Lenovo Yoga Book Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
One of the things that makes it hard to produce a truly portable hybrid computer is the need for a traditional keyboard. You either have to fold the keyboard away somewhere, which adds awkward bulk; or instead detach it completely, which inevitably means when you need the keyboard the most, it’s probably been left behind at home or at the office.
Lenovo is shrinking the hybrid idea down into something closer in size to a paperback book than a laptop. The new Yoga Book has a clamshell hinge and a 10.1-inch full-HD-resolution display, but where you’d expect to find the keyboard is instead a blank slate.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In one mode, that acts as a Wacom-style drawing tablet, and works with the included Real Pen stylus. A few built-in Lenovo apps helps you take notes and annotate documents, and it should work with Photoshop and other visual art programs.
But, at the touch of an on-screen button, the drawing tablet is replaced with a backlit keyboard, which Lenovo calls the Halo Keyboard. It’s akin to on-screen typing on an iPad, but the matte surface is much better for finger control than a shiny laptop or tablet screen. In a brief hands-on test, I found finger-typing on the Halo Keyboard to be very doable once you get used to the key size and placement, but in the pre-release version I tried, there was a little more lag than than I’d like when typing quickly.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If this idea sounds familiar, and not in an iPad on-screen keyboard kind of way, then you’re a real connoisseur of obscure computers. I reviewed an early version of this concept back 2011, when Acer released its 14-inch Iconia dual-screen laptop. In that case, the bottom of two touchscreens could display several on-screen keyboard layouts, other touch tools, or just extend the desktop onto both screens. The idea clearly didn’t catch on with the public as there was never a version 2.0 of that Iconia, and this is the first no-physical-keyboard Windows clamshell I’ve seen since then.
And when you’re not typing or drawing, the system can fold into a kiosk or tablet mode, just like any other laptop with the Yoga name — it’s just that this one is a lot smaller.
Powered by an Intel Atom x5 processor, the Yoga Book is available in both Windows 10 and Android versions, and weighs around 1.5 pounds (680 grams). Worldwide pricing and availability has yet to be announced, but in the US, it’ll start at $499 (roughly £380 or AU$665) and should be available immediately.
Moto Z Play Droid review
Check it out at Verizon
LG was the first out of the gate this year to introduce us to the concept of a modular smartphone. The company’s implementation with the G5 was what many agreed to be underwhelming, subsequently evident by the poor sales of the phone. Many believed that the modular idea was a dead end, barely able to mold and blossom into something tangible, but that was until Lenovo introduced a better implementation with its Moto Z and Moto Z Force – and boy did it change all of our perception!
One of the delightful surprises about the new phones were the various Moto Mod accessories that brought versatility to the phones, dishing up this new concept of “expanded functionality.” Given that many companies are on board with their own unique Moto Mods, which range from battery packs, to projectors, and much more, it means that future devices in this new line will probably harness them as well. Why make another variant of the same accessory to accommodate a new phone, right?
- Moto Z and Moto Z Force (Droid Edition) review
- Moto Mods review
- Moto Z Force vs LG G5
The benefits from this strategy become more prevalent with Lenovo’s latest smartphone, the Moto Z Play Droid. We know that the two aforementioned phones are high-end, cutting-edge devices meant to compete with other flagships, but the Moto Z Play Droid favors the mid-range segment of the market based on what it’s packing. From its 1080p screen, to the Snapdragon 625 chip that’s inside, it’s very indicative of a mid-ranger. Nonetheless, it’ll leverage the benefits provided by the existing line of Moto Mod accessories that are out now.
We’ve seen plenty of great mid-range smartphones released so far this year. But while the Moto Mods add a certain level of intrigue, will they be enough to propel the Moto Z Play Droid over competing devices fighting for notoriety in this sector of the market? Let’s find out in our full Moto Z Play Droid review!
See also: The best Android phones464
Design
The Moto Z Play Droid looks very similar to its bigger brothers
A cursory glance at the Moto Z Play Droid will make most people mistake it for its previously released siblings; the Moto Z and Moto Z Force. There’s the uncanny resemblance with its design language, one that recycles the same metal and glass construction we’ve seen already, but it’s all packaged in a slightly taller, wider, and thicker chassis. Everything about the design is similar, like the hump produced by its camera lens, the USB Type-C port at the bottom, the responsive fingerprint sensor, and those pin connectors on the back for the Moto Mod accessories.
Don’t miss: Moto Z and Moto Z Force (DROID) review51
The latter is especially integral, mainly because it means that the Moto Z Play Droid can leverage all the existing Moto Mods that have been released thus far – further solidifying Lenovo’s strategy and implementation for a modular phone. Our review unit, in fact, came along with a dark wooden cover that covered and protected the glass finish of the phone’s rear. All of this reaffirms the validity of Lenovo’s vision of a modular phone, which we have to mention is undeniably one of the most satisfying things about the Moto Z Play Droid. For a mid-ranger, it has a host of accessories at its disposal.
Also read: 3.5mm audio vs USB Type-C: the good, bad and the future81
Even though it fails to match the thinness of its siblings, we’re not disappointed by its failure to follow suit because there’s a standard 3.5mm headphone jack here. Yes people, there’s a headphone jack incorporated here, which should appease those who are staunchly opposed to the idea of eliminating it entirely. And to top it off, the Moto Z Play Droid features the same nano-coating technology that gives it the water repellent quality to stave off damage from minor incursions with water (think light rain and splashes).
You heard right – the Moto Z Play Droid has a headphone jack!
Appearing very similar to Lenovo’s previous phones, the Moto Z Play Droid’s design indicates that future phones that want to leverage the Moto Mods, whether they’re high, mid, or low-end things, will have to keep within the same design language and dimensions. We wouldn’t say it’s the most beautiful thing we’ve seen, but we’ll sacrifice that for compatibility with Moto Mods.
Display
Due to how it adopts the same design language we’re familiar with, while also accommodating those Moto Mods, it should be no surprise that the Moto Z Play Droid comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display. However, the resolution of the panel drops down to 1080p, which of course places it squarely in that mid-range category. Naturally, it’s an expected outcome for a phone of its caliber, but it’s still more than detailed for the eye to see – and for others, they’d be hard pressed to realize it’s lower in resolution from a normal viewing distance.
The AMOLED display isn’t the best on the market, but it’s still above average
As we look at some of the AMOLED screen’s benchmark performance, it becomes evident that it’s not performing to the same tune as Samsung’s panels in its flagships, but it’s still nevertheless an above average one. It’s bright with a maximum luminance of 517 nits, ensuring it’s plenty visible even on those sunny days outside. While the 7333K color temperature is a tad bit on the colder side, it’s not colder than some other AMOELD panels we’ve come across, which is a common attribute of the technology as a whole. And lastly, we do notice a hint of saturation with its color reproduction in the sRGB gamut chart – where it tends to be slightly overblown with colors such as green, yellow, and magenta.
Like we mentioned already, the screen isn’t the best from the AMOLED camp, but despite that, the Moto Z Play Droid sees one with some above average qualities. Throw in a familiar feature, Moto Display, it means notifications, the time, and date are all accessible by taking the phone out of your pocket or nudging it.
Performance
Stepping down to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, coupled with 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM and the Adreno 506 GPU, means that the Moto Z Play Droid is most affected when it comes to graphics processing. Superficially, it moves with the same finesse and zippiness as its siblings, as basic tasks are accompanied with tight responses. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of phone for gamers, since it does exhibit some choppiness with its performance – albeit, its performance is in line with other phones in its category with the same hardware.
See also: The best Android games181
Placing phone calls under Verizon’s coverage, we’re happy to inform you that its call quality is pretty good. Voices coming out of the earpiece are distinct and audible, so we’re lucky that it barely exhibits any sort of distortion with its quality. Under noisy conditions, though, the volume output could’ve been better, just because it can easily be drowned out by the ambient sounds that are around.
Hardware
As it currently stands, there’s only a single storage option for the Moto Z Play Droid – 32GB of internal capacity. That should suffice for most users, but for those that require more, there’s a microSD slot that’s ready to provide adequate expansion.
The fingerprint sensor below the display, much like the ones found on the Moto Z and Moto Z Force, is square shaped and has a slightly raised outline. Unlocking the phone is a breeze thanks to its responsiveness when the phone is in its locked position, but when it’s pressed while it’s on, it acts to turn off the phone. So yeah, it doubles as another power button of sorts if you happen to feel lazy pressing the actual power key on its side.
Watching videos on the Moto Z Play Droid is a pleasant experience, mainly thanks to how its 5.5-inch AMOLED screen is just perfect for the occasion with its wide viewing angles, punchy colors, and sheer size. The accompanying audio coming from its single speaker, whereby the earpiece doubles as audio for media playback, lacks any sort of substance with its output. Don’t get us wrong, audio produced by the speaker is clean and crisp, but there’s no thump or punchiness with its quality to make us feel like it’s something that won’t get drowned out in noisy conditions.
And lastly, we’ll quickly graze over Moto Mods with this one, seeing that there’s nothing different here from what we’ve seen already. Of course, Moto Mods snap onto the back of the phone by lining up the corresponding pin connectors – where the prominent magnetic connection establishes a tight bond between the two. When it comes to expanding the functionality beyond what a traditional smartphone is capable of doing, no other system or implementation does it better than Moto Mods.
Continue reading: Moto Mods review: Blast, Power and Project in a snap9
Battery
Justifying the need to be thinner and lighter is a prospect we all appreciate with smartphones, but in the case of the Moto Z Play Droid, it’s thicker than its two siblings. That’s not a bad thing per se, due to the fact that it features a larger 3510mAh battery cell. And when you have a 1080p screen instead of one with Quad HD resolution, the phone has the recipe for some serious battery life.
Boy does it impress! It’s one of the better performing phones we’ve come by, better than the Honor 8 too! When it comes to longevity, the Moto Z Play Droid doesn’t disappoint – you’ll be astounded by its resistance to deplete. In our Wi-Fi browsing test, it managed to put up an outstanding mark of 16 hours and 13 minutes, while its recharge time of 109 minutes using the included Turbo Charger is also respectable. Best of all, you can always expand its battery life by even more with one of those battery pack Moto Mods. Do you want a wireless solution too? There’s a Moto Mod for that.
Related: Honor 8 Review
Camera
Stumped is one way of describing our reaction to realizing what camera has been fashioned into the Moto Z Play Droid. In terms of megapixel count, it’s in between the 13MP and 21MP cameras of the Moto Z and Moto Z Force respectively – so it’s a 16MP in the Moto Z Play Droid. The other notable differences here are the f/2.0 aperture lens and the lack of OIS, but besides that, everything else is the same. Meaning, it comes with laser & phase detection auto-focus, dual-LED flash, and up to 4K video recording.
The camera app, too, is the same as its siblings. For the masses, it suffices in quickly focusing and snapping the shot, but for enthusiasts, they’ll be yearning for more to play around with. Indeed, there’s a manual mode to compose a shot to your liking, so you can capture a scene with the utmost precision and control. However, it lacks additional modes beyond the staple ones we get in every phone. For example, you won’t find those cool light painting modes we expect on most Huawei smartphones. Despite our desire for more modes, we still find the Quick Capture super useful in launching the camera app by twisting the phone in our hand a few times.
Under ideal lighting conditions, the Moto Z Play Droid can take a great picture
Given its mid-ranger attachment, we’re actually impressed by the results produced by the 16MP camera here. When the conditions are ideal, such as those outdoor shots taken under sunny conditions, the Moto Z Play Droid snaps some crisp and detailed images. It seems to favor a warmer tone, but colors in general have some degree of saturation. The 5MP front-facing camera does nicely with selfies, by producing a pleasant level of sharpness to accompany its solid details capture.
Under low light conditions, it can take awhile to snap a photo
Our only qualm with the camera is its longer snapshot time under low light settings. In this case, we’re told to keep the phone steady to gain enough exposure, but the downside is that blurring becomes more likely to happen in the process. At the same, its quality becomes a bit more grainy looking – while the general tone of the shots are softer, more speckled in the details. We will thankfully say, however, that the camera does an excellent job of minimizing noise in the scene.
Moving on to video recording, the same qualities found with its still-shot performance persist here as well. Therefore, that all means that the Moto Z Play Droid handles nicely when there’s an abundance of lighting during the recording, but tends to be a bit noisy under low light. Due to the lack of OIS here, videos are far more shaky in appearance, causing for more jitter in the process – so a steady hand will be necessary in combating that.
Moto Z Play Droid camera samples
At the end of the day, even though the camera doesn’t excel in all areas, our general consensus of it is a favorable one. Knowing that this is a mid-ranger we’re dealing with, we’ll take it! There’s still the matter of the new Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod, which delivers an impressive 10x optical zoom. We haven’t spent a lot of time using this new accessory, but we’ll be putting it through the paces to see if it has any benefits besides the zoom.
Software
Honestly, the software is the same here with the Moto Z Play Droid. Running a mostly stock Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow experience, with a few of the usual enhancements we’ve seen from previous Motorola smartphones (Moto Display, Moto Actions, and Moto Voice), the experience as a whole will appease hardcore purists. Yes, there’s the matter of bloatware from Verizon that we all will have to contend with, but at this point, it’s a moot point in complaining about. At the very least, the experience here feels almost like it’s vanilla Android, so those purists will like that.
Considering that Nougat has been revealed, and became available to some Nexus-branded devices very recently, the only question surrounding the Moto Z Play Droid’s experience is the obvious: how long will we wait before it too receives the new software? We’re confident that it’s only a matter of time at this point.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution 401ppi |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 |
| GPU | Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 3GB LPDDR3 |
| Storage | 32GB |
| MicroSD | Yes |
| Cameras | 16MP rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash, laser and phase detection auto-focus 5MP front camera with a wide-angle lens and flash |
| Battery | Non-removable 3,510mAh |
| Software | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The Moto Z Play Droid will be available for pre-order in the U.S. through Motorola and Verizon from Thursday, September 8 for $17 per month for 24 months, or for $408 full retail. You’ll be able to pre-order the unlocked, non-Droid Edition Moto Z Play in the U.S. starting September 15 with availability beginning in October. The unlocked Moto Z Play will be available for $449.99 or for €499. The new Hasselblad True Zoom will be available for pre-order starting September 8 and available for purchase from Verizon on September 15 for $249.99, or for $299.99 through Motorola.
Check it out at Verizon
Don’t be fooled by its looks, the Moto Z Play Droid looks and feels like its modular siblings. It’s about the same size and weight, features the same fingerprint sensor, and it also leverages the same set of Moto Mods. The tradeoffs for this mid-ranger are mostly related to its screen resolution and processor, and that’s about it. If you don’t consider yourself to be a power user, you’ll be pleasantly impressed by how the Moto Z Play Droid manages to deliver nearly the same experience and performance as its superiorly spec’d siblings.
Still, there are a few noteworthy things at stake here that makes a play at the handset’s strength. First and foremost, there’s a standard headphone jack here! We know, it might not be at the top of the list for everyone, but it’s satisfying that Lenovo opted to bring it back – so there’s no need to carry an adapter if you just want to use your standard pair of headphones. And secondly, it has a battery life that requires some serious usage to deplete! In all fairness, we found it incredibly tough to drain its battery.
Bringing back some much needed money to your pockets, the Moto Z Play Droid’s cost places it below its more expensive modular relatives. The savings there is appreciated given how it can leverage all of the existing Moto Mods, so at launch, the phone already has a healthy selection of accessories to choose from. Buy the phone because you want the Moto Mods, but don’t want to spend the usual fortune in buying the better spec’d modular phones that are currently available.
What are your thoughts? Like what you see here? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
Bosch PerfectDry Dishwasher Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Bosch
To me, zeolite sounds like the key ingredient of some sort of magic potion. To Bosch, it’s a very real mineral that’s the key to the company’s newest dishwasher innovation — PerfectDry technology.
PerfectDry means what you think it does: Bosch is claiming its newest dishwashers, on display at the IFA trade show in Berlin, will consistently produce bone-dry dishes ready to be put away as soon as the cycle ends. The tech supposedly works just as well on glass, porcelain and even plastic dishes.
Budget dishwashers
- Frigidaire FGID2466QF
- Kenmore 13699
- GE GDF610PMJES
Bosch has been using zeolite to help its dishwashers dry since 2008. A mineral that naturally absorbs moisture and emits heat, Bosch packs zeolite into a small container within the dishwasher cavity. During the cycle, the 3D Airflow technology blows heat from the zeolite in three directions across the surfaces of your dishes.
Plastic doesn’t retain heat as well as glass or porcelain, so if you have a load with lots of plastic dishes, the Bosch PerfectDry Dishwashers include an ExtraDry cycle option that increases the time and temperature to make sure every last drop is boiled away.
Since Bosch has been using zeolite since 2008 and 3D Airflow since 2015, it’s unclear what about these new models has led the company to now call them “perfect,” but it’s a lofty claim to aspire to. In our dishwasher tests, the Bosch SHS63VL5UC did well at drying, but didn’t stand out from similarly priced machines from other companies.
Along with PerfectDry, Bosch is lowering the sound rating of all of its series 4, 6 and 8 dishwashers to 42 decibels or less. Bosch hasn’t announced specific pricing or availability for PerfectDry models yet. Once it’s available, I’m looking forward to testing these new models using our strict procedures to see just how perfect this “PerfectDry” technology really is.
- See all our coverage from IFA in Berlin here
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Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Xiaomi
From water filters to drones to electric bicycles, Xiaomi isn’t shy about plunging its fingers in every pie. Its new Mi Robot Vacuum is the latest example of how the Chinese phone maker plans to take over homes and make them smarter — for less than its competitors.
Looking very much like a Roomba, the round robot vacuum boasts 12 sensors. Its laser distance sensor scans its surroundings 1,800 times per second, then maps out your home to clean it efficiently.
Key specs
- 12 sensors, including ultrasonic radar, cliff sensor, gyroscope and accelerometer
- Three processors for real-time mapping and positioning
- Main brush with adjustable height for uneven surfaces
- 5,200 mAh battery
Made by Xiaomi’s ecosystem partner Rockrobo, it features a Nidec brushless DC motor and claims to be ultra quiet. Its 5,200 mAh battery promises 2.5 hours of cleaning. It goes on sale on September 6 in China for 1,699 yuan, which is approximately $255, £195 and AU$340. By comparison, CNET’s pick for best affordable robot vacuum, the Neato XV Signature Pro, costs around $420 or £300.
Like its other ecosystem products, don’t expect Xiaomi to officially launch this around the world, though some products, such as its Mi Air Purifier, have been sold in countries like Singapore. Watch the video below of the Mi Robot Vacuum to see it in action, as it goes head to head with another similar robot vacuum in cleaning up cereal.
Garmin Forerunner 35 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Garmin
Garmin is making it easier (and cheaper) to track heart rate while running. The fitness company on Monday announced a new entry-level GPS watch with a built-in optical heart-rate sensor. At $200 (£160, AU$259), the Forerunner 35 is the company’s cheapest running watch to offer the technology.
The Forerunner 35 does all of the basics: It has GPS to track pace, distance and speed when running or biking, and doubles as a fitness tracker and basic smartwatch. The watch will measure steps, distance, calories burned, intensity minutes and sleep throughout the day, and can display notifications and music controls when connected to an iPhone or Android phone.
Garmin
Other features include auto pause, auto lap, vibration and virtual pacer (a feature that alerts you when you fall behind a set target pace). The watch also includes sport profiles for running, biking, treadmill running (which uses the accelerometer to estimate pace), walking and cardio, and will keep track of your personal records (longest run, fastest run, etc.).
The battery will last up to nine days as a watch/activity tracker, and up to 13 hours with an active GPS signal, which is two hours longer than our favorite running watch, the Forerunner 235. The watch is also waterproof up to 50 meters (about 164 feet).
The Forerunner 35 will be available toward the end of September in black, limelight, frost blue and white.
LG InstaView Side-by-Side Refrigerator Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The Door-in-door with Instaview — tap the glass and see what’s inside.
LG
LG’s expanding its Instaview line of fridges once again. After debuting it on the LG Signature Refrigerator at CES, the Korean company introduced the feature on standard four- and three-door French door refrigerators. Now, at the IFA trade show here in Berlin, LG’s showing off side-by-side refrigerators with the Instaview feature.
When it was first introduced at CES, I thought the panel built in to the LG Signature Refrigerator was a tablet a la the Samsung Family Hub fridge. Instead, for better or worse, LG took a simpler approach. The panel built into the door didn’t double as a touchscreen display — it turned translucent when you knocked on it, so you could see the contents of your fridge without opening the door and wasting the cold air.
Hopefully, since side-by-side refrigerators tend to cost less than their French door cousins, these newest Instaview fridges will make the feature more accessible. The French door variety costs upwards of $4,000 in the US. We’ll update this piece as soon as we hear more about pricing and availability.
At IFA, LG’s touting the Wi-Fi Eclipse Display built into the Instaview panel — it shows the fridge and freezer temperature while giving you control options. The new side-by-side model is on display next to the previously announced dual door-in-door fridges with pocket handles and hidden access buttons.
LG didn’t generate the same buzz with the Instaview that Samsung did with the Family Hub, but with a more robust lineup and hopefully more manageable prices, it could get its creative new features into people’s homes faster.
- Check out the rest of CNET’s coverage from IFA here
Miele Blizzard CX1 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Miele stood to the side while other home appliance companies began to roll out bagless vacuums in the 1980s. The German manufacturer decided that vacuums with bags got homes cleaner, and, at the time, Markus Miele, one of its executive directors, said, “Bagless vacuum cleaning is not an option for our company.”
Searching for a vacuum?
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Miele sucked it up Wednesday, with its announcement of the company’s first bagless vacuum, the Blizzard CX1, at the IFA 2016 trade show here in Berlin. The Blizzard is a canister vacuum with an internal mono-cyclone design, which means it relies on one tornado-like tunnel of air to trap dirt and dust as it vacuums. The debris then goes through three stages of filtration so there’s less fine dust flying out of the vacuum when you empty the canister.
At a press conference, Miele executives outlined advantages that the Blizzard’s mono-cyclone design has over a multi-cyclone vacuum, such as less noise and more effective use of power. This appeared to be a shot at Dyson, the British manufacturer known for its line of high-end, multi-cyclone vacuums.
The Blizzard will begin selling in stores in October starting at €319 (about $355, £270 or AU$473). Miele has yet to announce a specific release date for the US — and it will continue to sell vacuums with bags.
- Check out CNET’s full coverage of IFA 2016 here
2016 Chevrolet Cruze review – Roadshow
The Good The attractive and efficient 2016 Cruze brims with the latest in-car tech.
The Bad The Cruze has some trouble getting out of its own way, and there are some ergonomic quirks.
The Bottom Line Sporting an impressive technical loadout, but packing a powertrain that’s not exactly eager, Chevrolet’s massively revised 2016 Cruze is a solid middle-of-the-road choice for folks who want a solid commuter that isn’t stuck in the 20th century.
Despite the growing ubiquity of crossovers, one of America’s most tried and true segments — non-premium, small sedans — is still a major battleground. If you want to do well with a group of cars that have been on this war-torn field since your author was in kindergarten, you need to bring your A-game.
The last Chevrolet Cruze did not bring its A-game. I thought it was frumpy and not that great of a driver. The 2016 Cruze, all new for this model year, rectifies that with an impressive technological loadout, attractive looks all around and solid fuel efficiency. It’s an impressive addition to a cutthroat segment, but it falls short of being a standout.
A makeover worthy of “She’s All That”
The old Cruze was blocky and clumsy. This time around, everything’s a bit smoother, a bit slipperier, a bit more contemporary. It adopts many traits from its stablemates, like the general shape of its grille and lighting elements. The side is suitably stylized along the rocker panels and just below the belt line. It’s a whole new car, truly, and it looks good, lacking the craziness of the new Civic but possessing a bit more soul than the uninspired Corolla.
It’s impressive what a little bit of edge-smoothing will do for a car.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
Similarly, the interior looks like Chevrolet’s designers finally woke up from a decades-long slumber. The Cruze’s innards are properly handsome, with our Premier-trim tester sporting a handsome two-tone motif that looks more expensive than it actually is. Sure, the top-layer plastics are on the hard side, and the leather isn’t Mercedes-Benz supple, but with an MSRP south of $30,000, it’s damned impressive.
The interior continues its winning streak with ample storage locations — whether you like shoving old gas receipts in the door cards, the center console or under the infotainment screen, there’s enough space to accommodate plenty of accouterments.
Space for human cargo is equally ample. Despite a faster roofline than before, there’s enough headroom for folks measuring six-foot-plus. Legroom is decent — when in the back, sitting behind a seat set up for a six-foot driver, I had about two inches of space between my knees and the seatback.
The interior also features knobs and buttons aplenty, a welcome sight for buyers not yet ready to move to a future comprised of screens alone. The climate controls feel especially premium, with temperature readouts built into the knobs.
Not all is roses and daisies with the Cruze, though. There are some weird ergonomic niggles. The manual-shifting rocker switch rests on the side of the shift knob, which is unique to Chevrolet and for a good reason (it’s not at all intuitive). The piece of trim that peeks over the top of the infotainment screen hampers my ability to touch the top part of the screen. When I have to look this hard to find fault with something, though, I’d consider it a good thing.
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Tech is the Cruze’s strong suit
The Cruze flatters its owners with an impressive array of the latest in-car technology, so long as the right options boxes are ticked. This is where the Chevrolet gains an advantage over most of the segment, offering up a mix of creature-comfort and safety systems that tech-forward buyers will appreciate.
Want to know what the weather’s like? In the event you can’t just, you know, look out the windshield, there’s an app for that.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
Chevrolet’s 8.0-inch MyLink infotainment system (a 7.0-inch screen is standard on lower trims) feels much snappier than before, and the addition of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto gives the Cruze an edge over the competition, save for the Elantra and Civic. It lacks a full suite of built-in connected apps, but you get some basic ones, like Pandora, and it will also read out your text messages without having to use CarPlay or Android Auto.
It makes up for that lack of apps with GM’s OnStar connectivity. Its 4G LTE antenna and Wi-Fi hotspot gave me access to the internet when my mediocre phone provider could barely get its act together. OnStar’s smartphone app uses that antenna to remotely lock, unlock and start the vehicle, which adds another level of premium feeling, although not without a paid subscription.
Sadly, there’s only one USB port up front, which means you’ll have to balance charging phones with multiple folks in the car. But a USB port in the back seat helps make up for this front seat deficiency.
This tester also came equipped with the full loadout of safety systems, by way of the $790 Driver Confidence II package. The forward collision warning was not overly sensitive, but a lack of adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking is a bit of a surprise, and not a positive one. The combination of rear parking sensors and a legible backup camera makes parking a breeze, although blind zone monitoring feels a bit silly on a car this small. I would have gladly taken auto-braking over the blind spot system.
Bosch Twinguard Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
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Bosch breaks into smart home security with three new gadgets
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Bosch is refining the sense of smell on its Twinguard smoke detector with the goal of reducing false alarms. The Twinguard not only includes photoelectric smoke detectors, but senses air quality to help determine when there’s a real emergency.
When the alarm sounds, the Bosch Twinguard will send you a push notification on your phone, and it can trigger other smart devices in the Bosch Smart Home system. You could have your Philips lights blink when the smoke alarm sounds, for example.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Outside of emergency situations, the Twinguard monitors temperature, humidity and general air quality by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs), so it stands to be the most knowledgeable smoke detector on the market. The Nest Protect similarly offers app-enabled smarts, and both the Nest and Bosch detector distinguish between different types of smoke to help make an informed decision about when to sound the alarm. The Nest Protect, however, doesn’t monitor VOCs.
Bosch’s Twinguard is one of three new smart home products Bosch introduced today at the IFA trade show here in Berlin. The company best known for its dishwashers is clearly making a concerted push into the fully connected home. When Bosch first announced the Bosch Home Connect app, the goal was to encompass everything. Now, with a wider variety of devices, we’re starting to see that plan come to fruition.
Gadgets galore from Bosch at IFA 2016
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My main concern for the smoke detector is implementation. The First Alert OneLink Smoke Detector showed what can go wrong when a company throws half-baked smarts onto a safety product. The Bosch Twinguard looks to be taking a simple approach, with the app serving as a monitor and a notifier. I’ll be keen to test its responsiveness once it launches in the US.
The Twinguard will debut in parts of Europe at the beginning of 2017, though a representative promised me it would make its way to the US shortly. Expect more details on when it’ll come to the US at CES. The recommended price in Europe is €150, which converts to roughly $165, AU$225 or £13o.
- Head here for loads more new tech from CNET at IFA
Asus ZenWatch 3 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The new Asus ZenWatch 3, pictured here in rose gold.
Asus
In today’s moment of zen, meet an Android Wear watch with no less than three buttons: the Asus ZenWatch 3.
The ZenWatch 3 was announced at trade show IFA in Berlin on Wednesday. It will cost 229 euros. International pricing wasn’t initially available, but that converts to about $255, £195 and AU$340. It comes in gunmetal, silver or rose gold colours with a choice of leather or rubber straps in dark brown or a lighter beige.
This year it’s all about luxury. Gone is the large, blocky display, which has been replaced with a circular 1.39-inch AMOLED screen, displaying 287 pixels per inch, and measuring 9.95mm thick. It’s covered by gently curved Corning Gorilla Glass, which as well as protecting from scuffs and scratches gives it a more traditionally watchy feel than smartwatches with flat faces. The display is also a complete circle and doesn’t include the “flat tyre” black bar that we’ve seen in the Moto 360 and other watches.
On the screen you have a choice of more than 50 unique watch faces, some of which support widgets to show you useful information such as the current weather, the number of steps you’ve walked or missed call notifications. You change the watch face using the ZenWatch Manager app on your phone.
Where most Android Wear devices have just one or two crown buttons, the ZenWatch features a third button that can be assigned to open your favourite app. By default, for example, it opens the fitness tracker app.
Asus said the 340 mAh battery will last for up to two days, which is pretty standard compared to the Apple Watch and other smartwatches, but Asus is also doing something unique. If you want more, or you’re a heavy watch user, there’s a 200 mAh battery pack accessory that snaps on the back of the ZenWatch 3. The extra power makes the watch a little chunkier but doesn’t make it too chunky to wear.
Still not convinced? The ZenWatch 3 is one of the first smartwatches to be powered by the new Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor. It comes with a new technology called HyperCharge, which essentially takes the fast charging feature we’ve seen in phones and brings them to watches. In short, the ZenWatch 3 can be charged very fast: It takes only a 15-minute charge to replenish 60 percent of the watch’s battery life.
As with other Android Wear watches, the ZenWatch 3 carries a water resistance rating of IP67 and is compatible with both iPhones and Android phones. Google’s watch operating system isn’t our favourite, although it is slated to receive a massive update later this year.
The ZenWatch 3 is slated to arrive in the US and other countries, likely including the UK and Australia, sometime in October.
Asus ZenWatch 3 specs
- 316L-grade stainless steel
- Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor
- IP67 water-resistance
- Android Wear software
- 512MB of RAM
- 4GB of internal storage
- 1.39-inch AMOLED screen with 400×400-pixel resolution (287ppi)
- Bluetooth 4.1
- Wi-Fi
- Curved Corning Gorilla Glass
- 340 mAh battery
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