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Motorola is the next to patch Android's big video security flaw
Chalk up one more big Android phone maker racing to patch its devices against that nasty Stagefright video security flaw. Motorola has explained that it will not only fix the vulnerability in phones from 2013 onward (such as the original Moto X and the Droid line), but make sure that its latest hardware is secure almost from the word go. Both the Moto X Style and Moto X Play will be secure on launch, while the recently-shipped third-generation Moto G is getting its update "soon."
How would you change Motorola's Droid Ultra?
Sometimes, a musician tied down to a long contract will fire out a sub-par record to fulfill a contractual obligation to their label. In some ways, Motorola's Droid Ultra felt like an exercise in contractual obligation rather than a handset in its own right. After all, the Ultra was, more or less, the Moto X in another body, and since the X was also available on Verizon, our Brad Molen felt that the Ultra had no reason to exist. We wager, however, that plenty of you bought this handset, so why not hop over to the forum and tell us why you did?
Motorola Migrate can now shepherd iOS users (and their data) to a new life on Android
If a Motorola device has recently charmed you away from the iPhone, make sure to check out the company's Migrate app. Moto just refreshed the transfer tool to add iOS support (similar to the one found on MotoMaker), making it easier to transfer iCloud data to Google's services -- so long as you have a supported handset. Unfortunately, it'll only work with the Moto X, Moto G, Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini at the moment, and it can only port calendar entries and contacts. Still, those are two things to slash off your list when moving phones, leaving you with more time to worry about transferring all those selfies.
Verizon's 2013 Droid line now does KitKat
Maybe it was the marketing or the battery life, or just an aggressively convincing Verizon rep -- but whatever the reason, you chose a 2013 Droid over Motorola's fine Moto X. And then, maybe you kicked yourself as you watched Verizon update the Moto X to KitKat while your handset sat neglected like the red-eyed stepchild it is. Oh chin up, because KitKat's finally coming to the Droid line as of today. Yes, that means owners of the Droid Ultra, Maxx and Mini should start seeing that Android 4.4 update hit their devices. Although cool your jets on the System Update refreshes because it's "being pushed out in phases." We know the wait can be painful, but take comfort in knowing you're almost in the clear.
Here's what high-end smartphone speakers could sound like in 2014 (ears-on)
Not all smartphone speakers are created equal. Last year, we were blown away by a prototype NXP audio chip that boosted volume (but not distortion) through the use of feedback circuitry. The chip monitored a speaker's behavior in real-time so that it could be pushed to the limit without creating crummy sound or being physically torn apart. Others were impressed too: Motorola has since used the nine-volt TFA9890 in the Moto X and the Droid Ultra. These phones have single speakers, but are almost able to match the volume and sound quality of a good stereo system, such as HTC's BoomSound audio in the One family of smartphones (which rely on two five-volt NXP-controlled speakers). So, what comes next? That'd be the second-gen TFA9895, which makes some gentle but noticeable improvements, and which should start arriving in high-end smartphones by the time we get to Mobile World Congress next year. Fortunately, we don't have to wait that long to hear it, because NXP just invited us to an exclusive ears-on.
Motorola phones updating to Android 4.4 KitKat include Moto X, newer Droids
Now that Google's latest mobile OS is officially rolling out, the folks over at Motorola are letting end users know which phones will see Android 4.4 KitKat, and which ones won't. As AndroidCentral points out, digging through the upgrade tool reveals pretty much what you'd expect: all Moto X variants are on the list, as well as the company's recent Droid Mini, Ultra and Maxx devices. Statuses for the Droid Razr HD, Razr Maxx HD and Razr M are left fuzzily tagged "future plan coming soon" while the Droid Bionic, Razr Maxx and Droid 4 are all confirmed staying on Android 4.1.2. VP of Product Management Punit Soni posts on Google+ that Motorola will keep updating the website as plans get more detailed (and hopefully get release dates, or at least windows).
This week on gdgt: Droid Ultra, TomTom Runner and binge-watching TV
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Refresh Roundup: week of August 19th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Daily Roundup: Camera buyer's guide, Droid Ultra review, Steve Ballmer stepping down, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Moto X vs the new Droid lineup: fight!
After countless months in hibernation, Motorola has arisen from its deep slumber in a rather major way. The phone maker not only unleashed a full trio of Droid devices last week, it introduced the Moto X, long known as the company's not-so-secret weapon. We've already discussed our impressions of the firstfruits of post-acquisition Motorola, along with its interesting array of color customization options, but we've put together a handy comparison sheet that shows off how the Moto X fares against its Droid-branded brethren. When it comes to components, the suite of smartphones are actually quite similar to each other. Take a look after the break to see how it all breaks down.
Verizon reveals new Droid accessories, includes SOL Republic headphones, speakers and external batteries (eyes-on)
What do you need after getting your very own Droid Mini / Ultra / Maxx? Why, accessories to go along with them, of course. Big Red introduced a slew of add-ons to accompany the newly announced phones this morning, which include cases from Speck, Incipio and Otterbox, a set of SOL Republic headphones, a SOL Republic Bluetooth speaker and matching 4,000mAh and 2,000mAh external batteries to extend the life of your just procured handsets. The speaker features something called Heist mode, which lets up to five people log on via Bluetooth. Unfortunately that's all we can share about these for now, as they've yet to announce pricing, availability or anything else for that matter. We'll be sure to share more once we have more information. To get a closer look at some of these accessories, have a peek at our eyes-on gallery below. Update: We've learned that the battery packs have been out for awhile now, and run anywhere from $39.99 to $79.99 depending on desired capacity. %Gallery-194451% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
'OK Google Now' comes to Verizon's 2013 Droid trio
If you're anything like us, you've been wringing your hands jealously at the few thousand Google Glass-enabled humans wandering around commanding "OK Glass" as their bidding is done. We'd like to say that the solution we've found is to give everyone a free set of Google's latest indulgence, Oprah-style, but that's not the case -- instead, Verizon's new trio of Droid phones enables very similar voice-powered functionality on its Droid Mini, Ultra and Maxx handsets. Employing Google's popular (and delightful) Now app, Droid owners can enact a variety of (unnamed) operations, including waking up the Droid by saying "OK Google Now." It's also targeted at folks who are prone to losing their mobiles, as the command, "OK Google Now, call my Droid" will do just that. It's also possible that people nearby will think you're a crazy person, but perhaps they already did considering you're prone to losing such an expensive and important device to your life, eh? The Verizon-created software enhancements don't stop there, with the trio also getting "Touchless Controls" and "Active Display"; the duo apparently work together to "let users make calls, send texts, get directions, play music, set a reminder and preview notifications hands-free without having to unlock the phone, giving Droid users a whole new way of interacting with their phones." All three phones are available for pre-order starting today and arrive at Verizon starting on August 20th (the Mini lands August 29th).
Motorola Droid Ultra unveiled with unibody Kevlar design, reaches Verizon on August 20th for $199
As expected, the star of the show is here: Verizon has unveiled the Motorola Droid Ultra at its New York City press event. The 5-inch smartphone is "all about thin," according to Moto, and sports a glossy, unibody Kevlar shell that makes it thinner (7.18mm) yet stronger than its predecessors. It's also speedier: a new dual-core X8 Mobile Computing System delivers about 24 percent faster processing power than the previous generations, graphics that are twice as quick and dedicated chips for both contextual computing and language processing. It sports the software tricks we've seen in leaks of the Moto X, such as hands-free voice control, Active Display notifications and Quick Capture. Google's augmented reality game Ingress comes preloaded for more adventurous owners. The Droid Ultra ships August 20th for $199, and pre-orders are starting today.
Verizon NYC Droid event liveblog
It may not be the much-hyped Moto X unveiling, but today's Verizon press event will likely bring some big announcements of its own. It's been nearly a year since Motorola unveiled its trio of Razr handsets for the carrier, and it's all but certain that the company has at least a phone or two in store for us today. Will we finally get acquainted with the Droid Ultra, not to mention a Droid Maxx variant? Heck, rumors say there's also a Droid Mini on the way. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest from Verizon's event in Lincoln Center!
Verizon's NYC Droid event is today at noon ET, get your liveblog here!
It's been nearly a year since Motorola unveiled a trio of Droid Razr handsets, but all signs point to a new lineup at Verizon's NYC event today. Will we get a look at the much-rumored Droid Ultra, not to mention an updated version of the long-lasting Droid Razr Maxx? Whatever today's press conference has in store, one thing seems pretty clear: Motorola's gearing up for a change in its handset nomenclature, and you'll want to tune in to see what's in store. We'll be liveblogging the carrier's announcements starting at noon ET -- hit up this link to follow along! July 23, 2013 12:00:00 PM EDT
Motorola Droid Ultra Limited Edition leaks, touts a go-faster racing stripe
If you think a red version of the rumored Droid Ultra just wouldn't be special enough, you're in luck. Frequent Motorola device leaker Houdabao claims to have photos of a Limited Edition model that would include a wrap-around racing stripe, much like a decked out muscle car. Unfortunately, there isn't much more to share. While Houdabao echoes talk of the Droid Ultra sporting a 5-inch LCD and a 6mm thick body, he doesn't outline the Limited Edition's full feature set. There's also no mention of its intended audience -- it may be only for Verizon staff, like the red Droid RAZR. Should the special-run Droid Ultra reach the public, though, there's a chance we'll learn more about it tomorrow. Check out a second photo of the Limited Edition after the break.
Motorola Droid Ultra leaks again, this time with a red, textured finish
A better look at Motorola's next Droid, the Ultra, has surfaced thanks to serial phone-revealer @evleaks. This time we're getting a clearer view of the back, decked in some familiar Verizon hues. Alongside some good hints that it'll house a high-capacity battery like the RAZR Maxx series, we'd hazard a guess that there's a kevlar finish to that red weave pattern, although we'll probably have to wait for that incoming Motorola event before we're able to clarify that. Fortunate, then, that it will all kick off with Verizon in just a few days.
Verizon to host event on July 23rd, likely involves new Droid devices
Verizon is sending out invites to the press regarding a mystery event next week. While the invite doesn't reveal which products are set to be announced, we have a pretty solid indication of what to expect: we're told that the event will involve "the next generation of one of [its] most popular family of devices." Given that the Droid is Big Red's most popular device lineup -- not to mention the fact that the rumor mill indicates a series of new Motorola-made Droids are on the way in the near future -- it's quite likely we can expect to see two or three devices decked out with Verizon's favorite brand.
Droid Ultra surfaces in leaked photo, model number hints at Maxx variant
If the signs of Motorola's upcoming Droid refresh weren't clear enough already, an in-the-flesh photo of what's said to be the Droid Ultra XT1080 has surfaced on the XDA Developers forum, courtesy of xavierk75. Not only do an FCC filing and accompanying rumors peg the XT1080 as a Maxx variant with a beefier battery, but the picture lines up with the kevlar enclosure and trio of capacitive buttons shown in a press shot posted by @evleaks. Thanks to the device's examination by Uncle Sam, we know that it carries radios for Verizon-friendly LTE, EV-DO Rev. A and WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100), in addition to NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi 802.11ac, to boot. Once again, specs are still MIA, but they -- or an official reveal -- can't be far off at this point.
Two mystery Motorola phones hit the FCC, likely headed for Verizon
While we're waiting (and rather impatiently, we might add) for Motorola to officially take the wraps off the Droid Ultra and Moto X, a pair of mystery devices from the company have popped up at the FCC. We can't say for sure what the Motorola XT1030 and XT1080 are, but we can tell you these unannounced devices are likely headed for Verizon here in the US. Inside both handsets you'll find support for LTE bands 4 and 13, along with EVDO Rev. A and WCDMA on 850/900/1900/2100. There's even room for NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac radios as well. The combination of practically every available wireless technology in a single handset has us pretty excited, but we're also pretty confident that inside beats a beefy Qualcomm heart. The filings reveal little else, besides the fact that the XT1080 appears to be quite a bit larger than the XT1030. Is the 1030 the briefly leaked Droid Ultra? Could the XT1080 be Big Red's variant of the Moto X? Who knows? Heck, the RAZR family is just about due for an update too. You know the drill: hit up the source if you like highly technical filings, or just sit and play the waiting game.