Hasta La Gadget!

We can’t imagine how this might have slipped your attention, but LG and Motorola used this year’s CES to roll out the smartphone world’s first dual-core devices in the shape of the Atrix 4G and Optimus 2X. Both are built around NVIDIA’s 1GHz Tegra 2 chip, which has been the most popular thing out here in Vegas after the free food and shuttle rides (Moto even has the Droid Bionic, a 4.3-incher bound for Verizon, using it). But what does that extra core matter to you? Well, aside from facilitating 1080p video playback on both phones, it does make them quite formidable mobile gaming stations. NVIDIA took the time to show us a couple of games being handled with ease by the 2X and Atrix before noting that it isn’t leaving it entirely up to Google to provide the compelling content for its hardware. Gaming is, after all, close to the GeForce maker’s heart, and we were told that NVIDIA is working closely with developers to help them exploit the added firepower of Tegra 2 so as to deliver prettier, shinier things on screen. We were also informed of the introduction of a Tegra Zone, an Android app designed to serve as a showcase of Tegra partners’ wares, whether they be video or gaming content, though you shouldn’t fear the specter of fragmentation here — it’s not a separate app store, any purchases will be directed through the Android Market. Anyhow, enough talking, there’s video to be watched after the break.

Continue reading NVIDIA shows us Tegra 2 gameplay on Atrix 4G and Optimus 2X (video)

NVIDIA shows us Tegra 2 gameplay on Atrix 4G and Optimus 2X (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LAS VEGAS — After all the ruckus at CES 2011 over Motorola’s Honeycomb-dedicated XOOM tablet died down, I got a chance to get my hands on the latest in the company’s Droid series of smartphones, the Bionic.

Like its Droid X predecessor, the Bionic is definitely not small. The 4.3-inch screen is one of the largest on the smartphone market right now, and if you’re wearing tight jeans and hoofing it around the Vegas strip all day like I’ve been doing, a fat-bodied Bionic in your pocket might bring on a bit of chafing.

But the screen’s aesthetic appeal makes up for any inconvenience its size may bring. Shooting pictures with the back-facing 8-megapixel camera was made easier by the extra screen area for planning and viewing shots.

Whereas Apple’s iPhones are all about the smooth-backed covers, the Bionic goes the way of rubberized grip-style case. The phone’s backside has ample tooth to it, another line of defense against clumsy phone-droppers like myself. But the gripping doesn’t make the Bionic feel bulky or weighed down. It’s a nice touch, even if it may add to the aforementioned pocket-chafing.

We weren’t allowed to pop open the hood to see the phone’s 1-GHz dual-core processor insides, but by the looks of flipping through the Android 2.2 menu screens, the Bionic’s guts seemed to be doing their job well. No visible stuttering was to be seen in the few apps I ran, and load time was minimal. It was, however, a brand new phone with its 16 GB of on-board storage still relatively empty. I’d like to see how it runs after an app-hungry tween has had her hands on it.

All in all, I dug what I saw of the Bionic. It may be a bit large for my taste, but for the crowd that’s into the big and powerful (and prefers a Motorola handset over a Samsung offering) the Bionic is surely worth a second look.

Photos: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

You know that front facing camera on Motorola’s LTE Droid Bionic? Well, it looks like you will be able to use it to make Skype video calls very soon. We were hanging around the Motorola booth early this morning and while playing around with the new 4.3-inch phone we noticed a “Skype demo” application. One click on the application revealed that the video calling capability, which just became available for the iPhone, will be heading to Android soon. There wasn’t a working app, but the video demo clearly showed how easy it will be to log into Skype, pull up your contact list, and make a video call over Verizon’s next generation network. We’ve got a few pictures below and a short video is on the way. Now we just need Skype to make this official at its press conference in just a few hours…

Skype video calling coming to Android, demoed on the Droid Bionic originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, now you know what Motorola’s Cliq 2 is all about, but how does it feel? Much like a cheaper, curvier Droid 2, to tell you the truth — as you’d expect when the device comes saddled with very similar specs. It’s pleasantly weighty like the Droid, and similarly stylish, though the capacitive touchscreen didn’t respond quite as readily to our touch, though that could be the effect of the hefty MOTOBLUR UI layer rather than an issue with the digitizer. The keyboard’s actually a bit more tactile, with domed soft rubber keys, and the hexagonal honeycomb arrangement felt refreshing compared to the some of the buttons we’re used to. We didn’t have loads of time with the unit, but it could be a decent alternative to the T-Mobile G2. We’ll let you know when we find the time for a full review — in the meanwhile, check some snapshots below.

Motorola Cliq 2, first hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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