Articles about Motorola

With lots of apps and games coming in respectable sizes, those who are looking to buy a new smartphone have to pay close attention to the amount of available out-of-the-box storage, as otherwise they quickly risk running out of space. A microSD card can do the trick, but a slot is not offered on all smartphones. So what can you do?

Motorola believes that the best approach in the case of the Moto X is to increase the amount of internal storage. Considering the company introduced the Moto G with a microSD card slot not too long ago, this appears to be a strange call.

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Shortly after Google launched Android 4.4.3 and released new factory images for its Nexus devices, Motorola announced, earlier today, it too is rolling out the latest version of Android.

The upgrade is set to reach the T-Mobile Moto X, Moto G (purchased online in US and retail in Brazil, including the 4G LTE version) and Moto E (purchased online in US), starting this week. Here is what the update includes.

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Motorola has accidentally let slip the price of its Moto 360, and it's pretty much in line with what we were expecting.

Phone Arena spotted that the asking price of the smartwatch was spilled when the company posted about a competition it was running to allow folks the chance to win the Moto 360, and in the T&Cs blurb, the device was mentioned as having a retail value of $249 (£148).

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Anyone who regularly reads my handset reviews will know how important the Motorola Moto G has been. Since last November it has overshadowed every phone aiming at the £150 price range, and quite a lot priced a fair bit higher. Now Motorola wants the Moto E to achieve the same kind of dominance -- this time at the entry-level end of the phone market. The Moto E can be yours for £89 SIM-free.

By modern standards this is a small handset -- its screen is only 4.3-inches. It is amazing how much the landscape has changed over the last few years, so that a 4.3-inch phone seems small and 5-inch feels like the optimum size.

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Today's Moto E announcement demonstrates exactly what Lenovo sees in Motorola and illuminates one major reason why purchasing the cellular device company makes so much sense. The affordable phone, at $129 unlocked, targets people who have yet to buy smartphones, but own so-called dumb ones. They make up a huge market, much of it in Lenovo's backyard and largely ignored by Apple.

Smartphones accounted for 62.7 percent of mobile handset shipments during first quarter, up from 50.7 percent a year earlier, according to IDC. But as sales shift to smartphones they also slow in many mature markets, such as the United States where the install base nips 50 percent. Looking ahead, the higher-hanging sales will be the lowest-cost phones, where unlocked matters in many emerging markets, particularly Asia.

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On November 13 2013, Motorola showed the world that it was possible to make a powerful smartphone that runs the latest version of Android and sell it for under $200 without a contract. Unsurprisingly, Motorola had a huge hit on its hands with the Moto G (top selling phone in Brazil and Mexico).

Six months later, Motorola is showing once again that it is very serious about capturing an even bigger share of the budget smartphone market by announcing a 4G version of the Moto G (selling for GBP 149 in the UK in the coming weeks) and, more importantly, introducing an even more inexpensive smartphone, the Moto E.

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With the Moto G, under Google's ownership, Motorola has proved it is capable of making an appealing entry-level Android smartphone that does not employ inferior hardware to launch with a sub-$200 price-tag. The Moto G, unsurprisingly, has turned out to be a popular choice in this segment.

Today, at a press event, Motorola just announced a new version of its successful Moto G which features 4G LTE cellular connectivity. Consumers who shop in the entry-level smartphone market are likely to find the newly-unveiled device even more appealing, compared to its 3G-toting brethren, as the faster cellular data speeds amount to noticeable improvements when used on compatible mobile operator networks.

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Before Motorola brought the Moto G and Moto X to Europe, the company's presence on the old continent was lackluster at best when it came to smartphones. The best consumers could get, and only in a small number of markets, was the dated Razr HD that seemed to be aimed solely at the brand's fans and keeping the Motorola name alive. The maker had thrown in the towel, trailing behind the likes of Apple and Samsung.

The Moto G and, later, the Moto X have put Motorola back on the smartphone map. "Motorola was nowhere in Europe before the Moto G launched in November last year, but the new model has since boosted the manufacturer to 6 percent of British sales", says Kantar Wordpanel ComTech strategic insight director Dominic Sunnebo. "It highlights the speed at which a quality budget phone can disrupt a market".

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The Motorola Moto G is one of the most interesting smartphones launched in 2013. It comes with a powerful processor, large screen and, most importantly, a very attractive price. The base 8 GB model costs a mere $179 off-contract, while the 16 GB version can be had for $20 more. Users also get 50 GB of free Google Drive storage for two years.

But, there is another reason why the Moto G is interesting -- KitKat. Motorola has promised to update its entry-level smartphone to the latest version of Android, quickly rolling it out for the international version. Now, those who have the Verizon model can also experience what KitKat has to offer.

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Nexus smartphones and tablets have developed a cult following among enthusiasts mainly due to Google's ability to deliver updates to the latest versions of Android in a timely manner. The software also has little to no customizations over the code that is available in AOSP, unlike that of many devices that have been offered throughout the years by Android vendors, such as HTC and Samsung. Android enthusiasts often refer to Google's distributions as "pure Android", even though that is no longer the case exactly with the new Nexus 5, that has introduced a launcher not officially found on any of its siblings (or available in AOSP for that matter).

Nexus devices were also supposed to usher Android vendors into releasing smartphones and tablets that adhere to the design guidelines established by Google. This is one area where the search giant's brand has failed to become a trendsetter, as the likes of HTC, LG and Samsung continue to apply their own vision on how their Android handsets should look at the software and hardware levels. Remember how physical buttons were supposed to go away from the front of Android devices? Well, they are still alive and kicking even in 2014 and even on tablets (even though there were clear signs pointing to slates only adopting on-screen keys). It could, therefore, be argued that the Nexus ethos has already ran its course and it is time for Google to move on. So should Google move on?

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A few minutes ago, I finished listening to a presentation in London by Andrew Morely, vice president and general manager of Motorola Mobility (UK), in which he announced details of the European version of the Moto X phone which was, until now, only available in North and South America.

The main difference from the North American version is that in Europe the phone comes only in two colors (black and white) and the Moto Maker service, which allows buyers to customize the front/back/accent colors as well as add a personalized message to the back of the phone, is not available here (at least for now).

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The Motorola phone that got, arguably, the most attention in 2013 was the Moto X. The handset introduced the “OK Google” option to the mobile world. Despite its popularity, the company still is pushing the device as hard as it can.

Now Motorola has found one more enticement to lure potential buyers. For a limited time, the company is offering a free Chromecast to anyone who decides to purchase the Moto X from its website.

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Motorola's New Year's resolution gives notice to Apple and other Android phone manufacturers: We don't need stinking subsidies. Today, the Google subsidiary cut Moto X's off-contract to $399, even personalized, on all carriers. The permanent discount is $50 more than Motorola's glitchy Black Friday sale.

Google has a long history of selling unlocked, off-contract phones, starting with Nexus One four years ago. But in 2012, Nexus 4 brought the price down to something mere mortals could afford: $299. The Android's successor costs more, starting at $349.

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Christmas comes early this year for Moto G users. Motorola has announced that Android 4.4.2 KitKat is now rolling out for its entry-level smartphone, in less than two months after parent company Google launched the latest version of the popular mobile operating system.

The Android 4.4.2 KitKat update is rolling out to Moto G smartphones that were purchased in the US, from Amazon and Motorola's online shop. It is expected to arrive in other markets, and at mobile operator versions, "soon".

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Strange and confusing ads are certainly not a new genre, in fact we see more than enough of them everytime we turn on the television. Verizon is taking this path now with a new series featuring Edward Norton -- it's no Fight Club, but it's almost as violent as that classic movie.

While the new campaign is certainly odd, it is also strangely compelling. The 30-second spot teases the real video without ever showing any sort of device to provide a hint of what this is all about. Instead it simply provides a hashtag and a "click here to see the full story" link -- #FortyEight, which seems to have a bit of traction on Twitter.

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