Your Tech News Digest via the DGiT Daily Tech Newsletter for Thursday, September 10, 2020
1a. Moto Razr 5G: is the second generation the one?
The second generation Motorola Razr 5G from Motorola is here.
- Like the second-generation foldable Samsung that was released about a week ago, the second-generation RAZR really cleans up a lot of the early problems.
- Some of these problems were just the competition.
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was a premium 2020 spec device and cost less than the 2019 RAZR overhead. It pretty much blew the RAZR apart and was widely recognized.
But Moto is back and trying to redeem itself.
Let’s dive into the new:
- The new 5G RAZR is priced at $ 1,399, $ 100 less than the previous model.
- It is no longer a Verizon exclusive product that is huge in the US and will be widely used in North America, Europe, India, etc.
- Another big deal is the leap in specifications.
- There’s a dramatically better processor now running the much better Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G (like OnePlus Nord, ZTE Axon 11 5G, and LG Velvet), dumping the first-generation two-year-old processor.
- There’s more RAM too: 8 GB out of 6 GB.
- There’s a much, much better camera out there too. The original foldable RAZR had a weak camera to say the least. Now there’s a 48MP shooter on the back which should get much better results and a 20MP front camera, but you can take selfies with the rear camera too.
- This is because the external screen on the outside – for example when you close the phone – is retained and is still a 2.7-inch G-OLED.
- The fingerprint sensor is now also on the back.
- And the battery got a boost. It’s up to 2,800 mAh now, which still doesn’t sound amazing, but I’ll leave it to the tests to judge.
- Otherwise the hardware is better. The hinge no longer squeaks, with improvements including better springs; According to Motorola, the new model can be opened and closed for five years for five years.
- The phone case also has an aluminum frame and the back is made of glass which eliminates plastic. The screen itself feels a little tighter.
- There are also a number of software improvements, with Moto suggesting better functionality on the external display.
So what’s missing?
- Just a camera doesn’t mean a wide angle or telephoto lens, and there aren’t any features like wireless charging.
- With this extended range, the battery life may still be missing, especially with 5G requirements for the power cell.
- And the other missing element is a cheaper price tag. Yes, $ 100 off will help, but $ 1,399 is still out of reach for most people.
- The one thing is that there can be offers! Moto offered some big discounts, including a free offer back in May that cut the cost of the original device in half.
1b. Surface Duo reviews are here!
Good news: we finally have full reviews for Surface Duo. And they are fascinating, I love David’s introduction here.
Bad news: Oh, it’s not good. The software experience is not good. Continue reading! or see above! (Android Authority).
Report 2: Samsung makes a good profit with every Note 20 Ultra sold, with a full bill of materials. However, the hardware cost does not include R&D, marketing, etc. (Android Authority).
3. You can now monitor your heart rate using your Xiaomi (Android Authority) phone camera.
4. Huawei Harmony OS 2.0 announced: The native operating system will be introduced on smartphones (Android Authority) next year.
5. Practical with Huawei EMUI 11: Still working on the divorce from Google (Android Authority).
6. Amazon caused an uproar by appointing the former head of the NSA to its board (The Verge).
7. Your move, PS5: Microsoft was the first to announce the cost of the next generation Xbox. How will Sony react? (The Verge).
8. Google Finance makes it easier to track TSLA roller coaster with new design (Mashable).
9. “The sky is burning in San Francisco and we flew a drone through it” (The Verge).
10. Portland officials pass strict ban on facial recognition systems (Engadget).
11. Researchers demonstrate in-chip water cooling (Ars Technica).
12. AI ruins chess. Now it makes the game beautiful again (Wired).
13. Dune’s first trailer is a beautiful, unstoppable journey (Gizmodo).
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