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Oct 29

How would you change Motorola’s Droid 2?

Posted in: cdma, droid, HowWouldYouChange, HWYC, moto, motorola, smartphone, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

You’ve already told us (and the world, we might add) how you’d change just about every other Droid phone out there, so why not? Motorola’s Droid 2 has been in the hands of loyal can-doers for a few months now, giving the user base plenty of time to nitpick and stew about things that aren’t… quite… right. We had a few bones to pick with the handset during our August review, but as the regulars know, this space isn’t about rekindling old flames. It’s about you telling us how you’d change things if given the lead design position on this here phone. Would you have upgraded the camera? Changed the slide? Tweaked the Android build? Offered it on another carrier? Hit us with your best shot in comments below.

How would you change Motorola’s Droid 2? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 26

Motorola Droid Gets Florida Governor Candidate in Trouble During Debate

Posted in: droid, motorola, politics, Today's Chili

To say that it’s a contentious political season is a bit of an understatement. As we inch closer to the midterms, tempers are running high, and the slightest thing can set a candidate off. Take last night’s Florida gubernatorial debate on CNN between Democrat Alex Sink and Republican Rick Scott.

During a commercial break Sink’s aide shows her something on a smartphone–a Motorola Droid. In the video, you can see Scott becoming visible upset at the sight, making some barely audible comments.

When the debate returns from commercial, CNN’s John King briefly goes over the rules for time and then throws Scott a question about the state’s 11 percent unemployment. Scott answers with the following,

First Alex, you say you always follow the rules,” he said. “The rule was no one was supposed to give us messages during the break, and your campaign did with an iPad or an iPod.

The fact that he got the device wrong should have no impact on your final vote. Right?

Oct 26

Google Instant showing up on some Android devices in beta form?

Posted in: Android, cellphones, droid, Google, mobile, Today's Chili

If you believe the good readers of Droid Life (and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t), Google has started sneaking out its Instant search option to Android phones in the USA. So far, reports include the original Motorola Droid, the Droid X, and HTC’s Droid Incredible. Lest you’ve been enjoying a lengthy holiday in the tropics, Google Instant throws up search results as you type your query, delivering either much faster results or a much more annoying search experience, depending on how you look at it. Reported operation so far aligns with our early hands-on, with Instant taking a bit of time to get its bearings, but the software is still at the beta stage, after all. Why not jump into your browser this morning and tell us if your Android’s answering your questions before you even hit the Enter key?

Google Instant showing up on some Android devices in beta form? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 04:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 18

Droid 2 Global ads now running on Verizon’s 800 number

Posted in: ad, commercial, droid, leak, leaks, Today's Chili, verizon

Whoever said being on hold was a bad thing? Verizon customers who call in and get stuck in limbo right now are being treated to a minor device scoop: an ad for the mythical Droid 2 Global, which has leaked out here and there but hasn’t yet been officially announced. The ad doesn’t reveal much apart from the existence of the CDMA / GSM slider and the fact that it’ll work in 221 countries, but that’s all we needed to hear — listen for yourself after the break.

Update: Ha, as commenter Spider-Man points out below, that 221 number is mighty suspect, as there are only between 191-195 countries in the world today, depending on how you count them. Sounds like Verizon needs to take this one back to the studio. Thanks, Spidey!

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading Droid 2 Global ads now running on Verizon’s 800 number

Droid 2 Global ads now running on Verizon’s 800 number originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 14

Droid 2 Global appears in Verizon employee training system

Posted in: Android, droid, leak, leaks, motorola, rumor, rumors, Today's Chili, verizon

We’d been wondering if the Droid 2 Global was just a beautiful figment of our imagination after the Droid Pro came out of left field, but it looks like the world-phone edition of Verizon’s slider Droid is still coming — it just appeared in the VZLearn employee training system. No idea when it’ll actually hit, but we’re guessing it’ll be sometime soon — and then the decision between global Droids with QWERTY keyboards will be as agonizing as possible.

Droid 2 Global appears in Verizon employee training system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 07

Droid 2 Global (and specs) make brief cameo on Motorola’s website

Posted in: droid, leak, leaks, motorola, Today's Chili, verizon

There and gone again: a Droid’s tale. Looks like Motorola‘s website had a temporary hiccup on the site, and out its proverbial mouth came a listing and some specs for the Droid 2 Global — which, as you might gather from a name like that, appears to be a Droid 2 with Quad Band antenna for world use (sound familiar?). The site also lists a 1.2GHz processor a redesigned QWERTY keyboard, and a host of key words for the business demographic. Or rather, it listed such things, past tense, as the information has now been pulled. No pictures were ever posted, but if we were betting folk, we’d wager a name like that and a call-out to “redesigned keyboard” means everything else is just as you’d expect.

Droid 2 Global (and specs) make brief cameo on Motorola’s website originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 07

Skype’s Android shackles are broken, 3G calling hacked into reality

Posted in: Android, droid, Google, GoogleAndroid, hack, skype, Today's Chili, VoIP

Well, that didn’t take long. Just days after the official Skype application finally landed in the Android Market, along comes an .apk that’s far more salacious for Americans. Thanks to xeudoxus over at Droid Forums, a tweaked version of the app is now available to download and sideload (sorry, stock Aria owners), promising the same functionality but without that nasty 3G block. It’s really as simple as that — hit those source links to get the unquestionably superior version, and feel free to let us know how your carrier’s network holds up in a test call.

[Thanks, Gardo]

Skype’s Android shackles are broken, 3G calling hacked into reality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Droid Forums (1), (2) | Email this | Comments

Oct 06

The New Droid Pro – Or Should I Say, “Android Bold”?

Posted in: BlackBerry, droid, motorola, Phones, RIM, Today's Chili, verizon

Late yesterday, Verizon and Motorola announced a new Android smartphone with a front-facing QWERTY keyboard, sleek black business-casual look and a 3.1″ multitouch multimedia screen. The Droid Pro is expected to attract a big chunk of Verizon’s existing Android and Blackberry high-end and business users when released in the coming weeks.

My first, beloved smartphone was a first-generation Blackberry Bold; for me, Motorola’s Droid Pro is clearly the handsomest Android phone I have ever seen. (Yes, I like it more than the R2-D2 Droid.) The major differences between the new Droid Pro and my old Blackberry Bold are Android apps and a touchscreen. As long as the Droid Pro’s keyboard is a champ like the Bold’s, the touchscreen isn’t too teeny and its yet-unannounced pricing isn’t too obscene, we can say that it’s improved in every way.

The Droid Pro’s specs are also impressive: Android 2.2., a 1GHz processor with 2GB of storage, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and support for both Exchange and Google email and calendar programs. It can act as a 3G mobile hotspot (although Verizon has disabled that functionality for current Droid users) or stream media from a server over a Wi-Fi network using the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) standard. Its 5MP camera can shoot still images and video, so you might even have something on your phone worth streaming back.

When the Droid Pro’s finally released, upgraders should make sure they don’t throw their old phones away: Verizon Wireless today announced a new trade-in/recycling program that will appraise your old phone, refurbish or recycle it and offer you a Verizon Gift Card. Even non-Verizon phones can be traded in, so network-switchers can take advantage of it too.

Price and release date for the Droid Pro have yet to be announced; when released, it will be available through Verizon Wireless’s online and retail outlets. You can fully expect that Verizon’s people will be happy to sell you one.

Image from Motorola.

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Oct 06

Droid Pro Debuts from Motorola

Posted in: Android, droid, motorola, Today's Chili, Verizon Wireless

Motorola Droid Pro_press.jpg

RIM’s not gonna like this one. It’s the Droid Pro, the latest Android smartphone from the Google-loving folks at Motorola, and I’m sure I’m about the thousandth person to state for the record that the thing looks a lot like a BlackBerry–albeit one with an elongated screen.

Yep, this is Motorola’s shot at enterprise users, with features like enhanced Microsoft Exchange support. The handset, which is due out on Verizon in November, runs Android 2.2, features some built-in social networking, a1 Ghz processor, and has all of the standard Google-centric features one expects from a “with Google”-branded phone.

Our mobile analyst Sascha Segan got some hands-on time with the phone, and he reports,

I was impressed. The phone feels a bit long, but it’s still comfortable in one hand. I’ve been hearing other pundits call it ugly, but I think that’s going way too far–sure, it has a bit of a John Kerry-esque long face, but it’s perfectly within the realm of decent. The sculpted keys are very easy to tell apart by touch. (RIM uses a similar technique on the BlackBerry Bold.)

The 3.1-inch screen was a bit of a disappointment apparently (much like Kerry’s presidential run), with a lo-res 320×480 pixel display.

The Droid Pro was one of seven (!) Android handsets that debuted at the mobile show.

Oct 05

Motorola Droid Pro, first hands-on! (update: video!)

Posted in: ctia, droid, hands-on, motorola, Today's Chili

Motorola’s BlackBerry? The freshly-announced Moto Droid Pro’s keyboard feels like it, to be sure, and after trying it out, we believed the Motorola rep who told us they tested comparable speeds of 37WPM in several focus groups. But that’s definitely Android under the hood, paired with a nice, responsive capacitive touchscreen and a 1GHz processor that sped through the UI. Check it out in our gallery below while we go find out more!

Update: We just had a nice long chat with a Motorola representative, and found out what’s under the Droid Pro’s hood — it’s a 1GHz OMAP 3620, to be precise, with an MDM6600 chipset, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of ~~onboard storage~~ ROM and 8GB internal storage, plus 802.11n 2.4GHz WIFI, Bluetooth 2.1 and tri-band UMTS. There’s a dual LED flash alongside that auto-focus camera, and a programmable key on the side that asks you what you want it to do the first time you press it. There’s 3G mobile hotspot support for up to five devices, and an optional 1860mAh extended battery and case, plus a desktop charger dock like those for the Droid and Droid 2 but that holds the handset vertically. It also just so happens that the Droid Pro has the push functionality of Blur even though it isn’t weighed down by the full Blur UI, and supports SD card remote wipes (and full device encryption in Q1 2011), has spellcheck integrated into the OS and a “multi-headed” VPN client. Had enough yet? We’ve got a series of screenshots below pulled directly from the device.

Update 2: Video of the Droid Pro and Motorola Citrus after the break!

Update 3: According to Motorola’s Developer page (at the link below) the Droid Pro’s also got PowerVR SGX 530 graphics inside, just like the Droid 2, among other devices. Speaking of Droid 2, we’ve got some a couple comparison shots in the gallery below, as well as pics with and without that 1860mAh extended battery.

Gallery: Motorola Droid Pro, first hands-on!