latest
We already covered the TWRP 3.1.0 update, which brings several new features and bug fixes to the massively-popular custom recovery. TWRP is also expanding official support to several new devices, including the HTC U Ultra and Xiaomi Mi Max.
CyanogenMod 13 comes with Android 6.0, and it has been around since the fall. But bringing each device up to date takes time. Many have spent the past few months on 12.1. My Moto G 2015 (the one I showed off last week) is one of those devices.
My first computer was an old laptop with a dead battery and a dial-up modem. It ran Windows XP, but I didn't have the money to buy expensive software like Microsoft Office or PhotoShop. I discovered OpenOffice.org, AbiWord, and GIMP. I used Firefox, Thunderbird, and Pidgin.Back then free cloud services weren't yet around, and I didn't have a strong enough Internet connection even if they were. Without an understanding of what open source software was, such applications gradually formed the majority of what I used. When I later went to college, I embraced Linux, and my appreciation for open source software grew.The last time I wrote one of these things, I was using a Chromebook Pixel as my primary computer. I considered this an experiment with a commercially viable Linux distribution. It was fun, but I ultimately didn't like some of the changes Google made to the experience in order to push its online services. I knew I was giving up some control just by buying a Chromebook, but these instances made me feel even more powerless over my machine.Android has put me through some of the same emotions. During my time at Android Police, I've watched applications and services come and go, again and again. Some have undergone such drastic changes that they are hardly recognizable. Many solutions have shifted to the cloud, where they're particularly impacted by the need to turn a profit, acquisitions, and corporate decisions. Then there are all the data breaches. And even when things are working as planned, it's all still dependent on having Internet access.Being from rural America, and still having family there, I continue to find myself in a situation where Internet access isn't guaranteed enough for me to trust my computing in the cloud. The connection is great where I live and in the area around me, but I don't have to drive far before I find myself back in the sticks.So, at the beginning of this year, I returned back to my free and open source software-using ways. I've made some changes to my workflow that mark a return to my comfort zone. I am again in a position where I feel empowered, productive, and in control. And frankly, the software I use now reminds me that computing can be fun.With that out of the way, let me show you my stuff.
I'm a big fan of the 3rd gen Moto G. For the price of a down payment on a flagship, you get a competent smartphone that most people wouldn't know was inexpensive. With a 720p 5-inch display, the phone looks and feels like a high-end smartphone from a couple of years ago.The starting price of $179.99 isn't that bad, but right now Amazon is letting the 8GB model go for less. That's significantly more affordable than the $219.99 16GB alternative. At regular price, I'd say go for the bigger version, as it comes with twice the RAM (2GB). With this big a gap, I don't know.Before you give your money to Amazon, consider shopping at B&H instead. There the smartphone is on sale for the same price. But if you go this route, you also get a 32GB microSD card and to spend at the store. With all those perks, this really isn't a bad way to get up and running with Android.Source: Amazon,B&H
Let's say you like to live on the edge. You enjoy flashing ROMs and tinkering with your device. Given the risks, it's nice to play around with something that won't cost $600 to repair if something goes wrong. That makes it pretty good that the 2015 Moto G has gained Cyanogen nightly support.
Ever since its introduction the Moto G series has been a leader in the mid-range market, arguably outshining the flagship Moto X thanks to its excellent value and featureset. The third version was released just a few hours after Motorola announced it on stage late last month, and as is the company's wont, it's running the latest public release of Android (5.1.1) at launch. Now the open source kernel for the Moto G 2015 is available, just like its predecessors.
Google and the various major Android device vendors and carriers are scrambling to patch the recently-discovered Stagefright exploit, a weakness in Android's multimedia processing that can allow remote access via a simple MMS message. Google has already begun patching Nexus devices, and Samsung is working its way through its extensive product range starting with flagships. Yesterday Motorola released its plans to update its phones.
As we know, most smartphone commercials are, at best, OK. Many are less than OK, and some are just downright awful (see also: HTC-RDJ). Apple manages to score a hit every once in a while, but even their ads can come off as corny and contrived (or just boastful) sometimes.
Motorola started its livestream event at 9:00 AM Eastern US time, which means that a huge portion of the US and Europe was either asleep, in traffic, or at work while it was showing off its new wares. If you'd like to view it all again, Motorola has posted the event to its official YouTube channel.
Hey Brazilian readers, that fancy new Moto G is available to purchase right now. Go to Motorola.com.br if you want one - it's 849 Reais for the base model. But why get the base model, when for the first time you have access to the Moto Maker cusotmization website? Motorola announced the expansion to Brazil on stage, and it looks like it's already live for the new Moto G. Go check it out.
The upcoming release of the third generation of Motorola's Moto G has been an especially leaky one. Coming hot on the heels of today's accidental publishing of the phone's Moto Maker page, a promotional video for the Brazilian market has found its way to YouTube.
When it rains, it pours. But in the world of mobile rumors, when it leaks, the faucet opens and all of the images of secret test devices start flooding social media posts and our inboxes. The latest smartphones to fall prey to this adage are the ones that constitute Motorola's upcoming portfolio.
As we approach the end of the year, the time when Motorola has typically announced its previous Moto G devices, rumors and leaks of the third iteration of the G lineup have been getting more frequent, including an appearance on Flipkart, a clear press render, and talks of Moto Maker customization support.