Category: 4. Technology

California Tinder users will find a new feature when they open up the dating app on July 7: A mandatory Face Check on their phones will be required before they can log into their profiles. 

The Face Check step will begin with a new request to record a video of your face, a more casual version of setting up Apple’s Face ID login. Tinder will then run checks comparing your face data to your current profile pics and automatically create a small face badge for your profile. We know just how it works, because Tinder has already launched the feature in Canada and Colombia.

The technology, powered by FaceTec, will keep biometric data of the user’s face in encrypted form but discard the scanning video for privacy. Tinder will be able to use the face data to detect duplicate accounts, in an effort to cut down on fake profiles and identity theft.  

Tinder’s facial recognition rollout is also made to prevent catfishing, or people pretending to be someone else on Tinder to scam or blackmail them. But that also points to a deeper problem on the rise in dating apps — a growing number of bots, many controlled by AI, are designed to glean personal information or fool users into scammy subscriptions, among other problems. 

Tinder’s working against these bots on several fronts, including this Face Check push as well as ID Check, which requires a government-issued ID and other types of photo verification. 

There’s no word yet on when Face Check will move beyond California. 

The dating app also recently released a feature in June to enable double-dating with your friends, which Tinder reports is especially popular with Gen Z users. If you’re worried about the latest hazards on Tinder, we have guide to safety practices. 

A representative for Tinder did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The edgy cool of a rockstar-esque studded leather jacket on feet? That’s the promise of Vans’ LX Authentic 44.

There’s a tangible coolness associated with a fatigued leather jacket, all the more so when it’s studded. Vans’ premium sub-label, OTW, managed to capture this ineffable “It” factor and plaster it all over a Vans Authentic sneaker that’s darn-near too fly to skate in.

Vans’ LX Authentic 44 sneaker has the punked-out exuberance of a worn-out leather jacket thanks to its pebbled leather upper accented with metal studs throughout. The pre-scuffed outsole also adds to the skate shoe’s lived-in charm.

This unique mix of durability and luxury has become a hallmark of the OTW label, especially when it comes to the Vans Authentic sneaker, a true footwear muse.

Just take a look at how streetwear label Satoshi Nakamoto turned Vans’ Authentic sneaker into a pearled-out gem, toughened up with a scuffed outsole that actually looks a lot like what the Vans LX Authentic 44 has going on right now. If it ain’t broke, bejewel it.

Now, I know Vans is likely not top of mind when we think of nice leather sneakers. But believe it or not, OTW does full-grain leather really well. Consistently too. And this is not exclusive to the Authentic sneaker, either.

In fact, one of the best displays of Vans’ leather expertise comes in the form of Vans OTW’s recent red and black checkerboard Slip-On sneaker. To be fair, there is also an Authentic version of the sneaker, which looks equally delicious. But there is just something about a shiny slip-on that eats down.

Available later this year on OTW’s website this fall, the Vans’ LX Authentic 44 sneaker allows Vans to flex its rapidly developing leather muscle. 

And where other luxe Vans sneakers wear shiny patent leather uppers, Vans’ LX Authentic 44’s pebbled leather is almost more decadent in its beautiful bumpiness.

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The Infinix Hot 60i is slimmer than its predecessor, but has a bigger, faster charging battery and is made more durable to boot. Right now, the phone is available in Bangladesh and Kenya, we’ll let you know if we spot it anywhere else.

The Hot 60i, like the 50i before it, has a 6.7” IPS LCD with 120Hz refresh rate and a Helio G81 Ultimate chipset. The display is slightly brighter at 700 nits (up from 500 nits), but the resolution wasn’t upgraded, so it’s still a 720p+ panel. On the plus side, it has Always On display functionality.

The battery now has 5,160mAh capacity and it supports 45W charging – up from just 18W on the 50i. The extra power allows it to go from 1% to 50% charge in just 24 minutes. Infinix is promising a 5-year lifespan for the battery (1,800 cycles).

The four corners of the phone have been reinforced, allowing it to survive 1.5m drops. The phone is rated IP64, meaning that it’s dust tight and can survive getting splashed with water. The new frame measures 7.7mm thick and weighs 188g. It’s available in a wide variety of colors:

Titanium Silver • Sleek Black • Neon Red • Shadow Blue • Meadow Green • Soul Eye Purple

The Infinix Hot 60i is equipped with a Hard Gyro, which can be used for motion control in games – it’s also precise enough to navigate you through GPS dead zones (underground parking, dense forests, etc.).

If you do find yourself lost, the UltraLink feature enables calls and messaging outside of cell coverage (it can connect to other phones at a distance of 500m). NFC connectivity is available for close-by data sharing. And there’s an IR blaster for remote control apps. Additional connectivity includes dual-SIM 4G, Wi-Fi 5 (ac), Bluetooth 5.3, a 3.5mm headphone jack and even FM radio.

The Helio G81 chip is paired with 4/6/8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128/256GB eMMC 5.1 storage. The microSD slot allows you to add up to 1TB more.

There is a 50MP camera on the back with 1080p @ 30fps video recording, plus an 8MP selfie camera.

The Infinix Hot 60i arrives with XOS 15 based on Android 15. And it has AI, of course, which can be summoned instantly using the One-Tap AI button on the side.

The Infinix Hot 60i can already be found in stores with a price of BDT 14,000 (€98/$115) for the 6GB/128GB model and BDT 16,500 (€115/$135) for the 8GB/256GB model.

Source

Israeli IT company Wix, which has offices in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Lviv, recently announced the acquisition of startup Base44 for $80 million. This is a project for vibe coding — based on a text request, the service creates a full-fledged application with a database, storage, authentication, analytics, and integrations. In the 6 months of its existence, the startup for non-technical users has already gained almost 250,000 fans.

Wix, which has made website creation a simple process for millions, including through the active implementation of AI solutions, continues to grow both globally and in Ukraine. According to DOU, in the second half of 2024, Wix was one of the leaders in hiring in Ukraine, attracting more than 100 new specialists.

So we talked to Andriy Mokhovyk, the manager of the Wix front-end guild in Ukraine, about vibe coding, the nuances of implementing artificial intelligence and the AI future, as well as about hiring and funny interview incidents related to the same AI.

“Intellectual” beginning and development

Wix was founded in Tel Aviv by three technology enthusiasts, Avishai Abraham, Nadav Abraham, and Giora Kaplan, back in 2006. The Wix team believed that the Internet should be open to everyone for free expression, development, and interaction, so they decided to create a platform that would allow them to build professional websites and their mobile versions.

By April 2010, the company already had 3.5 million users, and two years later Wix launched a new HTML5 website editor. This allowed the company to attract 25 million users and earn $60 million in 2012. And the company’s initial public offering of shares on the NASDAQ exchange took place on November 5, 2013 and brought in $127 million.

In 2016, long before the AI boom, Wix launched Artificial Design Intelligence — an AI-powered solution for automatic website creation. It was the first solution on the market that could create a website in minutes by generating it based on the information entered — the algorithm was based on the depths of a database of 86 million+ users, collected content from social networks and the web, and formed a website from billions of combinations.

According to Andriy Mokhovyk, Frontend Guild Manager at Wix’s Ukrainian and Polish offices, the company has since continued to improve its products to help users grow their businesses and achieve success using the numerous opportunities provided by artificial intelligence.

Andriy Mokhovyk, Wix Frontend Guild Manager in Ukraine

“Today, ADI has evolved into a new generation of website building tool called Wix AI Website Builder. This technology uses a combination of deep learning and generative AI algorithms, such as large language models (LLMs), including our own proprietary models specifically adapted to the ecosystem, to provide users with personalized solutions that meet their needs. Most of our clients don’t want to spend hours writing copy, designing layouts, or paying for professional photography,” Andriy told us.

The company views artificial intelligence as a strategic tool that enables millions of entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of their businesses.

“Our AI platform combines the most advanced and sophisticated technologies with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making advanced tools accessible to companies of any size, regardless of technical training. What used to take weeks can now be done in minutes,” the manager explained.

Photo from the Kyiv Wix office

In addition to creating websites, Wix also currently has a developed AI infrastructure:

▪️ Astro is a business assistant that is integrated into the administration panel for effective business management: from tracking site performance and SEO optimization to managing subscriptions and creating content; it provides real-world analytics and personalized recommendations through a simple chat interface;

▪️ AI Marketing Agent — an agent for creating marketing strategies based on site data that generates personalized marketing briefs and action plans, supports content creation, SEO, and multi-channel campaigns, helping users increase visibility and stay on track with their goals;

▪️ Wix Model Context Protocol — a server for developers and power users that provides integration between Wix’s business infrastructure and compatible AI clients; using natural language commands, users can generate code, manage business operations, and build solutions with tools like Claude and Cursor without complex setup or hand coding;

▪️ Wixel is a proprietary, self-contained AI visual design platform built to democratize professional design; with an intuitive interface and powerful AI models running in the background, users can create, edit, and customize high-quality visuals, from product photos to social media content, without any design experience.

The era of Artificial Intelligence has arrived

Recently, Microsoft announced that it wants to include the use of AI tools in employee performance evaluation criteria. Vice President Julia Lewson stated that AI is now a fundamental part of work: “Just like collaboration, data-drivenness, and effective communication, the use of AI is no longer an option — it is a foundation for every role and every level.”

According to Andriy Mokhovyk, the era of artificial intelligence is no longer a matter of the distant future – it has already arrived. “AI is rapidly integrating into all spheres of life, including the field of software development. Today, knowledge and skills to work with AI tools are a competitive advantage for a developer. But tomorrow it will become a basic market requirement. Developers who ignore these changes will find themselves in a less advantageous position, because the very approach to creating products is changing. Artificial intelligence not only optimizes work processes, but also forms a new development culture. As a result, not only tools are changing, but also the role of the developer himself,” the specialist said.

Photo from the Wix Kyiv office

According to him, the company launched the Wix AI Learning initiative, which aims to explore how artificial intelligence can actually improve workflows, decision-making, and the developer experience — from engineering and product to UX and content — to rethink the entire development pipeline — from idea to result.

“Teams that use AI can move faster, build smarter, and deliver better experiences. Those that don’t risk being left behind. It’s not about replacing developers, it’s about empowering them to focus on what’s important, automate the rest, and navigate complexity with confidence. This requires not only tools, but also trust, understanding, and a new set of shared practices. We truly believe that AI is not a replacement for the developer, but their superpower. That’s why we’re exploring how to better integrate AI into our workflows, how to make decision-making more accurate, and how to make everyday work more comfortable. And we’re taking a holistic approach to this,” noted the head of the Wix Frontend Guild.

Regarding vibe coding, the manager also noted the acquisition of startup Base44, which should help the company expand its activities in this area: “This acquisition highlights Wix’s desire to push the boundaries of AI-based creation.”

Photo from the Wix Kyiv office

The specialist also shared tips that will help businesses integrate AI into their products:

▪️if your product is based on SaaS solutions, such as Wix, then you probably already have various AI tools available “out of the box” – this means that many artificial intelligence functions are already integrated and ready to use;

▪️if you develop the product yourself, the possibilities are wider – you can easily integrate modern AI models through public APIs such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini – these interfaces allow you to connect powerful artificial intelligence algorithms to your product, expanding its functionality and making it more intelligent and useful for users;

▪️at the same time, the best assistant in selecting relevant materials and resources for integration is artificial intelligence itself.

“The ability to use AI to learn how to use AI is the most important message of the entire interview, and this is where your mindset will begin to change,” said the manager of the Wix frontend guild in Ukraine.

AI tools, hiring, interviews

Andriy Mokhovyk himself also actively uses various AI tools, which, according to him, have become indispensable assistants. “ChatGPT helps me analyze information, edit texts, create short summaries of articles, and perform many other tasks. For writing, reviewing, and refactoring code, I use Claude Sonnet models via the Cursor platform. I also tried using Preplexity for Internet research, but after Google integrated its Gemini AI assistant into the search engine, I returned to the usual search. For creating and editing images, I use Wixel,” the IT professional told us.

Photo from the Kyiv Wix office

In his opinion, artificial intelligence is developing extremely quickly, and models, protocols, and tools are changing literally every week. “In the future, AI will become an indispensable assistant in many areas of human activity. Therefore, we need to change our thinking today to be ready for these changes and effectively use new opportunities,” Andriy Mokhovyk emphasized.

According to the manager, many of the company’s developers now use AI tools every day in environments such as Cursor or the GitHub Copilot extension.

They help with code writing, reviews, and refactoring. In these integrated development environments (IDEs), IT professionals have access to advanced AI models that can be used for a variety of tasks, from simple queries to complex engineering solutions. In addition, the company has its own assistant, Astra.

“We don’t just give tools and expect results. We want everyone to feel confident using AI. That’s why we launched the Engineering AI Weeks initiative. This is a series of practical sessions that help developers better understand how to effectively use AI in their daily work. The workshops were conducted by engineers themselves, who already have deep expertise and are actively applying AI in their tasks,” the specialist said.

Photo from the Kyiv Wix office

With the introduction of AI, the company has begun a global rethinking of approaches to the candidate search process. Currently, Wix is working here in two directions:

▪️analyzes the recruitment process and all types of professional assessment that currently exist for engineering positions; identifies what part of the assessment of experience and knowledge can be carried out using AI tools and consistently tests all available technologies; plans to begin implementation soon;

“What are we already doing? We ask candidates about their experience with AI tools, and their knowledge and work experience are now considered a significant advantage. We are open to using AI tools when completing homework, and in this case, part of the conversation is devoted to analyzing the tools and logic that the candidate used if he/she performed part of the work with the help of AI assistants. We believe in core engineering education, professional experience, and technical knowledge. For us, AI is an additional skill and tool that can make a talented engineer even more effective, but will not turn anyone into an engineering genius,” Andriy Mokhovyk told us.

According to the IT professional, AI has not only opened up new opportunities for development, but also created certain challenges – the company has increasingly encountered unscrupulous candidates who try to bypass the system during interviews, using AI assistants to receive answers in real time.

Photo from the Wix Kyiv office

“Recently, a candidate couldn’t answer a fairly basic question, so we moved on to the next one. And suddenly he had an “epiphany”: he started giving an extremely detailed answer, almost verbatim from a textbook, including terms that would hardly be familiar without prior preparation. This situation looks suspicious and raises doubts about the candidate’s sincerity. We are positive about the use of AI tools in interviews, but it is important for us that it is open and honest. We are always ready to dive deeper into the experience of each AI engineer, to learn about what the candidate knows and is able to do in this context, and such experience can even become an advantage. Therefore, there is simply no point in tricks,” the specialist concluded.

It is also worth mentioning that at the end of May 2025, Wix acquired another Israeli startup, Hour One. This is a platform for generating videos with characters based on real people. This startup uses solutions for corporate training, marketing, and other business tasks where personalized video is required. Thus, Wix plans to further expand AI integrations, expanding the tools for creating professional AI videos.

Cornell researchers have found a new and potentially more accurate way to see what proteins are doing inside living cells – using the cells’ own components as built-in sensors.

This approach could help scientists study how molecules associate inside cells, including in viruses, and how proteins misfold in diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.

The researchers discovered a novel way to use natural proteins produced by a cell as tiny sensors to report on their environment and interactions, without traditional invasive techniques that could interfere with a cell’s normal biology and skew research results. The study was published July 1 in Nature Communications.

The method is mainly useful for understanding new biological mechanisms, such as those that could be involved in disease states like cancer or during infection. For example, one could conceivably track the assembly of a virus using this method to understand how and where its components are built within cells.”

Brian Crane, the George W. and Grace L. Todd Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and corresponding author on the publication

Crane, who directs the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, and his colleagues focused on flavins, small, vitamin B2-derived molecules that can act like magnetic labels inside cells. This magnetic property makes them detectable by a technique called electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, which is like an MRI machine but measures extremely small changes and nanoscale distances. By tracking the behavior of proteins called flavoproteins, which carry flavins, researchers can detect how other molecules organize and move in living cells.

Because flavoproteins exist in many biological systems, the researchers saw a way to use them as built-in sensors. By triggering the flavin’s magnetic properties with light, they could use ESR to study protein structures directly inside cells – without synthetic chemicals.

“We were studying the properties of certain flavoproteins and discovered that their magnetic spin-states were more stable than expected in cells,” said Timothée Chauviré, a research associate within the Crane Lab at the Weill Institute and lead author on the study. “And from earlier work on light-sensitive proteins, we realized we could use light to trigger the signal we needed to detect these molecules using ESR.”

Forcing artificial tags into cells might interfere with cellular function, but cells naturally produce flavin-containing probes, so “if you can trick the cell into making them, that is much better,” Crane said.

To test their new method, the researchers studied a bacterial protein called Aer, which helps E. coli bacteria sense oxygen. Aer works with two other proteins, CheA and CheW, to transmit signals across the membrane. While these proteins have been studied before, this was the first time researchers were able to directly observe how the Aer receptor assembles inside a living cell.

“We learned that Aer forms higher-order assemblies, arrays of molecules in the membrane, that work together to amplify signals,” Crane said. “These architectures are unstable and won’t form outside of cells.”

With ESR, the team measured the distance between the two flavins in an Aer dimer – complexes of two identical protein molecules – with angstrom-level precision, confirming not only the dimer structure but also revealing larger assemblies that form inside cells.

The researchers also developed a small engineered flavoprotein called iLOV, which can be genetically fused to other proteins to make them visible with ESR. This tool acts like a molecular tag, enabling scientists to study the structure and positioning of nearly any protein inside a living cell.

The study also demonstrated that ESR, previously mainly limited to purified proteins in test tubes, can now be used in living systems with remarkable detail.

“ESR spectroscopy is not limited to just studying purified molecules or reconstituted systems,” Crane said.

The team is now adapting the method to other cell types, particularly mammalian cells, to see if they can track processes in more complex environments, he said.

Contributors to the study include Siddarth Chandrasekaran, Ph.D. ’17; Robert Dunleavy, M.S. ’19, Ph.D. ’23; and Jack H. Freed, professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (A&S).

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology and the National Biomedical Center for Advanced ESR Technologies.

The mystery of how we became human still drives scientific inquiry, especially among researchers probing the ancient genetic shifts that gave rise to our complex brains, capacity for language, and upright posture—traits that set us apart from our closest ape relatives.

“What we found in our study was that a range of different traits—skeletal, neuropsychiatric, pigmentation, cholesterol synthesis, and so on—were accelerated at different points in the history of humans,” said Vagheesh Narasimhan, who co-authored a study published in Cell Genomics in January 2025.  Narasimhan is an assistant professor in the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin).

The study integrated three powerful data sources: ancient DNA from fossils; 3D MRI scans from hundreds of thousands of participants in the UK Biobank revealing the structure of the brain, skeleton, and major organs; and comparative functional genomics that mapped how the human genome aligns—and diverges—from that of chimpanzees, orangutans, and other great apes. By layering these datasets, researchers were able to uncover where bursts of human-specific evolutionary changes and genetic mutations likely occurred.

“We looked at gene expression and gene regulation through embryo development between humans and other primates, particularly Rhesus macaque,” Narasimhan said. “We then carried out genomic enrichment analysis, which determines whether the overlap between our evolutionary annotation and our annotation associated with traits is more than we expect by chance compared to the genome wide average.”

Narasimhan and colleagues leveraged this method to look at whether sections of the human genome associated with traits had bursts at particular time intervals.

With advanced computing power from the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), scientists were able to identify when key human traits may have undergone major evolutionary changes. TACC supported the research by awarding Narasimhan allocations on its Frontera and Lonestar6 supercomputers, along with data storage and management resources on the Corral system.

Lonestar6 helped the researchers process 80,000 3D MRI images of the heart, brain, liver, and pancreas, as well as hip, knee, spine, and whole-body X-ray scans from the UK Biobank.

“We trained AI models for segmentation and classification on the imaging data using TACC GPU (graphics processing unit) resources, particularly Lonestar6, which has a large number of GPUs that were capable of processing this type of data,” Narasimhan said.

“For carrying out genomic analyses, we are heavy users of the CPU (central processing unit) infrastructure on Frontera, largely because the genome is a very large data problem,” he added. “Having a large number of CPU nodes on a supercomputing cluster like Frontera was tremendously useful to shrink compute time from a linear process to a parallel process and allow the study to happen.”

The HIPAA protections on TACC’s Corral data storage allowed Narasimhan to simultaneously compute on two different environments, Lonestar6’s GPUs and Frontera’s CPUs.

“It’s impossible to do this work without this integrated enterprise at TACC,” Narasimhan said.

Narasimhan is excited about the new GPU computing capacity with TACC’s AI-focused Vista supercomputer, which entered production in November 2024.

“We’re hoping to use Vista soon and continue our work,” he said. “TACC’s vision to keep pace with new data generation is transformative.”

A more recent study by Narasimhan published in April 2025 in the journal Science also acknowledges TACC support. It found genetic correlations between pelvic proportions and traits such as osteoarthritis, walking speed, and back pain, giving insight into facets of the obstetrical dilemma—the biological tradeoffs between the size of a mother’s birth canal and the brain of her child.

“To truly understand change in the human genome, we need massive amounts of data from a vast number of individuals to look at what’s happening in each of these three billion DNA bases,” Narasimhan said. “It’s a monumental data problem that can only be tackled by using supercomputing infrastructure.”

This article was originally published by TACC and is reprinted with permission.

The Lenovo Tab M9 is one of the more understated tablets out there, and its most recent price drop should put it on everyone’s radar. This midrange tablet normally retails for $160, but as part of a new Clearance sale, the Tab M9 has gone down to just $104, which is nearly 40% off the regular price.

Also: The best Android tablets you can buy

Because the device is on clearance, this may be the last time that you’ll be able to buy the Tab M9 at such a low price — or ever. Lenovo may be clearing up inventory to make room for a brand new model. The tablet originally launched back in 2023. In the two years since its release, the device has stood tall as a great budget entertainment device when lounging or using as a secondary screen for work.

I recommend the Lenovo Tab M9 for people who want an inexpensive, everyday tablet. It sports a nine-inch HD touchscreen that outputs an image resolution of 1,340 x 800 pixels. It’s powered by a MediaTek G80 Octa Core processor and 3GB of memory. For the camera system, you have an 8MP lens on the rear and a 2MP selfie lens on the front. Lenovo’s tablet has 32GB of storage for storing photos and apps.

As you can see from these specs, it is not a super powerful device, but it makes up for it in other areas. The Tab M9 has a 5,100mAh battery that lasts up to 13 hours of video playback. It also weighs 13.4 ounces, making it easy to carry around and a great travel device.

Also: Why I recommend this Lenovo Android tablet to most people – especially at this price

“Dual speakers provide crystal clear sound,” Lenovo touts, but if you don’t want to disturb the people around you, the device has a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones on the side.

Looking at Best Buy user reviews, people praise the Lenovo Tab M9 for its size, long-lasting battery, and ease of use. Others appreciate the lightweight form factor and solid audio output. Considering its display and compact design, I’m finding it difficult to recommend any other value-centric tablet that’s on sale this week.

Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

How I rated this deal

At 50% off, ZDNET’s rating system grants this promotion a 5/5 Editor’s deal rating score. That is a perfect score. The Lenovo Tab M9 is a decent media tablet that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, and it makes for a great first tablet for children. This is near the lowest amount that I have ever seen the Tab M9 go for. I don’t anticipate this tablet dropping much lower anytime soon, so be sure to take advantage of the deal while it lasts.

For Amazon Prime Day, Motorola has heavily discounted its Moto G Stylus 5G (2024), bringing it to just $299 ($100 off).

It’s been several years since I evaluated the first-generation Moto G Stylus, and a lot has improved. But late last year, I had the chance to test the Moto G Stylus 2024. It’s been a couple of months since, so here’s how my experience has gone with my T-Mobile SIM installed.

Also: Best early Prime Day phone deals: These 15 sales should be on your radar

While I bought a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra last year for three times the price of the Moto G Stylus, for daily use, I prefer carrying the latter. It’s smaller, the stylus meets all my needs, and I enjoy the streamlined Moto experience and customization. My notification shade isn’t cluttered with ads, and I can even go two days before needing to charge it.

Motorola sent me the Caramel Latte color with a vegan leather back, which is lovely and matches one of my favorite coffee types (haha!). There’s also a Scarlet Wave color that’s more red, almost like lipstick. With 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage with microSD card support, and a 5,000mAh battery, all for just $299, the Moto G Stylus is one of the better budget phones in recent year.s

The stylus remains the distinguishing feature of the 2024 Motorola model. It has been improved over previous generations with reduced latency, better targeting, and an updated user interface. Pulling out the stylus when the phone is off is convenient, and there’s a new note pop-up for quickly jotting down thoughts. It’s a subtle but very handy feature for notetakers on the go.

Also: I changed 12 settings on my Android phone to drastically improve battery life

As far as default notes apps go, you can choose between Moto Note and Google Keep Notes. Since Keep Notes is my default, the phone is even more useful for my needs.

When the phone is on, and the stylus is removed, a list of favorited shortcuts appears on an overlay screen, allowing you to jump right into the action. The stylus settings include removal notifications and the last known location of the stylus to help you find it if it’s lost. The stylus has a much nicer design than previous Moto Stylus models I’ve used, closely resembling the Samsung S-Pen. It’s easy to hold, slim, and charges within the phone.

Built-in pen aside, Motorola’s user interface is one of my favorite parts of the phone; it’s a fairly stock, Pixel-esque look and feel boosted by Motorola’s handy gestures and system enhancements. For example, you can twist to launch the camera, make chopping motions to toggle the flashlight, and pick up the phone to silence the ringer. These gestures, and several others, make the phone feel much smarter than others, and it’s great to have them available even at this lower price point.

The Moto G Stylus 5G launches with Android 14 and has monthly security updates, but given the affordable price and processor of the phone, you can likely expect one major upgrade to Android 15 and possibly two years of Android security patches. The cadence will vary, of course, though I wish Motorola would push the limit a little more and promise at least two years of OS upgrades. Samsung and Google, for comparison, offer upwards of seven years of updates.

Also: The obvious reason why I’m not sold on smartphone AI features yet (and I’m not alone)

The 6.7-inch OLED supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate that can dynamically adjust based on your use cases. For example, it’ll lower the refresh rate when you’re scrolling through photos or a webpage — when there are fewer animations to render. I’ve enjoyed hours of content with the phone, and having a legacy port in the 3.5mm headphone jack certainly helps when traveling without wireless earbuds.

A 50MP main and 13MP ultra-wide camera are positioned on the back of the phone. It’s certainly refreshing to see a mid-range phone without the unnecessary macro lens and depth sensor. Instead, the ultra-wide camera supports a 120-degree field-of-view while also serving as the macro shooter. 

Also: The best Motorola phones of 2025: Where does the new Razr rank?

While the camera hardware is not as powerful as flagship phones, Motorola provides excellent software tools that help you capture great photos and be creative with little effort. Still, I’ve enjoyed using the Motorola camera, especially when capturing quick shots during the daytime. The 50MP camera system should serve most people just fine. At this price point, you really can’t complain.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I started using personal digital assistant (PDA) devices that all had a stylus in 1997, and I am still a fan of using such an accessory that provides precision inputs and on-device handwriting. The Moto G Stylus 5G is an affordable option for stylus lovers while also serving as a very capable Android phone. The Motorola user interface remains one of my favorites since it is optimized for efficient use and doesn’t rely as heavily on AI to help you get things done.

This story was first published on May 25, 2024, and was updated on July 2, 2025, to reflect the Amazon Prime Day sale.