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mercredi 31 août 2016

Snapchat gets more features, and custom geofilters are easier to make now

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 21.21.08

Snapchat for Android is getting some fun formatting features (gotta love some alliteration!). Now you can make your caption italic, bold, and underlined simply by press and holding on the text, and if you're taking a video Snap, you can press and hold to pin a big caption anywhere in your video.

It's no exaggeration to say that Snapchat brought substantial changes to the social media world. Everyone wants to do what Snapchat does: Instagram has Stories, and Facebook is more video-centric than ever. Hell, it even introduced its own app called Lifestage, which is essentially Snapchat for – and only for – teens.

Snapchat-how-to-use-3See also: Snapchat is buying a company you've never heard of for $110 million9

So it's not surprising that the folks behind Snapchat are keeping themselves busy to bring more and more features to the app. With the most recent update, Snapchat users can now press and hold on a caption to make it italic, bold, and underlined as shown below.

Screen Shot 2016-08-31 at 21.28.17

Not only that, if you're sending a video Snap, you can click on the T on top to create a big caption; you press and hold on it, and you will be able to pin the caption on anywhere within your video. It's kind of like tracking autofocus: you pin a caption on your friend's head, it will stay there even when your friend is moving.

Another neat change is you no longer have to press and hold on a face to bring up the Snapchat Lenses. Instead, a light single tap on the face will do the trick. I'm glad they changed this because on several occasions, I've had trouble getting Snapchat to register my long-press on the screen.

One last thing for all the Snapchat aficionados out there: custom geofilters are now really easy to make now. Earlier this year, Snapchat introduced an option for anyone to create their own geofilter through Snapchat's website, and it's perfect for weddings, fraternities, big parties, etc. The only drawback was you still needed some Photoshop skills, so it wasn't really accessible to people without any editing experience.

Well, Snapchat now has multiple templates – which are fully customizable in color, photo, text, etc. – and all you need to do is log in, pick what you like, enter your location, and boom, you now have your own geofilter. Don't worry, you still have the option to create your own from scratch if you prefer. It's a brilliant idea for any event with more than just few selfie-loving millennials. Mind you, however, custom geofilters are not free. Depending on the duration and the parameter you set, it will set you back a few hundred dollars.

All you need to do is log in, pick what you like, enter your location, and boom, you now have your own geofilter.

Are willing to dish out a few hundred bucks to create your own geofilter? Let us know by commenting below!



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Chinese regulators appear to verify alleged Lenovo Vibe P2’s rumored specs

alleged vibe p2

The suspect still hasn't been fromally ID'd, but a handset rumored to be the Lenovo Vibe P2 was just patted down by regulators in China, and it appears to be carrying a robust 5,000 mAh battery.

TENAA might have even confirmed the name of the phone when the Chinese regulatory agency posted specs and a codename "P2c72" for a device we last saw creeping through Geekbench in late July.

The translated listing indicates that the suspected Lenovo Vibe P2 will include a 5.5-inch display with a full HD resolution. It'll come with a card slot to add more space to the phone, which comes in 32GB and 64GB versions.

lenovo-vibe-p1-turbo-launchedSee also: Alleged Lenovo Vibe P2 shows up in benchmarks8

The P2 will sport a 13 MP primary and 5 MP secondary camera. The TENAA listing indicates that the phone will have an eight-core processor, though the Geekbench profile went a little further and reported that the P2 will employ a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625.

The 5,000 mAh battery isn't new to the Vibe series, as the Vibe P1 and P1 Turbo were both fueled by cells of the same capacity. However the battery, along with the phone's curious codename, adds more weight to suspicions fingering this suspect as the Vibe P2.

So what's your take? Have you come to a verdict on whether or not this suspect is indeed the Vibe P2? Let us know your decision in the comments!



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Snapseed 2.9 update adds new editing tools and RAW support for iOS

Snapseed teaser

It wasn't too long ago that Google's own photo editing app, Snapseed, saw a revision that added welcomed text customization and image resizing features. The software still isn't the most robust mobile image editor, but we can't deny that Snapseed's nifty interface and ease of use is pleasurable for light tweaks. Developers aren't done expanding the app's capabilities, and today, we have another incremental update to version 2.9.

best photo editor apps for androidSee also: 15 best Photo Editor Apps for Android115

A handful of enhancements are added. A brand new Face tool lets the user close in on faces and enrich the quality of skin or eyes. Another new one, called Perspective, can straighten lines to correct for perspective effect in the original image. And White Balance gives fine color balance adjustment using an eye dropper tool. You'll also now be able to set a JPG compression rate preference and save lossless (PNG) when exporting.

One other highlight in the revision is full support for the RAW format on iOS. Mind you, the Android version of Snapseed has had this support since last year; that would naturally be the case. So if you have an iOS device and are a Snapseed user, you'll now be able to bring your RAW files in (which the app detects automatically) and utilize tools like Details, Brush, Healing, HDR, Text, and the many others in the toolset. RAW tweaks include Structure, Tint, Shadow, Exposure (-4.0 to 4.0 f-stops), and Temperature (1.700°K to over 8.000°K).

The 2.9 update of course also takes care of a few UI improvements and bug fixes. How do you feel about Snapseed's progress? Do you use it as your go-to photo editing app?

Snapseed in the Play Store
Snapseed-newSee also: Snapseed 2.5 update introduces 'Apply Last Edits' feature3


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Justice Monsters V is a Final Fantasy pinball game

Justice-Monsters-V-Android-Game

With little ado and small fanfair, Square Enix has launched a new pinball game into the Google Play Store: Justice Monsters V. Unlike most of the developer's offerings, this is by no means a fantasy RPG. Instead you'll find all the rocketing gizmo action of classic arcade staples that have kept players plugging quarters into machines for decades.

If you're not intimately familiar with the series, then you might be wondering what the hell Justice Monsters Five has to do with Square Enix's biggest intellectual property, the final Fantasy Series. Well, in Final Fantasy XV,  Justice Monsters is a mini-game couched inside the normal questing, giving players a break from the high drama of the story proper.

mobius-final-fantasy-logoSee also: Mobius Final Fantasy arrives to the west, on Google Play now7

Square Enix has effectively ported this mini game over to the mobile platform, letting you rock your pinball wizarding skills on the go. The company seems incapable of shaking their RPG roots, so although this game has you hitting pedals to keep a silver ball in play, you'll still be recruiting monsters and leveling up to keep gameplay interesting.

Justice Monsters V is free to play but contains in-app purchases. Click the button below to head over to the Google Play Store and give it a whirl for yourself. Then head back over here and let us know what you think of it in the comments!

Get it in the Play Store


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Inside Google Play: These are the top trending apps and games in August 2016

Google-Play-Store-11

With so many new app and game announcements every month, it can be a little difficult keeping track of them all. Application developers are constantly trying to create 'The Next Big Thing', but a lot of the time the finished products get lost in the congested app space.

If you've been wondering what are the hottest apps and games of the month, we've got you covered. Here are the apps that are trending on Google Play in August 2016:

  • Prisma: Turn a selfie into a portrait or make a snapshot look like a still life painting.
  • ESPN Fantasy Football: Android users are getting psyched for the NFL season with ESPN's Fantasy Football app.
  • Canvas: The one-stop-shop for back-to-school planning is filled with tools for course assignments, scheduling assistance, and so much more that has this app trending in the Google Play store.
  • Google Duo: Google Duo, the fast and reliable way to video chat with friends near and far. Since launching, Duo was downloaded more than 5M times in the Play Store after its first week!

So there's a look at what's been trending, but what about the apps that are on their way to the Play Store? According to the latest Google Play monthly newsletter, we can expect Anchor.fm, The League and Quartz apps to all launch on Google Play sometime soon.

best new android appsRelated: The best new Android apps of August 201611

Interested in learning more about the hottest games on the market? Here are the most popular new games of August 2016:

As for upcoming games, the latest Google Play newsletter says Pac-Man PopFairway Solitaire and Oz: Broken Kingdom will be out soon for everyone.

best new android gamesSee also: The best new Android games of August 201621

So that was a quick look at the latest and greatest games out now on Google Play. Have you used any of these apps or games? What new titles are you most looking forward to coming in the near future? Be sure to speak up in the comments below!



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Google OnHub gets Philips Hue support on its first birthday

Google ASUS OnHub

Google is never one to shy away from new hardware. Over the years they have introduced various items that have caused a mighty splash in the market. From Android smartphones to simple and cheap game changers like Chromecast, they have had quite a few hits.

A year ago, they introduced OnHub. OnHub is a router that is both easy to use, and definitely easy on the eyes. The best part? OnHub software is supported via Google, meaning that the devices get better with every software update. This is similar to the many updates Chromebooks get.

Google ASUS OnHubSee also: Setup shared devices in Google OnHub guest network – Android customization

Today Google is celebrating the first birthday of their router. To commemorate this, they have formed a partnership with Philips Lighting. This means that you can now control your Philips Hue lights directly from your router. This can be done by simply typing "On.Here" in any browser on a connected device.

Apart from Philips Hue, here are 10 awesome things OnHub lets you do:

  1. Ability to pick and choose what devices are shared on the network.
  2. Network Check feature lets you pinpoint any issue that may slow you down.
  3. Automatically selects the fastest available WiFi channel.
  4. Automatic security updates from Google mean you and your devices stay secure.
  5. Control which devices get priority bandwidth.
  6. Custom name your devices.
  7. Give your network name emojis.
  8. Custom designs for home routers.
  9. Works with IFTTT.
  10. Share and manage your connected devices with all others.

The following video highlights how OnHub is more than just a WiFi router:

Google are also giving special deals on the devices for a month, going up to the 30th of September.

Will you be getting an OnHub device? Do you already own one? Let us know in the comments section below!

Google OnHub IF by IFTTTNext: Getting started with IF by IFTTT on Google OnHub – Android customization2


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Nest developers conscripted to work on Google Home

do_button_example_nest@2x

Previous reports indicated that Google was moving all of the developers at its Nest subsidiary and assigning them to work on a unified platform for the Internet of Things, according to Fortune. However, we're now seeing that Nest won't be gutted quite as dramatically as that early report claimed. Only some of the development team will be transitioning to work for Google Home, so Nest isn't down and out yet.

The reassigned Nest developers will work on Google Home under Google's senior vice president for Android, Hiroshi Lockheimer. Although some have been making jabs about an empty Nest, it would seem that a number of developers will stay on at the smart home company that Google bought for $3.2 billion two years ago. It's unclear how many developers will leave nest or how many will be staying behind.

Nest Thermostat 3rd Gen AASee also: Nest CEO: "Nest is not for sale"6

That unified IoT platform Google is allegedly working on would be a major shift in the company's smart home strategy, which was recently set into silos with the introduction of Google Home and Brillo. Nest has its own IoT platform, "Works with Nest," which doesn't play nice with Brillo.

Unifying software would help strengthen Nest's spot in the fold of Google parent company Alphabet. While Nest has been performing well for a company that's still very much a startup, there have been murmurs indicating its Alphabet bosses expect more from it.

That unified IoT platform Google is allegedly working on would be a major shift in the company's smart home strategy.

A couple months ago, Nest's "shortcomings" were played up and then down when the company swapped its CEO for a guy how was famously tasked with overseeing the sale of Motorola Home. That guy, Marwan Fawaz, dismissed fears that he was prepping the company for a sale.

What are your thoughts regarding this shuffling of Nest staff within Alphabet? Is the the company putting its chips on Google Home instead of Nest? Let us know your interpretation of these events in the comments below!

Nest Cam OutdoorNext: Nest's first outdoor security camera is weatherproof and can see in the dark8


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GSM Unlocked Moto Z and Moto Z Play coming in October

Moto Z Play Droid-29The Moto Z and Moto Z Play are on their way, but so far most of the focus has been on the Droid variants of these devices. That "Droid" branding is Verizon exclusive, but just a couple of weeks after their launch on Verizon, unlocked variants of these devices will be on the way.

These impressive modular devices started out as Verizon exclusives, with the the Moto Play variant going for $17 per month, landing you at $408 over the course of two years. The Moto Z is $26 per month, and you'll end up paying $624 over the same time period. However, starting September 15, unlocked versions will be open for pre-order, meaning non-Verizon subscribers can get into the Moto Z action.

Moto Z Play Droid review video headerSee also: Moto Z Play Droid review2

The unlocked versions are slightly pricier at $449.99 for the Moto Z Play and $699.99 for the Moto Z, and they will ship in October. Since they are GSM unlocked, they won't work on Verizon, but they will work on networks like AT&T and T-Mobile.

What are your thoughts regarding these unlocked versions of the Moto Z and the Moto Z Play? Will you be scooping one of them up come October? Let us know in the comments below!

verizon logoSee also: Best Verizon Android phones (August 2016)42


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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?

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!

galaxy s7 vs htc 10 vs lg g5 aa (8 of 10)See also: The best Android phones463

Design

Moto Z Play Droid-9

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. moto z force review aa (11 of 16)Don't miss: Moto Z and Moto Z Force (DROID) review51

Moto Z Play Droid-14

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-10

USB Type C audio jackAlso 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

Moto Z Play Droid-15

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-27

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-20

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

Moto Z Play Droid-2

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.

best android gamesSee 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

Moto Z Play Droid-16

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-26

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-11

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-22

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.

moto mods review projector aa (8 of 8)Continue reading: Moto Mods review: Blast, Power and Project in a snap9

Battery

Moto Z Play Droid-8

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-30

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.

honor-8-reviewRelated: Honor 8 Review

Camera

Moto Z Play Droid-29

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-12

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-19

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.

Moto Z Play Droid-13

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

Moto Z Play Droid-24

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

  Moto Z Play Droid
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.

Moto Z Play Droid-17

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!



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