DNA vs Razr: What’s Your Pick?

The HTC Droid DNA and Motorola’s Droid RAZR HD/RAZR MAXX HD are all sweet handsets. The DNA of course has an edge in terms of screen and display while the RAZRs’ battery lives are unmatched in the Android ecosystem. Sure the HTC One will be frickin’ awesome when it does eventually show up but “later this spring” is just too long to wait. So, if you had a phone upgrade coming your way this weekend—as I do—and the iOS option is right out, which phone would you choose? More »

ZENRIN DataCom – Android App “Photo Japan Guide” – released today on Google Play

ZENRIN DataCom released the “Photo Japan Guide” Android app today. It is the English version of the Docomo map navigation tool, “Gotouchi Guide” and introduces tourist sites and local gourmet food to foreign visitors to Japan.
There is a lot more to Japan than Tokyo, Kyoto and Mt. Fuji. So download it and give it a try if you plan to visit Japan or live here and want to take a look around.
The app is free to download and features detailed photos, facility information, …

C-3PO Dress: Be a Droid out on the Town

There are a number of Star Wars-themed outfits out there that look pretty good – but most of them are clearly for cosplay. But you could probably wear this Star Wars dress out to a club or bar, which is one of the reasons why I think it works really well.

geekyu c 3p0 star wars dress

The C-3PO-inspired dress looks darn good, and even though C-3PO has been underrepresented in fashion, this dress makes looking like a protocol droid quite fashionable. I can already see these working not just at Halloween parties, but in everyday life, which is a bonus. Who wouldn’t want to dress up as a Star Wars character every day that they could?

geekyu c 3p0 star wars dress front

The Gold Metal Man Dress is available from GeekyU’s Etsy store for $199.99(USD). If that’s not for you, then they’ve got other apparel that you might be interested in, including the slightly more obvious Artuito Dress shown in the first picture above.

geekyu c 3p0 star wars dress side

[via io9 via DVice]

Motorola Droid RAZR And RAZR MAXX To Receive Jelly Bean

Motorola Droid RAZR And RAZR MAXX To Receive Jelly BeanThe first two Motorola Droid RAZR handsets from Verizon will soon be on the receiving end of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system update, and they are the RAZR XT912 that rolled out all the way back in November 2011, and the RAZR MAXX that was introduced to the world in January last year. Motorola claims that both the Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX will be receiving the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update officially sometime before the first quarter of 2013 is over, which means owners of either device do not have too long more to wait, one month plus tops.

Do bear in mind that technologically speaking, both the Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX are old men, and have retired from the scene as you can no longer purchase either from Verizon via online channels, as you can only settle for the new RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD. Having said that, some of the other older Motorola devices which might receive Android 4.1 Jelly Bean include the Droid Bionic, Droid 4, and the Xoom LTE tablet.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Analyst Says Cheap iPhone Makes Sense After Meeting With Apple, Google Supplies iOS Developers With Updated Maps SDK,

Watch out Google: Samsung’s Galaxy brand has eclipsed Android

It would appear that the Samsung brand push of the name “Galaxy” associated with their Android-toting smartphones and tablets is working so extremely well that this week the hardware name has become more popular than the software. Having a peek at the findings analyst Benedict Evans has found with a few search term trends in Google’s own search engine, it’s made clear that as the Android search term has risen, so has the term Galaxy. In November of 2012 it’s shown that Galaxy was searched more than Android for the first time either term was relevant in search terms across Google’s history.

power

It’s important to note that the term “galaxy” does benefit in some way from the fact that it’s a non-brand word as well as a brand, but so too is the word “android.” It’s also clear that the term “galaxy” has risen along essentially the same path as “Samsung Galaxy” and right along with “android”, making non-brand searches essentially irrelevant. The eclipse (however small it may be) shows that Samsung is making a massive impact on the way people see the smartphone universe.

withiphone

Below we’ve gone ahead and added the term “Droid” to the mix here instead of Evans’ chart’s term search with “iPhone”. What you’re going to see is that Verizon and Motorola’s push to turn the Android universe into a DROID brand association has been far, far less successful in the long run. Back Before 2011 rolled around, the term “DROID” was just as popular and at several points more popular than Galaxy. After July of 2010, DROID was never again as popular a search term as Galaxy.

search_terms

View this information set in Google Trends now!

This sort of analysis is far from perfect, of course, and really only measures how often the average citizen looks up a term they’re interested in. That does translate quite well to the power of the brand when it comes down to it, of course, this shown in recent earnings reports from Samsung, Motorola, and Google. The big G recently purchased Motorola outright and is being tipped at the moment as working to create a new “X Phone” device to pump up the Android brand as well as the perceived power of the Motorola manufacturing process.

Now we’ve only to see how well Google is at branding Motorola and bringing Android along for the ride – soon and very soon!


Watch out Google: Samsung’s Galaxy brand has eclipsed Android is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Pink Droid RAZR M, red Lumia 822 hit Verizon stores in time for Valentine’s Day

Pink Droid RAZR M, red Lumia 822 hit Verizon stores in time for Valentine's Day

Nothing says “I love you” like a red Lumia 822. Except, perhaps, a pink Droid RAZR M. We may have expected the crimson Nokia handset to make its debut in November, but V-Day seems to be an even more appropriate mark. Beginning tomorrow, you’ll be able to pick up a red Nokia Lumia 822 at Verizon retail stores and on the carrier’s website — presumably at the same $50 two-year contract price. Similarly, a pink Motorola Droid RAZR M variant will be available through the same venues on Thursday — it’s currently listed at $100, with an obligatory two-year contract. So, go ahead and cancel those dinner reservations now, and grab your date a smartphone and a 24-month marriage with Verizon, instead.

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Via: Droid Life

Source: Verizon (Droid), Verizon (Windows Phone)

Siri Was Going to be a Droid Feature, Until Apple Stole It Away

Way back in the mists of 2009, before Siri was even a twinkle in Apple’s eye, Verizon was planning to add the app to all of its Android smartphones. Sadly for the carrier, that didn’t last. More »

Star Wars Leg Lamp Deserves a Major Award

Only one thing in the world could’ve dragged me away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window. And that’s the soft glow of electric robot sex gleaming in the window. Okay, R2-D2 isn’t that hot, but did you get a load of C-3PO’s gams? Not bad – for a golden robot.

r2 d2 leg lamp

This genius work of geeky craft was created by Gordon Tarpley as a combined celebration of both Star Wars and A Christmas Story. It looks like what might happen to R2 and 3PO after the Jawas had their way with them. He better not let his wife see him ogling it or she might knock it over and use up all the glue on purpose.

Who knew that they celebrated Christmas a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away?

[via Distracted by Star Wars via Obvious Winner]

The Most Important Phones Of 2012

The smartphone market of 2012 has seen some heated competition. The usual contenders all released solid hardware. But the dynamic between them changed, too—Windows Phone arrived as a serious third OS option, and 2012 ended with exciting new models of iPhone and Android devices. Here’s a look at the best new products people put in their pockets this year. More »

R2-D2 Wooden iPhone Dock: Help Me Etsy-Wan Kenobi, You’re My Only Hope

You know, it’s funny that with all of the R2-D2 merch I’ve seen over the years, I’ve never envisioned the little maintenance droid in wood. But now that I’ve seen him made out of the stuff, I rather like the way he looks.

r2 d2 iphone dock 2

This rustic wooden iPhone dock was handmade by Mario of Valliswood, and bears more than a passing resemblance to R2-D2. He was made using sustainable hardwoods found in the woods of Croatia, and measures about 9 inches-tall, and his head swivels open to dock your iPhone or iPod Touch. I always thought that R2 should have an iPhone dock built into his body somewhere.

r2 d2 iphone dock 1

You’ll need to provide your own charger cable, but R2 is compatible with the iPhone 3G/3GS, iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5 and iPod devices except the shuffle and new nano. R2 was always such a versatile droid, wasn’t he?

r2 d2 iphone dock 3

The R2-D2 dock is selling for $210(USD) over on Etsy. If you want him sitting under the Christmas tree this year, you’d better move quick before some sneaky Jawa snatches him up from under your nose.