moto x
Latest
Republic Wireless adds Moto Maker for customizing your Moto X
It's been a long time coming, but Motorola's Moto Maker phone-building tool has finally arrived for Republic Wireless customers. The low-cost carrier has sold the Moto X for several months already, but it's just now offering Motorola's unique customization service -- arguably one of the Moto X's biggest selling points. Starting at 9AM PT tomorrow (Tuesday), Republic Wireless customers can order the Moto X with the colors and finishes of their choice. Motorola is also throwing in a free upgrade to a wood or Bamboo backing for the first 2,000 customers who visit this link. In addition to adding Moto Maker, Republic is now offering a 32GB Moto X. Previously, customers could only order the 16GB model, which costs $300 without access to Moto Maker. With the new Moto Maker option, the 16GB version will cost $350, while doubling the storage to 32GB will set you back $400.
Moto X gets new college colors and a lower price in time for March Madness
When you've got Moto Maker, you don't always need accessories to show support for your favorite sports team. With March Madness only days away, Motorola has thrown nine new back colors and three new accents into its Moto X paint pot to create the "College Collection," a set pre-configured color combinations that'll match upwards of 40 school teams. It's no secret that Motorola's flagship is struggling to sell, so it's embarking on yet another price reduction, this time giving students the chance to snag an off-contract Moto X for just $339 (regular price $400) with a qualifying .edu email address. Incidentally, Motorola won't print your school's logo onto the back of your fresh Moto X, so you'll have to buy one of Uncommon's $35 clear cases instead -- because phones need lettermans too.
Motorola confirms Moto Maker service coming to Europe in Q2, starting in the UK and Germany (update: Mexico too)
We've seen and heard plenty from most of the main players here at MWC, but one company has remained eerily quiet until now. Motorola's situation has changed significantly in recent weeks, and that change of plans has taken attention away from hardware releases, and back onto how it plans to reinvent itself post-Google. But, there is news. Rick Osterloh, SVP Product Management has just announced that its popular Moto Maker service will be coming to Europe in Q2. First in the UK and Germany, but more countries to follow. Mark Randall, SVP Supply Chain & Operations also revealed that while its Texas plant will continue to handle the US side, they are exploring options for Europe. This could involve a mix of local sourcing, or order merging with standard orders from China. At the very least, if you weren't happy with the default color options it launched with, there's hope for you yet! Update: Moto Maker support is also heading to Mexico, also in Q2!
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: winter 2014 edition
You don't need to cast bones or read entrails to know that smartphones arrive in predictable cycles. February, home of Mobile World Congress, is likely to see the launch of new handsets from heavy hitters like HTC, Samsung and LG. Those new flagships will rule the mobile hill until the fall, when Apple and Google are likely to wheel out next-gen devices of their own. Sony, meanwhile, recently launched its latest handset, the Z1 Compact, which reverses the "bigger is better" trend to great effect. There may have only been one top-tier phone launching in January, but the phone industry has hardly been hibernating this winter. Two years after Google bought Motorola for $12.5 billion, it sold the rejuvenated handset maker to Lenovo. AT&T, meanwhile, has rejigged its mobile share plans to shrink your monthly data bill; T-Mobile will now pay you to leave your carrier; and we're inching ever closer to a Sprint/T-Mobile merger, the FCC permitting. If you're already on the hunt for a new smartphone, or your deal's only for a few more months left and you like to be prepared, this is your guide to the best handsets on the market.
On The Gadget Table: the products that defined 2013
The snow is falling, the trees are all lit up and servers everywhere are beginning to groan under the strain of last-minute shopping sprees. It's beginning to look a lot like Gadget Table time. To celebrate the season -- and put one last ribbon on the year that was -- we're bringing back an old Engadget Show favorite. We've dusted off the table and filled it full of some of the best and most memorable gadgets of 2013. Tablets, smartphones, video game consoles, tablets, wearables and even the occasional dongle -- all are fair game. Join Brian and Dana after the break, as they take you through the year in gadgets.
Moto X gets Android 4.4 KitKat and camera enhancements on Sprint and US Cellular
Sprint and US Cellular customers with Motorola's $199 smartphone have finally joined the KitKat party. Starting today, Moto X users can enjoy Android 4.4's streamlined interface and Google-licious features, courtesy of an OTA update. In other Moto X news, the company updated its camera app with manual control of the focus and exposure. Users can select "Control focus & exposure" to adjust the aforementioned settings by dragging a green bracket to the desired location. In order to cash in on the update, you'll need to hit up the Play store via our source link below.
Daily Roundup: UPS drone development, peripherals holiday gift guide, a tour of the Vertu workshop and more!
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.
Motorola botches Moto X Cyber Monday sale, offers buyers 'we're sorry' Wednesday
Remember that $349 off-contract Moto X deal we mentioned in our Cyber Monday roundup? That didn't exactly go to plan. According to Motorola, insufficient pre-sale testing and overwhelming demand crippled the MotoMaker customization engine, crashing the website and leaving droves of orders unfilled. It's embarrassing, to be sure, and Motorola's CEO is personally apologizing for the flub. "On behalf of all Motorolans, I apologize for what occurred today," Dennis Woodside wrote on the company's blog. To placate frustrated buyers, Woodside says the company is repeating the sale this Wednesday, reinforcing both the MotoMaker website and its stock of phones. "We will also add an additional promotional day on Monday, December 9," the CEO stated. "I appreciate your understanding as we get this fixed in time for Wednesday and Monday." Two extra days to mull over impulse buying a new phone? Sounds like a decent apology to us. Check out the company's official statement at the source link below.
Fixya provides report on top five issues for four popular smartphones including iPhone 5s
Friday's probably going to be a huge day for smartphone sales, so Q&A website Fixya.com decided to give holiday shoppers a helping hand by pointing out the major issues with some of the most popular smartphones on the market: the iPhone 5s, the Samsung Galaxy S 4, the Moto X and the HTC One. Seeing that we're a bunch of Apple fanbois and fangrrls here, we'll talk about the failings of the other phones first before pointing out the issues with the iPhone 5s. To begin with, Samsung's Galaxy S 4 has problems with overheating -- primarily due to the fact that it is made from plastic that doesn't dissipate heat all that well. The Galaxy S 4 is also known for "severe battery drain over the course of a given day" and a darker-than-usual display. According to gripes from Fixya's readers, the Moto X suffers from a lack of local storage. It has the least on-board storage of all competing smartphones, and like the iPhone, has no way to increase storage with a memory card. Like the Galaxy S 4, the Moto X's display has issues. In this case, it has "text pixelation and saturation (overly bright colors)," partially due to the 720p display's fairly low resolution. Camera quality is also listed as a turnoff, with Fixya saying that "the Moto X is likely not going to be a popular phone with consumers who are heavy camera and photography users." For the HTC One, battery life is awful -- according to Fixya, that's due to the "big screen and fast processor." It also takes a long time to recharge, with users reporting that it takes as long as five hours to charge up. HTC One users also report a "subtle hiss in the background while making phone calls and ... when listening to music." The phone also has problems shooting images in the middle of the day (they're too saturated), but does quite well in low-light conditions. So what do people report as their main gripes with the iPhone 5s? Battery life still haunts users, particularly when using location services regularly. Fixya offers a disclaimer on the next "issue," fingerprint passwords through Touch ID. Apparently a number of users were concerned that their fingerprints were being shared with the NSA, but as Fixya points out, "Apple stores the fingerprint password on an A7 chip on the actual phone device and does not upload that data to iCloud or share it with any other apps." The final issue for some iPhone 5s users appears to be display size, with some people feeling that the 4-inch display is small in comparison with other phones on the market. Choose wisely when making your selection of a smartphone as a gift for yourself or others. We know what we'd pick, but you may have reasons to wander off of the Apple orchard for a phone. Don't say that TUAW and Fixya didn't warn you...
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2013
As the leaves turn to gold and flutter from the trees, the Engadget team digs out their scarves and mittens to get ready for the mad rush of phone launches that take place ahead of the holiday season. We've seen big devices (both large and high-profile ones) enter the world over the last few months, including new heavyweights from Apple and Google. Then there's Samsung, Nokia and HTC, which are all following the philosophy that bigger is better. But it's not just on the hardware side that things are getting exciting. T-Mobile's eliminated roaming charges and Verizon is doubling its LTE speeds to a whopping 80 Mbps. AT&T is offering customers a $5 daily pass for internet and is making mobile share plans the standard rather than the exception. Of course, if you'd prefer unlimited data, Sprint is promising that its Spark LTE will beat the field -- but it's currently only available in NYC, LA, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. Whether you're looking for a smartphone right now, or if your contract is about to expire, this is your guide to the best ones on the market.
Moto Maker customization for Moto X now available on all major carriers
AT&T's monopoly over personalized Moto X handsets has finally come to an end. As was predicted last week, the Moto Maker website has opened up to customers on Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. The free service allows you choose from a wide range of back plate colors, a selection of front plate colors and accent colors, to create a unique handset design that Motorola says will reach you in just four days. While there's still no sign of the wooden-style Moto X back plates, the company has added a personal engraving option and confirmed it'll begin rolling out Android 4.4 KitKat to the Moto X soon -- maybe after it unveils the Moto G on November 13th.
Verizon's Moto X customization page is online right now, not that you can use it
It's less than a day until we're expecting to see carriers other than AT&T offer customization options for the Moto X, and it looks as if Verizon's already getting its ducks in a row. One of our eagle-eyed readers has spotted that Big Red has thrown up a Moto Maker page, which should, from tomorrow, let you select various cover and button combinations for Google's new mid-ranger. Naturally, the page is currently inactive, but at least you can bookmark it ahead of tomorrow's anticipated announcement, right? [Thanks, Paul]
Moto Maker customization for Moto X may soon be available on all major carriers
Fancy as those personalized Moto X handsets may be, they've so far only been an option for customers on AT&T. If evidence from @evleaks and Android Central is to be believed, however, Motorola's special factory lines will open up to Verizon and Sprint customers this coming Monday, November 11th, and possibly today on T-Mobile. The free Moto Maker service allows you choose from a wide range of back plate colors, a couple of front plate colors and some accents colors, so that you never have to experience the world-ending embarrassment of turning up to a party where someone else is wearing the same phone. There was also meant to be a signature engraving option as part of the service, but it's running fashionably late.
Daily Roundup: McLaren's futuristic P1 'hypercar,' Moto X price drop, Scentee hands-on and more!
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.
T-Mobile Moto X gets updated with significant camera enhancements
In our review of the Moto X, we determined that while its ClearPixel camera was decent, its performance was hit or miss. Fortunately, Motorola has taken a lot of feedback and has cranked out a software update with improvements to the camera's performance, specifically in the areas of exposure, color accuracy and focus speed. The refresh, which is so far getting pushed out to T-Mobile phones -- we expect it to roll out to other carriers as soon as each one is done testing the new firmware, though nothing is currently confirmed -- appears to make a rather substantial difference in several scenarios, such as reducing noise in low-light and eliminating haze in outdoor shots. Anandtech's Brian Klug had the opportunity to take the updated shooter for a test run and declared it to be "nothing short of the biggest [improvement] I've ever seen come across in an OTA update." In addition to the camera improvements, Motorola also threw in a few other enhancements as well. Users who have downloaded the update should expect increased Touchless Control accuracy, a fix for the choppy audio issue some have experienced in voice calls and an improvement to Moto Assist as well.
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.
Visualized: Inside the Moto X factory
This is where the Moto X magic happens: a 455,000 square-foot factory in Fort Worth, Texas that formerly manufactured devices for Nokia. From start to finish, these human-manned assembly banks are where your Moto X Moto Maker creations are born, assembled, tested for quality and then shipped off. We'll have more to come from our big Texas excursion, but for now feast your eyes on this bit of mobile Americana.
Moto X coming to Sprint tomorrow for $199.99 on a two-year contract
We've already seen Google and Motorola's creation, the Moto X, land on AT&T and Verizon, and now it's time for Sprint to add the handset to its lineup. The Now Network announced today that the Moto X will be available for $199.99 with a two-year contract, though there is a limited time promotion which allows new subscribers to get the device for $100 less by way of instant credit. Sprint's going to only be offering the Moto X in woven black and white to kick things off, but the carrier did say that the Moto Maker feature is expected to be supported "in the coming months."
Moto X for Verizon officially available online August 29th, at stores in the coming weeks
If you've been eyeing a Motorola device on Verizon without the Droid branding, the Moto X is ultimately your best (and only) choice -- but when exactly will it be available to the masses? According to Verizon's official Twitter account, this Thursday, August 29th will be the day you can grab it online for $200 on-contract. As for stores, the company isn't willing to give a specific date just yet, so all we've been told is that we can expect it in the coming weeks. Still, this will come as good news for Big Red fans who have been patiently awaiting their turn, even if it means early adopters have to settle for a black or white option.
This week on gdgt: Moto X, Sony's X900A and a gold iPhone
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.
