Category Archives: Motorola
Biostamp could authenticate smartphone users says Motorola
We like the idea of tattoos but not the stomach pill
An interesting report here by The Daily Telegraph from the D11 conference in California last week [30th May 2013] on wearable computing. It seems that Motorola has been working to hi-jack developments originally intended for the medical industry as a means of authenticating smartphone users. It has been researching ‘tattoos’ have been developed by medical specialist firm, MC10. These tattoos are akin to a digital elastoplast that contains flexible electronic circuits and is attached to the wearer’s skin using a rubber stamp. The tattoos were showcased at the conference by Regina Dugan, a senior vp for advanced research with Motorola. Continue reading
Google to take iPhone head on with own intelligent handset
Special sensors to detect phone’s surroundings and user intentions
Google is planning to shake up Apple’s iPhone dominance by launching its own “hero” smartphone, it’s been revealed. The new phone, otherwise dubbed the Moto X, will be launched via the search giant’s Motorola subsidiary and will include technology making it more aware of its surroundings and anticipate how it might be used next. The device will also be made in the USA at Fort Worth, Texas in a bid by Google to drive down costs, according to Dennis Woodside, appointed by the search giant to run its Motorola subsidiary after it was acquired in late 2011. Continue reading
GoMo still puzzled by NFC’s interworking
NFC technology obviously still in its early days
Sadly, GoMo News has been around for so long that we can recall Bluetooth – which most smartphone users take for granted, being in its early days. We firmly believe that NFC (Near Field Communication) is still in its early days presently. Particularly judging from our recent experience playing [testing] with two Sony handsets and the Sony Xperia Z tablet. We were particularly impressed with Sony’s pledge on its support for NFC. It claims, “No other consumer electronics company is bringing as many NFC-enabled products to market.” Shame NFC doesn’t work perfectly, then. Continue reading
A quicker way to re-install favourite Android apps
Rating: The fastest method GoMo could come up with
In a separate story here, GoMo News was describing the joys of moving the contact entries from one Android handset to another. One of the options we considered to remove the addressbook entries was a remote wipe. That facility used to be part of Motorola Blur but the latest RAZR HD doesn’t support Blur. The obvious answer is to install a remote wipe app but that means migrating all your favourite apps from one handset to another. Continue reading
How to recover from 2,700 entries in an Android addressbook
Rating: Fun and joys of migrating from one Motorola RAZR to another
Unlike rival publications, when GoMo News tests hardware it’s from a real world perspective. No quick run-down of a phone’s specs followed by a cursory glance at its screen for us. Here we’ve been trying out Motorola’s RAZR HD smartphone. Ironically, it looks such a cool Android phone that many people assume it must be a Samsung Galaxy of some kind. However, we want to share with you some of the downsides of migrating from one Android handset to another. As well as having to reinstall our favourite apps all over again, although it might sound unbelievable we ended up with 2,700 entries in the Android addressbook. Continue reading
Bad news for Apple – there’s already a Droid watch app market
Rating: Watch apps could prove useful bandwagon
GoMo News is extremely grateful to an article written in the Sunday Times [April 14th 2013] by Mark Harris, alerting us to the fact that’s there’s a complete sub section of the mobile apps sector we haven’t really identified before. What we are talking about are apps specifically designed for intelligent watches. These are ‘smart watches’ which link to a smartphone via a Bluetooth link. The reason for growing interest in such devices is, of course, the numerous rumours that Apple is plotting to release some kind of iWatch. The most interesting aspect here is that some software houses have already developed watch apps that are compatible with multiple devices. So Apple is faced with the prospect of apps appearing for the iWatch that have already been out on Google Play for a considerable time. Oh, dear. Continue reading
GoMo tries to put Oyster onto its Android RAZR HD
Rating: It has support for NFC but the app is still missing
One of the facilities built into our sparking new Motorola RAZR HD is – of course, the ability to support NFC (Near Field Communication). NFC is a bit like Bluetooth in that it is a cellular related wireless technology that has plenty of applications. Nokia has utilised NFC, for example, to permit the wireless exchange of business cards just by tapping two handsets together. There’s a facility called Android Beam built into the Android OS to facilitate just that sort of thing. But NFC is most heavily associated with contactless payments. And being London based, GoMo News‘ main exposure to contactless payments is via the Oyster card for transport payments. So is there a way of putting Oyster on the RAZR? Nope. The app is still missing and the biggest drawback is a lack of a mobile wallet. Maybe Weve will be able to sort that out. Continue reading
Completely wrong advice given to festival goers
Rating: You don’t want a Nokia 105 – an N73 maybe
As experienced music festival goers, GoMo News could not help but comment on an article which has just appeared in the UK’s London Evening Standard here. One of the main recommendations made by writer, Jasmine Gardner, is to swap your smartphone for a low cost, SIM-free PAYG handset. And the Nokia 105 was singled out as a classic option because it only costs about £13 (as announced @ MWC 2013 Barcelona). Frankly this completely the wrong advice. For starters you don’t need a handset that lasts for 35 days without charge. Most festivals last a max of five days. No. Get yourself a secondhand smartphone – like the N73, perhaps. Continue reading
Guest Post: Top 10 handsets of 2012
by Saffy Kaurdashian, a blogger with 91mobiles
GoMo News asked me to pick my favourite handsets from last year. 2012 witnessed all kinds of smartphone technology. Some were so quirky it was hard to see them as phones. Many manufacturers have tried to use an ‘exaggeration element’ to try and win publicity, curiosity and ultimately sales. The smartphones that faired the best are however the ones that managed to include performance, style, and something decidedly attractive in each device. That makes them desirable at a time where money spending has been curbed due to the slumping economy. With most of the popular phones being all touchscreen, there is an argument which says that the QWERTY hardware era has ended. Let’s take a look at the phones that settled at the Top Ten slots below. Continue reading
GoMo backs the wrong horse in Grand National
Rating: We investigate the Paddy Power Android betting app
There’s a long standing tradition here at GoMo News Towers that every year we try to place a bet on a horse running in the UK’s Grand National steeplechase. This year [2013] was no exception. And, before you ask, No we didn’t win. But it was an interesting experience – especially since it allowed us to test our newly loaned Motorola RAZR HD. It also showed how an event so popular as this horse race [in the UK at least] obviously put a strain on the mobile networks. Continue reading
Another 1,200 jobs to go at Motorola Mobility
Owner Google says costs are too high
A further 10 per cent of jobs at Google’s Motorola Mobility subsidiary are to be axed on top of the 4,000 jobs lost last August after the search giant acquired the company. According to the Wall Street Journal, an email circulated internally within Motorola Mobility warns that most of the 1,200 redundancies will be at plants in the USA, China and India as Google switches to making more profitable smartphones instead of simple handsets. The email is said to have told workers, “Our costs are too high, we’re operating in markets where we’re not competitive and we’re losing money.” Continue reading
Motorola promotes RAZR HD to the UK
Rating: We think its NFC capabilities will work at MWC 2013
Just days before the industry’s most crucial trade show – MWC Barcelona, Motorola Mobility decided to announce the availability of its latest RAZR handset – the HD, into the UK. There’s no actual mention of this handset being ‘ranged’ by any of the UK’s networks – only a list of mainly online suppliers. What is even more curious is that – despite hyping its 4G capability as one of the RAZR HD’s main features, there’s no mention of it being compatible with the UK’s only working 4G network – EE. Well, we reckon it is anyway. Plus we think if you got yourself one right now it would work with the MWC NFC app despite not being on the official list. Continue reading
Introducing RAZR HD from Motorola Mobility to the UK
All day performance in a single charge, with a stunning 4.7-inch HD display that’s built for action
Press release
February 21st 2013. Motorola Mobility has announced the hotly anticipated UK launch of the Motorola RAZR HD – a 4G ready handset that brings together super speed, power, design and the best Android experiences around, on the world’s most compact 4.7-inch smartphone. Continue reading
iPhone no longer the UI leader says On Device
Rating: Actually Motorola RAZR users are happier
Another clear sign that Apple is losing its way and that Android based handsets are winning out has been provided by On Device Research. It has mined data gathered from 320,000 mobile and tablet users across six countries to produce a user satisfaction table taken from 92, 825 mobile users in the USA. The report shows the iPhone coming in fifth place behind four Android based handset. Coming as no surprise to GoMobile News, the Motorola Droid RAZR M took second place behind the Motorola Atrix HD. Continue reading
GoMo discovers a NFC campaign that actually works
Rating: Tap4 Offers spotted on London overground train
Here at GoMobile Towers we were beginning to think that something was amiss with Motorola’s NFC [Near Field Communication] capability inside our loan RAZR I (the one with Intel inside). However, to our great delight, it worked perfectly with a service called Tap4 Offers which is apparently operated by KBH – an on-train media company. The campaign is particularly interesting because of its breadth. Not only can you ‘tap’ with an NFC enabled handset, alternatively you could scan in the QR code or text 0000 to the shortcode 78400. The campaign appears to be running in conjunction with London’s South West Trains overground rail company. Continue reading
