Moto G Power 5G (2024) is a budget phone with surprising tricks up its sleeve

Although a lot of the attention, and probably sales, are poured on high-end premium smartphones, the range of devices and designs is far wider than what you might see represented in media. There are, of course, products designed to be more affordable, though they unsurprisingly have to cut some corners when it comes to features. Sometimes, however, there are a few that seem to rise to the challenge of providing more for less, incorporating designs and features you wouldn’t expect from their price tags. The new Moto G Power 5G (2024) seems to be one of those, packing a few pleasant surprises that could put the device on people’s maps.

Designer: Motorola

The Moto G has been Motorola’s budget line for many years, and that family has a few members designed to cater to very specific needs. The Moto G Power, as its name suggests, is focused on delivering solid battery life, at least more than your average smartphone. The 2024 iteration of this phone isn’t any different, bearing a 5,000 mAh pack you’d only see on more expensive models, but that’s only half of its appeal.

A large battery would normally mean longer charging times, which is why a 30W TurboPower charging feature is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity. This year, however, Motorola went the extra mile and added 15W wireless charging for convenience. It’s definitely not the fastest wireless charging technology, but how many $300 smartphones can you name that even have any wireless charging support at all? That immediately makes the Moto G Power 5G (2024) more notable than any of its peers, but it doesn’t stop with the hardware features either.

This new Moto G Power also comes with a faux leather back, an attempt to make it look stylish despite its price point. Granted this synthetic leather can sometimes look tacky, though it seems to be simple and elegant, at least based on Motorola’s marketing materials. Again, it’s not exactly a groundbreaking feature, but one that is rarely seen on budget designs.

That said, the phone doesn’t have much to boast about when it comes to performance, though it’s not exactly an underdog either. It packs a 2.2GHz MediaTek processor with 8GB of RAM, a 50MP main camera paired with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, and perhaps to audiophiles’ delight, a 3.5mm headphone jack. And if the Moto G Power 5G (2024) is still a bit too much for your wallet, Motorola is also launching the $200 Moto G 5G (2024) with slightly less powerful features, no wireless charging, but the same fancy faux leather design.

The post Moto G Power 5G (2024) is a budget phone with surprising tricks up its sleeve first appeared on Yanko Design.

Moto Watch 40 design straddles the line between smartwatch and fitness band

Smartwatches have more or less become a stable presence in today’s modern lifestyle to the point that no one will make fun of you anymore for wearing a screen on your wrist, except those coming lovers of classic mechanical watches. That said, not everyone is a fan of these hi-tech timepieces and would prefer something less distracting and more focused on just the health-tracking aspects. Dedicated fitness bands, however, often come in sporty and rugged designs, as if the only ones that would wear them are athletes or very active people who don’t mind strapping a rubber or silicone band on their wrists, even on formal occasions. That’s where the new Moto Watch 40 comes in, offering a wearable that almost looks like a stylish smartwatch but is a fitness band at heart.

Designer: CE Brands (Motorola licensee)

Although there was a bit of experimentation in the beginning, smartwatches today come in only two shapes: a square or a circle. Although circular smartwatches were touted to be classier or more stylish because of their resemblance to the majority of luxury timepieces, the Apple Watch has constantly made the case for equally elegant designs on square smartwatches. Unsurprisingly, there are some manufacturers that have even opted to walk the same path, producing smartwatches that, for better or worse, look like the Apple Watch.

The Moto Watch 40, however, is neither of those and is walking the fine line between smartwatch and smart band instead. It has a rectangular body, more common with fitness trackers, but the size of the device and its general appearance are more in line with smartwatches. It has a screen that curves at the edges, giving it a refined appearance compared to the rugged looks of common fitness trackers.

At the same time, however, its limited functionality leaves no doubt that it isn’t a smartwatch either. It has a variety of sensors for tracking activity, including blood oxygen levels and even sleep, but you won’t be seeing a lot of the advanced functions and options you’d find on a smartwatch. It supports only viewing notifications, so you’ll have to pull out your phone if you want to reply to messages or even take calls. Its 10-day battery life may sound a little disappointing, but the Moto Watch 40 compensates with an advertised charging speed of 25 minutes only.

That combination of essential functions and stylish design will set you back for only $64.99. It might sound like a tempting proposition, especially when other fitness bands are either too expensive or too informal. That said, even a wrist-worn device might still be too conspicuous for some people, and a smart ring that would let them wear their favorite mechanical watches could be the perfect compromise instead.

The post Moto Watch 40 design straddles the line between smartwatch and fitness band first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola brigns Pantone Color of the Year 2024 Peach Fuzz to its smartphones

The moment Pantone announced their Color of the Year for 2024, we expected a lot of brands to officially and unofficially carry the Peach Fuzz tones for their respective products. If that is a color that you prefer or if you like that shade, then good for you as all year round you’ll see different brands and products carry the hue. If you’re not a fan, well, you’ll have to endure it and just look for other colors that match your preferences. If you’re the former and you’re looking for a new Android phone, then Motorola is a very good option.

Designer: Motorola

Motorola has come up with a tie-in with Pantone to bring Peach Fuzz versions of two of their newest smartphones, the motorola razr 40 ultra and the motorola edge 40 neo. The only difference between these versions of the smartphones and the original iteration is that they’re carrying the warm and cozy hues of the color of 2024, “highlighting the importance of shared moments” through the combination of Pantone’s “mastery of color” and Motorola’s “legendary design”

.

For those who prefer a more hip and modern device, the flippable design of the motorola razr 40 ultra / razr+ with the Peach Fuzz color with the vegan leather finish might appeal more as they’re branding it for the extroverts. It boasts of several camera modules like its 12MP dual cam, the 13MP ultrawide lens, and the 32MP wide selfie camera. Those looking for a more “sophisticated” smartphone can go with the motorola edge 40 neo with its 6.55-inch P-OLED display, 5,000 mAh battery, and camera setup (50MP main, 13MP ultrawide lens, 32MP selfie cam).

Both Motorola and Pantone believe that color deepens our interaction with our devices as they express our individuality and preferences. The Peach Fuzz color in particular was chosen to harness “connection, community, and personal wellbeing”, which is what Motorola also wants to encapsulate in their smartphones.

The post Motorola brigns Pantone Color of the Year 2024 Peach Fuzz to its smartphones first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola’s Adaptive Display Concept is a bendable smartphone that can be worn as a smartwatch

Rollable and bendable displays have captured the attention of the tech world in the last couple of years, primarily implemented in the foldable phones and rollable TVs released by mainstream consumer electronics giants like Samsung and LG. Now, Motorola wants to bring a bendable smartphone right onto your wrist. Truly the next logical progression from the Motorola Razir rollable concept, revealed at CES 2023.

The Lenovo-owned brand showed off the concept of a smartphone that can wrap around your wrist at their Tech World 2023 event along with other interesting AI technologies and innovative flexible hardware. According to them, the bendable screen can be “shaped into different forms” based on the end user’s need.

Designer: Lenovo

When the display is flat on a surface the 6.9-inch screen behaves like a smartphone. Then in the bend upright mode functioning as a 6.9-inch Android phone, it can be used to take video calls. Lastly, it can be worn around the wrist to function like a swanky smartwatch. Motorola calls it the Adaptive Display Concept, equipped with the bendable FHD+ pOLED display. The bendable display wraps around the wrist magnetically on top of a metal band. While the flexible display can make the physical transition seamless, the user interface transition to adapt to the change is taken care of by the Android OS (for now).

Now that the foldables are more polished in their looks and implementation of the functionality for early adoption by eager tech enthusiasts, Motorola wants to be proactive in making the next big leap, once foldable phones become mainstream. A smartphone that can be your smartwatch or a gadget for creating AI-generative content and application usage is ultra-futuristic.

Right now, smartphones are mostly rigid pieces of brick that could do with the evolution that gives them more flexibility in multiple use-case scenarios. Motorola’s Adaptive Display Concept is something a user would actually want to use if the implementation is done right when it finally rolls out in the consumer market.

The post Motorola’s Adaptive Display Concept is a bendable smartphone that can be worn as a smartwatch first appeared on Yanko Design.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Motorola Razr+ (2023): Which Foldable Clamshell to Get

Foldable phones are seemingly becoming more common, at least if you ask the major phone manufacturers. Almost all of them have one form of foldable device or another by now, trying to push the idea of these form-changing devices into mainstream consciousness. Although there’s still plenty of debate on the practicality of the larger and more expansive foldables, it seems that the smaller “clamshell” types may have already found a captive audience, or at least a more concrete demographic. These “flip” style phones seem to be squarely aimed at a younger market, around Gen Z-ish ages, with an emphasis on self-expression, selfies, and style. Of the handful of clamshell foldables, the Motorola Razr+ (2023) and the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 seem to be taking the lead, but which of these brands is actually ahead of the race? We put the two side-by-side to find out.

Designers: Samsung, Motorola

What is the Motorola Razr+ (2023)?

Of these two foldable phones, the Motorola Razr+ (2023), also known as the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, had a head start, but only by a month. At the time of its announcement, it was largely hailed as the poster child for a good small foldable, particularly because its external display practically covered all of the top half of the phone’s rear. This meant more space for content, not to mention less cramped interfaces for regular Android apps. Although some of the hardware looked last-gen on paper, the overall package still seemed acceptable, especially when you consider the price tag.

For a time, it seemed that Motorola is giving Samsung a run for its money, at least with this singular device, and that the Korean tech giant would need a lot of work to reclaim its crown. Its next foldable phones looked more evolutionary than revolutionary, making some wonder if ol’ Sammy has lost its touch or is letting its competitors leave it in the dust. Things seemed to be looking up for Motorola, one of the world’s oldest mobile brands, with the Razr brand poised to regain its iconic fame. And then the Galaxy Z Flip 5 finally arrived.

What is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5?

Truth be told, Samsung was left with very few surprises when its Unpacked event finally came around. Most of the specs of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and its larger sibling, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, have already been leaked to death, and the official announcement only served as confirmation. Yes, Samsung’s foldable clamshell does have a much larger Cover Screen, now called Flex Window, and, yes, it is now using the gapless “teardrop” hinge, officially branded as Flex Hinge. And, yes, the cameras have not been upgraded, at least the two on the outside.

Of course, the devil is in the details, especially in the way that Samsung is taking advantage of the oddly-shaped external display. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also more than just the sum of its hardware parts and it promises a very different experience from the Motorola Razr+, especially for its more youthful customers.

Flip or Razor?

From a cursory look, the Motorola Razr+ (2023) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 seem almost too similar, with just a few differences here and there. It’s not an unfair comparison, but there is definitely a lot more than meets the eye. Here are some of the finer details of how the two stand head-to-head.

Specs

Right off the bat, the Motorola Razr+ (2023) loses for running last year’s silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, versus the latest and greatest Gen 2 mobile processor. In practice, the two aren’t really worlds apart, so most people might not be able to tell the difference anyway. It just means that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a bit more future-proof than its Razr counterpart. Speaking of future-proofing, both do come with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, but Samsung offers a 512GB storage option, albeit at added cost (after pre-orders). These days, storage size is extremely important because you can no longer expand that capacity with microSD cards, so at least having that option goes in Samsung’s favor.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5, however, has a slightly smaller 3,700mAh battery than the Motorola Razr+ with its 3,800mAh pack. Considering Samsung is running more powerful hardware and more complex software, you’d think it would want more capacity as well. Making matters a bit worse is that it charges slower at 25W compared to Motorola’s 30W. It’s not a lot, but every bit counts when it comes to battery life and charging speed.

Design

Both of these “flip phones” have slightly similar “base” designs, especially now that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can close flat without any visible gap. They both look stylish, though Samsung seems to prefer softer pastel colors over Motorola’s sharper hues. The Motorola Razr has a classier bent, but both can look elegant, depending on your tastes. But while both companies seem to be trying to woo the young and young at heart, Samsung might have the upper hand when it comes to appealing to their aesthetic tastes and inclinations.

That’s largely thanks to the Flipsuit cases that Samsung has designed for this particular generation of its small foldable phone. At face value, the concept is nothing remarkable, just a bumper for the upper half of the phone and a clear case for the lower half. The ingenuity comes in the form of NFC-enabled “interactive cards” that you can sandwich between the phone and the clear case which would set a special wallpaper or lock screen on the Flex Window (formerly Cover Display) to match the design of the card.

Definitely a gimmicky feature, but one that opens the doors to many brand partnerships, especially those favored by consumers. Imagine all sorts of collectibles and tie-ins, allowing brands to provide a whole theme package that lets owners easily switch just by swapping NFC cards. It might be a cheaper alternative to producing a complete case for both halves, though the Flipsuit system definitely leaves room for that design. It’s a potential gold mine for marketing, especially considering Samsung’s brand clout.

Cover Display

The biggest “innovation” that these two foldable phones have is their larger external display, but the two brands clearly have different plans in mind. With the Motorola Razr+, its External Screen is simply just a larger version of its predecessors. It has the exact same capabilities, which means you can still run any regular Android app on a now larger display. The catch, however, is that screen wraps around the cameras, so any part of the app’s interface covered by those will be unreachable. Of course, you could do the old notch trick to push the display up, but that leaves wasted space that has little practical use anyway.

In contrast, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 features an actual cutout, creating a shape that looks like a folder tab. You won’t notice this uneven appearance when the display is off, but it might annoy some people who are particular about those details. The two phones also differ greatly in terms of functionality, with Samsung limiting the Flex Window to a selection of “widgets” ranging from a music player to messaging to Google Finance. This allows Samsung to create a more fine-tuned experience but also limits the usefulness of such a large screen. There is word that an extension from Samsung’s “Good Lock” suite of utilities will make it possible to run regular Android apps, but that collection isn’t available in all markets yet.

Durability & Sustainability

One of the biggest concerns people have over foldable phones is their durability or rather their fragility. Moving parts like a hinge increase risk factors like dust and liquid ingress, and a soft touch screen that could be scratched by fine particles also add to their fears. That’s why manufacturers have been trying to calm those worries with promises of increased resilience and reliability, and this is where Samsung and Motorola diverge paths once more.

The Motorola Razr+ (2023) has an IP52 rating, which means it has quite a lot of dust protection but can only withstand light sprays of water. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is IPX8 rated, so it will survive a dunk in a pool but all bets are off when it comes to dust and sand. The two devices both promise protection but place importance on different things, so consumers will be left to decide on their priorities.

Samsung has been playing the sustainability game far longer than any other manufacturer, and it definitely has a wide lead over Motorola in this race. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 steps up the game with increased use of recycled plastic, glass, and aluminum, in addition to more eco-friendly packaging. Motorola does have some sustainability commitments, but it hasn’t had much visibility as Samsung.

Other Features

Beyond these major points, there are also a few smaller details where the two flipping clamshells differ. The Motorola Razr+, for example, has a bigger 32MP selfie camera, while the Galaxy Z Flip 5 remains very conservative with only a 10MP shooter. Despite being at the forefront of providing a “desktop mode” experience, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 curiously doesn’t support Samsung DeX. Surprisingly, Motorola’s oddly-named “Ready For” is available on its latest foldable.

Both phones currently run Android 13, with promises of an Android 14 update once that’s out. Samsung, however, is guaranteeing one year more than Motorola when it comes to both major and security updates, and now has a better track record of actually making that happen. Samsung’s One UI might be “heavier” in customizations compared to Motorola’s Android skin, but it is better and longer supported, which means you won’t have to worry about software updates for at most four to five years.

Price & Availability

Another reason for people hesitating to even consider foldable phones is their prohibitively high price tags. Thanks to their smaller sizes and less complex designs, however, foldable clamshells like these two can push their prices a bit down to more palatable levels. In fact, both the Motorola Razr+ (2023) and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 retail for $1,000, though the latter has a 512GB model that will go for $1,120 once the pre-order phase ends. At the moment, Samsung’s special promo sells that 512GB model for the same $999 price, significantly undercutting Motorola.

In terms of availability, both phones can be purchased easily either unlocked or with carriers, at least in the US. In other markets, however, Motorola has a more limited reach, so it might be a “no contest” against Samsung anyway. Samsung also has more retail partners and service providers, making it easier to find support for the phone should it meet an unfavorable fate.

Final Thoughts

For a brief moment, it seemed that Motorola finally won the crowd, at least as far as foldable clamshells are concerned. But although there are points that go in its favor, the overall package and experience seem to tip the scales in Samsung’s favor. In terms of specs alone, you would be getting a bit more for the same price, making the Galaxy Z Flip 5 a more worthwhile and future-proof investment over the Motorola Razr+ (2023). Samsung’s small foldable is far from perfect, but it checks most of the right boxes, especially when it comes to presenting a more reliable device.

But smartphones have long gone past being just pieces of tech. They pretty much have become lifestyle choices, and Samsung is in the position to really play up that aspect. With customizable, fun designs and features that appeal to younger generations, Samsung is establishing the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as the hip choice of today’s social media-centric society, and it’s a strategy that might just work in its favor.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Motorola Razr+ (2023): Which Foldable Clamshell to Get first appeared on Yanko Design.

How the Motorola Razr+ will finally make you want foldable phones

Foldable phones have been in the market for four years now, and despite Samsung’s aggressive marketing, it is still considered a niche and a very expensive one at that. The “regular” book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold, the OPPO Find N2, and the upcoming Google Pixel Fold definitely spark the imagination and open up new use cases, but they also lack the mass appeal necessary to make the product line a success. In a nutshell, they have a hard time explaining why people would want to cough up a large amount of cash for what seems to be an experimental and unproven device. The new Motorola Razr+, also known as the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra elsewhere, is seemingly saying that you really don’t have to, and its latest design might finally succeed by targeting the market demographic that made the RAZR V3 an icon.

Designer: Motorola

Back when clamshells or flip phones were en vogue, the Motorola RAZR V3 turned heads because of its thin profile and chic design that turned what was normally seen as a business phone into a lifestyle choice. Motorola tried to recreate not only that phone’s magic but also its commercial success, redesigning the now ancient clamshell into a modern foldable phone. After a few tries, Motorola might have finally gotten the formula right, not only with the phone’s design but also with its product positioning.

Right from the start, the new Motorola Razr sported one of the largest external or cover displays for clamshell foldables, but the Motorola Razr+ pushes that envelope even further by having that screen take up almost all of the available space on that half of the phone. It makes it possible to use almost any app in that space, presuming you can stomach the still-small 3.6-inch screen. More than just using it as a camera viewfinder for better selfies, you can also use it to watch Videos, check Instagram, or even type with a full QWERTY keyboard if absolutely necessary. It’s not going to be fun, but the idea is that you won’t have to flip the phone open just to use it like a normal phone, especially when circumstances prevent you from doing that in the first place.

The large screen also opens up more opportunities for styling beyond simple stickers and widgets. Along with the stylish color options that include 2023’s “Viva Magenta,” there is plenty for fun-loving and suave people to like in the Motorola Razr+. In fact, most of the brand’s marketing revolves around a generation who loves to take photos, flaunt their style, and see their smartphones as more than just tools. In other words, the very kind of people that gravitated toward the original RAZR V3.

It also doesn’t hurt that the Motorola Razr+ is expected to cost a lot less than the competition, or at least that’s the expectation when it fully launches in the US. Even if it does cost $1,200, which is pretty much the same price as today’s high-end smartphones, the Motorola Razr+’s stylish design and more flexible functions make the idea of a foldable phone a little bit more normal and definitely more desirable.

The post How the Motorola Razr+ will finally make you want foldable phones first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola Razr 2023 foldable phone might cut some corners for a price cut

The number of brands selling foldable phones has started to rise, but sales of these still niche devices haven’t increased significantly yet. There are a number of factors contributing to this slow adoption, including the hesitation to invest in a still unproven and fragile technology. Perhaps a more important reason, however, is the prohibitive price of these smartphones, with the cheapest going for above your average flagship. Making foldable phones more accessible could also help make them more common, and it seems that Motorola will be attempting to address that problem, but it will be making one critical change to reach that price point, one that loses one of the new Razr’s biggest appeal.

Designer: Steve Hemmerstoffer (via MySmartPrice)

The RAZR is one of Motorola’s most iconic phones, at least for those old enough to remember the original non-smart feature phone. Its razor-thin profile, from which it gets its name, was revolutionary even in the age of flip phones. The company revived that name back in 2019, and it also transformed the design into a foldable clamshell. Although it is hardly the only player in that arena, the Motorola Razr still has one important feature that none of its rivals have.

The new and foldable Razr has one of the biggest external screens as far as clamshells go. More than that, however, that screen can also run the full Android interface rather than a small custom UI with limited functionality. It is indeed cramped, but it at least gives owners the freedom to use it the way they want rather than constricting them to the manufacturer’s vision.

It seems that the Motorola Razr 2023 will be singing a different tune, though. It might even go by a different name. Based on renders generated from leaked information, this foldable clamshell will do away with the larger cover display. Instead, the dual cameras on its back will sit beside a small rectangular screen no taller than those cameras. Naturally, this would suggest that there will also be a reduction in capabilities, limiting its use to displaying notifications and the like.

Fortunately, this Razr “Lite” is expected to be accompanied by a Razr+ flagship model that would hopefully retain the foldable phone’s key feature. In exchange for that loss in functionality, the Razr Lite is expected to start with a lower price tag. How low that price will be is still unknown, but it better be accessible, or else Motorola will have a dud in its hands.

The post Motorola Razr 2023 foldable phone might cut some corners for a price cut first appeared on Yanko Design.

iPhone-style satellite connectivity on an Android phone? Motorola’s dongle lets you send SOS texts anywhere

Debuting (rather by surprise) at MWC 2023, the Motorola Defy Satellite Link does for all phones what Apple built into the iPhone 14 – gives them satellite connectivity so you can send texts in areas with little to no network coverage. The palm-sized dongle comes as a collaboration between Motorola and Bullitt, and connects to pretty much any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, making the potentially life-saving tech accessible to many more people.

Designer: Motorola & Bullitt

Built with a rugged IP68 waterproof and dustproof exterior, the Motorola Defy Satellite Link comes with a portable design that weighs a mere 3 ounces (70 grams) and can strap around your keychain or even onto your backpack using a simple carabiner clip and the strap-loop built onto the Defy itself. The Defy sports three buttons, including a power button and location button on the left, and a larger, more visible SOS button on the right. A USB-C port helps charge the Defy’s 600mAh battery, which lasts for “multiple days,” according to Motorola and Bullitt.

A hallmark of the Motorola Defy Satellite Link is that not only is it device agnostic (supporting both Android and iOS devices), but it can be used by multiple phones together once paired via Bluetooth. The large, orange SOS button on the right side helps instantly call for emergency assistance, tapping into Defy’s partnership with FocusPoint International, an ERaaS (Emergency Response as a Service) company with 24/7 monitored response centers in 120 countries that handle emergency and assistance requests. The location button built on the other side sends your current location to your close contacts, and the Defy even allows you to send text messages via the Bullitt Satellite Messenger app.

The $99 Defy Satellite Link can connect to geostationary satellites 22,300 miles (35,888 km) above the Earth using the 3GPP NTN open standard “direct-to-device” satellite communications technology, although hardware doesn’t factor in the subscription you have to pay to actually use the service. Just the SOS feature starts at $4.99 a month, and there’s also an optional $149 bundle that gets you the Defy dongle with a 1-year subscription that also includes 30 outgoing and incoming messages per month using the Bullitt Satellite Messenger app, available on Android and iOS devices.

Satellite coverage should be live across Europe and North America at launch, followed by Australia and New Zealand, Africa, and Latin America in mid-2023, according to a report by CNBC. It’s unclear when Asia (where Motorola’s parent company Lenovo is based out of) will get satellite coverage to support the Defy Satellite Link.

The post iPhone-style satellite connectivity on an Android phone? Motorola’s dongle lets you send SOS texts anywhere first appeared on Yanko Design.

moto watch 100 is a low-cost smartwatch for safety-conscious families

Motorola was one of the first phone makers to jump on the smartwatch craze and was the first to dare to make a circular smartwatch when square was the only design available. Although it no longer makes smartwatches itself, its legacy lives on in eBuyNow’s wearables that try to target oft-neglected mainstream markets. With most smartwatches, both Apple and Wear OS, catering to more premium tiers, those with more restricted budgets are often left with cheap and unsatisfying knockoffs. With the moto watch 100, however, budget shoppers are finally given a chance to experience weeks of uptime and, more importantly, safety and critical health metrics they can share with their families and friends to make sure they’re hale and hearty.

Designer: eBuy Now

There are plenty of smartwatches today that have all these sensors that keep track of heart rates, blood oxygen levels, and more. Some, like the Apple Watch, even have fall detection that can call emergency services and contacts if the wearer seems unresponsive. These life-saving features may be staples in smartwatches, but these smartwatches are also often the ones that carry price tags upwards of $300.

In stark contrast, the $99.99 price tag on the moto watch 100 is immediately appealing, especially if you consider the Motorola branding it carries. Although the smartwatch looks quite chunky compared to more luxurious and more expensive brands, it’s not unattractive either. The aluminum body comes in two color options, Phantom Black and Glacier Silver, and while the default comes with a black silicone strap, there are other choices of colors and materials that can be easily swapped with a push of a spring bar.

The moto watch 100 has the staples of activity tracking and sensors, including a heart rate monitor and its own built-in GPS/GLONASS for phone-free location tracking. What makes these features really shine, however, is the smartwatch’s fall detection, something you’d usually find only in more expensive wearables. eBuyNow is also introducing a Family Sharing App that lets wearers share their health data with family members and friends, with their permission, of course. While this might sound intrusive for most folks, it’s actually a way for families to keep tabs on their young or elderly members.

The moto watch 100 boasts two weeks of battery life, which sounds astounding until you get to the fine print. It is able to achieve that figure thanks to a proprietary Moto Watch OS, not the Wear OS that you’d expect from a Motorola-branded smartwatch. Then again, for its price point, the moto watch 100 does offer a decent experience that revolves around monitoring your health or those of others, something you’d be hard-pressed to find in equally affordable smart timepieces.

The post moto watch 100 is a low-cost smartwatch for safety-conscious families first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola wants to replace Blackberry as the ‘business phone’ brand with their ThinkPhone

Lenovo’s captured the enterprise audience with their series of ThinkPads and ThinkBooks, and Motorola (somewhat of a Lenovo subsidiary) believes that it can do the same for the smartphone market. The demise of BlackBerry definitely left a void that really hasn’t been filled yet – the void of the business-phone, which the Lenovo ThinkPhone (by Motorola) fits perfectly into. Designed to look like a handheld version of the Lenovo laptops, the ThinkPhone is Motorola’s version of making a fun, appealing, and secure phone for the working individual.

Designer: Motorola

The ThinkPhone looks a little different from the other kinds of phones Motorola offers, especially the Razr. Designed less for individuals and more for organizations, the phone takes on a rather white-collar demeanor with an aramid-fiber backplate that has the words ThinkPhone written on it in the signature 45° angle as the ThinkBooks do. The phone’s all-black design is punctuated by the use of a deep orange in a bespoke button on the left of the screen, synonymous with the red nub or TrackPoint found on ThinkPad laptops. Apparently, Motorola’s teamed up with Microsoft to provide unique features for this button including a ‘walkie-talkie’ mode that works with Microsoft Teams to aid better communication. The ThinkPhone will also ship with Microsoft 365, Outlook, and Teams mobile apps preloaded, making it pretty enticing to companies buying phones in bulk for their employees.

The phone’s designed for enterprise use in mind, with a whole slew of software features that are less for the average consumer and more for professionals. The device is protected with built-in advanced hardware-based and premium A.I.-based security solutions such as Moto Threat Defense and Moto Secure. Additionally, the ThinkPhone arrives with Moto KeySafe, a separate processor running on Android, that adds an additional layer of security to better protect the most sensitive data in the smartphone. “It isolates PINs, passwords, and cryptographic keys, storing them in a tamper-resistant environment protecting the data from the inside out,” Motorola mentions.

What’s impressive about the ThinkPhone is that it reimagines what a smartphone is to the enterprise. Sure, it’s a great phone for regular users, it has a pretty capable 50MP camera on the back for photos, boasts of a 36-hour battery with 64W TurboCharge, and it’s also running the latest version of Android… however, the phone’s user experience is tailored almost perfectly for business use too.

It integrates seamlessly with ThinkPad laptops, including Lenovo’s flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11, and also has a few rather impressive tricks up its sleeve, like the ability to instantly discover your PC and connect with it over the same WiFi network, the ability to sync notifications and even clipboards, a File Drop system that works just like Apple’s AirDrop, and an Advanced Webcam feature that turns your phone’s camera into a webcam for your laptop – yet another Apple-inspired feature. The ThinkPhone also runs 5G, offering instant hotspots to your laptop with a single click.

“I’m excited to launch the Lenovo ThinkPhone, a device that truly embodies the trusted quality and purposeful design of the ThinkPad while also bringing unique productivity tools, and industry-leading security and device management capabilities.”, says Sergio Buniac, Motorola President and Lenovo Senior Vice-President. “With its premium specs and seamless integration with the ThinkPad, the ThinkPhone will maximize the experience for business customers for years to come.”

Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola will be available in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia, and select countries across Asia in the coming months. Pricing hasn’t been revealed yet, but I assume it isn’t a detail that customers will really have to involve themselves with, given the fact that the phone’s targeted more as a company-specific device than a solo user-specific one.

The post Motorola wants to replace Blackberry as the ‘business phone’ brand with their ThinkPhone first appeared on Yanko Design.