Modular attachments for smartphones are really starting to pick up steam, and it’s amazing to see where companies will take them. For instance, LG presented their versions earlier this year alongside the G5, and they’re just one of many companies innovating in this field. While the one I happened to try out was less than spectacular, I could see the potential, and that’s where Moto Mods come in. Officially launched in Canada with the Moto Z and Moto Z Play, these attachments seek to add new capabilities to the already amazing smartphones. These include an extra battery, speakers, a projector, and a camera attachment. After some intimate time with all of those peripherals, all I can think is what a lineup.
Incipio Offgrid Power Pack
Price: $89
Let’s begin with this little beauty. Manufactured by Incipio, the Offgrid Power Pack is an attachable 2220-mAh battery that gives your phone almost an extra day of juice. More often than not, anytime I’m around my friends, they are charging their phones because of how quick they kill their battery life. The Power Pack takes away the need to be attatched to a wall by not only acting as an extra battery, but also using that power to charge your phone’s main battery. It barely sticks off the phone as well, so you don’t need to worry about extra baggage. It also has a little button you can press to check how much power is remaining in it. If the light is red, it’s time for a fill up. To do this, just attach it to your phone and charge it like you normally would.
This is a very handy piece, but it’s a little expensive for some. Try and find this one at a better price if you can.
JBL SoundBoost Speaker
Price: $99
If you’re in the market for a new sound system, JBL has you covered with their unique SoundBoost Speaker attachment. I was blown away the first time I experienced this piec. It has amazing sound quality and a powerful sound even at half volume, so it will definitely have your guests wondering how your phone is giving off such a powerful noise. The bass is particularly deep which shocked me. It isn’t desk shaking by any means, but you will for sure notice those bass drops. A little built-in kickstand keeps it propped up to deliver these sounds too. It also features its own internal battery, which can be charged either attached to the charging phone, or by itself.
I feel like the price is right with this one, considering how great the sound quality is. Gone are the days of putting your phone in a cup to amplify the sound.
Moto Insta-Share Projector
Price: $399
A projector for your phone? Yeah, you read that right. The Moto Insta-Share Projector was for sure the craziest of the mods I used. This one is definitely for the business folks out there who need to show off a project in a snap, but it’s versatile. It has the ability to shine up to a 70-inch projection with 50 lumens of nominal brightness, so it could come in handy if something were to happen to your main projector. But don’t let its professional design fool you; this is made for projecting on the go. It’s helpful when you want to show off your latest Internet video to a bunch of people and not have them all crowded around a small phone screen, and it comes with integrated kickstand and a focus wheel to make said video look its best. A built-in battery also gives it an extra hour of life, which can be charged separately. As an added bonus, it also comes with a little carrying case.
Again, I think the price is a bit much on this, but it does produce a great picture quality. It should prove helpful for business-on-the-go.
Hasselblad True Zoom
Price: $349
This was by far my favourite Moto Mod. Produced by legendary camera company Hasselblad, the True Zoom opens up a whole new world of possibilities for your phone’s camera. Looking like a digital camera itself, the True Zoom adds in a 10x Optical Zoom that makes you feel like you can take a photo of Mars. Okay, maybe not that far, but it zooms in an incredible distance, and the photos still look amazing. This zoom is also physically controlled next to the capture button, making this feel a lot more professional than most peripherals. On top of that, a Xenon Flash helps illuminate the darkest of scenes that you want to capture. This doesn’t have a battery as I assume any power needed is drawn directly from the phone, but I didn’t notice any significant drainage when using it. And to make things easier, The True Zoom comes with a little carrying case, which can fit the phone with the True Zoom attached.
The True Zoom is extremely helpful when you need some semi-professional looking photos in a pinch. The quality of photos this attachment can take, along with it’s professional design make the price feel right.
The Moto Mods were some of the best modular attachments I’ve used, and are for sure the best executed concept I’ve seen yet on smartphones. Even though price is an issue for some, quality is not something that comes into question. Despite my lackluster introduction to this scene, the Moto Mods made me very excited to see where this market is heading in the next couple years.
