Hasta La Gadget!

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

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Now that the LG G2 is official, the battle between mid-2013 Android flagships is fully underway. But which wins the war? We’ve pitted the new smartphone against its biggest competitors in the US — Samsung’s Galaxy S 4, the HTC One and the Motorola Moto X — to understand which device most deserves a place in your pocket.

Based purely on the spec sheet, the G2 is the frontrunner. Its larger 5.2-inch screen, quicker 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 and image-stabilized 13-megapixel rear camera will please those who want a media powerhouse. Its extra-large battery and 24-bit / 192KHz audio are also unique in a category where longevity and sound quality tend to play second fiddle. If all you want is the most technically capable device, look no further.

Yet each of the G2’s competitors has an advantage that’s harder to quantify. The GS4 has a full set of hardware nav keys (for those who prefer them), air gestures and a slightly tougher plastic build. The One claims superior low-light photography and dual speakers. And the Moto X partly makes up for its lackluster speed through design customization and helpful tricks like Touchless Control. To us, that puts LG in an awkward middle. While the G2’s performance is almost beyond compare, many of its software features aren’t all that unique — those who aren’t sold on its performance could easily be lured away.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, HTC, Google, LG

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One year ago, Motorola, fat and fed by its Google acquisition, inched quietly into a silicon-spun cocoon to gestate. The subsequent passage of time allowed it to transmogrify and re-emerge a thing of red, yellow, blue and sometimes green beauty; a Google thing made by a Google company. The Moto X, its newborn monarch, arrives in an array of different colors, made possible by the NikeID-like Moto Maker site. It also comes with a homespun narrative: it’s assembled here in the USA. Time to empty your wallets, patriots. This is America’s smartphone and it costs $199 on a two-year contract.

If I’m right in reading between the lines of Google’s marketing speak, the Moto X was made in the image of the everyman. It’s the product of a democratic process — you can take that future design poll on Facebook as proof of this point. The 4.7-inch screen size, the curvature of its back, the composite materials, its weight and front-face look were focus-tested for maximum inoffensiveness. The Moto X exudes no tech halo like the Galaxy S 4 or the HTC One because it is the sum of averages. Here’s how I see it: You know those people who own iPhones, but don’t know which model number they own and also refer to all Android phones as Droids? This phone is for them.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google

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Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week’s tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages.

Motorola’s got wood! Or at least that’s what it said (and eventually unsaid) in conjunction with one of the most unique smartphone announcements we’ve ever seen. Not only is the Moto X almost literally one-of-a-kind, with its seemingly endless customization options and “assembled in the USA” status, but it’s also not the hardware powerhouse you might expect from such a high-profile handset. Add to that Motorola’s innuendo-laced marketing campaign and lack of a proper press conference to kick things off, and you’ve got yourself a healthy helping of digits for this week’s After Math.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

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When it came to the Moto X, Google gave us a masterclass in how to build hype, but sustaining it is proving to be a much trickier endeavor. Motorola recently debuted two new commercials on its Youtube channel that aren’t nearly as thrilling as they could be. One clip showcases the Glass-inspired “OK, Google Now” command, which lets you dictate notes and set an alarm verbally. It’s a neat trick, but it’s not exactly seducing the money right out of your wallet. Similarly lacking in earth-shattering impact is the TV spot highlighting the Moto X’s 10-megapixel camera. The Quick Capture feature is nifty, but the promise of “fewer photo fails” isn’t the most rousing endorsement we’ve ever heard. To see for yourself, check out both videos after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Google

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Via: CNET

Source: Motorola (Youtube)