motorola xoom 2
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Refresh Roundup: week of October 8th, 2012
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!
Motorola Xoom 2 says buongiorno to Alitalia's cockpits and cabins (video)
It won't just be Apple and Samsung cornering the in-air tablet market -- Motorola has scored a deal with Alitalia to put the Xoom 2 into every aspect of the Italian airline's flights. Passengers riding high in the Business and Magnifica classes on longer Middle Eastern and Russian flights will now get to use the Android slate if the aircraft doesn't already have an in-flight entertainment system. At the front, attendants will get a passenger manifest app that lets them scratch travelers' itches based on their flight history. And just to form the triumvirate that Italy loves so well, Alitalia will outfit 10 of its lounges with the current Xoom to keep well-heeled passengers on top of the news before they board. There's no word on expansion plans that would let us play FIFA on that next JFK-to-Rome trip, but we can always brush up on our Italian through an illustrative video below.
How would you change Motorola's Xoom 2?
Motorola's Xoom 2 is, undeniably a strong tablet. It was able to beat a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Transformer Prime in some of our performance tests, battery life is around nine hours and it's nearly running a pure version of Honeycomb. We're a big fan of that display, but less so its unnatural attraction to fingerprints. As we sit anxiously waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich to make its belated way onto the slate, we want to know: what do you think works, what did Motorola scrimp on and what would you change to make it a better device?
Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 hands-on impressions (video)
Don't call it a comeback, it's a Xyboard -- Motorola's rebranded (for the US, anyway) Xoom 2. A 10.1-inch attempt at sidestepping the original Xoom's notoriety. With baked-in LTE of the Verizon variety, a slimmer waistline and a distinctive design, this Android 3.2 tablet could very well inject a dose of excitement back into the company's flagging category appeal. But with the spotlight-stealing ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime already on the map and dazzling consumers with its notebook-like functionality, will anyone even notice Moto's second swing at Honeycomb? Are LTE speeds and an improved silhouette enough to lure wayward users back into the company's willing embrace? Does anyone even care about non-Ice Cream Sandwich tablets? Read on as we explore the odd ends and angles of this curiously-shaped slate. %Gallery-142343%
Motorola Xoom tablet gets an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover with 4.0.3
Only a day after Google released Android version 4.0.3, one XDA developer has already installed it on his Motorola Xoom WiFi tablet -- making it the first slate to run the frosty Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. Of course, trendsetting is nothing new for the Xoom, which was also the first to ship with Honeycomb's sweetness back in February. Being first does have its disadvantages, though, as some of the features like the camera don't work, and there seems to be a green overlay on the screen from time to time. If you're willing to overlook these early adopter flaws, head on over to the source to satisfy your ICS-inspired sweet tooth and try it for yourself.
Motorola Xoom 2 review
Motorola's Xoom 2 arrives at a point where Apple's iPad (first- or second-generation...) still dominates the tablet market. The original Xoom was the first tablet to arrive with Android Honeycomb, an OS dedicated to the tablet form. In the months since we gave it a middling review, plenty more tablets arrived, faster, thinner, and more longevous (like the Galaxy Tab 10.1). So what now? Well, Motorola has recast its Xoom: it's made it faster, slimmer and lighter. They've beefed up the disappointing screen found on the original, it's now a Gorilla Glass-coated IPS screen that promises 178-degree viewing angles. But Motorola has also cut more corners than the four you see before you -- ones that it hopes customers won't miss. However, with a certain quad-cored, ICS-imminent transforming tablet already stealing the hearts of many an Engadget reader (and editor), does this slimline sequel do enough to make up for its past mistakes? Is there now enough in the Android market to make Google-powered tablets a viable alternative to the iPad? Is £396 ($620) now too much to pay for a 16GB Android tablet that's merely dual-core? We'll be sure to try and answer all these right after the break. %Gallery-140928%
Motorola Xoom 2 unboxing and first impressions (video)
What's this oddly curved box we see before us? Ah, yes, it's Motorola's (joint) second attempt at the Android tablet game. The Xoom 2 is another 10.1-inch widescreen Honeycomb offering, looking to make up for the lost opportunities of its predecessor -- slimmer, faster and certainly packing more vertices. While we put it through its paces, we thought you'd appreciated some close-up shots with what appears to be the final retail model. First impressions? Those corners certainly do help keep it in our hands, and performance seemed suitably speedy. It's worth noting that -- at least on first impressions -- Motorola hasn't tampered excessively with the Honeycomb, something we weren't too happy about on Moto's Droid RAZR. We also suspect that splash-proof nanotech coating could also be acting as fingerprint magnet. Delve into the secrets of the fitted retail box, some tablet comparisons and a touching reunion with its smartphone sibling in our gallery below, or catch a brief video tour after the break. %Gallery-140523%
Motorola Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition get official (video)
Not exactly one for the shocking column here, but Motorola has officially revealed the Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition today.The Xoom 2 rocks a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 3.2, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a 10.1-inch display.It also offers up front and rear-facing cameras at 1.3 megapixel and five megapixel, respectively, Motorola Xoom 2 hands-on (video) Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition hands-on (video) Motorola's Xoom 2 tablets pair up for a portrait, both at around 9mm thick plus Motorola's new Splash-guard protection. The Xoom 2 Media Edition features similar specs, save for its 8.2-inch display size, which, like the standard Xoom 2, has Gorilla Glass protection. It also promises a 20-percent improvement over the original Xoom in the graphics department, which, along with a 178 degree viewing angle make the tablet optimized for media consumption, as the name implies. Thus far, availability for the similarly named tablets has only been announced in the UK and Ireland, where the WiFi versions hit around the middle of this month through retailers like Carphone Warehouse. Update: For those wondering, Motorola has now confirmed to Pocket-lint that both tablets will indeed be getting an Ice Cream Sandwich update, which should come six weeks after Motorola receives the goods from Google (although it's not clear when that will happen).%Gallery-138297%
Motorola Xoom 2 officially priced at 400 Euros, coming this Christmas to Carphone Warehouse
For those unaware, Carphone Warehouse is a warehouse that sells carphones in Europe, Jupiter and other locales in the known galaxy. It also sells smartphones and tablets. And according to the leaked flyer that we've acquired, the long-awaited Motorola Xoom 2 (or Xoom II, as it were) will be landing in Ireland before Christmas. The price? €399.90, or around $545, for the WiFi-only edition with 16GB of inbuilt storage. Other specs include Android 3.2 (what, no Ice Cream Sandwich?), an 8.2-inch touchpanel, and much, much more. In fact, CW calls it "everything a tablet should be." Truth in advertising? You be the judge. [Thanks, Artyom]
Mystery Motorola devices headed for Verizon, could be the long-awaited Xoom 2s?
Is Big Red gearing up for a tag team Moto tablet refresh? From the looks of this internal screen grab (and the oodles of pre-release leaks), that may very well be the case. Despite the lack of official confirmation from both parties, we're pretty certain those two mystery model numbers shown above -- MZ617 and MZ609 -- belong to the oft in-the-wild spotted Xoom 2 and its 8.2-inch "Media Edition" sibling. Unfortunately, that listed October 23rd date has come and gone with nary a mention of the slates' existence, so we'll just have to content ourselves with evidence of their apparent 4G capabilities and storage configurations. Folks keen to snag the full-fledged 10.1-incher will purportedly be able to select from 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, whereas lil' bro Fleming offers up 16GB and 32GB options. With Google's Motorola acquisition looming overhead, these could be your go-to tabs for an unadulterated Ice Cream Sandwich experience. And, hey, at least they'll ship with LTE this time.
Mystery Moto tablet swings through the FCC, refuses to take any questions
What exactly is this mystery device that just shuffled through the FCC? Well, it's definitely a Motorola tablet and a member of the Xoom family, but beyond that we can't tell you much. The FCC ID, which ends in 56MJ3, makes it clear that this is part of Moto's flagship tablet line, but whether this an upcoming Xoom 2 or simply a souped up variant of the original Honeycomb slate is unclear. The filing makes no mention of cellular connectivity, only WiFi and Bluetooth, but that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any on board. We do know that, whatever this turns out to be, it sports an HDMI out, 1GB of RAM, a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU, a 1200 x 800 screen and comes in 16, 32 and 64GB varieties. If you're in the mood to dig through the test reports yourself, check out the source link.
Motorola's Faster. Thinner. Smarter. Stronger. event liveblog!
The countdown is almost at an end. And that means it's time for some serious Daft Punk-referencing Motorola action. What can we expect today? The Spyder / Droid RAZR handset? The sequel to the Xoom? Perhaps an early taste of Ice Cream Sandwich? All of these answers and more will be revealed at 12PM ET. Psst... and toss your own time zone / day in comments below! 06:00AM - Hawaii (October 18th) 09:00AM - Pacific (October 18th) 10:00AM - Mountain (October 18th) 11:00AM - Central (October 18th) 12:00PM - Eastern (October 18th) 05:00PM - London (October 18th) 06:00PM - Paris (October 18th) 08:00PM - Moscow (October 18th) 01:00AM - Tokyo (October 19th) Photos by Zach Honig.
Motorola's Android future to be revealed later today, get your liveblog here!
Promising us something faster, thinner and stronger later today, Motorola has paired up with Verizon to make some big announcements. We're going to be smack dab in the middle of it all, chronicling every little detail on our liveblog. "Sandwiched" between Blackberry's DevCon and another dynamic duo, we're still intrigued as to what (or even how many) phones and tablets Moto has crammed up their capacious Google-monogrammed sleeves. Could it spoil Samsung's party with some Ice Cream Sandwich news of its own? Who knows, but it's going to be a hectic day for tech news. Best grab another cup of coffee, and bookmark this page to keep up. Feel free to throw your time zone and day in the comments below, we may even +1 you if you do. 06:00AM - Hawaii (October 18th) 09:00AM - Pacific (October 18th) 10:00AM - Mountain (October 18th) 11:00AM - Central (October 18th) 12:00PM - Eastern (October 18th) 05:00PM - London (October 18th) 06:00PM - Paris (October 18th) 08:00PM - Moscow (October 18th) 01:00AM - Tokyo (October 19th)
Motorola teaser counts down to ICS event date, ends a few hours early (video)
Motorola just unleashed a countdown clock for its Daft Punk-esque tease: Faster. Thinner. Smarter. Stronger. We already knew the Spyder was on its way, but we noticed that the clock stops dangerously close to the Google / Samsung Ice Cream Sandwich event set for this Tuesday, missing the mark by only seven hours. We can't say for sure that Motorola is trying get in on the Google magic, but if it wants to push its news during the same business day, it makes sense for them to reveal their goods ahead of the event's 10pm showtime. The teaser's epileptic flash of buzzword images doesn't tell us much, but it ends with a speedy bullet smartly slicing through the event date. Hit the break to see for yourself, we'll let you make your own connections between that date-slice happy bullet and the Droid HD's alternate names. [Thanks, Robert]
Motorola Spyder and Xoom 2 turn up in more leaked shots
We've already seen Motorola's new Xoom 2 tablet(s) and Spyder smartphone (otherwise known as the Droid HD) turn up in a few leaked shots, and we've now received a handful more that are said to show both devices in their near final form. That includes a Verizon logo on both the front and back of the Spyder for the first time (though that's not exactly unexpected), and the Xoom 2 (the 8.2-inch version in this case) is said to be in "better shape" than the earlier prototypes, which had apparently been suffering from some rather serious bugs. As you can see above, the Spyder also has what appears to be a slightly more tactile back, which could well be the Kevlar coating that's been rumored for the phone. Interestingly, our tipster also says that the processor in this particular Spyder is clocked at 1.5GHz, although the final version will apparently indeed be 1.2GHz, as the earlier leaks have suggested. Check out the gallery below for a closer look at both devices.%Gallery-136288%
Motorola Spyder to be introduced on October 18, keeps its clothes on in video tease
Well, well. It looks like Motorola and Verizon Wireless are about ready to unveil something big. Something faster, thinner, smarter and stronger, to be precise. While that invite up there hints rather coyly at a new handset, a little digging confirmed this is, indeed, the LTE-packing Motorola Spyder, whose first-of-its-kind 4.3-inch, 960 x 540 qHD Super AMOLED display surfaced in leak shots last month. How do we know? Well, when we opened the invite in our browser and saved the image to our desktop, we noticed Moto's own PR team had labeled the photo "spyderlaunchinvite." So that's what we're betting on seeing that day, though it's less clear if it'll bear the name Spyder or Droid RAZR, as rumored (that familiar red light in the photo suggests it might well be part of the Droid family). And who knows what else the two companies have in store? The Atrix 2, perhaps? The Xoom 2? The Xoom 2 Media Edition? The Xoom Family Edition?! We'll find out at the event next week, where we'll be liveblogging, giving you the blow-by-blow. Until then, peep the video after the break if you're down for parsing a 35-second teaser.
Motorola's Xoom 2 tablets pair up for a portrait, both at around 9mm thick
There's nothing like a family portrait, and the Xoom 2 brothers have paired up for this year's Christmas card shot -- or at least for an anonymous tipster's latest leak. These pictured tablets give us a better look at the rear-facing buttons we heard about last week, which appear to be a power button and a volume rocker. The smaller sibling sports the same "Fleming" moniker we saw in yesterday's images, the same 8.2-inch screen size as previously reported, and appears to be about as thick as a 9.3mm iPhone 4. Combining with This is My Next's intel, it appears that both tablets are of very similar thickness. Around back? A few stickers, again spelling out the smaller tablet's codename and outing LTE compatibility. Interestingly, our tipster tells us that both slates share the Fleming codename, along with Android 3.2 goodness and five-megapixel HD cameras on the rear, though both prototypes are also "buggy as all hell, with frequent reboots and crashes." This could mean that we're still some time away from seeing the original Xoom's successors, so for now, check out our gallery below to get an eyeful for yourself. Update: Our tipster has confirmed LTE for both devices. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-134813%
Motorola Xoom 2 evidence mounts -- new photos, rumored specs and a Media Edition?
Talk of a younger, slimmer Motorola Xoom just keeps on coming. A helpful tipster is adding fuel to the rumors of a Xoom 2 with these shots of a similar, but not exactly identical Motorola tablet. When compared to the images we saw yesterday, this unnamed Android 3.2 slate looks a tad less polished in the rear and seems to favor a portrait format, with the camera resting up top. What's more, our source says the slab appears to be smaller than what we've already seen, which could line up with a report from This Is My Next, pegging a Xoom 2 Media Edition. That device is rumored to have an 8.2-inch HD IPS display and weigh .95 pounds. It is apparently being billed as an "e-reader replacement," and comes with an onboard IR remote and subwoofer. In further Xoom 2 news, TIMN is saying the classic version will measure 9mm thick, pack a 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, and enable 1080p video recording. If all of that isn't enough to satisfy your Motorola-tablet craving, we've got a gallery of photos below.%Gallery-134781% [Thanks, Anon]
Is this the Motorola Xoom 2?
Who's looking sleek in angled corners? Why, it's the Motorola Xoom 2 -- at least it might be, according to Droid-Life and the folks that leaked it the above image. The outfit's informant tells them that the pictured device is flaunting micro-USB and HDMI ports, a SIM card slot and a few large, flush buttons on its back. Is it the real deal? Well, we can't say it looks much like Verizon's door-destroying tablet, or even the shy slate that we spied on Motorola Mobility's leaked website redesign -- but we wouldn't put too much stock into ambiguous renders and inconclusive advertisements anyway. There's one more image after the break for those of you that are into rear-facing cameras and "confidential" engravings.
