You can control the compact new DJI Maven Pro with your smartphone

This post was originally published on our sister site Charged.io, your source for modern transportation.

Manufacturers have traditionally focused on making drones bigger and stronger, but this year we can see the beginning of a new trend: smaller, more portable drones that don't sacrifice features or performance.

Following the GoPro Karma, DJI introduced its own compact, foldable drone model, the Mavic Pro.

The Mavic Pro starts from $999, but offers features that are comparable with DJI's flagship, the $1,200 Phantom 4. More than that, it makes the Phantom 4 look positively clunky: it's about the size of a small bottle of water and it weighs just 743 grams.

When you fold up the arms and the propellers, you can carry the Mavic Pro in a regular backpack, with room to spare, especially if you don't take the controller with you (you can control the Mavic Pro with your smartphone).

DJI Mavic Pro, at a glance

DJI Mavic Pro dimensions

• Weight: 743 grams
• Dimensions (folded): 83 x 83 x 198 mm

DJI Mavic Pro speed and performance

• Max speed: 40 mph (65 kph)
• Max ascent speed: 16.4 ft./s (5 m/s)
• Max service ceiling: 16,404 ft. (5000 m)
• Max flight time: 27 minutes
• Max flight distance: 8 mi (13 km)

DJI Mavic Pro controller

• Max remote controller range (FCC): 4.3 mi (7 km)
• Remote controller battery: 2,970 mAh
• Operating frequency: 2.4 GHz to 2.483 GHz

DJI Mavic Pro camera

• Sensor: 1/2.3-inch CMOS, 12MP
• Lens: 78.8 degree, 28 mm
• Image size: 4000 x 3000
• Video recording: 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 96 fps
• Gimbal: 3-axis stabilized

DJI Mavic Pro smart features:

• Obstacle avoidance
• ActiveTrack
• Gesture mode
• TapFly
• Support for smartphones: 6.5-8.5mm in thickens, max 160 mm in length, Lightning, Micro USB, or USB Type-C.

As you can see from the spec sheet, the Mavic Pro is just a little slower than the Phantom 4, and has many of the same features.

The Mavic Pro can be controlled with the bundled remote controller, with a compatible smartphone running DJI's app, or with a combination of the two. When using both the controller and the smartphone, you can access the entire feature set of the drone, including TapFly, which allows you to simply tap on the screen of the phone to direct the Mavic to fly to a certain position.

Other cool features are the ability to control the drone with gestures – make a "Y" gesture with your hands to get the drone to follow you or mimic the act of using a camera to trigger a selfie. These features are somehow gimmicky, but they do match the product philosophy behind the Mavic Pro, which is to make using drones easier and more accessible.

The DJI Mavic Pro is now on pre-order for $999 (including the controller), and the drone will start shipping from the middle of next month. Spending $300 more will get you a bundle including a Mavic Pro, a car charger, extra batteries, extra propellers, a charging hub, and a carrying bag. Opting for this package would save you $82, compared to buying these accessories separately, according to DJI.

Pre-order on DJI.com

Thoughts on the DJI Mavic Pro?

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Google Station aims to improve public Wi-Fi in India

At the second edition of its signature Google for India event, the company announced the Google Station Wi-Fi platform, a platform built specifically for India aimed at expanding access to the Internet for users in India.

Inspired by the success of the partnership with RailTel and Indian Railways to provide Wi-Fi at railway stations in India, Caesar Sengupta, Vice-President, Next Billion Users, announced the new platform.

We asked ourselves, why stop at railway stations. What if we could bring connectivity to more people? By getting wifi into more malls, bus stops, city centers, cafes, million more will be able to learn and find info they need, not just in India but anywhere.

Google Station will work with partners to roll out Wi-Fi hotspots in public places like malls, cafes, workplaces, and universities, allowing more people in India and around the world fast, reliable, and safe Wi-Fi in places they spend time. Google Station will make it easier for partners to setup, maintain, and monetize their Wi-Fi networks in places with Google Fiber. "Some will make it free, some show ads, some will charge users," Sengupta said.

Google introduced India's first high speed public Wi-Fi network in partnership with RailTel in January 2016, and have extended the service to 52 railway stations till now. According to Google, more than 3.5 million monthly users enjoy the Wi-Fi access today with 15,000 people coming online for the first time every day through these stations.

More Google India announcements:

• Google CEO Sundar Pichai discusses trials and successes in India
• Google Chrome gets Data Saver for video, a new downloads experience and more
• Google unveils YouTube Go for offline viewing and sharing
• Google Assistant in Hindi is coming by the end of the year

More details about Google Station are available on station.google.com.

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(Update: now on Pixel 2015) Android apps support finally arrives on Chrome OS stable channel

Update, September 28: Play Store support has arrived in the stable channel for Chrome OS on the Chromebook Pixel (2015).

Original post, September 22: Good things come to those who wait, and nowhere is this truer than for some Chromebook users who'll start getting access to Google Play after nearly five months of waiting.

The wait line began to pile up in April when Chrome OS users turned to Reddit to share their sighting of a new option in the operating system that seemed to let users access Google Play, though the option was inactive at the time.

Then in May, Google officially announced during its I/O 2016 Conference that Google Play would be arriving on Chromebooks, beginning with the Chrome OS version 53 that hit the Dev channel in early June and followed by a stable Beta update in August.

Now the Play Store has become available for users of the Stable builds of Acer Chromebook R11 and Asus Chromebook Flip, the Chrome OS team announced in a blog post. Unfortunately for the Google Pixel (2015) users, there's no word about a Stable build update for them yet.

The updated Stable channel version is 53.0.2785.129 and includes bug fixes, security updates and improved features. It is unclear when and how Google plans to roll out the Play Store to other Chromebook devices, though hopes are high that it won't be long after the tech giant's media event on October 4.

If you haven't received the update yet, you may want to check your settings, then head to "About Chrome OS" and check for updates.

See also: How to run Android apps on your Chromebook21

But even if you've updated to the latest stable channel version, you'll still need to enable the Play Store in Chrome Settings. A caveat, however: the Google Play Store arriving on Chromebook R11 and Asus Chromebook Flip is still in beta version.

If you've already gotten your hands on Google Play in the stable channel, tell us your thoughts below.

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Google UK Twitter account teases Cardboard news

Google has a lot on its plate right now, but it seems the company still has room for an appetizer. Google UK has taken it to its Twitter account to share a taser regarding… something about Cardboard.

29.09.16 – 01.10.16 #GoogleCardboard http://pic.twitter.com/HPE3BlcjNV

— Google UK (@GoogleUK) September 27, 2016

We really have no idea what this could be about. Google did announce Daydream at this year's IO conference, which means their VR focus is probably shifting towards that direction. What could be new about Cardboard?

Some believe this could be an event, as opposed to an announcement. And the fact that they are teasing a time period (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1), as opposed to a set date, really makes this seem like it could be some kind of local occurrence.

See also: Does Daydream have what it takes to make VR mainstream?13

Meanwhile, we continue to wait for Google's October 4th event. This one is going to be big, with expected announcements for new Pixel smartphones, Google Home, new Chromecast hardware, Daydream View and more.

We will probably learn more about this in the coming days, so let's keep it tuned to Google UK's Twitter account. WE will also keep our eyes open and update this post with any new details.

 

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Lenovo says Moto Z and Moto G4 families are getting Android Nougat in Q4

We already have the world's first phone to run the all new Android 7.0 Nougat right out of the box. And with the Pixel phones slated to be unveiled very soon and with major manufacturers preparing for the Nougat update wave, it's only a matter of time until Nougat becomes actually visible in the Android distribution chart. Now, if you are a Moto owner, you may be wondering what's up since Lenovo hasn't been all too clear about which devices will be getting the Nougat update and when.

See also: How Android updates will change with Nougat48

Well, the folks over at Droid Life reached out to the company, and according to a Lenovo spokesperson, the Nougat update will be available for the Moto Z family and the Moto G4 family in the fourth quarter of this year. To be clear, this would include the Moto Z, Moto Z Force, Moto Z Play, Moto G4, and Moto G4 Plus.

Unfortunately, at this time, we don't know the fates of other Moto phones in terms of whether they will be receiving the update or not. Lenovo warns that "upgrades are about getting it right and making sure the phone performance remains the best it can be" and that the company will be sharing "upgrade plans for other products and more specific timing later." However, it would be very surprising if other Moto lines like X series didn't get the update.

Lenovo warns that "upgrades are about getting it right and making sure the phone performance remains the best it can be" and that the company will be sharing "upgrade plans for other products and more specific timing later."

Given that Motorola was shown to be the fastest non-Nexus OEM to push out the Marshmallow update, it would be interesting to see if the trend continues with the Nougat update. In the meantime, if you want to track and see where your device is in terms of the update process, you can go to Lenovo's software update page.

Do you have a Moto device? How important are Android updates for you? Let us know by dropping a comment down below!

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For its first birthday, Samsung Pay brings us coupons and prizes

Samsung Pay is on the prowl to become your go-to payment method essentially anywhere you would use a card. When the system initially launched, adoption of it wasn't much to write home about, so Samsung launched an aggressive ad campaign demonstrating how effective the system was as well as a variety of adoption incentive programs. Now the platform is officially one year old, so let's see how far they've come.

In spite of security concerns and initially limited support from banking entities, Samsung has drastically increased Pay's availability by expanding to new regions and partnering with new banks. To date, the platform now supports over 500 banks, snagging fully 80 percent of US debit and credit cards. Samsung reports that it is now the most widely accepted mobile payment system.

See also: Samsung Pay finally gets Capital One24

Samsung's Nana Murugesan, the VP and General Manager of Service and New Business made the formal announcement:

Since its launch a year ago, Samsung Pay has redefined what consumers can expect from a digital wallet. Samsung Pay has led the way for mobile payments in the U.S. by providing our customers innovative services they can use almost anywhere they shop. Our impressive growth shows that we are closer than ever to a world without wallets. We are excited to roll out more services and features that will allow the user experience and build enthusiasm for a safer, smarter and better digital wallet.

What new services and features in particular? Well for now, coupons! As of today, Samsung is rolling out a new feature to the app that lets you search for, store, and redeem coupons from the convenience of your mobile device. Samsung also took this opportunity to point out the recent cloud storage feature that allows members to restore membership on new devices without hassle.

This news comes on the tail of Samsung Pay finally securing Capital One, one of the last major banks not participating in the program. In celebration of its one year anniversary, Samsung says that they are offering up $100,000 worth of prizes to 365 lucky users. To see more information about this contest, head over to the official details page over here.

What do you think about Samsung Pay turning one? Are you an active user? Let us know your take in the comments below!

Next: Samsung Pay nears 100 million transactions on first anniversary15

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Ubisoft purchases Ketchapp

Ubisoft has made quite a name for itself in the triple-A gaming arena. The company is responsible for a slew of popular video game franchises including Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six, Assassin's Creed, Rayman, and Far Cry, Now it appears that they're looking at getting much more involved in mobile gaming, but they way they're going about it raises an eyebrow or two.

For many, Ubisoft's expansion on the mobile platform is a boon. After all, a brief glance around the mobile gaming landscape makes it evident that there's a lack of triple-A quality. Maybe having another experienced, well-funded game developer throw their weight into mobile design will up the ante a bit. And they've done this by purchasing Ketchapp.

That's right. Ubisoft has announced today that they bought the mobile studio Ketchapp, a company that – while not nefarious by any definition – has previously come under fire for some of their practices. You may be most familiar with Ketchapp's 2014 smash hit "2048." The game involves sliding tiles on a 4×4 grid to combine like numbers with the ultimate goal of achieving 2048. The simple, satisfying gameplay, minimalist graphics, and surprisingly nuanced difficulty made the game immensely popular for a while there.

See also: Ubisoft is brings Assassin's Creed Identity to Android24

You may not have been aware, but that game was essentially a clone of a puzzler called THREES by indie developer Asher Volmer. And Ketchapp has since developed something of a reputation for cribbing ideas. Risky Road is pretty similar to Owlchemy Labs' Smuggle Truck, Gravity Switch is basically a trimmed down version of VVVVVV, Crazy Circle is a lot like Super Hexagon, and Stack looks an awful lot like Monument Valley.

So why would a production company with so much clout choose to throw in their lot with Ketchap, a developer who has kind of started rubbing other developers the wrong way.

"With Ketchapp, Ubisoft acquires a highly profitable publisher with a successful portfolio of free-to-play games for mobile," Ubisoft mobile director Jean-Michel Detoc said. "This acquisition gives Ubisoft one of the world's leading mobile game publishers and reinforces our advertising capabilities in mobile gaming."

With Ketchapp, Ubisoft acquires a highly profitable publisher with a successful portfolio of free-to-play games for mobile.

There's your answer right there. Regardless of how Ketchapp is perceived, the company does an astoundingly good job of cross-promoting their array of games within each of their apps. By focusing on addictive gameplay, no-risk entry, and natively marketing their other products, Ketchapp has developed a strong foothold in the mobile market. And now that foothold is Ubisoft's.

It's uncertain which direction Ubisoft will take with their newly achieved mobile presence. Indeed, we don't even know what the price tag of Ketchapp was since Ubisoft's fiscal quarter won't end until the end of December. Previously, Ubisoft has had to lean on the success of their non-mobile franchises to boost mobile sales, so their releases have been essentially revisions or ports of non-mobile games. Theoretically, Ketchapp's robust mobile platform will allow Ubisoft to launch games with built-in exposure thanks to Ketchapp's massive userbase and successful crosspromoting, and this may open them up to start developing more novel mobile content.

What do you think of Ubisoft snagging Ketchapp? Let us know in the comments below!

Next: 15 best puzzle games for Android65

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