SmartPhone Review: Motorola Atrix 4G

Motorola Atrix 4G is an indication that he is right. The phone itself marks a technological leap, as one of several new Android phones with dual-core processors, but the real revolution is an optional dock that acts like a laptop when the phone is plugged into a separate base is also high definition TV and external monitors with USB ports for full-size keyboard and mouse.

Motorola's Atrix 4G handset, Droid Bionic smartphone and Motorola Xoom tablet will all run Nvidia Tegra 2 chips when they arrive within the next few months.

These devices feature two 1GHz processors on a single die, twice the speed of current leading high-end smartphones running a single-core, 1GHz chip.

Consider that just 15 months ago the original Motorola Droid launched with a then-standard 550MHz chip. Two months after that, the Google Nexus One debuted with a 1GHz chip, which became the new industry standard for Android smartphones.

Motorola Cliq Android 2.1 Upgrade: What to Expect

Some of the key highlights of the Motorola Cliq's Android 2.1 upgrade, as described by Motorola:

- The phone now supports up to 7 home screens.
- Happenings and Messaging widget content can be filtered with new customizable filters (e.g. contact group).
- Widgets can be resized on the home screen by touching and holding a widget until a vibration is felt, then dragging the corners to expand or shrink.
- Calendar widget distinguishes personal and work appointments with color-coding.
- Contact Quick Tasks allows you to easily access your favorite contacts by using a widget you customize for your home screen.
- Date and Time displays the time (in digital or analog) and date on your home screen.
- Device Toggle makes it easy to turn on/off frequently used functions on your phone (Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, etc.).
- Sticky Note allows you to save a quick little note on the home screen.
- Email multi-select is available in every email account.
- The phone now supports having more than one Gmail account.
- Corporate email can be pushed immediately to you.
- Global Address List to find co-workers' email addresses.
- New versions of the following are included: Gmail, Google BrowserTM, Google CalculatorTM, Google Calendar and Sync, Enhanced Google SearchTM from Google Search Bar TM, and YouTubeTM.
- New features include: PlacesTM, Google TalkTM, Google TalkbackTM, and Speech to Text.
- Google Maps now supports turn-by-turn navigation.
- Auto-complete feature uses your personal search history on Google Maps to make it easy to map recently searched locations.
- Synchronization allows starred items to be shared between Google Maps and maps.google.com.
- The Connected Music Player application includes the following: Synchronized lyrics in 45 languages, Music Videos, SongID, Automatic Album Art, Internet Radio Stations, Facebook & Twitter & SMS Status Updates, and ability to buy and download songs from Amazon MP3.
- Motorola Media Gallery consolidates photos and videos into one gallery and includes new editing features.
- New feature provides information about programs running on your phone, eliminating the need for 3rd party task manager apps.
- This software upgrade also includes the following: improved Android Market layout, Performance/Task Manager, Contact Manager, Battery Manager, new Unlock Screen, Bluetooth printing, enhanced Alarm Clock with Timer, and improved RSS Feeds for Android Browser.

Motorola Sues Apple with iPhone & iPad

Motorola Mobility filed three lawsuits and a trade complaint against Apple alleging that Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iTouch and some Macintosh computers illegally use Motorola's technology, such as method for distributing message traffic, among others.

"Motorola has innovated and patented throughout every cycle of the telecommunications industry evolution, from Motorola's invention of the cell phone to its development of premier smartphone products," said Kirk Dailey, corporate vice president of intellectual property at subsidiary Motorola Mobility. "We have extensively licensed our industry-leading intellectual property portfolio, consisting of tens of thousands of patents in the US. and worldwide."

Motorola, which has lost out heavily to Apple in the cellphone market in the last three years, also filed federal court lawsuits in the Northern District of Illinois and in the Southern District of Florida.

Motolola Droid X getting Android 2.2 soon

Various slips of internal information had pointed to the Droid X originally getting the update in late August, but it was eventually moved to September for reasons unknown. Apart from the headlining features, it should get faster overall performance, the option of moving apps to the SD card, voice dialing over Bluetooth, support for remote commands from the web and numerous other changes.

Verizon hasn’t given up on the Motorola Devour yet. Either that or they are trying to clear their inventory shelves of in-stock units quickly to the tune of some new two-year activations.

Either way you can snag the Devour free right now as part of an online exclusive when you sign up for a new two-year contract. You will need to get a voice plan with at least a $29.99 data pack in order to take advantage of the offer.

Motorola Droid's Second Android OS 2.2 Getting Flash 10.1 from Verizon OTA Update

Flash support is the most significant addition in the latest version of this OS. Adobe Flash Player 10.1 will enable the web browser to fully make use of websites that use Flash for navigation, games, and showing video.

Users will still need to download the free Adobe Flash Player 10.1 from the Android Marketplace.
Note that this new firmware only enables Flash for Motorola DROID, it does not install Flash 10.1.

Once the firmware has been installed to your handset, you will need to download the Flash component from the Android Market. The download should only be available to Motorola DROID owners running Android 2.2 Froyo. This is an exclusive offering reserved for Motorola DROID owners with the latest Android 2.2 update only.

“Verizon Wireless has begun pushing an update today to the DROID by Motorola (introduced November 2009) that will allow customers to download Adobe Flash 10.1 via Android Market. Flash Player 10.1 provides access to millions of sites with rich content including animations, casual games, videos, rich internet applications, audio and much more.”