This Moto Z Mod turns your phone into a walkie-talkie

Motorola has been encouraging hardware makers to create their own Mods for the Moto line. This new Indiegogo project definitely adds more functionality to the device. Called the Linc, the Mod from Fantom Dynamics is a walkie-talkie that lets you keep in touch for up to six miles without cellular service. It can work in busy areas since it operates on consumer-level frequencies (GMRS/FRS) with 121 private channels. You can even send SMS, transmit voice, or send out your GPS location without cell service. It can communicate with other conventional two-way radios. And it can act as a NOAA weather radio and emergency beacon, too.

The Mod itself is sturdy as it is water- and dust-resistant. It has its own 1,500mAh battery that promises 20 hours of standby time. But aside from working with the Moto Z, it can actually support any smartphone via Bluetooth. It’s just supposedly more seamless with the aforementioned smartphone. To get it for US$99, it’s best you pledge now. Delivery of the Linc Mod is expected around December of this year.

Source: Engadget

The V30 is looking to be LG’s flagship for 2017

The LG V20 is the predecessor of the rumoured V30

While LG is introducing the G6 in the coming days, it looks like that smartphone isn’t LG’s actual flagship for the year. Rumours are circulating that the upcoming V30 (successor to the V10 and V20) will actually be carrying that title. It’ll supposedly carry Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor, which the G6 doesn’t have as it’ll supposedly come with the Snapdragon 821. Aside from that the V30 will reportedly get 6GB of RAM, an improved Quad DAC, and dual cameras for both the front and back of the handset. But it’ll supposedly follow the timeline of the V series’ release, which means it comes out later in the year.  Of course, at the moment these are still rumours, but if this is true, it might be worth the wait.

Source: IBTimes

Twitter won’t show notifications for threads from people you banned or muted

Gilles Lambert/Unsplash

After hearing out complaints from users, Twitter issued a quick announcement recently that users will no longer be notified about replies to conversations started by people you blocked or muted on the service. This, however, doesn’t extend to replies made by people you still follow who are in the same thread.

YouTube looking to kill unskippable 30-second ads starting 2018

YouTube is finally taking away the unskippable 30-second video ads we see on its service. The downside is it’ll be happening starting next year. The streaming service acknowledges how unpopular these ads are, especially for data-capped mobile users, and are pushing towards new shorter format ads. One example is the six-second unskippable ad it launched last year.

The move, which won’t appease advertisers, is seen as one way to keep people on its service. According to Callum McCahon, strategy director for Born Social, "I’m reading this as a signal that YouTube is very worried about Facebook. We know that video is right at the very core of Facebook’s roadmap. Their video offering is becoming ever more attractive to brands by the day, and YouTube is panicking."

Source: Campaign