motox
Latest
The Moto X is finally back, and it brought Alexa with it
It's been years since we got a Moto X, but Lenovo hasn't forgotten about Motorola's one-time flagship. As predicted by leaks, Motorola unveiled the fourth-generation model at IFA in Berlin, and it's... definitely not the Moto X you remember. For one, it's among the few smartphones out there with built-in support for Amazon's Alexa, and it's part of an even more exclusive club of devices that just let you speak to her the way you'd speak to an Echo. Motorola confirmed that it was working on Alexa-capable devices at this year's Mobile World Congress, but we're a little surprised Amazon's assistant first wound up here instead of, say, a fancy Moto Mod.
Moto X returns in Motorola's leaked 2017 phone lineup
Motorola is going to have a very busy 2017, if you believe tipsters. Well-known leaker Evan Blass has obtained a presentation photo that purports to show the Lenovo brand's phone roadmap for the year, and there will be no less than nine devices by the time it's all said and done. Most notably, the Moto X (apparently called the Moto X4) is finally slated to return after a long absence. This image doesn't reveal much beyond the 5.2-inch "3D glass" display and a "SmartCam," but details gleaned from a video hint that it's an upper mid-range phone with the shiny new Snapdragon 660 processor, a hefty 3,800mAh battery, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage and a fingerprint reader.
What to expect from Lenovo's Tech World event this week
Lenovo is pulling out all the stops this year. While it's no stranger to big launch events, this company is hosting a Tech World keynote on June 9th that promises a little bit of everything, including Motorola's latest flagship phones and the first commercially available device using Google's Project Tango mapping technology. But what exactly are we going to see? And are there any wild cards in store? We've rounded up the leaks and rumors to give you a good idea of what to expect when Lenovo and Moto take the stage in San Francisco this Thursday.
New Moto X phones reportedly feature modular accessories (updated)
Rumor mountain is rumbling this week with news about the next phones under Motorola's Moto X brand, and VentureBeat today says that the new devices will be modular, allowing users to swap out backplates with various capabilities. Yesterday, HellomotoHK posted images of new Moto X phones that appeared to show one phone with a metallic body and laser auto-focusing features. VentureBeat reports that there are actually two new Moto X phones, the Vertex and Vector Thin, and they both feature customizable, modular bodies.
The next Moto X may pack a smarter, metal-clad design
Way back in December, rumors suggested that Lenovo's next big Motorola phone would go in a very different direction than ages past, including a metal chassis and a curious camera bump. Well, those rumors just got some validation. HellomotoHK has posted images of what appears to be both the next Moto X and its Droid-branded Verizon equivalent. Sure enough, they hint at a flatter, metallic body with a more elaborate camera array -- are those dots on the side a clue to laser autofocusing? There's also a fingerprint reader on the front, which puts the kibosh on the Pure Edition's front-facing stereo sound... sorry, folks.
The Moto X Force is the Droid Turbo 2 for everywhere else
Motorola sells phones all over the world, but for many years now it's had an extra special relationship with US carrier Verizon. In fact, Motorola's "Droid" range is made exclusively for the network provider, though these devices occasionally pop up in other parts of the world under different names. That's the case with today's announcement of the Moto X Force, which is essentially just an international version of the new Droid Turbo 2 Motorola launched in the US a couple of days ago. Aside from the lack of Verizon and Droid logos, it's exactly the same device, which boasts a shatterproof screen as its killer feature.
Moto X Style and new Moto 360 up for pre-order in the UK
Motorola's latest and greatest are now available to pre-order in the UK. Following the Moto X Play, you can now spend your hard-earned cash on the Moto X Style, which currently has an estimated delivery date of October 6th. The bigger and more powerful brother to the X Play, it features a 5.7-inch QHD display, a 21-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor. Slapped on top is a practically stock Android experience -- save for a few Moto-exclusive apps and features -- and the option to customise your phone through Moto Maker. The phone starts from £399, although you'll pay an extra £35 for the 64GB model and another £20 if you want a leather or wood back.
Mini review video: Our verdict on the Moto X Pure in under a minute
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-325864{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-325864, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-325864{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-325864").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Thanks to upstarts like OnePlus, Motorola has more competition in the "cheap but good" phone category than it used to. That said, the company's third-generation flagship, the Moto X Pure, ushers in enough improvements that it continues to be our favorite handset in the $400-or-so price range. As ever, we love the Moto X's customizable design, useful software tricks and the fact that it runs on every US carrier. This time, however, Motorola made some major enhancements to the camera, which has never been the company's strong suit. Yes, the 21-megapixel sensor still struggles a bit in low light, and maybe that's something Moto will address in next year's version. Even as is, though, the camera is much better than it used to be. Other than that, our main gripes are that the performance and battery life fall slightly short of other flagships, but that's not saying much, especially since some of the rival devices we compared it to cost significantly more off-contract. That, in under 200 words, is the gist of our review, and if you have less than 60 seconds, you can see the device in action in the video above.
Moto X Pure Edition review: The third time really is the charm
The Moto X line is a smartphone that's always been dancing around greatness. The first one was a lovely, underpowered experiment in smartphone customization and thoughtfulness. The second added some much-needed Moto Maker style and some more powerful silicon. Now Motorola's at it again with the Moto X Pure Edition, a phone that appears to sit right at the intersection of price and power. It's unlocked, ready for any US carrier and -- more importantly -- it's priced as low as $400 off contract. In other words, it's a serious contender for the "Best Smartphone Out There" crown, at least on paper. The thing is, the market for cheap unlocked smartphones has exploded in popularity this year, and it'll take something really special for it to capture the title. So, how does Motorola's new flagship fare? Spoiler alert: really damned well.
Moto X Play review: An unexciting phone with a huge battery
The Moto X Play occupies a strange space in the company's 2015 lineup. It's an affordable, mid-range handset that does a decent job of keeping pace with the flagships. But at £249 ($382 including the UK's 20 percent sales tax), it's not that much more affordable than the company's top-tier X Style, and it's a lot pricier than our favorite budget smartphone, the Moto G. That's not to say there aren't benefits to splashing out on the X Play. You'll get a larger, higher-res display than on the G, an all-new 21-megapixel camera, a capacious 3,630mAh battery and a whole lot more. If you've got your heart set on a Moto, could these additions be worth the extra cash? It really depends on what you want from a smartphone.
Motorola is the next to patch Android's big video security flaw
Chalk up one more big Android phone maker racing to patch its devices against that nasty Stagefright video security flaw. Motorola has explained that it will not only fix the vulnerability in phones from 2013 onward (such as the original Moto X and the Droid line), but make sure that its latest hardware is secure almost from the word go. Both the Moto X Style and Moto X Play will be secure on launch, while the recently-shipped third-generation Moto G is getting its update "soon."
The Moto X Style Pure Edition hands-on
So if you've ever wished you could get a Nexus 6, but with all the Moto Maker customizations, you're in luck, cause that's pretty much what the Moto X Style Pure Edition is. It's got the same basic shape and design as the Moto X you love, just super-sized to 5.7 inches. At its thickest, the Moto X Style is a surprisingly beefy 11.06mm. That's not exactly chunky, but it's certainly thicker than many other super-svelte flagships out there. You don't necessarily notice the extra bulk though, because the edges taper down to a more manageable 6.1mm. What you do notice is the heft. The 179g body feels substantial. But not in a holding-a-brick way -- more in a premium way. The Moto X Style feels like it was made from durable high-end parts and materials, not from cheap, flimsy plastic.
The Moto X Style is big, gorgeous and (of course) highly customizable
The Moto X is alive and well in 2015. The latest iteration of the highly customizable flagship, dubbed the Moto X Style, has a giant 5.7-inch Quad HD screen with the tiniest of bezels. It also has a six-core Snapdragon 808 processor, 3GB of RAM, front facing stereo speakers, a 21-megapixel camera and "TurboPower" quick charging technology. But what you really care about is those lovely customizable elements, like the back plate and metallic accents. Those luxurious leather and wood pieces you love are back, of course. But there's also a new silicone finish for the rear of the device that has a "soft feel" and a "warm look." Though, we're reserving judgment until we get to grope it ourselves.
It looks like the next Moto G will work with Moto Maker
At this point, the Moto G 2015 edition is becoming one of Motorola's worst kept secrets. The latest piece of news, first reported by Evan Blass (aka @evleaks), is that the next Moto G is going to be compatible with Moto Maker for the first time -- following in the footsteps of its flagship sibling, the Moto X. A Reddit user is corroborating this info after breaking down a page on Motorola's website, which has now been pulled, revealing that people who buy the device via Moto Maker will have a variety of custom options to choose from. That includes being able to personalize the next G's front and back colors, plus choose its internal storage (up to 16GB) and memory (1 or 2GB). It also seems there won't be wood choices at launch, but that could eventually change -- we shall find out next week.
Next-gen Moto X leaks hint at a big screen and a front flash
Motorola just can't keep its next-generation smartphones under wraps, apparently. Both Peru Android and Google+ user Paul Faz have posted photos that reportedly show the third-generation Moto X in considerably greater detail than earlier leaks. For a start, this is a beast of a device -- while it's unclear just how big that display is, Faz pegs it at 5.5 inches. In other words, Motorola might be headed into LG G4 territory with a big screen in a relatively compact body. Also, the shots support rumors that Motorola would join the likes of HTC by including a front camera flash for those nighttime selfies. It's not totally certain that you'll see this device at Motorola's July 28th event, but it's at least plausible.
Buy the Moto X Pure Edition, get a free Moto E
Want to buy a smartphone for yourself, but also need to snag a cheap phone for family (or, let's be honest, a backup for yourself)? Motorola might have you covered. It just kicked off an unusual promotion that gives you a free 3G version of the new Moto E when you buy a Moto X Pure Edition. That's not so hot if you insist on LTE data for every device, but it's a no-brainer if you were either set on getting a Moto X or don't relish the idea of splurging on two phones at once. Don't spend long deciding what to do, though -- Motorola is only running the promo through March 24th.
How would you change the original Moto X?
Today's trawl into the annals of gadget history takes us to the first Moto X, a device that, at the time, we believed would be a turning point for Google and Android. After all, it was the first device Motorola had released since Google swallowed the firm, and came with some notable features. Between Moto Maker, the Active Display and those "always on" features, it felt as if other smartphone makers had all been placed on notice. By now, of course, we all know how that turned out. If you bought one, you're likely to have plenty of opinions about it, so why not hop over to our forum and tell the world what you would have done differently?
Nexus 6 versus the Moto X: which one belongs in your pocket?
Moto X or Nexus 6? It's a question that has bugged many fans of "pure" Android (including myself) for a few months, and it's not hard to see why. Although both Motorola smartphones are sleekly designed and pack some clever software tricks, they couldn't be more different in some areas. The Moto X is a mid-size, mid-priced device with the "good enough" hardware to match, but it's wonderful to hold and touts features even its bigger sibling lacks. The Nexus 6, meanwhile, is an all-out flagship for those who refuse to compromise on specs or software updates, even if it means carrying a massive beast of a handset. So which one deserves a place in your pocket? I spent a few weeks with each to find out, and the answer might surprise you.
Moto X Pure Edition gets a 64GB option
Motorola trotted out a bloatware-free version of the Moto X (2014) back in September, and now, it's getting a memory boost. The company quietly added the 64GB Pure Edition handset to its Moto Maker site where you're free to fine-tune a design before committing funds. While that tally doubles the max storage space, it's only available on the unlocked model for use on AT&T or T-Mobile, and sets you back $600 off-contract. That's $100 more than the regular Pure Edition. At any rate, folks who've clamored for more memory are finally getting an option, and one that's already rockin' the latest version of Android.
Moto X Pure Edition, Moto G and 'most Nexus devices' get a taste of Lollipop
We heard rumblings that Motorola's pair of single-lettered handsets would be amongst the first to get Android's latest update, and the company has made the news official. Lollipop is rolling out to the second-gen Moto X Pure Edition and Moto G (US GSM and global GSM versions) devices "in phases," so if you're wielding one of those, you should be privy to the new version soon enough. If you'll recall, Android 5.0 brings with it the flatter look and feel of Material Design, guest mode, battery saver and much more. Need a refresher on all the additions? Consult our extensive preview right here. Unfortunately, there's no telling how long it'll take for the new software to hit carrier versions, but we're just as anxious as you are. Update: Google has announced that Lollipop is starting to rollout to is family of Nexus devices. Of course, it's going to take a few weeks for the major update to hit everyone. But owners of the Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (both 2012 and 2013 models), Nexus 10 and the Nexus 4 can all look forward to Android 5.0 hitting their devices... at some point. You'll have to wait a little bit longer if you're using a tablet with mobile data, but that's just par for the course.
