Posts tagged Droid X
This Week In Android 8/1-8/7
Aug 8th
Even though this week was BlackBerry Torch week, that doesn’t mean Android didn’t have its fair share of news. Multiple numbers came in this week showing tremendous growth in the market share and mind share of Android handsets, the Nexus One isn’t completely dead, and there were various other Android phone release rumors and announcements. Check in after the break to see the week’s Android News.
Android is the best. Or, at least, it’s the most popular. Up 886% year over year.
Half of BlackBerry Users are Ready to Jump Ship to Android and iPhone
Froyo Hitting More Devices. Onto the next one!
Bell Samsung Vibrant launching August 6 for $149.95
Motorola Flipout Now Available From Rogers for $29.99
Android OS Takes the Lead from BlackBerry in Q2
Google Keeps the Nexus One Alive as an Official Developer Phone
Samsung Gem – a Wave with Android for Verizon?
Droid X Froyo Update Coming in “Early September”
HTC Desire Available From Telus for $79.99! Whoa!<Rumour: Bell Samsung Vibrant not unlockable
WIND Mobile Getting High End Motorola Milestone XT720 Android Device?
Droid X Froyo Update Coming in “Early September”
Aug 5th
With the HTC EVO 4G and even the Motorola Droid getting Android 2.2 recently, we all know the Droid X is feeling a little left out. Today on Motorola’s support forum we got out first official word of an early September drop date for the update. An extra special fix is supposed to be mixed into this frosty dish of Froyo, as issues with Exchange 2003 email are expected to be fixed. While we are sad to see the previous promised release date-which put the update in the August time frame-come and go, we won’t complain that Motorola wants to add a little extra stability to the build.
[Via Motorola Support Forum]
Froyo Hitting More Devices. Onto the next one!
Aug 3rd
Froyo has officially hit the EVO 4G on Sprint (earlier than expected, no less!) and word has just reached us that the original Droid has started receiving the OTA update as well. Now all that’s left is the Droid X and the triumvirate of killer Android smartphones will have the latest and greatest of both hardware and software. It is also expected that when the Droid 2 ships on August 12th, it will come with Android 2.2 pre-loaded onto the device.
The update to Froyo seems less fraught with drama than the Eclair update to the Droid, and proves that when the carriers work with the manufacturer and the provider efficiently, things actually get done. I think the multiple-times delayed rollout of the Android 2.1 update for the Droid taught Motorola and Verizon a big lesson.
According to Android Central, the steps are pretty simple:
- Grab the update file
- Place it on the root of your SD card
- Power down, then restart while holding the X key to get to the bootloader
- When you see the exclamation mark, hold the volume up button and press the camera button
- Choose apply sdcard:update.zip
- Ignore the cache error
- Reboot
Easy peezy.
(via Android Central)
This Week In iPhone 7.18-7.24
Jul 25th
All in all, a fairly quiet week for Apple news. Apple’s case program goes live, those wanting an iPhone 4 in white will likely never get it (cause they’ll buckle and get the black one first!) and Apple throws a new phone or two into their antenna page deal. This of course made other manufactures pretty heated, but Apple doesn’t seem to care very much.
As usual, the links are available after the break.
iPhone 4 free case program goes live, requires iPhone app
White iPhone Delayed until the end of 2010
Apple adds the Motorola Droid X to their list of antenna attenuations
I told’ya it wasn’t a very big week!
Android 2.1 clears half of all Android devices, Froyo creeps up
Jul 21st
| Platform | API Level | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Android 1.5 | 3 | 18.9% |
| Android 1.6 | 4 | 22.1% |
| Android 2.1 | 7 | 55.5% |
| Android 2.2 | 8 | 3.3% |
Every month, Google’s Android developers’ forum releases the latest breakdown of Android user distribution based on downloads from the Marketplace. This month, things are looking pretty rosy for Android 2.1, and the upcoming Android 2.2 OS, which was recently released on the Nexus One, and soon on the Droid 2 and Droid X.
Android 2.1 has risen to 55% market share, making it the clear majority holder. The nice thing about it, too, is how quickly it has risen to that spot. Check out the break for the breakdown distribution over time.
This Week in Android 4/11-4/17
Jul 17th
It was kind of a slow week for the Android community with the iPhone signal issues and press conference stealing most of the spotlight. Still, we had two highly-anticipated device launches this week-the Motorola Droid X and the Samsung Vibrant. The Droid X and the Samsung Vibrant launched Thursday the 15th for Verizon and T-Mobile respectively, each priced at a dollar short of two benjamins with a two-year agreement. With the launch of the Droid X there was a lot of hubbub surrounding Motorola’s inclusion of an eFuse chip which could potentially halt hackers’ attempts to unlock the bootloader. It still isn’t confirmed that the eFuse will actually brick the phone if it’s meddled with. Even Motorola’s highly-hackable original Droid had the same eFuse chip onboard though it wasn’t implemented to stop modification of the software.
We also got word that the Motorola Droid is nearing its end of life. If the Droid X proves to be too much for Android modders then the Droid may be the last truly open Motorola handset we see. Time will only tell if rooting the Droid X will be a reality, but I have a feeling nothing will stop the Android community from opening up this phone. Check out this week’s Android news after the break.
Will the Droid be Motorola’s last hackable phone?
Motorola Droid, Droid Devour, and BlackBerry Tour End of Life Imminent
Motorola Droid, Droid Devour, and BlackBerry Tour End of Life Imminent
Jul 16th
There was no surprise that RIM’s BlackBerry Tour was hitting its end of life soon seeing how it’s been replaced by the BlackBerry Bold 9650 (see our review here) which is now out for both Sprint and Verizon. Through an image posted by DroidForums.net we see that the much-loved Motorola Droid and the less favorable Droid Devour are also getting the boot soon. Obviously Verizon is making some room in their lineup for the Droid X and the original Droid’s successor, the Droid 2.
It’s a sad thing to hear. The Motorola Droid is without a doubt, the device that truly put Android into the hands of mainstream consumers. Sure people had G1s and MyTouch 3Gs, but until the Droid hit the scene most people (especially CDMA users) had no idea what Android was. We salute you Motorola Droid. Thank you for raising the bar and putting Android into tons of consumers’ hands.
You can still buy the Motorola Droid of course, in fact you can still get one free with every one you buy on contract. However, this won’t last forever as the production of Droids has likely stopped or is currently grinding to a halt.
[Via DroidForums.net]
Holy Android - Modding Kills Droid X’s!
Jul 15th
What a disturbing piece of news. Apparently, one of the crowning achievements in Android ownership is being brutally disabled in the new Droid X. It’s called “eFuse.” If a verification fails, it sends a command to corrupt the freaking boot process - permanently bricking the phone. To fix it? Why, it requires a hardware repair by Motorola. So this means, no special ROMS — heck, maybe sideloaded apps will trigger this thing.
To the average user, this presents no problem. To the geek that wants to trump iPhone people, stay away. Thankfully, the nature of Android means you’ve got options. While it’s too early to be worried, I’d at least be wary of this becoming a trend. While there will likely be an “open” option from x manufacturer, it may not be the best phone on the market if this continues. Assuming this permeates and affects all Android devices - would they still be worth using? Looks like Droid Doesn’t.
via MobileCrunch
Motorola Droid X on Verizon Official: $199 After Rebate, Available July 15th
Jun 23rd
After seeing the Motorola Droid X’s teaser page go live there was little doubt that we would see the handset become official very soon. Today at an event in New York City the phone was made official by Motorola and Verizon. As expected the Droid X will boast a 854×480 4.3″ screen, an OMAP processor clocked at 1GHz, 8 gigs of built in storage with an included 16gig microSD card, 512MB of RAM, HDMI out, and an 8 Megapixel camera with 720p video recording. Even with all these features the Droid X is only 9.9mm thick. Verizon has also announced the ability to tether via WiFi to five devices (just like the Palm Pre) but use is capped at 2GB for the feature and will cost an additional $20 per month.
Surprisingly the Droid X will come equipped with three microphones-one for noise cancellation, one in rear for video recording, and one down low for regular use. Battery life will hopefully be comparable to the current Motorola Droid by including a 1570mAh battery with the Droid X.
Unfortunately the Droid X will not come with Android 2.2 (it will come in “the latter part of the summer”) and will instead roll out with Android 2.1 and a new rendition of Motorola’s Motoblur skin. Don’t tune it out just yet, as Motorola has promised that it is much better than the version on phones like the Cliq, Devour, and Backflip.
In a move similar to AT&T’s early upgrade option for iPhone buyers, Verizon is offering the Droid X on-contract to anyone whose contract ends in 2010. Look for the Droid X on July 15th for $199 after $100 mail-in rebate.
Peep the press release after the break and take a look at the Droid X’s official page here.
July 2010: DROID X By Motorola Lands On The Nation’s Largest & Most Reliable 3G Network
DROID X Delivers More Browsing, More Connectivity, Personal HD Video and Enterprise Features – All on a 4.3” Widescreen
June 23, 2024
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID X by Motorola. DROID X does more with ultra high-speed Web browsing; a fast 1GHz processor; 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities; loads of memory; intuitive social messaging; Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 ready; and access to Android Market™, which has more than 65,000 applications, along with a host of unique Verizon Wireless applications such as NFL Mobile, Skype mobile™, V CAST Video, EA Need for Speed Shift™ and more.
“Nine months ago, we made a commitment to our customers to bring the openness of Android to the Verizon Wireless network,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “Since then, we have introduced the top-selling Android phone in the marketplace today – the DROID by Motorola. DROID X takes that commitment to another level with exclusive content, faster processing speeds, and, of course, the reliability of our network.”
Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices and Home business added, “Motorola designed DROID X to push the extreme limits of Android innovation, and enable you to do even more with your mobile device. We are breaking down barriers so that you can experience the Web the way it was meant to be and create, share and view content like never before, either in your hand or in your home. Enterprise users will also find DROID X appealing with features including push e-mail and live widgets for e-mail and calendar updates.”
DROID X gives customers a 4.3-inch high-resolution screen for viewing the latest movies and video from BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® presented by V CAST Video, the newest addition to the Verizon Wireless V CAST application, which also includes access to favorite TV shows. The DROID X video capabilities let customers capture spontaneous fun, combining a dual-flash, 8-megapixel camera, HD camcorder, as well as DLNA and HDMI connectivity to download, stream and share personal HD content.
DROID X customers will also receive Android 2.2 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 with an over-the-air update in the latter half of the summer. With the update, the Flash Player will allow mobile users to experience hundreds of sites with rich applications and content inside the browser, including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, music, video, audio and more.
“It has been an exciting time for Android momentum and global consumer adoption since the announcement of DROID by Motorola nine months ago,” said Andy Rubin, vice president of engineering for Google. “There are 160,000 new Android-powered devices activated daily and Android Market has grown to over 65,000 applications. Plus later this summer, Verizon Wireless and Motorola will update all the DROID by Motorola phones to the latest 2.2 software. For customers, this means great new features and improved browser performance. For developers, this will provide new tools such as cloud-to-device messaging and enhanced enterprise functionality.”
“We are excited about full Flash support coming to the DROID X and other devices from Motorola,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer of Adobe. “Flash Player 10.1, which is one of Adobe’s most anticipated releases ever, has been redesigned from the ground up to deliver the kind of highly engaging experiences that consumers now expect from their mobile devices.”
Once updated to Android 2.2, business customers will find DROID X offers the features that turn the device into a workhorse with support for both Exchange and Gmail™ for business. Corporate users can enjoy push delivery of e-mail; live widgets that stream messages to the home screen; filter widgets to differentiate work and home e-mail; corporate directory and Global look-up along with a unified calendar for Enterprise and sync with Google Calendar™. Security protocols allow remote password control and wipe via Exchange server.
Pricing and Availability
DROID X by Motorola will be available at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning July 15 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. In addition to subscribing to a Nationwide Talk plan or a Nationwide Talk & Text plan, customers will also need to subscribe to an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.
Customers can add the optional 3G Mobile Hotspot service to their DROID X for $20 per month. The 3G Mobile Hotspot allows customers to turn the phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi devices. In addition, current Verizon Wireless customers who have contracts ending by December 31, 2010, can upgrade to any smartphone, including DROID X, without penalty.
For more information on DROID X by Motorola, go to http://phones.verizonwireless.com/droid/x/. For information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
Verizon’s Droid X Teaser Page Goes Live
Jun 17th
How sweet it is to be loved by Droid! Verizon seems to be pimping out their latest Android iteration to go head to head with both the iPhone 4 and the Sprint Evo 4G. With a 4.3″ WVGA display, 720p video recording, HDMI out, a front-facing camera for video conferencing, and a VERY fast OMAP processor (that should kick Snapdragon’s butt in benchmarks) its biggest challenge will be keeping afloat during the mad rush of the iPhone 4 launch on the 24th of June.
The Droid X is going to be widely successful on Verizon. The Droid brand is already highly-valued and draws people to Android without them realizing it’s Android. It’s the face they’re putting on it. Even the Motoblur on the Droid X doesn’t look to be too invasive.
Check out the teaser page at Verizon’s site.
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