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Refresh Roundup: week of July 9th, 2012

Zachary Lutz — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 21:00:00 -0400

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!

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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Refresh Roundup: week of April 23rd, 2012

Zachary Lutz — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:15:00 -0400

Filed under: Mobile

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Motorola pits Voice Actions against Siri, claims to take the title belt (video)

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:11:00 -0500

Siri may be the media darling and, admittedly she's the one with the winning personality. But Motorola wants to remind you that Android has a voice control app of its own and argues it's better than its iPhone 4S exclusive competition. In a series of videos, which we've embedded after the break, Moto pits Voice Actions against Siri on a trio of handsets -- the Atrix 2, Photon 4G and Electrify. A faceless taskmaster tells the handset to send a text, pull up driving directions and load a website. In each of the tests, Voice Actions bests the polite lady inside the iPhone and gets crowned the champ. Though, we can't help but think things would have turned out differently if the competition involved finding the meaning of life.

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Lapdock 100 brings a Webtop IQ boost to Moto phones on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T

Billy Steele — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:39:00 -0400

Looking to harness all the power of your smartphone PC-style? Motorola is looking to help with its Lapdock 100 for a number of devices, including the Atrix 2, Photon 4G and Droid Bionic. The laptop shell sports a 10.1-inch screen (smaller and hopefully cheaper than the Atrix 4G's axed lapdock), keyboard with dedicated Android keys, touchpad, multi-tasking and tabbed web-browsing via WiFi or your phone's data plan. You'll also be able to utilize a full Firefox browser, Adobe Flash, Quick Office, Google Docs and a PC-esque File Manager. Just in case your smartphone's SD card doesn't offer enough storage space, the dock packs two USB ports for all those extra documents you might collect. Looking to stay ultra-portable, the peripheral weighs a hair over two pounds (less than 1Kg) and touts five hours of battery life -- which can also be used to recharge that tired handset if needed. If you're looking to snatch up one of these bad boys, you'll have to wait until October 17... and even then, it'll only hit shelves at AT&T. Verizon and Sprint customers will get their chance "later this quarter" and there's no word yet on pricing. Need more info? Hit that coverage link for product page and get yourself better acquainted.

Filed under: Mobile

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Engadget Mobile Podcast 100 - 08.21.2011

Trent Wolbe — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:01:00 -0400

We're 100. 100! If you're like us, you totally can't believe it's been more than two years since we first started Mobile Podcasting but you totally can believe it at the same time because that's just how we roll: dedicated. To celebrate we've brought along Engadget Chinese editor Richard Lai and Noah Kravitz of TechnoBuffalo to weigh in on stuff like the Xiaomi phone and Symbian Belle leaking its way into the world. And...a couple of other things. We're old. It's a mobile party. You just got your pentaband invite to click on the play or download links below. Don't sleep on it: before you know it we'll be 200.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Guests: Richard Lai, Noah Kravitz
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Daestro - Light Powered (Ghostly International)

00:02:45 - HP will 'discontinue operations for webOS devices', may spin off Personal Systems Group
00:21:55 - Google acquiring Motorola Mobility
00:42:45 - Motorola's new Droid HD makes cameo alongside Droid Bionic
01:04:30 - BlackBerry Bold 9930 review
01:05:43 - AT&T streamlining individual messaging plans August 21st, leaving unlimited as the sole survivor
01:15:00 - Xiaomi Phone hands-on (updated with video)
01:25:40 - Symbian Anna now available for download on Nokia N8, E7, C7 and C6-01
01:26:30 - Symbian Belle download leaked to N8 community, quickly pulled from site (update: Anna available on NaviFirm)
01:30:57 - CNET: RIM in talks to squeeze out BlackBerry music service
01:32:50 - Motorola Photon 4G review
01:36:53 - Samsung Hercules, HTC Ruby available from T-Mobile on October 26th?
01:38:56 - Samsung Hercules gets its Telus on in leaked glamour shots
01:39:38 - HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound)
01:45:55 - Why is LTE equipment being installed in an Apple Store?

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podcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.

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Engadget Podcast 253 - 08.19.2011

Trent Wolbe — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:41:00 -0400

Sometimes, you just can't handle it all. There is so much to learn about consumer electronics every week that you simply can't handle the stress. Don't despair: we, The Engadget Podcasters, are here to help. Let us do the tough work of digesting acquisitions, spinoffs, Grids, Xiaomiphones, and a pocketful of BlackBerrys while you lay on the chaise and have grapes fed to you by your loved ones...or whatever it is you people do to relax these days. Just make sure to listen, let the news wash over you, and feel the knots in your neck and back go the way of the TouchPad.

Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guests: Dana Wollman, Josh Fruhlinger
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: S&M

00:02:30 - Editorial: Engadget on the death of HP's webOS devices
00:03:38 - HP may spin off PC business, shift focus to software and services
00:05:10 - HP will 'discontinue operations for webOS devices', may spin off Personal Systems Group
00:22:55 - Google acquiring Motorola Mobility
00:28:45 - Verizon embraces Google's Moto Mobility deal, hopes for an end to patent disputes
00:38:30 - TabCo reveals itself as Fusion Garage, unveils Grid 10 tablet and Grid 4 smartphone (update)
00:41:25 - Fusion Garage Grid 10 tablet and Grid 4 smartphone hands-on
00:46:48 - The Engadget Interview: Fusion Garage's Chandra Rathakrishnan
00:53:11 - BlackBerry Bold 9930 review
00:55:25 - BlackBerry Torch 9850 review
00:56:30 - BlackBerry Torch 9810 review
00:58:14 - Xiaomi Phone hands-on (updated with video)
01:02:07 - Motorola Photon 4G review
01:02:58 - The NYC Engadget Reader Meetup is less than two weeks away!
01:04:43 - The Engadget Show returns Friday, August 19th -- win a ticket to the taping!
01:09:28 - Listener questions

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[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).
[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace

Download the podcast

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)

Contact the podcast

Send your questions to @tim_stevens.
Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005)
E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot com
Twitter: @tim_stevens, @bheater, @fruhlinger, @danawollman

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Motorola Photon 4G review

Myriam Joire — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:00:00 -0400

It's summer, which means the usual deluge of Android handsets is upon us. The Motorola Photon 4G is Sprint's latest specimen, and follows hot on the heels of HTC's somewhat disappointing EVO 3D. Like its stablemate, it's a proper superphone with a dual-core processor, large qHD display, and of course, WiMAX. Instead of trying to wow us with a gimmicky 3D camera, it differentiates itself by being Sprint's first global phone with WiMAX, and as such supports CDMA / EV-DO for North America along with GSM / HSPA for the rest of the world. Motorola further spices things up with a dash of WebTop functionality, something it first introduced on the Atrix 4G. So, is the Photon just the smartphone flavor du jour, or does it stand out from the seasonal crowd? How does it compare to the EVO 3D and the other Android flagships? Hit the break for our full review.

Gallery: Motorola Photon 4G review

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Refresh Roundup: week of August 8, 2011

Brad Molen — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:00:00 -0400

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!

Official Android updates

Acer took to its Facebook page in Malaysia to announce that the Honeycomb 3.2 OTA update for the Iconia Tab A500 has been delayed until August 25. [via Phandroid]
The LG G-Slate is starting to receive Honeycomb 3.1. [via AndroidCentral]
We've also heard the HTC Flyer's on the receiving end of a 2.3.4 bump in Germany. [via HTC Inside (translated)]
Motorola's announced that Honeycomb 3.1 has arrived on the Xoom in Europe, after several months of waiting. [via ITProPortal]
Tomorrow, Sprint's pushing out a maintenance fix known as RD.00.02 for the Motorola Titanium. From a leaked screenshot, the main "enhancement" is correcting a bug that kept users from dialing from a meeting on the Exchange calendar. [via SprintFeed]
Android 2.3.4 is making its way to unbranded HTC Sensation units in Europe this week as an OTA update, and will likely spread to carrier-branded devices over the next couple weeks. [via Phandroid]
Both Bell and Virgin Mobile Canada are rolling out Gingerbread to its Galaxy S Vibrant. The download is available to any of its users by accessing Samsung Kies. [via MobileSyrup]
HTC began pushing Gingerbread to the Inspire 4G on Monday. If you still haven't received your update OTA yet, instructions can be found on how to do it manually via its website. [Thanks, Brian]
Are you an HTC Desire owner that's been eagerly awaiting Gingerbread? It's here now, but the manufacturer isn't going to push it out OTA -- rather, you'll need to do it on your own, so head to the via for a video tutorial on how to do it step-by-step. [via PocketNow]
T-Mobile has announced that its OTA Gingerbread rollout for the G2x is now officially over. If you missed your opportunity, you may still download it using the LG updater tool. [via TmoNews]
This is definitely a rumor, but an HTC support rep apparently emailed a concerned Incredible user to assure them that Gingerbread was still indeed in the plans for the year-old device. No timeframe was given, however. [via Phandroid]
AT&T took to its Twitter account to state that the Infuse 4G is on track to receive Gingerbread sometime this month. [via AndroidCentral]

Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc. hackery

We heard last week that the Motorola Photon 4G had been rooted, but it required the use of the phone's fancy (and expensive) HD dock. This obstacle has since been removed, and you can root your brand new phone without it. [via AndroidCentral]
Speaking of the Photon 4G, a System Boot File (SBF) is now available for the device. The SBF is a backup that comes in handy if something goes awry and your phone ends up getting bricked. By using the SBF, your phone will be restored back to its original factory defaults. [via SprintFeed]
A dev preview of CyanogenMod 7 for the HTC Sensation 4G is now being shown at a YouTube near you.
Did someone say CyanogenMod 7? Well, this week also witnessed a user updating their Motorola Triumph to Android 2.3.5, but almost nothing works properly on it; since the kernel source hasn't been released for it yet, the update isn't quite up to par. CM7 is also said to be coming to the Motorola Atrix 4G and LG Optimus 3D soon as well. [via Phandroid]

Other platforms

The tools used to flash Windows Phone Mango's RTM version has been leaked, and you can find instructions on how to get it on this XDA thread. Remember that you do this at your own risk. [via WMPowerUser]
A few rumors circulated the web this week that Mango would be released on September 1. WP7's own Joe Belfiore was the one responsible for shooting down that rumor via Twitter. [via WMPowerUser]

Filed under: Mobile

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Refresh Roundup: week of August 1, 2011

Brad Molen — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 10:00:00 -0400

Verizon and Motorola have finally begun rolling out the Gingerbread update for the Motorola Droid X2. [via PCMag]
Sticking with Verizon, the LG Revolution is in the process of receiving maintenance update VS910ZV6, which consists of a few new features and bug fixes. This is not a major refresh. [via AndroidCentral]
The HTC Desire Z has been updated to Gingerbread in the UK. As of now, only those devices without carrier branding are seeing the OTA show up. [via PocketNow]

Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery

Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, Neo, and Arc should soon be added to the CyanogenMod repository. Once approved, we'll likely see nightlies appear in the near future. [via PocketNow]
Did somebody say Xperia Play? Yes, we did. It looks like the phone's finally been rooted, and the bootloader's been cracked. [via Droid-Life]
The Motorola Photon 4G came out last Sunday, but XDA was able to root it within a couple days. [via SprintFeed]
XDA's also the provider of a Froyo update to the Samsung Continuum. [via XDA]
Along with an official update for the Droid X2, an SBF is now available for download. [via Droid-Life]

Other platforms

The Dark Forces Team has released tools to enable custom ROMs to be used on your first-gen Windows Phone device. Currently, the supported phones are: the HTC Mozart, HTC Surround, HTC Trophy (excluding Verizon's version), and the HTC 7 Pro (excluding the HTC Arrive). [via Windows Phone Hacker]
Shortly after this, the HTC HD7 also got its first custom ROM courtesy of XDA. The downloadable package consists of a ChevronWP7 unlock, a Mango Beta 2 update, and the ROM. Head over to XDA to grab it. [via Windows Phone Daily]

Filed under: Mobile

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Motorola Photon 4G ready for order on Sprint's site

Brad Molen — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:05:00 -0400

Between the quarterly earnings and the LightSquared agreement, it's been an roller coaster day for Sprint and high noon is still nigh. Adding to the craziness, the Motorola Photon 4G -- officially in stores on July 31st -- is now available for order on Sprint's online store. Early adopters from coast to coast can get their grubby hands on the device for $200, which will give you a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 CPU, 1GB of RAM, Android 2.3 pre-installed, and 4G connectivity (among plenty of other goodies). 'Course, the Now Network's evident 4G switchover may dissuade a few of us from committing to WiMAX for a full two years, but we digress.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Mobile

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Motorola Photon 4G gets the bargain bin treatment at Wirefly, Walmart

Joseph Volpe — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 02:12:00 -0400

Pew pew. Those are the sounds we instantly hear whenever we come across Motorola's Photon 4G. Sadly, the soon-to-be dual-core star of Sprint's smartphone lineup won't come pre-loaded with a laser soundboard on July 31st, but it can be pre-ordered now -- for a significant markdown. All it takes is a quick internetting trip to either Wirefly or Walmart, where this WiMAX handset's up for a $20 - $40 discount. It's not a massive price chop on par with free, but it should move some yellow-tinged operator inventory. If walking the straight and narrow's your bag, you could still always opt for the direct carrier two-year contract option -- but why? Hit the source to get yourself in line for this cut-rate beast.

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Motorola's Photon 4G ships to Sprint on July 31st: $200 on contract

Brad Molen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:57:00 -0400

Too often, "expected summer launches" translate into "the very last day possible," so we were happy to learn that Sprint's latest collaboration with Motorola, the Photon 4G, will be available July 31st for the usual $200 on contract. To say the upcoming Android device will come loaded is an understatement: it'll ship with Gingerbread, a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz CPU, one full GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display, dual cameras (8 megapixel rear, VGA front) and 16GB of internal memory. Not surprisingly, Sprint's also integrating its signature Sprint ID feature into the user interface. While the device will be available to the general public on July 31st, Premier Customers will have the golden opportunity to get it online three days earlier. If you were perched on the fence about the HTC EVO 3D, this may be the only Sprint phone that's ready to push you in either direction. Full PR following the break.

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