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It's no secret Snapchat is confusing to use. In fact, when Snap, the social media app's parent company, released its IPO filing documents earlier this month, the app's confusing user interface was listed as one of the risk factors for investors.
Lo and behold, on Friday, Snap released the user manual many bewildered Snapchatters (or their parents) have been asking for. It came in the form of a video, labeled "Snapchat Product Overview," in its "roadshow" materials -- the stuff it uses to convince potential investors to buy in.
"Making a Snap is simple," a friendly-voiced narrator says in the video as he takes more than eight and a half minutes to explain the app.
Among the things the video covers: how to record a video, how to use lenses and how to use a geofilter.
Watch the whole thing here.
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Batteries Not Included: The CNET team shares experiences that remind us why tech stuff is cool.
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GoPro Hero puts core features in a familiar package for $199
GoPro Hero puts core features in a familiar package for $199
GoPro's new Hero camera looks just like the company's Hero5 and Hero6 cameras, and that's no accident.
Despite being an entry-level model, the Hero shares key design features with its higher-end linemates, namely a 2-inch touchscreen and a rugged body that's waterproof without the need for a polycarbonate housing.
That's something GoPro didn't do with its last Hero, which had little to offer beyond good video quality and a low price. And while the price of the new model is $70 more at $199 (£199, AU$299), those design features apparently mean a lot to potential buyers.
"Our research and feedback shows consumers really like having a touchscreen, so we wanted to give people that familiar experience at an entry-level price, and Hero satisfies both," said a GoPro spokeswoman. Being waterproof to 30 feet (10 meters) without a housing is also a huge selling point for GoPro's cameras, she said.
So where does that leave the company's other $199 camera, the tiny cube-shaped Hero5 Session? It's going away. The Session will continue to be sold at retailers through the first half of 2018, but is no longer available on GoPro.com. Basically, as happens with other discontinued cameras, retailers will sell through what's available, but once it's gone, it's gone.
That's a shame since the Session definitely has an edge on the Hero when it comes to the camera's capabilities. GoPro kept the Hero's shooting options to a bare minimum:
Record video at 1080p or 1440p at 60 or 30 frames per second (fps) in MP4 at 60Mbps
Snap 10-megapixel photos
Burst shoot at 10fps
Capture time-lapse photos and video at 0.5-second intervals
If you just read that list and wondered why there's no 4K or slow-mo options for video or raw capture or low-light settings for photos, this camera isn't for you. The Hero is aimed squarely at casual and first-time users who want to shoot and share experiences they can't grab with a phone.
The new Hero has a 2-inch touchscreen on back like the Hero5 Black (pictured).
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The shooting options might be lean, but to help balance things out, GoPro added voice controls and electronic video stabilization. Plus, with the built-in Wi-Fi, you can send clips straight to your phone as soon as you stop recording and have them instantly turned into an edited video with GoPro's mobile app.
At the start of the year, GoPro dropped the price of its premium model, the Hero6 Black, from $499 to $399. The addition of the $199 Hero along with the $299 Hero5 Black ($445 at Amazon) moves GoPro's plan forward to return to a good, better, best product strategy.
"What we've learned is people want 'good, better, best' options from us. So with the new Hero we now have cameras that are characteristically GoPro -- durable, waterproof, cool design -- with feature sets for every level of user."
The GoPro Hero is available today at retailers and direct from GoPro.
First published March 29, 10:00 a.m. PT.
Update, 4:30 p.m.: Adds information on Hero5 Session.
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Does the Mac still matter? Apple execs explain why the MacBook Pro was over four years in the making, and why we should care
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3 Things Samsung Can Learn From the Huawei P50 Pocket
3 Things Samsung Can Learn From the Huawei P50 Pocket
The Huawei P50 Pocket is the sort of phone that will turn heads. Not only is it a foldable flip phone, but its unique patterned finish makes it feel part tech gadget, part fashion accessory. It has a different appeal that makes it stand out among other foldable phones out today. Huawei might not be able to sell the P50 Pocket in the US due to ongoing government restrictions, but it has several features that could be adopted by other flip phones we can buy.
I've been using the P50 Pocket for the past month with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 to see what the next generation of flip phones like the Flip 4 could take on board. The P50 Pocket starts at 1,299 euros (equivalent to $1,400, £1,080 and AU$1,910) but the premium gold finish on the model I've been using costs an eye-watering 1,599 euros. There's a joke here about needing deep pockets, but I'll let that one slide for now.
It's important to note that Huawei's phones can't use Google apps and services, which means no Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube or the Play Store. This puts it at an immediate disadvantage compared to other Android flip phones available today, including Samsung's phones and the Motorola Razr. Instead, it runs Huawei's EMUI 12 operating system, which is based on an open-source version of Android. There's also no 5G connectivity, a huge downside for a phone released in 2022 -- especially at this price.
It would be remiss to not mention how visually appealing this phone is, particularly in the gold etched edition.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
The P50 Pocket screen reduces the crease… and glare
Huawei's phone has a seamless hinge, the same design Motorola used on the 2020 Razr, so there's no gap between the screen when you snap it shut. There's less room for dust and debris to settle in the gap. The crease is also less prominent than on Samsung's phone, both to the eye and to the touch. When scrolling apps or web pages, I've noticed it gets under my thumb far less than the crease on the Z Flip 3. To be fair, after a few days I definitely don't notice the crease as much on the Z Flip 3, but in certain lighting conditions and when watching videos or movies, it suddenly pops back into view.
The P50 Pocket's screen is also less reflective than the Z Flip and that's something I hope Samsung really does take into consideration in the design of its next flip phone. The P50 Pocket is easier to see outside, not because of its maximum screen brightness, but because there's not as much glare thanks to the anti-reflective coating.
The P50 Pocket is easier to see outside.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
There are, of course, compromises with the hinge on the P50 Pocket as it doesn't stay open as easily as the Z Flip 3. Most native apps also aren't optimized for split screen mode either, unlike Samsung's phone.
It would be remiss to not mention how visually appealing this phone is, particularly in the gold etched edition. It's ostentatious in all the right ways and really nice to see a manufacturer taking risks with a finish like this. I also love the aesthetics of the circular display, especially how its size mirrors that of the camera module. Sometimes I look at the phone and see two googly eyes staring back, which is just fun and something I can't say about the Z Flip 3's display. Sure it's more practical for reading text notifications, but just doesn't have the same wow factor.
Googly eyes sorta included.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
You don't sacrifice camera quality on this flip phone
Camera features we take for granted today, like ultra-wide lenses, larger image sensors and low light performance, owe a lot to earlier Huawei phones like the P20 Pro and P30 Pro. Even though the P50 Pocket's cameras lack the headline-grabbing features its predecessors had, they do show that you don't need to compromise on image quality when choosing a flip phone.
The P50 Pro's main wide-angle camera has better dynamic range than the Z Flip 3. I noticed it most when taking landscapes as you can see it retains more detail in highlight areas, like the sky in the image comparison below. It also performs better for low-light shots and for video recording on the main camera at 4K/60fps.
Even at a reduced resolution you can see the P50 Pocket has better dynamic range in this shot as less detail is lost in the highlight areas in the sky.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Colors on the P50 Pocket also look more natural than the Z Flip 3, which tends to over-saturate images on default settings. That's more of a personal preference than anything, but I generally preferred the images straight out of the Huawei phone. There's also a macro mode that really lets you get up close on the P50 Pocket and the ultra-wide camera has autofocus, which the Z Flip 3 lacks.
Also, the 40-megapixel sensor on the P50 Pocket lets you want to take even higher resolution images if you choose. That said, these photos don't look as good or as sharp as its 10-megapixel shots.
A bigger battery will last you the entire day
The P50 Pocket comes with a 4,000-mAh battery, a higher capacity than the dual 3,300-mAh batteries on the Z Flip 3. In my colleague Patrick Holland's review, he noted that the Z Flip 3's battery life was one of the more significant downsides. With three or four hours of screen-on time using the 120Hz display, he needed to charge the phone after 11 hours.
So the P50 Pocket's bigger battery will let you go a bit longer between charges and the phone also supports 40-watt wired charging. You do need to have the Huawei SuperCharge charger to take advantage, but even with my regular 25-watt adapter I was able to juice up the P50 Pocket from flat to full in a little over an hour. I found myself really missing this faster charging when I switched back to the Z Flip 3 that maxes out at 15 watts.
The P50 Pocket also has the option of expandable storage up to 256GB via nano memory card, which is a huge advantage for people like me who like to take lots of photos and videos.
But the P50 Pocket isn't a slam dunk… yet
Apart from the obvious issues around availability and its incredibly high price, there are several things the P50 Pocket doesn't do as well as Samsung's flip phone. The Z Flip 3 is rated IPX8 which means you can dunk it in up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water for up to 30 minutes. Naturally I had to test this claim for myself and spoiler alert: the phone survived. Even eight months later, I'm still using the Z Flip 3 I submerged in both fresh and chlorinated water, with no issues to report.
With the P50 Pocket, there isn't a water resistance or durability rating whatsoever. I only used the phone for a month and have been pretty careful with it during that time, but there's no way to tell how it will fare long-term -- or if I end up dropping or dunking it accidentally.
Then there's connectivity. The P50 Pocket only supports 4G LTE which is one of the biggest issues considering its price. If you're thinking of holding on to your phone for several years this could be more of a downside than you might think, especially as 5G connectivity continues to roll out across the world. Huawei's EMUI also has a significantly higher learning curve than I'd like, particularly when it comes to its aggressive battery management.
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iPad Air 2022 Review: M1 Is a Very, Very Nice Addition
iPad Air 2022 Review: M1 Is a Very, Very Nice Addition
I'm surrounded by iPads. My family uses them all the time. Personally, I alternate between iPad and laptop. So it has been, so it shall be. I've wanted the iPad to be a Mac tablet for years. The iPad has crept incrementally closer with keyboard and trackpad support and with now the same M1 processor as the MacBook Air, but that still doesn't mean your iPad is now a Mac.
It does, however, mean that the latest iPad Air has a very, very nice processor and that it's lovely and speedy. It has the same design as the iPad Air revamp in 2020, and the redesigned iPad Mini last fall. But what are that speedy processor and the more iPad Pro/iPad Mini-like design (larger screen, less bezel, USB-C, Pencil 2 support) worth to you?
The middle iPad in Apple's lineup has come at a weird time. The entry-level iPad and iPad Mini were refreshed last fall, and the year-old iPad Pro, which has the same M1 processor as this but costs more, came out a whole year ago. This makes the Air the best high-end iPad for its price. And if you're looking to treat yourself to an excellent iPad that feels future-proof for a while, at least as far as its processor goes, this may seem like the choice.
The iPad Air: Pencil not included.
Scott Stein/CNET
But it's not that simple. The 10.2-inch iPad really does a lot of the same things, for a lot less money. Its screen's a bit smaller, the A13 processor is less powerful, perhaps, and yes, it has a Lightning port, not USB-C. But it works with keyboard cases, it uses that first-gen Pencil and it's all pretty much fine. That basic iPad still probably makes the most sense for casual users. As for portability, it's nearly the same size (with more screen bezel).
The Air's key advantages over the entry-level iPad: USB-C, a faster processor, a slightly larger screen, better stereo speakers, compatibility with the second-gen Pencil stylus that magnetically clips to the iPad's side (sold separately) and also with Apple's very nice and expensive Magic Keyboard case, which has its own trackpad (also sold separately).
I'd love to see those features make it to the entry-level iPad, but instead, Apple makes you pay up for them. So, that's your choice.
And keep in mind that there are extras. Add in some of these accessories, or a case (also sold separately), and bump up the storage (the included 64GB for $599 isn't enough, so you'll want the 256GB version for $750), and you're going to end up with a nearly thousand-dollar iPad after tax. (It starts at £569 in the UK and AU$929 in Australia.)
Also consider that last year's iPad Pro is technically even better, even if its advantages are relatively minor (better rear cameras, lidar for some 3D depth scanning/AR, smoother refresh rate display, extra speakers and a USB-C port that has faster Thunderbolt 4 data throughput). If that iPad Pro from 2021 is ever on sale for the same price as this Air, snap it up. Or, maybe, wait.
iPad (left), iPad Air (middle), iPad Pro (right). Sometimes it's hard to see the differences.
Scott Stein/CNET
What's missing? Not much, except for the camera placement
Living with this iPad Air for part of the last week, I just don't miss anything that the iPad Pro has. I can try to miss those things, but those extras are way too niche for most people. At 10.9 inches, this is a perfect iPad screen size. Small enough to be portable, big enough for browsing and typing, a decent canvas for sketching and two-app multitasking works pretty well, if you play with the limited split-view options.
The display looks great, even if it's not Mini LED, and lacks that faster refresh 120Hz that the latest iPhone Pro and iPad Pro have.
The one thing I do miss, though? The front camera being off to the side. Apple insists on its iPads having cameras in the same portrait orientation layout as iPhones, instead of putting them on the longer edge so it would be centered in keyboard-attached "laptop" mode. Putting the camera along the longer edge would be the correct placement: the Studio Display monitor added Apple's Center Stage zooming camera, but there, it's in the right place. It kills me to do video calls on this iPad, with its excellent camera, and see my face off-center. No other iPad right now is any different, and all current models have that zooming Center Stage camera tech.
The Magic Keyboard is great, but iPadOS is still limited in how flexible it can be.
Scott Stein/CNET
So, hey, it's not really a laptop, though
This is the thing: Just like last year's iPad Pro, which also got this same M1 chip, Apple hasn't flipped the switch on making iPadOS and MacOS merge. They're slowly sharing more in common, and iPads can work well with keyboards and mice and trackpads, but an iPad is just not the same thing as a Mac or PC. If you're really interested in an iPad that can feel a bit nicer and more laptoplike, and you want that second-gen Pencil that can snap to the side easily to charge, this is your upgrade. But for most people, the basic iPad, while unexciting, is still nearly as versatile and also less expensive.
That feeling extends to my thoughts on the M1 processor here. The performance is the same as last year's iPad Pro, and also the MacBook Air and Mini with the entry M1 processor. The new iPad Air is really fast and has great graphics punch, but the difference between the M1 and the A14 chip doesn't feel as dramatic as the leap the Macs got by going to the M1 in late 2020.
The iPad Pro has dual rear cameras and lidar. Those are among the few unique advantages it has over the iPad Air. Seen here: iPad (gray), iPad Air (blue), iPad Pro (silver).
Scott Stein/CNET
What about the iPad Pro?
Apple hasn't updated the iPad Pro since last spring, and it remains a mystery when it will happen. Will you want the extra power and possibly improved display that could offer? Will Apple push it even further into feeling like a Mac? Unknown, unknown. But if you're spending this much for an iPad Air and are craving the possibility of a fancier iPad (and have the money), wait.
5G: Same as the iPad Mini, not exactly the same as the iPad Pro or iPhone
I tried the optional 5G cellular on the Air, a new addition. The Mini and the iPad Pro and iPhone already have 5G. The cellular-equipped models cost $150 extra, data plan not included. It's true that 5G in most places isn't much faster than LTE, but having the option could make a difference for some. It's still weird that MacBooks don't have 5G antennas at all.
This iPad doesn't support mmWave, just sub-6 5G. Effectively, at many times, it feels similar to LTE: Speeds at my home were around 290 megabits per second on Verizon, while in Washington Square Park in New York speeds were only around 60Mbps to 80Mbps.
The entry-level iPad (left) doesn't work with the Magic Keyboard like the iPad Air does (right), but it has its own compatible keyboard cases.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Magic Keyboard: Still good, still expensive!
This keyboard, which came out two years ago, still feels great. But the angles are limiting for the stand, and it's a little more cramped on the 11-inch model. It's expensive, and you can't use it as a normal folio case, either: To read on the iPad, you'll probably want to pop it out of the magnetic case. But I love how the typing feels.
iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro: The cameras are a little different. But the body sizes are similar.
Scott Stein/CNET
Bottom line: All the iPads are perfectly fine now. Pick your price
Assuming the iPad won't take a leap into Mac-land, right now all the iPads are capable and useful, and all have been updated enough in 2021 or 2022 to feel good enough.
I love how the iPad is a relatively lower-priced versatile computer in Apple's lineup, but it all depends on what you're looking to get out of it. I'd still recommend the basic iPad for a lot of people, but this iPad Air is a solid step up, and the one I'd probably want to buy the most.
But keep in mind: The 64GB $599 model doesn't have enough storage. You'll need the 256GB model, which is $750. Apple's entry-level iPad, meanwhile, costs $329 for 64GB of storage and $479 for 256GB. You're paying nearly double the price for the entry-level Air. Is the extra $270 worth it for you? Maybe. Is it worth it to pay another $200 to get the entry-level 11-inch iPad Pro, which has 128GB of storage (more acceptable) and better cameras, 120Hz display, even better speakers, lidar and Face ID? Probably not. I wouldn't pay up for the Pro at this point… not until Apple finalizes its plans for that model later this year.
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DJI Phantom 3 Professional review: Stunning 4K aerial footage that doesn't break the bank
DJI Phantom 3 Professional review: Stunning 4K aerial footage that doesn't break the bank
DJI's Phantom series have become a benchmark for consumer drones -- or quadcopters, if you prefer -- thanks to their simple setup, ease of flying and relatively low price. The current king of the lineup, the Phantom 3 Professional, raises the bar even higher with the addition of 4K video recording from its stabilised camera.
Its design is almost unchanged from the previous Phantom 2 series , with a chunky white plastic body, and it's still incredibly easy to learn to fly. It has improved image sensors too, which provide superior footage than previously available, and ground-scanning sensors to help it fly indoors. If you want to take your home movies to the next level, but don't want to fork out the many thousands for professional-level drones, the Phantom 3 is a superb starting point.
There are currently three versions of the drone available. The Phantom 3 Professional (which I review here) shoots video in 4K (3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and retails for $1,259, £1,159 or AU$1,950. The Phantom 3 Advanced is functionally identical, but shoots video in 1080p (1,920x1,080); it costs $999, £899 or AU$1,550. Both of those debuted in April, but they were just joined by a third model, the more affordablePhantom 3 Standard ($799, £649 or AU$1,299), which strips away some of the better features of its sibling models and includes the same controller as the older Phantom 2 Vision+. (Meanwhile, DJI has also scheduled a press conference in Los Angeles later this month, making another new drone announcement likely.)
Ultimately, the Advanced is arguably the sweet spot, given the fact that its 1080p video will more than suffice for most eyes (discerning the extra detail on 4K displays is a challenge, to say the least). But for those who must have 4K, the Phantom 3 Pro delivers best-in-class video for many thousands less than you'll pay for professional drones.
Design
The Phantom 3 looks pretty much identical to DJI's previous Phantom models: a stout white plastic body, four rotors and narrow, fixed landing legs slung beneath. It's light enough to carry in one hand and, when you unscrew the rotor blades, it's just about small enough to fit into a decent-sized backpack. It's certainly more portable than the much larger Inspire 1 drone.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It feels as well built as before, with the capacity to survive both the odd bump into a wall or a small crash while you're getting the hang of flying it. I managed to fly it straight into the roof of my house where it plummeted three storeys to the grass below. Aside from a few cosmetic scuffs, it was absolutely fine, and continues to fly without any trouble.
The rotor blades are easily replaceable if you snap a few. Just unscrew them from the motors on each of the drone's four corners. You'll know how to do it already, since the blades are the only parts you need to assemble out of the box.
The controller is roughly similar to previous versions, with two main sticks and a clamp to hold a tablet -- I used my iPad Mini without a problem -- which acts as the display for the drone's camera via the DJI Pilot app. There are small, fold-down brackets to hold a smartphone, with the app optimised for use with the iPhone 5S , 6 and 6 Plus . It was easier, however, to view the footage and use the app's small on-screen buttons on the the tablet's larger screen. Android device support is thin, with just the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3 , Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 II , Google Nexus 9 , Xiaomi Mi 3 and ZTE Nubia Z7 mini listed.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
On each top corner of the controller are buttons for starting and stopping recording and quickly changing camera settings like the exposure and angle of view. Using these physical controls is much easier than poking at the tiny on-screen controls while the drone is airborne.
Setup
Getting started with the drone is incredibly easy. When you take it out of the box, just start charging the battery and the controller (a supplied lead charges both through one plug), and download the DJI Pilot app onto your iOS or Android device.
Once everything is charged, switch on the controller and the drone, pop your phone or tablet into the bracket and connect your mobile device with its usual charging cable to the controller. Then, after a few simple steps on the app, you're connected and ready to go -- around five minutes of playing around had me up and running.
Before you take off for the first time, you can use the app as a training guide. You pilot a virtual drone around a field on-screen, allowing you to familiarise yourself with the main controls, without risking smashing your new toy into a tree. Even so, the first time you use it should be in a very open space, and you should stick to basic manoeuvres until you get the hang of it.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
When you first get your drone, it's worth checking DJI's downloads site for any available firmware updates -- oddly, I didn't see an update notification in the app, even though there was one to download. Updating the camera firmware is a long process, albeit fairly straightforward. You'll need to pop the camera's microSD card into your computer, download the firmware, unzip it and put it on the card. After you insert the card back into the drone and turn it on, it'll take about 20 minutes to install it, bleeping the whole time.
Flying the drone
The DJI 3 is every bit as easy to fly as its predecessors. Even just 10 minutes of casual flying around an open area is sufficient time to learn the basics. It helps that the drone is incredibly responsive and can accelerate -- and, more importantly, decelerate -- extremely quickly. If you see you're getting too close to some trees, a quick movement on the stick will instantly change its course to get you out of trouble or simply return the sticks to neutral to stop it in its tracks.
At close range (up to around 30 metres, or 100 feet) I find it easy to pilot the drone simply by looking at it. Once it gets a bit further away -- or it's above you, visibly lost against the bright sky -- then it's more convenient to use the camera view on your tablet, seeing what it's seeing, to help navigate. It automatically corrects for wind, so slight gusts won't throw it off course, but trying to get closeup footage of a tornado is not a good idea.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
New sensors on the bottom of the drone point down and detect patterns on the floor to lock on to, in order to remain stable when flying indoors, where a GPS signal (used for stability outdoors) isn't available. Although you could technically fly any of the previous drones indoors, the new sensors provide better stability, making it able to hover in a fixed location without any control from you. This made a big difference in my testing as I was able to fly the drone from inside my living room out of the window.
Of course, you have to be much more careful than when flying outdoors as there are various factors which make it less stable. Flying above a plain surface, for example, will give the cameras nothing to lock onto, and above about 2 metres (6 feet), it doesn't detect the ground at all and can easily start to drift off course. I managed to crash it inside the CNET office when I flew it about 6 metres (about 20 feet) above the floor and it wasn't able to hold its position. It was, thankfully, unharmed.
DJI reckons you can get around 20-23 minutes of flight time from a full charge of the drone's battery, which I'd say is accurate. It does depend on how vigorously you're flying though, so if you do plan on really hitting top speed at high altitudes, expect a little less time. Although that's pretty standard for this type of drone, it's still very limiting if you want to take it away to a specific location to capture footage.
The batteries are removable, and you can buy spares, but they'll set you back around £125, $149 or AU$205 each. Batteries compatible with previous models are not compatible with the Phantom 3.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
A return-to-home function will automatically bring the drone safely back to your location to land when it detects that the batteries are critically low -- it won't simply fall out of the sky. You can also press the return to home button on screen and there's one on the controller too. It will automatically bring the drone back to the location it took off from, which is a handy failsafe option to have if you begin to lose sight of it and want to bring it back to you safely.
Camera
As with the predecessor, the camera is slung beneath the drone -- but this time with a bunch of significant upgrades. It has the same 1/2.3-inch sensor, although it's been tweaked to provide better dynamic range. Exposure is generally more balanced. Bright skies are kept under control, while the darker ground is kept easily visible.
The Phantom Vision 2's camera had a habit of either exposing for the bright sky, plunging the ground into shadow, or exposing for the ground, resulting in a washed-out sky. The Phantom 3 does a considerably better job, producing rich, well balanced footage.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The headline feature on the Professional model is its ability to shoot video in Ultra HD 4K resolution. It brings a tonne of detail when viewing the footage on a high resolution monitor, which is particularly noticeable when looking at small details on house roofs far below. The benefit of 4K footage isn't just to look crisp on a 4K monitor, it also gives you a lot of room to crop into the frame, while still maintaining full HD quality or better.
If you're shooting a specific object, this extra resolution allows you to digitally stabilise the footage, smoothing out any slight movements of the drone and ensuring the object stays perfectly central, without sacrificing any quality.
It can do this at frame rates of 24, 25 or 30 frames per second too, the latter of which will be great for long, smooth shots. If your shots require faster motion from the camera and the subject, then shooting at 60fps in Full HD will produce much smoother footage.
With the wheels on each corner of the controller you can tilt the camera up or down, and to pan simply turn the drone on its axis. You can point it exactly down, which gives a really neat view of the landscape, particularly when you take it really high. One of the main differences between this and the pricier DJI Inspire 1 drone is that there's no ability to control the camera using a second controller. If you want to shoot a subject with one person flying the drone past, with a second producer independently controlling the camera (which can pan and tilt in all directions), you'll need to splash more cash for the Inspire.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The lens on the camera has a 90-degree field of view, which is narrower than the previous version. That may seem a step down, but it's actually for a very good reason. The extreme wide angles used by the Phantom 2 caused distortion of the image, particularly at the corners, meaning a lot of digital correction had to be used, if the footage was for a professional purpose. It's particularly noticeable when panning around a horizon, as you can visibly see the horizon curving down at the edge.
The narrower angle does make a huge difference, with considerably less distortion of the image. As well as just producing nicer-looking footage for your Facebook feed, professionals among you will appreciate the time saved by not having to digitally correct it.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The camera is mounted on the same three-axis stabilising gimbal, which automatically corrects for any slight movements of the drone, and smoothing out vibrations from the rotors. It works incredibly well and results in much smoother footage, without the unpleasant jerks and bumps seen from drones that don't use stabilisation -- including DJI's Phantom 2.
Do keep in mind that when flying the drone at high speeds, or turning quickly, the gimbal will have to move the camera at a more extreme upwards angle to the extent that it's possible to see the rotors in the top portion of the image. Smooth motions will therefore produce the best results. You can see some of our test footage in the following video:
Live streaming
A neat new feature on the Phantom 3 is the ability to stream live video from the drone to YouTube. The DJI app makes it easy to set up live streaming -- you also need to enable your YouTube account for live video on the desktop site. It needs a good data connection, so if you're using a tablet or phone that doesn't have a SIM card, you'll need to tether it to your phone.
Streaming video is no easy task for a mobile connection, so you'll want to make sure you're on a fast 4G LTE connection for it to work properly. When I was on 3G, the YouTube stream being watched remotely was extremely jumpy and froze numerous times. On 4G, however, it was much smoother and gave a good view of the action. Its lower quality and lower frame rate means it's far less smooth than video taken directly from the camera, but it's perfectly watchable, particularly when the drone remains fairly still in the air.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It might not be a killer feature for many of you, but it could be handy for news journalists wanting to give a top-down view of an unfolding event. Engineers too may find it useful to be able to fly into a potentially dangerous building and send footage back, without risking injury by entering themselves.
Conclusion
The DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone is simple to set up and incredibly easy to learn to fly, making it an accessible piece of kit even to those with only a vague knowledge of technology. Its drastically improved image quality, addition of 4K resolution and its excellent stabilising gimbal allows it to capture brilliant footage, with none of the jerkiness or exposure issues seen on earlier models.
Ultimately, the stepdown Phantom 3 Advanced -- with all of the same features except a 1080p camera in place of the Pro's 4K one -- is the better choice for most flyers, but anyone who needs the extra resolution (or the comfort of futureproofing) will find the Phantom 3 Pro a solid choice. Either one is a much more affordable entry into aerial videography than any professional drone, and is well worth considering, whether you're an enthusiastic amateur filmmaker or simply want to add cool, creative shots to your home videos.
CNET Senior Editor Josh Goldman contributed to this review.
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DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price
DJI currently has three versions of its Phantom 3 drone: the Standard , Advanced and Professional . While there are several important differences between the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard ($799, £649 or AU$1,299) and its two linemates, the feature gap between the Professional and Advanced amounts to two things.
The Phantom 3 Professional shoots video in 4K (3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and has a 100-watt battery charger. It retails for $1,259, £1,159 or AU$1,950. The Advanced captures video in 1080p (1,920x1,080) and has a slower 57-watt charger, but costs $999, £899 or AU$1,550. That's it.
The 4K video from the Professional is a step up from the Advanced's full-HD results. But it's not a big step up, and unless you want or need the extra resolution and have a computer powerful enough to play and edit 4K video, the Advanced's 1080p video doesn't disappoint. And since the drones' features and controllers are the same, the Phantom 3 Advanced is as easy to recommended as it is to fly. Which is to say it's really easy.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Design and features
The quadcopter itself is, for the most part, unchanged from its predecessor, the Phantom 2 Vision+. You'll find all the same convenience features like color-coded, self-tightening propellers for easy installation and replacement, and a slot-loading battery pack, though it's a newly designed battery making the Phantom 2's batteries incompatible with the 3.
The three-axis gimbal on its belly stabilizes the camera in roll, pitch and yaw directions keeping the video looking smooth even with sudden stick movements or wind gusts. Plus, the camera can do a 90-degree tilt, letting you shoot straight down, straight ahead and anywhere in between. The camera is permanently attached to the gimbal, so if you irreparably damage one or the other, you'll have to replace the entire gimbal-and-camera assembly. It also means you don't have the option of using the camera for anything else, unlike models that use GoPro or other small cameras such as 3D Robotic's Solo or EHang's Ghost.
The Advanced's camera features a Sony-made 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor behind a new f2.8 20mm lens (35mm equivalent), which gives you a 94-degree field of view. That's much narrower than the Vision+ camera's 140-degree field of view resulting in far less distortion.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Sitting to the back of the gimbal is the new Vision Positioning System, a set of sensors to help the Phantom 3 hover while indoors when GPS isn't available. There are many caveats for it to work properly, however, such as not flying over sound-absorbing materials, water or highly reflective surfaces. It's also only effective up to about 10 feet (3 meters). If you're thinking of getting the Advanced to fly above crowds in an arena or auditorium, you better up your piloting skills first.
When you're outside, GPS is used to help the drone determine its position and yours and is what makes it possible for the drone to stop and hover in place when you release the controller's sticks as well as delivering accurate location data for safety features like automatically returning to a home position. The more satellites it can lock onto, the better off you are, so DJI added the Russian navigational system, GLONASS, which lets it tap into more satellites than GPS alone.
Satellite acquisition speeds are noticeably faster compared to the Phantom 2 Vision+, so you can lock on and start flying more quickly. Also, with the Vision+ there were times I would struggle to get a solid lock on six satellites (the minimum for GPS-assisted flight). The Advanced never had a problem grabbing onto 10 satellites or more in a matter of seconds and regularly had upward of 15 in my testing. This makes a huge difference when it comes to putting the drone in the exact position you want for photos and video.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The controller and DJI Go mobile app (formerly called Pilot) are important, too, of course. The Advanced and its controller have DJI's Lightbridge technology for better image transmission between the sky and ground. Lightbridge allows for a continuous connection back and forth between the two and increases flight range over the wireless range extender used for the Phantom 2 and the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard. This does mean you'll need your iOS or Android device's charging cable to use it, but the performance improvement is well worth it.
On each of the top corners you'll find discrete camera controls for starting and stopping recordings, taking pictures, reviewing your shots and two wheels, one for adjusting exposure compensation, ISO and shutter speed and the other for the gimbal's tilt. Two customizable buttons are on the bottom as well that can be used for a handful of gimbal or camera functions. Overall it's a great setup, but more than a few times I accidentally switched to playback mode while trying to snap a photo.
DJI also included a Return-to-Home button for those times when panic starts to set in and you just want to bring it on back. The controller's battery is built in and will last through several flights before you'll need to recharge it. DJI simplified charging, too, using one power supply with two cables attached: one for the controller's battery and one for the drone's.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Connecting your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet is as simple as plugging in your device's charging cable into the USB port on the Advanced's controller. (It'll keep your device charged while you use it for flying, too.) Then, with the controller and drone turned on, you just open the DJI Go app and tap to get the camera view.
The controller's device mount can handle phones and tablets big and small, however the app is optimized for use with the iPhone 5S, 6 and 6 Plus. Android device support is thin, with just the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3, Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 II, Google Nexus 9, Xiaomi Mi 3 and ZTE Nubia Z7 Mini listed. I tested with both a 6 Plus and a Galaxy S5 and the app performance was clearly stronger on the iOS device with the S5 occasionally freezing up forcing me midflight to restart the app.
In addition to a first-person view from the camera, you get complete camera controls, meters for signal strengths, GPS and battery life and access to settings for the whole system. It will also notify you if a firmware update is necessary (which occur with some regularity) and, eventually, you'll be able to do the updates through the app; currently they're done by downloading a file to a microSD card and popping the card into the drone's camera.
The app can also be used for automated take-offs and landings, if you don't want to handle them with stick commands, and triggering the Return-to-Home safety function. Another new safety feature of sorts is the Beginner Mode. This sets up virtual barriers called a geofence with a maximum altitude and flight distance of 30 meters (98 feet), giving you a safe way to limit where the drone can travel. It's pretty amazing to see in action as you send the Phantom full throttle toward its limit and the drone stops as if it's been snagged in an invisible net.
As for the camera settings, video recording options include full HD (1,920x1,080-pixel) and HD (1,280x720-pixel) resolutions at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second and you can choose between MOV or MP4 formats. Thanks to the Lightbridge technology, you can even use it to live-stream video straight to YouTube and uses your mobile device's mic for capturing audio.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
For photos, you can capture in JPEG, DNG raw format or both simultaneously. Shooting modes include single shots or bursts of three, five or seven; HDR and auto exposure bracketing (0.7EV bias) of three or five pictures; and time-lapse continuous shooting at 5-, 7-, 10-, 20- and 30-second intervals. You can also control ISO, exposure compensation and white balance.
At the time of this review the Phantom 3 Advanced (and Professional) didn't have DJI's Intelligent Flight features including waypoint navigation, point of interest (POI) flight planning or Follow Me function, but these are now available.
Waypoint navigation lets you set up a multipoint path for the drone to follow while you control the camera, while POI flight planning allows you to autonomously fly a circle around a subject, keeping it centered. Follow Me sets the drone to track your movement based on your orientation. Support for SDK apps already created by third-party DJI developers is available as well, giving the Advanced more features and future potential.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Flying
If you're reading this review, you probably already know that DJI's Phantom quadcopters have a reputation of being extremely easy to fly (and fly away, but it's something I've never experienced). With the Phantom 3 the experience has only improved.
DJI has added a flight simulator to the mobile app (iOS only) that you can use to learn your way around the app and controls. I found it to be a little frustrating because the actual drone performs so much better in real life. Regardless of safety features and how stable the Phantom 3 is, I highly recommend taking your first flights out in an open area where there are no people or distractions.
Again, if you don't want to use stick commands, you can takeoff and land with a tap and a swipe on your screen. With GPS, the drone will just sit and hover wherever you leave it. Start flying a bit too close to a tree and you can just let go of the sticks and it will stop while you regroup and steer away. You can fly without GPS, but if you release the sticks the Phantom won't stop but instead continues to drift in the direction it was last headed. It's a gut-wrenching experience watching $1,000 float away seemingly uncontrollably, so it's best to fly with GPS until you fully understand the controls.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The app is well laid out and at a glance you can see all the information you need. There's even a battery timeline meter giving you estimates on everything from remaining flight time to the power required to return home or land.
Speaking of battery life, DJI says you'll be able to get up to 23 minutes of flight time. I was able to get to just under 21 minutes of flying -- nothing too aggressive, mostly hovering in place and in light wind -- before it took over and landed itself. That flight time is very good when you factor in all that it's doing to stay in the air while recording video. It does feel short, though, especially if you're trying to get out some distance for a picture and still make it back. And extras are pricey at around $149, £125 or AU$205 each.
Video and photo quality
Closely examining the 4K video of the Phantom 3 Professional or DJI's higher-end Inspire 1 straight from the camera against the 1080p clips from the Advanced, there are noticeable differences, mainly in the level of fine detail and sharpness of subjects. There is better detail from the 4K and it's especially visible if you're viewing on a large TV or monitor. So, if it's necessary for you to capture the highest quality video without ponying up a ton more cash, the Phantom 3 Professional is the better choice.
Frankly, though, the full-HD clips from the Advanced look pretty great as do its photos, and they're more than suitable for sharing online and/or viewing on a phone, tablet or laptop. It's also a huge jump in quality from the Phantom 2 Vision+. For those considering an upgrade from that model to the Professional, your needs might be met with the less expensive Advanced.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The live-streaming quality to YouTube is just OK. You have to have a pretty strong wireless connection to keep the video moving smoothly and even then the results were a bit glitchy and compressed. Still, it's sort of amazing it can do it at all and could be helpful for professional uses.
Lastly, whenever you record a video, a compressed 720p version is stored to your mobile device. To help make the most of these clips, DJI built in a basic video editor to the Go app. You can use it to cut up your clips, gather them up and then combine them into one movie. DJI also included some style templates with music you can apply before you save. Then you can just share away.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Conclusion
The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is a great little aerial photo and video machine, however it's the whole system -- the drone, the controller and the app -- that make it so easy to pick up and just start flying. It's not inexpensive, but compared with the $900 Parrot Bebop with its Skycontroller , you won't regret spending the extra money. And if you don't need the Professional's 4K video, you can put your money toward a spare battery or two so the good times don't come to an end after 20 minutes.
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DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price
DJI currently has three versions of its Phantom 3 drone: the Standard , Advanced and Professional . While there are several important differences between the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard ($799, £649 or AU$1,299) and its two linemates, the feature gap between the Professional and Advanced amounts to two things.
The Phantom 3 Professional shoots video in 4K (3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and has a 100-watt battery charger. It retails for $1,259, £1,159 or AU$1,950. The Advanced captures video in 1080p (1,920x1,080) and has a slower 57-watt charger, but costs $999, £899 or AU$1,550. That's it.
The 4K video from the Professional is a step up from the Advanced's full-HD results. But it's not a big step up, and unless you want or need the extra resolution and have a computer powerful enough to play and edit 4K video, the Advanced's 1080p video doesn't disappoint. And since the drones' features and controllers are the same, the Phantom 3 Advanced is as easy to recommended as it is to fly. Which is to say it's really easy.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Design and features
The quadcopter itself is, for the most part, unchanged from its predecessor, the Phantom 2 Vision+. You'll find all the same convenience features like color-coded, self-tightening propellers for easy installation and replacement, and a slot-loading battery pack, though it's a newly designed battery making the Phantom 2's batteries incompatible with the 3.
The three-axis gimbal on its belly stabilizes the camera in roll, pitch and yaw directions keeping the video looking smooth even with sudden stick movements or wind gusts. Plus, the camera can do a 90-degree tilt, letting you shoot straight down, straight ahead and anywhere in between. The camera is permanently attached to the gimbal, so if you irreparably damage one or the other, you'll have to replace the entire gimbal-and-camera assembly. It also means you don't have the option of using the camera for anything else, unlike models that use GoPro or other small cameras such as 3D Robotic's Solo or EHang's Ghost.
The Advanced's camera features a Sony-made 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor behind a new f2.8 20mm lens (35mm equivalent), which gives you a 94-degree field of view. That's much narrower than the Vision+ camera's 140-degree field of view resulting in far less distortion.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Sitting to the back of the gimbal is the new Vision Positioning System, a set of sensors to help the Phantom 3 hover while indoors when GPS isn't available. There are many caveats for it to work properly, however, such as not flying over sound-absorbing materials, water or highly reflective surfaces. It's also only effective up to about 10 feet (3 meters). If you're thinking of getting the Advanced to fly above crowds in an arena or auditorium, you better up your piloting skills first.
When you're outside, GPS is used to help the drone determine its position and yours and is what makes it possible for the drone to stop and hover in place when you release the controller's sticks as well as delivering accurate location data for safety features like automatically returning to a home position. The more satellites it can lock onto, the better off you are, so DJI added the Russian navigational system, GLONASS, which lets it tap into more satellites than GPS alone.
Satellite acquisition speeds are noticeably faster compared to the Phantom 2 Vision+, so you can lock on and start flying more quickly. Also, with the Vision+ there were times I would struggle to get a solid lock on six satellites (the minimum for GPS-assisted flight). The Advanced never had a problem grabbing onto 10 satellites or more in a matter of seconds and regularly had upward of 15 in my testing. This makes a huge difference when it comes to putting the drone in the exact position you want for photos and video.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The controller and DJI Go mobile app (formerly called Pilot) are important, too, of course. The Advanced and its controller have DJI's Lightbridge technology for better image transmission between the sky and ground. Lightbridge allows for a continuous connection back and forth between the two and increases flight range over the wireless range extender used for the Phantom 2 and the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard. This does mean you'll need your iOS or Android device's charging cable to use it, but the performance improvement is well worth it.
On each of the top corners you'll find discrete camera controls for starting and stopping recordings, taking pictures, reviewing your shots and two wheels, one for adjusting exposure compensation, ISO and shutter speed and the other for the gimbal's tilt. Two customizable buttons are on the bottom as well that can be used for a handful of gimbal or camera functions. Overall it's a great setup, but more than a few times I accidentally switched to playback mode while trying to snap a photo.
DJI also included a Return-to-Home button for those times when panic starts to set in and you just want to bring it on back. The controller's battery is built in and will last through several flights before you'll need to recharge it. DJI simplified charging, too, using one power supply with two cables attached: one for the controller's battery and one for the drone's.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Connecting your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet is as simple as plugging in your device's charging cable into the USB port on the Advanced's controller. (It'll keep your device charged while you use it for flying, too.) Then, with the controller and drone turned on, you just open the DJI Go app and tap to get the camera view.
The controller's device mount can handle phones and tablets big and small, however the app is optimized for use with the iPhone 5S, 6 and 6 Plus. Android device support is thin, with just the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3, Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 II, Google Nexus 9, Xiaomi Mi 3 and ZTE Nubia Z7 Mini listed. I tested with both a 6 Plus and a Galaxy S5 and the app performance was clearly stronger on the iOS device with the S5 occasionally freezing up forcing me midflight to restart the app.
In addition to a first-person view from the camera, you get complete camera controls, meters for signal strengths, GPS and battery life and access to settings for the whole system. It will also notify you if a firmware update is necessary (which occur with some regularity) and, eventually, you'll be able to do the updates through the app; currently they're done by downloading a file to a microSD card and popping the card into the drone's camera.
The app can also be used for automated take-offs and landings, if you don't want to handle them with stick commands, and triggering the Return-to-Home safety function. Another new safety feature of sorts is the Beginner Mode. This sets up virtual barriers called a geofence with a maximum altitude and flight distance of 30 meters (98 feet), giving you a safe way to limit where the drone can travel. It's pretty amazing to see in action as you send the Phantom full throttle toward its limit and the drone stops as if it's been snagged in an invisible net.
As for the camera settings, video recording options include full HD (1,920x1,080-pixel) and HD (1,280x720-pixel) resolutions at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second and you can choose between MOV or MP4 formats. Thanks to the Lightbridge technology, you can even use it to live-stream video straight to YouTube and uses your mobile device's mic for capturing audio.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
For photos, you can capture in JPEG, DNG raw format or both simultaneously. Shooting modes include single shots or bursts of three, five or seven; HDR and auto exposure bracketing (0.7EV bias) of three or five pictures; and time-lapse continuous shooting at 5-, 7-, 10-, 20- and 30-second intervals. You can also control ISO, exposure compensation and white balance.
At the time of this review the Phantom 3 Advanced (and Professional) didn't have DJI's Intelligent Flight features including waypoint navigation, point of interest (POI) flight planning or Follow Me function, but these are now available.
Waypoint navigation lets you set up a multipoint path for the drone to follow while you control the camera, while POI flight planning allows you to autonomously fly a circle around a subject, keeping it centered. Follow Me sets the drone to track your movement based on your orientation. Support for SDK apps already created by third-party DJI developers is available as well, giving the Advanced more features and future potential.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Flying
If you're reading this review, you probably already know that DJI's Phantom quadcopters have a reputation of being extremely easy to fly (and fly away, but it's something I've never experienced). With the Phantom 3 the experience has only improved.
DJI has added a flight simulator to the mobile app (iOS only) that you can use to learn your way around the app and controls. I found it to be a little frustrating because the actual drone performs so much better in real life. Regardless of safety features and how stable the Phantom 3 is, I highly recommend taking your first flights out in an open area where there are no people or distractions.
Again, if you don't want to use stick commands, you can takeoff and land with a tap and a swipe on your screen. With GPS, the drone will just sit and hover wherever you leave it. Start flying a bit too close to a tree and you can just let go of the sticks and it will stop while you regroup and steer away. You can fly without GPS, but if you release the sticks the Phantom won't stop but instead continues to drift in the direction it was last headed. It's a gut-wrenching experience watching $1,000 float away seemingly uncontrollably, so it's best to fly with GPS until you fully understand the controls.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The app is well laid out and at a glance you can see all the information you need. There's even a battery timeline meter giving you estimates on everything from remaining flight time to the power required to return home or land.
Speaking of battery life, DJI says you'll be able to get up to 23 minutes of flight time. I was able to get to just under 21 minutes of flying -- nothing too aggressive, mostly hovering in place and in light wind -- before it took over and landed itself. That flight time is very good when you factor in all that it's doing to stay in the air while recording video. It does feel short, though, especially if you're trying to get out some distance for a picture and still make it back. And extras are pricey at around $149, £125 or AU$205 each.
Video and photo quality
Closely examining the 4K video of the Phantom 3 Professional or DJI's higher-end Inspire 1 straight from the camera against the 1080p clips from the Advanced, there are noticeable differences, mainly in the level of fine detail and sharpness of subjects. There is better detail from the 4K and it's especially visible if you're viewing on a large TV or monitor. So, if it's necessary for you to capture the highest quality video without ponying up a ton more cash, the Phantom 3 Professional is the better choice.
Frankly, though, the full-HD clips from the Advanced look pretty great as do its photos, and they're more than suitable for sharing online and/or viewing on a phone, tablet or laptop. It's also a huge jump in quality from the Phantom 2 Vision+. For those considering an upgrade from that model to the Professional, your needs might be met with the less expensive Advanced.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The live-streaming quality to YouTube is just OK. You have to have a pretty strong wireless connection to keep the video moving smoothly and even then the results were a bit glitchy and compressed. Still, it's sort of amazing it can do it at all and could be helpful for professional uses.
Lastly, whenever you record a video, a compressed 720p version is stored to your mobile device. To help make the most of these clips, DJI built in a basic video editor to the Go app. You can use it to cut up your clips, gather them up and then combine them into one movie. DJI also included some style templates with music you can apply before you save. Then you can just share away.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Conclusion
The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is a great little aerial photo and video machine, however it's the whole system -- the drone, the controller and the app -- that make it so easy to pick up and just start flying. It's not inexpensive, but compared with the $900 Parrot Bebop with its Skycontroller , you won't regret spending the extra money. And if you don't need the Professional's 4K video, you can put your money toward a spare battery or two so the good times don't come to an end after 20 minutes.
