Moto X: Google and Motorola try to stage an American comeback story – The Verge

Motorola wants you to consider the Moto X so badly it will let you try one for a ‘penny’

2014-06-06T13:49:53-04:00

On Monday, consumers will be able to customize a Moto X smartphone and test it out for 14 days. And Motorola says it's charging just a penny for the opportunity. The one-day promotion is easily Motorola's most aggressive attempt yet to stir new momentum for the Moto X. Numerous flash sales (sometimes with throw-ins) over the past year haven't helped much; only a week ago, Motorola announced plans to close down the Texas factory where it currently assembles the Moto X and send those duties overseas.

We've reached out to the company for specifics, but it's safe to assume you'll need to provide a credit or debit card number for the penny promo …

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Moto X coming to Europe next month for €429 or £380

2014-01-14T04:05:34-05:00

Moto X hero (1024px)

Motorola's flagship phone is yet to see release in Europe, but that's set to change next month - the company announced today that the Moto X will be available off-contract for €429 in France and Germany or £380 in the UK from February, according to CNET. The release follows last year's launch of the low-cost Moto G, which is focused on markets outside the US and retails for around £130 in the UK.

Moto X launch follows low-cost G

Although the two phones have broadly similar industrial design, the Moto X has a superior camera and unique software features, such as always-on voice control and active notifications that only light up certain parts o …

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Good deal: Motorola offers free Chromecast with $399 Moto X purchase

2014-01-09T16:34:35-05:00

moto x chromecast good deal

Is Motorola having trouble selling the Moto X? It certainly seems like a possibility. Only one week after a permanent price drop to $399, the company is now throwing a Google Chromecast in for free. The offer is only valid on the $399 16GB and $449 32GB off-contract models, and it’s only good until January 14th, but it’s the fourth time in the last few months that Motorola has tried to spur demand with a deal.

Or, perhaps, is it the Chromecast that isn’t flying off shelves quite as quickly as Motorola hoped? Theoretically, Google subsidiary Motorola is still run as an independent company, and the Chromecast is listed as an “accessory” on Motorola’s website, after all. Perhaps Motorola “bought” too many Chromecasts from Google and is now finding a use for them.

Either way, it’s a pretty tempting offer. We found both the Moto X and the Google Chromecast to be fantastic products on their own. Assuming Motorola isn’t about to drop the price again, $399 is an excellent deal for both.

$350 Moto X is back, thanks to The Today Show

2013-12-20T15:22:10-05:00

Moto X in hand (1024px)

If you didn't get a chance to buy an off-contract Moto X for just $350 on Cyber Monday because of technical issues or supply constraints, you might not have totally missed out. Motorola is offering a very similar promotion today, courtesy of The Today Show. Today's program offered viewers a special code that they could redeem for a huge discount on the flagship smartphone, and you might be able to get in on the action as well. Assuming supplies last, you can get 50 percent off a new Moto X on a two-year contract, or $150 off the price of an off-contract phone. Simply go to Motorola's site and sign up for the deal of your choice using "todays …

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Moto X’s affordable successor might be called the Moto G

2013-10-29T17:32:38-04:00

via www.droid-life.com

Motorola has been clear that Moto X was just the start. The company's building a whole new brand around that colorful, customizable smartphone. Now, it appears the company has inadvertently leaked the name of the next model in the lineup: the Moto G. Droid Life and Engadget both spotted a new version of Motorola's website today with the name "Moto G" placed in an exceedingly prominent spot: the very first tab on Motorola's homepage, right next to the Moto X itself. That tab linked to "www.moto-g.com," a website that doesn't work. Unfortunately, Motorola didn't go so far as to leak any pictures or details, and has already removed the tab from …

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Moto X drops to $99.99 at Moto Maker, Sprint, and US Cellular

2013-10-25T12:02:59-04:00

Moto X cropped (1024px)

Creating a customized Moto X on AT&T just got much cheaper. Motorola's flagship phone has dropped to just $99.99 on contract for orders placed using its Moto Maker tool. Sprint and US Cellular have also halved the handset's cost. US Cellular is even tossing in a $75 gift card for customers that port an existing number to the carrier, making the final price $24.99. Unfortunately, the non-custom black and white 16GB models still cost $199 on-contract when purchased directly from AT&T. Likewise, Verizon Wireless hasn't yet budged on its $199 asking price.

The larger 32GB variant has also seen a price cut at Moto Maker; it's now $149.99, down f …

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How long will Google keep burning money on Motorola?

2013-10-21T09:00:39-04:00

Moto X cropped (1024px)

Over the last eight months, losses at Google's Motorola Mobility have accelerated despite three rounds of layoffs that slashed around 6,000 workers. The division is now on pace to bleed $1 billion a year out of the search giant's bank account. And yet Google's stock topped a record high $1,000 a share today as investors showed renewed confidence in the company's future. The questions raised back in April seem more pertinent than ever: why exactly did Google buy Motorola? We've got another quarter of data and a new device to look at, but the answer still isn't pretty.

"I'm still scratching my head about why they did it."

Does a money pit like …

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Motorola hopes to tempt iPhone users to Moto X with iCloud migration tool

2013-10-16T21:57:40-04:00

Moto Maker tool (1024px)

Motorola's Moto Maker site is primarily meant to help customize and purchase a new Moto X, but today the company is adding another feature: the option to transfer your contacts and calendars from an Apple iCloud account to a Google account. The process, according to Motorola's help document, is relatively straightforward. Simply enter in your iCloud credentials, then your Google credentials, and your data will be transferred from one to the other. The service only appears to be offered to new customers who have completed the purchase process at Moto Maker.

It's a convenient feature that may help switchers, but Motorola doesn't quite deserve …

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Moto Maker coming to Verizon on November 11th, says report

2013-10-05T10:07:17-04:00

Moto Maker still

Fans of the Moto X have so far had just one option to turn to when it comes to customizing the body of their phone online: the Moto Maker, offered exclusively through AT&T in the US, at least for the time being. Right now, if you're not an AT&T customer ordering online, your choices for the Moto X's body are black or white. But that could all change as early as next month. Verizon Wireless is also set to get the Moto Maker on November 11th, according to generally reliable mobile news leaker Evleaks.

That follows Motorola's statements earlier this year that the Moto Maker would be rolled out to other carriers. We've reached out to Verizon to …

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Moto X update with camera improvements arrives on AT&T

2013-10-04T17:57:46-04:00

moto x (560)

AT&T has become the latest carrier to release that all-important Moto X update designed to improve upon the handset's inconsistent camera performance. After T-Mobile users began receiving the firmware upgrade last month, with Sprint following shortly thereafter, AT&T has announced that its customers will begin receiving the same fixes starting today. While the new software doesn't radically improve picture quality, AnandTech found that it results in more consistent exposures along with improved white balance and noise reduction. The software update also includes optimizations for Touchless Control and a streamlined setup process for those "O …

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