Sunday, March 17, 2013

Motorola X not a phone, but a brand to rival the Galaxy lineup

Up until recently, the rumors regarding the Motorola X Phone suggested it was a single device that the Google-acquired smartphone maker was working on. However, the online gossip from a Motorola insider says that Motorola X will be brand, similar to the Samsung Galaxy.

Allegedly, this is going to be the first Motorola lineup on which Google is going to have a direct influence. That's why the first smartphone from the X lineup is set to be announced at this years Google I/O and hit the shelves in June.

More interestingly, the handset will be available for purchase through the Google Play Store in addition to the usual carrier and retail stores. Motorola will reportedly guarantee at least one full Android version update after the phone has been purchased and will take care of the update process itself, and not the carrier.

Take the next rumor with a grain of salt, as it sounds really unlikely. According to the insider Motorola will allow customers to customize their X-branded phone prior to purchasing it. Theyll be able to specify how much RAM and internal storage they like. Motorola is said to guarantee the custom devices to be delivered in a week.

Additionally, users can opt in to have their bootloader unlocked and SIM configured for use on any carrier. The rumor goes as far as to suggest Motorola will allow you to preload custom wallpapers, ringtones, apps and contacts before the device arrives at your doorstep, much like the HTC Get Started program.

Finally, since the device is said to land in the Play Store, its going to be highly subsidized by Google, matching the base Nexus 4s price of $299. Google I/O 2013 starts May 15, so well have to wait and see for ourselves what Google and Motorola have got in store.

Source | Via



Samsung Galaxy S4 US price revealed, 16GB model to cost $579

At the official Galaxy S4 announcement in New York on Thursday, Samsung Mobile chief JK Shin mentioned the phone will hit store shelves at the end of April, but didn't say anything about the pricing.

Well, the beans have been sort of unintentionally spilled by the companys website in the terms and conditions of an ongoing giveaway. There, each of the 48 Galaxy S4 phones that are up for grabs has been listed with an approximate retail value of $579.

However, the price is most probably before taxes, which are added at the point of sale. Still, the 16GB Samsung Galaxy S4 would be cheaper than the Apple iPhone 5, which currently retails for $649 SIM-free.

The official pricing of the S4 hasnt been confirmed by Samsung yet so don't take it for granted, but $579 isnt too far off what the Galaxy S3 cost last year when it was officially launched so.

Source | Via