Motorola and Indiegogo announce their “Transform the Smartphone Challenge” finalists

Last year Lenovo/Motorola announced their hackathons for enterprising, independent individuals and groups to develop new Moto Mods. At the same time they also announced a partnership with Indiegogo to encourage the community to develop and source crowd funding for innovative new Moto Mods. Today they have released the details of the 12 finalists from this contest.

After receiving over 700 submissions from 55 countries Motorola have whittled that long list down to 12 finalists. The finalists will each receive a Moto Mods Development Kit, a Moto Z and will have their crowdfunding campaigns launched on the Indiegogo website.

Just like the results from Motorola’s hackathons some of the Transform the Smartphone Challenge finalists are extremely innovative and really could transform smartphones. The 12 finalists are:

• Edge – Supercharge your notifications — Enhance your Moto Z with the smartest and most advanced notification system in the world.
  
• Linc Smart Walkie Talkie MotoMod Concept — First smart walkie – talkie with text messaging, GPS Sharing & more that mounts to your smartphone.
  
• Smart Z Wallet — slimmer, smaller and more functional wallet made out of the finest carbon fiber and stainless steel metal frame, which also contains a GPS and 1200 mAh. The wallet supplied with a mechanical lock in case of emergency and running out of battery.
  
• The Ultimate Moto Z Mod with Wireless Charging — includes wireless charging capabilities and infrared emitters for remote control functionality, and fit in a form factor barely thicker than the existing style shells.
  
• Mico – A Modular Solar Battery Moto Mod
  

  

  

• InstruMod – A Moto Z Mod Measuring Instrument — Incorporates a wireless probes design that works with a microcontroller embedded on the probes, responsible for converting analogue to digital. Use the accompanying android app for documenting your project development, making calculations and displaying readings.
  
• The Palm Smart Remote for Moto Mod Devices — have full customization and control over all aspects of your home.
• EarMods – The Best Earphones Mod for Moto Z — has built-in earphones which can be pulled out easily and used. When you are done, the earphones will go in with just a push of a button.
  

  

  

• Euromod, an Eurorack digital toolbox — “bluesxp euromod”: a dedicated Android app makes it the best Swiss army knife for your modular synth.
  
• Z Sterilizer — UV light source that is used for the purpose of immediate sterilization of objects. It has a UV germicidal light emitting back cover.
  
• Digital Recorder For Moto Z
  
• Modulator, A Digital Walkie Talkie Moto Mod — Modulator functions as a digital walkie-talkie so you can communicate securely with your friends and IoT devices. Send encrypted voice and text messages for free!

As you can see from the list above there is some great ideas there that I definitely hope to see in the marketplace sometime this year. I am surprised that Motorola/Lenovo don’t give them more of a financial hand to be honest. They have very deep pockets and have invested a lot into their modular system. If they want it to succeed they’ll need to do more than give away a development kit and a Moto Z. Even the winners from the Hackathons aren’t guaranteed any financial support.

If you want to financially support those listed above head on over to Indiegogo where it seems people have forgotten about the amazing battery life of the Moto Z, the already available extra battery life Moto Mods, and the TurboCharging system of the Moto Z and are favouring the wireless charging mod. The other doing well at this stage is the Edge notification system — I really like this one.

Sound off in the comments below your thoughts on these mods. Will you be backing any of them? Will these mods make you think about buying a Moto Z (or Z Play) now or sometime in the future like it is me?