Hasta La Gadget!

Motorola drew fresh respect after it vowed that its Android device customers could unlock their bootloaders, starting with the Photon Q LTE. Nearly everything about that process was kept in the dark, but it’s now been blown wide open: the company has posted a full page dedicated to the process. Getting started will demand the Android SDK, fastboot, new USB drivers and a slightly scary warranty release, but it otherwise goes through a very HTC-like process that provides an unlock key. Verizon subscribers who were hoping for a surprise Droid RAZR MAXX unlock won’t be happy, mind you; the Photon Q LTE is the only device on the list so far that isn’t already unchained as a matter of course. Motorola did characterize the unlock option as a forward-thinking option, which leaves us not so secretly wishing that high-profile future releases expand the list of unlockable devices a bit further.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

Motorola posts Android bootloader unlock page, lets just one device pass muster originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 19:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Droid-Life  |  Motorola  | Email this | Comments

Move over, Nexus 7 — you’re not the only Jelly Bean-powered Android tab in town anymore. According to a handful of Droid-Life tipsters, it appears that Motorola’s aging XOOM tablet is finally getting its crack at Google’s latest and greatest dessert-themed OS update.

The process has been in the works for about two or three days now, with selected members of Motorola’s Feedback Network receiving the Android 4.1.1 build for soak testing earlier this week. At this point, the floodgates seem to have opened, though not every XOOM owner will be able to enter the fray just yet.

You see, the build currently making the rounds is meant only for the U.S. Wi-Fi model, and there’s no word on when Verizon-flavored XOOMs will get their update. Some folks on the xda-developer forums are holding out hope for a widespread release sometime before the month is out, but still others have a more pessimistic outlook — the Verizon XOOM only got its Ice Cream Sandwich update last month, while Wi-Fi models received it all the way back in January. On top of that, Verizon has been taking the slow approach to pushing out updates for its LTE-capable Galaxy Nexus while the GSM versions are already able to nab Jelly Bean over the air. C’est la vie, I suppose.

While 4G XOOM owners bemoan their choice of hardware, the rest of you can pop into the device’s settings and check for the new update. Don’t fret if it doesn’t appear immediately — some users have reported success in forcing the update by clearing the Google Services Framework (Settings/Apps/All/Google Services Framework/Clear Data) first. It may take a few tries, but it should be smooth sailing from there once that little hiccup is taken care of.

A couple of days ago, we reported that Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean was headed to select soak testers for the WiFi Motorola Xoom and it looks like the rollout has already begun. Now the good news is that if you’re not a soak tester and you can’t wait for the official rollout, you will be able to download the update. However this means that you will have to flash the update to your tablet which also means that you will require some knowledge of flashing and all that. If that’s a bit too technical for your liking, then we guess you will have to play the waiting game which shouldn’t be too long (hopefully) considering the soak test is underway.

For those who want to flash the update, it should be noted that many users have reported that attempting to flash the update results in the apply_patch_space error. If you think that maybe you’ll be the exception to the rule, then the download links can be found in the source link below along with instructions on how to flash the file to your tablet.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean heads for the Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi , Upcoming Motorola Xoom soak test suggests that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update is imminent,

It has been confirmed that the Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi will be on the receiving end of the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean operating system update after we talked about a soak test for the Xoom Wi-Fi not too long ago. In fact, the changelog was snagged by the folks over at Android Central, where the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean software update, aka JRO03H, will come with a wide range of numerous enhancements to deliver peak performance on your Xoom Wi-Fi – smooth as (project) butter, perhaps?

All Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi owners in the US will be able to take advantage of the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update, regardless of carrier. One of the main and noticeable improvements after installing this software would be an improved user interface and response, making Android 4.1.1, Jelly Bean the fastest and smoothest version of Android to date.

It also delivers expandable, actionable notifications so that you are able to access the things that matter most at any time at the flick of a finger. Placing widgets on the screen is a whole lot easier as well, since everything else will adjust itself automatically to make more room, throwing in automatic resizing when they’re rated as too big. No doubt this will be a hit when released among Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi users.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Verizon’s Motorola Xoom gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, Verizon’s Motorola Xoom to undergo soak test soon, Android 4.0 update imminent?,

It wasn’t too long ago that the Motorola Xoom Android tablet received its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update and it looks like the Xoom tablet is set to receive the next major Android update – Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Google did promise that the Xoom would be the first device to receive Android 4.1, which we guess isn’t all too surprising given that Google does own Motorola Mobility now. According to the folks at Droid-Life, members of the Motorola Feedback Network have confirmed that they have started to receive invites to test a new software.

While it was not explicitly mentioned that the new software will be Android 4.1, it stands to reason that it could very well be Android 4.1; after all Google did promise a mid-July release. This update will be hitting the WiFi version of the Xoom tablet first, but no word if Verizon’s Xoom tablet will be receiving the same treatment at the same time, if at all.  Either way we will be keeping our eyes and ears open for more news, so be sure to check back with us at a later date to see if this update is indeed Jelly Bean.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Verizon’s Motorola Xoom gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, Verizon’s Motorola Xoom expected to receive Android 4.0 update June 4th,