Tech

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip vs Motorola Razr: What's different between these two clamshell foldables? – Android Police

Published

5 years ago

February 4, 2020

Following a decade of seeing black, rectangular glass slabs grow in size while swapping their backs between metal and glass, foldables are taking over to become the face of phone fetish. With the nostalgia-invoking Motorola Razr set to go on sale about a week before the Galaxy Z Flip’s unveiling, it’s about time we put the two face-to-face and see which one deserves your dough.

Flippity-floppity form factor

The fad of the early ’00s, flip phones are making a comeback, bringing along the gratifying sound of snapping them shut, although in a more contemporary avatar. While both the Motorola Razr and Galaxy Z Flip have a similar clamshell form factor, you can immediately recognize them apart, thanks to their distinct design approach.

Top: Motorola Razr, Bottom: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Samsung’s offering will seemingly carry the DNA of a modern smartphone and wouldn’t look vastly different when in the unfolded state. You’ll get the usual nearly edge-to-edge display with a hole-punch camera and chunky bezels. The Motorola Razr, on the other hand, clearly strikes the nostalgic chord with a layout borrowed almost as is, complete with a chin, from the original Razr that had an alphanumeric keypad.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip – First Hands On Video pic.twitter.com/4b8Uzt5kRB

— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) February 2, 2020

In a hands-on video that surfaced recently, the Z Flip appears to have a rather unwieldy design, particularly when it’s unfolded. That display is tall to a fault and might even work against the device. The phone seemingly gets more manageable when closed into a square with a tiny screen on the outside. Motorola’s flip phone, instead, has a smaller footprint, which helps it fit your hand better in either state.

What’s with the chin? And that hinge?

Left: Razr’s chin, Right: Galaxy Z Flip’s two halves

The original Razr’s raised chin was an iconic design element that the re-engineered foldable version retained to draw parallels as well as include additional functionalities. For one, it houses a user-facing capacitive fingerprint reader along with speakers grills and a USB-C port at the bottom. At 14mm, the chin is the thickest point, while the rest of the slab is merely 6.9mm when unfolded.

The Z Flip looks to have a more uniform thickness (barring the camera bump) of 6.9mm when wide open. When folded, it could be a couple of millimeters thicker around the hinge, forming a wedge shape. Though, it’ll still fold into two halves, unlike Motorola’s asymmetrical implementation. Its fingerprint scanner will likely be embedded in the side-mounted power key as the 2019 Galaxy Fold had.

Top: Motorola Razr’s hinge in action. Bottom: Galaxy Z Flip’s hinge when folded.

The hinges used by Motorola and Samsung are like chalk and cheese, which also affects how visible the display crease would be. Razr’s hinge uses a pair of support plates (shown above) to brace the display from underneath, which helps make the crease imperceptible. It, along with a sliding screen, folds the phone completely shut, unlike the first-gen Samsung Galaxy Fold’s ridge, which leaves a wedge-shaped gap.

We aren’t sure if the Z Flip will inherit that cavity, since none of the leaked images, including the recent renders from Roland Quandt, have shown the phone’s folded side, though the varying thickness mentioned above clues in on its presence, and so does the video above. Samsung is expected to use a redesigned juncture that will hold the phone’s flexible screen at any angle you like, while the Razr only supports two furthest positions: open and shut. However, it won’t help in hiding the crease, which might remain as noticeable as its predecessor.

Big foldable display and small sidekick

Flip phones are anything but new; in fact, they’ve been around for decades. It’s the flexible displays that rebounded their relevance in 2020. Both the Razr and Z Flip sport a bendable OLED screen that folds inwards along the X-axis, like a traditional clamshell phone. That’s precisely where the similarities end and the two phones part ways.

The Motorola phone features a 21:9 6.2-inch P-OLED with a resolution of 2,142 x 876 pixels. At the same time, the Z Flip is rumored to include a bigger 6.7-inch AMOLED (2,636 x 1,080, 22:9) covered with an ultra-thin glass—possibly the first-ever foldable glass display—instead of plastic. Plus, Samsung will opt for a hole-punch front camera against Razr’s notch.

Left: Razr’s secondary screen, Right: Galaxy Z Flip’s

A secondary display accompanies the main one on both phones, but their sizes and functions differ wildly. The one on the Razr is significantly larger at 2.7 inches (600 x 800, 4:3), while Samsung is said to include a 1-inch display (300 x 116) with minimal functionality. The bigger screen not only shows you more information without having to flip the phone open but can also work as a viewfinder for selfies, besides having other features.

On the inside

What powers the Motorola Razr is a mid-tier Snapdragon 710 processor paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. Samsung’s choice of processor, on the flip side, will possibly be the higher-end Snapdragon 855+. It’ll also throw in 256GB of storage as well as 8GB of RAM. The Z Flip should run Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI 2.1 skin on top, while the Razr offers a near-stock OS experience with Android Pie along with a retro mode to give you an ancestral throwback.

Razr’s retro mode (via The Verge)

With that kind of configuration, the Razr doesn’t stand a chance against the upcoming (or even existing) breed of mainstream smartphones boasting the Snapdragon 865, not that it’s even trying to, but the Z Flip still looks better equipped. That razor-thin form factor largely dictated Motorola’s choice of rather mediocre, not to mention old, chip, just so it could keep heat dissipation and battery drain in check.

Cameras

Similar space constraints kept the Lenovo-owned brand from adding anymore camera than the current two—one each on the inside and outside. The Razr has a 16MP primary camera that can shoot 4K videos and be used for taking selfies when the phone is folded. The one in the notch has a 5MP sensor capable of taking 1080p videos. Leaks suggest that the Galaxy phone will have a pair of 12MP cameras on the back along with a 10MP front-facing one—all three of these could be borrowed from the 2019 Samsung flagships. Its secondary display isn’t likely to double up as a viewfinder, given its tinier footprint.

Left: Razr’s primary camera, Right: Galaxy Z Flip’s two rear cameras

Battery juice

In the battery department, the Z Flip might take the lead with a rumored capacity of 3,300mAh, while the Razr settles for a much smaller 2,510mAh. However, both can charge using a 15W brick. Despite a smaller cell, Motorola is aiming for a day’s worth of juice, but it remains to be seen how the Razr sails through a typical workday, and also possibly when put up against the Samsung foldable. The Samsung phone may have the upper hand in this department with support for wireless and reverse wireless charging.

Pricing and availability

Those in the US will need to shell out $1,500 for the Motorola Razr or $63 a month for a 24-month contract with Verizon. The demand for the novel handset was apparently sky-high, leading the company to push the release date back by a month. After having preordered the handset starting January 26, you can pick it up on February 6.

On the other hand, Samsung is expected to make the Z Flip official alongside the S20 line at the Unpacked event on February 11. As for its pricing, two opposed figures have so far been thrown around. One report said it could cost close to $860, while the other quoted $1,550—almost double the former. You should expect an asking price somewhere between the two figures, inclining towards the latter.

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Everything else

A nanocoating on the Motorola Razr should make the device splash-proof, but dunking it in water is still a big no-no. Nonetheless, it’s a considerable feat for a foldable phone that has moveable parts in and around the hinge, which cannot be sealed. That’s possibly the reason Samsung will likely skip any form of water resistance. Besides, the Razr can only take an eSIM as there is no SIM card tray, which the Z Flip might have, in line with the Galaxy Fold.

The Samsung phone is also expected to pack stereo speakers, likely pairing the single down-firing unit with the earpiece. It’s worth noting that neither phone has a headphone jack, nor do they support 5G or have 5G-capable variants, and thankfully so. We can only imagine the number of times you’ll be required to plug them in with their unconvincing battery situations if they tried latching onto a 5G network.

At this point, we’ll not be giving a final statement on which phone outweighs the other, or our recommendation for that matter, given that the Galaxy Z Flip isn’t out yet, and all its included details are courtesy of leaks and rumors. We’ll update the coverage when we get an official word from Samsung along with the pricing details.

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Tech

How to Preorder the PlayStation 5 Pro in Canada

Published

2 days ago

September 10, 2024

Harry Miller

Sony has made it easy for Canadian consumers to preorder the PlayStation 5 Pro in Canada directly from PlayStation’s official website. Here’s how:

Visit the Official Website: Go to direct.playstation.com and navigate to the PS5 Pro section once preorders go live on September 26, 2024.
Create or Log in to Your PlayStation Account: If you don’t have a PlayStation account, you will need to create one. Existing users can simply log in to proceed.
Place Your Preorder: Once logged in, follow the instructions to preorder your PS5 Pro. Ensure you have a valid payment method ready and double-check your shipping information for accuracy.

Preorder Through Major Canadian Retailers

While preordering directly from PlayStation is a popular option, you can also secure your PS5 Pro through trusted Canadian retailers. These retailers are expected to offer preorders on or after September 26:

Best Buy Canada
Walmart Canada
EB Games (GameStop)
Amazon Canada
The Source

Steps to Preorder via Canadian Retailers:

Visit Retailer Websites: Search for “PlayStation 5 Pro” on the website of your preferred retailer starting on September 26.
Create or Log in to Your Account: If you’re shopping online, having an account with the retailer can speed up the preorder process.
Preorder in Store: For those who prefer in-person shopping, check with local stores regarding availability and preorder policies.

3. Sign Up for Notifications

Many retailers and websites offer the option to sign up for notifications when the preorder goes live. If you’re worried about missing out due to high demand, this can be a useful option.

Visit Retailer Sites: Look for a “Notify Me” or “Email Alerts” option and enter your email to stay informed.
Use PlayStation Alerts: Sign up for notifications directly through Sony to be one of the first to know when preorders are available.

4. Prepare for High Demand

Preordering the PS5 Pro is expected to be competitive, with high demand likely to result in quick sellouts, just as with the initial release of the original PS5. To maximize your chances of securing a preorder:

Act Quickly: Be prepared to place your order as soon as preorders open. Timing is key, as stock can run out within minutes.
Double-Check Payment Information: Ensure your credit card or payment method is ready to go. Any delays during the checkout process could result in losing your spot.
Stay Informed: Monitor PlayStation and retailer websites for updates on restocks or additional preorder windows.

Final Thoughts

The PlayStation 5 Pro is set to take gaming to the next level with its enhanced performance, graphics, and new features. Canadian gamers should be ready to act fast when preorders open on September 26, 2024, to secure their console ahead of the holiday season. Whether you choose to preorder through PlayStation’s official website or your preferred retailer, following the steps outlined above will help ensure a smooth and successful preorder experience.

For more details on the PS5 Pro and to preorder, visit direct.playstation.com or stay tuned to updates from major Canadian retailers.

Tech

Introducing the PlayStation 5 Pro: The Next Evolution in Gaming

Published

2 days ago

September 10, 2024

Harry Miller

Since the PlayStation 5 (PS5) launched four years ago, PlayStation has continuously evolved to meet the demands of its players. Today, we are excited to announce the next step in this journey: the PlayStation 5 Pro. Designed for the most dedicated players and game creators, the PS5 Pro brings groundbreaking advancements in gaming hardware, raising the bar for what’s possible.

Key Features of the PS5 Pro

The PS5 Pro comes equipped with several key performance enhancements, addressing the requests of gamers for smoother, higher-quality graphics at a consistent 60 frames per second (FPS). The console’s standout features include:

Upgraded GPU: The PS5 Pro’s GPU boasts 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5, combined with 28% faster memory. This allows for up to 45% faster rendering speeds, ensuring a smoother gaming experience.
Advanced Ray Tracing: Ray tracing capabilities have been significantly enhanced, with reflections and refractions of light being processed at double or triple the speed of the current PS5, creating more dynamic visuals.
AI-Driven Upscaling: Introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-based upscaling technology that adds extraordinary detail to images, resulting in sharper image clarity.
Backward Compatibility & Game Boost: More than 8,500 PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro will benefit from PS5 Pro Game Boost, stabilizing or enhancing performance. PS4 games will also see improved resolution on select titles.
VRR & 8K Support: The PS5 Pro supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and 8K gaming for the ultimate visual experience, while also launching with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in supported regions.

Optimized Games & Patches

Game creators have quickly embraced the new technology that comes with the PS5 Pro. Many games will receive free updates to take full advantage of the console’s new features, labeled as PS5 Pro Enhanced. Some of the highly anticipated titles include:

Alan Wake 2
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Demon’s Souls
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Gran Turismo 7
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Horizon Forbidden West

These updates will allow players to experience their favorite games at a higher fidelity, taking full advantage of the console’s improved graphics and performance.

Design & Compatibility

Maintaining consistency within the PS5 family, the PS5 Pro retains the same height and width as the original PS5 model. Players will also have the option to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive or swap console covers when available.

Additionally, the PS5 Pro is fully compatible with all existing PS5 accessories, including the PlayStation VR2, DualSense Edge, Pulse Elite, and Access controller. This ensures seamless integration into your current gaming setup.

Pricing & Availability

The PS5 Pro will be available starting November 7, 2024, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of:

$699.99 USD
$949.99 CAD
£699.99 GBP
€799.99 EUR
¥119,980 JPY

Each PS5 Pro comes with a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed. Pre-orders begin on September 26, 2024, and the console will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation via direct.playstation.com.

The launch of the PS5 Pro marks a new chapter in PlayStation’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences. Whether players choose the standard PS5 or the PS5 Pro, PlayStation aims to provide the best possible gaming experience for everyone.

Preorder your PS5 Pro and step into the next generation of gaming this holiday season.

Tech

Google Unveils AI-Powered Pixel 9 Lineup Ahead of Apple’s iPhone 16 Release

Published

1 month ago

August 13, 2024

Harry Miller

Google has launched its next generation of Pixel phones, setting the stage for a head-to-head competition with Apple as both tech giants aim to integrate more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features into their flagship devices. The unveiling took place near Google’s Mountain View headquarters, marking an early debut for the Pixel 9 lineup, which is designed to showcase the latest advancements in AI technology.

The Pixel 9 series, although a minor player in global smartphone sales, is a crucial platform for Google to demonstrate the cutting-edge capabilities of its Android operating system. With AI at the core of its strategy, Google is positioning the Pixel 9 phones as vessels for the transformative potential of AI, a trend that is expected to revolutionize the way people interact with technology.

Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president overseeing the Pixel phones, emphasized the company’s commitment to AI, stating, “We are obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people.” This echoes the narrative Apple is likely to push when it unveils its iPhone 16, which is also expected to feature advanced AI capabilities.

The Pixel 9 lineup will be the first to fully integrate Google’s Gemini AI technology, designed to enhance user experience through more natural, conversational interactions. The Gemini assistant, which features 10 different human-like voices, can perform a wide array of tasks, particularly if users allow access to their emails and documents.

In an on-stage demonstration, the Gemini assistant showcased its ability to generate creative ideas and even analyze images, although it did experience some hiccups when asked to identify a concert poster for singer Sabrina Carpenter.

To support these AI-driven features, Google has equipped the Pixel 9 with a special chip that enables many AI processes to be handled directly on the device. This not only improves performance but also enhances user privacy and security by reducing the need to send data to remote servers.

Google’s aggressive push into AI with the Pixel 9 comes as Apple prepares to unveil its iPhone 16, which is expected to feature its own AI advancements. However, Google’s decision to offer a one-year free subscription to its advanced Gemini Assistant, valued at $240, may pressure Apple to reconsider any plans to charge for its AI services.

The standard Pixel 9 will be priced at $800, a $100 increase from last year, while the Pixel 9 Pro will range between $1,000 and $1,100, depending on the model. Google also announced the next iteration of its foldable Pixel phone, priced at $1,800.

In addition to the new Pixel phones, Google also revealed updates to its Pixel Watch and wireless earbuds, directly challenging Apple’s dominance in the wearable tech market. These products, like the Pixel 9, are designed to integrate seamlessly with Google’s AI-driven ecosystem.

Google’s event took place against the backdrop of a significant legal challenge, with a judge recently ruling that its search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly. This ruling could lead to further court proceedings that may force Google to make significant changes to its business practices, potentially impacting its Android software or other key components of its $2 trillion empire.

Despite these legal hurdles, Google is pressing forward with its vision of an AI-powered future, using its latest devices to showcase what it believes will be the next big leap in technology. As the battle for AI supremacy heats up, consumers can expect both Google and Apple to push the boundaries of what their devices can do, making the choice between them more compelling than ever.