moto x phone.

[mrwicked]

First from-the-ground-up phone out of motorola since the $12.5b acquisition by google a couple years ago (they've been a non-trivial drain on GOOG's bottom line ever since).

Looks like they're going for mass appeal here.

But the main "innovation" : ability to customize it with funky colors and cases with a web app. Ouch. 

 

Hello Moto X

http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/01/hello-moto-x-2/

 

[nate]

Reviews on it are insanely positive.  Don't like that it is a composite frame and not metal.  I guess as long as it isn't super light weight it will be fine.

[mrwicked]

Yeah I haven't heard bad stuff on it - other than the typical "well its not the most bleeding edge."

But again I don't think that's what they're going for w/ this device.

 

It'll be an interesting slope to watch motorola doing their thing while GOOG still tries to appease partners selling other android handsets.

[nate]

I think that is why they didn't go extreme cutting edge.  Don't want to hurt their Android partners too bad.

[Schildog]

(they've been a non-trivial drain on GOOG's bottom line ever since).

 

 

ha

 

are we looking at another google play store device?

[Jobu]

All 4 carriers, plus a "Google Edition" coming to the play store later.

[Count Orlok]

I hope all these google edition phones don't mean the end of the line for nexuses

[RallyMo]

Agreed. I have a rooted Galaxy Nexus and love it.

[Jay]

This looks like my kind of phone, pocketable.  The plastic doesn't bother me, the curved shape is preferable.  I may finally pull the trigger on a new phone.

[RallyMo]

It looks really nice. I like the transparent nav bar. Good stuff.

[gotbeer]

IMO, having no microSD slot is a big no no.  

 

But other than that, sounds like a solid phone.

[Jobu]

I hope all these google edition phones don't mean the end of the line for nexuses

 

Well they did just do a Nexus 7 refresh, but that's presumably a more popular product. It's an interesting question, because it was assumed that Google was selling Nexus' (Nexii?) at cost or even a loss. It kinda depends on what their aim is... if they are just looking for stock Android reference devices for their staff, developers, and hardcore devotees, then the Google Experience phones might just do that. If they are, for whatever reason, trying to drive low-cost unlocked phone sales, then maybe they'll continue with new Nexus phones.

[mrwicked]

its interesting that they priced it at the same point as the higher-ups: HTC One and the Galaxy S4.

Other than the customization (which is pointless for those who use cases) there is no/little reason to buy this over one of those or a Nexus.

 

Nexus will continue. That's all about latest android.

 

Moto X is designed to be mass market I think - not the best specs, not the latest android, but a solid phone. 

 

Will be interesting to see how it does.

[gotbeer]

One thing about the Moto X that has me interested though.  It carries a vanilla Google Operating System.  If it means that the OS gets updated more frequently, that could be a good selling point for the phone.  

[Make Angels Great Again]

I'm kind of disappointed. When I heard google was involved in something called the X Phone I was expecting something more...revolutionary. This just seems so..."meh."

[Jobu]

Reviews are pretty good. I generally feel stupid talking at my phone but the always listening feature could be pretty interesting...

[stevestevens]

I'm kind of disappointed. When I heard google was involved in something called the X Phone I was expecting something more...revolutionary. This just seems so..."meh."

 

 

what else can phones do that would make them revolutionary?  Putting in awesome hardware does nothing for the average person.  They all do the same thing.

[Make Angels Great Again]

what else can phones do that would make them revolutionary?  Putting in awesome hardware does nothing for the average person.  They all do the same thing.

 

Well there were rumors of google developing some type of bendable screen.

 

A phone that could be wrapped around your wrist like a watch would be pretty damned revolutionary. Would turn them into more fashion/status symbols than they already are and add an incredibly futuristic feel to them. Pretty revolutionary if you ask me.

[Make Angels Great Again]

And a wrist-style smartphone type of device I could see working really well with google glass.

[mrwicked]

Well there were rumors of google developing some type of bendable screen.

 

A phone that could be wrapped around your wrist like a watch would be pretty damned revolutionary. Would turn them into more fashion/status symbols than they already are and add an incredibly futuristic feel to them. Pretty revolutionary if you ask me.

 

yeah, this will come soon.

apple has a few patents on OLED where its bendable and super thin. so they'll likely release that in an iWatch pretty soon.

samsung is also doing stuff on this front.

 

agreed its hard to "revolutionize" phones now, theyre pretty much commoditized.

the finger print sensor to unlock / use as bank/etc login should be pretty cool.

[nate]

Yeah I am surprised that a lot more phones don't do the biometric unlock.  That huge Moto phone that came out a couple years ago with the laptop mount actually had that ability.

[mrwicked]

the problem is the current incubations of it just aren't reliable.

you can't have a biometric sensor that isn't 100% accurate. especially if you're using it for your lock screen.

and double especially if youre using it for your lock screen and your phone is set to wipe itself after X failed attempts.

although i would assume there would be a keypad backup.

 

also if someone can hack/trick the fingerprint scanner, you're gonna have a bad time.

[Jay]

The new droid phones are nice, with the kevlar structure and glass front, might have to get one of those. Of course I always say that, yet here I am with my Galaxy S.

[Vladfan]

The Moto-X maker will appeal to a lot of people out there. It looks like a legit contender.