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This is Verizon's Droid Turbo: 5.2-inch Quad HD display, up to 48 hours of battery life
What's black and Kevlar and screams "turbo"? Okay, yes, a modded BMW M3. But also Verizon's latest smartphone, the Droid Turbo by Motorola. Regular Engadget readers assuredly know a lot about this phone already: it's got a 5.2-inch Quad HD AMOLED display covered in Corning's Gorilla Glass 3, a Kevlar back, and an incredibly long battery life. Verizon's touting "up to" 48 hours of power and a quick charge feature that nets "up to 8 hours of use" from a 15-minute charge (using a specific charging cable included with the phone, naturally). The Droid Turbo's not all charge and no oomph: a Snapdragon 805 processor is the heart of the Turbo (a 2.7GHz quad-core CPU) and an Adreno 420 CPU (running at 600MHz) handles graphics on that fancy Quad HD screen. 3GB of RAM handles memory, making all that processor power worth a damn. Should processor speeds not excite you, perhaps megapixel counts will? The camera out back on the Droid Turbo is a whopping 21-megapixels. And yes, relax, your selfies are safe: there's a front-facing camera with 2MP resolution and 1080p video capability.
Leak gives a clearer look at Motorola's upcoming Droid Turbo
So far, the pictures we've seen of Motorola's soon-to-launch Droid Turbo have been... incomplete. You won't have to wonder exactly what this Verizon-only smartphone looks like any longer, though. Evan Blass (@evleaks) has posted a press image (available through Verizon's web code) which provides a good look at the phone, including its frequently elusive front. In short, this is a hybrid between last year's Kevlar-laden Droid Maxx and the styling cues of 2014 Motorola flagships like the new Moto X and Nexus 6. The biggest upgrades over the Maxx are likely to be in the guts, such as the 21-megapixel camera, the rumored Quad HD screen and a speedy Snapdragon 805 chip. Whether or not the Turbo is as tough as it looks, you'll know the full story when the phone launches in nine days.
Verizon's announcing its new Droid on October 28th
It's been leaked to hell and back lately, but no matter - Verizon's finally ready to pull back the curtain on its latest Droid smartphone at an event in New York on October 28. That device is the Droid Turbo, a seemingly super-charged version of this year's Moto X that reportedly wraps an even speedier Snapdragon 805 chipset into a more traditional (some would say more heinous looking) Droid body. No need to lament its looks too much, though: while it keeps the same 5.2-inch screen as the X, Motorola stuck a 21-megapixel rear camera into the Turbo's slimmish chassis, and rumor has it that there's a staggeringly capacious 3,900mAh battery lurking in there to boot. If you've thumbed through our Moto X review, you'll know that those two issues were the only things keeping Moto's newest flagship from smartphone greatness, so forgive us for getting just a little excited to see the Turbo in person. After all, latest year's Droid lineup were just slight variations on the original Moto X theme -- this time Motorola seems to have dramatically upgraded the X formula.
Motorola Droid Turbo (and its 21MP camera) detailed in leaked manual
We caught a brief glimpse of the Droid Turbo late last month, but really: that handful of leaked images didn't do much to whet our whistles. This time though, something a little more substantive has started making the rounds -- the folks over at MotoFirmware obtained the phone's full Verizon user guide (PDF warning) and have posted it for all to enjoy. The 73-page document confirms among other things that the Droid Turbo packs a 5.2-inch display (though we can't tell if it's a Quad HD beast like some rumors have suggested), a 21-megapixel rear camera that shoots 4K video, and the same sort of context-sensitive tricks that the Moto X can pull off. Oh, and that little tease we saw on the official Droid Landing Twitter account? Its not-so-cryptic hints about faster charging have been confirmed too, as the Turbo will come with (what else?) Motorola's forthcoming Turbo Charger in the box. Not a bad deal, consider everyone else will have to shell out $35 for one.
Motorola's new Droid Turbo says hello in leaked photos
Don't fret, Verizon fans: Motorola's long-running line of Droid devices hasn't petered out just yet. It's hard to miss the swirling rumors of an impending Big Red Moto X launch, but a new image obtained by HelloMotoHK lends a little credence to rumors of another Moto handset barreling down the ol' product pipeline. It's (supposedly) the Droid Turbo, yet another Verizon exclusive... and one that might have an awfully beefy slew of components lodged inside the curvaceous, textured shell you see above. Yes, fine, a spy shot of a phone's back might not get you riled up, but some reports suggest it'll pair a Quad HD display with a 2.65GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and a 20-megapixel camera. HelloMoto's report doesn't do much to bear out all that speculation, though it does mention that the screen'll be 5.2-inches diagonal and that the Turbo will have a front-facing speaker. For what it's worth, Verizon has been getting in on the teasing lately, too: The official DroidLanding Twitter account cryptically noted that faster battery charging is a "bigger deal" a few weeks back, so we just may be on the cusp of another big announcement.
Celtic Heroes mobile MMO launches for Android
Celtic Heroes has been doing well enough on the iOS platform that developer One Thumb Mobile is now releasing it for the Android. Published with the popular Unity game engine, Celtic Heroes is a mobile 3D MMO that focuses heavily on a rich fantasy storyline and is said to rival any other browser or desktop MMO. "Our team has created something very special with the launch of our new cross-platform engine," states Executive Producer Paul Simon. "We look forward to massively expanding Celtic Heroes and providing the biggest, most social gaming experience on mobile." You can download Celtic Heroes now for free from the Google Play store or the Apple store. [Thanks for the tip, Dengar!]
Motorola drops device exclusivity from Droid Zap photo sharing app
Would Twitter, Instagram or Vine be any fun if you couldn't participate in the social experience? No, probably not. This is the problem that Motorola's Droid Zap had: it was a unique, localized photo-sharing service that left non-Droid owners out to dry. Users of any Android phone could call up the app and see what other users in a 1,000-foot radius were sharing, but were barred from sharing anything unless their device was Droid-branded. Now, Motorola is finally letting other phone owners become part of the conversation, opening the app's photo-sharing features to all Android devices. Unfortunately, the full experience still isn't available to everyone: the new Zap Zone feature (a timed, live and shared photo album) is exclusive to Droid devices, as is the ability to send videos and regular files. Still, with the ability to participate at least a little, non-Droid users finally have a reason to try the app.
How would you change Motorola's Droid RAZR M?
Before it became the cuddly face of Google's handset business, Motorola had a knack of knocking out sweet hardware at low prices. The RAZR M, for instance, combined a svelte body, 4.3-inch display and a nippy Snapdragon S4. When you factor in the $99 price point, you can see that, while it won't have excited spec-hounds, mainstream users would find much to like in the package -- kinda like the Moto X in that regard. When we reviewed it, we showered it with praise for those reasons, but now that you've had some time to get to know this handset, were we right? Share your experiences on the forum.
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.
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.
Alleged Motorola Droid 5 pics suggest the QWERTY slider still lives
Fans of hardware keyboards have at least one reason to keep rooting for Motorola's Droid line, and these leaked pics suggest it will continue on. Posted on Weibo, these supposed Droid 5 pics show a QWERTY slider that seeming drops the capacitive buttons of its predecessors, and brings wireless charging, NFC and a "shockproof" water / dust resistant design. The laser cut 5-row keyboard we appreciated on the Droid 4 appears to be intact, along with a screen in the 4.3-inch to 4.5-inch range. The conveniently placed Verizon 4G LTE logos also places it as a higher-end companion to the just-announced LG Enact as Android options for fans of hardware keyboards. Any other details are still up in the air, if you have a login for the Chinese social networking service you can check out the source for yourself at the links below.
Motorola Droid Ultra review: a phone that doesn't need to exist
After roughly nine months of almost complete radio silence, Google-owned Motorola suddenly sprang into action by announcing four devices in the space of eight days. The lineup of new smartphones included the much-hyped Moto X and a fresh crop of Droid-branded handsets for Verizon. Interestingly enough, this quadruplet shares many of the same specs; aside from exterior design, screen and battery size, there's very little to distinguish Motorola's latest offerings. The first out of the gate is the Droid Ultra, a 5-inch 720p model wrapped in Kevlar. All told, it's more of a mid-range phone, though its on-contract price of $200 would suggest otherwise. The Droid Ultra is arguably the closest cousin to the Moto X, and because the two have basically the same specs and price, we've been scratching our heads trying to figure out why Motorola needed to make both. Still, we did our due diligence in giving the Ultra the full review treatment. How does it differentiate from Moto's flagship, and does it hold any sort of advantage? Is the device worth paying $200 and agreeing to a two-year contract? Read on as we answer these questions and more.
PSA: Verizon's Motorola Droid Mini begins shipping tomorrow, not August 29th
Product delays are often talked about (and judged) around the interwebs, and thus it's only fair to give a company credit when it plans to deliver something ahead of schedule. As such, those who pre-ordered a Motorola Droid Mini for Verizon will be happy to find out that the 4.3-inch handset will begin shipping tomorrow, August 22nd, instead of August 29th as was originally planned. PhoneArena was the first to spot this tidbit earlier on the network's website, however a Verizon representative has since confirmed to us that the change in dates is indeed true. It's not clear whether the Kevlar-wrapped Droid Mini's also going to be on sale at Verizon's brick-and-mortar stores, but we'll be updating this story if we hear anything.
The Daily Roundup for 08.01.2013
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.
The Daily Roundup for 07.23.2013
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 Mini for Verizon hands-on (video)
Gigantic handsets may be surprisingly popular, but they're hardly appropriate for every smartphone user. Some of us prefer working with a more compact device, and for those customers, Motorola and Verizon have announced the new Droid Mini. The handset, a smaller variant of the Droid Ultra (and Ultra Maxx), stills packs plenty of punch. Moto calls it "compact without compromise," and while there's clearly less screen real estate here than on the larger Droids, it does look like a pretty compelling package. For all intents and purposes, the Mini is a refresh of last year's Droid RAZR M. As expected, the phone packs a 4.3-inch display which, like the RAZR M, its nearly edge-to-edge. Though the Droid Mini retains nearly the same diminutive dimensions as the RAZR M, its overall impression is not as slick-looking. That's due to the glossy, unibody design (still Kevlar) Motorola's opted for on the Mini. Not everything's remained the same, though: the Mini distances itself from the past with a resolution bump to 1,280 x 720, although it reps a TFT display -- not the AMOLED of the Droid Ultra and Maxx. %Gallery-194444%
Motorola Droid Ultra and Droid Maxx for Verizon hands-on (video)
Like clockwork, Motorola and Verizon have refreshed their joint Droid lineup, and we're here to check out all three devices. The two more premium handsets, the Droid Ultra and Droid Maxx, are the most promising of the bunch for advanced users, replacing last year's Droid RAZR HD and RAZR Maxx HD and offering the requisite 4G LTE connectivity. Both of those smartphones were at the top of their game in 2012, and that trend appears to continue here -- the Ultra and Maxx are very similar, with the latter boosting the battery capacity, enabling power users to make it through a full day. Like its predecessors, the Ultra and Droid Maxx (pictured above) sport Kevlar bodies, both of which look sleek and feel sturdy. The Ultra we saw has a glossy red finish, which Motorola helpfully suggested is "a lot like a sports car." The Maxx, on the other hand, has a soft-touch black finish. At any rate, we prefer the Maxx's look; as we've said about Samsung's Galaxy lineup, a glossy, plasticky finish tends to look cheaper. Both phones feature a 10-megapixel camera with a f/2.4 lens; we'll have to wait for our review units to test the shooter's mettle. What the Ultra's design does have going for it, though, is an extra-thin profile. At 7.18mm, it's already being touted as the "thinnest 4G LTE smartphone available." At 4.94 ounces, it feels very light, and though it sports the Droid family's usual boxy form factor, the edges are gently curved to make for a nice fit in the hand. It packs a 5-inch, 720p Super AMOLED display, which, while not quite as pixel-dense as the Mini's 4.3-inch TFT panel, offers crisp images, vibrant colors and wider-than-average viewing angles. The Ultra is priced at $199, 100 bucks higher than the Mini and 100 lower than the Maxx.
Verizon announces the 4.3-inch Motorola Droid Mini, priced at $99 and coming August 29th
Rounding out Verizon's new crop of smartphones is the Droid Mini, which promises to be "compact without compromise," following the well-trodden path of Samsung's smaller Galaxy phones. The Mini has a 4.3-inch screen, making the new Droid bigger than an iPhone but smaller than the other new Droids. As with those bigger devices, you'll get the new Droid Command Center homescreen widget with access to notifications, weather updates and more, as well as quick capture to take photos with a double-shake. You'll also get some deeper Google Now integration, including a new "call my Droid" action that will ring your phone if you ever lose it -- within shouting range, presumably. So far, we know it'll be priced at $99, with sales beginning on August 29th, but we'll be back soon with a hands-on post (and presumably, more specs to go with it). Update: Pre-orders for the device are now live, and with them, the phone's complete specs. Those include a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of onboard storage (with 2GB of RAM), a 2,130mAh battery and a 10-megapixel camera with 1080p video capture.
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.
