The Official Motorola Blog

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Feel the #Motolove With Up to $140 Off Your Purchase at Motorola.com

Whether you eat all the caramels first, insist on dark chocolate only or pick through candy hearts for your favorites, how you enjoy Valentine’s Day is your choice. This year, we’re choosing to spread the love with a sweet deal.

Starting next Monday, February 2 at 11am CT, we’re offering a promo code* worth $140 off your purchase of $499.99 OR $50 off your purchase of $249.99 on Motorola.com. Pick your favorite Motorola devices and accessories, such as a new Moto X (2nd Gen.) and Moto 360, add them to your cart, and purchase before February 14.

If you miss that offer, you can still get a great deal. Spend $499.99 and get $100 off, or get $35 off a purchase of $249.99 — no promotion code needed. The same exclusions below apply and you’ll still need to complete purchase by 10:59 p.m. CT on Saturday, February 14.

How do you get in on it? Simply register here. Once you enter your contact information, we’ll email you a unique, one-time-use promotion code that can be redeemed no later than Saturday, February 14th at 10:59pm CST.

Here are the details*:

Register on Monday February 2, from 11am - 11:59pm CT for a code worth $140 off your pre-tax purchase of $499.99 OR $50 off a pre-tax purchase of $249.99.
You must use a shipping address within the U.S.
On Tuesday, February 3: $100 off $499.99 OR $35 off $249.99 site-wide.
Consumers have until until February 14 at 10:59pm CT to redeem.
This offer excludes Nexus 6, Moto X (2nd Gen.) on Republic Wireless, and the Extended Service Plan. Limit two devices among Moto X (2nd Gen.), Moto G (2nd Gen.), Moto G 4G LTE (1st Gen.), Moto E, and Moto 360. Promotions cannot be combined.

For more deals, company news, and fun, be sure to follow us on Google+, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. And in case you have questions about anything above, check out the FAQ.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Try spreading a little love around yourself with #Motolove.

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Monday, January 26, 2015

Motorola Returns to China Today - It Feels Good to Be Back

Today was a wonderful day for Motorola fans and employees in China. A day that we’ve imagined for more than two years, and have been waiting for since Lenovo acquired us nearly three months ago. Today we officially brought Motorola smartphones back to China.

Together with hundreds of fans and guests we celebrated the launch of Moto X, Moto X Pro, Moto G and Moto Hint in China. It was a thrill to have so many people welcome us back with such enthusiasm.

Working on the HR Team at Motorola for nearly 3.5 years, I’ve been lucky to be able to share my passion for the company and its mission and products. Today, I had the opportunity to see that same passion in longtime Chinese Motorola fans. Here are a few of my favorite moments.

Motorola president Rick Osterloh spoke to fans and guests about Motorola’s history in China, and how important it was to us to be back and bring our products to people here.

At several Experience Zones, fans could touch and try our latest generation of devices, explore all the things they can do, and see how we made things like Moto Voice work in Chinese.

In the Experience Zone, fans were invited to walk through a mock Moto lab, similar to our R&D labs in Chicago.

Earlier this month, fans in China were invited to choose their top color choices for Moto X. Today, Lenovo Mobile Business Group VP Zhang Hui revealed that turquoise was the color that got the most votes, and would be sold at a special price RMB 2,999.

It’s been great to see such amazing support at today’s launch event in Beijing. Being here for the return to my home country will always be one of my fondest Motorola memories.

Posted by Nicole Zhou, HR Manager, Beijing

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Meet the Craftsman Who Made a Moto X-inspired Bluetooth Gramophone (and Win One of His Speaker Blocks!)

Ryan Boase’s gramophone has elegant accents of walnut and white—just like his new Moto X. The restaurant-manager-turned-full-time-Etsy store owner recently designed this sleek new Bluetooth device inspired by his phone. Among the many other audio devices sold through his online store, Ryan’s gramophone combines the best worlds of old and new audio technology. It pipes tunes through a classic gramophone horn using Bluetooth technology. The result is a speaker beautiful enough for any party with the chops to pump out some tunes to get the crowd going.

We sat down with Ryan to learn more about his gramophone and how he came to make it.

What inspired you to make this product?
By 2011, I started seeing more and more people with smartphones, and one thing I noticed in particular was that they were using them to play music on. My flip phone had some songs on it, but these new phones had much improved speakers on them. I would see people playing music on their phones and instead of using headphones, they would just play music through the built-in speakers in the phone. At this point my wife had already upgraded and finally convinced me to upgrade too. I was amazed at how good the little built-in speaker was. I started tinkering in my garage looking for ways to amplify the speaker that was already built into the phone.

Can you tell us about how you designed the gramophone?

I started using musical instruments to amplify the speaker. I started by chopping damaged, unplayable trumpets, trombone, and French horns and using the bells of those instruments to make acoustic speakers. I then started looking for bigger and better ways to amplify the little speaker in the phones so I started using phonographs, gramophones, and tube radio horns. It originally started out as acoustic speakers, but phone models kept changing and with the introduction of so many tablets, I knew I needed something that could accommodate everything so I redesigned them into Bluetooth speakers.

How does your gramophone work?

These work on the same principle as a megaphone. Picture a football game where the cheerleader yells into the small end of a megaphone and it is amplified out through the large end.

Why combine a vintage gramophone horn from the '20s with modern technology?

There is something so intriguing about the mixing of technologies. I think that is why the steampunk culture is growing and why record players are making such a comeback. These speakers take modern music and give them a vintage feel. It is also really cool to listen to music from that era and feel like you are hearing it how they did.

You write on Etsy about how you made the device to match your Moto X! Why did you choose walnut and white for your phone and what did you think about when making the Bluetooth speaker to match?

I have been very drawn to Danish Mid-Century Modern furniture lately. With dressers and credenzas, it has been very popular to paint the trim white to contrast the wood drawers. I was excited to see the wood options for the new Moto X. I had to get the walnut and love how the white looks with it.

When I listened to a demo of your product, it sounded like the speaker has a vintage sound to it. Are there any special acoustics incorporated into your speaker and if yes, what were they?

Yes and no. There is nothing special that I am doing to these horns. I am using these horns the same way they were used 100 years ago. It is a very simple process. Music is going into the small end and it is being amplified out the big end. I am using modern technology to get the music to the horn, but it gets that vintage sound because it is being amplified the same way it was 100 years ago.

What's your favorite thing to play through the gramophone?

Etta James's "At Last" is always a go to when I am playing one for someone for the first time, but there are plenty of modern singers that sound amazing on these. One of my favorite songs to play is Lana del Rey's Video Games and Duffy sounds awesome too.

As I think about it, my smartphone really did change my life. I started making acoustic speakers which were inspired by my new phone. I put a couple online to see what people thought. An international publication found them and included them in an article and it blew up my little shop. Two weeks after the article hit, I had a wait list over 100 people long. I was able to quit my job as a restaurant manager two years ago, and this has been my full-time job ever since.

If you’re as inspired by Ryan’s work as we are, here’s your chance to win one of the SpeakerBlocks he created. Tweet your favorite song with the hashtag #MotoTunes for the chance to win starting at 1 p.m. CT.

Posted by the Motorola Blog Team

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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

10 Things To Do With Moto Hint That Might Surprise You

Editor’s Note: Emily Price is a freelance tech journalist in San Francisco. We invited her to share her experience using Moto Hint, a discreet wireless ear bud that can give you complete control over your phone.

Bluetooth headsets are typically bulky, uncomfortable and pretty dorky looking. I’ve steered clear of them for the most part, but when Motorola released Moto Hint a few months ago, I had to give it a try. When paired with my Moto X (2nd Gen.), the tiny headset is capable of doing some pretty awesome stuff. Here are a few of my favorite things to do with Hint.

Get the weather
The weather in San Francisco isn’t as easy as just knowing what season it is. One day can be warm and sunny, while the next makes you want to bundle up in your favorite winter wear. While I’m getting ready in the morning, I can ask Hint what the weather is outside and decide if I need to grab a hoodie before heading outdoors.

Listen to my schedule
My morning typically kicks off with a walk around my neighborhood with my dog. While I’m leashing him up I can have Hint give me a rundown of my schedule for the morning and find out whether I need to grab a jacket or umbrella for our stroll. By the time we’ve made it downstairs to head outside I already have a good feel for my day.

Directions while biking
If you’ve ever tried to bike and look at Google Maps for directions, you know it’s not easy. If you’re trying to bike around San Francisco and dodge taxis, street cars and enthusiastic entrepreneurs — it’s downright impossible. One of my favorite uses for Hint is getting turn-by-turn directions in my ear while biking around the city. It’s tons better than trying to bike wearing headphones (you can’t hear the road) or constantly looking down at your phone.

Play some tunes
I use Hint occasionally to listen to some tunes while I’m walking my dog or heading to my next meeting. Hint pulls music from YouTube, and I’ve found myself using it to play a tune I can’t get out of my head. The week before I went to see the Generationals play in San Francisco, Hint was pumping out their tunes daily.

Quick Google searches

I work from home, which means those questions you typically ask your coworkers? I ask them out loud to no one like a crazy person. With Hint, I can ask important questions like “What day is Christmas on this year?” and get an answer back instantly, without the need to pick up my phone or open another browser window in Chrome.

Easy texting
Texting is another thing I’ve really enjoyed doing with Hint. My Moto X can be charging across the room, and I can text friends about evening plans without having to touch my phone.

Answer calls without finding your phone

My phone typically lives in my purse or book bag when I’m out and about. With Hint, when a call comes in I can answer it without having to dig around in my bag and figure out where my phone is.

Easy call transitions
I’ve found myself reaching for Hint quite a bit at the end of the day. Around 6pm I’m often trying to cook dinner, which also happens to be when all my friends from back home decide they want to call and chat. With Hint, I can chat with friends while keeping my hands free for chopping veggies and even place calls myself without ever touching my phone.

Post to Facebook

Posting to Facebook using your voice isn't something you're probably going to do often, but it's a pretty killer feature. One day I remembered I needed to find someone to watch my dog Tucker the following weekend while I was at a wedding. From my bike, I posted a status message on Facebook asking if any of my friends can help out with the fur ball. By the time I got home, I already had a few messages.

Remind me to buy beer
I’m a huge craft beer fan. Unfortunately, my neighborhood doesn’t have a real good place to buy some of the brews I like to drink. With Hint, I can set a reminder to pick up some of the rare stuff when I’m downtown for meetings and near some better bottle shops.

Posted by Emily Price, Special to the Motorola Blog

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Friday, January 09, 2015

5 Out-Of-The Box Things You Can Do With Your New Moto 360

So you took the plunge and made the wise decision to buy a brand new Moto 360. And now? You look fantastic. You feel fantastic. Now let’s get you up and running with five cool things you can do with your Moto 360 right out of the box.

Step It Up

Keep track of how many steps you take each day with Moto Body on Moto 360. You can also compare those numbers at the end of each week, as well as track your progress against your weekly goal. The better you do, the harder Moto 360 will push you to take more steps by increasing your goals.

Wrist and Shout

With Moto 360 you can respond to a Google Hangout just by using your voice. Just swipe left when a message comes in, select “Reply,” and say what’s on your mind.

Say Cheese

When you open the camera on your Motorola phone, a “Take a Photo” card will appear on your Moto 360. You can set your phone up away from you and use your watch as a remote control trigger to shoot photos on your phone.

Make a Face

Moto 360 has amazing watch faces to choose from right out of the box. That said, you can make your own by using Motorola Connect on your phone and choosing the “My Design” watch face. You can choose a pic from your phone's photo gallery and customize the clock’s hands, accents, and tick marks. When you’re done, the new face will automatically sync to your Moto 360.

Block Party

If your phone is bursting at the seams with tons of cool apps, don’t worry—your Moto 360 doesn’t have to receive a notification for each one. You can choose which apps you want to see and which you’d like to hide. Simply open the Android Wear app on your phone, select “Settings,” then select “Block app notifications.” The apps you select won’t sync to your Moto 360. For some app notifications, you can even use your watch to swipe all the way to the left to block further notifications.

Posted by Lally Narwal, Product Marketing

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Friday, January 09, 2015

5 Tips to Make the Most of Your New Moto X

By now, you've had time to play with your new Moto X. You've shown it off, maybe you've read about a few of the features, and even gave your phone a name. If you’re looking to fall even more in love, here are few tips to help you.

Get Comfortable with Moto Voice
Learn all of the ways that you can use your Moto X (2nd Gen.) without laying a finger on it with Moto Voice. Start with your voice prompt. Then fire up the camera by saying, “Take a Picture” to use the back camera—or “Take a Selfie” to use the front camera and count down from three for fumble-free photo fun. Or say “Good night” to turn on Sleep Mode in Motorola Assist. Android Central has a good list of more commands for Moto Voice to help you out.

Twist It for Quick Camera Access

Not that you need to shake it up but adding a twist is always helpful. Sometimes literally. You can twist your wrist to launch the camera and twist it again to use the front camera to take a selfie. Just make sure you have Quick Capture enabled within the Moto Actions settings. To get there, open the Moto app and tap the gear icon in the upper right corner. Then tap Actions and select Twist for Quick Capture. Make sure the option is checked, watch the demo, and you are good to go.

Let Motorola Assist Help

Motorola Assist will recognize when you're in a car and can read aloud text messages or even announce who is calling. You can then use your voice to tell your phone to answer the call or not. Assist will also sync with your calendar so you won’t have to worry about calls during important meetings. Just make sure you accept the meeting first. If you show as available, the call might still get through. To get started, open the Moto app and tap the gear icon in the upper right hand corner. Tap on Assist and choose your own settings for driving mode and meeting mode.

Keep Your Phone Unlocked When You Want

Use Trusted Bluetooth Devices to choose when to keep your phone unlocked for when you’re, say, in the car or using a wireless earbud like Moto Hint. To do this, pair your phone with a Bluetooth Device and select Trusted Device when prompted. If you missed the initial notification, Lollipop users can go to Settings -> Security -> Smart Lock -> Trusted Devices. (Those using KitKat can customize it in Settings -> Security & Screen Lock -> Trusted Devices -> select the Bluetooth devices for which you want to keep your phone unlocked).

Ask for Help

The easiest way to set an alarm is to simply ask. Just use your custom voice prompt followed by "Set an alarm for 6 a.m." or “Wake me up at 6 a.m.” and you're all set.

Posted by Jim Thiede, Product Marketing

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