MOTOBLUR

Mobile
February 14, 2012
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Motorola’s first Intel-based Ice Cream Sandwich phone leaks, MWC unveiling unlikely

By on February 14, 2012 at 1:00 PM.

Motorola’s first Intel-based Ice Cream Sandwich phone leaks, MWC unveiling unlikely

Intel had a strong showing at the Consumer Electronics Show this year, and the fabless chip maker’s message was crystal clear: ARM. The firm’s chips have dominated the personal computing space for ages, and Intel plans to remain a key player as the smartphone and tablet markets continue to heat up. Likely to be among the first in a long line of Intel-powered smartphones we’ll see launch in the coming years, an image and details surrounding an upcoming Intel-powered Motorola smartphone have leaked online. Pocketnow.com published the image, which depicts a somewhat slender Android smartphone running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The handset is said to feature an updated version of MotoBlur as well as an impressive new camera. The report also states that the sleek Motorola smartphone is expected to debut at Mobile World Congress later this month, however a quick chat with one of our sources suggests that an MWC debut is unlikely and we’ll instead see this Android phone unveiled in the coming months. More →

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Mobile
July 28, 2011
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New AT&T Motorola ATRIX spotted with 8-megapixel camera

By on July 28, 2011 at 9:34 PM.

New AT&T Motorola ATRIX spotted with 8-megapixel camera

AT&T and Motorola may be preparing to launch an updated version of the popular ATRIX 4G handset. According to leaked images obtained by ePrice.tw, a new ATRIX could launch with an improved 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video. The images show a slightly tweaked industrial design as well; the power switch and 3.5mm headphone jack have moved slightly, there is a dedicated camera button, and the phone looks like it has a slightly larger display. We do not see Motorola’s custom MOTOBLUR user interface in the images, but we are assuming this new ATRIX is running the new Gingerbread build which is a lot less intrusive. We are certain Motorola would beef up more than just the camera, so we bet there’s a faster processor under the hood, too. Hopefully we hear more on this in the coming months. Read on for two more images. More →

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Apps & Software
June 11, 2011
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Motorola’s MOTOBLUR: don’t call it by name

By on June 11, 2011 at 8:39 AM.

Motorola’s MOTOBLUR: don’t call it by name

Time flies. Motorola introduced its MOTOBLUR user interface and software service with the debut of the Motorola CLIQ back in 2009, but now it appears that moniker’s days are coming to an end. Just yesterday the company unveiled two new Android smartphones for Sprint and Virgin Mobile: the Photon 4G and the Motorola Triumph. The Motorola Photon 4G clearly sports Motorola’s custom user interface, but there was absolutely no mention of the name. We’ve confirmed that Motorola will phase out referring to its UI as MOTOBLUR. Perhaps the move is related to Motorola’s purchase of Three Laws Mobile (3LM) earlier this year, which suggests that an entirely new UI is in the works. Either way, it’s clear that customers didn’t care for the original service and UI, but the bits and pieces that Motorola continues to use seems to be working well for the company.  More →

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Open Source
May 31, 2011
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Motorola DROID X2 review

By on May 31, 2011 at 12:23 PM.

Motorola DROID X2 review

The Motorola DROID X was one of the most powerful handsets to hit Verizon Wireless. It’s only fitting that the big boss of Android phones would get upgraded at some point, right? The Motorola DROID X2 ups the DROID X in almost every way possible. Instead of a single core 1GHz CPU, the DROID X2 features a dual-core 1GHz processor. The display has been upgraded from a baseline screen to a qHD display, and software customizations and enhancements have been made as well. Did one of my favorite Android handsets get even better? Hit the full review after the break to find out.

More →

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Breaking
May 18, 2011
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Verizon’s Motorola DROID X2 will launch on May 26th for $199.99

By on May 18, 2011 at 8:37 AM.

Verizon’s Motorola DROID X2 will launch on May 26th for $199.99

Motorola on Wednesday announced that its sequel to the popular DROID X smartphone will launch later this month. The Motorola DROID X2 will become available for pre-order on May 19th and will launch on May 26th, as previously rumored. The device will cost $199.99 with a new two-year contract, and will feature a 4.3-inch touchscreen display, a dual-core 1GHz processor, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), an 8-megapixel camera with support for HD video capture, an HDMI-out port, a case that is nearly identical to the original Motorola DROID X, and “double the does,” according to Verizon Wireless. Hit the break for the full press release from Verizon Wireless. More →

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Mobile
May 13, 2011
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Motorola DROID X2 could launch May 26th

By on May 13, 2011 at 9:28 AM.

Motorola DROID X2 could launch May 26th

Verizon Wireless was rumored to be launching the follow up to its popular Motorola DROID X smartphone on Thursday, but Thursday has come and gone and there’s no X2 in sight. According to Android enthusiast blog Droid Life, the anticipated device is now slated to become available later this month on May 26th. A purported internal document suggests direct fulfillment will begin on the 19th followed by an in-store launch one week later. The document goes on to highlight the X2’s “brilliant” 4.3-inch qHD display, its dual-core 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, Adobe Flash Player 10 and an 8-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture support. A second leaked document, which can be viewed after the jump, goes on to reaffirm more of the X2’s specs. More →

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Breaking
May 5, 2011
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Sprint unveils Motorola XPRT and Motorola Titanium Android phones

By on May 5, 2011 at 9:06 AM.

Sprint unveils Motorola XPRT and Motorola Titanium Android phones

Sprint on Thursday unveiled two new Android smartphones from Motorola — the Motorola XPRT and the Motorola Titanium. The XPRT is a dual-mode smartphone capable of roaming internationally on GSM networks, and it’s also the first Android phone from Sprint to feature enterprise-class security. Spec highlights include Android 2.2 (Froyo) with MOTOBLUR, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel camera, a full QWERTY keyboard with BlackBerry-style buttons, a 1GHz processor and Adobe Flash 10 support. The Motorola Titanium is Sprint’s successor to the i1, and it will be a military-grade ruggedized smartphone running Android 2.1 (Eclair). Other highlights include a full BlackBerry-style QWERTY keypad, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel camera, Push to Talk support and dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, high temperature and low temperature resistance. The Motorola XPRT launches on June 5th for $129.99 on contract. Pricing and availability details are not yet available for the Titanium. Hit the break for Sprint’s full press release. More →

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Apps & Software
March 28, 2011
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Motorola ATRIX 4G 4.1.57 update available, no AT&T HSUPA support yet

By on March 28, 2011 at 2:27 PM.

Motorola ATRIX 4G 4.1.57 update available, no AT&T HSUPA support yet

Software version 4.1.57 for the Motorola ATRIX 4G is now available. The 17MB file, issued by Motorola, adds a number of improvements but is not the expected AT&T update that includes HSUPA support. After downloading the update, Motorola says users should notice the following changes:

  • Bluetooth: Improved multimedia experience with Bluetooth devices as well as the ability to use phone with additional headsets.
  • Fingerprint reader: Improved fingerprint reader performance.
  • Battery: Improved battery performance for longer battery life.
  • Screen: Display will turn off automatically now while charging directly on wall charger.
  • Phone stability: Improved stability resulting in fewer occurrences of touch unresponsiveness and/of programs quitting unexpectedly.
  • Car dock: Improved performance of car dock and 3.5mm jack.

It’s been reported that the update may cause some issues with those who have rooted their phones. AT&T has said that the upcoming HSUPA software update, which should ratchet up upload speeds on the ATRIX 4G and Inspire 4G, will land in April. Hit the jump for instructions on installing software version 4.1.57 on your ATRIX 4G.

More →

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Apps & Software
February 14, 2011
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Motorola acquires 3LM, updates MOTOBLUR, more

By on February 14, 2011 at 11:22 AM.

Motorola acquires 3LM, updates MOTOBLUR, more

Motorola made various new software related announcements on Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, not the least of which is a strategic acquisition that ultimately could make the company’s Android-powered devices a much more viable option for the enterprise market. 3LM, short for Three Laws Mobile, develops a variety of security and management solutions for enterprise customers with Android devices. The acquisition was completed in late 2010 for an undisclosed sum, and Motorola will aim to offer its customers security comparable to the BlackBerry platform as a result of the deal.

Motorola also made several other software announcements, including the addition of various new features for its MOTOBLUR product. MOTOBLUR, Motorola’s UI overlay and social services suite for Android devices, will soon evolve thanks to the addition of enhanced location, messaging, music and gallery features. Updates will include Connected Music, a proprietary social network focused on music; Connected gallery, a feature that will pull friends’ Facebook, Picasa and Flickr galleries into a live stream; and the addition of Aloqa’s location-triggered push platform, which will allow third-party developers to utilize on-device notifications triggered by location, identity or “social relationships.”

Hit the break for the full press release from Motorola Mobility, which includes additional announcements as well. More →

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CES
January 5, 2011
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T-Mobile’s Motorola CLIQ 2 gets official

By on January 5, 2011 at 8:29 PM.

T-Mobile’s Motorola CLIQ 2 gets official

It won’t come as much of a surprise thanks to a series of leaks, but Motorola and T-Mobile have just made Moto’s CLIQ sequel official. The Motorola CLIQ 2, as it’s aptly named, is a QWERTY slider built for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network. It features a 3.7-inch touchscreen display, a 1GHz processor, DLNA support, and Motorola’s MOTOBLUR UI over the Android 2.2 Froyo OS. We know, we know — it’s tough to get excited about a Froyo phone now that Gingerbread and Honeycomb have been unleashed, but expect the CLIQ 2 to be a solid affordable option when it launches later this month. The Motorola CLIQ2 will become available on January 19th online and in T-Mobile stores. Pricing has not yet been disclosed. Hit the break for Motorola’s full press release. More →

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Mobile
December 28, 2010
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T-Mobile to launch Motorola CLIQ 2, Dell Streak 7 on January 19th?

By on December 28, 2010 at 10:29 PM.

T-Mobile to launch Motorola CLIQ 2, Dell Streak 7 on January 19th?

According to an unconfirmed report, T-Mobile will launch two new Android-powered devices in mid-January. Enthusiast blog TmoNews claims that a source has pegged January 19th as the tentative release date for both the Motorola CLIQ 2 and the Dell Streak 7. The CLIQ 2 was last rumored to feature Motorola’s MOTOBLUR UI atop Android 2.2, as well as a unique QWERTY keypad that has no gaps between the keys. The Dell Streak 7 will reportedly be a 7-inch tablet with dual-cameras and version 2.2 of the Android OS. Neither device has been confirmed to be launching next month by T-Mobile or its respective manufacturer, though both are expected to be announced next week at the Consumer Electronics Show. More →

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Mobile
December 2, 2010
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Motorola CEO talks smartphones, tablets and 4G; alludes to Q1 Verizon iPhone launch

By on December 2, 2010 at 10:55 AM.

Motorola CEO talks smartphones, tablets and 4G; alludes to Q1 Verizon iPhone launch

Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha delivered a keynote yesterday at the Credit Suisse 2010 Technology Conference, and it was quite a doozy. Topics covered included the future of Motorola’s smartphone business, tablets, 4G and even a new competitive threat coming soon to Verizon Wireless. Here are some highlights:

  • Motorola Mobility will separate from Motorola Solutions with $3.5 billion, no debt, no pension liabilities and 16,500 patents already in its portfolio. In other words, Jha is very excited about the future of Motorola’s mobile business.
  • Motorola Mobility will definitely participate in the tablet space, but it will continue to focus the bulk of its efforts on smartphones. The company will release both 7-inch and 10-inch tablets in the near future, and it views both product ranges as being “quite meaningful.”
  • Motorola will focus on software differentiation with its tablets, targeting the enterprise, international and retail market places. Jha views retail as a big opportunity for tablets.
  • Where smartphones are concerned, Motorola will continue to focus on top-tier and mid-tier devices — mid-tier devices have sold in greater volume internationally, while top-tier phones found success in the U.S.
  • When asked about 4G smartphones, Jha responded, “I will have 4G devices in the marketplace early next year.”
  • In discussing Q1 2011 guidance, Jha said first quarters are always down for Motorola and Q1 2011 will be no different. Jha also said, however, that there will potentially be a new “competitive dynamic” developing at Verizon Wireless — Motorola’s premier carrier partner in the U.S. — in the first quarter next year that could have a significant negative impact on Motorola’s first quarter. It certainly doesn’t take a decoder ring to figure out that he’s talking about the Verizon iPhone.
  • Despite the aforementioned speed bump, which could no doubt be huge, Jha is confident that Motorola Mobility will deliver profitability for the full year as it continues to diversify its product portfolio to combat the threat of a potential Verizon iPhone.

Hit the read link to listen to Jha’s complete keynote.

Thanks, ckeegan More →

55 Comments
Open Source
November 22, 2010
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Motorola DROID Pro Review

By on November 22, 2010 at 10:37 AM.

Motorola DROID Pro Review

Motorola is up to bat with their most competitive corporate device in years — they’re aiming squarely at the fine boys and girls at RIM — and coupled with the latest Android OS and the nation’s largest voice and data network, they mean business. Does that mean they have come up with the best business-focused handset on Verizon Wireless? How on earth will you be able to choose between a Motorola DROID Pro, a BlackBerry, or another Android handset? Hit the break to find out our thoughts!

More →

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