Z3
Latest
DJI's Zenmuse Z3 is its first drone camera with optical zoom
It might be best known for its drones, but the launch of DJI's first camera optimized for aerial stills shows the company has ambitions beyond super-slick video footage. To achieve its ends, the Zenmuse Z3 offers up a 7x zoom by pairing a 3.5x optical zoom with a 2x digital zoom.
Samsung keeps Tizen smartphone dreams alive with the Z3
Tizen leads something of a quiet life. The open-source OS championed by Samsung has received extra attention of late, being the platform of choice for the company's sleek, new Gear S2 smartwatch. Tizen was originally expected to be a much bigger deal, though, reducing Samsung's reliance on Android for all of its many, many smartphones. But after several years of development, only one Tizen-powered smartphone has actually made it to market: the low-end Samsung Z1, which launched earlier this year in India. More were promised, and it seems Samsung isn't quite ready to send its Tizen mobile ambitions gently into that good night, today announcing the mid-range Z3.
BlackBerry 10 phones get the Amazon Appstore in the US
If you're a BlackBerry-toting American, you're about to get a ton of Android apps on your plate. As promised, BlackBerry has started the US rollout of an update that gives all BB10 devices access to the Amazon Appstore, saving you from having to sideload some of the Android titles you can't live without. You'll also get better anti-theft protection and a "fresh look" that includes faster access to common tasks.
You can Remote Play PS4 games on your Xperia Z2 devices now, too
We're going to say that Sony's relationship with the PS Vita is a little bit, well, complicated. Why? Because one of the biggest reasons to even own one these days, Remote Play, is now available in more places. Specifically, the Xperia Z2 smartphone and its similarly-named tablet cousin. That's right, you no longer need to own the catch-up king's portable gaming system or Z3 device to play PlayStation 4 games while you're away from your console and TV. Given that it uses the console's DualShock 4 controller rather than the slightly cramped confines of the Vita, depending on the size of your hands it could be a better experience, too. Sony says that the Xperia line is the only place you'll get full Remote Play functionality, but folks on the XDA Developers forums are already working to get around that bit of exclusivity so it's available on all capable Android gizmos. Are you a new Vita (or Z3) owner feeling a bit slighted now? Let us know in the comments.
Sony Xperia Z3 review: a classy flagship with great battery life
When you're trying to compete in the phone-making game, there are certain challenges. On the one hand, you want to dazzle customers with innovative features. On the other hand, you want to keep the suit-wearing shareholders happy with growth and strong, continued sales. The bottleneck in this equation is often technology. You can't force it to progress. So once you've more or less caught up, you're left with a choice: Innovate with software/hardware design, or take a risk with gimmicky features. Any of the above will do in lieu of the (unspeakable) alternative -- not releasing a new model this year. We're not trying to preload this review of Sony's new Z3 flagship, which arrives barely six months after its predecessor. Or maybe we are. What we're definitely doing is spelling it out right here in the intro: The Z3 looks a lot like the Z2, and after a quick glance at the spec sheet, you might argue it sounds a lot like it too. This is pertinent because, by its own admission, Sony isn't doing very well at competing in the phone-making game. Given the above, is the Z3 going to tempt existing customers to upgrade? Or perhaps lure those over from other brands? T-Mobile will be stocking it this fall, though the price isn't yet known. Currently it's £550 in the UK -- a touch above the HTC One and Galaxy S5. Let's have a look, shall we?
PS4 remote play comes to new Xperia Z3 tablets
The Xperia Z3 compact tablet line will feature remote play with the PS4, Sony announced today. The Z3 is the only tablet to have remote play with PS4, though the Vita allows these functions, too (and it comes with a controller already attached). Connect the Z3 to a PS4 over Wi-Fi and users are able to play PS4 games, with a PS4 controller, on the tablet. Players can control the PS4, watch games remotely and interact with PS4 friends on the Z3. Sony also announced a new Game Control Mount that hooks onto the PS4 controller and holds the Z3 in place. [Image: Sony]
Engadget Daily: Galaxy Note Edge, hands-on with the Xperia Z3 and more!
Today, we take a look at the Galaxy Note Edge's bent display, test drive Samsung's Gear VR headset, go hands-on with the Xperia Z3 and more from IFA 2014! Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Sony's new tablet lets you play PS4 games and call your mother
There's a French phrase, un beau affreux, which means that something is ugly and beautiful at the same time. As soon as we got our hands on Sony's Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, we wished the French had also come up with a phrase that means simultaneously colossal and small. That's the paradox at the heart of the company's tablet, which packs an 8-inch display, but thanks to its 6.4mm thickness and 0.6-pound weight, feels almost insubstantial, as if you'd still try to fit this into a pocket. That's not a criticism, either, because if you found the Galaxy Note to be a bit too small for your needs, this could replace it in your affections.
BlackBerry's leaked roadmap shows when its revamped phone line arrives
BlackBerry has been more than willing to tell you about most of the smartphones coming down its pipeline, but it hasn't been very clear about when they'll show up. There aren't many mysteries left now, though: N4BB has posted a roadmap (below) revealing most of what's happening in the remainder of 2014, as well as how the devices are positioned. Both the wacky, squarish Passport ("Windermere") and the luxurious Porsche Design P'9983 ("Khan") are tentatively slated to arrive near the end of the third quarter, or around September. They'll represent the "innovation" and "prestige" models, respectively. There's no mention of the Classic or a leaked Z3 with LTE, although the timetable has the Classic launching with a BlackBerry 10.3 update (10.3.1) due in the fourth quarter. You'll have to be patient if you prefer that old-school BlackBerry feel, in other words.
BlackBerry's rebirth: how a fallen smartphone giant plans to remake itself
BlackBerry has stopped bleeding -- officially, at least. In a memo leaked to Reuters, CEO John Chen tells staff that three years of job cuts are over, and that the former mobile legend can start building itself back up rather than salvaging what's left of its smartphone empire. But how did it get to this point? And more importantly, how does it plan to bounce back in an era when even many of its corporate customers have moved on to Android and iOS? As you'll see in our gallery below, BlackBerry is only getting to this point after some grave errors and painful decisions -- but it at last appears to have a strategy that, while imperfect, at least acknowledges a difficult reality. [Lead image credit: AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim]
Sony's next flagship phone allegedly shown off with new body, same camera
The jump from Sony's Xperia Z1 to the Xperia Z2 was relatively minor, so don't be surprised if this familiar-looking leak turns out to be legit. According to a Baidu Tieba post (which has since been deleted), we're looking at a prototype of Sony's upcoming Xperia Z3 aka L55t (China Mobile variant with TD-LTE) which is, surprise surprise, running on a more powerful Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC chipset (the Z2 uses MSM8974AB) plus Android 4.4.4. Judging by the photos, this device shares the same height as the original Galaxy Note and hence the Xperia Z2, meaning the screen size should stay at 5.2 inches. Likewise, the Z2's 20.7-megapixel camera is here to stay. What makes this prototype stand out is its new, simpler body design, which is a surprise given how the range's appearance has changed little since the Xperia Z. That is, unless, this phone turns out to be just a variant of the Z2, so only time will tell if our guess is right.
Acer's 23-inch Z3-605 all-in-one ships to the US, starting at $700
Want a straightforward Windows 8 all-in-one that won't cost a pretty penny? Acer has you covered with the launch of its Z3-605 Series in the US. The 23-inch desktop isn't a performance champ when it carries up to a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and a DVD burner. Don't dismiss it out of hand, however -- the 1080p IPS-based LCD should deliver a good-looking picture, and a touchscreen variant supports air gestures. If there's enough here to leave you intrigued, you can pick up the Z3-605 today for a modest $700 in base trim, or with touch for $800.
Motorola RIZR Z3 gets priced, reviewed on T-Mobile
T-Mobile's stable got one stall wider when we heard the RIZR Z3 would be hitting this month -- but was it worth the carrier's trouble? T-Mobile is the first US provider to offer up this already long-in-the-tooth handset -- which commands a respectable $100 on a two-year contract -- and LAPTOP had the opportunity to put it through its paces. As we knew, it's really nothing more than a KRZR redone as a slider, so, uh... yeah, if that's what you're looking for, this here handset is the only game in town. LAPTOP was a little less than happy with the phone's music and photo capabilities; the music player was difficult to find and operate, while the pic quality left something to be desired. Call quality was solid, though (as is often the case with Motorola devices) and volume was plenty loud. The magazine's verdict? You can probably do better for the price, but again: if you want a KRZR-esque slider on T-Mobile, the RIZR's your one and only hookup.Read - LAPTOP Magazine reviewRead - T-Mobile's RIZR Z3 product page[Thanks, Allen]
Motorola RIZR Z3 hitting up T-Mobile next month
While you loyal T-Mobile users have patiently braved the news of Moto's RIZR Z3 passing FCC inspection, getting some love on Vodafone Germany, and receiving a relatively glowing review, it's about time it sashayed over to your carrier, huh? If that's you, go on and circle March 12th on your current mobile's calendar, as that'll be the day when it gets overshadowed by a newer, sleeker handset. Reportedly, the MOTORIZR Z3 will be launched on T-Mobile just over a fortnight from now, and will sport a two-megapixel camera with video capture capabilities, music playback, stereo Bluetooth, quad-band connectivity, speakerphone, voice recognition software, predictive text input, and a 220 x 176 resolution screen, just like we've gotten used to. No word on what T-Mobile plans on charging for the device, but be sure and hit the read link for the full promotional sheet.[Thanks, TJ and the Fish]
Academy: no cameraphones at Oscars. Moto: that sucks
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -- better known to most as the Oscar people -- are apparently promising to come down hard on the use of cameraphones at this year's event with a complete ban. That, in itself, is not surprising; the last thing our friends in Hollywood want is a flood of grainy, bootleg footage getting MMSed across the lands in real time. What is surprising, however, is that Motorola's been called out as a bit of a freeloader here. As you might recall, Moto had been trumpeting that some super-duper version of the MOTORIZR Z3 would be handed out to the "top 25" nominees at the event -- problem is, it turns out that the company isn't even sponsoring the show in any capacity, leaving them with zero leverage to override the Academy's ruling. We suppose they could mail out the phones before or afterwards, but how lame is that? Don't fret though, Moto, your efforts aren't for naught -- send those Z3s on over to us and we'll make sure they find loving homes.
Motorola RIZR being given way at the Oscars
Maybe our good friend Boy Genius has a crystal ball to see into the future or maybe he just has all the right connections, but either way he's on point again. Motorola announced that they will be giving a customized MOTORIZR Z3 to the top 25 nominees from this years Oscar awards. As it turns out, the winners of the soon-to-be released (stateside) slider will come in a custom made box with the nominees name on it along with H800 and S9 Bluetooth headsets. Now, if the nominees were getting that svelte Z6 slider we've been talking about, we might just have to make a move for one of them.
Motorola CES booth tour
Ready for a tour of CES booth of the number two cellphone manufacturer in the world (for the time being, anyway)? We got hands on with a bunch of Moto's new phones, click on for the fun.
MOTORIZR Z3 gets reviewed
The MOTORIZR Z3 isn't exactly awe-inspiring in terms of features, but being that its Moto's "first attempt at the slider design trend," it gets somewhat of a pass in the value department. CNET was able to get its paws on the predictably thin new mobile, and while the list of niceties wasn't exactly suited to the (admittedly) high $300 pricetag, they couldn't help but fall for its snazzy good looks. Aside from the design, the phone offered a pleasantly crisp LCD, user-friendly navigation array, call quality similar to the GSM KRZR (read: satisfactory), "respectable" battery life of 6.5 hours, and a highly improved volume level. All wasn't peachy, however, as reviewers found the built-in camera to be fairly awful, the button layout to be a bit cramped / slick, and the speakerphone to be less than impressive. All in all, this rendition of Motorola's (almost) vowel-less lineup did the slider motif "quite well," and while CNET suggested holding out until prices drop just a bit, it was deemed a solid performer nonetheless.[Thanks, Justin]
Motorola MOTORIZR Z3 now on Vodafone Germany
With the MAXX and V3xx both coming out of the woodwork recently and into customers' hands, it's already been a helluva week for Motorola launches -- but there's no rest for the wicked. The MOTORIZR Z3, alternatively known in some circles as the RAZR slider (but not that RAZR slider), has gone ahead and dropped on Vodafone Germany for the reasonable sum of €100 on contract (about $128). Though the RIZR falls behind its launch-mates with nothing more than old skool EDGE data to its name, it's a solid alternative to the K1 KRZR for those that prefer sliders and just can't bear to give up that Moto look. Here's hoping the Voda launch is only the first of many in the next few weeks, eh?[Thanks, Jewburg]
FCC thinks MOTORIZR is a little bit of alright
In case there was any ongoing concern among the populace that Motorola's RAZRiffic slider, the MOTORIZR Z3, wouldn't win FCC approval, it looks like that (needlessly) stressed-out faction can finally rest easy. We found the typical bounty of documentation on the FCC's site for the Z3 this week -- and while much of it is about as fun as reading a phone book (the white one, not the yellow one with pictures and ads and stuff), they've also dropped in some decent pictures and a draft user's manual for our viewing pleasure. Thanks for the goodies, Moto; now onto the official release, eh?
