Moto X

Following announcements for the roll out of Android 4.4.3 for a number of Android devices yesterday, Motorola today confirmed its own roll out schedule for Moto X, Moto G, and Moto E. Here’s the break down of who gets it first starting this week:

• Moto X T-Mobile users
• Moto G users who bought online in the U.S. (includes Moto G 4G LTE) and at retail in Brazil
• Moto E users who bought online in the U.S. and Canada. For Moto E users, you are still up for the next major Android update as well. Consider this the cherry on top.

While users will get the improved dialer (pictured above) and other fixes we previously detailed for Android 4.4.3, Moto X and Moto G users will also get the Moto Alert app, and “pausing for video recording with a convenient pause/resume button on the viewfinder,” while Moto X gets improved camera image quality:
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Earlier this year, a report emerged claiming that Google was looking to further expand the capabilities of its “Ok, Google” functionality. Android Police has now published yet another report on this topic, detailing more features that Google will soon incorporate into Google Now. The earlier report claimed that Google was looking to add the ability to say “Ok, Google” anywhere within Android, no matter what app you were in at the time. Now, Android Police, is reporting that soon, you will be able to say “Ok, Google” and activate Google Now even when the device is turned off, with some caveats.

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Motorola Mobility’s journey to becoming a Lenovo-owned company has been filled with changes, but it looks like some of Google’s influence may endure this transition. Pictured above is a purported shot of the long rumored Moto X+1. While the photo’s appearance is quite sketchy, it was posted on the Google+ page of Antony Cheng, a former Motorola product specialist, based out of Hong Kong.

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Motorola Mobility, still owned by Google until the sale to Lenovo completes, announced today that it’s closing the Texas-based manufacturing plant that it opened in May of last year to build its Moto X smartphone. The plant, which employees approximately 700 employees, is said to be closing its doors by the end of the year, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal:
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Currently, Motorola seems to be the king of budget smartphones. With the launch of the Moto G ($179.99) and more recently the Moto E ($129.99), it seems like Motorola has a smartphone tier for just about anyone. Motorola’s Moto X has also dropped in price to $349.99 off contract and just barely graces the budget phone border.

The good news is, there are plenty of budget Motorola devices to choose from, but now you’ll have to make a decision. Which one is the best for you? Let’s find out in our Moto showdown.

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A store listing on Motorola’s website (via Droid Life) has given us an early look at the currently-unannounced Moto X+1, which will be available on AT&T whenever it’s finally made public. The phone looks very similar to the current Moto X, so most of the big changes to the device will presumably be under-the-hood.

There is at least one change being made to the outside of the phone. The X+1 recently showed up on the MotoMaker tool that allows users to build customized versions of the Moto X. According to the options on that website, the phone will be available with 25 different backplates to choose from.

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A few weeks back rumors surfaced suggesting that Motorola Mobility was working on a device called the Moto X+1. Soon after this claim, additional details about the unannounced handset’s customization options emerged, with rumors of it offering a new leather back plate as an optional design. While we’re still not completely sure what the Moto X+1 might be, recently the mysterious device was spotted in Motorola’s MotoMaker by German mobile blog MobiFlip.

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Just last week, select Moto X variants started to receive price drops to $349 and $399 for 16GB and 32GB respectively, but now the company is looking to further discount all models of the device. Starting on May 1 at 12:01AM ET and running for 24 hours, the 16GB Moto X will cost just $299. The 32GB and Developer editions will receive an even steeper price cut, from $399 down to $324.99.

It’s unclear how many units Motorola will sell at this price, or if it will simply run the entire day. You also have to keep in mind that Motorola has promised a new flagship by late-Summer. But if you’ve been waiting for your chance to snag one of the best Android smartphones out there, this is your opportunity.

Let’s just hope this sale goes better than Moto’s Cyber Monday catastrophe…

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Back on Cyber Monday, Motorola cut the price of its flagship Moto X to just $350, causing a frenzy all across the web and even prompting the company to offer it again just a month later and several times since. As noticed by Android Police, Motorola has dropped the price of the RepublicWireless Moto X to just $349, yet again.

Motorola hasn’t made any official announcements regarding the price drop, but if you head over to the company’s website you can see that the price has dropped with no indication of it being a temporary sale.

On Amazon, the device is also priced the same, but it applies to the unlocked GSM model that will work with AT&T and T-Mobile, not RepublicWireless. That’s even a better deal: $350 for 16GB and $400 for 32GB. The developer edition of the device is still set at its normal $449.99 and it’s unclear if it will receive a price cut.

Nevertheless, if you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to snag Motorola’s darn-good Moto X flagship, now’s your chance.

• Moto X from Motorola
• Moto X from Amazon

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The biggest differentiator for the Moto X was the ability to customize it to your liking via Motorola’s Moto Maker website. With its next flagship, it looks as if Motorola is planning to further expand the customization options available. According to information obtained by @evleaks, Motorola plans to keep many of the original backplate options with the Moto X+1, but also introduce a new leather option, as teased before.

The company will reportedly offer 25 back panel options, including a new leather option in grey, blue, red, and black.

• Leather: Black, Red, Grey, Blue
• Cool: Navy, Turquoise, Olive, Royal Blue, Dark Teal
• Wood: Teak, Bamboo, Rosewood, Ebony
• Neutral: Slate, Purple, Smoke, Black, Chalk
• Warm: Red, Orange, Lemon Lime, Violet, Crimson, Raspberry, Cabernet
• Wood: Teak, Bamboo, Rosewood, Ebony

Motorola itself has said that itself that a Moto X successor is planned for this summer. The device is rumored to be called the Moto X+1, but other details are sparse at this point. But a new leather backing option would certainly be a differentiator.

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Motorola announced today on its blog that its releasing a new “College Collection” of customization options through Moto Maker that will allow those purchasing a Moto X to apply custom school colors and logos for a long list of schools in the US. It’s also offering a discount on the device for students. 
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Motorola has just announced via its Twitter account that it will be offering the Moto X without contract for $100 on January 27th. The deal will apply to any Moto X, meaning that the 16GB will run just $299 and the 32GB will cost $349. That’s just $100 more than Moto G. The catch, however, is that the deal will only run for one hour and “while supplies last.” The offer will be available from 3PM ET to 4PM ET on the 27th of January.

Xtra sweet deal alert: Jan 27 3-4PM ET $100 off any #MotoX w/o contract while supplies last… (1/2)

— motorolaus (@MotorolaUS) January 24, 2014

Motorola also notes that, until Valentine’s Day (February 14th), the Moto X will be available for $70 off, should you miss out on the $100 off offer. That means that the 16GB model will be available for $330 and the 32GB for $380 It looks like that offer will kick in after the $100 off offer sells out on the 27th.

If you miss out, you can still get $70 off any #MotoX w/o contract until Valentine’s Day. (2/2)

— motorolaus (@MotorolaUS) January 24, 2014

These are certainly amazing deals. Let’s just hope that these sales go better than the Cyber Monday deal the company attempted to hold…

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Last week, Motorola finally announced the highly-anticpated wood-finsihed backs for its Moto X. The company announced Walnut, Ebony, And Teak finishes for the device, in addition to the Bamboo option that has been available since December. Today, the three new finishes are finally available on Motorola’s Moto Maker website for an additional $25. The options are applied like any other Moto Maker customizations, with the only difference being the $25 fee (via Droid Life).

Customizing your Moto X with wood finishing does not appear to affect the shipping times, with people who placed their order today receiving an arrival estimate of this Friday, January 24th.

The Moto X with Ebony, Teak, and Walnut finish is available now on Moto Maker, coming in at $425 for 16GB and $450 for 32GB.

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Following its announcement last August and rollout in the US, the Google-owned Motorola announced today via Twitter a timeline for Moto X availability in select European countries. Motorola is taking its Moto X smartphone to the United Kingdom, France, and Germany beginning sometime next month.

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After the Cyber Monday madness surrounding the $349 Moto X, Motorola officially dropped the device’s off-contract price to just $399 last week, looking to get the device into even more consumer’s hands. Today, the company has announced another special offer for the Moto X. Starting today, January 8th, and running through January 14th, anyone who purchases an off-contract Moto X from Motorola’s website will also get a free Google Chromecast. The Chromecast costs $35 normally, so this is a great deal for anyone looking for the two devices.

The deal is live now on Motorola’s site. Simply use the promo “STREAM” to obtain the offer. The Moto X runs $399 for 16GB and $449 for 32GB.

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Motorola is kicking off 2014 with a piece of excellent news as the Moto X drops to $399.99 without contract. Rick Osterloh, the company’s Senior Vice President just announced the news on the company’s official blog stating Motorola has “hearing a lot recently from people who want a new premium smartphone at a reasonable price without having to wait for a contract upgrade.” Motorola is taking the bull by the horns and dropping the price down to a level that is arguably one of the best price tags we’ve seen on a premium device in some time.

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Hey Verizon customers, keep a special eye out on Big Red’s “end of year” savings as there are a few goodies to be had. First off is a new sale on the Moto X similar to what the carrier ran in November offering the device for $49.99 with a two-year agreement.

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