Friday, August 01, 2014
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Meet the Indiegogo "Transform the Smartphone Challenge" Finalists
For the last few months, developers and entrepreneurs have been busy sharing their ideas for creating the next generation of Moto Mods through our...
> Read More -
Unlimited Possibilities: Moto Mod Innovation Goes Global
When we launched the Moto Z family of smartphones and Moto Mods, we opened up a new world of possibilities. We shared our commitment to innovation...
> Read More -
Magnifying Community Impact: Moto Dedicates Music Studio in São Paulo, Brazil
Our mission: to promote the social inclusion of low-income youth in Brazil through cultural entrepreneurship. The result? “Estúdio Moto” (Moto Studio)...
> Read More -
Mod the Future Visits the Big Apple: Behind the Scenes at the NYC Hackathon
What do 53 developers, 18 entrepreneurs, three designers, one surgeon and a dog named Goose have in common? These eager participants (and K9) all...
> Read More -
From New Releases to Hackathons, Moto Mods Gain Momentum
Six months ago, we took a stand against incremental innovation with our Moto Z family of smartphones and Moto Mods™ – and we’ve never looked...
> Read More
Showing posts with label Moto X. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moto X. Show all posts
#MotoFriends: Miguel’s 5 tips for awesome Moto X shots
Summer moments are for savoring—which is why we love capturing them on our Moto phones!
As does Miguel R, a Moto X user from Kew Gardens, New York, on Google+. He’s beautifully captured and composed some classic summer moments—sunbursts, grassy fields, sunset-drenched lakes, and more, as you can see above. You can almost feel the warm rays on your face when you look at his photos.
So we asked Miguel for some of his favorite tips for taking photos on Moto X. Here are his top five:
- Clean the camera lens. Sounds simple, but it’s more important than you think!
- Set the camera to HDR mode. This will make your photo look even more vibrant. The feature works especially well for scenes without motion.
- Manually adjust the exposure to create the desired look. You can turn on “Control Focus and Exposure” in Camera settings. Drag the circle to highlight your subject and the focus and lighting will adjust accordingly.
- Prop up the camera. Use two hands or find something stable to set it on.
- Never take just one photo. Take a few to make sure you have a good selection to choose from.
Miguel’s biggest tip? “Just experiment with those things and hopefully these tips, as simple and obvious as they may seem, can help others take better photographs,” he says.
Thanks for the tips, Miguel!
How about you? Try these tips out and let us know what you think! What are your secrets to taking a great shot on your phone?
Posted by Noelle Chun, Motorola Social Media Team
Thursday, July 10, 2014
The Download: Join Motorola Assist Product Manager in an AMA July 17. Plus, Android 4.4.4 News.
Mark is our product manager focused on making your phone useful to you wherever you are. Specifically, he leads product management for Quick Capture and Motorola Assist, the app that knows when you shouldn’t be bothered and that can read messages aloud when you’re driving or at home. In a meeting? The app can silence your phone. Driving to work? It can tell you who’s calling or read your texts out loud. Want to take a quick photo? Pull out your camera and twist it to pull up the camera app in a flash.
Mark has been in product management for 15 years and is eager to take your questions! Ask him anything about Assist, share your suggestions, delve into his experience, or even chat about his love of coding, building apps, and the beach.
Join us next Thursday, 7/17, at 2pm-2:30pm CT. Check out the Google+ event page and take part in the conversation by commenting.
In other software news, here’s the latest Download:
Connect Gets a New Look and a New Ring Feature - Our latest update to Motorola Connect brings a sleeker more beautiful interface (and new icon!) to the app that allows you to see text messages and calls coming into your Connect-enabled phone on your computer’s Chrome browser. As always, you can read and respond to texts using your computer’s keyboard and know who’s calling before you decide to reach for your phone. But now you can call your phone right from your desktop—for all those times you lose your phone in the couch cushions. We’ve also moved the app to your app drawer to make Connect easier to find.
Android™ 4.4.4, KitKat® Begins Rolling Out - We’ve begun rolling out Android™ 4.4.4, KitKat® to our phones! This latest update includes all of the goodies of 4.4.3—such a new dialer, the ability to pause during video recording, and enhanced camera image quality—and includes enhanced security for OpenSSL. We just started rolling out in Brazil and India for Moto G; in Brazil, France, Canada, and Asia Pacific for Moto E; in the U.S. for DROID Ultra. We are always working to deploy the latest software as fast as possible and expect the update to come to many more phones soon. Check out the software updates page to see if your phone has been upgraded yet.
Posted by Steve Sinclair, Product Marketing
Tuesday, June 03, 2014
Android™ 4.4.3, KitKat® Rolls Out to Moto Devices This Week
An amazing phone experience is more than just the physical device you hold in your hand. We know that the complete phone experience is about both the software and the hardware. And we believe that your software should continually evolve to get better and better and keep you on the cutting edge.
We are excited to announce some icing on top of the, well, KitKat. Starting today, we are rolling out Android™ 4.4.3, KitKat®, which was just released by Google.
This week we begin rolling out to:
- Moto X T-Mobile users
- Moto G users who bought online in the U.S. (includes Moto G 4G LTE) and at retail in Brazil
- Moto E users who bought online in the U.S. For Moto E users, you are still up for the next major Android update as well. Consider this the cherry on top.
Motorola users will also enjoy:
- Improved camera image quality for Moto X including better consistency of exposure, more realistic flash coloring, and improved photos in low light conditions using front camera.
- For Moto X and Moto G, pausing for video recording with a convenient pause/resume button on the viewfinder.
- Motorola Alert in this update for Moto X and Moto G users. This new app helps give peace of mind by sending periodic messages to the contacts you choose.
Wondering when new software updates will come to you? Please check our software upgrades page for the latest information.
Posted by Steve Horowitz, SVP, Software Engineering
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Celebrating 50 Updates with a Hangout!
Here’s a not-so-secret, early Easter egg for you: This week, we’re celebrating 50 app updates since we released Moto X!
That’s 50 updates across more than 15 different apps and services in just 8 months. These have included enhancements like new Touchless Control commands, texts read aloud while driving, new boot animations, a redesigned gallery, and, of course, squashed bugs. It’s been a crazy but exciting road to travel, all in the name of continuously delivering to our users fast updates on top of the latest and greatest Android version.
To commemorate, I am hosting a G+ Hangout on Air next week Wednesday during which you can ask me anything you’d like to know about our software and share your feedback on how we can make products better for you.
We think it’s the perfect way to mark the occasion. Why?
- The heart of everything we do in software is you, the user. So, of course you need to be a part of the festivities.
- Listening is a key part of our product development. And we want to hear what you have to say! We listen to your feedback as we hone innovations, to make them the most useful to you.
- What better way to thank you for your support than over Hangout? So we can say thank you face to face.
RSVP to our event here, and start asking your questions on my Google+ page or on our Motorola Facebook, G+, or Twitter using the hashtag #askMoto.
Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management
Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management
Monday, April 07, 2014
We’re Honored
We strive to design beautiful products that people love. After all, consumers are our most important jury. But we appreciate it when that work is recognized within the design community as well. This year, Motorola received an unprecedented four ‘Red Dot’ Design Awards for several of our latest products, including Moto X and three of our Bluetooth-enabled devices, the Motorola Roadster Pro automotive speaker and the Motorola Whisper and Motorola Sliver II headsets.
Red Dot is an international design competition that’s been around since 1954. Each year, products are judged by a group of design experts and winners are selected based on their ability to exemplify the highest level of design in innovation and execution.
The Red Dot awards validate all the time and effort our Consumer Experience Design team puts into making sure our products look and feel great and are a pleasure to use. Design has always been central to Motorola, and we’re proud to have a tradition of iconic products that extend back through the RAZR flip phone, the StarTAC (the original “flip phone”) and all the way back to the DynaTAC. That same spirit is guiding the design of our current products, like the ones honored by Red Dot, and upcoming ones like Moto 360. It’s an honor for our design team to be recognized in such elite company.
Jim Wicks
SVP Consumer Experience Design
Friday, March 07, 2014
Wear your pride on your sleeve, and your phone!
Moto Maker lets you express yourself and your style through your phone. Now, you can express your school spirit too! Just in time for the tournament, we’re introducing the College Collection, a range of college-inspired Moto X customization options that allow you to showcase your favorite school colors. We took a look at college colors across the board and added nine new back colors and three new accents to our Moto Maker palette so you can create the ultimate fan phone.
Starting today you can visit our College Collection design gallery and select from pre-configured school color combinations and clear cases1 with school logos and team names for up to 40 schools and counting. Don’t see your favorite team? Mix and match with the new color palette to create your perfect combination.
A custom Moto X from the College Collection is now available starting at the everyday price of $399 off-contract or $49 with a new two year contract. Currently in college? We’d like to sweeten the deal with a student discount2. Register at motorola.com/college with a valid .edu address and you can get an off-contract Moto X for the discounted price of $339.
The College Collection is just one of the many ways to get customization inspiration for your Moto X. Visit the new design gallery curated by our Moto Maker team and designers for more ideas and create yours today!
Posted by Ravi Thakkar, Group Product Manager
1 Officially Licensed College cases by Uncommon, cases available at an additional cost
2 Must have a valid .edu email address to receive discount
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
The Download: New Gallery, Migrate, and More KitKat Sweetness
So it might be a little cold in the last days at our Libertyville offices—but there isn’t a polar vortex that could stop us from us from cranking out the new software updates!
Here’s the latest Download:
New Year, New Gallery Look - Our Motorola Gallery has a fresh, new look! True to our promise to enhance the best parts of Android, we’ve developed a new Motorola Gallery UI that looks a lot cleaner and a lot more beautiful. The navigation is faster, the album drawer is streamlined, and the thumbnails are bigger and bolder.
Move Over, iPhone - It’s even easier to move your information over from an iPhone in our latest update to Motorola Migrate, the app that allows you to move your personal content from your old phone to your new phone. Now you can transfer your iCloud contacts and calendar events right from the app and not just in the MotoMaker web tool like before. So whether your old phone was an Android or iPhone, it’s a breeze to move over to your new Motorola phone.
KitKat Gets a Boost—Literally - We have begun releasing KitKat to Moto G on Boost Mobile. Check our upgrade pages for Australia and the U.S. for more information.
KitKat Comes to Moto X in Canada - Do KitKats come in maple? We started this week rolling out KitKat to Moto X on Rogers and Fido, the first Moto X to receive KitKat version 4.4.2. See the upgrade page for Canada to learn more.
As always, we welcome your thoughts, feedback, and comments on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook. We listen to them, and they make our products better.
Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management
Here’s the latest Download:
New Year, New Gallery Look - Our Motorola Gallery has a fresh, new look! True to our promise to enhance the best parts of Android, we’ve developed a new Motorola Gallery UI that looks a lot cleaner and a lot more beautiful. The navigation is faster, the album drawer is streamlined, and the thumbnails are bigger and bolder.
Move Over, iPhone - It’s even easier to move your information over from an iPhone in our latest update to Motorola Migrate, the app that allows you to move your personal content from your old phone to your new phone. Now you can transfer your iCloud contacts and calendar events right from the app and not just in the MotoMaker web tool like before. So whether your old phone was an Android or iPhone, it’s a breeze to move over to your new Motorola phone.
KitKat Gets a Boost—Literally - We have begun releasing KitKat to Moto G on Boost Mobile. Check our upgrade pages for Australia and the U.S. for more information.
KitKat Comes to Moto X in Canada - Do KitKats come in maple? We started this week rolling out KitKat to Moto X on Rogers and Fido, the first Moto X to receive KitKat version 4.4.2. See the upgrade page for Canada to learn more.
As always, we welcome your thoughts, feedback, and comments on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook. We listen to them, and they make our products better.
Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management
Friday, January 17, 2014
Moto X with Wood Finishes: Inspired by Nature, Designed by You
Sometimes, even in the technology industry, the best inspiration comes straight from nature. We recently introduced Moto X with Bamboo, the first-ever smartphone incorporating real bamboo into the body. Since then we’ve been hard at work crafting new options, and are excited to announce three new natural wood finishes for Moto X: Walnut, Teak and Ebony.
Featuring natural finishes and distinct grains, these wood backs are undeniably unique and provide a whole new level of sophisticated customization for your smartphone. Every wood grain is different, so every phone is too - just like you!
Moto X is now available for the everyday starting price of $399 off-contract. We want to make the upgrade to a wood finish just as accessible to people, so we're making it available for just $25 more. Bamboo will be available with this new price on Moto Maker starting today and Walnut, Teak and Ebony finishes will be available starting January 21st.
Featuring natural finishes and distinct grains, these wood backs are undeniably unique and provide a whole new level of sophisticated customization for your smartphone. Every wood grain is different, so every phone is too - just like you!
Posted by Lior Ron, CVP Product Management
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Moto X Comes to Europe.
On the heels of a great reception for Moto G in Europe, we're happy to announce that Moto X has also crossed the Atlantic and will be available in the UK, France and Germany from 1st February.
Since its global launch Moto X has already started changing how people interact with their smartphones. Touchless Control, Motorola's sophisticated voice control system, enables your Moto X to respond to your voice so you can check the weather, get directions, or do just about anything without lifting a finger. With Touchless Control people use Google Now as much as three times as often. Motorola's Quick Capture enables you to launch your Moto X's camera with two quick twists of your wrist so you never miss the perfect moment, and it's encouraging Moto X users to take as many as 30% more photographs. And Moto X users are interacting with Active Display on average eighteen times a day, thus lighting up their screens less often, and enabling Moto X's already great battery life to stretch even longer.
All of these experiences are built on a foundation of pure Android with no skins to slow you down, clutter your phone or get between you and Google's best-in-class mobile services. And because you've told us that having the latest software is important to you, Moto X will come with Android 4.4 KitKat right out of the box. Altogether, touches like these have helped Moto X make nearly 20 "best of 2013" lists.
Now, with Moto X, smartphone buyers in the UK, France and Germany have two great Motorola devices to choose from. Prices for Moto X start from £25 per month in the UK and €399 in Europe. Click here for more information on pricing and carriers in Europe.
Since its global launch Moto X has already started changing how people interact with their smartphones. Touchless Control, Motorola's sophisticated voice control system, enables your Moto X to respond to your voice so you can check the weather, get directions, or do just about anything without lifting a finger. With Touchless Control people use Google Now as much as three times as often. Motorola's Quick Capture enables you to launch your Moto X's camera with two quick twists of your wrist so you never miss the perfect moment, and it's encouraging Moto X users to take as many as 30% more photographs. And Moto X users are interacting with Active Display on average eighteen times a day, thus lighting up their screens less often, and enabling Moto X's already great battery life to stretch even longer.
All of these experiences are built on a foundation of pure Android with no skins to slow you down, clutter your phone or get between you and Google's best-in-class mobile services. And because you've told us that having the latest software is important to you, Moto X will come with Android 4.4 KitKat right out of the box. Altogether, touches like these have helped Moto X make nearly 20 "best of 2013" lists.
Now, with Moto X, smartphone buyers in the UK, France and Germany have two great Motorola devices to choose from. Prices for Moto X start from £25 per month in the UK and €399 in Europe. Click here for more information on pricing and carriers in Europe.
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
Moto X now $399 everyday for everyone.
When we launched Moto X, our goal was to solve real consumer problems and give people refreshing new choices in the sea of smartphone sameness.
We heard from people that they wanted more control in how their phones looked, so we introduced the Moto Maker customization tool and made it available on all major carriers. That enabled our customers to choose from hundreds of color combinations and, for the first time, real bamboo backs. We heard that battery life was a major pain point, so we engineered Moto X to go all day long. And we heard that having the most current software was really important to our owners, so we made sure that Moto X was the first smartphone to upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat.
But we're not stopping there.
We've been hearing a lot recently from people who want a new premium smartphone at a reasonable price without having to wait for a contract upgrade. That came through especially loud and clear during our holiday flash sales.
So from today forward we're offering Moto X at an everyday starting price of just $399 on any major US carrier, without a contract. This includes customized devices.
Today several wireless carriers offer good month-to-month or prepaid service plans that cost much less than the contract plans that come with subsidized devices. Combine one of those plans with our new $399 everyday pricing and you could save hundreds of dollars over two years while keeping the freedom to change service providers when you feel like it. We can even help you finance your purchase* so you pay monthly for your contract-free Moto X.
Because you should have the freedom to buy a great device when you want, without chaining yourself down.
Happy new year!
Rick Osterloh
Senior Vice President - Product Management
*$0 down and zero Interest on all purchases if paid within 6, 12, or 18 months. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.
We heard from people that they wanted more control in how their phones looked, so we introduced the Moto Maker customization tool and made it available on all major carriers. That enabled our customers to choose from hundreds of color combinations and, for the first time, real bamboo backs. We heard that battery life was a major pain point, so we engineered Moto X to go all day long. And we heard that having the most current software was really important to our owners, so we made sure that Moto X was the first smartphone to upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat.
But we're not stopping there.
We've been hearing a lot recently from people who want a new premium smartphone at a reasonable price without having to wait for a contract upgrade. That came through especially loud and clear during our holiday flash sales.
So from today forward we're offering Moto X at an everyday starting price of just $399 on any major US carrier, without a contract. This includes customized devices.
Today several wireless carriers offer good month-to-month or prepaid service plans that cost much less than the contract plans that come with subsidized devices. Combine one of those plans with our new $399 everyday pricing and you could save hundreds of dollars over two years while keeping the freedom to change service providers when you feel like it. We can even help you finance your purchase* so you pay monthly for your contract-free Moto X.
Because you should have the freedom to buy a great device when you want, without chaining yourself down.
Happy new year!
Rick Osterloh
Senior Vice President - Product Management
*$0 down and zero Interest on all purchases if paid within 6, 12, or 18 months. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
The Download: Moto G Gets Android 4.4.2, KitKat, in Record Time! And more.
We don’t know about you, but over the past few weeks we’ve had visions of KitKats dancing in our heads. We’re excited to tell you we’re starting to roll out Android 4.4.2, KitKat—the very latest version—TODAY on Moto G!
What better way to kick off The Download—a regular feature that gives you the scoop on the many software updates we are rapidly cranking out. In addition to the roll out of KitKat on Moto G, our software team has been busy as elves in a workshop shipping new features for you.
Here’s the latest Download, issue 1:
Android KitKat Comes to Moto G - Our KitKat family is expanding! When we launched Moto G last month, we committed to delivering Android, KitKat, to devices by early 2014. We are thrilled to start delivering on that promise early. Starting today, we are rolling out Android 4.4.2 to Moto G phones bought on Motorola.com or Amazon.com in the U.S. KitKat will come to other Moto G carriers and regions soon as well. This latest version of Android brings some cool new features, including printing emails and photos from your phone. Read our release notes for detailed information.
This update continues our effort to get our users the latest Android software as fast as humanly possible. We began by pushing KitKat out to Moto X users on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, just weeks after Google announced the new OS—and our most recent expansion over the past few weeks includes Moto X on US Cellular and Sprint and DROID ULTRA, DROID MAXX, and DROID MINI. We also started to roll out the software in Brazil for retail devices. More carriers and regions will follow very soon.
For more information on KitKat and deployment on Motorola devices, check out our software upgrades page.
Enhanced Touchless Control - With our latest update to this feature, customers who use a device PIN to lock their phone can use Touchless Control without entering the PIN first. Don’t worry—no personal information is divulged without a PIN. And, you can also use your voice to enter your PIN. Go to the Google Play Store for more information.
Spreading Holiday Cheer - We’re getting into the holiday spirit! Turn your Moto X running KitKat off and on—and experience a little cheer with our new start-up animation. For those with a Moto G, download the Motorola Boot Services application from the Google Play Store to take part in the animated holiday tidings.
More Camera Goodness for Moto G and DROID - We’re taking the latest Camera features on Moto X on KitKat and making them available for Moto G, DROID MINI, DROID MAXX, and DROID ULTRA. This brings some enhancements photographers will love—such as Drag to Focus and Expose (manual exposure and focus with just a touch), locking exposure during Panoramic shots, and additional language support. Check out the Google Play Store for more information.
Improved Active Display - We’ve squashed some bugs! Active Display—battery-friendly notifications that fade in and out when the phone display is off—is now optimized for KitKat and works better than ever. It’s all part of our mission to listen to our users and iterate quickly. Go to the Google Play Store for more information.
More Kernel Sources! - Over the last few weeks, we released the Android 4.3, Jelly Bean kernel source for Moto G, and yesterday we released Android 4.4, KitKat kernel source for Moto X. Enjoy your custom ROMs!
The Download - Yeah, that is pretty recursive if you ask me. But our last big feature is a regular software blog which provides you with the latest on all the cool, shiny, new features and upgrades that are headed your way. Subscribe in the upper right column to stay up to date on the latest.
The last few months have been quite a wild ride. We are working hard to continually improve the experience on Motorola devices and look forward to hearing from you. Your feedback will be heard and acted on. Feel free to comment here or on our profiles on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook.
Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management
Here’s the latest Download, issue 1:
Android KitKat Comes to Moto G - Our KitKat family is expanding! When we launched Moto G last month, we committed to delivering Android, KitKat, to devices by early 2014. We are thrilled to start delivering on that promise early. Starting today, we are rolling out Android 4.4.2 to Moto G phones bought on Motorola.com or Amazon.com in the U.S. KitKat will come to other Moto G carriers and regions soon as well. This latest version of Android brings some cool new features, including printing emails and photos from your phone. Read our release notes for detailed information.
This update continues our effort to get our users the latest Android software as fast as humanly possible. We began by pushing KitKat out to Moto X users on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, just weeks after Google announced the new OS—and our most recent expansion over the past few weeks includes Moto X on US Cellular and Sprint and DROID ULTRA, DROID MAXX, and DROID MINI. We also started to roll out the software in Brazil for retail devices. More carriers and regions will follow very soon.
For more information on KitKat and deployment on Motorola devices, check out our software upgrades page.
Enhanced Touchless Control - With our latest update to this feature, customers who use a device PIN to lock their phone can use Touchless Control without entering the PIN first. Don’t worry—no personal information is divulged without a PIN. And, you can also use your voice to enter your PIN. Go to the Google Play Store for more information.
Spreading Holiday Cheer - We’re getting into the holiday spirit! Turn your Moto X running KitKat off and on—and experience a little cheer with our new start-up animation. For those with a Moto G, download the Motorola Boot Services application from the Google Play Store to take part in the animated holiday tidings.
More Camera Goodness for Moto G and DROID - We’re taking the latest Camera features on Moto X on KitKat and making them available for Moto G, DROID MINI, DROID MAXX, and DROID ULTRA. This brings some enhancements photographers will love—such as Drag to Focus and Expose (manual exposure and focus with just a touch), locking exposure during Panoramic shots, and additional language support. Check out the Google Play Store for more information.
Improved Active Display - We’ve squashed some bugs! Active Display—battery-friendly notifications that fade in and out when the phone display is off—is now optimized for KitKat and works better than ever. It’s all part of our mission to listen to our users and iterate quickly. Go to the Google Play Store for more information.
More Kernel Sources! - Over the last few weeks, we released the Android 4.3, Jelly Bean kernel source for Moto G, and yesterday we released Android 4.4, KitKat kernel source for Moto X. Enjoy your custom ROMs!
The Download - Yeah, that is pretty recursive if you ask me. But our last big feature is a regular software blog which provides you with the latest on all the cool, shiny, new features and upgrades that are headed your way. Subscribe in the upper right column to stay up to date on the latest.
The last few months have been quite a wild ride. We are working hard to continually improve the experience on Motorola devices and look forward to hearing from you. Your feedback will be heard and acted on. Feel free to comment here or on our profiles on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook.
Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Disney Legend Glen Keane Joins Motorola’s Spotlight Stories
To animate means to bring to life.
Glen Keane’s work seems larger than life. As the creator and animator of beloved Disney characters such as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan, Glen has drawn more than figures on a screen. He has made the stories and characters of our childhoods. He gave us imaginary friends, admired heroines, misfits in search of understanding, and at least a Halloween costume or two.
At Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, we believe in the power of storytelling, so we’re building new stories made specifically for mobile. Not stories made for the big screen but shown on a small one. Not flat content. We’re building interactive, immersive stories made for your smartphone.
So we’re excited to announce that Glen—the artist behind so many classics—is working with us to push the future of animation with an original Spotlight Story.
Expected to release the middle of 2014, in this third Motorola Spotlight Story, Glen is going back to the drawing board. Literally. Together with the engineers who unlocked the graphics technology that made our first Spotlight Story, Windy Day, possible on the Moto X, we’re pushing new edges. The raw emotion of the hand-drawn line brought to life in our technological world. And yours.
What will happen when a master animator of the big screen jumps to an innovative, mobile canvas? We’re excited to see.
Posted by Baback Elmieh, Technical Program Lead, Advanced Technologies and Project (ATAP)
Glen Keane’s work seems larger than life. As the creator and animator of beloved Disney characters such as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan, Glen has drawn more than figures on a screen. He has made the stories and characters of our childhoods. He gave us imaginary friends, admired heroines, misfits in search of understanding, and at least a Halloween costume or two.
At Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, we believe in the power of storytelling, so we’re building new stories made specifically for mobile. Not stories made for the big screen but shown on a small one. Not flat content. We’re building interactive, immersive stories made for your smartphone.
So we’re excited to announce that Glen—the artist behind so many classics—is working with us to push the future of animation with an original Spotlight Story.
Expected to release the middle of 2014, in this third Motorola Spotlight Story, Glen is going back to the drawing board. Literally. Together with the engineers who unlocked the graphics technology that made our first Spotlight Story, Windy Day, possible on the Moto X, we’re pushing new edges. The raw emotion of the hand-drawn line brought to life in our technological world. And yours.
What will happen when a master animator of the big screen jumps to an innovative, mobile canvas? We’re excited to see.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
A phone as unique as you: Now Featuring Bamboo for Moto X
You’re different. You go against the grain. So you need a phone that’s as unique as you are. That phone is here. Introducing Moto X with Bamboo.
We’ve always had fun experimenting with different materials in our devices. From DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) to aircraft-grade aluminum, we love to push the envelope and bring you quality materials that have a meaningful purpose or unique sense of style. Bamboo represents new territory for the smartphone industry and expands the thousands of customization options available via Moto Maker. Since each back is made from real Bamboo, no two devices will ever be the same - it’s truly a smartphone as unique as you are.
Starting now, the Bamboo back option is available online for January delivery. Initial quantities are limited, so order yours today. And because it’s designed by you, you still have all the great customization features offered through Moto Maker. Choose your accent and front colors, memory, even include a custom signature on your bamboo back. Then choose your carrier -- Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile.
Moto X with Bamboo will be available online only*, for $199 with a new two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, or unlocked with no contract for as little as $0 down with special financing terms.**
Moto Maker provides new and unique design opportunities that enable self-expression like never before, so stay tuned for more design options and materials in the new year.
Additional questions? Visit our FAQ.
Posted by Lior Ron, CVP Product Management
*Not available for use with Moto Maker redemption PINs purchased in-store
**$0 down and zero Interest on all purchases if paid within 6, 12, or 18 months. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.
Subject to credit approval. Deferred Interest Minimum Payment Required Promotional Plan: Interest will be charged to your account (at the standard variable apr 28.99%) from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a late payment. Minimum monthly payments are required for this plan during the promotional period. At no time will the minimum monthly payment be less than $25.00. Minimum Interest charged is $2.00 per credit plan. Required minimum $549 pre-tax purchase for the 18 month credit plan. Motorola Credit Accounts are offered by Comenity Capital Bank who determines qualifications for credit and promotion eligibility. US residents only. Not valid on previous purchase.
We’ve always had fun experimenting with different materials in our devices. From DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) to aircraft-grade aluminum, we love to push the envelope and bring you quality materials that have a meaningful purpose or unique sense of style. Bamboo represents new territory for the smartphone industry and expands the thousands of customization options available via Moto Maker. Since each back is made from real Bamboo, no two devices will ever be the same - it’s truly a smartphone as unique as you are.
Starting now, the Bamboo back option is available online for January delivery. Initial quantities are limited, so order yours today. And because it’s designed by you, you still have all the great customization features offered through Moto Maker. Choose your accent and front colors, memory, even include a custom signature on your bamboo back. Then choose your carrier -- Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile.
Moto X with Bamboo will be available online only*, for $199 with a new two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, or unlocked with no contract for as little as $0 down with special financing terms.**
Moto Maker provides new and unique design opportunities that enable self-expression like never before, so stay tuned for more design options and materials in the new year.
Additional questions? Visit our FAQ.
Posted by Lior Ron, CVP Product Management
*Not available for use with Moto Maker redemption PINs purchased in-store
**$0 down and zero Interest on all purchases if paid within 6, 12, or 18 months. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.
Subject to credit approval. Deferred Interest Minimum Payment Required Promotional Plan: Interest will be charged to your account (at the standard variable apr 28.99%) from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a late payment. Minimum monthly payments are required for this plan during the promotional period. At no time will the minimum monthly payment be less than $25.00. Minimum Interest charged is $2.00 per credit plan. Required minimum $549 pre-tax purchase for the 18 month credit plan. Motorola Credit Accounts are offered by Comenity Capital Bank who determines qualifications for credit and promotion eligibility. US residents only. Not valid on previous purchase.
Tuesday, December 03, 2013
Our 2-Day Holiday sale is almost here.
We’re eager to tell you more about our Moto Maker holiday price promotion (formerly known as Cyber Monday deal). This week we’ve put a lot of work into designing a simple sale that avoids rushed checkouts and frantic phone selection, so that you can take your time customizing your Moto X without racing against the clock.
Here’s how it will work:
At 12 pm EST Wednesday (12/4) and again at 12 pm EST next Monday (12/9), a customized Moto X will be $150 off the no-contract price. You’ll also get 30% off select accessories—including cases, headphones, and wireless products—when you use the promo code THANKS. We have bumped up the number of sale devices available. The promotion will last as long as quantities are available each day.
Here’s what you do:
Follow our Twitter, G+, and Facebook for the latest on the sale.
*Shipping times are subject to parts availability.
Here’s how it will work:
At 12 pm EST Wednesday (12/4) and again at 12 pm EST next Monday (12/9), a customized Moto X will be $150 off the no-contract price. You’ll also get 30% off select accessories—including cases, headphones, and wireless products—when you use the promo code THANKS. We have bumped up the number of sale devices available. The promotion will last as long as quantities are available each day.
Here’s what you do:
- Go to motorola.com/holiday2daysale and register for the promotion starting at noon EST on the two sale days. You will know right away if quantities are still available.
- Once registered, you will be emailed a promo code within a few hours. This code is active for one week.
- Go to Moto Maker and design your phone within the one week window (take your time and have fun!).
- At checkout, enter your one-time promo code to receive $150 off the no-contract price in the shopping cart. (Your code only works once and for one phone.)
- Submit your order to get rocking with your custom Moto X in time for the holidays. Moto Maker will provide an estimated delivery date while you design your product and again at checkout. You will also receive an email when we start assembling your device as well as when it ships.*
Follow our Twitter, G+, and Facebook for the latest on the sale.
*Shipping times are subject to parts availability.
Monday, December 02, 2013
We owe you an apology.
I want to apologize to our customers and fans for the issues we experienced on our website with our Cyber Monday promotion. I want you to understand what happened, and what we are doing to rectify the situation.
First, we misjudged the overwhelming consumer demand for Moto X, which was far greater than we expected.
Second, our pre-sale site testing was not sufficiently extensive. Testing failed to reveal weaknesses caused by large volumes of concurrent orders flowing through the MotoMaker customization engine.
Thus, when we opened the promotion this morning, an extraordinary spike in concurrent orders caused our website to go down. We couldn’t fulfill orders. The site became unstable. While some orders were filled, many customers tried all day to place their orders, unsuccessfully. Customers were left frustrated.
We have since found a solution that we believe addresses the concurrent order issue. Motorolans are hard at work right now, implementing that solution.
Here is what we are going to do: Starting at 12 pm EST/9 am PST this Wednesday, we will relaunch the $349 promotion. To help make up for this major inconvenience to shoppers, we will also add an additional promotional day on Monday, December 9. We will double the quantity of phones available, while supplies last, to allow as many people as possible to take advantage of the promotion. We’re also extending the 30% off offer on accessories to these two days.
Please note that MotoMaker.com will open up for regular business tomorrow (Tuesday, December 3). We will stay the course on our regular sales as we restore our promotional prices for Wednesday and Monday.
Stay tuned to our Twitter, G+ and Facebook pages for more updates. We understand people want frequent communications from us so we will do a better job at keeping you informed.
On behalf of all Motorolans, I apologize for what occurred today. I appreciate your understanding as we get this fixed in time for Wednesday and Monday.
Posted by Dennis Woodside, CEO
Thursday, November 21, 2013
You Asked, We Listened: Announcing Changes to Our Developer Edition Program
At Motorola, we’re focused on delivering the best Android experiences and the best of Google services. Over this past year, we’ve worked very hard to create ways for users to express themselves using their mobile devices. Customers who purchase Developer Edition devices want the flexibility to take this even further and tinker with the operating system. This may include creating and flashing a custom build of Android or porting one from an enthusiast community. Up until now, when a customer requested a bootloader unlock code we would void the warranty for that Developer Edition device.
We are excited to support the developer and enthusiast communities by making two key changes to the Developer Edition program:
For customers who have previously purchased a 2012 or 2013 Developer Edition device directly from Motorola and who have requested a bootloader unlock code, we will reinstate the warranty effective from the date of original purchase. (You’ll recognize these models because they come with a printed “Developer Edition” across the back and include the Moto X DE (for GSM networks), Moto X DE (for Verizon), and Droid Maxx DE (Verizon).)
In addition, recovery images (as shipped from the factory) will be posted here. A developer or enthusiast can use this image to restore their device to run with its original factory software.
We hope that you like these changes. Keep telling us what you think (you can use the comments section below or participate in one of the many G+ forums such as Moto X).
We strongly believe in the developer and enthusiast communities and intend to keep making changes to better support them.
Posted by Punit Soni, Software Product Management
We are excited to support the developer and enthusiast communities by making two key changes to the Developer Edition program:
- Requesting an unlock code will no longer void the device’s warranty
- We will start posting return-to-factory software images
For customers who have previously purchased a 2012 or 2013 Developer Edition device directly from Motorola and who have requested a bootloader unlock code, we will reinstate the warranty effective from the date of original purchase. (You’ll recognize these models because they come with a printed “Developer Edition” across the back and include the Moto X DE (for GSM networks), Moto X DE (for Verizon), and Droid Maxx DE (Verizon).)
In addition, recovery images (as shipped from the factory) will be posted here. A developer or enthusiast can use this image to restore their device to run with its original factory software.
We hope that you like these changes. Keep telling us what you think (you can use the comments section below or participate in one of the many G+ forums such as Moto X).
We strongly believe in the developer and enthusiast communities and intend to keep making changes to better support them.
Posted by Punit Soni, Software Product Management
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Update 3: Some Sweet News: KitKat Comes to Moto X First on Verizon Wireless; Now on T-Mobile, AT&T
Our software team has been hard at work bringing the latest version of Android to our Moto X users more quickly than ever. When it came to KitKat, we couldn’t wait to deliver. Our software strategy is to build on a pure Android foundation and complement existing Google services, not compete with them. We think this latest release is just that—all the features you love about your Moto X with the latest Android OS.
The KitKat update brings a bunch of improvements, including some of our favorites:
- An improved phone dialer. Now you can search for contacts directly from the dial-pad and easily see and tap on those you contact frequently.
- More gallery goodies. KitKat packs in some cool, new gallery effects—such as Posterize, Highlights, and Edges. You can even use the Draw feature to annotate your photos freehand with your finger.
- New Hangouts app. All of your conversations now in one place—texts, video calls, and other chats all together in one app. Plus, you can now send animated gifs and share your location.
- Color Emoji. For when words aren’t enough, the Google Keyboard now includes colorful characters to send in text messages and other communications.
- Drag to focus and expose. An updated camera app lets you control both the focus and exposure of your photos. Simply drag your finger to set just the right exposure and focus point.
- And more… Restyled status and navigation bars, new full-screen mode, and enhancements to Motorola features like Touchless Control.
And this is just the beginning -- we will have more KitKat for Moto X news to share on other carriers and countries very soon.
For more details and information, please see our release notes or check our software upgrade page.
Updated November 21, 2013
KitKat is now rolling out to Moto X users on T-Mobile.
Updated November 22, 2013
KitKat is now rolling out to Moto X users on AT&T.
Updated December 12, 2013
KitKat is now rolling out to Moto X users on Sprint and US Cellular.
Posted by Steve Horowitz, SVP Software Engineering
Monday, November 11, 2013
Moto X Brings the Gift of Choice to All Major U.S. Carriers For the Holidays
From your clothes to your car, you express your personal style. Why should your smartphone be any different?
Moto X, the first smartphone designed by you and assembled in the USA, is now available for customization on all major U.S. carriers including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T.
Just in time for the holidays, you can now choose to add a custom phrase to the back of your Moto X. With fiber laser technology, you can sign your design like never before. Show your team spirit, sport your nickname or give a gift with the ultimate personal touch by adding this free feature when you customize your Moto X on Moto Maker.
Using our online studio, Moto Maker, you can customize your device inside and out. Select your front, back and accent colors, choose memory, add accessories and more. Using 3D beta, a new feature that uses WebGL* technology, spin, zoom, and explore every angle of your uniquely designed phone before it’s ever assembled. Go on...give it a try.
And the best part? For a limited time, Moto X will be available for the promotional price of $99.99 with a new two-year contract from participating carriers. See here for details.
Coming soon, your Moto X will get even sweeter with Android 4.4 KitKat. Stay up to date on the latest upgrade information on our support site.
Now, show us your style!
*3D Beta is best viewed with Google Chrome. Don’t worry, if you haven’t yet upgraded our responsive design for mobile, tablet, and other browser platforms will continue to work in standard mode.
WebGL is not supported by all browsers and requires a capable graphics card with updated drivers. Mac and PC platforms are only supported at this time. For a full list of WebGL capable browsers, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebGL#Desktop_browsers. To test your browser now, visit http://get.webgl.org/
Moto X, the first smartphone designed by you and assembled in the USA, is now available for customization on all major U.S. carriers including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T.
Just in time for the holidays, you can now choose to add a custom phrase to the back of your Moto X. With fiber laser technology, you can sign your design like never before. Show your team spirit, sport your nickname or give a gift with the ultimate personal touch by adding this free feature when you customize your Moto X on Moto Maker.
And the best part? For a limited time, Moto X will be available for the promotional price of $99.99 with a new two-year contract from participating carriers. See here for details.
Coming soon, your Moto X will get even sweeter with Android 4.4 KitKat. Stay up to date on the latest upgrade information on our support site.
Now, show us your style!
*3D Beta is best viewed with Google Chrome. Don’t worry, if you haven’t yet upgraded our responsive design for mobile, tablet, and other browser platforms will continue to work in standard mode.
WebGL is not supported by all browsers and requires a capable graphics card with updated drivers. Mac and PC platforms are only supported at this time. For a full list of WebGL capable browsers, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebGL#Desktop_browsers. To test your browser now, visit http://get.webgl.org/
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Introducing Motorola Spotlight Stories™ - Storytelling Designed for Smartphones
Smart phones have become deeply personal devices, indispensable in our lives. Storytelling is the most timeless and human of activities. Yet the stories that live on our mobile phones are mostly adapted from other media -- like TV shows, movies and books -- merely shrunk down to a smaller screen. Why is that? We decided to change it. So, we created a new way of telling stories, one designed specifically for smartphones, where the capabilities of the device are part of the experience itself.
Together with our team of Motorola engineers and Oscar-winning director Jan Pinkava, we’re happy to announce the debut of Windy Day, the first immersive, interactive story made for mobile phones, launched using a first-of-its-kind storytelling platform called Motorola Spotlight Stories.
Motorola Spotlight Stories aren’t games, movies or videos. They’re different. New. Here’s how some of our first audience members reacted when they saw Windy Day for the first time:
When the first Android phone came out almost five years ago, it had roughly the same graphics computation performance as a Nintendo Gameboy Advance, which came out five years before that. Since then, the performance improvement of mobile processors has been astonishing. The graphics chipset on the Moto X has 600 times the computation capability of that first Android device, and next year mobile graphics processors will surpass the computation capabilities of video game consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Where is all that graphics power going? When we measured it, we found that outside of a few graphically advanced apps and games, it’s barely being used. It was a graphics-processing treasure chest hidden in plain sight.
So, we decided to make something new.
We tuned the Moto X so that, even in the most stressful user-interface conditions, up to 60% of its graphics capability is accessible. We took advantage of that access to build a powerful creative canvas for storytellers, incorporating a real-time 3D graphics engine, an advanced rendering technique from Pixar called OpenSubdiv, and sensor algorithms adapted from the landing systems of interplanetary spacecraft. Really.
We invited some of the best storytellers of our generation to paint something on this canvas. Jan Pinkava, the Oscar-winning director of Geri’s Game and co-director of Ratatouille, Oscar-winning producer Karen Dufilho, animator and Academy Award nominee Doug Sweetland, Caldecott-winning illustrator Jon Klassen, veteran animator Mark Oftedal, composer Scot Stafford and artists from eight different countries joined us to build the first Motorola Spotlight Story: Windy Day. It’s our gift to you. We hope it makes you smile.
Motorola Spotlight Stories are featured exclusively on the Moto X. Stay tuned for more, because we are continuing to work with award-winning storytellers. There are a lot more stories to tell.
Watch what happened when one of our own product managers, Kevin, showed Windy Day to his 2-year-old son—then check out Windy Day for yourself.
Baback Elmieh
Advanced Technologies and Project (ATAP) Technical Program Lead
Visit our Tumblr page to stay up to date with future Stories and further information on the technical achievements.
Together with our team of Motorola engineers and Oscar-winning director Jan Pinkava, we’re happy to announce the debut of Windy Day, the first immersive, interactive story made for mobile phones, launched using a first-of-its-kind storytelling platform called Motorola Spotlight Stories.
Motorola Spotlight Stories aren’t games, movies or videos. They’re different. New. Here’s how some of our first audience members reacted when they saw Windy Day for the first time:
When the first Android phone came out almost five years ago, it had roughly the same graphics computation performance as a Nintendo Gameboy Advance, which came out five years before that. Since then, the performance improvement of mobile processors has been astonishing. The graphics chipset on the Moto X has 600 times the computation capability of that first Android device, and next year mobile graphics processors will surpass the computation capabilities of video game consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Where is all that graphics power going? When we measured it, we found that outside of a few graphically advanced apps and games, it’s barely being used. It was a graphics-processing treasure chest hidden in plain sight.
So, we decided to make something new.
We tuned the Moto X so that, even in the most stressful user-interface conditions, up to 60% of its graphics capability is accessible. We took advantage of that access to build a powerful creative canvas for storytellers, incorporating a real-time 3D graphics engine, an advanced rendering technique from Pixar called OpenSubdiv, and sensor algorithms adapted from the landing systems of interplanetary spacecraft. Really.
We invited some of the best storytellers of our generation to paint something on this canvas. Jan Pinkava, the Oscar-winning director of Geri’s Game and co-director of Ratatouille, Oscar-winning producer Karen Dufilho, animator and Academy Award nominee Doug Sweetland, Caldecott-winning illustrator Jon Klassen, veteran animator Mark Oftedal, composer Scot Stafford and artists from eight different countries joined us to build the first Motorola Spotlight Story: Windy Day. It’s our gift to you. We hope it makes you smile.
Motorola Spotlight Stories are featured exclusively on the Moto X. Stay tuned for more, because we are continuing to work with award-winning storytellers. There are a lot more stories to tell.
Watch what happened when one of our own product managers, Kevin, showed Windy Day to his 2-year-old son—then check out Windy Day for yourself.
Baback Elmieh
Advanced Technologies and Project (ATAP) Technical Program Lead
Visit our Tumblr page to stay up to date with future Stories and further information on the technical achievements.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Hey, New York: Moto Tweet Fleet to the Rescue
At Motorola, the kinds of things we obsess over are answering real people’s needs and unlocking the power of personal, customized interactions.
Then we got to thinking: Why should we stop at device experiences?
So we’re rolling out a new social experiment to take customer support to a completely new level: the Moto Tweet Fleet. It’s a roving troupe of Motorola ambassadors that leverages public hyper-local data on Twitter to rush to your rescue in real time when you need help.
We’ve all been there: Your battery is dead. You’re lost and frustrated. You’re hungry and cranky. Whatever it is, the friendly fleet is ready to come give a hand. While you’re with the fleet, you can even meet our new Moto X and customize your own using the Moto Maker online studio.
We’re starting with a beta program in neighborhoods throughout New York City and hope to expand to Chicago next. If you’re in New York, all you have to do is tweet at @MotoTweetFleet between 11 a.m. ET and 7 p.m. ET daily. See you out there.
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