As a designer, there is this leap of faith that is hard to describe. You come up with a great idea. You know there is a need for it. And then it’s time to make it real, not only in the designing but in the engineering. The two have to come together.

When it came to designing the wood Moto X (what we now fondly know as the Natural Collection), we had to take that kind of leap. We looked to you, our consumers, for inspiration. We visited your homes and listened to your stories. You showed us what mattered to you and why.

We knew that allowing people to customize their phones with a variety of colors—bright, dark, shy, loud—their own accents, and a personalized message was an important step. But we wanted to create another choice that would make a really unique statement. Looking out into the market of black and white phones, we thought of designing something really different: a wood phone.



It was time for the leap. There were challenges to overcome to make our idea real. We had to:

• Design for uniqueness. Synthetic materials, like plastics, are purposefully created identical, so that technology like the antenna work every time. The beauty of wood is that it is a natural material, so every piece is gorgeously different. This meant we had to design the shape of the wood backs—as well as the technology inside—to work the same every time, regardless of the wood’s variation.
• Design to last. This organic material also needed to have the same durability that we create in synthetic materials. The shape and the design of both the wood backs and the casings became key to making the phone weather every day use—art as much as science.
• Design for choice. Underpinning the ability to choose a wood, leather, or color back was Moto Maker. Moto Maker is what would allow customers to choose exactly what they wanted. Beneath the clean website design was more than just code. We had to develop new software, workflows, and creative teams so people could see their designs online before ordering. Offering a personalized message on the back of the phone made it possible to create a totally one-of-a-kind device, but it also required new, automated equipment that had never been used before.

We moved into a shared space, an epicenter where all the leads could work together for the next 10 months. We were moving so fast and so fluidly that we needed to be able to tap on each other's shoulders to ask the most random (but ultimately important!) questions. Moto Maker was weaving our teams and company together in a completely new way to address the unique challenges of enabling you to choose from literally thousands of combinations.

The result?

The ability for the first time to express your style by choosing from first real wood—and now leather—phone backs, among other colors and customization. The backs are designed to be unique, just like you. The feel of the wood isn't slick and artificial. It's smooth but natural, intended to feel amazing and wear beautifully over time. It’s authentic and crafted. It’s not meant to be your standard mobile device.

As the co-creators of this phone, we’ve spent a long time designing. Now it’s your turn to design the rest. Take a leap. What Moto X are you?

Posted by Katie Morgenroth, Lead Industrial Designer

Ah, 2015. A fresh, new start. Maybe you want to get in better shape, be more organized, or multitask better. Or maybe none of those things sound right and you just want to slow it down. It’s up to you. Here are four ideas to help you choose a new you in the New Year.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and I, home alone.
Sat typing texts on my outdated phone.
After sending the last, I folded it closed.
Then laid my head down for a holiday doze.

As I lay sleeping, a sound in the distance.
I rushed to the door to offer assistance.
I looked all around me, and there in the snow.
A neatly wrapped box with a ribbon and bow.


I lifted the box and shook it with care.
Examined the label and read what was there.
“To Stephen, From Santa” was all that it said.
A wash of confusion, a scratch of my head.

It was then that I heard a voice from behind.
I whirled around quickly and who did I find?
A large, bearded man, I felt so perplexed.
Said the red-suited man, “How’s your new Moto X?”

Happy holidays from the Motorola family! However you choose to celebrate the holiday season this year, what we love is being able to celebrate in a way that fits you. We know that many of you use your phones to listen to music, and so in the spirit of the season, we put together a holiday playlist to play on your phones.

Take a listen to our full Spotify playlist here:



Just why do we love these songs so much? Hear from a few members of the team:

Kristin Arnold and Lexi Valasek from Consumer Research
“All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey
“I have only one holiday song I like, and I like it a lot. I could listen to it on repeat forever and skip all other holiday songs (seriously, if there was radio station that played only this song on repeat from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I'd listen). Something about this song just makes me smile.”

Michelle Gatsuo from Product Management
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan
“It gives me a warm feeling of holiday spirit which is playful and joyful! This pop rendition combines many traditional holiday songs into one single song. I love both bands and together the harmony of voices is absolutely outstanding.”

Lally Narwal from Product Marketing, and David Schuster from Product Management
“Chanukah Song,” Adam Sandler
“Can't go wrong with Adam. Why? For years I wondered about Harrison Ford's ethnic background. Thanks to Adam, I now know he is a 1/4 Jewish… not too shabby. It’s also a light hearted look at the holiday season and brings a smile to my face.”

Dickon Isaacs from Design
“Decoration Day” by Howlin Wolf
“I grew up in England in a house where my parents were huge fans of American jazz and blues. My dad managed the Marquee Club in London for a few years and during that time booked artists coming to the UK for the first time including Howlin Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson. Christmas was always a music-filled time at home, with this song always making it's way to the record player. Old blues, old vinyl and a warm crackling fire!”

Heather Dowdy from Product 
"What Christmas Means to Me" by Stevie Wonder
“It's a classic song that always brings a smile to my face. It reminds me of all the great memories I get to make with my closest loved ones during Christmas.”

Michael Jahnke, Consumer Experience Design
“Christmas in Hollis,” RUN-DMC; “The Little Drummer Boy,” Bing Crosby; “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” Band Aid
“From a classic duet between a Legend and a Space Oddity, a surprise Christmas rap hit for the whole family, and a genuine outpouring of hope from some of the decades biggest stars… these are the songs that say the most about what the holiday season is to me.”

Happy Holidays!

Posted by the Motorola Blog Team

You can admit it: You’re someone who loves everything about the holiday season. Christmas. Chanukah. Kwanzaa. All of it. You can’t get enough of the most wonderful time of the year.

Holiday lovers, we’ve got you: no matter which holiday you celebrate, your trusty phone offers a few ways to get you and yours in the holiday spirit:

SPOILER ALERT: If you’re reading this with someone who believes in Santa Claus, please tread lightly. Some of these suggestions reveal Santa’s secret identity. Please skip the first two ideas and jump right to “Bring on the Holiday Classics.”

LOL with Santa: Text with St. Nick
To believe in Santa Claus is exciting. To believe that you’re actually chatting one-on-one with the big guy— that’s enough to blow a kid’s mind. To put your little ones in touch with Santa, temporarily change the name of your significant other or a friend to “Santa Claus” in your phone’s contacts. Then, gather the kids and start a text exchange with St. Nick. Talk about gifts, reindeer, elves, Mrs. Claus, and more.

Follow Santa with the Santa Tracker App

So, if you’re one of those sensible people who keeps an eye on the ole bank account as you go through your list, there are other options. Here are a few ideas to mull over that will put a smile on a giftee’s face and yours, too.



Gift of Music