Leaked MotoMods reveal a modular future for Moto Z

A recent leak of what look to be add-ons to the upcoming Moto Z flagship reveals some very intriguing possibilities for Lenovo's flagship smartphone offering expansion and functionality via snap-on accessories called MotoMods. Evan Blass revealed the above accessories via Twitter yesterday and these seem to include a battery pack, camera grip with optical zoom and flash, stereo speakers, and pico projector.

We've seen some renders of the rear of the new Moto smartphones which seem to have an array of pogo plug-type dots that will likely be the smart connector equivalent for Motos and Droids. While we're a few weeks away from a proper reveal, it does look like Moto's modular approach is already more elegant and cohesive than LG's. Let's just hope that the MotoMods will be made available soon after the new smartphones come to market, presumably in June.

Source: Evan Blass via 9to5Google

LG wins Manufacturer of the Year for HVAC at ENERGY STAR Canada Awards

LG recently won a prestigious recognition at the ENERGY STAR Canada Awards as the company has been awarded the Manufacturer of the Year for HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr handed over the award to Sonny Hong, LG Electronics Canada’s senior product manager for Air Conditioning and Energy Solutions.

Winners for the awards are selected based on the innovations the organizations have done in terms of energy efficiency, including “incorporating ENERGY STAR-certified products in major social housing developments to encouraging energy conservation through consumer incentive programs and promotional campaigns and selling and promoting innovative energy-efficient homes, products, and appliances.”

Over half of iPhone maker Foxconn’s employees have been replaced by robots

Photo courtesy of MIT Technology Review

Showing the capabilities of a robotic workforce, the iPhone maker Foxconn has reportedly cut its workforce significantly since the launch of the iPhone 6. According to local figures from Kunshan where the company is based, the Foxconn factory cut down on its employee strength from 110,000 to 50,000 due to the use of robots. This has significantly reduced labor costs and help cushion and minimize future layoffs caused by falling sales of products they produce (like the iPhone). It also helps in a way repair the dented reputation of Kunshan, which suffered from an industrial explosion that killed 146 people back in 2014.

Greater automation for producing the iPhone can be both a good and bad thing for Apple. It has long since been haunted by allegations of poor working conditions. But it might hamper the company from getting into better deals with countries since less workers needed would mean fewer jobs, which is bad since economic development is part of Apple’s push to enter certain territories.

Source: South China Morning Post | Via: 9to5Mac

Microsoft creates its own news bot called Rowe

Bots are the new it thing and Microsoft’s internal R&D incubator, Microsoft Garage, outs its own version news-finding bot called Rowe. The bot can be accessed via the Bing-powered personalized news reading app, News Pro. Rowe is designed to help you search for news based on topics, look at today’s headlines, or ask for personalized suggestions. One unusual feature is being able to upload your photo and the bot surfacing articles of people it thinks you look like. News Pro connects to your Facebook and LinkedIn profile to help better understand your interests. The app has been updated to allow things like groups for discussing news with others, among other new features.

Source: TechCrunch | Download: Apple App Store (Free)