Unlocking the Moto X Pure Edition bootloader voids warranty
According to a Motorola forum manager, unlocking the bootloader of the new (2015) Moto X Pure voids the smartphone’s warranty.
The forum manager specified that the 2015 Moto X Pure is not a developer edition and so unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty. If the phone however has no signs of physical damage and has a technical problem such a malfunctioning volume rocker, the warranty can still cover it. Even with a MotoCare Insurance (extended warranty), the same rule applies.
Source: Motorola
Come comment on this article: Unlocking the Moto X Pure Edition bootloader voids warranty
CyanogenMod now supports more mid-range Huawei, Motorola phones
Cyanogen’s partnership with OnePlus may be over, but the company is still hard at work to make sure its namesake Android ROM will run on just about everything else. According to a new post on the company blog, its been working with device manufactures like Xiaomi, Motorola, Oppo and others to extend official support to a wider array of mid-range Android handsets — and it has a list of devices to prove it.
Specifically, Cyanogen says it now supports both the 2015 Moto E and G, Xiaomi’s Mi3w and Mi4 handsets, a new handset from up-and-coming European manufacturer WileyFox and a whole mess of phones (and variants) from Samsung, HTC and LG — all of which can be viewed and searched in Cyanogen’s officially-supported device wiki. This update also marks the first time since CyanogenMod 7 (we’re on 12 now, for those of you who are counting) that it’s been able to officially support a Huawei device. “It’s nice to see the company supporting the community ahead of the rumored Huawei Nexus,” Cyanogen wrote, noting support for the Huawei Honor 4 and 4x, Ascend Mate 2 and Snapto. “We’re expecting good things here.”
The company seems proud of its expanded support for mid-range devices, but says flagship handsets (teasing the HTC One M9, Galaxy S6 and LG G4) are still being worked on. Either way, it’s good news if you want an affordable phone with CyanogenMod, but aren’t quite ready to go all-in on OnePlus’ original handset.
Source: CyanogenMod
Tons of new devices have officially been added to the Cyanogenmod family
Cyanogenmod has officially expanded support for several new devices from different manufacturers, expanding the list of phones that will support Cyanogenmod releases. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all of these devices have a stable build ready right this second, but they’ll be supported with future releases.
There are some heavy hitters that you’d expect, including devices from the likes of Samsung, HTC, and LG, which cover some specific international versions, but other devices from Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi are making the cut. Even some obscure phones, like Smartfren’s own CM-powered device and WileyFox’s European devices, will be supported going forward. It’s a pretty inclusive list that fills in what were previously niche gaps in Cyanogenmod coverage.
If you’re interested in seeing if your phone made the cut, hit the link below.
source: Cyanogenmod
Come comment on this article: Tons of new devices have officially been added to the Cyanogenmod family
Moto X Pure Edition first takes: Upgraded all around
I have always enjoyed Motorola phones, I’ve just never really got any hands-on time with any of them. I remember when the Razr first came out, and it was the first phone that I truly really wanted. Then came the Droid series, which were by far the best Android phones at the time, the problem was that I was on T-Mobile, and still am.
Fast forward a few years and I finally decided to purchase my first Motorola device, the Nexus 6. While it was made by Motorola, it didn’t include all the features a standard Motorola phone would. Nonetheless, my Nexus 6 was my favorite phone to date, and still might be. The design style is still my favorite. Motorola made a phone with a 6 inch display manageable to hold. Now that’s an accomplishment.
The Moto X devices always intrigued me, but they always lacked in the specification department. The original Moto X only had a 4.7 inch screen, 720p resolution, the Snapdragon S4, all powered by a small 2,200 mAh battery. The Moto X (2014) made serious improvements, like upgrading to a 1080p AMOLED display that was 5.2 inches diagonally. the timeless Snapdragon 801 processor, but still only upped the battery to 2,300 mAh.
Enter Moto X Pure Edition.
When Motorola announced the Moto X Pure Edition, they caught my attention 100%. Not only did they make the device more affordable by starting it at $399.99 completely unlocked, but they upgraded the device in EVERY single category. It ships with 3 GB of RAM, Snapdragon 808 processor, 21 megapixel rear-facing camera, and a nice sized 3,000 mAh battery.
I have been using this device since I received it this past Friday (3 days), and I am nothing short of impressed. The device is already my favorite device of 2015, and I have used the HTC One M9, Galaxy S6/S6 edge, LG G4, OnePlus 2, and the Galaxy Note 5/S6 edge+. That is definitely saying something.
Even though it doesn’t have the highest end specs, it functions just fine. Some companies put too much thought into packing the device to the gills with high-end hardware, but the device doesn’t function as well (OnePlus). I think Motorola made an excellent choice going with the Snapdragon 808 in the Moto X. I liked the performance a lot in my G4, so I haven’t had any complaints. In my experience, the Snapdragon 808 also gets much better battery life than the power-hungry Snapdragon 810. Hell, I’m even getting battery life on my Moto X than I was on my Note 5 with the super efficient Exynos 7420 (both have 3,000 mAh batteries). That points back to the hardware: it’s worthless without the right software.
Not only does the device outperform other flagships in 2015, I also think it looks better. Like I said earlier, I loved the Nexus 6 design, even with the massive display. The Moto X Pure Edition is shaped very similar, but is much easier to hold. I think Motorola hit the sweet spot with the 5.7 inch display. That is one reason why I like the Note series so much, but Samsung devices are somewhat hard to hold, especially now that they are glass and metal.
To compare the design of the Moto X to the Note 5, they have the same sized displays and nearly the same dimensions (height and width), but the Moto X is a lot easier to hold. Add on to it the rubberized back that comes on the default model, and it is the most comfortable device to hold on the market. I like it even more than the G4, and that is a device that is slightly smaller.
Motorola definitely hits the nail on the head with balancing a large device with making it manageable to hold. The edges are flat enough that they are easy to grip, but it also rolls off to the back to make it comfortable to hold. Couple that with the rubberized back and it is the best device to hold in 2015 by far. It’s amazing how much curves can help how easy it is to hold.
Like I stated earlier, the Nexus 6 was and still is one of my favorite devices of all time. So naturally, the Moto X fits right in, but it brings the Motorola features that the Nexus 6 left out. Having used the Moto X Display for just a few days, I must say it is the most convenient thing that I have used on a smartphone. I love being able to pull the phone out of my pocket, having it “breath”, and showing me if I have any notifications. Not only that, but being able to check what messages and notifications say without unlocking the device is more convenient than tap to wake. I thought I would miss tap to wake on the Moto X coming from the G4/OnePlus 2, but Moto X Display is way better.
Overall, I am very impressed and quite pleased with the Moto X Pure Edition. I am gladly using it over my Note 5 and getting better battery life and no noticeable performance drop off. The camera is definitely an improvement from the Nexus 6. The 21 megapixel camera is a large upgrade to the 13 megapixel on the N6. Another category that has vastly improved is the front-facing speakers. They are much louder and crisper than I’ve heard in the past as well. The display is very clear, but I am a little bummed it isn’t AMOLED. It isn’t a big deal, but it’s just something to note.
The post Moto X Pure Edition first takes: Upgraded all around appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen.) unboxing and initial setup
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Motorola just recently took the wraps off its second-generation Moto 360 at IFA 2015, and we already got the chance to go hands-on with the wearable. Our review unit has landed on our doorstep, and we’re not planning on wasting any time getting this device set up. We’ll of course bring you a full review in relatively short order, but for now, here’s our unboxing of the Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen.).
![11_Mot_360_StyleSport_Combo_0116_LftWtchMtl_V5_RGB[5][3]](https://i0.wp.com/cdn03.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/11_Mot_360_StyleSport_Combo_0116_LftWtchMtl_V5_RGB53-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150)
Don’t miss: Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen.) officially announced – everything you need to know
Unboxing
Motorola is yet again sticking with the cylindrical packaging for the Moto 360, but this time the device comes in a clear plastic case, giving you a good look at your new wearable. After taking off the tape and removing the top portion of the packaging, the Moto 360 is shown off in all its glory.
It’s easy to see that the second-generation Moto 360 is much more premium than last year’s iteration, thanks to its metallic case and new lugs. The device itself is very easy to remove from the packaging. Underneath the Moto 360 you’ll find some standard documentation, the wireless charging dock and a MicroUSB cable. It should be noted that the charger that came with last year’s Moto 360 isn’t compatible with this year’s device, which is unfortunate. Overall, though, we’re still really happy with the design of the charging cradle. Not only is this the easiest way to charge any smartwatch out there, the charger also allows the Moto 360 to act as a little bedside clock when it charges.
Oddly enough, the MicroUSB cable that comes in the box can’t be removed from the plug adapter, which is definitely an odd move. It could be more cost effective for Motorola to manufacturer the charging docks this way, but we aren’t entirely sure. The wireless charger still uses MicroUSB, though, so you should be able to use any other charging cord that you wish.
Initial setup
The setup process is actually pretty easy. We didn’t really run into many issues when pairing the Moto 360 with our Samsung Galaxy Note 3. It did take a little while to sync applications from the phone to the watch, so you’ll want to be patient when it comes to this step.
After the pairing process was complete, we took a look around the Moto 360’s hardware. The heart rate sensor is still present on this year’s device, and so is the premium-feeling Horween leather watch strap. This time around you can customize the Moto 360 via Moto Maker, which makes it easy to mix and match straps and different colored casings to suit your needs.
Motorola has also made available a 42mm option, which is a bit smaller than our 46mm variant. The 42mm model is better suited for those with smaller wrists, and there’s even a “women’s edition” Moto 360 which also comes in at 42mm. Other than the size difference, the “women’s line” is simply used to designate different styles of watch straps.
All versions of the Moto 360 (2nd Gen.) come with a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of on-board storage. The 46mm variant comes with a 1.56-inch LCD display with 360 x 330 resolution, while the 42mm versions come with a 1.37-inch LCD display with 360 x 325 resolution. Both sizes come with Gorilla Glass 3.
The big differences between the two generations of the Moto 360 come in the form of hardware, with the second-gen model sporting a power button that sits at the 2 o’clock position, rather than the 3 o’clock position. The new Moto 360 also comes with some redesigned lugs which will make changing out watch straps much easier.
Now looking to software, the Moto 360 isn’t much different from any other Android Wear watch on the market. You’ll still need to rely heavily on swiping between cards and menus. There are a good amount of custom watch faces, though, which can be customized through the Motorola Connect app on your phone. With the Connect app, you can change the colors of Motorola’s pre-installed watch faces, and even add/remove the date from each one if you choose.
So, there you have it – our unboxing and first impressions of the Moto 360 (2nd Gen.)! Motorola made some big improvements to the smartwatch this time around, and we’re excited to see how these changes play out as we spend more time with it. We’ll of course bring you a full review in the coming weeks, but for now, feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and/or thoughts.
Moto X Pure Edition almost sold out at Best Buy
Motorola’s Moto X Pure Edition landed at Best Buy a few days back and demand looks to have outstripped supply, with the retailer now listing most of the models as “sold out”. For those wanting the new handset, the choice has been between ordering through Motorola’s Moto Maker website or buying from Best Buy, which is selling 3 models of the handset in two storage options.
Motorola in video
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On BestBuy.com the only version remaining in stock is the 16GB gunmetal/black variant, with the silver/white and silver/bamboo colour combinations showing as sold out. For all three of these colours, the 32GB versions are also listed as sold out and it looks like Motorola could be onto another smash hit smartphone here.
The Moto X Pure Edition offers the same specifications and design as the regular Moto X Style with one key difference; Pure Android. While Google has abandoned its short-run pilot on offering the latest smartphones with stock Android (i.e. clear of any preloaded apps or bloatware), there is still a demand for stock Android devices.
Other than Pure Android, the specs remain largely the same with a 5.7-inch Quad HD display, 21MP camera, water resistance and Moto Enhancements all making it on board. Under the hood, you’ve got a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 CPU, Adreno 418 GPU and 3GB RAM, while a microSD card expansion slot lets you expand whichever storage version you buy.
For more information, check out our full Moto X Pure Edition review. What do you think of the smartphone and have you bought one? Let us know your views down below guys.
Here are the videos you don’t want to miss this week – September 19, 2015
We’re only a little over a week away until we see the new Nexus smartphones, but that can feel like an eternity to dedicated Android fans. To tide you over until then, we’ve managed to bring you a wide range of video coverage this week.
Lanh just recently unboxed the Moto X Pure Edition, and we’ve already brought you our full in-depth review of the new handset. We’ve also brought you some hands-on coverage of the Nextbit Robin and Marshall London, as well as an exclusive first look at the upcoming BlackBerry Venice. This has been a pretty interesting week in the Android world, and you definitely don’t want to miss any of it.
If you happened to miss any of our coverage, fear not. We’ve rounded up all of the Android-related videos you don’t want to miss this week.
Don’t miss: CTIA 2015 highlights: phones, drones and Internet of Things
Reviews
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style) review
Motorola has made some huge improvements with the Moto X Pure Edition, but does the phone fall short in any key areas? Check out Lanh’s in-depth review to learn more.
When flagships go head to head
OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6
The OnePlus 2 and Samsung Galaxy S6 are two of the most controversial smartphones of 2015. So everybody is wondering, how do they compare? Josh pits the two flagships head to head.
iPhone 6S vs the Android competition
Apple just recently announced its new flagship smartphone, the iPhone 6S. Wondering how it compares to the Android competition? Rob walks us through the stats in the written portion below, and be sure to check out Jayce’s video to get all the details.
BlackBerry’s upcoming Android phone
Exclusive: New leaked images of the BlackBerry Venice
BlackBerry’s upcoming Android-powered handset has been in the rumor mill for some time. Thanks to a few sources close to Android Authority, we’ve been able to bring you some hands-on images of the phone in the wild. Check out our full written post below for all of the pictures, and don’t miss Jayce’s video above.
BlackBerry Venice quick look
Just a few days after we brought you the exclusive images of the Venice, our friends at Baka Mobile were able to bring you a hands-on video, showing off the device’s software, hardware and more. Be sure to check out that video attached above, and don’t miss the written portion below for some extra leaked images.
Hands on and first impressions
Nextbit Robin quick look
Nextbit is setting out to change the way we use our smartphones, and the Robin is one heck of a start. Nirave goes hands-on with the Nextbit Robin and gives you his first impressions.
Marshall London unboxing and first impressions
The Marshall London smartphone focuses on high-quality, lossless audio for a superior listening experience. Want more information on this audio-focused device? Josh unboxes and gives us his first impressions on the Marshall London.
Android Apps Weekly
Apple’s first app, Russia tells Google no, Order & Chaos 2 – you don’t want to miss Joe’s newest episode of Android Apps Weekly!
Best gadgets for your dorm
Looking for some awesome tech gadgets to spice up your dorm room? We’ve got you covered! Check out Krystal’s video for the best ways to pimp your dorm.
Best Buy virtually sold out of the Moto X Pure Edition
We just told you about Best Buy carrying the Moto X Pure Edition and already they are basically sold out. They only offered black, white, or bamboo in 16GB or 32GB. You were also unable to customize them, but that didn’t stop them from selling out.
The Moto X Pure Edition is clearly in high demand to sell out that quick. Neither in store or online have any left in stock. Currently, only the 16GB in black for $399.99 is still showing as available, but I’m sure it won’t be for long. Obviously they will get more stock eventually, but if you don’t want to wait, get the black 16GB while you can.
Source: Best Buy
Via: Phandroid
Come comment on this article: Best Buy virtually sold out of the Moto X Pure Edition
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style) review
Starting with the original Moto X, Motorola’s strategy has been to focus less on the specs race and more on creating a unique, enjoyable user experience. With each generation of the Moto X, Motorola has further perfected this vision, while improving the quality of specs and enhancing the Moto Maker customization options available to its consumers. The Moto X Pure Edition is the latest iteration of the Moto X family, and with it comes a much larger display than past generations. It is also the first Moto X to be produced fully under the helm of Lenovo.
With the changes in both leadership and size, does the Moto X Pure Edition (aka Moto X Style) still retain the Motorola experience we’ve all come to know and love? We find out this and more in our comprehensive review of the Moto X Pure Edition!
Design
When it comes to the Moto X Pure Edition’s aesthetics, you’ll notice a very familiar design that’s incredibly similar to last year’s model. There are some minor design changes, but the overall look doesn’t stray too far away from what the company began implementing in its smartphones when it was owned by Google. Although the design cues aren’t all that different, there is a huge outlier here, and that’s the size.
Oddly enough, the first-generation Moto X began as a very compact and easy to hold smartphone, coming in with a 4.7-inch display. That’s changed now, with the Pure Edition sporting a massive 5.7-inch display that dwarfs previous Moto X models. Surprisingly, for a phone with a 5.7 inch screen, it doesn’t feel as large as you might initially think. It’s actually impressively manageable in one hand, thanks to the super slim bezels around the display. It’s not the thinnest phone in the world, but the familiar curved back makes it feel thinner than it actually is.
With that said, the Pure Edition is comparable in size to other big smartphones like the Galaxy Note 5 and OnePlus 2, so if you can handle those phones with ease, you’ll have no problem using the Pure Edition with one hand.
This new Moto X device is still made of very high quality materials, featuring an all-metal frame that gives it a substantial look and feel. Of course, one of the biggest draws to the Moto X Pure Edition is the ability to customize just about every part of it. While we can’t comment on the quality of the wood or leather backs with the Pure Edition, we must say – the standard colored back plates are really nice. They’re made of a soft textured silicone material that not only makes the device extremely comfortable to hold, but also provides a lot of grip.
Moto Maker is still one of the best parts about the Moto X line
If the default colored backs aren’t your style, you can of course customize it through Moto Maker. This is truly one of the best parts about the Moto X line. There are a ton of options to choose from with a myriad of colored backs, wood backs, leather backs and accent colors. You can even add a custom engraving to truly make it your own.
A Moto X also wouldn’t be a Moto X without the signature Motorola dimple on the backside, which is now encased in a single metallic strip with the camera module and LED flash. The dimple is much smaller in size compared to last year’s model, which I personally find to be much more comfortable.
Taking a tour around the rest of the device, the buttons and ports are in pretty typical locations for a Motorola device. The power/standby key and volume buttons can be found on the right side, where they’re very easy to reach. The power button has a nice ridged texture that makes it really easy to find, which is a great touch. The bottom side houses the microUSB port, and up top sits the 3.5mm headphone jack in the center, with the Nano SIM card tray – which doubles as a microSD card slot – sitting slightly to the left.
On the front, there’s quite a bit of action going on. Aside from the typical ambient light and proximity sensors, you’ll find the IR sensors for triggering Moto Display without touching the phone, two front-facing speakers which flank the phone’s display, and a front camera (complete with selfie flash).
Display
Not only did this year’s Moto X receive a big bump in size, but also in resolution. It now sports a 5.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, but unlike the last two Moto Xs, it’s not AMOLED. The Pure Edition features a TFT LCD display, and, I have to admit, I’m a little saddened by the swap in display technology. One of Motorola’s most innovative and interesting features is Moto Display, which definitely doesn’t look as good on an LCD panel. Other that this gripe, though, the display is quite good. It’s bright, beautiful, has great viewing angles, and is pretty easy to see in direct sunlight. Colors are plenty vibrant and saturated, too.
With a Quad HD resolution, it’s also extremely sharp. The large screen size makes it pretty great for browsing the web, playing some games and watching videos and movies.
Performance
The Moto X Pure Edition performs just as well as other top-tier flagship smartphones
Motorola put a big emphasis on user experience with the first two Moto X devices, and didn’t worry so much about cramming in the latest and greatest specs. That’s pretty much the story here with the Moto X Pure Edition.
Instead of the Snapdragon 810, Motorola decided to use the perfectly-capable Snapdragon 808 processor in this device. It also comes with 3GB of RAM, which is great for multitasking, gaming and just about every other use case you’ll encounter on a day-to-day basis. The only hiccup I’ve ever noticed with the Pure Edition is that it sometimes lags on the lock screen when unlocking directly from Moto Display. It doesn’t happen all of the time, but often enough that you will probably notice it. This is an issue that can be resolved through a simple software update, so we’re really not too worried that it will be present for long.
Other than that, the Moto X Pure Edition performs just as well as other top-tier flagship smartphones.
Hardware
The Pure Edition comes with all of the usual connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and of course, LTE. One of the most convenient things about this phone is that it supports basically every LTE band for the four major carriers in the United States. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T or Verizon (sort of), which is something most smartphones aren’t able to boast.
The Moto X comes in 16, 32 and 64GB storage variants, though you can expand the device’s memory via microSD if you’d like. It can support cards up to 128GB in size, which means you can more than double the storage of your device with a single card. And remember, the microSD card slot is located in the SIM card slot on the top of the phone.
Motorola has really tried to improve its speaker quality over the years, and the Pure Edition’s front-facing speakers are testament to that. They’re true front-facing stereo speakers this time around. On top of being extremely loud, they deliver a very clean and rich sound that really tops off the media experience. I’m not sure they’re as good as HTC BoomSound speakers, but they’re definitely a close second.
Battery
This review has been mostly positive so far, but unfortunately we have to run into a negative aspect sooner or later. Battery life on the Moto X Pure Edition hasn’t been all that great, despite the phone having a hefty 3,300mAh unit. I’ve been able to get through an entire day on a single charge, but honestly, it’s really difficult to do. In my experience, the phone normally lasts around 12-13 hours before it needs to go back on the charger. If you like gaming, you can pretty much forget about this phone lasting anywhere near a full day on one charge.
When comparing it with other flagships on the market, I’d have to say it’s better than the Galaxy S6, but definitely nowhere near the battery life that’s found on the Galaxy Note 5.
It could be worse, though. Although there’s no wireless charging available on the Pure Edition, it does sport quick charging capabilities. Motorola says it’s the fastest charging smartphone in the world, which is definitely a bold claim. Of course, we haven’t tested that out for ourselves. In our time with the device, the Pure Edition has been able to achieve a completely full charge in about 75 minutes from 0% to 100%. The phone’s battery life could definitely be better, but at least you won’t have to wait long for a full charge if it dies in the middle of the day.
Camera
Without a doubt, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Moto X line, or really any Motorola phone in recent years, has been the camera experience. Thankfully, Motorola is looking to change all of that this year. This time around, Motorola is packing a 21-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture on the rear (though it does lack OIS), and a 5MP wide-angle lens on the front.
The rear cam is obviously the star of the show, but the front camera does stand out thanks to its inclusion of front-facing flash, which is really a nice touch, even if it honestly isn’t all that necessary. For the most part, the front cam does a decent job on its own and is perfectly capable of finding your face in most situations. Ultimately, the flash isn’t particularly all that useful unless you happen to take a lot of selfies in dark rooms, and even then the front flash can be blindingly bright and tends to flood the image with harsh lighting more than it does to illuminate it.
As for the rear shooter, picture quality has been surprisingly great and you can definitely tell Motorola put a very big focus on making the camera experience better on this year’s Moto X. In medium to good lighting photos are very sharp and detailed, and color reproduction is on point with just the right amount vibrancy and saturation. The HDR image processing on the Moto X has also been quite nice. It does a great job of bringing out a lot of the detail from the shadows, especially in high contrast or backlit scenarios, and adds just a little bit of extra saturation and warmth to the images, without causing them to look unnatural.
Low light performance has also made some really huge strides this year. I would say the Moto X’s performance here still isn’t as good something like the Samsung Galaxy S6 or Galaxy Note 5, but it is definitely leaps and bounds better than the 2014 Moto X. Specifically, images are much sharper and more detailed, which you can see pretty easily when zooming into text. The colors and white balance are also more accurate, it handles exposure a lot better especially in the highlights, and most importantly there’s a lot less digital noise.
One thing to note is that, with the exception of adjusting the focus point and exposure, Motorola’s camera interface still lacks a full suite of manual controls that other smartphone camera interfaces offer. That said, it is very easy to use. You can tap anywhere on the viewfinder to take a photo, swipe left to review any photos that you’ve taken, or swipe to the right to make adjustments to the camera settings. It’s pretty barebones, but you can do things like toggle through different modes like HDR, Night mode, panorama, 4K video recording, and other things of that nature.
Overall, the camera experience here is greatly improved over Motorola’s past offerings and so a big thumbs up to Motorola for finally producing a camera that is capable of taking photos that people won’t feel embarrassed to share to social media.
Software
When the original Moto X first hit the scene, one of the most compelling things about it wasn’t the specs or even the customization aspects, it was the software. A clean, stock-like approach meant that the Moto X was faster than many phones that offered technically superior specs. Even better, Motorola was able to push out updates to its lightly skinned Android UI at a quicker rate than its competitors.
The new Moto X Pure Edition seemingly continues this trend, offering a near stock build of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Even better, this phone is being sold completely free of carrier intervention and so there’s no carrier bloatware to get in the way. Motorola’s latest flagship is as pure of an Android experience you will get without buying a Nexus, with the only exception being Motorola’s baked-in custom features, which for most users will turn out to be more of a positive than a negative.
Moto Display is as good as ever, subtly pulsating anytime you receive a notification. As an added bonus, Motorola has even added the ability to control your music from it now.
Another big part of the Motorola software experience is Moto Voice, which allows you to dictate voice commands and even lets you customize the experience a bit more with your own key-phrase. What I love most about Moto Voice, besides the always on listening, is using it for navigation. Being able to just tell your phone to navigate home or anywhere that you need to go, without having to wake up the phone or touch it at all, is extremely useful, especially if you have your phone sitting in a car dock like I do. It’s also a lot safer when you’re driving.
Speaking of safety, the Moto X also offers Moto Assist, which can read your text messages out loud and tell you who’s calling, or it can optionally keep your phone completely quiet to avoid interruptions anytime you’re in a business meeting or simply just need to get some shut eye.
Finally, you have Moto Actions which are all really nifty and intuitive features. You can wave your hand over the front of the phone to trigger Moto display, chop twice to trigger the led flash, and if you take a lot of pictures, you’ll find yourself using the double twist of the wrist to launch the camera pretty much on a daily basis.
Bottom-line, if you enjoy stock Android but wouldn’t mind a few extra perks outside of ‘true vanilla Android,’ you’re going to be more than satisfied with with what Motorola brings to the table.
Specifications
| Display | 5.7-inch display Quad HD resolution, 515 ppi |
| Processor | 1.8 GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor Adreno 418 GPU |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 16/32/64 GB expandable via microSD up to 128 GB |
| Camera | 21 MP rear camera with dual LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera with wide angle lens and front-facing flash |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac Universal LTE bands Bluetooth 4.1 NFC GPS+GLONASS |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh |
| Software | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| Colors | Moto Maker Coated Silicon Rubber Horween leather and natural wood Metallic accents Engraving |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
Motorola is taking a different approach with the sales of the Moto X this year. Instead of partnering with carriers, Motorola is selling the phone direct to consumers through Motorola’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy for a base price of $400 unlocked, which is an absolute bargain for a smartphone of this caliber. If you’re upgrading from a previous generation Moto X, the Pure Edition is a no-brainer.
So, there you have it for this in-depth look at the Moto X Pure Edition. For $400 you really can’t go wrong with this one. Sure, the phone has a few downsides like battery life but you’re getting some very high-end specs, great build quality, a large, beautiful high-resolution display, a camera that won’t disappoint, and one of the cleanest and purest Android experiences around. Most importantly, you have MotoMaker, a customization tool that allows users to create a truly unique experience that’s yet to be rivaled by any of Motorola’s competitors.
What do you think of the new Moto X Pure Edition? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments.
AG Picks: The best Android phone you can buy today (September 2015)
As we get out of summer and head into the autumn season we’re at an important time of the year. Specifically, a number of key smartphones have recently launched and customers have quite a selection to choose from.
Picking the right device isn’t exactly easy, especially when most of today’s phones can be had across multiple carriers. Some of us try as hard as we can to future-proof ourselves and stay ahead of the curve with high-end models. Others, care less about tomorrow and just want a kick-ass handset, no matter the price.
We here at AndroidGuys like to think there is some crossover between those two categories, particularly among the upper echelon of Android smartphones. Sometimes you can actually end up with something that lasts for years and doesn’t break the bank in the process. In other words, cost isn’t indicative of experience.
We conducted an internal poll among the team, anonymously collecting our choices for the top smartphones of September. The criteria was simple: pick the best, and second-best phone you can purchase today. With more than a dozen of us chiming in – some are self-admitted brand loyalists – we reached a pretty clear consensus.
Here are those results, with some details as to why they were selected. In short, these are the three best Android phones you can buy today.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Nearly every single one of us picked the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 as the best or second-best phone on the market. Why? It’s gorgeous, sleek, and features some incredible specifications.
You’d have to see one of these in person to really appreciate the beauty in the design. Throw in a killer display, wireless charging, a smarter stylus, and the latest version of Android, and you have one attractive smartphone.
You can pick one of these up from just about any wireless carrier around, however, it doesn’t come cheaply. We’d like to see the price drop just a smidge but we were on board anyhow. If you’re looking to score a top phone this coming holiday season, keep your eyes peeled for some discounts and promotions.
Motorola X Pure Edition
How can you argue with a phone that has this much hardware with a price that’s almost half that of other top flagships? Even when compared to the aforementioned Galaxy Note 5, it comes out on top in some areas – if only on paper.
The 21-megapixel rear camera is the best Motorola has offered in a phone thus far. The nearly stock Android experience ensures quick updates and a bloat-free software package. The level of customization and configuration through MotoMaker is unparalleled. Are you picking up what we’re putting down, here? You won’t find this much bang, or support, for the buck from a top-tier brand such as Motorola. The Motorola Moto X Pure Edition should be considered for your next phone.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
As an almost identical counterpart to the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, this one trades out the stylus in favor of two edge-displays that wrap and taper.
Not only does this screen look and feel incredibly awesome, it adds extra capabilities in the process. Want an at-a-glance view of time, messages, or other notifications? You’ll find that here. Want quick access to contacts without having to create shortcuts or icons? Bingo.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is virtually swappable for first place and almost beat out the Motorola for second place. As a testament to the two Samsung models here, our team has a few staffers who tend to judge its brand harshly.
Honorable Mentions
Other smartphones placing high on our chart this month include the Nexus 6, LG G4, and OnePlus 2.
Your pick
What phone do you have your eye on? Is it one of these or is there something else you’re considering? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below, so please take a moment to share your opinion.
The post AG Picks: The best Android phone you can buy today (September 2015) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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