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Motorola Xoom WiFi now seeing Android 4.0.4 update over-the-air
We'd been told it was incoming, and come it has. Those still in possession of Motorola's Xoom WiFi tablet can now look forward to another bragging right: Android 4.0.4. According to Droid-Life, the new Ice Cream Sandwich update is rolling out right now to select owners over-the-air, with the new code bringing quicker screen rotation, a new setting to "immediately lock the screen," improvements on the camera and a few other minor advancements. Eager to get it yourself? Head to Settings > About tablet > System update, and be sure to let us know how it goes in comments below.
Motorola Xoom WiFi gets first official dibs on Android 4.0.4
Tales of leaked Android 4.0.4 builds have been told for months, and we've even heard whispers of 4.0.5 coming to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the very near future. We still haven't seen any official firmware rollouts of either version, until now. Owners of the Motorola Xoom WiFi should be getting their hands on an update to 4.0.4 -- also known as build IMM76 -- any time now. According to an email from Moto announcing the update, the latest refresh offers improved stability, quicker screen rotation, better phone number recognition, camera and image quality improvements, enhancements to Microsoft Exchange and even a new setting that lets you choose whether you want the power button to lock the device immediately or not. If you aren't seeing the update hit yet, Droid-Life has reported that the file is available for download thanks to XDA, but it appears that some users have experienced errors when attempting it. So if you're feeling adventurous and don't want to wait for the OTA download, feel free to give it a shot. You'll need to drag the file into a USB stick, plug it in using a USB host cable and boot your Xoom into stock recovery.
Refresh Roundup: week of March 5th, 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!
Mobile Miscellany: week of March 5th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, one clever individual has repackaged HTC's Beats equalizer for use on any Android smartphone, and we've also come across news of additional language support for Siri that's set to arrive later this year. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 5th, 2012.
Apple granted injunction in German patent suit, Motorola phones with slide-to-unlock at risk
Apple scored a huge victory today in Munich's Regional Court where Judge Dr. Peter Guntz found Motorola's implementation of slide-to-unlock on smartphones to be in breach of Cupertino's patent holdings. The ruling has resulted in a permanent injunction that Apple could execute at will, forcing Moto to alter the UX it employs across its device portfolio in Deutschland. The case originally focused on three separate applications of this gesture tech -- two for phones, alone -- but for now, the one used on the Xoom has been deemed outside of Apple's purview. Naturally, both parties are expected to appeal this decision, with Apple gunning for a total victory on every derivation of patent EP1964022 and Motorola seeking to overturn the win. Nonetheless, this particular legal triumph could help to set a precedent for the company as it continues to rage an IP war against fellow mobile industry rivals.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 6th, 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!
Oops! Motorola sold refurbished Xooms without deleting previous owners' data
Usually, when passwords and personal information are exposed, it's because someone hacked a company's not-so-secure system. Motorola, however, managed to put people's info at risk without such malfeasance when it failed to wipe the memory of a batch of refurbished Xooms. The tablets in question were sold by Woot.com between October and December of last year, and Moto is claiming that it made the mistake on only small number of slates. Of course, we don't know exactly how many Xooms were shipped with previous owners' data onboard, but we do know that the company is actively attempting to make amends. Moto's offering two years of Experian identification protection services to those whose info was exposed and owners of affected Xooms are getting a little something too. Just send the device back to Motorola on the company's dime -- where it'll be properly reset and sent back to you, along with a $100 American Express gift card for your efforts. Wondering if you're among the unlucky? Hit the PR after the break for more info, and those with Wooted Xooms can plug in their slate's serial number at the source link below to find out for sure.[Thanks, Scott]
Motorola announces Q4 2011 earnings: $3.4 billion revenue, $80 million net loss
Motorola offered a estimate that lowered expectations for its Q4 2011 earnings earlier this month, and it's now out with the final numbers, reporting net revenues of $3.4 billion and a GAAP net loss of $80 million. That's a swing in the opposite direction from $80 million in net earnings during the same quarter a year ago, although the company did achieve the "modest profitability" it had promised on a non-GAAP basis, reporting earnings of $61 million by that accounting standard. Its earlier estimates of device shipments for the quarter also proved to be on the mark, with the company confirming that it shipped 10.5 million mobile devices in total, 5.3 million of which were smartphones. Mobile device shipments for all of 2011 totaled 42.4 million, with 18.7 million of those being smartphones. As for the company's efforts to break into the tablet business, it says it "shipped" 200,000 tablets in Q4 and an even one million during the year, although there's no word on actual sale figures to consumers. Motorola's Sanjay Jha also says that the company remains "energized" about the proposed merger with Google, which is still expected to close in early 2012 (it's also, incidentally, precluded an earnings call for today). Those interested can find all of the company's numbers at the source link below.
US Wi-Fi Xooms now getting Ice Cream Sandwich OTA
You might have thought being the first Honeycomb tablet, and offering a completely stock Android experience, would give the Motorola Xoom some sort of priority when it comes to updates to Android 4.0. Sadly and surprisingly for tablet early-adopters that was not the case, with the Transformer Prime first to hop the update train to Ice Cream Sandwich Town. A week later the Xoom is now catching up, with an OTA update percolating down from the cloud to users, but for the moment it appears only American Wi-Fi versions of the slate are receiving. International and LTE-equipped ones are going to have to wait at least a little longer.
Motorola starts rolling out its Xoom project, opens up a big ole box of Ice Cream Sandwich
Motorola's been a bit cagey about its whole "project" for the Motorola Xoom, but it may finally be time to roll back the curtain to reveal, get this, a big ole pile of Ice Cream Sandwich. According to Engadget tipsters, the update has begun rolling out the mobile OS to a select group of Xoom owners -- both the WiFi and 4G LTE varieties. It seems like the roll out begins tonight and continues over the weekend, bringing Android 4.0 to the star of CES 2011.
Comcast lights up AnyPlay for in-home live TV iPad streaming, Xoom support 'coming soon'
Comcast was "close" back in September, but it looks as if today's the day. The pay-TV provider is enabling Xfinity TV customers to peek their favorite dramas and drama queens on the iPad, with any channel in your subscription available for viewing. We're told that support for Motorola's Xoom is "coming soon," but as with other AnyPlay setups, you'll need to be in or around the home to take advantage. As of now, AnyPlay's only available gratis to Xfinity HD Triple Play customers in areas of Denver and Nashville, but more markets are planned for the coming months. The company also confirmed last night's news from the Microsoft CES 2012 keynote that it'll be bringing On Demand content to Xbox 360, as well as our leak that it'll be cruising over to Samsung's connected TVs. Ready to get going? Hop a flight to one of those two cities and dip into the source links below.
Verizon lights one candle for LTE, confirms Xyboard Droid tablet name, December launch
Today marks one full year after Verizon first flipped the switch on LTE, with 365 days of 4G speeds for customers in 39 markets. By the end of next week, Big Red will light up a few more cities, bringing the total number to 190, with access available to more than 200 million Americans. Buried below the PR cake, however, is an even juicer tidbit -- two "hot new Xyboard Droid tablets from Motorola coming out this month." And what might those be? Well, if this weekend's accessory leak is any indication, the Xoom 2 is headed to VZW -- before the year is out. And we're not surprised to see the Galaxy Nexus getting some love as well, though you'll have to make due with a "coming soon" release commitment for at least a short while longer. Jump past the break for the PR.
Refresh Roundup: week of November 28, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!
Droid Xyboard accessories arrive at Verizon, can't hide from Mr. Blurrycam
If you've had any doubts regarding the likelihood Motorola Mobility's Xoom 2 LTE tablets arriving at Verizon under the Droid Xyboard moniker, Mr. Blurrycam would like you to have a gander at the picture above. Following the 8.2 and 10.1-inch variants being handled by CNET last week, and soon after caught passing through the FCC, a trio of snapshots have now been posted over at Droid-Life of what's said to be some the device's optional accessories. Among the lot, you'll find a Smart Cover-esque Protective Portfolio for the 8.2-incher, two versions of an HD dock, and lastly, set screen films for the 10.1-inch version. While there's still no definitive word on price or availability, it certainly appears like a formal reveal of the slates will be zooming in imminently. Hit the source link below for all the details.
Motorola Xyboard tablet says hello to FCC, totes Verizon LTE bands (update: two tablets!)
Could this be the Motorola Xyboard Media Edition with Verizon's LTE making its way through the FCC? The tablet sports LTE band 13 -- Big Red's particular flavor -- as well as CDMA / EVDO. It also technically houses GSM / EDGE / WCDMA functionality, though the government documents state that it's SIM-locked and disabled by firmware. The docs also give us a good healthy diagram of its back, which clearly shows the same outline and angled corners seen on the Xoom 2 Media Edition, as well as the same camera and LED flash configuration (seen in the gallery below). Our prediction: what we're seeing here is Verizon's iteration of the 8-inch Xyboard Media Edition complete with LTE. Hopefully we'll learn soon enough, and we'll keep digging in the meantime to see if we can uncover any other interesting nuggets of info. Update: Shortly after the 8-inch version cleared the FCC, its 10-inch sibling -- also bearing Verizon LTE -- made it through as well. We're likely seeing the pair of Xyboard tablets that we reported on earlier today. %Gallery-140968%
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%
Editorial: The problem with bad product names and what we can learn from it
Product names generally fall into one of four different categories: good, safe, meaningless and bad. There may be better categories to group them in, but we'll use these for the purpose of this editorial. In the first category I'd put something like Kindle, arguably one of the best new product names of the last ten years. iPhone and iPad, and their subsequent suffixed versions, are in the safe category. They're perfectly fine names for a cellphone and a tablet, but they're not as original or distinct as iMac or iPod were, which I'd consider good (iPod nano, shuffle and touch, on the other hand, are all safe names). In the meaningless category are things like the MSI GT683DXR or ASUS XU6280, one of which I just made up. Some meaningless names can also be good in their simplicity -- like the Nokia N9 or Nikon D3S -- but they are still basically nothing more than differentiators. This is an acceptable option. The names aren't just bad -- they're noise. In the bad category are the majority of smartphones released in the past few years. Rezound. Rhyme. Vivid. Epic. Sensation. Thrill. Skyrocket. Conquer. Triumph. Enlighten. Infuse. Prevail. Arrive. Can you name the company behind each phone? And those are just a few examples from this year. The names aren't just bad -- they're noise. Some names might fall into a fifth, slightly murkier okay category, but there are certainly more phones (and, increasingly, tablets) in the bad category than any other, and I'd argue that's a sign of a larger problem.
Motorola Xoom 2 hands-on (video)
Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition hands-on (video) Panasonic Toughpad A1 and B1: the tablets you can drop and pick back up again Motorola Xoom a bit slow boomerangin' back with 4G LTE update Motorola has just unveiled two new tablets in Europe, and we've managed to get our grubby mitts on them. This one is the Xoom 2, the (almost) same-size successor to Moto's first Android tablet. Matching its older sister's 10.1-inch Gorilla Glass screen, there's now an all-over splash resistant coating (inside and out), with those intriguing cut-off corners we've seen already there to aid the ergonomics of handling the slab. Add to that, Motorola's new intelligent grip suppression, which means you can hold the screen and navigate with your other hand without hindrance. It runs Honeycomb 3.2, and gains an improved 1.2GHz dual-core processor inside, with a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera, and a five megapixel shooter on the back. Comparing the tablet to its predecessor, you won't believe how much thinner it is -- this is Galaxy Tab 10.1-scale skinniness. Motorola also boast that it's now 100g lighter than the original Xoom, but we still get an HDMI port, microUSB connectivity and 16GB of storage, not to mention stylus functionality, though the capacitive pen is sold separately. The Xoom 2 itself has now been priced up at £379.99 and you can check out those cut-off corners in our hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-138342%
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]
