Motorola

972 'Motorola' stories May 2011 - August 2013

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Motorola teases Moto X Developer Edition with unlockable bootloader, 32GB of storage

Chance Miller Aug 25 2013 - 1:14 pm PT

Following in the footsteps of Samsung and several others, Motorola has just updated the Moto X’s “ways to buy” page with a new variant that has an unlockable bootloader and 32GB of storage (via Droid-Life). The Developer Edition Moto X is simply listed as “coming soon” with no pricing details. Given that the 32GB AT&T model runs $629, however, it’d be surprising to see it cost any less than that.

In addition to the more developer-friendly enhancements, the device also features several cosmetic changes. The front of the device is all-black with a gloss design while the back is white and has a woven pattern on it. “DEVELOPER EDITION” is also engraved on the back and carrier logos are nowhere to be found.

While Motorola teases that the developer edition will “have a look of its own,” you could most likely build a device very similar with MotoMaker once it is fully functional.
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Moto Maker goes live as Moto X lands on AT&T alongside Galaxy Mega & HTC One mini

Jordan Kahn Aug 23 2013 - 6:55 am PT

We knew it was coming and today is finally the day that customers can get their hands on Motorola’s new Moto X flagship smartphone and the thousands of customization options offered through Moto Maker. While Moto X should be arriving on all major carriers in the US around the end of this month, the AT&T version of the device available starting today is the only one that will offer access to Moto Maker. The other carriers will be launching white and black versions of the device until Motorola’s puts an end to AT&T ‘s exclusive window sometime later this year.

Starting today, the customizable, assembled in the US version of the Moto X is available exclusively through the MotoMaker.com online tool for AT&T customers. Unfortunately online purchasing isn’t an option at this point, so you’ll have to first purchase the device through AT&T. That includes the 16GB model for $199 and the 32GB model for $249 on contract.

The Moto Maker tool is the standout feature of the Moto X, allowing users to choose from over 2000 customization options for back, front and accent colors, unique wallpapers, and engraving. Unfortunately, we found out earlier this month that engraving won’t be available initially due to some manufacturing issues.

It’s not the only notable device launching on the carrier today, however. The company is also kicking off availability of the 6.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Mega $149.99 on the usual two year agreement today, as well as the 4.3-inch HTC One Mini for $99.99 on contract.
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Moto X won’t include engraving through Moto Maker at launch

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2013 - 3:06 pm PT

One of the over 2000 customization options offered through Motorola’s “Moto Maker” online ordering tool for its new flagship Moto X was the option to engrave the device. We noted last week that the beta for the online Moto Maker tool was censoring profanity and competitor’s brand names for engraving, but today the company has confirmed engraving won’t be an option for users at launch. PCWorld’s JR Raphael got word from Motorola:

This just in from Motorola: Custom engraving won’t be available on the Moto X at launch. During beta testing, the company determined the quality of the printing wasn’t meeting its standards and decided to pull the plug on it for now. Spokesperson tells me they hope to work out the kinks and start offering the option to consumers soon.

The Moto Maker online ordering tool allows a long list of color and customization options for Moto X customers. While the customization features are the big selling point for many users, most carriers are only offering black and white versions of the phone initially. AT&T will customers will have exclusive access to Moto Maker when it launches on the carrier on August 23. Other carriers are expected to get access later this year.

Sketchy photos claim to show LG-made Nexus 5 prototype

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2013 - 8:02 am PT

With conflicting reports related to which company will be producing Google’s next-generation Nexus smartphone, today TechTastic (via Nowhereelse) posted the images above showing what they claim is the upcoming Nexus 5. There are two rumors floating around when it comes to the Nexus 5: one claims that Google’s Motorola will build the phone, and another claiming Nexus 4-maker LG will reprise its role. The images above don’t exactly follow the look of the glass Nexus 4, but it would line up with rumors that the Nexus 5 will be based on LG recently announced G2. It’s also worth noting that this is apparently a prototype, which might explain the less than polished exterior in the images. It doesn’t exactly seem to be sporting the “thinner design” compared to the G2 that we’ve been hearing about.

The Nexus 5 is rumored to have similar specs to the 5.2-inch display and Snapdragon 800 processor found on the LG G2, but previous reports said it will receive a downgraded Snapdragon 600 CPU and 10 megapixel camera.

Samsung beats Apple in acquiring first-time smartphone owners, while Apple wins in conversions

Ben Lovejoy Aug 19 2013 - 6:49 am PT

New figures from CIRP reported in Fortune show that both Samsung and Apple get the bulk of their smartphone sales from existing users of their respective platforms, but Samsung does better at attracting featurephone buyers while Apple does better at converting Samsung owners.

Samsung gets 43 percent of its customers from existing Android users (a mix of Samsung loyalists and customer acquisitions from HTC and Motorola), virtually identical to Apple’s figure of 42 percent for existing iPhone users.

Samsung’s low-end Android handsets helped it acquire 37 percent of its customers from featurephone owners, against 26 percent for Apple. The bad news for the company was that Apple wins three times as many smartphone customers from Samsung as Samsung does from Apple: 20 percent switched from a Samsung handset to an iPhone, while only 7 percent switched in the opposite direction.

Samsung’s Next Big Thing ad campaign, aimed specifically at younger users, also hasn’t been as successful as the company might have hoped, with Apple maintaining its younger age-profile.

Report claims LG, not Motorola, will make the Nexus 5

Jordan Kahn Aug 16 2013 - 11:49 am PT

Following a report from usually reliable sources that Google would be using Motorola, not Nexus 4 manufacturer LG, to make its next-generation Nexus smartphone, conflicting reports today claim that isn’t the case. Vietnamese website Tinhte, which we know from previous Apple and Moto X related leaks has quite a solid track record, is claiming that Google will once again work with LG for the Nexus 5 and that the device will be based on the company’s recently announced LG G2.

According to the report, the Nexus 5 will include a 5.2-inch display, Snapdragon 800 processor– the same as the G2– but will sport “a thinner design” similar to the new Nexus 7. Earlier this month, a post from Taylor Wimberly, who happen to be correct with a few Moto X leaks, said that Motorola is working on the next-generation Nexus to be released in Q4 of this year. Google’s been known to weigh its options with several manufacturers prior to the release of a new Nexus device, but we’ll have to wait for more solid details before we know for sure.
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Moto Maker’s engraving service for Moto X filters profanity and brands

Scott Buscemi Aug 16 2013 - 9:12 am PT

If you’re looking to put a few curse words on your brand new Moto X, you’re out of luck. Even more interesting, the Moto Maker engraving site will block you from typing in “Apple,” “Google,” or “DROID”, according to The Verge.

Anything you try with “Apple” in it will fall victim to the block, including “An Apple a Day” and “Apple Martin-Paltrow,” while “Powered by OS X” and “WebOS forever” slip through unscathed. “iPhone,” curiously, also makes it through.

Of note, Apple’s engraving service has no brand filter, but is known to prevent curse words.

Motorola Skip accessory now available for the X Phone, unlocks the device with a single tap

Chance Miller Aug 15 2013 - 5:07 pm PT

Update: It has now been officially announced – full blog entry below

Even though the device is not yet availability to the public, Motorola has just put a new X Phone accessory up for sale on its website. The “Motorola Skip” is described as a wearable accessory that you can use to “unlock [your] phone with a single tap.” Details are still a bit scarce, but it looks as if the device is attached to a clip and simply gives you the ability to tap it to unlock your phone. According to the support document, the device will work via NFC. The Skip starts at $19.99, which seems a tad pricey for something that saves you all of a few seconds.

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Chinese site claims LG, not Motorola, will make G2-based Nexus 5

Ben Lovejoy Aug 14 2013 - 5:27 am PT

Photo: phandroid.com

Chinese site MyDrivers (comical Google Translate warning) is citing Korean sources suggesting that the Nexus 5, next year’s replacement for the Nexus 4, will be made by LG and based on the G2. An earlier rumor suggested that the handset would be made by Motorola.

It has already been rumored that LG would be making next year’s Nexus 7 …
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Best Buy inventory shows Aug. 29 release date for Verizon’s Moto X

Jordan Kahn Aug 13 2013 - 10:30 am PT

While previous leaks have pointed to an August 23rd release date for the majority of US carriers, the latest leaked shot from Best Buy’s inventory system (via AndroidCentral) shows that you might have to wait a little longer to get your hands on the device. Nothing’s official, but the image above shows the Verizon version of the Moto X will arrive on August 29. Motorola hasn’t confirmed an official launch date other than “late August/early September”, but we know the $199, 4.7-inch device will be landing on all four major US carriers, as well as in Canada and Latin America, by early next month. However, the device’s big new selling point– the Moto X online tool that allows users to choose from over 2000 customization options– will be exclusive to AT&T until sometime later this year.

Report: Motorola to produce new Nexus device, will be released in Q4

Chance Miller Aug 8 2013 - 4:18 pm PT

According to a new Google+ post from Taylor Wimberly, who was spot on with his Moto X Phone leaks, Motorola and Google are planning to team up on the next Nexus device. Wimberly says the device will be released in Q4 of this year and will not be a Google-ified version of the Moto X, but rather a new device altogether. No other details are offered, unfortunately.

With the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7, Google started a trend of Nexus devices being affordable and sold unlocked via the Play Store. Many people expected this to be the case with the X Phone, but that turned out to be false. Is it possible that the more affordable X Phone model rumored for so long was actually a Motorola Nexus device?

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Leaked Verizon doc shows August 23 release date for Moto X

Jordan Kahn Aug 6 2013 - 10:36 am PT

AndroidCentral is reporting that the image above has leaked from Verizon’s inventory system showing an August 23rd release date for the recently announced Moto X. Motorola never mentioned specific availability beyond “late August/early September”, but today’s leak lines up with a previously leaked roadmap for the carrier that also pegged the Moto X for an August 23rd street date. No word on availability for other carriers yet, but we know the $199, 4.7-inch device will be landing on the majority of major US carriers, as well as in Canada and Latin America, by early next month.

As expected, T-Mobile confirms it’s not yet on board to sell Moto X in stores

Jordan Kahn Aug 2 2013 - 7:48 am PT

You might remember back in July when we first reported that T-Mobile was actually not yet signed up to carry the Moto X. Yesterday Motorola officially announced the device and, while it said that it will be available through all carriers (including T-Mobile), today T-Mobile backed up our original report by confirming that it will indeed not be selling the Moto X in its stores (via AllThingsD):
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Motorola deletes tweet and amends sexually suggestive ads for Moto X

Ben Lovejoy Aug 2 2013 - 6:09 am PT

Motorola’s tweet, since deleted

You’d have thought that when you’re spending half a billion dollars on marketing a phone, you might be able to decide your strategy beforehand. So far, Motorola seems to be suffering a bad case of indecisiveness, reports Business Insider, deleting the above tweet and revising two ads.

Poor taste or harmless fun? You decide. Before-and-after ads below the fold …

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More details emerge on Moto X’s Clear Pixel sensor – and why you should care

Ben Lovejoy Aug 2 2013 - 4:37 am PT

Library image of a camera sensor

Motorola told us yesterday that the Moto X has a “10MP Clear Pixel (RGBC)” camera, and now Engadget has a little more info on this.

It’s the OmniVision OV10820, a 1/2.6-inch sensor with a video-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio and large 1.4-micron pixels. Its strong low-light performance comes through a two-chip approach. The sensor captures RAW images using a sensitive RGBC (red / green / blue / clear) color filter, and a companion chip automatically converts the resulting shots into the Bayer format that most imaging processors expect. The result is a high-performance camera that slots inside the Moto X without requiring any special effort.

RAW images allow a sensor to capture greater ‘dynamic range’. Picture a bright sunny day with a tree casting a shadow. With most sensors, either the shaded area would appear solid black or the surrounding area would appear too bright. RAW allows a sensor to retain detail across both bright and dark areas.

And the size of the pixels? These are again important for image quality, especially in low-light conditions. There has been a tendency for manufacturers to cram more and more pixels into a given sensor size, knowing that most consumers think a higher megapixel number has to mean a better camera. In practice, it can mean the opposite as the quality of indoor photos suffer because the pixels are too small. A larger physical sensor size enables larger pixels and better quality.

1.4 micron pixels are larger than most smartphone cameras, but not exceptional in todays high-end handsets. It’s larger than the 1.12 micron in the standard Samsung S4, the same as the S4 Zoom and iPhone 5 – but not as large as the 2 micron pixels in the HTC One.

Guy Kawasaki posts picture of the X Phone in green, but that’s just one of the expected 25 colors

Chance Miller Jul 29 2013 - 1:03 pm PT

We are just a few days away from Motorola’s official announcement of the X Phone, but that hasn’t stopped the leaks from coming. This time, the leak comes straight from Motorola evangelist Guy Kawasaki. On Google+ (via: Droid Life), Kawasaki posted a picture from a Motorola campus party that clearly shows the much rumored X Phone in the same green shade that we saw in other leaked images earlier this month. The white and black variants are also present, but we’ve seen them several times before.

The X Phone is expected to be available in at least 25 different color options and sold built-to-order via an online portal. While we know a lot about the device already, Motorola should announce all the secrets this Thursday during its press event.
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Motorola now exclusive Verizon Droid manufacturer, last pre-Google handsets roll off line

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2013 - 5:01 am PT

Photo: Yahoo News

While we already knew that the Droid MAXX, Droid Ultra and Droid Mini, like all Droids would be exclusive to Verizon (‘Droid’ is a Verizon brand licensed from LucasArts after all!). CNET now reports that the exclusivity will work in reverse too: with all Droid-branded devices being manufactured exclusively by Motorola.

Starting with the Droid Ultra lineup, Motorola will be the only smartphone manufacturer to build Droid smartphones, Verizon marketing executive Jeff Dietel told CNET on Tuesday.

Verizon had previously used the Droid brand for handsets from a range of manufacturers, including HTC’s Incredible series and Samsung’s Droid Charge. With HTC moving to its own ‘One’ branding and Samsung’s own, more powerful Galaxy branding, the news doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

These latest handsets are likely the last vestiges of pre-Google Motorola and with the Moto X coming in a few short days, these are likely some of, if not the last devices designed before the takeover by Google. Google-installed CEO Dennis Woodside noted earlier this year that Google was working to clear some mediocre inventory that had been been built by his predecessors. With due respect to Mr. Woodside, the 48-hour battery life and other specs on these are going to give the X phones a run for their money.

Verizon releases video teasing new DROID devices, says that “When it matters, DROID DOES”

Chance Miller Jul 23 2013 - 4:02 pm PT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8CHyOTOnSS4

Verizon has just released a new video teasing its new Droid MAXX, Droid Ultra, and Droid Mini devices announced this morning. The video, in typical Verizon/Motorola fashion, is very robot-like. The video teases that “WHEN IT MATTERS, DROID DOES.”

The moments that matter offer no time to pause or stop, no room for bulk or bloat, and no chance to refuel. In those moments, the new lineup of DROID phones delivers.

The DROID Ultra and MAXX will be available on August 20 and the Droid Mini on August 29, with pre-orders starting today.
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Leak allegedly shows new, minimalistic camera interface for Moto X

Chance Miller Jul 23 2013 - 6:14 am PT

In a continued barrage of Moto X news and rumors, Android Police has just published an extensive gallery of images showing what it believes is the camera interface and app that the device will feature. The interface is noticeably different from what we saw on the Google Play Edition devices, as well as all Android 4.2 devices.

Along the left hand side of the interface is a control wheel that allows you to adjust certain settings, such as the exposure, flash, focus, camera setting (HDR, video, etc) and more. It appears that you will be able to scroll the wheel around to see even more options. I’m not exactly a fan of this interface, as it’s not always clear what settings the icons are representing. It also looks like the device will be capable of slow motion video.
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Limited Edition DROID ULTRA revealed in leaked image

Chance Miller Jul 23 2013 - 6:12 am PT

Verizon and Motorola are set to unveil a new series of DROID devices tomorrow at a press event, but almost everything has already been leaked ahead of time. Motorola fan site HelloMotoHK (via Droid Life) has just published an image of a “Limited Edition” DROID ULTRA variant with a red stripe running down the back.

It’s unclear exactly how or if the device will be offered to consumers. There’s a strong possibility that it will be an employee edition, common practice by Verizon and Motorola.

We’ll be sure to let you know what Verizon has to offer up at its press event tomorrow, but it seems pretty like that its a new DROID series.

T-Mobile not yet on board to offer the Moto X, will begin shipping to other carriers in August

Seth Weintraub Jul 22 2013 - 4:17 pm PT

Just got word from our Motoleaker with the latest in X Fon news. As of now, only Sprint, Verizon and AT&T are major carriers confirmed to carry the device in the US. T-Mobile (perhaps because it already subsidized the similar-specced Nexus 4?) hasn’t yet finalized any deals with Motorola for the device.

The X phones will begin shipping to carriers in August and should be ready for back to school. The price is cheap enough for the carriers to subsidize the complete upfront cost, though it isn’t certain if they will or not. $300 is the current number being thrown around as the unsubsidized price (Again, like the Nexus 4).
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Motorola X press shots and benchmarks leak

Seth Weintraub Jul 20 2013 - 12:37 am PT

The X leaks keep coming in. Evleaks/Unlockr appear to have the first press shots (besides the ones on the invite and all of the ones Eric Schmidt showed off).

AndroidPolice also tweeted out a AnTuTu benchmark (below) which verifies our “Ghost” codename scoop earlier this year.
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More Moto X specs leak, include 4.5-inch display, dual-core processor

Chance Miller Jul 19 2013 - 7:49 pm PT

Rumors surrounding the Moto X Phone have been coming in at a crazy rate over the past few months, with information regarding design, customization, and more leaking. We’ve known for a while that the device is not meant to be high-end in terms of specs, and new information obtained by The Verge confirms that.

According to a “tipster who has used a CDMA variant of the phone,” it will feature a 1.7GHz Snapdragon MSM8960T processor, which is basically the same as a Snapdragon 600, but dual-core instead of quad-core. The device will also feature 2GB of RAM and a screen “in the vicinity” of 4.5-inches. Things get a tad questionable when it comes to the battery life, however, with The Verge’s source originally claiming that it had a measly 1500mAh battery, but later saying that figure might not be accurate, as it was reported by a software tool.
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The story of how Google picked “OK, Glass” to activate the wearable device

Seth Weintraub Jul 16 2013 - 2:15 pm PT

Interesting G+ Post from Amanda Rosenberg on the genesis of the “OK Glass” hot word which activates the Glass headset:

In the car on the way back, Mat told me about how the team had been working on the “hotword” for Glass. I must confess, I did not know what “hotword” meant. Did I ask what it meant? No. Did I nod whilst looking pensive? You bet your glass I did. As I listened to Mat, I quickly* * * * deduced that he was referring to the phrase that sets off the Glass menu. He then asked me if I had any ideas for the hotword. In that moment the only phrase I could think of was ‘OK Glass’. I didn’t tell him straightaway though. Instead, I continued to look pensive and muttered something about ‘looking into it’ just to appear as though I was going to put more than 3 seconds of work into it.

Interestingly, it appears that OK has migrated to “OK Google Now” in Motorola’s upcoming X Phones.
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