A crowdfunding campaign for a slide-out QWERTY keyboard Moto Mod for Moto Z series phones was carried out by a company called Livermorium in February 2017. The device was known as Livermorium Slider Keyboard Moto Mod. The company was able to raise more than $165,000 by May 3 and it was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 in January this year. The slider keyboard was expected to debut in February this year. The company has cancelled the project citing multiple reasons on the product’s Indiegogo project page.

One of the reasons why Livermorium decided to cancel it was the low demand from official resellers. Also, the Moto Z series of handsets by Motorola do not have a high market share which suggests that the possibilities of selling the slide-out keyboard was low. Apart from the amount that was raised through the Indiegogo campaign, the company did not have enough funds for it. Hence, it was not able to market it.

The company was able to initially produce only 3,000 units of the slider keyboard mod. However, the source of a major component of the device required a commitment of 14,000 units. Also, the slide-out keyboard included unique components which could not substituted which caused the company to take more time to acquire those parts. The expenses for assembling and quality assurance for each unit of slider keyboard was high.

The device was bulky, and its prototypes appeared awkward. The company was working on reducing the thickness and weight of the keyboard, but any change in the design required confirmation from Motorola.

As far as the features of the Livermorium Slider Keyboard Moto Mod is concerned, it featured five rows of backlit keys. It included dedicated keys for numbers and it appeared like the QWERY keyboard from the yesteryear Motorola DROID 4 smartphone. When fitted on a Moto Z phone, the keyboard allowed its display to tilt at an angle of 45 degrees. The device also included a 2,100mAh battery.

• Read More: Motorola launches the Moto Z3 packing a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, 5G Moto Mod and more

Livermorium has said that it will be issuing full refunds to the backers of the project. Liangchen Chen, the founder of Livermorium has said he is planning to launch a smartphone with a sliding keyboard. The smartphone is codenamed as Q-device and it is expected sport a thinner and lighter chassis than of the Moto Z phone available.

Those backers who will not be taking the refund for the slide-out keyboard Moto Mod will be provided with an early-bird discount for the said smartphone. The firm has confirmed that the Q-device smartphone will be available for buying by Q4 and it will not be crowdfunded.

A number of Moto Mods such as wireless charging mod, a 5G mod, a gamepad mod, Alexa equipped smart speaker mod, etc have been released by Motorola for the Moto Z series of smartphones. Unfortunately, the slider keyboard mod won’t be coming.

(via)

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Motorola has unveiled its latest flagship device for 2018 – the Moto Z3. The device was announced at an event held Thursday in Chicago, in the United States. The Moto Z3 will be the final flagship in the series for this year as the tech giant hinted that there would be no Z3 Force for the first time since the Moto Z line was introduced. The new model would be released later this month in the U.S as a Verizon exclusive. Also, there is no word on when the model will make its debut in other markets.

Moto Z3 Design & Features

The Moto Z3 is set to become the world’s first 5G phone as the model is 5G-upgradable when Verizon launches its 5G network next year. The model also comes with a 5G Moto mod. In terms of design, the Moto Z3 features a glass body. The device adopts a massive 6-inch AMOLED display with minimal bezels on either side. The design includes Motorola’s signature camera module with dual sensors at the back and since it is glass, the device skips on the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Instead, the fingerprint sensor is located on the right side of the device just beneath the volume rockers.

In addition, the rear panel houses the pin connector for the Moto Mods. The device is compatible with all previous MotoMods Motorola has up its sleeves as well as the new 5G Moto mods which the device comes with. The 5G Mod is developed in partnership with Verizon and it is equipped with a Snapdragon X50 modem that will allow customers to eventually take advantage of the carrier’s next-generation network.

Specifications

The Moto Z3 could be called a 2018 flagship with 2017 specifications. The model is powered by last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 flagship chipset and not the Snapdragon 845 introduced this year. The chipset is paired with 4GB of RAM and there is 64GB of internal storage inside.

In the camera aspect, the Moto Z3 packs dual cameras at the rear which are basically a 12MP + 12MP combo. For selfies, there is a single 8MP sensor. The flagship is crammed with a 3000mAh battery but the 5G Moto Mod delivers an extra 2,000mAh battery power when connected. Also, the device runs on the latest Android 8.1 Oreo OS out of the box but is expected to get a speedy update to Android 9.0 P when it arrives.

Moto Z3 Price and Availability

As stated earlier on, the Motorola Moto Z3 will be available exclusively on Verizon network in the U.S. The device will start shipping on Augst 16. As for the price, the flagship model will be available for just $480 which is quite affordable except that the processor onboard is outdated. Verizon offers those who switch networks and trade in their own device a $300 trade-in credit meaning eligible owners can get this or just $180. Of course, this pricing doesn’t include the 5G Moto Mod. The price of the Moto Mod is yet to be announced but it won’t be available until the start of 2019. Further, Motorola announced a limited-time offer which will see those who purchase the Moto Z3 buy any Moto Mod that cost over $100 for just $50. The company is yet to release details on the global rollout for the model but we expect it to hit Europe, India and China soon.

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The Moto Z3 Play is scheduled to launch on June 6. There are reports the third generation Z series will be the last in the modular series. Nevertheless, that shouldn’t dampen the excitement for the upcoming device(s).

New images have surfaced thanks to XDA-Developers and they show the Moto Z3 Play along with a 5G Moto Mod. Some of the specs have also been confirmed.

In the first image above, the Moto Z3 Play and the Moto Mod are shown side by side. The bezels have been significantly reduced to make way for the new MaxVision display. There is no fingerprint scanner in front and we know it can’t be on the rear with the way the Moto Mod is designed. That means it is on the side.

The Moto Z3 Play is running a near stock version of Android. Don’t let the pill navigation bar fool you, it is actually running Android 8.1 Oreo.

The 5G Moto Mod doesn’t give up much in terms of details but we can tell it adds a significant amount of thickness when attached to the device. The Mod was first mentioned in 2016 and what it does is bring 5G support to the Z series.

READ MORE: Lenovo Z5 Bokeh Shot Samples Released to Reveal its AI Dual Camera Prowess

The Moto Z3 Play will have a 6-inch FHD+ display, a Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of storage. It will also have dual rear cameras and pack a 3000mAh battery while keeping the thickness to a minimum.

(Source)

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Motorola has launched a new Moto Mod — Stereo Speaker Mod, which marks the fourth speaker mod to be released by the company. Priced at $59.99, this new Stereo Speaker Moto Mod happens to be the cheapest speaker mod released so far by Motorola.

It comes with two 28mm stereo speakers which can hit volume up to 80db at a distance of 50cm. This new mod helps to add a larger and louder speaker to the phone with enhanced bass and clarity. It uses power from the smartphone with which it is attached to, and thus, no charging is required.

The Stereo Speaker Mod measures 153 x 73 x 15mm in size and weighs 102 grams. It is available in three color options – Black, Blue, and Red and comes with a built-in kickstand on the back. This new speaker is available for purchase right now on Motorola’s official website and the company is also offering a finance scheme for $10/month via Affirm.

Apart from this new speaker mod, the company has already released three speaker mods — JBL Soundboost, Soundboost 2 and Amazon Alexa powered speaker mod. The JBL Soundboost and Soundboost 2 are priced at $79.99 while the Alexa-equipped speaker mod is priced at $149.99.

Read More: Moto G6 Play Surfaces Online In A Hands-On Video Ahead Of Its Official Launch

Leaving speaker mods aside, the company has also released several other interesting mods such as keyboard mod, Polaroid Insta-Share Printer Mod which is a snap-on photo printer, 360-degree cameras, etc. Earlier, there were reports making rounds that the Lenovo-owned company is preparing to launch Virtual Viewer Mod — a VR rig as a Moto Mod.

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Motorola has announced three new Moto Mods this year. They are the Livermorium Slider Keyboard, the Lenovo Vital Moto Mod, and the Moto Folio Case, though only the case is available for purchase at the moment. A new mod called the Virtual Viewer has been leaked and may be the next mod that hits the market.

Official renders of the Virtual Viewer VR was posted on Twitter by Evan Blass (@evleaks) yesterday and it shows the mod beside its retail box.

This is a hell of a Mod… pic.twitter.com/Mah61AYIZr

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 9, 2018

The Virtual Viewer looks like your regular VR glasses. It has a polycarbonate body with a cut-out at the front for the cameras. It also has a strap that goes behind the head and a dial at the top, most likely for adjusting the distance between the lens.

It doesn’t have a remote, so we can’t really say this is Motorola’s answer to the Google Daydream View. Plus it does look like it should work with any phone or at least one with a 5.5” display like the Moto Z series.

Nevertheless, we won’t rule out the fact that it may have a special feature that makes it only compatible with the Moto Z series.

READ MORE: Motorola RAZR is Coming Back Possibly With a Foldable Design

There is no news of a release date or price. There is also a possibility it may never be released with the recent developments said to be going on at Motorola which is said to have irreversibly affected the Z team in Moto according to the maker of the Livermorium Keyboard Moto Mod.

(Source)

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Motorola has added a new Moto Mod to its lineup. The new Mod called the Moto Folio is also its cheapest till date.

The Moto Folio is a super slim flip case that protects your Moto Z phone from scratches. It also has a slot on the inside for holding a credit card or ID. Sadly, it can only fit a single credit card or ID at a time.

The flip case has a magnet that keeps the lid from opening on its own. It is available in Fine Gold, Super Black and Grape Juice and costs just $11.24. It measures 156.1 x 74 x 3.5mm and weighs 55g.

READ MORE: Motorola Moto Z3, Moto Z3 Play Renders Leaked to Reveal Design, Key Details

At CES 2018, Motorola announced two new mods – the Lenovo Vital and Livermonium Slider Keyboard. While both Mods will go on sale later this year, the Moto Folio Mod is already available for purchase.

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Following Google’s shutdown of Project Ara and the failure of the LG G5 & Friends, Motorola’s Moto Z series are the only phones that still offer modularity with their various Moto Mods. There is the Essential Phone too but with only one accessory for now.

Now in its third year, Motorola has announced two new Moto Mods for the Z series. One is the Lenovo Vital – a health monitor mod, and the other is the Livermorium Slider Keyboard – a QWERTY keyboard that slides out and tilts like the Nokia E7.

Lenovo Vital

This is Motorola’s thickest Mod till date as it adds nearly an inch or so to the phone. The Lenovo Vital measures heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and blood pressure from the finger (systolic and diastolic).

The Lenovo Vital will launch in April for $395.

Livermorium Slider Keyboard

This Moto Mod was developed by Livermorium and is the winner of the Transform the Smartphone Challenge. Unlike the Lenovo Vital, this adds only a few millimeters of thickness to the phone.

The Livermorium Slider Keyboard has a full QWERTY backlit keyboard that slides out and also tilts at an angle of 60°. If you are one of those who miss the good old Nokia phones with a QWERTY keyboard, this is for you.

READ MORE: Motorola To Launch Limited Edition Star Wars Moto Mods In China

The keyboard is mostly useful for those who find typing long posts with an on-screen keyboard difficult (yes, some people still don’t know about swyping). It also comes in handy when using split-screen multi-tasking and one of the apps needs you to type, in which case the on-screen keyboard covers nearly half of the screen.

The Livermorium Slider Keyboard will sell for $99 and be available in Winter 2018.

(Source)

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Just a few days after Motorola announced the Alexa smart speaker Moto Mod, details of a new mod has surfaced. The new mod called the AT&T Mobile TV Cast is for the network’s DirecTV Now streaming service.

The Mobile TV Cast Moto mod will let users watch DirecTV Now on a larger screen. It will require a stick that plugs into the external display. The source says it is a USB stick but since similar devices connect via HDMI, we think there is a mistake in the information.

The design of the Mobile TV Cast is similar to that of the Alexa speaker mod in that it completely covers the rear camera(s) when slapped on. The hole for the camera has AT&T’s logo and below it is the Motorola branding and what appears to be a LED light.

The mod doesn’t require any pairing process, just plug and play. Apart from streaming DirecTV Now, you will be able to use it to mirror your phone on the screen and watch local content from your device.

The mod has a 2,730mAh built-in battery, so you don’t have to worry about running out of juice on your phone. There is no detail about how much the AT&T Mobile TV Cast will retail for or when it will be available for purchase. Nevertheless, we believe it should be around the $150 mark just like the Alexa speaker.

READ MORE: Moto X4 Is Now Amazon Prime Exclusive Phone, Available At $329

Motorola has come a long way with its take on modularity in its second year. It has announced a gamepad mod, new style mods that add wireless charging, an improved speaker mod and a 360° camera mod to name a few. We hope too see more interesting mods in future.

(Source)

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Sharay Shams, the Middle East General Manager for Smartphones for Lenovo had confirmed recently that the company would be launching 12 Moto Mods in this year. Recently, a walkie-talkie Moto Mod by Linc was spotted on Indiegogo crowdfunding site. Now, a new Moto Mod with QWERTY keyboard slider has surfaced on the site.

The QWERTY keyboard has a landscape design with five rows of keys and its top line of keys is occupied by numerals. The alphabet keys along with other keys are present on the next three rows.

It has a big-sized Enter key that occupy on the second and third row at the right side. The fifth row features a large-sized Space bar. The reason why this Moto Mod comes with a landscape mode rather than a portrait design is that the former can feature larger keys for better typing experience.

Related: Moto Z Linc Moto Mod Transforms it into A Walkie-Talkie

The keyboard also features a 2,100 mAh battery. LivermoriumLtd, the developer of the project has expressed on Reddit that if sufficient funds are accumulated, Qi wireless charging feature will be added to the keyboard. There is a Motorola batwing logo present on the Moto Mod QWERTY slider keyboard.

Indiegogo has a dedicated page that says that this Moto Mod is arriving soon. Users who are interested can add their email address on that page to register for it to receive new updates on it. It is expected to be a quality product because it will not only be designed by a professional team but also it will undergo manufacturing at Foxconn. The physical keyboard Moto Mod is targeted to be available for shipping in June.

It seems that when the physical QWERTY slider is in use on Moto Z or Moto Z Play, users will not be able to access the rear camera. The current design of the sliding Moto Mod keyboard suggest that it will slide-out in such a manner that it will be blocking a small part of the rear camera.  On Reddit, users can provide their suggestions or feedback on the proposed design.

As of this writing, its pricing has not been announced. LivermoriumLtd is also considering a gamepad Moto Mod, but currently the developer is mainly focusing on releasing a general QWERTY keyboard that can appeal all users. The physical QWERTY keyboard slider Moto Mod will work on Moto Z, Moto Z Force, Moto Z Play and their Droid versions.

(source)

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Moto Z is a modular smartphone from Motorola that was released last year. The Moto Mods accessories can be simply snapped on to that smartphone on its rear to increase the capabilities of Moto Z. A new Moto Mod called Linc: The Smart Walkie Talkie has surfaced on Indiegogo that metamorphoses Moto Z into a walkie talkie.

In November 2016, Motorola (now owned by Lenovo) had asked its fans to submit design and ideas on Indiegogo to build innovative Moto Mods that do not exist. In the recent past, The Ultimate Moto Z Mod that brought features like wireless charging and IR blaster at a pricing of $45 is already available on Indiegogo.

The Linc Moto Mod that transforms Moto Z into walk-talkie makes it possible to use the smartphone in places with no cellular connectivity. It works on GMRS/FRS consumer-level frequencies and carries support for 22 channels and works with a range of five to six miles.

Related: Moto Z (2017) Likely Featuring Iris Scanner, Motorola Patent Filing Reveals

With radio-over-IP gateway, the new Moto Mod can be used for communication through two-way radios from different branding. The Linc can be also used to send and receive text messages. Its users can share locations by using the inbuilt GPS feature. The emergency alert button on Linc can be used to send out SOS signal.

Some of its other features include NOAA weather radio and 1,500 mAh rechargeable battery that can offer a standby time of up to 20 hours. It does not use the smartphone’s battery, but consumes its own battery. The features of the accessory can be controlled by using the Arc App on the smartphone.

The Linc has been designed as Moto Mod for Moto Z, but it can be used with any Bluetooth-enabled device. It is a slim and lightweight accessory that comes is resistant to dust and water contact.

The Linc Moto Mod is available on the crowd-funding site with a starting price of $99. The new Moto Mod has already met with 41 percent of its crowdfunding target and the remaining campaign is expected to end in 20 days. Users have raised nearly $4,900 for Linc: The Smart Walkie Talkie.

(source)

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