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Moto X review
One year ago, Motorola, fat and fed by its Google acquisition, inched quietly into a silicon-spun cocoon to gestate. The subsequent passage of time allowed it to transmogrify and re-emerge a thing of red, yellow, blue and sometimes green beauty; a Google thing made by a Google company. The Moto X, its newborn monarch, arrives in an array of different colors, made possible by the NikeID-like Moto Maker site. It also comes with a homespun narrative: it's assembled here in the USA. Time to empty your wallets, patriots. This is America's smartphone and it costs $199 on a two-year contract. If I'm right in reading between the lines of Google's marketing speak, the Moto X was made in the image of the everyman. It's the product of a democratic process -- you can take that future design poll on Facebook as proof of this point. The 4.7-inch screen size, the curvature of its back, the composite materials, its weight and front-face look were focus-tested for maximum inoffensiveness. The Moto X exudes no tech halo like the Galaxy S 4 or the HTC One because it is the sum of averages. Here's how I see it: You know those people who own iPhones, but don't know which model number they own and also refer to all Android phones as Droids? This phone is for them. %Gallery-195299%
Weekly Roundup: Moto X preview, Nexus 7 review, Chromecast review, and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The After Math: Moto X edition
Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week's tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages. Motorola's got wood! Or at least that's what it said (and eventually unsaid) in conjunction with one of the most unique smartphone announcements we've ever seen. Not only is the Moto X almost literally one-of-a-kind, with its seemingly endless customization options and "assembled in the USA" status, but it's also not the hardware powerhouse you might expect from such a high-profile handset. Add to that Motorola's innuendo-laced marketing campaign and lack of a proper press conference to kick things off, and you've got yourself a healthy helping of digits for this week's After Math.
The Daily Roundup for 08.02.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The first Moto X TV spots hit the snooze button in more ways than one (video)
When it came to the Moto X, Google gave us a masterclass in how to build hype, but sustaining it is proving to be a much trickier endeavor. Motorola recently debuted two new commercials on its Youtube channel that aren't nearly as thrilling as they could be. One clip showcases the Glass-inspired "OK, Google Now" command, which lets you dictate notes and set an alarm verbally. It's a neat trick, but it's not exactly seducing the money right out of your wallet. Similarly lacking in earth-shattering impact is the TV spot highlighting the Moto X's 10-megapixel camera. The Quick Capture feature is nifty, but the promise of "fewer photo fails" isn't the most rousing endorsement we've ever heard. To see for yourself, check out both videos after the break.
Editor's Letter: Made in the USA... sort of
Motorola has been doing its best to build some buzz around the Moto X, which launched this week. As a smartphone, the X is decidedly middle-of-the-road. It boasts specs and a design similar to the Droid models Motorola announced last week. Available later this month at $199 on-contract from most major US carriers, the X's biggest claim to fame -- other than swappable backplates, including one made of wood -- is the fact that it's assembled in the US, in a 500,000-square-foot factory in Fort Worth, Texas. Yes, that's "assembled." Despite widespread reports that the X is being made in the US, most of its components, from its display to those backplates, are produced in factories around the world, and workers in Texas will assemble the phones. Does it really matter where your smartphone is made? If your main concern is domestic job creation, it might. A 2012 survey by Boston Consulting Group found that over 80 percent of Americans are willing to pay more for products that are made in the US instead of China, mainly because they want to keep jobs in the country. Interestingly, the same survey found that 60 percent of Chinese consumers would pay a premium for US-made products, apparently based on the belief that the US produces higher-quality products. When it comes to smartphones, that's an idea that's difficult to put to the test; there are none currently manufactured in the United States, and that's not about to change with the launch of the X.
This week on gdgt: the new Nexus 7, the Leap, and two-step authentication
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
T-Mobile says its Moto X variant will only sell through Motorola at first
While it's well-known that the Moto X will launch on multiple US carriers, it turns out that T-Mobile customers won't have the easiest time buying one -- at least, not at first. The provider's Mike Sievert has confirmed to AllThingsD that the T-Mobile Moto X variant will only be available through Motorola itself in the short term. He hints that the network could offer the Android flagship in its stores, but any announcements would come later. Pricing also remains a mystery; it's not clear if Motorola will offer UnCarrier-style down payments instead of asking shoppers to pay in full. Either way, T-Mobile fans who crave a Moto X should be prepared to jump through some hoops.
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.
OmniVision details 10.5-megapixel Clear Pixel sensor inside Moto X
Motorola has been hyping up the 10.5-megapixel Clear Pixel camera inside the Moto X, but it's been shy on the sensor's technical details and origins. We now have both: it's the OmniVision OV10820, a 1/2.6-inch sensor with a video-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio and large 1.4-micron pixels. Its strong low-light performance comes through a two-chip approach. The sensor captures RAW images using a sensitive RGBC (red / green / blue / clear) color filter, and a companion chip automatically converts the resulting shots into the Bayer format that most imaging processors expect. The result is a high-performance camera that slots inside the Moto X without requiring any special effort. Whether or not we see the OV10820 used outside of Motorola is another matter. OmniVision can't comment on the sensor's exclusivity, but it does note that RGBC is an "extremely viable option" for the future. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The Daily Roundup for 08.01.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Moto X coming to Canada as a Rogers exclusive priced at $190 on a two-year contract
Motorola just made headlines here in the US with the official unveiling of the Moto X, and now it's making waves with similar news in the Great White North. That's right folks, the Moto X is coming to Canada, but will be exclusively available to customers of Rogers. The handset arrives in August for as low as $189.99 when attached to a two-year contract, and existing Rogers customers can reserve one for their very own right now. Unfortunately, the X will only be available in black or white (initially, at least), but hopefully additional colors and perhaps even the wood veneer versions will come later -- we're thinking maple's a good way to go.
Moto X vs the new Droid lineup: fight!
After countless months in hibernation, Motorola has arisen from its deep slumber in a rather major way. The phone maker not only unleashed a full trio of Droid devices last week, it introduced the Moto X, long known as the company's not-so-secret weapon. We've already discussed our impressions of the firstfruits of post-acquisition Motorola, along with its interesting array of color customization options, but we've put together a handy comparison sheet that shows off how the Moto X fares against its Droid-branded brethren. When it comes to components, the suite of smartphones are actually quite similar to each other. Take a look after the break to see how it all breaks down.
Deck Bluetooth speaker by SOL Republic and Motorola offers 300-foot range, fits in a pocket
Remember that SOL Republic Bluetooth speaker that made a sneak appearance at Verizon's Droid event? Well, it's actually official now and the company wants to ensure its first foray into audio outside headphones is a success. Dubbed the Deck, the speaker is the result of a team-up between SOL and Motorola, with SOL providing its audio know-how and Motorola handling the wireless connectivity bit. The $200 speaker features a flat design that might fit into a pants pocket. Vertically positioned drivers and a side-facing port provide 360-degree sound, and an outdoor mode boosts the highs and cuts the lows if you need to fill open areas with sound. Additionally, deck boasts a usable range of 300 feet, a sprawling distance compared to the the usual 30-foot line-of-sight limit you'll encounter on devices like the Beats Pill and Jawbone Jambox. Its Heist setting lets up to five devices connect without needing to enable a pairing mode and, like the name suggests, any user can steal the speaker by hitting play on their device. Rounding things out, you can expect roughly 10 hours of battery life, water-resistance (via a sonically-transparent bag), speakerphone functionality and a 3.5mm input / output. Interested? It costs $200 and is up for pre-order today in yellow, blue, red and "gunmetal." Shipments are expected to begin before August is over. In the meantime, you can join us after the break for our initial impressions. %Gallery-195167%
Moto X finally official: Motorola X8, 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED, custom finishes, assembled in the USA from $199
Well, you've gotta hand it to Motorola -- the company has managed to build an unprecedented amount of buzz surrounding what's turned out to be a relatively mundane mainstream smartphone launch. The Moto X is likely to be a big hit, don't get us wrong, but many of the device's banner features debuted last week, with Verizon's 2013 Droid lineup. The major differentiator here is that the X is uniquely customizable, and available through multiple carriers. At the core, there's Moto's new X8 Mobile Computing System. It's not simply a custom SoC; there's a Snapdragon S4 Pro under the hood, with a 1.7GHz dual-core Krait CPU and a quad-core Adreno 320 GPU, positioned alongside two unique Motorola processors, including one to handle language interpretation (Google Now without the associated battery drain) and a contextual computing core, which manages the smartphone's sensors. From there, we're looking at a 4.7-inch 720p (316 ppi) AMOLED panel, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of base storage (there's a 32GB option with AT&T), a 2,200mAh battery offering up to 24 hours of "mixed" usage and your standard suite of 4G radios. On the imaging front, there's a 10-megapixel Clear Pixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, both of which shoot 1080p video. As for connectivity, there's Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, GPS and GLONASS, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, Miracast Wireless Display, NFC and a nano-SIM. Beginning at the end of August, the 16GB model will retail for $199 with a two-year contract on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon, while the 32GB flavor (an AT&T exclusive) will ship for $249. Only AT&T customers will have access to additional color options -- those on other carriers can choose from black and white. You'll be able to pick up a standard Moto X at carrier retail and Best Buy stores, or you can configure your own at the Moto Maker site, available exclusively for AT&T customers. There you can select from multiple case and accent colors, which you can pair with a black or white faceplate. There's also an option to add custom text to the rear, such as an email address in case you lose your device, and you can pre-select a wallpaper and power-on greeting as well. Finally, several wood backings are set to be available in the future, assuming you don't mind waiting until Q4 to configure your phone. Motorola hasn't detailed global availability, but the device is expected to launch in several other countries soon, albeit without customization options and Texas assembly. Check our our Moto X preview, spec comparison, Moto Maker walkthrough and unboxing video (after the break) for more.
Motorola details Moto Maker, the website you'll use to build Moto X (video)
In looking for a way to differentiate its Moto X in a market saturated with mid-range smartphones, Motorola opted to offer unique customization options, with the phone assembled to order at a facility in Fort Worth, Texas. You can pick from a handful of backplate colors, such as Turquoise or Royal Blue, along with accents around the camera lens and volume rocker -- think of it as a ColorWare coating, but applied at the factory. You'll make your picks on Moto Maker, a site dedicated to outfitting your Moto X. First, you'll choose a back color from a dozen or so available options -- some pretty spiffy wood finishes, such as Bamboo, Teak, Ebony and Rosewood, are coming soon. Up next is a front color selector, where you can pick from black or white -- white looks quite nice with a lighter wood like Bamboo or Teak, for example, while Ebony and Rosewood might better match a black front plate. Then, you can select an accent color, and add a "signature" that'll be printed on the back, such as an email address (to aid in retrieving a lost phone). Finally, you can add on a clear or colored case from manufacturers like Belkin or Case Mate, along with other accessories like headphones and speakers. You can choose a standard 16GB Moto X for $199 with a two-year contract, or you can step up to 32 gigs for an extra 50 bucks (storage is not expandable, so this is your only chance to upgrade). After you place an order, Motorola plans to get the device to your door within four days. Initially, you'll only be able to customize a device for AT&T, and only if you're based in the US. Sadly, there's no word when (or if) Maker will be available internationally, but it is set to go live domestically by the date Moto X goes on sale, if not sooner. Join as we take it for a spin in the video after the break.
Moto X preview: A Google phone assembled with you, the user, in mind
Motorola. A Google company. It's time to commit that to memory. With the Moto X, a 4.7-inch phone going on sale later this summer for $199 on contract, the company has officially started the shot clock for the "new Motorola"; this is the first Moto product designed from scratch with Google's direct oversight. And it shows, from the packaging to the messaging to the features aimed at mainstream users. Most importantly of all, there's Moto X's standout feature: personalization. We've been hearing for years from various OEMs that smartphones are a personal statement, a reflection of the individual, but aside from the occasional color option, the wallpaper and case have been the only real opportunities for personal expression. Well, you can kiss those days goodbye. Motorola's keyed in to a core part of the user experience -- self-styling -- and we expect its rivals to follow suit. But all of that backstory can wait. We need to talk about the Moto X. The company never explicitly said so when it showed us the phone behind closed doors today, but this is clearly a mainstream phone (it's geared towards the "majority of users" several execs told us). To that point, its spec sheet and feature list (Touchless Control, Active Display, Quick Capture) won't dazzle the technorati. And, from what we can tell, it's not supposed to. To hear the company tell it, the Moto X's journey began one year ago with a whiteboard listing all of the most common user problems, ways to address those issues and a plan to get the device into as many hands as possible. You won't be able to assess that for yourself until the phone launches on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular later this summer. For now, though, if our initial hands-on time is any indication, it appears Motorola's succeeded.
Motorola to crowdsource Moto X design with future Facebook poll
Customization -- that's the big story revolving around today's Moto X reveal. When Motorola's breezy, made-to-order Moto Maker site goes live later this summer, AT&T users will be able to sift through a bevy of color options to put their individual stamp on the device. But that's just part one of the new Motorola's trailblazing direction, the next is making that design social. At some unspecified future point, the company plans to launch a Facebook polling page littered with numerous colored and patterned variants (e.g., one of the options we saw, a gold brown hue, was labeled "The Dude") that users can vote on via existing social means. While Motorola's still working out the specifics of the polling process and potential launch window, it's safe to assume users will be able to pin (via Pinterest), like, or even +1 design candidates. Not much more detail was given -- again this is merely an indicator of the company's revamped product portfolio approach. For sure, it has a built-in hook: user engagement. And what company doesn't love a user base that's paying very close attention?
Motorola Connect and Migrate tools arrive ahead of Moto X event
We thought we knew virtually everything there was to know about the Moto X ahead of its launch later today, but Motorola apparently has a few surprises left -- or rather, had. The company has quietly posted two tools that are clearly targeted at users of its upcoming flagship. Motorola Connect, a Chrome extension, lets those with a Moto X or a new Droid phone handle their incoming calls and text messages through web notifications. Motorola Migrate, in turn, is built to ease the pain of moving to a new Motorola phone -- the Android app lets users transfer media, text messages and other content that Google doesn't necessarily store in the cloud. We'll no doubt hear more about Connect and Migrate at the Moto X unveiling, but those who want to get a first-hand look can download both utilities at the source links.
Moto X set to rock nano-SIM, join exclusive club
And then there were three. What you see above is the Moto X along with its SIM tray and a matching nano-SIM. According to GSM Insider, this picture (which we've enhanced) recently popped up in Hong Kong. We've checked the left side of Motorola's upcoming flagship in other leaked images, and the dimensions of the SIM tray opening appear to be correct. A such, the Moto X is poised to follow the iPhone 5 and PadFone Infinity as the third-ever handset to adopt the nano-SIM (4FF) standard. It's unclear why the company chose the new SIM form factor (the phone isn't particularly small), but we'll be sure to ask at Thursday's launch event.
