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Motorola Devour review
While Motorola's vanilla-Android Droid has become the most recognizable Android device on the market -- thanks in part to a bombastic ad campaign -- Motorola's primary focus has been on its own custom Blur UI. At least, if quantity of devices are any indication. Hitting Verizon just as the Blur-powered Backflip heads to AT&T, the new Motorola Devour is an odd cross section of the "consumery" Backflip and Cliq, and the high-end Droid slider. We've been playing with the phone for a week or so (you can find our initial hands-on, video walkthrough and unboxing here), so follow us after the break as we walk through the triumphs and tragedy that is this device. %Gallery-86221%
T-Mobile's CLIQ XT pamphlet out and about
Want to know how to sell Motorola's CLIQ XT for T-Mobile in 60 seconds? Look no further than this pamphlet that's circulating now that the carrier is (well, probably is) just days away from release, where we learn all about its 3.1-inch display, touch controls, Flash Lite support (avert your eyes, CLIQ users), and pinch-and-zoom browser navigation, all paired up with a 5 megapixel camera and that love-it-or-hate-it Blur skin atop Android 1.5. Between that little pitch and the gallery down below, we figure it'll take you about 60 seconds to finish flipping through the whole mess -- so are you sold, or what? [Thanks, anonymous tipster] %Gallery-87719%
Hands-on: Blur multiplayer beta
While Blur's aesthetic is devoid of rainbow bridges and adorable car-icatures, it's undoubtedly a kart racer -- albeit one that feels like it was made for people who don't like kart racers. Or those bloody blue shells. The power-ups you'll pick up on the track can still knock competitors straight to last place, but opponents' fates aren't immutable once you send pulsating red orbs or bolts of electricity their way. Power-ups can be dodged before they grow too large in the rear-view mirror, or cancelled out by the blast of another weapon. It feels considerably more balanced and less random than the likes of Mario Kart, and being granted some measure of recourse makes it less frustrating when someone sends you hurtling to the back of the racing pack. %Gallery-63796%
Motorola Backflip now on sale at AT&T
Heads-up, kids -- AT&T's first-ever slice of Android is now available. Just let that sink in a minute. Feels good, doesn't it? Motorola's Backflip has gone on sale just as promised, and that debatably awesome Blur action can be yours for $99.99 after mail-in rebate and a 2-year agreement. So, you pulling the trigger, or you are you waiting for whatever Dell and / or HTC are bringing to the party? [Thanks, mittens]
No launch DLC for Blur, but there will be plenty
Blur has been in development at Bizarre Creations for at least a year now, and probably even longer, but in all of that time, no one in the studio has worked on any DLC, according to lead designer Ged Talbot speaking to MTV Multiplayer. While the title does have some in-game pre-order bonuses ready to go, there won't be any launch DLC, so you'll have to be satisfied with the 50 cars and 30 racing locales coming on the disc for a little while. But Talbot does say that Bizarre will be releasing additional content soon after the game goes on sale, and that "it's always been a massive part of the strategy to support the game with DLC." Your late '92 baby blue Subaru might not be in there right now, but just be patient, baby -- it's coming for you.
Blur issues Twitter challenges between friends, across platforms
Not only are the cats and dogs living together, but they're using Twitter. According to MTV Multiplayer, upcoming racer Blur will allow some social interaction not only between players, but between different platforms. Whether you're on Xbox Live -- silver or gold -- or PlayStation 3, you'll be able to issue competitive challenges to friends, with Twitter acting as a neutral intermediary. Think of it as that time you had to pass messages between your feuding parents, only you're telling Dad that Mom just utterly destroyed his pathetic lap record. Speaking at a Blur presentation, lead designer Gareth Wilson offered an interesting anecdote as explanation: "I've got a friend from university who lives in Australia, and I can't play with him, because he's available at night time when I'm sleeping. So the Friends Challenge thing was really, 'How do we get people together to play who might not be able to.'" And while PS3 and Xbox 360 racers might not be able to play together in real time once the game launches on May 25, Bizarre Creations thinks of the Twitter connection as an innovative way to foster some healthy, cross-platform rivalry. Wilson also notes that the social integration won't be a "horrible, spammy thing." So no Facebook support, then.
Motorola Backflip, DEXT, and Quench all inbound for Canada in the first half of the year
Without naming names, Motorola's Canadian outpost dropped some teasers today that versions of all three of its midrange Blur-powered Android handsets for GSM networks -- the Backflip, DEXT, and Quench -- will be coming to the country in the first half of 2010. What's more, they'll be hitting "all three national wireless carriers" -- a little bit of a slap for Mobilicity and WIND, yes, but generally good news for the overwhelming majority of subscribers. Perhaps the most interesting bit here is that they've called out the DEXT by name, continuing Moto's tradition of going with European branding over American for its Canadian launches, a trend started by Telus' Milestone. We don't yet know which carrier will get which phone, what they'll retail for, or precisely when they'll be on shelves, but needless to say, the Google-powered situation north of the border just got a whole lot prettier.
Blur arrives May 25 in the U.S., May 28 in Europe
Click image to slide into our gallery With the Blur multiplayer beta going live on March 8, we're anxious to get some quality time with Bizarre Creations' upcoming racer. In the interim, the game's official blog details what players can expect from the beta, but perhaps more interesting is what's tucked at the bottom of the update: a release date of May 25. Europeans will have to wait a few extra days, as the game won't be in shops until May 28 over there. While you wait, might we suggest you check out some new screens in our gallery below? That is, if you want to -- no pressure or anything! %Gallery-87187%
Motorola Backflip for AT&T unboxing and hands-on
We've just taken delivery of an AT&T-branded Motorola Backflip -- the carrier's very first Android device -- and we wanted to share with you our magical first moments putting the phone through its paces. Here's a quick rundown of our first impressions: It feels solidly-built -- probably a notch better than the CLIQ. There's no wiggle or weirdness in the hinge whatsoever. Of course, we know from personal experience that "feels solidly-built" doesn't necessarily mean it is solidly-built, so the jury's still out on how it'll hold up with regular use, especially with the keyboard exposed full-time. Opening and closing the phone isn't a natural one-handed operation, unless you're comfortable putting it at extreme risk of an unfortunate tumble. It's laggy right out of the box, which doesn't bode well for usability once you load it up with your own apps. Of course, it uses exactly the same processor as the CLIQ, so that doesn't come as a surprise. It's filled to the brim with pre-loaded AT&T stuff: AllSport GPS, AT&T Maps, AT&T Music (which takes the place of the standard Music app), AT&T Navigator, AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, Mobile Banking, MobiTV, MusicID, Where, and YPmobile. We strongly prefer the approach of offering a special branded Android Market portal where you can download your carrier's recommended apps. Blur looks and feels the same as it does on the CLIQ, though the main Blur widgets -- Social Status, Messages, and Happenings -- have been moved one home screen left of the main one (we prefer this configuration anyhow). Yahoo has replaced Google as the default search provider throughout the phone. It's crazy: the home screen widget, the browser, everything's been programmed to use Yahoo. We love us some irony, but golly, we'd prefer Google searches most of the time. It spontaneously rebooted for us once in about an hour of use -- a concerning sign, particularly considering Motorola's inability to pump out a solid firmware for the CLIQ -- but we'll need a little more time with it. Want more right now? Follow the break for some more impressions, video, and a sample shot from the camera.%Gallery-86751%
T-Mobile CLIQ XT spotted in the wild
Looks like the Motorola CLIQ XT / Quench is getting closer to its US debut -- here it is all dressed up in T-Mobile branding. We've already done a full video hands-on with this bad boy, so we'll just point you to that for the full rundown, and to the read link for a few more pics.
New Blur trailer meant to be watched with friends
If you and your buddies were wondering what the upcoming real-life kart racer (with realistic cars), Blur, has to offer in terms of multiplayer content, the latest trailer for the game was made specifically with y'all in mind. Like Super Mario Kart -- the game is often said to be a direct inspiration for Bizarre Creations' latest endeavor -- local split-screen seems to be a prominent component of the multiplayer experience, unlike the online-focused games we're so used to at this point. Oddly, though, the trailer speaks repeatedly of the "social" aspect of the game, while no mention whatsoever of any online components are made (and what of that multiplayer beta, eh?). We're not exactly flummoxed quite yet though, as Blur still only has a "2010" release window and we've hardly seen it since last year's PAX Prime. That could always be, though, that, you know, we missed it. It is a blur, after all. %Gallery-63796%
Motorola Devours seven minutes of your life with a phone demo (video)
We're only a few breathless days away from the Devour hitting some retail locations ahead of nationwide US availability in March, so what better way to fill that gap than with an official teaser video? Moto's Rick Osterloh is our tour guide in a seven minute hands-on demo of the device, which takes us through the major attractions on offer. He firstly calls out the Qualcomm CPU inside and points to the phone's responsiveness, which is (quite naturally) followed by a couple of instances of perceptible lag between his input and the phone's reaction. All the same, it does look like a sprightly little machine, and the inclusion of Blur, Google Maps Navigation with turn-by-turn voice instructions, and Moto Phone Portal makes for a compelling software package. Head past the break to see them in action and to catch another eyeful of the hardware as well. [Thanks, Zach A.]
Motorola Devour in the wild once again
We've already seen the Motorola Devour in the wild once, but with the official Verizon launch right around the corner and pre-sales underway, it looks like at least one more unit has made it out into the world. Great -- but we'd like a video of this thing and its mid-range processor running Flash, please. [Thanks, Zach]
Motorola cable boxes to get Blur, connect with phones
Now that Moto's phone and set-top box divisions are being split out into their own company, it looks like there's some convergence afoot: the MOTOBLUR interface found on the CLIQ and the Backflip is currently being tested on the company's cable boxes with a tentative release scheduled for this year. That's the word according to CEO Sanjay Jha, who also told the Wall Street Journal that he wants Moto's phones and set-top boxes to eventually support a common platform so they can "share media and features" -- lending credence to those old rumors about Android-powered Moto cable boxes. Of course, getting custom software on cable boxes requires negotiating with cable companies, which is an even slower and tougher process than working with cell carriers, so we're not holding out hope that we'll see the fruits of this labor any time soon -- but it's nice to think about, isn't it?
Best Buy kicks off Motorola Devour pre-sale, no rebate required
You'll still have to wait until February 25th to actually get your hands on one, but those not wanting to take any chances on missing out on the Motorola Devour can now head down to their local Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile store and reserve one starting today. The only catch is that you'll have to buy a $50 Best Buy gift card to hold your spot for the phone, but the good news is that you won't have to deal with any of those pesky mail-in rebates -- just a simple instant discount at the check-out. Curiously though, while Best Buy will gladly sell you a $50 gift card, it's still not saying exactly much the phone itself will actually cost -- here''s hoping we hear more about that before you actually wind up in the check-out line.
Activision: Blur multiplayer beta focusing in on March
During its 2009 financial earnings report, Activision CEO Michael Griffith noted that Bizarre Creations' recently-delayed Blur would have a multiplayer beta available next month. No specific platforms were mentioned, though a recent German rating suggests it will at least be on the Xbox 360. We don't think it'll end up being exclusive to Microsoft's platform -- after all, you might as well test multiplayer on all the systems a game will be released on, if you're running a beta -- but there's currently no indication to suggest otherwise. All Griffith said was that there would be a beta.
Blur developer diary explains plot, player progression
Yes, Bizarre Creations' fast-paced, Mario Kart-esque combat racer Blur will apparently have a story, according to the trailer above. We're just as surprised as you! Frankly, we expected the game to be completely plotless, unless you consider "you're a guy who doesn't like being blown up or not finishing in first place" a plot, which we don't. Check out the trailer above to get a brief taste of what the game's story and character progression will entail. We guess we're okay with these two elements being present in the game -- provided they don't provide long pauses between our drivefights.
Motorola Backflip promo spot reminds us what rock and roll is all about
Remember when men were men and guitar riffs were boring and mindless? Moto does. The company has thrown together a little animated spot demonstrating its new Backflip handset. If you're the sort of person who has trouble conceptualizing objects in 3D space -- particularly objects that run Moto Blur and have an oddly oriented keyboard that flips backwards to face out from the back of the device -- this video should work wonders for you. If you're the sort of person who burned your Big Muff fuzzbox in effigy on New Year's Eve, you might want to rip your computer speakers out right about now. Video is after the break, and don't forget to check out our hands-on with the phone for a deeper, more staid look.
Motorola Backflip hands-on
We're not quite sure what to make of the Backflip just yet -- closed, it looks almost exactly like a CLIQ, but the keyboard (which rests on the outside of the device) is allegedly rugged enough to withstand a beating. Rugged or not, we're worried about feel -- believe it or not, it has even less tactile response to it than the Droid, putting it a distant third in Moto's QWERTY Android efforts so far. Obviously we'll need a good deal more time to gel our opinion, but out of the gate, we're not encouraged. The touchpad on the back of the screen is... well, interesting, but that's about all we can really say about it at this point -- as Sanjay said during the keynote, it'll be up to devs utilizing Moto's API to do the really awesome stuff with it. In the meantime, it acts exactly as you'd expect a trackball or optical pad to work on Android -- just upside down. In terms of the screen and the Blur experience, it's a dead ringer for the CLIQ, for better or worse -- the big difference, of course, is the fact that the screen can be tilted. The phone's got a sensor so it can detect when the screen's at a 45-degree angle, putting it in a media mode and making it particularly useful as an alarm clock. Would we buy one? We're not sure -- it's no Droid, certainly -- but maybe it doesn't have to be. Check some raw video after the break!%Gallery-81826%
Live from Motorola's CES 2010 press event
We're all set up at Moto's swank event here -- emphasis on "swank," considering we can barely see our hands in front of our faces and the DJ booth is in overdrive -- and the festivities are just about to begin. Stay tuned!