Computer scientist from North Carolina State University have discovered a weakness in smartphones running Google’s Android operating system that allows attackers to secretly record phone conversations, monitor geographic location data, and access other sensitive resources without permission.

Devices sold by HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and Google contain code that exposes powerful capabilities to untrusted apps. These “explicit capability leaks” bypass key security defenses built into Android that require users to clearly grant permission before an app gets access to personal information and functions such as text messaging. The code making the circumvention possible is contained in interfaces and services the device manufactures add to enhance the stock firmware supplied by Google.

The researchers wrote in a paper (PDF) scheduled to be presented at next year’s Network and Distributed System Security Symposium. “We believe these results demonstrate that capability leaks constitute a tangible security weakness for many Android smartphones in the market today,” said the scientist. “Particularly, smartphones with more pre-loaded apps tend to be more likely to have explicit capability leaks.”

A diagnostic app named Woodpecker was created by the scientist and ran on eight smartphones from the four vendors. The most vulnerable was HTC’s EVO 4G device, which was found to leak eight functions, including its precise geographic location finder, camera, text message service, and audio recorder. HTC’s Legend came in second with six leaks. Samsung’s Epic 4G contained three leaks, including the ability to wipe data and applications off the handset. Google’s Nexus One and Nexus S contained one leak.

The researchers found that the manufacturer-supplied enhancements offer a way to circumvent this permissions-based model. In a video demonstration, they show how an app they designed is able to access audio-recording and SMS functions on an EVO 4G without first getting approval from the user. As a result, the app is able to turn on a recorder that collects nearby audio or phone conversations. The app is also able to send unauthorized text messages.
 

 
The researchers said both Google and Motorola have confirmed the vulnerabilities in their handsets, but that HTC and Samsung “have been really slow in responding to, if not ignoring, our reports/inquiries.”

Motorola’s new DROID RAZR for Verizon Wireless will be available starting 11:11 a.m. on 11/11/11. The DROID RAZR comes with a price tag of $299.99 with a qualifying two year service agreement. The new RAZR is supported on Verizon’s 4G LTE data network and offers a 1.2GHz, dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, and an 8MP cmaera with 1080p video recording, 1800mAh battery advertising 12.5 hours of 3G talk time. The Droid RAZR will be running on Android 2.3.5 and Motorola is putting emphasis on their “Smart Actions” for extended battery life which will allow a user to turn off bluetooth when you get home, underclock the CPU when battery is low, and promises 30% better battery life than devices without it. The razor-thin steel body of the DROID RAZR measures in at just 7.1mm thick.

*****UPDATE*****

Thanks to our folks over at Verizon Wireless they have provided us with an updated link for the “Motorola DROID RAZR” http://www.verizonwireless.com/droid-razr.shtml This URL will take visitors directly to the product, without asking them for zip codes or attempting to set cookies, etc.

VERIZON WIRELESS AND MOTOROLA ANNOUNCE DROID RAZR BY MOTOROLA: DROID STRONG. RAZR SHARP.

Impossibly Thin with Unstoppable Power on America’s Fastest and Most Reliable 4G Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Today, Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) and Verizon Wireless announced DROID RAZR by Motorola, the world’s thinnest 4G LTE smartphone. A true marvel of design, this smartphone packs strength and smarts into a stylish package offered exclusively from Verizon Wireless.

Measuring 7.1 mm thin, made with KEVLAR® fiber for strength and Corning® Gorilla® Glass for scratch resistance, the DROID RAZR is ready to face the elements. Speed limits are just an illusion with a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Verizon Wireless 4G LTE. DROID RAZR customers can expect to rip through the Web with speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.

“DROID RAZR by Motorola combines style, performance and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network into one innovative device,” said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “These are two iconic brands that separately symbolize the best technology available today. The combination will provide an unsurpassed wireless experience for customers.”

“DROID RAZR by Motorola is a testament to the innovation and design possibilities that stem from a strong partnership between Motorola Mobility and Verizon Wireless,” said Sanjay Jha, Chairman and CEO, Motorola Mobility. “We set out to design the best smartphone on the planet and delivered DROID RAZR which is thinner, smarter, stronger than any device on the market.”

Not only does DROID RAZR by Motorola deliver heart-pounding speed, but it has a mind-bending 4.3-inch hyper-vibrant display with more colors than most LCD HDTVs. The Super AMOLED Advanced display with qHD resolution dishes out beautiful images and smooth action so on-the-go movies and TV shows aren’t a blur, whether customers stream from Netflix or rent from Android Market. It’s the first smartphone capable of streaming movies and TV shows through Netflix with up to HD resolution.

DROID RAZR customers can take advantage of the Super AMOLED Advanced display and 4G LTE speeds to stream videos with NFL Mobile, only from Verizon. Fans can stay up to date on news, schedules and scores from their favorite teams on the go. NFL Mobile is included at no additional charge for 4G LTE customers for the remainder of the 2011 season.

If cutting-edge visuals are its beauty, apps on DROID RAZR are its brains. Enter MotoCast, the free Motorola app that lets you stream or download your music, pictures and more from your PC to your phone. The Smart Actions app helps automate everyday tasks and optimizes battery efficiency by letting customers create rules, such as automatically setting the phone to vibrate during work hours or dimming the display at a specific battery level. The revolutionary webtop application allows customers to combine the device with separately sold accessories, like the Lapdock 100 or HD Station, unleashing the power to edit documents and browse the Web with a full Firefox® browser on a larger screen – all while charging the device.

Additional features:
· Powered by Android 2.3.5, Gingerbread
· 1 GB RAM for a fast user interface and multi-tasking
· 8-megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology for crisp and clear videos
· Front-facing HD camera for video chat over 4G LTE, 3G or Wi-Fi
· 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot capable so customers can share 4G LTE speed with up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices
· Water repellent nanocoating protects the phone, and even the inside components, against everyday spills
· Remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts as well as voice and video chat conferencing
· Use Quickoffice® to view, create and edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on your mobile device from anywhere at anytime
· Bluetooth 4.0 low energy
· 32 GB memory: 16 GB on board and 16 GB microSD card pre-installed (actual formatted capacity is less)
· Powerful 1780 mAh battery

The DROID RAZR will be available in early November for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at: www.verizonwireless.com; as well as at authorized retailers. Customers can visit www.droiddoes.com/droidrazr to pre-order DROID RAZR beginning on October 27. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to http://www.verizonwireless.com/droid-razr.shtml

.

 

 

According to this article found at Computerworld, it looks like Motorola has been purchased by Google!! What will this mean for Windows Phone 7? Nothing good, that is for sure!! Not only does it add a powerful developing market to Android but it isn’t likely we will see any Windows devices coming from Motorola either.

Motorola has been viewed as one of Microsoft’s saviors in the Window Phone 7’s development area and this could be a huge hit to Microsoft. With Motorola out of the loop (at least partially if not totally) Nokia will be the big developer for Windows Phone 7. Some experts are forecasting Android and iOS to be the long-term survivors while  Windows Phone, Blackberry, and HP’s WebOS will fade away eventually. Before this it was optomistic Windows Phone would survive as well, but it will be an even tougher road now. (a great write-up can be found here)

Now….it is important to remember that it isn’t finalized yet and Google is not looking to create a ‘Google-made’ device like the iPhone. They want to run Motorola as a company unto itself, incorporating Android into a lot of devices but not having one corporation take over the other. (more details here)

What do you guys think? Will this create a powerhouse Android world that will threaten even the i-world? What will become of Windows Phone? Will it survive?

Source:  Computerworld  USA Today

Once again some new FCC papers have us wondering. As a GSM version of the Motorola Droid 3 showed itself to the FCC, with full support for bands used by AT&T and Bell in Canada. I’m sure those of you who have AT&T as their carrier would like to see this phone come their way. However, I would say don’t hold your breath though stranger things have happened. There’s a better chance this device is the one that was mentioned by Mobile Syrup last week discussing the Motorola XT860 (aka Milestone 3) heading to Bell on August the 14th.

According to FCC reports, the device has:

• 16GB of internal storage
• a 960×540 qHD display
• uses an SNN5885A battery

So it definitely appears to be the GSM Motorola Droid 3. The device, as referred to by its FCC ID IHDT56MF2, supports bands for GSM 850, 1900, and WCDMA bands II and V. AT&T and Bell in Canada both currently use these bands.

Would you like to see this device show up on AT&T’s inventory?
Perhaps an unlocked model would do?
What are your thoughts on this latest variant of the Motorola Droid 3?
Let me know in the comment section below.

source: FCC

Verizon Wireless adds another handset to its’ very popular Droid line this Thursday with the official announcement of the Droid 3. The Motorola Droid 3 is available online now and in stores on July 14 for $199 with a 2-year contract or $459 with no contract. Existing Verizon customers can upgrade their phone and keep their current unlimited data plan, but new customers must choose from three tiered data plans ranging in capacity from 2 GB to 10 GB per month.

The new Droid is a welcome refresh over its predecessors, with a faster processor and support for global voice and data networks. Motorola is billing the Droid 3 as “the world’s thinnest full qwerty smartphone.” Sounds familiar from the days of the Razr or even more appropriately, the Motorola Q.

Anyhow, although it isn’t LTE capable, the new “superphone” boasts some pretty impressive specs. With the new and improved display, dual-core processor, and GSM support for those that need it, the Droid 3 looks to be a very worthy upgrade over its’ predecessor, the Droid 2. The addition of a dedicated number row on the keyboard is also a nice feature to round out the list of improvements.

Motorola Droid 3 main specs:

• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• 4-inch display, 960×540 (qHD) resolution
• Android 2.3 (GOOG) (Gingerbread) operating system
• 8 megapixel rear camera with 8x zoom, LED flash, autofocus, 1080p (30 fps) video capture
• Front-facing camera for video chat
• 16 GB of internal storage, microSD expansion slot supporting 32 GB additional storage
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• GSM/HSPA support in up to 200 countries

Motorola is referring to the Droid 3 as “enterprise ready.” The new device and SD card feature encryption, complex password support, remote data wipe of device and SD card. The Droid 3 also comes equipped with QuickOffice for editing documents on the run, as well as Citrix GoToMeeting for Android.

One downside so far, is it seems Motorola skipped unlocking the bootloader on this device.
Bad Motorola, or was this verizon’s choice? Maybe there will be a change of heart, before the Devs beat them to it.
Will you be picking up one of these new Droids from Moto, or are you still waiting for the infamous Bionic?
Where do you see this device fitting into the current line of handsets today?
Does no LTE, make it less appealing?

source: verizon

You may have heard the rumors on the web today stating that the Motorola Droid X Gingerbread update to version 4.5.588 is quietly hitting devices. Still, no one knows whether or not this is the official build Verizon plans to release but the good news is a leak  has been spotted on the Droid-Life forums. The source suggests this has been confirmed to be the actual update and they have shared it with others.

Are you ready to get started flashing or have you already? If not, below you will find the instructions on how to get Gingerbread version 4.5.588 installed on your Droid X. Keep in mind, rooted users have to go back to Gingerbread version 2.3.340 in order for this to work on your Droid X.

Download this:Blur_Version.2.3.340.MB810.Verizon.en.US.zip

1. Download the file from above and drop it on the root of your SD card.
2. Rename it to update.zip.
3. Turn your phone all the way off.
4. Boot into recovery: *Hold the Home button + Power.  When triangle appears, press Search.
5. Choose the option to install update.zip using your volume keys.
6. Your phone will now load the new Gingerbread.
7. Enjoy!

Let us know what you think about the update once you give it a try. Was the installation this easy? The instructions seem to be simple. We want to know what you think! Feel free to hop into our Droid X Forums and create your own topic on this wonderful leak!! Leave your comments in the box below.

Thanks YoungDC!!

Source: Gottabemobile via DroidXForums

UPDATE:

The Samsung Droid Charge, yes that’s the official name of the “un-named Samsung 4G smartphone” everyone was curious about since first seeing it at CES. This device is expected to carry a minimum advertised price of $299.99.

The HTC Droid Incredible 2 (ADR6350) is a going to be a world edition with a front facing camera . This device is expected to be priced at $199.99.

The LG Revolution (VS910) is definitely a 4G LTE smartphone and is said to be priced at $249.99.

Finally, the Motorola DROID X 2 (MB870) will be priced at $199.99 and yes it is taking the place of the DROID X on Verizon’s lineup currently.

END OF UPDATE:

Looking at the image above you can tell that Verizon Wireless has several 4G devices being released starting today. Their 4G Novatel USB 551L modem and the Samsung 4G SCH-LC11 Mobile Hotspot are both now available for only $99.99 online with a new two year contract. But wait, there are many more devices other than internet modems coming your way.

If you aren’t interested in the Thunderbolt which is the only 4G LTE smartphone Verizon currently offers, just be patient. They will have more rolling out soon as you can see by the dates in the image. Keep in mind though, the dates are subject to change and this is only tipped information from the source. Nothing is official unless you see it come from Verizon Wireless themselves. For now we can enjoy what’s expected though right?

Basically what the leak says is this: Verizon Wireless will release an Android powered, 4G Casio Commando and the 4G Samsung Droid Charge on April 7th, 2011. The following week they are rumored to launch the Sony Xperia PLAY and the Windows Phone 7 HTC Trophy. Continuing on to April 28th, the rumors suggest the HTC DROID Incredible 2 may also be available. In May they say we can expect several more 4G phones, including the LG Revolution, Motorola BIONIC, Motorola DROID X2, and Samsung Galaxy 2 (presumably the Galaxy S 2).

Although these aren’t Verizon documents in the image we do see some of the dates are true, hence the mobile hotspot and USB device that are available today as the image suggests. With that being said, what do you think about the upcoming devices? We wrote about a few of them here and would love to have your feedback once again now that the time is closer. Let us know your thoughts.

Source: Phandroid & PhoneArena

Finally users of Verizon Wireless service have had the pleasure of owning the first ever LTE smartphone that hit their market. The HTC Thunderbolt has been a great success so far and it’s actually the most talked about handset still to this day. Our Thunderbolt forums are filled with rooting information and much more already so hop on in and take a look.

Geeks we know you all aren’t interested in the Thunderbolt alone and maybe you want more choices. Those choices are right around the corner. Take a look below at what we expect in the next few months coming from Verizon Wireless.

Verizon’s 4G devices coming soon:

1 ) LG Revolution – Scheduled to be the first phone released in the US to support Voice over LTE and is rumored to appear in Q2 of this year. Can you guess when that will be?

Specifications expected:

• 4.3-inch screen
• 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 processor
• Two cameras (Front and back) with LED flash
• 16GB built-in memory
• Mobile Hotspot
• Snapdragon MSM8655 processor
• 3D graphics hardware accelerator
• Android 2.2

2 ) Motorola Droid Bionic – Expected to be the first dual-core LTE handset in the States, this handset is expected to appear in Q2 of 2011 also. Some users say it’s already on the way, as in you will have it in the next few weeks.

Specifications expected:

• 4.3-inch qHD display
• two cameras (front and rear)
• 512MB of the desktop-grade DDR2 RAM
• 1930mAh battery
• Android (2.2)

3 ) Samsung 4G LTE (unnamed) – Also known as the Inspiration, Stealth, Stealth V and Droid Charge does not have a rumored release date as of yet.

Specifications expected:

• 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display
• 1GHz processor
• Two cameras (front and rear)

4 ) Motorola Targa – This is the codename of a Motorola phone that’s said to resemble the Motorola DROID X in several features. Nobody is quite sure just yet. Rumors suggest it will be available in the second half of 2011.

Specifications expected:

• Two cameras
• rumored to have a quad-core processor
• 13MP camera
• Android 2.2 is suspected
• microSD & microSDHC (max card size =32GB)

5 ) Samsung Galaxy Tablet 4G with LTE – A slightly modified version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, we aren’t sure when you can expect this one. There are very few changes however so take a look for yourself.

Specifications expected:

• LTE tablet
• 1.2 GHz processor
• Android but not sure what version

Looks like Verizon Wireless is aiming to keep LTE devices rolling out consistently. Geeks let us know what you think about these? Are you waiting patiently for them? Do you hope to see better specs? We want to know!

Source: PhoneArena

Rumors have recently been going around on what Sprint has planned for the CTIA convention this year and BGR has just been informed of what we like to call expected announcements. The three devices everyone is so excited about are the HTC Evo 3D, the HTC Evo View 4G and Sprint’s version of the Motorola XOOM.

Expected specifications of the HTC EVO 3D include a 4.3″ qHD 960 x 450-pixel Autostereoscopic 3D display, 4GB of RAM, 1GB ROM, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8660 Snapdragon CPU, dual rear 5-megapixel cameras with a dedicated camera button, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and a 1730mAh battery. It is said to be running Android Gingerbread 2.3 with HTC Sense UI and has output 1080p video via HDMI and output 720p 3D content as well. Supposedly it will come stock will also be a Blockbuster 3D on demand app as well as YouTube 3D. We will see when the announcement gets here.

Expected specifications of the HTC EVO View include features very similar to the HTC Flyer tablet including a 7-inch 1024 x 600-pixel capacitive touch screen, an aluminium unibody design, HTC Scribe with optional pen support, the latest HTC Sense UI optimized for tablet devices, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a 4000mAh battery and DLNA and HDMI-out support. Remember, specifications aren’t official but you can almost count on them being so.

As we mentioned in a previous article, Sprint is planning to launch their own XOOM tablet. See our previous article for more information.

Sources suggest that Sprint will be announcing quite a few more devices including a Samsung Rant 3, a 3G touch screen messaging device that’s eco friendly and features a solar rechargeable battery door. A BlackBerry PlayBook (Wi-Fi & WiMAX version) are also expected to be announced.

What do you think geeks? Will you get any of these? Is this what Sprint needs to gain back their reputation to the fullest? Do you think this will help? Let us know your thoughts?

Source: BGR

Recently Ubuntu was successfully ported to the Motorola Xoom tablet by Thomas Sohmers. We aren’t exactly sure who he is yet but he’s already got his own website up giving you instructions and a video example.

Looks like this XOOM is going to be a popular tweaking device so geeks go on and get one, why not? Sources suggest it’s very simple to unlock the bootloader and root this device. Does that make you want one even more now?

Basically to make this work, you have to run the Linux OS in a virtual mode that is similar to a Virtual Machine on a Windows or Linux machine. The Xoom is powered by an Arm-based CPU and not an x86 processor so this install on the Xoom requires the Arm version of the Linux distro. The files needed total about 600 MB and unpack on the device to over 2 GB. The procedure is complicated but possible. Do this at your own risk!!

Instructions on how to do this yourself can be found here.

Take a look at the video below:

What do you think? Do you plan on getting one of these devices and tweaking it on day one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.

Source: IM via Thomas Sohmers

We all know the Motorola Atrix 4G is one of the biggest and most anticipated Android phones coming soon to At&t. At launch, it will do 720p video capture, like most high-end Android phones out now. According to the Motorola Fact Sheet, there will be a post-launch software upgrade that will enable 1080p video capture.

If that’s not enough news to get you pumped about this phone, maybe the price tag will be. Sources are showing that this phone could sell for $150 at Costco and Amazon Wireless.

We’re sure this won’t be the price if you buy direct from At&t, but if 3rd party retailers are selling it for $150, At&t could possibly sell it for $200 on contract.

UPDATE:

It appears there’s been a misunderstanding over the current situation of who really is #1! After speaking with PR Reps from Verizon Wireless, there is a difference between the number of actual subscribers, and machine to machine users on the carrier’s respective networks. It appears, according to Verizon’s statistics, that they are indeed on top!

Here’s quick listing of stats provided by Verizon and noted in a recent article by ComputerWorld

— Customers excluding connections:  94M for Verizon vs. 86M for AT&T

— Customers including connections: 102.2M for Verizon vs. 95.5M AT&T

We have yet to hear from AT&T regarding this.

To read more about it, click here for the ComputerWorld Article!

For months now users of AT&T have asked why aren’t there more high end Android devices available? Most of us imagine it’s because of the iPhone popularity, which is probably going to change soon. With AT&T no longer having the iPhone all to themselves, they are finally putting more focus on Android devices.

At CES, AT&T announced several top-of-the-line Android devices. Shortly following CES, during a conference call, CEO Randall Stephenson stated that “AT&T is going to be a heavy participant in the Android market this year.” He also stated that AT&T would have more focus on not only Android phones but tablets as well.

Do you currently have AT&T? Were you one of the customers waiting for a higher end device? If so, let us know what you think in the comments box below.

Source: BGR

AT&T and Apple came together in 2007 to provide the United States with the most innovative smart phone that swept the market by storm. Year after year since then, they have broken sales records and haven’t looked back. This seemed like a match made in heaven, and for both parties involved, it was. There is a problem with this match made in heaven though, and AT&T knows it’s time to change. Consumers have bad mouthed AT&T for quite some time now due to the network issues that the iPhone has caused, especially in the metropolitan areas. I don’t blame them either.

The company has been working hard to try to keep the network running as smooth as possible, but it’s pretty hard to do with a device that’s known to be a data hog, even when it doesn’t seem to be. AT&T also hasn’t had the best rep when it comes to promised 3g deployment across the USA.  Well, AT&T has made some bold statements, a lot of which are publicly available 24/7 right on their website. Statements that will mean a better service for their customers in what seems to be a very near future. I’m talking about their 2011 3g  and LTE deployment (Labeled as 4g by the mobile giant to compete in the marketing department with other big players).

Finally they are breaking free of the hold that iPhone exclusivity has had for the past 3.5 years, and is expanding on what consumers have been begging for. Now before you think I’m bashing the iPhone, I’m not. I’m simply stating that with having a great selling phone like the iPhone, AT&T had no real need for any other high end devices that would compete with it. They could do it all based on the iPhone. With the threat of the iPhone going to other carriers, however, AT&T now needs to put the focus onto new bleeding edge devices, and needs to put their new mobile broadband deployment into the reality of it’s consumers.

AT&T seems like they’re heading in the right direction too, with the ever promising Motorola Atrix 4g and the rest of the high end Android lineup at&t has revealed at CES 2011. Without the iPhone being the center of attention at AT&T, they know that they need to bring it hard when it comes to top of the line Android devices, since they seem to be the future. Any way, the whole point of this post, is that I want to know what you, the community, thinks of AT&T’s direction and where they’re going with the device line up and network improvements they spoke about CES 2011. Discuss below!

You all may already know that The International CES is the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow. This year it took place starting January 6th and runs until January 9th. Several websites are there and reporting what they have found to be interesting. We aren’t there this year but have already made plans for next year so don’t you worry!

Take a look at what some other sites are sharing as they tour the International CES tradeshow!

1) The iPhone may definitely be going to Verizon

AT&T announced three new android powered phones from the smartphone world: Motorola Atrix, HTC Inspire and the Samsung Infuse. They also announced that there will be a total of 12 Android phones coming this year, plus HSPA+ and LTE tablets coming later in the year.  Some consider this to be another ‘hint’ that the iPhone is coming, we will see!

2) Google demonstrated Android Honeycomb on the Motorola Xoom Tablet

As rumored, there are no physical controls around the Xoom’s bezel; instead, everything is handled by on-screen buttons in Honeycomb. They have a really cool widgets gallery with more detailed previews before you actually place them onto your screen and much more. Take a look at the video below for a demonstration!

3) Verizon announced the first LTE device: Droid Bionic

The release date set for the Droid Bionic is currently said to be in Q2 which seems to be the general launch frame for the first LTE devices. See below the specifications of this device:

• 1 Ghz dual-core processor (likely Tegra 2, but not stated)
• 512 MB RAM (possibly 1 GB RAM, depending on if the presser or site page is correct.)
• 4.3″ qHD Display (960×540)
• 1080p HDMI output
• 8 mega-pixel rear-facing camera
• VGA front-facing camera
• Android 2.2
• Mirror Mode – allows streaming of video to the TV or the device

4) T-Mobile announced the Cliq2 and a tester for the G-Slate tablet by LG

The device features some nice hardware improvements based on the features in the original Motorola CLIQ. These would include features such as a 1GHz processor, a 3.7-inch FWVGA (854×480) touchscreen, Wi-Fi calling and a hot spot for up to 5 devices. The CLIQ 2 also features profiles that allow you to easily switch between home and work setups. See the video below for a quick review from TMobile.

Here is a quick look at the G-Slate tablet by LG. This tablet is said to be the “First 4G tablet w/ Android 3.0 Honeycomb.” Would you agree or disagree? I guess we will see who gets which ones first! The G-Slate will run on T-Mobile’s high-speed, 4G-like HSPA+ network. Pricing and additional product details will announced at a later date, T-Mobile says.

5) Sprint announced the EVO Shift 4G

The EVO Shift is a little different from your EVO. They have let the front facing camera go, dropped in screen size and switched to a smaller 800Mhz processor. See the actual specifications below.

• 3.6″ screen
• 800Mhz processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4G connectivity (obviously)
• 5 mega-pixel camera (capable of 720p video)
• 1500 mAH battery
• Android 2.2

6)Velocity Micro announced 3 new Cruz Tablets running andriod

Those three tablets include the 7″ Cruz Tablet L37 (1024×600 capacitive touch screen), the 8″ Cruz Tablet P38 (1024×768 screen) and the 10.1″ Cruz Tablet L510 (1366×768 capacitive touch screen and runs on the NVIDIA Tegra 250 Chipset with a 1GHz dual-core CPU.)

Some specs for all the tablets include:

• front and rear facing cameras
• 3G data options
• Bluetooth 2.1
• GPS and eCompass functionality
• HDMI out and
• eReader
• Kindle app comes pre-installed
• Andriod OS

For now these seem to be the hottest topics at CES! We will update you tomorrow when we get our hands on more information. For now, let us know what you think!

Source: Androinica, AndroidCommunity & Android Police

T-Mobile seems to be the USA carrier really helping Android take off, and today, they unveiled yet another Android phone, the Motorola DEFY. This is a “rough and rugged” handset that comes with a 3.7″ WVGA screen which is scratch-resistant, DLNA support, a “Flash-Lite enabled browser”, 5MP camera with auto-focus and LED flash, and of course the MOTOBLUR UI.

According to the press release:
“Motorola DEFY is scratch and water resistant as well as dust proof, protecting you from life’s little challenges such as a sudden rain shower to a drop in the sand. Pre-installed on the DEFY, CrystalTalk PLUS vanquishes noisy environments with two microphones that intelligently filter out background noise and amplify your voice so you don’t have to shout.”

While there was no mention of pricing, they did confirm that it would be a T-Mobile USA exclusive and it would be available in time for the holiday season.

Source: BGR & Motorola

Hello Folks!

This week, Verizon Wireless kindly sent us a Moto Droid X to get our hands on and open up to see what it was made of!

Read on to find out what we think of it, and for our Youtube Video Links!

The DROID X is the ‘sister’  product to the original Motorola DROID which we reviewed a few months back, we have to say there are A LOT of improvements.
First off, the processor grew from a 524 MHZ TI OMAP to the big 1GHZ. According to What we’ve heard, it’s also one of the highest performing ARM processors on the market, a strong competitor to the Snapdragon!

Second, it got a boost straight to Android 2.1 and sports it all on a MASSIVE 4.3″ WVGA Screeen. We really love the screen’s quality!

The battery cover was a gripe on the old Moto DROID, and this one has been beefed up and won’t fall off in the pocket!

Now, onto specifics. The device is lighter, thinner, but longer (height-wise) than the EVO, which contends it as to being really equal, as some prefer the extra width on the EVO and its more curved simple design. The X sports a curved, thicker edge where the camera is giving it a ramp on the back. This may bother some when held in the hand a specific way, but it also ensure you always pick the phone up from the right side!

Other stats include standard micro-USB, HDMI-Out (Identical to the EVO,) 8MP Camera with Dual-flash and four buttons on the bottom edge. They are ordered – Menu, Home, Back, and Search. This switch in menu and home seems strange, and if you are a previous Android User, it will take some getting used to in order to adjust to the difference!

The software runs a standard Android 2.1 compliment with an upgraded Motorola software enhancer for the homepage. It’s much lighter and more customizable in comparison to HTC Sense, but both serve the same purpose of weather, calendar, contacts and more. the DRIOD X however uses a much more blocky design so they can be interchangeable used in various orders to keep the style. The Sense style is more curved and stylish, unlike the simple coloring of the X, but at the same time is less compatible with “mixing and matching.” Social networking and aggregation is also combined using various internal sofware. It also sports a Need For Speed Demo and various Verizon features (Visual Voicemail, My Verizon, City ID and more) but we still prefer the standard software as always. Did we mention everything has a wicket red style to it for Big Red? Everything moves through just as fast as the EVO’s snapdragon, but the text and content resolution is much smaller, meaning you get more per page, but you will need to strain your eyes a bit at times! The EVO likes it wide and easy to read, but you have to scroll more often.

Lastly, i want to note speeds. The X is of course CDMA just like Sprint, but i’ve always seemed outperforming Download Speeds (for the most part) through various times of the day. Upload speeds however have been slow, perhaps akin to Sprint’s more open bandwidth and allowing the higher speeds. Still, at times Verizon can be inconsistant with speeds as Sprint remains the opposite, which brings questions to mind on how it gets its bandwidth maintained (at least in the New York Metro area where the review was performed)

The 1570 mAH battery performs well through a day of heavy usage. I will admit the EVO slacks on Battery life big time and it can suck you down to 40 in a matter of hours of moderate usage without clockspeed control (through root.) I will admit though both are strong contenders and fabulous devices for the avid Android user.

The EVO and X Both sell at $199.99 through a two year contract on Verizon and the X requires a 30$ smartphone data plan, while the EVO requires a 10 dollar premium data fee not including a data – talk plan. The X is a welcomed addition to Verizon’s “Rule the Air” campaign and surely will prevent Verizon users from feeling left out when interested in a powerful device like the DROID X. Based on current specifications, it’s very likely to hit 2.2 by the end of the year as well.

Reviewer: Mr. Joshua Sherman

Editorial Assistant: Mr. Wayne Sherman

ComScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, has released their latest study yesterday, which shows common trends in the US Wireless Market for the first three months of this year. According to the study, Verizon holds the most market share at 31.1%, while At&t is second with 25.2% and Sprint and T-Mobile both had around 12% each. For device manufacturers, Motorola and Samsung took the top spot with 21.9% each, then LG with 21.8, and finally RIM and Nokia with 8.3%.

They also did a study to compare how people use their phones. While actually talking on the phone wasn’t measured, the other results seemed pretty standard. 63.7% of users use SMS/MMS, 30.1% surf the web, 28.6% downloaded apps, 21.8% played games, 18.7% accessed blogs and social networking sites, and 13.2% of users used their phones to listen to music.

How do you think this compares to the latest satisfaction surveys by ChangeWave that we reported on yesterday? At&t is clearly in 2nd place for market share, and yet, according to the ChangeWave study, they have some of the most dissatisfied customers and the highest dropped call rates. Some of these results seemed to be skewed a little, as we talked about on the Podcast last night. I’ve been an At&t user for almost 2 years now, and I previously had Sprint. My customer satisfaction has been about equal for both companies and my dropped call rates have been about the same. What’s been your experience?

Source: ComScore via DSLReports

Financial Highlights

• First-quarter sales of $5.0 billion
• First-quarter GAAP earnings of .03 per share, compared to a loss from continuing operations of .13 per share in first quarter 2009; first-quarter 2010 GAAP earnings include income of .01 per share from highlighted items
• Total cash* of $8.5 billion, a sequential increase of $455 million
• Enterprise Mobility Solutions sales of $1.7 billion; operating earnings of $141 million
• Mobile Devices sales of $1.6 billion; shipped 8.5 million handsets, including 2.3 million smartphones; operating loss of $192 million
• Networks sales of $896 million; operating earnings of $112 million
• Home sales of $838 million; operating earnings of $20 million

Source- DealNews.com

Have a Motorola Backflip? Want an official Android 2.1 upgrade? You will have to wait until the third quarter of 2010 to officially receive the Android 2.1 OS update, as Motorola has refreshed its release schedule for Android software updates. Other notable upgrades for Motorola products to Android 2.1 is the Droid, which is, as Motorola puts it, “currently rolling out in stages”, the Cliq/Cliq XT for sometime in Q2 of this year, and the Devour, which is under consideration for the OS update