Motorola Connect in new update gets UI improvements, watch faces, and more
Motorola Connect today was been updated, bringing with it a host of UI changes for a “more intuitive and easier to navigate interface.” This new update also brings with it, according to the change log, support for the new Moto 360, and the usual list of bug fixes and performance improvements here and there.
One thing not included in the new change log is the inclusion of the watch faces from Motorola’s Moto 360 (2015) smartwatch.
The new interactive watch faces are Dials, Dials II, Refined, and Essential. Dials and Dials II are interactive in that you can configure them for Weather, Moto Body, and Battery. The Essential watch face tracks your Moto Body goals for the day and displays your progress via the tick marks. Overall, there are some stylish watch faces that’ll all be handy to the user, and the best part is that Motorola has brought them to the original Moto 360.
As for UI changes, Motorola Connect has changed in that the user is now greeted with a carousel of all his or her connected applications. There’s also now a yellow button to connect additional Motorola devices. Finally, there’s been a few small changes, making options more compact and overall easier to navigate and interact with.
If you haven’t got the update yet, be sure to hit the download link below.
Come comment on this article: Motorola Connect in new update gets UI improvements, watch faces, and more
Motorola launches the Moto X Play in India for INR 18,499
Motorola has just launched the Moto X Play in India. The handset is available to purchase exclusively through Flipkart and comes with a INR 18,499 ($278) price tag for the 16GB model and INR 19,999 ($301) for the 32GB variant. To celebrate the release, Flipkart will be giving away 100% cashback codes to one-hundred lucky random Ping users, along with e-gift vouchers worth INR 1,000 ($15).
The Moto X Play sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display, an octa-core Snapdragon 615 System-on-Chip (SoC), 2GB of RAM, a 21-megapixel rear-facing camera with f2.0 aperture and dual-LED flash, a 5-megapixel selfie shooter, dual-SIM support, water-repellant coating and a 3,630mAh non-removable battery.
With regards to connectivity, the Play bundles compatibility for 4G LTE, GSM, WCDMA, Bluetooth Class 1 (Version 4.0, LE+EDR), 802.11b/802.11g/802.11n Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS. The device also ships running the latest build of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, which will enable users of the handset to take full advantage of Android Pay.
The Lenovo-owned company’s latest offering looks to be a pretty solid smartphone with a sturdy build, but if your sitting on the fence and are prepared to wait a little while longer, check back for our full review. However, if your heart’s already set on this phone and you’d like to find out more about picking one up — hit the source link below.
Source: Flipkart
Come comment on this article: Motorola launches the Moto X Play in India for INR 18,499
Motorola Moto X Play launches in India
The Moto X Play has just launched in India, that’s the latest reasonably price smartphone from Motorola which was unveiled alongside the more expensive Moto X Style back in July. The phone comes with a budget friendly price tag starting at Rs.18,499 ($278).
For a quick recap, the Moto X Play is equipped with a 5.5-inch Full HD display, octa-core Snapdragon 615 SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage with 128GB microSD card support, a 21 megapixel rear camera and 5 megapixel front camera, along with a huge 3,630mAh battery. The phone also comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box, dual-SIM support and a water repellent coating, just in case it gets a little wet.
See also: Moto X Play announced: great specs, budget-friendly pricing
The Indian launch was teased by FlipKart last week with a dedicated page and a countdown timer. As you would expect then, the Moto X Play is available exclusively through FlipKart. The retailer is also throwing in a variety of launch day offers, including 100% cash back for 100 random Flipkart Ping users, Flipkart e-gift vouchers worth Rs. 1,000, and movie vouchers from BookMyShow worth Rs. 500. These offers will be available until September 20th.
FlipKart will be selling the 16GB Moto X Play for Rs. 18,499 ($278), while the 32GB model costs Rs. 19,999 ($301), both in your choice of black or white colors. The sale begins at midnight tonight.
Motorola Connect app updated with improved UI, 2015 Moto 360 support and additional watch faces
Those who use Motorola accessories or smart devices definitely need some help keeping all their gadgets in check. This is why the Motorola Connect app exists; to help users manage their multiple Motorola articles. If you are one of the many who take advantage of this software tool, you may notice there is a new update awaiting in the Google Play Store. You should go get it soon, as it brings forth some meaningful improvements.
The main enhancement is likely the addition of the Moto 360 (2015) to the list of supported devices. The new Android Wear watch joins a list of plenty other supported devices, including the older Moto 360, the Moto Pulse, Moto Surround, Motorola Power Pack Micro, Motorola Keylink and the Motorola Connect PC Extension.
Supporting the new Moto 360 will only benefit a few of you, though. What most users will actually notice is the improved UI, which makes the experience “more intuitive and easier to navigate”. It looks very similar to the new Moto app, which we saw on the newest Moto G and Moto X smartphones.
The new design is sleek and clean. There is a floating action button that allows users to add their devices, and you can simply navigate through your current Moto products and access their settings. By the way, this apps also makes it possible to change the Moto 360 watch faces, and if you jump into the wearable’s options you may find that Motorola also added the new ones from the 2015 Moto 360.
Of course, there’s also the usual batch of bug fixes, but we have no idea what those are all about. Go get your update from the Google Play Store and join the conversation in the comments below. Are you liking the new UI?
Motorola’s Moto Body app released to the Play Store
One of the benefits of a Moto 360 is the ability for it to pull double-duty as an activity tracker. To help users make use of the activity data being generated and recorded by their Moto 360 device, Motorola has now released their Moto Body app.
Similar to apps provided by other activity tracker companies, Moto Body gives users the ability to view progress against certain measures, including heart activity, number of steps and calories burned. The app will also track this data over time so users can look at how they are doing on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
Moto Body will offer personalized insights, tips and other information like health related articles. The app will also provide notifications to help users stay focused on their efforts.
If you have a Moto 360 and want to give Moto Body a try, use the link below to get the app from the Google Play Store.
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s Moto Body app released to the Play Store
Android Authority this week – September 13, 2015
The world of Android never stands still, so after a brief post-IFA respite, this week brought us exciting reports about the Moto X Force, the first real look at the Android-powered Nokia C1, and more images of the Nexus 5X; Apple announced a very tame upgrade to Android’s biggest rival; we heard the first enticing rumors about the Galaxy S7; and Google finally launched Android Pay.
Inside AA HQ
All the big news happened the week before, but Josh, Lanh, and Nirave actually stayed in Berlin until Wednesday, continuing to bring you coverage from Europe’s biggest tech event. One of the last things they did at the show was hand out the Android Authority Best of IFA awards for the five most impressive products launched at IFA. See the award winners here.
Now that IFA is behind us, we’re all looking forward to the next big event of this autumn. Google will unveil the next Nexus devices at the end of September, and just like every other Android fan, we’re very excited to see them in action. Until then, we have a bunch of hot devices in our labs, including the Moto X Style and the Mate S – reviews are coming soon, so stay tuned.
OnePlus has a hit a snag or two in bringing the OnePlus 2 to market, but you won’t have to deal with all that invite hassle, provided you’re lucky enough! Check out our international giveaway for a shot at winning a brand new OnePlus 2!
The stuff you shouldn’t miss
- Review: Bailey puts the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 up for testing
- Hands-on: May the force be with you! We go hands-on with the Huawei Mate S
- Hands-on: Is the Huawei Watch still worth your attention, six months after its announcement?
- Opinion: Andrew looks at the strategies of the major Android OEMs: who’s winning and who’s losing?
- Feature: Xiaomi: it’s time you learned more about the Chinese company taking over most markets that it enters
- Unboxing: Moto X Style or X Pure: whatever you call it, it’s a hell of a device
Top news of the week
Moto is out in Force
The true Nokia Android is coming
All about Nexus 5X
- (Update: new image) LG Nexus 5X shows up in clearest image yet
- You can get a good idea of what the Nexus 5X looks like from these case renders
New iPhones: lots of yawns and a few cool features
- By the numbers: iPhone 6S vs the Android competition
- iPhone 6S and 6S Plus announced: what you need to know about Apple’s latest
Galaxy S7: the rumor mill is working
Android Pay is here
- New Google Wallet app launched, may signal the impending Android Pay release
- Google officially rolling out Android Pay starting today (Update: Grab the APK now)
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Moto X Style / Moto X Pure Edition unboxing and first impressions
2015 has been a great year for consumers in the Android world, thanks to an exponential rise in high quality, yet affordable, smartphones. This trend is not limited to the mid-range either, with a bevy of current generation flagships priced at least a couple of hundred dollars lower than the expected high-end standard. One such smartphone is the latest Motorola flagship, called the Moto X Pure Edition in the US, or the Moto X Style in other international markets. Before diving into a full review, here are our first impressions of the device, as we take a quick look at the unboxing of the Moto X Style / Moto X Pure Edition!
Unboxing
If you’ve stuck with the Moto X since its beginnings in 2013 like I have, the first thing you’ll notice right off the bat how much bigger the box of the latest iteration is. Obviously, the phone is much bigger this time around, but another reason for this difference in size is because of a bumper case that is included in the box as well.
Opening the box reveals the smartphone in all its glory, and right next to it the bumper case. It is a plastic clear bumper case that isn’t anything fancy, but should get the job done just fine if you’re looking for a little bit of protection while being able to show off the unique stylings of your customized phone. Underneath the bumper case is Motorola’s Turbo power charging brick, to take advantage of the fast charging capabilities of the device, and Motorola claims that you will be able to get up to 10 hours of battery life back after just 15 minutes of charging.
The only oddity here is the fact that the cable is permanently attached to the charger, so if you need a dedicated microUSB-to-USB cable for other needs, you will have to supply that yourself. Also included in the box is the typical documentation, including a Quick Start guide, warranty information, and other legal information. With the documentation is a leaflet that carries a standard SIM tray removal tool.
First impressions
One of the biggest selling points of the Moto X line is the customization that is available via Moto Maker, to really make the device look and feel like your own. Doing exactly that, I decided to go with a black front, slate back, and lemon lime for the accents. You get to choose whatever colors and material choices you want, including leather and wood, and that’s part of the beauty of owning a Moto X.
As far as the design language is concerned, there are a lot of similarities when compared to its predecessors, with its sloping curved back, rounded corners, and an unassuming and clean front. Motorola’s signature dimple returns on the back underneath the camera, but this iteration is far more subtle that what was seen with the Moto X (2014), and is certainly a lot better.
The biggest difference with the new Moto X Style is the size, and the 5.7-inch display did make it sound like this device would be too large, but when we got our hands on it for the first time during the launch event in New York, all my doubts were put to rest, and that is how I still feel about the device now. Of course, it’s not a small phone anymore, and does completely dwarf the previous generation devices, but Motorola has done a great job with keeping thin bezels, which makes the device feel very manageable in one hand. In fact, it is quite similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in terms of height and width, with the Moto X Pure Edition being slightly thicker.
As a refresher of the specifications, the Moto X Pure Edition is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, clocked at 1.8 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 418 GPU and 3 GB of RAM, and the device comes with 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of internal storage, which is further expandable via microSD card by up to 128 GB. Finally, the device packs a 3,000 mAh non-removable battery which is hopefully enough, especially when considering the fact that it has to power a large 5.7-inch TFT LCD display with a Quad HD resolution.
The cameras have also seen an improvement, at least on paper, with the phone now featuring a 21 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front-facing shooter with a wide angle lens and a “selfie” flash. We will, of course, be putting this camera setup through its paces in the upcoming full review, and we’ll have to wait and see whether this camera can stand up tall against the fantastic competition it faces in the Android world.
On the software side of things, the device is running Android 5.1.1 out of the box, and Motorola has had a really good track record with keeping the software experience very close to stock Android, which is what makes the Moto X one of the best alternatives to a Nexus device. In some ways, the Moto X is better, with some incredibly useful features that Motorola has baked in, such as the Moto Display, Moto Voice, and others. Another great aspect of the Moto X Pure Edition is that there is no bloatware to be found, and upon turning the device on for the first time, you will notice that there is only a page and a half worth of apps, most of which are Google applications.
So there you have it for this quick look at the unboxing of the Moto X Pure Edition / Moto X Style! Stay tuned with Android Authority for the upcoming comprehensive review of this smartphone, and for everything else that has to do with the world of Android.
Moto Surround: earphones for the busy (Review)
Motorola recently refreshed many of their products, including their sound devices. Out of this came a set of headphones and a set of earphones: the Moto Pulse and the Moto Surround, respectively. I had a chance to use both, and I have already written about the Moto Pulse. So, it’s time to dive into the Moto Surround.
The Moto Surround was made for those who are active, or use their hands a lot, and don’t want their earphones to get in the way. Further, Motorola gave the Moto Surround the ability to take and make calls, as well as water/sweat resistant. Basically, this is the perfect set of earphones for those who want to be hands-free. Or are they?
Setup
Much like the new Moto Pulse headphones, setting up the Moto Surround earphones was a cinch. There was a little more haggling with Bluetooth switches with the Moto Surround than its cousin, but overall it was a much more pleasurable experience compared to most other Bluetooth devices.
Once your paired, just place the black band around your neck, and you’re set.
Usage
I must admit, I’m not the overly active type. So the benefits of a black band around your neck mostly allude me, but I’ll do my best to portray my experience for those who are active (don’t guilt me…).
The black band is fairly comfortable, and walking around my school and using them during the little exercise I do get in, I never found it to be in the way. Further, I sweat more than I’d like, but seeing as how the Moto Surround is water resistant, I never had a problem with controls are anything.
The band brought two benefits outside of keeping the earphones in my ears while moving:
- The controls are easy to get to, with most of what I used on the right side of the band at the very front. With other wireless earphones, the controls are usually on a tiny pad somewhere on the wire, which isn’t the most convenient. With the Moto Surround, you’re fumbling hands will almost always hit their mark.
- The Moto Surround has these neat magnets in the earphones themselves and the ends of the band, so that the outside of the earphone will attach to each button inside the blue circle. I’m a geek with magnets, so when I accidentally found this out, I was like a kid in a candy shop – giddy.
Going back to the controls, I found them very responsive. They are very tactile and clickable, making it easy to know if you’ve pressed a button. As I mentioned, most of them are housed on the right side of the band. On the bottom you have the power button, next to the charging port which is covered in case of rain (or sweat). Sort of on the side, or I suppose front-face of the band on the right side you have the play/pause button, with the answer/end call button on the left side. Then on the right side on the top you have the volume up/previous track button, and then the volume down/next track button.
Motorola claims 12 hours of playtime with the Moto Surround, and that’s probably accurate. I used them for about 15 hours before getting the low battery alert, but that was because I left them on accidentally for a couple of hours not playing anything. Still, it’s impressive that, again, the estimation Motorola gave seems to be rounding down instead of up.
Sound Quality
If you read my Moto Pulse review, I mentioned I am no audiophile – this still applies here. I didn’t become one overnight, sadly. However, I do have an ear that’s better than most when it comes to sound quality.
With the Moto Surround, the sound was good. Motorola claims their aptX technology allows superior sound through smaller speakers (read: earphones). I’m not sure how much the aptX technology actually applies, but I certainly enjoyed the sound I received. They got very loud, which is aided by the fact that the plug blocks any outside noise out very well. I had a coworker tell me he tried to say “Hello” as I was walking by (claiming he was shouting) him one day, and I never even noticed him.
Further, I could hear each instrument clearly during music, with distinct highs and lows. I found mids to struggle a little, but I think that had more to do with them being earphones than poor sound quality.
Basically, for $70 wireless earphones, the sound is good.
The Moto Surround is a great entry into the wireless earphones space. Not only do they offer good sound, but they allow free range movement with getting in the way. Plus, there is little to no fumbling around with them like you would with other earphones between the well-placed and tactile buttons, and the magnets on the ends of the band. Further, those who are active don’t need to worry about water/sweat ruining your earphones, as these are resistant to both! All of this for $70, which is a fair price compared to other options on the market.
The post Moto Surround: earphones for the busy (Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Droid Turbo 2 allegedly shown off in new leaked image
While the Moto X Style (aka Moto X Pure) and Moto X Play are exceptional devices, we’ve heard a number of rumors that suggest Motorola has a higher-end flagship on its way later this year. For international markets, it is said to be coming under the Moto X Bounce or Moto X Force name. In the states, it could likely end up as a Verizon exclusive under the Droid Turbo 2 name. We have already seen a number of renders depicting what this flagship-level handset will look like, but a new image from @upleaks now shows off the Droid Turbo 2 with Verizon branding in tow.
The image doesn’t show us anything new really, other than it seemingly confirms the Turbo 2 name and shows that Verizon will be placing its checkmark logo in between the split front-facing speakers. On the back, you’ll also note the “Droid” logo but no other Verizon branding seems to be in sight. While the checkmark on the front looks a bit odd, the branding is still uncharacteristically spartan for Big Red.
So what can we expect from the Droid Turbo 2? Based on prior rumors of the Moto Bounce/Force, the handset should be powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB RAM. The phone will also offer a 5.43-inch QHD display, 32 or 64GB storage, a 21MP camera (the same as found on the Style), and a hefty 3760 mAh battery. The phone is also supposed to be “shatterproof”, suggesting an MIL-SD rating and a highly durable design.
What do you think of the Droid Turbo 2, if the alleged images and specs prove correct? Let us know in the comments.
Moto 360 value version scrapped at last minute
Motorola, as we expected this last week, announced two versions of its new Moto 360 smartwatch.
Now, new information has been brought to light that the company had actually planned to release three versions of the smartwatch, but they cancelled those plans at the very last minute.
The third edition of the 360 was supposed to be a low-cost version of the watch aimed at either younger kids, or for people who want a smartwatch, but didn’t want to pay the somewhat higher price of the new Moto 360.
This model had been equipped with a lower quality band, cheaper design, and a different location of the action button. The value version would’ve likely had a price between $200-$300.
For those who are curious about the design, an image is available below.
This, I’m certain, will leave a lot of questions as to why the third version was scrapped. Why didn’t they either go ahead and announce the lower price model or just let the original model continue to be sold? The price of the first generation Moto 360 was already lower than the value model, so why not continue to sell it?
What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Source: Talk Android
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AIVAnet 