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'Bones day' on TikTok: Why everyone's talking about this viral pug

'Bones day' on TikTok: Why everyone's talking about this viral pug

If you're wondering what kind of day you'll be having today, 13-year-old pug Noodle says you should treat yourself and seize the day.

Well, Noodle can't talk, of course, but he's part of a new TikTok trend in which he supposedly predicts how your day will go -- in other words, whether it'll be a "bones day" or a "no-bones day." Here's what that means and what to know about the meme that's exploded on TikTok.

What's a 'bones' or 'no-bones' day?

TikToker Jonathan Graziano regularly posts videos of his pug in the morning to see "whether Noodle has bones" -- in other words, whether he stays standing when propped up in his dog bed or flops back down when let go. 

If Noodle stays standing, it's a bones day, meaning you should buy yourself that sushi you've been wanting or finally ask for that raise -- in other words, seize the day! But if he collapses back into his dog bed, it's a no-bones day, meaning you have permission to cancel plans and take it easy. 

Here's Noodle's prediction for Monday. (Spoiler alert: It's a bones day!)

@jongraz

hope you all have the best Monday! 🔮🦴 #nobones#bonesday#pug#noodletok#monday

♬ original sound - Jonathan

When did the videos become popular?

Graziano has been posting videos of Noodle on TikTok since he joined the platform in late 2020, but the clips have really taken off in October, with each garnering millions of views. This one of a "no-bones morning" from Oct. 4 hit over 10 million views. 

"If today was the day you were planning to call your sister and tell her you just hate her husband, today is not the day to do that," Graziano says in a voiceover on the clip.

@jongraz

the Bones have spoken!! ##pug##adoptdontshop##nobones##noodletok##mondaymotivation

♬ original sound - Jonathan

Graziano told Insider he had around 50,000 TikTok followers two weeks ago; he now has 1.7 million.

The creator reportedly met Noodle in 2016 and adopted him after his owner wasn't able to care for him anymore. Since those early days, Graziano would try to get Noodle to get up in the mornings by propping him up, but he'd sometimes melt back into the ground -- "not from an inability to stand up, but seemingly as a choice," Graziano told Insider. He's been sharing pictures of Noodle via his Instagram account @showmenoodz, which has over 50,000 followers.

Software engineer Jake Kaplow also created a notification site that sends a text each morning about whether or not it's a bones day, for anyone who's invested in the trend but doesn't want to hop on TikTok.

Other 'bones day' memes

Noodle has inspired TikTok hashtags like #nobones, which has over 151 million views, and #bonesday, which has over 32 million views. 

"Do I believe in astrology?" one user says in a video. "No. Do I believe in that dog who predicts whether or not it's gonna be a good day based on if they wake up with bones or not? Yes."

@www.emma.org

im having a real no bones day #nobones#noodle#noodlethepug#bones

♬ original sound - emma

"And I checked the forecast, and it was a no-bones day," another TikToker says as she lies down. Someone responds, "Well, yeah, if it's a no bones day, I mean what are you supposed to do? It's no bones day!"

@bardbarianboi

##stitch with @_jen_hamilton_ what are you supposed to do? ##nobones##nobonesday##noodletok##bard##bardbarianboi

♬ original sound - BardBarianBoi

Another user poked fun at the pug's fortune-telling abilities (while also jokingly misquoting the catchphrase "Mercury's in retrograde"), saying, "Mercury might be in Gatorade, but the pug had bones. Let's get this bread."

@emmalinechilds

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE BONES 🦴🐶 #nobones#coffeetalk#mercuryretrograde#mercurygatorade#humpday

♬ Nuthin' But A "G" Thang - Dr. Dre

In one video, a TikToker shows how productive a day at work is on a bones day.

@morgandrinkscoffee

I am PUMPED for the day #bonesday#nobones#noodle#barista

♬ original sound - charlotte (is gay)

On the other hand, another user posted a video that reads, "The fact that I literally woke up early, got dressed, and decided to finally be productive just to find out it's a no bones day," as she stares blankly at the camera. 

@abbylmiller11

back to bed I guess #foryoupage#nobones#fyp

♬ Mud Flow "the Sense of me" ( Soundtrack Life is Strange) - DOLKINS

Well, it turns out the weather is no longer the only forecast we should be checking. As one user put it, "My biggest mistake today was that I didn't check the bones forecast this morning."

@mlmclands

learned the hard way that it is, in fact, a no bones day #noodle#nobonesday#nobones#pug#ForYouPizza @jongraz

♬ champagne problems bridge Taylor Swift - Kaylen

So, be sure to add that to your to-do list.

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Funny Business: TikTok Is Putting a New Spin on Standup Comedy

Funny Business: TikTok Is Putting a New Spin on Standup Comedy

As the lights dim, the doors fly open and the shadow of Reuben Kaye — "actress, model and," as he tells his audience every night, "the only horseman of the apocalypse to ride side saddle" — is thrown across the auditorium, stretching up the wall like something from your wildest fever dream.

With over 3,500 shows at this year's Edinburgh Fringe — the world's biggest arts festival, which runs in the capital every year for all  of August — it's pretty hard to stand out if you're a performer wanting to make a name for yourself. But there are shows, and then there are the jazz-hands, capital-letters *SHOWS.*

Kaye's The Butch Is Back is definitely the latter. Whereas many Fringe shows happen in the city's rabbit warren of old vaults, upstairs at pubs and in hotel conference rooms, with very little in the way of lighting, backdrops and tech, Kaye's is a Las Vegas show in miniature. With his band, he sings, dances and interacts with the audience with rapid-fire patter and comedic timing that fills the high ceilings of the old church he performs in with hoots and screeches.

This isn't Kaye's first rodeo at the Fringe, but he returns in 2022 after two years of being restricted to his homeland of Australia with some new tricks up his sleeve. Since his last Fringe run, Kaye has found success on TikTok, where he has 203,000 followers, which has not only opened him up to new audiences, but forced him to write faster and better in a way that's transformed his shows.

"This show is pretty much a TikTok, it does not stop," he said in an interview in the bar of Fringe venue Assembly Checkpoint last week. "The opening number and the closing number are written as TikToks — line after line after line, boom, boom, boom, costume change — as quick as it can be. And it's also amazing cardio."

Reuben Kaye on stage in Edinburgh.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Kaye's act isn't the only place where TikTok has made its mark. The short-form video app's fingerprints are all over the Fringe this year, shaking up the 75-year-old arts festival with an injection of new talent and energy. Freshly TikTok-famous comedians have come to the Fringe for the first time, buoyed by their online success, while old hands are using the platform to find new audiences and experiment with material. 

"The Edinburgh Fringe is all about offering anyone a stage and everyone a seat — and that's the ethos of TikTok too," said Melissa McFarlane, head of content programming at TikTok, in a statement.

TikTok, which has enjoyed an explosion of popularity over the last few years (now at over 1 billion active monthly users, compared to 2.1 billion on YouTube and 2.9 billion on Facebook), boasts a physical presence in Edinburgh as the festival's first virtual partner. The company broadcasts live on its own platform from the TikTok stage, invites creators to make use of its live studio in the heart of Edinburgh and works with performers to hone their TikTok skills.

The result: a festival with more original and unique acts for audiences, and new opportunities for a more diverse group of performers who might not have necessarily gotten a shot in this notoriously difficult business.

"It opened me up to a new demographic of people who would not have thought cabaret was for them," said Kaye. "TikTok comedians are incredibly — to use an overused phrase — diverse. They're people of color, they're queer, they're trans women and comedy has for a very long time been a white boys club."

A ball for debutantes

One of those who performed on TikTok's stage was Serena Terry from Derry, Northern Ireland, who on TikTok goes by Mammy Banter. With 1.4 million followers, Terry is popular for her sketches of parenting petulant children and teens, but until TikTok reached out inviting her to take one of its one-off standup spots she'd never performed live comedy.

"It's incredible that TikTok can create these opportunities for people who have just jumped on the app in the last few years and haven't done any standup comedy, but have established themselves in the digital world," she said. "Absolute superstars have been born at the Fringe, so it was just a no-brainer for me."

She had just two weeks to write and learn her show, but the experience has given her a taste for live performance. "It really has got me excited and it's taken me out of my comfort zone in a very good way," she said. Now she's considering bringing back a full show next year.

Other comedians who found success on TikTok during the pandemic have brought their debut shows to Edinburgh for the entire month-long run.

After dancer and choreographer Christopher Hall lost all of his work for the third time in the UK's series of COVID-19 lockdowns, he decided that it was finally time to do what he'd long dreamed of and try his hand at comedy. He'd held back from posting on TikTok, in part due to worrying what others would think, but the isolation of lockdown gave him a safety net. 

"If everyone thought it was stupid, I wasn't gonna see them for at least six months," he said. "Because it just started off with zero followers, I was like, it could either blow up, or it could just be a sketchbook of ideas." 

Hall wrote videos based on what he was experiencing at the time: being a millennial forced to move back in with his parents. He posted one TikTok per day and on the fifth day he scored his first viral 100,000-view hit. He now has more than 130,000 followers and is in the middle of a month-long Fringe run of a two-man comedy show Two Sour Gays, with fellow comic Mark Bittlestone.

"TikTok comedians are incredibly – to use an overused phrase – diverse."

Reuben Kaye

Among those making their Fringe debuts after finding success on TikTok, many have harbored long-running ambitions of working in comedy that finally came to fruition during the pandemic.

Like Hall, sisters Chloe and Tabby Tingey had a background in musical theater before making musical comedy TikToks during lockdown. Tabby had studied musical theater at Glasgow Conservatory and Chloe had won a scholarship to study songwriting at Berklee College of Music, but both had long given up on their dreams of working in the arts by the time they moved in together during the pandemic. Everything that came next was a "happy accident," said Chloe.

Chloe and Tabby Tingey are the Sugarcoated Sisters.

Steve Ullathorne

They started making TikTok videos of Tabby weightlifting Chloe — "she's very strong, she's like an ox," Chloe said of her sister. But after discovering comedy content on the app they switched to making musical parodies, with a video of them making fun of Chicago's Cell Block Tango being their first big hit. 

After winning best newcomer at the UK's Musical Comedy Awards earlier this year and racking up 401,000 followers, the pair, who collectively go by the Sugarcoated Sisters, decided to try the festival. TikTok has supported them by securing a spot on the inside front page of the Fringe brochure and putting them on digital bulletin boards.

Selling out shows

Edinburgh Fringe has a reputation for being a star maker, having launched the careers of performers and writers including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Bo Burnham and Robin Williams. But the reality for many performers is that they will shell out their savings to bring a show to the festival and then have to perform it every night to mostly empty rooms.

Micky Overman is at the Fringe for the third time.

Matt Crockett

It's especially tough for new performers who haven't already established an audience to help them sell out their rooms. "There's a lot of pressure on people coming here for the first time." said Micky Overman, a comic on her third Fringe run with her show Small Deaths. But she's noticed that debut acts from TikTok aren't struggling in the same way as others. "New people that are debuting and people who are successful online are properly selling their shows this year," she said. 

The livestreams on TikTok's virtual stage have translated into real-world ticket sales, according to McFarlane. There's no way for artists to tell for sure how many people are coming to shows solely because of TikTok, but it's harder to find a spare seat at shows with those who boast huge followings. The comedian Rosie Holt, who is known for her online political satire, had to add extra performances after the whole run sold out before the festival even started — something that's almost unheard of aside from the most famous names.

"We're very charmed in the fact that our followings online seem to really translate to in-person audiences," said Hall. He and his comedy partner both have largely UK-based followings that led to near sold-out shows. It's not so easy to fill Edinburgh seats if your following is more international.

Shirley Gnome got on TikTok during the pandemic.

Shirley Gnome

Chloe and Tabby Tingey were unsure what impact their following would have on ticket sales given that only half of their audience is based in the UK. But they usually get people coming to them at the end of shows identifying themselves as followers, with one woman flying all the way from Illinois to see them live. "She stayed for four days and had a whale of a time," said Tabby.

"People who are successful online are properly selling their shows this year."

Micky Overman

Finlay Christie, a debut act who has regularly been selling out his show OK Zoomer after shooting to fame on TikTok (173,000 followers), described feeling "the looming specter of digital" at this year's Fringe. "You see the odd act up here who's got a following and bringing their show up here and selling out, but it still feels like you're trying to impress the gatekeepers," he said. Most newer acts have been assigned to smaller rooms, but he said he wouldn't be surprised if in the next few years they're headlining big venues.

Comedy is a notoriously difficult industry to get into, involving immense financial risk and relying on club promoters to book acts. TikTok is changing this, said Hall, as it paves the way for people of all races, sexualities, genders and socio-economic backgrounds to get a leg up in an industry that might have otherwise been inaccessible to them. It can help prove that minority acts have mass-market appeal.

Form dictating content

Comedians who have succeeded at TikTok have seen a massive influx of new interest in their work. At the Fringe, this lifts some of the need to pass out flyers. "It's not like here where you're just shouting into the wind and hoping people walk past," said Kaye.

TikTok's algorithm makes it much easier to reach people who will appreciate you, weeding out those who never would have come to see you live anyway, said Lara Ricote, who is performing her show GRL/LATNX/DEF at the Fringe for the first time. "It's like, oh, you love hard-of-hearing comedy? Guess what I do?" she said. "That difference is very cool. You can arrive at it quicker when usually it's a freakin' 25-year process to find your audience."

Lara Ricote's show is about what it's like to be Latin, hard of hearing and a girl.

Steve Ullathorne

The algorithm has delivered the Sugarcoated Sisters a following of good-humored musical theater lovers. "They're so specific and genius at tailoring the content to people who are interested in it," said Tabby. "It seems like the kind of community that they're creating around the Edinburgh Fringe on TikTok is really supportive, really engaged."

But it's not just about reeling audiences in, said Overman. It's equally valuable in ensuring that people who come to see your show and enjoy it can find more content when they look you up after. "Give them something that they come back to," she said. It's not like newer comics have Netflix specials they can point people towards, she added, but TikTok allows fans to connect with more of their content. "That's how they can become invested."

The Sugarcoated Sisters' most viral hit — an original song about Chloe's bipolar and Tabby's diabetes, which they thought might be too niche to resonate at the time of writing — is now the opener to their show. But on the whole, it's rare to see much overlap between a comedian's stage show and their TikTok presence.

If there is crossover, it tends to be that TikTok informs the live comedy rather than the other way around. "I definitely have incorporated things that were popular on TikTok back into my show," said Shirley Gnome, who found TikTok to be a great way of testing out what material was resonating best among audiences during the pandemic. 

The adage that content dictates form doesn't apply to TikTok, said Kaye. It's usually the other way around. Many existing stand-up comedy acts have found success using TikTok for sketch and character-based comedy, which is somewhat out of fashion at the Fringe right now.

Milo McCabe is better known as Troy Hawke.

Steve Ullathorne

Milo McCabe, who goes by the stage name Troy Hawke, struck gold when he started making TikToks using a character he first invented eight years ago — a well-spoken greeter who stands outside of stores. McCabe is a Fringe veteran, but has returned to the Fringe this year to perform his show to sold-out rooms, with audiences who have come to ogle "the bloke from the video." 

"I've had to tweak it slightly and… make it a little bit easier to digest," he said, noting his show is different from his TikToks. "That's what I've been doing in the show day by day."

Living for live

Many established comedians have yet to get on TikTok, unsure either of how to use it or whether there's an audience for them on the app.

It turns out that TikTok is an ideal medium for comedians, as it gives them full creative control of their material so they ensure their jokes land as planned. McCabe has honed his editing skills, shaving off tenths of a second here and cutting anything that sounds inauthentic until it sounds "more fluid and watchable."

Ricote is still trying to figure out a way to make TikTok work for her as someone who doesn't do characters and wants to focus on standup. To get a closeup on your face, which she understands to be better for the algorithm, it means having a tripod setup close to her and performing for the camera while also performing for the audience. At this point, she said, "it's not for the room anymore."

Posting standup on TikTok at least partly takes away the purity of the art form, said Overman. "But at the same time we would all be lying to ourselves if we were saying that we didn't want to reach a big audience. And it's right there."

For the majority of comedians wanting to make it big at Edinburgh or anywhere else in the world of comedy, finding an audience who will engage with them as they perform to sold-out rooms is always the end goal. While others on the app try to follow the well-trodden influencer pathway of acquiring enough followers to score brand partnerships, comics are largely avoiding monetizing their followings on the platform. 

"For me," said Gnome, "that's not very interesting." Rather than flogging products, she is motivated by the thrill of being in front of a real audience. "I'm really live oriented… so it really all does come back to the live thing."

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You need to try these new Apple Watch 7 features

You need to try these new Apple Watch 7 features

After setting up your new Apple Watch Series 7 that you got this holiday season and pairing it with your iPhone, it's time to check out all the new features and tweak a few settings to make the most of your new Watch. The Apple Watch Series 7 comes with a larger screen, faster charging and a more durable design. That might not sound as exciting as the blood oxygen sensor that debuted in last year's Series 6. (Here's how the Apple Watch 7 compares to the Apple Watch 6.) But the Series 7's new features have the potential to add more convenience to a lot of everyday tasks, from checking the time to resp onding to texts and tracking your sleep. 

Apple unveiled the $399 Apple Watch Series 7 during its product launch event on Sept. 14 alongside the iPhone 13 family, a refreshed iPad Mini, and a new entry-level iPad. The new Apple Watch is a light update to the Series 6 that's ideal for people looking to replace a watch that's several years old.

Read more: Apple Watch 7 review: A slight upgrade compared to last year's smartwatch

If you're considering the Apple Watch Series 7 or already bought one, here's a breakdown of what's new and why it matters. You can also check out all the Apple Watch Series 8 rumors we've heard so far.

Apple Watch Series 7 has a QWERTY keyboard

The Apple Watch Series 7 should be easier to type on. 

Apple

The Apple Watch has a new QWERTY keyboard that takes advantage of its larger screen, which is about 20% bigger than the Series 6, allowing you to type similarly to how you would on a phone.

What's new: A full-size keyboard means that you aren't limited to sending a canned response to a text, scribbling a quick note or dictating a message, as is the case with the Apple Watch Series 6.

How you'll use it: The Apple Watch Series 7's QWERTY keyboard lets you tap each key to type, or use Apple's QuickPath feature to swipe between letters without lifting your finger. You'll still want to use your phone for messages longer than a short sentence, but it still generally makes it easier to text using the watch.

The bottom line: The Series 7's QWERTY keyboard makes it easier to send longer and more complex messages that are uncomfortable to scribble or too private to dictate. It's another example of how the Apple Watch has evolved to become better at working independently of your phone in the years since its launch. 

Third-party Apple Watch apps like FlickType already allow you to type on your Apple Watch, but having it as a native option on the watch results in a smoother experience. It also means watch owners won't have to rely on third parties for this potentially vital tool, which is important considering some keyboard apps have been accused of participating in App Store rating scams.

Read more: Apple Watch 7 upgrade: How to trade in your old watch to get the best deals

Larger screen on the Apple Watch Series 7 amps up reading

The Apple Watch Series 7's larger screen can fit more text.

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

The Series 7 is Apple's first major redesign since the Series 4 launched in 2018. The new watch comes in 41-millimeter and 45mm sizes for the first time, representing a shift away from the 40mm and 44mm sizes that were available on the Series 4 through Series 6. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7's screen is about 20% larger than the Series 6's and more than 50% bigger than the Series 3's. The borders that frame the screen are also 40% smaller than those of the Series 6, allowing Apple to expand the screen size without making the device much larger. But don't worry, older watch bands are still compatible with the Series 7. 

How you'll use it: The Series 7's larger screen makes it better at its most important job: showing information that's easy to see at a glance so that you don't have to grab your phone. The larger screen means the Series 7 is capable of displaying 50% more text without having to scroll, making reading text messages, emails and notifications more convenient. 

There's more: Apple also updated the user interface in its apps to make better use of that larger screen. Apps like the stopwatch, activity and timer now have larger buttons, meaning it's easier to hit snooze even when you're still half asleep. You also get specific watch faces that are optimized for the Series 7's bigger display, such as a new version of the Modular face that can fit complications with more information. I've been using this new watch face to see my activity progress, the time and weather forecast at a glance.

And don't forget, WatchOS 8 introduces the ability to set Portrait mode photos as your watch face, and the Series 7's larger screen is better able to show them off.

Read more: Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Series 6: The biggest changes coming in Apple's new smartwatch

A brighter screen in always-on mode

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple also updated the Apple Watch's display in a different way by making the screen more visible in always-on mode. It's another addition that makes it even faster to get quick bits of information from your watch. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7's screen is up to 70% brighter in always-on mode when your wrist is down, according to Apple. However, Apple specifically says this applies to indoor usage.

How you'll use it: The Series 7's improved brightness means it is even easier to see information like the time, your activity rings and your next meeting without having to wake the watch's screen. It feels like a step toward making the Apple Watch's screen appear the same whether it's asleep or in use, and doing so creates a more seamless look that doesn't feel jarring when switching between awake and idle mode. 

To use this feature, you'll want to make sure the always-on display setting is turned on in the Apple Watch's settings menu. On your Apple Watch's app screen, press the settings icon, scroll down to Display & Brightness and tap Always On. From there, make sure the switch next to Always On is toggled on. 

What about battery life? You could also choose to keep this feature turned off if you want to maximize battery life, and Apple hasn't said whether the brighter always-on screen will affect the watch's power consumption. I've been wearing the Apple Watch Series 7 daily with the always-on display setting turned on, and it typically lasts for about a day and a half. But battery life will always vary depending on your usage, and activities like using GPS connectivity while running will cause it to drain faster. 

Read more: Best Apple Watch accessories

Apple Watch Series 7 charges faster than Series 6 

The Apple Watch Series 7 should charge 33% faster than the Series 6.

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

The Apple Watch Series 7's battery lasts as long as the Series 6, but the amount of time it takes to charge your watch has dipped. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7 can charge up to 33% faster than the Apple Watch Series 6, according to Apple. It takes 45 minutes to charge from zero to 80%, and 8 minutes of charging should enable 8 hours of sleep tracking. In CNET's testing of the new Apple Watch, reviewers found this to be true. Charging the Watch for at least 30 minutes made the battery jump from zero to 54%. In comparison, the Series 6 only replenished 37% in the same amount of time. 

How you'll use it: We've been asking for more battery life out of the Apple Watch for years, but that's especially relevant now that Apple has added native sleep tracking to its smartwatches. Rather than extending the watch's battery life, Apple makes it easier to quickly charge the watch during short windows throughout the day, presumably so that you don't have to charge it overnight. The idea is that you'll be able to top off the watch's battery whenever you have a few spare minutes.

The bottom line: The Apple Watch Series 7's faster charging speed is another way in which Apple is trying to make its smartwatch a more capable sleep tracker. In addition to making the Series 7 easier to charge in a pinch, Apple also added the ability to measure respiratory rate during sleep with its WatchOS 8 update. Taken together, these improvements could help Apple catch up to Fitbit, which offers multiday battery life on its watches and more in-depth sleep metrics. 

Read more: Best Apple Watch bands for 2021

The Apple Watch Series 7 has a brawnier build

The Apple Watch Series 7 comes with tougher crystal and is dust resistant. 

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

Exercise tracking has become one of Apple's biggest areas of focus for the Apple Watch. The Series 7 is more suitable for outdoor activity since Apple claims it has a more durable build. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7 is rated for IP6X dust resistance (a first) and is coated in a crystal cover that Apple says is 50% thicker than that of the Apple Watch Series 6. That means you'll feel at ease wearing it to the beach or during a hike. 

How you'll use it: The Series 7's increased durability pairs nicely with the new cycling features in WatchOS 8. The new software brings an updated version of fall detection that Apple says can tell the difference between falling off a bicycle and a different type of accident. Apple also says WatchOS 8 can automatically detect outdoor cycling workouts. (See Lexy Savvides' test of the new Apple Watch cycling features here.)

The bottom line: We put Apple Watch Series 7's durability to the test. Those who want a truly rugged watch have military-grade options from Garmin and Casio to choose from, or could opt for a rugged Apple Watch case. But these updates suggest Apple is trying to push the Apple Watch beyond basic workouts and appeal to those who might need a more durable watch for activities like rock climbing. That's the premise behind the rumored Explorer Edition, which Bloomberg reports will come with greater impact resistance and could launch in 2022.

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Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (unlocked) review: Customization champ, but middle-of-the-pack phablet overall

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (unlocked) review: Customization champ, but middle-of-the-pack phablet overall

I like the Moto X Pure Edition (or Style as its globally known), but I was honestly ready to love it. For one thing, it's an unlocked phone available directly from Motorola at a reasonable price, and it's designed to work on all of the major US wireless carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint) -- that's a big step up from most unlocked phones that only work on the first two in that list. Likewise, the international Moto X Style should work on all the carriers in whichever territory it's sold -- and many countries will also get the stepdown Moto X Play phone, which is not currently slated for a US release.

In addition, this 5.7-inch follow-up to 2014's Motorola Moto X also promises the same customization options, like choosing between different trim colors and the material of the backing, that made me buy that model as my personal device. And in this sea of lookalike phones, this is a distinct advantage that the Moto X Pure Edition has over its rivals.

But instead, I was disappointed. Its larger design (up from 5.2 inches) feels far too cumbersome for smaller hands like mine. Battery life was unexceptional, its camera wasn't massively impressive and aside from a few minor tweaks, Motorola's Moto services don't feature anything substantially new.

When you compare it to a top-tier large-screen device like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 , its drawbacks become even more obvious. And if you consider the current diverse landscape of unlocked handsets with the OnePlus 2 and ZTE Axon Pro , Motorola's phone doesn't quite come out on top. Though the Moto X was one of our favorite budget flagships last year, the same can't be said for the Moto X Pure Edition.

Availability

In the US, the handset starts at $400 unlocked ($100 less than last year's starting price). The price will increase, however, depending on storage capacity and certain design options.

In the UK the Style, as it's known, starts at £399 for 32GB of storage, with 64GB setting you back £434.

In Australia the Style is exclusive to Vodafone and only available on contract. It's available on both the AU$80 and AU$100 plans, for AU$3 of monthly handset repayments. That's a total cost over 24 months of AU$1,992 and AU$2,472 respectively.

Design and build

• 5.7-inch display with 2,560x1,440-pixel (2K) resolution
• 6.1 by 3 by 0.4 inches (154 by 76 by 11.1mm)
• 6.3 ounces (179 grams)

Compared to the 2014 Moto X , Motorola increased the Moto X Pure Edition's display by half an inch, bumping up the device's overall footprint. Though it isn't as big as the Google Nexus 6 (which was manufactured by Motorola before Google sold it off to Lenovo), the size jump still makes it notably bigger than the previous 5.2-inch Moto X . That means -- for some -- it won't fit in your front pockets easily and you can't maneuver it with one hand comfortably. I passed it around for several opinions, and even tall people with large hands noted problems reaching for the notifications shade with their thumbs.

We got our hands on a black variant with a walnut wood backing and silver trim.

Josh Miller/CNET

But putting aside the size, it's still an attractive, quality built handset. Its curved backing conforms to your palm and the screen's glass panel smoothly curves down the side edges. The control buttons are narrow, and the ridges on the power/sleep button makes it easier to identify by touch. And Motorola's metal M-dimple on the back of the previous generation has now shrunken in size and sits in an elegant metal strip that runs between it and the camera lens.

Keep in mind that unlike its cheaper Moto G counterpart that came out this year, the phone is not submersible underwater. It is water repellent though, so you won't have to worry about a few water droplets here and there.

The Moto X Pure Edition also has dual front speakers -- as in both speakers will output audio for music and movies (though only the bottom grille will output phone calls on speaker), resulting in a louder and fuller experience. This is different from last year's, which only used one stereo speaker for media, and the other served as the in-ear speaker for calls.

Most importantly, Motorola continues its legacy to enable users to customize the look of the device. You can start with either a black or white base color, choose the accent colors (as in, the color of the speaker grilles on the front and the metal strip on the back), and the color of the back, which also comes in different materials: plastic, wood, bamboo and leather.

Some may argue that the ability to customize the handsets is trivial. But when the mobile market is saturated with so many phones that look the same, having a say over how yours looks (without the use of a case), is one of the few ways to have it stand out and make it truly yours. That matters to people, and it's a need that Motorola has tapped into well.

Other different design options for the Moto X Pure Edition.

Motorola

As for device's display, it's bigger as I mentioned before. It also has a sharp 1,440p resolution and it's maximum brightness level is bright enough to view comfortably outdoors in sunlight. Likewise, the minimum brightness level is also extremely dim, which is useful for avoiding eye-strain when viewing your handset in the dark.

The screen has a wide viewing angle and is responsive to the touch. I had no problems reading text and playing games, and streaming YouTube videos and watching the HD movie "Gravity" looked smooth and crisp. There's also a new setting under Display where you can choose between two color modes: normal or vibrant. Under normal mode, colors are already bright and vivid. But with the latter, hues are more saturated and richer.

Software and features

• Google Android 5.1.1 Lollipop OS
• Minimal Motorola software
• Useful gesture controls

Despite its name, the Moto X Pure Edition isn't exactly the "purest" Android device, at least not compared to the Google's own Nexus family (understandably) and Play Edition handsets (though the latter has ceased all production since January). Don't be too disappointed, though -- if you want an untouched Android experience, Motorola's Moto line comes pretty close.

First, because you can get it unlocked, you won't get any carrier bloatware and branding. Instead, you'll get the usual set of Google apps such as the Chrome Web browser, Gmail, YouTube and more. Second, while you won't have a manufacturer user interface overlaid on top of the phone in the same way TouchWiz and Sense skins Samsung and HTC devices, respectively, Motorola still included some useful features under its Moto app.

These features are accessible under a single Moto app, which has Moto Assist, Actions, Voice and Display. Assist adjusts your Moto X Pure Edition settings depending on where you are or what you're doing. If you've scheduled a meeting into Google Calendar, for example, the device can switch to vibrate right and reply to any missed calls with a predetermined message.

Motorola's suite of software features (left), including Moto Voice commands (right).

Lynn La/CNET

Actions is all about gesture controls: Twist your wrist with the phone in your hand to launch the camera or chop your hand in the air to turn on and off the flash to use as a flashlight.

Motorola's voice input, called Voice, works similarly to Google Now, so if you've used that feature before, you have a good idea of what to do here. It works with both built-in and third-party apps and you can set an alarm, navigate to a destination with Maps, look up a song title that's playing at the moment, begin a Twitter post and more.

Display shows any missed notifications you have, even while the device is sleeping, with a wave gesture. The current time and any missed notifications will pop up in white. You can preview a missed notification by longpressing its app icon, or press-and-swipe to launch it directly from the screen.

Because it offers a nearly vanilla Android experience, you won't get any carrier bloatware.

Josh Miller/CNET

Two other apps, Moto Connect and Migrate, round up the last of the handset's Motorola software. Connect manages all peripheral Motorola gadgets you may have like the Moto 360 smartwatch or a pair of its wireless headphones. Migrate helps you port over your contacts, apps and other files from a previous phone onto your new Moto X Pure Edition.

For the most part, Motorola's software works well. I am a fan of Moto Display, which doesn't sound like much, but it saves you from having to press the power button throughout the day to see any missed notifications. And while it isn't a new feature, flicking the device to fire up the camera is convenient and saves a lot of time.

The handset is, however, loaded with your standard line of Google apps.

Josh Miller/CNET

I did run into some issues, however. For one thing, you'll need the latest version of the Moto app to update your status on Facebook hands-free through Moto Voice. Otherwise, the handset will reply that it can't connect to "the cloud" after you dictate a post. And while you can dictate Facebook posts and text messages, you can't do the same on Twitter. Voice just activates a small Twitter window so you can begin posting, but you'll need to type out the actual message.

It's also unclear what requires you to say your PIN when you use Voice commands while the phone is locked. For example, posting to Facebook prompts a PIN confirmation, but sending a text doesn't. The chopping gesture to activate the flash also doesn't feel natural or work as smoothly, and half the time I'm afraid I'll end up chucking my device across the room.

But perhaps the most disappointing thing is that compared to its predecessor, the Moto X Pure Edition doesn't offer anything substantial in terms of new software. A small amount of tweaks have been made, but overall, nothing substantial has been added. In some ways that's understandable since Motorola is purposely staying as close to the pure Android experience as one can get. But it's still a bit of a letdown to know that your new handset carries the same bag of tricks as it did last year.

Cameras and video

• 21-megapixel rear-facing camera
• 5-megapixel front-facing camera
• Can record 4K (rear) and 1,080p (front) video
• Night mode shooting and wide-angle front-facing camera has its own flash

The native camera app isn't loaded with tons of editing features, but both cameras do have HDR (high dynamic range) shooting, a touch-focus module where you can adjust the exposure as well, a digital zoom, a timer and geotagging. They also have a flash (yes, even the front-facing camera so you can brighten up your selfies) and a new shooting mode called "night mode" for low-light environments. Photos can be taken in either the wide 16:9 aspect ratio or the more squarish 4:3.

As for video, both front and rear cameras can record 1,080p HD footage and slow-mo videos in 720p (a change from the predecessor's better 1,080p slow-mo capabilities). While shooting video, you can also take pictures and pause recording.

The rear camera in particular can also take panoramic photos and scan QR codes and bar codes to look up via Google or copy onto the clipboard. And on top of already shooting 1,080p video, it can also record ultra-HD 4K video, which -- at 3,840x2,160p -- offers four times the resolution of 1,080p. That's state of the art -- albeit of dubious value, however.

Say cheese! The front-facing camera comes with its own flash. Josh Miller/CNET

In this well-lit indoor photo, objects are still clear and easy to make out, and lighting is evenly exposed. Lynn La/CNET

As for picture quality, photos looked decent, and the camera does well for everyday informal shots. Though they didn't manage to blow me away, it's still adequate enough to post online or print out a small photo.

Pictures taken outdoors or in amply-lit indoor environments looked great: colors were accurate, objects were clear with defined outlines and you can still see a lot of details retained at full resolution. There were a few times when the phone took a couple of tries to focus on an object up close, but eventually it'd lock on and snap a clear picture. Photos taken in low-light environments didn't fare as well, which is a common occurrence in smartphone photography. Though night mode improved exposure somewhat, I still saw a noticeable amount of digital noise, graininess and muted colors.

Because the front-facing camera has a wide-angle lens, my photos captured more content and space into the frame. As such, however, do expect to get some elongated angles near the corners of your pictures. For more information on camera quality, click the photos below to view them at their full resolution.

Video quality was solid. Nearby and distant audio was picked up well without any noticeable noise distortion, and both moving and still objects looked smooth and sharp. There was no discernible lag between my moving of the camera and what I saw in the viewfinder, and the camera was able to swiftly shift focus and exposure as I moved it around.

Night mode brightened up this dimly lit bar a tad -- but the photo is still not so great.

Lynn La/CNET

In our standard studio shot, these items look clear and defined, and the flash didn't leave any harsh reflections against the background.

Lynn La/CNET

This photo taken on a sunny day shows true-to-life colors and images that are sharp and in focus.

Lynn La/CNET

Though the stems and leaves on the right are clear, the right pomegranate gets blurry around the edges.

Lynn La/CNET

With its wide-angle front-facing camera, you can capture more content with your selfies (or groupies if you have friends).

Lynn La/CNET

Hardware performance

• 1.8GHz 6-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
• 600MHz Adreno 418 graphics processing unit
• 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage with up to 128GB of expandable memory
• 3GB of RAM
• 3,000mAh nonremovable battery

Though the Moto X Pure Edition's processor has a lower clock speed than its predecessor (from 2.5 to 1.8GHz), its Snapdragon 808 processor still operates swiftly and smoothly. For one thing, the CPU is no slacker (it's the same one featured in the LG G4 ) and the RAM has been bumped up to 3GB. In general, I didn't notice any stuttering issues or lag while executing a number of everyday tasks like calling up the app drawer, opening the camera and switching between apps. Images for graphics-intensive games like Riptide GP 2 and Kill Shot were rendered fast and smooth, and the overall gaming experience was solid. It took about 37 seconds to power off and restart the device and 1.38 seconds to launch the camera.

Also, unlike the previous two versions of the Moto X, Motorola added a MicroSD card slot that can hold up to 128GB of extra memory -- giving you more breathing room for your photos and files.

But while the handset provides plenty of power to satisfy your daily smartphone needs, its benchmark scores falls behind its competitors. That's not surprising since the Galaxy Note 5 belongs to a more premium caliber, and both the OnePlus 2 and the ZTE Axon Pro sport the 8-core Snapdragon 810 processor. In that sense, the Moto X Pure Edition performed well for itself, but aside from having the second-highest single-core Geekbench 3 result among the latter two, it altogether fell a bit short of the other devices.

Benchmark test comparison

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition 19,725 1,271 3,528 Samsung Galaxy Note 5 24,589 1,488 4,939 OnePlus 2 22,645 1,142 4,461 ZTE Axon Pro 25,742 868 3,958

• 3DMark Ice Storm (unlimited)
• Geekbench 3 (single-core)
• Geekbench 3 (multi-core)

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Call quality and data speeds

• GSM/GPRS/EDGE: (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• CDMA: (800/850/1900MHz)
• UMTS/HSPA+: (850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100MHz)
• LTE B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/25/26/38/41
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/b/n/ac + MIMO
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/b/n/ac + MIMO

For US customers, Motorola's handset is unique because it works for carriers that operate on either GSM or CDMA technology. Meaning, for example, the phone can make calls and surf the Internet on AT&T and T-Mobile's network (which uses the GSM standard) and do the same on Verizon and Sprint (which uses CDMA). This isn't a huge deal if you don't plan on leaving your carrier, but for those switching from a GSM to CDMA carrier or vice versa, or already have two devices on these different platforms, know that you can use the same Moto X no matter what network you go with.

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition average data speeds

4G LTE download rate	11.7Mbps
4G LTE upload rate	15.82Mbps
CNET mobile site load	4 seconds
CNET desktop site load	4 seconds
Temple Run 2 app download (44.52MB)	34 seconds
"Gravity" movie download (1.7GB)	24 minutes and 31 seconds

As for call quality, I tested the unlocked handset using AT&T's cellular network. Call quality was great. Volume range was appropriate (with the maximum volume being satisfyingly loud), my calling partner was clear and easy to understand and I didn't pick up any extraneous buzzing or static. Audio speaker was also reliable. As I mentioned before, speaker calls only comes out from the bottom grille, but that's still enough to hear my partner well, even when I was outdoors nearby noisy traffic. Likewise, I was told that I sounded good too, and when I stepped outdoors, my partner did not pick up any background sounds from the surrounding environment.

The phone's fast-charging Turbo Charger.

Josh Miller/CNET

Data speeds on AT&T's 4G LTE network were fast. According to Ookla's speed test, it had an average download rate of 11.7Mbps and upload rate of 15.82Mbps. It took about 4 seconds to load each of CNET's mobile and desktop site and 34 seconds to download and install the 44.52MB game Temple Run 2. One attempt to download the 1.7GB, high-definition movie "Gravity" took 24 minutes and 31 seconds.

Battery Life

With heavy usage, the Motorola X Pure Edition's non-removable battery can deplete quickly. After spending a workday surfing the Web, downloading apps and making calls, I hit 30 percent by late afternoon. To last the rest of the evening, I had to plug in the device for a charge.

During our battery drain test for continuous video playback, the handset lasted an average of 8 hours and 46 minutes. Although last year's Moto X had a smaller screen, its lower-capacity 2,300mAh battery lasted over 10 hours. And compared to its rivals, the OnePlus 2's 3,300mAh battery lasted 9 hours and 46 minutes (though we weren't very impressed with that performance either), and the Axon Pro's 3,000mAh battery lasted shorter at 8 hours and 8 minutes (again, not the best from all parties). I you want to know what does impress us, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 -- while admittedly a higher-tiered phone and expensive than all these devices -- lasted a whopping 15 hours of continuous playback on its 3,000mAh battery.

Motorola's handset, however, does come with a 25-watt Turbo Power charger, which promises to juice up your battery quickly. It does, in fact, charge the phone in a jiffy. When completely drained, it took only about an hour and 15 minutes to charge to 100 percent. And if you need to charge in a pinch, shutting it off and plugging it in for 10 minutes will gain about 20 percent battery life.

Conclusion

The Motorola Moto X Pure Edition is a great device for specific users. Google Android fans who can't wait until late September for the next Nexus reveal will enjoy the handset's nearly unsullied Android experience. The $400 phone bucks the current trend by offering external storage, and loops in support for the world's most prevalent network technologies -- CDMA and GSM -- so it should work with almost every carrier.

And with its numerous choices of color accents, engravings and materials, having a Moto X Pure Edition means having a device that reflects your own style. Heavily consider this handset if that's an important asset for you.

If it's not, however, there are lots of viable alternatives. If money isn't an issue, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the reigning Android supersize phone: It's powerful, stylish and has a long-lasting battery.

The Moto X Pure Edition is witnessing a far more competitive landscape for unlocked handsets than its predecessor.

Josh Miller/CNET

In addition, the mobile landscape for unlocked phones has changed a lot since last year's Moto X came out. They are getting more powerful at a lower cost.

For US customers, the $500 ZTE Axon Pro costs $100 more but has a 8-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM and tons of native camera features. Globally, you can try and nab the OnePlus 2 . Due to its limited availability it can be hard to get, but if you do, it starts at the very competitive price of $330 (£215 or AU$450, converted). It's also equipped with the 810 CPU and if you're keen on wood backings like the ones that come with the Moto Xs, the OnePlus 2 has that as well.

All in all, the Moto X Pure Edition is a reliable and quality-built device, but if you have the previous model, don't feel like you're missing out on anything. The competition is fierce these days, and while the Moto X may be partially to blame for setting my expectations too high, the X Pure Edition just doesn't deliver that winning combination of style, power and value that I've come to expect.

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