The Phab 2 Pro, Lenovo’s first self-branded smartphone in the US, went on sale today, offering augmented reality and 3D capabilities. And two tech news site gives it high marks.

Nick Statt, writing at The Verge, notes: “It’s clear AR succeeds at getting users to stand up and get mobile, and I found myself walking in circles to inspect other parts of a virtual scene and even crouching down to try and get eye level with some objects and architecture.”

Lenovo, which did a great deal of development for what is touted as the first device to feature Google Tango AR and 3D technology in Morrisville, sees the Phab 2 as a key to reviving its smartphone business.

“Phab” refers to its big size – 6-inches-plus, which puts the device between the size of a smartphone and table.

The Phab 2 Pro sells for $500.

Staff says he tried a variety of apps, including games.

“The games are neat, and also a little gimmicky, but the technology is certainly there,” he says.

“It’s remarkable to see entire 3D worlds play out in the camera viewfinder, and many of the Tango games force you to get up and move around as much as possible.”

Adds Mashable:

“Having tried a few Tango apps already, the case for the technology does seem like a compelling one, even if the phones may be too clunky for the average smartphone buyer. Still, being able to accurately measure and visualize objects in your real world space or playing a game with virtual objects that appear as though they are right in front of you, could have some compelling use cases in schools and professional settings, if nothing else.”

But the device isn’t perfect, either.

“It’s not a bad phone by any means,” Statt writes. “It’s just a very niche device that’s impractical for a vast majority of smartphone owners. At $500, it’s cheaper than an iPhone or Google’s Pixel. Yet with a 6.4-inch display, the Phab 2 Pro can hardly be held with one hand. It barely fits in even large-sized pant pockets. No amount of nifty AR tech will sell people a phone that’s cumbersome to use for even the most basic of tasks.”

Read more at:

http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/1/13480840/google-tango-lenovo-phab-2-pro-apps-games-release-date

​And:

http://mashable.com/2016/11/01/lenovo-phab2-pro-launch/#PcyUWWBHImqV

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