful automatic activity tracking software, or SmartTrack. The Fitbit Charge 2 is able to track walking, running, outdoor biking and elliptical workouts automatically, and will categorize each of those into groups – Sport (high-intensity movement activities like basketball and soccer) and Aerobic Workouts (Zumba, cardio-kickboxing, etc). SmartTrack is normally very impressive when it comes to recognizing which activities you’re doing, but we’d still recommend starting a workout manually if you can remember. Automatically-tracked workouts won’t track distance or pace, for instance.
In the screenshots below, you can see the screens labeled “Bike” are workouts where I started my activity manually from the tracker, and the screen labeled “Outdoor Bike” is the activity tracked by SmartTrack.
Speaking of automatic activity recognition, the Fitbit Charge 2 will automatically track your sleep every night. There’s no need to tap any sleep now button or anything before you hit the hay. Just make sure you fall asleep while you’re wearing your Fitbit, and it’ll have sleep stats waiting for you in the morning. The Charge 2 can record your total sleep time and sleep quality, which is measured by the amount of times you woke up and how many times you became restless throughout the night. Overall, we’ve found the Charge 2 to be quite accurate on the sleep tracking front, with no glaring errors as far as we can tell. The tracker also supports silent alarms, which is always nice to see on wrist-mounted fitness wearables.
Related: The best sleep trackers
Fitbit also introduced a few new features to the Charge 2 that should help users stay healthy and relaxed overtime. The first of these new features is a measurement of your Cardio Fitness Level. Found within the heart rate section of the Fitbit app, a personalized score based on an estimation of your VO2 Max (how well your body uses oxygen when you’re working out the hardest) will give you a rating on your overall cardiovascular fitness. Estimated VO2 Max is pretty much the gold standard for grading cardiovascular fitness. Basically, the higher your VO2 Max and Cardio Fitness Score, the better your cardiovascular fitness.
The higher your VO2 Max and Cardio Fitness Score, the better your cardiovascular fitness
While the Cardio Fitness Score will certainly help some folks make improvements to their workouts in the long run, the feature is kind of tucked away in the heart rate portion of the Fitbit app. You won’t find it on the home screen of the Fitbit app (aka Dashboard), and unless you were really exploring around the app you probably wouldn’t come across it. It’s just an odd place to put a big new feature, we suppose.
One other new feature present on the Charge 2 is on-device guided breathing. Fitbit calls this Relax. Once you navigate to Relax on your Charge 2, your device will begin walking you through 2- to 5-minute breathing exercises that should help you reduce stress, lessen anxiety and lower blood pressure. Each breathing session is powered by Fitbit’s PurePulse heart rate monitor, of course. It uses your real-time heart rate stats to measure your heart rate variability and determine the best breathing rate to suit your needs. Do we think this is a game-changing new feature? Not really, but the option is there if you need help calming down from time to time.
Fitbit claims the Charge 2 can last up to five days on a single change, and we’ve found that to be somewhat true. With moderate usage and the heart rate monitor set to automatic, we were only able to achieve a little over 4 days of battery life. It’s entirely possible to make it last an extra day with the heart rate monitor turned off, but you should expect less than that if you’re wanting to record your heart rate.
As far as charging is concerned, we much prefer this method over the Charge HR’s tiny charging cable. With the Charge 2, just clasp the charger around the device’s chassis, plug it into a USB outlet, and you’re all set. There’s even a little hole in the clasp to fit around the Charge 2’s physical button so you know which way to put it on.
| Display | 1.5-inch multi-line OLED Tap display |
Narrow OLED Tap display |
| Heart rate monitor | Yes, optical | Yes, optical |
| GPS | No, Connected GPS | No |
| Water resistant | No, splash proof | No, splash proof |
| Sleep tracking | Yes, automatic | Yes, automatic |
| Estimated VO2 max, guided breathing | Yes | No |
| Silent alarms | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications | Call, text and calendar alerts | Call |
| Battery life | Up to 5 days | Up to 5 days |
| Sensors | Optical heart rate monitor 3-axis accelerometer Altimeter Vibration motor |
Optical heart rate monitor 3-axis accelerometer Altimeter Vibration motor |
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Web | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Web |
| Interchangeable bands | Yes | No |
| Colors | Standard: Black, Blue, Plum, Teal Special edition: Lavender/Rose Gold, Black/Gunmetal |
Black, Blue, Plum, Tangerine, Teal |
| Dimensions | Small: 139.7mm – 170.2mm (21.3mm wide) Large: 170.2mm – 205.7mm (21.3mm wide) XL: 205.7mm – 236.2mm (21.3mm wide) |
Small: 137mm – 157.5mm (21mm wide) Large: 157.5mm – 193mm (21mm wide) |
| Price | Standard: $149.95 Special edition: $179.95 Additional classic bands: $29.95 Additional leather bands: $69.95 |
$129.99 |
Software
Here at Android Authority, we’re huge fans of Fitbit’s smartphone companion app. It’s well designed, easy to use, and gives you all your important stats on the main screen in an easy-to-digest layout. The main home screen, or the Dashboard, gives you quick access to your daily stats, including your steps taken, heart rate, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, weight, sleep stats, food plan and water consumption. If you’d like to get detailed information on any of these stats, just tap on that category. You’ll then be taken to your weekly, monthly and yearly history for that metric.
If you’d like to change any of your tracker’s settings, click on the device name at the top of the Dashboard. Here is where you’ll be able to manage call and text notifications, move reminders, wrist placement, silent alarms and more.
- The best fitness apps for Android
There’s also a slide-out navigation menu on the left that allows you to access your Dashboard, daily challenges, friends and account settings. The Challenges section is home to plenty of daily and weekly goals that aim to help you go the extra mile (literally). You can also invite friends to take part in challenges with you. For instance, you and a friend can see who can take the most steps in 24 hours, or see who can take the most steps between Monday and Friday.
What’s more, you can also share data from the Fitbit app with a number of other services. Whether you’re using Lose It!, RunKeeper or MyFitnessPal, you’ll be able to share your data between applications.
Gallery
Should you buy it?
You can buy the Fitbit Charge 2 for just $149.95 on Amazon in Black, Blue, Plum and Teal color options. The Special Edition Charge 2 variant can be found on Fitbit’s website for $179.95, while extra leather bands are available for $69.95 each. So is it worth buying?
Yes, absolutely.
If you’re buying a fitness tracker in this price range, it’s hard not to consider the Charge 2. With a much improved design, bigger display, more smartphone notifications and a handful of new tracking features, the Charge 2 certainly offers a lot for its $150 price point. No, you don’t get a built-in GPS, the heart rate monitor could be much more accurate, and hardcore fitness buffs might find the feature set a little lacking. But despite its downfalls, the Charge 2 is a great option if you’re looking for a wearable to help keep track of your activity levels.
Want to pick one up for yourself? Head to the Amazon link below for more details.
Buy now from Amazon
What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Charge 2?
GoPro Karma review: A decent drone with stiff competition
When Karma was unveiled last month, there were two main takeaways. First was the lack of much-expected “follow me” features; second was the inclusion of a (not-expected) handheld stabilizer, turning Karma into a “kit.” GoPro CEO Nick Woodman would declare Karma to be “much more than a drone,” pitching it as a complete video stabilization system — one that can be worn, held and flown. The big question was, would that be enough for buyers to overlook what appeared to be a pared feature set on the drone itself?
At $799 (if you “bring your own camera”), and $999/$1,099 if you want to include a Hero5 Session or Black, Karma is priced aggressively, undercutting DJI’s Phantom 4 if you factor in the cost of the handheld stabilizer (DJI’s cheapest equivalent costs an extra $300). But then DJI revealed the Mavic Pro and set fire to GoPro’s plans. It’s smaller, similarly priced and bests GoPro across the spec sheet. The question now is: Will GoPro’s claim of being more than a drone be enough to lure casual film-makers away from DJI’s technologically superior product?
Hardware
What comes in the box depends on whether you need a GoPro. If you’re buying a bundle that includes a Hero5 camera, you’ll save $100 versus buying it and the Karma individually, which isn’t bad. All the bundles come with the following: a Karma drone, six propellers, a touchscreen controller, the handheld “Grip” stabilizer (also called a “gimbal”) and a backpack to hold it all. There’s also a charger with connectors for the batteries as well as USB Type-C, so you can simultaneously recharge the drone and the controller or Grip (or anything else powered by USB-C).
Karma’s party trick is the removable gimbal, which you can swap from the drone into the Grip for smooth videos shot both in the sky and on the ground. There’s also a clip that makes the Grip compatible with existing GoPro mounts. Therefore, if you have a selfie stick, or helmet mount for your camera, it’s theoretically compatible with the Karma Grip, which means you can stabilize your GoPro almost anywhere you can mount it (almost).
It won’t make sense to attach the Grip to everything — a headband mount would have it in your face, for example — but there are many creative ways to add it to your workflow and achieve interesting, stabilized video that previously wasn’t possible. While the drone is probably what you’re buying Karma for, the Grip adds a huge amount of functionality. And while the drone is where all the fun is, there’s a good chance you might end up using the Grip more.
GoPro refers to Karma as a “stabilization system.” It’s easy to see this as the company positioning Karma as a camera product, as opposed to a drone competing directly with the Phantom 4 or Mavic. I’ll revisit this point later on, but for now keep that thought in mind.
As quadcopters go, Karma is not bad looking. Folding arms and collapsible landing gear mean Karma packs down to a very low profile. Much lower than any Phantom, certainly, though Karma is considerably longer and wider than Mavic. Unfolding Karma takes seconds, and folding it back down is weirdly satisfying in the way it all neatly clicks together.
Karma’s body is mostly made of glossy white plastic, with a contrasting gray underbelly and a gray soft-touch section on top that complements the shiny lid. Whether you think it’s better looking than the Smurfy white curves of the Phantom or the masculine Mavic will be a matter of personal taste.
Karma’s controller looks and feels like a gadget in its own right. GoPro built in a 5-inch, 900-nit 720p display, which is kept safe from the elements by a clamshell design. Unlike many RC controllers (aka transmitters) that have metal knurled “sticks,” Karma’s has smooth sticks with a rubberized finish. The controller is weighty but comfortable to hold, and the lack of external antennas make it feel infinitely less geeky than a regular transmitter.
The Grip has a similar aesthetic as the controller, with a gunmetal color and flush buttons. Unlike most other handheld GoPro stabilizers, it features buttons that control the camera directly. There are buttons to turn the camera on and off, set highlight tags, start and stop recording, and change modes, as well as set the camera’s angle in the grip (you can also do this manually). No need to touch the GoPro at all.
Overall, everything is well made and carefully engineered. For example, the drone batteries have a spring-loaded handle on the rear that satisfyingly extends as you pull the battery out, and neatly tucks itself away as you slide it back in. Similarly, if you charge the Grip with the camera in it, you’ll charge both at the same time. Even the backpack has a few thoughtful details, such as a GoPro quick-release mount on the strap for mounting the Grip on (with the aforementioned adaptor). You need to keep the straps tight to stop it from flopping about, but it’s a nice touch.
Karma drone’s battery life is estimated at 20 minutes. In practice, it’s somewhere around 17 minutes, depending how you fly. Drone battery life is always something of a guessing game. DJI, for example, claims Mavic’s battery lasts 27 minutes, but in my experience, I never got much more than 20 minutes of flight time with it. That’s better, of course, but still less than advertised. In short, you’ll likely want extra batteries, which cost $99 a pop. That’s not chump change, but it’s on par with or even cheaper than the competition (Mavic/Phantom batteries cost $89 and $169, respectively).
So let’s quickly talk about what the Karma drone does not have. The most obvious omission is any sort of “follow me” feature, given GoPro’s association with self-filming. The basic tools are there — GPS in the drone and the controller — but GoPro claims current technology doesn’t provide a good enough experience. I’ve tried GPS-based solutions, and they’re prone to jerky motion, as the drone keeps calculating your location. Camera-based object tracking helps eliminate that, but as anyone with a smartphone with facial recognition knows, it’s prone to losing its target. There’s also a simpler argument as to why it was left out: It’s not that useful for most people. Also, it requires obstacle avoidance to be safe — another feature Karma lacks.
Karma also doesn’t have downward sensors for helping it keep position, especially indoors (though you can still fly inside). Downward-facing sensors have been around for years — the original Parrot AR Drone had one back in 2010. Even DJI wouldn’t introduce indoor positioning to the Phantom until as recently as last year, but these days it’s a feature most people expect on a drone at this price, and it’s not here. It’s not just for indoors; it helps keep the drone steady outside too. GoPro’s outdoorsy crowd might not miss indoor flying so much, but the extra stability would be nice.
Obstacle avoidance, however, is a newer technology, with the Phantom 4 being the first from DJI’s popular line to support it, and that only came out back in March (about six months before Karma). If GoPro had released Karma around the same time as the Phantom 4 as originally planned, the lack of these sensors wouldn’t have seemed so obvious, but ultimately it didn’t, and here we are.
It’s worth remembering that most drones, including Mavic and the Phantom 4, “only” have forward-facing obstacle avoidance — which is better than none of course — but there are still three directions you can crash them from. Similarly, the Phantom didn’t get basic follow features until a retroactive update for Phantom 3 at the end of last year. Either way, to GoPro’s detriment, six months is a long time in drone land, and Karma’s delay has accentuated its shortcomings.
Getting started
So what is Karma like to use? Let’s start with the controller, as that will likely be your first interaction with it. The first time you turn it on — it takes about 30 seconds to boot — you’ll see some basic setup screens. I connected the controller to my home’s WiFi network (for updates and downloading maps, etc.) and was soon given the option to learn to fly with the built-in simulator. If you’ve never flown before, this is a good way to have a few test runs, or sharpen your skills between flights.
The central power, start and land buttons are reachable with your thumbs, while the shoulder buttons for camera tilt, recording and mode selection/highlight tagging are all easy to access. Typical drone controllers are covered with buttons. DJI’s aren’t too bad, but others (like Yuneec’s) are littered with knobs, switches and dials that can be daunting to new pilots (not to mention, easy to press accidentally). Karma’s controller is refreshingly clean and simple, although it does mean fewer dedicated buttons.
The 5-inch screen is bright and clearly visible in direct sunlight. Though some controllers use your phone as a display (like the Phantom or the Mavic), I prefer not having to use a phone, at least not for basic flying. First of all, it always feels a bit kludgy. Then, ironically, you have to put your phone in airplane mode or risk receiving calls or alerts while you’re piloting. Plus it’s just one more drain on your phone battery.
I always found the controller for the Phantom 3 and 4 unwieldy, what with the phone balanced on top in a clip. The Mavic controller sandwiches the phone between two grips at the bottom, which is a better design but doesn’t look very elegant. Both scenarios also add to the setup process, as you have to make sure the USB port or WiFi is connected and the phone is securely in place (don’t forget to tap to focus, guys). With Karma’s controller you just switch it on and you’re set.
Much like the physical controls, Karma’s on-screen menus are simple and sparse. All the important info is on screen, though. Remaining flight time is shown via a big bar along the top that changes from green to red as it depletes (sadly all too quickly). On the right hand side are distance and height. Along the bottom, easily identifiable icons point you toward in-flight settings, camera modes and auto-shot paths.
Ready for take off
We’ve come all this way, and we haven’t even taken off yet. Let’s do that. Getting in the air is pretty simple. Karma will tell you when it’s ready to fly (literally — it has voice alerts). From there, hold the start button for a count of three. Then you can either tap the big on-screen “launch” button and Karma will take off by itself, or manually push upward on the left stick. By default, Karma will have “Easy” mode activated. This limits how high and far away you can fly, and also reduces its speed to help prevent over-ambitious maiden flights. Flying in Easy mode can still feel fairly quick, so you’d be smart to stick with that setting if you’re just starting out.
Once you’re feeling braver, you can turn off Easy mode. With a top speed of 35 miles per hour, Karma is no slouch. Again, the Mavic bests it with a top speed of 40MPH, but that’s not a huge difference, and also requires being in “Sport” mode, which disables the obstacle avoidance. For most people, then, Karma will feel plenty fast.
Thanks to the lack of downward sensors, even with GPS connected, Karma can gently drift when you let go of the controls (anyone who’s owned a Phantom 2 will be familiar with this). The Mavic, meanwhile, holds its position in the air with almost freakish accuracy. Karma only wanders a foot or two when hovering and you’ll quickly learn to make micro adjustments if needed. Even so, you should stick to wide open spaces at the beginning.
Once you’re moving, Karma feels nimble yet steady. The 720p video feed to the controller had the occasional glitch on screen, but no more than I’ve seen with other video links, including DJI. Importantly, there were no freezes or worse, complete losses of connection, even when flying far away. The uncluttered display is much appreciated when lining up your shots. Both DJI and Yuneec cram all sorts of data onto the screen and much of it feels unnecessary (motor rotation speed?), at least as a permanent fixture on the main screen.
Video and photo modes
Karma has four auto-shot modes that help you get pro-style clips without having to be a flying master. Again, most or even all of these are common on other camera-enabled drones, but given that GoPro is pitching Karma at outdoor amateur videographers, they’re especially important.
We only have ourselves to blame for the drone selfie mode, or “Dronie.” Fly Karma to a starting point, and Karma will slowly, steadily fly backward and upward until you’re barely a dot on the screen. It works well enough, but I’m not sure how many times I would use it in my own videos. Your level of proclivity for selfies may differ from mine.
“Cable cam” is much more useful, making Karma move between two locations as if on a cable. The start and end points can be at different heights, and you can rotate Karma or change speed while it’s moving, which can lead to some great looking panning shots. I tried this on an empty beach, and it’s perfect for complex shots, revealing different parts of the landscape over time (and in three dimensions).
“Orbit,” as the name suggests, has the Karma fly around a central point. Again, you can change the height and the camera angle as it goes, so you can get creative with it. This is one of my favorite moves, but it’s also hard to avoid catching yourself in shot, which isn’t always what you want. Also, having tried Mavic’s equivalent mode that can circle a moving target (which is perilous if there are trees or cables around, but very cool). I wish Karma could also do this.
Lastly, “Reveal” flies between two points starting with the camera facing directly down, slowly panning it upwards for the big, well, “reveal.” It’s another staple shot that’s great for intros. I also found that by lowering the camera tilt speed in settings, I could achieve pretty good “reveals” manually — a trick I found myself using more often.
Now is probably a good time to remind you of the Hero5’s “Linear” mode. It’s a setting that removes the fish-eye effect common to GoPros. At least know if you’re using Karma with a Hero5, Linear mode does away with this effect (the trade-off being, you can’t use Linear mode in 4K — only 2.7K and below).
Changing the camera modes from the controller can be done via the onscreen menu, or the “Highlight” shoulder button (when not recording). When recording, the display shows how much recording time has elapsed. Occasionally this number froze, and tapping the record button wouldn’t kick it back into gear. On landing, the camera was still recording, so no footage was lost. Still: frustrating. You can actually view all your recorded media via the controller at any time, though, and it works surprisingly fast.
A feature that got lost in the official announcement was the companion “Passenger” mobile app. With Passenger you hand over the control of the camera to someone else via their phone. It’s simple to set up — just connect the phone to the controller’s WiFi hotspot, grant it access and you’re good. I only got it working on iOS, though, as my Pixel couldn’t see the WiFi hotspot at all. I asked GoPro about this, and was told that Android 7.1 is currently still in testing.
What’s more exciting about Passenger is the potential it adds. Earlier I talked about the drawbacks of using a phone for controlling a drone. That’s still true when it’s required, but as an optional add-on, it can be useful. With Passenger, it could be a direct way to add livestreaming to Facebook or YouTube.
More than a drone
There’s no denying Karma doesn’t have the extensive feature set of other drones. But what happens when the battery runs out? With most quadcopters you either charge a battery, swap in a spare or maybe go sit down somewhere. With Karma, you can do all of those, or carry on filming with the handheld grip. You can buy a separate handheld stabilizer to go with your existing drone, but most good ones cost around $300. (The video below was shot using a mix of the drone and the Grip.)
Karma’s Grip is likely the main thing that will separate people into team GoPro or team DJI; it’s a solid value-add if you’re in the GoPro ecosystem. Even before Karma, a handheld gimbal is the first accessory I’d recommend. They are the single biggest upgrade you can give your GoPro videos. As with the drone you can also control the camera directly from the Grip (others you need to touch the camera). The Grip also charges your camera while you use it, and has a battery life of around two hours. While it’s a good all-rounder, it lacks a joystick for manual camera movement.
Grip is also rugged. It’s not waterproof, but it’s at least “weatherproof.” The option to attach it to existing GoPro accessories adds almost unlimited potential. I’m interested to see who comes up with the wildest use for it, but imagine silky smooth video from the cockpit of a toboggan, or from the mudguard of a dirt bike. These are all things you can do with Karma that you can’t with a drone.
Portability
During Karma’s launch, much was made about how portable the kit was, thanks to the included backpack. It’s comfortable to wear, and at around eight pounds, it’s not that heavy. But it’s not exactly compact either. Or at least, it’s not compared to the much smaller Mavic. When it was a toss-up between the Phantom 4 and the Karma, GoPro’s slimline offering was easily a more manageable choice (at least in terms of size). I’ve had the pleasure of lugging a Phantom across the Pacific, so I can say from experience that it’s doable, but not fun.
Wrap-up
If you’re interested in drones, and looking for a smart flying robot that also shoots video, it’s hard to recommend Karma over Mavic. But enthusiasts who are only looking for a drone already knew that and didn’t need to read this review. If you’ve gotten this far, it’s possible you’re into making videos, enjoy outdoors adventure or part of the big old “everyone else,” and aren’t sure which makes most sense for you.
GoPro’s Karma is simpler, easy to use and has a singular focus on video. Mavic is gadgety and full of advanced features — kind of like a gaming PC when you might just want to browse the internet. The flight range of 4.3 miles (compared to Karma’s 1.8) is reassuring, but does it affect real-world flying? Most aviation authorities including the FAA require that recreational users keep a visual line of sight when flying a drone — and both Karma and Mavic can fly beyond that without the video link dropping. Do you need to wizz around a bit faster? It’s fun, but so is recording smooth video on your mountain bike.
It’s harder to argue against more practical differences like battery life. GoPro’s isn’t bad — it’s just OK. Similarly obstacle avoidance isn’t a neat trick; it can save your drone and prevent accidents. Unlike “follow me” features (or lack thereof in Karma’s case) that will bum a few people out, but it still feels like something people expected, but didn’t necessarily need. But then there’s the basic practicality that Karma is fun to fly, flies well, has great auto-shot modes and the versatility of the handheld gimbal.
As for your wallet, Karma is a decent deal — a drone, a camera and a handheld stabilizer for the price of a Mavic. DJI will sell you a Mavic without a controller for $50 less than the Karma (without a camera), but you have to be willing to trade a lot of usability for that saving, and of course, still no handheld. It’s a much more limited proposition for enthusiastic video makers, albeit a better one for budding pilots. Let’s not forget, Karma is still a decent consumer drone. There are just better ones available. But if your focus is video, Karma has much more to offer.
Huawei Fit review – CNET
The Good The Huawei Fit is lightweight, comfortable to wear, and has week-long battery life. It can track daily activities, including heart rate, and can show notifications from your phone. It can be worn in the shower and while swimming.
The Bad The display is dull and touchscreen is difficult to operate when working out. There’s no GPS or automatic exercise detection. The Huawei app lacks any sort of social features.
The Bottom Line The Huawei Fit is a capable fitness smartwatch, but the software falls short of the competition.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
The Huawei Fit is like so many other wearables on the market. It’s a good device on paper, but ultimately fails to dethrone Fitbit, Garmin and Samsung.
Why does that keep happening? Because the software doesn’t live up to the hardware. The Fit can track all of the basics: Steps, distance, calories burned, sleep and heart rate, which it does automatically every 10 minutes. It also doubles as an entry-level smartwatch, and can display notifications from your iPhone or Android device. This includes calls, text messages, emails and any third-party apps.
The watch is also swim-proof and equipped with a battery that will last up to a week. But, it’s not that simple anymore. The wearable market is changing and getting more competitive. There are a ton of devices out there that can measure your daily activities, more than anyone needs. It’s not about the device, it’s about the platform. Unfortunately the Huawei app falls short of the competition in that regard.
The Huawei Fit is available now for $130 (about £105 and AU$170).
Fitness first
Huawei is positioning the Fit as a fitness watch. It features workout profiles for running, walking, biking, treadmill running and swimming, but it doesn’t include built-in GPS. If you want real-time (and accurate) data on your pace and distance, you will have to run with your smartphone.
Huawei calls this “connected GPS”, but unlike from what we’ve seen on the Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Blaze, this feature doesn’t actually show any information on the watch itself. The watch is able to broadcast your heart rate to the app, but it would have been better if you could actually see your running data on your wrist.
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The Huawei Fit (center) compared to the Samsung Gear Fit 2 (left) and Fitbit Charge 2 (right).
Sarah Tew/CNET
Another problem for everyday fitness is the lack of physical buttons. The Huawei Fit has a clean design, but this minimalist style isn’t ideal for working out. The touchscreen can be difficult to operate with sweaty fingers. There is the option to flick your wrist to change screens, but this isn’t even available in workout mode.
Oddly, the Fit’s display is easy to read when outdoors, but dull and hard to read when you step inside. The Fit also lacks automatic exercise detection like we’ve seen in trackers from Fitbit and Samsung.
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