Top Moto Engineer talks Moto X

[tonymhoffman]

Top Motorola engineer defends Moto X specs (Q&A) - CNET Mobile

Cool interview with lead engineer behind the moto x.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[drxtal]

Thanks for the link. I missed this when it first came out.

 

[grooks]

This thread was was started around the time the article was posted. I'm posting in case people wanted to see some of the comments.

Excellent Q&Q with Moto X Engineer

 

[tonymhoffman]

Crud! I missed that thread!. I noticed the article was old but didn't remember seeing it posted in here!

Posted via Android Central App

 

[JungleLarry]

This is the third or fourth time I've seen a thread made for this article, but no matter. It's still relevant (unfortunately) and hopefully it helps clear up some details as Moto Maker begins to launch on other carriers. It appears some folks are still uncomfortable purchasing an "under-spec'd" device heading into the holiday season.

I think the thing I enjoy the most is the overall tone of the interview. It's almost rant-like, as if he had spent a few days on the Android Central forums reading the ridiculous threads about how disappointing this phone was after it was announced.

 

[guesswhat_567]

all that makes sense ..but people will still question ..sadly X has to carry this blemish for ever and im thinking thats part of the reason for underwhelming sales of Moto x, average person at the store will look at two cores/720 p display and jump to htc one/s4 and will not give a chance to Moto x.
Im sure motorola will take a look at its sales numbers and bump up the specs for X2 to appear high end on paper and hopefully they can deliver new innovative features and same experience on X2 with higher specs!!

This is the third or fourth time I've seen a thread made for this article, but no matter. It's still relevant (unfortunately) and hopefully it helps clear up some details as Moto Maker begins to launch on other carriers. It appears some folks are still uncomfortable purchasing an "under-spec'd" device heading into the holiday season.

I think the thing I enjoy the most is the overall tone of the interview. It's almost rant-like, as if he had spent a few days on the Android Central forums reading the ridiculous threads about how disappointing this phone was after it was announced.

 

[shaytoon21]

the trolls on the comment section from that article are humorous.

 

[JungleLarry]

Im sure motorola will take a look at its sales numbers and bump up the specs for X2 to appear high end on paper and hopefully they can deliver new innovative features and same experience on X2 with higher specs!!

I'm betting on you being awfully disappointed when that dream doesn't come to fruition.

What's the point? The Moto X has optimized hardware that performs near or better than its hyper-spec'd competitors. User reviews cite it as being the best Android experience to date. All with "two cores" (by the way: the carriers advertise this phone as having an X8 Mobile Computing system, not a dual-core S4 Pro) and a 720p display. My guess is the Moto X2 (or whatever it's called) will have the S800 optimized in a similar hardware configuration to the current X8, but by that time it will be "last year's tech," as one former user so eloquently put it.

The Moto X is Motorola's attempt at taking Android in a different direction; in the past, Android phones have relied on imposing spec sheets to compete with Apple. The problem is that hasn't always translated into positive user experiences. The Moto X has turned that on its head, and been delightfully successful, regardless of what the sales numbers say. So if massively spec'd phones with billion core processors and enough RAMZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz to push-start an aircraft carrier are being beat out by a compact, modestly spec'd device with "last year's tech," I'll ask again...what's the point?

Either you're on board, or you're not. And, judging by Apple adopting the same principles with their iPhone 5S, if you're not on this train, you're gonna get left behind.

 

[mkreef]

the trolls on the comment section from that article are humorous.

My favorite:

------------------
mwara24 Aug 23, 2013

@davidtb823 One thing no reviews are telling is how bad the Battery is on the Moto x, just medium use won't get you through 6 hours without needing a charge.

 

[grooks]

I read through some of the commments and that was my favorite as well.

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[UJ95x]

I'm betting on you being awfully disappointed when that dream doesn't come to fruition.

What's the point? The Moto X has optimized hardware that performs near or better than its hyper-spec'd competitors. User reviews cite it as being the best Android experience to date. All with "two cores" (by the way: the carriers advertise this phone as having an X8 Mobile Computing system, not a dual-core S4 Pro) and a 720p display. My guess is the Moto X2 (or whatever it's called) will have the S800 optimized in a similar hardware configuration to the current X8, but by that time it will be "last year's tech," as one former user so eloquently put it.

The Moto X is Motorola's attempt at taking Android in a different direction; in the past, Android phones have relied on imposing spec sheets to compete with Apple. The problem is that hasn't always translated into positive user experiences. The Moto X has turned that on its head, and been delightfully successful, regardless of what the sales numbers say. So if massively spec'd phones with billion core processors and enough RAMZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz to push-start an aircraft carrier are being beat out by a compact, modestly spec'd device with "last year's tech," I'll ask again...what's the point?

Either you're on board, or you're not. And, judging by Apple adopting the same principles with their iPhone 5S, if you're not on this train, you're gonna get left behind.

Here's to hoping for a SD800 and a 1080p display on the X2

Posted via Android Central App

 

[tonymhoffman]

1080 is only going to drain battery and lower performance. The X got betters scores on gaming then HTC One and S4 Partially do to the 720p

Posted via Android Central App

 

[UJ95x]

1080 is only going to drain battery and lower performance. The X got betters scores on gaming then HTC One and S4 Partially do to the 720p

Posted via Android Central App

I'm sure Moto will find a way. If not 1080p then something in between. 900 is right in between, even though it's a strange resolution XD

Posted via Android Central App

 

[JungleLarry]

Here's to hoping for a SD800 and a 1080p display on the X2

Posted via Android Central App

Again...what's the point?

From that article...

Also, the human eye cannot discern resolution beyond 300 pixels per inch. And we exceed that. So the eye can't even see the difference.

Is 1080p really worth a downgrade in graphics performance and/or battery life? I'm with them when they say...

But the human eye can see big differences in color saturation and reproduction. In fact, I'd say that is even more important than resolution. So we decided to focus on that aspect instead.

Yes, keep improving on AMOLED technology, and don't worry about resolution. There are more variables to creating a beautiful display than just resolution and pixel density. Now we're just bordering on diminishing returns.

 

[UJ95x]

Again...what's the point?

From that article...


Is 1080p really worth a downgrade in graphics performance and/or battery life? I'm with them when they say...



Yes, keep improving on AMOLED technology, and don't worry about resolution. There are more variables to creating a beautiful display than just resolution and pixel density. Now we're just bordering on diminishing returns.

So what? You charge expect Motorola to use the same chip for their flagship next year? Maybe they'll use the SD600 but very unlikely that they use anything "weaker." Obviously with a stronger processor they can up the resolution without losing too much performance. They showed how well they can optimize their phones so they can find a way. The point is that in certain videos I can see the pixels on the X.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[guesswhat_567]

The point is to sell more Moto X's, im sure they would have sold more if the specs were better on paper ..lot of people didnt buy the device and will not if the moto x2 has lesser specs (compared to galaxy s5 or htc one next). Android users care about spec even average android consumer does ..so if mot doesn't up there game and launch moto x2 with comparable specs, they wont have any sales like it happened this time..

Again...what's the point?

From that article...


Is 1080p really worth a downgrade in graphics performance and/or battery life? I'm with them when they say...



Yes, keep improving on AMOLED technology, and don't worry about resolution. There are more variables to creating a beautiful display than just resolution and pixel density. Now we're just bordering on diminishing returns.

 

[jephanie]

So if massively spec'd phones with billion core processors and enough RAMZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz to push-start an aircraft carrier...

This made me LOL IRL and spit my Captain & Diet all over my monitor. Thanks for that...