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You are here: Home / 2017 / Archives for September 2017

Archives for September 2017

Motorola Moto Z2 Play Review

09/19/2017 By Hakan Can

Moto Z2 Play review

It feels like yesterday when I published a review of the Moto Z Droid. In reality, it was nine months ago. Time sure does fly. Over the past two months, the folks at Lenovo (Motorola) have introduced Version 2.0 of their Moto Z family of phones. Within the Moto Z family, Verizon offers consumers the most choices with seven models including the new Moto Z2 Play and Moto Z2 Force Edition. And Lenovo continues to work with third-party companies like Hasselblad and JBL to produce complementary products called Moto Mods. I had the pleasure of testing the Moto Z2 Play for a few weeks. How does the Moto Z2 Play fare against its predecessor or family members? Let’s find out in this Moto Z2 Play review.

Moto Z2 Play review

Pros:
• Beautiful, creative design
• Aluminum construction, attractive design
• Accepts Six Moto Mods accessories
• Battery life of 3000 mAh
• Quick battery charging time + TurboPower™

Cons:
• Cannot film in 4K (60 fps)
• It’s water repellent, not waterproof
• No Moto Maker
• No back panel, style shell additional

Read:   JAM Audio Xterior Max Speaker Review

Motorola Moto Z2 Play Review

As far as mid-tier Android phones go, this model is like those from other well-known brands. All have similar specifications with regards to the screen, CPU, and GPU. When compared to its predecessor, the Moto Z Play, there are mostly internal improvements like processing power, but there are a few back steps. Height and width are virtually unchanged. The physical differences are in thickness and weight. The Moto Z2 Play is a full 1 mm thinner. The Super AMOLED screen size remains the same at 5.5 Inches.

Moto Z Play:
• Height: 156.4 mm
• Width: 76.4 mm
• Depth: 6.99 mm
• Weight 165 grams

Moto Z2 Play:
• Height: 156.2 mm
• Width: 76.2 mm
• Depth: 5.99 mm
• Weight: 145 grams

Among reviewers, there’s been some discussion about the placement of the Moto Z2 Play’s power and volume buttons. For you left-handed users, this won’t matter one bit, but for you right-handed users, this is where a dispute arises. Many right-handed users won’t like how their thumb rests on the volume buttons. I would have preferred to have the power button up high, rather be in the third position. Anyhow, all of this discussion disappears when you use a case to protect your phone.

Moto Z2 Play review
Moto Z2 Play review

If you’re using a mobile phone holder, button placement is important. I use a Manfrotto mobile phone holder (and flexible tripod) with my mobile phones. This allows me to take better pictures and video of whatever interests me. Because you want to balance your phone, you’d place the holder along its center-line. With this mobile device, there’s no button interference.

Concerning the design, the aluminum chassis is slippery in my hands. The addition of a removable back panel shell adds some texture, but it isn’t enough. If you want to ensure the Moto Z2 Play stays in your hand, a protective case is a must.

There is one bonus by adding a Moto Style Shell, and that’s the wireless charging capability. Priced at $39.99, it’s 10 Watts of charging and works with Qi and PMA charging pads. Unfortunately, there are only two shell colors available.

Read:   Moshi Avanti Headphones Review

Z2 Play Design and Features

Like its predecessor, the Super AMOLED screen display on the Moto Z2 Play is a thing of beauty. And again like its predecessor, the display contains Corning® Gorilla® Glass. The only thing missing from this phone is Shattershield™. If you want this feature, you’ll have to pay more as it’s only available on the Moto Z2 Force Droid.

The phone comes with a 3.5 mm headphone jack and USB-C port. While I applaud this decision, there aren’t many headphones available with a USB-C connection just yet.

Moto Z2 Play review
Moto Z2 Play review

Speaking of charging, the battery size on the Moto Z2 Play is 3000 mAh. This is what you call a step back. You see, the Moto Z Play has a battery of 3510 mAh.

If you desire more battery life, you have three options. You can purchase one of two mods:

This mod will substantially provide extra battery life. They’ll also add weight and thickness to your device. The product has the added feature of being compatible with a wireless charging pad.

Storage and memory have stepped up nicely. With storage, the phone comes with either 32 or 64 GB on board with support up to 2 TB. Unfortunately, micro SD cards over 256 GB is are expensive. Like flagship mobile phones, this one incorporates memory of either 3 GB or 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM. See specs below.

Read:   Moto Z Droid Review - A Verizon Exclusive

Moto Z Play versus Moto Z2 Play

Moto Z Play:
• 2.0 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 625 processor with Octa-Core CPU and Adreno 506 GPU
• Android 7.11 Nougat OS
• 3GB LPDDR3 RAM
• 32GB, Micro SD Card support (up to 2 TB)
• 5.5” Super AMOLED, 1080P (1080 x 1920), 403 ppi, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
• Battery (3510 mAh) TurboPower™ for up to 9 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging
• LTE Category 13 uplink, Category 7 downlink
• 16 MP Rear Camera ƒ/2.0 aperture Phase Detect Auto-Focus (PDAF)
• 5 MP Front Camera ƒ/2.2 aperture Wide-Angle 85° lens
• Bluetooth version 4.0 LE; Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
• USB-C port, 3.5 mm headset port
• Moto Mods connector

Moto Z2 Play:
• 2.2 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 626 processor with Octa-Core CPU and Adreno 506 GPU
• Android 7.11 Nougat OS Current; Android 8.0 Oreo OS Fall 2017
• 3GB LPDDR3 RAM w/32GB Micro SD Card support (up to 2 TB) OR
• 4GB LPDDR3 RAM w/64GB Micro SD Card support (up to 2 TB)
• 5.5” AMOLED, 1080p HD (1920 x 1080), 401ppi, Corning® Gorilla® Glass
• Battery (3000 mAh) TurboPower™ for up to 8 hours of power in 15 minutes of charging
• LTE Category 13 uplink, Category 7 downlink
• 12 MP Rear Camera ƒ/1.7 aperture Phase Detect Auto-Focus (PDAF)
• 5 MP Front Camera ƒ/2.2 aperture Wide-Angle lens
• Bluetooth version 4.2 LE + EDR; Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
• USB 3.1 support, USB-C port, 3.5 mm headset port
• Moto Mods connector

Read:   Libratone One Click Speaker Review

Built-In Camera

If you didn’t notice from the specs comparison above, the rear camera size has decreased from 16 MP to 12 MP, but the aperture has increased to ƒ/1.7. This isn’t all bad news. How many of you were taking photos at 16 MP with the Moto Z Play? I certainly wasn’t, and part of my job description is to take photos for a living. The aperture on the front camera remains the same at 5 MP, but now has color correction dual LED flash.

Although we get laser autofocus, I don’t see optical image stabilization on the Moto Z2 Play. The latter feature appeals to many YouTube vloggers.

Moto Z2 Play review

After activating the camera, in this case, the rear camera, touch the camera icon in the lower right corner of the screen. This action pulls up a menu consisting of the following: Photo, Video, Panorama, Slow motion, and Professional mode. The latter is most exciting. You can choose to take a photo right off the bat, or you can open any of the five manual settings: Scene, White Balance, Timer, ISO (100-3200) and Exposure (-2 to +2). By adjusting any of the five settings, you can perfect your skills in the art of mobile photography.

On the main camera screen, there are icons for switching to the front camera, Flash, and Timer. Swiping your finger to the left and right yield different results. When you initially swipe right, another menu appears. It’s in this menu where you can adjust such items as photo and video size, along with quick capture. Swiping left takes you to the images you just captured. No longer do you need to go into Photos (or Gallery) to see them. If you don’t like the picture the camera just captured, you can modify it or simply delete it. It’s a time saver for sure.

Read:   Catalyst Introduces Waterproof Cases for iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2

Moto Mods

Moto Z Droid review

What makes the Moto Z family of phones stand out from its peers–a little something Moto Mods, and it’s a big deal. Nearly two years ago, LG introduced the G5, their flagship phone at the time. It was a disaster! After spending millions of dollars launching the product with commercials starring actor Jason Statham, sales have been weak, to put it mildly. And the reviews weren’t much better. The biggest problem with LG’s design was that their G5 was modular. Who wants to take apart a phone, right?

Lenovo (Motorola) took a different approach. They kept the phone intact, only allowing for the back shell to be removed. With this no-nonsense approach, Lenovo was able to reap those rewards that eluded LG. Lenovo has introduced a handful of mods for the Z2 Play. They are the following: Moto Style Shell, Moto Turbopower Pack, Moto Gamepad, JBL SoundBoost 2 speaker, the Insta-Share projector, and the Hasselblad True Zoom camera. The first three mods retail for $79.99 while the remaining two mods list for $299.99.

For the Moto Z Droid review, I had the pleasure of playing around with Hasselblad.

Moto Z Droid review

The Hasselblad True Zoom camera is quite the exciting product. With its 10x optical zoom, you’ll be able to take better, clearer photographs than before. Just place it onto the back side, the True Zoom mod magnetically snaps on and comes to life. With this mod, you’ll be to take photos at 12 MP and video in 1080P at 30 fps.

With the Hasselblad True Zoom camera mod on the Moto Z2 Play, you have the option to receive two images, JPEG and DNG, a RAW format. This added functionality comes in handy when you’re processing images in Adobe’s Photoshop. The downside to having this mod is that it doubles the size and weight of your Moto Z2 phone.

Lenovo provides a convenient carrying case for the phone and camera. It’s not only easy to carry around by hand, but it fits nicely into a back pocket, purse, or satchel (man purse.)

Moto Z Droid review

After spending $400 on the Moto Z2 Play, the purchase of a Hasselblad True Zoom camera mod for $299 (or less) is something you’ll have to ponder. My suggestion is to try out the camera mod at your local Verizon store, then decide.

Read:   Caseco Shock Express Metallic Case, Core 360, and Mountie Car Mount Review

Final Thoughts

The Moto Z2 Play is a minor step to the Moto Z Play. There are slight camera improvements, but a drop in battery size, thus life. Plus, the missing back panel shell is a problem I found difficult to overlook on either Play model. Even with this said, it’s still a contender for your dollars against other mid-tier mobile phones that use Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 series processors. Plus, no other brand has modular devices like the Moto Z2 family.

While the Moto Z2 Play comes with some unnecessary bloatware, it’s easily removable. Oddly enough, the phone doesn’t come with Google Now Launcher pre-installed. Adding this should be one of the first things you do when activating this phone.

What do you think of this Motorola Moto Z2 Play review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Moto US on Twitter
• Follow Moto US on Facebook
• Follow Moto US on Instagram

• Follow Beantown on Twitter
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• Follow Beantown on Instagram

The Moto Z2 Play Android smartphone comes with a one-year limited end-user warranty. If you’re looking for the User Guide, it can be downloaded here. Don’t hesitate to head over to the Motorola website to see their latest equipment.

FTC Disclosure: Verizon Wireless provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Moto Z2 Play smartphone for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC © 2017.

Read:   Game of Thrones Season 7 Release Date Announced for Blu-ray/DVD

Moto Z2 Play review

Filed Under: Phones Phablets Tablets Tagged With: Android, Moto Z, Moto Z Play, Moto Z2 Play, smartphone, Verizon 09/20/2017

Speck Ruck Backpack Review

09/18/2017 By Hakan Can

Speck Ruck Backpack

It’s official. Summer 2017 is over, and with that, Back-to-School Shopping Season is behind us as well. Speck, the best-selling mobile phone case maker in the United States, just released their latest line of protective laptop backpacks for 2017. These four new school bags: 3 Pointer, Candlepin, Module, and The Ruck, offer something different for nearly everyone, and at a price point to please. So without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Speck Ruck Backpack review.

[envira-gallery id=”9294″]

Introducing the Speck Ruck Backpack for 2017

Press Release

Per the Speck Products press release, “Speck’s 2017 Backpacks are durable, stylish, and ready to go with you to class or on your next adventure. Each bag fits up to a 15-inch laptop and has a sleeve to protect and secure a tablet. For all of your other gear, each bag features plenty of space and pockets to keep you organized.”

Read:   Speck Module Backpack Review
[envira-gallery id=”9295″]

The Ruck Backpack

“With two compartments, several pockets, and dedicated sleeves for a laptop and tablet, The Ruck gives you enough storage space for everything you need to carry.” The folks at Speck aren’t kidding about the “storage space.”

In our testing, we placed a 13″ laptop in the lined sleeve where a 12″ tablet is supposed to go with no effort necessary. Simultaneously, we securely put a 15″ laptop and multiple books, big and small, in the main compartment of the Speck Ruck backpack with room to spare. The front face of the bag has a zippered pocket for glasses and in-ear headphones with another, this time larger and hidden, for longer items. The tablet compartment has one open sleeve in addition to the tablet sleeve, one zippered sleeve for a wallet, holders for three pens, and carabiner for your keys. Each side is capable of holding a water bottle.

  • Available Color Patterns: Khaki, Charcoal Grey
  • Padded laptop sleeve protects your 15″ laptop in case of drops.
  • Interior tablet sleeve secures and protects a 10-12″ tablet or e-reader.
  • Front pocket keeps cables, phone, and other small items handy.
  • Side water bottle pockets, one per side. Not elasticized.
  • Mesh foam strap and lower back padding provides superior comfort.
  • Hangar hook and padded top handle offer easy and comfortable transport.
  • The contoured design makes it comfortable to carry.
  • Standard zippers have oversize drawstrings.
  • Dimensions: Currently not available.
  • Weight: Currently not available.
  • Warranty: 3 Years
  • MSRP $49.99
[envira-gallery id=”9283″]
Read:   The Best Speck CandyShell iPhone 6/6s Cases of 2016

Final Thoughts

With all its features, the Ruck laptop backpack from Speck delivers plenty of bang for the buck with its stylish, urban commuter design. When compared to similar packs, I believe the $50 price tag is quite fair. The colors are perfect for the Fall 2017 season.

If you’re a 20 or 30-something urban or suburban commuter or some chap who likes to accessorize with a great-looking product, I believe you’ll be very pleased with The Ruck. If you take great care of it, don’t be surprised when this backpack lasts you a decade or more.

Read:   Speck Back To School Backpacks for 2017 Preview

What do you think of this Speck Ruck backpack review? Do you agree or disagree that this is one of the better laptop backpacks for boys and girls for Fall 2017? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Speck on Twitter
• Follow Speck on Facebook
• Follow Speck on Instagram

• Follow Beantown on Twitter
• Follow Beantown on Facebook
• Follow Beantown on Instagram

Don’t hesitate to head over to the Speck’s press page or blog to see their latest product announcements. To learn more about customer service and support, click here.

All four Speck back to school 2017 book bags are currently available on the Speck website with a minimal $5 two-day shipping fee. And all come with a limited three-year warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Speck provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Ruck laptop backpack sample in charcoal grey for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Speck Products or Beantown LLC © 2017.

Read:   Moshi Helios Lite Designer Backpack Review
[envira-gallery id=”8774″]

Filed Under: Apparel & Bags Tagged With: back to school, back to school 2017, Laptop Backpack, Laptop Bag, Speck, The Ruck 09/18/2017

Speck Module Backpack Review

09/17/2017 By Hakan Can

Speck Module Backpack

Summer is nearly over, and with that said, Back-to-School Shopping Season begins. Speck, the best-selling mobile phone case maker in the United States, just released their latest line of protective laptop backpacks for 2017. These four new school bags: 3 Pointer, Candlepin, Module, and The Ruck, offer something different for nearly everyone, and at a price point to please. So without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Speck Module Backpack review.

[envira-gallery id=”9173″]

Introducing the Speck Module Backpack for 2017

Press Release

Per the Speck Products press release, “Speck’s 2017 Backpacks are durable, stylish, and ready to go with you to class or on your next adventure. Each bag fits up to a 15-inch laptop and has a sleeve to protect and secure a tablet. For all of your other gear, each bag features plenty of space and pockets to keep you organized.”

Read:   The Best Speck CandyShell iPhone 6/6s Cases of 2016
Speck Module Backpack
Speck Module Backpack

Module Backpack

“You’ll stay organized with the Module backpack. It features several pockets to store everything you carry each day, from notebooks and pens, to cables, chargers, and your favorite tech.”

The folks at Speck aren’t kidding. In our testing, we placed a 10″ Android tablet, a large 15″ laptop, two 600-page books, and a coffee table book, in the main compartment of the Module backpack with room to spare. Each side is capable of holding a water bottle, with a third able to be placed into the long front pocket. Don’t need three water bottles–that’s fine. Use the long pocket for a compact umbrella in the event of rain. The remaining two front pockets are perfect for cables, chargers, and in-ear headphones.

  • Available Color Patterns: Black
  • Laptop sleeve protects your 15″ laptop in case of drops.
  • Tablet sleeve secures and protects a 10-12″ tablet or e-reader.
  • Elasticized water bottle pockets, one on each side.
  • Front pockets keep cables, phone, and other small items handy.
  • Eyeglasses pocket provides protection from scratches.
  • Padded shoulder straps keep you comfortable.
  • Large zippers have oversize drawstrings.
  • Polyester exterior for durability.
  • Dimensions: Currently not available.
  • Weight: Currently not available.
  • Warranty: 3 Years
  • MSRP $39.99
[envira-gallery id=”9172″]
Read:   Moshi Helios Lite Designer Backpack Review

Final Thoughts

With all its features, the Module laptop backpack from Speck delivers plenty of bang for the buck with its tech-savvy, camouflaged trimmed design. When compared to other backpacks for teens and the college-aged crowd, I believe the $40 price tag is quite fair. It’s perfect for the Back-to-School 2017 season.

If you’re a 20-something urban or suburban commuter or some chap who likes to accessorize with a great-looking product, I believe you’ll be very pleased with Module. If you take great care of it, don’t be surprised when this backpack lasts you a decade or more. It’s made that well.

Read:   Moshi Mythro Air Earphones Review

What do you think of this Speck Module backpack review? Do you agree or disagree that this is one of the better laptop backpacks for boys and girls for Fall 2017? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Speck on Twitter
• Follow Speck on Facebook
• Follow Speck on Instagram

• Follow Beantown on Twitter
• Follow Beantown on Facebook
• Follow Beantown on Instagram

Don’t hesitate to head over to the Speck’s press page or blog to see their latest product announcements. To learn more about customer service and support, click here.

All four Speck back to school 2017 book bags are currently available on the Speck website with a minimal $5 two-day shipping fee. And all come with a limited three-year warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Speck provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Module laptop backpack sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Speck Products or Beantown LLC © 2017.

Read:   Introducing the Targus Mobile ViP Collection - Premium Laptop Cases

Filed Under: Apparel & Bags Tagged With: back to school, back to school 2017, backpack, Laptop Backpack, Speck 09/17/2017

Game of Thrones Season 7 Release Date Announced for Blu-ray/DVD

09/15/2017 By Hakan Can

Game of Thrones Season 7 release date

Available this December on store shelves and online everywhere comes HBO’s Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season. The Game of Thrones Season 7 release date is set for December 12, 2017. Pricing is set at $74.99 and $59.99 for the 7-episode complete seventh season on Blu-ray™ + Digital HD and DVD boxed sets, respectively. Both sets are available for pre-order. Can’t wait until December? Come September 25th, Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season will be available on Digital HD, priced at $38.99 (HD) and $28.99 (SD).Game of Thrones Season 7 release date

You can order Game of Thrones: The Complete 7th Season along with the previous six seasons at any of these digital stores:

  • Apple’s iTunes Store
  • Amazon Video
  • Google’s Play Store
  • Sony’s PlayStation Store
  • Vudu
Read:   Game of Thrones Season 6 Release Date Announced for Blu-ray/DVD

From the minds of Creator George R.R. Martin and Showrunners/Executive Producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss comes HBO’s Game of Thrones.

GIVEAWAY

From 11 PM Sept 27 to 11:45 PM October 3, 2017, we’re giving away two (2) download codes of Game of Thrones Season 7 on Digital HD. If you want to enter the giveaway, you can do so by clicking the preceding link. Don’t forget to read the Rules and be in compliance with them. Good luck.

HBO’s Game of Thrones Season 7 Release Date is Set for December 12, 2017

PRESS RELEASE

Per the Home Box Office press release: “The latest season of Game of Thrones featured the most-watched premiere and finale episodes in HBO history, and the series remains the most-awarded drama series in Emmy® history, with 109 nominations to date and winning the 2015 and 2016 trophy for Best Drama Series. ”

“In Season 7, Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail for Westeros with her armies, dragons and new Hand of the Queen, Tyrion Lannister. Jon Snow has been named King in the North after defeating Ramsay Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards and returning Winterfell to House Stark. In King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister has seized the Iron Throne by incinerating the High Sparrow, his followers and her rivals in the Sept of Baelor. But as old alliances fracture and new ones emerge, an army of dead men marches on the Wall, threatening to end the game of thrones forever.”

“Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, the seventh season of this hit Emmy®-winning fantasy features returning series regulars Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark).”

Read:   Game of Thrones Season 5 Release Date Announced for Blu-ray/DVD

Season 7 Official Trailer

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 7 EPISODE INFORMATION

  • Episode 701 – Dragonstone
  • Episode 702 – Stormborn
  • Episode 703 – The Queen’s Justice
  • Episode 704 – The Spoils of War
  • Episode 705 – Eastwatch
  • Episode 706 – Beyond the Wall
  • Episode 707 – The Dragon and the Wolf

CAST INFORMATION

  • Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
  • Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister
  • Nikolaj Coster-Waidau as Jaime Lannister
  • Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth
  • Ian Glen as Jorah Mormont
  • Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth
  • Kit Harrington as Jon Snow
  • Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
  • Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
  • Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen
  • Conleth Hill as Varys
  • Pilou Asbaek as Euron Greyjoy
  • Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
  • Aidan Gillen as Peter Baelish
Read:   HBO's The Young Pope Season 1 Review

DIGITAL HD EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURE

“Available September 25th, the Digital Download release for Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season includes an exclusive new “Creating the North and Beyond” featurette that takes fans behind the scenes of Jon Snow’s epic trek north of The Wall and his latest battle with the Night King’s army.”

  • Creating the North and Beyond- Behind-the-scenes featurette delving into the massive undertaking of creating and filming the battle in Episode 6 of Season 7.

BLU-RAY™ & DVD EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES

Game of Thrones Season 7 release date“Available December 12th, The Blu-ray™ and DVD sets are packed with exclusive new bonus content including audio commentaries on every episode, two new behind-the-scenes featurettes, and, for a limited time only, a bonus disc containing Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms, a 45-minute, never-before-seen extension of the Clio Award-winning History & Lore features included on previous individual Blu-ray™ season releases. Narrated by some of the series’ biggest stars including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), the companion piece to season 7 reveals the fascinating story of how the world of Westeros as we know it came to be– including what happened the last time a Targaryen invaded the realm!”

  • Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms – From the Game of Thrones realm comes the never-before-seen story of the tumultuous events that shaped the world of Westeros for thousands of years before the series start. Cast members Pilou Asbæk (Euron Greyjoy), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger), Conleth Hill (Varys), Harry Lloyd (Viserys Targaryen) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) team up to narrate the animated telling of Aegon Targaryen’s attempts to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, written by show writer Dave Hill.
  • From Imagination to Reality: Inside the Art Department – Extensive two-part featurette detailing the astonishing work of Production Designer Deborah Riley and her Art Department, dissecting the process behind the creation of this season’s incredible new sets, including Dragonstone, Casterly Rock, Highgarden, the Dragonpit, and more.
  • Fire & Steel: Creating the Invasion of Westeros – Revisit this season’s most pivotal moments with this behind-the-scenes featurette, including interviews with key cast and crew breaking down how fans’ favorite moments were created.
  • Audio Commentaries – Commentaries on every episode with cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Jacob Anderson, Gwendoline Christie, Liam Cunningham, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, and more.

BLU-RAY™ EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES

Game of Thrones Season 7 release date

  • Histories and Lore – 7 new animated pieces that give the history and background of notable season 7 locations and storylines including The Dragonpit, Highgarden, Prophecies of the Known World, the Rains of Castamere and more all narrated by cast members including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillen, Iain Glen and more.
  • In-Episode Guides – In-feature resource that provides background information about on-screen characters and locations.

Game of Thrones: The Complete First through Sixth Seasons are currently available on HBO GO and HBO NOW.

All photos and video are the courtesy and property of HBO Home Entertainment.

Read:   Silicon Valley Season 3 Release Date Announced for Digital HD

Filed Under: Blu-Ray Releases Tagged With: Blu-Ray, Digital HD, DVD, Game of Thrones 02/12/2018

Moshi Helios Lite Designer Backpack Review

09/14/2017 By Hakan Can

Moshi Helios Lite backpack review

Nearly one month ago to the day, Moshi, the west coast maker of premium backpacks and bags, headphones, protective cases, and other digital lifestyle products, introduced their Autumn/Winter 2017 bag collection. With Autumn right around the corner across Europe and North America, what better opportunity than now to review their latest offerings. So without further delay, let’s take a closer look at one of the three recently released products in this Moshi Helios Lite backpack review.

Moshi Helios Lite backpack review

Pros:
• Well constructed modern design
• Durable fabrics and weather-resistant materials
• Fashion and technology conscious design
• Four beautiful color schemes

Cons:
• Designed solely for women
• Cannot hold a 15″ laptop*
• $120 price may be deemed high by some

Read:   Moshi Costa Travel Bag Review

Moshi Helios Lite Backpack Review

If you’re familiar with this website, then you know that after doing a dozen reviews on Moshi products, we’re fans of this lifestyle brand.

Per the press release: “Moshi is excited to introduce its A/W 2017 bag collection featuring the Urbana briefcase, Helios Lite backpack and Costa travel satchel in two new colors: Slate Black and Sandstone Beige.”

“Whether it’s the twill-patterned Earth color option reminiscent of sturdy tweed jackets or the silky Coal color option with a luxurious herringbone pattern, Moshi’s new seasonal bag collection adds both class and sophistication to the everyday carry.”

[envira-gallery id=”9218″]

A Stylish Backpack for the Younger Business Woman

Once again, I’ve done something different for this review. I had no choice but to enlist the help of others. As I’m not the target consumer for this fashion backpack (being a guy and all), I needed a woman’s perspective and a younger one at that. So I asked and received the assistance of my friend Smiley (I won’t disclose her actual name) on the review of this designer backpack. Photos of her sporting the Helios Lite are sprinkled above and below.

First impressions are important, and the ones I received from her were excellent. When Smiley first saw this fashion backpack via Moshi’s website, she was impressed and wished she had one. If you saw this product online, what would your first impression be?

Moshi Helios Lite backpack review

To present the proper perspective on the Helios Lite backpack, it must be compared to similar fashion packs from the likes of Grafea, Kelly Moore, Vinta, just to name a few. Visit any of the brands’ websites and you’ll see that Helios/Helios Lite stack up well against them. You’ll notice similarities and you should since they’re all designer backpacks. It turns out that the quality and craftsmanship of their products is a non-issue. Along with more features, what you’ll see is a much better price, and to the high majority of us, that’s a deciding factor. Pretty much everything the others manufacture is over $200.

I welcome you to compare Moshi’s bags and backpacks to those more expensive brands. Only then will you know you’ve found the right bag or backpack for you.

Moshi Helios Lite backpack review

Read:   Moshi Arcus Camera Backpack Review

On The Outside

You probably noticed that the Helios Lite laptop backpack for women is made from the same high-resilience polyester materials with the same weather-resistant surface treatment that appear on most, if not all of Moshi’s 2016 and 2017 bag collections. The similarities don’t end there. The Slate Black and Sandstone Beige colors that now grace the Urbana briefcase and Costa travel bag appear on this product as well.

On the front, you’ll see one left-to-right zipper with black vegan leather trim plus two faux-adjustable straps with magnetic snap latches. This 5″ x 9″ zippered pocket is a perfect place to store (sun)glasses and in-ear headphones like the Vortex Air. You can’t help but notice this zipper stand out. The metal handle is rounded with a stamped or engraved ‘moshi’ logo. Like the one on the rear, this rounded handle offers a contrast to the 90-degree angles of the bag, as well as to the square metal ‘moshi’ logo located on the lower right front of the Helios Lite.

[envira-gallery id=”9223″]

On the rear of this 11.2″ x 3.9″ x 15.1″ designer backpack is one top-to-bottom zippered 8″ x 9″ hidden pocket. If you want to hide those items that’ll make you most upset if lost or stolen (identification cards, wallet, passport, etc.), then I suggest this pocket is where you hide them. What’s truly magical is a portion of the metal handle can be tucked away. Although you barely notice it, it’s a wonderful addition to the backpack.

One can’t forget the long, durable, padded, and adjustable shoulder straps. Each shoulder strap has two attachment points for items like a padlock or carabiner. Wrapping up the exterior is the thick vegan leather coat rack handle. What you don’t see on this backpack are water bottle holders or a cross-body strap, and I for one believe this is a good thing.

And finally, we come to the underside which has a durable and hardened surface with padding behind it to protect contents against drops.

Moshi Helios Lite backpack review

As stated in the past Moshi reviews, “The zippers and straps are of high-quality, and the stitching is put together well.” As this product dates back to CES 2016, this fashion backpack is now available in four color patterns. (Sky Blue and Titanium Gray are its original colors.)

Read:   Moshi Aerio Messenger Bag Review

What’s On The Inside

Just like it’s big sister Helios, the interior of the Helios Lite is broken down into three compartments. Directly underneath the top front flap, the first compartment is capable of holding a 10″ iPad or tablet, plus a notebook. It’s accented with black vegan leather trim.

The next two compartments are within the bag’s wide-mouth opening. One is a thickly padded laptop compartment which protects your 13″ laptop in case of drops. The second is wide and deep. Internally on the front side, there’s a zippered pocket for your most sacred items, i.e., wallet, passport, etc., plus three loose pockets for items like a pen, a toothbrush, USB cables, or a Moshi IonBank 5K.

On the opposite side of the laptop compartment are two equally sized padded pockets running just under half the height of the pack. Each pocket is capable of holding one large mobile device. In the middle, feel free to pack some clothing, gloves, headphones, and lunch. We were surprised how much we could place in here while maintaining the backpack’s appearance. There’s also an adjustable strap down low to tighten or loosen the 4″ width of the pack.

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The lining of this Moshi bag is luxurious, and it’s throughout their 2017 lineup. On this particular model, the lining is dark gray.

This bag weighs 25.74 oz and as stated earlier, has dimensions of 11.2″ x 3.9″ x 15.1″. For you Metric System users, the weight is 0.73 kilograms, and its dimensions are 28.5 x 10 x 38.5 cm.

Read:   Moshi Vacanza Weekend Travel Bag Review

Final Thoughts

The Moshi Helios Lite backpack delivers much with its feature-rich, fashion approach. Whether you’re a fashion-conscious Instagrammer girl or a young urban professional who likes to accessorize with a great-looking product, I believe you’ll be quite pleased with the Helios Lite. Smiley sure is.

All four color patterns of the Helios Lite are available for purchase on either Amazon (see link below) and the Moshi website.

Based on everything above, Moshi’s Helios Lite is one beautiful designer laptop backpack which fits nicely within the A/W 2017 bag Collection. If your needs steer you to something larger, then I direct you to Moshi’s Helios*.

The Moshi Helios Lite backpack delivers much with its feature-rich, fashion approach. Click To Tweet

Moshi Helios Lite backpack review

Read:   Moshi Urbana Briefcase Review

What do you think of this Moshi Helios Lite backpack review? Do you agree or disagree that this is one of the best fashion backpacks for women in 2017? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Moshi press page to see their latest product announcements. To learn more about service and support, click here for their Support page. There’s a one-year limited warranty on all Moshi products. There’s also an extended warranty via product registration. We highly advise you take advantage of this.

FTC Disclosure: Moshi provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Helios Lite laptop backpack sample (in slate black) for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown and Moshi © 2017.

Read:   Moshi Avanti Headphones Review

Filed Under: Apparel & Bags Tagged With: backpack, Designer Backpack, Fashion Backpack, Laptop Backpack, Laptop Bag, Moshi 09/26/2018

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