Hasselblad reveals a MotoMod that replaces your Moto Z’s camera
Remember the days before the Moto Z launched, when a mysterious camera MotoMod was leaked along with a handful of other snap-on accessories? Remember when the Z and Z Force launched, and that camera was nowhere in sight? Well, the wait is (almost) over. Motorola just revealed the fruit of its close collaboration with Hasselblad today — the $250 True Zoom — and it’s set to launch on September 15th.
Like, say, Sony’s peculiar lens cameras, the True Zoom replaces the 13/16/23-megapixel on the back of whichever Moto Z you happen to own. Instead, you’ll start working with a 1/2.3-inch 18.9-megapixel with big (think 1.55 micron) pixels and a 10x optical zoom. You’ll probably notice a few things right off the bat. First off, everything’s really well constructed. The mod itself is light, and when it’s strapped to a Moto Z the textured grip is easy to hold on to and the zoom rocker around the shutter button works like a charm. With a big lens housing, a xenon flash and dark trim, the whole thing looks exactly like a pricey point-and-shoot from a distance. More importantly, the True Zoom behaves like one, too.
Early test JPEG and RAW shots came out remarkably crisp in both bright and low-light conditions, just as you’d expect from a sensor with pixels that big. (Friendly reminder: Fretting about megapixels is almost completely pointless these days.) That crispness persists even when you’re zoomed in all the way, which is frankly incredible. Think about it: The more you zoom, the more the minute motions of your hands get magnified. Lackluster stabilization would make for a Monet-like soft image at best and a hot blurry mess at worst, but the True Zoom does an incredible job of keeping things tight and focused.
You can even reach beyond the limits of lens thanks to an additional 4X digital zoom, but really, you’re better off steering clear. That’s nothing against Hasselblad — digital zoom is just by nature a lousy compromise. (Alas, a pre-release software update basically bricked our True Zoom demo unit so we’ll update this story with sample photos once we get another to play with.)
Frankly, it’s a little strange to see Hasselblad dabbling with smartphone accessories of all things. In case you’re not familiar, the storied Swedish company specializes in expensive medium format cameras — at time of writing, the cheapest new Hasselblad camera on the market will set you back more than $6,000. To hear company spokespeople tell the tale, Hasselblad has been exploring more consumer-friendly options for a while, and Motorola’s high-speed MotoMod connector was intriguing because of how seamlessly it allows third-party hardware to meld with the host device. Speaking of seamless, the True Zoom also plays nice with third-party camera apps, though whether you need them is another story. The stock Moto Camera app has been tricked out with extra scene modes and presets for sports and night photography.
What we have here isn’t Hasselblad at its most ambitious, but Hasselblad at its weirdest, its most experimental. The jury’s still out on whether anyone actually wants (or needs) to carry something like this around, but hey — there’s still something to be said for ambitious, elegant weirdness. Stay tuned for more as we continue our testing.
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
What to expect from Apple’s ‘See You’ iPhone event
It’s that time of year again. It’s the end of summer, and Apple is once again on the cusp of introducing a new iPhone. Only this year, there’s a different buzz. There’s been talk of Cupertino playing it relatively safe with a new smartphone for the second year in a row or even taking away the time-honored headphone jack. What’s the deal with that? And of course, this is likely just the tip of the iceberg. The Apple Watch is getting long in the tooth, new versions of iOS and macOS are nearly ready… and as many will tell you, large swaths of Apple’s iPad and Mac lineups are gathering dust. But just what are you going to see when Tim Cook and company take the stage? We’ve rounded up some of the more plausible leaks, rumors and educated guesses to help set expectations for Apple’s September 7th media extravaganza.
The next iPhone: Apple giveth, and Apple taketh away
Rendering of the rumored “iPhone 7 Plus” by Martin Hajek.
Historically, Apple has introduced a major redesign of the iPhone every two years, with a milder “S” update in between. However, this year is something special: The Wall Street Journal and other sources expect the next iPhones (unofficially known as the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus) to play it safe. While there will reportedly be more substantial outward changes than you saw in the iPhone 6s, the Cupertino crew isn’t poised to reinvent the wheel either. It would largely share the same aesthetic that you’ve seen since 2014’s iPhone 6, complete with that curved but mostly featureless aluminum frame. The cleaner antenna lines and possible new colors (rumors have swirled of dark black and blue options) may be the only conspicuous ways to show that you have a new phone.
That’s not to say that the changes would be purely cosmetic — far from it. The standard-size iPhone is expected to get a larger camera that will offer improved light sensitivity while the larger Plus variant may tout dual cameras that offer better focusing and low-light photography, much like what you find on the Huawei P9. There’s also talk of a Force Touch-style home button, a speedier A10 chip, an increased 32GB of baseline storage (with a 256GB option) and even possible dual-SIM support for countries like China and India. One rumor has claims we’ll see higher-resolution displays, but the jury’s still out on that report.
There’s one big thing you probably won’t get this year, though: a headphone jack. As with the Moto Z and LeEco’s latest phones, you’ll have to either plug into the data port (in this case, the Lightning port) or go wireless to listen to your tunes. This doesn’t mean that your favorite wired headphones will instantly become obsolete, mind you. Some leaks have suggested that Apple may offer a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter to accommodate the legions of headphones on the market today. There’s no guarantee that this connector will come in the box, but you’ll probably have some kind of fallback if you’re not quite ready to embrace Bluetooth.
There’s one last, looming question about this iPhone: When will it arrive? An AT&T retail leak hints that the carrier may be bracing itself for an in-store launch on September 23rd, but that’s an unusually long wait for Apple. It typically prefers a release on the second Friday following the event, which would be the 16th. Well-known leaker Evan Blass has heard that the retail launch is slated for the 16th, so it seems like the more probable date.
The first Apple Watch refresh
Unless you count new bands and case colors as hardware upgrades, the Apple Watch has gone untouched since it arrived almost a year and a half ago, in April 2015. That makes it ripe for an upgrade… and many suspect that it’ll get its first big revision at the September event. From a logical standpoint, that makes sense. WatchOS 3 has been in testing all through the summer, existing supplies are running low, and Apple likes to showcase major platform revisions with new hardware. Besides, rumors originally had the new wristwear showing up in March. If it wasn’t quite ready then, it may well be ready now.
So what will you get if it does show up? Much like the iPhone 3G, this second model may be more about addressing the first model’s glaring issues than a complete revolution. Early rumors of a camera have died, and cellular data isn’t expected to make the cut due to battery-life concerns. Instead, the big deal may be GPS: You could get accurate navigation and run tracking without relying on your iPhone.
After that, it may be a matter of refinements. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is often on the ball about Apple plans, believes that the next Apple Watch will have a barometer for altitude tracking, stronger water resistance, a larger-capacity battery and a faster processor. That last part is particularly important. While WatchOS 3 will speed up many tasks all by itself, a CPU upgrade could further reduce those annoying wait times that plague the Apple Watch today.
The real mystery is when you’ll see the second-generation smartwatch. There haven’t been any credible leaks, and there’s no extensive history to rely on. The six-week gap between the March 2015 Apple Watch introduction and launch day isn’t typical for the company. If the hardware is ready to go, though, we could imagine it arriving side-by-side with new iPhones in mid-September.
Software upgrade release dates: iOS 10 and more
Software usually plays as big a role in Apple’s September events, and this year is likely no exception. Given that Apple always ties new iPhone hardware to new iOS releases, we’d expect to see a date for the iOS 10 upgrade at the event. The firm tends to ship those updates at least days before the new iPhones arrive.
As for other software? That’s harder to determine. WatchOS 3 seems like a shoo-in for a release date announcement (it’s been in developer testing as long as iOS), especially if there’s a new Apple Watch unveiled at the same time. A tvOS software update is less certain when there’s no word of a matching Apple TV hardware upgrade, although it could happen when Apple TV software updates have sometimes arrived alongside new versions of iOS. And a macOS Sierra launch? Well, that’s up in the air. Although Apple delivered El Capitan in late September last year, there’s no certainty that Sierra will be ready in a similar timeframe. It may have to wait until there’s new Mac hardware. On that note…
Wild cards: new Macs and iPads
Conceptual rendering of a MacBook Pro with an OLED touch strip.
If you ask devotees about what Apple needs to upgrade next, many of them will shout “Macs.” It’s for good reason, too. Outside of the 12-inch MacBook and iMac, the majority of the Mac lineup hasn’t been updated in more than a year. Some of this is due to Intel’s slowing refresh cycle and diminishing performance returns, but it’s still true that Apple’s computer line could stand an overhaul.
But will it get that overhaul in September? It doesn’t seem likely. A recent Bloomberg leak claims that a MacBook Pro with a fingerprint reader, an OLED control strip and USB-C is in the works for the fall but won’t show up on September 7th. And mum’s the word on other Mac revamps outside of vague hints of a MacBook Air refresh. Apple did recently stop selling the Thunderbolt Display and is rumored to be building a stand-alone 5K screen that would go well with new Macs, but the mill has been silent on its fate in recent weeks.
You might see new iPads. The iPad Air 2 is nearly two years old, and AppleInsider tipsters have hinted that at least the 12.9-inch iPad Pro may get an upgrade. Like the Mac, though, there’s nothing strongly suggesting that replacements for either will show up in September. Any updates might end up waiting until a separate October event, if not next year. Just keep an open mind — few would have expected the iPad Pro to be introduced alongside the new iPhone last year, and Apple may be content to introduce modestly improved tablets in September rather than save them for later.
Images: Martin Hajek (iPhone render); Reuters / Andrew Kelly (Apple Watch); Martin Hajek (MacBook Pro)
The DxO One gets Wi-Fi control and a suite of accessories
If you take a lot of photos with your smartphone, you’ve probably noticed they’re not always up to snuff with the kind of images you’d see from a DSLR camera.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many options out there to improve your iPhone’s camera either unless you go for post-processing apps. Luckily, there’s the DxO One, meant to do just that, including a Lightning connector and an image sensor that’s meant to improve the way you shoot photos with your phone.
But any good camera needs accessories, and the DxO’s getting a new suite of accessories including a special shell for waterproofing, weatherproofing and keeping the One itself safe from the elements while you take it on the go. There’s also a stand, Wi-Fi remote control, and an optical adapter for you to attach new filters over the One’s lens.
In a pretty exciting turn of events, you can use the Wi-Fi remote to aconnect to locate networks or your iPhone directly even when not in range of networks, which makes it a pretty nifty little device, and it’s coming to all DxO One camera owners with the 2.0 software update in September.
The September update also includes a slew of other options like Mobile Smart Lighting, improved power consumption, and a new autofocus mode in addition to a white balance setting meant for shooting photos underwater.
You can pick up the outdoor case for $49 and the filter adapter for $25, with the stand going for $20. It’s a decent camera. You’ll probably want to try and keep it protected.
Via: TechCrunch
Nubia’s ‘bezel-less’ Z11 smartphone launches worldwide
You probably still don’t know a lot about the Nubia smartphone brand if you live outside of China, but the company is bent on changing that: it’s launching its latest flagship, the Z11, worldwide. The phone touts a “bezel-less” design with a 81 percent screen-to-body ratio, which both gives it a seamless effect and makes its 5.5-inch, 1080p display easier to manage in your hand. Nubia is definitely playing up the looks — it’s offering a posh black gold version (above) on top of more pedestrian gray and silver variants.
Not that it’s all surface and no substance. The Z11 carries a Snapdragon 820 processor, 64GB of expandable storage, a rear fingerprint reader and 4GB of RAM in standard trim. The black gold model jumps to a hefty 6GB of RAM to please serious multitaskers. And whichever model you get, photography is one of the big selling points. Nubia vows that that the 16-megapixel rear camera’s f/2.0 aperture and mix of hardware and software image stabilization will produce “DSLR-like” images, including 72-second handheld exposures if you’re determined to get a dramatic star field shot. The 8-megapixel front cam isn’t quite so impressive, but its large pixels and “smart light compensation” should deliver solid selfies.
All variants of the Z11 will be available starting in September, at €499 (about $557) for the standard phone and €599 ($668) for black gold. Despite the Euro-only pricing so far, this is very much a worldwide launch: Nubia plans to sell the device in the UK and US as well as parts of Europe, Asia (including India), Argentina and Mexico. It’s tempting, although we’d definitely do some comparison shopping first. The OnePlus 3 could get you nearly all the performance for $399, and Google is prepping a pair of phones that may deliver lots of bang for the buck.
We’re live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Source: Nubia
Live from Samsung’s IFA 2016 press conference!
Samsung’s already announced the Note 7, so there’s clearly nothing else for the company to reveal, right? Nope, since the Korean conglomerate is here at IFA with a glitzy pre-show press conference that’s got something to do with time. Given that it was around this period last year that the firm unveiled the Gear S2, it’s reasonable to assume a follow-up is coming. If you’re curious for what’s ahead, join us here live at 12:00pm ET and we’ll take you by the hand and lead you through the quagmire.
Samsung delays Galaxy Note 7 shipments over quality tests
If you were planning to buy a Galaxy Note 7, you might not want to count on getting it quickly. Samsung tells Reuters that it’s delaying shipments of its latest smartphone as it conducts “additional tests” to verify “product quality.” It’s not saying what it’s worried about, but there have been reports of the phone’s battery exploding while it charges. Samsung might be checking to see whether or not the battery fires are the result of systemic flaws, or just a handful of isolated incidents.
The company hasn’t said how long the delay will last. However, it could hurt Samsung’s bottom line if it’s substantial. The Galaxy Note 7 was already hard to find on store shelves due to demand, according to Samsung. Delays would only make those shortages worse, and increase the chances that frustrated customers will take their business elsewhere.
Source: Reuters
Garmin’s newest smartwatch slims down, but packs on features
After going high-end with the Fenix Chronos, Garmin is getting back to its core focus with the new Forerunner 35, a feature-packed smartwatch and all-day activity tracker. This latest addition to the Forerunner line packs GPS tracking, a high-contrast display and Garmin’s Elevate wrist-based heart rate monitor into a sleek new design with up to nine days of battery life.
Battery mileage may vary, of course, but according to Garmin, the Forerunner 35 should last for about a week and a half in smartwatch/activity tracking mode. In training mode, the company estimates about 13 hours of battery life, so even with the heart rate monitor and GPS tracking enabled, users should be able to complete a 50-mile Ultramarathon without needing to stop for a charge.
For users whose daily workouts don’t involve such feats of endurance, the Forerunner 35 comes equipped with multiple sport profiles to track walking, indoor running, cycling, and cardio activities. Naturally, it also tracks all the metrics you’d expect from an activity tracker in 2016, like steps, calories and workout intensity. In and out of the gym, the Forerunner can also handle your phone notifications and music controls, plus the device automatically syncs with Garmin Connect to upload workout stats. In other words, it’s a Vivosmart HR in a smartwatch body.
The Forerunner 35 is expected to hit the market during Fall 2016 with a $199.99 retail price, and comes in four colors: black, limelight, frost blue and white.
Source: Garmin
Qualcomm’s new flagship chip loads apps 10 percent faster
Qualcomm has unveiled more details about its flagship Snapdragon 821 processor that we first saw in July. It’s intended to fill the gap until a future next-gen chip comes along, so performance improvements over the Snapdragon 820 (used in Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7) are decent, but not amazing. CPU performance is better across the board, with boot times, app loading and overall performance up to 10 percent faster.
New UI optimizations also bring “smoother scrolling and more responsive browsing performance,” Qualcomm says. Adreno GPU performance is up five percent, which will help games and VR run smoother. Despite those gains, your phone’s battery should last about 5 percent longer overall.
Smartphones using the chip will be compatible with Google’s Daydream VR system, though that’s not a surprise considering that Snapdragon 820 devices are also compatible. To make it easier for VR developers to get on board, Qualcomm is releasing an SDK for the chip that “supports a superior level of visual and audio quality and more immersive virtual reality and gaming experiences,” it says.
Other features include Dual PDAF (phase detection auto-focus) support for quicker smartphone camera focusing and improved laser focus accuracy compared to the Snapdragon 820. The first smartphone to get the chip, the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe, has both laser and dual PDAF, both of which boast .03 second autofocus times. Qualcomm didn’t reveal any new devices that will pack the chip, but with IFA 2016 in full swing, don’t be surprised to hear more announcements in the coming days.
Tile’s slimmest Bluetooth tracker won’t bulk up your wallet
Tile, which raised over a million dollars on Kickstarter over three years ago, is a popular Bluetooth tracker that helps you find your missing stuff. Aside from Bluetooth, it also uses a crowd-finding feature where other Tile app users can ping you the whereabouts of a Tile that’s out of Bluetooth range. There was an update last year to Tile 2.0, which has a louder alarm plus it’ll help find your phone as well. The problem with the existing Tile, however, is that it’s a little chunky. That’s why Tile has now introduced the Tile Slim, a much thinner version of the tracker that’ll fit more comfortably in tight spots like wallets and passport holders. But that’s not all. Tile has also announced a new initiative that just might bring Tile’s location-finding smarts to anything and everything.
But let’s talk about the Slim first. As the name suggests, it is a lot wider and flatter than the original Tile, measuring 54 by 54 by 2.4mm (or as Tile says, about the width of two credit cards). The design is also a touch different. There’s a center Tile logo doubling as the button while the rest of the Slim surface has a pleasant embossed pattern. The rear is all grey, with a tiny cavity where the sound can get through. Unlike the original Tile however, there’s no loop, so you can’t use it as a keychain. But that’s because the Slim wasn’t designed to replace the original Tile; it’s just another product in the Tile stable. So you can have the original Tile for your keys, say, and the Slim for your wallet.
I’ve used the original Tile with my wallet for over a year now, and it’s always left a pretty sizable dent. I switched to the Slim a few days ago and now I can barely tell it’s there. If you want, you can also adhere it to your laptop, your tablet, your ID badge or any place where a slim profile is key.
Another feature that sets the Slim apart is that you can select one of four different ringtones for the alert. They’re called Bionic Birdie, Classic Call, Pep in your Step and Blues for Slim. This capability is only for the Slim and is mostly just for fun, though it could prove useful if you have multiple Tile trackers and want a way to differentiate them. To coincide with the announce of the Slim is also a redesigned app. It’s mostly just a brighter reskin to match the company’s current branding, but there’s also now a slightly different flow when adding new Tiles. It’ll ask you which Tile you’re adding — the Slim or the classic — and then it’ll coach you through the rest of the activation process.
Slim works a lot like the original Tile, but here’s a brief primer in case you need a reminder on how it works. Once you’ve associated and attached a Tile tracker with an object — say your keys or your wallet — you can now use the app to find it. If the item is within Bluetooth range, the app will show it with a green circle. Tap it and the tracker will emit an alarm. If it isn’t, it’ll show you the location where it was last seen, so you can retrace your steps to look for it. Either that or you can select “Notify when Found,” where it’ll now turn to the aforementioned crowd-finding feature to help you find it. If anyone with the Tile app running goes near the object, you’ll then get a location ping. There are around 6 million Tiles on the market in over 200 countries, so chances are pretty good that this will happen.
The Slim will retail for $30/£30 each, which is $5/£10 more than the original. You can also pay $100/£95 for a 4-pack. The Slim has a guaranteed battery life of a year. We should note that, just like all the other Tiles, the battery is not replaceable — if the juice is running out, the app will let you know that you should replace it. The company does offer something called a reTile discount program that’ll let you replace your existing Tile with a new one at a discounted rate. So instead of paying $30 for a new Slim, you could just pay $21 to replace the old one.
But imagine if you don’t need to buy a Tile at all. Imagine if that same Tile location-tracking smarts was simply just built into whatever it is that you don’t want to lose. That is the idea behind Tile’s other big announcement today: The Tile Platform. “We want to blanket the world in smart location,” says Mike Farley, Tile’s CEO and co-founder. “Everything that moves should have smart location built into it.”
So with that concept in mind, Tile is kicking off the Platform announcement today with three partners: EcoReco, an electric scooter company; Nomad, which makes a variety of backup battery packs and power banks; and Zillion, a maker of smartphone wallets with that battery pack built right in. Starting today, all three of these companies will start offering products with the Tile Platform. That means you would be able to use the Tile app to locate, say, a missing EcoReco scooter or a Nomad battery pack. Just add them to the app like you would with a Tile tracker and you can find them in the same way. Tile has already partnered with Land Rover to build the tech into the 2017 Discovery Sport.
Eventually, Farley says he wants the Tile Platform to be in even more things. “Any product that’s mobile is fair game,” he says. “The lowest hanging fruit is if it has Bluetooth in it already.” So, a pair of Bluetooth headphones would be ideal, or a fitness tracker like a Fitbit, or maybe a smartwatch. In the future, he could even see the Tile tech integrated into everyday items like a remote control, a car’s key fob, or perhaps a regular pair of glasses.
“We spend so much time every day finding misplaced stuff. That doesn’t even factor in the cost and time it takes to replace them, nor the stress and anxiety,” says Farley. “Our vision is that the world will be a simpler and happier place when the world has smart location.”
Google Search on Android can find your info in apps and offline
Since 2013, Android users have been able to use Google Search to find things stored within the apps on their phone, and now that feature is getting an upgrade. Google announced tonight that a new “In Apps” section of the search bar will only show results from apps you have installed, like contact info, specific messages, music, videos and notes. Google also noted that in this case, the searching happens on your phone, instead of in the cloud, so it can work offline.
Keeping the feature on-device also brings to mind Apple’s WWDC 2016 claims about how its deep learning tech works to protect privacy, and users can control which apps show up in the search results (your all-Zayn playlist is between you and Spotify).
LG’s upcoming V20 phone (the V10 is pictured above) will launch with support for the feature via a dedicated shortcut on the homescreen and its unique second screen. Whenever the update hits your phone (even with Nougat installed, I couldn’t see it unless I joined the beta) expect to see results from Gmail, Spotify and YouTube for now, with Facebook Messenger, LinkedIn, Evernote, Glide, Todoist and Google Keep coming soon.
Source: Google Inside Search Blog, LG Newsroom
AIVAnet 