The DROID XYBOARD 8.2 is another tablet from Motorola available for Verizon. It has an interesting design as its meant to be held in portrait mode and has the sharp corners like you see in the DROID branded phones. It’s comfortable to hold in the had and feel solid and well built. For hardware it comes with  an 8.2 inch IPS display, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, 16 GB or 32 GB options and 4G LTE. There is also a 5 megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash that shoots 720p HD video and a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera that also shoots 720p video. The image quality from the rear facing camera is not stellar but suitable for uploads to Facebook and YouTube and HD video quality for both cameras is sub par.

The DROID XYBOARD 8.2 performs well in two aspects which is viewing video content and book reading. Using Netflix over the Verizon 4G LTE I was able to get clear and crisp video playback that’s smooth and looks great on the screen. With its design meant to be held like a e-reader reading books is a good experience on the XYBOARD 8.2. For avid readers it will feel comfortable to hold and has a natural feel of a book in your hand.  There isn’t too much preloaded software and customizations. You get just the few Verizon apps and some icon changes. MotoCast is available on which lets you stream content from your PC to your tablet from anywhere you have Wi-Fi or 4G LTE connection. It’s a really cool app for the media junkies out there.  The tablets hotspot feature isn’t very good. I had trouble keeping a consistent connection several times but there should be a software update that will fix that.

The DROID XYBOARD 8.2 is a solid tablet for those looking for a tablet on the smaller side and want to get rid of your e-reader and gain the added functionality of a table without sacrificing size. We go more in our video review so definitely check that out below.

DROID XYBOARD 8.2 VIDEO REVIEW

DROID XYBOARD 8.2 CAMERA 720p CAMERA SAMPLE

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The 4th installment in the DROID keyboard series is coming on February 10h for $199. The DROID 4 is touted as the thinnest QWERTY keyboard phone in the market and comes with a 4 inch qHD display, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, 8 megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash + 1080p HD video capture. The DROID 4 is touted as the “thinnest 4G LTE slider phone” with a 5 row backlit QWERTY keyboard. It’s going to ship with Android 2.3.5 gingerbread with Motorola’s user experiences on top of it and is upgradable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Check out the hands on video from CES 2012.

Press Release:

DROID 4 By Motorola Ready To Work And Play On The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network

Power, Speed and Reliability Get the Job Done

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The award winning DROID 4 by Motorola will be available to handle even the most demanding lifestyles starting Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. Introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronic Show (CES), the DROID 4 is the thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone measuring at less than half an inch thin. DROID 4 not only features a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, but also a five-row QWERTY keyboard with a PC-like layout and edge-lit keys for fast, precise typing, even in the dark. Powered by America’s fastest, most reliable 4G network, DROID 4 customers will have access to 4G LTE coverage in 195 markets covering more than 200 million people.

Additional features

• Verizon Wireless 4G LTE – Customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas
• Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, to be upgraded to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 4.0-inch qHD display with scratch and scrape resistant glass
• Government-grade encryption (FIPS 140-2) for email, calendar and contacts; preloaded with Citrix® Receiver™ for Android (available in webtop) for desktop virtualization and access
• 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture
• Front-facing camera for video chat
• 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot supporting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Business Ready

DROID 4 is designed to help customers get more done. Business professionals can impress their audience by presenting to a conference room full of potential customers in a snap by plugging the DROID 4 into an HDTV and presenting directly from the phone. Professionals can also combine the DROID 4 with the Lapdock 500 and its 14-inch display to create a full-featured mobile office. They can download documents, make edits using Lapdock’s full keyboard and email the updated documents to colleagues or customers. The Lapdock even features a built-in webcam so customers can attend virtual meetings and manage their business face-to-face.

The Smart Actions app on the DROID 4 helps automate everyday tasks and optimizes battery efficiency by letting customers create rules, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate during work hours or dimming the display at a specific battery level.

Business professionals can leave their laptops behind and use the MotoCast™ app to remotely stream documents, videos, music and pictures from their work or home computers to their handset. The remote access of MotoCast eliminates the need to store documents on the handset as everything is stored on their office laptop.

Pricing and availability

• DROID 4 by Motorola will be available on Feb. 10 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online atwww.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The Lapdock 500 is available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online for $299.97.
• Customers that purchase a DROID 4 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

The DROID RAZR MAXX didn’t take too long to come our after the original DROID RAZR after its début at CES 2012 and less than three months from the originals release. The missions the RAZR MAXX has is to give you a large battery but keep the same slim and thin design and close as possible. Do they succeed in this mission?

Hardware & Design

The design is nearly identical to the first DROID RAZR with a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Advance display with qHD resolution that’s protected behind Gorilla Glass and a Kevlar backing to keep your device well protected from damage. They also put a water-resistant coating on the internal electrical components so that if they get wet the water beads off. Internally you have a 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4430 dual-core processor, 1 GB or RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage (11.5 available to you)  with another 16 GB micro SD card included, 4G LTE data, 1.3 megapixel front facing camera and 8.0 megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash plus 1080p video capture. You can see our sample video and pictures below. The camera is good but you will get some grain in the pictures if you’re not in perfect lighting conditions.

The biggest difference in the hardware is the 3300mAH battery inside that Motorola claims that you get 21.5 hours of talk time and 380 of standby time.All this while keeping a slim 8.9mm frame. Does the RAZR MAXX live up to this claim?

Software & Usability

For software the device runs Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread with Motorola’s user interface on top. Much of the software is similar to many other Motorola devices so we will get into some of those apps later. The main feature here is the battery life. In our test we setup the device as a user would normally use it.

Battery Test Setup:

• 3 Email Accounts
• Facebook & 2 Twitter Accounts
• Google Music, Google Voice
• Netflix and YouTube streaming
• Bluetooth Streaming Audio
• 10 Phone calls (Avg 10 min/Call)
• All settings set as they were “out of the box”

The phone was unplugged and off the charger Sunday 9:30 am and after 12 hours the battery was at 50%. From there we continued the test until he battery died fully Monday 9:30pm which gives you a maximum battery life of 36 hours. This is tremendous results especially for a power user. I’m sure once you start to tweak the settings with brightness, data connections and Motorola’s Smart Actions software you can get even better results. It’s also upgradeable to Android 4.0 which will improved the battery life even more.

Also included with standard Verizon apps such as VCast, VZ Navigator, Mobile Hotspot and My Verizon there are Motorola specific  apps such as MOTOACTV for fitness, MOTOPRINT for wireless print sharing and MOTOCAST which lets you stream any content from your computer anywhere over a 4G LTE connection a file manager that lets you move and manage files between the internal storage, SD card storage shared folders and  MOTOCAST connection computers and mention earlier Smart Actions which the phone will automate certain tasks based on how you set them via date, time, location, app etc.  A solid package of apps that make the DROID RAZR MAXX a well-rounded experience.

Overall

The Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX makes you wish that this device came out at the same time or in place of the original one. The beefed up battery is much appreciated and while doesn’t solve all the issues with Android and battery life it does help the power user out there have confidence that they will get through a whole day and not have to worry about running for a charger or changing they way they use the smartphone around. This is a recommended buy for anyone looking to grab an android device on Verizon even over the original Motorola DROID RAZR.

First seen at CES 2012 the Droid RAZR Maxx is set to take Android to the “Max” on January 26th. The newest addition to the RAZR branding is for the most part unchanged from the first DROID Razr. You still get a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED advanced qHD display, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of dual-channel RAM, 8 megapixel rear facing camera with 1080p HD video capture, front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera that has 720p HD video capture, 4G LTE and Android 2.3.5 but the Razr MAXX includes a massive 3300 MAh battery for an estimated talk time of 21.5 hours and standby time of 380 hours.  It will go for $299 on a two-year contract. Check out our video from CES 2012 below.

Press Release:

Verizon Wireless Takes DROID RAZR™ To The MAXX™ On Jan. 26

will be available on Jan. 26 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. At just 8.99 mm, the RAZR MAXX is the longest-lasting smartphone on the block and still impossibly thin. Customers can have a smartphone with the endurance to talk on the phone for more than 21 hours straight on a single charge. Equipped with the same great features as the original DROID RAZR, customers can expect to rip through the Web at blazing speeds with a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Verizon Wireless 4G LTE. Verizon Wireless leads the way in 4G with the fastest and most reliable 4G network in the United States, covering more than 200 million people in 195 markets.

Additional features:

• Powered by Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• Powerful 3300 mAh battery
• 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology for crisp and clear videos
• Front-facing HD camera for video chat over 4G LTE, 3G or Wi-Fi
• 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot capable – customers can share 4G LTE speed with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices
• Remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts, as well as voice and video chat conferencing
• 32 GB memory – 16 GB on-board memory and 16 GB microSD™ card pre-installed (actual formatted capacity is less)

Customers that purchase a DROID RAZR MAXX will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

The DROID RAZR MAXX is an update to the original DROID and aimed for the mobile professionally on the go. Much of the specs are the same as the DROID RAZR with a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Advanced display with qHD resolution, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of dual-channel RAM, 8 megapixel rear facing camera with 1080p HD video capture, front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera that has 720p HD video capture, 4G LTE and Android 2.3.5 but is upgradable to Android 4.0 ICS.  The biggest change is the battery as it sports a 3300 MAh battery to give you an estimated talk time of 21.5 hours and standby time of 380 hours.

The Motorola ATRIX a year ago was the most talk about phone in the market. It was the first dual-core phone and had a mobile docking station that made it possible to be a laptop replacement on the go. Since then its been met smartphones with similar or better specs that have beaten it out. Motorola decides 8 months later to 2nd try with the ATRIX 2.

The ATRIX 2 comes in with some improved specs from the earlier ATRIX and some downgraded specs to make it a more affordable option. It comes with a 4.3 inch LCD display with qHD resolution, 1 GHz dual-core processor from TI instead of NVIDIA, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of build in storage with about 4.4 GB available, faster HSPA+ 21MBps data speeds, front facing VGA camera and a 8 Megapixel rear facing camera with 1080p HD video capture.  Its sport a thinner body still made of mostly plastic but a nice soft touch finish on the back that feels comfortable in the hand. The display is sharp and the 8 megapixel camera takes pretty good pictures and video you can see our samples below.

The phone runs Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread with Motorola’s UX (user experience and formerly Motoblur). There isn’t anything here drastically different from from other Motorola handsets when it comes to software.  You have standard pre-installed AT&T applications but if you don’ want them you can uninstall them if you want. You get 7 homescreens which are customizable and widgets are available and can be resized to your liking. The processor keeps things running smooth and responsive with no noticeable lag. Data speeds while are capable of 21 Mbps we didn’t reach anywhere close to those speeds in our testing.  Call quality is good as the connection held well and audio between both sides were good and battery life is good when using Motorola’s battery manager software in the settings. It really helps in getting that extra battery life you need out of Android.

At the reduced price this handset is at and for the features its offering it’s a solid choice for those wanted a new smartphone that won’t hurt the wallet. It’s a solid offering from Motorola and AT&T and will work well for most out there.

Looks like everyone wants to get into the new color game for cell phones. Starting December 15th Verizon will be selling the DROID RAZR in white for $299.99 which is the same price as the first DROID RAZR released. This now joins the White Samsung Galaxy S2: Skyrocket and the white Samsung Galaxy S2 for T-Mobile  as recent high enough phones introducing a white color option. There is also a special promotion if you buy one you will get a $100 off the purchase of a DROID XYBOARD.

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Press Release:

Available Tomorrow From Verizon Wireless: DROID RAZR™ By Motorola In A Flashy New White Color

Just in time for the holidays, the DROID RAZR™ by Motorola in White will be available on Dec. 15 at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. Customers can purchase the DROID RAZR in the new color for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. Additionally, for a limited time only, customers can take advantage of a special promotion and receive $100 off a DROID XYBOARD tablet with the purchase of a white DROID RAZR with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers that purchase a DROID RAZR will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

The DROID RAZR not only shreds through the Web at blazing 4G LTE speeds, it does it in style with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED™ Advanced display, measuring 7.1 mm thin. The DROID RAZR is also packed with brains and security giving customers apps like MotoCast™ and features like remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts.

Customers can visit www.droiddoes.com/razr for information about the DROID RAZR. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Android and updates are always a source of controversy amount the Android community. Google release a new update and the wait is on for when you are going to get it. The blame for the wait sways between the carriers and the manufactures. Motorola recently posted the process that happens when they look to update an android device and its pretty interesting.
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From Motorola:

Each new version of Android launches with one device partner, in what is called the “Google Experience Device” or GED, the showcase device for a new Android release.  The GED partner for each launch works with Google during the development of the OS so that the device and new Android version are ready for a coordinated simultaneous launch.

Steps in Motorola’s Android Update Process:

1. Merge and adapt the new release for different device hardware architecture(s) and carrier customizations

This means that we take the source code and incorporate it into upgrades for devices on which this can perform well, along with making sure the carrier requirements are met.  Silicon partners such as Qualcomm, TI, and nVidia adapt this to their chipsets in parallel and we incorporate these as they become available. This is also the time when we begin integrating all of the Motorola-specific software enhancements into the source code.  Features like MotoCast, Smart Actions, and our comprehensive enterprise solutions are integral parts of our device experiences, and we want to make sure we continue delivering differentiated experiences for our consumers with these software upgrades.

2. Stabilize and ‘bake’ the result to drive out bugs

This means that we will prepare the upgrade to meet the quality and stability requirements to enter the wireless carrier’s certification lab.

3. Submit the upgrade to the carriers for certification

This is the point in the process where the carrier’s lab qualifies and tests the upgrade. Each carrier has different requirements for phases 2 and 3. There may be a two-month preparation cycle to enter a carrier lab cycle of one to three months.

3.5 Perform a Customer pre-release

We may perform some customer testing before a final release is delivered publicly to our user base.

4. Release the upgrade

We are planning on upgrading as many of our phones as possible.  The ability to offer the upgrade depends on a number of factors including the hardware/device capabilities, the underlying chipset software support, the ICS support and then the ability to support the Motorola value add software.

So if you want to get the latest update right a way you’ll need to get yourself a “GED” device like one of the Nexus S handsets or the soon coming Galaxy Nexus. It’s great to know what exactly goes on for your device to receive an update. It would be nice of course to find a way to shorten the process but it would be better to find a way to streamline it to make it as fast and as smooth as possible. I think the more Android is developed that the process will become shorter.

Click here to check out the full post from Motorola.

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The purchase of the handset manufacture by Google is still pending but Motorola is not going to wait for that to get their latest devices update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.  In their support forums and stated in a recent blog post, Motorola is planning to upgrade the DROID Razr, DROID Bionic and XOOM Tablets to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. There isn’t a timetable for when the update will officially roll out but its good to know that their looking to keep you updated with the latest software.

We knew the DROID Razr would be getting it as it was announced during the devices press conference and it was pretty safe to assume all the XOOM Tablets would be getting this update but what’s great to know is that if you recently purchased that long-delayed and late release DROID Bionic you purchased won’t be left out in the cold.

Via Motorola Support Forums

Looking to get android more into the business sector the Motorola Admiral looks to lure away the Blackberry user and join the android parade. The phone comes with a 3.1 inch capacitive touchscreen display, full four row QWERTY keyboard, 5 megapixel camera, 1.2Ghz single-core processor, 4 GB of storage, 512 MB of ram and runs Android 2.3 gingerbread with Motorola UI on top. It one of the first phones with Sprint’s CDMA based Push-To-Talk . Sprint hopes to bring over those Nextel users as well of the aging iDEN network. Check out our unboxing, hands-on and first impressions in the video below.
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