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Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside reportedly leaving to join Dropbox (update: confirmed)
Executive departures (voluntary and otherwise) aren't uncommon after major acquisitions, and that may well be happening in the wake of Lenovo's deal to acquire Motorola's cellphone business from Google. The Wall Street Journal claims that Motorola Mobility CEO Dennis Woodside is leaving the company to become Dropbox's first Chief Operations Officer. It's not clear just what would be driving Woodside to take a less glamorous role; we've reached out to both companies for comment. If true, the move would bring an abrupt end to Woodside's brief tenure as Moto's leader. It wouldn't be surprising to see him go, however -- while he reinvigorated the phone pioneer and helped launch some of its best devices in recent memory, the company's earnings didn't follow suit. Update: Woodside has confirmed the move in a blog post on Motorola's website.
See how the Moto X is made (video)
Not everyone gets to walk behind the tech industry's velvet ropes. So when Motorola opened the gates to its Fort Worth, Texas facility -- the place where custom Moto X's are made -- we were there to bring you an inside look. And in the interest of getting you even more intimately acquainted with the Google company's assembled in the USA smartphone production hub, we have something almost as good as being there: a behind-the-scenes video tour. So, what are you waiting for... an invite? Head past the break to glimpse phase one of this whole new Motorola and see Governor Rick Perry spike an iPhone 5.
Motorola's working on a new tablet and it could be made-to-order through Moto Maker
Motorola's not just pinning its hopes on the success of its new smartphone, the Moto X, it's also going after tablets. As CEO Dennis Woodside told Engadget at the company's Fort Worth facility, "That's something we are working on, but [there's] nothing specific to talk about right now." While we're sure this new Moto tablet X will be a far cry from the company's past Xoom and Xyboard efforts, it's not clear if the device will be available to consumers through Moto Maker, the company's made-to-order site. But with Woodside and other Motorola's execs insistence that customization is the way forward, chances are you're likely to see the in-the-works slate arrive with various configuration options. There's also a likelihood Motorola could release a phablet-sized Moto X. Woodside said the company also plans to explore other form factors that incorporate "some of the design cues, as well as technologies, from the Moto X[.]"
Motorola's American Dream: unbridled customization, two-day shipping and a Texas factory
It wasn't supposed to happen this way: Motorola had picked the date for its Fort Worth, Texas facility's dedication ceremony first. But then Apple went ahead to claim the date and stole the day's spotlight with its new iPhone reveals. No matter, as the gathering of press, factory workers and bold-faced names -- Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and Texas Gov. Rick Perry -- seemed minorly preoccupied with the major news of the day. We were in the midst of Nokia's old manufacturing plant, after all, now the birthplace of all custom-made Moto X's and there was the spirit of American manufacturing to celebrate. To drive that point home, some very Springsteen-ish tunes were pumped over the loudspeakers as we all patiently awaited the end of Cupertino's product showcase and the start of Motorola's "we can too make it in the USA" toldja moment. I even half-expected Miley Cyrus to jump onstage with an assortment of teddy bears brandishing raver-hued Moto X's. She didn't and an Americana Twitter-trending hashtag moment was missed. Still there was one exceptional and unscripted highlight waiting in the wings. It wasn't CEO Dennis Woodside nose-thumbing at those unnamed rivals that said US-based production could and would never happen. Nor was it Schmidt's patriotic pledge to the Texas facility: "This is a bet we're taking on America ... on Texas [and] on this incredible workforce that's assembled here. We think this is a very, very safe bet." No. It was the moment Woodside presented Gov. Perry with a Moto X -- designed with Texan colors -- and Perry, in response, unceremoniously spiked his iPhone to the floor below. Yes, the moment is caught on tape.
A cheaper Moto X is coming for prepaid markets, according to Motorola's CEO
Thanks to a number of significant leaks, the Moto X was pretty much a known quantity even before it was officially unveiled; the major exception being the handset's pricing, which we now know is $199 on a two-year contract. Given its mid-range components, many had hoped the phone would sell for less, which was fueled in part by analysts targeting a price of $300 outright. Fortunately, if you're feeling miffed, there's good reason to turn your frown upside down. According to Motorola's CEO, Dennis Woodside, the company is keenly aware of the need for lower cost smartphones, especially within prepaid and emerging markets. In an interview with CNET, Woodside revealed that a less expensive handset is in the works, and curiously enough, it'll also carry the Moto X branding. In Woodside's words, "We want everyone to have access to affordable smartphones." Further, "Moto X is the brand that we are most focused on... and there is more to come. You will see additional products within months." Whether the company can provide a low-cost option that's as compelling as the Lumia 620 or Nexus 4 remains to be seen, but you can rest easy in knowing that a cheaper Moto X is in the pipeline.
Motorola's Dennis Woodside and Regina Dugan: live from D11
Google I/O came and went with nary a word of that rumored X Phone, but according to Eric Schmidt's recent comments at D: Dive Into Mobile, there are clearly some big, big plans for Moto that have yet to be fully realized. Dennis Woodside, CEO of Motorola Mobility will be joined by Dr. Regina E. Dugan, senior vice president of the same company, here on the D11 stage. We're expecting plenty of questions surrounding market share, the interaction with the Android team and a vision for generating RAZR-type buzz once more. Join us after the break for the liveblog!
Motorola aiming to upgrade all possible devices to Jelly Bean, promises to give you $100 credit if it can't
At today's keynote, Motorola head Dennis Woodside has pledged that the company will attempt to upgrade all of its new and existing Android handsets to Jelly Bean "very soon." However, for some units, the latest version of Google's mobile OS is going to be too "compromised" to use properly. In that event, it's pledging to give you $100 credit off one of its brand new handsets, which are being unveiled today. It's not given details about how you go about claiming that credit, or when the program begins, but as soon as we're told, we'll let you know.
Google 'close' to picking new Motorola Mobility CEO, say the usual gang of sources
Google's first act with Motorola Mobility under its wing? Picking a new head for the company, apparently. According to some anonymous-type sources over at Bloomberg, Mountain View "is close" to picking its own SVP, former ad man Dennis Woodside, to succeed Sanjay Jha. Google, naturally is refusing to comment on the matter, which is still waiting the completion of the $12.5 billion acquisition.
