Motorola’s Rick Osterloh says no fingerprint scanner on next Moto X and no e-ink on next Moto 360
Motorola was one of the first companies to slap a fingerprint scanner on a smartphone, but they are reluctant to do it now. The original Atrix from 2011 had one, but Motorola President Rick Osterloh says the technology is still too inconsistent for their devices.
Osterloh thinks it’s just as fast to tap your finger to unlock a device as it is to swipe for a fingerprint. He also said that when the reader fails, the customer is turned off and that “All of the fingerprint readers are unreliable.” That’s pretty bold when you consider that Apple’s Touch ID works very well, Of course, it remains to be seen how well Samsung’s new touch sensor on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge work in everyday life, but early reports are that it’s pretty promising.
As to the Moto 360, it was heralded as the best of the best for smartwatches for a while, but new offerings from Huawei and LG are changing that. Even Pebble is stepping up their game with the Pebble Time Steel. How does Motorola plan to stay at the top? Osterloh said that they will invest heavily in software and experiences. One such app is Moto Body, which helps users with fitness and diet tracking. They will also bring Moto Maker customizations to the Moto 360 by the end of March. Lastly, don’t expect an e-ink version of the Moto 360 anytime soon. Just get rid of the flat tire and give me an Always On display with proper battery life, and all we be well.
source: CNet
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LG G3, Moto 360, Moto E claim top spots in 2015 Global Mobile Awards
Although much of the attention at MWC 2015 is on the devices being announced at the event or sneak peaks of technology planned for later in the year, the hosts, GSMA, take some time to recognize outstanding products from the prior year with their Global Mobile Awards. For 2015, Android devices proved to be formidable participants in the market. Perhaps most notable is the recognition of the LG G3 as Best Smartphone along with Apple’s iPhone 6. It was not long ago that LG barely even registered in the smartphone market, but the company started to make a big push first with the LG G2 and then last year’s successor the LG G3. Their willingness to break with some tradition, like placement of buttons, and trying to produce an attractive, quality product have paid off with the award.
Although many in the tech industry will be paying attention to Apple next week and the anticipated release of the Apple Watch, Google and their partner Android device manufacturers have been in the wearables market for some time now. The fact that they have been able to go through a couple iterations of smartwatches and refine the experience helped lead to the the Motorola Moto 360 this past year. GSMA recognized the smartwatch as the Best Wearable Mobile Tech for 2015.
One other Android device snagged an award, this one also coming from Motorola. The Moto E was named the Best Low Cost Smartphone.
GSMA recognizes products in a wide range of categories that may be of interest to mobile users. A couple pieces of software may be noteworthy for Android users who want to check out the best software they could run on their devices according to the GSMA. For gamers, Asphalt 8:Airborne was selected as the Best Mobile Game App. The Judges’ Choice – Best Overall Mobile App went to IFTTT, which recently rebranded itself as IF in conjunction with its new DO framework.
source: GSMA
Come comment on this article: LG G3, Moto 360, Moto E claim top spots in 2015 Global Mobile Awards
Moto E (2nd Gen) LTE now available in the US for $149.99
Following last week’s announcement, the Moto E (2nd Gen) is now available to purchase in the US through Motorola’s online store.
There are three choices when it comes to network options. There’s the new 4G LTE handset and 3G options for global or US carrier bands. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between three, so that you can double check bands with your carrier. GSM/GPRS/EDGE bands are identical on each handset.
4G LTE – US GSM (XT1527):
UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 1700 (AWS), 1900 MHz)
4G LTE (2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 17)
3G US GSM (XT1511):
UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 1700 (AWS), 1900 MHz)
3G Global GSM (XT1505):
UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
As well as LTE capabilities, the second generation Moto E comes with a few other hardware changes too. The new Moto E moves up from a dual-core SoC to a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processing package, storage space has been increased from 4GB to 8GB and the screen is now also a little larger at 4.5-inches, rather than 4.3-inches. However, the display’s resolution remains the same at 960 x 540 (qHD).
The Moto E (2nd Gen) is available for $119.99 with 3G networking, while the 4G LTE variant costs $149.99. Both come in your choice of either a black or white case.
Deal: Moto X (2014) Pure Edition and Tracks Air headphones bundle is $250 off from Motorola
If you’ve been on the fence as to whether or not you should buy a Moto X, now may be a good time to decide. Motorola is offering a $250 discount when you buy a Moto X (2014) Pure Edition and a pair of TRACKS AIR by SOL REPUBLIC Bluetooth Headphones directly from Motorola’s website before March 10th.
The 16GB Moto X Pure Edition, customized with MotoMaker, is normally $499.99, and the TRACKS AIR Bluetooth Headphones are normally $199.95 by themselves. So, assuming you’re looking at the 16GB model, you can score both the phone and the headphones for only $449.94. Looking at it from a different way, you’re saving $50 on a Moto X Pure Edition and receiving a $200 pair of headphones for free. Especially if you’re in the market for a new off-contract phone, that’s not a bad deal at all.
If you’re not so keen on the newly-announced Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge or HTC One M9, the Moto X (2014) will score you a 5.2-inch 1080p AMOLED display, a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 13MP rear-facing camera. You’ll also get a bevy of handy Motorola software features like Moto Display, Moto Voice, Moto Assist and a handful of others. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this deal, head to the source link below.
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, are you interested in the Moto X deal? Or are you waiting for the new Samsung or HTC devices to go on sale?
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. Motorola Moto X 2014
The Galaxy S6’s spectacular new screen boasts a QHD screen with 577 ppi, dominating the Moto X’s 1080p screen of 424 ppi. The Moto X’s screen still looks fantastic nonetheless and Motorola has taken full advantage of AMOLED technology with Active Display and off-screen notifications, as Samsung apparently has with the S6.
Samsung is using their own Exynos chip to power the S6, which beats the older Snapdragon 801 chip found in the Moto X in terms of speed and 64-bit capabilities, but Motorola has done a fantastic job optimizing their processor to make the Moto X one of the snappiest phones on the market.
It’s easy to say that the Galaxy S6 beats the Moto X in terms of camera performance, with the new Moto X under-performing even compared to 2014 flagships.
Both of these phones are capable of quick charging, with the Moto X capable of charging up to 80% in 15 minutes, and the Galaxy S6 “giving you four hours of use in a 10 minute charge” according to Samsung’s announcement.
Both of these phones use metal materials on the frames, however Motorola allows you to choose which type of back you want, ranging from leather, wood, to about all the colors on the rainbow for plastic.
Like many flagships in 2014, the Moto X is water resistant, even though submersing the device for a long period of time is not recommended. The Galaxy S6, strangely enough, is not.
Neither phones offer expandable memory or removable batteries, and the Moto X offers one front facing speaker above the screen while the Galaxy S6 speaker is located on the bottom of the device.
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HTC One M9 vs. Motorola Moto X
Motorola’s latest Moto X flagship has been on the market for a few months now, and while the price has dropped, it is still an amazing phone that uses metal materials found on the One M9, and is just as speedy despite it’s older Snapdragon 801 chip. In terms of hardware, the One M9 has the edge over the Moto X in basically every way. You can expect much better battery, camera, and system performance in the One M9. The Moto X does have heavy customization options in terms of hardware, which is a huge selling point for many who wish to have a leather or wood back with their name’s engraved on them.
So, still a fan of the Moto X, or will you be hopping on an M9 as soon as it’s released?
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Pebble sets a new record, net neutrality passes and other stories you might’ve missed!
Pebble beats its own record, Motorola confirms what we already knew about the Moto E and Facebook takes a break from the sillier aspects of its site to get serious about mental health. Basically, we’ve got everything you need to know from this past week in one neat little package. Won’t you catch up with us?
The top 11 tablets you can buy today
If you like to take your tech on the go (or even just to the couch), a tablet is usually a good gadget to have on hand. Not sure which one is best for you? We’ve rounded up 11 that we think are excellent choices.
Pebble returns to Kickstarter for its next-gen color smartwatch
Three years ago, Pebble made Kickstarter history with its smartwatch. Now, with a new color display and other features, the company is besting its own crowdfunding records. We explain what’s made the brand so popular in this breakdown of the wearable’s triumphant return.
I got a connected surveillance camera, but used it mainly as a puppycam
If peace of mind is important when it comes to your home, a connected surveillance system might be just what you need to feel secure. We gave Withings Home HD camera a try to find out if it’s worth the $200 price tag.
What you need to know about HTTP/2
The familiar four letters — HTTP — in your address bar are getting a behind-the-scenes makeover. The current version has been the same since 1999, but in case that date alone isn’t reason enough for an upgrade, we explain why you’ll soon be using HTTP/2.
Here’s what we know about Magic Leap so far
We know it’s a blend of augmented and virtual reality, but the rest of the specs behind Magic Leap are shrouded in mystery. We’ve amassed all of the information available on the project to find out why companies like Google are dropping half a billion dollars to invest in it.
Motorola’s budget Moto E gets LTE, a quad-core CPU, and more storage
It’s official: Motorola is releasing a bigger and better budget phone. We go hands-on with the updated Moto E — now with LTE — to break down its new specs.
Facebook rolls out new tools to help prevent suicides
Social media has become an outlet for for many, whether that means sharing exciting life changes or issuing a cry for help. When it comes to the latter, Facebook is stepping up its policies and introducing new suicide prevention efforts.
FCC approves net neutrality rules, reclassifies broadband as a utility
Both mobile and home-based broadband are now classified as a public utility thanks to new rules from the Federal Communications Commission. This marks a huge milestone for those in support of a free and open internet.
Adult Themes: The rise and fall of America’s first digital brothel
RealTouch Interactive lets consenting users “have sex” with each other over the internet. But it’s going out of business — not because of moral protests — because of patent licensing.
Happy net neutrality day! Here are some llamas and a dress
As our Engagement Editor John Colucci stated on Thursday night, “Twitter was on fleek today.” Join us as we take a minute to celebrate the glorious and sometimes ridiculous platform that is the internet.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Wearables, Internet
Motorola shares some back story on development of the new Moto E (2015)
Earlier this week when we received the new Moto E (2015), we received a device that was very similar to its predecessor, yet different at the same time. We noted that externally the new Moto E (2015) looked almost identical to the first generation of the device with most of the changes being in software features and internal hardware. Motorola has taken some time on their blog to explain how they ended up incorporating the changes that they did in this latest smartphone. According to Motorola President Rick Osterloh,
“We designed the Moto E with the idea that people shouldn’t have to pay a lot to join the connected world and experience it at its best.”
Probably the biggest thing that Motorola says they learned from customer feedback was how much people enjoy taking pictures, especially selfies. This led to two additions to the Moto E (2015) – the front facing camera and the Quick Capture feature. Both of these features are popular on the high-end Moto X models and were noticeably absent from the Moto E. So Motorola decided to infuse the Moto E with some of their “premium innovation.” That same thinking led to the inclusion of dual accelerometers in the Moto E (2015) so that features like Moto Display and Motorola Assist could be added to the device. Like Quick Capture, these features are popular selling points for the Moto X and Motorola decided it made sense to push these down the chain to make their mid-tier line of smartphones more useful. While Motorola is not to the point where custom designed smartphones are an option for the Moto E (2015) like with the Moto X line, the availability of the colorful Motorola Bands is a way to emulate that kind of customization. The six available colors were designed to be easy to swap out so users could make the device more personal. Motorola points out that the bands have ridges to help provide a better grip as well, so there is a functional element that joins the form element. This focus on the physical presentation of the device extended to other details like the finish around the camera bezel and texture on the buttons. Although the device may be inexpensive, Motorola still wanted users to enjoy a premium experience. source: Motorola
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Motorola Camera gets updated with Material Design
Motorola is currently pushing out an update for its official Camera application via the Play Store. This upgrade doesn’t transport much with regards to new features, but it does bring an appearance transformation that complies with Google’s recently-announced Material Design guidelines, in addition to a multitude of bug fixes.
The full changelog can be seen below:
- Material Design
- New Icon
- Bug fixes
To install the update, simply open up the Play Store on your device, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on ‘Motorola Camera’. Next, hit the update button, and the application will instantly start to download and install the upgrade from the Google Play servers. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code below to initiate the procedure.
Source: Google Play Store
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Verizon will finally sell the Nexus 6 on March 12th with Android 5.1 and VoLTE
Verizon hasn’t been in any kind of a rush to release the Nexus 6 on their network, but it looks like the wait is almost over. Most Verizon stores are getting promotional materials for the device that are slated to go up on March 11th with a March 12th launch date, which means we’re about two weeks out from seeing the phone officially active on Verizon’s network.
To make up for such a long wait, rumors are pointing at the Nexus 6 running Android 5.1 out of the box, plus it’ll be able to take advantage of Verizon’s VoLTE services. Of course, other models of the device are certainly going to be updated to 5.1, but Verizon’s variant may get the honor of saying it was the first.
If these rumors hold up, expect to be able to purchase a Nexus 6 next month. Are you still excited about the phone, or has waiting for months changed your mind?
source: Phandroid
Come comment on this article: Verizon will finally sell the Nexus 6 on March 12th with Android 5.1 and VoLTE
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