Android 4.4.4 is on the move and the latest handset to be blessed with an over-the-air push of Mountain View’s newest version of KitKat is the Google Play edition of the Moto G. Released to tackle a few bugs and potential security exploits missed by its predecessor, this fairly lean update doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of aesthetics.
Last month, Motorola announced that it was accepting design submissions for watch faces for its Moto 360 smartwatch. We showed you some of the best and most interesting submissions last month, as well, but today, Motorola has finally announced the winner of its contest. In a blog post, Motorola announced that out of the 1,300 submitted designs, David Pascual’s watch face was deemed the best. You can see his design at the top of this page.
Motorola says that Pascual wins one of the very first Moto 360s and the chance for his design to be featured on the watch when it ships. It’s unclear exactly what Pascual has to do for his design to be featured on the watch, but we’re guessing there’s some sort of licensing.
You can view all of the Moto 360 watch face designs on Google+. The Moto 360 is slated to go on sale later this summer.
We’ve been hearing quite a bit recently about the upcoming Moto X+1, which is expected to be Motorola’s next flagship smartphone. Now, 9to5Google has received what appears to be a promotional render for what is said to be that device from a source we consider reliable.
While a lot of information has already been leaked about this phone, one new feature revealed by this source is the apparent inclusion of a front-facing speaker at the bottom of the phone, though the purpose for that hardware (beyond possible music playback or speakerphone support) is still uncertain.
The source says it’s possible this phone will be revealed at Google’s I/O developer conference. If that’s the case, it would make sense for promotional images to start floating around about this time as the company prepares to unveil the next-gen device.
We’ve also gotten our hands on two separate images from a second render from the same source which is embedded below:
Although Motorola has yet to formally announce the Moto X+1, we’ve seen our share of alleged photos and videos of this phantom smartphone. Today, however, we’re getting the clearest shot to date of the rumored handset, courtesy of @evleaks. Unlike previous sketchy images, this front and back pair of photos appear to be press renders of the Moto X successor dressed up in some type of case.
Motorola has been aggressively pushing its Moto X lately, but the smartphone’s rumored successor appears to be coming along. Pictured above is a purported shot of the Moto X+1 wrapped up in plastic like it was killed by a mafia hitman. Not exactly a fashion statement, the device’s operator claims that this was done to hide identifying markings on the handset.
After being available on Amazon for a short while, the Moto G with LTE is now available on Motorola’s official website. The device will run you just $219 and comes in either white or black.
Every year at Google I/O the company gives away a few gadgets to the attendees of the event. Last year, Google gave away the $1,500 Chromebook Pixel to attendees, among other things. According to a report from Android Authority, Google this year plans to give out the LG G Watch for free to all the people in attendance.
Motorola this afternoon updated its Assist app on Android to version 2.2.35 with a handful of changes. Motorola Assist already offers a variety of features that improve handsfree capabilities of the Moto X (and other devices), and this update adds another very useful one.
Motorola announced on Twitter and the company’s website today that the 32 GB Moto X will be available for $100 less than its usual price for the next two days. The sale starts tonight at midnight and runs until Friday.
Only the unlocked, no-contract model will be discounted. That specific version usually runs about $499, so this is a pretty decent drop for those wanting to get their hands on the KitKat-powered smartphone.
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:
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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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZgHGDGCBfc
Update: The Moto Stream is now live on Motorola’s website. It costs $49, uses Bluetooth and NFC technology to connect to devices, charges over USB, and has a 3.5mm to RCA connector for audio. Motorola also provides a bit more insight into this “DJ experience” it hinted at by describing a software feature called Heist Mode:
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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.
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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Motorola announced a contest earlier this week asking the community to submit watch face concepts for a chance to win a Moto 360 smartwatch. Well, now the contest is udnerway, and the Moto 360 Design Face-Off community on Google+ is blowing up with submissions. Head past the break for some of the best we’ve seen so far …
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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.
Motorola’s contest for designers to win a Moto360 carries with it an unexpected piece of information. Buried within the official documents for the rules and terms of the contest is an ARV — Approximate Retail Value — for the Moto360, stating that Motorola is currently valuing the device at $249.
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When it comes to smartphones people often go gaga for specs and while beefy processors and gigabytes of RAM always sound good, quality software can be a real game changer. For example, Samsung’s new Galaxy S5 ships with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor pushed by 2GB of RAM. On paper this handset should breeze through everyday tasks and crush a bargain bin device like Motorola’s Moto E in any performance-based challenge.
Motorola Mobility’s days as a Google-owned company may be numbered, however this doesn’t mean the outfit is completely severing all ties Mountain View. In fact, the company’s latest smartphone, the Moto E runs a near-vanilla version of Android 4.4.2 KitKat. Perhaps as a way to help its new handset reach its full potential, Motorola has decided to add the Moto E to its Bootloader Unlock program. This decision will most likely bolster support from third-party Android developers, freeing up the device’s hardware for open source platforms like CyanogenMod. Sure, Google and Motorola may soon be parting ways, but it appears that the two companies may still maintain a friendly relationship.
If you focused too hard on Motorola’s new and improved handsets, you most likely missed Moto Alert, the company’s newest Android app. Currently exclusive to the Moto E, and in the vein of Google Latitude, this new software is designed to keep you in touch with your close group of friends. The app lets you set up periodic alerts that help the people you care about track your whereabouts. Kind of creepy? Maybe, but it could come in handy if you find yourself in a pinch. Lastly, the app features specific locations like home, work or school that automatically notify your stalkers loved ones of your departure and arrival.
Motorola has officially unveiled the Moto E. If you thought the Moto G was the company’s only budget smartphone, think again. The Moto E is redefining the industry with a launch price of only $129 in the US and £89 in the UK.
The Moto E may not be packed with the best specifications on the block, but it will certainly get the job done. Especially for the money. As far as specifications go, the Moto E has a 4.3-inch display covered by Gorilla Glass with a resolution of 960×540 (256ppi), 1.2Ghz dual-core Snapdragon processor, Adreno 302 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 1,980mAh battery, and runs Android 4.4.2.
Update: If you click the “ALL” option and scroll down, Amazon now lists the LTE model, in both black and white, as shipping June 30th and costing $219.99.
When we reviewed the $179 Moto G earlier this year, we praised nearly every aspect of it. For the price, there was absolutely nothing better than it on the market. The one thing we missed, however, was LTE capability. In order to keep the cost of the device down, Motorola limited it to HSPA+ speeds. Today, however, two new variants of the Moto G have shown up on Amazon. A Black “Universal LTE” model and a white “Universal LTE” model.”
In order to view these variants, you have to visit the standard Amazon product page for the Moto G, then click on the “7 new” link. You’ll then see a list of places to buy the device from, aside from Amazon. At the top of that page is a list of all the variants of the device. Notably, two LTE models are now listed. Clicking on them takes you a standard “We’re sorry” page from Amazon.
According to a separate report out of Engadget Mexico, Motorola is also planning a Ferrari branded Moto G that will likely be red with a yellow Ferrari logo. It will reportedly launch in the second half of 2014.
It could be that this is just a mistake on Amazon’s part and that no LTE models of the Moto G are planned. It could also be, however, that this is a sign of things to come and that Motorola is planning to launch an LTE-capable variant soon. The latter corroborates with recent rumors that Motorola is planning some sort of Moto G successor, to be launched very soon. Either way, we’re going to keep our eye on the Amazon page.
Perhaps warming up for tomorrow’s big announcement, Motorola Mobility introduced the Twittersphere to @MotorolaIndia, along with a tease for its next device. In addition to a nod to its Indian arm, the company tweeted a picture of a rocket blasting off with a caption that read “BIG day tomorrow!”
A picture of a phone listed as the Moto E recently made a brief appearance on Motorola Mexico’s Facebook page, only to be pulled by its publisher. This quick sneak peek gave us a look at what we might see during the company’s media event on May 13th, however the Moto E’s hardware was still pretty much a mystery.
Motorola has already announced that its next smartphone will be revealed on May 13th and that it will most likely be budget-friendly. An affordable phone isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however if a recent photo of the alleged Moto E is the device in question, consider us slightly underwhelmed. Posted and removed from Motorola Mexico’s Facebook page is a photo of what is said to be Motorola’s new affordable smartphone. Pictured next to the highly praised Moto G, the Moto E (or whatever it might be) looks like a throwback to about four years ago.
