Tuesday, November 25, 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...
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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...
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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)...
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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...
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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...
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Cyber Monday Deal: Moto X (2nd gen.) starting at 1 cent for Verizon Customers, $140 Off for everyone else, plus 30% off accessories
This Black Friday we want you to stay home and chill. Kick back, digest your Thanksgiving meal, and maybe head over to Motorola.com and take Moto Maker for a spin.
Why?
On Monday, December 1 at 11am CST, we’re offering an off-contract Moto X (2nd gen.) starting at just $359. That’s $140 off the regular price. You read that right: we’re offering $140 off a Moto X and an additional 30% off any accessory you order along with it.
For Verizon Wireless customers, you can grab a new Moto X starting at one cent. (And you thought you’d never need the penny you saw glued to the sidewalk.)
How do you get in on it? On Monday at 11 am CST in the U.S. and at 2 am CST in the EU, simply start here to register. You will receive a confirmation email and then receive a unique promotional code to seal the deal. But don’t wait too long - you have to use the code by Monday 12/15 at 11:59 CST. That’s just 14 days.
Here are the details:
Happy Cyber Monday.
Why?
On Monday, December 1 at 11am CST, we’re offering an off-contract Moto X (2nd gen.) starting at just $359. That’s $140 off the regular price. You read that right: we’re offering $140 off a Moto X and an additional 30% off any accessory you order along with it.
For Verizon Wireless customers, you can grab a new Moto X starting at one cent. (And you thought you’d never need the penny you saw glued to the sidewalk.)
How do you get in on it? On Monday at 11 am CST in the U.S. and at 2 am CST in the EU, simply start here to register. You will receive a confirmation email and then receive a unique promotional code to seal the deal. But don’t wait too long - you have to use the code by Monday 12/15 at 11:59 CST. That’s just 14 days.
Here are the details:
- $140 off the price of an off-contract Moto X (2nd gen.).
- Moto X (2nd gen.) on Verizon Wireless starting at one cent. If a consumer signs up for a new account, has an eligible upgrade, or adds a line, they can get a 16gb Moto X for $.01, 32Gb for $50.01. Wood and leather available for an additional $25
- 30% off any accessories with the purchase of a Moto X (2nd gen.)*.
- Registration for the code is Mon, Dec. 1, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm CST OR while supplies last
- Codes must be redeemed by Monday 12/15 11:59 pm CST.
Happy Cyber Monday.
*excluding Chromecast
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Nice Gifts for Naughty Loved Ones
We know you wouldn’t put people on your “naughty” list for such trivial things, and coal is too harsh a gift for such friends. So allow us to suggest a few holiday gift ideas that may help tip things back toward nice:
The Friend: The Multitasker
You don’t know where you are in time or space when you’re with this friend. He’s answering emails, cooking dinner, vacuuming the floor, and tending to his dog pack all at once—and Lucky You becomes designated Phone Answerer, Stand-In Texter, Navigator, and general Keeper of the Phone.
The Gift: Moto Hint, a tiny and stylish wireless earbud, will let her use his phone while his hands are full, and save you from being drafted into duty as an emergency pack mule. (Using Hint with Moto X, he'll even be able to use his phone using his voice with Touchless Control or using gestures Voice Actions!)
The Friend: The Media Mogul
He loves music, video, and games—which would be fine if he weren’t always blaring it at top volume, even when other people (read: you and the whole entire restaurant) aren’t necessarily enjoying it as much as he is.
The Gift: Time to nip this in the bud. Literally. With stereo earbuds. In fact, you can get deals on great sounding Motorola wired and wireless earbuds and more with our two-day music sale, when all music products are 50% off.
The Friend: The Klutz
Everyday life is an extreme sport for this friend: She trips, bumbles, and fumbles her way through life, leaving a good-natured trail of destruction. She goes through glassware like Kleenex. Her smartphone seems to have a regular meeting with the pavement.
The Gift: A sturdy case cover should help keep that phone looking fresh, even if it takes the occasional fall. If he’s a real disaster-magnet, turn him on to Motorola’s Moto Care Accident Protection.
If his phone is past the point of no return, go for the trifecta: a new Motorola device with a case and Moto Care Accident Protection. It’s the best you can do short of covering him in bubble wrap.
The Friend: The Power User
She lives through her phone and she drives it to the very limit, using it to run every aspect of her life all day long. At the end of the day, she’s sweating bullets as her battery hits the red line.
The Gift: A portable Power Pack will keep her connected. She can even use it to charge two devices at once. If she doesn’t want to carry around a full size Power Pack, try the svelte Power Pack Slim, which will let her carry backup power right on her keychain.
The Friend: The Color Coordinator
His shirt, tie and socks all match. Always. Heaven forbid something clash with the color scheme of the day!
The Gift: Enter Moto G. It’s a powerful, affordable smartphone, and it features an available assortment of swappable accessory backs. So he can match his phone with the rest of the ensemble, whatever he chooses.
You don’t know where you are in time or space when you’re with this friend. He’s answering emails, cooking dinner, vacuuming the floor, and tending to his dog pack all at once—and Lucky You becomes designated Phone Answerer, Stand-In Texter, Navigator, and general Keeper of the Phone.
The Gift: Moto Hint, a tiny and stylish wireless earbud, will let her use his phone while his hands are full, and save you from being drafted into duty as an emergency pack mule. (Using Hint with Moto X, he'll even be able to use his phone using his voice with Touchless Control or using gestures Voice Actions!)
The Friend: The Media Mogul
He loves music, video, and games—which would be fine if he weren’t always blaring it at top volume, even when other people (read: you and the whole entire restaurant) aren’t necessarily enjoying it as much as he is.
The Gift: Time to nip this in the bud. Literally. With stereo earbuds. In fact, you can get deals on great sounding Motorola wired and wireless earbuds and more with our two-day music sale, when all music products are 50% off.
The Friend: The Klutz
Everyday life is an extreme sport for this friend: She trips, bumbles, and fumbles her way through life, leaving a good-natured trail of destruction. She goes through glassware like Kleenex. Her smartphone seems to have a regular meeting with the pavement.
The Gift: A sturdy case cover should help keep that phone looking fresh, even if it takes the occasional fall. If he’s a real disaster-magnet, turn him on to Motorola’s Moto Care Accident Protection.
If his phone is past the point of no return, go for the trifecta: a new Motorola device with a case and Moto Care Accident Protection. It’s the best you can do short of covering him in bubble wrap.
The Friend: The Power User
She lives through her phone and she drives it to the very limit, using it to run every aspect of her life all day long. At the end of the day, she’s sweating bullets as her battery hits the red line.
The Gift: A portable Power Pack will keep her connected. She can even use it to charge two devices at once. If she doesn’t want to carry around a full size Power Pack, try the svelte Power Pack Slim, which will let her carry backup power right on her keychain.
The Friend: The Color Coordinator
His shirt, tie and socks all match. Always. Heaven forbid something clash with the color scheme of the day!
The Gift: Enter Moto G. It’s a powerful, affordable smartphone, and it features an available assortment of swappable accessory backs. So he can match his phone with the rest of the ensemble, whatever he chooses.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Making a green workspace in a historic building
As creators of many products, environmental design choices and materials selection are hugely important to us. We are passionate about extending that same commitment to other areas of our business, so we were thrilled when the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) granted our new headquarters in Chicago’s historic Merchandise Mart their LEED Platinum Certification.
The highest level of certification, LEED Platinum means that when USGBC reviewed our 607,000-square-foot office space, it was able to award the maximum points for energy efficiency. As the Mart’s largest tenant we cover most of the top four floors and rooftop. Our 2,000 employees there work in a mix of spaces that include open-plan offices, seven cutting-edge engineering labs, and various multi-purpose spaces, like micro-kitchens, game rooms, and a theater.
The challenge was that the Mart was built in 1930, before energy efficiency was a pressing concern. When we designed and built our new workspace, we worked hard to ensure that it incorporated the latest advances in energy, lighting, and materials to provide a great work environment that was also environmentally friendly. We upgraded power management, lighting and HVAC infrastructure to the latest technology. Among Chicago’s 864 LEED certified projects, only 40 have earned Platinum, with our new home being the largest of all Platinum projects.
We’re very proud of our offices in the Mart, and we’re happy that the USGBC has recognized the work and care that went into making them an amazing workspace.
Posted by Bill Olson
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Moto X Film Experience: Bringing “Pure Imagination” to Life with Emmy Rossum
At Motorola, we celebrate the power to #choosechoice. This means the ability to make your own choices and the freedom to express yourself however you choose.
That’s why we created the Moto X Film Experience. We gave 12 filmmakers the chance to create something unique using a Moto X and the lyrics to “Pure Imagination” as recorded by actress Emmy Rossum. The filmmakers could interpret the lyrics however they liked and create whatever sort of video they wanted.
Following the theme, we used our imagination and went a step further. You, too, can create your own version by editing together the 11 videos into cool mashups.
(Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Motorola Mobility)
Last Thursday in LA, we recognized the filmmakers’ videos, awarding three of them cash prizes. Emmy was also on hand to speak to her role in the program.
Emmy Rossum helped announce the winners during the ceremony.
Nanea Miyata took first place, David Aslan was second, and JD Witherspoon won third. All films were made using the new Moto X, which features some serious camera goodness: a premium 13MP camera and 4K video capture, providing amazing detail and clarity. And it’s fast—you can launch the camera with two quick twists of the wrist. We hope these tools, along with the Moto X Film Experience, inspire more mobile phone users to get creative and make video content of their own.
This is a new program, so we’re excited to roll it out and to imagine the possibilities. Filmmakers and content creators interested in learning more about The Moto X Film Experience can email MotoFilmmakers@gmail.com.
Posted by Barbara Liss, Social Media
That’s why we created the Moto X Film Experience. We gave 12 filmmakers the chance to create something unique using a Moto X and the lyrics to “Pure Imagination” as recorded by actress Emmy Rossum. The filmmakers could interpret the lyrics however they liked and create whatever sort of video they wanted.
Following the theme, we used our imagination and went a step further. You, too, can create your own version by editing together the 11 videos into cool mashups.
Last Thursday in LA, we recognized the filmmakers’ videos, awarding three of them cash prizes. Emmy was also on hand to speak to her role in the program.
Nanea Miyata took first place, David Aslan was second, and JD Witherspoon won third. All films were made using the new Moto X, which features some serious camera goodness: a premium 13MP camera and 4K video capture, providing amazing detail and clarity. And it’s fast—you can launch the camera with two quick twists of the wrist. We hope these tools, along with the Moto X Film Experience, inspire more mobile phone users to get creative and make video content of their own.
This is a new program, so we’re excited to roll it out and to imagine the possibilities. Filmmakers and content creators interested in learning more about The Moto X Film Experience can email MotoFilmmakers@gmail.com.
Posted by Barbara Liss, Social Media
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Finding Your Phone With the New Motorola Keylink
Here’s a new solution: Motorola Keylink.
Keylink is a small device that you attach to your keychain. Using the Motorola Connect app on your phone, you can connect your keys to your phone in case either tends to wander off. * If your phone decides to play hide and seek with you, you can press a button on Keylink to make it ring up to 100 feet away. Or if your keys get a similar idea, you can use the Motorola Connect App to make Keylink ring.
The great thing is Keylink is compatible with Android and iOS devices. Simply download the Motorola Connect app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store today to get started.
The great thing is Keylink is compatible with Android and iOS devices. Simply download the Motorola Connect app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store today to get started.
If you own a Moto X (2nd gen.), Droid Turbo or a phone running Android 5.0, Lollipop, you can use your trusted device settings to enable the added ability to keep your phone unlocked when your keys are nearby. This way you don’t have to enter your password to use it. Just enable trusted devices by going into settings and then security.
The battery lasts upwards of a year and you can replace it with a coin cell battery found in any local drug or convenience store.
You can purchase one for $24.99 at Motorola.com and T-Mobile starting today.
*For Android phone it requires Android version 4.3 or later; for iOS phones it requires iOS version 7.1 or later. The Motorola Connect app (downloadable from the Google Play™ store or the Apple App store) and a compatible Bluetooth Smart device. Feature enabled for devices up to 100 feet apart.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Glen Keane on the Making of “Duet,” Now Available on Moto X and Moto G 4G LTE
Starting today, "Duet" is available
globally as Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group third Spotlight
Story on the new Moto X, Moto X (1st Gen.), and Moto G
4G LTE. "Duet" is an interactive love story that brings the
timeless art of hand-drawn animation to a new mobile format. Animator Glen Keane spent 38
years animating some of Disney's most beloved characters for movies like
"The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin, "Beauty and the Beast"
and "Tangled." Today, Glen Keane shares what it was like to work on
"Duet" in his own words. We hope you enjoy.
****
Duet is an interactive animated story. It is a synthesis of the most ground breaking virtual world technology and the most ancient of all art forms—drawing. From the beginning of this project we knew it would be a celebration of life through line. The entire production was a creative adventure. We are a small team of artists and programmers working together to accomplish the charge of ATAP’s Regina Dugan set before us. “I want you to make something beautiful and emotional,” she said. “You push yourself creatively and that will push us technologically.”Duet is a love story between two characters, Mia and Tosh, whose paths cross throughout their lives. Different than the traditional linear story, Duet employs a multi-layered approach that could best be described as a double helix in which the characters’ story arcs literally spiral around one another. Figuring all of this out was enough to make our collective heads spin! Fortunately we were blessed with an incredible ATAP team of technical engineers led by Rachid El Guerrab. The artistic half of our creative suite was led by our producer Gennie Rim and Production Designer Max Keane. Together, my assistant Sarah Airriess and I drew over 10,000 drawings to create the animation for Duet.
Again and again, we were surprised by the freedom this interactive storytelling provided. Jan Pinkava, who pioneered and directed the first Spotlight Story, “Windy Day”, continually encouraged us to put the camera into the hands of the audience. However this is not an easy or natural thing for a filmmaker to do. The tendency is to want to control the visual composition, but with Duet we learned to coax rather than control. Because of the nature of this virtual world technology there were no individual shots cut together. It is all one continuous living moment. I think of it less as a traditional film and more as a visual poem.
Our music composer, Scot Stafford, may have had the greatest challenge of all. Not only was he tasked with creating an emotional score, but it also needed to respond at any moment to the viewers' choice and seamlessly switch themes from one character to the other. Duet is in every way a partnership between the visual and the musical.
Throughout my 40 year career as an animator I have benefitted each time new technology crossed my path because it invariably forced me to become a better artist. In a similar way, Duet has stretched all of us creatively who worked on it.
We have learned that when it comes to storytelling, everything is possible. There still remains so much more to discover.
We are thrilled to share Duet with you today.
Glen Keane
Director / Animator of Duet
Editor's note: We made a mistake in earlier version of our blogpost when it said "Duet" would be supported on Moto G (2nd gen.). Unfortunately, that was incorrect. It is currently only supported on Moto X (1st and 2nd gen.) and Moto G 4G LTE. We're very sorry for getting that wrong.
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