Apple has acquired Passif Semiconductor, a low-power wireless chip specialist with a product range that includes Bluetooth LE support for wearables like smartwatches. The deal, confirmed by Jessica Lessin and AllThingsD, has been confirmed by Apple, but no financial details – nor examples of what the Cupertino company intends to do with the wireless expertise […]
After countless months in hibernation, Motorola has arisen from its deep slumber in a rather major way. The phone maker not only unleashed a full trio of Droid devices last week, it introduced the Moto X, long known as the company’s not-so-secret weapon. We’ve already discussed our impressions of the firstfruits of post-acquisition Motorola, along with its interesting array of color customization options, but we’ve put together a handy comparison sheet that shows off how the Moto X fares against its Droid-branded brethren. When it comes to components, the suite of smartphones are actually quite similar to each other. Take a look after the break to see how it all breaks down.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Customization — that’s the big story revolving around today’s Moto X reveal. When Motorola’s breezy, made-to-order Moto Maker site goes live later this summer, AT&T users will be able to sift through a bevy of color options to put their individual stamp on the device. But that’s just part one of the new Motorola’s trailblazing direction, the next is making that design social. At some unspecified future point, the company plans to launch a Facebook polling page littered with numerous colored and patterned variants (e.g., one of the options we saw, a gold brown hue, was labeled “The Dude”) that users can vote on via existing social means. While Motorola’s still working out the specifics of the polling process and potential launch window, it’s safe to assume users will be able to pin (via Pinterest), like, or even +1 design candidates. Not much more detail was given — again this is merely an indicator of the company’s revamped product portfolio approach. For sure, it has a built-in hook: user engagement. And what company doesn’t love a user base that’s paying very close attention?
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google, Facebook
Source: Motorola
Motorola. A Google company. It’s time to commit that to memory. With the Moto X, a 4.7-inch phone going on sale later this summer for $199 on contract, the company has officially started the shot clock for the “new Motorola”; this is the first Moto product designed from scratch with Google’s direct oversight. And it shows, from the packaging to the messaging to the features aimed at mainstream users. Most importantly of all, there’s Moto X’s standout feature: personalization. We’ve been hearing for years from various OEMs that smartphones are a personal statement, a reflection of the individual, but aside from the occasional color option, the wallpaper and case have been the only real opportunities for personal expression. Well, you can kiss those days goodbye. Motorola’s keyed in to a core part of the user experience — self-styling — and we expect its rivals to follow suit.
But all of that backstory can wait. We need to talk about the Moto X. The company never explicitly said so when it showed us the phone behind closed doors today, but this is clearly a mainstream phone (it’s geared towards the “majority of users” several execs told us). To that point, its spec sheet and feature list (Touchless Control, Active Display, Quick Capture) won’t dazzle the technorati. And, from what we can tell, it’s not supposed to. To hear the company tell it, the Moto X’s journey began one year ago with a whiteboard listing all of the most common user problems, ways to address those issues and a plan to get the device into as many hands as possible. You won’t be able to assess that for yourself until the phone launches on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular later this summer. For now, though, if our initial hands-on time is any indication, it appears Motorola’s succeeded.
Gallery: Motorola Moto X preview
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google
Facebook Home almost seems like a distant memory at this point, but the company is cooking up new ways to bring some of Home’s features to Android users who don’t necessary want the full launcher experience on their phone, in addition to offering Home support on more devices. Today the main social networking app is getting an update in the Play Store to include Cover Feed, which was one of the most visible parts of the Home launcher. If you’re so inclined, you can now use the feature as your lock screen without worrying about getting the full package on your device — provided your particular gadget at least is capable of supporting Home. If you’re not seeing it on your device yet, check in a little while — Facebook tells us that it should start rolling out over the next few hours. However, if you’re still curious to play around with the Home experience, Facebook also announced official support for new devices today, such as the Nexus 4 and Samsung Galaxy S 4.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Facebook
Source: Facebook (Google Play)
Soon enough, the UK will have more than one choice for 4G data. Come August 29th, O2 will offer LTE in London, Leeds and Bradford, with expansion plans for an additional 13 cities by year’s end. Rates start a £26 per month — current provider EE’s cheapest is £21 — and you get a 30 day “Happiness Guarantee” when ordering directly from O2. If that isn’t enough of an incentive to buy direct (and pay a higher monthly price), the service provider is throwing in 12 months of free music content too. Keeping with the music theme, the telco is hosting a launch concert at its Sheperd’s Bush Empire venue, and will stream it to billboards across London. Who’s headlining the event is anyone’s guess at this point, as are full details on data package speeds, bandwidth caps and other pricing tiers.
Update: In case you were wondering, those who use O2’s network via Tesco Mobile or Giffgaff will also get the option of LTE, according to CNET, although it’s apparently too early to say when or for how much.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
While the current pre-production iteration of the Omate TrueSmart smartwatch might not be the most flashy wearable to appear this year, the proposition made by the company for a full-powered Android smart device is certainly enticing. This device works with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and a dual-core processor as well as Bluetooth, meaning you’ll not
Google and Starbucks are teaming up to boost WiFi speeds at all 7,000 Starbucks stores in the US. The move, which should be complete within 18 months, is a major loss for AT&T, the chain’s contracted ISP to date. Google claims that you’ll experience WiFi speeds up to 10x faster than what’s currently available, with a 100x boost in Google Fiber cities like Austin, Provo and KC. The rollout will begin in August — if you see “Google Starbucks” as an available SSID, you’ll know your store has been tapped with boosted access.
Filed under: Wireless, Internet, Google
Source: Google
A DSLR is a hefty investment, and as such not all photographers are inclined to run out and update to the newest technology. WiFi-enabled cameras offer a very convenient feature, however: the ability to use a tablet or smartphone as a remote control and portable view finder. For DSLR owners who want the same feature,
Last time we heard from Isis, the aspiring mobile payments collaboration between three US wireless carriers, its CEO Michael Abbott wasn’t willing to discuss the company’s future plans in specific terms. Three months appear to make all the difference, however: Isis is almost ready to expand beyond its trial runs in Salt Lake City and Austin, and the service will be rolling out from coast to coast later this year. The company isn’t giving any more specific details regarding timing or new Isis-compatible devices (there are currently 35 of them spread across Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile), although it’s planning to enable the service on BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices later this year as well. The press release will serve up all the details after the break.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
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