Moto Z Play and new Hasselblad Mod with 10X optical zoom announced

Lenovo has put its stamp on the line of devices it inherited from Motorola, but the Moto Z family isn't a clean break with the past. That's why, when Lenovo announced the Moto Z and Moto Z Force this summer, we expected a third announcement, a Play edition.

Now that third member of the family is finally here: the Moto Z Play has just arrived, and it brought along a little friend. Here's what you need to know about the Moto Z Play and the Hasselblad TrueZoom attachment.

See also: Moto Z Play Droid review

Like the Moto X Play, the new Moto Z Play features toned down specifications (compared to the flagship in the series), coupled with a large battery. This time around it's a 3,510 mAh unit (compared to 3,630 mAh on the X Play), but according to Lenovo, battery life is actually better on the Moto Z Play. In fact, Lenovo says the device boasts the best battery life of any Moto device ever – 50 hours of mixed usage on a single charge. Plus, the Turbo Charging feature promises to pump in 10 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging.

One reason why the Moto Z Play has such good battery life is the sensible spec sheet – you get a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a Snapdragon 625 processor, compared to the more power intensive Quad HD/Snapdragon 820 found on the Moto Z and Z Force. You also get 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage space (expandable). It won't yield the best performance, but that's not really the point of this phone.

The Z Play's 16MP camera is another selling point that Lenovo is keen to talk about. The Z Play uses a technology called "dual focus" that combines phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) with laser autofocus for fast and clear snapshots. The camera switches between the two focus methods based on the scene: laser autofocus is used for low-light shots, while in bright scenes, the PDAF analyzes 200,000 pixels of the subject to ensure fast focus. On the front, you get a 5MP camera with a wide-angle lens and a flash, and the beautification mode that is so popular on Chinese phones. Speaking of software, Google Photos is now the default photo gallery on the Moto Z Play.

The design of the Moto Z Play is very similar to the Moto Z and Z Force, down to the large circular camera and the pins on the back. The Z Play is a bit thicker at 7 millimeters and that made it possible to keep the classic audio jack, something you don't get on the crazy thin Moto Z. Despite this difference, the Z Play works with all the Moto Mods, including a brand new one from legendary camera company Hasselblad.

The Hasselblad TrueZoom Moto Mod offers something that has long eluded smartphones – the ability to really zoom in. 10X to be precise, and that's just the optical zoom. Other specs include a 12MP 1/2.3-inch sensor, 1.55 µm pixels, a f 3.5-6.5 lens, and Xenon flash. At 145 grams, this snap-on attachment is basically a compact camera that attaches to your phone.

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.

Stay tuned for our hands-on take on the Moto Z Play and more coverage of all news coming out of IFA Berlin 2016.

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Lenovo Yoga Book, Yoga 910, Miix 510, and Yoga Tab 3 Plus announced

We're here at IFA 2016, and Lenovo has just taken the wraps off of a slew of new products, including a new ultrabook, new tablets, and 2-in-1 devices running Android or Windows 10. With all that in mind, let's take a look at the Lenovo Yoga Book, the Yoga 910, Miix 410, and Yoga Tab 3 Plus!

Lenovo Yoga Book

The Lenovo Yoga Book falls somewhere in between a laptop and a tablet, offering a relatively compact, thin, and lightweight design, but with a keyboard attached. Keeping everything together is what Lenovo likes to call the watchband hinge, which allows for the screen to be rotated fully, allowing you to place it in different positions, or use it as a tablet. With a thickness of just 9.6 mm and weight of 690 grams, using it in the tablet mode isn't going to be uncomfortable either.

The Yoga Book comes with a 10.1-inch Full HD display, an Intel Atom x5 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of on-board storage that is further expandable via microSD card for an additional 128 GB. Keeping everything running is a large 8,500 mAh battery, and the device also comes with a 8 MP rear camera and 2 MP front-facing shooter.

What is most interesting about the Yoga Book is the Halo keyboard, which is a capacitive keyboard of sorts, that lights up only when you need it. Typing on this keyboard will certainly take some getting used to, but it definitely looks and feels like something out of the future.

Another great feature of this keyboard section is that you can place a notebook on it, and when writing in it, the device will automatically recognize and digitalize everything you've drawn or written down. Of course, if you aren't looking to have a physical copy of your notes, you can write or draw directly on the "create pad" as well, with the pen that is included in the box.

On the software side of things, both Windows and Android versions of the Yoga Book will be available, running either Windows 10 or Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and will be available in Gold and Gunmetal variants.

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Lenovo Yoga 910

The Lenovo Yoga 910 is the latest addition to the company's Yoga ultrabook series. This sleek and compact laptop features a beautiful all metal construction, and comes with a near edge-less display that looks fantastic. The watchband hinge allows for the display to be rotated up to 360 degrees, which lets you use the device as a tablet as well.

As far as the specifications are concerned, the Yoga 910 will be available in a few variations. The 13.9-inch display will feature either a 1920 x 1080 or 3840 x 2160 resolution. Under the hood, you will options up to the Intel 7th Gen i7 processor, up to 16 GB of RAM, and up to 1 TB of SSD storage. 2 JBL speakers with Dolby ATMOS surround sound features will allow for a great audio experience, and the battery is rated for 10.5 hours with the UHD display option, or up to 15.5 hours with the Full HD iteration.

The device also comes with a fingerprint scanner, providing an additional and useful layer of security. The Lenovo Yoga 910 will run Windows 10, and will be available in gunmetal and silver color iterations.

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Lenovo Miix 510

The Miix 510 is Lenovo's attempt at taking on the Microsoft Surface Pro series, with this 2-in-1 Windows tablet. The tablet comes with an attachable keyboard, that can also serve to protect the display from damage when closed.

As far as the specifications go, there are a few different options available, and you can choose a processing package up to the 6th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 8 GB of RAM, and up to 1 TB of SSD storage. The device comes with a 12.2-inch Full HD display, and the battery is rated for 15.5 hours of use.

The device also comes with an Active Pen stylus, that can be used on the capacitive touch screen. When using the Miix 510 in its tablet form, there is also a small watchband hinge on the back that lets you prop of the device in three different angles. As mentioned, the Lenovo Miix 510 runs Windows 10, and the only color option available so far is Platinum Silver.

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Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus

The latest Android tablet from Lenovo retains the Yoga Tab 3 moniker of its predecessors, but adds the Plus suffix to showcase the upgrades that have been made to the latest iteration. Lenovo is touting the Yoga Tab 3 Plus as a great media-consumption companion, and the experience will certainly be excellent on the 10.1-inch Quad HD display, with 4 front-facing JBL speakers with Dolby ATMOS features helping on the audio side.

Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, backed by the Adreno 510 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. 32 GB of on-board storage is further expandable via microSD card, and the tablet offers a decent camera package as well, including a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front-facing shooter. Finally, keeping everything running is a large 9,300 mAh battery.

As was also available with its predecessors, the Yoga Tab 3 Plus comes with a kickstand on the back that lets you place the device at a few different angles, as well as a hang mode, with the kickstand coming with an appropriately positioned hole to hang up the tablet.

Made from premium metal, plastic, and PU leather, the Yoga Tab 3 Plus looks great as well, and also offers some form of splash protection, with it coming with a IP52 rating for dust and water resistance. Overall, the Yoga Tab 3 Plus is certainly another solid Android tablet offering from Lenovo.

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What do you think of Lenovo's latest line of Android and Windows tablets, laptops, and 2-in-1 devices? Let us know in the comments section below, and stay tuned with Android Authority, TabTimes, and VR Source as we continue to bring you more fantastic coverage from IFA 2016!

Note: this post originally appeared at TabTimes, our sibling site for tablets, ultrabooks, and more.

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Tile’s new ‘Slim’ is the tiniest tracker we’ve ever seen

Not so long ago, Tile introduced a solution that neatly solved both the problem of "Where are my keys?" as well as that of "Found my keys, but wait where is my phone." The handy little keychain fob and companion app made sure that you always knew where your smartphone or your keys were provided you had access to at least one of the two easily misplaced objects. Now they've come up with something even sleeker.

The Slim is essentially the same concept as the Tile, but it's been flattened to the width of about two credit cards. Tile was a great option for your keys, but its thickness made it a poor option for other loseables, like your wallet or that damn tv remote.

See also: Tile, the lost item tracker, makes its way to Android9

With Slim, you can now track a variety of objects with ease. Slim devices are Bluetooth enabled tracking devices that don't require charging. It's about two millimeters thick and an inch square, which makes it perfect to slip unobtrusively into your wallet or, if you're willing to get creative, perhaps tape it into your remote control's battery case.

The Slim can be purchased with adhesive pads, making it easy to stick to whatever you're so intent on losing track of. Simply attach the Slim to the object, lose said object, then access the dedicated app on your phone to pinpoint the object's GPS location or provoke it into making a ringing sound so you can find it by ear.

The Slim is essentially the same concept as the Tile, but it's been flattened to the width of about two credit cards.

Slims are currently going for $30 each, or you can fork over $100 to get the 4-pack. As a Tile owner and frequent key-loser myself, I can attest that these babies are probably worth picking up. Click the button below to check them out.

Also let us know your thoughts in the comments. Is this new offering from Tile a waste of money, or do they provide a much needed service? Sound off below!

Check it out

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Qualcomm outlines improvements in the Snapdragon 821

A little while ago, Qualcomm revealed that its current chipset top-dog will soon get a minor refresh, becoming the Snapdragon 821. Details were sparse at the time; we were only told to expect a 10% improvement from the Snapdragon 820 that is packed in many esteemed Android flagships today. This would be achieved predictably by giving the CPU and GPU clock speeds a bump. But if you've been wondering what else the Snapdragon 821 brings to the table, Qualcomm has just dropped a few more key details.

Keeping in mind that the main aim of the Snapdragon 821 is to optimize the 820's performance, we are said to be getting a more responsive user experience. Boot times and app launching will be up to 10% faster, and UI navigation should be even smoother. The enhancements also stretch to camera performance, or rather, auto-focus speed. The 821 will support dual phase detection to boost auto-focus speed (single PDAF is the common method), and extended laser auto-focus range to improve accuracy on phones equipped with that technology.

Efficiency was also a focus on the 821 and it's said to deliver a modest 5% power savings. That's not that much, but we'll take what improvements to battery life we can get, right?

Fans looking forward to Google Daydream will be happy to know that the new chipset includes support, through a Snapdragon VR SDK. The toolset gives VR developers access to 821's architecture, promises high visual and audio quality for mobile VR, and is compatible with the Daydream platform.

See also: Daydream VR will debut "in coming weeks" with big Google content push7

The Snapdragon 821 is supposed to debut in upcoming flagship smartphones. We already have official word that the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe will be the first out the gate with Qualcomm's newest. Are these enhancements enough to put a hold on your next smartphone purchase or do you think the current Snapdragon 820 is just fine?

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