From iPhone to Android: good reasons to switch!!!

For a long time, “iPhone” was synonymous with “smartphone”, but that stereotype has been pounded into obscurity by the advent and rise of the Android system and smartphones. With the new iPhone, Apple is trying to forge new paths and brings two new display sizes to the table and try to lure Android users over to the iOS side. However, there are still quite a few reasons that you not only should stick with Android, but for iPhone users to also join the Android community.

Android or iPhone? We have many good reasons for the change. / © ANDROIDPIT

Price

Let the numbers speak for themselves: the iPhone 6 is priced at 639 US Dollars for the 16 gigabyte variant. The 64 gigabyte and 128 gigabyte versions will run 749 and 849 US dollars respectively. Comparatively, you can grab a 16 gigabyte unlocked version of the Samsung Galaxy S5 for around 550 US dollars and a 128 gigabyte microSD card for around 100 US Dollars from Amazon. As such, you can grab the Galaxy S5 with a total of 144 GB of storage, a replaceable battery, and protection against water and dust for significantly less than you can grab an iPhone.

Even Samsung's smartphones, which are among the most expensive Android devices, are still cheaper to get than Apple devices. / © ANDROIDPIT

As well, Samsung devices are classified as being among the most expensive Android smartphone currently available. Other smartphones, such as the cutting-edge Sony Xperia Z3 will be available for 699 US Dollars when it is released. For a more direct comparison, the Xperia Z3 Compact, which is the closet to the iPhone 6 in terms of size, will be starting at $550. In addition, the prices of Android devices will most likely be dropping and become more affordable as time goes on which is something that really doesn’t happen for iPhones.

Personalization

With Android you can transform and personalize to your heart’s content. This starts with the background images and progresses to being able to modify app icons, home screen, lock screen, widgets, icon packs, alternative keyboards, different launchers, and more. For an idea of what you can accomplish with different with different launchers, check out something of our favorite ones:

The Yandex.Shell 3D Launcher - providing a completely new look for your Android. / © ANDROIDPIT

Product Variety

What applies to the variety of software options provided on the Android system also applies on the hardware side of things. While iPhone users can “choose” between two current devices (…or jump to an older version of the device) there are currently several hundred different types of Android devices to choose from. From high-end smartphones with larger display and top of the line processors to budget friendly devices that are suited for developing economies, there is something for everyone.  While not all of the Android smartphones can be compared directly with the iPhone brand, a majority of the flagship devices across multiple manufacturers can easily compete, and surpass, the iPhone.

With all the Android devices to choose from, everybody has an option. / © ANDROIDPIT

Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, Sony Xperia Z3, and LG G3

Case and point: all of these smartphones combine top hardware specifications, elegant design, and sophisticated software. The HTC One M8 scored top marks for its design, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is one of the best all-around Android powerhouses, the Xperia Z3 brings the best of the Xperia line of devices to Sony’s new smartphone, and the LG G3 has been voted as being the best smartphone of the year. Of course, then there’s the Huawei Ascend P7 which blends the design appeal of an iPhone with the Android world.

Any display size

As an iPhone user, you can freely choose the display size of your device – as long as you decide between 4.7 inches of 5.5 inches. For Android smartphone, you’ve got a wide variety of sizes and shapes that you can choose from. From small screens less than 4 inches to display monsters such as the Sony Xperia Z Ultra or Huawei Ascend Mate 7, there’s something for every single size of hand.

The Huawei Ascend Mate 7 is a true monster when it comes to display size. / © ANDROIDPIT

NFC across the board

NFC technology isn’t anything new, but it really hasn’t gained much traction in the marketplace. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus now come with a NFC chip on board and with the popularization of this technology starting to make its way into the mainstream, we’re prepared for it to take off. Android users will definitely benefit from this because NFC has for a long time been a staple for many Android smartphones, even the middle class devices.

Google Services

When it comes to organizing your everyday life, Google is your friend. At your finger tips you’ve got access to your contacts, calendar, e-mail., browser, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google+, YouTube, Google Now and more. All of this is integrated closely into the Android operating system and you can truly take advantage of the number of services that Google offers. 

Apps

For a long time, the app selection category has gone to Apple time and time again. Their App Store had a huge variety of apps to choose from and was the haven for most mobile developers the first few years. However, the quality and attractiveness of the Google Play Store has exploded over the last few years. More often than not, Android Apps are priced cheaper, compared to their iOS counterparts and there are much more free apps available to choose from..

No iTunes

I found iTunes incredibly awkward and annoying when I tried it out, and I’m not alone with this mindset.  Furthermore, being tied down to using this service in order to sync iOS devices makes it even more frustrating. With Android phones, you’re not tied down by those chains. If you want to transfer music over to your smartphone, simply connect your device via USB and drag your files over to the appropriate folder. The Play Store can also be using to buy music online, find a better music player in their app store, and has a ton of different online streaming music options available, such as Spotify and Pandora.

Spotify and Google Music Play - only two of the many ways to listen to music on Android smartphones. / © ANDROIDPIT

Custom ROMs: stock, custom, and manufacturer UI

The rollout of iOS 8 is now underway after the announcement from Apple earlier this month and has continued to build on the huge user interface changes that happened in iOS 7.  This may be exciting for the standard Apple user, but it’s really non-news for Android users. Being able to change our UI, either with a custom ROM or launcher, has been common place for some time now.  As well, we’ve got a ton of options to choose from when it comes to how we want our device to work and look like.
Stock Android is the pure Android with any manufacturer customizations to the OS. You can find this on all Nexus devices and also the Google Editions of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Most smartphones, however, come installed with a customized version of the OS that feature extra apps and features unique to the manufacturer. We’ve done some comparisons between these different types of Android and listed them below:

CyanogenMod welcomes you to the wonderful world of custom ROMs. / © CyanogenMod

As well, we’re also able to install alternative firmware if we so choose. From there, you can install one of the more popular ROMS, such as CyanogenMod, on your device. One upside to stock Android and custom ROMs over the manufacturer ones? You most likely will receive an update to a new Android version much quicker than waiting for the rollout from the manufacturer.

Root

One of the basic requirements for installing a custom ROM on your device, is that you have to have it rooted. By rooting, you get administrator rights for your device and can do and install whatever you want. You can install and delete apps at will, screw around with the performance on your device, or, in this case, install a new firmware. However, rooting and playing around without knowing what you’re doing can have some negative consequences, either by soft bricking the device or deleting a necessary file system.

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Get the Android L and Material Design look with these cool apps!!!!

We have already taken a look at five cool features of the upcoming Android L release that you can get right now, but we've also come across a couple of others that do a lot of the transformation work for you. So if you want the Android L look on your device, say hello to the Moonshine Icon Pack, and the IdeaL Theme Light.

The Moonshine Icon Pack even has a Material Design-themed installer. / © AndroidPIT/Nexbit Design

Moonshine Icon Pack

The Moonshine Icon Pack has almost 400 icons based on the existing Moonshine icons and what we've seen of Material Design in the L preview and during Google I/O. This is a massive effort considering I/O was only held about a week before this app was uploaded to the Play Store. The icon pack also has some nice original wallpapers, including the one seen in the Android L developer preview, and more added to the cloud picker, so you don't need an update to get the new ones.

Bring Android L to your phone with the Moonshine Icon Pack. © AndroidPIT/Nexbit Design

The Moonshine Icon Pack contains a variety of themed icons. © AndroidPIT/Nexbit Design

Considering the amount of work done is such a short amount of time it stands to reason that the developer will continue the hard work and add more icons and wallpapers as time permits. So if you want a quick and easy solution for an entirely new look on your phone, grab the Moonshine Icon Pack and be sure to rate and review it in the Play Store.

Moonshine - Icon Pack INSTALL

IdeaL Theme Light - Android L

To install IdeaL Theme Light, you are going to need a custom ROM with the CyanogenMod 11 theme engine and root access. This may seem like a lot of work for some, but the Android L effect created is really something. Featuring an overhauled framework and systemUI, with custom animations, fonts, wallpapers and icons, all based on what we had seen in the Android L developer preview - this app is nothing if not comprehensive. It borrows a lot of elements from other designers (including the Moonshine Icon pack detailed above), but all of the various aspects are brought together seamlessly. Check out the pictures below to see it in action.

The IdeaL Theme Light dialer and calculator interface. © ANDROIDPIT

Ideal Theme Light's calendar and clock apps. © ANDROIDPIT

This is how the settings and notifications look in Ideal Theme Light. © ANDROIDPIT

And this is Ideal Theme Light's app drawer. © ANDROIDPIT

IdeaL Theme Light - Android L INSTALL

Do you like Google's new colorful and playful aesthetic? How often do you change the look of your phone?

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Motorola Moto G (2014) review: the perfect recipe, improved

You won’t be seeing the Moto G2 anytime soon, because it’s actually still known as the Moto G (2014). So this review of the 2014 Moto G could also be called the Moto G2 review too. As well. Also. Get it? Whatever you want to call Motorola’s refresh of the Moto G, you’re about to have your expectations of what was possible in Android turned upside down. Once again. Here’s our full Moto G review.

© ANDROIDPIT

★★★★★

Rating

Good👍

• ✓Very affordable
• ✓Stock Android, fast updates
• ✓Stereo speakers
• ✓Good camera
• ✓microSD expansion

Bad👎

• ✕Basically the same specs as the old Moto G
• ✕Small battery

Design & Build Quality

There’s nothing too remarkable about the look of the new Moto G. But sometimes the least interesting surface can conceal truly impressive things beneath, as we saw with the original Moto G. In many ways, the Moto G (2014) is still an OG Moto G at heart, especially in terms of internal components, but we'll get back to this later.

On the right side, you can find the power button and volume rocker. The device is curved, like its predecessor. / © ANDROIDPIT

The front of the Moto G has the same molded glass look as the original, but the new version has wide silver stereo speaker grills on the top and bottom of the display. Buttons are in their familiar positions on the right hand side and the back has the same nice curve as that found on the original Moto X and Moto G. There’s a headphone port centered up top and microUSB port on the bottom.

​

Link to Video

The edges of the Moto G are shiny polycarbonate and the back of the Moto G has a nice matte plastic look with a rubberized feel. The battery cover can be removed to provide access to a microSD card slot and dual-SIM card slots. Motorola has introduced a kind of Do-It-Yourself Moto Maker with the new Moto G, with a wide variety of colorful back plate options with which to customize the look of your phone at will.

You can exchange the back cover of the Moto G (2014) for various other colors. / © ANDROIDPIT

Everything looks great and feels a little more well-put-together than my first impressions of the original Moto G, which felt a little rickety to me. Having said that, it's actually not very easy to get the back panel of the Moto G (2014) off. I can only assume we'll very soon discover that the new Moto G (2014) is just as unofficially water-resistant as we found the original to be. Of course, I don't advise you to count on that though.

The Moto G display is now larger, but with the same resolution and lower pixel density.  © ANDROIDPIT

Display

The Moto G packs a surprisingly large 5-inch screen (up from 4.5 inches in the original Moto G) and the footprint of the phone is not much larger than the Nexus 5. The HD display (1,280 x 720 pixels) brings a decent 294 ppi, even if the original Moto G had a half-inch smaller screen with the same resolution and thus, higher pixel density. Despite the lower pixel density, Motorola said that it wanted no compromises on display or pocketability, so the Moto G has the smallest bezels you could expect for a smartphone in this price range.
The screen is not, of course, the highlight here, but it is perfectly clear and crisp for what it is. Colors are rich and bright enough, but the contrast isn't as strong as that in the new Moto X (2104) and screen brightness never gets close to what you might like. The lack of pixel density is also noticeable and our test unit had a slight yellowish tint to the whites (compared to the previous Moto G's magenta).

The Moto G (2014) runs stock Android with a few Motorola additions on top. © ANDROIDPIT

Software

The new Moto G is running Android 4.4.4 KitKat and will be guaranteed updates direct from Motorola. This means it will be amongst the first devices in the world to receive Android 5.0 when it arrives around the start of November. The Motorola interface is basically stock Android with just a few Moto tweaks on top, like Motorola Migrate, Assist, Connect, Help and Alert. Other Motorola apps can be installed (and updated independently of firmware) via the Google Play Store.

Apart from a few Motorola apps, everything is pure stock and bloat-free. © ANDROIDPIT

Motorola Assist contains customizable profiles which you can set for specific situations, like when you're driving, for example, or in a meeting. You can tell your Moto G (2014) to read messages aloud, silence incoming calls, play music through Bluetooth, or set quiet hours where you won't be disturbed. Migrate lets you easily switch your old phone's contents to your new Moto G (2014), even if your last phone was an iPhone. Trusted Devices let you keep your phone unlocked when a trusted device, like a smartwatch, is connected to your Moto G (2014).

Assist lets you set profiles for different situations. © ANDROIDPIT

Alert lets you set up emergency contacts to be notified automatically in case of an accident and the renamed Help lets you contact Motorola customer support anytime of day or not via chat or phone, and there's even a handy bunch of FAQs and tutorials to get your started. Everything else is stock Android: super clean and minimal. Any customizations you want to do you can do yourself straight over the top of the fastest Android experience around.

The Moto G (2014) may not be a benchmark beast, but it performs very smoothly. © ANDROIDPIT

Performance

The Moto G is no hardware beast, but considering it houses a modest Snapdragon 400 chipset clocked at 1.2 GHz (the same processor used in some smartwatches) it is still surprisingly responsive and quick. There is a distinct lack of bloatware on the Moto G and this is a great thing: with only 8 or 16 GB of internal storage, buyers need all the storage space they can get to put the apps they actually want on their Moto G. However, internally it is almost identical to the last Moto G, so if that wasn't quite fast enough for you the new Moto G won't be either.

Just like the original Moto G, the Moto G (2014) is an unassuming looking powerhouse. © ANDROIDPIT

The new Moto G comes in a single SIM, dual-SIM and dual-SIM with DTV versions and all models have a microSD card slot that can bump the storage up an additional 32 GB. The new Moto G also has front-mounted stereo speakers, something many flagship devices haven’t quite picked up on yet. While they are nice and loud, they won't knock your socks off in terms of audio quality.
Motorola said it asked people what they wanted, listened and then delivered. The big three requests? Better music, microSD expansion and a better camera. Sadly, an LTE radio didn't seem to make the cut, so the Moto G (2014) doesn't support 4G.

The Moto G (2014) camera shoots pictures at 8 MP.  / © ANDROIDPIT

Camera

Moto fans wanted a better camera though, so they got one in the new Moto G. The camera on the new Moto G has been beefed up to a resolution of 8 MP for the main camera and 2 MP for the front-facing camera. The camera interface is super clean and includes slow-motion capture and panorama amongst other basic settings. You can tap anywhere on the screen to shoot a picture which Motorola wanted to introduce to make the photographic experience simpler and cleaner. You can also shoot a picture using the volume down button.

The Moto G (2014) camera app. Tap the screen or use the volume button to shoot. © ANDROIDPIT

The Moto G (2014) camera is actually pretty good. The resolution bump is welcome, and there's been some other tweaks that have improved its performance since the previous version too. Focus response is much better and so is color accuracy and sharpness. Shots seem to be a little less contrasty than before as well. The camera is far from the best in current smartphones, but for a phone that costs 179 USD, the new Moto G (2014) 8 MP shooter is really quite good.

Battery

Strangely, even with a larger screen, Motorola decided not to boost the size of the non-removable battery, sticking with the same capacity as that found in the original Moto G: 2,070 mAh. With Android L’s Project Volta not far away, you can expect the battery life to improve by up to 30%, but until that happens it's still a pretty small battery. Nevertheless, with only a HD screen and relatively low power consumption, it will still get you through a day or a day and a half if you're lucky.

The Moto G (2014) delivers an amazing amount for very little money.  © ANDROIDPIT

Technical Specifications

	Motorola Moto G (2nd. gen.)
System	Android 4.4, KitKat (guaranteed upgrade to “L” version of Android OS).
Display	5.0-inch HD IPS LCD (1,080 x 720 pixels, 294 ppi)
CPU	Quad-core Snapdragon 400, 1.2 GHz
GPU	Adreno 305 (450 MHz)
RAM	1 GB
Internal storage	8/16 GB (single SIM and dual-SIM models), 16 GB (dual-SIM DTV model) + micro SD up to 32 GB
Battery	2,070 mAh, non-removable
Camera	8 MP (rear), AF (f/2.0), 2 MP (front-facing), 720p 30fps video capture both front and back
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, 3.5 mm, USB 2.0 HS, 1 or 2 Micro SIMS
Dimensions	70.7 x 141.5 x 6.0-11.0 mm
Weight	149 g
Extras	Stereo speakers (front-facing) with noise cancellation, replaceable back covers

Final Verdict

The Moto G was the biggest sleeper success in recent memory and has rightfully become Motorola’s biggest selling device of all time. While there may not seem to be too many flashy new gimmicks in the new Moto G that is because it really doesn’t need them. The original Moto G was and is one of the best Android experiences you can get. At extremely low prices it remains unbeatable, but now there’s an even better Moto G.
Key improvements like a larger screen (if not higher resolution), microSD expansion, better camera, dual-SIM, stereo front-facing speakers and the inclusion of switchable back panels make the new Moto G a force to be reckoned with. Motorola said it set out to make an even more exceptional phone at an equally exceptional price, and feel that the Moto G fulfills that goal. I tend to agree with them. The best low-cost Android smartphone just got a whole lot better. The flagships better watch out.

Moto G price and availability

The Moto G (2014) retails for 199 EUR, 179 USD, 149 GBP and 12,999 INR. It is available now in the US, UK, Europe and India.

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Galaxy Note 5: ten things we want to see

The Galaxy Note series has produced some of the finest devices in the world. With the imminent release of the Galaxy Note 4, which may possibly be the finest handset Samsung has ever produced, all eyes are now on 2015 and the next device in the series. Here are 10 things we want from the Galaxy Note 5.

How different will the Note 5 look compared to the Note 4 (above)? / © ANDROIDPIT

State of the art camera technology: 55 Megapixels

It seems likely that the Galaxy Note 5 will house some impressive camera tech, given that Samsung tends to prioritize this for its flagship devices. The Note 5 will probably house a wide-angle front-facing camera for all of those "welfies" that people are clamoring for, hopefully in the region of 8 MP, and with new chipset technology, the 21 MP rear camera limit set by the Snapdragon 801 is likely to be broken. Indeed, a reported image resolution of up to 55 MP will be achievable in 2015.

Wireless charging

Thanks to the Moto 360, wireless charging has become popularized recently and we bet many people are going to be impressed when they come to experience it for themselves. Rumors are already circulating that this will be a feature of the Note 5, and it would certainly be a big draw for some people.

Latest 64-bit Snapdragon processor

With the influx of 64-bit processors due to arrive next year, the Galaxy Note 5 will be a perfect device to show off the best that Qualcomm can offer. The leap in chipset technology is set to be a big one between the next generation of processors and the previous, and we can't wait to see what the Note 5 will be able to do with 64-bit octa-core, or even dodeca-core (12-core) technology backing it. It certainly seems within the realm of possibilty that the Note 5 will make use of an octa-core plus quad-core processor.

CAPTION – REPLACE ME! / © Qualcomm Technologies

2-day battery life

We’ve all heard of the battery technology that is going to give us 10 times better smartphone battery life but, sadly, it seems the commercial integration of this will still be out of reach in 2015. There's no doubt that manufactures could make smartphones which last much longer on one charge, but if you want quality components and functionality, battery life is always a compromise.
Even with the developments of battery efficiency in a year's time, expecting anything more than a day on a single charge, powering a high-end device like the Note 5, will be asking a lot. With an ultra-bright screen, lightning-fast processor, possibly 4 or even 5 GB of RAM, the battery is going to come under some serious strain. 2-day battery life has been something of a headline in 2014, and it would be impressive to see these numbers attached to the latest and greatest Samsung product as a minimum.

Shatterproof display

With Apple implementing shatter-proof glass on its iPhone 6, Samsung will be keen to make use of similar technology to secure loyalty to its flagship brand. Our smartphones are always being pulled in and out of pockets, tapped and swiped - it's only natural that we will drop them from time to time. With a device which costs the best side of 1000 USD, any extra protection it has is going to be a serious benefit.

Bezel-less, end-to-end design

What could be better suited to a shatterproof display than a bezel-less design? We’ve already seen smartphones like this on devices such as the Sharp Aquos Crystal, and Samsung might be looking to capitalize on some more of the screen real-estate like achieved on the LG G3 and Huawei Ascend Mate 7.

It would be nice to see the Note 5 make use of screen space like the Aquos Crystal does. / © Sharp

Improved S Pen functionality

The S Pen is one of the things that sets the Galaxy Note apart from the competition. While it is performing the best it ever has on the Note 4 (see our hands on Note 4 review), there is still a lot of potential for this technology. The handwriting recognition and usability has been improved in the latest version, but can the classic feel of pen on paper be surpassed by a smartphone? Possibly.

No bloatware

The more choice the user has with regards to which software is installed on his or her device, the better. Samsung’s continued use of its proprietary “TouchWiz” software means that users are always a step away from a “pure” Android experience. It would be nice to see this scaled back on the next device, and grant users more power to decide what is included on their smartphone.

Slim, light and metallic

Fans have been crying out for metallic devices from Samsung for years, and their wishes have (almost) been granted this year with the Galaxy Alpha and the Note 4. Here's hoping can continue with its use of premium materials going forward.

Water resistance

Whether this is of vital importance to you or not, it's just nice to know that you are covered should you accidentally drop your phone into some water, or get caught in some heavy rain. Samsung has experimented with water resistant technology before with the Galaxy S4 Active, so it's not out of the question to see it happen on the Note 5.

Whether or not you use your phone in the bath, water resistance provides another protective measure for your smartphone. © ANDROIDPIT

Well, we aren't asking for much, are we? What would you like to see on the Galaxy Note 4?

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Get Android 4.4.4 KitKat on your International Galaxy S3!!!!!!!!!!

Samsung decided to go ahead and release an Android 4.4.4 update for the LTE Galaxy S3, but only in Korea. However, that didn’t stop developers from taking this update and porting it for the International version of the Galaxy S3. Thanks to the fine folks over at the XDA Developers forum, this port is now available and is relatively stable. Below, we’ll show you how you can install this KitKat update on your international variant of the Galaxy S3.

The international version of the Galaxy S3 now has an official port of Android 4.4.4 KitKat. / © ANDROIDPIT

A few months ago, Samsung issued a statement saying that they wouldn’t be releasing a KitKat update for the 3G version of the device, stating that the “limitations” in the hardware of the device wouldn’t provide an optimal KitKat experience. Unfortunately, this was deemed to be a bit of bunk by many users as the 1 GB of RAM in the 3G version of the Galaxy S3 was more than enough to handle it seeing as devices with 512 MB of RAM were running just fine with it.

Warning

Rooting and flashing ROMs does come with risks, but considering Samsung isn't supporting your device any longer and it is more than likely out of warranty, unless you really can't afford to get a new device if something goes terribly amiss, you should be fine. Just follow the steps outlined below carefully, and if you're not sure, do not proceed until you get some clarification.

A few things to note

• The ROM file contains a kernel modified specifically for this ROM.
• This ROM is heavily debloated.
• This ROM does not supports any other custom kernels including the arter97 kernel.
• This is based on Korean firmware, some stuffs may remain in Korean(e.g. Dialer).
• BusyBox or Superuser are not included with the ROM. 

Required files

• back-to-n00t ROM for Galaxy S3
• You will need to have your KitKat rooted before you are able to install this, please follow our previous root tutorial guide for the Galaxy S3.

Installation

1. Install a custom recovery, such as TWRP Manager.
2. Place the ROM on your internal memory.
3. Enter recovery.
4. Make a full data wipe (wipe cache, wipe dalvik, format system and wipe data). However, if you are already running a previous version with the back-to-n00t, this will not be necessary.
5. Flash the ROM.
6. If you don’t already have it, flash and install SuperSU.

If you’ve done the steps properly, you will not have the official KitKat ROM ported to your international version of your Galaxy S3. Let us know in the comments whether this worked for you!

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How to cool down a hot phone with Coolify

Whether you’re pushing your Android device to the limit by playing some of the latest games or just using it for extended periods of time, you’ve probably noticed that it gets a little hot.  Well, if you’re not trying to use your smartphone or tablet as a replacement heater during the winter, you might be interested in giving out Coolify a test and help curb your overheating issues.

Overheating will not longer be a problem with Coolify! / © Google / Coolify

What is it?

Coolify is an app that can be used to help prevent overheating on your Android devices. By constantly measuring the temperature values of the device, it provides useful information that helps you maintain an optimal internal temperature and also extend the life of your battery.

How does it work?

First and foremost, we’ll preface this by saying that you do require root access on your device for Coolify to work. Coolify works by tweaking some system values, such as VM, to optimize your device to keep it cool. By doing this, the app can optimize the processes having to do with the processor and battery so that they’re performed more efficiently and don’t generate as much heat as they usually do.

Coolify INSTALL

The Coolify main screen.  / © AndroidPIT

When you fire up the app, you can click on the menu button on the top right and get access to a bunch of different options within the app, such as:

• Temperature control records
• Settings and options
• Changing the background colors
• Updating the app

The different options within Coolify./ © AndroidPIT

In practice, Coolify does provide a good solution for monitoring and managing how hot your device gets. While newer smartphones are definitely starting to concentrate on providing hardware options that focus on generating less heat and becoming more efficient, Coolify provides a practical solution for those that do not. No longer will you start to feel the heat of your device when you’re playing your favorite mobile game.

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Motorola Moto X (2014) review: style over substance..!!!

The first Moto X was a groundbreaking device because it brought near-stock Android to a third-party manufacturer device that subsequently meant it got Android updates faster than even some of Google’s own Nexus devices.  The Moto X also ushered in the era of hands-free control, “breathing” lock screen notifications and the brilliant Moto Maker program for endless personalization. The new Moto X (2nd gen.) is now here. So is the Moto X (2014) another game changer like the original, or does it just improve on an already near-perfect recipe? Read our Moto X (2014) review to find out.

© ANDROIDPIT

★★★★☆

Rating

Good👍

• ✓Excellent build quality
• ✓Endless customizations with Moto Maker
• ✓Very fast stock Android interface
• ✓Rapid updates, no bloatware
• ✓Excellent hands-free voice controls

Bad👎

• ✕Weak battery
• ✕Mediocre camera
• ✕Screen is just OK
• ✕No stereo speakers or microSD

Design & Build Quality

This is easily the biggest standout of the new Moto X (2014). This thing looks great. The curved back of the original is back, but now you can add an awesome leather back plate or opt for a wood panel. We’ve got the black leather Moto X (2nd gen.) and it is a thing of beauty, more so than perhaps any other phone I’ve seen this year.

The new Moto X (2014) is easily the best looking Android I've seen this year. © ANDROIDPIT

The edges of the Moto X (2014) are a gorgeous metal with sectioned corners for the antennas and that same great curve for a sexy feel in the hand. The sides are actually a little slippery though and the leather doesn’t exactly help in that regard either. I repeatedly found myself almost dropping the new Moto X. In the heat too, the leather would get a little moist, if you know what I mean. It will, of course, also scuff up after a while, which may be cool or may be awful.

The metallic design of the Moto X is beautiful and feels great in the hand. © ANDROIDPIT

The little Motorola logo on the back of the original moto X has festered into a rather ridiculously large indentation that you might think is a button but is actually nothing more than a finger groove (which is actually nicely positioned) and a visual counterbalance to the large LED ring flash surrounding the camera lens.

The curved back and smooth aluminum frame feel great in the hand. © ANDROIDPIT

Everything is nicely centered on the new Moto X, with a top-mounted headphone port and microUSB port at the bottom. Speaker grills sit above and below the screen (and are strangely raised), but only the bottom one emits any sound – there’s no stereo speaker action here, unlike in the new Moto G (2014). The power button has a nice texture and you can tell that design was at the forefront of Motorola’s mind with the new Moto X. You can further customize your Moto X with the Moto Maker program to include custom trim colors, engraving, front panel color choices and more.

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Display

The original Moto X suffered a bit from its HD display. Sure, it was decent enough, but it didn’t exactly floor you. The new Moto X (2nd gen.) has upped the ante by packing a Full HD display, bringing a very respectable 424 pixels per inch to its 5.2-inch AMOLED screen. Colors are bright and saturated with great contrast. The screen brightness doesn’t really ramp up though and our test unit had a rather dull blue tint to whites. The screen offers a satisfactory balance of size, resolution and output to deliver what you want from your smartphone screen without destroying your battery but it’s not exceptional.

A look at the front and back of the bamboo Moto X (2014). / © ANDROIDPIT

The AMOLED display technology also means the great “breathing” notifications are back, and the various motion sensors will activate your notifications from a screen-off state simply by reaching for your phone.  This is, of course, a much more battery-friendly way to get notifications than to turn the entire display on. AMOLED also means on-screen blacks are pitch black but outside readability is not quite as great as on an LCD screen. However, the notification benefits brought to the Moto X by AMOLED clearly outweigh readability in direct sunlight or the minor failings of the screen itself. You can also set the screen to dim more quickly if you stop looking at it with Attentive Display.

The Moto X (2014) runs a slightly tweaked version of stock Android. © ANDROIDPIT

Software

The Moto X (2104) comes with near-stock Android, with a light sprinkling of Motorola features on top. The basic interface is pure stock, so you won’t get any flashy interface elements, just bare bones Android 4.4.4. This of course, means that the Moto X gets Android updates insanely quickly and is also one of the fastest interfaces around because it is not bogged down in a manufacturer skin.

It's all stock Android with a few Moto additions like Connect, Migrate and Moto. © ANDROIDPIT

The Motorola additions are minimal but useful. The settings menu gets a Motorola Privacy section and Moto ID for syncing across devices or with the cloud. Everything else is contained in a section called Moto which holds the four cornerstones of the Moto X’s uniqueness: Assist, which handles profiles that can apply themselves automatically, like when, for example, you are driving. Actions let you manage the Moto X’s gesture based controls including the camera shortcut wrist flick and wave to silence.

Hands-free controls are the strongest point of the Moto X (2014). © ANDROIDPIT

The two major software features of the Moto X (2014) are voice commands and the intelligent display. Display options include “breathing” notifications, blocking notification content for specific apps and app blocking. Voice commands on the Moto X (2014) are like Google Now on speed. You can now name your Moto X anything you like so you don’t have to endlessly say “Ok Google” too. This allows for some pretty unique and also hilarious hotword phrases.

There's an amazing amount you can do with just your voice on the Moto X (2014). © ANDROIDPIT

Getting used to the Moto X’s voice commands takes a little while, and between hotword detection, voice command recognition and spoken results, it’s not the fastest process on the block, but for controlling your phone from across the room it’s incredibly useful. You can touchlessly send WhatsApp messages, listen to emails, perform web searches, have your Moto X read out new notifications to you, make calls and check voicemail when your phone is locked, take a photo, dictate text messages, set reminders, activate profiles, post to Facebook and more. It will completely change the way you think about using your phone.

There's a few nice little additions in the new Moto X (2014) like Attentive Display. © ANDROIDPIT

Motorola made a conscious decision to keep the Moto range minimal, with near-stock Android and very little bloatware, if you can even call it that. Motorola Connect syncs your devices in the cloud via your Motorola ID, Moto Migrate helps you transition from one device to another, Spotlight Stories are a lovely 360-degree immersive experience from Motorola (you may already know Windy Day), and Moto Assist (now called Help) gives you 24-7 access to help from Motorola Customer Support as well as handy tips and tricks for your Moto X.

Motorola Help is always ready to assist you, either through FAQs, chat or on the phone. © ANDROIDPIT

The greatest part of it all is that Motorola simply uploads updates to the core Moto X features to the Play Store, so as new sensor services, Moto Display options or Moto Actions controls are made available they can be updated via the Play Store rather than through waiting for a slow OTA firmware update. This is one of the great lessons Motorola learned under the tutelage of Google (the same thing happens with Google Play Services these days).

Thanks to great specs and stock Android, the Moto X (2014) is blisteringly fast. © ANDROIDPIT

Performance

The Moto X (2014) is packs very standard internals for a device in its class: a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chipset clocked at 2.5 GHz with Adreno 330 GPU.  There’s a 16 GB or 32 GB model available but there’s no option for microSD expansion. The new Moto X has 2 GB of RAM and of course runs the latest version of Android: Android 4.4.4 with an imminent update to the Android L release. Due to the stock interface and very few system apps, the Moto X is super-fast and responsive and stands up well to any other flagships around right now, outperforming both the Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8) in benchmarks and feel.

The Moto X (2014) has a 13 MP camera with dual-LED ring flash, but it's not a standout. © ANDROIDPIT

Camera

The new Moto X gets a slight increase in the camera stakes: to a 13 MP camera with 4K video, slow-motion capture, panorama and HDR. You can tap anywhere to shoot a picture and launch the camera app through the slightly gimmicky wrist flick, which works quite well and delivers a satisfying buzz as it launches. Not sure why, but I like it. It’s one of the fastest ways to launch and shoot I’ve seen.

Despite being super fast to access and shoot, the camera interface is a little clumsy. © ANDROIDPIT

The results of the camera are less impressive, however. There’s no manual mode on the new Moto X and the camera doesn’t quite live up to the premium look of the phone as a whole. It performs acceptably, but not brilliantly, which, when compared to many of the other flagships around, is just not good enough. It struggles to focus up close and doesn’t produce particularly rich colors. There are only two resolution options, no timer, no manual mode, no optical image stabilization and a slightly awkward camera interface. Definitely the weakest part of the Moto X so far.

Battery

Perhaps I spoke too soon. The Moto X (2014) comes with a very mediocre 2,300 mAh battery, which is a lot lower capacity than many competitors, which tend to sit around the 3,000 mAh mark with a similarly sized screen and resolution. While part of this decision is clearly due to the battery saving possibilities of active notifications on the AMOLED screen, the reliance on voice commands still demands more power and the increase in screen size and display resolution really required a larger bump (the original Moto X had a 2,200 mAh battery that was equally weak).

Motorola has delivered some useful gesture controls with its new Moto X. / © ANDROIDPIT

Technical Specifications

	Motorola Moto X
System	Android 4.4.4 KitKat
Display	5.2 inches, Full HD AMOLED (1,920 x 1,080 pixels, 423 ppi)
CPU	Quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor (MSM8974-AC), 2.5 GHz
GPU	Adreno 330 GPU (578 MHz)
RAM	2 GB
Internal storage	16/32 GB
Battery	2,300 mAh (8 hours of battery charge in 15 minutess with turbo charging)
Camera	13 MP (f/2.25) with dual-LED Ring Flash, HDR, UHD (4K) video capture, 4X digital zoom
Connectivity	GSM, HSDPA, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Dimensions	72.4 x 140.8 x 3.8-9.9 mm
Weight	144 grams
Extras	Aluminum metal frame, optional wood or leather battery cover, custom voice prompt

Final Verdict

After starting out so well, and making such a great impression based on the new Moto X’s stylish appearance and lightning quick interface, the two critical elements of camera and battery burst the bubble (not to mention minor screen issues and that odd speaker decision). Is this a case of putting style before substance? Maybe. The battery may be a big letdown, but the camera is still an improvement over the original Moto X. The issue is that the original Moto X introduced so many innovative features they made up for it and the new Moto X doesn’t.
The Moto X (2014) updates a successful recipe but doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table. Unless metal edges or naming your phone is the one feature you’ve been waiting for, it seems clear that Motorola could have done more. Not necessarily in terms of tons of new software features or gimmicky add-ons, but perhaps a little of the budget reserved for making the new Moto X look so great would have been more wisely invested in a larger battery or better camera software.
Still, these are things that can be tweaked by software updates, so if you’re looking for a great looking phone (that can be custom built via Moto Maker) with a fast interface, barely-there bloatware, speedy updates and fantastic hands-free capabilities then the Moto X is a great choice. Especially when you consider it only costs 499 USD for the 16 GB version: the new Moto X is easily the best looking, best feeling, and most premium-styled device in its price range. But if a better-than-average camera and all day battery life are key factors you may just have to wait for the next one

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