Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Hands on Moto Z review the transformer
Hands on Moto Z review the transformer
Lenovo Moto Z release date and price
The Moto Z is expected to be released around September, with a final price still unknown. Along with the device itself, owners will have access to Moto Snaps, a collection of accessories that pair with the phone. I asked Motorola about availability of the Moto Z Force, the more expensive model, but was told that the companys focus right now is on the Moto Z. We’ll have the full details about it at its official launch.
Lenovo Moto Z design and build quality
The Moto Z is a totally different design project to what we used to see in Moto series. Where the Moto X line used concaves on the rear, the Moto Z has a flat, smooth aluminum plate on back.
The Moto Z is a stylish device. / © AndroidPITHowever, there’s a big difference in device size. The Moto Z is currently the slimmest handset on the market. But its thinness isn’t a bad thing to handle; especially if you’ve ever used the iPhone 6 or Galaxy S7. If you want an idea of how thin the Moto Z is, then check it out next to the Moto X Style below:
Many people have talked about the Moto Z’s chunky-looking rear camera bump. While it does catch the eye, in practice the lays firmly when placed on a flat surface.
The black model looks more discreet, which hides sensors that are visible on the front of the device. The only negative of the darker model is that fingerprints are more visible, while they go more unnoticed in lighter colors of the Moto Z.
The front of the device closely resembles the Moto G4 Plus, especially when we look at the bottom of the device and its fingerprint sensor. It’s not clickable a button, like the Galaxy S7, for example.
The sides of the Moto Z display have 2.5D curvature, giving the impression that the panel actually has edges. But overall, I’d say that the Moto Z has an impeccable finish and good design, all in a very thin package.
Lenovo Moto Z display
The Moto Z panel is 5.5 inches and with QHQ resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) at a high pixel density of 535 ppi, all beamed to your eyes with AMOLED technology. The devices display has good brightness and strong contrast, but, with respect to colors, it doesn’t have the same saturation found in Samsung devices that use the same technology.
Motorola has been using AMOLED technology for many years now, so anyone who has had the opportunity to use the Moto X (2014) or Moto X Force will be familiar with the Moto Z display.
Lenovo Moto Z special features
Moto Snaps
The Moto Z employs a modular accessory design that we’ve seen with the LG G5. With ‘Moto Snaps’, you’ve got a choice of several different accessories that can be connected to the back of the device, allowing the Moto Z to be transformed into a multimedia projector, or a powerful portable speaker.
A grid of magnets keeps the Moto Snaps connected. You can find them on the lower side of the rear panel. You’ll barely notice they’re there when you’re handling the device, except if you intentionally slide your fingers over them.
When a Moto Snap is connected to the device, you’ll feel a vibration that confirms pairing. The accessories that were available at Motorolas headquarters were:
- JBL SoundBoost (speaker)
- Moto Insta-Share Projector (multimedia projector)
- Incipio Power Pack (extra battery of 2,220 mAh capacity)
The JBL Moto Snap adds more sound volume to the device and does an exceptional job at it. The audio output is comparable to other Bluetooth speakers of good quality currently on the market. The sound is good, clear and balanced.
There are also Moto Snaps that will be available via Moto Maker when the device is released. These covers, which also connect magnetically, are made with leather, wood and ‘ballistic nylon’.
The Moto Insta-Share Projector turns the Moto Z into a projector, able to adapt to surfaces such as walls, ceilings and floors. The accessory, as well as the JBL speaker, comes with a stand that allows it to be positioned on any surface.
It projects contents from the devices screen the way a Chromecast does. However, the Moto Insta-Share Projector has a resolution of only 480 pixels. The projected image is good, and seemingly of an HD standard during my brief test.
The Moto Z also comes with a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer.
Lenovo Moto Z software
The Moto Z runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow from the factory and with the same interface that Motorola has used for several years now. That is, it’s very close to stock Android. There are no specific preinstalled applications needed to operate Moto Snaps, since they require the use of additional applications when paired to the device.
Lenovo Moto Z performance
The Moto Z packs the 1.8 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor running with 4 GB of RAM. The version I tested had 64 GB of internal storage and microSD expansion of up to 2 TB. The SIM card slot allows you to use a SIM card and a microSD card simultaneously.
I can’t go into much detail about this phone’s performance, as I could only test it for a few minutes. The Moto Z ran smoothly, though, including animations and basic apps. We’ll publish details about its performance when we receive a test device.
Lenovo Moto Z camera
The Moto Z main camera has a 13 MP sensor with optical stabilization. The camera software running on it is the same used in the Moto G4 Plus, with options that can be manually configured.
The Sony IMX230 sensor focuses quickly with the help of laser autofocus. This feature allows images to be shot without blur more easily in low light conditions.
The front camera has a 5 MP sensor and comes with an LED flash, similar to the Moto X Style. This wide-angle lens is well-suited for shooting selfies.
Lenovo Moto Z battery
The Moto Z battery is a 2,600 mAh unit and is compatible with fast charging technology from Qualcomm. According to Motorola, the device can you give up to two days of life with normal use, since it has software optimizations to help it along.
