This year’s Moto G feels like another cheap champion
It’s a little hard not to look at the Moto G as one of the less interesting devices we saw today — after all, it got unveiled in India well while plenty of us were sleeping and it was quickly overshadowed by the unlocked beauty of the Moto X Style. Motorola clearly doesn’t see it the same way. The Moto G has been the best-selling smartphone in the company’s history, and it had to make sure that this year’s model struck a crucial balance between price and performance. We just got our own unit to fiddle around with, and so far, Motorola has another cheap champion on its hands.
As we know, this year’s Moto G is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410, but there’s a there’s crucial difference between the two major models available today. The baseline model – the one we just got – costs $179, but only has 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. In all likelihood, you’re going to want the model starting at $219 since it has double the storage and RAM for, not accounting for all your MotoMaker add-ons.
Sussing out performance in situations like this is always a crapshoot, but the combination of some decent silicon and an almost-completely-stock version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop mean there’s not much room for hiccups just yet. Not everything worked the way it should right out of the gate, though. I spent a good 10 seconds trying to figure out why the on-screen shift key wouldn’t work when punching in a WiFi password, and the despite setting the system language to English, the very first notification that popped up in my shade was something en Francais. Still haven’t been able to figure that one out. Still, after installing some apps and taking the Chrome for a spin, I didn’t notice much in the way of glaring slow-down. The Snapdragon 410 certainly won’t blow you away, but at first blush it’s easily as solid – if not moreso – than most of the other low-cost unlocked smartphones I’ve played with lately. Smarter features like Moto Assist work just as well as they always have too, which only helps Motorola stand out from the madding crowd.
So yes, the Moto G is finally starting to feel a little more premium — thankfully looks are catching up too. There’s still a sizable bezel running around the 5-inch 720p screen, but the addition of a metallic accent around the 13-megapixel camera and flash add a welcome dose of style to the thing. Oh, and there’s a very good chance your Moto G will look better than ours since you’ll be able to run it through the MotoMaker wringer, choosing your own colors for the accents and backplates. While I’m rambling on about the Moto G’s back, it’s been said that it has the same camera as the Nexus 6. Turns out that’s not the full story. Yes, the Moto G uses the same 13-megapixel Sony sensor as its much bigger cousin and a similar f/2.0 aperture lens. The differences lie in the way the elements around it are constructed — the lens is loaded up with IR-filtering coatings that help the camera handle ambient light more intelligently. I haven’t spent too much time with the thing yet, but early results are pretty impressive — it more accurately exposed a photo of me in a darkish room than a similarly priced Samsung phone.
It’s obviously way too early to start passing judgment on this thing, but one thing seems clear from the get-go: Motorola still knows how to make a good, cheap phone. We’ll update this story with more nuanced impressions as they develop, and stay tuned for our full review in the days to come.
Filed under: Mobile
Moto X Play hands-on: a little G, a little X
It’s fair to say that the Moto X Play is the phone that no one expected from today’s big event. Think of it as something in-between a Moto G and a Moto X. It’s got the specs of a mid-ranger like the original Moto X, but the pop-off covers and more practical design of the Moto G line. It’s actually a fairly attractive phone; a little big for my tastes, perhaps, but everything feels well-built and sturdy, even if not mind-blowingingly so. In my limited time with it, the 1.6Ghz Snapdragon 615 processor seemed plenty fast enough, and its 5.5-inch 1080p display looks very pretty (although it pales in comparison to the higher-end Style’s Quad-HD panel). Perhaps the only thing Play owners will be able to laud over Style owners is the phone’s enormous 3,630mAh battery, which Motorola claims is good for two days use, and supports quick charging.
I couldn’t test either of the Play’s cameras extensively, but I can — very, very tentatively — say that the photos it captures seem better than I’ve ever seen from a current-gen Moto X, and the wide-angle selfie camera is indeed a wide-angle selfie camera. Software-wise, the Play comes with a fairly vanilla 5.1.1 Lollipop build, with only a couple of tagged-on features like Moto Voice and Moto Assist. Motorola has already committed to a “brisk” update to Android M when Google’s latest and greatest launches later this year.
But who is this phone for? The 16GB version will cost £299 ($467) in the UK, and Motorola is quiet on whether the Play will ever come to the US. It seems Motorola is scared that the Style’s £359 ($560) price tag will put off the sort of customers that have opted for Moto Xs in the past. The problem with that strategy is that the Moto G is getting better and better, and if it continues on the upwards trajectory it’s on, it may well cannibalize the Play’s market. We’ll have proper analysis of its merits when the Motorola X Play launches this August in the UK, Canada, and 53 other countries.
Filed under: Mobile
Motorola launches new Moto G today
At their launch announcement held in Brazil today, Motorola announced the new version of their most popular smartphone, the Moto G. The new Moto G will come equipped with a 5.0-inch HD display, a Snapdragon 410 processor and either 1 or 2 GB of RAM. The Moto G gets a 13 MP rear-facing camera with a 5 MP front-facing unit. For power, the Moto G comes equipped with a 2,470 mAh battery.
Along with the updated hardware, Motorola is shipping the Moto G with Android 5.1.1 and like the new Moto X models, the operating system is described as a “pure” version that gets some Motorola specific apps added to it. Motorola also added IPX7 water resistance to the device to help protect it.
In a first for the budget phone, Motorola is making the Moto G available through Moto Maker so buyers can customize the device. Motorola is launching the phone today, so be on the lookout for pricing and ordering details along with more information about the new Moto G here at TalkAndroid.
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Motorola introduced the Moto X Play, a smaller and more affordable Moto X Style
Motorola today announced three new devices in the Moto series, one of them being the Moto X Play. Motorola says that it’s a larger and more affordable handset, only with a sizeable battery that could potentially last you up to two days.
The Moto X Play features a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display, an Octa-core Snapdragon 615 CPU, 2GB of RAM, LTE connectivity, a 21-megapixel rear sensor, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It’s also sporting a massive 3,630mAh battery said to last 30+ hours and is running the latest version of Android Lollipop. Just like the Moto X Style, the smartphone can be personalized through the Moto Maker.
You also get all the usual Moto apps–Moto Display, Moto Actions, Moto Assist, and so on.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Unfortunately, the device will not be available in the United States, as its exclusively making its way to Europe, Latin America, and Canada in August. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on pricing and availability as more details come through.
Come comment on this article: Motorola introduced the Moto X Play, a smaller and more affordable Moto X Style
Rhapsody gets an interface overhaul
Rhapsody has announced an overhaul of the interface for their music player that affects both the mini-player and the full screen experience. The update focuses on simplifying the interface to make it easier for users to control the app. Users will find that they can favorite tracks in the mini-player, swipe to change tracks, and colors and styling will update to match albums being played.
Rhapsody says they are including more personalized new album release information for users. They have also added support for Twitter Audio Cards and a Music Inbox feature. The last two items are part of their effort to help users connect with their friends through the power of music.
You can get the Rhapsody app using the download link below.
source: Rhapsody
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Motorola unveils two new Bluetooth headsets the Moto Pulse and Moto Surround
The Moto Pulse and Moto Surround are two new Bluetooth headsets from Motorola and are available to buy today. The Moto Pulse is priced at $59 while the Moto Surround is $69.
The Moto Pulse is an over the ear design and has a battery life of 18hrs playing music. Plus they can be folded very flat which makes them the perfect travel headphones. The Moto Surround are in ear headphones, but are also waterproof or sweat proof. They offer 12hrs of playing music and feature a microphone to make calls.
Motorola also has a Moto Connect app which allows you to view the battery life of your headphones. You can also use the app to check where you last paired them.
Source: Moto Pulse, Moto Surround
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Verizon brings XLTE to six more markets
Verizon has announced that its XLTE service is now available in six additional markets. The telecommunications company has over 400 XLTE markets available, said to double the speed of 4G LTE.
Here are the additional markets:
- Carlsbad-Artesia, NM
- Coos Bay-North Bend, OR
- Corbin, KY
- Jackson, MS
- Selma, AL
- Stevens Point-Marshfield, WI
For XLTE to work, you will need a compatible handset, such as the One M9 or Galaxy S6. Verizon has over 500 4G LTE markets, covering most Americans, so they’re not too far off before having XLTE readily available for most customers.
If you’ve seen your data speeds increase in any of these cities, be sure to sound off in the comments!
source: Verizon
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Use your phone to capture 3D photography with the Bevel clip
Matter and Form Inc. have a new Kickstarter campaign to fund the Bevel, a small attachment that turns your ordinary smartphone or tablet into an amazing 3D camera. If they meet their funding goal you can expect to see the Bevel starting to ship in December at a price of $49.
It can turn any Android or iOS device into a 3D camera that can be used for sharing rare finds on social media, creating a character for a video game, 3D printing or inspecting an online purchase as well as much more.
Drew Cox, Founder and CEO of Matter and Form says:
“My team and I think it’s ridiculous that 3D photography isn’t already a part of our everyday lives. The fact is that the technology exists, has been around for a while actually, but no one has taken the time to translate it into an accessible, user-friendly product. The Bevel will change the way we communicate by integrating 3D photography into our daily online conversations.”
The Kickstarter campaign only started today, but has already raised over $60,000 (currently). At this rate they should have no trouble reaching their $200,000 goal.
Source: Prnewswire, Kickstarter
Come comment on this article: Use your phone to capture 3D photography with the Bevel clip
Motorola announces two Moto X variants, the Moto X Style and Moto X Play
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Now the two X’s on the invite make sense – Motorola teased its announcement event by signing off “XOX” with the “O” looking more like a “G”. We had assumed that this was a neat way to tease the announcement of the Moto X and Moto G, but we weren’t expecting the announcement of two Moto X variants. These variants are the Moto X Style and Moto X Play – the Moto Style is a high end device sporting a Snapdragon 808 processor, whereas the Moto X Play slots in between the mid-range Moto G and the Moto X Style with a Snapdragon 615.
Starting with the Moto X Style, it will also be a big device, upgrading its screen size from last year’s 5.2-inch display to a 5.7-inch Quad HD display, and will be powered with 3GB RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, and have a pleasantly surprising 21MP f/2.0 rear camera. For those selfie lovers, the Moto X Style will also come with a 5MP wide angle front camera that also has a front facing flash. It will come in 3 storage variants (16/32/64GB) and will have a microSD slot for expandable memory.
As for the Moto X Play, it’s still going to be a big phone, with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, and has its internals rounded out by 2GB RAM, a 3,630mAh battery, the same camera as the Moto X Style, but will only come in two storage variants, 16/32GB. The huge battery of the Moto X Play is a big surprise and could be a viable option for those looking for that smartphone with decent battery life.
Overall, we’re really impressed with both devices, and Motorola appears to have stuck with almost stock Android Lollipop for all devices. Both will be available from Moto Maker (which is now accessible from Brazil!), with the Moto X Style (predictably) taking all the stylish options like leather and wood customizations, with the Moto X Play only offered with plastic shells. As for when they’ll be available, Motorola says that the Moto X Play will be available first, starting in August, and the Moto X Style will become available sometime in September.
In case you want to recap the livestream, you can check it out below:
What do you think about the Moto X Style and Moto X Play? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Moto X Pure Edition heading to the US, only $399
Motorola has taken the veil off three new handsets this morning, the Moto G, Moto X Play, and the Moto X Style. All three devices look quite impressive, but the X Style, in particular, stands out at the top of the line.
For those in the U.S., the Motorola X Style will also be offered as a Pure Edition. As you’d expect, that means a dev-friendly option that you can tweak to your hearts desire. Even more exciting, Motorola claims that the device will support LTE on any carrier, with the ability to switch between them if you so wish. That doesn’t just mean going from AT&T to T-Mobile, or from one of the MVNOs based on either of those networks. Reportedly the phone will also work with Sprint and Verizon! Of course that’s hinging on the fact that the carriers will play nicely when it comes to activating, which only time will tell how that goes.
Aside from an unlockable bootloader and all the frequencies needed to play nicely on all US carriers, this is the same handset as the X Style. And while we don’t know the official pricing of the X Style just yet, the Moto X Pure Edition is said to sell for just $399 unlocked. That’s pretty damn impressive considering what you get. For more details on the X Style, you’ll want to head here.
AIVAnet 