Motorola Droid Turbo hands-on: First look

Introduction

This is the Motorola Droid Turbo - Motorola's strongest claim at the high-end throne yet. Built around the strong foundation of the Moto X (2014), Nexus 6 and Motorola's previous Droids it pools together a premium build, pure Android with exclusive features and impressive battery life.

The Motorola Droid Turbo is everything we were hoping for with a 5.2" display of QHD (1,440x2,560px) resolution and massive 565ppi density, a top of the line Snapdragon 805 chip, 3GB of RAM, 21MP main camera. To add a bit of character the Droid Turbo comes in Ballistic nylon or Metalized Glass fiber reinforced with DuPont Kevlar fiber and a water-repellent nano coating.

Think of this as the powerful middle ground between the Moto X (2014) and Nexus 6 - smaller but also much, much bigger. Here are the highlights Droid Turbo's crossbreed specs:
Motorola Droid Turbo at a glance:

    Dimensions: Ballistic nylon: 73.3 x 143.5 x 11.2mm; Metalized fiber: 73.3 x 146.5 x 10.6mm; Weight: Ballistic nylon: 176g; Metalized fiber: 169g
    Display: 5.2" AMOLED touchscreen, 1,440 x 2,560 resolution; around 565ppi; Gorilla Glass 3
    Chipset: Snapdragon 805 chipset: quad-core Krait 450 @2.7GHz; Adreno 420 GPU; 3GB RAM
    OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat
    Camera: 21MP main camera with 2160p@24fps video capture, dual-LED flash
    Front camera: 2MP front-facing camera with 1080p video capture
    Storage: 32GB/64GB built-in
    Connectivity: LTE Cat. 4, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS + GLONASS; microUSB 2.0
    Battery: 3,900mAh, Motorola Turbo Charger
    Misc: DuPont Kevlar on the back, infrared

Motorola is going for the gold this year. It brought us a new, truly flagship Moto X, its first Nexus (which braves crowded phablet realm) and now it tops both (in a way) with the Motorola Droid Turbo. And while "turbo" monikers are outdated, the word perfectly describes the fire-breathing nature of this device.

What the Moto X (2014) lacked, the Droid Turbo has in reserve. Snapdragon 801 is still worth its salt nowadays but Snapdragon 805 is the new champ. Motorola isn't taking its chances with mediocre battery life here - the potent 3,900mAh capacity promises insane, Droid Maxx-worthy longevity.

The Motorola Droid Turbo comes with nearly stock Android, ensuring a snappy performance. It should offer timely updates (that is if Verizon obliges), but it's starting a lap behind the Nexus family with 4.4 KitKat out of the box.

There's every chance that the Droid Turbo might sway Moto X (old and new) onlookers and shift their affections towards Turbo's direction. Hopefully Motorola won't keep the Droid Turbo confined to just one carrier in one country, otherwise they will be left with just looks of envy.

Wishes not withstanding, the Motorola Droid Turbo will make its way exclusively to Verizon customers starting October 30. It will cost $199.99 for the 32GB and $249.99 for the 64GB with a two-year commitment. There will also be a monthly option at $25 or $27 per month on Verizon Edge, respectively. The 32 gig model will come in Metallic Black, Metallic Red, and Black Ballistic Nylon while the 64GB will launch only in Nylon garbs.

Moto G Comes to the US in Time for the Holidays on Motorola.com

We’re giving people plenty of mobile goodness to gobble up this holiday season. Starting today, people in the US can purchase Moto G (GSM version) on Motorola.com with no contract, no SIM lock and an unlockable bootloader for USD$179 with 8GB of storage or USD$199 for 16GB.


That’s one third of the price of current high-end phones, for a smartphone stuffed with plenty of great features:

• A brilliant 4.5-inch HD display - the sharpest in its class - that goes edge to edge so you can enjoy movies, photos, video chats and more.
• The newest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 processor featuring a quad-core CPU for seamless multitasking and enjoying the web, videos and games, with all-day battery life.
• Android 4.3 Jellybean, the most up to date Android of any phone in its class, with a guaranteed upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat in the beginning of 2014. No skins to clutter or slow the experience and great performance with Google’s unbeatable mobile services such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Chrome and Hangouts.
• Stylish design with a comfortable curved back and 19 customization options, including interchangeable backs (coming soon) - Motorola Shells and Flip Shells in seven colors as well as Grip Shells in five colors.

Moto G (GSM) is available starting today in the US. Moto G (CDMA) will be available in the US in January through carriers as previously announced. See our website for more details and contact your carrier for compatibility.

Moto G is also currently on sale in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru, UK, Germany, France, and Canada and is coming soon to other countries in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Moto G will be in more than 30 countries with 60 partners by early 2014.

IMAGES & B-ROLL: Click this link for images and b-roll (you agree to our license terms when downloading images or video)

Exceptional phone. Exceptional price.

The sharpest 4.5" HD display in its class, all-day battery, quad-core speed, Android 4.3 with guaranteed upgrade, and colorful backs* to customize your phone.

From $179. Order now. Starts shipping on 12/2.

Global GSM model: Optimized to work with 3G (UMTS/HSPA+) networks when roaming outside the US.

US GSM model: Optimized to work with 3G (UMTS/HSPA+) networks when operating inside the US. 3G coverage may be limited when roaming outside the US.

Both models are compatible with all GSM-based cellular networks. GSM-compatible micro SIM card not included.

See list of supported cellular frequencies for each Moto G model below. Check with your wireless carrier for compatibility and coverage. Neither the Global GSMnor the US GSM models are compatible with CDMA networks.

http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/moto-g/Moto-G/moto-g-pdp-ways-to-buy.html

Moto G 8GB available in the UK for £130

Moto G 8GB available in the UK for £130

http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_g_8gb_available_in_the_uk_for_p130-news-7257.php

Update 2: Some Sweet News: KitKat Comes to Moto X First on Verizon Wireless; Now on T-Mobile, AT&T

We see our job as taking the world’s best mobile operating system from Google and building world-class products and experiences for our users. Continually making them better is just as important. So what could be sweeter than Android 4.4, KitKat, rolling out in phases to Moto X on Verizon Wireless starting today!

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.

Posted by Steve Horowitz, SVP Software Engineering

New Moto X from Motorola | AT&T Mobile Minute

Learn more about the Moto X at: http://soc.att.com/17LyMPV. The new Moto X from Motorola is a 4G LTE Android smartphone and features a customizable display, 10 megapixel camera and touchless control.

AT&T starts rolling out Android 4.4 KitKat update for Moto X

AT&T starts rolling out Android 4.4 KitKat update for Moto X

http://www.gsmarena.com/at_t_starts_rolling_out_android_44_kitkat_update_for_moto_x-news-7244.php

Android™ 4.4 KitKat® Now Available for Moto X Customers

Customers who have an AT&T Moto X began to receive the latest version of Android 4.4 KitKat today. In addition, this update also includes key enhancements to the user interface, phone dialer app, focus and exposure, and gallery apps:

Improved user interface with Android 4.4 KitKat: The latest version of Android includes enhancements such as restyled status and navigation bars, a new full-screen mode, color emoji support, improved closed captioning support, stronger security, and smarter power use.
Phone dialer app: The phone app now includes the ability to look up contacts directly from the dial pad, see and tap frequent contacts, and search corporate directories easily.
Focus and exposure: The “touch to focus” option has been enhanced with a new circular on-screen control that can be dragged by your finger around the viewfinder to adjust a photo’s focus and exposure.
Gallery app: New photo editing options are now available in the Gallery app including new filter effects, draw on your photos, advanced cropping, and adjustments for color, exposure, contrast and more.
For a successful install, we recommend the device has at least a 50 percent charged battery.

You can go to the Settings icon in the apps menu > Select the About Phone > Select System Updates > Select Download > After the download, select Install. Once installed, your phone will re-start automatically. You will be prompted to enable Wi-Fi during this process if it is not already enabled.

For more information please visit www.att.com/softwareupdates.

- See more at: http://blogs.att.net/consumerblog/story/a7791210#sthash.dLTHe8JG.dpuf

Motorola Moto G sample images

Motorola Moto G sample images

http://blog.clove.co.uk/2013/11/23/motorola-moto-g-sample-images/

Motorola Moto G accessories

Motorola Moto G accessories

http://blog.clove.co.uk/2013/11/23/motorola-moto-g-accessories/

Photo Release -- 3D Systems and Motorola Partner on Modular, Custom Smartphone

Companies Team Up to Develop Advanced Manufacturing and Fulfillment Platforms in Support of Large-Scale Production for 3D-Printed Modules and User-Customizable Smart Phones

3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) has entered into a multi-year development agreement with Motorola Mobility LLC, A Google Company, to create a continuous high-speed 3D printing production platform and fulfilment system in support of Motorola's Project Ara. Project Ara aims to develop highly-custom, modular smartphones that afford users the opportunity to make functional and aesthetic choices about their device.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=22380

"With Project Ara, we asked the question, 'How do we bring the benefits of customization and an open hardware ecosystem to 6 billion people?' That is our driving application. It requires technical advances in areas such as material strength and printing with conductive inks for antennas. And those advances must support production-level speeds and volumes, which is a natural partnership with 3D Systems," said Regina Dugan, Senior Vice President and head of Motorola's Advanced Technology & Projects group.

"Project Ara was conceived to build a platform that empowers consumers all over the world with customization for a product made by and for the individual," said Avi Reichental, President and CEO of 3D Systems. "3D printing promotes a level of sustainability, functionality, and mass personalization that turns these kinds of global ambitions into attainable local realities. Project Ara combines two exponential technologies, and we expect that the resulting high-throughput advanced manufacturing platform will have far reaching implications on the entire digital thread that stitches together the factory of the future."

As part of this agreement, 3D Systems plans to substantially expand its multi-material printing capabilities including conductive and functional materials. The company also plans to combine additive and subtractive manufacturing methods, and deliver an integrated high-speed production platform. Pending successful completion of the development phase, 3D Systems is expected to manufacture 3D-printed Ara smartphone enclosures and modules as Motorola's exclusive fulfillment partner.

Motorola and 3D Systems, the inventors of the cell phone and 3D printer, respectively, have previously partnered on the MAKEwithMOTO tour, a series of make-a-thons at the nation's top engineering and design schools aimed at exploiting the power of open, hackable smartphone hardware and 3D printing to begin seeding an open hardware ecosystem.

Learn more about Project Ara at www.makewithmoto.com.

Learn more about 3D Systems' commitment to manufacturing the future today at www.3dsystems.com.

About 3D Systems Corporation

3D Systems is a leading provider of 3D content-to-print solutions including 3D printers, print materials and cloud sourced on-demand custom parts for professionals and consumers alike with materials including plastics, metals, ceramics and edibles. The company also provides software tools including scan to CAD and inspection as well as consumer 3D printers, apps and services. Its expertly integrated solutions replace and complement traditional methods and reduce the time and cost of designing new products by printing real parts directly from digital input. These solutions are used to rapidly design, create, communicate, prototype or produce real parts, empowering customers to manufacture the future.

More information on the company is available at www.3DSystems.com.

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress

Investor Contact:
Stacey Witten
Email:

Media Contact:
Alyssa Reichental
Email:

Motorola and 3D Systems team up to build the Ara modular handset

Motorola and 3D Systems team up to build the Ara modular handset

http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_and_3d_systems_team_up_to_build_the_ara_modular_smartphone-news-7242.php

Motorola Moto G Languages

A video showing the language options available on the Motorola Moto G.

Motorola Moto G Languages

Motorola Moto G Languages

http://blog.clove.co.uk/2013/11/22/motorola-moto-g-languages/

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:


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

Motorola Moto G Unboxing

Motorola Moto G Unboxing

http://blog.clove.co.uk/2013/11/21/motorola-moto-g-unboxing/

Motorola Moto G Unboxing

An unboxing of the new and extremely cost effective Motorola Moto G. The first true Google/Motorola made phone with some seriously impressive specs for the money.

Motorola Confirms Android 4.4 Updates For The Droid RAZR MAXX HD, Droid RAZR M, Atrix HD (What?), And More

Motorola is continuing its tradition of being transparent about which devices are on the docket for OTAs. The company's online tool has been updated to indicate several new devices will be joining the Android 4.4 fold.

 

According to Motorola's site, the Droid RAZR HD (regular and developer edition), Droid RAZR MAXX HD, Droid RAZR M (regular and developer edition), Electrify M, and the Atrix HD. So, there are some surprises in there, especially the Atrix HD on AT&T. That device never really caught on, and the developer edition isn't listed as getting the 4.4 update – only the AT&T version. We can't rule out that this is a mistake.

 

 

The tool only says the updates are coming, not when. Some will obviously arrive sooner than others, mainly the devices added in the last update. At any rate, there are sure to be some happy Motorola customers today.

http://www.androidpolice.com

https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/software-upgrade-news/g_id/1949/action/auth

Motorola now offering $0 down and 0% financing for purchases on its online store

Take 18 months to pay off your brand new Moto X

Motorola is now offering $0 down and 0 percent financing for any order from its website. While it is being called a "credit account" rather than a credit card, the deal seems about the same — make purchases from Motorola's online store and check out with a $0 balance if you're an account holder, and pay it off over time instead. You then have up to 6 or 12 months to pay off your bill (it isn't clear what the dollar threshold for those are), or 18 months to pay if your purchase was over $549 — conveniently the price of an off-contract Moto X.

As is usually the case with credit, you'll be charged at an interest rate of 28.99 percent if you don't meet the terms, so you'll probably want to pay off that customized Moto X before the year and a half runs out. Motorola indicates that the minimum payment per month on purchases will be the total purchase amount divided by the number of months to pay off — $30.50 monthly for a $549 Moto X, for example.

It probably isn't the route that everyone will take to pick up phones directly from Motorola, but it can surely take the sting out of that $549 (or more) price when buying off-contract.

http://m.androidcentral.com

Instant Motorola money

$0 down and zero Interest on all purchases if paid within 6, 12, or 18 months.1

Yes, that's right. Not just your initial purchase. All charges to the account.

http://www.motorola.com/us/motorola-finance-pdp.html