Motorola Atrix 2 review

We’ve seen a lot of game-changing devices this year, haven’t we? 2011 has already witnessed the first Honeycomb tablets, the influx of LTE and the introduction of a boatload of smartphones with dual-core processors. One of those groundbreaking devices was the Motorola Atrix 4G, which we called the best smartphone at CES 2011 because of its powerful Tegra 2 SoC and simply innovative Webtop operating system with an accompanying Lapdock. It was new, and it was powerful.

Not even ten months after the Atrix’s February 22nd launch, we’re already seeing its successor, aptly named the Atrix 2. At the risk of sounding blunt, it’s not a groundbreaking device — aside from a few bumps in specs, larger display and a fresh redesign, it doesn’t offer the same level of showmanship or innovation so eagerly demonstrated in the first iteration. But does the sequel compensate for the lack of sizzle? How much does this improve over the original? Does the newest version of the Lapdock satisfy? We’ll answer these questions and so much more after the break.

Continue reading Motorola Atrix 2 review

Motorola Atrix 2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech Revue on sale promising ‘new & improved’ Google TV with Android 3.1, Market (Update: Logitech responds)

Well, well, what do we have here? These Logitech Revue boxes just hit the sales floor of a major electronics retailer, prominently sporting “New & Improved: Google TV with Android 3.1 and Android Market” stickers. Logitech also released its quarterly earnings overnight, claiming $7.9 million in sales from the Revue and accessories since dumping its CEO and slashing prices to $99. These haven’t been cracked open yet to see if any Honeycomb leaks out, so it’s possible they’re just waiting for the long-delayed OTA update like all the others. Still, if you’re trying to get a jump on the second major Google TV push without any hackery needed, it could be worth scouting store shelves in your area.

Update: As a few commenters have pointed out, a support rep on Logitech’s forums indicates these boxes have been updated with a sticker only. You’ll still have to wait Google to deliver the goods along with everyone else.

Update 2: Logitech reached out to us with the following statement:

We’d like to clarify that these products do not include the next version of Google TV software. The boxes were prematurely updated with the stickers in anticipation of the next release of the Google TV software, which, once available, will be a free and automatic update pushed to all Logitech Revue boxes that are installed and connected to the Internet.

[Thanks, DevonTheDude]

Logitech Revue on sale promising ‘new & improved’ Google TV with Android 3.1, Market (Update: Logitech responds) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid 4 exposed to our wandering eyes, comes with LTE in tow?

We were just a tad disappointed when the Motorola Droid 3 came out without Verizon’s signature LTE logo on the back, but a mere three months later the QWERTY slider is back with a new model that should be packing 4G. The images above and below, procured by Droid-Life, show what looks to be a super-slim device with the same slight curves on the corner as the RAZR, and tapered back akin to the Droid Bionic. And, interestingly enough, it appears to be nearly complete, judging by the non-Mr. Blurrycam quality of the images and the tutorial stickers on the screen. Not only does the device appear to offer LTE, it also adds Webtop and should be compatible with the LapDock 100 and 500. Rounding out the tentative specs are a 4-inch display, spacious five-row keyboard (with number row included), 1080p HD video capture, front-facing camera and a non-removable battery. It also comes with Android 2.3.5 installed instead of Ice Cream Sandwich, something which we hope to see remedied soon after launch. Looks like we’re finally close to having a high-end QWERTY option on Verizon’s 4G lineup.

Motorola Droid 4 exposed to our wandering eyes, comes with LTE in tow? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Raider 4G LTE available on Rogers today, Bell’s version coming soon

Now that both Rogers and Bell have alive and kickin’ LTE networks, it’s high time we see a full lineup on them, right? HTC’s doing its part, at least, by offering the Raider 4G LTE (aka Holiday), a device we’ve seen announced in Korea and Australia so far. Curiously, Rogers lists the device as having a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, a downtick from its Asian counterpart, though everything else appears to be the same: it offers a 4.5-inch qHD (960 x 540) display, a full gigabyte of RAM, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 1080p video capture, a 1.3MP front-facing cam for video chat and runs with Android 2.3.4 and HTC Sense 3.0 installed. Rogers will be the first in Canada to get the phone out the door, since it’s available in stores and online today for $150 with a three-year commitment, whereas Bell has it listed as “coming soon” on its official site with no actual pricing indicated (MobileSyrup says it will likely be sold for $170). If your heart goes pitter-patter for this Raider, go ahead and pick one up — just keep in mind that the lost ark is not included.

HTC Raider 4G LTE available on Rogers today, Bell’s version coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileSyrup  |  sourceRogers, Bell  | Email this | Comments

HTC Rhyme review

The HTC Rhyme is one of the newest additions to the Verizon wireless line-up, setting itself apart from the rest of the family since it’s specifically for women — or hipsters who like purple. This time around, the company decided to focus on the accessories, leading its marketing campaign with a glowing purse charm to avoid missing calls — a fate all too familiar for gals whose phone is oftentimes buried at the bottom of a Louis Vuitton.

Unfortunately, we’ve been skipped over when it comes to some of the features popular with higher-end, more macho phones like the Droid RAZR or the Galaxy Nexus. Sorry, ladies, no 4- or 4.3-inch touchscreen, no 4G LTE and certainly no dual-core processor. Instead, this phone is pretty run-of-the-mill, with a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, single-core, 1GHz processor, a WVGA display, a 5MP rear-facing and VGA front-facing camera, as well as an 8GB microSD card. Running the newest Sense 3.5 UI atop Gingerbread, the Rhyme offers a unique user experience for those who like HTC’s custom UI and, of course, the color purple. But is this phone powerful enough to keep up with the multitasking mayhem that is a day in the life of a modern woman? Jump past the break to find out.

Continue reading HTC Rhyme review

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HTC Rhyme review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Music mobile landing page hints tunes are coming to the Android Market

Google Music Store?

Sadly, we weren’t able to replicate the screenshot above but, if it’s legit, it could mean that a Google Music store is right around the corner. Reports are coming in that visiting music.google.com on your Android phone brings up a page suggesting you, A, upload your personal music collection, and B, “shop millions of songs in the Android Market.” Clearly Google is tinkering away behind the scenes: the links on the earliest versions of the splash page were reported to be broken, then they led to the about page for Google Music Manager and the nonexistent market.android.com/music respectively. Now, all traces of it are gone. Add to this the familiar shopping bag-shaped music icon that popped up in the developer build of Chrome OS last week and it’s looking like we’re inching ever closer to a Google Music shop launch. Check out the full sized image after the break.

[Thanks, Tomer]

Continue reading Google Music mobile landing page hints tunes are coming to the Android Market

Google Music mobile landing page hints tunes are coming to the Android Market originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Pro+ 4G rides into Canada November 7th, will kick off shoes and stay a while


We knew it was planning to grace Europe and Asia with its presence this month, but now we’re hearing the Motorola Pro+ 4G is ready to make its North American debut at Bell Canada. We’re not seeing any large differences here compared to the overseas model, though the addition of “4G” to the title is an obvious exception. The device offers a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, Android 2.3, a 5MP camera, 3.1-inch VGA (640 x 480) display with Gorilla Glass, HSPA 14.4 (hence the “4G” name) and a lot of Enterprise-friendly security features. We know it’ll be hitting shelves on November 7th, but no price has been announced so far. To find out the full shebang, head south for the press release.

Update: We’ve confirmed with an inside source that it’ll sell for $349.95, but there’s no word on whether subsidies will apply for long-term contracts.

Continue reading Motorola Pro+ 4G rides into Canada November 7th, will kick off shoes and stay a while

Motorola Pro+ 4G rides into Canada November 7th, will kick off shoes and stay a while originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s SCH-i929 and SCH-W999 dual-screen clamshell get certified in China

Ready for a heavy dose of Android this morning? Then enjoy this Samsung double whammy freshly delivered from China. On the left we have the China Telecom-branded SCH-i929, a 9.7mm-thick handset featuring a Snapdragon MSM8660 chip (likely clocked at 1.5GHz), 4.5-inch 480 x 800 AMOLED display, eight-megapixel camera and GSM plus CDMA2000 connectivity. All of this makes the i929 a near-identical cousin of the Galaxy S II LTE — same processor, same chassis, but obviously with different network compatibility.

Of course, the real star of the show is the SCH-W999, a follow-up to the SCH-W899 of the same dual-screen clamshell form factor. As you can see on the right, on the outside this phone features a 3.5-inch 480 x 800 AMOLED display along with three touch buttons, while on the inside it packs a similar screen plus a physical keypad. Like the i929 above, this funky flip phone is also powered by a MSM8660 chip and supports both GSM and CDMA2000 on China Telecom, though its camera is limited to five megapixels instead. Anyhow, we’d certainly love to get hold of a world-friendly version of this 204 gram beast, so what do you say, Won-Pyo Hong?

Samsung’s SCH-i929 and SCH-W999 dual-screen clamshell get certified in China originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTENAA (SCH-i929), (SCH-W999)  | Email this | Comments

Skifta leaves beta, streams media to and from your Android device wherever you may be

Skifta

When we first saw Skifta back in February, it was a pretty neat app for beaming media on your phone to other DLNA capable devices in your home. Well, now it’s left beta and added a new trick to it repertoire — stream media from your other gear to your Android device, over 3G. To celebrate Skifta hitting the magical 1.0 mark, Qualcomm Atheros also unveiled a new media server plug in for Linux, OS X and Windows that lets you pull music and movies from your home PC to your phone or tablet, even while you’re out and about. Skifta (in addition to its terrible name) also sports a Channel Library which allows you quickly queue up content from Facebook, TED, ShoutCast, Revision3 and more. You’ll find full PR after the break but, more importantly, the download links at the source.

Continue reading Skifta leaves beta, streams media to and from your Android device wherever you may be

Skifta leaves beta, streams media to and from your Android device wherever you may be originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSkifta, Skifta (Android Market)  | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy Nexus confirmed to have ‘fortified glass,’ not Gorilla Glass

For all the talk of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in recent days, there’s still quite a few questions surrounding the flagship Ice Cream Sandwich phone. Last week we learned that the phone’s 4.65-inch screen was a standard Super AMOLED display and not a Super AMOLED Plus variation (as seen on the Galaxy S II), and now Corning has confirmed that the device doesn’t use its trademark Gorilla Glass as you may have assumed given its high-end status. According to Samsung, however, it does use a type of “fortified glass,” but the company isn’t getting any more specific than that. We guess we’ll have to wait for some stress tests (or clumsy hands) to see just how well it holds up.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus confirmed to have ‘fortified glass,’ not Gorilla Glass originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Netbook News  |  sourceAndroid and Me, @Corning (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments