Moto E: The Back Story

Our challenge: Create a premium smartphone experience for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money. We put some of our top engineers on the task and the result is the new Moto E which brings some of our most premium experiences to our most affordable phone for the first time. Now more people everywhere can choose a great smartphone experience.

“When we were designing this new generation of Moto E, we went back to consumers who bought the first generation,” said Kristin Arnold, one of our consumer researchers. “We really listened to what they liked about the phone and how we could make this affordable device even more useful to them and more powerful.”

For instance, we heard you like taking pictures—selfies to be specific. So we added a front facing camera and, for the first time, we brought one of our most popular experiences on the Moto X to the new Moto E.

“Quick Capture has been one of the most popular features we have on Moto X. So we decided to bring it to Moto E, too. It’s just one more way we are able to bring our premium innovation into a smartphone that doesn’t break the bank,” said Michelle Gattuso, product management director.

There’s more than just Quick Capture, too. The new Moto E is engineered to include dual accelerometers that enable some of the most popular features found on Moto X. We included Moto Display and Motorola Assist. With Moto Display, the Moto E will stay dark until you nudge it or get a notification, so you can stay up on top of things with just a subtle glance. And with Motorola Assist’s Sleep Mode and Meeting Mode, you can tell Moto E when you don’t want to be bothered.

A phone is more than just what is inside of it. It’s also about how it looks and feels. The Moto E has a curved back, ergonomically designed to fit perfectly in your hand and not bend in your back pocket. You can also choose a soft touch finish on the black Moto E for a more comfortable feel and better grip.

And we sweated the small stuff.

“We embrace authentic materials and focus on even the tiniest design details, like the elegant spin finish around the camera bezel and texture on the buttons. This kind of attention to detail creates a premium look you usually see in more expensive devices,” said SangSoo Park, a designer for Moto E.

And we always want to give you the ability to personalize the device with customizable colors to fit your style. You can choose from among six colorful Motorola Bands that are easy to swap out. Not only are these patented bands designed to look great, but they also feature a unique ridged pattern which provides an even better grip.

Our President Rick Osterloh said it best, “We designed the Moto E with the idea that people shouldn’t have to pay a lot to join the connected world and experience it at its best. So we did what other companies weren’t doing with their affordable devices. We packed in great design, great engineering and great software. We’re also providing great customer service and software updates that continue long after you buy the phone. Now that’s real bang for the buck. And that’s what makes Moto E different. ”

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Hands on with the new Moto E

We’re all about giving people the power to choose. That’s what drives us and that’s the idea behind the new Moto E - that a great smartphone should be a choice for everyone. So we saw an opportunity to make a great, affordable device for people who don’t want spend a lot money.

Check out the video to find out more about what’s new in the next generation Moto E. It has Lollipop, the latest Android OS, works at fast 4G speeds, and even has ability to personalize it using colorful Motorola Bands. For me though, my favorite part of Moto E is how we brought some of our most premium experiences to our most affordable phone for the first time. 

I can’t wait to see what people start sharing with their new Moto E. Enjoy.

Posted by Magno Herran, Marketing

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Choose to start your mobile journey with the new Moto E

We’re big on firsts at Motorola. Whether that’s your first job, your first phone or your first status post. We live in a world where new experiences and information can be at our fingertips and that’s exactly what we want to give more people more access to. There are millions of people that haven’t yet joined the smartphone revolution because they either haven’t found the right product or they don’t want to spend hundreds of hard earned dollars to start the journey.

That’s why last year we launched Moto E, a new class of smartphone tailored for those looking for a great mobile experience at a price that wouldn’t break the bank. Now, we’re taking Moto E a step further. We’re introducing the next generation, packed with more features and functionality to give people around the world even greater access to life’s possibilities - without a hefty price tag. Because we believe access to the mobile internet should be a choice, not a privilege.

The new Moto E helps you connect to the world like never before. Now available with 4G LTE speed, a 4.5-inch qHD display, front-facing camera, the latest Android™ software (Lollipop) and even more customization options. And, for the first time, we're bringing personalized software experiences that we introduced with Moto X to our most affordable device. The new Moto E packs a bigger smartphone punch for a fraction of the average smartphone cost.

What’s New with Moto E:

Start connecting at 4G LTE / 4G speed
We took an already great smartphone and paired it with the best network in the world. Start browsing the web, streaming music, playing games and watching videos all at 4G LTE speeds. The new Moto E will also be available in a 3G version.

Do more, faster, with a quad-core processor
The new Moto E features a powerful Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor with a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and advanced graphics. Start switching back and forth between your favorite apps without slowing down. Or listen to music and surf the web at the same time -- without missing a beat.

Keep going with an all-day battery
With a 2390 mAh battery, the new Moto E is designed to last a full day. Dash to school or work in the morning. Meet up with family or friends. Then head out for the evening. All without worrying about stopping to recharge.

Take more shots with two cameras
The new Moto E comes with a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a second camera in front, making it perfect for selfies or video calls with family and friends. With two twists of the wrist, you can launch the camera with Motorola’s Quick Capture feature. Want to take a selfie? Just twist your wrist again to switch to the front-facing camera. All without touching the screen.

Start with the latest Android™ OS, Lollipop
The new Moto E runs Android™ Lollipop, the latest version of the world’s most popular mobile operating system.

Let the fun begin... just add color
Give your phone a splash of color with interchangeable Motorola Bands and Grip Shells. Start with a black or white phone and then choose from six Motorola Bands like turquoise or raspberry, or attach a colorful Grip Shell for added protection from scrapes and spills.

Make it easy with Moto software experiences
With the new Moto E, you get premium Moto experiences like Moto Display for notifications and updates without interruptions and Moto Migrate to quickly and easily transfer contacts, photos and videos to your new phone.

Starting today, the new Moto E will begin rolling out in more than 50 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. It will be available unlocked in the U.S. at www.motorola.com for $119.99 (3G) and $149.99 (LTE).


4G LTE not available in all regions. Contact your carrier for availability.
All battery life claims are approximate and based on an average mixed use profile that includes both usage and standby time. Actual battery performance will vary and depends on many factors including signal strength, network configuration, age of battery, operating temperature, features selected, device settings, and voice, data, and other application usage patterns
Motorola Bands and Grip Shells sold separately.


IMAGES: Images can be found here (you agree to our license terms when downloading images or video)

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The Download: Unwrapping Lollipop for Moto Maxx and Moto E

Some sweet news for Moto Maxx and Moto E today: As we promised, we are continuing to expand Android 5.0, Lollipop to two more devices! We have begun rolling out Lollipop for Moto Maxx with soak testing in Brazil and Mexico and for Moto E in Brazil and India (learn more information about soaks here). 

Lollipop will first come to Moto Maxx and Moto E smartphones bought at retail. As we normally do, we’re starting by rolling out the upgrade to smaller test groups, and if the results are strong, we will expand the software to more phones. 

For Moto E users, you can prepare for the upgrade by making sure you have the latest version of Motorola Update Services from the Play Store. 

We’re working hard to continually make your phone better and better with the latest Android, and we will keep pushing out new software to you. If you’re new to Lollipop, check out our FAQs and support notes and give the Motorola Owners’ Forum a spin for additional insight from other users and experts. You can always check the latest on upgrade news for your phone by visiting our Software Updates page. Please let us know what you think about Lollipop on our Facebook, Google+, or Twitter. Enjoy!

Posted by David Schuster, Software

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The Download: Lollipop for Moto G in India and Brazil — And How Lollipops Are Made

Some sweet news for Moto G users in Brazil and India! Android 5.0, Lollipop, is now fully available for download to all Moto G (1st and 2nd Gen.) smartphones bought through Flipkart and Airtel in India and through Motorola.com and retail in Brazil. This makes Lollipop available to millions of Moto G users across the two countries. If you haven’t already been prompted to download the new update, you can also pull the update by going to Settings > About Phone > System Updates. If you have a first-generation Moto G, you’ll need to ensure that you have the latest version of Motorola Update Services from the Play Store.

As you unwrap the new software, we wanted to use this week’s Download—our regular spotlight on software—to answer three of the most frequently asked questions we’ve been hearing about our upgrade process.

How come everyone doesn’t get the upgrade as soon as Google releases Lollipop?

Though we try to make the process seem easy, it’s actually pretty complicated. That’s because we want to ensure a quality experience across every device that gets the upgrade. Let’s do a quick recap of how a major new version of Android comes to your phone.

Google improved the Android release process with Lollipop, which was important because Lollipop is the biggest and most ambitious release of Android ever. Everyone needed time to adapt. Several developer previews were released early so that developers—and device and chipset manufacturers that are part of the early access program—could kick the tires. 

A critical milestone occurs at the “public push” of a new version of Android—when Google releases the source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), typically with the introduction of a new Nexus device. 

At this point, we are able to start testing the software with most other third parties, such as local carriers in different markets and various governing organizations. The process varies from region to region. Fortunately, one benefit to shipping cleaner software with no skins and less bloatware is that it allows us to test more quickly with fewer third-party apps to validate. This enables us to bring you updates even faster.

Once the testing is done, we are able to begin pushing the update to your device.

Even though Lollipop was way bigger than past releases, we raced to beat our prior record, releasing the first upgrades to Moto X (2nd Gen.) Pure Edition just eight days after the public push. 

How come some users in my country get the upgrade and not me?

Before releasing an upgrade widely, we perform “soak” tests, during which we release the software to a small group of users so that we can monitor performance data and user feedback over several days to make sure everything looks good. 

It is very important to us that an upgrade improves your experience. The soak test can reveal problems that need to be fixed, and based on the feedback we may decide to tweak or incorporate new changes to correct any issues. 

Sometimes we expand to a larger set of users to account for issues that might only appear in a bigger group. Once we’ve taken these steps, we open the upgrade for all users for that model and country combination. If you see someone posting a screenshot or tweeting that they got the upgrade, and you still haven’t received it, they are likely part of a soak test group.

If you’d like to learn more information about soak tests and the Motorola Feedback Network, you can visit this page.

When will the upgrade for my specific device be available? 

You can see which products will be receiving the Lollipop upgrade on our software upgrades page, however there may be many different software builds for each device to develop and test, so availability times can vary by carrier and region. We’ll always announce upgrades as soon as they become available.

Carrier partners often have additional features and test requirements that need to be completed for each device. These requirements vary from carrier to carrier and across different regions. They also have lab testing times that can range from weeks to months. In some cases, devices on older or less powerful chipsets may need more work to ensure good performance when running Lollipop. 

We hope you enjoy this latest push of Lollipop! Let us know what other questions you have on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook, and we’ll keep answering. You can also check the software upgrades page for the latest status of your device and read our support FAQs and release notes for more information. 

Posted by David Schuster, Software Updates

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Your Guide To The Ultimate Game Day Setup With Motorola

The big game is upon us, and two teams remain. This Sunday. Seattle vs. New England. Tom vs. Russell. Beast Mode vs. East Coast. Tailgating. “Deflategating.” Game on.

For the ultimate game, you’ll need the ultimate viewing setup. Here’s your guide for watching the game in all its multimedia glory with Motorola.

TV

The game airs on NBC this year. And while you’ll certainly want to watch the network feed to see the amazing ads, you’ll also need to check out NBC’s stream of the game, which is available on the web or the NBC Sports app. It promises to be an incredible multimedia experience, including multiple camera angles, live stats, instant replays, and more.

With Google Chromecast, it’s easy to stream the game to your living room. In fact, if you have a second TV, stream it there as well to give you and your guests another way to check out the action. Or look at how well the puppies are playing in their annual match up.

Phone 

Before the kickoff, make sure your audio/video system is a well-oiled machine. Use the THX tune-up app on your Moto X to properly calibrate your TV and surround sound system.

Once the ball is in play, keep one eye on the TV and the other on your phone to follow all of the hashtag action on Twitter. If you don’t have it already, get the NFL Mobile app for your phone. It’s the best way for you and your friends to keep up with all of the gritty gridiron news, stats, videos, and more.

Make sure you're ready with Shazam. If this year’s game is anything like last year, some ads will feature exclusive content for Shazam users. If not, you can always use the app to find out what song is playing in that catchy car commercial.

Watch

Style. Functionality. Smack talk. And what better way to use your Moto 360 than to instantly talk some good-natured smack with your friends. Use your voice to send Hangouts to your friends. We’re pretty sure the intensity will translate. You can also get Twitter feed to your Moto 360 via the Twitter app.

With all of that excitement in the air, you’ll want to keep close tabs on your vital signs. With Moto Body, you can see your pulse jump with every heart-racing play. Also, if you’re feeling stuffed with nachos, walk it off at halftime, tracking your distance and calories burned as you do. You can even listen to music while you stroll and keep the party vibe going (without even taking your phone). 

When the final whistle blows and you’re sufficiently partied out, use Moto 360 to get a Lyft home safely.

Speaker

Turn the party up with some music. Moto Stream lets you turn any speaker wireless, so it’s easy to stream music from your phone, tablet, computer, or Moto 360. Diehard fans may even consider switching over to some additional online game commentary. If you don’t mind sharing control, set Moto Stream to Heist Mode and let others stream tunes from their phones.

Food

Your friends are arriving at your big party. They’ve brought their friends. And their friends’ friends. And you have two pizzas. Don’t worry about running to the store for more food and missing any of the game. Use the Eat24 app to order from select local restaurants from your Motorola device. Even better? You can do it from your Moto 360. Find out more at the Eat24 blog.

The field is set and so are you. Enjoy the game!

Posted by Lally Narwal, Product Marketing

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Feel the #Motolove With Up to $140 Off Your Purchase at Motorola.com

Whether you eat all the caramels first, insist on dark chocolate only or pick through candy hearts for your favorites, how you enjoy Valentine’s Day is your choice. This year, we’re choosing to spread the love with a sweet deal.

Starting next Monday, February 2 at 11am CT, we’re offering a promo code* worth $140 off your purchase of $499.99 OR $50 off your purchase of $249.99 on Motorola.com. Pick your favorite Motorola devices and accessories, such as a new Moto X (2nd Gen.) and Moto 360, add them to your cart, and purchase before February 14.

If you miss that offer, you can still get a great deal. Spend $499.99 and get $100 off, or get $35 off a purchase of $249.99 — no promotion code needed. The same exclusions below apply and you’ll still need to complete purchase by 10:59 p.m. CT on Saturday, February 14.

How do you get in on it? Simply register here. Once you enter your contact information, we’ll email you a unique, one-time-use promotion code that can be redeemed no later than Saturday, February 14th at 10:59pm CST.

Here are the details*:

• Register on Monday February 2, from 11am - 11:59pm CT for a code worth $140 off your pre-tax purchase of $499.99 OR $50 off a pre-tax purchase of $249.99.
• You must use a shipping address within the U.S. 
• On Tuesday, February 3: $100 off $499.99 OR $35 off $249.99 site-wide.
• Consumers have until until February 14 at 10:59pm CT to redeem.
• This offer excludes Nexus 6, Moto X (2nd Gen.) on Republic Wireless, and the Extended Service Plan. Limit two devices among Moto X (2nd Gen.), Moto G (2nd Gen.), Moto G 4G LTE (1st Gen.), Moto E, and Moto 360. Promotions cannot be combined.

For more deals, company news, and fun, be sure to follow us on Google+, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. And in case you have questions about anything above, check out the FAQ.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Try spreading a little love around yourself with #Motolove.

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Motorola Returns to China Today - It Feels Good to Be Back

Today was a wonderful day for Motorola fans and employees in China. A day that we’ve imagined for more than two years, and have been waiting for since Lenovo acquired us nearly three months ago. Today we officially brought Motorola smartphones back to China.

Together with hundreds of fans and guests we celebrated the launch of Moto X, Moto X Pro, Moto G and Moto Hint in China. It was a thrill to have so many people welcome us back with such enthusiasm.

Working on the HR Team at Motorola for nearly 3.5 years, I’ve been lucky to be able to share my passion for the company and its mission and products. Today, I had the opportunity to see that same passion in longtime Chinese Motorola fans. Here are a few of my favorite moments.

Motorola president Rick Osterloh spoke to fans and guests about Motorola’s history in China, and how important it was to us to be back and bring our products to people here.

At several Experience Zones, fans could touch and try our latest generation of devices, explore all the things they can do, and see how we made things like Moto Voice work in Chinese.

In the Experience Zone, fans were invited to walk through a mock Moto lab, similar to our R&D labs in Chicago.

Earlier this month, fans in China were invited to choose their top color choices for Moto X. Today, Lenovo Mobile Business Group VP Zhang Hui revealed that turquoise was the color that got the most votes, and would be sold at a special price RMB 2,999.


It’s been great to see such amazing support at today’s launch event in Beijing. Being here for the return to my home country will always be one of my fondest Motorola memories.

Posted by Nicole Zhou, HR Manager, Beijing

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Meet the Craftsman Who Made a Moto X-inspired Bluetooth Gramophone (and Win One of His Speaker Blocks!)

Ryan Boase’s gramophone has elegant accents of walnut and white—just like his new Moto X. The restaurant-manager-turned-full-time-Etsy store owner recently designed this sleek new Bluetooth device inspired by his phone. Among the many other audio devices sold through his online store, Ryan’s gramophone combines the best worlds of old and new audio technology. It pipes tunes through a classic gramophone horn using Bluetooth technology. The result is a speaker beautiful enough for any party with the chops to pump out some tunes to get the crowd going.

We sat down with Ryan to learn more about his gramophone and how he came to make it.

What inspired you to make this product?
By 2011, I started seeing more and more people with smartphones, and one thing I noticed in particular was that they were using them to play music on. My flip phone had some songs on it, but these new phones had much improved speakers on them. I would see people playing music on their phones and instead of using headphones, they would just play music through the built-in speakers in the phone. At this point my wife had already upgraded and finally convinced me to upgrade too. I was amazed at how good the little built-in speaker was. I started tinkering in my garage looking for ways to amplify the speaker that was already built into the phone.

Can you tell us about how you designed the gramophone?

I started using musical instruments to amplify the speaker. I started by chopping damaged, unplayable trumpets, trombone, and French horns and using the bells of those instruments to make acoustic speakers. I then started looking for bigger and better ways to amplify the little speaker in the phones so I started using phonographs, gramophones, and tube radio horns. It originally started out as acoustic speakers, but phone models kept changing and with the introduction of so many tablets, I knew I needed something that could accommodate everything so I redesigned them into Bluetooth speakers. 

How does your gramophone work?

These work on the same principle as a megaphone. Picture a football game where the cheerleader yells into the small end of a megaphone and it is amplified out through the large end.

Why combine a vintage gramophone horn from the '20s with modern technology?

There is something so intriguing about the mixing of technologies. I think that is why the steampunk culture is growing and why record players are making such a comeback. These speakers take modern music and give them a vintage feel. It is also really cool to listen to music from that era and feel like you are hearing it how they did.

You write on Etsy about how you made the device to match your Moto X! Why did you choose walnut and white for your phone and what did you think about when making the Bluetooth speaker to match?

I have been very drawn to Danish Mid-Century Modern furniture lately. With dressers and credenzas, it has been very popular to paint the trim white to contrast the wood drawers. I was excited to see the wood options for the new Moto X. I had to get the walnut and love how the white looks with it.

When I listened to a demo of your product, it sounded like the speaker has a vintage sound to it. Are there any special acoustics incorporated into your speaker and if yes, what were they?

Yes and no. There is nothing special that I am doing to these horns. I am using these horns the same way they were used 100 years ago. It is a very simple process. Music is going into the small end and it is being amplified out the big end. I am using modern technology to get the music to the horn, but it gets that vintage sound because it is being amplified the same way it was 100 years ago.

What's your favorite thing to play through the gramophone?

Etta James's "At Last" is always a go to when I am playing one for someone for the first time, but there are plenty of modern singers that sound amazing on these. One of my favorite songs to play is Lana del Rey's Video Games and Duffy sounds awesome too.

As I think about it, my smartphone really did change my life. I started making acoustic speakers which were inspired by my new phone. I put a couple online to see what people thought. An international publication found them and included them in an article and it blew up my little shop. Two weeks after the article hit, I had a wait list over 100 people long. I was able to quit my job as a restaurant manager two years ago, and this has been my full-time job ever since.

If you’re as inspired by Ryan’s work as we are, here’s your chance to win one of the SpeakerBlocks he created. Tweet your favorite song with the hashtag #MotoTunes for the chance to win starting at 1 p.m. CT.

Posted by the Motorola Blog Team

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10 Things To Do With Moto Hint That Might Surprise You

Editor’s Note: Emily Price is a freelance tech journalist in San Francisco. We invited her to share her experience using Moto Hint, a discreet wireless ear bud that can give you complete control over your phone. 

Bluetooth headsets are typically bulky, uncomfortable and pretty dorky looking. I’ve steered clear of them for the most part, but when Motorola released Moto Hint a few months ago, I had to give it a try. When paired with my Moto X (2nd Gen.), the tiny headset is capable of doing some pretty awesome stuff. Here are a few of my favorite things to do with Hint.

Get the weather
The weather in San Francisco isn’t as easy as just knowing what season it is. One day can be warm and sunny, while the next makes you want to bundle up in your favorite winter wear. While I’m getting ready in the morning, I can ask Hint what the weather is outside and decide if I need to grab a hoodie before heading outdoors.

Listen to my schedule
My morning typically kicks off with a walk around my neighborhood with my dog. While I’m leashing him up I can have Hint give me a rundown of my schedule for the morning and find out whether I need to grab a jacket or umbrella for our stroll. By the time we’ve made it downstairs to head outside I already have a good feel for my day.

Directions while biking
If you’ve ever tried to bike and look at Google Maps for directions, you know it’s not easy. If you’re trying to bike around San Francisco and dodge taxis, street cars and enthusiastic entrepreneurs — it’s downright impossible. One of my favorite uses for Hint is getting turn-by-turn directions in my ear while biking around the city. It’s tons better than trying to bike wearing headphones (you can’t hear the road) or constantly looking down at your phone.

Play some tunes
I use Hint occasionally to listen to some tunes while I’m walking my dog or heading to my next meeting. Hint pulls music from YouTube, and I’ve found myself using it to play a tune I can’t get out of my head. The week before I went to see the Generationals play in San Francisco, Hint was pumping out their tunes daily.

Quick Google searches

I work from home, which means those questions you typically ask your coworkers? I ask them out loud to no one like a crazy person. With Hint, I can ask important questions like “What day is Christmas on this year?” and get an answer back instantly, without the need to pick up my phone or open another browser window in Chrome.

Easy texting
Texting is another thing I’ve really enjoyed doing with Hint. My Moto X can be charging across the room, and I can text friends about evening plans without having to touch my phone.

Answer calls without finding your phone

My phone typically lives in my purse or book bag when I’m out and about. With Hint, when a call comes in I can answer it without having to dig around in my bag and figure out where my phone is.

Easy call transitions
I’ve found myself reaching for Hint quite a bit at the end of the day. Around 6pm I’m often trying to cook dinner, which also happens to be when all my friends from back home decide they want to call and chat. With Hint, I can chat with friends while keeping my hands free for chopping veggies and even place calls myself without ever touching my phone.

Post to Facebook

Posting to Facebook using your voice isn't something you're probably going to do often, but it's a pretty killer feature. One day I remembered I needed to find someone to watch my dog Tucker the following weekend while I was at a wedding. From my bike, I posted a status message on Facebook asking if any of my friends can help out with the fur ball. By the time I got home, I already had a few messages.

Remind me to buy beer
I’m a huge craft beer fan. Unfortunately, my neighborhood doesn’t have a real good place to buy some of the brews I like to drink. With Hint, I can set a reminder to pick up some of the rare stuff when I’m downtown for meetings and near some better bottle shops.

Posted by Emily Price, Special to the Motorola Blog

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