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The Droid Maxx 2 is a Moto X Play with loads of Verizon bloatware
Verizon and Motorola didn't just announce the Droid Turbo 2 today — the two smartphone buddies also confirmed the arrival of the Droid Maxx 2. The thing is, the Maxx 2 is really just a Verizon-customized version of the Moto X Play, a neat little mid-range device we reviewed earlier this year. In case you hadn't read Aaron's full report, it's a solid addition to the Moto X line up with a badass battery, and the changes we got in the American version are minimal. Well, most of them are, anyway.
Droid Turbo 2 leak hints at 'shatterproof' screen and Moto Maker
Those rumors of Verizon launching the Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2 at its October 27th event? They just got much more concrete. Droid-Life has obtained leaked promos spilling the beans on both of the carrier-specific Motorola smartphones. As suspected, the Droid Turbo 2 should be advertised as having a "shatterproof" screen -- we're a bit skeptical of that claim, but Big Red will apparently back that up by accepting trade-ins of phones with cracked screens. Even if the display doesn't live up to that billing, though, the new Turbo will reportedly offer Moto Maker customization. Finally, you won't be stuck picking from a handful of black-and-red models while your Moto X-toting friends show off their more colorful devices.
Moto X Play reportedly coming to Verizon as the Droid Maxx 2
When Motorola unveiled the Moto X Play, it left Americans hanging. Would that combination of a big display, mid-tier specs and a huge battery ever reach the US? If you ask Phandroid, the answer is yes -- although it might not show up in the form you'd like. The site's sources claim that the Play will show up on Verizon later this year as the Droid Maxx 2, and that it'll cost the same $300 contract-free as the regular model would if it were officially available in the US. There's no clue as to whether or not it'll be significantly different, although an earlier HellomotoHK leak pointed to Droid-specific backing. Sadly, the apparent leak suggests that you'll still have to go to an importer (or wait for Verizon's exclusive to end, if it ever does) to get the Play in its unaltered form.
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."
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.
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).
Weekly Roundup: iPhone 5s and 5c reviews, Droid Maxx review, iOS 7 available to download, and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Daily Roundup: Motorola Droid Maxx review, Google buys Bump, 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.
Motorola Droid Maxx review
Motorola's Droid phones tend to arrive in packs. The original Droid RAZR was released just a couple months before the Droid RAZR Maxx -- essentially, the RAZR with a larger battery. The next year, the company followed up with the Droid RAZR HD, the RAZR M and the RAZR Maxx HD, the latter of which promised longer battery life. Then, after a long silence, the OEM finally broke its silence this past July. At a press event co-headlined by Verizon, Motorola announced its first products since being acquired by Google, once again choosing to launch three devices. We've already taken a look at the Droid Ultra, and in this review we'll focus on the largest of the trio, appropriately called the Droid Maxx. Despite the fact that all three offer roughly the same mid-range specs, the Maxx stands out from the rest of its siblings thanks to its build, wireless-charging capability and -- surprise! -- its larger battery. But are these three factors important enough to justify paying $300 on-contract, when the Moto X, Droid Ultra and other flagships all cost $100 less? Let's find out.
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!
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).
Verizon debuts the Droid Maxx, the successor to the RAZR Maxx HD (updated)
Fans of Kevlar and long battery life will be happy to hear that Verizon unveiled its latest Maxx, the Droid Maxx, this morning in New York City, and it sports a massive 48-hour battery life. It's apparently 9 percent thinner than last year's counterpart, the RAZR Maxx HD, and it starts at $299 (with the standard two-year contract, naturally) on August 20th. Specifics about which CPU and GPU being used weren't given, though the latest Maxx is reportedly 24 percent faster in the CPU department and 100 percent faster in terms of graphics processing (all on a single SoC, it sounds like). It also features a 10-megapixel camera out back that's capable of shooting 1080p HD video. The new Maxx was unveiled alongside the Droid Mini and Ultra, effectively replacing the RAZR line that debuted last fall. All three new phones come pre-loaded with Google's VR game Ingress, and seemingly all run on Motorola's newly announced X8 computing system. We're still waiting on more detailed specs, but we'll have a hands-on directly from the NYC event coming up shortly. Update 1: Reps at the event tell our on-site staff that the Maxx has a 5-inch screen, and a press release from VZW says it has wireless charging and a 3500mAh battery. Additionally, it can apparently be woken on voice command by saying, "Ok Google Now." Update 2: And now we've got full specs: a 1.7 GHz dual-core CPU with quad-core graphics powers the Maxx, with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory rounding out the list. It's an LTE-enabled phone (naturally) and weighs just under five ounces. Software-wise, it runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2.
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
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.
Motorola 'Droid Maxx' image leaks out, could be extended battery version of Droid Ultra
Closing out a week full of Motorola leaks, @evleaks has posted this image of a device claimed to be the Droid Maxx, due on Verizon later this year and flashing a Kevlar frame with capacitive buttons. Earlier tweets and a source from Droid Life suggest this is the XT1080M, an extended battery version of the Droid Ultra (XT1080) that popped up on Motorola's website. An XT1080 recently appeared in the FCC database as well, spurring rumors we'll see more Droid-branded smartphones on the Big Red carrier very soon. To round out the rumors, the XT1030 is pegged as a Droid Mini, plus the XT1060 Moto X variant for Verizon. There's still no word on specs, but at this rate we'll probably have more info by tomorrow.
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx hands-on (video)
Its showing wasn't as noteworthy as it was last year, but Motorola still at least brought a few new goodies to put on display. The latest major addition to Verizon's Droid Razr family, the Razr Maxx, was on hand, as were the white and purple variants of the original version. So what makes the $300 subsidized Maxx so different from its predecessor? Simply enough, the name is a direct reflection of the phone's battery life, as it sports a thicker (translating to a thickness of 8.99mm, a couple millimeters thicker than the original) 3,300 mAh juicepack that promises an out-of-this-world 21 hour talk time. Sadly, we didn't have 21 full hours to dedicate to testing this claim, but we did have enough time to get a few pictures and a video of the entire Droid Razr family together at last below the break. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
