Moto G (2015) leaks in real-life images
When it was originally announced, the first-gen Moto G was incredibly popular as it offered a solid Android experience and incredible value for money and this year’s version of the handset looks set to continue this trend. The 2015 Moto G has already previously leaked in renders and alleged images / video but today’s leak clearly shows a handset that looks like the Moto G in all its glory.
According to the latest leak, the Moto G 2015 will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and 2GB RAM, although a previous report suggests there could be two models, one with 1GB RAM and the other with 2GB. Like the Moto G, it’ll run the latest Android OS out of the box – which, in this case, is Android 5.1.1 Lollipop – and should be updated to Android M once Google’s next platform launches later this year.
Also, the images themselves are clearly of a pre-release handset meaning we may see some design tweaks and changes as the handset nears launch. The screen size isn’t known for sure but based on these images, we’d probably expect a display measuring 5.0-5.2 inches in size.
Based on previous leaks, we can expect the Moto G (2015) to sport a 5.0-inch 720p HD display with a choice of two storage options – 8GB and 16GB – which are both expandable. On the back, the Moto G is expected to sport a 13MP rear camera with a 5MP front facing snapper and the handset will be powered by a removable 2470mAh battery.
Moto in video:
.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;
body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;
The Moto G (2015) has been the subject of many rumours recently, including one that claimed that the handset will be customisable through Motorola’s Moto Maker. If accurate, this will mean that owners can choose and customise back panels, front panels and accent colours for the camera module and should result in a truly unique smartphone.
Motorola (or Lenovo, if you will) are expected to unveil the Moto G (2015) on July 28th with a release the same day in Brazil. The handset is expected to retail for R$899, which works out at around $286 US but based on the international pricing for the Moto G 4G, it’s likely we’ll see a launch price similar to the second-generation Moto G.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
What do you think of the Moto G (2015)? Would you buy one? Let us know your views in the comments below.
More details emerge on the Moto G (2015) with possible release date
After surfacing yesterday, more details have leaked about the Moto G (2015). The device will apparently offer IPx7 certification to bring some water resistance. Motorola is also expected to transition Moto Maker to the device. According to a recent report from Techmundo, the device will be available for sale on July 28th. The price should not change by much, remaining under $300 off-contract.
The new Moto G will most likely come with a 5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 410, Adreno 306, models with 1GB RAM/8GB storage and 2GB RAM/16GB storage, microSD card slot, 13MP camera on the back, 5MP front shooter and a 2470mAh battery.
Source: TecMundo
Via: Android Central
Come comment on this article: More details emerge on the Moto G (2015) with possible release date
Moto G 2015 will get the Moto Maker treatment this year
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style=”display:block”
data-ad-client=”ca-pub-8150504804865896″
data-ad-slot=”8461248232″
data-ad-format=”auto”>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Motorola has slowly been expanding its Moto Maker capabilities over the years, but it has stayed firmly the primary realm of the Moto X smartphones. As a leak from @evleaks is suggesting, however, it looks like the Moto G 2015 will get the Moto Maker treatment this year with lots of coloured variants featured in a leaked image. Check it out below:
Of course, not all the colour combinations there are fantastic, but it’s enough to tell us that the Moto G 2015 could be seeing just as much customization as the Moto X – no wood material back covers though. In a separate rumour, it’s been alleged that the Moto G 2015 could be getting 2GB of RAM as opposed to the originally suspected 1GB RAM – that might just be wishful thinking, but we’re happy not to discount this rumour until Motorola actually announces the device.
What do you think about the Moto G 2015 being available through Moto Maker? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
The post Moto G 2015 will get the Moto Maker treatment this year appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
The Moto G 2015 will be announced on July 28th according to Brazilian news outlet
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style=”display:block”
data-ad-client=”ca-pub-8150504804865896″
data-ad-slot=”8461248232″
data-ad-format=”auto”>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
We’ve seen our fair share of the upcoming mid-range device from Motorola, but today is the first time we’re hearing about a possible announcement date. According to Brazilian news outlet, TecMundo, the Moto G 2015 will be announced on July 28th and be available for purchase on the same day. Seeing as Motorola is a US native, we’d expect the Moto G 2015 to be announced globally on the same day or even a few days earlier. According to the report, the Moto G 2015 will be available for 899 BRL in Brazil which equates to the same price its predecessor was launched at, so hopefully we can expect the same in other markets.
As with its predecessors, the Moto G 2015 is shaping up to be the one to beat in the mid-range category. One big difference which was revealed only in the last 24 hours is that the Moto G 2015 is likely to feature with the products available through Moto Maker which will allow customization of the device’s appearance before shipment – how much customization is still to be seen, though plenty of colour options were leaked.
What do you think about the Moto G 2015? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: TecMundo via Phone Arena
The post The Moto G 2015 will be announced on July 28th according to Brazilian news outlet appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Moto G (2015) rumored to be launching on July 28th
There are lots of rumors floating around regarding Motorola’s next smartphone lineup, and it looks like we won’t have to wait too long to find out what Motorola has planned for the next Moto G. According to the Brazilian site Tecmundo, the Moto G will be launched on July 28th and go on sale in Brazil on the same day.
The device is expected to sport a 5 inch 720p display and use the Snapdragon 410 processor. It is thought that there will be two models, one with 8GB of storage and one with 16GB. The former will likely have 1GB of RAM, while the latter could pack 2GB.
As for the camera, we are expecting a 13MP rear facing snapper and a 5MP one on the front. The unit will be powered by a 2470 mAh battery, will include a SD card slot, and support 4G LTE.
According to a recent leak, the Moto G (2015) will come with Moto Maker support.
Rumors about the next gen Moto G have been building for a while and according to a recent leak, the Moto G (2015) will come with Moto Maker support. This means owners could be able to choose different colored back panels, front panels, and accent colors for the metallic camera module.
However not everyone is jumping for joy if these specification turn out to be accurate. The rumored processor in the new Moto G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410. A 64-bit processor with four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.4GHz. It also includes an Adreno 306 GPU. The problem is that this the same processor used by the Moto E, the cheaper sibling of the Moto G. The 4G LTE version of the Moto E uses the Snapdragon 410, however clocked slightly slower at 1.2GHz.
The first two generations of the Moto G have certainly been well received and I am looking forward to seeing what Motorola is going to do next.
The reality is however, that the Moto E and Moto G are quite different devices. The Moto E has a 4.5 inch display and a 5MP rear facing camera. The Moto G trumps the Moto E in just about every department and even if the processor is the same, that shouldn’t be a worry for Moto G fans as the Snapdragon 410 is definitely an upgrade from the processor found in the the second gen Moto G.
The rumored pricing for Brazil is R$899 which works out at around $286 USD. However that probably isn’t a reflection on the international price as the current Moto G 4G costs R$929, when bought directly from Motorola in Brazil. International pricing is likely to be similar to the second generation Moto G.
The first two generations of the Moto G have certainly been well received and I am looking forward to seeing what Motorola is going to do next especially given all of the recent leaks, but what do you think? Are you looking forward to the new Moto G?
The Moto G 2015 will be announced on July 28th according to Brazilian news outlet
style=”display:block”
data-ad-client=”ca-pub-8150504804865896″
data-ad-slot=”8461248232″
data-ad-format=”auto”>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
We’ve seen our fair share of the upcoming mid-range device from Motorola, but today is the first time we’re hearing about a possible announcement date. According to Brazilian news outlet, TecMundo, the Moto G 2015 will be announced on July 28th and be available for purchase on the same day. Seeing as Motorola is a US native, we’d expect the Moto G 2015 to be announced globally on the same day or even a few days earlier. According to the report, the Moto G 2015 will be available for 899 BRL in Brazil which equates to the same price its predecessor was launched at, so hopefully we can expect the same in other markets.
As with its predecessors, the Moto G 2015 is shaping up to be the one to beat in the mid-range category. One big difference which was revealed only in the last 24 hours is that the Moto G 2015 is likely to feature with the products available through Moto Maker which will allow customization of the device’s appearance before shipment – how much customization is still to be seen, though plenty of colour options were leaked.
What do you think about the Moto G 2015? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: TecMundo via Phone Arena
The post The Moto G 2015 will be announced on July 28th according to Brazilian news outlet appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Republic Wireless offering Moto E (2015) for only $129
An affordable carrier like Republic Wireless needs to offer equally accessible handsets. Smartphones really can’t get much cheaper than the Moto E (unless you want to ruin your experience). Looking to join the Republic? You may be happy to learn the carrier is now offering the Moto E (2015) for only $129!
We have reviewed the Moto E (2015) and we can only complain about a couple aspects of the phone: the display sports a low resolution and the handset has a sub-par camera. Let’s take you back to the price-point, though – this thing is only $129!
For that amount of money, you really can’t expect this phone to be the gadget of your dreams. And for what it’s worth, the phone does grant a fair performance, great battery life and a design which has become a signature for Motorola. You can read our review of the 2015 Moto E to get all the details.
Aside from the Moto E being among the best affordable smartphones you can get, keep in mind Republic Wireless is also one of the most affordable carriers around. The base plan costs only $10, which offers unlimited calling and texting. Data is priced at only $7.50 per 0.5 GB. And recently Republic Wireless followed Google Project Fi’s steps by refunding money for any data subscribers may have not used during the month.
The only caveat I see is that you will be at the mercy of Sprint’s network, which isn’t exactly the best everywhere you go. If that is not an issue, though, Republic Wireless does offer one of the cheapest deals for cellular service in the USA. They can accomplish this by harnessing the power of WiFi connections and routing all services through the internet, as opposed to using Sprint’s towers all the time.
Other phone options from Republic Wireless include the 1st-gen Moto E and the 2nd-gen Moto X, which are prices at $99 and $299, accordingly. Honestly, I would probably still opt for the Moto G, as it has a better screen and camera, but the Moto E includes 4G LTE support, which is a also a significant factor. Are any of you signing up for the Moto E (2015) on Republic Wireless? Hit the comments and let us know which phone you would prefer!
Buy Moto E from Republic Wireless
.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;
body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;
Motorola’s Moto G 2015 will be customizable through Moto Maker, according to new leak
Motorola announced the Moto Maker program alongside the original Moto X back in 2013, though the company has yet to expand the customization program to devices other than the Moto X and Moto 360. There’s a possibility that may all change sometime soon, if a recent leak from a familiar source proves true.
According to retired leaker @evleaks, the Moto G (3rd Gen.) will come with Moto Maker support. This means users will likely be able to choose different colored back panels, front panels as well as accent colors for the metallic camera module on the phone’s back side. Take a look at the image below to see just how this customization may work:
Since the Moto G is a budget-friendly smartphone, customers probably won’t be able to choose different build materials like on the Moto X. However if this leak proves true, this will be a big step up over the Moto G (2014), which comes with a few different colored back plates that users can swap out at will. With the Moto X, Moto Maker allows users to choose different storage options as well, though at this time we’re not sure if the company will allow for that level of customization with the upcoming device.
Related Videos
.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;
body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;
I know I’m excited for this new handset given all of the recent leaks, but what do you think? Are you looking forward to customizing your new Moto G?
I traded my Nexus 6 for a Galaxy S6 Edge…here’s how it went
Samsung…the ultimate tease
I recently dropped my Nexus 6 to give Samsung’s latest flagship a shot. Not only that, the S6 Edge happens to be my first Galaxy device. Hopefully that fact does not deter Samsung fans, I just have never been a fan of the Galaxy’s dated design. To me, the S6 is the first device Samsung has delivered that’s worth the price they’re charging. I value a hardware effort, and I now had no excuse to not jump in. Well…and those rad edges.
Therefore, I thought this would serve as a good opportunity to help out those who are pondering Samsung’s current offering and curious about the refined TouchWiz. Being that I’ve come from the latest stock Android build, I think I have a fresh perspective in touring the infamous UI, such as how it excels or falters in comparison.
But before I dive into my experience with switching from the Nexus ginormica to a modest 5.1″ Galaxy S6, I’m compelled to go over Samsung’s hardware undertaking.
Design/Build
When I observed the press details and first impressions of the S6 back in March, I wasn’t sure how to feel. Everyone anticipated a major design overhaul, but we weren’t sure to what extent. Samsung ended up keeping the design layout familiar, but changing the entire build. Thus, my impression had to wait until I could get my hands on it.
But once I did, oh boy. The metal frame has this soft elegance to it. The glass back merges with the frame with a subtle 2.5D curvature, like the two materials are meant to be together. I have the Sapphire color, which sometimes looks black, sometimes looks navy blue. The base color works in unison with the glass to respond to bright light as gemstones do, shining mesmerizing bands of amplified color. I applaud Samsung for nailing the build at their first premium go around and for producing something exciting.
On the Edge model, the reflection of the glass stretches at the curvature. To me, it’s so visual appealing. You’re just not used to seeing this kind of thing. Viewing the curved material from different angles begs me to call the appearance of the device futuristic. The metal frame looks like a tub as the glass flows into it. There’s never been a design like this, and although subtle, it’s darn cool.
Not even accounting for attention-grabbing edges, the S6 filled the eye-candy void that my Nexus 6 left to be desired.
Usability
The buttons around the device are a mixed bag for me. While I appreciate that the power and volume buttons are on separate sides, the volume buttons are too high on the device. Not only are they an awkward reach to get to, the above-average force it takes to push them in often makes me need to resist the phone rotating out of my hand.
In contrast, the sensitivity of the Nexus 6 buttons caused frequent accidental presses, so I don’t know which I prefer.
The click of the physical home button is too loud, and sometimes it gets pressed when the phone is in my pocket and I lean on something. The bezel between the home button and the display is too small, causing me to accidentally touch something on the screen when I press the button. And I find the area of the home button too small to practically house the fingerprint scanner. While I can register many angles of my thumb, too many times do I manage to find a placement that it doesn’t like. But at least it has a fingerprint scanner, unlike the Nexus 6.
Moving from on-screen buttons to capacitive was a benefit to me, as I’m pro-capacitive. I won’t dwell on that, as we can debate it elsewhere. But as I’ve expressed, I just don’t like the physical home button.
Not to forget that I’m covering the Edge variant of the S6, what I imagine the first and foremost question being is: How is usability affected by those untraditional edges? Unfortunately, what you gain in aesthetics, you lose in ergonomics. Fashion over function, as it were. The glass on the edges falls down to the frame, reducing your grip to roughly half the thickness of the phone.
So you may then ask: How do you keep from making inputs on the screen when gripping the phone? Samsung apparently brought up the same concerns and they have a couple design cues to address it. First, the display does not extend the whole way down to the frame as the glass does, there actually is some bezel at the curve, between the display and frame.
Second, the frame has some width to push your fingers away from the screen, as you grip the phone. This creates a ledge that is not apparent with a picture/video overview of the device.
Regarding the move from a Nexus 6, going from 6″ down to 5.1″ is quite drastic. Predictably, my first reaction was “Wow, I can use it with one hand!”. But the smaller content soon began to take a tole on my satisfaction with the S6. Everyday I feel it getting worse.
Screen
As of late, Samsung’s Super-AMOLED panels have been a sight to behold. Seriously. It’s natural to think that the display you’re using on another phone is all you would need, but once you witness Samsung’s panel, it strikes you. The brightness, vibrancy, viewing angles…everything is so good about this display. With the S6, past criticism about over-saturated colors has faded. The colors are now tamed. Yes, they do retain some of that color pop that makes you know you’re using an AMOLED panel, but it’s not exaggerated anymore.
One factor I just couldn’t wait to discuss is outdoor visibility. Oh my goodness, I could praise this aspect of the S6’s display all day long. For the first time I’ve ever experience, the screen can get bright enough to counter sunlight. And I’m not just talking about good enough. I can completely see everything, clearly. This is truly a feat if you recall when OLED panels could not keep up with LCDs outdoors. Kudos to Samsung. If you’re out and about a lot, this screen is a must.
The Nexus 6 also uses an AMOLED panel, sans the ‘Super’ part. It pales in comparison outdoors with brightness set to max, I often struggled to see what was on my screen. And its lowest brightness setting, a pink tint would dominate the screen.
On the S6 Edge variant, observing content wrap around the curves is spectacular. But although I love the feature, I must admit that the excitement wears off after sometime. As we typically look at the screen straight-on, it’s easy to tune-out the effect. You then remember the curves are there when you look at the device from an angle.
Camera
Another well-deserved acknowledgement is the S6’s camera. Especially in light of the Nexus 6’s camera, which was not accepted as part of the greats. The upgrade from 13MP to 16MP on the rear camera doesn’t matter too much. But it is important to know that the S6 is 16MP at 16:9, while the Nexus 6 is 13MP at 4:3. The Nexus 6’s largest resolution at 16:9 is 9.7MP.
Samsung’s camera capability is leaps and bounds better than Motorola’s effort. I won’t get into how many more manual controls and features you get with Samsung, but rather, the efficiency of pointing and shooting. The S6 camera doesn’t require perfect lighting conditions for a good shot, HDR works automatically, low light performance is superb, and focus and capture speed can run circles around the Nexus 6’s camera.
Also, while the 5MP front camera of the S6 is nothing to write home about, selfies are much less noisy and grainy than with the Nexus 6.
Battery
It should be no surprise for me to say that the 3,220mAh battery in the Nexus 6 bests the 2,600mAh battery in the S6 Edge by a long-shot. We’ve all heard of the S6’s battery being average, I can contend that it is so. With the Nexus 6, I barely ever feared not getting through the day, but with the S6 I most certainly do. I would recommend always keeping a charger close by.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to give up wireless charging or fast charging. And from my experience, power saver on the S6 is more efficient, with the added option of an ultra power saving mode.
Software
This is the touchy part of the discussion (no pun intended). On the S6, TouchWiz is ever so present. The reduction of bloat that Samsung sold us on was primarily optimization of the UI. I can tell that it is quick and less laggy than previous TouchWiz iterations. But unfortunately, not everything is rainbows and unicorns in TouchWiz land, like Samsung would lead us to believe. My Nexus 6 also ran Android Lollipop 5.1.1, and after some quality time with Samsung’s implementation, it becomes apparent what should and what shouldn’t be.
First, app memory management on the S6 is…a mess. Our beloved Android multitasking is handicapped. Apps sometimes close mere seconds after switching out of them. I found that this problem got worse the longer I went without rebooting the phone. At my worst experience with it, the software would turn off Navigation on my road trip when I went to change the music. I never had this happen on my Nexus 6, nor need to reboot for it to work as it should.
Lag and slowness join into this issue the longer you go without flushing the UI. For instance, remember that quick camera shortcut that Samsung boasted about, by double clicking the home button? While a fantastic feature, if you let TouchWiz use up most of its memory bucket, you’ll be sitting there counting the seconds for the viewfinder to come around. I’ve also observed the camera app and Chrome browser freeze, leaving me with a paperweight until TouchWiz figured it out, closed, and restarted.
As a result, I’m rebooting the phone daily to avoid such annoyances. The fact that TouchWiz’s stability decays over each day is a failure of the UI and an ugly misrepresentation of Android.
But surely there must be some worthy benefits that TouchWiz brings to Lollipop? Yes, but not many such to justify a heavy UI. The multi-screen functionality is something that stock Android should have by now. Swiping down on one of the top corners will reduce an app into a floating window, so you can do other things while keeping that information in front of you. TouchWiz now has a theme engine and store offering lots of appearance options. Samsung has also developed some neat gestures and motions that are at your disposal, such as palm swiping the screen to capture a screenshot, automatically calling a contact on the screen when you bring the device to your ear, and face detection to keep the screen on while you’re looking at it.
To make the software their own, there are of course unnecessary tweaks to the lock screen, notification panel, icons, and even emoji’s. Unfortunately, this results in repercussions to how Lollipop was made. Double-clicking on lock screen notifications doesn’t do anything, the notification panel gets crowded too quickly, and sound prioritization options are not present on the volume slider. I do however prefer the news panel on the most left. I have always felt that the Google Now panel was redundant since it could be accessed just as quickly via the home button. Samsung left the Recent Apps layout untouched, with the welcomed addition of a Close All button.
Conclusion
So am I satisfied with my decision to leave my Nexus 6 for the new Galaxy? I think I’ve shown that it’s a loaded question. The chassis, screen, and camera quality are tremendous improvements from the Nexus 6. But TouchWiz is so unnecessary and does more bad to Lollipop than it does good. There is also that hit to battery life, but that’s expected from a smaller device. The battery of the upcoming S6 Plus will be more appropriate to compare.
The S6 Edge variant brings something different in a dulling arena of flagships, but the glamour is short-lived. Without impactful edge functionality (see the ZTE Nubia Z9), the feature becomes forgotten about and you start to question your decision to pay $100 more for it.
I’m left with the wish that Samsung would stop fiddling with being great and push through to being the best.
The post I traded my Nexus 6 for a Galaxy S6 Edge…here’s how it went appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Leaked image shows off what’s supposedly the new Moto X, Moto G and DROID devices
Many rumors have been floating around regarding Motorola’s next smartphone lineup, especially when it comes to design language. A few leaked images have already surfaced of the next generation Moto G and Moto X, with both phones featuring similar aesthetics. As we near the imminent launch of the next Moto devices, the folks over at HellomotoHK have leaked a new image that shows us what’s supposedly up next for the Lenovo-owned smartphone maker.
Moving from left to right, the source tells us that we’re looking at a mini version of the new DROID, the Moto G (3rd Gen.), the normal version of the new DROID, and finally the Moto X (3rd Gen.). It should be noted that we can’t vouch for the validity of this leak, though it seems apparent that Motorola has decided on a general theme for its upcoming line of smartphones.
Even though the source notes that the first and third images are of the new DROID Mini and DROID proper, both backplates look to be almost the same size. The hexagonal pattern on these two devices also looks like something that would only be found on a DROID phone. Like I said, we’re not entirely sure if these images are legitimate, so we’ll have to wait for an official announcement from the OEM to know anything for certain.
Just based off of the leaked images so far, what are your thoughts on the new Moto lineup? Yay or nay?
AIVAnet 