Google says Nexus 4 supply a "priority", will focus Motorola on future phones' battery life and durability

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Motorola had 12-18 month product roadmap when purchased by Google

Earlier on Tuesday, we passed along to you the results of Google's Q4 earnings. Of course, when you think Google, you think Motorola and the latter hurt Google's bottom line by reporting an operating loss of $353 million dollars for the quarter. Google profited to the tune of $2.89 billion in the quarter. This could go on for some time according to Google Senior VP and Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette. During the fourth quarter earnings call, the executive repeated that when Google purchased Motorola, it inherited 12-18 months of products that were promised to buyers. Fulfilling this roadmap could continue to bring red ink Moto's way, but there really is nothing Google can do until all prior obligations are met. While Google has only had 6 months since closing the deal, it takes time for these charges to work through the system. The amount of red ink that Motorola produces is not large enough to affect Google's stock although Pichette says that Google aims to make money with Motorola. The upcoming Motorola X will be an important indication of what Google and Motorola can produce together. Motorola has made no secret that this will be the first Motorola phone that lets everyone know who Moto's daddy is.

The last time Motorola and Google worked so closely on a smartphone might have been the Motorola DROID which was the first Android model to launch with Android 2.0. You might recall that the OG Motorola DROID came with stock Android. The . To reiterate the speculation we passed along on Monday, the Motorola X is expected to be introduced at Google I/O in May. Speculation calls for a July 8th launch of the phone at a price of $299 on contract from Verizon while the model will also be offered unlocked and off-contract at the Google Play Store. The Motorola X will also be offered by other U.S. carriers.

source: AndroidCentral

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Molly Ringwald's new phone? Motorola DROID RAZR M goes pink on January 24th

The youth of the 1980's were usually summed up quite well in John Hughes' movies. Hits like Pretty in Pink gave us some of the best young actors of the period such as Molly Ringwald (who could forget her brief role in The Facts of Life), Jon Cryer (who makes millions as Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men) and James Spader. Of course, back then there were no smartphones with hundreds of thousands of apps and Pac Man was about as high tech as things got for kids. What takes us through the recesses of our mind back to the 80's has nothing to do with jOBS, or even John Sculley. Nor does it have to with the $12 price that Apple was trading for back then. Actually, it has nothing to do at all with Apple. It is all about the pink version of the Motorola DROID RAZR M which is coming to Big Pink Red Thursday. You will find it online and at the stores priced at $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate.

If you're tired of giving your sweetie a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day, why not give your SO a pink Motorola DROID RAZR M? There's is much more here than a box of Whitmans, like the 4.3 inch edge-to-edge screen and the dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus. And unlike the chocolate, the DROID RAZR M isn't fattening.

source: Verizon via AndroidCentral

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Are the Motorola X Phone rumors too good to be true?

In 2009, Motorola and Google teamed up to create the original DROID. This was the device that, for all intents and purposes, started the Android push into the mainstream here in the United States. Despite the fact that Verizon was also launching their own version of the HTC Hero, called the DROID Eris, all of the attention was put on the original DROID. The slide-out keyboard, its metal construction, and the stock version of Android 2.0 it was running out of the gate all made for noteworthy talking points. But, all good things must come to an end.

After the release of the original DROID, and despite the fact that the phone was a success, the stock Android experience all but disappeared on the Big Red network. We watched as Motorola, Samsung, HTC, and LG all started releasing their own Android-based devices, but with their own proprietary skins firmly in place. For anyone looking for a stock Android experience, without having to root their device, on Verizon’s network, the wait would be long.

The Galaxy Nexus launched on Verizon’s network, with plenty of backlash to go along with it, at the end of 2011. Between that launch and the release of the original DROID, there were so many different Android devices released it would be hard to keep track of them all. All of those other devices were skinned. Indeed, we don’t have to keep our eyes focused on Verizon to see this same result.

T-Mobile USA, Sprint and AT&T were all busy launching their own Android handsets, too, all of which had their proprietary skins. TouchWiz and Sense became all the rage for a time, as it made their branded devices stand out against the competition. You can tell a Samsung device from an HTC device, just looking at the out-of-the-box software. That is a major strength for these companies, and it is one reason why they are all so adamant about keeping those proprietary skins on their devices.

Which is why the Nexus line has become so important to Google, as it is the last line of defense for the stock Android experience.

I don’t have a personal issue with proprietary skins. I know why the manufacturers want them, and even if they do have their issues, they work well enough. I do believe Android has come a long way, though, and that custom user interfaces like TouchWiz and Sense aren’t necessarily all that needed anymore. Android 4.2 Jelly Bean really is amazing, and I’d much prefer to experience that in a stock experience.

The Nexus line began with the Nexus One, made by HTC. It’s still one of the best devices ever released, which is one reason why our very own Taylor Martin wants a part two. (I wouldn’t mind seeing HTC create another Nexus device, either, in fact.) After the Nexus One launched, we saw Google release a Nexus S, then the aforementioned Galaxy Nexus, both made by Samsung. Most recently the Nexus 4. We’ve seen plenty of Nexus handsets released, and they’ve seen their fair share of popularity and success.

The only problem with the Nexus line, though, is that these devices are geared primarily for developers. While the Nexus phones can certainly be used for personal use, and I know plenty of every day consumers who have a Nexus phone as their main device, Google’s aim has always primarily been for the developers of the world.

That may be changing this year. And, sure enough, Motorola may have something to do with making the stock version of Android popular again. Yesterday I saw Droid-Life run a report regarding some “wild rumors” focused on Motorola’s “X Phone.” This is the new device that Motorola is reportedly working on, that many believed would be the next Nexus handset. According to that report, though, this new phone won’t technically be a Nexus handset at all, though the similarities are more than obvious.

These are the rumors:

This “X Phone” from Motorola will be announced at Google I/O in May.All carriers will sell this X Phone.It’s apparently going to be launched in July (the report suggests July 8)Verizon will reportedly sell this new phone for $299 with a new contractAll versions of the X Phone will be available through the Google Play store, and will see similar off-contract pricing to the current Nexus line-upThe Verizon version will have an unlockable bootloader, but you’ll have to pay Verizon $15 per month to make that happenBut if you buy the Verizon version through the Google Play store, it’ll come with the bootloader already unlockedThe X Phone will come with some Bloatware on it, but it will be running a stock version of Android.(The report from Droid-Life was citing a forum post that has since been pulled. So, take that for what it's worth.)

It’s safe to assume that we’re looking at a bunch of rumors put together to make one pretty picture. In that same line of thinking, it might even be safe to assume that these are all just too good to be true. That is certainly a possibility. There’s a measure of pessimism we have to use here in the US when anything deals with the wireless carriers.

On the other hand, all of these steps seem to be a natural evolution of what Google has been doing with their Nexus line, and especially with the latest release of products within the Google Play store. A whole new line of Nexus-based devices, all for relatively cheap. Especially when you look at the Nexus 4 by LG, the price off-contract is too good to pass up, which is one reason why it seems LG can’t keep up with demand, and the phone has been sold out more often than available.

I’m not sure why Verizon would price their on-contract X Phone at $299, as the carrier has generally moved away from that price point, but then again we don’t really know the specifications of the phone.

I can’t say that, right at this moment, I believe the majority of those individual rumors, but I will say that I believe Motorola’s X Phone is Google’s answer to bringing their stock version of Android into the mainstream consumer’s hands, even more so than we saw with the Galaxy Nexus. Does that mean that the Nexus line is dead, and the new X Phone is the device to take its place? Not at all. But if the X Phone is indeed meant for the general consumer, then the Nexus line can keep moving forward for developers. Nothing would really change in that regard.

Are these rumors true? Who knows? We’ve got quite a bit of time before May, so even if they are true right now, they could definitely change into something completely different before Google announces anything. Can I see Motorola being put in charge of making stock Android popular again? Absolutely. It will just come down to being able to match demand, especially if the X Phone is being launched on all carriers. Hopefully Motorola can keep up.

What do you think of these new X Phone rumors? Do you think any of them are true? Are you hoping that they are all true? Is it really too good to be true? Let me know what you think.

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Google announces $14.4 billion in revenue, $1.51 billion for Motorola in Q4 2012

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Motorola X to launch July 8th for $299?

The eagerly awaited Motorola X has been rumored to appear at Google I/O and the latest speculation continues to have the handset getting introduced during Google's developer conference in May. The phone would then launch on July 8th via Verizon for $299 on contract. Similar to the way that the Google Play Store offers the Google Nexus 4 for an off-contract price, the Motorola X will be available from Google. The phone will come with a locked bootloader via Big Red, although you can get it unlocked at a price of $15 a month. If you buy the phone from the Google Play Store, the bootloader will come unlocked. The Motorola X is not a Nexus handset which means that it will contain some bloatware that can be removed once the phone is unlocked, and it is still expected to be available from multiple carriers. Pricing for the Motorola X from other carriers is unknown although we would expect it to be not far from Verizon's price. This is the first Motorola handset to feature input from Google since the latter acquired the OEM in 2011. The device is supposed to offer a 5 inch edge-to-edge screen, like the Motorola DROID RAZR M, and have Android 5.0, Key Lime Pie, pre-installed out of the box.

Keep in mind that this is still speculation, coming from someone who apparently has leaked some Motorola news before. Still, May can't get here fast enough.

source: DroidLife

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Motorola had 12-18 month product roadmap when purchased by Google

Earlier on Tuesday, we passed along to you the results of Google's Q4 earnings. Of course, when you think Google, you think Motorola and the latter hurt Google's bottom line by reporting an operating loss of $353 million dollars for the quarter. Google profited to the tune of $2.89 billion in the quarter. This could go on for some time according to Google Senior VP and Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette. During the fourth quarter earnings call, the executive repeated that when Google purchased Motorola, it inherited 12-18 months of products that were promised to buyers. Fulfilling this roadmap could continue to bring red ink Moto's way, but there really is nothing Google can do until all prior obligations are met. While Google has only had 6 months since closing the deal, it takes time for these charges to work through the system. The amount of red ink that Motorola produces is not large enough to affect Google's stock although Pichette says that Google aims to make money with Motorola. The upcoming Motorola X will be an important indication of what Google and Motorola can produce together. Motorola has made no secret that this will be the first Motorola phone that lets everyone know who Moto's daddy is.

The last time Motorola and Google worked so closely on a smartphone might have been the Motorola DROID which was the first Android model to launch with Android 2.0. You might recall that the OG Motorola DROID came with stock Android. The . To reiterate the speculation we passed along on Monday, the Motorola X is expected to be introduced at Google I/O in May. Speculation calls for a July 8th launch of the phone at a price of $299 on contract from Verizon while the model will also be offered unlocked and off-contract at the Google Play Store. The Motorola X will also be offered by other U.S. carriers.

source: AndroidCentral

View the original article here

Motorola X to launch July 8th for $299?

The eagerly awaited Motorola X has been rumored to appear at Google I/O and the latest speculation continues to have the handset getting introduced during Google's developer conference in May. The phone would then launch on July 8th via Verizon for $299 on contract. Similar to the way that the Google Play Store offers the Google Nexus 4 for an off-contract price, the Motorola X will be available from Google. The phone will come with a locked bootloader via Big Red, although you can get it unlocked at a price of $15 a month. If you buy the phone from the Google Play Store, the bootloader will come unlocked. The Motorola X is not a Nexus handset which means that it will contain some bloatware that can be removed once the phone is unlocked, and it is still expected to be available from multiple carriers. Pricing for the Motorola X from other carriers is unknown although we would expect it to be not far from Verizon's price. This is the first Motorola handset to feature input from Google since the latter acquired the OEM in 2011. The device is supposed to offer a 5 inch edge-to-edge screen, like the Motorola DROID RAZR M, and have Android 5.0, Key Lime Pie, pre-installed out of the box.

Keep in mind that this is still speculation, coming from someone who apparently has leaked some Motorola news before. Still, May can't get here fast enough.

source: DroidLife

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Microsoft gets Motorola patent invalidated in Europe because it was "obvious"

are you joking? the judge is an idiot, pager system is fairly complicated to make it "obvious". I mean, unless this man has a phd, a degree in comunications enginering, and a degree in law he has no right to call that obvious. That is the problem with common law system, it's too subjective.

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Google and Motorola finally working on "X Phone" and tablet

Quad core 1.7+ GHz A15 processor (maybe new custom Snapdragon S5?)

2 GB RAM

4.7-5" 1080p S-AMOLED/ColorBoost display

3,500 mAh battery

Kevlar back and water resistant

Famed Motorola antennae

It will be beautiful :)

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Republic Wireless starts shipping the modified Motorola DEFY XT for its $19 monthly service

Republic Wireless offers unlimited talk, text and web for only $19 a month. The carrier, which exited beta last month, has started shipping the modified Motorola DEFY XT units that cost $259 and are required to use the service. How can Republic afford to hook you up with no limits for just $19 a month? Because the service uses Wi-Fi whenever it is available and when it's not, the phone automatically switches over to Sprint's 3G pipeline. The carrier originally tried using a modified LG Optimus One before deciding to switch to the Motorola DEFY XT. The device is equipped with a 3.7 inch screen made of Gorilla Glass. The 480 x 854 resolution leads to a decent pixel density of 265ppi. Under the hood is a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7227A. An enhanced Adreno 200 GPU crunches the graphics and 512MB of RAM is on board. There is 1GB of native storage and a microSD slot can expand that by adding up to 32GB of additional capacity. The 5MP camera on back captures video in 480p at 30fps while the VGA front-facing camera takes self-portraits and enables video chat. It is also dust-proof, scratch and water-resistant.

For those wondering how often they will be able to use Wi-Fi with the plan, Strategy Analytics recently found Wi-Fi in 61% of U.S. households. The real question is how much Wi-Fi service is available on the road.

source: RepublicWireless via AndroidCentral

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Motorola aims at Samsung in new ad

Back in 2010 when the Apple iPhone 4 was having problems with Antennagate and the left-handed death grip, and sent out all of those rubber bumpers to owners, Motorola ran a couple of expensive full-page ads in major newspapers to make fun of Apple's plight while promoting the Motorola DROID X. Motorola used the same approach earlier this year to make fun of Apple's problems with its Apple Maps application. Now, the wholly owned Google subsidiary is changing targets and is going after the Samsung Galaxy S III in a new ad that shows that the Motorola DROID RAZR HD downloads faster than the Samsung Galaxy S III over the exact same Verizon LTE network and Qualcomm processor. To illustrate this, the ad shows a Motorola DROID RAZR HD with a completed download of Angry Birds while the same app is only 60% completed on a Samsung Galaxy S III. The funny part is the copy which reads "Don’t get stuck downloading from another galaxy. Get faster download speeds with DROID RAZR HD."A link will take you to a Motorola web site where further comparisons are made between the Motorola DROID RAZR HD and the Samsung Galaxy S III for battery life, design and build quality.

Motorola notes that the DROID RAZR HD gets 20% more battery life than Samsung;s flagship smartphone, and that's not the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX HD in the comparison either. The MAXX-less model has a long lasting 2530mAh cell of its own, good for 24 hours. Motorola also compares the Kevlar back of its device and the water-repellant nanocoating that makes its handset more durable than the Samsung Galaxy S III and its plastic back. Lastly, Moto likes its design better than that of the Samsung unit.

It's a good job of marketing by Motorola, but the Samsung Galaxy S III might be too hard to take down, even with a strong attempt like this from Motorola. We wonder how Samsung feels about being tossed under the bus by its partner. Google, after all, does own Motorola.

source: Motorola (1), (2) via DroidLife

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Google CEO Larry Page speaks up on Apple, Motorola Nexus, self-driving cars and more

Google’s chief executive Larry Page might not be getting as much of the press attention as Apple and its post-Jobs leader Tim Cook, but with Android now effectively dominating global smartphone sales, it is hard to underestimate the impact Google has.

If we had to compare Google and Apple, it seems the two stand for radically different business models, extremely different approaches.

What’s interesting about Google however is not just its current products, but also the unique way by which it is organized. The search giant started with the 70/20/10 model, where 70% of its effort was dedicated to ads, 20% to apps and 10% to brand new projects, and has retained this profile up until this day.

With this look at the future embedded at the core of its principles, Larry Page explains how Google relates to Apple, gives some more details on his relationship with Jobs, and speaks about things like a possible Motorola Nexus to how he runs Google. All of those are extremely insightful and interesting thoughts, we strongly suggest you checl out the full interview Page gave for Fortune at the source link, but we have also selected some excerpts right below.

On Apple:

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Motorola Electrify M 4G LTE dual-core smartphone

New Android smartphone, the Motorola Electrify M has just official introduced by US Cellular. The new handset is actually an improvement version of its previous model, the Motorola Electrify 2, which already available at US Cellular since this year.
Reportedly, the Motorola Electrify M should be arrives on November 8th (online) and at shelves starting November 9th. The Electrify M will price of $99.99 after $100 mail-in rebate (offers 4G LTE service), or elsewhere $149.99 also after a $100 mail-in rebate.

It has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in memory, and runs Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS (Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgradeable). The Motorola Electrify M packs a 4.3-inch touchscreen Super AMOLED Advanced qHD scratch-resistant display with Corning Gorilla Glass, an 8MP rear-facing camera with HDR, and 1.3-megapixel front camera for video calls.
Support for 4G LTE connectivity, the Motorola Electrify M has NFC, and a long-lasting 2,000 mAh battery.

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Motorola Electrify M 4G LTE dual-core smartphone

New Android smartphone, the Motorola Electrify M has just official introduced by US Cellular. The new handset is actually an improvement version of its previous model, the Motorola Electrify 2, which already available at US Cellular since this year.
Reportedly, the Motorola Electrify M should be arrives on November 8th (online) and at shelves starting November 9th. The Electrify M will price of $99.99 after $100 mail-in rebate (offers 4G LTE service), or elsewhere $149.99 also after a $100 mail-in rebate.

It has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in memory, and runs Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS (Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgradeable). The Motorola Electrify M packs a 4.3-inch touchscreen Super AMOLED Advanced qHD scratch-resistant display with Corning Gorilla Glass, an 8MP rear-facing camera with HDR, and 1.3-megapixel front camera for video calls.
Support for 4G LTE connectivity, the Motorola Electrify M has NFC, and a long-lasting 2,000 mAh battery.

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