previously, smartphones and their accessories have been mutually exclusive. now, motorola is combining the two with its ‘moto mods’ concept. each ‘mod’ is a magnetic add-on case that transforms your phone into a new device, be it a super-zoom camera, a projector, a speaker, or whatever else you can imagine. in collaboration with indiegogo and lenovo, motorola are crowd-sourcing ideas for a brand new mod design, and the latest proposal is a high-tech throwback to the 90’s. the add-on builds an RGB lighting system along the sides of the phone, using individually powered LEDs that can be fully customized and linked to different notifications.

motorola edge for moto z 02-10-2017 designboom
edge is a magnetic RGB lighting system for the moto Z

 

 

the tool allows you to choose different color LEDs for different apps, and also has options to customize the pattern of the lights. the system is intended to minimalize the time spend by unlocking your phone every time it vibrates, letting you read between the lines with color-coded alerts. the colors dont just have to be for notifications—you can use the system to alert you to a low battery, or morning alarms. there are different versions of the case on offer, includng the edge AIR, which incorporates wireless charging, and the edge FORCE which extends the battery life of your phone. the system comes with its own app, allowing you to manage the settings. with its design minimal and slim, the case weighs just 50g and uses a soft-touch outer to maximise grip on the phone.  

 

edge mod intends to minimalise the time spent checking your phone every time it vibrates

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the edge for moto Z system will surround your smartphone with LED light bulbs

motorola edge for moto z 02-10-2017 designboom
edge will allow you to customise the color and patten of the lights for different notifications
motorola edge for moto z 02-10-2017 designboom
‘flow’ and ‘fill’ are just two of the patterns available

motorola edge for moto z 02-10-2017 designboom
testing the patterns with MDK prototype boards