Geek 5

Getting bored of a smartphone that looks just like everyone else's? This is your week, geek! In part of the biggest tech news for the last five days, Motorola announced a customizable phone for consumers that want a bit more pizzazz in their gadgets.

Also, the Mars Curiosity team started celebrating a one year land-iversary on the surface of the Red Planet with an AMA Reddit session. Catch up with this and the rest of the tech news of the week below.

• The Fully Customizable Moto X — AT&T users of the Moto X can choose the front, back, accents, wallpapers, and back engraving of their new smartphone, and it can even be returned if not happy with the results.
• The Curiosity Team Takes Reddit's Questions — Celebrating one year on Mars, part of the team behind the Curiosity rover answered Reddit's biggest questions on the little rover that could's last 12 months on the Red Planet. And by the way, Curiosity is most definitely a she.
• Kanye West goes on a Kanye Quest — Need a new video game to while away the day? Get in on Kanye Quest 3030, a new — and free! — RPG game that takes the rapper through a dystopian parallel universe where hip-hop clones are running amok. Quick, get 'em with a croissant!
• The best superhero is . . . — As voted by you, we have a winner of the superhero bracket. A favorite from the X-Men elite, it's Rogue!
• Waterproof Summer speakers — The season can't end without a few more pool parties. Keep the tunes blasting amid the splishing and splashing with our picks for the best waterproof audio equipment.

This week, iconic geeks were awarded and new gadgets launched. George Lucas received the National Medal of Arts for his work on a little franchise called Star Wars, scenes from the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V were revealed, and T-Mobile announced an unprecedented program where customers can upgrade their phones twice(!) a year.

If you were hiding in a bunker from sharknadoes this week, then catch up on all the news you need to know from the world of geeks and gadgetry below.

• 2013: The Year the White House Geeked Out — In the latest on the president's love affair with Star Wars, George Lucas was awarded the National Medal of Arts from the commander in chief himself. But this wasn't the president's first public display of affection for the space.
• Grand Theft Auto 5 Trailer Released — The high-action, heist-executing franchise released an official game-play trailer for GTA 5, which is set in a modern Southern California complete with strip malls, urban decay, and scenic beaches.
• T-Mobile JUMP! Program — Instead of upgrading every two years, T-Mobile customers can trade in their smartphones twice every year without a contract through JUMP!, which also provides complete insurance and costs $10/month.
• Embed Instagram Photo and Video — Embed codes are now available for Insta-images and video but only for users whose privacy settings are set to public.
• Nokia Lumia 1020: The 41-Megapixel Windows Phone — Nokia launched its latest flagship, a Windows Phone with a high-performance camera (maybe the highest ever).

This week, there was a lot happening across the Atlantic: Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, lived the Whovian dream, and the Tour de France got well underway. Stateside, Pebbles hit the big (box) time at Best Buy, Southwest put an end to staring contests with other passengers, and superheroes and heroines started gearing up for San Diego Comic-Con.

In case you were frozen and banished to the Phantom Zone this week, catch up on all the latest highlights from the world of geeks and gadgetry!

• Pebble smartwatch now sold at Best Buy — To meet high demand, Pebble will be sold in Jet Black at Best Buy online and retail for $150. Cherry-red versions will be available in August.
• A royal-Whovian visit — Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, toured the Doctor Who studios with show stars Jenna-Louise Coleman and Matt Smith. The royals played with Daleks, the TARDIS, and sonic screwdrivers during their visit.
• Watch the Tour de France on mobile and the web — Cycling's most prestigious race, the Tour de France, kicked off on June 29. US subscribers can watch all stages of the race online with NBC's Live Access web and mobile app passes.
• Free in-flight TV for Southwest — No more staring contests with other passengers! Southwest is now providing free live and on-demand TV through a partnership with Dish Network.
• Superheroes and heroines in the spotlight — In the geek world, July can only mean one thing: Comic-Con! See all the superhero-themed stuff our editors are coveting during this month's masked mayhem. And don't forget to vote for your favorite characters from the Marvel and DC worlds in our superhero bracket.