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Android 4.2 shows up in our server logs, shocks no one
Reports have been circulating that devices running Android 4.2, rumored to be code-named Key Lime Pie (though it's seeming more likely that it will retain the Jelly Bean moniker), have been popping up in server logs and benchmarks across the web. Well, after doing some digging through our own records, we're seeing quite a few instances of hardware running the unannounced Google platform visiting Engadget. Now, we do feel it necessary to add the caveat that there are some strange reports in our logs as well, coming from hardware allegedly running Android 5.0 and 6.0, but we're not convinced of their authenticity. We are, however, fairly certain that the numerous Galaxy Nexii hitting our site sporting Android 4.2, build JOO90B, are legit. We're also seeing a number of occams, potentially an obtuse reference to the RAZR (a Moto Nexus perhaps?) pinging our servers running the same build. Like others, we're seeing reports of the Arc S running 4.2 as well, but upon further investigation it seems more likely that this is a beta of Jelly Bean 4.1 currently being tested by Sony. Obviously, none of this is official, but it only makes the impending release of a new Nexus or Nexii seem all the more likely.
Motorola RAZR HD LTE now available in Canada through Rogers for $100
Motorola had said its dearest RAZR HD LTE would be coming "later this fall" as an exclusive to Rogers, and today's the day that relatively thin and powerful Android handset hits shelves across the border. Available now for $100 (with the obligatory three-year commitment, of course), the RAZR HD LTE will hand interested Canadians a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich (sorry, no Jelly Bean for now), a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD, 720p display and a 1.5GHz, dual-core S4 CPU -- not to mention the ability to surf on Rogers' LTE waves in areas where the network's live. Meanwhile, those who would like to go the "outright" way will have to spend a cool $600 on Moto's Kevlar-sporting slab, but, needless to say, that's the price folks have to pay for walking out the door with a bit of leeway. Usually we'd say you should check out Rogers' website to snag one for yourself, however the site appears to be experiencing some technical difficulties right now -- but, hey, there's always the good ol' brick-and-mortar store.
Motorola RAZR i review: how does the Droid RAZR M fare with a 2GHz Intel processor inside?
More Info Motorola and Intel hold hands for multi-year, multi-device partnership Motorola announces Intel-powered RAZR i, launches in Europe next month Motorola's RAZR i: benchmarking Intel's first 2GHz Medfield smartphone If you're getting a serious dose of déjà vu, we're right there with you. The RAZR i is a version of Motorola's Droid RAZR M that's headed to Europe and South America with a few differences. For the most part, though, it's cut from the same Kevlar cloth: you get a 4.3-inch AMOLED screen with qHD (960 x 540) resolution, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2,000mAh battery and 5GB of built-in storage -- with a microSD slot for expansion. So what's different? On the outside, the RAZR i gets a physical, two-stage camera button. It's a welcome addition, but Intel reckons that its 2GHz processor is what you should be concerned with. It's the highest-clocked Medfield processor we've seen yet -- and perhaps more importantly, it's been placed in a core phone-maker's device. We've already come a long way from the Orange-branded San Diego. So how does this compare to the Qualcomm-powered (and LTE-capable) RAZR M? Will this Intel iteration charm us the same way? Join us after the break to find out.%Gallery-166372%
UK pricing begins to filter out for Motorola's Intel-powered RAZR i smartphone
Soon after it's unveiling, the Intel-based RAZR i showed up in Clove's listings with a SIM-free price of £342, and now it looks as if a few more outlets are pushing pricing details to the world. Expected to storm the UK in October, the phone should ship to Virgin Media customers for around £23 per month on its Premiere Tariff, while T-Mobilers will be able to score one for £0 to £31 per month depending on the contract. All told, not too shabby for the world's first 2GHz Atom-backed Android phone, and if you're eager to push all of this iPhone 5 stuff aside, at least you know precisely how many quid to save up between now and next month.
Motorola's rebate site goes live: $100 credit if you need to upgrade to get Jelly Bean
During Motorola's keynote on Wednesday, the company announced a nice little bonus for loyal fans -- should your 2011-or-later handset not receive a Jelly Bean update, you'll get $100 if you upgrade to one of its new models. Well, a website for the deal has gone live and the initial Ts&Cs don't make it sound like an immediate discount, but that the Benjamin will instead be reimbursed as a gift card, carrier credit or a cash equivalent of Motorola's choice. We're still in the dark about which specific phones will be denied a taste of Android 4.1, although the list is expected "very soon." In the meantime, you can sign up at the source link below to receive details of how to update, or how to claim the rebate once the fate of your old handset has been decided.
Motorola's RAZR HD LTE coming 'exclusively' to Rogers in Canada later this fall
Amidst all the exciting chaos from yesterday's events, Canadian availability of Motorola's newfangled RAZR HD were wistfully lost. Fret not, however, as the Google-owned outfit has let it be known that its recently announced 4.7-inch slab will be coming to Canada as an exclusive to Rogers -- not to mention with a slightly tweaked moniker. The RAZR HD LTE -- as it'll be known in Great White North territory -- is still the same unit we got our grubby paws on, meaning you'll have the same 8.4mm thin body, 2,500mAh battery, dual-core, 1.5GHz S4 CPU and, naturally, that trademark Kevlar backing found on the RAZR family. There's no word yet on how much folks will have to shell out once it hits Canadian shelves "this fall," but there is a registration page open for anyone interested in being kept in the loop -- link to that is just down below.
Motorola bringing RAZR M to Europe with Intel mobile chip
If you liked the look of Motorola's recently-announced RAZR M, but reside on the other side of the Atlantic, you might get what you want -- with some internal changes. While Intel and Motorola's London event isn't for another two weeks, according to Pocket-lint, it'll possibly be a Medfield-powered version of Motorola's smallest new addition waiting for British phone-shoppers later this month. The Intel mobile processor would replace the Snapdragon S4 residing in the US version, but the rest of the phone's specification (and dimensions) will remain unchanged. We'll be checking in on this Intel iteration at its launch event on September 18th.
Motorola Droid RAZR M 4G LTE spotted in white trim
We've had the chance to take a good, hard look at the Motorola Droid RAZR M 4G LTE (aka XT907) bathed in the standard black color option, but what about the rumored white hue? Wait no longer: we just got handed the above images showing the Kevlar-clad device complete with a bleached trim, a design choice that appears to follow closely after the original white Droid RAZR. It's unfortunate, however, that Motorola and Verizon have chosen to continue this trend of merely changing the color of the phone's edges and calling it a day. Does the new look change your overall opinion of the midrange smartphone? Feel free to sound off below. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Refresh Roundup: week of August 20th, 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 Droid RAZR HD guides slip out to the web, pop the hype balloon (video)
Not that we were on pins and needles wondering what Motorola's September 5th event would contain, but what vestige of mystery was left may just have been sapped away. A quartet of Motorola tutorial videos newly uncovered by YouTube user revowii walk users through the unannounced XT926, better known in unofficial circles as the Droid RAZR HD. It's all about the looks in this leak: other than the conspicuous link to Verizon, what's mostly validated here is the expected use of a customized Android 4.0 with on-screen navigation keys, much like the Atrix HD in AT&T's corner of the universe. Earlier murmurings have the Droid RAZR HD carrying the same Snapdragon S4, 720p screen and LTE as well, which could leave the CDMA voice network, NFC and possibly increased storage as the only real differences. We'll know the full truth in about two weeks' time, but those who don't mind a peek into the possible future can hop past the story break to indulge in some video time traveling.
Motorola posts Android bootloader unlock page, lets just one device pass muster
Motorola drew fresh respect after it vowed that its Android device customers could unlock their bootloaders, starting with the Photon Q LTE. Nearly everything about that process was kept in the dark, but it's now been blown wide open: the company has posted a full page dedicated to the process. Getting started will demand the Android SDK, fastboot, new USB drivers and a slightly scary warranty release, but it otherwise goes through a very HTC-like process that provides an unlock key. Verizon subscribers who were hoping for a surprise Droid RAZR MAXX unlock won't be happy, mind you; the Photon Q LTE is the only device on the list so far that isn't already unchained as a matter of course. Motorola did characterize the unlock option as a forward-thinking option, which leaves us not so secretly wishing that high-profile future releases expand the list of unlockable devices a bit further.
Motorola XT907 gets approved by the FCC with Verizon LTE on board
It's just another day in the life of the FCC, but it's a big deal to anyone looking forward to yet another Droid RAZR in Verizon's future. The XT907, a rumored midrange handset, just got pushed through the federal approval process today with Big Red's LTE bands, NFC and the standard CDMA / EVDO radios to boot. We'll keep digging to see what else we can find about the device, but at least the FCC has blessed us with yet another fun mystery to solve.
Motorola starts Android 4.0 upgrades for international RAZR owners
Motorola may have pushed some of its earliest Android 4.0 updates to the Verizon-centric Droid RAZR, but it hasn't forgotten those who call the international, HSPA-based RAZR (the XT910) their own: the phone's first wave of over-the-air upgrades to the new OS should be rolling out now, going by GSMArena's tips. Who exactly is getting the upgrade isn't obvious, although at least one owner on Tesco's network has the visual evidence to suggest the UK is part of the first batch. We can vouch that at least a few Canadian RAZRs are still making do with Android 2.3. Never mind the unconfirmed claims of carrier-related delays for the update, though -- we're just glad that both Americans and the rest of the world will likely be on the same page before too long.
Motorola RAZR V goes on sale at Bell, gives Canadians a thin slice of Ice Cream Sandwich
Bell's version of the Motorola RAZR V might not be the media darling that is the Atrix HD, but that shouldn't dampen the interest for Canadians that can at last buy what's potentially a slick deal for an Android 4.0 phone. For $30 on a 3-year contract, or $400 contract-free, the carrier is offering an arguably improved version of the late 2011 RAZR (Droid RAZR for Yankees). Although it bulks up slightly to a third of an inch thick, it's still a skinny, Kevlar-clad wedge. The primary upgrade outside of the OS is a swap-out of that frankly mediocre Super AMOLED screen of the original RAZR smartphone for a much nicer ColorBoost LCD -- sorry, ColourBoost. Otherwise, you're getting the familiar 1.2GHz processor, 14.4Mbps HSPA+ data and 8-megapixel rear camera, although Motorola has shaved the built-in storage to 4GB to keep the costs down. We'd still be tempted to snag the Galaxy Nexus across the aisle to get us a taste of Jelly Bean for the same money, but Canucks with a penchant for Smart Actions now have an option outside of Rogers to get their fix.
Motorola Droid RAZR HD makes another cameo, shows its global creds
Welcome to yet another episode in the Droid RAZR HD's ongoing leak to market. The global variant of Motorola's flagship handset -- which is expected to supersede the Atrix HD and inevitably land on Verizon real-soon-now -- just made an appearance on xda-developers. What's new? It appears this phone is being tested on Vodafone and supposedly features an eight-megapixel camera (down from the rumored 13 MP). As a refresher, the Droid RAZR HD is slated to run Ice Cream Sandwich on a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and boast a 720p HD display (likely 4.5-inches across). There's still no official word from Motorola, but we'll keep you posted as we find out more. In the meantime, take a look at the gallery below.%Gallery-161608%
Fujifilm sues Motorola over broad camera and phone patents, claims RAZRs and Xyboards are at fault
Motorola won't have had much of a break following the dismissal of a key Apple lawsuit, after all. In a low-profile move, Fujifilm has sued Motorola for allegedly violating four particularly broad patents on camera and phone technologies -- we're talking basics such as transmitting data outside of a cellular network. The camera designer has supposedly been pushing for a licensing deal since April of last year without much success, and it's asserting that "at least" a wide swath of Motorola devices released both before and after that time are the key offenders, including the RAZR MAXX and Xyboard lines. The complaint is scarcely into the docket and makes it difficult to gauge just what kind of chance Fujifilm has to win in court; we just know that Motorola's (and now Google's) patent lawsuit headache is developing into more of a migraine.
Droid RAZR and RAZR Maxx Android 4.0 update incoming: roll-out starts June 22 (update: confirmed)
Looking likely to sneak through in time for Motorola's Q2 deadline, Verizon has published support documents covering an Ice Cream Sandwich update for both the Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR Maxx. This preamble is typically followed by an update just days later and features the same build number that leaked out earlier this week. The refresh adds a four-way lockscreen shortcut, refreshed notifications, global roaming, a smart actions app update and plenty more Android 4.0 holo design riffs. Hit up the source for the documents and a handful of video tours. Update: VZW just confirmed the start of the roll-out on its news page. [Thanks Anonymous]
Motorola Droid RAZR HD's backside possibly leaked: we hope you like Kevlar
We may have seen it from the front, but Motorola's rumored upcoming Droid RAZR HD now looks to have had its back subjected to the whims of Mr. Blurrycam. The overriding theme? Kevlar. Lots of Kevlar. So much so that it runs right up to the edge, making even the original Droid RAZR seem a tad restrained. A side profile shot hints that it might not be as waif-thin as that first model, which Droid Life takes as a sign (however indefinite) that Motorola could reuse the 3,300mAh mega-battery from the Droid RAZR MAXX. Sadly, the snoop providing the photos hasn't solidified rumors of a Snapdragon S4 processor, a 720p display or a 13-megapixel camera, although they're components that are increasingly par for the course in mid-2012 and later. Unverified murmurs have Verizon only shipping the Droid RAZR HD in the summer; that will give us plenty of time to figure out whether or not it can stop a bullet.
Motorola: a brief history
A snapshot of the last several years in Motorola's history shows a company in flux, culminating last week, when the smartphone manufacturer's sale to Google was finally given the green light. After undergoing governmental scrutiny from the US, China and the EU, the move, priced at around $12.5 billion, seems a logical fit, given the phone maker's push toward a portfolio built nearly exclusively around the search giant's mobile operating system. Of course, it's hard to imagine such a transaction taking place, had the Mobility wing not been spun off from Motorola a year and a half prior. These are the latest events for a company that has undergone a fair amount of change in its 80-plus-year existence. It's a long and fascinating story -- one likely hazy at best for those who can only remember as far back as the original RAZR or StarTAC. So, before the company embarks on the next chapter of its history, let's take a quick look back, after the break.
Motorola shows three all-touch Android 4.0 phones in China, we see a possible Verizon model
It turns out that Motorola didn't want to wait until the Google deal closed -- or, for that matter, an American launch -- to undertake a significant revamp of its phone line. A quiet Chinese event last week is now known to have brought us three RAZR-derived, all-touch phones for the three carriers in the Asian country: the XT885 for China Unicom (pictured at left), XT889 for China Telecom (center) and MT887 for China Mobile (right). Other than the network types and pretty bits, you're mostly looking at the same device, where the highlight is an official dip into Android 4.0 waters that drops the physical navigation in favor of more Nexusish on-screen keys. Don't expect a revolution in performance over last fall's roster given that they still have 1.2GHz dual-core processors, eight-megapixel rear cameras and 4.3-inch, 540 x 960 displays. The trio arrives in China on June 2nd; Motorola is likely more worried about popping champagne than giving out US launch details right now, but earlier leaks give us a strong hunch that the MT887 could hit Verizon as the uncannily similar (if still very unofficial) Droid Fighter before too long.
