We heard back at CES in January that Lenovo had been tapped by Google to work with them on their Project Tango smartphone, and now the company has unveiled the 6.4″ PHAB2 Pro phablet powered by Tango technology.
The PHAB2 Pro uses the Tango sensors and software to make a host of cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) experiences possible on the smartphone. Through the use of AR apps, students can enhance their learning while displaying true-to-scale virtual dinosaurs in their classrooms, while gamers can enjoy playing virtual dominoes, raising a digital pet, or even fighting back swarms of virtual aliens as they invade their house.
“Put simply, we wanted to take what was an amazing concept and transform it into a commercially viable mobile device,” said Jeff Meredith, vice president and general manager of Android and Chrome Computing, Lenovo. “From the moment we saw Tango, we knew it could become pervasive, just like GPS. However, to truly make PHAB2 Pro a game-changer, we developed it at an affordable price for mainstream consumers, delivering not just a bleeding-edge phone, but an all-around fantastic phone, first to market.”
Lowe’s, the home improvement company, has also developed a Tango-enabled app called Lowe’s Vision which allows homeowners to remodel their homes by overlaying real home furnishings in their living rooms and kitchens. With an AR system in a smartphone which utilizes motion tracking, depth perception, and area learning to capture more than 250,000 measurements per second, the possibilities for applications really are endless.
“Tango technology will allow customers to see how their home improvement visions translate into reality like never before,” said Richard Maltsbarger, Lowe’s Chief Development Officer. “By bringing the PHAB2 Pro to Lowe’s, we want to empower customers with a tool to help them design, start and complete their home improvement projects with confidence.”
In addition to the PHAB2 Pro, Lenovo also announced the PHAB2 and the PHAB2 Plus. The PHAB2 Pro will retail for $499USD, the PHAB2 Plus for $299USD, and the PHAB2 will start at $199USD. All will be available globally in September, with the PHAB2 Pro coming to select Lowe’s stores and Best Buy in the US and online by the end of the year.
Specifications
PHAB2 PRO
- 6.4″ Quad HD (2560×1440) 2K IPS Assertive Display with 2.5D Curved Glass
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 Processor (Built for Tango)
- 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM, microSD support for up to 128GB
- 4050 mAh Li-ion Fast Charge battery
- Unibody Aluminum Alloy body
- 16MP rear camera with PDAF Fast-Focus, Depth Sensor for Tango, and Motion Tracking Sensor for Tango; 8MP fixed-focus F2.2. front camera
- 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0
- Triple Array Microphones with Active Noise Cancellation
- Dolby Atmos + Dolby Audio Capture 5.1 sound
- Dual Slot Nano SIM or Nano SIM + TF Card
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Available in Champagne Gold and Gunmetal Grey
PHAB2 Plus
- 6.4″ Full HD (1920×1080) IPS Display with 2.5D Curved Glass
- MediaTek (MTK 8783) Octa-Core Processor
- 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, microSD support for up to 128GB
- 4050 mAh Li-ion battery
- Aluminum Alloy body
- 13MP Dual rear camera Milbeaut ISP with F2.0 Aperture and laser focus with PDAF Light Supplement; 8MP fixed-focus F2.2. front camera
- 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0
- Triple Array Microphones with Active Noise Cancellation
- Dolby Atmos + Dolby Audio Capture 5.1 sound
- Dual Slot Micro SIM + Nano SIM or Micro SIM + TF Card
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Available in Champagne Gold and Gunmetal Grey
PHAB2
- 6.4″ HD (1280×720) IPS Display
- MediaTek (MTK 8735) Quad-Core Processor
- 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, microSD support for up to 128GB
- 4050 mAh Li-ion Fast Charge battery
- Unibody Aluminum Alloy body
- 13 MP rear camera with PDAF Fast-Focus; 5MP 85° Wide Angle front camera
- 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- Triple Array Microphones with Active Noise Cancellation
- Dolby Atmos + Dolby Audio Capture 5.1 sound
- Dual Slot Micro SIM or Micro SIM + TF Card
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Available in Champagne Gold and Gunmetal Grey
What do you think about Lenovo’s PHAB2 lineup? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
Comments are closed.