Jun 03

Motorola’s Jha blames apps for poor battery life, says Blur can save the day

Posted in: Android, app, apps, business, industry, motoblur, motorola, performance, Today's Chili
Super Blur

Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha took time yesterday to talk business strategy, the advantages of Android, and to take developers to task for poorly optimized apps. At several points during the 50-minute chat the topic turned to lackluster battery life, and Jha placed blame squarely at the feet of hastily tested apps — which he said can sap between 30 and 40 percent of your phone’s juice. The chairman even suggested their effect on longevity and performance were the impetus behind 70 percent of handset returns. But, the company has a solution, and (surprisingly) its name is Blur. In a moment of presumably unintentional creepiness Dr. Jha said, “MotoBlur allows us to know, with precision, what battery life you’re seeing,” before suggesting that future phones could warn you about power draining apps and bandwidth hogs. What wasn’t clear though, was if he was talking about the existing Android battery manager or if Motorola has been collecting usage data — since we never opted-in to such a program, we’re really hoping it’s the former. Hit up the source link for the entire conversation, you’ll find the relevant bits at the 4- and 25-minute marks.

Motorola’s Jha blames apps for poor battery life, says Blur can save the day originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 01

OTA Gingerbread 2.3 update now available for Droid X

Posted in: Android, download, droid, gingerbread, mobile os, MobileOs, motorola, ota, smartphone, Software, Today's Chili, update


Android 2.3 hit the web for Droid X owners earlier this week, but that update previously required a tethered, manual install. As of today, the update is available over the air, so cable-free purists can finally start cooking with Gingerbread on their Droid X handsets. We first saw 2.3 popping up on the device in March, but if you opted out of rooting your handset for an early look at the new OS, you can now get your feet wet with speedy navigation, a customizable dock, and an overhauled camera app.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

OTA Gingerbread 2.3 update now available for Droid X originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 01

Motorola leaks Xoom 2 tablet, Tracy XL watchphone, and Slimline, Zaha, Targa, and Pearl handsets

Posted in: leak, moto, motorola, tablet, Today's Chili, xoom

So here’s the story: Pocketnow was able to snatch some screengrabs from a Motorola Mobility site redesign. The image above (and two more after the break) is what they saw. In addition to the Tracy XL homage to the Dick Tracy watchphone, we can also see the back of the Slimline handset and the front of the Zaha. The grabs also show a bit of the “Xoom 2” tablet and Pearl handset along the bottom of the screen in addition to a fleeting glimpse of the previously rumored Verizon LTE handset known as Targa. And you know what makes this all truly compelling? The fact that Motorola made Pocketnow remove the images from its site.

Continue reading Motorola leaks Xoom 2 tablet, Tracy XL watchphone, and Slimline, Zaha, Targa, and Pearl handsets

Motorola leaks Xoom 2 tablet, Tracy XL watchphone, and Slimline, Zaha, Targa, and Pearl handsets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 31

Gingerbread update begins rolling out to Motorola Droid Pro

Posted in: droid, gingerbread, motoblur, motorola, Today's Chili

We’d had some indication that both the Motorola Droid 2 and Droid Pro would be getting upgraded to Gingerbread in the near future, but we can’t say we expected the Droid Pro to be the first of the pair to make the jump. As evidenced by the screenshot above, however, that’s now happened, with at least some lucky owners of the portrait QWERTY device receiving the OTA update — complete with an updated version of Blur, of course. Unfortunately, it’s not quite clear how widespread the rollout is just yet, but it seems you can rest assured that it’s not just a matter of time before it hits your device. Let us know in comments if you’ve already received it.

[Thanks, K]

Gingerbread update begins rolling out to Motorola Droid Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 30

Move to unlocked Android bootloaders not supported by carriers

Posted in: Android, HTC, mobile, motorola, smartphone, Today's Chili

We recently reported that HTC has now joined the recent trend started by Motorola of unlocking their bootloaders on Android devices. Bootloaders control what a smartphone loads up when it is first turned on, so by manipulating a bootloader a hacker can eliminate the loading of specific applications and services to free up resources. Even […]

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May 30

Droid X gets genuine Gingerbread update, leaked build floats out for the impatient

Posted in: Android, download, droid, gingerbread, mobile os, MobileOs, motorola, smartphone, Software, Today's Chili, update

Still bothering with that unofficial 2.3 update for your comparatively monstrous Droid X? Good news, eager beaver; right on cue, the bona fide Gingerbread update is rolling out to select Droid X owners this weekend, and if you aren’t lucky enough to be included in the initial soak test, you can take matters into your own hands by visiting the source links below. Per usual, we’d caution against a manual install for those who aren’t familiar with the process, particularly since the masses should receive it as the week forges on. Naturally, the v2.3.3 changes are subtle (at least in comparison to the changes seen in the leap from Eclair to Froyo), but hey — an update’s an update.

Droid X gets genuine Gingerbread update, leaked build floats out for the impatient originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 May 2011 13:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDroid-Life (1), (2), Android Central  | Email this | Comments

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May 29

Droid Bionic benchmark reports PowerVR GPU, new SOC inside?

Posted in: benchmark, leak, leaked, leaks, lte, moto, motorola, NVIDIA, rumor, rumors, tegra 2, Tegra2, texas instruments, ti, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw
Droid Bionic Benchmark

A very strange thing popped up on mobile graphic benchmarking site NenaMark the other day — an entry for the Droid Bionic. Now, it would be very easy to fake this test, and you’d be right to be skeptical given the incomplete score and the fact that it’s reporting PowerVR’s SGX 540 GPU, instead of the Tegra 2 we saw at CES. But, let’s not be too hasty — we heard back in April that NVIDIA’s mobile chip wasn’t playing nice with Verizon’s LTE. Perhaps when Motorola said it was delaying the Bionic to incorporate “several enhancements” it really meant “rebuilding the phone with a more LTE friendly CPU.” Both Samsung and Texas Instruments use the SGX 540, and Moto has previously turned to TI’s OMAP for the Droid, Droid 2, and Droid X. Then again, a single, suspiciously low benchmark score isn’t the most convincing basis for a rumor.

Droid Bionic benchmark reports PowerVR GPU, new SOC inside? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 May 2011 05:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 27

Engadget Podcast 241 – 05.27.2011

Posted in: barnes and noble, BarnesAndNoble, droid, Google, mango, motorola, nook, podcast, podcasts, sony, Today's Chili, touch, touchscreen, twitter

It’s all about doing new stuff, right? This week, we’re doing a lot of new stuff: paying for soda pop with our cell phones, reading books on E Ink displays, and waiting for Duke Nukem Forever. OK, well maybe none of those things are actually new, but we’re doing them in new ways this week, kind of. Listen to the podcast, is all we’re saying.

Host: Tim Stevens
Guests: Brian Heater
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: 10yr – Regulate

02:30 – Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video)
03:52 – Barnes & Noble announces new touch-enabled Nook for $139 (video)
13:43 – Barnes & Noble selling Nooks for $99 on eBay
18:03 – Live from Microsoft’s Windows Phone VIP preview event!
22:00 – Windows Phone ‘Mango’ search offers location-specific results, app integration (video)
29:36 – Windows Phone Mango and Bing Vision hands-on
32:05 – Live from the Google Wallet press event!
33:50 – Google Wallet mobile payment service, Google Offers announced
35:16 – Google Wallet vending on Nexus S hands-on
43:21 – Droid Incredible 2 review
48:53 – Spotify and Facebook partner up, send Europe a friend request?
50:55 – Sony makes good, doles out identity protection activation codes for PSN and Qriocity users
51:28 – TweetDeck and Twitter, together at last
54:00 – Duke Nukem Forever goes gold, will meet promised June deadline (really!)

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Engadget Podcast 241 – 05.27.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 26

Verizon bonanza: Droid X2, Revolution, Trophy, and Xperia Play hit Big Red today

Posted in: 4G, Android, cdma, dual-core, DualCore, HTC, launch, LG, lte, motorola, netflix, official, release, Sony Ericsson, SonyEricsson, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw, windows phone, windows phone 7, WindowsPhone, WindowsPhone7, Wp7

Verizon is seriously diversifying its portfolio today with the official in-store launch of four new smartphones. Three of them roll up in Android gear, though they all have major selling points beyond Google’s software. LG’s Revolution is the sole LTE-capable handset of the bunch, bringing with it a 4.3-inch screen and pre-installed Netflix for $250. The Droid X2 undercuts it on price, at $200, but doubles the core count with its Tegra 2 processor and ramps up resolution to qHD (960 x 540). Gaming aficionados can spend the same amount on the Xperia Play from Sony Ericsson, which offers a slideout gamepad and unique PlayStation Certified status. Bringing up the rear is HTC’s well-traveled Trophy, a 3.8-inch Windows Phone that accepts it’s a little late to the party and therefore slices $50 off its asking price, with a $150 levy before the obligatory two-year contract. What say you — buy, try, or keep waiting?

Verizon bonanza: Droid X2, Revolution, Trophy, and Xperia Play hit Big Red today originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceVerizon (Droid X2), (Revolution), (Xperia Play), (Trophy)  | Email this | Comments

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May 25

Sprint teams up with Motorola for June 9 event, finally launching a Tegra 2 device?

Posted in: 4G, Android, Apple, dual-core, DualCore, Google, HTC, mobile, motorola, rumors, Sprint, tegra 2, Tegra2, Today's Chili, WiMAX, xoom

Sprint and Motorola have a little special something up their sleeves, and are rolling them up to show off their latest “collaborations” at a press luncheon on June 9th. Since big bosses CEO Dan Hesse and Sanjay Jha will be in attendance, and the event will be held during Apple’s WWDC, we have a feeling this is going to be something big. Whatever this project is, it’s been kept under the radar very well — until now. We’re hearing buzz about a Tegra 2-powered device planned for a launch next month; different reports have come out over the last few days claiming Sprint will finally take a turn sporting a Tegra 2 Android — the yin to the EVO 3D’s yang, we suppose — sometime next month.

The device may be called the Motorola Photon 4G, a name that first appeared in a WiFi certification form (seen after the break) a month ago. According to the rumors, Sprint was ready to launch its own version of the Atrix 4G back in March, but stalled the phone’s release in order to make a few design changes. Some of these changes supposedly include a 4.3-inch display, Gingerbread pre-installed, and a look that closely resembles the EVO 4G (it would even come with a kickstand). The Photon 4G is a probability for the event, but note that the invite mentions “collaborations,” implying there will be more than one product to showcase. This could mean a Xoom with WiMAX is just about ready for primetime — or perhaps it’s something else magical and unexpected. No matter what’s hiding in Hesse’s pocket on June 9th, we’ll be there to tell you all about it.

Continue reading Sprint teams up with Motorola for June 9 event, finally launching a Tegra 2 device?

Sprint teams up with Motorola for June 9 event, finally launching a Tegra 2 device? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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