Hasta La Gadget!

Motorola’s new Skip NFC smartphone key is quite possibly the simplest gadget we’ve covered at Engadget. But simple as it may be, Skip is a time saver for Moto X users. The tiny device, comprised of an NFC tag, a small piece of fabric and a pair of magnets for securing to an article of clothing, such as a pants pocket or shirt sleeve, ships for free with all Moto Maker orders, and is available as a $20 add-on if you’ve purchased your Moto X directly from a carrier. It’s also bundled with three NFC-enabled stickers that you can affix to your car, a piece of furniture or a personal accessory, like a purse or wallet.

Setting up Skip takes only a few seconds. Assuming you have NFC enabled, tap the Moto X to the Skip or one of the bundled Skip Dots, and a configuration screen will pop up prompting you to pair your device with the tag. You’ll enter your password to complete the process, then any time you need to unlock your phone in the future, all you need to do is tap the two together. Skip might not be the best fit if you keep confidential corporate data on your handset, but assuming your password serves mostly to keep prying eyes away from personal email or text messages, it should do the trick. Catch Skip in action in our hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-slideshow73405%

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

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If engraving a personalized Moto X with Moto Maker’s “signature” feature was at the top of your to-do list, you’ll have to put your plans on ice. Motorola’s just told us that the custom inscribing will be available at some point in the future, though it’s not sure when that might be. At any rate, fashionistas will still be able to give their hardware custom paint jobs right on time.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Hankering for a new Moto X, are you? If you’re an AT&T loyalist (or just can’t figure out a way to slip out of your contract), the carrier has just published its launch details surrounding the most monumental Motorola handset in a decade. The vanilla black and white models will be available for sale starting August 23rd, with the 16GB version going for $199.99 on a two-year agreement and the 32GB variant for $249.99. (With AT&T Next, the 16GB model is available for $27 per month and the 32GB model is $32 per month.)

Moto Maker shipments will begin on 8/23 as well, with a “lucky few” who registered for early access able to get their orders started on the 19th. Moreover, AT&T will be stocking Skip, and all Moto Maker orders will include a Skip gratis for a limited time. If you’re curious to see what kind of crazy coloring options are at your disposal, we’re told that major (but not all) AT&T retail outlets will boast a table like the one shown above — decisions, decisions.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, AT&T

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Source: AT&T

Skip for Moto X surfaced on Motorola’s site briefly yesterday, giving us some insight into the company’s new PIN-free unlocking tool before the $20 product was pulled. Today, though, Google’s smartphone arm has returned to detail the new gadget, which is set to ship for free when you order a device through Moto Maker. According to this morning’s blog post, the typical phone user unlocks their handset 39 times each day — in theory, a device like Skip, which clips to your belt, shirt sleeve or anywhere else you want, will help you reclaim several minutes daily. After pairing the compact NFC accessory with your phone, simply tap your device to unlock it. Each kit also includes three Skip dots, which you can stick onto any surface and use in the same way. Initially, Skip will ship in gray with a black accent, but Motorola plans to make colored versions available as well, beginning this fall.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Wearables, Mobile, Google

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Source: Motorola