Tag: moto

Lenovo May Kill the Motorola Brand

It looks like another popular name in the mobile phone industry is set to follow the same fate as Nokia (although the latter might be making a comeback this year). Buzz around the internet is that Motorola will soon be phased out.

Lenovo, which bought Motorola from Google back in 2014, announced at CES 2016 that it will phase out the Motorola brand for its phones. “We’ll slowly phase out Motorola,” said Motorola Chief Operating Officer Rick Osterloh.

The decision is particularly interesting when seen in light of Lenovo’s statement back in 2014 when it said that, “We plan to not only protect the Motorola brand, but make it stronger.”

What this means is that Motorola’s phone business will now come under Lenovo and the Motorola name will disappear from its phones this year. Meanwhile, Lenovo will still use the ‘Motorola Mobility’ name for its phone division, but any upcoming phone or wearable will fall under the brand of ‘Moto’ and ‘Vibe’.

Motorola fans need not despair. The brand name will continue to live on, albeit in a more minimalist way. Future Moto products will continue to sport Motorola’s batwing-like ‘M’ logo along with Lenovo’s blue logo. Indeed, Motorola will be missed, and will always be remembered as one of the earliest, if not first brand to produce a mobile phone.

January 8, 2016
Unboxing The New Moto 360

Motorola Launched the new Moto 360 In India today. While the previous gen eventually dropped out of stock at a price of Rs. 13,999. The top of the line 46 mm Black with Steel Strap of the Gen 2 Variant has an MRP of 23,999 on the box.

The watch adds a bunch of features over the previous gen, also different case sizes and easily changeable straps.

Check out our unboxing Video Below.

Moto 360 Gen 2

Display?

Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Backlit LCD
Mens 42mm and Womens: 1.37” (35mm), 263ppi (360 X 325)
Mens 46mm: 1.56” (40mm), 233ppi (360 X 330)

Watch case dimensions

Mens:
46mm diameter by 11.4mm high
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high

Womens:
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high

Processor

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU (APQ 8026)
Adreno 305 with 450MHz GPU

Sensors

Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Vibration/Haptics engine

Battery

Mens 42mm and Womens: 300mAh – Up to 1.5 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Mens 46mm: 400mAh – Up to 2 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Wireless charging with charging dock included

Memory

4GB internal storage + 512MB RAM

Connectivity

Bluetooth® 4.0 Low Energy
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g

Microphone

Dual digital mics

December 1, 2015
Moto X Style Goes Up For Pre-Order in India

Moto X Style is now up for pre-order on Flipkart. It is a stylish variant of Moto X Play which was launched in our country, last month. The pre-orders for the phone had begun on the 8th of this month and it is now up for grabs.

The phone was earlier announced to go on pre-order today at midnight but it has arrived early, priced at Rs. 29,999 for the 16 GB variant, and Rs. 31,999 for the 32 GB variant. Motorola’s newest device has a 5.7 inch display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset. For specs and other details of Moto X Style, take a look at our previous post.

[tw-button size=”large” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.flipkart.com/moto-x-style/p/itmeajtqebm7yc9b?pid=MOBEAJTQ4QEAJZ2H&ref=L%3A-7172985180974723403&srno=p_2&query=moto+x+style&otracker=from-search&affid=bhnagpalgm”]Pre-Order Now [/tw-button]

Watch our unboxing and the hands on review here:

October 14, 2015

Moto G (3rd gen) Review – 2015

The new Moto G for 2015 is the hero for Motorola. With a whole spew of upgrades, the new Moto G is ready to take on the market. With little change in design and price, the customer is left asking for a lot more.

Overview

The new Moto G is available in two variants; a cheaper one priced at Rs. 11,999 comes with 8GB storage and 1 GB of RAM, whereas, a slightly expensive one at Rs 12,999 comes with 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM. You also have a whole variety of covers that you can buy and swap with your current cover.

Build Quality and Design

Design wise you have a whole lot of differences starting with the back of the new Moto G, all the way to the front. It’s more rounded and has silver accents, which add to the premium look and feel of the device. The long cut in the back panel houses the camera equipment and the panel has a new reassuring texture.

Build is superior when compared to the last gen of the Moto G. With the IPX7 rating, the new Moto G can also withstand 3 ft (1 M) of water immersion. This makes the phone one of kind in this price bracket and also the second device only after the Apple Watch to have this rating.

The plastic shells are high quality and swappable, which mean you can easily replace the back if damaged. The new Moto G also has Gorilla glass and a new solid structured frame that makes it a big winner in the build department.

Hardware

No hardware does not get a big boost, but you do get an improved camera, a slightly faster and more stable chipset and that is just about it. USB On the go is easily available, you also have micro SD card slots for expandability and two hardware options; 1 GB RAM + 8 GB Storage or 2 GB RAM + 16 GB Storage both of which support expandability and are separated only by a Rs. 1000 price difference.

Specifications	Moto G (Gen 3)
Display	5 inches, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	HD, 1280×720 pixels
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410
Processor	1.4 Ghz Quad Core
GPU	Adreno 306
RAM	1GB/2GB
Storage	8GB/16GB
Expandable Upto	32 GB
Rear Camera	13MP
Front Camera	5MP
Video	1080p HD video, 30 fps
Battery	2470 mAh
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Connectivity	Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, AGPS, GLONASS GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600), 20(800)
Price	Rs. 11,999 for 8 GB and Rs. 12,999 for 16 GB

Performance

The Moto G Gen 3 is more of a balanced smartphone. You won’t get a performance monster and you shouldn’t expect it to be one especially with the specifications it is packing. The 2 GB version, only slightly more expensive performs far better than the 1 GB variant. It will also bump up the onboard storage to 16 GB which would only make sense.

The User interface is fast and smooth and the stock Android helps with that to a big extent. The GPU handles multitasking and gaming with ease, although some applications tend to lag with the 1 GB variant. The 2 GB will work well for day to day usage and also with gaming.

Games work well with the 2 GB variant, as mentioned earlier. If you choose to run your games (like Asphalt 8) with higher graphics you will face some lag, mainly due to the limitations of graphics processing.

Camera and Multimedia

The 13 MP main camera is a big improvement, mix it up with the Android 5.1 camera capabilities and you get a great camera experience. Manually set up focus and exposure before you click the picture. The camera focuses quickly so you can go up close with your subjects and get a good depth of field. Images tend to be sharp and autofocus is snappy. Its a pity that the Moto G misses a proper oleophobic display, which would allow you to use the phone under water. No, you don’t have an underwater camera with the new Moto G.

No image stabalization also means that shaky hands need to beware of the induced camera shake. Video stays at 1080p and you also get some high speed capture at 720p reducing speeds to half, if needed.

The speaker is forward facing and has good audio. Despite the dual grills there is only a mono speaker. We would have liked a louder speaker, or at least a stereo speaker combo. The forward facing speaker makes the audio experience while watching video or playing games, improved.

The display is still a 1280 x 720p panel but is extremely vivid and bright. Outdoor visibility could have been better, but is very usable. The display has good viewing angles and the colours pop, so you won’t find us complaining. We did want a 1080p display and since most of the competition does offer up a 1080p display in this segment, it became a let down for us.

Phone Networks and Battery

With the inclusion of 4G networks, the Moto G adds the list of network ready phones. A major deal of Androids will join this list by the end of the year as most network players will offer 4G services.

The network performance is good and the audio quality is excellent. The connection strength is a big improvement over the last gen. phone. With the IPX7 rating, the one thing we really wanted to check was underwater calling capability. The phone does ring, but making a call is practically impossible as the display goes crazy with electric conduction the minute you unlock the screen, so your phone will randomly jump from app to app. We don’t really want to be making calls underwater, but hey, it could come in handy.

We are getting mixed reports about the battery life, some users are complaining of battery drain and others of overheating issues. However, we faced no such issues, and the phone gave us 1+ day of average use. We are expecting 4-5 hours of talk time mixed with varied use. Charge the Moto G once a day and you are good to go.

Talk Time 4G : 4.5 Hours
Internet : 7-8 hours of surfing
Music : 11 hours
Video : 5 hours

Conclusion

The Moto G (3rd Gen) is a smart upgrade from a good company. They did miss out on a few key things, a better display and a better chipset would make this the best phone for the price. However, it is a smart choice. It has the trust of a motorola handset, and the added legacy of great phones like the Moto Defy. Also the IPX7 rating, makes it the only phone in this class, with any such rating. It will be useful for those who need it.

Lastly, the swappable colour covers make sense and add personal style. Availability is easy, no flash sales and no invites. Smartphones need to be easy to buy and readily available in 2015, and the new Moto G ticks all the boxes of being a well rounded phone.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.flipkart.com/moto-g-3rd-generation/p/itme9ysjfazgqyqz?pid=MOBE6KK9HGWQ6ZAZ&affid=bhnagpalgm”]Buy Now [/tw-button]

August 11, 2015

Moto G (Gen 3) Vs Moto G (Gen 2): What’s the Difference?

Motorola has finally released the Moto G (Gen 3). The new phone has been in the news for quite a few months, thanks to the leaks made by retailers and sources. The Moto G (Gen 2) was a hit, like its predecessor but will be discontinued from today because the company is confident that the new Moto G (Gen 3) will perform well.

Let’s see how the Moto G (Gen 3) performs against its predecessor, the Moto G (Gen 2)

Specifications	Moto G (Gen 2)	Moto G (Gen 3)
Display	5 inches, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	5 inches, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	HD, 1280 x 720 pixels	HD, 1280×720 pixels
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8226 Snapdragon 400	Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410
Processor	1.2 GHz Quad-core	1.4 Ghz Quad Core
GPU	Adreno 305	Adreno 306
RAM	1GB	1GB/2GB
Storage	8GB	8GB/16GB
Expandable Upto	32 GB	32 GB
Rear Camera	8MP	13MP
Front Camera	2MP	5MP
Video	720p HD, 30 fps	1080p HD video, 30 fps
Battery	2070 mAh	2470 mAh
Operating System	Android OS, v4.4.4 (KitKat), upgradable to v5.0 (Lollipop)	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Connectivity	Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, AGPS, GLONASS GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100	Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, AGPS, GLONASS GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600), 20(800)
Price	Not available on Flipkart	Rs. 11,999 for 8 GB and Rs. 12,999 for 16 GB

Motorola has made some notable improvements in the new Moto G (Gen 3), such as increasing the battery life, upgrading the rear camera and making Android Lollipop the default OS, compatible with 4G networks.

To begin with, the 2015 Moto G comes in two variants – the 8GB storage + 1GB RAM and the 16GB + 2GB – while the former is for casual users, the latter has been aimed towards gamers. The new Moto G has a bigger battery than its predecessor due to the phone supporting 4G network. Given the current 4G scenario in the country, Motorola has made the smart move to include 4G capability.

Motorola has changed the processor from Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 to Snapdragon 410. Both processors are known to perform in a similar manner, so the users shouldn’t feel any difference between the Moto G (Gen 2) and the new Moto G. With display, Motorola has gone for the “If it ain’t broke, then why fix it” philosophy. The display is the same as Moto G (Gen 2), keeping the same 5 inch HD display with 720p resolution.

The rear and front camera of the Moto G (Gen 3) get an update. The new Moto G has a 13MP rear camera as compared to its predecessor’s 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, as compared to the Gen 2’s 2MP front snapper.

According to Motorola, the Moto G (Gen 3) will be available for a price of Rs. 11,999 (8GB) and Rs. 12,999 (16GB) at Flipkart from midnight tonight. Although the processor has been upgraded, along with the camera and 4G support has been added, we will only find out when we review the product.

Watch the unboxing and hands on with the new Moto G (Gen 3) here:

July 28, 2015

New Leaked Promo Video for Moto G (Gen 3) Confirms Specs

Just a few days back we reported that the upcoming Moto G will be waterproof. A new promotional video for the Moto G has been leaked and confirms most of what we knew about the phone so far.

The Moto G (Gen 3) will boast of a 5-inch display and since it is referred to as HD, our guess is that the resolution will probably be 720p. The processor used will be a quad-core, but we don’t know which one since it hasn’t been mentioned. The phone will be water resistant for 30 minutes, as it has been certified IPx7. The battery will be large enough to power it around the clock.

The phone sports a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front camera. The device will run on Android Lollipop 5.1 and will offer expandable storage via MicroSD card upto 32 GB. The Moto G (Gen 3) can be customised using Motorola shells, like in the first Moto G. The dual SIM phone will support both 3G and 4G. There is no mention of the fingerprint sensor though, which is supposed to be an important feature.

At this point the video pretty much confirms many of the specs that the new Moto G was rumored to have. The video seems authentic since it uses the same design element that was used in the media invite sent for the July 28th event hosted by Motorola.

Just four days away, Motorola should be expected to give more teasers about the latest Moto G and Moto X.

Check out the spec table to see what we know about the phone so far.

Specification	Moto G (Gen 3)
Display	5 “(12.7 cm) TFT, Gorilla Glass
Resolution	1280 x 720 HD
Chipset	NA
Processor	MSM8916 1.4 Ghz Quadcore
GPU	NA
RAM	1 GB/2 GB
Storage	8 GB/16GB
Expandability	32 GB
Rear Camera	13 MP
Rear Camera Video	1080p
Front Camera	5MP
Front Camera Video	NA
Battery	Non-removable Li-ion 2470 mAh battery
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, LE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100, LTE band 1 (2100), 3 (1800), 7 (2600), 20 (800)
Miscellaneous	Fingerprint sensor
Price	Not more than Rs. 13,700

July 24, 2015

Massive Moto G (Gen 3) Leak Reveals a 13MP Rear Camera

Moto G is one of the most recognizable phones Motorola has ever made. The affordable smartphone relaunched the company and drew huge sales in India, making Motorola a household name. Today, a set of images and a video has been posted which provides more details about the upcoming Moto G, the 3rd generation.

The images, which were posted by a Google+ user, Nao Lee, have been said to come from “a Chinese digital forum.” The images show the front and the back of the device, which looks similar to the previous versions of Moto G. The phone identifies itself as “XT1453” and runs on Android 5.1.1.

The video, which has since been removed, showed the specifications of the phone. According to the video, Moto G3 is similar to Moto G (2nd Generation). Moto G3 will run on Snapdragon 410 processor, an improvement from the Snapdragon 400 processor. The camera has also been upgraded. Moto G3 will now sport a 13 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front camera, a vast improvement from 8 and 2 megapixel rear and front camera. As for the rest, the new phone will sport a 5-inch display, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, LTE, and a microSD slot, same as Moto G (2nd Gen). This contradicts the early rumours about Moto G3 running on a 64-bit 1.7GHz Snapdragon 610 SoC along with 2GB of RAM.While the Moto G (Gen 2) was a vast improvement over its predecessor, that might not be the case with Moto G (Gen 3). It is to be noted that Motorola is yet to officially announce the specifications and the phone may turn out to a be a far superior product than expected.

June 22, 2015
This Might be the Best Time to Get Moto-ed

A few days back, under the cover of Flipkart’s Electronics Sale, Motorola was offering its devices at a considerably lower price tag. The marketing strategy rushed customers to buy devices from Flipkart, since the sale only lasted for two days. Now, the good news is, most of Motorola’s phones have retained the tempting offers even after the sale is over. It gets us wondering, if should we ready ourselves for the 2015 lineup. Is Motorola clearing up stocks to make room for this year’s iterations?

Here’s a quick look at the ongoing offers – the high-end Moto X (Gen 2) is currently available for Rs. 21,999, a massive drop from its original launch price of Rs. 31,999. According to our review, the right mix of design build quality and top notch hardware makes the Moto X (Gen 2) an aggressive competitor in the major smartphone market. In most countries, the phone is available at a cheap price and with a contract, but in countries like India, it has to be bought outright.

Watch the Moto X (2nd Gen) Review here:

The Moto 360, Motorola’s coveted smartwatch, is now available in the market for a mere Rs. 12,999. This isn’t news, the smartwatch globally faced a price cut, shortly after the Apple Watch went on sale. Motorola’s first wearable went on sale in India back in October last year, priced at Rs. 17,999. It is one of the few Android Wear devices with a round display.

Moto G (Gen 2) is available for Rs. 10,999, which was originally priced at Rs. 12,999. The only two products by the company which are being sold at the prices they were launched at, are the premium Moto Turbo (Rs.41,999) and the budget Moto E(Gen 2.)

Only Moto Turbo’s price remains unchanged.

The reduction of pricing on Motorola devices isn’t anything new, the company has been steadily cutting them down since the past year. This also leads to the question; should you invest in the current models, or wait and save till the new ones arrive? Recently, both Moto G (Gen 3) and Moto X (Gen 3) were leaked, indicating their imminent release. We’ve even heard that the next iteration of the Android Wear-based Moto 360 is on the cards.

Over the past few years, Motorola has established its place well in the Indian smartphone market. Other than the Chinese contenders, OnePlus and Xiaomi, Motorola is the company known for delivering noteworthy products at affordable pricing. Though the company only retails online via Flipkart, they have recently made efforts to reach potential customers, offline. The company opened up its first experience store in Bangalore where consumers can test and try their products, before making their purchase online. They’ve also attempted to strengthen their after-sales services.

Like we said, if you’re thinking about investing in a Motorola product – now would be the right time!

May 28, 2015
Motorola Announces a Massive Rs. 5,000 Discount on Moto 360

Just a few days back, Motorola’s Moto 360 got a price cut on Google Play Store. The same is now reflecting on Flipkart where both the leather and steel variants are available at discounted prices. Motorola has cut the price of Moto 360 smartwatches by Rs. 5,000, bring them down from Rs. 17,999 to Rs. 12,999 (leather) and Rs. 19,999 to Rs. 14,999 for the steel version.

It should be noted the price slash is not permanent and the discount is applicable till the stocks last. The leather version is available on the online store from long, whereas the steel model was added just recently.

Launched in India in September last year, the smartwatch has got critical acclaims in the Android wearable segment. It sports a 1.65-inch display that has Gorilla Glass protection. The water-proof Moto 360 runs on Google’s Android Wear OS and offers voice control. It is powered by a TI OMAP 3 processor along with 512MB of RAM and 4GB internal memory space. The 320mAh battery of the device can keep it running for up to 12 hours, as claimed by the company. The Moto 360 comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and sensors like pedometer and heart-rate monitor.

The smartwatches are available in black and silver colour options. Click here to buy now.

May 4, 2015
Motorola is Not Considering an Offline Sales Policy Anytime Soon: Moto India Head

At a time when most of the major tech giants are setting up their retail stores, slowly making the move from online to offline, Motorola wants to stick to their present sales model. The telecommunications firm revealed that it has no plans to sell smartphones through physical stores in India and will continue to retail handsets through their exclusive online partner Flipkart.

According to Times of India, the India Business Head of Motorola, Amit Boni spoke about the company’s plans, “It is important that when you take a strategic bet, you stand by it and make it work. That’s what we are doing with the Flipkart partnership. You need to look into other channels of sales only when your present channel is not sound enough.”

Recently, Motorola inaugurated its first bricks-and-mortar store Moto Care in India. It’s a one of a kind store at Jayanagar in Bengaluru where customers can walk-in to check the product portfolio. The store showcases smartphones and accessories and also provides repair services. Boni further elaborated his statement, “We believe that there’s a certain set of customers who wants to see the device before buying it. We are making sure that we are opening up to them too.” The Chicago-based firm plans to open more such stores across the country in the coming days.

Motorola’s Handcrafted Selfie Stick

It has also been learnt that Motorola is planning to expand its 4G portfolio of devices. The company is expected to launch a 4G version of Moto E in India. Recently, the firm came up with few new releases. The first in the list is the Moto Turbo, followed by Moto Selfie Stick, which the company showed off on April Fool’s day. The company claimed that the stick is a $140 handcrafted accessory to click self portraits and is compatible with Moto X. We almost fell for that one.

April 2, 2015
Moto X 2nd Gen Review : Better Android Smartphone Experience
The Moto X was the reason Motorola was able to bounce back from extinction. With the help and financial backing from Google, Motorola revamped their lineup of smartphones and today is one of the most coveted Android smartphone manufacturers. Although Motorola was unloaded by Google to Lenovo, the company’s principles have remained similar. With the Moto X 2014 Motorola is back with a vengeance, giving you the best mix of hardware and performance.

Overview

The new Moto X aka Gen 2014, is a major overhaul of what was already an impressive kit of a smartphone. The great mix of design build quality and top notch hardware makes the phone an aggressive competitor in the major smartphone market. In most countries the phone is available on the cheap with a contract, in countries like India however it has to be bought outright. Its price at launch is Rs. 31,999, which is much higher than the last generation’s price.

Hardware

Unlike the previous edition, the new Moto X is not impaired by old tech, it’s packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with Adreno 330 graphics, has a larger 5.2 inch display with a Full HD resolution. New optics include a 13 MP camera with a faux dual led ring flash, and a front facing 2 MP one. The rear camera does 4K video and slow motion at 1080p which is really impressive. Storage is limited to 16 GB and RAM is kept at 2GB.
- 5.2-inch 1080P Display – 401 pixels per inch
- 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 Quad-core processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB and 32GB storage options
- 2,300mAh battery
- 13MP rear facing camera w/ 4k video, 2MP front camera
- Dual LED Ring Flash
- Android 4.4.4 KitKat
- Over 25 customizable back options – India Gets Black Leather or White + Bamboo!
- 140.8 x 72.4 x 9.9mm – 144 grams
Build and Design

Thanks to the Stainless Steel frame, the Moto X is one of the most robust smartphones in the market, the reinforced design with the lack of easily ding-able parts makes the phone more sturdy than expected. The Moto X will not bend, not with your hands, and many videos are trending online to prove it. The phone is solid and engineered well, but the leather finish will not last. We used the phone for a mere 2 weeks and the leather at the back has a lot of nicks and cuts and basically wears easy, the bamboo variant of the new Moto X 2nd Gen costs an additional Rs.2000 but may be worth the moolah. Design is great, however, we are not too sure of the lager Moto logo in a steel insert, it looks great in the leather variant but not on the wooden one. Reactions have been mixed about that one bit, everything else is an excellent change up from the 1st gen. Stainless steel bezel adds premium class and functionality and looks good, the shape is well fitted and curves just right in the hand. It is a handsome smartphone and its built well.

Performance and Android OS

The overall performance from the handset is impressive, it runs top notch hardware on an almost vanilla build of Android 4.4 with an experience only south of Google’s own Nexus line. Benchmarks score upwards of 40,000 in Antutu and they translate to real life usage, RAM is managed well and the Moto X remains pretty smooth through the day of use. Motorola has managed to use its own features like, smart notifications which are now called “Moto Display” and the new voice assistant which can be called up by a custom phrase and not the traditional “Ok Moto” or “Ok Google Now”. Motorola has also managed to leverage Moto communicate, allowing for phone calls and SMS messages to be received and responded to from your laptop/computer, while the setup may seem tedious it works well, although is a major drain on the battery life. The new Moto Assist is also well rounded, it knows when you are sleeping, driving or whether you are at home or work and can customize the alerts according to that, it needs a basic setup, but works mostly flawlessly after that.

Camera

The camera is a big upgrade, a 13 Mp sensor, 4k video and 1080 slow mo, all sounds great on paper. Images however do not justify all that, they are still grainy and low light performance is terrible. Continuous burst mode is a great feature, but is randomly sluggish and will cause images to get blurry and out of focus. The concept of the ring flash is simulated and does do nothing really to enhance the image quality, although the color correction in post flash images is good. The flash module is just like any other on any other smartphone. The camera app is really basic and could use some better features, like filters and on the fly changes. Focus during video will jump in and out, and will cause heartache. 4k video sounds great, but the limited 16GB storage will fill up with just mere minutes of 4k footage.

Without Flash

With Flash

Slow motion works well, focus is tight and quality is impressive. It will do Slow motion at 1080p vs 720p in the last year’s model. The front camera remains basic with a 2MP snapper, it captures 1080p video, which is usually overexposed and grainy, not the best optics in the lot.

Display and Multimedia

The new display on the Moto X larger and brighter, looks good outdoors, and has a crisp 401 ppi density. The glass on the front is Gorilla Glass 3 and it rounds off and meets the bezel at the edges adding to a natural feel when using the touchscreen. The display has excellent viewing angles and looks great indoors and out doors. touch response is excellent and according to Motorola the whole ecosystem is run at 60 fps throughout which adds to the experience, although may not be perfectly accurate. The bezels on the front are really minimal so the display is what takes up most of the front adding to a better look and better content consumption. Thanks to a larger display you will enjoy watching movies and videos on the phone, performance is excellent so no lag or buffer is experienced in the usage of the phone. The speaker is now forward facing, but unlike HTC’s boomsound it’s still a single speaker , yet sounds good and is very loud.

Phone, Networks and Battery

The Moto X 2nd Gen uses the metal fame to boost networks and boy does it work well, we found excellent indoor reception even on 3G networks and no call drops. This goes to show that maybe not all networks are to blame for bad reception. In this case Motorola has really got its antenna design right and yes it is very functional. Call quality, thanks to the impressive reception, is better than most handsets, although noise cancellation is not very great. Microphone is sensitive and the earpiece is loud and crisp. Battery is a smallish 2300 mAh unit that will mostly last a day, but if you use your phone a lot a portable charger or a USB cable will soon become your best friends. Averaging a mere 4-5 hours of talk time, we wish the phone had more juice to go on about its day. If you need the new Moto X to last longer you may want to invest in the Turbo Charger. Although, not yet in India, this optional accessory can charge the Moto X incredibly fast, pumping in eight hours of power in just 15 minutes.

Conclusion

Motorola has a winner with the Moto X 2nd Gen, and while a lot of people are looking at the bump in price, we are looking at the bump in specs. The previous Gen Motorola Moto X was underpowered, under spec’d and smallish. The new Moto X, is powerful, has excellent specs, top notch performance, has the right size and it looks good doing daily deeds. The leather back is tastefully damage-able and will add a custom look to each Moto X, however extreme wear may happen sooner than later. Thanks to quick Android updates and a simple basic Android UI, the handset is customizable and fast from the get go. The display bump is a boon and is well received, the new design is flawless and the built appreciable. The phone is also water resistant and will last you a very long time. But, should you get it? If you want an android phone now, and the price bracket fits, Yes ! get it now. Alternatively wait for the OnePlus One launch or the Next Nexus, which may as well be a Moto X in a cheaper format, who knows?

Review Video

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GOOD THINGS
- Superb Built
- Handsome Looks
- Top Notch Hardware
- Excellent Performance
- Moto Display
- Voice Assist
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BAD THINGS
- No Customization in Global Market
- Leather prone to Wear
- Camera is Sluggish and Not Refined
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October 3, 2014
Rumor : Motorola is Working on a New Nexus Device

Motorola and Google parted ways last January, but if rumors are to be believed, Motorola is working on a new Nexus device, codenamed “Shamu”, that is set to launch sometime this fall. A number of other reports have indicated that HTC has also been working on an 8.9 inch Nexus tablet for Google. It’s code-named “Volantis,” and probably has an NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor and a high-resolution display, among other things.

Now it looks like a new Nexus smartphone by Motorola is also on the way, although it is said to have a near tablet-sized screen.

The reports leaked by Android Police hint that the Nexus device is a 5.9-inch device with a fingerprint sensor.

Android Police seem confident that the rumor is true. “Point are deducted simply because hardware plans can change very quickly, even when a prototype device already exists,” Android Police writes. “We are confident that Shamu is a real device under active development, and fairly confident that it is a contender for the Nexus program.”

Being that it’s a Nexus contender doesn’t mean it’ll be the device consumers will be able to buy later this year. But Motorola is apparently working on a device, which is supposed to be “targeted at major U.S. carriers, and unspecified carriers in other parts of the world,” Android Police said.

It seems unlikely that a new Nexus device would appear before this fall, which is far enough away for the plans to change. But this report somewhere takes the sword off the Nexus program, which seems to be doomed. Not only is it still in play, looks like it may have a few great devices coming down the line.

July 28, 2014
New Micromax Unite 2 Wants to Trouble The Moto E

Micromax’s new Unite 2 is priced to excite the buyers of the Moto E, however it wasn’t how the company planned it. The Unite 2 was supposed to be priced for a higher price, and since the launch of the Moto E, many companies seem to have revised their pricing schemes and Micromax seems to be one of them.

The Unite 2 does some of the magic of the Motorola Moto E, as Micromax claims that the handset will stay updated with FOTA “Free Over the Air” updates. But Micromax is using a new approach to the handset as it will be one of a few handsets that support Indian Languages. The Micromax Unite 2 will support 21 Indian languages and will come with Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat out of the box.

Micromax Unite also beats the Moto E on paper, as the new Unite 2 also has a 1.2 Quad Core processor, a 4.7 inch display with 800 x 480px resolution, 2000 mAh battery and a 5 MP main camera.

Design wise the Unite 2 is also taking its cues from the Moto E by offering replaceable back panels. and a similar design but build quality details are vary and we couldn’t get confirmation on the use of reinforced plastics or gorilla glass.

The idea is really novel, however will it give people the kind of assurance they have gotten in the past with Motorola and their Moto G and X. Micromax is trying to bring the better specs and pricing to the market with this handset, they have also made it more localized by adding multi language support, but it really comes down to experience. If Micromax can deliver a good package, they might be able to save their most important price market which is currently been highjacked by one of the oldest manufacturers of cellphones.

May 24, 2014
Motorola Mobility result out, loses $86 million in Q1

Motorola has posted yet another disappointing quarter, while revenues were up to $3.1 billion, Moto lost $86 million in Q1 of 2012. That is 6 more million lost compared to their previous quarter. In terms of shipments only 8.9 million devices were shipped in the quarter which is down from the 10.5 million shipped last quarter. The company’s home gateways and broadcast goods, managed to generate $68 million, up from $53 million a year ago.

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Motorola Mobility Announces First Quarter Financial Results

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

First Quarter Financial Highlights

Net revenues of $3.1 billion

Non-GAAP net loss of $0.03 per share compared to net loss of $0.08 per share in first quarter 2011; GAAP net loss of $0.28 per share compared to net loss of $0.27 per share in first quarter 2011

Mobile Devices net revenues of $2.2 billion; Non-GAAP operating loss of $85 million; GAAP operating loss of $121 million

Shipped 8.9 million mobile devices, including 5.1 million smartphones

Home net revenues of $884 million; Non-GAAP operating earnings of $91 million; GAAP operating earnings of $68 million

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today reported net revenues of $3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2012, up 2 percent compared to the first quarter of 2011. The GAAP net loss in the first quarter of 2012 was $86 million, or $0.28 per share, compared to a net loss of $81 million, or $0.27 per share, in the first quarter of 2011. On a non-GAAP basis, the net loss in the first quarter 2012 was $10 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to a net loss of $25 million, or $0.08 per share, in the first quarter of 2011.

The Company had operating cash outflow of $98 million in the first quarter. Total cash at the end of the quarter was $3.5 billion and includes cash, cash equivalents, and cash deposits.
Details on non-GAAP adjustments and the use of non-GAAP measures are included later in this press release and in the financial tables.

“The introduction of RAZR™ MAXX marked another successful addition to the Motorola product family and contributed to our growth in smartphones. Our Home business delivered another solid quarter highlighted by improvement in year-over-year profitability,” said Sanjay Jha, chairman and chief executive officer, Motorola Mobility. “We continue to work closely with Google to complete the proposed merger during the first half of the year.”

Operating Results

Mobile Devices net revenues in the first quarter were $2.2 billion, up 3 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. The GAAP operating loss was $121 million compared to an operating loss of $89 million in the year-ago quarter. The non-GAAP operating loss was $85 million compared to an operating loss of $61 million in the year-ago quarter. The Company shipped a total of 8.9 million mobile devices in the first quarter, including 5.1 million smartphones.
Mobile Devices highlights:

Launched RAZR™ MAXX, the longest-lasting 4G LTE smartphone, allowing customers to talk for over 21 hours on a single charge, and DROID 4 by Motorola, the thinnest and most powerful 4G LTE QWERTY smartphone.

Expanded budget-friendly smartphone portfolio in China, Europe, and Latin America with the introduction of MOTOLUXE™, a slim touchscreen device and Motorola DEFY™ MINI, the ideal “life proof” device for the active consumer.

Teamed up with Bubba Watson, four time PGA Tour winner, including the 2012 Masters to introduce MOTOACTV™ Golf Edition, a cutting-edge GPS golf tracker, virtual caddy and online clubhouse.

Home segment net revenues in the first quarter were $884 million, down 2 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. GAAP operating earnings improved to $68 million, compared to $53 million in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP operating earnings were $91 million compared to $81 million in the year-ago quarter.

Home highlights:

Introduced Connected Home Gateway, the industry’s first plug-and-play solution for home monitoring and control services.

Provided equipment and services to Asian Broadcasting Network for launch of Malaysia’s most advanced digital cable TV network.

Industry recognition of our Medios multi-screen software portfolio including SecureMedia® named “Best Rights and Asset Management Solution” at 2012 IPTV World Forum.

Announced global distributor and integrator agreement with Edgecast’s Content Delivery Network platform, enabling advanced multi-screen service delivery to consumers.

Merger Update

As previously announced on August 15, 2011, Motorola Mobility and Google Inc. (“Google”) (NASDAQ: GOOG) entered into a definitive agreement for Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $12.5 billion.

Motorola Mobility and Google continue to work closely with the authorities in China for approval on the acquisition. The transaction has been investigated and cleared without conditions in all other jurisdictions with pre-closing clearance requirements. We continue to expect the transaction to close during the first half of 2012.

For more information on the proposed merger, please visit http://investors.motorola.com.
Conference Call and Webcast

In light of the pending acquisition of the Company by Google, the Company does not conduct a financial analyst conference call or webcast following the release of its earnings information nor provide financial guidance. To access the first quarter results and other financial information, please visit http://investors.motorola.com.

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May 3, 2012
US and EU give their approval to the Google Motorola Deal

Both the United States Justice Department and European regulators have given the Google Motorola deal their sign of approval. The proposed takeover that was decided mid 2011 had gaining concerns from interested parties, other android using manufacturers and some non related manufacturers as well. Major play for Motorola will give google a huge chunk of patents to play with in the fight ahead with companies like Apple.

The US department of Justice has clarified that the takeover /merger poses no real threat to competition and that it “will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action to stop any anticompetitive use of SEP (standard essential patent) rights.”

More approvals are still needed from China, Israel and Taiwan, but, with the two superpowers out of the way, minorities may to really matter.

February 14, 2012