When Motorola first unveiled the Moto X , a number of Android enthusiasts questioned whether the on-contract, $199.99 asking price was just too high for a supposedly mid-range device.
Well, that’s all changed now. Custom Moto X handsets designed with Motorola’s powerful Moto Maker site now start at $99.99 for the 16GB model on AT&T with a new two-year contract; a 50 percent price cut. The price of the 32GB variant, meanwhile, has also dropped by $100 to $149.99.
For comparison, that puts the price of the Moto X on par with the 16GB iPhone 5C and below the $199.99 32GB version on AT&T. It’s unclear why Motorola or AT&T decided to implement the price drop right now, but it should make the Android device a far more compelling and affordable proposition for subscribers in the United States.
The decision to include custom handsets designed with Moto Maker is telling. It means that anyone in the US can now choose from 504 different combinations, made up of various front and back panel colors, accents and storage options, to create their perfect Moto X and still benefit from the new, discounted price.
At just $99.99, the Moto X should cater to Android power users who want the utmost value for money. A sub-$100 handset is certainly appealing, but with the long-awaited Nexus 5 reportedly imminent, we can’t help but feel that we’re better off waiting to see what Google and LG have been working on first.
Image Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Sony launches the Xperia Z2 Tablet, a super-slim 10.1 slate with an 8MP camera
A little over 13 months ago Sony launched the Xperia Tablet Z , so it should come as no surprise that a new, upgraded slate is now ready to take its place. The Xperia Z2 Tablet is Sony’s latest foray into the full-size tablet market, where it will compete with the iPad Air , Surface 2 and Android rivals such as the Galaxy Note 10.1 , Kindle Fire HDX and the ageing Nexus 10 .
The new slate has a 10.1-inch full HD (1080p) display, enhanced with its Triluminos and X-Reality technologies. Under the hood, meanwhile, is a quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, supported with a microSD card slot for up to 64GB of extra space. It’s powered by a hefty 6000 mAh battery and offers two cameras – 8.1 megapixels on the back, 2.2 megapixels on the front.
The Xperia Z2 tablet weighs 439 grams and is less than a quarter of an inch thick (6.4mm) – sleeker than the iPad Air’s already impressive 7.5mm thin profile. It runs on Android version 4.4 (KitKat) too, with Sony’s reserved skin, tweaks and exclusive apps for good measure.
We believe that there is certainly space for a new Android tablet with a 10-inch (or thereabouts) form factor, especially if Sony can offer a software experience that is comparative to stock Android. For those who aren’t keen on Samsung’s TouchWiz skin, but can’t wait for Google to replace the Nexus 10, the Xperia Z2 could be a pretty compelling piece of hardware.
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Image Credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images
Taking a cue from Microsoft, Nokia is trying to sell the Lumia 2520 by ridiculing the iPad
For some time, Microsoft has been promoting the Surface and other Windows 8/RT-based tablets by poking fun at Apple’s iPad .
Now, Nokia is adopting the same strategy to sell the Lumia 2520, its first tablet running Microsoft’s latest mobile operating system. The company released an advert today that spends over a minute emphasizing the limitations of Apple’s hugely successful slate.
It’s only at 1:02 (of 1:17) that we actually see the Lumia 2520 , nevermind any of its unique hardware or software features .
Okay, so the iPad isn’t referenced directly. But the references in the advert’s voiceover: “ It’s thin. Thinner than a pencil ” and “Did I mention one of these has been to space?” leave little room for interpretation.
I’m not surprised that the company has taken this approach: many consider the iPad to be the best tablet on the market, and to break that perception you need a product or marketing campaign that is equally disruptive.
But is ridiculing the iPad the best way to go about it?
➤ Nokia Lumia 2520: The right tablet