After three years of Moto Mods, Motorola is understandably ramping things down in that arena. Now, that crazy slide-out physical keyboard from the Moto Z is getting canned before shipping a single unit…
Moto Z Stories September 13, 2018
Moto Z Stories August 3, 2018
Motorola confirms there won’t be any more Moto Z devices this year
Yesterday’s launch of the Moto Z3 wasn’t really expected, but it delivered an interesting device with some welcome upgrades. Now, Motorola is confirming that it will be the last Moto Z released in 2018.
Moto Z Stories May 21, 2018
Android Oreo is now rolling out to LG G6 on Verizon, unlocked Moto Z
Android Oreo’s rollout has been pretty slow since its debut on the Pixel family last year, but in the past couple of months, the floodgates have finally started to open for other devices. Today, Oreo is on its way to the LG G6 and the original Moto Z.
Moto Z Stories January 18, 2018
Motorola’s ‘Moto Folio’ Mod is a super affordable way to protect your Moto Z device
Motorola is pushing Moto Mods hard, unveiling new ones such as a keyboard at CES 2018 last week. The collection has been expanding for quite some time, but most are pretty expensive. Now though, there’s a folio mod that costs just $11 and change.
Moto Z Stories January 9, 2018
At CES 2018, Lenovo-owned Motorola is renewing its commitment to Moto Mods with two new accessories for the Moto Z lineup. The first is made by its parent company and meant for health sensing, while the latter is a full-sized sliding keyboard.
Moto Z Stories November 15, 2017
Motorola’s Moto Mods are very cool, but what’s really impressive is the potential. In theory, you could do basically anything with a Moto Mod, and now Polaroid is expanding what the platform is capable of, with a printer.
Moto Z Stories August 3, 2017
Motorola has opened 6 ‘Moto Hub’ retail stores in India w/ plans for 50 more
Since the Moto G, Motorola’s presence in India has grown tremendously. Today, the company has opened up 6 new stores in the country, all designed to further push its various smartphones.
Moto Z Stories May 1, 2017
Motorola got serious about building out a community of hardware makers for its Moto Mods platform last year, and there have been a few standout ideas so far: Amazon Alexa hardware, gamepads, and of course the trusty physical keyboard mod. Now, that last concept has hit its goal on Indiegogo, suggesting that maybe it will actually come to fruition in time for the 2nd gen. Moto Z… expand full story
Moto Z Stories April 19, 2017
I know I am in a minority with this opinion, but I really do miss physical keyboards on phones. So much so that I cannot wait for the BlackBerry KeyOne to come out just so I can have a handset that doesn’t rely on an on-screen keyboard. That’s why when an Indiegogo campaign making a keyboard for the Moto Z posted pictures of its prototype, I got so excited…
Moto Z Stories February 26, 2017
Alongside the Moto G5 and G5 Plus announcements, Lenovo unveiled some new Moto Mods at its MWC event today. The company stressed during its presentation that Mods have become hugely important to the Moto brand since their launch with the Moto Z, and it’s introduced new partners to bring even more features to its flagship-tier devices.
Moto Z Stories February 4, 2017
Motorola keeps promise, Nougat currently rolling out to some unlocked Moto Z users [Updated]
Update: Republic Wireless has posted on its community forums that Motorola is currently rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat as a soak test to a limited number of unlocked Moto Z devices. In the post, the mobile carrier also confirmed that Motorola should rollout the update to all unlocked Moto Z models on February 17 if everything goes as planned.
Motorola hasn’t been as good as they once were when it came to updating their handset in a timely manner. Years ago, some of their phones had been updated to the latest version of Android even before Nexus devices. This is a thing of the past, though, as some Moto devices are now months behind on updates. Thankfully, it seems Motorola is now slowly rolling out Nougat to the unlocked Moto Z…
Moto Z Stories January 30, 2017
Motorola’s Moto Z was one of the more fascinating smartphones of last year, but as good as an idea as Moto Mods were, their potential was limited due to high prices and lack of compelling options.
Motorola isn’t giving up, however, as the company continues to assist some developers in building new options. One of those is the “Ultimate” Moto Mod, which aims to bring two highly desired features in a shell not much thicker than a Style Shell.
Moto Z Stories January 18, 2017
Nougat isn’t coming to the unlocked Moto Z until Feb, Moto Z Play in March
Verizon started rolling out Android Nougat to their Moto Z and Z Force handsets back in November. This fit with a statement given by a Motorola spokesperson which said that the entire line would be updated in Q4 of 2016.
The issue now is that the unlocked variants of the handset — sold directly from Moto themselves — have yet to receive any sort of update. A new statement from the Lenovo-owned company says that these updates should be coming soon…
Moto Z Stories December 30, 2016
With the introduction of its Moto Z line of phones, Motorola (or, rather, Lenovo) seemed to have put the X line aside, making its destiny a little unclear. However, a collaboration between Android Authority and the evergreen Steve Hemmerstoffer (better known as @OnLeaks) is shedding some light on it…
Moto Z Stories December 29, 2016
From always running the latest version of Android to “more opinionated” software customizations, there are many reasons Google’s Pixel is ‘one of the best phones‘ of this year. In an industry where smaller usually means degraded, I greatly appreciate the near identical specifications between the two screen sizes.
While I think the design of that phone is quite nuanced thanks to curved edges that further help holdability, the Pixel won’t be getting any awards in that department. However, there is a clear standout for the most interestingly designed phone of 2016. For better or worse, that title goes to the Moto Z in my view. And yes, I am primarily referring to its thinness.
It’s been few months since the phone launched and I’ve just recently gotten my hands on it, so I thought I would share some of my thoughts…
Moto Z Stories December 5, 2016
Moto Z Stories December 4, 2016
Android Basics: How to enable the battery percentage on all Moto Z variants
When it comes to monitoring your battery life on Moto Z devices, it can be hard to estimate how much power is left just based on the battery icon. Thankfully, there is an option in the settings menu that allows you to enable the battery percentage which makes it much easier to glance at your status bar and see how much battery you have left…
Android Basics: How to setup Moto Voice on all Moto Z variants
Most modern Android devices now have the ability to setup a voice prompt that lets you operate your device without even picking it up. Motorola has had its own feature called Moto Voice for the last couple of years that allows for more than the standard “Ok, Google” command. The below steps will help you say “Hello, Moto” to your Moto Z device…
Moto Z Stories December 3, 2016
Android Basics: How to take a screenshot on all Moto Z variants
As with any mobile device, it is always important to know how to capture information on your screen. One of the unique aspects of the Moto Z line of phones is that the overall design is exactly the same, which means the process is also exactly the same across the board. Thankfully, Lenovo also didn’t change the screenshot process that can be found baked into almost every Android device…
Moto Z Stories December 2, 2016
The latest Sports Illustrated cover was shot w/ Moto Z’s Hasselblad camera Moto Mod
While magazine covers are typically shot by high-powered cameras, the latest issue of Sports Illustrated was — for the very first time — actually captured with a smartphone. Specifically, Moto tells us that this cover was captured with the Moto Z’s Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod…
Moto Z Stories November 30, 2016
Lenovo launched the Phab2 Pro earlier this year (actually, it just recently started shipping) as the first Android “phone” to have support for Google’s Tango. I say “phone” because the Lenovo Phab2 Pro is basically a 7-inch tablet with cellular radios. Now, however, it looks like Tango might be coming to an actual phone in the form of a new module for the Moto Z…
Moto Z Stories November 19, 2016
About two months ago, Motorola confirmed it would be rolling out the latest version of Android, 7.0 Nougat, to the Moto Z family by the end of the year. Ahead of any announcement, it appears that update is rolling out to some users of the DROID edition Moto Z smartphones…
Moto Z Stories September 15, 2016
In case you somehow missed it, Apple made the iPhone 7 official last week. While we’re fairly happy with what the company brought to the table this year, many – including some diehard Apple fans – weren’t too impressed…
Moto Z Stories September 2, 2016
The Moto Z is unique because it features the ability to attach different ‘Mods’ to the back of the phone to give it extra functionality. Moto has now put out two one-minute long ads showing off the JBL Soundboost and the Insta-Share Projector, both of which makes sharing media with others a snap.
Moto Z Stories August 31, 2016
GSM unlocked Moto Z will be available for pre-order September 15th for $699.99
By far one of the worst aspects of the launch of the Moto Z has been Verizon exclusivity. Since the phone’s launch, it has been available only through “The Big Red”, with the eventual promise of the device going up for sale unlocked. Now, Lenovo is finally revealing when that new model will be available.
As we said in our review, Moto Mods make enhancing your phone easy. Want better speakers? Slap on a JBL speaker mod. Want better battery life? Add a battery pack! Motorola’s current line up of Moto Mods include all of the fairly obvious use cases, but today the company has launched a new Moto Mod at IFA: a camera from Hasselblad.
Moto Z Stories August 30, 2016
Following its release last month, Lenovo has just pushed the first software update to the Moto Z DROID Edition. Updates have been a topic of controversy for the Moto Z, with Motorola confirming that the device would not be receiving monthly security updates as most Android devices currently do.
Moto Z Stories August 11, 2016
Ahead of IFA later this month, Lenovo has just released a new teaser video for its upcoming product announcements. This new teaser looks back at some of the previous tech Lenovo has released at IFA such as its Yoga Windows laptops, tablets, and even give us another look at those crazy flexible phones and tablets from Tech World earlier this year.
Moto Z Stories July 30, 2016
In this week’s top stories: We give you new Galaxy Note 7 details ahead of an official launch, go hands-on w/ Moto Z , Moto Z Force, & Moto Mods, and we get a look at early Android Nougat builds running on the Nexus 6P and Huawei P9. expand full story
Moto Z Stories July 26, 2016
Now this one’s a doozy. Sometimes you just can’t get clear and concise statements from a company about a product’s features, and the latest is about whether or not Motorola/Lenovo will commit to monthly security updates for the Moto Z. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, but the latest suggests that while you will get updates, you shouldn’t expect to get security patches on a monthly basis…
Moto Z Stories July 25, 2016
Moto Z is the first Moto-branded flagship since Lenovo began phasing out the Motorola brand name, and the successor to the popular Moto X line. At the time of its unveiling, Moto X represented a new Motorola with a new, clearer vision under the influence of Google itself. The company ditched the heavy skins commonly found on Android handsets, built a solid phone that was a good overall experience, and added some features here and there that made it stand out from the crowd. It was the ideal prototype of what an Android OEM should do.
But the Moto X is gone now, and Motorola is now owned by Lenovo. Slowly but surely, we have seen Lenovo make its mark on the Moto phones of years previous, and this year things took another step in a new direction. Lenovo skipped over Y and has now launched the Moto Z, and deserving of its new name the device is indeed. The curved back and the Moto dimple of the X line are gone, replaced with an aluminum and glass surface that makes a bold attempt at a new super-thin sexiness. Is it a good phone, though? Let’s talk about that…
Moto Z Stories July 22, 2016
Here’s what Lenovo’s ‘One UI’ looks like on a Chinese Moto Z
Lenovo/Motorola have finally launched the new Moto Z here in the United States, but that’s not the only place we’ll see it go up for sale. After a brief period of exclusivity at Verizon Wireless, the phone will go on sale in markets around the world as a GSM unlocked device. One of those markets includes China, but there the Moto Z will be getting some major changes in the software department.
Moto Z Stories July 21, 2016
It’s been a few weeks since Lenovo officially announced the Moto Z and Moto Z Force, and in the time since we’ve only had two big question: when are they coming, and how much will they cost? Today those questions are answered, at least for the Verizon editions.
Moto Z Stories July 15, 2016
We’re hard at work on our full review of Lenovo’s upcoming Moto Z and and Moto Z Force (coming next week!), but for now you’re going to have to settle for some quick unboxing footage. Follow after the break for the video, in which we disassemble the packing for Lenovo’s latest flagship…
We went hands-on with the Moto Z and Moto Z Force earlier this year at Lenovo’s event in San Francisco, California. But now, as the phones are about to hit store shelves (or at least Verizon’s shelves), we’ve finally received our review units. While our full review(s) won’t drop until next week, we wanted to give you all an opportunity to ask about the phones — ask us anything!
Moto Z Stories June 22, 2016
Breaking the first images of the Moto Z, HelloMotoHK has a realtively reliable record when it comes to Motorola devices. A new leak suggests that Moto Z devices sold in China will forgo Moto’s lightly skinned version of Android for Lenovo’s. Fortunately, models sold in the US and around the world will reportedly stick with the near stock Android we’re familiar with.
Moto Z Stories June 13, 2016
While Lenovo’s new Moto Z is grabbing attention for a lot of reasons, the main selling point for this new device is its design supporting modular backplates. With a few strong magnets and some pins, a special module called a ‘Moto Mod‘ can instantly expand the capabilities of the phone. At Tech World last week, the company showed off several mods that would be available at launch. It didn’t, however, reveal pricing. Thankfully, Verizon has.
Moto Z Stories June 10, 2016
Moto Z DROID Edition will come with 2 years of free original quality Google Photos storage
The Moto Z and Moto Z Force are now official but there’s still a lot about these phones that Lenovo didn’t announce on stage. One thing we know from the event, however, is that Verizon will be getting exclusive rights to sell the phone for a few weeks starting this Summer prior to the unlocked launch in September. The “DROID Edition” isn’t too much different from the standard model, but it seems like it will be coming with an extra perk over the standard model.
Yesterday we got our hands on Lenovo’s just-announced Moto Z and Phab2 Pro, but one of the most important new features of the former — the company’s true flagship this year — is support for new modular backplates called Moto Mods. Lenovo announced a slew of them yesterday, including speakers from JBL, a camera module from Hasselblad, a pico projector called the Moto Insta-Share, an Incopio battery pack, and more.
Let’s take a look…
Moto Z Stories June 9, 2016
The unlocked Moto Z will only support GSM networks
Yesterday Lenovo made the Moto Z official, but with that they also confirmed that it would be exclusive to Verizon Wireless for several weeks. Both the Moto Z and Moto Z Force will launch on Verizon this Summer, with an unlocked model coming in September. Sadly however, that unlocked model won’t work with Verizon.
Lenovo announced the first line of Moto phones since its acquisition of Motorola today, and there was not a single mention of the company from which the new devices got their namesake. The Moto X is gone replaced by the Moto Z and the Moto Z Force — the former being the true flagship with a super-thin build and the latter being a more rugged version with a better camera, a little more thickness, and a shatterproof screen.
Let’s take a look at the regular Moto Z, which in my opinion is the nicest phone Lenovo announced today…
The new Moto Z is officially the world’s thinnest smartphone at just 5.2mm, but to achieve that they’ve had to make some sacrifices. The battery is quite a bit smaller than most phones at just 2,600 mAh, and another issue with the razor thin design is that you won’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Along with their announcement of the Moto Z, Lenovo today announced MotoMods, a collection of special attachments to the phone which can expand the capabilities of the phone. The first three MotoMods that will hit the market include the ‘Insta-share projector’, JBL SoundBoost speaker, and the offGRID power pack from Incipio. However Lenovo is learning from the mistakes that LG made with the G5 by opening up a developer program to encourage development of more new modules.
While technically not the first Lenovo-made Moto device, the Moto Z is the most important. After dropping Motorola for just Moto and replacing long time head Rick Osterloh, Lenovo is finally fleshing out its 2014 acquisition from Google. The Moto Z lineup consists of two devices with nearly identical designs and compatibility with backplate modules that add extra functionality and styling.
Moto Z Stories June 7, 2016
From new Moto devices to Project Tango, Lenovo will have a full lineup of announcements this Thursday at Tech World 2016. Now, a new render has surfaced highlighting the thinness of the Moto Z, while a Bluetooth certification points to low-end devices also set to carry the Moto name.
Moto Z Stories June 4, 2016
Motorola Lenovo is just a few short days away from announcing their next Android flagship, the Moto Z (or Moto X 2016 as it’s also known). We’re all excited to see what will be unveiled, but through a series of leaks we know quite a lot about the new phone. We know that it’ll have a metal design, but one of the biggest downsides to that is that users won’t be able to customize the look of the phone. However thanks to a new set of leaks, it looks like we’ll be able to retain that after all, sort of.
Moto Z Stories May 23, 2016
The only confirmed launch from Lenovo’s Tech World event on June 9th is a consumer Project Tango-enabled smartphone. An invite from the reliable MotoHK now also points to a reveal of the next Moto flagship at the event. Furthermore, the Moto Z trademark has just passed (via Droid Life) the US Patent Office.
Moto Z Stories May 19, 2016
It was 2006, you were in high school, and everybody had a Motorola RAZR. At least, that’s how Motorola wants you to remember your life ten years ago, in its latest teaser for the upcoming Moto X (or Moto Z) announcement.
Of course, one year later the iPhone was launched and the entire mobile industry was turned on its head. But for that one brief spell, the RAZR was without doubt the most popular phone around, and it turned heads.
