Amazon's latest one-day sale on Anker devices presents a good opportunity to grab a charging brick for that new iPhone you just bought. The sale includes up to 45 percent off a handful of Anker accessories, including the Nano 20W charger in the new lavender grey color that came out recently. That's $5 off and down to $15, while the standard white Anker Nano charger with a foldable plug is on sale for $12.
Either of these bricks makes a good substitute for Apple's own 20W charger, which is bulkier and slightly more expensive at $19. Both support iPhone fast-charging with the proper USB-C to Lightning cable and they also work with other USB-C devices like other smartphones, wearables, earbuds and even the Nintendo Switch (just be aware that, for the latter, neither support charge-and-play in TV mode).
We've also been fans of Anker portable battery packs and two are included in this sale. The 10,000mAh PowerCore Slim is down to $28 and can charge an iPhone 12 up to 50 percent in 30 minutes. It includes one 18W USB-C port and one 10W USB-A port, so it'll power up even your older devices. You're only getting the battery pack with that deal, but Anker has another 10,000mAh, 18W PowerCore Slim bundle that includes the battery along with a USB-C cable and the compatible charging brick for $30, or 25 percent off its normal price. This is the bundle to get if you don't want to worry about finding an appropriate brick to recharge the battery itself — the PowerPort III Nano charger that comes with it will fully power up the battery pack in 4.5 hours.
Those are the highlights in this sale, but there are a few other gadgets that have been discounted. A couple of wireless chargers are on sale, including a magnetic PowerWave disc that looks similar to Apple's MagSafe charger, and you can get a two-pack of three-foot, MFi-certified Powerline+ II USB-C to Lightning cables for $20, or 46 percent off its normal price.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
The original Uno Synth was IK Multimedia’s surprise entry into the world of budget-minded hardware instruments. It wasn’t just a surprise that the company, best known for its iPhone-friendly MIDI controllers and plug-ins, decided to make a synthesizer, but that it also went full analog — an area where it didn’t have much pedigree. The results were mixed, but the general consensus was that the Uno’s core sound was impressive. Now IK is trying to move up a weight class with the Uno Synth Pro — a three-voice paraphonic synth with its crosshairs squarely aimed at the likes of the Korg Minilogue.
Of course, as with most musical instruments, there is no apples-to-apples comparison. So whether you’re better off spending your synth dollar on an Uno Pro or on something else will depend on your priorities.
The Uno Synth Pro comes in two different flavors: the standard Pro with a 37-key Fatar keybed and a partially metal chassis; and a smaller Desktop model with a set of touch keys and an all-plastic body. The Pro version costs $650, while the Desktop is just $400. I tested the Desktop model, so I can’t tell you much about the feel of the more expensive one, but if you already own a decent MIDI controller and don’t plan on gigging with the Uno Synth, save yourself the cash; they’re otherwise exactly the same instrument.
Under the hood are three oscillators with continuous wave shaping from triangle to saw to square (with pulse width modulation). There are options for hard sync, ring modulation and FM, plus two envelopes, two LFOs, two filters, analog overdrive and a selection of 12 digital effects. In short, there are plenty of options for sound design, especially when you consider the 16-slot modulation matrix.
Physically, the Uno Synth Pro Desktop is a bit of a mixed bag. The overall construction is plastic, and certainly feels it, but it’s solid enough. The knobs offer a good amount of resistance and the buttons are decent. The same is true of the screen: It’s small but gives you all the info you need. The gray, black and red color scheme can make quickly spotting the controls you’re looking for a bit difficult, especially the secondary and shift functions. (On a dark stage they’d be impossible to find.)
The four knobs at the top are used to change almost all the parameters by navigating a grid beneath it. I’ll admit that the interface isn’t my favorite. But in order to keep costs down while preserving as much flexibility as possible IK Multimedia went with a light-up grid instead of a knob per-function design. It’s a decision I could quibble with, but one that I can accept. Also, it’s worth noting that if you want to get real specific with a parameter it’s better to use the endless encoder to the right of the screen after selecting your target with the four pots to the left.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget Terrecn
The biggest problem, however, is with the touch keys and strips. Now, to be clear, this criticism does not apply to the full-sized version with a proper keybed, only the desktop model. But, to be blunt: The capacitive keys and touch strips are not good. They can feel unresponsive. Occasionally, the Uno Synth would straight up fail to detect my touches. And putting the synth in three-voice paraphonic mode seemed to make things worse. The same is true of the pitch and mod strips; sometimes they’d fail to register my touch or react slowly to it. The mod strip in particular is easy to trip up if you move your finger too fast and it has a tendency to jump between values rather than smoothly glide between them. If you plan to actually play your Uno Synth Pro (rather than use an external sequencer or controller) I highly recommend you spring for the full-sized version with the keybed and pitch and mod wheels.
The Uno Synth Pro does have a pretty solid arpeggiator and sequencer, though, so there’s a chance you can get by without having to ever touch the “keys” on the desktop version. There is also a scale mode in the settings that disables the black keys and maps the white ones to the scale of your choice. Which, at the very least, makes it less likely that you’ll sound out of key if your finger lands three millimeters to the right of where you intended.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
And look, I get that touch keys are hard to do right. They were bad on the original Uno Synth. They’re bad on Modal’s Skulpt and Craft synths. The Volca’s are slightly better, but still quite cramped. Honestly, the only synth I can think of where the touch keys aren’t a liability is the MicroFreak. (And there are probably people who would disagree with me even on that.)
Many of the frustrations I have with the interface and physical controls are immediately forgotten once the Uno Synth Pro starts making noise, though. In short, it sounds glorious. Especially with all three of its oscillators stacked in mono mode. While the Pro is a three-voice paraphonic instrument, I think it’s at its best when treated as an extremely beefy mono synth. The oscillators have a lot of body and grit to them. The triangle is glassy but dusty and the saw wave just plain rips. Add a bit more dirt from the analog drive circuit and you’ve got a truly gnarly sounding machine for leads and basses.
The oscillators can also be hard synced, there’s pulse width modulation (though no dedicated knob for it), ring modulation and FM for more metallic sounds. The FM function, though, is slightly hidden in the menus, which is a shame. It’s a valuable sound design tool that’s just not as accessible as it should be thanks to some questionable interface decisions.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
The dual analog filters are also lovely. The multimode two-pole filter from the original Uno Synth is here and it’s just as juicy as ever. It can be a bit aggressive, but that’s part of its charm and it really hits the spot if you’re into acid basslines. Then there’s a switchable SSI-based lowpass filter with two and four-pole modes. It’s a little subtler than the multimode option, but with the resonance cranked it will self-oscillate and scream.
The two filters on their own are solid enough. But special things happen when you combine the two. They really allow you to start pulling out unique timbres. You can run them in series to create effectively notch or bandpass filters, or in parallel using each to pull out slightly different tones and then combining them into something new. There’s even an audio-in jack on the back, so you can route any instrument you want through the Uno Pro’s filters and effects. It’s just a shame that it’s an ⅛-inch jack instead of a ¼-inch.
Speaking of the built-in effects, they’re pretty good. The reverbs are lush, the delays effective (if nothing special) and the modulation effects add some body. Not all of them are a home run and the controls are limited, but they do add a lot to the already impressive sound crafting tools at your disposal. The phaser and flanger are forgettable, but the Chorus is pretty solid, especially on the “string” algorithm. The reverse reverb, when combined with one of the delays, can even make the Uno Synth Pro a viable pad machine. Which is pretty impressive because, in paraphonic mode you only have a single amp envelope and you only get one oscillator per note, which can sound a bit thin.
I will say, though, that putting the synth in paraphonic mode and then dialing in a different sound for each voice is super fun and adds an interesting dimension to pad and key sounds. Because there’s a single amp envelope it’s hard to get anything really jittery and glitchy that way, but it does help beef up pads.
The final ingredient in the sound design here is the modulation matrix. This is where you can use the two envelopes or the two LFOs, or even the tuning of the oscillators to control everything from delay amount, to filter cut off, to wave shape, to the rate of an LFO. There are 16 modulation slots that you can fill to get subtle tone changes to bonkers EDM sound effects, with a total of 30 modulation sources and 35 destinations to mix and match.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
The matrix does require some menu diving, but it’s pretty straightforward and incredibly powerful. Without it the Uno Synth Pro is a solid but unexciting instrument. But once you start delving into the modulation matrix it really starts to standout from the crowd.
Again, though, it does require menu diving to make the most of it. And this is really the biggest knock against the Uno Pro. I’m just not that interested in navigating sub-menus on a tiny screen on my hardware instruments. It makes me less likely to experiment and push the limits of a device.
IK Multimedia has apparently heard this complaint loud and clear and has built an editor app for macOS and Windows. This makes managing presets and programming the modulation matrix much easier. It puts all your options front and center and, other than switching tabs from the sound engine, to the matrix to the effects, there’s really not much menu diving to speak of. The app is also supposed to work as a VST plugin with your DAW of choice, but I couldn’t get that to work. It functioned fine in standalone mode, but every time I fired up Ableton and loaded the Uno Synth Pro Editor plugin, it failed to detect the instrument.
Terrence O'Brien / Engadget
Keeping the Uno Synth Pro tethered to a computer over USB isn’t ideal, though. Ground loop hum is a real issue for devices in this price range, and the Uno Synth Pro is no different. I was actually able to hear it quietly recalibrating itself over and over thanks to the interference. The balanced outputs on the instrument can help, but even then it’s still pretty noisy and you need to have the balanced audio cables on hand. Standard “instrument” cables aren’t going to cut it here.
The desktop model even relies on micro-USB for power which is surprising and slightly annoying. The company did that so that you could power it with a battery pack while out and about, but there’s already a micro-USB port for MIDI, so having a second just for power is unnecessary.
The last downside I have to mention is that, just like the Uno Drum, the Uno Synth Pro feels unpolished. It goes beyond the somewhat frustrating interface and the mediocre build quality, though. The firmware is a bit buggy. As I mentioned earlier, the keys and touchstrips are unresponsive and jumpy at times. But I’ve also seen weird behaviors like the screen flickering and the audio getting choppy when I select a new preset. After about 30 second it settles down, but still, it’s worth noting. I also saw a full-on crash and freeze once.
So the question becomes: Does the incredible sound of the Uno Synth Pro make up for its myriad annoyances? I’d say unequivocally yes if you’re looking for a feature-packed monosynth and don’t mind menu diving. There are plenty of other great sounding monophonic instruments out there for about the same price, like the Korg Monologue, but they lack the depth and feature set of the Uno Pro. Then there are high-end monos like the Moog Sub 37 that cost more than twice as much as the Uno Pro at $1,800.
The equation gets more complicated if you’re planning to make use of the Uno Pro in paraphonic mode for pads. I might consider spending your money elsewhere at that point. The original Minilogue still offers an incredible analog bang-for-your-buck and true polyphony. Then there’s the Minilogue XD, which is the same price as the full size Uno Synth Pro ($650), also has excellent effects, a combination of analog and digital oscillators, plus access to sound engines and effects developed by third parties for the ‘logue SDK.
And if you don’t demand analog, there’s the Arturia MicroFreak which offers as much depth on the sound design front as the Uno Pro, but for only $350 and its touch keys don’t make me want to rip my hair out.
My frustrations with the Uno Synth Pro’s interface aside, it’s hard not to be impressed with its wealth of sound design tools. And IK Multimedia didn’t cut any corners when it came to the quality of the oscillators and the filters. I will admit to being skeptical of the Uno Pro, but once I started exploring it I was a convert.
Is this a record? No sooner has the iPhone 13 hit store shelves than the rumor mill is already up and churning about the next one. Rumors from the weekend suggest the iPhone 14 will be a “complete redesign,” but the details are thin gruel at this point. Hold not these rumors close to your chest in hope, my friends, lest they disappear into a puff of whimsy.
This complete redesign will reportedly see the 14 look a lot more like the iPhone 4, with a band running around the outside of the device. That makes sense given how beloved the 4’s design was, and how those square edges have recently returned to Apple’s design language. The hints also suggest that, with a marginally thicker body, the camera lenses will be flush with the back.
Another rumor says the 14 may ditch the notch in favor of a hole-punch front camera, or maybe only for the Pro models. Plus, there are the usual rumor hits, including the launch of in-display TouchID and the end of the iPhone Mini. Just remember, we’re a year away from any of this being confirmed, so let’s focus instead on all the delights of the 13 we have yet to discover.
Astronomers using the Hubble telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found six “dead” galaxies. These are galaxies that have run out of the cold hydrogen necessary for star formation, despite being formed during the stellar equivalent of a baby boom. The discovery of these galaxies is testament both to the enduring power of the Hubble and the ingenuity of the astronomers to pull these images from the heavens. But the question of what happened to those galaxies is one that will dog scientists from now until we’ve developed some pretty impressive faster-than-light travel.
If your brand new iPad Mini is operating a little weird, don’t worry, you are not the only person in this particular predicament. There are multiple reports of users talking about jelly scrolling, where one side of the screen moves at a different rate to the other. Apple hasn’t responded yet to the claims, but it’s probably already scrambling to work out the cause as we speak. At the same time, Apple has reportedly revealed that TV+ has fewer than 20 million subscribers in the US and Canada. The reason for the potentially embarrassing admission? The smaller size apparently means it can pay its film and TV crews lower rates compared to Netflix.
To celebrate National Comic Book Day, NASA has published a graphic novel, First Woman, to tell the story of the first woman to walk on the moon. The (currently fictional) tale is designed to spark the public’s interest in the Artemis missions and encourage more people to sign up as astronauts. Download the app for Android or iOS, and you can also explore the Orion spacecraft and tour the lunar surface in AR.
It wants to borrow the structure of a brain to build a brain-like chip.
Researchers at Harvard and engineers at Samsung believe they can create better artificial intelligences if the chips used to make them mirror the structures of our own brains. The teams are proposing a method to copy the way our neurons are wired on to a 3D neuromorphic chip. Don’t worry if that sounds like a lot because it’s not likely to happen in the real world for a while at the very least. The human brain has more than 100 billion neurons and a thousand times more synapses, so it’s not as if anyone could just build one of these in their garage.
Some new iPad mini customers aren't enjoying the tiny tablet's new screen as much as they'd like. 9to5Macreports that users (includingThe Verge's Dieter Bohn) have noticed a "jelly scrolling" effect where one side of the screen scrolls at a different rate than the other, producing a wobble occasionally noticeable in portrait view. The effect is harder to spot if you tilt the iPad to a landscape orientation, but that's not much consolation if you like to read websites and social feeds
We've asked Apple if it can comment on the jelly effect. It's unclear if the quirk is linked to hardware (such as the screen itself or a display controller) or can be addressed through software. We'll let you know if we have a chance to replicate the issue.
This won't necessarily hurt functionality, especially if you tend to use the iPad mini in landscape mode or view content that doesn't produce the effect. It's also uncertain just how widespread the issue really is. With that said, you probably won't be thrilled if you notice this wiggle on Apple's small-but-premium slate.
Are you unable to unlock your brand new iPhone 13 with your Apple Watch? Don't despair just yet. According to MacRumors, Apple has promised to fix a bug that prevents the unlock through an "upcoming software update." You can turn off the feature in Settings and rely on passcodes until that solution is in place, Apple said, although it didn't offer a timeframe for the patch.
The flaw typically tells users the iPhone is "unable to communicate" with the Apple Watch. Others can't setup the unlock feature in the first place. As you might imagine, that's a significant hassle if you're wearing a face mask and can't use Face ID to sign in.
You might not have to wait too long. While Apple only recently started testing an iOS 15.1 beta, the company has a long history of delivering small-but-quick updates that fix glaring bugs and security holes. While this certainly isn't how Apple wanted the iPhone 13 launch to go, the issue isn't likely to last.
The iPhone 13 series is barely in stores, but that isn't stopping a growing chorus of leaks surrounding next year's model. As 9to5Macnotes, Bloomberg's historically accurate Mark Gurman claimed the iPhone 14 will represent a "complete redesign" — the first since the iPhone X arrived in 2017. The relatively modest iPhone 13 update was a hint that bigger things were coming, he said. Gurman was shy on details of what that new hardware would entail, but earlier rumors might offer a clue as to what to expect.
Most notably, frequently accurate analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed Apple would begin dropping the display notch entirely in 2022, starting with an iPhone 14 Pro that would use a hole-punch front camera like many Android phones. YouTuber Jon Prosser also claimed to have renders based on real-world photos of the new iPhone. The new model would supposedly resemble a supersized iPhone 4 with a band-like titanium outer ring, flush rear cameras and a thicker chassis.
Other rumors suggest Apple might drop a mini iPhone from the lineup, replacing it with a larger 'regular' model as well as the usual Pro offerings. There have been murmurs of under-display Touch ID, but it's not certain if this would be ready for 2022, if at all.
We'd take the reports with some caution. No matter how accurate the reports might be, the next iPhone is roughly a year away. There's still a chance Apple could make substantial changes before it locks in the design for production. Whatever the end result, the common theme of the leaks suggests the iPhone 14 could be an important revamp.
Don't worry if you missed out on an earlier deal for Apple's 2021 iPad. Amazon is selling the 64GB entry-level iPad for $299, or $30 off the usual price. The 256GB variant has dropped by a similar amount to $449. That matches a previous discount at Walmart, and is currently the lowest price we've seen for Apple's latest 10.2-inch slate. Just don't fret over color choices or shipping times — only Space Gray models appear to be in stock, and you'll have to wait one to three weeks.
The basic design of the iPad hasn't changed much in recent years, but the under-the-hood upgrades are particularly notable this year. The tablet now uses an A13 Bionic chip that's reportedly 20 percent faster than in the previous iPad, making it a better fit for gaming or creative tasks. This may also be a good pick for an era of remote work and virtual friend visits, as an ultra-wide 12MP front camera offers Center Stage to keep you in view as you move around.
Just don't expect a revamp on par with the new iPad mini or 2020's iPad Air. You won't find an all-screen design, USB-C, second-generation Pencil support or an improved rear camera. This is for anyone who wants a no-frills tablet that should still last a long while — if that's all you're looking for, you'll probably be happy.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
NASA clearly needs more astronauts if programs like Artemis are to be successful, and it thinks it has a clever sales pitch: a tech-savvy comic. The space agency has released an augmented reality graphic novel, First Woman, that tells the tale of the fictional Callie Rodriguez as she becomes (what else?) the first woman to land on the Moon. You can read the 40-page first issue as-is, but NASA really wants you to download a companion mobile app (for Android and iOS) or scan codes to experience environments and objects in a more engaging way.
Point your phone at special "XR" codes (through the app) or QR codes (if you prefer the web) and you can tour the Orion spacecraft, the Moon and other objects. You can also play games, watch videos and earn badges.
You can also listen to an audio version. NASA is also promising a Spanish-language version of the novel sometime in the future. The administration isn't shy about treating First Woman as a recruiting drive, but it may well be worth a download if you want to foster your kids' interests in space and science — and possibly learn a thing or two about NASA's long-term plans.
You might not have to worry about apps that can't use the 120Hz refresh rate of the iPhone 13 Pro family. As iMorenotes, Apple has posted a developer article revealing that iPhone apps will need to 'unlock' 120Hz support by adding a key to a .plist file. There's also a bug limiting the speed for some Core Animation-based apps, although Apple said a fix was coming in a future iOS 15 update.
The iPad Pro doesn't require code updates to make full use of its 120Hz display, although that may be due to the tablet's much larger battery. Smartphones are much more likely to take a serious battery life hit from high-refresh screens.
The details suggest a repeat of what happened when Apple introduced the iPhone 6, iPhone X and other phones with significant leaps in display tech — it took a while for Apple and developers to make full use of the new screens. Your iPhone 13 Pro's 120Hz panel should reach its full potential, but there may be a few weeks or months where it goes underused.
It’s that time of year again: the latest Apple devices have arrived. We spent time with all of the company’s new products and reported back on their successes and missteps. First, Cherlynn Low tested out all four of the new iPhone 13 models to see which are worth your money this year. Valentina Palladino spent time carrying around the redesigned iPad mini, which does everything a small tablet should. Also, Devindra Hardawar found one more reason to recommend the Dell XPS 15, and Mat Smith took some average selfie’s with the ZTE Axon 30’s "invisible" front-facing camera.
On paper, Cherlynn Low says there’s not much to get excited about when it comes to the new iPhone 13 and 13 mini. The incremental upgrades like the bigger batteries, better displays and faster chips all feel like standard, annual improvements. The key features of the new handsets are the enhancements made to the cameras. The rear sensors have been improved, the ultra wide lens lets in more light and the A15 chip has a faster image signal processor.
Cherlynn particularly liked the addition of Photographic Styles, which allows the user to choose a profile of contrast levels and color temperature for photos. And she said Cinematic Mode, which blurs out the background behind a subject, was the most intriguing of the new video features. But at its default intensity, the blurriness looked strange and artificial — and Cinematic Mode only works at 1080p/30fps, regardless of the quality you’ve set your camera to record.
Other aspects of the handsets were largely similar to previous models: the speakers are still good enough for video watching, and both phones easily handled switching between multiple apps, uploading photos and other tasks. However, Cherlynn was quick to point out that the phones still feature 60Hz screens, which made them feel laggy in comparison to handsets that have speedier displays. Overall she said that, as expected, they’re excellent (if a bit boring) phones with little to complain about.
Cherlynn Low says make no mistake about it: The one thing that really makes the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max stand out is the new ProMotion display. With faster screens that can adjust their refresh rates depending on the task, the handsets are finally able to take advantage of their big OLED displays, whether you’re watching video or simply scrolling social media. The two new models are also 25 percent brighter for better outdoor viewing and, thanks to the 5-core GPU on the Pro, able to handle graphics-intensive tasks more quickly.
Cherlynn said that the A15 Bionic chip combined with the faster refresh rate made everything from YouTube and music streaming to Catan gaming and chatting with friends seem much more responsive. The two new Pro models also have an additional telephoto camera and a new macro photography mode, but all of that power comes with extra weight. The 6.1-inch 13 Pro is 7.19 ounces and the 6.7-inch 13 Pro Max clocks in at 8.46 ounces; Cherlynn said the bigger handset was uncomfortable to use one-handed for more than a few minutes. If that isn’t a dealbreaker, then she says either of the phones would make a worthy upgrade for iOS users.
While the iPad mini has a dedicated fan base, it hasn’t changed much since its debut nine years ago. But the 2021 release of the tiny tablet features enough upgrades to make it feel like a smaller iPad Air. Valentina Palladino says that the new “all-screen” design, flat edges, TouchID-capable top button, second-gen Apple Pencil support and USB-C charging all provide a much needed refresh for the tablet. The bezels helped her keep a comfortable grip on the device while reading and making FaceTime calls, and the lightweight 100-percent recycled aluminum body made it easy to tote around.
Valentina also liked that the new design allowed the second-generation Apple Pencil to magnetically stick to the right edge of the tablet. She reports that the mini makes a capable digital notebook thanks in part to the Pencil and the Quick Notes feature in iPadOS 15. Additionally, she said the A15 Bionic chip and the larger screen make it easy to use the device in place of an iPhone for a wide variety of tasks including video streaming and light gaming. However, the new mini only comes in 64GB and 256GB models — with a $150 price difference between them — and those are notable differences in capacity and cost. Valentina says the significant update will be great for small-tablet lovers, but she’s not sure if the iPad mini will win over others in the market for a standard-sized iPad.
Devindra Hardawar was already a fan of Dell’s excellent XPS 15 laptop, but he says the addition of an OLED screen makes the whole package even better. The star of the show, the 15.6-inch display, has some of the thinnest bezels on the market and uses a 3.5K OLED touchscreen that supports Dolby Vision HDR (of course, this panel costs extra, and there are two LCD options to choose from, too). While watching the new Matrix trailer, it displayed true blacks, brilliant elements like explosions and juggled scenes with bright and dark aspects.
Devindra said he’d never had as much fun scrolling through websites due to the incredibly crisp text. The only additional improvement he could think of was a faster refresh rate, however, he had no complaints about the performance from the eight-core Intel i7 CPU or the 45-watt version of NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 Ti GPU, which transcoded a one-minute 4K video file into 1080p in 35 seconds. Devindra says you can expect it to tackle most intense workloads with ease, and although it’s not a gaming machine, it’s capable of reaching 70fps in Overwatch at the highest graphic settings.
A sequel to the Axon 20, ZTE’s Axon 30 touts an improved 16-megapixel, under-display camera (UDC) with a dedicated chip that keeps the area consistent with the rest of the screen. In practice, Mat Smith was pleased to report that the UDC is nearly invisible but he was less impressed with the resulting photographs. His selfies had fuzzy details and suffered from lens flares and washout due to strong backlighting. Mat got much better images when shooting with the four-camera array on the back, which includes a 64-megapixel Sony sensor.
However, the Axon 30 has more to offer for its $500 price tag: The smartphone also features a 6.92-inch AMOLED screen with 2,460 x 1,080 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. And it’s powered by a Snapdragon 870 processor, which handled everything Mat threw at it from Stadia gaming to video streaming. It also has a stand-out battery that lasted two days of typical use with the 120Hz refresh rate off, and the handset can recharge to 100 percent in under an hour. Mat liked the new MyOS 11 skin, which closely mimics the stock Google experience, save for a few shortcuts and widgets. But the smartphone lacks wireless charging and certified resistance against dust and water, and Mat says the 5G support isn’t great in the U.S. as it will only work on T-Mobile’s midband 5G network.
