We've got the Moto G, here's the place to ask your questions

[The Elusive Wordsmith]

Could someone who has used or had/has a Motorola RAZR i please tell me if the Motorola G is quicker, slower or about the same? I love my RAZR i it's really snappy and seems blazingly fast to respond to me but I am tempted to get a G especially at that price! Speed concerns are the only worries holding me back...

Posted via Android Central App on my Motorola XT890 RAZR i

 

[strav22]

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry if this had already been asked, but does this work on T-Mobile HSPA+ 21?

I thought that T-Mobile hspa required the 2100mhz band along with 1700??

Sent from my LG G2!

This thread should answer your questions:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/moto-g/338376-differnces-between-gobal-us-versions.html

 

[strav22]

Can anybody that has a Moto G tell me if the "tethering & portable hotpsot" feature is available out of the box like it is on the Nexus devices? Thanks in advance!

yes, It's available on my Global version. Remember this is a 3G device, speeds will be decent but no where near LTE.

 

[mbalsaritchie]

Can you change the number of screens on this. Got the nexus 4 myself, but have bought this for the Mrs. Can't find a way too do it.

 

[Wez Knowles]

No, with the stock launcher you're limited to five home screens.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Lanhoj]

My G's replaced my N4 as my backup device to my primary N5.

I installed over 200 Apps onto the G - the same Apps I have on my N4 & N5. Only thing I didn't transfer over is all my media (since I've only got the 8GB version) other than my Wallpaper.
It performs surprisingly well. There's some lag (1-2secs) occasionally when returning to my Homescreen (Nova) after being within another App for a while, but other than that it's pretty smooth.
For me it performs a little better than my Galaxy Nexus.

Is it better than my N4? No.
But, it's less fragile to keep in my pocket as my backup/emergency device so considering I'll barely ever need to use it, it'll do fine.
Also when holding them both (G & N5), the G looks like a Nexus Jr

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[mbalsaritchie]

No, with the stock launcher you're limited to five home screens.

Posted via Android Central App

So I would need to load Nova to change the number of screens to say 1?

 

[Wez Knowles]

Yup, unless you just use the centre home screen.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[strav22]

My G's replaced my N4 as my backup device to my primary N5.

I installed over 200 Apps onto the G - the same Apps I have on my N4 & N5. Only thing I didn't transfer over is all my media (since I've only got the 8GB version) other than my Wallpaper.
It performs surprisingly well. There's some lag (1-2secs) occasionally when returning to my Homescreen (Nova) after being within another App for a while, but other than that it's pretty smooth.
For me it performs a little better than my Galaxy Nexus.

Is it better than my N4? No.
But, it's less fragile to keep in my pocket as my backup/emergency device so considering I'll barely ever need to use it, it'll do fine.
Also when holding them both (G & N5), the G looks like a Nexus Jr

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

Just curious, why would you need the G as a back up device? I'm trying to figure out if I should keep the G as a back up for my N5. I upgrade every 12 months and I never break my phones (knock on wood). For a device that will just sit in my drawer, not sure its worth it for $200, no matter how much I like the device (I really like the G).

 

[mrsmumbles]

Just curious, why would you need the G as a back up device? I'm trying to figure out if I should keep the G as a back up for my N5. I upgrade every 12 months and I never break my phones (knock on wood). For a device that will just sit in my drawer, not sure its worth it for $200, no matter how much I like the device (I really like the G).

If your computer ever dies you still have almost full computer functionality with a good back up phone.

Sent from my LG870 via Tapatalk 2

 

[strav22]

If your computer ever dies you still have almost full computer functionality with a good back up phone.

Sent from my LG870 via Tapatalk 2

That's not a worry for me, but thank you for the perspective.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Lanhoj]

Just curious, why would you need the G as a back up device?
...

I don't "need" a backup device, but I get 4-6 phones/year (purchase 1 or 2 & sent 3 or 4) so if I don't make the G a backup to keep in my jacket pocket it'll just sit in its box...and I like to have one in case the battery on my primary dies (though I carry a portable charger too, LoL).

I don't know, I just like to have a backup - it didn't cost me anything so might as well. If I had to pay for it though, I think I still would considering how cheap they are in Canada with some of the recent promotions to replace my more fragile N4.

And before you ask why I keep them & not sell them - I work in Mobile Development so I like to have a few reference devices or at least 1 for each platform plus a few extra in case family members need a phone (I gave away one this morning, actually).

So, if you have a bit of money hanging around, I'd say pick it up. It's better IMO to be safe with a backup phone somewhere worse comes to worse - it beats needing to dust off an old flip-phone!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Matt Casey]

Hey all,
A tablet charger will charge it faster (my RAZR i got charged in about 1 hour with a Xoom 2 charger from 5% to 100%).
But it might also shorten battery life over time. We are talking half a year to a year of every day charging with a tablet charger here. As far as I know charging faster than normal produces little cracks in the material. Not sure how, but over time, the capacity of the battery will lower. Personal experinece: My RAZR i would last from 7am to 6pm with my user habits. After charging it all the time with a Xoom 2 charger the battery went down from 7am to 4:30pm.
As long as the Ampere values don't vary too much you should be fine. Best would be of course to use branded chargers, they are safer.
Cheers,
Nicole

Everything I've been reading (e.g. How USB charging works, or how to avoid blowing up your smartphone | ExtremeTech ) indicates that there is no disadvantage or harm to your battery in using a faster higher amp charger. So, for example it should be completely safe to use a 5 volt 2.0 amp charger with the Moto G which is rated to charge at up to 1.5 amp ( https://motorola-global-portal.cust..._detail/a_id/97318/p/30,6720,9050/action/auth ). The phone will only charge at a max of 1.5 amp, but using a higher 2.0 amp charger will cause no damage.

Nicole, can you refer to your source of information that rapid charging with higher amp charger causes long-term loss of capacity? Does anyone else have any info sources indicating that higher amp chargers cause any harm? For example, I'm thinking of using the Nexus 7 5 v 2.0 amp charger with the Moto G.

 

[Nicole Summers]

Hey Matt,
I take it back - I have read many things now as well that indicate the contrary and I simply forgot to update this post.

Source is university education - thinking about it it might be well outdated! And industry today probably has many built in security functions to prevent that.

However, in theory , ignoring any security features and just looking at a basic model, I learned that charging faster than the battery "likes" will result in a lower capacity over time, due to micro cracks in the the material. Hope that makes sense =)

Cheers,
Nicole

 

[Fernando PG]

any word on when Motorola is going to launch the bumper case?

 

[strav22]

any word on when Motorola is going to launch the bumper case?

Sometime in January, that info is on their site

 

[Matt Casey]

Hey Nicole,
Thanks for your reply. I agree that there is some uncertainty about whether or not faster charging reduces long-term battery capacity. What seems definite is that the Moto G will only pull a maximum of 1.5 amp, even if the charger allows higher (e.g. Nexus 7 charger allows 2.0 amp).

The new Motorola brand wall chargers on the U.S. website ( Duo Rapid Charger at Motorola - A Google Company ) are rated at 1.2 amp (6w), so I guess we should assume that at least 1.2 amp is safe for the Moto G. Whether going all the way up to the maximum 1.5 amp the Moto G is rated to pull by using a higher amp charger would degrade long-term battery capacity, I certainly don't know for sure. I just haven't found anything on the internet that says definitely that higher amp charging (within the batteries acceptable limit) with Lithium Ion batteries causes reduced long-term capacity.

Unfortunately, this still leaves me unsure if the Nexus 7 2.0 amp charger (or the off-brand 2.0 amp chargers that mobile websites in the U.K.
( Buy Motorola Moto G Chargers ) are selling for the Moto G will or won't reduce long-term capacity?

 

[shmeeeel]

I have the Moto G. I have enabled the hang up with power button which I find quite useful. However if I am using speakerphone I have no way of unlocking the phone to turn it off or use the phone at all without hanging up, apart from disabling the feature is there any fix? Thanks

 

[Matt Casey]

I'm still not sure, but after doing more research on Battery University website, I have concluded that there may in fact be some additional degradation (beyond normal reduction with time) in long-term battery capacity by using a 2A charger with the Moto G.

Please see this post for my logic and references:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/google-nexus-5/334538-nexus-5-sure-does-charge-fast-2.html

CORRECTION AND UPDATE:
But here is an update since I first added the above post. (This correction is now added to the above post but repeated here for consistency.)

I have more authoritative information directly from Battery University that changes the conclusion I drew based on my effort to extrapolate from the Battery University 'Fast and Ultra-Fast Chargers' website article.

The extrapolation I did was based on the additional loss of battery capacity cited when going from a 1C to 2C charging rate. But according to direct communication from Battery University, when charging at a rate below .7C there should be no measurable improvement to long-term capacity by using slower charging rates. Charging above .7C would still be expected to add more stress to Lithium Ion Polymer batteries and likely add to long-term reduction of capacity.

So, what this means for the Moto G and Nexus 5 is that there should be no measurable difference between charging with 2A, 1.2A, 1A, or 850mA chargers as far as effect on long-term battery capacity goes. Both the Moto G and Nexus 5 are supposed to automatically restrict the charge rate at 1500mA even when using a faster charger, which is just at or below .7C for both phones. So, as long as the charger dependably keeps to 5V, a higher amperage 2A charger will be faster but pose no problem to long-term capacity.

 

[The Sun King]

The charger isn't an issue, ?5.00 from your local (private bussiness) phone shop, generic 3pin UK micro usb with a blue light, this ones Mymo, rated 1000mA - no problems at all.